Society · July 2026

Spain, July 19, 2026 – A massive wildfire north of Madrid has burned over 13,000 hectares of forest, with emergency crews battling the blaze northeast of the Spanish capital. The fire, which started on July 19, is spreading rapidly and remains out of control. Terrifying images show the scale of the destruction. Spain has recorded 70,000 hectares burned this year amid ongoing wildfires. Italian military and police marched in Rome over a pay dispute. A video depicting Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as speaking out against sharia law is AI-generated, according to an AFP Fact Check. Italy declared the highest heatwave alert in 14 cities. Spanish broadcaster TVE cut Infanta Sofia's speech due to a worldwide error.