Spanish PM to be grilled in Congress over Ceuta crisis
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will appear this Thursday at 9am before the Congress to defend his government's handling of the Ceuta migration crisis.
This comes two days after an official police report described what happened in Ceuta on July 30th and 31 as a "planned" mass entry of people by Moroccan security forces in uniform and undercover.
READ MORE: Report blaming Moroccan police for Ceuta crisis puts heat on Spain's government
The report has caused a political storm in Spain, leading both opposition and parties in alliance with the ruling Socialists to demand answers from Sánchez and Moroccan authorities.
The Prime Minister's appearance before Congress also comes one day after demonstrations across Spain on Wednesday in protest for what's been happening in the Spanish enclave for the past month.
Spain sees big job losses as seasonal summer work ends
The end of the summer season has once again meant job losses and increased unemployment in Spain.
Spain's Social Security Department registered an average of 22.35 million registered workers in August, 162,840 fewer than in July, while the number of unemployed has risen to 2.36 million.
The number of jobseekers in August grew by 44,419 people compared to the previous month, with a significant proportion of them being young people.
However, unemployment has fallen by 70,593 people over the last year and is at its lowest level for an August since 2007, just before the financial crisis.
Furthermore, job creation shows an upward trend, with 679,023 more people registered with Social Security than in the same month last year.
This overall increase in registered workers is explained by the 337,917 foreigners who have been able to register after regularizing their immigration status in Spain thanks to this year's mass amnesty.
Spain investigates who shot oldest Iberian orca
Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition (Miteco) is investigating the shooting of the oldest orca in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Gulf of Cadiz, a 'grandmother' orca that's called Toñi.
This comes after photos were taken showing pellet marks on the animal's dorsal fin in mid-August.
Toñi is a matriarch of roughly 60 years of age that belongs to the critically endangered Iberian orca population, which has fewer than 40 surviving members.
The investigation points to a Spanish-flagged vessel that allegedly fired the shots in Portuguese waters, the Ministry adds, with a ballistic report to help pinpoint the culprit.
"The Ministry will continue its investigation, collaborating with the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Civil Guard, and the Portuguese authorities to try to clarify what happened and prevent this environmental damage from going unpunished," Ecological Transition Minister Sara Aagesen said.
Toñi has recently been sighted alongside a pod of orcas in Galician waters. According to available information, its injuries are healing well.
Real Madrid's Asencio convicted of drink-driving
Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio was convicted of drink-driving in Gran Canaria in August, a court source confirmed to AFP on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old centre-back was more than three times over the legal limit and fined 14,400 euros ($16.7k), while his driving licence was suspended for eight months.
Asencio was convicted in a trial held in San Bartolome de Tirajana, a village in Gran Canaria, after the incident on August 16.
Asencio, who is from the Canary Islands, was not with Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid squad at the time because he was still recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered at the end of July.
This week, Asencio is due to face another court case in Gran Canaria, involving the alleged non-consensual sharing of a sexual video dating back to 2023.
Spanish media report Asencio expects to be cleared in that case if the two women who were filmed formally forgive him.
Three former Real Madrid reserve players are also on trial for allegedly recording and distributing the video. The trial is scheduled for September 3, 4 and 7.
With additional reporting by AFP.
Comments