Nicola Sturgeon

Hope, division as Scots vote on independence referendum plan

Scotland votes on May 6 to elect the national parliament with the ruling party seeking a green light for a fresh referendum on independence from the United Kingdom.

The election for the 129 members of the Scottish parliament (MSPs) to serve for the next five years has reignited the debate on whether the country of 5.5 million would be better off on its own.

Bexit: UK Begins a New Age as It Separates from EU Today

The UK stopped following EU rules at 23:00 CET as replacement arrangements for travel, trade, immigration and security co-operation came into force.

Boris Johnson said the UK had "freedom in our hands" and the ability to do things "differently and better" now the long Brexit process was over.

But opponents of leaving the EU maintain the country will be worse off.

European leaders hail post-Brexit deal

Political leaders in Europe on Dec. 24 hailed the belated sealing of a U.K.-EU post-Brexit deal that aims to lay the groundwork for long-term future cooperation.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lauded what he termed "a good deal for the whole of Europe," which offers "a new stability and a new certainty" to relations.

Scotland first in the world to make sanitary products free

Scotland on Nov. 24 made sanitary products free to all women, becoming the first nation in the world to take such a step against "period poverty."

The measure makes tampons and sanitary pads available at designated public places such as community centres, youth clubs and pharmacies, at an estimated annual cost to taxpayers of 24 million pounds ($32 million U.S.).

Let’s face the facts – we need migrants

Commenting on Brexit recently, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for Scotland to have its own strategy on immigration and asylum, separate to that of London. Sturgeon noted that Scotland is facing a demographic crisis as a result of dropping birth rates and an aging population, arguing that the economy and public services are dependent on migration.

Pages