Toxic cloud forces 160,000 Spaniards to stay inside after fire
Around 160,000 people in Spain’s Catalonia region were ordered to stay indoors on Saturday after a fire at a chemical factory released a toxic chlorine cloud over several towns.
April 3, 2025, marks the final deadline for non-EU nationals to apply for Spain's Golden Visa Program, offering residency through investments before the scheme ends.
April 3, 2025, is the final deadline for submitting applications for non-EU nationals interested in acquiring residency in Spain through the Golden Visa Program.
The Golden Visa Program of Spain, also known as the Residency by Investment Schemes, gives non-EU nationals the opportunity to acquire residency in this country in exchange for financial investments. The scheme provided residency in exchange for investing two million euro or more in state bonds, or for investing in emerging Spanish companies. The most popular option was the awarding of the visa, which could be obtained in exchange for buying property worth €500,000 or more.
However, the housing crisis that the country was dealing with forced the government of Spain to eliminate this scheme. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said his government's intention to scrap the scheme was intended "to guarantee that housing is a right and not merely the subject of business speculation".
He said that the majority of visas awarded were linked to the purchase of properties in places such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Alicante and the Balearic Islands - all areas where the housing market "is under enormous pressure and where it is almost impossible for people who live and work in those places and pay their taxes each day to find affordable housing".
Since 2013, when the scheme was implemented in Spain, over 15,300 persons have benefited from this program. The record number reached in 2023, when Spain granted about 3,200 golden visas to foreigners.
Based on the statistics from the Housing Ministry of Spain, the largest number of golden visa recipients are nationals from China, followed by Russians and UK citizens. The top beneficiaries of the Golden Visa Program are also nationals from the United States, Iran, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Mexico.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
U.S. President Donald Trump kicked off his Gulf tour with a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia, securing a major strategic economic agreement and pledging deep investment ties between the two nations.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted for killing their parents in 1989, have been declared eligible for parole after 35 years in prison following a re-sentencing under California’s youthful offender law.
Pope Leo XIV has pledged to prioritise global peace, rejecting war as inevitable and offering the Vatican’s role in mediating international conflicts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced major reductions in its management team and operations, following a significant funding cut after the U.S. confirmed its exit from the agency.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met in Antalya on Wednesday to discuss efforts toward a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and Türkiye’s role in facilitating peace talks.
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