Spain Papers Review - Wednesday January 7 2009

Spain Papers Review - Wednesday January 7 2009
larger | smaller
By h.b. - Jan 7, 2009 - 9:44 AM

Today's El Mundo with the Minister for Defence wearing trousers.

The ongoing violence in Gaza leads the papers in Spain, together with concern over European gas supplies.

El País leads with a shocking photo on its front page from Gaza and the headline that Israel kills 33 refugees in two United Nations Schools. The photo shows partial bodies on the ground after one of the attacks.
The paper highlights a comment from the Red Cross which has described the suffering in Gaza as unsustainable.
Público dedicates its front page to the diary of a Palestinian who is witnessing the Israeli military offensice from his home in Gaza city… ‘One of the bombs which woke me up in the morning hit the house of some friends. There were 17 people inside. I feel bad. Who do I give by condolences to? – The entire family has been massacred’.
Interestingly, El País notes that the Spanish Ministry for Defence is drawing up an ethical code for Spanish troops for when they are on peace keeping duties abroad. The paper says the code follows the Declaration for Human and Humanitarian Rights, and was announced by Carme Chacón, Defence Minister, yesterday. Spanish soldiers will also be obliged to protect the defenceless, such as women and children, and also to stop cases of prostitution and domestic violence.
El Mundo has a photo of Carme Chacón, wearing trousers against protocol on the military parade yesterday in Madrid. The paper has the caption ‘The Minister on her (fashion) parade’. The paper notes that she told Israel ‘You have to distinguish between combatants and civilians’. El Mundo notes that there were 43 deaths yesterday in the bombing of a United Nations school.
ABC leads with the headline of 30 deaths and says two UN schools were hit. It says the United Nations has demanded an investigation into the killings, and that the army is claiming there was firing of projectiles from the buildings.
ABC notes that Sarkozy and Mubarak have drawn up a peace plan, and that Israel is to open ‘a humanitarian corridor’.
ABC highlights the King’s call for an immediate cease fire and says the Monarch defended the ‘traditional values’ of the Army in the face of new changes.

El Mundo has the latest instalment of its Sigma Dos opinion poll and headlines that the average Partido Popular voter prefers Rato, Gallardón or Aguirre to current leader Rajoy.
Only 37% of PP voters think he will be the leader at the next election. By comparison 76% think Zapatero will stand again, for a third term.

El País headlines that half of Europe is suffering drastic cuts in gas supplies because of the crisis between Moscow and Kiev. The paper says gas from Russia no longer arrives in 16 countries and notes this at the time of deepest winter.
El Mundo says the EU is demanding that Russia and the Ukraine reestablish the gas supply immediately.
ABC says that Greece, Bosnia and Hungary have no gas at all, while Germany, Italy and France are suffering cuts.

ABC notes that Aznar has signed up María San Gil, ex head of the Partido Popular in the Basque Country, for his FAES think tank. The paper says the PP are to step up their opposition to the government, especially in areas of education, unemployment, innovation and immigration.

El País notes that the Euro has been hit by the slowdown in the European economy and that inflation is also falling as a result of reduced demand. The paper notes the € has fallen back by 4.1% in just two days.

El Mundo reports from Germany where the multi-millionaire, Adolf Merckle, has committed suicide after losing 1 billion speculating on the Stock Market.

El Pais notes some relief, with the 160 million € winnings in the El Niño lottery which went to Llodio and Terrassa yesterday. El Mundo also gives coverage.

Maruja Torrres writes for El País, so it’s understandable that they give prominence to her win of the latest Nadal prize for literature. The paper notes she wins for a novel about friendship.

Many papers note the success of Barcelona away to Atlético Madrid in the King’s Cup last night. El Pais notes Messi's hat-trick and says the Argentinean was ‘playing with’ Atlético.

And finally,
El Periódico in Barcelona has a front page photo of a white beach in the city after a hailstorm, as temperatures fall, and the journey home after the New Year was complicated for many.

Click here for related stories

mobile |

email this article | print

printer friendly page

More Spain Press Review

Readers' comments:
Please keep to the subject. Opinions published here are of our visitors, not the Typically Spanish team. Comments which go against Spanish laws or which are libellous are not allowed. We reserve the right to delete any comment we wish. Placing a comment indicates you have read our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema. Escribir un comentario indica que has leído nuestros condiciones de uso y politica de privacidad.