30/10/2016 Reporting Scotland

The Maltese shopkeeper whose evidence was key in convicting

Abdelbasset Al-Megrahi of the Lockerbie bombing has died.

Tony Gauci played a crucial part in linking the only man

convicted of the crime with the explosion.

But doubts had been raised over his reliability.

Tony Gauci ran a clothes shop in Malta and said he recognised

Abdelbasset Al-Megrahi as the man who bought clothes from him, I comes

in which investigators claim were in the suitcase containing the bomb

which blew up over Lockerbie in 1988, killing 270 people. This

direct link was key to him being found guilty. People who believed he

was wrongly convicted always doubted this evidence and continue to

campaign to clear Al-Megrahi's name. I think you distorted his evidence

and the way in which he modified his response to the various photo

opportunities you was given by the Scottish police. I think it is

better to say his evidence was warped by the hope of riches. The

Crown Office previously insisted law, one was offered any inducement

by them or the police and that is no evidence any other law enforcement

agency offered payment. Two years ago the them Lord Advocate said he

believed Al-Megrahi was guilty. Al-Megrahi bag in 2012, three years

Scotland's on compassionate grounds. Scotland's on compassionate grounds.

-- died in 20 foo -- 2012. He denied he ever had seen Tony Gauci or ever

bought clothes from him. The family of boxer Mike Towell has

made an official complaint to NHS Tayside about the medical

treatment he received The Dundee fighter suffered a brain

bleed during a televised fight last A 58-year-old man has died

after falling onto a road before being hit by a car

in South Lanarkshire. Scotland's higher education minister

has said there'll be a fresh look The comments came amid calls

to reform the system which helps those from less well-off

backgrounds go to Borders College, like Scotland's

other colleges and universities take on students from less well-off

backgrounds who need financial support. The principle here argues

the system could be better. For one, she says college and university

students are not treated equally. You would be able to apply for a

loan if you were going into higher but not trying to do a college

programme. For example, someone trading to be a future can access a

loan and go to university but someone who wants to be a joiner

does not have that same opportunity. does not have that same opportunity.

-- someone who wants to be a teacher.

Figures showed the was paid adversaries and Grant is done by 35%

just since before the SNP came to power and the value of student loans

was up by more than 160%. Scott is students get free tuition and one

expert argues this does not solve the problem.

When you cut plans the people taking on extra debts are the poorest

students, those whose families could help out so the more you push your

money into the subsidies further up the income scale the less money you

have to help people further down the scale from having to take out larger

student loans. The Government recognises the

concerns. Changes we made in 2013 to the student support package was

built with stakeholders to ensure students had the maximal amount of

money and that was what we delivered and that is a combination of

bursaries and loans. I know now stakeholders have concerns that

balance has not reflected well on students. Ministers launched an

independent review into student support and say they are committed

to giving a access to education. In Tennis, Andy Murray has

won the Vienna Open, meaning his quest to be the world's

top-ranking Murray beat the Frenchman

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets. The Scot will replace Novak Djokovic

as world number one if he wins the Paris Masters a week

today, as long as the Serb Let's get the weather

forecast for this evening It was mild today and we saw 17

Celsius and Braemar. 7 degrees above the average. For the next few days

this weather front introduces rain in the north and gradually pushing

southwards to model and behind it is colder air sweeping in from the

North is turning things colder. Tonight we have a band of rain in

the North extending into Aberdeenshire. Drier further south

with clear spells and cloud. Nothing to call tonight. That dream first

thing I knew far north with northerly winds and gradually

pushing southwards. -- that rain. At best the sunshine will be for the

South East and Fife and the rain moving southwards. Highs to model of

13 Celsius. That is your forecast. Our next update is just

after the ten o'clock news.