Nicola Sturgeon coronavirus update LIVE as Scotland to fall silent to remember lives lost

Rihanna is stepping out for the day!

Call The Midwife actress Pam Ferris has revealed that riding her clunky bike as Sister Evangelina left her needing a knee operation.She groaned: “Those bikes were really heavy and my shoes were so big on me that they didn’t allow me to turn the bike because my foot would hit the front wheel.“Add in darkness and cobbles and puddles with holes underneath that you didn’t know about and it was a risk to life and limb – in my case to my cruciate ligament."The star explained: “I ended up having to have an operation on my knee. But I loved it when I was going straight.”Co-star Jessica Raine, Jenny Lee in the BBC series, admitted that she struggled with her bike too.She said: “It was so much cycling! When we were in Chatham doing all the exterior scenes those cobbles had pretty deep grooves between them so if your front wheel got caught in one of them it was a nightmare.“You just had to battle through.

X Factor winner Alexandra Burke joyously displayed her baby bump as she poses with her footballer boyfriend West Ham player Darren Randolph.The 33-year-old singer who announced earlier this week that she's pregnant took to Instagram to give the first peek of her five-month baby bump.Alexandra cradled her tummy in a post to her 248,000 followers while wearing a fuchsia pink sleeveless mini dress, with her partner Darren's, 35, hands wrapped around her.Alexandra thanked her followers for their ongoing support in her Instagram caption since the couple went public about the news.Alexandra's caption read: "We have received so many beautiful messages and well wishes!"Just wanted to say a big thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are truly overwhelmed.

Dawn French has released the dates for her upcoming solo UK show named after something quite graphic.The 64-year-old The Vicar of Dibley star has announced that her one-woman show is called Dawn French Is A Huge Tw*t.Leaving little to the imagination, the comedian has written the show herself and is looking forward to delighting fans with "buttock clenching embarrassing stories".Explaining the meaning behind the X-rated show's name, The French & Saunders star said: "This show is so named because, unfortunately, it's horribly accurate."There have been far too many times I have made stupid mistakes or misunderstood something vital or jumped the gun in a spectacular display of tw*ttery."The Vicar of Dibley star added: "I thought I might tell some of these buttock clenching embarrassing stories to give the audience a peek behind the scenes of my work life."This autumn, the award-winning actress will return to the stage following her most recent appearance in Kenneth Branagh's widely anticipated movie Death on the Nile alongside her celebrity pal Jennifer Saunders.Dawn will tour the UK from September 15 and perform a further 19 shows across the country until October 16.In an upcoming episode of The Graham Norton Show set to air on Friday, Dawn revealed that there are 'no plans' for her hit sketch show French and Saunders to return.Dawn and Jennifer, 63, first started working together when they met in their early 20s in 1978, with their hilarious sketch show French and Saunders first airing on BBC Two in 1987.Speaking on this week's dose of The Graham Norton show, she said: "There are no plans at the moment, but we are doing something for Comic Relief this year."I think the time for the sketch show is over, but Jen and I are

Benedict Cumberbatch is calling out Netflix and he’s looking for answers as to why his new movie was shown in theaters for such a limited amount of time.

Rockmond Dunbar, who played Michael on the Fox series 9-1-1 for four seasons, has filed a lawsuit against Disney over his abrupt exit from the show.

Neale Hanvey and Lynn Anderson, who was the SNP’s Equalities Convener, have jumped ship. Salmond, the former first minister and ex SNP leader, shocked the political world last week by announcing he would stand for Holyrood for the Alba Party.He has been engaged in a bitter feud for three years with first minister Nicola Sturgeon over her government’s botched misconduct probe into him.He will lead the party in an attempt to return a “super majority” of pro-independence MSPs.

Alex Salmond's return to politics The former SNP leader confirmed he will be standing for the Alba Party on the North East regional list section in May's Scottish Parliament election.Launching the new party in an online event on Friday, the former SNP leader said: "Today Alba are hoisting a flag in the wind, planting our Saltire on a hill. In the next few weeks we will see how many will rally to our standard." The launch comes after a turbulent period for the SNP and the Scottish Government, led by Mr Salmond's successor Ms Sturgeon.

Get the latest Scottish crime and courts news sent straight to your inbox with our Criminal Record newsletter.Alex Salmond has suggested there are routes to independence other than the legally-backed second referendum favoured by Nicola Sturgeon.Salmond, who quit the SNP when he faced sexual assault charges of which he was later cleared, said the aim of his new party was to work towards a “successful, socially just, environmentally responsible, independent country”.The former First Minister said his new party would help create a ‘supermajority” for independence at Holyrood and stop SNP votes being wasted on the regional list.He said: "A parliament speaking for the people would give Scotland the upper hand in negotiations".He insisted that

Covid-19 pandemic. The Holyrood Government has announced plans to offer more than 154,000 NHS staff in Scotland a pay rise of at least four per cent.

Scottish Parliament election campaign. Scots will head to the poll on May 6 in what is expected to be a crucial election for the future of Sturgeon's independence dream.

NHS workers have been offered a 'substantial' pay rise after an 'exceptionally challenging year'.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced 'our NHS staff deserve more than applause and 1% is not enough' after putting a 4% raise on the table.If accepted by staff, would be the most generous National Health Service pay uplift anywhere in the UK.The pay rise will benefit 154,000 NHS employees including nurses, paramedics, allied health professionals, as well as domestic, healthcare support staff, porters and other front line health workers.To read the full article click here

NHS workers have been offered a 'substantial' pay rise after an 'exceptionally challenging year'. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced 'our NHS staff deserve more than applause and 1% is not enough' after putting a 4% raise on the table.If accepted by staff, would be the most generous National Health Service pay uplift anywhere in the UK.

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.Business leaders welcomed indicative dates over lockdown easing as hairdressers, non-essential retailers, pubs, restaurants and cafes all prepare to reopen next month.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week outlined a route back to recovery which will include the stay at home message being replaced with stay local guidance from early April.Scotland-wide travel will again be permitted from April 26 with most businesses back open from then.Indoor social gathering can resume, with limited numbers and social distancing in mid-May with most restrictions expected to be scaled back in June.All of these are conditional on the continued suppression of Covid-19

Nicola Sturgeon will face questions from fellow MSPs at First Minister's Questions this afternoon.It is expected to begin around 12.30 in the Scottish Parliament, and beforehand the First Minister will give the latest update on the current coronavirus statistics.It comes as the Western Isles will today move to level three of lockdown restrictions from 6pm.Announcing the change yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said the Outer Hebrides would return to the level that currently applies to Orkney and Shetland, and some of Scotland’s other islands after their success in reducing transmission in recent weeks.The islands had seen a number of covid clusters over the last year, in the Uists, Barra and more recently around Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.No

First Minister spoke on the National Day of Reflection that memorialised loved ones lost to COVID-19.The lockdown update is Ms Sturgeon's last scheduled weekly update before the Scottish Parliamentary elections on May 6.She said: "One of the cruellest aspects of this pandemic has undoubtedly been its impact on our ability to grieve."It is of course a natural human response when someone we love dies, to gather with others – to mourn their loss and to celebrate their life."The fact that this shared and important ritual has not been possible has – I know – been an additional source of grief for many, during this most difficult of years."So I hope that today’s day of reflection– and the memorials that communities will plan – will help."They are

Scottish Parliament later today. The Scottish Tories said they will press ahead with a vote in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after a Holyrood committee found she misled parliament.

Our Politics newsletter is now daily. Join thousands of others and get the latest Scottish politics news sent straight to your inbox.Commenting of the independent report by James Hamilton into her adherence to the Scottish Ministerial Code, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:“I welcome the conclusions of James Hamilton’s independent investigation, which are comprehensive, evidence-based and unequivocal“Mr Hamilton has considered all of the allegations against me, and I am happy that his report’s findings clear me of any breach of the ministerial code.“I sought at every stage in this issue to act with integrity and in the public interest.

First Minister to refer complaints made under the ethics code. Salmond, when he was First Minister, had six complaints referred to the independent panel, all of which were dismissed.

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First Minister 's resignation amid accusations she misled parliament about her involvement in the Alex Salmond investigation. It followed a leak that the inquiry into the Government's unlawful investigation into harassment complaints against the former first minister has reportedly concluded that Ms Sturgeon gave an "inaccurate" account of meetings with Mr Salmond.