Missing Boy
The search for a two-year-old boy who fell into a narrow well on Jan. 13 entered its riskiest phase yesterday as miners went down a new 60-metre parallel shaft to start digging across to the well.
There have been no signs of life since the boy fell into the borehole. Rescuers found the well was blocked with earth
Children and families have been holding candlelight vigils across Spain in support of the missing boy and of the massive rescue operation, even as hopes of finding him alive have faded with each passing day.
Taxi Strike
TAXI drivers in Barcelona returned to work yesterday after the city’s 5,000 drivers voted on proposals by Catalunya’s regional government to restrict Uber and Cabify services in the city.
Regional government officials initially proposed a minimum booking time of 15 minutes, but eventually relented and increased it to one hour.
Madrid’s mayor Ángel Garrido says he is not prepared to issue the same type of bye-law, nor include these measures in regional law, since he has no desire to ‘legislate against the presence’ of Uber and Cabify cars in the city.
As a result, the taxi strike in Madrid remains in place.
Uber and Cabify say they are not happy with Barcelona’s new ruling, and Uber has announced plans to stop operating in the city.
two taxi drivers were arrested in clashes with police in Madrid that injured three officers.
Protestors clashed with police for a second day outside a trade exhibition center where a major tourism fair is being held.
Migration
A lack of action on the part of the European Union and the ineptitude of Libyan patrol ships when it comes to tackling the flow of migrants has led to record deaths so far this year in the central Mediterranean, various NGOs warned yesterday.
According to figures from the International Organization for Migration, about 4,900 people managed to reach Europe in the first three weeks of the year and at least 290 have died in their attempt, which constitutes a new record.
Missing Expat
POLICE have confirmed a body which washed up on a Costa del Sol beach in October is that of missing British expat Roger Hanks.
The pensioner disappeared from Coin during the floods on October 10
Heavy Rain
FOUR people have died in landslides and burst riverbanks caused by the heavy rains that have struck Asturias.
In some stations, the Cantabrian Hydrographic Confederation has registered up to 126 litres per sqm yesterday.
Around 20 roads are closed in Asturias, 15 schools have been closed and a Hospital and nursing home were evacuated as a precaution.