Spanish

A 37-year-old Irish man identified by Spanish authorities as “one of the leaders” of the Hutch Organised Crime Group is set to fight efforts to send him back to Ireland, after appearing before a court in Lanzarote. Spanish police arrested the man yesterday under a European arrest warrant issued by the High Court in Dublin. Gardaí want him returned to Ireland, where he is sought to face criminal charges. He appeared by video link before a judge in Lanzarote this morning and was remanded in custody after refusing to consent to…

Spain’s Sanchez condemns U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, bans use of Spanish bases as Trump threatens trade retaliation Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez intensified his opposition to the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, calling the campaign “Russian roulette” with the lives of millions and barring U.S. aircraft from using naval and air bases in southern Spain for the offensive against Tehran. His move drew an immediate threat from President Donald Trump to cut trade ties with Spain, escalating tensions between NATO allies.…

Investigators probing Spain’s deadly high-speed train collision say a cracked rail likely existed before the crash, a preliminary finding that could shift scrutiny toward infrastructure on one of the world’s busiest high-speed networks. A report released today by Spain’s CIAF rail accident investigation committee said an inspection of the Iryo train involved in Sunday evening’s collision in Andalusia found “notches in the tread of the right-sided wheels” on four carriages. Similar notches with a compatible geometric pattern…

Spain’s High Court prosecutors have shelved a preliminary investigation into singer Julio Iglesias, ruling the court lacks jurisdiction because the alleged crimes occurred outside Spain and the accusers do not reside in the country. The decision, outlined in a filing seen by Reuters, halts the probe at the national level while leaving open the possibility of prosecution in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, where the alleged conduct took place. Women’s Link Worldwide, a rights group, lodged the complaint on Jan. 5 on…

Spain mourned its deadliest rail disaster in more than a decade as the death toll from a high-speed train collision in Andalusia rose to 42 and a second accident near Barcelona killed one person and injured dozens. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited the crash site and met survivors Tuesday as the government pledged a full, transparent investigation. The first crash occurred late Sunday when an Iryo-operated train traveling from Malaga to Madrid derailed near Adamuz in southern Spain. The train crossed onto the opposite…

Spanish police say they have made their largest-ever cocaine seizure on the high seas, intercepting a vessel carrying nearly 10 metric tons of the drug hidden in a shipment of salt and bound for Europe from Brazil. Officers recovered 294 bales of cocaine and a handgun from the ship and arrested 13 people on board, police said in a statement. The vessel later ran out of fuel and had to be towed to port by coastguards in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. The interdiction underscores both the scale and reach of…

Raphinha’s brace seals Barcelona’s Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah thriller over Real Madrid Monday January 12, 2026 JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Barcelona retained the Spanish Super Cup with a breathless 3-2 win over Real Madrid on Sunday night, riding a two-goal performance from Raphinha and a wave of late resistance to lift the trophy in a raucous Jeddah final. The Brazilian winger struck first just before halftime and delivered the decisive touch in the 73rd minute, his second effort taking a fortuitous deflection off Raul Asencio…

In a remarkable operation, Spanish law enforcement has successfully taken down a criminal ring operating out of Alicante, which allegedly lured Swedish and Danish youths to act as hired assassins. A married couple from Sweden, alongside their 15-year-old son, stands accused of enlisting other teenagers through the messaging platform Telegram for the purpose of orchestrating murders. This trio faces additional serious allegations, such as trafficking firearms and drugs, as well as engaging in money laundering activities.…

Tragedy struck the northern Spanish town of Villafranca de Ebro when a fire claimed the lives of at least ten individuals at a retirement facility. This heartbreaking incident has left the community in shock. The fire erupted in one of the resident's rooms, as confirmed by Fernando Beltrán, the top representative of the national government in the region. He shared the grim news with reporters shortly after the disaster unfolded. All of those who lost their lives were elderly residents of the Jardines de Villafranca, a care…

A delegation featuring Spain's king and the prime minister faced a barrage of protests during their visit to the Valencia region, which has been devastated by catastrophic floods. Eyewitnesses from AFP reported that some in the crowd yelled accusations like "assassins," while others resorted to hurling mud at the officials. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia made their way to Paiporta, a town particularly hard-hit, accompanied by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other dignitaries. The atmosphere was tense, with demonstrators…