1+ hour, 59+ min ago (355+ words) A MAJOR milestone in Scotland's internet identity has been reached with the launch of a new domain. DotScot, the domain for the worldwide community of Scots, has announced that .co.scot domains are now available for purchase in what bosses behind the firm say is a "turning point" for people worldwide to express their Scottish connection. The firm's .scot domains are used by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Parliament, NHS Scotland, and by businesses, organisations, and individuals across the country along with a further 62 countries around the world." DotScot are calling the .co.scot launch the "biggest development" since the launch of .scot in 2014. The new domain has a lower price than many of the traditional domains, including . co.uk , at "4.95 per year, and will help make DotScot more affordable for people in Scotland and Scots worldwide. The new domain…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago (404+ words) THE Labour Government has "short-changed" Scotland after handing more than "500 million to the Wales without a penny for an equivalent Scottish fund, the Deputy First Minister has said. Kate Forbes has written to Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander raising concerns about the "missing half-a-billion", accusing Labour of repeating policies of the Tory Party. It comes after the UK Government announced a "547m Local Growth Fund for Wales " which will be paid over three years and allocated by Welsh Labour ministers. Welsh Labour Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans opened a consultation on how to use the money last week, saying that her Government will be "ready to implement this fund from April 2026". However, Forbes has said the lack of an equivalent fund for Scotland raises concerns of a perception that public money is being used for party political purposes. Finance Secretary Shona Robison has…...

2+ day, 22+ hour ago (519+ words) INDEPENDENCE campaign group Believe in Scotland (BIS) has hosted the first of its new online meetings for organisers and activists from across the country. The new "national online Yes groups gathering", to take place twice a month, brought together around 130 local grassroots groups on Wednesday night. The meeting marked the next step in the organisation's plan to "renew the independence campaign, rebuild our momentum, and reunite the Scottish independence movement" through next year's Scottish independence congress. Groups from across Scotland including Yes for EU, Yes Inverclyde, and Yes Carnoustie ran watch parties and engaged in discussion, with many describing the session as "motivating, uplifting, and energising". Topics during the meeting included the organisation's Road to Independence Plan, a recent "i-Switch" campaign urging voters to back independence to save money on their energy bills. and discussion on building momentum in local…...

2+ hour, 12+ min ago (139+ words) SCOTTISH members of Your Party will meet in the new year to launch the fledgling left-wing party north of the Border, The National can reveal. The party's inaugural conference will be held in Dundee on January 10 and 11, delegates in Liverpool were told. Party member Niall Christie told a Scottish fringe event that there would be no sortition, in contrast to the conference England this weekend. It is understood the Scottish party will use the constitution voted into existence on Sunday as a template for their rules. Delegates at the Dundee event will decide on whether to stand candidates in the Holyrood election and members have told The National they would like to see Your Party compete for list seats. Christie told members that the costs of the event were being met by the central party....

4+ week, 1+ hour ago (1548+ words) OUR aim during the Brexit negotiations was always, given the outcome of the referendum, to try to find a moderate solution to implement the vote, but not in a way that it harms or hurts the UK, Scotland included naturally. We didn't materialise that," reflects Guy Verhofstadt, with a level of regret, in Edinburgh. The Belgian who was prime minister of his country from 1999 to 2008, and a member of the European Parliament from 2009 until 2024 " as well as the European Parliament's Brexit Coordinator and chair of the Brexit Steering Group from 2016 to 2020, speaks of the negotiations with a solemn frustration but a necessary removal from the situation the UK created for itself. Just this week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Brexit is partly to blame for high inflation in the UK, as she made the case for rebuilding ties with the EU....

4+ day, 2+ hour ago (308+ words) FREE events to celebrate St Andrew's Day are to be hosted at Edinburgh's Ross Bandstand this weekend. The world-renowned Red Hot Chilli Pipers are to headline the event, with the festivities beginning on Saturday, November 29, running from 12pm to 6pm. Expected to be one of the weekend's biggest draws, the band known for their fusion of bagpipes and rock, will be followed by local musicians and traditional Highland dancing. A selection of Scottish food, including hearty stovies, will be available. Visitors can also browse stalls from makers as part of Fair Saturday, an initiative that highlights artists, cultural organisations and social enterprises. The celebrations continue on Sunday, November 30 with two free family ceilidhs at 2:30pm and 4:30pm. This year's dances will be led by The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience, widely regarded as one of the top ceilidh bands in the world. With a caller…...

3+ week, 6+ day ago (501+ words) NEARLY "6 million has been awarded by the Scottish Government to support community-led projects on Scotland's islands. The money will help local authorities to create and safeguard infrastructure projects on their islands, which are focused on sustainability. The funding was announced ahead of the autumn meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands, taking place in Brodick Town Hall in Arran on Monday. The redevelopment of Brodick Town Hall is one of the projects to receive funding, with the aim of transforming the space into "a modern island hub for everyone on Arran to use". The projects span 22 islands across Argyll and Bute, Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar, North Ayrshire, Orkney and Shetland, with four islands " Luing, Lismore, Scalpay and Ulva " receiving funding for the first time. Eighteen projects have been awarded funding through the Scottish Government's Islands Programme, while five…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (434+ words) A SCOTTISH council has been forced to revisit proposals for an artificial intelligence data centre, The National can reveal. Edinburgh City Council will rescreen Shelborn Drummond Ltd's plans to build an AI data centre at the former Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters in Edinburgh Park. Campaigners claimed that local authority planning officers made mistakes when they waved through those plans and those by Apatura to build supercomputer hubs which meant neither needed to provide an environmental impact assessment. We told previously how, taken together, the plans would use the same amount of energy as all households in Edinburgh five times over. Artist's impression of Apatura Ravenscraig AI data centre (Image: Apatura) The facilities use huge amounts of energy and there are concerns about water use. Apatura's head of commercial Michael Hunter told The National last week that innovations in technology…...

4+ week, 11+ hour ago (627+ words) A GRASSROOTS movement inspired by Yes Scotland and Yes Cymru has launched in Brittany, calling for devolution to the region. Brittany in the north-west of France has been part of the country since 1532, but does belong to the cohort of six Celtic nations alongside Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The idea of devolution is new to the peninsula and so, campaigners have decided to pursue devolution " rather than independence " by 2032, with hopes for a status similar to the ones Scotland or Wales have. France has remained one of the most centralised countries in Europe for decades, with many Bretons coming to see the limitations of this model, according to Philippe Corr'a, the president of Yes Breizh. "Decisions taken in Paris are often disconnected from our local realities and necessities. Therefore, for Yes Breizh, devolution is a…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (186+ words) OUR team has been buzzing with excitement all today long. We just can't contain it. Scotland's men's team is going to the World Cup. For some members of the team, it's the first time this has happened in their lifetime. For others, the nostalgic memories of World Cups past are only increasing their excitement. At about 11pm on Tuesday night, staff members of The National were suggesting content plan ideas in our WhatsApp chat. So you know we're taking it pretty seriously, even with 204 days to go. We absolutely loved covering Scotland at the Euros, which was a pretty significant moment in itself. But it's safe to say this is even more extraordinary. It may be the best part of a year until the contest kicks off, but you won't want to miss a second of the lead-up. Why not take…...