Europe

Spanish government, local authorities lock horns over Madrid lockdown

Editorial Bureau September 25, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – The Spanish health minister said on Friday that the government has suggested reimposing a partial lockdown on Madrid to stem the spread of the pandemic. This comes after local authorities imposed curbs on some areas of the city. “These are the minimum measures we

Europe

Migrants jump off Spanish rescue ship

Editorial Bureau September 18, 2020

ROME (ITALY) – Some 70 migrants jumped overboard from the Spanish rescue ship Open Arms on Thursday, hoping to swim and get to the nearby southern Italian city of Palermo. The people who jumped into the sea, were among the group consisting more than 270 people, and were again rescued by Italian coastguard and police […]

Europe

Spain’s COVID tracing app to strike a balance between public health and privacy

Ren Leen September 17, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – A promotional video for Spain’s contact-tracing app asks, “What does RadarCOVID not do?” The answer it gives is while navigating the decentralised healthcare system of the country, it does not get hold of the users’ personal data. European privacy laws in countries like Spain do not employ contact-tracing tools that make use

Europe

Teachers, medics take to streets in Spain over govt handling of pandemic

Editorial Bureau September 15, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – Teachers in Spain’s Bilbao struck work for one day on Tuesday to protest against the regional government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. In Madrid, health workers took to the streets to demand better working conditions. Protesters are demanding more staff and support from authorities as the recent surge in cases, at a […]

Europe

Spain foreign minister calls for EU harmonisation of COVID travel measures

Editorial Bureau September 8, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – Spain’s Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said on Tuesday her government was mooting for a European Union harmonisation of COVID-19 travel measures so that it can restrict problems for tourists and tourism operators. Gonzalez Laya said in an interview with RNE radio station the Spanish government is also in talks with Britain […]

Europe

Spain’s PM Sanchez talks highly of Bankia-Caixabank merger

Editorial Bureau September 7, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday said the proposed merger of Spanish lenders Caixabank and state-owned Bankia has a few positive aspects. Sanchez said in an interview in TVE, “From the perspective of size, the Spanish financial sector has to take steps forward.” The two lenders are set for a merger […]

Europe

Spain reports 3,594 new cases

Editorial Bureau August 26, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – Spain confirmed 3,594 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday. The country has registered the largest number of cases in western Europe in six months since the pandemic hit. The latest daily increase was however, below the roughly 4,000 cases recorded a day earlier, according to updated information from the health ministry. This brought […]

Business

More than half of Spanish firms reopen after closing during height of pandemic spread

Editorial Bureau August 22, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – Spanish government released data on Saturday which says that more than half of the companies in the country, which closed during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, have reopened. This shows that the economy is recovering slowly. Figures from the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration reveal that the number of […]

Business

British Airways begins retirement of 747 fleet

Editorial Bureau August 18, 2020

LONDON (UK) – British Airways began its jumbo jet fleet retirement on Tuesday. The first of the 31 remaining Boeing 747s will take off from Heathrow and head to Spain where it will be scrapped. The pandemic forced British Airways to retire the 747 known for its humped fuselage and four engines. The first aircraft […]

Europe

Spain closes down nightclubs to prevent coronavirus cases

Editorial Bureau August 14, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – Spain agreed to order the closing down of nightclubs, among other measures aimed at controlling the rise in coronavirus infections, according to Health minister Salvador Illa on Friday. Illa also discouraged meetings that included more than 10 people, while at the same time warning young people specifically not to gather outside to […]