Spanish state prosecutors have accused Luis Rubiales of sexual assault and coercion for kissing a player on the lips without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final, the country’s prosecutors’ office said Friday.Rubiales, the now-suspended president of the Spanish soccer federation, kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on Aug. 20 in Sydney, Australia.Prosecutors presented a case against Rubiales to Spain’s National Court in Madrid two days after Hermoso formally accused him of sexual assault.According to a sexual consent law passed last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of sexual assault. The new law eliminated the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any unconsented sexual act.Prosecutors added Friday that Rubiales could have committed an act of coercion when, according to Hermoso, he pressured her to speak out in his defense immediately after the scandal erupted regarding his behavior. Rubiales has insisted the kiss was consensual. Hermoso has denied that in statements issued by her and her players’ union.Prosecutors have asked the judge that Rubiales appear before a court to give preliminary testimony.If the National Court judge agrees the hear the case, it would lead to a formal court investigation that will end with a recommendation for the case to either be dismissed or go to trial.Hermoso, a 33-year-old forward, now plays for Mexican club Pachuca after a long career with top Spanish and European clubs, including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid. She returned to her Mexican club on Thursday.The 46-year-old Rubiales faces threats other than a possible criminal trial. He was suspended from his post by Fifa on Aug. 27, a day after he refused to step down when he delivered a defiant speech to the general assembly of his federation in which he said he was victim of a “witch hunt” by “false feminists.” Rubiales was banned from his post for 90 days while Fifa disciplinary judges consider his case. Soccer’s governing body can impose sanctions on individuals ranging from warnings and fines to suspensions from the sport.Rubiales also faces action from the Spanish government. A government legal panel overseeing sports has opened a probe to determine if he abused his authority by kissing Hermoso or tainted the image of Spain with his conduct. He faces being deemed unfit to hold his post for up to two years.Rubiales’ behavior at the final, which included a lewd crotch grab while next to dignitaries including Spain’s queen and teenage princess, combined with his controversial speech have tarnished the Women’s World Cup title and damaged his own federation.Spain’s women’s players have said they won’t play again for their nation until big changes are made in the federation. The federation fired coach Jorge Vilda, but the players have yet to say if they consider that sufficient. Read More Luis Rubiales could face criminal charges after Jenni Hermoso accuses Spanish FA president of sexual assault Dear men, a kiss is never just ‘a kiss’ Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso accuses Luis Rubiales of sexual assault for World Cup kiss

German prosecutors say they have launched an investigation into the alleged assault of a co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party at an election rally

A Florida sheriff says detectives must investigate self-defense claims before any criminal charges can be brought against a white woman who fatally shot her Black neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud

Growing up in Ganado, a small town in Navajo Nation in eastern Arizona, Nikyle Begay always wanted to visit their grandmother’s sheep

The 96-year-old is staying at her Plains, Georgia residence almost six months after it was revealed that she had been diagnosed with dementia

Regional authorities say Russian forces fired cruise missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight, killing at least three people and injuring more than a dozen others

Kodak Black is an artist whose stature in the world of music extends far beyond what his shorter physical stature suggests

Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against a onetime business partner of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn

The couple had faced life in prison on charges of torture but agreed to a plea bargain.

The project under Belt and Road links the capital Jakarta with the economic hub of Bandung.

Christine Dawood was on board a support vessel when she got word that communications had been lost with the Titan submersible carrying her husband and son to see the Titanic wreckage

ROME The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) called on Sunday for the creation of humanitarian corridors to