Spain

Barcelona, Spain, has a major pigeon problem, like a lot of cities. But the heart of the problem, government officials say, are the super-feeders: some 350 local residents who don’t just toss a few breadcrumbs from a quaint park bench, but distribute bags of food that attract massive flocks of birds.

One of the world’s most well-known and prestigious makers of sparkling wine — or cava, as it’s called in Catalan — is laying off 80% of its workforce. There’s plenty of demand for Spanish-German Freixenet’s bottled beverage, just not enough water to get the grapes to grow. They have shriveled on the vine as the lack of rain and restrictions on water use combine. The World’s Gerry Hadden reports from Sant Sadurní d’Ainoa, Spain.

A one-year-old law in Spain meant to control soaring home rental prices has had the opposite effect: Prices have continued to climb. It’s part of a trend going back a couple of decades now. But this year alone, in some cities, rents have jumped by more than 20%. Experts – and renters – say finding an affordable place to live is now next to impossible. The World’s Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona on why Spain’s rent control law has backfired.

What do you do with a cherished memory that has no record — not even a photo or a video?  This Spanish company, Domestic Data Streamers, might help. They’ve harnessed artificial intelligence to turn fading recollections into visual or “synthetic” memories. The end product isn’t quite a photo — or art. But it’s helping people reconnect with their pasts.

The European Commission is calling the new TikTok Lite app “toxic as cigarettes.” It’s a spin-off from the makers of the original TikTok, that pays people to watch videos. The EC says it was launched without regard for risks of addiction, or safeguards against children using it. Now they’re threatening to suspend it.