9am Briefing: Video tribute to soldier killed in Afghanistan

AN online tribute has been paid to Private Sean McDonald, who was killed by an explosion in Helmand Province on Sunday.

The 26-year-old from Currie was also a keen cagefighter, and a friend has posted a film of his fights on video sharing site, YouTube.

The friend wrote that they had compiled the montage as a surprise for Pte McDonald, adding: "Sadly he never got to see it."

Banks bail-out cost 470bn

THE cost of bailing out Scotland's two biggest banks was 470 billion, it has been revealed – three times the size of the Scottish economy.

The figure from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre has been hailed as evidence that an independent Scotland could not have survived the banking crisis.

Big freeze hits ERI

THIS winter's big freeze saw orthopedic admissions at the ERI shoot up by 43 per cent between 21 December and 10 January.

NHS Lothian also reported that it had treated a record number of hip fractures, but said it was working to ensure there would not be an impact on waiting times.