3 h. ago The Guardian view on riots in Northern Ireland: racist violence does not express ‘legitimate grievance’ | Editorial

Politicians must analyse the forces behind mob unrest, but not in terms that make excuses for itA reputation for political violence is one reason Northern Ireland has historically attracted fewer immigrants than the rest of the UK. In that context, increasing diversity could be read as a measure of progress; a peace dividend after the Troubles. That isn’t how it has felt to families cowering in fear of racist mobs this week. The riots started in Ballymena, ostensibly triggered by the arrest of two boys, reported to be of Romanian origin, accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. A community vigil mutated into a racist rampage. Masked thugs targeted the local migrant population. When police came to quell the pogrom, officers were attacked with bricks, fireworks, petrol bombs. There was contagion. Windows were smashed and a fire started at a leisure centre in nearby Larne that had been used as a temporary refuge for those fleeing the Ballymena violence. There were outbreaks of di...

Events

4 h. ago Revealed: 'Boastful' Romanian wrongly arrested over 'sexual assault of girl' in Ballymena goes public to protest his innocence and says mob violence has caused his family to flee the country

The 28-year-old father-of-two named Alex said his Antrim home and car were attacked by anti-immigrant rioters while he was in custody and again a second time when he returned home.

Events

6 h. ago Blackpool teacher charged with sexual assault and murder of baby

Jamie Varley and co-accused John McGowan-Fazakerley were in process of adopting 13-month-old Preston DaveyA secondary school teacher has appeared in court accused of the sexual assault and murder of a 13-month-old baby boy he was adopting.Jamie Varley, 36, who was a head of year at a school in Blackpool, is also accused of a number of counts of assault, cruelty and taking and distributing indecent images relating to Preston Davey. Continue reading...

Events

7 h. ago 'High school teacher', 36, is accused of sexually assaulting and murdering 13

Jamie Varley, 36, from Lancashire, has accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a 13-month-old baby boy, Preston Davey, whom he was in the process of adopting. 

Events

8 h. ago Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst: ‘There was a time I wished I’d never made music’

In the last few years, the singer-songwriter has weathered divorce, grief and false allegations of sexual assault. Now, he’s back writing, performing – and rediscovering his political rageIn the mid-90s, Omaha made a pretty decent tour stop for up-and-coming bands. Nebraska sits near-plum in the US’s middle, and in its most populous city, once famed for its fur trade, stockyards and railroads, there had grown a thriving subculture that centred largely on a book and record store named the Antiquarium and a small venue named the Cog Factory.Conor Oberst spent much of his early teens puttering between these locations, filling his young brain with music and literature. By 12, he had begun writing his own songs, and by 13 he had recorded his first album, releasing it on his older brother’s label and selling it in the record store. Sometimes he would take to the stage at the Cog Factory, a small, pale boy with an acoustic guitar and a lot of words. Continue r...

Politics

10 h. ago ‘He stole a piece of our souls’: Christian music star Michael Tait accused of sexual assault by three men

Tait posted on Instagram days ago that for 20 years he lived a ‘double life’ but is working on ‘repentance and healing’The Christian music legend Michael Tait, whose hit song God’s Not Dead became an anthem for Donald Trump’s Maga movement, has been accused of sexually assaulting three men, two who believed they were drugged by the rock star in the early 2000s, according to a months-long Guardian investigation. Four other men have alleged that Tait, a founding member of DC Talk and later a frontman for the Newsboys, engaged in inappropriate behavior such as unwatched touching and sexual advances.The Guardian is publishing these allegations days after Tait posted an extraordinary confession on his Instagram account, admitting that for 20 years he had been “leading a double life”, abusing alcohol and cocaine, “and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way”, according to his statement. Continue reading...

Events

11 h. ago Riots spread in Northern Ireland with 15 arrested after nights of chaos following 'sexual assault of girl by Romanian teens' in Ballymena

Fifteen rioters have been arrested as 41 police officers were injured amid unrest in Northern Ireland following the alleged sexual assault of a girl by Romanian teens. 

Events

13 h. ago Channel 4 star Yung Filly facing more charges after denying rape as trial date set

YouTuber Yung Filly previously pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual penetration without consent and three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm

Events

20 h. ago Ballymena riots: Police arrest man and woman with victim 'traumatised' by days of violence

Police in Northern Ireland have faced four consecutive days of violence in the wake of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena that sparked riots, leaving residents terrified

Events

25 h. ago Family of girl 'sexually assaulted by Romanian teens' plead with Ballymena rioters to end violence as town braces for fourth night of chaos

Northern Ireland 's police chief Jon Boutcher said the young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena had been 'further traumatised' by the rioting since Monday.

Events

48 h. ago Harvey Weinstein guilty of sexual assault in landmark retrial

Harvey Weinstein now faces fresh prison time after jurors found he forced a woman into a sex act in 2006.

Events

49 h. ago Harvey Weinstein gets good news AND bad news with sex assault verdict after juror issued chilling courtroom threat

Harvey Weinstein's jury has returned a verdict in his New York sexual assault retrial.

Events

49 h. ago Harvey Weinstein found guilty of one charge in sexual assault retrial but acquitted of another

The jury found former movie mogul guilty on one of the three counts he faced

Events

49 h. ago Former gym teacher accused of sexually assaulting elementary student in storage closet in the middle of class

Registered sex offender Michael Pipp, 57, has been charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child and child enticement.

Society

49 h. ago Harvey Weinstein found guilty of sexual assault in bombshell retrial

A jury has convicted Harvey Weinstein of one count of sexual assault during his ongoing sex crimes retrial, but he was acquitted of another, with the jury unable to reach a verdict on a third charge

Events

49 h. ago Disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein again found guilty one sexual assault count, but acquitted on another

Weinstein, 73, decided not to testify in his defense

Events

50 h. ago Harvey Weinstein found guilty on one charge in New York sex crimes retrial

Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley, but was acquitted of a second charge of sexually assaulting Kaja SokolaThe movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty on one charge of committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree by a Manhattan jury, concluding a three-week trial that revived accusations from a successful 2020 prosecution that was overturned on appeal.Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley, but was acquitted of a second charge of sexually assaulting Kaja Sokola. Continue reading...

Events

50 h. ago Moment man 'posing as an Uber driver to sexually assault vulnerable woman' is stopped by police who found 'rape kit' in his car

Graham Head, 66, of Pevensey, East Sussex, was pulled over and had his vehicle searched after the 25-year-old woman gave police part of a car numberplate.

Events

57 h. ago Ballymena riots explained as police call for calm following 'racist thuggery'

Rioters descended on the streets of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, where they are tearing through a neighbourhood rocked by a recent alleged sexual assault

Events

59 h. ago Second night of rioting in Ballymena leaves 17 police officers injured

Racially motivated attacks have left families in fear, say police, after unrest broke out over alleged sexual assaultA second night of rioting has left 17 police officers injured and caused damage to several homes, businesses and vehicles in Ballymena in Northern Ireland.A crowd launched a “sustained attack” on officers on Tuesday night by hurling petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks in the County Antrim town, a police spokesperson said. Continue reading...

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