We’ll be honest with you, readers, if we were in a situation where a lawyer was issuing statements for us, this isn’t what we’d want to hear.

“If my client had been charged, she’d be in prison right now” is a worrying distance short of a vote of confidence in your client’s innocence.

But the statement Aamer Anwar put out for Nicola Sturgeon last night – her FOURTH in 48 hours, despite saying on Monday morning that she’d be making no further comment on the Peter Murrell case – had rather more wrong with it than even that.

Firstly, like the third statement, released earlier the same day, it was a shockingly false description of how the legal system works.

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The short version of that is: the police can’t just arrest people on a whim – they need to have some evidence first, before they can question you under caution. If you then clam up for seven hours and give them absolutely nothing (or in Nicola Sturgeon-speak, “co-operate fully”) then there’ll be a lower chance of any charge being successful, especially if, as a purely hypothetical general example, your potential co-accused is protecting you as part of a plea deal.

It might also be speculated that if – again as a purely hypothetical general example – the head of the organisation responsible for deciding whether you should be charged is someone you appointed and who used to be answerable to you as a minister in your government, that might also reduce the chances of charges being laid against you.

So in such circumstances, which might give rise to considerable public suspicion – whether warranted or not – having your own lawyer say “If my client had been charged she’d have been found guilty and banged up” is perhaps not the most helpful of protestations.

It’s particularly curious because Aamer Anwar ought to be an extremely loyal servant to Sturgeon. He’s been an SNP member at least since she became leader in 2015, to the extent that he was nominated as a candidate for that year’s general election.

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He’s also a long-time independence activist, speaking at the Believe In Scotland march and rally in Edinburgh two months ago.

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His friendship with the top echelons of the SNP has served him well.

Anwar describes himself as a “human rights campaigner” and a “political activist”.

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(He’s currently representing Fahir Amaaz and Muhammed Amaad, two Muslim men accused of violently assaulting police officers at Manchester Airport in 2024 in a case which may go to a third trial.)

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But despite that he’s never registered as a lobbyist under the Lobbying (Scotland) Act 2016, which activist lawyers are required to do.

(Something which has been noted in the Scottish Parliament.)

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Readers may feel – we have no opinion ourselves – that a self-confessed political activist lawyer who refuses to register as one, and who is doubly unlikely to be seen as a neutral disinterested professional on matters relating to the SNP leadership due to his close connections to both the party in general and its senior figures personally, is a slightly reckless choice if you wish your pronouncements about your innocence to be taken seriously.

Then again, more than one prominent figure in the Scottish legal system has privately expressed to Wings the opinion that Anwar’s most recent two statements on Sturgeon’s behalf have been so wildly unhelpful to her that he might be suspected of being a double agent.

Anwar lists one of no fewer than 12 specialist services as “Reputation Management”.

On the evidence of this week so far, it might be an idea to narrow his focus a bit. Personally, we just can’t wait for Statement 5.

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Five Premier League clubs will compete in the Champions League, three in the Europa League, and one in the Conference League. Below is a breakdown of English clubs in Europe for 2026/27:

• Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool (Champions League)
• Bournemouth, Sunderland, Crystal Palace (Europa League)
• Brighton (Conference League)

England’s recent club performances have earned the Premier League an extra Champions League place, allowing five teams to qualify directly instead of the usual four — reshaping domestic priorities and increasing fixture congestion.

Bournemouth secured its first-ever European campaign by finishing sixth, and Sunderland claimed a final-day European place by beating Chelsea. Crystal Palace will also enter the Europa League after their Conference League success.

All three will enter the Europa League league phase, with the draw scheduled for 28 August 2026. Europa League fixtures follow a similar autumn-to-winter rhythm to the Champions League but adhere to UEFA’s competition calendar.

Palace’s Conference League win secured European qualification and influenced England’s allocation and distribution of places. This ensured Palace’s European presence and nudged other qualification routes via domestic cups and league positions. Additionally, the Conference League schedule adds another layer to the European calendar, impacting midweek Premier League planning for participating clubs.

What this means for the Premier League

The immediate consequence is fixture congestion as clubs in Europe will face more midweek matches, more travel, and a greater need for rotation. However, the financial upside of extra Champions League places is substantial. This increases broadcast and matchday revenue and strengthens clubs’ positions in the transfer market.

Tactically, managers will be forced to prioritise and rotate intelligently. Early European results can set the tone for a season. This affects league momentum and injury risk. For fans, the season promises more high‑profile nights and a deeper test of squad construction across the English game.

Key dates

• The Champions League draw: 27 August 2026.
• The Europa League draw: 28 August 2026
• The Champions League matchday one: 8 — 9 September 2026
• The Champions League final 5 June 2027 (Madrid)

The 2026/27 European season raises the stakes on and off the pitch, with clubs needing the right signings to compete at the highest level across five Champions League places, three Europa League entrants, and one Conference League spot.

The calendar from September through to the finals of these competitions at the end of May 2027 and the Champions League final June 5th 2027 will reward depth, planning and early momentum. In addition, the late August draws will map out a season where every midweek result matters.

The key for the new teams going to Europe is to add the right profile of players to be able to compete against the best teams and the best coaches. Furthermore, having nine teams from the Premier League across three competitions is something that further affirms the claim that the English Premier League is the strongest league in the world.

Featured image via Burak Kara / Getty Images

By Faz Ali

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Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo is preparing to write a new chapter in World Cup history when he leads Portugal in the 2026 World Cup, at an age of 41 years and 126 days when the tournament kicks off, becoming the fourth oldest player to participate in the history of the World Cup, according to historical figures adopted in the FIFA report.

Despite Ronaldo’s approach to the historic peak, the record is still held by Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, who made history during the 2018 World Cup in Russia as the oldest player to participate in the World Cup at the age of 45 years and 161 days, after he played in the match between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and succeeded in saving a penalty kick.

According to the historical list of the oldest players in the World Cup, El-Hadary tops the list by a comfortable margin, followed by Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón, who participated in the 2014 World Cup at the age of 43 years and 3 days, and then Cameroonian legend Roger Milla, who played in the 1994 edition at the age of 42 years and 39 days.

Ronaldo making history

If Ronaldo officially participates in the 2026 World Cup, he will surpass prominent historical names such as Northern Irish goalkeeper Pat Jennings, who participated at the age of 41 in the 1986 World Cup, in addition to Englishman Peter Shilton, who participated at the age of 40 years and 292 days in the 1990 World Cup, and Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff, who participated at the age of 40 years and 133 days in the 1982 World Cup, to advance directly to fourth place in the historical list.

The Portuguese captain, born on February 5, 1985, continues to defy time, having already become the first player to score in five different editions of the World Cup, while the world awaits the possibility of his appearance in a sixth World Cup, an unprecedented achievement in the history of the game that could be shared by the Argentine captain, Lionel Messi.

Thus, the 2026 World Cup could become a new historical milestone in Ronaldo’s career, not only in terms of goal-scoring numbers, but also as one of the most consistent and competitive players across different generations of football.

Featured image via Getty/Charles McQuillan

By Alaa Shamali

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The morning cup of coffee has an impact that most consumers are unaware of. A real impact, in terms of carbon and water. New forms of stimulants are also appearing on the shelves and at the checkout in the UK, from caffeine pouches to concentrated shots, and they raise a legitimate question. The figures associated with a cup of coffee are higher than marketing tends to suggest. So how does coffee actually compare to small-format alternatives, per serving, by the kettle?

The hidden weight of your morning brew

Most of coffee’s environmental cost is paid before the beans leave the farm. On the farm, not in the cup. Between 75% and 91% of the total carbon footprint of a cup is generated at the cultivation and on-farm processing stage, led by fertiliser use, land use change and wet-processing emissions, according to Terrascope and CDP.

Deforestation in the coffee-producing regions of Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia accounts for around two million hectares cleared for coffee plantations between 2001 and 2015. Whilst this area is smaller than that devoted to cattle farming, it nevertheless represents a valuable resource for the communities living in coffee-growing regions. As for water consumption, the figures per cup are higher than most consumers imagine.

A growing alternative scene

Small-format stimulants have become noticeably more mainstream over the last few years. Caffeine pouches, concentrated ready-to-drink shots and cold brew on dose are now stocked alongside conventional variety UK retailers. WH Smith recently secured a national listing for one such brand, according to The Grocer. Use is climbing.

The category is still small in absolute terms, amounting to tens of millions of pounds rather than billions. Scale will come later. What matters is what the format does to the footprint per dose when a portion of demand shifts away from brewed cups.

What life-cycle analyses actually show

Available figures point in a consistent direction. One caveat applies: there is no published life-cycle study that makes a head-to-head dose-level comparison between brewed coffee and caffeine pouches, so the differences below are directional rather than exact.

Carbon and water per cup

The headline numbers are useful as a baseline:

• Black coffee: about 0.258 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per cup
• Coffee with milk: about 0.844 kilograms per cup, with dairy carrying most of the difference
• Tea: about 34 litres of virtual water per cup
• Coffee: about 140 litres of virtual water per cup

Same direction, every measure. Most of coffee’s load sits in the bean itself and the dairy that goes with it, not in the brewing.

Mass per dose

Small-format stimulants carry less mass per dose, with a single pouch containing a fraction of a gram of active material against the seven grams of roasted bean that go into a brewed cup. That gap drives lower transport energy, less packaging per serving and a smaller land and water footprint for the same caffeine delivered.

None of this makes one format good and the other bad. The unit of analysis is what matters. Per kilogram of beans is one question. Per dose of caffeine, quite another. Consumer choices live at the dose level.

Coffee isn’t the villain – but it is resource-heavy

A morning cup of coffee is one of the better small pleasures in modern life, and there is no need to frame it as something to apologise for. The figures describe a resource-intensive product, not failing morals. Coffee is, after all, a tropical crop grown by people other than those who drink it.

Pressure is mounting from the other side too. Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall are projected to shrink the land suitable for coffee growing by 48% to 97% in key regions by 2050.

Taken together, the numbers suggest that complementation can be good, rather than replacement. Someone who keeps the home morning ritual and reaches for a pouch during a long commute is not abandoning coffee but spreading the load. That is a different decision to giving up the cup altogether, and one most readers can make without changing much else about their day.

What the choice means at scale

Around 98 million cups of coffee are drunk across the UK each day, according to the British Coffee Association. A figure that large means small individual choices compound into national-scale outcomes. Change one cup in twenty into a lower-footprint format and the country shifts roughly five million cups a day onto a lighter ledger.

This is not an argument directed at any particular brand or product. The important thing is to understand the true cost per dose across a population. Format matters. The data is now reliable enough for consumers, retailers and policymakers to do these calculations themselves. The result is more interesting than what the marketing suggests. It is worth doing the maths.

By Nathan Spears

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Hat-tricks are among the most celebrated feats in football, and since its inception in 1930, the World Cup has produced some truly remarkable examples. The tournament has seen a range of record-breaking hat-tricks, from fastest to youngest and oldest scorers.

Young legends and veterans

The earliest hat-trick in a World Cup match, in terms of game time, was scored by Austria’s Erich Probst in 1954, who netted three goals in 24 minutes against Czechoslovakia.

Meanwhile, the fastest hat-trick in terms of time between goals can be attributed to Hungary’s László Kiss. During the 1982 World Cup, hosted by Spain, Kiss scored three goals against El Salvador in 7 minutes and 42 seconds.

Some hat-tricks stand out not for speed, but for the age of the players. Brazilian Pelé holds the record as the youngest player to score a World Cup hat-trick, netting three goals against France in the 1958 semi-final when he was just 17 years-old.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo became one of the oldest players to achieve a World Cup hat-trick when he scored three goals in a thrilling 3–3 draw against Spain during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The hat-tricks that fell short

While hat-tricks often propel teams to victory, World Cup history shows that individual brilliance does not always secure a win.

• In 1938, Poland’s Ernst Wilimowski scored four goals against Brazil, yet Poland lost 6–5.
• In 1954, Switzerland’s hat-trick advantage could not prevent a 7–5 loss to Austria.
• During the 1986 World Cup, the Soviet Union suffered a 4–3 defeat to Belgium despite a hat-trick from one of their forwards.
• Most recently, in the 2022 World Cup final, Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick for France against Argentina, but France ultimately lost the title on penalties after a 3–3 draw.

These examples illustrate that even star performances don’t necessarily translate into team success.

Why hat-tricks matter

World Cup hat-tricks are a testament to skill, composure, and timing. Whether breaking age records, setting speed records, or thrilling fans with late goals, these moments endure in football history. From Pelé’s youthful brilliance to Mbappé’s 2022 heroics, they remind us why the World Cup remains the ultimate stage for unforgettable performances.

Featured image via FIFA

By Alaa Shamali

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Oliver Glasner’s perfect farewell and Jean-Philippe Mateta’s decisive strike sealed a historic win in Leipzig, giving Crystal Palace their first European trophy after a whirlwind season. The victory capped a year that saw FA Cup glory, a Community Shield triumph, and a dramatic climb from uncertainty to celebration.

Crystal Palace storm to victory

A single goal decided a cagey final, with Mateta converting a rebound after Adam Wharton’s long range effort rattled the Rayo goalkeeper. Chances were scarce before the break, Tyrick Mitchell missing a gilt-edged header, while Rayo controlled possession but failed to create anything dangerous against Dean Henderson.

Palace fans held their breath as the second half started but then erupted when Mateta instinctively pounced on a loose ball to nod home and break the deadlock. The strikers journey this season has been turbulent, publicly linked with moves away in January, yet he stayed, recovered from injury, and delivered.

Rayo responded with urgency, Yeremy Pino testing the woodwork with a spectacular free kick that struck both posts and the Spanish side enjoyed the lions share of possession. Still, they could not fashion a clear chance to beat Henderson, whose calm presence between the sticks proved the key to keeping the slim lead.

Glasnor’s tenure at Selhurst Park will be remembered for transformation. When he arrived the club teetered near relegation, within a year he has overseen three trophy wins. His decision to depart was announced months ago, but he will be recognised as the best Palace have ever had.

Road to Leipzig

The route to Leipzig was not straightforward. Palace were denied Europa League entry last summer by UEFA ownership rules. That decision forced them into the Conference League instead. Rather than diminish resolve, the detour galvanised the squad, who navigated a gruelling schedule and emerged battle ready when it mattered most.

The final was a tactical battle, it took a disciplined performance coupled with clinical timing to snatch the win. Rayo’s technical fluency tested Palace but their inability to convert possession into clear opportunities proved their undoing, while Palace’s counter attacks carried a constant threat.

The celebrations that followed were bittersweet knowing that an amazing chapter is closing, whether they will reach these heights again remains to be seen. For the clubs hierarchy, the task will be to match what has been achieved this past year.

Rayo Vallecano depart with pride, their run to the final confirmed their resilience and tactical identity. Despite this loss they can build on a successful campaign that showcased attacking flare and defensive organisation. For manager Inigo Perez, lessons will be learned and the club will return to LaLiga with renewed purpose.

For Crystal Palace the immediate reward is Europa League football next season, a platform to attract talent, increase revenue, and test the squad against higher calibre opponents.

Fans will be hoping that the club can keep its core intact, as last summer the jewel of their team was sold to Arsenal. This summer will also test the clubs resolve to hold onto their players.

Palace will be looking to add quality in key areas to cope with the demands of continental competition and domestic ambition in seasons to come.

Moving forward

These questions will be addressed in the summer, for now the club, the players, and the coaches will be celebrating a historic achievement. Crystal Palace, champions of Europe.

Oliver Glasner leaves with a legacy; trophies, belief, and a squad forged in diversity. Jean Philippe Mateta’s goal will be inducted into Selhurst lore, a fitting end to transformative era.

Featured image via Getty/Alex Grimm

By Faz Ali

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We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

If you’ve ever planned a long haul holiday, you’ll be well aware of the countless things you have to think about before you even get there.

Deciding the time of year you want to visit; finding flights that don’t cost an arm and a leg; figuring out whether you need a visa; I could go on.

Then there’s the limited time you have to see everything, which is especially difficult in a country as culturally rich as China.

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Add to that booking accommodation and transport, the language barrier, and avoiding tourist traps when you’re there, and it’s enough to make you not want to go away in the first place. Not to mention the never ending challenges of flying anywhere right now.

Luckily, there is a way to circumvent having to navigate any of that.

For over 30 years, Wendy Wu Tours has specialised in running tours to China that will make you feel like you’re getting an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience.

With decades of experience, Wendy Wu consults destination specialists to make sure you’ll experience the perfect mix of must-see attractions and local experiences you’d struggle to find yourself.

You know what that means: you’ll be able to avoid the hordes of tourists, which are only increasing to China each year – and it’ll save on hours of tiresome planning.

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Of course, your trip will include all the best-known attractions, like walking along the Great Wall of China, marvelling at the Terracotta Warriors, sailing along the Yangtze River, and visiting panda conservation centres in Chengdu.

But that’s what the billions (six, to precise) of other tourists to China will be doing, too. Unlike them, though, Wendy Wu will also grant you access to experiences other tourists won’t know about.

Think: sharing lunch with a rural Chinese family, and tours through lesser-known regions so you can understand the full depths and diversity of the ancient country’s history.

And best of all, you won’t have to worry about any of the logistics. Choose from over 70 of Wendy Wu’s private or group tours to China, and the company will do everything for you.

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Yes, that really means they’ll book your flights, accommodation, meals, guides, entrance fees, and transport – and it’s all included in your upfront cost.

It even works with trusted airlines so that it can deal with any unexpected changes to your travel, and provide hands-on support the entire time.

If none of the pre-planned trips appeal to you (which seems unlikely) you can also book an appointment to plan your very own trip.

Sound too good to be true? That’s why Wendy Wu has won the Best Specialist Operator at the Globe Travel Award for 16 consecutive years (this is where we’d whistle if we could).

It also has countless five-star reviews from happy customers who have done one of their tours of China.

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One five-star review from a customer who did the China Experience tour enjoyed how knowledgeable their guide was.

“The tour guides were very knowledgeable, and it was good to hear their personal perspectives and experiences which shaped things for them and the changes that have advanced in modern China,” they said.

“It gave a very real element to the world beyond the facade of simply seeing what is in front of you.”

Another reviewer who did the Gems of China tour commented on the support Wendy Wu gave from booking through to the tour itself.

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“From the first moment of booking we were very satisfied with the attention to detail and level of support we received from the company,” they said.

Others praised the quality of the hotels and transport connections, and not having to organise a trip themselves.

Whether you’ve never visited China before, or you want to deepen your knowledge of its history and culture, here are just a few of Wendy Wu’s pre-planned tours of China to explore now.

Includes:

• Imperial Beijing tour (including Tiananman Square)
• The Great Wall
• Tour of Ancient Xian, the former capital
• Terracotta Warriors
• Cruise through the Yangtze River
• Visit Chongqing Panda House
• Cruise down the Li River
• Visit Yangshuo region
• Explore Shanghai

Length: 16 days

Includes:

• Imperial Beijing tour (including Tiananman Square)
• The Great Wall
• Alleyways of the Muslim Quarter
• Terracotta Warriors
• Fly to Guilin to experience its stalagmites and caves
• Cruise down the Li River
• Yangshuo countryside and Tai Chi
• Chongqing hot springs
• Dazu carvings and drone show
• See the giant pandas at Chongqing Zoo
• Cruise through the Yangtze River
• Cruise through the Three Gorges and visit the dam
• Visit Zhangjiajie, ride on the glass elevator, and walk across the glass bridge
• Cable car to the top of Tianmen Mountain
• Explore Shanghai

Length: 20 days

Includes:

• Explore Shanghai
• Bullet train to Yichang and cruise the Yangtze river
• Explore Chiqikou
• Day at Chengdu Panda Reserve
• Terracotta Warriors
• Explore Beijing
• Great Wall of China

Length: 14 days.

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The Republic of Ireland’s national football team coach, Icelandic Heimir Hallgrímsson has described the upcoming matches against Israel in the UEFA Nations League as a ‘war to be won,’ amidst mounting political and public pressure in Ireland to boycott the Israeli team due to the war in Gaza.

Israel match a war to be won

The Irish Times reported that Hallgrímsson emphasized during a press conference before the friendly match against Qatar that “the best response is to win this match, to win this war against Israel on the pitch,” arguing that the Irish players are facing unfair criticism for playing the two matches.

The newspaper added that the coach defended his players, saying, ‘We are not the villains here,’ stressing that the team wants to focus on football and avoid the escalating political controversy. He continued:

Other decisions are not made by us, but all the players would like to represent the country and do well for them, no matter who is the opponent.

Double standards

The Irish Independent reported that Hallgrímsson had previously expressed his surprise at Israel’s continued participation in international tournaments, stating that he “sees no difference” between the sporting sanctions imposed on Russia and Israel’s current situation. These remarks reignited the debate within Irish sporting circles regarding double standards in European football.

Despite mounting pressure, the Football Association of Ireland confirmed its commitment to playing the two matches after the two national teams were drawn into the same group in the UEFA Nations League.

But, several government ministers will boycott the upcoming match against Israel in Dublin in protest against the genocide in Gaza. The newspaper added that the Irish government is facing increasing pressure to take a firmer stance on holding the match, while popular and human rights calls for a sporting boycott of Israel, similar to the sanctions previously imposed on Russia, continue.

Calls for wider boycott

Republic of Ireland captain Nathan Collins has made it clear that players won’t be stopped from “taking a stand” against Israel:

They are entitled to their own opinions. If they are very strong about that, we can’t stop them.

There are concerns that if players refuse to play, the team could be thrown out of the Nations League. However, that would be a small price to pay for resisting any normalisation of relations with genocidal Israel.

Featured image via Getty/Gabriel Kutcha

By Alaa Shamali

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