Wednesday Feb 22, 2023 - Spain - $275m Train order mistake, Twitter hacker extradited, Squatting in Mercia Region

These are some of the Trending news in Spain on Wednesday February 22nd, 2023.

Two top officials in Spain's transport sector have resigned after a costly mistake in a train order. The head of Spain's rail operator Renfe, Isaías Táboas, and the Secretary of State for Transport, Isabel Pardo de Vera, have stepped down after nearly €260m ($275m; £230m) worth of new commuter trains were ordered that did not fit into non-standard tunnels in the northern regions of Asturias and Cantabria. Although the mistake was spotted early enough to avoid financial loss, the region of Cantabria has demanded compensation. The trains will be delivered two years late, in 2026. An investigation is being launched to find out how the error happened.

A British man suspected of hacking the Twitter accounts of celebrities will be extradited to the US, according to a Spanish court ruling. Joseph James O'Connor, from Liverpool, was arrested in Spain in July 2021 and faces charges in connection with the July 2020 hack of over 130 accounts, including those of US President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. The court statement said that O'Connor will face 14 charges, including the crimes of revelation of secrets, membership of a criminal gang, illegal access to computer systems, internet fraud, money laundering, and extortion. The US authorities want him to face trial in the Northern District of California and the Southern District of New York.

Squatting in the Murcia Region of Spain has increased by 60% in recent years, with nearly 600 cases reported in 2022. Although the number of squatting cases in Spain as a whole decreased slightly last year compared to 2021, the Region of Murcia remains a serious problem area. Between January and November, Murcia registered 597 crimes and misdemeanours for property occupation. This is a slight improvement on 2021 but still represents a significant 60% increase from 2020 when only 391 cases were registered. Squatting in Spain is a complex legal issue, and many homeowners face difficulties evicting uninvited tenants. With the law making distinctions depending on the type of problem, some people have taken matters into their own hands, and gun ownership has increased by 38% across the country due to squatting.

For more Headlines simply search ‘Auscast Spain News Headlines’ on your favourite podcast app.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.