Severe weather from Storm Emilia created the journey from hell for passengers and their cars on a ferry between Algeciras in the south of Spain and Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the north coast of Africa. The journey only usually takes one hour, but the sea in the Strait of Gibraltar tossed the 3,500-tonne ferry around like an inflatable dinghy. …

THE US-based short-term rental site Airbnb has been slapped with a €64 million fine by the Spanish government over more than 65,000 adverts encouraging customers to rent out unlicenced tourist apartments. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs announced that it has identified 65,122 ads on Airbnb’s site promoting tourist apartments which violate consumer protection laws. Investigators found advertisements that listed accommodations …

Populations of the The iconic stork – the much-loved wild bird native to north and central Spain – are being devastated by a rapidly-mutating bird flu virus. Spanish skylines are dotted with storks. Readers familiar with Madrid, Ávila or Burgos will recall the huge, untidy nests that these superb birds build on every urban high point, including cathedrals. Last week, …