Spain sets out 8.9bn euros of new austerity measures

 Spain's new conservative government has outlined 8.9bn euros ($11.5bn, £7.5bn) in new spending cuts and tax rises to lower the country's borrowing. The announcement is the first in a wave of austerity measures, with a total of 16.5bn euros to be cut in 2012. It also said Spain's 2011 deficit will be about 8% of its output - higher than the 6% seen by the previous government. The Popular Party last month ousted the Socialists from power at elections amid deep economic gloom. The government of new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to meet Spain's target of reducing the public deficit to 4.4% of gross domestic product in 2012, no...

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Rail union CGT has called strike action in Renfe Spanish Railways over the Christmas break.

 It will be 24 hours on Friday 30, and in addition personnel who sell tickets and work giving information to the public at the stations will also take Christmas Day and New Year’s Day from 5am to 00.45am. CGT says that with these measures they want to show their rejection of the ‘segregation of the workers and the privatisations in the public railway service’. Union General Secretary, José Manuel Muñoz, said that one key demand is for Renfe to sign an agreement with the Catalan Government which would guarantee that RENFE will continue to be the local Cercanías line operator in the regi...

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Huelva is best known for possessing some of the finest beaches of the Costa de la Luz

Starting in the west, Huelva is best known for possessing some of the finest beaches of the Costa de la Luz. It’s the Atlantic here, so forget the promenade-fringed strands of the Costa del Sol and think of swathes of golden sand, backed by dunes, with a warm breeze that is a magnet for windsurfers. The small resorts here are separated by large tracts of coastal wilderness, including some of Spain’s most ecologically important areas. One of these is the huge Doñana National Park, a wetland area with significant birdlife, along with animals such as the endangered Iberian lynx. Cádiz shares the Costa de la Luz but also has a calmer coast facing...

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