News, August 2008

PrayforSpain getting back to work

18th August. We are home after supporting the Agua Viva outreach at the Expo in Zaragoza for 2 weeks and a 10 day holiday. We hope to get the site up to date in the coming days. Outreach reports have been coming in thick and fast and we hope to post these soon, not to mention detailing the Olympic medals Spain is winning! Thank you for your interest. more >>

News from the Churches

Agua Viva and Aragon pavilions

Zaragoza water Expo is now in its last month. The Evangelical pavilion is among the attractions - with 200,000 visitors in the 9 weeks to 20th August. 31st August is the Agua Viva pavilion's 'special day'. 5th July saw 15,000 hear the 320 voice Gospel Choir concert with Richard Smallwood at the Expo. Reports from many outreaches are coming in thick and fast and we hope to post mentions here in the coming days. Pentecostal Europe Convention is coming to Madrid in October, with various preparatory events already. This and more... Read on! more >>

August 28th, general news roundup.

Spanair MD82 (archive)

Disaster: investigators told reverse had been blocked on one engine of fated Spanair plane; DNA study identifies 126 bodies; HCPI (inflation) down to 4.9%; home completions down 30% in June; 27th: Growth slows to 1.8% (0.1% over Q2); air disaster funeral postponed to 11th September, due to delays in identification of victims; woman dies in León of Mad Cows disease, 2nd death in family - first case in world of 2 members of same family being affected; Taylor Wimpey interim loss includes 85% profit fall in Spain -BBC comment; 26th: 10 Spanish children among 26 injured (ears suffered from depressurisation) as Ryanair Bristol-Girona flight makes emergency landing at Limoges (France) -BBC report; 108 Spanair disaster victims identified; survivor Beatriz Reyes, who saved two children, speaks to press: 'on 20th August I was born again' - she was placed on the maternity ward!; investigation shows 'reverse' open on one of the engines, but no fire - which would spin the plane round, like rowing in alternate directions, but no conclusions yet; patera sinks off Almería, 25 of 45 saved - BBC report; 25th: Identification of air disaster victims slower than hoped, but 90 now identified; one survivor died in hospital over weekend, 2 still fighting for life -BBC report; investigation likely to last 3 to 12 months, maybe longer; industrial prices up 10%; fuel sales down 15% in July, tolls down 4%, as people stayed at home - or maybe they flew: low cost arrivals up 18% in year to July; mortgage debt grows to 666 billion Euros. more >>

Sport roundup, 25th August

Olympics give Spain 18medals: 5 gold, 10 silver and 3 bronze. Tony Elías 2nd in MotoGP at Brno. Valencia (European) F1 GP - Alonso knocked out. Rafa Nadal World nº1 and Gold medal in tennis. For more, read on! more >>

World Water Expo opens in Zaragoza

13th June. Tonight the 2008 World Expo opens in Zaragoza, with the theme Water and Development. Right on time, in a year marked by drought with no rain falling in Catalonia between May last year and 1st May this, followed by the region's record month for rainfall... today the weather has settled for the summer! Whether too little or too much, water is critical for life. And in a year of food shortages and in a month begun with the failure of the UN summit on food supply, the Expo again seems to have come at the right moment. In addition to all the other activities and events involving nations, NGOs and other groups, the evangelicals are very much involved in this event. The Expo is open for three months and expects between six and eight million visitors. (18th August: The BBC has just posted a video report on the Spanish water crisis. Read who's to blame and why Britons may suffer!) 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 >>

News Theme, Summer in Spain and the Weather

Schools are out soon! Summer is on its way! On approximately 20th June each year, schools close for the summer. By that time it is too hot in most areas to hold classes without expensive air conditioning, so schools have traditionally closed for almost 3 months. Indeed, what remains of school in both June and September is mornings only - although nowadays more and more schools extending morning class year-round and the kids don't return after a late lunch. 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: 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:

more >>