News, September 2008

News from the Churches

The Agua Viva Gospel Choir (FEREDE)

New church planting cooperation group established. Palace announces first ever royal presence at a protestant event. (Protestante Digital celebrates 5th birthday. Anglican Bishop Carlos Lopez represented the FEREDE at the (Catholic) state funeral for the Spanair disaster. Hundreds of believers, plus authorities, attended evangelical funeral for Ruben Hernandez, victim of the tragic Spanair disaster. Zaragoza water Expo is now in its last week. The Evangelical pavilion is among the attractions - and had received over 300,000 visitors by 9th September. Many thousands attempted to attend the Juan Luís Guerra concert, so many that the Expo's doors were closed early for the first time. 30th August was the Agua Viva pavilion's 'special day' and the Expo had a record 121,000 visitors. Pentecostal Europe Convention is coming to Madrid in October, with various preparatory events already. This and more... Read on! more >>

September 30th, general news roundup.

Cayuco reaches Canaries with 230 on board, largest number for 14 years, including 25 minors - photos from El Mundo; a (smaller) patera also arrives with 100 on board; financial markets shrug off US agreement failure; finance minister Solbes presents 2009 budget - half of ministries face cuts, royal family gets more, more for priming economy; 29th: Inflation falls to 4.6% (advance figure); Santander buys branches from nationalised Bradford & Bingley to add to Abbey-Alliance & Leicester - BBC report, The Times comment; floods hit Ceuta; 8 dead in traffic accidents over weekend - lowest figure for 45 years; body found in wine barrel at Bullas (Murcia). more >>

Sport roundup, 29th September

Alonso wins Singapore GP from back. Spain beat Armenia 4-0. Rafa Nadal helps Spain to beat US and reach Davis Cup final. Valencia head Primera. La Vuelta cycle race won by Alberto Contador. Olympics give Spain 18 medals: 5 gold, 10 silver and 3 bronze. Tony Elías 2nd in MotoGP at Brno. Rafa Nadal World nº1 and Gold medal in tennis. For more, read on! more >>

World Water Expo closes in Zaragoza

15th September. Last night the 2008 World Water Expo closed in Zaragoza, an Expo with the theme Water and Development. Hopes for up to 8 million visitors were too high and in the end some 5.5 million came. The Evangelical pavilion, Agua Viva nevertheless met its expectations of some 300,000 visitors. more >>

Air Accident at Madrid Airport

10 minutes after the crash (Victor José Isla)

On 20th August, a Spanair MD 82 plane taking off for Las Palmas, in the Canaries crashed at the end of the runway. 154 died, several after being taken to hospital with severe burns and other injuries, with several others fighting for life in hospital. It appears that about 28 got off the plane alive. Of these, one was thrown away from the disaster and suffered broken ribs, etc.. There were 164 passengers and 10 crew (4 off-duty). It is known that one passenger was evangelical. Rubén Santana Mateo was a member of Tres Cantos Baptist church in Madrid, while another was uncle of a church member. The investigation to find out what happened may take many months. more >>

The other 9/11: Catalonia's national day... and other September Fiestas

For Catalonia, September 11th marks not an event in recent American history, so much as an event of equally sad significance in the own history. On that date, in 1714, at the end of the war of the Spanish Succession, Catalonia fell to the advancing Borbon troops of Castille which took over the country and did away with the governing structures of Catalonia and the kingdom of Aragon which had existed since medieval times. more >>

News Theme, Late Summer in Spain and the Weather

During August, the main news concerning the weather tends to be 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'. more >>

News Theme: The Economy

For the past few years Spain has been hitting headlines for above average growth and very high house price inflation. It appears 'the end is nigh' for the Spanish economic miracle. World economic woes are certainly affecting Spain. On 18th April the cabinet approved a fiscal stimulus of 10 (US) billion Euros this year and another 8 billion in 2009. We offer our view. more >>

News theme: Basque politics and ETA

Spain's peripheral regions, particularly Catalonia and the Basque Country, have never felt fully part of 'Spain'. History and language have parts to play in this situation. The result is that these regions have long desired high levels of autonomy or even independence. In the Basque Country, the existence of ETA, a terrorist organisation with a pseudo left-wing nationalist agenda, has forced all parties to consider the independence issue seriously. ETA started during the Franco dictatorship, but has resolutely refused to die before achieving its objectives, themselves more confused with the passing of time. Ceasefires and bombing campaigns have succeeded each other over the years. Meanwhile, democratic parties have taken their own positions on independence, with the governing centre-right Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), under the presidency of Lehendakari (regional president) Ibarretxe, leading the search for an agreed independence or high level of autonomy. more >>

News Theme, The immigration crisis

Desperation (AFP)

Reports, almost daily, of open boats known variously as pateras (coming from Marrocco or Algeria) or cayucos (reaching the Canary islands from further south), combine with stories of illegal 'paperless' immigrants attempting to cross the fences at Ceuta and Melilla. Add to these high profile stories the situation of hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans and Romanians, not to mention Asians and you have the appearance of a significant immigration crisis. Throw in the confusion and disagreement of politicians as to how to deal with the phenomenon and you have a real crisis. more >>

More News

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

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