La Vanguardia

La Vanguardia

Local

The first high speed train linking Barcelona with Paris in less than six and a half hours was made public on the 18th of December, 2013 going from the Gare de Lyon in the French capital and Sants station in Barcelona. Also put in operation on the 18th of December was lines connecting Toulouse, Marseille and Lyon. In total, five daily services each way linking 17 Spanish and French cities.  "Today is a historic day, the French and the Spaniards lived closer," said the Catalan Minister of Development Ana Pastor. "The Pyrenees have definitely ceased to be a barrier," he continued, after which he stressed that the train, as well as "quick, convenient and safe" offers "attractive prices". 

National

Seven Spanish soccer teams are being accused of receiving illegal and unlawful state aid.  Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Osasuna, Valencia, and Hercules and Elche are all being interrogated for this alleged unlawful aid by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo.  So far statements from Margallo have supported the idea that not all articles and publishing are accurate and sometimes media can misconstruct the truth.  Competition spokesman Antoine Colombani confirmed that EU executives will make decisions about public support of football in Spain however he has not declared reasons why teams are receiving unlawful state aid. (http://www.lavanguardia.com/economia/20131218/54398335717/bruselas-expedientara-a-madrid-barca-y-otros-clubes-espanoles.html)

International

The number of indirect deaths caused by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 in the prefecture of Fukushima (northern Japan) has now reached 1,605 according to a report from local authorities collected by the newspaper Mainichi.  The report of Fukushima prefecture notes that most of the deaths reported so far are due to diseases, people not receiving proper medical treatment, and decreased living conditions of the evacuees, these conditions have led to an increase in suicides as well. (http://www.lavanguardia.com/internacional/20131217/54397284892/mas-de-1-600-japoneses-alejados-de-fukushima-murieron.html)