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# Iberosphere

News, comment and analysis on Spain, Portugal and beyond

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://iberosphere.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Graça Barroso: Portugal’s “complete” dancer](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/portugal-news-graca-barroso-portugals-complete-dancer/8856) - A hugely influential figure on the country’s ballet scene, Barroso has died at the age of 62.
- [Desperate Zaragoza fan seeks solution in the crowd](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-zaragoza-fan-seeks-solution-in-the-crowd/8780) - Aragonese lawyer says crowdfunding is the only way to save soccer club.
- [The End](https://iberosphere.com/2013/08/the-end/8883) - Iberosphere calls it a day after three-and-a-half years
- [Welcome to Iberosphere...](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/welcome-to-iberosphere/1984) - Finally... phew! That was tough! After having my head stuck in PHP, CSS and HTML code for the last month to the point where I was actually rattling off taglines and text attributes in my sleep, Iberosphere is finally up and running.
- [Maybe Rajoy is right: deny everything and it’ll go away](https://iberosphere.com/2013/07/spain-news-maybe-rajoy-is-right-deny-everything-and-itll-go-away/8867) - The scandal implicating the Spanish government’s Partido Popular goes right to the top, but by skirting democratic norms, the prime minister is managing to pretend it doesn’t exist.
- [A slow death in the afternoon](https://iberosphere.com/2013/07/a-slow-death-in-the-afternoon/8847) - Can bullfighting survive its many challenges?
- [Tales for Tapas: Leaving Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-8838/8838) - Rajoy's strong mandate, the Spanish exile...and a fond farewell.
- [Spain ahead of the US in bankers’ prosecution](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-spain-ahead-of-the-us-in-bankers-prosecution/8824) - Crisis-hit Spaniards are furious with their banks and those who have been running them, but the country has been surprisingly tough on its lenders.
- [Madrid 2020 and the cult of the mega-event](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/madrid-2020-and-the-cult-of-the-mega-event/8812) - A tale of three cities – Madrid, London, and Rio de Janeiro – and their tragic obsession with global sports blowouts.
- [Tales for Tapas: The right lines](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-the-right-lines/8803) - A new high-speed train link; cautious talk of recovery; and Messi's tax woes.
- [How EU austerity is falling foul of the law](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/how-eu-austerity-is-falling-foul-of-the-law/8794) - There is a simmering confrontation between some EU members’ highest courts and European authorities over the limits of austerity, interstate solidarity and human rights.
- [Tales for Tapas: Japanese lessons](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-japanese-8771/8771) - Spain and Italy’s CEOs are the best paid and French president says the Eurozone crisis isn’t that bad.
- [The end of ETA…still?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/the-end-of-etastill/8763) - It’s nearly two years since the terrorist group announced it was laying down its weapons. But recently there have been signs that real peace is yet to arrive in the Basque Country.
- [Turbo-charged exports won’t drive Spain out of the crisis](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-turbo-charged-exports-wont-drive-spain-out-of-the-crisis/8748) - There is a growing chorus of voices claiming that Spain’s exports are pushing the country out of economic trouble; but the reality suggests that much more than a healthy trade balance is needed.
- [Tales for Tapas: Because we can](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-because-we-can/8730) - A cheap gig from some veteran rockers, Rajoy riffs on banking union and students stick it to the man in charge of education.
- [Statistics and identity](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/statistics-and-identity/8740) - A new poll offers some curious findings about nationalism and regional feeling in Spain.
- [What new holiday rental licences in Spain could mean](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-holiday-rental-licences-in-spain/8715) - Plans to introduce a new licensing system may be confusing, but they shouldn’t cause overdue alarm for those renting out vacation properties.
- [La Liga: Big-name exodus as season ends](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-soccer-la-liga-big-name-exodus-as-season-ends/8708) - José Mourinho, Radamel Falcao, Gonzalo Higuaín and Manuel Pellegrini among those leaving Spanish football, while Neymar finally arrives in Barcelona.
- [The private sector moves into Spain’s public hospitals](https://iberosphere.com/2013/06/spain-news-private-sector-moves-into-spains-public-hospitals/8701) - The regional government of Madrid’s health chief is pressing ahead with controversial privatisation plans despite lacking any independent evidence it will improve services and cut costs.
- [Tales for Tapas: Profitability and protection](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/tales-for-tapas-profitability-and-protection/8688) - Bankia puts profits first, EU politicians side-step big expectations…and the sun is due to underperform.
- [Fracking gives Spain another headache over regional autonomy](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/fracking-gives-spain-another-headache-over-regional-autonomy/8681) - While Cantabria's conservatives ban the controversial practice, the cash-strapped central government sees a source of badly needed jobs and investment.
- [Spain still wrestles with immigration](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-news-still-wrestling-with-immigration/8642) - As the country’s economic slump stretches on, the challenge of dispelling misinformation about immigrants and encouraging their integration stiffens.
- [Tales for Tapas: On the move](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-on-move-8630/8630) - Continental shifts, Eurovision diplomacy and well-heeled lawyers.
- [La Liga: Relegation battle rages](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-soccer-la-liga-relegation-battle-rages/8649) - Survival is the goal for four teams at the bottom, while the summer transfer madness has already got underway.
- [‘Twilight…’](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-news-protest-opera-8616/8616) - A comic opera taking on Spain’s economic crisis offers a rousing alternative to mass demonstrations.
- [La Liga: The end of a controversial era for Real Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spanish-soccer-la-liga-the-end-of-a-controversial-era-for-real-madrid/8608) - José Mourinho’s departure has finally been confirmed after months of rumour, tensions and acrimony.
- [La Liga: Atlético seek to make most of Real Madrid’s civil war](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/la-liga-atletico-seek-to-make-most-of-real-madrids-civil-war/8537) - The two teams meet on Friday in the final of the Copa del Rey. For Atlético, it’s a chance to break a 14-year jinx, for Mourinho’s team it’s a chance to salvage something from a poor season.
- [Spain has melted Mourinho’s aura of invincibility](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-soccer-mourinho-aura-of-invincibility/8593) - Defeat in the Copa del Rey final confirms that the reputation of the departing Real Madrid coach has suffered over the last three years. But Spain and he were never meant for one another.
- [Tales for Tapas: Irrational exuberance](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/tales-for-tapas-irrational-exuberance/8581) - An economy minister’s upbeat outburst; Germany’s banking downer; and money for young talent.
- [Catalonia is close to independence, despite Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-news-catalonia-is-close-to-independence-despite-madrid/8565) - The greater the stubbornness of Spain’s centralists, the greater the determination of those who wish to build a free and full statehood.
- [Another crisis for Spain's Socialists](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-another-socialist-crisis/8077) - The Catalan independence project opens up a damaging split between the Spanish Socialists and their long-time allies in Barcelona.
- [The tragic struggle of the loser on the Vespa](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/alfredo-landa8548/8548) - The late Alfredo Landa was more than just a star of Spanish comic cinema – he represented a country’s national and generational frustrations.
- [Tales for Tapas: Compelling drama](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-compelling-drama/8527) - José Mourinho’s goalkeeping saga, Rajoy’s hopes of greater integration and an Italian storyteller’s dream.
- [A protest song in the bank queue](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-toque-a-bankia-8522/8522) - Activists demonstrate against the handling of nationalised lender Bankia with a musical interlude.
- [Spain’s Socialists are desperate for new blood](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spains-socialists-are-desperate-for-new-blood/8511) - Despite the government’s difficulties, the opposition party is struggling. Is Eduardo Madina the answer?
- [La Liga: Real Sociedad stake Champions League claim](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-real-sociedad-stake-champions-league-claim/8477) - Basques beat Valencia, their rivals for fourth spot, in a six-goal thriller.
- [La Liga: Barcelona close in on long-awaited title](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-soccer-la-liga-barcelona-close-in-on-title/8502) - After the devastating disappointment of Champions League defeat, the Catalans can finally secure the league title this week.
- [Tales for Tapas: Food for thought](https://iberosphere.com/2013/05/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-8490/8490) - Siblings excel in the kitchen, drug cheats get off lightly and a banker resigns under a cloud - clutching a tidy sum.
- [Rajoy's problems aren't what they used to be](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-rajoys-problems-8482/8482) - The Spanish government’s biggest worry isn’t the Bárcenas corruption case – it’s an economic crisis that refuses to fade.
- [Scrupulously ridiculous](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-catalonia-scrupulously-ridiculous/7796) - Wednesday’s first session of the new Catalan parliament was not dedicated to the economic crisis and the social hardships it has caused, but to the issuing of a Declaration of Sovereignty that is legally void and politically dubious.
- [Tales for Tapas: Reform and recovery](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/tales-for-tapas-reform-and-recovery/8468) - The limits of Rajoy’s austerity, unveiling the king’s fortune and the pros and cons of flying low-cost.
- [Portugal celebrates memory of 1974 despite bailout burden (Audio)](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/portugal-news-carnation-revolution/8454) - Austerity helps resurrect the revolutionary spirit of 1974.
- [Nazis?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-nazis/8447) - Leading Spanish conservatives are comparing recent anti-eviction demonstrations with Hitler’s Germany. This betrays a poor grasp of history and weak political acumen.
- [Valencia cooks up controversy with “bread war”](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-valencia-cooks-up-controversy-with-bread-war/8442) - The “Ikea of bread” offers a low-cost staple for crisis-hit locals. But is it a blessing or a cynical stunt?
- [La Liga: Barça and Real Madrid warm up for European showdowns](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-barca-and-real-madrid-warm-up-for-european-showdowns/8432) - Spain’s big two each secure wins in the league, but the real focus is on their midweek Champions League semi-finals against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
- [Beyond their ken?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-economy-beyond-their-ken/8417) - Spain's economic problems now form part of such a complex web of cause and effect, action and reaction, that it is getting increasingly difficult for laymen, journalists and politicians alike to get to the core of what is actually happening.
- [Tales for Tapas: The price of asparagus](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-the-price-of-asparagus/8401) - Isabel Pantoja gets prison time, republicans voice their anger and Spain’s vegetables head to Germany.
- [Portugal stakes a claim at Colombian book fair](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/portugal-stakes-a-claim-at-colombian-book-fair/8390) - The work of Saramago, Lobo Antunes and Camões to be featured, as well as that of young writers.
- [La Liga: Seville and Betis share the honours](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-seville-betis-share-the-honours/8383) - A frantic Andalusian derby sees Betis stage a three-goal comeback, while Cristiano Ronaldo is on target for Real Madrid and a Messi-less Barça ease to victory.
- [The apocalypse comes to Barcelona](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/the-apocalypse-comes-to-barcelona/8371) - 'Los últimos días', directed by David and Àlex Pastor, is a gripping, stylish and well-constructed film with an intriguing plot... at least for the first hour or so.
- [Tales for Tapas: Life is a pleasure](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/tales-for-tapas-life-is-a-pleasure/8353) - Farewell to a sex-symbol, celebrating Picasso and lamenting Málaga’s injury-time disaster.
- [Spain’s rugby ambitions foiled in disastrous Six Nations](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-rugby-8333/8333) - The country’s federation has sought a clean start, bringing in a new coach and sidelining many foreign players. But the results still aren’t coming.
- [La Liga: Deportivo fight back](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-soccer-8325/8325) - Galicians seem to be finding form just in time, Barça thrash Mallorca despite Messi's absence and Real Madrid put five past Levante.
- [Tales for Tapas: Money and mystique](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-mystique8318/8318) - A princess in hot water, Real Madrid under scrutiny and farewell to Javier Bardem’s watering hole.
- [Resign? You must be kidding](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-corruption-resignation8309/8309) - Spain’s recent glut of corruption scandals has been accompanied by an equally striking phenomenon: a refusal of those implicated to step down from their posts.
- [Catalan police gunned down in Barcelona wild boar mayhem!](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-catalan-police-shot-in-barcelona-wild-boar-mayhem/8305) - You have to feel for the Mossos…
- [La Liga: Despondent Benzema searches for form](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-benzema-searches-for-form/8296) - Real Madrid’s mercurial striker has been in a slump and with the team seeking a record 10th Champions League title, they need him to improve.
- [Farewell to ETA’s destroyer of peace](https://iberosphere.com/2013/04/spain-news-etas-destroyer-of-peace/8287) - Xabier López Peña, one of the Basque separatist group’s most notorious figures of recent years, has died. His legacy was disastrous, but fortunately not lasting.
- [Tales for Tapas: Capital games](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-dinosaurs8273/8273) - A third attempt to land the Olympics, bumper bank bonuses and a lesson from the dinosaurs.
- [Tales for Tapas: Management lessons](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-management8279/8279) - Spain’s football team bounces back, while the economy refuses to.
- [Lisbon’s multimedia maestro Eduardo Nery](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/lisbon-multimedia-maestro-eduardo-nery/8262) - Artist’s death robs Portugal of one of its most influential contemporary figures.
- [La Liga: Simeone’s extended stay lifts Atlético](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-soccerla-liga-simeone-extended-stay-lifts-atletico/8195) - His team has finally ceded second spot to rival Real Madrid, but the Argentine coach’s impact on the perennial underachievers has been huge.
- [La Liga: Real Sociedad scale the heights](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-soccer-la-liga-real-sociedad-scale-the-heights/8254) - Basque team’s thrashing of Valladolid follows recent wins over Atlético and Barcelona and leaves them in fourth place.
- [Almodóvar’s low-cost comedy fails to raise a laugh](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/almodovar-im-so-excited-fails-to-raise-a-laugh/8233) - The Spanish director’s latest, an up-in-the-air farce, is overlong and self-indulgent and relies on his stock-in-trade characters.
- [The fight for a fairer evictions law](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-fight-for-a-fairer-evictions-law/8244) - Activists appeal to the government to approve a sweeping reform of Spain's mortgage regulations, in an effort to bring to an end the country's repossessions crisis.
- [Tensions high ahead of Galician derby](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-soccer-galician-derby/8227) - Deportivo and Celta are no longer the Spanish football forces they once were, but there’s still plenty at stake in their Liga showdown.
- [Tales for Tapas: Compromise in the air](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-iberia-8219/8219) - A new deal ends Iberia’s strike, Spain’s science credentials take a blow, and the US honours Rafael Moneo.
- [Tales for Tapas: Rich and poor](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/tales-for-tapas-chavez8171/8171) - Hugo Chávez, Amancio Ortega and Spain's credit-shy banks.
- [The Chávez trap](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/the-chavez-trap/8202) - Figures such as the late Venezuelan leader tempt us into making Cold War-style judgements that lack subtlety and often miss the point.
- [Unmasking the weaver of dreams](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/unmasking-the-weaver-of-dreams/243) - Gerald Martin's biography of Gabriel García Márquez reveals a little-known side of the Colombian novelist.
- [March 11, again](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-11-8189/8189) - Spain marks the ninth anniversary of the Madrid terrorist attacks.
- [Do EU migration trends put Spain’s health and pensions system at risk?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-economy-migration-trends-8133/8133) - There is a growing acknowledgement that economic and social impacts of migrant movements are greater than mainstream thought would have us believe.
- [Tales for Tapas: Catch of the day](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-tales-tapas-8086/8086) - Unwanted fish, a mooted return to Moroccan waters and a hopeful Eurovision entry.
- ["Why don't you shut up?"](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-chavez-juan-carlos-8123/8123) - Hugo Chávez's now famous run-in with Spain's King Juan Carlos.
- [La Liga: Double defeat of Barça leaves Real Madrid dreaming of glory](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/la-liga-double-defeat-of-barca-leaves-real-madrid-dreaming-of-glory/8116) - Convincing Clásico wins in the Copa and the league give Mourinho’s players confidence ahead of Manchester United clash.
- [A closer look at the lost generation](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/spain-news-8103/8103) - A new study highlights the plight of young Spaniards – and their attitudes.
- [US dollar to euro hits 2-month high, as US spending cuts kick in](https://iberosphere.com/2013/03/us-dollar-to-euro-hits-2-month-high-as-us-spending-cuts-kick-in/8097) - The US dollar has hit its highest rate against the euro since early January, as investors seek refuge from US spending cuts in the greenback, and Italy flounders following its election.
- [Tales for Tapas: Trouble in the air](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-tales-for-tapas-trouble-in-air-8008/8008) - Iberia's loss-driven strike, a property firm's troubles and a cinema award howler.
- [La Liga: Wins give Real Madrid and Barça belief ahead of clásico](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-soccer-la-liga-hard-fought-wins-give-real-madrid-and-barca-belief-ahead-of-clasico/8051) - As Spain’s 'Big Two' meet twice in the space of a week, Mourinho insists recent form is irrelevant.
- [Expats seize the day amid Spain’s property market uncertainty](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-property-8064/8064) - Home prices are still dropping across the country. But foreign buyers need to read carefully between the lines of the figures and forecasts being offered.
- [The great Portuguese hollowing out](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/portugal-news-great-portuguese-hollowing-out/8024) - With every passing day Portugal has less and less economy left, while fewer and fewer people remain to pay down the debt.
- [In praise of ‘Soldiers of Salamis’](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-in-praise-of-soldiers-of-salamis/8003) - Ten years after the release of the film version of Javier Cercas’s breakthrough, his novel still resonates.
- [The Catalan spy game](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-catalan-spy-game/7987) - Claims that dozens of secret dossiers on Catalan politicians and their financial affairs are being circulated for sale to the highest bidder have provoked panic.
- [La Liga: Pellegrini engineers Málaga’s miracle run](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spanish-soccer-la-liga-pellegrini-engineers-malagas-miracle-run/7982) - Andalusians are in fine form going into historic Champions League clash with Porto. Meanwhile, Messi keeps scoring for Barça and Real Madrid win despite an early red card.
- [Ladies and gentlemen, the next prime minister of Spain...?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-the-next-prime-minister-of-spain/7959) - María Dolores de Cospedal has tightened her grip on the Popular Party, and is the most likely person to succeed Mariano Rajoy if he doesn’t stand for a second term as prime minister in 2015.
- [Tales for Tapas: Delicate but not hopeless](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-delicate-but-not-hopeless/7894) - A new Iberosphere column looks at Spanish news issues from an alternative angle.
- [Tales for Tapas: Turning points](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-tales-for-tapas-7934/7934) - A softening of the governing party's stance on evictions, the hint of an export recovery and finally, a 15th century painting gets the treatment it deserves.
- [La Liga: Struggling Mallorca fire “great coach” Caparrós](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-soccer-la-liga-mallorca-fire-caparros/7875) - Balearic team struggles in the relegation zone, while Real Madrid lose again and Barça salvage a point against feisty Valencia.
- [It’s Goya time](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-cinema-its-goya-time/7942) - This year’s Spanish Film Academy awards gala brings competing international, national, and arty interests into play, with 'Blancanieves', a silent telling of the Snow White tale, leading the pack.
- [La Liga: Mourinho eyes Manchester United clash and Madrid exit](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/la-liga-mourinho-eyes-manchester-united-clash-and-madrid-exit/7927) - As Real Madrid languish in third place in the Spanish league, the Champions League remains the Portuguese coach’s only chance of leaving Spain on a high after a torrid few months.
- [Spain’s King Juan Carlos seeks to stem the opprobrium](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-king-juan-carlos-7915/7915) - The monarch’s eroding popularity was underlined once again at the weekend when he was booed at a sporting event. So far, his efforts to win back Spaniards’ support don’t seem to have paid off.
- [Euro wobbles as ECB hints at intervention to curb its strength](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/euro-wobbles-as-ecb-hints-at-intervention-to-curb-its-strength/7912) - Last week, following the euro’s stellar gains in January, I asked the question, how high will the euro rise? Well, this week it seems we have an answer, as the euro not only stabilises but actually falls against the pound and US dollar.
- [Rajoy is a liability for Spain if he can’t clear his name](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/spain-news-rajoy-corruption-liability-for-spain/7866) - Political and economic stability depend on the scandal-plagued governing party offering more than mere lip service to transparency.
- [How high will the euro climb?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/02/how-high-will-the-euro-climb/7857) - Well, isn’t 2013 turning out interesting? Far from the continuation of the debt crisis that some people feared, we’re seeing confidence return to the Eurozone in waves, with a corresponding surge in the value of the euro.
- [Has Spain’s economic contraction become self-perpetuating?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-economy-contraction/7836) - The Spanish government has so far managed to avoid requesting a sovereign bailout and says growth will return by the end of 2013. But the bad news is that once again, recession still lurks on the horizon.
- [La Liga: Real Sociedad inflict Barça’s first loss of season](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/la-liga-real-sociedad-inflict-barcas-first-loss-of-season/7773) - Atlético and Real Madrid close the gap at the top with convincing wins, but the Catalans are still running away with the title.
- [La Liga: Rayo Vallecano defy the odds to keep riding high](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-soccer-la-liga-rayo-vallecano-defy-the-odds-to-keep-riding-high/7825) - Madrid’s “other team” shrug off their troubles to push for Champions League spot. Meanwhile, Ronaldo scores three and Messi bags four ahead of the year’s first Clásico.
- [Life and trials of the rebel colonel](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-news-martinez-ingles-7709/7709) - Anti-royal campaigner, agit-prop performance artist, or simply a “nutcase and traitor”? Retired army officer Amadeo Martínez Inglés is many things to many people.
- [Berardo brings Buddha to Lisbon](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/berardo-brings-buddha-to-lisbon/7811) - Influence of Portuguese-born tycoon goes beyond business as he amasses a huge art collection.
- [The next Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-news-next-spain-7786/7786) - It’s by no means certain that the Spanish state set up in 1978 will survive to hold general elections in 2015. Could Mariano Rajoy’s government be the last ever?
- [Here comes the sun](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/here-comes-the-sun/7756) - The Beatles can always make a difference... Six million unemployed in Spain and a youth jobless rate of over 50 percent. So three cheers for these musicians, organised by Carne Cruda radio, who made the day that bit sunnier for people queuing in an employment office...
- [Time for Spain to defy expectations as it battles corruption ](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-news-corruption-7764/7764) - Allegations about a culture of corrupt practices in the heart of the governing Partido Popular are just the latest in a litany of scandals.
- [La Liga: Depor find fortune on pitch despite financial woes](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-soccer-la-liga-depor-find-fortune/7743) - Struggling Galicians show signs of turning form around under new coach, as Barcelona break another record and Real Madrid fall further behind.
- [Rodrigo Rato: exiting through the revolving door](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-news-rodrigo-rato-exiting-through-the-revolving-door/7725) - The former head of the IMF and Spanish economy minister has just landed a job at Telefónica, despite facing a judicial investigation into mismanagement while he was chairman of failed lender Bankia.
- [Mario Draghi: the closest thing the Eurozone has to a leader?](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/mario-draghi-the-closest-thing-the-eurozone-has-to-a-leader/7722) - Who leads the Eurozone? Having “saved” the euro last year, I think that title belongs to Mario Draghi, head of the ECB. This article looks at why that is, and why it’s less than ideal.
- [Leaving the water running](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-news-unio-leaving-the-water-running/7717) - In a landmark admission of guilt, Catalonia’s Unió party has admitted to corruption. But don’t start opening the champagne…
- [La Liga: Messi’s Ballon d’Or highlights gulf dividing Barça and Real](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-soccer-la-liga-messi-ballon-dor-barca-real-madrid/7699) - Barcelona’s striker takes best player award for fourth consecutive time and scores his first goal of the year in derby win. Mourinho’s Madrid beat Real Sociedad 4-3 with a double strike from Ronaldo.
- [2013: Another rough ride for Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2013/01/spain-news-2013-another-rough-ride-for-spain/7674) - Mariano Rajoy faces multiple challenges in the coming months, but his preferred ploy of buying time isn’t going to work for long.
- [La Liga: Fallen hero Llorente eyes Bilbao exit](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/spanish-soccer-la-liga-fallen-hero-llorente-eyes-bilbao-exit/7639) - Athletic’s striker is heading for the door. Meanwhile, Barcelona tighten their grip on the league title.
- [La Liga: The end is nigh for José Mourinho](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/la-liga-the-end-is-nigh-for-jose-mourinho/7668) - Real Madrid lose again as the Portuguese coach controversially drops club captain Iker Casillas
- [What does 2013 hold in store for the euro?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/what-does-2013-hold-in-store-for-the-euro/7664) - With a turbulent year behind it, the euro looks stronger now than at any point in the last 12 months. So what will 2013 mean for the common currency?
- [The ‘Spanishization’ crusade of José Ignacio Wert](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/the-spanishization-crusade-of-jose-ignacio-wert/7626) - The Spanish government claims its education reform is based on human rights and raising academic standards. But other motives become apparent in a law that seeks to roll back the use of Catalan in the northern region’s schools. This is the first article in a two-part series.
- [The argument for Spanish in Catalan schools](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/spain-news-the-argument-for-spanish-in-catalan-schools/7647) - Catalan nationalists have made the question of teaching language into a central pillar of identity, defining those who dissent as unpatriotic – a deadly argument for any political debate. This is the second article in a two-part series.
- [Businessman’s arrest highlights Spanish corporate failings](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/spain-news-businessmans-arrest-highlights-spanish-corporate-failings/7580) - For the last two decades, Gerardo Díaz Ferrán, the disgraced former head of the employers’ federation, was seen as all that was right about Spain.
- [La Liga: Barça win again as Messi is crowned king](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/spain-soccer-la-liga-barca-win-again-as-messi-is-crowned-king/7596) - Argentine striker breaks Gerd Müller’s record of goals in a calendar year despite the resistance of Betis. Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid’s own goal machine, Radamel Falcao, scores five against Deportivo.
- [Euro climbs as Eurozone banking supervisor agreed](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/euro-climbs-as-eurozone-banking-supervisor-agreed/7609) - The euro gained against the pound and US dollar this week, reversing all of last week’s losses, as Eurozone leaders agreed a single banking supervisor for the currency zone.
- [Rajoy’s difficult year](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/rajoys-difficult-year/7602) - The Spanish prime minister was facing a stiff challenge when he took power 12 months ago. So far, the benefits of his peculiar approach to governing are hard to see.
- [La Liga: Ronaldo sinks Atlético’s hopes in Madrid derby](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/la-liga-ronaldo-sinks-atleticos-hopes-in-madrid-derby/7557) - Real Madrid went into the game under a cloud while their cross-city rivals were buoyed by strong recent form. But it was the same old story as Atlético’s winless run in this fixture continues.
- [Euro rally ends as ECB hints at rate cut](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/euro-rally-ends-as-ecb-hints-at-rate-cut/7592) - The euro’s six-week rally against the pound and US dollar has come to an unceremonious end, as the European Central Bank hints it might cut interest rates below 0.75% in 2013.
- [Choosing the Iberians of 2012](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/choosing-the-iberians-of-2012/7542) - Iberosphere has drawn up its annual list of people of the year in Spain and Portugal. This is how we went about it…
- [Iberian of the Year 2012: Artur Mas](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/iberian-of-the-year-2012-artur-mas/7339) - Fuelled by the economic meltdown, the wave of pro-independence fervour in Catalonia became Spain's most prominent political issue in 2012. At its crest stands Artur Mas.
- [Vicente del Bosque](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/vicente-del-bosque/7468) - By any standards, Vicente del Bosque has achieved extraordinary things, leading his team to the European Championship title in 2012, two years after lifting the World Cup.
- [Joana Vasconcelos](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/joana-vasconcelos/7431) - Lisbon-based artist Joana Vasconcelos has had a year to remember, becoming the first woman to show her work at the Palace of Versailles and taking on what she described as “the most fascinating challenge” of an already remarkable career.
- [King Juan Carlos](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/king-juan-carlos/7404) - From a blundering elephant-hunting trip in Botswana to his son-in-law's embezzlement scandal, King Juan Carlos has had a turbulent 2013.
- [Mariano Rajoy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/mariano-rajoy/7373) - To his supporters he’s calm, considered, strategic and resilient. But to his critics – whose ranks have swelled this year – Spain’s prime minister is hesitant, rigid, poorly advised and uncharismatic.
- [Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/juan-manuel-sanchez-gordillo/7384) - In his southern Spanish town, the bearded, charismatic mayor claims to have established a socialist “utopia”, where cooperation, solidarity and relatively low unemployment buck the trend in one of the regions hardest hit by the recession.
- [Artur Mas](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/artur-mas/7326) - Fuelled by the economic meltdown, the wave of pro-independence fervour in Catalonia became Spain's most prominent political issue in 2012. At its crest stands Artur Mas.
- [La Liga: Espanyol’s Pochettino falls on his sword](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/la-liga-espanyols-pochettino-falls-on-his-sword/7492) - Coach says he has reached “sell-by date” as team struggle at bottom of la liga. Mourinho’s Real Madrid fall further off the pace after Betis loss.
- [La Liga: prodigal Reyes finds form for derby demolition](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spain-soccer-la-liga-reyes-finds-form-for-derby-demolition/7301) - Sevilla winger scores twice against Betis in 5-1 thrashing, while Atlético Madrid enjoy their finest ever start to a season.
- [Nacho a pawn in Mourinho’s battle with the Spanish media](https://iberosphere.com/2012/12/nacho-a-pawn-in-mourinhos-battle-with-the-spanish-media/7549) - Real Madrid reserve defender has been singled out for praise by journalists and studiously ignored by the Portuguese coach.
- [Catalonia’s gambler Mas fails with his biggest bet yet](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/catalonias-gambler-mas-fails-with-his-biggest-bet-yet/7479) - The Catalan premier’s poor showing in regional elections is a major setback for his separatist plans. But Mas’s manoeuvring over the last three months has brought independence into the mainstream.
- [Artur Mas on Catalan independence](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/artur-mas-on-catalan-independence/7461) - Catalan premier Artur Mas explains in English his plans regarding independence from Spain
- [Signs of Chinese recovery lift the euro](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/signs-of-chinese-recovery-lift-the-euro/7455) - It’s been one of those weeks in which the gap between the world of foreign exchange, filled with shifting economic trends and global data, and the real world, which rarely changes, has seemed especially large.
- [Catalan election offers Mas hope of independence mandate](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spain-news-catalan-election-independence-mandate/7348) - Separation from Spain has been the key issue throughout the campaign. But failure to clinch a majority will be a setback for the region’s gambling premier.
- [La Liga: Levante v Real Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/la-liga-levante-v-real-madrid/7281) - A waterlogged pitch and post-match fisticuffs spiced things up as Levante pushed the champions to the limit for three points.
- [Pound falls as UK faces triple-dip recession](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/pound-euro-recession/7299) - The possibility of a triple-dip recession in the UK forced the pound down against both the euro and US dollar this week, putting an end to three weeks of gains against the common currency.
- [Spain’s evictions push the defenceless over the edge](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spain-news-evictions-push-the-defenceless-over-the-edge/7289) - Government and Socialists are forced to take action on mortgages after dramatic eviction deaths.
- [La Liga: Barça rewrite history books under Vilanova](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spain-soccer-la-liga-barca-rewrite-history-books/7245) - Barcelona’s unbeaten run in the season’s opening 10 games sees them break another record, while a 4-0 win against Zaragoza flatters a below-par Real Madrid.
- [Spanish education reforms...in the wrong direction](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spanish-news-education-reforms-in-wrong-direction/7265) - Schools’ emphasis on academic study, examination and cramming in the hours is dragging the country’s children back. But a planned overhaul of the system could simply make things worse.
- [Spain’s gay marriage ruling through the eyes of a seasoned campaigner](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spain-gay-marriage-ruling/7253) - The country’s Constitutional Court has approved a 2005 same-sex marriage law. But as gay rights campaigner Mili Hernández explains, Spanish society moved on long before its politicians and courts.
- [La Liga: Falcao firepower lets Atlético dream](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/la-liga-falcao-firepower-lets-atletico-dream/7213) - The Colombian striker has been on scintillating form this season and his goal against Osasuna at the weekend was his 10th in nine games.
- [Has Rajoy turned the corner? Of course he hasn't](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-has-rajoy-turned-the-corner/7166) - Victory in the Galician elections for his Partido Popular was a boost for the Spanish prime minister, but it wasn’t his doing.
- [To be or not to be: Catalonia as an independent state](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/spain-news-catalonia-independent-state7226/7226) - The growing distance between Catalonia and the rest of Spain is becoming problematic, and could now be considered one of the most important tail risks facing the euro. When Spain finally asks the EU for a rescue, Europe’s leaders must use the opportunity to promote dialogue and search for viable solutions.
- [Euro unchanged on Sandy, presidential election](https://iberosphere.com/2012/11/euro-unchanged-on-sandy-presidential-election/7224) - Uncertainty over the impact of Hurricane Sandy and the US presidential election led investors to hedge their bets this week.
- [La Liga: Early-season form leaves Málaga relishing Milan visit](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/la-liga-early-season-form-leaves-malaga-relishing-milan-visit/7170) - Manuel Pellegrini’s side have overcome the trauma of the summer to prove their quality in both Spain’s Liga and the Champions League. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi keeps Barça top of the table.
- [A necessary crisis for Spain’s Socialists](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-necessary-crisis-for-spains-socialists/7207) - The main opposition party hasn’t been able to gain political capital from the government’s austerity program and the Catalan crisis has merely amplified its problems.
- [Pound hits three week high as UK expands 1.0% in Q3](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/pound-hits-three-week-high-as-uk-expands-1-0-in-q3/7204) - The UK pound reversed a four-month decline against the euro this week, taking sterling back to a level we last saw in early October.
- [Juan Luis Cebrián: last man standing?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-juan-luis-cebrian-last-man-standing/7185) - The founder of Spain’s leading daily and the head of the country’s biggest media group stands down next year. His parting act will be to sack a third of the staff of ‘El País’.
- [The wisdom of doubt: Álvaro Siza](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/the-wisdom-of-doubt-alvaro-siza/7177) - Despite not receiving quite the recognition that the world’s “starchitects” enjoy, the Portuguese designer takes this year’s Golden Lion award at the Venice Biennale due to his varied and often contradictory oeuvre.
- [La Liga: Barça still in the driving seat after thrilling ‘Clásico’](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spanish-soccer-la-liga-barca-still-in-the-driving-seat/7109) - Real Madrid impressed on their visit to the Camp Nou, but the 2-2 result ensures Messi’s Barcelona maintain an eight-point lead over their rivals.
- [Bittersweet celebration for Basques a year after end of ETA’s violence](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-eta-7149/7149) - Gorka Landaburu has witnessed the brutality of the Basque Country’s troubles more closely than most. But his response is a lesson to those seeking a lasting peace in the region.
- [Euro gains as Rajoy’s waiting game pays off](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/euro-gains-as-rajoys-waiting-game-pays-off/7147) - The euro continued its slow ascent against the pound and US dollar this week, bouncing back ever since its July nadir of 1.20 against the greenback.
- [Jesús Eguiguren: the last negotiator](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-jesus-eguiguren/7136) - The president of the Basque Socialist Party has been a provocative figure in Spanish politics in recent years. But a year after ETA declared the end of its campaign of violence, it’s time to acknowledge his efforts to bring about peace in the Basque Country.
- [Gibraltar: Fish, football and frontiers](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-gibraltar-fish-football-and-frontiers/7126) - Mariano Rajoy’s beleaguered government takes on Britain over the Rock.
- [US dollar triumphs as Eurozone bank recapitalisation agreement unravels](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/us-dollar-triumphs-as-eurozone-bank-recapitalisation-agreement-unravels/7117) - The US dollar has triumphed against the pound and euro this week, as a Eurozone agreement dating back to June to break the link between indebted banks and governments unravels.
- [La Liga: Basque derby highlights Bielsa’s lack of ideas](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-soccer-la-liga-basque-derby-highlights-bielsas-lack-of-ideas/6988) - Athletic Bilbao’s troubles continue with a 2-0 defeat to Real Sociedad. Barcelona makes it six wins out of six and Real Madrid prepares for the clásico with a five-goal fiesta.
- [Artur Mas: independence hero, or cynical politico clinging to power?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-catalonia-artur-mas-independence/7099) - The Catalan leader has upset the apple cart by calling early regional elections he says will be a referendum on self-rule. This will also avoid a messy poll in two years that might have seen his CiU coalition lose its majority.
- [A “posh hippie” and a bunker mentality in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-posh-hippie-bunker-mentality/7092) - A judge’s shelving of the case against individuals accused of organising an attack on democracy in the recent September 25 protest has sparked political outrage. It has also shown how much the government is on the defensive.
- [Hope against hope for Spain bailout aids euro](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/hope-against-hope-for-spain-bailout-aids-euro/7090) - Following a fortnight in which the common currency fell against its pound and US dollar, its back up again this week, as the markets hope against hope that Spain requests a bailout.
- [Catalonia goes Kosovo](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-catalonia-kosovo-6952/6952) - The political crisis sparked by pro-independence sentiment in the northern region is heading towards an impasse. Swift action is needed to prevent Spain – and Europe – from suffering the consequences.
- [San Sebastián Film Festival: understanding war and ethnic division](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/san-sebastian-film-festival-understanding-war-and-ethnic-division/6914) - Penélope Cruz and Emile Hirsch star in ‘Venuto al mondo’, while Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri presents the masterful ‘The Attack’.
- [Spain's Congress protests in pictures](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-congress-protests-pictures/7023) - Photographer Felipe Fuente witnessed the protests around Spain's Congress during the last week of September. His photographs reflect a tense few days that saw social unrest intensify and the police widely criticised for their handling of the situation.
- [San Sebastián Film Festival: Happy Hoffman and a hold-up](https://iberosphere.com/2012/10/spain-news-san-sebastian-film-festival-happy-hoffman/6974) - US actor receives Donostia prize and presents his directorial debut, while a Franco-era farce mixes heist high-jinx with politics.
- [La Liga: Mallorca defeat completes sorry week for Valencia](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-soccer-la-liga-mallorca-valencia/6893) - Despite dominating much of the game, Mauricio Pellegrino’s team lost 2-0, while Barcelona continued their perfect start to the season and the lights went out on Real Madrid.
- [San Sebastián Film Festival: disaster and art](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-6942/6942) - ‘The Impossible’ tastefully returns to the 2004 tsunami, while Fernando Trueba triumphs with ‘El artista y la modelo’.
- [San Sebastián Film Festival: death and happiness](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/san-sebastian-el-muerto-y-ser-feliz6899/6899) - Javier Rebollo’s road movie set in Argentina, ‘El muerto y ser feliz’, divides the critics while Oliver Stone talks marijuana and justice.
- [Euro continues to fall on Spanish budget, Catalonia doubts](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/euro-continues-to-fall-on-spanish-budget-catalonia-doubts/6939) - The euro has again lost out against its main counterparts, but unlike last week, when the euro fell due to generalised nerves about the Eurozone economy, the common currency’s decline this time has a much more specific focus: namely, Spain.
- [Violence mars Congress protest](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-protest-congress/6935) - The "Surround Congress" protest in Madrid held on September 25 culminated with violent clashes between demonstrators and police. While the government has defended the work of the police force during the protest, others, such as the Socialists and Izquierda Unida, have criticised it for acting disproportionately. A total of 35 people were arrested, with 64 injured (about half of them police).
- [Socialism and the future of Catalonia](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-socialism-and-catalonia/6926) - The Catalan Socialist Party struggles to respond to the challenge posed by Artur Mas’s push for independence.
- [San Sebastián Film Festival: Snow White hits Andalusia](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/san-sebastian-film-festival-snow-white-hits-andalusia/6884) - With ‘Blancanieves’, Pablo Berger offers an original take on a classic fairy tale. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck’s ‘Argo’ shows diplomats as heroes.
- [Forget police brutality, this was verbal brutality](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-crisis-police-brutality/6903) - Apparently excessive use of force by the police during Madrid’s protest around Congress has sparked fierce debate. But the rhetoric leading up to it has deepened an already dangerous division in Spanish society.
- [San Sebastián Film Festival: Gere finds sinister charm in ‘Arbitrage’](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-san-sebastian-film-festival-gere-arbitrage/6878) - The 60th edition of the festival opens with an impressive thriller debut by Nicholas Jarecki.
- [Euro good luck streak ends as Eurozone data points to recession](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/euro-good-luck-streak-ends-as-eurozone-data-points-to-recession/6876) - The euro lost out against the pound and US dollar for the first time since mid-July this week, as faltering economic conditions point to recession in the eurozone.
- [The Pep Paradox](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-football-the-pep-paradox/6861) - FC Barcelona aims for Catalan independence yet still wants to play in the Spanish football league. How would this work?
- [La Liga: Atletico survive scare and Real lose again](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/la-liga-atletico-survive-scare-and-real-lose-again/6837) - Falcao scores once more as Atlético Madrid hold off a resurgent Rayo Vallecano, while José Mourinho lambasts lack of “commitment and concentration” of his players.
- [Santiago Carrillo: the nearly man](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-santiago-carrillo-the-nearly-man/6852) - Over the course of his near-100 years, Santiago Carrillo never missed the chance to further his career, shifting from Socialist to Stalinist, and then to Eurocommunist, until eventually settling for the role of seasoned political observer. A look back on the life of a true survivor.
- [Avoiding the risk of Spanish property embargoes](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spanish-property-embargoes/6847) - It can come as something of a surprise that in Spain certain authorities have the power to embargo your property and, ultimately, put it up for auction if a bill remains unpaid.
- [José Luis Garci’s Sherlock Holmes is out to rescue Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-jose-luis-garcis-sherlock-holmes/6827) - The director of ‘Begin the Beguine’ returns. And although he insists he has nothing to say about contemporary Spain in his films, it’s hard to believe him.
- [Portuguese take to streets against austerity](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/portugal-news-social-security-plan/6808) - More than a million people demonstrate against the government's social security scheme, in the biggest protest since the country’s 1974 revolution.
- [US dollar continues to slide on ECB and Fed stimulus](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/us-dollar-continues-to-slide-on-ecb-and-fed-stimulus/6805) - How much confidence do the markets have in the world’s central banks? A lot, if the latest changes in the exchange rates are anything to go by
- [Disability and Spain’s low-key Paralympics](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-6791/6791) - What does a lack of coverage of the Games say about Spain's attitude to those with disabilities?
- [Madrid’s Olympic bid: third time lucky?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/madrid-2020-olympic-bid-third-time-lucky/6777) - After two failed bids, the Spanish capital hopes to bag the 2020 summer games. But it’s hard to make the numbers add up.
- [US dollar loses out after ECB unveils its rescue scheme](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/us-dollar-loses-out-after-ecb-unveils-its-rescue-scheme/6773) - The US dollar was the biggest loser last week, shedding almost 1.00% against the UK pound and euro, and continuing a trend that started in early August.
- [EU praise can’t hide Rajoy’s bailout jitters](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-rajoys-bailout-jitters/6764) - With a rescue for Spain on the horizon, the big question is whether strict new conditions will be attached.
- [Clemency for ETA?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-eta-clemency-6757/6757) - The proposed release of convicted killer Iosu Uribetxebarria on humanitarian grounds has revealed the raw anger that simmers on both sides of the Basque problem.
- [Schrödinger’s Catalonia](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-news-schrodingers-catalonia/6729) - The spotlight has been thrown on the Catalan region once again, following its request for an economic bailout from Madrid. But how are its nationalists expected to react to current developments?
- [The ego has landed](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/ronaldo-real-madrid-ego-has-landed/6742) - Cristiano Ronaldo – who needs him?
- [A new take on the American abroad](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/leaving-the-atocha-station-review/6702) - Ben Lerner’s novel ‘Leaving the Atocha Station’ deftly explores the neuroses of a young foreigner living in Spain.
- [La Liga: Ronaldo’s sulk overshadows Real Madrid win](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/la-liga-ronaldo-sulk-real-madrid/6733) - Mysterious complaint by the Portuguese striker about “being sad” after scoring twice against Granada leaves club and observers scrabbling for answers.
- [Rajoy prepares for an autumn of discontent](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/spain-economy-rajoy-discontent/6720) - The prospect of a sovereign bailout is not the only challenge facing the Spanish prime minister in the coming weeks. The political complexities of the Basque Country, social unrest and a lack of coordination within the government itself must all be confronted.
- [Euro gains as market awaits Draghi’s silver bullet](https://iberosphere.com/2012/09/euro-gains-as-market-awaits-draghis-silver-bullet/6717) - Super-Mario to the rescue? The euro has been the big winner in the past week, gaining ground against both the pound and US dollar. Oddly enough though, this isn’t because of anything that’s happened, so much as hopes regarding what might happen.
- [Malcolm Tucker meets Mariano Rajoy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/malcolm-tucker-meets-mariano-rajoy/6689) - The solution to the Spanish government's PR problems...?
- [La Liga: Villa’s return a boost for new Barça boss](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spain-la-liga-villas-return/6657) - Barcelona’s new coach Tito Vilanova had a thrilling start against Real Sociedad, while Real Madrid stumbled against Valencia.
- [La Liga: Getafe upset leaves Real Madrid still seeking a win](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/getafe-upset-real-madrid/6682) - League champions lose to cross-city rivals, while Messi’s double makes it two wins from two for Barcelona.
- [Land and liberty](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spain-news-land-and-liberty/6673) - A Communist Party mayor in southern Spain is taking a no-nonsense approach to providing rural people with land to work. Let’s hear it for Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo.
- [Basque Country enters an era of uncertainty](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/basque-elections/6666) - The announcement of early elections was a chance for the Basque premier to highlight how far the northern region has come in recent years. But despite the decline of ETA, the political horizon now looks decidedly tense.
- [La Liga: Real Madrid and Barcelona prepare to do battle](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/la-liga-real-madrid-and-barcelona-prepare-to-do-battle/6640) - As the 2012/13 season kicks off, the big two prepare for another fight to the death for every trophy but Barça will do so with a new coach that José Mourinho knows all too well. Meanwhile, Qatari-owned Málaga experience cashflow problems.
- [Spain’s “Robin Hood” labour union hogs the limelight](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spanish-robin-hood-raids-supermarkets/6647) - The Andalusian SAT workers’ union has been hitting the headlines in Spain and abroad this summer, staging a series of high-profile protest actions. In early August, members of the union carried out “symbolic” raids on two supermarkets, stealing food that they said was destined for local charities. Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo, the mayor of the town of Marinaleda, supervised the robberies, which saw several people subsequently arrested. He said the food grabs would draw attention to the depth of Spain’s economic crisis, although the government and many commentators have criticised them for encouraging lawlessness.
- [Exchange rates in holding pattern as markets await central bank action](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/exchange-rates-in-holding-pattern-as-markets-await-central-bank-action/6643) - The euro has held more or less the same rate against the pound and US dollar for six weeks now, as the markets await ECB and Fed action. So what’s keeping them, and how will that affect you?
- [Spain’s reluctance to request aid weighs on the euro](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spain-bailout-euro-rates/6636) - The European Central Bank has a plan to cut Spain’s borrowing costs. But with so many strings attached, Spain isn’t sure it wants it. That’s putting pressure on the euro.
- [Spain and Sod’s Law](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spain-sport-6631/6631) - Spain’s lack of medals at the London Olympics is puzzling. But the reaction to it is even more dismaying.
- [A life in song](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/a-life-in-song/6623) - Chavela Vargas – legend of Mexican music, friend of Frida Kahlo, and sexually liberated hell-raiser – has died.
- [Euro slides as ECB disappoints](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/euro-slides-as-ecb-disappoints/6620) - ECB president Mario Draghi promised to do “whatever it takes,” to secure the euro, assuring his audience, “believe me, it will be enough.” Yet, when push came to shove, the Italian banker actually had very little to back up his big words.
- [A dilemma for Spain’s Socialists](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spain-socialist-rubalcaba/6616) - Opposition leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba is caught between offering a united front with the government and ripping its policies to shreds.
- [New rules raise requirements for applying for residency in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/08/spanish-residency/6612) - The Spanish government is tightening up on applications for residency certificates or cards in Spain. It isn’t enough any longer just to say that you want to live in Spain, you must prove that you have the means to do so.
- [Gregorio Peces-Barba: symbol of the transition and staunch monarchist](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/spain-gregorio-peces-barba/6600) - One of the major figures of Spain's transition to democracy has died, at the age of 74.
- [Lost](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/lost/6589) - Rajoy's HBO connection.
- [Euro climbs as ECB's Draghi vows to do “whatever it takes”](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/euro-exchange-rate-euro-climbs-as-ecbs-draghi-vows-to-do-whatever-it-takes/6586) - The euro gained two cents against the US dollar, reaching 1.23, this week, as ECB president Mario Draghi promises to pull out all the stops to save the euro. But how will he back up his determined rhetoric?
- [Assange and Garzón: what took them so long?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/assange-garzon-what-took-them-so-long/6580) - The Wikileaks founder has hired the services of Spain’s best-known magistrate, with whom he has plenty in common.
- [The regions’ role in the seemingly unstoppable slide towards Spain’s bailout](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/slide-towards-spains-bailout/6572) - No amount of austerity measures and reforms has managed to keep Spain out of the eurozone debt crisis and the free-spending of the country’s autonomous regions could be the catalyst for the much-feared bailout.
- [Vasconcelos finds a Baroque home in Versailles](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/vasconcelos-finds-a-baroque-home-in-versailles/6558) - Fêted Portuguese artist returns to France, where she was born, with a major show.
- [Euro sinks as Eurozone commitment wavers](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/euro-sinks-as-eurozone-commitment-wavers/6555) - French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said to officials in Washington: “People are, I think, happily surprised about what we're doing.” To which, I would have asked Monsieur Moscovici had I been there, to which people are you referring?
- [Profile: The incombustible Carmen Cervera Thyssen](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/profile-the-incombustible-carmen-cervera-thyssen/6550) - She holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Spaniards, not so much for her role as a matron of the arts, but for her insouciance in the face of a family feud.
- [Disentangling Spain's new medical prescription co-payment process](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/disentangling-spains-new-medical-prescription-co-payment-process/6542) - Now that Spain's new co-payment system for medications and prescription charges has come into effect we are beginning to see what the process looks like. There has been a lot of anxiety among residents of all nationalities about what the implications might be. This has not been helped by the trickle of information and regional differences in application.
- [A slice of Vegas in Spain stirs controversy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/spain-news-a-slice-of-vegas-in-spain-stirs-controversy/6539) - Plans by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson to build a massive gambling complex in Madrid or Barcelona have fuelled the rivalry between the two cities. But they have also drawn criticism for the economic model the project would introduce to the winning city.
- [Euro plunges as Spain cuts deeper](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/euro-plunges-as-spain-cuts-deeper/6528) - The euro sits at multi-year lows against both the pound and US dollar this week on the back of Spain's latest batch of tough austerity measures.
- [Euro up as Spain, Italy take a stand](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/euro-up-as-spain-italy-take-a-stand/6479) - Question: How do you get a powerful country to take you seriously? Answer: Threaten to veto absolutely everything on their agenda, until they listen to you.
- [Singing miners march on Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/spain-video-singing-miners-march-on-madrid/6524) - Miners who have marched over 400 kilometres from the north of Spain to protest against government cuts gather to sing on their arrival in Aravaca, near Madrid, on July 9. Over 200 miners from Asturias, Castilla y León and Aragón took part in the march, which they hope will persuade the government not to cut 200 million euros in annual subsidies for the sector. The miners argue that this cut will effectively bring an end to Spain's coal industry. The song they and supporters are singing is 'Santa Bárbara Bendita', a traditional mining ballad.
- [ECB interest rate cut sends euro to 2012 low  ](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/ecb-interest-rate-cut-sends-euro-to-2012-low/6521) - The reversal in the euro can be attributed squarely to the European Central Bank, after the bank's president, Mario Draghi, cut Europe’s benchmark interest rate -0.25% to just 0.75%, a record low for the ECB.
- [Miró and co. still in demand despite the crisis](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/miro-still-in-demand-despite-the-spaincrisis/6505) - The recent sale of works by Spanish artists for record prices highlights the art market’s ability to ignore the ongoing economic slump.
- [New co-payment scheme for Spanish medical prescriptions](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/new-co-payment-scheme-for-spanish-medical-prescriptions/6502) - The Spanish health service is under pressure. One of the ways in which it is hoping to increase revenue is through prescription charges. But announcements about the increase in the cost of prescriptions have caused both consternation and confusion.
- [Profile: Spain’s gentlemanly football genius, Vicente del Bosque](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/spain-soccer-6492/6492) - He was famously fired by Real Madrid before taking charge of the national team and many of the world’s best players. But the mastermind behind Spain’s successful European champions always keeps his cool.
- [Spain's golden generation rewrites history](https://iberosphere.com/2012/07/spain-soccer-6483/6483) - With an exceptional display against Italy in the Euro 2012 final, Spain successfully defended their title. After three major tournament wins in a row, the sky is apparently the limit for La Roja.
- [Ronaldo plans to cap a magic year by sinking Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/ronaldosoccer-6452/6452) - Portugal’s Real Madrid forward has had a phenomenal season with his club, and given his current form, he could cause the world champions severe difficulties in Wednesday’s Euro 2012 semi-final.
- [Spain’s true crisis isn’t economic, it’s institutional](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spains-true-crisis-isnt-economic-its-institutional/6473) - The ongoing economic slump has helped erode the credibility of Spain’s banks, politicians, judiciary and royalty. The much-vaunted Transition to democracy needs to be updated.
- [Why I no longer love Spain’s tiki-taka](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/why-i-no-longer-love-spains-tiki-taka/6466) - The Spanish soccer team has achieved amazing things in recent years, but face it, their brilliance can be boring.
- [Willy Toledo: The reasons for being a rebel](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spain-news-willy-toledo/6421) - A brave and outspoken critic of capitalism to some, an irritating agitator to others. Meet Spain’s premier actor-rebel.
- [Spain’s Basque Country glimpses peace despite political barriers](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spains-basque-country-glimpses-peace/6459) - On the anniversary of ETA’s bloodiest attack, there is hope that a definitive end to the violence is now looming.
- [Euro thriller against Croatia highlights Spain’s need for goals](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/euro-thriller-against-croatia-highlights-spains-need-for-goals/6413) - Spain has qualified top of its group for the quarterfinals of the European football championship, but if the team wants to defend its crown it’s going to need more firepower up front.
- [Euro holds firm as crisis drags on](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/euro-holds-firm-as-crisis-drags-on/6448) - The euro has held more or less stable over the past week. Of course, this doesn’t mean to say nothing’s happening in Europe. So why isn’t the exchange rate changing? Why aren’t the markets reacting?
- [Payback time for Spain's top judge Carlos Dívar](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spain-news-carlos-divar/6438) - The expenses scandal that has seen a senior judicial official step down highlights the difficulty many Spanish public figures have in fully accepting their responsibilities.
- [A turbulent history of Madrid’s towers of crisis](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spain-news-madrids-towers-of-crisis/6398) - The Spanish capital’s KIO Towers have become the defining image of the country’s financial troubles. But this isn’t the first time the twin buildings have symbolized the end of an economic boom.
- [Euro gains in spite of Spain’s bailout](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/euro-gains-in-spite-of-spains-bailout/6409) - The euro gained against both the pound and US dollar this week, as crisis fatigue set in.
- [“Our forgotten Spanish reality…”](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spain-bailout-forgotten-reality/6393) - Is Spain a world leader in banking with a prime minister who communicates masterfully with the electorate; or a pseudo-Germany that needs to be bailed out as soon as its delusions of grandeur are exposed? Just ask 'El Mundo' newspaper.
- [Bailout? What bailout?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spain-bailout-what-bailout/6384) - The detail of the rescue package for Spain’s financial sector is still yet to be confirmed. Until it is, the country won’t be out of the woods.
- [Profile: Esperanza Aguirre, Spain’s very own iron lady](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/esperanza-aguirre-spainnews/6300) - The scourge of Basque and Catalan nationalists, and an ardent advocate of privatization, the head of the Madrid regional government has carved out a place for herself in the Popular Party as a kingmaker.
- [Profile: Luis de Guindos, the man behind Spain’s bank bailout](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/luis-de-guindos-spains-bank-bailout/6373) - The Spanish economy minister had a low profile before joining the Rajoy government. But he has already made his mark, having grappled with the worst economic crisis in living memory, and struggled with a financial debacle that has culminated in an EU rescue package.
- [Rosales paints a masterpiece of family grief](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/sueno-y-silencio/6364) - Catalan director’s ‘Sueño y silencio’ is an unconventional gamble that rarely puts a foot wrong.
- [Despite slump, Scandinavians still show interest in Spanish real estate](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/despite-slump-scandinavians-still-show-interest-in-spanish-real-estate/6360) - With a lack of potential buyers for Spanish property in the United Kingdom and other traditional foreign markets it’s not surprising that sellers are looking further afield for buyers.
- [Poland & Ukraine 2012 will advance the cause of extremism in Europe](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/poland-ukraine-2012-racism/6349) - A lack of diversity in the stadia at the European soccer championship will signal a further concession to extreme and racist attitudes.
- [Spain wary of over-familiarity in Euro 2012 campaign](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spainsoccer-euro-2012/6314) - As they attempt to become the first team to successfully defend the European title, Spain are aware they have become a known quantity to international rivals.
- [Portugal’s spy who came in from the cold](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/portugal-spy-who-framed-me/6337) - The Portuguese secret service is in turmoil after a former intelligence director was charged with spying on major economic and political players on behalf of his new employer. Featuring corruption, state secrets and Freemasonry, this is no ordinary scandal.
- [Bankia and the blame game](https://iberosphere.com/2012/06/spainnews-blame-game/6328) - Who caused Spain's banking crisis? Does it matter?
- [How an historic sea booty slipped through Odyssey’s fingers](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spainnews-6286/6286) - A US treasure-hunting company recently failed in its attempt to claim ownership of the $500 million treasure trove it discovered off the Spanish coast. The dispute over the booty of the ‘Mercedes’ had drawn in Spain's government, a US court and Washington lawmakers.
- [Rajoy’s labyrinth](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-news-rajoys-labyrinth/6280) - As economic disaster threatens to engulf Spain, the country’s prime minister faces his greatest challenge. But while Mariano Rajoy seems convinced about the measures needed to battle the ongoing debt crisis, he still hasn’t discovered how to communicate effectively with his electorate – or persuade them the economy is safe.
- [Throwing a light on Western Sahara’s tragedy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spainnews-6268/6268) - 'Sons of the Clouds', a new documentary about the ongoing conflict over a colonized corner of Africa, is both accessible and carefully handled.
- [Copa del Rey final promises epic end to Spanish football season](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spanish-soccer/6253) - Barcelona go into Friday’s game against Athletic Bilbao as firm favourites. But Marcelo Bielsa’s team is one of the few in Europe that dare face the Catalans with an uncompromising approach.
- [Euro declines on Spanish bank run rumours](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/euro-declines-on-spanish-bank-run-rumours/6264) - The euro fell to its lowest point against the USD since mid-2010 this week, as concerns about a Greek exit from the euro and a Spanish bank run escalated.
- [La Liga: Real Madrid and Barça ponder life without Guardiola](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spainsoccer-realmadrid-barcelona/6225) - Spain’s top two soccer powers have pushed each other to incredible heights during the 2011-12 season, a trend they expect to maintain even though Barcelona will have a new coach this summer. But the bottom of the country’s primera division has also provided drama, particularly Villarreal’s relegation.
- [Bankia: A tale of confusion, conflict and unnecessary haggling](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-economy-6241/6241) - Those involved in guiding the recovery of the Spanish banking industry must be recalibrating their future options in the wake of the recent nationalisation of Banco Financiero y de Ahorros and the panic that ensued amongst the retail shareholders of their subsidiary - Bankia.
- [Embassies and consulates in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/embassies-and-consulates-in-spain/6240) - If you own a property in Spain it is likely that at some time or another you will have contact with your national consulate or embassy. In Spain, different countries have an embassy in Madrid and consulates in other Spanish cities. In your own country there will be a Spanish Embassy in the capital and Spanish consulates in different regions.
- [Education strike highlights Spain’s teaching problem](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-latest-news-6234/6234) - The unprecedented, across-the-board strike staged on May 22 by teachers, lecturers and students was aimed at government spending cuts. But the Spanish education system already had plenty of other issues to resolve.
- [Spain’s “technically impossible” euro exit](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-euro-exit-6207/6207) - With the Spanish economy and banking sector creaking under the strain of market speculation, talk of the country needing a bailout, or even of eventually ditching the euro, is becoming more common. But would exit from the euro really be such a bad thing?
- [Euro to end as Greece exit nears?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/euro-to-end-as-greece-exit-nears/6204) - Speculation that the euro might soon run its course hit the headlines this week, as Greece could soon exit the common currency, and Spain banks sink deeper into the mire.
- [‘Seis puntos sobre Emma’: Blind motivation?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/seis-puntos-sobre-emma-blind-motivation/6195) - Roberto Pérez Toledo’s film about a ballsy blind woman has a strong central performance by Verónia Echegui, but it’s hard to feel sympathy for her character.
- [Bilbao celebrates 15 years of Guggenheim-inspired transformation](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-news-bilbao-guggenheim/6170) - This year marks the 15th anniversary of the opening of Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, now a well-known symbol of a rejuvenated city and of the North American architect Frank Gehry. But how did the construction of an art museum revitalize Bilbao and become a preeminent example of late 20th-century architecture?
- [From abroad or in Spain? Obtaining a foreigner's identification number](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/from-abroad-or-in-spain-obtaining-a-foreigners-identification-number/6178) - There are many frustrating aspects of bureaucracy in Spain, but none more so than when one official categorically tells you one thing and another states the opposite. Unfortunately, this isn’t as rare as you might think and the last example that’s been confusing us all concerns the foreigner's identification number (NIE).
- [And there was peace in Portugal](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/portugal-news-and-there-was-peace-in-portugal/6152) - Political instability, protests, riots and strikes? No, not in the eurozone’s crisis-ridden, southernmost country.
- [Time for Spain’s ‘indignados’ to prove their relevance](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-news-indignados/6133) - As the 15-M movement prepares for its first anniversary, it can look back on a year of limited but tangible achievements. But with the Spanish economy going from bad to worse, the organisation now needs to take a step forward.
- [Pound to euro hits 1.25 as Spain nationalises Bankia](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/pound-to-euro-hits-1-25-as-spain-nationalises-bankia/6145) - The pound hit its highest rate against the euro since 2008 this week, as well as breaking the hugely symbolic 1.25 point, as Spain’s nationalisation of Bankia as well as electoral chaos in Greece pulled the euro down.
- [La Liga: Real Madrid’s away form is the stuff of champions](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spanish-soccer-la-liga-real-madrid/6083) - Cristiano Ronaldo leads the way to the title, while Leo Messi bids farewell to coach Pep Guardiola with a four-goal haul.
- [Remember Gernika - but don’t forget Chaouen](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spain-news-gernika/6055) - The 75th anniversary of the bombing of the Basque town is a reminder of the carnage of the Spanish Civil War. But the Gernika bombing wasn’t the first of its kind.
- [Catalonia’s immigrants face lonely road ahead](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-6031/6031) - The Spanish government's cuts have included slashing the funds aimed at easing integration of immigrants.
- [Spanish wine bucks recession](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spanish-wine/6015) - Despite the economic crisis, some wine sellers are finding that consumption is booming and that drinkers are increasingly willing to explore new flavours.
- [Is Catalonia going the way of Slovenia?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-5966/5966) - Spain’s restive northern region is talking of independence. But besides the political obstacles, the legal ones are substantial.
- [Iberian architecture builds a modern legacy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-portugal-news-iberian-architecture-builds-a-modern-legacy/5776) - Spain and Portugal have been enjoying something of a golden age in recent years when it comes to hosting major new architectural projects. What are the reasons for this success and can it continue?
- [Energy debt burden looms large in Spain’s deficit reduction push](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-5726/5726) - Besides its many other budgetary worries, the new Spanish government has to solve the issue of a €24-billion debt in the energy sector.
- [Squatting wave pushes for improved Spanish housing policy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-5680/5680) - Spain’s crisis and the country's peculiar laws have left several million homes empty and hundreds of thousands of families with enormous debts. Many of those unable to pay their mortgage end up squatting.
- [Red Lights: The sceptics are heroes in paranormal movie thriller](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-red-lights/5654) - With ‘Buried’, the Spanish director Rodrigo Cortés cranked up the tension with a script that was restricted to the inside of a coffin. But when it comes to the bigger picture, can he think outside the box?
- [Spain’s tax hike threatens La Liga’s appeal](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-soccer-tax-hike-threatens-la-liga-appeal/5194) - The government’s decision to raise income tax will have a very high-profile casualty: Spain’s soccer teams, which must now negotiate contracts with players under vastly different terms.
- [Spain’s literary giants are lost in English translation](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain’s-literary-giants-are-lost-in-english-translation-spain-news/5153) - Three cheers for Javier Marías for making it into Penguin Modern Classics: the first Spanish writer to do so since Federico García Lorca. Isn’t it about time the English-speaking world woke up to the Spanish literature of the last 75 years?
- [Catalan cuisine faces the future by returning to its roots](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spanish-food-5111/5111) - In recent years, Catalonia’s chefs have become renowned across Spain and around the world for their molecular gastronomy. But many chefs in the north-eastern region are now moving in a more traditional direction.
- [A short honeymoon for Spain’s Rajoy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-a-short-honeymoon-for-rajoy/5066) - The new prime minister has justified his announced austerity package by citing the previous government’s overspending. But with Spain still at the heart of the eurozone debt crisis and more cuts to come, he needs to share his plans with the electorate.
- [Spain's Socialists don't know where to turn](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spains-socialists-dont-know-where-to-turn/5046) - A disastrous 2011 has left the Socialist Party divided and defeated. A party convention is looming, but it's unlikely to resolve some major problems.
- [La Liga: Atlético’s away form comes home to roost](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/la-liga-spain-socceratletico’s-away-form-comes-home-to-roost/5028) - It now looks too late for coach Gregorio Manzano to turn around the fortunes of Madrid’s perennial underachievers and save his job.
- [La Liga: Real Madrid still in thrall to Barça’s brilliance](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/la-liga-real-madrid-still-in-thrall-to-barca’s-brilliance/4915) - José Mourinho’s men went into the Clásico in superb form. They came out of it humbled once again by the Catalans.
- [Spain wrestles with Franco's resting place](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-wrestles-with-francos-resting-place/4786) - A group of experts has recommended that Franco be exhumed and El Valle de los Caídos, the notorious monument to him, be transformed into a place of reconciliation. It’s extremely unlikely to happen, but one day Spain must resolve the conundrum presented by this sinister reminder of Francoism and the Civil War.
- [Right sweeps to power in Spain, but don't expect "miracles"](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-news-right-sweeps-to-power-in-spain-but-dont-expect-miracles/4408) - A landslide election victory has given the centre-right Popular Party a blank cheque to tackle the economic crisis, but voters expecting immediate results will be sorely disappointed.
- [Flamenco, Aznar and good behaviour: Gaddafi’s Spanish visit](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/news-from-spain-3917/3917) - When the Libyan leader came to Spain in 2007, there were fears he would severely embarrass the Socialist government. But while Zapatero faced criticism for welcoming Gaddafi, the guest created more of a stir with his personal quirks than his public comments.
- [Ahead of election, Spain's next prime minister leaves everyone guessing](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spain-economy-ahead-of-election-spains-next-prime-minister-leaves-everyone-guessing/3882) - Usually when voters go to the polls they have an idea about competing politicians’ policies, and only a vague idea about which of them is going to win. But when Spaniards vote in early elections in one month’s time, they will know, almost for sure, who will win, though they’ve got only the faintest clue as to what that might mean.
- [Why Spain are still the team to fear](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/why-spain-are-still-the-team-to-fear-spanish-news/3834) - The football world champions look likely to head to next year’s European Championship as favourites. An enviable talent pool and Vicente del Bosque’s cunning use of it mean Spain can confidently aim for a third major title in a row.
- [‘The Skin I Live In’: another Almodóvar masterpiece?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/‘the-skin-i-live-in’-another-almodovar-masterpiece-spain-news/3540) - The Manchegan maestro has produced a tour de force, if you believe many reviewers. But they are ignoring the director’s failure to create genuine tension and his reliance on cinematic gimmicks.
- [Betis are back after a trip to hell](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/3222-spain-football/3222) - After a shambolic time on and off the football field, Betis are back in Spain’s top division. A few legal and financial issues notwithstanding, the club could make an impact on its return to La Liga.
- [From Spain to the US for child basketball prodigy](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-sport-from-spain-to-the-us-for-child-basketball-prodigy/3169) - Child basketball prodigy Ricky Rubio will see his dream come true in October when he suits up for his first game as an NBA player with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- [What will I be when I grow up...in Spain?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/spainnews-6096/6096) - If your jokes translate badly and you find you're a bore in a foreign language, don't worry, you're not the first.
- [La Liga: Tito Vilanova steps out of Barcelona’s shadows](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/la-liga-tito-vilanova-spanish-soccer/6048) - Pep Guardiola’s successor as Barça coach is not a big name, but he has been instrumental in the team’s success of recent years.
- [A victory for Hollande, a victory for Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/hollande-spain-economy/6075) - Conservative Mariano Rajoy will welcome the arrival of the French Socialist in power, given the unlikely deficit targets the Spanish economy is expected to meet.
- [Buying a home in Spain: Dealing with new property defects](https://iberosphere.com/2012/05/buying-a-home-in-spain-dealing-with-new-property-defects/6067) - Sometimes new property is not all that we hoped for. There can be teething troubles as the new build settles in. These might just be to do with the finish or, more worryingly, they might on occasion be structural. Either way, the good news is that there are laws in Spain to protect the new property purchaser.
- [Spanish government seeks to muzzle protest with reforms](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-protest/5949) - A raft of changes to the Criminal Code seem designed to anticipate social unrest in Spain and the resurgence of the 15-M movement.
- [La Liga: Ronaldo banishes Real Madrid’s league jinx](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-ronaldo/5992) - José Mourinho’s side secure the liga title and overcome their Barcelona complex with a commanding performance at the Camp Nou.
- [Pep's legacy](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/peps-legacy-spain-soccer/6039) - Guardiola leaves Barcelona having managed a record-breaking trophy haul. But over the last four years he has faced plenty of challenges off the pitch as well as on it.
- [Rubber bullet ban won’t solve Spain’s policing problem](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-rubber-bullet-ban/5933) - Recent street demonstrations – against the government, or to celebrate football games – have exposed the need for better relations between police and the Spaniards they are supposed to be protecting.
- [Pound to euro hits 22-month high despite UK recession](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/pound-to-euro-hits-22-month-high-despite-uk-recession/6025) - The pound hit its highest point against the euro in 22 months this week, in spite of the fact that the UK re-entered recession.
- [‘Extraterrestre’: entertaining alien farce just misses the mark](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-extraterrestre/5870) - Nacho Vigalondo’s alien-themed romantic comedy is more about the human tendency to complicate simple matters than a threat to planet earth. But matching the brilliance of the director's previous feature is no easy feat.
- [La Liga: Momentous week for Barça and Madrid as El clásico looms](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-barca-madrid-el-clasico/5922) - Spain’s big two face a crucial few days for their ambitions in the league and Europe.
- [Will somebody halt this TV scheduling mayhem?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-6001/6001) - Following quality series on the small screen is perfectly possible in Spain – if you’re a clairvoyant insomniac.
- [What now for Spain’s monarchy?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news/5983) - King Juan Carlos has apologised for hunting in Botswana while the Spanish economy was in crisis, but doubts still hang over his role and that of his family.
- [Spain’s Freedom of Information Act? Not by a long chalk…](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-freedom-of-information-act/5831) - Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s plans for greater transparency in government are more about calming the public’s perception of endemic corruption than making administrators accountable.
- [Pound looks to consolidate gains against euro](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/pound-looks-to-consolidate-gains-against-euro/5962) - The pound could be set to consolidate its recent gains against the euro, as the prospect of a Francois Hollande triumph in the first round of the French presidential election causes nervousness.
- [Refurbishing your Spanish property](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/refurbishing-your-spanish-property/5945) - 'Doing up' your property can be a good alternative to selling. Rather than spending money on upsizing or downsizing, you put extra capital into making your existing premises more suitable. However, you should be aware that even minor adjustments to your property need permission from the Town Hall.
- [La Liga: Levante’s old guard still in the mix](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-soccer-la-liga-levante/5878) - The unfashionable team from the Mediterranean coast is pushing for a Champions League place. Meanwhile, Barcelona has closed the gap further on Real Madrid.
- [La Liga: The Diego Effect](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/la-liga-the-diego-effect/5854) - “Whenever you put on a shirt like Atlético’s, there are no excuses,” announced the still relatively new coach Diego Simeone ahead of the game against city rivals Getafe. Never one to fail to produce inspiring rhetoric, it is Los Rojiblancos domestic form of late that is a little less awe-inspiring.
- [King’s big-game fall comes at just the wrong time](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spain-news-king-juan-carlos/5915) - Spain’s royal family was already having enough difficulties before King Juan Carlos hurt himself while on holiday shooting elephants.
- [Pound gains as Spain teeters on the brink](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/pound-gains-as-spain-teeters-on-the-brink/5911) - Could Spain need an EU bailout? Speculation regarding this possibility has intensified this past fortnight, sending the pound to 1.21 against the weakened euro.
- [How language learning loses its way](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/how-language-learning-loses-its-way/5896) - Despite the wealth of intensive courses and methods available to those seeking to improve their language skills, the example of word-hungry children has plenty to teach us.
- [How to complain in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/how-to-complain-in-spain/5892) - Did you know that every business or retail premises in Spain must have a consumer complaints form? It’s called the ‘hoja de reclamaciones’ and is required by law. Even just asking for it can see the object of your complaint addressed as they realise that you mean business.
- [Education in Spain: What do they need to know?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/education-in-spain-what-do-they-need-to-know/5888) - What was the most useless lesson you were taught at school? Was it logarithms, algebra or how to use a slide rule? Did you really need to know about the Battle of Hastings or Henry VIII’s six wives? The debate about what schools should teach has been going on for centuries.
- [Latest ‘[REC]’ instalment offers schlock over terror](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-5812/5812) - The Spanish zombie franchise takes its horror to a wedding party, with entertaining results. But if it’s sleepless nights you want, you’ll have to go elsewhere.
- [Spanish property auctions](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/spanish-property-auctions/5864) - With the current sluggishness in the Spanish real estate market, people are turning to house auctions as one means of moving their property more quickly. Equally, for those looking for a bargain they can guarantee that those placing their house for sale are keen to sell. Of course, reserve prices remain but you know you’re not going to spend weeks negotiating or not hearing at all.
- [La Liga: Spain's title race is alive…just](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-soccer-5798/5798) - Real Madrid’s double slip sees Messi-inspired Barcelona close the gap and raise the question: “Hay liga?”
- [La Liga: Spanish success](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/la-liga-spanish-success/5753) - First Fernando Llorente's sumptuous volley hit the back of net before Óscar de Marcos secured the win over the mighty Manchester United, crashing the ball home in the second half to send the San Mamés wild.
- [General strike hits Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/04/general-strike-hits-spain/5848) - The first general strike against the centre-right government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was elected in November, took place on March 29 as unions and workers took to the streets against a new barrage of austerity measures in the midst of Spain's deep economic crisis. The Rajoy administration insists that cutbacks and labour reforms are needed to bring Spain’s deficit under control and introduce flexibility to the workplace in the face of 23 percent unemployment. Unions claim the government “wants to end labour and social rights and finish off everything."
- [Five things Mariano Rajoy has learned in his first 100 days](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-mariano-rajoy-100-days/5840) - Record cuts, a key regional election, market hostility and a general strike – all in three months. What does all this tell Spain’s prime minister?
- [Pound slips on surprise UK GDP downturn](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/pound-slips-on-surprise-uk-gdp-downturn/5837) - The UK pound lost a cent against the euro this week, as data reveals last quarter’s contraction in the UK was a bit deeper than previously thought.
- [Pepe Reina’s “racist” blunder: a question of black and white?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-pepe-reina/5695) - The withdrawal of a controversial recent TV advert featuring the Liverpool soccer player apparently highlighted differences between how racism is seen in Spain and Britain. But where does a bit of fun end and racism start?
- [The myths about renting property in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/the-myths-about-renting-property-in-spain/5807) - “Spanish property market shrinks 28% in January”; “Bank of Spain warns of further house price fall” - If you are one of the people who has a home in Spain that you use, enjoy and want to keep for good, these headlines won’t really matter to you. The value of your property is in the pleasure you get from it. But behind these headlines are individual stories of people who need to sell for all kinds of different reasons and can’t. For them it’s not just a matter of pulling down the ‘se vende’ sign and riding it out.
- [La Liga: Tamudo writes another page in Espanyol’s history book](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-soccer-5709/5709) - The veteran striker scored in the Catalans’ stadium yet again, albeit for opponents Rayo Vallecano, as he continues to leave his mark on top-flight Spanish soccer.
- [Athletic Bilbao returns to big-time with Manchester United tie](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-soccer-athletic-bilbao-manchester-united/5635) - Can the Basque team’s ‘English Way’ overcome the champions of England?
- [Andalusia election gives Rajoy a reality check](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-andalusia-election/5791) - Spain’s Socialists managed to cling on to power in their southern stronghold, delivering a heavy blow to the prime minister’s conservatives.
- [UK pound to euro exchange rate stable as outlook darkens](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/uk-pound-to-euro-exchange-rate-stable-as-outlook-darkens/5787) - The UK pound held firm at 1.20 this week, in spite of challenging data from both Britain and the eurozone.
- [Who’s who in the Spanish property buying minefield](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/who’s-who-in-the-spanish-property-buying-minefield/5771) - The problems that some expats have had with buying homes in Spain continue to make headlines. The Spanish legal and fiscal system can be a minefield for those who don’t understand it. In fact, it can be a minefield for those who do.
- [Inside a Spanish school](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/inside-a-spanish-school/5762) - Twenty eager faces. A calm and welcoming atmosphere and not a CCTV camera in sight. That was my initial impression of the class of 15 year olds at IES Haygón School in Alicante.
- [Pound to euro unchanged on mixed UK-EU outlook](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/pound-to-euro-unchanged-on-mixed-uk-eu-outlook/5750) - The pound remains at 1.20 against the euro this week, as the economic outlook in both the UK and eurozone remains mixed.
- [March 11](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-march-11/5744) - The anniversary of the 2004 Madrid bombings has become the focus for some of Spain’s most hateful divisions.
- [An important decision – making your will](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/an-important-decision-–-making-your-will/5739) - The need to make a will is obvious to most people. The decision to get up and do it is often harder to achieve. When you make that decision to make a will in Spain, make sure you have done your research. Inheritance tax is a much bigger issue here than in the UK and your relationship to inheritors and whether they are resident or non-resident makes a big difference.
- [Education in Spain, an international alternative](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/education-in-spain-an-international-alternative/5718) - So you’ve made the decision. You’re moving to Spain and bringing your family with you. Perhaps with two children, you have one at primary school and one at secondary. The estate agent has assured you that education in the area is bountiful and good. What should your next step be?
- [Rajoy’s smoke and mirrors have worked – for now, at least](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-rajoys-smoke-and-mirrors-have-worked-–-for-now-at-least/5623) - The Spanish prime minister’s policy of breaking his own word when it comes to economic policy has bought him some time. But soon he’s going to have to communicate more directly with both Brussels and the electorate.
- [La Liga: Higuaín proves his worth once again](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-soccer-5615/5615) - Real Madrid’s Argentine forward proves his doubters wrong with two goals against Espanyol to keep the leaders 10 points clear of Barcelona.
- [The Spanish economy’s sustainability dilemma](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/the-spanish-economy’s-sustainability-dilemma/5581) - The new conservative government has promised to loosen environmental controls that restrict economic growth. But critics say such an approach could lead Spain back to disaster.
- [Pound to euro stable as central banks hold rates](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/pound-to-euro-stable-as-central-banks-hold-rates/5673) - The pound to euro exchange rate has stood stuck still within its 1.175-1.20 range this past week, replicating a pattern it has adopted since the start of 2012. This is because economic prospects in neither the UK nor the eurozone look set to impress, keeping fluctuations to a minimum.
- [Avoiding double taxation in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/avoiding-double-taxation-in-spain/5667) - Must of us aren’t too keen on paying tax once, let alone twice. So it's a good thing that Spain has a double taxation agreement with many countries. This means that two countries agree that you only have to pay tax in one of them. But when should you change over? Once you have lived in Spain for more than 183 days then you should pay your taxes in Spain.
- [Privatisation through the back door](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/spain-news-privatisation-through-the-back-door/5630) - We all know that times are hard and we’ve been told relentlessly that we must cut back. The austerity measures come as no surprise and it looks as though we must live through them whether we believe they will ‘solve’ the crisis or not. But there is something more disturbing going on under our very noses. The privatisation of our public services.
- [The Serrat–Sabina generation: sitting comfortably](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-5546/5546) - Spain’s two leading singer songwriters of the last four decades, Joaquín Sabina and Joan Manuel Serrat, are proving enduringly popular, both individually and as a double act.
- [Starting up and settling in at school in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/starting-up-and-settling-in-at-school-in-spain/5647) - We’ve all heard the story. The eager five year old comes back from the first day of school having survived the experience and expresses with surprise ‘I have to go back tomorrow as well?’ And the next day… and the next day…
- [Rajoy, reform and the burden of employment expectations](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/rajoy-labour-reform-spain-news/5522) - The government says its labour market reform will tackle the country’s soaring jobless rate, but it could be some time before the benefits are felt in the Spanish economy.
- [La Liga: Guardiola keeps Barcelona guessing](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-soccer-5562/5562) - Once again, the Barcelona coach's apparent reluctance to sign a new contract is fuelling speculation about his future and that of his much-lauded team.
- [Goya 2012: no joy for Almodóvar](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-5489/5489) - The Skin I Live In looked set to sweep the board at this year’s Spanish Film Academy Awards on February 19, instead Enrique Urbizu’s gritty cop thriller 'No Rest for the Wicked' took the top prizes.
- [La Liga: Real Madrid’s lead leaves Barcelona fighting for honour](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-soccer-la-liga-real-madrid-leaves-barca-fighting-for-honour/5439) - José Mourinho’s team now has a 10-point advantage at the top of the league, surely too much for Pep Guardiola’s European champions to overhaul.
- [An all-too-fleeting break from obscurity for Horacio Echevarrieta](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/el-ultimo-magnate-spain-news/5604) - Horacio Echevarrieta is a fascinating figure from Spain's history. So it is a shame that it's so hard to see the recent documentary about the Basque impresario, 'El último magnate'.
- [Pound to euro rate rises on ECB loan scheme](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/pound-to-euro-rate-rises-on-ecb-loan-scheme/5599) - The pound has made consistent gains against the euro over the past week on the back of pessimistic sentiment regarding the euro zone, rather than optimism in Britain (alas).
- [Starting children in Spanish schools: the big decisions](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/starting-children-in-spanish-schools-the-big-decisions/5508) - When should children start school? Until recently I was of the opinion that later is better. I thought that most European countries didn't begin their formal education until well after we did in England and congratulated them for it. So it came as something of a surprise when I made enquiries about starting dates for my son, Joseph. Although compulsory schooling in Spain starts at age six, I discovered that many families take up the option of starting their children at three.
- [Expat kids in Spanish schools: The best days of their lives?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/expat-kids-in-spanish-schools-the-best-days-of-their-lives/5417) - Were your school days the best days of your life? Do you long to once more experience the aroma of school dinners and battle across the school field in all weathers? OK, it had its ups and downs, but generally and for most people, school was a blissful time of few worries and long holidays. However, for some British pupils in Spanish schools the experience is far from pleasurable.
- [Kitting the kids out for school in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/kitting-the-kids-out-for-school-in-spain/5571) - Starting in a Spanish school? It’s not just about turning up on the day. And yet, many parents seem surprised that there is more to it than that.
- [Proving you're a fiscal resident in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/03/proving-youre-a-fiscal-resident-in-spain/5589) - Most people are pretty good at getting their civil residency from the National Police when they settle in Spain as a resident. However, not everyone is aware that there is more to residency than a green residency certificate.
- [Franco in a fridge: he pulls in the punters, but is he art?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-5479/5479) - Spain’s former dictator is still news, as a generation of artists have made clear lately. But it’s a shame their work isn’t more interesting or relevant.
- [La Liga: Valencia’s thrashing underlines Spain’s class divide](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spanish-soccer-la-liga/5500) - After a 5-1 win, with four goals from Lionel Messi, Barcelona highlighted once again why the Spanish league is a two-horse show led by the Catalans and Real Madrid.
- [Ferran Adrià’s lavish tale sates our curiosity, but not our appetite](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-ferran-adria/5453) - A new documentary follows the world’s most celebrated chef at work in El Bulli restaurant. It gives a fascinating glimpse of Adrià and his methods, but don’t expect kitchen high-drama.
- [Is Spain set to follow Greece?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/is-spain-set-to-follow-greece/5542) - Is Spain set to follow the same terrible road as Greece, as Rajoy obeys German diktats?
- [Renewing a UK passport in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/renewing-a-uk-passport-in-spain/5538) - When you come to renew your British passport abroad it is a different process to when you are in the UK. It’s also more expensive. Here are some guidelines for renewing your UK passport when you live in Spain.
- [A bit of Greece in Valencia](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-greece-in-valencia/5531) - The police’s clumsy handling of student protests in recent days has brought an economically and politically punch-drunk region to a new low.
- [Getting to the bottom of Spain’s daunting unemployment rate](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-getting-to-the-bottom-of-spain’s-daunting-unemployment-rate/5378) - The country has an official jobless rate of nearly 23 percent, the highest in Europe. But does that figure reflect the true state of the labour market and the Spanish economy? Apparently not.
- [Spain’s Socialists will get a new leader, but will they get new ideas?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain’s-socialists-will-get-a-new-leader-but-will-they-get-new-ideas/5349) - The Socialist Party holds its primary this weekend. But while the campaign ahead of the vote has been laden with intrigue, we still don’t know what the two rival candidates stand for.
- [La Liga: Sevilla’s woes leave Marcelino high and dry](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spanish-soccer-5370/5370) - The Andalusian team changes coach yet again after poor Liga and European form.
- [Spain’s film dubbing: ghost of a fascist past must be laid to rest](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-5340/5340) - Failure to use original sound in movies is bad for cinema fans and their language skills.
- [Euro stumbles as Greece ups its brinkmanship](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/euro-stumbles-as-greece-ups-its-brinkmanship/5473) - The soap opera in Greece took another laborious turn this week, prompting investors to flee the euro in lieu of the pound.
- [Calculating complimentary tax on Spanish property  ](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-property-calculating-complimentary-tax/5468) - The real sting to complimentary tax is that many Spanish house buyers don’t know it exists and it creeps up just when they think everything is paid for. After four years of living in a property you don’t suddenly expect to get a tax demand that dates back to when you bought it.
- [Amar y Vivir](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-amar-y-vivir/5314) - Humanity’s greatest excesses lead to its everlasting successes!
- [Even Spanish TV feels the pain](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-even-spanish-tv-feels-the-pain/5299) - State broadcaster RTVE warns that a 20-percent reduction in funding means an end to big-budget original programming and more repeats.
- [Saved from eviction... for now](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-saved-from-eviction-for-now/5447) - Ronald de la Cruz addresses a crowd of activists who have turned out to help stop his family from being evicted from their home for failing to keep up mortgage payments. Ronald is a Dominican man who bought a flat in Villaverde Alto, Madrid, in 2004 for 216,000 euros. After losing his job in the construction sector, he was unable to keep up payments on the flat and the bank valued it at half its original price. This negative equity, plus interest and legal fees mean Ronald will still owe the bank thousands even if it manages to take back the property. On this occasion, the protest outside the flat persuaded the legal authorities to suspend the repossession for several days, just minutes after Ronald spoke to supporters. The PAH anti-eviction platform estimates that around 200 evictions are taking place in Spain each day.
- [La Liga: Málaga find form](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-soccer-la-liga-malaga-find-form/5323) - Manuel Pellegrini’s side push for a European place with a 2-1 win over Sevilla.
- [The importance of being 'El País'](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-importance-of-being-el-pais/5428) - Spain’s left-leaning newspaper readers could soon lose one of their only publications of reference: Público. That would be great news for main rival El País – or would it?
- [How much more can Greece take?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/how-much-more-can-greece-take/5413) - The euro has made strong gains this past week as investors react to reports that Greece has agreed on a debt reduction plan. But can it take more spending cuts?
- [Jobless in Spain: a personal viewpoint](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-5400/5400) - As the Rajoy government unveils its labour market reform, one of the country’s recently unemployed workers wonders whether something other than the law needs to change.
- [Wave of complimentary tax hits home buyers](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-wave-of-complimentary-tax-hits-home-buyers/5395) - Complimentary tax often takes home buyers by surprise. It is an additional tax that can be levied any time up to five years after you bought a property. At a time when Spanish house prices have dropped considerably, an increasing number of purchasers are receiving this rather unpleasant bill.
- [Spain’s Syrian efforts received US backing](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-5240/5240) - Wikileaks cables show that Spain’s Socialist government made substantial diplomatic attempts to calm tensions in the Middle East.
- [La Liga: Sevilla and Betis bury the hatchet as the Andalusia derby returns](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-soccer-sevilla-and-betis-bury-the-hatchet-as-the-andalusia-derby-returns/5263) - It’s been one of Spanish soccer’s bitterest rivalries in recent years. But while the sparks flew when Seville’s Big Two met again on Saturday, the bottles didn’t.
- [Back to the future with Rubalcaba](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-news-back-to-the-future-with-rubalcaba/5363) - Spain’s Socialists have chosen a veteran of two previous governments as their new leader. Given this baggage, his challenge is to show he can come up with new ideas.
- [UK to dodge the recession bullet?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/uk-to-dodge-the-recession-bullet/5360) - Is the UK set to dodge the recession bullet? This is the subject dominating discussion following a strong UK services PMI this morning, and something that could have a huge impact on exchange rates.
- [Electricity bills back to normal ](https://iberosphere.com/2012/02/spain-electricity-bills-back-to-normal/5354) - We can have some beautiful, sunny days during the winter in Spain. For some, it’s the best time of year and certainly if you’re an active person who likes cycling or walking there’s nothing like it. The problem can be how to keep warm in the evenings.
- [Fraga: a unique figure during an extraordinary time](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-newsfraga-a-unique-figure-during-an-extraordinary-time/5211) - This conservative politician, who was a minister under Franco and a major presence during Spain’s democracy, may not have been to everyone’s liking but his passing marks the end of an era.
- [It’s gonna be a love fest at the Goya awards](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-it’s-gonna-be-a-love-fest-at-the-goyas/5230) - Expect few surprises when Spain’s film community gather to celebrate the best and the brightest. The main event will be a very public reconciliation between Pedro Almodóvar and the Spanish Film Academy.
- [Schools protest as Valencia fails to pay up](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-schools-protest-as-valencia-fails-to-pay-up/5333) - Schools in the Valencia region have not received financial support since April 2011. This stark fact has led to recent protests across the region. Las Culturas CEIP in Torrevieja is one of the many schools that have held local protests as well as taking part in regional marches and demonstrations against the attack on their budgets.
- [Is Greece poised to give the euro a boost?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/is-greece-poised-to-give-the-euro-a-boost/5310) - Is Greece about to lending a helping hand to the euro against the pound? It could be, following reports that Greek officials are nearing an agreement with bondholders regarding a debt haircut.
- [La Liga: At Valencia, Soldado finally feels at home](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-soccer-5220/5220) - The Valencia-born striker has made an impression at several clubs, but at the Mestalla he is now pushing for a place in the national team.
- [Tax hikes to hit residents](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/tax-hikes-to-hit-residents/5287) - We all know that Spain, like many other EU countries, is in the doldrums as far as its economy is concerned and is expected to find the remedy, fast. Unsurprisingly, the PP government intends to try and address the deficit through cutting budgets and increasing revenue from taxes. A tidy sum of €8.9 billion is to be cut from government departments and €6.2 billion collected by the Tax Authority.
- [Portugal's history echoes down the ages](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/portugal-news-portugals-history-echoes-down-the-ages/2411) - In ‘The Portuguese: A Modern History’, Barry Hatton has written a lively and rigorous account of how a nation that is so often overlooked has come through disaster, dictatorship, revolution and economic mismanagement.
- [Valencia’s Camps is off the hook, but something still smells rotten](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-5279/5279) - The former Valencia regional premier has been absolved of wrongdoing in one of Spain’s most infamous corruption scandals. But his party isn’t popping open the champagne – nor should it.
- [Real Madrid’s Barça jinx leaves Mourinho facing wrath of Bernabéu](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-soccer-real-madrid’s-barca-jinx-leaves-mourinho-facing-wrath-of-bernabeu/5274) - The Portuguese coach desperately needs to beat Barcelona in order to restore his reputation among fans and players.
- [Garzón affair reflects Spain’s tortured relationship with its past](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spain-news-garzon-affair-reflects-spain’s-tortured-relationship-with-its-past/5257) - Spain’s best-known judge goes on trial today for having dared attempt to investigate human rights violations during the Franco dictatorship.
- [The name falls mainly on the plain, in Spain; in Spain!](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/the-name-falls-mainly-on-the-plain-in-spain-in-spain/5248) - Can art reside in a name? Just ask Gaudí.
- [La Liga: Barça slip spices up title race](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/spanish-soccer-5139/5139) - Spain’s soccer action has resumed after the winter break, with the champions being held to a draw and the managerial merry-go-round in full spin.
- [Political incorrectness at the school play](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-political-incorrectness-at-the-school-play/5058) - Despite its large influx of immigrants in recent years, Spain still has some old-fashioned attitudes to race.
- [A letter from the Tax Authority](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/a-letter-from-the-tax-authority/5188) - Working out what taxes you should pay in Spain is not an easy process. There are different taxes depending upon whether you are resident or non-resident and some, such as the imputed income tax, that are completely different from what you would expect to pay in the UK.
- [Read my lips: Why did Rajoy break one of his few campaign promises?](https://iberosphere.com/2012/01/read-my-lips-why-did-rajoy-break-one-of-his-few-campaign-promises-spain-economy/5170) - The transition from Spain’s outgoing Socialist government to the new conservative administration has been marred by an apparent lack of openness on both sides about the public accounts. This does not auger well for Spain’s political horizon or its economy.
- [Iberians of the Year 2011: Spain's Indignados](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-indignados-iberians2011/4650) - The Spanish 'revolution' of 2011 may have fizzled out, but the legacy of the protests in Spain is still being felt in movements such as Occupy Wall Street. If anyone deserves to be named Iberians of the Year 2011 for their impact and influence, it is Spain's indignados.
- [Spanish energy sector seeks clarity under Rajoy](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-4953/4953) - The new prime minister has kept his cards close to his chest on most issues, including plans for the energy industry. But we already have some clues regarding how Rajoy will handle the sector once he is in power.
- [Where to learn Portuguese](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/where-to-learn-portuguese/5135) - Expatica presents its list of language schools in Lisbon and Porto, as well as a selection of online courses.
- [Moving to Portugal: A guide to get you started](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/moving-to-portugal-a-guide-to-get-you-started/5133) - Expatica's Getting Started section will provide practical information on how you can open a bank account, sort out a residence permit or improve your language skills.
- [Tax tips for expats in Portugal](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/tax-tips-for-expats-in-portugal/5127) - UK blogger Samantha Milner shares her comprehensive tips on taxation based on her own experience as an entrepreneur in Portugal.
- [Visas and residency permits for Portugal](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/visas-and-residency-permits-for-portugal/5125) - Here is a brief look at visa and residence permit requirements on entering Portugal.
- [Understanding Spanish culture](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/understanding-spanish-culture/5105) - From siestas to time management, tapas to the heat and the hugging, here's our brief guide to help prepare you for understanding the Spanish culture.
- [Moving to Spain: A guide to get you started](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/moving-to-spain-a-guide-to-get-you-started/5102) - Moving to Spain? Our handy guide covers everything to get you help get you started on your new life in Spain.
- [Tax in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/tax-in-spain/5094) - Taxes are inevitable and inevitably confusing, especially in a foreign country. Here is a potted guide to how to cope with Spain's fiscal system.
- [How to apply for a Spanish work permit](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/how-to-apply-for-a-spanish-work-permit/5072) - If you are from outside the EU, it is likely you will need a permit to work in Spain. Here’s the lowdown on work permits. Updated May 2011.
- [Morocco sets path for reform but questions of impact linger](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/morocco-sets-path-for-reform-but-questions-of-impact-linger/4831) - Morocco’s monarchy spent the better part of 2011 touting new political reforms. Now, following the first national elections under a new constitution, the country’s leadership is faced with the challenge of finding a stable way forward and the means to pay for its new spending plans.
- [E-learning: new models, new challenges](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/e-learning-new-models-new-challenges/5052) - Technology is changing modern societies, but education is lagging behind. Until we accept that education models must take new technologies into consideration we are doing little to advance the professional and personal training of people in the education system.
- [Late-blooming Benzema the apple of Real Madrid’s eye](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/late-blooming-benzema-the-apple-of-real-madrid’s-eye-spain-soccer/4803) - The Frenchman had a difficult start to his career in Madrid, but the advice of Zinedine Zidane and the cajoling of coach José Mourinho have helped transform him.
- [An unlikely solution to Spain’s striking conundrum](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spanish-soccer-an-unlikely-solution-to-spain’s-striking-conundrum/5039) - David Villa’s long-term injury while playing for Barcelona could also be a problem for the Spanish national soccer team. There are a handful of potential replacements available, including a certain former Real Madrid veteran…
- [Death's Error](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/deaths-error/5024) - The Grim Reaper calls on all leaders, including the great and the tyrannical.
- [Spain turns right, but where's the far right?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-wheres-the-far-right/4578) - On November 20, 1975, Spain's fascist dictator General Francisco Franco was pronounced dead. On that same day 36 years later, Spaniards went to the polls for a general election in which, unlike elsewhere in Europe, the far right was almost nowhere to be seen. But that doesn't mean the country's right-wing ghosts have been laid to rest entirely.
- [Spain’s refreshing royal scandal](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-refreshing-royal-scandal/4943) - The king’s son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin may be in trouble due to the corruption scandal he is implicated in, but ironically, the affair reflects well on some major Spanish institutions.
- [Barcelona still in charge, but they’re driving Madrid in the right direction](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-soccer-barcelona-still-in-charge-but-they’re-driving-madrid-in-the-right-direction/4936) - Positives from defeat in El Clásico outweigh the negatives for Real Madrid.
- [The mobile society: A more mobilised society?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-the-mobile-society-a-more-mobilised-society/4933) - From protest movements and attempts at direct democracy to the most intimate human interactions, mobile communications are having an impact on everyone's lives. But how far and how deep is the change?
- [Art not Bombs](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-4927/4927) - The sculptures of Eduardo Chillida and Jorge Oteiza manage the remarkable feat of taming emptiness.
- [Why Real Madrid vs. Barcelona will be crucial, for Germany](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-football-why-real-madrid-vs-barcelona-will-be-crucial-for-germany/4439) - Spain’s big football clash, el Clásico, looms. But beyond its implications for La Liga, this time the game could have some meaning for Spain’s all-conquering national team and its German rival.
- [Who will be in charge for Rajoy's great Spanish clean-up?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/mariano-rajoy-who-will-be-in-charge-for-thegreat-spanish-clean-up/4531) - The prime minister-elect’s priorities are clear: restoring confidence in the Spanish economy and cutting the jobless line. But how he plans to go about these tasks remains a mystery, and it’s quite possible that the EU’s decision-makers will end up playing a major role.
- [How do you choose the Iberians of 2011?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-how-do-you-choose-the-iberians-of-2011/4857) - Iberosphere has chosen a handful of individuals and organisations as Spain and Portugal’s people of the year. This is how we went about it…
- [Spain's ‘indignados’](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-indignados/4599) - The Spanish 'revolution' of 2011 may have fizzled out, but the legacy of the protests in Spain is still being felt in movements such as Occupy Wall Street. If anyone deserves to be named Iberians of the Year 2011 for their impact and influence, it is Spain's indignados.
- [Javier Marías](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/javier-marias/4627) - It has been a good year for prolific author Javier Marías. He published, to great acclaim, 'Los enamoramientos,' a novel exploring love, but also “the inconvenience of the dead coming back to life.”
- [María Dolores de Cospedal](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/maria-dolores-de-cospedal/4602) - María Dolores de Cospedal stepped into the limelight into 2011 as she overthrew a longstanding Socialist government in Castilla-La Mancha. On taking power she swiftly announced controversial cuts and described the austerity measures as "an example for Spain."
- [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/cristiano-ronaldo/4623) - Under Mourinho, Cristiano Ronaldo seems to have found a coach who understands his needs. Opponents and rival fans are less sympathetic, making the hair-gelled striker a constant target of hard tackles and abuse.
- [Pedro Passos Coelho](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/pedro-passos-coelho/4674) - His popularity won't last forever, but for the time being the majority of Portuguese appear to have given this knife-wielding Duracell bunny of a politician the benefit of the doubt.
- [The Basque radical left](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/the-basque-radical-left-la-izquierda-abertzale/4640) - Much of the credit for Basque terrorist group ETA's shift away from violence must go to its traditional political support, the izquierda abertzale. These Basque radical nationalists understood that terror was a dead-end for their cause and they pressured the “military wing” to give up the ghost.
- [El Clásico offers Mourinho a glimpse of glory](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/el-clasico-spain-soccer-mourinho-a-glimpse-of-glory/4845) - Plenty is at stake in Real Madrid’s Liga meeting with Barcelona on Saturday, but the Portuguese coach has a reason to want to win this game more than anyone.
- [Real Madrid winning run leaves Mourinho smiling](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spanish-soccer-real-madrid-winning-run-leaves-mourinho-smiling/4353) - La Liga's most controversial coach has been remarkably reserved of late, reflecting the strong form of his players. But with a tough run of games to come in the next few weeks, Mourinho's new-found calm will be tested.
- [Spain's election will complete country's swing to the right](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-news-spains-election-will-complete-countrys-swing-to-the-right/4362) - The general election campaign has been deeply uninspiring, but the result of the November 20 vote will seal the dramatic transformation of Spain’s political map. Anything less than a parliamentary majority will be a failure for conservative Mariano Rajoy.
- [The Outsiders!](https://iberosphere.com/2011/12/spain-news-portugal-the-outsiders/4817) - The music of Iberia has the strongest of identities, yet it has absorbed many influences over the decades - and become a powerful influence itself.
- [The man who knew Fidel Castro, Warhol and Franco’s Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-news-4042/4042) - Waldo Díaz-Balart used to be married to the sister of Cuba’s revolutionary former leader. But he remembers with more fondness his stint in 1960s New York, where he lived before settling in Madrid to develop his career as an abstract artist.
- [Bacalao](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-food-bacalao/4572) - The dish is popular all over Spain but especially in the Basque Country and Catalonia. In the latter region bunyola de bacalla (salt cod fritters) are popular.
- [Pa amb oli / tomàquet](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-food-pa-amb-oli-tomaquet/4566) - Rustic bread rubbed with olive oil and tomato and seasoned with garlic and salt - the name is the source of great controversy for such a simple dish
- [Paella](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-food-paella/4561) - Home-cooked paella, anyone will tell you is always the best, though exactly what should go in and what should stay out is the source of dinner-table discussions everywhere.
- [Snails](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-food-snails/4556) - The molluscan delicacies are either farmed or gathered - hunted? - from the wild: the latter are usually collected in autumn after a good downpour, purged on grit for two to three weeks and then gorged on herbs before finally being cooked in a caldo (stock).
- [Tapas](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-food-tapas/4552) - It might be just a slice of bread with olive oil, a few slivers of chorizo, fuet or salchichón sausage, it might be calamares, or patatas bravas, chunky french fries in spicy tomato sauce, it could be pickled fish...
- [Kafka in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/kafka-in-spain-news/4539) - Paranoia existed long before the great Prague-born writer: just take a look at Andalusia’s great fortifications.
- [Pedro de la Rosa](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-sports-starspedro-de-la-rosa/4468) - Pedro who? Yes, De la Rosa is known as much for his career as a test driver for the likes of McLaren and Sauber as he is for his occasional appearances as a competitive Formula 1 driver.
- [Modern Spain's legacy: airports, deficits and brutal cuts](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-new-modern-spains-legacy-airports-deficits-and-brutal-cuts/4250) - The economic downturn in Spain in recent years has followed a decade-long boom. It has also highlighted the bizarre way in which much of the good-times money was spent.
- [Sergio Ballesteros](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-football-players-sergio-ballesteros/4501) - Not many teams beat Real Madrid these days and not many defenders outsprint Cristiano Ronaldo. But Levante and their club captain Ballesteros have managed both this season.
- [Xabi Alonso](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-football-players-xabi-alonso/4517) - Alonso was one of the first Spanish players to make an impact in England’s premiership, wowing Liverpool supporters for five seasons before arriving at Real Madrid as part of Florentino Pérez’s neo-galáctico project. Less flashy than the likes of Ronaldo or Özil, the man from Tolosa is nonetheless one of the first names José Mourinho puts on the teamsheet.
- [Raúl González](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-football-players-raul-gonzalez/4513) - Raúl is a legend: 323 goals for Real Madrid over 16 years. This striker never had any deadly weapon in particular other than unshakeable self-belief, which might explain why he is now enjoying a fruitful semi-retirement at Germany’s Shalke 04.
- [Jesús Navas](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-football-players-jesus-navas/4505) - Not so long ago, Navas was known as much for the panic attacks he suffered on being away from his family as his sprite-like runs down Sevilla’s wing.
- [Gérard Piqué](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-football-players-gerard-pique/4497) - For a 24-year-old, Gérard Piqué has seen a bit of the world, having served an apprenticeship at Manchester United and caught the attention of Colombian songstress Shakira.
- [Pep Guardiola](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-sports-stars-pep-guardiola/4475) - In his first season in top-flight football management, Guardiola led Barça to the Champions League, Copa del Rey and Liga titles - losing his hair in the process. In the two seasons since, he has won a pair of league titles and the European crown again, relegating Real Madrid to also-ran status.
- [Alberto Contador](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-sports-stars-alberto-contador/4471) - Those seeking a role model might baulk at the three-time Tour de France winner being included on a list of sports stars. There was his unseemly via-the-media spat with Lance Armstrong during and after the 2009 Tour and then an ethically questionable breakaway from rival Andy Schleck during the 2010 race, just after the Luxembourg rider’s chain came loose.
- [Marta Domínguez](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-sports-stars-marta-dominguez/4464) - Long-distance runner Domínguez has won a steady stream of medals at major competitions ever since taking bronze at the 1998 European championships in the 5,000 metres.
- [Rafa Nadal](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-sports-stars-rafa-nadal/4459) - On the tennis court, Rafa Nadal is a fist-pumping, grunting primate with a bandana and wicked ground-strokes; off it, he’s a quietly spoken Majorcan who looks like he can never quite believe what he’s achieved.
- [Ferran Adrià](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-famous-people-ferran-adria/4292) - The most famous chef in the world is more than a chef. He authors books, supervises “workshops” and even takes part in artistic events such as the 2007 Kassel show in Germany. Adrià, head chef of the now-closed El Bulli never seemed to be trying to make cooking look easy – just look at some of his recipes, such as Carrot Air or Kellogg’s Paella. But the emperor of molecular gastronomy has made people conscious of how unearthly and challenging food can be. He says: “The most important thing is to make people happy, but the second is to give them something to think about.” Keep cooking, Ferran.
- [King Juan Carlos](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-famous-people-king-juan-carlos/4330) - Despite the down-to-earth bonhomie, King Juan Carlos has a livelier CV than most living monarchs. Juan Carlos accidentally shot his brother dead with a hunting gun as a child. He then became the protégé of dictator Franco, expected to ensure the country stayed “old school”. But Juan Carlos proved he was more than a tyrant’s puppet by steering Spain into democracy and then foiling a 1981 attempted coup.
- [Patxi López](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-famous-people-patxi-lopez/4312) - The Basque Country’s Socialist premier isn’t the most attention-grabbing politician in Spain. But he could make a case for being the most effective in difficult circumstances. When he formed a regional government in 2009 and broke the three-decade rule of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), few expected his administration to last.
- [José Tomás](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-famous-people-jose-tomas/4319) - With a hair-raising disregard for his own safety, the torero from Galapagar apparently sees getting nearly gored to death as just another day at the office; one particularly angry bull nearly killed him in Mexico in 2010.
- [Sara Carbonero](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-famous-people-sara-carbonero/4323) - To some she is merely the trophy girlfriend of footballer Iker Casillas. But when the British press accused her of distracting goalkeeper Casillas in the 2010 World Cup, and thus causing Spain’s shock first-round defeat to Switzerland, the response was overwhelming.
- [The solution to the Catalan problem?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spanish-news-solution-to-the-catalan-problem/4159) - A possible pact involving fiscal controls and use of the Spanish language in schools might just soothe tensions between Madrid and Barcelona.
- [O Lusitania](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/pessoa-o-lusitania/4423) - The work of Fernando Pessoa can be disconcerting, beguiling - and sometimes tiresome. But where are the Portuguese writers capable of walking in his footsteps?
- [Rajoy must take reins swiftly to avoid economic chaos](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-news-4414/4414) - In the wake of the Popular Party’s overwhelming election win, the prime minister-elect must act decisively ahead of his instatement in order to calm the markets.
- [Scrappy Spanish election debate leaves Rajoy in pole position](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-news-scrappy-spanish-election-debate-leaves-rajoy-in-pole-position/4146) - Socialist candidate Rubalcaba was more aggressive and confident throughout Monday’s televised debate, but his opponent did enough to protect a massive poll lead.
- [Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-best-cities-madrid/4061) - Go for a few drinks in Lavapiés, flea-market shopping in La Latina’s Rastro, or an autumnal walk through the Retiro, and tell me you’d rather be in Barcelona, queuing three hours to get into a cathedral that hasn’t even been finished…
- [Bilbao](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-best-cities-bilbao/4068) - Not so long ago, Bilbao was seen as an unattractive place, known for its industry and the dark-suited bodyguards who escorted public figures threatened by ETA around town. But today the city is perhaps the most obvious example of “modern Spain”.
- [Vigo](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-best-cities-vigo/4073) - Many will raise an eyebrow at the sight of this Galician industrial town being included and will argue that its more fêted rivals/neighbours Santiago de Compostela and A Coruña both make stronger cases. But anyone who has gazed across the Ría de Vigo to Cangas after strolling the length of this city’s immaculately maintained promenade will understand.
- [Barcelona](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-best-cities-barcelona/3959) - An obvious choice for obvious reasons: the Sagrada Familia temple, the Gaudí park, Montjuïc, the finest football team on earth, more Gaudí, and a beautiful, freakish coastal skyline.
- [Córdoba](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-best-cities-cordoba/4006) - Andalusia has a handful of candidates for this list, not least Granada and Seville. But the former capital of the Islamic caliphate comes out on top for several reasons.
- [Los Rodríguez](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-rock-bands-los-rodriguez/4102) - Hits such as Palabras más palabras menos showed they could rock, but more melancholic numbers such as Para no olvidar consolidated their unique sound and put them in a generation’s hearts. Front man Andrés Calamaro and fellow Argentine Ariel Rot are still forging acclaimed solo careers.
- [Manolo García](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-rock-bands-manolo-garcia/4117) - García’s solo career has been more interesting than that of his former band. His voice is that of a broody, backwoods troubadour and it can make the most ordinary pop song sound like a heartbreaking lament.
- [Manu Chao](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-rock-bands-manu-chao/4122) - Chao was born of Galician parents but grew up in Paris, where he formed anarcho-rock outfit Mano Negra. A multi-lingual rabble who toured Europe and Latin America to great acclaim, Mano Negra’s energy made up for a lack of songcraft.
- [The Sunday Drivers](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-rock-bands-the-sunday-drivers/4126) - Singing in English is a brave gambit when it’s not your native language, but Toledo’s folk rockers “los Sunday” pulled off the feat impressively. With a low-key stage act, much of their appeal rested on the shoulders of singer-guitarist Jero Romero, whose voice gave us unforgettable lyrics.
- [Joan Manuel Serrat](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-rock-bands-joan-manuel-serrat/4129) - When it comes to Spanish popular music, Joan Manuel Serrat is the godfather, and his influence on several generations of musicians and songwriters is hard to overstate.
- [The brains behind Levante’s La Liga fairytale](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spanish-football-4025/4025) - The players and coach of this small Spanish football team have been rightly lauded for their run in this season’s Liga, but a look behind the scenes shows that canny club president Francisco Catalán has also played a huge role.
- [Spain’s Civil War film canon needs new urgency](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spain’s-civil-war-film-canon-needs-new-urgency/3983) - Plenty of excellent movies about this traumatic period in Spain’s history have been made. New drama ‘The Sleeping Voice’ isn’t one of them.
- [¡Sangre!](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/spain-news¡sangre/4233) - Menorca may not be known for producing great thinkers, but that overlooks Albert Camus's Balearic blood.
- [Wilco’s Spanish honeymoon](https://iberosphere.com/2011/11/wilco’s-spanish-honeymoon/4093) - When everyone loves your favourite band, you start to hanker for just a little bit of dissent.
- [How history will judge Zapatero](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spain-news-how-history-will-judge-zapatero/3944) - Many will remember Spain’s socialist prime minister for his mishandling of the economic crisis. But his legacy in other areas – particularly social reform – is substantial.
- [Villarreal’s wayward submarine seeks to get back on course](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spanish-soccer-villarreal’s-wayward-submarine-seeks-to-get-back-on-course/3869) - The small club from the Mediterranean coast has set Spain and Europe alight with its attractive brand of football in the last few seasons. But recently, Juan Carlos Garrido’s side seem to have lost their way, with both results and style slipping out of their reach.
- [Rajoy vs The Washington Post](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spain-news-rajoy-vs-the-washington-post/3999) - The man almost certain to win the upcoming election is refreshingly open in an interview with the US newspaper and in which he discusses Spain's economy, its politics and his own image. His message: Trust me, I’m an ultra-confident moderate.
- [Balagueró hits top horror form with ‘Mientras duermes’](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/3900-news-from-spain/3900) - The director of ‘Rec’ takes a leaf out of the masters’ book with a psycho-killer thriller that won’t let you sleep.
- [Iranian odd couple claimed nuclear program insider knowledge](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/iranian-odd-couple-claimed-nuclear-program-insider-knowledge-news-in-spain/3856) - A document unveiled by Wikileaks shows that two mysterious individuals sought asylum through Barcelona’s US Consulate, claiming they were privy to information about Iranian terrorist activities.
- [Wanted: absurdly rich tycoon to lend Spain’s La Liga intrigue](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spanish-soccer-3929/3929) - Is there any way of breaking Real Madrid and Barcelona’s increasingly tight grip on the Spanish league title?
- [The end of ETA violence offers Spain’s cynical politicos a fresh start](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/news-from-spain-the-end-of-eta-violence-offers-spain’s-cynical-politicos-a-fresh-start/3907) - The Basque terrorist group’s announcement that it has ended its campaign of violence should end four decades of division and tragedy. But it also represents an opportunity for the country’s politicians to start showing some badly needed statesmanship.
- [A social network headed for global dominance… or buy-out syndrome?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/news-in-spain-3819/3819) - Spanish site Tuenti has cornered the young domestic market with its invitation-only model. But can it survive being bought out by Telefonica and compete with the likes of Facebook overseas?
- [Spain’s greatest export: protest and outrage](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/news-from-spain-greatest-export-protest-and-outrage/3845) - The country’s indignados protesters are yet to see solid results of their ongoing push for political and economic change. But they can claim credit for helping spark the worldwide unrest seen on October 15.
- [Spanish air firm seeks sanction relief after Syria trade gaffe](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spain-news-3806/3806) - Documents unveiled by Wikileaks reveal how Washington imposed sanctions on Spain’s Orion Air for leasing a jet to a company that had links to the Syrian president.
- [Why open Pandora’s Box?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spain-news-why-open-pandoras-box/3799) - Spain’s two main political parties have agreed to reform the Constitution in an effort to rein in public spending. Will it work? Who stands to benefit? And why was nobody asked?
- [Spanish air base layoff plan a PR nightmare for Washington](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spanish-air-base-layoff-plan-a-pr-nightmare-for-washington/3772) - In 2009, Zapatero’s promising relationship with the Obama administration was threatened by US defence cutbacks, a Wikileaks cable reveals. The issue drew the US Embassy closer than it would have liked to Spain’s notoriously conflictive domestic politics.
- [Gibson’s undimmed passion for Lorca](https://iberosphere.com/2011/10/spanish-news-3718/3718) - Irish writer Ian Gibson is obsessed by Federico García Lorca and over the last 30 years has become one of the world’s best-known Hispanists. But as the 75th anniversary of his death is commemorated, Gibson admits that the mysteries surrounding the poet remain as alive as ever.
- [Never a prophet in his own land?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/pedro-never-a-prophet-in-his-own-land/525) - Perhaps Almodóvar is finally resigned to his status as Spain's overlooked genius.
- [Bilingual schooling obsession is gambling with children's future](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/spain-news-3705/3705) - The Madrid region’s efforts to improve schoolchildren’s level of English is laudable, but ultimately misguided. Students’ English will not improve as much as it should and teaching of other subjects will suffer.
- [Every week is holy week in Seville](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/every-week-is-holy-week-in-seville/3660) - Semana Santa is purportedly when the Andalusian capital comes to life, but you’d be surprised at how its religious and celebratory air continues throughout the rest of the year.
- [Spain’s Socialists scuttle the ship](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/spains-socialists-scuttle-the-ship-spanish-news/3639) - As his second term draws to an end with the start of the general election campaign, Zapatero’s party is in a mess of its own making.
- [Mourinho’s mad magic loses its lustre](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/mourinho’s-mad-magic-loses-its-lustre/3621) - With reports of team discord and Barcelona back to their rampant best, Real Madrid’s coach is facing one of the stiffest challenges of his career.
- [Friendship with Chávez “a necessary evil” for Portugal’s Sócrates](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/3606-portugal-news/3606) - Wikileaks cables show how his relationship with Chávez left Sócrates concerned both at relations with Washington and the well-being of the Portuguese community in Venezuela.
- [How Sarkozy “turned Andorran politics upside down”](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/spain-news-3574/3574) - US Cables released by Wikileaks state that the French leader lambasted the Pyrenean principality’s government over its foot-dragging on banking reform, thus influencing ensuing elections.
- [Moldovan rage over Spain’s “ineffective approach” to separatism](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/moldova’s-rage-over-spain’s-“ineffective-approach”-to-separatism-spanish-news/3648) - The Zapatero government faced withering criticism as it attempted to resolve a diplomatic spat over Eastern European separatism, according to documents released by Wikileaks.
- [Portugal's debt: a tale of pride and prejudice](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/portugal-news-portugals-debt-a-tale-of-pride-and-prejudice/2146) - Portuguese officials continue to insist they can keep the threat of a bailout at bay with their current austerity push. However, that does not mean the markets will be convinced.
- [Bailout beckons as Portugal’s Sócrates resigns](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/portugal-news-bailout-beckons-as-portugals-socrates-resigns/2428) - Portugal moves a step closer to a Greek-style crisis as the Socialist prime minister steps down after an unsuccessful congressional vote on measures to cut the deficit.
- [A bitter celebration as Portugal remembers the Carnation Revolution](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/portugal-news-a-bitter-celebration-as-portugal-remembers-the-carnation-revolution/2669) - The anniversary of the Revolução dos Cravos, the peaceful uprising that overthrew their country’s dictatorship in 1974 is reason to celebrate for most Portuguese. But this year rejoicing will be muted as the nation awaits finalisation of the bailout loan it has requested from the EU.
- [Portugal gets bailout as Sócrates eyes reelection](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/portugal-news-gets-bailout-as-socrates-eyes-reelection/2732) - When Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates resigned in March after his debt-reducing austerity plan was thrown out of the Lisbon parliament many people thought it would be the end of the once popular leftist leader. They may have been wrong.
- [Thrifty newcomer may be just the ticket in profligate Portugal](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/portugal-news-thrifty-newcomer-may-be-just-the-ticket-in-profligate-portugal/3017) - Portuguese voters have swung to the centre right in an election focused on the country’s economic woes and IMF bailout.
- [Truth is the casualty as Spain’s campaign heats up](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/truth-the-casualty-as-spains-campaign-heats-up/3568) - As the November election approaches, public figures are taking a woefully cavalier attitude to facts and figures.
- [Who’s in charge in Spain?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/whos-in-charge-spain-news/3582) - The problems caused by Zapatero’s political co-habitation with Rubalcaba are becoming increasingly apparent as the general election approaches.
- [Hands up if you find Barça’s beautiful game boring](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/spanish-football/3594) - They may be Spanish and European champions, but whisper it: Pep Guardiola’s team can run the risk of leaving us indifferent.
- [Tweets and gaffes confuse Madrid's education debate](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/spain-news-madrid-leader/3630) - Faced with a two-day teachers’ strike in the region this week, Esperanza Aguirre has further complicated the education issue with her public statements.
- [Forget the Catalan ban, bullfighting was already in trouble](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/forget-the-catalan-ban-bullfighting-is-in-trouble-spain-news/3673) - La corrida’s commercial viability is questionable and its shaky credibility undermines those who step into the ring.
- [La Liga dances to the beat of super-agent Mendes](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/la-liga-dances-to-the-beat-of-spain-footballsuper-agent-mendes/3556) - The Portuguese player representative has been extremely busy over the summer, highlighting the extraordinary influence he wields in European, and particularly Spanish, football.
- [In Basque Country, ETA's silence is democracy's gain](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/spain-news-in-basque-country-etas-silence-is-democracy’s-gain/3550) - A year on from the separatist group's ceasefire announcement, ETA is weaker than ever and a peace process looks highly unlikely. But with the emergence of a new nationalist coalition, the Basque region is politically healthier.
- [Mourinho’s second coming suggests serious title tilt for Real Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/spanish-football-3486/3486) - The Portuguese coach has always moved up a level in his second season at a club and with several new recruits and a lean Karim Benzema, Madrid will give Barça a run for their money.
- [Barcelona seek to extend Liga dominance](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/spanish-soccer-3476/3476) - Once again Barça and Real Madrid are certain to hog the points in the Spanish football league. For the Catalans, maintaining the motivation that has seen them win three Liga titles in a row will be the big challenge.
- [In Catalonia, the fringe is setting the agenda](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/spain-news-3450/3450) - The moderate nationalists who govern the northern region are being heavily influenced by pressure from pro-independence radicals who represent only a small section of the populace.
- [Spain's woes fail to deter Africans from life-threatening crossing](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/spain-news-spains-woes-fail-to-deter-africans-from-life-threatening-crossing/3416) - Why are immigrants still willing to risk their lives to come to a country that has a faltering economy and Europe's highest jobless rate?
- [Stable Valencia dreams of challenging Spain’s top two](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/3529-spanish-football/3529) - Coach Unai Emery has had a busy summer bringing in some promising players and they should make up for the loss of Juan Mata.
- [Fear and resignation in Spain’s deficit cap](https://iberosphere.com/2011/09/fear-and-resignation-in-spains-deficit-cap/3519) - An unprecedented agreement by the Socialists and opposition Popular Party seeks to alter the Constitution and keep jittery markets happy. So why aren’t Spaniards celebrating?
- [World Youth Day: Between faith and criticism](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/world-youth-day-between-faith-and-criticism/3513) - Madrid played host to the 26th World Youth Day (WYD) in a political, economic and social atmosphere overshadowed by the economic and employment crisis. Though the Catholic Church in Spain argues that WYD is an apostolic event, it cannot ignore the fact that certain voices, both inside and outside of the Church, are critical of the strategies used by the organization.
- [Zapatero: a pope’s best friend](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/zapatero-a-popes-best-friend-spain-news/3501) - Spain’s Socialist government has upset the Catholic Church a number of times. But as Benedict XVI visits Madrid, he should recognise how much it has also helped him in recent years.
- [Football strike threat highlights Spanish cash shortfall](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/football-strike-threat-highlights-spanish-cash-shortfall/3462) - Spain’s soccer players have threatened to delay the start of the league season if the authorities do not introduce stricter measures to make sure clubs in financial difficulty pay wages. Spanish football may lead the world, but on this issue, it seems to be falling behind Europe.
- [Who benefits from Spain's early election?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/spain-news-who-benefits-from-spains-early-election/3410) - Both the Socialists and the opposition Popular Party saw advantages in holding the general election in the autumn. But with current market speculation making the economy the only political talking point, the decision could work in the opposition’s favour.
- [Mourinho shuns headlines to underline Madrid’s new balance of power](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/real-madrid-neymar-mourinho-spain-soccer/3396) - The pro-Real Madrid press has been trumpeting the imminent arrival of either Neymar or Sergio Agüero in recent weeks. The fact that neither is likely to play for Real quite yet reflects not just the banality of the sports press during the summer months, but also that the club’s coach can now say no when he wants to.
- [Celebrating Santiago's ever-changing afterlife](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-newscelebrating-santiago’s-ever-changing-afterlife/3390) - July 25 is the Feast of St James, or Santiago, the patron saint of Spain. While his life was eventful, it was after James’s death that a series of legends sprang up, using the saint’s figure as a constantly changing representation of the hopes of the Spanish people.
- [Anarchy in the UK, headed Spain's way soon](https://iberosphere.com/2011/08/anarchy-in-the-uk-headed-spains-way-soon-2/3438) - So far, Spain has been spared the kind of rioting and violence that has plagued the streets of Britain this last week and on other occasions. But Spaniards shouldn't assume that there is something special about their country that will protect them; the same social and economic forces that have shaped British society are at work here too.
- [Revisiting Laurie Lee's Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-newsrevisiting-laurie-lees-spain/3343) - It is 20 years since the completion of Laurie Lee's classic autobiographical trilogy, ‘Red Sky at Sunset’. His descriptions of travels and war in Spain may hark back to the first half of the 20th century, but they remain fresh and insightful today.
- [Will Spain’s basketball league benefit from NBA lockout?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spanish-news-will-spains-acb-league-benefit-from-nba-lockout/3327) - Fresh out of work due to a contractual dispute, American-based players could start to ponder the possibility of coming Spain.
- [A literary trip through Toledo’s historical labyrinth](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/3309-spain-news/3309) - Visiting the Manchegan capital accompanied and guided by the opinions of some formidable Hispanists lent a short tour around the city a rich flavour and revealed plenty of surprises.
- [Athletic Bilbao’s golden generation stands at the crossroads](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spanish-football-athletic-bilbaos-golden-generation-stands-at-the-crossroads/3296) - The Basque football club, which holds a presidential election this week, is limited by its locals-only selection policy. But with a wealth of talent coming through the ranks, the future looks particularly bright right now.
- [¡Viva la corrupción!](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-news-viva-la-corrupcion/3380) - Valencia leader Francisco Camps has finally stepped down. But the corruption allegations he faces and the way he has weathered the storm so far reflect badly not just on him, but also on his party and an electorate that kept returning him to power.
- [Saramago: Iberia’s Godless conscience](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/saramago-iberias-godless-conscience/1136) - When Portugal’s best-known novelist died recently, the Catholic Church was quick to underline its contempt for him. But there was more to the author of ‘Blindness’ than Marx and atheism.
- [Sábato, Argentina’s contradictory literary giant](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spanish-news-sabato-argentina’s-contradictory-literary-mind/2747) - Despite his shifting allegiances, the late Argentine writer had one constant throughout his life: exploring mankind’s efforts to understand a baffling world.
- [The Spanish holocaust](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-2964/2964) - British historian Paul Preston’s latest book, ‘The Spanish Holocaust: Inquisition and Extermination during the Civil War and After’, makes an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the Spanish Civil War, and the systematic policy of rape, murder and repression carried out by Franco’s forces.
- [A real feel for virtual reality](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/a-real-feel-for-virtual-reality/188) - Computer graphics have come a long way since the painfully pixelated days of Pac-Man, yet few people would think virtual characters or objects are real. Place someone in a virtual reality environment, however, and they will almost certainly interact with their digital surroundings as if they were physically there. In trying to understand presence –
- [Chickens, eggs, Telefónica and the internet pie](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/chickens-eggs-telefonica-and-the-mobile-internet-pie/571) - As the Mobile World Congress got underway in Barcelona, telecoms companies' increasingly vocal hopes of boosting revenues by charging content and search providers for using their networks loomed ominously over the future of the internet.
- [Lost at sea in the fight against digital piracy](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/lost-at-sea-in-the-fight-against-digital-piracy/867) - New legislation aimed at fighting digital piracy is stirring controversy, but will shutting down websites directing users to download illegal copies of movies, games and songs halt a trend that has led to Spain being blacklisted as a haven of modern-day Blackbeards and Captain Morgans?
- [Democracy 2.0 and the 15-M movement](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-news-democracy-2-0-and-the-15-m-movement/3363) - For years, people have been talking about Democracy 2.0: the use of communications technologies to create public areas in cyberspace based on democratic principles. Nonetheless, the phrase tends to generate uncertainty, especially because of the tendency to put the 2.0 tag on any new development on the internet, obscuring, in a way, the principles that underlie these developments. If we are referring to democracy, it will exist on the web solely on the basis of the methods and criteria used to design and organize websites.
- [Spain's buried past](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-spains-buried-past/3179) - This year marks the 80th anniversary of Spain's Second Republic. But with many mass graves from the Civil War era still not excavated and those who dare probe the crimes of the past facing legal action themselves, the country still appears reluctant to face up to its violent past.
- [Rubalcaba’s challenge goes beyond “Listen, do, explain”](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-news-rubalcaba’s-challenge-goes-beyond-“listen-do-explain”/3321) - The interior minister is about to outline the Socialist Party’s direction ahead of the general election campaign. The coming months will be a difficult challenge for even this wily political survivor.
- [The king of the ring returns, but can he save bullfighting?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-the-king-of-the-ring-returns-but-can-he-save-bullfighting/3181) - José Tomás is the most charismatic and controversial figure in bullfighting and his announced return to action after injury is big news for aficionados. But Spain's corrida tradition is facing some obstacles that even Tomás might struggle to overcome.
- [Video: Proud and gay in Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-news-video-proud-and-gay-in-madrid/3287) - Madrid celebrates the annual Gay Pride Parade with music, dancing and a carnival atmosphere. Iberosphere contributor Maira Cabrini documents the event.
- [How Spain became ‘Españistán’](https://iberosphere.com/2011/07/spain-news-how-spain-became-‘espanistan’/3274) - Want to understand Spain’s economic rollercoaster ride since 1998? Forget the academia, Aleix Saló’s comic-book take on it will tell you all you need to know.
- [Only the lonely: bank robbery with a political conscience](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/only-the-lonely-bank-robbery-with-a-political-conscience/640) - The autobiography of Jaime Giménez is a tale of Corsican gangs, dodgy disguises and a strange notion of revenge.
- [A cinema industry locked in confusion](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/a-cinema-industry-locked-in-confusion/728) - Two prison dramas illustrate how the Spanish film sector is in danger of losing its identity - and the plot.
- [Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz: compare and contrast](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/javier-bardem-and-penelope-cruz-compare-and-contrast/1251) - Spain's biggest acting couple have got married. But this writer believes Bardem alone deserves all the plaudits.
- [Santiago Segura is Torrente… and an incurable romantic](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/spanish-cinemas-santiago-segura-is-torrente-and-an-incurable-romantic/1296) - Anti-hero José Luis Torrente is a racist, sexually confused coward - and one of Spanish cinema’s great creations.
- [Berlanga, the bad Spaniard](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-news-berlanga-the-bad-spaniard/1674) - His ability to outwit Franco’s censors is one reason why the late Berlanga was so admired. But his finest films were also examples of cinema at its best.
- [Farewell to the restless soul of Madredeus](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/farewell-to-francisco-ribeiro-the-restless-soul-of-madredeus/1403) - Cellist Francisco Ribeiro, who died recently, was an essential part of the sound of Portugal’s most successful group of recent years, but he found fame hard to tolerate.
- [Quality TV is the big casualty of Spain's dubbing](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spain-news-don’t-blame-spains-tv-dubbing-for-bad-english1751/1751) - Lack of subtitles doesn't help language skills, but it also hurts Spanish TV.
- [Was Hollywood’s first “talkie” in Spanish?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spain-news-hollywood-first-talkie1816/1816) - Al Jolson’s The Jazz Singer, from 1927, has always been credited as being the first motion picture “talkie”. But a little-known reel released four years earlier starring Spanish singer Concha Piquer may well rewrite film history.
- [Spanish music mourns passing of Pacheco and Morente](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spanish-music-mourns-passing-of-pacheco-and-morente/1849) - Spain has lost a legendary producer and an iconic flamenco singer in recent weeks. Between them their careers covered everything from ballet to The Smiths.
- [Industry infighting spices up Spanish cinema awards](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-news-industry-infighting-spices-up-spanish-cinema-awards/2014) - Spats, walk-outs, and mystery over who is going to present the ceremony: this year’s Goyas have more than their fair share of baggage.
- [Goya Awards: and the winner is... González-Sinde](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-news-goya-awards-and-the-winner-is-gonzalez-sinde/2043) - The annual Spanish cinema awards offered up a surprise in Catalan drama Pa negre, but the real drama on the night was the ongoing dispute over whether the internet is to blame for the industry's problems.
- [Torrente, saviour of the Spanish film industry](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-torrente-saviour-of-the-spanish-film-industry/2497) - Santiago Segura’s latest film following the antics of a sexist, racist, cowardly anti-hero is breaking box-office records. And there’s even talk of it making the transition to Hollywood.
- [Mission: Impossible, the Valley of the Fallen](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-mission-impossible-the-valley-of-the-fallen/3124) - A religious shrine or a monument to hate? The Valley of the Fallen, which houses General Franco's tomb, has loomed over the landscape outside Madrid and Spain's collective memory for decades. Now, 36 years after the death of the dictator, the government has appointed a commission to decide the site's fate.
- [Real Madrid's 'señor' status at play as Mourinho takes control](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-soccer-3051/3051) - In just one year, José Mourinho has secured the departure of Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano and increased his control over the club enormously. But in handing the Portuguese so much power, Real Madrid is taking a big gamble.
- [Madrid's new river](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-madrids-new-river/3209) - Madrid has a river running through it. Or, more exactly, around it. And, even more exactly, it’s not a fully fledged river. More of a tributary. And, while we’re being brutally honest, as far as waterways go it’s not that big on water either.
- [What will follow the Spanish Spring?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-newswhat-will-follow-the-spanish-spring/3035) - Spain's 15-M protest has now moved out of the squares and into the streets. While its structure and the lack of a detailed, coherent manifesto hinder it when it comes to offering solutions, the movement has managed to galvanise the political consciousness of thousands of young people.
- [Malcontents in search of democracy](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-malcontents-in-search-of-democracy/3192) - In recent weeks Spain has witnessed campouts and protests over the political system and the economy. In different cities citizens, mostly young, have taken over public squares to express their opinions, highlight their grievances and try to create, at least initially, a (non-virtual) social network that they hope will translate into a movement that makes clear the real power of citizens in a democratic society. Although some of the protests have been violent, the movement has acted quickly to distance itself from illegal courses of action.
- [Spanish TV journalism's identity crisis](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-spanish-tv-journalisms-identity-crisis/2821) - A controversy has flared up concerning the alleged bias of public broadcaster TVE. This furore speaks volumes about the Spanish media's curious relationship with politicians.
- [Two, four, six, eight, let's hope they don't emigrate](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-two-four-six-eight-lets-hope-they-dont-emigrate/3030) - High unemployment and competition for social services between locals and immigrants has fuelled the rise of xenophobic politicians in Catalonia and elsewhere in recent months. But, despite the populist fear-mongering, immigrants remain a boon, not a burden, to Spain's economy.
- [Valley of the Fallen: "A symbol of the Franco dictatorship or a religious site?"](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-video-valley-of-the-fallen-a-symbol-of-the-franco-dictatorship-or-a-religious-site/3121) - With the Spanish government now pondering what to do with the Valley of the Fallen, freelance journalist and Iberosphere contributor Nick Lyne visits the site of General Franco's tomb outside Madrid and questions its status in modern Spain.
- [The Spaniards who fought for Hitler](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-the-spaniards-who-fought-for-hitler/2388) - The ‘División Azul’, a Spanish force that fought alongside the German army against Russia in World War II, has mostly been overlooked by history books and filmmakers. A new book by Jorge Martínez Reverte seeks to redress the balance.
- [Rajoy approaches the big job with his head down](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-economy-3077/3077) - The Popular Party’s leader could be Spain’s new prime minister within a matter of months; which is why he needs to understand the responsibility he has not to further damage the country’s economic credibility with electoral scaremongering.
- [Spain’s conflicting memories refuse to fade](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-conflicting-memories-refuse-to-fade/2988) - The recent controversy sparked by the publication of an apparently pro-Franco dictionary is the latest in a string of developments that highlight Spain’s continuing tussle with its historical memory.
- [Depor’s glory a distant memory as team slides out of Liga](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spanish-football-depor’s-glory-a-distant-memory-as-goal-drought-leaves-team-in-segunda/2922) - Not so long ago, “Superdepor” rode high in La Liga and even dazzled in Europe. But years of decline have finally led to the team’s relegation after a disastrous season.
- [15-M: Spain's lost generation finds a voice](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-15-m-spain’s-lost-generation-find-a-voice/2884) - Unprecedented “anti-political” protests have hogged the headlines around the country during the local election campaign. But can the nascent 15-M movement make a difference to Spain’s exhausted political landscape?
- [Franco and the red pen](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-franco-and-the-red-pen/3010) - Spain’s Royal Academy of History is an outdated and ideologically questionable institution which has published a dictionary praising Franco. But its farcical view of history also reflects the low esteem in which the post of sub-editor is held in Spain.
- [How police brutality helped Spain’s 15-M protests](https://iberosphere.com/2011/06/spain-news-how-police-brutality-helped-spain’s-15-m-protests/2978) - The use of unnecessary force to clear protesters from central Barcelona has reinforced the negative image of Catalonia’s mossos police force. It was also a shot in the arm for a flagging protest movement.
- [Spain: Too big to fail?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-economy-2802/2802) - Greece, Ireland and now Portugal. Debt-ridden, deficit-laden and bankrupt were it not for bailouts from abroad. Spain is the fourth and final letter in the hackneyed PIGS acronym for Europe’s struggling economies. It is also the biggest, and its economic future will decide the fate of the euro zone.
- [Roll up, roll up, for the Socialist horror show](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-roll-up-roll-up-for-the-socialist-horror-show/2944) - The Spanish Socialist Party has just suffered its heaviest election defeat ever. But with internal strife finally bubbling over, things can still get worse.
- [All too predictable](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/all-too-predictable/2915) - Absolutely true to recent form, a week ago Tuesday the two immediately upcoming Spanish government bond auctions which were to lead up to the weekend's municipal and regional elections were put into journalistic – and might we add – speculative play by an article in one of the world's news sources of reference.
- [Porto’s trophy-hungry boss insists he’s no Mourinho clone](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/portugal-soccer-another-mourinho-porto’s-latest-trophy-hungry-boss-insists-he’s-his-own-man/2843) - André Villas-Boas is working wonders at the helm of the Portuguese champions, just like his predecessor and former boss José Mourinho once did. But despite the similarities, the 33-year-old says he’s more like Bobby Robson than The Special One.
- [A lurch to the right that cost Zapatero dear](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-a-lurch-to-the-right-that-cost-zapatero-dear/2901) - The Spanish prime minister wanted to maintain a robust welfare state while handling the demands of the global economy. His decision to abandon the former in favour of the latter goes a long way to explaining the Socialists’ local election disaster.
- [Camp outs and protests spread nationwide](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-camp-outs-and-protests-spread-nationwide/2891) - The focal point of the 15-M movement is the Puerta del Sol, the heart of Madrid and of Spain. Nevertheless, all over Spain the young and not-so-young are gathering in the main squares of their cities. Such is the case of Zaragoza where an estimated 6,000 people came together to protest against the current political situation in Spain on Friday night.
- [Seve: the charisma of a champion](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-newsseve-the-charisma-of-a-champion/2758) - Severiano Ballesteros, one of the world’s greatest golfers, has died. But he will be remembered as much for his warm personality as for his sporting talent and dedication.
- [It’s the economy, stupid](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-madrid-protests-it’s-the-economy-stupid/2880) - You study hard, you get a university degree and that, you would think, should put you in good stead to land a decent job. Right? No. In Spain, unless you are one of a lucky few, at best you can look forward to years of underpaid work in a sector that has nothing to do with your chosen career, at worst unemployment. Oh, and living with your parents throughout.
- [Fancy a sexual fling? Dating agency will help you cheat on your partner](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-fancy-a-sexual-fling-dating-agency-will-help-you-cheat-on-your-partner/2876) - A Norway-based dating agency is stirring up controversy by offering its sevices in Spain: A chance to have an affair and not get found out.
- [Bombing the road to democracy](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/morocco-news-bombing-the-road-to-democracy/2868) - We may never know reliably why the man who left a bomb in a backpack at the Argana café in Marrakech’s world-famous Jamaa el Fna square, killing 17 people, did what he did.
- [Where do Mourinho and Guardiola go from here?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-soccer-2770/2770) - In the wake of four clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona in 18 days, the after-shocks from the quartet of El Clásico matches will continue reverberating all the way through the summer.
- [Banality and pragmatism on Spain's campaign trail](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spanish-news-banality-and-pragmatism-on-spains-campaign-trail/2835) - The upcoming local elections will almost certainly deliver a major shift in Spanish politics, but you wouldn’t know it from following an uninspiring campaign by both major parties.
- [Barça must cut theatrics if they want to go down in history](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-soccer-2693/2693) - Barcelona’s 2-0 win against Real Madrid may underline the Catalans’ quality as a world football force, but its players are doing the club and the sport a disservice with their constant attempts to trick referees.
- [Garzón appeals to Strasbourg over prosecution for Franco-era probe](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-2550/2550) - Spain’s best-known and most divisive judge is hoping that the European Court of Human Rights will ensure justice prevails and that charges against him for daring to investigate crimes committed by the Franco dictatorship are dropped.
- [Djokovic the joker gets serious about number 1](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-djokovic-the-joker-gets-serious-about-number-1/2600) - This year's tennis clay court season should see Novak Djokovic muscle in on the Nadal-Federer rivalry. The Serb has been in superb form so far this year and the Spanish world number one will have to work hard to stop him stealing the top spot.
- [With almost five million out of work, Spain’s unemployment crisis rages on](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-economy-2700/2700) - The number of people out of work in Spain hit a new record high in the first quarter of the year, but the government insists it will not surpass the five million mark. It made a similar prediction in 2009 – and was quickly proven wrong. Is this a case of history repeating itself?
- [Floyd Patterson’s Spanish adventure](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-news-floyd-pattersons-spanish-adventure/2714) - Fly to Madrid wearing a false beard, fake a limp, and eat bad soup: all in a week’s work for a recently dethroned heavyweight boxing champion.
- [Spanish home prices fall faster on tax changes](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spanish-home-prices-fall-faster-on-tax-changes/2651) - Homeowners have been able to write off part of their mortgage payments when they fill out their income tax returns for decades. But changes to Spain’s tax law from January 1 mean far fewer people will be able benefit, contributing to an acceleration in the decline in house prices since the start of the year.
- [Common sense prevails as Bildu is allowed to run in elections](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/spain-newscommon-sense-prevails-as-bildu-is-allowed-to-run-in-elections/2740) - Spain’s top court allows a nationalist coalition to participate in the May 22 local elections, reflecting a refreshing willingness by the judiciary to ignore political distractions and examine the facts.
- [Everything’s at stake in Real Madrid and Barcelona's quadruple clásico](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-everythings-at-stake-in-real-madrid-and-barcelonas-quadruple-clasico/2628) - Spain’s big two will get to play out their fierce rivalry four times in 18 days. But with a wealth of subplots at work, it’s not just silverware at play, it’s reputations.
- [Mixed feelings in Spain over Libya mission](https://iberosphere.com/2011/05/mixed-feelings-in-spain-over-libya-mission/2727) - Last month, Spain’s Congress approved a two-month extension of Spanish military support for NATO operations in Libya. Like the Socialist government’s initial backing for the UN-blessed operation, which began in March, it was not an overly controversial decision politically – only the small Communist-led United Left bloc opposed.
- [A shift in the Basque Country despite Sortu's prohibition](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-sortus-prohibition-reflects-basque-country’s-shifting-ground/2573) - The Spanish High Court recently ruled that a new Basque nationalist party should not be allowed to run in upcoming elections due to its alleged links to ETA. However, while the tribal tone of politics in Madrid made that ruling inevitable, there are signs that there are many in the Basque region – and the judiciary itself – who disagree.
- [Who cares about corruption anyway?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-who-cares-about-corruption-anyway/2683) - The Spanish electoral lists are contaminated with candidates who are under investigation, meaning next month’s vote offers not just a reflection of how people feel about their leaders, but also how they feel about corruption.
- [Socialist disarray points to heavy local election loss](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-socialist-disarray-points-to-heavy-local-election-loss/2380) - A recent catalogue of incidents and errors has compounded the governing Socialist Party's problems as it prepares for the May local elections. And with the issue of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's succession providing a drawn-out distraction, the party seems to be heading for a loss that is likely to be repeated on a national level in 2012.
- [Promise of death in the afternoon keeps bullfighting alive for fans](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-promise-of-death-in-the-afternoon-keeps-bullfighting-alive-for-fans/2582) - Bullfighting is facing a decline in attendance and a ban in Catalonia. But its advocates insist this Spanish tradition can survive its current crisis due, in part, to the unique risks it presents.
- [Real Madrid, Barcelona, Orwell and the evil conspiracy](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-2639/2639) - Don’t worry about the games between Spain’s biggest football rivals, the weird post-match analysis and spooky propaganda from both camps is entertainment in itself.
- [How did an independence vote become such a headache for Catalan nationalists?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-how-did-an-independence-referendum-become-such-a-headache-for-catalan-nationalists/2623) - Barcelona staged a vote on independence on Sunday, just days ahead of the Catalan parliament’s own debate on the same issue. But the region’s governing CiU nationalists are finding it hard to know where to stand.
- [Sex for money… but don’t advertise it](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-sex-ads-2530/2530) - The Spanish government is planning to ban newspaper advertisements publicizing the services of prostitutes and brothels in a seemingly short-sighted approach to an age-old problem.
- [Bullfighting: Fighting for its future](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-bullfighting-fighting-for-its-future-2456/2456) - Bullfights and Flamenco. It’s hard to imagine Spain without either of its richest cultural activities. While one recently two-stepped its way to recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage cultural treasure, bullfighting finds itself in the ring against a generational divide, politics and a struggling economy, attempting to defend its history and tradition.
- [Torres’ patchy form hints at world champions’ decline](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-football-torres-patchy-form-hints-at-world-champions-decline/2478) - This may be the best Spanish team the world has seen, but it is struggling to live up to the heights of its European Championship-winning performances in 2008. The team needs new options and Fernando Llorente might be one man who can provide them.
- [Zapatero was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-zapatero-was-damned-if-he-did-and-damned-if-he-didnt/2540) - The Spanish prime minister’s decision not to run for a third term gives the Socialists a small boost ahead of local elections. But it also opens up a new series of problems for the party.
- [Bullfighting in the political ring](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-bullfighting-in-the-political-ring/2461) - Banned in Catalonia last year, bullfighting is dividing Spain along political and cultural lines.
- [Inditex: fast fashion for crisis-proof profits](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-economy-2444/2444) - Crisis? What crisis? Spanish clothing giant Inditex, now the world’s largest clothing retailer, bucks the downturn in consumer spending.
- [Adios to Zapatero in 2012?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/04/spain-news-adios-to-zapatero-in-2012/2517) - Spanish media are reporting that Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero will announce tomorrow his decision not to run as a candidate in the 2012 general election… is anyone surprised?
- [Spain’s Zapatero embraces short-lived Libya foray](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-news-spains-zapatero-embraces-short-lived-libya-intervention/2420) - The Spanish prime minister, a staunch opponent of the Iraq invasion, has backed the anti-Gaddafi no-fly zone. But Congress’ approval of the operation does not anticipate a drawn-out conflict.
- [Spain still doesn't understand the separation of Church and State](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-still-doesnt-understand-the-separation-of-church-and-state/2492) - Comedian Leo Bassi is facing legal charges for performing a show that made fun of the Pope and Catholic Church. His provocative pranks have once again brought out the ugly side of Spanish justice and the wrath of the far right.
- [Spain and Portugal’s right shun austerity and Brussels – for now](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-spain-and-portugals-right-shun-austerity-and-brussels-for-now/2472) - Iberia’s main opposition parties have refused to back the painful cuts advocated by their countries’ Socialist administrations. This may win them votes, but with the chance to take power soon, both conservative parties will soon have to take some tough decisions.
- [With Sortu banned, what now for radical Basque nationalists?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-with-sortu-banned-what-now-for-radical-basque-nationalists/2439) - The Supreme Court’s decision to prevent the new nationalist party from running in elections follows an intense and not always helpful debate.
- [Spain held hostage by its banks](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-economy-spain-is-held-hostage-by-its-banks/2365) - The Spanish banking sector lies at the heart of the country’s current economic problems, but the situation could have been much worse were it not for regulatory foresight.
- [Morocco’s Mohammed VI treads a fine line with reforms](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/moroccos-mohammed-vi-treads-a-fine-line-with-new-reforms/2326) - The Moroccan monarch has responded to recent protests with a raft of changes to the country’s political system. His motives may be a mystery, but Mohammed VI could recover some of the reformist kudos he enjoyed earlier in his reign and which he seemed to have lost.
- [What, another reason to hate Cristiano Ronaldo?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-football-what-another-reason-to-hate-cristiano-ronaldo/2402) - The Madrid derby saw the Portuguese striker show his flippant side on the pitch. But Atlético’s anger at Ronaldo hides their frustration at always coming second to bitter rival Real.
- [Athletic Bilbao’s local lions belie football’s global trend](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spanish-football-athletic-bilbaos-local-lions-belie-footballs-global-trend/2281) - An old-fashioned locals-only selection policy should be suicide for a modern top-tier team. But Basque side Athletic continue to punch above their weight and compete with wealthier clubs.
- [A new slowdown in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-newsa-new-slowdown-in-spain/2267) - The speed limit on highways will be reduced to 110 kph from today in a bid to curb Spain’s rising energy bill. The savings, however, may be far from what the government expects.
- [Spanish Church banks on "youth" with hardline cardinal's re-election](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-spanish-church-banks-on-youth-with-hardline-cardinals-re-election/2225) - The decision to elect Antonio María Rouco Varela as president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference once again may have been inevitable, but it highlights the Church's reluctance to take a new approach in tackling its very obvious problems.
- [Recycling woes ](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/recycling-woes/2354) - When it comes to recycling, Spain is near the end of the line among other European Union members. According to Eurostat figures released March 8, Spain recycled only 15 percent of its garbage in 2009.
- [It's Shakira Barcelona should fear, not Real Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-news-its-shakira-barcelona-should-fear-not-real-madrid/2155) - Pep Guardiola's Barcelona have won more than their fair share of trophies in the last couple of years. They’ve also set the benchmark for flowing, passing football and given the world Leo Messi. They’re currently seven points clear at the top of the liga standings and they have set up a showdown with Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final. So everything’s okay, isn’t it?
- [Sex and the Spanish single lady](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-2343/2343) - Spanish women have seen significant advances towards equality in recent years. With a government in power passing various laws to promote equality, progress has been made. But they still have one pending revolution: emotional independence.
- [Mourinho's latest outburst betrays signs of strain](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-sport-mourinhos-latest-outburst-betrays-signs-of-strain/2252) - Real Madrid’s coach has once again been the centre of controversy due to some outlandish declarations. But this time there seems to be less method than usual in Mourinho's madness.
- [Morocco's Mohammed VI must decide](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/morocco-news-moroccos-mohammed-vi-must-decide/2143) - Protests in Morocco have not been as intense as in many neighbouring nations, despite some outbreaks of violence. However, if he is to avoid more alarming scenes, the monarch must take some big decisions – and soon.
- [The sun still shines in Europe's money-laundering hub](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/the-sun-still-shines-in-europes-money-laundering-hub/2298) - It isn’t surprising to see Spain once again listed among the group of nations singled out by the US State Department as major money laundering centres. This dubious distinction was pegged in the department’s annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which was released March 3 in Washington. Spain is one of 63 countries and jurisdictions that the United States says are of “primary concern.”
- [March 11's divisive legacy (revisited)](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/march-11s-divisive-legacy-revisited/2317) - Every time the anniversary of the 2004 Madrid terrorist attack looms, we are reminded of how it not only destroyed lives, but also further divided a society deeply split along political lines. Iberosphere originally published this article in 2010 (thus the reference to Miguel Hernández), but little has changed since then on Spain's political landscape.
- [A half-baked theory on the great croissant controversy](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-newsa-half-baked-theory-on-the-great-croissant-controversy/2294) - The recent debate about the woeful state of Spanish croissants has unleashed some passionate views. But doesn’t it also tell us something about Spain’s complex relationship with France?
- [Aznar lets his hair down](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/aznar-lets-his-hair-down/2058) - The former Spanish prime minister is enjoying life as a high-earning poster boy of neo-conservative values. But having put his famed austerity behind him, Aznar is in danger of remaining a divisive political figure, who refuses to embrace the statesmanship befitting a retired national leader.
- [Governing for unruly Spaniards ](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/spain-news-governing-for-unruly-spaniards/2246) - It is impossible to present a plan in this country without some backlash of outlandish criticism.
- [Contador in the clear, but under a cloud](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-newscontador-in-the-clear-but-under-a-cloud/2117) - The world’s top road cyclist has avoided receiving a lengthy ban for doping from the Spanish federation. But Spain is likely to face increased scrutiny from anti-doping authorities, who fear the country is going too far in protecting its athletes.
- [Smoking ban: where's the sense?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/03/smoking-ban-wheres-the-sense/2216) - Over the last five years since the government attempted to introduce a ban on smoking in public buildings a sensible compromise has been reached allowing owner-run bars to decide if they wanted to be smoking establishments or not. In the meantime, many larger places installed extractors and air conditioning to deal with smoke, or created sealed areas for smokers.
- [Bye-bye to Spain's savings banks](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-economy-bye-bye-to-spains-savings-banks/2039) - Amid a wave of mergers, planned stock market listings and new financial regulations, Spain’s two-century-old affair with savings banks is coming to an end.
- [The Tejero coup, North Africa and back-slapping](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-news-the-tejero-coup-north-africa-and-back-slapping/2176) - Josep Ramoneda looks at how Spain has celebrated the 30th anniversary of the foiling of the February 23 Tejero attempted coup, against the backdrop of the ongoing turmoil in North Africa, and he doesn’t like what he sees.
- [Basque deal with Houston derailed by improper practice](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/basque-deal-with-houston-derailed-by-improper-practice/1430) - A program to help get the United States economy back on track looked like good business for Spanish companies. But one rail firm’s attempts to clinch a major deal with an American city have been deemed legally questionable.
- [The strikers who have nothing to protest](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/spains-strikers-who-have-nothing-to-protest/1447) - The generous employment contracts enjoyed by many of those taking part in the September 29 general strike leave a generation of Spaniards out in the cold, drawing the question: who do these protesters represent?
- [Sortu puts spotlight on Spanish justice system](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-news-sortu-puts-spotlight-on-spanish-justice-system/2019) - The unveiling of a new Basque pro-independence party that rejects ETA violence is a major development. Giving its request to run in local elections a fair hearing would reflect well on Spain's courts, given the maelstrom of political feeling that surrounds this issue.
- [Rubalcaba to mitigate damage as Zapatero goes up in flames](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spain-news-zapatero-goes-up-in-flames-rubalcaba-mitigates-the-damage/1994) - The mystery dominating Spanish politics in recent months seems to have been resolved: Zapatero won’t run for re-election. It could turn out to be the best decision he has taken in a long time.
- [Time for a name change for the Socialist Workers’ Party](https://iberosphere.com/2011/02/spanish-news-time-for-the-spanish-socialist-workers-party-to-change-its-name/1909) - Spain’s labour unions have failed to impress throughout the current economic crisis. However, the government is wrong to point the finger at them for the country’s woes – the financial sector is much more to blame.
- [ETA stumbles to ceasefire but can it convince?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/01/spain-news-eta-stumbles-to-ceasefire-but-can-it-convince/1857) - The Basque group’s recent history has been plagued by logistical weakness and political errors. Few are celebrating its latest truce even though it offers real hope of peace and an end to ETA’s campaign of violence.
- [What’s eating José Mourinho?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/01/spain-football-whats-eating-jose-mourinho/1875) - Real Madrid’s Portuguese coach seems to be having a very public falling out with his employers. Is this a marriage made in hell?
- [Morocco: the next North African revolution?](https://iberosphere.com/2011/01/moroccan-news-morocco-the-next-north-african-revolution/1899) - The regime of King Mohammed VI is different in some crucial ways to those of Tunisia and Egypt. However, Rabat should still take its neighbours’ unrest very seriously indeed.
- [2011: Grand Slams, Liga intrigue and drugs](https://iberosphere.com/2011/01/spanish-sport-2011-grand-slams-liga-intrigue-and-drugs/1887) - Qorreo looks ahead to Spain’s coming year on the sports field and makes some brave –or foolhardy– predictions.
- [Spain’s air traffic strike: We’ve been here before](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spanish-news-spains-air-traffic-strike-we’ve-been-here-before/1807) - The dramatic recent strike by airport controllers had been threatening to boil over for a long time. However, a number of reasons –both technical and political– meant it came to a head at the worst possible moment.
- [Wikileaks: Washington’s peculiar view of Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spain-news-wikileaks-washingtons-peculiar-view-of-spain/1829) - The release of classified US State Department documents offers some intriguing insights into Spanish politics; it also highlights the complex relationship between the United States and Spain.
- [Time is Zapatero’s enemy as he seeks to reform](https://iberosphere.com/2011/01/spain-news-time-is-zapateros-enemy-as-he-seeks-to-reform/1866) - Over the coming months the Spanish government will attempt to push through some key reforms. For the prime minister they make political, as well as economic sense.
- [Spain’s anti-P2P “Sinde law”: Her Master’s Voice?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spains-anti-p2p-“sinde-law”-her-masters-voice/1840) - The country’s illegal downloading industry continues to confound Spanish authorities, after legislation to curb it flopped despite pressure from the United States.
- [Spain’s doping habit threatens to sully golden year](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spain-news-spains-doping-habit-threatens-to-sully-golden-year/1792) - The arrest of Spanish athlete Marta Domínguez and 13 others for alleged drug offences highlights a major problem for a global leader in sport.
- [What I learned in a Spanish brothel](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spain-news-what-i-learned-in-a-spanish-brothel/1769) - Prostitutes may give off a “good vibe” in their place of work, but don’t be fooled: the harsh reality is anything but friendly, as a visit to a Madrid brothel made abundantly clear.
- [Economy the priority for Catalan election victors](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/economy-the-priority-for-catalan-election-victors/1724) - The CiU nationalists' overwhelming election victory has significance both in the northern region and in broader Spanish politics.
- [Spain’s sovereign debt crisis: Round 2](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spanish-economy-spains-sovereign-debt-crisis-round-2/1716) - Once again, the Spanish economy is under pressure from the markets. But while comparing the country to Ireland may be unjustified, the government’s reluctance to send a clear message can only encourage speculators.
- [Barça thrashing reminds Mourinho of his Madrid challenge](https://iberosphere.com/2010/12/spanish-football-barcelona-thrashing-reminds-mourinho-of-his-madrid-challenge/1742) - Spain's clásico showed how far Real Madrid must improve if they are to compete with Barcelona’s beautiful game.
- [Western Sahara violence unleashes a media war](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-news-western-sahara-violence-unleashes-a-media-war/1683) - Information on the recent clashes between Sahrawis and Moroccan troops has been notoriously thin and confused. One of the upshots of this has been a dispute between Spain and Morocco over who has the better –or worse– media.
- [Catalan elections mark end of an era](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-news-catalan-elections-mark-end-of-era/1703) - The nationalists of CiU are poised to emerge as the region’s dominant force in the November 28 vote, with the Socialists set to suffer a brutal defeat.
- [Can Jorge Sanz save Spanish TV?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-news-can-jorge-sanz-save-spanish-tv/1695) - It’s hard to find quality drama or comedy on Spanish TV But ‘¿Qué fue de Jorge Sanz?’ happens to be both.
- [Camp mentality reflects Western Sahara’s new dissidence](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/morocco-news-camp-mentality-reflects-western-saharas-new-dissidence/1650) - The Sahrawi camp set up to protest against Moroccan policy in the Saharan region has been violently dismantled. This episode contains some significant lessons for both Rabat and the pro-independence Polisario.
- [Spain’s smoking ban: stubbing out freedom](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-news-smoking-ban-stubbing-out-freedom/1634) - An anti-tobacco law in place since 2006 gives Spanish bars, restaurants and their clients the right to decide. But an imminent reform threatens to make that right –and the evocative smell of smoke– a thing of the past.
- [Farewell to football’s crunching tackle?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-football-farewell-to-footballs-crunching-tackle/1660) - With referees punishing defenders more than they used to and cynical strikers using the tactic of play-acting, life is hard for soccer's big tacklers.
- [Batasuna does legwork as ETA inches towards Basque peace](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/batasuna-does-legwork-as-eta-inches-towards-basque-peace/1605) - While a number of factors influence and complicate current attempts to ensure a lasting peace in the Basque region, the changing relationship between ETA and its political wing is at the heart of this process.
- [Pope’s visit highlights challenges for Spanish Church](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-news-popes-visit-highlights-challenges-for-spains-catholic-church/1593) - Benedict XVI arrives in Santiago on November 6 with the country’s Catholic heritage on the wane and hoping to contain the spread of progressive social reforms.
- [Pellegrini embraces Málaga’s long-term dream](https://iberosphere.com/2010/11/spain-football-pellegrini-embraces-malagas-long-term-dream/1618) - The Chilean coach has had a rollercoaster ride in Spanish football. But he may have just found a club tailor made for his low-key qualities.
- [Bare-faced cheek gives Spain air of election fever](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-news-spanish-politics-election-fever/1582) - While the opposition Popular Party seeks to avoid being cast as extremist and win power on the back of the Socialists’ economic record, some of its members don’t seem to get the message.
- [Islamic feminism: the only road to modernising a faith?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-news-islamic-feminism-the-only-road-to-modernising-a-faith/1568) - An event discussing the prospects of implementing women’s rights within Islam highlights how this movement can bring the religion into the 21st century.
- [Spain’s Socialist reshuffle reaches out to left](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spanish-news-spains-socialist-reshuffle-reaches-out-to-left/1548) - Zapatero’s major Cabinet overhaul has a pragmatic edge to it and puts the spotlight on his interior minister. However, the move might have come too late to extend the life of this government.
- [A Basque pact to save Spain’s economy](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-news-a-basque-pact-to-save-spains-economy/1540) - Zapatero’s deal with nationalists to approve legislation together introduces an element of stability to Spain’s national politics but undermines an historic governing partnership in the north.
- [El Mundo Today keeps Spanish satire alive and kicking](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/el-mundo-today-keeps-spanish-satire-alive-and-kicking/1557) - A satirical duo are making sure the po-faced defenders of Spanish culture have plenty to worry about.
- [No end in sight to Zapatero’s succession dilemma](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-news-no-end-in-sight-to-zapateros-succession-dilemma/1532) - The Spanish prime minister has had a tough autumn so far, leaving him weaker than ever. However, there is little indication he will be replaced as the Socialist candidate for the 2012 general elections.
- [Venezuela’s ETA haven tests limits of soft diplomacy](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-news-venezuelas-eta-haven-tests-limits-of-soft-diplomacy/1506) - The Spanish government is trying to avoid hurting substantial business interests in Venezuela despite revelations about ETA’s presence there. This approach might save Spain money, but it could also exhaust Zapatero’s political capital.
- [Improvisation, not plotting, behind Ecuador’s “coup”](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/improvisation-not-plotting-was-behind-ecuadors-coup/1494) - Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa says his detention by a group of rebel police officers was a politically orchestrated coup d’état attempt. Though it was in fact little more than a protest gone awry, the canny Correa will exploit the incident for his own political advantage.
- [The rise, fall and resurrection of Sevilla FC](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-news-the-rise-fall-and-resurrection-of-sevilla-fc/1518) - After several years of success, the Andalusian football team recently came back down to earth. But new coach Manzano might be the man to put things right.
- [The rebirth of corruption](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/spain-news-the-rebirth-of-corruption/913) - The ongoing ‘Gürtel’ probe is just the latest in a seemingly never-ending series of graft scandals that have disgraced Spanish politicians in recent years. After building a vibrant modern democracy and economy, why has the country failed to shake off this ugly problem?
- [Spain and Morocco’s annual spat over for another year](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/spain-and-moroccos-mediterranean-spat-over-for-another-year/1484) - Despite the diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Rabat during the summer, this kind of problem has become a regular summer occurrence.
- [Is a steak really why Contador’s reputation is at stake?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/10/is-a-steak-really-why-alberto-contadors-reputation-is-at-stake/1475) - A positive doping result has threatened to sully the image of the world’s best cyclist.
- [Spain’s general strike: too much, too late](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/spains-general-strike-too-much-too-late/1462) - The organisers of the September 29 strike have sought to blame international markets and capitalism as much as the Zapatero government, but their protest nonetheless appears unlikely to have any major impact on policy.
- [Acquaintance rape: the trauma and shame of a hidden crime](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/acquaintance-rape-the-trauma-and-shame-of-a-hidden-crime/1417) - The vast majority of serious sexual assaults are by people known to the victims. Social taboos and the lack of an adequate legal framework mean that this crime all too often goes unpunished.
- [Labordeta: Aragon’s protest-song politician](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/labordeta-aragons-protest-song-politician/1438) - The northern region has lost a favourite son, a man who combined political activism with the writing of iconic songs.
- [The mystery of Rajoy and the Spanish economy](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/the-mystery-of-rajoy-and-the-spanish-economy/1383) - The leader of the opposition Popular Party is preparing for government, but his team’s economic credentials and policy are still unclear.
- [Sarkozy’s Gypsy policy a boon for Spain’s xenophobes](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/sarkozys-anti-gypsy-drive-a-boon-for-spains-xenophobes/1409) - France’s expulsion of Roma citizens left the Spanish government in an uncomfortable situation but has given free rein to the Popular Party’s most extreme wing.
- [Political turmoil threatens to rock Spain’s recovery](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/political-storm-threatens-to-rock-spanish-economys-recovery/1354) - Spain is attempting to perform a tightrope act as it emerges from recession. However, current political developments risk upsetting the economy’s recovery.
- [Rafa Nadal stakes all-court claim as the greatest](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/rafa-nadal-stakes-all-court-claim-as-the-greatest/1396) - The Mallorcan tennis star’s brilliance threatens to overshadow even Roger Federer.
- [Hércules’ Italian job on Barça restores Liga intrigue](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/hercules-italian-job-on-barcelona-restores-liga-intrigue/1368) - Spain's football league may be a two-horse race but the champions’ stunning defeat at the hands of a top-tier minnow was a welcome upset.
- [Optimism at ETA truce is tempered by bitter experience](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/optimism-over-eta-ceasefire-is-tempered-by-bitter-experience/1327) - The Basque group’s much-anticipated announcement of a truce is welcome but does not go nearly far enough to convince the government -or Spanish public opinion- that it is yet committed to peace.
- [Basque ceasefire offers Zapatero illusion of a lifeline](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/eta-ceasefire-offers-zapatero-illusion-of-a-lifeline/1338) - James Badcock examines the political implications of ETA’s latest ceasefire and sees little room for manoeuvre on the part of the Socialist government.
- [Ideology is first casualty of Spain's economic crisis](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/ideology-the-first-casualty-of-spains-economic-crisis/1287) - Both the government and opposition have failed to rise to the policy challenges of the current crisis. This bodes badly for the next general election.
- [The story behind the story: newspaper country reports (Audio)](https://iberosphere.com/2010/09/the-story-behind-the-story-newspaper-country-reports/1303) - An article Qorreo published called Madrid: capital of the special advertising section drew a particularly strong response. In this audio clip Nick Lyne, who wrote it, discusses the story and some of the background to the murky world of newspaper country reports.
- [Melilla spat with Morocco reveals uncomfortable truths](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/spains-fresh-food-melilla-spat-with-morocco-reveals-uncomfortable-truths/1262) - Bilateral tensions, rather than police abuses, are what sparked the recent crisis between Spain and its North African neighbour in an episode that embarrassed the Spanish government and made the opposition look crudely opportunistic.
- [Madrid, capital of the special advertising section](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/madrid-capital-of-the-special-advertising-section/809) - Newspapers’ glossy “country reports” come from a murky world somewhere between sales and journalism.
- [Silly season divides Spanish and English-speaking media](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/silly-season-divides-spanish-and-english-speaking-media/1224) - Foreign newspapers’ treatment of Spain may be erratic and often distorted, but it offers a counterbalance to the dull flow of local news in the summer months.
- [It’s Real Mourinho vs. Spain FC as La Liga begins](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/its-mourinhos-real-madrid-vs-barcelonas-spain-fc-as-la-liga-begins/1277) - Real Madrid and Barcelona will battle it out for the Spanish football league title, but this time the rivalry has a host of intriguing subplots.
- [Opposing Spain’s abortion law: don’t blame the Church](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/opposing-spains-abortion-law-dont-blame-the-church/1212) - Despite reports to the contrary, the Vatican is not the driving force behind resistance to the country’s latest social legislation; the naysaying Popular Party is the real culprit.
- [Spanish athletes drop the baton ahead of 2012](https://iberosphere.com/2010/08/spanish-athletes-drop-the-baton-ahead-of-2012/1240) - The Barcelona European Championships highlighted how track and field has been left in the shadow of Spain’s star-studded other sports.
- [Freed Cuban dissidents adjust to life in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/freed-cuban-dissidents-adjust-to-life-in-spain/1182) - The liberation of a group of political prisoners has sparked hopes of change on the Caribbean island. However, for those freed, their new life in Spain will be a challenge in itself.
- [Spain’s drug problem](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/spains-drug-problem…/1172) - Recent anti-drug policies in Spain and across Europe and the United States have failed to have the planned effect. Broaching the taboo of legalisation would provide a new approach, but few governments are willing to even entertain the idea of doing so.
- [A nation united by World Cup glory?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/a-nation-united-by-world-cup-glory/1191) - Spain’s victory in South Africa was a welcome distraction from its regional tensions. But football won’t solve the country’s political problems.
- [Spain's cajas bank on reform](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/spains-cajas-bank-on-reform/1199) - The Spanish government has passed legislation permitting the cajas de ahorros, many of which are in financial difficulties, to turn to normal capital markets to bolster their balance sheets. The legislation challenges a number of received notions about the country's financial sector.
- [Overcrowding leaves Spain's prisons on the brink](https://iberosphere.com/2010/06/overcrowding-leaves-spains-prisons-on-the-brink/1105) - The country’s jail population has quadrupled in the last 30 years, despite a decline in crime. Unimaginative policy-making means the increase is likely to continue.
- [Catalan statute furore makes nearly everyone a loser](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/catalan-statute-furore-leaves-nearly-everyone-a-loser/1160) - A top court’s painfully long decision on the legality of Catalonia’s revised relationship with Spain was relatively underwhelming. However, the ruling creates more problems than it resolves.
- [Zapatero’s summer of discontent](https://iberosphere.com/2010/06/zapateros-summer-of-discontent/1097) - The Spanish government will have little time to enjoy an extremely narrow victory in pushing its austerity package through Congress. With the threat of a national strike –and possibly early elections– the prime minister can expect a torrid few months.
- [Retreading a Basque past in three dimensions](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/retreading-a-basque-past-in-three-dimensions/1012) - Journalist and author Paddy Woodworth returns to the Basque Country in a different role.
- [Striker worry threatens to keep world from Spain’s feet](https://iberosphere.com/2010/07/striker-quandary-threatens-to-keep-the-world-from-spains-feet-2/1151) - The Spanish team’s progress in the World Cup has masked some uncomfortable dilemmas for the squad’s coach.
- [Baltasar Garzón: a judge too far?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/baltasar-garzon-a-judge-too-far/1088) - Spain’s most famous and reviled magistrate has gone into exile. After years spent tackling big cases, his attempts to probe the crimes of the Franco era appear to have brought his career in Spain to a premature end.
- [Spain equipped for football immortality](https://iberosphere.com/2010/06/spain-equipped-for-football-immortality/1121) - Vicente del Bosque's team have the weapons to be crowned world champions. But a tricky World Cup draw stands between them and a place in the history books.
- [Dark horse Díez races into the limelight](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/dark-horse-diez-races-into-the-limelight/1094) - Rosa Díez's UPyD seems to be making gains as Spain’s two main parties struggle to maintain their credibility. But is this new arrival on the scene a viable political alternative or simply a novelty act?
- [The market tears up Zapatero's social contract](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/the-market-tears-up-zapateros-social-contract/1059) - The Spanish prime minister has been forced to abandon a cornerstone of his government's policies and introduce harsh austerity measures. He must now find other ways of wooing the electorate.
- [Awareness grows, but domestic abuse goes on](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/awareness-grows-but-domestic-abuse-goes-on/1049) - New laws aimed at combating domestic violence are having little impact on a long-running problem, though attitudes are starting to change and awareness is growing.
- [Mourinho: Madrid’s saviour, Barça’s anti-Christ?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/mourinho-madrids-saviour-barcas-anti-christ/1079) - The Portuguese faces perhaps the greatest challenge of his career. His management style will ensure sparks fly and players perform – but is that enough?
- [Seeking the perfect leader for a two-horse race](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/seeking-the-perfect-leader-for-a-two-horse-race/1069) - No team can get close to Real Madrid and Barcelona in the Spanish league - but that’s not good enough for this year’s runner-up.
- [Not yet a Greek tragedy, but still a Spanish drama](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/not-yet-a-greek-tragedy-but-still-a-spanish-drama/1030) - Spain may not be on the verge of seeking a Greek-style bailout, but the government’s slow progress on cutting a burgeoning budget deficit is doing little to calm jittery investors.
- [Waiting for Washington](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/waiting-for-washington/1021) - At the start of Obama's presidency it looked certain that Madrid would melt the transatlantic frost of previous years and build a strong relationship with the new US administration. But despite his efforts, Zapatero has so far benefited relatively little from courting the US leader.
- [Nadal seeks clay redemption](https://iberosphere.com/2010/05/nadal-seeks-clay-redemption/1043) - A year ago in Madrid, things started to go wrong for Rafael Nadal. But having rested and recovered, he wants to reclaim his clay court crown.
- [The victim-turned-activist: a new kind of hero](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/the-victim-turned-activist-a-new-kind-of-hero/1003) - There has been a tendency in Spain in recent years to thrust victims of unfortunate events and tragedies into the public spotlight and assign them prominent positions, regardless of their background. But there is a risk these public figures will do more harm than good in trying to carry out their new roles.
- [Spain gets secular… with its Muslims](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/spain-gets-secular-with-its-muslims/988) - A Madrid school’s banning of the Islamic headscarf has drawn both support and opprobrium. But in a country with a large, newly arrived Muslim community, there needs to be a more considered response to the issue of religious expression.
- [What now for the "PIGS"?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/what-now-for-the-pigs/962) - Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain have all been grouped together by some market watchers as potentially unstable economies due, supposedly, to their deficit and debt levels. But a closer look at the figures tells a different story.
- [March 11's divisive legacy](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/march-11s-divisive-legacy/717) - The sixth anniversary of the 2004 Madrid bombings is a reminder of how a terrorist attack helped set the tone of Spanish politics. Moreover, the divisions it highlighted are just as visible today, as the country stubbornly refuses to face up to its recent past.
- [Garzón, the PP, and a Byzantine justice system](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/baltasar-garzon-the-pp-and-a-byzantine-justice-system/923) - The lawsuit against Spain’s best-known judge for investigating Franco-era crimes has bewildered many observers. However, the reasons for the current three-pronged legal assault on Garzón lie in the machinations of a politicised judiciary.
- [Bringing ballet in from the cold](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/bringing-ballet-in-from-the-cold/942) - The national dance company CND will finally offer Spain a ballet repertoire that has been sorely lacking.
- [Navigating the impossible?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/navigating-the-impossible/534) - Spain, once Europe’s economic growth engine, has recently found itself in the same boat as Greece as international investors have grown wary of big budget deficits and rising debt levels. Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is facing the makings of a perfect political and economic storm.
- [The industrialisation of prostitution](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/the-industrialisation-of-prostitution/856) - Spain’s unusual legal situation and permissive attitude to prostitution have made it home to a sprawling sex industry and large numbers of women-trafficking gangs. However, following the lead of other countries on this issue might not be the ideal solution.
- [Politics is ETA's problem as it seeks global stage](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/politics-is-etas-problem-as-it-seeks-a-global-stage/878) - The Basque separatist group wants its conflict with the Spanish state to be an issue with international repercussions. But despite the efforts of a high-profile group of mediators, Spain’s political situation and ETA's complex relationship with its political support make progress towards lasting peace extremely difficult.
- [Guardiola’s masterwork is based on Cruyff's art](https://iberosphere.com/2010/04/guardiolas-masterwork-is-based-on-cruyffs-art/892) - When Barcelona brushed aside Real Madrid, it confirmed the Catalan team's brilliance under coach Pep Guardiola and the enduring power of "Cruyffism".
- [How long can ETA ride on? ](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/how-long-can-eta-ride-on/587) - The Basque terrorist group has been severely weakened by a string of arrests and sustained judicial pressure on its sympathizers and supporters. But so long as it is able to recruit new members we might not see the end of ETA for some time yet.
- [The curse of the EU presidency](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/the-curse-of-spains-eu-term-presidency/840) - Halfway through its six-month presidency of the European Union, Spain is struggling to score many positive marks at the helm of the 27-nation bloc. But given the tough political and economic circumstances, few observers should be surprised at the lacklustre performance.
- [FARC, ETA and Al Qaeda: the terror connection](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/the-terror-connection-a-common-cause-for-the-farc-eta-and-al-qaeda/790) - Ongoing terrorism investigations suggest some extraordinary links between three very different terror groups. Recent allegations related to these connections have put the government of Prime Minister Zapatero in an uncomfortable spot as it tries to protect Spain’s investments in Venezuela.
- [Arsenal vs. Barça: a purists’ treat](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/arsenal-vs-barca-a-purists’-treat/817) - The most tantalising of this year’s Champions League quarter-finals pits Europe’s greatest exponents of the beautiful game against each other.
- [What now for Real Madrid's €250-million flops?](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/what-now-for-real-madrids-e250-million-flops/739) - Early elimination from the Champions League for Ronaldo, Kaká and co. has left the plans of Real president Florentino Pérez in tatters.
- [Bullfighting’s Catalan accent](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/bullfightings-catalan-accent/751) - In Catalonia, bullfighting could soon be banned if a motion manages to get through the regional legislature. But with nationalist sentiment running high, the debate currently raging on this issue is about much more than just animal rights.
- [Farewell to Delibes’ rural dissent](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/farewell-to-delibes’-rural-dissent/764) - The death of novelist Miguel Delibes has robbed Spain of a unique literary voice.
- [Feet of clay give Spain Davis Cup edge](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/feet-of-clay-give-spain-davis-cup-edge/775) - Even when Rafa Nadal is not available, Spain's tennis players are an awesome prospect on their home turf.
- [Time to end Spain’s labour market apartheid](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/time-to-end-spains-labour-market-apartheid/683) - As the Spanish government sets about reforming the labour market, it will struggle to balance the demands of the “haves” with those of the “have-nots.”
- [Morocco edges closer to Europe](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/morocco-edges-closer-to-europe/653) - As Granada hosts the EU-Morocco summit, a host of diplomatic, economic and political issues condition Europe’s relationship with the North African country.
- [Falklands commentators wage virtual war](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/falklands-commentators-wage-virtual-war/628) - In an era of round-the-clock news, the tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom over plans to start drilling for oil in waters off the Falkland Islands are fueling a virtual media war. But the sabre-rattling will probably end there.
- [La Roja steals France's crown of dominance](https://iberosphere.com/2010/03/la-roja-steals-frances-crown-of-dominance/666) - Vicente del Bosque's Spain are looking increasingly like world champions. But can they maintain this kind of form into the summer?
- [History repeats in Portugal](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/history-repeats-itself-in-portugal/611) - Portuguese Prime Minister José Sócrates successfully cleaned up messy budget deficits when he came to power in 2005. But dealing with the deficit may not be quite so easy this time around.
- [Laporta: first we take Barcelona](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/laporta-first-we-take-barcelona/581) - As the tenure of Barça's controversial president comes to an end, he appears to be aiming his sights on the complex world of Catalan politics.
- [Running on Ẽmpty](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/running-on-empty/433) - Austerity after stimulus. The government reigns in spending to calm jittery debt markets, but is an economy mired by recession and unemployment ready?
- [Jailed for telling the truth](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/be-careful-what-you-publish-online/560) - Twenty-one month prison sentences for two journalists who published the names of political party members on the internet have baffled and alarmed observers, while raising questions about the protections afforded to online media by the Spanish Constitution.
- [Catalonia, immigration and populism](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/catalonia-immigration-and-populism/421) - The town of Vic has flirted with the idea of refusing to register undocumented immigrants, therefore denying them access to healthcare and education. The move could spell the beginning of immigration as a major political issue as elections approach.
- [The red-and-white underdog roars](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/the-red-and-white-underdog-roars/548) - It’s not easy being an Atlético Madrid fan. There’s the administrative and boardroom chaos, the unbalanced books and the revolving door of coaches, each hailed as a saviour before being dismissed as a false prophet. There are the financial scandals from the years when Jesús Gil was president, leading to his arrest in 2000 for
- [Saving the pension system](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/saving-the-pension-system/487) - Plans to raise the pension age to 67 have been met with anger and disbelief, but Spain's demographics and its economic woes have made pension reform - painful as it may be - inevitable.
- [Halftime for Real Madrid's neo-Galácticos](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/halftime-for-real-madrids-neo-galacticos/164) - What do you buy with €250 million? If you’re Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, you acquire a handful of the world’s most highly valued football players in a bid to create the best team on the planet. After his uncontested election as club president last summer, Pérez went shopping for a gaggle of superstars. Cristiano
- [Naked but (probably) no safer](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/flying-naked-or-why-body-scanning-probably-wont-make-you-safer/197) - In the wake of the Christmas Day bombing attempt in the United States, body scanners are being touted as the latest solution to catch terrorists intent on bringing down planes. Spain, as the current EU term president, is weighing in on the security vs. privacy debate.
- [American breakfast and prayers for Zapatero](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/american-breakfast-and-prayers-for-zapatero/158) - Zapatero's apparent rapport with Barack Obama has brought an end to the frost of the Bush years, marking the latest development in Spain's association with the United States. It has been a complex relationship which has seen plenty of twists over the decades.
- [Spain, Europe and the world: Zapatero's moment](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/spain-europe-and-the-world-zapateros-moment/206) - The rotating presidency of the European Union could be a chance for Zapatero to boost his international profile. But with Spain still in deep economic crisis, is its prime minister really the man to lead Europe out of recession?
- [Kitchen Colossus takes time out](https://iberosphere.com/2010/02/kitchen-colossus-takes-time-out/471) - No more "carrot air" or "liquid ravioli": Ferran Adrià's El Bulli restaurant is to close for two years.
- [Sahara countdown](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/sahara-countdown/426) - Resistance is often the key to winning any conflict, and although the best part of two decades have passed without any significant military action in the war for Western Sahara, the pro-independence Polisario Front has always set great store by the power to resist of the Sahrawi refugees in the camps at Tindouf, Algeria. While
- [If language be the food of understanding, talk on](https://iberosphere.com/2010/01/if-language-be-the-food-of-understanding-talk-on/151) - "Why are you interested in learning Arabic?” the teacher probed. It was a question intended to get us talking, to introduce ourselves and explain why we had chosen to give up two hours of our lives twice a week to sit in a drab high school classroom in Palma de Mallorca. For travel, said some

## Pages

- [About Iberosphere](https://iberosphere.com/about/about-iberosphere) - Iberosphere is dedicated to comment on and analysis of news from Spain and Portugal and the countries within their political, economic and cultural sphere of influence, including Latin America and North Africa. As an authoritative source of in-depth reporting and news analysis, Iberosphere articles and writers are often quoted, cited and referenced by analysts, academics
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- [Spain in 2013: An Economic and Political Analysis and Survey of Analysts](https://iberosphere.com/spain-in-2013) - Spain: At Breaking Point? - a 50-page report by Iberosphere - looks in depth at the economic and political situation in Spain and analyses the outlook for 2013.
- [Iberians of the Year: 2012](https://iberosphere.com/iberians-of-the-year-2012) - Painful austerity, rampant unemployment, evictions, protests, turmoil in the eurozone and woefully ineffectual governments that have failed to convincingly offer even a glimmer of hope that things will get better any time soon. 2012 has been a year of ongoing tumult in Spain and Portugal.
- [Spain Highlights | SpainX5](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights) - SpainX5 is a shamelessly subjective view of Spain current news, looking at and celebrating Spain's greatest people, places and products. With no scientific basis for its opinions, these articles are based on nothing more than gut feeling.
- [Write for us](https://iberosphere.com/about/write-for-us) - Iberosphere is on the look out for writers and contributors. If you like our content, have an interest in Spanish and/or Portuguese affairs and think you can produce original, thought-provoking, well-researched articles for our Politics, Business, Sports, Culture or IberoArts sections please don't hesitate to get in touch. Likewise, we are interested in stories for
- [Expats](https://iberosphere.com/expats) - Articles and information on expat life, residency, education, work, finance, tax and legal affairs in Spain and Portugal for the foreign community, produced by Iberosphere writers, contributors and partners.
- [Spain in 2012: An Economic and Political Analysis and Survey of Analysts](https://iberosphere.com/spain-in-2012) - Spain on the Rocks? - a 36-page report by Iberosphere - looks in depth at the economic and political situation in Spain and analyses the outlook for 2012.
- [Iberians of the Year: 2011](https://iberosphere.com/iberians-of-the-year-2011) - From Tunis to Cairo and from Madrid to Manhattan, protests and outrage have been the overwhelming theme of 2011. Spain's indignados sowed the seeds of protest in the West. If anyone deserves to be named Iberians of the Year 2011 for their impact and influence, it is the indignados.
- [Spanish Food](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights/spanish-food) - Spanish chefs at the top end of haute cuisine such as Ferran Adrià may be cooking up a media storm with dishes such as "carrot air," but the basics of Spanish food are much more humble and hearty.
- [Sports Stars](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights/spanish-sports-stars) - Football, tennis, cycling, motor racing… Spain has emerged as a world power in all of these sports and more in recent years, displaying an extraordinary depth of talent and a handful of phenomenal individuals.
- [Spanish Footballers](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights/spanish-football-players) - If there’s one place where Spain enjoys a true embarrassment of riches, it’s on the soccer field. As the reigning football World and European champion, the country has enormous depth of talent in virtually every position.
- [Spanish Cities](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights/spanish-cities) - Spain is known, among other things, for the astounding variety of its cities. Many are tourist Meccas, drawing hordes to their landmarks, beaches and bars. Others are hidden gems, with few cheerleaders but plenty for the visitor. Drawing up a list of the finest five cities in Spain is, of course, absurd. But that won’t stop Iberosphere, which presents, in no particular order, Spain’s greatest cities:
- [Famous People](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights/spanish-public-figures) - Spain has a remarkable range of famous people and public figures, from the dutifully democratic to the outright eccentric. The country’s poorly rated politicians come under this category, but so do royalty, TV personalities, chefs, bullfighters and many more.
- [Spanish Rock Bands](https://iberosphere.com/spain-highlights/spanish-rock-bands) - Spanish rock music has had a bumpy ride over the last few decades. Some say it’s inconsistent, others dire, but whatever your view, there’s no denying that a few outstanding talents have emerged over the years.
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- [Iberosphere Films](https://iberosphere.com/films) - Films from and about Spain, Portugal and Latin America - from world-renowned directors to smaller alternative movies that have won acclaim.
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## Categories

- [Politics](https://iberosphere.com/category/politics) - News about Spain politics and Portugal politics: Politics in Spain and Portugal. Spanish news and Portuguese news.
- [Business](https://iberosphere.com/category/businesseconomy) - Spain business news and Portugal business news: Business and economy in Spain and Portugal. Spanish news and Portuguese news.
- [Culture](https://iberosphere.com/category/culture) - Spain culture and Portugal culture. Life in Spain. Cultural events and news. Spanish cinema, films and music. Architecture, writers, literature from Spain and Portugal.
- [Sports](https://iberosphere.com/category/sports) - Spain sport and Portuguese sport. Spanish sports news: La Liga and Spanish football – Real Madrid and Barcelona.
- [Iberoblog](https://iberosphere.com/category/blog) - Iberosphere’s blog, where our writers offer an alternative view of Spanish and Portuguese news and affairs, outside the scope of Iberosphere’s usual content. Posts in this section – ranging from the factual to the farcical – are exclusively the responsibility of their authors. They are not fact checked and any opinions expressed herein are probably not fully thought through…
- [Featured](https://iberosphere.com/category/featured) - Top news stories about Spain and Portugal. Spanish news and Portuguese news.
- [Videos](https://iberosphere.com/category/video) - Spain videos and Portugal videos. Videos about Spain and Portugal. Spanish news and Portuguese news.
- [IberoArts](https://iberosphere.com/category/culture/iberoarts)
- [Films](https://iberosphere.com/category/culture/iberoarts/films)
- [Music](https://iberosphere.com/category/culture/iberoarts/music-iberoarts)
- [Books](https://iberosphere.com/category/culture/iberoarts/books)
- [Spain News](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-2) - Spain news. Spanish news and affairs. Information and analysis of Spanish business, economy, politics, culture and society.
- [Portugal News](https://iberosphere.com/category/portugal-2) - Portugal news. Portuguese news and affairs. Information and analysis of Portuguese business, economy, politics, culture and society.
- [Wikileaks](https://iberosphere.com/category/wikileaks-ib) - On August 30, Wikileaks decided to dump its entire 251,287 US Embassy cables on its website. Since the cables were first disclosed last year, they were given to certain news media across the globe which published them piecemeal. Many of the missives in the collection have not been reported on. Iberosphere has begun a series of articles delving into those that have not been widely made public. Many of the cables are routine messages and have no journalistic value, but others reflect the interesting impressions the US government has on different figures and events in Spain, Portugal and other countries.
- [SpainX5](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights) - SpainX5 is a shamelessly subjective view of the Spain, looking at and celebrating the greatest Spanish people, Spanish places and Spanish products.
- [Cities](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights/spanish-cities) - Spanish cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Cordoba, Bilbao, Vigo…
- [Rock Bands](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights/spanish-rock-bands)
- [Famous People](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights/spanish-public-figures)
- [Sports Stars](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights/spanish-sports-stars)
- [Food](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights/spanish-food-x5)
- [Football Players](https://iberosphere.com/category/spain-highlights/football-players)
- [Iberians 2011](https://iberosphere.com/category/iberians-2011)
- [Expats](https://iberosphere.com/category/expats) - Spain expat and Portugal expat. Articles and information on expat life, residency, education, work, finance, tax and legal affairs in Spain and Portugal.
- [Spain Expat](https://iberosphere.com/category/expats/spain-expat) - Spain expat news. Articles and information on expat life, residency, education, work, finance, tax and legal affairs in Spain.
- [Portugal Expat](https://iberosphere.com/category/expats/portugal-expat) - Portugal expat news. Articles and information on expat life, residency, education, work, finance, tax and legal affairs in Portugal.
- [Iberians 2012](https://iberosphere.com/category/iberians-2012)

## Tags

- [test](https://iberosphere.com/tag/test)
- [immigration](https://iberosphere.com/tag/immigration)
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- [immigrants](https://iberosphere.com/tag/immigrants)
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- [sarkozy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sarkozy)
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- [pigs](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pigs)
- [austerity plan](https://iberosphere.com/tag/austerity-plan)
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- [stimulus spending](https://iberosphere.com/tag/stimulus-spending)
- [economic crisis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/economic-crisis)
- [ferran adria](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ferran-adria)
- [el bulli](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-bulli)
- [chef](https://iberosphere.com/tag/chef)
- [cuisine](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cuisine)
- [gastronomy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gastronomy)
- [spanih cuisine](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanih-cuisine)
- [catalan cuisine](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-cuisine)
- [food](https://iberosphere.com/tag/food)
- [restaurant](https://iberosphere.com/tag/restaurant)
- [costa brava](https://iberosphere.com/tag/costa-brava)
- [pensions](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pensions)
- [pension reform](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pension-reform)
- [aging population](https://iberosphere.com/tag/aging-population)
- [demography](https://iberosphere.com/tag/demography)
- [labour reform](https://iberosphere.com/tag/labour-reform)
- [labour market](https://iberosphere.com/tag/labour-market)
- [pension age](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pension-age)
- [retirement](https://iberosphere.com/tag/retirement)
- [Almodóvar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/almodovar)
- [cinema](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cinema)
- [Volver](https://iberosphere.com/tag/volver)
- [All About my Mother](https://iberosphere.com/tag/all-about-my-mother)
- [Oscars](https://iberosphere.com/tag/oscars)
- [Goya awards](https://iberosphere.com/tag/goya-awards)
- [Broken Embraces](https://iberosphere.com/tag/broken-embraces)
- [Abrazos Rotos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/abrazos-rotos)
- [greece](https://iberosphere.com/tag/greece)
- [spain budget deficit](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-budget-deficit)
- [pensions reform](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pensions-reform)
- [sport](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sport)
- [la liga](https://iberosphere.com/tag/la-liga)
- [atletico madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/atletico-madrid)
- [jesus gil](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jesus-gil)
- [Sergio Aguero](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sergio-aguero)
- [press freedom](https://iberosphere.com/tag/press-freedom)
- [freedom of information](https://iberosphere.com/tag/freedom-of-information)
- [journalists sentenced](https://iberosphere.com/tag/journalists-sentenced)
- [popular party](https://iberosphere.com/tag/popular-party)
- [socialist party](https://iberosphere.com/tag/socialist-party)
- [turncoat](https://iberosphere.com/tag/turncoat)
- [International Press Institute](https://iberosphere.com/tag/international-press-institute)
- [Association of European Journalists](https://iberosphere.com/tag/association-of-european-journalists)
- [Ricardo Rodríguez Fernández](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ricardo-rodriguez-fernandez)
- [Daniel Anido](https://iberosphere.com/tag/daniel-anido)
- [Rodolfo Irago](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rodolfo-irago)
- [internet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/internet)
- [Telefónica](https://iberosphere.com/tag/telefonica)
- [Mobile World Congress](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mobile-world-congress)
- [telecommunications](https://iberosphere.com/tag/telecommunications)
- [telephones](https://iberosphere.com/tag/telephones)
- [Alierta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alierta)
- [Vodafone](https://iberosphere.com/tag/vodafone)
- [Google](https://iberosphere.com/tag/google)
- [Davos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/davos)
- [net neutrality](https://iberosphere.com/tag/net-neutrality)
- [mobile internet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mobile-internet)
- [Laporta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/laporta)
- [Champions League](https://iberosphere.com/tag/champions-league)
- [Guardiola](https://iberosphere.com/tag/guardiola)
- [Rijkaard](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rijkaard)
- [elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/elections)
- [ETA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eta)
- [Basque country](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-country)
- [euskadi](https://iberosphere.com/tag/euskadi)
- [pais vasco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pais-vasco)
- [basque terrorist](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-terrorist)
- [basque seperatist](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-seperatist)
- [nationalism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/nationalism)
- [portugal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/portugal)
- [france](https://iberosphere.com/tag/france)
- [rubalcaba](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rubalcaba)
- [Beobide](https://iberosphere.com/tag/beobide)
- [basque terrorism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-terrorism)
- [basque seperatism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-seperatism)
- [basque politics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-politics)
- [Sócrates](https://iberosphere.com/tag/socrates)
- [deficit](https://iberosphere.com/tag/deficit)
- [markets](https://iberosphere.com/tag/markets)
- [Socialists](https://iberosphere.com/tag/socialists)
- [GDP](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gdp)
- [Teixeira dos Santos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/teixeira-dos-santos)
- [BPI](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bpi)
- [budget](https://iberosphere.com/tag/budget)
- [falklands](https://iberosphere.com/tag/falklands)
- [malvinas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/malvinas)
- [united kingdom](https://iberosphere.com/tag/united-kingdom)
- [argentina](https://iberosphere.com/tag/argentina)
- [falklands war](https://iberosphere.com/tag/falklands-war)
- [oil falklands](https://iberosphere.com/tag/oil-falklands)
- [argentina media](https://iberosphere.com/tag/argentina-media)
- [argentine press](https://iberosphere.com/tag/argentine-press)
- [uk press](https://iberosphere.com/tag/uk-press)
- [uk media](https://iberosphere.com/tag/uk-media)
- [kirchner](https://iberosphere.com/tag/kirchner)
- [chavez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/chavez)
- [jimmy burns](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jimmy-burns)
- [clarin](https://iberosphere.com/tag/clarin)
- [la nacion](https://iberosphere.com/tag/la-nacion)
- [the sun](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-sun)
- [the mail](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-mail)
- [el pais](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-pais)
- [Solitario](https://iberosphere.com/tag/solitario)
- [crime](https://iberosphere.com/tag/crime)
- [banks](https://iberosphere.com/tag/banks)
- [robbery](https://iberosphere.com/tag/robbery)
- [Franco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/franco)
- [Jaime Giménez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jaime-gimenez)
- [Mohammed VI](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mohammed-vi)
- [Renault](https://iberosphere.com/tag/renault)
- [France Telecom](https://iberosphere.com/tag/france-telecom)
- [EU-Morocco summit](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eu-morocco-summit)
- [Granada](https://iberosphere.com/tag/granada)
- [roja](https://iberosphere.com/tag/roja)
- [Vicente del Bosque](https://iberosphere.com/tag/vicente-del-bosque)
- [Fernando Torres](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fernando-torres)
- [Cesc Fabregas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cesc-fabregas)
- [Xavi Hernandez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/xavi-hernandez)
- [World Cup](https://iberosphere.com/tag/world-cup)
- [Thierry Henry](https://iberosphere.com/tag/thierry-henry)
- [David Villa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/david-villa)
- [unions](https://iberosphere.com/tag/unions)
- [CC OO](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cc-oo)
- [UGT](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ugt)
- [contracts](https://iberosphere.com/tag/contracts)
- [fijos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fijos)
- [temporales](https://iberosphere.com/tag/temporales)
- [mileurista](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mileurista)
- [inflation](https://iberosphere.com/tag/inflation)
- [salaries](https://iberosphere.com/tag/salaries)
- [march 11](https://iberosphere.com/tag/march-11)
- [madrid train bombings](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madrid-train-bombings)
- [islamic terrorism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/islamic-terrorism)
- [islamist terrorism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/islamist-terrorism)
- [francisco franco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/francisco-franco)
- [civil war](https://iberosphere.com/tag/civil-war)
- [spanish civil war](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-civil-war)
- [miguel hernandez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/miguel-hernandez)
- [aznar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/aznar)
- [conspiracy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/conspiracy)
- [Daniel Monzón](https://iberosphere.com/tag/daniel-monzon)
- [Celda 211](https://iberosphere.com/tag/celda-211)
- [Jacques Audiard](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jacques-audiard)
- [A Prophet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/a-prophet)
- [film](https://iberosphere.com/tag/film)
- [movies](https://iberosphere.com/tag/movies)
- [Pedro Almodóvar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pedro-almodovar)
- [prison drama](https://iberosphere.com/tag/prison-drama)
- [Alejandro Amenábar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alejandro-amenabar)
- [florentino perez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/florentino-perez)
- [kaka](https://iberosphere.com/tag/kaka)
- [spanish football](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-football)
- [spanish league](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-league)
- [bernabeu](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bernabeu)
- [cristiano ronaldo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo)
- [iker casillas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/iker-casillas)
- [lyon](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lyon)
- [guti](https://iberosphere.com/tag/guti)
- [catalan](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan)
- [catalan nationalism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-nationalism)
- [bullfight](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bullfight)
- [bullfighting](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bullfighting)
- [bullfighter](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bullfighter)
- [catalan politics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-politics)
- [animal rights](https://iberosphere.com/tag/animal-rights)
- [blood sport](https://iberosphere.com/tag/blood-sport)
- [tradition](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tradition)
- [Miguel Delibes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/miguel-delibes)
- [rural Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rural-spain)
- [Valladolid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/valladolid)
- [Castile](https://iberosphere.com/tag/castile)
- [Cervantes Prize](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cervantes-prize)
- [The Rats](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-rats)
- [The Path](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-path)
- [tennis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tennis)
- [Rafael Nadal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rafael-nadal)
- [Davis Cup](https://iberosphere.com/tag/davis-cup)
- [Roger Federer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/roger-federer)
- [Juan Carlos Ferrero](https://iberosphere.com/tag/juan-carlos-ferrero)
- [David Ferrer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/david-ferrer)
- [Albert Costa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/albert-costa)
- [Nicolás Almagro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/nicolas-almagro)
- [Tommy Robredo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tommy-robredo)
- [Marcel Granollers](https://iberosphere.com/tag/marcel-granollers)
- [ATP](https://iberosphere.com/tag/atp)
- [FARC](https://iberosphere.com/tag/farc)
- [Al Qaeda](https://iberosphere.com/tag/al-qaeda)
- [Venezuela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/venezuela)
- [cocaine](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cocaine)
- [drugs](https://iberosphere.com/tag/drugs)
- [Repsol](https://iberosphere.com/tag/repsol)
- [investment](https://iberosphere.com/tag/investment)
- [DEA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dea)
- [Arturo Cubillas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/arturo-cubillas)
- [Hugo Chavez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/hugo-chavez)
- [Pdvsa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pdvsa)
- [Basque](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque)
- [Moratinos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/moratinos)
- [Eloy Velasco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eloy-velasco)
- [gas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gas)
- [oil](https://iberosphere.com/tag/oil)
- [guerrillas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/guerrillas)
- [Africa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/africa)
- [Basque community](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-community)
- [Roberto Saviano](https://iberosphere.com/tag/roberto-saviano)
- [AFA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/afa)
- [country reports](https://iberosphere.com/tag/country-reports)
- [Indonesia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/indonesia)
- [newspapers](https://iberosphere.com/tag/newspapers)
- [Felix Salmon](https://iberosphere.com/tag/felix-salmon)
- [advertising](https://iberosphere.com/tag/advertising)
- [Alberto Llaryora](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alberto-llaryora)
- [Daily Telegraph](https://iberosphere.com/tag/daily-telegraph)
- [The Observer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-observer)
- [The New York Times](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-new-york-times)
- [BusinessWeek](https://iberosphere.com/tag/businessweek)
- [NewsWeek](https://iberosphere.com/tag/newsweek)
- [Arsenal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/arsenal)
- [Barça](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barca)
- [Arsene Wenger](https://iberosphere.com/tag/arsene-wenger)
- [Pep Guardiola](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pep-guardiola)
- [Premier League](https://iberosphere.com/tag/premier-league)
- [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://iberosphere.com/tag/zlatan-ibrahimovic)
- [eu presidency](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eu-presidency)
- [spain eu presidency](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-eu-presidency)
- [zapartero](https://iberosphere.com/tag/zapartero)
- [europe recession](https://iberosphere.com/tag/europe-recession)
- [van rompuy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/van-rompuy)
- [ashton](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ashton)
- [brussels](https://iberosphere.com/tag/brussels)
- [prostitution](https://iberosphere.com/tag/prostitution)
- [prostitutes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/prostitutes)
- [trafficking](https://iberosphere.com/tag/trafficking)
- [brothels](https://iberosphere.com/tag/brothels)
- [sex industry](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sex-industry)
- [legalisation](https://iberosphere.com/tag/legalisation)
- [abolition](https://iberosphere.com/tag/abolition)
- [women trafficking](https://iberosphere.com/tag/women-trafficking)
- [digital piracy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/digital-piracy)
- [online](https://iberosphere.com/tag/online)
- [downloads](https://iberosphere.com/tag/downloads)
- [illegal downloads](https://iberosphere.com/tag/illegal-downloads)
- [DVD](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dvd)
- [music](https://iberosphere.com/tag/music)
- [González Sinde](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gonzalez-sinde)
- [P2P](https://iberosphere.com/tag/p2p)
- [Sony](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sony)
- [Michael Lynton](https://iberosphere.com/tag/michael-lynton)
- [ISP](https://iberosphere.com/tag/isp)
- [Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra](https://iberosphere.com/tag/juan-carlos-rodriguez-ibarra)
- [batasuna](https://iberosphere.com/tag/batasuna)
- [brian currin](https://iberosphere.com/tag/brian-currin)
- [european parliament](https://iberosphere.com/tag/european-parliament)
- [northern ireland](https://iberosphere.com/tag/northern-ireland)
- [peace process](https://iberosphere.com/tag/peace-process)
- [Barcelona FC](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barcelona-fc)
- [Joan Laporta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/joan-laporta)
- [Liga](https://iberosphere.com/tag/liga)
- [Leo Messi](https://iberosphere.com/tag/leo-messi)
- [Xavi](https://iberosphere.com/tag/xavi)
- [corruption](https://iberosphere.com/tag/corruption)
- [corruption spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/corruption-spain)
- [spain politics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-politics)
- [spanish politics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-politics)
- [gurtel](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gurtel)
- [graft](https://iberosphere.com/tag/graft)
- [graft investigation](https://iberosphere.com/tag/graft-investigation)
- [scandal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/scandal)
- [Baltasar Garzón](https://iberosphere.com/tag/baltasar-garzon)
- [Spanish justice system](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-justice-system)
- [judiciary](https://iberosphere.com/tag/judiciary)
- [Supreme Court](https://iberosphere.com/tag/supreme-court)
- [CGPJ](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cgpj)
- [Pinochet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pinochet)
- [Banco Santander](https://iberosphere.com/tag/banco-santander)
- [mass graves](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mass-graves)
- [Luis Bárcenas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/luis-barcenas)
- [Nacho Duato](https://iberosphere.com/tag/nacho-duato)
- [CND](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cnd)
- [ballet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ballet)
- [dance](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dance)
- [contemporary dance](https://iberosphere.com/tag/contemporary-dance)
- [Tamara Rojo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tamara-rojo)
- [Lucia Lacarra](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lucia-lacarra)
- [Angel Corella](https://iberosphere.com/tag/angel-corella)
- [Igor Yebra](https://iberosphere.com/tag/igor-yebra)
- [Royal Ballet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/royal-ballet)
- [Bavarian State Ballet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bavarian-state-ballet)
- [Boreaux Opera Ballet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/boreaux-opera-ballet)
- [Victor Ullate](https://iberosphere.com/tag/victor-ullate)
- [Spanish dance](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-dance)
- [Italy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/italy)
- [Greek debt crisis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/greek-debt-crisis)
- [Greek economy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/greek-economy)
- [current account](https://iberosphere.com/tag/current-account)
- [Najwa Malha](https://iberosphere.com/tag/najwa-malha)
- [hijab](https://iberosphere.com/tag/hijab)
- [burka](https://iberosphere.com/tag/burka)
- [Pozuelo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pozuelo)
- [Muslims](https://iberosphere.com/tag/muslims)
- [Spanish Muslims](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-muslims)
- [Islamic headscarf](https://iberosphere.com/tag/islamic-headscarf)
- [Muslim immigrants](https://iberosphere.com/tag/muslim-immigrants)
- [feminism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/feminism)
- [Moroccan immigrants](https://iberosphere.com/tag/moroccan-immigrants)
- [Mari Luz Cortés](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mari-luz-cortes)
- [Juan José Cortés](https://iberosphere.com/tag/juan-jose-cortes)
- [AVT](https://iberosphere.com/tag/avt)
- [Francisco José Alcaraz](https://iberosphere.com/tag/francisco-jose-alcaraz)
- [victims](https://iberosphere.com/tag/victims)
- [victims' associations](https://iberosphere.com/tag/victims-associations)
- [Sandra Carrasco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sandra-carrasco)
- [Isaías Carrasco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/isaias-carrasco)
- [Jesús Neira](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jesus-neira)
- [Esperanza Aguirre](https://iberosphere.com/tag/esperanza-aguirre)
- [Penal Code](https://iberosphere.com/tag/penal-code)
- [president barack obama](https://iberosphere.com/tag/president-barack-obama)
- [obama spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/obama-spain)
- [obama zapatero](https://iberosphere.com/tag/obama-zapatero)
- [spain-us relations](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-us-relations)
- [george bush](https://iberosphere.com/tag/george-bush)
- [IMF](https://iberosphere.com/tag/imf)
- [debt crisis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/debt-crisis)
- [euro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/euro)
- [euro zone](https://iberosphere.com/tag/euro-zone)
- [bailout](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bailout)
- [Standard & Poor's](https://iberosphere.com/tag/standard-poors)
- [Madrid Open](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madrid-open)
- [Madrid Masters](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madrid-masters)
- [Rafa Nadal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rafa-nadal)
- [Roland Garros](https://iberosphere.com/tag/roland-garros)
- [domestic violence](https://iberosphere.com/tag/domestic-violence)
- [abuse](https://iberosphere.com/tag/abuse)
- [women](https://iberosphere.com/tag/women)
- [women's rights](https://iberosphere.com/tag/womens-rights)
- [spanish law](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-law)
- [spanish domestic violence law](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-domestic-violence-law)
- [policing](https://iberosphere.com/tag/policing)
- [courts](https://iberosphere.com/tag/courts)
- [economics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/economics)
- [business](https://iberosphere.com/tag/business)
- [spain recession](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-recession)
- [spain austerity](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-austerity)
- [spanish debt](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-debt)
- [debt markets](https://iberosphere.com/tag/debt-markets)
- [investors](https://iberosphere.com/tag/investors)
- [credit crisis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/credit-crisis)
- [Spanish soccer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-soccer)
- [Mourinho](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mourinho)
- [Valencia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/valencia)
- [Inter Milan](https://iberosphere.com/tag/inter-milan)
- [José Mourinho](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-mourinho)
- [Manuel Pellegrini](https://iberosphere.com/tag/manuel-pellegrini)
- [Bobby Robson](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bobby-robson)
- [Louis van Gaal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/louis-van-gaal)
- [judge](https://iberosphere.com/tag/judge)
- [magistrate](https://iberosphere.com/tag/magistrate)
- [war crimes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/war-crimes)
- [dictatorship](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dictatorship)
- [The Hague](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-hague)
- [luciano varela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/luciano-varela)
- [Unión Progreso y Democracia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/union-progreso-y-democracia)
- [upyd](https://iberosphere.com/tag/upyd)
- [rosa diez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rosa-diez)
- [psoe](https://iberosphere.com/tag/psoe)
- [spanish socialist party](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-socialist-party)
- [madrid elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madrid-elections)
- [Durán i Lleida](https://iberosphere.com/tag/duran-i-lleida)
- [CiU](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ciu)
- [Spanish Congress](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-congress)
- [general strike](https://iberosphere.com/tag/general-strike)
- [Felipe González](https://iberosphere.com/tag/felipe-gonzalez)
- [state of the nation debate](https://iberosphere.com/tag/state-of-the-nation-debate)
- [austerity package](https://iberosphere.com/tag/austerity-package)
- [Spanish prisons](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-prisons)
- [spanish jails](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-jails)
- [spanish penal code](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-penal-code)
- [high court](https://iberosphere.com/tag/high-court)
- [valdemoro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/valdemoro)
- [prison population](https://iberosphere.com/tag/prison-population)
- [prisoners](https://iberosphere.com/tag/prisoners)
- [south africa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/south-africa)
- [Andres Iniesta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/andres-iniesta)
- [Xabi Alonso](https://iberosphere.com/tag/xabi-alonso)
- [group of death](https://iberosphere.com/tag/group-of-death)
- [josé saramago](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-saramago)
- [saramago](https://iberosphere.com/tag/saramago)
- [novelist](https://iberosphere.com/tag/novelist)
- [portuguese literature](https://iberosphere.com/tag/portuguese-literature)
- [portuguese novelists](https://iberosphere.com/tag/portuguese-novelists)
- [blindness](https://iberosphere.com/tag/blindness)
- [the gospel according to jesus christ](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-gospel-according-to-jesus-christ)
- [the elephant's journey](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-elephants-journey)
- [vatican](https://iberosphere.com/tag/vatican)
- [cavaco silva](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cavaco-silva)
- [l'osservatore romano](https://iberosphere.com/tag/losservatore-romano)
- [antónio lobo antunes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/antonio-lobo-antunes)
- [yeats](https://iberosphere.com/tag/yeats)
- [Castro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/castro)
- [communism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/communism)
- [atheism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/atheism)
- [catholicism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catholicism)
- [Catalan statute](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-statute)
- [Spain autonomous communities](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-autonomous-communities)
- [Constitution](https://iberosphere.com/tag/constitution)
- [José Montilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-montilla)
- [Catalan socialists](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-socialists)
- [Catalan elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-elections)
- [PSC](https://iberosphere.com/tag/psc)
- [constitutional court](https://iberosphere.com/tag/constitutional-court)
- [constitutional tribunal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/constitutional-tribunal)
- [Ferran Mascarell](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ferran-mascarell)
- [catalan independence](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-independence)
- [Spanish drugs](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-drugs)
- [drug laws](https://iberosphere.com/tag/drug-laws)
- [legalization](https://iberosphere.com/tag/legalization)
- [drug legalisation](https://iberosphere.com/tag/drug-legalisation)
- [cannabis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cannabis)
- [heroin](https://iberosphere.com/tag/heroin)
- [addiction](https://iberosphere.com/tag/addiction)
- [legalise](https://iberosphere.com/tag/legalise)
- [european drug observatory](https://iberosphere.com/tag/european-drug-observatory)
- [Spanish sport](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-sport)
- [cycling](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cycling)
- [NBA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/nba)
- [Tour de France](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tour-de-france)
- [Fernando Alonso](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fernando-alonso)
- [Cuban dissidents](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cuban-dissidents)
- [freed Cuban dissidents](https://iberosphere.com/tag/freed-cuban-dissidents)
- [Cubans in Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cubans-in-madrid)
- [Cuban dissidents Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cuban-dissidents-madrid)
- [Ricardo Gonzalez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ricardo-gonzalez)
- [Fidel Castro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fidel-castro)
- [Raul Castro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/raul-castro)
- [Cuban political prisoners](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cuban-political-prisoners)
- [Jose Marti](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-marti)
- [Antonio Villarreal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/antonio-villarreal)
- [Omar Ruiz](https://iberosphere.com/tag/omar-ruiz)
- [Waldo Diaz-Balart](https://iberosphere.com/tag/waldo-diaz-balart)
- [Óscar Pernet Hernández](https://iberosphere.com/tag/oscar-pernet-hernandez)
- [Cuba Miguel Ángel Moratinos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cuba-miguel-angel-moratinos)
- [EU common position on Cuba](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eu-common-position-on-cuba)
- [war on drugs](https://iberosphere.com/tag/war-on-drugs)
- [Spain's World Cup](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spains-world-cup)
- [World Cup final](https://iberosphere.com/tag/world-cup-final)
- [Spain vs. Holland](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-vs-holland)
- [Spanish World Cup win](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-world-cup-win)
- [South Africa World Cup](https://iberosphere.com/tag/south-africa-world-cup)
- [Spanish political divisions](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-political-divisions)
- [Spanish regional divisions](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-regional-divisions)
- [Carles Puyol](https://iberosphere.com/tag/carles-puyol)
- [Charles de Gaulle](https://iberosphere.com/tag/charles-de-gaulle)
- [France 1998](https://iberosphere.com/tag/france-1998)
- [French World Cup](https://iberosphere.com/tag/french-world-cup)
- [Spanish cajas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-cajas)
- [Spanish banks](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-banks)
- [Spain cajas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-cajas)
- [Spain financial system](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-financial-system)
- [CajaSur](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cajasur)
- [BBK](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bbk)
- [Bank of Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bank-of-spain)
- [LORCA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lorca)
- [JC Flowers](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jc-flowers)
- [ley de cajas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ley-de-cajas)
- [European stress test](https://iberosphere.com/tag/european-stress-test)
- [abortion](https://iberosphere.com/tag/abortion)
- [Spanish abortion law](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-abortion-law)
- [Spain's abortion law](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spains-abortion-law)
- [ley de aborto](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ley-de-aborto)
- [PP](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pp)
- [Partido Popular](https://iberosphere.com/tag/partido-popular)
- [Spanish government](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-government)
- [Catholic Church](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catholic-church)
- [news on Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/news-on-spain)
- [news on Spain in English](https://iberosphere.com/tag/news-on-spain-in-english)
- [English-language news on Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/english-language-news-on-spain)
- [English-language news](https://iberosphere.com/tag/english-language-news)
- [foreign press](https://iberosphere.com/tag/foreign-press)
- [international media](https://iberosphere.com/tag/international-media)
- [The Times](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-times)
- [The Guardian](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-guardian)
- [The Los Angeles Times](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-los-angeles-times)
- [The Daily Mail](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-daily-mail)
- [The Financial Times](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-financial-times)
- [The Economist](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-economist)
- [March 11 2004](https://iberosphere.com/tag/march-11-2004)
- [Madrid bombings](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madrid-bombings)
- [2004 Madrid terrorist attacks](https://iberosphere.com/tag/2004-madrid-terrorist-attacks)
- [Sara Carbonero and Iker Casillas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sara-carbonero-and-iker-casillas)
- [Michelle Obama's visit to Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/michelle-obamas-visit-to-spain)
- [Spain race row](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-race-row)
- [Catalan bullfighting](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-bullfighting)
- [bullfighting ban](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bullfighting-ban)
- [Ben Schiller](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ben-schiller)
- [Spanish news in English](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-news-in-english)
- [racism in Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/racism-in-spain)
- [European athletics Championship](https://iberosphere.com/tag/european-athletics-championship)
- [athletics Barcelona](https://iberosphere.com/tag/athletics-barcelona)
- [track and field championship Barcelona](https://iberosphere.com/tag/track-and-field-championship-barcelona)
- [Spanish athletics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-athletics)
- [Spanish track and field](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-track-and-field)
- [Marta Dominguez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/marta-dominguez)
- [London 2012](https://iberosphere.com/tag/london-2012)
- [Espana Londres 2012](https://iberosphere.com/tag/espana-londres-2012)
- [atletismo espanol](https://iberosphere.com/tag/atletismo-espanol)
- [Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz](https://iberosphere.com/tag/javier-bardem-and-penelope-cruz)
- [Penelope Cruz](https://iberosphere.com/tag/penelope-cruz)
- [Bardem Cruz married](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bardem-cruz-married)
- [Spanish Oscars](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-oscars)
- [Academy Awards](https://iberosphere.com/tag/academy-awards)
- [Jamon Jamon](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jamon-jamon)
- [Bigas Luna](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bigas-luna)
- [Vicky Cristina Barcelona](https://iberosphere.com/tag/vicky-cristina-barcelona)
- [Woody Allen](https://iberosphere.com/tag/woody-allen)
- [Belle Epoque](https://iberosphere.com/tag/belle-epoque)
- [Spain and Morocco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-and-morocco)
- [Melilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/melilla)
- [Spain and Melilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-and-melilla)
- [Espana y Marruecos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/espana-y-marruecos)
- [crisis Melilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/crisis-melilla)
- [Melilla blockade](https://iberosphere.com/tag/melilla-blockade)
- [Mariano Rajoy Melilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mariano-rajoy-melilla)
- [José María Aznar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-maria-aznar)
- [Aznar Melilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/aznar-melilla)
- [Barcelona and Real Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barcelona-and-real-madrid)
- [Mourinho and Guardiola](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mourinho-and-guardiola)
- [El Clásico](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-clasico)
- [Iniesta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/iniesta)
- [Villa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/villa)
- [Casillas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/casillas)
- [Ozil](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ozil)
- [Khedira](https://iberosphere.com/tag/khedira)
- [Messi](https://iberosphere.com/tag/messi)
- [spanish economy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-economy)
- [G20](https://iberosphere.com/tag/g20)
- [spain pensions](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-pensions)
- [Spain and Greece](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-and-greece)
- [Spanish elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-elections)
- [Santiago Segura](https://iberosphere.com/tag/santiago-segura)
- [Spanish cinema](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-cinema)
- [Torrente](https://iberosphere.com/tag/torrente)
- [Torrente 4](https://iberosphere.com/tag/torrente-4)
- [Sacha Baron Cohen](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sacha-baron-cohen)
- [Borat](https://iberosphere.com/tag/borat)
- [Torrente 2: Mission in Marbella](https://iberosphere.com/tag/torrente-2-mission-in-marbella)
- [Torrente el brazo tonto de la ley](https://iberosphere.com/tag/torrente-el-brazo-tonto-de-la-ley)
- [AFApress](https://iberosphere.com/tag/afapress)
- [Belén Esteban](https://iberosphere.com/tag/belen-esteban)
- [Javier Bardem](https://iberosphere.com/tag/javier-bardem)
- [ETA ceasefire](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eta-ceasefire)
- [Gerry Adams](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gerry-adams)
- [Basque peace process](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-peace-process)
- [2006 ceasefire](https://iberosphere.com/tag/2006-ceasefire)
- [izquierda abertzale](https://iberosphere.com/tag/izquierda-abertzale)
- [Kepa Aulestia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/kepa-aulestia)
- [José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-luis-rodriguez-zapatero)
- [Basque violence](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-violence)
- [Basque independence](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-independence)
- [Mitchell Principles](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mitchell-principles)
- [2006 ETA ceasefire](https://iberosphere.com/tag/2006-eta-ceasefire)
- [Spain 2011 budget](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-2011-budget)
- [Greece and Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/greece-and-spain)
- [PIG countries](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pig-countries)
- [cajas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cajas)
- [economia espana](https://iberosphere.com/tag/economia-espana)
- [Spanish GDP](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-gdp)
- [Moody's](https://iberosphere.com/tag/moodys)
- [EU bailout](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eu-bailout)
- [Hercules](https://iberosphere.com/tag/hercules)
- [Pedro Rodriguez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pedro-rodriguez)
- [Javier Mascherano](https://iberosphere.com/tag/javier-mascherano)
- [Mariano Rajoy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mariano-rajoy)
- [Spanish recession](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-recession)
- [Rodrigo Rato](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rodrigo-rato)
- [Francisco Gonzalez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/francisco-gonzalez)
- [Cristobal Montoro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cristobal-montoro)
- [Luis de Guindos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/luis-de-guindos)
- [Francisco Camps](https://iberosphere.com/tag/francisco-camps)
- [Grand Slam](https://iberosphere.com/tag/grand-slam)
- [career Grand Slam](https://iberosphere.com/tag/career-grand-slam)
- [US Open](https://iberosphere.com/tag/us-open)
- [Rod Laver](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rod-laver)
- [Mats Wilander](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mats-wilander)
- [Andre Agassi](https://iberosphere.com/tag/andre-agassi)
- [Pete Sampras](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pete-sampras)
- [Francisco Ribeiro](https://iberosphere.com/tag/francisco-ribeiro)
- [Madredeus](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madredeus)
- [fado](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fado)
- [Lisbon](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lisbon)
- [o espirito da paz](https://iberosphere.com/tag/o-espirito-da-paz)
- [Portuguese music](https://iberosphere.com/tag/portuguese-music)
- [France Gypsy deportation](https://iberosphere.com/tag/france-gypsy-deportation)
- [Roma](https://iberosphere.com/tag/roma)
- [Spanish Gypsies](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-gypsies)
- [Sarkozy European Commission](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sarkozy-european-commission)
- [Sarkozy Gypsies](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sarkozy-gypsies)
- [Spanish immigration](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-immigration)
- [Viviane Reding](https://iberosphere.com/tag/viviane-reding)
- [Xavier Garcia Albiol](https://iberosphere.com/tag/xavier-garcia-albiol)
- [Spain G20](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-g20)
- [Rape](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rape)
- [acquaintance rape](https://iberosphere.com/tag/acquaintance-rape)
- [date rape](https://iberosphere.com/tag/date-rape)
- [rape victims](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rape-victims)
- [CAVAS](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cavas)
- [UNIFEM](https://iberosphere.com/tag/unifem)
- [AVE](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ave)
- [Spanish rail service](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-rail-service)
- [Spanish railways](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-railways)
- [Recovery and Reinvestment Act](https://iberosphere.com/tag/recovery-and-reinvestment-act)
- [Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles](https://iberosphere.com/tag/construcciones-y-auxiliar-de-ferrocarriles)
- [CAF](https://iberosphere.com/tag/caf)
- [Alstom Transport](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alstom-transport)
- [Siemens](https://iberosphere.com/tag/siemens)
- [Federal Transit Administration](https://iberosphere.com/tag/federal-transit-administration)
- [FTA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fta)
- [Houston](https://iberosphere.com/tag/houston)
- [Peter Rogoff](https://iberosphere.com/tag/peter-rogoff)
- [Frank Wilson](https://iberosphere.com/tag/frank-wilson)
- [Houston light rail](https://iberosphere.com/tag/houston-light-rail)
- [Jose Antonio Labordeta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-antonio-labordeta)
- [Aragon](https://iberosphere.com/tag/aragon)
- [Primo de Rivera](https://iberosphere.com/tag/primo-de-rivera)
- [Spanish protest song](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-protest-song)
- [Chunta Aragonesista](https://iberosphere.com/tag/chunta-aragonesista)
- [Canto a la Libertad](https://iberosphere.com/tag/canto-a-la-libertad)
- [Spain strike](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-strike)
- [Spain general strike](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-general-strike)
- [huelga general](https://iberosphere.com/tag/huelga-general)
- [29 septiembre](https://iberosphere.com/tag/29-septiembre)
- [September 29](https://iberosphere.com/tag/september-29)
- [Candido Mendez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/candido-mendez)
- [Ignacio Fernandez Toxo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ignacio-fernandez-toxo)
- [CCOO](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ccoo)
- [spanish](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish)
- [spanish labour market](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-labour-market)
- [September 29 strike](https://iberosphere.com/tag/september-29-strike)
- [29-S](https://iberosphere.com/tag/29-s)
- [ignacio camacho](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ignacio-camacho)
- [Spanish deficit](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-deficit)
- [Spain labour reform](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-labour-reform)
- [Alberto Contador](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alberto-contador)
- [Contador doping](https://iberosphere.com/tag/contador-doping)
- [clenbuterol](https://iberosphere.com/tag/clenbuterol)
- [Andy Schleck](https://iberosphere.com/tag/andy-schleck)
- [Floyd Landis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/floyd-landis)
- [doping in cycling](https://iberosphere.com/tag/doping-in-cycling)
- [drugs in cycling](https://iberosphere.com/tag/drugs-in-cycling)
- [drugs in sport](https://iberosphere.com/tag/drugs-in-sport)
- [UCI](https://iberosphere.com/tag/uci)
- [Spain-Morocco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-morocco)
- [Rabar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rabar)
- [Perejil](https://iberosphere.com/tag/perejil)
- [Colin Powell](https://iberosphere.com/tag/colin-powell)
- [Ceuta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ceuta)
- [Spanish enclaves](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-enclaves)
- [Ecuador](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ecuador)
- [Rafael Correa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rafael-correa)
- [revuelta policial](https://iberosphere.com/tag/revuelta-policial)
- [Ecuador coup](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ecuador-coup)
- [Ecuador instability](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ecuador-instability)
- [Latin American coups](https://iberosphere.com/tag/latin-american-coups)
- [Ecuador news](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ecuador-news)
- [Rafael Correa approval rating](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rafael-correa-approval-rating)
- [Ecuador police](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ecuador-police)
- [Wayne Madsen Ecuador](https://iberosphere.com/tag/wayne-madsen-ecuador)
- [CIA Latin America](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cia-latin-america)
- [Ecuador Mossad](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ecuador-mossad)
- [Lucio Gutiérrez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lucio-gutierrez)
- [Abdalá Bucaram](https://iberosphere.com/tag/abdala-bucaram)
- [Jamil Mahuad](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jamil-mahuad)
- [United States Ecuador](https://iberosphere.com/tag/united-states-ecuador)
- [ETA en Venezuela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eta-en-venezuela)
- [Cubillas ETA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cubillas-eta)
- [Cubillas Venezuela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/cubillas-venezuela)
- [Spain foreign policy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-foreign-policy)
- [Spanish companies in Venezuela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-companies-in-venezuela)
- [Spanish business](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-business)
- [Venezuela FARC](https://iberosphere.com/tag/venezuela-farc)
- [etarras en Venezuela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/etarras-en-venezuela)
- [Sevilla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sevilla)
- [Spain football](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-football)
- [Manolo Jimenez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/manolo-jimenez)
- [Juande Ramos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/juande-ramos)
- [Antonio Alvarez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/antonio-alvarez)
- [Luis Fabiano](https://iberosphere.com/tag/luis-fabiano)
- [Frederic Kanoute](https://iberosphere.com/tag/frederic-kanoute)
- [Jose Maria del Nido](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jose-maria-del-nido)
- [Spain elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-elections)
- [elecciones 2012](https://iberosphere.com/tag/elecciones-2012)
- [Spain general elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-general-elections)
- [Barreda](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barreda)
- [Spain September 29](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-september-29)
- [Madrid primary election](https://iberosphere.com/tag/madrid-primary-election)
- [PNV](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pnv)
- [Spain October 12](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-october-12)
- [spain news](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-news)
- [Patxi López](https://iberosphere.com/tag/patxi-lopez)
- [pacto pnv](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pacto-pnv)
- [Socialist-nationalists pact](https://iberosphere.com/tag/socialist-nationalists-pact)
- [Antonio Basagoiti](https://iberosphere.com/tag/antonio-basagoiti)
- [Spain pensions reform](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-pensions-reform)
- [Spain reshuffle](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-reshuffle)
- [Spain Cabinet reshuffle](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-cabinet-reshuffle)
- [Valeriano Gomez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/valeriano-gomez)
- [Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alfredo-perez-rubalcaba)
- [Spain 2012 elections](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-2012-elections)
- [elmundotoday.com](https://iberosphere.com/tag/elmundotoday-com)
- [El Mundo Today](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-mundo-today)
- [Chris Morris](https://iberosphere.com/tag/chris-morris)
- [The Onion](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-onion)
- [Xavi Puig](https://iberosphere.com/tag/xavi-puig)
- [Kike García](https://iberosphere.com/tag/kike-garcia)
- [Islamic feminism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/islamic-feminism)
- [Islam](https://iberosphere.com/tag/islam)
- [women in Islam](https://iberosphere.com/tag/women-in-islam)
- [Muslim women](https://iberosphere.com/tag/muslim-women)
- [Congress on Islamic Feminism](https://iberosphere.com/tag/congress-on-islamic-feminism)
- [Spain and Islam](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-and-islam)
- [Zanan](https://iberosphere.com/tag/zanan)
- [Shahla Sherkat](https://iberosphere.com/tag/shahla-sherkat)
- [Leire Pajín](https://iberosphere.com/tag/leire-pajin)
- [spanish news](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-news)
- [Javier de la Riva](https://iberosphere.com/tag/javier-de-la-riva)
- [Pope](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pope)
- [Benedict XVI](https://iberosphere.com/tag/benedict-xvi)
- [papa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/papa)
- [Benedicto XVI](https://iberosphere.com/tag/benedicto-xvi)
- [pope's visit to Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/popes-visit-to-spain)
- [Santiago de Compostela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/santiago-de-compostela)
- [Antonio María Rouco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/antonio-maria-rouco)
- [Juan Rubio Vida Nueva](https://iberosphere.com/tag/juan-rubio-vida-nueva)
- [Zapatero and the Church](https://iberosphere.com/tag/zapatero-and-the-church)
- [Spain's Catholic Church](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spains-catholic-church)
- [Orgullosos de Ser Católicos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/orgullosos-de-ser-catolicos)
- [Opus Dei](https://iberosphere.com/tag/opus-dei)
- [Legions of Christ](https://iberosphere.com/tag/legions-of-christ)
- [Sagrada Familia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sagrada-familia)
- [visita del papa](https://iberosphere.com/tag/visita-del-papa)
- [Spain and ETA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-and-eta)
- [ETA truce](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eta-truce)
- [ETA peace process](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eta-peace-process)
- [Arnaldo Otegi](https://iberosphere.com/tag/arnaldo-otegi)
- [Villarreal](https://iberosphere.com/tag/villarreal)
- [Málaga](https://iberosphere.com/tag/malaga)
- [Liga de Quito](https://iberosphere.com/tag/liga-de-quito)
- [Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani](https://iberosphere.com/tag/abdullah-bin-nasser-al-thani)
- [Spain smoking ban](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-smoking-ban)
- [anti-smoking law](https://iberosphere.com/tag/anti-smoking-law)
- [Spain smoking](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-smoking)
- [Spain Socialist Party](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-socialist-party)
- [ley anti-tabaco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ley-anti-tabaco)
- [Polisario Front](https://iberosphere.com/tag/polisario-front)
- [UN Manhasset](https://iberosphere.com/tag/un-manhasset)
- [Sahrawi camp](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sahrawi-camp)
- [Laâyoune camp](https://iberosphere.com/tag/laayoune-camp)
- [Gadaym Izik](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gadaym-izik)
- [Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sahrawi-arab-democratic-republic)
- [King Mohammed VI](https://iberosphere.com/tag/king-mohammed-vi)
- [Fouad Abdelmoumni](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fouad-abdelmoumni)
- [Sáhara Occidental](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sahara-occidental)
- [Marruecos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/marruecos)
- [George Best](https://iberosphere.com/tag/george-best)
- [reducer tackle](https://iberosphere.com/tag/reducer-tackle)
- [English football](https://iberosphere.com/tag/english-football)
- [English soccer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/english-soccer)
- [Mark Hughes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mark-hughes)
- [Nigel de Jong Xabi Alonso](https://iberosphere.com/tag/nigel-de-jong-xabi-alonso)
- [Luis García Berlanga](https://iberosphere.com/tag/luis-garcia-berlanga)
- [Spain's dictatorship](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spains-dictatorship)
- [Spain cinema](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-cinema)
- [Berlanga Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/berlanga-spain)
- [Bienvenido Mister Marshall](https://iberosphere.com/tag/bienvenido-mister-marshall)
- [Rafael Azcona](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rafael-azcona)
- [Franco censorship](https://iberosphere.com/tag/franco-censorship)
- [Franco cinema](https://iberosphere.com/tag/franco-cinema)
- [Gdaym Izik](https://iberosphere.com/tag/gdaym-izik)
- [El Aaiun](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-aaiun)
- [Morocco-Spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/morocco-spain)
- [Western Sahara violence](https://iberosphere.com/tag/western-sahara-violence)
- [¿Qué fue de Jorge Sanz?](https://iberosphere.com/tag/¿que-fue-de-jorge-sanz)
- [Jorge Sanz](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jorge-sanz)
- [Spanish TV](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-tv)
- [Spanish television](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-television)
- [pay channels](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pay-channels)
- [HBO](https://iberosphere.com/tag/hbo)
- [TNT](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tnt)
- [Digital +](https://iberosphere.com/tag/digital)
- [David Trueba](https://iberosphere.com/tag/david-trueba)
- [Eduard Fernandez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eduard-fernandez)
- [Todas las mujeres](https://iberosphere.com/tag/todas-las-mujeres)
- [elecciones catalanas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/elecciones-catalanas)
- [Catalan referendum](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-referendum)
- [Catalan autonomy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/catalan-autonomy)
- [November 28](https://iberosphere.com/tag/november-28)
- [Artur Mas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/artur-mas)
- [Alicia Sánchez-Camacho](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alicia-sanchez-camacho)
- [Spain 2012 election](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-2012-election)
- [Spain markets](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-markets)
- [Spain German bund](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-german-bund)
- [Spanish 10-year bond](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-10-year-bond)
- [Spain and Ireland](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-and-ireland)
- [Barcelona vs Real Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barcelona-vs-real-madrid)
- [Barcelona 5 Real Madrid 0](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barcelona-5-real-madrid-0)
- [Camp Nou](https://iberosphere.com/tag/camp-nou)
- [learning English](https://iberosphere.com/tag/learning-english)
- [tv dubbing](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tv-dubbing)
- [film dubbing](https://iberosphere.com/tag/film-dubbing)
- [Spanish subtitles](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-subtitles)
- [David Hasselhoff](https://iberosphere.com/tag/david-hasselhoff)
- [Dallas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dallas)
- [Dynasty](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dynasty)
- [Knight Rider](https://iberosphere.com/tag/knight-rider)
- [spanish prostitution](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-prostitution)
- [spanish brothels](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-brothels)
- [spain brothel](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-brothel)
- [sex trade](https://iberosphere.com/tag/sex-trade)
- [spain doping](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-doping)
- [spanish doping](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-doping)
- [spain anti-doping](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-anti-doping)
- [Pat McQuaid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pat-mcquaid)
- [Roberto Heras](https://iberosphere.com/tag/roberto-heras)
- [Eufemiano Fuentes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/eufemiano-fuentes)
- [Operation Puerto](https://iberosphere.com/tag/operation-puerto)
- [Operacion Puerto](https://iberosphere.com/tag/operacion-puerto)
- [Operation Galgo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/operation-galgo)
- [Operacion Galgo](https://iberosphere.com/tag/operacion-galgo)
- [dopaje Marta Dominguez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/dopaje-marta-dominguez)
- [spain air traffic controllers](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-air-traffic-controllers)
- [spain air strike](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-air-strike)
- [controladores aéreos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/controladores-aereos)
- [Barajas](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barajas)
- [El Prat](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-prat)
- [ATC](https://iberosphere.com/tag/atc)
- [AENA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/aena)
- [estado de alerta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/estado-de-alerta)
- [Spain state of emergency](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-state-of-emergency)
- [USCA](https://iberosphere.com/tag/usca)
- [air traffic dispute](https://iberosphere.com/tag/air-traffic-dispute)
- [Spanish airports](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-airports)
- [concha piquer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/concha-piquer)
- [spanish copla](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-copla)
- [first talkie](https://iberosphere.com/tag/first-talkie)
- [maria de la concepcion piquer lopez](https://iberosphere.com/tag/maria-de-la-concepcion-piquer-lopez)
- [silent films](https://iberosphere.com/tag/silent-films)
- [first silent film](https://iberosphere.com/tag/first-silent-film)
- [el gato montes](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-gato-montes)
- [far from seville](https://iberosphere.com/tag/far-from-seville)
- [lee de forest](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lee-de-forest)
- [conchita piquer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/conchita-piquer)
- [wikileaks](https://iberosphere.com/tag/wikileaks)
- [wikileaks spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/wikileaks-spain)
- [jorge dezcallar](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jorge-dezcallar)
- [king juan carlos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/king-juan-carlos)
- [rey juan carlos](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rey-juan-carlos)
- [US embassy Madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/us-embassy-madrid)
- [US embassy spain](https://iberosphere.com/tag/us-embassy-spain)
- [Spain P2P](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-p2p)
- [Spain Sinde law](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-sinde-law)
- [ley Sinde](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ley-sinde)
- [spain internet](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-internet)
- [Ángeles González-Sinde](https://iberosphere.com/tag/angeles-gonzalez-sinde)
- [spain file-sharing](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-file-sharing)
- [enrique morente](https://iberosphere.com/tag/enrique-morente)
- [mario pacheco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mario-pacheco)
- [flamenco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/flamenco)
- [Pepe Habichuela](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pepe-habichuela)
- [Ray Heredia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ray-heredia)
- [Aurora](https://iberosphere.com/tag/aurora)
- [La Barbería del Sur](https://iberosphere.com/tag/la-barberia-del-sur)
- [Moraíto Chico](https://iberosphere.com/tag/moraito-chico)
- [Diego Carrasco](https://iberosphere.com/tag/diego-carrasco)
- [Pata Negra](https://iberosphere.com/tag/pata-negra)
- [ketama](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ketama)
- [tony wilson](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tony-wilson)
- [rough trade](https://iberosphere.com/tag/rough-trade)
- [the smiths](https://iberosphere.com/tag/the-smiths)
- [Negra si tu supieras](https://iberosphere.com/tag/negra-si-tu-supieras)
- [Lagartija Nick](https://iberosphere.com/tag/lagartija-nick)
- [Basque ceasefire](https://iberosphere.com/tag/basque-ceasefire)
- [John Hume](https://iberosphere.com/tag/john-hume)
- [FW de Clerk](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fw-de-clerk)
- [Spain reforms](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-reforms)
- [Spain economic reforms](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-economic-reforms)
- [El Maquiavelo de León](https://iberosphere.com/tag/el-maquiavelo-de-leon)
- [reforma pensiones](https://iberosphere.com/tag/reforma-pensiones)
- [spain soccer](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-soccer)
- [Karim Benzema](https://iberosphere.com/tag/karim-benzema)
- [jorge valdano](https://iberosphere.com/tag/jorge-valdano)
- [mourinho real madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mourinho-real-madrid)
- [spanish tennis](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-tennis)
- [barcelona real madrid](https://iberosphere.com/tag/barcelona-real-madrid)
- [operation greyhound](https://iberosphere.com/tag/operation-greyhound)
- [spanish sport drugs](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-sport-drugs)
- [Egypt](https://iberosphere.com/tag/egypt)
- [Tunisia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tunisia)
- [North African unrest](https://iberosphere.com/tag/north-african-unrest)
- [North African revolution](https://iberosphere.com/tag/north-african-revolution)
- [Egypt unrest](https://iberosphere.com/tag/egypt-unrest)
- [Tunisia revolution](https://iberosphere.com/tag/tunisia-revolution)
- [Morocco politics](https://iberosphere.com/tag/morocco-politics)
- [Morocco economy](https://iberosphere.com/tag/morocco-economy)
- [f Sheikh Yassine](https://iberosphere.com/tag/f-sheikh-yassine)
- [Omnium Nord Africaine](https://iberosphere.com/tag/omnium-nord-africaine)
- [Mubarak](https://iberosphere.com/tag/mubarak)
- [Ben Ali](https://iberosphere.com/tag/ben-ali)
- [Fouad Ali el Himma](https://iberosphere.com/tag/fouad-ali-el-himma)
- [spanish socialist workers' party](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spanish-socialist-workers-party)
- [partido socialista](https://iberosphere.com/tag/partido-socialista)
- [air traffic controllers' strike](https://iberosphere.com/tag/air-traffic-controllers-strike)
- [Spain unions](https://iberosphere.com/tag/spain-unions)
- [carme chacon](https://iberosphere.com/tag/carme-chacon)
- [metroscopia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/metroscopia)
- [psoe 2012](https://iberosphere.com/tag/psoe-2012)
- [zapatero 2012](https://iberosphere.com/tag/zapatero-2012)
- [alex de la iglesia](https://iberosphere.com/tag/alex-de-la-iglesia)
- [balada triste de trompeta](https://iberosphere.com/tag/balada-triste-de-trompeta)
- [Goya](https://iberosphere.com/tag/goya)
- [los goya](https://iberosphere.com/tag/los-goya)