A TOTAL of 45 flights heading to or from Spain had been cancelled by 10.00hrs yesterday (Thursday) morning at the start of the second day of the Europe-wide air-traffic control strike.

Although Spain has not joined the strike – because the international union did not give enough notice to enable them to do so without breaking Spanish law – with air-traffic controllers having downed tools across most of western and central Europe, planes had to divert to cross Spanish air-space or even land in airports in the country, leading to congestion.

France, Italy and Portugal continued the strike yesterday, although another eight countries' air-traffic control service was only out of action on Wednesday, but as yet the number of flights delayed or cancelled yesterday has not been revealed.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

A CALL for a native Spanish and Portuguese breed of wolf to be given a special protection order has reached the European Commission.

The Iberian Wolf is thought to be in danger of extinction, but exact population numbers are not known.

A Spain-wide campaign to 'save the Iberian Wolf' has led to 200,000 signatures being gathered on a petition set up by the conservation organisation Marley Wolf and presented to the European Parliament by the environmental pressure group Equo.

Six MEPs from the European Green Party have written to the Commission calling for a census of the species to be carried out and kept up to date, and for an automatic compensation system to be set up for farmers where their livestock were killed by wolves.

They believe the Iberian Wolf could even have a positive economic impact on 'deprived' rural areas to which they are native, since they could 'liven up' breaks in the country.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

AT least 2,000 people staged a demonstration outside the European Parliament building in Brussels yesterday (Wednesday) evening in protest over Spain's abortion law reform.

As well as members of the public of all nationalities, organisations including the European Women's Lobby, Abortion Right, the European Humanist Federation, Catholics for Choice and the International Planned Parenthood Federation were joined by MEPs from the socialists, liberalists, the 'greens' and United Left.

Banners read, 'Rights for men, but also for women'; 'Free abortion', and 'All of us are Spanish women' – a message of support meaning restrictions on legal abortion could one day affect any of them.

Socialist MEPs read out a manifesto which declared: “Today, the voice of women is the voice of Europe. The PP wants to create a distinction between those women who have the financial means to travel abroad for an abortion, and those who have no choice but to opt for a back-street abortion and put their lives and health at risk.”

French MEP for the 'green' party, José Bové, said: “What is happening in Spain is an unbelievable regression. It's truly shocking to see how the achievements of women in Europe are being cast aside to placate an intolerable religious minority.”

“I hope Spain's government reconsiders and axes the reform, which makes no sense anyway, because that's the best way to move forward to the future,” said United Left MEP Mikael Gustaffson. 

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

AROUND half of Spain is on alert for turbulent weather conditions, including high winds, tidal waves on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts and possible torrential rain and thunder storms in the north-west.

According to the State meteorological agency AEMET, exceptionally high tides are expected in Cantabria, Asturias and the Basque Country, the provinces of Granada, Valencia, Almería, in the Balearic Islands and most of the Canaries.

A 'yellow alert' has also been issued for snowfall, which could disrupt traffic in Valencia, Granada, Jaén, Córdoba, Madrid, Castellón, parts of Galicia and Castilla-La Mancha, Huesca, Lleida, León and the regions of Navarra, Asturias and Cantabria.

Gale-force winds are forecast for tomorrow (Thursday) in Valencia, Almería, Granada and on the Balearic islands of Ibiza and Formentera.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

AIR-TRAFFIC controllers are on strike across Europe, meaning flights are likely to be disrupted throughout this evening (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday).

Controllers in Spain are not on strike because by the time their Europe-wide union, ATCEUC announced the protest, it was too late under Spanish law as they were not able to give enough notice to the government.

But Italian and Portuguese air-traffic controllers were on strike today and the latter will be tomorrow, joining those of France, Greece, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria.

Even flights to and from Spain from countries not involved in the strike may suffer delays, however, due to a general ripple effect across the continent.

Also, airlines travelling across countries where the strike is in place will have to divert to avoid unmanned airspace, possibly involving flights going via Spain to reach their destination and clogging up sky room needed by pilots taking off from or landing on Spanish soil.

The European Commission wants to deregulate key air services, which will include air-traffic controllers, who say this will have a massive impact on safety, quality and, of course, put their jobs and income at risk.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

ANOTHER bank has been ordered by a judge to pay back savings to customers which were invested in preferential shares without their knowledge after these were mis-sold, leading to the account-holder losing everything.

Deutsche Bank is obliged to refund 2.9 million euros to 49 account-holders because of 'not having provided sufficient information' about what the shares were, nor the risk the customers were taking.

The case dates back to 2011 when all 49 customers filed legal action collectively after losing investments ranging from 22,000 to 298,000 euros.

Deutsche Bank's defence was that the 'profile' of the investors was such that they 'would have understood' about the shares since they were 'familiar with hybrid financial services products' – but this was rejected by Madrid Provincial Court thanks to the successful representation by solicitors' firms Zunzunegui and Jausas.

The customers lost their initial case in the Court of First Instance number 56 in Madrid, but appealed to the Provincial Court and won.

“The plaintiffs were giving their consent to a financial services product which was not what they really wanted or were searching for,” says the judge's verdict, which added that the contract information given to the investing parties was 'incomplete' and 'confusing' and could easily have given rise to a 'representation of a reality which did not coincide with what was really the aim of the contract'.

What the account-holders intended was to 'invest in products which were profitable, but secure'.

“They were not seeking an investment with any risk element, and if they signed for the preferential shares, it was in light of the information offered by Deutsche Bank – and the product they were sold was much more complex than it initially appeared, meaning it ended up with harmful results [loss of capital] which were not only not wished for, but which the customer could not even imagine the possibility of facing,” said the verdict. 

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

TRAFFIC police have been warned not to talk on their mobile phones whilst on duty behind the wheel, because it 'sets a bad example' to the public.

Ordinary civilians caught using a mobile – texting, talking or even checking it – when their engine is running, even if they are parked safely, are fined 200 euros and lose three points from their driving licences.

And now, Spain's 8,700 or so traffic coppers are obliged to follow suit.

They will be let off if they have to do so on 'one-off, exceptional occasions' or 'in the event of an emergency'.

“Recently, it has been observed that personal mobile phones are being used to make private calls whilst on duty,” a circular to all officers states.

“This practice has a negative impact on the service provided to the public whilst also distracting officers' attention from their duties.”

The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) says the circular is merely a warning ahead of any possible disciplinary action.

“Use of a mobile telephone is a general feature of today's society, and we cannot ban officers from going out on their duties with them about their person. We only ask that they make reasonable and logical use of them,” explains the DGT.

“We have no issue with officers using their personal mobile phones in the event of a family problem, but they must not abuse this privilege since it means their full attention is not on their job and they present a poor impression to the public.”

According to the DGT, cases of 'abuse' of this 'privilege' among traffic police are 'isolated incidents' and it does 'not wish to generalise', which is why it sent a memo to everyone rather than singling out individual offenders. 

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

A TYPICAL European citizen 7,000 years ago had blue eyes and dark skin and hair, according to genetic research by Spain's High Council of Scientific Investigations (CSIC).

Biologist Carles Lalueza-Fox says the findings were based upon exceptionally-well preserved DNA from the remains of Mesolithic man discovered at the La Braña-Arintero archaeological dig in Valdelugueros (León province).

Samples taken in the spring of 2012 enabled the CSIC to sequence one per cent of the DNA of the two men whose bones were dug up, which showed that today's population native to mainland Spain and Portugal, or the Iberian Peninsula, are not genetically related to inhabitants from this historical era.

Later, in March 2013, Lalueza-Fox's team analysed the root of a molar tooth from one of the Mesolithic men, whom they had baptised La Braña 1, which enabled them to decipher the complete genome of the individual and create a photo-fit image of what he would have looked like.

Joining forces with the Centre for GeoGenetics in Denmark, the discovery that blue eyes in Europeans pre-dated pale skin genes was published in the history journal Nature on Sunday.

Pale skin genes came later and are a separate factor from those that result in blue eyes, despite its being generally considered they come together.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

LOW-COST airline passengers entering, leaving and travelling across Spain increased in number by 4.6 per cent last year, reaching a total of 34.9 million by the end of 2013, says the national Institute of Tourism Studies (IET).

This department of the ministry of industry, energy and tourism says traditional carriers saw a fall in passenger numbers of 0.8 per cent on the previous year's figures, seeing a total for 2013 of 29.4 million, showing how travellers are more often choosing 'no frills' at cheaper prices in the current climate.

In total, budget airlines accounted for 54.2 per cent of flight traffic, compared to the 45.8 per cent of passengers flying with traditional carriers – normally national airlines such as BA, Iberia, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Alitalia and so on.

December 2013 was a good month for airlines with an increase of 8.7 per cent of passengers, a total of 3.9 million, of which 1.9 million used low-cost flight firms.

The UK and Germany were the most frequent users of budget airlines in 2013, with 33.2 and 19 per cent flights to and from these countries respectively being with low-cost carriers.

This was largely because the British market increased in 2013 by 5.7 per cent, reaching 11.6 million travellers, and the German market went up by 11.2 per cent to 6.6 million passengers.

Italy, the third-largest international market for Spain's airlines as a whole, showed a reduction of 11 per cent in arrivals, falling to 3.27 million passengers, or 9.4 per cent of the total number of travellers who flew into Spain last year.

France, the fourth-largest foreign market, saw an increase of 3.5 per cent of passengers in 2013, with a total of 2.4 million flyers accounting for 6.9 per cent of the total number of arrivals in Spain.

The Netherlands, the fifth-largest international market at 5.6 per cent of the total, showed a reduction of 0.2 per cent, down to 1.8 million passengers.

Norwegians were the international travellers who increased most in number in 2013 with a rise of 32.1 per cent, reaching 876,138 passengers.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

BANK account details given to anyone for any reason will need the IBAN and SWIFT code attached to them from February this year, even where transfers and other transactions are not international.

The Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA) requires that all account numbers automatically bear the IBAN, which is unique to the bank and branch in question and to the individual customer.

This will automatically entail the SWIFT code being required, which is for the bank as a company and does not vary by client.

Anyone who has had to make an international fund transfer will already know that the IBAN is a four-digit code placed at the beginning of the account number, normally two letters for the country and another two which identify the account.

Account numbers in Spain already have 20 digits, with the first four numbers being the bank and the next four being the branch code, followed by a unique two-figure 'control number' – dígito de control, or DC – and finally, the 10 figures which are the account number per se.

For example, Banco Santander Central Hispano is 0016, La Caixa is 2100, and BankInter is 0128.

This means a 20-digit account number with Santander CH will start with 0016, and so on.

But from next month, the four-digit IBAN code – say, ES85 or ES56 – must be written before the other 20 numbers.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

AVALANCHES at the ski station of Benasque in the province of Huesca have left 58 guests and 20 employees stranded in a hotel on the resort.

In total, at least 240 skiers are said to be trapped in stations throughout the north of the province due to a series of avalanches falling over Friday night and Saturday morning.

Rescue workers have been trying to clear a path through the snowdrift, which has cut off the A-139 in Llanos del Hospital, the nearest village to the resort.

They are digging an 'escape route' out of the side door of the Hospital de Benasque hotel, because to do so from the main entrance would take them several days, says manager Jorge Mayoral.

The avalanche, said to be caused by rainfall and increasing temperatures in the last few days, is one of several which have hit the entire valley.

In nearby Senarta, three have blocked off the diversion to the hospital.

Further along the Spanish Pyrénées, an avalanche fell onto the C142b in La Pleta de Tanau, in the Naut Aran area of the province of Lleida.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

MAYORS in town and city councils throughout Spain will not be allowed to earn more than 100,000 euros a year from next week onwards – the same as the maximum wage for a Secretary of State within the government.

This could mean some mayors will see their income reduced, although it may give licence to others to increase theirs.

A table of earnings has been created by the Council of Ministers and will be included in a new Bill of Law and in the Law of General State Budgets, which fixes upper limits for salaries for everyone working in public office.

Mayors of towns or cities with a population of half a million people or more will see their wages capped at 100,000 euros a year, whilst those with fewer than half a million but more than 300,000 will not be allowed to earn more than 90,000 per annum.

With a population of over 150,000 and up to 300,000 people inclusive, they cannot be paid more than an annual 80,000 euros.

For towns with over 75,000 residents up to 150,000, maximum wages are set at 75,000 euros a year and drop to 65,000 euros for mayors of towns with more than 50,000 and up to and including 75,000 residents.

Typical coastal resort towns will fall into the lower population brackets, from 5,001 inhabitants to 10,000 where their mayors cannot earn more than 45,000 euros per annum; from 10,001 to 20,000 people, where the mayor's maximum salary will be set at 50,000 euros a year, or from 20,001 to 50,000 inhabitants which means an upper limit on wages of 55,000 euros annually.

In villages of 1,000 or more up to a maximum of 5,000 residents, the mayor cannot be paid more than 40,000 euros a year.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

FOREIGN residents in Spain who have left the country due to lack of work have multiplied in number by 13 in the last year, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

By the end of 2011, a total of 15,229 non-Spaniards had returned to their countries of origin or moved to other nations altogether due to being unable to find a job – but by the end of 2012, this number had grown to 190,020.

Figures for 2013 will not be known until this time next year.

Of those who left Spain in 2012, just under half – 84,246 – were from the European Union and accounted for 3.45 per cent of EU citizens in Spain.

The remaining 105,774, from countries outside the EU, accounted for 3.21 per cent of non-European Union foreigners living in Spain.

This information relates to the numbers of non-Spaniards on the padrón, or local census as at January 1, 2013, but discounting those who had acquired Spanish citizenship in the previous year.

The number had fallen by 3.31 per cent, the second consecutive year in which the population of immigrants in Spain descended.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

ELECTRICITY bills in Spain went up between 2008 and the end of 2012 more than in any other European Union member State except Lithuania, figures show. 

During this four-year period, the cost of power to households and businesses rose by 46 per cent in Spain, and 47 per cent in Lithuania says the European Commission.

Brussels puts this down to rising distribution costs, increases in IVA, or VAT, in EU countries, and 'eco-taxes' relating to renewable energy.

And Spain has the highest transmission and distribution costs for electricity in the whole of Europe, at seven euros per kilowatt per hour (kWh).

Lithania, Denmark and Slovakia, the countries with the second-highest distribution and transmission rates, pay six euros per kWh. 

In the EU overall, during the period of 2008 to 2012 inclusive, electricity prices to the end consumer went up by an average of four per cent per year, although in Spain this was closer to 11.5 per cent. 

Cyprus saw the third-highest increases during this time, with bills going up by 43 per cent, followed by Poland at 38 per cent, Portugal at 35 per cent, Latvia at 34 per cent and Estonia at 32 per cent.

The member States where the price rise was the lowest during these four years were Italy and Belgium, which saw just a three-per-cent hike in the period. 

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

COCA-COLA Iberian Partners is set to close four of its 11 factories in Spain and make 750 people redundant.

Another 500 staff members will be relocated..

According to the global soft drinks giant, the plant at Fuenlabrada (Madrid), where the Spanish head office is based, together with those in Palma de Mallorca, Alicante and Colloto (near Oviedo in Asturias) will be shut and redundancy consultations will be ongoing until Friday, February 21.

Coca-cola has around 4,200 employees in Spain, and wants to axe the factories where 1,250 of them work to 'cut down on inefficiency and duplication of work' and to 'consolidate criteria' in its activities and procedures.

The firm expects to be able to offer voluntary redundancies where this would suit certain workers, and early retirement packages, to reduce the number of people who will be forced into the dole queue.

A total of 500 places will be offered in other factories around Spain, depending upon the extent to which existing staff members are able to relocate.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

A FIRE in a wooden ski lodge in the Sierra Nevada has forced emergency services to evacuate 32 guests and 20 members of staff.

The inferno, which wiped out the whole hotel, took hold rapidly because the entire building is made of wood, but there were no other hotels or homes nearby meaning the damage was contained.

Firefighters, ambulance staff, police and the Civil Protection squad were called out at around 09.45hrs yesterday (Wednesday) morning when the blaze started in the chimney of Hotel Lodge on the Pradollano urbanisation right in the heart of the Sierra Nevada ski resort and next to the main road to Maribel.

As well as the usual methods, the fire brigade used artificial snow-producing machines to extinguish the flames.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

SPAIN'S government is considering overhauling the Social Security system for the self-employed after years of complaints by sole traders and small business owners that they are being bankrupted by financial demands from the State.

In what could be a landmark reform that would provide a much-needed boost to business for those working for themselves, the PP may be considering the possibility of the self-employed paying monthly Social Security (National Insurance) contributions according to what they earn, rather than a flat rate.

Although the government insists it has no immediate plans, after a meeting between vice-president Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría and a national association representing self-employed workers, the latter claims the cabinet has promised to investigate the situation in depth and consider a radical reform.

The association presented a revised system whereby each person who works for him or herself pays according to their 'actual financial capacity', which would drastically reduce Social Security and income tax for those with low earnings and considerably increase them for those who are capable of paying more.

This way, the association told Sáenz de Santamaría, the Social Security authorities would in fact claw back more, rather than less money and smaller entities and sole traders would have a chance to grow, invest in their businesses and possibly take on more staff.

At the moment, as the vice-president revealed, the Social Security office accumulates an annual debt exceeding 10 billion euros, and has just seen a loss of 900 million in a year when it expects to have to pay double the number of retirement pensions out of the pot.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

TAXI drivers are on strike at Valencia airport, leaving numerous arriving passengers frustrated and calling for 'at least minimum services'.

Most of the 300 cabbies who operate from the terminal at Manises have downed tools until Saturday this week inclusive in a protest backed by three unions.

They are picketing over the regional government's decision to impose a flat rate for journeys from the airport into the city of 20 euros, or 23 euros for the port and beach area.

Drivers say this is 'unfair' on them, because it does not take into account late-night or early-hours runs, Sundays or bank holidays.

They also say it is unfair on many passengers whose fee, according to the taxi mileage meter, would otherwise be only a fraction of the 20-euro minimum.

The most 'equitable' measure would be to impose a minimum tariff of 'about 18 euros' and then from 2.7 kilometres away from the airport onwards, for it to increase in line with the actual destination and the traffic conditions, say drivers.

Cabbies have been particularly hard-hit by the financial crisis, tax hikes and funding cuts.

Last year alone, they automatically lost three per cent of their takings because of IVA having gone up in September 2012, and another 10 per cent when 'Zone B' was scrapped.

And now, they are likely to lose an average of two euros per journey with the flat rate.

They have called for an 'urgent' meeting with the regional ministry of transport to negotiate and say they will continue to strike until a solution is reached.

Valencia airport sees around 4.5 million passengers a year, or about 12,300 a day and, although not all of them use the taxi service, those who live in or near the city or who are visiting it on holiday often do so for convenience, especially if they are weighed down with suitcases.

Read more at thnkSPAIN.com

IBIZA has approved the creation of the first-ever cooperative for prostitutes, meaning they can pay taxes and Social Security guaranteeing them a State pension, sick and maternity pay.

They are protected from the hands of pimps and have legal and tax advisors on hand to offer them assistance, as well as qualified gynaecologists to give them specialist advice and regular examinations.

María José López Armesto, 42, has spent two years getting her plan approved, but is now celebrating her success with the Sealeer Cooperative.

“Behind every prostitute is a hungry family, usually with children to keep fed and clothed,” says María José.

“Society forces these girls into prostitution because, if they do not have the opportunity to get a normal, everyday job, they have to do something to earn a living.”

Speaking of the importance of the Sealeer Cooperative, the team leader says: “Many of our members have been practising prostitution for eight years or more. Just imagine if they'd been able to pay their Social Security all that time, how much of a State pension it would have guaranteed them when they retired.”

The cooperative has five leaders, all voluntary, and is set up as a charity.

Women who join pay 300 euros, and the minimum term for remaining part of the organisation is four years, except for in 'extenuating circumstances' – such as finding a 'real' job, illness, family problems or returning to her country of origin where she is not Spanish.

In the event a woman wants to leave the cooperative, her 300 euros are refunded.

But as a member, she can access medical services via the mutual company, including an on-site gynaecologist, keeping her smear tests up to date – and also via the national health system, which they could not use before as they were working for cash in hand.

Women joining are expected to have legal residence documents, and must not be under a pimp or 'Madam', and have to be aged 18 or over.

Most are aged between 22 and 32 and come from Spain, Italy and countries in Eastern Europe, but there are no restrictions on nationality or upper age limits.

María José says most of the members are 'ashamed' to say they work as prostitutes, but she tells them that 'as long as nobody is forcing them into it', and as long as they are paid for their work and do not have to hand over the majority to a pimp, then they are no different from any other worker.

“They are just the same as, say, a cashier in a supermarket – we're all prostitutes at the end of the day,” says María José.

“If they do it through their own free will, then everyone is entitled to do what they want with their own bodies.”

Although the ongoing debate about whether or not prostitution should be legalised is a global issue, María José insists that if it is regulated, as it is through the cooperative, then the women are protected from trafficking and violence, are free agents, and have full legal rights, as well as contributing financially to society.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

A BULL escaped at a fiesta in Gilet (Valencia province) on Monday, injuring five people and causing damage to four cars.

The animal had been released onto the road under controlled conditions as part of the San Antón festival, the highlight of which is normally the 'blessing of the animals' where members of the public bring their pets to be given 'communion' by the local priest in the street.

Luckily, the bull-running in Gilet does not take place at any time near when the animals are blessed.

The escapee bull managed to break free from the enclosure along the main street where he was running after having smashed down one of the barriers.

Witnesses say he broke the metal fence with just one head-butt and very little effort.

This caused widespread panic, especially since a marquee full of children was situated just 20 metres from where the loose bull was charging.

The five spectators who needed medical treatment only suffered minor injuries, with three suffering a twisted ankle, a sprain and bruised ribs and being attended to on site.

Another two were taken to hospital – one after tripping over whilst trying to run away from the bull and sustaining a cut to the head, and another who was pushed over by the charging animal.

Both have since been discharged.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

STORMS sweeping southern Spain have caused havoc in Andalucía and Gibraltar and snow has brought inland provinces to a grinding halt.

Numerous roads have been closed due to floods and snow in Almería, Granada and Sevilla provinces and high winds have led to sea traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar being grounded and ports along the south-west coast shut.

On Sunday alone, the 112 emergency hotline sent out rescue workers to deal with over 250 incidents.

A woman suffered injuries to her hand when the ceiling fell down in her house in the province of Huelva, and four off-duty firefighters from the Costa del Sol were hurt when a vehicle they were putting snow chains on in Iznalloz (Granada province) rolled back and ran over them.

One of them remains in a critical condition in Granada's Hospital Clínico with serious head injuries and another is in the Traumatology unit with multiple fractures to his leg.

The other two were discharged after treatment without being admitted overnight.

Roads closed include the access to the La Ragua port in the province of Granada and in both lanes on a highway through Arahal in that of Sevilla after the El Saladillo river burst its banks.

About a dozen roads in the province of Almería have been affected, three of which have been closed altogether – the A-399 between Kilometre 6 and Kilometre 28 in Oria, the AL-5405 in Abla and the AL-4404 between Kilometres 15 and 30 in Gérgal.

The main motorway between the provinces of Almería and Granada, the A-92 northbound, has been closed off due to snow blocking the carriageway in Chirivel, as have the A-317 in María between Kilometre 128 and Kilometre 117 and the A-334 between Kilometres 25 and 21 in Serón (Almería).

Snow chains are necessary between Kilometres 6 and 28 on the AL-5402 in Laujar de Andarax and Kilometres 36 and 18 northbound on the AL-1178 in Gérgal (both in Almería).

Yesterday, an accident between two vehicles caused by the snow left the A-339 in Oria blocked in two places.

Traffic chaos continues in the province of Sevilla, although a road-block at Kilometre 3 on the A-8125 in both directions as a result of the El Saladillo overflowing is said to have been cleared.

Granada, and in particular the Sierra Nevada area, has become treacherous over the weekend and snow chains are needed for wheels on the A-4015 and A-395 from Kilometre 8 in the direction of the ski station, whilst the A-337 has been partially restricted from La Calahorra to the La Ragua port.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

HOMEOWNERS and traders on the C/ Parellades in Palma de Mallorca are hoping to make a healthy wad of cash on Saturday, February 8 when the King and Queen's youngest daughter testifies in court after having been charged in relation to the Nóos money-laundering case.

For the first time in Spain's modern history, a member of the Royal family will be cross-examined in her capacity as accused party in a criminal trial.

Whilst the State prosecutor and judge José Castro have come to blows over the charges levied against the Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma – the former considering the accusations are merely 'because of who she is' and lacking in proper legal grounds – residents with balconies or windows that overlook the court building are filled with excitement and rubbing their hands together.

TV and press reporters will be contacting them to rent a view for the day in the hope of snapping a lucrative shot of the Infanta as she makes her way into the court building, and the going rate is said to be in region of 2,000 euros for the day...

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

MOTHER of murdered 12-year-old Asunta Basterra and prime suspect in her death, Rosario Porto, has announced she will be representing herself in court.

Sra Porto, a qualified solicitor who no longer practises and former French consul for her home town of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia – even though she is Spanish, not French – recently applied to the city's College of Lawyers for permission to act as her own defence.

She has been granted right of audience 'for this case only' in accordance with the General Statute of Legal Practice in Spain, which allows any person with a law degree to represent him or herself in court upon application.

Porto, whose adopted daughter Asunta was found dead in a woods in Teo (A Coruña province), close to the family home and to the luxury villa belonging to her late grandparents on her mother's side, will continue to work with the solicitor who has been assisting her to date, José Luis Gutiérrez Aranguren.

But she will be able to interrogate witnesses and other parties charged with Asunta's murder.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

A LEADING consumer protection association has warned about a scam through the free text-messaging service WhatsApp which has led to mobile phone users receiving massive bills.

The firm Iebolina Tradicional, S.L., which has been reported by FACUA with a view to prosecution, has been sending messages from the number 25568 to random users pretending to be a friend, or contact.

They include texts such as: “I'm writing to you from 'Wassap' [sic]. Did you add me the other day? Tell me if my messages are getting through to you!” or, “There must but a problem with my mobile, it keeps sending you the same photo! Have you seen it? Shall I add you on Facebook or 'Wassap', or via SMSDuo? What do you think?”

Mobile users who reply to these messages then find out they have come from a private-sector firm and a premium-rate number when they receive their bills and find each response has cost them an extortionate amount of money

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

THE LARGEST-EVER Primitiva lottery jackpot has rolled over after nobody won it on Thursday, according to the State lottery management.

Reaching 54 million euros, the winning ticket number was 13, 9, 12, 48, 29 and 7, with 5 as the bonus ball and 46 as additional bonus ball, and number 3302634 as the 'Joker' – but not one ticket holder had these numbers.

This means the rollover jackpot for today (Saturday) has risen to 55 million euros.

Read more at thinkSPAIN.com

THE term Sangría can only be used for the red-wine-based punch drink if it was made in Spain or Portugal, the European Parliament has ruled,

A popular and very potent summer refreshment, made with red wine, orange juice, chopped fruit and other ingredients including various types of alcohol, sangría is probably the greatest Spanish cliché after castanets and flamenco dancers – but if it is bought elsewhere in the world, it must not use the same name unless it has been imported from Spain or Portugal.

Where it is on sale either bottled in supermarkets or served in bars in other countries, it can only be referred to as 'flavoured drink based on red wine' or 'red wine punch', with the country of manufacture stated after it.

Following on from Greek yoghurt and Feta cheese, which can only be called as such if originally made in Greece, the European Union has placed the same protection order over sangría after 609 MPs voted in favour, 72 against and four abstained.

It has taken two years of negotiations for sangría to get its official geographical denomination, and other member States have now been given a year to make the necessary changes to any drinks they have been selling under the same name.

These rulings are aimed at protecting traditional food and drink industries in individual European countries, many of which are unable to compete in the international market because of cheap copies of their typical produce being made elsewhere.

Article from thinkSPAIN.com

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VIOLENT protests in the central Spanish city of Burgos over controversial works on a main boulevard have led to 40 arrests and widespread damage.
Five days of riots, with wheelie-bins set alight and bottles smashed as well as physical fights have blackened the otherwise peaceful and picturesque city's landscape – but as yet, calls for the work to stop have not been answered.
Some 8,000 residents have formed a working party to fight plans to spend in excess of eight million euros on revamping the C/ Vitoria in the Gamonal neighbourhood, money they feel could be better spent on public services.
They condemn the fact that nursery schools are being closed down and cutbacks have been made in local bus services to save money whilst taxpayers' cash is being spent on restructuring a road in a way that will make life inconvenient, creating rather than resolving problems. 

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ONE of the 26 patients in hospitals in Aragón following a bird 'flu outbreak has died, reports the regional health authority.

The man in question, aged 76 and in intensive care in a hospital in Zaragoza, suffered from a number of pre-existing medical conditions and had not had an influenza vaccination when he was admitted with the H1N1 virus in a critical state, according to the government of Aragón.

Another 25 patients have been hospitalised since Boxing Day, 14 of whom remain in intensive care, as a result of what medics call an isolated incident of avian influenza in the region.

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ELEVEN provinces in Spain are on alert from the met office over wind, rain and snow, leading to tidal waves in coastal areas.

And 'orange warning', meaning very high risk has been launched for the provinces of A Coruña and Lugo, in the north-western region of Galicia after reports claimed waves off the coast could reach five metres (just over 16 feet) in height.

Elsewhere in Galicia, 'yellow' warnings, meaning moderately high risk have been issued for the provinces of Pontevedra over tidal waves and Ourense for snow, mainly in mountainous areas.

In the central region of Castilla y León, snow warnings have been launched for the provinces of Palencia, León and Zamora and around two inches (five centimetres) are expected, whilst in Asturias on the north coast, the south-west of the region is expected to see just over three inches (eight centimetres) and high winds are forecast along the coast.

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A NEW format of the 10-euro note is due out today (Monday) to follow on from the recently-launched new-style five-euro bill.

To prevent the type of problems experienced with the latter – which was launched on May 2 last year - the European Central Bank (BCE) and the banks of each member State have issued information and set up a scheme to help ATM machines, vending machines and tills adapt to the new note.

Manufacturers of these devices have been given assistance so that they can service existing machines and correctly alter the format of those under construction to enable them to accept the new-style 10-euro note.

Later on this year, the BCE will issue more information about future notes following the same format, particularly the 20-euro and 50-euro bills.

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VENICE city council plans to sue Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava for repairs it has had to carry out on the Ponte della Costituzione ('Constitution Bridge') across the famous Grand Canal.

Calatrava, who designed the whole of Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences, created the plans for and oversaw the building of the Venice bridge before it was officially opened in November 2008.

But since then, the north-east Italian 'water city' has had to pay out around 464,000 euros to repair 'construction defects' found since.

This cash sum is only around 10 per cent of the amount Calatrava will be sued for, and which is supported by a report from Torino Polytechnic University, requested by city court judge Francesco Spaccasassi.

The total comes to around four million euros relating to 'additional costs' not envisaged in the initial design and which were needed to complete the bridge.

Calatrava's solicitors have appealed against the claim, saying the bridge was merely designed by the architect and he was not appointed as supervisor of works, meaning the actual construction process and costs were out of his hands.

The Ponte della Costituzione links the Santa Lucia railway station with the Piazza di Roma bus park, and was originally due to cost 3.8 million euros.

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KING Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía's younger daughter, the Infanta Cristina, does not plan to appeal against charges she faces in the notorious Nóos Institute case in which her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín is on trial.

The Duchess of Palma owns 50 per cent of the company Aizoon – the other half owned by her spouse – and which the judge believes was a front for money-laundering and tax evasion.

It is said to be linked to the Nóos Institute, a firm set up as a non-profit-making organisation by Urdangarín and his business partner Diego Torres in order to benefit from public funding, but which was in fact a lucrative operation.

Her lawyers have stressed that the Infanta had nothing to do with the running of Aizoon and rarely attended directors' meetings, and that all actions she took in connection with the company were 'out of loyalty and love for her husband'.

Although the solicitors' firm Roca Junyent, representing the Duchess of Palma, say they 'totally disagree' with her being charged, they have decided not to exercise their right to appeal on her behalf and instead allow her to appear in court for questioning.

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A 'CASH for scrap' plan aimed at boosting the motor industry has been revived again with a government grant of 1.75 million euros, meaning car-owners will get a sizeable discount off the cost of a new vehicle when trading in their older ones for parts.

This will be the fifth edition of the 'Plan PIVE', with the previous four having led to 365,000 new cars being bought after owners were able to part-exchange vehicles over seven years old and obtain a discount of several thousands of euros on straight-off-the-forecourt newly-registered models.

The last four Plan PIVEs have helped create 10,000 jobs in the motor industry, with over two million new cars manufactured in Spain being sold via dealerships in the first 10 months of 2013 - more than in the whole of 2012, and a rise of 30 per cent a year.

Foreign investment in the motor trade had trebled by September last year, compared to figures before the Plan PIVE was launched, reaching over 21.6 billion euros.

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CONTACT lenses and spectacles will be more expensive this year thanks to an EU-based order to streamline IVA (VAT) paid.

Eyeware is now considered to be a healthcare product and as such, should attract top-rate IVA, according to an EU ruling last year which has just come into force.

This means the value-added tax on glasses and contact lenses will now be 21 per cent, not 10 per cent.

The move has caused widespread fury among residents in Spain, since an estimated half of everyone living in the country has to wear glasses or contact lenses, whether purely for reading or computer work, or all the time.

And the essential nature of these means even further hardship is guaranteed for many families who are already struggling to make ends meet.

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THE European Central Bank (BCE) will keep interest rates in the Eurozone at the historic low of 0.25 per cent after cutting the figure by half in November.

This is partly fuelled by a fall in gross domestic product within member States which use the euro, and low inflation at 0.8 per cent rather than the predicted 0.9 per cent.

The top three economies in the Eurozone – France, Germany and Italy – saw a retraction in growth and with the exception of Germany, continue in recession.

Unemployment in the region remained at 12.1 per cent as at November 2013, a record high which has barely moved since April last year and which is far exceeded by Greece (27.4 per cent) and Spain (26.7 per cent).

BCE chairman Mario Draghi said medium-term forecasts for the Eurozone had worsened, as had short-term conditions in the money markets.

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SPAIN'S National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has fined airline governing body AENA and 11 car hire companies a total of 3.1 million euros.

They are accused of anti-competition practices covered by national law and the European Union single market treaty.

AENA, a government-owned entity which runs all the airports in Spain, has been ordered to pay a sanction of 901,518 euros, and the fine split between the 11 car rental firms amounts to 2.2 million.

It has not been revealed exactly what the practices described as 'illegal' relate to, nor is it known whether the companies, which are privately-run, intend to appeal against the decision.

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THE body of one of three members of the same family swept out to sea by a tidal wave in Galicia has been found.

Rodrigo Pena, 70, was with his daughter Patricia, 25, brother-in-law Juan Bedoya, 50, and another young woman whose identity has not been revealed when freak storms in the area caused high tides which washed the first three of them away.

They had been on the beach near the lighthouse at A Frouxeira, in the province of A Coruña on Twelfth Night to scatter the ashes of a close relative who had died over Christmas.

Patricia, who works at a shopping centre in Ferrol and Juan, who both live in nearby O Canto do Muro and are well-known and popular in the area, are still missing.

Another young woman who is said to be related to Rodrigo and Patricia managed to swim ashore and was taken to hospital with cuts and bruises.

She is said to be recovering well and her condition is not serious.

The body of Rodrigo, who owns a butcher's shop in San Vicente de Meirás, close to the scene of the tragedy, was found on the beach where he went missing at 01.30hrs yesterday (Tuesday).

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KING Juan Carlos' younger daughter, the Infanta Cristina has been formally charged with tax evasion and will appear in court on March 8.

Judge José Castro considers that she was a 'silent collaborator' in her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín's own fraud and money-laundering operations through his company, the Nóos Institute, which he and business partner Diego Torres disguised as a non-profit organisation in order to benefit from public funds.

Castro believes the firm Aizoon, which the Duchess of Palma owned 50 per cent of – the other half being in Urdangarín's name – was a front company for the Nóos racket, enabling the couple to make 'fraudulent expenditure' using business funds.

Aizoon was a 'shield' to ward off the Duke and Duchess' tax obligations, says Judge Castro.

“I cannot see that anyone should consider it scandalous that one wishes to pose questions relating to this situation,” stated the judge.

He insisted there was 'not a shred of prejudice' in his decision to charge the Infanta, and that he was not biased because of her status.

“It is unacceptable that summoning public figureheads, particularly those linked to State institutions, should enjoy special protection,” Judge Castro continued.

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WINNING numbers for the first major lottery of 2014 – the El Niño draw were 76.254 and full tickets are worth two million euros and 200,000 euros for a décimo, or 10^th of a ticket.

But unless ticket-holders bought theirs in Monforte de Lemos (Lugo province, in the north-western region of Galicia) they will not have won the first prize, since all tickets with this number were sold there.

Second prize, of 750,000 euros or 75,000 euros for a décimo went to number 69.362, which was sold mainly in Tijola (Almería province), Campomanes, in the northern region of Asturias, Candeleda in the central province of Ávila, Gavá and Viladecans (Barcelona province), the central Spanish city of Burgos, and Alcalá de los Gazules and Algeciras (Cádiz province).

Smaller quantities of tickets with this number were sold in Almagro (Ciudad Real province, south of Madrid), Córdoba and nearby Luque, Aracena (Huelva province), Huétor de Santillán and Huétor Tajar (Granada province), Lleida in Catalunya, Vélez-Málaga, Sevilla, Salamanca, Madrid and nearby Arganda del Rey, and in Galicia, Cambados and Ribadumia (Pontevedra province) and Oural-Sarriá (Lugo province). 

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SALES have started early this year across many parts of Spain – even though they do not officially kick off until tomorrow (Tuesday).

Some regions decided to begin the winter sales period – which runs until March 1 – the day after the bank holiday for New Year's Day in a bid to increase profits, given that the period leading up to Twelfth Night, or the Three Kings, is peak shopping time as families and friends buy each other presents.

Certain shops, particularly large department stores and high-street chains, chose to start their sales even earlier, on December 23, to capture customers buying presents for Christmas Eve, but these are still few and far between.

That said, fewer retailers than ever are waiting until tomorrow to begin their sales, realising that shoppers will be feeling the pinch after the festive season and be less likely to make unnecessary purchases.

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TODAY'S El Niño lottery draw at noon will see over 560 million euros in prizes dished out to holders of winning tickets or décimos – tenths of a ticket. 

Castilla y León, Valencia, Madrid, Catalunya and Andalucía residents – in that order – have spent the most on tickets with the maximum average thought to be 22.44 euros and the minimum, 7.96 euros. 

A décimo costs 20 euros, or a full ticket, 200 euros. 

The numbers said to be most likely to win are those containing a zero, having drawn the top prize 20 times in previous years, followed by the numbers seven and nine, which have won the jackpot on 13 occasions and number six, on 10 occasions. 

Number three has only won first prize on six occasions to date. 

So far, the cities of Madrid and Barcelona have seen the most lottery winners. 

The El Niño lottery has existed in its present format since 1966, and the numbers will be drawn at noon today (Monday, January 6).

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KING Juan Carlos celebrates his 76^th birthday today (Sunday) under the weight of the ongoing Nóos case involving his son-in-law and the impending court decision as to whether his younger daughter, the Infanta Cristina, will be formally charged.

Royal Household spokesman Rafael Spottorno has asked the judge handling the fraud and money-laundering trial against the Infanta's husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, to get the case wound up as quickly as possible because it is 'an ongoing headache' for the Institution and harming their image.

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ALL regional health authorities across Spain will be required to charge for medication dispensed to outpatients in hospitals from this month onwards after being given a three-month stay of grace.

Whilst the requisite for payment towards hospital drugs was confirmed on October 1, Spain's 17 autonomously-governed regions were given until January 2014 to put a system in place to allow this to happen. 

It will affect anyone who has regular hospital consultation appointments for cancer, eczema, hepatitis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV and AIDS, degenerative conditions, or who has had a transplant. 

Certain types of drug used to treat these patients are sold via the hospital dispensary because they are rare and expensive, and not readily available at mainstream high-street pharmacies. 

Now, anyone prescribed these during their outpatient appointments will have to pay up to 10 per cent of the recommended retail price, capped at 4.26 euros. 

In October when the law was changed, the maximum payable was 4.20 euros, but it has now been increased in line with inflation. 

A total of 43 types of drug, sold under 157 brand names, are affected. 

Treatment or drugs administered in hospital by nurses or doctors during in-patient or outpatient appointments are not affected, meaning cancer patients who attend regularly for chemotherapy do not have to pay for the medication supplied during their sessions. 

In-patients do not have to pay for drugs given during their hospital stay. 

Where a patient has several different types of medication dispensed by the hospital pharmacy and regular outpatient appointments, the cost can mount up considerably and, with so many residents surviving only on the 425-euro-a-month unemployment subsidy, they have to make a choice between paying their rent or mortgage and electricity bills or buying life-saving medication, says the Hepatitis and Transplant Patients' Federation (FNETH).

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A COLD front hitting Spain from across the Atlantic will cause gale-force winds of at least 110 kilometres per hour (around 66mph) in the north, east and Balearic Islands. 

Temperatures will plummet across the country this weekend and waves of between three and five metres will be seen off most of Spain's coasts, particularly Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Mediterranean. 

North-western Spain will be the worst-hit by winds, starting from tomorrow (Friday) and the cold climate will hit on Saturday and Sunday. 

Rain will sweep across the country over the weekend and is likely to be torrential in Galicia, although more dispersed over the Mediterranean, and snowfall will be seen in areas of between 600 and 900 metres above sea-level.

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AT LEAST 70 tourists became trapped on a cable car leading up to the Montjuïc mountain in Barcelona yesterday (New Year's Day) after a mechanical failure left them stranded. 

They were halfway up to the iconic castle when the 14 cable cars they were travelling in ground to a halt. 

Firefighters had to set up a crane with steps to evacuate the tourists one by one, by which time they had been suspended in mid-air for several hours. 

A back-up engine was fitted to the cable car system and each of the cabins was brought down manually to the nearest pick-up point, or as close to them as possible, to allow their passengers to get off.

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BINGE drinking during young adults' formative years can cause DNA damage which cannot be repaired, studies reveal. 

A growing problem in Spain, with the average age that a youth first gets drunk being 13 and three-quarters and with botellones, or bring-your-own-bottle street-drinking parties rife due to the cost of alcohol in bars being beyond the reach of youngsters who are old enough to drink, the effects on long-term health are particularly serious and can stunt growth and lead to diseases, researchers say. 

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2013 has been the first year in history with two popes and the last year for Nelson Mandela. It has been yet another year of financial crisis but also the year that brought us the Higgs boson and the resurrection of Nadal. Here we have made a selection of some of the most important stories to hit the Spanish press during the last twelve months:

Train Accident Santiago de Compostela 

On July 24, 79 people died and 150 were injured when a high-speed train derailed short of Santiago de Compostela becoming one of the worst train accidents in recent history. The train entered a curve at over 200km/h, which was limited to a maximum speed of 80km/h, shortly after answering a telephone call from the ticket inspector, however the Judge ruling on the case inclines towards multiple causes not just the distraction of the driver…

Train Accident Santiago

The End of the Parot Doctrine

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) struck down Spain’s “Parot doctrine” – a legal way to ensure terrorists and other long-term convicts are not released significantly before the end of their terms.
In agreeing with an appeal against her prolonged stay in prison by convicted ETA terrorist Inés del Río, the Strasbourg court’s ruling meant that 61 ETA prisoners and at least 14 common criminals could be released immediately. Seventy-six other Basque terrorists could benefit from the decision in the mid-to-long term, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.

Article Parot Doctrine 1

Article Parot Doctrine 2 - ETA Terrorist released

Catalan Referendum 

CATALUNYA'S regional president says a referendum on independence will definitely go ahead next year, and that when 2014 comes, he will set the exact date.
Artur Mas' determination to put Catalunya's secession bid to the vote comes in response to regional socialist leader Pere Navarro Morera's criticising him for 'deceiving the people of Catalunya' by talking about 'a referendum they know they are not going to do'. 

In September over 1.6 million residents of the north-eastern region of Catalunya formed a human chain of over 400 kilometres long in support of their government's bid to become a separate country.

1.6 million unite for independence

Catalan Referendum

6,000,000 plus unemployed for first time in history

Spain's unemployment rate jumped to a record high of 27.2 percent this year. According to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE) some 6.2 million people were without work in the second quarter of this year.
The Spanish statistics body reported that the nation's unemployment rate shot up from 26.02 percent in the last quarter of 2012 to 27.16 percent in the first three months of this year.

Unemployment hits record high

Lifetime companies go into receivership

The crisis has finally left its mark on companies, which have been around for decades. Companies, which were the backbone of many sectors, have been knocked to their feet. Fagor white goods went into receivership leading to the loss of 100’s of jibs in the Basque country. Panrico the bread and doughnut company was forced to fire 1000 employees to save the company, Blanco the clothes chain fired 700 employees and the holiday company Orizonia fired all of their employees, more than 2000 before disappearing for good. Pescanova the national fish company also went into receivership and is negotiating a merger with Mercadona.

White goods manufacturer goes under

Spain comes out of recession

Spain leaves technical recession but the crisis continues Spanish president Mariano Rajoy told The Wall Street Journal and the rest of the world that the country was officially 'out of recession', but 'not out of the financial crisis'.
The PP leader said his  aim was a 'rigorous recovery' which allowed Spain to 'create employment'. He also stated his intentions to stand for elections again at the end of 2015.

Spain out of recession

State pension no longer linked to CPI

State pensions to be no longer CPI-linked In December the State pension reform was passed and all pensions from 2014 onwards will no longer be valued according to the CPI. A new index of value will be applied marking a minimum annual increase of 0,25% and a maximum of CPI+0,5%. So if the index is less than the increase in the cost of living, pensioners will loose purchasing power. 

Gibraltar – Spain crisis

With Gibraltar having just celebrated their 300th anniversary of British reign, Spanish fishermen staged a protest at the Gibraltar border  over the artificial concrete reef that they claim is damaging their work area.
According to Spanish fishermen from the province of Cádiz, they lost over 1.5 million euros in profits since the Gibraltarian authorities began to 'hinder' their work. This kicked off a political tug-of-war between the two governments as the Spanish started to stage extreme border inspections causing queues which lasted over eight hours to cross the border. 

Gibraltar celebrates 300 anniversary

Spanish fishermen demonstrate over losses

New Education Reform

Congress approved in 2013 the 7th education reform in the history of Spain with the only support of the PP and the protest of the majority of teachers, pupils and parents. The new law for education will start to be implanted with the 2014-2015 coursework. Amongst the novelties are assessment exams at different stages throughout the year and an increase in hours for religion, which will once again be compulsory and count towards your final marks. It also would change the importance of local languages within the teaching system. This reform led to two national strikes and autonomous regions declaring they would not implement it. The opposition also stated that as soon as they were in government again they would remove the law.

Country wide strikes over education reform

Nationwide demonstration

Abortion Reform 

Justice minister Alberto Ruíz-Gallardón announced plans to bring the new abortion law into effect before the end of this year. A law which has caused much unrest amongst the population.
Meetings were held with the cabinet to finalise the content, which he stressed would 'respect the historic discourse' of the PP on the subject.
Many of the elements introduced by the previous socialist government will be eliminated. These include allowing a woman to terminate a pregnancy before a certain time on any grounds, although a psychologist's report would normally be needed if her physical or mental health or that of the child were not at risk.
They also include the fact that at present, girls aged 16 or 17 but under 18 do not need their parents' consent to terminate a pregnancy.
Now, anyone under 18 will need written permission from their parents or guardians to have an abortion. Effectively, legal abortion at free-will within a time limit, as it has been upto now, will be abolished.

Abortion law restrictions in place by end of year

Barcenas Files

One of the biggest corruption scandals in recent history as it affects the governing political party directly and accusations were made to the involvement of the President Rajoy. EX-TREASURER of the PP Luis Bárcenas allegedly owned up to 'illegal' financing of the party by companies in exchange for preferential treatment and he also admitted and supplied internal documents allegedly proving that the political party ran parallel accounts with black money and also paid back-handers and bonuses to certain politicians.

Barcenas admits to illegal financing

Duke Of Palma Files

This is biggest scandal to hit the Royal family since they have been in power. Charges against the King and Queen's son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarín are enough to put him in jail for 23 years and his co-director from the Nóos Institute, Diego Torres, behind bars for 19 years.
They do not face charges for money-laundering since this was not a crime as such between 2004 and 2008, when the offences were committed. But both could be formally accused of six criminal activities – misuse of public funds, power-dealing, forgery, fraud, and two counts of tax evasion. Torres and Urdangarín each look set to face a fine of 3.5 million euros. Urdangarín, who is also the Duke of Palma, is believed to have deliberately used his status as a member of the Royal family by marriage to drum up support for the Nóos Institute, which purported to be a charitable foundation seeking to promote sports and cultural events.
In practice, however, it was a profit-making company which proved very lucrative to its two directors at the taxpayer's cost.

Urdangarin criminal charges

Nadal recovers Nº1 ranking

2013 has been a remarkable year for Rafa Nadal after coming back from a serious knee injuryhe made sure he finished the year ranked No.1 in the world again after battling hard to overcome Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6, 7-6 at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
It is the third time Nadal has finished a year top of the rankings, following similar success in 2008 and 2010.
He was also the first man through to the semi-finals of the end-of-year event, with two straight-set wins from two group stage matches, having already beaten fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2 in the Group A opener. Top seed Nadal, who has never won the season-ending event, improved to a 12-0 head-to-head record against Wawrinka, with the Swiss No. 2 yet to win a set off him.
Rafael Nadal was also presented with the “Legend Award” at the sports daily Marca’s silver anniversary gala in Madrid, after being selected by the paper's readers as the best Spanish athlete of all-time.

Nadal reclaims Nº1 ranking

World Champion Rookie in MotoGP

Marc Márquez has made history as the youngest-ever MotoGP World Champion and the first since Kenny Roberts in 1978 to scoop up the title in his first-ever year. He is also the youngest MotoGP rider to win at the Circuit of the Americas, during the Grand Prix in April, and to win four consecutive races and the first in history to win six in his first-ever year at this level of the sport.

Rookie world champion Moto GP

Spain - Handball World Champions

The national side became Handball world champions by beating the powerful Danish side 35-19. This was the first time that Spain had hosted the world cup for Hand Ball. This win was particularly important as this sport is currently going through one of it worst periods due to the economic crisis.  Spain can now boast at being world champion in Football, Basketball, Handball and Tennis.