Page 14 – Texas Weekly Online

Spanish court overturns ex-footballer Dani Alves’ rape conviction on appeal

Alves had been found guilty in February 2024 of raping a women in a Spanish nightclub in December 2022. Former Barcelona player Dani Alves won his appeal against a sexual assault conviction as a Spanish court overturned the ruling. Alves was found guilty in February 2024 of raping a woman in a nightclub in December 2022 and sentenced to four years, six months in prison. The former Brazil and Barcelona defender denied wrongdoing during the three-day trial. That court ruled Friday that there was “insufficient evidence” to rule out Alves’s presumption of innocence. The Alves trial was the first high-profile case since Spain overhauled its laws in 2022 to make consent central to defining a sex crime, in response to an upswell of protests after a gang-rape case during the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona in 2016. The legislation popularly known as the “only yes means yes” law defines consent as an explicit expression of a person’s will, making it clear that silence or passivity do not equal consent. But the four judges of a Barcelona-based appeals court ruled unanimously to overturn the conviction. In their ruling, they wrote that the testimony of the plaintiff “differed notably” from evidence of video footage taken before the woman and Alves entered the toilet where she said he forced her to have sex without her consent. Former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves leaving the Brians 2 prison on bail in March 2024 while he appealed his rape conviction [Bruna Casas/Reuters] Alves, now 41, was kept in jail from January 20, 2023 until March 2024 when he was released after paying $1.2m for bail while awaiting his appeal. He also handed over his passports, with prosecutors having argued against releasing him on bail because of a possible flight risk. Advertisement Prosecutors wanted his prison sentence increased to nine years while the victim’s lawyer wanted him to stay behind bars for 12 years. This decision could be appealed to the Spanish Supreme Court in Madrid. Alves was one of the most successful players of his generation and won dozens of titles with elite clubs including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. He also helped Brazil win two Copa Americas and an Olympic gold medal at age 38. He played at his third World Cup, the only major title he hasn’t won, in 2022. He played for Barcelona from 2008-16, helping the team win three Champions Leagues and six Spanish leagues, and briefly rejoined the club in 2022. He still has a residence near the city. He was with Mexican club Pumas when he was arrested. Pumas terminated his contract immediately. Adblock test (Why?)

Russia suffers ‘heavy losses’ in east Ukraine amid shaky limited ceasefire

Russia and Ukraine appeared to have stopped targeting each other’s energy infrastructure this week, although the details of an agreement reached on Sunday were still being worked out. “I can confirm that since this date, March 25 … there have been no attacks on energy objects. Neither Russian attacks on our energy objects, or our attacks on Russian energy objects,” Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told the Kyiv Independent on Thursday. In reaching the partial ceasefire agreement, the United States appeared to abandon the comprehensive ceasefire proposal it agreed with Ukraine on March 11. Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected it a week later during a phone call with US President Donald Trump, and negotiated a vaguely defined ceasefire on energy and infrastructure instead, to which Ukraine was not a party. (Al Jazeera) The US brought Ukraine on board with the smaller agreement in Jeddah after shuttling between Ukrainian and Russian negotiating teams. Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had said on Sunday evening that “a ceasefire in our energy sector can begin today”. Russia earlier accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire. “Despite Zelensky’s public statement … the [Kyiv] regime continued to strike at the energy infrastructure of the Russian Federation,” said Russia’s Ministry of Defence. It accused Ukraine of launching two attack drones over Crimea on Wednesday night targeting an underground gas storage facility, and of launching another drone against a high-tension power line in the Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk, causing a cascade of blackouts. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces denied those attacks. “The military department of the aggressor country spreads false and groundless accusations in order to prolong the war,” they said. The governors of Crimea, Kursk and Bryansk did not report Ukrainian UAVs in their airspace, as they usually do. Russia has been on a diplomatic messaging offensive over the past 10 days, accusing Ukraine of violating ceasefires it had not agreed to. On Friday it accused Ukraine of blowing up a gas measuring station in Sudzha, in Russia’s Kursk region. (Al Jazeera) Ukraine’s General Staff said Sudzha was “shelled by the Russians themselves” in a “campaign to discredit Ukraine”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov fired back. Ukraine’s denial “shows how much one can trust the Kyiv regime”, he said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova piled on, too. Ukraine has “already violated the truce proposed by the United States with an attack on the Russian power facility. Now the question is how Washington will continue to be managed with the ‘mad terrorist scum’.” Advertisement Sudzha is the point where a major Russian gas pipeline crosses into Ukraine. The pipeline was essentially defunct after Russia drastically reduced gas flows to Europe in 2022, and was completely shut down on December 31, when a transit contract between Russia and Ukraine expired. Ukraine had abundant opportunity to destroy or shut down Russian gas pipelines crossing its territory throughout three years of war but has not done so. Russia says Ukraine wants to ‘thwart’ peace plans Russia’s messaging on the unreliability of Ukraine has been a consistent theme during the war, and has intensified in recent days in an apparent effort to undermine Ukraine’s negotiating position. For example, after Putin rejected the comprehensive ceasefire in favour of a partial one on March 18, the Kremlin announced unilaterally that the ceasefire was immediately taking effect for 30 days, without Ukrainian agreement. Two days later, Zakharova accused Kyiv of violating the ceasefire by attacking the Engels air force base in Russia. “[Kyiv] wants to thwart peace initiatives, including those put forward by Trump, by attacking Russian energy facilities,” Zakharova said. Zelenskyy’s government “showed a complete lack of political will for peace”, she said. That attack targeted ammunition, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Thursday. It resulted in the destruction of 96 air-launched cruise missiles from secondary detonations. The missiles were to have been used in three air raids against Ukraine in March and April, the staff said. Russia’s Defence Ministry, on the other hand, admitted to striking Ukrainian energy facilities on the first night of Putin’s unilateral ceasefire, and on the following night. (Al Jazeera) One aspect of the March 18 phone call did demonstrably work – Russia and Ukraine exchanged 175 prisoners of war each, and Russia returned to Ukraine an additional 22 hospitalised soldiers. Advertisement But Russia kept up its messaging even on Sunday. As the agreement was announced, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denounced Zelenskyy in an interview with Russia’s Channel One, saying, “We cannot take this man at his word.” That same day, Russia attacked Ukraine with an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 139 Shahed drones. Ukraine shot down 78 of them and disoriented 34 electronically. But other Russian attacks were deadly. Three people were killed in a drone strike in Kyiv on Saturday, including a father and his five-year-old daughter. A family of three were killed in a drone strike in Zaporizhia on Friday. The White House did not respond to Russian assertions, spending the week in a defensive crouch after its top national security officials were revealed to have discussed operational defence plans against Yemeni Houthis on a commercial platform, and inadvertently included a journalist in that discussion. EU and US far apart on ceasefire terms Ukrainian and Russian technical teams were reportedly ironing out aspects of Sunday’s agreement, after separate Russian, Ukrainian and US statements that did not align. In addition to banning strikes on energy infrastructure, the White House said, the agreement aimed to secure safe navigation in the Black Sea and “help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports”. Russia went further, saying the agreement could only come into force if sanctions were lifted against Russian shipping and agricultural machinery. Advertisement Zelenskyy denied the US and Ukrainian teams had agreed on Russian access to grain and fertiliser markets. “We believe that this is a weakening of positions and a relaxation of sanctions,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday. “This was not on our

Duterte supporters mark ex-Philippine leader’s 80th birthday with rallies

Thousands gather in the southern city of Davao for one of 200 rallies held across the Philippines and The Hague. Family and supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte have held rallies across the Philippines to mark his 80th birthday and to protest his detention in The Hague where he faces a charge of crimes against humanity over his deadly war on drugs. Police on Friday told the AFP news agency that they blocked a convoy of at least 100 motorcycle riders near the Philippine presidential palace, in the capital city Manila, brandishing posters that read “Bring Him Home”. In the southern city of Davao, thousands of the ex-president’s supporters massed for a candle-lit rally, one of more than 200 birthday gatherings demanding his release. “Almost all Filipinos love him and are very sad for him now,” 44-year-old supporter Darbie Bula told AFP. Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, his eldest daughter, who has been in The Hague since shortly after his arrest on March 11, said the support “makes the challenges he is facing today more bearable”. Outside the detention centre in The Hague, hundreds gathered with a sound system blasting music, punctuated by calls for Duterte’s release. Advertisement “We hope that he will be back in the Philippines as soon as possible,” organiser Aldwin Villarta said. “I don’t think that he has a case to answer. I think it’s very unfair for him to be here.” Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s lead defence lawyer, told AFP his client had been made aware of the events in Davao and The Hague. “He was touched by the huge presence of supporters on this milestone birthday and we will work to ensure that he will celebrate future birthdays in their company,” he said via email. Duterte faces a six-month wait inside the United Nations Scheveningen prison before his next scheduled court appearance on September 23. The court session will confirm the charges against him and allow him to contest the allegations. Duterte stands accused of a crime against humanity over his years-long campaign against drug users and dealers that rights groups said killed as many as 30,000 people. Chief ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has disclosed 181 unspecified items of evidence to the defence. Adblock test (Why?)

India’s Smartphone Addiction Surges in 2024: 1.1 lakh crore hours spent online, driving social media and OTT expansion

Take a moment and look around when you’re in a metro, bus, or even at a restaurant with family-most people will have their heads down, engrossed in their smartphones. While India’s economy faces challenges like slowing growth and weaker consumer spending, one industry remains unaffected-smartphones and digital platforms. As people spend more time online, social media influencers, businesses, and streaming services are seeing massive profits.

Banking alert: Your ATM withdrawals will soon cost more! RBI allows banks to raise ATM withdrawal fees by THIS amount from…

RBI allows banks to increase ATM withdrawal charges from Rs 21 to Rs 23 per transaction beyond free limits starting May 1, 2025.

Dem candidate caught on camera applauding notorious antisemite’s violent rhetoric: ‘You break his neck’

Progressive Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, one of the top Democratic candidates for New Jersey governor, was caught on video applauding and embracing radical Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan as he calls White people “demons” and calls for violence as retribution. Farrakhan, 91, is a longtime radical antisemite preacher known for making inflammatory statements against Jews, White people and LGBTQ individuals. He has also praised Adolf Hitler as a “great man” and has become one of the most controversial religious figures in the United States due to his derogatory comments about Israel. The video – taken in 2004 at a Newark church – shows Baraka introducing Farrakhan to the congregation by calling him a major personal inspiration and “the leader of every Black person.” The full speech is viewable on the Nation of Islam website. ‘MODERATE’ DEM GIVING REBUTTAL TO TRUMP’S JOINT ADDRESS PROMOTED STAFFER WHO BOOSTED FARRAKHAN “I don’t think that there’s any man today, present today, that has the kind of moral authority or spiritual strength,” Baraka said. “Not president, not community leader, not political international activist, nowhere that has the moral authority, the historical and political framework, that the Minister Farrakhan has, that. Who can stand where he stands and truly say that he is the leader of black people anywhere and everywhere.” During the speech, which was first reported on by the New York Post, Baraka stood to give Farrakhan a standing ovation two times. The first is after Farrakhan denounces the non-violent protests of the civil rights movement, saying, “We didn’t believe in no non-violence. The cracker hit you on your jaw, you break his neck. That’s the way we think.” Baraka applauds again after Farrakhan demonizes White people as “the enemy.” “Now the enemy comes in. You, the Crips, and the Bloods, they’ll send people in to give you rumors about your brother over there. These demons will even kill a policeman and then blame it on you. You dealing with a devil, man. You’re not dealing with righteous people. This cracker is the real devil. And you better wake up and realize that,” said Farrakhan. During the speech, Farrakhan also criticized African Americans joining the military, saying, “I better not catch you in no d— Army uniform fighting for the enemy.” He also disparaged White women in particular and slammed interracial dating. JEWISH ACTIVISTS BLAST ‘SQUAD’ DEM FOR ‘APPALLING’ DEFENSE OF FARRAKHAN MURAL: ‘LACK OF FITNESS TO LEAD’ This was not the last time Baraka hosted Farrakhan and gave him a platform to speak. A Farrakhan-aligned news outlet called The Final Call reported in 2012 that Baraka hosted Farrakhan to give a speech to over 1,000 high school students at Central High School in Newark, where he was principal. The New York Amsterdam News reported in 2017 that as Newark mayor, Baraka organized another Farrakhan address, titled “Separation or Death.” According to the outlet, Farrakhan bashed the United States and the civil rights movement during this address. He also called for African Americans to be given reparations and to break away from the nation to form a separate state. Again in 2018, Essex News Daily reported that Farrakhan gave another speech in Newark, this time directly in support of Baraka, saying, “I came here tonight to stand for my brother; to stand for his mother; to stand for his family; to stand for you. That’s why I’m here tonight.” After the videos resurfaced, Baraka told Jewish Insider that he “will not be bullied or silenced into walking away from the fight for justice.” “I will not be cowed into denouncing my lifelong work for peace, equality, and equity,” Baraka said. “These latest accusations and insinuations aren’t just false—they’re a reflection of the fear my candidacy is provoking in the political establishment.” “The Nation of Islam holds deep respect in many parts of the Black community because of the work they’ve done to reduce violence and support self-determination in neighborhoods that have been ignored and abandoned for generations,” he added. Farrakhan is infamous for his hateful comments against White people and Jews, which have been closely monitored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for several years. The ADL, which has called Farrakhan “one of the most prominent antisemites,” lists dozens of his quotes on its website, including several from past Saviours’ Day speeches. SPLC has classified Nation of Islam as a hate group. NEWARK MAYOR RAS BARAKA CALLS DEFUNDING POLICE A ‘BOURGEOIS LIBERAL’ SOLUTION Fox News Digital has exposed several Democrats in recent years for their embrace of Farrakhan, including multiple pastors, Democrat staffers and left-wing activists, including the left-wing Hip Hop Caucus’ events and fields coordinator Terence Muhammad, Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s top staffer Dr. Terra DeFoe, among others. Baraka’s campaign website calls for voters to “reimagine New Jersey,” as a state “where we come together, regardless of zip code, or race, or gender or nationality.” His website also includes a comment he made to the New Jersey Globe in which he said as governor he would “deconstruct the state budget and reassemble with equity as our north star; judging every decision as either a step towards equity or a step towards inequity.” Baraka did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment by the time of publication.

IRS sharing info with ICE would put illegal immigrants between ‘rock and a hard place’: expert

A potentially historic deal between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could put illegal immigrants in a difficult position, according to one expert. “It is going to discourage those taxpayers from even filing, so it really does put them between a rock and a hard place,” Adam Brewer, a federal tax expert who works for AB Tax Law, told Fox News Digital. The comments come as the IRS and ICE are nearing a deal that would allow ICE to submit the names and addresses of illegal immigrants to the IRS, who could then cross-check those immigrants’ tax records and provide the immigration agency with current address information. ICE NEARING HISTORIC DEAL WITH IRS TO AID IN DEPORTATIONS: REPORT But some longtime IRS employees have expressed concerns about the deal, arguing that the tax agency has long assured the safeguarding of records in exchange for illegal immigrants filing tax returns, something they are required to do by law even though they are not in the country legally. The draft agreement between the IRS and ICE would authorize verification “subject to criminal investigation” for violating immigration law, stretching the definition of a narrow IRS privacy exemption that allows the use of taxpayer data in the case of criminal investigations. The deal comes as President Donald Trump has continued to increase efforts to speed up deportations, following through on one of the key promises he set on the campaign trail. According to Brewer, stretching the definition of criminal investigations to those who entered the country illegally would be an “unprecedented” step for the IRS. COURT ORDER HALTING DEPORTATION FLIGHTS ‘UNCONSTITUTIONALLY IMPEDES’ EXECUTIVE BRANCH, TRUMP ALLIES ARGUE “For the IRS to get involved in criminal investigations, that’s not uncommon,” Brewer said. “They have done a lot of information sharing, historically, with DEA to crack down on drug proceeds, those types of things. I guess the way I’m looking at it is, if illegal immigration itself is the crime, if you look at it through that scope, then yes, it’s pretty unprecedented.” ‘This feels like a deviation from what we’ve known for years … that if you share information with the IRS, it stops there,” he added. Brewer believes that the agreement could also damage the credibility of the IRS, which has built trust by strictly adhering to privacy regulations. “That would be true of any government agency if they had said, ‘Hey, the DMV is going to start turning over your address to ICE.’ You’re going to get less people who register their vehicles or who renew their driver’s license. That’s just the reality,” Brewer said. Brewer noted that a lot of illegal immigrants depend on filing their tax returns as a way to help gain their legal status, but the potential for deportation if their records are shared could dissuade them from going through the process. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The IRS knows and ICE knows that these tax returns are required, and now they’ve really put a big disincentive in front of taxpayers from filing,” Brewer said. But Brewer also acknowledged that in some cases the information the IRS provides could prove to be a critical missing link for immigration authorities, pointing out that the IRS has long assisted other law enforcement agencies on other criminal matters. “If someone just filed a tax return last month for 2024, that address information would be more recent or more likely to be accurate than some immigration document they filed last year,” Brewer said. “If we have the information in one department, you don’t want ICE spending a ton of time and resources trying to track someone down … just for efficiency’s sake, we do want government agencies sharing information.”

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