Homeless seek refuge at Madrid airport as rents soar
Most were men, half had been sleeping at the airport for over six months and 38 percent said they had a job.
Nearly all of them would leave the airport during the day.
The issue has exposed deep divisions among the institutions tasked with addressing homelessness.
City and regional governments in Madrid have clashed with Aena, which operates under the control of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist administration.
"Primary social care is the responsibility of the local government," Aena said in a statement, adding the city must fulfil its "legal duty to care for vulnerable populations".
Madrid's conservative Mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida fired back, arguing that the central government controls Aena and "what's happening depends on several ministries".
The city insists that most of those sleeping in the airport are foreigners who should fall under Spain's international protection system.
Despite the finger-pointing, both sides have agreed to hire a consultancy to count and profile those sleeping at the airport. The study results are expected by the end of June.
Those who call Barajas home say the increased scrutiny in Europe's fifth busiest airport is unwelcome.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
4 days ago
- Eyewitness News
Up to a million young Catholics expected for grand Pope Leo vigil
ITALY - Up to a million young Catholic believers are expected Saturday for a nighttime vigil led by Pope Leo XIV, the culmination of a week-long pilgrimage, a key event in the Jubilee holy year. The "Jubilee of Youth"—when "the Vatican invites Catholics aged 18 to 35 to the seat of the global Church's power—has seen thousands of young pilgrims from around the world flood Rome this week. It is taking place just under three months since 69-year-old Leo—the first American pope—took over the papacy. Large groups of pilgrims have packed the streets of Rome all week, waving the flags of their countries or cities and chanting religious songs. Excitement has mounted over the course of the week for the new pope's final appearance to the youths on Saturday. "I feel mainly curiosity, as we don't know him very well yet," Parisian student Alice Berry, 21, told AFP. "What does he have to say to us? What is his message for young people?" - Uncertainty, anxiety - Various events have been planned for them by the Church throughout the city, including at Circus Maximus, where on Friday approximately 1,000 priests were on hand to take confession. Some 200 white gazebos lined the hippodrome where chariot races were once held in Ancient Rome, where youth lined up to speak to priests in 10 different languages. Spanish was one of the main languages heard on the streets of the Italian capital. The pilgrimage is taking place as economic uncertainty hits young people across the world and as climate change anxiety rises among the under-30s. Many young pilgrims said they wanted to hear the Vatican's position on climate change, wars, and economic inequalities. Samarei Semos, 29, said she had travelled three days from her native Belize to get to Rome. "We are still trying to understand his leadership," she said of the new pope, adding she hoped he would have a strong say about "third world countries." The pilgrimage also comes amid global alarm over starvation in Israeli-blockaded Gaza and more than three years into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. - Night vigil - The Vatican has praised Catholic youths who travelled to Rome from war-scarred countries like Ukraine or Syria, with Pope Leo repeatedly calling for the youths to "pray for peace." The voices of the amassed young people "will be heard to the end of the earth," Pope Leo told them earlier this week. The Vatican has said that more than 146 countries are represented. The mass that is the climax of the event will take place in Rome's Tor Vergata area in a vast open-air space with a newly built stage for the pope. It is the same area used 25 years ago for the last youth jubilee under Pope John Paul II. More than 4,300 volunteers will be working the event to welcome the young pilgrims, along with over 1,000 police, according to organisers. In an unprecedented move, Leo hosted a mass Tuesday for Catholic social media influencers, signalling the Vatican's openness to supporting the Internet-savvy youth. Rome authorities have tightened security in the city -- which has seen an unprecedented number of people, with both tourists and pilgrims inundating the city.
The South African
28-07-2025
- The South African
38 dead in DRC church attack blamed on ADF rebels
Suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels killed 38-43 people during a Catholic night vigil at Blessed Anuarite parish in Komanda, Ituri province, on 27 July 2025, according to local officials. Armed with guns and machetes, the attackers stormed the church around midnight, targeting worshippers in prayer. Local officials reported that the church attack injured at least 15 people and abducted several others. Witnesses reported gunfire and screams as worshippers fled in panic. Since 2019, the ADF has claimed allegiance to the so-called Islamic State. This is the deadliest attack reported in Ituri province in 2025, surpassing the February massacre in Samboko and Matolo villages that killed 23 civilians. Islamic State-linked rebels launched a brutal attack on a Catholic church in Komanda, Ituri province, killing at least 34 worshippers during a night vigil. Armed with guns and machetes, suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) stormed the church shortly after midnight. The attack caused panic as people screamed and ran for their lives. In response, civil society leader Dieudonné Duranthabo strongly condemned the killings. He also called for immediate military intervention to protect civilians from further violence. The rebels did not stop at the church. They also set fire to nearby houses and shops. Following the attack, local officials reported discovering at least three charred bodies in burnt homes. Tragically, most of the victims were young. Father Aimé Lokana Dhego confirmed that 31 of the dead were members of the Eucharistic Crusade, a Catholic youth prayer group. In the wake of the massacre, volunteers began preparing a mass grave within the church grounds to bury the dead with dignity. As fear spread, many survivors fled to Bunia and surrounding villages. Residents are now calling for urgent protection and humanitarian support. This attack marks one of the deadliest in Ituri province this year. ADF'S HISTORY AND MOTIVES The ADF originated in Uganda in the late 1990s before relocating to eastern DR Congo in 2002 after military pressure. Since then, the group has killed thousands, often targeting churches and schools in a campaign of terror. The ADF is notorious for brutal attacks using machetes and firearms. In mid-2019, under Musa Baluku's leadership, the group pledged allegiance to ISIS and became the Islamic State's Central Africa Province (ISCAP), pursuing a caliphate in Central Africa without a formal political programme. Although joint Ugandan-Congolese military operations began in 2021, they have failed to dismantle the group's command structure. Eastern DR Congo remains volatile, with over 130 armed groups competing for control of territory and resources. DR Congo's army described the church attack as a 'large-scale massacre' by the ADF. Army spokesperson Jules Ngongo confirmed that rebel activity around Komanda remains a significant threat. MONUSCO denounced the assault as 'revolting' and a clear breach of international humanitarian law. UN officials have warned of a surge in violence across Ituri province this month, including threats to civilians. Despite deploying Congolese troops, security forces have struggled to stop rebel advances in rural areas. Local NGOs now call for urgent international intervention to safeguard communities and assist displaced populations. Meanwhile, the search for the missing continues amid fears of repeat attacks on places of worship. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
28-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
Islamic State-backed rebels kill 38 in attack on east DRC church
Islamic State-backed rebels killed 38 people on Sunday in an attack on a church in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), city officials said. The assault in Komanda, a city in the northeastern DRC, is believed to have been carried out by ADF rebels wielding guns and machetes, officials told Reuters. Jean Kato, an official in the city administration, said worshippers were taking part in a night mass when the rebels stormed the church in the early hours of Sunday morning. Thirty-eight people were dead, 15 injured and several others were still missing, officials said. Christophe Munyanderu, a human rights activist present at the scene in Komanda, said shots were heard overnight but people at first thought it was thieves. "The rebels mainly attacked Christians who were spending the night in the Catholic church," said Munyanderu. "Unfortunately these people were killed with machetes or bullets." The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo has condemned a recent resurgence in violence in the province where this attack happened.
