Thousands of refugees should be allowed to into Northern Ireland, the deputy first minister has said.

Pressure has grown on the UK to take more of the people fleeing to Europe from Syria after the bodies of Greece-bound migrants, including a three-year-old boy, washed up on a Turkish beach.
Martin McGuinness spoke with Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday and told him that "more needs to be done".
He said Northern Ireland "could take a couple of thousand refugees" at first.
He described the situation as "absolutely horrendous".
But he said the prime minister firstly had to permit entry to the UK for more migrants before they could be accepted by Northern Ireland.
"David Cameron is the person who can free up the devolved administrations who I think are willing to do more," Mr McGuinness said.
"I have no doubt the people of the north would gladly welcome any moves to allow more refugees to come here."
Thousands of migrants have died this year trying to reach Europe by sea.
Images of a Syrian toddler, reportedly named Aylan Kurdi, who was found dead on a beach after the migrant boat he was travelling in sank have sparked an international outcry over the human cost of the crisis.
The Alliance Party has tabled an assembly motion calling for the UK to accept a significant number of migrants.
Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson said the UK had a "moral obligation" to help alleviate the crisis.
"Here in Northern Ireland we can ensure provisions are in place to take in as many people as we can," he said.
Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt said that while Northern Ireland had "limited resources and can play a very small part in any solution" the humane thing to do was to "play that part".
Jeffrey Donaldson of the Democratic Unionist Party said the government could not turn its back on the crisis.
"As individuals, we are not powerless to help through donations to the many agencies helping refugees directly and providing vital humanitarian aid," he added.
SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell said the government needed to "commit to offering sanctuary to those so desperately in need of our help".


A man has been jailed for a minimum of 20 years for the "agonising" murder of a 14-month-old baby.

Marek Holub had admitted murder and two counts of child neglect over the death of Santino Balaz who died on New Year's Day in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.
The 27-year-old was sentenced along with his partner Tereza Lackova, 20, Santino's half-sister.
She received a five-year jail term after admitting allowing the death of a child and child neglect.
Holub was given a life sentence at Leicester Crown Court and told he would serve at least 20 years.
Santino's mother is believed to have returned to the Czech Republic, their home country, in September last year, having arrived with her son three months earlier.
West Midlands Police were called to the couple's home in Brighton Road, Balsall Heath, by paramedics responding to a call about a baby not breathing.
Santino was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital where he died shortly after arriving, police said.
The couple were arrested after several injuries, including bruises to his face, chest, legs and arms, were discovered.
Det Insp Justin Spanner said the couple shared photos of his injuries on social media saying ghosts were responsible.
"Santino was supposed to be in a safe environment and in the care of his own family.
"The evidence tells us that Santino was assaulted on at least three occasions between November and New Year's Day; these assaults ultimately led to his death.
"The couple claimed that either the spirit of Lackova's grandmother who had died a short time ago or the death of the woman who occupied their flat before them had come back to injure Santino."
He said the agony Santino would have endured was "truly dreadful".


UK workers managed to increase their output per hour by 0.6% in the July-to-September period, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said.

It was the biggest rise in productivity for more than three years and the first rise of any kind since the second quarter of 2013.
However, the ONS said productivity remained about 2% below its pre-recession level of 2008.
UK workers' productivity has remained weak, despite the economic recovery.
Two weeks ago, the head of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), Robert Chote, said that this "productivity puzzle" was the biggest risk to the UK's economic health.
Measures of productivity, essentially the quantity of goods and services produced per worker or per hour, can be used to inform estimates of an economy's ability to grow without generating too much inflation.
It is an important factor for the Bank of England to consider when making interest rate decisions, as it helps it to forecast inflation.
The UK is known to be less productive than other similar developed countries.
While the UK has seen an improvement in output, productivity has failed to rise in tandem - creating the "productivity gap" - and is below that of other developed countries.


Tens of thousands of South Koreans have protested in the capital, Seoul, to demand the resignation of President Park Geun-hye over a corruption row.

A long-time friend, the daughter of a cult leader, is accused of undue influence over the president.
Choi Soon-sil is alleged to have pushed businesses to donate millions of dollars to foundations she controlled, helped choose presidential aides, and even picked the president's clothes.
Ms Park apologised on TV on Friday.
Ms Park was close to tears as she addressed the nation, and said the scandal involving her confidante Ms Choi was "all my fault". The president admitted she had let Ms Choi edit her speeches.
Ms Choi was arrested on Thursday and charged with fraud and abuse of power.
S Korea's Park 'heartbroken' over scandal
Could a friendship topple a president?
Masses of protesters gathered in Gwanghwamun square in central Seoul on Saturday, chanting, singing and holding banners reading "Park Geun-hye out" and "Treason by a secret government".
Police estimated the size of the crowd at about 45,000, although protest organisers put the figure closer to 200,000.
Some 20,000 police officers were deployed, blocking off some routes with buses and trucks.
Demonstrator Choi Kyung-ha told Associated Press: "I came out today because this is not the country I want to pass on to my children. My kids have asked me who Choi Soon-sil was and whether she's the real president, and I couldn't provide an answer."
Smaller protests were held in other cities, including the southern city of Gwangju, where 3,000 gathered.
The president has denied media speculation that she took part in "shamanist rituals" at the Blue House, and promised to accept an investigation into her actions.
The affair has left Ms Park with an approval rating of just 5%, the lowest ever for a sitting South Korean president.
The opposition has demanded that she either resign, or accept a prime minister chosen by parliament as her number two.


Leyton Orient have lost their bid to win a judicial review into the decision to grant West Ham the tenancy of the Olympic Stadium.

The club argued the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) was wrong to award sole use to the Hammers and wanted to share the venue.
Orient said the club felt "a real sense of injustice" at the decision.
But at the High Court, Mr Justice Lewis said the LLDC was entitled to make the decision which was not "irrational".
Leyton Orient had argued they did not want to "disrupt or delay" West Ham's move.
The club said they would now have to "look to the House of Lords" to find a solution.
"Our real concern is the lack of transparency that has been shown throughout the process by a public body," a club spokesperson said.
"It is deeply disappointing that both the Court and the LLDC have made decisions based only on financial considerations, when the purpose of the stadium's legacy was regeneration of the area with a community focus."
Earlier, Adam Lewis QC, representing the club, said: "Leyton Orient does not suggest that it would be viable as a sole occupant of the stadium.
"Nor does it seek by these proceedings to prevent, disrupt or delay West Ham's move to the stadium.
"Rather, Leyton Orient wishes to be allowed back into the procurement competition... and to be awarded a concession to use the stadium jointly with West Ham."
But lawyers for the corporation said the case was "unarguable" and "lacked merit".
Leyton Orient also claimed their bid for a ground-share was not considered properly.
The LLDC turned that down on cost grounds, BBC London sports news correspondent Adrian Warner reported.
In a statement the LLDC said: "We welcome the ruling and are pleased that Mr Justice Lewis agrees that we ran a fair, open and transparent competition to appoint concessionaires for the stadium.
"We believe the agreement we have with West Ham United Football Club and UK Athletics will deliver a fantastic sporting and community legacy in east London and represents the best deal for the taxpayer."
West Ham were named as the preferred bidders to take over the Olympic Stadium in December.
However Orient chairman Barry Hearn has argued the process was flawed.
Mr Hearn has also claimed West Ham moving into the Olympic Stadium - which is about two miles and one Tube stop away from Orient's Brisbane Road ground - would affect attendances at Orient games.
He has long argued the effect could be so severe it could put the club, currently top of League One with seven wins from seven games, out of business.
West Ham, who are expected to move into their new home from August 2016, welcomed the High Court's decision.
In a statement they said: "Although the application for a judicial review would not have had any impact on West Ham United's move to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the club have always believed the process was robust, fair and transparent."
West Ham said they could now focus on plans to develop the new venue.


Two men have appeared in court charged with the murder of a takeaway restaurant owner who was shot dead.

Michael McDougal and Michael Mullen, both of South Shields, are accused of killing Tipu Sultan, 32, outside Herbs n Spice Kitchen, Lake Avenue, South Shields, on 7 April.
Mr McDougal, 47, of Hylton Avenue, and Mr Mullen, 24, from Hawthorne Avenue, appeared at South Shields Magistrates' Court.
They were remanded in custody.
The men will next appear at Newcastle Crown Court. No date was set.
They were among four people arrested by Northumbria Police officers on Tuesday.
A woman, 27, was also detained on suspicion of murder, while a 44-year-old woman was held on suspicion of assisting an offender.


The disappearance of Milly Dowler led to the largest inquiry in the history of Surrey Police.

The 13-year-old vanished as she walked home from school in Walton-on-Thames in March 2002. Her remains were found six months later in woods in Hampshire.
At the Old Bailey on Thursday, convicted double killer Levi Bellfied was found guilty of her murder.
This is a timeline of events.
Milly is reported missing after failing to return home from school. She had last been seen by a schoolfriend in Station Avenue, Walton-on-Thames, close to where Levi Bellfield lived.
More than 100 officers and dozens of volunteers are involved in the search for Milly. The head teacher at Milly's school in Weybridge says everyone is "in limbo".
Milly's parents, Sally and Bob, release footage showing the 13-year-old ironing and playing the saxophone at home shortly before Christmas. Mr Dowler says he believes his daughter has been abducted.
A television reconstruction of Milly's last known movements is shown on BBC's Crimewatch and an RAF helicopter is brought in to take high-resolution aerial photographs of the area where she was last seen.
Massive search for missing girl
The search is widened beyond the Walton-on-Thames area. Officers examine Milly's computer to see if she was using internet chat rooms.
Milly's sister, Gemma, says the disappearance has been like a nightmare. Police also release parts of a "friendship book" kept by Milly and her friend Hannah MacDonald in the hope whoever may be holding her contact them.
The Sun newspaper offers a Â£100,000 reward for information which results in finding the missing schoolgirl.
Police make their first arrest in their investigation. A 36-year-old man from Chertsey is questioned but released without charge. A second man, aged 52, is also questioned about her disappearance but later released.
Sister's grief over missing Amanda
Detectives tell Milly's parents "to expect the worst" as the search continues. Bob and Sally talk of their heartache as their daughter's 14th birthday passes.
Sara Payne, whose daughter Sarah was abducted and killed in July 2000, urge Bob and Sally to "stay strong and hopeful".
Police reveal CCTV evidence shows Milly was probably snatched in a "chance abduction" as she was walking along Station Avenue.
Parents' hell over missing Milly
Milly's remains are found in remote woodland by a couple picking mushrooms at Yateley Heath in Hampshire. She is identified through her dental records.
A memorial service, attended by Bob, Sally and Gemma and staff and pupils from Heathside School, takes place at Guildford Cathedral.
Milly's parents told: 'Expect the worst'
A funeral procession takes place along Station Avenue where Milly was last seen before a private ceremony is held at St John's Crematorium in Woking.
Family leads Milly's funeral procession
Celebrities and music stars are among almost 2,000 people to attend a show held to celebrate Milly's life at the London Palladium.
Pop Idol winner Will Young headlined the Music and Laughter for Milly event, which raised money for a charity set up in her memory.
Stars support Milly's Fund gala
Police release details about a red Daewoo Nexia car, which was seen on CCTV less than 100 yards away from where Milly disappeared.
Detectives reveal they have pursued 11,500 lines of inquiry and taken 4,300 statements. Forty-seven officers are still working on the case,
A former bouncer and wheelclamper, Levi Bellfield, is questioned over the murder of Milly but the development is not made public.
Car 'breakthrough' in Milly case
Bellfield is given a whole life term for murdering two women and attempting to kill a third.
The 39-year-old, from west London, bludgeoned Amelie Delagrange, 22, and Marsha McDonnell, 19, after they got off buses in south-west London.
He is also found guilty of trying to kill Kate Sheedy, then 18, in 2004.
Bellfield is named as a prime suspect in the murder of Milly.
Surrey Police say the end of Bellfield's trial has provided "new opportunities for us to explore areas that we had previously been unable to".
Bellfield given 'whole life' term
Surrey Police submit a dossier of evidence against Bellfield to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Bellfield is formally charged with Milly's murder. He appears by video link at Staines Magistrates' Court.
The trial of Levi Bellfield begins at the Old Bailey.
Milly 'gone in blink of an eye'
Bellfield is found guilty of the murder of Milly Dowler.


Maidenhead United striker Dave Tarpey believes he has the ability to be a prolific scorer in the National League.

The 29-year-old netted twice to guide Maidenhead to a first victory in non-league's top tier as they beat Hartlepool United 2-1 on Saturday.
Tarpey scored 45 goals to set a National League South record last season as Maidenhead won the title.
"A few people were saying 'could he make the step up?' but I think I'm showing I can," he told BBC Sport.
A goal in either half from Tarpey ensured Alan Devonshire's side had enough to see off Hartlepool, but Tarpey knows there are more tough tests to come.
"There's a lot of teams in this division who are comfortable on the ball and play it quicker between the lines, but I think we've adapted well," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.
"We've not looked out of place and I think we've battled hard in the games so far."
Maidenhead travel to fellow National League new boys AFC Fylde on Tuesday before hosting Ebbsfleet on Saturday.


Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has met with workers hit by the closure of the Murco oil refinery in Pembrokeshire.

Mr Crabb, who represents the area as MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, was talking to workers and their families at an open surgery.
He was joined by his assembly counterpart Paul Davies at the discussions in Milford Haven.
All but 60 of the plant's 400 jobs are set to go after a deal to save it from closure collapsed.
Speaking after the surgery, assembly member Mr Davies said: "Understandably people were very concerned about their futures and were questioning why the sale process had collapsed so late in the day.
"Naturally the people we met were gutted and clearly very concerned about their prospects.
"Of course, it would be very helpful to understand from the potential buyer, the Klesch Group, why the sale did not go through.
"I believe that the company has a moral obligation to explain the rationale behind the sale not proceeding given that our communities' expectations had been raised.
"The news is devastating not only for Murco employees, but also those that indirectly rely on the refinery.
"It's absolutely crucial that every support possible is now given to the people affected by this devastating news."
A task force will meet next week to discuss bringing new jobs to the area.
It will be led by Wales' Economy Minister Edwina Hart and comes after Mr Crabb said both the UK and Welsh governments will work to "minimise the significant economic impact the closure will have on our county".
Local councillor Huw George said the task force would be up and running next week and Jobcentre Plus would hold a jobs fair.
On Thursday, Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans called for European Union funding to be sought to help affected workers.
She said money should be available under the EU's Globalisation Adjustment Fund which has benefitted many workers in other European countries to retrain, look for new work or set up their own businesses.
The oil refinery has been up for sale for four years without finding a buyer.
The sale of the firm to the Swiss-based Klesch Group was called off on Tuesday night.
In addition to its own workforce, the refinery employs a further 200 contractors and is understood to support a further 4,200 jobs across south west Wales.


Plans have been submitted to Highland Council for the new Inverness Justice Centre.

The building is to be developed on a site between Longman Road and Burnett Road to the north of Burnett Road Police Station.
The new centre would allow the courts service to move out of historic Inverness Castle.
The Scottish government is to fund the construction of the new two-storey Inverness Justice Centre.
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has proposed that the centre has six courtrooms.
It would also have facilities available for supporting and advising victims and witnesses of domestic abuse, sexual violence and provide "an environment for problem solving approaches" to help reduce re-offending and child abuse.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has said the centre would be an important development for the city and the wider Highlands area.


A man has been found guilty of murder after battering his partner's five-year-old son to death in a park for losing a trainer.

Marvyn Iheanacho, 39, subjected Alex Malcolm to a brutal attack in Mountsfield Park, Catford, south-east London, on 20 November last year.
Witnesses heard a "child's fearful voice saying sorry", loud banging and a man screaming about the loss of a shoe, Woolwich Crown Court was told.
He will be sentenced on Tuesday.
The jury heard Iheanacho, of Hounslow, was in a relationship with Alex's mother Lilya Breha and would often stay in her flat in Catford.
Ms Breha nodded as the verdict was announced and quietly wept in court.
Alex suffered fatal head and stomach injuries and died in hospital two days after the attack.
One of his trainers was later found in the play area by police.
Iheanacho, who was known to Alex as "Daddy Mills", admitted beating the boy before in a note in his diary which read: "Do I really love Alex, five years old small cute lil boy.
"Who want nothing more, than daddy mills to love him protect him but most of all keep him from harm - even though I had to beat him just now for sicking up in the cab - why why why I say - so the answer is yes yes yes I love him and like with all my heart but may not enough."
Iheanacho, who denied murder, gave several different accounts of how the injuries were caused including that Alex fell off a climbing frame, which were all rejected by the jury.
Rob Davis, district crown prosecutor, CPS London Homicide, said: "Only Marvyn Iheanacho knows how Alex was fatally wounded but it is certain his anger boiled over at some point on that evening.
"His actions that day tragically ended a young boy's life and deprived a mother of her son.
"His efforts to cover up what really happened, first to Alex's mother by claiming Alex had simply fainted and hit his head, then by lying and repeatedly changing his story to police show his greatest concern was for himself."


A price cap on energy bills could be extended to many more households on low incomes, under plans being considered by regulator Ofgem.

A limit on the cost of gas and electricity for those on pre-payment meters already saves about four million people £80 a year.
This could be extended to about two million others on certain benefits.
The proposals come after a much wider cap in the Conservative manifesto was absent from the Queen's Speech.
The manifesto had suggested the energy market was not working for consumers and, in a widely-debated move, suggested a tariff cap to protect 17 million people paying standard rates. This would have saved them up to £100 a year.
However, after the election, new legislation required for the cap was missing from the government's plans for the next two years.
Instead, the government said ministers were "considering the best way" to protect those on the poorest-value tariffs.
Business Secretary Greg Clark wrote to Ofgem to challenge the regulator to use its existing powers to reduce bills.
The response from Ofgem lists a range of proposals covering billing and switching.
Dermot Nolan, chief executive of Ofgem, told the BBC: "We're focusing on plans that we will take forward with some urgency to offer extra protection for some customers."
That includes "a strong possibility that we'll extend the price cap currently in place for pre-payment meters to vulnerable customers as well".
Last year, a landmark investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority concluded that many households on standard variable tariffs were paying too much for their energy.
It calculated consumers were overpaying by up to £1.2bn a year.
This led to a cap - set regionally - on the cost of energy for those on pre-payments meters.
Five of the "big six" energy suppliers raised prices for other customers earlier this year, despite pressure not to do so. Ofgem said such rises were not justified.
Now the regulator has said it will hold a summit in July with consumer groups on how it could extend the pre-payment meter cap to other households.
Citizens Advice has already suggested that two million extra households which receive the Warm Homes Discount should get the same protection, including some pensioners and families with young children.
The charity has assisted householders such as Shabnam Ali, who is set to save hundreds of pounds a year after she was helped to switch from her standard variable tariff.
She said that she was left in a panic and unwell for two or three weeks after she received a bill showing that her energy costs had risen sharply.
"For two or three months the bill was OK, but suddenly it went higher," she said.
Other proposals outlined by Ofgem include:
Mr Clark, whose Business Secretary role also covers energy, said: "The government has made clear its commitment to extending price protection to more energy customers on poor value tariffs.
"I now want to see this [Ofgem response] translated into action with suppliers playing their part in supporting Ofgem to deliver a fairer deal to customers on poor value tariffs. I look forward to seeing rapid progress and will consider next steps when I have received Ofgem's proposed actions."
Lawrence Slade, chief executive of Energy UK, which represents the major suppliers, said: "Energy companies are committed to engaging with their customers to help them get the best deals, and switching levels continue to rise with over two million consumers having already switched this year.
"We are committed to working with the government and the regulator to deliver an energy market where competition continues to flourish and which produces fair outcomes for all consumers, including better targeted support for the most vulnerable."
Yet consumer group Which? questioned whether the Ofgem proposals went far enough to ensure the energy market worked well for all consumers.
"Millions of hard-pressed customers are overpaying for their energy and suffering due to a lack of competition in the energy market," said Alex Neill, from Which?.
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour's shadow business secretary, said: "Ofgem's watered down proposals go nowhere near the promise made by the prime minister to adopt Labour's principle of a price cap."


Police are investigating the discovery of a dead buzzard in South Lanarkshire.

A member of the public found the dead bird of prey in the Millcroft area of Strathaven last Friday.
Specialist wildlife crime officers are attempting to establish how the bird died, and whether any crime has been committed.
Buzzards are scavengers which feed mainly on the remains of dead animals, making them particularly vulnerable to the illegal use of poisonous bait.
A post-mortem examination and toxicology tests will be carried out on the bird to determine its cause of death.


A hat-trick from Wales' Taulupe Faletau helped Bath take the battle for the fourth Premiership play-off spot down to the final day with a bonus-point win that ended Gloucester's top-six hopes.

Faletau and Gloucester's Jonny May traded tries before Bath took full control of the local derby at the Rec.
Aled Brew powered over, Max Clark raced in and Robbie Fruean got Bath's fourth.
Faletau got his second and third tries either side of May's second, before David Halaifonua's consolation score.
Other than crossing for their two late tries in a frenetic finish, Gloucester had faded badly for a 30-minute spell after half-time in which Bath were rampant and clinical.
The hosts remain fifth but are now four points below fourth-placed Leicester, with one round of matches remaining.
Tigers will travel to Worcester on 6 May while Bath are away at Sale Sharks where, barring a huge swing in points, they will need a bonus-point victory and for Leicester to come away from Sixways with nothing in order to claim the final play-off place.
After a scoreless first 20 minutes at the Rec, Wales' Rhys Priestland and James Hook exchanged penalties before Faletau skilfully collected Kahn Fotuali'i's chip for the afternoon's first try.
May caught Billy Burns' perfect kick to the corner to bring Gloucester back into an even, low-key first period, before the hosts dominated after the break.
Brew converted after a patient move for Bath's second, before Clark danced clear for a classy third and Fruean quickly extended the advantage.
British and Irish Lions back row Faletau capped a fine individual performance with two further tries of his own, while May and Halaifonua's late scores could not stop Challenge Cup finalists Gloucester from seeing their hopes of earning automatic Champions Cup qualification end.
However, the Cherry and Whites can still make it into the Champions Cup via a play-off if they either win the Challenge Cup or finish seventh in the Premiership.
Victory for Bath though did guarantee themselves at least a top-six spot this term, and a return to Europe's premier club competition next season.
Bath's Taulupe Faletau told BBC Radio Bristol:
"Over the last couple of weeks we were disappointed with our performances. We owed our home fans a decent performance.
"I thought [Max] Clark was outstanding but the Man of the Match award could have gone to any of the 15 out there.
"We have still got to work on the errors that we made today to iron out for next week."
Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:
"We let ourselves down. We let the supporters down. We know how important this game is to everybody at the club.
"Bath executed very well and all of a sudden we were chasing the game. Our set-piece was under a lot of pressure but when we had the ball we were dangerous.
"Maybe we were a little bit tired but the players were all excited to play. Once you go behind in a game like that, it is hard to get going again, having conceded two tries so quickly."
Bath: Homer; Watson, Clark, Tapuai, Brew; Priestland (co-capt), Fotuali'i; Catt, Brooker, Knight, Charteris, Stooke, Garvey, Louw (co-capt), Faletau.
Replacements: Batty, Obano, Palma-Newport, Attwood, Ellis, Cook, Ford, Fruean.
Gloucester: Hook; May, Trinder, Atkinson, Halaifonua; Burns, Heinz (capt); Hohneck, Hibbard, Afoa; Galarza, Thrush; Moriarty, Rowan, Morgan.
Replacements: Matu'u, McAllister, Knight, Savage, Ludlow, Laidlaw, Twelvetrees, Sharples.
For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.


This has been the week the United States finally got football - or soccer, as they still insist on calling it.

As the USA team progressed to the knock-out stage, the story has led the breakfast TV shows and been the subject of a diatribe by right-wing columnist Ann Coulter, who sees US interest in the game as a sign of the nation's moral decay.
But let's not exaggerate. I was sitting in my San Francisco hotel room watching the crucial USA game with Germany, when I glanced out on the street.  In England a similar game would have seen the world stand still for a couple of hours, but here most people were going about their business as normal and the traffic was no lighter than on any other morning. And afterwards I found myself explaining to puzzled Americans why they had progressed despite having lost to Germany.
One place however is completely absorbed in the World Cup. I popped into the headquarters of Twitter in downtown San Francisco and found vast screens in the company restaurant showing the games. Elsewhere, people sat in little cabins, also furnished with screens for the football.
Like other technology firms I've visited here, Twitter has a very international workforce, so many of the staff are following their home nation's progress. But for the company itself the World Cup is a huge event, and a key part of its strategy to build and engage its audience as questions mount about whether its growth has stalled. Anyone joining the service in recent weeks has been invited to "choose your side to unlock new custom World Cup features". There are hashtags galore, and flag symbols pop up in Tweets about your team.
Simon Rogers used to be the Guardian's data editor. He was appointed last year to do a similar job for Twitter. He's spending the World Cup diving into the vast pool of data generated by the event and trying to draw patterns.
He takes me through some of the key stats - 300 million tweets about the World Cup so far, twice as many as during the whole of the 2012 London Olympics. The own goal scored by Brazil's Marcelo in the opening game was the most tweeted moment to date with 12.2 million tweets. Lionel Messi and Brazil's Neymar are the most mentioned players so far - though Luis Suarez roared up into third place after his recent biting incident.
What's really striking is just how many of the players are now engaging with their fans via Twitter, with the majority signed up and tweeting. The prize for the most retweeted  player goes to Italy's Mario Balotelli whose cheeky message about getting a kiss from the  Queen, got 177,000 retweets.
Simon Rogers shows me the global nature of the Twitter World Cup experience by playing me a data visualisation of the USA v Portugal game. Tweets exploded out of the US and Portugal as goals were scored but there were also points of light from Latin America to Asia - the world is using Twitter to engage with each game and to join in a global conversation.
What this does for Twitter as a business is more obscure. Yes, some of the big World Cup sponsors are paying for promoted tweets during the tournament but we will have to wait for the next set of financial results to see if there has been the big growth in advertising revenue that Twitter now needs to show its investors.
They have been worried that the social media platform is just a bit too complex, a bit too niche to engage the kind of audience that is needed to justify its sky-high valuation. If Twitter can keep on board those who've come to laugh and celebrate and rage about each dramatic moment, then it will truly be a World Cup winner.


McDonald's has said its Twitter account was "compromised" after it sent an insulting message to President Donald Trump.

"You are a disgusting excuse of a President and we would love to have @BarackObama back," the tweet said.
It also asserted that the president had "tiny hands".
"We deleted the tweet, secured our account and are now investigating this," tweeted McDonald's, not long after the message was removed.
The firm said that it had been notified by Twitter that the account had been "compromised".
It was not clear whether this meant that the account had been hacked or, for example, taken over by a rogue employee.
In January, the BBC said that one of its accounts had been hacked after it reported that Donald Trump had been shot.


AFC Wimbledon have enjoyed a remarkable rise since the phoenix club was formed in 2002, and could reach the third tier for their first time in their 14-year history on Monday.

The Dons began life in the Combined Counties League and won five promotions in nine years to reach the Football League in 2011.
Having reached the League Two play-off final, the supporter-owned club are now one victory away from promotion to League One.
"It could only be likened, in my eyes, to raising a child," striker Lyle Taylor, 26, told BBC Sport.
"You spend years and a lot of money bringing that child up and for that child to then achieve something successful, you are happy as a parent.
"There are not many clubs in professional football that are younger than me. To be part of it is something special."
The Dons were formed after an independent Football Association-appointed commission gave permission to the old Wimbledon FC, then playing at Selhurst Park, to move to Milton Keynes.
The controversial decision, which eventually allowed the ailing Dons to be rebranded as Milton Keynes Dons, left fans of Wimbledon needing to start again.
They had two aims; to get back to the Football League and return to their spiritual home of Merton, which Wimbledon FC were forced to leave in 1991.
After holding open trials on Wimbledon Common back in 2002, AFC Wimbledon attracted 2,449 fans to their opening league game.
On Monday, more than 20,000 Dons fans are expected at Wembley to watch the south-west London club face Plymouth Argyle.
"It is one of the times you step back and look at the scenery," Dons chief executive Erik Samuelson told BBC Radio London. "It is extraordinary to think what this journey has been.
"One of the strange things is that out of such an appallingly bad decision, made in such a chicken-hearted way, something terrific has come out of it."
Each player AFC Wimbledon recruit is versed in the history of the club, and the struggle the fans have gone through to re-establish their position in the English football's pyramid.
"It is the fans' club, not ours," former player and first-team coach Simon Bassey said.
"We try to explain it to the players. We have got a great set of lads this year and the connection between the crowd and the players is great."
The current squad have a close bond with the supporters, evident in a pitch invasion following the completion of their play-off semi-final victory at Accrington which the players gleefully took part in.
"This club wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the passion and determination of the fans - and a certain core of individuals," centre-back Paul Robinson, 34, added.
"You have to recognise the importance of the fans and what it has taken to get here.
"We are the privileged ones as we get to wear the shirt and perform for them. To achieve something with this club would be awesome."
With their Conference play-off final in 2011 being held at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, Monday's play-off final against Plymouth will be AFC Wimbledon's first competitive game at Wembley.
For many of the club's supporters, the trip to the national stadium will bring back great memories - not from an 8-1 friendly victory over Corinthian Casuals in 2008 but the original Wimbledon FC's 1988 FA Cup final win over Liverpool.
"Wimbledon and Wembley has a lovely ring to it and we know why," Dons boss Neal Ardley said.
However, Ardley does not believe this match is the biggest match in the club's 12-year history - citing promotion to the Football League in 2011 and preserving their League Two status with victory against Fleetwood on the final day in 2013.
"But it is the biggest occasion in the club's history," the 43-year-old said.
"It is a most unique club and a wonderful feeling for me and this group of players to take these fans to Wembley; fans who 14 years ago were dealt the biggest kick you could possibly imagine and rolled their sleeves up and said 'no, it's not happening'."
Promotion would put AFC Wimbledon in the same division as MK Dons, who were relegated from the Championship in April.
AFC have previously played MK Dons three times, all at Stadium MK; in the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, but they could meet on a level playing field for the first time in the league.
"I always dreamt of the day we climb above them," said Ivor Heller, who was one of AFC Wimbledon's founder members and is now the club's commercial director.
"That is something that I think will be justice. They will never get what we have got because they didn't do it right in the first place."
After their first meeting in December 2012, MK Dons boss Karl Robinson spoke of wanting a "healthy rivalry" between the two clubs, but it is not reciprocated from south-west London.
"I can't ignore it. It has a certain fascination for the media but it is no incentive," Samuelson added.
"Really, they shouldn't be part of Monday. This is about us, what we have done, the ethos of us and the new stadium we are hoping to build.
"They don't deserve any part of this."


A Russian airliner which crashed in Egypt's Sinai peninsula, killing all 224 people on board, broke up in mid-air, a Russian official says.

Victor Sorochenko, the head of Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee, said it was too early to conclude what caused the crash on Saturday.
He told reporters debris was found across a 20sq km-wide area of Sinai. So far 163 bodies have been found.
Russia is observing a day of mourning after its worst air disaster.
Mr Sorochenko spoke after visiting the site of the debris, near the village of Hasana.
Jihadists allied to so-called Islamic State in Sinai, where such groups are active, had made a claim on social media that they had brought down flight KGL9268.
But Egyptian Prime Minister Sharif Ismail said experts had confirmed that a plane could not be downed at 9,450m (31,000ft), the altitude the Airbus 321 was flying at, by weapons the militants are known to possess.
President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi also urged caution on Sunday, saying the investigation into the cause was a "complicated matter" that could take months.
Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said no evidence had been seen that indicated the plane was targeted, and IS has not produced pictures or video footage to substantiate its claim.
Analysis by BBC Monitoring found that a video purporting to show the downing of a plane did not appear to be an official IS clip, and was not shared on official IS channels.
Three airlines - Emirates, Air France-KLM and Lufthansa - have decided not to fly over the Sinai Peninsula until more information is available. Two smaller carriers, flydubai and Air Arabia, also said they would re-route flights.
British Airways said it regularly assessed the safety of its routes. BA said it would not confirm flight routes, but that it "would never fly a route unless it was safe to do so".
The plane came down early on Saturday, shortly after leaving the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the Russian city of St Petersburg.
Russian and French investigators have joined the Egyptian-led probe, along with experts from Airbus, which is headquartered in France.
Egyptian officials said some bodies had been recovered within a radius of 5km on Saturday, but that of a three-year-old girl was found 8km from the scene.
One un-named official told Reuters the plane appeared to have split in two, with one part burning up and the other crashing into a rock.
The plane's black boxes have been found and sent for analysis, officials said.
Russia's transport regulator said on Sunday it is to check all the airline's A-321 planes, but Kogalymavia this would not affect their operations.
Egypt's civil aviation minister Hossam Kamal said there had been no sign of any problems on board the flight, contradicting earlier reports that the pilot had asked to make an emergency landing.
The widow of the plane's co-pilot told Russian TV her husband had complained about the aircraft's technical condition.
The plane was carrying 217 passengers, including 25 children, Russian transport authorities said. There were seven crew members on board.
Most of the passengers were Russian, but at least three were Ukrainian and one Belarusian.
The first bodies to be returned to Russia are expected to be flown to St Petersburg on Sunday.
05:58 Egyptian time (03:58 GMT): Flight leaves Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian cabinet says in a statement
06:14 Egyptian time (04:14 GMT): Plane fails to make scheduled contact with air traffic control based in Larnaca, Cyprus, according to Sergei Izdolsky, an official with Russia's air transport agency
06:17 Egyptian time, approx (04:17 GMT): Plane comes down over the Sinai peninsula, according to Airbus
11:12 Egyptian time (09:12 GMT): Flight had been due to land in St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport


Hungary will hold a referendum on 2 October on whether to accept mandatory EU quotas for relocating migrants, President Janos Ader has said.

PM Viktor Orban's right-wing government opposes plans to relocate a total of 160,000 refugees across the bloc.
The EU announced the scheme last year in response to the migrant crisis.
Analysts say Mr Orban is emboldened by UK's vote to leave the EU, after a campaign in which immigration was a key issue.
Hungary became a transit state on the Western Balkan route to Germany and other EU destinations.
In an effort to curb the influx, it sealed its border with Serbia and Croatia and criminalised illegal entry. The measures were popular at home but criticised by human rights groups.
In a statement, President Ader said voters would be asked: "Do you want the European Union to be entitled to prescribe the mandatory settlement of non-Hungarian citizens in Hungary without the consent of parliament?"
Hungary, along with Slovakia, has already launched a court challenge against the EU plan, which would see relocations over two years.
The proposal was meant to ease pressure on Greece and Italy, the main entry points for migrants and refugees into the bloc.
But its implementation has been slow. Until mid-June, 2,280 people had been relocated from both countries, none of them to Hungary, according to EU data.
Mr Orban has previously described the quotas as "illegal and unreasonable", saying they "could redraw Europe's cultural and religious identity".
More than one million migrants and refugees arrived in the EU in 2015, mostly by sea.


Crowds gathered to bid farewell to the Canadian Lancaster plane which has been touring the UK over the summer.

"Vera" joined the only other airworthy Lancaster, operated by the RAF, for a series of events and is now flying home via Iceland and Greenland.
Taking off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, the two bombers were joined by Spitfires and Hurricanes.
Vera still has a UK engine after one of its own developed a fault and an appeal has been launched to fund repairs.
The aircraft passed over RAF Cranwell, RAF Waddington, Lincoln Cathedral and RAF Scampton, before leaving the area.
It is estimated each of the Lancasters has flown about 6,000 miles attending dozens of shows and events.
These included a flypast of the Derwent dams where the Dambusters practised.


Jimmy Walker has climbed 33 places to 15th in the world rankings after his US PGA Championship victory.

The American, 37, held off Jason Day at Baltusrol, New Jersey, on Sunday to claim his first major.
Australian Day, 28, remains top of the rankings, followed by Americans Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth, and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.
Walker's career-high ranking of 10th came in April 2015 after he won the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
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Sudden unexplained infant deaths, or cot deaths, have reached the lowest level on record in England and Wales, according to the latest figures.

In 2014 there were 128, compared with 165 the previous year and 207 in 2004.
Fewer women smoking and campaigns to teach new parents the safest sleeping position for their newborn - on their backs - are both factors, experts say.
The Office for National Statistics said the fall was driving the downward trend in overall unexplained infant deaths.
Figures gathered from the ONS include cot deaths (sudden infant death syndrome) as well as deaths of children younger than one for which the cause remained unknown even after a full investigation.
Together these accounted for 8% of all infant deaths occurring in England and Wales in 2014 - 1% lower than in 2013 - with just over half of the victims being boys.
Rosie Amery, from the ONS, said: "A number of factors may have contributed to the fall, including warmer than average temperatures throughout the year, fewer women smoking at the time of delivery and greater awareness of safer sleeping practices," she said.
The ONS began recording sudden infant deaths in 2004.
Overheating is a known risk factor for cot death and during cold winters the risk of the baby getting too hot under extra clothing and blankets is increased, according to experts.
There are measures people can take to lower the risk of sudden infant deaths and Francine Bates, from the Lullaby Trust charity, urged parents to follow the "safer" sleep advice - lying babies on their backs at bed and nap time.
Source: The Lullaby Trust


Fans have faced more frustration as they tried to buy tickets for Adele's first tour in four years.

Online customers experienced long queues, and several told the BBC they had entered payment information only to be kicked out and returned to the ticket selection page.
But there was no repeat of the issues that plagued an earlier pre-sale, where fans saw other people's details.
The star's tour kicks off in Belfast next February.
She has just announced two extra dates in Birmingham and Manchester, and a further four at the O2 in London, to cope with demand.
Those tickets will go on sale next Monday.
Fans trying to buy tickets on Friday complained about long waits and technical errors.
"Three times I have got through to select tickets and three times kicked back to the waiting room!" tweeted Amy Clarke.
"This just happened to me too! Picked my tickets then got kicked back to the home page!" added Jo Porteous.
The issue affected customers on several sites - including Ticketmaster, Eventim and AXS - but not everyone was disappointed.
"Just so you know I'm gonna be busy on 26th March 2016," wrote Oliver Gunn. "Adele and I have a date."
Other fans complained that tickets had appeared on re-selling websites before they were able to complete a purchase from the official retailers.
The BBC has seen tickets selling for up to Â£3,000 on sites like GetMeIn and Viagogo - 30 times the face value.
This is despite Adele's website saying "resale of tickets will not be tolerated". It remains to be seen how this will be policed.
About 60% of the tickets for the singer's tour were sold on Friday, after several pre-sales for fans and priority customers.
Tuesday's offer was beset by problems, with several fans telling the BBC they were shown the address and credit card details of other customers.
Ticketing company Songkick said due to the "extreme load" on the site some customers could see others' account details and apologised for any "alarm".
However, it added: "At no time was anyone able to access another person's password, nor their payment or credit card details (which are not retained by Songkick)."
The site also said it had worked with Adele's management to keep a lid on ticket resale, by screening customers to eliminate known and suspected touts,
"We were carefully monitoring all of the registrations to try and spot anything suspicious," Adele's manager, Jonathan Dickins told Music Business Worldwide.
"This is a show for fans who've waited years for Adele to perform," he added. "Everyone working on it just wants the best outcome for those fans."
Songkick told the BBC it had eliminated "18,000 known and suspected touts" limiting the number of advance sale on secondary websites to less than 2 per cent.
"This is an over 50% decrease in the number of tickets generally found on secondary ticketing sites for similar events," it said.
"The big problem here is legislation," said Dickins. "Until a law is passed in the UK that outlaws ticket resale profiteering you cannot stop it completely."


David Cameron has urged EU leaders to show "flexibility" and "work together" to help him reduce migration numbers.

The PM said "unprecedented" levels of immigration were "undermining support for the European Union" in the UK.
He presented his bid to reform the EU for over half-an-hour at dinner at the European Council summit in Brussels.
European Council president Donald Tusk said the talks were "substantive and constructive" and represented a "make of break moment".
Mr Tusk said Mr Cameron set out his position, especially on benefits and free movement.
He added that leaders voiced concern but were willing to look for compromises.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "I am optimistic because we all want a compromise. But work on substance needs to be done. Treaty change might be possible. Not now but perhaps later."
French President Francois Hollande said there could be adjustments over Mr Cameron's demands but EU rules and principles must be respected.
Follow the latest updates with BBC Politics Live
Senior officials have cast doubt on Mr Cameron's chances of agreement on his key proposal to curb in-work benefits for EU migrants to the UK for four years.
European Council President Donald Tusk earlier said some of his demands seemed unacceptable, while European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker was looking for "other options".
Also on the agenda at the EU Council meeting will be the migrant crisis, climate change and the fight against terrorism.
Mr Cameron wants to get a new deal for the UK before putting its membership to an in/out referendum by the end of 2017.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the prime minister had not been able to "find many friends" at the summit so far, describing the talks over dinner as a "pretty intense session".
Downing Street said he would tell his counterparts migration was putting pressure on communities and public services and was a "major concern of the British people".
"We need to find an effective answer to this problem," Mr Cameron said.
"Countries need flexibility so they can make changes to their welfare systems to better manage migration."
Mr Cameron said British people's fear "that they will be taken against their will into a political project" had "undermined British public trust in the EU for a number of years".
He added: "Are we going to find the flexibility to address the concerns of the UK and work together to fix this?"
Thursday's discussions over dinner are the first time EU leaders have discussed Mr Cameron's reform proposals in detail.
He also wants protection for countries outside the eurozone, measures to boost competitiveness and an exemption for Britain from the drive towards an "ever-closer union".
Earlier Mr Cameron said the Referendum Bill had received Royal Assent, meaning the UK vote would definitely take place by the end of 2017, and said he was "pushing for real momentum" rather than striking a final deal at the summit.
He said he would be "battling hard for Britain, right through the night".
What does Britain want from Europe?
What we know so far about UK's in-out referendum
Mr Tusk, who said he wanted "no taboos" in talks with Mr Cameron, said: "The consultations I have led with all member states show goodwill of all the parties involved, but it doesn't change the fact that some parts of the British proposal seem unacceptable.
"However, if Prime Minister Cameron persuades leaders tonight that we can work together to find solutions regarding all four baskets, then we will have a real chance to strike a deal in February."
Mr Juncker said he wanted a "fair deal with Britain".
He said: "The commission is ready to look for other options than the single one [the benefits cap] proposed by the British prime minister and I'm quite convinced that we will find a solution to that highly complicated question."
Arriving at the summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "From the German point of view, I will hold the debate in the spirit that we would like to keep Britain in the European Union but at the same time do not want to limit the basic liberties, non-discrimination, free movement, of the European Union."
Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have issued a joint statement saying they will reject any UK demand that is discriminatory or limits free movement.
Eurosceptics have dismissed the PM's reform demands as "trivial", with UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the talks were a "charade".
Labour, which wants Britain to remain in the EU, said the prime minister had "botched his negotiations with European leaders".
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who attended a meeting of the Party of European Socialists parliamentary bloc, said the renegotiation would not succeed.
He said: "They're not going to be able to make a deal on benefits as I see it, because it would be discriminatory."
Q&A: What Britain wants from Europe
Guide to the UK's planned in-out EU referendum
BBC News EU referendum special report


The Winchburgh railway tunnel in West Lothian has been closed for 44 days causing delays to Glasgow-Edinburgh train services.

Staff will be working round-the-clock in the 330m-long tunnel to lower two lines of track to create space for overhead power lines for the new trains.
The work is part of the Â£750m Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP). It aims to launch "cleaner, greener and quieter trains" on the line from December 2016. This will be mainly done by replacing existing trains with electric-powered ones.
The Winchburgh tunnel, which is near Linlithgow, is the site of a major technical challenge.
The tunnel will be closed between Saturday 13 June and Sunday 26 July, which means trains will need to be diverted and replacement buses used.
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said summer was the quietest time on the railway so it made sense to schedule the tunnel closure at this time.
It includes the school summer holiday period when fewer people travel, but is to be completed before the start of the Edinburgh festivals.
ScotRail said the main routes affected would be:
In addition, the following services will be busier than normal in both directions:
The tunnel closure will mean passengers wanting to travel end-to-end from Glasgow to Edinburgh will no longer be able to take a train from Queen Street high level platforms.
This service will now include replacement bus services around Falkirk.
To avoid that, passengers can switch to the slower Queen Street low level trains, which run on the Airdrie/Bathgate line or travel from Central Station which go via Motherwell/Carstairs or Shotts.
The high level trains will still run every 30 minutes in both directions between Glasgow Queen Street and Linlithgow only - calling at Croy, Falkirk High and Polmont.
ScotRail warned that train journeys would be busier and take longer than normal, they may not depart from where people are used to and in some cases they may involve a bus replacement service.
The train operator has a dedicated website to deal with the questions.
ScotRail said it would add extra carriages "where possible" and run more evening rush-hour trains.
It warned that rush-hour trains may be so crowded that some travellers may be unable to board.
It also advised passengers to set off up to 30 minutes earlier than usual.
Further pressure will come during the Open golf championship at St Andrews from 12-19 July.
Many fans from across Scotland would have travelled by train. ScotRail said it expected to lay on more buses during the latter part of the week.
The EGIP project will continue on sections of the Edinburgh Glasgow line until late next year but most of the work will be carried out at night.
Next year, work will begin in the Queen Street tunnel in Glasgow, clearing it for electrification in April 2016.
Phil Verster from train operator ScotRail Alliance said Glasgow Queen Street would be "transformed" by the changes, with the whole concourse being remodelled.
He said: "It will put Glasgow Queen Street on a par with what we have at St Pancras or King's Cross. It is going to be absolutely stunning."
According to Rodger Querns from EGIP the benefits for passengers will be a 20% reduction in journey times (down from about 52 minutes to 42 minutes on the main line via Falkirk), a 30% increase in capacity and greener, quieter trains with better on-board facilties.
Mr Verster of ScotRail Alliance said: "So on all counts it is good for customers and good for the country."


The European Commission has decided not to introduce regulations that would have made private pensions cheaper to operate across international borders.

In a surprise move, the Commission has decided to stick to the current regulations.
If Scotland votes for independence in September, many private pension schemes would become cross-border schemes.
The pensions industry has said the decision could make these schemes more expensive to run.
The Commission had been expected to relax the regulations, so the schemes would not have to be fully funded all the time.
Joanne Segars, chief executive of the National Association of Pension Funds, said: "Today's announcement of a new EU pensions directive has major implications for pension schemes as part of the debate on independence for Scotland.
"The big surprise is that the EU will continue to require cross-border schemes to be fully funded - a significantly more demanding level of funding than is expected of single-country schemes.
"The European Commission had been expected to relax these special cross-border requirements, but it has disappointed many observers by leaving this part of the pensions directive unreformed.
"The knock-on effect of this is that schemes with members both north and south of the border would become much more expensive to run if Scotland were to vote for independence."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said ministers had "considered in detail the impact of EU rules on defined benefit pension schemes" and set out their view in the White Paper on independence, published last November.
The spokeswoman continued: "We clearly set out our view, informed by practice in Ireland under the current regime, that a scheme which became cross-border on independence should be allowed to implement its existing recovery plan in accordance with the period originally set for it, rather than having to achieve full funding over a much shorter timescale.
"This remains the case, regardless of the fact that that the Commission has deferred plans to encourage the growth of cross-border schemes by relaxing the funding regime.
"The Scottish Government has repeatedly pressed the UK to discuss this issue and to instigate formal talks with the Commission.
"Relaxation of the cross-border funding rules is supported by the industry across Europe. We will be working with partners to demonstrate the case for action on this important issue when the new Commission takes office later this year."
Speaking for the pro-Union Better Together campaign, Labour MP Gregg McClymont said: "The pensions system in the UK works well through the pooling of resources, where the rewards are shared via sensible and efficient risk sharing.
"This protects the pensions of Scots who have worked all their lives to enjoy retirement.
"The EU has today confirmed that Scottish company pension schemes must overnight, if we leave the UK, fill a huge funding black hole.
"The implications for Scots who are members of these defined benefit pension schemes and for the companies themselves are huge.
"It's now clear beyond doubt that independence puts the pensions of hard working Scots at risk."


Shrewsbury Town fans have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to introduce safe standing at the club's ground.

The Supporters' Parliament wants £75,000 to be found for the proposed installation of about 400 rail seats in one section of the stadium.
The League One side became the first English club to apply to have safe standing.
The club aims to have rail seats fitted and in use before the end of 2017-18.
Read more news for Shropshire
Rail seating, similar to the system at the ground of Scottish champions Celtic, is a safe standing area featuring retractable seats.
Shrewsbury's Montgomery Waters Meadow is 10 years old so is not governed by the all-seater stadiums legislation which permits clubs in Leagues One and Two to keep terraces that existed before 1994.
Standing has been banned in England's top two divisions since then.
That law change followed recommendations made in the Taylor Report into the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans.
Joint chairman of the Shrewsbury Town Supporters' Parliament Roger Groves said it was "extremely confident" of raising the amount by 12 September.
Asked what would happen if not enough money was found by then, he said it was "not going to fail" and he thought the planned scheme would "get good support from a wider audience" of fans of other clubs who want this to succeed.
Mr Groves said more than £6,000 had been raised since fundraising started on Tuesday. Donations are being invited from fans and the public in return for 'rewards' from the club.
Mr Groves said if safe standing was installed towards the end of the coming season, it would "give supporters a taste" ahead of a proposed first full season of the initiative.


Scottish Football Association performance director Malky Mackay has launched a mentoring programme for young coaches.

He wants the scheme to help to shape "managers of the future at the top level".
Coaches from across Scotland will attend two days of education, as Mackay seeks to implement his "best practice" approach to development.
"It's in collaboration with our clubs," Mackay told BBC Scotland.
"I'm determined that I'm going to find best practice from my own experiences, from people that I know, from different sports, to make sure that performance in our country, whether it be coaching, sports science, medicine, analysis, talent identification - that we end up looking at the best and then with enough practise becoming the best."
Across two days at Oriam, the National Performance Centre for Sport in Edinburgh, 80 coaches will learn from the likes of Dick Bate, the former Elite Coaching Manager at the Football Association who MacKay rates "as one of the best coach educators in Britain".
Italian defence coach Fabrizio Piccareta, who was assistant manager to Paolo di Canio at Sunderland and Swindon Town, and Burnley manager Sean Dyche will also deliver presentations on coach education.
Mackay wants the sessions to take place regularly, and hopes they will "inspire and inform", helping younger coaches become more "worldly".
"I'm going to push this massively for young coaches in Scotland," Mackay said.
"[The clubs] have allowed myself, and my team of Jim Fleeting, Donald Park, Scott Gemmill, Brian McLaughlin to go day-to-day and watch training sessions, talk to the players, talk to the young players and young coaches.
"What I want is a much closer collaboration with the the clubs and communication helps massively in that.
"There is no conflict of interests between the Scottish FA and the clubs, we both want the best for their players, because it helps both of us."
MacKay is anxious for success at all levels from the under-21 age group down to the under-11s. and said it was "really heartening" to see the Scotland Under-20s do well in the recent Toulon tournament, where they registered Scotland's first victory over Brazil at any level on their way to the semi-finals, and defeat to England.
"We hadn't been there [the tournament] in 20 years and out of the 12 teams we finished third," Mackay said.
"France were knocked out, Brazil were knocked out in the group stages and we end up beating Czech Republic to finish third. It was a great testament to the boys and to [head coach] Scott Gemmill's team."
One of the encouraging aspects of the under-20's squad according to MacKay was the key role three Kilmarnock players - Greg Taylor, Adam Frizzell and Iain Wilson - had within the squad, and he says it is no coincidence they are all getting regular first-team football.
"The quicker we can get our youngsters playing against men, whether that's their clubs loaning them out or whether that's reserve football - which is another project which is being floated at the moment - the better," Mackay said.
"That will mean our youngsters have got a better chance of going into first teams and will allow Gordon Strachan a bigger pool of players to pull from."


Aston Villa boss Remi Garde hopes Jack Grealish has learned his lesson after being dropped from the first team.

The 20-year-old midfielder had to train with Villa's Under-21s after reports he visited a Manchester nightclub after a 4-0 defeat at Everton.
He has since been restored to the first team set-up and is in contention to face Arsenal on Sunday.
"He is a talented young player but only Jack knows if he has learned," said Frenchman Garde.
"I'll still be close with him. I have the feeling Jack needs to be more disciplined, this way I feel he can improve his game."
Grealish missed Premier League games against Watford and Southampton during his omission but played for the U21s in their victory over Derby on Monday.
Villa go into the game against the Gunners bottom of the Premier League and seven points from safety.


Senior staff at the former Coatbridge College have been accused of colluding to give themselves overly generous severance payments before a merger.

Holyrood's Public Audit Committee heard how £849,842 was paid to seven staff.
Auditor General Caroline Gardner said she believed the chair of the board and the principal had worked together and withheld concerns over the payments.
SNP MSP Nigel Don said it was a "bad example of misuse of funds...and feathering one's own nest".
In June, the auditor general issued a highly-critical report of the severance deals paid out before the college become part of New College Lanarkshire last year.
New College Lanarkshire was formed by a merger of Motherwell, Cumbernauld and Coatbridge Colleges.
In her report, Ms Gardner stated that a total of 39 staff left from the former Coatbridge College at a cost of £1.7m.
Of this, £849,842 of this went on seven staff - former college principal John Doyle, a member of his staff and five senior managers.
Ms Gardner said in her report that the senior staff received payments "that exceeded the terms of the college's severance scheme".
The report was discussed by Holyrood's Public Audit Committee on Wednesday.
MSPs heard how the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) - which finances colleges - was powerless to stop the payments and its concerns appear to have been deliberately withheld from the committee that signed them off.
Despite outrage expressed by MSPs, the committee was told that the principal and officials involved cannot be prosecuted and the money cannot be recovered.
Ms Gardner told MSPs: "These are very serious failures of governance, amongst the most serious that I have seen in my time in this role.
"A case this egregious is unusual. What appears to have happened is the chair of the board and the principal worked together to achieve a certain outcome, with members of the remuneration committee not receiving the information they needed to make their decision, and not receiving the concerns that had been raised by the SFC."
Ms Gardner said that in her "professional judgement" this was "very unlikely to be an oversight".
"It was a deliberate withholding of information, as far as I am able to draw a conclusion from the evidence that is there," she said.
"I understand New College Lanarkshire, when it took responsibility for the affairs of Coatbridge College, took legal advice on what action was possible to recover the funds and other action and were advised that that wasn't possible."
Ms Gardner said the SFC should monitor future remuneration packages closely.
"If that leaves a gap it would be worth exploring whether other remedies, including legal remedies, are needed," she said.
"I hope they wouldn't be. Most public servants don't behave like this most of the time, but occasionally a case like this comes along where the normal controls simply fail to have the effect intended.
"The new arrangements should mean that it couldn't happen, with the SFC now needing to approve severance packages before they are paid.
"I don't know whether it would be possible for that sort of collusion to prevent that control. I would like to be able to give the committee that assurance but I don't feel I can."
Fraser McKinlay, Audit Scotland's director of performance for audit and best value, told the committee: "One of the reasons this feels like it is in a whole different league in terms of the seriousness is that they had all of that information and traffic from the SFC saying, 'We have serious concerns about this and it would not be in line with good practice', and yet they still went ahead with it.
"At that point, when you have got some people intent on doing a particular thing, then every internal control in the world makes that quite difficult to stop.
"So we would never say to you this could never happen again."
Committee member Nigel Don said the case was a "particularly bad example of misuse of funds, deliberate withholding of information and of feathering one's own nest".
Following the committee hearing, Shona Struthers, chief executive of Colleges Scotland, said there were now tougher "sector-wide procedures and processes in place to effectively manage severance" payments.
"The SFC now also has the power to call to account any college which is non-compliant," she said.
"We are confident that these steps will provide greater accountability and ensure value for money for public finances."


Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster's catchphrase is the business-school cliche "moving forward", but the top flight he leads is very much in reverse.

All four representatives suffered defeats of varying degrees of ignominy and bravery in their respective European competitions before the start of a domestic season that will kick off with nearly half the Scottish Premiership squads weaker than they were last season because of financial constraints that will be tightened further after Celtic were left as the only team standing via the consolation of the Europa League.
Dundee, the Championship title winners, have been particularly busy in the transfer market and they and fellow newcomers Hamilton Academical are likely to prove competitive on the field of play, but they will not match the departed Hearts and Hibernian in terms of box office.
Celtic's dealings in the transfer market have been as lacklustre as their performances in Champions League qualifying under new manager Ronny Deila, although the capture of Craig Gordon could prove to be a coup if the goalkeeper has truly fully recovered from long-term injury.
The Scotland international's arrival paved the way for the sale of England's Fraser Forster.
Even if Celtic had not used the £10m paid by Southampton on recruiting in the loan market and adding striker Stefan Scepovic from Spain's second tier for £2.3m, a fourth title in a row is all but assured given that the Glasgow outfit won the Premiership by a massive 29 points last season.
The Premiership also continues to haemorrhage its best home grown talent. St Johnstone could pocket nearly £1m for Stevie May should the striker be a success at Sheffield Wednesday, while Dundee United gathered around £6m for youngsters Ryan Gauld and Andy Robertson.
United, though, along with Aberdeen, who tested Real Sociedad before exiting the Europa League, seem destined for a runners-up dogfight after some clever summer transfer manoeuvres arguably strengthened their squads.
A motley influx from England's bottom tiers along with a variety of European nomads continue to pour in and lack of early success once more for his players of many nations led to the departure of Ross County's Derek Adams.
Marquee signing: Securing a striker for free who once cost Blackburn Rovers £2m-plus from Dundee United - and who should still be in his prime - will be viewed as a smart piece of business for Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes. However, David Goodwillie's six goals in 22 games back on loan at Tannadice last season, followed by three in 13 for Blackpool, is hardly going to strike fear into Scottish Premiership defences. At 25, the often-troubled, thrice-capped Scot must know his second chances at the big time are running out.
Key arrival: Jeffrey Monakana made an instant impression on joining Preston North End after graduating from Arsenal's youth system. However, six months into an 18-month deal with Brighton, the flying English winger has been farmed out to Pittodrie, where the 20-year-old will hope to shine in red as much as former youth team-mate Jack Wilshire has at the Emirates.
One that got away: Before turning his attention to David Goodwillie, Derek McInnes wisely targeted Kris Boyd, who had revived his career in a second spell at Kilmarnock that led to 26 goals in 42 games and a recall to the Scotland set-up. However, whether the 30-year-old's decision was financial or emotional, the Dons could not compete with the lure of a return to Rangers, despite the Ibrox side's second-tier status.
Last season: 3rd
Prediction: 2nd. While Derek McInnes has been unable to add sufficiently to his squad to mount a serious title challenge, he has been able to retain his squad - unlike most of the Dons' rivals for the runners-up spot - while ditching the also-rans.
In: David Goodwillie, forward (Blackburn Rovers); Scott Brown, goalkeeper (Cheltenham Town); Ash Taylor, defender (Tranmere Rovers); Shaleum Logan, defender (Brentford). Loan: Jeffrey Monakana, midfielder (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Out: Josh Magennis, forward (Kilmarnock); Scott Vernon, forward (Shrewsbury Town); Calvin Zola, forward (Stevenage); Nicky Weaver, goalkeeper; Craig Burns, goalkeeper; Scott Rumsby, defender (Stranraer); Matthew McMahon, midfielder; Alan O'Sullivan, forward. Loan: Danny Rogers, goalkeeper (Dumbarton); Declan McManus, forward (Greenock Morton); Jamie Masson, midfielder (Brechin City); Joe Shaughnessy, defender (Falkirk). Loan ended: Alan Tate, defender (Swansea City)
Marquee signing: Beating the closure of the summer transfer window by a matter of minutes, new manager Ronny Deila at last managed to spend some serious money and will hope that Stefan Scepovic resolves a perceived problem on the striking front. The 24-year-old Serb has Europa League experience behind with Partizan and will repay a fair amount of the £2.3m fee should he match the 23 goals in 41 game strike rate he achieved with Sporting Gijon last season. However, that was in Spain's second tier and Scepovic remains a gamble.
Key arrival: Craig Gordon could save Celtic millions of pounds should he prove that he has fully recovered from the injury that kept him out of football for two years. Not just because the former Scotland, Hearts and Sunderland goalkeeper has talent but because it gives Celtic some peace of mind should they receive an offer they feel they cannot refuse for England World Cup squad man Fraser Forster.
One that got away: Whether he was not wanted any more (as he himself claims), a new contract was deemed too expensive (one suspects), or he was not keen to stay (as Celtic seem to hint), Georgios Samaras' six-year spell in Glasgow came to an untidy end. While he looks for a new club after impressing for Greece at the World Cup finals, Celtic have struggled on the European stage on which the forward who split many opinions so often proved their inspiration.
Last season: 1st
Prediction: 1st. Celtic could afford to keep the legendary biscuit tin closed and still win the title.
In: Ronny Deila, manager (Stromsgodset); John Collins, assistant manager; Stefan Scepovic, forward (Sporting Gijon, £2.3m); Craig Gordon, goalkeeper (unattached); Loan: Jo Inge Berget, striker (Cardiff City); Aleksander Tonev, midfielder (Aston Villa); Jason Denayer, defender (Manchester City); Wakaso Mubarak, midfielder (Rubin Kazan), John Guidetti, forward (Manchester City).
Out: Neil Lennon, manager; Johan Mjallby, assistant manager; Fraser Forster, goalkeeper (Southampton, £10m) Georgios Samaras, forward; Tony Watt, striker (Standard Liege, undisclosed); Denny Johnstone, striker (Birmingham City, undisclosed); Lewis Kidd, defender (Queen of the South); Paul Slane, midfielder (Ayr United); Michael Miller, defender (Greenock Morton); Jack Kirwan, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Patrik Twardzik, midfielder; Patrick McNally, defender. Loan: Dylan McGeouch, midfielder (Hibernian), Holmbert Fridjonsson, forward (Brondby); Jackson Irvine, midfielder (Ross County); Teemu Pukki, forward (Brondby); Amido Balde, forward (Beveren); Marcus Fraser, defender (Cowdenbeath); Aidan McIlduff, defender (Clyde).
Marquee signing: Having twice commanded a £2m transfer fee, once to Rangers then to Middlesbrough, Kevin Thomson ought to be the stand-out summer signing for promoted Dundee, especially as he is still only 29. However, two serious knee injuries earlier in his career have diminished his midfield presence and his second spell with Hibernian led to frustrating spells on the bench and ended in the despair of relegation.
Key arrival: German duo Thomas Konrad, previously of Eintracht Trier, and Luka Tankulic, Wolfsburg II, have been plucked from their homeland's regional leagues. But, with defender Konrad's starring role in a pre-season win over Manchester City and striker Tankulic's competitive debut goal against Peterhead, they could prove to be astute additions to Dundee's squad.
One that got away: Paul Hartley showed himself to be no respecter of reputations as he wielded the axe on some well-known faces he believed were expensive luxuries. However, goalkeeper Dan Twardzik did enough on loan to Motherwell to convince the Fir Park club to offer him a permanent deal after his Dens Park exit.
Last season: Championship title
Prediction: 8th. Paul Hartley received much media hype for leading Alloa Athletic to successive promotions and followed that up by finishing the job started by John Brown at Dens Park and winning the Championship, if only on the final day of the season. His reshaping of a title-winning squad shows he has a ruthless streak that could ensure they avoid relegation.
In: Gerry McCabe, assistant manager (Queen of the South); Kevin Thomson, midfielder (Hibernian); James McPake, defender (Hibernian); Simon Ferry, midfielder (Portsmouth); Gary Harkins, midfielder (St Mirren); Paul McGowan, midfielder (St Mirren); Thomas Konrad, defender (Eintracht Trier); Luka Tankulic, forward (Wolfsburg II); Paul McGinn, defender (Dumbarton); Greg Stewart, forward (Cowdenbeath); Philip Roberts, forward (Falkirk); Scott Bain, goalkeeper (Alloa Athletic); Grant Adam, goalkeeper (Airdrieonians); Dylan Carreiro, midfielder (Queens Park Rangers), David Clarkson, forward (Bristol Rovers).
Out: Dan Twardzik, goalkeeper (Motherwell); Christian Nade, forward (Raith Rovers); Gavin Rae, midfielder (Hakoah Sydney City); Craig Beattie, forward (Zebbug Rangers); Declan Gallagher, defender (Livingston); Ryan Conroy, midfielder (Raith Rovers);  John Gibson, goalkeeper (Alloa Athletic); Steven Doris, forward (Stirling Albion); Stephen O'Donnnell, midfielder (Clyde); Stephen Hughes, midfielder; Matt Lockwood, defender; Sean Bonnett-Johnson, midfielder; Leighton McIntosh, forward; Grant Adam, goalkeeper. Loan: Jamie Reid, midfielder (Stenhousemuir); Kyle Benedictus, defender (Alloa Athletic); Dylan Carreiro, midfielder (Arbroath). Loan ended: Adam Cummings, defender (Motherwell).
Marquee signing: Cash from big-money summer player sales allowed manager Jackie McNamara to pay an undisclosed fee for Poland Under-21 cap Michal Szromnik. McNamara expects the 21-year-old, previously with Arka Gydnia in the goalkeeper's home top flight, to challenge compatriot Radoslaw Cierzniak for the number one jersey.
Key arrival: United will be hopeful that Jaroslaw Fojut can regain the form that led the central defender to sign a pre-contract agreement to join Celtic in January 2012. Unfortunately for the Pole, that deal fell through because of a cruciate ligament injury and the 26-year-old subsequently joined Tromso only to be released after a year following their relegation from the Norwegian top flight.
One that got away: While "mini-Messi" Ryan Gauld's sale to Sporting Lisbon caught the headlines, the 18-year-old's latter-season form suggests that he might not be a major loss in the short term. Andrew Robertson's transfer to Hull City will be more keenly felt unless Conor Townsend, who has made the opposite journey after spending last season on loan with Carlisle United as they were relegated from League One, can emulate left wing-back raids from the 20-year-old that provided much of United's goal threat.
Last season: 4th
Prediction: 3rd. Greater financial stability, combined with an influx of cash generated through sales of emerging talent, should allow Jackie McNamara to continue United's steady progress and perhaps challenge Aberdeen for the runners-up spot.
In: Michal Szromnik, goalkeeper (Arka Gydnia, undisclosed); Mario Bilate, forward (Sparta Rotterdam); Jaroslaw Fojut, defender (Tromso); Callum Morris, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Charlie Telfer, midfielder (Rangers, compensation); Blair Spittal, midfielder (Queen's Park). Loan: Conor Townsend, defender (Hull City).
Out: Andrew Robertson, defender (Hull City, £2.85m); Ryan Gauld, midfielder (Sporting Lisbon, £3m); Gavin Gunning, defender (Birmingham City); Morgaro Gomis, midfielder (Hearts); Dale Hilson, forward (Forfar Athletic); Mark Millar, midfielder (Peterhead); Ross Gilmour, defender (East Stirlingshire); Jordan Allan, forward (Greenock Morton); Mark Russell, midfielder; Phil Anderson, defender; Luke Johnston, defender. Loan: Kudus Oyenuga, forward (Cowdenbeath); Michael Gardyne, forward (Ross County); Brian Graham, forward (St Johnstone). Loan ended: Farid El Alagui, forward (Brentford - Hibernian).
Marquee signing: Hamilton will view it is a bit of a coup that Danny Redmond turned down a new contract with Wigan Athletic to return to New Douglas Park, where he spent time on loan in 2012. The 23-year-old will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when he suffered relegation while on loan to Carlisle United in England's League One.
Key arrival: Dougie Imrie has been rescued from the despair of relegation from the Scottish Championship with Greenock Morton and given a second chance with Accies in the top flight. The 31-year-old's experience is already proving invaluable in helping the young squad at New Douglas Park cope with Premiership pressures.
One that got away: Goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert, who subsequently joined Championship outfit Raith Rovers, failed to agree terms on a new contract despite his play-off final penalty shoot-out heroics. Accies boss Alex Neil will expect Michael McGovern, who has had previous top-flight experience while on the books of Celtic and Dundee United before joining Falkirk, to be an equally able replacement.
Last season: Championship runners-up
Prediction: 12th. Hamilton were only beaten to the Championship title on the final day of the season. However, their play-off victory came against a demoralised Hibernian and, without strengthening further, they will find it tougher against some battle-hardened opponents in the relegation zone.
In: Dougie Imrie, forward (Morton); Michael McGovern, goalkeeper (Falkirk); Danny Redmond, midfielder (Wigan Athletic); Darren Hill, goalkeeper (Forfar Athletic, undisclosed); Kieran MacDonald, defender (Clyde); Jack Simpson, midfielder (Hearts).
Out: James Keatings, forward (Hearts); Kevin Cuthbert, goalkeeper (Raith Rovers); Lee Kilday, defender (Greenock Morton); Craig Johnston, forward. Loan: Aldin El Zubaidi, defender (Arbroath); Kieran MacDonald, defender (Dumbarton). Loan ended: Paul George, midfielder (Celtic).
Marquee signing: Ryan Baptie thought he was close to making his first-team breakthrough with Hibernian but instead found himself part of the fallout from the Edinburgh club's relegation. Now the 19-year-old is Caley Thistle's only summer addition and has to compete at left-back with the much-praised Graeme Shinnie - unless, of course, Baptie's arrival is insurance in case of a summer sale.
Key arrival: Manager John Hughes has been true to his post-summer word - that there would be no signings ahead of the new season as he concentrated on retaining his present squad.
One that got away: Money has obviously been conspicuous by its absence at Caledonian Stadium, with John Hughes denied the heavy turnaround of players permitted for predecessor Terry Butcher.
Last season: 5th
Prediction: 7th. Without the luxury of overhauling a squad he largely inherited from Terry Butcher, John Hughes will be hoping that his players not only adapt better to his passing philosophy but that familiarity, continuity and their famed team spirit can set Caley Thistle apart from their rivals.
In: Lewis Horner, midfielder (Blyth Spartans); Ryan Baptie, defender (Hibernian).
Out: Conor Pepper, midfielder (Greenock Morton); Matthew Cooper, defender (Elgin City).
Marquee signing: Mark Connolly's career has failed to live up to the big-money billing since he was sold to Bolton Wanderers by Wolves for £1m in 2009. So much so that the defender was released by League One outfit Crawley Town in the summer. Now the 22-year-old Irishman has been given a second chance to shine in Scotland's top flight after a brief loan spell with St Johnstone in 2010.
Key arrival: Jamie Hamill has returned to Rugby Park a more experienced and wiser player after a three-year spell with Hearts that ended as cuts were made when they changed ownership and came out of administration. The 28-year-old utility man's leadership qualities will be vital as he aims to avoid a second relegation in a row.
One that got away: Kilmarnock manager Allan Johnston is left with the unenviable task of replacing a striker who scored 22 goals in 37 appearances last season after Kris Boyd rejected a new contract and took a step down a division to join Rangers.
Last season: 9th
Prediction: 10th. Allan Johnston has not been a universally popular choice among Kilmarnock fans and could be the first Premiership manager under pressure unless summer signing Lee Miller proves to be a suitable replacement for Kris Boyd.
In: Gary Locke, assistant manager (Hearts); Josh Magennis, forward (Aberdeen); Jamie Hamill, midfielder (Hearts); Paul Cairney, midfielder (Hibernian); Mark Connolly, defender (Crawley Town); Lee Miller, forward (Carlisle United); Tope Obadeyi, midfielder (Bury), Euan Smith, midfielder (Hibernian); Chris Chantler, defender (Carlisle United); Michael Ngoo, forward (Kilmarnock), Darryl Westlake, defender (Sheffield Untied).
Out: Sandy Clark, assistant manager; Kris Boyd, forward (Rangers); Jeroen Tesselaar, defender (St Mirren); Antonio Reguero, goalkeeper (Ross County); James Fowler, defender-coach (Queen of the South); Sean Clohessy, defender (Colchester United); Willie Gros, forward (Oldham Athletic); Darren Barr, defender (Ross County); Rory McKeown, defender (Raith Rovers); Barry Nicholson, midfielder; Ismael Bouzid, defender. Loan: Euan Smith, midfielder (Clyde). Loan ended: Jackson Irvine, midfielder (Celtic); Michael Gardyne, forward (Dundee United); David Moberg Karlsson, (Sunderland); Vitalijs Maksimenko, defender (Brighton & Hove Albion).
Marquee signing: Lionel Ainsworth was a big hit at Fir Park on loan last season. The 26-year-old English winger had other offers after his Rotherham United contract expired but has opted to return to the club for whom he scored a healthy 11 goals last term.
Key arrival: Josh Law, the 24-year-old younger brother of Rangers midfielder Nicky has already made his mark with a couple of Europa League goals. However, for a player plucked from Conference club Alfreton Town to be Motherwell's only completely fresh addition to their squad shows just how limited the budget available to manager Stuart McCall is.
One that got away: Former Scotland striker James McFadden, yet to find a new club, had proved to be an expensive luxury - if not a spent force - and it is English defender Shaun Hutchinson who will prove to be a greater loss after the 23-year-old's growing reputation won him a move to Fulham.
Last season: 2nd
Prediction: 4th. Stuart McCall will find it difficult to defy the financial odds again and lead Motherwell to a third successive runners-up finish.
In: Dan Twardzik, goalkeeper (Dundee); Josh Law, midfielder (Alfreton Town); Lionel Ainsworth, midfielder (Rotherham United). Loan: Henrik Ojamaa, forward (Legia Warsaw); Mark O'Brien, defender (Derby County)
Out: James McFadden, forward; Shaun Hutchinson, defender (Fulham); Henri Anier, forward (Erzgebirge Aue, undisclosed); Adam Asghar, midfielder (Alloa Athletic); Lee Hollis, goalkeeper (Hearts); Euan Murray, defender (Clyde). Loan ended: Lionel Ainsworth, midfielder (Rotherham United).
Marquee signing: Abdul Osman's first venture in Scotland's top flight ended unhappily as Gretna not only finished bottom but went out of business. Now the 27-year-old English midfielder returns after spells with Northampton Town, Kerkyra in the Greek Superleague and Crewe Alexandra in League One.
Key arrival: Ryan Stevenson survived Hearts' financial meltdown only to be spat out just as the club burst clear of administration under a new owner. Thistle manager Alan Archibald will hope that being free of the off-field pressures at Tynecastle will allow the 29-year-old midfielder a return to the form that led to a brief move to Ipswich Town in 2012.
One that got away: It is typical of Scottish football that, just as a player stands out from the crowd, his head is sought by English bargain hunters. And so Wigan Athletic continued their romance with Scottish talent by snapping up 23-year-old left-back Aaron Taylor-Sinclair.
Last season: 10th
Prediction: 11th. Thistle have a thinner first-team squad this season and could struggle up front without the goalscoring threat of on-loan Sheffield United striker Lyle Taylor, who has moved on to Scunthorpe United.
In: Ryan Stevenson, midfielder (Hearts); Abdul Osman, midfielder (Crewe Alexandra); Danny Seaborne, defender (Coventry City); Ben Richards-Everton, defender (Tamworth), Nathan Eccleston, forward (Blackpool). Loan: Jake Carroll, defender (Huddersfield Town).
Out: Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, defender (Wigan Athletic); Isaac Osbourne, midfielder (St Mirren); Darren Brownlie, defender (Cowdenbeath); Lee Mair, defender (Dumbarton); Ross Meechan, defender (Stenhousemuir); Caolan McAleer, midfielder (East Fife); Mark McGuigan, forward (Partick Thistle); Gabriel Piccolo, defender; Jamie Hamilton, midfielder; Anthony McGuigan, defender; Ross Meechan, defender. Loan: Ryan Scully, goalkeeper (Dunfermline Athletic); Ben Richards-Everton, defender (Airdrieonians); Chris Duggan, forward (Queen's Park). Loan ended: Prince Buaben, midfielder (Carlisle United); Chris Erskine, midfielder (Dundee United); George Moncur, midfielder (West Ham United); Lyle Taylor, forward (Sheffield United).
Marquee signing: Liam Boyce had a trial for Celtic before heading to Werder Bremen. Although the striker only managed to make the German club's second team, he has since helped Cliftonville win the league title in his native Northern Ireland and earned four international caps.
Key arrival: Among manager Derek Adams' traditionally long list of "foreign" imports, there are potential gems, such as 25-year-old left-back Uros Celcer, who won a move to Parma after impressing with Slovenian top-flight outfit Gorica, and 22-year-old English striker Jake Jervis, who scored four goals in 15 appearances for Portsmouth last year and had a spell with Elazigspor in Turkey's top flight. But the best bit of business was to secure the loan return of midfielder Filip Kiss, the classy Cardiff City midfielder whose exploits in Dingwall last season led to a call-up to the Slovakia national side.
One that got away: Along with compatriot Filip Kiss, left-back Erik Cikos, who was on loan from Slovan Bratislava, not only helped lift County out of relegation trouble in the second half of last season but earned himself an international call-up for Slovakia.
Last season: 7th
Prediction: 6th. That prediction was made before an awful start to the season led to departure of manager Derek Adams. His successor will need to quickly blend a squad of many nationalities into a fighting unit if they are to live up to my pre-season billing.
In: Jim McIntyre, manager (Queen of the South);Uros Celcer, defender (Parma); Jordi Balk, defender (Utrecht), Tim Dreesen, defender (Fortuna Sittard), Ben Frempah, midfielder (Leicester City); Liam Boyce, forward (Cliftonville); Joe Cardle, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Jake Jervis, forward (Portsmouth); Antonio Reguero, goalkeeper (Kilmarnock); James Fenlon, defender (AFC Wimbledon); Rosario Latouchent, midfielder (Caen II); Darren Barr, defender (Kilmarnock). Loan: Filip Kiss, midfielder (Cardiff); Michael Gardyne, forward (Dundee United); Jackson Irvine, midfielder (Celtic).
Out: Derek Adams, manager;Neale Cooper, assistant manager; Ben Gordon, defender (Colchester United); Alex Cooper, defender (Falkirk); Gary Glen, forward (Livingston); Michael Fraser, goalkeeper (Elgin City); Evangelos Oikonomou, defender (Doxa Katokopias); Brian McLean, defender; Gordon Finlayson, defender (Elgin City). Loan ended: Yann Songo'o, defender (Blackburn Rovers); Jordan Slew, forward (Blackburn Rovers);  Erik Cikos, defender (Slovan Bratislava); Michael Tidser, midfielder (Rotherham United).
Marquee signing: Simon Lappin will add experience to the Saints midfield, and can also be back-up at left-back, although his lack of first-team action while with Cardiff City may be a concern.
Key arrival: Brian Graham will hope to unleash his frustrations of being a bench man with Premiership rivals Dundee United after the former Raith Rovers striker switched to McDiarmid Park on loan.
One that got away: The long saga of interest in Scotland Under-21 striker Stevie May came to a close, with the 21-year-old choosing Sheffield Wednesday ahead of Rotherham United. Cash from the sale might fill a financial hole, but how will Saints fill the void created by someone capable of 27 goals from 49 appearances last season?
Last season: 6th
Prediction: 5th. Saints will remain stuffy and hard to beat, but with a thinner squad than last season and the potential sale of talisman Stevie May, they are unlikely to be able to improve much on last season's finish.
In: Loan: Simon Lappin, midfielder (Cardiff City); Adam Morgan, forward (Yeovil Town); Brian Graham, forward (Dundee United).
Out: Stevie May, striker (Sheffield Wednesday, £800,000); Nigel Hasselbaink, forward (Veria); Paddy Cregg, midfielder; Tim Clancy, defender; Chris Iwelumo, forward (Chester); Scott Gray, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Andrew Steeves, defender (Forfar Athletic); Kieran Stewart, midfielder (Arbroath). Loan: Zander Clark, goalkeeper (Queen of the South); Chris Kane, forward (Dumbarton). Loan ended: James Dunne, midfielder (Stevenage); Mark Davies, midfielder (Nottingham Forest).
Marquee signing: The son of former England winger Brian, James Marwood's 14 goals last season took Gateshead to the Conference Premier play-offs. At 24, he at last has the chance to prove he can score at a higher level.
Key arrival: Callum Ball's nine goals in 69 appearances does not suggest the Buddies have a prolific scorer. However, the 21-year-old released by Derby County after spells on loan with Coventry City, Torquay United and Notts County won a contract after banging them in during pre-season.
One that got away: Scotland's top flight lost one of its most impressive central defenders - and he maybe lost the chance of an international call-up - when Darren McGregor chose to join Rangers.
Last season: 8th
Prediction: 9th. Tommy Craig was a surprise choice to replace the axed Danny Lennon considering the former assistant was part of a regime criticised by some of their own players. The veteran manager will have a battle on his hands to unite the dressing-room and satisfy a sceptical support.
In: Jeroen Tesselaar, defender (Kilmarnock); James Marwood, forward (Gateshead); Mark Ridgers, goalkeeper (Hearts); Ross Caldwell, forward (Hibernian), Callum Ball, forward (Derby County); Isaac Osbourne, midfielder (Partick Thistle). Loan: Ellis Plummer, defender (Manchester City), Adam Drury, midfielder (Manchester City)
Out: Danny Lennon, manager; Eric Djemba-Djemba, midfielder; Darren McGregor, defender (Rangers); Paul McGowan, midfielder (Dundee); Gary Harkins, midfielder (Dundee); David van Zanten, defender (Dumbarton); Kieran Hughes, goalkeeper (Albion Robers); Chris Dilo, goalkeeper. Loan: Declan Hughes, midfielder (Cowdenbeath). Loan ended: Conor Newton, midfielder (Newcastle United - Rotherham); Josh Magennis, forward (Aberdeen - Kilmarnock); Adam Campbell, forward (Newcastle United).