Local News: Conference set to focus on Palestine

The event, which takes place at St George's West Church, Shandwick Place, on Saturday and Sunday has been organised by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Speakers include Gazan professor Haidar Eid, Iraqi author, Haifa Zangana, Glasgow-based Mohammed Asif of the Scottish Afghan Society, and US Iraq war veteran Mike Prysner.

Fox to speak at city event

Scottish Socialist Party leader Colin Fox will address a public meeting on Thursday, calling for troops to be brought back from Afghanistan.

Also speaking will be Joan Humphries from Military Families Against the War. The meeting is in Nelson Hall community centre, St Leonard's, at 7pm.

Society's secret is out

More details have been revealed of the Edinburgh Secret Society's next meeting. The event, on February 18, will take place at Edinburgh University's Anatomy Lecture Theatre and will be an examination of death, including a Victorian machine created to talk to the dead and the tale of a man who cheated death.

Lectures beamed into Capital

EDINBURGH is among the cities screening a series of talks by the likes of Sarah Brown, musician and DJ Goldie, and Olympian Denise Lewis.

Around 20 leaders in their respective fields will deliver a series of short talks as part of the TEDxObserver event on March 19.

Children's Commissioner to join debate

SCOTLAND's Children's Commissioner Tam Baillie takes part in a meeting in Muirhouse tonight, asking: Why Does Scotland Lock Up So Many Young People?

Organisers the Howard League for Penal Reform want residents, especially young people, and groups to discuss key issues among themselves and with agencies.

The event is at North Edinburgh Arts Centre, off Pennywell Road, from 6-8.30pm.

NHS press officer up for top industry award

A PRESS officer for NHS Lothian has been nominated for a prestigious prize.

Victoria Mundell, 22, is a finalist for Young Communicator of the Year in the Institute of Internal Communications Scotland Awards.

The event will be held at the George Hotel on March 4. Miss Mundell has been with the health board since May, having joined from Capital company Weber Shandwick.

She said: "It is extremely rewarding to known that all of our hard work is recognised outwith the organisation."