All articles tagged with #spain
Spain has become the first country to openly bid to succeed Christine Lagarde as ECB president, signaling Madrid’s aim for an influential leadership role at Europe’s central bank. Former Spanish central bank governor Pablo Hernández de Cos is widely seen as a leading candidate, with rivals such as Klaas Knot and a broader 2027 leadership reshuffle likely shaping the field.
The 12 August 2026 total solar eclipse will sweep across the Iberian Peninsula, with Spain in the main path of totality (lasting up to about 1 minute 40 seconds in places like León and Palencia) and a small section of northeastern Portugal seeing only a partial view. Viewers should plan ahead, monitor weather forecasts, choose west-facing, unobstructed viewing spots, and use proper eye protection. This rare celestial event—the first total eclipse visible from mainland Europe in about 27 years—offers a memorable spectacle for observers in northern Spain and nearby areas, if skies cooperate.
An elephant bone found near Cordoba, Spain, dating to the Second Punic War era, could be the first concrete relic linked to Hannibal’s war elephants. The 10 cm fragment, recovered from an Iron Age site with other artifacts, suggests such beasts were transported by ship and used in Europe, though the bone likely belongs to an elephant that died before crossing the Alps. Species identification remains uncertain, but the find underscores how rare elephant remains are in European archaeology and may mark a notable clue in the Punic Wars narrative.
An Iron Age elephant bone found at Colina de los Quemados, Spain, dates to the era of the Second Punic War and could be the first physical relic of Hannibal’s war elephants, though the bone is degraded and species cannot be confirmed; researchers say the context fits Punic War battlefield activity, but alternative sources like Numidian elephants remain possible.
A 2,200-year-old ankle bone found near Córdoba, Spain, along with Carthaginian coins and catapult ammunition, may be the first direct archaeological evidence of Hannibal’s use of war elephants in the Punic Wars, suggesting the animal died in battle and bridging legends with science; study published in The Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
In Aragón’s regional election, the PP led with 34.3% and 26 seats but fell short of a majority in the 67-seat assembly; the Socialists dropped to 24.3% and 18 seats, their worst Aragón result, while Vox surged to 14 seats with about 17.9% support. The result is framed as a barometer of national sentiment, potentially paving the way for a PP–Vox coalition and signaling a stronger far-right presence ahead of Castilla y León and Andalusia votes amid corruption and rail-incident turmoil affecting Sánchez’s government.
Rail drivers across Spain started a three-day nationwide strike to protest safety guarantees after two deadly crashes in January, urging more staff, maintenance, and investment as investigations point to track faults and infrastructure concerns; the government defends existing investments amid parliamentary scrutiny.
Torrential rains and strong winds from Storm Marta inundated fields across southern Spain and parts of Portugal, prompting evacuations, transport disruptions and about 750 million euros in agricultural and forestry losses as farmers push for government relief.
Spain and Portugal brace for Storm Marta after deadly floods from Storm Leonardo killed at least two people and displaced about 11,000; Portugal mobilized more than 26,500 rescuers and postponed three municipalities' presidential vote as warnings of further floods and landslides spread across regions including Andalusia, Castile-La Mancha, Galicia, Murcia, and the Valencian Community; orange alerts are in place for heavy rain, strong winds up to 110 km/h, and high seas, with authorities warning that already-saturated ground remains vulnerable; Portugal’s PM said damages exceed €4 billion and dams have released water equal to the country’s annual consumption in days.
Storm Marta batters Portugal and Spain with fresh flood warnings, prompting evacuations, road closures, and transport disruption as the Iberian Peninsula continues to recover from consecutive storms.
Spanish authorities said 21-year-old runway model Cristina Pérez Galcenco was found dead at her Oviedo home, with no signs of violence and officials citing likely natural causes. Pérez Galcenco had appeared at major fashion weeks in Madrid, Paris, and Milan; her funeral is planned for Saturday in Lugones, Asturias. She was the daughter of former soccer player Nacho Pérez and Tatiana Galcenco.
Spain’s youth minister Sira Rego suggested the country may limit or even ban access to Elon Musk’s platform X due to violations of fundamental rights, framing this as part of a broader push to reclaim sovereignty from powerful tech giants; the remarks come as Spain advances plans to bar under-16s from social media amid ongoing regulatory clashes between Europe, the US, and Big Tech.
Juan López, 81 and nicknamed Super López, keeps defying age in distance running with a 3:39 marathon and a 4:47:35 50km world record; scientists credit his top-tier VO2 max (52.8 ml/kg/min) and high muscle mass, while he trains 65–120 km weekly and cares for his disabled wife, noting he might aim for records beyond 85 years old.
Elon Musk attacked Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as a "tyrant" after Madrid unveiled plans to curb minors’ access to social media and to hold platform executives liable for failing to police content, including implementing effective age verification. The move is part of broader EU scrutiny of tech platforms, with related actions including a Paris raid on X and an EU fine for transparency breaches, highlighting regulatory pressure on social media companies.
A Barcelona hospital, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, completed the world’s first face transplant using tissues from a donor who had legally chosen medically assisted death; a surgical team of about 100 specialists performed the complex operation to reconstruct facial tissue for a patient with severe infection-related damage, enabling partial functional recovery. The donor had consented to donate post-mortem donation following MAID, allowing careful matching and preparation; the patient will require ongoing immunosuppressive therapy and long-term follow-up to monitor graft function and rejection risk, with ethical and legal protocols observed.