THE outgoing director of the Edinburgh International Festival has mounted a spirited defence of his 15 years in the post, insisting it faces no financial crisis and calling for the event to remain open to the widest possible audience.
Brian McMaster, who steps down at the end of this year’s Festival, also warned against any [...]

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[Let me guess...We need even more immigrants to fill these jobs too! Maybe the jails are filling up because of the crime gangs coming into Scotland from Albania and Iraq-ed]
SCOTLAND’S jails face crisis because of a shortage of frontline prison officers.
The number of officers has plummeted by more than 500 in just five years [...]

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TWO leading luxury hotels in Scotland are threatening to sack staff who smell of smoke following the introduction of today’s groundbreaking ban on smoking in public places.
In a move that goes well beyond what is required by the new law, Turnberry, the five-star Ayrshire golf resort, and the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa in [...]

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Thousands of jobs could be put at risk if a planned strike by meat hygiene inspectors goes ahead, it has been claimed.
Unison is expected to make a final decision later on whether to strike.
Allan Jess, vice-president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), said that the proposed action will mean abattoirs throughout Scotland having [...]

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The senior Scotland Yard detective leading the inquiry into the so-called Labour Party cash-for-honours affair has warned that he has not ruled out corruption charges.
In a letter to MPs who are also investigating claims that peerages were “sold” for political donations, Deputy Assistant Commissioner John Yates said that prosecution was “the only credible deterrent for [...]

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The first 48 hours of Scotland’s smoking ban were hailed a success as smokers and licensees continued to respect the new rules on lighting up in public.
Local authorities reported only a few cases of the law being flouted and just a handful of people have contacted a national hotline to register complaints.
Unprecedented scenes were witnessed [...]

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[Why are these people not called 'extremists'. This is a simple word trick to fool the readers. Have you ever heard anti immigration people being called 'activists' in the mainstream media? No, they are called 'extremists', and this makes people fear them without any due cause-ed]
Dog track ‘targeted by activists’
Animal rights [...]

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The following letter was published in the Edinburgh Evening News on Friday the 24th of March.
Melting pot at boiling point
I have been reading with interest readers’ letters on immigration and how some feel jobs are being taken over by immigrant workers.
I feel that our great nation is being turned into a multicultural melting pot [...]

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More than 10,000 public sector workers in the east of Scotland have been taking part in a one-day strike over pensions.
Dozens of schools as well as leisure centres, museums and libraries have been closed or otherwise affected.
Pickets with placards were highly visible Edinburgh council buildings, with an increased traffic due to some local [...]

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[These scumbags should have got 2 years jail!-ed]
Two men who escaped detention for an attack on paramedics now face custodial sentences after appeal judges ruled their punishment was too lenient.
Paul Thomson, 18, and Stuart Dick, 21, were given community service and probation for the assault in Glasgow.
That sentence was quashed after the Court [...]

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Ceremonies to mark the creation of a single Scottish Army regiment have been held across the UK and elsewhere.
The old six infantry regiments have become battalions of the new Royal Regiment of Scotland (RRS).
Major General Euan Loudon, the General Officer commanding the Army in Scotland, led the re-badging ceremony at Edinburgh Castle.
He [...]

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[I think he should spend 3 weeks living with asylum seekers in sighthill so he can get a real first hand experience of immigration. It can be called job training-ed]
SCOTLAND is to get its own regional director for immigration in a bid to improve treatment of immigrants and refugees, a government minister will announce [...]

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[I cannot see what the liberals are moaning about as they (muslims) should be up at dawn anyway to pray to allah-ed]
The way families of failed asylum seekers are removed from the UK is to be reviewed, the Home Office says.
Immigration Minister Tony McNulty announced the review in Glasgow as part of a programme [...]

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[Best thing to do is not to buy their filth (drugs). This would end drug gangs-ed]
A DRIVE-BY shooting at a city flat today sparked fears of a renewed drug war in the north of Edinburgh.
A single gunshot fired from a passing car blasted the window of a ground-floor home in Royston Mains [...]

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Animal groups are urging the Scottish Executive to include all wild animals in a ban which would prevent them performing in circuses.
Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie has confirmed that the executive is planning to introduce a ban, based on the animals’ welfare needs.
However, the public will be consulted on which animals are included. [...]

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[Why are they only attacking churches?-ed]
A reward has been offered for information about vandalism at Robert Burns’ mausoleum in Dumfries.
Investigations have been continuing into the incident at St Michael’s churchyard between 12 and 17 March.
Two panes of glass were smashed at the burial site in the latest of a spate of attacks on [...]

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The ban on smoking in indoor public places (like pubs and resturants) comes into being on 6 am Sunday 26 March 2006.

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A MAN has appeared in court charged with bringing two women into the country for prostitution.
Miroslav Benak, 37, is charged with human trafficking. He made no plea at a private hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday.
Benak, of Govanhill, Glasgow, was remanded in custody, after allegedly bringing two Slovakian women into Scotland.
Source

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[Get ready for big taxes when the government claws back the tax they will lose from this-ed]
MORE than 500 Glasgow smokers a week have asked for help to quit the habit in the month before the smoking ban.
Around 2000 people have signed up for the health board’s Starting Fresh scheme as bars, clubs and [...]

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[Is Asians are not into golf that is their business. It is racist to try to force our culture onto people who have voted with their feet to stay away from golf courses, can't we just leave Asians alone to do what they wish?-ed]
Britain’s leading golf official has urged promoters of the sport [...]

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