Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Spain’s PM misses Ukraine meeting due to plane breakdown

A technical problem on the presidential plane in which Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was travelling to Paris on Thursday has forced the Spanish premier to return to Madrid.

Sánchez had planned to attend a meeting chaired by President Macron and UK PM Keir Starmer in which the so-called Coalition of the Willing would assess how to support Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the conflict with Russia.

However, the risk of depressurisation on board El Falcon forced the pilots to U-turn and return to Spain.

Train travel keeps getting more popular in Spain despite problems

Rail travel in Spain increased by 3.4 percent in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).

A total of 182.2 million trips were recorded between April and June, a record figure, 5 million more than during the same period last year.

Spanish authorities have aimed to incentivise train travel among Spaniards, but the national network has faced numerous issues over the past year, from breakdowns to hold-ups due to copper theft on the rail lines.

On Thursday, thousands of passengers in Madrid faced delays due to an IT glitch.

Madrid launches AI traffic lights

Authorities in the Spanish capital are using artificial technology to adapt traffic light waiting times and coordination between pedestrians, cyclists, and e-scooters riders.

Cameras with AI detect complex situations and scenes and make decisions to make them easier and safer, as reported by Madrid’s Mobility Department.

For example, at times when there are more pedestrians, the red light for vehicles lasts longer.

The technology has already been trialled in parts of the city such as Metropolitano Stadium, Princesa and Puente de Segovia.

The plan is to introduce it in highways or key ring roads such as the M-30 or A-5 soon.

Spain thrash Bulgaria in opening 2026 World Cup qualifier

Spain kicked off their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign with an emphatic 3-0 win in Bulgaria on Thursday.

The Euro 2024 champions eased to a comfortable victory at the Vasil Levski Stadium in Sofia with first-half goals from Mikel Oyarzabal, Marc Cucurella and Mikel Merino.

Spain, who won the World Cup for the first and only time in 2010, are expected to top Group E which also contains Turkey and Georgia, to reach the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico directly.

Spain visit Turkey, who beat Georgia 3-2 earlier on, in their next qualifier on Sunday.

With additional reporting by AFP.