- Russian exiles in Georgia inspired by protests but scared
- Taiwan's next president goes shrimp fishing with foreign guests
- Can Costner lead the revenge of France's much-mocked Kevins?
- Dramas elevate Iran cinema but it's comedy that sells
- Fury unsure on rematch after Usyk inflicts his first defeat
- Taiwan coast guard ramps up island patrols ahead of inauguration
- 'Maldives what?': Saudi fashionistas attempt beach rebrand
- Dallas rally to down Thunder, reach NBA Western Conference finals
- The French 'Erin Brockovich' vs Goodyear
- History-chasing Man City eye Premier League title 'destiny'
- Body of second missing Mongolian climber found on Everest
- Campana's late stunner gives Miami victory over D.C.
- Iraq father begins legal action against BP over son's cancer death
- Dominican Republic's vote is dominated by Haiti crisis
- Blue Origin flies thrill seekers to space after two year hiatus
- Biles launches Olympic year with impressive Core Hydration Classic win
- Usyk in tears for late father after historic heavyweight win
- Can we rid artificial intelligence of bias?
- Forgotten D-Day cameramen out of shadows, 80 years on
- Hollywood battles aging -- in film reels
- 'Blood in the water' for record low scores in PGA final round
- Usyk beats Fury to become undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion
- Seize the Grey wins Preakness for 88-year-old trainer Lukas
- Lowry's 62 equals low major round as Schauffele, Morikawa lead PGA
- Second major win would mean a lot for danger-man Lowry
- Tourists wounded in deadly Afghanistan shooting are stable: hospital
- Lowry matches low major round with 62 as Schauffele leads PGA
- Top-ranked Korda takes LPGA lead at Liberty National
- Benjamin wins LA 400m hurdles in blistering 46.64sec
- Ahly stay on track for 12th title after holding Esperance
- Three Spaniards, three Afghans killed in shooting in Afghanistan
- Canadian oil city lifts wildfire evacuation orders
- Schauffele clings to PGA lead as Lowry makes epic charge
- Swiatek 'staying humble' for French Open after third Rome title
- Chinese director Jia mines leftover footage for top Cannes film
- Zelensky expects Russia offensive in northeast Ukraine to intensify
- Bengaluru win six in row to make IPL play-offs, Chennai out
- Klopp joins social media to cement Liverpool 'love affair'
- Bengaluru beat Chennai to seal IPL play-off berth
- Inter chief Zhang says 'stability' threatened by debt deadline
- Santa Claus helps Celtic celebrate Scottish title
- UN says 800,000 have fled fierce fighting in Rafah
- Formula One pays tribute to Senna, 30 years after tragic death
- S.Africa's Zuma stages rally despite candidacy doubts
- Narco sex-change musical early favourite at Cannes
- Olympic champion Jacobs wins on Rome return
- Schauffele tees off with lead at PGA with Scheffler close behind
- Sale stun Saracens to secure play-off spot despite Tuilagi injury
- Seven fashion moments on the Cannes red carpet
- 'We want it over', says Mueller after Bayern hit 13-year low
SNP old-hand John Swinney set to be Scotland's new leader
Scotland's likely next leader John Swinney is a political veteran who will have to unify his fractured separatist party and revitalise its flagging independence movement.
The 60-year-old belongs, named Monday as the new Scottish National Party (SNP) leader, is part of the party's old guard.
He is also an ally of tarnished ex-first minister Nicola Sturgeon, whom he served as deputy for a record nine years.
Swinney is viewed as a calm head capable of stabilising Scotland's ruling party following 39-year-old Humza Yousaf's turbulent leadership and repairing its broken relationship with former power-sharing partners the Greens.
But detractors say Swinney -- who has led the party before -- represents more of the same, and is damaged by his defence of former boss Sturgeon, who was arrested in an ongoing party finances scandal.
"He could hardly be closer to the now discredited Sturgeon leadership so distancing himself from that will be a challenge," Edinburgh University politics professor James Mitchell told AFP.
"(But) Swinney is the ultimate party man, loyal to a fault. He is very well liked in the SNP because of this."
Born in Edinburgh in April 1964, Swinney joined the SNP when he was 15, quickly rising through its ranks and becoming national secretary in the mid-1980s.
He first became a lawmaker in 1997 when he was elected to the UK parliament in London to represent a constituency in Tayside, in the heart of Scotland.
Two years later, he was elected to Scotland's regional parliament at Holyrood in Edinburgh when it was re-established after more than 300 years, with Labour at the helm.
Swinney first became SNP leader in September 2000 following the departure of Alex Salmond.
But he endured a torrid four years in charge as the SNP's fortunes slumped during the early days of Scotland's devolved parliament and the height of New Labour mania under UK prime minister Tony Blair.
Despite an expenses scandal forcing then-Labour first minister Henry McLeish from office in 2001, the opposition SNP still lost several seats at Holyrood in the 2003 Scottish parliamentary election.
Swinney saw off a leadership contest from an SNP activist but was forced to step down after a dismal showing at the 2004 European Parliament elections.
- 'Unite' -
His political career enjoyed a rebirth in 2007 when the SNP, then under the leadership of Salmond again, became the largest party at Holyrood and Swinney became finance minister.
He became deputy first minister in 2014 after Sturgeon succeeded Salmond following an independence referendum in which Scotland voted to remain part of the UK.
Swinney occupied several ministerial roles under Sturgeon, including education minister, and gained a reputation for being a steady and trusted hand.
He faced challenges, though, and twice survived no confidence votes, including over his refusal to publish legal advice during an inquiry into the flawed handling of harassment complaints against Salmond.
After Yousaf succeeded Sturgeon in March last year, Swinney stepped down from government, saying it was time for a "new generation" to lead.
Since then, internal divisions have been laid bare between progressives pushing trans rights and tough action against climate change, and more conservative members interested in core issues such as the economy.
All while the SNP faces pressure from a resurgent, union-supporting Labour party that is tipped to form the next UK government following an election due later this year.
Swinney couldn't resist the call by senior SNP figures to return to try to revive his party's fortunes.
"I want to unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence," he said, launching his leadership bid last week.
F.Pavlenko--BTB