https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The number of people refused entry to the EU and Schengen area has risen dramatically, according to new statistics, while thousands of US, UK and Indian nationals have been found to be illegally present in EU/Schengen countries. https://www.thelocal.es/20260518/trend-will-continue-number-of-people-refused-entry-to-europe-on-the-rise Mon, 18 May 2026 15:58:26 +0200 trend-will-continue-number-of-people-refused-entry-to-europe-on-the-rise Teachers and other educators in Valencia, Catalonia and Aragón have been staging a series of walkouts in recent days, protesting everything from class sizes to salary and working conditions. Here's what you need to know about the situation this week. https://www.thelocal.es/20260518/what-to-expect-from-the-second-week-of-teacher-strikes-in-spain Mon, 18 May 2026 16:36:15 +0200 what-to-expect-from-the-second-week-of-teacher-strikes-in-spain A Spanish court has ordered the tax authority to refund Colombian pop star Shakira more than €55 million ($64 million) improperly collected in a dispute over her 2011 taxes, according to a ruling seen Monday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260518/court-in-spain-orders-e55-million-tax-refund-to-shakira Mon, 18 May 2026 12:13:29 +0200 court-in-spain-orders-e55-million-tax-refund-to-shakira If you live in Spain on the Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV), it’s important to be aware that you’ll be taxed here and will have to fill out the annual income tax return. https://www.thelocal.es/20250618/what-non-lucrative-visa-holders-should-know-about-spains-annual-tax-declaration Wed, 18 Jun 2025 13:58:51 +0200 what-non-lucrative-visa-holders-should-know-about-spains-annual-tax-declaration This week is set to be the hottest of the year so far across much of Spain, the country's weather agency has announced. https://www.thelocal.es/20260518/up-to-34c-spain-to-experience-summer-like-temperatures-this-week Mon, 18 May 2026 11:28:28 +0200 up-to-34c-spain-to-experience-summer-like-temperatures-this-week The Bank of Spain is considering imposing stricter rules for securing a mortgage, while acknowledging this could have an impact on young and lower-income buyers in the country. https://www.thelocal.es/20260518/spain-mulls-tighter-mortgage-requirements Mon, 18 May 2026 10:37:48 +0200 spain-mulls-tighter-mortgage-requirements Bizum app to work for payments in shops in Spain, Canadian cops arrested for sexual assault in Barcelona, Spain says Ebola risk 'very low' amid DRC and Uganda outbreak and more news on Monday May 18th. https://www.thelocal.es/20260518/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-monday-80 Mon, 18 May 2026 08:55:46 +0200 today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-monday-80 Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialists were subjected to an unprecedented drubbing in Andalusian regional elections on Sunday that could see far-right Vox partly govern in another Spanish region, partial results showed. https://www.thelocal.es/20260517/spanish-pm-faces-fresh-blow-in-key-andalusia-vote Sun, 17 May 2026 10:38:52 +0200 spanish-pm-faces-fresh-blow-in-key-andalusia-vote Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday with Dara's catchy floor-filler "Bangaranga" sweeping the 70th edition of the world's biggest live televised music event and pushing into second place Israel, whose participation had triggered a major boycott. https://www.thelocal.es/20260517/bulgarias-bangaranga-wins-eurovision-with-israel-second Sun, 17 May 2026 10:44:45 +0200 bulgarias-bangaranga-wins-eurovision-with-israel-second If you bought a property in Spain last year and you're a tax resident, it's mandatory to declare this on your income tax return. Here's how. https://www.thelocal.es/20260511/how-your-annual-tax-declaration-changes-when-you-buy-a-property-in-spain Mon, 11 May 2026 10:59:52 +0200 how-your-annual-tax-declaration-changes-when-you-buy-a-property-in-spain Ever wondered who has the highest tax burden in Spain? We find out if you ultimately pay more as a salaried employee, a self-employed worker, an investor or a landlord. https://www.thelocal.es/20260512/explained-do-spains-self-employed-pay-more-tax-than-employees Tue, 12 May 2026 15:37:40 +0200 explained-do-spains-self-employed-pay-more-tax-than-employees Spanish emergency services on Saturday recovered the body of a missing British mountaineer whose appeal for rescue from a freezing high-altitude route went in vain due to fierce blizzards. https://www.thelocal.es/20260516/british-mountaineer-61-dies-in-spanish-national-park Sat, 16 May 2026 14:40:33 +0200 british-mountaineer-61-dies-in-spanish-national-park In this week’s Inside Spain, we look at how the country's small neighbourhood stores are struggling to survive against the likes of Amazon, and why this matters so much for the Spanish lifestyle we all appreciate. https://www.thelocal.es/20260516/inside-spain-the-fight-to-stop-family-run-shops-from-closing-down Sat, 16 May 2026 10:09:58 +0200 inside-spain-the-fight-to-stop-family-run-shops-from-closing-down Spain's boycott of the Eurovision song contest over Israel's war in Gaza puts it "on the right side of history", Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Friday, ahead of the final in Austria. https://www.thelocal.es/20260516/spains-eurovision-boycott-puts-it-on-the-right-side-of-history-pm-says Sat, 16 May 2026 09:10:06 +0200 spains-eurovision-boycott-puts-it-on-the-right-side-of-history-pm-says Filling out your Spanish income tax return can be daunting and mistakes can be made, so what happens if you submit your form with an error? Will you always have to pay a fine and how much will it be? Is there a way of correcting the mistake in time? https://www.thelocal.es/20240520/what-are-the-fines-if-you-make-mistakes-on-your-spanish-tax-return Mon, 20 May 2024 14:09:07 +0200 what-are-the-fines-if-you-make-mistakes-on-your-spanish-tax-return We all know that Spanish bureaucracy can be difficult to deal with, but these apps can make it just that little bit easier. https://www.thelocal.es/20260514/10-apps-that-will-help-you-with-bureaucracy-in-spain Thu, 14 May 2026 10:17:48 +0200 10-apps-that-will-help-you-with-bureaucracy-in-spain Are you the type of person who only pays by card or via mobile app these days? Here's why you should consider keeping some cash at home and how much the Bank of Spain believes you should have stashed away. https://www.thelocal.es/20260513/how-much-money-spain-recommends-you-keep-at-home-for-emergencies Wed, 13 May 2026 09:50:41 +0200 how-much-money-spain-recommends-you-keep-at-home-for-emergencies The challenge of moving to a new country, or even a new city, is how to make new friends and connections. Here are some of the best ways to meet people in Spain. https://www.thelocal.es/20260515/seven-proven-ways-to-help-you-meet-new-people-in-spain Fri, 15 May 2026 11:42:29 +0200 seven-proven-ways-to-help-you-meet-new-people-in-spain The head of the World Health Organisation on Thursday published an open letter thanking the people of Tenerife for showing "moral courage" in accepting to help those aboard a cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak to evacuate. https://www.thelocal.es/20260515/thank-you-tenerife-who-chief-praises-spanish-island-in-hantavirus-fight Fri, 15 May 2026 11:35:20 +0200 thank-you-tenerife-who-chief-praises-spanish-island-in-hantavirus-fight The world's biggest football spectacle kicks off on June 11th, but unfortunately getting to watch all the matches on TV while in Spain is going to be more complicated and expensive than ever. These are your best options and the games airing for free. https://www.thelocal.es/20260515/where-to-watch-the-2026-world-cup-on-tv-in-spain Fri, 15 May 2026 11:18:02 +0200 where-to-watch-the-2026-world-cup-on-tv-in-spain