24/04/2012 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight: Alex Salmond had a good

dinner West... Opposition parties called for an immediate

investigation into claims that Alex Salmond offered to lobby the UK

Government over the Murdoch Comp -- empire's bitter takeover BSkyB. The

Scottish Football Association slap a transfer ban on Rangers after

their investigation into the club and its owner. It is a disgrace.

Despicable. I think there is an The club's administrators have

lodged an urgent appeal. Also tonight: More than 40 years later,

David Hayman returns to the Glasgow the 80 which critics said he was in

danger of closing last time round. And we will be live in Hampden work

Spain will come calling at the London Olympics this summer.

Alex Salmond has strongly denied any impropriety end his

relationship with Rupert Murdoch and his bed to take over BSkyB.

James Murdoch, Mr Murdoch's son, and until recently the chairman of

BSkyB, told the Leveson Inquiry into press standards that the First

Minister had offered to lobby the UK Government for the controversial

takeover to go ahead. Mr Salmond said there was never any contact

with the UK Government over the matter. But opposition parties say

he has got questions to answer. Alex Salmond has repeatedly faced

criticism. This controversy centres on the former bit for full control

of the satellite broadcaster BSkyB. The issue was raised today at the

Levison inquiry into press ethics. James Murdoch denied that the

culture secretary Jeremy Hunt had acted as a cheerleader for the bed

within the UK Government. But he did agree that the company had been

seeking supportive voices, one of them was the First Minister Alex

Salmond. He had offered to be supportive as at a Scottish

politician and leader. Now the responsibility had shifted to Mr

Hunt, we were in the under Commons -- undertaking says. FPC and other

places, Mr Hunt's adviser suggested we should find allies, and Mr

Salmond had already said that he thought that this might be a good

transaction for Scotland. But Mr Murdoch denied the suggestion that

the suggestion from Mr Salmond was in return for our -- for anything

else. I can tell you that it is false. The News Corporation bid for

BSkyB was abandoned in July last year as the row broke over phone

hacking. Mr Salmond's opponents said he had questions to answer.

would appear the First Minister has put his office at the disposal of

Rupert Murdoch and News International in a commercial bed.

It now turns out that our First Minister has a working relationship

with Rupert Murdoch, a man responsible for her phone hacking

right across the UK. It is time Mr Salmon turned up in Parliament and

explain himself. Tonight Mr Salmond denied any wrongdoing. I met with a

man dot about employment in Scotland. What is in the e-mails is

chatter with News International. I never phoned or spoke to Jeremy

Hunt on the issue. So the conspiracy theory falls on the

first hurdle. He also confirmed he remains willing to give evidence to

the Leveson Inquiry. Bryan joins me now. So I'll miss

that -- Alex Salmond has issued at stamen tonight. Does that answer

all the questions? Not at all. He says the prospect of that his staff

of utter nonsense. Get there are points he wishes to ask about, he

will answer them later. Mr Salmond is not denying he was in contact

with Mr Murdoch and his son. He is not explicitly denying the

existence of e-mails suggesting that his staff, his aides were

offering to support the BSkyB application. What he is denying is

that there was any quid pro quo for favourable treatment in the sun. He

denies that he contacted Jeremy Hunt. There was no letter, no phone

call and he is denying explicitly any wrongdoing on his part.

It is a decision which could kill Rangers football club. That is a

warning from Ally McCoist responding to the news that Rangers

have been banned from buying players for one year, as punishment

for financial irregularities. Tonight the judicial panel set up

by the Scottish Football Association which handed down the

punishment was accused of not understanding the commercial impact

of the ban, upon all the club and Scottish football as a whole. Here

is our football correspondent Chris McLoughlin.

For sale, one football club heavily in debt, unable to buy players and

facing a multi-million-pound tax bill and also facing the prospect

of even more for all sanctions. As the club lurches from one crisis to

another off the field, on it the players have been winning and

giving the fans some sense of pop. But for how much longer? The

Scottish Football Association have put their club with a one-year ban.

And that has led to a warning tonight from the man in charge of

the team. This decision could kill our football club, a simple as that.

The people who have made the decision, they are not to blame and,

they are nothing like totally to blame, but this decision could help

the football club. Key players at the club have clauses in their deal

to lever a certain fee so Rangers could lose top stars and have no

means to replace them. So it will be window-shopping only for the

manager in the summer. Safe to say the fans are not pleased about the

sanctions. It is a disgrace. Despicable. I think there is a --

an obvious agenda against Rangers. Far, far too much. The Scottish

Football Association said it tried to be independent. In terms of

football such as it does not end there. The SPL is inquiring as an

inquiry. An independent tribunal will decide on punishment.

Our Business Editor Douglas Fraser is at Ibrox Forest. We heard there

from Ally McCoist, Rangers saying that the people who imposed this

transfer ban do not understand the commercial impact it will have. Is

that fair to say? We got a response from the Scottish

Football Association, Stewart Reagan putting out a statement. It

seeks to explain the process, saying it was an independent way of

reaching an agreement. It was one on behalf of Rangers Football Club.

He says there is a need to reinvigorate Scottish football and

that Rangers is integral to the future prosperity of the game. It

points to one of the problems of a bother to have here, they need to

send a signal that other clubs cannot do as Rangers has done. It

has to be a tough enough penalty that this does not happen again.

But at the same time they need to see that have a team like this can

get back to health. Returning to health gets more difficult as a

result of that judgement that they are not allowed to sign senior

players. The remaining bidders will now go back and look at this. They

have not said anything today about what they're going to do in

response to this, but from the administrators yesterday and after

this ruling, they are concerned that the complexity and hostility

that is around this whole process, could force these bidders to polite.

They say, it could be worse outcome for Rangers for Bob club.

You are watching Reporting Scotland on the BBC. Still to come: A

Canadian expert warns that an independence referendum here should

ask voters just a single question. And then you wildcat family are

discovered living in their Cairngorms National Park.

In sport: More from Rangers including the suspension of Kyle

Lafferty. And liqueurs coming to hand in. The Olympic football draw

has been made - world number one Spain and heading -- are heading

north. And in the women's competition, it is Olympic and

world champions USA. All the sport coming soon.

The trial of Nat Fraser from Elgin, who was accused of murdering his

wife 14 years ago, has heard how he joked about her disappearance. The

jury at a High Court in Edinburgh has been hearing evidence from

Arlene Fraser's mother, Isobel Thompson.

Isobel Thompson said it was the day after the Arlina missing that she

learnt of what happened to her daughter. She said she drove to

Elgin and top to police. The following day they went to Ali's

house to follow close to her whereabouts. Staying in her home

for the next because. She says sometimes they were joined by Nat

Fraser. On one occasion she talked about how he spoke of how

disappearance. She said:... Of her disappearance. She also told the

jury she had confronted Nat Fraser, asking if he had done anything to

Arlene. His reply, I would not have Arlina. She said, you would not

have her anyway, she was divorcing you. She said Arlene's rings had

not been seen in the house. She said that if she had seen them, she

would have given them to the police. But she was aware they had turned

up at the house later. In the cross-examination, the court heard

that three men accused of the murder, including a man called

Hector. He had left the dock and given evidence for the prosecution.

She said that he would reveal the location, but he did not. She wrote

and later when she felt -- was asked how she felt about where

Arlene was. The trial at the High Court continues.

An international elections expert has warned against a two question

referendum on independence. The Canadian consultant, Ron Gould, has

said one clear question with an agreement on what a clear majority

would be is the best way to avoid a disputed outcome. He is a political

correspondent Glenn Campbell. When the 2007 Holyrood election

turned into a shambles, election watchdogs turned to an independent

expert. This is the original ballot paper from 1994. This man supervise

the first South African elections before Scotland -- starting at

Scotland cause it -- Scotland's controversial count. He says as

simple majority could be problematic. The UK is going to

scream. It is not the majority of the Scottish people. The federalist

stance to with joy -- dance with joy.

At home, the First Minister says as simple majority has always been

decisive. In this country referendum has been decided on a

majority vote. That is why it is democracy, that is why it is a

referendum. The number of yes Watts,... En 1979, I "yes" vote

failed to deliver devolution to Scotland. Because the referendum

threshold was higher than the 40% rule. The Greek Government says it

would accept a simple majority as a win this time, but it has to say if

it would be enough to deliver independence.

What is when in the referendum? What we need is a referendum that

is fair, legal and decisive. These are not the details for Holyrood to

settle, they could determine the outcome of Scotland's history-

making vote. I look now at what else has been happening over the

A school bus driver has been praised for her leading her

passengers to safety and calling the emergency services when there

was at bang in the engine which could have caused a serious

accident. There are safety concerns in the offshore oil industry. And

help for a veterans to settle back end to every day life, money to go

to 11 schemes across the country. And in expansion of life technology

services in Renfrewshire. This gives us at a critical mass here

and builds on the production we already have in Europe. Ultimately

a lot it allows us to serve our customers. And an elderly female

osprey of around 26 years old and on her 4th mate has had three eggs.

An Aberdeenshire harbour could be improved by �2 million. A Perth

Show village will twinned with an American village. Their respective

names are Dull and Boring. He once played Hamlet, naked, in a 1970

production at Glasgow Citizens' Theatre when he was described by

one critic as, "A gibbering oaf who'd close the theatre down". But

more than 40 years later, the theatre is still in business and

the actor David Hayman has returned to play another of Shakespeare's

great roles, King Lear. Our Arts Correspondent Pauline McLean

reports. He is one of Scotland's best known film and television

actors but David Hayman did not need persuading to turn -- a return

to the stage for a king Lear. can be in front of a camera for 10

years and there is no excitement there. Television acting is about

the heaving. Bad behaviour is something David Hayman was famous

for in the 1970s, whether playing Macbeth in drag or Hamlet needed.

It is that kind of buzz they are keen to be capture. For us to be

important and relevant for the community of Glasgow then

absolutely they will come. They were looking for two old pianos for

the set and in the end they got 17. It is distressing to see them in

such a bad State of repair but the function, just in a different way

in this respect. For many actors, King Lear is the pinnacle of their

career. David Hayman has no plans to retire and is already planning

more or stage appearances. Time now for some sport from Rhona McLeod.

The Rangers manager, Alan McCoist, says that the planned to impose at

12 month embargo on transfers could kill the club. The Rangers

administrators have the written to the SFA chief executive Stewart

Regan to appeal in the 12 month transfer embargo and fine imposed

on the club. And they say they want to get dealt with quickly.

Meanwhile, the striker, Kyle Lafferty, has received a two week

suspension. The club will not reveal the reason why but it's

believed he failed to report for last weekend's SPL game against

Hearts. Lafferty agreed a 75% wage cut last month and renegotiated his

transfer fee. It now seems unlikely he will play for the club again.

The organisers of this summer's London Olympics say today's

football draw will boost ticket sales at Hampden. The European

Under 21 champions Spain and the defending women's champions, the

USA, are coming to Scotland's national stadium. And as our

Olympics correspondent, Kheredine Idessane, reports, fans here have

been reacting positively to the news. They are the world and

European champions. Their best young players are coming to Glasgow.

They have brought the most recent successful players across the world.

Will the fans come out for Olympic football now you? I think people

will turn out in numbers at Camden because Scottish people are very

passionate about future football. - - at Hampden. I am excited to see

the under 21 coming through. will be good to see where football

is coming from for once. I think having a big event, part of the

Olympics in Glasgow makes us feel part of it. It is good. Spain

against Japan and Morocco against Honduras are part of the men's

group. In deep woman's group there are other international matches.

There is a hope that today's draw will boost interest and also that

there will be a boost for the Glasgow economy. Major markets for

Glasgow, Spain and the United States bring together over 160,000

visitors into Glasgow every year. Be warned, the Americans may get

carried away after all, they are the world number ones and the

defending Olympic champions. And we can join Kheredine live at Hampden.

Are organisers now encouraged that perhaps these tickets at Hampden

will now sell? They are making positive noises. They have said all

along we had to wait for the draw until the interest in tickets

picked up. There are 250,000 tickets up for grabs. Still 230,000

are up for grabs with less than 100 days to go until the football. With

Spain coming and the defending Olympic champions America coming

that will certainly take some interest. One guy said he would

come and watch it Spain but he would not come and watch Team GB.

He does not need to worry about that, they are playing their

matches down in Cardiff. That is where they have been drawn. They

have been drawn in a group with Brazil, Cameroon and New Zealand.

Thank you very much. Conservationists have discovered

previously unknown populations of Scottish wildcats living in the

Cairngorm National Park. But scientists are warning the species

remains under threat because of cross-breeding with domestic cats.

Our Environment Correspondent, David Miller, reports. They are

bigger and fiercer than their domestic cousins of but Scotland's

domestic wildcats are in danger. They have been using camera traps

to find out more about these exclusive teachers with some

exciting results. We have discovered a population of wild

cats in the south of the national park that we did not know existed.

This is about as close as any of us are likely to get to a real live

wild cat but was it just about insuring that animals like best

surviving in the wild or ensuring that the species prospers in

future? If they are to survive and prosper by spreading into new ad is

the neutering of domestic and feral cats living in wildcat territory

will be vital. We are not proposing that if you live in the Highlands

you cannot have a domestic cat as a pet or if you are a farmer you will

not have domestic cats for rodent control but you cannot have them

breeding randomly with whomever is about. We have to correct the

problems we have created. Most of the problems in the wild cat have

been created by people. It is not hard to see why this animal is

sometimes called the Highland Tiger. It is in a battle for survival, a

fight it will only when with our help. Now time for the latest

weather. We have certainly seen a fair number of showers across the

country today. Denied the showers will be easing. The showers will

stay in play across the far north but inland across Scotland it is

generally dry and cloudy. There will be some clear spells. Low

pressure is the culprit behind the weather at the moment. The focus is

being down towards England but at the moment we have some showers

pushing in at times. Across the north and east there is a yellow

warning for a heavy rain. We could see some tricky driving conditions

with deriving water on the roads. Whence strengthening from the

north-east. The best weather and temperatures will be across the

south and west. Cloudy with outbreaks of rain continuing across

the East. Orkney & Shetland will have plenty of sunshine and a dry

day tomorrow. For the rest of the afternoon and into evening it will

stay generally dry in those area where it was pleasant earlier.

Showers elsewhere. There is an early warning for rain on Thursday.

Any sudden, eastern and northern parts of the country will have some

heavy and persistent rain. Temperatures around 13 Celsius at

best but with the northerly wind feeling quite cool. On Wednesday

there will be drier and brighter conditions towards the south and

west, unsettled weather in the north. Now just before 7 o'clock, a

summary of tonight's top stories. The First Minister has denied any

impropriety in his relationship with Rupert Murdoch. James Murdoch

told the Levenson inquiry that Alex Salmond had offered to lobby the UK

Government for the controversial takeover of BSkyB to go ahead. Ally

McCoist says the decision to impose a one-year transfer embargo on

Rangers football club could tell it off. He has lodged an urgent appeal

against the decision. The trial of Nat Fraser from Elgin who is