Good morning ? Here’s your Thursday news roundup. Enjoy your first Fallas weekend of 2025! ?
Flood Recovery and Investigation
Generalitat President Carlos Mazón has admitted that he did not arrive at the emergency council meeting responding to the deadly October 29 floods until 8:28 p.m., hours after the first disaster reports were issued. His admission was revealed in the ongoing court investigation in Catarroja.
- À Punt reports more details on Mazón’s timeline. Read more.
- Levante and Valencia Plaza examine the shifting narratives from Mazón and his cabinet. Levante | Valencia Plaza.
- According to El País, the official alert was finally sent out just before Mazón’s arrival. Read more.
- Las Provincias shares heartbreaking stories of those who lost their lives before the alert was sent. Read more.
Education: Language Vote Underway
Parents across Valencia can vote this week on whether the primary language of instruction in their children’s schools should be Valenciano or Castellano.
- Valencia Plaza provides a breakdown of the voting process. Read more.
- El País reports that the vote is part of President Mazón’s campaign promise to reduce Valenciano in schools. Read more.
Crime & Corruption
- Police are investigating whether the murder of former Gandia mayor Arturo Torró was linked to his financial debts. Valencia Plaza has the latest.
Housing Crisis & Tourism Rentals
- Valencia is one of the most in-demand property markets in Spain, Las Provincias reports.
- The Ayuntamiento is cracking down on illegal tourist apartments, threatening fines of up to €600,000. Read more.
- Some residents say unlicensed tourist rentals are exploiting an 11-day loophole in the law. Levante explains.
Transportation Updates
- Ryanair is adding more flights and two new routes from Valencia this summer. Levante has details.
Changing City
- The Ayuntamiento has launched a new campaign promoting cultural diversity as Valencia’s foreign-born population grows. Read more.
- Valencia’s Hospital La Fe was cited by Newsweek as one of the top hospitals in the world, along with several others in Spain. Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2025.
- A historic theatre originally built for cockfights, La Gallera, has reopened as a gallery and cultural space in El Mercat. Las Provincias provides a sneak peek.
Homelessness in Valencia
With a rise in homeless encampments in Turia Park, police and social services cleared furniture and trash but did not dismantle tents. Las Provincias has more.
Climate & Environment
- Environmental experts are urging Valencia’s government to adopt a marine and coastal protection law, similar to the Huerta law that safeguards agricultural land. More from El País and À Punt
Doge House: Crypto-Powered Architecture
A luxury home in Carcaixent, funded entirely by Dogecoin, is making headlines for its satirical take on cryptocurrency and market volatility. The house generates income by crypto mining Dogecoin. El Español explains.
That’s it for this week. Fallas event highlights coming soon! ?
