SPAIN: Immigration Row & more – 22nd Aug 2024

In Madrid, on Monday the 19th, the regional government confirmed it is shifting its education policy to charge concertados, which are schools that are privately run, but publicly and privately funded.

Charges will be imposed onto any concertado that expands their services to include non-mandatory private education, such as early childhood education and courses related to practical skills and knowledge in specific trades or professions

This marks a departure from previous policies, allowing the government to collect fees from schools that profit by expanding their educational services. The ruling will be applied to any concertado built on public land.

Still in Madrid, Spain plans to enhance health controls at the Barajas Airport following warnings from the World Health Organization (or WHO) to prevent the spread of a deadlier variant of the Mpox virus.

The new strain, clade 1b, has killed over 450 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo and, according to the WHO, poses a global threat.

Fátima Matute, Madrid's Health Minister, urged the central government to implement stricter controls at the airport to prevent a potential national outbreak. She advised anyone with symptoms to seek immediate medical help.

The new variant is more lethal than the one seen in Europe in twenty twenty-two, with a fatality rate of one in twenty adults and higher risks for children and pregnant women. For now, the Mpox variant does not seem to be spreading in Europe.

In music news, Spanish authorities are investigating the filming of Katy Perry's new music video Lifetimes in the ecologically sensitive dunes of S'Espalmador, a protected islet in the Balearic Islands.

The video, which includes scenes filmed in Ibiza and Formentera, allegedly did not have the necessary permits for shooting in the protected area. While Perry is not under investigation, the local production company is being scrutinized for potentially violating environmental regulations. The company said it had verbal authorization to film, but officials stated that proper permissions were not secured.

More about the environment as a devastating outbreak of the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria is destroying almond trees in northern Alicante. The bacteria and the drought have reduced almond production in the Valencian Community by nearly 36% over the past four years.

Bacteria that get into the water and nutrient pathways of the plants cause them to die within four to five years. The epidemic, which began in Spain in twenty sixteen, has wiped out 99% of almond cultivation in affected areas, severely impacting the region's economy.

The European Union's eradication protocol requires the removal of all trees within fifty meters of an infected plant, but local farmers and the Asaja agricultural union are calling for a switch to a containment strategy, which would allow local authorities to get rid of only a few plants rather than all of them, effectively containing the outbreak. Similar projects have been used elsewhere in Spain, which has seen some good results.

Moving on, flash flooding in the Balearic Islands has forced hundreds to evacuate their homes as severe thunderstorms and heavy rain hit the region last week.

The storms, which struck on Wednesday the 21st and Thursday the 22nd, brought up to 114mm of rain in just twenty-four hours.

The extreme weather also caused significant damage, including roof collapses and fallen trees. Strong winds reaching sixty-two miles per hour made maritime conditions hazardous, leading to vessel collisions and rescues.

Over fifty flights were canceled.

Get ready for one of Extremadura's biggest cultural events.

The Plasencia International Folk Festival is back on Tuesday the 27th and Wednesday the 28th of August at the Torre Lucía. With around 20,000 attendees, it's a vibrant celebration of folk music featuring top artists like Gwendal and Carlos Núñez, plus rising stars like Acetre. Beyond the performances, the city comes alive with parades, workshops, and more.

And to wrap up this episode…get ready for the ultimate food fight! La Tomatina, Spain’s iconic festival, is back on Wednesday, the 28th of August, in Buñol, Valencia. This wild event draws thousands from around the world to hurl over 100 metric tons of tomatoes in the streets.

Once attracting up to 50,000 participants, it's now capped at 20,000 due to ticketing, making it an exclusive experience. The chaos kicks off when trucks unload tomatoes, and after an hour of messy mayhem, the streets are washed clean with water from a Roman aqueduct. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thrill—just be prepared to get seriously messy!

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!