Spanish New Snippets

Spanish TV viewers need to retune their boxes from March 1
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By h.b. - Feb 27, 2011 - 1:51 PM
The Ministry for Industry is putting more programmes on the same multiplex channels

Television viewers in Spain will have to retune their TDT digital terrestrial boxes from March 1 as some channels have been ordered to move in order to free broadcasting space.

The channels to move are Teledeporte, Veo 7, AXN and Interconomía, which have been broadcasting on multiplex frequency 66 and now have to share 67, 68, and 69.
The Industry Ministry underlines that no antenna changes are needed, just a new search for channels from the decoder.

However the AUC Communication Users Group has voiced concern about a possible loss in image quality as five channels will share a multiplex compared to the previous four, a concern dismissed by the Ministry which says each channel can carry as many as six signals.

RTVE has said the new frequency for Teledeporte will allow for improvements in vision and sound.

Read more: http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_29388.shtml#ixzz1FAloeAMO

German man shot dead at traffic lights in L'Álfás del Pi
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By h.b. - Feb 26, 2011 - 7:41 PM
A gunman on a motorbike carried out the killing according to witnesses

 

The body of a man, shot in the head, was found in a black Danish plated Mercedes at a traffic lights on the N-332 road in l’Alfás del Pi, direction Benidorm on Friday.

The Guardia Civil found the car at the El Albir traffic lights after receiving a report at 7pm. The car was found with the sun roof lowered, and the Guardia found the gun cartridges nearby.
Emergency workers from SAMU could only confirm the death on their arrival at the scene.
A statement from the Guardia Civil confirmed the body showed signs of violence and had been shot. They said victim was a 45 year old German man who worked locally in a second hand car dealership in El Albir.
Witnesses say that man was shot by a gunman who was riding pillion on a motorbike, when he stopped at the red light. One of the witnesses said the motorbike had no number plate.
The Guardia Civil say they think it was the result of a settling of criminal scores.

Read more: http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_29385.shtml#ixzz1FAmVFihC

Demonstrating Spanish Airport Workers threaten strike action at Easter
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By h.b. - Feb 26, 2011 - 1:31 PM
The AENA workers are angry at plans to privatise the Spanish Airports Authority

 

Workers in AENA, the Spanish Airports Authority have announced demonstrations and strike action over Easter in protest at what they say is inflexibility from the Government over plans to partially privatise the operation.

Union representative in AENA from CCOO, César Revuelta, UGT, Raúl Gómez and USO, Viniana Sanz, speaking at a demonstration march held in Madrid on Saturday between Atocha and Puerta del Sol, that they will start strike action at Easter and continue it until the Summer, over the period of the local and regional elections.

Some 3,000 attended the march, with some 30 coaches bringing workers from airports and air traffic control towers across the country, with speakers blaming the Government for the strike call. 

One of the chants was against José Blanco, the Development Minister who has come up with the privatisation plans – ‘Así gobierna Blanco, por decreto como Franco’.

Read more: http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_29380.shtml#ixzz1FAnd4M7Q

Government to reduce maximum speed limit to 110 km/hr
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By h.b. - Feb 25, 2011 - 6:47 PM
The measure is part of energy saving plans approved by the cabinet on F

 

The Spanish Government has announced it is to reduce the maximum speed on Spain’s motorways from the current 120 km/hr to 110 km/hr to save fuel.

The decision was approved in the Friday cabinet meeting as part of packet of urgent energy-saving measures which the Government considers necessary given the unrest in North Africa and the Middle East.

The new speed limit is described as ‘transitory’, and so illuminated signs and stickers will be used to advise drivers of the change. All motorways in the country are affected, irrespective of whether they are owned by the State, a regional administration or privately. The Government has admitted that it does not know when the measure will be lifted. It has been reported that the cost of changing each road sign will be about 140 €, plus IVA/VAT.

Also approved is a 5% cut in the prices of local commuter cercanías and medium distance trains with RENFE, the State railway company.

The cabinet has also announced a target of 7% biofuel use.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, has insisted that there is no risk of petrol or gas supplies running out and claimed that the lower speed limit will see savings of 15% in petrol and 11% in diesel.

The new measures come into force on March 7.

Read more: http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_29378.shtml#ixzz1FAoU9SKN