News, October, 2005

Pray for Spain weekend: join us in prayer!

This weekend (until 1st November), we celebrate our third Pray for Spain weekend. Join us, wherever you are. More ... Ideas more >>

October 31st, resumé.

(Sport news click more) Infanta Leonora born 12.30 to prince Felipe and Letizia in Madrid; Telefónica buys O2; 27 tonnes of hachish found at Algeciras; 28th: Constitutional Court accepts PP recourse over homosexual marriage law; Spanish airlines begin to give passenger lists to immigration officals ahead of arrivals; traffic jams mark start of long weekend (ends Tuesday); 27th: Fishermen sign deal after hours of negotiations with government - millions lost, hopes for return to work in the ports; 70 illegals detained on Granada coast from 2 pateras; 26th: Basque ports also blockaded; former Basque speaker and interior councillor Atutxa faces judge today on Batasuna protection and judicial disobediance charges; 25th: 4 bombs explode in Basque Country, presumably ETA; Spain celebrates Internet Day, but over half the population still 'off-line'; government gives web a facelift; all Med. ports blocked by fishermen's fuel strike - Balearics cut off; Banco Santander makes record profits on back of Abbey takeover; 24th: ETA reveals location of grenade launcher not found by police on 12th at Zaragoza airport; PP launches half million Euro publicity campaign against Catalan Estatut; fishermen blockade ports to highlight demand for cheaper fuel 21st: Defence minister Bono presides over Trafalgar 200 tribute in Cadiz more >>

News from the Churches

Anglican international student hostel opens in Salamanca The new hostel, to be officially opened on November 5th is not some protestant plot to undermine this famous Catholic intsitution! But indeed, Salamanca is Europe's oldest university and many foreign students study there. It is named after Atilano Coco, former IERE (anglican) pastor in the city and friend of philosopher and profesor Miguel Unamuno, who was shot by order of Franco. The hostel has 50 rooms. more >>

25th Prince of Asturias prizes, October 21st

The 25th edition of Spain's most prestigious Prince of Asturias prizes takes place again in the Campoamor theatre in oviedo, the principality's capital. The best known of the prize-winners is Asturian racing driver Fernando Alonso, but the prizes are far from a regional event. Last year's Concord prize went to J.K.Rowling, while this year's International Cooperation prize goes to Simone Veil. Only one other Spaniard is among the winners: Tamara Rojo, lead dancer with the Royal Ballet. more >>

15th Iberoamerican summit strengthens organisation

18th October. The summit held this weekend in Salamanca brought together leaders from Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Latin America and strengthened this equivalent of the British Commonwealth by appointing a Secretary General for the first time. more >>

After 14 dead at African border crossing attempts and Maroccan bussing of illegals into the desert, EU announces new 'Marshall Plan'

[Image 14???]12 October. Over the past weeks thousands of would-be immigrants have made several attempts to cross the fences protecting the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. On the 5th 6 died and on Sept. 28th, 5 died. Today, in response to all that has happened over this time, the EU has announced a new 'Marshall Plan' to significantly increase and coordinate aid to the continent. more >>

New Catalan Statute passed by Parlament

30th September. After much hard negotiating and discussion, late last night regional party leaders came to agreement over the final proposal for the new, 3rd Catalan Statute. This was passed by the regional Parlament today and now goes up to the national Cortes for final approval. more >>

Hurricane Vince may be just in time to save cuts in domestic water supplies

What happened to the swimming pool? /EFE

Evangelical's cyclist husband found murdered

[Image 12???]21 September. The body of cyclist Francisco Quintana Calvo, disappeared since Thursday, 15th Sept., was found Tuesday 20th burnt close to Madrid and has now been identified. It is mooted that he was involved in an accident with a motorist, who decided to burn the evidence, or related to a gang which has robbed cyclists of their bikes in the area recently. more >>

Macro Al Qaeda cell trial ends in Madrid

27 September. A major trial concluded yesterday investigating the Spanish cell of Al Qaeda which existed around the time of the 9/11 attacks in the USA. Among the 24 accused was IMAD EDDIN BARAKAT, 'Abu Dahdah', taken to have been the leader of the cell and contact person with Bin Laden. The prosecutor demanded 73.000 years, but the judge gave him 27. 8 were released and 17 others found guilty of various crimes under Spanish law such as membership of or collaboration with a terrorist organisation and apology for terrorism. more >>

11 September, a day to remember - 11-M trial in the pipeline

While the Catalan people have been celebrating 11th September for years, the rest of Spain now joins in taking this day to remember its almost 200 dead at the hands of international islamic terrorism on 11th March 2004. It also remembers from a greater distance, the dead in the many other related attacks around the globe since even before 11 September 2001, most recently the London bombings. more >>

News theme: Basque politics and ETA

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 >>

News Theme, Autumn 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. But the most widely feared phenomenon is known as the 'Gota Fría'. As Autumn arrives, so do (normally) calmer rains, finally bringing water back to rivers, reservoirs and on to end users. Hurrican Vince this October was (so far) a unique phenomenon. more >>

More News

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