News, August 2007

August 31st, general news roundup.

4.5 million road journeys expected this weekend as Spain returns from holiday; 4 migrant pateras intercepted off Gibraltar; fires in Castellón 'almost under control'; José Luís Vilallonga, aristocrat, writer and actor (Breakfast at Tiffany's) dies in Mallorca; molotov cocktails thrown at estate agents in Amurrio, Basque Country; Basque Socialist MEP Rosa Diez resigns from party over long-standing disagreements over ETA and joins new formation; 2nd shark alert of summer, this time in San Javier, La Manga (Murcia); 29th: Forest fire out of control in Castellón; one dead, two injured under 3 tonnes of wire in AVE rail construction work near Barcelona; woman arrested for murder of husband - unusual compared to sad data on women killed by partners; 2nd quarter growth 4% but building down 6 points to 4.6%%; funerals of football player Antonio Puerta and writer Francisco Umbral draw large crowds; Lithuanian man arrested for locking 66 year old father and small children in boot during 7 hour ferry crossing to Mallorca - fare is from 10€ when booked early; 27th: ETA sets off 150kg explosive in stolen van after Civil Guard were on track - major bombing averted; 24th: Car bomb explodes in Durango, Basque Country - 2 police slightly hurt; 21st: 380 migrants have reached shores in 2 days; French member of Batasuna arrested in relation with ETA bulletins; shark caught on Tarragona beach after causing closure for 3 days; Spanish tourists affected by 'Dean' in Cancún (Mexico); BA to fly from Madrid to USA next year; field mouse plague in Castilla León causing major crop losses; mortgage debt rose by 'only' 17.2% in year to June - now at 600 billion Euros, all shops in Mallorca must have signs (and service) in Catalan by September - so how do you write 'Tea like Mother makes it'?; stormy weather hits north and east; sinking freighter off Gibraltar may split, but little fear of oil spill.

Other recent news includes: 13th: 37 die on roads in worst weekend of year -to date; 5 die today in coach crash caused by driver distraction - 45 in hospital; ETA arms hide discovered in Biarritz (France); storms cause havoc in Catalonia - fire services called out over 250 times; Catalan parlament discuss infrastructure chaos (rail, roads and power) today; oil tanker in collision off Gibraltar; earthquake of 5.1 in La Mancha area considered unusual, but may cause new reflections on building regulations - replicas expected.

8th: Barcelona hit by heavy rain storms - power cuts and train delays yet again; right wing UPN to govern Navarre after Socialists told by Madrid not to join forces with pro-ETA party - regional Socialist leader resigns; Yemeni police kill presumed assassins of Spanish tourists; migrant dies in Algeciras (port next to Gibraltar) after falling from underside of truck where he had escaped capture in Straits crossing; dustmen strike in Almuñecar (Costa del Sol) leaving 600 tonnes of rubbish in the streets - local 'fiestas' cancelled; 80,000 exstasy tablets taken in Costa del Sol police operation; 2nd: Unemployment rises on construction slowdown; forest fires under control in Tenerife and Grand Canary, over 35,000 hectares (including one third of Grand Canary) burnt over past days - president Zapatero offers support - forester under arrest in Grand Canary for lighting the fire; El Solitario, Spain's most wanted bank robber arrested in Portugal; traffic flows good as Spain heads on holiday; Barcelona rail services reduced for holiday month to speed building of AVE high speed rail entrance to Sants station; controversy over local and regional government subsidy as Woody Allen films in Barcelona; Iberia announces healthy profits.

Earlier news headlines: click here.