Latest news with #MADRID
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Spain's Ibiza limits tourist cars, caravans due to overcrowding
From June 1 to Sept 30, the daily number of vehicles used by non-residents in Ibiza is now capped at 20,000. PHOTO: EPA-EFE MADRID – Spain's island of Ibiza – a hugely popular Mediterranean destination – from June 1 started limiting the number of incoming tourist cars and caravans because of the huge numbers of visitors it gets. From June 1 to Sept 30, the daily number of vehicles used by non-residents is now capped at 20,000, the local government explained to one of the island's newspapers, El Periodico de Ibiza y Formentera. Of those, 16,000 are rental cars available on the island, while the rest of the quota is for private cars making ferry crossings, as long as they get a prior authorisation to do so. Caravans also need to show they have a reservation at a camping site, and are not allowed to be parked anywhere in the countryside. Motorbikes are excluded from the seasonal restrictions. The head of Ibiza's government, Mr Vicent Mari, told the newspaper that the change was to 'guarantee the sustainability' of the island, which has 150,000 inhabitants but receives some 3.6 million tourists per year, along with the smaller Formentera island nearby. Official statistics show that the number of vehicles on the island's roads quadrupled over the past two decades, from 51,000 in 2002 to 207,000 in 2022. Mr Mari said various interests operating in Ibiza, including car-rental firms and big companies, resisted the limits, but argued that were necessary 'to regulate and control unsustainable (tourist) flows'. Formentera island already restricts vehicles, and another Balearic islands hotspot, Mallorca, is planning to do so in 2026. Altogether, the Balearic islands attract 19 million tourists per year, a sizable part of the 94 million who visit all of Spain, which is the second-biggest destination for visitors in the world, after France. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to stand trial in Spain next week on tax fraud charges
MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will stand trial on tax evasion charges in Spain on Wednesday. Spanish state prosecutors have accused the highly successful Italian coach of defrauding the state of 1 million euros ($1 million) in 2014 and 2015. A Madrid-based court set the trial date on Friday. State prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to four years and nine months on two counts of tax fraud. They accused Ancelotti in March 2024 of having used shell companies to hide his true earnings. Ancelotti has denied any wrongdoing. The 65-year-old Ancelotti is one of soccer's most successful coaches. He is the only coach to have won the Champions League five times, three with Madrid and twice with AC Milan, and the only coach to have won domestic league titles in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. He coached Madrid from 2013-15 before starting his current stint in 2021. ___
Reuters
10-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Spanish hotel chain Melia buys housing for its workers as rents surge
MADRID, March 10 (Reuters) - Spanish hotel chain Melia ( opens new tab is buying property to accommodate seasonal workers who can't afford to rent in tourism hot spots as a housing crisis risks causing labour shortages in the country's tourism industry, its CEO Gabriel Escarrer said. Melia, Spain's biggest hotel chain, has bought a former hostel on the Balearic island of Menorca and is looking to make further acquisitions in Ibiza and Mallorca as well as in the Canary islands and on the Spanish mainland to house its workforce during the summer high season, Escarrer said in an interview. "Due to the boom in short-term rentals for tourists, finding an apartment for the season has become an Odyssey," Escarrer said, adding that paying employees well is no longer enough to retain talent. "What we have done is make sure we have housing for our workforce." A housing crisis in Spain caused by a sharp fall in new home construction since the 2012 property crash is being exacerbated by a short-term letting boom to tourists on platforms such as Airbnb (ABNB.O), opens new tab. Spain received a record 94 million tourists last year, with three out of 10 visitors choosing to stay in holiday homes rather than hotels, according to official data. Buying housing is a radical solution for Melia, which in the past two years has been forced to accommodate some staff in hotel rooms to prevent them from quitting, Escarrer said. But for many hotel owners, giving workers a home is not an option, Ramón Estalella, general director of Spain's hotels group CEHAT. "Not everyone can afford (to provide) housing and a salary for their staff. It is not a widespread solution," he said. Unions warn that hotel workers' salaries rose 3% last year while rents in Spain increased by an average of 11.5% in 2024, according to Idealista, a property listings website. In hot spots such as the Balearics residents have been forced to live in caravans due to rising rents. "Wages are not rising like hotel margins and housing is a problem in tourist areas," said Jose Maria Martinez, a union leader for the hotel sector at CCOO. In the Canary Islands, CCOO called for a two-day strike in hotels over the Easter week to demand better wages. Local authorities in top tourist destinations have begun to restrict permits for holiday rentals while Barcelona and the Balearics have increased tourist taxes in response to residents' protests about mass tourism. Escarrer said banning tourists from staying in holiday homes in city centres would also help preserve Spain's cultural identity, pointing out how La Boqueria market in downtown Barcelona has become overrun by tourists. "Fifteen years ago La Boquería was ideal for interacting with the people of Barcelona and today the market receives tourists who only go there to take photos," he said.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New trial sought for convicted ex-Spanish soccer boss Rubiales over World Cup kiss
MADRID (AP) — Prosecutors are asking for the retrial of former Spanish soccer president Luis Rubiales, saying the judge incorrectly kept some evidence from the court. Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault and fined more than 10,000 euros ($10,800) for the unconsented kiss on player Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 Women's World Cup final. He and three other defendants — federation officials — were cleared of coercion charges they faced for allegedly trying to convince Hermoso to downplay the kiss that sparked outrage in Spain and marred the celebrations of its first Women's World Cup trophy. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Prosecutors had asked for a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for Rubiales on the sexual assault and coercion charges. He denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors appealed on Thursday claiming the case judge incorrectly did not allow some evidence to be introduced and some questions also were improperly denied. Prosecutors said the judge was disrespectful and called for a new judge to oversee a new trial. Hermoso said the guilty verdict for Rubiales set an 'important precedent' for women's rights. Spain's National Court also prohibited Rubiales from getting within 200 meters (yards) of Hermoso or communicating with her for a year. ___ AP soccer:
Associated Press
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Hermoso's teammate and brother say in court the Spain player was pressured to downplay Rubiales kiss
MADRID (AP) — The brother of Jenni Hermoso and one of her teammates told a judge Wednesday there were attempts to pressure the player into downplaying the unsolicited kiss by former Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales in the awards presentation ceremony following the 2023 Women's World Cup. Rafael Hermoso said in court that former women's national team coach Jorge Vilda asked him to tell Jenni to record a video together with the former president to show she was OK with the kiss. Former teammate Misa Rodríguez said Jenni told the other players that she was being coerced and that she was 'not well' after what happened. Rubiales is on trial for sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup won by Spain in Sydney, as well as for coercion for allegedly trying to convince the player to support his version of the kiss. Vilda and two other former members of the federation are also on trial for coercion. All four deny wrongdoing. Jenni Hermoso says she did not consent to the kiss while Rubiales says it was consensual. The kiss marred the title celebrations and sparked outrage in Spain about the prevalence of sexism in sports and beyond. Rafael Hermoso said his sister told him she was pressurised several times by members of the Spanish federation. 'She came to us half-crying and told us that they were pressuring her to take a stance downplaying the kiss,' Rafael said. Rodríguez said Jenni told them about the kiss and that she did not know how to react to it. She also said that Jenni told them she was being pressurised to record a video and downplay the kiss. 'She told us that she didn't want to do it and we supported her decision,' Rodríguez said. 'We told her that she should not talk to anybody anymore and should try to get some rest, because we noticed that she was not well.' Rafael Hermoso said Vilda came to him on the plane returning from the final in Australia to ask him to talk to his sister. 'We were talking about soccer and the achievement of the team and suddenly he mentioned the kiss,' Rafael said. 'He said that the president wanted me to talk to Jenni to ask her to record the video together downplaying the kiss, because that would be the best thing for everyone.' Rafael added that Vilda told him that Rubiales' daughters were crying and that the president was worried about losing his job because of what happened. He said Vilda told him that he had already talked to Jenni and that she had not agreed to do the video. 'I told him that I was not going to try to convince her to do something that I also don't agree with,' Rafael said. Rafael said he felt Vilda threatened his sister by hinting that things would not be good for her in the federation if she decided not to help. He also said Vilda implied that Jenni owed that to Rubiales' daughters and the president himself. Jenni Hermoso was not called up to the national team immediately after the World Cup, with new coach Montse Tomé saying she wanted to protect the player. Rubiales has yet to testify and denied the charges. He resigned under pressure three weeks later and was banned by FIFA for three years. He said he was the victim of a 'witch hunt' by 'false feminists.' Prosecutors, Hermoso and the Spain players' association want Rubiales jailed for two and a half years, fined 50,000 euros ($51,800) for damages, and banned from working as a sports official. They want the other three defendants sentenced to one and a half years in prison. The trial is expected to last at least 10 days. Rubiales attended the first day on Monday. The coach of the men's national team, Luis de la Fuentes, testified on Tuesday. ___
