Week ending Friday 6th April 2001

NO FISHING AGREEMENT BETWEEN ANDALUCIA AND MOROCCO

The main story this week has been the failure of talks between Spain and Morocco to resolve their fishing dispute. The European Union has told the Andalusian fishing sector that it should convert its fleet to fish elsewhere, a suggestion met with unanimous indignation across the sector and by the Andaluz government. Hundreds of families have relied for generations on fishing in the Mediterranean. One of the areas worst affected is the Cadiz town of Barbate, where a hundred fishermen locked themselves in the town hall by way of protest. On Thursday, European Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Franz Fischler said that he had tried his best to reach agreement in talks since February but that negotiations had failed largely due to Morocco´s inflexibility, particularly over its demands for financial compensation for allowing the Andaluz fleet to fish in its waters.

IMMIGRANTS CONTINUE TO POUR ACROSS STRAIT

94 sub-Saharan or Moroccan immigrants joined the flood of people trying to enter Spain illegally on Thursday. Thirteen of them were women. The immigrants were caught in various operations, some walking in Tarifa, others hiding in the back of vehicles.

CUSTODY BATTLE IN SEVILLE

A three year old child spent 45 minutes talking with a judge in court in Seville this week over who is to have custody of her. Nerea AJ lost her mother last year in an aviation accident, and is to receive substantial financial compensation. The court heard her maternal grandparents state that the child´s father never showed any interest in her until a month ago. He counterclaimed that he was not interested in the money, and it could be held in trust by the grandparents. OnThursday, the court found in favour of the grandparents.

PRISONERS IN PILGRIMAGE

A group of 12 prisoners from jails in Huelva and Seville were allowed leave this week to take part in a day and a half long pilgrimage to the famous shrine in the town of Rocio. On completion of their journey, the eight men and four women took part in mass at the shrine.

LONDON PERMITS SPANISH ENGINEERS TO BOARD TIRELESS

Spanish engineers are to be permitted to be present at tests to the cooling system of the nuclear submarine Tireless, under repair on the Rock for almost a year. The tests are thought to be going ahead within two weeks, with the final departure date of the sub from the Rock on course for May.

EUTHANASIA PROPOSAL FOR ANDALUCIA

The socialist party has put forward a proposal to the Andaluz government to pass a law allowing people the right to choose to give up their medical treatment in the case of terminal illnesses. According to a spokesman, the initiative is intended to allow people to die with dignity, and it includes the creation of bio-ethical committees in the region's hospitals and a medical protocol to guarantee the dignified passing of the patient.

....News from the Costa del Sol

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