Spain's PM accused of putting net-zero ideology first after blackout chaos
Spain's Socialist prime minister was accused of putting green ideology ahead of energy security after a massive blackout plunged the country into chaos on Monday.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the opposition People's Party, said Pedro Sánchez was covering up information about the cause of the power cut and prioritising green ideology in his energy policy.
The prime minister was 'saddling our energy system with a massive ideological burden', Mr Feijóo said on Tuesday.
'What happened? Could it happen again? I'd like to be able to answer those questions but the official information we have at this time is not clear or reliable.'
'It will all come out in the end,' Mr Feijóo added in reference to an impending European Commission report on the power cuts.
Red Eléctrica, Spain's public electricity provider, said its preliminary diagnosis showed that Monday's system collapse – which knocked out power across Spain, Portugal and parts of France – was caused by a drop in solar power generation.
Earlier this year, it warned of blackouts due to the country's increasing reliance on renewable energy, saying 'generation disconnections' could be 'severe' because of how much the country relies on wind and solar sources.
According to the Spanish press, the Popular Party asserted that Mr Sanchez knew about the Red Eléctrica warning and 'ignored it'.
The prime minister told Red Eléctrica on Tuesday that 'there was not a problem of excessive renewables [generation] nor of demand being unmet'.
Beatriz Corredor, the Socialist head of Red Eléctrica, claimed that Spain had 'the best [electricity] system in Europe', adding that the grid had shown great agility in recovering within 24 hours.
Mr Sanchez plans to close Spain's five nuclear energy plants from 2027, and said those claiming nuclear energy could prevent future power cuts were 'either ignorant or liars'.
He said the cause of Monday's dramatic power blackout, one of the largest in Europe's history, remained unclear.
The Spanish government's consumer affairs ministry has opened a probe into reports that ride-hailing companies increased their fares during the hours after the blackout struck, in which all train and underground services ground to a halt.
According to the radio station Cadena Ser, Cabify was the worst offender, raising its fares by as much as 300 per cent, while Uber and Bolt have also been accused of price gouging, albeit to a lesser degree.
The radio station quoted sources from Cabify admitting that the company's fares rose after the start of the power cut, but they claimed that 'standard charges were reintroduced when we saw how serious the situation was'.
All of Spain's nuclear reactors had to be shut down due to safety concerns when the grid went out, which led Mr Sanchez to claim that 'more than a solution, these plants have been a problem'.
Spain is a leader in the use of renewable energy, generating 57 per cent of its energy in 2024 from green sources.
The grid frequently runs entirely from renewable sources for hours at a time, but falls back on nuclear and combined-cycle gas power plants when there is less wind and sun.
Fundación Renovables, a Spanish think tank in favour of transition to renewable sources, said that Monday's crash must have been a grid management problem, not an issue with green energy.
'The disconnection of renewable plants and other generation systems was not the cause of the blackout,' it said in a statement.
The think tank argued that Spain's high percentage of renewable energy and the flexibility of technologies such as hydroelectric power actually enabled the grid operator to recover more quickly.
'If Spain did not have so much renewable capacity, the return to normal grid conditions would have taken longer,' the foundation said.
Spain's grid was gradually brought up to strength on Monday evening and into Tuesday mainly with renewable sources.
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NBC News
15 hours ago
- NBC News
How a city in Nebraska is recovering after the state's largest worksite immigration raid
Immigration The city of Omaha is trying to forge ahead following the raid's chilling effect on the local workforce and the community at large. June 15, 2025, 6:00 AM EDT By Nicole Acevedo OMAHA, Nebraska — Every seat in the waiting area of Glenn Valley Foods was occupied with people filling out job applications early Thursday afternoon, two days after the meatpacking plant became the center of the largest worksite immigration raid in the state of Nebraska so far this year. Dozens of prospective employees, many of them Spanish speakers, had been coming in and out of the plant all day. Some were hoping to land a new job; others were coming in for training. The scene gave the company's president, Chad Hartmann, a glimmer of hope amid the chaos that ensued after Tuesday's raid purged roughly half of his staff — many of whom had been longtime employees of the company, which has been processing boxed beef for more than 15 years. Hartmann had never seen or experienced a raid before. He is finding out in real time that 'there's no playbook' on how to move forward after one, Hartmann told NBC News. The process of re-hiring new workers, Hartmann said, feels like asking someone to replace a family member. 'You cannot, in my mind,' he said. 'They were part of our family, and they were taken away.' Seventy-six people working at Glenn Valley Foods were arrested by federal immigration authorities Tuesday morning, the Department of Homeland Security told NBC News in an email. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the arrests were part of an enforcement operation to execute a federal search warrant in connection to an investigation into ' the large-scale employment of aliens without legal work authorization.' As of Friday night, criminal charges had not been filed against those arrested in the raid. About a dozen of them have already been deported or transferred out of state. At least 63 others were taken to the Lincoln County Detention Center. The county's sheriff, Jerome Kramer, said none of the detainees are 'violent offenders' and he hopes to help them 'complete the process to correct their work status and reunite them with families or employers.' Samantha Santiago, who owns a business selling accessories in South Omaha's predominantly Latino business district, said many of the detained people were her customers. 'There are just too many families who were affected,' she said in Spanish, adding that some of people in the community canceled " quinceañeras" and baptisms planned for this weekend because 'the sadness is too deep.' The raid happened on the same week John Ewing officially took office as the first Black mayor of Omaha. Ewing, a Democrat, defeated Republican incumbent Jean Stothert in last month's election. At the same time, anti-ICE demonstrations have been raging across the nation in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, New York and Philadelphia — protesting the tactics being used when conducting raids and immigration enforcement actions. 'It's a collective effort, as a community, to both mourn together and also try to find solutions together for everybody,' Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia, the first Latino to occupy that position, told NBC News. Douglas County, where Omaha is located, is one of just two counties in Nebraska that went blue during the 2024 presidential election. The state as a whole is largely considered a Republican stronghold. Nevada Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, issued a statement in support of the raids and signed a proclamation Friday to activate the National Guard as a precautionary measure ' in anticipation of anti-ICE protests ' this weekend. In a news conference Wednesday, Ewing said that he does not support workplace raids and Omaha police would not, as a normal course of business, ask people about their immigration status. The dueling points showcase the source of nationwide tensions as Americans grapple with President Donald Trump's actions to fulfill his campaign promise of mass deportations. On Friday, over 500 people protesting Omaha's immigration raids peacefully marched to Charles Schwab Field, where the College World Series — the city's biggest sporting event — was kicking off. 'It is big for tourism in Omaha,' Juan Elizondo, one of the protest's lead organizers, told NBC News. 'The nation here with us — being there present, and letting them hear us, I think is more impactful.' A diverse crowd of demonstrators, from children and young people to older adults, were mostly dressed in white to show peace, though a handful of them even dressed in work uniforms to symbolize immigrants' contributions. Most of them held signs, upside down American flags signaling distress and Latin American flags to represent some of the people's heritage. Dozens of other people driving by honked at the demonstrators and placed flags outside their car windows to show support. The march marked the first time Elizondo, 32, had organized a protest. As an Omaha native and a son of Mexican immigrants, Elizondo said, he felt compelled to step up after he saw that the main message of the protests across the nation was being marred by instances of violence. 'This is definitely an extreme moment in the community,' he said. 'It's gotten a lot more political.' Reeling from the aftermath News of the ICE raid this week sent a crippling, chilling effect across the city. The local library and community college closed early on Tuesday. Construction sites and other workplaces have been desolate. South Omaha's business district, known as a vibrant Hispanic and immigrant enclave, shut down immediately after the raid. As of Friday, some had reopened. About a third of the remaining staff at Glenn Valley Foods showed up to work on Wednesday, with many staying home because they still felt afraid or traumatized, resulting in a roughly 20% drop in production that day, according to Hartmann. As more of the remaining employees showed up Thursday morning — most still reeling from the stress caused by the raid — workers and employees held a meeting. Hartmann described the meeting as a combination of 'tough love' and even passionate disagreements, as people tried to make sense of what happened and find a way to move forward. About 80 employees were at the plant processing meat early Friday afternoon. At the South Omaha business district, a popular Mexican bakery reopened Friday and welcomed dozens of customers taking home pastries for Father's Day weekend. Three hair stylists sat outside their empty salon. They said this weekend tends to be busy for the business, but many of their immigrant customers were not coming in because they were still afraid to be out in public following the raid. Santiago was back at her store Friday after taking a couple of days to process what was happening around her. During those two days, Santiago said she would cry unprompted 'every five minutes.' To find comfort, she went to church and prayed. Scrolling on social media, Santiago saw GoFundMe pages, raffles and other efforts to raise funds for the families affected by the raids. She said some are struggling to afford legal fees and immigration attorneys as well as keep up with family expenses without their spouse's income. Looking for a way to help, Santiago had the idea to take a portion of the proceeds from her bestselling item — the popular Labubu dolls — and donate them to the affected families. Commissioner Garcia's family is among those directly impacted by the raids. His wife's aunt was among the 76 people who were taken into immigration custody. Her son was able to speak with her on Wednesday at around 1 a.m. and learned she was being taken to an immigration processing center in Omaha. Currently, she is at a state detention center elsewhere. 'A lot of these individuals have been here for many years, if not decades, raising a family here, have citizen children and family members here, and they don't fit that profile of being the high-level criminals that are supposed to be the priority for immigration enforcement,' Garcia said. Grappling with a system that 'needs to be repaired' Wrapping and loading boxes of product into trucks, processing meat, maintaining the intricate machinery and repairing and cleaning the plant: these are some of the jobs, Hartmann said, that workers at Glenn Valley Foods do to ensure the meatpacking plant passes strict Safe Quality Food audits and inspections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hartmann explained some of these jobs require rigorous safety training; 'it takes skilled people that take pride in what they do,' he said. The company's president said they have continuously used E-Verify as part of their hiring process. The system is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to let employers know if a prospective employee has legal authorization to work in the U.S. Every employee at Glenn Valley Foods, including those who were detained by ICE, has been approved through E-Verify, Hartmann said. When he told this to DHS during the raid, an agency official described the system they operate as flawed and easy to cheat. Now, as he hires a new workforce, Hartmann has no other alternative but to continue using E-Verify system to screen employees, he said. 'That system doesn't capture a solution if somebody's got a fake ID. That's what needs to be repaired.' Garcia said that limiting immigrants' ability to remain in the country legally is what often pushes people to 'borrow' or 'make up' false identifications. It is for the 'sole purpose of working and nothing else, because there has been no other way for them to adjust their status and work under their own proper name or identification.' 'But our comprehensive immigration reform efforts have not gone through yet, unfortunately. And it's still badly needed,' García said. In researching alternatives for E-Verify with guidance from Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., DHS and federal authorities, Hartmann said the options he was presented included temporary work visa programs such as H-1A — meant for industries dealing with workforce shortages — and H-2B, for nonagricultural jobs. But because these immigration programs are for seasonal workers, 'it doesn't fit our needs,' Hartmann said. Saying goodbye to workers every six months is 'not building a business.' Hartmann wishes government officials would consider creating a limited period of amnesty for undocumented people who 'meet certain qualifications' such as never having committed a crime, a desire to work, pay taxes and be part of the community. This could be a temporary remedy for people looking to get legal immigration status, he suggested. While that might not be the answer to the larger immigration issue, he said it's 'some version that makes sense.' 'There should be no problem with that,' Hartmann said, 'to just stop the bleeding, stop the problem.' A new generation of residents speak out Elizondo organized Friday's protest with the help and support of other more experienced Latino and immigrant rights advocates. A group of them met on Thursday afternoon at a downtown Omaha restaurant to plan the demonstration. They shared advice on how to work with local law enforcement to ensure the protests remained peaceful and focused on how immigration raids are hurting their communities, the community activists said. 'That has made the new generation speak up,' Rosa la Puente, one of the advocates mentoring Elizondo, said about the recent events. Many in the community are questioning the timing of the Omaha raid, wondering if the city was targeted for political reasons. When asked about this at a news conference on Wednesday, Ewing said, 'I don't know why Omaha was targeted.' For young Omaha residents like Elizondo and Jennifer Reyna, 29, the issue feels personal. Elizondo said he was inspired to step up after he saw his mother's leadership, consoling co-workers at James Skinner Baking, a local baking manufacturer, who were paralyzed with fear following the raid. 'It breaks your heart,' he said. Reyna, who attended Friday's protest, said they want their voices heard beyond Omaha. 'Everyone at this point in time in the community is afraid and is extremely upset,' Reyna said. Amid a feeling of helplessness, "we're trying to live normal, hardworking lives in this country that we do love,' she said. Nicole Acevedo Nicole Acevedo is a national reporter for NBC News and NBC Latino.
Powys County Times
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Military parade rolls through Washington as protesters across US decry Trump
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Leader Live
a day ago
- Leader Live
Military parade rolls through Washington as protesters across US decry Trump
It came as opponents of the president's agenda rallied in hundreds of cities nationwide for 'No Kings' protests. Despite concerns about lightning and thunderstorms, the rain held to a slight drizzle during the march of soldiers and machinery. Heavy cloud cover and low visibility seemed to contribute to less of an aircraft presence in the parade. As the parade was underway, police in Los Angeles fired tear gas and flash bangs to try to disperse demonstrators challenging immigration raids. Clouds of gas wafted toward a family-friendly demonstration that had been going on for hours outside City Hall. The procession, with more than 6,000 soldiers and 128 Army tanks, was one Mr Trump tried to make happen in his first term after seeing such an event in Paris in 2017, but the plans never came together until the parade was added to an event recognising the Army's 250th anniversary. 'Every other country celebrates their victories. It's about time America did too,' Mr Trump declared in brief remarks at the parade's end. The president praised the strength of the military's fighting forces and said US soldiers 'fight, fight, fight and they win, win, win' — putting a new twist on a line he regularly delivered during his 2024 campaign rallies after he survived an assassination attempt. At times, Mr Trump stood and saluted as troops marched past the reviewing stand. Attendance appeared to fall far short of early predictions that as many as 200,000 people would attend the festival and parade. There were large gaps between viewers near the Washington Monument on a day when steamy weather and the threat of thunderstorms could have dampened turnout. Hours before the parade started, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to voice opposition to the Republican president. They criticised Mr Trump for using the military to respond to people protesting his deportation efforts and for the muscular military show in the US capital. As armoured vehicles rolled down the street in front of the president, on the other side of the country the Marines he deployed to Los Angeles appeared at a demonstration for the first time, standing guard outside a federal building. Dozens of Marines stood shoulder to shoulder in full combat gear beside the National Guard, Homeland Security officers and other law enforcement. Hundreds of protesters facing them jeered in English and Spanish, telling the troops to go home. In Washington, hundreds protesting Mr Trump carried signs with messages that included 'Where's the due process?' and 'No to Trump's fascist military parade' as they marched toward the White House. A larger-than-life puppet of Mr Trump was wheeled through the crowd, a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet. Other protesters waved Pride flags and hoisted signs, some with pointed messages such as 'I prefer crushed ICE,' referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Other messages included: 'The invasion was HERE Jan. 6th, NOT in LA' and 'Flip me off if you're a FASCIST.' 'No Kings' rallies unfolded in hundreds of cities, designed to counter what organisers said were Mr Trump's plans to feed his ego on his 79th birthday and Flag Day. Organisers said they picked the name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. On the National Mall, a display of armoured vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment was set up to commemorate the Army's birthday. Vendors outside the army festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise. Larry Stallard, a retired American Airlines pilot, said he travelled to Washington from Kansas City for the weekend 'to see the military and see Trump.' Mr Stallard, who voted for Mr Trump, said it was 'hard to believe' people were upset about the cost of the event when 'they blow that in 10 seconds on things that we don't even need'. The parade was added just two months ago to the long-planned celebration of the army's birthday and has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to 45 million dollars (£33 million) and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. About six in 10 Americans said Saturday's parade was 'not a good use' of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research.
