International

Barcelona and Real Madrid continue their battle in the last stretch of the Spanish League

The ball rolled again on the football fields of Spain. The Spanish League resumed its activities after a forced stop due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As expected, the battle between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona for the title seems to be on its way to increase its intensity in the last stretch of the Iberian competition.

Barcelona leads the way alone with 65 points from 30 rounds. Real Madrid is second, three points behind. But with a game less. The opportunity to spice up La Liga is there: If Real Madrid beats Real Sociedad on Sunday, they will tie Barcelona at the top of the charts.

After this weekend, only eight matches will be left to close the current Spanish football campaign. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid will have four home games and four away games. Real Madrid’s visit to the Athletic Club’s pitch on Matchday 34 has been described as a tough one. While Barcelona will have tough matches on the 33rd and 34th when they play against Atletico de Madrid and Villarreal.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.

International

EU launches new probe into X over AI-generated fake nude images

The European Commission announced on Monday the launch of a new investigation into the social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, over the generation of fake nude images of minors and women by Grok, its artificial intelligence assistant.

Europe will not “tolerate reckless behavior” by digital platforms, including the creation of “fake nude images of women and children,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in comments to AFP.

“Our position is clear: we will not entrust consent or the protection of children to technology platforms that violate and monetize them,” von der Leyen said. She added that while safeguards already exist, “we must do more to protect citizens, both online and offline.”

The new investigation aims to determine whether X (formerly Twitter) has violated the European Union’s strict digital regulations, which require platforms to protect users from illegal content.

The Commission also decided to expand the scope of an earlier investigation opened in December 2023 against X under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

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Grok includes a feature that allows users to create fabricated nude images based on real photographs of underage individuals or adult women, raising serious concerns over user safety and compliance with EU law.

International

Rights group says nearly 6,000 killed in Iran protest crackdown

A U.S.-based human rights group said on Monday that it has confirmed the deaths of nearly 6,000 people during protests that have been harshly suppressed in Iran, where the United States has not ruled out a military intervention.

The demonstrations rocking the Islamic Republic began in late December over the rising cost of living, but quickly evolved into a broader movement against the theocratic regime established after the 1979 revolution. Human rights groups have accused Iranian authorities of firing directly at protesters and blocking internet access since January 8 to conceal the scale of the crackdown.

Despite the unrest, clerical leaders remain in power, while opponents of the system increasingly view foreign intervention as the most likely catalyst for change.

U.S. President Donald Trump has kept the option of military intervention on the table, announcing that Washington has dispatched a U.S. Navy fleet to the region.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded on Monday, warning it would react “forcefully” to any act of “aggression.”

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Non-governmental organizations monitoring the death toll said their work has been hampered by the internet blackout, and cautioned that official figures are likely far lower than the real number of victims.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the United States, reported that it has verified 5,848 deaths, including 209 members of the security forces.