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Jose Andres was honoured by Barack Obama for his charity work. Photo: Brendan Smialowski / AFP

Chef saves life of man choking on a sausage

His skill in the kitchen has long been recognized but celebrity chef Jose Andres is being hailed a hero for an entirely different reason: He saved the life of a man choking on a bratwurst. READ

Aguilar in a still from a YouTube video from the channel of his Buddhist monastry "Ocean of Tranquility". Screen grab: YouTube

Shaolin slayer jailed for brutal double murder

A fake shaolin monk has been sentenced to 38 years in prison for the brutal murder of two women in Bilbao. READ

Madrid's four towers are set to become five. Photo: Isra el/Flickr

Madrid's iconic 'four towers' to become five

A new skyscraper is to rise, phoenix-like, from the site of a multimillion euro public spending failure. READ

Photo: AFP

Spain's economy growth jumps in first quarter

Spain's economy growth accelerated in the first quarter of 2015, provisional official data showed on Thursday, in a fresh sign that the nation's recovery is gathering momentum even though unemployment remains high. READ

Video

The Spanish teaching assistant was sent to prison for four years for mistreating children. Screen grab: elperiodico.com

Shocking video sends nursery teacher to jail

It is footage that will send shivers down the spine of any parent who leaves their child at nursery - and has sent a Spanish teaching assistant to jail. READ

Video

Father Damián, the hipster priest with the heavenly voice. Screen grab: Padre Damián/YouTube

Hallelujah! Spanish priest sings like an angel

A 28-year-old priest has amazed viewers with his rendition of Robbie Williams classic 'Angels' on the Spanish version of singing competition, The Voice. READ

The RTVE communication tower in Madrid. Photo: Daniel Castellano / Flickr

Spain's state broadcaster accused of political bias

Spain's conservative government on Wednesday rejected accusations of political interference in state television ahead of regional and parliamentary elections this year. READ

The Local list

The Europride parade in Madrid. Photo: Bru Garcia / AFP.

Five reasons why it’s good to be gay in Spain

As the US Supreme Court mulls what many have called one of the greatest civil rights issues of the time, The Local takes a look some of the major advantages for the LGBT community in Spain. READ 3 comments

Basques can now safely visit Iceland without the threat of being killed on sight. Photo: Arnar Valdimarsson/Flickr

Iceland revokes order to 'kill Basques on sight'

In a small town on the western coast of Iceland last week, authorities finally revoked a 400-year-old order that allowed Basques to be killed on sight. READ

Nepal Earthquake

Rescuers from Japan are seen in the historical centre of Kathmandu on April 29, 2015. Philippe Lopez/AFP

First quake survivors arrive back in Spain

A group of Spanish survivors who were among the first Europeans to be evacuated from Katmandu arrived back in Madrid. Meanwhile fears grew for those still missing. READ

Features

The Local list

HAT terrace, one of Madrid's newest rooftop bars. Photo: Jessica Jones/The Local

Top ten: Madrid's best rooftop bars

As the temperatures rise in the Spanish capital, Madrileños look upwards, heading to one of the city’s rooftop bars in the hope of catching some of that elusive breeze. Here's our pick of the very best.READ

An independent book shop in Barcelona. Photo: Lluis Gene / AFP

Happy book day! Top ten Spanish literary gifts

To mark Spanish book day, The Local gives you the ultimate list of Spain-related books that make excellent gifts. READ

Gallery

Women wearing traditional Sevillana dresses pose during the Feria de Abril, or April Fair. Photo: Cristina Quicler / AFP.

All the fun of the fair: Seville's Feria de Abril

Each year, tens of thousands flock to Seville to partake in the colourful Feria de Abril with carriage rides, tapas, bullfights and lots and lots of dancing. READ

Gallery

The Alhambra fortress in Granada. Photo: Bernjan/Flickr

Ten best UNESCO world heritage sites in Spain

As Benidorm mades a bid to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and earn a place alongside some of Spain's most celebrated destinations, we take a look at some of the country's best.READ

Gallery: Almodóvar's most iconic leading ladies

Pedro Almodóvar at the Cannes Film Festival. Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

Almodóvar unveils cast for latest film 'Silencio'

Celebrated Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar has unveiled the cast for his next film, Silencio, including his two new "chicas Almodóvar". READ

More News

A view of the Feria de Jerez in Jerez de la Frontera. Photo: El Pantera / Wikimedia Commons.

What’s on in Spain: May 2015

May is the month of festivals, festivals and more festivals - from music shows, to horse shows to, of course, an international puppet show.READ

Photo of student in London: Shutterstock

UK is top study abroad destination for Spaniards

Could it be the famed fish and chips, the daily drizzle or the Mr Darcy effect? Great Britain is the destination of choice for Spanish students, a new study has revealed. READ

Atletico de Madrid vs Real Madrid at the Vicente Calderon, February 7th, 2015. Photo: Cesar Manso / AFP

Real Madrid and Atletico could face transfer bans

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid could be banned from registering new players for a year for irregularities in the signing of minors, Spanish radio station Cadena SER reported on Wednesday.READ

Rubbish piled up during a strike in November 2013. Photo: Gerard Julien / AFP

Madrid shamed as 'dirtiest' city in Spain

Oviedo in the north has been crowned the cleanest out of Spain's cities but the nation's capital Madrid comes bottom in a new study.READ

Video

A 17-year-old youth team coach has been attacked by parents near Barcelona. Screen grab: Futboldinámico/YouTube

Outrage as parents beat coach, 17, in soccer row

A shocking video has emerged showing a mob of angry parents invading the pitch and attacking a teenage football coach during a youth league game in Catalonia. READ

Shoemakers stitch shoes at Salvador Artesano in Elche. Photo: Jose Jordan / AFP

Spain's shoe sector shines in black economy

Hunched over her sewing machine in a Spanish workshop, a woman puts together a ballerina slipper which will soon slip onto the foot of a customer in Madrid, New York or Tokyo. READ

Photo: Protección Civil Tolosa

Evacuation as ferry catches fire off Valencia

A ferry on the route from Palma (Mallorca) to Valencia is being evacuated after a fire broke out on board. READ

Photo of a man cutting cheese: Shutterstock

Cheese thieves caught...(and they're not mice)

A gang of thieves operating across Spain has been arrested, after carrying out a string of robberies including a heist that saw them steal five tonnes of goat's cheese. READ

Photo of a mother with her baby:Shutterstock

Life's better in Spain, say expat mothers

Almost half of expat mothers don't ever plan to return to live in their home country believing that the quality of life in their adopted nation is far better. READ

The Local list

Carrie Jaxon with her husband, Alberto and their son, Ethan. Photo: Baco Cid

The perks and quirks of having a baby in Spain

Being an expat new mother comes along with a whole host of new challenges and cultural conventions to get used to. Here are 10 things you should know. READ

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From our other editions:

Egon Schiele, Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant, 1912. Image: Leopold Museum

Nudes galore at Emin and Schiele show

An exhibition teaming works by British artist Tracey Emin - many of them new - and Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, who died aged 28 in 1918, opened in Vienna on Friday. READ

Photo: Switzerland Tourism

Zermatt bans Saint Bernard dog photos

The municipality of Zermatt decided on Thursday to ban the taking of tourist photos with Saint Bernard dogs in the mountain resort town in the canton of Valais, according to media reports. READ

Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière has some explaining to do. Photo: DPA

Govt 'lied' to parliament about NSA spying

The government has been accused of lying to the Bundestag (German parliament) after it emerged last week that Chancellor Angela Merkel's office knew German spies were conducting economic espionage on behalf of the Americans. READ

Membership in the banking union would give ECB regulators authority over Danish banks. Photo: DANIEL ROLAND/Scanpix

Denmark wants in on EU banking union

The Danish government supports joining the EU’s banking union and wants parliament to vote on it without first asking the Danes, a Justice Ministry report said on Thursday. READ

IN PICTURES

The replica of the Chauvet cave at Pont d'Arc is to open its doors. Photo: AFP

France's prehistoric Chauvet cave opens

A stunning replica of the 36,000 year-old Grotte Chauvet, home to the oldest figurative cave drawings in the world and an Unesco Heritage site, opened to the public at the weekend. Here's a look inside the country's latest tourist attraction. READ

People pose with an Isis flag. Photo: Tauseef Mustafa/AFP

Isis supporters post photos in Rome: report

Supporters of the terrorist organization Isis have posted photographs allegedly taken in Rome, a group which monitors jihadist networks said on Monday. READ

Video

Erna Solberg, phone snugly in place, hands over the 2014 Womans' Football Cup. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB scanpix

Norway PM celebrated for phone-in-bra trick

After Norway's PM Erna Solberg was caught on camera slipping her phone into her bra, Norway’s top tabloid VG has made a video investigating the phenomenon. READ

Photo: Dennis Karlsson

Has a kangaroo scored Sweden's best selfie?

A Swedish 26-year-old who took a snap with a kangaroo while travelling around Australia has produced one of the best selfies of 2015, but he isn’t the first Swede to have a fetish for photos with wild animals. READ