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 Spain's conservative Popular Party (PP) was left with egg on its face Saturday after posting a video on Twitter suggesting it wished Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dead, drawing criticism and forcing it to delete the tweet. https://www.thelocal.es/20190107/spains-conservatives-shock-with-pm-death-tweet Mon, 07 Jan 2019 11:26:25 +0100 spains-conservatives-shock-with-pm-death-tweet Madrid’s City Hall received complaints that some children failed to receive toys from the Three Kings, who traditionally deliver gifts on Epiphany. https://www.thelocal.es/20170110/children-report-three-kings-to-council-over-toy-delivery-failure Tue, 10 Jan 2017 18:25:17 +0100 children-report-three-kings-to-council-over-toy-delivery-failure Madrid will restrict large vehicles from entering Madrid during the run up to the Three Kings parades on January 5th as security is stepped up to avert a possible terrorism attack. https://www.thelocal.es/20161230/madrid-bans-large-trucks-from-city-centre-over-terrorist-fears Fri, 30 Dec 2016 17:41:48 +0100 madrid-bans-large-trucks-from-city-centre-over-terrorist-fears The conservative opposition in the Spanish capital has complained that Madrid’s streets are so covered with leaves they pose a "security problem". https://www.thelocal.es/20160108/could-late-autumn-leaf-fall-pose-security-problem-in-madrid Fri, 08 Jan 2016 11:36:25 +0100 could-late-autumn-leaf-fall-pose-security-problem-in-madrid On Wednesday, Spaniards celebrated the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, when traditionally Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar - and not Santa - bring children their presents. But the event did not pass without its fair share of controversy. https://www.thelocal.es/20160107/spain-three-kings-bring-gifts-and-controversy Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:17:08 +0100 spain-three-kings-bring-gifts-and-controversy The Epiphany is traditionally Spain's main festive holiday, when children receive their presents brought not by Santa Claus, but by the Three Kings. https://www.thelocal.es/20160104/three-kings-wise-men-magi-santa-spain Mon, 04 Jan 2016 13:26:05 +0100 three-kings-wise-men-magi-santa-spain Parents at a Catholic school in Madrid are fuming after their children were barred from participating in a Christmas Parade. https://www.thelocal.es/20151231/fury-as-school-children-banned-from-madrid-christmas-parade-for-holding-same-sex-classes Thu, 31 Dec 2015 13:03:54 +0100 fury-as-school-children-banned-from-madrid-christmas-parade-for-holding-same-sex-classes Don't mess with tradition. That's the angry message from angry conservative politicians after local councils in Madrid decided to swap queens for kings in a massive annual Christmas parade. https://www.thelocal.es/20151223/angers-as-madrid-council-opts-for-wise-women-in-traditional-christmas-parad Wed, 23 Dec 2015 13:00:39 +0100 angers-as-madrid-council-opts-for-wise-women-in-traditional-christmas-parad The Spanish capital will use actors instead of councillors in the festive parade in order to avoid the much-criticized practice of blacking up King Balthazar. https://www.thelocal.es/20151215/spain-black-actor-to-replace-blacked-up-politician-three-kings-christmas-parade Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:14:18 +0100 spain-black-actor-to-replace-blacked-up-politician-three-kings-christmas-parade The new left-wing run council of Madrid has announced it will end decades of blacking up and enlist a real black person to take part in the popular Three Kings cavalcade. https://www.thelocal.es/20150918/madrid-to-stop-tradition-of-blackface-during-three-kings-parade Fri, 18 Sep 2015 12:58:06 +0200 madrid-to-stop-tradition-of-blackface-during-three-kings-parade A 20-year-old man playing King Balthazar in a Three Kings parade in southern Spain has died after being knocked from the float and hitting his head. https://www.thelocal.es/20150107/king-balthazar-dies-after-parade-accident Wed, 07 Jan 2015 10:11:00 +0100 king-balthazar-dies-after-parade-accident Santa Claus has come off second best in a survey of Spanish children's Christmas preferences with a local tradition proving far more popular. https://www.thelocal.es/20150105/spanish-kids-snub-santa-for-three-kings-christmas Mon, 05 Jan 2015 11:24:00 +0100 spanish-kids-snub-santa-for-three-kings-christmas Police in Zaragoza have fined the three kings who rode their motorbikes without wearing helmets while en route to an appearance at a local school. https://www.thelocal.es/20141223/three-kings-fined-for-not-wearing-helmets-zaragoza Tue, 23 Dec 2014 10:06:00 +0100 three-kings-fined-for-not-wearing-helmets-zaragoza From the truly sublime to the downright bizarre, the festive season in Spain is an amazing experience. Read on to check out The Local's guide to the very best the country has to offer during the 12 highly hedonistic days of Christmas. https://www.thelocal.es/20141212/top-12-things-to-do-in-spain-for-christmas-festive-season Fri, 12 Dec 2014 13:57:00 +0100 top-12-things-to-do-in-spain-for-christmas-festive-season Spain's interior ministry has been forced to defend itself against claims of racism after a poster for a home safety campaign appeared to show a group of three black thieves. https://www.thelocal.es/20140519/spain-home-safety-campaign-not-racist-government-christmas Mon, 19 May 2014 19:53:00 +0200 spain-home-safety-campaign-not-racist-government-christmas A Spanish woman has sued the man who played the character of King Balthazar at her local Christmas parade after he allegedly threw a spinning top at her head. https://www.thelocal.es/20140108/king-balthazar-sued-over-spinning-top-attack Wed, 08 Jan 2014 13:59:00 +0100 king-balthazar-sued-over-spinning-top-attack Spain's cities and towns hosted their traditional Three Kings Parades on Sunday, despite safety concerns following the death of a child in Malaga in 2013. https://www.thelocal.es/20140107/pic-of-the-day-three-kings-parade Tue, 07 Jan 2014 10:51:00 +0100 pic-of-the-day-three-kings-parade