Detective Inspector Mark Mackay.

Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Robert Rose in Sanday.

DI Mark Mackay said: "As a result of ongoing police enquiries in relation to the suspicious disappearance of Robert Rose, two men aged 59 years and 50 years are now in custody and a report is being submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

"At this time. Mr Rose has not been located. However, searches are currently ongoing in the Kettletoft Bay area of Sanday."

From The Orcadian, May, 26, 1949.

Celebrating 60 years of the event, the annual North Isles Sports were held in Stronsay, on Saturday, with Sanday being the winning island.

The inaugural North Isles Sports were held in Westray, on May, 21, 1949.

Police are now treating the disappearance of Sanday man, Robert Rose, as suspicious and say they are following a "positive line of inquiry".

Detective Inspector Mark Mackay, who is heading up the investigation, said the missing person inquiry was now a criminal investigation.

At a press conference in the Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall, on Friday afternoon, DI Mackay said: "Our investigation has now led us to believe the circumstances surrounding Mr Rose's disappearance are suspicious. We are now treating this matter as a criminal inquiry.

"We are in the process of following a positive line of inquiry."

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The annual St Magnus Festival began on Friday night, with a performance of Peter Maxwell Davies' chamber opera, The Lighthouse.

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra are making their debut appearance at the festival, while the National Theatre of Scotland have combined their efforts with the local community, and created Transform Orkney: Mixter Maxter.

The Magfest Spiegeltent in Jewson's Yard.

The Magfest Spiegeltent has taken up residence in the old Jewson’s Yard on Kirkwall’s Junction Road.

This year, 140 singers from Orkney will unite with 60 members of the Huddersfield Choral Society, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, to perform Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony.

For further information on the St Magnus Festival, log on to www.stmagnusfestival.com.

NHS Orkney has reported no confirmed, probable or possible cases of influenza A H1N1.

NHS Orkney will continue to monitor the local, national and international situation and work closely with colleagues in partner organisations, the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland.

People are being asked to remain vigilant and observe good hygiene to help prevent the spread of infection.

Shetland have retained the Stuart Cup, following a close victory in the final event of the 2009 Junior Inter-County competition.

The visitors beat Orkney 104-90 in the athletics at Pickaquoy on Thursday.

The result leaves Orkney with an overall points tally of 152, compared to Shetland's 214.

Despite today's defeat, Orkney put in a fine performance, setting two new records - Claire Wilson threw 11.42 metres to secure a personal best in the shot put, and Gordon Mowat ran the boys 100 metres in 10.81 seconds. Morna Brown  (Orkney) set a new girls high jump record at the athletics jumping  1.53m

The Shetland squad were presented with the Stuart Cup at the Royal British Legion on Thursday night.

Shapinsay Community School were runners-up in the Greener Schools Award category of the 2009 Scottish Education Awards, which were held in Glasgow, on Tuesday.

Cabinet secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop MSP said “The Scottish Education Awards and today’s finalists showcase the hard work and successes of schools and individuals across Scotland.”

As runners-up, Shapinsay Community School received a cheque for £500.

Head teacher Clive Horton said “I’m delighted we’ve come this far and the event has fired us all up to go one step further next year.”

The Scottish Education Awards are sponsored by the Daily Record and the Scottish Government.

Orkney Science Festival is set to benefit from at least £10,000 in Scottish Government funding.

A total of £75,000 has been awarded to the network of science festivals across the Highlands and Islands - five science festivals will receive a share, with additional funds being available to help with transport costs.

The funding is hoped to enable festivals to finance their publicity, training for science communicators employed during the festival, and venue hire. 

Orkney face an uphill struggle to reclaim the Stuart Cup, after losing 3-0 to Shetland in last night's Junior Inter-county hockey match.

The hosts started the brighter team in Wednesday night's match at Pickaquoy, but Shetland prevailed with three goals in the second half, to claim their first hockey win over Orkney since 2002.

Northern Isles MP, Alistair Carmichael, has released his expenses claims ahead of the House of Commons publication today.

Mr Carmichael said: “I had the information given to me and I felt there was no particular purpose served by holding onto it.

“I want to get this information out in the public domain. I am not pretending to be a saint - I have used the expenses - I am fairly confident I have never abused it.”

Full details of all MPs’ expenses dating back four years, running to £2.4 million receipts, are published today after the Commons lost a Freedom of Information battle.

Robert Rose.

An expert has been brought in by Northern Constabulary to assist in the search for Sanday resident, Robert Rose, who has been missing since Saturday, June 6.

Mark Harrison MBE is the National Policing Improvement Agency's National Search Adviser and arrived in the county this week to assist police.

Mark Hazelby, spokesman for the NPIA, said: "Mark has supported forces across the UK and abroad during major crime investigations - including missing person inquiries.

"He supports senior investigating officers by putting together a strategy involving land, air and water searches and recommending steps that can be taken to support the investigation. He is a considered expert in geo-forensics."

Mr Rose is described as 5ft 8in tall, skinny build, ruddy complexion, short cut mousey grey hair, balding on top and speaks with an English accent.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kirkwall Police Station on 872241.

Orkney suffered a heavy defeat in Wednesday morning's Junior Inter-county swimming event at Kirkwall Swimming Pool - losing 62-32 to Shetland.

Shetland have now amassed an overall points tally of 95, while Orkney have 62.

The contest continues this evening with the hockey, which is due to get underway at Pickaquoy at 6.30pm.

Orkney claimed their first victory in the 62nd Junior Inter-county contest, with a victory in Tuesday's football match at Pickaquoy.

Graham Rendall struck ten minutes into the second half to seal a 1-0 victory, and win five points for Orkney, who are chasing their 32nd Stuart Cup title.

Shetland - who secured a 33-25 in the netball clash yesterday afternoon - are looking for their 31st Stuart Cup victory this year.

NHS Orkney has confirmed that one person in Orkney is being tested for possible influenza A (H1N1) — swine flu.

According to an NHS spokesman, the clinical condition of the individual is not giving any cause for concern.  He has been asked to stay at home and is being closely monitored.

He added: "People in Orkney can be reassured that we are well prepared to deal with influenza A (H1N1). We have been working hard and, with our partners, have reviewed all the actions needed to put local plans in place."

Shetland have claimed the first victory in this year's junior inter-county competition.

Orkney's netballers lost 33-25 to Shetland at the Pickaquoy Centre.

The North Scotland Industries Group (NSIG) marine energy action plan was discussed on Tuesday in Stromness, at a meeting of the Caithness and Orkney focus group. 

The meeting featured Mr Ian Couper, NSIG’s chief executive, who presented the action plan and discussed the support required to promote the sector’s interests among national businesses and politicians.

For further information on the focus group, visit the website on www.nsig.co.uk.

Orkney Heritage Society is launching a bid to make 2010 the "Year o' Orkney Dialect".

At the same time the society will be running an Orkney dialect poetry competition and hope to create a calendar of Orkney dialect events.

They would like to hear from anyone wishing to be involved or have an event included.

The society can be contacted via its website: www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/ohs, e-mail: OrkneyHeritage Society@gmail.com, or by writing to Orkney Heritage Society, PO Box 6220, Kirkwall, KW16 9AD.

James, Katie and Chris Rose, along with acting inspector Gordon Deans at today's press conference.

The family of missing Sanday resident, Robert Rose, made an emotional appeal on Monday for information which may lead to the 54-year-old's whereabouts.

Daughter, Katie Rose, who has travelled to Orkney with her brothers, James and Chris, said at a press conference in Kirkwall on Monday: "We are very concerned about our dad. This is totally out of character. He would not just disappear."

She thanked the police and the people of Sanday for their assistance in trying to locate their father, who has been missing since Saturday, June 6.

"We would like to appeal to anybody who has any information, no matter how little or insignificant, to contact the police so we can find out what has happened to our dad," she added.

Mr Rose is described as 5ft 8in tall, skinny build, ruddy complexion, short cut mousey grey hair, balding on top and speaks with an English accent.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kirkwall Police Station on 872241.

Kirkwall lifeboat escorted a yacht into Kirkwall harbour after it ran aground on Seal Skerry, near Gairsay, on Monday morning.

The visiting boat, Moonstruck, with six people on board, notified Shetland Coastguard she had run aground at 7.50am.

The Stromness coastguard rescue team were instructed to stand by the vessel and Kirkwall lifeboat was launched. The vessel refloated with the rising tide.

Billy Muir

North Ronaldsay's William Tulloch Muir, known to friends and family as Billy, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list.

The prestigious accolade was awarded in recognition of Billy's services to the community in North Ronaldsay.

The news was made public on Saturday, June 13.

Robert Rose.

Police in Orkney have stressed that the disappearance of Sanday resident, Robert Alan Rose, 54, is not a criminal inquiry.

Kirkwall Acting Inspector Gordon Deans said: "No one has been formally detained in relation to this matter despite local rumours."

He stressed that it remains a missing person inquiry.

"We do not have any evidence to suggest, at this stage, any harm has come to Mr Rose. We have nothing, at this stage, that there was any foul play."

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With the global swine flu outbreak being classed by the World Health Organisation as a pandemic, it is planned that every person in Orkney, and throughout the rest of Scotland, will be vaccinated against the disease by March, 2010.

A spokesman for NHS Orkney said: “Boards are still being advised that it is hoped a H1N1 vaccine will become available in September and that the Scottish Government intends that 50 per cent of the population should be vaccinated by the end of the year, and 100 per cent by the following March.”

Supermarket giant Tesco is looking to use a former ten-pin bowling alley premises in Kirkwall while a new store is being constructed on the site of their present store.

The Powerbowl premises have stood empty since closing in April, 2007.

An application, which has been received by OIC’s planning department, requests a change of use from leisure to retail, as well as changes to the internal layout of the building.

It is hoped that work on the new store project, will see the current store demolished and the new one built in its place by November this year.