Tag: Scotland

  • Scotland’s first minister Yousaf quits after a year

    Scotland’s first minister Yousaf quits after a year

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom – Humza Yousaf announced his resignation as Scotland’s first minister on Monday, before he was due to face two confidence votes this week sparked by his ditching of junior coalition partners in a row over climate policy.

    The 39-year-old quit following a turbulent year as head of the devolved administration, during which support for his pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) has fallen.

    Yousaf had been facing growing calls to resign since unceremoniously ending the SNP’s power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens in the Scottish parliament last week.

    His government had earlier abandoned ambitious targets for the transition to net-zero carbon emissions, angering the Greens.

    The opposition Scottish Conservatives then lodged a vote of no-confidence in Yousaf, which was due to be held as early as Wednesday and which the first minister was at risk of losing.

    Scottish Labour also lodged another no-confidence vote in his government.

    The Tories, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Greens had all said they would vote against him in the personal vote, forcing him to seek the backing of the sole lawmaker from the pro-independence Alba party.

    Alba’s Ash Regan is a former SNP colleague of Yousaf who ran against him in the March 2023 leadership election to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as first minister.

    Yousaf — the first Muslim leader of a major UK political party — said in a statement that he thought winning was “absolutely possible”.

    But he added that he was “not willing to trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power”.

    He added: “I have concluded that repairing our relationships across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.”

    Divisions

    Yousaf’s pro-independence SNP has 63 members in the 129-seat parliament — two short of a majority. The presiding officer has a casting vote.

    Yousaf initially said he had no intention of quitting and intended to win the confidence votes.

    But following his announcement, parliament now has 28 days to choose a new first minister.

    He only became Scotland’s leader 13 months ago, after Sturgeon sensationally announced she was quitting, citing tiredness after eight years in charge.

    Yousaf defeated Kate Forbes and Regan in a bruising contest that highlighted divisions in the party between those on the left wing and others closer to the right.

    His leadership was quickly plunged into turmoil when Sturgeon was arrested with her husband, Peter Murrell, over claims of mismanagement of SNP finances.

    Murrell was charged in the case earlier this month. Sturgeon has not been charged.

    Controversies

    Sturgeon had been the figurehead of the Scottish independence movement.

    She oversaw a surge in support for the SNP, particularly after Brexit — in which Scotland opposed leaving the European Union — and during the Covid pandemic.

    But the SNP, which has run the Scottish government since 2007, has suffered a drop in popularity under Yousaf.

    He also came under pressure over controversial new laws which made it an offence to stir up hatred against a number of groups, including transgender people.

    The law has been heavily criticised, including most prominently by “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh.

    Relations between the SNP and the Greens were also strained by the recent pause in prescribing puberty blockers in Scotland.

    Some within the SNP wanted Yousaf to end the coalition with the Greens because they felt the deal was pulling the party further leftwards.

    The SNP’s slump has also come in the context of a resurgent Labour party, which is tipped to win a UK general election due later this year.

    Scotland voted against independence in a referendum in 2014, with 55 percent of electors choosing “No”.

    The SNP has argued that the UK’s vote to leave the EU in 2016 had put separatism back on the table, because Scotland overwhelmingly voted to remain part of the bloc.

    But the party, in power in Edinburgh for 17 years, has struggled to build momentum for another vote, and the independence movement is at arguably its lowest ebb in recent memory.

    The Scottish Parliament, re-established in 1999, has limited powers to set policy in areas such as health, education, transport and the environment.

    The UK government in London retains powers for countrywide issues such as defence and foreign policy.

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    © Agence France-Presse

  • BBC edits out multiple calls for ceasefire during Scottish BAFTA awards

    BBC edits out multiple calls for ceasefire during Scottish BAFTA awards

    At the Scottish Bafta awards, multiple actors who took the stage to call for a ceasefire were edited out by the BBC, sparking criticism from audiences. An exclusive piece written by The National reveals that the media giant edited out the producers of ‘A Long Winter’ who won the award for Best Short Film And Animation. In their speech, Eilidh Munro and Finlay Pretsell urged audiences to pressure institutions and governments to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

    The speech was shared widely on the livestream produced by BAFTA Scotland, but removed from BBC iPlayer’s edit.

    Egyptian actor Amir El-Masry was also censored in the BBC coverage. Before announcing the nominees for the Best Actress category, he said: “Before I start, I just want to echo the sentiments earlier in saying my heart goes out all women, men and children who are suffering right now in Gaza. Let’s hope and pray that we see peace in the region and an imminent ceasefire.”

    Speaking to The National, Munro revealed he was deeply concerned at how mainstream media censored peaceful protests in this manner

    “It is deeply concerning that the BBC decided to cut the entire segment of our award acceptance speech from their coverage of the Bafta Scotland Awards.

    “October was the deadliest month for Palestinian journalists and filmmakers in the last 30 years and the scale of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region is horrific.

    “Awards ceremonies have always been a platform to express solidarity and humanity, and we wanted to use this opportunity as filmmakers to call for peace. For the BBC to cut this, as well as actor Amir El-Masry’s appeal to a ceasefire, is simply shocking.

    “It is also somewhat surreal that an event which celebrates artists and filmmakers for using their voices and creating work to speak out against injustice can also be censored.

    “In my opinion, the BBC’s editorial decision to omit these peaceful signs of solidarity is neither neutral nor impartial.

    “As an emerging director creating and celebrating independent documentaries, it’s also disappointing to have this platform taken away from a sector that is already largely underrepresented in mainstream media.”

    The censorship of pro-Palestinian voices by the BBC has caused outrage on social media.

  • Scotland willing to take in Palestinian refugees

    Scotland willing to take in Palestinian refugees

    Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf posted a video message on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the U.K. is willing to take Gaza refugees in, following Israel’s bombardment of Palestine.

    “So, many of them don’t want to leave and neither they should have to leave but for the million that have been displaced just in this current conflict, for those that want to leave, there should be a worldwide refugee scheme,

    “Because of the numbers, the world should be involved.”

    Yousaf also urged other countries to open their borders to refugees from Gaza.

    “Let’s say that Scotland will be a place of sanctuary for them as we have shown that kindness and compassion for others. Let us show it once again and this time for the people of Gaza,” Yousaf said, adding that Scotland is willing to lead the way for the rest of the U.K.

    “And Scotland is willing to be the first country in the U.K. to take those refugees,” he said.

    In another video, the First Minister stated that Scotland’s hospitals will care for the Gazans injured in the escalation and requested the U.K. government to “begin work on the creation of a refugee resettlement scheme for those in Gaza who want to, and of course are able to, leave.”

  • Jordan’s King refuses to meet Biden after Israeli strike on hospital

    Late on Tuesday night, following a deadly attack by Israel on the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, Jordan announced that a summit involving US President Joe Biden has been canceled. Earlier, President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine also announced that he will not meet Joe Biden as the fallout from the deadly strike continues to reverberate across the world.

    The summit will be held “when the decision to stop the war and put an end to these massacres has been taken”, the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi had said in an unusually harsh worded statement.

    ‘Nothing can justify targeting civilians’: President of France on Gaza hospital strike

    Macron has also demanded humanitarian access to Gaza ‘without delay’. He took to X (former Twitter) and said, “France condemns the attack on the Al-Ahli Arabi hospital in Gaza which caused so many Palestinian victims. We think of them. All the light must be shed.”

    Protests have erupted all over the world against Israel’s heinous and brutal attack on a Palestinian hospital which killed more than 800 people. From Sweden to Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, and the West Bank, people are taking to the streets and protesting against the genocide in Palestine. Protestors in Jordan have surrounded the Israeli embassy with calls to end the genocide.

    After the recent attack, Scotland becomes the first country to offer refuge to the people of Gaza.

  • Loch Ness Monster quest embarks on its largest search

    A significant high-tech quest is about to launch in Scotland with the aim of unearthing the enduring mystery of the Loch Ness Monster, as reported by BBC.

    The search, slated for August 26 and 27, marks the most considerable effort since the extensive study carried out by the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau in 1972.

    The Loch Ness Centre and a group of passionate volunteers collectively known as Loch Ness Exploration are spearheading the ambitious project, aiming to utilize cutting-edge technology, including drones equipped with infrared cameras and hydrophones for detecting unusual underwater sounds.

    The use of these high-tech tools in the pursuit of the mythical creature, popularly known as Nessie, signifies a level of sophistication not seen in previous searches. Volunteers will also watch from safe vantage points onshore, scanning the water for any signs of the reputed beast.

    Interest in the Loch Ness Monster was sparked in the 1930s when Aldie Mackay, a hotel manageress, reported seeing a creature that resembled a whale, with the loch’s water “cascading and churning” around it. Despite the absence of concrete evidence, the legend has held a firm grip on the public’s imagination, with the myth tracing its roots back to the middle ages.

    In addition to the search effort, the organizers are also offering trips on the loch during the month’s investigation for those willing to participate in this intriguing quest.

  • Jalsa attend karein Khan ka magar reply sirf Bilawal ko, Humza Yousaf ignores Imran after becoming Scotland’s leader

    Humza Yousaf has made history by becoming Scotland’s first Muslim First Minister.

    Yousaf has ignited considerable curiosity in Pakistan as to his roots and political inclinations.

    Digging deep, we found a very old tweet of Humza and it seems like he had been an admirer of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan. In 2012, the newly-elected Scotland leader attended Khan’s jalsa and met him.

    He wrote: “Great rally amazing energy at Imran Khan rally and very good meeting with him afterward.”

    Recently, when Imran congratulated Humza on being elected, Scotland’s First Minister ignored the tweet, however, he replied to current Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari instead.

    The minister wished him well saying, “Wishing you all the best for your term in Bute House and looking forward for strong partnership in the domains of trade, investment, culture and education.”

    In response, Humza mentioned that “Pakistan will always have a special place in his heart”.

    “Scotland’s relationship with Pakistan is a friendship that has blossomed through many generations, I look forward to it growing stronger, ” he added.

  • Footage shows unidentified men breaking into Jemima Khan’s house

    Footage shows unidentified men breaking into Jemima Khan’s house

    Activist, screenwriter and producer Jemima Khan has shared a picture of two unidentified men who were caught trying to break into her London flat a few days ago. Khan asked her followers to identify the men so they could be reported to the police.

    Speaking to Geo News, Khan said that she had immediately called the police and a report was registered with Scotland Yard.

    “And then these two guys captured on camera trespassing a few weeks later in the day,” Khan revealed about the men whose pictures she had shared online.

    This is not the first time Khan’s house has been targeted by critics, as last year she shared a picture of the protests organized by PMLN supporters outside her home, who were targeting her and two children, Suleiman and Kasim, with anti-semitic slurs.

  • Scotland: first country to provide free period products

    Scotland: first country to provide free period products

    Scotland has become the first country in the world to protect the right to access free period products with a law that came into effect on Monday.

    The Scottish parliament introduced the change by unanimously passing the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act in November 2020. The legislation made it a legal right to have free access to sanitary products in public buildings.

    The legislation was first proposed by Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Monica Lennon.

    The Period Products Act means councils and education providers in Scotland have to make sanitary products free to those who need them.

    The government has provided funding for an educational website for employers, improved menstrual health resources available for schools, and implemented a successful anti-stigma campaign.

    Lennon, who has been campaigning to end period poverty since 2016, described the change in the law as a “big milestone which shows the difference that progressive and bold political choices can make”.

    “I am proud to have pioneered the Period Products Act which is already influencing positive change in Scotland and around the world,” Lennon said.

    Since 2017, the Scottish Government has spent around £27 million to fund access to period products in public settings. In 2018, Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products free to students in schools, colleges and universities.

  • Pakistan cricket fights back…hard

    Pakistanis are on a high these days after Pakistan cricket team’s three consecutive wins at the T20 World Cup. Pakistan is on the top in their group with three out of three wins against India, New Zealand and Afghanistan. We still have to play the remaining two matches against Namibia and Scotland next week (November 2 and 7) before the semi-finals.

    Pakistan cricket team broke its jinx by beating India for the first time in a World Cup match. And what a win it was! We restricted the India side to just 151 runs and we chased the score without losing a single wicket. The second match against New Zealand was even more special as this had come after the team pulled out of its tour to Pakistan last month.

    In September, cricket fans across Pakistan were heartbroken after New Zealand’s disappointing decision to abandon the Pakistan series over “security threats” just minutes before the first One-Day International (ODI) match was about to begin in Rawalpindi. Following New Zealand’s unilateral decision, England also decided to cancel their men’s and women’s teams’ tour to Pakistan in October. New Zealand was to play in Pakistan after almost 18 years while England’s men have not played an international match in Pakistan since 2005 and their women’s team were to visit the country for the first time.

    It was not just the cricket fans who were disappointed; apart from the huge financial loss to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) because of these cancellations, it must have affected the Pakistan cricket team as well. After the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009, Pakistan has had to play their ‘home series’ away from home for many years. Cricket came back to Pakistan due to the efforts of Najam Sethi and others at the PCB.

    We Pakistanis criticise our team a lot when they don’t perform well but we need to understand what our players have been through for more than a decade now. They have been away from their families for months on end due to home series in the UAE; they have had to rebuild the team after the 2010 spot-fixing scandal; Pakistanis are kept out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to political reasons; and they have had to face discrimination in cricket because of India’s influence at the International Cricket Council (ICC) – Pakistan does not get enough bilateral series and enough international matches to compete with other teams. Under such difficult circumstances, our team has won the ICC Champions Trophy, ruled the Test rankings, made the Pakistan Super League (PSL) a huge international success and much more. We are proud of our Men in Green. They have cheered us up in the most depressing of times. Pakistan Zindabad.

  • Afghanistan demolishes Scotland at T20 World Cup, wins by 130 runs

    Afghanistan demolishes Scotland at T20 World Cup, wins by 130 runs

    Afghanistan cricket team has opened their World Cup campaign with a bang on Monday, beating Scotland by 130 runs.

    Batting first, the Afghans posted a gigantic total of 190 runs. The chasing team was limited to 60 runs with all wickets gone in just 10.2 overs.

    Mujeeb-ur-Rehman took five wickets and bagged Player of the Match award for his performance with the ball.

    Afghanistan’s next clash is with the Green Shirts. Pakistan will be playing its second match of the T20 world Cup with New Zealand today (Tuesday), while their encounter with the Afghans will be on Friday.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the Afghanistan team for their “convincing win against Scotland.”

    He also said that despite all trials and tribulations in their country they showed great strength and and determination.

    Meanwhile, the Taliban have congratulated the Afghan cricket team after they defeated Scotland.

    Taking to Twitter, Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid felicitated the team and wished them good luck for the rest of the tournament.

    “Congratulations to all Afghans on the victory of the Afghan team in the ongoing World Twenty20, Mujahid wrote. “Wish them more success in the future.”