Monopoly shows the world how unfair life is for the poor

A RECENT series of BBC documentaries on poverty has really been shedding light on the unfairness of the world economy and the privileges those with money continue to enjoy. Capitalism today, more than ever, really is a case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. And it’s all down to the...

Iberdrola’s Bolivian blow

TWO Spanish owned electricity companies have been nationalised by the Bolivian government. The Iberdrola subsidiaries were accused by Bolivian President Evo Morales of overcharging consumers in rural communities. He said people in the countryside were paying up to three times as much for their power as...

The killer smog that made politicians clean city air up

THERE’S been a lot of reporting lately in the British media concerning the Great Smog of December 1952 which, as a twenty-two year old electrician, I experienced first-hand. Dense fogs had long been London’s particular badge of infamy, but the ‘Great’ version was literally, a killer.  Figures vary,...

Group stands by Spanish farmers

SPANISH supermarket chain Mercadona has come forward to dispel rumours that it was selling produce marked as Spanish but which had been sourced abroad. The group Boicotmercadona published an extensive report claiming that Mercadona imported oranges from Argentina all year, but claimed they were from...

Spanish take on world

SPANISH fashion group Inditex has taken €1.65 billion between February and October of 2012. This is 27 per cent more than for the same period in 2011, and is mainly thanks to improved sales in the Asian market. When asked about the secret of their success, a company spokesperson said: “We can’t see any...

The rich are getting richer

SPAIN’S rich are now 8.4 per cent richer than a year ago. The 200 richest people in Spain have €145 billion between them according to El Mundo special feature ‘Spain’s Greatest Fortunes’. In just 12 months, the stock exchange assets of Inditex owner Amancio Ortega, 76, have increased by 64 per...

Repsol chairman is named top boss

REPSOL Chairman and CEO Antonio Brufau was named Chief Executive Officer of the Year at the Platts Global Energy Awards.  This annual award, held in New York, recognises industry leadership, innovation and excellence in the energy industry. Antonio Brufau was honoured for his strategic vision and leadership...

Ship stops here… Malaga cruising up the Spanish port rankings

CRUISE LINERS are helping buck the recession in Malaga as more passengers visit the city. Dilip Kuner looks at the 2012 success story. With 700,000 passengers due to have landed at the new Malaga port by the end of the year, foreigners for the first time now outnumber Spanish tourists to the city. Cruise...

‘Bad bank’ gets name that bares all

SPAIN’S already nicknamed ‘bad bank’ by some financiers – due to be created by royal decree on November 16 – now has a proper name. The Sociedad de Gestion de Activos Procedentes de la Reestructuracion Bancaria – or SAREB – is being set up to drain off property assets from...

Hollywood jet sales rising

THE sale of luxury jets – despite the global recession – has been inching up over the last couple of years. “Our clients fly for very primal reasons that didn’t go away with the downturn,” says Aviation Portfolio’s Craig Ross, a private-jet consultant in the US. Like other rich sectors of...