A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday

New Ryanair flights from Málaga to Italy and Germany take off

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced that the first flights on its new 2026 winter routes from Málaga to Trieste, Venice, Turin and Hamburg have departed over the past four days.

Ryanair will operate two weekly flights to/from Trieste and Hamburg, and four weekly flights to/from Venice and Turin this winter, giving its Costa del Sol customers even more connections with Europe.

Last week, Europe’s most used airline also announced that it had scrapped several routes between Spain and Belgium, but planned to add a number of new ones from several Spanish cities to the UK, Italy and Germany.

Vox and PP reject memorial plaque for housing protests icon Maricarmen

Madrid City Council has rejected a proposal to install a memorial plaque for the late Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old pensioner whose eviction sparked housing protests, a general strike and a snap election in Spain.

The PP and Vox voted against the plaque, arguing that the initiative was merely a partisan attempt by the left to exploit her personal tragedy for political gain.

Madrid city officials defended their handling of her case, maintaining that they had previously offered her a dignified housing alternative.

Three Roman landmarks in Extremadura classified as ‘Magical Places of Spain’

The Roman theatres of Mérida and Medellín, along with the Roman Bridge of Alcántara, have all been officially designated as “Magical Places of Spain.”

This recognition was announced during the VI National Encounter of Magical Towns of Spain, highlighting the immense historical, artistic, and cultural value of these landmarks in the west of the country.

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Local authorities from both Mérida and Medellín have welcomed the distinction, viewing it as a prime opportunity to further boost cultural tourism and local economic development.

These three historical sites now join a select nationwide list of 32 locations in Spain celebrated for their ability to generate unique experiences tied to nature and history.

China stops broadcasting Spain’s football league over Mbappé remarks

Chinese state television has suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches following remarks by Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe about Mao Zedong, state-owned China Media Group announced Tuesday.

CMG, which oversees public broadcaster CCTV, said in a release that it had suspended the broadcast of La Liga matches, as well as advertisements involving the French player, following his comments in a viral video.

The group said it had reached the decision on Monday, according to the statement.

It also said that apologies from La Liga, Mbappe and Real Madrid were “an absolute prerequisite” and that nothing would be discussed until such apologies were received.

Mbappe apologised in a statement on Tuesday, describing his comment about Mao as “ill-judged” and that he understood “it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world”.

Spain’s La Liga also apologised in a separate statement, saying that it “deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappe’s recent comments have caused among Chinese fans”.

With additional reporting by AFP.