Spain News Headlines Auscast Network

These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Monday April 10, 2023
A British man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Spain after his wife fell from a balcony in the popular tourist destination of Benidorm. The 36-year-old woman is said to be in critical condition after plunging six storeys from their hotel late on Saturday night. Emergency services were called and the man, aged 40, was taken into custody while police investigate the circumstances of the fall. The couple were staying at the Rio Park hotel and the man will appear before a judge in a private preliminary hearing to determine if he will be held in custody or released pending further investigations.
Spain's Jon Rahm has won the 87th Masters at Augusta National, paying tribute to the late Seve Ballesteros in the process. On what would have been Ballesteros' 66th birthday, Rahm became the fourth Spanish winner at Augusta National after Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia. Rahm's father took up golf after watching Ballesteros captain Europe to victory in the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama, and Rahm believes that without that experience, he may not be where he is today. Rahm finished 12 under par, four shots clear of Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka. Rahm's final par was very much a Seve par, unintentionally testifying to the late golfer's influence on his game.
New research suggests that people were getting high on hallucinogenic drugs in Spain as far back as 3,000 years ago. Scientists found that hair from a burial site in Menorca contained substances derived from plants and bushes, and that these substances would have induced delirium and hallucinations. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, provide Europe's oldest direct evidence of people taking hallucinogenic drugs. The substances were found at the Es Càrritx cave, a ritual and funerary site for about 600 years, until 800 BCE. Researchers believe that the substances may have been used as part of rituals held at the cave, potentially involving shamans who could control the side-effects of the drugs.
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These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Saturday April 8, 2023
A disturbing case has emerged in the Madrid town of Colmenar Viejo, where a well-known and respected doctor and his wife have been arrested for physically punishing and malnourishing their eight children, and confining them to a filthy room. The father, who works at a Madrid hospital, is alleged to have abused his wife as well. The children were being cared for by the state and the mother has been served with a restraining order. The arrests followed a teacher’s report that the children had missed a lot of school, and that the father mistreated the mother, who also allegedly neglected the children. The state of the entire house was described as “shocking” with the only clean room being the father’s office.
Heineken, the Dutch beer company, has announced that it will be launching Spain's top-selling draught beer, Cruzcampo, in pubs across the UK. The beer, which is brewed in Britain, will only be available on tap and will be exclusively sold in pubs. Cruzcampo has gained popularity in Spain due to its attractive low price, and Heineken claims that it has all the advantages of Spanish premium beers at an affordable price, making it a great quality experience for consumers. The launch of Cruzcampo will continue Heineken's commitment to supporting the on-trade, which is important in these times of financial uncertainty. To celebrate its launch in the UK, Cruzcampo is running a promotion in bars across the country until May 14, offering the chance for one lucky winner to host a massive Spanish fiesta in their pub, complete with authentic food, entertainment, and of course, lager.
The City of Málaga has set its sights on becoming Africa's sustainable tourism mentor. The city's bid to host Expo 2027 is based on sharing sustainable tourism practices with several African countries, which would benefit from Malaga's 30-year transformation from one of the "ugliest, dirtiest, and worst cities in the world" to a cultural and heritage tourism hub. Málaga's head of tourism, Jonathan Gomez Punzon, said the city had demonstrated advanced sustainable tech initiatives, which he outlined as part of its proposed Expo 2027 bid project. This could lead to a successful bid and, ultimately, the first Expo hosted in Africa.
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These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Thursday April 6, 2023
Spanish authorities have arrested a Ukrainian and a Russian on suspicion of smuggling military aeronautical equipment to Russia, defying an EU embargo linked to the Ukraine war. The suspects were arrested in the northern Basque Country in an operation by police and customs investigators to stop an "imminent" shipment to Russia. The suspects were running a Spanish company that was evading existing export controls, thereby committing a smuggling offence. Investigators discovered a network to supply military equipment to Moscow's aeronautical sector with a "profound knowledge of transportation logistics." The network had designed a sophisticated system of international customs documentation that allowed it to ship goods "to countries not facing an embargo when in reality the destination was Russia." The raid resulted in the seizure of documentation, computer equipment, and two high-end vehicles.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has stressed the importance of his side putting in a complete performance in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Barcelona. The Spanish giants trail 1-0 from last month's first leg, but Ancelotti has said that his team must remain calm and play a complete game with and without the ball. While Real have lost their last three games against Barca, Ancelotti believes his team can win without changing their system, saying small details are where they can surprise their opponents. Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has warned his team to be cautious of a "hurt" Madrid side seeking revenge.
Spanish TV star Ana Obregón has revealed that her surrogate baby was fathered by her late son, who died of cancer at the age of 27. In an interview with ¡Hola! magazine, Obregón explained that her son's final wish was to have a child of his own, and before his death, he had stored a sample of his sperm in New York. The birth mother who carried the baby is reportedly a woman of Cuban origin living in Florida. Obregón's revelation that she had a baby by surrogacy in the US had caused controversy in Spain, where surrogacy is illegal. However, adopting a child born abroad is lawful. Obregón sees herself as the baby's mother, even if she is biologically her granddaughter, and plans to register the baby at the Spanish consulate before flying to Madrid.
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These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Wednesday April 5, 2023
Spain's prime minister, Petro Sanchez, has called for Europe to "re-industrialize" in order to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on third countries for energy and raw materials. This comes as Europe seeks to be more "strategically autonomous" following Russia's war in Ukraine. However, Sanchez emphasized that this push doesn't mean reverting to economic protectionism. He also highlighted the need for the EU to reach out to key regions, such as the Caribbean, Latin America, and nations on its southern periphery. Additionally, the reduction of coal use in energy generation and balancing out the cost of energy between producers and consumers are also a priority. Sanchez's comments came after talks with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who agreed that the EU should seek out alternative energy routes and pivot towards green energy. Both leaders also called for an overall agreement on dealing with migration, which is a key issue for front-line states such as Spain and Cyprus.
Good news for Spain's job market as unemployment fell to its lowest level in March since 2008. The number of people claiming unemployment benefits decreased by 1.6%, or 48,755 people, to 2,862,260. This marks the largest percentage fall for March since 2002. Even with international financial market instability, unemployment fell by 7.93% compared to March 2022, or 246,503 people. The services sector saw the largest decrease in unemployment with 42,789 people (-2.05%) dropping out of the job market, followed by construction, industry, and agriculture. For the first time in nine years, unemployment among young people under 25 also decreased, standing at 215,099. The number of job seekers decreased in all of Spain's Autonomous Communities, except Madrid. In addition, the number of permanent contracts increased by 46.82%, and the average Social Security enrollment gained 206,410 new members, its highest rise in March ever, with the hotel and catering industry seeing the largest influx of new members due to Easter Week hiring.
Spain has officially launched its own national space agency, the Agencia Espacial Española (AEE), with an initial budget of more than €700m. The agency will be based in Seville and will focus on guaranteeing Spain's strategic action in the field of space. This includes technological development and the use of space for areas such as security, Earth observation, geolocation, and telecommunications. Minister for Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, has also made €45m available to fund the development of a domestic microlauncher, which is seen as the commercial future of the space sector. The launch of the Spanish Space Agency is a major boost to the country's spacetech industry and startups such as PLD Space, Zero 2 Infinity, ienai GO, and SATLANTIS.
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These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Tuesday April 4, 2023
In a bid to encourage travel, Spain's main rail operator Renfe has announced that passengers can now apply for a free travel pass that will allow them to travel for free on Cercanías, Rodalies, and Media Distancia services between May 1 and August 31. Users of Renfe's Avant trains can also enjoy a 50% discount on new routes. To obtain the free pass, passengers can use the Rene Cercanías application, Renfe's website, or get it from train stations and vending machines after registering. Passengers will need to pay a deposit of 10 or 20 euros, which is refundable at the end of the four-month period, provided they have taken at least 16 trips. Renfe has implemented certain control measures to prevent abuse of the system, such as allowing only four trips per day on the same route and suspending the pass of passengers who don't cancel unused seats.
Spanish police have arrested 29 people and are investigating another 13 for allegedly scamming tourists out of thousands of euros by renting out non-existent holiday apartments. The operation, dubbed "Rent Scam," was launched after officers noticed a surge in complaints related to fake rentals. The fraudsters reportedly advertised properties they had photographed but did not own on well-known online forums at prices much lower than market rates. The suspects then demanded upfront payments, which were transferred by victims to bank accounts operated by the criminal organisation. The investigation revealed a complex organisation that involved several cells responsible for various steps of the scam. Officers have seized computers, electronic devices and documentation, and blocked more than 75 fraudulent bank accounts.
More than 1,000 staff at the UK passport offices are on strike between April 3 and May 5, which could affect the processing of travel documents for passengers travelling to Spain. The industrial action comes at a crucial time with Easter and two Bank Holiday weekends just around the corner, and the summer season on the horizon. The Public and Commercial union representing passport office workers across the UK has warned that the strike will have a "significant impact" on the processing of travel documents. While the British government has assured that processing should not be unduly delayed, travel experts advise passengers to check their passport expiry dates now and plan ahead to avoid potential bottlenecks. The eight passport offices participating in the strike are in Glasgow, Durham, Liverpool, Southport, Peterborough, London, Newport and Belfast.
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These are the trending news headlines in Spain on Friday March 31, 2023
Spanish police and the Garda’s National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau carried out a joint operation targeting a Sligo gang led by crime boss Barry Young in Alicante, Spain. The searches targeted an international drugs gang with ties to Young, who recently pleaded guilty to directing a criminal organization and is currently awaiting sentencing. The raids were carried out with the support of the Criminal Assets Bureau. Young is regarded as one of the biggest players on the drug scene outside Ireland with ties to major gangs including the ‘Mr Big’ network in Dublin.
The birth of a baby by a 68-year-old actress via an American surrogate has sparked outrage and political debate. Although surrogate pregnancies are banned in Spain, children from such pregnancies born abroad can be registered. The ruling Socialist party has said it will look into toughening legislation covering surrogate pregnancies after it was revealed that soap star Ana Obregon used a surrogate mother in Florida to carry the child. The leftist United We Can coalition partner called surrogate pregnancies a "form of violence against women", while the Socialist Treasury Minister described the practice as "exploitation of a woman's body." The main opposition conservative Popular Party announced that it was open to debating legalizing surrogacy, provided payment was not involved. The fact that it concerned Obregon seemed to generate as much controversy as the issue of surrogacy itself.
The drop in energy prices has led to a rapid fall in inflation rates in Germany and Spain. German consumer prices rose 7.8% YoY on a harmonised basis in March, down from the previous month's rate of 9.3%. However, the figures were still higher than the 7.5% forecast by economists polled by Reuters. Spain's annual inflation rate almost halved to 3.1% for March from 6% the previous month. Despite this, investors are betting that the ECB will have to raise interest rates in May due to the fact that core consumer price inflation, which excludes energy and food prices, has risen in Germany and only slightly fallen in Spain.
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