Nicola Sturgeon pulls out of Edinburgh climate change event after husband Peter Murrell’s arrest in SNP finance probe
Nicola Sturgeon has pulled out of a climate change event due to take place on Thursday as police continue to investigate the SNP’s funding and finances.
The former first minister had been due to take part in a conversation with Mexican diplomat Patricia Espinosa, former chair of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at Edinburgh Science Festival.
However, the Glasgow Southside MSP will instead be replaced by Mairi McAllan, the cabinet secretary for net zero and just transition, after her husband, Peter Murrell, was arrested and later released without charge amid a police investigation.
Police Scotland officers remain at Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell’s home
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Police remain outside Nicola Sturgeon’s home after husband’s arrest
A spokesperson for Ms Sturgeon said: “In order to keep the focus of this event on the critical issue of the climate emergency and Ambassador Patricia Espinosa’s contribution, Nicola Sturgeon has made the decision not to participate this evening.
“She is grateful to the festival and Ambassador Espinosa for their understanding, and to Mairi McAllan for taking her place.”
Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell’s home remains taped off as the police probe continues
Police Scotland and the Crown Office have been investigating the SNP’s finances.
The long-running probe is linked to the spending of around £600,000 raised by supporters to be earmarked for Scottish independence campaigning.
It is understood there have been complaints the ringfenced cash has been used improperly by being spent elsewhere.
Officers also raided the SNP’s headquarters in Edinburgh
Mr Murrell was arrested by police on Wednesday as part of the investigation. He was taken into custody to be questioned by detectives before later being released without charge.
Following Mr Murrell’s arrest, police officers were spotted carrying out a number of searches.
Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon’s home in Glasgow was taped off and a police tent was erected outside.
A small shed and storage box in the back garden was searched while a police photographer took pictures at the scene.
Officers were also seen removing boxes from SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.
Police were again stationed outside Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell’s house on Thursday as the probe continues.
Ms Sturgeon and Mr Murrell’s home was taped off by police
The SNP said it has been “cooperating fully” with the investigation and would “continue to do so”.
A spokesperson for the party added: “At its meeting on Saturday, the governing body of the SNP, the NEC, agreed to a review of governance and transparency – that will be taken forward in the coming weeks.”
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A blue evidence tent was set up outside the couple’s home
Ms Sturgeon announced her shock resignation in February after more than eight years as first minister.
Humza Yousaf was formally sworn in as Scotland’s new leader last week.
Mr Yousaf, who is also the SNP’s leader, described the arrest as a “difficult day” for the party.
Mr Murrell, who has been married to Ms Sturgeon in 2010, resigned as SNP chief executive last month after more than 20 years in the role. He was forced to step down after shouldering the blame for the party’s misleading responses to the media over membership numbers.
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Ms Sturgeon sat down with Sky’s Beth Rigby last month
Speaking to Sky News’ Beth Rigby last month, Ms Sturgeon would not comment on the police investigation but said it played no part in her decision to step down.
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former “thug” and “pit bull”, has been accused of lying about a phone call he says he made to the former US president about payments to ex porn star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen, a lawyer who worked for the Trump Organisation from 2006 to 2017, has been giving evidence in the case about hush money payments to Ms Daniels – in an attempt to cover up an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, called into question an important detail – a phone call made by Cohen to Trump’s assistant, Keith Schiller, on 24 October 2016.
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Cohen, 57, has maintained that during that call he spoke to Trump (who was either given the phone by Mr Schiller or placed on loudspeaker – we don’t know which) and told him he had paid Ms Daniels $130,000 in hush money on his behalf.
But Mr Blanche called this into doubt – showing the jury a number of interactions suggesting Cohen was in contact with Mr Schiller about a different issue at the same time, namely that he was receiving harassing phone calls and texts from a 14-year-old child.
“That was a lie – you did not talk to President Trump on that night, you talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through,” Mr Blanche said.
Cohen said that, based on his records, he believes he spoke to Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter.
“We are not asking for your belief,” Mr Blanche said. “This jury does not want to hear what you think happened.”
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Donald Trump in court on Thursday. Pic: Reuters
That exchange was part of several hours of questioning which apparently sought to paint a picture of Cohen as someone who is eager to see his former boss behind bars.
Mr Blanche played jurors audio clips of Cohen saying the case “fills me with delight” and that imagining Trump and his family in prison made him feel “giddy with hope and laughter”.
“Does the outcome of this trial affect you personally?” Mr Blanche asked.
“Yes,” Cohen replied. He is due to return to the witness stand on Monday.
Michael Cohen (right) was Donald Trump’s fixer. Pic: AP
Cohen worked as the former president’s fixer. He once described himself as Trump’s “spokesman, thug, pit bull and lawless lawyer”.
He once said he would take a bullet for his boss and admitted at the end of questioning on Tuesday that he “violated my moral compass” while working for Trump.
Hush money payouts are not illegal, but Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide it – a claim he denies.
Cristiano Ronaldo has topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes for the fourth time in his career.
Spanish golfer Jon Rahm took second place following his switch to Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
Ronaldo became the world’s highest-paid athlete after his move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr and Forbes said the 39-year-old’s estimated total earnings were around $260m (£205m) – an all-time high for a football player.
Jon Rahm came in second. Pic: Jeff Faughender/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
His on-field earnings amounted to $200m (£158m) while off-field he earned $60m (£47m) thanks to sponsorship deals where brands make use of his 629 million Instagram followers.
Rahm earned $218m (£172m) and joins Ronaldo as the only two athletes to earn over $200m.
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi. Pic: David Kirouac/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
Third on the list is record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who switched to Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, which helped the Argentine World Cup winner earn $135m (£107m).
The 36-year-old earned $65m (£51m) in on-field earnings but $70m (£55m) off it from deals with major sponsors such as Adidas and Apple.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James came in fourth at $128m (£101m), while fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks made fifth with $111m (£88m).
France football captain Kylian Mbappe dropped down to sixth with $110m (£87m).
Neymar, who also moved to the Saudi Pro League to join Al-Hilal, is seventh with $108m (£85m), despite sitting out the majority of the season with a torn ACL.
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French striker Karim Benzema, who also moved to Saudi Arabia, is eighth on the list with $106m (£84m), followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry with $102m (£80m).
Lamar Jackson is the only NFL player on the list, in 10th place with $101m (£80m), thanks to the signing bonus negotiated into his new Baltimore Ravens contract last year.
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