SPAIN: A Push for Peace & more – 29th May 2025

Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 29th of May twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

Starting things off this week, on Monday the 26th, Spain hosted European and Arab nations in Madrid for high-level talks aimed at pushing for an end to Israel's military offensive in Gaza and advancing the two-state solution. The meeting was called amid rising concern over famine risks in Gaza due to prolonged aid blockages. It was the group's fifth gathering and preceded a major UN conference on the issue taking place in June.

Speaking to representatives from twenty different countries, known as the Madrid Group G5+, José Manuel Albares, the Foreign Minister, stressed that the goal is to achieve peace and ensure equal safety for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Another big story this week, Spain’s push to make Catalan, Basque, and Galician official EU languages is facing resistance from several member states.

President Pedro Sánchez has promised to pursue this recognition in exchange for support from Catalan separatists in forming a minority government in twenty twenty-three. While Spain has pledged to cover the costs of integrating the languages into the EU’s translation system, concerns remain over long-term expenses and diplomatic complexities.

Countries including France, Germany, and Italy are demanding greater clarity, while others like Belgium and Portugal support the move. Opponents worry about the financial burden, with the EU already spending over one billion dollars annually on translation across twenty-four languages.

In healthcare, on Sunday the 25th, around 30,000 people marched through the Spanish capital to fight for a better public healthcare system, protesting its growing deterioration and privatization.

The Vecinas y Vecinos de Barrios y Pueblos de Madrid platform organized the protest to highlight issues such as long waiting lists, staff shortages, and underfunding. Many participants, including healthcare professionals, wore white coats and carried signs criticizing the regional government, particularly Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the regional Madrid president, for pushing privatization.

Shifting gears, an intense early heatwave is scorching southern Spain, especially Andalucía, with temperatures expected to reach 105°F or 40°C this week.

Many areas already topped 90°F or 32°C over the weekend, and Spain’s weather agency Aemet forecasts further rises.

A subtropical ridge from the equator is driving hot, dry air into the region, ending the cooler, stormy trend of recent months. Provinces like Seville, Córdoba, and Jaén will face above-average heat by the weekend.

The pattern looks set to continue, with weather provider Meteored predicting a hotter-than-normal June, though brief storms remain possible.

Next, on Tuesday, the 27th of May, the country announced a new government-funded program to provide free prescription glasses and contact lenses for children under sixteen, starting before the twenty twenty-five–twenty twenty-six school year.

The initiative has the financial backing of over forty-eight million dollars and aims to ensure that all children, regardless of their family's financial situation, can access essential eye care.

Families won’t need to complete complex paperwork or wait for reimbursements; instead, up to one hundred dollars will be automatically deducted at participating opticians. To benefit from the program, children must have a diagnosed vision problem and visit an optician enrolled in the scheme.

In royal news, on Sunday the 24th, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain celebrated their youngest daughter's graduation from the UWC Atlantic College in Wales with an International Baccalaureate Diploma.

The royal couple attended Infanta Sofía’s ceremony in person, where they shared heartwarming family moments on Instagram with Sofía’s one hundred thousand followers.

Meanwhile, the royal family’s eldest daughter, Princess Leonor, is in the naval phase of her military training aboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano. Earlier this month, Queen Letizia made an unofficial visit to see her daughter docked in Panama City.

Have you had a mysterious message on WhatsApp recently? Well, the instant messaging service has recently launched a verified security alert system, directly messaging users through the app to combat rising cybercrime across the country.

A new official chat, marked with a green check, offers safety tips and warnings without requesting personal data. Spain was chosen for the initial rollout due to a rise in WhatsApp scams, including phishing, fake family emergencies, and fraudulent offers.

According to Euro Weekly News, in twenty twenty-four, over 30% of Spain’s cyber crimes targeted messaging apps, with WhatsApp being the most affected. The platform now urges users to activate two-step verification to prevent account hijacking, especially in cases of SIM cloning, definitely worth doing!

In medical news, starting in June, Galicia’s public health system will become the first in the world to offer the Bexsero meningitis B vaccine as a preventive measure against gonorrhea.

The initiative will target high-risk groups, particularly people with a history of sexually transmitted infections. This comes amid rising global concern over STIs, with gonorrhea cases up 40% in the EU according to news outlet El País.

The vaccine was originally developed to protect against meningitis B, but has also been found to offer partial protection, around 35% on average, against gonorrhea due to similarities between the bacteria. Experts view the move as an important step that could inform future vaccination policies in Spain.

Now for some interesting news from the past; scientists have discovered the oldest human fingerprint in the world, left by a Neanderthal around 43,000 years ago on a granite stone at the San Lázaro rock shelter near Segovia, central Spain.

Researchers confirmed the print, made with a well-preserved red pigment, using modern forensic techniques, and published their findings on Monday, the 26th, in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.

The print likely belonged to a thumb or index finger and is considered the earliest symbolic object in Europe linked to Neanderthals, the precursor group to Homo Sapiens. Researchers believe the stone that the print was found on served a ritual or communicative purpose, possibly as a talisman or territorial marker.

In sports news, on Sunday, the 25th, Spain’s Alex Palou made history by winning his first Indianapolis 500, becoming the first Spaniard to triumph in the race’s 109-year history.

The chaotic race was delayed by rain and featured multiple crashes, with twenty-two changes for the lead among fourteen different drivers.

The Indianapolis 500 is a legendary 500-mile (which is 400 Km) car race held annually at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Over in Catalunya, on Wednesday the 29th, Barcelona Science Park revealed that it attracted over 120 million euros in funding in twenty twenty-four, its second-best year ever. The Barcelona Science Park benefits the city by driving innovation, attracting global talent, creating high-quality jobs, supporting biotech startups, and strengthening Barcelona's reputation as a leading research hub

Most of the funding came from private sources, with company Inbrain Neuroelectronics securing over 70 million euros to develop graphene-based therapies for neurological diseases. With its facilities at full capacity, the science park plans to expand to meet growing demand.

Do you use wet wipes? Well, it was reported by the news outlet The Guardian on Wednesday, the 28th, that Spain is drafting a law to ban flushing wet wipes and to make manufacturers responsible for cleanup costs, aiming to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals and EU plastic reduction laws.

The proposed legislation will also prohibit releasing plastic-containing party balloons due to their environmental harm. Wet wipes, even those made from natural polymers, do not fully disintegrate, causing blockages in sewer systems and polluting waterways. This results in annual cleanup costs of 230 million euros.

The law, which still needs to be debated in government, will require manufacturers to pay for removing their products from sewers and treatment plants, handling litter collection, and funding public awareness efforts.

Being on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t eat well in twenty twenty-five! On Sunday, the 24th, Euro News Weekly released an article with their top tips for eating well in Spain on a budget.

At the top of their list, the classic menú del día. This remains the best weekday lunch deal, offering a full meal with drink and dessert between ten and fifteen dollars; just be sure to avoid touristy spots!

Neighborhood bars and local supermarkets are also incredibly affordable, but brunch spots and tapas chains should be avoided.

For more information, check out their full article with the link in the show notes!

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

We hope you’re enjoying the update! If you have questions, ideas, or feedback, send us an email at info@rorshok.com.

¡Hasta la próxima!