Virtual tie in Spanish polls

Ruling Socialists and opposition conservatives in Spain fought to a virtual tie in local elections, highlighting deep divisions in a country torn over its Basque conflict, terrorism and other issues.

In regional voting also held yesterday in 13 of 17 regions, the two parties retained most of the respective strongholds, although the conservatives saw their majority in Navarra, a region bordering the Basque country, slip into jeopardy due to a strong rise by a Basque nationalist party.