English in Madrid

Image created with Chat GPT Trump threatens to halt trade with Spain over military base access US President Donald Trump has threatened to halt all trade with Spain, after the country barred the US from using its military bases as part of its operation in Iran. In comments at the White House, Trump said Spain had been "terrible" and suggested "we're going to cut off all trade". "We don't want anything to do with Spain," he told reporters. It is unclear whether the Trump administration will follow through on the threat, or how officials would move to block trade with a European Union member state. Trump's comments add to existing tensions between the two countries, including over the Spanish government's resistance to Trump's demand for NATO allies to raise their defence spending . "I could tomorrow - or today, even better - stop everything having to do with Spain, all business having to do with Spain," Trump said on Tue...

Valencia leader resigns over handling of deadly floods The president of Spain's Valencia region, Carlos Mazón, has resigned after months of pressure over his handling of flash floods last year. A total of 229 people died in towns in the Valencia region on 29 October 2024, with a further eight dying in neighbouring regions , in Spain's worst natural disaster for decades. Many in Valencia blamed   Mazón for the scale of the tragedy because of how he and his government responded that day. It emerged that the regional president had spent nearly four hours in a restaurant with a journalist, Maribel Vilaplana, while the floodwater was wreaking havoc  and he did not attend emergency meetings during much of the day. Mazón's government also failed to  issue an emergency alert to the phones of Valencia residents warning them of the floods and providing advice until after 20:00, by which time dozens of people had already died. "I can't go on anymore... I know that I...

Image generated by Chat GPT Greta Thunberg deported, Israel says, after Gaza aid boat intercepted Israel says it has deported Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, a day after the Gaza- bound aid boat she and 11 other people were on was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean. Thunberg departed Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning on a flight to France after she agreed to be deported, the Israeli foreign ministry said. Upon arriv ing at an airport in Paris, Thunberg accused Israel of illegally kidnapping her and other activists on the boat while they were in international waters. France said five of the six French citizens detained alongside her had refused to sign their deportation orders and would now be subject to judicial proceedings . The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the activist group operating the yacht The Madleen, has demanded the immediate release of everyone detained. The vessel was intercepted early on Monday while the activists tried to deliver a "symbolic...

Tens of thousands protest against Canary Islands’ ‘unsustainable’ tourism model Organisers say 50,000 turn out to call for limit on tourist numbers, saying model makes life unaffordable and puts strain on resources Tens of thousands of people are protesting across the Canary Islands to call for an urgent rethink of the Spanish archipelago’s tourism strategy and a freeze on visitor numbers, arguing that the decades-old model has made life unaffordable and environmentally unsustainable for residents. The protests, which are taking place under the banner “Canarias tiene un límite” – The Canaries have a limit – are backed by environmental groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Ecologists in Action, Friends of the Earth and SEO/Birdlife. “We’ve reached the point where the balance between the use of resources and the welfare of the population here has broken down , especially over the past year,” said Víctor Martín, a spokesperson for the collective Canarias se Agota – The Canaries Have ...

Spain's prime minister defends European entry Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has defended the country's Eurovision song after it was branded "anti-women". The electro-pop anthem Zorra has come under fire because its title, which means vixen , is more often used to mean "bitch" or " slut " in Spanish slang . The song "insults women in a sexist way", said the Feminist Movement of Madrid in a statement . But Mr Sánchez dismissed the criticism , saying the song challenged sexist stereotypes . "It seems to me that feminism is not only fair, it can be fun, and this type of provocation must come from culture," he told the Al Rojo Vivo programme on La Sexta television. Zorra is performed by Nebulossa - a duo formed by María "Mery" Bas and Mark Dasous, from the village Ondara in Alicante. They have been married for 20 years and raised two children before forming their band in 2018. The group made headlines la...

Zara faces boycott from pro-Palestine activists over ' tone deaf ' ad campaign Fashion giant Zara is under fierce criticism from pro-Palestine activists after images were posted on the brand 's Instagram of supermodel Kirsten McMenamy with a mannequin in bubble wrap Activists are calling for a mass boycott of high street fashion giant Zara after an image was used on its Instagram that many claimed was exploiting the war in Gaza. The brand came under scrutiny over the weekend after an image was published showing model Kirsten McMenamy posing with a mannequin wrapped in bubble wrap. While Zara has previously been known to picture models in odd stances to advertise its clothing, some people drew comparisons with the horrendous images of body bags in the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. Another image showed a model standing in a wooden box surrounded by bits of debris , which some compared to images of those trapped between rubble in the current war zone. Social media use...

Spanish football federation threatens to sue Jenni Hermoso over kiss ‘lies’ Governing body says it will take ‘necessary legal action’ against female players protesting over Luis Rubiales kiss scandal  The Spanish football federation has threatened to sue Jenni Hermoso, the player at the centre of a row over its president’s conduct, for lying and defamation. It has also threatened to sue the 79 women’s football players who signed a letter in which they refused to play for their country as long as Luis Rubiales remained in his post. In a statement , the federation said it would take the “necessary legal action” and told the players that “playing for the national team is an obligation on any member of the federation called upon to do so ”. The move is the latest chapter in a fast-moving story after Rubiales kissed Hermoso after their World Cup victory a week ago, a kiss Hermoso said was not consensual and made her feel “vulnerable and the victim of an aggression”.  “ ...

‘Racism is normal in La Liga’: Vinícius Júnior outraged by abuse at Valencia Carlo Ancelotti tells referee he should stop match over chants Brazilian sent off after late clash in Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat  Vinícius Júnior has called La Liga and Spain racist after Real Madrid’s Brazil forward received racial slurs from the stands in Sunday’s defeat at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium. Vinícius Júnior pointed out the fans who were insulting him, leading to the match being stopped for 10 minutes, and then got into an altercation with Valencia’s players which led to his sending-off in added time . “It was not the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition considers it normal , the federation considers it normal and the rivals encourage it,” Vinicius posted on Twitter after the game. “The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi today belongs to the racists. “A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and ...