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 ; budget surplus falls 25% in first quarter; Princess Anne in Gibraltar for 30th anniversary of British rule, Spaniards upset; Prince Felipe and Letizia visit Pope; 74year old kills his wheel-chair bound wife with axe through head; infrastructure minister hopes to open or complete the high speed train links from Madrid to Barcelona, Malaga and Valladolid in 2007, with Tarragona, hopefully in '06; Zapatero will spend his summer holidays in Menorca, as Aznar did last year.

Sport:

Olympics Madrid chosen as finalist for 2012 location choice. Decision to be announced next year. Paris is favourite. Other finalists: New York, London and Moscow
Football (soccer): Euro Cup: Spain knocked out in third game after losing to Portugal; evangelical Juan Carlos Valerón gave Spain win in first game against Russia, but did not play against Portugal; they drew against Greece; Valerón was the only squad player not to make a pilgrimage prior to the championship to Santiago de Compostela to ask the apostle's help!
Basketball: Tau Ceramica (Vitoria) led ACB league but in playoffs put out of final by Estudiantes who went on to beat Barcelona for the cup
Motor: F1 US Indiannapolis GP: Fernando Alonso again failed to finish, while M Schumacher won again - currently Alonso is in 5th championship position; Bikes: Catalunya: - Gibernau second in GP, Pedrosa 2nd in 250, Barberá won in 125, all in leading (1st/2nd) overall championship positions
Tennis: Carles Moyà las Spaniard to be knocked out of Wimbledon
Cycling: the course of the 2004 Vuelta Ciclista de España is now available - it will replace traditional climbs in the north with more exposure to Valencia, Andalusia and Extremadura. See the route at: http://www.lavuelta.com/04/ingles/recorrido/index.asp
Swimming Spanish girls win two silver and one bronze medals for synchronised swimming events in European swimming championships, Madrid, a great hope for the Olympics

Churches

Summer outreaches are getting under way. Full details: http://www.prayforspain.com/projects/index3.html

Mega-Concert A major evangelistic concert event has got permission to go ahead in one of Spain's principal squares and tourist attractions: La Plaza del Obradoiro, in Santiago de Compostela This will take place, moreover, on the night of 14th August, eve of a major date in Santiago's Holy Year. More: http://www.prayforspain.com/projects/index3.html

Córdoba Easter campaign: full report now available: http://www.prayforspain.com/projects/index12.html

Llamada, the Spanish youth/missions conference which was held over Easter, gathered 700 to hear the challenge of missions both within Spain and abroad. This was just one of the many church and mission retreats which took place over the long weekend holiday. Llamada means Call.It was again organised by the Spanish branch of the Pocket Testament League (PTL).

The gathered assembly was saddened by the death of an old contirbutor to PTL activities. Carlos Rosell lived in Madrid and was Spain's leading Gospel Magician, also being very involved in activities of other evangelistic organisations. At his funeral he preached his last message, this time in printed form, encouraging others to consider whether they will meet him in heaven.

Sources El Mundo, TVE, EP