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Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos (R) shakes hands with Ricardo Cabrisas of Cuba. Photo: AFP

Top Cuban official pays visit to Spain

Cuba's vice president for economic affairs held talks with Spain's economy minister in Madrid on Friday. It was the highest-level visit by a Cuban official to Spain in a decade. READ

A blind man discovers the Mona Lisa at the "Touching the Prado" exhibition. Photo: Gerard Julien / AFP

Spain's museums invite blind to touch art

Those with limited vision are being encouraged to discover masterpieces through a relief painting technique that adds volume and texture to help create a mental image of the artwork through touch. READ

The couple were filmed pulling suitcase alongside scooter. Screengrab: c3000u/YouTube

Barcelona scooter pair filmed pulling suitcase

A couple has been filmed pulling along a suitcase on a busy Barcelona street while riding a motorcycle, daredevil drivers or risky road users? Or perhaps just the latest "annoying tourist behaviour" to hit Spain’s second city. READ

The airport in Castile-La Mancha went under the hammer. Photo: Africa Twin via Wikimedia Commons

Spain's €1bn airport sells for bargain €10,000

A Chinese company has bought Spain’s infamous "ghost airport" of Ciudad Real for a bargain price of €10,000 ($10,900). READ

Alps Plane Crash

B767Muck / Wikimedia Commons.

Airlines urged to enforce psychological testing

Europe's aviation watchdog recommended changes on Friday, including that two people be present in plane cockpits at all times, after a lone rogue pilot reportedly deliberately crashed a Germanwings jet in March, killing all 150 people on board. READ

Gallery

Photo: Jorge Guerrero/AFP

In pics: Spain celebrates patron saint of seafarers

Thousands of Spaniards took to the sea on Thursday to pay homage to the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of sailors and fishermen. READ

A drone operating on Cabopino beach in Marbella. Photo: MECglobal.com

Lifeguard drones to patrol Spanish beaches

A pilot scheme in Spanish resorts will see drone lifeguards patrolling beaches and going to the aid of stricken bathers. READ

General Francisco Franco died in 1975. Photo: AFP

New mayors vow to rid Spain of Franco ghosts

On the 79th anniversary of the outbreak of the Civil War, Spain’s new mayors are making a dedicated push to rid the nation of the long shadow cast by fascist dictator Francisco Franco. READ

A blind man at the racetrack during the event in Jarama. Photo: Dani Pozo / AFP

Blind drivers get behind the wheel on F1 track

Scores of blind and partially-sighted people got behind the wheel Thursday and sped around a former Formula One racetrack in what organisers said was the first such rally in Spain. READ

Madrid City Hall has come under fire for a new website which corrects erroneous media reports. Photo: Javier Soriano/AFP

Madrid press website slammed as 'totalitarian'

Madrid's new left-wing city hall drew fire on Thursday for launching a website to correct erroneous media reports about it, which critics and rivals branded a "totalitarian" affront to press freedom. READ

Features

Photo: Shutterstock

Top tips for taking the perfect Spanish siesta

Multiple scientific studies in recent years have proven that a short sleep after lunch provides health benefits, including stress reduction, and improves alertness and memory. READ

Gallery

Spain has some delicious cooling treats to enjoy this summer. Photo: ClubMedUK/Flickr

Top 10 Spanish treats to keep you cool in summer

As Spain swelters under record-breaking temperatures The Local brings you our list of the best Spanish treats to cool you down as the mercury rises. READ

The Local list

alobos Life/Flickr

Get your kit off! Spain's 10 best nudist beaches

Have you tried everything to combat the heat and nothing has worked? It might be time to strip off and head to one of Spain's best nudist beaches... READ

Gallery

Photo: Tinnyaw/Flickr

Top ten tricks to survive the Spanish summer

Summer is officially here and the mercury is rising - for those of you who can't get to a beach, The Local offers you our tips on keeping cool in the city. READ

My Spanish Career

Stephanie Schulz settled in Valencia four years ago. Photo: Agustin Millan

'Valencia is the perfect place to live and work'

In the latest instalment of My Spanish Career, The Local meets Stephanie Schulz, a German living in Valencia where she gives guided tours of the city. READ

More News

Fundació Puigvert surgeons using a surgical robot. Photo: Fundació Puigvert.

Spain performs first all-robot transplant in EU

Doctors in Barcelona have successfully conducted Europe’s first transplant completely performed by robotic surgery. READ

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at a state dinner on July 7th. Photo: Juan Carlos Rojas / AFP

Night drone mystery at Spanish royal palace

The privacy of Spain’s royal family is being invaded by unmanned aircraft which are using the cover of darkness to venture into airspace above King Felipe’s residence. READ

The Spanish town of Ador has made siestas compulsory. Photo: Jessica Jones/The Local

Spanish town brings in compulsory siesta law

A Valencian town is living up to the Spanish stereotype by bringing in a law that ensures each citizen has the right to enjoy an afternoon kip. READ

Carlos and Andrés, the two Spanish officers who saved the newborn baby on Wednesday morning. Photo: Guardía Civil/Twitter.

Mother of abandoned bin baby arrested in Madrid

Police have arrested the mother of a newborn baby who was found alive on Wednesday after being dumped in a rubbish bin in Madrid. READ

Video

Bird selfie. Screengrab: Martin Lozano/YouTube

Seagull steals camera for amazing bird's eye selfie

A cheeky seagull in northern Spain stole a tourist's camera and flew off with it providing astonishing footage from the air as well as some rather amusing close-ups of the bird itself. READ

Football focus

Uruguayan star striker Christian Stuani is on his way to North East England. Photo: Eitan Abramovich/AFP

Espanyol star striker to head to Middlesbrough

English second tier outfit Middlesbrough have agreed a deal in principle to sign Uruguay international striker Christian Stuani from Spanish side Espanyol. READ

Tourists relax on the beach in Barcelona. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP

Catalonia declares war on Airbnb type rentals

Tourists face a new tax for staying in private homes in Catalonia as part of a clampdown that will see severe restrictions placed on holiday rentals. READ

In pics: San Fermin

Bull-run festival comes to an end in Pamplona

Pamplona's San Fermin Festival ended with a rousing singalong in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The Local takes a look at some of the most striking images from the last few days of Spain's famous - and controversial - bull-running fest. READ

Demonstrators hold up traditionally pro-Catalan independence flags at a rally in Barcelona. Photo: Josep Lago / AFP.

Catalan parties form pact for independence

Parties seeking independence for Catalonia have forged an alliance for September regional elections that they hope will boost their drive to break away from Spain, sources said on Wednesday. READ

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Federico Parra / AFP.

Venezuela: Spanish law 'violates human rights'

Nicolás Maduro - the president of Venezuela who has established rule by decree in his own country twice - denounced Spain’s controversial "gag law" because it violates human rights and resembles a dictatorship. READ

Read older articles »

From our other editions:

The gravestone of Gisbert Katzwendel. Photo: Private

Nazi symbols 'must be removed from graves'

A cemetery plot owner in Linz, Upper Austria, has been told to remove Nazi symbols from two tombstones after complaints from visitors. READ

Photo: Mateusz Atroszko

Teen falls ill after eating drug-laced meal in Zurich

A family night out turned into a drama when a teenager had to be hospitalized after getting high on a cannabis-laced vegetarian meal at Zurich’s Kaufleuten club. READ

Merkel attempts to comfort a crying Reem during their encounter. Photo: Norddeutsche Rundfunk/Screenshot

Palestinian girl defends Merkel against criticism

Angela Merkel's televised response to a 14-year-old Palestinian refugee brought the girl to tears on Wednesday and unleashed an internet storm against the Chancellor. But now the girl has defended Merkel. READ

The Danish Way

Photo: Colourbox

Danes have the right approach to discipline

Opinion columnist Jessica Alexander and her Danish husband had very different thoughts about how to raise their children but the American transplant eventually adopted 'The Danish Way' and thinks all parents should too. READ

'Adieu France': Mum's parting rant goes viral

An acrimonious Facebook post by a French entrepreneur who claims she is being forced to move her family abroad because France "prevents success" has clearly struck a chord, picking tens of thousands of "Likes" and "Shares" as well as the attention of the media. READ

Italy's Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan has come under fire after the country's public debt hit a new record in May. Photo: Eric Piemont/AFP

Italy's public debt hits new record

The amount of public debt racked up by the eurozone’s third largest economy reached a new record of €2.2 trillion in May, up by €23.4 billion in a month, the Bank of Italy said on Tuesday READ

Hilde Krohn Huse hanging from a rope. Photo: Hilde Krohn Huse

Norway artist's naked tree stunt goes awry

A Norwegian contemporary artist has confessed to being left hanging naked in a tree for three and a half hours after an video art installation she filmed in a Norwegian forest went wrong. READ

Villa Sjötorp. Photo: Courtesy of Rädda Villa Sjötorp Facebook group

Huge Swedish house for sale for just one krona

A grand French Renaissance style house in Gävle, 160km north of Stockholm, is up for sale for one krona ($0.11). The catch? The buyer must renovate it and move in. READ

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