The former First Minister’s estranged husband Peter Murrell pleaded guilty this week to embezzling from the SNP.

Nicola Sturgeon said she feels like she is “serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit” after her estranged husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the party.

Murrell pleaded guilty this week to embezzling the sum from the SNP between 2010 and 2022.

The 61-year-old spent the money on items including a motorhome, cars, kitchen gadgets, expensive watches and pens, and more mundane purchases such as hand cream and toilet seats.

He is set to be sentenced in June, the same month that the SNP faces two by-election contests – one in Aberdeen South and another in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry.

The SNP has faced calls for an independent inquiry into its finances.

Ms Sturgeon was Scotland’s first minister from 2014 to 2023 while Murrell served as the SNP chief executive from 2001 to 2023.

In an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Ms Sturgeon said she is “not going to apologise for somebody else’s crimes”.

She said: “For my own sake, but for the sake of people out there, a lot of women who end up finding themselves blamed for the actions of the men in their lives, I’m not going to contribute to that kind of sense that I am responsible for somebody else’s crimes.

“I will take responsibility for the things I do, the decisions I make. I’m sitting here with you right now, answering questions because I believe strongly in that accountability.

“But I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed and I’m not going to apologise for somebody else’s crimes.”

Ms Sturgeon previously said she had been “completely cleared and exonerated” by police and that she had been lied to by her former husband.

“(Murrell) perpetrated a crime on the SNP,” she told the BBC.

“By definition, that included me as the party leader. He misled. He deceived.

“He is serving and will be serving a sentence for a crime he committed. I’m out here feeling as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit.”

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If you enjoyed Russell’s It’s A Sin, which followed a group of friends whose lives were irrevocably changed by the HIV/Aids epidemic, Tip Toe is likely to be your next must-watch.

The Bolton News attended the premiere to meet the star-studded cast and watch the first episode ahead of its broadcast.

The drama opens with a shocking and disturbing scene that immediately sets the tone for an utterly gripping first episode.

While a dark undercurrent runs throughout, hinting at the fate audiences glimpse from the outset, Russell balances the tension with moments of humour.

Set partly in Manchester’s Canal Street, the heart of the city’s Gay Village, the opening episode offers both light and shade.

The star-studded cast of Tip Toe (Image: NQ)

One moment features a hilarious drunken drag queen feud, the next delivers a heartbreaking monologue exploring the realities of being gay in 2026.

Viewers should be prepared for some genuinely shocking scenes, including moments that may leave you squirming if you’re watching alongside family members.

Yet it all contributes to the authenticity of Russell’s writing, which never shies away from difficult conversations or uncomfortable truths.

Keen-eyed viewers will also spot two Bolton-born stars in the first episode.

Dominic Holmes (left) and Gabriel Clark (right) (Image: Annabel Lee-Ellis PA)

Gabriel Clark from Harwood, best known for playing Ollie Morgan in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, stars as Mickey.

Viewers will first see Gabriel’s character in Alan Cumming’s bar.

Dominic Holmes from Great Lever plays Regime, who is a teacher by day and drag queen by night.

Regime’s first appearance comes when she realises some of her students have spotted her in drag at the bar.

Speaking to The Bolton News, Dominic said: “There’s a lot of amazing Northern talent in Tip Toe.

“It’s important to see people being authentic to themselves and representing where they’re from.”

Bolton star Gabriel Clark on the red carpet (Image: NQ)

Gabriel added: “I love Bolton but, growing up and being gay, I didn’t really know where my community was.

“If I’d known Dom when I was younger, my life probably would have been very different.

“This has been one of the best things to come out of this job for me, meeting a community of Northern LGBTQ+ people, particularly from Bolton.”

Last weekend, Bolton celebrated its 11th annual Pride in Victoria Square.

Miss Toxic with fans at Bolton Pride 2026 (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Reflecting themes that also run through Tip Toe, organiser Kev Wright told The Bolton News: “It’s more and more important that we have events like this to maintain our voices in the area.

“There is a dark side of things where people are afraid, they can’t be who they want to be.”

The first two episodes of Tip Toe will air on Sunday, May 31, and Monday, June 1, at 9pm on Channel 4.

The final three episodes will follow on Sunday, June 7, Monday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 9, at the same time.

People were horrified to see so many dead sharks on a popular beach in Carmarthenshire. Now there might be an answer as to how they got there

Around 200 dead sharks that washed up on a Welsh beach may have been caught by accident by a fisherman who didn’t know what to do with such a large catch, experts believe.

Last Sunday (May 24) people reported seeing a mountain of dead sharks tangled in netting on the sand at Pembrey Beach in Carmarthenshire. People described the sight on the beach, which is also known as Cefn Sidan, as “sad and shocking”. Stay informed on Carms news by signing up to our newsletter here.

It was unknown how the sharks ended up on the beach, with some suggesting that a net on a trawling boat might have broken and been lost at sea, while others thought it might be an abandoned catch that was washed up.

Marine Environmental Monitoring, a conservation organisation, has now provided an update. Members of the organisation have attended the beach in the past week and carried out an investigation. They confirmed that the net contained around 200 sharks.

“The net was a gill type fishing net that would have been set at sea,” a spokesperson for the group said.

“The net was full of around 200 adult female and male Tope and Smooth-hound sharks. There was also a small handful of small cat sharks within the net. All the sharks had recently died, unfortunately most likely within the net.

“We collected several of each species and sex for further investigation. Pembrey country park then arranged disposal of the rest of the animals and net.”

It remains unclear who is responsible for the dead sharks, but the conservation group believe it could have been a fisherman who caught more than they could handle.

The spokesperson added: “It currently isn’t possible to work out who the net belonged to but it is possible that it was a hobby ‘fisherman’ who didn’t know how to deal with it, or was maybe hand hauling from a small boat and couldn’t get it aboard due to the weight and cut it loose.

“We will be working with the Welsh government, NRW and the local authority to better understand what happened and find ways to prevent it in future.”

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A mixed, all-abilities, running group was set up in August 2024, with the aim of raising funds for Holly’s Hearts UK and this is the second group to take on the ‘Couch to Half Marathon’ challenge.

Today (Sunday) 35 of the group’s runners will be on the start line for the half marathon as part of the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run, with several doing the 10K run too.

Holly’s Hearts was set up in memory of Holly Prince, the daughter of Mark and Westhoughton High School teacher Jenny Prince, who died from childhood cancer, Bloom Syndrome, when she was just 5 years old.

The charity provides gifts and experiences to children with cancer and their families.

Both Mark and Jenny were part of the 2025 cohort and ran last year’s event.

Mark, co-founder of Holly’s Hearts said: “I can’t tell you how special it is to see so many people running for Holly.”

His wife and co-founder Jenny said: “If you knew Holly, she was the little girl who ran everywhere and was always 100 miles an hour in what she did.”

Last year they raised over £22,500 as a group after starting out as strangers, developing as friends and supporting each other throughout.

Some of the group were new to running and most struggled to run for one minute when they started in August.

Since then they have completed group milestones of a 5K parkrun, 10K Run Through event at Tatton Park and the “Holly Prince 10 miler”, where Mark and Jenny were on hand with the medals at the finish line.

The coaches are all volunteers and the support they provide to all runners is invaluable.

Tracey, who founded Holly’s Heart’s Runners, said: “It’s been a true honour to watch each runner grow and develop from complete novices into strong and confident athletes.”

You can make a donation via Just Giving at justgiving.com/campaign/hollysheartsrunners

Former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has spoken to the BBC in her first interview since her estranged husband Peter Murrell pled guilty to embezzling £400,000 from the SNP.

Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg, Sturgeon said: “I am not responsible for the crimes that my former husband committed and I’m not going to apologise for somebody else’s crimes”.

She felt she was “serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit”.

On Monday, Murrell, the SNP’s former chief executive, admitted using party funds to purchase items including luxury goods, jewellery, cosmetics, two cars and a motorhome. Sturgeon has consistently denied any knowledge of Murrell’s crimes.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — When Senegalese farmer Abou Sow first watched U.S. missiles strike Iran on social media, he had a sinking feeling it would soon affect agriculture in the West African nation. Since the war began on Feb. 28, fertilizer prices have risen by 40%.

Sow was better prepared than most. Eight years ago, he gave up chemical fertilizers for organic compost and other natural sources. He now rallies farmers in Senegal to buy manure from local herders and gives advice on how to make a rich compost, picking out wriggling worms – a healthy sign.

“We can’t afford to wait for a ceasefire,” Sow said. “It’s risky to depend on chemical fertilizers.” Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has affected the supply of natural gas, essential for making chemical fertilizer, as well as global shipping.

The Gulf region produces 30% of globally traded chemical fertilizer, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute, and global prices have increased by 50%, according to the World Bank’s fertilizer price index.

“The clock is ticking very hard,” said Maximo Torero, chief economist at the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, as concerns grow about food security.

Experts say a shift away from chemical fertilizer could have wider benefits, as its production and usage create significant greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change.

Natural fertilizers, by contrast, can sequester carbon in the soil and create fewer problems like runoff that can pollute waterways.

“It’s good for the planet because you’re weaning food production off fossil fuels,” said Susan Chomba, member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, a think tank.

In Senegal, some are grateful for sheep manure

Senegal annually imports 125,000 tons of fertilizer. The minister of agriculture, Mabouba Diagne, has said the state sourced enough chemical fertilizer for the current season, but farmers said it is increasingly difficult to find.

Farmer Aliou Fall blamed U.S. President Donald Trump for the soaring fertilizer costs. “He brings war to the world and he doesn’t even think about it. Now farmers are suffering,” Fall said.

Annually, Sow applies six tons of compost instead. He said he is fortunate to be near a town where manure is plentiful because residents rear sheep for religious holidays.

In rural areas and remote fields, however, it is challenging to source and transport large quantities of manure, and Sow fears that some people will abandon their fields in this difficult time.

One alternative is the industry in biofertilizers, products containing bacteria and other microorganisms to help plants absorb nitrogen, a crucial nutrient for growth, from the air and soil. A growing number of companies in Africa make industrial quantities of compost with municipal waste, decomposing food waste into fertilizer.

Senegal’s government announced in April it would subsidize and distribute 30,000 tons of organic fertilizer products to help farmers. Sow said that’s not enough.

Governments around the world spend $700 billion annually on agricultural subsidies according to the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development, with a large share spent on providing chemical fertilizer. Chomba said that makes alternatives more expensive and less competitive.

“You’re incentivizing the wrong sort of products,” she said.

In Brazil, the biofertilizers sector is growing

Brazil is a leading exporter of soybeans, coffee, sugarcane, beef and poultry. But the nation imports over 80% of its fertilizer, said Joana Colussi, assistant professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University.

The price of fertilizer has increased by 50% since the Iran war began, according to Luis Barbieri, founder of the Folio Institute, a Brazilian organization that connects farmers, scientists and researchers.

“Whenever we have a war, farmers’ use of biofertilizers is turbocharged,” Barbieri said.

Despite the widespread adoption of chemical fertilizers in Brazil in the 1970s, they are less effective in the tropical climate because high rainfall and high temperatures cause runoff.

The biofertilizer sector grew 15% in Brazil from 2023 to 2024, according to the state-run Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa. And patent laws mean that farmers can make their own biofertilizers at much lower cost.

In Mexico, however, very little progress has been made due to government subsidies promoting chemical fertilizer use and a lack of funding for alternatives, said Gerardo Noriega, a research professor at the Autonomous University of Chapingo and one of the country’s leading advocates for organic fertilizers.

But he suggested the current crisis “may force (farmers) to adopt organic fertilizers more quickly than they had imagined.”

In India, the prime minister encourages natural farming

In India’s southern Indian state of Telangana, Manohara Chari has been making jivamrita, a potent mix of cow dung, urine, flour, soil and sugar to replace the chemical fertilizer he used to apply.

“We do not depend on companies,” said Chari, one of 1.7 million farmers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states who have shifted to natural farming, which embraces natural fertilizers, integrates livestock waste and plants a diversity of crops to improve soil health.

Farmers and experts say the Iran war and chemical fertilizer shortage make the approach more attractive. On May 10, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a “national mission” to adopt natural farming and cut fertilizer use by 50%.

India imports 60% of its fertilizer from the Gulf. The government has rushed to source supplies and subsidized it to keep prices low, at significant expense to the state.

“There’s certainly been more interest this year in natural farming, especially after the Middle East conflict began,” said G.V. Ramanjaneyulu, agricultural scientist at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Some farmers have dedicated part of their land to assess the approach.

The switch requires additional labor, and farmers face a transition period. Chari said the government could help instead of subsidizing chemical fertilizers: “If even a fraction of that support is given to natural farmers, more people will shift towards it.”

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Arasu reported from Bengaluru, India, and Sanchez from Mexico. Mauricio Savarese in São Paulo, Brazil contributed.

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For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Bolton Council has granted planning permission for works at Unit 2, Victoria Plaza on Oxford Street, where Barclays is preparing to open a new banking hub in the heart of the town centre as it moves to a new location in the town.

The approved scheme includes the installation of a modern frontage featuring a glazed entrance, full-width windows and ceramic grey tiled finishes.

The plans form part of ongoing preparations for the bank’s arrival at the prominent town centre location.

Planning officers said the redesigned frontage would enhance the appearance of the unit and contribute positively to the surrounding streetscape.

The site sits within Bolton Town Centre Conservation Area, with officers concluding that the proposals would preserve the character of the area while improving the building’s appearance.

The decision marks further progress for Barclays’ planned move into Victoria Plaza.

A separate application for illuminated signage at the premises remains under consideration by the council, while a certificate of lawful use has also been submitted in relation to banking services at the site.

No objections were received during the consultation process and highways officers raised no concerns.

The latest approval paves the way for work to begin on transforming the unit ahead of the branch opening.

Japan has been steadily increasing its defence budget, setting spending records for 12 consecutive years. Its latest budget, approved in December by its cabinet, is for more than 9 trillion yen ($57bn, £42bn) – moving the country closer to its target of spending 2% of its GDP on the military.

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Sunday, May 31.

Edwards in England as RFU urged to make move

Shaun Edwards’ impending exit from France has put a number of major rugby nations on red alert, with the former Wales defence coach back in England amid reports he is about to be let go by the French Rugby Federation two years before the end of his contract.

Edwards was guest of honour at rugby league’s Challenge Cup final at Wembley where his former side Wigan Warriors claimed the trophy, presenting players with their medals as news broke in France of his uncertain future.

Reports in France claim Edwards has lost the full support of head coach Fabien Galthié and is about to be replaced by Gérald Bastide, who previously held the role between 2015 and 2017. Galthié and his assistant coaches recently met in Narbonne to discuss selection ahead of the upcoming friendly against England A and the Nations Cup fixtures against New Zealand, Australia and Japan in July but Edwards was absent.

The RFU will come under huge pressure to make a move for Edwards, who is widely seen as the best English coach England have never had, despite holding tentative talks on more than one occasion. Edwards’ availability comes weeks after head coach Steve Borthwick, who currently has Richard Wigglesworth as his defence coach, survived an internal review after a disastrous Six Nations.

Former England international Andy Goode is among those urging English rugby bosses to make a move immediately.

He said: “If the news of Shaun Edwards parting ways with France rugby are true you’d hope Bill Sweeney (RFU CEO) has the cojones to pick up the phone and offer him a 5 year deal to run through the next 2 World Cups. We can’t miss out on him again!”

As for Wales, they have been without a defence coach since Steve Tandy took over but have now appointed former Scotland international Peter Murchie from this summer.

Edwards has previously spoken of his ambition to coach international rugby in the southern hemisphere and also believes he has the capability to be a head coach at the highest level.

Adams makes Cardiff vow for next season

Josh Adams is adamant Cardiff’s season has been a success and is quietly confident they can kick on next season.

Cardiff reached the United Rugby Championship play-offs for the first time but slipped to a 44-21 quarter-final defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town.

But given all the off field distractions Adams insists finishing in sixth in the league should be viewed as a success for his side.

“We are disappointed with that result but throughout the season we have been excellent,” Adams told S4C.

“We deserved to be in a game like this. We fought very well right until the end. There’s a lot to be said for this young team. There’s a lot of growth for us to do as well.

“We are looking ahead to next season and hopefully we can improve as well. It has been very successful.

“We knew at the start of the season we wanted to finish in the top eight. That was our target and we finished sixth. We’ve been in the top eight throughout the whole season.”

Adams is quietly confident Cardiff will improve next season.

“I think as a group some boys are moving on and there are some new boys coming in over the summer,” he told S4C.

“We just want to build. There’s a lot of growing for this team to do.

“We want to be back here next season as well.”

Munster knocked out of URC play-offs

Bulls ran in six tries as they progressed to the semi-finals of the United Rugby Championship with a comprehensive 45-14 victory over Munster in Pretoria.

The South African side flew out of the traps and scored two tries in the first eight minutes when Embrose Papier crossed under the posts following a neat attack off a scrum penalty advantage before Kurt-Lee Arendse went over to help them into a 14-0 lead.

Handre Pollard slotted a penalty to further extend the Bulls’ lead but Munster responded with a couple of tries of their own through Jack O’Donoghue and Alex Nankivell to narrow the deficit to three points.

Munster’s hard work was undone at the end of the half as the Bulls restored their 17-point lead with two tries before the interval, Johan Grobbelaar striking from close range before Cameron Hanekom scored on the stroke of half-time.

Bulls were threatening to run away it and got their first try of the second half in the 54th minute when Papier claimed his second of the afternoon and the hosts’ fifth.

Stravino Jacobs went over in the corner to round off the scoring with the Bulls’ sixth try of the afternoon to ensure they go through to face Glasgow in the last-four clash.

Jan O’Brien, known online as The Flower Mummy, will unveil her deeply personal garden, Threads of Life, at the NEC in Birmingham next June, using flowers, textiles and symbolic storytelling to honour a close friend living with Motor Neurone Disease.

The project, which follows the success of her award-winning 2025 BBC Gardeners’ World Live garden, aims to raise awareness and funds for the Manchester and District branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA).

Jan in her award-winning 2025 BBC Gardeners’ World Live garden (Image: Jan)

But for Jan, the garden is about far more than medals or design.

“When somebody you love is losing pieces of themselves to this disease, you realise how important it is to create something meaningful while you still can,” she said.

“It’s become bigger than just a garden.”

The design reflects Jan’s life across five decades, with each section representing different “chapters” through planting, pathways, mirrors and sewing-inspired installations.

Threads of Life garden design (Image: Jan)

Inspired by a lifelong love of textiles inherited from her mum and nana, the garden features giant sewing needles, woven elements and repeated planting themes to symbolise memory, healing and connection.

Jan said: “The garden celebrates my 50th year through five decades of lived experience, where planting, path and sculpture form chapters that are still being written.

“It speaks about fragility, mending and resilience.

“The whole idea is that all our lives are stitched together through the people we love.”

(Image: Jan)

The Horwich gardener explained that spending time outdoors became a source of comfort following her own cancer diagnosis and during periods of grief.

“I found comfort being in the garden,” she said.

“I feel closer to my mum there. Nature brings me a lot of solace and support.

“When life becomes overwhelming, the garden is where I go to breathe again.”

At the heart of Threads of Life is Jan’s close friend, David, who was diagnosed with MND last year and has rapidly lost mobility.

Jan said: “It’s absolutely tragic and I wanted to do this to raise awareness for MND and show support for him and his family.

“This garden is for all those living with, caring for, or affected by MND.

“I wanted them to know they’re seen, they matter and their story matters too.”

Jan admitted there were moments she considered stepping away from the demanding project, but said the emotional importance of the garden kept her going.

“There were times this year when I thought I couldn’t do it,” she said.

“But it’s giving them hope and something to look forward to.

“That’s what gardens can do, they can comfort people when words sometimes can’t.”

Jan first caught the attention of BBC Gardeners’ World Live judges in 2025, winning Silver Merit and Best Interpretation of the Theme for a garden supporting the Willow Foundation, a charity helping seriously ill young adults.

(Image: Jan)

Despite insisting she was “not a garden designer”, judges encouraged her to return the following year.

She laughed: “I told them, ‘No, this is my one and only.’

“But apparently they knew better than I did.”

Alongside the garden itself, Jan is also creating a lasting “legacy” project inspired by books that shaped her own life.

Books linked to themes such as theatre, gardening, grief, hope and creativity will be donated to schools, libraries, hospices, care homes and community groups after the show, each carrying a special Threads of Life and MNDA bookplate.

She said: “Stories helped shape me through some of the hardest moments in my life.

“If this garden can help even one person feel comforted or understood, then it will have done what it was meant to do.”

Fundraising is now underway to help cover the practical costs of bringing the garden to life, including transport, materials and accessible accommodation for volunteers and guests connected to the project.

A minimum of 40 per cent of all pre-show donations will go directly to the Motor Neurone Disease Association, while all post-show plant sales and donations made during the event will also support the charity.

People can follow the project and support fundraising efforts via Jan’s Instagram page, @theflowermummysgarden or donate to the crowd funder https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/threads-of-life-bbc-gardeners-world-2026

Jan added: “Every contribution becomes a small stitch in the Threads of Life garden.

“None of us can create something so meaningful entirely alone.”