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Catch up on the most popular stories on the BBC Scotland news website.

SUNDAY 17 SEPTEMBER

A boy reported to have been given a playful slap by Cherie Blair for making a "rabbit ears" gesture behind her said it was all just a bit of fun.

Cherie schoolboy dismisses 'slap'

Three men were arrested in connection with the death of a 24-year-old in Glenrothes, Fife, at the weekend.

Three arrested after man's death

The former deputy leader of the Scottish National Party Douglas Henderson died after a short illness at the age of 71.

Former deputy leader of SNP dies

SATURDAY 16 SEPTEMBER

A pilot and his have passenger survived after a helicopter crashed into a field near Glassford in South Lanarkshire.

Two men survive helicopter crash

The introduction of a new system for gathering tolls and managing traffic flows on the Forth Road Bridge is getting under way.

New bridge toll system to begin

The death of a 17-year-old youth following a disturbance in the West Pilton Grove area of Edinburgh was being treating as suspicious.

Teenager dies after disturbance

FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER

English ignorance of Scotland is damaging the union, according to the UK Conservative leader David Cameron.

Cameron warning of 'danger to UK'

All of Scotland's designated bathing beaches have passed water quality tests for the first time since monitoring began two decade ago.

Scots beaches pass quality test

A woman who was injured while moving a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? quiz machine in Aberdeen has won more than £184,000 in damages.

Injured quiz woman's £184,000 win

THURSDAY 14 SEPTEMBER

Police have identified a woman who may have lain undiscovered for nearly two days after an A75 crash.

Police identify crash find woman

Insurance company Norwich Union has announced plans to shed about 450 jobs in Scotland as part of a 4,000 reduction in the UK.

Insurer axes 450 jobs in Scotland

Passengers on a Stagecoach bus which plunged 10ft down an embankment suffered neck and back injuries.

Four injured in bus plunge crash

WEDNESDAY 13 SEPTEMBER

A police computer which contained pictures of road crash victims has been found at a car boot sale in the east end of Glasgow.

Crash victim images in boot sale

Fingerprint officials at the centre of the Shirley McKie case have been offered a deal to leave their jobs.

McKie experts 'offered job deal'

The body of a man has been found in a garden pond at a house in Glasgow, Strathclyde Police said.

Man's body found in garden pond

TUESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER

A fish at the Royal Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh underwent surgery after visitors complained it was too ugly.

Surgery for museum's 'ugly' fish

A woman lost part of her arm four inches above the wrist after being thrown from a car on the M8 left hospital.

Severed arm woman leaves hospital

The bodies of 14 servicemen killed when an RAF Nimrod crashed in Afghanistan arrived back at the aircraft's home base at Kinloss in Moray.

RAF bodies return home to Kinloss

MONDAY 11 SEPTEMBER

A 29-year-old woman's arm was severed after she was thrown from a car by a man who had picked her up in Glasgow.

Woman's arm severed in murder bid

First Minister Jack McConnell said he was prepared to back calls for St Andrew's Day to be declared a holiday in Scotland.

First minister backs holiday call

The majority of bar staff in Scotland believe their workplaces are healthier since the introduction of the smoking ban, a new survey finds.

Pubs 'healthier' after smoke ban