Christopher ‘Christy’ Kinahan, who was arrested as part of a large police operation on Tuesday last week, has been remanded to custody and denied bail

Christopher ‘Christy’ Kinahan, who was arrested as part of a large police operation on Tuesday last week, has been remanded to custody and denied bail in the First Instance and Instruction Court Three in Estepona.

The judge has now taken the statements of 18 people, and also ordered prison on remand for Kinahan’s two sons and two others. A further three people were granted bail set at 60,000 €.

Nine others have now been released, but with charges still outstanding, one of whom also has to report to the court every fortnight, has his passport withdrawn, and has been told not to leave the country.

The group faces charges of money laundering, drug trafficking and the falsification of documents.

The police operation, called ‘shovel’ saw arrests in Estepona, Marbella and Fuengirola last Tuesday, as well as actions in London and Dublin and a total of 31 arrests.

More than 500 police took part in making the arrests and more than 200 mercantile companies are being inspected thought to have been used in laundering money obtained by the criminal activities of the gang. 

The Spanish Interior Ministry said the gang invested most of the money in real estate on the Costa del Sol and in other places such as Brazil.

Kingpin Kinahan's 'right-hand man' is released on bail - Europe, World News - Independent.ie

Kingpin Kinahan's 'right-hand man' is released on bail - Europe, World News - Independent.ie: "John Cunningham (58), Kinahan's reputed right-hand man, was expected to be sent to jail with a string of other suspects, including Kinahan and his two sons.
But judge Maria Carmen Gutierrez Henares released him on bail after questioning nearly 20 people over three days in the Costa del Sol resort of Estepona.
The closed-court hearings followed the arrests of 22 people in dawn raids on the Costa del Sol after a two-year police investigation into a multi-million euro drug-trafficking and money-laundering organisation.
Christy Kinahan (53) and sons Daniel and Christopher were sent to jail by the judge and face up to four years in prison awaiting trial while the probe continues.
But Cunningham was free on bail on Saturday night after the behind-closed-doors hearing. He took advantage of a media scrum as the Kinahans were escorted from the court building in handcuffs to slip out a side exit with his lawyer after being granted bail.
Convicted in 1986 of the kidnapping of Guinness heiress Jennifer Guinness, Cunningham is thought to have been told to return to court every Monday as part of his bail conditions.
It is understood Cunningham will have to return to court No 3 in Estepona later today to fulfill those conditions and avoid having an international arrest warrant issued against him. He left court late on Saturday night, four days after his arrest in a dawn raid and 24 hours after a judge finished questioning him and extended his detention period so she could decide whether to remand him in jail or release him on bail"

Irish gangster held after international police sting | World news | guardian.co.uk

Irish gangster held after international police sting World news guardian.co.uk: "Christy Kinahan, arrested in Spain early yesterday, used UK horseracing meetings to launder and distribute 'dirty money' he earned from drug dealing and arms smuggling. He ran narcotics and weapons to criminal gangs in Liverpool, Manchester and London, Garda sources said today.
The arrest of Kinahan, 53, from Dublin, was one of a series of raids this week in Spain, the UK, Ireland, Brazil and Belgium aimed at smashing a global crime network. A total of 34 people are being held across Europe, including 10 Irish nationals in Spain, England and Ireland. Kinahan was arrested at his apartment near Marbella on the Costa del Sol.
Trevor Pearce from the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency said the raids dealt a major blow to criminals across Europe. 'We also believe this network has been offering a global investment service, ploughing hundreds of millions of pounds of dirty cash into offshore accounts, companies and property on behalf of criminals,' he said.
Ireland's justice minister, Dermot Ahern, said moving abroad would no longer provide a haven for criminals wanted in Ireland. 'These events are evidence of the determination of those involved in law enforcement, fully supported by their governments, to take international gangs straight on,' he said.
Among those also arrested in Spain were John Cunningham, 58, an armed robber and drug dealer. He was convicted in 1986 for the kidnapping of one of the heirs to the Guinness family fortune, Jennifer Guinness."

Man loses leg in traffic accident | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest Free English Language Newspapers in Spain

Euro Weekly News Man loses leg in traffic accident Costa del Sol News The Largest Free English Language Newspapers in Spain: "39-YEAR-OLD motorcyclist has lost his leg after being run over by a car driven by a drunk driver. The accident occurred on Carretera de Olias in Malaga, when the 24-year-old Romanian driver of a BMW invaded the lane for oncoming traffic where the motorcyclist was riding. He swerved to avoid him and was hit in the left leg by the car, causing serious injuries.
He was rushed to Carlos Haya Hospital in a critical condition and his leg had to be amputated. Local Police identified the driver who was found to be three times over the legal limit. He was taken into custody and spent the night in a cell before being sent before a judge. He has been charged with endangering road safety and causing negligent bodily harm."

Irish Mafia on the Costa del Sol dismantled in operation “Shovel” | SpanishNews.es

:Europol alleges the fallen crime group is linked to more than twenty crimes committed in different countries, including several on the Costa del Sol. The death of D. Patrick, aged 28, an Irish citizen whom police linked to organized crime, was shot dead in an ambush in a neighborhood of Estepona. The February 2008 killing was considered from the outset a settling of accounts between drug gangs.
Other investigations still pending include the death of Peter M., 39, who was shot dead in a pub in Nueva Andalucia, Marbella in August 2008 and the death of Richard K., 30, which was shot in February 2009 as he came out of a bar in Benalmadena.
500 agents participated in the coordinated deployment in Spain, United Kingdom and Ireland."

Jaime Martínez-Bordíu has been linked to a haul of six kilos of the drug

One of Francisco Franco’s grandsons, Jaime Martínez-Bordiú, has been indicted to declare in a court case in the Instruction Court 2 in Requena, Valencia in connection with the police seizure of six kilos of cocaine last December. Two people are already being held in prison in the case, and no precautionary measures have been taken against Martínez-Bordíu.

During the police operation a VISA Oro card in the name of the grandson was found, along with his yacht-owners card.

He’s been in court before on two occasions, one on allegations last April of threatening a driver with a pistol after a road accident, where he was released with charges outstanding, and another on allegations of domestic violence.

Reports: Former Spanish dictator's grandson is suspect in cocaine case - Winnipeg Free Press

Reports: Former Spanish dictator's grandson is suspect in cocaine case - Winnipeg Free Press: "Media reports say a grandson of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco has been called to testify in court as a suspect in a cocaine case.
Forty-seven-year-old Jaime Martinez-Bordiu has been subpoenaed in the eastern city of Requena, press agency Europa Press and newspaper El Mundo said Tuesday.
The case involves 6-kilograms (13.2 pounds) of cocaine seized by police in Requena and which led to the capture of two other suspects. Police also seized a credit card belonging to Martinez-Bordiu as well as his yacht pilot's license, the reports said.
Calls to the court went unanswered Tuesday, and police are not permitted to comment on court cases. Martinez-Bordiu may testify in Madrid, where he lives, the reports said.
Franco ruled Spain in 1939-1975."

Suspected Irish crime boss arrested - UK & Ireland, Breaking News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Suspected Irish crime boss arrested - UK & Ireland, Breaking News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk: "Christy Kinahan, dubbed the 'Irish Godfather', was held with his two sons when dozens of armed police descended on their 6 million euro (£5.2 million) mansion in Malaga, Spain.
The 53-year-old Irish-born British passport holder is alleged to be the kingpin of a global crime conspiracy which traded in drugs, guns and laundered hundreds of millions of euros in dirty cash.
Sources said Kinahan was one of the top targets for international crime-fighting agencies, including the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca), the Security Services, Europol and Irish An Garda Siochana. More than 750 police officers were involved in the raids co-ordinated by police in London, Dublin and Malaga.
The Kinahans were among 20 people, including four Spanish lawyers, held by Spanish National Police during raids at properties on the Costa del Sol"

Massive arrests of British and Irish gangsters on the Costa del Sol | LISTAndalucia

Massive arrests of British and Irish gangsters on the Costa del Sol LISTAndalucia: "Police forces travelled from Madrid this morning to assist the Special Drugs and Organized Crime Unit of the Costa del Sol (UDYCO) to make high-profile arrests of an Irish crime syndicate alledgedly operating from Malaga, London and Dublin.
A total of 32 detentions have been reported so far, the vast majority in the coastal towns of Marbella, Estepona and Fuengirola.
The criminal gang is thought to have been responsible for large-scale drug and weapon trafficking between Spain and Ireland. Most of the detainees are British and Irish, although four Spanish lawyers have also been apprehended in the case.
A 53-year-old British citizen who is believed to be the leader of the group is reported to have been detained in Spain together with many family members.
Spanish interior minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, confirmed from Warsaw that dozens of arrests were under way in a huge operation against organized crime in Europe."

arrested a 40 year old British man last Tuesday.

National Police from Tortosa, Tarragona, arrested a 40 year old British man last Tuesday. The man, named with the initials W.L.U. was detained on a search and capture order issued this month after he jumped bail in the U.K. He is wanted in Leicester in the U.K. in connection with six violent robberies worth 164,000 pounds.
He was taken to the Central Instruction Court in Madrid on Wednesday ahead of his repatriation to Britain.

Five Albanians arrested for robbery in Torrevieja

Five Albanians arrested for robbery in Torrevieja: "Civil Guard has arrested five Albanians in connection with greater than 20 robberies dedicated against warehouses, commercial addresses and occupied homes in the Alicante, Murcía, Almería and Granada areas.
All the arrests in the ‘Operación Sapo’ took place in on a native road near Torrevieja as the group was retuning home after reconnoitring a possible target. The group lived in Alicante across a number urbanisations in Torrevieja and Orihuela."

Hotel Byblos in Mijas Costa

Alan Michael Sugar, was awarded the talasoterapia zone and tennis courts of the hotel at auction for three million €, but the auction of the third lot which contains the actual hotel was later put on hold because of a legal dispute to and from the owners, Aifos, and the Bank of Scotland, who financed their original purchase of the establishment. The hotel was valued at 39.6 million in the Official State Bulletin in July 2008."

Hotel Byblos in Mijas closes its doors

Hotel Byblos in Mijas closes its doors: "Hotel Byblos in Mijas Costa is to close its doors at the end of the month. The five-star, 144 room hotel, where numerous noted personalities from the Rolling Stones to Princess Diana have stayed as guests since it opened in 1986, is owned by the Aifos real estate group which is under bankruptcy protection. The closure sees the loss of 114 jobs and was announced by the Secretary General of the UGT union Federation for Tourism in Málaga, José Antonio Sedano. He explained that the Employment Council of the Junta gave the go-ahead for the closure which will now be ratified by the judge in Mercantile Court 1. The staff will receive a redundancy payment of 20 days pay if they have worked for greater than a year, and this will be paid by the FOGASA wage assure fund."

British woman is being questioned by Spanish police after two of her children were found dead in a holiday resort in Spain.

British woman is being questioned by Spanish police after two of her children were found dead in a holiday resort in Spain.Police said the children, a boy and a girl both under the age of six, were discovered in a hotel room in the coastal town of Lloret de Mar.The British Embassy in Madrid said an inquiry had been launched into the deaths.A Foreign Office spokeswoman said it was investigating the reports.A spokesman said: "We are in contact with the Spanish police but because the children are minors we cannot say much."We believe the mother has been arrested. There is an ongoing investigation."Police were called to the four-star Hotel Miramar, located on the Costa Brava coast 47 miles (75km) north of Barcelona, at about 2pm local time.
A Girona police spokesman said: "At around 3.53pm, the mossos de la comissaria de Blanes (local police) received a note from the local police of Lloret de Mar that the bodies of two minors had been found at a hotel."When the officers arrived at the scene they found two children inside a room at a hotel.
"Girona Police are investigating the death of the two children. The police have detained the mother of the minors to find out what happened."Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that the children's mother phoned police, who were unable to revive them.Embassy staff said they were trying to establish whether the family was on holiday in Spain or living in the country.Lloret de Mar is a popular destination for British holidaymakers.A spokesman for travel association Abta said: "It's very popular with the British. It's a very traditional Spanish resort, similar to Benidorm and Torremolinos."

Upcoming public sector strikes in Spain | SpanishNews.es

Upcoming public sector strikes in Spain SpanishNews.es: "Furious trade unionists are up in arms against the Government decision to reduce civil servant salaries by 5% and to suspend their pensions. The slim expectations of the Spanish Prime Minister of playing down union protests because of Government’s existing hopes to engage dialogue the main leaders of the two unions CCOO and UGT were thrashed last Thursday after the Public Services Federation belonging to the UGT joined forces with the CCOO and declared intentions for a General Strike of all Public sector workers on June 2."

summer season about to start, the beach restaurant owners are still waiting for their position to be made officially legal.

 summer season about to start, the beach restaurant owners are still waiting for their position to be made officially legal.
The control of the coast should have been transferred to the Junta de Andalucía during the first quarter of the year, but still has not taken place. The Junta and the State have to negotiate the financial deal for the transfer of responsibility for the coast, and it seems the Junta has still not established which department will take on the extra reponsibilities.
A study from the Ministry of the Environment forecast that 742 chiringuitos currently on the sand could operate legally, 359 in Málaga, 218 in Cádiz, 70 in Almería, 58 in Huelva and 37 in Granada, and they are all in a legal limbo as a result of the delays.It’s estimated that beach restaurants in the region employ 40,000 and generate 500 million € a year.

Liverpool mafia flew to the Costa del Sol

How Liverpool docks became a hub of Europe's deadly cocaine trade World news The Observer: "Pancake Taylor and their associates, the emerging Mexican connection follows a calamitous Spanish failure. In the aftermath of Colin Smith's murder, the new leaders of the Liverpool mafia flew to the Costa del Sol with the intention of laying down the law and inheriting one of the most lucrative cocaine-smuggling operations in the world. In Marbella, the successors to the Cocaine King were not welcomed.
Attempts to wrest control of Smith's connections in Spain ran up against a wall of silence and disdain. The newcomers were ostracised by the country's well-established nexus of cocaine brokers and middlemen – Colombian, Spanish and Scouse.
Smith's middlemen, it was clear, were not interested. And there was open conflict with a shadowy group of former IRA paramilitaries turned contract-killers called the 'Cleaners', believed to be responsible for more than 20 drug-related assassinations around Merseyside. In a summer-long feud in 2008, several members of the Cleaners were murdered.
One spat with the Irish took place in the Nikki Beach Bar in Marbella when drinkers hurled themselves to the floor at the sound of breaking glass, followed by gunshots. A leaked report to a Spanish judge later claimed the Bird of Prey and Pancake belonged to a 'worldwide organisation that is dedicated mainly to drug trafficking and targeted assassinations.'
It was becoming clear that the Spanish route, gaining access to the influx of South American cocaine that came via west Africa, had been closed off. Or at least it could only be reopened at prohibitive cost."

Gangsters and their Molls

IT’S PARTY TIME…

This year’s big summer party is at Marbella’s finest restaurant  – VILLA TIBERIO on Sunday 23rd May. Visit the restaurant online, by clicking: www.villatiberio.com

The dress code is themed, ‘Gangsters and their Molls’. Men in power suits and outrageous ties and girls dressed as if they have had loads of stolen money thrown at them but have absolutely no taste.  

The evening’s event programme is as follows:

• On arrival, two Gangster Cars will be parked at the main entrance with a wonderful photo opportunity to capture your Gangster look, with the two ‘shoot out cars’ as a back drop. Men will also be ‘frisked’ for weapons by our carefully selected security girls. (Click on the poster)
• From 7pm ‘bubbly’ will be served on the terrace. At 8pm a full ‘Villa Tiberio’ three course meal will be served. If you have never dined at this internationally famous restaurant, your taste buds have never lived!
• During the meal, you will be entertained by two of the coast’s finest vocalists and an exclusive catwalk fashion show  by INTERNATIONALFASHION DESIGNER 
• BARBARA WEBER COUTURE,
•  famous for her beautiful dresses and stunning outfits.
• Two cinema style screens are being erected to promote the many corporate tables already booked. These will be punctuated by clips from some of the great gangster movies including ‘Bonnie and Clyde ’ and ‘The Untouchables’.
• After dinner the UK band ‘Shack Attack’ take centre stage and the dance floor will come to life, lead by over 50 jivers who will later be taking part in a ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ style competition to be judged by representatives from each of the corporate tables.
• Around 11pm the catwalk will be used again as everyone is invited to take part in a best dressed Gangster and his Moll competition.
• Our friends at the charity PAD are still trying to feed and find good homes for over 75 homeless dogs and over 200 cats. To help them there will be a raffle which we hope will raise sufficient funds to keep this worthy cause on track.
• At around midnight Shack Attack will return with dance music for everyone, slowing down with some ‘romantic ballads’ to round off the evening.
• To join us, you will require an invitation. These are 75€ each and include everything listed above (except your raffle ticket). Even the dinner includes a choice of fine wines selected personally by Sandro Morelli himself.

Invitations can be purchased from a number of retail outlets. There are now just are four corporate tables available, for details on both subjects, call:

For more information about BARBARA WEBER click      

Barbara Bonsai Palace April 2010

Murder trial begins for first UAE-UK extradition man - Culture & Society - ArabianBusiness.com

Murder trial begins for first UAE-UK extradition man - Culture & Society - ArabianBusiness.com: "Dubai resident Jeleel Ahmed, 28, was flown back to Britain in August to face murder charges under an extradition treaty signed in 2008, the National reports on Tuesday.

He appeared at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday after pleading not guilty to murder."

All Spanish airports now operating normally today as ash cloud disperses

All Spanish airports now operating normally today as ash cloud disperses: "Málaga was also re-opened after being closed for nearly four hours.

The only airport with problems on Wednesday is Valencia which was closed at 2am Wednesday morning, but which is expected to reopen at 8am.

Jerez, Granada and La Palma remained closed through Tuesday night but have reopened this morning, and Badajoz is also now open again. Fuerteventura was closed for the first time at 1900 CET on Tuesday but is also open again this morning.

Earlier flight restrictions in some parts of Spanish airspace between 20,000 and 35,000 feet, led to delays in operations, and allowing only 25% of normal airspace capacity over Sevilla, Madrid and Barcelona, but all these were lifted at 2000 on Tuesday night. AENA noted that the lifting of this restriction would do a great deal to clear the delays, as flights would be able to operate normally and airlines could return to their normal flight paths.

The Spanish Ministry of Defence had on Monday opened its airspace to commercial traffic to try and ease the situation, and the Ministry for Development created a coordination commission to try and guarantee air services across the country

1,138 flights of the 5,174 total were cancelled in Spain on Tuesday because of the problem."

Man arrested for video recording in women's changing room in Málaga store

Man arrested for video recording in women's changing room in Málaga store: "30 year old man, named with the initials A.J.P.C. has been arrested by the National Police in Málaga and charged with privacy violations, accused of video recording the women’s changing rooms in one of the city’s commercial centres.
The case started when a woman getting changed on the afternoon of the tenth of this month, saw a digital camera slip under the curtain between the changing stalls. She told the store’s security team who chased the suspect to the car park where they finally detained him in his car. The police say the man was making the recordings for his own use and to share them with friends. They are now analysing material taken from the suspect’s home"

Calls to change the name of Málaga Airport

Calls to change the name of Málaga Airport: "Businessmen in the tourism sector of the Western Costa del Sol have agreed that Málaga airport should be re-named. Instead of the current name, ‘Pablo Ruiz Picasso’, they think the airport should be called ‘Costa del Sol’.

The idea came from the Association of Hoteliers on the Costa del Sol, and now the Centre for Tourist Initiatives in Marbella, and the Confederation of Málaga businessmen have joined the call as it has been sent on to the Ministry for Development for consideration.

They argue that the new name would be more representative, and bring more economic benefits to the tourism industry. They note that last year there were 11.6 million passengers at Málaga, making it the main airport in Andalucía and the fourth busiest in Spain.

Meanwhile data from AENA, the Spanish Airports Authority, has shown Andalucian airports saw 5,027,981 passengers over the first four months of the year, down 1.03% compared to last year. At Málaga there were 5.2% fewer passengers, compared to last year for the same time."

Connery to appear in operation Goldfinger

Connery to appear in operation Goldfinger: "SEAN Connery has been called to appear before a judge in Spain over alleged financial irregularities relating to property he once owned on the Costa del Sol.
The Scottish actor, 79, and his wife, the French artist Micheline Roquebrune, 81, have been named as part of a police investigation, called ''Goldfinger'', into a property scandal that has embroiled former members of Marbella's town council.
The James Bond star and his wife bought a beachfront home after their 1975 wedding and spent much of their time there between his film projects playing golf. They are said to have entertained some of the top film and sports stars of the time at the whitewashed villa, including Richard Burton, Michael Caine and Omar Sharif."

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801: "BA CABIN CREW ANNOUNCE SERIES OF FIVE-DAY STRIKES
British Airways cabin crew are to stage a series of five-day strikes in their bitter row over jobs, pay and conditions, threatening travel chaos in the run-up to the summer holidays, it was announced yesterday. Unite said its members at the airline will take 20 days of action following their overwhelming rejection of the company's latest offer aimed at ending their long-running dispute. Cabin crew will walk out on May 18-22 inclusive, May 24-28, May 30-June 3 and June 5-9, which will cover the Spring Bank Holiday and school half-term holidays.
Unite's joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley said: 'Passengers and investors alike will be dismayed that British Airways management rejected an approach by the union over the weekend, after their offer had been comprehensively turned down by their own employees."

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801: "Isaac Marrache was granted bail by the Magistrates Court yesterday but remained in custody last night after the Attorney General gave formal notice that he would appeal to the Supreme Court to reverse the decision. Mr Marrache had been charged with two counts of conspiracy to defraud by police investigating an alleged multi-million pound fraud at collapsed law firm Marrache & Co. Yesterday was his first appearance before Stipendiary Magistrate Charles Pitto, who granted bail on condition that the defendant provide £400,000 in sureties and surrender his travel documents. But no sooner had the magistrate delivered his ruling than Attorney General Ricky Rhoda, QC, indicated that he would appeal before the Supreme Court.
Mr Marrache will now have to remain in custody until the outcome of that appeal, which is unlikely to be heard before Monday afternoon.
Isaac Marrache, a senior partner at Marrache & Co, is the third brother to be arrested and charged in connection with the police investigation into the alleged fraud. One of the charges against him alleges that, between February 2007 and November 2009, he “and others” conspired to defraud a client by moving money from the firm’s Canadian dollar account into accounts under their control."

Authorities in Spain and Morocco closed airports Tuesday, as ash from an Icelandic volcano once again disrupts air travel.

Spain's air traffic control agency (Aena) said Tuesday that four airports in the Canary Islands and three airports in southern Spain have been shut down.Morocco closed several of its airports including Casablanca.
The volcano continued belching ash on Tuesday. Officials say they do not know how long the eruption will continue.Volcanic activity has shut down sections of European airspace on-and-off for more than a month.The Spanish Airports Authority, AENA, closed Málaga and Granada/Jaén aiports in Andalucía at 1730 CET tonight because of the volcanic ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjalla.As the cloud moved east, Sevilla Airport was able to reopen in the afternoon, and at 2115 CET Málaga was also re-opened after being closed for nearly four hours.Jerez and La Palma remain closed although Badajoz is now open again. Fuerteventura was closed for the first time at 1900.Earlier flight restrictions in some parts of Spanish airspace between 20,000 and 35,000 feet, led to delays in operations, and allowing only 25% of normal airspace capacity over Sevilla, Madrid and Barcelona, but all these were lifted at 2000 on Tuesday night. AENA noted that the lifting of this restriction would do a great deal to clear the delays, as flights would be able to operate normally and airlines could return to their normal flight paths.

Spanish airports Authority, the Spanish Spanish airports Authority, closed Málaga and Granada/Jaén aiports in Andalucía at 1730 CET tonight because of the volcanic ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano

Spanish airports Authority, the Spanish Spanish airports Authority, closed Málaga and Granada/Jaén aiports in Andalucía at 1730 CET tonight because of the volcanic ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjalla.

As the cloud moves east, Sevilla Airport has been able to reopen this evening.Jerez and La Palma remain closed although Badajoz is now open again. Fuerteventura was closed for the first time at 1900.Earlier flight restrictions in some parts of Spanish airspace to and from 20,000 and 35,000 feet, led to delays in operations, and allowing only 25% of normal airspace capacity over Sevilla, Madrid and Barcelona, but all these were lifted at 2000 on Tuesday night. the Spanish Spanish airports Authority noted that the lifting of this restriction would do a fantastic deal to lucid the delays, as flights would be able to function normally and airlines could return to their normal flight paths.The Spanish Ministry of Defence had on Monday opened its airspace to commercial traffic to try and ease the situation, and the Ministry for Development created a coordination commission to try and assure air services across the country.686 flights of the greater than 5,000 complete were stopped in Spain on Tuesday upto 1300hrs because of the problem, 171 of them on the Canary Islands.

England football fan convicted for his role in a riot in Portugal during Euro 2004 is to be extradited on Wednesday to serve a two-year sentence.

Former Kent firefighter Garry Mann, 52, will be flown from Heathrow to Lisbon and will then be transferred to an undisclosed prison.

Mann claims he never received a fair trial over the riot in Albufeira.

He said he had been caught up in extradition laws meant for terrorists and warned others would follow him.

Spanish Government now had the intention of accelerating the deficit reduction plans

A brief statement was made by the Prime Minister in the early hours of Saturday at the end of a summit of Eurozone leaders, saying that the Spanish Government now had the intention of accelerating the deficit reduction plans, and that the 3% deficit by 2013 target remained in place. However Zapatero warned that the deficit reduction plans in Spain had to be produced accompanied by economic growth.plans for the cuts to be introduced by the Government next year. He will also explain Spain’s help for Greece as part of the EU/IMF deal and new plans to take action against speculators in the market.The idea is to calm the markets and send a signal that action is being taken to reduce the deficit here. 
‘We cannot put growth in danger by looking for a reduction in the deficit’, he said.
The Government is keen to support the markets this week, after last week saw a 14% fall in the IBEX 35 in Madrid, the largest reduction since the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Europe: European Court of Justice Hears Case That Could Ban Foreigners from Dutch Cannabis Cafes | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

Europe: European Court of Justice Hears Case That Could Ban Foreigners from Dutch Cannabis Cafes Stop the Drug War (DRCNet): "Late last month, the European Court of Justice heard arguments in a case that could open the door to all but Dutch citizens being banned from the country's famous cannabis cafes. The case, Josemans v. Maastricht, pits a Dutch border town coffee shop owner against his municipal government, and behind it, the Dutch government and the governments of Belgium, France, and Germany.
downstairs of a coffee shop, Maastricht (courtesy Wikimedia)The case dates back to 2006, when Maastricht, right on the Belgian border and only a half hour from Germany, passed a municipal ordinance prohibiting foreigners from entering coffee shops. Shortly after that, police found two foreigners in the Easy Going coffee shop owned by Marc Joseman, who is also the leader of a regional association of coffee shop owners. That allowed the city to bring a test case, and the ordinance has not been applied pending the result of the case.
The case pits Dutch drug policy, which tolerates the sale of marijuana through the coffee shops, but in which some now wish to incorporate a limiting of 'drug tourism,' against the European Union's laws governing free trade on the continent. The EU guarantees a free, unified market of goods and services among its members. The question now before the court is whether that should apply to Holland's tolerated-but-not-officially-legal coffee shop industry."

Sean Connery called to appear before Spanish judge - Telegraph

Sean Connery called to appear before Spanish judge - Telegraph: "Scottish actor, 79, and his second wife, French artist Micheline Roquebrune, 81, have been named as part of an investigation into a property scandal that has embroiled former members of Marbella's town council.
The James Bond star and his wife bought a beachfront mansion, Casa Malibu, near Puerto Banus, after their wedding in 1975 and spent much of their time on the Costa del Sol where the pair indulged their love of golf in between his film projects. They are said to have entertained some of the top film and sports stars of the time at the whitewashed villa including Richard Burton, Michael Caine, Omar Sharif and George Best.
The home was sold in 1999 for a reported $9 million (£5.5 million) and a developer later used the site to build a four-storey block containing 72 holiday apartments.
Ricardo Puyol, the Malaga magistrate, has now opened an investigation into the sale of the property amid allegations of tax evasion and money-laundering.
The actor and tax exile, who was knighted in 2000, has been ordered along with his wife to appear before the magistrate at Marbella's Court of Instruction during a hearing scheduled later this month"

More Costa del Sol Property Woes | A Life In Spain: Blog & Forum about living in Spain

More Costa del Sol Property Woes A Life In Spain: Blog & Forum about living in Spain: "Alanda Homes has become the latest casualty of the property crash in Spain.
The company that promotes and sells properties around Marbella has requested to enter a voluntary process of creditors in a Marbella court.
The move comes beacuse the Irish group MnInerney, owners of Alanda Homes, stopped funding the subsidiary as a result of negative prospects of recovery in the Spanish property market.
“The group has taken the decision not to invest more funds in its Spanish subsidiary of Alanda Homes apartment development,” McInerney said in a statement to stock exchanges in London and Dublin, where listed. “Therefore, Alanda Homes has requested the appointment of an administrator through the Spanish courts"

Bounty Hunter, DEA and Spanish Authorities Arrest Darli Velazquez for skipping a $1 million dollar bail bond

Bounty Hunter, DEA and Spanish Authorities Arrest Darli Velazquez for skipping a $1 million dollar bail bond: "When a Cuban drug cartel trafficking suspect skipped out on a $1 million Federal bond, the bail bonds company traced him to Spain by going through his garbage for clues.Just weeks after posting a $1 million bond, Darli Velazquez-Armas skipped bail. On March 10th, 2007 Federal authorities were alerted that something was wrong when Velazquez’s electronic monitoring bracelet sent a no response signal that the defendant had failed to report home. The huge bond was posted in the U.S. Southern District Federal Court in Miami, Florida. The $1,000,000.00 Federal bond was underwritten by a bail bond insurance company."

Three tons of hashish has been recovered from a boat in Benalmádena by the Guardia Civil Fiscal Territory Patrol,

Three tons of hashish has been recovered from a boat in Benalmádena by the Guardia Civil Fiscal Territory Patrol, based in Torremolinos. The find was on Monday when 102 bales of the drug were found in the cabin of a 15 metre yacht which has also been impounded.It happened as a patrol was monitoring the Benalmádena Marina, and noted how the boat was lower in the water than it should be.

Criminals use nurseries to launder cash - Scotsman.com News

Criminals use nurseries to launder cash - Scotsman.com News: "CRIME gangs are muscling in on children's nurseries as a money-laundering front for their illegal activities, police chiefs have warned.

Detectives are investigating up to a dozen nurseries in the west of Scotland believed to be linked with gangsters, Scotland on Sunday has learned.

Sources said they believed the businesses were laundering funds from drugs and extortion rackets by creating 'ghost children', youngsters shown on their books to be in their care but who do not exist and whose fictitious parents pay in cash."

Deborah Kerr Personal Collection » Articles Family Life Translation » Deborah, Peter and her daughter at Costa del Sol

Deborah Kerr Personal Collection » Articles Family Life Translation » Deborah, Peter and her daughter at Costa del Sol: "“Deborah Kerr is in Costa del Sol” – This piece of news came to this journalist through the American director Jean Negulesco – “She is at her home, and there is no phone and there is no road to take you there”. And it was true.
Deborah Kerr was in Marbella with her husband Peter and her daughter Francesca. But her home being on a hill and having a golf course as some sort of garden, was unreachable by any other mean than a long walk. There are no roads and no pathways. Deborah leaves her car parked one kilometer away and from there she hops into a vehicle capable of going through the fields. It was quite difficult to reach her, more so because the actress had expressed her desire of tranquility. However, this journalist persevered: “The whole country has just watched one of your latest successes…” Something Deborah found quite funny cause he was referring to the recent exhibit of “God Only Knows, Mr. Allison” on television, and the film is from 1957.”Ok,” – she replied – “we can talk tomorrow”."

Drugs is certainly a problem in Saudi Arabia and every day you hear about the government killing someone for smuggling drugs

Mecca province, home to the holiest site in Islam, has the highest rate of drug-related crime in Saudi Arabia, a university study has found. The national study, carried out by Dr. Ashraf Shilbi of the National Center for Youth Research at King Saud University in the capital Riyadh, calculated that the number of drug-related legal cases in Mecca province has steadily risen by around 1,000 each year. In 2009 it peaked at 9,000 cases.
“Drugs is certainly a problem in Saudi Arabia and every day you hear about the government killing someone for smuggling drugs,” Wajiha Al-Huwaidar, a former teacher, told The Media Line. “I would think that the problem is more pronounced in Mecca because it’s very crowded and very easy to get a visa to come to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah, so many people can come as drug dealers under the guise of a pilgrim.”
The study, first reported by the Al-Madinah daily, found the Saudi capital Riyadh to be second in the number of drug-related cases, followed by the provinces of Jazan, the Eastern Province, Asir, Madinah, Tabuk, Al-Qassim and Al-Jouf.