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 Spanish police said Sunday they had smashed a trafficking ring which brought Romanians, many of them with disabilities, to Spain where they were forced to beg in the streets dressed as mimes and human statues. https://www.thelocal.es/20181028/spain-busts-ring-that-made-romanians-beg-as-human-statues Sun, 28 Oct 2018 17:32:03 +0100 spain-busts-ring-that-made-romanians-beg-as-human-statues In this week's episode of The Local's Europe-wide podcast, Lee Roden looks at what the future might hold for Catalonia. https://www.thelocal.es/20171027/theres-no-safe-option-in-catalonia-now Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:22:58 +0200 theres-no-safe-option-in-catalonia-now The diocese of Bilbao has warned its congregation not to give alms to beggars because of their disruptive behaviour around some of the city’s churches. https://www.thelocal.es/20150112/dont-give-money-to-beggars-bilbao-church Mon, 12 Jan 2015 14:05:00 +0100 dont-give-money-to-beggars-bilbao-church A politician belonging to Spain's ruling party has called for a census to be drawn of all homeless people in the Catalan city of Tarragona, alleging that "the majority belong to organized crime groups" and should therefore be forced out. https://www.thelocal.es/20140618/beggars-belong-to-mafias-we-must-kick-them-out Wed, 18 Jun 2014 13:12:00 +0200 beggars-belong-to-mafias-we-must-kick-them-out A Swedish magazine sold by the homeless has caught the attention of national media in the Scandinavian country after it highlighted the plight of scores of destitute Swedes who beg in Spain's most popular tourist areas. https://www.thelocal.es/20140429/swedes-beg-in-spain-immigration-schengen Tue, 29 Apr 2014 15:03:00 +0200 swedes-beg-in-spain-immigration-schengen Spanish police have broken up a human trafficking ring that exploited disabled Romanian migrants by promising them jobs in Spain and then forcing them to beg and work as prostitutes on the streets of Alicante and Benidorm. https://www.thelocal.es/20140410/gang-forces-disabled-foreigners-into-begging-and-sex-work Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:46:47 +0200 gang-forces-disabled-foreigners-into-begging-and-sex-work "Beat the crowds and rent out the home everyone in Spain will have in a few years," read a satirical property ad that has struck a chord with thousands of struggling Spaniards. https://www.thelocal.es/20131015/750-bench-madrids-most-costly-real-estate Tue, 15 Oct 2013 12:43:00 +0200 750-bench-madrids-most-costly-real-estate The UK's Independent newspaper has labelled Madrid's proposed tough new laws against everything from urinating in the street to busking during Spain's siesta hours the city's "biggest crackdown since Franco". https://www.thelocal.es/20131011/madrids-new-laws-biggest-crackdown-since-franco Fri, 11 Oct 2013 12:08:00 +0200 madrids-new-laws-biggest-crackdown-since-franco Madrid city hall has drawn up proposals that would introduce fines for anti-social behaviour including urinating outdoors, littering and soliciting a prostitute on the street, a spokesman said on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20131010/filthy-madrid-plans-750-fines-for-public-urination Thu, 10 Oct 2013 11:46:09 +0200 filthy-madrid-plans-750-fines-for-public-urination