We are writing today to Alistair Darling requesting equal involvement to our English colleagues. We will also be seeking reassurance that the treatment of Scottish local government will be no different to that in the rest of the UK. 
Selected and fresh photos from around the web.
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Editor's pick
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Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) speaks during a campaign rally in the rain at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, September 27, 2008.
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A puppy stands on a truck carrying people to be evacuated from the area in preparation for the approach of Hurricane Gustav in Batabano, on the southern coast of Cuba, August 30, 2008. Powerful Hurricane Gustav roared toward western Cuba on Saturday with 125 mph (205 kph) winds on its way to the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico after a deadly pass through the Caribbean.
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BANGKOK, THAILAND - AUGUST 30: A member of Anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) stands behind barbed wire outside Government on August 30, 2008, in Bangkok, Thailand. The protesters want to unseat the seven-month old coalition government lead by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
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Georgian soldiers run near a blazing building after a Russian bombardment in Gori, 80 km (50 miles) from Tbilisi, August 9, 2008. A Russian warplane dropped a bomb on an apartment block in the Georgian town of Gori on Saturday, killing at least 5 people, a Reuters reporter said. The bomb hit the five-story building in Gori close to Georgia's embattled breakaway province of South Ossetia when Russian warplanes carried out a raid against military targets around the town.
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Hot off the wire
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Turkey's coach Fatih Terim gestures during their World Cup group 5 qualifying soccer match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008.
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Skydiving instructor Chris Gray adjusts the goggles on his two-year-old daughter Skylar ahead of their skydiving session in the Spacewalk vertical wind tunnel in Abu Dhabi October 11, 2008. Spacewalk, measuring at 3.5 meters wide and 7 meters high, is the first indoor skydiving facility in the Middle East, with winds up to 150km per hour propelling the divers off the floor.
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Sweden's Petter Hansson (L) looks at Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo during the FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying match Sweden vs Portugal October 11, 2008 at the Raasunda Stadium in Stockholm.
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Recently starred
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Ukrainian-born actress and model Olga Kurylenko listens to Kateryna Yushchenko (unseen), wife of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, during their meeting at the Presidential home not far from Kiev on October 9, 2008. Olga Kurylenko is starring as James Bond girl Camille in the forthcoming 'Quantum of Solace' film.
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Ukrainian actress Olga Kurylenko is seen during a meeting with Ukrainian President wife, Kateryna Yushchenko, not seen, at Yushchenko's country house in Novye Bezradichi, outside Kiev, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. Kurylenko stars in the new James Bond film "Quantum of Solace," scheduled for release soon.
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LONDON - APRIL 16: Vehicles used by James Bond in various movies are displayed at the 'For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming & James Bond Press View' at the Imperial War Museum on April 16, 2008 in London, England. The exhibition focuses on the authour of the Bond novels, including research notes for the books and memorabilia from his time as a foreign correspondant in WWII. The exhibition also showcases props and collectables from 007 films. It opens on April 25 and runs until March 1, 2009.
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An Aston Martin, James Bond's iconic car, is fished out of Lake Garda, near Torbole, northern Italy, Saturday, April 19, 2008, after it plunged into the water during the drive to the set of the latest film in the 007 series. Producers of ''Quantum of Solace,'' which stars Daniel Craig, say the car was being delivered to the filming unit about 6:30 a.m. in heavy rain when the vehicle went off the lakeside road.
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Quotes about Alistair Darling
We are writing today to Alistair Darling requesting equal involvement to our English colleagues. We will also be seeking reassurance that the treatment of Scottish local government will be no different to that in the rest of the UK.
said Pat Watters
in Malaysia Sun
Europe needs a co-ordinated plan to recapitalise nearly all its banks. The recent announcements by (Chancellor of the Exchequer) Alistair Darling sound highly encouraging in this regard. However, if implemented, it will put British banks at a clear advantage to highly leveraged Continental banks, so Europe needs to follow suit.
was said
in The Age
For this, we have to thank the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling. Our hats are off to them and, if Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson follows their advice, we could finally have found our wider firebreak.
was said
in Malaysia Sun
We hope his Chancellor Alistair Darling is an effective marketer of these ideas in Washington
said John Ryding
If Paulson heeds the advice of (U.K. Prime Minister Gordon) Brown and ( Chancellor Alistair) Darling, the chances that the U.S. economy will be steered away from a deep recession extending through 2009 will be greatly improved
was said
in Malaysia Sun
We attempted to remove our investment prior to the current situation, however as we were tied into a deposit period of up to two years, we were unable to do so. We are awaiting confirmation from the government to see what arrangements have been made to protect the investments and would expect the same guarantee that Alistair Darling has given to the UK's banks.
was said
in BBC News
Quotes from articles mentioning Alistair Darling
All these are investments being made by the government, which will earn a proper return for the taxpayer. This support is on commercial terms. We expect to be rewarded for the support we provide
was said
in NDTV
Extraordinary times call for bold and far-reaching solutions. Our stability and restructuring programme is comprehensive, it is specific and it breaks new ground. This is not a time for conventional thinking or outdated dogma but for the fresh and innovative intervention that gets to the heart of the problem.
was said
in NDTV
