Headlines from Spain
The Guardian has a series about four countries, that form part of what they call The new Europe.
The series expores every aspect of their cultures, economies and day-to-day lives.
This week the focus is on Spain.
Look through the many interesting articles.
Here they look at what is making the headlines:
A marathon of tape-cutting and airport opening photo opportunities for Spanish politicians ended this week as rules on electioneering meant nothing new could be inaugurated until after regional and municipal elections on 22 May.
The rush to produce appealing photos means many facilities have been inaugurated before they are finished. El País lists everything from a non-functioning airport at Castellón to a metro line in Seville.
The government was still negotiating with Eta after the Basque separatist group broke its ceasefire by killing two people with a bomb at Madrid airport in December 2006, El País and El Mundo report.
El Mundo concentrates on how publication of Eta's minutes of meetings with government representatives has led the opposition People's party (PP) to demand the resignation of the interior minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba. The PP claims an Eta extortion racket intermediary who was due to be arrested was tipped off on the interior ministry's instructions, presumably to meet pledges to Eta that no one would be arrested during the ceasefire.
El Mundo points an accusing finger at the ministry's number two, the secretary of state for security, Antonio Camacho. Camacho himself says Eta's version of events cannot be trusted.
Eta's methods are exposed in evidence at the trial of the alleged militant Arkaitz Goikoetxea. The court was shown a video in which he admits planning to kidnap and kill a socialist town councillor, Benjamín Atutxa. The video shows him handcuffed by an alleged Eta arms cache. It also shows the injectable valium that was to be used to drug the victim.
The Spanish state will take shares in four of the country's newly-merged savings bank groups, which have asked for extra capital so they can meet tough central bank stress tests, according to El Mundo. It says the government will put in €7.7bn. The Barcelona-based La Vanguardia estimated a lower sum of €6.6bn.
La Vanguardia gives the Catalan regional prime minister, Artur Mas, of the nationalist Convergence and Union coalition, a front page slot as he declares his region is "the Germany of Spain". He is not referring to a booming economy, but to an Angela Merkel-style dislike of paying to support poor regions. "Spain has lived beyond its means" thanks to money from Catalonia, he said.
Spaniards are worried about rising interest rates. In a country with one of the highest property ownership rates in Europe and where mortgages are usually at a variable rate, a slow increase in rates over the past year has already added €50 a month to the average (€150,000 over 25 years) mortgage, El País reports. More hikes await.
Sports pages show photos of the muddy, lumpy pitch where Spain's World Cup winning football team is to play Lithuania, describing it as a "potato field". Speculation was rife about who would hobble off injured at the game.
Do you have any opinions about any of the stories?
The series expores every aspect of their cultures, economies and day-to-day lives.
This week the focus is on Spain.
Look through the many interesting articles.
Here they look at what is making the headlines:
Spanish politicians' last-minute dash for photo opportunities
In the headlines: politicians rush to open unfinished airports, while revelations of Eta negotiations cause a storm
A marathon of tape-cutting and airport opening photo opportunities for Spanish politicians ended this week as rules on electioneering meant nothing new could be inaugurated until after regional and municipal elections on 22 May.
The rush to produce appealing photos means many facilities have been inaugurated before they are finished. El País lists everything from a non-functioning airport at Castellón to a metro line in Seville.
The government was still negotiating with Eta after the Basque separatist group broke its ceasefire by killing two people with a bomb at Madrid airport in December 2006, El País and El Mundo report.
El Mundo concentrates on how publication of Eta's minutes of meetings with government representatives has led the opposition People's party (PP) to demand the resignation of the interior minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba. The PP claims an Eta extortion racket intermediary who was due to be arrested was tipped off on the interior ministry's instructions, presumably to meet pledges to Eta that no one would be arrested during the ceasefire.
El Mundo points an accusing finger at the ministry's number two, the secretary of state for security, Antonio Camacho. Camacho himself says Eta's version of events cannot be trusted.
Eta's methods are exposed in evidence at the trial of the alleged militant Arkaitz Goikoetxea. The court was shown a video in which he admits planning to kidnap and kill a socialist town councillor, Benjamín Atutxa. The video shows him handcuffed by an alleged Eta arms cache. It also shows the injectable valium that was to be used to drug the victim.
The Spanish state will take shares in four of the country's newly-merged savings bank groups, which have asked for extra capital so they can meet tough central bank stress tests, according to El Mundo. It says the government will put in €7.7bn. The Barcelona-based La Vanguardia estimated a lower sum of €6.6bn.
La Vanguardia gives the Catalan regional prime minister, Artur Mas, of the nationalist Convergence and Union coalition, a front page slot as he declares his region is "the Germany of Spain". He is not referring to a booming economy, but to an Angela Merkel-style dislike of paying to support poor regions. "Spain has lived beyond its means" thanks to money from Catalonia, he said.
Spaniards are worried about rising interest rates. In a country with one of the highest property ownership rates in Europe and where mortgages are usually at a variable rate, a slow increase in rates over the past year has already added €50 a month to the average (€150,000 over 25 years) mortgage, El País reports. More hikes await.
Sports pages show photos of the muddy, lumpy pitch where Spain's World Cup winning football team is to play Lithuania, describing it as a "potato field". Speculation was rife about who would hobble off injured at the game.
Source: Guardian
Do you have any opinions about any of the stories?
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