News, June 2004

June 29th, resumé.

(Church and Sport news click more) Legionnaires disease outbreak in Zaragoza's Hospital Clinico - 34 now affected, five now dead; record temperatures in Madrid for June: 38.8ºC - also in other cities, six provincial capitals going above 40º; heat wave causes record breaking power demand - brownouts in Seville, hospitals affected; two ETA terrorists condemned in France; 53% believe there are to many immigrants in Spain, according to CIS survey; 56% are now having trouble 'getting to the end of the month', financially; scandal brewing over misidentified bodies when troop transport plane crashed in Turkey last year - bringing them home from Afghan duty; major hydro scheme channelling river Ebro water to Costa Blanca shelved in place of local (desalinisation) schemes - opposition and regions affected appeal to Constitutional Court due to effective repeal of a law by decree more >>

Good week for anti-terror police

18th June. This week has been a good one for the anti-terrorist police departments in Spain and France. 8 were arrested on charges related to the 3/11 train bombings, while in France another 8 were arrested on ETA related charges. more >>

European Election results for Spain

14th June. As in other EU countries, the recent EU parliamentary election reflected a lack of general interest, on the one hand and internal political issues on the other. 46% of the Spanish electorate voted. The Socialists (PSOE) gained most seats, but no overall majority. The conservative Partido Popular (PP) were, however, just two behind more >>

News Theme: Big events in 2004, Holy Year for Santiago and Forum of the Cultures in Barcelona, 500th anniversary of the death of Queen Isabel I

This year, three major long-running events will dominate the Spanish 'cultural diary'. They are the Año Jacobeo, or Holy Year of Pilgrimage to Santiago in Galicia, the Forum of the Cultures in Barcelona and the 500th anniversary of the deat of Isabel I, founder of the Spanish Inquisition. The first two, particularly, will draw many thousands of visitors, curious to see what is going on or perhaps committed to a particular expression of spirituality. more >>

News Theme, Summer in Spain and the Weather

Schools are out! Summer has officially begun! On approximately 20th June each year, schools close for the summer. It is now too hot in most areas to hold classes without expensive air conditioning, more >>

Summer is here, happy fiestas!

Fiesta time is round again. Through the spring, fiestas, or city/village celebration weeks, have already been a big part of life. After Easter, the cities of Andalusia begin a round of Ferias, starting with the greatest of them all in Seville. By June, most towns and villages want to join in, with festivities traditionally centred on a saint's or 'virgin's' day. more >>

More News

A few more news items and where to find more news about Spain: more >>