News Trending

Shakira Faces Second Round of Tax Crime Allegations

By 326 0

Colombian pop sensation Shakira finds herself facing another round of legal troubles as the Spanish government has charged her with tax evasion for the second time. The allegations come from prosecutors in Spain, who claim that the singer defrauded the state of a staggering €6.7 million ($7.1 million, £5.8 million) in 2018.

The charges stem from Shakira’s alleged failure to declare millions in advance payments related to her El Dorado World Tour and other earnings. The Spanish prosecutors initiated this second investigation in July 2023, finally releasing the details to the public.

Shakira, who is now 46 years old, is reportedly aware of the new charges. However, her legal team in Miami, where she currently resides, has not yet been officially notified. Their primary focus has been on preparing for the trial related to the 2012-2014 fiscal years, scheduled to begin on November 20.

The core issue in the new charges revolves around Shakira’s residency in Barcelona with her partner, football star Gerard Piqué, in 2018. Spanish tax authorities argue that she was obliged to declare all her international earnings in Spain at the time. They contend that instead of complying, she diverted her income to “companies domiciled in countries with low taxation and high opacity.”

This is not the first time Shakira has faced such allegations. She already faces a trial over six separate alleged tax crimes in Barcelona this November, where she has been accused of failing to pay €14.5 million ($15.3 million, £12.6 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014. Shakira has consistently denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence in her case, stating in September that she has enough evidence to support her innocence and believes justice will ultimately rule in her favor.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Sports Trending

Spain’s National Team Resumes Participation in Nations League Matches After Boycott Agreement

By 330 0

The majority of Spain’s national football team members have agreed to end their boycott, as confirmed by the Secretary of State for Sports, Victor Francos. This decision was reached after over seven hours of discussions that concluded at 05:00 local time on Wednesday.

Francos stated that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has committed to implementing immediate and significant reforms. Out of the 23 players initially selected for this month’s Nations League matches, two, Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro, have chosen to leave the squad.

The boycott began when the former RFEF president, Luis Rubiales, kissed forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent following Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory over England on August 20. This incident led to Rubiales’ resignation and the dismissal of Spain’s manager, Jorge Vilda.

The Spanish team is scheduled to play against Sweden and Switzerland in their upcoming matches. Francos expressed relief that the team would participate with assurances.

He mentioned that the decision was the result of “amicable” discussions in Valencia involving players, RFEF officials, the CSD (Spanish government’s national sports agency), and the women’s players’ union Futpro. A joint commission will be established to oversee the agreed-upon changes, with the signing set to take place soon.

Leon and Guijarro will not face penalties for their decision to leave, which Francos described as “fully respectable.” They had previously boycotted the national team along with 15 other players before the World Cup, citing issues with Coach Vilda. They did not participate in this year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Regarding the situation, Leon stated, “We already knew this was not the right way to return, and we are not in the right state,” and Guijarro added, “It’s quite difficult and quite hard. Mentally we are not right to be here.”

The new head coach, Montse Tome, included 15 players from the World Cup squad in her selection for the Nations League games, but the players reaffirmed their boycott in a statement, expressing their reluctance to participate and exploring potential legal implications.

Tome excluded Hermoso from the squad “to protect her,” but Hermoso argued that this decision indicated that “nothing has changed” at the RFEF.

The CSD announced the establishment of a commission to oversee the agreed-upon changes, focusing on equality policies, equal pay advancements, and improvements to women’s sports infrastructure.

Furthermore, the RFEF confirmed plans to merge the men’s and women’s Spanish national teams under a single logo and branding known as “Seleccion Espanola de Futbol” (Spanish national team). This move aims to promote equality in football.

Amanda Gutierrez, the president of Futpro, stated that most players had chosen to stay in the interest of the agreement, calling it the beginning of a long journey.

The Spain players arrived at their training camp in Valencia on Tuesday. When asked about her feelings regarding the situation, midfielder Alexia Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, responded, “Well, bad.”

Rubiales has been ordered to stay at least 200 meters away from Hermoso after she filed a legal complaint against him. In his first court appearance, Rubiales denied the allegations of sexual assault.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Sports Trending

Spanish Restraining Order Issued to Luis Rubiales Following World Cup Kiss Incident

By 336 0

A Spanish court has issued a restraining order against Luis Rubiales, the former head of Spain’s football federation, preventing him from approaching footballer Jenni Hermoso within 200 meters.

The order came as the court considers allegations of sexual assault and coercion against Rubiales after he kissed Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory. Rubiales denies the accusations, insisting the kiss was consensual.

He recently resigned from his position, and this incident has cast a shadow over the national team, leading to ongoing disputes and a potential boycott. Prosecutors have submitted charges of sexual assault and coercion, citing pressure on Hermoso to defend Rubiales after the incident.

The case’s outcome may be influenced by Spain’s recent legal reforms regarding consent. Hermoso is set to provide testimony, and videos from the event will be crucial in determining if the case goes to trial.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

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

By 305 0

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.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Spanish Prosecutor Lodges Complaint with High Court Against Luis Rubiales

By 593 0

A Spanish prosecutor has taken legal action against Luis Rubiales, the suspended president of the football federation, on charges of sexual assault and coercion. The case stems from an incident in which Rubiales kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso without her consent following Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory.

Hermoso has filed a formal complaint against the unwanted kiss, prompting the prosecutor, Marta Durantez Gil, to also include a charge of coercion in the complaint submitted to the high court. The prosecutor’s office mentioned that Hermoso claimed that Rubiales and his professional associates had pressured her family to support the incident. The prosecutor is now seeking to question Rubiales as a suspect and Hermoso as the victim in the case.

Additionally, they have requested information from Australian authorities, where the incident occurred. This legal action follows a preliminary investigation initiated by Spanish prosecutors on August 28, which aimed to determine if the incident constituted sexual assault.

The move came in response to Hermoso’s unequivocal statements. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Rubiales has refused to step down as the president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), maintaining that he will not resign and alleging a character assassination campaign against him.

FIFA has provisionally suspended Rubiales and launched disciplinary proceedings in response to the allegations.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subejct to copyright

News Trending

Spanish Boy’s Miraculous Survival After Clinging to Tree During Floods Overnight

By 304 0

A young boy in Spain managed to survive a deadly flood by climbing a tree and holding on throughout the night. His family’s car had been swept away into a river, and tragically, his father remains missing. The 10-year-old is now receiving treatment for hypothermia, as reported by Spanish media.

The devastating floods, caused by record rainfall, have resulted in at least three fatalities and the disappearance of three others in central Spain, according to police. Regions southwest of Madrid were particularly hard-hit, with bridges destroyed and roads transformed into muddy rivers.

The boy’s family was attempting to escape the floodwaters in a rural part of the affected area when their car was swept into the river, explained Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the head of the Madrid region. The young boy spent the entire night clinging to a tree for survival.

While the boy’s mother and sister have been located, rescue efforts are still underway to find his missing father near Aldea de Fresno, one of the three individuals swept away by the heavy rainfall, according to the civil guard police force.

Additionally, three deaths have been confirmed in the Toledo region, situated southwest of Madrid, due to the storm, as stated by the civil guard.

The Spanish weather service, Aemet, recorded record-breaking rainfall of 9cm (3.5in) in the region on Sunday.

Efforts to clean up the aftermath of the floods are ongoing, with residents working to remove mud and debris left in their wake. Regional administrations in Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha have requested that the federal government declare the affected areas as “catastrophe zones,” which would provide government funding for repairing damaged buildings.

In a first-time move, emergency text messages and loud alarms were used to warn residents about the storm on Sunday, and authorities credit people adhering to advice to stay at home and leave their vehicles behind for helping rescue services manage the thousands of calls they received.

This disaster in Spain follows an intense summer heatwave, with climate scientists warning that global warming leads to more water evaporation during the summer, resulting in more severe storms.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Severe Rainfall in Spain Leads to Widespread Flooding

By 276 0

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.

News Sports Trending

Spanish FA President’s Mother Initiates Hunger Strike Due to Controversial Kiss Dispute

By 271 0

Amidst the controversy surrounding the Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales, his mother has commenced a hunger strike as a protest against what she perceives as an unjust campaign targeting her son.

The controversy stemmed from Rubiales’ kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso during Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory. Angeles Bejar, Rubiales’ mother, has taken refuge in a church in Motril and has declared her hunger strike to be an indefinite, continuous effort.

Rubiales has been criticized and faced calls for his resignation due to the incident. Despite his refusal to step down, he was suspended by FIFA. The media has congregated outside the church in Motril, where Rubiales grew up, as Bejar expresses her frustration with the unwarranted scrutiny her son is facing.

The Spanish government has requested the suspension of Rubiales via the Spain’s Sports Tribunal, and the Spanish Football Federation has called for an urgent meeting to assess the situation. FIFA has also instructed Rubiales, the federation, and its members to refrain from contacting Hermoso, who had earlier been threatened with legal action by the federation.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Queen Letizia of Spain to be present at World Cup final against England

By 300 0

Queen Letizia of Spain is set to travel to Australia to witness the World Cup final between England and Spain in Sydney on Sunday. Notably, no British royals will be present at the event.

The match marks the first-ever final appearance for both England’s Lionesses and the Spanish team in the women’s tournament. Although Prince William, the President of the Football Association, will support the England team from the UK, he has opted out of making the long-distance journey to Australia due to his focus on climate change concerns.

In contrast, Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter, Infanta Sofia, will be attending the final, while King Felipe will be engaged in official obligations and won’t accompany them. The Royal Spanish Football Federation confirmed the queen’s participation, mentioning her prior visit to the team during training where she delivered a speech to the players and coaching staff.

Similarly, Prince William interacted with the Lionesses during training and awarded manager Sarina Wiegman an honorary CBE. Despite his absence from the event, Prince William is expected to watch the final on television. Both Prince William and King Charles conveyed their congratulations to the teams on their achievements and extended their best wishes for the upcoming final match.

Notably, England’s women had previously been awarded their medals by Prince William after winning the European championship, while Queen Elizabeth II had attended England’s men’s team’s World Cup final victory in 1966.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright