Spain’s Former King Reveals How He Shot and Killed His Brother

THE TELEGRAPH: A bullet ricocheted and struck Alfonso ‘in the forehead’ while we played with a pistol, says Juan Carlos

Spain’s former king Juan Carlos has detailed for the first time how he shot his younger brother dead nearly 70 years ago.

The exiled royal, 87, who now lives in Dubai, published his memoirs this week, in which he wrote about the death of Alfonso.

Juan Carlos has remained tight-lipped since the 14-year-old was killed by a single bullet that struck his forehead on March 29 1956.

In the book, published in France under the title “Juan Carlos I d’Espagne: Réconciliation”, he said: “I will not recover from this tragedy. Its gravity will accompany me forever.” » | James Badcock in Madrid | Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Spain bans exiled king from attending his coronation anniversary: Snub for Juan Carlos is the latest humiliation since his reputation was tarnished by a series of scandals »

Disgraced former king of Spain’s memoir details ‘enormous respect’ for Franco: Memoir chronicles Juan Carlos’s anointment as heir to dictator and death of younger brother when playing with pistols »

Franco’s Gamble: How Spain Stayed Out of World War II

This is how.

Spain's New Smoking Law Plans Could Mean Big Changes for Travellers

EURO NEWS: Spain's new regulations would also cover the use of electronic cigarettes and vapes as the country moves to impose stricter controls on tobacco marketing and product distribution in a bid to boost public health.

Spain's coalition government has approved a draft bill restricting smoking in public places that could have a significant impact on travellers.

The proposed legislation will ban smoking and vaping in outdoor spaces, including sports venues, beaches, restaurant and bar terraces.

"We'll always put public health ahead of private interests," Spain’s health minister Monica Garcia told reporters. "Everyone has a right to breathe clean air and live longer and better lives."

The proposed measures have drawn opposition from restaurant and bar owners, who say Spain's year-round outdoor dining culture is boosted significantly by customers who smoke.

Smoking indoors has been prohibited since 2011. » | Rebecca Ann-Hughes | Thursday, September 11, 2025

What is there about socialist governments that they always want to curtail people’s rights and freedoms? Is there something in socialists’ DNA, or something? Each European nation seems to be losing all sense of la dolce vita ! — © Mark Alexander

Tapas 101: Inside Spain’s Tapas Bars – Cheers & Chats

Sep 13, 2025 | Tapas bars are more than just places to eat — they’re the beating heart of Spanish social life. In this episode of Cheers & Chats, we explore the vibrant world of tapas culture: why people eat standing up, what dishes to try, and how to navigate the bar like a local. From solomillo al whisky to tinto de verano, from ordering tips to cultural quirks — this is your guide to understanding why tapas are not just food, but a way of life in Spain.

Spain's PM Sanchez Announces Sanctions to Pressure Israel to End War in Gaza | DW News

Sep 8, 2025 | Spain's prime minister has accused Israel of "exterminating" defenseless people in Gaza. Pedro Sanchez has announced a series of measures aimed at pressuring Israel to end the war in Gaza. These include a new law formalizing an arms embargo on Israel and a ban on the transport of fuel and weapons for use by the Israeli army through Spanish ports and airspace.

Related article here, plus my comment.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez Says Israel Is ‘Exterminating a Defenceless People’

THE GUARDIAN: Spain announces raft of measures designed to increase pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to end Gaza war

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has stepped up his scathing criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, accusing Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of “exterminating a defenceless people” by bombing hospitals and “killing innocent boys and girls with hunger”.

Speaking on Monday morning to announce a raft of measures designed to increase the pressure on Netanyahu to stop the military campaign, Sánchez said that while the Spanish government would always support Israel’s right to exist and to defend itself, it felt compelled to try to “stop a massacre”.

“Protecting your country and your society is one thing, but bombing hospitals and killing innocent boys and girls with hunger is another thing entirely,” he said.

“What Prime Minister Netanyahu presented in October 2023 as a military operation in response to the horrific terrorist attacks has ended up becoming a new wave of illegal occupations and an unjustifiable attack against the Palestinian civilian population – an attack that the UN special rapporteur and the majority of experts already describe as a genocide.”

The Spanish prime minister pointed to the numbers of dead, injured, displaced and malnourished. “That isn’t defending yourself; that’s not even attacking,” he said. “It’s exterminating a defenceless people. It’s breaking all the rules of humanitarian law.” » | Sam Jones in Madrid | Monday, September 8, 2025

Thank God for a European leader with sound principles and with the courage to speak out against what is happening to these beleaguered and besieged people. Kudos! It is unfathomable how the world can look on while innocent people are being starved to death and killed. And this from a people who should know better. — © Mark Alexander

Spain’s Old Ways May Show How to Keep Cool

THE NEW TORK TIMES: The tradition of the siesta is no accident. Spain has been living with extreme heat for centuries, and its people have ways of coping.

Javier Recio held a lawn chair like a parasol over his mother’s head. The two had given up on sitting outside and were walking home through one of the least green, and most sweltering, neighborhoods of Seville. A pharmacy sign posted a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and a drinking fountain trickled scorching water.

“We need to do something,” said Mr. Recio, 48.

In August, deadly wildfires forced the evacuation of thousands of people in northern and southern Spain and damaged a Roman-era mining site on the UNESCO world heritage list. Temperatures cracked 111 degrees Fahrenheit (44 Celsius), and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned the country, “We’re at extreme risk.”

Throughout this long and miserable summer, Seville, in the country’s south, has become a furnace of southern Europe. Its residents hope for some relief from increasingly frequent and intense heat waves that threaten the most vulnerable. But the city, like everywhere else, has no quick fix for the disastrous consequences of a warming planet and is hardly on the cusp of futuristic breakthrough. Plans for a single cooling bus stop are still in the works.

The traditional siesta is no accident. As places like Norway and Finland hit higher temperatures, an increasingly uncomfortable continent may find itself looking to Seville and other cities that have been living with the heat for centuries for ways to get through what feels like the perpetual inferno of summer. » | Jason Horowitz and Ilvy Njiokiktjien Visuals by Ilvy Njiokiktjien | Reporting from Seville, Spain | Saturday, August 16, 2025

Leer en español.

Wildfires Rage in Spain and Portugal amid Searing Heat

THE GUARDIAN: Extreme temperatures exacerbated by carbon pollution fuel fires in southern Europe as green policies are rolled back

Relentless heat and raging wildfires continue to ravage southern Europe, with one-quarter of weather stations in Spain recording 40C temperatures, as the prime minister urged people to “leave the climate emergency outside of partisan struggles”.

The Spanish weather agency Aemet recorded a high of 45.8C in Cádiz on Sunday, while one in eight weather stations nationwide hit peaks of at least 42C (108F) . The agency warned of “very high or extreme fire danger” in most of the country in a post on social media on Monday.

“Although the heatwave is starting to subside, very high temperatures will still be reached today in the east and south of the peninsula,” it said. “Be cautious.”

Deadly fires have burned 348,000 hectares in Spain this year, according to preliminary data published by Copernicus on Monday, charring even more land than when the previous record was set in 2022. » | Ajit Niranjan and Sam Jones | Monday, August 18, 2025

Spain Is an Example to the World

OPINION : GUEST ESSAY
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Spain is having a moment bucking Western political trends. The country has recently recognized Palestine as a state, resisted President Trump’s demand that NATO members increase their defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product and doubled down on D.E.I. programs. But there’s no better example of Spain going its own way than immigration. At a time when many Western democracies are trying to keep immigrants out, Spain is boldly welcoming them in.

The details are striking. In May, new regulations went into effect that eased migrants’ ability to obtain residency and work permits, and the Spanish Parliament began debating a bill to grant amnesty to undocumented immigrants. These reforms could open a path to Spanish citizenship to more than one million people. Most of them are part of a historic immigration surge that between 2021 and 2023 brought nearly three million people born outside the European Union to Spain.

Demand has something to do with it: Like many Western democracies, Spain needs more people. Last year the national birthrate was 1.4, the second lowest in the European Union and well below the 2.1 threshold needed to maintain the country’s population level of around 48 million people. Spain also has a big economy — the fourth largest in the E.U. — fueled by a travel and tourism industry that is brimming with jobs that most Spaniards do not want.

But unlike in other countries, backlash has been strikingly muted. That’s partly because some of these pro-migrant measures stem from society at large. The push for the undocumented immigrants’ amnesty did not originate with the government, tellingly, but with a popular petition that garnered 600,000 signatures and was endorsed by 900 nongovernmental organizations, business groups and even the Spanish Conference of Bishops. The government, in turn, has designed a humane and pragmatic approach, offering an example for other countries to emulate. » | Omar G. Encarnación | Mr. Encarnación is an expert on Spanish politics. | Monday, August 11, 2025

Leer en erspañol.

Firefighters Save Córdoba’s Historic Mosque-Turned-Cathedral La Mezquita

THE GUARDIAN: Blaze at heritage site, built as a mosque in the 8th century before being turned into a church, quickly contained

A fire broke out in the historic mosque-turned-cathedral in Córdoba on Friday but the monument was saved as firefighters quickly contained the blaze, the Spanish city’s mayor has said. » | Guardian staff and agencies in Madrid | Friday, August 8, 2025

MARBELLA, Spain 🇪🇸 Full Travel Guide 2025

May 17, 2025 | Marbella is one of the top travel spots in Spain. Marbella has beautiful beaches, and Puerto Banús, its famous luxury marina. Marbella is perfect for a relaxing holiday or a quick weekend trip. Marbella has something for everyone - history, nightlife, and sun. This video is your full Marbella travel guide for 2025. We’ll show you the best places to visit and explore. Walk through the Old Town, relax on the beaches, and enjoy the local vibe. Get travel tips, must-see spots, and ideas to help you plan.

Outrage as Spanish Town Bans Muslim Religious Festivals from Public Spaces

THE GUARDIAN: Conservative People’s party in Jumilla votes to stop civic centres and gyms being used for activities ‘alien to our identity’

A local authority in south-east Spain has banned Muslims from using public facilities such as civic centres and gyms to celebrate the religious festivals Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha.

The ban in Jumilla, in Murcia, is a first in Spain. It was introduced by the conservative People’s party (PP) and passed with the abstention of the far-right Vox party and the opposition of local leftwing parties.

The proposal states “municipal sports facilities cannot be used for religious, cultural or social activities alien to our identity unless organised by the local authority”.

The local Vox party posted on X: “Thanks to Vox the first measure to ban Islamic festivals in Spain’s public spaces has been passed. Spain is and will be forever the land of Christian people.” » | Stephen Burgen in Barcelona | Wedmesday, August 6, 2025

Wave of Spanish Politicians Edit CVs over Incorrect Claims of Degrees and Diplomas

THE GUARDIAN: Resignation of rising star of People’s party prompts others to revise entries about educational qualifications

It began as a confession by a rising star in Spain’s conservative People’s party that her CV was not quite all it seemed. Last month Noelia Núñez, 33, a member of the PP’s steering committee, was forced to admit she had never in fact completed her double degree in law and public administration. She apologised and stood down – a move rarely seen in the country.

Since then, however, Núñez’s contrition seems to have launched a trend, with a wave of mea culpas from politicians of various parties rushing to revise – downwards – their educational achievements. Some have even resigned, emulating Núñez, who said: “I apologise to anyone who feels disappointed but I also believe it’s not enough to say sorry.”

This week Ana Millán, a senior figure in Madrid’s PP-run regional government, became the latest to admit there were errors in her official CV, downgrading a degree in political science to a diploma in public administration. » | Stephen Burgen in Barcelona | Tuesday, August 5, 2025

How Barcelona Protects Its Citizens from Deadly Heat Waves | Focus on Europe

Jul 27, 2025 | With record temperatures in Spain, Barcelona offers around 400 shelters where people can cool off for free. In June, the thermometer in the Spanish metropolis reached almost 38°C. For residents, the heat is unbearable.

Isabella of Castile | Reconquista

Jul 15, 2025

WIKIPEDIA: Isabella I of Castile »

WIKIPEDIA: Isabel I de Castilla »

BRITANNICA: Isabella I, Queen of Spain »

Spanish Officials Blame Far-right Groups for Violence | DW News

Jul 16, 2025 | Four nights of unrest in the southeastern Spanish town of Torre Pacheco saw masked anti-migrant protesters clash with riot police. Many local residents have condemned the violence.

Spain Anti-tourism Protests Take Place across the Country | BBC News

Jun 20, 2025 | Last year's anti-tourism protests in Europe drew global headlines - and this summer, the tensions are back.

Earlier this week, locals in Spain shot water guns at visitors, saying a flood of summer tourists is driving up housing costs in their cities and pushing out the locals.

However, many residents and businesses are concerned that tourists may be frightened away.

Spain Plots 100pc Property Tax to Block Expats from Buying Homes

THE TELEGRAPH: Britons could be hit by exorbitant levy under new measures to fix the country’s housing crisis

British expats will be forced to pay 100pc tax on their holiday home in Spain under new measures to fix the country’s housing crisis.

Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, announced 12 reforms amid an ongoing row over the impact of foreigners on local house prices.

This includes the introduction of a tax for those from outside the European Union (EU) who do not currently live in Spain.

Proposals from the Spanish government suggest this levy could be as high as 100pc of the value of the home, much higher than current rates. Real estate purchases in Spain are currently subject to 10pc tax on newly-built homes and 6pc on old properties. » | Madeleine Ross, Money Reporter. James Badcock in Madrid | Monday, January 13, 2025

Gosh! This must be another one of those Brexit benefits that that numbskull Farage spoke about! – © Mark Alexander

The Hidden World beneath the Ancient Alhambra Fortress - BBC REEL

Feb 20, 2020 | The ancient fortress of the Alhambra has a fascinating history, passing from Moorish sultans to Catholic kings. Today it is one of Spain's most visited tourist attractions and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

However, very few know of the secret world of the Alhambra that lies unseen below the surface - a hidden network of tunnels and dungeons, off limits to tourists, that are still being uncovered and understood by archaeologists today.

Video by Izabela Cardoso and Fernando Teixeira

Christians vs. Muslims – A Bloody History of Spanish Traditions over the Centuries | Documentary

Nov 30, 2024 | Alpuxarras narrates the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula and the subsequent Christian conquest, until the end of the expulsion of the Moriscos in the XVII century. Focusing on the presence of the Muslims in Galicia and the forced colonization of the Alpuxarras by the Galicians, the similarities between common traditions, today almost forgotten, are exposed.

A look to Alpuxarras allows us to know a past that is necessary to understand the present reality.