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These are some of the Trending news in Spain on Wednesday February 15 2023.

Brussels has revised its growth forecast for Spain this year, now expecting a 1.4% increase compared to the 1% forecast last autumn. Despite higher interest rates and a slowdown in employment, Spain is expected to perform better than the EU average of 0.8%. The Spanish government is even more optimistic, forecasting 2.1% growth. However, Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, warns of a "difficult" period ahead for the EU. On a positive note, prices in the EU are expected to drop from 4.8% to 4.4%, with the "peak already behind us."

Spain is investigating allegations of secret Chinese police stations operating in the country and other European nations. The Ministry of the Interior has confirmed that it's checking all the facts following reports of these stations, which are said to keep tabs on Chinese citizens abroad and promote Beijing's ideology. However, the Chinese government denies these allegations and says it only has "service police stations" abroad to assist its citizens. The recent rumors have prompted the Spanish department to check all the details to assess the veracity of the facts. Tensions are running high in Europe following a suspected Chinese spy balloon over US airspace. According to official numbers, there were 2,002 arrests and investigations of Chinese citizens in Spain from January to November 2022.

Gary Glitter, the former pop star and convicted pedophile, is reportedly planning to flee the UK and move to Spain after his release from jail. According to reports, his son Gary Pantoja Sosa has told close friends that his father, 78, wants to move away once he is allowed to leave his bail hostel. Glitter was released from HMP Verne prison last week after serving half of his 16-year sentence for sexually abusing three schoolgirls. Authorities say he is currently under strict supervision, including a GPS tag and close monitoring by police and probation officers. However, it has been reported that Glitter is planning to move abroad to be closer to his son, who lives in Spain.

EML Payments has ended its partnership with Up Spain, a year after entering into the deal. The Australian company based in Brisbane issued a statement saying it will engage with Up Spain to dissolve the relationship. The Up Spain deal aimed to give EML a foothold in the European employee benefits market and access to over 1 million users across 4,700 corporate clients in Spain. The partnership was expected to provide EML with an opportunity for future growth, however, it was not expected to make a material contribution to the company's revenue or earnings in FY23. This announcement is the latest setback for EML which has seen a decline in its share price since mid-2021, due to ongoing regulatory investigations and losses from fraudulent activity.

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