Foreign
British actor Russell Brand charged with rape, sexual assault
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British actor Russell Brand has been charged with rape, indecent assault and sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.
The charges relate to four separate women.
Brand has been interviewed multiple times by police since an investigation by the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches in September 2023 revealed multiple serious allegations against him.
In a new video posted on X this afternoon, Brand said: “What I never was, was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity.”
He added: “I’m now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
In a short statement, the Metropolitan Police said it had written to Brand to inform him that he was being charged with one allegation of rape, one allegation of indecent assault, one of oral rape and two further counts of sexual assault.
The force said it is alleged that:
In 1999 a woman was raped in the Bournemouth area.
In 2001 a woman was indecently assaulted in the Westminster area of London.
In 2004 a woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London.
Between 2004 and 2005, a woman was sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London.
Brand has been told to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 2 May, but he is believed to be in the United States.
In these situations, where a suspect may be overseas, prosecutors seek to agree the defendant’s return. If there is no co-operation from a suspect, authorities then consider seeking extradition.
In February a civil case for “personal injury” and “sexual abuse” was lodged against Brand at the High Court in London by an anonymous woman, referred to in court documents as AGX.
Police investigation
Jaswant Narwal of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Russell Brand with a number of sexual offences.
“We carefully reviewed the evidence after a police investigation into allegations made following the broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.
“We have concluded that Russell Brand should be charged with offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. These relate to reported non-recent offences between 1999 and 2005, involving four women.
“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active, and the defendant has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
The Metropolitan Police’s detective superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police. A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk.
“Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.”
Brand, who was born in Essex, rose to fame as a stand-up comedian, performing at the Hackney Empire in 2000 and later the Edinburgh Fringe.
He later moved into broadcasting, hosting national television and radio programmes.
The turning point in his career came in the mid-2000s, when he hosted Big Brother’s Big Mouth, a companion show to the hugely popular reality series Big Brother.
It provided the springboard he was looking for and led to him becoming one of the most sought-after presenters in the UK.
Brand went on to host the NME, MTV and Brit awards ceremonies, had his own debate series by E4, and fronted the UK leg of charity concert Live Earth.
But he was never far away from controversy, particularly at awards ceremonies – which provided the kind of live, anything-can-happen chaos where he was most at home.
His career included hosting radio shows on the BBC, in particular for 6 Music and Radio 2, between 2006 and 2008.
But inappropriate phone calls he made to the Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs during a show in 2008 prompted a huge scandal – and ultimately led to his dismissal.
He rebounded with a Hollywood career, starring in films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek.
Recent years have seen him take a new direction – particularly since the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.
Brand grew his following on YouTube as he discussed scepticism surrounding the disease.
He has developed a cult following for his views on politics and society, through videos which challenge the mainstream reporting of a range of subjects and often amplify conspiracy theories. He has also established himself as a wellness guru.
Foreign
Pregnant Woman Dies By Suicide After Husband Allegedly Demanded DNA Test For Unborn Child
A 23-year-old pregnant woman allegedly died by suicide after her husband reportedly demanded a DNA test for her unborn child, leading to the arrest of the man and his mother in India’s Telangana state.
The incident occurred in Gadipeddapur village in Alladurg mandal of Medak district, where the victim, identified as G. Sushmita, was found hanging at her home on the evening of June 25. She was five months pregnant.
Police arrested Sushmita’s husband, G. Abhilash, and his mother, Laxmi, on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
“We arrested her husband G. Abhilash and his mother Laxmi. They were produced before the magistrate and remanded to judicial custody,” Alladurg Sub-Inspector D. Shankar said.
According to a police complaint filed by Sushmita’s mother, G. Janabai, her daughter had been subjected to prolonged physical and emotional abuse during her marriage, with the husband’s alleged demand for a DNA test significantly worsening her distress.
Sushmita, a native of Mothkupally village in Vikarabad district, had been married to Abhilash, a bangle seller from Gadipeddapur, for about 18 months.
Janabai told police that on June 23, she and her husband visited the couple’s home to discuss arrangements for Sushmita’s upcoming baby shower ceremony. During the visit, Abhilash allegedly questioned the paternity of the unborn child and demanded a DNA test in the presence of both families.
According to the complaint, the incident led to an argument before community elders intervened. Janabai alleged that the accusation caused her daughter immense humiliation and emotional trauma, with family members claiming the suspicion cast on her character had a devastating impact on her mental well-being.
Two days later, on June 25, Sushmita was found dead at her residence. Villagers later informed her parents of the incident.
Her mother further alleged that continuous harassment by both her husband and mother-in-law drove Sushmita to take her own life.
Based on the complaint, Alladurg police registered a case on June 26 under Sections 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives), 108 (abetment of suicide), read with Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Following a post-mortem examination, Sushmita’s body was handed over to her family. Police said investigations into the case are ongoing.
Foreign
Trump Shades Obama As He Shares Their Throwback Photos
U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked fresh online discussion after sharing side-by-side photos of himself and former President Barack Obama from their younger years, just days after Obama joked that he still occupies space in Trump’s thoughts.Trump posted the images on his Truth Social account on Saturday, June 27.
The post followed an AI-generated image of himself holding the Earth while carrying an American flag over his shoulder, as well as a photograph from a recent UFC event held outside the White House.
The side-by-side image featured a photo of Trump during his years at the New York Military Academy next to a picture of Obama at Occidental College, showing the former president wearing a wide-brimmed hat and smoking a cigarette. Obama has previously spoken publicly about his long struggle to quit smoking after picking up the habit as a teenager.
Trump captioned the images, “D. Trump, 20” and “B.H. Obama, 18.” However, the age listed for Trump quickly drew criticism, with his niece and outspoken critic, Mary Trump, noting that he graduated from the New York Military Academy in 1964 at age 17, suggesting the caption may have been inaccurate.
Although Trump did not explain the reason for posting the photos, many social media users viewed the comparison as a response to comments Obama made earlier this week during an appearance on the All the Smoke podcast.
Speaking on the podcast, Obama joked that Trump remains preoccupied with him years after he left office.
“The obsession,” Obama said. “I obviously have a room in his head. A suite in his head. When I was president, the last thing I had time to do was worry about what somebody said or what my predecessor did. They’re gone. I’ve got work to do.”
Obama also claimed that Trump rarely directs such criticism toward him in person.
The latest exchange adds another chapter to the long-running political rivalry between the two leaders. Trump has frequently criticized Obama during campaign rallies and on social media, while in recent weeks he has also shared AI-generated images mocking the former president, including one depicting Obama’s presidential center as a dumpster.
Neither Trump nor Obama has publicly commented further on the latest social media post.
Foreign
Trump threatens to annihilate Iran after new exchange of attacks
Tehran said Sunday it carried out a third day of retaliatory strikes against US attacks on Iranian territory, as both accused the other of violating their fragile ceasefire, straining negotiations meant to end the Middle East war.
The exchanges underscored the fragility of a Pakistan-brokered peace process aimed at ending a war launched by the United States and Israel in February, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and rattled global energy markets.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday they were taking measures to control traffic in the vital Strait of Hormuz and that violating vessels would be dealt with more firmly than before.
The only authorised passage by Tehran passes through a corridor running along Iran’s coast.
The Guards said they had also carried out retaliatory strikes in Kuwait and Bahrain.
In a statement, they said the strikes “destroyed eight important US military facilities at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and at the Fifth Fleet naval base in Port Salman in Bahrain”.
“Any enemy aggression, whatever the pretext, even against insignificant targets… will have a crushing response,” the Guards said.
Air raid sirens rang out twice in Bahrain on Sunday, according to the Gulf nation’s interior ministry.
A memorandum of understanding was reached in mid-June under Pakistan’s mediation, aimed at putting a lasting end to the war.
The text signed by the United States and Iran said both countries, and their respective allies, were “not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other”.
– Iran would ‘no longer exist’ –
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran would “no longer exist” if the United States is “forced” to resume the war.
The threat came after US forces said they struck “multiple” Iranian targets Saturday in another tit-for-tat response to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Trump wrote.
– Shipping lanes under fire –
US Central Command said Saturday’s strikes were in response to an Iranian drone attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker “Kiku,” which was carrying some two million barrels of crude.
The US military said its operation targeted “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities”.
Iranian media reported several explosions in the Sirik and Qeshm areas of southern Iran.
Washington had carried out similar strikes on Friday, saying they were a response to an earlier Iranian attack on another vessel, the “Ever Lovely”.
Israel, meanwhile, launched strikes in Lebanon as Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem rejected a deal to end that conflict, which has also threatened to derail the wider US-Iran peace effort.
Iran called “these brutal attacks… a blatant violation” of the interim truce deal.
Iran has warned vessels not to enter or leave the Gulf through the strait without permission, but ships have continued to move, some using a route not authorised by Tehran.
In the memorandum of understanding Iran had previously agreed “safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge, for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa” in the strait.
H.A. Hellyer, of London think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said “Iran is likely to continue calibrated, low-level coercive activity in and around the Strait of Hormuz… to create persistent pressure on international shipping without triggering a wider conflict.”
He said November’s US midterm elections for Congress give Washington “incentives for a quicker agreement” while, for Iran, “a drawn-out negotiation accompanied by controlled pressure in the strait can work to its advantage”.
– Lebanon threats –
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March, when militant group Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in support of Iran. That provoked an Israeli invasion and fighting that has also undermined the US-Iran ceasefire.
Israel and Lebanon signed an agreement on Friday supported by the US aimed at securing long-term peace between the two countries.
Hezbollah’s chief Qassem rejected the deal a day later, calling it “humiliating, shameful and a surrender of sovereignty.”
He instead called for the full implementation of Washington’s deal with Tehran, which includes an end to the fighting in Lebanon.
Hezbollah has repeatedly called for a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, but the Washington deal does not appear to provide for that.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted Israeli troops will remain in the so-called security zone they occupy in southern Lebanon, with civilians prevented from returning until Hezbollah is disarmed.
The Israeli premier called the deal historic on Saturday and “a blow to Iran and Hezbollah.”
But Netanyahu’s far-right security minister Itamar Ben Gvir denounced it as “a big mistake” and insisted that only Israeli forces were capable of disarming Hezbollah.
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