Spain

An artist's rendering of Madrid's Gran Vía, one of the city's biggest and busiest avenues, shows what the thoroughfare would look like if building facades were covered in plants. Madrid is offering tax incentives to companies or private owners willing to

World News

Hot, Dry Madrid Aims For A Cooler, Greener Future

7:00am July 09, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

A huge, vertical garden covering the wall of Madrid's CaixaForum is both a work of art and something practical for the environment. It's among several steps the city has taken to fight climate change.

Inside a pumping station on the Guadalquivir River, José Godoy tests the water for salt content. When drought hits, the water becomes too salty, and can poison crops.

Drought Threatens Crops, Wildlife Along Spain's Guadalquivir River Delta

11:36am July 02, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

As they drill more wells to water crops, drought-stricken farmers in southwest Spain confront environmentalists in Doñana National Park, a migratory bird refuge that's lost 80 percent of its aquifer.

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President of the Catalan regional government Carles Puigdemont (center) announced a referendum for independence from Spain on Friday in Barcelona.

Catalonia To Hold Referendum In October On Leaving Spain

4:50pm June 09, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

The Spanish government, however, said the vote will not happen "because it is illegal." The region held a largely symbolic independence vote in 2014, which passed overwhelmingly, but turnout was low.

Tilted Shed's "Inclinado," one of the few American impressions of Spanish-style sidra natural.

An Ancient Spanish Style Of Cider Takes Root In America

2:38pm June 05, 2017

by Alastair Bland

The tart, funky-tasting "sidra natural" can taste a bit off to first-timers. but as America's craft hard-cider market grows, and sour beer becomes more popular, people are warming up to the drink.

Unsold cars, used and new, are unloaded from tractor-trailers into a parking lot south of Madrid. It's one of the biggest sales areas for used cars and scrap metal near the Spanish capital. Vendors say they're anticipating difficulty selling diesel cars,

In Madrid, A Plan To Fight Pollution By Shifting Away From Diesel-Run Cars

5:14pm April 06, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

Half of all cars in Europe run on diesel, compared to 3 percent in the U.S. But Madrid has vowed to ban diesel vehicles by 2025, to cut air pollution. Paris and Athens have made similar pledges.

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The limestone Rock of Gibraltar towers above the pensinsula, a British dependent territory that profits from tourism, finance and its shipyard.

World News

The Dust-up Over Gibraltar: What's The Big Deal About The Little Peninsula?

7:06pm April 03, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

Anger, frustration, even an unsubtle suggestion of war — there's been some heated talk lately between the U.K. and Spain about a single rock. Here's a primer on what all the fuss is about.

Now, now, we know what you're thinking: How will I ever tell them apart?

Cristiano Ronaldo's New Bronze Bust Is Turning Heads

6:08pm March 29, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

At the dedication of an airport named for the soccer legend, officials unveiled another honor: a bust of his head. The Internet was quick to note that the bust, well, kind of missed its mark.

Old posters on the wall of a school in San Cristóbal call on students to participate in a strike last November. The slogan warns, "Get out of the way, Francoists!" Spain's experience of decades of dictatorship helps protect against an embrace of the righ

Unlike Elsewhere In Europe, The Far Right In Spain Stays On The Fringe

9:40am March 16, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

Amid the rise of far-right political parties in Europe, Spain has no similar movement. That may be due to its history under a dictatorship and Spaniards' own experience as impoverished migrants.

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Tourists take pictures in front of Barcelona's Sagrada Familia church. The city of 1.6 million gets more than 30 million tourists a year.

World News

For Barcelona, Tourism Boom Comes At High Cost

10:07am March 01, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

Many complain their magnificent city is being ruined by tourism. Some 30 million visitors arrive every year, bringing much-needed revenue — but crowding out longtime residents and businesses.

Ada Colau, center, celebrates after her election as Barcelona's mayor in 2015.

For Barcelona Activist Turned Mayor, The Anti-Corruption Goals Stay The Same

6:38am February 25, 2017

by Lauren Frayer

Ada Colau is a former Occupy activist, once arrested for blocking home evictions during Spain's economic crisis. Now she's Barcelona's mayor, a job in which, she says, "you're closest to the people."