Compromís-Podemos coalition win in Valencia may place Monica Oltra in line for Valencia presidency
• Compromís-Podemos coalition came in 2nd in general elections in Valencia • Coalition now wants to renegotiate terms of its agreement with…
City of Madrid to roll out more bike lanes in 2016 using federal money tagged for sustainable projects
• Ahora Madrid coalition teams with PSOE to approve 40-million-euro project • Plans to extend BiciMad rental program, build new bike paths…
Andalusia reaches deal with private firm to develop drones to help track, save endangered Iberian lynx
• Drone program to replace collar-fitted radio devices used to track animals • Conservationist efforts helped increase local lynx population to 327…
Valencian Socialist leader Ximo Puig sees March
re-run of general elections as most likely scenario
• Valencian president says PSOE does not have votes for coalition government • Puig says Podemos demands on Catalonia nixed chance for…
Report says Extremadura’s youth face high levels of unemployment, poverty-level wages in unstable jobs
• Spanish Youth Council report says 2/3 of Extremadura’s young unemployed • Nearly all new jobs filled by youth are unstable, temporary-contract…
Insurance group foundation donates 23,000 euros
to help refugees & alleviate child poverty in Spain
• Funds raised by Mutua Madrileña foundation’s annual Christmas concerts • Donations to UN refugees comission and Spanish anti-poverty organization The philanthropic…
UN refugees commissioner says Melilla centre
falls short of meeting basic human rights standards
• UN representative says Spain’s Melilla CETI fails to meet EU and UN guidelines • Spain’s N. African centre meant to hold…
Police bust Russian sex-trafficking ring in Andalusia
forcing women into prostitution in Granada clubs
• Police say Russian women lured to Spain with promise of employment • Once in Granada, women forced to work in strip…
Film shows German Stuka bomber raids willfully killed Spanish civilians to test planes for WWII use
• Documentary to show German Stukas killed Spanish civilians in ‘practice’ raid • May 1938 Castellón aerial bombing solely to test Stukas…
PSOE internal divisions surface amid Sánchez bid to piece together ruling coalition or face new elections
• Under pressure, party leader says ‘No’ to Podemos over Catalonia vote • Regional leaders push for annual party conference, possible primary…
Greenpeace gives PP gov’t poor marks for 2015, citing legal setbacks on environment & free speech
• Environmental NGO’s annual report card knocks new obstacles to renewables • Halt to drilling off Canaries, Valencia and Malaga among high…
Syrian refugees, undocumented migrants reach Spain in record numbers during 2015, report says
• More than 15,000 undocumented migrants & refugees double 2014 arrivals • 7,000 Syrians applied for asylum in Spanish enclave of Melilla…
CUP assembly deadlocks, party leadership now to decide approval of Artur Mas as Catalan president
• Ballot deadlock after three rounds of voting sends issue to party leadership • If no decision before Jan. 10th, new regional…
Gov’t study shows animal abandonment in Spain slowing, but still 15% greater than at 2006 levels
• Census figures on number of pets overall in Spain vary widely • Study cites sharp increase in animal abuse cases since…
Basque Country becomes first region in Spain to extend temporary identification to transsexuals
• Measure helps transsexuals bridge two-year lag in obtaining updated DNI • Decree based on non-discrimination law assists adults, minors, immigrants The…
Spain to protect marine mammals by restricting exploratory drilling within Mediterranean corridor
• Ibiza-based Alianza Mar Blava says gov’t to set aside coastal areas • Move will halt planned drilling activities by three international…
Oxfam Intermón calls on Spain’s next government to make poverty alleviation, overseas aid top priorities
• NGO says overseas aid alleviates root causes of refugees, economic migration • Fight against poverty, inequality at home should be government’s…
Voters elect record number of women deputies to national Congress in historic general election vote
• Women win 140 seats in 350-member Congress, but fall short of ‘parity’ • Nearly half of Podemos’ 69 seats & PSOE’s…
Fledgling animal-rights party gets more votes than other parties, but no seats in Congress of Deputies
• PACMA nets more votes for Congress than either BILDU or Canary Coalition • Animal-rights campaigners gather more than 1 million votes…
PP loses majority, PSOE falls short, Podemos finish strong in realignment of Spain’s political landscape
• PP & PSOE both fall far short of 176-seat needed for absolute majority • Podemos surge nets 69 seats, Ciudadanos falters…
Number of undocumented boat people making risky sea voyage to Canaries nearly triples during 2015
• Nearly 700 migrants have crossed Atlantic from Morocco so far this year • Traffickers charge 800-900 euros per person to make…
Confectioner changes name of ‘polvorones’ under pressure over town’s bloody bull-baiting festival
• Tordesillas company bows to pressure, removes reference to bloody festival • Town’s bull-baiting spectacle met with increasingly greater protest each year…
Guides to the parties, the candidates & what’s at stake in Spain’s 2015 general elections on Sunday
• PP, PSOE, Ciudadanos & Podemos lineup for the final countdown • General elections to decide who governs Spain in 2016 and…
Nativity scene in Madrid parish seeks to shine light Syrian refugee families’ plight at Christmastime
• San Antón parish nativity scene depicts drowned Syrian refugee child • Refugee tent, route map & refugee children’s drawings adorn manger…
#VIDEO: Richard Gere steps into Spanish election campaign, calls on next PM to remember homeless
• Actor releases YouTube video message on behalf of Spain’s RAIS foundation • Asks whoever elected Dec. 20th not to forget Spain’s…
Sánchez debate gambit on women’s issues could swing 62% undecided women voters for Socialists
• Voter rolls show 1.1 million more women eligible to vote than men • Last survey before election says 62% of all…
WWF Spain office raps government for sharp jump in CO2 emissions, lagging renewable energy production
• Spain’s continued fossil fuels investment, subsidies cited by NGO • WWF calls for Spanish commitment to renewables to combat climate change…
Podemos candidate set to be elected first-ever African-born immigrant to serve in Spain’s Congress
• Rita Bosaho to become Spain’s first-ever Black Congresswoman • Immigrants comprise 15% of population, just 1% of congressional seats Regardless of…
Association looks to crowdfunding to complete survey of ‘energy poverty’ among Spanish public
• An estimated 4 million Spaniards unable to pay heating bills each winter • Researchers seek online funding to determine extent of…
Activists rally in Extremadura to demand Spain immediately increase intake of Syrian refugees
• Only 12 of 16,231 Syrian refugees have so far arrived to Spain • Groups say stranded refugees face harsh winters in…
PSOE leader Sánchez tackles PP’s Rajoy on corruption, social spending cuts during TV debate
• Sánchez goes after Rajoy in bid to close gap in opinion polls • Corruption, social spending cuts dominate harsh tone of…