9am Briefing: Sea search goes on for missing angler

AN air and sea search for an angler missing in Dunbar harbour was due to resume at 8am this morning after being called off for the night.

The 60-year-old Edinburgh man is believed to have been fishing in the area but his discarded mobile phone was spotted on rocks in the harbour by a passer-by yesterday and he has not been traced.

Two lifeboats and a helicopter began searching for him at around 6.30pm yesterday, and suspended their work at 10pm due to failing light.

200k for informants

LOTHIAN and Borders police paid nearly 200,000 to supergrasses in four years, it is reported today.

The payments, totalling 196,045, were made to informants between 2004 and 2008, with the real names of those who received the money kept in a secret register seen only by a very small number of specially-vetted officers.

US hate church to picket Kirk assembly

MEMBERS of a controversial American church are to picket the Church of Scotland's General Assembly over the appointment of an openly-gay minister.

The group from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, are followers of preacher Fred Phelps, who has been banned from the UK for inciting hatred. They have previously taken part in demonstrations at the funerals of Aids victims and servicemen killed in Iraq.

The Assembly, due to be held in Edinburgh later this month, will debate the appointment of Reverend Scott Rennie, who lives with his male partner, as minister of Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen.

Government staff get courses

SCOTTISH Government workers are being treated to courses in new age "astroshamanism", papercraft and Tai Chi, it is reported today.

More than 60 classes are being laid on for civil servants at Victoria Quay, St Andrew's House and Saughton House this week.

Other lessons included in the Learning at Work week include light-aircraft flying, adventure motor-cycling and line dancing.