Author – and former UK ambassador – Craig Murray put forward a plan in late July 2026 to make Scotland independent of its blighted southern neighbour. Without the Scottish independence referendum that London’s controlling government continues to refuse it. And it seems many Scots like the plan – and so, it seems, does much of the international community.

Simply bold over Scottish independence

Murray’s plan is straightforward and provocative:

1) Set a Date for Independence

The First Minister should write to the Prime Minister informing him that a referendum is preferred, but if there is no prior referendum then he will invite the Scottish Parliament to declare Independence on a specified date (I suggest 14 September 2029).

State that an Independent Scotland will then hold a confirmatory plebiscite in February 2030.

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2) Canvass the International Community and Tee Up a UN General Assembly Vote

Independence is not primarily a matter of domestic law. It is existence as a state recognised by other international states. What actually makes you a state is not any domestic act, but recognition by other states, expressed formally through recognition by the UN General Assembly and obtaining a seat at the United Nations.

As part of a team from Liberation Scotland and Salvo, I have been lobbying diplomatic missions of the UN to this end for 18 months now. We have found enormous support for Scottish Independence and literally no outright hostility. What we have repeatedly met is astonishment that the Scottish government and/or the governing party the SNP, has made no effort to carry the case to the international community.

Murray then proposes that Holyrood write to the UK PM simply informing them that Scotland will declare its independence in September 2029 and seek recognition as such from the UN General Assembly. This move will affirming the Scottish statehood and sovereignty that gives it the right to do so, with the democratic mandate of Scotland’s elected government. As Murray states:

A supposed voluntary union can by definition be dissolved. The self-determination of peoples is an inalienable Charter right.

Prepared to stand for Scotland

Scots cannot assume the English regime will simply acknowledge what’s right. They will have to be prepared to secure their borders and resist attempts to break Scottish independence. As Murray points out:

This is where Catalonia failed. Its referendum was disrupted by brutality to which it had no answer. Scots must be prepared to stand for Scotland.

This stand will be more than physical resistance. It will require the setting up, or repurposing for independence, of a central bank and other key institutions. But it will also require the “peaceful and friendly” blockading of military and other installations that might try to bring down the re-established state.

Murray points out that this will put Andy Burnham under sudden pressure to agree independence that he clearly has no interest in dealing with if the pressure is not brought to bear. And he points out that the UK government doesn’t have a leg to stand on, given its own declarations about other nations’ independence:

These quotes are from the British government’s intervention before the International Court of Justice in the Kosovo hearings:

“In most cases of secession, of course, the predecessor State’s law will not have been complied with: that is true almost as a matter of definition.”

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And the still stronger formulation:

“Nor is compliance with the law of the predecessor State a condition for the declaration of independence to be recognised by third States, if other conditions for recognition are fulfilled. The conditions do not include compliance with the internal legal requirements of the predecessor State.”

Popular support

It seems many Scots agree. A recent poll found that almost half of Scots back Scotland taking back its independence – without a referendum and whether Westminster likes it or not:

With half or more of residents backing Scottish independence generally, the Westminster government is not going to grant another referendum – just as it continues to refuse its obligations under the Good Friday Agreement to hold a referendum on Irish reunification as soon as there is a realistic prospect of a ‘yes’ vote, which there already is.

That means taking back independence is the only realistic route for the millions of Scots who see Westminster become ever more a failed state collaborating in genocide and illegal war – and waging war on its own citizens’ rights and speech to protect the criminals.

Read Murray’s full article here.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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FILE – Dolly Parton poses at the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy Ceremony in New York, on Oct. 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File)

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The president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Slovenian Aleksander Čeferin, issued a direct warning to the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the Swiss Gianni Infantino, stating that the latter may face a challenger in the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027, amid mounting pressure on him due to his disputes with a number of continental federations.

In excerpts from an interview with the British podcast The Rest Is Politics: Leading, Čeferin confirmed that he would not be that rival, but clearly hinted that Infantino’s continued participation in the race might not be guaranteed without the emergence of a candidate capable of challenging him.

Infantino faces two options

Čeferin said that Infantino faces two options: the first is to realise that he no longer enjoys sufficient support, not only at the political level from the federations with voting rights, but also within the football community and amongst fans, players and coaches.

The second option, according to the UEFA president, is for Infantino to stand in the elections next March; however, he predicted that in this scenario a rival candidate would emerge, adding that he does not yet know the identity of this candidate.

Čeferin’s comments come at a time when Infantino is facing mounting pressure over the row concerning his commercial plan to sell shares in World Cup rights to private-sector investors – a plan that has been temporarily shelved.

A growing opposition front

The dispute has turned into an institutional confrontation after UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF accused Infantino of “deception”, whilst UEFA has escalated its stance by threatening to boycott certain FIFA competitions.

Infantino, who has been FIFA president since 2016, had until recently appeared to be on a clear path to winning a new term unopposed, but mounting opposition to the plan to sell stakes in World Cup rights has brought the election race back into the spotlight.

FIFA has set 18 November 2026 as the deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidency of the international federation, ahead of the elections scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco.

Čeferin closes the door on a challenge

Although his name has been put forward as a potential challenger to Infantino, Čeferin, aged 58, has confirmed that he does not intend to enter the race, insisting on continuing to lead UEFA.

He said he had two reasons for not standing: firstly, he enjoys working at UEFA and wishes to continue doing so; and secondly, his lack of interest in the post gives him, in his view, greater credibility when criticising FIFA’s direction.

Čeferin thus leaves the door open to an electoral scenario that could be the most exciting since Infantino became FIFA president, as the emergence of a strong rival would transform the upcoming elections from a virtually foregone conclusion into a genuine battle for the leadership of world football.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo continues to write a new chapter in his exceptional career, having come closer than ever before to reaching the 1,000-goal mark in his professional career – a feat that would be the first of its kind in modern football.

Ronaldo, aged 41, has taken his tally to 977 goals in 1,333 matches, having scored in Al-Nassr’s 4–0 victory over Al-Riyadh in the second round of the Saudi Professional League, leaving him just 23 goals away from joining the 1,000-goal club.

23 goals and a mission that seems achievable

Despite his advancing age, Ronaldo continues to maintain scoring rates that keep him in contention for a feat that seems out of reach for most players. So far in 2026, the Portugal captain has scored 20 goals in 30 matches, including 17 for Al-Nassr and three for his national team.

Ronaldo needs to maintain a rate of nearly one goal per match in the coming period to reach this historic milestone before the end of the year. Calculations suggest he has at least 29 official matches available until December, which gives him ample opportunity to realise this millennium dream, provided he maintains his scoring rate and avoids injury.

The task seems all the more achievable given his figures from last year, when he scored 41 goals in 46 matches at an average of around 0.89 goals per match – a rate close to what is required of him in the coming period.

Al-Nassr and Portugal: the road to 1,000

Al-Nassr bears the brunt of Ronaldo’s hopes of reaching this historic milestone, as numerous matches await him in the Saudi Pro League, alongside his participation in the AFC Champions League and the King’s Cup.

As Al-Nassr continue to compete in continental competitions, Ronaldo will have more matches and minutes on the pitch to boost his tally, particularly as he is relied upon as one of the team’s key attacking players.

As for the Portuguese national team, Ronaldo remains a key part of the manager’s plans, with the team continuing to rely on him as their main captain. Upcoming international fixtures offer him a further opportunity to edge closer to the 1,000-goal mark, given his clear desire to continue playing at the highest possible level.

A race against time towards an immortal milestone for Ronaldo

The irony is that Ronaldo is not merely chasing a personal milestone, but is striving for an achievement that could become one of the most difficult milestones in the history of football. Reaching 1,000 official goals requires a long career and exceptional consistency, which makes Ronaldo’s reaching this milestone a historic event that transcends the boundaries of clubs and national teams.

Between his current tally of 977 goals and the anticipated 1,000, the gap seems short in mathematical terms, but it represents a major challenge for a 41-year-old player. Nevertheless, Ronaldo has repeatedly proven that he is capable of defying the effects of age; so the question now is not whether he will reach 1,000, but when he will celebrate his 1,000th goal?

If “El Don” maintains his current scoring rate, the coming weeks could see him rapidly closing in on a figure that would crown an exceptional career spanning more than two decades, cementing his place among the most influential goal scorers in the history of the game.

Featured image via the Canary

By Alaa Shamali

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Beau Greaves returned to the PDC Women’s Series on Sunday 22 August and immediately re‑established her dominance. Producing back‑to‑back title wins to move within touching distance of her 60th crown on the circuit. After missing Saturday’s action, the Doncaster star arrived at the Matiolli Arena, Leicester with trademark precision. Bringing control and scoring power, collecting her 58th and 59th Women’s Series titles in a single afternoon.

Greaves, now firmly established as the standout force in the women’s game, wasted no time in setting the tone. Her morning campaign began with three consecutive whitewash victories, sweeping aside Jane Hawtin, Sue Lowther and Vicky Pruim without dropping a leg. The early rounds showcased the same ruthless efficiency that has defined her rise, with her scoring consistency and finishing accuracy immediately separating her from the field.

Fightback sparks title charge

Her run towards the Event 19 title was almost halted in the last‑16, where Gemma Hayter pushed her to the brink. Beau Greaves trailed 3‑2 and faced elimination, but the 22‑year‑old responded with the composure that has become her trademark. She reeled off the final legs to turn the match around and book her place in the quarter‑finals, keeping her hopes of a 58th title alive.

From there, she accelerated. Greaves overpowered Aileen de Graaf 5‑1 in the quarter‑finals, producing an average north of 96 and controlling the match from the opening visit. She then dispatched Kirsty Hutchinson 5‑2 in the semi‑finals, maintaining a steady scoring rhythm and leaving little room for resistance.

That set up a repeat of the 2025 Women’s World Matchplay semi‑final, as Greaves faced Lisa Ashton in the Event 19 final. Greaves’ afternoon campaign began in identical fashion. She opened Event 20 with back‑to‑back 4‑0 wins over Leanne Halls and Felicia Bay, once again asserting her authority with clean finishing and relentless scoring. The Doncaster star dropped just three legs across the entire event, underlining the gulf between her and the chasing pack.

Her momentum continued with consecutive 4‑1 victories over Louise Pearson and Rhian O’Sullivan. Both matches in which she controlled the pace and punished every loose visit. She then swept past Angela Kirkwood 5‑0 in the quarter‑finals, producing another display of near‑flawless consistency to reach the final four.

Whitewash seals title number 59

The final brought a rematch with Aileen de Graaf, but the Dutch player struggled to find her rhythm. Beau Greaves capitalised instantly, controlling every leg and producing an average above 91 to complete a 5‑0 whitewash. The victory secured her 59th Women’s Series title and capped a flawless Sunday in which she reasserted her position as the circuit’s dominant force.

Greaves’ ability to maintain high averages across multiple matches, combined with her finishing accuracy and tactical control, continues to set her apart. Her Sunday double not only strengthened her position at the top of the Women’s Series rankings but also moved her within one title of the landmark 60‑title milestone.

Beau Greaves remains firmly on top of the Women’s Series rankings, with Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock occupying second and third place respectively. Gemma Hayter sits just behind them in fourth, currently holding the final qualification spot for the 2026/27 World Darts Championship.

The top three players from the final PDC Women’s Series rankings will qualify for the 2026/27 Paddy Power World Darts Championship, with the top‑ranked player also earning a place at the 2026 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts. Greaves’ Sunday surge has strengthened her grip on both positions, and her form suggests she is well on course to secure both berths.

Beau Greaves: closing in on history

With 59 Women’s Series titles now to her name, Beau Greaves stands on the brink of another milestone. Her return on Sunday was a reminder of her ability to dominate fields with a blend of scoring power, finishing precision and tactical control. The Doncaster star continues to set the standard in the women’s game, and her march towards title number 60 looks increasingly inevitable.

Greaves’ Sunday double was not just a return. It was a statement. After missing Saturday’s action, she re‑entered the circuit with complete authority, sweeping through both events and reaffirming her status as the standout force in women’s darts. With major tournaments approaching and her form showing no sign of slowing, Greaves’ pursuit of further silverware looks set to continue.

Featured image courtesy of BBC Sports

By Faz Ali

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Did you know that supermarkets often add a little-known “Julian date” to packs of fresh fruit and veg?

These usually tell suppliers and stores when the produce was packed and are different from consumer-facing “best before” and “use by” dates.

Some thought that a similar source of information might lie on the bottoms of our toothpaste packs, too.

In 2024, for instance, a viral podcast clip suggested that the little patch may reveal whether the ingredients in the tube are “natural” or “chemical” (though that distinction is impossible to make).

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That misinformed claim has since been thoroughly debunked. But it leaves another question – what are the markers actually for, then?

Why are there coloured squares on my toothpaste pack?

According to dental health company Colgate, they’re used in the manufacturing process.

When factories produce packs of toothpaste, they fill the tubes’ contents at speeds as fast as 200 containers a minute. Machines fill the opened cylinders with exact gram amounts of the product.

Then, they need to be closed (usually by heat sealing) to prevent the toothpaste from leaking and to stop bacteria and air from entering the tube.

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To do this efficiently, the machine that clamps the containers needs to be given a target.

Colgate explains that these tell “light sensors where the end of the tube is so that it can be cut and sealed properly”.

So… what about the ingredients in my toothpaste?

Again, these have nothing to do with the colour of your toothpaste tube (previous, disproven conspiracy theories suggested that green squares meant an “all-natural” product, while black supposedly revealed “pure chemical” options).

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If you’re curious about the contents of your toothpaste, though, there’s a simpler option: look at the ingredients list on the pack.

The NHS does say we should keep an eye out for this section, but not to check the hue of the machine-friendly block.

Instead, the health service advises we check the packaging to find a product that contains at least 1,350 parts per million (ppm) fluoride.

This helps to fight decay and can keep your teeth healthier for longer.

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On 23 August, academic Priyamvada Gopal who specialises in postcolonial studies (including race and Empire), posted the below, earning the following community note:

If you believe in the existence biological racial differences, you are a racist.

Hope that clears it up.

— Priyamvada Gopal © (@PriyamvadaGopal) August 23, 2026

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Gopal has since disputed the validity of the community note. Self-described ‘race realists’, meanwhile, have freaked out over the initial comment. So what’s going on here?

Race

There are no doubt many who have no idea what Gopal is talking about nor what the community note is supposedly disputing. What it comes down to is the meaning of ‘race’.

The concept of ‘race’ is only applied to one species on this planet, and that’s human beings. The reason for this is that there’s no meaningful definition of ‘race’ (as opposed to terms like ‘species’ and ‘genus’). As the BBC reported in 2025:

When scientists unveiled the first draft of the Human Genome Project 25 years ago, it seemed to deliver the final word on some antiquated myths about race. It provided definitive evidence that racial groupings have no biological basis. In fact, there is more genetic variation within racial groups than between them. Race, it showed, is a social construct.

To clarify further, when we think of someone belonging to a ‘race’, we’re making assumptions based on skin colour and facial features. The thing is, skin colour and facial features don’t tell us anything about people besides what they look like. White skin is no indicator of fitness; black skin is no indicator of intelligence, and an eye with epicanthal folds is no indication of empathy. In other words, the signifiers of race don’t tell us anything interesting about biology, which is why race is not used as a biological distinction.

History

So – why is any of this important?

It’s important because there are those who claim that races are biologically distinct, and there are all manner of assumptions you can make about people based on their skin colour. These ‘race realists’ or ‘race scientists’ generally want to convince you that certain races are inferior – usually intellectually – and that other races are superior.

Ironically, these racial supremacists often look like this:

‘Race realist’ who launched Jason Arday hate campaign smears vigil

Explaining the origins of race science, the BBC note it was the Carl Linnaeus — the “father of modern biology” — who came up with the term. Linnaeus also created the terms ‘genus’ and ‘species’ which are still used today, and apply to all living beings. Linnaeus’s races included the following:

• Asiaticus – people with “yellow skin”, and straight black hair.
• Americanus – indigenous Americans, with “red skin” also with straight black hair.
• Africanus – “black skinned” people with tight curls in their hair.
• Europeaus – “white skinned” with blue eyes.

As the BBC added:

Even if this colour scheme were true, Linnaeus’ original descriptions only began with physical traits. What he included in later editions of Systemae Naturae, which became the basis for scientific racism, were portrayals of behaviours. Asiaticus were described as “haughty, greedy and ruled by opinions” while Americanus were labelled “stubborn, zealous, regulated by customs”. Africanus women were denoted as being “without shame” while both sexes were said to be “crafty, lazy, and governed by caprice”. He described Europaeus as “gentle, acute, inventive, governed by laws”.

By any definition in any age, these assertions are racist and entirely incorrect.

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Retrograde

Giving you an idea of how the concept of biological race doesn’t hold up, this is one of the replies to Gopal:

The 100 fastest 10,000m runners were born here: https://t.co/S4lqcnuYU0 pic.twitter.com/n35k8efYML

— Adam Hibbert (@adhib) August 24, 2026

If race was a consistent indicator of other biological traits, the 100 fastest 10,000m runners would be evenly spread across the entire African continent – not tied to one corner of it. There are also several reasons why successful 10,000m runners come from the same region of Kenya — chief among them that the area is 8,000 feet above sea level, and high altitude training is ideal for long distance runners.

No one is arguing that it’s impossible for biological differences to manifest in distinct populations over time. This is why certain physical differences exist between ethnic groups after all. What scientists are saying is that these physical differences are no indicator of intelligence, fitness, or personality. And the people who claim otherwise are — as Gopal says — are the very definition of racist.

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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The US has killed two people in a so-called ‘narco’ boat strike, bringing the total since September to 223. These strikes follow reports alleging that the CIA and/or its contractors attacked three vessels near the Galapagos in March and January 2026.

The US military’s Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) posted a section of a video showing the strike on X:

"This operation is a clear and decisive reminder that SOUTHCOM is taking the fight directly to the cartels."

On August 23, under #SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan’s direction, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere executed a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel… pic.twitter.com/aIw1qn36gd

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— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) August 24, 2026

This was the first strike for some time. in response to these developments, New York Times reported that:

Southern Command did not explain the two-month lull in strikes since an attack on a boat in the Caribbean killed eight people on June 21. Military officials have attributed the pause at least in part to planes and other equipment being diverted to help victims of the recent earthquake in Venezuela.

On 3 January, after an intense military build up in the region, US Special Forces kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. At-sea strikes began in September 2025 but continued after the Caracas raid and are ongoing.

The Trump regime has made clear it wants to exert fuller control of the Americas, building close alliances with right-wing dictators in Latin America, threatening Cuba, Canada and Greenland.

US Homeland Empire

As the Canary has repeatedly reported, Trump has merged the War on Terror process, the War on Drugs, and far-right ideology:

The new right-wing narratives of illegal migration and drug trafficking have merged with the climate of militarism, ‘counter-terrorism’ and colonial policing forged during the War on Terror. Trump has been able to tie these together to wage a war against the exploited, the racialised and the desperate.

The US president has conflated:

immigrants, drugs and free trade as sources of weakness coming from outside, “poisoning the blood of our country”.

This is a return to:

the archaic geopolitics of a settler empire to the modern legal frameworks devised by his liberal predecessors.

International legal NGO Just Security noted:

As shared on social media and accompanied by video, U.S. SOUTHCOM announced a strike, conducted by Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, on a vessel with “active involvement in narco-trafficking” in the eastern Pacific, killing two. The strike was executed at the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan.

Adding:

This is the first publicly announced strike on a vessel under the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere.
Unlike most recent SOUTHCOM posts announcing strikes against vessels suspected of trafficking narcotics, this announcement did not state that the vessel was “operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations.”

The US is currently locked into a failed war with Iran. When that war ends Trump’s sights will return fully to the Americas. And the losers, as ever, will likely be the people of the region.

Featured image via the US Southern Command / Canary 

By Joe Glenton

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The Deauville Sports Images Festival has removed the work of a Palestinian photographer from Gaza; succumbing to pressure from the Israel lobby. The silencing of the people of Gaza continues unabated, it seems.

The truth must “offend”

The image they removed captures a football match in Gaza against the backdrop of the city’s apocalyptic cratered urban environment. Crumpled buildings and a haze of dust and smoke set the scene, contrasted against an astroturfed green football pitch. The photo was replaced by one showing European cycling.

The organisers hid behind the excuse of wanting to avoid “controversy or offend[ing] anyone”. They wouldn’t name those behind the pressure campaign.

Killing off Gaza

The image showed a February 2026 match between Gaza Sports Club and Egyptian team Al-Ahly. Israel has murdered around a thousand Palestinian sportspeople during the genocide since October 2023, including almost 600 footballers.

What is offensive is not showing the image and the reality behind it, particularly in a festival that boasts it offers different perspectives on sport.

Featured image via Jehad Alshrafi

By Skwawkbox

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