Scottish Executive Wins Narrow Majority on Iraq

The Scottish Parliament was specifically set up to deal with matters devolved to it - and that did not include foreign affairs. But at the insistence of the Scottish National Party, it debated a "non-devolved" matter for the first time this week. The SNP motion said that "no case for military action against Iraq has been proven." The First Minister, Jack McConnell, argued the case in support of the government, while acknowledging that there were "diverse views and opinions" within his Labour Party and the country. As in the vote in the Westminster Parliament, it was the Conservative Party members who supported the government and, despite six Labour Party back-benchers and the Liberal Democrat members (who form the coalition administration with Labour) voting against the government, the First Minister scraped through with a less than resounding victory of 62 votes to 57, with four abstentions.

£650 Million Airport Rail Links

Iain Gray, the transport minister, announced the preferred routes this week for rail links to both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. The link to Edinburgh airport will see the construction of a tunnel under the runway providing a potential ten trains an hour linking the airport to the rest of the Scottish network, including Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow, Stirling, Aberdeen and Fife as well as links to Newcastle. Subject to planning and parliamentary approval, the link could be in place by the end of 2010. The link to Glasgow airport from the city’s Central Station, via a spur from Paisley, will provide a 15 minute direct link to the airport with four trains an hour. This will also allow for improvements to links to Prestwick airport as well as improved links to Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Ayr. This is expected to be up and running in 2008. But there was disquiet in Glasgow that they had been short-changed as the cheapest option costing up to £150 million had been selected there while the costliest option up to £500 million had been approved for Edinburgh. The minister, however, pointed out that the spur from Paisley would allow the scheme to be operational more quickly. A few months ago, consultants produced a report for the Scottish Executive which suggested that the Glasgow Airport rail link was not financially justified.

Government Accused of "Buying" Election

The Scottish Labour Party was accused by opposition parties this week of trying to "buy the election" by an unprecedented series of ministerial announcements. They say that in the last two weeks, details for £3.67 billion of public spending have been announced, out of the almost £6 billion annual budget. In response, ministers say that the official pre-election period starts on April 1 after which ministerial announcements will be restricted. But the official spokesman says that "the business of government goes on until then. The announcements flow from last September's budget" But cynical journalists are finding it hard to keep up with the spate of spending plans which just happen to be announced 50 days before the election.

£100 Million Facelift for Princes Street?

Edinburgh City Council are backing proposals to give the famous Princes Street a "facelift" which would include demolishing 13 "ugly" buildings which were put up in the 1960s and 1970s. They would be replaced with "listed buildings of tomorrow". But for the plans to become a reality, the owners of the buildings earmarked would have to invest in the redevelopment. Princes Street rental values are amongst the highest in the UK. But it is argued that the plans would not only improve the economic value of all the buildings, but would increase available floor space by around 500,000sq ft.

Calls for a "Real" Hospital

Despite a strenuous campaign by many people living in the south side of Glasgow, the master-plan for the city's hospitals calls for the replacement of the Victoria Infirmary at Battlefield with a day hospital with no overnight accommodation and no casualty department. The only south-side facility will be at the Southern General in Govan. Now the campaigners have renewed their efforts after the announcement that the replacement Victoria hospital will cost £80 million instead of the original estimate of £30 million. It is argued that the new cost cannot be justified unless it includes overnight beds and casualty facilities. The recently opened hospital at Hairmyres near East Kilbride, which has full facilities, cost £58 million.But the Greater Glasgow National Health Service says that there is no going back on the plans which have been approved by the Scottish Executive.

Tours of Nuclear Power Stations Suspended

British Energy has decided to suspend the popular tours of their nuclear power stations in view of concerns over security issues. They say that it was a difficult decision as they attract thousands of visitors a year, including school bus parties and community groups. The company also saw them as a way of bolstering public opinion on the safety of nuclear energy. The nuclear power stations at Torness and Hunterston provide around 40% of Scotland's electricity needs. In January, a group of Greenpeace nuclear protestors broke into a nuclear plant in Suffolk, England. The demo put the spotlight on security issues at nuclear plants across the country.

Scotrail Sacks Time-off Cheats

Scotrail, struggling to get its trains running on time, has sacked a number of staff in recent months for failing to turn up for work for what it describes as "frivolous" reasons. It is well known that some trains have to be cancelled every time there is a major football match as staff fail to turn up. They then give lame excuses which, says Scotrail, lets down passengers and their colleagues. The company has increased the number of drivers over the last year so that it can operate without depending on overtime working. Last summer, only 72% of Scotrail services arrived within ten minutes of schedule. Previously the company had the best record in the UK for punctuality on its services.

End of Road for Skye Bridge Tolls?

In the run-up to an election, all sorts of hints are dropped by politicians. But considerable publicity was given this week to comments by the First Minister, Jack McConnell, that abolishing the tolls on the Skye Bridge would be one of the issues Labour would discuss with their Liberal Democrat partners in the event of another coalition being formed after the May elections. When the bridge was first mooted, the government of the day said that the volume of traffic on a bridge between the mainland at Kyle of Lochalsh and Skye did not justify public funding. But a privately-funded bridge, with tolls to pay for the finance, was built instead. The bridge opened in 1995, but protestors against the tolls have mounted ever since. The charge is currently £5.70. The millions of users of the Forth road bridge and the Erskine bridge over the Clyde might wonder why the Skye bridge should be given such special treatment.

New Light on Dear Green Place

NVA, an artistic charity which has used a Highland glen as a stage and is aesthetically transforming the mountains of Skye with coloured lights, is installing two lighting schemes in Glasgow. The first will illuminate the Tidal Weir Bridge near Glasgow Green (see the artist's impression here) and the other will transform the College of Building and Printing above George Square in the centre of the city. Councillor Charlie Gordon, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said "Glasgow is a beautiful city with outstanding architecture that should be enjoyed 24 hours a day. The schemes for the College of Building and Printing and the Glasgow Tidal Weir mark a new stage in the city's lighting strategy to make Glasgow even more attractive to citizens and visitors alike." NVA has been given a grant from the Scottish Arts Council and funds from Glasgow's £2.4 million lighting strategy, which has already transformed a number of keynote buildings, structures and architectural details throughout the city. The College of Building will have a lighting scheme that transforms the 'Le Corbusier' influenced rooftop. The new design punctuates the lively shipping references on the roof level, articulating the funnel and deck shapes with gently contrasting colours. With the use of colour changers, the opportunity now exists for areas on the roof to change to a different palate of colours every other night. The scheme will be launched on 24 March.

Mountain Rescue Upgrade

First Minister Jack McConnell visited the Cairngorm ski centre near Aviemore this week to announce that £300,000 of funding was to be provided to the Mountain Rescue Service to upgrade their radio equipment. The service is operated by volunteers who risk their lives to rescue walkers and climbers who get into difficulty. But the First Minister pointed out that those going into Scotland's hills and mountains sometimes don't take proper precautions before starting out. They can be ill equipped and do not heed weather warnings.

Food Festival in Gourmet Glasgow

Top chefs in some of Glasgow's best restaurants will be given free rein to create gourmet menus every day between July 16 and August 13 in a new festival named "GourmetGlasgow". Seventeen restaurants, including The Buttery (pictured here) and the Ubiquitous Chip, have signed up for the event. It is being promoted by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board and sponsors include Laurent-Perrier who will offer diners a free glass of champagne and a glass of red or white wine and Auchentoshan Distillery who will provide a malt whisky at the end of each meal.Menus will range from four courses to seven, and costs are likely to be in the range £40 to £60 per head.

Top Dog

A three-year-old Pekinese from Glasgow called "Danny" was named "Best in Show" at the climax of the Centennial Crufts Dog Show in Birmingham last weekend. The dog, whose official name is "Dangerous Liaisons", had previously won Reserve Best in Show. Having won the supreme accolade in the dog show world, the Pekinese will now retire from canine competitions.

Zoo Escapes Financial Plight

Approval has at last been given for the use of 26 acres of land for housing which will allow Glasgow Zoo to wipe out its debts and provide the cash for vital improvements. The land had been classified as greenbelt but now a Reporter, appointed by the Scottish Executive, has ruled that the area can be used for housing. The zoo used to be a top tourist attraction but has deteriorated over the years and has been running at a loss. This has had an impact on maintenance and repairs and there have been threats to its survival.

A Hard Tablet to Swallow

An announcement that Nestlé, the world's largest manufacturer of condensed milk, was to stop production in the UK led to panic buying in supermarkets. Media reports had suggested that the announcement meant that it would no longer be available in the UK. Condensed milk is the basic ingredient of "tablet" - a sugary confection which is particularly popular in Scotland. It is as popular in Scotland as Mars bars and is often sold in tourist shops, in various flavours, as well as supermarkets. But as manufacturers of tablet voiced their concerns at the "disaster", Nestlé assured them that although UK production would cease, the product would still be available - imported from France.

Scotland the Brand Goes Private

After eight years as a subsidiary of the government agency Scottish Enterprise, Scotland the Brand is about to become a private company. Set up to promote Scottish goods and services overseas, the organisation says that after it had become established, Scottish Enterprise cut down on the resources allocated to it. The organisation currently has only 300 members but now aims to boost that to 2,000 by 2010.

Knitters Unstitched

2,500 knitters across the UK, many of them in Scotland, have been told that the quality knitted Aran sweaters they produced for Inverallan Knitwear in Alva, Clackmannanshire, are no longer required. The reason is that the company has been told that it is breaking the law by not paying the home knitters the national minimum wage. The workers had not complained about the rates and indeed many have written to say that they want to continue. But the ruling meant that the company was forced into liquidation. It is now trading again - but now employs home knitters in Ireland and India.

PARC Fights National Park Boundaries

Campaigners have formed an organisation named the Perthshire Alliance for the Real Cairngorms (PARC) to fight to have the area of the Cairngorms in Perthshire included within the boundary of Scotland's largest national park - which officially opens in two weeks time. The local Perth and Kinross Council, the National Trust for Scotland and Perthshire Tourist Board argue that the exclusion of areas such as Blair Atholl will damage the local economy. They believe that people from outside the area will regard the National Park as special - and drive through the Cairngorms area in Perthshire. The government has argued that the inclusion of Perthshire would have made the park too large and unwieldy - and expensive. Campaigners are angry that the Scottish Executive have said that it will be at least five years before the boundaries will be reviewed again.

Tartan Day 2003

The Scottish Parliament has just launched its programme of activities for Tartan Day 2003. In particular, they are inviting Scots around the world to take part in their Tartan Day online discussion forum which is now open and will remain so in the run up to Tartan Day, 6th April, and beyond. The direct link to the discussion forum is www.communitypeople.net/interactive/. Parliament's Tartan Day News Release is here
The list of Tartan Day events on Rampant Scotland now has over 60 entries from Brisbane to South Carolina and many points in between. It's at Tartan Day Events.

World's Best Whiskies

There is constant argument - and sampling - to decide on what is the best malt whisky. The process is academic, since different people can respond differently to the various varieties and the circumstances in which they are being drunk. But the annual Whisky Magazine awards are based on independent blind tastings of 40 blended and single malts by 75 experts in three continents, so the results are a good indication of quality. A 40-year-old Glenfiddich Rare Collection (which retails at £1,000 a bottle) was selected as the best single malt as well as the best Speyside whisky. A Highland Park 18-year-old won the category for the best island malt. A specially produced Dalmore whisky was voted as the best whisky to accompany Cuban cigars. A 25-year-old Cutty Sark won the gold for the best blended Scotch - and scooped the top prize as the best of all the whiskies.

Business Booming in Dundee Shopping Centre

Overgate, Dundee's newest retail centre, achieved record trading figures as annual sales increased by 17.3% and the number of shoppers rose by 5.7%. The increases were almost double that of the industry average in Scotland. The centre has reported that the increasing volume of business continued into 2003 with sales 16/18% up in January and February, compared with last year.

Airships Idea Floated to Help Broadband Access

British Telecom (and the government) have been disappointed at the take-up of high speed broadband access to the Internet in Scotland. Despite high profile advertising campaigns, the number of subscribers expressing an interest in signing up for the service has been surprisingly low. Which has been frustrating for those who have actually signed up. BT will only upgrade an exchange if a sufficient number of subscribers log onto the BT website and say (without commitment) that they would like such a service. Even so, BT is looking forward to the day when they have to provide Broadband to increasing numbers in remote areas. While satellites and terrestrial radio services are already available, the company is also looking at the advantages of airships to supplement communications. The cigar-shaped balloons have come a long way since the Zeppelins. It is claimed that they have the advantage of being able to produce a network fairly quickly and can be brought back down to earth to allow updated technology to be taken on board.

UK's Fattest City

It's a title that the city would rather do without, but Glasgow has been named the "fattest city in Britain" by the magazine "Men's Fitness." 22 cities were ranked according to diet, obesity, activity levels, heart disease and amenities. Glaswegians, who eat too much fat and too few vegetables, has one of the highest rates of heart disease in the world. Scotland fared rather badly in the survey as Edinburgh came second. Oddly, however, the "fittest" city was London where, apparently, they eat more fruit and vegetables than any other British city and have a low rate of heart disease. It has been suggested that Londoners are aware that they live in an unhealthy environment and make efforts to try to counteract it.

Expensive Mink

Scottish Natural Heritage has been trying to get rid of mink in the Outer Hebrides for a number of years. The animals were released from fur farms in the 1950s and 1960s by environmental campaigners and have bred too successfully in the wild. At taxpayers expense, the organisation has laid 2,500 traps which were baited each day by a dedicated team of trappers. However, in the first year of the £1.65 million project, only 200 mink were caught. That works out at £1,750 per animal. But now the organisation is expected to seek more money to extend the scheme. There has been a recent public outcry about Scottish Natural Heritage's scheme to cull hedgehogs, but on this showing the hedgehogs have nothing to fear.

Harem Proposal for Edinburgh

The ladies of Morningside in Edinburgh would probably choke on their afternoon tea and scones if a proposal by controversial artist David Mach goes ahead. Edinburgh City Council have been seeking views on what to do with the gap site in the historic Old Town of the city which was destroyed by fire last December. Mach has come up with the concept of seven, 30ft high nude statues, cast in fibreglass and placed amongst the rubble of the site. He describes it as a "wickedly decadent" idea which would provide a "counterpoint" to the Presbyterian heritage of the area. He says it would be "dripping with sensuality in the middle of the detritus of chaos, folded into the rocks like Michelangelo's Slaves. More than this, it would be an attack on people who stop us going forward." One of david Mach's female sculptures, shown in the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, is illustrated here. But the conservative elements on the City Council will not be taking this concept forward - if there is a statue, they would prefer it to have some clothes on. While a temporary art exhibition might be considered for the site, it might be difficult to get a harem past Edinburgh's planners. Even so, last month the National Galleries of Scotland bought Titian's "Venus Anadyomene" last month for £11.6 million.

Seagulls Defeat Robot Falcon

Seagulls are a constant problem in coastal towns and Fraserburgh in the north-east corner of Aberdeenshire is no exception. In an attempt to drive away the noisy, messy birds, Aberdeenshire Council installed for a three-week trial a "Robop" - a robotic bird of prey which is made to look like a peregrine falcon which flaps its wings, turns its head and emits realistic calls. But the local gulls overcame the "opposition" by sheer weight of numbers - there are an estimated 2,000 gulls in the area. The machine was moved around the town centre but the seagulls just moved to another part of town and the council have had to abandon the project.

Weather in Scotland This Week

After a damp start, a large area of high pressure settled over Scotland and the North Sea and produced a lot of sunny weather for the rest of the week. Glasgow had 23 hours of sunshine over Wednesday to Friday while Aberdeen enjoyed 9 hours of sun on Thursday. The outlook is for the sunshine to continue over the weekend and into next week. The clear skies and easterly winds from the continent, however, brought the temperatures down from around 10/12C (50/54F) earlier in the week to 7/10C (45/50F) later.

As spring flowers start appearing at an increasing rate, it is becoming more and more difficult to decide which flower graphic to choose to illustrate the current weather. So this week there are two pictures - both taken earlier this week at Finlaystone House in Inverclyde. The one above is of some miniature irises while the blossom below was growing under glass. I'm not sure which fruit the blossom will turn into - I'll just need to go back in the late summer to find out! That will be no problem as I am sure I will be visting this lovely garden on a number of occasions over the coming months.

Lord Byron Pined for Scotland

A new biography of the romantic poet Lord Byron, who scandalised British society in the early 19th century, claims that in his last years the poet yearned for Scotland where he spent his childhood. George Gordon Byron was born in England, but his mother was from the Gordon family in Aberdeen and he spent his formative years in Scotland. In later years he denounced the strict Calvinist background and in his poem "The Curse of Minerva" wrote of Scotland as:

A land of meanness, sophistry and mist.
Each breeze from the foggy mount and marshy plain
Dilutes with drivel every drizzly brain.

But he had a love/hate relationship with Scotland and when he fought for Greek independence against Turkish rule, he wore his Gordon tartan. According to the biography, new sources show that he wanted to see again the Castle of Gight which had belonged to his mother but fell into a ruined state after being sold in 1787 to pay family debts. But the poet died in Greece after catching a fever and died on 19 April, 1824 at the age of 26. Byron admired Robert Burns and James Hogg and he and Sir Walter Scott held each other in great esteem.

French Approve Memorial to Tartan Pimpernel

The Rev Donald Caskie was nicknamed the "Tartan Pimpernel" as a result of his efforts to assist Allied servicemen to escape from occupied France in the 1940s. Now, 60 years later, the first public memorial in France to a Church of Scotland minister is to be unveiled in Marseilles. Caskie was a crofter's son from Islay and was the minister of the Scots Kirk in Paris when the Germans marched in. He assisted escaping airmen and prisoners of war with a network of safe houses, forged identity papers, maps and compasses. He was captured by the Germans and tortured and only escaped a death sentence because of the intervention of a German Lutheran pastor.

200 Year Crime Fighting Partnership Ends

For the last 200 years pathologists at Edinburgh University's faculty of medicine have assisted police in the investigation of criminal cases including gruesome murders, the Piper Alpha oil platform disaster and the explosion of the Pan-Am jet over Lockerbie. Founded in 1807, the pathology department has worked with local police - an early success was the capture of the Edinburgh body snatchers, Burke and Hare. It was the time that Arthur Conan Doyle spent at the faculty which was the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes - that's his statue in Edinburgh illustrated here. But now the medical faculty has been restructured and is to focus on teaching and research instead of public service. The department has not submitted a bid for the forensic pathology contract with the Crown Office.

Warrior Chief's Grave Uncovered

An Iron Age skeleton and grave has been uncovered on a building site in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. It dates back to between 200BC to 200AD and includes a sword and adornments of a warrior who had been buried with full military honours. Only four other Iron Age burial sites with weapons have been discovered in Scotland. The find is only 50 yards away from a Bronze Age cemetery which was discovered in 1828.

Warlike Border Logo Defended

The logo representing the Scottish Borders Council includes a fierce Border reiver (outlaw) complete with steel helmet, spear and war-horse. It has lasted a number of local government restructurings and adorns local council stationery and livery. But there has been a recent suggestion that the warrior image confuses visitors to this now tranquil corner of Scotland. The idea of doing away with the historical references to the area's turbulent past, outlaws and murderers, has got some locals looking out their pikes again. While it has been argued that the logo does not provide a vibrant modern image, there are others who claim that it is the reivers who are still a selling point for tourism in the region. Sir Walter Scott portrayed them as glamorous heroes, though that was very much a bit of early spin doctoring.

This Week in History

• March 16 1309 - King Robert the Bruce convened his first parliament, at St Andrews.
• March 16 1935 - John J R Macleod, Scottish/Canadian physiologist and winner of Nobel Prize (in 1923) died.
• March 17 1328 - Treaty of Edinburgh between King Robert I and Edward III which recognised Scotland's independence, ending the 30 years of Wars of Independence.
• March 17 1473 - King James IV born.
• March 17 1951 - The cartoon character "Dennis the Menace" appeared for the first time in the "Beano" comic.
• March 17 1984 - Scotland won Rugby "Grand Slam" at Murrayfield - the first time in 59 years.
• March 18 1857 - William Henry Playfair, architect, died.
• March 19 1286 - King Alexander III died crossing the river Forth to Fife at Queensferry.
• March 19 1641 - Foundation stone of Hutchesons' Grammar School laid by Thomas Hutcheson as a residential school for the poor in Glasgow.
• March 19 1721 - Novelist Tobias Smollett born. Books included "The Adventures of Roderick Random" and "The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker".
• March 19 1813 - David Livingstone, missionary and explorer, born Blantyre.
• March 19 1938 - Rugby first appeared on British television - England v Scotland at Twickenham in London.
• March 19 1955 - Billy Graham began All-Scotland Crusade.
• March 20 1141 - King Malcolm IV born.
• March 20 1729 - John Law, financier and founder of New Orleans, died aged about 57.
• March 21 1993 - Pope John Paul sanctifies John Duns Scotus, philosopher, theologian (but the first "dunce").
• March 22 1727 - Neil Gow, first of a famous family of fiddle players and composers, born Strathearn, Ross & Cromarty.

Pagan Festival's Unholy Row

The pagan festival on Edinburgh's Calton Hill to greet Beltane's Day (the 1st May) involves 300 painted dancers, fire-eaters, jugglers, a torch-light procession, bonfire and painted performers. The event has attracted a growing audience, with 14,000 attending in 2002. But the City Council insists on full observance of health and safety requirements for this free show and insurance costs keep escalating. The organisers get no help with funding from the Council or the local tourism agencies to meet the costs. "Voluntary contributions" are requested from those attending but these averaged less than 20p per person last year. Now the insistence by the city council that the organisers pay for a temporary lease of Calton Hill has forced the society to cancel this year's event. There are hints, however, that it might be staged somewhere else - but the Calton Hill venue created an excellent backdrop and had a good catchment area to attract a good audience.

The illustration of the Beltane Fire Festival is copyright of Christophe Mercier.

Glasgow Kiss for Romeo and Juliet

Top film director Ken Loach has announced that the third film in his trilogy (which began with the acclaimed "My Name is Joe" and continued with "Sweet Sixteen") is to be set in Glasgow and will be based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Given the working title "Ae Fond Kiss" it will focus not on family rivalries but on racial prejudice. Peter Mulan won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998 for his role in "My Name is Joe" and last year "Sweet Sixteen" launched the film career of teenager Martin Compston from Greenock.

Glasgow International Comedy Festival

Scotland's first-ever-dedicated comedy festival is about more than just stand-up shows. The extensive programme features comedy in all its forms. There's theatre too as the hit West End comedy "Art" is staged by the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company at the Kings Theatre and Dario Fo's classic "Can't Pay, Won't Pay" is presented by the 7:84 Theatre Company at the Tron. Comedy in film is represented via special screenings of Will Hay classics and Charlie Chaplin's early works, not to mention a unique tribute to celebrated animator, Tex Avery. Events will take place in a host of venues throughout the city - there are more than 120 performances in over a dozen venues across Glasgow. For more information see www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com

A Celebration Of Song

The recent census may have shown that the number of Gaelic speakers in Scotland is still declining but there is still a great deal of enthusiasm for the language in some parts of the country. In the Western Isles, from 19th to 21st March, they are celebrating the Gaelic language and culture through music, singing and literature in the Lewis Mod takes which takes place at various locations in Stornoway. There is a programme of competitions with performances in solo singing, choir and recitals of Gaelic verse. The wealth of Gaelic's associated culture belies the small number of people who actually speak the language, so this is an ideal opportunity to listen to this lyrical language being spoken by native speakers. Gaelic is still widely spoken as a first language on the Western Isles and can be heard or read almost everywhere there.

Stirling Celebrates Its First Birthday

Although Stirling has been around a long time, it only became the City of Stirling last year. It is celebrating this first birthday with the launch of a series of festival weekends - the first of which is "The Blend", taking place from the 20th to the 23rd March, celebrating the performance traditions of Scotland and the world. With the historic backdrop of Stirling (the graphic here is of Stirling and the Wallace Monument from Stirling Castle), the festival draws on the inspiration of the past and blends it with the finest contemporary ingredients. Some festival highlights include the Hooleys, Susheela Raman, Shoormal and Filska who've travelled all the way from Shetland.

A Celebration Of Poetry

The only regular festival dedicated to poetry in Scotland, StAnza is held annually in the ancient university town of St Andrews. This is an opportunity to engage with all forms of poetry in exciting and atmospheric venues. The StAnza organisation was founded in 1997 by three St Andrews based poets, Gavin Bowd, Anna Crowe and Brian Johnstone, with the first festival held in 1998. StAnza makes it a priority to bring audiences the best of Scottish poets, both home based and those from outwith the country but who might be described as 'Scottish exiles'. This year the festival will take place over 3 days, 20th-22nd March.

Scotland Rising

The up and coming Celtic Bagpipe and Percussion group "Scotland Rising" is based in Oklahoma City, OK. Combining scorching bagpipes and powerful percussion, with an unmistakable love for their music and culture, this group will infect any audience with their energy and talent. They specialise in traditional Celtic tunes and playing them with an "upbeat powerhouse attitude". Their first performance will be at the USCO Highland Games at Hafer park in Edmond Oklahoma, on March 22 and 23, 2003.

Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results

Dunfermline 0 Partick Thistle 0
Hibernian 1 Dundee United 1
Clyde 2 Alloa 2
Queen of the South 0 Inverness 0
Ross County 0 Falkirk 1
Celtic 1 Liverpool 1 (UEFA Cup quarter-final, first leg)

Bank of Scotland Premier League Results - 15 March 2003

Aberdeen 3 Dundee 3
Dundee United 0 Livingston 1
Partick Thistle 0 Hibernian 1
Kilmarnock v Dunfermline will be played on Sunday, as will the CIS Cup Final between Celtic and Rangers.

Scottish First Division Results - 15 March 2003

Arbroath 1 Inverness 3
Ayr United 0 Alloa 1
Clyde 0 Falkirk 0
Queen of the South 0 St Mirren 2
Ross County 2 St Johnstone 3

Scottish Rugby Premier One Integrated Trophy

Aberdeen 43 Glasgow Hawks 27
Currie 41 Hawick 27
Heriot's 25 Boroughmuir 29
Jed-Forest 34 Stirling 32
Melrose 25 Peebles 22

League Tables

Rangers are still top of the Scottish Premier League with 78 points but have played one more match than Celtic who have 75 points. Hearts have 50 points and Kilmarnock 46 points. At the foot of the SPL, Motherwell are trailing with only 29 points but they have played one game less than Dundee United who have 31 points. Partick Thistle are three points above Dundee United.

Falkirk in the First Division stumbled a little this Saturday, with a 0-0 draw, while closest rivals St Johnstone managed a 3-2 win, narrowing the gap between the two teams to 6 points. Inverness, who had only managed a draw earlier in the week, kept on their heels with 56 points. Arbroath continue to struggle at the foot of the division with 13 points, ten behind Alloa.

Battle of Britain Ends in Draw

The first leg of the "Battle of Britain" between Celtic and Liverpool, in the first leg of their UEFA Cup Quarter Final, ended in a 1-1 draw at Parkhead on Thursday night. Henrik Larsson, playing for the first time after a broken jaw injury a month ago, started the game sensationally by scoring in the third minute - using his knee to steer the ball into the net. But as Celtic surged forward to try to add to the score-line, Liverpool counter-attacked and levelled in the 17th minute with a valuable "away" goal which could prove crucial if the second leg ends 0-0. Celtic now face Rangers on Sunday in the final of the CIS Cup at Hampden on Sunday before the return match with Liverpool on Thursday.

Coulthard Wins Australian Grand Prix

David Coulthard's bid to become Formula One World Champion got off to a flying start in Melbourne last Sunday when he finished ahead of the field and earned ten points in the first race of the new season. It was his 13th grand prix victory and his second in Australia. Michael Schumacher, last year's F1 World Champion, finished 4th in Melbourne, the first time he has failed to be in the top three in a race since 2001. Coulthard, born in Twyneholm, Kircudbright in 1971, was second in the drivers' championship in 2001 but had a disappointing 5th place last year with only one race win (in Monaco).

Alain Baxter Cleared for 2006 Olympics

The British Olympic Association has ruled that Scottish skier Alain Baxter will be eligible for selection for the 2006 Olympics. Baxter's bronze medal at the Winter Olympics last year was taken from him when he was found to have a banned substance following a blood test. He was banned from participating in future games, but having convinced the authorities that the substance (methamphetamine) came inadvertently from a Vick inhaler, the panel has ruled that the "offence was minor and that there were sufficient mitigating circumstances in relation to the offence".