Next month’s poll no longer the contest it was, as Pedro Sánchez finds himself forced to defend government’s safety record

One of the most dependable cliches of contemporary Spanish politics is that it never pays to bet against Pedro Sánchez. Time and time again – as leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) and as prime minister – Sánchez has shown an almost preternatural ability to profit from adversity, and to confound expectations and wrongfoot his opponents.

But next month’s snap general election, called by Sánchez after rightwing and far-right parties voted down the housing reforms his coalition government had announced in response to angry protests, may suddenly not be the contest it once was.

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© Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/Shutterstock

Next month’s poll no longer the contest it was, as Pedro Sánchez finds himself forced to defend government’s safety record

One of the most dependable cliches of contemporary Spanish politics is that it never pays to bet against Pedro Sánchez. Time and time again – as leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) and as prime minister – Sánchez has shown an almost preternatural ability to profit from adversity, and to confound expectations and wrongfoot his opponents.

But next month’s snap general election, called by Sánchez after rightwing and far-right parties voted down the housing reforms his coalition government had announced in response to angry protests, may suddenly not be the contest it once was.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Sergio R Moreno/GTRES/Shutterstock

The Chancellor has not allocated funds for a ticket price freeze to continue

© PA Archive

Spain has begun three days of mourning after at least 69 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in a crash between two high-speed trains. The town of Urda has become the site of a major operation, as emergency services continue to search through the wreckage and relatives wait for news of their loved ones. There is growing public anger over the incident, which is the second fatal train collision in Spain in less than a year. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Madrid correspondent, Sam Jones

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© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Spain has begun three days of mourning after at least 69 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in a crash between two high-speed trains. The town of Urda has become the site of a major operation, as emergency services continue to search through the wreckage and relatives wait for news of their loved ones. There is growing public anger over the incident, which is the second fatal train collision in Spain in less than a year. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s Madrid correspondent, Sam Jones – watch on YouTube

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© Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

The Chancellor has not allocated funds for a ticket price freeze to continue

© PA Archive

The busy thoroughfare attracts a quarter of a million visitors every week

© Camden Council

Audio file appears to point finger at control centre, but there are questions around signalling and technical issues

At least 69 people died when a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville hit another train on the same track from behind near Toledo on Wednesday morning.

Both trains had been brought to a halt earlier when the signalling system failed. The driver of the state-owned Spanish train, a Renfe AVE service, was told by controllers to restart the journey, but crashed into the train in front, run by the private operator Iryo. The front carriages of the AVE train and rear of the Iryo train were destroyed and others derailed.

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© Photograph: Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty Images

Audio file appears to point finger at control centre, but there are questions around signalling and technical issues

At least 69 people died when a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville hit another train on the same track from behind near Toledo on Wednesday morning.

Both trains had been brought to a halt earlier when the signalling system failed. The driver of the state-owned Spanish train, a Renfe AVE service, was told by controllers to restart the journey, but crashed into the train in front, run by the private operator Iryo. The front carriages of the AVE train and rear of the Iryo train were destroyed and others derailed.

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© Photograph: Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Guardia Civil/AFP/Getty Images

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s services exports rose 6.9 percent year on year to SR251.7 billion ($67.1 billion) in 2025, supported by a 4.1 percent annual growth in travel services exports, official data revealed. Figures released by the General Authority for Statistics showed that the Kingdom’s services imports climbed 4.2 percent to approximately SR488.6 billion in 2025, with transport services accounting for the largest share of imports. Despite the increase seen in 2025, Saudi Arabia posted a servi

Devolved powers announced by Chancellor set to unlock billions of pounds for four major London transport projects

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Emergency services, drones and dog unit continue to comb carriages as Civil Guard sets up clinics for relatives to provide DNA samples

• How did the Spain train crash happen and what will investigators be asking?

Spain began three days of mourning on Thursday for at least 69 people who died in a high-speed rail collision, as hospitals continued to treat dozens of injured passengers and train drivers went on strike to urge more investment in railway safety.

The trains – one from Spain’s state-owned Renfe and the other from the private rail company Iryo – were travelling from Madrid towards the southern region of Andalucía on Wednesday when they collided just before 9am. After the Iryo train came to a halt, the other slammed into its rear, knocking several carriages off the track near Urda in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha.

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© Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

© Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

© Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

Emergency services, drones and dog unit continue to comb carriages as Civil Guard sets up clinics for relatives to provide DNA samples

• How did the Spain train crash happen and what will investigators be asking?

Spain began three days of mourning on Thursday for at least 69 people who died in a high-speed rail collision, as hospitals continued to treat dozens of injured passengers and train drivers went on strike to urge more investment in railway safety.

The trains – one from Spain’s state-owned Renfe and the other from the private rail company Iryo – were travelling from Madrid towards the southern region of Andalucía on Wednesday when they collided just before 9am. After the Iryo train came to a halt, the other slammed into its rear, knocking several carriages off the track near Urda in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha.

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© Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

© Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

© Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

Few surprises as chancellor uses low-key speech blaming ‘global economic storms’ for stoking energy prices and cost of living crisis

• Budget 2026: key points at a glance

• Briefing: key questions answered by Heather Stewart and Pippa Crerar

• Editorial: Budget’s bold ambitions and welcome first steps

John Healey raised taxes on banks and landlords to fund a £100 winter handout for 20 million families as official forecasts made clear there is no end in sight for the cost of living crisis.

In his first budget, the chancellor blamed “global economic storms” for the grim outlook, as the war in Iran drives up oil and gas prices.

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© Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: House of Commons/AFP/Getty Images

Passengers describe carriages full of seriously injured people after crash that has claimed at least 68 lives

• At least 68 killed in Toledo train crash – full report

Josimar Medina woke a little before 9am on Wednesday to find himself airborne and hurtling through his carriage on the fast train from Madrid to Seville.

“I remember flying through the air and looking for my girlfriend, who was also shooting through the air,” said Medina, a 37-year-old tourist from the northern Peruvian city of Chiclayo.

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© Photograph: Andrea Comas/AP

© Photograph: Andrea Comas/AP

© Photograph: Andrea Comas/AP

Passengers describe carriages full of seriously injured people after crash that has claimed at least 68 lives

• At least 68 killed in Toledo train crash – full report

Josimar Medina woke a little before 9am on Wednesday to find himself airborne and hurtling through his carriage on the fast train from Madrid to Seville.

“I remember flying through the air and looking for my girlfriend, who was also shooting through the air,” said Medina, a 37-year-old tourist from the northern Peruvian city of Chiclayo.

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© Photograph: Andrea Comas/AP

© Photograph: Andrea Comas/AP

© Photograph: Andrea Comas/AP

The luxury MV Odyssey ship slated for a years-long voyage around the world suspends operations amid high fuel prices

A luxury cruise ship that had embarked on a years-long voyage around the world was forced to suspend its operations and leave passengers stranded in Cambodia because of high fuel prices.

The ship, known as the MV Odyssey, had been carrying 203 passengers, mostly Americans, along with 156 crew members, Cambodian officials told the Associated Press. The ship has a 650-passenger capacity.

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© Photograph: Heng Sinith/AP

© Photograph: Heng Sinith/AP

© Photograph: Heng Sinith/AP

A passenger has recounted the moment two trains carrying more than 550 passengers in total collided in Spain. Volunteers attended the scene of the collision, distributing water and organising cars to take victims from the site.

The two high-speed trains were travelling in the same direction on the line from the Spanish capital, Madrid, to Seville in the south-west of the country, colliding in Toledo province on Wednesday morning

• Spain train crash - latest updates

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© Photograph: AP

© Photograph: AP

© Photograph: AP

Questions were raised before Toledo crash over rail safety in a country where train travel has surged by 40%

Spain’s high-speed rail network, the most extensive in Europe and the second largest in the world after China, has long been a point of pride in the country. But Wednesday’s deadly crash – the second in nine months – has recast the spotlight on questions about safety.

Officials said at least 68 people were killed on Wednesday morning after a high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks, leading to the derailment of several carriages. The two trains were believed to be carrying 544 passengers.

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© Photograph: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

Questions were raised before Toledo crash over rail safety in a country where train travel has surged by 40%

Spain’s high-speed rail network, the most extensive in Europe and the second largest in the world after China, has long been a point of pride in the country. But Wednesday’s deadly crash – the second in nine months – has recast the spotlight on questions about safety.

Officials said at least 68 people were killed on Wednesday morning after a high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks, leading to the derailment of several carriages. The two trains were believed to be carrying 544 passengers.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu/Getty Images