Madrid Times

Former Iberia President Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros Dies at 82

Carlos Espinosa de los Monteros, a former president of Iberia and the first High Commissioner for the Brand Spain initiative, died in Madrid at the age of 82.

Spanish Health Minister Rejects Disease Claims About Migrants and Defends Red Cross in Ceuta

Health Minister Mónica García defended humanitarian organizations working in Ceuta and rejected social-media claims that arriving migrants were spreading infectious diseases.

Journalists Attacked by Anti-Migrant Protesters While Covering Ceuta Crisis

The International and European Federation of Journalists called for stronger police protection after RTVE and La Sexta crews were physically and verbally assaulted by anti-migrant protesters in Ceuta.

Airbus Strikes in Spain Suspended Temporarily as Labor Talks Resume

Spain’s General Union of Workers temporarily suspended strike action at Airbus manufacturing sites, giving the company and unions additional time to negotiate over wages and working conditions.

Spain’s Agriculture Sector Holds Production Forecasts Despite Severe European Drought and Heat

European Commission monitoring showed Spanish agricultural output remaining relatively stable despite extreme heat and drought that have caused heavier crop losses in France, Germany and central Europe.

SAIC Motor Delivers 700 Electric Vehicles to Ferrol Ahead of Planned €200 Million Spanish Factory

Chinese automaker SAIC Motor delivered its first 700 electric vehicles to Galicia’s Port of Ferrol as it prepares for a planned €200 million manufacturing plant expected to create more than 2,000 jobs by 2028.

Spain Records Highest-Ever Renewable Energy Curtailment as Solar Output Outpaces Grid Capacity

Spain ended the summer with record volumes of unused renewable electricity as strong solar generation exceeded the grid’s ability to store surplus power.

Spanish Home Sales Fall 10% as High Euribor Rates Weigh on Affordability

Residential property transactions in Spain fell 10%, with the sharpest pressure on homes priced below €210,000 as elevated Euribor rates and tighter lending conditions reduced affordability for younger buyers.

Spain Reports Record 46.5 Million International Tourists in First Half

Spain welcomed a record 46.5 million international visitors in the first half of the year, although slower growth in June pointed to a moderation in the country’s post-pandemic tourism expansion.

Spain Raises Diesel Tax Rebate by €0.20 a Litre as Fuel Costs Pressure Transport Sector

The Spanish government will increase the diesel tax rebate by €0.20 a litre from next Tuesday to ease rising fuel costs for domestic transport and logistics companies.

Spain Prepares Request for Final €25 Billion in EU Recovery Funds

The Spanish government is accelerating work needed to request its remaining €25 billion allocation from the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, supporting ongoing digital and green infrastructure programs.

Spain Allocates €719 Million for Sovereign AI Gigafactory in Madrid and Catalonia

Spain’s Digital Transformation Ministry committed €719 million to develop a large artificial intelligence computing facility across Madrid and Catalonia, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign technology and attracting additional European...

Amazon Web Services Plans €33.7 Billion Cloud and AI Expansion in Spain’s Aragón Region

Amazon Web Services announced a €33.7 billion expansion of data-centre infrastructure across Zaragoza, Huesca and Teruel, positioning Aragón as a major European hub for cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

Spain and Catalonia Advance Deal Giving Region Full Income-Tax Collection Powers by 2026

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government and Catalan authorities advanced a financing agreement allowing Catalonia to collect 100% of personal income taxes by 2026, drawing strong opposition over its implications for regional funding ac...

Spain Declares Emergency in Ceuta After Estimated 50,000-80,000 Migrants Cross Border

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez chaired the National Security Council as Spain declared an emergency in Ceuta and placed Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres in unified command after an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 migrants crossed...

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami Success Drives Strong Spanish Interest in Major League Soccer

Spanish sports media are giving sustained coverage to former Barcelona star Lionel Messi’s performances with Inter Miami, helping expand Spanish interest and international subscriptions tied to Major League Soccer.

Journalism Groups Condemn Harassment of Reporters During Ceuta Anti-Migrant Protests

International and European media organizations have condemned physical intimidation and verbal abuse directed at public broadcasters and independent journalists covering anti-migrant demonstrations in Ceuta.

Spanish Court Concludes Decade-Long Operation Emperador Money-Laundering Case

Spain’s National Court has reached agreements with 64 defendants in the long-running Operation Emperador case, closing one of the country’s largest investigations into money laundering, illicit imports and tax evasion linked to Chinese o...

Tourism Boom Leaves Seasonal Workers Struggling to Find Housing in Spanish Resorts

High visitor numbers in destinations including Benidorm and the Balearic Islands have intensified housing shortages for seasonal hospitality workers, forcing some employees into mobile homes and temporary campsites as rents surge.

Extreme Heat Pushes Up Spanish Electricity Demand and Wholesale Prices

Prolonged heat across the Iberian Peninsula has driven heavy air-conditioning use, increasing electricity demand and wholesale power prices during the peak tourism season and adding pressure to Spain’s disinflation efforts.

Banco Sabadell Reorganizes Management as It Pursues Standalone Strategy

Banco Sabadell has announced an internal restructuring aimed at streamlining management and strengthening its digital banking operations as it seeks to defend its independent strategy amid consolidation pressure in European banking.

High-Speed Rail Disrupted Between Barcelona and Girona After Power Failures

Electrical faults halted high-speed rail services on the northeastern corridor linking Barcelona, Girona and the French border, prompting emergency measures from infrastructure operator Adif and regional authorities.

Catalonia Opens Autumn Session with Fiscal Autonomy High on Agenda

Catalonia’s parliament has begun a new legislative term with 10 priority bills planned before year-end, setting up further negotiations with Madrid over regional financial autonomy and the implementation of political amnesty measures.

Barcelona Moves to Eliminate Thousands of Short-Term Rental Licenses by 2028

Barcelona is pressing ahead with plans to revoke thousands of tourist accommodation permits and return properties to the long-term rental market as the city tackles worsening housing affordability.

Spain Launches Major Public Housing Plan to Ease Rental Shortage

The Spanish government has begun a multibillion-euro housing investment program aimed at tripling the country’s public housing stock over four years as high rents intensify pressure in major cities.

Foreign Workers Account for 49% of New Jobs Created in Spain in Second Quarter

Foreign nationals filled 49% of new Spanish jobs between April and June, underscoring the economy’s reliance on international workers in hospitality, agriculture and construction.

Spain’s Government and Opposition Clash Over Migration Crisis in Ceuta

Spain’s ruling coalition and the opposition Partido Popular are trading accusations over conditions in Ceuta, where more than 5,000 migrants remain in temporary facilities and pressure is growing for a broader European response.

Spain Heads Toward Record 100 Million International Tourist Arrivals

Spanish tourism authorities expect international arrivals to surpass 100 million this year, reinforcing tourism’s role as a major economic driver as travel demand shifts away from conflict-affected parts of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Spain Moves to Secure Final EU Recovery Funds Ahead of August 31 Deadline

The Spanish government has approved a final administrative addendum to reorganize its use of European Union recovery funds as it seeks to secure remaining post-pandemic disbursements before the August 31 deadline.

Spain’s Economy Grows 2.7% Annually, Outpacing Major Eurozone Peers

Spain’s economy expanded 0.7% in the second quarter and 2.7% from a year earlier, supported by strong household spending, record tourism revenue and resilient services despite weakness in global manufacturing.

Spain’s Inflation Accelerates to 4.3% as Energy Costs Rise

Spain’s annual consumer inflation rose to 4.3% in August from 3.6% in July, driven largely by higher transport fuel costs linked to Middle East tensions and the gradual withdrawal of government anti-inflation support.

Police Investigate Theft of Gold Artifacts From Spain’s Treasure of Villena

Spanish police and cultural heritage authorities have opened an investigation after significant gold artifacts were stolen from the Bronze Age Treasure of Villena in Alicante province.

Real Madrid and Barcelona Receive Delayed La Liga Starts After 2026 World Cup

Spanish football authorities have delayed Real Madrid and Barcelona’s opening league fixtures until late August to give international players additional recovery time following the 2026 World Cup.

Spain Prepares for Nearly 7 Million Road Journeys During End-of-Summer Return

Spanish traffic authorities expect about 6.9 million vehicle journeys during the annual Operation Return weekend and have activated additional highway monitoring measures to manage the surge.

Telefónica Upgrades Spanish Mobile Network to Handle Eclipse Data Surge

Telefónica upgraded thousands of mobile sites across Spain to accommodate unusually heavy data traffic as hundreds of thousands of visitors streamed and shared footage of the total solar eclipse.

Far-Right Activists Begin Unauthorized Street Patrols in Valencia

People linked to the far-right España 2000 group have begun conducting unauthorized patrols in immigrant-heavy areas of Valencia through an associated organization, drawing criticism from local authorities amid heightened tensions over i...

Solar Eclipse Generates Estimated €348 Million Tourism Boost for Spain

The total solar eclipse across northern and eastern Spain generated an estimated €348 million in tourism revenue and drove a fivefold increase in rural hotel bookings.

Tadej Pogacar Withdraws From Vuelta a España After Stage Eight Crash

Tadej Pogacar has abandoned the Vuelta a España while wearing the leader’s red jersey after a high-speed crash on stage eight, handing the race lead to Spanish contender Enric Mas.

Spain’s Opposition Demands Intelligence Chief Testify Over Ceuta Border Breach

Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has asked the head of Spain’s National Intelligence Centre to appear before the Senate and explain intelligence and security failures surrounding the mass crossing into Ceuta.

Spain’s High-Speed Rail Passenger Numbers Surge 77% Amid Fare Competition

Passenger numbers on Spain’s high-speed railway network have risen 77% since 2019 as competition between Renfe, Ouigo and Iryo drives lower fares across major domestic routes.