:00:00. > :00:00.Through Sunday and inch or two inches of rain, gales are possible
:00:00. > :00:08.Independence campaigners say no UK Prime Minister with any sense
:00:09. > :00:10.would ever oppose a currency union with an independent
:00:11. > :00:13.Scotland - but Ed Miliband says that if HE became Prime Minister, Labour
:00:14. > :00:19.We'll be looking at the options for the pound in your pocket.
:00:20. > :00:21.Also on the programme, childcare demands -
:00:22. > :00:26.more than 12,000 children are on waiting lists for nursery places.
:00:27. > :00:28.And the controversial Rangers chief executive,
:00:29. > :00:33.Charles Green, is close to involving himself with the club once again.
:00:34. > :00:39.a place in the Champions League - because of an administrative error.
:00:40. > :00:44.And the Boring tale of why this US town is planning a Dull celebration
:00:45. > :00:58.We will start with bagpipes and do some traditional American folk
:00:59. > :01:03.singing, and then we will have a band, to finish the evening. Nothing
:01:04. > :01:13.too exciting, though? No. No UK Prime Minister with any sense
:01:14. > :01:18.would ever oppose a currency union with an independent Scotland -
:01:19. > :01:21.that's the view of the Finance Minister John Swinney, as the debate
:01:22. > :01:24.over currency in the event But on a visit to Scotland today,
:01:25. > :01:31.the Labour leader Ed Miliband repeated that if he became
:01:32. > :01:34.Prime Minister next year, his government would not agree to
:01:35. > :01:54.formally sharing the pound. This grand Glasgow bank is now a
:01:55. > :01:59.pub. The currency issue has dominated the referendum debate this
:02:00. > :02:04.week. Both in the pub and in a speech today to Glasgow's business
:02:05. > :02:10.leaders. The British people did not want to join the euro zone -- ? for
:02:11. > :02:16.clear reasons. That is why the rest of the UK will oppose a currency
:02:17. > :02:21.union within independent Scotland. It is why as Prime Minister, I could
:02:22. > :02:27.not agree to a currency union within independent Scotland. The yes side
:02:28. > :02:32.believe pragmatism will prevail. It is our pounds, and we will keep it.
:02:33. > :02:39.Common sense says that no UK Prime Minister will turn around to the
:02:40. > :02:44.rest of the UK and say we will make it more difficult and expensive for
:02:45. > :02:49.you to do business with Scotland, a huge and spot market for the rest of
:02:50. > :02:55.the UK. We will absolve the people of Scotland with billions of pounds
:02:56. > :03:00.of debt by hanging onto pound. No UK Prime Minister will sign up to such
:03:01. > :03:03.a deal. The currency question is still divisive.
:03:04. > :03:10.It is not up to the Prime Minister to decide. I will vote no. Hopefully
:03:11. > :03:15.things will go my way and we will keep the pound. If Scotland went
:03:16. > :03:20.independent, it should not be allowed the pound. Is the working
:03:21. > :03:25.week gross to a close, the referendum story is no further
:03:26. > :03:30.forward. The currency debate is at an impasse a. For those still
:03:31. > :03:32.undecided, this is one of those key economic arguments which they will
:03:33. > :03:41.continue to discuss. Our economics correspondent
:03:42. > :03:43.Colletta Smith is here with us now. Colletta, five weeks
:03:44. > :03:45.until everyone has to vote on this. The politicians are still
:03:46. > :03:47.at this currency impasse. It makes it tough for voters to know
:03:48. > :03:50.what might happen, doesn't it? Yes, on one of the most crucial
:03:51. > :03:53.issues of the referendum, the two sides are still completely
:03:54. > :03:55.contradicting each other. What we do know is that although
:03:56. > :03:59.the SNP want to keep the pound, and that may well turn out to be
:04:00. > :04:02.possible, but if not, they have laid out a handful of other options in
:04:03. > :04:06.the White Paper - their guide to how The first one is the idea
:04:07. > :04:12.of joining the Euro, but Alex Salmond has been pretty
:04:13. > :04:15.clear that's low down the list. It would be difficult to convince
:04:16. > :04:17.the public to join a currency still trying to get over
:04:18. > :04:20.such huge economic problems. Then there's the idea of Scotland's
:04:21. > :04:23.own pound - a brand-new currency. Some key voices, even from within
:04:24. > :04:26.the Yes campaign, have been suggesting that this should be top
:04:27. > :04:30.of the plan B list - or even plan A. It would give Scotland a lot more
:04:31. > :04:37.economic freedom, but would cost us more every time we wanted to buy
:04:38. > :04:41.anything from the rest of the UK. The final option, if formal currency
:04:42. > :04:44.union is denied, seems to be the preferred one by Alex Salmond -
:04:45. > :04:47.just using the pound anyway. The UK couldn't stop Scotland using
:04:48. > :04:49.the pound anyway - and the upside to this is
:04:50. > :04:52.the relative ease of its operation. But the downsides were suggested
:04:53. > :04:54.in an economic report today showing you'd lose the Bank of England as
:04:55. > :04:58.the lender of last resort, and that means the financial services sector
:04:59. > :05:00.in Scotland could be vulnerable without someone
:05:01. > :05:02.on standby to bail it out. No, and that's why the Yes campaign are
:05:03. > :05:06.so keen to keep the pound. They're hoping - indeed they're
:05:07. > :05:08.certain - plan B won't be needed, not because there are no ideas -
:05:09. > :05:12.there are plenty - but because the New figures obtained
:05:13. > :05:27.by the BBC show more than 12,000 children are on waiting lists
:05:28. > :05:29.for local authority nursery places. There's significant variation across
:05:30. > :05:31.the country's 32 local authorities for parents seeking state help
:05:32. > :05:34.in looking after their children. Our political correspondent,
:05:35. > :05:35.Lucy Adams, reports. Jenny's 3-year-old daughter
:05:36. > :05:38.loves her nursery, but in June, the local authority withdrew its
:05:39. > :05:41.partnership funding and she was told to get an alternative, only to find
:05:42. > :05:44.there were none that fit her hours. I started looking to
:05:45. > :05:46.the council provision, and there are seven within the extended area that
:05:47. > :05:48.offer all-day places, I would fill out an application,
:05:49. > :05:55.it would be considered in September, with waiting lists,
:05:56. > :05:58.and there would be no guarantee. New figures show that thousands
:05:59. > :06:03.of children across Scotland are on waiting lists
:06:04. > :06:10.for local authority nurseries. Hundreds of children were
:06:11. > :06:12.not offered a place. In total, there were 12,165 babies
:06:13. > :06:15.and toddlers on waiting lists. Local authorities have
:06:16. > :06:44.a duty to provide 475 hours Glasgow have cut their overall
:06:45. > :06:48.childcare funding, so some figures are double counted. Parents were
:06:49. > :06:51.encouraged to place to bring on a waiting list early to get the place
:06:52. > :06:55.of their choice aged three. Local authorities have
:06:56. > :06:57.a duty to provide 475 hours Starting this month, the Scottish
:06:58. > :07:02.government has pledged to increase provision to 600 hours, and extend
:07:03. > :07:04.it to 2-year-olds. We can help by providing
:07:05. > :07:06.more hours of childcare. The provisions we have set out
:07:07. > :07:09.in the Bill will save families up That will help women get back
:07:10. > :07:15.into the workplace. It is not always women that will
:07:16. > :07:31.have the primary caring role. With the revelation there are
:07:32. > :07:36.already long waiting lists, parents are questioning what this means.
:07:37. > :07:38.You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC.
:07:39. > :07:44.Still to come on tonight's programme:
:07:45. > :07:53.How an administrative error is keeping Celtic's champions
:07:54. > :07:57.And a hard act to follow - but can the new football season
:07:58. > :08:08.The controversial former chief executive of Rangers, Charles Green,
:08:09. > :08:11.is close to involving him self with the club once again.
:08:12. > :08:14.He was sacked last year but is lining up an investment
:08:15. > :08:18.Kheredine Idessane is at Ibrox for us now.
:08:19. > :08:26.What are the details of this investment?
:08:27. > :08:34.Charles Green is a name that has been out of the headlines in the
:08:35. > :08:42.past few years. He was the man who led a consortium to buy Rangers
:08:43. > :08:48.assets. He became chief executive but was sacked last year after
:08:49. > :08:53.allegations about his dealings. The outspoken Yorkshireman has told BBC
:08:54. > :08:59.sport he wants in at the Rangers again. He is close to raising up to
:09:00. > :09:04.?10 million to invest in Rangers. He says he has investors ready to write
:09:05. > :09:08.cheques, one of whom is the American -based investment fund who have
:09:09. > :09:10.already held talks with a senior official. One supporter group has
:09:11. > :09:16.already made its opposition to Charles Green clear. He says he's
:09:17. > :09:18.not welcome, and if he does return, there will be huge numbers of
:09:19. > :09:23.Rangers fans boycotting the club. The Commonwealth Games gave Glasgow
:09:24. > :09:26.a unique opportunity to showcase But now the event has come to
:09:27. > :09:30.an end, what's the legacy? Well, some firms report an upsurge
:09:31. > :09:33.in business, and marketing bosses say Glasgow itself can become one
:09:34. > :09:35.of the world's leading venues Our correspondent David Henderson
:09:36. > :09:40.is here and can tell us more. Sally,
:09:41. > :09:42.the Games only lasted for two weeks, and already the athletes and most
:09:43. > :09:45.of the fans have headed for home. The Games' organisers see this event
:09:46. > :09:50.as one long advert for what Glasgow And while some Scottish products are
:09:51. > :09:55.selling well, it's Glasgow itself which is now being sold -
:09:56. > :09:59.as a venue for big events. The MTV Music Video Awards,
:10:00. > :10:05.the World Gymnastics championships, and the BBC Sports Personality
:10:06. > :10:08.of the Year. But how about these -
:10:09. > :10:12.huge conferences for bible students, on sports injuries,
:10:13. > :10:17.and on the latest soil science. All of them will attract
:10:18. > :10:19.thousands of people. And all of them will bring millions
:10:20. > :10:43.of pounds of business to Scotland. It takes years of effort to present
:10:44. > :10:48.an event of this scale. The cost is high. Is this an investment for the
:10:49. > :10:59.future? The Games may be over, but the work does not stop will
:11:00. > :11:02.At this Glasgow warehouse, handbags, purses and wallets made from Harris
:11:03. > :11:05.As official merchandise, they have been selling fast.
:11:06. > :11:08.To be involved in the 2014 Games, especially as they have been
:11:09. > :11:11.a success, has given us a huge amount of credibility.
:11:12. > :11:13.We have entered into quite a few retail stores that
:11:14. > :11:25.we previously had not, and it is also pushing our brand overseas.
:11:26. > :11:27.Glasgow and Scotland were on display to thousands
:11:28. > :11:32.of visitors and a global TV audience of hundreds of millions.
:11:33. > :11:34.The Commonwealth Games lasted for just two weeks,
:11:35. > :11:37.and already the athletes and most of the fans have gone home.
:11:38. > :11:40.But the venues remain and the focus is now on using them to host
:11:41. > :11:56.the first positive is being able to be for big events. The second
:11:57. > :12:00.opportunity is business tourism. This is now an opportunity for
:12:01. > :12:08.Glasgow to show the world it is open for business.
:12:09. > :12:10.At the Hydro arena, they are preparing to
:12:11. > :12:13.host other big events and conferences which Glasgow has won.
:12:14. > :12:15.This city has overcome competition from Toronto and Melbourne, London,
:12:16. > :12:26.We are more than capable of competing on a world stage.
:12:27. > :12:29.So what will be the value to Scotland of all this business?
:12:30. > :12:31.Well, Glasgow's marketing bureau says big events are guaranteed to
:12:32. > :12:34.bring about ?300 million to the city over the next decade,
:12:35. > :12:38.thanks to its new venues - the Hydro by the River Clyde, and the Emirates
:12:39. > :12:44.But with Glasgow's confidence and its credibility now higher than
:12:45. > :12:49.ever, they expect that total to rise.
:12:50. > :12:52.A man with a samurai sword has threatened to kill the leader
:12:53. > :12:55.of Glasgow City Council, Gordon Matheson, in his office.
:12:56. > :12:58.29-year-old David Wardrop has pleaded guilty to breaching
:12:59. > :13:03.A court heard how Wardrop turned up at council headquarters in
:13:04. > :13:08.When police appeared, he told them he was there to assassinate
:13:09. > :13:15.The Edinburgh Fringe is well-known for unusual venues.
:13:16. > :13:18.This weekend, there's a show on Portobello Beach which takes
:13:19. > :13:24.And there's no shortage of local volunteers willing to take the
:13:25. > :13:39.plunge, as our arts correspondent Pauline McLean reports.
:13:40. > :13:45.A new beach in Portobello brings new challenges to this show.
:13:46. > :13:47.It is raining a little bit as we speak,
:13:48. > :13:52.Of course, there is going into the sea as part of the piece.
:13:53. > :13:56.The weather that we have to contend with because there is both radio
:13:57. > :14:01.transmitted sirens, the beautiful singing by Laura, and the
:14:02. > :14:09.Wind is a factor in terms of making sure that we have
:14:10. > :14:13.sufficient volume for the audience to hear well enough.
:14:14. > :14:17.The play requires 40 volunteers to sink or swim, and there is no
:14:18. > :14:24.The swimmers particularly, we have a group locally who go swimming every
:14:25. > :14:28.Sunday morning, so I believe quite a few of them were interested in it.
:14:29. > :14:48.The people of Portobello have no qualms about doing all of those
:14:49. > :14:52.things with gusto. We are lucky to have 13 people joining us on this
:14:53. > :15:05.beautiful 100 metre long piece of rope on the edge of the sea. The
:15:06. > :15:09.show 's run at sunrise and sunset until Sunday.
:15:10. > :15:13.Now a look at other stories from the across the country.
:15:14. > :15:17.Shell UK is to cut 250 jobs from its North Sea oil
:15:18. > :15:23.Onshore staff and contractors will be affected by the move.
:15:24. > :15:26.The reduction in staffing will be implemented over the next year.
:15:27. > :15:29.Shell says it's determined to ensure safe and competitive operations
:15:30. > :15:36.An estimated 70 people watched as the Palestinian flag was flown
:15:37. > :15:40.above Glasgow City Chambers in George Square this morning.
:15:41. > :15:43.Councillors decided to fly the flag in solidarity with those
:15:44. > :15:48.Some members of the Jewish community have described
:15:49. > :15:54.Thousands of revellers are arriving at the Highlands' main summer music
:15:55. > :15:58.festival near Inverness, which is getting under way today.
:15:59. > :16:01.The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is being headlined tonight by
:16:02. > :16:06.Tom Jones, and tomorrow by the indie rock band Razorlight.
:16:07. > :16:08.Belladrum's organisers say tickets for
:16:09. > :16:26.The Bella John has grown organically out of the Highlands community. It
:16:27. > :16:28.is a word-of-mouth thing that has grown very slowly. Most of our
:16:29. > :16:34.audience come from the Highlands, and people feel some ownership, in
:16:35. > :16:41.that it is really a meeting point for our community in the summer.
:16:42. > :16:43.Conservationists are building up a photographic database of rare
:16:44. > :16:45.and endangered natterjack toads in an effort to safeguard
:16:46. > :16:48.There are only around 200 breeding adults in Scotland,
:16:49. > :17:06.What do you want to say about these toads? I can't get enough of them.
:17:07. > :17:13.To its own frogs. -- toads and frogs.
:17:14. > :17:16.Celtic are back in contention for a place in the Champions League -
:17:17. > :17:20.Legia Warsaw, who beat them in the qualifiers, have been kicked
:17:21. > :17:22.The Scottish champions have been reinstated,
:17:23. > :17:25.and will play Maribor of Slovenia in the final qualifying round.
:17:26. > :17:27.Celtic's manager, Ronny Deila, described the situation
:17:28. > :17:46.Celtic have been thrown a checking cheap lifeline. These goals put
:17:47. > :17:51.Walsall 2-1 up. But this player should have been serving a
:17:52. > :17:52.suspension. His cameo role cost its team a place in the qualifying
:17:53. > :17:56.final. It is very strange,
:17:57. > :17:58.I have to say that. First of all, I feel very sorry for
:17:59. > :18:02.the other team and my friends there. We have not been involved
:18:03. > :18:17.in anything, and that is how it is. Instead of being in the Europa
:18:18. > :18:30.League draw, Celtic found themselves in the championship league play-off.
:18:31. > :18:34.There may be new faces in the Celtic squad before they face the Slovenian
:18:35. > :18:41.champions later this month. We worked hard to get players for the
:18:42. > :18:47.next stage. They will lift the team and the performance. The bizarre
:18:48. > :18:54.tale of this player may not be over yet. Warsaw are considering an
:18:55. > :18:59.appeal against the decision. A summer packed full of fantastic
:19:00. > :19:02.sport may be drawing to a close, but the Scottish football season is upon
:19:03. > :19:06.us. Tomorrow, clubs across the country begin their league
:19:07. > :19:12.campaigns. Our senior football reporter books ahead.
:19:13. > :19:18.Scottish football has a lot to live up to. The sporty bar has been set
:19:19. > :19:23.high this summer. As recently as the past few weeks, the Scottish public
:19:24. > :19:27.have seen the top-class sport. How does the Scottish football league
:19:28. > :19:31.followed that? A genuine title race in the top of it would be a good
:19:32. > :19:34.start. Aberdeen were perhaps the most improved last season. Can they
:19:35. > :19:43.give Celtic a real challenge this time around? Celtic will always be a
:19:44. > :19:49.multiple of what Aberdeen is. The important thing in our perspective
:19:50. > :19:54.is we have a squad of players and a management team that want to believe
:19:55. > :19:59.and win games. We want to finish as high up the league as we possibly
:20:00. > :20:05.can. One area of genuine excitement last season was the battle to avoid
:20:06. > :20:08.the drop from the premiership. Dundee will be seeking to avoid that
:20:09. > :20:13.particular brand of excitement in the season ahead. We want to stay in
:20:14. > :20:18.the league and consolidate, but I think we want to aim higher. The
:20:19. > :20:22.group of slowly as we have, the expectations will be higher or so,
:20:23. > :20:27.and myself as a manager. We want to finish as high as we can. It is not
:20:28. > :20:31.all about the premiership will stop this you's championship includes
:20:32. > :20:36.arts, Rangers and Hibs. Maybe this title race is where the real
:20:37. > :20:41.excitement will be found. -- hearts. It will be more interesting, because
:20:42. > :20:45.there are three big teams in their challenging the top of the table. It
:20:46. > :20:50.could be tight, and there will be a lot of interest there. Of course the
:20:51. > :20:55.top three will have more quality. Set the stage is set, let the Games
:20:56. > :21:00.commence. Eddie Murray is in quarterfinal action at the tennis in
:21:01. > :21:05.Toronto. He is up against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Here is Murray
:21:06. > :21:10.holding serve, and in the last few moments, he levelled the first set
:21:11. > :21:13.at 5-5. It is the first tournament of the hard court season as the
:21:14. > :21:20.Scots gears up for the US open later this month. That is the sport, but I
:21:21. > :21:27.will be back tomorrow. If you are not watching the toads, watch that.
:21:28. > :21:35.I promise you it will be riveting. They you very much. -- thank you.
:21:36. > :21:37.Residents in the American town of Boring are preparing for a party
:21:38. > :21:41.It's the annual celebration of their partnership with
:21:42. > :21:44.the Perthshire village of Dull - the first since August the 9th was
:21:45. > :21:46.formally declared Boring and Dull day across the state of Oregon.
:21:47. > :21:49.Our correspondent, Glenn Campbell, has been to Boring to see
:21:50. > :22:02.Boring is not the most exciting place in the world. It is farming
:22:03. > :22:10.country near the city of Portland. Small-town America, named after a
:22:11. > :22:14.bighearted settler. Which one is the original Mr boring? Hole the one
:22:15. > :22:20.with the whiskers. He was the original? Boring's found a gifted
:22:21. > :22:25.land to the local school. His great-grandson lives in the town.
:22:26. > :22:33.Boring by name, boring by nature to? Not really. Dad used to say it was a
:22:34. > :22:38.name, not a condition. There is also something going on. You could try
:22:39. > :22:46.the not so boring bar. Hunt for a Boring bargain. Or sit back and
:22:47. > :22:51.watch the Boring grass grow. Interestingly enough, Boring now has
:22:52. > :22:55.its sign up making its partnership with Dull official, and the Governor
:22:56. > :23:00.of the state of Oregon has signed a proclamation declaring August the
:23:01. > :23:08.9th Boring and Dull day across the entire state. In this town, that is
:23:09. > :23:12.a cause for celebration. We are planning our second ice cream social
:23:13. > :23:16.tonight. It will be a time for our community to get together. We will
:23:17. > :23:20.start off with bagpipes, then we will also do some traditional
:23:21. > :23:26.American folk singing, and then we will have a band to finish at the
:23:27. > :23:32.evening. But nothing too exciting? No. It seems Dull has made Boring a
:23:33. > :23:43.bit more interesting, but there are limits. Lawns.
:23:44. > :24:00.A number of boundary downpours pushing their way through the
:24:01. > :24:04.country. A Met Office warning is in force. Here they are pushing their
:24:05. > :24:07.way up through five and the Grampians. Expect difficult
:24:08. > :24:12.conditions on the roads. They do clear away, and most of the mainland
:24:13. > :24:17.is dry overnight. A bit damp across the north-east and the Isles. And
:24:18. > :24:20.cities holding up in double digits. Tomorrow is looking good. We have
:24:21. > :24:24.been talking about this blood pressure out in the North Sea. We
:24:25. > :24:28.think it will stay there, meaning a generally dry and bright day for
:24:29. > :24:32.most. There will be one or two showers, but on the whole, Saturday
:24:33. > :24:37.is looking good. Bright and sunny weather. Light passing showers. That
:24:38. > :24:42.rain is moving up towards the Northern Isles, so quite sunny and
:24:43. > :24:45.dry for you. For most of the mainland and Hebrides, by
:24:46. > :24:47.mid-afternoon, pleasantly warm. Temperatures in the high teens.
:24:48. > :24:53.Always that the cooler around the coast. A breeze from the south-west.
:24:54. > :24:56.Perhaps just staying a bit cloudy across the north-east of
:24:57. > :25:03.Aberdeenshire, and pretty wet for Orkney and Shetland. For hill
:25:04. > :25:08.walkers and climbing, it is not too bad. There will be bright and sunny
:25:09. > :25:11.skies around. One or two passing showers, and winds from the
:25:12. > :25:14.south-west across southern -- southern ranges. The risk of one or
:25:15. > :25:23.two light showers, but decent bright sunny weather. In the south-west, we
:25:24. > :25:30.are looking at a suddenly falls three Northwest by the afternoon. --
:25:31. > :25:37.Force three. Around the east, we will have a Force five, but during
:25:38. > :25:41.the day, it is a south-westerly. That rain is still with this for the
:25:42. > :25:45.Northern Isles. Elsewhere dry, but showers feeding in by the end of the
:25:46. > :25:49.day. Still with this come Sunday. It is a cloudy day with a number of
:25:50. > :25:55.heavy showers. Ten bridges in the high teens. That is half the story,
:25:56. > :26:00.because we are talking about the remnants of hurricane Bertha. --
:26:01. > :26:07.temperatures. It is pushing in towards the North Sea. Wet and windy
:26:08. > :26:11.weather around come Monday, but it is not concrete. It could come
:26:12. > :26:16.further west, and if it does, a very wet into the weekend across many
:26:17. > :26:18.parts of the country. For Saturday, it doesn't look too bad. Make the
:26:19. > :26:23.most of the sunshine if you have it. A reminder of tonight's
:26:24. > :26:34.headlines: No UK Prime Minister would oppose
:26:35. > :26:38.the use of the pound in an independent Scotland. Ed Miliband
:26:39. > :26:39.says his government would not agree to showing the pound if he was
:26:40. > :26:44.elected. -- sharing the pound. The United States has carried out
:26:45. > :26:47.its first air strikes on Islamist President Obama had warned that
:26:48. > :26:51.the US would target the group if they threatened American forces
:26:52. > :26:53.in the area. He also said he wanted to prevent
:26:54. > :26:56.acts of genocide against Iraq's I'll be back with the headlines
:26:57. > :27:02.at 8.00, and the late bulletin just Until then, from everyone
:27:03. > :27:07.on the team - right across the