CitizenSugar -- Breaking News, Together.

All Abort? Dutch Nonprofit Bypasses Abortion Laws With Boat

LibertySugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:15:02 -0700

I've heard of underage drinking and avoiding taxes over international waters, but circumventing abortion laws is a new one. Women on Waves sails to countries where abortion is illegal and provides early-term abortions — legally, thanks to Dutch law, which the ship sails under.

Always a gracious guest, Women on Waves never shows up sans an invite from local women's organizations. And it's latest venture in Spain is no exception. At the request of 33 local organizations, it dropped anchor at a port in Valencia, Spain.

With government initiatives to increase protection for women and doctors performing abortions, it's not surprising Women on Waves chose Spain. Its goal is not simply to provide abortions when they would be otherwise prohibited but also to garner support for legalizing abortion. While Spain decriminalized it in 1985, it's only available in limited cases — up to 12 weeks after rape; up to 22 weeks if the fetus is malformed; and at any time if the women's physical or mental health is jeopardized.

If you ask me this boat doesn't look much safer than a back-room abortion, but I haven't seen the inside. How would you feel if it docked off the US coast?

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Quiz Nation! Columbus Day's Different Meanings

LibertySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:15:37 -0700

The second Monday in October historically has been celebrated as Columbus Day in the US. But not every place in the country, or the rest of the world, marks Columbus's arrival to the new world the same way due to unsettled feelings about celebrating a historical figure attributed with the suffering of native people.

In South Dakota, the day is called Native American Day. In cities like Boston, New York, and San Francisco, the Italian-American community celebrates their native son with an Italian heritage parade. Find out what you know about the historical event marked today!

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Castells Competition Builds Human Castles in the Sky

LibertySugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:00:29 -0700

If you thought the gravity defying feats your college cheerleading squad performed were awe-inspiring, we can probably agree the 22nd Tarragona Castells Competition in Tarragona, Spain was breathtaking.

The annual human towers or castells (a Catalonian word that means "castles") event took place this weekend, drawing spectators from across the globe and some very nimble participants.

The competition is a bit of a cultural phenomenon — the tradition originated at the end of the 18th century in Valls, Tarragona, when rival groups of people called colles turned creating different kinds of human towers into a competitive sport, according to Castellers de Barcelona.

The last person to climb the whole tower is the anxaneta, a young girl or boy who, on arriving at the very summit raises his or her arm and salutes the public. This is the highlight of the event and the crowing moment for the castell.

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Front Page: Senate to Vote on Bailout, Chinese Gymnasts Win Age Fight, Spain Arrests 121 For Child Porn

CitizenSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:53:42 -0700

Senate to Vote on Bailout:
Senate leaders have scheduled a vote today on the $700 billion bailout proposal after adding tax breaks and a higher insured bank deposits limit in an attempt to win House approval and send the bill to President Bush by the end of the week. Senator Harry Reid said, “It has been determined, in our judgment, this is the best thing to move forward," when he announced the unexpected move.

Chinese Gymnasts Win Age Fight:
International gymnastics officials closed a five week investigation in to the ages of the Chinese gymnasts competing at the Beijing Olympics, ruling that documentation rules that the gymnasts were old enough to compete. The scrutiny has not yet cleared gymnasts who won the team bronze in Sydney eight years ago saying, "The FIG does not consider the explanations and evidence provided to date in regards to these athletes as satisfactory.''
Spain Arrests 121 For Child Porn:
In what's described as Spain's largest operation against child internet porn, Spain's authorities say they have arrested 121 people and millions of images. Police say two of those arrested were using their own children to make pornography. The sting involved 800 officers, 210 searches, and 347 hard drives seized. The raids bring the number of people arrest for child porn in Spain in the past five years to 1,200.

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McCain and Spain: He's Not Confused About Tough Talk

LibertySugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:45:51 -0700

John McCain made comments seeming to suggest that Spain is a rogue state in Latin America, in an interview with a Spanish-language station. But his campaign says he meant to take a firm stance toward the European country.

When asked whether he would invite the Spanish prime minister Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero to the White House he said:

McCain: All I can tell you is that I have a clear record of working with leaders in the hemisphere that are friends with us, and standing up to those who are not, and that's judged on the basis of the importance of our relationship with Latin America, and the entire region.

Question: OK . . . what about you, I'm talking about Europe?

McCain: What about me what?

Question: OK . . . are you willing to meet with him if you are elected president?

McCain: I am willing to meet with any leader who is dedicated to the same principles and philosophy that we are for human rights, democracy, and freedom, and I will stand up to those that do not.

McCain's foreign policy adviser followed up, saying McCain's answer was intentional. To see what he said,

Front Page: Spanish Plane Crash Possible Cause, Pakistan Suicide Attack Kills 60, Rice Surprise Visit to Iraq

CitizenSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:56:58 -0700

Spanish Plane Crash Possible Cause:
The plane that crashed in Madrid yesterday and killed 153 people, including two babies and 20 children, had reported an overheated air intake valve before the first attempt at takeoff. The problem was reported and the equipment turned off to fix it. It's not known if this is the only factor in Spain's worst air disaster in almost 25 years.

Pakistan Suicide Attack Kills 60:
Killing 60 and wounding dozens more, a suicide bomber attacked Pakistan's largest military munitions plant. The Pakistan Taliban has claimed responsibility. The violence comes amid political uncertainty in the country following the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf earlier this week.

Rice Surprise Visit to Iraq:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice surprised Baghdad with a visit to discuss the future of US forces in Iraq. Amid negotiations over the timing of the final withdrawal of US forces, reports suggest that a compromise draft agreement of the plan is being considered by both governments. RIce will meet with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki during her visit.

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149 Dead in Plane Crash at Madrid Airport

CitizenSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:25:50 -0700

149 Dead in Plane Crash at Madrid Airport A Spanish airliner bound for the Canary Islands at the height of the vacation season crashed, burned, and broke into pieces Wednesday while trying to take off from Madrid, killing 149 people on board, officials said. There were only 26 survivors in the midafternoon crash, said Spanish Development Minister Magdalena Alvarez, whose department is in charge of civil aviation. It was Spain's deadliest air disaster in more than 20 years.

Racist or Funny? Spanish Teams Pose With "Slit" Chinese Eyes

LibertySugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:45:10 -0700

While making a slit-eyed gesture and standing near a Chinese dragon, members of Spain's Olympic basketball teams posed for an advertisement, apparently unaware of offensive overtones. Two large photos, one of each team's members pulling back the skin by their eyes, filled an entire page in Spain's most popular newspaper. A sponsor of the Spanish Basketball Federation published the questionable good-luck message, but apparently the sport's governing body saw no reason to object either, as its seal also appears on the ad. Racism and sports have collided before in Spain. Perhaps the International Olympic Committee will consider Spain's cultural insensitivity when assessing Madrid's bid for the 2016 or 2020 Olympics.

Racist or Funny? Spanish Teams Pose With "Slit" Chinese Eyes

Racist! This ad is offensive.

Funny. What's wrong with a little teasing between sports rivals.

This is an isolated bad joke, but it's not the end of the world.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

ETA Thought Behind Four Beach Explosions in Northern Spain

CitizenSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:24 -0700

ETA has claimed responsibility for four bombings that struck popular coastal resorts in northern Spain yesterday. The group issued warning calls before the detonations and no casualties were reported. The explosions are considered the beginning of ETA's usual Summer bombing campaign that targets vacation spots as a way to gain attention for its 40 year struggle to win an independent Basque state in northern Spain.

The first warning call came mid morning from an ETA representative claiming responsibility and warning of the location of the bombs.

Vacationers were cleared immediately from the beaches prior to the first explosion which shattered windows and walkways. A government spokesman said, "There were no injuries because the area had been cleared and cordoned off." The Spanish government says that the group is weaker after a series of arrests, but as yesterday's attacks show, they're not planning to relinquish their fight soon. ETA has been listed as a terrorist organization by Spain, the US, and the EU. They've killed 800 people in the past 40 years, usually via explosions like this.

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Front Page: Doping Team Quits Tour, Madrid Bombing Convicts Freed, Obama Behind Republicans in Money

CitizenSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:00:47 -0700

Doping Team Quits Tour:
After a third team rider tested positive for blood-doping, the Italian Saunier-Duval team withdrew from the Tour de France this morning. Rider Riccardo Ricco was found using EPO. The team director said, "He's our leader, we can't act as if nothing happened." Ricco was taken off the Saunier-Duval team bus by police ahead of the start of the day's race and booed by spectators. He was in ninth place overall before being removed.

Madrid Bombing Convicts Freed:
Spain's Supreme Court overturned the conviction of four people found guilty of connection to the 2004 Madrid train bombings. The four were part of 21 people convicted over the attacks, which left 191 dead. The court also upheld the acquittal of the suspected Egyptian mastermind as he'd already been convicted of the crime in Italy. The attackers were part of a local Islamist militant groups inspired by al Qaeda.
Obama Behind Republicans in Money:
Democrat Barack Obama raised $52 million last month (his second best take) ending June with the DNC and Obama with $92.3 million in the bank. Though the numbers still fall behind the Republicans and McCain. McCain raised more than $22 million in June (his best take) and combined with the RNC, Republicans start July with $95 million to spend.

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Got a Passport? The Best and Worst Places to Live in Europe

CitizenSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:00:13 -0700

With Italy's new laws against sleeping, eating, drinking, and singing in public all aimed at making the place more pleasant (or less, if you fancy a chianti and snooze al fresco) you'd think it'd be in the top two European countries with the best quality of life. Not so amigos, as Bush would say.

Let's start at the bottom: The poor UK has the lowest quality of life in Europe — even though Brits earn the most — according to research released yesterday.

That money can't buy them happiness — they pay a king's ransom for essential goods: 18 percent above the average for diesel, 49 percent more for gas, and 5 percent more for electricity. Life expectancy in jolly old England is the third-lowest at 78.9 years, and the constantly gray sky might be a culprit: Britain gets 80 percent less sunshine than Spain, leading more than 40,000 people to flee in 2006.

They might have run right to Spain, which claims the number one slot among those studied, offering the best quality of life in Europe — even though salaries are below average. Old number two is France thanks to their unbelievably great vacation policy, at 40 days per year.

Where would you live in the ol' EU? Does France's commitment to time off strike your fancy?

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Running of the Bulls: Cruel Tradition or Bunch of Bull-oney?

LibertySugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:00:08 -0700

The annual running of the bulls kicked off in Pamplona, Spain yesterday and so far one Irish tourist has been killed. Despite the risk of death and injury, thousands of people let bulls chase them for over 800 meters on the way to the bullfight arena.

While human injury upsets everyone, some animal rights activists get particularly upset about how the traditions entails "torturing and killing a defenseless animal." PETA describes the festival like this:

Bulls are bred in fields and are not accustomed to the noise of the crowd or being surrounded by people. They are kept in crowded, dark enclosures, and when they are prodded onto the streets with electric shocks, they are momentarily blinded by the sunlight. They are terrified and are hit by runners with rolled up newspapers.

In order to show their opposition, PETA supporters participate in the Running of the Nudes two days before the major tourist-attracting bull runs. Whose side are you on — PETA's or Spain's?

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Front Page: Heat Wave to Hit Fires, Bombing in Kabul Kills 40, Injuries in Running of the Bulls

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:55:19 -0700

Heat Wave to Hit Fires:
Firefighters in California brace for an impending heat wave set to make containing one of the 1,700 fires sparked since June 21, much harder. Cooler, damper weekend temperatures had helped firefighters working to bring the Santa Barbara fires under control are set to end, while 2,600 homes are still evacuated. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said yesterday the fires had burnt over half a million acres and killed one firefighter. Drought conditions combined with human encroachment into forest areas — bringing with them, carelessness, has stretched the fire season from four to six or seven months. Officials are having to prepare for the longer more intense season.

Bombing in Kabul Kills 40:
In what's thought to be the deadliest attack in Kabul yet, a suicide bomber has killed at least 40 people and injured 140 today at the gates of the Indian Embassy in the capital of Afghanistan. The attacker plowed a car into two Indian diplomatic vehicles as they entered the gates of the embassy before detonating. Witness say the blast wrecked several other cars and flung body parts and bloodstained pieces of clothing among the wreckage.
Injuries in Running of the Bulls:
At least nine have been injured and one killed during the running of the bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain. Four of the injured were foreign tourists. The nine-day festival that's been held since 1591, began yesterday and the run itself lasted four minutes. It's thought that 13 people have been killed during the controversial tradition since record keeping began in 1924.

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Goooooal! Spain Tops Germany, Wins First Title in 44 Years

LibertySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:58 -0700

Red, gold, and the wordless melody of the Spanish national anthem filled Vienna's Ernst-Happel stadium Sunday night, as Spain beat Germany 1-0 to win the European Championship and end 44 years of underachieving.

Back in Madrid, Spain, fans and patriots waved the Spanish flag, watched fireworks, and partied in the streets. Firefighters cooled off the Summer celebration by spraying the crowds with water.

Check out the photos of Spanish jubilation and German disappointment. Spain's Queen, and Germany's Chancellor make cameos!

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Front Page: Bush Goes to Europe, Spanish Truckers Strike, Quake Lake Still Rising

CitizenSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:58:08 -0700

Bush Goes to Europe: President Bush has just departed for a farewell trip to Europe's major capitals, taking news of both concern for and confidence in the US economy. His first stop is Slovenia for his final US-European Union Summit. He will also visit Germany, Italy, France, England and Northern Ireland. Expressing concern about the economy and soaring energy prices (which hit $4 a gallon over the weekend and could go higher) Bush said in a departure statement that a strong dollar is in the US interest and the interest of the global economy.

Spainish Truckers Strike: While Europe waits for Bush, tens of thousands of Spanish truckers have begun an indefinite strike over the soaring price of diesel, which has risen by 20 percent this year. They stopped work at midnight and began disrupting traffic at one of the border crossings between Spain and France. The protesters prevented other trucks from passing, and shut down car traffic. Most of the 90,000 truckers participating have warned that many supermarkets will run out of goods within days. The head of the transportation association said, "we are the ones who move the goods that this country needs to keep working. If we stop because we haven't got the money to buy fuel then the country will stop."
Quake Lake Still Rising: The water level in an earthquake-formed lake in China is still rising, despite efforts to drain it. Early this morning, the water level was more than 6 feet higher than the man-made channel created to solve the problem. Experts say the lake could burst at any time, flooding the homes of more than one million people. A quarter of a million people have already been evacuated from the area since the earthquake that caused the quake lake to form. Government estimates now put the quake death toll at 69,136 with another 17,686 people missing.

Spanish Twins, Separated at Birth, Sue for Millions

CitizenSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:30:22 -0700

You know that movie Big Business where Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin play twins switched at birth? This is like that, but in Spain — and with a lawsuit. What happened?

In 1973, a set of identical twins were accidentally separated at birth. One of the twins was allegedly removed from her crib shortly after birth and accidentally replaced with another girl. To see how they figured out what happened

Front Page: Liquor Deaths in India, Bush Dismisses Iran Attack, Spain's Defense Minister Has Boy

CitizenSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:00:47 -0700

Liquor Deaths in India: A rash of poisoned liquor consumption has left 110 Indians dead in the past few days. The incidents are being called "hooch deaths," and are happening a year after the government outlawed the sale of country liquor — arguing that it was ruinous to the poor — but left other kinds of alcohol legal. Now, plastic bags of illegal brew are found in Bangalore’s poorest neighborhoods, those without proper medical facilities. Many of the deaths could have been prevented with access to a ventilator and dialysis machine, which the local hospital lacked.

Bush Dismisses Iran Attack: The White House criticized the news organization who released a report saying President Bush was preparing to order an attack on Iran before leaving office in eight months. Bush's aides view the reports in the Jerusalem Post as mischaracterizations of his intentions in confronting Iran over nuclear enrichment, Iraq, and support of the militant Islamic groups Hezbollah and Hamas. White House Press Secretary Perino said of the report of possible attacks on Iran, it "quotes unnamed sources — quoting unnamed sources — is not worth the paper it’s written on.”
Spain's Defense Minister Has Boy: Carme Chacón, Spain's first female defense minister, has just given birth to a baby boy. Prime Minister Zapatero created Spain’s first female-dominated cabinet — nine of 17 members are women. She has begun maternity leave. The press wondered whether Chacón would take the full, four-month maternity leave or split it with the baby’s father — a choice afforded by the sexual-equality law passed last year.

Front Page: Curfew After India Blasts, China Quake Toll 15,000, Attack in Spain Blamed on ETA, Bush in Israel

CitizenSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:58:35 -0700

Curfew After India Blasts: After a series of bomb blasts killed 63 and left 200 wounded yesterday authorities have imposed a curfew in the old city in Jaipur in western India. The blasts happened near historic monuments and the head of state police is calling it a terrorist attack. Police have detained a number of people for questioning, though no suspects or motives have yet been determined.

China Quake Toll 15,000: Nearly 15,000 people have died in the devastating earthquake that hit China according to media. Estimates say more than 25,000 are still trapped in the rubble two days after the 7.9 quake struck. Sichuan's Vice-Governor said preliminary figures suggested 14,463 people were dead, another 14,051 were missing, 25,788 were buried in the debris and 64,746 had been injured. One town, Yingxiu, was hit harder than expected — out of the town's population of 10,000, only 2,300 have been found alive.
Attack in Spain Blamed on ETA: A bomb exploded in Spain early today outside a police barracks killing one policeman and wounding four others. Local authorities have blamed the incident on the violent Basque separatist group ETA. A spokesman for the Socialist Party in the Basque region, said, "ETA has hurt us terribly this morning with this horrible attack. But the group is weaker than ever and we will win in the end."
Bush in Israel: President Bush arrived in Israel this morning. It's the first stop on a five-day, three-country Middle East tour marking the 60th anniversary of Israel’s founding as well as encouraging progress in peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. Referring to Israel's democratic government Bush said, “what’s happened here is possible everywhere.”

Government Gymboree? Populations Spurred On by the State

CitizenSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:00:27 -0700

Feeling lonely, Europe? Two European nations are tackling the problem of declining populations very differently. In France, they now have the second highest birth rate in Europe (after Ireland) and some argue that tempting government subsidies may have helped. France offers generous maternity and paternity packages allowing a mother of a third kiddie to take a year off of work, with pay. Not to mention the perks of subsidized first class rail travel, holiday vouchers and financial help with childcare should you wish to turn down free state care facilities. It is estimated that the government supported baby boom has secured France’s population until 2050. To see what's happening in Spain, and even more creative Singapore,

No Parrots and Peg Legs — Real Pirates Are Everywhere!

LibertySugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:00:01 -0700

Yesterday, pirates captured a Basque tuna fishing boat off the coast of Somalia. Four armed pirates used a grenade launcher to overtake the 26 crew members on the Spanish boat.

Last year, pirates seized 25 ships off the Somalian coast. Earlier this month, pirates held hostage 30 crew members on a French luxury yacht. After the crew paid a $2 million ransom for its release, the French authorities apprehended the pirates, and they were charged in French court. How do you say "arrrrrrr" in French?

Somalia's poor excuse for a central government cannot control the 3,000-mile coastline. Victimized countries, like France, are forced to take on the pirates themselves. But, even though the US navy patrols the international waters, they are still extremely dangerous.

Do you think a movie about real-life pirates (and not Jack Sparrow) would be as successful, considering they are a result of lawlessness spawned by a humanitarian crisis and political chaos?

Source

Is Pregnant Woman as Defense Minister a Coup for Women?

LibertySugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:00:17 -0700

Spain's newly re-elected Socialist prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has appointed more women than men to his cabinet, including Carme Chacó as defense minister. Not only is Chacó a woman, she is seven months pregnant. Gender equality has become the centerpiece of Zapatero's administration, as well as the Socialist Party. During his first term, Zapatero enacted laws against domestic violence, legalized gay marriage, eased divorce laws, and required political parties to include as many women as men. He also created an Equality Ministry to monitor women's rights.Many welcome the image of femininity leading Spain's armed forces. Spain's former secretary for equality says that the appointment demonstrates that an army "can be more feminine, more humanitarian." But, the appointment is not without controversy — Zapatero has no military training and has been using gentle rhetoric to discuss the armed forces. Newly re-elected Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi provided his two cents, saying Spain has "“a government that in my opinion is too pink.” Are you happy to see a woman, pregnant no less, leading Spain's armed forces?Source

Is Pregnant Woman as Defense Minister a Coup for Women?

Yay! This advance breaks stereotypes and shows women can be everywhere!

Nay. She has no training! Women should not be disadvantaged, but merit counts, too.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Spanish Parents Faking Divorce For School Spots

LibertySugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:00:55 -0700

Competition for spots in acceptable state schools is so fierce in Spain, that parents are getting divorces in order to give their children an advantage. Under Spanish law, children living with a single parent get extra points on their applications.

Family courts have noticed that the numbers of official separation rose by 50 percent right before the deadline for school registration. In Spain, spouses can secure a divorce in only five weeks. After school placement is over, officials claim that many couples are back in court seeking reconciliation.

Competition for placement in the few good schools is also causing neighborhood paranoia. To see how,

No Room at the Mosque: Spain's Muslims Desperate For Space

CitizenSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:00:52 -0700

Islam in Spain is blossoming. In the past 10 years, the number of practicing Muslims has grown from 50,000 to more than a million, due partly to a burgeoning immigrant population. Spain, a nation known in recent history as a predominantly Catholic country, is experiencing growing pains both because of the influx of immigrants as well as the shrinking popularity of Catholicism. It's a very physical pinch: Spain's Muslims have no mosques.

It's not just the pace of growth either. Since the Madrid bombings in 2004 (almost exactly four years ago) some Spanish citizens are wary of the prospect or a growing Islamic presence thinking it a sign of potentially more extremism. Acquiring land to build a mosque has been one stumbling block, for instance in Seville, Muslims are close to obtaining a plot of land for a mosque after years of bitter local resistance, which included a 2005 protest where a pig’s head was dumped on the plot originally chosen. Change is slowly coming with some local governments now attempting to secure funds and land to create mosques for those now praying in storefronts and garages. To see the historical significance,

Headline: Socialist Party Sweeps in Spain

CitizenSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:42:42 -0700

In elections held yesterday, Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has emerged victorious, winning another four-year term and promising a new era in Spanish politics. His Socialist party claimed five more seats than in the last election but was still short of an absolute majority.

The results of the election were hotly anticipated as, after a decade of growth, Spain is showing great economic strain. Inflation is at a 10-year high, unemployment is the highest it's been this century, and the Spanish housing boom is waning. Voter turnout clocked in at over 75 percent.

A Socialist Party spokesmen said the result was clear approval of the prime minister's agenda of liberal reforms: a gender-equality law, fast-track divorces, and same-sex marriage. The progressive changes have been wildly opposed by conservatives and the Roman Catholic Church. Interested in the man moving Spain's social agenda? The BBC has a great profile of this unusual leader.

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Front Page: UNC Remembers, Spain and Zimbabwe's Elections

CitizenSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:00:29 -0800

At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, thousands of students attended a memorial service this morning to remember student body president Eve Carson. Carson was shot and killed in a suburban neighborhood near campus. At this point, the police have no leads and consider it a random crime. The UNC Chancellor said during the gathering, "The death of any parent's child or any student is a tragedy, but this is a tragedy magnified and multiplied by the number and depths of the relationships, meaningful relationships, that Eve Carson had on this campus. Eve Carson personified the Carolina spirit. ... She felt the very pulse and heartbeat of this university."
Spain heads into the final day of campaigning before Sunday's general election. Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is seeking a second term amid questions about the slowing economy. Inflation and unemployment are the highest they've been in nearly a decade. Recent polls however show the Socialists with a four-point lead.
In other global election news, Zimbabwe has banned election observers from Western countries from monitoring proceedings later this month. At this point, only African countries would be allowed monitors, along with allies such as China, Iran and Venezuela. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, 84, says he suspects that Western countries are trying to remove him from government.