Mandatory insurance covers €72,121 per death and €2,400–€84,000 for injuries after the Urda crash, which has killed 69 so far. Payments are due in under three months. Investigators estimate impact at 160–200 km/h after a signalling failure. Transport Minister Óscar Puente faces dismissal calls and will address Congress on November 3.
The European Central Bank held rates at 2.5% on October 29 because rising bond yields had already tightened borrowing conditions. ECB president Christine Lagarde signalled a likely December rise, but said the bank has no fixed path. Inflation was 3.8% in September, above the 2% target.
Drivers' union Semaf has called a full-day Renfe strike on November 10 and partial stoppages on November 12, around the November 11 general strike. Travellers face three days of disruption. Semaf says safety talks have stalled; Renfe says it has met its commitments.
Spain still uses its 2023 state budget after three extensions. Former Court of Auditors president María José de la Fuente says this limits infrastructure upgrades and maintenance because funding does not absorb rising costs. She says uncertainty over state investment also prevents regional and local authorities from planning.
Under current rules, 15 contribution years qualify workers for a pension at 50% of their regulatory base, with retirement at 66 years and 10 months. In 2026, income-tested top-ups can bring monthly payments to €1,256.60 with a dependent spouse, €936.20 for a single-person household, or €888.70 with no dependent spouse.
ECB president Christine Lagarde will leave on February 7, almost nine months before her term ends. Former Spanish central bank governor Pablo Hernández de Cos and former Dutch central bank governor Klaas Knot lead the succession race. Experts say the two are running almost neck and neck.
The European Commission named Zaragoza European Green Capital 2028. Mayor Natalia Chueca says the award recognises decades of local climate policy. Electric buses make up 60% of the urban fleet, and 250,000 trees have been planted toward a 700,000-tree goal. The 2028 programme will focus on fighting climate change and adapting to it.
A Catalan bill remains at the amendment stage, with a plenary vote expected in December. Comuns' planned changes would exempt individuals owning fewer than five homes in stressed housing zones from purchase restrictions. The regional government has not agreed and wants to regulate residential use instead of sales.
Argentine president Javier Milei plans to attend the November 4–5 Ibero-American Summit in Madrid, Argentine government sources say, pending official confirmation. The gathering brings together leaders from 22 countries. His return follows insults aimed at Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez during a recent Madrid visit.
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