News Headlines

SPANISH NEWS

As part of the Government’s plans to try and pacify the demands from the Basque terror group Eta, it has now been revealed that the sentence of Ignacio de Juana Chaos, one of the worst members of the terrorist organisation is being ‘revised’ by the Government. Plans apparently are now under way to reduce his prison term from 96 years to just 6, and this comes after Juan Maria Uriarte, the Bishop of San Sebastian undertook a mediation exercise between de Juana Chaos and the Socialist Government. According to Partido Popular spokesperson Alicia Sanchez Camacho, this is ‘one more concession by the state towards terrorism’.

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Further evidence of a massive cover-up of the evidence over the March 11 bombings and their aftermath came to light yesterday after it was revealed that a series of documents had been found in the ruins of the Leganes following the explosion in which several of the alleged bombers died. According to the latest report, documents concerning an Eta network in Navarre were amongst the items found by investigators following the explosion, but apparently acting on strict instructions from Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, all evidence or mention of this was not included in the police reports handed to investigative magistrate Juan Del Olmo.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

The United Nations Security Council is still ‘considering what measures to take’ after North Korea announced early yesterday morning that it had carried out an underground nuclear test. It would seem that a sever packet of sanctions is under discussion. Meanwhile, it was also revealed yesterday that South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon appears set to become the next UN Secretary General after Kofi Annan retires this December. He was approved by the security council yesterday and his appointment later has to be ratified by the General Assembly

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A recent poll undertaken by the Washington Post has revealed some disturbing results for US President George W. Bush. Amongst the findings: of the registered likely voters, the Democrats have a 54% lead; just 32% of all Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest approval rating in a decade; 64% disapprove of the President’s handling of the Iraq war, and 53% disapprove of how President Bush has handled the war on terrorism. Overall, many analysts see these as the worst pre-election results in over twenty years.

STROLLING DOWN THE AVENUE

As was expected, the high point in the recent Hispanic Day Parade in New York was the appearance in costume of the Alcoy Moors and Christians Association. About 2,000 members of the Association paraded down Fifth Avenue to the delight of the massive crowd. However, those on parade were only the Christian chapters of the Association as a decision had been taken earlier that the Moorish Chapters would not be parading in order to avoid possible offending local sensitivities.

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