Evening Times

Cash Boost for Brain Study

RESEARCHERS at Glasgow University have benefited from a massive grant which will allow them to study mental illnesses and brain injuries. The grant, by the Dr Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation, will fund research into 'neuropsychiatric disorders' and sees the researchers team up with Edinburgh University to establish an institute across both cities.

Breath Test Will Trace Cancer

RESEARCHERS in Glasgow are close to a breakthrough in technology which detects cancer in its earliest stages. The Glasgow University team are developing a system which tests for ethane gas in the breath which could show the presence of cancer cells.

Police Chief Says Sorry to Mp Galloway

George Galloway today received a "gracious apology" from police after an officer unfairly questioned him at Heathrow Airport. Mr Galloway, the independent MP for Glasgow Kelvin, was stopped and quizzed about the contents of a speech he was going to deliver at a Belfast anti-war rally.

Japan Aims to Learn From Scots Nurses

A delegation of Japanese health professionals is in Glasgow today to learn about advances in nursing practice. Six university academics will be at Glasgow Royal Infirmary for a series of workshops and presentations on the hospital's innovative nursing practices.

Pupils Will Get (Pounds) 30 a Week to Stay On; Pilot Scheme Rolled Out Across Nation

A SUCCESSFUL pilot scheme in Glasgow, which pays pupils to stay on at school, is to be rolled out across Scotland. Lifelong Learning Minister Jim Wallace said the project, which gives young people up to (pounds) 30 a week to continue their studies, had been a great success.

Lord Provost's Visit Delights Veterans

GLASGOW'S Lord Provost Liz Cameron met with a 97-year-old war veteran when she visited Erskine Hospital. Ex-RAF man Peter Downie is the oldest resident of the hospital which caters for ex-servicemen and women.

Murdered Pub Chief's Son Jailed for 4 Years

A MAN whose father was murdered at the weekend was today jailed for four years. Stephen Kerr snr, 46, who ran a pub and a football club bar, was killed on Saturday night at the Benburb Social Club in Drumoyne, which he helped to run.

Brother and Sister On Attack Charge

A BROTHER and sister have appeared in court charged with attacking two men at a filling station. Stephen and Linzi McKie appeared in private at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

Jail for Top Coach Who Abused His Pupils; Four Years for Sex Offences

A badminton coach who plied six young boys with drink and sexually abused them has been jailed for four years. Matthew Caldwell, 60, also gave the youngsters (pounds) 5 and showed them sick video films before he filmed them himself.

Alert Over Action On Asbestos

DANGEROUS asbestos will soon be the responsibility of property owners under new laws which take effect in May. Owners of commercial buildings will have to keep a register of the location and condition of the asbestos and record how they intend managing the problem.

Warning of Attacks From City Seagulls

ATTACKS by seagulls could increase over the next few weeks, householders in Glasgow are being warned. The birds will aggressively guard their chicks during the breeding season, says The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland.

Forge Firm Shows Off at Skypark

GAMES rooms and relaxation suites are becoming a more common feature in many city centre office spaces, but Skypark appears to be taking things further than most. The commercial and industrial centre on Finniestion Street has just invited a team of designers and artist blacksmiths from Ratho Byres Forge to exhibit their work on premises.

It's Time We Gave Kennedy an Even Break

Here's a thought - politicians are human, just like everyone else. And so, from time to time, we fall ill, just like everyone else. I recently had a nasty bout of glandular fever which forced me, for the first time since I was elected to Parliament in 1999, to take sick leave from work.

Times Past; Lonnie Donegan, 1956

BRIDGETON-born Lonnie Donegan was the unlikely instigator of the rock'n'roll boom in Britain. Originally the banjo player with the Chris Barber Jazz Band, Donegan's love of American folk music led him to record his own version of the Leadbelly song Rock Island Line in 1956.

Bed Blocking Problem Eases

THE number of elderly people stuck in hospital because there is nowhere else for them to go has fallen. Bed blocking in Scotland was down from 2210 in October last year to 2088 in January - a drop of 5.5% - according to NHS statistics released today.

Bus Crime Victims Tell Kids About Dangers of Vandalism

CHILDREN have met victims of bus vandalism in a bid to show them the consequences of throwing stones at vehicles. Youngsters from schools throughout Greater Easterhouse watched a play about bus crime before meeting real-life victims.

Closed-Doors Debate Over Queen Mum's; Board Calls Private Seminar On Shutdown Plan

NHS bosses today held a private meeting on their proposals to shut the Queen Mum's hospital at Yorkhill. In a seminar staged behind closed doors, Greater Glasgow NHS Board members heard the cases for and against the world-famous maternity unit.

Feed Stop for Babies

BREAST-FEEDING mums can now pop into Mothercare to feed their hungry babies. The Sauchiehall Street store has opened a breastfeeding "lounge" after research showed 30% of breast-feeding mums shop from home to avoid being trapped on the high street with a hungry child.

New Bid to Ban Firms Cutting Off Power

MORE than 50% of Scots MPs want energy firms banned from disconnecting householders who cannot pay their bills. A House of Commons parliamentary motion calling for an end to disconnections for energy debt is backed by 28 out of 55 eligible Scots MPs, energywatch said.

Police to Remember Dead

WORK has started on a memorial to Scottish police officers who have died in the line of duty. A site for the blue granite memorial, which will be engraved with the names of all those who have lost their lives, is being prepared in the grounds of the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan.