Spain Press Review
Spain Papers Review - Monday January 5 2009
By h.b. - Jan 5, 2009 - 9:50 AM
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El Mundo shows a photo of a group of Israeli soldiers meeting yesterday at the start of the ground attack on Gaza. The picture supplied by the Israeli army.
The paper headlines that they are closing on Gaza city, and that elite Israeli troops have split the strip into two and blocked all the accesses to the city.
El Mundo has a report from Alberto Arce from Gaza who headlines his piece – ‘When the doctors can do no more than turn off their mobile phones and pray’.
El País headlines that Israel is preparing for the urban war after splitting Gaza in two. The paper has a large front page photo of a wounded Palestinian woman calling for help at the doors of the bombarded house.
El País has a special report from the region where a human rights worker tells the paper that the worst thing is the uncertainty. ‘Nobody in Gaza has the certainty that he or she is out of danger’.
Público has a photo of two badly injured Palestinians being attended to in Gaza during the land assault. The paper headlines ‘House by House’.
El Mundo reports that Cataluña has asked to limit the funds destined for the poor regions of Spain, so it can enjoy better financing.
The release of Spanish photographer José Cendon and the British journalist, Colin Freeman, is covered in all the papers. El Mundo claims a ransom of 200,000 € was paid.
El País says the photographer has said that, after 38 days in captivity, he managed to complete his report on the pirates.
El Mundo continues to reveal part of the Sigma Dos opinion poll it has been carrying over recent days and says today that most people want to pay lower taxes, see more public works and less spending on Television campaigns from the Government.
El País notes that the bankrupt Martinsa company is now offering land at a price ten times lower than it has been valued. The paper gives an example from Cádiz where a plot worth 157 million € will be put up for sale at 15.3 million. It’s one of the offers that Martinsa is including in its new viability plan to clear its debt. The company has asked the Government for help.
El Mundo notes that Bill Richardson, who was to have been the Trade Secretary in the new Obama administration, has resigned before being appointed to the post, as he is being investigated for corruption.
ABC has a full front page cartoon, with a man complaining he had left his shoes on his balcony for the Three Kings to fill with gifts each year, and they had left just some soles.
El Mundo reports that Mariano Rajoy has announced that Jaime Mayor Oreja will lead the Partido Popular candidate list at the European Elections despite us being in the Three Kings Bank Holiday weekend. El Mundo says that is because of an important advance of Rosa Díez and her new party in her polls. El Mundo is an active supporter of UPyD.
El País considers that Rajoy has kept the European elections in the hands of the P.P. hard wing.
Público also gives the appointment front page space.