News, July 2008

July 31st, general news roundup.

Inflation hits 5.3%; BBVA bank expects unemployment to reach 14% next year; much of Spain leaves for, or returns from holiday this weekend 6 million car trips expected; 29th: Small explosive device goes off at Torremolinos - no claims of authorship; EPA survey show unemployment in 2nd quarter up 20% in areas most affected by property bubble burst; Iberia and British Airways to merge - BBC report.

Other recent news includes: 25th: 9 ETA suspects being interrogated by judge Garzón today, 2 others arrested in France; president Chávez (Venezuela) visits royals in Mallorca before meeting Zapatero in Madrid -BBC report; 151 migrants reach canaries on cayucos -one dead; finance minister Solbes reduces annual growth estimate to 1.6%, Zapatero conditions recovery on international banking recovery; 22nd: Civil Guard arrest 'Comando Vizcaya' of ETA -probably responsible for yesterday's bombs - in all 8 arrested -BBC report; 21st: ETA places 4 bombs in Cantabria (north coast) - none hurt -BBC report; state accounts go into deficit due to oil and economic crisis; Venezuela's president Chavez offers to hug king Juan Carlos to end last year's 'shut up' row -BBC report.

Other recent news includes: 16th: Kings of Spain and Saudi Arabia open Conference for Dialogue between major religions in Madrid - several protestant bishops may be present; Spanair to cut 9 loss-making routes and 1,100 jobs; Senate adopts EU Lisbon treaty -BBC report - King must still sign; 15th: Basque president Ibarretxe asks Constitutional Tribunal to decide if he can legally call a regional referendum on autonomy; developer Martinsa -with 25,000 homes under construction- declares insolvency - IBEX market index down 3%; Banco Santander to buy Alliance and Leicester, making it UK's second retail bank -BBC report; security guards shot -one dead- in bank delivery attack near Seville; Spaniards saving in Liechtenstein under scrutiny - 200 may be evading tax on 200 million Euros; Ascó nuclear power station again aborts restarting after serious escapes last year - further potential leak found; blind organisation ONCE continues to create work for disabled despite recession.

11th: cayuco (large open boat) with 59 migrants, 4 dead, reaches La Gomera, Canaries; president Zapatero visits Morocco; June CPI confirmed at 5%; IBEX market index continues to slide - but iPhone sells out on launch day; 10th: 15 migrants, including 9 babies, dead on patera (small open boat) reach Almería - 33 survivors - BBC report; Palestinian shot and seriously wounded in central Madrid; Caja Madrid (a savings bank) and BancoBVA believe recession -or at least stagnation- will bite in 2nd half, with rapid growth in mortgage repayment defaults; dealers' association estimates car sales to decline by 20% this year; 9th: BBC's Mark Mardell blogs on background to recent fuel strikes: here; 3 'lost' Goya sketches fetch record auction price - BBC report 8th: Government plan hopes to reduce oil reliance by 10%; IBEX market index hits yearly low; 14 Nigerians missing as patera (migrant boat) tips over off Motril, Andalusia -23 rescued; walk way bridge falls on A7 highway near Fuengirola, Costa del Sol - 7 injured; budget airlines Vueling and Clickair agree merger; 200 demonstrate in Seville for high sanction against judge Tirado, deemed responsible for allowing Mari-Luz killer to run free; domestic savings level falls to 2.6%; San Fermin bull-running fiestas in full swing in Pamplona, Navarre - Irishman falls off wall to death - Times report, Times photos now from here - 'Pamplona'; BBC bull photos; BBC publishes interview with 'last anarchist' of the Civil War - read it here.

5th: Socialist Party (PSOE) congress this weekend - new executive named, social legislation 'advances' approved (euthanasia, abortion...); half of Spain heads on holiday as fuel hits 1.30€ per litre - jams reported as usual out of major cities; as judges head on holiday they expect the backlog of cases to be 2.5 million by year end; cayuco reaches Tenerife with 148 migrants on board; yacht held off Finsiterre (Galicia) with 1.5 tonnes of cocaine; recession beginning to bite - The Economist reports; UK builder Taylor Woodrow slashes holiday home prices on Costas after failed rights offer; 2nd:Unemployment sees first recorded June rise; Basque law to require shop workers to speak Basque language - meanwhile, Castile pushes manifesto in defence of Castilian language ('Spanish'), but Socialist party wants use of regional languages in national Cortes (parliament); 4 Algerians arrested for sending money to known terrorist organisations; July Sales expected to net 15% less due to crisis.

Earlier news headlines: click here.