Spain Archives - Communal News

Bolivia Expels Mexican Ambassador, Two Spanish Diplomats, Over Morales “Extraction”

December 30, 2019December 30, 2019 Vincent Ferdinand Leave a comment

Bolivia’s interim government announced on Monday that it had expelled the Mexican ambassador to the country and two other Spanish diplomats for trying to “facilitate” the departure of former top officials of the government of former President Evo Morales, who is currently a refugee in Argentina. The foreign diplomats in question have been given 72 hours to leave the country.

Spain’s Do-Over Election Roll Comes Up Snake Eyes

November 11, 2019November 11, 2019 Vincent Ferdinand Leave a comment

The Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE), of Spain’s current Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, won the highest number of votes in the country’s general elections held on Sunday, although with no clear possibility of forming a government. With 100% of the ballot boxes counted, the PSOE won 120 seats in Parliament, three fewer than in the first elections of the year, held on April 28.

Barcelona Airport in Chaos After Pro-Catalan Protests

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 Benedict Kasigara Leave a comment

Protests broke out in various parts of Catalonia Monday after the Spanish Supreme Court sentenced nine independence leaders to between 9 and 13 years for sedition and embezzlement. Thousands gathered at Barcelona–El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport in Barcelona.

The acting Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, called a meeting with the main parties while ensuring that his office will “fully comply” with the sentences. The political reaction confirms that the sentences will become one of the main issues in the November 10 elections.

Catalan Separatists Sentenced for Sedition, Embezzlement

Editor's Pick October 14, 2019October 14, 2019 Benedict Kasigara Leave a comment

Spain’s Supreme Court on Monday sentenced nine separatist leaders involved in Catalonia’s attempted independence in October 2017, to terms ranging from nine to 13 years in prison. All defendants were acquitted of the most serious charge of rebellion. The group was convicted of crimes ranging from sedition to embezzlement of public funds, in an expected decision. Three defendants were found guilty of disobedience crimes and were not sentenced to prison.

Over 500 Migrants Stranded in the Mediterranean Sea – No Port Willing to Let Them Dock

August 13, 2019August 13, 2019 Vincent Ferdinand Leave a comment

The Norwegian ship Ocean Viking saved another 105 migrants from Libya on Monday. There are a total of 356 people on board. At the same time, 150 migrants remain “trapped” on the Spanish Open Arms ship near the Italian island of Lampedusa. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has ordered all Italian ports closed for refugees and illegal migrants. Meanwhile, some migrants have reportedly been waiting on ships for over ten days.

Spanish Socialists Win Most Seats, Growing Nationalist Party Makes Historic Gains

May 2, 2019May 15, 2019 Robert Martin (CN Staff) Leave a comment

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) won the most seats in Sunday’s national election and must now assemble a governing coalition.

This week’s results were a first test for Sanchez who assumed leadership during a coalition restructuring last year. He now expects his increased legitimacy to help him pass social and political reforms.

Spanish Election 2019: Who Reigns in Spain?

April 28, 2019April 29, 2019 Robert Martin (CN Staff) Leave a comment

For the third time in four years, Spaniards will head to the polls Sunday in a general election. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and his ruling Socialist Workers’ Party, enjoy a commanding lead in the polls, but should still fall short of a governing majority. Sanchez came to power last June, following the first successful no-confidence vote in Spanish history.
Read More

International Roundup: Election Fever

Editor's Pick March 11, 2019July 3, 2019 Robert Martin (CN Staff) Leave a comment

FINLAND: The center-right government unexpectedly fell Friday, ahead of planned elections on April 14. The trigger was Prime Minister Juha Sipila’s failure to pass social and health care reforms. Sipila’s Center Party has trailed the Social Democrats in opinion polls since last May.
Read More

Breakdown of Europe’s Economic Troubles by Country

Editor's Pick March 8, 2019July 3, 2019 Jay Black Leave a comment

#1 Germany: Economy stalled in the final quarter of last year, just skirting recession as fallout from global trade disputes and Brexit put the brakes on a decade of expansion amid signs that exports will stay subdued for the time being.
#2 UK: Economy expanded at its slowest annual rate in six years in 2018 after a sharp contraction in December. Growth in the year was 1.4%, down from 1.8% in 2017 and the slowest rate since 2012. Blame factory output and car production for the slowdown, among other factors.

Vamonos! Spanish Prime Minister Calls Snap Election

Editor's Pick February 18, 2019February 18, 2019 Robert Martin (CN Staff) Leave a comment

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election, for April 28, on Friday. Sánchez became Prime Minister in May, after the first successful vote of no confidence in modern Spanish history. The announcement comes two days after his Socialist government was defeated in Congress, and failed to pass its budget.
Read More

International Roundup: Caracas, Catalonia, Kurds, Kings

Editor's Pick February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 Robert Martin (CN Staff) Leave a comment

SYRIA: The US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces announced Sunday they were engaged in fierce fighting as part of a “final push” against Daesh in Syria. The offensive comes as President Trump announced plans to declare, as early as next week, that all Daesh territory has been recovered.
Read More

International Roundup: Borders, Migrants and Leadership Changes

October 22, 2018July 3, 2019 Robert Martin (CN Staff) Leave a comment

SAUDI ARABIA: In an interview with The Washington Post late Saturday, President Trump backed down from his assertion that Saudi Arabia’s account of the circumstances surrounding Khashoggi’s death at the country’s Turkish consulate was credible. “Obviously there’s been deception and there’s been lies.“Mexico: A growing caravan of Honduran migrants streamed through southern.
MEXICO: heading toward the United States, after making an end-run around Mexican agents who briefly blocked them at the Guatemalan border. They received help at every turn from sympathetic Mexicans.
GERMANY: According to a Die Welt journalist, Angela Merkel could quit her post at December’s CDU party conference – before taking on another top job in Europe. “Rumours are swirling in Brussels that Merkel could run for the European Commission next year.”
SPAIN: One African migrant died and three others were injured when around 300 stormed the border fence separating Spanish enclave Melilla from Morocco on Sunday, the local authorities said.
ENGLAND: 670,000 protestors filled the streets of London, demanding a fresh Brexit referendum. Prime Minister Theresa May will face unhappy members of her own party at a crisis meeting Wednesday.
JORDAN/ISRAEL: Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Sunday said he has decided not to renew parts of his country’s landmark 1994 peace treaty that allowed Israel to lease two small areas, Baqura and Ghamr, from the Jordanians for 25 years. The leases expire next year, and the deadline for renewing them is Thursday.
BRAZIL: Tens of thousands of people rallied Sunday in 15 states across Brazil in support of Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing front-runner in next week’s presidential runoff election. Bolsonaro is polling ahead of the leftist Workers’ Party candidate, Fernando Haddad, in the Oct. 28 ballot.