Was it a sign from heaven?

The first session of the Spanish Parliament following the summer break had to be postponed for two hours.

The Palacio de Congresos is undergoing a 4.4 million euro overhaul. There are tarpaulins covering sections of the chamber, meant to keep rain out, which gave in when the weight of a thunderstorm proved too much. The speaker was forced to order parliamentarians to leave for fear of electrocution.

Some say it was a sign from heaven because Mariano Rajoy was expecting a grilling over the ongoing scandal of the secret slush fund that Luis Barcenas says operated. The ex treasurer claims that Sr Rajoy regularly received brown envelopes of cash donated by businessmen in return for lucrative contracts. The president, of course, denies the allegations.