Spanish news - Spain news from 1Casa 22 December 2007

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Spanish News

Latest News from Spain

This news is brought to you in association with 1Casa. Cristina Sanchez is head of their Customer Liaison Department, they specialiize in Affordable Property in the inland regions of Andalucia starting at under 30,000 Euros.

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22 December 2007

Spanish Stars Play Sport for Malaria Research

Fernando Alonso and Rafael Nadal were among a group of well known sportsmen who played football and tennis to raise funds for Malaria research this week. Rafael Nadal's team won on penalties in a football match against a team led by the Real Madrid goalkeeper Casillas. Nadal showed his football skills by scoring six goals. Nadal had the support of cyclist, Alberto Contador, Real Madrid players, Fabio Cannavaro, Jesus Navas, Raul Gonzalez and Formula One driver Pedro Martinez de la Rosa. Casillas' team was Oscar Pereiro, David Ferrer, Fernando Hierro, Alvaro de Benito, the singer from Pignoise, and Fernando Alonso.

Spanish Christmas Lottery

Spain's Christmas lottery draw, El Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad takes place today, 22nd December. The top prize is El Gordo (The Fat One), a prize of 3 million euros for the holders of each whole ticket issued in 185 separate numbered series. The draw lasts for three hours on the morning of the 22nd with the numbers being sung out by children from the San Ildefonso School in Madrid.

Cartier Jewellery Stolen in Madrid

In what has been described as the robbery of the year in Spain, a gang of thieves used a stolen four wheel drive vehicle to crash into a lorry loaded with Cartier jewellery and watches. The events took place at a container park in Madrid, where the thieves kidnapped the lorry driver and his mate and made off with 12 boxes full of watches, gold and jewellery with an estimated value of four million euros. The two drivers who were held hostage were found bound and gagged in the boot and back seat of the BMW. The stolen jewellery was to have been distributed to shops and commercial centres in Spain for Christmas. Police are investigating whether the thieves were tipped off from someone on the inside.

Weight-Loss Company in Malaga Investigated by Guardia Civil

Malaga's Guardia Civil is investigating the weight-loss company, Nutra Life International, which has been selling weight-loss products by telephone. The authorities acted after a complaint was made by the consumer’s organisation, FACUA, which alleged that some of the ingredients in the 'secret formula' of the product were highly concentrated hormones which could affect health. Analysis of the product in the Virgen del Rocio Hospital, Sevilla concluded that high concentrations of the thyroid hormone T3 was present, which could be dangerous to health. The administrators of the company are a British resident from Mijas, named with the initials A.B. and a Greek businessman with the initials C.K. FACUA believe the number of people affected could be in the thousands.

Malaga Birth Rate Reaches 1978 Level

Malaga is having a baby boom and although it isn't as spectacular as between 1957 and 1977 (the Golden Age), it is close. Last year 17,998 births were registered, a figure not reached since 1978, when 18,371 births were registered. The 17,998 births last year (19% of the total of Andalucia) and the 11,186 deaths in the province added a natural growth of 6,812 people, according to the latest data from the Andalucian Institute of Statistics (IEA).

Since the seventies child birth had been falling until in 1999 the tendency changed and birth rates began to grow each year, although slowly, with 2004 and 2005 being good years for the birth rate and 2006 being the best yet. These figures have allowed Malaga an increase in population unknown since 1984. From these figures one would deduce that the improvement in the Spanish economy is encouraging the people of Malaga to have more than one child or that the immigrants are raising the birth rate.

Spain's Congress Votes to Ban Smacking Children

Congress voted to suspend two articles of the Spanish Penal Code which allowed parents and tutors to 'educate' children with a smack. The law in Spain, which allowed a gentle slap, was given legal support but now with the new vote slapping is banned. From now on parents in Spain will have to educate their children with a 'complete respect for their physical and psychological integrity'. An amendment against the change, proposed by the PP, CiU and PNV was defeated.

The Government defended the change, referring to the recommendations from the Convention for Children’s Rights, but surveys show that 60% of Spanish parents currently give their children an occasional slap, and remain in favour of being allowed to do so.

Motorway Connecting Almeria and Granada Provinces Due to Open

The Albunol to Adra stretch of the A-7 motorway, the Autovia del Mediterraneo, is to be opened next Wednesday, 26th December, according to newspaper reports this week. It's understood the Development Minister will be there for the opening of the coastal motorway. Albunol-Adra, a section of 10.5 kilometres, was the last stretch pending in Almeria province.

Levante Storms Hit Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol was hit by storms late this week. Many beaches have been damaged by the recent Levante winds and storms which have caused the loss of sand from the beaches. In Carvajal in Fuengirola waves removed the entire beach up to the paseo maritimo in places. The beach was also damaged at the Bil-Bil beach in Benalmadena Costa. On the Eastern Costa del Sol, the Ferrara beach in Torrox has seen beach access and showers damaged and palm trees were uprooted in La Torrecilla in Nerja.

Mijas Racetrack

The Ayuntamiento of Mijas is to take back control of the Hipodromo Costa del Sol racecourse due the failure of the concession company to manage it as a viable business, officials revealed last week. When the Hipodromo first opened in 1997 it was operated by the town hall, however, the management of the track was later passed to private industry through a concession arrangement. Since taking over the management of the track Carrera Entertainment Corporation is understood to have racked up millions of euros in losses.

Spanish Dehesa and Jamon Iberico Under Threat

A devastating fungus is threatening a unique ecosystem typical to Spain. The sparse wooded pasture and meadow land of the ‘dehesa,’ which provides grazing land for the Iberian pig, and which, in turn, provides one of the most renowned of Spanish delicacies, jamon iberico. A newspaper reported that a fungus known as Phytophthora cinammomi is attacking the Holm oaks which produce the acorns on which the pigs feed. It is also attacking the cork oaks, whose acorns are an important source of animal feed in winter.

New Valencia Formula 1 Grand Prix Threatened

The new Formula 1 Grand Prix in Valencia, which is planned for the first time next season on a new urban circuit in Valencia port, could be under threat after the European Union received a complaint from the Valencia ecologist group, Formula Verda which has demanded that the construction of the new track not go ahead without an environmental impact report. Opposition has come also from the Ecologistes en Accio group. A spokesman said that the complaint to the EU was based on the lack of an environmental study, the modification of the City Hall of the Strategic Plan for Valencia, and the lack of public notices regarding the tenders to carry out the work. The spokesman also said that an environmental study had not been carried out because it would come back negative.

New Airport Approach Road Approved

Work to build a new northern approach road to Malaga airport has been licensed by the government. The announcement in the Official State Bulletin gave the budget as 35.6 million euros with a project duration of 28 months. The new road will link with Malaga's planned second ring road.

AVE Inaugural Journey

The AVE high speed train between Madrid and Malaga makes it inaugural journey tomorrow, Sunday 23rd December with full the public service beginning on Monday 24th December. Monday's first train is due to depart at 6.35 am, calling at Antequera, Puente Genil, Cordoba, Puertollano and Ciudad Real before arriving at Madrid’s Atocha station at 9.32 am. The first direct service to Madrid will leave Malaga at 7.10 am, completing the journey in just two and half hours.

RENFE Launch New Website

RENFE Spanish railways have changed the design of their website to make it easier for travellers to buy tickets online. Users can now change travelling times, cancel tickets and obtain refunds directly to their credit card. Renfe website: www.renfe.com

New Replacement Altarpiece for Alora Church

After almost 10 years of work by local people, a new retablo (altarpiece) has been reconstructed and installed in the Church of the Incarnation in Alora. The original was destroyed during the civil war and the replacement was constructed with the aid of old photographs.

Car Parks Plan

The Ayuntamiento of Alora is finalising plans for the construction of three underground car parks in different parts of the town according to the Mayor, Jose Sanchez Moreno. Possible locations are currently being considered with sites for two of the car parks next to the new health centre in the San Paulino area and near the existing health centre at the entrance to the town.

Hercules 1 - 1 Malaga

Malaga's third draw in a row leaves them in second place in the league. Their game this weekend kicks off at 6.00 pm today (22nd December) when they play Sevilla Atletico at home. Spanish football then takes a break until the new year.

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