Ebola outbreak vastly underestimated

The death toll from the world's worst outbreak of Ebola stood on Wednesday at 1,069 from 1,975 confirmed, probable and suspected cases, the agency said. The majority were in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, while four people have died in Nigeria. The agency's apparent acknowledgement the situation is worse than previously thought could spur governments and aid organisations to take stronger measures against the virus. "Staff at the outbreak sites see evidence that the numbers of reported cases and deaths vastly underestimate the magnitude of the outbreak," the organisation said. "WHO is coordinating a massive scaling up of the international response, marshalling support from individual countries, disease control agencies, agencies within the United Nations system, and others." International agencies are looking into emergency food drops and truck convoys to reach hungry people in Liberia and Sierra Leone cordoned off from the outside world to halt the spread of the virus, a top World Bank official said. In the latest sign of action by West African governments, Guinea has declared a public health emergency and is sending health workers to all affected border points, an official said. An estimated 377 people have died in Guinea since the outbreak began in March in remote parts of a border region near Sierra Leone and Liberia. Guinea says its outbreak is under control with the numbers of new cases falling, but the measures are needed to prevent new infections from neighbouring countries.

"Trucks full of health materials and carrying health personnel are going to all the border points with Liberia and Sierra Leone," Aboubacar Sidiki Diakit president of Guinea's Ebola commission, said late on Wednesday. As many as 3,000 people are waiting at 17 border points for a green light to enter the country, he said. "Any people who are sick will be immediately isolated. People will be followed up on. We can't take the risk of letting everyone through without checks."

Arrested for allegedly throwing two suitcases of cocaine out of a hotel window

Poice have established that a 39-year-old Irish man who was arrested in Spain after allegedly throwing two suitcases of cocaine out of a hotel window is a criminal who was previously targeted here in a proceeds-of-crime case. The suspect, who remains in custody in Valencia, has been named as Philip Grendon from Greenfort Drive, Clondalkin, and also with an address at Spiddal Road, Ballyfermot. Grendon's brother, Brian, is a member of a major west Dublin drugs gang who have been constant targets of gardai for 15 years. Already this year, officers based in Ballyfermot have been involved in the seizure of more than €1m worth of drugs from this crew who are considered one of the most organised and longest-established in the country.

The bizarre incident for which Grendon was arrested in Valencia happened last Friday just before 10pm at the four-star Tryp Valencia Oceanic Hotel. Police are said to be working on the theory that the alleged drugs trafficker, who had checked into the hotel a few hours earlier, confused noise from other guests entering and leaving their rooms with a rival gang trying to steal his drugs after suffering a paranoia attack. It is alleged that Grendon also removed ceiling tiles in his room, along with an air vent in an apparent attempt to hide the stash.

The 55kg of cocaine in the cases would have an estimated street value of more than €3.8m in Ireland. Sources who know Grendon say they are "surprised" that he would be trusted by a gang to be in charge of such a huge drugs haul. "Philip was always known to be a paranoid individual, but if what the Spanish police are saying is true, this is taking paranoia to a whole new level," a senior source said. Grendon's younger brother is convicted heroin dealer Brian Grendon (37), who was jailed for six years in December 2002 after he was busted with almost €2m worth of heroin in Palmerstown, west Dublin, the year before. shootings Brian Grendon was previously described in court by a senior detective as being linked to a gang who had in the past "used fatal shootings of anyone who compromised their business".

Philip Grendon appeared in court in Dublin in February 2012 when gardai prosecuted him under proceeds of crime legislation. Some of his associates were targeted by gardai as part of Operation Jumbo in 2002. They included murder victim David McCreevy (23), who was shot dead in Tallaght in 2002.

Spain to probe cigarette smuggling Crime.

 

EU's anti-fraud office on Monday urged Gibraltar and Spain to launch legal action after it found signs that organised crime was behind a rise in cigarette smuggling in southern Spain, AFP reports. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) made the recommendation after completing a probe it launched in August 2013 at the request of Madrid into a sharp rise in cigarette smuggling across the border between Gibraltar and Spain between 2009 and 2013. "The OLAF investigation has raised a number of concerns regarding the link between a significant increase in the size of the Gibraltar market for cigarettes over the past four years and the subsequent increase of cigarette smuggling across the frontier," a spokesman for the anti-fraud office said. "The concerns include indications of the involvement of organised crime," it added. "The OLAF final case report, and recommendations to initiate judicial proceedings related to the findings of the report, have been sent to the Spanish General State Prosecutor and to the Gibraltar Attorney General." Widespread cigarette smuggling between the tiny, low-tax British territory of Gibraltar to Spain is a major irritant in their frayed diplomatic relations. Smugglers buy the cigarettes in large volumes in Gibraltar at a price much lower than is charged in Spain, where the government in 2012 increased the sales tax to help plug a gaping public deficit. Spain in August introduced stringent border checks at its border with Gibraltar, leading to lengthy queues for motorists, in what it said was a move aimed at clamping down on cigarette smuggling.

But Gibraltar argues the stepped-up border controls are in retaliation for the installation of an artificial reef in its waters that has prevented Spanish boats from fishing there. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo welcomed the anti-fraud office report and said the territory wanted to work together with Spain to investigate the cigarette smuggling. "We wish any necessary investigations in this and in all areas to be carried out jointly between the competent Spanish and Gibraltar authorities in a genuine spirit of cooperation," he said. The government of Gibraltar said cigarette smuggling was already being brought under control thanks to the "draconian" measures it introduced in January. These include the introduction of searches of vehicles crossing into Spain and giving customs and police officers greater powers to fight smuggling. The Spanish government meanwhile said the anti-fraud office's report "justified" its "work in the fight against fraud and the underground economy". Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 but has long argued that it should be returned to Spanish sovereignty. London says it will not do so against the wishes of Gibraltarians, who are staunchly pro-British.

First Spaniard dies of Ebola

confirmed by the Madrid's health department that a 75-year-old Spanish priest, Miguel Pajares has died in Madrid’s Carlos III hospital from Ebola. The Spanish priest who was recently repatriated from Liberia, Africa last Thursday had been in isolation in Saint John of God hospital in the capital of Monrovia. It is known that he contracted the Ebola virus from the Director of the Hospital after a visit. The director is also known to have died. Miguel Pajares was being treated with an experimental drug ZMapp which is designed to fight the deadly virus, but failed to respond to the medication.

The drug ZMapp is a treatment that is made by a private US company and is still in intensely early stages and had previously been only tested on monkeys. In a statement the health ministry said that the drug arrived to the hospital late on Saturday evening to treat the 75-year-old. The drug ZMapp though in very early stages, was only allowed by the Spanish drug safety agency under “exceptional importation” to be used in the use of a non-authorised medication because of an incident where a patient’s life is in danger.

Ebola virus a threat

"The risk to UK travellers and people working in [affected countries] of contracting Ebola is very low but we have alerted UK medical practitioners about the situation in West Africa and requested they remain vigilant for unexplained illness in those who have visited the affected area. "It is important to stress that no cases of imported Ebola have ever been reported in the UK and the risk of a traveller going to West Africa and contracting Ebola remains very low since Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person." BBC global health correspondent Tulip Mazumdar said the West African outbreak had been going on for four months. In that time local people had been looking after the sick and carrying out burials, which could actually help to spread the virus, she added. Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment. The outbreak - the world's deadliest to date - was first reported in Guinea in February. It then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Ebola virus disease (EVD) Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage Fatality rate can reach 90% Incubation period is two to 21 days There is no vaccine or cure Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

Massive increase in Brits abroad drug arrests

DRUG arrests of Britons in Spain have soared, with an incredible 68% increase on the previous year. In total, 708 Brits have been arrested overseas on drug charges already this year – a shocking 173 of which were in Spain, according to the UK’s Foreign Office. A worrying trend is the reported rise in the use of a party drug named ‘Cannibal’ – due to its tendency to dramatically increase aggressiveness. It is apparently being distributed widely in parts of Spain, including the Balearics. A British man was arrested in Magaluf, after biting beachgoers while high on the drug. The rapid rise in drug-related arrests is due to a serious crackdown on dealers launched by police this year. The second-largest number of drug arrests involving Britons last year was in America, with 102 cases.

Forest fire in Casares

FOREST fire raged today near Casares. The fire was very near the site of Manilva’s Roman baths, inland from Sabinillas. Three helicopters and an aircraft were sent by Infoca in response, and emergency services rushed to the scene. A second fire station was reported to have sent emergency response teams as support.

Colombian cocaine smuggler gets 15 years

A federal judge in Tampa sentenced a cocaine smuggler on Friday to more than 15 years in prison. U.S. District Judge James S. Moody Jr. sentenced Luis Alberto Urrego-Contreras to 15 years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. In January 2005, Urrego-Contreras, who was known by the nickname “Bacon,” bought a Beechcraft King Air airplane from a St. Petersburg business. He bought the plane on behalf of Colombian cocaine trafficker Fabio Enrique Ochoa-Vasco, according to the federal court. In June 2005, the plan was for the plane to fly from Venezuela to Colombia to retrieve 2,000 kilograms of cocaine. But when the pilot saw the Colombian Air Force was monitoring the Colombian airstrip, the pilot flew back to Venezuela where the pilot and co-pilot were arrested, according to the federal court. In October 2010, Urrego-Contreras was arrested at the American Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, according to the federal court. He agreed to speak to agents where he identified Ochoa-Vasco in several photographs and others involved in the smuggling conspiracy, according to the federal court. Urrego-Contreras told investigators that he was paid $50,000 to $100,000 for each cocaine load. He admitted to investigators that he was responsible for 1,000 kilograms of cocaine that was flown from Colombia to Mexico and later distributed in the United States by Ochoa-Vasco, according to the federal court.

Police are keeping watch on five drug traffickers trapped on a ship in Málaga

The initially eight drug traffickers were released by the National Court following the reform, carried out by Justice Minister, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón which considered the Spanish Court is not competent to judge a ship seized in international waters.
Fri Jul 25, 2014 - 13:50

Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of the reform of Universal Justice Law it could be the drug traffickers involved could now be prosecuted in the Spanish Court, and for that reason the police are keeping watch.

The Mayak in Málaga Port

The vessel was intercepted last March when 30 nautical miles SE of Málaga. The 63.5 metre long ‘Mayak’ was constructed in 1968 and was flying the Sierra Leona flag. The investigators call this type of ship the mother ship, because they receive and supply drugs to other smaller ships which bring the drugs to the European coast.



When customs boarded the ship, she had been loaded up just an hour before and eight crew were caught red-handed introducing the bales of drug into the bodega.

La Opinion de Málaga reports the arsenal of war weapons found in Málaga was used for their sale and international trafficking.

La Opinion de Málaga reports the arsenal of war weapons found in Málaga was used for their sale and international trafficking. 148 firearms have been impounded, with 55 grenades of different types, more than 160 ammunition cartridges of different calibre, three anti-tank mines, an artillery rocket and a heavy mortar. One of the detained spoke of the arms sale in a book.

Renfe in Costa del Sol hit by lack of drivers

Six lines to Fuengirola and Alora have been cancelled due to a lack of train drivers. The termination will affect almost 1,500 people. The drivers union says that many more drivers are needed to keep the services going. On the other hand, Renfe said that part of the problem is that driver absenteeism has gone up by 10%. The company also added that they were doing their best to ‘urgently resolve the problem to get things back to normal as soon as possible’. However, they gave no guarantee or target date on this. The drivers union believe that Malaga requires at least eight more drivers and that Renfe simply need to employ more. They point out that there are 500 unemployed drivers they could hire tomorrow and that they paid €22,000 to take the training course. They also warned that under these current conditions, problems are set to continue all summer long.

British family recount moment forest fire forced them to flee Spanish hotel in Costa del Sol

'It was like Pompeii': British family recount moment they were forced to evacuate Spanish holiday apartment as raging forest fire sent hot ash raining down on them Family arrived at resort and were unpacking when they were forced to flee Clarks were alerted when Spanish porter looked up at hillside and swore Hot ash rained down and smoke obliterated the sun Eight-year-old Isla screamed that the family was going to die

Fake landlords swindle prospective tenants in Marbella

FAKE landlords in Marbella have swindled a couple out of €600. “Central flat, near amenities and beach” This is the advert that Ezequiel Eduardo Bruscagin and his partner Natalia Taboada answered when they were looking for temporary accommodation in Marbella in May. Bruscagin and Taboada both live in Granada but spend their summers working in Marbella and, as such, need somewhere to live so they answered the advert and were met by “Fernando” and his son who professed to be the owner of the studio. After seeing the space and talking with “Fernando” the couple agreed to rent the studio; they put down a deposit of €150 and two weeks later they put down another €150 towards the deposit and the first month’s rent – in total they paid out more than €600. The problem was that “Fernando” was not the owner of the studio and had no right to rent it out. Bruscagin and Taboada lost all the money they put down and have never seen “Fernando” again. The actual owner of the flat has come forward and stated to the authorities that he had nothing to do with the swindling of the couple.

Marbella Mayor ready for feria

THOUSANDS of people turned out on the streets of Marbella for its annual feria. As usual they enjoyed all the fun of the fair throughout the week with a packed programme of events. In this picture the Mayor of Marbella, María Angeles Muñoz was seen in preparation for the feria, which started on Monday, June 6 and lasted until Sunday, June 15. She opened the feria accompanied by her husband Lars Brosberg and welcomed everyone to enjoy the fair and have a good time.  The programme included free musical performances from Delola, Andy y Lucas, David Barrul (winner of TV show ‘La Voz’), recreational activities for all ages as well as a firework display. The day of Patronage of Marbella on Wednesday included a procession with the cross of Humilladero, which took place at 10 am, followed by Mass and a march in honour of Saint Bernabè.

The British living abroad see themselves as expats rather than immigrants

A retired British couple living on Spain's Costa Blanca. Photograph: Alamy

If you only read the British media, you would think there are no British immigrants anywhere in the world. Instead, there are only legions upon legions of expats.

The word conjures up groups ripening in the sun on recliners by the pool, lounging in bars festooned with union flags, combing foreign supermarket aisles for Marmite and HP Sauce, and decrying bronzed natives and their lack of work ethic.

For a year or two I fancied I was an expat myself. I came from India to study at St Andrews on a bursary. I mingled with classmates who had multiple passports, whose parents were expats in Zurich, Dubai, New York and Tokyo. But as I marvelled at the ease with which they glided into France, took trains in Croatia and made friends with Bedouins in Jordan, I was having protracted arguments with customs, who jabbed at my documents every time I tried to nip over to Ireland or France.

Such treatment made me realise I would never been an expat – only an immigrant. It seems it's impossible to be an Indian expatriate. EvenLakshmi Mittal, the richest man in Britain, and an Indian passport holder, wouldn't dare to call himself an expat.

So what is the difference? It seems expats have a special prerogative. It is an entitlement with far-reaching consequences. Not long ago, I won a free trip to the Caribbean. On my flight was a senior executive from a large London-listed company heading back to his tax-haven paradise in the Bahamas. He had been an expat for nearly 25 years. The Londoner loathed Britain and its tax regime. He foamed at the mouth and gesticulated wildly as he nursed a glass with fluctuating levels of scotch.

I learned of his disgust at the dross pouring into his once-beloved country and the horrifying prospect of them benefiting from his tax money. I nodded gamely as he told me how he hated immigrants and wished they would all bugger off to where they came from. Then he leaned back, closed his eyes, clucked his tongue, and said: "It's a good thing we have tame natives in the Caribbean. None of that PC nonsense."

The British in Spain number close to a million, and they positively abhor being called immigrants. The most common argument given by the expat community is that they contribute to the local economy, take nothing, and create jobs. They are not job-seeking flotsam and, after all, where would the Manuels and the Josés be without their money.

The irony of complaining about immigrants in their own country while living the life of an expat escapes the British. I don't blame them. It is mere cognitive dissonance born out of centuries of dominion over large swaths of the world. From Delhi to Darfur, the correct way to drape a napkin on your knees or manipulate dinner cutlery was the British way. The Indian just off the plane at Heathrow, the Pakistani out for his maiden walk on Oxford Street, the Lithuanian finding his way around St Pancras are all too acutely aware that this is not their country. They must ingratiate themselves as soon as possible. Our expat has no such dislocations.

Australia, Canada, America, New Zealand and scores of pins and flags on the world map were once firmly and exclusively Anglo-Saxon in identity. Not any more. The last few decades have seen planes and boats disgorge people of other, newer ethnicities, and they and their children have gained momentum in their adopted countries. In face of this rising demographic pressure there is an even more urgent need to distinguish themselves as British.

Meanwhile, in France, the term immigré has negative connotations, almost always indicating either a clandestine or a Magrebhi. In Greece, being a metanastis is as good as being unwanted cargo from Africa. The term expatriate is a stamp of superiority and is reserved for those who have the right passport – and look the part.

Diabetes drug makes brain cells grow

The widely used diabetes drug metformin comes with a rather unexpected and alluring side effect: it encourages the growth of new neurons in the brain. The study reported in the July 6th issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, also finds that those neural effects of the drug also make mice smarter. See Also: Health & Medicine Brain Tumor Stem Cells Nervous System Mind & Brain Brain Injury Intelligence Neuroscience Strange Science Reference Neural development Stem cell treatments Diabetes mellitus type 2 Embryonic stem cell The discovery is an important step toward therapies that aim to repair the brain not by introducing new stem cells but rather by spurring those that are already present into action, says the study's lead author Freda Miller of the University of Toronto-affiliated Hospital for Sick Children. The fact that it's a drug that is so widely used and so safe makes the news all that much better. Earlier work by Miller's team highlighted a pathway known as aPKC-CBP for its essential role in telling neural stem cells where and when to differentiate into mature neurons. As it happened, others had found before them that the same pathway is important for the metabolic effects of the drug metformin, but in liver cells. "We put two and two together," Miller says. If metformin activates the CBP pathway in the liver, they thought, maybe it could also do that in neural stem cells of the brain to encourage brain repair. The new evidence lends support to that promising idea in both mouse brains and human cells. Mice taking metformin not only showed an increase in the birth of new neurons, but they were also better able to learn the location of a hidden platform in a standard maze test of spatial learning. While it remains to be seen whether the very popular diabetes drug might already be serving as a brain booster for those who are now taking it, there are already some early hints that it may have cognitive benefits for people with Alzheimer's disease. It had been thought those improvements were the result of better diabetes control, Miller says, but it now appears that metformin may improve Alzheimer's symptoms by enhancing brain repair. Miller says they now hope to test whether metformin might help repair the brains of those who have suffered brain injury due to trauma or radiation therapies for cancer.

Spanish Tourism Industry Prepares for Difficult Summer

Spain's tourism industry is bracing itself for a painful slowdown in bookings this summer, driven by a steep decline in local tourism, according to the country's leading hotel association. Reservations by Spanish vacationers for the month of July are 30% lower than last year, amid persistently high unemployment and a protracted economic recession, said Juan Molas, president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations. An influx of visitors from Russia and other countries in Eastern Europe has compensated somewhat for the decline in local tourism, but weak local demand is expected to weigh on an industry that accounts for about 11% of Spain's annual economic output. Hotel owners are concerned that the government may raise the industry's value-added tax to 18% from the current 8%, in a bid to reduce its yawning budget deficit, making Spain less attractive to foreign tourists compared with other less expensive destinations "If the VAT rises to 18%, it will be absolutely catastrophic for the sector," Mr. Molas said at an event Thursday in Madrid. Spain's government is working to secure €100 billion ($126 billion) in aid for its struggling banking sector from the European Union and plans to meet with EU officials next week to discuss new measures to improve its public finances. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has already implemented €45 billion in austerity measures, but weak tax revenue threatens to undermine his administration's goal of trimming its shortfall this year to 5.3% of gross domestic product from 8.9% last year. Sentiment in the hospitality industry is at its lowest level since 2009, according to an index developed by the hotel association and consulting firm PwC. Based on a survey of hotel firms, 57% of operators expect international tourism will hold steady this year, while 76% expect domestic tourism to decline. "The parts of the country that will suffer the most are those that cater to national tourists," Mr. Molas said.

Harrods Plans To Open Luxury Hotel Chain

The Qatari owner of Harrods plans to take the department store brand global by building upmarket hotels bearing its name in cities around the world, including one Chelsea Barracks in London. Qatar Holding, part of the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, announced it was diversifying into hospitality as part of a grand plan to make Harrods a global luxury brand. “The target plan is to open Harrods hotels in key cities such as Kuala Lumpur, New York and Paris as well as in China,” a spokesman said. “Preference will be given to construct on sites already owned by Qatar Holding or its affiliates, for example at Chelsea Barracks in London or Costa Smeralda in Sardinia. Qatar Holding ultimately intends to grow Harrods into a global enterprise that defines the luxury retail and leisure sectors.” The Doha-based fund bought Harrods from Mohamed Al Fayed for £1.5bn in 2010 and is fast becoming a kingmaker in British property development, snapping up a series of trophy sites in the past five years including Chelsea Barracks, the luxury apartment complex at One Hyde Park, the US embassy in Grosvenor Square and the Olympic Village, which it will take over after the Games. On Thursday the Qatari premier, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, will arrive in the UK to open the latest property on his London Monopoly board: the 72-storey Shard, which is 95%-owned by Qatar. The Qatar Holding vice-chairman, Hussain Ali Al Abdulla, in Malaysia to unveil plans for the first hotel, reportedly told journalists: “We have already decided to build a Harrods hotel in London, one in Kuala Lumpur and one in Sardinia.” Qatari Diar, the sovereign wealth developer, bought Chelsea Barracks from the Ministry of Defence for nearly £1bn in 2007 and its outline masterplan for a £3bn redevelopment was approved last year. The site has remained undeveloped since the last troops vacated the premises in  2008. Qatar also owns 26% of J Sainsbury, 28% of Canary Wharf’s owner, Song Bird Estates, and sizeable chunks of Barclays and the London Stock Exchange It’s not all about luxury, however. The Qatar Investment Authority also owns 20% of Camden market in north London, via its holding in the property group Chelsfield

Melanie Griffith's daughters convinced her to go to rehab

Melanie Griffith said that it was her daughters who convinced her to go to rehab in 2009 for an addiction to painkillers. Related News Photos: Salma Hayek in leather Gucci dress at Cannes Stories: Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas open up about relationship troubles and addiction Don Johnson said he watched porn to prepare for 'Bucky Larson' Salma Hayek dons leather Gucci dress at Cannes - like her look? (Photos) "My daughters really sat me down and said, look, Mom, this is what it is. Dakota and Stella, both," Griffith told the Los Angeles Times. "I don't want to say what really happened, but they were the ones who said, "You really need to get help," and I heard them and knew what they meant. And I saw it and I did it." "I couldn't have done it without them. I really couldn't have. And I'm so grateful," Griffith continued. "I see now I just didn't get it before. It doesn't mean that I'm stupid. It's just that that's what the disease is." The 54-year-old actress currently appears opposite Scott Caan in the play "No Way Around but Through," which will run at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank, Calif. through July 8. She also joined the cast of the upcoming Lifetime pilot "This American Housewife," which will begin filming in December in Vancouver, B.C. and also stars her husband, Antonio Banderas. Griffith has struggled with drugs and alcohol through much of her life and went to rehab several times. "I started on pain pills when I hurt my knee skiing and just kept taking them," Griffith told AARP in September 2011. "The kids knew; Dakota and Stella called me on it. Antonio was in London at the time. I went away to rehab for three months; it took 10 days just to detox. We had two family weeks there, but we didn't follow through." Griffith said that Banderas was "totally by her side," but admitted that her addiction isn't something that her husband could necessarily understand. "Antonio was supportive to the extent that he can be, but if you're not an alcoholic or drug addict, and you find out that your wife is a bad one, it's hard to deal with," Griffith continued. "As long as I'm okay, he's okay. I wish he would go to a meeting with me or to Al-Anon, but it's very foreign to him. Addiction runs in my family but not in his." Griffith and Banderas met on the set of their 1995 movie, "Two Much," when they were both married to other people. They got married on May 14, 1996 and are parents to 16-year-old Stella Banderas. Griffith also has two children from her previous marriages to "Scarface" actor Steven Bauer and Don Johnson - Alexander Bauer, 26, and Dakota Johnson, 22.

Holidaymakers in Spain this summer are facing a surprise new airport tax imposed by the Spanish government

Holidaymakers in Spain this summer are facing a surprise new airport tax imposed by the Spanish government as it tries to balance its books. Some airlines are passing the new departure tax on to passengers, even if they booked their flights months ago. Some passengers have received emails telling them either to pay an extra charge of up to seven euros (£6) per person - or to cancel their flights. Other airlines are deciding whether to absorb the cost themselves. The budget airline Ryanair said Spain's 2012 budget, passed into law at the end of June, obliged airlines to pay increased taxes. Spain is implementing drastic measures to try to slash its budget deficit to 5.3% from 8.5% in 2011. It has been promised bailout funds of up to 100bn euros for its banks, but wants to avoid a full state bailout. Retrospective The European travel agents' association ECTAA said the amount of the extra levy varied depending on which airport people used. It said the average rise in the tax was 18.9%, but at some of the larger airports it would almost double. For instance, at Madrid-Barajas the tax would rise from 6.95 euros to 14.44, while at Barcelona's El Prat airport it would rise from 6.12 euros to 13.44. Ryanair said it would pass the cost on to passengers, even those who had already paid in full for their flights, because the tax applied "retrospectively to customers who booked flights before 2 July 2012 and are travelling from 1 July onwards". It said for bookings made on or after 2 July, the increased tax would have been included in the price. The Spanish low-cost airline Vueling is also passing on the cost. It sent emails to passengers giving them seven days to cancel their flight, or the extra payment would be debited automatically from the card they used to book. British Airways and Iberia told the BBC they had not yet decided whether to pass on the cost or absorb it. ECTAA said in a statement it was "dismayed" by the rise, which was imposed "without proper consultation of airport users nor appropriate implementation time". It said travel agents faced a "technical and financial nightmare to recover the extra charge".