Humza Yousaf has said he will not resign as Scotland's First Minister despite facing two votes of no confidence, which could bring down his administration.
Scottish Labour has tabled a motion against the whole Scottish government, while the Conservatives have tabled one specifically about Mr Yousaf. That motion is backed by Mr Yousaf's former allies the Scottish Greens who he dropped from his coalition on Thursday.
The Scottish National Party leader ended the alliance after scrapping a climate change emissions reduction target last week.
A Glasgow-born son of immigrants from Pakistan and Kenya, Mr Yousaf, who is Muslim, is the first person from a minority ethnic background to become the First Minister of Scotland.
He has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, where members of his wife's family became trapped following Israel's retaliation against Hamas.
Mr Yousaf visited a housing development in Dundee after hurriedly cancelling a speech on independence on Friday.
Speaking to broadcasters, he said he will not stand down and intends to fight the vote of no confidence in him lodged by the Tories.
Asked if he would work with Alba Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan, whose vote could be potentially critical to his survival, the First Minister said he would be writing to all leaders, inviting them to a meeting in an attempt to “make minority government work”.
Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "It's a matter now of when - not if - Humza Yousaf will step down as First Minister.
"It would be untenable for the SNP to assume it can impose another unelected first minister on Scotland."
Mr Yousaf cancelled a planned speech on Friday, as SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn insisted the First Minister will "come out fighting".
Mr Yousaf was due to speak about the labour strategy in an independent Scotland at Strathclyde University.
It comes as the Alba Party MSP whose vote could be crucial to Mr Yousaf's future has written to the First Minister, setting out demands in exchange for her support in a vote of no confidence in him.
Ash Regan, a former SNP minister who defected to Alex Salmond's party, said she wants to see progress on Scottish independence and defending "the rights of women and children".
Her Bill would seek a referendum to ask the Scottish public if Holyrood should have the powers to negotiate and legislate for Scottish independence.
The SNP leader dramatically brought the power-sharing deal with the Greens to an end on Thursday, leaving him facing a backlash which could potentially cost him his job.
A tight vote is expected at Holyrood next week, and since the SNP have 63 out of the 128 MSPs, Ms Regan's vote would appear to be crucial in getting Mr Yousaf over the line.
Scotland's Humza Yousaf through the years - in pictures
Mr Flynn told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme on Friday: "Humza Yousaf is a man of profound integrity. I had a conversation with Humza last night.
"He was reflective, but he was also very clear to me that he's going to come out fighting because he believes in what he says.
"He believes in delivering for the people for Scotland. He believes in creating jobs and opportunities for the next generation."
Asked if Mr Yousaf would be speaking to the Greens ahead of the vote, Mr Flynn said: "I would anticipate so, just as I would anticipate there would be conversations with others as well."
Mr Flynn also said he expects Mr Yousaf to win the confidence vote and continue as party leader and First Minister.
Speaking to Radio 4 later, Mr Flynn suggested he would not stand to be SNP leader if Mr Yousaf were to be ousted.
Ms Regan, a former Scottish Government minister, posted a copy of her letter to Mr Yousaf on social media.
It said: "Independence for Scotland, protecting the dignity, safety and rights of women and children, and providing a competent government for our people and businesses across Scotland remain my priorities.
"My door is open to discussing the progress of my proposed Scottish Parliament Powers Referendum Bill."
The Bute House Agreement gave the SNP-led government a majority at Holyrood but it came under strain in recent days after the Greens said they would put the future of the deal to a vote by their members.
Some in the Greens were unhappy after the government dropped a 2030 climate target, and over the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers at Scotland's only gender clinic for young people.
With the Greens voting in favour of the no-confidence motion, there would be 64 out of 128 MSPs who do not back the First Minister.
Alba leader Mr Salmond said Ms Regan is now the "most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament".
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone can cast tiebreaking votes but would be expected to vote in favour of the status quo.
Any vote is likely to take place next week, with timings to be confirmed by parliamentary authorities.
The SNP leader has accused the Tories of game-playing, insisting the power-sharing deal with the Greens had "served its purpose" and lasted 19 times longer than Liz Truss's premiership.
The party was thrown into turmoil by a police investigation into its finances, which saw former chief executive, Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell, charged by police recently with embezzling funds from the SNP.
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
Sri Lanka squad
Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milinda Siriwardana, Roshen Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Charith Asalanka, Shaminda Eranga and Dhammika Prasad.
The five pillars of Islam
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Napoleon
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SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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