Stories from Madrid · Spain

The Community of Madrid leads Spain in artificial intelligence usage among companies with more than 10 employees, according to digitalization counselor Miguel López. The adoption rate stands at 30%, which is 9 percentage points above the national average.

The Madrid City Council's plan to eliminate illegal tourist apartments is seeing limited success. According to data from the urban planning department, only 323 apartments were converted back to residential use last year. This follows 293 conversions the previous year, representing a total recovery of approximately 4% of the 15,000 illegal units operating in the capital. The figures were released ahead of the Agency's Governing Council meeting. This action is part of efforts to regulate the housing market. Opposition leaders have criticized the regional government and Mayor Almeida's team for failing to regulate the proliferation of these units.

The Spanish women's football league is estimated to receive approximately 6 million euros in funding. This allocation comes from the 'quiniela' betting revenue, which has seen a decrease in collections due to the rise in sports betting. The funds will be distributed among all teams in the league. Pedro Sánchez announced the development via a message on X. The total revenue collected by the quiniela is approximately 160 million euros. The Spanish football league could potentially have five teams in the Champions League and up to nine teams participating in European competitions next season. This scenario is contingent on Rayo Vallecano winning their final match against Crystal Palace.

Borja Semper, the national spokesperson for the People's Party (PP), has returned to public life today. Semper had been away for several months due to a cancer diagnosis. Alberto Núñez Feijóo is reportedly contacting Semper following his return.

The political group Adelante Andalucía could increase its representation from 2 to 5 deputies in the upcoming election. Prosecutors are investigating whether contracts awarded to construction companies in exchange for commissions constitute illegal financing for the PSOE.

The Prosecutor's Office is aligning with the government regarding the conclusion of the mask corruption trial. According to El Mundo, the prosecution is limiting the rewards for those who collaborate against the government. The editorial suggests that cooperation in corruption cases will now receive discrete or minimal rewards. The source noted that such rewards have been issued regularly since 2017, but they will now be discrete and minimal. Spanish prosecutors are investigating allegations of illegal financing against the PSOE party. Spanish prosecutors have opened an investigation into the financing of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). The speaker noted that many political attacks are made without substance and expressed a desire to focus on what is most effective for an individual, rather than factional interests.

Atlético Madrid played to a 1-1 draw against FC Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals. Atlético Madrid requires a victory in the return leg to reach the final.

A politician's statement regarding a pardon was discussed, noting that a specific individual, Sánchez, was not mentioned. The rationale provided is that Sánchez is the one who will grant the pardon. The intention is to benefit from penitentiary advantages as soon as possible.

The IBEX 35 index recorded its worst session in two months. The decline is attributed to uncertainty surrounding incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. The market movement followed a brief incident that lasted only a few hours.

The opposition is criticizing the regional government for spending over 300,000 euros on two agreements to make Madrid an honored guest at the National Water Fair in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The community is also expected to be recognized with the keys to the city.