Lucía Benavides

Daniela Draghici in the living room of her apartment in Bucharest. Draghici is an abortion-rights advocate who served as a family planning program manager for a U.S.-funded Romanian nonprofit group from 1992 to 2002.

Activists Say Romania Has Been Quietly Phasing Out Abortion

Lucía Benavides

Doctors are using conscientious objection to turn down patients. Religious anti-abortion clinics are springing up. Advocates say abortion rights are under threat again in Romania.

The Montsec Astronomical Park opened in 2009. The area, in Lleida, a province of Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia, has been used by amateur astronomers taking advantage of its dark skies.

International headlines

Catalonia Is Set To Launch Its Own Space Agency. Will It Fly?

Lucía Benavides

Leaders in Spain's northeastern region have pushed for independence from the country. Now they want to go their own way in space, launching a first nanosatellite this month from Kazakhstan.

International headlines

Critics Deride Catalonia's Attempt To Create A Space Agency

Lucía Benavides

The Spanish province of Catalonia is forming its own space agency to stimulate the high-tech industry. Critics see it as another attempt to separate the region from Spain.

International headlines

Italy, Spain Tighten Restrictions After Coronavirus Cases Spike

Sylvia Poggioli, Lucía Benavides

Protests are growing against renewed coronavirus restrictions in Italy, which is seeing a surge in cases. Spain has declared a national state of emergency, and the government is enforcing a curfew.

Spain Sees A New Surge In Coronavirus Cases

Lucía Benavides

Coronavirus cases in Spain are on the rise again. But hospitalizations are down compared with the peak of the pandemic, and patients are younger and have milder symptoms.

International headlines

Former King of Spain To Leave The Country Amid Investigation Into Financial Scandals

Lucía Benavides

The former king of Spain, Juan Carlos, says he is leaving the country to "preserve his legacy and personal dignity" as he faces an investigation into a series of financial scandals.

International headlines

Airbnb Closes Its Call Center In Barcelona

Lucía Benavides

Barcelona's tourism sector is at a complete standstill this year. The landlords who usually lease apartments to tourists are now renting out to locals, and Airbnb has closed its call center there.