News, October, 2005

October 31st, resumé.

(Sport news click more) Infanta Leonora born 12.30 to prince Felipe and Letizia in Madrid; Telefónica buys O2; 27 tonnes of hachish found at Algeciras; 28th: Constitutional Court accepts PP recourse over homosexual marriage law; Spanish airlines begin to give passenger lists to immigration officals ahead of arrivals; traffic jams mark start of long weekend (ends Tuesday); 27th: Fishermen sign deal after hours of negotiations with government - millions lost, hopes for return to work in the ports; 70 illegals detained on Granada coast from 2 pateras; 26th: Basque ports also blockaded; former Basque speaker and interior councillor Atutxa faces judge today on Batasuna protection and judicial disobediance charges; 25th: 4 bombs explode in Basque Country, presumably ETA; Spain celebrates Internet Day, but over half the population still 'off-line'; government gives web a facelift; all Med. ports blocked by fishermen's fuel strike - Balearics cut off; Banco Santander makes record profits on back of Abbey takeover; 24th: ETA reveals location of grenade launcher not found by police on 12th at Zaragoza airport; PP launches half million Euro publicity campaign against Catalan Estatut; fishermen blockade ports to highlight demand for cheaper fuel 21st: Defence minister Bono presides over Trafalgar 200 tribute in Cadiz with regional president and French and British ambassadors; Prince of Asturias prizes today.

Other recent news includes: 20th: 44 million tourists in 1st 9 months beats record; 19th: Cortes accept Catalan Estatut without remit to Constitutional Tribunal; new terminal at Madrid airport to open 29th Jan, doubling airport's capacity to 70 million passengers p.a.; 18th: Water reserves rise -but by only 0.3%- for first time in months, due to Hurricane Vince; more heavy rain hits northern Costa Brava; JITters: truckers on strike, have agreed deal with government, but still have to agree with shippers (clients) - Mercedes and Citroen works already at standstill; Spain to buy up to 10 million bird flu jabs; Spanish NATO contingent to help earthquake victims in Pakistan; 14th: at least 5 immigrants dead as building collapses in Barcelona;

Torrent at Calonge (Costa Brava) where a lady died and cars were washed into the sea (Rendon)

[Image 15???]8th: (BBC)Kofi Annan speaks out in favour of humane treatment of the sub-Saharans ; 61 detained landing on Granada coast from patera; Valencia Palau de les Arts concert hall (and more) opened by queen Sofia; 7th: NGOs denounce Marocco for deporting sub-Saharans to middle of desert - in response to Spain's new deportation to Marocco plan; 53 illegals detained on Granada shoreline; Gerry Adams praises Zapatero's 'willingness' to enter dialogue with ETA; Iberia ground crew cuts to affect up to 2,500; 6th: 6 shot dead by Maroccan forces in 3 new 'attacks' on Melilla fence by 1000 sub-Saharans - bring major changes in Spanish reaction: see separate article; Zapatero to change Catalan Estatut's article one, claiming Catalonia is a Nation; UK's National Express bus group buys Spain's ALSA; 5th: New 'avalanche' of 400 subsaharans against Melilla fence - 100 got through; Catalan 'Estatut' handed to Cortes today, presidents Zapatero and Maragall met in Madrid; 4th: Atutxa, former Basque speaker and Interior Councillor leaves politics - a court case hangs over him for his refusal to expel Batasuna deputies from the Basque house; Melilla government plans 3rd fence to keep illegals at bay; unemployment down; Madrid's central Puerta del Sol, where New Year celebrations -and many demonstrations- are held, to be closed for 2 years from mid-November while a rail tunnel and station are built; 3rd: Harriet Aguirre, number 2 in ETA's military structure and Idoia Mendizábal, recognised killer, arrested in French police operation; 350 out of about 700 attackers succeed in crossing Melilla fence, while 7 Civil Guards are wonded by stones; meanwhile, 270 illegals arrive on Spanish beaches in pateras; annular eclipse seen over central Spain today is first since 1777 - thousands watched; 15 tonne rock falling on road traps 300 Mallorca tourists for hours on Formentor peninsula - none hurt.

Sport:

Fernando Alonso at a Silverstone presentation