Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw has attacked a proposal to make the eagle a national symbol of Scotland, recalling its use by the Roman empire and later by Nazi Germany.

Mr Carlaw sits on a Holyrood committee considering a petition to make the golden eagle Scotland's national bird.
He suggested the eagle was a symbol of "imperial power".
Wildlife photographer Gordon Buchanan, who backs the petition, denied any Nazi links.
The Scottish Parliament's public petitions committee questioned Mr Buchanan and RSPB Scotland's Duncan Orr-Ewing.
Mr Carlaw said: "The golden eagle is the symbol of an empire that once invaded large parts of Scotland, and more recently of another empire that tried to.
"In the lifetime of many people in this country it was the last thing their relatives saw as they were marched to their deaths.
"It has been a symbol of imperial power of which Scotland is emphatically not, never has been, and hopefully never will be."
Mr Carlaw said the robin would be a better national bird, but wondered why another national symbol was needed at all and where such thinking would end.
"Do we have a national domestic animal, a national wild animal, a national grievance?" he asked.
Later Mr Buchanan said he doubted "if the symbol was shown to people in Scotland as the national bird, that anyone would see it as Nazi."
'True icon'
The petition was lodged in December by RSPB Scotland director Stuart Housden. It calls for the golden eagle to become a national symbol", alongside the lion rampant, Saltire and Scottish thistle as emblems of the country".
Mr Orr-Ewing said the golden eagle was a "true bird icon of Scotland", arguing that many highland chieftains wore an eagle feather, as did Scottish regiments and the Royal Company of Archers.
He said Scotland's golden eagle population "represents the whole of the UK's breeding pairs, and it is regarded as a Scottish species".
RSPB Scotland has said there are only 431 pairs of golden eagles remaining in Scotland, as a result of what it calls "centuries of persecution".
Mr Buchanan said colleagues of his elsewhere in the UK were "astounded that this persecution, poisonings and shootings, continues".
In December, police appealed for information after tests revealed a golden eagle found dead in Angus had been poisoned.
'Favourite animal'
A recent report by RSPB Scotland revealed that a significant number of incidents of illegal killing of birds of prey took place in areas managed for grouse shooting.
Last year, the golden eagle topped a poll in a campaign by Scottish Natural Heritage and VisitScotland to find Scotland's favourite wild animal, as part of the Year of Natural Scotland 2013 celebrations.
The petitioners are hoping that the eagle will follow the Scots pine as a national symbol. The Scots pine is to be designated Scotland's national tree following a petition to the Scottish Parliament from campaigner Alex Hamilton.
The committee resolved to put the golden eagle proposal to consultation, as had previously been done with the petition on the Scots pine.
Committee chairman and Labour MSP David Stewart confirmed that he and his colleagues were "taking this forward".


A mother and father accused of killing their toddler son have been cleared of his murder - but convicted of causing or allowing his death.

Danielle Cassin, 27, and Mark Piper, 31, had both denied delivering a fatal blow to Levi-Blu Cassin.
Birmingham Crown Court was told the 22-month-old died from "catastrophic" internal injuries in February 2013.
A jury found them guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. They will be sentenced on Monday.
Cassin, of Frensham Close, Chelmsley Wood, and Piper, of no fixed abode, were also cleared of manslaughter.
Levi-Blu was found at the flat his parents shared in Nightingale Avenue, Chelmsley Wood, on 20 February last year.
Both defendants gave differing accounts of Levi-Blu's last 24 hours, but maintained they did not know how he came to be injured.
Judge Mr Justice Goss said both "deny they used any violence on Levi or was aware of the other using any".
They were, he said "at a loss" in police interviews to explain how Levi-Blu sustained his fatal injuries.
They said he had shown signs of sickness in the hours leading up to his death, but had not appeared gravely ill.
But during the trial medical experts told the jury it was likely Levi-Blu sustained the fatal injury around 12 hours before his death.
"There will have been a distinct change in his behaviour after the event and it is very unlikely that he will have walked or played," one said.
A post-mortem examination found his duodenum - where the small intestine meets the stomach - was split in two.
There was also evidence Levi-Blu had sustained less serious injuries two or three weeks before his death, the trial heard.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
Jurors were also told social workers had designed a plan to try and protect Levi because of his mother's drug use and his father's history of violence.
The NSPCC said it was "extremely distressing" to hear "defenceless toddler" Levi-Blu "had endured such suffering in his short life".
Sandra Mcnair, head of the charity's Midlands Regional branch said she hoped Monday's sentencing hearing "reflects the severity of the crime committed".
"We may never know the full story of what happened to Levi-Blu," she said.
"However, we do know that he lived in a home where domestic violence and drug use was common place.
"We know that Levi-Blu was wilfully neglected by his parents, who chose to put their relationship and drugs before the basic needs and wellbeing of their son.
"The family was known to local agencies, so it is vital that questions are asked as to whether more could have been done to keep him safe from harm", she said.
Edwina Grant, chair of Solihull Local Safeguarding Children Board, confirmed a serious case review had been launched.
It is expected to be published in the spring, she said.


Non-league Lincoln City reached the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in 41 years as Nathan Arnold's injury-time strike secured a deserved victory over Ipswich at Sincil Bank.

Media playback is not supported on this device
Arnold fired home in the first of four added minutes to secure a famous triumph against the Championship side.
The Imps were dominant throughout and a bigger margin of victory against a team 59 places higher in the league pyramid would not have flattered them.
They now host Brighton in round four.
After twice coming from behind at Portman Road to earn a replay in the first meeting, Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy promised his side had noted the lessons of that scare.
But if they had learned anything, his players were unable to put it into practice, managing just one decent attempt on the Lincoln goal in 90 uninspiring minutes.
Graham Taylor was in charge of Lincoln the last time they reached the fourth round, so it was fitting the National League leaders matched that achievement on the night the club paid tribute to their former manager.
Lincoln's run in the cup was just one highlight among many during Taylor's managerial reign between 1972 and 1977, which was followed by successful spells at Watford and Aston Villa before landing the England job in 1990.
A minute's applause was held before kick-off in memory of Taylor, who died on 12 January at the age of 72, and he was remembered again later in the match with more applause and a show of lights from fans in the stands.
But far and away the best tribute was saved until the end when Lincoln substitute Adam Marriott's pass sent Arnold sprinting clear of the Ipswich defence and he rounded the goalkeeper before knocking the ball into an empty net.
Former Ipswich defender Terry Butcher, who was at Sincil Bank for BBC Sport, did not hold back in his criticism of his old club.
"I can't remember ever being so embarrassed and humiliated as an Ipswich fan," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "Ipswich lost the wrong way, not enough fight, not enough passion.
"I am bitterly disappointed. Over the 180 minutes Lincoln have been by far the better team, it wasn't a fluke.
This was a mid-table Championship side totally - and I mean totally - outplayed over two games
"When you lose like that then Mick McCarthy will be concerned, but the club won't have any knee-jerk reactions."
The margin of defeat could certainly have been greater but for a brilliant first-half save by Ipswich goalkeeper Dean Gerken, who stuck out a hand to somehow claw away Luke Waterfall's close-range header on the stroke of half-time.
Danny Cowley's side put Ipswich's back line under pressure with a barrage of crosses, with burly striker Matt Rhead spurning one opening and midfielder Alex Woodyard heading a very presentable chance wide when unmarked.
Ipswich's best opening came with a low Josh Emmanuel shot just before the hour, but Imps goalkeeper Paul Farman was always behind it and made a good save.
Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy: "I should congratulate Lincoln. They deserved to win. From my point of view the way we lost the game was ridiculous. We had a chance to score ourselves and then seconds later they scored.
"On the back of the performance on Saturday it was surprising how we played tonight. They controlled the game but I'm not going to stand here and give my team stick.
"The fans want to see these upsets. It's great for TV but not for me unfortunately. The fans made their thoughts quite clear tonight. I'm not happy about producing that kind of football in front of the fans."
Lincoln City's manager Danny Cowley: "The way they've worked day in, day out, is incredible. You can have great days like this if you put so much work in like we have.
"I thought we competed really well and worked every minute so hard. We pressed from the front and actually thought we had great control in the game even against a Championship side like Ipswich.
"What a brilliant finish from Nathan. Not an easy finish when the whole of Sincil Bank is hoping he sticks it in. It's a great night and an amazing feeling for the club."
Match ends, Lincoln City 1, Ipswich Town 0.
Second Half ends, Lincoln City 1, Ipswich Town 0.
Substitution, Lincoln City. Jamie McCombe replaces Terry Hawkridge.
Attempt saved. Jack Muldoon (Lincoln City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Matt Rhead.
Substitution, Lincoln City. Jack Muldoon replaces Nathan Arnold.
Goal!  Lincoln City 1, Ipswich Town 0. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adam Marriott with a through ball following a fast break.
Bradley Wood (Lincoln City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Bradley Wood (Lincoln City).
Tom Lawrence (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner,  Ipswich Town. Conceded by Nathan Arnold.
Attempt missed. Jonas Knudsen (Ipswich Town) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Hand ball by Tom Lawrence (Ipswich Town).
Substitution, Lincoln City. Adam Marriott replaces Theo Robinson.
Attempt blocked. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Rhead.
Attempt missed. Matt Rhead (Lincoln City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nathan Arnold.
Attempt missed. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Matt Rhead with a headed pass following a set piece situation.
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Andre Dozzell replaces Grant Ward.
Substitution, Ipswich Town. Freddie Sears replaces Leon Best.
Terry Hawkridge (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Paul Digby (Ipswich Town).
Attempt blocked. Leon Best (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Terry Hawkridge (Lincoln City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Alan Power with a headed pass.
Offside, Ipswich Town. Cole Skuse tries a through ball, but Tom Lawrence is caught offside.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Paul Farman (Lincoln City) because of an injury.
Offside, Ipswich Town. Joshua Emmanuel tries a through ball, but Leon Best is caught offside.
Foul by Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City).
Jonathan Douglas (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Jonathan Douglas (Ipswich Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Matt Rhead (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jonathan Douglas (Ipswich Town).
Attempt blocked. Nathan Arnold (Lincoln City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bradley Wood.
Terry Hawkridge (Lincoln City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joshua Emmanuel (Ipswich Town).
Foul by Theo Robinson (Lincoln City).
Christophe Berra (Ipswich Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Matt Rhead (Lincoln City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Paul Digby (Ipswich Town).
Attempt blocked. Tom Lawrence (Ipswich Town) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is blocked. Assisted by Grant Ward.
Corner,  Ipswich Town. Conceded by Luke Waterfall.


Polish weightlifter Tomasz Zielinski is set to receive an Olympic bronze medal despite finishing ninth at London 2012 - and being currently banned himself.

Six other athletes from the men's -94kg final tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs when their 2012 samples were retested this year.
They included all three of the original medallists - Ilya Ilyin, Aleksandr Ivanov and Anatolie Ciricu.
Zielinski was sent home from Rio 2016 after a failed drugs test in July.
Moldovan Ciricu's ban, imposed this week, means that Iran's Saeid Mohammadpour, originally fifth, is the new champion.
South Korea's Kim Min-jae, who was eighth in London, has risen to the silver medal position following the disqualifications, with Zielinski now taking the bronze.
Kazakhstani weightlifter Ilyin was awarded the gold medal in London, breaking two world records - one for the clean and jerk category and one for total weight lifted - as he defended the title he had won four years earlier in Beijing.
Russia's Ivanov took silver after producing his best-ever lift, as did Ciricu to take the bronze.
But in May, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that it had started retesting hundreds of doping samples from the 2008 and 2012 Games, applying the latest scientific analysis methods.
On 15 June, the IOC announced that Ilyin was one of four London weightlifting champions from Kazakhstan to have tested positive.
Little more than a month later, another four athletes from the -94kg final were suspended by the International Weightlifting Federation.
Silver medallist Ivanov was sanctioned, as were fellow Russian Andery Demanov, who was originally placed fourth, and Kazakhstan's Almas Uteshov, who was seventh.
Azerbaijan's Intigam Zairov - who had finished sixth, and had already been suspended following an earlier retest of a 2008 sample - was the fourth weightlifter named by the sport's governing body.
That left Ciricu as the new 2012 champion - until Wednesday's announcement. As it stands, Mohammadpour, Kim and Zielinski are now the medallists - with six of the original top seven disqualified.


A body has been found by search teams looking for man who fell into a river as Storm Desmond battered Cumbria.

Emergency services were alerted to a possible sighting of an elderly man going into the River Kent, at Staveley Road in Kendal, at 10:00 GMT on Sunday.
Cumbria Police said a body had now been recovered from a tributary of the river, and formal identification would take place in due course.
More than 2,000 homes and businesses in the county were flooded by the storm.
The Environment Agency said more than a month's average rainfall was recorded in 24 hours on Saturday.
Follow the latest updates on the weather and flooding on our live page.
341.4mm
(13.44in) of rain fell in Honister in the 24 hours from 18:30 on Friday
316.4mm
(12.46in) was the previous record, at Seathwaite, on 19 November 2009
6.2m (20.3ft) was the water level of the River Eden on Saturday
4.85m (15.9ft) was the previous record
5.32m (17.5ft) was recorded at the River Greta in Keswick, compared with a previous high of 4.66m (15.3ft)
The government has a plan to build 1,400 new flood defence schemes, protecting 300,000 homes. The investment is worth £2.3 billion.
5.2 million
properties at risk of flooding. That's around one in six.
£2.3bn is being spent on tackling the threat of floods.
1,400 new flood defence schemes are in the pipeline.
Councils are also sharing £26 million as Lead Local Flood Authorities, which they are expected to use to prepare for and manage the risk of flooding.
Kent County Council gets the largest share of this, £256,000 this year. Cumbria, where Storm Desmond has caused huge damage, had £158,000 and does not feature in the top 10, although Lancashire does.


At least 1,400 children were subjected to appalling sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, a report has found.

Children as young as 11 were raped by multiple perpetrators, abducted, trafficked to other cities in England, beaten and intimidated, it said.
The report, commissioned by Rotherham Borough Council, revealed there had been three previous inquiries.
Council leader Roger Stone said he would step down with immediate effect.
Mr Stone, who has been the leader since 2003, said: "I believe it is only right that as leader I take responsibility for the historic failings described so clearly."
The inquiry team noted fears among council staff of being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' descriptions of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men.
Professor Alexis Jay, who wrote the latest report, said there had been "blatant" collective failures by the council's leadership, senior managers had "underplayed" the scale of the problem and South Yorkshire Police had failed to prioritise the issue.
Prof Jay said: "No-one knows the true scale of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham over the years. Our conservative estimate is that approximately 1,400 children were sexually exploited over the full inquiry period, from 1997 to 2013."
Revealing details of the inquiry's findings, Prof Jay said: "It is hard to describe the appalling nature of the abuse that child victims suffered."
The inquiry team found examples of "children who had been doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally violent rapes and threatened they would be next if they told anyone".
Five men from the town were jailed for sexual offences against girls in 2010, but the report said police "regarded many child victims with contempt".
District Commander for Rotherham, Ch Supt Jason Harwin said: "Firstly I'd like to start by offering an unreserved apology to the victims of child sexual exploitation who did not receive the level of service they should be able to expect from their local police force.
"We fully acknowledge our previous failings."
Ch Supt Harwin said the force had "overhauled" the way it dealt with such cases and had successfully prosecuted a number of abusers.
But he admitted: "I accept that our recent successes... will not heal the pain of those victims who have been let down."
The report found: "Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought as racist; others remembered clear direction from their managers not to do so."
Failures by those charged with protecting children happened despite three reports between 2002 and 2006 which both the council and police were aware of, and "which could not have been clearer in the description of the situation in Rotherham".
Prof Jay said the first of these reports was "effectively suppressed" because senior officers did not believe the data. The other two were ignored, she said.
The inquiry team found that in the early-2000s when a group of professionals attempted to monitor a number of children believed to be at risk, "managers gave little help or support to their efforts".
The report revealed some people at a senior level in the police and children's social care thought the extent of the problem was being "exaggerated".
Prof Jay said: "The authorities involved have a great deal to answer for."
A victim of abuse in Rotherham, who has been called "Isabel" to protect her identity, told BBC Panorama: "I was a child and they should have stepped in.
"No matter what's done now... it's not going to change that it was too late, it should have been stopped and prevented."
James Vincent, BBC Look North
The scale of this report is simply staggering and some of the detail extremely hard to read.
It lays out how Rotherham Council and the police knew about the level of child sexual exploitation in the town, but didn't do anything about it.
They either didn't believe what they were being told, played it down, or were too nervous to act. The failures, the report says, are blatant.
The report estimates 1,400 children were sexually exploited over 16 years, with one young person telling the report's author that gang rape was a usual part of growing up in Rotherham.
The processes for dealing with these crimes have got better in the last four years, but still improvements need to be made.
There were more apologies from the council today but the report's author says they are too late.
Speaking about her abuser, Isabel said: "I think because the police were aware and social services were aware and he knew that and they still didn't stop him it I think it encouraged him.
"It almost became like a  game to him. He was untouchable."
Speaking after the publication of the report, Victims' Commissioner Baroness Newlove said: "I'm appalled by the extent of the horrific abuse endured by these vulnerable victims.
"It's deeply distressing how the authorities failed to protect these young people and their voices were not heard.
"Everyone involved needs to take responsibility for the shocking failings that this report has exposed. This must not happen again.
"I want to see every one of these victims getting the right support now and for as long as it takes them to help them on the path to recovery."
Maggie Atkinson, children's commissioner for England, said the number of identified child victims was "largely consistent" with the findings of their own national inquiry into "child sexual exploitation in gangs and groups".
Rotherham council's chief executive, Martin Kimber, said he accepted the report and the recommendations made and apologised to the victims of abuse.
He said: "The report does not make comfortable reading in its account of the horrific experiences of some young people in the past, and I would like to reiterate our sincere apology to those who were let down when they needed help.
"I commissioned this independent review to understand fully what went wrong, why it went wrong and to ensure that the lessons learned in Rotherham mean these mistakes can never happen again.
"The report confirms that our services have improved significantly over the last five years and are stronger today than ever before.
"This is important because it allows me to reassure young people and families that should anyone raise concerns we will take them seriously and provide them with the support they need.
"However, that must not overshadow - and certainly does not excuse - the finding that for a significant amount of time the council and its partners could and should have done more to protect young people from what must be one of the most horrific forms of abuse imaginable."


The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) says the lack of testing within Scottish football is "not good news".

No tests have been carried out in the nine-month period to the end of 2016.
It followed a decision by UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) not to fund drugs testing in the Scottish game.
The Scottish Football Association board has recently approved its own funding, which is expected to be reflected in testing figures for the first three months of 2017.
"In my view it is unfortunate if any country which purports to be a serious player in the football world has a gap in its testing programme," Wada president Craig Reedie told BBC Scotland.
"I think the SFA is slowly getting its act together in terms of a budget to do some testing, but a nine month absence is not good news."
A BBC investigation last year revealed only eight tests had taken place in Scotland between April and December 2015. Twenty were carried out in the first three months of last year but none since.
The SFA acknowledged the need to strengthen their anti-doping stance but took until November to allocate funding to allow Ukad to carry out more tests throughout the remainder of this season.
The SFA's security and integrity officer Peter McLaughlin has been visiting clubs to make anti-doping rules clear to players.
Last week, Wada said it was alarmed by the lack of testing in Spain's top leagues since it declared their national anti-doping agency non-compliant.
And another BBC investigation this week revealed at least 39% of players who played in the English Football League last season were not drugs tested by Ukad.
"Ukad's budget issues would be pretty keen, particularly in an Olympic year," added Scotsman Reedie.
"From the SFA's point of view, if they knew that no public interest tests were going to be done, then they should have started a programme as quickly as possible.
"You take some confidence from the fact a programme is being developed and it will get under way. But you do stand condemned a little bit in the public eye if you do nothing for a period of several months.
"It rather flies against comments from leading athletes in other sports who are continually saying that there isn't enough testing."
An SFA statement read: "We are in final negotiations with Ukad with a view to the Scottish FA providing funding to test for the remainder of this season.
"In addition, our security and integrity officer has just completed a comprehensive anti-doping education programme for all senior clubs."
And Ukad revealed the importance of funding to its programme of testing.
A statement read: "We work across 50 different Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports on a budget of £7m. We therefore use intelligence-led testing to target our resources where the greatest risk of doping lies.
"We encourage sports to invest further in anti-doping and provide additional support to our programmes."


A cross-party group of MPs has called on the UK government to "seriously consider" handing greater powers over immigration to Scotland.

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration said a commission should be set up to examine how a devolved immigration system might work.
It said the current system had "led to friction" between the UK and Scottish governments.
But it acknowledged there would be major challenges to overcome.
Immigration policy is currently the sole responsibility of Westminster, although the "shortage occupation list" allows Scottish businesses to offer particular jobs to non-EU nationals without first advertising them domestically.
The Home Office said it was not planning to introduce local immigration visa arrangements, but insisted its priority was to build an immigration system that worked for everyone in the UK.
In its report, the parliamentary group said the UK government should aim to encourage people to move to areas of the country which required higher levels of immigration or did not currently attract a great many immigrants.
This included Scotland, where the Scottish government and local authorities believe that increasing immigration will help to offset the country's declining and ageing population.
Giving greater control over immigration to Holyrood has been a key demand of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in the wake of the Brexit vote.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) report agreed that the UK's current point-based system is "generally unresponsive to demographic, economic, and cultural differences between our constituent nations and regions".
It added: "This has led to friction between the Scottish and UK governments, as the former's aim of increasing immigration (in order to grow its labour force) has come into conflict with the Home Office's commitment to cut net immigration."
The report said Scottish councils had done a "significant amount of work" to attract more immigrants but that these efforts could be "undermined by a nationally-driven reduction in the number of immigrants arriving in the UK".
It pointed to Canada as an example of a country which had introduced a regionalised immigration system.
The report added: "The APPG calls on the government to seriously consider devolving a degree of control over immigration policy powers to the constituent nations and regions of the UK so as to boost levels of integration.
"The government should appoint an independent commission to explore how a devolved or regionally-led immigration system might work."
It suggested that the commission could examine questions such as:
The report said: "Devolving substantial immigration policy powers to the UK's nations and regions would almost certainly involve significant challenges, but might be achieved through the introduction of region (and potentially sector) specific visas.
"Quotas for the dissemination of these visas could be agreed by devolved administrations, city regions, and other democratic forums."
It said shaping immigration policies to address national and regional economic and cultural needs might instil confidence among members of the public that the immigration system works for their area.
And it said enabling nations and regions to set regional immigration quotas would give politicians the incentive to actively make the case for immigration in their area.
4.1m
population increase 2001-11
50%+
of the increase is due to immigration
2.8m people in Britain are Muslim - the biggest religious group after Christians
70-85% of the populations in some wards in Blackburn, Birmingham, Burnley and Bradford are Muslim
511 schools in 43 areas take more than 50% pupils from Pakistani or Bangladeshi backgrounds
27% of births in 2014 were to mothers born outside the UK
The APPG is chaired by Labour MP Chuka Umunna, and has members from Labour, the Conservatives and SNP, as well as the SDLP and Democratic Unionists.
Its report also said migrants should be expected to learn English before coming to the UK, or attend language classes when they arrive, as integration was a "two-way street".
Responding to the report, the Home Office said it was not planning to introduce local visa arrangements, but the department said it had made funding available for more English lessons.
A UK government spokesman said: "Our country has long been home to lots of different cultures and communities, but all of us have to be part of one society - British society."
He added: "We must also recognise that uncontrolled, mass immigration makes it difficult to maintain social cohesion and puts pressure on public services.
"Our priority is to build an immigration system that works for everyone in the UK and delivers the control we need."
The Scottish government said the UK's approach to immigration was "driven by a desire to reduce the numbers of incoming migrants and does not recognise Scotland's specific circumstances or serve our economic or societal interests".
A spokesman added: "It is widely regarded that Scotland's population needs are different to the rest of the UK's and we have consistently called on the UK government to consider a more flexible approach, for example through the reintroduction of a post-study work route and most recently in Scotland's Place in Europe, the paper published last month on options to keep Scotland in the Single Market.
"These are not just the views of the Scottish government, but have the support of stakeholders in Higher Education and business, and were also highlighted in the Scottish Affairs Committee's recent report on demography in Scotland."


PM Malcolm Turnbull has called on all Australians to respect the country's values, or feel free to leave.

Speaking one week after the shooting of a police worker in an apparent terror attack, Mr Turnbull also said anyone preaching hatred or intolerance was undermining the country.
Police accountant Curtis Cheng was gunned down in Sydney Parramatta's suburb last Friday.
His killer, 15-year-old Farhad Jabar, was shot dead by police at the scene.
Police believe Jabar had been radicalised. Four people suspected of being linked to the attack were arrested in raids in western Sydney this week, but most have now been released without charge.
On Friday after holding talks with Muslim leaders, Mr Turnbull said violent extremism was "a challenge to the fundamental Australian value" of mutual respect in a multicultural society.
"It is not compulsory to live in Australia," he said. "If you find Australian values are, you know, unpalatable, then there's a big wide world out there and people have got freedom of movement."
"Those who seek to gnaw away at that social fabric are not part of the Australian dream, they are not advancing the interests of our great country."
He encouraged Australians to "call out the language of hatred wherever it is practised".
Earlier on Friday, the chairman of the mosque in Parramatta, Neil El-Kadomi, told worshippers that they should appreciate what Australia had done for them.
"We live in Australia," he said, in comments quoted by Fairfax Media. "Australia gives us lots of benefits, there's opportunity and you are allowed to practise your religion freely."
He told Fairfax Media there was no place for extremism at the mosque, which was the last place visited by Jabar before he carried out his attack and was regularly used by some of the men arrested this week.
Mr Kadomi said he would tell worshippers on Friday: "If you don't like Australia, leave."
Last week's shooting came amid heightened anxiety in Australia about the influence of domestic and overseas radical Islamist groups.
Around 120 Australians are currently fighting with IS in Syria and Iraq, and almost 30 Australians are believed to have been killed, a spokesperson for the Minister for Justice told the BBC last month.
Officials are worried about the security implications from those who return home, and from those who support them.
More than 160 Australian passports have either been refused, suspended or cancelled on national security grounds.


A teenage girl who had been missing for almost a week has been found "safe and well" in central Glasgow, police have said.

Brogan Mearns, 13, had not been seen after leaving for a walk from her father's house in the Castlemilk area of the city last Saturday.
Police Scotland had expressed concern for her wellbeing.
The force said on Friday that the teenager had been traced in Glasgow city centre.


A wedding planner has appeared in court accused of defrauding more than £144,000 from couples booking ceremonies at an Angus castle.

Craig Williamson is accused of having the couples pay money into his account, believing they were paying Guthrie Castle near Forfar.
Mr Williamson, 42, of no fixed abode, appeared in private at Forfar Sheriff Court on a single charge of fraud.
He made no plea and was remanded in custody.
The charge states that the alleged offences took place between between July 2015 and April 2017.


England head coach Stuart Lancaster admitted his side "did not turn up" as their Grand Slam hopes were crushed by Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Wales stormed to the Six Nations title after securing a record 30-3 victory over their bewildered opponents.
Lancaster struggled to explain why England caved in in the second half.
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"I don't think it was a psychological thing," he said. "Wales played well, we didn't turn up and didn't match their physicality. It was better than ours."
England trailed 9-3 at the interval but were overwhelmed on the resumption as the capacity home crowd celebrated wildly.
"Going into half-time, we realise we hadn't got all the execution right - and set-pieces were a problem," added Lancaster.
"We still felt we were going OK, but the first quarter of the second half wasn't good enough and Wales thoroughly deserved the win, no complaints."
Assistant coach Andy Farrell says England's players can learn many lessons from the defeat.
"It is hard to take," he said. "But after 65 minutes the game was over. It is perhaps a good experience for our guys to stand there and see what it is like to (see a team) lift the Six Nations trophy.
"Momentum is a great thing and we couldn't get any at all, especially in the first half.
"All credit to Wales. I thought they were strong in every single department. We can only learn from that."
Farrell, who is part of Warren Gatland's British and Irish Lions coaching team, said several Wales players had put themselves into contention for selection for this summer's tour of Australia.
"Obviously we don't just look at one game and there are still a lot of big games coming up," he added.
"But you do want to see who can turn up in the big games and a lot of the Welsh boys with big-game experience certainly turned up."


Last year, Little Mix became the first band to win The X Factor, impressing viewers with their four-part R&B harmonies and quirky styling.

Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock all auditioned for the show as solo artists, but were asked to form a group by the judges, including their mentor Tulisa Contostavlos.
Their debut single, a cover of Damien Rice's Cannonball, topped the charts last December, although it missed out on the coveted Christmas number one spot.
Now, the quartet are gearing up to release their first "proper" single, Wings - a funky pop record with a Disney-fied message about believing in yourself.
Perrie and Leigh-Anne spoke to the BBC about leaving X Factor behind, writing their debut album, and Perrie's unconventional diet of dog biscuits.
Hello, Little Mix! How are you?
Perrie: Hi - we're very well, thank you!
You've just come back from performing at an X Factor launch event. How was that?
Leigh-Anne: It was actually really nerve-wracking. I reckon we work better in front of big crowds. When we did Party in the Park it was in front of 70,000 people and that was amazing. But with smaller crowds, you can see everyone looking at you. We're like "eeeee!"
I noticed people were taping the gig on their phones. Will you look up the footage on YouTube later?
Perrie: Yeah, we like to look at videos now and again to see what we're doing wrong. We make notes.
What's the biggest problem you've spotted?
Perrie: When we're dancing and we're doing "the arms", sometimes someone's arms will be higher and someone else's arms will be too low. So we try to get it perfect. We practise in mirrors all the time.
You should attach your arms to strings, like puppets.
Perrie: Yes! And get someone else to do all the work for us. That would be so funny.
This time last year, the first episode of X Factor was about to go out. Had you told people you'd be in it?
Perrie: I didn't tell anyone that I'd even auditioned. I kept it secret. I was scared in case anyone thought "ugh, why is she trying to get on the X Factor, is she crazy?". So it was all hush-hush. Every time I got phoned by the X Factor, I'd tell people it was about a job interview!
Is it true that you were initially reluctant to become a group?
Leigh-Anne: Me, Jesy and Jade were all told at our first audition that they could see us in a girl group. All of us were a little bit disappointed because they thought we weren't good enough on our own.
It's notoriously hard to make four voices blend and harmonise. How did you work it all out so quickly at boot camp?
Perrie: We've all got a good ear for sound and music. And we practice over and over, then we record it on our phones so that when we go to sleep we can listen to it in bed.
Leigh-Anne: I honestly think it was fate. The moment we stepped onto the stage at boot camp, and we performed together for the first time as a group, I looked around and thought "this is what I've been missing all my life". It sounds cheesy but it's true.
Will you watch the X Factor this year?
Leigh-Anne: We watched a little bit of it today at the press launch and it's a little bit upsetting because it's not our show any more. We're not going to be the winners much longer.
But you can't really watch it in the same way any more, because you know all the little things that go on backstage.
The band has been vocal about standing up to bullies, and the single reinforces that message. How important were the lyrics to you?
Leigh-Anne: We've all been through it and we wanted to write something that people who've experienced it can relate to. But also, we didn't want it to be cheesy. We wanted to be clever with the lyrics. The line "mama told me not to waste my time" was really important. It's not us preaching. I think we've done it in quite a cool way.
It's unusual for X Factor stars to co-write their singles...
Perrie: More than anything, we wanted to be involved in the writing and the production. I've always loved rock music. My dad brought me up listening to Journey, Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses. Then, on my mum's side of the family, I was into Motown. So when we started writing, we all had different tastes in different genres of music but we tried to blend it all together.  At the end of the day, it's our name on it. If we're not happy, then I think people will see straight through it.
Leigh-Anne: On the album, there are some songs where we've literally done everything - melody and lyrics. We've got so much to say and so much to write about.
You'd both written music before Little Mix. Perrie, did your song Beautiful Summer make it onto the album?
Perrie: [Shrieks] Oh my God! How did you know about that song? No, it didn't make it onto the album… I didn't even put it forward. It's not very Little Mix. It's very indie, it was just me with my acoustic guitar writing songs when I was younger.
Do you at least get to play guitar on the record?
Perrie: You know, I honestly haven't had the chance. Since X Factor, I haven't played my guitar at all. It's so upsetting. My fingers aren't scabby any more. I'm bad. I'm a bad guitarist.
When you're recording, do you all stand round the microphone and sing in unison?
Perrie: Sometimes you go in there to do your solo vocal and belt stuff out. It's nice to focus and get it done. But when we're doing the group harmonies and the little quirky bits, it's good to go in together because we feed off each other.
Have you ever gone for a big note and shattered the glass?
Perrie: No, but every time I go into the studio I'll be like, "what does this button do?" and "if I slide this fader up here what happens?" There'll be a dozen people shouting at me, "no, no, no!"
As well as the album, you've got a book and a whole load of merchandise coming out. Do you need those things because you can't make money from record sales anymore?
Leigh-Anne: It's not anything like that, I don't think. It's more "if you can, then why not?". We're even getting our own dolls. We've been sent the mock-ups of them, and they're all bald! When it's finished, mine will have a big afro. We can't wait to start dressing them up.
And drawing moustaches on them…
Leigh-Anne: Haha! I just can't wait to have them in my room.
What's Little Mix's secret formula?
Leigh-Anne: We're very approachable. We are four normal, silly, weird girls. We want people to feel like they can come up to us and have a chat. We're like your friends.
Except my friends don't eat dog biscuits...
Perrie: I just want to clarify that this was one time! This story has just got out of hand. I've eaten one dog biscuit in my life, but who hasn't eaten a dog biscuit? It's not like I ate the sloppy, gravy stuff. It was a Scooby Snack.
Wings will be released on 25 August. Little Mix's debut album follows later this year.


A 26-page job advert for a chief constable has been described as "ploddledegook" by the Plain English Campaign.

The advert from the Northamptonshire Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) called for someone who was "resolutely client-centred and victim-focused".
The campaign group said PCCs were "serial offenders" in using "jargon".
Adam Simmonds, PCC, said: "The best communicators talk to people using the type of language they understand."
The existing chief constable, Adrian Lee, will be leaving the force in July.
The candidate information pack said the force was looking for an "agent of change" who can get "client-side" and "is a pioneer in blue-light collaboration".
Steve Jenner, spokesman for the Plain English Campaign, said: "The sentence that 'our chief constable must be able to see beyond the horizons of convention to make the paradigm shift' is a prime example of 'ploddledegook'.
"Police and crime commissioners seem to be repeat offenders in this regard for their mangling of the English language and this advert is borderline criminal.
"Senior police officers are probably used to this kind of jargon so they will understand it but the danger is they use it when they talk to the public."
The information pack also said the chief constable should not just issue "management speak from above" because "inevitably such statements of corporate aspiration can feel like yet another list of jargon and management-speak".
In response to the criticism, Mr Simmonds said: "Anyone who knows me knows I am a straight talker, but it is a fact, highlighted by the Plain English Society, that senior police officers have to understand the type of language used in the advert.
"What I want from our next chief constable [is] someone who can talk to politicians and judges as easily as they can their own staff and members of the public."
The deadline for applications is 1 June and the job's salary will be up to Â£150,000.


An inability to do DIY work, and a dislike of household cleaning, looks set to make one young Irish entrepreneur a multimillionaire.

The man in question is 31-year-old Oisin Hanrahan, the boss and co-founder of fast-growing New York-based business Handy.
Via its website and mobile app, Handy allows members of the public to easily book pre-vetted cleaners or handymen and women.
If you need a plumber, or even just someone to assemble some flat-pack furniture for you, all you need to do is fill in an electronic form, describing what needs doing, when you want it done, and where you live.
Handy will then quote you a price, and you pay there and then.
Then at the time you want the job done, a Handy registered and approved tradesman or woman will arrive at your home.
Set up in 2012, Mr Hanrahan and his co-founder Umang Dua, 28, came up with the idea when they were flatmates in Boston.
Both were studying at Harvard Business School, and they were struggling to find someone they could trust to clean their messy student apartment, or do any repair work.
Handy is today available in 25 cities in the US, and two in Canada. And last year it launched in the UK, in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Brighton.
Now turning over $108m (Â£71m) a year, Handy is being used by hundreds of thousands of customers, and has more than 5,000 service professionals on its books.
Its rapid expansion has been made possible thanks to $45m of venture capital investment, and a deliberate policy of becoming the biggest such provider as quickly as possible, so as to see off any rivals offering a similar service.
Other competitors, such as UK business Mopp, have been bought up.
"How do you make sure that customers love the platform? It is really about the availability [of the cleaners and handymen]," says Mr Hanrahan.
"You have to become the biggest, as this gives you the most service professionals."
Born and bred in Dublin, Mr Hanrahan opened his first business while studying economics at the city's prestigious Trinity University.
Using money he had saved by working for a year between school and university, he decided to launch his own property development company.
The Irish housing market was booming at the time, but Mr Hanrahan realised that he could make bigger profits if he looked abroad.
So instead of buying apartments in Dublin, Cork or Limerick, he starting purchasing them in Budapest, the capital of Hungary.
Mr Hanrahan would then get the properties redeveloped, before selling them on at a significantly higher price.
This meant that while his student friends were enjoying the nightlife of Dublin every weekend, he was often flying to Budapest.
"My university friends thought it was madness... but by the end in Budapest I was employing 35 to 40 people."
However, in 2008 Mr Hanrahan sold his Hungarian property business, as the impact of the global financial crisis meant he could no longer get the cheap loans that had fuelled its growth.
Instead, after graduating from Trinity he did a masters in finance and private equity at the London School of Economics. Following a short period working for a venture capital firm in the City of London, he was accepted by Harvard Business School to do its celebrated MBA (master of business administration) course.
After one year, Mr Hanrahan and Mr Dua, who comes from India and holds the chief operating officer title, dropped out to set up Handy in the summer of 2012.
Mr Hanrahan says he knew that speed was of the essence: "Every entrepreneur always feels a sense of urgency whether real or in his own head.
"And for us, it did feel like a moment in time, the time when people were increasingly moving away from buying [household] services in an old-fashioned way, to buying them via the internet or mobile."
Realising they had to be quick, so as to beat other start-ups with the same sort of business model, they aimed to get to market as soon as possible.
Within weeks they had secured $50,000 of funding from a venture capital firm impressed by the idea, and a further $2m followed in September 2012.
Initially based in Boston, they soon moved their headquarters to New York, as Mr Hanrahan felt it was important to be based in the US's largest city and marketplace.
After some targeted advertising, the first few hundred tradesmen and women signed up, and customers soon followed in ever increasing numbers.
A roll-out to other US and Canadian cities then followed as the months progressed, as did further rounds of funding.
Now with more than 200 technical and administrative staff on its books, Handy pre-checks each and every cleaner, tradesman and woman that signs up.
Each has to first complete an online application form, before a telephone interview, and then an interview in person. Handy also does a background check to ensure they don't have any criminal records.
The service professionals can then pick jobs from Handy's website, on a first come, first served basis, with Handy taking a 20% cut of the money.
After a job has been done, the customer is asked to give feedback to Handy, and to give the trade professional a score out of 10. Any who receive consistently low scores are removed from the service.
At the same time, the professionals can report any customers who are rude or abusive.
While Handy's model is easy to copy, Mr Hanrahan says the sky is the limit for the business, as it conveniently meets the needs of millions of people - how to find a decent, trustworthy tradesman.
He says: "We are working on an idea which has a trillion dollar marketplace, and that is a very rare thing."


A "dedicated" motorcyclist was killed in a crash with a car in Maidstone on Friday.

Osvaldas Rimsa, 27, died at the scene of the collision on Rocky Hill at 13:45 GMT.
His Yamaha R1 motorcycle crashed with a black Alfa Romeo Giuliett, Kent Police said. The car driver, a man in his 50s, suffered minor injuries.
The West Kent Biker group paid tribute to Mr Rimsa on Facebook, saying he had a "real passion for motorcycling".
The group wrote: "It's with a very heavy heart that I tell you we sadly lost one of our own yesterday tragically.
"Osvaldas Rimsa had been with West Kent Biker right from the start and attended virtually every meet... the guy was dedicated and had a real passion for motorcycling.
"You will never be forgotten brother. Ride free mate and sleep tight."
Dean's Place Hotel in Alfriston, East Sussex, said Mr Rimsa worked for them as head waiter.
On Facebook, the hotel described him as "a young, intelligent and funny man with a very bright future ahead of him taken far too early."
Police urged witnesses to contact them.
Sgt Chris Wade said: "This collision happened at a very busy location in the town and I believe there may be other witnesses who have not yet come forward."


A baby from Swansea is rediscovering her legs after having them in plaster for half her life due to a hip problem.

After staff at Singleton Hospital noticed an unusual click in seven-month-old Ruby Davies's left hip, she was diagnosed with hip dysplasia.
Ruby, from Treboeth, was put in a plaster cast from her chest to her knees to stretch her legs for more than three months.
The condition affects about one in every 500 children.
Ruby's mother, Tara, was preparing to start IVF treatment when she discovered she was pregnant.
She said dealing with her daughter's condition was a challenge she had not been prepared for.
"It was hard in the beginning. She couldn't wear any of the baby clothes we'd bought and it all had to be put away.
"We had to change her pram because it wasn't suitable and although we had three car seats we ended up having to hire one from a charity for hip dysplasia.
"It was very upsetting because when you find out you're having your first child you don't prepare for things like that."
Ms Davies said Ruby started making the most of her new-found freedom straight away.
She added: "She's finding her legs, managing to roll over on to her belly and back and trying to eat her feet.
"She is coming along well. Nothing is holding her back. There won't be any development delay because of it - they caught it early so hopefully there won't be any long-term effects."
Neil Price, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Morriston hospital, said hip dysplasia can lead to a limp, hip pain and painful joints in later life if left untreated.
Source: NHS Choices


Global drinks company Diageo has released full-year trading figures showing comparable sales remained flat for a second year.

The firm, which controls two-fifths of the Scotch whisky industry, reported Scotch sales down 5% by volume.
However, single malts from Scotland continued their rise, led by the Singleton in the US and Taiwan.
American whiskey sales were also strengthened by apple-flavoured bottlings.
The London-based company has lost momentum due to slowing growth in key markets, including South America and China.
It has had lower shipments, as wholesalers have pulled back on stock-holding.
Despite flat comparable sales, Diageo posted a rise in pre-tax profits - from £2.7bn to £2.9bn. A big increase in volume of sales was driven by the acquisition of United Spirits in India, which boosted reported net sales by 5%.
Currency movements had an impact on its results, most significantly the Venezuelan bolivar and the Russian ruble. That cut £370m from sales and £100m from operating profit, once translated into sterling.
Some markets saw Diageo facing tough price competition, including Smirnoff vodka in the US and Johnnie Walker whisky in Brazil.
Notable improvements in sales were reported for Johnnie Walker in Mexico, while Guinness returned to growth in its UK and Irish home market.
American Blonde Lager drove Guinness sales up in the US. Net sales were up 6% in Africa.
Other developments during the financial year included a buyout of the remaining half of the Don Julio tequila brand, the sale of Gleneagles hotel and resort in Perthshire, and a shifting of strategy in South Africa to focus on spirits.
Diageo chief executive Ivan Menezes said the performance reflected the company's sales challenges, and that further changes were under way to sharpen the business.
He added: "We have consistently applied a long-term perspective in making changes, despite the short-term challenges we have faced from an external environment where currency volatility continues to impact the emerging market consumer."
He claimed the current financial year would see volume of sales improve, rising to about 5% organic sales growth from 2017, with improved margins.


The success of Scotland's Olympians and Paralympians is to be celebrated with a special homecoming event at Heriot Watt University.

It will be held at Scotland's new national performance centre, Oriam, on Wednesday 28 September.
Rio 2016 has been the most successful "away Olympics" for Scottish competitors, with 12 medals won so far.
Sportscotland said the homecoming event would be streamed on social media channels.
All Scottish Olympians and Paralympians will be invited to the event, which will also include an audience with school children and members of various community, sports and youth organisations.
With two more days of competition remaining, the medal tally of Scots members of Team GB is only one short of the 13 won at London 2012 and well ahead of the seven medals won at Sydney 2000, the previous record for an overseas games.
Sportscotland Chief Executive Stewart Harris said: "This represents the most successful overseas Games for Scots on Team GB and everyone in Scotland can be very proud of their success.
"It's testament to all the hard work by the athletes, sports, coaches and the collaboration between UK Sport and the Sportscotland institute of sport that Scottish athletes are delivering record-breaking performances on the Olympic stage."
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "All of Scotland's Team GB sportsmen and women have done the country proud.
"I hope their performances will help to inspire the next generation of Scottish Olympians and Paralympians."
Andy Murray was the fourth Scot to win gold at the Games after cyclists Skinner and Katie Archibald and rower Heather Stanning.
Skinner also claimed a silver medal, as did rowers Polly Swann and Karen Bennett, canoeist David Florence and rugby players Mark Bennett and Mark Robertson.
Katherine Grainger's silver rowing medal made her Britain's most decorated female Olympian, while swimmer Duncan Scott won two silver medals in relay races, the first coming with fellow Scots Stephen Milne and Dan Wallace. Sally Conway took bronze in judo.
Murray defended the tennis gold he won in 2012 with victory over Juan Martin del Potro.
A total of 50 Scottish athletes travelled to Brazil for the Games..
Four years ago, thousands of wellwishers lined the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh to celebrate the success of Scottish athletes at London 2012..


It is certainly not the country's most famous sporting event but the Scottish Boat Race is one of the oldest.

The competition which takes place on the Clyde this weekend, between Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, was first staged 140 years ago.
It is the third oldest race of its kind in the world, just behind Oxford-Cambridge and the Yale-Harvard Regatta in the United States.
Preparing for the race means lots of early morning training sessions.
One such dawn chorus greeted the Glasgow University rowers as they arrived for their 06:45 session on the river Clyde by Glasgow Green.
Those taking part are students from a wide variety of courses but they are linked by a passion for rowing.
The first Scottish boat race took place on the River Clyde in 1877.
Both Edinburgh and Glasgow University rowing clubs were formed 10 years earlier than that, so it is a rivalry which is more than a decade older than that of football's Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers.
In an extraordinary winning streak Glasgow won every year between 2000 and 2012 but for the past four years Edinburgh has triumphed.
Glasgow 1st VIII captain Gavin Shields says they have been working hard to regain their form.
He says: "We've had a really good few years of developing some guys coming straight from beginner level.
"It's definitely a work in progress. Edinburgh have have some really good results but it just makes us work harder to try to beat them."
Gavin is studying psychology but the person who really has to get inside the heads of the crew is the 1st VIII cox and French student Rebecca Vest.
She is the lone woman in the men's boat.
Rebecca says: "You are one of the team but you are also in charge.
"You have to make sure you have that respect which is earned throughout the year.
"Sometimes it's difficult and it might take some months before some people in your crew accept your role and trust you to do your job properly."
Glasgow's Women's 1st VIII won their race last year and the university's club captain and chemistry student Stuart Mitchell says the men are on course to win again in the future.
He says: "People who take part in the sport are incredibly passionate about it and there's a lot of self starters in the club.
"I think the club is only going to get bigger and better."
Meanwhile at Scottish Rowing's impressive facility at Strathclyde Park near Hamilton athletes from Edinburgh University arrive for their training session well aware there are quite a few rising stars among their ranks.
The standard is high, reflected in the recent selection of Maddie Arlett from the Women's 1st VIII for British Rowing's GB World Cup team.
And of course another woman - five time Olympic medal winner Katherine Grainger - began her extraordinary rowing career while at Edinburgh.
On the men's side Josh Armstrong, a first year sports management student, has a long term ambition to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
But in the more immediate future he is aiming to extend the winning streak of Edinburgh's 1st VIII over Glasgow from four years to five.
Josh says: "This is the first time I'm going to be competing in it so I'm really looking forward to it.
"The rivalry will be massive as both universities are in a really strong place just now.
"But I think we'll be looking to get the win and would be slightly disappointed if we didn't get that."
Some rowers like Josh are part of the university's elite performance sport department but coach Colin Williamson, who heads up Performance Rowing, insists that is only part of the explanation for Edinburgh's recent success.
He says: "I don't really think there is a secret to it. We just put it down to hard work.
"The guys train very hard and they train very consistently.
"And with the good support services we have at Edinburgh, with our strength and conditioning and physio and Scottish Rowing and Sport Scotland, everything is there for the guys to reach their full potential."
Last year Glasgow's women beat Edinburgh and the crew from the east coast are determined to settle that score this time round.
Medical student Laura McDonald who coxes Edinburgh women's 1st VIII says the team is a better unit than before.
She says: "I think there is a better bond within the crew this year.
"Last year people were frustrated and there seemed to be something missing. This year everyone is in it together."
The approaches of both teams to the sport might be slightly different but they match each other in their desire to win.
When they meet on the Clyde beside the Riverside Museum on Saturday they will bring with them 300 years of history as rowing clubs, not to mention 140 years of the Scottish boat race itself which is the third oldest in the world.
That is rather a lot of water under the bridge.


A coroner has criticised a lack of urgency in securing psychiatric help for a woman who took her own life.

Jennifer Slack, 63, and her husband Graham, 62, were found with their wrists tied together on mud banks at Breydon Water, Norfolk last September.
An inquest in Norwich heard Mrs Slack had been suffering from depression following the death of her father.
Mrs Slack's GP practice was urged by the coroner to ensure urgent letter referrals were sent the same day.
The inquest was told Mrs Slack had been treated for depression and anxiety since the mid-1990s but became worse after her father died in spring.
After telling a nurse at Park Surgery in Great Yarmouth that she had questioned the point of life, Mrs Slack's GP wrote a letter on 27 September requesting an urgent psychiatric referral.
However the inquest was told the letter was not sent until the following day and was not received by mental health services until after her death.
Mr and Mrs Slack's bodies were recovered from Breydon Water on 29 September.
A note found by police in the couple's abandoned car said the pair were taking their own lives adding "My wife has anxiety and we feel there is no help".
The Norfolk coroner, Jacqueline Lake, who recorded a verdict of suicide, said she was satisfied the GP practice had since made the necessary improvements with regard to processing urgent referrals.


Mae canlyniad pôl piniwn o'r gorsafoedd gan BBC/ITV/Sky newydd gael ei gyhoeddi wedi i'r blychau pleidleisio gau am 22:00.

Mae'r pôl piniwn yn awgrymu mai'r Ceidwadwyr fydd y blaid fwyaf, os yw canlyniadau'r pôl yn gywir.
Mae 213 o ymgeiswyr yn brwydro am 40 o seddi yng Nghymru, ac roedd bron i 47 miliwn o bobl wedi cofrestru i bleidleisio yn y DU.
Gallwch gael y newyddion diweddaraf a'r canlyniadau ar lif byw arbennig Cymru Fyw.
Mae disgwyl y canlyniadau cyntaf yn oriau mân ddydd Gwener, ac mae disgwyl cadarnhad erbyn y bore pa blaid fydd yn fuddugol.
Mae gan Lafur, y Ceidwadwyr, Plaid Cymru a'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol ymgeiswyr ymhob un o'r 40 etholaeth yng Nghymru.
Roedd UKIP yn sefyll mewn 32 sedd tra bod y Gwyrddion yn sefyll mewn 10 sedd.
Wrth ymateb i ganlyniad y pôl piniwn, dywedodd Dywedodd Prif Weinidog Cymru, Carwyn Jones:
"Beth sy'n bwysig yw'r canlyniad ar ddiwedd y dydd, tydyn ni ddim yn gwybod beth yw'r canlyniad eto.
"Beth sydd wedi fy nharo i y tro hwn yw gweld nifer o bobl ifanc yn pleidleisio,
"Rhaid i ni gofio ar ddechrau'r ymgyrch bod mynydd i ddringo, gawni weld pa mor bell fyny'r mynydd ydyn ni erbyn diwedd y noson."
Fe wnaeth arweinydd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig, Andrew RT Davies ymateb drwy ddweud:
"Mae gennyf bob ffydd yn Theresa May.
"Rwyf wedi cael y fraint dros yr wyth mis diwethaf i weithio gyda hi a chyn hynny hefyd pan oedd hi'n Ysgrifennydd Cartref, a'i rôl cyn hynny fel Cadeirydd y blaid.
"Rydym ar ddechrau'r noson, mae'n rhaid i ni weithio drwy'r canlyniadau yn gyntaf ac mae llawer o amser i fynd nes i ni gael y canlyniad terfynol," meddai Mr Davies.
Mae aelod blaenllaw o'r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol yng Nghymru wedi dweud wrth BBC Cymru:
"Os yw'r pôl piniwn yma'n gywir, mae'n cyflwyno sialens enfawr ar gyfer creu Llywodraeth, pwy bynnag fydd mewn pŵer, oherwydd bydd y Senedd yn gallu herio pob agwedd o drafodaethau Brexit".
Dywedodd cyn arweinydd Plaid Cymru, Ieuan Wyn Jones, sy'n gobeithio dychwelyd i San Steffan i gynrychioli Ynys Môn: "Mae hi'n edrych fel pe Plaid Cymru wedi cael ei wasgu mewn sawl rhan o Gymru."
Dywedodd Neil Hamilton, arweinydd grwp UKIP yn y Cynulliad, hefyd fod ei blaid wedi "ei wasgu" yn yr etholiad, ond roedd yn parhau'n obeithiol am ddyfodol y blaid.


Footballer Jermain Defoe has paid tribute to his "best friend" Bradley Lowery.

The six-year-old Sunderland fan died on Friday following a fight with neuroblastoma - a rare type of cancer.
The club's former striker struck up a close friendship with the avid Black Cats fan and club mascot in the months before his death.
A tweet by the 34-year-old described Bradley as a "little superstar".
It said the youngster's "courage and bravery will inspire me for the rest of my life".
He wrote: "Goodbye my friend, gonna miss you lots. I feel so blessed God brought u into my life and had some amazing moments with u and for that I'm so grateful".
Bradley, from Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, was diagnosed with the disease when he was 18 months old. He underwent treatment and was in remission, but relapsed last year.
His plight touched the lives of many, and well-wishers raised more than Â£700,000 in 2016 to pay for him to be given antibody treatment in New York.
But medics then found his cancer had grown and his family was informed his illness was terminal.
His death was confirmed on social media by his parents.
The posting read: "My brave boy has went with the angels today.
"He was our little superhero and put the biggest fight up but he was needed else where. There are no words to describe how heart broken we are."
Tributes have poured in to the football fan, including one from his beloved club which said: "Bradley captured the hearts and minds of everyone."
The England football squad, for which Bradley was also a mascot, tweeted: "There's only one Bradley Lowery."


Dundee's V&A Museum of Design has released new drone footage of large cast stone panels being hung on its curving outer walls.

The panels, which each weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 tonnes, are being individually fixed into place on the walls of the £80.1m building.
A total of 2,466 panels will be hung on the building's exterior, each with two specially-designed brackets.
The museum is expected to open in the summer of 2018.
V&A Dundee is the first British building by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who is also designing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic stadium.
The museum's design is inspired by the cliffs along Scotland's north-eastern coastline.
The drone footage shows an engineer inspecting panels fixed to the highest point of the building, an 18.4m (60ft) high wall built out into the river.
Mike Galloway, executive director of city development at Dundee City Council, said: "V&A Dundee is an impressive feat of engineering and installing thousands of stone panels is the next stage of this ambitious build.
"Nothing like this has ever been constructed in Scotland before.
"In fact, I can't think of another building anywhere in the world similar to this.
"Because the museum is so unique, the team of constructors, designers and engineers have had to use the latest technology to realise the architect's vision."
Panels on the riverside have been attached first to allow the removal of the cofferdam, a watertight enclosure, in the summer.
The cofferdam consists of 12,500 tonnes of stone and has allowed the museum to be built out over the river.


After a ten-year journey, the European Space Agency's spacecraft Rosetta has become the first ever to land on a comet.

It is the first time in history that anything like this has happened and it's taken lots of time and planning to get to this point.
Scientists hope Rosetta will be able to provide them with information on the 4km-wide lump of ice and rock dust in more detail than ever seen before.
They think it could reveal secrets about the early universe and how the earth was formed.
Rosetta will stay with the comet, which is called 'comet 67P', until December 2015.
The spacecraft started its journey from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, South America on 2 March 2004.
It has since travelled more than six billion kilometres, passing Earth three times and Mars once.
It has even flown past two asteroids.
Rosetta was put into deep-space hibernation for over two years as it travelled out to the orbit of Jupiter.
At this distance from the Sun, the spacecraft could not make use of its solar power panels. It was awoken in January 2014.


A panel in Japan has begun discussions on the possible abdication of Emperor Akihito.

The 82-year-old emperor said in July that his age was making it hard for him to fulfil his duties.
Abdication is not mentioned under Japan's existing laws, so they will need to be changed to allow him to stand down from the role.
The six-member advisory panel to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe aims to submit its report as early as May next year.
Akihito, who has had heart surgery and was treated for prostate cancer, has been on the throne since the death of his father, Hirohito, in 1989.
If he does abdicate, it would be the first time a Japanese emperor has done so since 1817. Current laws only mention that an heir shall accede to the throne in the event of the emperor's death.
What does the emperor do? The emperor has no political powers but has several official duties, such as greeting foreign dignitaries. Japan's monarchy is entwined in the Shinto religion and the emperor still performs religious ceremonies. He also plants and harvests a small rice paddy inside the palace while the empress raises silkworms.
Is this the first time a revision of the law has been discussed? A debate about whether or not a woman would be able to ascend the throne was triggered in 2006 when the emperor had no grandsons, but was postponed after a boy was born to the imperial family.
What do the public think? Most support the emperor's desire to step down. But the move is opposed by some more conservative sections of Japanese society.
Emperor Akihito has not explicitly say he wants to abdicate, as he is barred from making political statements.
But Mr Abe previously stated that the government would discuss what could be done about the emperor's wishes.
"I do respect the heavy responsibility the emperor must be feeling and I believe we need to think hard about what we can do," he said in August this year.
The advisory panel will meet several times this year, discussing issues such as legislating abdication and changes to the emperor's official duties.
A summary of issues by the panel could be released as soon as January 2017.


Batsman Keaton Jennings wants to remain as an opener for England, rather than dropping to number three.

The left-hander made a century on Test debut in India, but could be pushed down the order when Haseeb Hameed, the injured man he replaced, returns.
"Opening is a role I've really enjoyed over a period of time and hopefully one that I can continue to do," the 24-year-old told BBC Sport.
"It's up to the selectors to decide whatever is best for the team."
Durham's Jennings was called to India as a replacement for Hameed and struck 112 in the fourth Test in Mumbai.
Lancashire's Hameed, 20, had already impressed with two half-centuries in his first three Tests until he was ruled out with a broken finger.
A decision on England's top order will not be made for six months, with the first Test against South Africa beginning on 6 July.
"Someone else could peel off 1,000 runs at the start of the season," said Jennings, who will captain England Lions on their tour of Sri Lanka in February. "Nothing is taken for granted from a selection point of view.
"Whether it's to open, which I would prefer to do, or bat at three, that is for the selectors to decide and I would happily take either opportunity.
"If someone gave me then option of batting 10 for England and only fielding, I'd bite their arm off for that."
The man who will partner either Jennings or Hameed at the top of the order, Alastair Cook, is still to make a decision on his future as captain after admitting to having "questions" over his future as leader.
Cook has met with England director of cricket Andrew Strauss, but his position will not be resolved before the limited-overs series in India ends on Wednesday.
"I would love him to stay on," said Jennings. "As a leader and a bloke he was absolutely brilliant."


Police are searching an area in Larne in connection with Northern Ireland-related terrorism investigation.

Last week, a serving Royal Marine, Ciarán Maxwell, was arrested in Somerset as part of the investigation after searches in Larne and Devon.
The 30-year-old marine is still being questioned.
The arrest is understood to be connected to the discovery of two arms dumps near the County Antrim town earlier this year.
These finds were thought to be linked to dissident republican paramilitaries.


More than 70 jobs at a Walkers crisps plant in Coventry are under threat, the firm says.

A "significant investment" at the base in Siskin Drive to install new packing equipment means a reduction in staff, Brian Waltham, from Walkers, said.
It will substantially improve and upgrade the site, he said.
A spokesman for Unite said it would have more information at the end of the year once consultation with the Leicester-based crisp giant ends.
In a statement, Mr Waltham, site leader in Coventry, said it continually reviewed its operations there.
"Having looked extensively at our Coventry site, we are planning a significant investment to install new state-of-the-art packing equipment. This move will substantially improve and upgrade the site and ensure we have the capacity to support the long-term growth of the Walkers business in the UK.
"Unfortunately, up to 75 roles are at risk as result of this investment but we are working hard to reduce the number of employee redundancies through the consultation process.
"The decision to make these changes has been very carefully considered and subject to consultation with our union."


Former Celtic defender Mark Wilson says the club's supporters are "letting the club down badly".

Uefa have charged Celtic in connection with crowd trouble during Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Manchester City in the Champions League.
"The supporters talk about being the best in the world and they travel very well," Wilson told BBC Scotland.
"But it's pointless saying that if you continually let the club down. And it's the club that will be punished."
The visiting supporters are alleged to have set off fireworks and caused other crowd disturbances at the Etihad Stadium.
It is the 10th time in the past five years the club have been charged by European football's governing body regarding their fans' behaviour.
Uefa's disciplinary body will examine the case on 23 February.
Wilson says players seldom notice trouble in the stands, but argues it's logistically challenging for Celtic to take action against the perpetrators.
"You're too focused, too wrapped up in the game to be aware of it," he said. "But it's got to be highlighted - now, what more can the club do?
"Banning the culprits is the only way of going about it but spotting them in a crowd is very difficult. There's no doubt it's ruining the occasion for Celtic."


It seemed to go so well for Melania Trump.

Delivering the headline speech on the first day of the US Republican Party convention in Cleveland, Ohio, Donald Trump's third wife had delegates on their feet at the start and cheering wildly in approval by the end.
America's potential next First Lady impressed many inside the packed arena by describing her upbringing and family values with confidence and composure, despite rarely having commented publicly.
But hours later, as her words spread on social media, attention turned to the authenticity of her speech - and to the words of another aspiring First Lady, Michelle Obama.
It emerged that sections of Melania Trump's speech were alarmingly similar to those of Mrs Obama who spoke in support of her husband at the Democratic Party convention in 2008.
A statement from Donald Trump's campaign in the early hours of Tuesday did not deny allegations of plagiarism, but rather said Mrs Trump's team of writers "took notes on her life's inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking".
That a great deal of time, effort and assistance had gone into Melania Trump's presentation was no secret.
The former model, originally from Slovenia, was rarely heard from during her husband's primaries campaign, more often ceding the limelight to his children and especially his daughter Ivanka.
But Monday's speech was seen as her formal introduction to the very people who will, days later, confirm her New York billionaire husband as Republican Party candidate for the US elections in November.
She described her love of fashion, business, and family - as well as setting out her case for Mr Trump to be president. Her audience lapped up every drop of romance. When she spoke about falling in love with him 18 years ago, a man several rows back yelled "Yeah!"
Kathy Petsas, a delegate from Arizona, said she had been surprised at how "poised" Mrs Trump appeared on stage, and how "strong" and "natural" she was was despite reading from an autocue. "I actually think she could be Trump's secret weapon," she added.
Meanwhile, Matt Hall, a delegate from Michigan, went as far as to say it was the best convention speech he had ever seen. "She showed Mr Trump has a softer side."
Melania's message of love, support, and unity was certainly a contrast to previous speeches during the evening, grouped under the theme Make America Safe Again.
The programme featured Pat Smith, the mother of a state department employee killed in the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, the handling of which sparked intense criticism of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential hopeful who was secretary of state at the time.
Also included were the parents of a border patrol agent who died protecting the US border with Mexico, and a man killed in California by a gang member in the US illegally.
Mrs Trump's speech stood out for another reason too. Her husband had been mocked days earlier for interrupting Mike Pence and dominating the announcement of the Indiana governor as his running mate. But Mr Trump spoke at the podium for less than 30 seconds before handing over to his wife on Monday evening.
What Republican delegates will make of the associations with Michelle and Barack Obama - so vehemently hated by so many Trump supporters - will undoubtedly feature in discussions over the coming days in Cleveland.
But then Trump's supporters are now so accustomed to defending their man from accusations in the media, they could still put this all down to another conspiracy against him.


Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens has been charged by the International Cricket Council with failing to report a corrupt approach.

The charge is in connection with an alleged match-fixing conspiracy in the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League.
"I have not been involved in any corrupt activity and have not been charged with any," said Stevens.
"I am co-operating with the ICC in their investigation and prosecution of the corruption charges."
The 37-year-old added: "I am totally against any corruption in cricket and would never do anything other than perform to the best of my ability in any game."
The ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit charged nine individuals on Tuesday in relation to "an alleged conspiracy within the Dhaka Gladiators franchise to engage in match-fixing and spot-fixing activity".
Stevens, who played 12 matches for the Dhaka Gladiators in the BPL earlier this year as the side won the tournament, has not been suspended by the ICC and remains eligible to play in all forms of cricket.
"I remain willing and able to play for Kent in all fixtures if selected," Stevens added.
"As the charge against me is now the subject of disciplinary proceedings I can make no further comment with regard to them at this stage."
Stevens must now indicate whether he wishes to plead guilty to the charge or to defend himself in a full hearing, which would take place before an anti-corruption tribunal, convened in accordance with the Bangladesh Cricket Board's anti-corruption code.
Under the BCB's code, an individual who pleads guilty or is later found guilty by tribunal of failing to report a corrupt approach faces sanction, which could include a global suspension of between one to five years.


West Bromwich Albion midfielder Callum McManaman is to join Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on a half-season loan from 1 January.

The former Wigan winger, 25, joined Albion in January 2015 and has made 25 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League club.
McManaman has completed a medical at Wednesday, who are sixth in the Championship.
He will be eligible to face Wolves on 2 January at Hillsborough.
His only competitive football so far this season is a solitary appearance for Albion's Under-23 side in a 2-0 loss at Luton Town in the EFL Trophy in October.
Prior to his move to the Hawthorns, he scored 10 goals in 79 league appearances for Wigan and helped the Latics lift the 2013 FA Cup.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


As the death toll from the Ebola outbreak spirals and cases recorded outside its West African epicentre increase, concern is growing over the measures in place to contain the deadly virus.

But with the battle to tackle Ebola taking a heavy toll on the struggling health systems in affected countries, what is being done on the ground to treat those infected and stop the disease from spreading?
Here we show how an Ebola treatment facility run by medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) operates.
Visitors
Decontamination
Dressing rooms
High probability ward
Mortuary
Low probability ward
Entrance for sick patients
Ebola ward
Entry point
Patient exit
Anyone displaying symptoms pointing to an Ebola infection enters here to be examined by medical staff in protective gear. Patients are then split into two groups based on the probability that they have the virus, with their tests sent off to the laboratory for analysis.
Patients could face a long wait until their test results from the lab come back, revealing whether or not they are infected. Patients who might not have the deadly virus are isolated from those suffering from Ebola, reducing their exposure to the infection while in the treatment centre.
Patients suspected of having Ebola based on the initial medical examination remain here until official confirmation arrives that they have the virus. Only once the Ebola diagnosis is confirmed are they transferred to another ward.
Patients whose blood tests confirm they are suffering from Ebola are placed in this ward. Medical workers are on hand to provide supportive care and treatment for symptoms like dehydration, but cannot do much else as there is no cure for the virus.
When leaving the high risk area, referred to as the red zone, medical workers must ensure they decontaminate their equipment. In full kit, they walk through a decontamination shower which sprays a 0.5 per cent chlorine solution as well as stepping into a chlorine footbath.
Dressing for a high risk area is a complex process. Medical workers work in pairs, with the partner checking for any tears in the suit. The protective equipment includes a surgical cap and hood, goggles, a medical mask, impermeable overalls, an apron, two sets of gloves and rubber boots. The donning process takes around 15 minutes. Staff work with a partner when removing the equipment as well, taking off the gloves and suit inside out, washing their hands after taking off each item of clothing. Equipment that can be used again are disinfected and left to dry, while other items are incinerated.
This entrance is reserved for patients who are definitely infected with Ebola. In these cases they go directly to the ward for ebola patients without being subject to medical tests.
Patients who are strong enough can walk out of their wards and talk to any relatives and friends outside. The double separation makes touching impossible, eliminating the risk that visitors can become infected. Visitors are sprayed with a chlorine disinfectant solution.
The fatality rate for this ebola outbreak is close to 50 per cent, so one in every two patients infected so far have died. The mortuary is located outside the clinic but within the double fence as bodies are highly infectious.  The bodies are buried in nearby cemeteries located outside the treatment centre by staff wearing full protective gear.
The exits on the side are for patients whose blood tests show that they do not have ebola, or those that recover. They take an antiseptic shower and receive a change of clothes before leaving the treatment centre.
The treatment centre is designed to separate confirmed Ebola patients from probable or likely cases.
Upon entry, patients are examined by medical staff in full protective gear.
Following the initial diagnosis, they are then split into low or high probability wards until the laboratory results come in, which could take anything from a few hours to days, depending on the facility.
There is little that medical workers can do for their patients, as there is no cure for Ebola. All they can help with is to care for the patients and treat symptoms like dehydration, as well as wash and comfort them.
According to MSF, good care increases the chances of survival from a disease that has a 50% fatality rate and whose symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding, sometimes from the eyes and mouth. However, overcrowded facilities and a shortage of staff on the ground have made this difficult so far.
When coming into contact with patients, or entering areas where contamination risk is high, medical workers always put on special protective gear following strenuous procedures designed to ensure contagion risk is minimal.
The equipment includes waterproof overalls, gloves, medical face masks and goggles. All parts of the clothing must be completely impermeable since Ebola is spread in bodily fluids such as sweat, urine and blood.
Medical staff are advised to wear the equipment for no longer than an hour at a time due to the high temperatures that can build up in the suit, as the BBC's Danny Savage explains.
Health workers face increased risks in the battle to combat Ebola, with more than 400 contracting Ebola since the onset of the outbreak. More than half of those infected, 232, died from the virus.
In July, Dr Sheik Umar Khan, who was leading Sierra Leone's fight against the epidemic, died of Ebola. The first case of contagion outside West Africa involved a Spanish nurse who had treated Ebola patients who had contracted the virus in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that there is still a significant lack of beds in Sierra Leone and Liberia, with 3,000 needed - and the number is expected to rise.
With patients being turned away from treatment centres because of the lack of beds and space, additional treatment centres are desperately needed. The UK is sending 750 military personnel to Sierra Leone to help deal with the deadly Ebola outbreak. The United States has pledged to build 18 Ebola treatment centres, as well as sending up to 3,000 troops.
Brigadier General Stephen McMahon, of the UK Ebola Task Force, explains how an 80-bed treatment unit is being built in Sierra Leone.
Attempts to deploy more health workers and open new Ebola treatment centres in the worst-affected countries are gathering pace.
A group of 165 doctors, nurses and infection control specialists from Cuba arrived in Sierra Leone earlier this month and will spend six months helping local officials combat the epidemic.
The Cuban government will dispatch an additional 296 doctors and nurses to Liberia and Guinea after their training.
Written and produced by Nassos Stylianou. Design by Mark Bryson.


Scotland's red squirrels are facing a new threat from a form of leprosy, according to scientists in Edinburgh.

Six cases caused by a bacteria similar to Mycobacterium lepromatosis have been confirmed in the squirrels since 2006.
It is the first time the disease has been found in the species and little is known about the spread of the potentially fatal disease.
Conservationists, however, say there are other more significant threats to red squirrels such as squirrelpox.
Scientists are urging the public to report sightings of squirrels which may be suffering from leprosy.
They said the information would help them build up a more detailed understanding of the disease.
There is no suggestion of any risk to human health.
Infected animals have been found from Dumfries and Galloway to the Moray Firth.
Symptoms include hair loss and severe swelling to the snout, eyelids, ears and feet.
Prof Anna Meredith of the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies at Edinburgh University is leading the research.
She told BBC Scotland: "We suspect this disease is more widespread than the six cases we have confirmed.
"Red squirrels are in decline. They are threatened by the grey squirrel and already face the major threat of the squirrelpox virus.
"This is the last thing that they need - another disease which could potentially threaten the population."
However conservationists from Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels said the leprosy infection appeared to be extremely rare and would not be a major threat to the wider population.
Project manager for Mel Tonkin, said : "Much more of a threat is the squirrelpox virus which is virtually always fatal to red squirrels, but finds a reservoir in grey squirrels.
"Research indicates that squirrelpox disease is responsible for accelerating the rate with which grey squirrels have replaced red squirrels throughout most of England and Wales.
"However, the conservation community has shown that red squirrel populations can be protected in the midst of grey squirrels carrying the virus by keeping the grey squirrel population density at a very low level."
Researchers in Edinburgh investigating the leprosy infection said dead red squirrels could be sent to them by post provided they were appropriately packaged.
But they advised members of the public to follow basic hygiene rules before and after handling dead squirrels.
Details can be found on this webpage under the "post-mortem guidance note section".


Gregor Townsend's first Six Nations match as Scotland head coach will be away to Wales on 3 February 2018.

France visit Murrayfield eight days later and England travel to take on Scotland on 24 February.
Away matches against Ireland (10 March) and Italy (17 March) complete Scotland's campaign.
Former Glasgow Warriors boss Townsend, who won 82 Scotland caps as a player, has replaced Vern Cotter and takes charge of next month's summer tour.
The Scots face Italy in Singapore on 10 June then take on Australia in Sydney a week later before a final Test against hosts Fiji on 24 June.
And Townsend's side will face the Wallabies again in their autumn series, after Tests against Samoa and New Zealand.
In this year's Six Nations, Cotter's third in charge, Scotland recorded wins over Ireland, Wales and Italy - their best championship since 2006.
Click here to see the full sets of 2018 & 2019 Six Nations fixtures


India's main opposition party has named controversial politician Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate for elections due next year.

Mr Modi, who has been chief minister of Gujarat state since 2001, has long been seen as a rising star of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In June, he was chosen to lead the party's campaign for the election.
Mr Modi is credited with making Gujarat one of India's most prosperous states.
But he is also accused of doing little to stop anti-Muslim riots in 2002 which left more than 1,000 dead - allegations he has always denied.
In recent months he has been courted by international investors and foreign diplomats, and his image is that of a clean and efficient administrator who is corruption-free.
By Soutik BiswasIndia correspondent
A crowd of jubilant supporters gathered outside the BJP's headquarters in New Delhi ahead of the formal announcement of Mr Modi's candidacy on Friday.
"I assure that I will leave no stone unturned in working for a BJP victory in the 2014 elections," Mr Modi said in a statement after being nominated.
"I seek the blessings of the people in our efforts to free our nation of the turbulent times we are going through."
Critics say his candidacy will shift the debate from the alleged scams and inefficiencies of the ruling Congress to Mr Modi's controversial persona, the BBC's Vineet Khare, in Delhi, reports.
But supporters see him as a strong figure who can lead the BJP to power, after it lost the last two parliamentary elections, our correspondent says.
A brilliant speaker, Mr Modi was chosen in June to lead the BJP's election campaign for next year. Some senior party leaders including former deputy prime minister L K Advani opposed his appointment.
However, Mr Modi has massive support both within the party as well as among India's middle classes and business community, who see him as a charismatic leader who has turned Gujarat into an economic powerhouse.
As a result, he was re-elected twice as the state's chief minister.
Mr Modi also enjoys strong backing from senior leaders in the right-wing Hindu organisation the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The RSS, founded in the 1920s with a clear objective to make India a Hindu nation, functions as an ideological fountainhead to a host of hardline Hindu groups - including Mr Modi's BJP, with which it has close ties.
The RSS has a particularly strong base in Gujarat, and Mr Modi's links were seen as a strength the organisation could tap into when he joined the state unit of the BJP in the 1980s.
Mr Modi has a formidable reputation as a party organiser, along with an ability for secrecy, which comes from years of training as an RSS "pracharak" or propagandist, analysts say.
Although Mr Modi escaped censure in the 2001 Gujarat riots, his close aide, Maya Kodnani, was convicted last year and sent to jail for 28 years.
The rioting began after 60 Hindu pilgrims died in a train fire blamed on Muslims in the town of Godhra.
Ms Kodnani was not a minister at the time of the riots, but was appointed junior minister for women and child development by Mr Modi in 2007.
His critics accused him of "rewarding her with the ministership" for her role in the riots.
Mr Modi himself has never expressed any remorse or offered any apologies for the riots, and many Muslims displaced by the violence continue to live in ghettos near Ahmedabad, Gujarat's largest city and commercial capital.