News, April 2005

April 29th, resumé.

(Sport news click more) 6 million trips expected: Spain off for long hot (30ºC) and sunny weekend - Monday national and Tuesday Madrid holidays; 28th: Socialist leader in Senate may introduce changes to gay marriage law to reach broader consensus - widely criticised at present, especially by all religious groups; 2 presumed ETA terrorists arrested in France; Congress ratifies EU Constitution; El Mundo reveals that ex members of ETA related Batasuna party were involved in the PCTV's election team, although not in its lists of candidates in the recent Basque elections; 5541 foreign children adpoted last year; 100 driving schools accused of putting 12,000 false licences into circulation - 24 arrested; 27th: 3 boats with 147 would-be immigrants intercepted off south coast; 10 kids infected with TB by teacher in Barcelona kindergarden; latest population statistics show 650,000 more migrated to Spain in 2004.

Other recent news includes: 26th:Trial of 8 youths accused of bullying begins in San Sebastian - the 'victim' committed suicide; 300 tourists evacuate Costa Brava hotel due to fire - none hurt; Spanish diplomat disappears in Colombia; 25th: 'Abu Dahdah' in dock on 2nd day of macro Al Quaeda trial - he says he likes drinking tea.. with Islamist leasders; Araiz Zubimendi Izaga, presumed ETA leader, extradited from France; 2 Britons arrested in Marbella for money laundering;
22nd:Vatican appeals to all registrars to refuse to marry homosexuals; Macro Al Quaeda cell trial starts today: presumed member Taysir Alony released at start of trial on health grounds; Mohamed Achraf extradited from Switzerland on similar charges; Government publishes bill banning smoking from all work places next year; Gibraltar bank director arrested in Spain on laundering charges, but Gibraltar denies the arrest; new proposals from EU offer hope that Spain could receive Structural Funds two years longer; 21st: Congress approves Gay marriage law; regional elections called for Galicia on 19th June; ex-president Aznar sworn in as life member of the Council of State, a kind of consultative trustee body related to the Crown; 27 intoxicated by fumes in indoor pool at hotel in Salou, Costa Dorada; 20th: Basque Lehendakari wants to attempt governing in minority coalition of PNV_EA_EB; 19th: Adolfo Scilinger condemned by National Court to 640 years for his involvement in death flights during Argentine dictatorship; 4 kids -one already dead- and 4 pregnant women on open boat which washes ashore at Tarifa in the Straits, more found later; 3-11 commission resumes investigation into last year's terrorist attack; public prosecutor wants to reopen military tribunal cases from Franco era; 18th: Stalemate in Basque Elections;
15th: Catalan government gives flats to 29 families whose flats collapsed in February when tunnelling a new line for the Barcelona Metro subway line; 21 arrested in Barcelona for involvement in cocaine smuggling from Colombia; smoking among teenagers has grown 40% in 15 years; 14th: Over 100 illegals found landing from open boats on south coast - among them 4 babies; Banco Santander boss Emilio Botin absolved in SCH pensions case; man arrested for cruel murder of his wife and children; 2 Spaniards awarded Geneva silver prize for inventions by designing an 'off-road' wheel chair, able to cope with steps and the like; 6 chimpanzees escape from Valencia zoo; 11th: 50kg of ETA titadyne explosive found in garage near San Sebastian; 8th: big press coverage given in Spain to the Pope's funeral, but 7 special flights and a ship were cancelled after Spaniards generally stayed away, reflecting the fact that only 18% of the population now attend Mass anything like regularly.

Sport:

Football (soccer): Madrid still failing to make up the 6 points needed to catch up Barça's League leadership, with 5 games to go.
Motor: F1 Barcelona GP: tickets sold out after Fernando Alonso has won 3 out of 4 races so far this season- Michael Schumacher right behind him on the last occasion (Imola); Bikes: Lisbon: poor day for Spanish bikers - Pedrosa 4th, Gibernau out...; Jerez: Dani Pedrosa wins opening 250 race, Gibernau 2nd in GP after bump with winning Rossi on last round; Le Mans bikes David Checa wins.
Cycling: the 2005 Vuelta Ciclista de España course is now available at: http://www.lavuelta.com/05/ingles/recorrido/mapa.asp?e=1 , this time it includes Don Quijote's stomping grounds on the 400th anniversary of the first edition of the world's most famous novel.
Tennis 18 year old Rafa Nadal wins Montecarlo Masters and goes on to beat Ferrero in Barcelona Conde de Godó tournament
Olympics International Olympic Committee in Madrid Feb 3rd to 6th to assess 2012 hosting possibilities - optimism for selection reigns after visit! 11.2 million Euros available from national ADO olympic sponsorship scheme for 2005 - 458 people sponsored.