News, August 2005

P4S summer activities - news service irregular

During the summer we are involved in a number of outreach activities and also taking a few days' break. more >>

August 26th, resumé.

(Sport news click more) Batasuna demonstrates in Bilbao, government calls again for a total rejection of violence; legionnaires disease outbreak in Zaragoza, 14 affected; domestic violence: 41 women dead so far this year at hands of partners; politicians getting back to work after holiday month - first cabinet meeting; Catalonia and Madrid resume skirmishing over new regional statute; first homosexual 'marriage' in Barcelona comes 2 whole months after approval of law; Catalonia announces restrictions once water levels sink below 20% of reserves, expected end September; 250 sub-saharans attempt mass crossing of the Melilla wall from Marocco - repelled by police; study shows that placebos are as powerful as homeothapy... or should that be the other way round? 23rd 829 forest fires so far in Spain this year and counting... but not as bad as many feared; 22nd: New turn in Mardid bombings: evidence points to Syrian-born national policeman, Maussili Kalaji, as the person who prepared the bombs for 3-11 - Kalaji was a critical source of information about the terrorist cell; 24 soldiers fly to afghanistan to replace those dead in accident; recent news: 18th and earlier 17 Spanish soldiers dead as helicopter crashes in Afghanistan; ETA sympathisers held illegal demonstration in San Sebastian - several arrested; forest fires cause devastation in many areas, worst involved 13,000 hectares and 11 firemen dead; occasional showers making no dent in severe drought situation; 48 dead on roads on 1st weekend in August. more >>

News from the Churches

Festimadrid reaches 75,000 Over June 24th and 25th, this major Christian street festival featuring musicians from the Hispanic world and speaker Luís Palau took place in the Plaza in front of Madrid's Las Ventas bull ring. more >>

Spanish language learning ousts German in the UK

27 August. Spanish has overtaken German as the nº2 foreign language at A level, the English university entrance qualification. But British interest in foreign languages is falling. more >>

11 dead as country barbecue leads to major forest fire

20 July. A major forest fire broke out last weekend (16th) after ramblers inadvertently failed to extinguish a Saturday lunchtime barbecue in the country east of Madrid. 13,000 hectares burnt, but worse still, 11 out of 12 men on a fire fighting team were overtaken and killed by the flames at one spot during Sunday. more >>

1.5 million demonstrate against homosexual marriage in Madrid, but law finally goes through

18th, 20th, 30th June. Today the government's flagship of 'progressive legislation', the homosexual marriage bill, was approved in the second reading in the Congress. This is despite a major demonstration last Saturday and its subsequent veto in the Senate on Monday. The demonstration showed up how unpopular the bill is. Estimates of numbers vary from 1.5 million according to the organisers down to 166,000 according to the government, with the regional government saying 'above 700,000. more >>

Winter drought brings stored water to record lows

What happened to the swimming pool? /EFE

1 May,.. 26th July. The environment minister, Cristina Narbona has called on all to conserve water, after winter rainfall (November to March) was at its lowest since 1947. Levels in the reservoirs, as we head into the usually dry summer season, can only guarantee supplies to homes until October. And she fears that this may be the first in a series of dry years. more >>

Macro Al Quaeda cell trial under way in Madrid

22 April and following. A major trial has begun into the Spanish cell of Al Quaeda which existed around the time of the 9/11 attacks in the USA. Among the 24 accused is IMAD EDDIN BARAKAT, 'Abu Dahdah', presumed to have been the leader of the cell and contact person with Bin Laden. The main suspects could face sentences of up to 65,500 years! more >>

News theme: Basque politics and ETA

Irantzu Gallastegui extradited from France on accusation of involvement in the death of Miguel angel Blanco

Until 2003, terrorism in Spain meant ETA. Bombs, or bomb threats, assassinations and extortion were a regular part of life, affecting few directly, but leaving no one completely sure that it could not hit him or her. Evidently, the events of 11th March, 2004 changed the whole way Spaniards look at terrorism, as ETA lost its monopoly with the arrival of islamic terror. At the same time, over the past 18 months many accused of key ETA roles have been arrested. Yet, while terrorism is now regarded in a different way, the Basque 'problem' continues to be a major theme in the news and the political agenda. more >>

News Theme: Big events in 2005, 400th anniversary of El Quijote

IN a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to call to mind... on just such a day as this 400 years ago... 2005 is the 400th anniversary of (part 1 of) the mother of all novels, Cervantes' Don Quijote, a book written under the eyes of the Spanish Inquisition but which expresses many ideas and quotes scripture at large. Evangelicals have not missed this fact and are hard at work to point out the references! 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 >>

News Theme, Late Summer in Spain and the Weather

During August, the main news concerning the weather was the extreme heat and forest fires, causing loss of life as well as much damage to property. In September the main topic is late summer storms. In the past 24 hours heavy rain storms affected parts of Valencia and the Balearics and more storms were forecast. But the most widely feared phenomenon is known as the 'Gota Fría'. more >>

More News

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