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Local Spain
21-05-2025
- Local Spain
How much will a holiday in Spain cost this summer?
Although Spain is historically seen as a cheap country, the reality is that prices have skyrocketed in the last few years, just like many other places and it may not seem like quite the bargain you may be expecting anymore. According to recent local news reports, prices doubled year-on-year in several parts of the country. Inflation and price hikes threaten to make this summer the most expensive in Spain in history. The average cost for a week-long holiday in Spain in August 2024 was €1,323. The most expensive provinces were Cádiz, Barcelona and A Coruña, while Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Murcia and Granada were the cheapest. It doesn't mean that you won't be able to find cheaper deals, but as summer is high season and Spaniards also take long holidays in their country during this period, demand and prices are generally high. In fact, in 2024 CPI index data showed that it was cheaper to take a summer holiday overseas for people in Spain than in their own country. To avoid being shocked by the current prices, here's a breakdown of what you can expect. Accommodation So far this year, hotels and guesthouses have increased by 23.1 percent in Spain and by 13.5 percent just between April and May. For example, a night in one of Granada's most touristy area costs an average of around €300 a night, while a week on the coast around Motril costs between €1,800 - €2,000. Major hotel chains such as Meliá, Barceló, Riu, and Iberostar anticipate another historic summer due to rising bookings and prices. They have boosted their sales by over 10 percent for the upcoming high season from June to September. Flights and package holidays Package holidays within Spain have increased by 2.7 percent year-on-year, while domestic flights have also shot up by 21.3 percent within the last year and by 16.5 percent between April and May. Eating out Dining out has become more in expensive in Spain too, so you might notice that order tapas or going for a paella on the beach will cost you more than in previous years. According to Spain's Consumer Price Index (CPI), costs of eating out in restaurants rose by 4.2 percent since March last year. And the cost of the fixed three-course lunch (menú del día) increased by an average of 6.1 percent in the last year. Tourist taxes The Balearic Islands have introduced a new Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS). Prices are to rise from €4 per night to a maximum of €6 a night per person. For a two-week break this could mean an extra €70 per couple. Cruise passengers visiting the Balearics between June and August, will see their tourist tax tripled from €2 to €6 for each night they stay. Tenerife is now charging extra tourist taxes for those visiting natural areas such as Teide National Park, Anaga Rual Park and Teno Rural Park. Galicia and Asturias have both authorised tourist taxes for those that stay in the region, but it is up to each municipality to decide whether they will charge it or not. So if you're looking to holiday here, you should do your research to find out whether the place you're staying is going to charge it or not. Alicante has also increased the entrance fee to its castle and municipal museums. Car hire Car hire may be set to get more expensive too as the Balearic Islands have introduced a new levy based on emissions. This could range from an extra €30 to €80 extra. There is some good news, however, as gasoline prices have gone down by 11.7 percent in the last year and diesel fuel by 9.9 percent
Express Tribune
19-03-2025
- Express Tribune
Sudiksha Konanki's last known companion freed as parents seek death ruling
Listen to article A judge in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday granted a request for release filed by Joshua Steven Riibe, the last person known to have seen missing US college student Sudiksha Konanki before her disappearance nearly two weeks ago. Riibe, a 22-year-old student from Iowa, had been under police watch in a hotel but had not been officially detained or charged. Authorities had also confiscated his passport, preventing him from leaving the country. The court ruling followed Riibe's habeas corpus petition, in which he argued that he was being held without formal charges, violating his rights as a foreign national. His legal team claimed Dominican authorities had restricted his movement, interrogated him multiple times, and failed to provide official translators or legal counsel during initial questioning. Following the judge's decision, Riibe's attorneys expressed gratitude to the Dominican judiciary for 'upholding the rule of law' and allowing his release. However, it remains unclear when he will receive his passport or be allowed to return to the United States. Konanki's parents request official death declaration The ruling came just one day after Konanki's parents, Subbarayudu and SreeDevi Konanki, submitted a formal request to Dominican authorities asking them to officially declare their daughter dead. The letter, obtained by CNN, states that investigators believe she drowned and that no evidence of foul play has been found. 'Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence,' Konanki's parents wrote. 'While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory.' Authorities in the Dominican Republic have not yet responded to the family's request. Riibe's court hearing and investigation details Riibe is expected to appear in another court hearing on March 28, though reports suggest he may not be required to attend in person. Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso questioned Riibe for more than six hours over the weekend. His legal team claims he has been subjected to multiple interrogations since the investigation began on March 6. At Tuesday's hearing, Dominican prosecutors maintained that Riibe was never officially accused or detained, but was being interviewed as a witness. His attorneys, however, argued that he was being treated as a suspect in practice, as he was confined to a hotel room under police surveillance without access to his passport or personal belongings. His father, Albert Riibe, testified in court that his son had been unable to leave his hotel room and lacked any means of communication. Konanki's last known moments Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, traveled to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on March 3 for spring break with a group of five other students. Surveillance footage from the Riu República Hotel captured Konanki drinking with her friends and two men, including Riibe, at a hotel bar in the early hours of March 6. Around 4:15 a.m., security cameras recorded Konanki and the group walking onto the beach. Just before 5 a.m., footage shows five women and one man leaving the beach—but Konanki was not among them. Riibe told investigators that he and Konanki were hit by a strong wave and swept out to sea, making it difficult for them to swim back. He stated that he tried to help her stay afloat, but swallowed too much water and became exhausted. Riibe's account of the incident During questioning, Riibe told prosecutors that after struggling in the water, he managed to reach the shore with Konanki and last saw her standing in knee-deep water. 'The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn't hear her answer because I started vomiting up all the seawater I had swallowed,' he reportedly told investigators. 'After vomiting, I looked around and didn't see anyone. I thought she had grabbed her things and left,' Riibe said. Believing she had returned to her hotel, Riibe stated that he lay down on a beach chair and fell asleep due to exhaustion. When he woke up, he went back to his room. Later that day, Konanki's friends realized she had not returned and began searching for her. They reported her missing to hotel staff around 4 p.m. Ongoing search and concerns over Punta Cana waters Authorities found Konanki's sarong-style cover-up on a lounge chair near the beach but reported no signs of violence. Her disappearance comes just two months after four tourists drowned in Punta Cana at the same beach where she was last seen. The Dominican Republic's Civil Defense Agency had previously warned about strong ocean currents in the area. Uncertain future for Riibe's legal status Although Riibe has now been granted release, he remains without a passport and does not know when he will be able to leave the Dominican Republic. His lawyers have filed a request for a new passport through the US Embassy, though US authorities have not confirmed when it may be issued. Legal experts suggest that if Riibe leaves the Dominican Republic without formal charges, it would be difficult for the US to extradite him back, should authorities seek further questioning. The investigation into Konanki's disappearance remains open, with Dominican authorities continuing their review of evidence.
Fox News
11-03-2025
- Fox News
Missing American college student seen on resort surveillance in Dominican Republic
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – A 20-year-old college student was last captured on surveillance footage gallivanting with friends during their spring break trip at a resort in the Dominican Republic before she mysteriously vanished. Sudiksha Konanki, a junior pre-med student at the University of Pittsburgh, was last seen on surveillance camera with five other people entering the beach at the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana after 4:15 a.m. Thursday, the Dominican National Police said in a statement. Surveillance video, obtained by Noticias SIN, captured the group striding towards the beach at the five-star resort. The footage is the last time authorities tracked Konanki before the Virginia resident disappeared. Konanki's disappearance has sparked widespread speculation about the events leading up to it, prompting law enforcement in both the Dominican Republic and the U.S. to investigate. Konanki was seen for the last time at 4:15 a.m. walking on the beach outside the RIU Republica Resort on March 6, according to the Dominican National Police. WATCH THE FOOTAGE: The footage captured Konanki accompanied by two men and three women. The 20-year-old was seen clinging to a blonde man, whom authorities identified as a "male friend." Authorities said that the male friend who was with Konanki around the time of her disappearance is under investigation. It is unclear who the "young man" is, but police said he was in the water at the same beach, and they are questioning him in an attempt to corroborate his version of events, according to a translation of a Spanish-language statement. Authorities have not named any suspects amid their ongoing investigation. In a release on Tuesday, the Dominican National Police said that they are "re-interviewing targeted individuals who were in the victim's proximity at the time of her disappearance." "This includes hotel employees where Konanki and her companions were staying, with the goal of gathering information to corroborate her movements, interactions, and any relevant details for the investigation," they said. When asked about a Monday report that Konanki may have drowned, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital authorities "have heard this and have seen no evidence presented at this time." A joint investigation into Konanki's disappearance is being conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, the Dominican National Police and the Dominican Prosecutors Office.
Fox News
11-03-2025
- Fox News
American college student missing in Dominican Republic didn't drown, Natalee Holloway private eye believes
A 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student who vanished from a five-star resort in the Dominican Republic likely didn't drown on the beach as some reports have suggested, according to the private investigator who went to Aruba following the disappearance of Natalee Holloway under similar circumstances in 2005. Sudiksha Konanki, who was born in India but is a legal permanent U.S. resident from Virginia, was last seen entering the beach early Thursday morning at the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, according to La Policia Nacional, the country's national police force. She was with a friend who is currently under investigation, according to a translation of a Spanish-language statement. "I don't think that she drowned in the ocean," said TJ Ward, the private investigator who worked for Holloway's parents after she vanished on a trip she went on with high school classmates to celebrate graduation. "I totally believe that somebody knows something where she is, or somebody took her away, or somebody's holding her somewhere." Her whereabouts remain unknown, but ABC News reported Monday that she may have drowned, citing law enforcement sources. Ward rejected that theory, and Dominican police have said they are investigating one of Konanki's friends and looking to corroborate claims from a "young man" who was also in the water that night. They have questioned multiple witnesses, including her friends. "If she had gone into the water, she would've washed up somewhere with a tide the way that comes into the island," Ward said. Authorities have searched by land, air and sea, and he said a body in the water would likely have been discovered unless someone took her far offshore. Konanki's family is also skeptical of reports she may have drowned, according to WTOP News, a Washington-based outlet. "It's four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore," her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told the outlet. "She's not found, so we're asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction." In a complaint filed with Dominican authorities asking them to investigate a potential drowning as well as the possibility of kidnapping or foul play, the elder Konanki said his daughter's phone and wallet were left with her friends, which he said was "unusual," according to the outlet. Attempts to reach him from Fox News Digital were unsuccessful Monday. Konanki was on a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic with five female classmates, authorities said previously. She arrived on March 3 and was last seen around 4:15 a.m. on March 6, on surveillance video, headed onto the beach with her friends, according to local police. Konanki's disappearance does share some similarities with Holloway's. Both young women traveled to a Caribbean beach resort with classmates. Both vanished on the beach at night, staying out late after their friends went back to their respective hotels. Holloway's case came to a gruesome conclusion last year after a suspect, Joran van der Sloot, confessed to killing her nearly two decades after the fact. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB "They don't understand travel in these other countries," Ward said of American students who may be attracted to the idea of going somewhere they can legally drink under the age of 21. "There's problems there with assaults, kidnappings and so on and so forth," he told Fox News Digital. "Young people just don't understand the theory about what's going on in these other countries, and they think they can go away because they can drink and party and at a younger age and get away with it and do things that they couldn't do here in the U.S." There are "major problems" in the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean nations, he said. In 2019, at least 11 Americans died and thousands more suffered food poisoning in the country, according to Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. That same year, Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz survived a nightclub shooting there. "There's bad people out in the middle of the night, and I don't know why she was out at 4:30 in the morning, or where her friends were, but you can't be by yourself like that, walking in a country that you know nothing about," Ward said. "You need to stay in groups and where you're not going to be a target." SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER "So they need to understand that there's major problems with people here going to those countries on say, the spring break, because they feel they have the resources and be able to have the luxury and be able to do what they want to do without being looked at," he added. "And people there are taking advantage of girls, and there's bad people on these islands, and they need to be looked at, and law enforcement knows it." Police have questioned multiple witnesses, including her friends and an unnamed "young man" whose story they said they were looking to corroborate. Konanki is originally from India but is a legal permanent U.S. resident from Loudoun County, near Washington, D.C., according to authorities. She is 5 feet, 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a brown bikini, hoop earrings, bracelets and an anklet. A spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office also told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the report that Konanki drowned may be "based on her last known location near the beach, but [there's] no evidence to support that conclusion at this time."
