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Vinicius Junior: Four people sentenced over effigy of Real Madrid star

By in News, World News

Four people have been handed suspended jail sentences of between 14 and 22 months by a Madrid court after being found guilty of a hate crime related to an effigy of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, Spain’s La Liga has said.

“The defendant who posted the video online received a special disqualification from working in education, sports, or recreational youth settings for four years and three months, while the others received three years and seven months,” a La Liga statement said on Monday.

They were all involved in hanging a banner reading “Madrid hates Real” and an inflatable black effigy in a replica of the Brazilian’s number 20 T-shirt on a bridge before a Copa del Rey match against Atletico Madrid in January 2023.

According to the ruling, one defendant was sentenced to 15 months in prison for a hate crime and an additional seven months for making threats, having distributed images of the act online. The other three were sentenced to seven months in prison for hate crimes and seven months for threats.

They will not serve prison time, however, after all four signed a letter of apology to Vinicius, Real Madrid, La Liga and the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

The first defendant was also fined 1,084 euros ($1,257) and the other three 720 euros ($835), with additional punishments including a 1km (0.6 miles) restraining order from Vinicius, his home and workplace, and a ban on approaching football stadiums during La Liga or RFEF matches.

They will all be required to participate in an educational programme on equal treatment and non-discrimination for the prison sentences imposed to be suspended.

There was no immediate confirmation from the court and no immediate reaction from Vinicius, who is currently playing in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

It is the fourth time that La Liga has filed complaints for hate crimes directed against Vinicius Jr [File: Denis Doyle/Getty Images]

Victim of repeated racial abuse

La Liga has filed complaints about various incidents of racial abuse and threats against the Brazilian international in recent years.

On June 10, 2024, three Valencia football fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for hate crimes directed against Vinicius in May 2023 in what was the first conviction for racist insults in a football stadium in Spain.

Last September, a Spanish court sentenced a Mallorca fan who racially abused Vinicius in February 2023, and former Villarreal player Samuel Chukwueze a week later, to a year in prison and issued a three-year stadium ban.

Benue Killings Affect Nigeria’s Image Negatively — NUJ

By in News, Nigeria News

The Nigerian Union of Journalists has condemned the recent attacks in Yelwata, Benue State, which claimed several lives, saying that such incidents tarnish Nigeria’s image globally.

In a statement on Monday, the NUJ said that the world had been horrified by the killings in the state in the past few days.

“These killings, in Yelwata, Guma local government council, are coming on the heels of other violent tragedies that have led to the gruesome loss of lives. The capacity of incidences such as this to erode public confidence in the nation-state, and negatively impact the international image of Nigeria cannot be overstated,” the statement read in part.

READ ALSO: Expert Blames Benue Killings On Porous Borders, System Failures

While noting that the security of lives and property is the most basic responsibility of the government, the union lamented that this has proven to be a very difficult task for successive governments in the last 15 years.

It wondered how a country that sacrificed the lives of its soldiers to ensure lasting peace abroad, now lacks the will and ability to defend the homestead.

It said, “Nigeria needs her citizens to believe in her capacity to keep them safe and secure. This is the most basic of all enshrined responsibilities of the state. Section 14 (2)(b)of the 1999 Federal Constitution as amended makes an uncompromising declaration on the primary duty of the state to keep her citizens safe.

“Sadly, in the past 15 years, various governments across political lines have struggled ineffectively to fulfill this crucial obligation. As we have maintained in previous lamentations on the killings of our peoples from the North, East, South, and West of our geopolitical space, we refuse to believe that the Nigerian state has lost the ability to protect both her territories and her people.”

The union also said that it refused to believe that a country that sacrificed the lives of her soldiers to ensure lasting peace abroad in Liberia and Sierra Leone now lacked the will and ability to defend the homestead.

World Cup win can grow darts in NI – Gurney

By in News, Sports News
Getty Images
David Mohan
BBC Sport NI journalist

Daryl Gurney says he hopes his and Josh Rock’s victory for Northern Ireland in the World Cup of Darts in Germany can help “push on” the sport, but admits their triumph “hasn’t sunk in”.

The pair won a thrilling last leg to beat Wales 10-9 and be crowned world champions for the first time.

They were forced to regroup following four missed darts to wrap up the win when 9-8 ahead as Welsh pair, Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, took advantage to level.

Gurney kept his cool in the decider to nail double eight and seal the £80,000 first prize amid emotional scenes and he hopes their achievement will help inspire the next generation.

“If me and Josh can help push on darts, it would be brilliant, but we’ve always had a brilliant standard of players,” said Gurney.

“With Josh coming through and me winning in previous years, I feel as though more people are taking the chance on not just playing the game, but managers are taking note of Irish players and sponsoring them to give them that chance.

Gurney tips Rock to become world champion

Gurney was speaking on Monday as he prepared to head for home and admitted there was no time for wild celebrations on Sunday night.

Following victory over South Africa on Saturday, the pair had to come through matches against the Republic of Ireland and Germany earlier on Sunday, before beating Wales in the decider.

It provided a mental test but Gurney commended his playing partner, whom he is tipping to reach the very top of the sport.

“Josh was immense, the best player in the competition for me,” he said.

“His scoring was unreal, he pumped them in at perfect times. He has been on fire all year, a future world champion, future major champion and just a pleasure to play with him. He made my job a lot easier.

“We made the decisions together. He wanted to throw first and I was more than happy to let him do that.”

Hitting the double eight to seal victory was a sweet moment for Gurney who had been waiting since the 2018 Players Championship for a third major title.

Out of the four players in the final, Gurney is the lowest ranked, so there were some nerves as he got ready to take out the match-winning double eight.

Related topics

  • Darts
  • Northern Ireland Sport

Love Island winners Cara De La Horde and Nathan Massey admit they broke major villa rule

By in Entertainment News, News

EXCLUSIVE: Love Island power couple Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey, who won the 2016 series, have opened up about their time in the villa and revealed how things have changed

Cara and Nathan are opening up on their time on the show almost 10 years later(Image: Getty Images for Asda)

Love Island icons Cara De La Hoyde, 34, and Nathan Massey, 33, are lifting the lid on what really went down during their time in the villa – and it’s safe to say, things have changed a lot since they won the show in 2016.

Straight in with the juicy stuff – Cara revealed she was actually told off for not wearing makeup. “Yeah! I got told off for not wearing makeup. These girls now are so glam – dressed to the nines!” she told us. As for villa fashion, the girls were in such a rush and had little to “no budget” they ended up sharing clothes, including their bikinis.

“We didn’t realise how long we’d be there, I spent a few quid on £10 dresses but we ended up sharing bikinis” she adds. Nathan confessed, “I borrowed money off my dad and went crackers buying stuff in Zara.”

Cara and Nathan
Cara and Nathan won the show in 2016(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

It’s no surprise they think the show’s tougher now. “It’s changed so much. I don’t think I could handle it today – it’s more ruthless and scary now,” Cara admits. “I don’t take myself seriously enough… people would be like, ‘Is she okay?’” Nathan reckons he’d still be fine: “I talk to everyone all the time.”

One of the biggest changes? Contestants are way more clued up now. “100%. We were 10 seasons ago, and the pressure now is mad. We didn’t even have TikTok!” Cara says. “We just thought we might get a few PAs and then go back to work.”

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While the show’s big boss Mike Spencer confirmed that meal times will be shown, a stark contrast to previous years, Cara revealed what meal times were like for them. “Meal times were strict – they’d change your mic battery so you couldn’t talk,” Cara reveals. “Back then, we had time off-camera. But now the show is so big and public, it’s different.”

Now married since 2019 with two kids – Freddie, 6, and Delilah, 3 – they’re still going strong. “Laughter,” Nathan says, when asked what keeps them together. “We take the mick out of each other and remember we’re a team.” More kids? “Nope, two and done! We’ve got one of each, and that’s enough.”

As for reality TV? “My ultimate goal is SAS,” Nathan says. Cara’s got her eye on Strictly: “I did dance school when I was younger.” And if Real Housewives of Essex ever came calling? “I don’t dress up enough! But a school-run version in Kent? There’s loads of Love Island mums down here. I’m in!”

When it comes to this year’s Love Island, Cara’s already got her favourites. “Megan and Tommy – they’ve got that spark like past great couples like Amber and Kem, Cara and Nathan, Jack and Dani, Jon and Hannah. They will go all the way.” Let’s wait and see!

Love Island series 12 has already surprised islanders and viewers with twists and turns, including already dumping two islanders, but the villa is about to explode in a new teaser for the upcoming episode. After seeing three new bombshells enter the ‘boys night out’, the girls are fuming and it could be the last bump in the road for some couples.

The boys left the villa earlier in the day for drinks, but what they didn’t know was that the girls would be watching their every move on a giant TV back in the main villa. Shortly after they all established where they stood in their relationship, three new bombshells entered and caused a stir for the girls watching.

Cara, Nathan and their two children
The pair are now proud parents to two children

The three bombshells include 24-year-old teaching assistant Malisha from Broxbourne, Commercial Banking Executive Yasmin, 24, and Insurance Development Executive Emily, 24, from Aberdeen.

After the girls watched the other half of their couple flirt with the new bombshells, Helena was not best pleased and said: “My man basically saying I’m a massive red flag because of something I’ve done in the past and I’m a big party girl…?” Alima responds: “Double standards”. Helena continues and says, “I’m raging about the disrespect.”

But they don’t have long to debrief about the boys as suddenly their one-on-one dates start playing on the big screen and they rush back to secretly listen in to more chats.

Later, the boys and bombshells return to the Villa and spot the huge screen and quickly realise what’s been happening. The boys aren’t happy, to say the least, about the girls being a fly on the wall during their chats, as Dejon says, “boys chat stays in the boys chat!” Not on Love Island, Dejon!

* Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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IAEA warns Israel-Iran conflict threatens nuclear facilities, diplomacy

By in News, World News

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has warned that escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran, now in a fourth day, pose grave dangers to diplomacy and nuclear safety and has urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint.

Speaking at an emergency session of the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors on Monday in Vienna, Director General Grossi stressed that the region is at a critical juncture.

“Military escalation threatens lives, increases the chance of a radiological release with serious consequences for people and the environment, and delays indispensable work towards a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon,” Grossi said.

The IAEA chief’s remarks came amid growing concern that the conflict could permanently damage efforts to revive nuclear talks with Tehran, already strained by years of mistrust and United States President Donald Trump’s torpedoing of the 2015 nuclear accord brokered by world powers with Iran.

Nuclear sites damaged

Grossi also delivered a technical update on the status of Iranian nuclear facilities after Israeli bombardments.

Natanz, Iran’s main uranium enrichment plant, was among the sites hit on Friday. While its underground section was spared a direct strike, Grossi warned that vital equipment may have been damaged due to a power outage triggered by the attack.

He noted that radiation levels outside the facility remained normal and, critically, there was no evidence of contamination spreading beyond the site.

“The level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels, indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event,” he said.

In addition to Natanz, four nuclear installations in Isfahan province were also damaged. However, the Fordow enrichment site, the Bushehr nuclear power plant and a reactor still under construction appeared unaffected.

IAEA personnel remain on the ground in Iran and are ready to resume full monitoring once the security situation allows, Grossi said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s government is facing pressure at home to take a harder line. A bill reportedly being prepared in parliament could pave the way for Iran to exit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, a move that would deal a severe blow to global nonproliferation efforts.