Spain News

Spain rescues close to 600 migrants at sea in one day

By AFP

Madrid - Spanish coastguards rescued nearly 600 people from 15 boats and a jet ski on Wednesday in the waters between Morocco and Spain, a route increasingly used by migrants trying to reach Europe.

Death of baby dolphin triggers outrage in Spain

By AFP

Madrid - Spanish animal lovers reacted with fury on Wednesday after a baby dolphin approached a holiday beach, where it died as bathers played with it and took pictures.

Spain sends help to battle Portugal's wildfires

By AFP

Lisbon - Spanish firefighters and water-dumping aircraft have bolstered Portuguese efforts to gain control of forest fires raging in the centre of the country, the European Commission said Monday.

Basques march in solidarity with Catalonia independence vote

By AFP

Donostia-san Sebasti - Hundreds of Basques turned out on the streets Saturday in support of Catalonia and its planned referendum on independence from Madrid, an ambition long fought for by Basque separatists.

Europe's tainted egg scare reaches Spain

By AFP

Madrid - Liquid egg products tainted by fipronil were discovered at a food company in northern Spain, authorities said Saturday, the first time the chemical that has caused a Europe-wide crisis has been detected in the country.

Spain faces growing calls to free writer wanted by Turkey

By AFP

Madrid - Spain faced growing calls on Friday to free a writer detained in Barcelona on a warrant issued by Turkey, which accuses him of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and links to an unspecified "terror group.

Spain calls in police to help with Barcelona airport strike

By AFP

Madrid - Spain on Friday called in police to help with security checks at Barcelona's busy airport as a strike continues at the peak of the holiday season, causing long queues and safety concerns.

Spain could top Greece in migrant sea arrivals: IOM

By AFP

Madrid - Spain could overtake Greece this year in the number of migrants arriving by sea, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Thursday, coming shore on boats and even jet-skis.

Canary Islands keep beaches open despite algae bloom

By AFP

Santa Cruz De Tenerife - Authorities in Spain's Canary Islands kept beaches open to the public Tuesday but warned holidaymakers against touching potentially irritating microalgae blooms that have infested the waters.

Russian gang boss who slept with axe held in Spain

By AFP

Madrid - A Russian gang boss who slept with an axe under his pillow because he feared a murder attempt has been detained in southern Spain, police said Tuesday.

Italy, Malta keep migrant vessel in limbo

By AFP

Rome - A Spanish vessel with three Libyan migrants aboard was kept in international waters on Tuesday after Italy and Malta refused to let it to dock.

Algae blooms irk Canaries beachgoers

By AFP

Santa Cruz De Tenerife - Microalgae blooms proliferating in hot weather in Spain's Canary Islands are irritating beachgoers, who should avoid direct contact with them, local authorities said Monday.

Scores of migrants storm Morocco-Spain border post

By AFP

Madrid - More than 180 migrants stormed a border post between Morocco and the Spanish territory of Ceuta on Monday, careering through with agents unable to stop them, authorities said.

Spain won't seek to recover Gibraltar in Brexit talks: minister

By AFP

Madrid - Spain will not make its recovery of Gibraltar a condition in the Brexit taks, its foreign minister said in an interview Sunday that could ease tensions over the disputed British territory.

Repsol suspends oil project in disputed sea off Vietnam

By AFP

Hanoi - Spanish oil giant Repsol said it has suspended a multi-million-dollar oil exploration project in an area of the South China Sea off Vietnam claimed by both Hanoi and Beijing, amid reports of a spike in tensions between the communist neighbours.

France remains world's favourite tourism destination

By AFP

Madrid - France retained its position as the world's favourite tourism destination in 2016, the UN's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said Wednesday, defying concerns over terror attacks.

Every summer, Spain hosts annual exodus to north Africa

By AFP

Algeciras - It's the largest annual human migration in Europe: millions of people from France, Belgium and Italy cross Spain every summer to spend their holidays with family in north Africa.

Ronaldo appears in court over tax evasion claims

By AFP

Madrid - Football megastar Cristiano Ronaldo appeared in court near Madrid on Monday accused of evading millions of euros in taxes, the latest player to fall foul of Spain's taxman.

Economic rebound bypasses Spain's poorest neighbourhood

By AFP

Seville - Elvira Montadas pushes her neighbour in a wheelchair along a badly paved sidewalk, past crumbling buildings, in return for some pocket change.

Plight of mother-of-two 'abuse victim' shakes Spain

By AFP

Madrid - The plight of a Spanish woman who vanished with her children after defying a court order to hand them over to her Italian ex-partner, found guilty of domestic violence, has shaken the country.

Football greats fall foul of Spanish taxman

By AFP

Madrid - From Barcelona's star striker Lionel Messi to his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, many football stars have fallen foul of the Spanish taxman over the past few years.Ronaldo appears in court on Monday, accused of evading 14.

Spain files legal challenge to Catalan referendum move

By AFP

Madrid - The Spanish government has filed an appeal with the country's constitutional court against a reform passed by the Catalan parliament to fast-track bills through the regional parliament, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Friday.

Dozens hurt in Barcelona rush-hour train crash

By AFP

Barcelona - A commuter train slammed into the end of the platform during the morning rush-hour at a busy Barcelona station Friday, leaving 56 people injured, one of them seriously, emergency services said.

Catalan MPs vote disputed reform to pave way for referendum

By AFP

Madrid - Catalonia's majority separatist lawmakers approved a reform Wednesday to fast-track bills through parliament, a move they hope will pave the way to holding an independence referendum banned by Madrid.

Spain knifeman remanded in custody after Morocco border incident

By AFP

Madrid - A man who threatened border agents in the Spanish territory of Melilla with a knife while shouting "Allahu Akbar" was remanded in custody without bail, a court said Wednesday.

Spanish PM takes stand as witness at political graft trial

By AFP

San Fernando De Henares - Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy denied any knowledge of an illegal financing scheme within his conservative Popular Party as he testified as a witness at a major graft trial Wednesday.

Spanish PM to take stand as witness at graft trial

By AFP

Madrid - Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will on Wednesday take the stand as a witness in a major graft trial involving former members of his conservative Popular Party, a first in the country.

Man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' in Spain knife attack

By AFP

Madrid - A knife-wielding man shouting "Allahu Akbar" entered the border post between Morocco and the Spanish territory of Melilla on Tuesday, threatening police who wrestled him to the ground.

Spain's PM gears up for graft trial testimony

By AFP

Madrid - Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is gearing up to testify as a witness Wednesday in a major graft trial involving former members of his conservative Popular Party, a first in the country.

200 sheep chased down ravine by bear in southern France

By AFP

Foix - More than 200 sheep have fallen to their deaths after apparently being chased down a gorge in the Pyrenees by a brown bear, officials said Monday.