The Herald

Anger As Radiation Overdose Doctor Keeps Job Dead Girl's Family Seeks Answers

THE family of a 16-year-old girl who died after receiving massive overdoses of radiotherapy claimed there had been a "whitewash" as the doctor responsible was let off. Last night politicians joined calls for answers after Dr Stuart McNee was judged still fit to practise despite being found to have shown a lack of competence over the treatment of teenage cancer patient Lisa Norris.

Halloween Spells Danger to Young, Says Vatican

THE Vatican has criticised Halloween as an "anti-Christian" celebration of "terror, fear and death" and told parents not to allow their children to dress up as ghosts and ghouls today. In an article in its official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, it issued a warning about the "dangerous messages" of Halloween, adding that the event has an "undercurrent of occultism".

Huge Strain On College Support Funds Exclusive

HUNDREDS of students across Scotland are facing a financial crisis because of a chronic shortage of support funds, The Herald can reveal. A survey of one third of Scotland's 43 colleges found more than 90per cent had experienced a large increase in demand for student bursaries, which help pay for living expenses and travel costs.

Swinney in Talks with Lloyds to Discuss Sell-Off of Scots Assets Bank Could Dispose of Tsb Branches

THE Scottish Government has opened discussions with Lloyds over the banking group's plans to sell assets, including its Lloyds TSB branches in Scotland. The Herald reported yesterday that Lloyds TSB Scotland is to be sold off as the partpublicly owned bank seeks to raise capital at the same time as facing sanctions from the EU over competition on the high street.

Lady of the Vale

Chief Drugs Adviser Sacked for Criticising Policy

THE Home Secretary has been accused of undermining scientific research after the Government's chief drugs adviser was sacked for criticising official policy and claiming that cannabis, ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol and cigarettes. Alan Johnson asked Professor David Nutt to resign as chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) after the scientist spoke out against the decision to reclassify cannabis from Class-C to Class-B and attacked what he called the "...

Third Wave of Strikes Likely As Postal Row Deepens

A THIRD wave of postal strikes will be held next week, signalling an escalation of the increasingly bitter ndustrial dispute. Around 121,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are expected to take part in the 24-hour stoppages on Friday and the following Monday, November 9, as part of the row over jobs, pay and modernisation.

Catwalk and Classroom . . . The Two Lives of Scotland's Latest Star Model the New Face of 2009 Reveals How She Is Balancing Books and Beauty . . . And Happily 'Eating Like a Pig'

CHRISTINA Chalk the model is a picture of sophistication. Slender but shapely, she effortlessly strikes a pose. Dark, smoky eyes stare confidently from her perfect, doll-like face, which is topped by a glossy knot of dark tresses. This is the image of the 16year-old which emerged from her first professional photoshoot after she was crowned Scotland's New Face 2009 at the Scottish Fashion Awards in June.

Ex-Headmaster Jailed for Link to Child Sex Abuse Network Justice Minister Attacked Over Police Report

A FORMER headmaster is behind bars after being caught with almost 3000 child pornography images. David Wilson was arrested during the Operation Algebra probe that snared Scotland's biggest paedophile ring.

Prestwick Airport Owner Offloads Luebeck Stake

THE company that owns Prestwick Airport has been forced to hand over ownership of a German airport to public authorities after failing to meet targets to increase passenger numbers. In an announcement yesterday, Infratil said that ownership of Luebeck Airport had transferred to the City of Luebeck after traffic fell "significantly" behind targets for growth set prior to the crisis in aviation triggered by the global credit crunch.

Professional Body Allows Radiation Overdose Doctor to Remain in Job Victim's Parents' Anger As Cancer Expert Found Guilty

LISA Norris's family put their faith in the cancer expert who provided the programme of radiation therapy they hoped would ultimately save her from cancer. But Dr Stuart McNee's overdose of radiation treatment at the Beatson Oncology Centre in Glasgow did nothing to cure Lisa, 16. Her final days, as she fought the disease, were played out in public after her tragic story emerged in the media.

Lucky 74 for Salmond As First by-Election Tremors Are Felt

IT'S the kind of omen gamblers can't resist and on which fortunes have been won and lost. After weeks of saying that Glasgow has suffered from 74 years of Labour misrule, Alex Salmond called a bingo line . . . and the winning number was 74.

Blair's Europe Dream Now Rests On Most Unlikely Twist Sarkozy Appears to Seal Former Pm's Fate

TONY Blair's chances of becoming Europe's first president were either boosted or, more likely, buried last night by French leader Nicolas Sarkozy. The French President - who first named Mr Blair as a prime candidate for the job two years ago - acknowledged: "The first names to come out of the hat are not the ones that are finally chosen."

Colourful, Clever and Keen . . . If Only the Commons Could Be Like This Every Day Sketch

IT WAS a historic occasion but it felt more like the BBC school drama Waterloo Road had come to Westminster for the day when the 600- strong UK Youth Parliament took over the green benches of the Commons. They were so bright, so colourful, so clever, so damn exuberant that you were left wondering why there isn't a youth parliament here every week.

Funding Cut Won't Stop Islam Festival, Says Snp Candidate

THE head of a Muslim organisation forging links with wider Scottish society pledged that a festival would go ahead next year no matter its level of overnment funding. The Scottish-Islamic Foundation lost GBP130,000 of its initial GBP200,000 funding for the event when it was forced to postpone the festival until 2010, but founder Osama Saeed said yesterday that sufficient funding had now been raised to ensure the festival was guaranteed to go ahead.

Cautious Welcome for Rise in House Prices Market Cooling Off After Strong Summer of Sales

ANNUAL house prices have risen for the first time since March 2008, according to figures released yesterday. Property values in October showed a 2per cent increase over the previous year, Nationwide Building Society reported.

Demand Fuels Cash Crisis for Colleges Hundreds Wait for Funding Hundreds Wait for Funding Background

GOING to college to study music was the dream career move for Brian Sharp. Earlier this year, the former roofer decided to pursue his boyhood ambition of playing in a band and signed up for a national diploma in popular music at Stevenson College in Edinburgh.

Rise in Airport Taxes Takes Effect Tomorrow Further Jump in Prices Due Next Year

THE first of two planned increases in airport departure taxes will take effect from tomorrow, leading to the price of the most expensive longdistance tickets eventually rising by as much as GBP90. Air Passenger Duty will increase by GBP1 for short-haul flights with a gradation of bands up to GBP15 for flights of more than 6000 miles, with a further hike scheduled for November 2010.

Ramsay Scouts for Glasgow Premises to Open New Eatery

GORDON Ramsay has revealed that he is viewing potential premises for a new Glasgow restaurant this weekend. Speaking on the opening day of the BBC Good Food Show in he city yesterday, the chef said the new venture would be a different type of eatery from his fine dining Michelin-starred restaurant Amaryllis, which closed in 2004.

Macaskill Urges Licensing Boards Over Liquor Laws Concern at Pace of Processing Applications

JUSTICE Secretary Kenny MacAskill has expressed concern that local authorities are not meeting his extended deadline to ensure all licensed premises are compliant with Scotland's new liquor laws. Mr MacAskill issued a letter to all Scotland's licensing boards this week, ahead of today's cut-off for them to have issued all outstanding "personal licences", urging them to "pay particular attention to processing such applications as quickly as possible".