BOTH SIDES CALL FOR BRITISH UNITY

Both sides of the Scottish independence debate will call for British unity today - but their views on the UK's political unity remain poles apart.

A key architect of Scottish devolution will call for "interdependent independence" - political independence for Holyrood in a more mature relationship with the British Isles.

But former prime minister Gordon Brown and shadow pensions minister Gregg McClymont will call on Scotland's more mature citizens to vote to keep the United Kingdom together, pledging new powers to help the elderly in the next stage of devolution.

WORLD AWAITS PISTORIUS TRIAL FATE

Oscar Pistorius made his name by thrilling crowds with his unique sprinting style, but today the eyes of the world will fall on the athlete for very different reasons.

More than 18 months after he shot dead his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his luxury home on Valentine's Day 2013, the sportsman known as the Blade Runner will finally learn his fate as a judge delivers her verdict in one of the most closely followed trials of recent times.

The courtroom in Pretoria will convene for the final time today to see the culmination of a case that heard from scores of witnesses and captivated a global audience with dramatic and heartbreaking scenes.

EXPERTS WARN AGAINST 'FAT SHAMING'

"Fat shaming" does not help people lose weight, experts have said.

Making overweight and obese people feel bad about their size does not encourage them to shed excess pounds - and may even make them put on more weight, researchers found.

The study, published in the journal Obesity, saw almost 3,000 UK adults monitored over a four-year period.

STALKING LAWS SEE MORE PROSECUTIONS

New stalking legislation has seen hundreds of cases brought to court that may not have been charged under previous law, criminal prosecutors have revealed.

Legislation which came into force in November 2012 allows prosecutors to bring charges where an offender's behaviour falls short of fear of violence, but where a victim is caused serious alarm or distress affecting their lifestyle.

In 2013/14 - the first full year since the new laws were introduced - 743 prosecutions were brought under new stalking offences created by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

ROYAL HOAX NURSE INQUEST TO BEGIN

The inquest into a nurse found dead after answering a hoax call for the Duchess of Cambridge while she was in hospital for acute morning sickness will begin today.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found dead in her staff housing shortly after she was tricked into revealing details of Kate's stay at London's King Edward VII Hospital.

The mother-of-two was the first nurse to answer a call by Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who pretended to be the Queen and Prince Philip for an on-air prank.

POLICE BOSS FACES NEW GRILLING

Under-fire South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Shaun Wright is expected to face more calls for him to go today as he is grilled by the panel which oversees his work.

Mr Wright has resisted widespread and repeated top-level calls for him to resign since the publication of the Jay Report into child sexual exploitation (CSE) in Rotherham which detailed how at least 1,400 children were subjected to horrors including rape, violence and trafficking for sex between 1997 and 2013.

Before his election in 2012 he was a councillor in Rotherham for more than a decade and was the member of the council with responsibility for children's services from 2005 to 2010.

END TOP-DOWN NHS REFORM, SAY GROUPS

Politicians have been urged not to perform another top-down reorganisation of the NHS by leading health bodies.

The organisations urged all political parties to pledge that they will not impose another major restructure of the health service in the run-up to the next general election.

While changes are needed to improve the health and care system, they must not come from another major structural reorganisation, according to the coalition of health bodies.

ACTION STARTS AT THE INVICTUS GAMES

Wounded servicemen are set to compete for the first set of medals in track and field events at the inaugural Invictus Games.

Prince Harry praised competitors, many still serving soldiers, from around the globe for their stories that "move, inspire and humble" as he launched the event last night.

The sporting spectacular began with a rousing military-themed ceremony that celebrated the achievements of injured, wounded and sick servicemen and women, ahead of action getting under way later today.

TOUGHER MORTGAGE RULES 'SLOW SALES'

House sales are now taking up to a month longer to go through than at the start of the year as lenders grow more cautious, surveyors have reported.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said that stricter rules around the way that lenders can hand out mortgages and shortages of conveyancers and other skilled staff as the market has generally picked up over the last year have been factors behind the delays.

In its report for August, Rics said it is also seeing growing signs of the London housing market moving towards a more sustainable footing as the number of homes coming up for sale is matching demand from would-be buyers better than previously. This more even balance is helping to take the edge of strong price gains in the capital.

CALL FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLING FOR ALL

Two in five parents think every child should have the chance to go to private school, regardless of their family's income, it has been suggested.

Many other mums and dads are in favour of at least some state school places being allocated randomly, or by ballot.

The findings are part of a survey commissioned by the Sutton Trust, for its new "mobility manifesto", which sets out a series of recommendations ahead of next year's general election on how to make sure all children have the same opportunities, regardless of background.