TOURISTS have been spending greater and greater this summer in Spain,

Holidaymakers spend greater in Spain this year: "TOURISTS have been spending greater and greater this summer in Spain, with August's figures showing the fourth consecutive month of increases.
The average holidaymaker in Spain spent 975 euros, according to research, or a daily figure of 98 euros.
And the largest spenders – chiefly because they represented the highest in number – were the British, who shelled out an average of 2.3 per cent greater this August than they did last year, the same increase as the Italians visiting Spain.
The French spent 5.5 per cent greater, but the Germans stumped up slightly less money on their holidays this year with a fall of one per cent.
But Scandinavians spent a whopping 12.3 per cent greater whilst visiting Spain this year than they did in 2009."

500 years for the 95 accused – among them three former mayors of the Costa del Sol resort of Marbella, senior town hall officials

Spain enthralled as huge corruption trial begins - The Irish Times - Tue, Sep 28, 2010: "The prosecutor is demanding a total of 500 years for the 95 accused – among them three former mayors of the Costa del Sol resort of Marbella, senior town hall officials and many leading businessmen.
They took their seats in the dock in a specially enlarged courtroom, charged with a string of offences, including bribery and corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and misuse of municipal funds.
It is just over five years since it was realised that €2.4 billion of Marbella’s municipal funds had been plundered.
It seems that the web of corruption began during the term in office of the Grupo Independista Liberal, the political party formed by the late Jésus Gil y Gil, the flamboyant mayor who drove a silver Rolls Royce, a gift from a Saudi Arabian businessman, who occasionally rode his white stallion through the streets and later took over the Atlético Madrid football club.
When the scale of corruption emerged in 2005 and so many officials were detained, the regional government was forced to step in – the first time in the era of Spanish democracy that an elected council has been expelled from office.
They found the vaults empty and Marbella over €512 million in debt, with no money to pay even the smallest bills to local businesses, rubbish collectors and cleaners."

7 Suspected Basque Separatists Held In Spain

7 Suspected Basque Separatists Held In Spain: "Spanish police have arrested seven suspected members of an offshoot of the Basque separatist group ETA, local media reported quoting officials on Tuesday.
According to the reports, the suspects were arrested in the northern Basque and Navarra regions of Spain. But their claims are yet to be confirmed by Spanish officials.
All the suspects detained in the overnight raids were reportedly members of the radical Askapena group, which is considered to be the mouthpiece of ETA.
If confirmed, the arrests will be the second of its kind after the ETA declared a unilateral ceasefire on September 5. Earlier this month, Spanish authorities had arrested nine members of another ETA-linked group, the Ekin.
After declaring the unilateral ceasefire, the Basque separatist group had also expressed willingness to make it a permanent one if the Spanish authorities agreed to certain conditions.
The Spanish government, however, rejected ETA's offer, insisting that peace talks were possible only if the separatists renounced violence and surrendered unconditionally. It had also pledged to intensify its crackdown on ETA despite the ceasefire."

Spain Borrowing Costs Rise as Moody’s Decision Looms - BusinessWeek

Spain Borrowing Costs Rise as Moody’s Decision Looms - BusinessWeek: "Spain auctioned 3 billion euros ($4 billion) of Treasury bills at rising borrowing costs as a decision by Moody’s Investors Service on lowering the country’s credit rating looms.
Spain sold 1.17 billion euros of three-month bills at an average yield of 0.685 percent, compared with 0.624 percent at the last auction on Aug. 24. It sold 1.81 billion euros of six- month bills at a yield of 1.18 percent, compared with 1.037 percent in August, the Bank of Spain said. It had set a maximum target for the auction of 3.5 billion euros.
Moody’s said on June 30 it may cut Spain’s Aaa rating when it completes a review within three months. The government is also due to announce its borrowing plan for 2011 on Sept. 30 as it presents to parliament the most austere budget in three decades, which aims to cut the deficit in half in two years.
“There is a risk of a two-notch move, or one-notch with some warnings that they could go lower is feasible,” said Harvinder Sian, a senior bond strategist at Royal Bank of Scotland Plc in London. “A two-notch probably isn’t priced in.”
The spread on Spanish 10-year debt rose to 191 basis points at 11:14 a.m. in Madrid, compared with 187 basis points yesterday. The extra yield investors demand to hold Portuguese and Irish debt surged to euro-era records today, increasing pressure on Spain.
Fitch Ratings cut Spain to AA+ on May 28, citing concerns over economic growth. Standard & Poor’s ranks the nation AA after stripping Spain of the top rating in January 2009."

BBC News - Ryanair operating hand baggage only flights to Spain

BBC News - Ryanair operating hand baggage only flights to Spain: "Ryanair said it will operate hand baggage only flights to and from Spain on Wednesday because of a 24-hour strike by Spanish workers.
The airline said about 70% of passengers due to travel would be unaffected as they did not have checked in luggage.
Passengers with checked in bags can change their booking to hand luggage.
Ryanair said they will get a refund on their luggage."

"Mr Marbella", the former Irish nightclub boss,has been having a secret affair with a 16-year-old teenager in Marbella.

Celebrity Irish DJ Maurice Boland has been having a secret affair with a 16-year-old teenager in Marbella.

Known as "Mr Marbella", the former Irish nightclub boss, who has been married for 40 years, had his long-standing contract with Talk Radio Europe on the Costa del Sol suddenly terminated last week when the affair with the teenager came to light.

Mr Boland was helping the young entertainer prepare to sing in his Marbella talent competition, The Wow Factor, which he set up in aid of a cancer charity, when the affair took place.

Speaking for the first time about his relationship with the 16 year old, Mr. Boland told the Sunday Independent he made a "terrible" mistake.

"I made an error of judgement," he said. "I got involved with someone. I have been married for 40 years next year. I have been in the media and nightclub business for many, many years and I've never had an affair.

"This is the first time it's happened. I made a very bad misjudgment, which is terrible and hurt a lot of people, including my own wife and her family and my children. And all I can say to those people who are hurt -- I am sincerely sorry."

The news will come as a shock to those who know Maurice Boland from his days as a high-profile nightclub owner when he launched the late-night club culture on Dublin's Leeson Street. Later he joined forces with La Stampa owner Louis Murray to launch Barbarella's nightclub.

Mr Boland and his wife Wendy were a glamour couple of Dublin's social set and moved to Marbella, Spain, in the Eighties, where they became part of the ex-pat Irish social scene. Wendy is very well known among the ladies who lunch and has her own business as a party organiser, mainly for Irish people.

Mr Boland himself is well connected with the ex-pat Irish community and frequently has guests over from Ireland as well as interviewing a string of famous people, including British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mandy Smith, who claimed her relationship with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman began at the age of 13 and who went on to marry the ageing rocker, later worked for Mr Boland in his club Cuba. He eventually became her agent, promising to make her a star. Under his tutelage, Mandy landed a few modelling jobs and began to take herself seriously as a singer, cutting a record in 1987 called I Just Can't Wait.

Mr Boland confirmed this weekend that his wife is standing by him and that his family are struggling to get through it together.

"It's been a very rocky time for us. My family have rallied around me and obviously they are not happy with the situation, but we love each other very much. We're a very close family. I shouldn't have got involved with anyone," he said.

"My wife is coping. We have a lot of years behind us and I pray we'll have many years ahead of us. I'm very upset -- not for me as much as I am upset for my wife and our children and her family as well. I don't give two craps about me, who cares? But I do care about my wife, I do care about my children, I do care about her and her family."

Speaking about the liaison with the young girl, he explained how he had set out to help her build on her musical talents but their relationship eventually turned into something more.

He said their relationship started off as a working relationship while he helped her with her music career, saying, "It was a very short involvement and it was never planned. Some of these things just happen.

"It came about through circumstance. The wrong time at the wrong place. There's nothing planned about it."

Asked how his working relationship crossed the line, he replied: "I can't answer it. I can't answer because there was no plan. How do these things happen? I don't know.

"It came to light, people found out and that was it," he said.

"There is no rape involved, no illegality involved, so there's nowhere else to go with that."

Drawing on the young girl's age, he said, "The reason that anyone is showing any interest is because of the girl's age, but I've done nothing illegal. She is of legal age. I have done nothing illegal."

"She's 100 per cent over 16. Not that I feel any better. I'm feeling awful about everything. I didn't set out to have a relationship with anyone, or to have it with someone so young. It was just a misjudgment on my behalf.

"These things happen in life. Why do they happen? I have no answer at all. It certainly wasn't planned or anything," he said.

Mr Boland said he will be "withdrawing from public life" for the foreseeable future, including taking a step back from all radio and charity work. His Wow Factor competition, the final of which was due to run in November, has also been cancelled.

Drawing on the termination of his contract at Talk Radio Europe, he said: "Radio was my whole life. It's just awful. I don't know if it's the end. It's too early to make any decisions yet."

He added: "I think it's very important that people understand that there's been a lot of hurt involved in this whole thing and they should make up their mind to leave the families alone. All I can say is that I'm very upset that this happened, very upset and very sorry. It's been the lowest moment in my life ever."

- NIAMH HORAN, Entertainment News Reporter

Sunday Independent

Strikes in Spain on 29 September are likely to affect domestic and international travel

Strikes in France on 23 September and in Spain on 29 September are likely to affect domestic and international travel.

Industrial action in France is expected to cause delays and cancellations to rail transport on 23 September. Eurostar services are expected to run normally but air travel may be disrupted.

A possible national General Strike in Spain on 29 September 2010 may have an impact on public services, including transport.

If you are planning to travel at these times, you should contact your travel company for further advice and information.

Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a draft of a new Gambling Act

Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a draft of a new Gambling Act, which is designed to regulate and tax all forms of gambling including online, interactive television and mobile gambling.

The draft legislation has tax and regulatory provisions relating to advertising, sponsorship, consumer protection for minors and problem players and counter-measures against fraud and money laundering. Suitable applicants may be granted five year licenses.

It is unclear how this legislation would tie in with separate initiatives in the regions of Spain except that Madrid recognizes that most of the tax revenue would be allocated to regional governments. Earlier this month Catalonia had announced its own plans to tax and regulate online gambling with EUR600,000 fines for operators who did business illegally in Catalonia. A spokesman for the ministry of finance said that a national regulatory body was needed, in which regional governments could participate.

Economy Minister, Elena Salgado, said the bill to be presented to parliament would also include the privatization of the state lottery and betting agency (LAE) and would end the regulatory vacuum on online gambling, a growing industry generating annual turnover of at least EUR200m in Spain.

Spaniards are bracing for transport disruption in a general strike called for Wednesday

Spaniards are bracing for transport disruption in a general strike called for Wednesday, but the work stoppage will not be big enough for the Socialist government to reconsider austerity plans.

Spanish labour groups have called the first general strike in eight years to protest against spending cuts the government says are needed to allay concerns the country could slide into a debt crisis that would threaten the unified euro currency.

Just 9 percent of Spain's workers, according to a poll in El Pais newswpaper, definitely plan to walk off the job on Sept. 29, not enough to create a political crisis for Socialist Prime Minster Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The strike is unlikely to derail Zapatero's 2011 budget, which he presents on Friday after striking deals with lawmakers over deep cuts in public spending.

"(The strike) certainly won't topple the government, which will be able to say life goes on. At the same time, the unions will save face because quite a lot of people will take part," said Charles Powell, professor at Madrid's CEU-San Pablo University.

With one in five people out of work in Spain, a majority view the strike as justified and turnout could get a boost from workers put off from facing public transport chaos.

The strike comes on the heels of protests against austerity measures and pension reform in France and Greece, as governments around Europe impose post-recession budget trimming.

Labour groups in Brussels, Athens and other cities around Europe plan protests on Sept. 29 in solidarity with Spain.

Spaniards are bracing for transport disruption in a general strike called for Wednesday

Spaniards are bracing for transport disruption in a general strike called for Wednesday, but the work stoppage will not be big enough for the Socialist government to reconsider austerity plans.

Spanish labour groups have called the first general strike in eight years to protest against spending cuts the government says are needed to allay concerns the country could slide into a debt crisis that would threaten the unified euro currency.

Just 9 percent of Spain's workers, according to a poll in El Pais newswpaper, definitely plan to walk off the job on Sept. 29, not enough to create a political crisis for Socialist Prime Minster Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The strike is unlikely to derail Zapatero's 2011 budget, which he presents on Friday after striking deals with lawmakers over deep cuts in public spending.

"(The strike) certainly won't topple the government, which will be able to say life goes on. At the same time, the unions will save face because quite a lot of people will take part," said Charles Powell, professor at Madrid's CEU-San Pablo University.

With one in five people out of work in Spain, a majority view the strike as justified and turnout could get a boost from workers put off from facing public transport chaos.

The strike comes on the heels of protests against austerity measures and pension reform in France and Greece, as governments around Europe impose post-recession budget trimming.

Labour groups in Brussels, Athens and other cities around Europe plan protests on Sept. 29 in solidarity with Spain.

UNIONS PREPARE FOR MONTHS

Turnout was poor at a June strike of Spain's government workers, whose salaries will be cut by 5 percent, as workers saw cuts as inevitable after fellow EU-leaders pressured Zapatero to reduce the deficit.

The Sept. 29 action is seen as a test for union credibility.

Leaders of the two largest unions, the CCOO and UGT, which together represent 2.4 million of Spain's 23 million workers, have spent months travelling around the country holding rallies.

To promote the strike, UGT ran a YouTube video series featuring a caricatured abusive boss who patronises his workers, makes sexist remarks and plays games in his office.

"The forecast is for the general strike in Spain to be more successful than France's, where 2.5 to 3 million workers went on strike," Toni Ferrer, the UGT's secretary for union action, told Reuters.

Unions hope to tap into the discontent over Zapatero's reform to the labour market to make hiring and firing cheaper and plans to delay retirement to 67 from 65 years of age.

Heavily unionised transport -- planes, trains and buses -- will be badly disrupted, although unions agreed to maintain 20-40 percent of international flights. Some teachers and doctors' unions have said they are not joining the strike.

NO U-TURNS

Back in May, the threat of a general strike heightened market jitters on Spain as investors fretted that weaker euro zone countries could face the same fate as Greece.

Now the strike is seen as more symbolic than a sign of sustained anger that could force policy change.

"It's only if unions seem to not be in control of the crowd, if the strikes and demonstrations were to go on for days, that investors would really take fright," said Gilles Moec, economist at Deutsche Bank.

"When you look at the polls, it seems that the people to some extent are resigned, that they understand that there is a lack of alternative for Spain at the moment."

There is potential for tension, however, in northern and northwestern Spain where coal miners have been protesting for weeks over unpaid wages. Their subsidised sector is under threat from European Union rules on free trade and the environment.

The government has said it will not be forced into any U-turns in its commitment to bringing its deficit down to the EU target of 3 percent by 2013.

"I think the unions that have called the strike are defending the interests of workers but perhaps they haven't taken into account the economic circumstances at the moment," Economy Minister Elena Salgado said in a radio interview.

Jerónimo Roca Ros was the owner of the 'El Franvi' meat business

Mystery surrounds the motive of a violent attack on a Cartagena businessman and his wife in their home in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Three hooded men attacked the remote ‘Los Remolinos’ home of 60 year old father of four, Jerónimo Roca Ros, who had the ‘El Franvi’ local meat business, leaving him shot dead and his wife bound and gagged.

They gained access by cutting a mosquito net on a window, according to the La Verdad newspaper, which ads that police are still looking for fingerprints.
It was first thought that robbery was the motive, but nothing was taken.

The Government Delegate in the region said the hooded attackers left ‘just as they had come’, and the police are to open other lines of investigation.

Instruction Court 3 in Cartagena has introduced reporting restrictions on the case.

Read more: http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_27238.shtml#ixzz1053egjYJ

Britons facing new taxes on 'bargain' Spanish properties | Mail Online

Britons facing new taxes on 'bargain' Spanish properties | Mail Online: "Bargain-hunters in Spain scooping up discounted property could be in for a nasty surprise as cash-strapped Spanish regional authorities hit them with extra taxes after the deal is done.
British buyers have found their purchases revalued upwards by provincial authorities, who are demanding thousands of euros in additional land registration tax.
In June last year, retirees Neil and Lynda Hunter bought a three-bedroom villa with pool for €400,000 in Mijas-Costa, on the Costa del Sol near Marbella. It had been on the market for two years at €475,000 and was being sold by a Briton who wanted to return to the UK."

Spain's largest municipal corruption court case ever is a week away

Spain's largest municipal corruption court case ever is a week away: "Malaya case finally gets underway in a specially extended hall in the Málaga Ciudad de la Justicia on September 27

What will be Spain’s largest corruption trial to date, the Malaya case based in Marbella, gets underway on September 27 in Málaga.

The case broke in Marbella on March 29 2006, when police vans raided the Town Hall in the town and started to remove documents.
It was the same at the town planning offices on the Golden Mile, and it was soon clear that it was the town’s real estate assessor, Juan Antonio Roca, was at the centre of the investigations ordered by Judge Miguel Ángel Torres"

Spain Is Ripe for Cloud Computing but Slow to Adopt - NYTimes.com

Spain Is Ripe for Cloud Computing but Slow to Adopt - NYTimes.com: "Spain, whose economy has been among the hardest hit by the financial crisis, is seen by many technology experts as fertile ground for developing cloud computing, with its potential to cut fixed costs.
Related
Cloud Computing Hits Snag in Europe (September 20, 2010) Fifty percent of the country’s gross domestic product and 43 percent of Spanish jobs are in services, which is the area “best positioned to lead the migration to the cloud,” according to a study published in May by the Bankinter Foundation of Innovation and consultants from Accenture."

Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton insisted he did not have a problem

Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has spoken of his "disgust" at his alleged binge drinking and drug taking but insisted he did not have a problem.

The 31-year-old, who is to be investigated by police over allegations he snorted cocaine in a hotel room, was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic on Monday.

Hatton, who was secretly filmed taking what is alleged to be lines of the class A drug on a night out, gave a candid interview in which he revealed his anger and pledged to fight and win his way back to health.

Speaking to the News of the World he said: "I'm so angry I could knock myself out. I'm disgusted at myself for what I have done. I've had a wonderful career and am furious that I have tarnished it."

Hatton, however, insisted he did not have a problem. He said: "I'm not the slightest bit worried about the cocaine. Problem? What problem?"

He added: "I have dabbled with the drug on a few sparing occasions. The only time I have ever done it is when I have been so depressed or drunk that it's a case of, 'Go on then'."

The boxer revealed he had been suffering blackouts, panic attacks and depression following a second round defeat. He has not fought since May 2009.

In a video clip, on the newspaper's website, he stares directly into the camera saying: "I'm Ricky Hatton and I'm here to tell the truth. I'm currently in the Priory dealing with depression due to the fact that I have not been able to cope with my retirement from boxing. I have been binge drinking heavily and dabbling in other daft and silly things but it is going to be the toughest fight of my life and I'm here to win it."

The two-weight world champion was out with friend Emma Bowe, an Irish national senior women's boxing champion, when he was caught on camera.

Greater Manchester Police said officers were aware of the story and planned to question him. The force said it would respect the former boxer's privacy after he admitted himself to the clinic. He is to be interviewed once his rehabilitation is complete.

Henry Norberto Valdes Marin, 36, alias Pollo – meaning Chicken – and Mauricio Alberto Gonzalez, 44, aka Ronco most dangerous Colombian hitmen

Henry Norberto Valdes Marin, 36, alias Pollo – meaning Chicken – and Mauricio Alberto Gonzalez, 44, aka Ronco – meaning Husky.


"These are the most dangerous Colombian citizens to have been detained in Spain up until now due to their history and the variety of criminal activities that they were involved with," said a statement from Spain's interior ministry.
The pair are suspected of working for Colombian drug cartels as "debt collectors". They are also wanted for drug trafficking and illegal weapons possession.
Spanish police said they had relocated to Spain to continue their criminal activities in the country, which serves as the main entry point for South American cocaine into Europe.
Valdes Marin is believed to have acted as logistics chief of La Negra, a group of hit men working for Colombia's Norte del Valle drug cartel.
La Negra is thought to operate across eight countries and is blamed for the murder of more than 200 people in Colombia alone, including the footballer, Albeiro "El Paloma" Usuriaga, who was gunned down in 2004.
Gonzales Sepulveda is one of the suspected leaders of the AUC, a paramilitary organisation serving Colombia's Envigado drug cartel, whose hallmark was chopping up bodies using a chainsaw. Now confined to a wheelchair after taking three bullets in a shoot-out, he had skin grafted to his finger tips to disguise his identity.
The pair, who both appear on Colombia's list of most wanted criminals, were arrested at different address in the Valencia region on Sunday night by Spanish police acting on information given to them by the Colombian counterparts.
They now face extradition to Colombia.

George Michael has been given an eight-week sentence for crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis.

George Michael has been given an eight-week sentence for crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis.

He was also fined £1,250 at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London and given a five-year driving ban.

The 47-year-old singer was arrested in July in Hampstead, north London after driving his Range Rover into a branch of photographic store Snappy Snaps.

Last month he pleading guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and possessing cannabis.

The singer was told then that his offences were "a serious matter" and that he could face imprisonment.

Michael will serve four weeks in prison, with the rest of his sentence spent out on licence under the supervision of the probation service.

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Michael admits drug crash charge
The pop star was greeted by a horde of photographers as he arrived at court earlier.