Archie and Murdina MacPherson, their children, Andrew, seven, and Hannah, five, fled their home but were killed. Mrs MacPherson's father Calum Campbell also died.

Former Strathclyde chief constable Sir John Orr unveiled his parades review which recommended ways to deal with contentious marches in Scotland.

He said the system for dealing with applications for permission to march needed to be modernised and ordinary people should be given a greater say over contentious parades.

First Minister Jack McConnell lashed out at Holyrood rules which required him to register the value of a Christmas present from his wife, condemning them as an "invasion of privacy".

Mrs McConnell commissioned Mr McDonald to paint a picture of Glenscorrodale Farm. The whitewashed farmhouse was demolished in 2003 to make way for a Buddhist retreat.

Unveiling a poster of Black Watch soldiers fighting in Iraq, Save the Scottish Regiments said it would desist from hurting Labour if the government reversed the merger plans.

The wife of murdered banker Alistair Wilson, who was shot dead on his own doorstep, said she believed a case of mistaken identity was the motive for his murder.

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram was condemned for not visiting Scottish RAF bases where 1,000 job cuts had been confirmed as part of a defence shake-up.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, First Minister Jack McConnell and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland attended the late pontiff's funeral in Rome.

Cardinal O'Brien said it had been "a great joy" to be involved in the election of the new 72-year-old Pope, who chose Pope Benedict XVI as his papal name.

He added that he was "delighted" to see Scotland's flag being held aloft as he stood on the balcony with the Pope looking down on the vast crowds in St Peter's Square.

He told more than 150 representatives at the conference in Edinburgh that the G8 leaders should not gather at Gleneagles in July unless they planned to change their attitudes towards African nations.

The QC was a guest speaker at a £22-a-head dinner attended by 140 Rangers fans and former players, including Andy Goram, in Northern Ireland in May.

But marchers were told they could walk to within 500 metres of the hotel, which the group labelled a "victory" for the right to protest in Scotland.

Live 8 organiser Bob Geldof described it as "a great day" but Kumi Naidoo, chair of the Global Call to Action against Poverty, concluded: "the people have roared but the G8 has whispered".

Tony Blair called Mr Cook an "outstanding, extraordinary talent", while Foreign Secretary Jack Straw described him as "the greatest parliamentarian of his generation".

Channel 4 racing pundit John McCririck accused the prime minister of snubbing the family and the memory of Mr Cook by not cutting short his holiday to attend the funeral. Downing Street said Mr Blair would attend a memorial service later in the year.

Police said his school rucksack and its contents had not been found and that it was possible the tent had been discarded in the woods, then used by Rory's killer or killers to hide his body.

Lord Brodie rejected a defence suggestion that it had been a "tragic accident" and said that the murder had been "wicked, depraved and deliberate".

Passing sentence, the judge said that those who had supervised a drug treatment order stated that Bonini had neither the willingness nor motivation to kick his habit.

Watson, 56, resigned from the Scottish Parliament and his spokesman said he was at a loss to explain his actions, which were totally out of character.

He had initially denied he was responsible, despite CCTV footage showing him crouching down at the base of a curtain just minutes before it was engulfed in flames.

The barb delivers a five-second 50,000-volt charge that effectively disables and temporarily incapacitates suspects, to enable officers to make a safe arrest.

The Vucaj family, who had lived in Glasgow for five years, were taken from their home in Drumchapel in a dawn raid carried out by immigration officials.

He said he had always been up front about being self-taught and that, like many other artists, he used a reference book for some of his figure drawing.

Mr McLetchie said he was standing down with a "heavy heart" but added that he recognised the expenses coverage in the media had been damaging for the party.

They overturned the original sentence of probation and community service imposed on Carol McMillan, 34, who had admitted killing Ann Whittle, 58.

Mrs Whittle's husband Norman said it was a "brilliant decision" and said he and his family believed McMillan was guilty of murder, not culpable homicide.

The new law gives local licensing boards the power to decide the opening hours of pubs and clubs, though 24-hour opening will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

Andrea Bone, 23, was jailed for three years in 2002 after failing to stop Sandy McClure murdering Carla-Nicole Bone at their home in Aberdeenshire.

Research published in December revealed all but four of Scotland's 32 councils used anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) in the previous 12 months.

The Scottish Executive said 23% of the orders were breached but admitted the figure could be higher due to confusion over the collection of data.

Asbos were increasingly being used against anti-social tenants, and a growing number of councils and landlords were using "acceptable behaviour contracts" as a precursor to Asbos.

But after hearing about the young piper's plight, professional piper Fred Morrison decided to donate a special set of £1,000 pipes, which are quieter than normal.

Mr Stewart said: "I think it's very much that our relationships are of equal value with heterosexual relationships and that the state recognises the value of a relationship.

This is cache, read story here