Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at Spain’s push for housing reform, U.S. forces withdrawing from Iraq, and the White House’s latest trade ban on Canada.

Stronger Tenant Protections

Less than a week after an 87-year-old Madrid resident was forcibly evicted from her apartment via stretcher, becoming a symbol of Spain’s real estate crisis, the woman is being allowed to return home. Her legal victory may mark the beginning of Spain’s path toward housing reform as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez unveils new legislation in response to mass anti-government protests.

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at Spain’s push for housing reform, U.S. forces withdrawing from Iraq, and the White House’s latest trade ban on Canada.

Stronger Tenant Protections

Less than a week after an 87-year-old Madrid resident was forcibly evicted from her apartment via stretcher, becoming a symbol of Spain’s real estate crisis, the woman is being allowed to return home. Her legal victory may mark the beginning of Spain’s path toward housing reform as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez unveils new legislation in response to mass anti-government protests.

On Wednesday, Spanish police removed María del Carmen Abascal from a home that she’d lived in for seven decades, citing an eviction order by the investment firm that had purchased her apartment. Abascal was unable to afford the ensuing 230 percent rent hike.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in response, demanding stronger tenant protections against rent increases and a ban on evictions when no other housing is available nearby.

This crisis was decades in the making. In the early 2000s, Spain invested heavily in construction. But when the 2008 financial crisis hit, prices sank, and the real estate market floundered. In a bid to revive the industry, Madrid passed legislation that would make it easier for investors and landlords to buy in. However, too many short-term rentals, booming tourism, greater foreign investment, and an immigration influx created a shortage of affordable homes.

Between 2014 and 2024, rents across the........

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