International News
Guilty Or Innocent? Alleged Rioters Face UK Judges
Some appear defiant, others hold back tears. Dozens of far-right rioters are being fast-tracked through UK courts as authorities try to bring a week of violent disturbances to an end.
Jake Turton, 38, shakes his head in disagreement, hands on his hips, as a prosecutor accuses him of providing weapons used to attack police in a northern English town.
He is appearing at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court, charged with violent disorder and driving a vehicle without the consent of its legal owner.
Wearing a blue t-shirt and grey shorts, Turton listens as the prosecutor says he provided “wood objects” used by rioters in Rotherham, where disorder on Sunday injured over 50 officers.
The objects were also thrown at a Holiday Inn Express hotel housing asylum seekers, the prosecutor says. The same hotel was later set on fire by rioters.
Turton pleads not guilty to three charges. He is denied bail and told to appear later this month in a more senior crown court. If found guilty, he could face “years” in prison, the prosecutor warns.
As he leaves court, Turton raises his hand in a fist and shouts: “See you in a bit lads.” His supporters in the public gallery shout back: “Head up” and “Brave lad”.
Turton was one of scores of alleged perpetrators of England’s worst riots in more than a decade who filed through the UK’s heaving criminal justice system Wednesday on the third day of hearings related to the disorder.
At least 140 people have been charged over the violence, which erupted following a mass stabbing last week in which three children were killed.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged “substantive sentencing before the end of this week” and already some accused are learning their fate.
One man was jailed for three years on Wednesday. Two others received sentences of 20 and 30 months respectively in the first jail sentences handed down related to the unrest.
– ‘Deeply disturbing’ –
Local chief prosecutor Sarah Hammond said the sentences were just the “tip of the iceberg” and the “start of a very painful process for many who foolishly chose to involve themselves in violent unrest”.
“Many of those involved will be sent to prison for a long time,” Hammond told the press outside Liverpool Crown Court.
In Sheffield Magistrates’ Court, three defendants entered pleas related to the disorder in nearby Rotherham. On the basement floor, two teenagers had hearings in a youth court.
A 17-year-old pleaded guilty to waving an 8-foot-long piece of wood in a threatening manner at police during the riot. A 16-year-old also admitted one count of violent disorder.
“It’s been crazy,” a court usher said of the hearings, sighing.
Of the several hundred arrests made by police so far, several charges have been brought against young men and children under 18.
Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson called the number of youths involved “deeply disturbing”.
“One of the most striking features of the current outbreak of disorder is that many young people are involved. Children as young as 11,” Parkinson said in a statement on Monday.
“They may face life-long consequences: conviction, and a permanent record of their involvement on the police national database.”
AFP
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According to Mundo Deportivo, the Premier League is the top league in terms of player contributions to the 2026 World Cup, sending 162 players to the 48-team tournament.
With the World Cup squad lists finalized, and despite last-minute withdrawals due to injury, such as Belardi from Argentina and Kahr from Germany, it can be concluded that the Premier League is once again leading the world’s major leagues. England’s top flight has solidified its position as the largest source of players for the 48 World Cup teams.
As of June 7th, out of the 1244 confirmed selected players, 13% play in the Premier League, totaling 162 individuals, with 5 clubs contributing at least 10 players each.
Manchester City leads the clubs contributing national team players to the World Cup with 19 players. Following closely among English teams are Arsenal with 16, Manchester United with 12, Crystal Palace with 12, and Liverpool with 11. The English top flight has once again proven its representation in football, and this advantage is now reflected on the World Cup stage.
Although there is a gap with the Premier League, the Bundesliga is still the second-highest contributor of players to the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Specifically, 100 participating players currently play in the Bundesliga, with Bayern Munich being the largest contributor from the Bundesliga, with 17 players selected. Borussia Dortmund contributed 11 players. In recent years, the Bundesliga’s global influence has continuously increased, with Hoffenheim having 9 World Cup players and Eintracht Frankfurt having 8.
Without Barcelona, La Liga’s presence would be much smaller. Including Gündoğan, Barcelona will have 16 players participating in the World Cup, making it one of the clubs contributing the most players to this World Cup. La Liga has a total of 81 players selected, only half that of the Premier League. After Barcelona, Atlético Madrid is the Spanish club with the most players contributed, with 12, surpassing Real Madrid’s 10, as Real Madrid also suffers from the impact of a poor season performance.
Ligue 1 has a total of 78 players participating in the World Cup, with Paris Saint-Germain accounting for a large proportion. Among these 78 players, nearly 20% come from this newly crowned European champion, specifically 15 players. Following Paris Saint-Germain among Ligue 1 clubs are Lille and Nice, both with 8 players selected.
Italy once had the best league in the world, and now Serie A contributes 66 players to this most important football event, which is also related to the Italian team missing the World Cup for the third consecutive time. AC Milan, which finished fifth in Serie A, is the Italian club with the most World Cup players, with 10.
Another data point that demonstrates the strength of English football is that the EFL Championship, England’s second-tier league after the Premier League, has 36 players participating in the World Cup, which is more than the total of other major European second-tier leagues, such as the 2. Bundesliga with 6, Ligue 2 with 6, Serie B with 5, and Segunda División with 5. In fact, the Championship is among the top ten leagues contributing the most World Cup players, even higher than the Brazilian and Dutch leagues.
June 5th, Transfermarkt updated. The new market values of Barcelona players. Three players increased and nine decreased, with Raphinha dropping by 10 million to 70 million euros.
Increase (Euros)
Joan-Garcia increased by 5 million to 45 million
Eric-Garcia increased by 5 million to 40 million
Gerard-Martin increased by 10 million to 35 million
Decrease (Euros)
Raphinha decreased by 10 million to 70 million
Kounde decreased by 5 million to 60 million
Balde decreased by 5 million to 50 million
De Jong decreased by 10 million to 35 million
Casado decreased by 2 million to 18 million
Christensen decreased by 1 million to 8 million
Cancelo decreased by 1 million to 8 million
Lewandowski decreased by 1 million to 7 million
Szczesny decreased by 100,000 to 800,000
Unchanged (Euros)
Yamal 200 million
Pedri 150 million
Fermin 100 million
Cubarsi 80 million
Olmo 60 million
Ferran Torres 50 million
Rashford 40 million
Gavi 30 million
Bernal 30 million
Araujo 20 million
Bardghji 15 million
Bitcoin dropped below $60,000 on Friday, its lowest level since October 2024, just before Donald Trump’s election which propelled it to a record high.
The currency fell by about 6 percent around 1615 GMT, to $59.7709, before paring its losses slightly.
The election of Trump, a staunch advocate of cryptocurrencies, to the White House in November 2024 for a second term sparked a wave of enthusiasm in the sector, sending the price of bitcoin soaring to nearly $110,000.
AFP
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