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Alfred Milà. Photo: liteboat.fr

Owner of Spain’s biggest kayak firm disappears while kayaking off Ibiza

Alfred Milà went missing on Tuesday while kayaking off the coast of the Balearic island of Ibiza.

Design of three waiters serving in a café: Geoffrey Houghton Brown / V&A

Luck strikes twice for three lottery winning waiters in seaside resort

They couldn’t believe their luck when their number was drawn in the Christmas lottery but just two weeks later the waiters were celebrating again with another win.

A plane similar to the one that crashed, pictured in 2010. Photo: Tom Gulbrandsen/TT

Fears for Spanish pilot as cargo plane crashes in remote Lapland

A pilot believed to be from Spain was on board a cargo plane that crashed in a remote area en route from Sweden to Norway, the aircraft’s operator has confirmed.

Photo: Sirenas Mediterranean Academy

How to be a mermaid: Swimming academy makes a splash in Spain

A horrible accident inspired one Spanish woman to follow her lifelong dream... to become a mermaid and help others follow in her wake.

Fallen leaves in Madrid's Retiro park. Photo: Antonio López/Flickr

Could late autumn leaf fall pose security problem in Madrid?

The conservative opposition in the Spanish capital has complained that Madrid’s streets are so covered with leaves they pose a "security problem".

Neymar celebrates after scoring against Espanyol. Photo: Pau Barrena / AFP

Espanyol reported over 'monkey chants' against Barça's Neymar

Espanyol has been reported to the anti-violence commission over racist 'monkey chants' aimed at the Brazilian player.

The tiny photo of King Felipe VI was considered disrepectful. Photo: AFP

Passport-sized royal portrait lands cheeky Catalan councilors in court

One republican-minded town in Catalonia came up with a nifty way around a law that requires the portrait of the monarch to be displayed in every council chamber.

Children celebrate San Sebastian's saint day - La Tamborrada. Photo: Rafa Rivas / AFP

What's on in Spain: January 2016

The holidays have come and gone, but there's still plenty to do in Spain during the first month of the year.

General election

Photo: Pedro Armestre/AFP

Spain's Socialist leader heads to Portugal for tips on govt forming

Pedro Sanchez is meeting the Portuguese leader in a sign he may be considering forming the same sort of left-wing alliance that brought down the ruling conservatives in Lisbon.

Video

Screen grab: Canarias7/YouTube

Free Willy: Spanish swimmer saves whale caught in illegal fishing net

A young Spaniard risked his life to free a whale that had become caught in an illegal fishing net off the island of Fuerteventura.

Features

All photos: Fiona Govan

Black diamonds: How a corner of Spain became world's truffle capital

In a remote corner of eastern Spain the cultivation of pungent 'black diamonds' is transforming a rural economy and making the region the truffle capital of the world.

Christmas 2015

Photo: Jaime Reina / AFP

Ten magical ways to give your kids the best Spanish Christmas ever

What child wouldn't love the fact that in Spain you get to celebrate, not once, nor twice, but three times, during the festive period? Lisa Sadleir tells The Local how to get the best out of Christmas in Spain.

Two of the Number26 founders, Maximilian Tayenthal (l) and Valentin Stalf (r). Photo: Number26

The startup looking to revolutionize the Spanish banking experience

A German startup is offering Spaniards the chance to avoid the hassle of long queues and awkward opening hours of Spanish banks and do everything on a smartphone - and in English.

Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou / AFP

'We've missed you': King honours Jews banished during Inquisition

Spain's King Felipe VI has honoured Sephardic Jews who were banished more than five centuries ago during the Inquisition, after a law allowing dual citizenship for their descendants came into force.

The Local list

Photo: AFP

Ten brilliant ways to enjoy winter in Spain

Whether it is hearty stews, mountain vistas or shopping and culture, winter in Spain offers its own delights. Here is a look at ten of the best activities to enjoy in the cooler months.

More news

A procession to commemorate the victims. Photo: Marvin Recinos / AFP

El Salvador to arrest 17 soldiers for murder of Spanish missionaries

El Salvador has vowed to follow Spain's request to arrest 17 retired soldiers accused of killing six Jesuit priests and two women in 1989.

One of the Three Kings in Madrid. Photo: Ayuntamiento Madrid.

Spain's Three Kings celebrations bring gifts, sweets...and controversy

The Three Kings, or Magi, visited Spain to bring children their presents. But this year they brought a whole heap of controversy too.

The Local list

Photo: Eduardo/Flickr

Ten adrenaline-fuelled adventures for thrill-seekers in Spain in 2016

Looking for some excitement in 2016? The Local gives you a list of the best adventures for daredevils in Spain.

Photo: AFP

Spain cites Gibraltar in backing sovereignty talks over Falklands

Spain stirred up long-running diplomatic tensions on Wednesday with a statement saying it too sought "bilateral dialogue with the UK" over Gibraltar.

Spain's King Felipe VI delivers a speech during the Pascua Militar ceremony held at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Photo: Juan Carlos Hidalgo/AFP/pool

Spanish king exhorts military to stand up to terrorism

In his speech marking his second Pascua Militar parade, King Felipe VI did not mention the nation’s political uncertainty, preferring to focus instead on offering a pep talk to the Spanish armed forces.

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From our other editions

New Year's Eve sexual assaults

New Year's Eve fireworks over Salzburg. File photo: Tourismus Salzburg

Salzburg women report NYE sexual assaults

Several women in the Austrian city of Salzburg have said they were sexually assaulted on New Year’s Eve - this comes after German police were accused of a cover-up after dozens of women in Cologne were assaulted on the same evening.

Louis-Dreyfus's partner is Philipp Hildebrand, the former head of Switzerland's central bank. Photo: AFP

Swiss commodities billionaire to have twins

Swiss multi-billionaire businesswoman Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, whose partner is the former head of the Swiss National Bank, is pregnant with twins, due in the spring.

Cologne. Photo: DPA

Cover-up claim over NYE mass sexual assaults

Men of ‘Arab background’ were likely responsible for mass sexual assaults in Cologne over the New Year, police said on Monday - as a social media storm accused police and media of a cover-up.

Refugee crisis