Barcelona
'Organizing chaos': Moroccans in Spain send aid convoys home after devastating earthquake
Moroccans continue digging out victims from this month’s 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the Atlas Mountains. The death toll now stands at nearly 3,000 people. Many more have been left homeless. Morocco’s government has so far only accepted aid from a handful of countries, but Moroccans overseas are stepping up. In Spain, they’re collecting supplies to send to victims, but it isn’t always easy.
Formerly homeless American in Barcelona helps others get off the streets
'She is the evolution of reggaeton': The rise of trans Puerto Rican artist Villano Antillano
'Planet Hip Hop': The music will always be the voice of the people, Samy Alim says
Barcelona gets bombarded by selfie-taking tourists
Catalan separatists want university classes taught in the local language. Spanish academics resist the change.
Language has always been at the heart of the Catalan people’s campaign for independence. And the regional government is once again demanding that university professors teach their courses in Catalan. But does the Catalan-language law further the nationalist cause, or leave the region more isolated? Professors are already rebelling.
Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival grows even larger
Music festivals are ever-expanding enterprises, adding new locations and dates, even if they're repeating the same line-up.
New Kings and Queens soccer leagues enlist internet stars to revamp sport
The game is loosely based on soccer, but immersed in video game culture and reality TV antics. In Barcelona, Spain, the second season of the Kings League kicks off the first weekend of May alongside the first season of the Queens League. This summer, the Prince Cup will launch for kids ages 9 to 11.
Some of the world’s biggest clothing makers want to sell you their clothes — twice
Big, fast-fashion brands have traditionally ignored the second-hand market, but it’s grown too large not to get into the game. H&M and Spanish clothing giant Zara are leading a new trend, opening portals where customers can sell and buy their used, brand-specific shirts and skirts. The companies say they’re joining the circular economy but critics call it greenwashing.
Barcelona residents in limbo over Sagrada Familía construction plans
The Sagrada Familía church, designed 140 years ago by architect Antoni Gaudí, is still under construction. Now, plans to finally construct its front entrance have sparked controversy due to its potential impact on nearby residential neighborhoods.
A spike in ringworm cases in Spain leads to a surprising culprit: the barbershop
A ringworm outbreak among Spanish teens has been traced back to barbershops and a fashionable haircut: the fade. Spanish dermatologists blame dirty electric razors.
Big tobacco is forced to pay for cigarette butt pollution in Spain, but smokers may soon be on the hook
They’re tiny, they’re toxic, they’re everywhere. Cigarette butts are a huge source of pollution in Spain and lawmakers have said, enough. They're ordering cigarette makers to pay for the cleanup, but smokers worry they’ll end up footing the bill.
Barcelona’s children find safety in numbers as they bike to school in herds
Across Spain's Barcelona province children are getting to school in organized convoys of bikes, dubbed "bicibus," or bicycle-bus. As with traditional bus lines, each bicibus route has stops where other cycling students can join along the way. Parents, teachers and other volunteer adults ride, too, to ensure the kids’ safety.
As World Cup wraps, Morocco team inspires Arab unity around the world
Morocco’s Atlas Lions have a lot to celebrate at this year's World Cup in Qatar. They became both the first Arab and the first African team to reach the semifinals, inspiring Arab unity around the world.
China has a police network that stretches across some 30 countries, NGO says
The Madrid-based nongovernmental organization Safeguard Defenders says that China has an extended police network in dozens of countries around the world, with the goal of coercing criminal suspects to return home to China. Beijing doesn't deny they exist, but says they are legitimate and used for legal purposes.