News, December 2009

We wish you a Happy New Year!

Thank you for your support over the past year. We pray you will enjoy this Christmas and New Year period and find time to reflect on the wonder of the coming of Christ. May you be encouraged to continue praying for Spain over 2010. more >>

News from the Churches

Christmas TV Service on Christmas Eve seen by 275,000. 4880 shoeboxes sent to children in Sahara. 'Spain, we're praying for you' repeats event in March. 500 attend GBU Forum. Red box preachers ran successful marathon day. 450th anniversary of first Spanish evangelical martyrdom. This and more... Read on! more >>

December 31st, recent news round-up

Andalusia cut off as floods hit A4 highway; Jaume Matas, former president of Balearics faces up to 30 years in corruption charges; post to rise 6%, minimum wage up 1.5% to 633€; power use has fallen 4.3% in 2009; 30th: Polaris World holiday resort gets 3 months to reorganise debts or allow half subsidiaries to go into administration; southern and western Spain continues badly affected by rain and floods - BBC; government warns of possible ETA terror actions - BBC; rail unions to strike over New Year as travellers learn of hefty fare rises - 6% for commuter lines, 4% for AVE high speed services; q3 house prices showed more declines in sales and values; 24th: BBC reports on Christmas in Barcelona's downtown old city area, El Raval, leaving little to imagine; 22nd: 'El Gordo' the major Christmas lottery prize, goes to Madrid, as does 2nd prize - draw for first time on Facebook - The Economist comments; Air Comet ceases trading as planes seized by creditors; Ferrovials' BAA wins appeal against forced sale of UK airports - BBC; 2010 budget finally approved by Congress, including almost 100 Senate amendments; MariLuz case to be tried before jury; snow and ice finally cede to warmer wet weather - Christmas to be wet. more >>

Sport headlines

Barcelona in Abu Dhabi for Clubs World Cup - beat Atlante. Spain win Davis Cup. Spain gets 'easy' groups in football and basketball World Cups. Barcelona leads league. Madrid beat Marseille, Barcelona beat Kiev. La Vuelta 2010 presented. more >>

New abortion law in Congress

December. In November a new abortion law went before the Congress. This has been long months in the planning stage and finally comes to full political debate. With the Roman Catholic influenced Partido Popular on the opposition benches, the law faces a narrow victory. Main items are the closing of a clause which has allowed almost any woman to abort at any stage of pregnancy, but it now gives full freedom to abort up to 14 weeks. more >>

Inquisition museum opens

Early December saw the opening of the doors to the Castle of Saint George in Seville, former home of the Spanish Inquisition. more >>

News theme: weather and winter travel

Spain is not, contrary to its image, permanent summer! The tourist season is limited, even at coastal areas, except in the Canary Islands, to half the year. Winter, especially inland, is far harsher than it is in (mostly) mild Britain, so much further north. more >>

News Theme: The Economy

Unemployment in Spain (The Economist)

For the past few years Spain has been hitting headlines for above average growth and very high house price inflation. The end has now definitely arrived for the Spanish economic miracle, with Spain among the worst hit nations in Europe. World economic woes are certainly affecting Spain, but it is suffering more due to local matters. Several billion Euros have now been thrown by the government at the problem, but unemployment is heading for 20% by the end of 2009. Experts believe the government is not adopting the best policies to get Spain back to work. We offer our view. more >>

News theme: Basque politics and ETA - 50 years on

31st July 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of ETA's terror campaign. To mark it, ETA planted a bomb outside a Civil Guard barracks in Burgos on 29th and under a patrol car in Mallorca on 30th, the latter causing two deaths. ETA is still alive and killing, but has achieved nothing useful for the Basques they claim to represent. On 19th June '09 ETA killed again. Here we offer some background thoughts to the problem. more >>

News Theme, The immigration crisis

Desperation (AFP)

Reports, almost daily, of open boats known variously as pateras (coming from Marrocco or Algeria) or larger cayucos (reaching the Canary islands from further south), combine with stories of illegal 'paperless' immigrants attempting to cross the fences at Ceuta and Melilla. Add to these high profile stories the situation of hundreds of thousands of Latin Americans and Romanians, not to mention Asians and you have the appearance of a significant immigration crisis. Throw in the confusion and disagreement of politicians as to how to deal with the phenomenon and you have a real crisis, now doubly significant as the jobs they are hoping for have dried up. more >>

More News

A few more news items and where to find more news about Spain:

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