April
Why Spain’s unprecedented power collapse could happen again
The massive outage this week raises concerns about the resilience of infrastructure in Europe and implications for moves away from fossil fuels.
The five seconds that plunged Spain into darkness
A key point of concern is the role that renewable power played in the outage with Spain a leader in rolling out wind and solar generation.
Trump eases car tariffs; Hrdlicka’s new job; Trade deals’ 2 big problems
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Mystery blackout forces Spain, Portugal to cope with life off the grid
An unprecedented and massive blackout hit both nations overnight, cutting off everything from metro trains to ATMs for 50 million people.
Would you pay $900,000 to live in Valencia? This couple did
While Spain and Portugal are cancelling or tightening their golden visa schemes, expats and retirees are finding other ways to live out their lifestyle fantasies.
March
Trump adds ‘secondary tariffs’ to trade armoury
Countries could face 25 per cent tariffs on trade with the US if they purchase oil and gas from Venezuela, which is already under heavy US sanctions.
February
IFM faces barrage of bad press as it moves on Spanish energy utility
The asset manager backed by Australia’s biggest superannuation funds wants more of a say on Naturgy’s board, upsetting some of the company’s other investors.
January
Chinese airlines rush into Europe as Western carriers retreat
Scandinavian Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have all suspended some routes to the mainland in 2024, citing cost pressures from avoiding Russia.
Rich democracies need an acute crisis to trigger real change
It is almost impossible to sell voters on drastic reforms until their nation is in acute trouble. The chronic kind isn’t enough.
December 2024
Israel to close Ireland embassy over Gaza tensions
The decision to close the embassy came in response to what Israel’s foreign minister has described as Ireland’s ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’.
Billionaire Mango founder falls to death on hiking trip
The fashion retailer started his business by selling clothes from the back of his car. He built a global empire with annual sales of €3 billion (5 billion).
‘Like a star football player’: meet ANZ’s next CEO
Born in Portugal with a globetrotting career spanning Peru, Brazil, Mexico and Hong Kong, Nuno Matos’ route to Australia has been an unlikely one.
November 2024
Tens of thousands of Spaniards protest housing crunch and high rents
The lack of affordable housing has become an urgent concern in Spain, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world.
Cash to stay king for essential products
The federal government will also call time on the use of cheques in the Australian economy, limiting their use from 2028.
Thousands of Spaniards protest bungling of flood response
Huge numbers of angry flood survivors marched in the streets and clashed with riot police to demand the resignation of Valencia’s regional political leader.
MinRes boss to leave; AFP search PwC’s HQ; Westpac’s CEO in $7b exit
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
‘Murderers’: Spain’s furious flood survivors hurl mud at king
Locals threw mud at political leaders and the Spanish king over a string of failures that left them helplessly exposed to a deadly deluge.
Thousands of volunteers aid Spain flood recovery
Spanish citizens flocked to Valencia to ease the devastation as the floods became a political flashpoint.
Spain flood death toll surpasses 200, rescuers struggle to reach some parts
Rescuers have opened a temporary morgue and battled to reach areas still cut off in Europe’s worst weather disaster in five decades.
Spain flooding death toll rises to at least 158 lives
More horrors emerged from the debris and mud left by the walls of water behind the nation’s most deadly natural disaster in living memory.