Andrew Tate loses bid to end detention in Romania

Controversial British-American online influencer Andrew Tate has lost a bid to end his detention in Romania.

Tate was detained alongside his brother Tristan last month as part of an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and rape, which they deny.

Authorities suspect the pair, along with two Romanian nationals, of running "an organised crime group".

Earlier, Mr Tate was seen carrying what appeared to be a copy of the Quran as he walked into Bucharest Appeal Court handcuffed to his brother.

After the arrests on 29 December, police said they had identified six people who were allegedly "sexually exploited" by what it called an "organised criminal group".

Police alleged the victims were "recruited" by the British citizens, who they said misrepresented their intention to enter into a relationship with the victims - which it called "the loverboy method".

They were later forced to perform in pornographic content under threat of violence, a statement alleged.

The Tates' lawyer, Eugen Vidineac, has said his clients rejected all the allegations.

Born in the US before moving to the UK, Mr Tate, 36, went on to have a successful career as a kickboxer.

In 2016, he was removed from the British version of reality TV show Big Brother over a video which appeared to show him attacking a woman. He went on to set up a "webcam business", which he described as "adult entertainment".

He found global notoriety, with Twitter banning him for saying women should "bear responsibility" for being sexually assaulted. He has since been reinstated.

But despite social media bans he gained popularity, particularly among young men, by promoting an ultra-masculine, ultra-luxurious lifestyle.