:00:13. > :00:23.Tonight on Reporting Scotland: The family of a 21-year-old man
:00:23. > :00:24.
:00:24. > :00:29.shot dead in Paisley appeal for help to find his killer. We will
:00:29. > :00:32.never get over not only using Stephen, but losing him in such a
:00:32. > :00:34.horrific and tragic way. And later in the programme: Things
:00:35. > :00:38.are hotting up - Scotland's shoppers reach fever pitch as they
:00:39. > :00:42.make their final push for Christmas. Should passengers on the Cairngorms
:00:42. > :00:46.funicular be allowed to climb to the mountain's summit - we look at
:00:46. > :00:48.the case for and against. And rugby comes to Princes Street,
:00:48. > :00:58.as the Edinburgh team entertains budding players ahead of their
:00:58. > :00:59.
:00:59. > :01:01.The mother of a man shot dead in Paisley on Wednesday night has
:01:01. > :01:04.begged people to help find his killer. 21-year-old Stephen
:01:04. > :01:12.Pollock's mother says no family should have to suffer the way hers
:01:12. > :01:17.is this Christmas. Raymond Buchanan has the story.
:01:17. > :01:21.Two days after her son were shot dead, Nancy Pollock appealed for
:01:21. > :01:27.help in finding his killer. I can't believe that he has been so
:01:27. > :01:33.brutally murdered, and won't be here for Christmas. This should be
:01:33. > :01:40.such a happy time for every family. We had to break the news to his wee
:01:41. > :01:46.sister, who is only six. She is absolutely heartbroken. She asked
:01:46. > :01:50.me if she will not be her brother's girl anymore. Our lives will never
:01:50. > :01:55.be the same again, and we will never get over not only using
:01:55. > :01:59.Stephen, but losing him in such a horrific and tragic way. Stephen
:01:59. > :02:05.Pollock died late on Wednesday evening. He was discovered inside a
:02:05. > :02:10.friend's House. Police say the club one-year-old died as a result of
:02:10. > :02:13.one gunshot, but they're not sure where the shooting happened. They
:02:13. > :02:18.think he could not have travelled very far, so the incident may have
:02:18. > :02:23.happened in the garden of this pity or inside the house itself. Either
:02:23. > :02:28.way, nobody reported hearing a firearm. Gun crime is rare.
:02:28. > :02:32.Detectives insist they do not know why he was shot. These attacks tend
:02:32. > :02:37.to be targeted rather than random, so we are clearly looking to find
:02:37. > :02:41.out about Stephen. Just now there is nothing to tell us why he
:02:41. > :02:47.suffered this attack. Police still don't know where Stephen Pollock
:02:47. > :02:50.was in the house before his death. He was last spotted in Paisley at
:02:50. > :02:55.around 3:30pm on a Wednesday afternoon. No family should have to
:02:55. > :02:59.put up with what we have suffered. If anyone has any information that
:02:59. > :03:06.may help the police, please, I am begging you, please come forward.
:03:06. > :03:10.It is hoped this mother's plea may help catch her son's killer.
:03:10. > :03:12.A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the rape of a
:03:12. > :03:18.woman and the serious sexual assault of a second, in Glasgow
:03:18. > :03:20.earlier this week. A 20-year-old woman suffered a serious sexual
:03:20. > :03:24.assault early on Wednesday, and shortly after a 22-year-old woman
:03:24. > :03:29.was raped in the city's Broomielaw area. It is expected the arrested
:03:29. > :03:32.man will appear in court on Monday. Today is expected to have proved
:03:32. > :03:35.the busiest day of the year for shopping. Hundreds of thousands of
:03:35. > :03:40.us have been out since early this morning to make the final Christmas
:03:40. > :03:44.purchases. A lot of companies have already got sales on or are
:03:44. > :03:46.offering big discounts - all after a difficult year for many of them.
:03:46. > :03:56.Our business correspondent Jamie McIvor is in the heart of Glasgow's
:03:56. > :04:01.shopping district for us. How's it looking tonight? Certainly pretty
:04:01. > :04:04.busy at the moment. A slight gap, but believe you me, there have been
:04:04. > :04:08.hundreds of people here in the past few minutes or so. Appearances can
:04:08. > :04:13.be deceptive as far as the state of the economy is concerned. It has
:04:13. > :04:18.been a pretty torrid year for a lot of major retailers, and as if to
:04:18. > :04:27.bring that point home, there is news this evening that a bid
:04:27. > :04:31.lingerie chain has it finds -- filed for administration. All this
:04:31. > :04:36.is casting something of a shadow over what has been a pretty hectic
:04:36. > :04:41.day for shoppers and shops right across Scotland. Every year it is
:04:41. > :04:45.the same. For weeks, the shops have been ready. But many of us still
:04:45. > :04:51.leave our Christmas shopping until the last minute. Just got paid to
:04:51. > :04:56.date, no money before. The prices are down a little bit so your money
:04:56. > :05:02.goes further. I got paid today. This shopping centre has been open
:05:02. > :05:05.since 7am. They are expecting 90,000 today, and for many
:05:05. > :05:10.retailers, this Christmas is more important than usual. It is
:05:10. > :05:15.important every year, but more so this year. We have had a really bad
:05:15. > :05:21.year, the market went down, a bit doom and gloom. But people are
:05:21. > :05:25.quite buoyant, they seem to be buying a, a lot of carrier bags
:05:25. > :05:28.around, Christmas is important because retailers needed to carry
:05:28. > :05:35.them through the year. Don't confuse how busy shops are with how
:05:35. > :05:39.much money some of them are making. Here at Trust -- six out of 10
:05:39. > :05:44.shops had sales on today. Good news for last-minute bargain hunters but
:05:44. > :05:49.not for those who bought early. Especially for computer games and
:05:49. > :05:56.brings, they have got a few of them, a lot of the master -- half price.
:05:56. > :05:59.Sales and discounts now cap a difficult year for many companies.
:05:59. > :06:05.Habitat disappeared, and many other famous names are shutting many
:06:05. > :06:10.stores. Some shops, though, have found a novel ways of attracting
:06:11. > :06:18.attention. At least some of us have managed to avoid the last minute
:06:18. > :06:22.rush. That is the last winter. Jim Pierce and from Shetland. Along
:06:22. > :06:27.with a lot to people from rural areas, he went on a big shopping
:06:27. > :06:33.trip to the city in good time. buy present in Inverness, not
:06:33. > :06:40.because of the price, but because of the selection, the variety, most
:06:40. > :06:46.shops had 75%, 50%, by one, get one free. You don't see many of that
:06:46. > :06:50.around here. We all like a bargain, even the discounts may not be good
:06:50. > :06:56.news for retailers. Busy as the shops are, this Christmas could
:06:56. > :06:59.also set a record for buying presents online. I thought I would
:06:59. > :07:04.move round to show you a look at this traditional German-style
:07:04. > :07:08.market, which has proved very popular. It is a good way of buying
:07:08. > :07:12.the sort of presence you may be cannot buy in the high-street shops.
:07:12. > :07:16.It could also prove to be the Christmas of the internet. There
:07:16. > :07:20.are predictions across the UK that nearly �200 million could be spent
:07:21. > :07:24.in online shopping this Sunday alone, spending �200 million on
:07:24. > :07:29.Christmas Day. But as for what the Christmas period it will really be
:07:29. > :07:31.like for the economy, we will need to wait till January to find out.
:07:31. > :07:37.Thank you. You're watching Reporting Scotland
:07:37. > :07:40.from the BBC. Still to come on the programme.
:07:40. > :07:46.Scottish military wives and girlfriends join the battle for a
:07:46. > :07:49.Christmas Number One. In sport, the Hibs manager Pat
:07:49. > :07:51.Fenlon says all he wants for Christmas is goals from their new
:07:51. > :07:54.signing. We meet the Scottish winners from
:07:54. > :07:59.the Sports Personality of the Year. And rugby hits the streets of the
:07:59. > :08:08.Capital ahead of the big Edinburgh Glasgow Derby on Boxing Day. All
:08:08. > :08:11.The First Minister is accusing Westminster of "playing games"
:08:11. > :08:15.after the BBC learned that Holyrood could be handed the legal power to
:08:15. > :08:18.run a Scottish independence referendum. The option is one of a
:08:18. > :08:20.number of scenarios being considered, as the House of Lords
:08:20. > :08:30.prepares to examine legislation giving the Scottish parliament more
:08:30. > :08:33.powers. Here's our Westminster correspondent, David Porter.
:08:33. > :08:38.Two parliaments in place and one referendum to come, and who should
:08:38. > :08:42.call it, and when should the vote take place? Are these are key
:08:42. > :08:47.questions surrounding Scotland's future. Conversations are being
:08:47. > :08:50.held in Whitehall which could lead to Holyrood been given the legal
:08:50. > :08:56.responsibility for conducting the ballot. Crucially, any such move
:08:56. > :09:02.would almost certainly contain a deadline for holding the boat. --
:09:02. > :09:06.vote. The aim would be to force MPs's hand on a referendum. Instead
:09:06. > :09:11.of Labour and Tories clotting away in secret meetings, it would be
:09:11. > :09:14.better to let the democratic parliament, elected by the people
:09:14. > :09:19.of Scotland, get on with a referendum, on the timescale we
:09:19. > :09:22.outlined to the people. Transferring responsibility for the
:09:22. > :09:30.vote to Holyrood could be done within the existing code and
:09:30. > :09:35.Richard -- devolution. But it brings risks. Foisting a referendum
:09:35. > :09:39.on Scotland, by parties that are run arguing against it, doesn't
:09:39. > :09:42.strike me as the best way of persuading people in Scotland that
:09:42. > :09:49.devolution can be made to work and that Scotland doesn't need
:09:49. > :09:53.independence. With p is due to begin detailed scrutiny in the New
:09:53. > :09:58.Year of existing plans to give Holyrood more legal power, the
:09:58. > :10:03.existing position of such a plan could be tested soon. Others insist
:10:03. > :10:07.Westminster should keep control of any referendum. I think we need to
:10:07. > :10:11.have the referendum as quickly as possible, to end the uncertainty,
:10:11. > :10:14.so people know where our future lies. That is why I think an
:10:14. > :10:20.amendment to the Scotland Bill which would require the UK
:10:20. > :10:22.government to have around him on whether or not Scotland should run
:10:22. > :10:29.but -- remained part of the UK should be brought forward as
:10:29. > :10:33.quickly as possible. The idea to allow the parliament here to call a
:10:33. > :10:36.referendum is aimed at forcing the MP's hand. Privately, many here
:10:36. > :10:41.feel that the nationalists have been allowed to set the agenda on
:10:41. > :10:44.this issue. They want the Unionist parties to fight harder.
:10:44. > :10:47.Some of the other stories across Scotland this Friday.
:10:47. > :10:51.A 19-year-old man has been remanded in custody after he was charged
:10:51. > :10:55.with throwing a wooden fence and a large stone from a flyover onto a
:10:55. > :10:59.busy dual carriageway. It's alleged the objects struck a car on the A9
:10:59. > :11:04.near Perth on Wednesday evening. Paul Booth made no plea at Perth
:11:04. > :11:06.Sheriff Court. Rail passengers in the west of
:11:07. > :11:10.Scotland could face disruption tomorrow. Signallers working at a
:11:10. > :11:16.new control centre in Glasgow are going on strike for three days in a
:11:16. > :11:19.dispute between the RMT union and Network Rail.
:11:19. > :11:23.A forestry worker was killed after the harvester truck he was driving
:11:23. > :11:28.hit an overhead power line on Skye. 65-year-old John MackInnon from
:11:28. > :11:30.Crossal died at the scene. Yesterday, power was switched off
:11:30. > :11:40.to allow rescue workers access - affecting every property in the
:11:40. > :11:41.
:11:41. > :11:43.This Christmas and New Year, they'll be out in force in their
:11:43. > :11:47.hundreds, patrolling the streets and maintaining law and order - all
:11:47. > :11:51.for free. They're special constables, and there is still much
:11:51. > :11:54.confusion about exactly who they are and what powers they have. Our
:11:54. > :12:01.reporter Cameron Buttle joined a team of specials out on duty in
:12:01. > :12:05.Galashiels. It is a few days before Christmas.
:12:05. > :12:09.Most of us are thinking about putting up our feet, relaxing a bit,
:12:09. > :12:12.having a few drinks. But some people are going to be finishing
:12:12. > :12:19.work and then putting on a uniform and coming out and patrolling the
:12:19. > :12:25.streets. People like Alistair Cameron, microbiologist by day,
:12:25. > :12:27.special constable by night, for more than 15 years. There are
:12:27. > :12:32.hundreds of specials across Scotland on duty, all doing it for
:12:32. > :12:36.free. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about what a special
:12:36. > :12:43.constable does. Often you have explained people, yes, I can arrest
:12:43. > :12:46.people, I have the same powers as a regular paid officer. After some
:12:46. > :12:53.basic training, they can work in nearly every area of modern
:12:53. > :12:57.policing. People think we don't do anything, we are just there to sit
:12:57. > :13:03.about and be an extra number, but we definitely are not. I know
:13:03. > :13:06.myself if an incident happened, that the cop I am working with is
:13:06. > :13:16.going to be there to back me up, and they know that if anything
:13:16. > :13:18.
:13:18. > :13:21.happens, I will be there to back Specials are not part of the daily
:13:22. > :13:28.roster. They are treated as an additional resource, and a welcome
:13:28. > :13:33.one, according to regular offices. They are seen to fill a seat for a
:13:33. > :13:38.uniform of that is definitely not the case. Regular colleagues are
:13:38. > :13:43.genuinely happy to see them. They are extra officers. The are
:13:43. > :13:48.expected to get stuck in? Were do not wrap them in cotton wool. They
:13:48. > :13:55.are expected to pull the weight just like any other of the Sun and
:13:55. > :14:01.they do that. He in the summer, this man offered to patrol the
:14:01. > :14:09.streets down south during the riots. This year he has volunteered to
:14:09. > :14:11.work in the busy period just before Christmas. If you fancy sampling
:14:11. > :14:15.the view from the summit of Cairngorm, strict conservation
:14:15. > :14:17.measures mean that you have to walk up the entire mountain and you
:14:17. > :14:20.can't hitch a ride on the funicular. But a consultation exercise
:14:20. > :14:23.considering the pros and cons of opening up the summit to railway
:14:23. > :14:31.users has just ended and change could be afoot. It's a contentious
:14:31. > :14:35.issue. This is as close as some people
:14:35. > :14:39.could get to the great outdoors because they are forbidden to set
:14:39. > :14:44.foot on the mountain. The rules have been relaxed to pilot small-
:14:45. > :14:49.scale walking tours up his path. During the first trial period, over
:14:50. > :14:56.9,000 people access to summit of Cairngorm. Over 1,000 of them took
:14:56. > :15:00.the train, leading to a 13% increase in numbers reaching the
:15:00. > :15:07.top. A public consultation on the walks has just finished and it is
:15:07. > :15:09.thought the arrangement could become permanent. The parts are
:15:09. > :15:15.within an area of conservation under our habitat sunbirds that a
:15:15. > :15:20.very important as part of our natural heritage. Some of them are
:15:20. > :15:27.very rare. During the trial it was shown that with people walking on
:15:27. > :15:31.the mountain it did not affect the number of them so we are confident
:15:31. > :15:34.we can make it work. Environmentalists warned it is a
:15:34. > :15:38.backward step that will threaten the conservation of the plateau
:15:38. > :15:42.which is protected by European law. It feels this is the thin end of
:15:42. > :15:47.the wedge, opening up the system and not really taking into account
:15:47. > :15:51.the fact that they operate in a beautiful and fragile environment.
:15:51. > :15:55.One just doesn't feel they respect that. What is to stop people
:15:55. > :15:59.wandering away from the path? What is to stop them going be on the
:15:59. > :16:06.summit? Those in charge believe there is no danger in opening up
:16:06. > :16:10.the mountain to all funicular users. We would see the return of large
:16:10. > :16:14.numbers of people going in to see the site. They could be quite a lot
:16:14. > :16:19.of damage and disturbance as a result so we could not really do
:16:19. > :16:24.both, have an open system here and protect European sides. Personally
:16:24. > :16:31.I would not welcome it. I final decision is not expected for a
:16:31. > :16:38.number of months of whatever the outcome, it is likely to be cuts
:16:38. > :16:41.commercial. -- controversial. Rhona's here now with the sport.
:16:41. > :16:44.Scotland's two professional rugby teams know that victory in this
:16:44. > :16:47.year's 1872 Cup could be the key to league success. The Boxing Day
:16:47. > :16:50.clash is between Edinburgh and Glasgow, but league points are also
:16:50. > :16:56.up for grabs. That means there'll be no peace or goodwill on the
:16:56. > :17:02.pitch this Christmas. Here's our rugby reporter, Jim Mason.
:17:02. > :17:07.Edinburgh Castle looks down on a Princes Street full of Christmas
:17:07. > :17:12.shoppers. Sales, bargains and rugby. Rugby players were out on force
:17:12. > :17:17.publicising the vested double header. The game is on Boxing Day
:17:17. > :17:24.but the teams will not be looking for presents. It is for the leaders
:17:24. > :17:29.were led League points up for grabs. We need league points. It is big
:17:29. > :17:34.all round. They are too big gains in terms of rivalry and the game's
:17:34. > :17:41.-- the League. It is very important. The fixture dates back to 1872, the
:17:41. > :17:46.first venue is now this car-park in the West End of Glasgow. It is
:17:46. > :17:50.really important to us. It is a derby game. It is important to the
:17:50. > :17:59.fans but it is massive to us to go out there and do a job. Last year
:17:59. > :18:04.was Glasgow took the honours. Like all derbies, it can be a tasty
:18:04. > :18:06.encounter. There is always a lot of edge around them, the first you
:18:06. > :18:13.contact a huge. There are guys with different strengths and weaknesses
:18:13. > :18:18.that you might try to exploit. There is high in tents in the game
:18:18. > :18:21.and the contact is usually pretty physical. Today was a gentle
:18:21. > :18:24.introduction to rugby. The Hibs manager, Pat Fenlon says
:18:24. > :18:28.he hopes that new striker Owen Doyle will be able to score the
:18:28. > :18:31.goals that could ease the club away from the relegation zone. The 23-
:18:31. > :18:34.year-old has agreed an 18 month deal after leaving the Irish side
:18:35. > :18:44.Sligo Rovers. The Hibs boss says he has been tracking the players
:18:44. > :18:51.progress throughout his career. was a kid I and in the should
:18:51. > :18:59.callboy system. He is a good player. He can play in a few positions. He
:18:59. > :19:05.has ended up be an out-and-out striker. Christmas has come early
:19:05. > :19:07.for the athletes and coaches of the Red Star Club in Glasgow. Last
:19:07. > :19:10.night, the clubs founding members Janice Eaglesham and Ian Mirfin
:19:10. > :19:13.were named winners of the Unsung Hero award at the BBC Sports
:19:13. > :19:16.Personality of the Year ceremony. The husband and wife have worked
:19:16. > :19:23.with hundreds of athletes with a disability over the years, and
:19:23. > :19:33.here's how they got the news. The unsung hero a ward for 2011
:19:33. > :19:35.
:19:35. > :19:40.goes to Janice Eaglesham and Ian Mirfin. 21 years ago, husband-and-
:19:40. > :19:44.wife team at the Jannis the also Man Ian Mirfin founded the Red Star
:19:44. > :19:50.Club for disabled athletes in Glasgow. Since 1990 they have
:19:50. > :19:56.trained, helped and coach over 150 competitors, including medal-
:19:56. > :20:03.winners and a record holders in but the Paralympics and the Special
:20:03. > :20:07.Olympics. We are a bit shocked and stunned so please appreciate this.
:20:08. > :20:12.It is an award for everyone. Scottish Disabilities sport as
:20:12. > :20:18.Scottish athletics do so much good work together. Thank you very much
:20:18. > :20:22.for all of your efforts. I am really proud of them and I have
:20:22. > :20:26.known them for 10 years and they embody everything that is true and
:20:26. > :20:31.passionate about volunteered coaching. They go beyond the call
:20:31. > :20:36.of duty. There are hundreds who are equally deserving and sport would
:20:36. > :20:45.not happen in this country without the volunteers. I would not be
:20:45. > :20:49.where I was without them. Thank you and thank you for being my coaches.
:20:49. > :20:52.Well done to all at Red Star. And a Merry Christmas from all of us on
:20:52. > :20:55.the sports desk. The battle for the Christmas Number
:20:55. > :21:00.One is reaching its final stages, with the song Wherever You Are sung
:21:00. > :21:02.by the Military Wives choir, firmly in the running. The wives and
:21:02. > :21:05.girlfriends of servicemen in Afghanistan were brought together
:21:05. > :21:15.for a TV series, and among them a couple of Scots. Catriona Renton
:21:15. > :21:17.
:21:17. > :21:22.reports. The unsung heroes of war find their
:21:22. > :21:28.voice. This was the proud moment when the choir sang for the Queen
:21:28. > :21:33.at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
:21:33. > :21:43.The lead singer is from Perth. Her husband is in the Royal Electrical
:21:43. > :21:47.
:21:47. > :21:50.and Mechanical Engineers. Kirsty is also in the choir. It was brought
:21:50. > :21:54.together in a television series that follows a military wide scope
:21:54. > :22:01.while their husbands are away. Her husband was serving in Afghanistan
:22:01. > :22:07.at the time. I do not sing. But a few of my friends were going so we
:22:07. > :22:14.decided why not, let us go along and meet new friends of and it just
:22:14. > :22:19.escalated from there. The composer wrote this song and one of his
:22:19. > :22:22.pieces was also performed at the Royal Wedding. We heard that the
:22:22. > :22:29.roles have backed it so we are really pleased about that. It has
:22:29. > :22:34.been an unbelievable year. Last year I could not have hoped for
:22:35. > :22:38.this. It has been absolutely unbelievable. Now the ladies of the
:22:38. > :22:43.bookies favourites for the Christmas number one. Never!
:22:43. > :22:48.Christmas number one. It it is just... Words cannot describe the
:22:48. > :22:58.feeling. It still seems a bit so real, going into shops and saying
:22:58. > :23:14.
:23:14. > :23:18.it and knowing my voices on that it and knowing my voices on that
:23:18. > :23:22.single.. As we go into the seething there
:23:22. > :23:28.are the lot of dry weather around. Later on there will be some rain
:23:28. > :23:32.pushing him. The showers are fading away at with dry and clear
:23:32. > :23:39.conditions and a touch of frost. Towards the early hours rain is
:23:39. > :23:42.pushing him towards the Highlands and down towards Strathclyde.
:23:42. > :23:47.Across the North East and eastern parts of the country it could get
:23:47. > :23:51.down to freezing or just under. On Christmas Eve it will be a wet and
:23:51. > :23:57.windy day. They could be gale-force gusts from the south-west. Heavy
:23:57. > :24:01.rain is pushing further east. On the east coast they are drier and
:24:01. > :24:05.brighter conditions, particularly in the north-east corner. In the
:24:05. > :24:09.afternoon there are milder conditions and today. It will be
:24:09. > :24:13.pretty soggy if you are getting last-minute Christmas shopping,
:24:13. > :24:20.particularly in central and western parts of the country. Towards the
:24:20. > :24:29.east coast is drier. If you are out and about hill-walking or climbing,
:24:29. > :24:35.it will be wet and windy. It will be mild across the summits. One or
:24:35. > :24:42.two areas will be drier. That could be the northern Cairngorms. There
:24:42. > :24:46.will be drizzle and light rain but also strong winds. In to Christmas
:24:46. > :24:50.Eve and all is calm for a while. The showers well, the rain will
:24:50. > :24:56.ease. It will be back for a vengeance on Christmas Day. The
:24:56. > :25:01.wind will stay strong. On Christmas Day strong to gale force winds. We
:25:01. > :25:08.have the yellow force -- the yellow warning in force. It will be cloudy
:25:08. > :25:13.with drizzle and light rain. It will be a mild Christmas Day across
:25:13. > :25:18.the whole of Scotland. Probably the highest temperature will be 14
:25:18. > :25:28.Celsius. It will not be the all- time record but you will not
:25:28. > :25:32.remember that. On Boxing Day, the rain and gales are never ending.
:25:32. > :25:39.The weather front will push in and bring heavy rain. If it starts a
:25:39. > :25:45.dry in -- if you start to dry you'll get the rain later and vice
:25:46. > :25:48.versa. It will stay windy from the south-west.
:25:48. > :25:51.Now, just before 7 o'clock, a summary of tonight's top stories:
:25:51. > :25:53.Airlines, train companies and retailers are to be banned from
:25:53. > :25:57.charging excessive credit or debit card fees. Some companies are
:25:57. > :26:01.charging up to �8 for a transaction that costs as little as 20p to
:26:02. > :26:04.process. Nancy Pollock, the mother of a
:26:04. > :26:07.murdered Paisley man, has appealed for help in finding her son's
:26:07. > :26:09.killer. Stephen Pollock was shot dead on Wednesday evening at the
:26:09. > :26:13.town's Weaver Terrace. More than 40 people have been
:26:13. > :26:17.killed in what are believed to have been two suicide bombings in the
:26:17. > :26:19.Syrian capital, Damascus. State television said it suspected Al-
:26:19. > :26:21.Qaeda. Opposition activists accused the government of staging the
:26:21. > :26:22.blasts to influence an Arab League observer team monitoring the
:26:22. > :26:25.treatment of pro-democracy protestors.
:26:25. > :26:28.Today's expected to be the busiest day of the year for shopping.
:26:28. > :26:34.Hundreds of thousands of us have been out since early this morning
:26:34. > :26:37.to finish off our Christmas shopping.
:26:37. > :26:40.We'll have news summaries all through the Festive period. But
:26:40. > :26:44.this is the last full edition of Reporting Scotland for 2011. So as