Latest news with #YolandaDíaz
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Spain's Pedro Sánchez sorry after top aide resigns in corruption scandal
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has apologised to the Spanish people after an escalating corruption scandal brought down a senior Socialist party colleague.Sánchez, who has led Spain since 2018, said there was no such thing as "zero corruption", adding he was wrong to trust Santos Cerdán, the secretary of his party and close political colleague. Cerdán has been asked to testify in court after a judge suggested he may have acted with former party officials in improperly awarding public contracts in exchange for said on Thursday he was stepping down to defend himself in the Supreme Court on 25 June, maintaining he had "never committed a crime nor have I been complicit one". Amid mounting speculation over his own future, the prime minister called a news conference in a bid to distance himself from the creeping scandal. He said he knew absolutely nothing about the corruption affair and instead pledged to restructure the leadership of his Socialist PSOE rejected calls for early elections, insisting the next national vote would not take place until 2027 and his government would continue its "political project"."This is not about me, and it's not about the Socialist party," he his seven years in power, Sánchez heads a shaky coalition, secured after the conservative Popular Party won 2023 elections but failed to form a government. While the opposition demanded answers on Thursday, deputy prime minister Yolanda Díaz from left-wing coalition partner Sumar said she also wanted explanations. It was Sánchez's first appearance answering media questions since a national power outage that hit Spain in from Socialist party (PSOE) headquarters in Madrid, the prime minister said he had until Thursday morning been persuaded of Santos Cerdán's integrity and wanted to apologise to Spanish citizens."There is no such thing as zero corruption," he said. "We shouldn't have trusted him."Sanchez said that like many others he had his faults and asked the Spanish people for went on to accuse the conservatives of besieging his government on a multitude of issues.Sánchez has faced repeated political crises and in April 2024 threatened to stand took five days to decide on his future in April 2024, when a court decided to open preliminary proceedings against his wife over allegations surrounding her business too he called a televised news conference, and in a moment of high drama announced he had decided to stay on in the job.
Days of Palestine
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
International Outcry After Israeli Assault on Humanitarian Ship Madeline
DaysofPal — The Israeli occupation is facing growing international condemnation following a naval assault early Monday on the humanitarian vessel Madeline, which was sailing toward the Gaza Strip in a symbolic attempt to break the 17-year blockade on the besieged territory. According to eyewitness reports and activist sources, Israeli naval forces intercepted Madeline in international waters, well before it could approach Gaza's coast. On board were 12 unarmed civilians—activists of French, German, Brazilian, Turkish, Swedish, Spanish, and Dutch nationalities. All were detained and the ship was forcibly redirected to the port of Ashdod on the occupied Palestinian coast. The Iranian Foreign Ministry denounced the interception as an act of 'maritime piracy,' stressing that it took place in international waters and thus constitutes a grave violation of international law. In Spain, the Foreign Ministry summoned the acting Israeli ambassador and handed over a formal letter of protest. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz condemned the raid as 'the kidnapping of a humanitarian vessel,' stating: 'This serious breach of international law demands a strong response from the European Union.' She also expressed solidarity with the detained volunteers and called for their immediate release. Amnesty International confirmed that the Madeline was a humanitarian mission crewed by civilians. It emphasized that the blockade of Gaza—now intensified by an ongoing military assault—has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The organization underscored that, under international law, Israel as an occupying power is obliged to ensure the civilian population's access to essential goods, including food and medical supplies. Amnesty further called for those responsible for the attack to be held accountable and urged the international community to halt Israel's systematic obstruction of humanitarian efforts. The Madeline departed from Italy on June 1 as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's campaign to challenge Israel's siege of Gaza. Its mission was symbolic but also urgent: to deliver life-saving aid to more than two million Palestinians trapped in what rights groups have called 'the world's largest open-air prison.' Gaza has endured over 20 months of war and bombardment, leaving the civilian population on the brink of famine, without access to clean water, adequate shelter, or functioning hospitals. This incident marks yet another chapter in a long list of attacks on humanitarian convoys bound for Gaza, raising renewed concerns about the impunity with which the Israeli occupation continues to act, often in violation of maritime and humanitarian law. Human rights organizations, legal experts, and governments are now calling on international bodies, including the European Union and the United Nations, to take tangible action to protect humanitarian missions and enforce accountability. Shortlink for this post:
Local Spain
04-06-2025
- Business
- Local Spain
Spain to spend €39 million on metal health to help suffering workforce
Health The Spanish government has approved new funding for mental healthcare as new data shows that mental health leave among the country's workforce has spiralled by 175 percent since the pandemic, costing taxpayers €15 billion a year. The Spanish cabinet on Tuesday announced that it would spend €39 million in order to strengthen mental healthcare treatment availability in public hospitals. It also approved another €17.83 million for the implementation of suicide prevention measures, in line with Spain's Mental Health Action Plan 2025-2027 and the Suicide Prevention Plan 2025-2027. Mental health cover is one of the biggest gaps in the public health system in Spain and it seems though people are suffering because of this. According to the latest data from the 2023 National Health System Annual Report, 34 percent of the Spanish population has some form of mental health issue. According to the Ministry of Health, the most common mental health problem is anxiety which affects 6.7 percent of the population with public health cover. Depression is seen in 4.1 percent of the population and increases with age, while sleep disorders affect 5.4 percent of the population and also increases with age. Psychoses overall affects 1.2 percent, while dementia is recorded in 3.2 percent of the population aged 60 and over. The number of workers on sick leave has continued to rise since the pandemic and particularly mental health leave has risen by 175 percent. The cost for the health authorities has continued to skyrocket. Public spending as a result of these absences amounts to around €15 billion per year and has increased by almost 80 percent since the pandemic, while the direct impact on businesses has grown by 62 percent, to €4.6 billion. Particularly worrying is the incidence among young people, which has doubled in recent years. Spaniards are also the world's biggest consumers of anti-anxiety medication and the EU's largest consumers of psychiatric or psychotropic medication, which includes antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilisers. According to the latest r eport from the Bank of Spain, 4.4 percent of workers are currently on sick leave and in 2019 it was only 2.7 percent. In total, more than 1.5 million people are on temporary disability. This is equivalent to half of the public administration. Patricia Ruiz, Secretary of Occupational Health for Spanish trade union UGT explains that, 'Stress, depression, anxiety' are the worst culprits. According to the data, incidence among those under 35 is striking. 'Mental health issues have increased by 325 percent in young people' she warns. The UGT have criticised the system saying "There's no follow-up, no attention to their ailments. It's just like they're waiting to go through a formality'. Long waiting lists in public healthcare have also made the situation worse. Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labour, acknowledges that waiting lists are very long. "It also has to do with mental health. We live in stressed societies', and we have "aging" labour markets she explains. The hope is that by spending money on increasing health programmes and the medical professionals to deal with these issues, less people will suffer and need to go on leave from work. See Also
Ya Biladi
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Sumar rejects Spanish Meteorological Agency's use of Morocco's full map
The leftist Sumar party, a member of Spain's governing coalition, has criticized the Spanish National Meteorological Agency for «posting a map of Morocco on its social media accounts that includes Western Sahara within its geographical boundaries». In a parliamentary question, the party described Western Sahara as «a non-self-governing territory still undergoing decolonization and the last colony on the African continent». It added, «The use of an incorrect map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara is not an isolated incident. In recent years, several cases have been recorded in which institutions and bodies such as ENAIRE or the Spanish Radio and Television Corporation have used similar maps». Led by Yolanda Díaz, the party urged its government partners to take concrete steps to «strengthen support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination through a referendum, as stipulated by United Nations resolutions». It is worth noting that in April, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares reaffirmed his government's support for Morocco's autonomy plan as a solution to the Sahara conflict, stating that «the Moroccan autonomy proposal is the most serious, realistic, and credible basis for resolving the conflict».
Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
'Knifeman' tries to murder Deputy Prime Minister of Spain
A man has been arrested after attempting to murder the deputy prime minister of Spain and her bodyguards, as he pulled "two knives" from his bag. Yolanda Díaz was in the street in the capital, Madrid, when the man approached and headbutted one of her security team. With him momentarily distracted, the man is said to have pulled two knives from his backpack as he approached the politician. He fled, still holding the weapons, when more police officers from the Centro Regional Police and the General Acquisition arrived on the scene - after throwing a few insults their way. Several roads were closed in a bid to stop him and when he was cornered the man threatened to use the knife on himself. Before he was able to spill blood on Madrid's streets, he was shot with a Tazer and finally arrested. Police later confirmed his charges were assaulting a law enforcement officer and making serious threats. - This is a breaking news story. Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.
