9am Briefing: Woman in hospital after being burned in house fire

The 62-year-old had to be rescued by firefighters from the property on Stenhouse Gardens North at 10pm.

The blaze was said to be started by a cigarette. It is understood a neighbour heard the woman’s smoke alarm and phoned 999.

She was taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by ambulance after fire fighters led her to safety.

* FOOTBALLER Anthony Stokes has admitted picking “a bad spot” to live after thugs targeted his Broxburn home.

The Celtic forward and his pregnant girlfriend have had to leave the luxury property after windows were smashed earlier this month.

He had remained in the area since playing for Hibs, but said he was now looking forward to moving somewhere safer, it was reported today.

The Irishman, who said the violence would not force him to leave Celtic, said: “I did not want to come through to Glasgow every day but I probably did pick a bad spot. I did not really do my homework on that one.”

* FEES for winding up Christmas hamper firm Farepak have exceeded any potential compensation for its victims it was reported today.

The company went into administration five years ago, leaving around 120,000 people who put their savings into the scheme almost £40 million out of pocket.

But the fees for the administrators, insurers and PR executives have totalled around £8.2m while customers will receive only £5.53m in compensation - an average loss of £400 each.

* A MUSLIM professor has been appointed to an Edinburgh University divinity post for the first time in its 160-year history.

New College, based at the Mound, has brought in Professor Mona Siddiqui after more than a century of being seen as the embodiment of Scottish Presbyterianism.

The 48-year-old, born in Pakistan, will take up the role of professor of Islamic and inter-religious studies later this week.

* EDINBURGH-BASED fund group Martin Currie faces a drop in profits after losing its key Chinese operation and seeing its assets crash.

Chief executive Willie Watt said the firm had been through a “dislocation” but had emerged stronger as well as smaller, it was reported today.

Pre-tax profits are expected to drop to £12m from last year’s £14m and a 2008 peak of £33m.