diff --git a/e107_core/shortcodes/batch/news_shortcodes.php b/e107_core/shortcodes/batch/news_shortcodes.php
index e0d4f9eeb..f4a346778 100644
--- a/e107_core/shortcodes/batch/news_shortcodes.php
+++ b/e107_core/shortcodes/batch/news_shortcodes.php
@@ -51,9 +51,16 @@ class news_shortcodes extends e_shortcode
 		}
 	}
 
-	function sc_newstitle()
+	function sc_newstitle($parm)
 	{
-		return e107::getParser()->toHTML($this->news_item['news_title'], TRUE, 'TITLE');
+		$text = e107::getParser()->toHTML($this->news_item['news_title'], TRUE, 'TITLE');
+
+		if(!empty($parm['attribute']))
+		{
+			$text = e107::getParser()->toAttribute($text);
+		}
+
+		return $text;
 	}
 
 	function sc_newsurltitle()
diff --git a/e107_handlers/news_class.php b/e107_handlers/news_class.php
index 67476b395..223aeac42 100644
--- a/e107_handlers/news_class.php
+++ b/e107_handlers/news_class.php
@@ -683,9 +683,15 @@ class e_news_tree extends e_front_tree_model
 			
 		$batch->wrapper('news_menu/latest'); //@SecretR - Please FIXME, I'm lost in here. (Cam) 
 		$i = 1;
-		
 
-		foreach ($this->getTree() as $news)
+		$items = $this->getTree();
+
+		if(!empty($items))
+		{
+			$start = $parser->parseTemplate($template['start'], true, $vars); // must be here in case {SETIMAGE} is present and used for items below.
+		}
+
+		foreach ($items as $news)
 		{
 			$vars->counter = $i;
 			$batch->setScVar('news_item', $news->getData());
@@ -693,10 +699,15 @@ class e_news_tree extends e_front_tree_model
 			$i++;
 		}
 
+		if(!empty($items))
+		{
+			$end = $parser->parseTemplate($template['end'], true, $vars);
+		}
 		if($ret)
 		{
+
 			$separator = varset($template['separator'], '');
-			$ret = $parser->simpleParse($template['start'], $vars).implode($separator, $ret).$parser->simpleParse($template['end'], $vars);
+			$ret = $start.implode($separator, $ret).$end;
 			$return = isset($parms['return']) ? true : false;
 
 			if($tablerender)