Spanish news - Spain news from 1Casa 24 July 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.

1Casa utilise their years of experience to offer a wide range of affordable properties and aim to provide a smooth, hassle free purchase and relocation.

For more information please contact 1 Casa on FREEPHONE 0800 081 1939 (24/7) or visit www.1casa.com/1.

24 July 2007

BabyTV Launches in Spain

BabyTV, a television channel for infants and toddlers under 3, is now available via the cable company ONO in Spain. BabyTV's educational programming is now available in both English and Spanish to all of ONO’s Ojo on-demand service users. The new service is now available in more than 50 countries worldwide, in 12 different languages.

Spanish Princess Baptised

The second daughter of the Prince and Princess of Asturias, and the eighth grandchild of the King and Queen of Spain, the Infanta Sofia de Todos los Santos, was baptised with water from the River Jordan in a ceremony which took place in the gardens of Zarzuela Palace last Sunday (15th July). The baptism was performed by the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela.

The princess wore the christening robe which has been worn by many generations of Spain's royal family: by her grandfather, the King, her father, the Prince of Asturias, her two aunts, the Infantas Elena and Cristina, as well her six cousins and her older sister, Leonor.

Spanish Magazine Withdrawn for Insulting Royal Family

A Spanish judge ordered the withdrawal of the satirical magazine 'El Jueves' which carries a front-page cartoon showing Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia in a graphic pose. The judge wrote in a court order that the cartoon showed the royal couple in an intimate posture that may have broken laws protecting the royal family and the dignity of the crown.

The editor of the magazine has been ordered to reveal the author of the cartoon who could face charges under the Penal Code for offences against the Crown and up to two years in jail. The cartoon related to the 2,500 Euros which the government is to give to couples who have children. The judge said the cartoon clearly "denigrated" the Royals and was inflammatory".

Two Million Foreigners Registered in Spain

Spain passed the two million barrier for the number of foreigners who are living in the country and who are registered on the Spanish Social Security System in June. It means there are now 2,034,000 immigrants registered with the Social Security system in Spain, of which only 659,000 are from EU countries.

Spain's June Tourist Numbers Up 4.8% to Record High

The number of tourists arriving in Spain hit 5.8 million in June, up 4.8% against last year according to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. In the first half of the year to June, the number of tourists arriving in Spain reached 26.1 million up 2.1%from a year earlier. In Andalucia figures show a 5.5% increase for the first six months of the year.

New Laws to Prevent GPS Programming While Driving

The DGT, Spain's Traffic Authority, is proposing fines of up to 300 Euros and the loss of three licence points for those who programme their GPS Systems while driving, and are therefore studying changing the law to add the GPS to the list of serious offences.

The DGT consider that it's a contradiction to fine people who use their mobile phone when driving but not those who programme their GPS system. The head of the DGT, Pere Navarro, has confirmed the proposal and said that it was distractions which cause more than half of accidents on motorways during the months of July and August in Spain.

The DGT has also written to the manufacturers of GPS systems asking them to adapt their devices to ensure that they cannot be programmed when the vehicle is moving. Navarro conceded that it would take the manufacturers some time to respond to the request and in the meantime fines would have to suffice.

Spain Approves Climate Change Measures

The Spanish Government has approved a series of ‘concrete and urgent' measures designed to help the country meet the Kyoto Protocol against climate change. The changes include higher road tax for highly polluting cars and bio fuel added automatically to all fuel supplies sold in Spain. A 17% surcharge on the sale of a highly polluting car is foreseen.

A new electricity efficiency campaign which will see air-conditioning in offices and public buildings reduced to no cooler than 24 degrees and traditional light bulbs in public buildings being replaced by low consumption types. There will also be greater measures against industries which emit greenhouse gases.

A target of 12% of energy needs in 2010 being met by renewable energy, the current figure is 5.9%. This will mean the construction of more wind and wave farms and an increased use of solar panels in domestic housing.

Coal boilers are to be banned in homes from 2009 and there will be more discounts for those who want to update old, inefficient electrical appliances.

Rail transport it to be highly promoted with 90% of the population being within less than 50km from a station by 2010.

Zara and Pull & Bear Plan to Make Store Greener

Spanish company Inditex, which owns fashion stores Zara and Pull and Bear, is to install energy efficient lighting and heating systems its 3,200 stores worldwide. A spokesman also said the group would use recycled cardboard in its packaging and re-use coat hangers.

The company also plans to switch its fleet of delivery vehicles from diesel to biodiesel fuel.

Odyssey Survey Ship has Left Algeciras

Odyssey Marine Exploration's ship sailed out of Spanish waters last Thursday (19th July), a day after Spanish authorities released the vessel. The ship, Ocean Alert had been in Algeciras since last Thursday (12th July) when it was intercepted and boarded after leaving Gibraltar. The search order came after the company announced in May a find of treasure valued at 373 million Euros. Spain was concerned that the salvage operation took place in Spanish waters and not in the international waters of the Atlantic Ocean, as the company said.

In a press release last Tuesday (17th July) Greg Stemm, one of the Odyssey founders, said "We were certain that the Civil Guard inspection would not discover any proof of alleged activities in the area. We have always acted legally and have always communicated our movements in the area to the Civil Guard and to the marine traffic authorities."

The company's other ship, the ‘Odyssey Explorer,’ remains docked in Gibraltar.

Ibiza Beaches All Reopen After Oil Spill

All the beaches closed after the fuel spill from the Don Pedro cargo ship have now been reopened to the public. In a press conference last Thursday (19th July), the chief of the Balearics government's emergency department gave the news and said that the situation on the beaches is now normal. The alert, however, remains in place until all the fuel is removed from the sunken vessel as currents and winds could still bring in some small areas of spill which remain to the shore.

New Che Guevara Biopic to be Filmed in Spain

Steve Soderbergh is to spend nine weeks filming across Spain in a new Che Guevara biopic with Benicio del Toro playing the Argentine revolutionary. Julia Ormond and Catalina Sandino will co-star. The Spain-United States co-production will be filmed entirely in Spanish.

Olive Thieves Arrested

A gang of thieves who stole more than one and a half million tons of olives has been broken up. Police from Spain and Italy arrested 18 people in a joint operation. The gang is accused of stealing the olives from trees in the provinces of Granada, Malaga, Jaen and Cordoba. According to a government spokesman, the olives were then converted into oil and transported to Italy to be sold.

New Sleeping Policeman Invented by Malaga Man

A new type of speed bump has been invented by a 26-year-old man from Villanueva de Tapia. Drivers will only notice them if they are travelling above the speed limit. The new speed bumps are made from a hollow material which allows fluid to move inside. If the driver is moving slowly then the fluid is forced to move and the speed bump collapses, but if the driver is going too fast the bump remains hard.

The inventor, Jose Antonio Aguilera, who works as an electrical fitter, has created other inventions, including a swimming pool border which both softens the effects of any fall and, at the same time, heats up the water using solar power.

Greenpeace Protest on El Algarrobico Hotel

In letters three storeys high and covering 1,200 square metres, Greenpeace used 250 kilograms of black paint for its latest protest against the controversial El Algarrobico hotel. Members of the environmental group scaled the 20-floor complex, built on land inside the protected Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park and painted gigantic letters on the Algarrobico's façade: the Spanish word 'ilegal - illegal'.

Last May, the Junta de Andalucia regional government said steps had been taken to demolish the hotel, built on protected land 100 metres from the beach at Carboneras in Almeria.

Junta de Andalucia to Invest in Beach Services Improvement

The beaches of Andalucia are one of the main attractions for the millions of tourists who come here. With this in mind, the Junta have decided this year to invest 26.5 million Euros in improving and modernising equipment and services on the coastline. Malaga province will receive almost 12 million Euros of the budget.

European Grand Prix - Nurburgring

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen posted the fastest time in final practice ahead of Lewis Hamilton this morning. Alonso was third despite his lap of 1:32.039 being matched by BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa fifth. The race starts at 2.00 pm tomorrow, Sunday 22nd July. Stop Press Raikkonen is on pole, Alonso 2nd, Massa third, Hamilton hits the tyre barrier after "wheel gun incident" but looks OK to race tomorrow albeit from 10th spot.

British Open Golf Championship

After two days of the four day tournament Sergio Garcia remains in first place with Malaga golfer, Miguel Angel Jimenez is in third, however, rain is due to arrive today (21st July) and this could influence the final result.

Severiano Ballesteros announced that he is to give up playing golf. Ballesteros, at the age of 50, gave the news to a press conference in Carnoustie in Scotland earlier this week, where in 1975 he first played in the British Open. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999.

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