Scottish Government pledges 650 places for eco jobs training

By Shaun Milne

SCOTLAND’S eco industry received a boost of 650 new training places today (tues).

Education Secretary Michael Russell pledged the new support for employers working to support a low carbon economy.

The training, to be delivered through Skills Development Scotland, is being funded with the support of the European Social Fund.

The Scottish Government said the announcement would help firms reskill or upskill employees in low carbon technologies, helping with the economic benefits of greener business.

Chinese tourist goes missing in the capital

By Cara Sulieman

A CHINESE tourist on holiday in Scotland has gone missing after leaving her hotel in the early hours of the morning.

Wenqian Zong, 25, was on a coach tour of the UK and was last seen in Edinburgh on Monday morning.

She returned to her hotel on Sunday night but was caught on CCTV leaving the Marriot on Glasgow Road in the early hours of Monday morning.

Chinese delivery man beaten to death by teen gang

SHOCK: The family-run shop where Mr San worked

By Amanda Keenan and Christine Lavelle

A MAJOR murder hunt is underway to catch a gang responsible for beating a Chinese delivery driver to death.

Dozens of police officers, forensic teams and hardened detectives flooded the Lochend area of Edinburgh to track down those responsible for the bloody attack on Simon San, 40, around 10pm in Lochend Avenue on Wednesday, just yards from the Loch Inn pub.

Vietnamese Mr San worked for the Yong Hua Garden takeaway which locals claimed had been under siege from youths for months.

According to police he died from brain injuries after being pounced upon by three teenagers from a larger gang of males and females.

There were emotional scenes eariler when Mr San’s sister Shirley arrived at the shop to find the area surrounded by police.

Scotland’s should forget tourist cliches claims branding expert

By Andrea McCallum

SCOTLAND should stop relying on shortbread and tartan to sell itself to the world – according to a branding expert.

David Guy, business director for the Edinburgh branch of marketing firm Billington Cartnell, said Scotland should take a leaf out of Ireland’s book and promote the warmth of its people.

And he said VisitScotland’s current approach was failing to exploit the perception of the Celtic nations as warm and friendly.

New facility for blinded soldiers set to open

By Cara Sulieman

WORK ON a new multi-million pound facility for soldiers blinded in action is due to start next week.

The new building will house a workshop, art space, training areas, gym, therapy spaces and a remembrance room.

Costing £3 million, it has been funded by donations and legacies, and will open in 2010.

The Scottish National Institute for War Blinded are constructing the new state of the art centre next to their existing workshop in Wilkieston, West Lothian.

Having worked with blinded servicemen and women since world war two, the centre is hoping that the new facilities can help rehabilitate modern soldiers.

Chinese restaurant could be for chop after £11,000 water bill

By Rory Reynolds

A FAMILY run Chinese restaurant has been landed in hot water after getting a bill for a staggering £11,000.

Karen Wong’s Chinese restaurant in Edinburgh has been charged the huge fee for just three months last year – despite the fact that their next highest bill was just £575.

And the family – who fear they may have to close the business – say that the monster bill for was the quietest time of the year.

Crippling

Mr Wong, 50, – who runs the business with husband Wah Keung and daughter Hoiying – says that she was stunned when she found out they owed the crippling figure.

She said: “I got a big shock when I opened the letter – I nearly passed out.

“This is a small restaurant so how could we have used that much water?It is impossible, it doesn’t make any sense.”

Performers putting finishing touches on spectacular Tattoo performance

By Daniel Maguire

A SECRET weapon was unveiled in the rehearsals for this year’s Edinburgh Military Tattoo yesterday – chocolate teacakes.

Hundreds of pipers, drummers and dancers from around the globe are spending the week going through their drills for the three-week Festival spectacular.

They are under more scrutiny than ever with this year marking the 60th anniversary of the world famous show.

So ringmaster Major General Euan Loudon brought along his brother Fergus – who happens to be the boss of Tunnock’s Teacakes – to offer up a sweet reward for their hard work.

Fergus dished out an assortment of cakes and caramel wafers to performers and pipers alike between drills at the show’s headquarters, Redford Barracks.

Among the show’s many ambassadors, Lord Provost, George Grubb was in attendance, meeting performers and taking stock of the ongoing preparations.

Computer hack cop Wong cheats disciplinary rap after court

By Paul Thornton

A COP who illegally used a high-powered police database to fish for intelligence on people she knew has been fined after first quitting her job.

Anna Wong, 26, used the Scottish Intelligence Database (SID) to look-up police information on dozens of members of the Chinese community who were being looked into by officers.

Bosses at Lothian and Borders Police were tipped off that she had been looking into two people who she was friendly with and her activity was audited.

GONE: Wong quit after lengthy suspension

She was suspended on full pay and later charged with 54 offences in respect of the Data Protection Act and admitted 28 of them.

Wong – originally from Hong Kong – has now resigned from the force after more than 18 months on paid leave.

Dodge

Today at Edinburgh Sheriff Court she was fined £1,000, but it emerged she will dodge a professional misconduct hearing.

Fiscal depute Neil Almond told the court how Wong had been recruited by the Edinburgh force in 2005 and was told during basic training that access to the database was only to help specific police enquiries.

Wong also completed a 45 minute online course on the restrictions regarding the search tool before being given access to it although she claims there were “grey areas” over accepted use.

Lothian and Borders Police say they are now supervising the courses and carrying out training at offices to ensure officers understand the rules fully.

Mr Almond said a year after Wong joined the force other officers were tipped-off that she had been abusing the system.

Million pound Ming takes the biscuit

By Cara Sulieman

A MING vase with connections to an old biscuit company sold for £1.1 million – shattering the modest quarter of a million estimate.

The delicate 500-year-old Chinese creation is from a collection owned by Reginald Palmer, the chairman of the Huntley and Palmer biscuit company.

Bought for a mere £55 – the Palmer family certainly made a profit when the popular item went under the hammer at the Bonhams Chinese Art Sale.

After the sale Colin Sheaf, head of Asian art said: “Items like this with impeccable provenance, great rarity and the highest quality always seem to retain their value and in fact grow it over the years.

“There is only a very limited number of objects of this rarity and beauty available.”

Ming vase expected to fetch quarter of a million

By Cara Sulieman

A MING vase with connections to an old biscuit company is expected to fetch a quarter of a million when it goes under the hammer tomorrow.

The delicate 500-year-old Chinese creation is from a collection owned by Reginald Palmer, the chairman of the Huntley and Palmer biscuit company.

Still in the family, the vase is now going under the hammer for the first time since 1935.

A spokesman for Bonhams, who are selling the vase as a part of their Asia Week Chinese art auction sales, said that there were high hopes the owner would make good money on his original investment of just £55.