14/04/2014 Reporting Scotland

calls for UN peacekeepers to be sent in. That's all from the BBC News at

Six. Tonight, on Reporting Scotland: The

Red Road flats u-turn. Fears about safety and security led Commonwealth

Games chiefs to scrap their demolition plans for the opening

ceremony. Meanwhile there's just 100 days till

the Games begin. A teenager appears in court charged

with the murder of a 51-year-old woman and the attempted murder of

her elderly partner in their Glasgow home. And this is the medal all the

athletes will hope to get their hands on.

?11 million over budget and five years late, but Dunfermline's flood

prevention scheme is still a long way from completion. We have a

special report. And we look back at an historic day

for St Johnstone as they made it through to their first ever Scottish

Cup final. Good evening. Plans to blow up five

Glasgow tower blocks as part of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth

Games were scrapped because the organisers fear protestors could

threaten safety and security. That was the reason given for the u-turn

by the 2014 chief executive today. The decision came just ten days

after the idea was first unveiled, by which time more than 17,000

people had signed an online petition opposing the plan. Catriona Renton

reports. Gone in just 15 seconds. This was the site when one of the

Red Road Towers was brought down in the past. The centrepiece of the

opening ceremony was to bring five of the remaining six blocks down.

But critics launched a petition saying it was insensitive to former

residents and asylum seekers who live there. Yesterday organisers

announced the plan would be abandoned.

We had recommendations from police Scotland that the nature of some of

the opposition would make this not a commemorative event but a potential

protest. But is this just they way of saving

face? Were you more concerned that the protest might be embarrassing?

Safety and security with the concerns. From that standpoint, the

nature of the risk was something we needed to look at and move forward.

The organisers said the demolition would be a commemoration, not a

celebration. A sign that Glasgow was moving on. But those whose and the

petition -- signed the petition did not agree.

Had there been broad public support, I am confident we could have secured

the site. But the world is different now. I am pleased, not surprised,

but pleased that the organisers are responding to security issues which

must be at the heart of their thinking.

These flats are a part of the Glasgow skyline. Mixed views amongst

locals. They have been here since I was a

young girl. I don't want them brought down, they are legendary.

I have been looking at them for 40 years, the returning? They have

always been an eyesore. One of the men behind the original

it told us what he thinks. Glaswegians are proud of their

neighbourhoods, and their city. The idea of demolishing flats, as if it

was something to celebrate, when people are being evacuated from

their homes, it was insensitive. The organisers should be congratulated

for recognising that decision. The flats are still going to be

demolished, but the eyes of the world will not be on them now.

Organisers had been hoping to make the headlines today as they marked

100 days to go to that opening ceremony, rather than their u-turn

on the Red Road flats. They have also been unveiling the medals they

will be handing out to athletes. Our Games reporter Jane Lewis has been

getting a look at them. Today is a significant milestone for

Glasgow 2014 organisers, and in the last hour here at the Kelvingrove

Art Galleries, they will be hoping to put the controversy of the Red

Road flats behind them. They have been unveiling the medals and will

hope that the focus is on them now. As I say, they have unveiled the

medals for the Commonwealth Games. A roomful of specially invited guests.

This was a bit more like it. Celebrating the milestone of 100

days to go. No controversy, instead, the medals on show. The end product

of months of painstaking work by the man charged with designing and also

making the medals. Blood sweat and tears has gone into

those medals. Just like the way athletes train, going through hell

and back, so have we. We were inspired by Glasgow, trying

to make something that reflects the industrial past. But something that

does not look static. Thinking about athletes, it is all about movement.

We wanted something that can be looked upon almost as if it was

moving. This man has his fair share of

medals. The athletes will not be worrying

too much about the press, and the photographs, when the medals are

unveiled, because you don't want to focus on the medals before you

compete. But once you win it, you're on the podium, the national anthem

was playing, there is nothing like it.

The only question is, whose neck will the add-on? -- will they adorn?

I am joined now by Lord Smith, the Chairman of Glasgow 2014. Before we

talk about the medals, it's been a testing day for the Galsgow 2014

officials in light of the Red Road flats u-turn, is this an

embarrassing change of heart? I would not describe it as a U-turn.

You judge people by the solutions they bring. You would not normally

consult on a creative thing like an opening and closing ceremony but in

this case we absolutely had to, because we were bringing down a

building. Glasgow Housing Association were talking to local

residents anyway, we want to consult because of the safety and security

issue. As the conversation went on it became clear it could turn from a

commemoration into a protest and the police contacted us on Friday

evening, contacted me, saying, we believe there is a heightened

security and safety risk. We said at the outset, if there is a safety

risk, we will not go ahead with that. But we'll still quite a lot.

It was only 20 seconds of a two our programme. There will still be

plenty about the social history of Glasgow. -- two hours. I think the

medals are wonderful. There is so much Glasgow craftsmanship. Hints of

cranes, cultural icons. It is stunning, and the reaction was very

positive. And the uniforms as well. I agree, the medals are absolutely

stunning. Back to the studio. A 19-year-old man has appeared in

court accused of the murder of Isabelle Sanders from the Crookston

area of Glasgow. She was found dead at her home last week. Her partner

was seriously injured. Julie Peacock reports. Paul McManus of Govan

appeared in private court today, charged with the murder of Isabel

Sanders, and the attempted murder of her 85-year-old part, Norman Busby.

-- partner. The stabbing to place in the early hours of Tuesday morning

in her home in Crookston, shocking the quiet residential area. Norman

remains in hospital in a stable condition, he is expected to stay

for some time. McManus has also been charged with assault and attempting

to steal a car in connection with an earlier incident taken place just a

few hundred yards from the home in the hours before the attack. He made

no plea or declaration and has been remanded in custody. He will appear

in court again next Tuesday. A 20-year-old man has been charged

with the murder of William McLachlan in Largs at the weekend. Jamie

Cameron made no plea or declaration and has been remanded in custody.

19-year-old Jordan Skeoch has also been charged with assault in

connection with Mr McLachlan's death. A third man has been released

without charge. William McLachlan's body was discovered outside his home

in Holehouse road just before seven o'clock on Saturday morning.

You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come on

tonight's programme: Residents in Dunfermline are left waiting and

waiting for a flood prevention scheme that's already five years

late, and is now in limbo. In sport, St Johnstone look forward

to their first Scottish Cup final with new contract talks for their

star striker Stevie May. And they call him the fastest man in

rugby - he plays for Glasgow Warriors but can the star of the

Melrose Sevens sprint into the reckoning in the 15s game? All that

and more, coming soon. Aberdeen has seen the largest

increase in disposable income in the UK since the credit crunch,

according to a study of economic figures. The accountancy group UHY

Hacker Young say households in the Granite City have benefited from

both the collapse in the UK's mortgage costs, and the oil boom.

Steven Duff is in the city for us tonight, good news if you live in

Aberdeen then, Steven? This business park behind me is

probably testament to that, companies all brand-new moving in.

Aberdeen, it has been said, has had a good recession, if there is such a

thing. Sheltered by the global oil and gas industry. Aberdeen has

topped this list since 2007, before this recession will stop an increase

of just over 2800 pounds. Brighton and Belfast were mixed on the list.

Glasgow and Edinburgh well down the list. Glasgow had the biggest

increase in disposable income, but still more money to play with in

Edinburgh. We already know from other surveys that Aberdeen has the

highest amount of multi-billionaires than any other part of the country,

and more sales of 4x4 vehicles. A sign of wealth.

Presumably not everybody has benefited?

That's right. The streets are not all paved with gold. Some of the

most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. People will look at this

survey and say, I'm sorry, that is not he. -- me.

Police investigating the death of a 19-year-old woman, after she was

taken unwell in a house in Renfrew yesterday evening, believe she may

have taken the illegal drug methadrone, known as MCAT. Two other

women and two men, aged from 18 to 31, who were also in the house on

Paisley Road, are in hospital. Police have warned the public not to

take illicit drugs and to stay away from unknown substances.

Dunfermline residents say they're worried that the town's troubled

flood prevention scheme will cause them years of further disruption.

The project is five years late and more than ?11 million over budget.

In January, Fife council sacked the building contractor but ahead of a

public meeting this week, they said they expect the project to be

completed by the end of October. Steven Godden reports. The The aim

was simple, to protect homes in Don Bradman from flooding. This was in

2007. I understood the whole thing was going to be about two years at

the most. It's now 2014 and they still haven't completed it. Roads

closed, potholes on the road, bulldozers. Along large stretches of

the burn or signs of our project in limbo. The company responsible for

building the flood pretty pension scheme was sacked. -- flood

prevention. This woman lives close to the scheme. This has always been

a fight, a fight about a design that never quite meshed. Constantly

having to go backwards and forwards, positions of things wrong,

measurements wrong, continuing to go back for clarification and sometimes

waiting months for answers. The project designers, Atkins, said they

would continue to work with the council. The council and the company

declined to be interviewed. The council said they would supervise a

new contract, they expect work to begin again in June and be finished

by October. I would say not in my lifetime, but I think it will go on

for a long time. A public meeting is planned for Wednesday. Those who

have grown weary of living in the shadow of the project need

convincing that the end is in sight. The UK Defence Secretary has

revealed everything is up for grabs in the event of a yes vote in

September's referendum. But the Head of the Better Together Campaign

Alistair Darling has said this only refers to defence. The Scottish

Government says this signals that there will be a currency union in an

independent Scotland. Our political correspondent Lucy Adams reports.

It is the debate that just won't go away. Like any game of poker, the

players are reluctant to show their hand. It means the questions just

keep coming. Could an independent Scotland get rid of nuclear weapons?

Would it keep the pound and pay is proportion of the UK national debt.

Philip Hammond has added further uncertainty. He has told the Herald

newspaper that everything is up for grabs in the event of our yes vote.

But the UK government has been adamant that it will not negotiate

on the pound. The SNP are clear that they would get rid of Trident. But

who is bluffing? It makes for confusing reading. Today in Glasgow,

Alistair Darling said that Philip Hammond's comments on the apply to

defence. Everything about defence will have to be discussed. Not just

the question of Trident, but how you split army, the Navy, what you would

do in terms of future procurement of supplies. We don't need that risk.

The Deputy First Minister said this undermines the UK government's

position on currency. Philip Hammond's comments render the

currency bluff of the no campaign to nothing more than dust. If nothing

is known negotiate will as far as the UK government is concerned, it

is not the case that there is no option for currency union. The

Scottish government has put forward its proposal. It's not end its gift

to say for sure what the outcome would be. It can put forward a case

and say it is confident that this will be the outcome, but issues like

currency, Trident and energy, all of these things would be matters that

would be on the negotiating table. If this were a game of poker, the

players would be wise not to show their hand. But people want to know

with certainty what is going to happen to the future of their

pension, the pound in their back pocket and the safety of their

families. Details on these key components are in short supply.

A look at other stories from the across the country.

Scottish rugby is helping to fund research at Aberdeen University into

spinal injuries. Scientists there are believed to be the first in the

world to use a combination of methods to try to repair such

injuries. The work includes a biodegradable bridge for the spinal

cord made of silk fibre. If this kind of therapy comes to

fruition, it would only benefit those who are injured playing

rugby, but those who are injured worldwide in accidents.

Kirkton of Skene in Aberdeenshire has become Scotland's first rural

community outside the Highlands and Islands to be connected to superfast

broadband. It's part of a project to bring fibre connections to

hard-to-reach areas. By the end of 2017, well over 95% of

the premises in Scotland will have the ability to access the next

generation infrastructure. That is a huge achievement.

Nearly 100,000 trees are being planted in the RSPB's Forest Nature

Reserve at Abernethy in an attempt to restore the native Caledonian

pine forest in Speyside. The aim is to connect the largest single

remnant of ancient pine forest to other parts nearby.

The Tobermory lifeboat has travelled 90 miles in heavy seas to reach a

cargo vessel drifting off the Western Isles. The huge ship lost

steering in ten-metre high waves south-west of Tiree at the weekend.

Rescue crews had to wait over 24 hours for a tug to arrive from

Aberdeen and attach a line to the freighter early this morning.

While the focus was on the London Marathon yesterday, a man from Skye

ran and walked the equivalent of almost five marathons over the

weekend. Despite atrocious weather, Ally K MacPherson completed the 125

mile course in 35 hours. Hundreds gathered in Portree to greet him at

the end of his challenge. It was just non stop wind and rain,

torrential. Blowing a howling gale as well, but we just soldiered on,

got our head down, cracked on and got the job done.

Time to catch up on tonight's sport with Rhona. Great excitement for all

St Johnstone fans everywhere. Some very happy faces yesterday.

The St Johnstone manager says talks have already started on a new

contract for top scorer Stevie May. It's a reward for his 25 goals so

far this season, the last two being particularly significant yesterday

as the striker shot his home town into their first ever national cup

final. They'll take on Dundee United in a Tayside derby next month for

the Scottish Cup. Kheredine Idessane has more.

There is nothing like a Scottish cup final to inspire the next

generation. It will be fantastic if they win. I think that Saints are

the best team ever. It would be really happy. They are into the cup

final for the first time. How do you feel about that? Happy. My mum

cried. And my dad. Did you cry as well? No.

The tactics were spot on. And the man who drew them up is well aware

of the emotion he has inspired. There were people at the club last

night. People who've never seen them in the Scottish cup final. We have

had phone calls this morning, in 91-year-old man saying he was

crying. Kings of Scotland used to be crowned near here.

They have had a football tour since 1884. In all that time, Saint

Johnstone have never reached the Scottish cup final. Very poignant

for a family who have had a son and a family as chairman. All I can say

is it is a fantastic feeling. And fitting that a local Perth boy got

both goals to take St Johnstone into the final.

Glasgow Warriors are gathering momentum just at the right time of

the season. In the Pro 12, they ended Munsters 13-match unbeaten

streak. It's the first time a Scottish team has won at Thomond

Park ground in six years. Tries from Jonny Gray, Sean Maitland and Josh

Strauss put the Warriors into fourth place in the Pro12. And just to put

the icing on the cake, the Warriors also claimed the Melrose Sevens'

title. Now check the speed of this man.

They call Carlin Isles the fastest man in rugby. Very impressive stuff,

but we asked a current Scotland international player if he thinks

the American can succeed in the 15-a-side game.

I think he is quite unique in the sense that he has made for a very

good sevens player. He is very quick. But it is a difficult

crossover. Some guys do very well, others not so well. There is not as

much space on the field. But it will be interesting to see how he gets

on. Now, a look at what else is

happening across Scottish sport. Scotland's Stephen Gallacher

finished six over par in his first ever US Masters, 14 shots off the

winner Bubba Watson.. The only other Scot in the field, Sandy Lyle, was

nine over, but celebrated a century of rounds in the iconic event.

I was told it would be my 100th competitive round in the Masters. I

had no idea had gone that far. Two world titles and two world

records for Aberdeens Neil Fachie. The Paralympic champion and pilot

Peter Mitchell topped the podium twice at the Para-cycling World

Championships in Mexico. The world records were the highlights for

Fachie. To break the minute barrier for the

colour matter, and the ten second barrier, it is something I have

always wanted to do. Scotland midfielder Kim Little has

impressed on her debut for the American club Seattle Reign. The

former Hibs and Arsenal star played just after a nine-hour flight and

scored twice in their 3-nil win over Boston Breakers.

And there are more sports stories plus all the latest news, 24 hours a

day on BBC Sport Scotland's website. That is it for tonight.

Now to the weather. Good evening. It has been a

beautiful day across the country. We saw some lovely sunshine across the

country. It was pleasant in the sunshine as the sun started to get

that bit warmer. As we head into the evening, we hold onto the clear

skies saw temperatures dropping away quite quickly and leading to a frost

in some parts of the country. Temperatures two or three Celsius

across most of the country. Lord perhaps in the Grampians. -- lower.

Tomorrow, we hold on to the drier conditions. Good spells of sunshine.

Very similar to the day we saw today. Lots of sunshine and

respectable temperatures. We could be looking at 14-15 Celsius. Holding

on to the sunny conditions as we head further north as well. Plenty

of sunshine across more northern parts. But we will see more in the

way of cloud coming into the Northwest. A fine day to come for

the Northern Isles. As we head into the evening, very little changes.

Plenty of sunshine, and any light cloud will not spoil the day. The

wind starting to freshen up across the Hebrides by the end of the

evening. The high-pressure starts to move away, introducing this weather

front on Wednesday, bringing some rain. But across southern and

eastern Scotland, dry and sunny. Thank you.

Now, a reminder of tonight's main news.

The chief executive of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games said that plan

play-mac to demolish the Red Road flats because of fears that

protesters could threaten safety and security. And that's Reporting

Scotland. I'll be back with the headlines at eight and the late

bulletin just after the ten o'clock news. Until then, from everyone on

the team, have a very good evening. And became a model for how art,

music and philanthropy In 1750, two visionaries

were brought together This was a benefit concert

on a massive scale.