Profits slide at Spain’s Banco Santander as it tries to clean up its real estate portfolio

 Spain’s Banco Santander saw its fourth-quarter net profits plunge 98 percent after it took a €1.8 billion ($2.4 billion) charge to clean up bad real estate loans caused by the Spanish property crash. Europe’s largest bank by market capitalization said Tuesday that net profits fell to €47 million for the quarter that ended in December, down from €2.1 billion in the same period a year earlier. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? inShare Without the provision, the bank said it would have had profit of €1.7 billion in the fourth quarter. Spain’s banks are under heavy pressure from the government to disclose additional losses on overvalued real estate including land and apartment buildings in their holdings. The country is mired in an economic morass and has the highest unemployment rate...

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Tony Blair agreed to a secret deal to hand joint sovereignty of Gibraltar to Spain, according to explosive claims by a former Labour cabinet minister.

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder. Peter Hain reveals in his memoirs that he struck the deal with the Spanish government in 2002 to end the UK's 300-year control of the vital strategic outpost.He makes clear that he and Mr Blair were both prepared to ride roughshod over the objections of the people of Gibraltar in order to get their way, describing Mr Blair's attitude to the inhabitants as 'contemptuous'.Former Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) was prepared to ride roughshod over the objections of the people of Gibraltar in order to get his...

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Demi Moore hospitalised

 Her mother's collapse has just been linked to a seizure following a laughing gas binge, it has been claimed. And the strain of Demi Moore's sudden hospitalisation seemed to be getting to Rumer Willis as she attended her bedside. The 23-year-old actress looked distraught as she was photographed talking on her mobile phone outside the Los Angeles hospital. No laughing matter: Rumer Willis looked distressed yesterday outside the Los Angeles hospital her mother Demi Moore was rushed to after collapsing following an alleged nitrous oxide binge Her appearance yesterday followed the Ghost star's shock collapse at home on Monday night. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics attended her mansion for around half an hour following  a 911 call just before 11pm.   More... Did Demi...

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The King of Spain is a serial womaniser who once made a pass at Princess Diana while she was on holiday with Prince Charles, a book has claimed.

It also alleges that Juan Carlos is a ‘professional seducer’ who has had numerous affairs and has not shared a bed with his wife for the past 35 years.And it reveals that age has not stopped  the 74-year-old, with the monarch regularly receiving vitamin injections and anti-ageing treatments. Tactile: Princess Diana being kissed in 1987 by the King of Spain, who according to a new book, is a serial womaniserTogether: Diana, Prince Charles and their boys with King Carlos, Queen Sofia and members of the Greek royal family on board a yacht in August 1990The Solitude of the Queen by Pilar Eyre, which is likely to prove controversial in the...

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Elton John’s husband attacks Madonna after Golden Globes win, calling her ‘embarrassing’ and ‘desperate’

 David Furnish was one angry man following last night’s Golden Globes in Hollywood, attacking Madonna for her ‘embarrassing’ speech (watch it below) after she beat his husband Elton John to Best Original Song. Advertisement >> Shortly after Madonna won the award for single Masterpiece – which she wrote for her own film W.E. – David logged onto Facebook and criticised the singer and the ceremony. He typed angrily: “Madonna. Best song???? F**k off!!! “Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit. Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissis...

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Spanish tourism received a welcome boost last week with UK travel agents reporting a rise in interest and bookings to the country.

 Spanish tourism received a welcome boost last week with UK travel agents reporting a rise in interest and bookings to the country. The news came when on Friday the Post Office revealed evidence that resort prices have crashed by as much as 40% compared to 5 years ago. That, combined with political unrest in some other popular tourist destinations and the fact that the pound is at a 2 year high against the euro has once again made Spain an affordable and favourite option. The annual survey conducted by the Post Office measured the prices of 8 items in resorts across 33 destinations around the world. Those items included a cup of coffee in a bar or café; a bottle of local beer; a 1.5 litre bottle of water from a supermarket; a can of Coca-Cola; a three course evening meal for two adults;...

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Crash and burn time for Spain's crusading judge?

 He indicted late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet on genocide charges and became an instant hero to many around the world. A decade later he launched a similar crimes-against-humanity probe over atrocities by the right-wing victors of Spain's Civil War. Now Judge Baltasar Garzon is finding himself in the dock. On Tuesday, Garzon goes on trial for allegedly ordering illegal jailhouse wiretaps in a domestic corruption probe. A week later he appears in court to face charges he overstepped his authority in the Civil War case. Supporters say he's the victim of a witchhunt by courthouse colleagues jealous of his fame and of arch-conservatives angered by his attempt to revisit Spain's war-time past. Whatever the motivations, Spain's once high-flying but now-suspended super sleuth may be...

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3 ETA suspects arrested in France

    French police acting alongside Spanish counterparts have arrested three men at a railway station in France on suspicion of belonging to Basque separatist group ETA, the Interior Ministry said Sunday. One of those arrested in Joigny, 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Paris, was identified as 33-year-old Jon Echeverria Oyarbide, for whom there is an international arrest warrant. Police said he was in possession of material used in the manufacture of explosives. Echevarria was found in possession of bomb-making materials. The others were identified as Ruben Rivero Campo, who is wanted for "an election offense" and Inigo Sancho Marco, who is not on a wanted list, the ministry said in a statement, adding the arrests took place Saturday afternoon. The statement said...

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Anthony Read was found dead in the sea in the port town of Puerto De La Duquesa

Anthony Read was found dead in the sea in the port town of Puerto De La Duquesa – on the country’s Costa del Sol – the morning after a night out drinking with friends in March last year.Yesterday, at an inquest, mum and dad Jacqueline Jenkins and Martin Read criticised the investigation into the tragedy carried out by the authorities in Spain.Anthony, 33,  had visited a number of pubs during the evening and took a taxi back to a pal’s home ten minutes’ drive away in the early hours.But it is thought he may not have had the correct fare when he arrived and was driven back to the port, between Marbella and Gibraltar. Hours later, his body was found in the water.Spanish authorities said there had been no signs of violence and that Anthony had drowned, concluding that the death may have been...

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Fire, power failures, crime and tragic overboard deaths are common on cruise vacations

 A luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side after running aground the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, They're often billed as the ultimate in worry-free vacations. But cruise critics say these floating hotels -- some as high as 12 storeys tall -- aren't nearly as safe as claimed.Fire, power failures, crime and tragic overboard deaths are common on cruise vacations, said Ross Klein, a Memorial University sociologist and author of two books on the cruise industry.The ships, which can carry more than 4,000 passengers, are as big as towns, Klein said, packed with strangers often bent on having a good time. Many passengers...

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Michael Brown: From £1.6m villa to prison yard, downfall of the Lib Dem fraudster

 The knock at the door did not unduly disturb the man relaxing on the terrace of the £1.6 million villa overlooking the Caribbean. Even when his wife opened it to discover members of the Dominican Republic’s armed police outside, Darren Patrick Nally was unfazed. He was sure his secret was safe: he was not Nally, a man who said he was an Irish singer and had already been detained in prison on charges of failing to pay his debts. In fact he was Michael Brown, a 45-year-old British fraudster whose web of lies and deceit had made him millions – £2.4 million of which he had donated to the Liberal Democrats for their 2005 election campaign, becoming their biggest single donor. As he was arrested for unpaid rent at a former apartment, Brown was nonchalant. At the police station he told the...

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celebrity gangster-turned-author has been banned from the road after being caught more than one-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit

David CourtneyA celebrity gangster-turned-author has been banned from the road after being caught more than one-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit.David Courtney, 52, was pulled over on the M6 in the early hours.He was driving a borrowed Vauxhall Vectra after his wife, the rapper JennyBean, had taken his car following an argument, a court heard.Debbie Byrne, prosecuting, told Macclesfield magistrates court that Courtney had been spotted travelling southbound on the M6 in excess of 70mph.Courtney, who was alone, was pulled over near Knutsford services and spoken to by officers.A roadside breath test proved positive so he was arrested and taken...

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Ciudad de la Luz film studios in trouble in Alicante

 Another of the large projects in the Valencia region is in trouble as the company which runs the Ciudad de la Luz film studios in Alicante, Agua Amarga de Gestión S.L., has applied for bankruptcy protection. It comes as the regional government has failed to pay four million € as the promoter of the project. Mercantile Court 2 in Alicante accepted the application on December 16 2011. The centre has amassed a total debt of more than 190 million €, and now the Valencia Government wants to privatise the operation despite spending 160 million € on it. The project was an idea of Eduardo Zaplana, an ex Partido Popular President of the Valencia Government who thought it would compensate the city for the Terra Mítica park in Benidorm. The studios cover a 320,000 square metre site. El País...

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Iberia pilots announce more strike action

 Pilots from the SEPLA union who work for Iberia have announced three more days of strike action on January 25, 27 and 30. It follows four days of previous action in protest at the plans by Iberia to establish a new low-cost carrier, Iberia Express. SEPLA say that they have picked the dates with care, so as not to affect the Spanish tourism fair, FITUR, which runs in Madrid between the 18th and 22nd of this month. Meanwhile cabin crew and ground staff are also considering taking action, and are reported to be looking at striking on Mondays and Fridays from February 2. A meeting will be held on Tuesday to confirm that action which could affect 21,000 workers on the ground in handling, cargo, maintenance, trade and operational activiti...

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The Decree to regularize houses in Andalucia

 According to Hillen “It’s possible that this fireworks display will dazzle some but if you look at the detail of the Decree you will see that it does not help those with ongoing court proceedings, where perhaps the majority could face the chop”. “If what the Junta wants is more cases like the Priors, the decree certainly does nothing to prevent that” she added. “Actually, I sometimes despair at how little the administration is in contact with the real problems of its citizens. They must know that what looks nice on paper is not always workable in practice. It appears that they don’t and all they want to do is inundate us with a byzantine tangle of laws and, whilst they are about it, completely destroy foreign investment in Spain”. Hillen asks “What shall I tell elderly retirees who...

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Government to bring in changes to the 'Ley de Costas'

 The current and controversial ‘Ley de Costas’ has been in force since 1988 with hardly any modifications. Now the new Minister for Agriculture, Foodstuffs and the Environment, Miguel Arias Cañete, has indicated that ‘very deep reforms’ are on the way to bring value to the coast. El País reoprts that at an event to welcome top civil servants in his department, he gave a speech which indicated that the environment cannot stop economic development, and said that environmental legislation needs to be simplified. Sources at the ministry have noted that there is a problem of judicial insecurity with the current legislation and that they have received pressure from countries such as Britain and Germany, and complaints from EuroMPs as there are foreigners who have been affected by the compulsory...

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SHIP AGROUND: COAST GUARD CONFIRMS 3 DEAD

 At this time, 3 people are confirmed dead in an accident involving the cruising ship Costa Concordia. The ship left Civitavecchia for Savona yesterday at 7:30 PM and ran aground near the Isola del Giglio. According to Coast Guard sources, the situation is still confused. The ship has been boarded by Coast Guard rescue personnel, firefighters and a Costa officer and checked top to bottom to confirm that everybody has been evacuated. A portion of the passengers was taken on other vessels to Porto Santo Stefano while other went to Livorno by helicopter. The cause of the accident has not yet been ascertained. The grounded ship suffered a blackout just before running aground. ....

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'Six feared dead' and thousands evacuated as cruise ship hits rocks off coast of Italy

 Holidaymakers from France, Italy, Germany and Britain were forced to flee the 1,500-cabin Costa Concordia in lifeboats when it hit a reef less than two hours after leaving port. Some leapt overboard and swam to shore as the ship started to sink into the waters near the island of Giglio, off the Tuscan coast. Francesco Paolillo, the coastguard spokesman, said that at least three bodies were retrieved from the sea and at least three more were feared dead. Pregnant women and young children were among the 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew on board. Passengers' dinner on Friday night was interrupted by a loud boom at around 8pm and a voice over the loud-speaker system initially claimed that the ship was suffering an electrical failure, before ordering everyone on-board to don life-jacke...

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Paul Simon's music takes meandering spiritual journey

 Paul Simon says there's always been a spiritual dimension to his music. But the overt religious references in his most recent album, So Beautiful or So What, surprised even him. There are songs about God, angels, creation, pilgrimage, prayer and the afterlife. . Simon says he has many questions about God and explores them through his music. Enlarge By Todd Plitt, for USA TODAY Paul Simon performs at Ground Zero during a 10th anniversary ceremony of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Simon says he has many questions about God and explores them through his music. Ads by Google 1st Dual Core Mini-ITX VIA EPIA-M900 wi Nano X2 CPU, DDR3 up to 8GB, 2 SATA, 8 USB2.0, 4 www.viaembedded.com Simon says the religious themes were not intentional — he does not describe himself as religious. But in an interview...

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Spain is the cheapest holiday destination in Europe, survey reveals

  research reveals resort prices in Spain have dropped as much as 40 per cent in the last five years. A range of typical holiday items, including drinks and suntan lotion, totted up to less than £38 on Spain's Costa del Sol, making it the second cheapest destination in a cost comparison survey by Post Office Travel Money. Another helping factor was the rising value of the pound, up 6.4 per cent against the euro in the past three months and stronger against 29 major currencies than a year a...

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Switch to olive oil for better health

 Indian households should completely switch to olive oil as a cooking medium as its nutritional value is very high, it is rich in monounsaturated 'good' fats and, when used daily, can bring instant and easy wellness to a family's diet, celebrity chef and noted cookery expert Nita Mehta says. "Even though we have such a wide range of olive oils in our market, people don't seem to use them because of their mental block that the flavour of olive oil doesn't gel with Indian flavors," Mehta said at the launch here Satuday her latest book, "Indian Cooking With Olive Oi...

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Trial begins in giant Spanish corruption scandal

 top Spanish former official went on trial Monday at the start of legal proceedings into a raft of corruption scandals in which King Juan Carlos' son-in-law is also accused. Jaume Matas, the ex-head of the regional government of the Balearic islands who had also served as environment minister, appeared at a court in Palma de Majorca alongside three other suspects. They have been charged with embezzlement, fraud, falsifying documents and influence peddling. Matas was charged in March 2010 and was released after paying a record bail of 3.0 million euros ($3.8 million). Prosecutors are demanding an eight and a half years jail term. Matas served as president of the government of the Balearic Islands between 1996-1999 and then between 2003-2007. He was environment minister between 2000-2003....

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Santander Chairman Botin, Brother Lose Appeal in Spain Tax Case

 Banco Santander SA Chairman Emilio Botin lost a bid at Spain’s National Court to block three groups’ ability to file complaints against him over accusations he broke national tax laws by hiding funds in Switzerland. Appeals by Botin, his brother Jaime Botin and other people contesting a November decision to allow the complaints by the three groups were rejected, the Madrid-based court said today in a ruling sent by e-mail. In Spain, any citizen can make a so- called popular accusation in legal proceedings even if they are not directly involved in the matter. The court said in June it would investigate Botin and 11 family members after tax officials received information on clients at HSBC Holdings Plc’s Swiss private bank from French authorities. The Botin family, in a statement distributed...

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Spanish Home Sales Decline for the Ninth Straight Month as Economy Shrinks

 Spanish home sales declined in November for a ninth month as the economy contracted and unemployment surged. The number of transactions fell 14.4 percent from a year earlier, the National Statistics Institute in Madrid said in an e-mailed statement today. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the People’s Party leader whose government took over from the Socialists on Dec. 22, has said he will restore a tax rebate for the purchase of homes to spur the market as a 23 percent unemployment rate weighs on demand. Spain is struggling to work through an excess of 700,000 new homes after the collapse of a building boom saddled banks with 176 billion euros ($225 billion) of what the Bank of Spain calls “troubled” assets linked to real estate. Spain’s economy contracted in the final months of 2011 as...

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THE ex-lover of Holby City star Laila Rouass has been jailed for nine years in a £250m VAT fraud.

 • NASIR KHAN WAS FOUND GUILTY OF ALLOWING CRIMINAL GANGS TO LAUNDER MONEY THROUGH A STRING OF HIS COMPANIESNasir Khan, 39, who lived in Gibraltar, was found guilty of allowing criminal gangs to launder money through a string of his companies.Khan who divided his time between a flat at Atlantic Suites and a six million euro villa in Marbella, ‘deliberately cheated the public purse,’ heard London’s Southwark Crown Court.The businessman who dated Rouass, also a contestant in Strictly Come Dancing in 2009, managed to amass a fortune of 50m euros and was regularly seen driving luxury sportscars or in his £40,000 yacht moored.The lynchpin...

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Johnny Depp has purchased a mansion in Norfolk, fuelling rumours that he is to separate with partner Vanessa Paradis.

The acquisition of the property is thought to be the biggest indication yet that the Pirates of The Caribbean star's 14-year relationship is coming to an end. "Johnny has been after a English country pad for years. He's looked at a number of places but fell in love with the mansion," a source told The Sun. "It's got huge grounds which will offer his family plenty of privacy." Depp, who currently lives in France with Paradis and their two children, is said to be consulting with lawyers over the alleged separation. "Johnny isn't handling anything well right now," an insider told The Mail On Sunday. "Johnny has started reaching out to lawyers, probably to quietly discuss how to get out of the relationship. "They're not married but they've been together for years and have kids together so...

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Spanish banks lending over 100% on repossessed properties

 Spanish Banks are prepared to lend over 100% on their own properties that have been repossessed, it has been revealed. They are also selling them at rock bottom prices to attract buyers so that they can reduce the amount of property on their books. According to Adam Cornwell, managing director of Feltrim International these are quality properties in desirable areas. Recent reports from a leading risk adviser say banks have around €30 billion worth of property that they can’t sell.   ‘Whilst Spanish mortgage lending is not expected to recover in 2012 due to high unemployment and limited bank funding, financial institutions have to optimise their balance sheets,’ said Cornwell. ‘To incentivise quality buyers they are prepared to offload these homes at rock bottom prices and with...

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Graham Norton's London home was burgled on Friday night, resulting in his car being stolen.

 The comic returned home in the early hours of Saturday morning to discover that his house had been ransacked and the black Lexus hybrid taken. Hours later, he appealed to listeners of his BBC Radio 2 show to help find the vehicle by reading out its number plate. "I'm a bit distracted but was anybody else broken into last night?" he said. "Anybody else come home to find your house ransacked? It was only stuff and the dogs were fine but I didn't get to bed until very late because I had to wait for the scenes-of-crime unit to come. "It took me an hour before I realised they'd taken my car. I'm not sure well catch them. Shall we have a game of crimestoppers? Shall I give out my registration? It's a big black Lexus and filthy. Its reg is LT59 DDY and there'll be a £5 reward if someone...

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Two members of the Italian mafia have been arrested in a Marbella villa.

 The two Italians are from the Mazzarella clan of the Camorra mafia and were arrested last Wednesday morning by UDYCO police on the Costa del Sol working with Italian police. They face charges of belonging to a criminal organisation dedicated to the traffic of drugs into Europe from Morocco. They have been named as Clemente Amodio and Pasquale Mazzarella. European arrest warrants are in place and the two men have been taken to Madrid where the National Court will handle the extradition. The Italian anti-mafia prosecutor has said that these arrests are more confirmation that the south of Spain in general, and the Costa del Sol in particular, has become one of the favourite refuges for members of the Camorra. Meanwhile in a separate incident, police have arrested a 24 year old Frenchman,...

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50 year old buildings in Spain to get an ITE inspection

 Buildings which are more than 50 years old are to be obliged to have a so-called ITV/MOT inspection from July. The new legislation affects buildings older than 50 years in towns of more than 25,000 inhabitants. Buildings will be obliged to display a certificate before any flats can be sold. The ITE Inspección Técnica de Edificios has been in existence for some time, but only from July 7 2012 will it become obligatory. The buildings will be subjected to a complete technical inspection by a competent architect or engineer who will draw up a report on the state of the building, indicating any deficiencies detected and whether they are serious or not. In the case that work needs to be done, a further inspection is needed when the work is completed. Fines of 1,000 – 6,000 € are envisaged...

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King Melchor had a heart attack and died while sitting atop his float.

 Drama of an unexpected sort in the Valencia town of Pobla de Farnais, during the Three Kings Parade on Thursday night. Levante EMV reports that King Melchor had a heart attack and died while sitting atop his float. The man, who was in his 50’s and a great fan of the local fiestas and traditions is reported to have told people to carry on with the procession, although he was not feeling well. Finally witnesses reported that J.M. Martínez fainted and fell unconscious from his cha...

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Prison for father and son in connection with Barcelona Senegalese killing

 Two of the four people arrested in connection with the death of a Senegalese man, Ibrahima Dyey in Barcelona last Tuesday have been sent to prison on remand, while the other two have been granted provisional release by the judge in Instruction Court 12 in Barcelona. The father of a gypsy clan, Antonio F.P., is one of those being held in custody, along with one of his sons, 28 year old Antonio F.G who is believed to have actually carried out the killing. The tragedy has caused serious friction between local gypsy residents and the Africans in the Besòs district of the city. The judge ordered that the other two sons face charges of making threats and causing injury and they have to report every day to the court. Their passports have been removed and they are not allowed to leave Barcelona,...

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