Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). A peaceful transition to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco FRANCO in 1975, and rapid economic modernization (Spain joined the EU in 1986) gave Spain a dynamic and rapidly growing economy and made it a global champion of freedom and human rights. The government continues to battle the Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) terrorist organization, but its major focus for the immediate future will be on measures to reverse the severe economic recession that started in mid-2008.
From the CIA World Fact Book.
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Ukraine sets fire to a Ministry of Defense helicopter in Moscow. Whoa. That’s close. The Russian who fell off before they hit the mine is thanking his lucky stars. Housekeeping is going to be pissed at the mess. Russian soldier discovers an effective...
by quaoar
 88 comments
on Fri Apr 26, 2024 at 01:48 PM PDT
with 416 Recommends
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I can understand not wanting to part with a Patriot system, but the chances that Russia will attack Spain or Greece anytime in the foreseeable future are remote. That’s a hell of a smoke screen. The “Kommuna” salvage and recovery ship may have...
by quaoar
71 comments
on Mon Apr 22, 2024 at 01:42 PM PDT
with 328 Recommends
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In the Spanish town of León, locals toast Easter with a ‘Kill Jews’ cocktail The Holy Week before Easter is Spain’s paramount religious period. Celebrations in the ancient northwestern city of León — population about 124,000 now — offer a...
by mettle fatigue
74 comments
on Mon Apr 01, 2024 at 03:30 PM PDT
with 36 Recommends
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Ukrainian drones struck a Russian military airfield in Engels, about 700 km northeast of Kharkiv. No word yet on whether any bombers were damaged or destroyed. A Russian assault group tries to take a building held by anti-Putin militias in the Belgorod...
by quaoar
86 comments
on Wed Mar 20, 2024 at 01:31 PM PDT
with 409 Recommends
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SEE UPDATES AT FOOT OF DIARY _______________________________________________ CNN 3 days ago World Central Kitchen & Open Arms ship carrying aid to Gaza depart from Cyprus Summarizing this and later articles, a former...
by mettle fatigue
14 comments
on Sun Mar 17, 2024 at 11:17 AM PDT
with 29 Recommends
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Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and JeremyBloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to)...
by annetteboardman
19 comments
on Fri Feb 23, 2024 at 09:17 PM PST
with 55 Recommends
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As first reported in the New Voice of Ukraine, and now being picked up by the international media, including the Guardian: A Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine last year in a secret operation has been found dead in Spain, according to the...
by Irontortoise
88 comments
on Mon Feb 19, 2024 at 02:18 PM PST
with 294 Recommends
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Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and JeremyBloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to)...
by annetteboardman
9 comments
on Fri Feb 16, 2024 at 09:36 PM PST
with 27 Recommends
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Guest: Attorney Ernest A. Canning on that and this week's 'Insurrectionist Disqualification' hearing at SCOTUS Also: Relentless rain continues drench SoCal Trump's rigged NV GOP Primary/Caucuses... Today on The BradCast: Bad news from the DC Court of...
by TheBradBlog
4 comments
on Tue Feb 06, 2024 at 07:06 PM PST
with 5 Recommends
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Prof. Juan Cole hasn’t yet published an essay dealing with the Friday ruling by The International Court of Justice that “at least some of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing war against Hamas could fall within the terms of the...
by Philip Munger
217 comments
on Fri Jan 26, 2024 at 04:25 PM PST
with 42 Recommends
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On September 27th, 1981, the first ever French TGV with passengers left Gare de Lyon in Paris on the way to the city of Lyon, reaching speeds of up to 260 kilometers per hour on its 400-kilometer journey. It marked a new era of train travel and train...
by Neon Neo
38 comments
on Sat Jan 20, 2024 at 08:40 PM PST
with 33 Recommends
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Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and JeremyBloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to)...
by annetteboardman
10 comments
on Fri Dec 08, 2023 at 08:55 PM PST
with 31 Recommends
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If it feels like the whole world is burning, that’s because it is. With hot conflicts in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, it sadly seems like South America wants to get in on some of that action. In short, Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro...
by kos
153 comments
on Fri Dec 08, 2023 at 11:31 AM PST
with 311 Recommends
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We’re number one! The United States leads the list of the 10 countries with the most oil spills from 1903 to 2023, according to the results of a new study compiled in the U.K. The U.S., the biggest oil producer in the world, has clocked up 108 oil...
by Dan Bacher
8 comments
on Fri Nov 24, 2023 at 08:43 AM PST
with 13 Recommends
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A Ukrainian JDAM takes out a Russian command post in Nova Mayachka, which is southeast of Krynky on the left bank of the Dnipro River and east of the Oleshky Sands park. Nice shiny new mortars from Spain. Only the best shrapnel for the occupiers. Hmm....
by quaoar
57 comments
on Wed Nov 22, 2023 at 01:35 PM PST
with 445 Recommends
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Now No more the foreign sun does meddle at our earth, Enforce the green and bring the fallow land to birth, Nor winter yet weigh all with silence the pine bough From Archibald MacLeish, “Immortal Autumn” Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew...
by annetteboardman
17 comments
on Fri Nov 17, 2023 at 10:01 PM PST
with 20 Recommends
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Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and JeremyBloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to)...
by annetteboardman
12 comments
on Fri Oct 20, 2023 at 09:34 PM PDT
with 29 Recommends
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Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and JeremyBloom. Alumni editors include (but not limited to)...
by annetteboardman
11 comments
on Fri Oct 27, 2023 at 09:55 PM PDT
with 32 Recommends
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UPDATE: re-editing to link to Help Organizations for Israelis & Palestinians by kosak Pam LaPier, posted Fri, Oct 13, [Donate to] World Central Kitchen Delivering in Israel & Gaza posted Nov 3 by Solarman55 NPR- Nov 9, 2023 “...Among those...
by mettle fatigue
7 comments
on Fri Oct 13, 2023 at 08:02 PM PDT
with 31 Recommends
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My god, the stupid it burns. Turkey flooding Greece Spain Bulgaria Paris
by Pakalolo
248 comments
on Wed Sep 06, 2023 at 02:08 AM PDT
with 463 Recommends
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