The Herald - Latest Scottish News, Business, Politics, Sport from Glasgow, Edinburgh

Key civil servant admits leaking to Tory MP

The Home Office "mole" at the centre of the police investigation into government leaks yesterday confessed to passing low-grade information to Conservative shadow minister Damian Green in the belief that it would be used "in a responsible manner in the public interest".

Councillors resign and six staff suspended over Baby P

The head of children's services and five other staff at Haringey Council were suspended yesterday as the council's leader and its cabinet member for children resigned.

Reports reveal ‘damning failures’ at council

By yesterday, when Children's Secretary Ed Balls delivered his verdict on the independent inquiry into the Baby P case, the effect of superlatives had worn thin.

Obama confirms Clinton’s role

Hillary Clinton has been confirmed as US President Elect Barack Obama's secretary of state. Robert Gates will remain defence secretary in a national security team charged with recasting America's leadership role in the world.

Retailers pass on VAT cut to customers

The VAT cut came into force yesterday, against a background of job cuts and a falling pound.

Hoy joins favourites for Sports Personality of the Year

Seven of Team GB's Olympic gold medallists have been included on the shortlist for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2008 award.

Tourists warned to give Venice a wide berth as flood waters rise

Tourists have been warned to stay away from Venice which has been hit by the biggest flood in more than 20 years. A combination of heavy rain and high winds has led to the sea levels in the romantic Adriatic lagoon city rising 5ft above normal.

RBS doubles grace period to six months for homeowners

The Royal Bank of Scotland yesterday pledged to give struggling homeowners a six-month period of grace before launching repossession action, prompting calls for other lenders to �raise the bar�.

Dilapidated transport system ‘is costing Scottish economy billions’

Scotland's �dilapidated� transport network is costing the economy billions of pounds a year, inhibiting investment and preventing expansion, according to a survey of leading business leaders.

Latest poll puts Labour now only one point behind

Labour and the Tories are separated by only one point in the latest opinion poll, which suggests that last week's pre-Budget report has bolstered the "Brown bounce" in the economic downturn.

MAIN BUSINESS

Engineering chief insists firms are tough enough to survive

Scotland's manufacturing sector may be battered amid a crippling credit crunch and a devastating downturn in demand, but most of its companies are tough enough to withstand the global recession.

Worldwide sell-off sends share prices tumbling

Global share prices crumbled yesterday, with more than £50bn wiped off UK stock values, as signs of further deterioration in the world economy punctured the market enthusiasm of last week that had produced a strong rally.

London Scottish depositors are given lifeline by the government

The government yesterday stepped in to rescue 10,000 depositors in London Scottish Bank, the doorstep lender in which former Bank of Scotland governor Sir Peter Burt previously had an interest.

STRONG OPINIONS: President Elect Barack Obama with Hillary Clinton, his secretary of state.

MAIN SPORT

McGeady poised to return after knee scan

Aiden McGeady could be fit to face Hibernian on Sunday afternoon after a scan on his right knee revealed that he will not require surgery.

Paatelainen excited by Edinburgh cup draw

Hibernian hope a derby victory against Hearts will kickstart their stuttering season and take them a step closer to ending a 106-year wait to win the Homecoming Scotland Cup again.

Peat: referees vilified by nervous managers

George Peat last night made a case for the defence of Scottish football's beleaguered referees by accusing managers of using them as scapegoats to deflect from their own team's failings.

Berra at heart of revival

George Burley has identified Christophe Berra's leadership as the catalyst for a Hearts revival and is convinced the Barclays Premier League beckons if he continues to inspire a Tynecastle resurgence.

Scourge or Saviour?

Barry Ferguson is to blame for Rangers' withering form. It is an easy assertion to make but one that, while containing a kernel of truth, is badly misleading.

Kenyon claims Drogba will not be leaving Chelsea in January

Peter Kenyon, the Chelsea chief executive, yesterday insisted that Didier Drogba, the Ivorian striker, has a future at Stamford Bridge.

Hadden handed a world cup lifeline

Scotland got lucky yesterday when the draw for the 2011 Rugby World Cup finals presented them with a chance to play the only two higher-rated countries they have beaten in the past year, Argentina and England.

Johnson relishes prospect of locking horns with the Scots

Martin Johnson, the England manager, is looking forward to facing Scotland in the group stages of the 2011 Rugby World Cup but refuses to buy into the theory that England had escaped lightly by avoiding Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

British Basketball fears worst ahead of UK Sport cutbacks

The chairman of British Basketball has warned that the sport could disappear back into relative obscurity, and see the progress of the past four years reversed if UK Sport decides to dramatically cut its financial support today.

‘Government must honour Olympic pledge’

As many as 11 Olympic sports, including athletics, are expected to be given funding cuts today. UK Sport's board will meet this morning to allocate the budget ahead of the 2012 Olympics, and have to deal with a £79m funding shortfall.

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