- Icelanders head to the polls after government collapse
- England strike twice to have New Zealand in trouble in first Test
- Researchers analyse DNA from dung to save Laos elephants
- North Korea's Kim, Russian minister agree to boost military ties
- Brook's 171 gives England commanding 151-run lead over New Zealand
- Kamala's coda: What's next for defeated US VP Harris?
- Chiefs hold off Raiders to clinch NFL playoff berth
- Australia's Hazlewood out of 2nd India Test
- Trudeau in Florida to meet Trump as tariff threats loom
- Jihadists, allies breach Syria's second city in lightning assault
- Trudeau in Florida to meet Trump as tariff threats loom: media
- Hunter shines as Hawks top Cavs again
- Southampton denied shock Brighton win by dubious VAR call
- Alarm over high rate of HIV infections among young women, girls
- Swiss unveil Euro 2025 mascot Maddli
- Bears fire coach Eberflus after latest agonizing NFL defeat
- Rallies mark one month since Spain's catastrophic floods
- Arnault family's Paris FC takeover completed
- Georgian police stage new crackdown on pro-EU protestors
- 'We're messing up:' Uruguay icon Mujica on strongman rule in Latin America
- Liverpool dealt Konate injury blow
- Van Nistelrooy appointed Leicester manager
- Verstappen brought back to earth in Doha after F1 title party
- Global wine output to hit lowest level since 1961
- Norris boosts McLaren title hopes with sprint pole
- Big-hitting Stubbs takes satisfaction from grinding out Test century
- Romania recounts presidential ballots as parliamentary vote looms
- French skipper Dalin leads as Vendee Globe passes Cape of Good Hope
- Chelsea not in Premier League title race, says Maresca
- Brazil's Bolsonaro aims to ride Trump wave back to office: WSJ
- France requests transfer of death row convict held in Indonesia: minister
- 'Mamie Charge': Migrants find safe haven in Frenchwoman's garage
- Iconic Uruguayan ex-leader hails country's swing left as 'farewell gift'
- Thousands rally in Georgia after violent police crackdown on pro-EU protesters
- Shared experiences make Murray 'perfect coach', says Djokovic
- Iran, Europeans to keep talking as tensions ratchet up
- Inflation-wary US consumers flock to 'Black Friday' deals
- France shows off restored Notre Dame after 'impossible' restoration
- South African bowlers strike after Sri Lanka set big target
- Namibia reopens polls after election chaos in ruling party test
- Georgia police arrest dozens in clashes with pro-EU protesters
- US stocks rise on Black Friday
- Leclerc on top for Ferrari in Qatar GP practice
- Jihadists, allies enter Syria's second city in lightning assault
- Amorim puts faith in Mount to turn around Man Utd career
- Guardiola will not 'run' from Man City rebuild
- Assisted dying campaigners, opponents rally at UK parliament
- Durable prop Healy set to carve name in Irish rugby history
- Macron unveils Notre Dame after 'impossible' restoration
- Traumatised Spain marks one month since catastrophic floods
UK's top court to assess legal basis for new Scottish independence vote
The UK Supreme Court will on Tuesday consider the legality of Scottish moves to hold a new referendum on independence next year without the consent of the government in London.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's nationalist government in Edinburgh wants a fresh vote on the question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"
On Monday, she told her Scottish National Party's annual conference the hearing would not have been necessary if the UK government in Westminster respected Scottish democracy.
"But Westminster has no such respect. That means this issue was always destined to end up in court sooner or later -- better, in my view, that it is sooner," she said.
"If the court decides in the way we hope it does, on 19th October next year there will be an independence referendum."
The Supreme Court hearings -- initiated by Scotland's top legal adviser -- will see senior lawyers wrangle over the powers of the devolved parliament in Edinburgh versus Westminster.
The SNP fought the 2021 Scottish parliamentary elections on a promise to hold a legally valid referendum after the Covid crisis subsided.
It now wants to go ahead but the UK government, which has to give approval under the Scotland Act 1998, has not given permission.
New UK Prime Minister Liz Truss in a television interview this month reiterated her view that the last referendum in 2014 was a once-in-a-generation event.
"I'm very clear there shouldn't be another referendum before that generation is up," she added.
- 'Never give up' -
Opinion polls now indicate that voters in Scotland are near evenly divided over the question of independence.
The last referendum in 2014 saw 55 percent of Scots vote "no" to breaking away.
But this came before Brexit, which most in Scotland voted against, and the parliamentary election, which saw a majority of pro-independence lawmakers elected for the first time.
The Scottish government wants to be able to create its own legal framework for another vote, arguing that the "right to self-determination is a fundamental and inalienable right".
But the UK government argues that Scotland cannot act unilaterally in a "reserved" matter concerning the constitutional make-up of the United Kingdom as a whole, where the government in London holds sway.
To get around this, the SNP-led government wants to hold an "advisory referendum" to test support, without immediate change.
The Supreme Court hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population, ruling on points of law.
Five judges including Supreme Court President Robert Reed, will begin two days of hearings at 10:30 am (0930 GMT) on Tuesday.
They will examine the legal validity of a referendum bill proposed by the SNP that sets a referendum date of October 19, 2023, with a ruling at a later date.
"The court is unlikely to rule in favour of the SNP –- but those in favour of the Union should not see this as a defining victory," wrote Akash Paun of the Institute for Government think-tank.
If thwarted in court, the party plans to make the next general election, due by January 2025 at the latest, a de facto referendum, campaigning on a single issue.
Sturgeon on Monday said a legal defeat would leave the Scottish government "a very simple choice: put our case for independence to the people in an election or give up on Scottish democracy".
"I will never give up on Scottish democracy," she added.
L.Janezki--BTB