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Luis Rubiales to stand trial over World Cup kiss

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Luis Rubiales, the former head of the Spanish football federation, is facing trial for sexual assault and coercion stemming from an incident involving Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso. The incident occurred during a World Cup match against England last year when Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent, sparking widespread controversy.

Rubiales, who resigned from his position following the incident, maintains his innocence, claiming the kiss was consensual. However, Hermoso and her teammates have stated otherwise, describing the kiss as unwanted and demeaning.

In addition to Rubiales, three other individuals associated with the women’s national team are also facing charges of coercion for allegedly pressuring Hermoso to claim the kiss was consensual. If convicted, each could face up to 18 months in jail.

The trial is set to take place at the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid, although the date has not yet been confirmed. Rubiales has been ordered to pay a bail of €65,000 for his sexual assault charge, with an additional bail for the coercion charge to be posted jointly with the other defendants.

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Spain’s LGBT matador: ‘More will come out because of me’

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Mario Alcalde, Spain’s first openly LGBT matador, believes that more bullfighters will follow his example after he revealed he is pansexual. He sees his coming out as a spontaneous decision, driven by his artistic nature.

While bullfighting is deeply entrenched in Spanish culture, it remains a controversial blood sport, banned in many places. Despite criticism, Alcalde embraces his identity and aims to establish a meeting place for bullfighting supporters within Madrid’s LGBT+ community.

While some welcome this intersection, others view bullfighting as incompatible with progressive values. Audience numbers for bullfights have been declining, but Alcalde remains resolute in defending the tradition, despite its inherent violence towards animals.

He sees bullfighting as a part of life and aims to modernize and diversify it, while opponents hope it becomes a relic of Spain’s past.

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Man Taken Into Custody for Inappropriate Contact with Spanish Reporter During Live Broadcast

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Spanish authorities have apprehended a man on suspicion of sexually assaulting a journalist during a live television broadcast. Isa Balado was reporting on a robbery in Madrid when the man allegedly touched her, which he denied when confronted. The incident was acknowledged by the program’s host, Nacho Abad, who labeled the man an “idiot” and had him appear on camera with Ms. Balado. She expressed her frustration at his inappropriate actions and continued her live report. The man later denied the accusation and even attempted to tickle her head as he walked away.

Police subsequently confirmed the arrest of a man for allegedly assaulting a reporter during a live television show. Mediaset España, the news channel’s owner, expressed support for Ms. Balado and condemned the “absolutely intolerable situation” she endured, firmly denouncing any form of harassment or aggression.

Spain’s Labor Minister, Yolanda Díaz, also condemned the incident, emphasizing that it should not go unpunished and attributing such behavior to machismo, with aggressors showing no remorse in front of the camera.

This incident occurred amidst a broader controversy in Spain following former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales’ controversial kiss with World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso during the Women’s World Cup final, leading to widespread criticism, his subsequent resignation, and legal action over allegations of sexual assault and coercion.

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Severe Rainfall in Spain Leads to Widespread Flooding

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Significant rainfall has triggered major flooding across various parts of Spain, resulting in the issuance of maximum-level red weather alerts in regions such as Madrid, Toledo, and Cádiz. The torrential rain even forced the suspension of Sunday’s Atletico Madrid vs. Sevilla football match.

Residents in Madrid have been urged to stay indoors due to the unusually heavy and exceptional rainfall, with firefighters responding to 190 calls for assistance on flooded roads within the Spanish capital alone. The majority of the rainfall has concentrated in coastal areas around Cádiz, Tarragona, and Castelló.

In Castelló, on the eastern coast, flooding led to a daring rescue mission as firefighters saved a man trapped in his car, surrounded by waist-high floodwaters. In the northeastern city of Alcanar, Tarragona, where 215 liters of rain per square meter fell in a 24-hour period, people have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel.

Witnesses have described the harrowing scenes, such as Juan Carlos Penafiel, who recounted how residents had to use improvised ropes made from towels and bedsheets to rescue two young men stranded in his second-floor apartment as floodwaters rose. Debris and mudslides have affected Spanish roads, and many vehicles have struggled to navigate through the heavily flooded areas.

This extreme weather phenomenon is attributed to a slow-moving storm system known as a “depresión aislada en niveles altos” (Dana). Some train services have been canceled across Spain, and drivers are cautioned against using specific flooded roads in severely affected regions.

These weather events follow a scorching summer in Spain and southern Europe.

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Real Madrid Win First Copa del Rey Since 2014

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Real Madrid claimed the Copa del Rey title after defeating Osasuna in the final in Seville, with Brazilian striker Rodrygo scoring twice to secure victory. Toni Kroos’ deflected shot fell to Rodrygo, who fired in the decisive goal from close range.

Despite a strong performance from Osasuna, who equalized through Lucas Torro, Real Madrid held on for the win. Rodrygo also opened the scoring for Real Madrid after just 106 seconds, marking the fastest goal in a Spanish cup final in 17 years. This victory marks Real Madrid’s first Copa del Rey win since 2014.

Osasuna, backed by nearly 25,000 fans inside the Estadio de La Cartuja, had their chances as they chased a first major trophy in their 103-year history.

They were denied a stoppage-time equaliser when Dani Carvajal produced a last-ditch block to keep out Kike Barja’s side-footed effort.

Los Rojillos, which translates as The Little Reds, had more shots on target (5) than Real (3), but Carlo Ancelotti’s side were ultimately more clinical in front of goal.

Victory for Real delivers a 20th Copa del Rey title as they now turn their attention to Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City.

Ahead of the Copa del Rey final, Osasuna fans flooded Seville with enthusiasm and support, but their team got off to a rocky start on the field. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, who was back in the starting lineup along with four other changes from their previous match, posed a constant threat from the left flank. He set up Rodrygo for the opening goal after just two minutes of play.

Although Osasuna had a chance to equalize soon after, Abde Ezzalzouli missed the target with his chipped effort. Osasuna eventually found the equalizer after the break when Lucas Torro scored against his former club, triggering enthusiastic celebrations among the red half of the stadium. The game was briefly paused due to a pyrotechnic issue involving Osasuna fans.

However, Real Madrid remained dangerous and eventually secured the victory thanks to a deflected shot from Toni Kroos that fell to Rodrygo to score his second goal of the match. With the La Liga title seemingly out of reach, Real Madrid will now focus on their upcoming Champions League match against Manchester City, hoping to welcome back Luka Modric from injury.

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Statue mocking Spain’s ex-king Juan Carlos appears in Madrid

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In Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square, a small sculpture of former King Juan Carlos has appeared, depicting him holding a rifle aimed at a larger statue of a bear, which is an emblem of Madrid. The former king has been criticized for his love of hunting, which the sculpture seems to be mocking. The sculpture was placed by Chilean artist Nicolás Miranda, and was made from polyurethane.

It was only on display for 10 minutes, but photos of it have been widely shared on social media and in Spanish media.

The art installation brought back memories of controversies involving Juan Carlos’s reign, such as accusations that he shot a tame bear while on a hunting trip in northern Russia in 2006, and photos of him posing in front of a dead elephant during a hunting trip to Botswana in 2012, which caused his approval rating to plummet.

The recent art installation in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square mocking former King Juan Carlos comes at a time when he is facing increasing public criticism. He recently made a brief visit to his home country, Spain, which was only his second visit since he moved to Abu Dhabi in 2020 amidst ongoing corruption investigations. During his visit, which lasted less than a week, he participated in a yacht race in Sanxenxo on the north-west coast. Although inquiries into his finances were dropped last year due to insufficient evidence, prosecutors have now stated that they have discovered several irregularities.

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Madrid to reimpose certain restrictions to prevent second wave

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The Spanish capital of Madrid is planning to reimpose certain lockdown restrictions to prevent a rise in Covid-19.

In the recent past, the continent of Europe has witnessed a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases.

From day after tomorrow onwards, around 850,000 people in the Madrid region will face limits on travel. They will also face some restrictions on sizes of groups.

Spain is one of the worst affected countries in the continent of Europe. In Spain, Madrid is the most affected city.

It is said that the new policy is essential as many northern hemisphere countries are now bracing for a second wave of the pandemic as winter approaches.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned the continent against the relaxed attitude.

Many experts warn that the countries should stay vigilant at least until an effective vaccine reaches market.  

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Protest breaks out in Spain over new face mask rule

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A huge protest has been organised in Spain against measures imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 outbreak. Hundreds of people have participated in the protest. They have raised their voice against the mandatory use of facemasks.

Since the three-month lockdown period introduced to curb the spread of the disease reached its end, the country has witnessing a consistent rise in the infection rate.

In the initial stage, face masks were made mandatory to customers of public transport. Later, it was extended to all.

It seems that people are not in a mood to tolerate the restrictions anymore. Spain is not the only country which has witnessed this kind of protest. Several other European countries have witnessed similar protest.

Spain is one of the worst affected country in the continent. It is not wise to accept the demand of protesters. It may lead to further increase in the number of cases in the country.

The country recently introduced a new set of restrictions. It imposed a ban on smoking in public.

It is believed that the restrictions are necessary to keep the virus load to the lowest in the country.  

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