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Spain To Spend €39 Million On Mental Health To Help Suffering Workforce

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The Spanish government has approved new funding for mental healthcare as new data shows that mental health sick leave among the country’s workforce has spiralled by 175 percent since the pandemic, costing taxpayers €15 billion a year.

The Spanish cabinet on Tuesday announced that it would spend €39 million in order to strengthen mental healthcare treatment availability in public hospitals.

It also approved another €17.83 million for the implementation of suicide prevention measures, in line with Spain’s Mental Health Action Plan 2025-2027 and the Suicide Prevention Plan 2025-2027.

Mental health cover is one of the biggest gaps in the public health system in Spain and it seems though people are suffering because of this.

READ ALSO: How to find an English-speaking therapist in Spain

According to the latest data from the 2023 National Health System Annual Report, 34 percent of the Spanish population has some form of mental health issue.

According to the Ministry of Health, the most common mental health problem is anxiety which affects 6.7 percent of the population with public health cover.

Depression is seen in 4.1 percent of the population and increases with age, while sleep disorders affect 5.4 percent of the population and also increases with age.  

Psychoses overall affects 1.2 percent, while dementia is recorded in 3.2 percent of the population aged 60 and over.

Mental health: How did Spain become a nation of self-medicators?

The number of workers on sick leave has continued to rise since the pandemic and particularly mental health leave has risen by 175 percent.

The cost for the health authorities has continued to skyrocket. Public spending as a result of these absences amounts to around €15 billion per year and has increased by almost 80 percent since the pandemic, while the direct impact on businesses has grown by 62 percent, to €4.6 billion.

Particularly worrying is the incidence among young people, which has doubled in recent years.

Spaniards are also the world’s biggest consumers of anti-anxiety medication and the EU’s largest consumers of psychiatric or psychotropic medication, which includes antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilisers.

According to the latest report from the Bank of Spain, 4.4 percent of workers are currently on sick leave and in 2019 it was only 2.7 percent. In total, more than 1.5 million people are on temporary disability. This is equivalent to half of the public administration.

READ ALSO: How to see a public health therapist in Spain

Patricia Ruiz, Secretary of Occupational Health for Spanish trade union UGT explains that, “Stress, depression, anxiety” are the worst culprits.

According to the data, incidence among those under 35 is striking. “Mental health issues have increased by 325 percent in young people” she warns.

The UGT have criticised the system saying “There’s no follow-up, no attention to their ailments. It’s just like they’re waiting to go through a formality”.

Long waiting lists in public healthcare have also made the situation worse. 

Yolanda Díaz, Minister of Labour, acknowledges that waiting lists are very long. “It also has to do with mental health. We live in stressed societies”, and we have “aging” labour markets she explains.

The hope is that by spending money on increasing health programmes and the medical professionals to deal with these issues, less people will suffer and need to go on leave from work. 

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Nueva Oleada De Ataques Entre Israel E Irán Por Segunda Noche Consecutiva

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Sin dar tregua, Israel mantiene la ofensiva sobre Irán emprendida hace dos días, al tiempo que lleva a cabo bombardeos sobre Yemen. Irán, por su parte, ha respondido por segunda noche consecutiva y uno de sus misiles ha causado la muerte a una mujer en el norte de Israel. Según el diario Haaretz, en total los proyectiles iraníes han matado a tres personas.

Fuentes locales iraníes informan asimismo de explosiones en el depósito de petróleo de Shahran, en Teherán. Los estallidos en esas instalaciones son constantes y pueden convertirse en un peligro para los vecinos de la zona, advierte una fuente gubernamental al diario The New York Times.

Por primera vez en este ataque –ya había atacado por la mañana una refinería de gas– Israel golpea intereses energéticos de la República Islámica. Estos objetivos se unen a los militares, los nucleares y a los asesinatos selectivos de altos mandos de las Fuerzas de Seguridad y de científicos del programa nuclear.

El primer ministro, Benjamín Netanyahu, se encuentra en la madrugada del domingo reunido junto a su gabinete de seguridad siguiendo en directo los acontecimientos. El jefe de las fuerzas aéreas israelíes reconoce que el objetivo en Yemen es un alto mando de la guerrilla hutí, apoyada por el régimen iraní.

De forma paralela, Irán ha atacado al Estado judío y, por segunda noche consecutiva, ha vuelto a golpear con sus misiles balísticos zonas habitadas. En este caso en la localidad de Tamra, cerca de la ciudad de Haifa, en el norte del país. Los servicios de emergencia informan, por el momento, de una mujer muerta otras 13 personas heridas.

A las 23 horas locales (las 22 horas en Madrid) han saltado las alarmas en los teléfonos móviles de Israel pidiendo a la población que se pusiera a cubierto. En apenas unos minutos han empezado a verse las trazadas de luces que dejan en el cielo de Tel Aviv los sistemas de defensa antiaérea de Israel. Se han escuchado algunas explosiones desde la posición en esta ciudad de enviado especial de EL PAÍS, aunque, por el momento, no se ha informado de impactos.

En medio de la creciente tensión, países vecinos como Jordania y Siria han cerrado sus espacios aéreos. Las calles de Tel Aviv, donde este fin de semana debería estar celebrándose la fiesta del orgullo -suspendida por el estado de emergencia- aparecen medio desiertas.

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A Democratic Lawmaker Was Shot And Killed In Minnesota, Another Was Wounded In An Attack At Their Homes

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Two Minnesota state lawmakers were shot Saturday at their homes in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, north of Minneapolis, authorities said. State Senator John Hoffman was wounded, and State Representative Melissa Hortman was killed along with her husband. Hoffman’s wife was also wounded. Both represent districts north of Minneapolis. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz considers it a targeted act of “political violence.” “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint,” he said.

Hortman was the top Democratic leader in the state legislature and former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. She was first elected in 2004. She was a lawyer and had two children. Hoffman, also a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm. Previously, he was vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which oversees Minnesota’s largest school district. Hoffman is married and has one daughter.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said authorities are searching for the suspect, who was wearing a law enforcement uniform. The suspect fired at officers who arrived at the home of one of the lawmakers. A manifesto and a list of dozens of targets —including the congresspeople shot this Saturday, other lawmakers, and pro-abortion activists — were found in his vehicle.

“Suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility,” Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said. Authorities are working to determine the motive behind the attacks but are still in the early stages of the investigation.

The Brooklyn Park City Council asked residents to stay in their homes within a three-mile radius around a local golf course while the search continues for the suspect, who is considered “armed and dangerous,” according to a post on its Facebook page. “Suspect is white male, brown hair, wearing black body armor over blue shirt and blue pants and may misrepresent himself as law enforcement. Do not approach,“ it warned.

Authorities have asked Minnesota residents to avoid the protests against U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled for this Saturday under the slogan No Kings, coinciding with the first military parade in Washington since 1991. Their message includes a photograph of flyers bearing that slogan on the seat of a car, apparently the suspect’s vehicle. The organization canceled the protests in Minnesota following the authorities’ recommendation.

The pretext for the parade is the 250th anniversary of the Army, but it coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday. He has been fixated on holding a military parade since his first term and has taken advantage of the timing amid criticism from the Democratic opposition. The parade also comes as Trump has deployed the military to suppress protests in Los Angeles against his immigration policy.

Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman, both lawmakers and members of the Democratic Party in Minnesota.

“We are here today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota. My good friend, a new colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark, were shot and killed just this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” Walz said at a news conference. “Our state has lost a great leader, and I have lost a dearest of friends. Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture, and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable,” he added.

“My prayers also go out to State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, who were shot multiple times. The Hoffmans have come out of surgery and are receiving care, and we are cautiously optimistic that they will survive this assassination attempt,” the governor said.

“We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,” Walz insisted. “This tragic act here in Minnesota should serve as a reminder to all of us that democracy and the debates in the halls of Congress, in state houses, in school boards, is a way to settle our differences peacefully and move society to a better place,” he added.

Trump, who was the target of two assassination attempts last year, addressed the attacks through Truth, his social media platform. “I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers. Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,” he wrote.

“This morning Minnesota woke up to news of a brutal act of violence targeting public servants. I am heartbroken to learn that our Speaker Melissa Hortman, Sen. John Hoffman and their spouses have been shot. I’ve worked closely with these fine legislators for many years. Archie and I are grateful for the incredible response of law enforcement and hope that everyone will be safe today,” tweeted State Senator Tina Smith.

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Discover These Two Famous Wine Producing Regions Just A Short Hop From Madrid – Olive Press News Spain

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JUST outside of Spain’s capital, you’ll find vast agricultural lands, rolling hills and history all to be enjoyed with some of the country’s best wine in hand.

To the southeast of Madrid, you’ll find the Las Vegas and Alcarria regions, made up of municipalities such as Aranjuez, Villarejo de Salvanés, and Carabaña.

READ MORE: Costa del Sol marinas totally booked up for a record summer marked by British and French flags

“These municipalities contribute greatly to its history and generate tourist appeal due to their surroundings, authenticity, and simplicity,” the region’s tourist specialist Soraya Belinchón told 20minutos.

More than half of the wine produced under the Vinos de Madrid sign of origin is grown and made in these two regions.

The landscapes are also covered with olive trees, and you can taste different varieties of the oils produced in ancient olive oil mills. For example, at Oleum Laguna in Villaconejos you can sample different tastes of oils while you are toured around the premises to learn about the production process.

To learn even more about the agriculture of the region, stop by La Almazara, the Olive Oil Museum in Brea de Tajo, where you can also take part in workshops.

Local produce is offered at restaurants throughout the region, many will specifically featuring zero-mile ingredients on the menus where the food was harvested that morning. 

As you travel through the regions, you’ll pass through historic villages that offer a glimpse into Spain’s past. White-washed walls, cottages, cave dwellings and Castilian squares all a different sight from bustling Madrid.

Take the Ciempozuelos to Villar del Olmo route and you’ll pass through seas of wheat and waving poppies. 

If you enjoy travelling at a slower pace, there are numerous cycling and hiking trails across the regions, where you can pass through orchards, and ride next to the Tajo, Jarama, and Tajuña rivers, stopping for a dip to cool off.

READ MORE: These trips through Spain are perfect for retirees looking to escape the heat

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