The filmmaker said he had heard rumours but not “these horror stories” after a number of women came forward to accuse Weinstein of assault.

Weinstein was voted off the board behind the Oscars on Saturday as a result of the allegations.

Allen faced his own sex claims; accused of molesting his adopted daughter – a claim he has always strongly denied.

Weinstein has been credited with reviving Allen’s career after Allen was accused of abusing Dylan Farrow, his daughter with actress Mia Farrow.

The allegation emerged in the early 1990s following Allen’s separation from Farrow.

The actress left Allen after discovering he was having an affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn.

But despite working with Weinstein on a number of films – including the Oscar-winning Mighty Aphrodite – Allen said he had never heard any of allegations of rape and sexual assault.

“No one ever came to me or told me horror stories with any real seriousness,” Allen told the BBC. “And they wouldn’t, because you are not interested in it. You are interested in making your movie.

“But you do hear a million fanciful rumours all the time. And some turn out to be true and some – many – are just stories about this actress, or that actor.”

“The whole Harvey Weinstein thing is very sad for everybody involved,” he added. “Tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that is life is so messed up.

“There’s no winners in that, it’s just very, very sad and tragic for those poor women that had to go through that.”

Allen said he hoped the revelations, which emerged after an investigation by the New York Times, would lead to “some amelioration”, but said: “You also don’t want it to lead to a witch hunt atmosphere, a Salem atmosphere, where every guy in an office who winks at a woman is suddenly having to call a lawyer to defend himself. That’s not right either.

“But sure, you hope that something like this could be transformed into a benefit for people rather than just a sad or tragic situation.”

Among those who investigated Weinstein were Allen’s own son, Ronan Farrow, who spoke to 13 women who said the producer had sexually harassed or assaulted them.

Weinstein, 65, insists any sexual contacts he had were consensual. His spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister said earlier this week: “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein.”

–

Source: BBC

The post Woody Allen ‘sad’ for Harvey Weinstein over sexual assault allegations appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

British actress Lysette Anthony says he attacked her at her London home in the late 1980s while another, unidentified woman says she was raped in 1992.

The organisation behind the Oscars has voted to expel Weinstein and his own brother called him “sick and depraved”.

Weinstein, 65, insists any sexual contacts he had were consensual.

Police in London are investigating an allegation against Weinstein who is also being investigated by police in New York.

More than two dozen women – among them actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rose McGowan – have made a number of accusations against him including rape and sexual assault.

Weinstein has been a huge figure in the film world, where his productions received more than 300 Oscar nominations and won 81.

Lysette Anthony told The Sunday Times she had reported an attack by Weinstein to the London Metropolitan Police.

The actress, who stars in the British TV soap Hollyoaks, said she had met the producer when she starred in 1982 sci-fi film Krull and the alleged assault had come a few years later.

It was a “pathetic, revolting” attack, she said, that had left her “disgusted and embarrassed”.

The Metropolitan Police said it was passed an allegation of sexual assault, without giving details.

Separately an unidentified woman told the Mail On Sunday newspaper she had been raped by Weinstein in 1992 when she was working at his film company offices in West London.

–

Source: BBC

The post More women accuse Harvey Weinstein of rape appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The New York Police Department is looking into an allegation dating from 2004 and is reviewing whether there are any additional complaints.

London’s Met Police has received an allegation of sexual assault in the London area in the 1980s.

Weinstein has “unequivocally denied” any allegations of non-consensual sex.

US actress Rose McGowan took to Twitter on Thursday to allege that she was raped by Weinstein.

Three other women have already accused Weinstein of rape, according to an investigative article in The New Yorker magazine.

In a series of tweets addressed to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, McGowan alleged she had told Amazon Studios she had been assaulted by Weinstein.

Amazon later said in a statement that its studio head, Roy Price, had been put on “leave of absence” and that it was reviewing projects it had with the Weinstein Company.

Weinstein’s spokeswoman Sallie Hofmeister reiterated on Thursday: “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein.”

The New York Police Department said it was “looking to speak” to an individual who had made an allegation dating from 2004.

Assistant Commissioner J Peter Donald said: “Based on information referenced in published news reports, the NYPD is conducting a review to determine if there are any additional complaints relating to the Harvey Weinstein matter.

“No filed complaints have been identified as of this time.”

The force also appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

The Metropolitan Police, meanwhile, said it had been passed the allegation of sexual assault by Merseyside Police.

A Merseyside Police statement said it “can confirm a report was received at 8.40am on Wednesday (11 October 2017) of an alleged sexual assault in the London area in the 1980s”.

The investigations come as more women publicly accuse Weinstein of inappropriate behaviour, sexual harassment or assault.

British actress Kate Beckinsale is one of the latest, saying she had an encounter with him aged 17, at the Savoy Hotel in London.

The Underworld star said on Instagram she was told to go to his room, where he “opened the door in his bathrobe”.

“After declining alcohol and announcing that I had school in the morning I left, uneasy but unscathed.

“A few years later he asked me if he had tried anything with me in that first meeting. I realised he couldn’t remember if he had assaulted me or not,” she said.

British actress and model Cara Delevingne also said he tried to kiss her as she tried to leave a hotel room.

Emma Thompson told BBC Two’s Newsnight programme she found him to be a “bully” when his company Miramax owned the rights to her film Nanny McPhee.

She said she did not know about the allegations of sexual impropriety but added: “They don’t surprise me at all and they’re endemic to the system anyway.

“I don’t think you can describe him as a sex addict. He’s a predator. That’s different.”

Thompson said there are “many” others like him in Hollywood. “Maybe not to that degree. Do they have to all be as bad as him to make it count?”

US actress Jane Fonda told the BBC’s Hardtalk programme that his alleged victims did not come forth sooner “because he’s powerful, because they’re scared”.

“Most of these women were in their 20s when it happened. Vulnerable.

“Afraid that if they say anything or do anything that it’ll ruin their career,” she said.

She added that she wished she had been “braver” by going to the authorities when she first heard the allegations “about a year ago”.

Ms Hofmeister has said Weinstein “obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual.

“Mr Weinstein has begun counselling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path.”

‘I’ve got to get help’

Speaking on Wednesday, the movie mogul said: “We all make mistakes – second chance I hope.”

He told TMZ: “Guys I’m not doing OK but I’m trying; I’ve got to get help. I’m hanging in – I’m trying my best.”

TMZ reported he was heading to Arizona to a treatment facility.

As he departed in a car, the 65-year-old made a plea for fair treatment from reporters, saying: “I’ve always been loyal to you guys… I’ve been a good guy.”

–

Source: BBC

The post US and UK police launch investigations into Harvey Weinstein appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Georgina Chapman, 41, described Weinstein’s actions as “unforgivable”.

Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow are the latest women to come forward. Both said the incidents happened early in their careers.

On Tuesday, Weinstein also denied allegations of rape made in The New Yorker magazine.

Weinstein was fired on Sunday from his own film studio. The Weinstein Company board said on Tuesday that they would help any criminal investigation.

“My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions,” Georgina Chapman, 41, told People magazine.

Chapman and Weinstein, 65, have two children together.

Meanwhile, ex-President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have joined the growing public condemnation.

In a statement, they said they were “disgusted by the recent reports about Harvey Weinstein” and added that they “celebrate the courage of women who have come forward”.

Weinstein was a big donor to the Democratic party under Obama’s leadership. The Obamas’ eldest daughter Malia worked as an intern at The Weinstein Company in New York earlier this year.

Weinstein also donated to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. Mrs Clinton said she was “shocked and appalled” by the revelations.

Paltrow and Jolie both sent statements about Weinstein’s behaviour to the New York Times, which first reported allegations against him last week.

Jolie said in an email: “I had a bad experience with Harvey Weinstein in my youth, and as a result, chose never to work with him again and warn others when they did.

“This behaviour towards women in any field, any country is unacceptable.”

In a statement, Paltrow alleged that, after Weinstein cast her in the leading role in Emma, he summoned her to his hotel suite, where he placed his hands on her and suggested massages in his bedroom.

“I was a kid, I was signed up, I was petrified,” she told the newspaper.

She said she told her then-boyfriend Brad Pitt about the incident, and said he confronted Weinstein.

“I thought he was going to fire me,” she said.

–

Source: BBC

The post Harvey Weinstein’s wife leaves him appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Streep told the Huffington Post she was “appalled” by the “disgraceful” news.

She went on to praise “the intrepid women who raised their voices to expose this abuse”, calling them “heroes”.

Dame Judi Dench also issued a statement saying she was “completely unaware” of the “horrifying” claims.

The British actress also praised those who had spoken up.

“I offer my sympathy to those who have suffered, and wholehearted support to those who have spoken out,” she said.

Meanwhile, another British actress – Romola Garai – says she felt “violated” after being asked to visit Weinstein in his hotel room when she was 18 so he could “approve” her for a role.

Garai told The Guardian he opened the door in his dressing gown. “It was humiliating for me,” she said, adding: “It was an abuse of power.”

Oscar-winner Kate Winslet has also praised those, like Garai, who spoke out, telling Variety they are “incredibly brave”, adding it had been “deeply shocking to hear”.

Emma Thompson, Mark Ruffalo and Seth Rogen are among other leading actors to express similar sentiments.

The Weinstein allegations have instigated a fierce debate about abuse of power in Hollywood and beyond.

Streep’s statement followed criticism that leading Hollywood figures had maintained a “deafening silence” in the wake of the allegations against Weinstein that surfaced in the New York Times on Friday.

Streep said she wanted to make it clear that “not everybody” had known about the allegations, including herself.

The three-time Oscar-winner said the news had “appalled those of us whose work [Weinstein] championed, and those whose good and worthy causes he supported.”

Streep worked with Weinstein on such films as The Iron Lady and August: Osage County and jokingly referred to him as “God” in a 2012 acceptance speech.

“Harvey supported the work fiercely, was exasperating but respectful with me in our working relationship, and with many others with whom he worked professionally,” Streep wrote about the allegations.

“I did not know about his financial settlements with actresses and colleagues; I did not know about his having meetings in his hotel room, his bathroom, or other inappropriate, coercive acts.

“And if everybody knew, I don’t believe that all the investigative reporters in the entertainment and the hard news media would have neglected for decades to write about it.”

She added: “The behaviour is inexcusable, but the abuse of power familiar. Each brave voice that is raised, heard and credited by our watchdog media will ultimately change the game.”

Weinstein was made an honorary CBE by the Queen in 2004 for his contribution to the British film industry.

A spokesman for Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May said she had expressed “concern” about the allegations, but said his CBE was not a matter for her office but for the Honours Forfeiture Committee, where each case is “considered on its merits”.

Speaking earlier on Monday, Britain’s Emma Thompson said she was pleased the story had come out and described Weinstein as “a predatory man”.

“Male predatory behaviour is everywhere, not just in the film industry,” the actress and screenwriter told the BBC.

“Let’s support those women who don’t have the confidence to speak out.”

Some male stars have also spoken out to denounce Weinstein and express support for the women he is alleged to have abused.

“What Harvey Weinstein did was a disgusting abuse of power,” tweeted Avengers actor Mark Ruffalo about the claims.

“I believe all the women coming forward about Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment,” wrote Seth Rogen.

Actress Rose McGowan, who the New York Times claimed had reached a legal settlement with Weinstein in 1997, has also been highly vocal.

“Ladies of Hollywood, your silence is deafening,” she tweeted on Saturday, going on to tell the Hollywood Reporter that “men in Hollywood need to change ASAP”.

When the claims were first reported in the New York Times, Weinstein issued a statement in which he apologised.

“I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologise for it,” he wrote.

But he later disputed the article, with one of his legal team claiming the newspaper’s report was “saturated with false and defamatory statements”.

Mr Weinstein’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said in another statement that he denied many of the allegations against him as “patently false”.

Bloom later announced she had resigned as Mr Weinstein’s adviser.

–

Source: BBC

The post Meryl Streep, Dame Judi Dench speak out about Harvey Weinstein appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Weinstein Company directors said that “in light of new information about misconduct”, they had terminated Mr Weinstein’s employment “effective immediately”.

The statement was issued on Sunday by Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar.

Mr Weinstein had been informed.

The Miramax and Weinstein Company co-founder has produced a number of Oscar-winning films, including Shakespeare in Love, The King’s Speech and The Artist.

Following a New York Times report about the harassment claims, the 65-year-old apologised and said he planned to take a leave of absence.

“The way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologise for it,” Mr Weinstein said.

However, he later disputed the report, which said he had reached at least eight settlements with women, and vowed to take legal action.

Last week Weinstein’s lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said that he denied many of the allegations made against him as “patently false”.

“He has acknowledged mistakes he has made,” said Ms Bloom. “He is reading books and going to therapy. He is an old dinosaur learning new ways.”

But on Saturday, Ms Bloom said in a tweet that she was no longer advising Mr Weinstein.

“I have resigned as an advisor to Harvey Weinstein,” the tweet said. “My understanding is that Mr Weinstein and his board are moving to an agreement.”

–

Source: BBC

The post Harvey Weinstein sacked after sexual harassment claims appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The article reported he had reached at least eight settlements with women.

Girls creator Lena Dunham thanked one of its writers “for pushing past [a] flimsy but firm veil of secrecy”.

Weinstein has disputed the newspaper report that claimed he harassed female employees over nearly three decades and is taking legal action.

‘Reckless reporting’
The co-founder of Miramax and The Weinstein Company released a statement on Thursday in which he expressed “regret [for] what happened”.

“I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologise for it,” he wrote.

Weinstein, a married father of five, said he planned to take a leave of absence from his company and had hired therapists to deal with his issues.

Yet the producer of Shakespeare in Love, The King’s Speech and other Oscar winners later said he was taking legal action against the paper for its “reckless reporting”.

“This is a vendetta, and the next time I see [NYT executive editor] Dean Baquet it will be across a courtroom,” he is quoted as saying by the Page Six website.

The 65-year-old has been married since 2007 to fashion designer Georgina Rose Chapman, with whom he has two children.

‘I believe you’
Oscar-winner Brie Larson responded to the allegations by saying she stood “with the brave survivors of sexual assault and harassment… as always”.

“It’s not your fault. I believe you,” she wrote in a post that did not mention Weinstein by name.

Report
“The woman who chose to speak about their experience of harassment by Harvey Weinstein deserve our awe,” wrote Dunham in another post.
“It’s not fun or easy. It’s brave.”

–

Source: BBC

The post Hollywood reacts to Harvey Weinstein abuse claims appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Similar sensitization workshops had already been carried out in Central, Western, Eastern, Ashanti, Volta, Brong Ahafo, Upper West and Upper East regions.

The sensitization by the Taskforce was carried out under the instruction of the President Dramani Mahama to ensure that dealers and the public understood the work of the Taskforce so as to help with information for the seizure of pirated textiles imported into the country.

Appiah Donyina, Chairman of the TSDPGTD who addressed the last in the series of fora across the country in Tamale on Thursday said, government had the obligation to ensure the protection of trade commodities and that counterfeit products must be seized.

He explained that government had no intentions to ban the importation of textiles into the country but rather frowned on the importation of pirated or fake textiles into the Ghanaian market noting that importers who had the habit of sending Ghanaian textile to China to be pirated must stop the act else they would not be spared when caught.

Mr Donyina indicated that over 6,000 pirated textiles had been burnt since the Taskforce started its work in 2010 and that 2,000 more had also been seized pending burning and stressed that more seizures would be done until it freed the Ghanaian market of pirated textiles.

Abdul-Rahaman Hannan Gundadow, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive who read a speech on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Limuna Mohammed-Muniru said the Taskforce was to protect the local textile industries to promote made-in-Ghana textile prints.

He observed that the Northern Region was a casualty to the collapse of the textile industry saying, “the collapse of the textile industry due to trade in pirated textile and imports of cheap textile led to loss of jobs and incomes that were derived from cotton farming”.

“In the 1980’s, the textile industry, which used to employ over 30,000 workers could only boast of less than 3,000 workers due to the fact that the industry is operating below 30 percent of its installed capacity”, he said.

Eugene Adarkwa Addai, a member of the Taskforce said every African textile had standards because they all had 100 percent cotton and could be identified by its label and self-edging.

He blamed Ghanaians for killing the local textile industry and urged importers who were interested in importing textile into the country to follow laid down rules at the Ministry of Trade and Industry to import counterfeit-free products.

Source: GNA

The post Taskforce on pirated textile completes nationwide sensitization appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A lump sum payment will be made while part of the compensation will be put into equity for perpetual use of the La people, Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Trade and Industry announced on Friday when he inaugurated a nine-member board of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited.

The Minister expressed regret that due compensation had not been paid on the land all these years and gave the assurance that “this time the right thing will be done to ensure peaceful coexistence with the people.”

Mr Iddrisu led the board to swear the official oath and the oath of secrecy to usher the members into office.

The board is made up of its Chairperson, Hannah Brenda Anewenah Amoateng, a former Vice Chairperson of J P Morgan in USA, Nii Kpobi Tetteh Tsuru, La Mantse, Benita Sena Okity-Duah and Rosalind A. Kudoadzi.

The rest are, Comfort A. Adjei, Annie Letsu-Tetteh, Habiba A. Tanko, Joshua H. Akamba and Ebenezer Okpoti Koney.

The Trade Minister charged the Board to rise up to the occasion and address the challenges currently confronting the Trade Fair centre, which is not helping in its development.

He said their first task should be the initiation of a policy that would re-establish the Centre either under a public-private partnership or a government to government partnership; and turn the Centre into an international trade convention centre, with a shopping mall, a hotel facility, a recreation centre and a real estate as well as an exhibition centre.

“This is what his Excellency President John Mahama wishes the Centre to be,” Mr Iddrisu stated.

He noted that different investors from Paris, Brazil, and Dubai have expressed interest to partner Ghana to develop the Centre and urged the new Board, as a matter of urgency, assess these investors and select the best for the partnership.

He also tasked the Board to ensure that all issues concerning payment of compensation to various institutions is resolved amicably to avoid any payment of future judgment debts.

“The Board should clean-up any existing financial malfeasance at the Trade Fair Centre”, he emphasized.

Mr. Iddrisu asked the Board to protect the assets of the Trade Fair Centre jealously and ensure that all its debtors pay monies owned to the Centre for renting purposes and others.

He further charged the Board to deepen the promotion of regional trade and exhibitions as the main activities of the centre.

Ms Amoateng on behalf of the members of the Board thanked government for the trust reposed in them and said they will meet as a team and work diligently with the executive management to turn the Centre’s fortunes around.

“I bring to bear my rich experience in investment to work together with other members and ensure that the Centre becomes what we want it to be”, Ms Amoateng said.

Nii Kpobi Tetteh Tsuru, La Mantse said the people of La will this time give their support to the new Board to develop the Centre.

He expressed happiness about the compensation issue and said “this will really make the La people very happy”.

Source: GNA

The post Gov’t to compensate La residents over Trade Fair land appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.