The Herald

Cowboy Traders Now Face Jail for Bad Work Consumer Groups Hail Ruling

ROGUE traders were warned yesterday that they are more likely to be jailed or fined heavily after a landmark court ruling against a double glazing company. The case was the first in Scotland involving legislation to give consumers extra protection. The outcome was hailed by consumer groups as sending a powerful message to other firms practising bad workmanship or delivering poor service - a problem for thousands of householders.

Footballer Left Pulling His Hair Out Over Visa

THE Tartan Army would walk a million miles to share his surname. But it appears that Jason Scotland, the Dundee United striker, will soon be on the road again after his application for a renewed UKwork permit failed because he was judged not to have made a large enough contribution to Scottish football.

Mcconnell Attacks the 'Greedy' West

JACK McConnell yesterday accused Scotland and other Western countries of being "wasteful, greedy and materialistic", as he made the moral case for helping Africa to solve its problems. The first minister told a preG8 conference at Glasgow University that it was wrong for people to think of lives in the developing world as somehow less fulfiling or valuable than those in the West.

Planning Eased for Minor Home Changes

HOUSEHOLDERS will no longer need permission for minor home improvements under proposals for an overhaul of the planning system. Officials will take decisions in straightforward cases but some other applications will no longer need the go-ahead from local authority officials, Malcolm Chisholm, the communities minister, said yesterday.

Dream of House in the Sun Demolished

Correction

Rock and Roll Star

STADIUM FILLERS: Liam Gallagher faced thousands of fans at Hampden Park in his typical style last night as Oasis, the rock group, played the only Scottish date of their tour. The band's entrance was greeted with a guttural roar the kind of which was once reserved for Archie Gemmell.

Landlords Forced to Safeguard Tenants' Deposits Central Fund Scheme to Help Resolve Cash Disputes

PRIVATE landlords will be forced to pay rental deposits into a central fund to ensure tenants get their entitlement when repayment is due, under plans being drawn up by the Scottish Executive. The proposal is a response to the familiar problem for tenants of landlords who claim their properties were left in a mess, required professional cleaners, had new carpet stains or had suffered wear and tear, often leading to the withholding of a deposit averaging pounds-550.

The New Postcard That Says It All

IT is one of the lesser pleasures of the holiday, a tiresome chore which is usually left to the second last day. You buy your postcards, scribble "Weather is here, wish you were beautiful" on the back and address them to friends and family back home. Then all you have to do is find that elusive post box. But no more. The days of the picture postcard may be numbered. An American telecommunications company has launched the world's first "audio postcard", allowing holidaymakers to record a brie...

Hobsbaum, Professor and Literary Mentor, Dies at 73

ONE of the most influential figures in modern literature, Professor Philip Hobsbaum, emeritus professor of English literature at Glasgow University, has died, aged 73. Professor Hobsbaum was a mentor, inspiration and father figure to more than a generation of leading writers and poets in England, Ireland and Scotland in a long and distinguished career.

I Bought This Bridge for Pounds-88,000 - but What Shall I Do with It Now?

IT wasn't a bridge too far, but it did cost more than four times the original asking price. A businessman yesterday paid pounds-88,000 at auction for a 100ft- high Victorian railway bridge and adjoining land in Glasgow, even though the starting price was only pounds-20,000.

Councillors Back Lewis Wind Farm

Patient Absconds From Hospital

Fringe Sex Festival Cancelled After Flop

Council Earns Glowing Report

Multi-Million Pound Executive Campaigns Fail to Make Impact

A SERIES of high-profile advertising campaigns launched by the Scottish Executive have failed to make an impact on public opinion. More than pounds-9m was spent by executive departments between 2003 and 2004 on campaigns from domestic abuse and drug driving to organ donation and tackling racism.

Why a Scot's Pounds-200,000 Dream Villa in Spain Will Soon Be Dust Home to Be Razed Under Controversial Planning Laws

IT was supposed to be the fulfilment of her dream to have a place in the sun, however, like many others, Shirley Mills has fallen foul of Spain's planning laws. Ms Mills, who is originally from Glasgow, has lived in her pounds- 200,000 home for only 17 months, but has now been told it was illegally built and will be demolished within weeks.

Use a Solicitor to Avoid Pitfalls of Buying Abroad

BUYING property in Spain is increasing in popularity, but there are pitfalls. It is essential that solicitors check if there are any debts against the property, such as mortgages or loans, and confirm the legal owner is the person offering it for sale.

Campaign for Muslim Headwear to Use in Surgery

DOCTORS are campaigning for religious clothing such as Muslim headscarves to be made from sterile material so that they can be worn in operating theatres. After a call by a St Andrews medical student, members of the British Medical Association yesterday agreed to press for a "theatre hijaab" allowing Muslim women to observe their faith during surgery. The members said other head garments, such as the Jewish yarmulke, should also be made available.

Parking Charging Scheme Extended but Cost Is Cut to Pounds-50 a Year

PARKING curbs are to be extended in the west end of Glasgow but the cost to residents will be less than previously proposed. At a meeting yesterday, Glasgow City Council's roads committee decided to widen its controlled parking zone scheme to the areas of Belmont Park, Cranstonhill, Kelvingrove, Woodlands, Woodside, Sandyford and Spiersgate.