Mobile Phones Banned

A new law came into force on 1 December across the UK which makes it illegal for motorists to use a mobile phone while driving. Tests have shown that drivers using a mobile phone become distracted and are involved in six times more accidents than ordinary drivers. It is claimed that using a mobile is almost as bad as driving over the alcohol limit. Although they can also be distracted, drivers are allowed to use "hands-free" kits for their phones while on the move. In England, police are giving motorists a two month"grace" period and will only issue a warning to anyone caught using a mobile. But in Scotland, police began issuing £30 fines immediately (or up to £1,000 if the conviction is taken to court).

BBC Approves List of Scots Words

BBC Radio Scotland is to encourage presenters to use more traditional Scots words in broadcasts to help keep the language alive. Members of the Scottish Parliament are understood to have put pressure on the corporation and a list of about 100 words has been drawn up which presenters should feel "comfortable" with on air. The list includes such pearls as "glaikit" (stupid), dreich (dreary, tiresome, long-winded), crabbit (bad tempered) and haar (a cold sea mist on the east coast). BBC insiders say that some presenters feel more at ease with Scots words than others. Some already slip in Scots words as they are part of their normal vocabulary. The move has been described as "tokenism" and campaigners want BBC Scotland to allocate more time to Scots language programmes.

New Motorway Will "Boost economy by £4.4 Billion"

A planning enquiry began this week into the extension of the M74 motorway by five miles from Cambuslang in North Lanarkshire to the Kingston Bridge, near the centre of Glasgow. An expert from the Scottish Executive said that it will bring an economic boost of up to £4.4 billion to the area and create an additional 25,000 permanent jobs, with economic spin-offs to the whole of the west of Scotland. There have been objections to the motorway from environmental campaigners but the expert argued that with fewer vehicles on local roads and with traffic on the northern ring road flowing more freely, there would be an environmental benefit. Air pollution would be reduced and land will be opened up for redevelopment. But environmental protestors, some bizarrely dressed in pantomime costumes, took up their positions on the front row of the inquiry just as it was about to start. While their appearance produced a certain amount of laughter, there were also concerns about potential disruption by extremists.

Examination for New Hospital

Edinburgh City Council has ordered an investigation into the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary which will report on bed shortages, power failures, parking problems and rising debts being incurred by the Hospital Trust which manages the building.

Edinburgh and Glasgow to Join Forces

The rivalry between Edinburgh and Glasgow is well known. A recent book which records the jokes told by each city about the other, says it explains "why Edinburgh is slightly superior to Glasgow" and also "why Glasgow smiles better than Edinburgh" (and proves the latter statement with 93 pages of jokes about Edinburgh but only 48 pages of jokes told against Glasgow). But now the two cities have agreed to join forces to promote each other as a gateway to Scotland for visitors. Resources will be pooled to bid for conferences and boost air routes into each city. Twin city breaks would be marketed in London and south-east England and a joint bid to host the Commonwealth Games is possible.

Average House Price Now Over £100,000

The average cost of homes bought in Scotland during July to September this year broke through the £100,000 level for the first time, according to the government agency Registers of Scotland. That was an increase of 15% on the same period last year. Of course, there were wide regional variations - average prices in Edinburgh were £139,026, while the Glasgow level was £96,202 and the Highlands and Islands recorded £83,110. Surveys by major mortgage lenders also confirm that house price inflation is rising by around 14% a year.

Free Bus Travel Scheme Saved

A scheme, which provides free bus travel across the west of Scotland for all those over the age of 60, was saved from collapse this week after the Scottish Executive agreed, at the last moment, to provide another £15 million to keep the scheme going until next April. More and more people have been using the concession and costs have risen much higher than expected. There are 350,000 people over the age of 60 in the area which covers all the local authorities in what was once Strathclyde Region (covering the area from Oban in the north to Ayrshire in the south and including Glasgow and Paisley). Pensioners had been expected to make 42 million bus journeys in the first year of the scheme, but the total is now likely to reach 70 million.

Rail Fares Rising by 4%

Commuters who use trains in the area served by Strathclyde Passenger Transport are facing a 4% increase in fares from next May. While this is 1% above the rate of inflation, prices were frozen this year in an attempt to attract back passengers lost in the previous year following disruption caused by prolonged industrial action by drivers. In an attempt to reduce the number of people who try to dodge paying fares, automated ticket barriers are to be installed in a number of busy main stations, including Queen Street and Central stations.

New Railway Station Opens

The railway station at Edinburgh Park opened this week, six months behind schedule. It serves the capital's main business park, which has over 100,000 square metres of office accommodation - and continues to grow. Most of the workers there travel by car, creating massive traffic problems in the morning and at 5pm. It is hoped that a significant number of commuters will now use the rail service.

Another Bridge Across the Forth?

In the 1990s, a proposal to build another bridge across the river Forth to link Fife with the Lothians and Edinburgh was killed off as being a costly environmental disaster. Currently, there is the Forth rail bridge (built by the forward thinking Victorians in 1890) and a road bridge (two lanes in each direction, opened in 1964 and still charging tolls) linking North and South Queensferry. 14 miles upstream is the Kincardine bridge, where a second crossing has been approved to relieve congestion. But the main road bridge is a major bottle-neck, especially at peak times. The Scottish executive has now asked the Forth Estuary Transport Authority to "update" the original plans which were rejected in 1992. Supporters argue that any new bridge would also incorporate tracks for trams or a light railway to counter the agrement that it would just add to congestion in Edinburgh. It is likely that any new bridge could cost as much as £500 million and would have to be financed by tolls. The current bridge carries 70,000 vehicles a day and it is estimated that this will rise to 100,000 over the next 15 years.

Edinburgh and Glasgow in Top Ten for UK Business

Glasgow, with its legacy of heavy industry and shipbuilding (much of it in decline) has always had to acknowledge that Edinburgh was pre-eminent when it came to businesses, particularly in financial services. The planned development by Glasgow of a "Wall Street" on the Clyde was seen as an attempt to try to win a greater share of service industry employment in the future. But a research survey this year, covering 28 UK business locations, has found that although Edinburgh has risen from 13th position in 2001 to a very creditable 9th for the quality of its premises, transport and environment, Glasgow has jumped up to 7th place, from 14th. The report also places Edinburgh in the bottom 25% from the point of view of costs of operating a business - property costs have rocketed in recent years and competition for staff has raised labour costs in some sectors.

Bridge of Dee Damaged

Aberdeen's historic bridge over the river Dee was badly damaged last Saturday after a car crashed into a parapet and left a 15 feet long gap in the wall. The bridge was closed for a time, causing traffic chaos for Christmas shoppers as the bridge carries the A90 main trunk road. Concrete blocks have now been placed along the gap, allowing the bridge to be opened to traffic again. Engineers have yet to assess the extent of the damage but repairs are likely to cause more disruption to traffic. The bridge was originally built in 1527.

Whisky Industry Swallows Compromise

The Scotch Whisky Association managed to broker a deal this week on the move by drinks giant Diageo to produce its Cardhu brand from a mixture of five malts and call it "pure" malt to distinguish it from all other malt whiskies which are "single malts" from one named distillery. The company said it was forced to do this as it had built up a following for Cardhu in Spain, France and Portugal - and then could not produce enough from its Cardhu distillery. Purists in the industry had condemned Diageo's strategy, claiming that it would confuse the public and damage Scotland's biggest export earner. Diageo has now agreed to alter the packaging for its new Cardhu pure malt and will no longer suggest that it is the same product - and have undertaken not to follow the same strategy with any of its other malts. The industry has now decided to define the different categories of whisky - starting with single malts. The exercise should be fairly easy - everybody knows what the categories are, it's just that in the past it has not been formally laid down by the industry.

Edinburgh's Floral Clock Changes to Winter Time

In previous years, tourists looking for Edinburgh's Floral Clock in Princes Street Gardens in winter time have been met with a disappointingly empty space. But now the city council's parks department has covered the electrically driven clock (which is accompanied by a cuckoo which pops out every 15 minutes) with frost-resistant, evergreen plants. At the moment, the predominant colour is just green from the foliage of plants such as heather and sempervivums. But they are expected to flower later in the winter and early spring.

School Absenteeism Blamed on Travel Firms

The education spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), who is also convener of Edinburgh City Council's education committee, this week blamed package holiday firms for adding to the problem of absenteeism at schools. The travel companies claim that they are responding to demand and supply by offering lower prices during school term time and charging higher prices when schools are closed over the summer and at other breaks in the school year. But the latest figures published by the Scottish Executive which showed that on average, 52,000 pupils (9.32% of the total) are absent each day from schools. however, these figures show that attendance rates have been getting better in secondary schools since they reached a peak in 1995/96. And most of the absences are "authorised" because of illness or other legitimate reasons. Only 1.4% of all absenteeism is "unauthorised" and this now includes children taken from school by parents during term time to go on holiday as well as those playing truant.

Reward to Catch Taxi Radio Cab Hacker

More than 900 taxi drivers in Glasgow have been losing contact with their controller as a result of a hacker blacking out the radio frequencies. The Taxi Owners' Association (TOA) normally takes 10,000 calls a day, but a series of breakdowns have been occurring frequently over the last few weeks. They have ruled out a computer system fault and called in the police to investigate why all five frequencies are being jammed by outside interference. TOA has offered a £10,000 reward for anyone who can help trace the person responsible. The taxis can be called on to carry life-saving blood supplies to hospitals, so lives are being put at risk by the hacker.

A Touch of Potter Magic for Schiehallion

Efforts by the local community to raise £200,000 to buy 1,000 acres of land at Schiehallion, a mountain near Aberfeldy, has been bailed out by a touch of magic. Reclusive Harry Potter author JK Rowling, owns a house in the area. It appears that she has provided much of the required funds after the organisers struggled to raise the cash. Apparently her only condition was total anonymity! So although locals will not officially confirm how much she contributed - or whether she donated anything - most people seem to accept that she contributed the majority of the money. Magical!

Landowner Delays Water Purification Scheme

Construction of a £100 million water treatment plant to safeguard the supplies to 700,000 people in Glasgow, is being held up by a farmer who has turned down an offer for his land which is five times the market rate after two years of negotiation. Allan Bell is the only landowner refusing to sell his land so that building of the plant can go ahead at Mugdock and Craigmaddie reservoirs. Water from Loch Katrine goes through there on its way to provide water supplies for a large part of Glasgow. Last year, the reservoir was at the centre of a contamination scare which resulted in consumers being told to boil all drinking water. A compulsory purchase order will be sought - but that will delay the project by a further six months. Completion is now expected to be spring 2007 - two years after a European deadline to bring water supplies up to standard.

£34,000 a Year to Serve One Passenger

There is sometimes only one passenger boarding the 8:02am train service from Breich in West Lothian to Edinburgh. It is the only train to the city which stops at the unmanned station and it is the same passenger who asks the driver of the train to stop as it passes through on its way back from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Jim Warnock successfully fought a battle in 1999 to keep the station "open" and Scotrail admit that if it was not for Jim, they would close it totally - saving £34,000 a year. All the other commuters from Breich drive to Edinburgh and other travellers prefer the bus as the station is a mile from the village. When Jim retired recently from his post as a group personnel director, Scotrail might have hoped that they could close the station. But the executive now sits on an employment tribunal twice a week - and continues to use the train. He says that rural users have a "right" to the rail service. Closure would involve a lengthy procedure - and government ministers are keen to expand rural services, not reduce them, even if they are not wanted.

RAF Jet Lands With Wheels Up

An RAF Tornado jet fighter was forced to make a belly-landing in the dark at Leuchars air base in Fife on Thursday, after its undercarriage failed to come down. The jet dumped surplus fuel in the North Sea before the pilot brought the aircraft down on the runway at 200mph. When the Tornado came to a stop, with emergency services on hand, the crew quickly climbed out in case of any fires developing. Although air crew train for such emergencies, few get to put the training to use. The pilot was new to the Tornado. He had flown the aircraft type for only eight hours and this was only his second flight without an instructor on board. He could have ditched the aircraft over the sea, but despite its unconventional landing, the aircraft will be repaired and will fly again.

National Dishes of Scotland

It could be argued these days that Indian curry and Chinese sweet and sour dishes should figure in any list of Scottish national dishes. But the results of a survey published this week of 6,000 people asked to identify Scotland’s national dishes, listed Scotch broth, smoked salmon, haggis and neeps (turnip root), Aberdeen Angus steak, lamb, venison, baked salmon, Tayside raspberries, clootie dumpling and farmhouse cheeses. The Minister for Environment and Rural Development, Ross Finnie, suggested that a list of Scotland's top foods could also have included Cullen skink (a soup made with smoked fish), Arbroath smokies, west coast scallops, langoustines, herring and Ayrshire potatoes.

Tullibardine Distillery Back on Stream

Whyte & Mackay stopped production in 1994 at Tullibardine distillery in Perthshire, near Gleneagles, but it has started to come back on stream again. It will be another ten years before the malt will be available but the company are selling a limited number of individually numbered casks to investors and whisky aficionados. They will wait for a decade before being able to drink any of their purchase. Some of the malt whisky made in 1993 is also being sold through up-market outlets. There are also plans to build a tourism visitor centre at the site.

Cards Have Edinburgh City Council Greetin'

The Scottish Executive, in a bout of political correctness gone mad, recently banned the words "Merry Christmas" from its seasonal greetings cards on the grounds that it didn't fit everyone's religious beliefs. Edinburgh City Council thought that they would play safe and have a "Season's Greetings" message in their cards. But due to a printer's error, the cards came out with "Seasons Greetin" instead - and greetin' is a well known Scots word for crying...

Squirrel Drives Lanark Nuts

Parts of the town of Lanark were without electricity and the local Grammar School was forced to close after a squirrel leapt from a tree onto a high tension cable at Corra Linn, a well known beauty spot near the town. It was zapped with thousands of volts and the charred remains fell to the ground. But not before it had caused a short circuit which took engineers four hours to sort out. A spokeswoman for ScottishPower said that the company try to cut down trees near cables to stop squirrels but an ambitious grey squirrel had attempted a jump too far.

How Strong?

The Aberdeen Evening Express reported some weeks ago that at the height of a gale, the harbourmaster radioed a coastguard on the spot and asked him to estimate the wind speed. The coastguard replied he was sorry, but he didn't have a wind speed gauge. However, he added that if it was any help, the wind had just blown his Land Rover four-wheel-drive vehicle off the cliff....

World Scotch Pie Champion

There was a time when Scotch meat pies were regarded with disdain as the quality of the meat in them was sometimes questionable (or else it was better not to ask). But these days, pie makers are trying to make sure that the public swallows the message that they are a quick, wholesome food with plenty of flavour. One of the ways of achieving this is to run the annual "World Scotch Pie Championships" at which pie makers from all over Scotland (and some from the north of England) compete for the top prize. This year, the judges had to consume 66 entries - all on one day last month. It took them a few weeks to digest the experience and the competitors assembled for lunch (pies, of course) to hear that the World Champion was Allan Devlin from Auchterarder. Mr Devlin has only been making his pies commercially for three years - but he was a chef before giving up his post at a local hotel to help his wife run a family cake shop, Sugar and Spice, in Auchterarder. They have been selling between 300 and 400 pies a week there. Winning the championship will probably mean working overtime to meet the increased demand for Scotland's original "fast food".

Weather in Scotland This Week

BBC Radio broadcasters will have no difficulty in slipping in the Scots word "dreich" when describing the weather this week. Apart from Thursday, there was a singular lack of sunshine this week and even on Thursday it was largely central Scotland which saw the sun. Maximum daytime temperatures were around 7/8C (45/46F) at the start of the week but drifted up to 10/11C (50/52F) later. If the sun was lacking, so was the rain, with only a few light showers although the eastern half of the country had more persistent rain on Monday.

This week's illustration of current flowers in Scotland shows a viburnum in flower in Princes Street Gardens. This eyecatching shrub shone out despite the competition from the "Winter Wonderland" entertainment also attracting attention in the gardens.

World Heritage Bid for Architect

Charles Rennie Mackintosh is certainly Scotland's best known architect. But his status could become even greater if the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society is successful in obtaining backing for an application to UNESCO, the United Nation's cultural wing, to make his landmark buildings a World Heritage Site - along with the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal and another 750 properties on the UNESCO list. In Scotland, Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, the heart of Neolithic Orkney, the island of St Kilda and the village of New Lanark are World Heritage sites. But the task of having buildings spread across Glasgow and the west of Scotland accorded heritage status is formidable. And UNESCO are currently concentrating more on bids from outside Europe and North America. But the Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi was given the status on the basis of buildings across the city of Barcelona, so "nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Virtual Hamilton Palace Created

Hamilton Palace was demolished in 1926 but now, thanks to computer technology, it is possible to explore the architecture of this magnificent building on the Web. In addition to Quicktime views of the exterior and interior, the project will bring together illustrations of the huge art collection which was once on display at the seat of the Dukes of Hamilton. One of the UK's last and greatest country houses in the grand classical palace style, it was built thanks to the profits from local coal mining in the area. But it was the mines which eventually caused the demise of the building as subsidence began to take its toll. The dome-topped mausoleum, built by the 10th Duke of Hamilton, is the only part of the once glorious palace to survive to the present day. For part of the virtual tour, see www.rcahms.gov.uk/hamilton/ However, you have to subscribe to the Scottish Cultural Resource Access Network (SCRAN) to access much of the site.

Last Marriage at Gretna Anvil

Marriages by "anvil priests" have been taking place at the blacksmith's shop in the village of Gretna Green for centuries. In the early days, they were accepted by some as a legitimate form of marriage but latterly they have had no legal significance. But in a village where over 5,000 couples from all over Britain, and indeed the world, are married each year, having a blessing over the traditional blacksmith's anvil is often the most memorable part of their marriage vows. But after 20 years of "weddings" Jim Jackson has struck his anvil for the last time at Gretna Hall smiddy (blacksmith's shop). Sadly, nobody else has come forward to take over his role.

Jurassic Park on Skye

Footprints found on a rock on the Isle of Skye appear to show a mother dinosaur looking after her young. Paleontologists have found a 10 inch long footprint and 25 small prints on a mid-Jurassic period rock from around 165 million years ago. The prints were found on the Trotternish peninsula and the sharp talons appear to suggest that the dinosaurs were carnivorous. The youngsters were probably about the size of a turkey when they made the prints on a mud flat.

This Week in History

• December 8 1542 - Mary, Queen of Scots, born Linlithgow Palace.
• December 9 1165 - King Malcolm IV died at Jedburgh Castle
• December 10 1616 - Ordinance published by the Scottish Privy Council for the establishment of parish schools in Scotland. The same document commended the abolition of Gaelic.
• December 10 1868 - Artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh born.
• December 10 1936 - King Edward VIII abdicated and King George VI acceded to the throne.
• December 11 1781 - David Brewster, inventor of the kaleidoscope born.
• December 11 1928 - Charles Rennie Mackintosh died.
• December 11 1712 - William Cullen, first professor of chemistry at Glasgow University, born.
• December 12 1574 - Anne of Denmark, wife of King James VI, born.
• December 13 1585 - William Drummond, poet, born.

National Theatre Leading Role Filled

The chief executive of Scottish Radio Holdings, one of Scotland's largest media companies, has been appointed as the chairman of the National Theatre of Scotland. Richard Findlay is not only a successful businessman but is an arts aficionado - and a former actor, having graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 1963. He is the first key appointment in the new national arts company which will not have any production facilities but will commission a broad range of work from existing theatre companies. The organisation is to have its administrative base in Easterhouse in Glasgow, an area more associated with its local authority housing scheme than the theatre. But this is to highlight the aim of having a "broad appeal" across all sectors of society.

Boost for Visual Arts Festival

Plans for a Visual Arts Festival in Edinburgh next summer have received a boost with the allocation of finance by the Scottish Arts Council to help to provide for a full-time co-ordinator. While it might be argued that Edinburgh has more festivals can you can shake a baton at, supporters of the project argue that the visual arts have been neglected. Space has been allocated in the grounds of the Dean Gallery, one of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Curtain Up on Theatre Battle

Plans by the Usher Hall management to transform it into one of Europe's top concert halls has run into opposition - from the Royal Lyceum Theatre (pictured here) next door. The Lyceum claims that a new three-storey glass extension in the Usher Hall and a clock tower will have a negative impact by blocking views from Lothian Road and restricting light in the Lyceum foyer. The Cockburn Society, Edinburgh's most outspoken civic amenity group, has also criticised the Usher Hall plans for being poor quality. Work on the project is not due to start until early in 2005.

Fancy Driving Around in a Deserted Edinburgh?

Driving a high performance car along Edinburgh's Princes Street at 150 mph with no other cars on the road (including police patrol cars) is no longer just a dream. A new computer game for the Xbox, "Project Gotham Racing 2" with highly realistic graphics, has transformed the usual gridlock of central Edinburgh into a race track. The developers used detailed maps and blueprints of the city and photographed every landmark and shop. The Microsoft legal department then had the unenviable task of contacting every business and asking for permission to use their names on the buildings - the majority said yes.

No Blue Words for Queen From Connolly

Billy Connolly received his CBE (Commander of the British Empire) award from the Queen this week and said that he was delighted with this latest honour. Known to many as the "Big Yin" and famous for his "colourful" language, Connolly managed to restrain himself during the ceremony at Buckingham Palace - but his blue language was given full throttle as he was interviewed and photographed in the palace courtyard afterwards. Connolly says that he dressed up for the occasion in formal court dress but when he meets Prince Charles in Scotland, the comedian often looks like "an unemployed window cleaner." He was made a CBE for his services to entertainment.

David Bowie to Headline T in the Park

10,000 fans at a David Bowie concert at the Scottish Exhibition and Concert Centre (SECC) in Glasgow were delighted to hear from the popular entertainer that he is to headline Scotland's biggest pop festival next year. The organisers of T in the Park, which will takes place each year at Balado, Kinross on 10 and 11 July have landed a major coup with the announcement, which was made just hours before tickets went on sale for the event. The Bowie concert at the SECC sold out in 20 minutes when the tickets went on sale. T in the Park is sponsored by lager firm Tennents.

MacIain

Following a number of requests from her fans, the words of Moira's song "MacIain of Glencoe" have been added to her Web site (see link below). The song was of course inspired by the massacre of 38 members of the MacIain clan (a branch of the MacDonalds) who were murdered by government troops in February, 1692. The page also has an illustration of Glencoe, with the snow falling. See www.rampantscotland.com/maykermusic/words_glencoe.htm.

Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results

Dundee United 2 Hearts 1
Hibernian 0 Rangers 1
Aberdeen 2 Livingston 3 (CIS Insurance Cup, quarter-final)
Dundee 1 Hearts 0 (CIS Insurance Cup, quarter-final)
Partick Thistle 0 Celtic 2 (CIS Insurance Cup, quarter-final)
Rangers 3 St Johnstone 0 (CIS Insurance Cup, quarter-final)

Bank of Scotland Premier League Results - 6 December 2003

Dundee 1 Kilmarnock 2
Dunfermline 2 Hearts 1
Livingston 0 Celtic 2
Rangers 2 Dundee United 1
Aberdeen v Hibernian will be played on Sunday

Scottish First Division Results - 6 December 2003

Brechin 2 Falkirk 2
Clyde 0 Raith Rovers 0
Inverness 4 Queen of the South 1
St Johnstone 1 Ross County 1
St Mirren 3 Ayr United 2

BT Scotland Rugby Division 1 Results - 6 December 2003

Aberdeen 24 Peebles 24
Glasgow Hawks 24 Boroughmuir 22
Heriots 33 Ayr 5
Melrose 32 Currie 6
Stirling County 24 Hawick 23
Watsonians 13 Glasgow Hutchesons' 10

League Tables

Rangers only managed to defeat Hibs last Sunday with the only goal of the match - scored in injury time. But that was enough to keep them only 5 points behind Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic. Hearts have had a losing streak of four games in a row in recent weeks, but are still in third place in the SPL, 12 points behind Rangers and 3 points ahead of Dunfermline.

The emphatic win on Saturday by Inverness allowed them to move out in front at the top of the First Division as all the other contenders could only manage draws. St Johnstone, Clyde and Falkirk are all only two points behind Inverness, with Ross County and Queen of the South another two points below these clubs.

Glasgow Hawks have increased their lead at the top of the BT Scotland Rugby Division 1 to 6 points over Aberdeen, with Heriots in third position, three points further back. Glasgow Hutchesons' are still trailing at the foot of Division 1 but are only 2 points behind Peebles.

Italian Job for Scotland International Squad

The draw for qualification for the 2006 football World Cup was made this week and Scotland will face Italy, Slovenia, Norway, Belarus and Moldava. Team manager Berti Vogts was characteristically optimistic, pointing to the draw with Germany at Hampden and the win against Holland. Of course, he didn't mention Scotland's failure to qualify for Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Bid to Host Commonwealth Games

Edinburgh hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1970 and again in 1986 but Meadowbank stadium is in need of a major upgrade. Even so, the government agency Events Scotland is reported to be looking at the possibility of launching a bid to host the games again, in 2018, possibly with a joint bid from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Thistle Manager Sacked

Partick Thistle have yet to win a league game this season and last weekend manager Gerry Collins paid the price. It took just 40 minutes for the board to decide to dispense with Collins after the worst sequence of results in the club's history. There was speculation that beleaguered Dundee manager Jim Duffy was at the top of Thistle's wanted list, but Duffy is reluctant to desert the sinking ship. Duffy hails from Maryhill, where Thistle have their ground and he played for the club for a spell.

Scott Harrison Regains Crown

Cambuslang feather-weight boxer Scott Harrison regained his world title at the Breahead Arena near Glasgow last Saturday, stopping his Mexican opponent Manual Medina in the 11th round. Harrison had lost his title to Medina in July on a split points decision but on this occasion there was no dubiety after Medina's seconds decided to throw in the towel after he had been knocked down four times. Part of Harrison's training regime was to run up and down Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain. Harrison is the first Briton to regain the featherweight title - illustrious predecessors such as Benny Lynch, Jackie Paterson, Walter McGowan, Ken Buchanan and Jim Watt all failed to regain their titles after losing them. During the same evening, Lawrence Murphy from Uddingston flattened his opponent in the first round to capture the WBU middleweight title.