News, September 2007

September 28th, general news roundup.

Inflation 2.7% (from 2.2%) after cereal and fuel rises; trial begins of ETA terrorists Juan Antonio Olarra Guridi and Ainhoa Múgica Goñi, authors of the 1995 Vallecas bomb in Madrid which killed 6 marines and wounded 44 civilians; high speed rail strike this weekend; The Police gave concert in Barcelona Olympic Stadium to 55,000; snow in north, but temperatures will rise again; 27th: 16 pensioners injured as 2 coaches in convoy collide in Alicante - they were returning to the north from holiday in Benidorm; Violence resumes in Basque Country: cars and skips burnt, power catenary on rail line broken; 2 presumed ETA members identified in Lleida; 'El Orfanato' candidate for Oscars; 26th: 2 dead soldiers (in Afghan attack) given state funeral; farmers plan more winter wheat planting after EU set-aside rules change; Spanish tourist photo causes new short-lived hopes in the 'Madeleine saga'; 25th: ETA bomb explodes in Zarautz, Basque Country; finance minister Solbes presents 2008 budget to Cortes; Zapatero in New York for UN assembly; ex-president Suarez -who managed transition to democracy- is 75 - he is now badly affected by alzheimer; skipper of cayuco in which 10 died is jailed for homicide; 24th: 13 linked with ETA terrorism and street violence arrested in France - 6 presumed terrorists; 2 Spanish soldiers killed in Afghanistan; 28 dead on roads over weekend; emergency declared as Almuñecar (Granada coast) severely flooded - heavy rains now moved to Balearics; 54 migrants reach Tenerife - one dead; Rato (IMF) warns Spanish economy will be hit by world crisis in 2008; new 'Metro' line in Palma, Mallorca, closed due to flooding -2nd time in a month- accusations of rush to be completed before May's elections; Airbus warning - Spanish warning could be hit further by strong Euro; Richard Gere gets tremendous welcome in San Sebastian (film festival).

Other recent news includes: 21st: Marbella's former mayor Muñoz released on bail in 'Malaya' construction corruption case; judge releases lad who burnt photos of royal family without limits pending fast track trial; Barcelona's main Vall d'Hebron hospital reduced to flashlights by fire; Basque paper Gara says ETA promised during ceasefire to dismantle military structure in return for progress on political goals (government would not be blackmailed away from democratic process); Spain rapped over knuckles by EU for obstruction of Endesa takeover by Enel and Acciona; hail storm injures 18 in Marbella - recently hail damaged large fruit farms in north east; 20th: ETA extorsion letters reach businesses - now also outside Basque Country and Navarre; Al Quaida threatens Spaniards in North Africa - including enclaves; house prices in Barcelona fall 2%; estate agents Llanera, sponsors of British football club Charlton Athletic and owners of much Mediterranean coast development land, in deep water as property sales fall 75%; forest fires burnt half the area this year, but lack of rain means risk remains high; carpark at Madrid's Terminal T4 reopens 9 months after ETA bomb; Zeltia's Yondelis drug approved by EU in cancer fight - first drug produced from seaweed, which attaches itself to DNA to kill cancer cell; 19th: Immigrant who set himself alight to protest work insecurity has died; Infanta Sofia presented to Virgin of Atocha, a famous idol in Madrid - this is a royal family tradition; Catholic Dioceses of Madrid and Valencia accused by Data Protection Agency of refusing to accept 'apostasy' requests -involving deletion of computer data on those becoming 'ex-Christians'; Congress deputies get above inflation pay rise; 18th Government announces first election year budget give-away: 210 Euros per month towards youth rentals; mass rapist to leave Barcelona prison on Saturday - authorities on alert; Bank of Spain says growth to moderate over coming year, but markets bounce back from yesterday's low; government and International Migration organisation launch campaign with TV ads in Senegal against emigration; Greenpeace demonstrate in Zaragoza against firm making cluster bombs; Madrid's Prado gallery starts to hang pictures in new extension - opens 30th October 17th: 102 migrants reach El Hierro, Canaries, aboard cayuco; man killed in Madrid with 3 knives in abdomen; grape harvest faces shortage of workers, despite 30% less grapes due to May storms; 22 died in traffic accidents over weekend.

14th: Rain storm in Jaén (Andalusia) - one dead, 2 missing; home-made limpet bomb found under policeman's car in Basque Country; 5 Civil Guards arrested for smuggling; 400 Catalan 'independentists' burn photos of royal family as King Juan Carlos opens Girona University; 13th: 4 soldiers injured in Afghanistan accident; Jon Josu Imaz, president of Basque party PNV, resigns; 2 employers arrested for death of non-contracted worker on building site; inflation steady at 2.2%; rain in south cools after summer heat; Barcelona local rail services continue with problems after resumption of full timetable; 12th: Jerusalem's Holocaust Museum gets Principe de Asturias Concord prize; 134 migrants reach coasts aboard patera open boats; judges demand that official flags fly on government buildings in accord with law; health ministry to phase in free dental checks and fillings to children (so far just extractions are free); 11th: New 'Bachillerato' (high school level course) announced to keep more teenagers in school and off unemployment register; Spain escapes OECD downgrading of growth prospects, markets take breather; civil guard arrest 2 Moroccans bringing over 2 tonnes of hashish ashore in Castellón; 18 members of drug ring arrested in Ibiza -they controlled much of the trade in the disco scene and 30 civil guards had infiltrated the group; 10th: ETA 80 kilo bomb deactivated in Logroño after warning to Basque paper Gara and failure of ignition device; Dalai Lama visits Catalonia; yesterday sheep claimed time-old right to use route through Madrid to winter pastures.

7th: At least 10 dead as migrant patera sinks off Grand Canary; police arrest 10 and take 33 kg of heroin in largest drug find this year; worker dies on Ave high speed rail works accident in Galicia; Infanta Leonor starts Kindergarden; 6th: Zapatero says Spain's economy is ready to face a crisis, finance minister Solbes speaks of uncertainty; markets -and mortgage holders- relieved by ECB decision not to raise rates; boat reaches Canaries with 80 illegals on board; daughter of convicted rapist Tony King drowns in Mijas pool -aged 10; generalist web portal in Balearics found to be selling erotic photos of youngsters - it also advertises local government services; divorce rate up to one every 3.19 minutes; 5th: Fishing boat sinks off Cadiz - 3 dead, 5 missing; Cahors 4 could get life in France, without even being extradited for Spanish crimes, such as the Madrid Airport bombing; ETA continues to send out extorsion letters to Basque businessmen; EU to protect Lynx; 4th: ETA's main base in Cahors, France discovered and leading activists arrested; Mahmoud Slimane, 3/11 terrorist, gets provisional liberty; money falsifier band arrested - they distributed 400,000 Euros; desperate, jobless immigrant sets himself on fire in front of government offices; 269 dead on roads in August -19 more than last year; estate agents Fincas Corral announce closures of 250 out of 300 offices - and accused of failing to pay rent.

Earlier news headlines: click here.