Stories from Madrid · Spain

Fans of Rayo Vallecano are facing kilometer-long queues at the Vallecas stadium ticket offices. The club is preparing for a match against Strasbourg to compete for its first European title in the Conference League. Ticket prices are reported to be 105 and 125 euros depending on the category. High uncertainty and expectation surround the final sale of tickets. Rayo Vallecano players met with supporters in a atmosphere ahead of their match at 9:00 PM. The neighborhood gathered to support the team in their attempt to reach the Conference League final. The match determines the club's passage to the grand final of the competition.

A new report sent to the court last week suggests a rail rupture on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line caused a train derailment. The Analysis Commission reports that closed-circuit television cameras are installed in all eight carriages of the IRIO train involved in the derailment. The Commission warned that the current data is provisional and may change as the final report is prepared for the judge. The investigation is ongoing regarding the accident. The report ruled out anomalies in both the Iri and Alvia trains involved in the collision. Findings are based on information from 11 sources, including CCTV footage from eight wagons on the Irio train. A consumer defense association is advocating for a compensation fund to support families in the event of future general power failures. This follows a similar power failure event that occurred on April 28, 2025.

Spain's unemployment numbers increased by more than 231,000 people during the first quarter. The country lost over 170,000 jobs in a three-month period. A government spokesperson described the data as. The report follows a period of political negotiations regarding government decrees.

A scientific journal has retracted a study regarding pancreatic cancer cures in mice authored by Mariano Barbacid. The researcher, lawyer Guadalu, stated that the omission did not involve bad faith or an intent to conceal information. The academic community has not questioned the validity of the experiment itself but seeks to correct the error. The article has been withdrawn, increasing controversy surrounding Arbacid and the research team. Academic institutions have withdrawn a pancreatic cancer study previously directed by Spanish scientist Mariano Barbacid. The study was published months ago in a prestigious American scientific journal. Investigators discovered that Barbacid and his research colleagues are co-owners of a company capable of commercially exploiting the treatments. Protocols require researchers to disclose such financial interests, which were not reported.

Environment Counselor Carlos Novillo has called for the resignation of Vice President Sara Gessen and the immediate removal of electrical network president Beatriz Corredor. The demand follows the power outage in Spain on April 28 last year, described as the most in 50 years. Novillo criticized current policies for limiting nuclear energy use and moving the country in the wrong direction regarding ecological transition. The regional government continues to claim that executive leadership has failed to assume responsibility for the incident. Regulators have opened over 50 sanctioning files, mostly classified as serious, including specific cases against the electric company, Hiberdorol, and property owners. Novillo cited the major power outage on April 28, 2025, as a failure of executive responsibility.

The People's Party (PP) plans to present a proposal in Congress to end the current universal healthcare access model. The People's Party has proposed a new healthcare model in Spain. This proposal follows a decree-law passed by the Sánchez government one month ago. The government's current model aims to prevent patients without healthcare access from developing serious conditions that require more state resources than primary care treatment. The move comes amid social unrest regarding housing and precarious employment. This proposal follows previous disagreements with Vox regarding immigration-related sanitary issues. This measure aligns with previous policy stances held by María Rojo. The proposal was not part of previous agreements with Vox in Extremadura or Aragon.

Caritas allocated more than 157 million euros to solidarity economy initiatives between 2020 and 2025. This figure represents a record amount, increasing by 12.5 million euros compared to the previous year. The organization reported that over 6 million people in Spain suffer from food poverty. Additionally, the source noted that 50 kilograms of food are wasted per person annually in Spain. Caritas aims to move beyond simple insertion through these efforts.

The Spanish Ministry of Finance announced that prices are expected to rise by an average of 3.1% this year. Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo noted that 19 million salaried workers still maintain a positive dynamic in the labor market despite the seasonal downturn. The rise reflects the end of the summer campaign before new summer hiring is registered. The report stated that 10,700 jobs were lost in the region. Unemployment in the Community of Madrid has grown to nearly 8% according to first quarter data from the EPA. The report was cited by COPE regarding regional economic trends. The number of households where all members are unemployed rose by 10 percent through March. This represents the largest increase in this metric in 14 years. The report notes the rise occurs one year after previous energy-related disruptions.

Russian tennis player Vera Zvonareva reached the doubles semifinals of a tournament in Madrid. The final match is set to take place this Saturday. Jannik Sinner defeated Filz 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 26 minutes to win his match in the Madrid tournament. He will face German player Zverev in the final after Zverev defeated Bloks 6-2, 7-5. German tennis player Alexander Zveref defeated 21-year-old Belgian player Blocks in straight sets to reach the semifinals of the Madrid Masters. Zveref has previously won the tournament in 2018 and 2021. The victory followed a dominant performance featuring strong serves and forehands. Zverev will face world number one Janik Sinner in the final on Sunday. This marks the fourth meeting between the two players this year. Zverev won with scores of 6-2 and 7-5 to secure a spot in Sunday's final. Zverev's last victory against Sinner occurred three years ago.

The Da Vinci robot was used for the first mammary reconstruction using a patient's own abdominal tissue in Spain. This hybrid approach of robotic and traditional manual surgery aims to reduce complications, speed up recovery, and minimize pain and scarring. The procedure avoids the typical scarring caused by taking tissue from the abdomen. The procedure marks a medical milestone in the country. The technology aims to improve patient recovery by reducing pain and long-term complications in the tissue donor site. The use of the robot avoids large incisions and reduces the risk of developing a hernia following the operation. A robot was used for the first time at La Paz Hospital to perform a medical procedure aimed at improving patient recovery. The procedure was reported at La Paz Hospital in Madrid.