9am Briefing: Two in hospitlal after south side blaze

TWO people are in hospital and at least four had to be rescued from a tenement block after a major fire broke out in the south side of Edinburgh last night.

Students, parents and children were among those rescued from the upper floors of the Rankeillor Street building by firefighters after a blaze broke out in the basement, destroying a dentist's surgery. A total of 12 people were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

See today's Evening News for the full story.

• POLICE have launched a murder investigation after a man was found dead following a disturbance in a block of flats in Gilmerton.

Officers were called to a flat in Castleview House, Craigour Place, at around 8.45pm last night and found the body of a man in a common stairwell.

Another man was found suffering from stab wounds and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Both men were in their 40s and it is understood they were known to each other.

• COUNCIL chiefs have launched an investigation into Edinburgh Airport's handling of snow and ice after the eighth complete closure in six weeks.

Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed at the weekend when operator BAA closed the airport for ten hours on Saturday as the latest snow showers hit the country.

Edinburgh has seen much more disruption than other Scottish airports and senior councillors fear it is damaging the city's reputation and risks deterring people from doing business here.