9am Briefing: MBE medal stolen from house

The suspects gained entry to the rear of the property between 10am on Saturday August 21 and 8pm on August 23 and stole the medal, which belonged to the elderly occupant's husband.

The MBE was presented to him in 1953 for services in Africa with the Colonial Medical Service and is engraved with his name.

A police spokesman said: "These honours are not usually inscribed and so this one is easily recognisable."

Tourism boom for Pope visitTHE city is set to experience a major tourism boom from the Pope's visit this month, according to political and religious leaders.

More than 100,000 spectators are expected to line Princes Street for the parade on September 16.

Cardinal Keith O'Brien has said the Pope's journey through the city could be one of the most iconic in Edinburgh's history and said it was an opportunity to "sell the city".

Culture minister Fiona Hyslop added: "The images will be seen around the world and hopefully inspire people to visit."

Woman in wheelchair vows to make second Ben Nevis attempt

A WOMAN has pledged to undertake a second attempt to scale Ben Nevis in a wheelchair after her first bid failed when her battery went dead half way up the mountain.

Sally Hyder made it to just over 2,000 feet when she was forced to turn back.

However, the 48-year-old, who still raised half of the 10,000 she hoped to for charity Canine Partners, insists she will return to conquer Scotland's highest peak in 2012.

She said: "The team were brilliant and we've raised 5000 for the Canine Partners charity, who provide assistance dogs. That's only half a dog though, so we want to make more."

Blair hit the bottle

TONY Blair took to the bottle as his relationship with Gordon Brown worsened, his memoirs revealed today.

The former Prime Minister said he was put under "relentless personal pressure" by the "maddening" then Chancellor, but could not sack him because he feared he would be ousted earlier.

He said he began drinking every day – whisky and gin and tonics before dinner, then several glasses of wine – and needed the "support" alcohol provided.

Mr Blair also blamed his successor at Number Ten for Labour losing the General Election earlier this year and said the party had won the previous three elections as New Labour. "It lost by ceasing to be that," he said.