Today on EITb

Here you have one more digest:

Smoke cloud from British blast toward the Basque Country

A huge smoke cloud from a British fuel depot fire has drifted over Brittany and Normandy in northwestern France and is headed toward the Basque Country, and could reach it in 48 hours; France's national weather service said on Monday.

Some smoke also passed over Belgium, officials said. The main cloud is expected to pass through western France and head out over the Atlantic Ocean, though some fumes will likely also reach the Basque Country in 48 hours, said Francoise Benichou, chief deputy of forecasting at Meteo France.

Two Basque mountaineers killed in avalanche in eastern Spain

Spanish police found Monday morning the corpses of the two Basque mountaineers missing Unai Otamendi Otegi, aged 32 years old, and Joxean Azkue Arrastoa, aged 38 years old, buried by an avalanche, some kilometers far from the mountain pass of El Portalet in the Spanish region of Huesca.

Spanish police started searching for the mountaineers on Monday early in the morning after the wife of one of the mountaineers reported them missing Sunday night. Both had left for the mountain pass of El Portalet in Huesca, Eastern Spain, last December 8 to practice ski mountaineering, the Spanish government's office in Huesca said.

Liverpool in Japan for the title not the yen

European champions Liverpool arrived in Tokyo on Monday, tired but determined to add the FIFA Club World Championship to the trophy cabinet at their ground, Anfield. Basque midfielder Xavi Alonso, still injured, is likely to drop off.

Liverpool are hoping their involvement in the six-team competition will attract investment in the club, although Parry kept talk of business to a minimum upon the team's arrival. "First and foremost, this is a competitive trip and not a commercial trip," Parry told reporters. "It's not about raising revenues. It's not about money. It's about trophies."

Trial against Basque left-wing organizations resumes Monday evening

The hearing in the 18/98 case is to be resumed Monday evening with the suspects responsible for the closed newspaper Egin -accused of being the front for fund-raising and other support for ETA- taking the stand this week.

The first suspect to take the stand is Jesus Maria Zalakain Garaikoetxea, who is facing a sentence of 48 years in jail. Nine suspects will follow Zalakain, all of them responsible for the closed newspaper Egin. Xabier Alegria, main responsible for the newspaper, facing 51 years in jail and charged with membership of ETA and tax fraud, will be last of the suspects to take the stand.

Osasuna extend perfect home record this season

Javier Aguirre's Osasuna made it eight wins out of eight at El Sadar to equal their best home run in 22 seasons thanks to an early goal from Pierre Webo. The Cameroon striker clipped the ball over Toni Prats after the Mallorca keeper scuffed a clearance into his path with just five minutes on the clock.

Osasuna dominated throughout and regularly threatened with their slickly worked counter-attacks, but despite a host of clear scoring chances they were unable to extend their lead.

There you have it!

Friendly reminder, click on the title of each news note if you want to read it as published.

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One by Txiribiton

He has been earning some accolades for this excellent picture of Sopelana in Bizkaia, he deserves every and each one of them.

By Txiribiton.

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Jon de Cortina

This is a July 20, 2005 picture of Jesuit priest Jon de Cortina, 71, of Spain, who died Monday, Dec. 12, 2005 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Cortina was born in the Basque country and has lived in El Salvador since the 1960s. Cortina was the director of the Pro-Search Association, a group that since war's end has conducted searches for children allegedly abducted by armed forces. (AP Photo)

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Mundua eta Musika

An adventure that started out a couple of years ago.

Jose Santacara, who departed from his town of Carcastillo in Nafarroa (Navarre) to go across five continents, is today a guest of the land of the pheasant and the deer.

He drove through 42 countries in Europe, Asia, Oceania and America.

The cronichles of his wanderings around the world can be found at his website Mundua eta Musika. The page is published in Euskera (Basque), Spanish and French and in each stage you can listen to music tracks from the place he was visiting then.

After the American continent is completed (only the USA and Canada will be left after departing Mexico) he will be back to Euskal Herria to plan the trip that will take him to Africa.

If you can read any of the languages mentioned and/or if you are interested in the music from around the world, don't miss the chance to visit the site.

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Udalbiltza's Push for Nationhood

Very interesting note, indeed.

Loren Arkotxa, leader of Udalbiltza, the first Basque national institution, told Berria that his organization is ready to present the request for nationhood for Euskal Herria to the UN.

Here you have the note:

Arkotxa: “We are going to proclaim our nationhood in the UN and request that it be recognised”

The Udalbiltza continues its work, difficulties notwithstanding. Its chairman, Loren Arkotxa, is proud of the work it has done and upbeat about the future

Aitziber Laskibar – DURANGO (Bizkaia)

We met Loren Arkotxa (Ondarroa, Bizkaia, 1945) on Spanish Constitution Day (December 6). Before going to the demo called by the Bai Euskal Herriari (Yes to the Basque Country) initiative in Durango, he told us that the demand for Basque nationhood would lead to practical results “sooner rather than later”. That is the context in which the campaign Udalbiltza is due to launch tomorrow is set. They will be requesting that Basque nationhood be recognised in the UN. On the other hand, he is optimistic and hopeful about the resolution of the Basque conflict, even though he reckons he has a “70% chance” of being sent to prison, in view of how the 18/98 is progressing.

Now that the Udalbiltza has been in existence for six years, you have been quoted as saying that one era has come to an end and that another cycle will be starting. What has the past era been and what can one expect of the new one?

The Udalbiltza was founded six years ago. When it was founded, it had to fill many gaps. And these six years have been truly fruitful for the Udalbiltza and, in my view, what the Udalbiltza has given has also been fruitful. In other words, at that time significant players were thin on the ground, although that is not the case today. For instance, the Conflict Resolution Commission and the National Development Council that have been created out of the Forum for National Debate, which has a National Plan today. This has filled many gaps and that is where our work and efforts have been directed from the very start. On the other hand, the Udalbiltza has struck deals to collaborate with many other social players. Even though the public at large has many players, what was needed was one that somehow linked them in a national perspective. And that is why we are saying that a period has somehow been completed. And from now on we will have to pursue other lines. In other words, the Udalbiltza will be moving towards its natural position; in other words, municipal work and the work of municipal elected representatives from the perspective of the whole of Euskal Herria. The Udalbiltza is obviously not an Eudel. It does not simply look to municipalities, but is also an institution to conduct work on a national level for the whole of the Euskal Herria from the town councils. I think the elected municipal representatives are active elements. (…)

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Nothing to Grin About

Or maybe there is.

Paul Schmelzer, author of blog "Eyeteeth: A Journal of Incisive Ideas" makes a point on his post "Smile, you're in hell".

Here you have what he says:

Giselle just dropped off this ad for Tourismo Madrid, torn from a travel magazine. The headline seems to suggest viewing Picasso's Guernica, a visceral depiction of Franco's 1937 massacre of 1600 civilians in the Basque city of the same name, is something to grin about.

I agree, nothing to grin about.

But there is something positive, someone is at least counting the Basque casualties in the conflict.

They remained quite forgotten for a long time, just count how many Basques (or Roma for that matter) appear in the slew of movies about the Holocaust.

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One By Luistxo

I decided to start posting here the pictures that appear at Flickr with the tag Basque.

They already appear at Yahoo Blog Results and at Technorati, so why not here also. Plus, so far I only posted pictures that appear at Yahoo News.

So, we are going to start with one by Luistxo, the blogger behind the blog called "The English Cemetary".

Here you have it, it has to do with the Euskararen Nazioarteko Eguna.

By Luistxo

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Gaur, Euskararen Nazioarteko Eguna

Not being able to speak Euskera, the Basque language, will not stop this blogger from joining the thousands of Basques celebrating its International Day.

Here you have a text by Berria:

Euskararen Eguna da gaurkoa

Eusko Ikaskuntzaren ekimena izan zen abenduaren 3a Euskararen Nazioarteko Egun izendatzea. Zehazki, 1948an Baionako batzarrean hartutakoa. Denbora asko igaro da ordutik, baina oraindik euskarak bultzada handien beharrean segitzen du. Gaur hainbat ekitaldi egingo dira egun hori dela eta, baina handienak atzo egin ziren: Bilboko Erakustazoka zaharrean ekitaldi ofiziala egin zen, agintari ugari han zirela. Eusko Legebiltzarrak, berriz, deklarazio instituzionala onartu zuen euskararen aldeko konpromisoa bereganatuz.

Esan bezala, gaur ere izango dira ekitaldiak. Esate baterako, Bilboko Plaza Barrian euskara ardatz duen jaia egingo da egunean zehar. Gure artean euskaraz jartzen duten eskuturrekoak ere banatuko dituzte. Athleticeko jokalariek, berriz, euskararen aldeko pankarta aterako dute gaurko partidaren hasieran.

Gora Euskal Herria!

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Euskararen Nazioarteko Eguna

The newly created EuskoSare is working hard to advance the use of Euskera, the Basque language.

They have called for December 3rd to become Euskera Day.

Here you have the information:

Join the campaign in support of Euskara that will be carried out until December 3rd

In support of Euskara, this initiative is a campaign open to all that will conclude on December 3rd when International Euskara Day will be celebrated. Using EuskoSare, Eusko Ikaskuntza proposes a series of actions to help spread the message to the entire world in support of the Basque language.

On December 3rd, International Euskara Day (Euskararen Nazioarteko Eguna) will be celebrated in many different parts of the world. This celebration was created by Eusko Ikaskuntza-Society of Basque Studies in 1948 and held its first celebration in 1949 with ceremonies held in cities from all parts of the world. Since then and with the addition of entities, institutions, and Basque organizations from different countries, the celebration has become more powerful each time.

After this 2005 edition, Eusko Ikaskuntza proposes to actively use today's modern technology. That is why EuskoSare will be the tool for promoting the Basque language. In order achieve that, there is a separate section dedicated within this site:

www.euskosare.org/ene

You can participate in this celebration by one of the following ways:

Visit and spread the word on the International Euskara Day section of Euskosare.

Endorse the Institutional Declaration of Eusko Ikaskuntza.

Show your support for Euskara by means of brief text messaging.

Participate on December 3rd: Global Campaign of Text Messaging via cell phones and email with the slogan "Get hooked on Euskara!"

May the message in support of the Basque language reach millions of people that day!

The author of this blog joins this campaign.

Let Euskera grow strong!

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Today on EITb

Here you have some of the notes published in English by EITb:

Ex Basque Parliament head expecting peace process

The former president of the Basque Parliament, Juan Maria Atutxa, has been interviewed on TV. There he has affirmed there have been "important moves" in favour of a peace process.

Thus, he sees the Spanish president "completely convinced" and "taking risks" to reach an agreement, while within outlawed Batasuna he feels "some will" that must be accompanied by facts.

Basque Parliament supports homosexuals' right to get married

The Basque Parliament has approved a proposal in favour of the right of homosexuals to get married. There they condemn those attempts carried out by different sectors to oppose their marriage.

The vote has been secret following the petition of the Socialist Party, and although parliamentarians have supported their respective parties' stance, two of them have abstained.

Center for Basque Studies to hold press conference in Bilbao

The Center for Basque Studies of the University of Nevada, Reno will be holding a press conference on Monday, December 5th at Euskaltzaindia’s Bilbao location (Plaza Barria, 15) to present this year’s publications, thirteen in all.

The event beginning at 12:00pm will be attended by Center director, Joseba Zulaika, along with a number of authors including: Mari Jose Olaziregi, Gabriel Gatti, Iñaki Martinez de Albeniz, Pedro Ibarra, Jon Azua, Javier Viar, Joxerra Garzia, and Agustin Oiarzabal. Press kits will be provided to journalists in attendance.

Basque government to create innovation agency

Basque president Juan José Ibarretxe announced that the regional executive was planning to start an innovation agency in which private and public material would be shared with local businesses and that would "synthesize the progress made over the last six years" in information technologies, R&D+I and quality. Ibarretxe announced that the new organization would "try to measure quality while enabling us to take the region's temperature to get daily updates on our progress in these areas."

Basque rock band Doctor Deseo releases Metamorfosis

Úbiqa tecnología, ideas y comunicación, member of Basque audiovisual cluster EIKEN, launches Basque rock band Doctor Deseo's latest CD-DVD. The veteran group of Bilbao releases its eighth album, Metamorfosis. It is a live concert that was performed on January 18th at Bilbao's Arriaga Theatre.

The concert is dedicated to the fans that have closely followed the band's 18-year career. Metamorfosis is a compilation of the group's all-time greatest hits.

Remember, to read the entire note you can click on the title of each digest.

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