Stranded in Libya

Daily Record

- A Scottish teacher was in hiding and fearing for her life in Libya last week. Mary Jo Gillies, 46, from Barra, who has been teaching there for over a year, has been stranded in her house on the outskirts of Tripoli since the fighting began. She told friends she could hear gunshots in the streets.

Deaf and blind fears

The Herald

- Funding for Scotland’s only centre for training professionals to educate deaf and blind children will be cut at the end of this month, leading to fears the centre may need to close. The Scottish Sensory Centre, based at Edinburgh University, will be funded by the university until June when Government funding ceases, but no funds have been secured beyond that.

Airgun shooting

The Scotsman

- A third youth has been arrested and two teenagers have appeared in court after secondary school pupils were shot at with an airgun. The alleged assaults are said to have taken place in the Ayrshire village of Auchinleck on 23 February. In all, 11 youngsters - five girls and six boys - were injured in the alleged incident, although none was seriously hurt.

Alcoholic at eight

Daily Record

- An eight year-old girl has been treated for alcoholism at the Tayside Council for Alcohol in Dundee. The child reportedly started drinking as a Primary 4 pupil. Her case came to light as figures showed 400 drunk youngsters had attended Aamp;Es in Scotland last year.

Threat to pensions

The Times

- Hundreds of teachers, nurses and social workers could lose pension rights if Treasury proposals to drop rules requiring firms to protect public sector pension rights if they win service contracts, come into effect. Under so-called Tupe legislation, introduced in the 1980s, public sector workers’ pay and conditions, but not pensions, are protected if services are privatised.