Stories from Spain

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.

Jorge Azcón denied that the agreement signed with the far-right party Vox involves any discrimination based on nationality. The debate regarding his investiture in Aragon is scheduled to begin on Thursday. Vox has insisted on a 'Spaniards first' principle within the agreement to prevent the dilution of its terms. Vox representatives insisted on the 'Spaniards first' principle, arguing it is necessary to fulfill committed spending increases. The debate took place in the Cortes of Aragon, where Vox deputies did not applaud the future president.

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.

The footage reportedly shows off-duty police officers allegedly strangling the victim. Baquero indicated the family intends for the case to proceed to a jury trial. Medical science is being used to support the evidence presented in the case. A family is seeking a jury trial regarding a case involving strangulation. The family of a victim in a strangulation case is seeking a jury trial in Madrid. Lawyer Rubén Baquero stated that dozens of videos recorded by neighbors serve as fundamental evidence for the prosecution. The incident occurred at 11:00 PM on June 17 in the urban center of Torrejón de Ardoz. The source mentioned a retired police officer is being investigated in connection with the case. The case involves a retired police officer and workers from a central laboratory recently awarded to Kiron by the Ayuso government.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs reports that 623,000 people in Madrid would benefit from a rental contract extension. The debate follows a briefing held at Europa this morning. Critics argue the policy will cause property owners to fear the regulations, leading to a decrease in rental supply. The debate was highlighted during an information breakfast in Madrid. However, critics argue these policies will cause rental supply to decrease as owners fear market instability. The regional government continues to advocate for price freedom despite the proposed extensions. The delegate for social policies stated that contract extensions cannot be canceled due to legal reasons and specific deadlines. The official response comes as a strike is already underway. Socialist politicians are citing management memory data from the Valdeming Gómez plant to criticize local waste handling.

People's Party (PP) leader Núñez Feijóo visited the Ascó nuclear power plant to advocate for the continuity of nuclear energy. Feijóo proposed extending the useful life of nuclear plants, following requests from the European Union. He argued that the Spanish government's current nuclear closure schedule could lead to energy shortages. The PP leader stated that the government's current approach has caused international ridicule.