https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Devils, dancing, fire and dragons, discover all about the explosive correfoc festivals held in northeastern Spain. https://www.thelocal.com/20240129/in-images-spains-devilishly-explosive-correfoc-celebrations Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:36:49 +0100 in-images-spains-devilishly-explosive-correfoc-celebrations Spain's railway system is under more scrutiny than ever after a commuter train crashed near Barcelona, just days after at least 42 people died in a collision between two high-speed trains. https://www.thelocal.com/20260121/rail-safety-questioned-as-spain-reels-from-twin-train-disasters Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:42:13 +0100 rail-safety-questioned-as-spain-reels-from-twin-train-disasters The Basque Country and Catalonia are two of Spain’s wealthiest regions according to pretty much every indicator. What’s behind their success? https://www.thelocal.com/20241015/why-are-the-basque-country-and-catalonia-so-rich-compared-to-the-rest-of-spain Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:24:18 +0200 why-are-the-basque-country-and-catalonia-so-rich-compared-to-the-rest-of-spain Spain's national weather agency on Monday downgraded its rain alert for northeastern Catalonia following torrential rain that left 18 people injured, including one seriously, authorities said. https://www.thelocal.com/20251012/spain-back-on-flood-alert-as-torrential-rains-strike Sun, 12 Oct 2025 23:25:44 +0200 spain-back-on-flood-alert-as-torrential-rains-strike Barcelona unveiled on Thursday a plan to reduce the number of cruise passengers arriving at its port, part of a wider trend to combat overtourism in Europe's most popular destinations. https://www.thelocal.com/20250718/tourist-magnet-barcelona-to-cut-cruise-ship-capacity Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:38:19 +0200 tourist-magnet-barcelona-to-cut-cruise-ship-capacity New rules on temporary rental contracts mean that long-term renters in Barcelona and across Catalonia will have better protections against landlords who try to use get around rules on price caps by only offering contracts under a year in length. https://www.thelocal.com/20250410/barcelona-to-limit-temporary-rent-prices-so-landlords-stop-skirting-rules Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:56:48 +0200 barcelona-to-limit-temporary-rent-prices-so-landlords-stop-skirting-rules Following several concessions from the Spanish government, Catalan separatists now want to create their own immigration agency with the power to set quotas and make it compulsory for foreign residents to have Catalan language lessons. https://www.thelocal.com/20241001/could-catalonia-force-foreigners-to-learn-catalan Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:45:26 +0200 could-catalonia-force-foreigners-to-learn-catalan Carles Puigdemont, the former leader of Catalonia who fled Spain over his role in a failed 2017 independence bid, returned to Spain on Thursday after seven years on the run despite a pending arrest warrant, but promptly disappeared again. https://www.thelocal.com/20240808/breaking-exiled-catalan-separatist-leader-puigdemont-returns-to-spain Thu, 08 Aug 2024 11:21:38 +0200 breaking-exiled-catalan-separatist-leader-puigdemont-returns-to-spain The Catalan city of Girona has seen acts of vandalism against cycling businesses and a new neighbourhood association set up to protest against mass tourism and expat “gentrification”, as locals in another city in Spain says it’s “reached its limit”. https://www.thelocal.com/20240520/girona-calls-for-expat-census-as-anti-mass-tourism-sentiment-in-spain-grows Mon, 20 May 2024 12:56:18 +0200 girona-calls-for-expat-census-as-anti-mass-tourism-sentiment-in-spain-grows Whether it be limits on swimming pools, street cleaning or even daily water consumptions limits, several parts of Spain are considering their drought restrictions ahead of the summer season. https://www.thelocal.com/20240508/will-drought-restrictions-affect-summer-holidays-in-spain Wed, 08 May 2024 14:27:39 +0200 will-drought-restrictions-affect-summer-holidays-in-spain Catalonia's emergency drought plan involves a whole series of water restrictions which will affect 6 million from Friday February 2nd, many in Barcelona. The following drought map and rules breakdown explains in detail. https://www.thelocal.com/20240202/explained-what-and-where-are-the-drought-water-restrictions-in-catalonia Fri, 02 Feb 2024 11:27:53 +0100 explained-what-and-where-are-the-drought-water-restrictions-in-catalonia Spain's conservative opposition parties and members of its judiciary have stepped up criticism of acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's plans to offer amnesty to Catalan separatists in return for their support in an upcoming investiture vote. https://www.thelocal.com/20231106/end-of-democracy-spains-opposition-steps-up-criticism-of-amnesty-plan Mon, 06 Nov 2023 16:34:11 +0100 end-of-democracy-spains-opposition-steps-up-criticism-of-amnesty-plan ‘Amnistía’ is the single most divisive word in Spanish politics currently. What would it mean if Catalan separatists were to achieve it and why have thousands protested to make sure it doesn't happen? https://www.thelocal.com/20231009/why-is-spains-amnesty-plan-so-controversial Mon, 09 Oct 2023 13:28:43 +0200 why-is-spains-amnesty-plan-so-controversial Spain's demand for Catalan, Basque and Galician to become official EU languages faced opposition on Tuesday as the bloc's member states fear any such move will trigger a domino effect. https://www.thelocal.com/20230919/eu-states-reluctant-to-add-catalan-as-official-language Tue, 19 Sep 2023 15:08:40 +0200 eu-states-reluctant-to-add-catalan-as-official-language Catalan, Basque and Galician will now be used as 'co-official' languages in Spain's Congress, while EU member states mull over whether to recognise them at the European level. Here's why the decision has been taken and what it'll mean in practice. https://www.thelocal.com/20230919/why-spain-has-allowed-regional-languages-to-be-spoken-in-congress Tue, 19 Sep 2023 13:32:31 +0200 why-spain-has-allowed-regional-languages-to-be-spoken-in-congress The Court of Justice of the EU on Wednesday dismissed a challenge brought by three Catalan MEPs over the European Parliament stripping them of their immunity at Spain's request. https://www.thelocal.com/20230705/eu-court-confirms-lifting-of-catalan-meps-immunity Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:34:26 +0200 eu-court-confirms-lifting-of-catalan-meps-immunity