The Herald

Snp Kills Off Right to Buy Council Homes

THE SNP has moved to tackle Scotland's chronic housing shortage by scrapping the right new council tenants have to buy their homes. The changes are another nail in the coffin of the legislation introduced by Margaret Thatcher 30 years ago during which time half a million council houses in Scotland were sold.

Last-Ditch Royal Mail Talks in Effort to Halt Strike Union Considers Legal Action Over New Recruitment Plans

LAST-DITCH talks aimed at preventing crippling post strikes will be held today as union leaders consider a legal challenge to the recruitment of up to 30,000 temporary staff by Royal Mail. The company, facing two national walkouts on Thursday and Friday, has announced it s to hire twice the number of extra staff it usually takes on in the run-up to Christmas.

Renal Unit at Gbp100m Pfi Hospital Delayed by Design Flaw Exclusive

KIDNEY patients are still waiting to use state-of-the-art facilities at a new GBP100 million PFI hospital five months after it opened because of a design flaw. A major wing of the New Victoria Hospital, Glasgow, which was built under a controversial private finance scheme, remains closed to patients after weaknesses were identified with the water treatment plant used in kidney dialysis treatment.

Uk's First Centre for Children's Epilepsy to Open in Scotland

A MOTHER'S tireless fundraising has led to the UK's first centre dedicated to researching the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children being set up in Scotland. It will be the first medical research centre in the UK to focus solely on translating laboratory findings on childhood epilepsy into improving clinical care, an Edinburgh University pokeswoman said.

Police Say Body Find 'Suspicious'

Qm2 Set to Arrive in Greenock

Hunt for Gang Who Robbed Restaurant

Man Killed at Remote Quarry

Fire Breaks Out at Cameron House

Diabetes Alert for 600,000 Scots Charity Report Issues Grim Warning to the Unfit and Obese

MORE than half a million Scots have a condition that increases their chances of developing diabetes. A new report from Diabetes UK estimates that 620,000 people - or 15per cent of Scottish adults - have "prediabetes", which makes them up to 15 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.

Funera L to Be Held for Bridge Plunge Girl

BRIDGE suicide victim Georgia Rowe will be laid to rest today in the Scots village where she went to school. Mourners will gather to pay their last respects to the 14-year- old at a funeral service at Sorn Parish Church in Ayrshire.

Scots Singer Is Voted Off the X Factor

RIKKI Loney was voted off The X Factor last night, in a show featuring highly anticipated performances by Cheryl Cole and Whitney Houston. The 21-year-old from Dennistoun, Glasgow, said he had "enjoyed the whole experience" of being on the programme.

Former Royal Press Secretary and Edinburgh Champion Shea Dies

THE Queen is said to be "saddened" by the death of Michael Shea, her trusted press secretary of 10 years who served her during the early married life of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Michael Shea, 71, had suffered a recent deterioration in his health and died with his family by his side in Edinburgh, the city he had returned to after his time at Buckingham Palace and which he served as Deputy Lieutenant.

Sturgeon in Swine Flu Virus Warning

HEALTH Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has urged those most at risk from the swine flu virus to get vaccinated, warning the threat posed by the pandemic is "almost certainly has even bigger challenges in store". Speaking at the SNP conference in Inverness yesterday Ms Sturgeon noted that last week there was a 50per cent increase in deaths from the H1N1 strain, taking swine flu deaths in Scotland to 15.

Battle for Soul of Royal Mail As Union Fights Modernisers Old Adversaries Caught in Struggle As Bosses Vie for Market Position in the Electronic Age Old Adversaries Caught in Struggle As Bosses Vie for Market Position in the Electronic Age Background

IT IS an industrial dispute which has been coming to a head for two years Royal Mail says it is implementing changes to its working practices in an attempt to bring its service in to the 21st century, as agreed with the Communication Workers' Union. But the union says the company is bringing in changes which go far beyond what was agreed, including cutting jobs, pay and services.

Baby Among Those Saved From Fire

A SIX-month-old baby was lowered from a second-floor flat in a child's car seat after a fire started two floors below, firefighters said. Firefighters were called at 2.53pm yesterday to Hailesland Gardens in Edinburgh after the fire started on the ground floor .

Scottish Firms Caught Out in Racism Sting Glasgow Employers Targeted As Government Operation Uncovers Widespread Discrimination

A GOVERNMENT sting operation that targeted Scottish employers has uncovered widespread racial discrimination against workers with African and Asian names. Researchers submitted nearly 3000 job applications under false identities in the UKwide operation which attempted to discover if employers in seven UK cities were discriminating against job seekers with foreign names.

Height of Fashion

Prince and Veterans at Service for Restored Memorial

PRINCE Charles joined Second World War veterans yesterday to mark the restoration of a famous Army memorial. The service, on Powrie Brae on the outskirts of Dundee, included the re-dedication of a bronze statue of a Black Watch soldier, 50 years after the Queen Mother unveiled the original memorial.

Scots Academic and Her Husband Are Killed by Son in Madrid Home

A SCOTS academic and her husband have been stabbed to death by their son in a brutal attack at their family home. The bodies of Sheila Peterkin, 77, of Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, and her Spanish husband Jorge Perez, 83, were found at their property in Madrid, Spain.