In Spain, nuns quench pilgrims’ thirst for beer and the word of God
Vitoria, Spain Reuters A congregation of Catholic nuns has reopened a bar in an ancient sanctuary in northern Spain, pulling pints of beer in the hopes of spreading the word of God to thirsty guests visiting the 11th-century Romanesque site. “I think plenty of people would think it’s unusual, because they’ve never seen it. But you know, […]
Ahead of Easter rush, officials say drought must not put off Barcelona tourists
Barcelona, Spain Reuters Tourists arriving at Barcelona’s airport or gazing at its iconic Sagrada Familia basilica will this Easter holiday be met with large signs in English that read: “Drought alert. During your stay, save water”. As the impact of climate change intensifies across southern Europe, Spain’s Mediterranean region of Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, is […]
Seven feared dead on migrant boat off Spain’s Canary Islands
Arguineguin, Spain Reuters Two people died and five are feared dead after they attempted to reach Spain’s Canary Islands on a boat with migrants on board, authorities said on Tuesday. The pirogue – a type of dugout canoe – was sighted on Monday evening at around 8pm by a merchant vessel which alerted authorities on […]
Flowers, music and silence mark 20th anniversary of Madrid train bombings
Madrid, Spain Reuters Spain on Monday marked the 20th anniversary of Europe’s deadliest Islamist militant attacks with flowers, music and silence in several ceremonies to remember the train bombings in Madrid. Ten bombs hidden in sports bags exploded on four packed commuter trains at the height of morning rush hour in Madrid on 11th March, […]
Unlikely survivor Coco the cat found eight days after fire in Valencia, Spain
Valencia, Spain Reuters Firefighters in the Spanish city of Valencia could hardly believe their eyes on Friday when they found a live cat huddled within the charred remains of an apartment block ravaged by a huge fire eight days ago. Named Coco, the feline was reunited with tearful owner Andrea Rubio – who had given […]
Grenfell advocates demand global ban on unsafe cladding after Valencia fire
Madrid, Spain Reuters Hamid Ali Jafari, whose father died in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, travelled to the Spanish city of Valencia this week to support those affected by a huge blaze there and urged authorities to act to avoid similar tragedies in the future. “My life has been destroyed,” said 41-year-old Jafari, […]
NATO allies rule out sending troops to Ukraine as Russia rebukes Macron
Berlin, Germany/Moscow, Russia Reuters The United States and key European allies said on Tuesday they had no plans to send ground troops to Ukraine, after France hinted at the possibility, and the Kremlin warned that any such move would inevitably lead to conflict between Russia and NATO. French President Emmanuel Macron had said on Monday […]
Bird flu reaches mainland Antarctica for first time, scientists say
Buenos Aires, Argentina Reuters A deadly type of bird flu has been confirmed on the mainland of Antarctica for the first time, scientists said, a potential risk for the southern region’s huge penguin colonies. “This discovery demonstrates for the first time that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus has reached Antarctica despite the distance and […]
Postcards: Visually impaired faithful explore Easter statues by fingertip in Ronda
JON NAZCA, of Reuters, reports from Ronda in Spain…
Valencia mourns tower block fire victims as death toll rises to 10
Valencia, Spain Reuters The victims of a huge fire that ripped through an apartment block in the Spanish city of Valencia were mourned on Saturday as authorities said the death toll had risen to 10. The blaze, fanned by strong winds, broke out on Thursday evening in the affluent El Campanar district. A fire burns […]