Rainy Friday for much of Spain, Spanish football team’s most famous fan dies, Spain achieves best press freedom ranking ever and more news from Spain on Friday May 2nd.
Spain achieves best press freedom ranking ever
Spain has improved seven places in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, achieving its best result in the ranking’s history.
Spain’s press moved from 30th to 23rd out of 180 countries and territories analysed by Reporters Without Borders, placing it among the 15 percent of countries in the world with the best conditions for journalism.
Spain is now positioned between Austria (22nd) and Taiwan (24th).
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Madrid celebrates its regional day without national govt
Madrid’s divisive right-wing regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso has decided that she will not invite anyone from Spain’s national government to Dos de Mayo celebrations in the Spanish capital.
This marks yet another example of the longstanding feud between Ayuso and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist government.
Official celebrations of Madrid’s main regional day will also be different in that they will be held outdoors and without the standard military parade.
READ MORE: What is ‘Dos de Mayo’ and why does Madrid celebrate it?
Spanish football team’s most famous fan dies
Spain’s most famous football fan who spent over 40 years following the national team, Manuel Caceres Artesero, known as “Manolo el del Bombo”, died Thursday at the age of 76.
“One of our most faithful fans, who was always with us in the good times and the bad, has died,” read a statement on the Spanish football federation’s website alongside a picture of Manolo and his iconic bass drum.
“We know that you will keep on making our hearts beat. Rest in peace Manolo. Our deepest condolences to your family and friends.”
He supported the national team at the 1982 World Cup, which was hosted by Spain, and attended the 2010 World Cup final win over the Netherlands in South Africa despite having to fly home during the tournament due to illness.
His last match was in March when Spain overcame the Dutch on penalties in their Nations League quarter-final after the tie finished 5-5 on aggregate. Spain will play France in the semi-finals in June.
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Rainy Friday for much of Spain
Thirteen regions will be on yellow alert for rain on Friday, according to the Spain’s national weather agency Aemet.
These are Andalusia, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Aragón, Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, the Valencian Region, Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja and the Community of Madrid, Murcia and Ceuta, which will experience varying periods of heavy rain throughout Friday May 2nd.
