A political veteran is the new leader of the Scottish National Party

John Sweeney has been appointed leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), advocating independence for Scotland, the BBC reports.
Sweeney, 60, said he was "deeply honoured to be elected leader of the SNP" after Hamza Yousaf resigned last week.
The SNP confirmed Sweeney's election after there were no other contenders for the post.
Hamza stepped down from the post a week ago as he faced a confidence vote in the Scottish Parliament, which he was set to lose after abandoning his junior coalition partners, the Scottish Green Party.
Sweeney is likely to become the next first minister of the Scottish government, but he will still need enough votes in parliament.
In presenting his candidacy last week, Sweeney said he was taking up the fight to "unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence". However, opinion polls suggest that support for separation from the UK has declined.
"I want to build on the work of the SNP government to create a modern, diverse and dynamic Scotland that will provide opportunities for all our citizens," Swinney told supporters in Edinburgh.
Sweeney is an old party cadre who led the SNP from 2000 to 2004 when the party was in opposition. He inherits a complicated political legacy - former SNP leader and ally Nicola Sturgeon is embroiled in a scandal over party funding, and the domestic political landscape is fraught with challenges. /BGNES