SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson has accused the UK Government of being scared of a second Scottish independence referendum.
The party's leader at Westminster also claimed the Conservatives had a "desperate desire" to prevent anyone rejecting a "hard Brexit".
It comes after the Theresa May rejected nationalist calls for a second voteuntil a Brexit deal had been reached.
She used a speech to Tory activists to reach out to Scots by talking of "one United Kingdom, all pulling together to get the best outcome".
:: Can Scotland still hold a referendum?
But Mr Robertson told the SNP spring conference in Aberdeen that it is for the people of Scotland to decide the country's future.
He said: "It is clear from the PM's panicked response to the Scottish Government's decision to, rightly, give people in Scotland a choice over Scotland's future, that the Tories are simply scared of the people's choice.
"The Tories' argument is not about process, it is about their desperate desire to prevent anyone having the chance to reject the hard right Brexit that they are so wedded to.
"The truth is it should not be for either Theresa May or the Scottish Government to decide Scotland's future - that choice belongs to the parliament and the people of Scotland, and it is one this party will never shy away from."
Responding to the announcement by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that she planned to stage a fresh vote on independence between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, Mrs May argued "now is not the time".
In her spring conference speech in Cardiff, Mrs May stressed the need for unity as Britain heads for the EU exit door.
She said: "The coming negotiations with the EU will be vital for everyone in the United Kingdom.
"Every person, every family, every business, every community the length and breadth of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland."
:: Will Tory expenses row lead to a by-election?
It was "essential that we get the right deal" and that required working together, she insisted, adding: "That is what we have always done when faced with challenges.
"We have pulled together as one and succeeded together.
"We are four nations, but at heart we are one people.
"And I will always ensure the voices and interests of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are represented as we negotiate to leave the EU.
"And I will always fight to strengthen and sustain this precious, precious union."
Friday, March 17, 2017
Syria claims to have shot down an Israeli jet
The Syrian army has said it shot down an Israeli jet, which it claimed had attacked a military target near Palmyra.
Israel said all its aircraft returned unscathed.
The Syrian army high command said the jet was struck by an anti-aircraft missile after it had flown back into Israeli-controlled territory.
It said it was one of four planes which "penetrated our air space at 2.40am (12.30 GMT) via Lebanese territory".
It added that an air defence unit hit another jet and "forced the rest to flee".
The Israeli military said its aircraft struck several targets in Syria and were back in Israeli-controlled airspace when several anti-aircraft missiles were launched from Syria toward the Israeli jets.
An Israeli military spokesman denied a jet had been shot down, adding: "At no point was the safety of Israeli civilians or the IAF (Israeli Air Force) aircraft compromised."
After a number of anti-aircraft missiles were fired from Syria, rocket sirens sounded in Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley.
One of the projectiles was intercepted north of Jerusalem by Israel's Arrow air defence system.
A civil defence source told Reuters news agency the remains of the missile landed in a village on the outskirts of Irbid, northern Jordan, about 12 miles from the Syrian and Israeli borders.
The Israeli military did not confirm what was targeted.
Damascus described the operation as "blatant aggression" and an attempt by Israel to support "terrorist gangs" of Islamic State.
In recent years, both Israeli and foreign media have reported a number of Israeli airstrikes inside Syria targeting arms convoys of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
In January 2015, Jerusalem was blamed for an airstrike which killed six Hezbollah fighters and Iranian general Mohammad Ali Allah-Dadi in a Syrian-controlled area of the Golan Heights.
Israel said all its aircraft returned unscathed.
The Syrian army high command said the jet was struck by an anti-aircraft missile after it had flown back into Israeli-controlled territory.
It said it was one of four planes which "penetrated our air space at 2.40am (12.30 GMT) via Lebanese territory".
It added that an air defence unit hit another jet and "forced the rest to flee".
The Israeli military said its aircraft struck several targets in Syria and were back in Israeli-controlled airspace when several anti-aircraft missiles were launched from Syria toward the Israeli jets.
An Israeli military spokesman denied a jet had been shot down, adding: "At no point was the safety of Israeli civilians or the IAF (Israeli Air Force) aircraft compromised."
After a number of anti-aircraft missiles were fired from Syria, rocket sirens sounded in Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley.
One of the projectiles was intercepted north of Jerusalem by Israel's Arrow air defence system.
A civil defence source told Reuters news agency the remains of the missile landed in a village on the outskirts of Irbid, northern Jordan, about 12 miles from the Syrian and Israeli borders.
The Israeli military did not confirm what was targeted.
Damascus described the operation as "blatant aggression" and an attempt by Israel to support "terrorist gangs" of Islamic State.
In recent years, both Israeli and foreign media have reported a number of Israeli airstrikes inside Syria targeting arms convoys of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
In January 2015, Jerusalem was blamed for an airstrike which killed six Hezbollah fighters and Iranian general Mohammad Ali Allah-Dadi in a Syrian-controlled area of the Golan Heights.
George Osborne named editor of London Evening Standard
Former chancellor George Osborne has been appointed editor of the London Evening Standard, it has been announced.
The shock move, which will see Mr Osborne stay on as an MP, is likely to raise eyebrows given the number of outside jobs he has taken since being sacked by Theresa May.
There are also likely to be questions over conflicts of interest when he begins the role in the middle of May.
The former frontbencher will succeed Sarah Sands, who is joining the BBC to become the editor of Radio 4's Today programme.
Mr Osborne will edit the paper an average of four days each week, and it is understood he applied for the position when it became available.
The role will satisfy a long-held ambition for Mr Osborne, who was rejected by The Times and The Economist when he tried to break into journalism after graduating from university.
A source at the Standard told the Press Association that staff were "shocked and stunned" by the announcement.
The shock move, which will see Mr Osborne stay on as an MP, is likely to raise eyebrows given the number of outside jobs he has taken since being sacked by Theresa May.
There are also likely to be questions over conflicts of interest when he begins the role in the middle of May.
The former frontbencher will succeed Sarah Sands, who is joining the BBC to become the editor of Radio 4's Today programme.
Mr Osborne will edit the paper an average of four days each week, and it is understood he applied for the position when it became available.
The role will satisfy a long-held ambition for Mr Osborne, who was rejected by The Times and The Economist when he tried to break into journalism after graduating from university.
A source at the Standard told the Press Association that staff were "shocked and stunned" by the announcement.
Henry Cavill cast in Mission Impossible after Instagram dare
Superman star Henry Cavill has been cast alongside Tom Cruise in Paramount's upcoming Mission: Impossible 6.
The proposal came via Instagram on Thursday, by the hand of director Christopher McQuarrie, who posted a photo of himself asking the actor if he'd be interested in the project.
"Say, @henrycavill. Had a thought," the Mission Impossible director wrote.
"Curious if you're interested in a role in the 6th instalment of Mission: Impossible. No pressure."
Comments started pouring in from excited fans, asking for Cavill to accept.
"How can I say no to a man with such perfect hair," Cavill finally wrote, mocking a user's comment on McQuarrie's "perfect hair".
"Excellent. Just a few caveats," McQuarrie wrote.
"Must enjoy extreme heights, high speeds, motor vehicles of all varieties (especially aircraft), practical stunts, firearms, and sporadic exposition. All good?," he asked.
The Superman star said he would accept, but "only if I get to fly for real".
"I do believe I specified practical stunts. You in?," McQuarrie replied.
After Cavill finally writing "I'm in!", the director wrote: "Outstanding. Welcome aboard. Your social media account will self destruct in 5 seconds."
McQuarrie is known for directing most Tom Cruise-starred films since 2012's Jack Reacher.
The proposal came via Instagram on Thursday, by the hand of director Christopher McQuarrie, who posted a photo of himself asking the actor if he'd be interested in the project.
"Say, @henrycavill. Had a thought," the Mission Impossible director wrote.
"Curious if you're interested in a role in the 6th instalment of Mission: Impossible. No pressure."
Comments started pouring in from excited fans, asking for Cavill to accept.
"How can I say no to a man with such perfect hair," Cavill finally wrote, mocking a user's comment on McQuarrie's "perfect hair".
"Excellent. Just a few caveats," McQuarrie wrote.
"Must enjoy extreme heights, high speeds, motor vehicles of all varieties (especially aircraft), practical stunts, firearms, and sporadic exposition. All good?," he asked.
The Superman star said he would accept, but "only if I get to fly for real".
"I do believe I specified practical stunts. You in?," McQuarrie replied.
After Cavill finally writing "I'm in!", the director wrote: "Outstanding. Welcome aboard. Your social media account will self destruct in 5 seconds."
McQuarrie is known for directing most Tom Cruise-starred films since 2012's Jack Reacher.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge head to Paris after 'work shy' claims
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Paris later for a two-day official visit following accusations that Prince William has been neglecting his royal duties.
William has faced criticism because he didn't attend a Commonwealth service in London on Monday after he spent the weekend skiing in Verbier with friends.
Videos have appeared online this week of him dancing and laughing with his friends in a nightclub in the Swiss ski resort.
Some newspapers have accused him of being work shy.
:: Royal duties on 13 days for Prince William so far this year
Emily Andrews, royal correspondent for The Sun Newspaper, said: "I'm sure they're very innocuous and very innocent, but those pictures don't suggest a 34-year-old father of two, very responsible heir to the heir to the throne - they suggest more of a young man, letting his hair down, on a boozy holiday with his Hooray Henry pals."
William and Kate are carrying out their two-day visit to France at the request of the Government and Foreign Office.
They are seen as important ambassadors for maintaining Britain's links with European countries as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. In July they will also visit Germany and Poland.
This week Prince William has been back working as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
He will only become a "full-time" working royal later this year when he gives up his job in the summer.
Maud Garmy, journalist at Voici magazine in Paris, doesn't believe the videos of the prince, enjoying time with his friends, have done him any harm.
She told Sky News: "Of course he's the future king of England, but in France we also consider that he's just a normal human being, so yeah let him have fun sometimes.
"It hasn't ruined his reputation. We've seen his brother naked in Vegas, what else can be that bad?"
During their visit the Duke and Duchess will attend a reception at the British Embassy called "Les Voisins", or cousins in English, highlighting the important ties between the two countries.
It will be Prince William's first official visit to the French capital since his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, died there in a car crash on 31 August 1997.
William and Kate will also meet survivors of the Bataclan and Nice terrorist attacks, as well as watch the Wales v France Six Nations rugby match.
William has faced criticism because he didn't attend a Commonwealth service in London on Monday after he spent the weekend skiing in Verbier with friends.
Videos have appeared online this week of him dancing and laughing with his friends in a nightclub in the Swiss ski resort.
Some newspapers have accused him of being work shy.
:: Royal duties on 13 days for Prince William so far this year
Emily Andrews, royal correspondent for The Sun Newspaper, said: "I'm sure they're very innocuous and very innocent, but those pictures don't suggest a 34-year-old father of two, very responsible heir to the heir to the throne - they suggest more of a young man, letting his hair down, on a boozy holiday with his Hooray Henry pals."
William and Kate are carrying out their two-day visit to France at the request of the Government and Foreign Office.
They are seen as important ambassadors for maintaining Britain's links with European countries as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. In July they will also visit Germany and Poland.
This week Prince William has been back working as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
He will only become a "full-time" working royal later this year when he gives up his job in the summer.
Maud Garmy, journalist at Voici magazine in Paris, doesn't believe the videos of the prince, enjoying time with his friends, have done him any harm.
She told Sky News: "Of course he's the future king of England, but in France we also consider that he's just a normal human being, so yeah let him have fun sometimes.
"It hasn't ruined his reputation. We've seen his brother naked in Vegas, what else can be that bad?"
During their visit the Duke and Duchess will attend a reception at the British Embassy called "Les Voisins", or cousins in English, highlighting the important ties between the two countries.
It will be Prince William's first official visit to the French capital since his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, died there in a car crash on 31 August 1997.
William and Kate will also meet survivors of the Bataclan and Nice terrorist attacks, as well as watch the Wales v France Six Nations rugby match.
Search for Irish helicopter crew after crash
Three men missing since their search and rescue helicopter crashed off the west coast of Ireland may be strapped in their seats in the wreckage.
The Irish Coastguard, which is co-ordinating the search from Blacksod Lighthouse in County Mayo, said it suspected the crew members could still be on board.
Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, 45, a long-serving search and rescue pilot, was located in the water but pronounced dead in hospital.
Her colleagues remain unaccounted for.
Declan Geoghegan, from the Irish Coastguard, said: "The maritime community in this country is a small, close-knit community.
"Whether it's commercial or whether it's search and rescue, we would all know each other.
"They are friends, they are colleagues.
"There is an emotional aspect to it all.
"It is difficult."
The alarm was raised in the early hours of Tuesday morning when the Rescue flight 116 disappeared from radar while coming in to re-fuel at Blacksod.
Twelve miles offshore, search teams have detected a signal from the helicopter's black box, fuelling hopes that the wreckage and crew will be located soon.
Relatives of captain Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman Ciaran Smith have been privately maintaining a vigil at a house on the coast.
Local garda superintendent Tony Healy said: "We have trained family liaison officers with the family. They're being kept fully up to date with developments.
"They're coping as best as any family could in these circumstances."
Recovery efforts have been hampered by poor weather conditions - a 6ft swell in the sea around Blackrock has been preventing divers from carrying out underwater investigations.
But last night, the Air Accident Investigation Unit confirmed personnel brought to the site by an Air Corp helicopter had found a section of the missing aircraft.
The discovery confirms that the search and rescue helicopter, which did not send a mayday signal before vanishing, encountered difficulties at its last known location.
The Irish Coastguard, which is co-ordinating the search from Blacksod Lighthouse in County Mayo, said it suspected the crew members could still be on board.
Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, 45, a long-serving search and rescue pilot, was located in the water but pronounced dead in hospital.
Her colleagues remain unaccounted for.
Declan Geoghegan, from the Irish Coastguard, said: "The maritime community in this country is a small, close-knit community.
"Whether it's commercial or whether it's search and rescue, we would all know each other.
"They are friends, they are colleagues.
"There is an emotional aspect to it all.
"It is difficult."
The alarm was raised in the early hours of Tuesday morning when the Rescue flight 116 disappeared from radar while coming in to re-fuel at Blacksod.
Twelve miles offshore, search teams have detected a signal from the helicopter's black box, fuelling hopes that the wreckage and crew will be located soon.
Relatives of captain Mark Duffy, winch operator Paul Ormsby and winchman Ciaran Smith have been privately maintaining a vigil at a house on the coast.
Local garda superintendent Tony Healy said: "We have trained family liaison officers with the family. They're being kept fully up to date with developments.
"They're coping as best as any family could in these circumstances."
Recovery efforts have been hampered by poor weather conditions - a 6ft swell in the sea around Blackrock has been preventing divers from carrying out underwater investigations.
But last night, the Air Accident Investigation Unit confirmed personnel brought to the site by an Air Corp helicopter had found a section of the missing aircraft.
The discovery confirms that the search and rescue helicopter, which did not send a mayday signal before vanishing, encountered difficulties at its last known location.
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Teenager finds 7.44-carat diamond among rocks in Arkansas park
A teenager stumbled across a large 7.44-carat diamond on the edge of a stream while walking through a state park in Arkansas.
Kalel Langford, 14, spotted the rock at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. It is the seventh largest diamond discovered since the park was established in 1972.
The teenager has nicknamed the stone Superman's Diamond because of his love of the Man of Steel and plans to keep it.
He said: "It was just a few inches from a stream of water, with a bunch of other rocks that were about the same size."
The park has not provided an estimated value for the diamond.
But a 3.85-carat diamond which was found in the park by another teenager in 2014 was reportedly later sold for $20,000.
Another found at the park a year later, a 8.52-carat white diamond, was valued at $500,000, the park said.
Waymon Cox, park interpreter, described the stone as the size of a pinto bean and the colour of coffee.
He said: "This diamond is a truly extraordinary find.
"It was Kalel's dream to visit the Crater of Diamonds State Park, and now he will always be part of this park's remarkable history. We are all very happy for him."
The largest diamond ever found in the US - the 40.23 carat Uncle Sam - was also found in the park in 1924.
Visitors can pay $10 to search for diamonds at the park.
Kalel Langford, 14, spotted the rock at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. It is the seventh largest diamond discovered since the park was established in 1972.
The teenager has nicknamed the stone Superman's Diamond because of his love of the Man of Steel and plans to keep it.
He said: "It was just a few inches from a stream of water, with a bunch of other rocks that were about the same size."
The park has not provided an estimated value for the diamond.
But a 3.85-carat diamond which was found in the park by another teenager in 2014 was reportedly later sold for $20,000.
Another found at the park a year later, a 8.52-carat white diamond, was valued at $500,000, the park said.
Waymon Cox, park interpreter, described the stone as the size of a pinto bean and the colour of coffee.
He said: "This diamond is a truly extraordinary find.
"It was Kalel's dream to visit the Crater of Diamonds State Park, and now he will always be part of this park's remarkable history. We are all very happy for him."
The largest diamond ever found in the US - the 40.23 carat Uncle Sam - was also found in the park in 1924.
Visitors can pay $10 to search for diamonds at the park.
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