Shipping ministry: Seafarers move global trade – and Christmas gifts. These ministries bring them holiday cheer
GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO, of Associated Press, reports on the work of Stella Maris, the largest of the faith-based organisations that minister to seafarers in hundreds of ports around the world…
Cities worldwide hold subdued Christmas Eve celebrations amid conflicts
Bethlehem, West Bank AP Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The cheer that typically descends on the West Bank during Christmas week were nowhere to be found. The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing, as were […]
Catalan separatist Puigdemont evades capture on chaotic return to Spain
Barcelona, Spain Reuters Former Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont defied an arrest warrant to appear at a rally in Barcelona on Thursday after seven years of self-imposed exile, before reportedly fleeing the scene with a car belonging to a regional police officer. Amid a heavy police presence, Puigdemont had told a crowd of thousands of […]
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 […]
Catalans face carwash bans, swimming pool restrictions over record drought
Barcelona, Spain Reuters Residents of the eastern Spanish region of Catalonia will be banned from washing their cars and filling up empty swimming pools under measures announced on Thursday to alleviate the region’s worst drought on record. The measures, which will come into force on Friday, will affect around six million people in 200 villages, […]
Balancing act: Flooded with sightseers, Europe’s iconic churches struggle to accommodate both worship and tourism
GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO, of Associated Press, reports on challenges facing houses of worship in Europe…
Snapshot: Barcelona, Spain
See KASPARS UPMANIS’ image…
“They roam about like cats”: Spanish cities try to halt wild boar invasions
Barcelona, Spain Reuters Large groups of wild boar are now a common sight in some Spanish cities and authorities say they have no option but to capture and put them down as they pose a danger to humans but have become too used to scavenging to live back in the wild. Attracted by garbage bins […]
With COVID rules eased, Barcelona embraces return of Saint Eulàlia festivities
Barcelona, Spain AP Crowds gathered in Barcelona’s historic downtown to watch in awe and snap cellphone photos as teams of people in colourful garb formed human towers rising into the air like the spires on the nearby medieval cathedral. A giant figure in bright blue dress and a floral crown paraded through the streets in […]
Thousands of Catalans rally for independence in Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain Reuters Thousands of Catalans chanted, sang and waved flags as they marched through Barcelona on Saturday, calling for the region’s independence from Spain. The march, organised by the grassroots Assemblea Nacional Catalana, was the first since Spain’s government pardoned nine Catalan separatist leaders who had been jailed for their role in a 2017 […]