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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

The Local list

Photo of Madrid: Shutterstock

Five things to improve Madrid for tourists

Mayoral candidate Esperanza Aguirre has spoken of her intention to clean up the capital if she takes the top spot at city hall, but what changes do tourists really think would improve Madrid? The Local finds out. READ

The entrance to Santander Bank's financial city in Madrid. Photo: Javier Soriano / AFP

Santander profits jump with economic recovery

The eurozone's biggest bank, Spain's Santander, said on Tuesday its first quarter net profit jumped 32 percent as strengthening economic recovery in its home market boosted revenue. READ

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

Denise Theim was last seen heading to Astorga on the Camino de Santiago

Appeal: American pilgrim missing on Camino

Spanish police have appealed for information concerning an American woman who has disappeared while walking the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. READ

Queen Sofia of Spain (left) and UEFA president Michel Platini (right) look at ex-King Juan Carlos' mobile phone. Photo: Javier Soriano/ AFP.

King abdication post one of world's top tweets

The abdication tweet from Spain’s Royal Palace announcing that King Juan Carlos would renounce the throne was one of the most re-tweeted posts by world leaders, according to a report released on Tuesday. READ

Alps Plane Crash

The memorial mass was held at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia. Photo: Josep Lago / AFP

Royals attend memorial for Germanwings victims

Some 1,500 people attended a memorial service Monday at Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia Cathedral, and paid homage to the 150 people killed in last month's Germanwings plane crash. READ

Features

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

In pics

Tonymadrid Photography and Bryan Ledgard

Battle of the cities: Madrid vs Manchester

In a vicious war of words, "ugly" Manchester has been pitted against "miserable" Madrid. Who will be victorious in the battle of the cities? The Local finds out... READ

More News

Albert Rivera, leader of Ciudadanos. Photo: AFP

Ciudadanos gains as Podemos wanes

The latest poll shows that newest political party, Ciudadanos – Citizens – which expanded from a regional Catalan party to a nationwide force early this year is now more popular than Podemos. READ

Wine production

Vinyards in Samaniego, La Rioja. Photo: Cesar Manso / AFP

Wine: China overtakes France but Spain reigns

China now has the second-largest wine-growing area in the world after Spain, pushing France into third place, according to figures released Monday by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine. READ

San Antón church in Madrid offers free wifi. Photo: Sara Houlison.

Woofs and wifi: Is this world's coolest church?

Nestled among the trendy cafes and shops of Madrid's Chueca neighbourhood is a church like no other, where you can browse the internet, confess via your iPad and bring along your pet poodle. Is San Anton the coolest church in the world? READ

Mariano Rajoy at a press conference in Seyne-Les-Alpes following GermanWings crash. Photo: Boris Horvat / AFP

PM: Recovery threatened by political instability

Spain's economic recovery is being threatened by political instability and the crisis in debt-plagued Greece, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Monday. READ

A naval vessel christening ceremony in the Navantia shipyard near Cadiz. Photo: Jorge Guerrero / AFP.

Spain's arms firms fail to meet grade on ethics

Spanish defence companies failed to make passing grades in an analysis of ethics and corruption standards released by Transparency International UK on Monday. READ

Nepal Earthquake

A Nepali woman pictured among the devastation of Kathmandu after Saturday's earthquake. Photo: Prakash Singh/AFP

Spaniards still missing in Nepal after earthquake

Over 100 Spaniards are still unaccounted for after Saturday’s earthquake in the Himalayan nation, which left over 3,000 people dead, as the Spanish air force launches an evacuation mission for Spaniards trapped in the country. READ

Photo of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia: Shutterstock

Sagrada Familia mass for Germanwings victims

Over 1,000 people are expected to attend a memorial service to the victims of Germanwings flight 9525 in Barcelona’s iconic cathedral on Monday evening, just over a month after the disaster. READ

My Spanish Career

Delfin Mocache from Equatorial Guinea set up Diario Rombe in Valencia. Photo: Agustin Millan

'I've made a few enemies, even in Spain'

In the latest instalment of My Spanish Career The Local talks to Delfin Mocache, editor of Diario Rombe, one of the few media that openly criticises the political regime in his home country of Equatorial Guinea. READ

Marc Marquez during Argentina Grand Prix. Photo: Juan Mabromata / AFP

Broken pinky disaster for Marquez in MotoGP

MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez's participation in next weekend's Spanish Grand Prix is in doubt after he broke a finger during a crash in training, Spanish media reported on Saturday. READ

Photo: AFP

Spain royals 'no longer untouchable'

A new tell-all book that details what led to Spanish king Juan Carlos giving up the throne would never have been published just a few years ago in a Spain still deferential to the royal family, experts said. READ

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From our other editions:

A screen grab from the video.

Racist outburst prompts civil courage debate

A video of a man hurling racist abuse at a Somali passenger on a tram in Vienna has caused outrage on social media and provoked a discussion about moral courage. READ

Salt aims to shake up Swiss mobile market

A Swiss Orange has turned into Salt — but this is no magician's trick. READ

Defence minister Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: DPA

G36 rifle 'has no future' in German army

Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that the controversial G36 rifle 'has no future in the German Army,' signalling the end of a two decade relationship between the army and the dodgy weapon. READ

Still plenty to be happy about in Denmark. Photo: Colourbox

Danes no longer world's happiest people: UN

Danes had to settle for third place in the World Happiness Report released on Thursday, but one can only imagine that they're still pretty happy with that. READ

Guest blog

The French love their fast food but they would never admit it. Photo: Shutterstock

How foreigners can blend in with the French

Ever been spoken to in English in France before you've even opened your mouth? French blogger Muriel Jacques offers some practical advice to help you blend in. READ

Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces in 2011. Photo: Arif Ali/AFP

Italy arrests suspected Bin Laden aides

Two men who allegedly acted as aides to terrorist leader Osama bin Laden have been arrested in Italy, as part of a "vast anti-terrorism operation" carried out on Friday. READ

These healthy looking salmon need no sugar pills. Photo: Norsk Havbrukssenter/Flickr

EU's crazy homeopathy cure for Norway fish

Norwegian vets are up in arms about a “scientifically illiterate” European directive that mandates the use of homeopathic medicines as the first line of treatment for organic farmed fish. READ

The Local List

Swedes eat crayfish in August. Only in August. Photo: Carolina Romare/imagebank.sweden.se

My Swedish habits that foreigners just don't get

Do the Swedes have certain habits you just can't work out? Here, The Local's Emma Löfgren, who has recently returned to Sweden from the UK, lists some of the Nordic traits that leave her foreign friends bemused. READ