BARCELONA (Reuters) - About 22,000 people protested in Barcelona on Saturday, in the latest demonstration to demand lower housing rental prices and better living conditions.
Housing has become a major issue in Spain as it struggles to balance promoting tourism, a key driver of its economy, and concerns over high rents due to gentrification and landlords shifting to more lucrative, short-term tourist rentals.
The price of rentals signed in the second quarter of 2024 in Barcelona was almost 70% higher than in the same period of 2014, data from the Catalan Housing Agency shows.
"We are spending half our wages in rent ... This must stop!," said Carme, 28, a spokeswoman for a tenants union.
Smaller protests were held across Catalonia, and in Burgos, Asturias in north Spain and Jerez de la Frontera in the south.
The government announced a crackdown on short-term and seasonal holiday lettings in July and plans to investigate listings on platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com to verify if they have licences.
Demonstrations have been held this year in Madrid, the Canary Islands and Malaga, where seasonal hospitality workers struggle to find accommodation, with many sleeping in caravans or even their cars.
President Donald Trump said he will be involved “indirectly” in nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran scheduled for Tuesday in G...
The Pentagon has threatened to designate artificial intelligence firm Anthropic as a “supply chain risk” amid a dispute over the military use of i...
Representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the United States are set to meet in Geneva for a third round of trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the ne...
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed two people in the past 12 hours, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday....
Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced on 16 February that the Honourable Janice Charette has been appointed as the next Chief Trade Negotiat...
Australia’s move to ban social media access for children under 16 has intensified a global debate, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
Spain’s rail network faces a three-day shutdown this week as the Semaf union protests safety failures following fatal accidents in Adamuz and Catalonia.
Storm Leonardo hit Spain and Portugal on Tuesday, forcing more than 11,000 people from their homes, as a man in Portugal died after his car was swept away by floodwaters and a second body was found in Malaga.
Rivers and reservoirs across Spain and Portugal were on the verge of overflowing on Wednesday as a new weather front pounded the Iberian peninsula, compounding damage from last week's Storm Kristin.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said the United States could evaluate its own interests separately from those of Israel in ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (15 February) called it “troubling” a report by five European allies blaming Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny using a toxin from poison dart frogs.
Cuba’s fuel crisis has turned into a waste crisis, with garbage piling up on most street corners in Havana as many collection trucks lack enough petrol to operate.
Norway is holding a commanding lead in the medal standings with 12 golds and a total of 26, with Italy having an historic performance on home soil on the ninth day of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday (15 February).
Iran is pursuing a nuclear agreement with the U.S. that delivers economic benefits for both sides, an Iranian diplomat was reported as saying on Sunday (15 February), days before a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington.
The Pentagon has threatened to designate artificial intelligence firm Anthropic as a “supply chain risk” amid a dispute over the military use of its Claude AI model, according to a report published Monday.
Representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the United States are set to meet in Geneva for a third round of trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the nearly four-year war, even as both sides intensify military pressure on the ground.
Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced on 16 February that the Honourable Janice Charette has been appointed as the next Chief Trade Negotiator to the United States. She's been tasked with overseeing the upcoming review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
Cuba’s fuel crisis has turned into a waste crisis, with garbage piling up on most street corners in Havana as many collection trucks lack enough petrol to operate.
Day 10 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics delivered high-stakes semifinals, dramatic finishes and classic podium moments across Milan and the Italian Alps. Photographers captured split seconds of symmetry before puck drops, explosive turns on the ice and triumphant celebrations.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment