- 3d ago
Spain wildfires burn 88,000 hectares, force 115,000 evacuations as firefighting pilots run out of flying hours
In the worst wildfire outbreak on record, more than 115,000 people were ordered to evacuate across several Spanish regions in the past week, while exhausted firefighting pilots warn they will soon be grounded by flight‑hour regulations.
- 4d ago
Spanish judge orders probe into 57 accounts of former PM Zapatero, his daughters and secretary in Plus Ultra case
National Court magistrate José Luis Calama has allowed the UDEF police unit to trace movements in dozens of accounts held by the former prime minister, his two daughters, his secretary and 13 companies linked to the Plus Ultra airline bailout.
- 5d ago
Sánchez opens election campaign from Moncloa with economic data blitz and defense of family in corruption cases
Pedro Sánchez used his end-of-term press conference at Moncloa to tout economic gains and defend his wife and brother against corruption cases, framing the judicial scrutiny as a political attack ahead of elections.
- Jul 25
Plus Ultra president and CEO resign after admitting 1% bailout fee went to Zapatero's friend
Julio Martínez Sola and Roberto Roselli quit the Spanish airline they led, days after admitting in court that the company paid a 1% commission on its €53 million pandemic bailout to a friend of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.
- Jul 23
Zapatero's first interview since indictment adds no new facts, prosecutor seeks expanded jewelry report
Former Spanish PM José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero broke two months of silence on TVE but offered no new evidence, while Anticorruption prosecutors push for a deeper probe into the €1.3m jewelry stash found in his office.
- Jul 15
Spain's PSOE widens lead over PP to 7.9 points in July CIS poll despite Ábalos corruption sentencing
The governing Socialists reached 33% estimated vote share in the July CIS barometer, fielded days after former minister José Luis Ábalos received a 24-year prison sentence for corruption.
- Jul 14
Spain's PM brother handed 9-year public office ban in Badajoz prevarication case, court cites nepotism
A Spanish court sentenced the brother of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to nine years of disqualification from public office, triggering a wave of appeals and fierce political reactions. The ruling condemned the creation of a tailor-made job at a provincial council.
- Jul 14
Spanish prosecutors and state lawyers reject Zapatero's bid to exclude PP-led popular prosecution from jewellery investigation
The anti-corruption prosecutor and Spain's State Legal Services have both filed submissions opposing former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's request to remove the Partido Popular-led popular prosecution from a separate investigation into unexplained jewellery valued above 1.3 million euros found in his office.
- Jul 11
Óscar López secures PSOE nod, will challenge Ayuso for Madrid presidency in 2027
The Socialist minister and Madrid party chief gathered more than 2,092 endorsements on Saturday, eliminating the need for a primary vote. His lone challenger, activist Silvia López Quivira, failed to collect the required backing from PSOE members.
- Jul 9
Aliança Catalana surges to third place in Catalan poll, threatening governing majority
A new Catalan government poll shows the far-right Aliança Catalana leaping from two seats to 23-25, overtaking Junts and competing with ERC for second place, while the PSC-led coalition risks losing its majority.
- Jul 8
Trump threatens to cut Spain ties at NATO summit, then reverses after defence deals and 'important payment'
At the Ankara summit, the US President insulted Spain and ordered a trade cutoff, only to hail its 'generosity' hours later after defence contracts worth billions were signed.
- Jul 7
Zapatero asks judge and tax agency to suspend inspection in Plus Ultra case, cancels Lanzarote vacation
The former Spanish prime minister filed two writs on Tuesday to suspend a tax inspection he calls 'unilateral and capricious', while also scrapping his traditional summer trip to Lanzarote for the first time in over a decade.
- Jul 3
Spain's tax agency opens inspections on former PM Zapatero and family to interrupt prescription clock
Spain's Tax Agency has opened inspections on former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, his wife, daughters and a business associate for possible tax irregularities between 2021 and 2025, and requested suspension to avoid duplication with the ongoing criminal probe.
- Jul 2
Spain's tax agency joins prosecution of former PM Zapatero over €1.3m jewellery stash found in his office safe
The State Attorney's Office, acting for the Tax Agency, has joined the criminal case against José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, deepening the former prime minister's legal troubles over 80 pieces of high-end jewellery seized from his Madrid office.
- Jul 2
FIFA investigates Argentina players' Falklands banner after World Cup semi-final win over England
Argentina's 2-1 comeback victory over England in Atlanta was overshadowed by a political banner reading 'Las Malvinas son argentinas', prompting UK calls for sanctions and a FIFA disciplinary review.
- Jun 30
PP summons Zapatero again as Senate corruption probes intensify, with July packed with testimonies
Spain's opposition Partido Popular announced a new round of Senate committee summonses, including former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, as it escalates investigations into alleged government corruption linked to state-backed company rescues.
- Jun 26
Spanish judge offers tax agency to join case against former PM Zapatero over €1.3m jewels
Judge José Luis Calama has offered Spain's Tax Agency the chance to appear as an injured party in the investigation of former prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero over €1.3 million in jewels found in his office safe.
- Jun 24
Zapatero demands judge shield personal data after leak of 1,084 pages of chats and diaries
Former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has asked the judge investigating him in the Plus Ultra case to adopt 'reinforced measures' after his private WhatsApp chats and calendars were leaked to the media.
- Jun 24
Spanish Congress demands Sánchez resign in unprecedented vote, but PM refuses and challenges Junts to formal censure
An absolute majority of Spain's lower house approved a non-binding motion urging Pedro Sánchez to step down or face a confidence vote, after Junts joined the right-wing opposition. The prime minister dismissed the vote as legally irrelevant and dared his critics to table a formal censure motion.
- Jun 19
Zapatero’s court defiance backfires: judge charges his secretary and daughters, PSOE discusses breaking ties
Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s court appearance in the Plus Ultra case failed to halt the probe. Hours later, the judge charged his personal secretary and daughters, deepening the scandal and prompting the Socialist party to reconsider its support.
