STV News at Six - Edinburgh Wednesday, October 17, 6:00pm

Unemployment in Scotland has soared by another seven-thousand. That's despite an improving picture south of the border. The country's economy has also fallen deeper into recession. However, the First minister has defended his government's economic policies. But the latest figures come as campaigners warn that a clampdown on job seekers allowance is forcing out-of-work Scots into extreme hardship. In other news: Police officers have travelled from Scotland to Spain to appeal for information about two murder suspects. Detectives are in Madrid working with their Spanish counterparts, to trace William Paterson and Derek McGraw Ferguson. It's emerged that a Super Puma helicopter ditched in the North Sea because of a faulty warning light. All fourteen passengers and crew on board the aircraft were rescued following the incident last May. An official report has concluded the supposed faulty component, had in fact been fully operational. Attempts to raise an historic boat used in the evacuation of Dunkirk failed today. The Skylark Nine, which sank in the River Leven two years ago, was one of the famous little ships that answered the call to rescue allied troops seventy years ago. Today campaigners expressed their disappointment that she hadn't been brought to the surface. And in sports: Craig Levein says he has no intention of quitting as Scotland manager, and says he wants to remain in the job. Pressure is growing for him to resign, or be sacked, after last night's 2 - 0 defeat in Belgium left Scotland bottom of their World cup qualifying group. The SFA is preparing to discuss his future. Edinburgh back row Netani Talei is confident this weekend's trip to Munster will be a turning point for the capital club who lost their Heineken Cup opener in a 45 - 0 demolition by Saracens at the weekend. This international version of STV News at Six is viewable world-wide. It has been edited for rights reasons, which also allows us to keep the programme online after the initial 24-hour broadcast window in the UK has passed. Viewers within the UK who want to watch the full episode 'as broadcast' should select the UK version of the programme.