Spain's Rajoy faces second doomed confidence vote

Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will on Friday make his second attempt this week to win the confidence of parliament to form a government, though the conservative leader's likely failure will start the countdown toward another election. After inconclusive national elections in December and then in June, a stand-off between rival parties is edging Spain closer to another ballot at a time when the eight-month political deadlock is already threatening an economic recovery. Rajoy, leader