Madrid  - A judicial move to investigate killings and disappearances during Spain's 1936-39 Civil War and the subsequent dictatorship of General Francisco Franco sparked controversy on Tuesday.

Associations representing Franco's victims and leftist parties welcomed the move as finally doing justice to thousands of victims, while conservative commentators said it reopened old wounds.

National Court judge Baltasar Garzon announced Monday that he was requesting information on deaths and disappearances during the war, which was sparked by Franco's uprising against the legal republican government, and during the dictatorship that lasted until Franco's death in 1975.

San Sebastian, Spain - Members of the Basque regional government are planning to sue Spain at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for blocking a referendum-like vote on the self-determination of the northern region, regional Prime Minister Juan Jose Ibarretxe said on Monday.

Ibarretxe urged Basque citizens to join the legal move in defence of the referendum foreseen for October 25.

Madrid - The captain of the MD-82 passenger plane that crashed in Madrid expected the airline Spanair to switch it after discovering a technical problem just before take-off, the Spanish daily El Pais said Monday.

Captain Antonio Garcia Luna, who was killed in the August 20 accident with 153 other people, asked an airport company employee to arrange for two buses to take the passengers to a new aircraft, the daily quoted the employee in question as telling police.

Madrid - Barcelona made an appalling poor start to their league campaign on Sunday, losing 1-0 away to newly-promoted Numancia.

The shock defeat raises fears that Barca will continue to be feeble on the road, the same as last season.

The only goal came after just 14 minutes, when Mario Martinez turned in a Carlos Bellvis centre from the left.

Just three minutes later Samuel Eto'o hit the Numancia post - and it was going to be that kind of day for Barca.

Josep Guardiola's side dominated from start to finish and created many clear chances, but lacked a cool finish.

Lionel Messi always levelled for Barca in injury time, but his free-kick came back off the post.

Jaen, Spain - Alejandro Valverde of Spain won the second stage of the Tour of Spain to take the overall leader's gold jersey on Sunday.

Madrid- Seven people were injured when an apparently mentally