News, June 2005

June 30th, resumé.

(Sport news click more) Congress approves gay marriage law, while Family Forum demonstrate again and present prosecutors with details of the death threats they have received; another law was approved permitting fast track divorces from only 3 months after marriage; also approved was the point system for driving licences and measures to counter the nationwide drought; Paris court condemns 5 ETA members to prison for dynamite robbery; Madrid's Metro announced summer closures, including shorter hours to the airport ; 29th: Family Forum hands in another 600,00 signatures (in addition to over half a million already presented) against the law on homosexual marriage, Gay Pride week takes over part of Madrid and other cities; van crashes into bus with elderly holidaymakers on board - one dead, 26 injured; 28th: After scandal surrounding arrival of postal votes for Galicia, count does not change outcome of election - Fraga goes into retirement as Socialists and regionalists confirm coalition; A3 highway closed for over 13 hours after high tension cables fall on road; 27th:Patera with 50 illegals on board detained off Almería; Saturday: ETA bomb explodes in Madrid between Olympic Stadium and offices of Decision at that time responsible for the Festimadrid evangelistic events in the city; 25th:Ibarretxe reelected Basque 'Lehendakari' (regional president).

Other recent news includes: Key events 20th to 24th: Senate rejects homosexual marriage bill; scandal surrounds Galician postal vote, still uncounted; first major forest fire of year hits Xátiva, Valencia; drought ridden Segura basin gets reprieve through 410 hectolitres of water from Tajo basin; government announces major Research project 'Compromiso Ingenio 2010'; 19th:Galicia swings left in regional election -but counting postal vote could swing it back; 1.5 million demonstrated in Madrid on 18th against homosexual marriage, according to organisers - Madrid reckoned 'over 700,000, while government refused to allow number above 166,000;

15th:16 arrested in anti islamic terrorist operation - 5 related with 3/11, the rest with Al Zarquawi; princess Letizia makes first official speech; traffic police announce of 'operation crossing the Straits', as 2 1/2 million Moroccans and 600,000 vehicles return home for the summer holidays - this lasts until 15th September; 13th 12 dead, including 6 children and 6 women in patera disaster in Straits -over 100 were on board a Zodiac; missing Basque security man found shot dead;

Madrid's Water supply! (EFE)

alarm again at low water reserves (15%) in Segura basin - responsible for supplies to La Manga tourist area (Go More news); inflation down to 3.1%; Tony King gets extended suspect detention for Sonia Carabantes death -tomorrow likely to get similar extension for Rocio Wanninckhof death (more: http://www.prayforspain.com/archive/index3.html); 12th: Spain's corner safe (for now) as UK and France fight over EU financing; security man in Basque tax office shot dead as arsonist attacks - suspect colleague sought; 225 hectares burn in Malaga forest fire;'patera with 49 illegals detained off Tarifa; boat with 3 tones of cocaine detained off Finisterre; Inditex (Zara) earns 21% more; 10th: ETA strikes at Zaragoza airport with grenade attack; crisis in Marocco relations after parliamentary delegations refused access to Saharaui camps; trial begins of kidnappers of Ortega Lara, a prison officer held for 532 days; 11M trial - spy chief says it could have been avoided had politicians taken the prior information seriously; major pile up on A4 highway south of Madrid, as two buses collide with truck -at least one dead; major homage given to Adolfo Suarez, president during the transition to democracy, who is suffering Alzheimer's disease; Sea Captain disappears from aircraft carrier Principe de Asturias, assumed overboard;

7th: Basque Lehendakari should be invested on the 22nd, although at present there is no consensus on who this should be; alert on water situation - Go More News; 2 drugs hauls from yachts in 24 hours; National Court requests 3 US soldiers to give evidence re death of journalist Jose Couso in the Iraq war- a tank fired on the Palestine hotel; Galicia regional election campaign in full swing; 6th:Major demonstration against government plans to hold peace talks with ETA; hopes high of Madrid's election as 2012 Olympic host 1st: Jamal Zougam, 3/11 bomber, declares in Al Quaida cell trial; Zapatero: May unemployment is 'best in history'.

Sport:

Olympics Madrid's hopes rise for 2012 election.

Mediterranean Games now ending in Almería: Spain third in medal list with 79, 16 gold.

Football (soccer): Betis won Copa del rey; Barcelona won League; Spain joint top of Group 7 in World Cup qualifying round.
Motor: F1 US GP: Fernando Alonso among the non-racers - he has won 4 out of 8 races so far this season and remains on top in championship; Bikes: Assen: Pedrosa 2nd in 250, Gibernau 5th in GP, Dani Pedrosa leads in 250 championship points.
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; Italian cyclist Alessio Galletti dies in attempted ascent of el Naranco de Bulnes, one of Spain's hardest climbs in Asturias.
Tennis 19 year old Rafa Nadal from Mallorca wins men's singles at Roland Garros, but failing badly on grass, out in 2nd round at Wimbledon, where Feliciano Lopez was last surviving Spaniard in men's singles.
Gymnastics Rafael Martinez wins World Championships