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Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is undertaking a five-day visit to the United States. She has been invited to give a speech at Stanford University during her trip on Scotland's place in the world. The first minister also has a meeting scheduled with Governor of California Jerry Brown to discuss climate change. This has been welcomed by environmentalists.

Described as a unique celebration of Cape Breton’s living Celtic culture, the Canadian Province of Nova Scotia has announced a commitment of $375,000 C$ over the next three years to the International Celtic Colours Festival.

The Fettercairn Jewel has been described as a rare and outstanding piece of Scottish Renaissance jewellery. Now the 16th Century Scottish jewel has been bought at auction at Sotheby’s by National Museums Scotland (NMS) for more than £200,000 and its future in Scotland has been secured. David Forsyth, principal curator of the Scottish history and archaeology department at National Museums Scotland said: "The purchase of this piece will significantly enhance the national collections and present new insights into the magnificence of the Renaissance in Scotland."

The Scottish regional airline Loganair has 29 destinations including the to the Hebrides, Orkneys, Republic of Ireland and Norway. Now the airline has announced that it will be starting direct flights between the Isle of Man and the Scottish capital Edinburgh in May.  Managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: "Our new Edinburgh service will provide much-needed weekend flights between Scotland and the island." The new service between the two Celtic nations will operate up to four flights each week during the summer and two throughout the winter season.

Orkney (Scottish Gaelic: Arcaibh) is an archipelago situated off the north coast of Scotland. Wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance, and the island generates more than its total yearly electricity demand using renewables. Renewable energy is energy collected from renewable resources, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. 

News from the Celtic League:

The Irish government has announced two enquiries into An Garda Síochána however bizarrely at the same time it has reaffirmed its confidence in the Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan.

However this political ‘state of grace’ for Commissioner O’Sullivan it seems is only subscribed to by the Kenny government.

An independent TD meanwhile (Clare Daly) as described the Commissioner as having a ‘brass neck’.

The proposal for a second independence referendum has been backed by the Scottish Parliament. Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) saw the referendum motion passed by 69 votes against 59. SNP and Green MSPs voted in favour. Predictably the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems voted against the motion. Nicola Sturgeon now has the mandate of parliament to start discussions with the UK Government on the timing of such a referendum.

Brendan O’Carroll has pledged £10,000 to Rhyl Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The Irish actor and comedian announced he was starting a collection off with the donation at the end of the Good Morning Mrs Brown show at Rhyl Pavilion on Saturday night. Brendan O’Carroll is best known for playing Agnes Brown in the BBC comedy series Mrs Brown’s Boys. Brendan O’Carroll was asked to tell the audience after the show that a collection would be taking place for the Rhyl RNLI to help fund their new lifeboat.

Oil exploration firm, Hurricane Energy, has made a large undeveloped discovery of oil in Scottish waters. Its is estimated that one billion barrels of recoverable oil could be contained in an area located 60 miles (97km) west of Shetland. It is thought that up to 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent remains under the North Sea and in the wider basin.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

Cornwall Council issues damning criticism of UK Government

Following the Council of Europe's recent highly critical report detailing the Westminster Government's poor treatment of the Cornish National Minority which made headlines not only in Britain but further afield including amongst the overseas Cornish diaspora, Cornwall's unitary government, Cornwall Council has now written an open letter to Westminster Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Right Honourable Sajid Javid MP.