A key expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over after Spaniards celebrated the end of a six-month lockdown with abandon and paid little heed to precautions like masks and social distancing. 
 
In remarks to the national daily El Pais, the president of Spain's Epidemiological Society, Elena Vanessa Martinez, warned there are still many infected people who could pass the virus on, DPA news agency reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency">COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency</a> 
 
She noted that people having more contact could lead to more infections. 
 
"In this situation, I am concerned about the false security signal sent with the end of the emergency and the end of the night curfew," Martinez said.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/spain-barcelona-residents-celebrate-end-of-emergency-383875/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Most of restrictions expired at Sunday midnight, including the nationwide night curfew, which was lifted in most places but remains in force in a several others. 
 
Travel within Spain is also allowed again, as are in-person family visits. 
 
"I can finally visit my son, my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren in Cadiz," said Asuncion, an 82-year-old widow. 
 
Spain's left-wing government has also urged caution. "The pandemic is not over yet," Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo on Saturday. 
 
Officials are concerned that the past year could repeat itself: in June the government declared a 'new normal' with many restrictions easing. 
 
By November, coronavirus numbers spiked again and the government had to pull the emergency brake and declare the state of emergency, which formed the legal basis for nationwide restrictions.

A key expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over after Spaniards celebrated the end of a six-month lockdown with abandon and paid little heed to precautions like masks and social distancing.

A key expert has warned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over after Spaniards celebrated the end of a six-month lockdown with abandon and paid little heed to precautions like masks and social distancing. In remarks to the national daily El Pais, the president of Spain's Epidemiological Society, Elena Vanessa Martinez, warned there are still many infected people who could pass the virus on, DPA news agency reported. Also read | COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency She noted that people having more contact could lead to more infections. "In this situation, I am concerned about the false security signal sent with the end of the emergency and the end of the night curfew," Martinez said. Watch | Most of restrictions expired at Sunday midnight, including the nationwide night curfew, which was lifted in most places but remains in force in a several others. Travel within Spain is also allowed again, as are in-person family visits. "I can finally visit my son, my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren in Cadiz," said Asuncion, an 82-year-old widow. Spain's left-wing government has also urged caution. "The pandemic is not over yet," Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo on Saturday. Officials are concerned that the past year could repeat itself: in June the government declared a 'new normal' with many restrictions easing. By November, coronavirus numbers spiked again and the government had to pull the emergency brake and declare the state of emergency, which formed the legal basis for nationwide restrictions.

Spain celebrates end of lockdown, expert warns pandemic isn't over

Spain has ended a six-month-long national state of emergency and consequently the local curfew. Teenagers and young adults poured into the streets to celebrate the relaxation of restrictions.

Spain: Barcelona residents celebrate end of emergency

Spain has lifted a state of emergency in place since October to fight the pandemic, allowing Spaniards to travel between regions for the first time in months.

"It's like New Year's," said 28-year-old Oriol Corbella in Barcelona, where the lifting of the curfew was met with shouts, applause and music.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Spain to open tourism, but only for 'Covid passport' holders">Spain to open tourism, but only for 'Covid passport' holders</a>

"We're getting a bit of normality back, of freedom, but we have to keep in mind that the virus is still around," he added.

"I was fed up with not being able to get out of Madrid," jewellery designer Blaca Valls told AFP on Saturday, echoing the relief of many in the country over the easing of restrictions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="Spain to enforce quarantine on travellers from India">Spain to enforce quarantine on travellers from India</a>

"I felt frustrated, locked down, with no freedom," added the 46-year-old who plans to go to Galicia, in northwest Spain, next weekend to celebrate a birthday.

Argentina Enriquez, a 37-year-old Mexican student, said she was impatiently waiting to head to the countryside to enjoy barbecues with friends, play the guitar and go for walks.

"Just being together... a lot of emotions," she said.

Although the emergency measure, which expired at midnight (2200 GMT Saturday) will lead to more freedoms, it is a headache for the country's 17 regional governments responsible for health care.

The state of emergency provided them with a legal framework to impose measures -- such as nighttime curfews or a ban on non-essential travel between regions -- that limited freedoms.

Except for a few days over Christmas when the restrictions were lifted, people have not been able to travel to other regions, go on holiday, or see family.

Discouraged by the surge in infections after Christmas, the authorities did not loosen internal travel restrictions during Easter week, normally a peak travel period in Spain.

But what really angered Spaniards was the fact that foreign tourists were able to pour into the country on holiday while they were banned from travelling to the beach or visiting loved ones.

While intra-regional travel bans have ended and curfews have been lifted, not all of the restrictions are being relaxed in Spain, one of Europe's hardest-hit nations with nearly 79,000 deaths and 3.5 million infections.

Regions can still restrict opening hours and impose capacity limits in bars and restaurants.

They can also seek court approval for stricter measures such as reimposing curfews, capping the number allowed at home gatherings or extending a ban on internal travel.

But the courts have offered different rulings, leading to a patchwork of measures across the country.

A court in the eastern Valencia region approved a midnight-to-6:00 am curfew, while the top court in the northern Basque Country said the area could not keep its nighttime curfew.

To avoid this scenario, several regions have lobbied Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government to extend the emergency.

But his administration has refused, saying the measures could not remain in place indefinitely, pointing out that the infection rate was stable and that Spain's vaccination programme was progressing rapidly.

Even so, it passed a decree allowing regions the right to appeal to the Supreme Court if a local court strikes down a proposed measure.&nbsp;

At the head of a minority government, Sanchez had faced an uphill struggle to cobble together enough support to approve an extension of the state of emergency.

State-owned rail operator&nbsp;Renfe says ticket sales for next week are up 13 percent over the last seven days.

But after more than a year of restrictions, and with the weather turning hot and sunny, the authorities have warned people against letting down their guard.&nbsp;

Spaniards must be careful "not to get the wrong impression about what ending the state of emergency means... it doesn't mean an end to the restrictions," the health ministry's emergencies coordinator Fernando Simon said on Thursday.

Everyone must continue to behave responsibly, he insisted.

"Nothing can be ruled out in terms of the evolution of the pandemic."

Spain has lifted a state of emergency in place since October to fight the pandemic, allowing Spaniards to travel between regions for the first time in months. "It's like New Year's," said 28-year-old Oriol Corbella in Barcelona, where the lifting of the curfew was met with shouts, applause and music.

Spain has lifted a state of emergency in place since October to fight the pandemic, allowing Spaniards to travel between regions for the first time in months. "It's like New Year's," said 28-year-old Oriol Corbella in Barcelona, where the lifting of the curfew was met with shouts, applause and music. Also read | Spain to open tourism, but only for 'Covid passport' holders "We're getting a bit of normality back, of freedom, but we have to keep in mind that the virus is still around," he added. "I was fed up with not being able to get out of Madrid," jewellery designer Blaca Valls told AFP on Saturday, echoing the relief of many in the country over the easing of restrictions. Also read | Spain to enforce quarantine on travellers from India "I felt frustrated, locked down, with no freedom," added the 46-year-old who plans to go to Galicia, in northwest Spain, next weekend to celebrate a birthday. Argentina Enriquez, a 37-year-old Mexican student, said she was impatiently waiting to head to the countryside to enjoy barbecues with friends, play the guitar and go for walks. "Just being together... a lot of emotions," she said. Although the emergency measure, which expired at midnight (2200 GMT Saturday) will lead to more freedoms, it is a headache for the country's 17 regional governments responsible for health care. The state of emergency provided them with a legal framework to impose measures -- such as nighttime curfews or a ban on non-essential travel between regions -- that limited freedoms. Except for a few days over Christmas when the restrictions were lifted, people have not been able to travel to other regions, go on holiday, or see family. Discouraged by the surge in infections after Christmas, the authorities did not loosen internal travel restrictions during Easter week, normally a peak travel period in Spain. But what really angered Spaniards was the fact that foreign tourists were able to pour into the country on holiday while they were banned from travelling to the beach or visiting loved ones. While intra-regional travel bans have ended and curfews have been lifted, not all of the restrictions are being relaxed in Spain, one of Europe's hardest-hit nations with nearly 79,000 deaths and 3.5 million infections. Regions can still restrict opening hours and impose capacity limits in bars and restaurants. They can also seek court approval for stricter measures such as reimposing curfews, capping the number allowed at home gatherings or extending a ban on internal travel. But the courts have offered different rulings, leading to a patchwork of measures across the country. A court in the eastern Valencia region approved a midnight-to-6:00 am curfew, while the top court in the northern Basque Country said the area could not keep its nighttime curfew. To avoid this scenario, several regions have lobbied Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government to extend the emergency. But his administration has refused, saying the measures could not remain in place indefinitely, pointing out that the infection rate was stable and that Spain's vaccination programme was progressing rapidly. Even so, it passed a decree allowing regions the right to appeal to the Supreme Court if a local court strikes down a proposed measure. At the head of a minority government, Sanchez had faced an uphill struggle to cobble together enough support to approve an extension of the state of emergency. State-owned rail operator Renfe says ticket sales for next week are up 13 percent over the last seven days. But after more than a year of restrictions, and with the weather turning hot and sunny, the authorities have warned people against letting down their guard. Spaniards must be careful "not to get the wrong impression about what ending the state of emergency means... it doesn't mean an end to the restrictions," the health ministry's emergencies coordinator Fernando Simon said on Thursday. Everyone must continue to behave responsibly, he insisted. "Nothing can be ruled out in terms of the evolution of the pandemic."

COVID 19 : Spain ends Covid state of emergency

Argentina's&nbsp;President&nbsp;Alberto Fernandez will&nbsp;head&nbsp;to&nbsp;Europe&nbsp;and meet Pope Francis in the Vatican as the country looks to secure a repayment deal with the International Monetary Fund.

The crisis-hit South American country is due to start repaying the $44 billion loan this year but in March Fernandez said the&nbsp;debt&nbsp;in its current form was "unpayable."

In recession since 2018,&nbsp;Argentina&nbsp;must also repay a $2.8 billion loan with the Paris Club of creditor countries that provide sustainable solutions to debtor countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="EU releases Indo-Pacific strategy; envoy Ugo reaffirms ties with India">EU releases Indo-Pacific strategy; envoy Ugo reaffirms ties with India</a>

Those included three of the countries Fernandez will visit: France, Italy and Spain.

Fernandez is due to arrive in Portugal on Sunday to meet his counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, while Economy Minister Martin Guzman, Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola, and first lady Fabiola Yanez will also make the trip to&nbsp;Europe.

On Monday afternoon he will&nbsp;head&nbsp;to Spain to meet King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

French&nbsp;President&nbsp;Emmanuel Macron will host Fernandez at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday and the next day fellow&nbsp;Argentine&nbsp;Pope Francis will welcome him to the Vatican before a final meeting with Italian&nbsp;President&nbsp;Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez will head to Europe and meet Pope Francis in the Vatican as the country looks to secure a repayment deal with the International Monetary Fund.

Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez will head to Europe and meet Pope Francis in the Vatican as the country looks to secure a repayment deal with the International Monetary Fund. The crisis-hit South American country is due to start repaying the $44 billion loan this year but in March Fernandez said the debt in its current form was "unpayable." In recession since 2018, Argentina must also repay a $2.8 billion loan with the Paris Club of creditor countries that provide sustainable solutions to debtor countries. Also read | EU releases Indo-Pacific strategy; envoy Ugo reaffirms ties with India Those included three of the countries Fernandez will visit: France, Italy and Spain. Fernandez is due to arrive in Portugal on Sunday to meet his counterpart, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, while Economy Minister Martin Guzman, Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola, and first lady Fabiola Yanez will also make the trip to Europe. On Monday afternoon he will head to Spain to meet King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. French President Emmanuel Macron will host Fernandez at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday and the next day fellow Argentine Pope Francis will welcome him to the Vatican before a final meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

Argentine president to head to Europe as IMF debt weighs heavy

Elderly residents from a nursing home outside Madrid relished the fresh air and freedom of a guided tour around the city's zoo on Wednesday, delighting in particular at the sight of Bing-Xing the giant panda.

Pandas a respite from pandemic for Madrid care home residents

Madrid residents on Tuesday handed a resounding victory to the region's hardline leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso who has soared in prominence for stubbornly resisting virus restrictions.

With nearly all the votes counted, the results showed a solid win for Ayuso, a rising star in the right-wing Popular Party (PP), who won almost 45 per cent of the votes, handing a stinging defeat to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists.

"Today begins a new chapter in the history of Spain," a teary-eyed Ayuso declared in her victory speech, her words echoing that of PP chief Pablo Casado who declared the result to be "a turning point for national politics".&nbsp;

With 95 per cent of the votes counted, Ayuso more than doubled her party's showing in the 2019 ballot, winning 65 of the regional parliament's 136 seats, while the Socialists shed 13 seats to secure just 24.&nbsp;

Falling shy of an absolute majority of 69 seats, the 42-year-old will be forced to seek support to rule from the far-right Vox which secured 13 seats -- an option she has said "wouldn't be the end of the world".

With the left facing with a major defeat, Pablo Iglesias, head of the far-left Podemos, junior partner in Spain's ruling coalition, announced he was stepping down from politics.&nbsp;

"We have failed, we have been very far from putting together a sufficient majority," he said, just seven weeks after standing down as deputy prime minister to run as his party's candidate in a risky gamble he ultimately lost.

"When you are no longer useful, you need to know when to withdraw," he admitted.&nbsp;

Although the party secured more votes than last time, with just 10 seats it will remain a minor player in the regional parliament while its hard-left rival Mas Madrid secured 24.&nbsp;

<h2>Heroine of hospitality&nbsp;</h2>

At the helm of Spain's richest region for just over 18 months, Ayuso has been one of the leading critics of Sanchez's leftist government and its handling of the pandemic.

An outspoken hardliner, she has won widespread support for resisting government pressure to impose tighter restrictions on the local economy.

Madrid is the only major European capital that has kept bars, restaurants and theatres open since the national lockdown ended in June 2020.&nbsp;

Just over 5.1 million people were eligible to vote in Tuesday's election, which comes after a bitterly-fought and divisive campaign in a region that has been ruled by the PP for 26 years.&nbsp;

From the early hours, there were long queues outside polling stations, with turnout standing at 76 percent, some 11 percentage points higher than 2019.

Although Madrid has suffered Spain's highest numbers of infections and deaths, Ayuso consistently defied calls to shut bars and restaurants, with the hospitality sector regarding her as a heroine.

<h2>'Beer is important'&nbsp;</h2>

Her call for a snap election caught the political establishment by surprise but was an astute move aimed at cashing in on the political capital she had clearly accrued.

With "freedom" her campaign slogan, the populist leader focused on people's need for normality, despite the pandemic. &nbsp;

"Having beers is important," she said last month. "After a bad day, a beer cheers you up."&nbsp;

Although critics had said her lax restrictions had ultimately cost lives in a region where almost 15,000 coronavirus patients have died -- one in five of Spain's overall toll of 78,000 -- her business-focused approach paid off at the polls.

"Ayuso deserves to be loved for what she's done in keeping bars open and saving jobs," said 63-year-old civil servant Jose Luis Cordon after casting his ballot for the PP.&nbsp;

Although the left had tried to warn voters about Ayuso's likely tie-up with Vox, their words appeared to fall on deaf ears.&nbsp;

Despite the left taking a drubbing, analysts said it wouldn't have a major impact on Spain's ruling coalition, although it would likely exacerbate the antagonism between the PP and the government.&nbsp;

Madrid residents on Tuesday handed a resounding victory to the region's hardline leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso who has soared in prominence for stubbornly resisting virus restrictions.

Madrid residents on Tuesday handed a resounding victory to the region's hardline leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso who has soared in prominence for stubbornly resisting virus restrictions. With nearly all the votes counted, the results showed a solid win for Ayuso, a rising star in the right-wing Popular Party (PP), who won almost 45 per cent of the votes, handing a stinging defeat to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists. "Today begins a new chapter in the history of Spain," a teary-eyed Ayuso declared in her victory speech, her words echoing that of PP chief Pablo Casado who declared the result to be "a turning point for national politics". With 95 per cent of the votes counted, Ayuso more than doubled her party's showing in the 2019 ballot, winning 65 of the regional parliament's 136 seats, while the Socialists shed 13 seats to secure just 24. Falling shy of an absolute majority of 69 seats, the 42-year-old will be forced to seek support to rule from the far-right Vox which secured 13 seats -- an option she has said "wouldn't be the end of the world". With the left facing with a major defeat, Pablo Iglesias, head of the far-left Podemos, junior partner in Spain's ruling coalition, announced he was stepping down from politics. "We have failed, we have been very far from putting together a sufficient majority," he said, just seven weeks after standing down as deputy prime minister to run as his party's candidate in a risky gamble he ultimately lost. "When you are no longer useful, you need to know when to withdraw," he admitted. Although the party secured more votes than last time, with just 10 seats it will remain a minor player in the regional parliament while its hard-left rival Mas Madrid secured 24. Heroine of hospitality At the helm of Spain's richest region for just over 18 months, Ayuso has been one of the leading critics of Sanchez's leftist government and its handling of the pandemic. An outspoken hardliner, she has won widespread support for resisting government pressure to impose tighter restrictions on the local economy. Madrid is the only major European capital that has kept bars, restaurants and theatres open since the national lockdown ended in June 2020. Just over 5.1 million people were eligible to vote in Tuesday's election, which comes after a bitterly-fought and divisive campaign in a region that has been ruled by the PP for 26 years. From the early hours, there were long queues outside polling stations, with turnout standing at 76 percent, some 11 percentage points higher than 2019. Although Madrid has suffered Spain's highest numbers of infections and deaths, Ayuso consistently defied calls to shut bars and restaurants, with the hospitality sector regarding her as a heroine. 'Beer is important' Her call for a snap election caught the political establishment by surprise but was an astute move aimed at cashing in on the political capital she had clearly accrued. With "freedom" her campaign slogan, the populist leader focused on people's need for normality, despite the pandemic. "Having beers is important," she said last month. "After a bad day, a beer cheers you up." Although critics had said her lax restrictions had ultimately cost lives in a region where almost 15,000 coronavirus patients have died -- one in five of Spain's overall toll of 78,000 -- her business-focused approach paid off at the polls. "Ayuso deserves to be loved for what she's done in keeping bars open and saving jobs," said 63-year-old civil servant Jose Luis Cordon after casting his ballot for the PP. Although the left had tried to warn voters about Ayuso's likely tie-up with Vox, their words appeared to fall on deaf ears. Despite the left taking a drubbing, analysts said it wouldn't have a major impact on Spain's ruling coalition, although it would likely exacerbate the antagonism between the PP and the government.

Anti-lockdown leader wins solid re-election in Madrid

The worldwide coronavirus caseload has topped 152.4 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.19 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France, the University`s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 152,475,547 and 3,198,397, respectively.

The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 32,420,918 and 577,041, respectively, according to the CSSE.

In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 19,557,457 cases.

The other countries with more than two million confirmed coronavirus cases are Brazil (14,754,910), France (5,713,393), Turkey (4,875,388), Russia (4,768,476), the UK (4,435,831), Italy (4,044,762), Spain (3,524,077), Germany (3,425,865), Argentina (3,005,259), Colombia (2,893,655), Poland (2,803,233), Iran (2,534,855), Mexico (2,348,873) and Ukraine (2,137,959), the CSSE figures showed.

In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 407,639 fatalities.

Nations with a death toll of over 50,000 are Mexico (217,233), India (215,542), the UK (127,796), Italy (121,177), Russia (109,011), France (104,980), Germany (83,215), Spain (78,216), Colombia (74,428), Iran (72,484), Poland (68,068), Argentina (64,252), Peru (61,789) and South Africa (54,417).

(With inputs from agencies)

The worldwide coronavirus caseload has topped 152.4 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.19 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. Amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France, the University`s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 152,475,547 and 3,198,397, respectively.

The worldwide coronavirus caseload has topped 152.4 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3.19 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. Amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France, the University`s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 152,475,547 and 3,198,397, respectively. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world`s highest number of cases and deaths at 32,420,918 and 577,041, respectively, according to the CSSE. In terms of infections, India follows in second place with 19,557,457 cases. The other countries with more than two million confirmed coronavirus cases are Brazil (14,754,910), France (5,713,393), Turkey (4,875,388), Russia (4,768,476), the UK (4,435,831), Italy (4,044,762), Spain (3,524,077), Germany (3,425,865), Argentina (3,005,259), Colombia (2,893,655), Poland (2,803,233), Iran (2,534,855), Mexico (2,348,873) and Ukraine (2,137,959), the CSSE figures showed. In terms of deaths, Brazil comes second with 407,639 fatalities. Nations with a death toll of over 50,000 are Mexico (217,233), India (215,542), the UK (127,796), Italy (121,177), Russia (109,011), France (104,980), Germany (83,215), Spain (78,216), Colombia (74,428), Iran (72,484), Poland (68,068), Argentina (64,252), Peru (61,789) and South Africa (54,417). (With inputs from agencies)

Worldwide COVID-19 situation continues to deteriorate; caseload tops 152.4 million

Mandatory face masks could not conceal their delight as clubbers in the Spanish city of Girona moved to the thumping beats of house music put on by a live DJ.

For the first time in eight months, Girona had some of its nightlife back this weekend thanks to a pilot digital pass scheme which authorities hope will allow for socialising without spreading coronavirus.

Since October, concerts have been banned in the northeastern region of Catalonia, while restaurants and bars were required to close at night since December.

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But under a scheme to revive the hospitality sector, residents in Girona could for one evening obtain a digital pass allowing them to go to a concert or dine out at five restaurants.

For this, they had to download an app to their mobile phones and undergo an antigen COVID-19 test, show a negative PCR test or proof that they had already had coronavirus. About 250 people snapped up the tickets for Saturday's club night in 20 minutes.

"It seems great to me, because all of this is affecting us mentally. We might be physically well, but not psychologically, so I think this kind of activities, controlled and with security measures, are great," said Susana Bergaz, 26, a factory worker from Girona.

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The five restaurants which took part were allowed to operate at 80% capacity. The pass is valid for up to 36 hours and costs between 2.50 euros and 8.50 euros ($3-$10.50).

"The Open Girona initiative is a project that aims to test a model of digital testing and vaccination passes in order to reopen Girona in a safe and controlled way," organisers Blockchain Centre of Catalonia, a public body, said in a statement on Sunday.

A trial concert in Barcelona in March where 5,000 people took rapid COVID-19 tests and crammed into a venue without social distancing did not drive up infections, organisers said earlier this month, giving hope to the moribund live-music sector.

Mandatory face masks could not conceal their delight as clubbers in the Spanish city of Girona moved to the thumping beats of house music put on by a live DJ. For the first time in eight months, Girona had some of its nightlife back this weekend thanks to a pilot digital pass scheme which authorities hope will allow for socialising without spreading coronavirus.

Mandatory face masks could not conceal their delight as clubbers in the Spanish city of Girona moved to the thumping beats of house music put on by a live DJ. For the first time in eight months, Girona had some of its nightlife back this weekend thanks to a pilot digital pass scheme which authorities hope will allow for socialising without spreading coronavirus. Since October, concerts have been banned in the northeastern region of Catalonia, while restaurants and bars were required to close at night since December. Caitlyn Jenner says she opposes trans girls in female school sports But under a scheme to revive the hospitality sector, residents in Girona could for one evening obtain a digital pass allowing them to go to a concert or dine out at five restaurants. For this, they had to download an app to their mobile phones and undergo an antigen COVID-19 test, show a negative PCR test or proof that they had already had coronavirus. About 250 people snapped up the tickets for Saturday's club night in 20 minutes. "It seems great to me, because all of this is affecting us mentally. We might be physically well, but not psychologically, so I think this kind of activities, controlled and with security measures, are great," said Susana Bergaz, 26, a factory worker from Girona. 'Night Court' reboot set to cast 'The Big Bang Theory' star Melissa Rauch The five restaurants which took part were allowed to operate at 80% capacity. The pass is valid for up to 36 hours and costs between 2.50 euros and 8.50 euros ($3-$10.50). "The Open Girona initiative is a project that aims to test a model of digital testing and vaccination passes in order to reopen Girona in a safe and controlled way," organisers Blockchain Centre of Catalonia, a public body, said in a statement on Sunday. A trial concert in Barcelona in March where 5,000 people took rapid COVID-19 tests and crammed into a venue without social distancing did not drive up infections, organisers said earlier this month, giving hope to the moribund live-music sector.

Euphoric clubbers hit dance floor again as Spain trials digital COVID-19 pass

Spanish Police on Sunday announced the interception of a tug boat carrying seven tonnes of hashish. Reportedly, a gang was attempting to smuggle the seven tonnes of hashish into the Spain. This interception marked one of the largest drug busts in the country this year.

The drugs were being carried by three members of a gang in mid-April. The police had stopped a converted tug boat in the sea off the southern coast of Spain. It had 200 packets of hashish, Reuters reported the police as saying.

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The drugs gang was being under the radar of Spanish, Dutch, and French police since March 2020. Reportedly, the group had previously smuggled large quantities of hashish into different countries in Europe. The police have not specified which countries yet.

"This is one of the biggest operations against drugs (gangs) this year, with more than seven tonnes of hashish seized, which reduces the activity of criminal organizations based in the Straits of Gibraltar," the Civil Guard announced in a statement.

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The police also said that the gang operates out of the southern city of Huelva. Even then, the nationalities of those arrested have not been revealed. On Sunday, May 2, the police released video footage of the boat which was carrying the drugs which were seized last month.

Spanish Police on Sunday announced the interception of a tug boat carrying seven tonnes of hashish. Reportedly, a gang was attempting to smuggle the seven tonnes of hashish into the Spain.

Spanish Police on Sunday announced the interception of a tug boat carrying seven tonnes of hashish. Reportedly, a gang was attempting to smuggle the seven tonnes of hashish into the Spain. This interception marked one of the largest drug busts in the country this year. The drugs were being carried by three members of a gang in mid-April. The police had stopped a converted tug boat in the sea off the southern coast of Spain. It had 200 packets of hashish, Reuters reported the police as saying. Also read: Myanmar drug surge worry for neighbours including India The drugs gang was being under the radar of Spanish, Dutch, and French police since March 2020. Reportedly, the group had previously smuggled large quantities of hashish into different countries in Europe. The police have not specified which countries yet. "This is one of the biggest operations against drugs (gangs) this year, with more than seven tonnes of hashish seized, which reduces the activity of criminal organizations based in the Straits of Gibraltar," the Civil Guard announced in a statement. Also read: US lifts barriers to prescribing addiction treatment drug The police also said that the gang operates out of the southern city of Huelva. Even then, the nationalities of those arrested have not been revealed. On Sunday, May 2, the police released video footage of the boat which was carrying the drugs which were seized last month.

Spanish police bust gang trying to smuggle 7 tonnes of hashish into Europe

Juan Joya Borja, a Spanish comedian whose meme brought laughter across the globe, passed away on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The 65-year-old Borja, better known as El Risitas, meaning Giggles, was widely popular on the internet as the "Spanish laughing guy".&nbsp;

A television appearance of Borja went viral in 2014 in which his laughing face is being used in several posts to give a context to it.&nbsp;

A local media reported that the comedian died on Wednesday in a hospital.&nbsp;

He was hospitalised last year and in March, Borja thanked fans for a fundraising campaign that allowed him to buy an electric mobility scooter after his one leg was amputated, BBC reported.&nbsp;

In his viral clip, which was uploaded on YouTube in 2007, the comedian was interviewed in which he was asked about his experience as a kitchen helper.&nbsp;

Borja told in the video how he once put 20 paella dishes in the sea to clean them at night only to find in the morning that all but one swept away.&nbsp;

The incident caused huge laughter from Borja and the host and the former's face became the face of several memes years later.

 
&nbsp;

Juan Joya Borja, a Spanish comedian whose meme brought laughter across the globe, passed away on Wednesday. The 65-year-old Borja, better known as El Risitas, meaning Giggles, was widely popular on the internet as the "Spanish laughing guy".

Juan Joya Borja, a Spanish comedian whose meme brought laughter across the globe, passed away on Wednesday. The 65-year-old Borja, better known as El Risitas, meaning Giggles, was widely popular on the internet as the "Spanish laughing guy". A television appearance of Borja went viral in 2014 in which his laughing face is being used in several posts to give a context to it. A local media reported that the comedian died on Wednesday in a hospital. He was hospitalised last year and in March, Borja thanked fans for a fundraising campaign that allowed him to buy an electric mobility scooter after his one leg was amputated, BBC reported. In his viral clip, which was uploaded on YouTube in 2007, the comedian was interviewed in which he was asked about his experience as a kitchen helper. Borja told in the video how he once put 20 paella dishes in the sea to clean them at night only to find in the morning that all but one swept away. The incident caused huge laughter from Borja and the host and the former's face became the face of several memes years later.

Spanish comedian, who was behind 'Spanish laughing guy' passes away

As Spain suffered heavily due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's been a very hard year for the tourism industry.

However, the country has now decided to reopen its beautiful scenery for travellers from all around the world, but with a twist.

Spain has decided to reopen its borders for travellers and holidaymakers from June but only if the incoming travellers can show their certification with the Covid certificate — the new digital health certificate scheme.

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Fernando Valdés, country's secretary of state for tourism said that people who can show proof that they have been vaccinated or tested negative, or have recovered from the virus recently will be "fundamental to offering travellers certainty", he announced in the World Travel &amp; Tourism Council summit in Mexico on Tuesday.

The country will be participating in the pilot digital scheme in May and is hoping to be ready to open borders to visitors by June.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/spanish-tourism-minister-gets-knife-in-post-380568" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/spanish-tourism-minister-gets-knife-in-post-380568&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjeg7mC3aDwAhVvyjgGHRNkDH0QFjAJegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3mdWLAGIVFY1kw3vWSS19F" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spanish-tourism-minister-gets-knife-in-post-380568" target="_blank">Spanish Tourism Minister gets knife in post</a>

While he admitted that the new scheme can help draw a parallel of 'before and after' in Spain, with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, he also stressed that the certificates were "not a magic wand".

The news has been welcomed by locals, to a certain extent, as the country depends largely on tourism and the coronavirus pandemic has sent Spain’s economy in a downward spiral.

As Spain suffered heavily due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's been a very hard year for the tourism industry. However, the country has now decided to reopen its beautiful scenery for travellers from all around the world, but with a twist.

As Spain suffered heavily due to the coronavirus pandemic, it's been a very hard year for the tourism industry. However, the country has now decided to reopen its beautiful scenery for travellers from all around the world, but with a twist. Spain has decided to reopen its borders for travellers and holidaymakers from June but only if the incoming travellers can show their certification with the Covid certificate — the new digital health certificate scheme. Also read | Spain to enforce quarantine on travellers from India Fernando Valdés, country's secretary of state for tourism said that people who can show proof that they have been vaccinated or tested negative, or have recovered from the virus recently will be "fundamental to offering travellers certainty", he announced in the World Travel & Tourism Council summit in Mexico on Tuesday. The country will be participating in the pilot digital scheme in May and is hoping to be ready to open borders to visitors by June. Also read | Spanish Tourism Minister gets knife in post While he admitted that the new scheme can help draw a parallel of 'before and after' in Spain, with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, he also stressed that the certificates were "not a magic wand". The news has been welcomed by locals, to a certain extent, as the country depends largely on tourism and the coronavirus pandemic has sent Spain’s economy in a downward spiral.

Spain to open tourism, but only for 'Covid passport' holders

A large chocolate reproduction of Picasso's iconic painting Guernica went on display in the Basque town on Monday (April 26), on the 84th anniversary of the bombing by Germany's Condor Legion in aid of the Francoist insurgency during Spain's Civil War.

Giant chocolate Guernica 'painting' unveiled to mark the 84th anniversary of the bombing

Spanish Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said on Monday she had received a knife covered in red stains by post, days after senior security officials and a left-wing party leader were sent death threats.

The ministry released a photo showing a small, wood-handled folding knife with a series of red stains running up the blade.

"This is serious...We should be concerned as I'm not a controversial person," said Maroto, a socialist who has served as minister of industry, trade and tourism since 2018.

Also read:<a href="Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic">&nbsp;Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic</a>

"It gives us more strength to defend democracy... Hatred and threats will not silence us," she told reporters outside the house of parliament.

Police are investigating the package, which arrived at the ministry on Friday and included a return address, she added.

The Spanish government is led by the Socialist Party (PSOE), with the far-left Unidas Podemos as its junior coalition partner.

But a chorus of voices from across the political spectrum - including the far-right Vox party - condemned the threats.

Last week, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Pablo Iglesias of Unidas Podemos, and Maria Gamez, who heads the Guardia Civil police force, also received death threats in the mail.

Without suggesting who might be behind the letters, Marlaska on Monday blamed a culture of political polarisation for allowing hate speech to flourish.

"We have a certain anti-democratic political discourse that we must confront forcefully," he told La Sexta television.

He linked the threats to the recent vandalism of a feminist mural in Madrid and the defacement of a statue of former socialist Prime Minister Francisco Largo-Caballero.

"All this generates a belief that it is OK to discriminate... against certain groups," he said.

Tension between right and left has ratcheted up in recent weeks ahead of a regional election in Madrid, where conservative incumbent Isabel Diaz Ayuso is running with the slogan "Communism or Freedom".

Iglesias, who is standing against her for Unidas Podemos, walked out of a debate on Friday after Rocio Monasterio, his opponent from Vox, questioned whether the threats were real.

He had earlier posted the letter on Twitter alongside a photo of four bullets he said came in the envelope. 
"Your wife, your parents and you are sentenced to capital punishment, your time is running out," the letter read.

Spanish Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said on Monday she had received a knife covered in red stains by post, days after senior security officials and a left-wing party leader were sent death threats.

Spanish Tourism Minister Reyes Maroto said on Monday she had received a knife covered in red stains by post, days after senior security officials and a left-wing party leader were sent death threats. The ministry released a photo showing a small, wood-handled folding knife with a series of red stains running up the blade. "This is serious...We should be concerned as I'm not a controversial person," said Maroto, a socialist who has served as minister of industry, trade and tourism since 2018. Also read: Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic "It gives us more strength to defend democracy... Hatred and threats will not silence us," she told reporters outside the house of parliament. Police are investigating the package, which arrived at the ministry on Friday and included a return address, she added. The Spanish government is led by the Socialist Party (PSOE), with the far-left Unidas Podemos as its junior coalition partner. But a chorus of voices from across the political spectrum - including the far-right Vox party - condemned the threats. Last week, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Pablo Iglesias of Unidas Podemos, and Maria Gamez, who heads the Guardia Civil police force, also received death threats in the mail. Without suggesting who might be behind the letters, Marlaska on Monday blamed a culture of political polarisation for allowing hate speech to flourish. "We have a certain anti-democratic political discourse that we must confront forcefully," he told La Sexta television. He linked the threats to the recent vandalism of a feminist mural in Madrid and the defacement of a statue of former socialist Prime Minister Francisco Largo-Caballero. "All this generates a belief that it is OK to discriminate... against certain groups," he said. Tension between right and left has ratcheted up in recent weeks ahead of a regional election in Madrid, where conservative incumbent Isabel Diaz Ayuso is running with the slogan "Communism or Freedom". Iglesias, who is standing against her for Unidas Podemos, walked out of a debate on Friday after Rocio Monasterio, his opponent from Vox, questioned whether the threats were real. He had earlier posted the letter on Twitter alongside a photo of four bullets he said came in the envelope. "Your wife, your parents and you are sentenced to capital punishment, your time is running out," the letter read.

Spanish Tourism Minister gets knife in post

Around 100 migrants tried to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, Spanish police said Monday.

The migrants set off on Sunday from beaches in Fnideq, a few kilometres south of Ceuta and "some" managed to reach a beach in Ceuta on their own while most had to be rescued by Spanish rescue boats, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force in Ceuta said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic">Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic</a>

The migrants, including minors, set off in groups of 20 to 30 throughout the day, he added.

"It is not normal, there can be groups of three, four or five, but not this many," the police spokesman said.

The migrants were checked by Red Cross workers and three were treated for hypothermia in hospital.

The rest were taken by police to warehouse where they will undergo a coronavirus quarantine before their demands for asylum are processed.

Another five migrants swam to Ceuta from Morocco on Monday, police said.

Ceuta,&nbsp;together with a second Spanish&nbsp;enclave in north Africa, Melilla,&nbsp;have the European Union's only land borders&nbsp;with Africa, making them popular entry points for migrants&nbsp;seeking a better life in Europe.&nbsp;

Migrants try to reach the enclaves either by swimming along the coast or climbing the tall border fences that separate them from Morocco.

Around 100 migrants tried to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, Spanish police said Monday. The migrants set off on Sunday from beaches in Fnideq, a few kilometres south of Ceuta and "some" managed to reach a beach in Ceuta on their own while most had to be rescued by Spanish rescue boats, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force in Ceuta said.

Around 100 migrants tried to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from neighbouring Morocco, Spanish police said Monday. The migrants set off on Sunday from beaches in Fnideq, a few kilometres south of Ceuta and "some" managed to reach a beach in Ceuta on their own while most had to be rescued by Spanish rescue boats, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force in Ceuta said. Also read: Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic The migrants, including minors, set off in groups of 20 to 30 throughout the day, he added. "It is not normal, there can be groups of three, four or five, but not this many," the police spokesman said. The migrants were checked by Red Cross workers and three were treated for hypothermia in hospital. The rest were taken by police to warehouse where they will undergo a coronavirus quarantine before their demands for asylum are processed. Another five migrants swam to Ceuta from Morocco on Monday, police said. Ceuta, together with a second Spanish enclave in north Africa, Melilla, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa, making them popular entry points for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Migrants try to reach the enclaves either by swimming along the coast or climbing the tall border fences that separate them from Morocco.

Around 100 migrants swim to Spain's Ceuta enclave

Spain's famous bull-running festival held in northern city of Pamplona will not take place due to coronavirus pandemic, said Pamplona's mayor. This will be the second straight year of such cancellation.

"It is with regret that I am forced to officially cancel the San Fermin festival for this year 2021", Enrique Maya told a news conference.

He said that the festival, which involves daring daily bull-runs would be "a very high risk" in light of the Covid pandemic.

The Navarre region, the capital of which is Pamplona, has one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in Spain. 
The regional authorities had already said in February that the festival would likely have to be cancelled for a second consecutive year.

The festival is celebrated in honour of the patron saint of Spain's northern Navarre region -- San Fermin. The celebration of the festival dates back to medieval times. The celebration involves religious processions, concerts and all-night partying in addition to the bull runs that have made it famous.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-man-from-mallorca-arrested-for-infecting-22-people-with-covid-380096">Spain: Man from Mallorca arrested for infecting 22 people with Covid</a>

The festival draws tourists from around the world and its cancellation will deal another blow to the local economy, already reeling from restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.

(With inputs from agencies)

Spain's famous bull-running festival held in northern city of Pamplona will not take place due to coronavirus pandemic, said Pamplona's mayor. This will be the second straight year of such cancellation.

Spain's famous bull-running festival held in northern city of Pamplona will not take place due to coronavirus pandemic, said Pamplona's mayor. This will be the second straight year of such cancellation. "It is with regret that I am forced to officially cancel the San Fermin festival for this year 2021", Enrique Maya told a news conference. He said that the festival, which involves daring daily bull-runs would be "a very high risk" in light of the Covid pandemic. The Navarre region, the capital of which is Pamplona, has one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in Spain. The regional authorities had already said in February that the festival would likely have to be cancelled for a second consecutive year. The festival is celebrated in honour of the patron saint of Spain's northern Navarre region -- San Fermin. The celebration of the festival dates back to medieval times. The celebration involves religious processions, concerts and all-night partying in addition to the bull runs that have made it famous. Also Read | Spain: Man from Mallorca arrested for infecting 22 people with Covid The festival draws tourists from around the world and its cancellation will deal another blow to the local economy, already reeling from restrictions to contain the spread of the virus. (With inputs from agencies)

Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic

Morocco's Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned the Spanish ambassador on Sunday to convey the government's 'regret' over Spain's decision to receive for medical treatment of the leader of a regional group fighting Morocco for independence.&nbsp;

Spanish officials revealed last week that Brahim Ghali, 73, is hospitalised in Spain for treatment of COVID-19.&nbsp;

Ghali heads the Polisario Front, which has long fought for the independence from Morocco of Western Sahara, periodically engaging the Moroccan armed forces.&nbsp;

The Moroccan foreign ministry said Spain's stance is inconsistent with the spirit of partnership and good neighborliness. Morocco is seeking an explanation of Spain's position, the ministry said.&nbsp;

The diplomatic tension between Rabat and Madrid comes as Spain seeks Morocco's cooperation in stemming the flow of migrants across the sea to Spanish territory. The Spanish government is also seeking to deepen economic ties with Africa.&nbsp;

An official from Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that Ghali had been taken in 'for strictly humanitarian reasons’.&nbsp;

Western Sahara stretches along Africa's Atlantic coast south of the Moroccan resort city of Agadir, and borders Algeria and Mauritania. It has a population of 600,000 people. It was colonised by Spain in the 19th century and annexed by Morocco in 1975.&nbsp;

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the self-declared government also led by Ghali, says he is recovering favorably in an unidentified Spanish hospital. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Morocco's Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned the Spanish ambassador on Sunday to convey the government's 'regret' over Spain's decision to receive for medical treatment of the leader of a regional group fighting Morocco for independence.

Morocco's Foreign Affairs Ministry summoned the Spanish ambassador on Sunday to convey the government's 'regret' over Spain's decision to receive for medical treatment of the leader of a regional group fighting Morocco for independence. Spanish officials revealed last week that Brahim Ghali, 73, is hospitalised in Spain for treatment of COVID-19. Ghali heads the Polisario Front, which has long fought for the independence from Morocco of Western Sahara, periodically engaging the Moroccan armed forces. The Moroccan foreign ministry said Spain's stance is inconsistent with the spirit of partnership and good neighborliness. Morocco is seeking an explanation of Spain's position, the ministry said. The diplomatic tension between Rabat and Madrid comes as Spain seeks Morocco's cooperation in stemming the flow of migrants across the sea to Spanish territory. The Spanish government is also seeking to deepen economic ties with Africa. An official from Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that Ghali had been taken in 'for strictly humanitarian reasons’. Western Sahara stretches along Africa's Atlantic coast south of the Moroccan resort city of Agadir, and borders Algeria and Mauritania. It has a population of 600,000 people. It was colonised by Spain in the 19th century and annexed by Morocco in 1975. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the self-declared government also led by Ghali, says he is recovering favorably in an unidentified Spanish hospital. (With inputs from agencies)

Morocco scolds Spain over virus help for independence leader 

A man from Mallorca in Spain has been arrested on suspicion of assault for infecting 22 people with Covid. The police said on Saturday that the man continued going to work and gym despite the signs that he had Covid infection.

Police on the Spanish island began investigating at the end of January after an outbreak in the town of Manacor, following reports an employee had "become infected but hidden his illness", a statement said.

The man showed symptoms of infection which concerned his colleagues but he did not want to go home.

At the end of the day, he went for a PCR test but didn't wait for the result, returning the next day to his job and also attending his local gym.&nbsp;

At work, both the manager and staff insisted he go home because he could be infecting everyone, later telling police he had a temperature "of over 40 degrees Celsius" -- more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

But he ignored them and spent the day walking around his workplace, deliberately lowering his mask when he coughed and taunting them by saying: "I'm going to infect you all with coronavirus," police said.&nbsp;

When his PCR result came through at the end of the day, it was positive, causing alarm among his colleagues who were also tested.&nbsp;

Five of them also tested positive, and they in turn infected several of their family members, including three one-year-old babies.&nbsp;

At the gym, three people who had been in direct contact with him were also infected and passed on the virus to family members.&nbsp;

Police said his actions resulted in a total of 22 infections, although none required hospital treatment, with the man arrested on suspicion of assault.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A man from Mallorca in Spain has been arrested on suspicion of assault for infecting 22 people with Covid. The police said on Saturday that the man continued going to work and gym despite the signs that he had Covid infection.

A man from Mallorca in Spain has been arrested on suspicion of assault for infecting 22 people with Covid. The police said on Saturday that the man continued going to work and gym despite the signs that he had Covid infection. Police on the Spanish island began investigating at the end of January after an outbreak in the town of Manacor, following reports an employee had "become infected but hidden his illness", a statement said. The man showed symptoms of infection which concerned his colleagues but he did not want to go home. At the end of the day, he went for a PCR test but didn't wait for the result, returning the next day to his job and also attending his local gym. At work, both the manager and staff insisted he go home because he could be infecting everyone, later telling police he had a temperature "of over 40 degrees Celsius" -- more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit. But he ignored them and spent the day walking around his workplace, deliberately lowering his mask when he coughed and taunting them by saying: "I'm going to infect you all with coronavirus," police said. When his PCR result came through at the end of the day, it was positive, causing alarm among his colleagues who were also tested. Five of them also tested positive, and they in turn infected several of their family members, including three one-year-old babies. At the gym, three people who had been in direct contact with him were also infected and passed on the virus to family members. Police said his actions resulted in a total of 22 infections, although none required hospital treatment, with the man arrested on suspicion of assault. (With inputs from agencies)

Spain: Man from Mallorca arrested for infecting 22 people with Covid

The Spanish&nbsp;city&nbsp;of&nbsp;Seville&nbsp;is to be named as a&nbsp;host&nbsp;venue for the&nbsp;rescheduled&nbsp;Euro 2020 soccer tournament after Bilbao was dropped, a source close to the decision told Reuters on Friday (April 23).

European soccer's governing body UEFA could not confirm whether or not&nbsp;Seville&nbsp;had been named, stating only that a final decision on the 12&nbsp;host&nbsp;cities would be revealed after its executive committee meets later on Friday.

Bilbao was dropped as a venue on Wednesday (April 21) after it was unable to guarantee organizers it could&nbsp;host&nbsp;fans in the stadium for matches.

As well as choosing&nbsp;Seville&nbsp;to replace Bilbao, UEFA will make a final decision on whether Dublin and Munich can&nbsp;host&nbsp;matches. All other nine&nbsp;host&nbsp;cities have confirmed they will be able to accommodate supporters at games with limited capacity.

Seville's 60,000-capacity&nbsp;La Cartuja Stadium, which has this year&nbsp;hosted two Copa del Rey finals plus the Spanish Super Cup final, is expected to be named as the venue.

The stadium is set to&nbsp;host&nbsp;all three of Spain's Group E games plus a last-16 match.

The 2020 European Championship was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Spanish city of Seville is to be named as a host venue for the rescheduled Euro 2020 soccer tournament after Bilbao was dropped, a source close to the decision told Reuters on Friday (April 23).

The Spanish city of Seville is to be named as a host venue for the rescheduled Euro 2020 soccer tournament after Bilbao was dropped, a source close to the decision told Reuters on Friday (April 23). European soccer's governing body UEFA could not confirm whether or not Seville had been named, stating only that a final decision on the 12 host cities would be revealed after its executive committee meets later on Friday. Bilbao was dropped as a venue on Wednesday (April 21) after it was unable to guarantee organizers it could host fans in the stadium for matches. As well as choosing Seville to replace Bilbao, UEFA will make a final decision on whether Dublin and Munich can host matches. All other nine host cities have confirmed they will be able to accommodate supporters at games with limited capacity. Seville's 60,000-capacity La Cartuja Stadium, which has this year hosted two Copa del Rey finals plus the Spanish Super Cup final, is expected to be named as the venue. The stadium is set to host all three of Spain's Group E games plus a last-16 match. The 2020 European Championship was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seville to be a host city for rescheduled Euro 2020: Reports

After a year of remote learning and socially distanced classrooms, one school in the Spanish region of Murcia is trying to combine clear air and a new way of teaching. WION brings you a report.

Spanish schools revamp classroom learning by teaching students at beachside

A staggering fire that started at a paint warehouse early on Sunday (April 11) morning threatened an industrial area in northwestern Spain.

Emergency services are still battling the blaze in O Ceao industrial area in Lugo. The fire affected five business although no injuries were reported.

Regional delegate of Galician government Javier Arias said the wind moved the flames to local newspaper headquarters and to a warehouse with tyres that caused the black smoke.

A gas station near the fire was also evacuated to avoid greater damage.

A staggering fire that started at a paint warehouse early on Sunday (April 11) morning threatened an industrial area in northwestern Spain. Emergency services are still battling the blaze in O Ceao industrial area in Lugo.

A staggering fire that started at a paint warehouse early on Sunday (April 11) morning threatened an industrial area in northwestern Spain. Emergency services are still battling the blaze in O Ceao industrial area in Lugo. The fire affected five business although no injuries were reported. Regional delegate of Galician government Javier Arias said the wind moved the flames to local newspaper headquarters and to a warehouse with tyres that caused the black smoke. A gas station near the fire was also evacuated to avoid greater damage.

Fire threatens industrial area in northwestern Spain

Spain and Italy have limited the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to people aged over 60, potentially further slowing the European Union’s sluggish immunization program, which lags behind countries including the U.S., the U.K. and Israel.

These countries will only give AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine to people over 60 years old after European and British regulators found a potential link between the shot and rare brain blood clots.

While the EMA, the EU’s pharmaceuticals regulator, did not change its guidance for who should take the vaccine, it noted that “so far, most of the cases reported [of blood clots] have occurred in women under 60 years of age within two weeks of vaccination”.

Belgium separately restricted the AstraZeneca vaccine to those aged 56 or older for a minimum of four weeks on Wednesday. Australia moved on Thursday to limit further use of the shot in those younger than 50, with Canberra saying the BioNTech/Pfizer inoculation should be used instead.

Europe's and Britain's medicine regulators have both previously said that there is no increased risk of blood clots in general from the shot developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca.

However, both have been investigating small numbers of reports of brain blood clots, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), that have occurred in combination with unusually low blood platelet levels after people have been given the shot.

(With inputs from agencies)

Spain and Italy have limited the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to people aged over 60, potentially further slowing the European Union’s sluggish immunization program, which lags behind countries including the U.

Spain and Italy have limited the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to people aged over 60, potentially further slowing the European Union’s sluggish immunization program, which lags behind countries including the U.S., the U.K. and Israel. These countries will only give AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine to people over 60 years old after European and British regulators found a potential link between the shot and rare brain blood clots. While the EMA, the EU’s pharmaceuticals regulator, did not change its guidance for who should take the vaccine, it noted that “so far, most of the cases reported [of blood clots] have occurred in women under 60 years of age within two weeks of vaccination”. Belgium separately restricted the AstraZeneca vaccine to those aged 56 or older for a minimum of four weeks on Wednesday. Australia moved on Thursday to limit further use of the shot in those younger than 50, with Canberra saying the BioNTech/Pfizer inoculation should be used instead. Europe's and Britain's medicine regulators have both previously said that there is no increased risk of blood clots in general from the shot developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca. However, both have been investigating small numbers of reports of brain blood clots, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), that have occurred in combination with unusually low blood platelet levels after people have been given the shot. (With inputs from agencies)

Spain and Italy halt the use of AstraZeneca shot for under-60s

Considering the rising cases of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> in the country and region, the government of Spain has made wearing masks compulsory in public space, regardless of the distance between people.

As per an announcement published by the government in the Official State Gazette (BOE) "people from the age of six and older have the obligation to wear masks [...] on public streets, in outdoor spaces and in any closed space that has a public use or is open to the public".

Till now, masks were mandatory in all public and outdoor spaces but only when it was not possible to maintain a distance of 1.5 meters or more between two people.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/stay-home-experts-warn-covid-surge-to-be-worse-than-2020-374698">'Stay home': Experts warn COVID surge to be worse than 2020</a>

However, the rule implicates that masks are to be worn "always" if a person is outdoor.&nbsp;

Regional governments will also not be provided with the freedom to play with the rules as they deem fit and will have to implement the strict law imposed by the central government. Earlier, regional governments had the freedom to bring changes to these rules.

While many regional governments have agreed to the new rule, the government of the Balearic Islands has allowed locals to roam mask-free at beaches and in swimming pools.

"There is a sentence in the national law that mentions ‘in conformity with the health authorities.’ Our legal services feel that our legislation is not superseded by the national one, and our own measures will remain in force," said health chief Patricia Gómez.

Juan Marín, the deputy premier of Andalusia has also expressed disagreement with the new law saying he does not understand "this type of decisions that get made without consulting with the regions".

Considering the rising cases of coronavirus in the country and region, the government of Spain has made wearing masks compulsory in public space, regardless of the distance between people.

Considering the rising cases of coronavirus in the country and region, the government of Spain has made wearing masks compulsory in public space, regardless of the distance between people. As per an announcement published by the government in the Official State Gazette (BOE) "people from the age of six and older have the obligation to wear masks [...] on public streets, in outdoor spaces and in any closed space that has a public use or is open to the public". Till now, masks were mandatory in all public and outdoor spaces but only when it was not possible to maintain a distance of 1.5 meters or more between two people. Also read | 'Stay home': Experts warn COVID surge to be worse than 2020 However, the rule implicates that masks are to be worn "always" if a person is outdoor. Regional governments will also not be provided with the freedom to play with the rules as they deem fit and will have to implement the strict law imposed by the central government. Earlier, regional governments had the freedom to bring changes to these rules. While many regional governments have agreed to the new rule, the government of the Balearic Islands has allowed locals to roam mask-free at beaches and in swimming pools. "There is a sentence in the national law that mentions ‘in conformity with the health authorities.’ Our legal services feel that our legislation is not superseded by the national one, and our own measures will remain in force," said health chief Patricia Gómez. Juan Marín, the deputy premier of Andalusia has also expressed disagreement with the new law saying he does not understand "this type of decisions that get made without consulting with the regions".

Spain makes masks compulsory in public spaces; attracts criticism

Spanish authorities will use the AstraZeneca vaccine to inoculate the essential workers above 65 years old to include previously excluded groups.

Spain to use AstraZeneca jab to inoculate workers above 65

The Mediterranean Epic mountain bike cycling competition came to an end on Sunday (March 28) after a four day event in Spain. Cyclists from 30 countries competed, with reigning world champions and Olympic gold medalists among the competitors.

Mountain bikers complete Mediterranean Epic

Spain's coast guard rescued nearly 40 African migrants from waters off the coast of Tenerife on Friday after their boat capsized during the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands, which saw a tenfold surge in such traffic last year.

Two women and one man were confirmed dead on arrival at the port, an emergency services spokeswoman said, while two women were transferred to hospital with slight injuries.

Red Cross workers in masks and goggles carried several young children ashore and helped injured adults to a dockside medical tent at the resort town of Los Cristianos on the island's southern coast.

The rescue happened as the U.N. migration agency announced that more than 2,200 people died at sea trying to reach Europe last year, more than a third along the increasingly busy route to the Canaries.

Some 23,000 migrants made the crossing from Africa to the archipelago, located around 60 miles to the west of Morocco's Atlantic Coast.

A record 850 died on that route last year, the migration agency said, suggesting COVID-19 prompted many hard-hit workers in fishing or agriculture to migrate.

With existing arrival facilities packed to capacity, authorities have resorted to housing thousands in camps, drawing criticism from rights groups over inhumane conditions.&nbsp;

Spain's coast guard rescued nearly 40 African migrants from waters off the coast of Tenerife on Friday after their boat capsized during the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands, which saw a tenfold surge in such traffic last year.

Spain's coast guard rescued nearly 40 African migrants from waters off the coast of Tenerife on Friday after their boat capsized during the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands, which saw a tenfold surge in such traffic last year. Two women and one man were confirmed dead on arrival at the port, an emergency services spokeswoman said, while two women were transferred to hospital with slight injuries. Red Cross workers in masks and goggles carried several young children ashore and helped injured adults to a dockside medical tent at the resort town of Los Cristianos on the island's southern coast. The rescue happened as the U.N. migration agency announced that more than 2,200 people died at sea trying to reach Europe last year, more than a third along the increasingly busy route to the Canaries. Some 23,000 migrants made the crossing from Africa to the archipelago, located around 60 miles to the west of Morocco's Atlantic Coast. A record 850 died on that route last year, the migration agency said, suggesting COVID-19 prompted many hard-hit workers in fishing or agriculture to migrate. With existing arrival facilities packed to capacity, authorities have resorted to housing thousands in camps, drawing criticism from rights groups over inhumane conditions.

Three die, dozens rescued as migrant boat capsizes off Spain's Tenerife

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

So has Kübra Gümüsay, a German writer of Turkish descent.

As has Uda Strätling, a translator, who is white.

Literary translation is usually a solitary pursuit, but German publisher Hoffmann und Campe went for a team of writers to ensure the translation of Gorman’s poem — just 710 words — wasn’t just true to Gorman’s voice. The trio was also asked to make its political and social significance clear and to avoid anything that might exclude people of color, people with disabilities, women or other marginalized groups.

“It was a gamble,” Strätling said of the collaborative approach.

For nearly two weeks, the team debated word choices, occasionally emailing Gorman for clarifications. But as they worked, an argument was brewing elsewhere in Europe about who has the right to translate the poet’s work.

“This whole debate started,” Gümüsay said, with a sigh.

It began in February when Meulenhoff, a publisher in the Netherlands, said it had asked Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, a writer whose debut novel won last year’s Booker International Prize, to translate Gorman’s poem into Dutch.

Rijneveld was the “ideal candidate,” Meulenhoff said in a statement. But many social media users disagreed, asking why a white writer had been chosen when Gorman’s reading at the inauguration had been a significant cultural moment for Black people.

Three days later, Rijneveld quit. (Rijneveld declined an interview request for this article.)

In March, the debate reignited after Victor Obiols, another white translator, was dropped by the Catalan publisher Univers. Obiols said he was told his profile “was not suitable for the project.” (A Univers spokeswoman declined to comment.)

Literary figures and newspaper columnists across Europe have been arguing for weeks about what these decisions mean, turning Gorman’s poem into the latest flash point in debates about identity politics across the continent. The discussion has shone a light on the often unexamined world of literary translation and its lack of racial diversity.

“I can’t recall a translation controversy ever taking the world by storm like this,” Aaron Robertson, a Black Italian-to-English translator, said in a phone interview.

“This feels something of a watershed moment,” he added.

On Monday, the American Literary Translators Association waded into the furor. “The question of whether identity should be the deciding factor in who is allowed to translate whom is a false framing of the issues at play,” it said in a statement published on its website.

The real problem underlying the controversy was “the scarcity of Black translators,” it added. Last year, the association carried out a diversity survey. Only 2% of the 362 translators who responded were Black, a spokeswoman for the association said in an email.

In a video interview, the members of the German team said they, too, felt the debate had missed the point. “People are asking questions like, ‘Does color give you the right to translate?’” Haruna-Oelker said. “This is not about color.”

She added: “It’s about quality, it’s about the skills you have, and about perspectives.” Each member of the German team brought different things to the group, she said.

The team spent a long time discussing how to translate the word “skinny,” without conjuring images of an overly thin woman, Gümüsay said, and they debated how to bring a sense of the poem’s gender-inclusive language into German, in which many objects — and all people — are either masculine or feminine. “You’re constantly moving back and forth between the politics and the composition,” Strätling said.

“To me it felt like dancing,” Gümüsay said of the process. Haruna-Oelker added that the team tried hard to find words “which don’t hurt anyone.”

But whereas the German translators were happy to engage with the identity politics, others expressed frustration at the translator departures and their implications. Nuria Barrios, the translator of the poem’s Spanish edition, who is white, wrote in the newspaper El País that Rijneveld's stepping down from the project was “a catastrophe.”

“It is the victory of identity politics over creative freedom,” she wrote, adding: “To remove imagination from translation is to subject the craft to a lobotomy.”

Some Black academics and translators have also expressed concern. “There is a tacit idea that we are supposed to be especially concerned about the ‘appropriateness’ of a translator’s identity in the particular case of blackness,” John McWhorter, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, said in an email.

Other differences between writers and their translators — such as wealth levels, or political views — were not sparking concern, McWhorter added. “Instead, our sense of ‘diversity’ is narrower than that word implies: It’s only about skin color,” he said.

Couching the discussion in terms of appropriateness was “really ridiculous,” said Janice Deul, a Black Dutch journalist and activist who on Feb. 25 wrote an opinion piece for De Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, calling Rijneveld’s appointment “incomprehensible.” The following day, Rijneveld resigned.

“This is not about who can translate, it’s about who gets opportunities to translate,” Deul said. She listed 10 Black Dutch spoken-word artists who could have done the job in her article but said all of them had been overlooked.

The one opinion missing in all of this is, of course, Gorman’s. Viking is releasing “The Hill We Climb” in the United States on Tuesday. Apple TV Plus on Friday began streaming her interview with Oprah Winfrey, but she has not commented on the debate her work has spurred. Her spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Gorman, or her agent, Writers House, which represents the translation rights, appeared to have influence on who was selected. Aylin LaMorey-Salzmann, the editor of the German edition of “The Hill We Climb,” said that the rights owner had to agree to the choice, which had to be someone of similar profile to Gorman.

Irene Christopoulou, an editor at Psichogios, the poem’s Greek publisher, was still waiting for approval for its choice of translator. The translator was a white “emerging female poet,” Christopoulou said in an email. “Due to the racial profile of the Greek population, there are no translators/poets of color to choose from,” she added.

A spokeswoman for Tammi, the poem’s Finnish publisher, said in an email that “The negotiations are still going on with the agent and Amanda Gorman herself.”

Several European publishers named Black musicians as their translators. Timbuktu, a rapper, has completed a Swedish version, and Marie-Pierra Kakoma, a singer better known as Lous and the Yakuza, has translated the French edition, which will be published by Editions Fayard in May.

“I thought Lous’ writing skills, her sense of rhythm, her connection with spoken poetry would be tremendous assets,” Sophie de Closets, a publisher at Fayard, said in an email explaining why she chose a pop star.

Issues of identity “should definitely be considered” when hiring translators, de Closets added, but that went beyond race. “It is the publisher’s responsibility to look for the ideal combination between one given work and the person who will translate it,” she said.

Haruna-Oelker, one of the German translators, said one disappointing outcome of the debate in Europe was it had diverted attention from the message of Gorman’s poem. “The Hill We Climb” spoke about bringing people together, Haruna-Oelker said, just as the German publisher had done by assembling a team.

“We’ve tried a beautiful experiment here, and this is where the future lies,” Gümüsay said. “The future lies in trying to find new forms of collaboration, trying to bring together more voices, more sets of eyes, more perspectives to create something new.”

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration. So has Kübra Gümüsay, a German writer of Turkish descent. As has Uda Strätling, a translator, who is white. Literary translation is usually a solitary pursuit, but German publisher Hoffmann und Campe went for a team of writers to ensure the translation of Gorman’s poem — just 710 words — wasn’t just true to Gorman’s voice. The trio was also asked to make its political and social significance clear and to avoid anything that might exclude people of color, people with disabilities, women or other marginalized groups. “It was a gamble,” Strätling said of the collaborative approach. For nearly two weeks, the team debated word choices, occasionally emailing Gorman for clarifications. But as they worked, an argument was brewing elsewhere in Europe about who has the right to translate the poet’s work. “This whole debate started,” Gümüsay said, with a sigh. It began in February when Meulenhoff, a publisher in the Netherlands, said it had asked Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, a writer whose debut novel won last year’s Booker International Prize, to translate Gorman’s poem into Dutch. Rijneveld was the “ideal candidate,” Meulenhoff said in a statement. But many social media users disagreed, asking why a white writer had been chosen when Gorman’s reading at the inauguration had been a significant cultural moment for Black people. Three days later, Rijneveld quit. (Rijneveld declined an interview request for this article.) In March, the debate reignited after Victor Obiols, another white translator, was dropped by the Catalan publisher Univers. Obiols said he was told his profile “was not suitable for the project.” (A Univers spokeswoman declined to comment.) Literary figures and newspaper columnists across Europe have been arguing for weeks about what these decisions mean, turning Gorman’s poem into the latest flash point in debates about identity politics across the continent. The discussion has shone a light on the often unexamined world of literary translation and its lack of racial diversity. “I can’t recall a translation controversy ever taking the world by storm like this,” Aaron Robertson, a Black Italian-to-English translator, said in a phone interview. “This feels something of a watershed moment,” he added. On Monday, the American Literary Translators Association waded into the furor. “The question of whether identity should be the deciding factor in who is allowed to translate whom is a false framing of the issues at play,” it said in a statement published on its website. The real problem underlying the controversy was “the scarcity of Black translators,” it added. Last year, the association carried out a diversity survey. Only 2% of the 362 translators who responded were Black, a spokeswoman for the association said in an email. In a video interview, the members of the German team said they, too, felt the debate had missed the point. “People are asking questions like, ‘Does color give you the right to translate?’” Haruna-Oelker said. “This is not about color.” She added: “It’s about quality, it’s about the skills you have, and about perspectives.” Each member of the German team brought different things to the group, she said. The team spent a long time discussing how to translate the word “skinny,” without conjuring images of an overly thin woman, Gümüsay said, and they debated how to bring a sense of the poem’s gender-inclusive language into German, in which many objects — and all people — are either masculine or feminine. “You’re constantly moving back and forth between the politics and the composition,” Strätling said. “To me it felt like dancing,” Gümüsay said of the process. Haruna-Oelker added that the team tried hard to find words “which don’t hurt anyone.” But whereas the German translators were happy to engage with the identity politics, others expressed frustration at the translator departures and their implications. Nuria Barrios, the translator of the poem’s Spanish edition, who is white, wrote in the newspaper El País that Rijneveld's stepping down from the project was “a catastrophe.” “It is the victory of identity politics over creative freedom,” she wrote, adding: “To remove imagination from translation is to subject the craft to a lobotomy.” Some Black academics and translators have also expressed concern. “There is a tacit idea that we are supposed to be especially concerned about the ‘appropriateness’ of a translator’s identity in the particular case of blackness,” John McWhorter, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, said in an email. Other differences between writers and their translators — such as wealth levels, or political views — were not sparking concern, McWhorter added. “Instead, our sense of ‘diversity’ is narrower than that word implies: It’s only about skin color,” he said. Couching the discussion in terms of appropriateness was “really ridiculous,” said Janice Deul, a Black Dutch journalist and activist who on Feb. 25 wrote an opinion piece for De Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, calling Rijneveld’s appointment “incomprehensible.” The following day, Rijneveld resigned. “This is not about who can translate, it’s about who gets opportunities to translate,” Deul said. She listed 10 Black Dutch spoken-word artists who could have done the job in her article but said all of them had been overlooked. The one opinion missing in all of this is, of course, Gorman’s. Viking is releasing “The Hill We Climb” in the United States on Tuesday. Apple TV Plus on Friday began streaming her interview with Oprah Winfrey, but she has not commented on the debate her work has spurred. Her spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment. Gorman, or her agent, Writers House, which represents the translation rights, appeared to have influence on who was selected. Aylin LaMorey-Salzmann, the editor of the German edition of “The Hill We Climb,” said that the rights owner had to agree to the choice, which had to be someone of similar profile to Gorman. Irene Christopoulou, an editor at Psichogios, the poem’s Greek publisher, was still waiting for approval for its choice of translator. The translator was a white “emerging female poet,” Christopoulou said in an email. “Due to the racial profile of the Greek population, there are no translators/poets of color to choose from,” she added. A spokeswoman for Tammi, the poem’s Finnish publisher, said in an email that “The negotiations are still going on with the agent and Amanda Gorman herself.” Several European publishers named Black musicians as their translators. Timbuktu, a rapper, has completed a Swedish version, and Marie-Pierra Kakoma, a singer better known as Lous and the Yakuza, has translated the French edition, which will be published by Editions Fayard in May. “I thought Lous’ writing skills, her sense of rhythm, her connection with spoken poetry would be tremendous assets,” Sophie de Closets, a publisher at Fayard, said in an email explaining why she chose a pop star. Issues of identity “should definitely be considered” when hiring translators, de Closets added, but that went beyond race. “It is the publisher’s responsibility to look for the ideal combination between one given work and the person who will translate it,” she said. Haruna-Oelker, one of the German translators, said one disappointing outcome of the debate in Europe was it had diverted attention from the message of Gorman’s poem. “The Hill We Climb” spoke about bringing people together, Haruna-Oelker said, just as the German publisher had done by assembling a team. “We’ve tried a beautiful experiment here, and this is where the future lies,” Gümüsay said. “The future lies in trying to find new forms of collaboration, trying to bring together more voices, more sets of eyes, more perspectives to create something new.”

Amanda Gorman’s poetry united critics; it’s dividing translators

Lawmakers in Spain have passed a law to legalise euthanasia and assisted suicide. Can a person end their own life to escape pain? WION's Palki Sharma asks - Can the inevitability of death be preponed?

Gravitas: Can a person end their own life to escape pain?

Spain's parliament voted through a law legalising euthanasia Thursday, becoming one of the few nations to allow terminally-ill or gravely-injured patients to end their own suffering.

A priority for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government, the law was drafted following public pressure generated by several high-profile cases, notably that of Ramon Sampedro whose plight was immortalised in the Oscar-winning 2004 film "The Sea Inside".

The vote, which passed by 202 in favour and 141 against and two abstentions in the 350-seat chamber, makes Spain the fourth European nation to decriminalise assisted suicide, alongside the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Although Portugal's parliament passed a similar law in January, it was blocked this week by the Constitutional Court.

"Today we have become a country that is more humane, fairer and freer. The euthanasia law, widely demanded by society, has finally become a reality," Sanchez tweeted just minutes after the vote.

"Thanks to all the people who have fought tirelessly for the right to die with dignity to be recognised in Spain."

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Hoy somos un país más humano, más justo y más libre. La ley de eutanasia, ampliamente demandada por la sociedad, se convierte por fin en una realidad. Gracias a todas las personas que han peleado incansablemente para que el derecho a morir dignamente fuera reconocido en España. <a href="https://t.co/Ge4CZWuvIe">pic.twitter.com/Ge4CZWuvIe</a>
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) <a href="https://twitter.com/sanchezcastejon/status/1372516402746306561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=&lt;blockquote class=twitter-tweet&gt;&lt;p lang=es dir=ltr&gt;Hoy somos un país más humano, más justo y más libre. La ley de eutanasia, ampliamente demandada por la sociedad, se convierte por fin en una realidad. Gracias a todas las personas que han peleado incansablemente para que el derecho a morir dignamente fuera reconocido en España. &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://t.co/Ge4CZWuvIe href=https://t.co/Ge4CZWuvIe&gt;pic.twitter.com/Ge4CZWuvIe&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) &lt;a data-cke-saved-href=https://twitter.com/sanchezcastejon/status/1372516402746306561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw href=https://twitter.com/sanchezcastejon/status/1372516402746306561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&gt;March 18, 2021&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; <script async src=https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js charset=utf-8></script>" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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The Spanish legislation will permit euthanasia in which medical staff intentionally end a life to relieve suffering, and assisted suicide in which it is the patient who carries out the procedure.

Various other countries permit assisted suicide as well as "passive euthanasia" in which life-saving medical treatment is halted.

Speaking to AFP, Ramona Maneiro, a friend of Sampedro's who was arrested for helping him die but not prosecuted for lack of evidence, hailed the move as a victory "for those who can benefit from it" and "for Ramon".

<h2>Strict conditions&nbsp;</h2>

Backed by leftwing and centrist parties, the legislation allows anyone with a "serious or incurable illness" or a "chronic or incapacitating" condition to request help dying, thereby avoiding "intolerable suffering".

But the patient must be a Spanish national or a legal resident and must be "fully aware and conscious" when they make the request, which must be submitted twice in writing, 15 days apart.

However, a doctor can reject the request if the requirements have not been met; it must be approved by a second medic and by an evaluation body.&nbsp;

Any medic can withdraw on grounds of "conscience" from taking part in the procedure that would be available through Spain's national health service.

The move has been hailed by patients and right-to-die campaigners.

"It doesn't make any sense that people... would choose to live an undignified life," said Sofia Malagon, 60, who has Parkinson's and worries what will happen if she gets dementia.

"I don't want to be left like a vegetable."&nbsp;

<h2>'Form of murder'&nbsp;</h2>

But the move has been roundly rejected by the Catholic Church and Spain's right and far-right opposition, and some medics have raised questions about its implementation.&nbsp;

Euthanasia "is always a form of murder since it involves one man causing the death of another," said the Episcopal Conference that groups Spain's leading bishops.&nbsp;

"Life cannot be left in the hands of the authorities," said Lourdes Mendez Monasterio, an MP for the far-right Vox party which has vowed to appeal to the Constitutional Court.

"We will not rest until ensuring that at the end of life, a person can die with dignity without pain and without being killed," she told the chamber.

Since the mid-1980s when euthanasia first entered the public debate, the most famous case has been that of Ramon Sampedro, who became a tetraplegic after breaking his neck and fought an unsuccessful 30-year court battle to end his own life with dignity.

He died in 1998 with the help of his friend with his story told in "The Sea Inside" starring Hollywood actor Javier Bardem that won the 2005 best-foreign language Oscar.

A different but equally high-profile case was that of Luis Montes, an anaesthetist accused of causing the deaths of 73 terminal patients at a Madrid hospital. A court dropped the case against him in 2007.

More recently, pensioner Angel Hernandez was arrested in 2019 and is awaiting trial for helping his wife end her life after decades suffering from multiple sclerosis.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Spain's parliament voted through a law legalising euthanasia Thursday, becoming one of the few nations to allow terminally-ill or gravely-injured patients to end their own suffering.

Spain's parliament voted through a law legalising euthanasia Thursday, becoming one of the few nations to allow terminally-ill or gravely-injured patients to end their own suffering. A priority for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government, the law was drafted following public pressure generated by several high-profile cases, notably that of Ramon Sampedro whose plight was immortalised in the Oscar-winning 2004 film "The Sea Inside". The vote, which passed by 202 in favour and 141 against and two abstentions in the 350-seat chamber, makes Spain the fourth European nation to decriminalise assisted suicide, alongside the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Although Portugal's parliament passed a similar law in January, it was blocked this week by the Constitutional Court. "Today we have become a country that is more humane, fairer and freer. The euthanasia law, widely demanded by society, has finally become a reality," Sanchez tweeted just minutes after the vote. "Thanks to all the people who have fought tirelessly for the right to die with dignity to be recognised in Spain." Hoy somos un país más humano, más justo y más libre. La ley de eutanasia, ampliamente demandada por la sociedad, se convierte por fin en una realidad. Gracias a todas las personas que han peleado incansablemente para que el derecho a morir dignamente fuera reconocido en España. pic.twitter.com/Ge4CZWuvIe — Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) March 18, 2021 × The Spanish legislation will permit euthanasia in which medical staff intentionally end a life to relieve suffering, and assisted suicide in which it is the patient who carries out the procedure. Various other countries permit assisted suicide as well as "passive euthanasia" in which life-saving medical treatment is halted. Speaking to AFP, Ramona Maneiro, a friend of Sampedro's who was arrested for helping him die but not prosecuted for lack of evidence, hailed the move as a victory "for those who can benefit from it" and "for Ramon". Strict conditions Backed by leftwing and centrist parties, the legislation allows anyone with a "serious or incurable illness" or a "chronic or incapacitating" condition to request help dying, thereby avoiding "intolerable suffering". But the patient must be a Spanish national or a legal resident and must be "fully aware and conscious" when they make the request, which must be submitted twice in writing, 15 days apart. However, a doctor can reject the request if the requirements have not been met; it must be approved by a second medic and by an evaluation body. Any medic can withdraw on grounds of "conscience" from taking part in the procedure that would be available through Spain's national health service. The move has been hailed by patients and right-to-die campaigners. "It doesn't make any sense that people... would choose to live an undignified life," said Sofia Malagon, 60, who has Parkinson's and worries what will happen if she gets dementia. "I don't want to be left like a vegetable." 'Form of murder' But the move has been roundly rejected by the Catholic Church and Spain's right and far-right opposition, and some medics have raised questions about its implementation. Euthanasia "is always a form of murder since it involves one man causing the death of another," said the Episcopal Conference that groups Spain's leading bishops. "Life cannot be left in the hands of the authorities," said Lourdes Mendez Monasterio, an MP for the far-right Vox party which has vowed to appeal to the Constitutional Court. "We will not rest until ensuring that at the end of life, a person can die with dignity without pain and without being killed," she told the chamber. Since the mid-1980s when euthanasia first entered the public debate, the most famous case has been that of Ramon Sampedro, who became a tetraplegic after breaking his neck and fought an unsuccessful 30-year court battle to end his own life with dignity. He died in 1998 with the help of his friend with his story told in "The Sea Inside" starring Hollywood actor Javier Bardem that won the 2005 best-foreign language Oscar. A different but equally high-profile case was that of Luis Montes, an anaesthetist accused of causing the deaths of 73 terminal patients at a Madrid hospital. A court dropped the case against him in 2007. More recently, pensioner Angel Hernandez was arrested in 2019 and is awaiting trial for helping his wife end her life after decades suffering from multiple sclerosis.

Spain legalises euthanasia, assisted suicide

Spain's parliament is expected to give final approval to a law legalising euthanasia. It will allow terminally-ill or gravely-injured patients to end their own suffering.

Spain: Country poised to legalise euthanasia, assisted suicide

Police in Spain recently seized a homemade narco-submarine which was capable of carrying at least two tonnes of cargo. The nine-metre (30 foot) vessel was found by police last month while it was under construction in Malaga, a city in southern Spain.

The police stumbled on the boat while pursuing an international drug operation involving five countries and Europol, the EU crime agency. The Guardian reported that the craft, which is semisubmersible was made of fibreglass and plywood panels, which were attached to a frame.

Additionally, it had two 200-horsepower engines and was painted light blue. The head of Spanish police, Rafael Perez told reporters that the vessel had never sailed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science-technology/artificial-intelligence-reveals-current-drugs-may-help-combat-alzheimers-368663" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence reveals current drugs may help combat Alzheimer's</a>

“We think it was going to go to sea to meet a mother ship to take on board drugs… probably cocaine before returning to&nbsp;Spain” he said to reporters. “It is like an iceberg… In practice, nearly all of it goes underwater apart from the top, which is the only part that would be seen from another ship or a helicopter”, he added.

Another incident happened in 2019 when a 20-metre semisubmersible craft was intercepted off the coast of Galicia - later found to be carrying three tonnes of cocaine.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/germany-busts-worlds-largest-darknet-site-trading-in-drugs-forgeries-356302" hreflang="en">Germany busts ‘world’s largest’ darknet site trading in drugs, forgeries</a>

Over the last few years, such vessels are appearing in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans frequently. The most common sightings are near Central and South America.&nbsp; Such ships are not able to submerge fully, and only remain partially submerged.

Spain has cracked down on drugs over the last week, with 52 arrests made. The authorities also seized hundreds of kilos of hashish, cocaine, and marijuana across various places.

According to Spanish police, they’re working together with counterparts in the US, the UK, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Police in Spain recently seized a homemade narco-submarine which was capable of carrying at least two tonnes of cargo. The nine-metre (30 foot) vessel was found by police last month while it was under construction in Malaga, a city in southern Spain.

Police in Spain recently seized a homemade narco-submarine which was capable of carrying at least two tonnes of cargo. The nine-metre (30 foot) vessel was found by police last month while it was under construction in Malaga, a city in southern Spain. The police stumbled on the boat while pursuing an international drug operation involving five countries and Europol, the EU crime agency. The Guardian reported that the craft, which is semisubmersible was made of fibreglass and plywood panels, which were attached to a frame. Additionally, it had two 200-horsepower engines and was painted light blue. The head of Spanish police, Rafael Perez told reporters that the vessel had never sailed. Also read: Artificial Intelligence reveals current drugs may help combat Alzheimer's “We think it was going to go to sea to meet a mother ship to take on board drugs… probably cocaine before returning to Spain” he said to reporters. “It is like an iceberg… In practice, nearly all of it goes underwater apart from the top, which is the only part that would be seen from another ship or a helicopter”, he added. Another incident happened in 2019 when a 20-metre semisubmersible craft was intercepted off the coast of Galicia - later found to be carrying three tonnes of cocaine. Also read: Germany busts ‘world’s largest’ darknet site trading in drugs, forgeries Over the last few years, such vessels are appearing in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans frequently. The most common sightings are near Central and South America. Such ships are not able to submerge fully, and only remain partially submerged. Spain has cracked down on drugs over the last week, with 52 arrests made. The authorities also seized hundreds of kilos of hashish, cocaine, and marijuana across various places. According to Spanish police, they’re working together with counterparts in the US, the UK, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Portugal.

Spain: Police seize semi-submarine capable of carrying tonnes of drugs

Findings at a Bronze Age burial site in Spain have revealed that women were among rulers in an urban culture that at its zenith spanned 35,000 sq km and built complex urban centres between 2200 and 1559 BC. The archaeological finding has found women buried at places that were used to bury elite warriors. This suggests that these burial grounds were for those accorded high status.

Moreover, these graves were found beneath a palace. This further consolidates the inference of respect accorded to the women buried there.

Scientists are carrying out research at the site at La Almoloya in Spain since 2013. The findings have been published online by Cambridge University Press.

These ruins were once home to El Argar, a society that was among the first to use Bronze. El Argar built complex urban centres at time when other people in Spain were living in bands of 50 to 100.

The published study mentions that the researchers found a man and a woman buried in a ceramic jar. 29 valuable objects were found to have been buried and nearly all of them belonged to the woman.

Among the valuables was a rare type of crown, known as a diadem. It was made of Siver. This diadem has been considered to be reflective of honour the society gave the women.

<img alt="Didem" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2e85067b-a833-440c-b506-1a28b2e82a32" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20%287%29_0.jpg" />

(The Diadem, Image source: Cambridge University Press)

Similar crowns were found at other female burial sites. These sites were later used to bury elite warriors. This indicates that the women were earlier buried at places that had high honour associated with them.

The inference that El Argar women were among the rulers was reinforced as scientists found that these graves were beneath a Bronze Age palace.

Scientists think that El Argar men were warriors while the power with the women stemmed from politics.

Findings at a Bronze Age burial site in Spain have revealed that women were among rulers in an urban culture that at its zenith spanned 35,000 sq km and built complex urban centres between 2200 and 1559 BC.

Findings at a Bronze Age burial site in Spain have revealed that women were among rulers in an urban culture that at its zenith spanned 35,000 sq km and built complex urban centres between 2200 and 1559 BC. The archaeological finding has found women buried at places that were used to bury elite warriors. This suggests that these burial grounds were for those accorded high status. Moreover, these graves were found beneath a palace. This further consolidates the inference of respect accorded to the women buried there. Scientists are carrying out research at the site at La Almoloya in Spain since 2013. The findings have been published online by Cambridge University Press. These ruins were once home to El Argar, a society that was among the first to use Bronze. El Argar built complex urban centres at time when other people in Spain were living in bands of 50 to 100. The published study mentions that the researchers found a man and a woman buried in a ceramic jar. 29 valuable objects were found to have been buried and nearly all of them belonged to the woman. Among the valuables was a rare type of crown, known as a diadem. It was made of Siver. This diadem has been considered to be reflective of honour the society gave the women. (The Diadem, Image source: Cambridge University Press) Similar crowns were found at other female burial sites. These sites were later used to bury elite warriors. This indicates that the women were earlier buried at places that had high honour associated with them. The inference that El Argar women were among the rulers was reinforced as scientists found that these graves were beneath a Bronze Age palace. Scientists think that El Argar men were warriors while the power with the women stemmed from politics.

Spain: Bronze Age burial site suggests women were among the rulers

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