News, March 2008

March 31st, general news roundup.

Barcelona declares hosepipe ban due to severe drought, with 3000€ fines; inflation hits 4.6% as government reveals growth slowing to 1.8%; Zapatero prmises Cortes full investigation into MariLuz justice failure; speed cameras in action on Madrid's M30 tunnels - 70 kmh limit; 28th: Assumed assassin of pastor's daughter MariLuz should have been jailed for similar earlier behaviour, but court chaos left him free - government blames judge, he blames secretary... justice workers are still on strike; water transfer from Tajo to Segura agreed for domestic use on La Manga coast; farmers give away milk in Madrid in protest at lower producer prices paid by dairies; 27th: Antonio Camacho gets 11 years for Gescartera fraud - he siphoned off millions of investors' money; fall in house-building licences and sales tax hits revenues 27%; justice ministry pay strike now hurting important National Court investigations; Catalan government decrees 'exceptional' use of Cadi Road tunnel to transfer French sourced water from Segre valley to drought-ridden Barcelona; rain top news for a Happy Easter - with snow falls over Pyrenees ski resports; Good Friday saw new ETA bomb.

Other recent news includes: 11th: European Day in memory of the victims of terrorism; 4th anniversary of the 11-M Madrid bombings (191 died) - Royals and political leaders to meet at foot of Atocha monument, new monument to be inaugurated at Coslada station; Ezker Batua left wing party, breaks coalition in Basque town Mondragón with pro-ETA ANV, which refused to condemn murder of former socialist councillor Isaias Carrasco on Friday - new mayor will probably be socialist; storm wreaks havoc on north coast, especially San Sebastian's famous Concha beach; 10th: Socialist party (PSOE) wins general election; opposition Partido Popular also gains seats; minority parties fail miserably as 2 party system is consolidated; since socialists have no overall majority, they will still need support of moderate Catalan Nationalist party CiU, or a combination of other tiny parties, to rule; In the Senate, the Partido Popular will be the majority party, with 101 seats, although adding the Catalan left wing coalition to PSOE brings it up to the same number of seats, so CiU again hold the key to stability, along with Basque PNV; in Andalusia, PSOE retain absolute majority, despite rise of PP. See the BBC report. Other news: demonstrations nation wide today after latest ETA killing; Italian Autogrill buys BAA's duty free shops from Ferrovial and the rest of Spanish duty free firm Aldeasa - financed by RBS - BBC report; Cintra has finance in place to build SH 130 toll road in texas; BBVA gets go-ahead to merge US sunbelt banks under Compass name; Cayuco reaches Tenerife with 77 on board.

7th: Electoral campaign comes to abrupt early halt as ETA kills former Socialist councillor - first killing this year - the two leading parties cancelled the final election rallies tonight ahead of tomorrow's day of reflection and Sunday's election BBC report, NYT; ship goes aground on Basque Coast; 5th: Storms with snow and high winds (force 12) hit North and East and Balearics - one dead, trucks turned over, passes closed and ferries stopped; cayuco reaches Tenerife with over 50 migrants on board, two dead; Rivas (Madrid) is first locality to handle 'apostasy demands' to be removed from the RC church's databases; 4th: 12 million watch 2nd TV encounter between presidential hopefuls - BBC thinks Zapatero won; unemployment up 53,000 (2%); Cardinal Rouco elected to return as RC Bishops' leader in Spain; 38 arrested for migrant trafficking in Navarre -117 implicated in case; 'low alcohol wine' launched by bodega to counteract fall in sales after criminalisation of drink-driving; Andalusian High Court allows objection to 'Citizenship' classes on basis of clear indoctrinational intention; 2 'most wanted ETA terrorists' arrested on Sunday are released without bail; 3rd: Madrid city buses (EMT) on strike for 5th day, Barcelona joins too; PSOE (government party) hopes for low absenteeism, which would help win election; 2 ETA terrorists arrested over weekend;

1st: ETA calls for boycott of general election BBC report; hunters collapse Madrid; anti-fascists clash with police in Madrid during neo-nazi demonstration; State Dept claims Spain is Europe's top narcotics consumer, as well as main gateway for cocaine; February 29th: 3 kilo ETA bomb explodes in Basque Socialist party HQ; El Solitario famous bank robber, on trial for 2 deaths in Tudela, Navarre.

Earlier news headlines: click here.