Spain Today - News in Spain - October 16, 2024

1. Nearly three million workers are in poverty in Spain:

- Labor poverty: Despite the rise in the Minimum Wage (SMI), labor reforms, and record employment figures, 2,957,000 workers in Spain live in poverty, which accounts for 13.7% of the employed population.

- Most affected sectors: Agriculture and domestic work are the hardest-hit sectors, with three out of ten workers living in poverty. Hospitality and construction follow.

- Vulnerability: Labor poverty particularly affects migrants, domestic workers, and large or single-parent families.

- Consequences: Households in labor poverty spend between 67% and 79% of their income on housing and basic services, with 55.3% forgoing essential healthcare services.

- Andalusia leads: Andalusia has the highest labor poverty rate (19.4%), followed by Extremadura and Ceuta.

- Recommendations: Oxfam Intermón urges broader social protection and a reform of the benefits system to improve job quality.

2. Government informs judge that CNI did not spy on Junqueras' lawyer with Pegasus:

- Espionage denial: The government informed the judge that the National Intelligence Center (CNI) did not spy on the phones of Andreu Van den Eynde, lawyer of Oriol Junqueras, nor on former MEP Jordi Solé, using Pegasus software.

- Doubts of the affected: Van den Eynde and Solé question the government's version and request a European Investigation Order to obtain information on the attacks on NSO Group (creator of Pegasus) and OSY Technologies.

- Background: The government confirmed that the CNI did spy on former Catalan president Pere Aragonès with Pegasus but claimed to have had Supreme Court authorization.

- Request to charge NSO: Van den Eynde asks the judge to charge NSO Group and interrogate its officials to clarify the Pegasus espionage case.

3. Political news today: Government faces a control session marked by the 'Koldo case':

- Control session in Congress: The government faces a control session overshadowed by the 'Koldo case,' which investigates alleged corruption.

- Opposition questions: PP and Vox will question the government about its actions against corruption, demanding explanations about the possible involvement of former minister José Luis Ábalos.

- Other topics: Housing issues, labor rights, and the censure of Minister Óscar Puente for his handling of railway transport will also be central topics.

- Political tension: The debate occurs in a context of high political tension, with accusations exchanged between the government and the opposition.