28/11/2011 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight: in fell 0 near the centre

of Glasgow. -- inferno. A major blaze near score one's against

motorway. It was quite scary to watch.

Edinburgh Zoo confirms that two giant pandas will arrive from China.

Hopes that a trade mission to Rio de Janeiro will boost the Scottish

economy. And the National Portrait Gallery

prepares to reopen. A large fire has caused serious

disruption in Glasgow city centre of this evening. The spectacular

blaze appears to have started in a derelict building near of the

Kingston Bridge Over the River Clyde. Over 100 firefighters will

and -- were involved in tackling the blaze at its height but there

are no reports of casualties. The blaze did not take long to take

hold. Flames are ripped through the roof of the former co-operative

Funeral Service building in Morrison Street. As flames engulfed

the whole of the building a local residents and office workers were

evacuated. People had to move quickly to save their car from

damage. As darkness fell and the flames became more dramatic around

80 firefighters tackled the blaze. The building is now derelict and it

is thought that nobody was inside and nobody was injured.

The smoke was all blowing out across there. There was lots of

heat, lots of people running from buildings.

It was quite scary to watch. I have been around at the other side and

seen part of the roof falling. Thick smoke affected near by motor

ways. This is the view from across the River Clyde. The fire has been

burning for over two ours now. Every now and then be fire-fighting

is complicated by explosions from inside the building. Some sparks

have flown up into the air and landed in the river beside us. Fire

and rescue services claimed that the ferocity of the blaze meant

attempts to fight it from within were abandoned. The dampening down

operation were likely last until morning. Our correspondent is at

the scene this evening. What is the latest?

The fire-fighting operation is continuing. As you the mark in your

introduction over 100 firefighters were involved at the height of the

operation. -- as you remarked. Once the flames burst through the roof

the fire fighters inside trying to contain it from within had to

evacuate. Until literally a couple of minutes ago you could still see

high-powered jets spraying on to the glowing embers of the fire but

I do understand that the fire- fighting operations and damping

down operations will continue overnight and probably there will

still be considerable traffic disruption in local area around

Morrison Street and Kingston Bridge well into tomorrow. Then fire

fighters will attempt to get into the building and carry out forensic

search is to establish a cause. A date has been announced for the

arrival of two giant pandas in Scotland. Tian Tian and Yang Guang

will fly into Edinburgh on a special charter flight on Sunday.

It could help boost tourist numbers to Scotland. When Tian Tian and

Yang Guang jet into Scotland on their specially chartered flight on

Sunday this is where they will live there.

These are a Chinese plants sourced in Scotland.

These are the enclosures where they will spend the next 10 years. They

have been designed in accordance with strict deadline so.

They need three important element in both enclosures. AKG, a cave,

and a water feature. The climate has structure has been taken care

of as best as we possibly can. -- climate structure.

The female will only be in season to breed for a short period of time

and the Mail even shorter. You are talking about one or two days each

year. The draft as a diplomatic one for

the United Kingdom. -- deft. But it is also a pre-selected in Scotland.

It symbolises Scotland's ever growing relationship with the

People's Republic of strainer. -- China.

Breeding will be entirely down to the animals.

The zoo is expecting a rise in visitors of between 30% and 70%.

Alex Salmond will be a trade delegation to China later this week

but another developing market of huge importance is Brazil. The

Scottish Secretary, Michael Moore, as in Rio de Janeiro right now. It

is one of the world's most famous monuments. It usually looks out

over the most popular beaches in the southern hemisphere, at least

when this kind of Scottish weather is not in town. But Brazil is bad

business. -- big.

Using our international networks we can create visits like this and

generate up to �3 million worth of business. Once the doors are opened

we can make so much more. Whereas Scotland is struggling with

a gross things are very different here. But there is a belief that

tapping into business here could lift the Scottish gloom. Scottish

companies are eager to do business. For many small businesses it is

about looking at distribution agreements, and for the achievement

of contracts in excess of two to �3 million for the week.

This is a very beneficial. Especially as we have a back-up

from the CBI. The potential here is much more

significant than the Turn of what we can generate a loan from our

offices in Aberdeen. -- turnover we can generate.

The hope is that business here will help lift the clouds are back home.

Sport has also been on the agenda. The 2016 World Cup will be here. --

the 24th team the World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. -- 2014 World

Cup. Because we have the Commonwealth Games coming up there

is a belief that there can be an expertise, knowledge, nor how

exchange. Michael O'Mara says he is under no illusion that there will

be sued international competition for jobs and contracts. -- Michael

Moore. But he believes that there is potential for Scottish

businesses if they look at it the right way.

Still to come: the ancient craft of coopering gets a helping hand from

some 21st century high technology. And in sport, Billy Brown has had

discussions with Hibernian over the vacant assistant manager post. And

Around a quarter of a million public sector workers in Scotland

are set to join Wednesday's strike against changes to pension schemes.

Unions confirmed today that there is no chance of the action being

called off. Why are so many so angry? Our Local Government

Correspondent reports. The past year has seen several protests by

public sector workers. But they are set to be overshadowed by

Wednesday's huge day of action. Some feel that they have no choice

but to fight for their pension. I pay lots of money into my pension

scheme every month and now this council want me to pay 15% more.

What more can we do than take action and go on strike? We do not

take it lightly. Arrangements for public sector

pension schemes vary but the concerns of unions are the same.

Their concern that workers will contribute more and receive less,

and received it at a later age. Anybody due to retire in the next

10 years will still get the same amount as now but nobody disputes

that people are living for longer. Compared with 1981 men are living

six years longer. So you need an extra �60,000 on the basis of

paying �10,000 the year for six years.

The Government claims that pensions must be affordable for the tax

payer. But many public sector workers are already angry about

existing cuts and pay freezes. People were concerned about

dropping pate and their security and survival. That is the impetus

for a strike. Here, some elements of the public

sector, like the health service, are governed by Holyrood. On

Wednesday, as schools will be shut and some hospital appointments will

be postponed. Both sides are digging in and this week could be

just the start. You can find out just what the impact is on your

local service by checking our website. That is BBC

It was the world's first portrait gallery. And to get your picture on

the wall you had to be great, good and dead for decades. But this week,

as the Scottish National Portrait Gallery prepares to reopen after a

multi-million pound refurbishment, it's clear the criteria have

changed. Just as well for Sir Alex Ferguson and Susan Boyle. Our arts

correspondent Pauline McLean A facelift for a familiar

institution. Among the familiar faces on the walls, some new ones.

David Tennant, Sean Connery and Susan boil. A far cry from the

first days of the world's First Portrait Gallery. -- Susan Boyle.

We're much more relaxed now it and you can be alive. It is any one of

interest and they can be almost unknown people if they have a good

story to tell. Stories like this one. A portrait

of a dead son - and none of his first three children survived into

adulthood. The bad as well as the good belong here. Bath can tear up

among the gallery's death masks. -- Burke and Hare. The extra walks

involved some of these miniatures and drawers which would be lost if

they were hung in the main rooms. They also have to be kept out of

the delight but this is a good way of having them on display. They are

protected when not being looked at and you can have quite an intimate

relationship with them which is appropriate for this art form.

the subjects have changed over the years, so have the styles of

portraits. Photographs and soundscapes now feature alongside

more traditional work. From the outside, it looks as if not much

has changed but this is the biggest transformation in the portrait

gallery's 122 year history. Some fresh new faces and some fresh look

startled faces. Some of the other stories across

Scotland this Monday. New laws to protect people in Scotland from

being married against their will come into force today. The

legislation gives courts the power to issue protection orders which,

if breached, could carry a two-year prison sentence. The laws also make

it easier to annul a forced marriage.

Fatal accident inquiries into the deaths of Scots fighting abroad are

likely to begin next year. Currently military inquests are

held in Oxford or Swindon. A change in the law was introduced two years

ago but had not been implemented. Average house prices in Scotland

rose for the first time this year, during the three months from August

to October. Latest figures from Lloyds TSB Scotland show the

quarterly price index for properties rose by 1.7%. It follows

The craft of building whisky casks hasn't changed much in hundreds of

years. But now, 21st century technology is lending a helping

hand to the men who make the wooden casks at Scotland's newest

cooperage near Stirling. And it's hoped heavy-lifting equipment will

help extend the working life of the coopers at the Cambus plant near

Alloa. Andrew Anderson reports. I giant robot arm. A common sight

in car factories but this is a could average. -- cooperage. These

machines are being used for the first time here. Among all the

advanced technology, the Coopers carry on their task as they have

done for centuries. It is a job that needs muscles but there is

less heavy work now here. Technology helps out. It helps when

you're in there and walking away and it is not as bad with the

machinery you have got. Not a sore on the bones. This is how capering

used to be and the craft has changed little. -- coopering. At

this plant, apprentices continue to learn the skills and robots will

not replace them any time soon. currently have eight apprentices

training at the moment and we're keen to keep the craft and the

skill alive. Today, at the Earl of Wessex was seen for himself how

modern technology was being put to work in this �10 million to bridge.

It produces 250,000 casques a year. Anyone with a fondness for a

natural -- national drink has a lot to thank this place for.

Time for the sport. Celtic striker Anthony Stokes insists it's too

soon to suggest the momentum in the SPL title race has turned in their

favour. At one stage Celtic were 12 points adrift of Rangers, but after

the weekend's results, Neil Lennon's side are now just 4 points

off the lead. Chris McLaughlin has more.

Hitting the high notes after training, the Celtic smiles said it

all. After a sticky spell, they are aiming for the number one spot.

This was the fabulous 5th on Saturday as sinned Mirren were

steam old. -- St Mirren. That cut the gap to four points but Rangers'

new ally in it, and it would take them back to seven. Kilmarnock took

the points. Just where does that leave the race for the title. In

August, of Rangers edged one point ahead. Buy it over, the gap was 12.

People wear on our backs and we were dropping points and that is

not easy to win games. No team is going to go there will season

without up Sandown's. Christmas sales have started early at Ibrox

but no tears as yet. Title race back on? I think so. Rangers have

been pretty poor but Celtic have been worse. I still feel we will

win it easily. A certain three- piece and their pals may have other

ideas. BBC Scotland has learned that Billy

Brown will stay on as Hibs assistant manager for the

foreseeable future. Brown met the new Hibs boss Pat Fenlon over the

weekend to discuss his role. Fenlon's appointment last week

brought the total of SPL managers born outwith Scotland to seven.

Alasdair Lamont asks why homegrown bosses are increasingly being

overlooked. The new Hibernian manager had a

watching brief on Saturday as his side went three-to-one down. Both

managers would prefer to Scottish candidates, establish stand up and

coming. One has a theory why the Scots may be missing out. Chair and

then make the easier decision, not the one that is right for the

football club. They make the one that they think will appease the

supporters. Longer term, there stung by these decisions. Sometimes

you have to make the choice of a manager that may not be popular

with his supporters but is the right man for the job. What are the

credentials being sought? Having spoken to decision makers that a

couple of Premier League clubs today, one of the things that comes

across is that with money so tight, what they're looking for is someone

with a broad array of contacts with which they can attract players.

Given the recent appointments, does that mean Scottish candidates do

not possess those qualities? People like Alex McLeish and Alex Ferguson

only have to pick the phone up and they will gladly give them any

amount of information. When they're working jobs here, there never off

that main road to England, down there and back up once or twice a

week. They have plenty of contacts and it is not a reason at all.

Whatever the reasoning. There are now more Scots managing in England

than in Scotland. Tributes are being paid to the

Scotland The What? Star Steve Robertson. The comic, and former

rector of Aberdeen University, died after a short illness at the

weekend. His family said he brought fun and laughter to so many, and

they're struggling to come to terms with his death. Colin Wight looks

back on the career of a north-east legend. Steve Roberts and doing

what he loved, making an audience laugh. He did it with many

different characters. -- Steve Robertson. He got together with

George Donald in student shows before storming the Edinburgh

Festival Fringe in 1959. He has since received the freedom of

Aberdeen and an MBE. Steve was Rector of Aberdeen University for

the last three years. Scotland the What? Entertained audiences until

its last performance in 1985. People say, the is a serious

business. Not so. It was great fun at writing and then watching him

perform I always found extremely funny. He was a great character

actor rather than a comedian. In my view, not unbiased, he was up there

with Rikki Fulton. They will hold a private funeral later this week and

the loss of one of Scotland's greatest comics will be marked with

a memorial service at a later date. Time now for the latest weather

Time now for the latest weather A lot of rain to come in the next

few hours. The Met Office have an amber warning in place. More detail

on that in a moment. As the rain just starting to gather force

across parts of western Scotland and will become more or persistent,

extending across the country, always later in the eastern areas.

If I can draw your attention to these warning triangles, the yellow

one means there is a risk of localised flooding. The amber

warnings in Dumfries and Galloway it mean there is a higher risk of

localised flooding. As far as temperatures go, we're looking at 4

Celsius and we can see rain turning to snow. Strong southerly winds

across the country reaching gale force across southern and eastern

Scotland with the potential for Severe deals lasting into the

morning. Tomorrow morning, and very wet start sold travel disruption

may be expected. The area of heavy rain will push across the country

towards eastern areas so we are looking at showers and some

brightness breaking through. In the Glasgow area,. Snow over the hills

in the north-west Highlands. How it -- cloudy tomorrow afternoon around

Caithness full stop the further south you go, temperatures will

rise keeping in the rain towards eastern and coastal areas. As the

day progresses, we will see the rain it edging away and becoming

confined to Shetland. We will lose their gales in the south. On

Wednesday, a Brighton blustery day with plenty of showers but cold and

with plenty of showers but cold and windy. Thanks Judith. Now, just

before 7pm, a summary of tonight's top stories. The Chancellor has

announced �30 billion of investment in construction projects over 10

years to try to stimulate economic growth. The news comes as an

economic think-tank warned that the UK is likely to slip back into

recession in the coming months. More than 100 firefighters are

tackling a huge fire which has caused serious disruption in

Glasgow City Centre tonight. The spectacular blaze appears to have

started in a derelict building close to the busy Kingston Bridge

over the River Clyde. There are no reported casualties.

The Westminster Education Secretary Michael Gove has attacked what he

called militant union leaders ahead of Wednesday's public sector

strikes over pension changes. One union leader accused him of trying

to bully public sector workers. The date has been announced for the