Hardship fund hits hard times

Malcolm Ross   Discretionary funds have reached a “critical” level as some universities have run out of the hardship finance. Universities have run out of crisis funds to help those struggling to find enough money to continue their courses, with academic performance now being taken into account when applying for help.

Brown heralds a nuclear powered world

Calum D Liddle Gordon Brown has appealed to Iran to end its uranium enrichment programme in return for international help in developing a civil nuclear power industry. 

Fat tax spat out

Calum D Liddle   Chocoholics breathed a sigh of relief after doctors rejected plans for their favourite snack to be taxed in the same way as alcohol and cigarettes.

Youth violence in Scottish schools a ‘national disgrace’

Calum D Liddle 6000 secondary school pupils were expelled or suspended last year for fighting, assaulting staff and carrying weapons.   The figures, released under a Veritas freedom of information request show Hillpark Secondary in Glasgow is the most violent school in Scotland, with 120 exclusions for violence last year.

Scottish hacker wins court appeal

Calum D Liddle  A Scottish hacker has won permission from the High Court in London to apply for a judicial review against the Home Secretary’s “outrageous” decision to extradite him. Gary McKinnon, 42, confessed to hacking into US military computers between 2001 and 2002 in an attempt to uncover evidence of UFOs.