Barcelona — Psychologist Angels Corcoles recently taught a seminar about self-empowerment for women, and when she finished she got a check with her fee. The amount was in hours, not euros.

But Corcoles didn’t mind. Through a citywide credit network that allows people to trade services without money, the 10 hours Corcoles earned could be used to pay for a haircut, yoga classes or even carpentry work.

At a time when the future of the euro is in doubt and millions are unemployed or underemployed with little cash to spare, a parallel economy is springing up in parts of Spain, allowing people to live outside the single currency.

In the city of Malaga…

Pope Benedict XVI has been presented with a luxury  electric car to use only within the private grounds of the Vatican and his summer home of Castel Gandolfo.

The customised white Kangoo was presented to the pontiff by French carmaker Renault.

The Pope used his new car on Wednesday to travel from the helipad at Castel Gandolfo through the gardens back to his palazzo, the Vatican said.