News Headlines

SPANISH NEWS

Rafael Vera, the still politically powerful former Secretary of State for Security during the days of Felipe Gonzalez, who was sentenced to a seven year jail term for corruption over the use of the secret Interior Ministry funds, has received some more than lenient treatment from the Socialist appointed Prison Director Mercedes Gallizo. After initially going to jail in February last year, he was quietly released last August, and has spent the intervening months under virtual house arrest as a result of medical and psychological reports. Now, he is being allowed even more freedom – albeit under supervision – and this despite the fact that Vera has not made the slightest effort to return any of the money he stood accused of stealing.

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A report delivered to Judge Juan del Olmo formally requests that a demonstration of support for the Basque terror group Eta go ahead, provided that no slogans supporting Eta/Batasuna are present. The report apparently does not take into consideration that three of the sponsors of the demonstration are members of illegal political parties – EH and HA. The Association of the Victims of Terrorism has asked the Superior Court of the Basque Country to stop the demonstration, whilst the Socialist party, has chosen not to comment other than to state that ‘it does not contribute to the current status of the negotiations’. The demonstration, organized by the Youth Movement of Eta is set to go ahead on Friday in Bilbao.

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The Law of Historic Memory, under which the Socialist Government intends to remove all traces of the memory of General Francisco Franco, and even reconvert his burial place – the Valley of the Fallen – into a centre for peace is apparently causing a considerable rift at cabinet level. Whilst the Prime Minister and his Deputy, Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega are very much in favour of the new law, there is strong opposition to the proposals led by Finance Minister Pedro Solbes, who believe that the new law ‘unnecessarily reopens wounds that have long since healed’.

COLLAPSED

Alicia de Miguel, the Social Services Consellera for the Valencian Government stated yesterday that her department ‘has reached its limits’ in dealing with the numbers of illegal Canary Islands immigrants that have been sent to the Community by the Socialist Government. She also demanded to know what the official stance of the Government was in the matter since the Minister for Social Services – Jesus Caldera – ‘seems to have completely disappeared’. Dr de Miguel asked that the Minister take charge of the situation and that the Socialist Government ‘ stop its practice’ of ‘happenstance sending of these immigrants to autonomies ruled by the Partido Popular’.

SELF DEFENSE

The insecurity in the Valencian Community became more apparent yesterday after it was revealed that several people living in Urbanizations in and around Orihuela had bought pistols in order to ensure their own protection from intruders. Several people have stated that the felt obliged to acquire firearms ‘in order to defend ourselves against robberies and domestic violence’, whilst at the same time demanding more police patrols from the local Town Hall. At least one association revealed yesterday that house robberies with violence and discussions between couples that turned violent has increased by 33.75% so far this year.

THREE ARRESTED

In a combined operation police from Ondara along with members of the Guiardia Civil from El Verger arrested three men ‘of Arabic origin’ as they tried to break into a house in broad daylight. In the light of these arrests, police believe that the trio committed at least fifteen house robberies throughout the Marina Alta area of Alicante Province, in such towns as Moraira, Javea, Denia and Ondara. Equally, the group, who were based in Alicante City, used to break into homes in broad daylight instead of at night.

TWO BEACH DEATHS

Two men, aged 52 and 61 died yesterday in separated incidents on beaches in the Valencian Community. The 52-year-old died of a heart attack whilst diving off the Les Boyetes Beach in Denia. The other man equally suffered a heart attack as he swam from a beach in Elche. In both instances, the Emergency medical services were called, but could do nothing to revive the two men.

POLICE ACTION IN BENIDORM

Police in Benidorm have detained a Kosovar after it was discovered he was carrying around plastic bags filled with extremely pure heroin. The drug was discovered in various packets of food and comes at the end of an intensive investigation during which it became clear that a drug operation of this sort was under way in Benidorm. All in all yesterday police took over a kilo and a half of the drug, which sources state has been consumed less, ceding its once dominant position to cocaine, ecstasy and speed.

POLICE CHIEF DETAINED

The Guardia Civil of Torrevieja yesterday detained the head of the Municipal police force along with his deputy and two officers, after receiving orders to do so from a local judge. More arrests are expected today, and all are accused of creating a series of false documents and of failing to investigate crimes. A local judge has undertaken the current case during the last few months, and yesterday’s arrests were carried out very discreetly according to local sources. Following their arrest, the four were taken to a local court and allowed to go free on condition that they not leave Torrevieja.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A Russian passenger jet carrying at least 170 passengers – including 45 children – crashed yesterday in eastern Ukraine as it was en route to its intended destination – St Petersburg. The Tupolev 154 aircraft was flying from the Black Sea resort of Anapato, when it suddenly disappeared from radar screens after issuing a distress call, crashing some 45 Kms north of the Ukrainian city of Donetsk. A full commission of enquiry is to be launched into the crash after reports started to emerge that fire had broken out onboard. The accident comes less than two months after an Airbus A-310 slid off the runway in Siberia, killing all 150 on board.

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Mohammed Saidi of the Iranian Nuclear Energy Authority stated yesterday that the response to the latest offer from the international community that Iran cease its uranium enrichment programme ‘would not be made public’. However, he added that negotiations would continue, and that Iran’s written reply would be ‘very complete’ in the hope of reaching a final agreement.

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