First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has written to the Prime Minister asking for early discussions to allow a referendum on independence to take place.

It comes after the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of seeking a Section 30 order under the Scotland Act 1998 to allow a referendum to be legislated for.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined the Christmas party at Milnafua Community Hall, in Alness.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged to listen to 1,000 young people with experience of care.

Ms Sturgeon was meeting children and young people at Who Cares? Scotland in Glasgow to kick off a project to improve the lives of children in care.

The 1,000 voices manifesto, put together by Who Cares? Scotland and a coalition of charities, has three aims:

To let young people return to care and to extend aftercare;
To make sure young people who are looked after at home get the support they need;
To make sure more young people have a chance at getting and keeping a job.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wishes the Chinese people a Happy New Year.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has used her 2016 New Year message to hail Scotland's can-do culture and set out enterprise and innovative public services as priorities for the forthcoming twelve months.

In a message filmed at the Kelpies in Falkirk, the First Minister previews 2016, Scotland's Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, highlighting Scotland's pioneering record in areas such as healthcare, informatics and entrepreneurship.