Hundreds of thousands of people packed central Madrid tonight to give a hero’s welcome to “La Roja” – the national soccer team that erased the country’s gloomy mood by winning the Euro 2012 Championship.

POPE Benedict XVI warned of an “eclipse of God” as he spoke to nuns outside a 16th century Spanish monastery during protest-hit Catholic youth celebrations.

Socialist leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero became Spain’s prime minister today as he took the oath of office in a formal ceremony presided over by King Juan Carlos.

Spanish Crown Prince Felipe formally proposed to his TV-anchorwoman girlfriend today as a thoroughly modern couple enacted a centuries-old tradition in Madrid.