Free Republic

Spain has signed off on a contract to produce and supply Ukraine with a Lanza LTR-25 long-range tactical radar, along with logistics support, the Spanish government press service said Wednesday, January 14. The agreement covers manufacturing and delivery of the Lanza LTR-25. The move is aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses and will remain in effect through the end of 2026.... Spain previously announced €615 million in aid to Ukraine for weapons procurement and air-defense systems financing. Spain will also provide Ukraine with 40 IRIS-T air-defense missiles.

Spain is ready to send troops to Palestine for peacekeeping “when the opportunity presents itself,” just as it is willing to deploy forces to Ukraine, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Thursday. “I will propose to parliament, when the opportunity presents itself, that we send peacekeeping troops to Palestine, once we can see how to advance this task of pacification,” he told a gathering of Spanish ambassadors in Madrid. “Of course, we have not forgotten Palestine and the Gaza Strip… Spain must actively participate in rebuilding hope in Palestine. The situation there remains intolerable.” …

The US has faced widespread condemnation for a “crime of aggression” in Venezuela at an emergency meeting of the United Nations security council. Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Spain were among countries that on Monday denounced Donald Trump’s decision to launch deadly strikes on Venezuela and snatch its leader, Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, to stand trial in the US. “The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line,” Sérgio França Danese, the Brazilian ambassador to the UN, told the meeting. “These acts constitute a very serious...

In December 2024, a Russian cargo vessel sank under mysterious circumstances. No one paid much attention to it, though, because it was one of many interesting things happening in the world at the time. However, a year-long Spanish investigation has revealed that the ship was carrying two nuclear reactors, with delivery intended for North Korea. Today's video explores the investigation and who might be responsible. I think the content is super captivating. The torpedo though, might be supercavitating

A bizarre wildlife incident disrupted operations at La Coruña Airport on the morning of Saturday, December 27, when several wild boars breached the airport boundaries and began trotting along the runway, which led to a temporary closure for safety reasons. According to airport operator Aena, the presence of the animal(s) on the runway led to the suspension of flights starting early in the morning. Unlike typical disruptions caused by Galicia’s frequent fog, this incident was solely due to the boar intrusion. “Sorry, I regret having to bring you to Santiago,” pilot apologises Two incoming flights were diverted to Santiago de...

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, thieves broke into a parish church in the Sevillian town of Paradas, mistakenly stealing a replica of a painting by El Greco after believing it to be the original work. The incident occurred at the Church of San Eutropio, where both the authentic artwork and a publicly displayed copy are housed. The stolen piece was a replica of La Magdalena Penitente, a painting attributed to the 16th-century artist Doménikos Theotokópoulos, known as El Greco. The original painting remains inside the church and was not removed, as it is kept behind protective iron bars...

A group of Western and allied states issued a joint statement condemning the Israeli security cabinet’s approval of 19 new communities in Judea and Samaria, stating that the move was "part of a wider intensification of the settlement policies in the West Bank." The statement, issued by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom, described the decision as a unilateral action and claimed that such steps "not only violate international law but also risk fueling instability." According to the statement, the decision risks undermining "the implementation of the Comprehensive...

One by one, they are singing, the men who used to do dirty deeds for the late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, whether the United States will attack, and whether Maduro will fall. But these Venezuelans sniff change in the air. As more countries exit Venezuela’s orbit, more allegations are likely to emerge. Two of the men are in prison here in the U.S.: Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, the former spy mastermind, and Cliver Alcala Cordones, a former general, both of whom have written letters to President Donald Trump airing...

On December 12, coinciding with International Mountain Day, 69 municipalities in the Valencian Community joined a nationwide initiative to create mobile-free spaces aimed at offering young people and teenagers stays in natural environments without mobile phones. The project, Refugios Bien de Altura: spaces without coverage, is promoted by the Spanish Association of Mountain Municipalities (EsMontañas) and funded by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco). It transforms municipal hostels and rural accommodation in 284 mountain villages across Spain into areas of voluntary digital disconnection. Among the 69 participating Valencian towns, only six are in the province...

Spain’s Ministry of Health has issued a warning over rising flu cases as winter approaches, preparing to require masks in hospitals, health centres, and elderly-care facilities, particularly in high-risk areas. The move comes amid an early and intense influenza season, which experts say could put additional pressure on hospitals already managing COVID-19 cases and other respiratory infections. Health authorities stress that the measure is preventative and aims to protect the most vulnerable, including the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. Several regions have already adopted measures ahead of a national agreement. Aragón and Andalucía, for instance, have recommended or mandated...

21st Century SocialismThe attempt to destroy democracy in Latin America.  The Obama administration started out on the wrong foot in world affairs. It used techniques better suited for domestic political campaigns — popularity contests — in its foreign policy. In our own hemisphere, the result was confusion for our allies and our enemies alike. The overriding objective of U.S. policy — in Latin America and elsewhere — should be to advance U.S. national interests, not to curry favor with foreign leaders. If we can be liked while advancing our interests, so much the better. But when we try to befriend...

Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands announced their withdrawals Thursday from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after organizers decided that Israel will be allowed to compete. Organizers of the pop music spectacle, which draws millions of viewers globally, met earlier Thursday to discuss Israel’s participation, amid calls for the country to be excluded over the war in Gaza and threats from some members to boycott. An independent United Nations inquiry concluded in September that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and that the country’s top leaders have incited genocide. The Israeli government has maintained it is conducting the...

Despite the steady rise of contactless payments and mobile wallets, cash still plays a major role in everyday life across Spain. Whether it’s for small purchases, tips or local shops, many people continue to rely on banknotes — which means ATMs remain more important than ever. And unfortunately, that also makes them an easy target for criminals looking for quick and discreet opportunities. While we often imagine ATM crime involving complicated hacking or technical attacks, the reality is that some of the most effective scams are surprisingly simple. One of them, known as the so-called “banknote scam,” has been catching...

gThe small town of Colmenar, in the Axarquia region, just 35 minutes from Rincon de la Victoria, probably holds the crown for the most enchanting Christmas towns in Spain. Every December, the Circo Escuela Fantasia of Colmenar trades its year-round circus workshops for a full-fledged “Santa Claus Factory” – a sprawling outdoor Christmas village where children are officially recruited as Santa’s elf assistants for the day. Opened on November 15 and running every weekend and public holiday until December 23, the village turns the school’s grounds into a winter wonderland of wooden cabins, fairy-tale decorations, twinkling lights, and the unmistakable...

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - A bomb exploded in western Venezuela near the frontier with Colombia on Wednesday, damaging the headquarters of a local ranchers' association which had denounced cross-border activity by leftist Colombian rebels, witnesses and police said. No one was injured in the early morning explosion which tore through the car park and the entrance of the building in San Cristobal in Tachira state, shattering windows and scattering debris. Officials said two men were arrested in connection with the explosion. The blast came four days after a bomb badly damaged a Caracas office building where Venezuelan government and opposition...

Germany, France, Canada, and Belgium are among 12 nations that signed on to the “Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change,” documenting the so-called “threats” that free speech and the free press pose to what U.S. President Donald Trump refers to as the climate “con job.”Signed at the United Nations’ COP30, the UN’s annual climate confab, the declaration marks the first time that “information integrity” has been on the docket for COP’s Action Agenda.The rise of independent media, social media, and the internet has created a source of non-establishment news that has elevated legitimate criticism of the so-called man-made climate-change...

A team of independent researchers is claiming to have found Atlantis. The research centers around stone structures on Spain's Salmedina Island, off Chipiona in the Gulf of Cádiz, west of the Strait of Gibraltar. The ruins are spread across roughly 11.6 square miles of offshore seafloor and adjacent coastline, with some walls measuring 23 feet high and 6.5 feet thick.

It’s been a weird year for Spanish tourism. Scroll through the British press and you’d think Spaniards are fed up with tourists altogether, from protests in Mallorca to “Tourists go home” graffiti in Barcelona. But behind this noise, travel experts say something else is happening: misinformation. Now, British travel agencies have had enough. The UK’s main travel association, ABTA, has launched a guide to help agents explain the situation to worried clients. In doing so, they push back against what they call a “distorted picture” of Spain’s relationship with tourism. A guide for Brits travelling to Spain Speaking at the...

Today we get into the claim that the U.S. stole northern Mexico, and why that is false. Knowing this history is incredibly important, and you shouldn't need to hire a lawyer to understand it. That's why I'm here to help! I'm Jake the Lawyer, your Internet Esquire. On this channel I'll be explaining concepts, history, and legal doctrines we've all heard of, but might not totally understand. Thank you for watching! I'll be dropping episodes every Wednesday. Please enjoy and have a wonderful day.

The money will be allocated from Spain’s share of the European Union’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, a fund centred on post-Covid recovery in the bloc. The idea, which has been discussed in industry circles since the 1970s, is to connect Spain and Morocco via an underwater rail tunnel. The project was formalised in the 1980s but suffered many setbacks and was officially dropped in 2009 in the wake of the global financial crash. However, strong signals from governments on both sides of the Gibraltar Straight in 2023 have reignited the discussion. In April, at the first meeting between Spanish...