'New Scottish powers to tackle binge drinking'

Sweeping powers to tackle binge drinking and alcohol abuse in Scotland will be tabled next year in a new legislative package that could set the tone for a similar clampdown south of the border. The measures include setting a minimum price for alcohol to outlaw cheap liquor, and restricting sales in supermarkets to designated areas - The Guardian​

Gordon Brown unveiled a surprise £2.7bn package of tax cuts designed to end the rebellion over the abolition of the 10p tax band. In what was, in effect, an emergency mini-budget, the changes will be worth £120 a year to the 22 million basic rate taxpayers. Alistair Darling, the chancellor, also said he was increasing personal allowances by £600 to £6,035 for this financial year - The Guardian​

Tesco has pledged to bring in nearly 1,000 price cuts while rival Asda promised a rolling programme of reductions to attract shoppers. Britain's stuttering housing market was also given a massive boost after Nationwide, the UK's largest lender, announced it is cutting the price of fixed-rate mortgages - The Daily Express​

The price of tomatoes is expected to soar by 25 per cent, producers warned yesterday - The Daily Express​

Scottish scientists have proved that the type of music we listen to while drinking wine influences the way we perceive its taste - The Scotsman​

British scientists have won a £1m grant to find out if a robot can safely be employed to stir soup in a kitchen, it emerged today- The Telegraph​