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News, February 2010February 24th, recent news round-upFirst major union demonstrations against the Zapatero government - BBC; Other recent news includes: 19th: Rain continues to hit headlines, as storms cross Spain - more to come;Bank of Spain expects 0.5% fall in production (GNP) this year; putting the books partly to right: poet victim of Civil War to be honoured - BBC - as evangelicals continue to call for pensions for Franco era pastors whose work is not considered worthy as such - Protestante Digital; 18th: Heavy storms overnight in Canaries; Zapatero defends economic plans in Congress - BBC video; banking bad debts over 5% by end 2009; Spaniards spent more in q4 for first time in 2 years; Congress approves sending 511 more troops to Afghanistan; Burberry to close Spanish office and factory; 16th: Presumed ETA member arrested on train from Paris at Catalan border; health minister postpones new anti-tobacco law to consult more; 6 to 9 airports to get AFIS automated air traffic control to cut costs; 15th: Snow affects south east, but could be the last; labour minister admits 40% of unemployed will find it hard to get new work; several new ETA arrests; senior judge suggest lowering penal age to 13; Spain offers to have 5 Guantanamo prosoners - BBC; Iberia gets thumbs up from investors over BA-AA north Atlantic alliance; Mobile World Congress in Barcelona sees all kinds of new gadgets and applications - c.f.BBC tech pages. Other recent news includes: 12th:[Image 99???]Half Spain wakes up to snow; Unions call general strike - for 23rd- over pension age rise; Spain is the last G20 economy to remain, as expected, in recession as 4th quarter GNP was -0.1% - BBC; January inflation (CPI) 1%; 10th: Moodys, the rating agency confirms Spain's AAA status; defence minister says military involvement -including a hospital ship- in Haiti is costing 18.8 million Euros for the initial 3 month period; wintry weather alert in 21 provinces; 8 arrested for exploiting 150 women in 'clubs' on Costa Brava; home sales fell 255 in 2009; Bank of Spain tells commercial and savings banks to cut 20% from valuations of unsold and repossessed homes - this could put some below minimum capital requirements; 9th: Government to give extended unemployment pay of 426€ per month for 6 months to 200,000 who have so far not had it, in the likely event that these people find no new work soon - there is no long-term unemployment pay in Spain; more money to go to battered wives- in form of temporary 'widow's pension'; 6 die in fire at retirement home in Seville; Infanta (princess) Elena now officially divorced; unions and business agree to no pay rises in firms with big problems - others will get 1%; Opel to continue production in Zaragoza, but will fire 900; 8th: Survey shows 82% 'fail' government on handling of crisis, including 62% of recent Socialist voters - they especially dislike postponement of pension age; Catalan Nationalist party CiU offers support to government to get through crisis; one of four plotters absolved in 'Tigris' Al Quaida case by Supreme Court - 10 more were already absolved by National Court due to irregularities in spy techniques - 3 others continue in prison; economy ministers tour Europe after markets hit Spain. 5th: New employment reforms today; air traffic control liberalised to pre-empt possible strike action; regional government of Balearics threatened after president expels regionalist partners for corruption in Unión Mallorquina; GNP fell 3.6% in 2009; 2 ETA members sought after 800 kg explosive found in Portuguese house - BBC; 25th anniversary of reopening of the border to Gibraltar - (it had been closed by Franco); IBEX market index closes down 8% on week, a fall of 15% since New Year; socialist judge Baltasar Garzón nominated for Grand Cross of Saint Raymond, award created by General Franco - meanwhile, Supreme Court considers striking him off for various offences; 4th: Pray for president Zapatero attending the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC (today) - W.Post - possibly the first time Zapatero has read the Bible and almost certainly in public; Santander bank group gains 9 billion despite crisis; Spanish civil servants' pay grew 40% more than the EU average between 2000 and 2008; 3rd:Cáritas report informs there are 8 million 'poor' in Spain, 1.5 million them severe; FBI says sorry to left wing leader Llamazares for using his photo to make photofit of Bin Laden, without explanation; 2nd: Official unemployment crosses 4 million - WSJ; terrible night of rain in Canaries; despite abundant rain, Las Tablas de Daimiel peat bog in La Mancha continues to burn due to long drought and overuse of its resources; Europe's highest paid air traffic controllers threaten Easter strike over pay cuts; Iberia to charge for tourist class 2nd cases from 1st March; 1st: Spanish soldier dies in Afghan convoy attack - 6 wounded; Obama cancels plans to attend EU-USA summit in Madrid in May - BBC, NYT - but Zapatero to attend National Prayer Breakfast in Washington on Thursday and king Juan Carlos visits Washington on 17th; Madrid's Puerta de Hierro hospital performs world's first 'ex-vivo' lung transplant; rain storms cut power and roads in Tenerife - BBC video; car sales up 18% in January, but still very low; former president Aznar says of president Zapatero: 'never did anyone do so much harm in so little time'; 200 migrants died attempting to cross the Straits to Spain during 2009 - down from 921 in 2007. 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