Spanish police arrested a suspected Islamist for plotting terrorist attacks in Spain and elsewhere in Europe, authorities said Friday.

They arrested Mohamed Echaabi, a 22-year-old Moroccan, on Thursday in the eastern city of Valencia.

Spanish police on Thursday defused a nail bomb found next to a confessional in the Almudena Cathedral in the historic heart of Madrid, officials said.

A priest found the bomb in a bin bag and evacuated the cathedral, a tourist attraction next to the city's old royal palace, a spokesman for the archbishopric of Madrid told AFP.

Thousands of Spanish medical workers marched through downtown Madrid on Monday to protest against budget cuts and plans to partly privatize their cherished national health service.

The march is part of a series of such demonstrations, described as a "white tide" because of the color of the medical scrubs many protesters wear. Participants on Monday walked behind a large banner saying, "Health care is not to be sold, it's to be defended."

Partygoers stampeded at a huge Halloween event in Madrid in the early hours of Thursday, creating a terrifying human crush that killed three young women, Spanish police said.

Many young people were in tears as they battled against a human tide for the exits doors in a panic apparently sparked by someone throwing a flare, according to police and witnesses.

Hundreds of firefighters battled several wildfires that raged west of Madrid Tuesday and forced the evacuation overnight of 2,000 people from their homes, an emergency services spokesman said.

The fires, which broke out on Monday and have so far ravaged over 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) according to Spanish media reports, appear to have been deliberately set, he added.

Madrid's Museo del Prado has joined with Paris' Musee du Louvre to stage a major exhibition of the late works of Italian Renaissance master Raphael.

"Late Raphael", to be shown from June 12-September 16 in the Spanish capital's Prado, is devoted to final years' production of the artist and his studio.

Once a haunt of the greats from Ernest Hemingway to Salvador Dali and Hollywood beauty Eva Gardner, Madrid's famous Cafe Gijon may be nearing the end of its 120-year history.

Shaded under the tall trees of the Spanish capital's Paseo de Recoletos Boulevard, the cafe's outside tables have lured artists, writers and actors since 1888.

Global markets rose on Thursday, boosted by hopes that Europe is preparing to give Spain financial aid to help it cope with the cost of saving its banks and that the Federal Reserve will consider additional support for the U.S. economy.

Spain's government cannot afford to rescue its banking sector but is reluctant to accept a full-fledged bailout from its eurozone partners, as that would mean giving up control over some of its domestic policies.

The euro plumbed two-year lows in Asia on Thursday as nervous traders ditched the single currency for safer units, including the yen and dollar, amid worries over Spain's faltering bank sector.

The euro changed hands at $1.2363 in Tokyo morning trade, against $1.2366 in New York late Wednesday, while it bought 97.54 yen, down from 97.76 yen.

Manuel Neuer was the hero for Bayern Munich on Wednesday as his side went through to the Champions League final after beating RealMadrid 3-1 on penalties in the Santiago Bernabeu.

They will face Chelsea in their own Allianz Arena in Munich on May 19th after losing their return leg 2-1 after extra-time, to send the tie into penalties with the Germans having won by the same score in the first game.