Harvey Weinstein surrendered to authorities at a New York City police station on sex crime charges

Harvey Weinstein Timeline: Downfall of Hollywood producer from #MeToo to 16 years in jail

French President Emmanuel Macron's newly appointed minister in charge of solidarity and people with disabilities denied on Sunday allegations of rape from over a decade ago, revealed by an investigative website.

Damien&nbsp;Abad, a right-wing heavyweight, was a political coup for the centrist Macron in a cabinet shuffle announced on Friday to prepare for parliament elections next month.

The next day, the Mediapart website reported a politics watchdog group created by members of France's MeToo movement had informed prosecutors as well as Macron's LREM party of rape claims against&nbsp;Abad&nbsp;by two women in 2010 and 2011.

The report said one of the women informed the police in 2012 but then declined to formally make a complaint, and her subsequent claim in 2017 was later dismissed by prosecutors.

The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed on Sunday it was informed of the two claims by the MeToo watchdog on Friday, and they were being investigated.

"I contest in the strongest way these accusations of sexual violence. I contest having ever used any form of coercion whatsoever against any woman,"&nbsp;Abad&nbsp;said in a statement.

"For my entire life the sexual relations I have had have always been with mutual consent," he added.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, herself appointed by Macron last week, said on Sunday she had not known of the allegations before&nbsp;Abad's nomination.

"Obviously I was not aware," she said during a campaign visit in Calvados, western France, ahead of the parliamentary vote, when Macron is hoping to secure a solid majority for his second five-year term.

"I have no further information other than the fact that the case was dismissed," she said, while promising that "on the subjects of harassment and sexual assault, there can be no impunity."

"If there is new information, if a new complaint is filed, we will draw all the consequences," Borne said.

In 2012,&nbsp;Abad, now 42, became the first handicapped person to be elected to the lower-house National Assembly, and was the leader of his Republican party's MPs until he joined Macron's government.&nbsp;

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French President Emmanuel Macron's newly appointed minister in charge of solidarity and people with disabilities denied on Sunday allegations of rape from over a decade ago, revealed by an investigative website.

French President Emmanuel Macron's newly appointed minister in charge of solidarity and people with disabilities denied on Sunday allegations of rape from over a decade ago, revealed by an investigative website. Damien Abad, a right-wing heavyweight, was a political coup for the centrist Macron in a cabinet shuffle announced on Friday to prepare for parliament elections next month. The next day, the Mediapart website reported a politics watchdog group created by members of France's MeToo movement had informed prosecutors as well as Macron's LREM party of rape claims against Abad by two women in 2010 and 2011. The report said one of the women informed the police in 2012 but then declined to formally make a complaint, and her subsequent claim in 2017 was later dismissed by prosecutors. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed on Sunday it was informed of the two claims by the MeToo watchdog on Friday, and they were being investigated. "I contest in the strongest way these accusations of sexual violence. I contest having ever used any form of coercion whatsoever against any woman," Abad said in a statement. "For my entire life the sexual relations I have had have always been with mutual consent," he added. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, herself appointed by Macron last week, said on Sunday she had not known of the allegations before Abad's nomination. "Obviously I was not aware," she said during a campaign visit in Calvados, western France, ahead of the parliamentary vote, when Macron is hoping to secure a solid majority for his second five-year term. "I have no further information other than the fact that the case was dismissed," she said, while promising that "on the subjects of harassment and sexual assault, there can be no impunity." "If there is new information, if a new complaint is filed, we will draw all the consequences," Borne said. In 2012, Abad, now 42, became the first handicapped person to be elected to the lower-house National Assembly, and was the leader of his Republican party's MPs until he joined Macron's government. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

France's new solidarity minister denies sex assault charges

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein on Tuesday pleaded not guilty in a New York courtroom to rape and sexual assault charges related to crimes allegedly committed against two women.

The 66-year-old producer, whose career imploded in a blaze of accusations from dozens of women that sparked a nationwide reckoning about sexual misconduct, could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday (local time), the 66-year-old was<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/harvey-weinstein-indicted-on-two-counts-of-rape--141340"> indicted on charges of rape</a> in the first and third degrees, and criminal sexual act in the first degree.

Scores of women have come to fore and accused Weinstein of a wide array of misconduct, which ranges from harassment to rape, over decades.

Weinstein remains out on $1 million cash bail ordered by a judge last Friday. Weinstein surrendered his US&nbsp;passport and agreed to wear a monitoring device that tracks his location, confining him to the states of New York and Connecticut.

The accusations, first reported last year by the New York Times and the New Yorker, gave rise to the #MeToo movement, in which hundreds of women have publicly accused powerful men in business, government and entertainment of sexual misconduct.

Actresses who have publicly accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct include Uma Thurman, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and Salma Hayek.

Once a fixture of elite Manhattan and Los Angeles society, Weinstein has been ostracized since the accusations became public. He went to Arizona for sex addiction therapy.

The Weinstein Co's board fired him, the company filed for bankruptcy in March, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expelled him. In years past, the Academy had showered him with Oscars for a string of films that helped define independent cinema in the 1990s, including "Shakespeare in Love" and "Pulp Fiction."

London's Metropolitan Police and Los Angeles prosecutors have said they are reviewing accusations of sexual assault against him.

However, maintaining his innocence, Weinstein, whose career has been left in tatters, has always denied non-consensual sex.&nbsp;

The 66-year-old producer, whose career imploded in a blaze of accusations from dozens of women that sparked a nationwide reckoning about sexual misconduct, could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein on Tuesday pleaded not guilty in a New York courtroom to rape and sexual assault charges related to crimes allegedly committed against two women. The 66-year-old producer, whose career imploded in a blaze of accusations from dozens of women that sparked a nationwide reckoning about sexual misconduct, could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Meanwhile, on Wednesday (local time), the 66-year-old was indicted on charges of rape in the first and third degrees, and criminal sexual act in the first degree. Scores of women have come to fore and accused Weinstein of a wide array of misconduct, which ranges from harassment to rape, over decades. Weinstein remains out on $1 million cash bail ordered by a judge last Friday. Weinstein surrendered his US passport and agreed to wear a monitoring device that tracks his location, confining him to the states of New York and Connecticut. The accusations, first reported last year by the New York Times and the New Yorker, gave rise to the #MeToo movement, in which hundreds of women have publicly accused powerful men in business, government and entertainment of sexual misconduct. Actresses who have publicly accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct include Uma Thurman, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and Salma Hayek. Once a fixture of elite Manhattan and Los Angeles society, Weinstein has been ostracized since the accusations became public. He went to Arizona for sex addiction therapy. The Weinstein Co's board fired him, the company filed for bankruptcy in March, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expelled him. In years past, the Academy had showered him with Oscars for a string of films that helped define independent cinema in the 1990s, including "Shakespeare in Love" and "Pulp Fiction." London's Metropolitan Police and Los Angeles prosecutors have said they are reviewing accusations of sexual assault against him. However, maintaining his innocence, Weinstein, whose career has been left in tatters, has always denied non-consensual sex.

Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to rape, sex assault charges