Rodríguez announced the updated toll while welcoming foreign rescue crews arriving from several countries, saying emergency operations remain focused on locating people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

“We are going to rescue the people who are trapped. We are working tirelessly on this task,” Rodríguez said, adding that the coastal state of La Guaira had suffered the most severe devastation from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on Wednesday evening. She said the area had been placed under military control to facilitate rescue operations and the distribution of food, water and emergency supplies.

The revised casualty figures marked a sharp increase from earlier official estimates as emergency workers gained access to more affected areas. Authorities said thousands of people remain unaccounted for, with rescue efforts continuing around the clock.

The International Organization for Migration estimated that up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including about 2 million residents of Caracas. The International Red Cross said many survivors remained afraid to return to damaged homes because of continuing structural risks.

The earthquakes caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, flattening residential buildings, damaging critical infrastructure and forcing thousands of residents to spend nights in parks and open spaces. Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas remained closed after sustaining damage, complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

Rodríguez said the government had established a $200 million reconstruction fund to repair hospitals, homes and public infrastructure, while urging private companies to provide heavy machinery to support rescue operations.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said approximately 1,000 emergency responders from 25 international search-and-rescue teams were deploying to Venezuela.

The United States said it had mobilized a broad humanitarian response despite logistical challenges caused by the airport closure. Spain dispatched specialist rescue teams equipped with search dogs, rescue cameras and ground-penetrating radar, while Chile, Switzerland and Germany also sent personnel and relief supplies. Turkiye announced the deployment of rescue teams with trained search dogs, and China pledged assistance. Qatar, Brazil, Portugal, Canada, Mexico, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic also offered support or deployed aid teams.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquakes struck near Morón on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers west of Caracas. Seismologists said the shallow depth and the rapid succession of the two powerful earthquakes significantly amplified the level of destruction across the affected region.

Venezuela lies near the boundary of the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, although earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively uncommon in the country compared with other parts of Latin America.

They are thin, fragile and often ineffective at the task they were designed to perform. Yet Spain’s ubiquitous restaurant napkins, known as servilletas, have become the subject of a growing appreciation movement that views them as cultural artifacts rather than disposable tableware.

Found in bars, cafés and restaurants across the country, the lightweight paper napkins are a familiar feature of Spanish dining culture. Their practical shortcomings are widely acknowledged. They tear easily, absorb little liquid and frequently require diners to use several at a time when eating oily foods such as croquetas, grilled meats or fried seafood.

Despite those limitations, the servilleta has retained a prominent place in Spain’s hospitality industry, becoming a recognizable symbol of traditional bar culture.

In some establishments, particularly older neighborhood bars, used napkins have historically been discarded onto the floor alongside olive pits, seafood shells and other remnants of a meal. The practice, while increasingly uncommon and often discouraged by modern businesses, has long been associated with informal and busy venues where customers gather for tapas and drinks.

Beyond their practical use, however, many servilletas have developed a second life as graphic expressions of local identity.

Their thin paper surface makes them particularly suitable for printing. For decades, restaurants have used them to display logos, illustrations, slogans and references to signature dishes. What might appear to be a minor branding detail has, in some cases, evolved into a visual record of Spain’s diverse culinary traditions.

Madrid-based photographer Felipe Hernandez has spent more than a decade documenting these disposable objects.

Hernandez began collecting personalized napkins from restaurants around Spain in 2014. By 2017, after accumulating more than 150 examples, he started photographing them against a white marble background and sharing the images through a dedicated social media account.

His collection has since grown to more than 1,000 pieces. Earlier this year, he published Servilletas, a book featuring approximately 600 examples drawn from restaurants across the country.

The images reveal a wide variety of approaches. Some establishments use the limited space to advertise specialty dishes or culinary achievements. Others incorporate illustrations connected to their names, local traditions or regional food culture.

Among the examples highlighted in the collection are napkins depicting roasted meats, seafood dishes and regional specialties. In Bilbao, one restaurant features an illustration of its well-known grilled lamb skewers, creating a visual link between the food being served and the napkin used afterward.

According to Hernandez, these designs provide insight into regional differences and local identities that are becoming increasingly difficult to preserve amid broader changes affecting Spain’s restaurant sector.

He argues that personalized napkins offer a small but meaningful form of resistance to the growing standardization of urban commercial spaces. Independent bars and family-run restaurants have faced mounting economic pressures in recent years, including rising operating costs, changing consumer habits and increasing competition from larger hospitality groups.

The result, Hernandez says, is a gradual loss of visual and cultural distinctions that once characterized individual neighborhoods and cities.

Because many napkin designs are directly linked to a restaurant’s menu, they also reflect local culinary traditions. Regional ingredients, cooking styles and specialties often appear in illustrations and text, transforming a disposable object into a snapshot of place and identity.

The trend toward personalization, however, appears to be declining.

Hernandez notes that newer restaurants are generally less likely to invest in custom-designed napkins, while some older establishments have abandoned the practice as a cost-saving measure.

For businesses facing financial pressures, custom printing can be difficult to justify. As a result, generic alternatives have become increasingly common.

The disappearance of personalized servilletas coincides with broader concerns about the future of independent hospitality businesses in Spanish cities. Rising rents, tourism-driven development and gentrification have contributed to the closure of numerous long-established restaurants and bars.

One example cited in Hernandez’s collection is Mesón Planeta, a Madrid restaurant known for promoting Galician-style meats and octopus dishes on its napkins. The business closed several years ago after struggling with increasing rental costs.

For former customers, the printed napkins now serve as one of the few remaining physical reminders of the establishment.

That archival function has become central to Hernandez’s project. While restaurants may close, menus change and neighborhoods evolve, the napkins preserve fragments of local history that might otherwise disappear.

The appeal of these objects, he argues, lies partly in their impermanence. Created to be used briefly and discarded, they survive only by chance, making them unlikely carriers of cultural memory.

In the introduction to his book, Hernandez describes their value through a phrase that captures the paradox at the heart of the project: “the beauty of the useless.”

For a generation of diners, collectors and photographers, Spain’s servilletas represent more than an ineffective way of cleaning greasy fingers. They have become miniature documents of a restaurant culture that continues to evolve, one meal at a time.

Zapatero, who led Spain from 2004 to 2011, began the first of two days of hearings at the Audiencia Nacional court over allegations of influence peddling linked to the 2021 state bailout of airline Plus Ultra.

The investigation centers on a 53 million euro ($61.5 million) rescue package granted to the carrier after the COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted global air travel. Investigating magistrate Jose Luis Calama alleges that Zapatero headed a “stable and hierarchical” network that used opaque financial channels to conceal money flows and secure illicit payments connected to the bailout process.

Zapatero has categorically denied any wrongdoing. Prime Minister Sanchez has publicly expressed his “full support” for the former leader, widely regarded as his political mentor within Spain’s Socialist movement.

The case broadened after police searches of Zapatero’s office reportedly uncovered jewelry and luxury watches valued at approximately 1.3 million euros. The findings prompted investigators to examine potential tax fraud and smuggling offenses in addition to the original influence-peddling allegations.

Individuals close to Zapatero have said the valuables originated from a family inheritance and reject any suggestion of criminal conduct.

The proceedings come at a particularly sensitive moment for Sanchez, whose administration is already confronting multiple corruption investigations involving members of his inner political circle and family.

A separate inquiry into his wife, Begona Gomez, over alleged influence peddling has weighed heavily on the government for two years, with a judicial decision on whether to proceed to trial expected in the coming days.

Legal proceedings are also underway involving former Transport Minister and longtime Sanchez ally Jose Luis Abalos, while another case concerns the prime minister’s brother, David Sanchez.

Additional pressure emerged following reports of a police investigation into a former Socialist activist suspected of orchestrating efforts to obstruct corruption inquiries involving figures linked to the governing party.

The accumulation of legal controversies has weakened the Socialists politically. Since late 2025, the party has suffered four regional election defeats, fueling speculation about the impact the scandals could have on Spain’s next national election.

Sanchez rose to power in 2018 after pledging to restore integrity to Spanish politics following a major corruption scandal that resulted in the conviction of the conservative Popular Party (PP). Opposition parties now argue that the government faces its own credibility crisis and have called for Sanchez’s resignation and an early general election.

The prime minister has rejected those demands and insists he will remain in office until the end of his term in 2027. He has continued to highlight his government’s economic and social policy achievements while avoiding detailed public comment on the ongoing investigations.

Political scientist Astrid Barrio of the University of Valencia said the case carries significance beyond its legal implications because of Zapatero’s symbolic influence within the ruling Socialist Party.

“What is at stake is the reputation of someone who has become the moral beacon of Pedro Sanchez and the current Socialist Party,” Barrio said.

She added that two developments could pose the greatest threat to Sanchez’s political survival: the possibility of the prime minister himself becoming the subject of a formal investigation or prosecutors pursuing allegations of illegal party financing against the Socialists.

The blaze erupted at about 5 a.m. on the third floor of a residential apartment block in Magaluf, a popular holiday destination on the southwestern coast of Mallorca, according to Spain’s Civil Guard.

Residents initially attempted to extinguish the fire before emergency services arrived, but the flames spread rapidly through the building, particularly to the upper floors. More than a dozen occupants were evacuated as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

Emergency crews brought the fire under control and extinguished it approximately two hours after it began.

Nine people were transported to medical facilities for treatment related to smoke inhalation, a Civil Guard spokesperson said.

Authorities identified one of the victims as a 58-year-old Argentine national. The second victim was a woman whose identity had not yet been established. Officials said the two were found in separate apartments within the building.

Investigators have opened an inquiry to determine the cause of the fire.

The incident occurred in Magaluf, one of Mallorca’s best-known beach and nightlife destinations, particularly popular among British and German tourists. The resort is located in the municipality of Calvià, about 22 kilometers west of Palma, the capital of Spain’s Balearic Islands.

Local authorities declared two days of mourning following the tragedy as emergency services and investigators continued work at the scene.

The hour-long meeting took place at the Vatican embassy in Madrid during the pope’s visit to Spain, according to a Vatican statement. The encounter followed a practice established by previous pontiffs of meeting abuse survivors during international trips and marked the first publicly known such meeting by Leo while abroad.

During the discussion, survivors shared their experiences and proposed measures aimed at strengthening the church’s response to abuse. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope listened attentively and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that victims’ recommendations help shape future efforts within the church.

“The pope listened with affection and attention, assured them of his closeness and that of the entire church community and pledged his commitment to ensuring that the suggestions received serve as a foundation for further efforts,” Bruni said.The meeting came as Spain’s Catholic Church continues a broader reckoning over clerical sexual abuse.

In 2023, Spain’s ombudsman published an 800-page report estimating that hundreds of thousands of people may have suffered abuse linked to the church over several decades, based on a survey of 8,000 respondents and an examination of 487 documented cases.

Spain’s bishops disputed that estimate, citing a separate church investigation that identified 728 sexual abusers within the Catholic Church since 1945.Ahead of the meeting, some survivor advocacy groups criticized the process used to select participants, arguing that many victims and organizations were excluded.

A small protest was held outside the Vatican embassy in Madrid.Juan Cuatrecasas, a spokesperson for the Robbed Childhood association, said the participating survivors did not represent all victims and accused church authorities of attempting to improve the institution’s image rather than fully addressing past failures.

Earlier on Monday, Leo addressed Spain’s bishops and called for stronger efforts to support survivors through listening, truth, justice and reparations. He said the church community must demonstrate a more determined commitment to prevention and safeguarding.“Every wounded person must be able to find sincere listening, welcome, protection and real paths to healing,” the pope told church leaders.

Spain this year launched a reparations framework for victims of clerical abuse whose cases are too old to be prosecuted. The mechanism, developed with the involvement of both the Spanish government and the Catholic Church, allows survivors to seek compensation and support, with authorities retaining a significant role in determining payouts.

Leo has previously emphasized the importance of listening to victims while also maintaining that the rights of accused clergy must be protected. Before becoming pope, the former Robert Prevost served as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, where he handled abuse-related complaints on behalf of the Peruvian bishops’ conference and was involved in efforts to address allegations linked to the influential Catholic group Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.

Separately, Leo defended the Catholic Church’s position on the confidentiality of confession, amid growing debate in several countries over whether priests should be required to report abuse disclosed during sacramental confession.

Addressing Spain’s parliament, the pope described confessional secrecy as a matter of religious freedom, arguing that legal protections for confidential conversations between priests and penitents preserve an essential space for believers to speak freely without fear of external interference.

In one of the most significant political speeches of his papacy, Leo called on governments to pursue peace, address the root causes of migration and exercise greater ethical oversight of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.”The world is undergoing a profound spiritual and cultural crisis, which is manifested in multiple forms of violence, polarization, and mutual distrust,” the pope told lawmakers in Madrid.

Speaking hours after renewed exchanges of fire between Israel and Iran, he said military force could not provide lasting solutions to global conflicts.”Weapons can impose a temporary silence, but they can never build an authentic and lasting peace,” he said.The address, delivered in Spanish and met with a prolonged standing ovation, marked the first speech by a pope before Spain’s national parliament and formed a centerpiece of Leo’s week-long visit to the country.

The pontiff devoted significant attention to migration, describing the treatment of migrants as a test of the international community’s moral principles. He argued that governments should move beyond simply managing migration flows and instead address the underlying causes driving displacement, including war, poverty and climate change.

“The moral greatness of a nation is manifested above all in its capacity to accompany, protect, and love those lives that pass through the greatest fragility,” Leo said.His remarks come as Spain continues to confront migration pressures along routes linking West Africa to the Canary Islands.

According to rights group Caminando Fronteras, more than 3,000 migrants died attempting the crossing in 2025.Leo also criticized the acceleration of defense spending across Europe, describing the trend as troubling at a time when diplomatic efforts should be prioritized.

European military expenditures rose sharply over the past year amid security concerns and pressure from the United States for NATO members to increase defense budgets.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has resisted calls for NATO countries to raise defense spending to 5% of gross domestic product, although Spain’s military budget has increased substantially during his tenure.The pope further urged governments to establish rigorous ethical safeguards governing the use of artificial intelligence, particularly in military applications.

Last month, he issued a broader appeal for international oversight of advanced AI systems.Addressing relations between religion and the state, Leo defended religious freedom and argued that faith should remain part of public discourse.

He also reaffirmed the confidentiality of the Catholic seal of confession, which prohibits priests from disclosing information shared during confession.Several European countries have debated whether clergy should be legally required to report allegations of abuse disclosed during confessions following a series of sexual abuse scandals within the Catholic Church.

Leo said preserving the confidentiality of confession protected a sacred space of individual conscience and spiritual freedom.Although the Vatican has announced that the pope will meet victims of clerical abuse during his visit to Spain, Leo did not address the issue directly in his parliamentary speech.

The visit reflects the pope’s increasingly active engagement with global political debates, including war, migration, technology and the role of democratic institutions in addressing mounting international challenges.

The visit includes stops in Madrid, Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Montserrat Monastery, and the Canary Islands.

The pope is expected to highlight the plight of migrants, meet asylum seekers in Tenerife, and call for dialogue amid growing political and social divisions worldwide. Vatican officials said he is also likely to speak against ongoing wars and rising polarization.

During the trip, Pope Leo will become the first pope to address the Spanish parliament. He is also scheduled to meet King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and visit charitable organizations supporting vulnerable communities.

The visits will take the pontiff to two major gateways for African migrants seeking entry into Europe. Although migrant arrivals have fallen this year, particularly in the Canary Islands, immigration and integration remain contentious issues across Europe’s traditionally Catholic societies.

Church leaders and migrant advocates hope the trips will shift attention toward humanitarian concerns and the challenges faced by migrants rather than political disputes.

The pope is expected to meet migrants and pay tribute to those who died attempting dangerous sea crossings. His visit follows the migration-focused legacy of Pope Francis, who made Lampedusa the destination of his first pastoral trip outside Rome in 2013.

Catholic organizations in Spain and Italy continue to provide assistance to migrants arriving through Atlantic and Mediterranean routes, while debates over migration policy increasingly divide political parties and public opinion.

The visits come as European governments balance border control measures with growing calls from religious and humanitarian groups for a more compassionate approach toward migrants and asylum seekers.

Deep beneath the landscapes of northern Spain, some of humanity’s oldest surviving artworks continue to challenge modern understanding of prehistoric life.Among the most celebrated examples is the cave of Altamira in the region of Cantabria, where vivid depictions of bison, deer and other Ice Age animals remain preserved on walls and ceilings more than 30,000 years after they were created.

The site is widely regarded as one of the most significant achievements of Paleolithic art and has played a central role in shaping archaeological understanding of early human creativity.Today, access to the original cave is highly restricted.

Only a small number of researchers are permitted to enter in order to protect the paintings from damage caused by changes in humidity, carbon dioxide and other environmental factors associated with human visitation.

One of those researchers is Diego Garate Maidagan, a professor of prehistory and Paleolithic art at the University of Cantabria. Garate has spent much of his career studying prehistoric artistic techniques and documenting cave art sites across northern Spain.

According to Garate, the paintings at Altamira remain remarkable not only because of their age but also because of their technical sophistication. Early Homo sapiens artists used charcoal and mineral pigments to create detailed animal figures, often incorporating natural contours in the rock to produce depth and three-dimensional effects.

The cave remained sealed for thousands of years after a rockfall blocked its entrance. Its rediscovery in the nineteenth century transformed archaeological debates about the capabilities of prehistoric humans. At the time, many scholars doubted that people living during the Paleolithic period possessed the artistic skills necessary to create such complex works.

Those doubts faded as similar cave art sites were discovered across western Europe, confirming that artistic expression was widespread among Ice Age communities.Because Altamira’s pigments were protected by unusually stable environmental conditions, the site preserves colors and details that have disappeared from many other caves.

In numerous locations across Spain and France, moisture, calcite deposits, bacterial growth and natural erosion have damaged or erased painted surfaces, leaving only faint engravings and traces of original compositions.

Garate and fellow researchers have spent years searching for these nearly invisible remnants. Their work has led to the identification of previously overlooked images throughout the Basque region, helping expand understanding of the scale and distribution of prehistoric artistic activity.

The discoveries have been aided by collaboration between archaeologists and caving specialists. Researchers trained experienced speleologists to recognize subtle markings and patterns that can indicate the presence of ancient engravings or faded pigment traces.

The approach has resulted in the identification of numerous animal figures, including horses and bison, preserved in caves where no significant artwork had previously been documented.To better understand how prehistoric artists created their images, researchers have also established experimental programs inside natural cave environments.

One such site is Isuntza Cave near the coastal town of Lekeitio. Discovered during construction work and found to contain no archaeological material, the cave now serves as a controlled laboratory where scientists can test theories about prehistoric artistic methods.

Researchers monitor temperature, humidity and pigment changes while recreating techniques believed to have been used thousands of years ago. Experimental projects include studies of lighting conditions produced by animal fat lamps and wooden torches, as well as investigations into how pigments behave over long periods under cave conditions.

Scientists have also recreated hand stencils, one of the most recognizable forms of Paleolithic art. The technique involves spraying pigment around a hand placed against a rock surface, creating a negative image that functions as a lasting human signature.

The experiments aim to provide insight into the practical decisions made by prehistoric artists, including how they illuminated underground spaces, prepared pigments and selected locations for their work.While advances in technology have expanded researchers’ ability to analyze cave environments, questions surrounding the purpose and meaning of the artwork remain subjects of debate.

Many scholars believe the images had religious or spiritual significance. Others argue that the paintings may have served social, educational or symbolic functions within Ice Age communities.The challenge of interpreting such ancient works has led researchers to explore a wide range of possibilities.

Some theories emphasize ritual practices and altered states of consciousness, while others focus on hunting traditions, cultural memory or communal identity.Despite decades of research, no single explanation has achieved universal acceptance.

For archaeologists working in the caves, however, the experience itself often provides valuable perspective.Researchers describe underground environments as spaces that alter perceptions of time and place.

Total darkness, physical isolation and the demands of navigating complex cave systems create conditions that differ dramatically from everyday life.Those conditions may help explain why prehistoric communities repeatedly traveled deep underground to create art far from their living areas.

Another important site in the region is Atxurra Cave in the Basque Country, where Garate helped identify engravings now considered among the most significant examples of Paleolithic art in Spain.The discoveries have strengthened the view that northern Spain contains one of the richest concentrations of prehistoric artistic heritage in Europe.

As new technologies reveal previously hidden details and additional sites continue to be documented, researchers are gaining a clearer picture of the artistic achievements of early Homo sapiens. Yet the deeper questions why people ventured into darkness to create these images and what meanings they attached to them—remain unresolved.

For many archaeologists, that uncertainty is part of the enduring appeal. Tens of thousands of years after the artists left their marks, the caves continue to offer evidence of human imagination while preserving mysteries that modern science has yet to fully explain.

Protesters carrying Spanish flags and banners reading “Enough!” gathered in the capital following a call by Sociedad Civil Española, a coalition of more than 150 civic associations. The demonstration was backed by the conservative Alberto Núñez Feijóo-led Popular Party and the far-right Santiago Abascal party.

Organizers estimated attendance at around 80,000 people, while the central government’s representative in the Madrid region put the turnout at roughly half that figure. The march concluded near Plaza Moncloa, close to the prime minister’s official residence.

Speaking before the rally, Vox leader Abascal accused the government of being engulfed in corruption scandals, arguing that allegations involving individuals close to Sanchez had eroded public confidence in the administration.

The demonstration comes amid mounting scrutiny of figures linked to the prime minister. Sanchez’s brother, David Sanchez, is due to stand trial on influence-peddling charges, while his wife, Begona Gomez, remains under investigation in a separate corruption inquiry. Sanchez has repeatedly rejected the allegations and described the cases as politically motivated.

Pressure on the government has also increased following legal proceedings involving former transport minister Jose Luis Abalos, a longtime Sanchez ally whose corruption trial concluded earlier this month and is awaiting a verdict.

Adding to the political challenges facing the government, a Spanish court this week placed former prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero under formal investigation for alleged influence peddling and other offenses. Zapatero has been regarded as a close ally of Sanchez within Spain’s Socialist movement.

Sanchez, who came to power in 2018 after a no-confidence vote removed a conservative government plagued by corruption scandals, has insisted he will remain in office despite growing opposition demands for early elections.

The rally underscored the increasingly polarized political climate in Spain, where corruption allegations have become a central battleground ahead of future electoral contests.