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 have impounded what is believed to be a national record haul of cocaine from a ship in the Atlantic Ocean, with the seizure potentially reaching 40 tonnes, a union said on Monday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260504/spain-seizes-record-cocaine-haul-in-atlantic Mon, 04 May 2026 14:54:36 +0200 spain-seizes-record-cocaine-haul-in-atlantic Spain’s Socialist government has spoken out against the PP and Vox’s plans to give 'national priority' to Spaniards over foreigners in terms of access to public services, warning it will create "first and second-class citizens". https://www.thelocal.es/20260504/inhumane-spains-ruling-socialists-slam-spaniards-first-plan Mon, 04 May 2026 11:47:49 +0200 inhumane-spains-ruling-socialists-slam-spaniards-first-plan In the western Spanish village of Almaraz, the uncertain future of the country's biggest nuclear power plant casts a shadow over the livelihoods of 4,000 people. https://www.thelocal.es/20260504/itll-be-a-desert-village-fights-closure-of-spains-largest-nuclear-plant Mon, 04 May 2026 06:45:28 +0200 itll-be-a-desert-village-fights-closure-of-spains-largest-nuclear-plant You may have never stopped to think about it, but where does Spain - or España - get its name from? https://www.thelocal.es/20240926/why-is-spain-called-spain Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:47:09 +0200 why-is-spain-called-spain Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had no ties with an alleged corruption scheme whose trial has rocked the left-wing government, a key defendant in the case told a court on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260501/spanish-pm-had-no-link-to-graft-scheme-ex-govt-official-tells-trial Fri, 01 May 2026 16:46:13 +0200 spanish-pm-had-no-link-to-graft-scheme-ex-govt-official-tells-trial The European Union's mammoth trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur provisionally enters into force Friday, despite a pending court ruling on its legality. https://www.thelocal.es/20260501/blockbuster-eu-mercosur-trade-deal-enters-into-force Fri, 01 May 2026 09:52:06 +0200 blockbuster-eu-mercosur-trade-deal-enters-into-force Spain's dynamic economy withstood the turmoil unleashed by the Middle East war to post 0.6 percent growth in the first quarter, in line with expectations, official data showed on Thursday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260430/spains-economic-growth-defies-impact-of-middle-east-war Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:46:57 +0200 spains-economic-growth-defies-impact-of-middle-east-war Following the United Kingdom's new anti-smoking law which prohibits anyone born after 2008 from purchasing tobacco for life, there have been calls for Spain's Health Ministry to implement a similar ban. https://www.thelocal.es/20260430/could-spain-follow-uk-in-banning-smoking-for-new-generations Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:06:58 +0200 could-spain-follow-uk-in-banning-smoking-for-new-generations Spain's main opposition conservative party united with the far right to have its leader re-elected in the region of Aragón on Wednesday, their latest alliance before next year's general election. https://www.thelocal.es/20260430/far-right-remain-in-power-in-spains-aragon-region Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:23:35 +0200 far-right-remain-in-power-in-spains-aragon-region Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez headed a criminal organisation that rigged public contracts and illegally funded his Socialist party, a defendant in a trial that has threatened the government told a court on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260429/spains-pm-accused-of-being-crime-kingpin-at-corruption-trial Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:18:44 +0200 spains-pm-accused-of-being-crime-kingpin-at-corruption-trial Spanish inflation cooled in April thanks to falling electricity prices even as the Middle East war roiled global energy markets, official data showed on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20260429/spains-inflation-rate-slows-down-despite-middle-east-war Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:04:45 +0200 spains-inflation-rate-slows-down-despite-middle-east-war Is Labour Day a public holiday across Spain? Here's what you need to know about May 1st here, including a bit of history. https://www.thelocal.es/20230426/is-may-1st-a-public-holiday-in-spain Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:30:14 +0200 is-may-1st-a-public-holiday-in-spain Ryanair's CEO has said that the Irish low-cost airline could cease all operations in Zaragoza if Spanish airport operator Aena maintains its higher fees, confirming already announced flight cuts to the northeastern city. https://www.thelocal.es/20260429/ryanair-threatens-to-pull-out-of-spains-zaragoza-as-it-cuts-flights Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:56:03 +0200 ryanair-threatens-to-pull-out-of-spains-zaragoza-as-it-cuts-flights French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Andorra to "move forwards" on decriminalising abortion during a visit to the principality, which maintains one of Europe's last total bans on abortion. https://www.thelocal.es/20260428/macron-urges-andorra-to-move-forwards-on-decriminalising-abortion Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:49:08 +0200 macron-urges-andorra-to-move-forwards-on-decriminalising-abortion Planning on flying to or from Spain this summer? Now's the time to book your tickets before prices increase even further, the country's Tourism Minister has advised. https://www.thelocal.es/20260428/spain-urges-travellers-to-buy-summer-flights-now-to-avoid-price-hikes Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:30:59 +0200 spain-urges-travellers-to-buy-summer-flights-now-to-avoid-price-hikes Need assistance or support in an emergency or during a difficult time in Spain? Here are the numbers you can call to receive help in English. https://www.thelocal.es/20260428/what-english-language-helplines-are-available-in-spain Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:59:17 +0200 what-english-language-helplines-are-available-in-spain Terraces are popular throughout the year in Spain, but it’s the summer season when they really come alive. In a historic new agreement, this could all be set to change. https://www.thelocal.es/20260428/spains-bar-and-restaurant-terraces-to-close-during-heatwaves Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:59:46 +0200 spains-bar-and-restaurant-terraces-to-close-during-heatwaves Ryanair, Transavia, Volotea and other low-cost airlines are feeling the financial pain from high jet fuel prices as a result of the Middle East war and are cutting flights. https://www.thelocal.es/20260428/budget-airlines-first-to-cut-flights-as-jet-fuel-prices-soar Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:39:16 +0200 budget-airlines-first-to-cut-flights-as-jet-fuel-prices-soar Spain's top criminal court on Monday removed Catalan nationalist figurehead Jordi Pujol from a corruption trial owing to the declining health of the 95-year-old, a titan of modern democratic Spanish politics. https://www.thelocal.es/20260427/catalan-nationalist-titan-95-spared-graft-trial-on-health-grounds Mon, 27 Apr 2026 14:17:26 +0200 catalan-nationalist-titan-95-spared-graft-trial-on-health-grounds A study on homeopathic treatments by Spain's Ministry of Health has concluded that the treatments are no more effective than a placebo. https://www.thelocal.es/20260427/spanish-health-ministry-study-calls-homeopathy-no-better-than-placebo Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:39:34 +0200 spanish-health-ministry-study-calls-homeopathy-no-better-than-placebo