Controversial plans for a minimum alcohol price are facing defeat in a key Holyrood vote. The Scottish Government's Alcohol Bill, which contains a range of measures aimed at tackling Scotland 's problem with drink, will come before MSPs in Parliament. They will vote on a Tory amendment calling on the Government to ditch minimum pricing. Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has called on opposition leaders to "rise above party politics" and back the plans for a minimum alcohol price - Press Association
WM Morrison has joined Tesco to support minimum pricing on alcohol to counter problem drinking but wants ministers to achieve this through duty rather than setting unit prices on drinks. The fourth largest supermarket chain has written to Theresa May, the home secretary, to say it supports efforts to "tackle the misuse of alcohol". Earlier this month, the government's medicines advisory body also called for a ban on cut-price alcohol - The Financial Times
The head of Scotland 's biggest police force has said alcohol played a major role in 14 out of 18 murders in his area in the past 10 weeks. Stephen House, the chief constable of Strathclyde Police, said that in many cases both the perpetrators and the victims were drunk. The chief constable said a recent trend had seen violence associated with house parties rather than pubs. He also said drink-fuelled violence could escalate during the World Cup - BBC
Twelve people have been banned from every bar in Portishead, Bristol, as part of the town's Pubwatch scheme. Nine men and three women have been banned from 16 pubs in Portishead and the Gordano Valley area for a variety of reasons, including fighting, threatening behaviour or dealing or taking drugs. The scheme has been hailed a success and has seen a reduction in the levels of drink-related violence at licensed premises - Bristol Evening Post
A newborn boy has been found abandoned in a bag outside a pub in a Derbyshire village. Police said they were concerned for the welfare of the child's mother and are trying to trace her. The boy was discovered by pub staff on Wednesday night outside the Hawk and Buckle on Main Street , Etwall. He was taken to the Royal Derby Hospital , where doctors estimated he was one day old. Staff at the hospital have named him Jack - BBC
Venezuela 's president Hugo Chavez has warned that he is not afraid to nationalise the country's food and drink giant Polar - which makes Polar beer. Polar is still in private hands after Chavez's nationalisation drive. Last week, Mr Chavez stepped up his attacks on Polar's billionaire owner, Lorenzo Mendoza, whom he has previously accused of pushing up food prices by hoarding products to cause artificial shortages - BBC