Electrifying Plan to Link Edinburgh to Glasgow

Transport Scotland, the government agency responsible for the planning for the rail and road links across the country, is to study the electrification of the 46-mile rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Journey times between Scotland's two largest cities have not improved over the last 30 years - and punctuality is a constant problem. The new rail link to be built at Edinburgh airport is also expected to lengthen overall journey times between the two cities. Electrification was considered in the early 1990s, with costs estimated then at £100 million, but the idea was rejected. Now, with 19,000 people a day using the service, electrification is seen as the way to achieve a faster rail travel with less pollution. An electric train service could reduce travel times from nearly 50 minutes to 25 minutes - and is perhaps more achievable than some of the more fanciful ideas such as "bullet" trains and magnetic levitation. In Switzerland, 100% of the rail network is electrified; in Scotland that figure is 23%, largely on Glasgow suburban services plus the line between Edinburgh and England.

Bomb Hoaxes Forces Emergency Landings

A Ryanair flight from Paris to Dublin was forced to divert to Prestwick airport in Ayrshire with 160 passengers on board after a note, scrawled on a magazine, saying a bomb was on board was found and was passed to the captain. Passengers were initially told that the diversion was due to "technical problems" but then RAF Tornado jet fighters appeared off the wingtips to escort the aircraft to Scotland. The pilot said the note was probably a hoax (there were 71 schoolchildren on board) but the plane had to land at Prestwick. Instead of disembarking the passengers, they were left on board for over two hours. while officials searched the aircraft. Two days later, a note claiming a bomb was on board was found on an Aer Arann flight between Luton and Galway and again the aircraft was diverted to Prestwick. In addition to the delays to the passengers on the two aircraft, Prestwick airport was closed for several hours during the emergencies.

Bird Flu Carrier Was from Outside UK

The dead swan which was found washed up in the Fife harbour of Cellardyke and was found to be carrying the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, probably came from Germany, according to further tests. It has also emerged that it was a Whooper swan, rather than a mute swan from the Montrose basin in Angus, as first thought. As around 80 infected Whoopers have been found in Germany, it seems likely that it was migrating back to its summer breeding grounds in Iceland when it died. Over 1,100 birds have been tested in Scotland over the last few months and only the one bird at Cellardyke has been found to be positive. The discovery of the virus in the East Neuk of Fife and the media exposure to the area, seems to have had the effect of increasing the number of visitors there and has proved to be good for business. Cellardyke is a quiet fishing village, but tourists are taking the ten minute walk along the narrow coast road from Anstruther to see where the swan was discovered. Advance bookings have already been made for the ferry trips from Anstruther to the Isle of May, which provides a sanctuary for sea birds. Clearly the majority of folk are unfazed by the media hysteria less than two weeks ago.

Hospital Casualty Waiting Times Increase

An independent audit of waiting times in the accident and emergency departments of Scotland's hospitals has shown that in the worst case, at Wishaw General Hospital in North Lanarkshire, patients had to wait 20 hours to be treated. Typically, waiting times were 1 hour 45 minutes - 50% longer than six years ago. In Scotland's major teaching hospitals, median waiting times ranged from 103 minutes at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, to 154 minutes at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Edinburgh Royal Infirmary had an average waiting time of nearly three hours. Hospitals in Lanarkshire had some of the longest waits last year, according to the data - in addition to the record wait at Wishaw, Airdrie came second in the league of shame. The local health board in North lanarkshire is planning to reduce the number of hospitals dealing with casualties from three to two, despite waves of protest. The performance is particularly embarrassing for the Scottish First Minister - he represents the local constituency in parliament.

Smoking Ban Wafts In

There had been dire predictions from the owners of bars and restaurants that the implementation of the strict ban on smoking in public buildings across Scotland would lead to a loss of trade and closures in some cases. In the Republic of Ireland, it is suggested that 600 bars have been forced to close since a similar ban was introduced there two years a go. So far, however, reports in Scotland have been either that it has largely had no effect on total sales or else there has been a slight increase. It seems that smokers are going outside when they have to, but are buying more food and drink while they are in the premises. And some bars think that there are some non-smokers drifting in, as they are no longer having to face a smoke-filled atmosphere. There has been an accumulation of cigarette butts outside some bars - despite ashtrays being fixed to walls. These have had to be swept up, but most traders can live with that, if their profits are still being maintained. One other area which has seen sales booming, has been nicotine replacement products. Sales have doubled in Scotland in the last two weeks. In England, where the ban has not yet been implemented, sales only rose by 15%. Perhaps the biggest negative comment has come from the heritage lobby in Edinburgh. They are upset at the proliferation of smoking shelters and awnings to protect from the rain those who nip outside for a smoke.

Wireless Internet Plan for Glasgow

Officials in Glasgow City Council are examining proposals to create a blanket "Wi-Fi" (wireless fidelity ) coverage of the centre of the city. This would allow anyone to use laptop computers with wi-fi capability to surf the Web at high speed. But it would also allow council staff to access information and file reports and high-quality CCTV cameras could be installed within 24 hours, anywhere in the area, without having to be connected to the conventional telephone network. These developments would save millions of pounds each year. There are wi-fi hot spots at various locations in the city at libraries, coffee shops and hotels, but there is as yet no seamless network.

Rain Fails to Dampen Spirits at New York Tartan Day Parade

Torrential rain in New York last Saturday didn't drown out the 2,000 pipers and drummers who took part in the Tartan Day Parade down 6th Avenue. Bands from Scotland (who are well used to playing in the rain back home) and those from across North America, were watched by a crowd of visiting Scots as well as Americans with Scottish roots - and no doubt by tourists who just happened to be in the Big Apple that day. Organisers of the parade said that 29 Scottish clans were represented in the march. The Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, ducked out of the rain - apparently he was having a conference call with his ministerial colleagues back in Scotland about the H5N1 virus found on a swan in Fife. Other highlights of Tartan Week included the Scotland Village in Grand Central Station where a range of Scottish cultural exhibits and live music were designed to encourage Americans to visit Scotland and see the country at first hand.

Police Plan Recruitment in Eastern Europe

The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) is looking at ways to plug a shortfall in the number of police officers in Scotland, caused by a combination of a surge in retirements and poor recruitment. Due to a drive for more police in the late 1970s, there are more officers than usual approaching retirement over the next few years. The Lothian and Borders force, which looks after the capital and a large geographic covering the south-east of the country, will have to recruit twice their normal number in 2009, due to numbers retiring that year. One option is to recruit existing trained police officers from eastern European countries such as Poland and Latvia, which are now part of the European Union. Polish police would find the wages here attractive - starting salaries here are just under £20,000 a year compared to under £4,500 in Poland. But the Polish police all carry a 9mm pistol as a standard-issue firearm while Scottish police are not routinely armed.

Businessman Keeps Museums Open

Proposals by Glasgow City Council to close most of the city's museums and galleries on a Monday in order to save money, always smacked of a gimmick to put on a public show of financial prudence, when the cash could have been saved by cutting some of the fat from other parts of the budget. It would have applied to all the city's museums except Kelvingrove and the Gallery of Modern Art. You can imagine visitors to the city turning up at the other museums and galleries (including, for example, the popular Burrell Collection in Pollok Country Park, illustrated here) and finding it closed - because it was a Monday. Fortunately, there is at least one Glasgow citizens who thought this was unacceptable - and had the finance to do something about it. Adrian Pocock, managing director of property development company Scotia Land, has donated £270,000 to keep these tourist attractions open for the next two years. It will allow the Burrell, St Mungo's Museum of Religious Art, People's Palace, Museum of Transport, Provand's Lordship, Martyrs' School and Scotland Street School museums to remain open all week. Mr Pocock came to live in the city 20 years ago felt that providing the finance offered him a chance to repay Glasgow for the wonderful times he has enjoyed in his adopted city.

Countdown to Kelvingrove Reopening

The £27.9 million project to upgrade the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is nearing completion and a firm opening date of Tuesday, 11 July, has been announced. Unlike many such projects, it is coming in on time and on budget. The aim has been to create modern, expanded facilities, service and displays while at the same time restoring the fabric of the building itself, so that it continues to be seen to best effect. There will be an extra 35% of floorspace and 8,000 items will be on display instead of the previous 5,000. Not all the museum items are in the display cabinets - the Supermarine Spitfire, which once belonged to 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, is hanging from the roof of the West Court. And the famous Dali painting Christ of St John of The Cross will be returning to Kelvingrove, after many years at the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Arts.

Rebirth of UK's "Most Dismal Town Centre"

Building work on the new £40million Antonine Centre in Cumbernauld is under way, in an attempt to rid the town of its reputation of having the most dismal town centre in the UK. Cumbernauld regularly wins the unwelcome title, thanks largely to its existing multi-story shopping mall which has been compared to an aircraft carrier that has been through a war zone. It has also been compared to the war-ravaged Afghan capital Kabul and last year it won the TV Channel 4 "award" as the building most people want to see demolished. Will the new 250,000 sq ft development change attitudes when it opens in 2007? Unfortunately, the architects drawings give the impression of a shoe box - and the old centre is not being demolished, so it seems unlikely.

Four Storey Glass Extension for 19th Century Post Office?

The impressive Victorian building on the south side of George Square, which used to be main post office in the city, has lain vacant for over ten years, as developers tried to come up with proposals that would make financial sense. Plans for hotels and retail centres have come and gone - as the stonework on the building on the city's main square begins to look derelict. At one stage, exasperated city council officials banned the advertising hoarding which covered the entire building, believing that they were making more money for the owner than from developing the site. Last year, developer Stefan King sold the A-listed building to property firms AWG and HF Development in a £11 million deal. Now a planning application has been lodged for an "iconic, radical and eye-catching" office building with an extension of glass which will rise four storeys on top of the impressive 127-year-old building. The rooftop terraces would offer views across the city and would also incorporate shops and possibly a cafe or bar at ground level. Some experts believe that this glass box on top of a Victorian building could work....

Pocket Money Increases in Scotland

The annual Bank of Scotland survey into the saving and spending habits of children aged from seven to sixteen, has revealed that Scottish children have seen the biggest increase in pocket money in the UK over the last year. On average, Scottish kids have seen their pocket money increase by 25%, from £8.05 a week in 2005 to £10.75 in 2006. The only other part of the UK where parents are even more generous is in London, where the average was £11.71 per week. The UK average for pocket money was £8.20 in 2006.

Hovercraft on the Clyde?

A group of Glasgow businessmen have formed a consortium which is nearly at the end of a feasibility study into the re-introduction of a hovercraft service on the river Clyde, linking the city centre with the Braehead shopping centre (now with the XScape entertainment complex), Helensburgh and Dunoon. A 90-seater hovercraft, travelling at 50mph, could reach Helensburgh in 40 minutes and Dunoon in 50 minutes. The announcement follows in the wake of news that travel company Stagecoach is considering a similar service linking Kirkcaldy in Fife and Leith, the port area for Edinburgh. Hovercraft operated on the river Clyde in the 1960s, painted in the orange, white and green of Glasgow corporation transport at that time.

Where's Our "Legacy"?

The residents of the Perthshire town of Auchterarder had their lives disrupted last July during the week of the G8 summit, when heads of state gathered at the nearby Gleneagles Hotel. At the time, the Scottish First Minister had pledged a sum of £500,000 as a "lasting legacy" to the small town, which was under seige as demonstrators invaded the area. Locals had hoped the money would be spent on upgrading their community hall. But ten months later, nothing has materialised and there is a rumour that the cash is dependent on locals raising "matched funding". There has apparently been no contact between the Scottish Executive and Auchterarder's local community council. Following the issue being raised by the local Member of the Scottish Parliament, assurances were given by the Scottish Executive that "options were still being explored" to refurbish Aytoun Hall in the town.

Mull and Tiree Homecomings

Scotland's Year of Homecoming in 2009 aims to encourage those who have Scottish ancestry, but now live in other parts of the world, to return to their roots. The date of 2009 was selected as it marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's national bard. Of course, local communities and clan societies across Scotland have had a long tradition of such gatherings, bringing together the Scottish diaspora to the land of their forefathers. The islands of Mull and Tiree, for example, are organising their own events in May this year. The Isle of Mull Genealogical Gathering (MUGG) is on May 14-19, 2006 and the following week, May 22-26, 2006, the Tiree Homecoming takes place on the neighbouring isle. Both events will draw descendants from around the world who want to walk the land of their ancestors, perhaps for the first time. The programs being arranged include a variety of speakers, historical and wildlife tours, and access to research facilities where family history can be pursued. On Tiree, visitors will get the opportunity to visit a selection of working crofts and farms. Throughout the week there will be concerts and dances. For more details, see Mull Genealogy and Tiree Homecoming.

Celebrating Peter Rabbit in Perthshire

The Perthshire town of Dunkeld is celebrating its role in the creation of the popular children's stories about animals by Beatrix Potter, beginning with "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" in 1902. She went on to write another 22 tales about Peter and his friends, which are loved by children all over the world. The basis of her many biology projects and stories were the small animals that she smuggled into the house or observed during family holidays in Scotland at Dunkeld. She was encouraged in her interest by a rural postman, Charles McIntosh, who shared her fascination with mycology - the study of fungi. The story of the naughty Peter Rabbit started life as a picture letter written by Potter while at Dunkeld in 1893. A special exhibition opens this month at Beatrix Potter’s Garden at Perth Museum and Art Gallery in Dunkeld. It is showcasing many of her watercolour paintings. 2006 marks the centenaries of the publications of The Tale Of Mr Jeremy Fisher, The Tale Of Miss Moppet and The Tale Of The Fierce Bad Rabbit and all these centenaries are being celebrated in a selection of associated artwork.

Air Passenger Numbers Continue to Soar

Passenger numbers at Edinburgh airport are continuing to grow at a faster rate than in Glasgow, although the number of travellers using the airports continues to take off. Glasgow remains Scotland's busiest airport, however, ending the year with 8.8 million passengers, equivalent to a rise of 2.4%. But Edinburgh Airport handled 8.5 million passengers, up 5.6% on the previous year. Aberdeen showed the biggest increase of Scotland's three largest airports, with a rise of 9.5% to 2.95 million travellers. Over the last year, 27 new services have been introduced at the three airports, including flights to Pakistan, Egypt and Switzerland.

Whisky and Chocolate Nessies for Air Travelers

Passengers arriving on the first scheduled direct flight between Inverness and Dublin were offered free drams of whisky, model Loch Ness Monsters made of chocolate and Highland 2007 promotional gifts and tourist information packs from VisitScotland. When the first passenger arrived to check in for the new Aer Arann service at Dublin airport, he was also given tickets for two further return flights to Inverness - and a bottle of 10-year-old Macallan whisky. THe new route is being supported by the Scottish Executive's Air Route Development Fund and will operate four times a week. Aer Arann already operates its 66-seat ATR-72 aircraft between Edinburgh and Glasgow Prestwick and Cork and Donegal.

Weather in Scotland This Week

Once again, there has been little in the way of Spring about the weather this week. Temperatures did rise from around 6/8C (43/46F) on Sunday and Monday to 11/12C (52/54F) by Thursday and Friday. But the outlook for the next week is predicting little improvement on that until next weekend. There was a mixture of sunshine and showers - rapidly alternating at times, due to high winds (which made even the recorded temperatures feel even chillier). Edinburgh and Glasgow had around 14 hours of sunshine over last Sunday and Monday and the sun returned, particularly in the east, at the end of the week. Edinburgh recorded 9.9 hours of sun that day, with Aberdeen not far behind with 8.4 hours.

The picture here is of the delicate Corylopsis flowers in the Natioanl Trust for Scotland at geilston.

This Week's Colour Supplement

This week's online photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna include Aubretia (seen in the picture here) and Anemone Nemerosa after a shower of rain, Geilston Garden, young goats, Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton), pink Magnolia, Rhododendron. See This Week's Colour Supplement.

Regeneration of Burns National Heritage Park

The project to upgrade the Burns National Heritage Park at Alloway in Ayrshire was unveiled by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) this week. The thatched cottage where Burns was born and the attached museum, have not been properly maintained in the past. The private trust which was responsible could not raise enough funds, either from entrance charges or from central public funding bodies. There was a threat of total closure last year, when South Ayrshire Council announced that the Tam O'Shanter Experience (which provided much-needed funds for the maintenance of the cottage) was to be leased to the private sector. The National Trust has been brought in to employ their management and fund-raising skills and their plans are for an £11 million regeneration. This will see the replacement of the present multimedia Tam O’Shanter Experience (despite its popularity) with a new visitor centre and restaurant, as well as a state of the art study centre. Applications for funding have been made to the Scottish Executive and the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is hoped that the new facilities will be up and running by the 250th anniversary of the birth of Burns, in 2009.

Culloden Battle Cry

The National Trust for Scotland has already raised £6.5 million to build a new visitor centre at the Culloden battlefield. This will restore the area to nearer what it looked like at the time of the conflict between the Jacobite army of Prince Charles Edward Stuart and the government redcoats. It will also create a new Culloden Battlefield Memorial Centre, which will use the latest research and information, combined with modern technology, to illustrate what really happened on the day of the battle. 250,000 people visit the site every year to see the place where the course of Scottish and UK history was changed forever. Culloden was the last battle on British soil - the Battle of Britain in 1940 was fought in the skies above. The National Trust is now launching a major public appeal to raise another £500,000 to complete the project. In addition to normal donations, supporters can buy engraved stone slabs, which will be on a new Culloden Walk on the approaches to the visitor centre. Priced from £75 to £495, they will be engraved with the names of the donor, family or friends. For more information, see National Trust for Scotland.

Celebration of Birth of "Father of Modern Physics"

James Clerk Maxwell was born in Edinburgh on 13th June 1831 and he was only 15 when he sent his first paper to the Royal Society in Edinburgh. He demonstrated colour photography in 1860 (using a tartan ribbon) but it was his work on electricity and magnetism, establishing the laws of electrodynamics, for which he is most famous. He predicted the existence of radio waves in 1865, paving the way for radio, TV and electronics and so can be considered to be the father of electronics. His "Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism" containing the famous Maxwell equations was published in 1873. It not until1887, however, when the existence of radio waves were discovered, that his calculations became accepted. The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes his Treatise as "one of the most splendid monuments ever raised by the genius of one man." Now, the 175th anniversary of his birth is being marked by a consortium of civic, university, learned society and educational bodies organising a series of events during the year to bring the little known achievements of James Clerk Maxwell before young people and a wider general public.For more details on the "Maxwell Year 2006" see the Web site at www.maxwellyear2006.org.

Next Week in Scottish History

• April 16 1746 - Charles Edward Stewart defeated at Battle of Culloden.
• April 16 1953 - Royal yacht "Britannia" launched at John Brown's shipyard, Clydebank.
• April 17 1766 - James Craig's winning entry for development of Edinburgh New Town was approved.
• April 17 1847 - The Educational Institute of Scotland was founded "to promote sound learning and advance the interests of education in Scotland".
• April 17 1909 - Riot by fans after replay of Scottish Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden Park.
• April 17 1937 - A British record attendance at a football match was set when 149,547 watched Scotland play England at Hampden Park, Glasgow. Until 1950, this was a world record.
• April 18 1874 - Remains of David Livingstone interred in Westminster Abbey.
• April 19 1390 - Robert II, grandson of Robert the Bruce, died at Dundonald Castle.
• April 19 1689 - Earl of Angus forms the Cameronians into a regiment.
• April 19 1905 - Aviator Jim Mollinson who married Amy Johnson, was born in Glasgow.
• April 20 1809 - James David Forbes, physicist who devised first form of seismograph, born.
• April 20 1934 - Scottish National Party founded with the amalgamation of the National Party of Scotland and the Scottish Party.
• April 20 1994 - Sir Walter Scott's home at Abbotsford was raided and priceless antiques stolen.
• April 21 1703 - Edinburgh Fire Brigade, one of the first in Scotland, formed.
• April 21 1838 - John Muir, pioneering conservationist and founder of Yosemite National Park, born in Dunbar.
• April 21 1926 - The future Queen Elizabeth II born. Her parents at that time were the Duke and Duchess of York.
• April 22 1838 - The 703-ton Sirius, built in Leith and carrying 90 passengers, reached New York, the first ship to cross the Atlantic entirely under steam. Shortage of fuel resulted in spars and furniture being burned towards the end of the 18-day voyage. Brunel's steamship, Great Western, arrived a day later.
• April 22 1869 - Rev Patrick Bell , inventor of mechanical reaper, died.

Soaring Cost of Venues Hit Fringe Festival

The organisers of the Edinburgh "Fringe" Festival, which has become such an important element of the arts festivals in the Capital in August, are predicting that the huge increases in licence costs could force many of them to close their doors. During the festival, many venues across the city are pressed into service, but they require to be licenced by Edinburgh City Council. Venues with less than 200 seats, have seen their fees soar from £127 in 2005 to £440 - and that will increase to £620 next year and £800 in 2008. Theatres and halls with over 1,000 seats paid £295 last year but that has escalated to £1,320 for 2006 and that could rise to £2,400 in 2008. The City Council says that there had been no increase since 2000 and that the charges were only now going up.

Dundee Jazz Festival

Hear internationally acclaimed jazz stars alongside a host of local talent in this weekend festival on 22/23 April, which features high quality music and musicians across range of jazz styles. For more information, see Dundee Jazz Festival.

Helensburgh Blossom Festival

Running from 17th - 23rd April, there are guided walks around the blossom-filled streets of this town overlooking the Firth of Clyde. For the more adventurous, there are also guided tours into the nearby hills of the Loch Lomond National Park. Other events include arts and music and craft workshops, plus Clydesdale horses. Jim McColl of BBC's "Beechgrove Garden" series is launching the Festival at a grand opening Ceilidh at the Commodore Hotel on Friday, 21st April, 8pm to midnight. For more details, see Helensburgh Blossom Festival.

"Enjoy the Taste of Scotland" Food & Drink Event

On 22/23 April, in the prestigious surroundings of The Hub in Edinburgh, over 60 Scottish food and drink producers will be showcasing the 'best' from Scotland's larder. Throughout the two-day event, visitors can discover, taste and buy a mouth-watering array of foods while world-famous chefs will be on hand at the Tesco Celebrity Kitchen to impart their words of wisdom, along with practical tips and techniques on creating the perfect dish. For more details, see Scottish Food and Drink.

Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results

Kilmarnock 1 Celtic 4
Dundee 0 Brechin 1
Gretna 6 Stirling Albion 0

Bank of Scotland Premierleague Results - 15 April 2006

Falkirk 0 Dunfermline 0
Heart of Midlothian 2 Kilmarnock 0
Livingston 3 Dundee United 1
Motherwell 0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1
Rangers 1 Aberdeen 1
Celtic v Hibernian will be played on Sunday.

Bell's Scottish Football League First Division Results - 15 April 2006

Airdrie United 3 Stranraer 0
Clyde 2 Ross County 0
Hamilton 2 Brechin City 0
Queen of South 3 St Johnstone 2
St Mirren 2 Dundee 1

Bell's Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 15 April 2006

Dumbarton 4 Ayr United 5
Forfar 2 Gretna 1
Peterhead 3 Alloa 0
Raith Rovers 1 Greenock Morton 1
Stirling Albion 1 Partick Thistle 2

BT Scotland Rugby Division 1 Results - 15 April 2006

Aberdeen 51 Melrose 18
Heriots 19 Boroughmuir 37

Scottish Rugby Cup - Semi-Finals

Currie 61 Berwick 8
Watsonians 21 Cartha Q P 19

Shinty The MacTavish Cup, First Round - 15 April 2006

Inverness 1 Beauly 2
Caberfeidh 1 Lovat 2
Kinlochshiel 2 Glen Urquhart 1
Kingussie 5 Strathglass 0
Aberdeen University 0 Newtonmore 6
Skye Camanachd - a Bye
Fort William v Lochcarron and Kilmallie v Lochaber were postponed.

League Tables

With Celtic already crowned champions of the SPL, it was the potential battle for second place and a European Champions League place that was to be the focus for the next few weeks. But Rangers took the pressure off Hearts by only managing a draw against Aberdeen. The northern club has done well against the Ibrox side this season with two wins at Pittodrie and two draws in Glasgow. The result puts Hearts 5 points ahead, with five matches to play. At the foot of the SPL, Livingston 's win today edged them closer to Dunfermline, who only managed a draw and are now 6 points above.

Any hopes of St Johnstone snatching the Division 1 title from St Mirren were dashed when the Perth club were defeated by Queen of the South. The Paisley club had also done enough by winning their match, thus clinching the title.

Gretna, already Second Division champions, suffered their only away defeat this season, losing 2-1 to Forfar. Greenock Morton are in second place, 18 points behind, with Peterhead and Partick Thistle still scrapping for third place, with both teams 10 points behind Morton.

Gordon Strachan Voted Manager of the Year

In the early part of the season, there were calls from some Celtic fans for new manager Gordon Strachan to be sacked. The club had crashed out of the Champions League with a 5-0 loss to Artmedia Bratislava. Then there was the 4-4 draw against Motherwell and defeat in an early round of the Scottish Cup by First Division club Clyde. But Strachan has turned the club round and has the silverware from the CIS Cup and the Premier League Championship to prove it. So although it was a close-run contest with Kilmarnock's Jim Jefferies, Strachan has been voted Manager of the Year by the Scottish Football Writer's Association. Jefferies has kept Kilmarnock in contention for a Uefa Cup place despite having a limited budget for players. But the achievements of Celtic this season made Strachan a worthy winner.

Scotland Win Men's World Curling Championships

Scotland pulled off a surprise win against Canada in the men's world curling championships in Massachusetts last weekend, beating Canada by 7-4 in the final. It is only the fourth time that the Scots have won the world title. They had been defeated by Canada in the first page play-off game by Canada 2-8. But the team had topped the week-long round-robin stage and reached the final by beating Norway 7-4 in the semi-final. The world championship win made up for not winning a medal at the Winter Olympics earlier in the year.

Andy Murray Earns Britain First Fine in 106 Years

At the end of his Davis Cup match last weekend against Serbia and Montenegro, at Braehead Arena near Renfrew, Andy Murray approached a match official and swore loudly at him. That was not exactly the sort of example that he should have been setting to the young fans who had been cheering on the Scot and it produced a $2,500 (£1,400) fine against the Great Britain Team. While not a large sum in the tennis world, it was the first time in 106 years of competing in the Davis Cup that Britain had been fined for bad conduct. While the genteel world of British tennis may disapprove, there are others who argue that it is his on-court passion and determination that makes him successful. The Dunblane-born tennis star apologised afterwards, but did point out that swearing was a regular occurrence in many other sports. Later in the week, it was announced that Murray was to part company from Mark Petchey, who has coached the tennis star for the last ten months. During that time Murray has risen 300 places in the world rankings and is currently number 44.

Scotland Fans Put Their Shirts on Trinidad and Tobago

Although Scotland is not involved in this summer's World Cup finals in Germany, the Tartan Army is apparently buying shirts emblazoned with "Scotland" on the back. It's just that the shirts are being worn by Trinidad and Tobago striker Jason Scotland and he will be playing for the Caribbean side which has qualified for the World Cup. Scotland plays for St Johnstone in the Scottish First Division and, in total, there are five players in the Trinidad and Tobago squad who play for Scottish clubs. Trinidad will be playing England in the first round of the finals - so there are even more reasons for Scottish fans to cheer on "Scotland".