Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin Aug 15
TOP STORIES: "Fireball streaks across Spain and explodes over Murcia" & "Ryanair strike begins in Spain this week: the dates, flights and airports affected"
Well, I’m starting to understand why they call this time of year the dog days of summer. Between feeling dog tired and the heat making you feel sick as a dog, it’s no wonder everyone is a bit worn out. The wildfires tearing through Spain haven’t helped either. Thousands of hectares have burned and hundreds of people have been evacuated, and with the heatwave sticking around through the weekend, things could get worse.
On the news front, the biggest story last week was the Ryanair strikes. Unsurprisingly, with the holiday season in full swing and strikes starting today, they’re still causing plenty of headaches for travellers and the Irish airline is a hot topic again this week.
And as if that wasn’t enough, Ryanair has a few more bits of bad news for people flying to and from Spain – we’ll cover all of that below.
Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s round-up.
A cosmic mix-up
What many believed to be an early arrival of the spectacular Perseid meteor shower turned out to be something far more unusual. The brilliant fireball that lit up the skies over Spain on Friday night, August 8, was in fact space debris from a Chinese rocket re-entering the atmosphere.
At 9.55pm, a dazzling streak of light was seen travelling across the night sky from Andalucía, Murcia and the Valencian Community to the Balearic Islands. The sight caused excitement among stargazers, many of whom assumed it was linked to the annual Perseids.
However, astronomers soon identified it as the remains of China’s Jielong 3 rocket, launched earlier that same day.
Science communicator Josep Calatayud from the Mission Control platform explained that the fact that it was space debris accounts for the intensity of the flashes seen across such a wide area.
The debris path began above the Valencian town of Jarafuel, moved southwest over the province of Albacete and ended in a brilliant explosion above Los Arejos in the municipality of Águilas in Murcia.
The object travelled roughly 182 kilometres through the atmosphere before completely disintegrating, producing flashes bright enough to be seen from more than 600 kilometres away.
This unexpected spectacle may not have been a Perseid but it was no less remarkable, giving onlookers across eastern Spain a rare glimpse of a Chinese rocket’s fiery final moments.
Up, up and delay
If you’re planning a trip with Ryanair in Spain anytime soon, you might want to sit down. Ground staff working for Azul Handling, the company that handles Ryanair flights in Spain, are launching a nationwide strike starting this Friday August 15.
What began as a partial strike at Madrid Barajas has now turned into a full-blown national action, affecting airports where Ryanair has a permanent base including Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Tenerife South and Valencia.
The strike isn’t just a couple of hours either. It will hit from 5am to 9am, then again from midday to 3pm and finally from 9pm to midnight. After the first three days, the action continues every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the end of the year, totalling 76 strike days.
Even airports where Ryanair doesn’t have a permanent base could feel the impact because delays can ripple across the network.
Ryanair, for its part, is insisting passengers won’t notice much disruption, and the Spanish government has to make sure a certain number of flights actually operate. But there’s really little likelihood of totally avoiding delays on busier days, so some travellers could be in for a bumpy ride.
As if the strike wasn’t enough bad news, Ryanair is also planning more cuts to flights at Spanish regional airports.
CEO Eddie Wilson said in an interview this week that the airline will eliminate “almost a million” seats at lower-traffic airports in Spain this winter in response to the 6.5% increase in Aena fees, the biggest in a decade.
The airline is particularly critical of smaller regional airports, claiming occupancy is only around 70% and that Spanish regional airports “aren't competitive.”
Wilson also hinted the cuts could go further, potentially abandoning more airports completely as Ryanair did during the summer with Valladolid and Jerez. His demands include reversing 2024 fare hikes and slashing fees at regional airports, even proposing that management of the least profitable airports be handed over to regional governments.
These new cuts will come on top of the summer reductions when Ryanair already eliminated 800,000 seats, reduced capacity by 18% and axed 12 routes.
So if you’re flying with Ryanair in Spain, it might be time to double-check your itinerary and keep a close eye on any updates.
Spain (still) on fire
Spain has faced one of the most intense weeks of the summer wildfire season in living history, with more than 20,000 hectares burned so far this August and thousands of people forced from their homes. A mix of scorching heat, dry storms and strong winds has made firefighting operations particularly challenging.
On Tuesday August 12, the government declared a national pre-emergency, allowing state resources to be coordinated before fires worsen further. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that “the night will be complicated in many areas of Spain,” as around 1,000 members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) were deployed.
The worst-hit regions include Castile and León, Galicia, Andalucía and Madrid. Fires have also been active in Asturias, La Rioja and Castilla-La Mancha. In Zamora, a volunteer has died, several people have been injured and 12 villages evacuated, with fears that the Molezuelos and Puercas fires could merge.
In Galicia’s Ourense province, over 4,300 hectares have burned, rail services have been suspended and four firefighters injured. The Toledo blaze in Navalmoralejo has been 90% contained after destroying 3,250 hectares.
In León, a volunteer lost his life while helping to fight the flames. Local mayor Marta Fernández described him as “a neighbour who never hesitated to help when there was a call for volunteers. He was generous with his time, his energy, and his heart.”
Two others remain in intensive care and dozens of towns have been evacuated.
The Tarifa area has faced two major wildfires in just six days. The most recent began on Monday August 11 in the Sierra de la Plata, forcing more than 2,000 people to evacuate from beaches, hotels and homes in Atlanterra and Montaña de Los Alemanes.
Nuevo incendio en Tarifa y Zahara de los Atunes (Cádiz). Conviene recordar que Juanma Moreno del PP dejó el año pasado sin utilizar 120 millones de euros para prevenir incendios forestales y que los bomberos forestales andaluces ganan menos de 1.400 euros por jugarse la vida. pic.twitter.com/Vyf6uGMNEl
— Fonsi Loaiza (@FonsiLoaiza) August 11, 2025
Strong easterly winds of up to 50km/h pushed flames dangerously close to built-up areas. Helicopters refilled from Los Alemanes beach while aircraft and ground crews worked to protect properties. Although most evacuees have now returned, some zones remain off-limits.
The Andalusian regional government suspects this fire was started deliberately, calling the ignition pattern “highly unusual” and suggesting “clear human intervention.”
Tarifa’s mayor Francisco Ruiz condemned the act, saying, “If someone lit this fire on purpose, they must know they put thousands of lives and livelihoods at risk.”
A smaller blaze in nearby Los Caños de Meca, also thought to be intentional, was swiftly contained. Last week’s first Tarifa fire, on August 5 in La Peña, destroyed 283 hectares and forced the evacuation of about 1,500 people and 5,000 vehicles.
Separately, a seasonal firefighter is accused of starting a fire in Mombeltrán, Ávila. He was reportedly off duty when the blaze began and was allegedly seen nearby.
A local councillor called the act, if proven, “a betrayal not just of public trust but of his fellow firefighters who risk their lives daily.”
As Spain heads further into the peak of the summer fire season, the authorities are urging everyone to remain vigilant, follow safety advice and report any signs of fire immediately.
This week’s events have been a stark reminder of how quickly situations can change and how vital the combined efforts of emergency crews, volunteers and local communities are in defending lives, homes and landscapes.
Murcia
If you’ve been walking down Calle del Carmen in Cartagena lately, you might have noticed some action above your head. That’s because work has officially started on the long-awaited ‘Teselas’ shade system, a clever new installation designed to keep the street cooler while letting the city’s historic charm shine through.
The idea is simple but smart and could bring down the street’s temperature by as much as six degrees, making summer strolls a lot more bearable.
Workers kicked off last Tuesday by anchoring supports to unprotected building facades and specially installed posts, making sure no heritage-protected buildings are touched. The first stretch being covered runs from the Plaza del Icue end of the street, aiming to shade about a third of the route this month.
The company behind it all is Pegiro. The installation had been planned for June, but some paperwork hiccups with the bidding company meant the project had to be delayed. Now that it’s finally underway, this initial phase will act as a pilot. The City Council wants to see how well the system works and how it looks before rolling it out further.
If it does work as planned, the City Council hopes to bring the Teselas system to more streets in Cartagena’s Old Town, giving everyone more shaded, cooler spots to enjoy when the sun is blazing.
While Cartagena is getting cooler, Murcia city is heating up in a different way – with bargain hunters on the lookout for the latest fashion steals. If you love scrolling through Shein or Temu online, you can now check out some of their items in person.
A new pop-up store has opened in the city centre offering pieces from both brands and the best bit is that everything costs just €5. Yes, really, five euros.
The shop is tucked into the corner of Calle Junterones and Calle Escultor Roque López, in the spot where the old Junterones Fruit Shop used to be, right near the Old Jail. Its window proudly advertises the all-items-for-5-euros deal, though interestingly the store doesn’t even have a sign with its name.
While Shein has grown into a global fashion powerhouse thanks to low prices, rapid shipping and a constant stream of new items, it still operates mainly online, with only a handful of pop-up stores in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona.
That means that stores like this one in Murcia aren’t official outlets and Shein has been quick to point out that these independent shops are not authorised, so they can’t guarantee the authenticity or quality of the products.
Still, for bargain hunters and fast fashion fans, a quick trip to this little city centre gem might be worth it. Who doesn’t love a €5 find?
Last week, we told you about Jumilla Town Council’s controversial decision to ban religious events from local sports facilities. Well, the Spanish government has officially stepped in and told the council to rethink that decision.The ban, which mainly affects two Muslim celebrations that have been held in a municipal sports centre for years, is now under serious scrutiny.
The government didn’t hold back, saying the ban “violates the constitutional principles of religious freedom, equality and administrative neutrality, and constitutes a clear misuse of power.”
Jumilla’s original plan was as cut and dried and it was controversial. Sports stadiums, they said, should be used “exclusively for sports or events and activities organised by the Jumilla Town Council, and under no circumstances for cultural, social or religious activities unrelated to the Town Council.”
The central government quickly argued that public spaces everywhere are used for all kinds of activities, not just sports, and that the council’s reasons for the ban just don’t hold up.
The events affected are the end of Ramadan and the Feast of the Lamb. Spanish government spokesperson Mariola Guevara warned that if Jumilla doesn’t lift the ban, the State Attorney’s Office could take the case to the Administrative Courts. She also said other legal options are on the table and that the government’s legal services are already working on it.
Jumilla Town Council now has until September 11 to either revoke the ban or explain why they won’t.
Council sources say they’ll prepare a legal and technical report to decide whether the ban is actually lawful.
Mayor Severa González has promised a review and says that if experts find the restriction is illegal, the council will lift it, just as the government has requested.
For the fifth summer running, people have lined up along the shores of the Mar Menor to form a giant human chain, wrapping the lagoon in a symbolic “embrace.”
On Friday August 8, exactly at 1pm, locals and holidaymakers gathered at Playa del Espejo in Los Alcázares, holding hands to call for stronger measures to protect the Mar Menor.
The event is part of the international “Embrace the Water” campaign, which saw more than 100 human chains around the world this year. The Mar Menor version is promoted by the Mar Menor Alliance, AMARME, and carries the message: “All waters, the same water. All seas, the same sea.”
In honour of the occasion, the beach also hosted an ecological and social market in the afternoon with sustainable products, followed by a round-table discussion and music from local DJs that went on until midnight.
What started as a local protest has grown into a global statement of solidarity, with more than 140 organisations taking part worldwide. Each year, the embrace stretches further along the shoreline, bringing more people, more beaches and more kilometres of clasped hands in defence of the lagoon.And there’s some good news. After a worrying heat spike in July pushed water temperatures dangerously high, the Mar Menor is showing signs of inching back to good health. This week, the lagoon’s temperature has cooled slightly to just under 29ºC and experts say this stability is helping the ecosystem bounce back.
The regional government’s latest update, based on readings from 22 monitoring points, shows steady improvement across all six key health indicators for the lagoon. July’s unusually warm water had disrupted the balance, boosting algae growth, clouding the water and limiting sunlight penetration - all things that can harm marine life.
Víctor Serrano, the Mar Menor’s general director, warned that while things are looking up, “we must be alert to any events because it is a very fragile ecosystem in the face of events such as rainfall.”
See our EVENTS DIARY for more events and activities coming up soon in the Region of Murcia:
Spain
With the shocking news of all these life-threatening fires blazing out of control, you probably don’t need me to tell you it’s been a pretty hot August so far. But it’s not just stifling in the normal way – the first 20 days of the month are so suffocatingly hot that the weather experts believe this will be the warmest August of all time in Spain.Tuesday August 12 turned out to be the summer’s knockout punch so far. Records toppled all over the country, with the State Meteorological Agency saying they have never seen a stretch between August 1 and 20 this warm.
Some of the highs sound more like oven settings than weather. At Badajoz University, the mercury hit 45.5ºC just before 2pm. In Sevilla’s Tablada district, it reached 45.2ºC shortly after.
There is a tiny bit of good news. Aemet says we should get a short break next week with slightly cooler air and some storms in the north and central regions. A few could be pretty intense, bringing hail and strong winds.
Red alerts are gone for now, but orange warnings are still in place throughout the weekend in the likes of Andalucía and Murcia.
So, as we suffer through the hottest August in history, you might be thinking a cold drink is non-negotiable. Well, Spain has found a way to keep the refreshment flowing without the hangover. The country is now number one in Europe for both drinking and producing non-alcoholic beer as more and more people swap their traditional pint for a booze-free option.
Sales of non-alcoholic beer grew by 4% in 2024, even though the overall beer market slowed a little. Today it makes up 14% of all beer sold in Spain and 16% of the beer people enjoy at home. What was once a niche choice is now part of everyday Spanish life.
Spain’s Mediterranean drinking culture plays a big role in this shift. Beer is usually enjoyed with food, in good company and in moderation. About 81% of Spaniards drink beer socially, mostly in bars and restaurants, and more than one in four now opt for the alcohol-free version when the occasion calls for it, especially if they are driving.
The hospitality industry has caught on fast. Bars now offer a wide range of alcohol-free beers from classic lagers to IPAs, stouts and unfiltered varieties, including gluten-free options.
This trend reflects a broader change in drinking habits. More than half of young adults say they have cut back on alcohol, and many report taking a full month off from drinking. People aged 35 to 49 are also dialling down, while the over-50s have mostly kept their habits steady.
Spain’s success in non-alcoholic beer is also great news for the economy. The country is now the second-largest producer in Europe and eighth in the world, with brands like Mahou-San Miguel, Damm and Estrella Galicia featuring in global top rankings.
With health trends, active lifestyles and better brewing techniques driving demand worldwide, Spain’s lead in the alcohol-free market looks set to continue. For many, whether it’s a caña with tapas or a cold one after work, there is no longer any need for the beer to come with a buzz.
Let’s switch gears from enjoying your present to planning for the future. Just as people are thinking about what’s in their glass, many are also starting to think about what’s in their wallet when retirement rolls around. And in Spain, there’s some important news you need to know if you’re counting on your pension.
Spain’s pensions are changing again, and this time it is likely to make anyone approaching retirement sit up and pay attention.
From August 1, only Social Security contributions that have been paid correctly and on time will count towards your pension. That means any late or unpaid contributions could be left out of the calculation, which could reduce the amount you receive when you retire or, in some cases, make it harder to qualify for certain benefits.
In Spain, pensions are based on contributions made over your working life. Both employees and employers put money into Social Security and these payments form the backbone of your pension. To get an indefinite contributory pension, you need to meet minimum contribution requirements and a few other criteria.
With the new rules, checking your records has never been more important. You can log into the Social Security Online Office to review your employment history and see exactly what contributions have been recorded. Keep an eye out for gaps, missing periods or unusually low amounts.
If you do spot unpaid contributions or errors, there is still time to sort things out. You have until July 31, 2026 to regularise your payments. Taking care of it now ensures that all your contribution periods count towards your pension and helps protect your retirement income.
There’s a much broader issue impacting all of Spain this week: illegal migration. The government has started relocating unaccompanied migrant minors from the Canary Islands to mainland Spain, aiming to ease overcrowded reception centres and get a handle on a long-standing backlog.
The first transfer took place on Monday August 11 and involved ten adolescents, two more than initially planned. Authorities say they will carry out two transfers each week, moving between 15 and 20 minors at a time.
These relocations are part of the government’s response to a Supreme Court ruling from March, which ordered the Ministries of the Interior and Migration to take responsibility for about 1,200 children whose asylum applications are still pending. The backlog is largely due to the reception system on the islands being severely overstretched.
The government has kept specific locations and numbers under wraps to avoid political disputes but needless to say, tensions have already emerged over the relocations.
Some regions have expressed reluctance to take in the minors, but Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, has warned that any community refusing to house the unaccompanied children and adolescents will face harsh consequences.
"If they refuse to comply with the law, the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office and the State Security Forces would intervene. There is a procedure in the Royal Decree that allows for specifying how all of this will be implemented," she said.
Alicante
Records have been broken on a regular basis at Alicante airport, where passenger numbers have climbed inexorably since the pandemic, but in July a historic milestone was passed.
For the first time, more than two million travellers passed through its doors in a single month, a third of whom were British.
The precise total of 2,106,991 is 9.5% more than in the same month last year and surpasses the previous record set in July 2024 by 117,328 passengers.
Alicante remains the fifth busiest airport in Spain, behind Madrid, Barcelona, Palma and Málaga, overwhelmingly driven by international traffic.
The British contingent made up 688,968 of the total, over five times more than any other nationality.
There were also more flights last month than ever before too, almost 10% more than in July 2024.
Nevertheless, despite being the international hub for the entire Costa Blanca, transport to and from the airport remains a problem.
With no significant progress on a sorely needed rail link, additional taxi and ride-hailing (VTC) licences, and increased frequency of buses, have been unable to keep up with the demand, meaning that queues and overcrowding are still commonplace.
An unfortunate Belgian man got stuck between a rock and a hard place during a day out in Torrevieja on August 8.
He reportedly slipped and fell between the enormous boulders that make up the breakwaters sheltering the so-called “natural pools” on the seafront, alongside the promenade.
Trapped underneath tonnes of stone, he had to endure over two and a half hours in this position before the fire brigade were eventually able to free him.
Despite sending eight firefighters in three vehicles, none of their equipment proved effective enough to extract the man safely.
In the end they had to borrow a truck with a crane arm from the municipal street cleaning company to lift the rock that was on top of him out of the way.
The man was taken to Torrevieja hospital by ambulance but fortunately had only suffered bruising.
The dramatic rescue was witnessed by hundreds of onlookers on the busy seafront, but may serve as a lesson to those foolhardy few who insist on walking across the rocks, despite this being prohibited and lifeguards best efforts to warn them away.
Given the continuous growth in visitor numbers to the Costa Blanca, it seems only fitting that the Alicante Provincial Council’s tourism board should be investing in this sector, which represents the driving force of the area’s economy.
A total of €1.3 million is being provided, €611,000 of which is for marketing campaigns in both established and emerging markets, €350,000 is for grants to promote local fiestas, and the same amount to “fortify” tourism activity.
Provincial council president Toni Pérez said that Alicante’s tourist attractions include local fiestas, culture, gastronomy, landscapes, architectural and natural heritage, as well as sporting and music events.
Marketing to attract even more tourists is all very well, but some residents are criticising the lack of investment in basic infrastructure.
They point to persistent problems such as potholes, weeds, overflowing bins and broken street furniture in coastal towns like Orihuela Costa.
These long-standing concerns have left many questioning whether some municipalities in the province can cope with more visitors without first addressing the state of their streets and public spaces.
And finally, back in Torrevieja, the annual Summer Carnival Parade is taking place tonight, Friday August 15, in which over 200 participants will be showing off their multi-coloured costumes and choreography.
The stars of this spectacular seasonal celebration will be the Salt Queen and her ladies in waiting, the Carnival Kings and Queens, the Ladies and Beauties of Fire representing the “Molinos del Calvario” Hogueras bonfire fiestas, and the Queens of La Mata and the Sagrado Corazón fiestas.
Moreover, the 16 different Carnival groups will be dancing their way through the streets, dressed in outlandish outfits and encouraging onlookers to get in the party mood.
The parade starts at 9pm by the Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre and will proceed along Calle Ramón Gallud as far as the junction with Calle Clemente Gosalvez.
It will end at the Paseo Vista Alegre, where there will be a large exhibition area for the troupes and groups to entertain and greet the public.
Andalucía
A fire at Córdoba’s world-famous Mosque-Cathedral late on Friday night sparked global concern, but officials have reassured the public the historic monument is safe. The blaze began when an electric sweeper caught alight in the 11th-century Almanzor extension, sending flames more than seven metres high and damaging two chapels, one of which partially collapsed.
Firefighters familiar with the site’s emergency plan quickly contained the fire to a small section of the building, preventing flooding and further damage. Mayor José María Bellido said the damage, though serious, “will not be a catastrophe,” adding that calls of concern had come in “from all over the world.”
By Monday, the Andalucían Regional Government had approved an emergency restoration budget of around €1 million.
The first phase will see debris cleared, roofs shored up, and protective covers installed over the damaged chapels. Culture Minister Patricia del Pozo credited the site’s self-protection plan and firefighters’ “perfect coordination” for saving the monument, stressing that the affected area, just 50 to 60 square metres, is “perfectly restorable.”
As you read earlier, thousands of residents and holidaymakers had to be evacuated from Tarifa as not one, but two fires tore through the area in the last few days. But amid the stress, tragedy and devastation, a few quiet, unassuming and undeniably adorable unsung heroes have emerged.
In Doñana National Park in Andalucía, one of Europe’s most important wetlands spanning the provinces of Huelva, Seville and Cádiz, a unit of 18 firefighter donkeys works within movable fenced sections to clear vegetation and create natural firebreaks.
Incredibly, in all their work areas, no fires have ever been recorded.
Luis Manuel Bejarano, who leads the project, says the animals “don’t replace tractors or machines; they complement these where they can’t enter.”
Donkeys can navigate rough ground, need less water than other livestock and have a varied diet of branches, brambles and shrubs that makes them ideal for this task. The initiative has even been recognised by the UME, who sponsor a donkey named UME as a symbol of their support.
Amid the ongoing challenges across the region, Cádiz provided a welcome splash of colour and joy this week as its famous summer carnival filled the streets with music, costumes and laughter.
The city brought its famous February carnival to the summer seafront. The second Paseo de Carnaval turned the city’s promenade into a giant open-air party, with chirigotas, comparsas and colourful costumes spread across three stages.
Locals and visitors mingled late into the night, enjoying music, satire and the scent of the sea. The event, timed to coincide with the Carranza Trophy football tournament, proved once again that Cádiz knows how to throw a party, whatever the season.
You may have missed…
- Cabo Roig cliff path reopening stalled again despite council takeover.
The reopening of the blocked Aguamarina path along the Cabo Roig cliff walk has hit another snag, despite now being officially owned by Orihuela City Council. - Murcia invests €10million to improve roads in 9 municipalities.
The regional government has committed to improving Murcia's road network with the launch of nine new projects worth €9.2 million. These works will focus on road safety and maintenance across the Region. - From Westminster to southern Spain: Michael Portillo's journey to Cartagena.
The former Conservative cabinet minister turned much loved travel presenter is in the historic port city filming his latest project, bringing with him the same mix of curiosity and charm that has made his documentaries so popular.. - Murcia driver throws cat from car and deliberately runs over it
The driver of a luxury car abandoned a cat on the road before deliberately running it over, repeatedly, eventually killing the animal. - Murcia-Almería train line pushed back to 2027
The launch date of the Murcia- Almería line, already pushed back multiple times, has again been extended to 2027.
And that’s all we’ve got for you this week. Thanks for reading and we’ll be back next week.
Happy bank holiday weekend 
