The week ahead

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy will lead a line-up of award-winning Scottish and UK poets to raise funds for the Haiti disaster appeal at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh.

Aston Villa and Manchester United play in the Carling Cup final at Wembley.

First ScotRail's sleeper train managers, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, are scheduled to go on a 24-hour strike.

MONDAY

A fatal accident inquiry will begin in Fort William into the death of British cycling champion Jason MacIntyre on the A82 in 2008.

Five men will appear at the High Court in Glasgow charged in relation to the theft of the Da Vinci painting Madonna Of The Yarnwinder from Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries-shire.

The fraud trial of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi resumes in Milan.

TUESDAY

The International Whaling Commission will vote on whether to allow the hunting of humpbacks to resume.

One of the lions at the Cenotaph in Glasgow's George Square will be shrouded as part of a campaign by Lion Aid to highlight the decline of the predators.

Stereophonics will play at Glasgow's SECC.

WEDNESDAY

Sir Jackie Stewart, who campaigns on dyslexia, will attend the official opening of the refurbished children's area at Dumbarton Library.

Miners will mark the 25th anniversary of the end of the 1984-85 strike.

Wales rugby player Andy Powell, 28, is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates' Court after he was arrested with a golf buggy at a motorway service station hours after his team beat Scotland in the Six Nations match.

The winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards for the best children's book will be named.

THURSDAY

First Minister Alex Salmond will give a speech on Scotland's role in the alternative energy revolution.

Cosmopolitan magazine is scheduled to announce its third annual Fashion Awards.

John Prescott's wife Pauline will publish her autobiography, Smile Though Your Heart Is Breaking.

FRIDAY

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, above, will speak at his party's Scottish conference in Perth.

Transport Scotland will unveil its plans for a 9million upgrade to the A77 in Girvan.

Controversial Dutch movie Fitna, which portrays the holy Koran as a violent and hateful book, is to be screened at the House of Lords.

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland will open in UK cinemas.

SATURDAY

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott will address his party's spring conference in Perth.

Icelanders will vote in a referendum on the repayment of the debts of failed banks to British and Dutch savers.