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Days before Scotland votes in a referendum on independence from Great Britain, the Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond appeared to equate Islamic State terrorism and Israel’s military campaign this summer against Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip. Speaking on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, the separatist leader responded to a question about the beheading at the weekend of British aid worker David Haines by Islamic State, describing the murder as an act “of unspeakable barbarism” and later stressing, “The Muslim community of Scotland isn’t responsible in any shape or form for atrocities or extremism in

nvestors have pulled money out of the UK at the fastest pace seen since the financial crisis of 2008 amid fears that Scotland will break away from the Union, triggering a broader political crisis.

This is the worst possible time for Britain to consider leaving the EU – or for Scotland to break with Britain.

Cameron's spokesman said: "No. There has been no change here. The government's entire focus ... is on making the case for the UK staying together."

The Queen is said to be privately horrified at the prospect of Scotland voting for independence from the UK. It is believed the referendum – which could make the monarch the last Queen of Scotland – dominated her discussions with Prime Minister David Cameron on his annual visit to Balmoral at the weekend. The growing panic over the break-up of the UK was fuelled by a YouGov poll which put the nationalist Yes campaign ahead by 51% to 49%. Buckingham Palace aides said the Queen had asked for daily updates on the state of the campaigns.

George Osborne was on Sunday scrambling to head off a surge in support for Scottish independence with a promise of more powers for Holyrood, but behind the scenes some senior Tories were preparing for possible defeat. ... Rupert Murdoch, the media tycoon, claimed in a tweet that Mr Salmond’s private polls gave the Yes vote an advantage of 54-46

Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, has dismissed as ''a panic measure" plans to give Scotland greater autonomy, if voters decide to stay in the UK.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's government will set out plans in the coming days to give Scotland more autonomy on tax, spending and welfare if it rejects independence in a referendum on Sept. 18, British finance minister George Osborne said on Sunday.

The campaign to separate Scotland from the rest of the UK is in the lead for the first time ahead of the independence referendum later this month, according to a new poll. A YouGov survey found that the pro-independence campaign, led by the Scottish first minister Alex Salmond, had a two point lead of 51 per cent over the unionists’ 49 per cent. The poll for the Sunday Times is the latest evidence of a dramatic surge for the Yes campaign, which has seen the campaign recover from a 22 point deficit in just one month.

None of this is supposed to be happening at all. Better Together is supported by every major media outlet in Scotland as well as in London. It has the full research resources of the British government and the backing of big business. Yet there now seems to be an irresistible momentum towards yes. This week saw polls showing a massive eight-point swing to yes in the last month alone, with women and Labour voters leading the way. Photos of people queueing up to register to vote in Glasgow have been circulating. Maybe they were people queueing up to defend the...

Support for Scottish independence has risen eight points in a month, according to a new poll. The No camp are now six points ahead of the Yes campaign, down from 14 points in mid-August and 22 points early last month, excluding undecided voters. The latest YouGov poll found that, excluding ''don't knows'', 53% of those questioned planned to vote No, while 47% would back Yes. This compares to 57% for Yes and 43% for No in mid August and 61% for Yes and 39% for No at the beginning of last month.

EDINBURGH -- Campaigners for an independent Scotland are struggling to convince voters that their ancient nation will be better off if it leaves the U.K. Undecided Scots like Calum Carruthers, a 36-year-old father of two from Dunblane, a cathedral town near Edinburgh, are weighing the potential benefits and risks of ending the country's longtime partnership with England, Wales and Northern Ireland. "Emotionally, my instinct is it would be a good thing," said Mr. Carruthers, who works at a bank. But he added that the economic uncertainty is a huge concern, underscoring the dilemma many Scots are grappling with: "There's an...

It’s a bold claim – but one that is absolutely correct. Scotland is, according to the Financial Times, one of the top twenty wealthiest countries in the world. Over the past five years, Scotland has been better off than the UK as a whole to the tune of £1,600 per person. And we’ve generated more tax per head than the rest of the UK in each of the last 33 years. In fact, we are richer per head than the UK, France and even Japan. It is hard to imagine that any other nation has been as well-placed as wealthy...

NOME -- I used to joke and tell my friends that other than for obvious reasons, I only need a man to operate my chain saw. Because really, I’m an Alaska girl, and can bleed the line when I run out of fuel at the house. I thaw my pipes when they freeze. I can change a flat tire, butcher a caribou and catch, filet, smoke and can a silver salmon. Oh, and shoot a few ptarmigan with a .22 for dinner. You know. Normal stuff. But here’s the thing. I’ve relied on a man for seven years to supply...

Ukraine is currently going through a crucial time for its independence. On Sunday, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk, during the all-Ukrainian pilgrimage in Zarvanytsia in Ternopil region, to which he joined with his wife, Theresa, with Censor reference to the Government Portal. Along with tens of thousands of faithful, the head of the Government attended the liturgy in the Mari spiritual Center Zarvanicy. Upon completion of the liturgy, He appealed to Ukrainians from all corners of the country and from abroad who have gathered in Zarvanytsia village. "At the moment Ukraine is going through a critical period. So...

<p>Watching last night's Question Time, which was in Scotland and devoted half of its time to the question of Scottish independence - it was also the last QT before the September referendum -, confirmed and strengthened my opinion that England would be far better off without Scotland.</p>

Most everyone knows about America's 1776 Declaration of Independence. But did you know that on July 6 a year earlier, Congress initiated a Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms? It's true. According to History, on July 6, 1775, just a day after our Founding Fathers issued their Olive Branch Petition to King George III, Congress gave just reason for taking up arms against Great Britain. In the declaration, they wrote they would rather "die freemen rather than to live slaves." Three months earlier, patriot resistance and "the shot heard round the world" had fired off in...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania We meet to celebrate the birthday of America. The coming of a new life always excites our interest. Although we know in the case of the individual that it has been an infinite repetition reaching back beyond our vision, that only makes it the more wonderful. But how our interest and wonder increase when we behold the miracle of the birth of a new nation. It is to pay our tribute of reverence and respect to those who participated in such a mighty event that we annually observe the fourth day of July. Whatever may have been the...

As a mother, it is almost impossible to imagine sending a child on a long and dangerous journey, alone, into the unknown. And yet that is what tens of thousands of parents in Mexico and Central America have done, hoping their children will find sanctuary in the United States. That tells you a great deal about the terrible violence and poverty in other countries. It also tells you a great deal about the United States.

To be independent is to be free -- not to receive free stuff paid for by others but to pursue our own happiness without diminishing the abilities of others to pursue theirs. Under King Obama we have lost much of our independence.Bill Whittle posted this video one year ago, on July 3d. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqZkTsmv4kw] Video link How would you answer the question at the end of the first verse of our national anthem?[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdP1CQEboIo] Video link Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Illegal Aliens [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jatwPTk1jWM] Video link...