Brits predict that Spain will win the World Cup, Spanish government to spend €9 million on free condoms for 16 to 22 year olds, Greenpeace slams Spanish fishing vessel mutilating sharks, and more news from Spain this Tuesday June 9th.
Spain to allocate €9 million to providing free condoms to young people
Spain’s Ministry of Health has announced that it will earmark more than €9 million to pay for condoms for young people aged 16 to 22, which will be distributed through pharmacies.
This measure is set to be implemented in 2027 and seeks to reduce the increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Spain. In 2024 alone, more than 93,000 cases were reported, reaching the highest levels in over a decade.
“The funding aims to eliminate economic barriers, reinforce prevention, and make responsible decisions more accessible,” Health Minister Mónica García explained.
Greenpeace denounces a Spanish fishing vessel for mutilating sharks
The environmental nonprofit organisation Greenpeace has spoken out against the actions of a Spanish fishing vessel, accusing it of catching sharks and then mutilating them by cutting off their fins.
The organisation has released several images that, it claims, show the crew cutting off the fins of several sharks and then throwing their bodies back into the water.
According to the NGO, the events date back to March 22nd, when Greenpeace members aboard the Arctic Sunrise filmed crew aboard another vessel – the Naboeiro, based out of Galicia. The ship was using longline fishing, a system that uses thousands of hooks and sometimes leads to the indiscriminate capture of species such as sharks, turtles and dolphins.
While the NGO acknowledges that accidental catches do happen, according to European regulations, the animals should be released immediately, unharmed.
Over 130,000 Britons predict that Spain will win the World Cup
British newspaper The Telegraph recently conducted a poll asking its readers to make a complete prediction of all stages of the tournament, choosing winners for each round up to the final.
The results revealed that 131,730 participants believe Spain will be victorious and lift the trophy, after the games taking place in United States, Mexico, and Canada over the next two months.
This figure makes the Spanish team one of the most popular choices among the fans who participated in the poll.
READ ALSO: Where to watch the 2026 World Cup on TV in Spain
Spain gave a taste of what makes them one of the World Cup favourites with a 3-1 win over Peru on Monday night in their final game before the tournament kicks off.
Blaze at Málaga hotel still not extinguished two weeks later
The fire at the Ibis hotel in the centre of the Andalusian city of Málaga, which started on May 25th and forced the evacuation of over a hundred guests, remains active two weeks later.
After 14 days of working at the site, firefighters continue with cooling and prevention efforts, but small hotspots keep reigniting, causing plumes of smoke and intense burning smells.
The fire is under control and has been since the afternoon of the same day it started, although it has not yet been fully extinguished, because due to technical and safety reasons, firefighters have had to work from outside the building.
The Councillor for Security, Avelino Barrionuevo, explained that the Ibis Málaga Centro hotel “hasn’t been burning for two weeks,” but rather, because the structure is made of wood covered with another material, they have to wait for it to burn itself out to ensure safety.
