By Oliver Farrimond FIRST MINISTER Alex Salmond has slammed Scottish opposition parties for playing political games over the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. When asked yesterday if the Scottish Labour Party and others had been unduly politicising Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill’s controversial decision to release the convicted terrorist, Salmond called their objections [...]
By Cara Sulieman A GUN toting drunk who demanded a teenage girl’s pants so he could sniff them has been jailed for a year. Karim Bourouba, 29, subjected the 16-year-old girl to the terrifying ordeal after downing two bottles of champagne and half a bottle of vodka before stumbling upon the girl and her 19-year-old [...]
By Alexander Lawrie THE MAN dubbed ‘Scotland’s Oldest Man’ claims climbing Munros and contentment with his lot have prolonged his life. Sprightly Edward Robertson, 102, became the oldest festival goer in the country when he attended a wartime concert show in Edinburgh yesterday. A Special Constable during the war, Mr Robertson said he was delighted [...]
By Michael MacLeod THE desolate Scots train station made famous in cult film Trainspotting is getting a £400,000 facelift – because it is so popular with tourists. Corrour station, the highest in the UK at 1,300 feet above sea level, features in Irvine Welsh’s tale of a gang of drug-peddling lowlife pals romping through Edinburgh. [...]
By Rory Reynolds EDINBURGH’S transport nightmare may be eased after the City Council backed TIE – the firm tasked with bringing about the troubled city trams. Today the council unanimously backed the transport firm in its efforts to finish the huge project after severe delays and costs spiralling out of control. Last week TIE entered [...]
By Rory Reynolds THE WORLD famous Lady Boys of Bangkok yesterday protested against controversial plans that could force them to quit the Edinburgh Festival after 11-years of sell-out shows. Cast members in full dress lay in wait for chiefs ahead of a meeting of the full council where plans to oust such acts from the [...]
By Michael MacLeod THE eyes of the world were on him, the pressure of the past weeks and months boiling down to this one, final moment. So it was little wonder Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, the lawyer turned politician, suffered from a touch of last minute nerves given the gravitas if what was involved. Journalists [...]
By Cara Sulieman A GRIEF stricken family have lost the plot in a row over where to bury a beloved relative – after being told the lair she had bought in advance was already full. Margaret Miller died last Monday aged 88 but had already pre-arranged to be laid to rest next to her parents, [...]
by SHAUN MILNE BREAKING NEWS: LOCKERBIE bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi has been freed by the Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. The announcement came at a press conference in Edinburgh today. Mr MacAskill said the crime committed by Megrahi, 57, had happened long before his Government was in place, but conceded the decision was [...]
By Cara Sulieman AN ENGLISH aristocrat is holding a Scottish council to “ransom” over a derelict school building. The 17th Earl of Buchan is demanding £70,000 from West Lothian Council to allow them to sell the ex-primary school which has been empty for 10 years. And it’s thanks to the contract created when the Earl’s [...]
By Cara Sulieman A JAPANESE film crew are searching for Susan Boyle fans to join them in her home town to celebrate her rise to stardom. The team – who are travelling from Tokyo for the project – are planning a programme all about Boyle-mania. American Leslie McMillan is already signed up to show the [...]
By Rory Reynolds FOOTBALL daft Hearts fans have hired their own Jambo Jet – to fly to Croatia for tonight’s Europa League clash against Dinamo Zagreb. Thanks to one Hearts mad dad, 118 fans will descend on the Maksimir stadium in Croatian capital for the big game. Life-long season ticket holder Gary Gray was desperate [...]
By Rory Reynolds PINT-SIZED comedy legend Ronnie Corbett met actor Bob Golding – who plays Eric Morecambe in a play about his life – yesterday (Wednesday) at the Assembly Hall in Edinburgh. Tiny Scot Ronnie – best known for being one half of the classic sketch show The Two Ronnies – saw the play with [...]
By Rory Reynolds A PRIVATE hire cab boss has blasted what he calls a ‘cartel’ of black cab firms after they blocked his cars from offering discounts. Edinburgh City Private Hire – the largest private operator in the capital – is unable to go ahead with its planned 30 per cent price cut after black [...]
By Rory Reynolds THE LADY Boys of Bangkok plan to protest outside Edinburgh City Council HQ this morning over plans to ban them from their Festival home. The headliners have performed at the same spot on the city’s Meadows for the past 11 years but now face being given the boot at a meeting today. [...]
By Rory Reynolds REALITY TV contestants are to be given more support to deal with sudden fame – after Scots singing star Susan Boyle’s breakdown and admittance to a mental health clinic following her success with Britain’s Got Talent. The final 24 on this year’s hit show the X-Factor are to have full psychological appraisals [...]
By Paul Thornton A COACH accused of sexually assaulting his students is STILL working at the centre where he is alleged to have attacked them. Mitchell Dolphin, 51, was suspended by Scottish Gymnastics in December 20007 following allegations from two women he trained. But he admitted that he was still working in the LO-GY Centre [...]
By Cara Sulieman and Paul Thornton A PERVERT nurse has been struck off for hypnotising patients so he could grope them. Iain Balsillie, 40, from Dunfermline, had already been fired from B Sky B where he worked as an occupational nurse after two female workers at the call centre claimed he tried to put them [...]
By Oliver Farrimond THE PAINTING featured on Alex Salmond’s Christmas cards fetched a stunning £10,000 at auction yesterday. The John Bellany painting, titled “Macduff Harbour – The Homecoming”, sold for £5,000 more than the recommended guide price at Lyon and Turnbull in Edinburgh. The painting was bought by Aberdeen-based architect John Halliday, with proceeds going [...]
By Paul Thornton A PERVERT nurse was sacked after it was claimed he HYPNOTISED patients in order to grope them. Iain Balsillie, 40, from Fife, was given the boot by B Sky B where he worked as an occupational nurse after two females working at a call centre in Dunfermline claimed he tried to put [...]