Police attacked as Northern Irish violence spreads
Rioters have attacked police with petrol bombs, rocks and fireworks in the Northern Irish town of Portadown, a Reuters witness says, as a fourth night of anti-immigrant violence moved to a different part of the British-run province.
Violence first flared on Monday after two 14-year-old boys were arrested and appeared in court, accused of a serious sexual assault on a teenage girl in the town.
The charges were read via a Romanian interpreter to the boys, whose lawyer told the court they denied the charge, the BBC reported.
One of a number of anti-immigration protests on Thursday was held in Portadown, 50km from the capital Belfast.
A large policing operation of officers in riot gear and armoured vans closed off a number of roads in advance.
Debris was strewn across streets and wheelie bins were set on fire.
Other protests passed off without major incident, including in Ballymena, the primary flashpoint of the first two nights of more intense violence, local media reported.
Paul Frew, a member of the regional assembly from Ballymena, said that while some people gathered on the streets again amidst a big police presence, it was much quieter and that heavy rainfall had helped keep people away.
"Hopefully we're through the worst of it," Frew, a member of the Democratic Unionist Party, told the BBC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Air India: Pilot oversight breaches as airline warned for ‘serious violations' after crash that killed 241
Following a deadly crash that killed 241 people, Air India has been put on notice, forced to take multiple key officials from the airline off the roster, as a peak investigative body found it was in serious breach of regulations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced this week that it had discovered 'repeated and serious violations' regarding pilot and crew scheduling. A divisional vice-president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive have all been removed from any rostering responsibilities, and the airline's owner, the Tata Group, has been told to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the three immediately. In a recent statement, the DGCA was scathing about rostering expectations for pilots and crew that fell outside the safety guidelines. The report highlighted concern over 'repeated and serious violations voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements'. 'Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible,' the report published in The Independent said. On at least two separate occasions, pilots flying Air India passenger jets had exceeded the 10-hour on-duty flight time maximum, which was only discovered during a review after the airline transitioned to a new rostering and scheduling software system. 'In the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,' Air India said in a statement. The crash scene is still under investigation, and funerals are being arranged after Air India flight 171 to London's Gatwick airport slammed into a local training hospital in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on June 12. The ill-fated flight climbed into the sky after leaving Ahmedabad Airport, but was only airborne for around 32 seconds before the Boeing Dreamliner dropped and crashed, exploding into a massive fireball. A British passenger was the lone survivor after he climbed clear and walked away from the wreckage. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old man, was rescued from seat 11A and was found wandering a nearby street, before trying to reurn to the site in a frantic bid to find his brother who was sitting in a different part of the plane and had died . 'We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital,' Air India announced soon after the crash. New agency Reuters have been reporting that Air India has also been under scrutiny for failing to perform regukar checks on safety equipment, including escape slides. The DGCA has also imposed bans on many Air India flights since the crash and the company has been ordered to perform immediate and stringent safety checks on all aircraft in its fleet.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Serious violations': Air India put on notice over breaches
Following a deadly crash that killed 241 people, Air India has been put on notice, forced to take multiple key officials from the airline off the roster, as a peak investigative body found it was in serious breach of regulations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced this week that it had discovered 'repeated and serious violations' regarding pilot and crew scheduling. A divisional vice-president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive have all been removed from any rostering responsibilities, and the airline's owner, the Tata Group, has been told to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the three immediately. In a recent statement, the DGCA was scathing about rostering expectations for pilots and crew that fell outside the safety guidelines. The report highlighted concern over 'repeated and serious violations voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements'. 'Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible,' the report published in The Independent said. On at least two separate occasions, pilots flying Air India passenger jets had exceeded the 10-hour on-duty flight time maximum, which was only discovered during a review after the airline transitioned to a new rostering and scheduling software system. 'In the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,' Air India said in a statement. The crash scene is still under investigation, and funerals are being arranged after Air India flight 171 to London's Gatwick airport slammed into a local training hospital in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on June 12. The ill-fated flight climbed into the sky after leaving Ahmedabad Airport, but was only airborne for around 32 seconds before the Boeing Dreamliner dropped and crashed, exploding into a massive fireball. A British passenger was the lone survivor after he climbed clear and walked away from the wreckage. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old man, was rescued from seat 11A and was found wandering a nearby street, before trying to reurn to the site in a frantic bid to find his brother who was sitting in a different part of the plane and had died . 'We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital,' Air India announced soon after the crash. New agency Reuters have been reporting that Air India has also been under scrutiny for failing to perform regukar checks on safety equipment, including escape slides. The DGCA has also imposed bans on many Air India flights since the crash and the company has been ordered to perform immediate and stringent safety checks on all aircraft in its fleet.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Police called after creepy child bride Disneyland ‘wedding'
A British man has been arrested after he allegedly attempted to stage a fake wedding to a nine-year-old girl at Disneyland Paris. The 22-year-old man was reportedly acting as the 'groom' in the bizarre ceremony, which took place on Saturday morning in front of the famous Sleeping Beauty castle, according to The Sunday Times. Following his arrest, he told police that the spectacle was intended as a video for social media. Disneyland Paris staff became suspicious and alerted authorities after noticing the bride appeared alarmingly young. The presence of her family and a large number of guests also raised concerns. It was later revealed that many of the 'wedding guests' were hired actors who had been transported to the park and given minimal information about the nature of the event. When Seine-et-Marne Police arrived on the scene, they found the child dressed in a bridal dress and wearing four-inch heels that had been taped to her feet. The 'groom' was taken into custody, along with the girl's mother, a 41-year-old Ukrainian woman. Alexandre Verney, Assistant Prosecutor for the Seine-et-Marne region, confirmed that the young girl underwent a medical examination and was found to be unharmed. Mr Verney also confirmed that two Latvian nationals, aged 24 and 55, were arrested in connection with the strange incident. According to local reports, the 55-year-old Latvian told authorities he had been paid €12,000 (AU$21,550) to play the role of the bride's father but only learned the girl's age shortly before the event. The child's mother and the 55-year-old have since been released from police custody, while the British man and 24-year-old Latvian remain detained on suspicion of financial fraud. Authorities believe that Disneyland Paris was misled about the nature of the event, with the organiser assuming the identity of a Latvian national and using fake documents to secure permission to hold a private event at the park. A video obtained by a French news outlet reportedly shows around 100 guests seated as a violin trio performed in front of a flower-adorned stage. One source who claims to have been a wedding guest told a French newspaper that everyone was 'stunned' by what had unfolded. 'We all thought we were going to attend a one expected it,' she said. 'Disneyland did things very well. They cancelled everything as soon as they realised the bride was a child. We were shocked to see that.' A criminal investigation is now underway.
