The Scotsman

'Disclose Full Horror of Our Boys' Injuries'

THE Ministry of Defence was last night under pressure to disclose the "horrendous" injuries suffered by British troops in Afghanistan, as new figures showed service personnel suffered their highest casualty rate this month since the mission began. Some 57 troops were wounded in action in the first two weeks of July, compared with 46 in the whole of June and 24 in May.

Capital Bin Dispute Rumbles On As Talks End in Failure

UNION leaders refused to call off their bitter dispute with council chiefs last night after the latest round of talks to end a six-week deadlock broke down. A fresh round of negotiations is to be held next week after a showdown between the officials leading the industrial action and senior councillors.

Rocky Horror Show As Motorist Plunges 100ft - and Survives

A DRIVER has had a miraculous escape after his car plunged 100 feet down a rocky slope in the remote Highlands. Angus MacLeod, 60, was airlifted to hospital with head injuries after his Land Rover Discovery left the main road near Durness, in north-west Sutherland.

Soldier Accused of Desertion Says Army Will Fail in Mission

A BRITISH soldier facing court martial for refusing to return to Afghanistan has said that the army's mission will fail and troops should be withdrawn from the country. Lance Corporal Joe Glenton, 27, from the Royal Logistic Corp, handed in a letter of protest to Downing Street yesterday. He said that the Nimrod crash in 2006 was a key event which left him disillusioned with the war during his first tour of Afghanistan.

Dunfermline Collapse: Savers in the Dark While Watchdog Failed to Act

SAVERS in Dunfermline Building Society were kept in the dark over its risky position as the Financial Services Authority failed to give adequate supervision, MPs said yesterday. The damning verdict was delivered by the Scottish Affairs Committee, which chastised the regulatory watchdog for not giving Dunfermline warnings about its high-risk commercial lending portfolio.

Gbp 15m Home Energy Efficiency Advice Boost

TENS of thousands of households are to be offered advice on how to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, under a GBP 15 million scheme announced yesterday. Experts will knock on all doors in each of ten chosen areas of Scotland, to offer to carry out an audit of how efficiently energy is being used, and means tested free or discounted insulation will be offered.

Restaurants Served Up Fish Ban in Drive to Boost Endangered Stocks

DOZENS of types of seafood deemed at risk due to over fishing will no longer be served at thousands of restaurants across the UK after one of the country's largest contract caterers decided to ban 69 species from their dishes. Among the fish taken off the menu by Compass Group are wild- caught Atlantic cod, as well as haddock, Greenland halibut and herring from the west of Scotland.

Blair Will Be Called Up to Give Evidence Before Iraq Inquiry

TONY Blair will be called to give evidence before the Iraq inquiry, the head of the investigation has confirmed, as a row continued to rage over whether vital evidence will be heard in secret. The former Prime Minister will be expected to appear before the five-strong panel, Sir John Chilcot, the former senior civil servant who chairs the inquiry, said yesterday.

Mccall Smith Script Is Newman's Final Role

Hollywood great narrates novelist's first film script THE last known role of Hollywood great Paul Newman and the first film script by the best-selling novelist Alexander McCall Smith, have come together in a movie about one of nature's most endearing creatures.

Plastic Surgery 'Forehead Lift' Offers Hope of Migraine Cure

A PROCEDURE used in cosmetic surgery could cure migraines permanently, surgeons have claimed. The operation, similar to that used when carrying out a forehead lift, has been found to "permanently fix" the debilitating effects of a migraine, which include crippling headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and nausea.

All Roads Lead to Rome

Surgeons gave actor-storyteller Mike Maran a new lease of life, now he's strapping on his 'L' plates to ride across Europe to raise GBP 100,000 for cancer charities, says Jim Gilchrist Main picture: Greg Macveran

Motherwell's Class of '91 Loses Fourth Player

TOGETHER they played their way into history, winning silverware and the hearts of an entire town, but the fond memories of Motherwell FC's revered class of 1991 have once again been tinged with tragedy by the death of another of its illustrious members. Paul McGrillen, a former striker for the Lanarkshire club, was discovered dead earlier this week.

In Brief: 'Put Alcohol Unit Details On All Drinks'

In Brief: Pair Arrested After Death of Baby Boy

CHILD protection procedures were in the spotlight yesterday amid an investigation into the death of a four-month-old boy. A woman of 17 and a man aged 19 were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm after staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London alerted police.

In Brief: Police Close Atomic Kitten Star's Club

In Brief: Charities Defeated in Fuel Poverty Case

Mothers 'Want to Quit Work'

MOST women want to work fewer hours or quit their jobs in order to look after their children, research suggests. But two-thirds (65 per cent) say they have to work because they need the money, the study by the National Centre for Social Research found.

Scrappage Scheme Losing Its Value As Car Prices Rise

NEW car price-rises of up to 14 per cent are virtually wiping out the benefits of the scrappage scheme to encourage drivers to trade in their old vehicles, a consumer group has warned. Poor exchange rates are adding about GBP 2,000 to the price of some models - the same as the discount offered under the joint government-industry incentive for cars at least ten years old.

Killer Car Thief to Serve 16 Years

A THIEF who ran over and killed a pensioner who tried to stop him taking his car on a drunken joyride was yesterday ordered to spend at least 16 years in jail. Scott Couch, 23, said he was ashamed that his actions killed Walter Bollen, 76, but he had not intended to run him over as he made an escape in his car.

Vessels Without Enough Crew 'Are a Hazard to Shipping'

TOO many merchant vessels are still sailing around Britain's coast with too few crewmen to operate safely and are a hazard to shipping, the head of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has warned. In one incident last year, a cargo boat ran aground after "ploughing on like an unguided missile" because the officer of the watch had been fast asleep for three hours.