Spain sets out 8.9bn euros of new austerity measures

 Spain's new conservative government has outlined 8.9bn euros ($11.5bn, £7.5bn) in new spending cuts and tax rises to lower the country's borrowing. The announcement is the first in a wave of austerity measures, with a total of 16.5bn euros to be cut in 2012. It also said Spain's 2011 deficit will be about 8% of its output - higher than the 6% seen by the previous government. The Popular Party last month ousted the Socialists from power at elections amid deep economic gloom. The government of new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has vowed to meet Spain's target of reducing the public deficit to 4.4% of gross domestic product in 2012, no matter what. On Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria maintained a freeze on public sector wages for another year and ruled out practically...

Read More

Snakes on a plane (almost) in Argentina

 Snakes on a plane (almost) in Argentina Authorities in Argentina caught a man trying to board a plane with almost 250 poisonous snakes and endangered reptil...

Read More

Spain’s Iberia scraps 118 flights due to strike by pilots angry over planned budget affiliate

 Spanish airline Iberia canceled more than a third of its flights Thursday due to a strike by pilots fearing job losses when company planes are diverted for use by Iberia’s planned new budget carrier. Iberia said it scrapped 118 domestic and international flights but found seats on other Iberia flights or with other carriers for all the 10,000 travelers affected by the one-day strike. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? inShare It was the second such holiday-season walkout by the pilots. The first was on Dec. 18. Iberia, Lineas Aereas de Espana, S.A., plans to divert jetliners from money-losing domestic and medium-haul European routes for Iberia Express, which it hopes to launch early next year using lower-earning, newly hired pilots and flight attendants. The company says its plans...

Read More

Spain King's Son-in-Law Subpoenaed in Graft Probe

 A judge subpoenaed the son-in-law of Spain's King Juan Carlos on Thursday to testify as a suspect in a corruption case, deepening a public relations nightmare for the royal family at a time of acute economic crisis for everyday people. The case surrounding Inaki Urdangarin, husband of the king's daughter Cristina, has been front-page news for weeks. But it went a big step further Thursday when Judge Jose Castro on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca named Urdangarin as a formal suspect in a criminal probe. The Balearic Islands Superior Court of Justice said in a statement that Urdangarin has been called to testify Feb. 6 in Palma, the capital of the archipelago. The one-page document did not mention allegations. But Spanish media say Urdangarin, 43, is suspected of siphoning money...

Read More

She was the other woman in James Hewitt’s life, the blonde entrepreneur whom he two-timed with Princess Diana.

When she discovered the depth of her betrayal, Emma Stewardson was bitterly hurt. Like Diana she too had been besotted with the copper-haired cad and for long afterwards the couple traded insults. But now after two decades of rancour there has, I learn, been a remarkable rapprochement between the ex-cavalry officer and the businesswoman.After a series of private meetings — one in London and two in Spain where Hewitt now lives — the two have settled their differences. Reconciliation: James Hewitt and Emma Stewardson are now on speaking terms‘James and I are in touch,’ Emma tells me. ‘Things had been really cool between us for many years, things said in the heat of the moment. I apologised and he apologised and generally just cleared the air.’ It was while dating Emma, now 49, that Hewitt...

Read More

The Granada builder, José Ávila Rojas, has been given a three and half year prison sentence for continued fraud

Irregularities have been proved in a Marbella development Jose Avila Rojas  The Granada builder, José Ávila Rojas, has been given a three and half year prison sentence for continued fraud. It comes after he sold three homes in a promotion in Marbella knowing that they could not be occupied as the development, despite being constructed, had not first occupancy licence. Ávila Rojas also faces charges in the Malaya case, and in this example has been ordered to return the deposit monies paid by the property buyers, an amount of about 67,000 € in each case. The sentence from the Provincial Court in Málaga shows that Ávila Rojas built the Carril del Relojero development of 64 homes, garages and shops without the correct permissions. In April 2003 Marbella was governed by the GIL party which...

Read More

police operation has seized five top-range vehicles, 24,000 € in cash, eight sets of precision weighing scales and a pen gun with ammunitio

The Interior Ministry released news on Monday of a National Police operation, ‘Operación Pantano’, which has broken up an international network of drug traffickers and has arrested 15 suspects and seized 3.5 kilos of cocaine. Nine of the detainees are from Colombia and the remainder are Spanish. The group was mainly based in Almería province and obtained its supplies of cocaine either from Madrid or directly from Colombia. The drugs were then distributed within Almería and in the south of neighbouring Granada. The final arrests in the case were at the end of November when the network’s two main leaders were taken into custody. The police operation has also seized five top-range vehicles, 24,000 € in cash, eight sets of precision weighing scales and a pen gun with ammuniti...

Read More

Ice Skating in Marbella

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder. Ice Skating in MarbellaFrom December 15th to January 9th next year the Marbella ice skating rink is open to the public at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos. The 800 sqm ice skating rink also includes a Christmas market, bouncy castle, trampolines, carousel and children's attractions. There is a cafeteria and free parking. *Normal opening hours are from 12:00 noon until 11:00pm (see below). Entrance is free but there is a charge of €6 to ice skate for 45 minutes which includes the rental of the skates. It is necessary to wear gloves while ice skating so remember to bring some along or you will be charged €2 to rent a pair. The attractions and rides cost...

Read More