In Spain, hurricane shuts down airport operations
High winds disrupted operations at Barcelona’s El Prat airport on Thursday and nearby regions are experiencing severe flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa.
At least 47 flights were canceled at El Prat airport and travelers are experiencing delays of up to 90 minutes. Several universities have paused operations until the storm passes.
Residents in Catalonia and nearby regions were warned to stay indoors as extreme weather conditions escalated. Footage shows cars submerged in water, a building damaged after a large tree fell on it and a nearby building that was evacuated out of fear that its roof would collapse.
Barcelona firefighters responded to dozens of emergencies, rescuing at least 16 people trapped in elevators due to power outages and floods.
“In the face of this episode of torrential rains we are experiencing in Catalonia, I continue to ask for maximum caution,” President of Catalonia Salvador Illa wrote in an X post.
Catalonia and other parts of northeastern Spain are now placed on “orange alert” by Meteocat, the region’s meteorological service. The storm is expected to remain throughout the week, with other areas on high alert including Andalucia, Galicia and Aragon.
The flooding comes a year after the region of Valencia was struck by devastating flash floods that killed over 200 people.
In France, Shein suspended for sex doll scandal
France suspended access to the fast fashion platform Shein on Wednesday, after lifelike sex dolls “resembling children” were sold on the website. The retailer’s suspension is set to remain in place until it proves its compliance with French laws.
The suspension was initiated by French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu and halted all Shein online orders made in the 24 hours before the decision. He also ordered the inspection of more than 200,000 packages entering the country by customs officials.
“In order for us to successfully put a stop to what is clearly a noncompliant system with all our standards, rules and tax regulations, we need to have evidence,” French budget minister Amélie de Montchalin said. “Customs officers have it every day. But today, the platform won’t be able to say that the wrong packages were opened, we will open all the packages.”
The scandal comes as Shein opened its first store in the world in Paris, prompting hundreds of protesters to rally outside the store to condemn the company’s labor practices and environmental violations. More than 200 police officers surrounded the department store, where Shein had taken over the top floor to maintain order as dozens of shoppers waited in line for its grand opening.
The Chinese-founded online retailer is slated to open five more locations across France in collaboration with Société des Grands Magasins, a commercial real estate company.
In Argentina, former president’s bribery trial begins
Former president of Argentina Cristina Fernández de Kirchner went to trial on Thursday facing bribery charges from her time in office.
The case, known as the “Notebooks” scandal, is the largest corruption case in Argentina’s history. It involved allegations that former president and government officials accepted bribes from businessmen in exchange for public works government contracts and concessions, which prosecutors estimate could exceed $200 million.
Fernández is joined by 86 other former officials accused of participating in the illicit system. The former president was already convicted in a separate 2022 case called “Vialidad,” involving fraudulent public works contracts. She is serving a six-year house arrest sentence and faces a lifetime ban from public office.
The left-wing politician, who served two presidential terms from 2007 to 2015, has consistently denied all charges and claims she is the victim of political persecution by the far-right.
“Today another judicial show begins,” Fernández wrote in an X post. “It seems that throwing me in jail and banning me for life in the Vialidad case wasn’t enough for them. They need to keep the judicial operetta alive to continue applying pressure and, above all, to distract attention.”
The trial could last up to two years and is taking place virtually. If convicted, Fernández will face between six and 10 years in prison and would likely serve her term under house arrest again.
Contact Leena Ahmed at [email protected].