The Herald

Law Yers Give Up Power to Rule On Disputes U-Turn On Self- Regulation

SCOTLAND'S 9000 solicitors appear certain to be stripped of the right to police themselves after their governing body effectively conceded defeat in a battle to retain control over how the profession is regulated. The Law Society of Scotland yesterday urged the Scottish Executive to create an independent body to deal with complaints about inadequate professional service from lawyers.

Chill Thrill

[Gbp]6000 Bounty Offered to Attract Gaelic Teachers

GAELIC teachers are to be given a [GBP]6000 bonus to teach in areas of greatest need. The Scottish Executive is also to appoint a "supremo" to oversee the development of Gaelic education nationally.

Special Forces Lead Search for Kidnapped Briton

A COMBINED British-US special forces' team known as Task Force Black is spearheading the hunt for a British peace activist kidnapped in Iraq. Military sources said the force was put on immediate alert yesterday as soon as diplomatic sources confirmed that ProfessorNorman Kember and his companions, two Canadians and one American, had been seized in Baghdad.

Public Mystified by the Role of Our Msps

SIX years after the Scottish Parliament was established people have little knowledge of what MSPs do and many do not even know list MSPs exist, according to government research. MPs in comparison are still regarded as the most important politicians in Scotland.

Portsmouth Move to Net Mcleish

New Kashmir Victims

Why Scots Are Cynical About Politicians Analysis

THE message is clear - many if not most Scots are disengaged from and deeply cynical about their politicians, do not have much idea of what MSPs do and are thoroughly bamboozled by the mix of electoral systems in Scotland. True, the research for the Arbuthnott Commission relies on only a small crosssection of Scots taken from focus groups in Glasgow, Fort William and Brechin, but its report points out that the likelihood is that their views will reflect those of the wider population.

Samsung Admits Heiress's Death in Us Was Suicide

SHE was young. She was beautiful. She was the heir to a fortune beyond the dreams of avarice. But Lee Yoon-hyung chose to take her own life. A scion of the secretive South Korean family which owns the Samsung empire, the 26-year-old graduate student was found hanged in herManhattan apartment.

Richey's Appeal Loss Puts Him Back On Death Row

KENNY Richey, the Scot who has been on death row in the United States for almost two decades protesting his innocence, will have to spend at least another year in jail. The US Supreme Court yesterday threw out a decision that erased his conviction and death sentence formurdering a two-year-old girl by setting fire to an Ohio flat.

New Rules Designed to Protect Air Passengers

THE new European rules, introduced in February, cover international, domestic, scheduled and charter flights. They apply when you are flying from an airport in the European Union, or to an EU airport from outside the EU on an EU-based airline.

Council to Set Catchments for Nurseries

A SCOTTISH local authority is to introduce catchment areas for council nursery schools in the first move of its kind north of the border. From January next year every child in their pre-school year in East Renfrewshire will be allocated a place in a designated local nursery, rather than being able to choose.

'Ryanair Left Us Like Stray Dogs to Run About . . . I'll Never Fly with Them Again' Airline Attacked As Scots Are Stranded in Germany

AGROUP of Scots stranded by Ryanair in Germany arrived home yesterday after a gruelling 36-hour road and rail journey across Europe and said they would never again use the budget airline. Faced with the prospect of having to wait for the next available flight - which they were told would be on Thursday - and having been offered a refund of [GBP]5 each, the 38strong church group defiantly made their own arrangements to travel the 1000 miles home.

Mother's Wrists Slashed by Killer Partner Life Sentence for Murder Made to Look Like Suicide

A MAN who killed his lover while out on bail and then tried to make the death look like suicide was jailed for life yesterday. PatrickGorman, 27, was told he must serve at least 18 years after being found guilty of the murder of Maihri McKenzie, 29.

Five-Year Facelift Could See Govan Rival West End

THE Govan area of Glasgow is to undergo a five-year facelift to turn it into a rival for the west end of the city. Councillors are expected on Thursday to take the next steps in implementing the Central Govan Action Plan, aimed at regenerating the former burgh while retaining the best of its Victorian heritage.

Boy, 16, On Crash Death Charges

A teenager appeared in private at Stirling Sheriff Court yesterday, charged with causing a man's death by crashing a car last Saturday evening. David Baird, 16, of Grierson Crescent, Cambusbarron, made no plea or declaration and was remanded in custody until Friday.

Roads Sealed Off After Car-Jacking

Four streets were sealed off in Glasgow late last night after a shot was fired during a carjacking. Police said a woman was confronted by two masked men as she parked in Fotheringay Road, Pollokshields, at about 9.40pm.

Overcrowded Jail Condemned

A report yesterday condemned Inverness Prison for its overcrowding problems. The partial inspection in September of HMP Inverness found there were 150 inmates in a prison designed to hold 108. But it recognised that this numberwas down on that of 2004.

Asylum Pupil Faces Deportation

ANOTHER pupil from Drumchapel High School in Glasgow is facing deportation after her appeal for asylum was refused. Christina Gorbachova and her parents from Belarus were detained at the weekend by immigration officers, pending their removal from the UK.

Cinema Owner Quizzed On Sale

The owner of the Cameo Cinema in Edinburgh is to answer questions about its sale at a public meeting tonight. Campaigners who want to retain the 90-year-old cinema in its original state organised the meeting after plans were lodged with the city council to change the main auditorium to include a bar.