News, November 2008

News from the Churches

Spanish Evangelists' Conference this week. B. Manley Pippert speaks in Barcelona. Stop the Traffick on TVE. Embargo threat on board of Andalusian Congress. MCO present Spain-2009-365-prayer year of prayer. Good Seed calendar distribution comes to Costa Brava. 20 years of Open Air preaching in Puerta del Sol. New Interconfessional Bible presented. Catalan evangelicals address Parlament on regional bill on places of worship. Carlos Martínez to perfom at Mission-net. New church planting cooperation group established. This and more... Read on! more >>

November 28th, general news roundup.

HCPI falls to 2.4%; 60 Spaniards being flown home from Bombay; National Statistics Institute says 20% of poulation is below poverty level; 27th: Regional president of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, among guests at Oberoi hotel attacked by terrorists in Bombay -managed to escape before they took control and is now back in Spain- Spanish couple injured, Catalan Euro-deputy Guardans still affected, but safe; Catholic daily Irish News publishes call for return to Spain of ETA convict De Juana Chaos; Spanish journalist kidnapped in Somalia - BBC report; 26th: Bank robber dies in shoot-out in Alicante; snow still hampering traffic in north, more possible today close to Med. coast south to Almería; government stands by as calls rise to 'save' oil 'flag flyer' Repsol from Russian Lukoil, which is attempting to take 30% control without spending a cent, through a debt transfer with troubled builder Sacyr; government expects inflation to fall to 1% by July '09; next cabinet shake-up likely to see sport minister named (part of the Madrid 2016 Olympic bid); new Taliban video threatens Spain; 25th: Airport refuellers on partial strike - to be repeated 27th and 5th and 8th December (coinciding with long weekend) - Madrid and Barcelona not affected today; one dead due to bad weather in north; Spanish frigate Victoria to head EU piracy patrol off Somalia; OECD forecasts severe recession for Spain -BBC on the report; Santa Coloma cemetery goes solar -BBC report; 24th: Snow and gales sweep peninsula; arrested ETA terrorist Txeroki linked to Madrid airport and other killings -BBC report; archbishop Rouco calls to forgive and forget Franco's killings, as hopes go for recovery of victims in mass war graves -BBC report, Socialist General Secretary Blanco asks Catholic Church to stop making saints of Franco's supporters; Madrid doctors reconstruct breast with tissue from abdominal fat stem cells; cayuco with 71 on board reaches Tenerife; home sales down 30% in 3rd quarter; overnight stays in hotels down 5% in October; IBEX market index cheered by Citibank rescue and UK tax cuts. more >>

Sport roundup, 26th November

Spain beat Argentina in Davis Cup final. Spain beat Chile 3-0 (football friendly). Real Madrid knocked out of Copa del Rey by 2nd B division Real Unión. Rafa Nadal knee injury prevents presence in Shanghai and Davis Cup final (Argentina). Alonso 2nd in Brazil GP to end brilliantly finished season. Dani Pedrosa 2nd in Valencia and MotoGP championship. Barcelona head Primera. Sergio Garcia world nº2 after winning Shanghai. For more, read on! more >>

News theme: The Mari Luz murder case

MADRID, November 19, 2008 (Europa Press / ACPress.net) "The story of the tragic murder of Mari Luz, a five-year-old girl of Evangelical parents killed by a paedophile earlier this year, is to be turned into a TV mini-series entitled ´Days without Luz´ (as well as being the little girl´s name, the word means ´light´). " This tragic story has filled not only evangelical news bulletins, like Protestante Digital, but also mainline news media. We attempt to bring some understanding. more >>

News theme: weather and winter travel

Spain is not, contrary to its image, permanent summer! The tourist season is limited, even at coastal areas, except in the Canary Islands, to half the year. Winter, especially inland, is far harsher than it is in (mostly) mild Britain, so much further north. 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)

More News

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