The Herald

University Refuses to Return Ethiopian Artefacts

CAMPAIGNERS fighting for the repatriation of scores of treasures looted by British soldiers from Ethiopia more than a century ago have been dealt a blow by academics in Scotland. Edinburgh University, despite a direct plea from the government in Addis Ababa, has refused to hand over four manuscripts with likely links to the troops' invasion.

Liberal Democrat Budget Pledges Fairer Tax and Greater Equality

FAIRER taxes were promised by the Liberal Democrats yesterday as they set out their preelection wares in an alternative budget. Under the slogan, "the real opposition", Charles Kennedy unveiled plans to raise the threshold for stamp duty on housing purchases from 60,000 to 150,000 to take around 400,000 first-time buyers out of the levy altogether.

Boy, 14, Dies After Collapsing in Street

U-Turn by Council Blocks Old Racecourse Development

THE Old Racecourse playing fields in Ayr have been saved from development after a yearlong campaign by almost 2000 residents. South Ayrshire Council wanted to use part of the green space to build a replacement primary school as part of a multi-million pound publicprivate partnership programme.

'No-One Could Foresee It. They Were Just Wee Boys Playing in the Snow ' Village Mourns 10-Year-Old Killed by Giant Snowball

A 10-YEAR-OLD boy who died after being trapped under a giant snowball as he played with his friend in a field was named yesterday. Peter Strang had been sledging and rolling giant snowballs down a hill in a field near the home of his friend, Christopher Lambin, at Torphins, Aberdeenshire, when the tragedy happened on Saturday afternoon.

Criticism Over College Plan for Pupils

PLANS to educate thousands more pupils in colleges rather than schools have been criticised. Under proposals first mooted in 2003 and backed by the first minister, pupils as young as 13 would be given the option of going to college.

City Lights Up for 450,000 Festival

GLASGOW will host a pounds - 450,000 lighting festival later this year, following the lead of cities such as Lyons, Turin and Montreal. The city centre and Merchant City areas will be the focus of the event, which is expected to attract around 50,000 visitors. Organisers hope the festival, running from November 25 to 27, which will focus on architectural assets and other landmark features, will also raise the city's profile.

Police Invoke Powers to End Misery of 'Bouley Bashers'

POWERS contained in Scotland's antisocial behaviour law will be used for the first time in Scotland to try to end 40 years of misery for residents of houses near Aberdeen's beach boulevard. For decades the "bouley bashers" - young men and women in souped- up cars - have shattered the peace from mid-evening into the early hours of the morning and, as the cars have become more powerful and their radios louder, the problem has worsened.

Pounds - 39m Yoker Housing Plan for Riverside

A pounds -39m development on the site of a former power station, which is expected to win approval today, is the latest step in the transformation of the River Clyde. A brownfield site at Yoker in the north west of Glasgow, near Clydebank, would be turned into a residential community on the banks of the river.

Hundreds Plotting Uk Terror Attacks Blair Issues Warning Rebels Fail to Halt Bill Briton's Shoe-Bomb Plan

SEVERAL hundred people are planning terrorist attacks on the UK, Tony Blair said yesterday, as a British-born man admitted plotting a suicide attack to blow up a packed passenger jet with a shoe bomb. The prime minister spoke out only hours before the government's majority was slashed to just 14 as a cross-party attempt to ensure judges, rather than the home secretary, impose control orders on suspected terrorists was narrowly rejected by the Commons.

125 Killed in Iraq's Single Deadliest Attack

AT least 125 people were killed and 130 injured yesterday after a suicide car bomber blew himself up in the single deadliest attack in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. The bomber detonated the car in the town of Hilla, 62 miles south of Baghdad, next to a line of recruits who were waiting at a health centre to enrol for the Iraqi security forces.

Bigotry Spotlight Raises Tourism Fears Documentary On Sectarianism May Harm City's Reputation

TOURISM officials fear that Glasgow's reputation as a sophisticated visitor destination may have been damaged by a BBC Panorama documentary on sectarianism. The investigation, billed as Scotland's Secret Shame and screened across the UK, highlighted the problem faced by both Old Firm football clubs and questioned whether they had tackled it successfully.

Pub Spies On Patrol to Enforce Drinking Curbs Inspectors Will Also Police Proposed Smoking Ban

A NEW breed of licensing standards officers who are to clamp down on under-age and binge drinking will also police the proposed smoking ban. Curbs on happy hours and drinks promotions will also be statutory, it is believed, which means the executive is not prepared to rely on voluntary measures on binge drinking and smoking which may be permitted south of the border.

Quarter of Scots Turn Away From Religion

MORE than a quarter of Scots say they have no religion, according to figures published yesterday. Two-thirds consider themselves Christian, while Islam is Scotland's second-largest religious grouping - despite Muslims accounting for less than 1% of the population.

Man Accused of Woman's Murder

Scores of Police Retiring to Avoid Inquiries

POLICE officers in Scotland are avoiding official complaints procedures by resigning or retiring early. According to figures obtained by The Herald under The Freedom of Information Act, scores leave the force each year whilst subject to misconduct investigations.

Jps Expect Reprieve After Calls for Their Abolition

LAY justices of the peace are expected to be retained in district courts despite calls for their abolition from a report commissioned by the Scottish Executive. More than 91% of respondents to an executive consultation on reforming summary justice said JPs should be retained.

Restaurant Wins Food Safety Award

Finty 'S Tragic Performance in a Struggle to Banish Family Demons Actress Walks Free After Court Told She 'Faces Gutter'

CAUGHT by the flashbulbs of fame, they seemed the perfect family. The only acting, it appeared, was reserved for stage and screen where Dame Judi Dench won an Oscar, her husband Michael Williams was the critics' perennial favourite and their only daughter, Finty Williams, a diminutive young brunette whose pixie-like features resembled those of her mother, was destined for similar accolades.

Snh Lodges Plan to Bring Back Beavers