Welcomes Spanish Kitesurfing Championship two Lanzaote

Lanzarote plays host to the 2009 Spanish Kitesurfing Championship between 8th and 12th July . Kitesurfing amalgamates surfing and parascending by combining a sail with a surfboard . Participants thus skim the waves and are lifted off the surface of the water as the wind catches the sail . Whilst in mid-air many of the more experienced riders are capable of incredible aerial manoeuvres , including 360º loops and spins .  The sport is well established on Lanzarote, due to the excellent conditions for practising it at Famara beach . This seven kilometre stretch of sand will also be the location for the tournament . Featuring three different categories, competitors can take part in the Freestyle , Wave and Race heats , according to their group classification . This year for the first time a Veteran or Master level has been added to the existing age groups . With heats taking place every day between 10.00 and 18.00 , spectators are sure to witness some amazing displays of physical dexterity as the sportsmen and women battle it out . The event closes with an award ceremony on Sunday 12th July at 19.00 , with prizes for the best amateurs and best Canarian participants .

Alicante the sunniest city of Valencia

The Basque Country’s San Sebastián had the highest average rainfall in 2007 . Malaga third-best city for Spanish sunshine . Yesterday’s heat, which reached 39.8°C at midday at Malaga airport , was blamed on a land breeze bringing in warm air from the heart of Spain through the Guadalhorce valley , which led to weather alerts being issued due to the extremely high temperatures . Recommendations included staying indoors with fans or air conditioning switched on , or taking a dip in the sea .  Alicante is officially the sunniest city of Valencia , according to the latest data released by the INE National Statistics Institute.
The sun shone on the Costa Blanca capital for 2,820 hours during 2007 , with an average year-round temperature of 19.1 degrees Centigrade . Rainfall was also the lowest in the region , with 512.5 millimetres . The sunniest city in Spain two years ago was Huelva , with 3,120 hours of sunshine   more than double the amount in Bilbao   and the most rainy, also in the Basque Country , was San Sebastián , where 1,536.1 mm of rain fell throughout the year . Málaga , Granada and Cádiz joined Huelva in exceeding 3,000 hours of sunshine in 2007 . The Spanish meteorological station at Izaña, in the Teide National Park on Tenerife , recorded the lowest average temperature for 2007 , 10.2 degrees . But it was also the spot with the most hours of sunshine , 3,845, and it was the island’s capital , Santa Cruz de Tenerife , which was the hottest city in Spain , with an average temperature of 21.6 degrees .

Cocaine amongst the prawns in Spain

Three Civil Guard are amongst the 8 suspects arrested for smuggling the drugs into Galicia . Three Civil Guard are reported to be amongst eight suspects arrested in a National Police operation in Galicia which has seized more than 800 kilos of cocaine and smashed the smugglers ’ entry point in Puerto de Marín , Pontevedra . One of the suspects is reported by EFE to be the sergeant in charge of the Civil Guard barracks in Puerto de Marín , and it’s understood a reserve sub-lieutenant is also in custody along with another Guardia . The drugs were brought in from South America and this particular consignment was hidden in boxes of frozen prawns discovered on an industrial estate in La Coruña . The 12-month long investigation , with the collaboration of officers from Chile and the United States , discovered the leader of the network to be a lawyer based in Vigo . He used a company as a cover to import the drugs along with other merchandise , which were cleared through Puerto de Marín without any type of control . The lawyer is said by the Interior Ministry to have been in contact with a number of traffickers to offer his network as a means of bringing drugs into the country . Police tracked this latest consignment since it was sent from Ecuador this May until its arrival in Pontevedra via Colombia .

Madrid Gay Pride Parade draws over 1 million people

Revellers participate in the Gay Pride parade in Madrid, / EFE More than 1 million people participated in the Gay Pride march in Madrid on a festive , music-filled day during which the participants demanded more education as a basic means for doing away with homophobia . The marchers , who came from all over Spain , jammed the capital’s main streets on Saturday and exceeded the participation estimates of organizers , who said that more than a million people turned out . The parade was kicked off with a huge poster bearing the slogan “School without closets ,” followed by 30 floats adorned with all colours of the rainbow . Among the people carrying posters was Spain’s equality minister , Bibiana Aido , political and union leaders , as well as representatives from civil society . “We have many reasons to have pride . We’re an open country that has made a clear commitment to the broadening of rights ,” Aido said , adding that all gays , lesbians , transsexuals and bisexuals “have the government on their side . “
The minister, however , lamented the fact that 50 per cent of adolescent homosexuals suffer violence at school and other educational centres and she said that ” we all have to help school to be a safe place for diversity , because what the young people are learning always stays with them .”  Decked out with feathers , sequins , high heels and leather outfits , groups of gays , lesbians , bisexuals and transsexuals passed by in a wave of humanity that forced the authorities to stop traffic in downtown Madrid . Organizers had declared 2009 to be the Year of Emotional/Sexual Diversity in Education , and they are demanding an educational system where sexual diversity “has the recognition it needs .”

Spanish social network site erases under age 14 profiles

Tuenti is a leading site in Spain . Top social network internet site in Spain , Tuenti , has announced that more than 90% of its users who are suspected of being aged under 14 have seen their profile erased , because they have not supplied the company with the necessary documentation to verify their age . They had been given just 92 hours to supply the company with a photocopy of their DNI identity card or passport . reports that Youtube be used by teen aswell for porn show , the report show that 2 in 10 kids used it on day two day , with with 7 out 10 know about it are veiw it once befor . Are your kids addicted to technology and need to switch off ? The move comes as part of an agreement with the Spanish Data Protection Agency , with the site saying it will increase the privacy for those aged under 18 . Tuenti has also introduced a system which will stop the contents published on its pages being copied or linked to external pages .

Alicante City Hall cracks down on graffiti

The first fine, of 710 Euros, has been issued against a fine art student . Alicante City Hall has issued its first fine under new bylaws against graffiti . A 27 year old woman fine art student will now have to pay 710 Euros after being surprised by local police painting a wall of the Avenida de Maisonnave in the early hours of Monday . Councillor for safety , Juan Seva , said the work of the local police was bearing fruit , as graffiti is now considered as part of the municipal cleaning laws , to be associated with dirtiness and damage . The local police are also to collaborate with a judicial graphologist who will help them to identify the authors of the graffiti if they are not caught red-handed .

Swine Flu vaccine will not be available until December

The data was given by the Spanish Health Minister yeasterday , Spain’s Minister for Health , Trinidad Jiménez, has said that the vaccine against the A(H1N1) flu virus will not be available in the European Union until December . Although the vaccine should be ready by October , the World Health Organisation considers that first studies of its use in the risk groups will delay its general availability . The Spanish Minister made a call for unity in the criteria in how the vaccine is applied , and also in the cost of the treatment . Spanish Health Minister yeasterday confirmation has come that the baby born in Madrid by caesarean section last week , the day before his Moroccan mother died from the virus , is not infected . A hospital statement said the baby was normal for a child born at 28 weeks .

Man dies in Barcelona metro accident

A man died last night after falling onto the metro line at Drassanes station on Line 3 in Barcelona just as a train was pulling away . Sources from Barcelona Metropolitan Transport have confirmed that the man , whose identity has not yet been established , lost his balance and fell onto the tracks in front of the train in what has been described as ‘an unfortunate accident’ . As soon as the accident happened , at around 9.30pm yesterday , emergency services were called and the man was taken immediately to hospital , but nothing could be done to save his life . Station repoen early to day .

Spanish-Owned Bank Plans $900 Million HQ in Mexico

Spain’s No. 2 bank , BBVA , will invest $900 million in the new corporate headquarters of Mexican affiliate BBVA Bamcomer , set to be complete in 2012 . “It’s a sign of the commitment of the group to Mexico and what this great country means for us ,” BBVA CEO Francisco Gonzalez said here Monday . “BBVA Bancomer has a magnificant present and a promising future, with great potential for growth,” said Gonzalez, who emphasized the support of the firm for the country’s development by permitting “access to financial services for many millions of Mexican families and small businesses .”  For his part , BBVA Bancomer CEO Ignacio Deschamps said that “this investment ... amid an economic crisis is, without doubt , great news for Mexico City , as well as for the country .” The new HQ will consist of two buildings the BBVA Bancomer Tower , which will be designed jointly by architectural firms Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and Legorreta + Legorreta , and the BBVA Bancomer Operations Center , which will be designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP . The tower will comprise 6,600 square meters (69,700 square feet) of office space on the corner of Paseo de la Reforma   Mexico’s Wall Street   and Lieja Street , and it will stand 225 meters (731 feet) high and have 50 stories where about 4,500 employees will work . Meanwhile , the BBVA Bancomer Operations Center will be built in the Parques Polanco office complex, 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) from the tower, and will occupy an area of 13,400 sq. meters (141,500 sq. ft.), rise to a height of 137 meters (445 feet) and have 32 floors , where another 4,500 people will work .  BBVA said that the development of the two new buildings is taking place as part of a project to consolidate its properties that the firm began last year with the sale of 108,000 sq . meters (1.14 million sq. ft.) of office space at four locations . About 14,000 direct and indirect jobs will be generated during the construction of the bank’s new headquarters . 

Four injured on first bull run of Pamplona

Two Spanish nationals , a Scot and an American were injured Ealy this morring run , Tuesday during the first bull run of the San Fermin festival in Pamplona in northern Spain , organisers said . None of the injured were gored by a bull but fell while running through the narrow , twisting cobbled streets of the old town of the city pursued by the bulls , a spokeswoman for the festival said .  The two Spanish nationals were aged 21 and 31 , she added . The ages of the Scot and the American were not given . About 2,000 people took part in the bull run , which lasted two and a half minutes and was described by organisers as “fast and clean” . San Fermin , Spain’s most famous festival , attracts tourists from all over the world . It began Monday and ends on July 14 . From Tuesday and each day of the festival thereafter , six bulls are released at 8:00 a.m.  to run from their corral over an 825-metre course to the bullring where they face matadors in the afternoon . Fourteen people have been killed since 1911 in the bull run , which is broadcast live on Spanish television And TVEI . The festival also features a range of concerts , street parties , dances and   in some cases   excessive drinking .

A judge does not consider that networks P2P are illegal in Spain

The sentence acquits to the owner of the page Web demanded by the SGAE . The judge considers that the interchange of archives cannot be considered illegal.
The Web does not obtain income to publicitar other pages of gratuitous unloadings . The Law of Intellectual Property does not prohibit , with general character, networks P2P . RTVE.es report this early this eveing . A judge of Barcelona is acquitted to the owner of a page Web that had been demanded by the General Society of Authors and Editores SGAE .  The Web , elrincondejesus , that free includes connections to other pages of unloading of audio-visual contents, has not obtained any type of economic benefit in return by publicitar the Webs . The judge has considered who the unloading of films and music does not constitute an infringement of the Law of Propiedad Intelectual (LPI)  , since interchange P2P does not have like aim the spirit of profit nor the massive diffusion of archives .
This sentence leaves patent that the interchange is not illegal and that this Web only acts like “ advertising poster ” from the contents of other Webs , that , in many cases , they carry files without author rights , or expired or that is not protected by the SGAE . According to the judge , in the LPI they are not prohibited , with general character , the communications nets of data between users P2P because the law is thought for the hardware , nondigital . Also , programs as Emule cannot be sanctioned because the interchange is without spirit of profit and not with aims of “ sale, rent or loan ”. Piracy in Internet

Juvenile formally charged with Raping and Murdering Marta del Castillo

The 15 year old known as El Cuco has gone back on previous statements and now claims his innocence . The juvenile known as ‘El Cuco’ implicated in the death of Marta del Castillo in Seville has been formally charged with her rape and murder . Europa Press reveals this Tuesday that the 15 year old was informed of the charges against him when he appeared before the juvenile prosecutor on 30th June , but claimed that he was not in the flat on Calle León XIII where Marta is believed to have died this January , saying he was out drinking with friends from 9.30 onwards on the night of the 24th . El Cuco now claims that he is innocent of any part in the crime , and is reported to have told the prosecutor that he felt ‘pressured’ when he admitted in initial statements to having been at the flat and being involved in Marta’s disappearance . The prosecutor believes however that El Cuco , together with Marta’s self-confessed murderer , Miguel Carcaño , raped the 17 year old girl then strangled her with a cable before getting rid of the body .

Algeciras fire under control

The fire that broke out in the Chorrosquina area of Algeciras ,Cadiz yesterday is reported to be under control , although 118 people have still not been allowed to return to their homes as fire fighters are still working to control the blaze last night but they were allowed back home on late today Tuesday . The Municipal Sports Hall in Algeciras was made available to the evacuees, but sources from within the emergency services have confirmed that the majority of people have opted to stay with friends or family . The fire has so far destroyed 25 hectares of scrubland and woodland in Madajal Alto and there are still 38 specialists working in the area , with the back-up of two helicopters , to make sure that the firewall created yesterday to protect the Chorrosquina urbanisation holds . The cause of the fire is being investigated by BIIF , Infoca’s Fire Investigation Brigade .

Passenger fixes fault on aircraft stranded in Menorca

The qualified aeronautical engineer saved his fellow passengers on the flight to Glasgow from an 8-hour delay . A passenger came to the rescue of a plane full of holidaymakers last Saturday , who were told they were to be stranded on Menorca for eight hours while an engineer was flown out from the UK to fix a fault on their plane . A passenger on the Thomas Cook flight to Glasgow identified himself as a qualified aeronautical engineer and offered to try and fix the problem . It turned out he works for Thomson Airways , an airline which has a reciprocal maintenance agreement with Thomas Cook , and the BBC reports that Thomas Cook followed strict procedures to ensure he was qualified to work on the Boeing 757-200 . He was greeted with applause when he boarded the plane again , and he and the other passengers were back in Glasgow with only a 35 minute delay . He was seen kicking front tyre and say Ya it not flat .

Pamplona bulls put three in hospital

The second bull run in the San Fermín fiestas in Pamplona has left three people in hospital . The first , a man from Madrid who was running the Estafeta section , has been taken to the Virgen del Camino hospital in Pamplona after being gored in the buttock . The second , a 24-year-old Australian man , has been taken to the same hospital suffering from facial and head injuries as a result of running the Mercaderes section . The third , a 36-year-old Swiss man who was also running the Estafeta section with the bulls from the Cebada Gago ranch , has been treated for a knee injury . Which is broadcast live on Spanish television And TVEI . The festival also features a range of concerts , street parties , dances and in some cases excessive drinking .

Costa Blanca holiday lettings scam under investigation

Hundreds of foreign tourists paid for holidays in non-existent properties . The Civil Guard are investigating a holiday lettings fraud reported by the Times newspaper at the end of June which is believed to have affected hundreds of foreign tourists . Reporting on the scam this Wednesday , 20 minutos says there appear to be around 100 victims in the UK and others in other parts of Europe , each of whom paid an average of 4,000 € for their summer holiday . The properties booked did not however exist . The Costa Blanca holidays were booked through a website which the Times names as morairaway web site , said to be based in Málaga , and which also advertised through letting agencies in the UK and one in Spain , which passed on any enquiries to their advertiser . Despite checks carried out on morairaway , the Times says none were aware that their client was not a bona fide agent . The Civil Guard began their investigation after a British man became concerned when he was unable to contact the company and travelled out to Alicante to check for himself and discovered the property he had booked in Jávea did not in fact exist . The Alicante Civil Guard have told 20 minutos that they have no knowledge of any Spanish victims for the moment , but have not ruled out that there could be Spaniards affected .

Drunken British man arrives at Spanish airport and begins to give away his inheritance

Police say he had 52,000 Euro on him in travellers’ cheques and cash . A drunken British passenger recently landed at Palma de Mallorca from Manchester was stopped by police on Wednesday when he began handing out all the money he had on him to other people in the airport. EFE said he was carrying 50,000 Euros in travellers ’ cheques and another 2,000 Euros in cash , which later turned out to be the money from an inheritance . The 59 year old named as J.B.N. was described in the police report as looking like a tramp , smelling of urine and dirt , and with a totally neglected appearance . He was said to be laughing as he gave out the money . He was put on another flight back to the UK that same day after police checked with the British Consulate that the money was really his .

Surplus housing with us until at least 2012

The president of the National Confederation of Constructors (CNC), Juan Lazcano , announced today that the 600,000 or so excess properties currently on the market in Spain , according to government figures , would not start selling until the first quarter of 2010 . Lazcano warned that the construction sector would not start seeing housing stocks similar to 2005 levels (under 100.000 properties) until the end of 2012 . He added that 2009 was going to be ‘a difficult period’ with an expected 12.8% drop in investment in the sector compared with the previous year . In an attempt to kickstart activity in the both the residential property sector and the state sector , the CNC president proposed a series of tax and investment policies . Lazcano called for more ‘direct and incisive aid to reduce stocks’ for example , government acquisition of property currently being held by financial institutions so that it can be offered for rent .

The high temperatures of the Mediterranean cause ten Olive tornados

This morning , between the 9 and the 11 , 10 tornados in front of Olive beaches have formed about , in the region of the Safor , Valencia . Rigorously speaking, which we can observe are marine whirlwinds , since it is considered that a tornado is the same phenomenon , but when its vortex touches earth . In this case we see how the part of under the enormous funnel directly sucks water of the surface of the sea . The Mediterranean is indeed the main motor of this type of phenomena . These days we do not have a especially unstable situation on the peninsular east , but the temperature of the water of the sea already begins to be very high . In fact , the values of this year are something more stops of the habitual thing for the dates . The sea is able to contribute much humidity to the atmosphere , and with only something of instability , the clouds can grow with facility . Thus the things, form cumulonimbus , the clouds of more vertical development than they exist , that in our latitudes reach a little more 10 km of height . The cumulonimbus is the storm clouds , with very violent airflows in their interior and that are able to generate those enormous tornados (or marine whirlwinds) . In the image of the Meteosat satellite in the visible channel of the 12 of the noon an enormous cumulonimbus is observed moving towards Ibiza and new storms growing in the coastal regions of Valencia and north of Alicante .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKGNQvXzzUs&eurl=http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20090708/las-altas-temperaturas-del-mediterraneo-provocan-diez-tornados-oliva/284133.shtml&feature=player_embedded

Forest fire breaks out near Benidorm mountains

Two theme parks were evacuated as a precaution on Wednesday . A forest fire in Benidorm’s Sierra Helada this Wednesday afternoon led the authorities to evacuate 3,000 people from the Aqualandia and Mundomar theme parks as a precaution . The 200 residents of three nearby urbanisations were also told to leave their homes , but were allowed back later in the afternoon when the flames threatening their homes were brought under control . The fire broke out near Rincón de Loix at around 4.15 , where fire fighters at the scene quickly managed to stop the flames from advancing any further . There has been no confirmation on the size of area affected , although the situation there was described as favourable , with a perimeter established around the blaze .  It’s understood neither Aqualandia or nearby Mundomar were under threat from the flames, but evacuation was considered advisable in case the wind should decide to change .

How to stop commerical SMS messages from Telefónica

Télefonica is sending a letter to subscribers saying it will be sending commercial messages to mobile phones . Following on from our item last week about the Robinsons List in Spain , for opting out of commercial messages to both land lines and mobile numbers ,  here , it has now come to our attention that Telefónica is now sending out letters saying they take it as read that they can send you commercial SMS messages to your mobile phone . Even if you are not with Movistar , Telefónica often has your mobile phone number from earlier customer services contacts . They advise in the letter that you can opt out online from receiving such promotional messages by going to a web page , entering your mobile phone number and clicking on three boxes . The correct page to opt out of such commercial messages is at www.telefonica.es/consentimientomovil . The telecommunications regulator , CMT, has admitted that the price of SMS text messages will not be coming down in Spain   remaining at 15 cents . They claim that is because in fact there are ‘ hidden offers ’ in the marketplace which take the average cost of messages down to 11.85 cents . It comes after the EU ordered SMS messages across borders in Europe cost no more than 11 cents . The CMT notes however that mobile phone tariffs have fallen by 5.2% over the past year . Meanwhile Vodafone has been ordered to remove a campaign which says ‘ We will give the gift of the land line at your home forever ’ . The ruling considers that the service offered by Vodafone is not a land line as such , but a flat rate cost for calls to land lines when the call is made from your home .

Three Spanish police officers busted for drug smuggling

Among those under arrest are three members of the Civil Guard , Three Spanish police officers busted for drug smuggling
815 kilos of cocaine were seized by police . Spanish authorities arrested eight people , including three police officers , in an operation in which they also seized 815 kilograms of cocaine . The operation enabled authorities to break up the network responsible for drug trafficking in the port of Marin de Pontevedra , in the northern region of Galicia , a ring that smuggled drugs into Spain from South America . Among those under arrest are three members of the Civil Guard , Spain’s national militarized police force . The operation was carried out in cooperation with Spain’s customs service , Chilean police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration . Police were able to intercept the latest shipment of drugs , which consisted of 815 kilos of coke hidden in packets of frozen shrimp that were found in an industrial zone in the Galician city of La Coruña . The investigation was begun about a year ago when police learned that an organized group was about to start smuggling large cocaine shipments into Spain through a Galician port . The initial aspects of the investigation linked the criminal activity with a lawyer in the Galician city of Vigo . The lawyer had cleared the way for the smuggling route from South America by setting up a front company to give the appearance of legality to assorted imports , thus providing to the traffickers the ability to send “secure shipments” of the drug . A number of the organization’s members were in positions of authority where they could “guarantee” that the shipments would pass through the port of Marin without having to undergo any type of customs inspection . In May , police found that a person linked to the organization had travelled to Ecuador to organize the cocaine shipment . Agents determined that the shipment was dispatched from Guayaquil , Ecuador , and had made a stop in Cartagena , Colombia , before arriving in Marin .

Banesto sees fall of nearly nine percent in profits for the year to June

Banesto has announced a 8.9% fall in profits for the year to June compared to last year . Despite the number the bank said that in the second quarter there was an improvement in the growth of generating income . The bank returned a net profit of 409.5 million Euros for the first six months of this year . The CECA , the Confederation of the Spanish Savings Banks , has called for measures to stop banks from getting too big . The President of the organisation , Juan Ramón Quintás , thinks that a restructuring needs to take place among Spanish Savings Banks , because some of the banks are already too big to be rescued apart by becoming national entities . He said that chaos would return to the sector in 15 to 20 years unless there were profound changes in the system .Meanwhile the Bank of Spain says that mergers are inevitable in banks and savings banks here , and has made a call to avoid national strategies in the fight against the global crisis .

Jaén Cathedral is too loud

A local resident has been fighting for 28 years to get the bells turned down . Jaén Cathedral is too loud . Municipal bylaws in the city have an acceptable limit for noise set at 30 decibels , but the chimes of the cathedral bells have been described as ‘unbearable’ at 80 decibels , according to Antonio Rus , a resident who lives nearby and who has been fighting for the last 28 years to get the chimes toned down, and over the time has had to be treated for depression as the noise continued . He took the case to court and won in the Andalucian High Court in October 2007 , but nobody has dared to carry out the order .  Local councillor for the environment , José Luis Cano , has now called a cross party meeting where it was decided to give the church authorities a month in which to correct the noise levels . It’s understood the full volume will be allowed at Corpus Cristi , and on Christmas Eve , Palm Sunday and November 1 , el Día de Difuntos . Antonio Rus told El País that he did not want the bells to stop , only that they comply with the law so he can take up his right to rest .
However many locals think Antonio is wrong . They note that the cathedral has been where it is for centuries .

Spain’s Sacyr wins bid to expand Panama Canal: official

A consortium led by Spain’s Sacyr won a multi-billion dollar bid Wednesday to build a new set of locks that will allow giant cargo vessels to sail through the Panama Canal , the Canal Authority announced . Adiano Espino , the Panama Canal Authority official that made the announcement at a public event , said that the winning bid received the best technical evaluation and was also the most affordable . The ” United for the Canal ” group, which brings together Spanish, German , Italian and Panamanian companies , presented lowest bidding price, at 3.12 billion US dollars . The cost was earlier estimated at 3.35 billion US dollars . The canal was built 1904-1914 by the United States , which handed control over to Panama in December 1999 . The largest ships that now use the canal carry up to 5,000 containers , but after the expansion supertankers and ships carrying as many as 12,000 containers will be able to sail through . “The process has been crystal-clear ,” said Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli , who was present at the ceremony . “The country has benefited and the price is even lower than the base price that the Canal Authorities had ,” he said . According to the bidding rules there is still a period for the losers to appeal the result . The “United for the Canal ” group includes Spain’s Sacyr Vallehermoso SA , Impregilo SpA of Italy , Jan de Nul NV of Belgium , and Panama’s Constructora Urbana . The group beat out bids by a consortium that included the US-based Bechtel and the Taisei and Mitsubishi corporations of Japan which according to Espino asked for 4.19 billion US dollars and a bid by the CANAL consortium , headed by Spanish companies ACS Servicios and Acciona Infraestructuras , which asked for 5.98 billion US dollars . Some 14,000 ships , comprising about five percent of annual world commerce , pass through the Central American shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans . About 80 percent of Panama’s economy is linked to canal activity . The waterway’s main users are the United States, China and Japan . The government says work would be financed by a hike in tolls, which pull in some five million US dollars a day.

Typically Spanish - Spain News : National

Prosecutor wants 6 months in prison for father who beat his 13 year old son

It happened after the son had said he had failed his subjects at school . The prosecutor in Zaragoza is calling for a six month prison sentence and a 120 Euro fine for a father who hit his son after he suspended two subjects at school . The father hit out in the house , and then in the street , after the 13 year old child had told him he had suspended all his subjects . The father now faces child abuse charges with the private accusation in the case is calling for a seven month prison sentences and speaks of the humiliation suffered by the 13 year old by being beaten in the street . The youngster presented the court with the medical report showing injuries to his jaw and forearm .

Tour de France moves into Spain

Today’s stage is between Girona and Barcelona . The Tour de France moves into Spain today with a 181.5km stage between Girona and Barcelona . It’s the sixth stage of this year’s race and the first time that an entire stage has been held in Spain . It ends with the spectacular climb up the Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona city centre . Riders are expected to arrive there at about 5. 15pm . It comes as Spain’s Alberto Contador is third in the overall classification just 19 seconds of the pace being set by Fabian Cancellara and Lance Armstrong .

Forgery ring broken in Madrid

The National Police have broken a ring of forgers in Madrid who had been producing counterfeit documents for various European countries and were distributing them from a ‘locutorio’ and a metro station . According to police sources , five people , all from Madrid , have been arrested and charged with forgery , fraud and conspiracy .  Residency cards and driving licences from Spain , Italy , Portugal and the UK were discovered in the operation along with sophisticated printing machinery worth thousands of euros . According the police , the gang were working at a technically very high level , with printing systems capable of duplicating state systems of printing on plastic or PVC . At the beginning of May the police arrested a man who was acting as an intermediary in the trading of these false documents and that arrest led them to the couple orchestrating the forgery ring . As well as the five people arrested in connection with the forgery ring , another six people have been detained for being in Spain illegally . 

Fernando Conte resigns as Chairman of Iberia

His replacement has been named as Antonio Vázquez . Iberia has accepted the resignation of its Chairman , Fernando Conte . The board accepted the resignation late on Thursday , made according to reports for personal reasons , and have named Antonio Vázquez Romero as the new Chairman . He was preciously on the board of the company between 2005 and 2007 and is the ex Chairman of Altadis . The announcement of Conte’s decision to go has been held back until the replacement was in place . He said he went with the sensation of a job well done , and with the calm knowledge that his replacement was the best possible . ‘Antonio Vázquez is a grand professional and knows Iberia well’ , he said . Iberia says change does not affect plan to merge with BA . its main shareholder Caja Madrid was unhappy with the lack of progress being made towards the BA merger but a spokesman denied that this had been the motivation behind the change . Conte had already stated at the beginning of this year that he wanted to step down before his 60th birthday in March 2010 and the spokesman said that the search for his successor had been completed sooner than expected . It’s not a new name for us in Spain , but the Vueling airline enters a new stage with its merger with Clickair , and the decision to keep the Vueling brand . The new merged company is already now the fourth largest low cost operator in Europe , by the number of passengers , and over the next 12 months the airline expects to welcome 11 million passengers . It comes as latest numbers show a 13% decline in the number of passengers on national flights in May compared to last year . The AVE high speed trains saw a 0.1% reduction .

Government, Employers and Unions Talks

Today is a key day in the talks between the Government , Employers and Unions , as the search continues in an attempt to reach a wide reaching agreement on what is called here ‘social dialogue’ , but what really means wage levels, social security payments , and how much employers have to compensate workers if they are sacked . UGT Union leader , Cándido Méndez , has admitted that he sees the current situation as ‘very difficult’ , while the employers are saying that all sides of the arguments should be heard . All sides are meeting together in Madrid today . Speaking earlier , Minister for Employment and Immigration , Celestino Corbacho , said that he thinks an agreement is possible , but may not come until the Autumn .

Man Killed Running with Bulls in Spain

A man taking part in the San Fermín bull runs this morning has died after being gored ’ under the left hand side of the collarbone ‘, an injury that ’ penetrated the left lung , aorta and vena cava ’ confirmed the head of medical services for the bull runs , Fernando Boneta . As yet the man’s identity remains unknown as he was not carrying any documentation . The man was gored in the ‘Telefónica’ stretch of the bull run and was taken straight to the Hospital de Navarra by the emergency services , who recognised immediately that his condition was ’ very serious ’ and that he was in cardiorespiratory arrest . He was operated on straight away but his condition was described by the hospital medical staff as ’ critical ’ and his death was confirmed at 08.45 hours . The mayor of Pamplona , Yolanda Barcina , went to the Hospital de Navarra as soon as she learned of the man’s death . Four people have been gored in the San Fermines bullrun this morning . Shortly after 12 noon his identity had been confirmed to be that of 27 year old Daniel Jimeno Romero from Álcala de Henares, near Madrid .
A 60 year old United States man is among the three seriously injured. He is reported to have head injuries . There have now been 15 deaths in the history of the San Fermines bull runs . The last previous death was of a local man , Fermín Etxeberria who died in 2003 after hitting his head , and before that it was a 22 year old United States man , Matthew Peter Tasio in 1995 who was gored in the stomach .

Spain sees second death from Swine Flu

The 41 year old victim died on the Canary Islands . Spain has seen her second death from the A(H1N1) virus. The 41 year old man had been admitted to intensive care in the Doctor Negrín hospital on Gran Canaria and died on Thursday afternoon. It follows the death of a 20 year old Moroccan woman in Madrid .
The new victim died from complications after being admitted on July 5 and had a previous chronic illness according to a statement from the Canary Islands Health Department . He had contracted the virus despite making no trips to any of the risk countries . Meanwhile the number of confirmed cases in Spain has now reached 969 , according to the latest data from the regions collected by the Ministry for Health . All these are making progress although there are other serious cases in Madrid , Cataluña , Andalucía , Asturias and Galicia .

ETA set off explosive device in Durango

The blast was at the Socialist party offices in the town . ETA has set off an explosive device in the Socialist Party offices in Durango , Vizcaya . A witness saw a hooded man place the package and then run off just before midnight on Thursday night , and the explosion , described as very powerfu l, caused widespread material damage . There are no reports of any injuries from the blast as the Ertzaintza regional police had time to evacuate the area .

Covering for Jurdy…... Get Well Soon

Our Great Moderator Jurdy Is In Hospital

Jurdy fell at work today and is in Hospital… I have been told he is ok and hopefully he be out tomorrow from Hospital.
I will update you all as I know.

Fatality in Friday’s Bull Run in Pamplona named as Spanish

A 60 year old United States man is among the three more seriously injured
Four people have been gored in the San Fermines bullrun this morning – and one of them has now died.
All the problems were caused by a bull from the Jandilla stud in the run today, the fourth of the year.
The brown bull, with number 106 and named ‘Capuchino’ has proved to be one of the most dangerous in the history of the runs, leaving the group and attacking the runners in the area of the run known as Telefónica.
The Red Cross said initially that one person was critical after suffering an arterial haemorrhage after being gored in the neck. The person died shortly after, at 8,45am when undergoing surgery in the Virgen del Camino hospital.
The youngster who died, in the striped jersey, waiting to run in the San Fermines fiesta today - EFE
Early reports that the victim was British were dismissed by the Mayor of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina, who said that she thought he could be Spanish. She said he was running without papers, but wore a ring with the inscription ‘Cris, 25 de Noviembre 2005’ and that he has a tattoo of an Indian on his right arm.
Shortly after 12 noon his identity had been confirmed to be that of 27 year old Daniel Jimeno Romero from Álcala de Henares, near Madrid. He was identified in the hospital by his girlfriend and sister.
A 60 year old United States man is among the three seriously injured. He is reported to have head injuries.
There have now been 15 deaths in the history of the San Fermines bull runs.
The last previous death was of a local man, Fermín Etxeberria who died in 2003 after hitting his head, and before that it was a 22 year old United States man, Matthew Peter Tasio in 1995 who was gored in the stomach.

Sevilla builder ends hunger strike protest naked

Manuel Paraíso was taken by the police to hospital after not eating for 58 days
Manuel Paraíso, a Sevilla builder who has been on hunger strike for 58 days and squatting at the construction site in Calle Florencio Quintero where he had been working in the city, took his protest one step further on Thursday by taking off his clothes.
He is demanding that workers and suppliers be paid by the construction company concerned and had not eaten for 58 days to draw attention to the case.
However on Thursday when the police arrived to take him to hospital he took off his clothes encouraged by colleagues who shouted support and carried banners. He may have been happier to dance in the street to show off his body after losing no less than 17 kilos on the hunger strike, but the police finally used one of the placards to cover his modesty before taking him to the hospital.

Best check the by-laws before going to the beach in Spain

Many towns have introduced new regulations this year
As the summer continues with Spain’s beaches as busy as ever, there are signs of change in a country where previously, after the suppression of the Franco years, anything goes.
Now there are a growing number of local bylaws affecting beaches around the coasts.
In Almuñecar the siesta is sacred as those who play music, live or on the radio face a fine.
In A Coruña if you ignore the red and other warning flags be prepared to face a 500 € fine as well.
Despite being in the open air, smoking is banned on the beach at L’Escala in Girona, and the banning of sex on the beach, along with stag nights and hen parties has proved unpopular with many in Tossa de Mar.
In Valencia expect a fine if your sunshade is less than six metres from the sea, or if you are caught drinking alcohol.
I’ll let you decide if this is part of a general moral crackdown, or just local town halls trying to raise funds in financially troubled times.

Spanish Prime Minister arrives in L’Aquila

He has joined the G-8 for a meeting on food safety and the developing world
The Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has arrived in L’Aquila in Italy to take part in a meeting of the G-8.
He had the chance for a brief greeting with Barack Obama whom he had last met in Istanbul on April 6 at a meeting of the alliance of civilisations.
Both men were smiling for the photographers on Thursday ahead of the G-8 family photo and the work at the meeting continues today, Friday, with a discussion on food safety which will be opened by Zapatero and the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.
Non-governmental organisations are currently claiming that only Spain and the United States are taking their obligations to the developing world seriously, and Zapatero says he will use today’s meeting to call for a greater effort against hunger and poverty, and an effort to bring agricultural and food self-sufficiency to the poorest nations.

Jurdy Over Night In Hospital

Jurdy Our Moderator Stayed the night as a pre-caution for 24 hours so medical staff can monitor him…Update when I know More.

Spanish Government Promises 500 Million Euros to G8

Spanish Prime Minister Promises G8 500 Million Euros of Money To G8 Causes.
Many Spanish Citizens and Analysts Question his ability to do so when Spain is suffering a Major Financial Crisis.

Disappointing start for Spain in the Davis Cup

The quarter finals continue against Germany in the Puerto Banús bullring
It’s one all between Spain and Germany after Friday’s play in the Davis Cup in the Puerto Banús bullring in Marbella.
Fernando Verdasco suffered against Andreas Beck, but finally came through 6-0, 3-6, 6-7, 6-2 and 6-1 after three hours ten minutes, but Tommy Robredo went down against Philipp Kohlschreiber, 3-6, 4-6 and 4-6 in just over two hours.
A crowd of 13,000 protected itself as best it could with hats and fans from the beating sun and high temperatures.
Play resumes at 4pm on Saturday with the doubles with Verdasco and Feliciano López against Keifer and Zverev.

Baby among latest immigrant arrivals

35 people were escorted into Almería port on Friday night
A baby and a child were among 35 immigrants who were intercepted by the coastguard when their patera small boat was spotted off the Almería coast late on Friday night.
They were taken into Almería port where they arrived just before midnight, where Red Cross workers established that all were in good health. They now face identification and repatriation.

Depeche Mode cancel their gig in Sevilla

It comes after David Gaham sprained his ankle in Bilbao
Depeche Mode have cancelled their concerts in Sevilla on Sunday and Oporto on Saturday because of an injury suffered by their singer, David Gahan.
He sprained his ankle during the band’s headline performance at the BBK Live concert in Bilbao on Thursday night, and is now unable to walk.
The Sevilla gig at the Olympic Stadium in the city had sold out. Tickets will be refunded over the next 15 days.
Other dates from the band set in Spain for November still stand, in Valencia, Madrid and Barcelona.

The day after in Pamplona

The San Fermines bullruns continue the day after the death of Daniel Jimeno
There was spectacle and danger again on Saturday in the San Fermin bull run in Pamplona with bulls from the Dolores Aguirre stud.
Once again a bull separated from the rest leading to three light injuries among the crowd of runners which was no smaller than seen on Friday.
It comes after the death of Daniel Jimeno Romero, the 27 year old from Alcala de Henares near Madrid on Friday. More than 200 people gathered there on Friday in five minutes silence for the young runner who, it has emerged, was an expert at Pamplona, running the bulls several times over several years, and who had been a lover of the fiesta and bullfighting since a young age. His body was taken back to Alcala for the funeral on Saturday.

New Flight Routes and Services To Lanzarote

Lanzarote´s under pressure tourist industry received a welcome boost this week with the announcement of a number of new flight routes and services to the holiday island from the UK
Low cost carriers easyJet will be operating a new route from Liverpool John Lennon Airport starting from November 3rd. In time for the winter season. With flights to Lanzarote available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Headline one way prices start from £29.99.
The Irish flag carrying airline Aer Lingus will be running a new service to Arrecife Airport from their new base at Gatwick, commencing on October 25th. Whilst TUI, the owners of the First Choice and Thomson travel brands have announced a new route from Robin Hood Doncaster/Sheffield airport to Lanzarote for the summer season 2010.
The positive news has been welcomed by island tourist authorities. As during the first five months of 2009 the number of foreign visitor arrivals fell by
16.91% versus 2008 figures.

Don’t panic over swine ‘flu deaths, stresses Spanish government

SPAIN’S government has called for calm following the deaths of two people from swine ‘flu in the past week.
Vice president María Teresa Fernández de la Vega and minister for health and social policy, Trinidad Jiménez (both pictured) have stressed that “the situation is under control.”
Since last week, a 48-year-old man from Gran Canaria and a 20-year-old Moroccan girl in Madrid.
The latter, an asthma sufferer, was seven months’ pregnant, but an emergency caesarian section meant the baby survived and was unaffected by the AH1N1 virus.
A total of 969 people in Spain have been diagnosed with swine ‘flu, including 27 children in the province of Alicante.
Eight patients are said to be in a critical condition.
Jiménez says a vaccine should be on the shelves by October, thanks to negotiations with pharmaceutical giants Novartis and Glaxo SmithKline.
A total of 37 million doses of the vaccine have been acquired by the Spanish health authorities and a further three million anti-viral jabs.
Children under two, pregnant women and those with existing pathological conditions, particularly respiratory problems, will take priority.
Information will soon be distributed to businesses and schools concerning how to act in the event of a suspected case among staff or pupils.

Miguel Carcaño insulted outside the Sevilla court

The man thought to have killed Marta del Castillo was taken to the court building for psychological tests
Miguel Carcaño was insulted by a member of the public outside the court in Sevilla where he was called for a second psychological test on Friday.
The insults came from a friend of Marta del Castillo, the 17 year old who Miguel Carcaño is accused of killing in January this year, and whose body is still to be found.
‘Look me in the eyes, you unfortunate, Look me in the eyes’ shouted the man who had to be held back by police and friends.
Carcaño looked at him, and was then taken inside for the tests which lasted three and a half hours.

Luis Bárcenas says he could temporarly resign as PP treasurer

He says he will make the move if he is charged after making his statement to the Supreme Court
The Partido Popular national treasurer, Luis Bárcenas, has said that he could temporarily resign from his position if, after making his statement in the Gürtel Case, the judge decides to file charges against him.
Bárcenas confirmed that party leader Mariano Rajoy, who is responsible for putting him in the job, has not asked him to resign in the face of the corruption allegations.
Bárcenas who is also a PP Senator, has said he is confident that he will finally be found not guilty.
Meanwhile, El País reports that Francisco Camp’s ex number two in the Valencia Government, Victor Campos, is going to admit that he received gifts in his statement to the High Court investigating the Gürtel case. The paper says his strategy is at odds with his colleagues who are also facing the charges, including the regional president, Francisco Camps.
Campos will admit receiving gifts from the man known as ‘El Bigotes’, Álvaro Pérez, because they were personal.
Campos was Camps’ number two until he retired from politics in 2007.
The new Partido Popular strategy in the case meanwhile has been to launch an attack on the tailor, José Tomás, who Francisco Camps claims he paid in cash for his suits.
The PP are now saying that Tomás could have kept the money, an accusation which the tailor has vehemently denied.

Spain takes 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup

The Spaniards are one point from victory and a place in the Semi-finals
Spain is a point away from the semi-finals of the Davis Cup after a win in the double on Saturday for Feliciano López and Fernando Verdasco against the German pair of Keifer and Zverev, 6-3,7-6,6-7 and 6-3. It means the play off, at the Puerto Banús bullring in Málaga is at 2-1 to the Spanish.
Spanish team captain, Albert Costa, said he would wait until Sunday to see how Fernando Verdasco was feeling before deciding who to play in the singles games on Sunday.
Verdasco is expected to play at 1pm against Kohlschrieber, followed by Tommy Robredo against Andreas Beck, but the captains are allowed to substitute the players an hour before the start of play in the first match and ten minutes before the start of the second. Juan Carlos Ferrero is waiting to play if called for the Spaniards.

Art and health: lifting patient morale at Dénia Hospital

Medical insurers DKV are aiming to lift patient and staff morale with an exhibition launched in Dénia Hospital on Friday, designed to create a more pleasing environment at the centre. The DKV collection ‘Arte y Salud’ – ‘Art and Health’ is the work of 28 artists from the world of painting, photography, urban art and sculpture, and includes murals painted on to the walls of the paediatrics department, a breastfeeding photography exhibition in the maternity unit, and the work of seven sculptors dotted around different parts of the hospital.
Alicia Ventura, the director of the exhibition, says the idea is to highlight the more human side of a hospital and make some contribution towards the well-being of all those who use its facilities.

Four gored in sixth bull run in Pamplona

The body of 27 year old Daniel Jimeno Romero was cremated in Alcalá de Henares this Sunday, who, on Friday, became the 15th person to be killed in the history of the world-famous San Fermín bull run in Pamplona, after the first death in 1924. The Mayor of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina, was in Alcalá to pay the respects of all members of Pamplona City Hall.
Daniel Jimeno was an expert at San Fermín, and had run before the bulls there several times over a number of years. The last fatality before his death this year was a local man, Fermín Echeverría Irañeta, who died after two months in a coma after hitting his head in the 2003 bull run. 22 year old Matthew Peter Tasio from the United States died after being gored in the stomach in 1995, and another U.S. citizen is reported to be one of three people who were seriously injured in the same run where Daniel Jimeno was fatally injured on Friday.
Another four people were gored on Sunday’s run, the sixth of the 2009 Sanfermines, and it’s understood that two who were seriously hurt are out of danger after emergency surgery. A total of eleven runners required hospital treatment in what is described by the Spanish press as the longest and most dangerous of this year’s San Fermín.

Basque Bishops ask for forgiveness for Church silence over Civil War killings

A memorial service has been held for 14 priests executed by Franco forces in the Basque Country
The bishops of the Basque Country have asked for forgiveness for the Church’s silence over the killing of 14 priests during the Spanish Civil War. They were killed by right-wing forces after General Francisco Franco’s troops advanced into the Basque Country and none, EFE reports, received a proper funeral, nor did most of them have their deaths registered.
The Bishop of Vitoria, Miguel Asurmendi, said at a memorial service held for the priests in the city’s cathedral this Sunday, ‘today we settle an outstanding debt’, for the ‘unjustifiable’ silence of Church officials over the deaths of the priests. ‘Such a long silence,’ he said, ‘was not only a wrongful omission, but also a lack of truth and an act against justice and charity’.
The service was attended by the Bishops of Bilbao and San Sebastián, representatives of the Basque government and other politicians, more than 200 priests, and friends and family of the priests who died.
Asurmendi asked for forgiveness in the name of the Church in the Basque Country, saying the intention is not to ‘reopen wounds’ but to help to heal or to soothe them. He called on God to give the Basque people the strength they need to reject violence as a way of resolving differences and conflict.
Only two of the deaths were recorded on parish registries, and the remaining 12 are now to be officially registered, with details also on each of the priests to be published in the official bulletin of their respective diocese.

Workers reject reopening plan for the Los Monteros Hotel

The luxury establishment in Marbella has been closed since June 5
Workers at the Los Monteros Hotel in Marbella have described the plan to reopen the establishment as insufficient.
The Junta de Andalucía is confident dialogue will bring a solution and has meanwhile postponed taking action against the Russian owner, Ernest Malyshev, for disobedience.
His legal representative presented the workers with the plan on Thursday afternoon, after what they say is a month without contact. He proposes to spend 180,000 € to cover owed back pay and to reopen the hotel, but the workers say that amount will only pay the wages of the 183 workers for a month, and they are already owed six months.

Unions are demanding at least two months be paid now and say they will accept temporary lay-offs for half the workforce.
Ernest Malyshev closed the hotel on June 5 claiming the workers had shown an aggressive attitude, and destroyed some of the hotel facilities, a claim challenged by regional work inspectors who then placed a 90,000 € fine and ordered the immediate reopening of the establishment.

Case opens following death of Nigerian first lady in Marbella

Stella Iubayelea Obasanjo died two days after undergoing liposuction

The case following the death of the Nigerian first lady in Marbella in 2005 has opened in Penal Court 6 in Málaga.
Stella Iubayelea Obasanjo, 59 year old wife of President Olusegun Obasanjo, died two days after undergoing a liposuction operation in the Molding Clinic, a private clinic in Marbella. The doctor who carried out the procedure extracting fat from the abdomen, stomach and lips of the patient now faces a charge of negligent homicide. The patient entered septic shock after losing a large amount of blood.
Doctor Antonio Mena told the court that the procedure was ‘absolutely normal’ and that there were no problems presented by the age or the patient or by the fact she suffered from asthma.
However the patient’s condition started giving cause for concern a day later and she died in the USP hospital where he had been transferred. The prosecution is calling for two years in prison for the doctor and a five year ban from practicising in the case which has been brought by the Nigerian Government.

British holidaymaker dies on plane home

A BRITISH tourist on the way home from his holidays in the Alicante province has died of a heart attack in mid-air.
Emergency services reported yesterday that the holidaymaker, a 66-year-old man, became indisposed whilst on the Jet2.com flight from Alicante to Leeds-Bradford airport.
The flight had only taken off 20 minutes previously.
As a result, the pilot turned around and went back to Alicante airport to land the airline.
Paramedics and police, who had been called to the scene before the craft touched down, attempted to revive the passenger, who had slipped into unconsciousness.
But when they failed to do so, he was rushed to hospital.

Latest swine ‘flu patient ‘critical’

ANOTHER swine ‘flu patient has been admitted to intensive care in a critical condition.
A 52-year-old woman, who suffers from high blood pressure, was taken into Valencia’s La Fe hospital on Thursday night with breathing difficulties.
Health authorities confirmed last night that she had been transferred to intensive care on Friday evening.
They have confirmed she is suffering from the AH1N1 virus.
Her condition has worsened, leaving her with a viral pneumonia that has affected both lungs.

Jurdy Home From Hospital Update

Jurdy is home from hospital he is suffering from Pain to the head back and arms… Jurdy will fill us in later on What Happened tomorrow.

Swine Flu cases pass 1,000 in Spain

Two people have died and nine patients are in a very serious condition
The latest data from the Health Ministry shows that, as of Friday 10th July, Spain has 1,034 confirmed cases of the A(H1N1) virus, and two people have now died after being taken ill. The second death was a 41 year old man who died on Thursday afternoon after being admitted to Intensive Care in the Doctor Negrín Hospital on Gran Canaria. He died after complications set in following his admittance on 5th July, and is understood to have had underlying health problems.
The first person to die in Spain was a 20 year old Moroccan woman in Madrid. Surgeons managed to save the life of her unborn baby with a Caesarian section, who it was later confirmed was born free of the virus.
Of the new cases reported in recent days, one is a 52 year old woman under treatment in the Hospital La Fe in Valencia who is one of nine people who are seriously ill with the virus. The patient, was admitted with respiratory problems on Thursday night and was moved to Intensive Care on Friday with viral pneumonia in both her lungs. She was confirmed as having the virus on Saturday. The woman is reported to have a previous condition of high blood pressure.
More Spanish cases were reported in Belgium this weekend, where three Spanish children are amongst a number of confirmed cases at a summer camp in Lieja, in the east of Belgium. EFE reports two of the Spanish students were already carrying the virus when they arrived in the country.

Partido Popular continues with efforts to dissolve Estepona Town Hall

The party plans to ask the Andalucía and national parliaments to study the matter
The Partido Popular is continuing with its efforts towards the dissolution of Estepona Town Hall, despite a motion to that end being defeated at a meeting of the Málaga provincial government last week.
Now, Javier Arenas, the party’s president in Andalucía, has announced a proposal is to be presented to both Congress and the Senate, asking for both chambers to study dissolving the corporation to allow the public to decide who should govern the town by calling early elections. Málaga Hoy newspaper reports a similar proposal is to be presented to the regional parliament in Andalucía.
Arenas made the announcement at a PP rally in Estepona during the visit of the Partido Popular leader, Mariano Rajoy, to Málaga province this weekend. Rajoy spoke of his hopes for a Partido Popular government in Estepona which he said would bring the town back to normality and efficiency. He said he wants the same to happen in Estepona as did in Marbella, where the Town Hall went to the Partido Popular in elections held the year after the council was dissolved over the Malaya corruption case.

Fire destroys 10 hectares in Calaceite, Torrox

Sparks caused by a paraglider crashing into an electricity line started the blaze. He escaped uninjured
A forest fire is reported to have destroyed 10 hectares of scrubland in the Calaceite-Peñoncillo area of Torrox this Sunday, which was started by sparks from a high tension cable caused when a paraglider crashed into the line shortly before 1.30pm.
Infoca firefighters, with support from the air and brigades from Vélez Málaga and Nerja managed to bring the blaze under control some three hours later, and it’s understood from Europa Press that none of the houses in the area had to be evacuated. The paraglider escaped uninjured from the accident, and no other injuries were reported.

Police seek Elche gunman

An Italian man was shot while sitting in a parked car near a local beach
An Italian man resident in Elche was undergoing emergency surgery on Sunday after being shot while sitting in a parked car near a beach between Elche and Santa Pola early that morning. The only information on the 38 year old’s condition was a ‘reserved prognosis’, EFE said.
EFE said the victim was with his partner in an isolated area of Arenales del Sol, when it appears they were approached by a suspected peeping tom, believed to be the person who fired the shots. The suspect then fled the scene and is now being sought by National Police.
A similar case is reported in the same area two years ago.

Construction of Line 1 of Murcia tram starts this month

The regional government has also put out to tender a study into extending the system as far as Molina de Segura
The Murcia regional government has put out to tender a feasibility study for a future extension of the capital’s tram system to the north of the city as far as Molina de Segura, Alguazas and Las Torres de Cotillas. The extension is planned to start from the Espinardo university campus.
Public works councillor José Ballesta said the alternatives presented will be analysed with the aim of finding the best solution from a technical, financial and environmental point of view to serve the transport needs of Murcia’s metropolitan area.
A 2 km trial stretch of Line 1 opened in the city in April 2007 and it’s understood further construction work is due to begin in Murcia later this month.

Teenager drowns in a Granada reservoir

His body was recovered on Sunday after friends saw him disappear below the surface of Cubillas on Saturday
Divers searching the Cubillas reservoir, Granada province, for a teenager reported missing on Saturday recovered his body the following morning, which was found shortly after midday on Sunday at a depth of 10 metres.
The un-named 19 year old, originally from Morocco, lived in the El Zaidín area of Granada City and was swimming in the Torre del Puente area of the reservoir when his friends say he began to wave his arms and sank below the surface.
Ideal newspaper said he was trying to swim across the reservoir from the beach area and got into difficulties as he was reaching his goal and suddenly disappeared beneath the waters.

The lion cub who was top dog in Salou

Police saw him being walked on a lead through the town
A six month old lion cub is due to be moved to a specialist animal protection society this Monday, after being confiscated by police who spotted it being walked on a lead through the streets of the popular tourist resort of Salou, in Cataluña.
The man who owns Simba was given the animal by a friend who had bought the lion from a circus in Girona, El País reports. The cub’s new owner kept his ‘pet’ in a warehouse, feeding him on three chickens a day and exercising him with walks in the town and even along the beach. Simba has been in an animal rescue centre in El Garrat, Barcelona, since Tuesday, where the manager says he now at least has the company of other animals in the neighbouring cage.