Majority of people in NI in favour of extending Irish presidential voting rights
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Nahar Net
11 minutes ago
- Nahar Net
Kneecap rapper faces court on terror charge over Hezbollah flag
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 August 2025, 10:43 A member of Irish rap band Kneecap was due to appear in court on Wednesday charged with a terror offence for allegedly supporting Hezbollah. Liam O'Hanna, 27, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May after being accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag during a London concert in November. The hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London is expected to hear legal arguments on whether the charge falls outside a six-month time limit, a court official confirmed. Since Hezbollah was banned in the UK in 2019, it has been an offence to show support for the Iran-backed Lebanese force. Kneecap has grabbed headlines for statements denouncing the war in Gaza and against Israel. The hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London comes amid a growing controversy surrounding support for banned organisations. More than 700 people have been arrested, mostly at demonstrations, since the Palestine Action group was also outlawed in early July under the Terrorism Act 2000. The government ban on Palestine Action came into force days after it took responsibility for a break-in at an air force base in southern England that caused an estimated £7.0 million ($9.3 million) of damage to two aircraft. The group said its activists were responding to Britain's indirect military support for Israel during the war in Gaza. Supporting a proscribed group is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. - Provocative - Hundreds of fans cheered outside the central London court in June when O'Hanna, Liam Og O hAnnaidh in Gaelic, made his first appearance in June. Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove told the previous hearing the case was "not about Mr O'Hanna's support for the people of Palestine or his criticism of Israel". "He is well within his rights to voice his opinions and his solidarity," Bisgrove said. Instead, the prosecutor said, the case was about O'Hanna wearing and displaying "the flag of Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist organization, while allegedly saying 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah'". The raucous punk-rap group has said the video that led to the charge was taken out of context. Daring provocateurs to their fans, dangerous extremists to their detractors, the group's members rap in the Irish language as well as English. Formed in 2017, the group is no stranger to controversy. Their lyrics are filled with references to drugs, they have repeatedly clashed with the UK's previous Conservative government and have vocally opposed British rule in Northern Ireland. Last year, the group was catapulted to international fame by a semi-fictional film based on them that scooped multiple awards including at the Sundance festival.
Irish Daily Mirror
11 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Carlow town comes to standstill as tragic fashion designer laid to rest
The funeral of an Irish woman who was found dead on a yacht in the United States is being held in her native Carlow today. 33-year-old Martha Nolan O'Slattara, from Carlow Town, was found dead on a private yacht in the upmarket area of Montauk in the Hamptons, New York, in the early hours of Tuesday, August 5. Police confirmed that Ms Nolan O'Slatarra was found dead inside a docked boat at the Montauk Yacht Club, a 16-acre waterfront property located in the Hamptons, after a 911 call reported an 'unconscious woman' aboard the yacht. Despite immediate attempts to revive her, East Hampton Town Police later declared her dead at the scene. In the days following the discovery of Ms Nolan O'Slatarra's body, police said there was "no evidence of violence" in her death. Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's family have now announced that her funeral will be held at The Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow today, followed by burial afterwards in St Mary's Cemetery. A death notice shared on remembered the young Irish fashion designer as the "beloved daughter of Elma, much loved sister of Jacqui, treasured granddaughter of Betty and Liam, cherished niece of John, Michelle, Barry and Mona and adored partner of Nick". "She will be sadly missed by her loving mother and her mother's partner Patrick, sister, aunts, uncles, partner, her father Seamus and her siblings, her grandfather Jimmy Slattery, extended family, relatives and her large circle of friends in Ireland and the U.S.," the notice added. For updates see our blog here or check out our homepage.
The Irish Sun
11 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Irish jockey ace promises ‘searing honesty' as he announces release date for access all areas book
His career has been equally filled with controversy as it has glory MURPH'S LAW Irish jockey ace promises 'searing honesty' as he announces release date for access all areas book OISIN Murphy has promised to give "access, honesty and insight" into life as a top-class jockey in his upcoming book. Entitled Sacrifice: A Year in the Life of a Champion Jockey, it will hit bookshelves on October 9. 2 He's previously been Champion Jockey in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024 Credit: @oismurphy 2 He looks set to add a fifth title to his name this year Credit: Getty The book will chronicle his 2024 Flat season where he claimed the Champion Jockey title for a fourth time on the back of winning three Group 1 races as well as four outings at Royal Ascot. The Kerry native posted on X: "It's great to reveal that I have a book coming out this October. "I was writing this through 2024 and wanted to share my passion for racing and horses and what a year in the life of a jockey looks like. "This will give readers a level of access, honesty and insight and I hope it shows what my fellow jockeys and I go through each season. Pre-order links here." It'll be produced by Penguin with the British giant providing an even more detailed description of what racing fans can expect. The publisher laid out: "A searingly honest account of a year in the turbulent life of a professional jockey, from four-time champion Oisin Murphy. "Born prematurely, weighing less than a bag of sugar, Oisin Murphy's life has always been one of struggle. "From a young age he found communion with horses. Mesmerised by their power, their spirit, he discovered a gift for the saddle. "Oisin quickly established himself as one of horseracing's most prodigious talents. But reaching the pinnacle of the sport has required a high-wire dance that continues to push his body and mind to their breaking point. Despite four champion jockey crowns, alcohol addiction lurks beneath the surface, and a string of misdemeanours have overshadowed his racing. "Fast paced and searingly honest, Sacrifice lays bare Oisin's personal struggles and immerses readers in the daily life of a jockey throughout an entire season. Top owner removes Hollie Doyle from all rides with immediate effect and replaces her with Oisin Murphy "From the countless unseen hours of horse work to the psychological turmoil of racing, the private agony of wasting, and the vital community of the weighing room, it pulls back the curtain and examines the fine line between elite performance and personal destruction in a sport that demands nothing less than total obsession." Along with plenty of successes and adulation, the 29-year-old's career in the saddle has seen no shortage of controversy. In 2020 he was hit with a three-month ban after testing positive for cocaine while competing in France. He blamed that result on a sexual encounter with an occasional user of the substance. A year later he was banned from the sport for 14 months due to breaching Covid protocols in addition to failing two breath tests. Lastly, in July of this year he plead guilty to drink-driving for which he was banned from the roads for a period of 20 months and fined £70,000. 2025 OUTLOOK He's currently well-placed in his effort to be named Champion Jockey for a fifth time as he leads the standings ahead of Billy Loughnane and Daniel Tudhope. His prospects were further boosted on Monday when high-profile owner Imad Alsagar replaced Hollie Doyle with him as the derby-winner's retained rider. Doyle, reacting to the news in her At The Races blog, said: "It came as a bit of a shock, particularly at this stage of the season. "I've been a part of Imad's operation for five years, riding 38 winners including at the highest of levels. "We've enjoyed numerous stakes winners, a Royal Ascot winner and a Classic winner with the wonderful Nashwa in the Prix de Diane in 2022, followed by two further Group 1 successes. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for Imad and would like to thank him for giving me such an amazing opportunity at a formative stage of my career. I wish him and the team the very best of luck in the future."
