Latest news with #CadenaSer
Local Spain
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Spain
Why waiting times at Spain's immigration offices could get even longer
Processing visas and residency permits could take even longer now due to the fact that extranjería offices are reportedly already "overwhelmed", before new immigration regulations that could worsen the situation considerably. Back in November 2024, Spain announced it was going to make it easier for foreigners to get residency and work permits by approving a series of new immigration reforms, legislation which although good on paper has been met with some doubts by litigators as it could leave some asylum seekers in an increased state of vulnerability. These changes are due to finally come into force this month on May 20th. The new rules are designed to supposedly simplify the regularisation process for migrants living in Spain illegally, as well as making it easy for people to change to different residency options. For example, it will allow foreigners who have studied in Spain to move more easily from a study visa to a residence and work permit. At the same time, however, all this extra paperwork will also greatly increase the workload of administrators. Spanish trade union Comisiones Obreras has even called for a strike due to a "lack of resources" to implement these new regulations, as well as a steep increase in the workload. 'We denounce the unsustainable workload, the precarious working conditions of public employees, and the disastrous management, which is leaving thousands of citizens trapped in a bureaucratic labyrinth with no way out," the union said in a recent statement. The strikes will take place from 12:30 to 2:30pm at all immigration offices in Spain next Tuesday May 19th, one day before the regulations come into effect. In essence, understaffed, overworked and underpaid extranjería staff are fearful of the sheer volume of residency processes immigration officers they are going to have to carry out. Catalan authorities alone say they are looking at regularising the residency and work papers of 200,000 migrants in two years. To make matters worse, just days before the reform of the Immigration Regulations comes into effect, Spain's Ministry of Inclusion has made several amendments to the rules. While these aim to clarify the interpretation of the new regulations, it is also causing more confusion among extranjería workers. Even before the new reforms come into force, long waiting times, trouble getting appointments (citas previas) and phones that are never answered have been chronic issues at many of Spain's extranjería offices. This was recently brought to light by an article in Cadena Ser, where they reported how in order to process an appointment to obtain protected status at Valencia's foreigner office, you have to call on only one particular day of the week at a specific time. Obstacles such as these leave many foreigners in limbo and vulnerable. Appointments are so hard to come by due to the fact that 'mafia' gangs are blocking them all with the help of computer bots and then selling them to desperate foreigners, when in reality appointments should be completely free. For years, Spanish authorities have been unable to stamp out this scam. As Spain's population continues to increase largely due to the arrival of more documented and undocumented foreigners, an already overstretched and trouble-ridden immigration department will have to deal with a sizable increase in its workload, something that is certain to reflect in waiting times for foreigners.
Irish Examiner
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Rumours, rock-star cardinals and street cleaning: Rome gets ready for conclave
Some journalists brave the warm spring sun, others seek respite in the shade of the Vatican's colonnades. Whatever their strategy, the aim is the same: to spot the red-capped cardinals emerging from Synod Hall and try to elicit from them a clue as to who will succeed Pope Francis. The men responsible for picking a new pontiff are enjoying rock-star status in Rome this week as they prepare for conclave: the secret, centuries-old ritual of electing a leader of the Catholic church that is due to begin on 7 May. Marina García Diéguez is among the journalists partaking in the daily stakeout. She is a conclave novice, but was quick to suss out the cunning ways the cardinals try to avoid the gaggle of reporters. 'Each one has his own strategy,' said Diéguez, who works for the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser and Mediaset España. 'Some already have cars with blacked-out windows waiting for them, so they can make a sharp exit. Others remove their red skullcaps and leave by foot, taking a route that crosses St Peter's Square, where they can get lost among the tourists, before escaping through Via della Conciliazione.' It was at that point, she advised, that you stood a good chance of catching one. Firefighters place the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope, at the Vatican, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Diéguez had managed to obtain quotes from a couple, including Fernando Filoni, an Italian cardinal whose name cropped up this week among the favourites for pope. The Guardian's attempt to give chase was not as successful. 'I don't speak English, which at this precise moment, is a very good thing,' said an Argentinian cardinal, before politely adding, in Italian: 'But we are working very well together,' and striding off. About 180 cardinals from all over the world have been gathering each morning this week at Synod Hall to get to know each other and to share their visions of the church, but ultimately to establish a clear pope contender. Of that number, 133 are eligible to vote after two dropped out of the conclave for health reasons. Eight in 10 of the voters were appointed by Francis, with 20 becoming cardinals only in December. Francis made a point of selecting cardinals from places where there had never previously been one, such as Myanmar, Haiti and Rwanda. Until this past week or so, many had never met. Read More How long was the longest conclave? Facts about the secret voting to elect a pope FILE - Cardinals walk through St. Peter's Square ahead of Pope Francis' coffin at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru, File) During conclave, the men will be sequestered in their humble lodgings at Casa Santa Marta, the guesthouse where Pope Francis lived during his 12-year papacy, and the Sistine Chapel, where the voting takes place. The cardinals swear an oath of silence before each pre-conclave meeting and will do so again when the election begins. But until they are sequestered, it is in the bars and restaurants in the area surrounding the Vatican where the real talking happens, with some mischievous cardinals exploiting the press while they can to leak titbits or to discredit the main candidates. Al Passetto di Borgo, a restaurant in Borgo Pio, has been a favourite among Rome's clergy for years. According to a framed newspaper article hanging on the wall, this was the place where cardinals, over carbonara and tiramisu, plotted to ensure the election of Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 conclave. Seán Patrick O'Malley, an American cardinal who leads a commission tasked with preventing clerical abuse against minors, was among the diners this week. Aged 80, O'Malley is too old to vote but has been named by some church-watchers as a possibility for pontiff. Another diner was Donald Wuerl, who in 2018 resigned as archbishop of Washington over his handling of a sexual abuse scandal. Showing a photo on his phone of a plain-clothed Wuerl in Al Passetto di Borgo, the restaurant's owner, Antonello Fulvimari, said: 'He's been coming here since 1969.' Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, center, along with others, attends a mass on the fourth of nine days of mourning for late Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) The only information Fulvimari had been able to glean from his prestigious clients this week was that they wanted the conclave over 'as soon as possible'. 'They all want to get home,' he added. 'But this is where the real decisions get made.' Another popular restaurant is Marcantonio, although according to a waiter, the presence of cardinals has petered out because of journalists. Cardinals who want to spread rumours tend to resort to the veteran Vatican reporters from the Italian press. They have sought to diminish the credibility of some leading contenders – for example Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state – by claiming they have health issues. Luis Antonio Tagle, a reformer from the Philippines and a strong favourite, has also had a rough ride from conservative cardinals after a video of him singing John Lennon's Imagine emerged on the internet. Another meeting point is reportedly Caffe dei Papi, a coffee bar tucked away from the main hubbub on Via Vespasiano. 'But I never know when they are here,' said Ilda, the bar's manager. 'I just read about it in the newspaper.' Unsurprisingly, the main chatter in the bar has revolved around who will be elected pope. 'I think it should be someone who embraces everyone,' said Ilda. Vincenzo Aru, a building concierge who works nearby, is a lapsed Catholic and therefore indifferent. 'I'm just happy they've cleaned the streets,' he said. 'The only time that happens around here is when a pope dies.' - The Guardian Read More Vatican workers install Sistine Chapel stove ahead of conclave
The Guardian
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Rumours, rock-star cardinals and street cleaning: Rome gets ready for conclave
Some journalists brave the warm spring sun, others seek respite in the shade of the Vatican's colonnades. Whatever their strategy, the aim is the same: to spot the red-capped cardinals emerging from Synod Hall and try to elicit from them a clue as to who will succeed Pope Francis. The men responsible for picking a new pontiff are enjoying rock-star status in Rome this week as they prepare for conclave: the secret, centuries-old ritual of electing a leader of the Catholic church that is due to begin on 7 May. Marina García Diéguez is among the journalists partaking in the daily stakeout. She is a conclave novice, but was quick to suss out the cunning ways the cardinals try to avoid the gaggle of reporters. 'Each one has his own strategy,' said Diéguez, who works for the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser and Mediaset España. 'Some already have cars with blacked-out windows waiting for them, so they can make a sharp exit. Others remove their red skullcaps and leave by foot, taking a route that crosses St Peter's Square, where they can get lost among the tourists, before escaping through Via della Conciliazione.' It was at that point, she advised, that you stood a good chance of catching one. Diéguez had managed to obtain quotes from a couple, including Fernando Filoni, an Italian cardinal whose name cropped up this week among the favourites for pope. The Guardian's attempt to give chase was not as successful. 'I don't speak English, which at this precise moment, is a very good thing,' said an Argentinian cardinal, before politely adding, in Italian: 'But we are working very well together,' and striding off. About 180 cardinals from all over the world have been gathering each morning this week at Synod Hall to get to know each other and to share their visions of the church, but ultimately to establish a clear pope contender. Of that number, 133 are eligible to vote after two dropped out of the conclave for health reasons. Eight in 10 of the voters were appointed by Francis, with 20 becoming cardinals only in December. Francis made a point of selecting cardinals from places where there had never previously been one, such as Myanmar, Haiti and Rwanda. Until this past week or so, many had never met. During conclave, the men will be sequestered in their humble lodgings at Casa Santa Marta, the guesthouse where Pope Francis lived during his 12-year papacy, and the Sistine Chapel, where the voting takes place. The cardinals swear an oath of silence before each pre-conclave meeting and will do so again when the election begins. But until they are sequestered, it is in the bars and restaurants in the area surrounding the Vatican where the real talking happens, with some mischievous cardinals exploiting the press while they can to leak titbits or to discredit the main candidates. Al Passetto di Borgo, a restaurant in Borgo Pio, has been a favourite among Rome's clergy for years. According to a framed newspaper article hanging on the wall, this was the place where cardinals, over carbonara and tiramisu, plotted to ensure the election of Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 conclave. Seán Patrick O'Malley, an American cardinal who leads a commission tasked with preventing clerical abuse against minors, was among the diners this week. Aged 80, O'Malley is too old to vote but has been named by some church-watchers as a possibility for pontiff. Another diner was Donald Wuerl, who in 2018 resigned as archbishop of Washington over his handling of a sexual abuse scandal. Showing a photo on his phone of a plain-clothed Wuerl in Al Passetto di Borgo, the restaurant's owner, Antonello Fulvimari, said: 'He's been coming here since 1969.' The only information Fulvimari had been able to glean from his prestigious clients this week was that they wanted the conclave over 'as soon as possible'. 'They all want to get home,' he added. 'But this is where the real decisions get made.' Another popular restaurant is Marcantonio, although according to a waiter, the presence of cardinals has petered out because of journalists. Cardinals who want to spread rumours tend to resort to the veteran Vatican reporters from the Italian press. They have sought to diminish the credibility of some leading contenders – for example Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state – by claiming they have health issues. Luis Antonio Tagle, a reformer from the Philippines and a strong favourite, has also had a rough ride from conservative cardinals after a video of him singing John Lennon's Imagine emerged on the internet. Another meeting point is reportedly Caffe dei Papi, a coffee bar tucked away from the main hubbub on Via Vespasiano. 'But I never know when they are here,' said Ilda, the bar's manager. 'I just read about it in the newspaper.' Unsurprisingly, the main chatter in the bar has revolved around who will be elected pope. 'I think it should be someone who embraces everyone,' said Ilda. Vincenzo Aru, a building concierge who works nearby, is a lapsed Catholic and therefore indifferent. 'I'm just happy they've cleaned the streets,' he said. 'The only time that happens around here is when a pope dies.'
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Spain & Portugal power outage LATEST: Electricity returns but cause of mass blackout still a mystery
Lights return in Madrid after massive power outage Lights came back on across Madrid late Monday as Spain's power operator said it was progressively overcoming a massive power outage that plunged the Iberian peninsula into darkness. More than 35 percent of Spain's power demand was being met, the country's REE electricity operator. Portugal's operator said it had also made gains in overcoming the outage. "By 8:35 pm (1835 GMT) REE was meeting "35.1 percent of demand", Eduardo Prieto," REE's operations director, told Cadena Ser radio. In Madrid, traffic lights and the storefronts of shops slowly became lit up in different districts. REE said earlier that power was being "progressively" restored across the country. Meanwhile Portugal's REN power operator was aiming for full restoration by Tuesday. "I hope we will manage to balance the whole system during the night," REN administrator Joao Faria Conceicao told journalists. Already some 750,000 customers, out of some 6.5 million, were back online Monday evening including the whole of the city of Porto. REN reiterated there was still no firm cause for the shock mass outage.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Spain and Portugal hit by nationwide power outages
Spain and Portugal have been hit by a power outage covering wide areas across the two countries. Capitals Madrid and Lisbon are included in the outages as grid operators work to resolve the issue. Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica said it was working with energy companies to restore power in affected areas. Parts of France may also be affected, Spanish media has reported, alongside large Spanish cities like Seville, Barcelona and Valencia. Reports also indicate that telephone lines are down in parts of the country. Spain's public broadcaster RTVE said a major power outage hit several regions of the country at around 12:30 p.m. local time, leaving its newsroom, Spain's parliament in Madrid and metro stations across the country in the dark. Spanish radio network Cadena Ser reports that prime minister Pedro Sánchez is on his way to Red Electrica headquarters to assess the situation. The grid operator has confirmed on social media that the process of regaining power in the country will now be 'gradual' as its engineers work on the grid in the north and south of the country. Local media in Madrid says that parts of the underground metro have been evacuated and roads cleared as traffic lights in the city have stopped working. Social media footage from Malaga, on Spain's south coast, also shows metro passengers forced to walk inside the tunnel as carriages are evacuated. The ongoing Madrid Open tennis tournament has also suspended matches for the time being. People in neighborhood WhatsApp chats in Barcelona and outskirts cities and towns also reported the outage. In Portugal, a country of some 10.6 million people, the outage hit the capital, Lisbon, and surrounding areas, as well as northern and southern parts of the country. Portuguese distributor E-Redes said the outage was due to "a problem with the European electricity system," according to Portuguese newspaper Expresso. The company said it was compelled to cut power in specific areas to stabilize the network, according to Expresso. E-Redes said parts of France also were affected. It was not possible to make calls on mobile phone networks, though some apps were news reports said the Lisbon subway stopped running. Traffic lights in the city center stopped working. This is a breaking news story and will be regularly updated with more details...
