Over 61% of Congress's standing committee back Transport Minister Óscar Puente's resignation or dismissal after the Urda rail crash killed 69 people. He appears before it on November 3. A victim-aid decree awaiting cabinet approval would double compulsory insurance payouts, raising the maximum automatic payout per death to €216,364.68.
CCOO and UGT are organising a general strike on November 11 over wages, housing, and prices. UGT general secretary Pepe Álvarez says it also targets employers' group CEOE for blocking a collective-bargaining agreement. CCOO reports 3,400 pledges of support across Spain, and the unions promise a peaceful strike.
A Royal Decree expected to go before cabinet on November 3 would require 151 cities to enforce low-emission zones without transitional delays to fines. It targets zones with weak restrictions or years without penalties. Cities would risk losing state transport aid if their zones do not comply.
New rental contracts in Catalonia fell 9.8% between Q2 2024 and Q2 2026, while average rents rose 6.7% to €877.81. Barcelona's average reached a record €1,140. The Catalan government says rent caps reduced turnover rather than supply, citing 2,512 more contracts in force during Q2.
Catalan police arrested two girls, aged 14 and 17, suspected of running messaging groups used to coordinate Barcelona's October 24 looting. Police arrested ten alleged Blocus coordinators nationwide between October 30 and November 1. Increased policing helped the weekend pass without incidents.
Royal Decree-law 31/2026 of October 20 relaxes survivor's pension rules for unregistered couples with shared children, a Social Security civil servant says. Previously rejected applicants may seek a review. Eligibility depends on proving a period of living together.
Spain registered 98,487 new cars in October, up 1.8%, driven by plug-in vehicles and Chinese brands. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids accounted for 31.5% of registrations. Manufacturers warn the €400 million Plan Auto+ purchase-aid budget will run out in November, before its December 31 end date.
Catalonia's proposed restrictions on speculative home purchases have stalled after the PSC and Comuns failed to agree on revisions. A legal advisory body found the original bill breached property rights. The parties filed separate amendments, but neither is likely to back the other's text.
A draft Royal Decree awaiting Council of State review would require data centres to match at least 80% of hourly use with clean power. A PyPSA Labs model estimates unchecked expansion would add €1,850–€1.95 billion a year to costs for households and businesses. Industry groups oppose the draft and warn investment could leave.
The government plans to dismantle temporary migrant reception places in Ceuta after around 13,000 people returned to Morocco. Inclusion, Social Security and Migration Minister Elma Saiz says the move would mark a return towards normality. Emergency capacity had risen from 500 to more than 7,500 places.
Doctor and Paralympic champion Susana Rodríguez Gacio won her eighth paratriathlon world title in Pontevedra in 1:06:37 on September 25. She also took part in the Líderes para la Inclusión Global programme. Its next intake accepts applications until November 16 from graduates with disabilities and five to ten years' work experience.
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