Gibraltar - an attractive proposition for the hedge fund industry | Easier

Gibraltar - an attractive proposition for the hedge fund industry | Easier: "Gibraltar is an extremely attractive proposition for the hedge fund industry – an industry that is increasingly disgruntled with London’s high tax rates and changing policies. The Rock is fully compliant with EU financial services regulation, money laundering and co-operation rules. EU, European Economic Area and Swiss nationals are free to work and reside in Gibraltar without a permit and personal tax is capped at a low level. Meanwhile ‘passporting’ of financial services has been in place since July 2003 allowing firms and certain funds to offer their services and products throughout Europe on the basis of their Gibraltar licence.

Gibraltar’s appeal to hedge funds, and indeed a myriad of enterprises, doesn’t stop there. The Rock has political and economic stability (5% GDP growth for year-end March 2010), good professional services and communications, an English common law legal system and its geographic location brings an advantageous time zone and proximity to investors and partners for face-to-face meetings. Personal lifestyle is also of a high quality with the award-winning marina resort of Ocean Village in particular attracting many high net worth individuals to its sumptuous residential towers complete with Health Club, swimming pools, bars, restaurants, premier yacht berths and Gibraltar’s only casino on the doorstep."

Cork man drowns on holiday in Morocco | BreakingNews.ie

Cork man drowns on holiday in Morocco | BreakingNews.ie: "Tributes were paid today to a young Cork man who drowned while on holiday in Morocco.

Alan Buckley, aged 35, died on New Year’s Eve in a tragic drowning accident.

A son of Declan Buckley, who owns the Marina Bar, in Cork city, Alan was remembered today as a popular and genuine man.

He split his time between Béal na Bláth and Cork city, where he ran The Viscount bar in Bishopstown.

A keen sportsman, he played football with Kilmurry GAA and hurling with Cloughduv GAA Hurling Club.

Chairman of Kilmurry GAA, Teddy Hartnett led tributes today, describing Alan as a “nice and genuine lad, who was very popular with his teammates.”"

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Battles loom between creditors and borrowers

FT.com / Comment - Battles loom between creditors and borrowers: "few weeks ago, a large US investment bank asked a discreet question of its biggest institutional investor clients. How long would it be before the debt crisis that has struck Europe reached the US? One, two or three years, or never? “Under 10 per cent said never,” says a banker involved in the polling.

Last year brought the eurozone debt crisis. Greece and Ireland had to be bailed out and big question marks still hang over Portugal and Spain. But the focus is now likely to widen. The question for 2011 is how much of the western world could be caught up.



“It is definitely looking more systemic,” says Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard professor who was formerly chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. “Whenever there is a wave of banking crises, a wave of sovereign debt crises follows a few years la"

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Spanish Bargain hunters enjoy stripped down offer - Telegraph

Bargain hunters enjoy stripped down offer - Telegraph: "Under the slogan 'Come in undressed and go out dressed', the company, which has outlets in Spain and Portugal, promised a matching top and lower garment to the first 100 people who appear at selected branchesust dressed in their underwear.
Pedro Soares and Ivan Silva told Lusa News Agency that they were the first to arrive at the Lisbon store at 1am, waiting until 9am when the doors opened and they were entitled to take home an outfit of their choice for free.
“I have a woolly jumper and a pair of trousers, which would have cost €250 (£210). I really like this brand and like this I can take the clothes without paying for them,” said 20 year old Pedro"

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Costa del Sol firms Suninvest 2000 and Elvira Invest,Georgian mafia henchman extradited to Spain

Georgian mafia henchman extradited to Spain | Olive Press Newspaper | News Spain: "right-hand man of Georgian mafia boss is being extradited to Spain.
Leon Lann, aka Leonid Kaplan, managed Costa del Sol real estate investments for gang leader Zakhar Kalashov.
Kalashov was sentenced in Spain earlier this year and Lann was recently nabbed in Moscow.
Russian-born mafioso is charged with laundering money from arms trafficking through property investments.


Spanish prosecutors believe Lann invested over 5.5 million euros of Kalashov’s money through Costa del Sol firms Suninvest 2000 and Elvira Invest."

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Man arrested in Marbella for attempted murder of former girlfriend | Nerja News

Man arrested in Marbella for attempted murder of former girlfriend | Nerja News: "Police in Marbella have arrested a 38 year old Bulgarian national on a charge of attempted murder after he allegedly shot his ex-girlfriend.

The couple had split up in October after two years together and then on December 13th, the woman was found wounded on calle Pablo Casals in Marbella. She spent a week in hospital under police protection before being discharged.

The police investigation led to the arrest of the alleged assailant in Fuente de Piedra, Málaga province, and he is now in prison. The accused has no prior criminal record although it is widely believed that there had been other instances of domestic violence but no complaints had been made by the woman for fear of reprisals."

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Marbella-based British company named in nation-wide fraud | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain

Euro Weekly News | Marbella-based British company named in nation-wide fraud | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain: "GUARDIA CIVIL are investigating a possible fraud which has affected parents with children in schools throughout Spain. A company based in Marbella, Forward Press (Europe) Ltd, organized a short story contest for young writers in schools all over the country.

Diplomas were handed out to the winners. It then offered parents the chance of having their children’s stories published for just €13, something which hundreds agreed to.

They paid via bank transfer or internet and should have received the books in September.

However, so far no books have been published and Guardia Civil are encouraging parents to contact them and report the problem so they can prove the fraud.

The Penal Code establishes that there is no crime if the quantities are less than €400, but if Guardia Civil can prove the fraud was ‘en masse’ something can be done.

Forward Press (Europe) Ltd is the Spanish-based subsidiary of Forward Press Ltd in the UK, a Spanish daily reports."

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Mother is convinced missing Amy is still alive | Irish Examiner

Mother is convinced missing Amy is still alive | Irish Examiner: "THE mother of missing schoolgirl Amy Fitzpatrick is convinced her daughter is still alive and believes she is living with an older man who has brainwashed her."

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Costa del Sol gains a quarter of a million residents in ten years

Costa del Sol gains a quarter of a million residents in ten years: "The Costa del Sol has gained a quarter of a million residents over the past ten years. Málaga province now has a population of more than 1.6 million.

Most of the 250,000 new residents are concentrated into ten localities and were attracted to the area by the economic boom and jobs in the service and construction sector.

Benalmádena has almost doubled its population, up more than 29,000 to reach over 61,000. Málaga City has seen 36,942 new residents, and Mijas has seen its 34,450 new residents take the population now to 76,000 making it the third largest town.
Marbella saw more than 30,000 new residents, while Estepona, Fuengirola, Torremolinos and Vélez-Málaga have all attracted more than 20,000."

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'Ruta Británica' proposed as new tourist route in Huelva

'Ruta Británica' proposed as new tourist route in Huelva: "The mines which are considered to be the oldest in the world were bought by the British in the 19th Century

The Partido Popular in Andalucía is proposing a new tourist route in Huelva to promote the areas of the province which are linked to mining.

The PP MP for Andalucía, Loles López, told the website ‘vivahuelva.es’, that her party plans to ask the regional parliament for funding to set up as an official route for tourists the ‘Ruta Británica’ – the ‘British Route’, to run from Riotinto and Nerva as far as Punta Umbría.

The PP hopes it will bring more visitors to the area and that the route would act as an alternative to the traditional tourism of sun and the beac"

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Anni Dewani Was Executed Without Sexual Assault : NewsTime : South Africa

Anni Dewani Was Executed Without Sexual Assault : NewsTime : South Africa: "leaked report by an unnamed paramedic, who examined Anni Dewani’s body at the crime scene, has allegedly ruled out the theory of resistance to an attempted sexual assault leading to the gun going off in the murder of the Cape Town honeymooner.

This is in line with police reports after the body was discovered which said that there was no suggestion of a sexual assault and that she had been murdered in cold blood.

One of the witnesses at the crime scene had allegedly said that Anni’s dress had been pulled up which indicated a sexual assault but the paramedic, according to a report in the Montreal Gazette, said that her clothes were neatly arranged and there was no sign of a struggle or a sexual assault."

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15 arrested as Civil Guard smash car theft network in Andalucía

15 arrested as Civil Guard smash car theft network in Andalucía: "Civil Guard have recovered 15 top range cars after arresting 15 members of a gang which operated on the Costa del Sol and in Cádiz province in the illegal traffic of vehicles.

Investigations began in March when detectives discovered that stolen cars were being used to transport drugs in the Campo de Gibraltar.

The suspects taken into custody are understood to be from Bulgaria, Morocco and Spain, and each worked with their own countrymen in the three separate sections into which the organisation was divided.
Europa Press reports that the vehicles, once stolen, were parked out of sight on urbanisations on the Costa del Sol. They were then sold on to buyers involved with drug smuggling and transported over by ferry to Morocco."

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Jardines del Príncipe, 81 properties which were built illegally in Marbella have now been brought into line

: "81 properties which were built illegally in Marbella have now been brought into line with the town’s local development plan, the PGOU, following approval given by the Town Hall this Tuesday.

The compensation agreement affects the development Jardines del Príncipe, and brings in funds for the Town Hall of more than 2 million €. The municipality also receives in compensation seven of properties within the complex and a plot nearby of more than 2,000 square metres of land.

The local planning councillor, Pablo Moro, said in a press release on Tuesday that the land and the seven properties will be set aside for public facilities.

The Town Hall has now regularised the situation of close to 400 illegal properties since the new PGOU came into effect."

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Grandfather spends two days lost on M4 during snow chaos - The Daily Record

Grandfather spends two days lost on M4 during snow chaos - The Daily Record: "Mohammed Bellazrak, 72, had taken his wife to catch a Christmas holiday flight on Thursday before getting lost on the M4 on the return trip.
He was eventually found on Christmas Day, still at the wheel of his Peugeot 307, when he triggered a police camera and was flagged down by officers.
The disorientated pensioner was trying to find his way home to Wiltshire from Gatwick airport, while his worried family reported him missing to the police.
Officers in Wiltshire asked colleagues in neighbouring forces to keep an eye open for the Moroccan-born motorist."

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Crackdown on UK benefit cheats who live abroad

 Crackdown on UK benefit cheats who live abroad: "The DWP said the highest instances of fraud was recorded by people living in Spain, Pakistan, the US and Bangladesh."

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Airports should be fined for disruption, ministers say

Airports should be fined for disruption, ministers say: "Airports could face fines when passengers have their travel plans disrupted, the government has said.

London's Heathrow Airport faced criticism last week when it closed snow-hit runways, stranding thousands.

Aviation minister Theresa Villiers said an airport should be fined when it 'does let passengers down and doesn't prepare properly for severe weather'.

A BAA spokesman said it welcomed any law 'designed to improve the experience for passengers at the UK's airports'.

The spokesman added: 'We will of course play a full part in the government's discussions about this year's weather disruption and will make public the findings of our own independent investigation.'"

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ONE of the women claiming she was sexually assaulted by Julian Assange took a 'trophy photo' of him lying naked in her bed

WikiLeaks founder baffled by sex assault claims | The Australian: "ONE of the women claiming she was sexually assaulted by Julian Assange took a 'trophy photo' of him lying naked in her bed, he says.

The white-haired computer impresario had been invited to stay in her empty flat when he visited Stockholm to give a lecture last August, shortly after WikiLeaks released tens of thousands of classified US documents on the Afghanistan war.

Mr Assange, 39, and unmarried, said the woman had returned home early and insisted he sleep in her bed. He does not feel he needs any excuses for what happened next. 'We went to bed, and things went on from there,' he said."

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WikiLeaks: How U.S. tried to stop Spain's torture probe | McClatchy

WikiLeaks: How U.S. tried to stop Spain's torture probe | McClatchy: "Don't indict former President George W. Bush's legal brain trust for alleged torture in the treatment of war on terror detainees, warned Mel Martinez on one of his frequent trips to Madrid. Doing so would chill U.S.-Spanish relations.

Rather than a resolution, though, a senior Spanish diplomat gave the former GOP chairman and housing secretary a lesson in Spain's separation of powers. 'The independence of the judiciary and the process must be respected,'' then-acting Foreign Minister Angel Lossada replied on April 15, 2009. Then for emphasis, 'Lossada reiterated to Martinez that the executive branch of government could not close any judicial investigation and urged that this case not affect the overall relationship.''

The case is still open, on the desk of a Spanish magistrate, awaiting a reply from the Obama administration on whether it will pursue a probe of its own."

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Elderly Dutch couple, son found dead in Spain

Elderly Dutch couple, son found dead in Spain "spanish divers Saturday recovered the bodies of a Dutch couple from the Fluvia river, hours after police found the body of their 33-year-old son following an apparent family drama.
It was not immediately clear how the Dutchman had died in a country house in Serinya, in north-eastern Spain.
Police found a farewell suicide note from the man's parents next to his body, in which they said they planned to take their own lives in the nearby river.
Investigators regarded the note as authentic and launched a search along the river. The bodies of the parents, both around 70 years old, were found at a depth of two metres."

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Morocco Aborted Smuggling of 15 kg of Cocaine

Morocco Aborted Smuggling of 15 kg of Cocaine: "Rabat: Moroccan authorities have aborted an attempt to smuggle 15 kg of cocaine via the Mediterranean port city of Tangiers found hidden in car heading to France.
Customs authorities seized 9 kg of cocaine before finding the remainder of the haul hidden in the car's spare tyre.
The car driver, a French national accompanied by his Senegalese wife and their son, entered Morocco yesterday coming form Mauritania.
The coupe were arrested and referred to police for investigation."