News, June 2006

June 30th, roundup.

(Sport news click more) First holiday month begins with heavy traffic on roads while new points system introduced tomorrow for driving licences; 29th: President Zapatero announces opening of ETA talks - most parties support government, but conservative Partido Popular and Victims' Assocoiation AVT cal this a 'sad day'; home burglaries - 'Operation Armagedon'- 83 arrested in Spain and Romania; 28th: Spain out of World Cup; Zapatero may announce start of talks with ETA today; 30 arrested (and most released on bail) in 2nd phase of 'Operation Malaya', corruption scandal involving property speculation in Marbella - 5 remain under arrest; ex president Aznar nemd board member of Murdoch's News Corp; severity of drought causes Madrid to consider Israeli use of silver iodine cristals to turn heavy atmosphere into rain over Guadarrama mountain reservoirs - it could produce up to 20% more rain; Royal Shakespeare Company in Almagro (Ciudad Real) to perform Canterbury Tales; 26th: 2 businessmen on trial for 'supporting' ETA by paying 64,000€ in revolutionary tax since the ceasefire - released without bail after first hearing; José Montilla, industry minister elected presidential candidate for next Catalan regional elections; first 'separation' order for a 'married' gay couple in Madrid; 2% of Spaniards aged between 15 and 64 use cocaine according to UN report; Brazilian gangs posing as churches enslaved immigrants.

Other recent news includes: 22nd: 4th ETA statement since March reaffirms willingness to disband but places conditions - unacceptable to government and all parties; Catalan president Maragall announces he will not stand in autumn elections - industry minister Montilla tipped as Socialist candidate in lieu; gang of 'chalet thieves' arrested in Barcelona - a spate of burglaries recently called for more and better police in the region; teenager on trial in Arganda, Madrid for blog criticism of school teachers - first libel case of this kind; 20th: 12 members of the ETA extorsion network arrested; trial of ETA members Txapote and Amaia for death of Miguel Angel Blanco continues, but they refuse to speak; yacht held with 800kg of drugs - 18 arrested; 18th: Catalonia votes 'yes' to new Estatut, if 49% can be called representative of the voters - most went to the beach or motorcycle GP; 16th: bad weather across Spain, worst ever Rissaga (mini Tsunami style tidal wave caused by sudden air pressure change) hits port of Ciutadella (Menorca) with 4 metre surge - 45 boats destroyed, port closed to ferry traffic; 15th: Zapatero announces willingness to meet ETA representatives this summer; BBC leaks report that over half Spanish egg farms have salmonella; EU summit to discuss immigration; Operation Crossing the Straits starts - this official start to holiday season with millions of North African migrants returning by ferry to their homelands is usually followed by Operation Transit, an evangelical outreach - P4S has no information to hand; 14th: ETA press release condemns French lack of interest in attending to Basque demands, but shows continued determination to reach 'the end of the process' - vice-president de la Vega considers there to be nothing new and demands total end to violence; ETA terrorists Txapote and Amaia on trial - they are accused of several deaths, including Miguel Angel Blanco, the murder which changed the course of the Basque struggle; at half time, Spain beat Ukraine 4-0; 220,000 students face university entrance exams this week; 12th: Continuing disagreement between parties makes mockery of ETA 'peace process'; more immigrants wash up on Canary coastline; Catalan politicians in last minute rush for Estatut referendum votes.

Sport:

Football (soccer): World Cup Spain defeated by France in last 16; Champions' League Barcelona beat Arsenal in final; UEFA Sevilla won first ever European trophy in centenary year; League: Barcelona won; Copa del Rey Español won.
Motor: F1 Fernando Alonso leads 2006 championship -won this weekend in Canada - 4th win in succession Bikes: Dani Pedrosa, World Champion 250, now doing well (5th) in GP category, Jorge Lorenzo doing especially well (2nd) in 250 and Bautista way out in front in 125; at Catalan GP, Spaniards Álvaro Bautista, Héctor Faubel & Sergio Gadea were on the 125 podium.
Tennis World's top clay court player Rafa Nadal continues his winning streak -beat Federer in Rome and now again at Roland Garros - but injury forced him out of Stella Artois championship; Wimbledon: Nadal seeded 2nd, but grass is not his best - through 2nd round; Conchita Martinez finally retired in May.
Yachting In new round of Americas Cup races in Valencia, Spanish Desafio among also-rans; Movistar abandoned in heavy weather due to keel failure in final leg of Volvo Ocean Race back to Portsmouth from New York; all crew safe.
Cycling: Due to doping scandal Manolo Saiz's Astaná-Würth team disqualified from the Tour.