Seven charged with sex and drug offences in Bristol grooming case
Seven men aged 19 to 26 have been charged with more than forty sex and drug offences in a major grooming investigation in Bristol. The case involves alleged offences against eleven complainants between 2022 and 2025. The police began their inquiry in late 2023 after receiving a tip-off about the suspected exploitation of a teenage girl. Initial arrests were made last April, with the suspects later re-arrested in coordinated raids this week. The defendants face a wide range of charges, including multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, and drug supply. They all appeared at Bristol magistrates’ court and were remanded in custody ahead of a hearing on 17 December. The police said that safeguarding victims is at the centre of the investigation, with support measures put in place. Prosecutors reminded the public that the men have the right to a fair trial and warned against sharing information that could prejudice proceedings.
Northern Ireland: Presbyterian Church moderator steps down over safeguarding failures
Rev Trevor Gribben, moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, is stepping down after an internal review uncovered 'serious and significant' safeguarding failures across the denomination between 2009 and 2022. The Church admitted that individuals had been harmed or placed at risk due to systemic shortcomings in its central safeguarding functions. Failures included not responding adequately when victims sought help, failing to refer cases to statutory authorities, and allowing some known offenders to return to worship without proper monitoring. Rev Gribben apologised unreservedly, acknowledging that these failures occurred partly during his tenure as General Secretary, even though he was not directly responsible for safeguarding operations. Church convenor Rev David Bruce said record-keeping gaps and failures to follow the Church’s own guidance meant that not all cases have yet been identified. He said that their priority is to support those harmed and rebuild trust by strengthening safeguarding structures. The Church has urged anyone affected to come forward, assuring them they will now be listened to and responded to appropriately.
Serbia: protesters form human shield against Jared Kushner’s development plans
Thousands of demonstrators in Belgrade have formed a human shield around the bomb-damaged former Yugoslav defence ministry building, vowing to stop its redevelopment into a luxury complex tied to a company owned by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law. The $500 million project, backed by president Aleksandar Vučić’s pro-Trump government, aims to transform the ruins - once bombed by NATO in 1999 - into a hotel and office district. Critics, however, see the move as an affront to national memory, calling the complex a sacred symbol of resistance against foreign aggression. Lawmakers recently fast-tracked legislation to permit construction despite an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged document forgery used to strip the site’s heritage status. The protests, led largely by students and youth movements, echo wider anger over corruption and government control. As chants of defiance echoed through the capital, protesters pledged unity to defend Serbia’s architectural and historical integrity against what they view as political and economic exploitation.
Hungary / USA: Trump gives one-year exemption from sanctions
Donald Trump has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil and gas purchases, marking a diplomatic win for Viktor Orbán. The move followed Orbán’s visit to Washington, where Trump expressed sympathy for Hungary’s dependence on Russian energy as a landlocked nation. The decision contrasts sharply with Trump’s recent threats to penalise countries doing business with sanctioned Russian energy firms. In return, Hungary agreed to buy hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of US natural gas. While the arrangement may ease Hungary’s energy pressures, it risks deepening tensions within the EU, where many leaders oppose Orbán’s continued cooperation with Moscow. Trump praised Orbán’s leadership and hinted at shared goals for ending the war in Ukraine, underscoring their close personal and political alliance amid growing divisions over energy, sanctions, and peace strategy in Europe.
