Thursday briefing: What ​sparked ​days of racially ​charged ​violence in Northern Ireland

<p>In today’s newsletter: The unrest in Ballymena​ escalated, as tensions over immigration ​spiralled, leaving police injured and homes damaged</p><p></p><p>Good morning. Over the past three nights, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has been rocked by riots. At least 17 police officers have been injured, while homes, businesses and vehicles have also been damaged.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jun/11/second-night-rioting-ballymena-police-officers-injured-northern-ireland">unrest erupted</a> after a vigil on Monday for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys. The boys had appeared in court earlier that day and were charged with attempted rape, where a Romanian interpreter read them the charges.</p><p><em><strong>UK politics </strong></em>| Rachel Reeves has pledged to ensure “working people are better off” and invest billions into energy, housing, transport and infrastructure after the government’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/jun/11/rachel-reeves-investment-labour-spending-review-keir-starmer-pmqs-kemi-badenoch-conservatives-uk-politics-live-news?{{url_parameters_unstripped}}">spending review announcement</a>.</p><p><em><strong>US news </strong></em>| Los Angeles police made <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/la-los-angeles-police-mass-arrests-overnight-curfew">more than 300 arrests</a> as protesters defied an overnight curfew imposed after Donald Trump’s crackdown against demonstrations.</p><p><em><strong>Israel-Gaza war </strong></em>| Israeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, most of them as they were <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/11/israeli-forces-kill-at-least-60-palestinians-seeking-food-aid-in-gaza-health-officials-say">seeking food</a> from a US-Israeli distribution scheme, according to local health authorities.</p><p><em><strong>Austria </strong></em>| A 21-year-old former student who shot dead 10 people including pupils and a teacher at his former school in Austria before killing himself had planned to detonate a homemade explosive there, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/11/graz-school-shooting-austrian-arthur-a-planned-to-detonate-pipe-bomb-say-police">police have said</a>.</p><p><em><strong>Music </strong></em>| Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys musician, songwriter and producer who created some of pop’s most beautiful and groundbreaking songs, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/11/brian-wilson-beach-boys-dies">has died aged 82</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/12/thursday-briefing-what-sparked-days-of-racially-charged-violence-in-northern-ireland">Continue reading...</a>