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

•  

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.

LONG leisurely lunches are a favourite past time in the Costa del Sol

LONG leisurely lunches are a favourite past time in the Costa del Sol. Whether it is a friendly meeting, a leisurely weekend brunch, a family gathering or a romantic interlude, everyone loves a place where the cuisine is superb, the atmosphere relaxed and lunch is a pleasure that stretches on far into the afternoon.

Those insearch of such a placehead to the Marbella Club’s legendary Beach Club, celebrating its 50th anniversary this July.

This is a place where time stands still and guests can enjoy the truest form of pleasure – sun, spectacular food, fabulous service and a selection of the most famous cocktails on the coast.

Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, this is the place to be to see the boats, the people and the water.  Sophisticated, yet relaxed, the Beach Club is an exclusive place where eating al fresco is an art form.

Beyond the setting and service, the Beach Club is truly legendary for its gourmet buffet. This is where Head Chef, Juan Galvez really lets his Mediterranean imagination go, creating an unparalleled selection of international cuisine including, European, Asian, Lebanese and traditional Spanish dishes.

Guests can select from freshly shaved Iberico ham, salads, prawns, tabouleh, hummus and an incredible assortment of fresh fish and seafood, such as salmon, tuna, bass or the fish of the day which is cooked to order.

Roast meats, are all individually carved and steaks are cooked to diners liking.  Sea food salads, lobster, Andalusia Gazpacho, pasta, vegetables, pasta and the chef’s choice of the day all feature on the buffet and can be mixed and matched with as many combinations and as often as people would like.

One may not be able to fathom having an appetite for dessert.  However with such an incredible selection, dessert is a must.

Home-made ice creams, sorbets, yoghurts, pastries, creams and custards are all on display.

The Chef´s famous chocolate mousse is a favourite among those with a sweet tooth.  A wonderful selection of fresh fruit and cheeses complete the experience.

The hotel’s Beach Club Buffet is outdoor dining of celebrity status, which is why so many famous names choose to dine at the club. Lunching at the Beach Club Buffet is one of the many luxurious experiences that cannot be missed when visiting the Marbella Club and the Costa del Sol.

Marbella has all the sun, sea, sand and reality TV stars you could possibly handle at the moment

Marbella has all the sun, sea, sand and reality TV stars you could possibly handle at the moment as The Only Way is Essex crew, Kerry Katona and… Mel B's sister Danielle Brown… are living it up at the Spanish beach resort.

Seeing that the TOWIE cast were there, Kerry obviously hopped on a plane to take advantage of the paparazzi following them, and maybe find out the secret to their BAFTA win… or perhaps it was a pre-booked holiday all along.

She hung out with Danielle - who shares the same management company - in some skimpy bikinis and matching straw hats, smiling and playing up to the cameras and enjoying any attention thrown in her direction.

Still, the sun and fun should help her get over her recent split from boyfriend Dan Foden. She told OK magazine:

"I won't lie, I am gutted. I had a good cry, rejection is a horrible thing. I honestly believe that I will be a lonely old lady stinking of cat wee with 17 cats and that I'll never find anybody.

"I'd been single for a year so when it came to dating someone new I was really excited.

"As soon as I get my hopes up, I get slapped in the chops. I do miss sex but it's not just that - it's having a kiss and a cuddle or lying on somebody's chest.

"I keep thinking, does anyone ever want me? Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. In my case it never does."

Hey now, Kerry, don't say that, maybe it's time to go after one of the TOWIE hunks - they like just as much attention as you do!

European Commission is pursuing legal action against 27 Member States for failing to comply properly with their obligations under EU law.

In its monthly package of infringement decisions, the European Commission is pursuing legal action against 27 Member States for failing to comply properly with their obligations under EU law. These decisions cover many sectors. They aim at ensuring proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses. The Commission has taken today 320 decisions, including 6 complaints taking Member States before the European Union's Court of Justice. In this package, 1 decision relates to failure to respect a previous Court ruling and might imply financial penalties.

Failure to respect deadlines for implementing Directives
The Commission has also adopted decisions to request Member States to adopt implementing measures for Directives where the deadline has already passed and warned Member States that if they fail to do so they may not only be referred to the Court but also that the Commission intends to request the Court to impose a financial penalty on the Member State concerned. Since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the Commission may now request the Court, the first time the case is referred to the Court, to impose financial penalties in cases where Member States have failed to implement Directives within the deadline agreed by the EU's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

Formal complaints before the Court of Justice (Art 258)
In accordance with the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the Commission has decided today to take several Member States to Court for failing to comply with their legal obligations under EU law. Before referring a Member State to the Court, the Commission first requests information from the Member State concerned and then, if necessary, formally requests the Member State to comply with EU law. Around 95% of infringement cases are resolved before they reach the Court.

Animal health (France): The European Commission has decided to refer France to the Court of Justice of the European Union because it has not withdrawn national measures obstructing the trade of sheep and goat milk and products derived from such milk. France refuses to apply European regulation arguing that EU measures on scrapie control were not complete and thus it had to adopt its own national rules. See IP/11/601

Taxation (France): The Commission has decided to refer France to the EU's Court of Justice for discriminatory taxation of foreign pension and investment funds in breach of EU rules on free movement of capital. In particular, France does not grant a withholding tax exemption on dividends distributed by French companies to pension and investment funds established in the EU and in the European Economic Area (EEA) whereas it grants such an exemption if the pension and investment funds are established in France. See IP/11/603

Taxation (Spain): The European Commission has decided to refer Spain to the EU's Court of Justice concerning its illegal application of a reduced rate of value added tax (VAT) to general medical equipment, appliances to alleviate animals' physical disabilities and substances used in the production of medicines. These goods do not qualify for a reduced VAT according to the rules laid down in the VAT Directive, and the application of a reduced VAT rate may distort competition within the EU. See IP/11/605

Environment (France): The Commission is taking France to court for failing to comply with EU air quality limit values for airborne particles known as PM10. France has so far failed to effectively tackle excess emissions of these particles in several zones across the country. See IP/11/596

Environment (Czech Republic): The Commission is referring the Czech Republic to the EU Court of Justice over its failure to meet the European requirements on biocidal products. Despite earlier warnings the Czech Republic has not added acrolein, a substance used in certain biocidal products, to its national list of active substances that are covered by biocides legislation. See IP/11/591

Environment (Ireland): The Commission is referring Ireland to the EU Court of Justice over industrial installations operating with outdated permits. Under European law, new permits should have been issued by October 2007. However the permits of at least 17 Irish livestock installations have not yet been reconsidered or updated. See IP/11/593

Enforcing Court rulings
When, despite a first ruling by the Court, a Member State still fails to act, the Commission warns the Member State in writing. In case of continued lack of appropriate action by the Member State, the Commission may take the Member State back to Court, and can request the Court to impose a lump sum penalty and/or a daily penalty payment on the Member State concerned. This procedure is based on Article 260 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

Environment (Ireland): A year and a half after a previous Court ruling, Ireland has still not adopted the necessary measures to ensure that septic tanks go through adequate checks and inspections in order to protect human health and the environment. The Commission is therefore referring Ireland back to the EU Court of Justice and asking the Court to impose a lump-sum fine of €2,7 million and a daily penalty payment of €26 173. See IP/11/592

Background on legal process
Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFUE) gives the Commission the power to take legal action against a Member State that is not respecting its obligations under EU law.

The infringement procedure begins with a request for information (a "Letter of Formal Notice") to the Member State concerned, which must be answered within a specified period, usually two months.

If the Commission is not satisfied with the information and concludes that the Member State in question is failing to fulfil its obligations under EU law, the Commission may then send a formal request to comply with EU law (a "Reasoned Opinion"), calling on the Member State to inform the Commission of the measures taken to comply within a specified period, usually two months.

If a Member State fails to ensure compliance with EU law, the Commission may then decide to refer the Member State to the Court of Justice. However, in over 90% of infringement cases, Member States comply with their obligations under EU law before they are referred to the Court. If the Court rules against a Member State, the Member State must then take the necessary measures to comply with the judgment.

If, despite the ruling, a Member State still fails to act, the Commission may open a further infringement case under Article 260 of the TFEU, with only one written warning before referring the Member State back to Court. If the Commission does refer a Member State back to Court, it can propose that the Court imposes financial penalties on the Member State concerned based on the duration and severity of the infringement and the size of the Member State (both a lump sum depending on the time elapsed since the original Court ruling and a daily penalty payment for each day after a second Court ruling until the infringement ends).

In the specific case of Member States that have failed to implement Directives within the deadline agreed by the EU's Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, the Commission may request the Court to impose to impose a financial penalty on the Member State concerned the first time the Court rules on such a case, rather than when it is referred back for a second time. This possibility, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, is laid down in Article 260 (3) of the TFEU.

The European Commission said Thursday it will take the Spanish and French governments to the European Court of Justice over tax issues

The European Commission said Thursday it will take the Spanish and French governments to the European Court of Justice over tax issues

The number of British tourists to arrive on the Baleares between January and April this year is up 25% higher than last year according to the regional tourism and employment department.

The number of British tourists to arrive on the Baleares between January and April this year is up 25% higher than last year according to the regional tourism and employment department.

The four months saw 245,850 British tourists arrive on the islands, with the increase on Ibiza particularly strong, up 37.4%.

Data from the Spanish Airports Authority, AENA, shows that 214,035 British tourists arrived on Menorca, up 24.1%, and 8, 286 on Menorca, up 19.1% and 23,529 on Ibiza, up 37.4%.

The numbers were released in London last Thursday and Friday which saw a special promotion at Canary Wharf as part of the ‘A Taste of Spain’ campaign organised jointly by the Spanish Tourism Office in London, and British Airways. It had a golf simulator and an Ibiza DJ among the attractions, with gastronomy too.
Other regions took part in the presentation, such as A Coruña, Andalucía, Asturias, Comunidad Valenciana, Galicia, Canarias and the Basque Country.

The Director of the London Tourism Office, Ignacio Vasallo, said that the numbers of British tourists heading for the Baleares were back to the level seen before the recession.

Thousands of people are reported to be staying out of Rome for the next few days, over fears the city will be hit by a huge earthquake.

Thousands of people are reported to be staying out of Rome for the next few days, over fears the city will be hit by a huge earthquake.

The panic was sparked by rumours that seismologist Raffaele Bendandi, who died in 1979, predicted the city would be devastated by a quake on 11 May.

Officials have insisted quakes cannot be predicted and special programmes have run on state TV calling for calm.

Experts also say there is no evidence Bendandi even made the prediction.

But many people said they were leaving the city to be on the safe side.

There are reports of an 18% increase in the number of city employees planning to stay away from work.

"I'm going to tell the boss I've got a medical appointment and take the day off," barman Fabio Mengarelli told Reuters.



The date is not there, nor is the place”

Paola Lagorio
President, La Bendandiana
"If I have to die, I want to die with my wife and kids, and masses of people will do the same as me."

Another Roman, Tania Cotorobai, told Reuters she planned to spend Wednesday in the countryside.

"I don't know if I really believe it but if you look at the internet you see everything and the opposite of everything, and it ends up making you nervous."

Other people were more sceptical, or said they would make the most of the capital being slightly quieter.

"It's all just stupid - but anyway if it does happen it would be a good thing, tidy things up a bit," said Augusto Costa.

While Franceso Verselli said that Rome would be spared because it was home to the Pope: "Wherever the Pope is, nothing will happen."

'Urban myth'
The rumours have been circulating on the streets and online for months that the Eternal City is facing imminent destruction.


Who was Raffaele Bendandi?

Born in 1893 in central Italy
In November 1923, he predicted a quake would strike on January 2, 1924
Two days after this date, it did, in Italian province of Le Marche
Mussolini made him a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
But he also banned Bendandi from making public predictions, on pain of exile
Can earthquakes really be predicted?
They were based on work by Bendandi, who was knighted by Mussolini in 1927 for his prophetic meteorological skill.

He was said to have used his theory that the movement of the planets caused seismic activity to accurately predict a 1923 quake that killed 1,000 people.

According to the rumours, before he died he pinpointed 11 May 2011 as the day Rome would be totally destroyed - to be followed by two more catastrophic events in May 2012.

Italian concerns have been heightened after the deadly quake in L'Aquila in 2009, and reports that scientist Giampaolo Giuliani had been trying to warn officials in the days before.

But the president of the Osservatorio Geofisico Comunale, the foundation that honours Bendandi, said they had no record of the much-discussed prediction and have dismissed it as an urban myth.

"I can say with absolute certainty that in the papers of Raffaele Bendandi there is no provision for an earthquake in Rome on the 11 May 2011," Paola Lagorio told Abruzzo in March.

"The date is not there, nor is the place."

Tommaso Profeta, head of Rome's civil protection services, told La Repubblica he had received a lot of calls from concerned Rome residents but that there was no danger.

"That said, our plan is to be prepared for natural disaster."

The earthquake in Spain has helped to grow the legend of Raffaele Bendandi, the self-taught Italian whose earthquake predictions are still causing panic today.

As the earthquake struck yesterday, there was a sigh of relief in Rome, whose residents had mounted a mass evacuation following claims of a 1915 prediction by Mr Bendandi that the “big one” would wipe out the Eternal City on May 11, 2011.
Mr Bendandi, who died in 1979, never provided any scientific proof for his theory that the movements of the moon and sun, as well as other planets in the solar system, exert a gravitational influence on the movements of the earth’s crust.
However, he became hugely famous in Italy for the accuracy of his predictions. He predicted the earthquake of January 13, 1915 which killed 30,000 people in Avezzano.
He also forecast the quake of May 6, 1976 in Friuli which killed 1,000 and left another 45,000 homeless.
Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator, took Mr Bendandi seriously enough that he made him a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy, but also banned him from making any public predictions, on pain of exile.

Born in 1893 in the central Italian city of Faenza to a poor family, Mr Bendandi was sent after elementary school to pursue a course in technical design and became a watchmaker’s apprentice. However, he nursed a passion for astronomy and geophysics and built his own telescope and seismographs.
However, Italian seismologists insisted that there were no grounds for worry in Rome yesterday, and also said that there was no link between Mr Bendandi’s supposed prediction and the earthquake that struck Spain.
“There is absolutely no link between Spain and Italy, geologically, or with the prediction of an earthquake in Rome,” said the Italian National Institute of Geology and Vulcanology.
“The earthquake in Spain was not very strong in itself, but it was close to the surface,” said Alberto Michelini, a seismologist at the institute. “The quake happened on the coast, a zone which has not had strong quakes in the past. It is close, however, to the point where the Eurasian plate meets the African plate,” he added.

 

Guardia Civil officer was left with arm injuries after two boats collided as the Gibraltar forces tried to snatch Moroccan suspects from his ship.

Guardia Civil officer was left with arm injuries after two boats collided as the Gibraltar forces tried to snatch Moroccan suspects from his ship.
The incident, which saw the Spanish customs boat surrounded by seven Royal Navy and police vessels, stoked existing tensions between the two countries.
Reports in the Spanish media said the situation was “five minutes away from a clash of incalculable consequences”.
The Unified Association of the Guardia Civil issued a statement yesterday alleging that its members had been subjected to “serious insults, harassment and threats” and claiming the Royal Navy and Gibraltar police had acted like “pirates, as in other times in the past”.
The fracas marked a new low in diplomatic relations between Gibraltar and Spain, who have clashed repeatedly because of demands that Britain hands over sovereignty of the Rock.
The fracas marked a new low in diplomatic relations between Gibraltar and Spain
It follows a string of incidents where Spanish police have crossed into Gibraltar’s waters.
Last September, a suspected drug smuggler was removed from British waters by the Guardia Civil after scuffles and a tense stand-off with the Gibraltar police.
At the time, Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Peter Caruana warned that the incident could undermine efforts between the two countries to co-operate on law enforcement.
Earlier this month the heir to the Spanish throne, Prince Felipe, caused outrage at a dinner for Prince Charles and Camilla when he called for Britain to give in to Spain’s claim on Gibraltar.
The latest spat happened on Sunday afternoon after a Spanish customs boat spotted and chased two Moroccan drug traffickers into Gibraltar’s territorial waters.



Two men were arrested by the Guardia Civil and the boat, containing around 100kg of hashish, was seized and tethered to the Spanish vessel.
Seven boats from the Gibraltar customs, Royal Navy and Gibraltar police surrounded the Spaniards, who eventually took the suspects to the nearby port of Algeciras.
According to the Guardia Civil, the Gibraltar forces shouted abuse and accused them of being “pirates” and “thieves” then tried to board the boat to take the suspects and their ship away.
The Gibraltar police said they would make a full statement on the incident today.

DJ Maurice Boland: 'If people want to take a pot shot at me, I've an open line -- they can ask whatever they want...'

Irish celebrity DJ Maurice Boland is returning to the airwaves for the first time following his inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old teenager in Marbella.

Known as 'Mr Marbella', the former Irish nightclub boss, who has been married for 40 years, has been absent from public life for the past nine months since his close relationship with the teenager came to light.

But speaking this weekend, Mr Boland said he is looking forward to re-launching himself on the airwaves and will not shy away from his outspoken views on "issues that need to be addressed".

"Somebody asked me the other day, will I be more humble after everything that's happened, quieter, less controversial. And my answer was 'absolutely not'.

"I'll be as outspoken as ever about serious issues that need to be addressed. And if people want me to answer their questions, or take a pot shot at me, then they can ring my chat show. I've an open line with no delay so they can ask whatever they want."

He added: "If people want to address the issue, then we'll address it."

The flamboyant presenter will return to Radio Leinster for a two-part special documentary entitled My Story, which will cover his colourful life to date -- from his time in Dublin right up to the aftermath of the scandal surrounding his relationship with a teenage girl.

However, he will not be returning to his long-standing show with Talk Radio Europe on the Costa del Sol, which suddenly terminated his contract when his relationship with the teenager came to light.

"I will be starting a chat show on a different radio station, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks," explained Mr Boland.

Speaking of his dismay at the way in which his former employers handled the controversy, he drew comparisons with the way in which shamed DJ Neil Prendeville was given a second chance by his bosses at Cork 96FM.

"I have to say that the way in which they handled the Neil Prendeville situation was very good," he said. "I know the two situations are very different, but they never commented on the matter and they re-instated him to his old job. I certainly didn't get the same from my side. I'm disappointed with the way it was handled."

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 inappropriate relationship took place.

Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Independent at the time the scandal broke, Mr Boland admitted he had made a "terrible" mistake.

"I made an error of judgment," 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."

After spending the past nine months rebuilding his relationship with his wife Wendy, Maurice has described this weekend how the controversy had affected his wife of 40 years.

"She's put up with me. It's been very difficult but we've gotten through it because we love each other very much."

He went on: "It's different now. Things happened that shouldn't have happened and just because I'm back on radio soon, I'm not saying that I'm walking around with a smile on my face, thinking 'ha, ha, ha'. Things have been very difficult."

At the time, the news sent shockwaves around those who knew 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.

He later went on to manage Mandy Smith, the 13-year-old 'Lolita' girlfriend of Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. The convent-school girl met Wyman in 1984 and when the romance cooled two years later, she hooked up with Boland, who got her modelling jobs and a record deal for a song titled I Can't Wait. She later dropped Boland and ended up marrying Bill Wyman in 1986.

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.

Speaking about the liaison with the young girl, he explained at the time the scandal broke 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."

Spanish Civil Guard discovered explosives, detonators and private communiqués from ETA

Spanish Guard found explosives in the Guipúzcoa town of Legorreta where brothers Aitor and Igor Esnaola Dorronsoro were arrested on 

On Tuesday morning, the Spanish Civil Guard discovered explosives, detonators and private communiqués from ETA in searches carried out during an investigation following the arrests of two suspected members of the armed Basque group in the Guipuzcoan town of Legorreta.
According to sources within the antiterrorist division, police uncovered a quantity of unidentified explosives, detonators and documentation in which the name "Zutabes" is cited.
During the searches carried out on the suspects homes on Tuesday, the Civil Guard impounded a white van and a family car which were parked in a subterranean garage at the home of Igor Esnaola.
A second premises located on the national highway that runs through the centre of Legorreta, which was also searched, is believed to be accessible from the detainee's residence. There the Civil Guard seized a number of boxes containing documentation, as well as a hunting rifle used to hunt pigeons.
Supporters of the arrested suspect gathered outside his home and shouted cries of support such as "gudari" (warrior) "irabazi arte" (until victory).
Searches were also carried out on a family farmhouse located on the outskirts of the town, in the district of Berostegi.
Erreka Comando
The two ETA suspects were allegedly members of an as yet "unregistered commando" known as Erreka, apparently active during a number of years given that it features in documentation seized in France in 2002 during the arrest of the former ETA chief Ibon Fernández Iradi, known as Susper.
Also among the papers seized in France was a coded note which identifies the two suspects arrested on Tuesday.
Arrests
On Tuesday morning, Spanish police arrested two alleged members of the armed group ETA in the Basque town of Legorreta (Gipuzkoa), suspected of forming part of the armed group's logistics network, antiterrorist sources revealed.
The suspects, two brothers in their forties identified as Aitor and Igor Esnaola Dorronsoro, are thought to be 'legal members' of ETA, (without police records). They were presumably in charge of distributing explosives to other cells of the armed group.
The police operation comes two days after French police arrested two suspected members of the group, identified as Oier Gomez and Itziar Moreno, after a checkpoint shootout and overnight sweep by hundreds of police and helicopters in the Creuse region of central France.
The suspects, a couple in a car, broke through a checkpoint and opened fire before abandoning their car and vanishing late on Saturday. Hundreds of police backed up by helicopters were deployed to track the couple down and captured them on Sunday morning after another shootout, the statement said.
So far, 35 presumed members of ETA have been arrested this year since the armed group called a ceasefire January 10th.

protest against Basque separatists.

Thousands of people, including mourners of victims of terrorism, marched with Spanish flags in a rally in Madrid called by the AVT (Victims of Terrorism Association) on Saturday to protest against Basque separatists. Last Saturday, tens of thousands on the other side demonstrated in Spain’s troubled Basque region, calling for the government to legalize a new pro-independence party, Sortu, that says it rejects violence by armed separatist group ETA. The Supreme Court denied Sortu legal status and barred it from running in local elections in May, finding that the party is a repackaged version of ETA’s outlawed political wing Batasuna. Sortu can appeal to the Constitutional Court, but that ruling will likely come after the May 22 elections. The new party, which was unveiled Feb. 7, is the culmination of intense internal debates within ETA-linked pro-independence groups, which concluded that bombs and bullets were no longer an effective way to seek a Basque state independent of Spain and France. ETA declared a cease-fire in September and went further in January by calling it permanent, although it has called 11 truces throughout its 40-year history of violent separatism. The group has killed more than 825 people since the late 1960s and is considered a terrorist organization by Spain, the European Union and the U.S.

David and Samantha Cameron have used the budget airline easyJet to return from their mini-break to Spain.

The Prime Minister and his wife arrived back in the UK at Luton Airport at lunchtime on Saturday 9 April 2011.  They had been pictured in the national press two days earlier waiting at Stansted for their outward Ryanair flight to Malaga, where they celebrated Samantha's 40th birthday.

Their three children had stayed at home. Nancy, 7, Ewen, 5, were still at school while 7-month old baby Florence was being cared for by a nanny.

To board the flight quickly the couple paid £6 for a speedy boarding pass at Malaga. They sat at the front of the 'plane for the three hour journey.

When they touched down at Luton they did not make their way through arrivals with the other passengers on the full flight. Instead they were whisked away in a car through a side exit.

The Prime Minister was said to be talkative with the crew and other passengers on the flight.  The first thing he did was order a cup of tea for £2.30.

A woman from Barnet, who did not want to be named, said: "We fly on easyJet all the time and you don't expect to see the Prime Minister.

"He was very chatty with the other passengers and also got on with some work.  I think they seemed to have had a good holiday."

Cineworld, which operates 78 sites in the UK, said it is buying the fifth biggest cinema group in Spain.

Britain's only listed cinema group is making its first foray overseas 16 years after it was founded.

Cineworld, which operates 78 sites in the UK, said it is buying the fifth biggest cinema group in Spain.

Cinesur, which is the largest operator in the Andalucia region of Spain, runs 11 multiplexes and has a total of 136 screens.

World number 14 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia continued to impress tennis fans by winning her second round clash against the unseeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary at the Andalucia Tennis Experience at Marbella

World number 14 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia continued to impress tennis fans by winning her second round clash against the unseeded Agnes Szavay of Hungary at the Andalucia Tennis Experience at Marbella, Spain on Wednesday noon. The second seeded Russian booked a berth in the quarter-finals of the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) tournament by winning the three-set matchup 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-2, in two hours and twenty one minutes.

25-year-old Kuznetsova kept her 100 per cent winning record against the Hungarian, extending her impressive head-to-head lead to 5-0 at Marbella. It was the 14th victory for the Russian in the current WTA season, showing the vintage class of the former world number two. Kuznetsova was just two games away to suffer a defeat at the hands of Mona Barthel in the first round on Tuesday, but displayed great determination this time round to recover from a one set early deficit.

“The difference between today and yesterday is like day and night," said Kuznetsova in her post match reviews, “Today was much better. I was starting to feel the clay court better, sliding, playing with lots of spin. It was hard to adjust yesterday, but today I am closer to where I feel I should be.”

The two contestants had an aggressive start to the contest and exchanged assertive winners to keep the score board ticking on equal terms. They both broke twice to take the score to 6-6, imposing a tie breaker to decide. Szavay took command of the tie breaker by some quality down the line winners and raced past the Russian to seal the opener at 7-6(2).

The second seeded Russian made a terrific comeback in the next set and took down her opponent with her attacking tennis. She collected 17 out of 23 serve points in the second set and pinched two break points to rocket away to 5-1. Kuznetsova closed out the second set at 6-1 and levelled the contest 1-1.

Once getting her momentum front the second set, Kuznetsova never turned back and keep on pressing her opponent to submit the contest. She served brilliantly with 7 per cent accuracy and bagged 12 of 17 first serve points in the third set. Apart from a serve break from the Hungarian in the fourth game, Kuznetsova rarely faced a serious challenge from her opponent.

Dinara Safina continued her resurgent form with an impressive 6-3 6-4 victory over fifth seed Tsvetana Pironkova at the WTA Marbella event.

The former world number one was as low as 117th in the rankings last February but she has been showing signs of life in recent weeks.
The Russian, now ranked 81, qualified for her first quarter-final since Seoul last September and she admitted that she is slowly starting to find her feet again.
"I am very happy. I think it's the first time in a while that I have won two matches in successive days," Safina told the WTA website.
"However, I could have won both sets a little easier than I did and made it a little tougher on myself by making some stupid mistakes."
In first round action, top seed Victoria Azarenka beat Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-2 6-3, and she will meet Safina next if she can dispose of Laura Pous-Tio in the second round.
Second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova has already booked her place in the last eight thanks to a 6-7(2) 6-1 6-2 win over Hungary's Agnes Szavay.