Migrants die in border fence crush in Ceuta, Spain

At least two African migrants are reported dead this morning in another massive attempt by hundreds of Africans to climb over the border fence separating Ceuta, Spain from Morocco. According to reports on the radio this morning, the "human avalanche" was the result of an attempt of between 500 and 600 to outnumber and overwhelm Spanish border control police by rushing over the fence all at the same time.

Fifty migrants are reported to have succeeded in their attempt to reach Spanish soil, at least 2 (police first put the figure at 6) died in the crush and 30-40 Africans were injured. Police say that none of the injuries were caused by bullet wounds.

Ever day this week the migrants have used the same tactics to cross the fence in Melilla, but this is the first time the Ceutan border fence and police have had to try to contain such a large number of simultaneous attempts to climb over the fence. The migrants mostly come from the Subsaharan countries and have spent weeks crossing Africa on foot before hiding in the nearby mountains and waiting for a chance to cross the border. They are poor, hungry and desperate to reach Spain before the fences separating Ceuta and Melilla from Morocco are doubled in height and before the arrival of the reinforcements from the Spanish army promised by the Spanish government.

Today the Spanish and Moroccan governments are attending a (pre-arranged) summit meeting in Sevilla and one of the main points on the agenda will doubtless be what measures can be implemented to try and tighten border controls on both sides in the face of events this week.

Yesterday when questioned by the Popular Party (whose members have criticised the Moroccan authorities for failing to pick up the thousands of migrants hiding in the mountains), the Foreign Affairs Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, told Spanish congress that the government was satisfied with the level of collaboration between the two governments. He said government efforts were now concentrating on getting similar level of collaboration with the governments of other African states. Moratinos also underlined the opinion of the socialists that any effective attempt to stop the flow of Africans trying to cross the border to Spain and Europe must include policies aimed at reducing the poverty and misery of the nations from which the migrants are trying to escape.

Critics of the Spanish government say the increase in the number of Africans trying to get into Ceuta and Melilla is a direct result of the three-month immigration amnesty in Spain last year when illegal immigrants with a job were granted a residence and work permit. The Spanish government argues that the mass attempts are the result of tighter controls elsewhere along the border.

Related:
New immigration policy in Spain
Reform of Spanish immigration law
End of amnesty period for immigrants in Spain

Spanish congress to have nursery

The influence women are enjoying during the presidency of Rodriguez Zapatero is not limited to a greater role in government. Whereas more women's toilets had be built in the British Houses of Parliament to accommodate the arrival en-masse of women MPs following Blair's first election victory, the new Spanish women MPs are going even further.

A special parliamentary committee, led by two women, has just approved a motion to set up a nursery within the grounds of the Spanish congress to provide childcare for the young children of people who work there.

The new nursery will open in 2006 with capacity for up to 50 babies and toddlers between 0 and 3 years old. The project has the support of all parliamentary groups except for IU, and all congress administrative staff and their trade union representatives. The cost of the nursery will be covered by Congress.

Another reform recently approved by the Spanish parliament enables women MPs to name a substitute during maternity leave. All women in Spain are automatically given four months maternity leave with full-pay, which they can then extend depending on their professional circumstances, but without pay. Because the socialist party's majority is so slight, votes of all members are essential in key reforms. Apparantly the motion to enable substitutes to participate in debates was introduced by two Socialist women MPs who had to attend Congress and vote on key debates during their official four-month maternity leave.

Majority in Spain would support negotiation with ETA

According to a survey published this morning by Cadena Ser, 53 percent of Spaniards would support negotiations with ETA if the Basque terrorist group declares a ceasefire. 34 percent would not support negotiations. However only 44 percent of Spaniards would be in favour of the Spanish government making some kind of concession to the terrorists in exchange for the ceasefire, and 39 percent would definitely oppose the idea.

One of the themes being discussed in the Spanish media lately is whether or not the government is likely to agree to regrouping convicted ETA terrorists in prisons near or in the Basque country.

Current policy means that the prisoners are dispersed in prisons all over Spain, which makes it difficult for them to receive visits from families. One of the constant demands of the armed and political wings of ETA has always been for convicted terrorists to be imprisoned nearer home. The majority of those questioned for the Cadena Ser survey would not be in favour of any concession in this sense.

On a more pressimistic, some would say realistic, note, over half of Spaniards do not believe that the end of ETA in sight. Just 37 percent believe that the end my be near.

Related:

• Spanish government proposes talks with ETA
• Spanish government and ETA negotiate possible ceasefire
  
  

Spain to invest more in Education and R+D in 2006

The Spanish government announced increased investment for education , research and pensions yesterday as it outlined the budget for 2006.

Pedro Solbes, Spain's Finance Minister, said the government had based its budget on an expected economic growth of 3.3% next year, and that the overall budget would slightly exceed the said economic growth. Solbes said investment in education would rise by 16 percent, funds for research by 28 percent and that more money than ever would be set aside for the payment of pensions.

Although this is the socialist government's second budget since winning the 2004 elections, according to Solbes, last year's budget was conditioned by spending carried out as a result of decisions made by the previous PP government.

The Finance Minister said this year's budget is a much truer reflection of the socialists' priorities. Education, research - with emphasis on new technologies,- housing and pensions are the biggest beneficiaries of the government's budget for 2006.

Pedro Solbes will explain the budget in detail before Congress next Tuesday and any ammendments will be debated and voted on in October and November. Both IU and ERC, the Communist and Catalan Separatist parties, have indicated their intention to support the government's 2006 budget proposal.

San Sebastian Film Festival

The 53rd San Sebastian Film Festival is running from 15th to 24th September. As usual there are a wide range of films on offer.

In the Official Section you can see a large selection of international films.

In the Zabaltegi section of films there is a selection of the best films from other festivals along side films by new directors.

Other sections in this year´s festival are films by Robert Wise (Director of West Side Story 1961 and The Sound of Music 1965); Rebellious and Untamed – films portraying the liberation of women, films by Abel Ferrara - and some of the best Latin American films in a section of their own called Horizontes Latinos

Spain pledges funds for vaccines

Spain's president Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced today that Spain is to give 240 million dollars over the next twenty years to help finance vaccines for five million children in poverty-stricken countries. Zapatero, speaking to delegates at a meeting of the UN Development Fund said "the Spanish people believe that is is possible to build a world without poverty, and that to reach this aim is not utopia because we have the means to achieve it".

The Spanish president said that Spain would contribute 9 million euros per year from 2006 to 2025 as part of the programme Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization an initiative of the UK, Spain, France, Italy and Sweden. The aim of the Global Alliiance is to save the life of 5 million children in the next 20 years.

Zapatero said that Spain would have an active role in getting other countries to forgive the debt of the World's poorest countries. "The war against poverty is the most noble war that can be fought by humanity, and Spain wants to participate in the front line of this war", the Spanish president said.

Spain wires up Parliament

This week the new-look Spanish congress was unveiled to the media to coincide with the start of the new parliamentary session. The technicians and maintenance workers at Congress have certainly been busy over the Summer break. Each MP has returned to find a brand new computer in his or her seat with full Internet access, email and a new automatic voting system.



All 350 members of congress and government were able to try out the new system yesterday, and most seemed very satisfied according to declarations made afterwards. The whole process of wiring up parliament and installing the computers is part of the plan of Spain's flamboyant President of Congress (a role similar to that of Speaker of the House in the UK), Manuel Marín, to introduce technology and modernise the Spanish parliamentary system. Marin aims to improve working conditions for MPs, reduce the amount of paper they continue to use and introduce Congress to the information society.

In an interview published by El Pais this Summer, Manuel Marin said he wanted to put an end to the continual races along corridors to hand in papers to the General Register - "For God's sake! All this can be done via Intranet! Why are we still running along corridors?"

The computers are equipped with an internal chat system, enabling members to talk with other members of their parliamentary group and other MPs. Each terminal also has access to ADSL so that MPs can plug in their own laptops if they prefer. They also have screens to display videos or documents as required.

Spain government and ETA negotiate possible cease-fire

According to this morning's edition of El Mundo, the Spanish government and members of Basque terrorist group ETA have been maintaining "indirect" talks since the Summer and ETA has agreed to announce a cease-fire sometime in the next three months.

Spain's president, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has repeatedly said that the predisposition of his government to sit at a negotiation table with Basque separatists and consider increased powers for the Basque government depend on ETA first laying down its arms. If the Basque terrorists do announce a cease-fire, Zapatero will probably ask the Spanish congress to give its approval for the government to hold talks with all Basque separatist groups, including ETA, and seek agreement which would establish peace in the Region and the eventual disarmament of the group.

According to the El Mundo headline story, the official line is that "both sides are at the stage of negotiating a possible truce", but that infact ETA has already agreed to do so, and now the negotiations center around the wording of the announcement and when, within the next three months, it should be made. El Mundo claims that talks started moving in the right direction last August, when ETA started to be more positive about making a move which could speed up a possible peace process.

Last week the Spanish president had a meeting with José Ibarretxe in Madrid and both leaders refused to go into any detail about what they discussed. The next day, when asked repeatedly about the contents of the meeting, Ibarretxe replied that he had promised total discretion and meant to keep his word. He asked journalists to understand that for negotiations to have a positive outcome, discretion was necessary. He also said "we are doing something very important".

Train collision in Valencia's metro

Three trains crashed into eachother in Valencia's metro network this morning. Nobody was killed, but according to first reports 35 people were injured, 4 of whom have been taken to hospital and their condition is described as serious.

The crash occurred on Linea 1 between Paiporta and Picanya about 5 km. from the centre of Valencia. Apparantly three trains received instructions to brake. The first one was able to brake normally, the second managed to brake with difficulty and just avoided hitting the train infront, but the third was unable to brake on time and crashed into the second one. Two train drivers are among the seriously injured.

The President of the Valencian Regional Government has visited the scene of the accident. It is still unclear whether the crash occurred because of a fault in the emergency brake system of the third train or because of human error. The line has now been cleared, and trains are running normally again.

Tighter control over aircraft safety in Spain

According to reports in government-friendly sectors of the Spanish press, Rodriguez Zapatero's government plans to increase the number of inspections carried out on the airlines operating in Spain. This Summer more than 500 passengers have died in aeroplane crashes around the World. Most of the recent accidents have occurred with low-cost airlines.

The government plans to increase the number of safety controls carried out on foreign aircraft from 55 (the number stipulated by the previous government) to 3,350. The controls themselves will be more detailed, based on European safety lines and the recommendations of a new panel of experts on air safety to be set up by the Transport Ministry. The number of controls carried out on planes belonging to Spanish companies will also be increased.

Last month the Spanish government said it did not intend to follow the example of France, Belgium and Switzerland in publishing a blacklist of airlines banned from using their airports, in an attempt to allay public fears about flying, preferring instead to wait until the European Commission publishes it blacklist at the end of the year. In August The EU transport commissioner, Jacques Barrot, promised that by October the EU Transport Commission would have a proposal for a public website for passengers and for more information sharing by European air safety authorities.

The British government offers information on airlines banned from using airports in the UK here.

Sun eclipse in Spain

Spanish astronomy associations, museums and planetariums are getting ready to observe an annular solar eclipse which will take place on 3rd October. It will be the first time in 241 years that an annular solar eclipse has been visible from Spain. (Update 3rd October p.m: See video of the solar eclipse in Spain)

An annular eclipse is one in which the moon covers all but a bright ring around the circumference of the sun so that only a thin outer disk of the sun can be seen.

The eclipse will be visible from Galicia in north-west Spain down to Alicante in the south-east. After this one, the next eclipse over Spain won't take place unti 2026.

The planetarium in Madrid plans to organize a "safe" watch from the Retiro Park in Madrid where a big screen will be set up showing images taken by the planetarium's main telescope. Observers who turn up at the park will be given special glasses with which to observe the eclipse (sunglasses are not sufficient) and an expert will talk them through the process and tell them when it is safe to look up at the eclipse.

The moon eclipse is expected to begin at 9.40 and finish at 12.24 on Monday 3rd October.

Spain to participate in Katrina relief aid

Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, said yesterday that Spain had offered government aid to the US authorities, still struggling to evacuate victims of the Katrina Hurrican.

He also confirmed that Spain would be participating in the EU emergency aid plan approved by European foreign ministers yesterday. Spain's contritubion to the emergency aid designed to avoid an energy crisis in the US, will be 2.1 barrels of oil which will be sent over the next 30 days. According to the Ministry of Industry this amounts to just under 2 percent of Spain's emergency oil reserves.

The Foreign Ministry has also confirmed that two of the three Spanish families trapped in New Orleans for the past 5 days were yesterday evacuated from the convention center and were "safe and sound" in an unknown location.

Spaniards trapped in New Orleans

Obviously the whole of Spain shares in the grief and horror as the news bulletins are dominated by the awful situation in New Orleans and surrounding areas. Yesterday it emerged that three Spanish families are trapped in the Convention Center in New Orleans in dramatic conditions. One of the Spaniards is a Member of Parliament for the Catalan Socialist Party and she managed to speak by phone on Spanish radio yesterday to describe the situation.

Lourdes Muñoz Santamaría, the Spanish MP was on holiday in New Orleans with her partner and their 10-year old son when the hurricane hit the city. They were staying in a hotel in the Convention Center, and last night on Spanish radio she said the situation there was completely out of control. She sounded desperate - as desperate as all the poor people there who must wonder if and when they will be rescued from the hell of the last few days.

The Spanish MP said they had had no food or water for 24 hours, because hotel employees had raided the kitchens of the hotel to take food and water home to their families, and emergency aid was non-existent. She said that unless they were rescued soon, she didn't know what would happen, that there was no organization or authority and that the center and its surroundings were in "total chaos, "like the jungle where the only law is survival of the fittest". She said that bodies lined the corridors of the Convention Center, that when some buses had arrived to transport people trapped in the center to another destination a "human avalanche" ocurred, because of the lack of control, and that people tried to hijack buses that drove past without stopping.

Today the Spanish government has confirmed that the other two Spanish families in New Orleans have joined Lourdes Muñoz Santamaria and her family in the Convention Center and they are all waiting to be rescued. The Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister told Spanish media yesterday that the Spanish government was doing all it could to secure the rescue of the Spanish tourists, and that it had offered its help to the US Government.

This Guardian blog post describes how people can help the relief work in New Orleans