No serious eye health incidents reported yet in Spain after eclipse, Spanish Interior Minister booed in Ceuta and more news on Friday August 14th.
Spain inflation picks up in July on energy costs
Spanish inflation accelerated in July as energy costs rose, particularly for motor fuels and electricity, final data showed Thursday.
The annual inflation rate stood at 3.6 percent in July after 3.2 percent in June, statistics office INE said in a statement.
The rise in energy costs pushed up the cost of transportation, though food and non-alcoholic beverage prices fell, in particular for fruits and vegetables, it said.
The statistics office had initially estimated inflation at 3.5 percent in July.
Global energy markets have been jolted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil and gas exports from the resource-rich Gulf region after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Spain’s central bank had already raised its inflation forecast in June, and for the full year it expects inflation to reach 3.6 percent, up from a previous forecast of 3.0 percent.
Spanish Super Cup will be held in Turkey in 2027
The 2027 Spanish Super Cup will be held in Turkey at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, the Spanish Football Federation said Thursday.
The Final Four tournament will take place from February 2 to 7 and feature Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, the federation said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia has hosted the competition since 2020 but was ruled out as the dates coincide with the Asian Cup, the continent’s premier men’s international football tournament.
Barcelona are reigning Super Cup champions after beating Real Madrid in the 2026 final.
The Spanish Super Cup features the winners and runners-up of La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
No serious eye health incidents reported yet in Spain after eclipse
More than 500 people have been treated in 14 Spanish autonomous communities for eye problems following Wednesday’s total solar eclipse.
However, the viewing of this astronomical phenomenon has not resulted in any major health incidents thus far.
Health services will remain vigilant in the coming days, although there is a sense of calm, as citizens have acted responsibly and prudently.
“People have been very careful; everyone has used protective glasses and done so properly,” Cantabrian Minister of Health César Pascual said of his region.
Warning signs don’t usually appear immediately. In most cases, symptoms appear between a few hours and up to 48 hours after observing the eclipse without proper protection.
Among the most frequent effects are blurred vision , the appearance of a central dark spot or blind spot (scotoma), distorted perception of straight lines, known as metamorphopsia , and alterations in colour perception. Some people may also experience photophobia or headaches associated with the eye injury.
Spanish Interior Minister booed in Ceuta
Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska travelled to Ceuta on Thursday to analyse the evolving situation in the autonomous city, two weeks after the mass migrant crossing.
Marlaska, who already went to Ceuta hours after the outbreak of the crisis along with the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has returned to the autonomous city amid whistles, boos and shouts of “Government resignation”.
The minister stated that 5,000 migrants who crossed into Ceuta still remain in the autonomous city illegally, of whom 1,898 are minors. This figure has been highly disputed recently, with Madrid putting it closer to 2,000 and Ceuta’s leader Juan Jesús Vivas saying it was between 8,000 and 11,000.
Unease is growing among Ceuta residents of all creeds and origins, who say they feel unsafe in their own city as a result of the thousands of people struggling to survive in the streets since the mass crossing.
With additional reporting by AFP.
