14 people arrested for fraud

National Police in Marbella have arrested 14 people for allegedly defrauding elderly, usually foreign, living alone. Among those arrested are employees, managers and owners of six companies involved in maintenance and repair of domestic premises. The investigation was initiated following complaints from several users who informed the police of what they considered irregular practices by some employees of companies that install gas. According to the Provincial Police said yesterday, those arrested allegedly visited the homes of the victims and getting them to give their consent for unnecessary repairs or untimely made. To achieve its purpose, the detainees would have used different strategies coercive, the most common strike fear their customers with a possible accident. Apparently, they came...

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Sergio Garcia, who has won the last two events he has played in Spain, will play in the Sergio Garcia, who has won the last two events he has played in Spain, will play in the Volvo World Match Play

Sergio Garcia, who has won the last two events he has played in Spain, will play in the Volvo World Match Play  in Marbella between 17 and 20 May.The 31-year-old said: "It is tough to qualify for such an elite field, so I am delighted."Other members of the 24-man field confirmed yesterday included the 2010 US Open champion, Graeme McDowell, and the 2011 Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel. The world's top two, Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald, will not play this ye...

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Lee Westwood has followed Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald in deciding not to play next month's Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain

The world's top three all competed at Finca Cortesin near Marbella last May, but with Masters champion Bubba Watson and fellow American Hunter Mahan likely absentees as well, the highest-ranked player in the 24-man field looks set to be German Martin Kaymer. Like McIlroy, Westwood is back as a member of the PGA Tour this season and that has led to a number of changes in his schedule. He is not defending the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea this week, instead taking a week off before returning to the United States for the Wells Fargo Championship and Players Championship. The 39-year-old world number three won the World Match Play at Wentworth in 2000, but went out at the last 16 stage to eventual winner Ian Poulter a year ago. McIlroy was beaten at the same stage by Graeme McDowell...

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the poker room of Casino of Marbella hosted many poker professionals to compete for the title of this Spanish stage of the WPT

It's the southern of Spain, on the Coste del Sol that the World Poker Tour National Series visited. Since Friday, April 20, 2012, the poker room of Casino of Marbella hosted many poker professionals to compete for the title of this Spanish stage of the WPT. In total, the € 1,650 main event drew 377 participants generating a prize pool of € 547,000, a sum that will tie between the 36 best players of the game. As a reminder, the re-entry system was also proposed in this competition. Following the first two qualifying days, 184 players were allowed to return for the Day 2. And when this second day of competition came to close, there were...

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no carbs before Marbs

The glam reality TV star has been in the press today saying that she was “obsessed” with her size last year – she talked to STV about the infamous “no carbs before Marbs” diet.Maria appeared in STV’s online series Ma Way last month, and talked about “no carbs before Marbs”, which became a The Only Way is Essex catchphrase when the show’s stars ditched any carbohydrates in the run-up to a sun-soaked holiday in Marbella.So did it all go according to plan? As you can see in the video above, Maria told our showbiz reporter Laura Boyd: “No carbs, no veg, no sugar, no salt, no fat.“Chicken, prawns, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese,...

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World Poker Tour has events winding down in Florida and Marbella

Major poker tournaments have been popping up all over world of late. The European Poker Tour has made its way from Berlin to Monaco, the World Poker Tour has events winding down in Florida and Marbella, and the World Series of Poker Circuit is going strong in St. Louis. Meanwhile, a Black Friday informant has been spotted strolling the streets of the Big Apple. We'll bring you that story and more in this edition of the Nightly Tur...

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Tennis star Hantuchova relaxes on Marbella beach

WOMEN’S tennis fans may well have spotted the world number 20 relaxing on the beach in Marbella yesterday afternoon. Daniela Hantuchova, fresh from securing Slovak Republic’s place in the Fed Cup’s top group in a gruelling play-off against Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez-Lino, went to wind down by the sea. The Slovaks fought hard throughout the two-day play-off at the Puento Romano Tennis Club, with the countries finishing 1-1 after Saturday’s matches. But with the help of teammate world number 17 Dominika Cibulkova, the Slovaks eventually outdid a Spanish team led by four-time Grand Slam winner Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario. “They are both relaxing now,” said the Slovak team manager after the match. “Dominika is with her mum and Daniela has gone to the beach.” “It means so much to be back in the World...

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Reopen Madeleine case, police urge

Scotland Yard has urged Portuguese authorities to reopen the search for Madeleine McCann as detectives said there are 195 potential leads to finding her alive. The detective leading the Metropolitan Police review said the case can still be solved before officers released a picture of what she might now look like as a nine-year-old. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said he believes her disappearance was a stranger abduction, as he said there are 195 "investigative opportunities". Police refused to say what evidence they had uncovered to suggest Madeleine is alive. Mr Redwood confirmed that his team of more than 30 officers involved in the case had been out to Portugal seven times, including a visit to the family's holiday flat in Praia da Luz. It will be five years ago next week since...

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Insecure websites to be named and shamed after checks

Companies that do not do enough to keep their websites secure are to be named and shamed to help improve security. The list of good and bad sites will be published regularly by the non-profit Trustworthy Internet Movement (TIM). A survey carried out to launch the group found that more than 52% of sites tested were using versions of security protocols known to be compromised. The group will test websites to see how well they have implemented basic security software. Security fundamentals The group has been set up by security experts and entrepreneurs frustrated by the slow pace of improvements in online safety. "We want to stimulate some initiatives and get something done," said TIM's founder Philippe Courtot, serial entrepreneur and chief executive of security firm Qualys. He has bankrolled...

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Anti-depressants likely do more harm than good, study suggests

Commonly prescribed anti-depressants appear to be doing patients more harm than good, say researchers who have published a paper examining the impact of the medications on the entire body. See Also: Health & Medicine Pharmacology Birth Defects Mental Health Research Mind & Brain Depression Disorders and Syndromes Psychiatry Reference COX-2 inhibitor Psychoactive drug Seasonal affective disorder Anti-obesity drug "We need to be much more cautious about the widespread use of these drugs," says Paul Andrews, an evolutionary biologist at McMaster University and lead author of the article, published recently in the online journal Frontiers in Psychology. "It's important because millions of people are prescribed anti-depressants each year, and the conventional wisdom about these drugs is...

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Madeleine McCann, the British girl who went missing while on holiday in Portugal half a decade ago, could still be alive, Scotland Yard said on Wednesday.

Madeleine McCann as she might look aged 9  Photo: Teri BlytheDetectives released a new “age progression” image of the toddler, which they said showed what she would look like today at the age of nine.On Wednesday, Britain’s biggest police force said that as a result of evidence uncovered during a review “they now believe there is a possibility Madeleine is still alive”.Officers have so far identified nearly 200 new items for investigation within historic material and are also “developing what they believe to be genuinely new material”.Scotland Yard urged Portuguese authorities to reopen the search for her amid the new "investigative...

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Dengue Fever Asian Mosquito Could Invade UK

The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses A mosquito that spreads tropical diseases including dengue fever may be poised to invade the UK because of climate change.The Asian tiger mosquito has already been reported in France and Belgium and could be migrating north as winters become warmer and wetter.Scientists have urged "wide surveillance" for the biting insect across countries of central and northern Europe, including the UK.The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses, both of which cause high fevers. The infections usually occur in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America.Scientists led by Dr Samantha...

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Police smash people trafficking gang who smuggled Iranians into Britain for £16,300 each

Police have smashed a gang of people traffickers who sneaked Iranian families into Britain using false passports. The criminals charged each adult £16,300 for passage into the UK via Turkey, Greece and Spain. Twenty-two people including the alleged head of the gang have been arrested in an operation involving the UK Border Agency and Spain's National Police. The Iranians were smuggled into the EU through the border between Turkey and Greece, hidden in luggage compartments on buses or in freight lorries. The gang, who referred to the migrants as 'animals', 'herds' or 'sheep', offered discounts for minors and babies were smuggled for free, Spanish police said. All those making the journey to the UK were first taken to the Canary Islands, where they were instructed on what to do when they...

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exploding the common myths about which foods are good for us

Myth: Salt in your diet causes high blood pressureIn the 1940s, Walter Kempner, a researcher at Duke University, North Carolina, became famous for using salt restriction to treat people with high blood pressure. Later, studies confirmed that reducing salt could help reduce hypertension. But you don't have to avoid salt entirely, says Sara Stanner, of the Nutrition Society. "Adults need a small amount of sodium in their diet to maintain the body's fluid balance."Average salt intakes have come down in recent years, mainly due to product reformulation. But it's still the case that many of us consume too much salt – around 9g a day instead of the maximum recommended dose of 6g per day – around 75 per cent of which is in processed foods such as soups, sauces, sandwiches and processed meat."People...

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Marbella welcomes hiking and nature enthusiasts to enjoy the Costa del Sol’s unique blend of beaches, mountain trails and small town Spanish charm

As autumn’s cooler temperatures and rain drive us indoors, the idea of hiking in the country can take a back seat to simply trying to stay warm. However, the end of summer does not have to bring an end to exploring the great outdoors as Marbella’s unique mixture of beaches, trails and small-town charm continues to prove this October. Put simply, there are few destinations that offer as many options for trekking and exploring as Marbella, located at the heart of Spain’s Costa del Sol and just a short flight from most UK airports. Nestled at the base of a mountain range that rises up from the Mediterranean coast, the town allows quick and easy access to a host of trails that explore the best of Andalucía’s stunning outdoors, all within minutes of the region’s stunning beaches and village life...

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A Spanish conchero was at the centre of a brief morning standoff with vessels from the Royal Gibraltar Police when it started fishing in the area known as the boquete de poniente.

Underlying tensions were evident at sea yesterday, despite the uneasy truce that is holding while Gibraltar, Spain and Britain work to defuse the row over fishing. A Spanish conchero was at the centre of a brief morning standoff with vessels from the Royal Gibraltar Police when it started fishing in the area known as the boquete de poniente.   The fishing boat was using rakes to scrape the bottom for shellfish, a technique that is illegal under Gibraltar nature laws. Its crew was fishing on the very edge of Gibraltar’s territorial waters in that area and, when asked to move by the RGP, initially refused. The fishermen insisted they were in Spanish waters and it took over an hour to convince them to move on. A Guardia Civil vessel was also at the scene monitoring the exchanges, but...

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Second Brit Benjamin Harper dies at Spanish holiday three days after Adam Atkinson perished 'falling down stairs'

BRIT holidaymaker has plunged to his death from a hotel balcony at the same Spanish resort where another UK tourist died just three days earlier. 3 comments Tragic Benjamin Harper suffered a fatal fall on Friday while on a stag do. The 28-year-old’s death at the four-star Sol Antillas hotel in Magaluf, Majorca, comes after Adam Atkinson, 20, from Castelford, West Yorks, was reportedly killed falling down stairs. It is thought roofer Benjamin, from Twickenham, south-west London, had gone out on to the balcony for a cigarette before leaning over and falling. Benjamin’s dad Kenneth, 64, told the Mail on Sunday: "It looks like he popped out on to the balcony for a cigarette, leaned over and fell. No foul play was involved. “His mates are really cut up about it. They are coming home tomorrow...

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Second Brit Benjamin Harper dies at Spanish holiday three days after Adam Atkinson perished 'falling down stairs'

BRIT holidaymaker has plunged to his death from a hotel balcony at the same Spanish resort where another UK tourist died just three days earlier. 3 comments Tragic Benjamin Harper suffered a fatal fall on Friday while on a stag do. The 28-year-old’s death at the four-star Sol Antillas hotel in Magaluf, Majorca, comes after Adam Atkinson, 20, from Castelford, West Yorks, was reportedly killed falling down stairs. It is thought roofer Benjamin, from Twickenham, south-west London, had gone out on to the balcony for a cigarette before leaning over and falling. Benjamin’s dad Kenneth, 64, told the Mail on Sunday: "It looks like he popped out on to the balcony for a cigarette, leaned over and fell. No foul play was involved. “His mates are really cut up about it. They are coming home tomorrow...

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Britons living overseas defrauded 43 million pounds in benefit fraud in 2011

The British Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, has been visiting the Department of Work and Pensions benefits and healthcare team in Madrid. He warned Britons living abroad not to break the strict rules on what benefits they can and cannot claim. People who are pretending to live in the UK so they can collect benefits, but in fact are living overseas cost the British taxpayer 43 million pounds last year. Most of the reports of such benefit fraud came from Spain. Iain Duncan Smith commented, “We are determined to clamp down on benefit fraud abroad, which cost the British taxpayer around £43 million last year. This money should be going to the people who need it most and not lining the pockets of criminals sunning themselves overseas. The vast majority of British people...

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Anti-Corruption prosecutors to be strengthened in Málaga

 The State Attorney General, Eduardo Torres-Dulce, has said that there are plans to designate ‘one or two prosecutors’ more to the specialist Anti-Corruption section in the province of Málaga. He made the comment at an event where Juan Carlos López Caballero took possession as Chief Prosecutor for Málaga, a job which he was sharing with his post as Delegate from the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, where three prosecutors work. There have been complaints from prosecutors that only 8% of civil servants who work for the administration of justice do so in the prosecutors’ office, a number described as ‘totally insufficien...

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Health Minister announces crackdown on foreigners using the Spanish Health Service

The cabinet on Friday decided to crack down on foreigners using the Spanish Health Service as part of an additional 7 billion € of cuts. They intend to toughen the conditions for inclusion on the Padrón census. Minister for Health, Ana Mato, said ‘We are going to end the abuses committed by some foreigners’. She is going to change the Ley de Extranjería which intends to put a limit to the so-called ‘health tourism’, which has seen family members of foreign residents to come to Spain ‘exclusively’ to receive health attention. Ana Mato insisted that from now it will not be so easy to come to Spain, sign the Padrón census, and obtain a health card, as it has been. ‘Just getting on the Padrón they all had the right to the health card’, said the Minister. ‘Now there will be a series of additional...

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Ryanair threatens surcharge on flights to Spain

 Millions of its passengers – who have already booked and paid for their flights in full – may now be asked to pay an extra fee upon departure, or be told they are not allowed to board. The airline sent an email to customers this week warning them of the backdated fare. “We may be forced to debit passengers for any government imposed increases in airport charges prior to your travel date,” its message read. “If any such tax, fee or charge is introduced or increased after your reservation has been made you will be obliged to pay it (or any increase) prior to departur...

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France and Germany want to suspend the Shengen Agreement

They say they want a temporary suspension while the crisis continues. Spain will being introducing border restrictions during the European Central Bank meeting in Barcelona at the start of May.Angela Merkel and Nicolás Sarkozy - The Interior Ministers of France and Germany have written a joint letter in which they call for the reform of, and ‘temporary suspension’ of the Schengen agreement which allows for the free movement between most member states of the EU. They say the change is necessary ‘to control the massive flow of immigrants’. The call comes just ahead of the 25th anniversary of the treaty this coming Monday, although many countries signed up in March 1995. France and Germany consider that a ‘temporary suspension’ is needed during the crisis, and Paris and Berlin speak of ‘provisional’...

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Montserrat Caballe to perform in Marbella

Montserrat Caballe will perform at The Children for Peace charity gala in Marbella on June 23. She will be accompanied at the Puente Romano Hotel by her daughter, Montserrat Marti, also a soprano, and Russian tenor, Nikolay Baskov. Caballe has performed in Marbella on two prior occasions, once at the Opera Festival in Puerto Banus bullring in 1973, and again two years later in Torre del Duque, Puerto Ban...

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Phone data shows romance 'driven by women'

 A study of mobile phone calls suggests that women call their spouse more than any other person. That changes as their daughters become old enough to have children, after which they become the most important person in their lives. The study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports. It also shows that men call their spouse most often for the first seven years of their relationship. They then shift their focus to other friends. The results come from an analysis of the texts of mobile phone calls of three million people. According to the study's co-author, Professor Robin Dunbar of Oxford University, UK, the investigation shows that pair-bonding is much more important to women than men. "It's the first really strong evidence that romantic relationships are driven by women,"...

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Diddy tops hip-hop rich list

Rap mogul and entrepreneur Sean 'Diddy' Combs has topped Forbes magazine's annual hip-hop rich list. The star is worth $550 million, according to the publication. New dad Jay-Z comes in second with an estimated $460 million fortune. Coachella festival headliner Dr. Dre, Bryan 'Birdman' Williams and 50 Cent round out the top fi...

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10 things not to say to someone when they're ill

'People really did feel the need to reassure me that my hideousness was plain to see.' Illustration: David McCoy for the GuardianWhat no one ever tells you about serious illness is that it places you at the centre of a maelstrom of concerned attention from family and friends. Of course it does. That's one of the nice things. It's actually the only nice thing. But it's also a rather tricky challenge, at a time when you may feel – just slightly – that you have enough on your plate. Suddenly, on top of everything else, you are required to manage the emotional requirements of all those who are dear to you, and also, weirdly, one or two people who...

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Energy-rich Qatar seeks la dolce vita with purchase of luxury resorts on Italy’s Sardinia isle

Qatar signed a deal Monday to buy the operator of four luxury resorts and other properties on the island of Sardinia as the wealthy Gulf emirate looks to bolster ties with Italy. The purchase coincided with a visit to Rome by the country’s emir. It is the latest deal in a European shopping spree that has given the natural-gas rich state a stake in European banks, energy companies and some of the continent’s best known brands. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? Personal Post State-owned Qatar Holding, an arm of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, said it will acquire resort operator Smeralda Holding from Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm Colony Capital. The deal includes the Cala di Volpe, Pitrizza, Romazzino and Cervo hotels, a marina and shipyard, a golf club and a 51 percent...

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Spain's real estate crash gathering speed

Spain’s property market has been crashing in slow motion. Now the decline is accelerating. House prices are down between 22 and 29 per cent from the 2007 peak, according to various indexes, against roughly 50 per cent in Ireland. But there was an 11.5-per-cent year-on-year fall in March, according to Tinsa, the surveyors. And the trough probably still hasn’t been reached. An average family still needs 6.2 years of its combined annual income to buy a house, well above the long-run average and more than double the U.S. ratio, according to estimates by Exane BNP Paribas. Unemployment is at 23 per cent and still climbing as the economy falls back into recession this year. Given the combination of still-high prices and the ongoing credit crunch in Spain, net mortgage origination has predictably...

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Surf Air: Can an all-you-can-fly airline possibly work?

 SURF AIR, a Californian start-up, has a novel business model: for a monthly fee you can fly with the airline as much as you want. Is buffet-style air travel the wave of the future? JetBlue and Sun Country Airlines have both already tried offering all-you-can-fly passes, but so far no carrier has built its business model exclusively on a buffet plan. The idea isn't bad, but some scepticism is warranted. At $790 a month, Surf Air's flying plan will probably only appeal to business travellers who often go to the same places and rich Californians in long-distance relationships. Will that customer base allow Surf Air to make a profit? Maybe: 20m frequent flyers jetted between San Francisco and Los Angeles in 2011, according to the company's numbers. The airline plans...

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Worrying is good for you and reflects higher IQ

It evolved in humans along with intelligence to make them more adept at avoiding danger. A study of 42 people found the worst sufferers of a common anxiety disorder had a higher IQ than those whose symptoms were less severe. Scientists say their findings published in Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience, suggest worrying has developed as a beneficial trait. Psychiatrist Professor Jeremy Coplan, of SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in New York, and colleagues found high intelligence and worry are linked with brain activity measured by the depletion of the nutrient choline in the white matter of the brain. He said: "While excessive worry is generally seen as a negative trait and high intelligence as a positive one, worry may cause our species to avoid dangerous situations, regardless of how remote...

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Eating nuts can help stave off obesity, says study

 Dieters often dismiss them because of their high fat content, but research suggests that snacking on nuts can help keep you slim. A study found that those who consumed varieties such as almonds, cashews and pistachios demonstrated a lower body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference compared to non-consumers. They were also at lower risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Experts are now recommending a daily intake of 1.5 ounces, or three tablespoons of nuts as part of a healthy diet. Lead researcher Carol O'Neil, from Louisiana State University, said: 'One of the more interesting findings was the fact that tree nut consumers had lower body weight, as well as lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference compared to non-consumers....

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Jaime de Marichalar will have to talk to the Guardia Civil over shooting accident

Jaime de Marichalar, will have to declare to the Guardia Civil regarding the accident of his son, Froilan, grandson of the King, who shot himself with a twin bore 36 calibre shotgun. The ex husband to the Infanta Elena, faces a fine of 300 to 6,000 € for a ‘serious fault’ according to the arms control law in Spain, as the court has opened the usual investigation seen in such cases. It has been established at the age of 13, Froilan is not authorised to fire any gun, with Guardia Civil permits required for 14-18 year olds. The Soria Guardia Civil are also expected to inspect the gun from the accident and to take a look at where it happened, the Marichalar family home in Soria. The Ombudsman has commented meanwhile that ‘Shotguns are not for the children’. Froilan is expected out of hospital...

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Swiss account linked to Urdangarín is blocked by Spanish court

Investigations in the Palma Arena corruption case have been following the money, and have now blocked an account in Switzerland, linked to the Duke of Palma, Iñaki Urdangarin. He allegedly used the account for ‘opaque payments’ from other opaque European funds, and the movements of 350,000 € are being followed. Judge José Castro and prosecutor, Pedro Herrach, have blocked the Swiss bank accounts, and after interviewing six other people in the case are to send letters rogatory to Switzerla...

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Body of missing 54 year old Briton is found

 The search for the 54 year old Briton who vanished from Urbanization Villamartín in Orihuela Costa last Wednesday night has ended in tragedy today, Tuesday. His body, showing no apparent signs of violence was found at 10am on Tuesday under the water of the Tajo-Segura water channel, close to Pilar de la Horadada. The family denounced his disappearance on Friday and since then the security forces have been searching. The decision to bring in the Civil Guard divers from the GEA special sub-aquatic group today to inspect the water channel, led to the body’s discovery. The body has been transferred to the forensic scientists who will carry out an autopsy to try and establish the cause of death. Reports have not given the name of the victim, only that he was ...

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Its been almost a month since the taxi's in Marbella have changed to the metered system. With this has also come a massive increase in the prices charged

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder. Its been almost a month since the taxi's in Marbella have changed to the metered system. With this has also come a massive increase in the prices charged and a lack in consistency. For example a trip that I would have done by taxi from time to time, would have cost €5 during the day or a little over €6 at night, Now with the meter system the cost has varied from €8 to over €10. I took a taxi into town on Saturday afternoon which I had called to my apartment, when he arrived the meter was already on and was at €4.70 instead of the standard starting rate of €3.75. the driver claimed that he is allowed to start the meter from when he gets the...

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Townsfolk in a Spanish village have been banned from farting, burping and slurping their soup in public in a new charter to combat rude behaviour.

They are among 65 indelicacies that have been outlawed by the Mayor of La Toba, 70 miles northeast of Madrid.Touching genitals, adjusting underwear or picking noses are strict no-nos, while coughing or yawning without covering mouths and speaking when eating are also barred.Quiet: They are among 65 indelicacies that have been outlawed by the Mayor of La Toba, 70 miles northeast of MadridChildren will get into big trouble with the local authority if they fail to regularly visit their grandparents.Mayor Julian Atienza Garcia, of Spain's United Left Party, drew up the guidelines, which have been signed off by the local council, to combat the...

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Freedom near after years in hell but Schapelle Corby is too scared to hope

CONVICTED drug smuggler Schapelle Corby last night said she was "too scared to get my hopes up" after Indonesia's Justice and Human Rights Ministry recommended her jail sentence be slashed by 10 years - meaning she could be back in Australia within weeks. Her family is now anxiously awaiting a decision by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who will have the final say on whether Corby is released. From her cell at Bali's Kerobokan prison, Corby last night said she was waiting for more information about the ministry's recommendation. Her sister Mercedes, who was visiting Schapelle when the news broke, said that if Dr Yudhoyono did agree to cut 10 years from Corby's sentence, she would be eligible to go home immediately. "She will have done eight years in October, plus she's had...

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Whitney Houston 'Powdery' substance in hotel bathroom

 Drug paraphernalia and a white powdery substance were discovered in Whitney Houston's hotel room on the day she died, according to a coroner. The full report says the 48-year-old was found on 11 February lying face down in an overflowing hotel bathtub. Investigators said they recovered a rolled-up piece of paper, a small spoon and a portable mirror in the bathroom. The autopsy concluded that the singer had drowned due to the effects of cocaine use and heart disease. The report also indicated the singer had a perforated nose, a sign of long-term substance abuse. The 42-page document gave more details than an initial report released last month. Houston was found dead hours before she was due to attend a pre-Grammy party. One of the world's best known singers in the 1980s and 1990s,...

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Brian Belo is launching a TOWIE rival show set in Marbella

There is set to be another TV show to try and compete against those stars of Essex.Brian Belo will head out to TOWIE holiday favourite Marbs to shoot Marbella Beach, with Channel 5 believed to be leading the bidding to screen the programme.Following a group of gorgeous guys and girls – including professional David Beckham lookalike Andy Harmer, ex-Big Brother babe Amy Alexandra and former Miss Great Britain Rachael Tennant – who have moved to Marbella, the show will document them both and work and at play.An insider told The Daily Star: "Marbella Beach will score where other reality shows fail."It will have sun, sea and lots of sexy action with bikini babes and hunks in trunks."The launch of Brian's new TV show comes after he issued...

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Youth unemployment passes 50pc in Spain

The unemployment rate among Spain's under-25s rose to 50.5pc in January, and to 50.4pc in Greece in December, according to the latest available data from Eurostat, the European Union's statistics office. It compared with an average eurozone youth unemployment rate of 21.6pc. One of the lowest rates of youth unemployment is in Germany, where it remained at 8.2pc in February. The rise in Spain and Greece reflects the deep financial woes of both countries, which are in the midst of far-reaching and highly unpopular austerity programmes, considered necessary by the broader EU to reduce huge deficits. Spain's unemployment rate now stands at 23.6pc, compared with a eurozone average of 10.8pc. The extent of Spain's problems are further underlined by a housing market in crisis, with prices expected...

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