Airports have warned travellers to expect disruption on arrival into the UK as immigration and customs officers join the public sector strike tomorrow.

Passengers have been advised to consider travelling on a different day to avoid delays as hundreds of staff walk out.

A spokeswoman for airport operator BAA, which runs Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports, said: "We have been informed by UK Border Agency that arriving passengers should expect delays at the UK border on Thursday as a result of industrial action by immigration officers.

"UK Border Agency are advising that passengers who can do so may wish to travel on other dates."

The UK Border Agency said queues were expected at many ports and airports, but stressed that maintaining security was its priority.

A spokeswoman for the agency added that the extent of the disruption would depend on how many staff decide to take part in the strike action, and at which locations. She said: "If queues do build up, we have contingency measures in place to manage them."

Airlines are also preparing for the impact of the strike action.

A British Airways spokeswoman said: "We are liaising closely with the UK Border Agency and airport owners to minimise potential inconvenience to our customers.

"This is clearly an issue beyond our control but we are doing everything we can to protect our customers

five million foreigners in Spain

The foreign population in Spain for the first time exceeded five million people.
During the first quarter 2011, increase the number of registered foreigners in Spain by 2.6 percent, to a total of 5.056.256. Of these are 48 percent originated from another EU country.
The largest group remains the Romanians, who rose from January to March with 11.58 percent to 861.584 people. They are followed by Moroccans, who increased with 4.32 percent to 777.278.

 

British buyers lost in court of irregular Marbella property.

A court in Marbella has told the four British purchasers of a property Marbella seen as illegal by the Junta de Andalusia that they cannot have their deposit returned and they must go ahead with completing the purchase. The purchasers must now pay all the court costs as part of the ruling, but do have the right of appeal to the provincial court.
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They had claimed their deposit back after a delay in the handover over a challenge to the building license. Court orders the British buyers to complete purchase of irregular Marbella property.
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The buyers have paid over more than 103,000 € as a deposit on the apartments on the urbanizacion Santa Maria Green Hills, in Elviria Marbella, signing the contract with Marbella Vista Golf S.L. in November 2004. The Spanish new paper Diario Sur reports that the apartments should have been handed over before 1st January 2006, but, owing to the regional government’s challenging the building license they considered to be illegal, neither the property nor the gardens and promised golf course were completed by that date.
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The would-be buyers then claimed their money back through the courts, with the company placing its own counter-claim as part of the same proceeding. First Instance Court No. 5 in Marbella has now found in favor of the developer, ruling that the fact that the property was not completed on time is not the company’s fault. The court also said that any irregularities in the license granted by the Marbella Town Hall cannot be attributed to the developer.
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There was a similar case affecting the same urbanization two years ago, when other British buyers had their claim for their stage payments to be returned turned down by a court. Sur however reports another case a year later, when the provincial court ruled on appeal in favor of the buyers, ordering the developer to return their payments.

 

Ryanair has announced it is to take legal action against Spanish consumers group, FACUA, demanding that the organisation stop criticising the airline.

The airline want a legal ruling to stop FACUA claiming that the airline ‘abuses’ and ‘derides’ its users. It is also demanding that FACUA remove their claims from the press releases sent to other news media, in their own webpage, and on social network sites.

The airline’s action will be heard in the First Instance Court 22 in Sevilla on Monday, and will want to prohibit the consumers’ group from making injurious public statements.

FACUA has said that among the measures being sought against it, are a ban on it making ‘public declarations or statements’ against the airline in which it ‘directly or indirectly’ expresses that ‘it commits abuses or frauds in which the passengers suffer’.

illegal property demolished in Alhaurín el Grande

An illegally built property has been demolished in Alhaurín el Grande. The owner has been sentenced to six months in prison for building his home on non-buildable land. He also had to pay a 3,600 € fine and meet the costs of the demolition of the property.

Alhaurín el Grande Ayuntamiento technical office has issued a report which says the property has been demolished.

La Opinión de Málaga reports that the man had been granted a licence from the Town Hall for a single story agricultural construction of 100 m2, but he started to build a two story home, with basement and outside parking area laid in cement, as well as a swimming pool.

The Prosecutor had demanded the demolition ‘as an act of restoration of the town planning legality, noting that the building ‘was not authorised, and nor could it be’.

 

Natasha Giggs, 28, flew to the Costa del Sol to help get over her split from Ryan Giggs and his brother Rhodri, 34.

RYAN Giggs’s sister-in-law lover has been driven into the arms of a gay drag queen by the cheating soccer star.

The dark-haired beauty, who went with a girl pal, hooked up with a popular gay drag queen and spent more than an hour locked in conversation in an open-air lounge.

The Brit cross-dresser, who told Natasha he was 22, escorted her and her pal back to their hotel.

Natasha seemed to be struggling to put the sex scandal behind her during a wild 3am booze bender.

The temptress – dubbed “Ring ’n Ride” after bedding three of Giggs’ United team-mates – brushed aside a host of passes from hunky clubbers.

Last night, a close friend of Natasha’s said: “After all she has been through she is going to find it very hard to trust any man again.

“She’s probably safer with the gay guys. At least she knows he’s not after the usual.

“She’s a great girl and he’s obviously interested in her for her personality rather than in a sexual way. It’s far less complicated that way.”

Natasha has confessed she had an eight-year fling with Ryan, 37, behind the back of his brother who she married in Las Vegas last year.

She told all after discovering Ryan was the footballer outed in Parliament for getting a gagging order to cover up a six-month fling with ex-Big Brother star Imogen Thomas, 28.

Natasha was livid Ryan had denied to her he was the player involved when she confronted him over rumours on the internet.

She then discovered Rhodri, a printing firm van driver, had also cheated on her when he had a one-night stand with a businesswoman.

He served Natasha with divorce papers on their first wedding anniversary.

She dropped him from her holiday plans and took her girl pal.

Natasha showed off her sexy body as she splashed about in her hotel pool in a skimpy bikini.

She and her pal then hit a nearby nightclub where they told onlookers they had each supped six vodka and Cokes and five Sambucas.

But Natasha hardly cracked a smile and spent most of the night glued to her mobile phone until her drag queen prince arrived.

One clubber said: “He certainly put a smile on her face.

“She’d hardly been the life and soul of the party until then.

“For a woman who’s supposed to have been man-mad, she did nothing but turn them down all night.

“She was the best-looking babe in the place and all the blokes were hitting on her.

“She was polite but gently side-stepped them all.

“I guess she only had eyes for the drag queen!’’

Natasha told her Twitter followers: “I’m happy to be single.”

Yesterday, she posted the message: “You can’t find the right someone until you know who you are, what matters to you, and what makes your heart happy.”

New La Linea mayor urged to tackle sewage problem

Beach campaigners are urging the new Mayor of La Linea to tackle her town's sewage troubles which continue to threaten and affect busy coastlines in Gibraltar and Spain.

It follows her having signalled a desire to work positively and closely with Gibraltar for the benefit of both communities.

The ESG, Western Beach users and canoeists say:"While Western Beach sampling data indicates a constant, low level of sewage present, we believe a political statement of intent is still necessary indicating that the manual valve affecting the sewage channels near Western Beach will not be used again and that steps will be taken urgently to permanently seal this pipe."

With this declaration in place campaigners would then consider that swimming in Western Beach would not pose any greater health risk to public health today (with the exception of sudden, heavy rainfall), than using Eastern, Sandy or Catalan bay, all showing similar constant but low levels of sewage in the water; a development, incidentally, which shows a worsening of general bathing water quality over the past year.

PETITION

A positive development in this campaign is that the European Parliament's Petitions Committee has given indications to Sir Graham Watson's office that the Beach Users petition supported by local NGOs has been deemed admissible and will be contacting the Commission for further information. In April, the Commission confirmed that they would enquire about the issue with the relevant authorities.

Sir Graham commented: "I'm pleased that the Petitions Committee has taken this action. It will reinforce the message already sent to the Commission that this is a serious environmental issue that deserves urgent attention. However, it is always better if agreement can be reached locally and I hope we can work with La Linea's new Mayor to come up with a lasting solution to the problem."

Campaigners add: "We hope that solutions will be found at a cross border level and that this can pave the

 

Rowland Fade exhibition attracts large crowd in Marbella

More than 250 art lovers plus key players of Marbella society attended the launch of the new Rowland Fade exhibition at the prestigious Kasser Rassu Gallery on Marbella's Golden Mile last Friday (3rd June).

"It was a hugely successful evening with guests having the opportunity to chat with the artist about the works on display. Some were so impressed with the art, which is now extremely collectible around the world, the next day Rowland had appointments to meet people in their homes about one-off commissions," says international fine art dealer, Stephen Howes.

The renowned contemporary artist first came to live in Spain in the 1960s, and returned in the mid 1980s after a spell in Germany and Switzerland. He continues to exhibit all over Europe and North America but says he's delighted to be back in a gallery on the Costa del Sol. "I'm thrilled to be exhibiting in Marbella and look forward to many more excuses to visit this part of the Spain!" he said.

Stephen Howes Fine Art is based in Malaga Southern Spain and advises and acts on behalf of private and institutional collectors in the disposition of fine art assets.

 

 

Orvana's second gold mine this year: 100K ounces to come from Spain

After about a year and a half of slim pickings at an operating mine in Bolivia, Orvana Minerals (TSX: ORV) has started to ramp up production at its El Valle-Boinás/Carlés mine in Spain. Orvana announced that as of May 31, 2011 commissioning of the mill was underway.
It is a significant step for Orvana in two ways: as part of the company's quest to become a multi-mine, mid-tier gold mining company, and more practically, as a sign Orvana production is on the rebound.
Since the end of 2009, production has been slow for Orvana. Ore from the Lower Mineralized Zone at its Don Mario Mine in Bolivia dried up, leaving Las Tojas, a smaller satellite deposit, as its sole source of production. Meanwhile it had started to develop a second zone at Don Mario, the Upper Mineralized Zone (UMZ), to bring online in 2011.
With only Las Tojas to rely on, however, Orvana production fell from 63,230 ounces gold in 2009 to 28,341 ounces gold in 2010. And small as it was, the deposit gave out in the second quarter of this year.
It was a well-timed ending for Las Tojas as this quarter Orvana started commissioning two mines that should more than pick up the production slack. In addition to El Valle, which Orvana expects to operate at 70 percent capacity until early 2012, Orvana announced in April it had commissioned the UMZ at Don Mario, which will eventually bring in about 20,000 ounces gold a year.
This year Orvana expects production, including the last ounces from Las Tojas, to hit about 60,000 ounces gold, plus byproducts. Next year Orvana forecasts production at over 100,000 ounces gold, 7.8 million pounds copper and 150,000 ounces silver, once El Valle and Don Mario are fully up and running.

 

world's most obscene luxury gadgets

• What would be the first thing you would do if money was no object? Would you continue to live modestly, would you buy a nice house, or would you sail the Seven Seas aboard a Titanic-sized yacht made from solid gold that has an onboard laser defense system and a petting zoo? If you'd head for the yatch, the following gadgets are for you.

• iPhone 4 Diamond Rose

  

   Stuart Hughes

  Designer Stuart Hughes is known for his over-the-top luxury creations, and his iPhone 4 Diamond Rose is touted as "the world's most expensive phone" with a price tag over $8 million (only 2 were made). The bezel is handmade from rose gold with 500 individual flawless diamonds totaling over 100 carats. Add another 53 diamonds for the Apple logo and a single cut 7.4-carat pink diamond inside the platinum navigation button and you have yourself one blinding piece of bling. They even toss in an 8-carat single cut flawless diamond to replace the pink one if you would like to switch things up. At night, you can put this baby to bed in a chest made from a single block of leather-lined granite. Of course, I wouldn't be caught dead with an obsolete phone, so I guess this one will end up in my old gadget drawer underneath all my extra USB cords and batteries until I get around to selling it on Cragislist. Any takers? Stuart Hughes

• Linea Pro Swarovski Crystal C2 Flat Iron

  

   Aveyou

  This Linea Pro Flatiron features 2543 genuine, hand applied Swarovski crystals and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a plaque from the Swarovski factory in London to prove it.

  After you've stepped out of your champagne bath and dried off with a towel made from the fur of a genuine Bigfoot, make sure your in-house stylist uses the Linea Pro flat iron to fix your hair. It features 2543 genuine, hand applied Swarovski crystals and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a plaque from the Swarovski factory in London to prove it. $850 - Aveyou

• Kohler Numi Toilet

  

   Kohler

  This $6400 toilet features a built-in music system, ambient lighting, touchscreen remote, motion-activated lid and seat, retracting bidet, air dryer, air deodorizer, heated seat, floor vents to keep your feet warm and customizable options for every family member in your home.

  Have you ever pulled off the highway in the middle of nowhere to get gas at some nasty old station? And while you were pumping, that Big Gulp caught up to you, so you went inside to get the bathroom key attached to a hubcap? Well, the horrors you witnessed in that bathroom are the exact opposite of what you can expect with the Kohler Numi toilet. It features a built-in music system, ambient lighting, touchscreen remote, motion-activated lid and seat, retracting bidet, air dryer, air deodorizer, heated seat, floor vents to keep your feet warm and customizable options for every family member in your home. $6400 - Kohler

• iPad 2 Gold History Edition

   

  

   Stuart Hughes

  At $8 million, this is possibly the world's most expensive iPad. It's encrusted with 12.5-carats of flawless diamonds, 53 individually set sparkling gems set in a solid 24-carat gold Apple logo on a 24-carat gold rear plate that weighs an insane 4.4 pounds
  
  

  That's right, Stuart Hughes is back again with what is likely to be the world's most expensive iPad 2. It's encrusted with 12.5 carats of flawless diamonds, 53 individually set sparkling gems set in a solid 24-carat gold Apple logo on a 24-carat gold rear plate that weighs an insane 4.4 pounds (heavy enough to snap off the fragile arms of trust fund beneficiaries who haven't worked a day in their lives). But that's not all — the front frame is made from 75 million-year old Ammolite with sections from a 65 million-year old T-Rex thigh bone splintered and shaved into the stone. Seriously…no kidding dinosaur bones — but we're not done yet! There's still the matter of a single cut 8.5-carat flawless diamond inlaid into a platinum navigation button surrounded by an additional 12 flawless diamonds. This can all be yours for the low, low price of $8 million. Stuart Hughes

• Segway PT i2 Ferrari Edition

  

   Ferrari

  This Segway i2 doesn't appear to be any different from the stock version, save for a red paint job, Ferrari logo, leather handlebar bag and a $10,200 price tag.

  What do you drive? Well, I drive a Ferrari. Now come rolling up to her doorstep in this Ferrari Segway with a little red bike helmet on. Technically, you weren't lying! Basically, this Segway i2 doesn't appear to be any different from the stock version, save for a red paint job, Ferrari logo, leather handlebar bag and a $10,200 price tag. Ferrari

• Electrolux Swarovski crystal vacuum cleaner

  

   Pocket-Lint

  This Electrolux vacuum cleaner is encrusted with 3730 Swarovski crystals and is priced at $23,000.

  What does the filthy rich person get for the maid that has everything? How about an Electrolux 3730 vacuum cleaner encrusted with 3730 Swarovski crystals? It's both generous and insulting! According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it's the most valuable vacuum cleaner in the world at around $23,000. It was originally intended as a one-off piece, but Electrolux claims that another model could be procured if anyone had the desire. Pocket-Lint

• More craziness from Nerd Approved:

  • Knight XV armored SUV: ride out the apocalypse in luxury
  • A blinged-out Swarovski crystal watch you can actually afford
  • Own your own official 1966 Batmobile replica
  • 10 over-the-top pet gadgets
  • Super computer built inside an office desk

• 24-carat gold Kindle

   

  

   Amosu Couture

  This 24-carat gold Kindle costs $1965.
  
  

  Have you ever seen that Amazon Kindle commercial with the woman lying next to the pool feeling all smug about how much cheaper her Kindle was than an iPad? Well, if she had Amosu Coutor's 24-carat gold plated version she would feel like a complete moron. A 3G version would have set her back $1965.Amosu Couture

• Harry Winston Opus Eleven watch

   

  

  Harry Winston

  The Harry Winston Opus Eleven watch features three cylinders that 'deconstruct' time and reassemble it on every hour using a complex set of gears.
  
  

  Let's face it, most people use their cell phone to tell the time these days. Despite that, watchmakers have been thriving by compensating with increasingly unique and experimental designs that cater to people that appreciate style and mechanical precision. There are plenty of unique watches to be had for $200 or less, but the Harry Winston Opus Eleven definitely isn't one of them at $250,000 each. There are more expensive watches for sure, but the Opus Eleven is indicative of the design boundaries that are being pushed. It features three cylinders that "deconstruct" time and reassemble it on every new hour using a complex set of gears. For the rest of the time, you can just use your diamond encrusted iPhone to find out when you need to be at the helipad for your trip to the trendy restaurant three blocks away. Harry Winston

• Golden cell phone-equipped coffin

   

  

  France24 via Nerd Approved

  This gold plated coffin comes with a golden cell phone display — you simply can't put a price on the peace of mind that comes with knowing you won't be buried alive.
  
  

  Who says you can't take it with you? The Egyptian pharaohs gave it their best shot, and you can too with this gold plated coffin with an equally golden cell phone display. It's great for prank calling your enemies from beyond the grave, and you simply can't put a price on the peace of mind that comes with knowing you won't be buried alive. Oh wait, yes you can — the coffin was sold at auction for $381,000. France24

  via Nerd Approved

• Dallmeier Swarovski-studded surveillance camera

   

  

  Dallmeier Electronics

  What better way to deter thieves than to encase your surveillance camera in 600 Swarovski crystals, like this one from Dalleier Electronics?
  
  

  What better way to deter thieves than to encase your surveillance camera in 600 Swarovski crystals? How about a mat woven with $100 bills with the word "Welcome" spelled out in Krugerrands? Plus, with a 1/3 DPS image sensor and Cam-inPIX technology you are sure to get a clear picture of the burglar as he tries to pry the camera off the ceiling. $2015 - Dallmeier

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possible case of 'balconing' on Ibiza

young foreign girl has been admitted to the Can Misses hospital in Ibiza after accidentally falling from the second floor balcony of a flat.

Emergency services say the accident happened in the early hours of Thursday, at 0050am in Calle Sant Elm, and the girl was attended to by a mobile intensive care unit before being transferred to hospital where her condition is reserved. There is no news as yet as to her identity or nationality.

It’s not been ruled out that this is another case of balconing and that she fell as she was trying to cross the neighbouring balcony.

 

number of foreigners with residency in Spain is now over five million for the first time

The number of foreigners with residency in Spain is now over five million for the first time, with an increase of 2.6% over the first quarter of the year.

The largest increase has been seen in the number of Romanians, up 11.58%, while the number of Ecuadorians has reduced by 7.16%.
The number of foreigners with residency in Spain is 5,056,256, of whom 48% were born in another European country.

The numbers come from the Ministry for Employment and Immigration and show the number of immigrants from outside the EU has risen over the past year by 1.83% or 213,757 more to reach 2.62 million.
There are now 34,265 more foreigners from elsewhere in Europe compared to the end of 2010.

The most numerous foreigners in Spain are the 861,584 Romanians – up 11.58% in the quarter, followed by the 777,278 Moroccans up 4.32%. Third place are the 380,910 Ecuadorians, down 7.16% as a lack of work has seen many choosing to return to Latin America.
The list continues –
227,426 Colombians – down 4.55%
226,553 British
171,578 Bulgarians
160,636 Chinese
130,270 Bolivians – up 11.83%
60,358 Argentineans – down 3.89%
29,729 Cubans – down 0.7%

Although foreigners from outside the EU are 48% of the total, they are the majority in 20 provinces including Murcia, Álava, Barcelona, Girona and Cáceres.

More than half the foreigners from other EU countries live in just six provinces, each with more than 100,000 – Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Valencia, Málaga and Baleares. 6.74% are over 65, with the average age the oldest among the British – at 50.3 years, and the Dutch and Germans at 44.4 years.