If you've never been tempted to try a calimocho might a new fortified wine designed as a mixer encourage you

 

Spodee fortified wine is designed to be a mixer.

In Argentina it's known as "Jesus juice", in South Africa it's calledkatemba, in Croatia bambus and in Chile it's known as jote (black vulture). But most fans of red wine mixed with cola – typically young people who want to make a rough red wine more palatable – know it by its Spanish name calimocho, because Spain is where this cheap and cheerful "wine cocktail" is believed to have originated.

Soon it could be known by a different name again, and to a much wider audience via the launch of a new 36% proof (18% ABV) fortified red wine that's been made to be mixed like a spirit. The advertising brain behind it, Steven Grasse, who masterminded the launch of Hendrick's Gin and Sailor Jerry Rum, believes that Spodee, which contains high proof moonshine, will bring a bit of excitement to the "staid" wine category and that it mixes well with pretty much everything. "From simple highballs like Spodee and Coke and Spodee and orange juice, or even Spodee and tonic," he says.

Not that he'd exactly planned things this way. The inspiration for Spodee is Depression-era hooch, which was made from cheap country wine flavoured with whatever was close to hand – garden herbs, fruits, berries - and pepped up with moonshine. It was typically made in dustbins or bathtubs and served at parties (thankfully the modern version comes in a retro style milk bottle sealed with a cork). "Spodee is something I discovered while doing historical research for a new spirit I was pursuing," says Grasse. "I became intrigued because I thought I knew everything there was to know about Depression Era beverages. So I mixed up a batch and holy shit! So I did what I tend to do naturally, I started mixing with it like I do with spirits. What a magnificent surprise. I've created a wine that mixes like a spirit."

But what does the famously conservative wine world make of all this? Somewhat surprisingly it's warmly welcomed the move. With volume sales of wine down 27 million bottles in the off trade (according to trade magazine The Grocer) producers are increasingly turning to winecocktails to help revive the market.

Jacob's Creek recently created a range of tennis-themed wine cocktail recipes to tie in with Wimbledon and in May Accolade Wines launched a Sparkling Collection, featuring Hardys Strawberry & White Peach Bellinis and Banrock Infusions, which includes a Sauvignon Blanc infused with peach and mango. Both companies say that they are currently exploring further opportunities to cash in on the growing trend for still wine cocktails.

Rob Cameron, founder of New Zealand winery Invivo Wines, isn't surprised by the explosion of interest in this area. "Mixing red wine with Coke is not a new thing at all," says Cameron. "In Asia it's been the norm for many years and one could strongly argue that it is good for the global wine market as a sort of 'introduction to wine' for new consumers. Innovation in any industry is always good, even in the often old fashioned wine business, so while I won't be queuing up at my local on Friday for a wine / Coke blend, I would be happy to try it and see what it's like."

He does not, however, think that this type of product will have any effect on discerning wine drinkers who "love wine for all its intrinsic qualities and are not looking to enhance with mixers". He adds that wine cocktails drift in and out of fashion as people's tastes change, citing the example of Sangria, which appears to have fallen from favour in recent years. There's also the spirits market to factor in: some drinkers will always prefer their cola or orange juice with vodka.

If you do decide to order yourself a calimocho proceed with caution. I once found myself in a tapas bar in Granada drinking a bottle of the best local red, when the bartender spied my partner – a Calimocho advocate – surreptitiously pouring Coca-Cola into her wine glass. He stormed down the bar to snatch the bottle away. "This you mix" he screamed furiously, pointing at the cheap barrel of house wine behind the bar, "this you don't" he wagged his finger pointing at the bottle of local plonk.

BMW to sell luxury cars for less online

The BMW i3 concept car at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January. (John T. Greilick / Detroit News)

BMW will sell cars over the Web for the first time as the world's largest maker of luxury vehicles seeks an inexpensive way to reach more buyers to recoup spending on its electric models.

A direct online sales platform for BMW's new I sub-brand will be unique in an industry where, outside of small-scale experiments, competitors leave Internet orders for cars to dealers. BMW's range of strategies for the models, including a roaming sales force backing a limited showroom network, reflects the challenge carmakers face as low-emission vehicles trickle into dealerships to sluggish demand after years of development.

"There is considerable risk in BMW's approach of promoting the I brand so prominently," said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Science in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. "There is the image risk, if they don't succeed as quickly as expected, and then there's the main risk of costs, which can only be countered with high deliveries."

BMW opened the I models' first showroom Tuesday in London, although only prototype cars and informational materials will be displayed at first because the vehicles themselves won't go on sale before next year. BMW is spending about $3 billion developing the i3 battery-powered city car and i8 plug-in hybrid supercar, according to an estimate by Frost & Sullivan. Industry sales of electric cars last year, at 43,000 vehicles, were only 57 percent of the 75,000 deliveries predicted by Sarwant Singh, a London-based automotive partner at the consulting company.

Starting prices posted

The four-seat i3, scheduled to reach the market in late 2013, will be priced at about 40,000 euros ($48,500), Bratzel estimated. That compares with a 23,850-euro starting price ($29,388) in Germany for the 1-Series, the cheapest BMW-brand car. The i8, targeted for sale in 2014, will cost more than 100,000 euros ($123,221), according to Ian Robertson, BMW's sales chief.

Details of how I-model buyers, the website and dealerships will interact are "still in the planning process" and will be communicated later, Linda Croissant, a spokeswoman at Munich- based BMW, said last week. Sales will be focused on the world's major urban areas, she said.

The online sales option is aimed at a generation of drivers used to making daily purchases over the Internet, and will be an extension of the car configuration that most automakers offer customers to view models with desired options such as interior colors, seat materials and roof styles.

Test drives not an option

The Internet platform may take a while to catch on because "many customers will still want to go somewhere to look at and drive the vehicle before buying," said Ian Fletcher, an auto analyst in London at research company IHS Global Insight.

"With new technologies, there may be even greater skepticism about buying a car over the Internet, as in many cases you'll have to win the confidence of customers that it works and there is support for them," Fletcher said in an email.

The setup may help BMW reduce expenses: Internet sales require less than half the cost of distributing through a dealership, according to Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer of the Center Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. That allows online car prices to be 5 percent to 7 percent less than showroom tags.

Still, BMW sees standard dealerships as "the backbone of what we are doing in the interface with the customer" for the I models, Robertson said in June at a press presentation at the sub-brand's Park Lane showroom in London.

Dealer selection criteria

Outlets will be restricted to dealers with high BMW-brand sales volume who have floor space as well as capacity to work with I models' powering technology and carbon-fiber body material, Robertson said. The carmaker has chosen 45 of its approximately 200 dealers in Germany to sell the i3 and i8, a ratio that will probably be similar elsewhere, he said.

Dealers will be designated as agents for the I models, which provides an "advantage" by keeping the vehicles on the carmaker's books, the association of BMW distributors in Germany said in an email.

Electric vehicles' disadvantages versus conventional cars include costly battery packs, limited ranges and the time needed to recharge. Consumer reception to models like the Nissan Motor Co.'s Leaf and General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt has been tepid.

"Currently available electric cars have a limited market success because they are a big compromise," said Arndt Ellinghorst, a London-based analyst at Credit Suisse AG. "Customers are not willing to compromise and spend a lot of money."

Carbon fiber bodies lighter

BMW Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer started Project I at the end of 2007 as tighter emissions regulations threatened the viability of sporty sedans. BMW chose to create all-new vehicles that use expensive carbon fiber for a lighter body to make up for the weight of the battery system.

The approach contrasts with a decision by Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz Cars division to convert existing models, such as the van-like B-Class or two-seat Smart, to electric power.

To make its electric vehicles more attractive, Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler's Smart brand offers to lease the battery separately from the car. The automaker has a target of selling more than 10,000 of the models next year, with a starting price of 18,910 euros plus monthly battery rental at 65 euros.

The I models' new technology poses risks for BMW, "but they have no choice if they want to keep their premium and image as an innovation leader," Ellinghorst said.

The i3 and i8 will probably be among BMW's lowest-selling models through 2024, alongside the existing Z4 roadster, according to IHS estimates. In 2014, the first full year of production, BMW will probably deliver 31,380 i3s, compared with 564,760 of the best-selling 3-Series model and 18,101 Z4s, a study by the research company shows.

BMW's stance is that the models should produce earnings from the start, sales chief Robertson said.

"We clearly, as a company, go into any product launch with the view of making profit, which is no different with the I brand," Robertson said. "This is a car line just as every other car line, and we intend to make profit from Day 1."

The Coronation Street actress is enjoying her hen do in Marbella and gamely entered into the party spirit by dressing up in style for dinner with her pals.

Bunny ears, veil, sash, garter and a necklace made of shot glasses were all part of the ensemble as Kym and her friends started the night off with dinner.

Coronation Street star Kym Marsh ensured she stood out as the bride to be on her hen do in Marbella with bunny ears, a veil, garter and sash

No doubt they'll be needing to line their stomachs if they're planning to fill up those shot glasses as the night goes on.

Kym's close friend, former Emmerdale star Sheree Murphy tweeted the pictures, addressing one to Kim's fiance Jamie Lomas with the words 'Look at your lovely wife to be @jamielomas1.'

Sheree sent the second picture, which shows Kym wearing an L plate on her back, to the actress herself, writing 'Beautiful bride to be.... @msm4rsh.'

Corrie reunion: Kym was thrilled to see her former co-star Beverley Callard at dinner

The Coronation Street co-stars were thrilled to see each other at the Marbella restaurant where Beverley organised a fun night for Kym

 

Beverley looked near tears as she greeted Kym, who was sported a hairpiece for her big night

The group of hens were dining at a restaurant organised by Kym's Coronation Street co-star Beverly Callard, who has lived on and off in Spain.

Kym looked thrilled to see Beverley - who played her boss Liz McDonald in the soap - as she arrived at the restaurant.

Kym's soon to be sister-in-law Charley Webb and her former Emmerdale co-star Sheree Murphy also joined in the fun

Also in attendance was Jamie's actress sister Charley Webb, who plays Debbie Dingle in Emmerdale.

Earlier the group kicked off their partying by enjoying a few drinks and some dancing on the beach.

Beverley had pride of place beside Kym as the pair caught up at Kym's hen party in Marbella

 

Fun loving Kym made her way around the table chatting to everyone as she enjoyed her last holiday as a single woman before she marries fiance Jamie Lomas

Research shows that the cost of living is cheaper in Spain

The research highlighting the cheaper cost of living is set to attract both families and property investors. The lower cost of living in Spain is set to attract more overseas investors with the price of basic household items being significantly lower in Spain than in the UK. Data from the Post Office Family Holiday Report 2012 states that the Costa del Sol is one of the more cost-effective places to visit with a family with the price of holiday essentials and the weekly food shop being lower than that in the UK. The report took into consideration how much it costs to embark on a self-catering holiday in a number of European destinations. The Costa del Sol proved to be the cheapest option for items such as ice-cream and for dining out. C’an Picafort in Mallorca was said to offer the best value for a weekly shop, closely followed by the Costa Blanca and Menorca. Research suggests that a typical family shop in C’an Picafort would cost the equivalent of almost £58 whereas the same shop in Brighton would cost more than £89. Whilst this is set to encourage tourism to the struggling country, it is also set to draw more British property investors who may be enticed by the economical living costs. Investors purchasing property in such Spanish locations as the Costa del Sol could benefit from renting their investment property out to holidaymakers who will also benefit from the cheap self-catering option on offer in Spain at the moment. On the other hand the cost of living in Limassol, Cyprus and in the Greek island of Corfu were among the most expensive whilst the Algarve in Portugal was a cost-effective location with the cost of living being similar to that in Spain.

Gangs of highway robbers are targeting British tourists on holiday in Spain.

Hundreds of visitors in British-registered vehicles or hire cars have had their possessions, passports and money taken in ‘quick and slick’ distraction muggings.

The thieves typically trick their victims with loud noises, apparent accidents, supposed vehicle problems or pleas for help – before stealing bags and belongings from their vehicles. 

Thieves: Hundreds of visitors in British-registered vehicles or hire cars have had their possessions, passports and money taken in 'quick and slick' distraction muggings

As millions of families begin their summer breaks, the Foreign Office has warned British-registered cars are ‘an easy target’ for motorway thieves. 

The number of British tourists ambushed on Spanish roads has soared as the euro crisis has deepened, with the British Embassy in Madrid reporting a 10 per cent rise in the first quarter of this year.

 This is likely to increase further as the peak holiday season begins. 

A spokesman for the embassy said:  ‘Motorists may be driving along the motorway and not notice there’s a car close up behind. 

‘Someone in the other car throws a stone at their vehicle which creates a loud bang. The British drivers pull over to see what has happened and the gang is behind them. 

‘They cause a distraction to steal from them or simply mug them. It’s a growing problem.’

Warning: As millions of families begin their summer breaks, the Foreign Office has warned British-registered cars are ¿an easy target¿ for motorway thieves

A hotspot for the gangs is the AP7 motorway between the French border and the Alicante region in southern Spain. 

More than 140 cases of theft on this route were reported to British Consulates last year. 

However, a spokesman said there were likely to be ‘hundreds more’ attacks going unreported across Spain because victims usually contact a British consulate only if they have lost their passport. 

Dave Thomas, consular regional director for Spain, said: ‘Be on your guard against anyone who attempts to stop you or ask you for help.

‘They may well be part of a  gang operating a scam in which an unseen accomplice will rob you of your things.’ 

Stephen and Helen Robinson, from Desford, Leicestershire, had their bags stolen from their Audi Q5 as they stopped to walk their labrador retriever Polly at a service station between Barcelona and Valencia. 

The couple, who are in their 50s, were standing at the boot of their car when a man on a mobile phone asked them how to say something in English. 

While he distracted them, their belongings were taken from the front of the car, despite Polly being inside. 

Mrs Robinson said: ‘It was quick and slick. You may be more tired and therefore more vulnerable when you’ve been travelling, so separate your valuables into different places in the car, and when you stop be aware you may be being watched. You won’t see the accomplice of the person who is distracting you.’ 

In a separate incident, Joy and Alan Horton, from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, were driving a Ford Focus hatchback through Spain when they heard a loud bang and pulled over.

A car that had been travelling close behind them also stopped, and while the driver talked to them, his accomplice stole their possessions without them noticing.

Mr Horton said: ‘If you think your car may have been in a collision and you pull over, lock the car as soon as you get out and mount a guard on both sides of the vehicle. Keep all bags and valuables in a locked boot.’ 

Professor Stephen Glaister, of the RAC Foundation, said: ‘Drivers need to remember to stay alert and be ready for unwelcome surprises just as they would be at home.’

Santander profit hit by bad Spanish property loans

Profits at Spanish banking giant Santander have halved after it made more write-downs against unrecoverable loans secured against property. The bank, which is the eurozone's biggest, said first-half profits halved to 1.7bn euros ($2.6bn; £1.3bn) in the six months to the end of June. Write-offs for Spanish property loans were 2.8bn euros. It has written off 6bn euros of the 8.8bn euros that it has been told to write off this year. Profits in the UK rose by 41% to £466m. The company said the rise profits at the UK's arm came after 2011's first half results were dented by provisions for payment protection insurance mis-selling claims. Santander has a 13% share of the UK's mortgage market, and rates 80% of the loans as "prime", saying it has no self-certified mortgages. Property crash Santander's home market is one of the worst-hit in Europe, with a rising number of homeowners and businesses defaulting on debts. The impact of the property crash, which started in 2008, has forced Spain to ask for 100bn euros in help for its banks. In an attempt to clean up the banks' balance sheets the Spanish government has introduced reforms that require them to realise losses from the falling property market. Santander says the 6bn euros it has written off so far means it has already achieved 70% of the necessary adjustment. Its chairman, Emilio Botin, said in a statement: "The provisions we are making will allow us to put real estate write-offs in Spain behind us by the end of this year." The bank is reducing its dependence on the weak home market and made 27% of its profits from fast-growing emerging market Brazil.

The biggest fines in British maritime history were handed down to a group of Spanish fishermen on Thursday, for illegal fishing in UK waters.

 Photograph: Robert Ghement/EPA

Some of the biggest fines in British maritime history were handed down to a group of Spanish fishermen on Thursday, for illegal fishing in UK waters.

Two companies owned by the Vidal family were fined £1.62m in total in a Truro court, after a two-day hearing, in which details emerged of falsified log books, failing to register the transfer of fish between vessels, false readings given for weighing fish at sea, and fiddling of fishing quotas.

Judge Graham Cottle said the family were guilty of "wholesale falsification of official documentation" that amounted to a "systematic, repeated and cynical abuse of the EU fishing quota system over a period of 18 months".

He said: "[This was a] flagrant, repeated and long term abuse of regulations. The fish targeted [hake] was at that time a species of fish on the verge if collapse and adherence to quotas was seen as crucial to the survival of the species."

The Spanish fishing vessels had been sailing under UK flags and were landing fish based on quotas given to British fishermen under the EU's common fisheries policy. Two vessels were involved, but the companies own several other large vessels, capable of industrial-scale fishing.

The offending fishermen, who admitted their guilt earlier this year, were not in court to hear him, having been given leave to return to Spain last night. The offences, dating from 2009 and 2010, relate to two companies, Hijos De Vidal Bandin SA and Sealskill Limited, both owned by the Vidal family. They were fined £925,000 on a confiscation order, plus £195,000 in costs, and an additional fine of £250,000 levied on each of the two companies. Two skippers who were acting under the family's instructions were fined £5,000 each.

Ariana Densham, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace, who was present for the trial and judgement, said that the fines, while welcome, did not go far enough. "This group of people should never be allowed near UK fishing quota again," she said. "The Vidal's right to fish should be removed completely."

She said the offences showed the vulnerability of the EU's fishing quota system to fraud. "The system that allowed this to happen needs to be fixed," she said. "This case is not a one off. It's a symptom of Europe's farcical fishing rules. The Vidals were permitted to fish under UK flags, using UK quota, and receive huge EU subsidies, with none of the proceeds ever feeding back into the UK economy. The system is skewed in favour of rich, powerful, industrial-scale fishing companies, when really it should be supporting low-impact, sustainable fishermen."

There are currently moves under way in Brussels by the fisheries commissioner, Maria Damanaki, to reform the EU's common fisheries policy. The proposed reforms – which include the ending of the wasteful practice of discarding healthy and edible fish at sea – have met stiff opposition, particularly from the French and Spanish fishing industries. Spain has the biggest fishing fleet in Europe and receives the lion's share of the subsidies available for fishing within the EU. A historic agreement was reached among member states last month on the proposals, but they must now pass the European parliament, which is expected to consider the proposals later this year.

Paper Passion, a scent from Geza Schoen for Wallpaper magazine, makes its wearers smell like freshly printed books

Paper Passion, a scent from Geza Schoen for Wallpaper* magazine, makes its wearers smell like freshly printed books. I suppose it can be alternated with "In the Library," a perfume that smells like old books.

Paper Passion fragrance by Geza Schoen, Gerhard Steidl, and Wallpaper* magazine, with packaging by Karl Lagerfeld and Steidl.

“The smell of a freshly printed book is the best smell in the world.” Karl Lagerfeld. 

It comes packaged with inside a hollow carved out of a book with "texts" by "Karl Lagerfeld, Günter Grass, Geza Schoen and Tony Chambers."

Authorities in Ireland have arrested and charged Sean FitzPatrick, the former chairman of Anglo Irish Bank Corp.

 most senior executive to face serious charges in a long investigation into Ireland's most notorious lender that helped push the country into its huge debt crisis.

A Dublin court heard that Mr. FitzPatrick was arrested early Tuesday at Dublin airport after his return on an inward flight from overseas. He is indicted with helping the bank provide funds to individuals to help purchase shares in the bank. He is expected to be released on bail ahead of the next court hearing in early October.

Enlarge Image

Associated Press

A Dec. 10, 2011 file photograph of former chairman of Anglo-Irish Bank Sean FitzPatrick.

A spokesman for the law firm representing Mr. FitzPatrick, who was chief executive and then chairman of the bank, said it had no comment to make.

The charges come after a joint investigation between Ireland's Director of Corporate Enforcement and Irish fraud police, officially started about three years ago, into a bank that has cost Irish taxpayers at least €30 billion ($36.3 billion) after the country's property market crashed from 2008.

Along with other lenders, the now nationalized Anglo Irish lent huge amounts to small groups of property lenders during the country's boom years. The monumental bill facing Ireland for rescuing its banking system amounted to about €64 billion, equivalent to 40% of the country's annual economic output.

That left Irish taxpayers facing one of the world's most expensive bank-rescues. Ireland was eventually forced to strike a €67.5 billion bailout deal with the European Union and International Monetary Fund in late 2010.

A Dublin court on Monday heard indictments against William McAteer, a former finance director at Anglo Irish, and Pat Whelan, a former managing director of the bank in Ireland, that they unlawfully permitted funds to be given to named individuals to help buy shares in the bank as the lender's stock hurtled toward collapse in July 2008.

The solicitor for Mr. McAteer and Mr. Whelan have thus far made no comment on the case when contacted. Under the Irish court system the accused don't have to enter pleas at this early stage in the process.

Mr. FitzPatrick was first arrested and rereleased without charge about two years ago.

A senior judge and lawmakers have in the past criticized the time it has taken to complete investigations of Anglo Irish, which was last year merged with Irish Nationwide Building Society, and jointly renamed the Irish Bank Resolution Corp.

3 dead, 24 injured in raging northeast Spain wildfires; road, rail traffic disrupted

(Josep Ribas/ Associated Press ) - The flame burns the forest on the mountains in La Jonquera, Spain, near the border with France, Sunday night, July 22, 2012. The regional officials said wildfires burned almost 7,000 hectares (17.297 acres) of forest.

MADRID — Two wildfires fanned by strong winds killed three people, injured 24 others and severely disrupted transportation in Spain’s northeast region of Catalonia on Sunday, officials said.

Train services in Alto Ampurdan were suspended and several cross-border roads linking Barcelona with France were closed because of the advancing flames, regional government spokesman Felip Puig said.One person died of a heart attack while dousing flames around his home in Llers and two people fell to their deaths when they jumped into the sea as they tried to escape fires that had engulfed cars on a road near Portbou, the regional fire department said.

The fire service said in a statement that more than 80 teams had been deployed to combat the wildfires, which appear to have started close to the border with France.

“The situation on the roads of the area is very complicated,” the statement said, adding that the main highway linking Spain with France through La Jonquera had been closed.

The statement said about 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) had been consumed by the fires. Residents of the area were told to stay indoors until conditions improve.

State broadcaster TVE said several cars had been forced to stop on the highway to avoid driving into sections that were being swept by flames and efforts were being made to reach the occupants.

Santiago Villa, mayor of Figueres, which houses the famous Salvador Dali museum, said he had ordered the city’s 44,000 residents to stay indoors until further notice.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that it had sent three specially equipped aircraft and an emergency unit from Zaragoza to aid Catalan firefighters.

State broadcaster TVE said in a late news bulletin that high winds were making it difficult for firefighting aircraft to function to their full potential.

Eight of the injured were in serious condition, TVE said.

Spain’s rail company Renfe said in a statement that international high speed trains linking Catalonia with France using the Portbou and Pertus tunnels through the Pyrenees mountains had been cancelled due to the firest.

A north wind called the Tramontana is a regular feature of life in mountainous northeastern Spain and its strong gusts, which can often exceed 100 mph (160 kph), can spread fires rapidly across the heavily forested area.

Banks sells 138 properties in a week on the Costa del Sol

Discounts of 78% of the original prices were offeredOne of the flats in Manilva Here is a rare story about recovery in Real Estate. 138 flats have been sold in a week, some of them at a discount of 78% on their original selling price. The real estate company, Magnum & Partners has sold the complete promotion of 138 properties in the Urbanización Punta Paloma in Manilva. One bedroom flats went for 56,000 €, Two bedroom for 76,000, and three for 93,500 and four for 123,500. That is equivalent to 680 € per square metre, when prices higher up in the Costa del Sol are no lower than 1,700 €/m2. The development had been built by the Noriega company, which belonged to the Sánchez Ramadé family from Córdoba, and which was declared bankruptcy in 2010. The properties were then owned by the Banco Sabadell which paid 1€ to the Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo, CAM. Banco Sabadell has integrated its real estate offer with the CAM, and has accumulated nothing less than 25,000 real estate assets across the country.

It will cost two million € to connect the electricity, and nobody wants to pay.The empty Guadalhorce Hosptial in Cártama

The Guadalhorce Hospital has been completed in Cártama on the Costa del Sol, but it has been empty for several months with no opening date planned.

To continue installing the equipment in the hospital it has to be accepted as meeting requirement, and to show that hospital is as planned, but for that to take place it must be connected to the electricity supply.

The problem is that will cost two million €, although the originally quoted price was 300,000 €, to install the electrical connection required. Endesa say the problem is that to supply the hospital an electrical substation at Villafranca del Guadalhorce will have to be expanded.

Cártama Town Hall has said they cannot meet the extra cost, which has put the budget up five fold. Mayor Jorge Gallardo says he thinks the electricity company is ‘making the most of the circumstances’. 

However the Junta say they think the 2 million bill should be met by the Town Hall. They say the electricity contract was undertaken by Cártama Town Hall.

The Guadalhorce Hospital has been built thanks to an agreement between the Málaga Diputación, the Junta de Andalucía and the Cártama Town Hall, to give the district its long-wanted hospital. Many foreigners live in the inland area and have complained about the time to get to a hospital in Málaga.

Spain wildfires: Three killed

 

Officials say the flames have been fanned by strong winds

Forest fires raging in Spain's north-eastern Catalonia region have left three people dead, officials say.

Two French nationals drowned in the sea close to the border with France while trying to escape the flames, Catalonia's interior minister said.

Strong winds gusting up to 90km/h (55mph) have rendered one fire "out of control", he said.

All residents of the county of Alt Emporda - about 135,000 people - have been ordered to stay indoors.

The area is a main link for holidaymakers travelling to and from southern France. Traffic on the cross-border AP-7 motorway was reported to have been severely disrupted on Sunday.

Cardiac arrest

The two French victims were among several people who were trapped by fire as they travelled along the N-260 main coastal road near the town of Portbou and tried to reach the sea by climbing down cliffs, according to Catalan Interior Minister Felip Puig.

The victims were a 60-year-old man and his 15-year-old daughter, Spanish media reported.

A 75-year-old man died after suffering a cardiac arrest in Llers, north-west of the area's main town, Figueres.

At least another 19 people have been wounded, including a French national who suffered burns on 80% of his body when he was caught in his car by the flames.

The fire near Portbou has been brought under control, according to media reports, while a much larger blaze further inland, around the border town of La Jonquera, was still spreading late on Sunday, Felip Puig said.

The fire, travelling at about 5-6km/h, came within 10km of Figueres, Mr Puig said.

A total of about 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) of forest are estimated to have been devastated in the area, according to the authorities.

Spain Scraps Siesta as Stores Stay Open to Spur Spending

The Spanish shopping siesta may be about to become the latest victim of the sovereign debt crisis. To stimulate spending after a 23 percent drop in retail sales since 2007, the euro region’s fourth-largest economy this month approved measures that allow shops of more than 300 square meters (3,229 square feet) to open for 25 percent longer a week. The new rules may encourage the outlets to sell during the traditional afternoon snooze from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and on an additional two Sundays or holidays a year for a total of 10. “When everything was fine, nobody complained, but now that things have gone awry, then it’s another story,” said Carmen Cardeno, director general for domestic commerce at the nation’s economy ministry, which created the rules. “We need to evolve and be more flexible.” Spain is following its European neighbors in trying to liberalize shopping hours that have traditionally been checked by governments in the region to protect religious observances, for rest and on behalf of smaller retailers that have fewer resources to staff shops around the clock. England has allowed retailers to open for longer on Sundays during the Olympics than the six hours usually allowed. In France, food shops can be open 13 hours a day and stores located in tourist areas have the right to open on Sundays. Spanish shops are allowed to open for less time than anywhere else in Europe, according to its government, which was asked by retail associations to allow large stores to open 16 Sundays or holidays a year. Some smaller merchants opposed the extension, arguing that the bigger stores would have the necessary manpower and they wouldn’t. The new measures allow stores 18 additional business hours a week and will permit merchants to decide when to cut prices in sales instead of only twice a year. Siesta Time The country’s regions will get to decide how to implement the rules, though they usually follow the lead of the central government. In Madrid, which is an exception, stores have been able to open for as long as they want since July 15. Outlets of less than 300 square meters also have no restrictions on opening hours, though the Spanish tradition of eating at home and having a siesta means most shopkeepers keep their businesses closed for about two hours in the middle of the day. The new measures may not be enough to offset shrinking demand in Spain’s 217 billion-euro ($264 billion) retail industry, which is worsening each year the crisis goes on in a nation where one in four people is out of work. The number of companies seeking bankruptcy protection rose 22 percent from a year earlier to 2,224 in the first quarter, according to the nation’s statistics institute, with commerce being the third- largest contributor behind construction and housing firms and industrial and energy companies. ‘Almost Insignificant’ Javier Millan-Astray, director general of retail association ANGED, said the approved loosening of restrictions on opening hours doesn’t go far enough. “The government’s reform is almost insignificant,” Millan-Astray told reporters in Madrid, when retail groups pushed for 16 Sunday openings. The associations’ “new proposal would help boost consumption and create more jobs because when we open on a holiday, people come and shop. It’s unbelievable that amid this crisis, we have to keep our stores closed.” Spain has been wrestling with the dilemma of preserving its culture and modernizing the industry for decades. The socialist government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in 2004 rolled back liberalization of opening hours instituted by his predecessor, bringing them back to rules from the 1990s and leaving the country with the tightest regulations of any European country. Job Creation Even with the latest proposals, “retail regulation is hurting both business and customers in Spain,” said Fernando Fernandez, a professor at the IE Business School in Madrid. “Both big and small retailers would benefit from fewer restrictions. When big retailers such as Ikea or Zara open a store, all small shops in that area benefit from that.” Ending the restrictions completely would create 337,581 jobs across all industries and add 17.2 billion euros to economic growth this year, according to a study commissioned by the government, which examined the implications of several scenarios. The nearest of those to the current proposals, under which stores open on 16 Sundays or holidays, could have added 47,945 full-time retail jobs, the study found. About 1.8 million people worked in retail in the first quarter, 0.3 percent less than in the year-earlier period. Stores are also bracing for change as the government looks to the retail industry to help boost tax revenue. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will increase the most common rate of sales tax to 21 percent from 18 percent on Sept. 1, putting an additional brake on consumers’ ability to spend. previous

Exclusive pop-up restaurant “The Cube” opens up in London

A new pop-up restaurant “The Cube” has now opened atop the Royal Festival Hall in London.  This exclusive and cool  restaurant is a creation of the company Elexctrolux in celebration of their kitchenware products.  The restaurant has just finished touring Berlin and Milan and is now scheduled to be in London until the 30^th of September 2012.

The Cube was designed by Italian architects Park Associati.  It is made entirely from glass giving guests maximum visibly of the views across the Thames, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.  The interiors are minimalistic with a simplistic layout and contrasting colours between the white dining fittings, and the dark wood flooring.

Guests can watch as their meals are prepared in an open-concept kitchen manned by six renowned chefs including Tim Kitichin, Sat Bains, Claude Bosi, Daniel Clifford and Jonray and Peter Sanchez. Each chef has designed an exclusive menu which will be kept as a fully guarded secret until guests arrive.  With an intimate setting which seats up to 18 people, you can be sure that the experience will feel personal and exclusive.

Open daily, lunch will be offered at 12:00 for £175 and dinners will be offered at £19:00 for £215.

Chopard Jewelled Sunglasses, Luxury Summer Accessory For 2012

Known for their long history of excellence and trend setting creativity, Chopard draw upon a vast knowledge of more than 45 different crafts to create expertly made, luxury products. Their quest for excellence is always reached, combining traditional quality with modern innovation.

Using their fine expertise as jewellery makers, Chopard has created a glimmering new pair of sunglasses this year, catching the eye of the public not only for their array of diamonds but also for their glamorous price tag.

Featuring four carats of full cut river diamonds, fifty-one sparkling diamonds along the temples, and arms made of the finest twenty-four carat gold, this is a luxurious Summer purchase to get noticed in 2012!

These breathtaking shades also feature a row of diamonds along the front of the glasses, sat on top of the bridge. These show stoppers were presented at Dubai’s Paris Gallery on May 14th 2012 and are speculated to cost a jaw dropping £256,065 however it is argued they could be worth even more!

These sunglasses ooze glamour with glistening gold arms and the famous Chopard ‘C’ adorning the temple as a sign of true luxury and fine craftsmanship. If you are wondering how a pair of sunglasses could be made to sparkle this much, a special setting is used in the manufacture of the glasses so ensure the diamonds sparkle even more so than usual!

Bacardi reveals most expensive bottle in company’s history

To celebrate their 150th birthday, Bacardi have released the Bacardi MMXII Vintage, the most expensive bottle in the company’s history.

The rum is expertly crafted by eight of the Bacardi family’s most senior Master-Blenders. Their aim was to create an exquisite and rare rum which paid homage to their ancestor, founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó.

They used a blend of Bacardi rums,  which had rested in oak barrels for up to 20 years, to create the full-bodied, highly aromatic rum which boasts a smooth, oaken character and quintessentially Cuban, mellow flavour.

It is presented in a hand blown crystal decanter, which was inspired by the coconut palm planted at the entrance of the first Bacardi distillery, and is housed in a finely detailed leather case.

Only 1,000 500ml decanters of Bacardi MMXII Vintage have been created and 600 of those have gone to family members.

Ferrari 250 GTO sells for $35M Making It The Worlds Most Expensive Car

The old cliché says “you can’t put the price on happiness”,  but you can definitely  put a price on the Ferrari 250 GTO. Built for racing legend Sir Sterling Moss it was specifically molded for him but was personally unable to drive it due to facing career ending injuries in a crash on April 23, 1962, at Goodwood.

Although it was Goodwood to win the 100-lap Tourist Trophy, it’s life does seem to be missing something due to the fact it was never driven my it’s intended owner. So who would purchase a $35 million classic? car collector Craig McCaw to be exact. McCaw exchanged his millions with its previous owner, businessman Eric Heerema and the Ferrari 250 GTO was his which now makes it the most expensive car in the world. The previous owner Herman purchased the 250 ten years ago for $8.5 million so it really isn’t a bad profit he’s received. Who knows if in the next decade this Ferrari will have another owner perhaps McCaw might decide that this is where this classic automobiles journey ends.

new 007 film, Skyfall, will feature Daniel Craig as James Bond aboard a Honda motorcycle.

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Daniel Craig as Bond aboard one of the Hondas on location in Turkey 

The opening credits of the 23rd James Bond film, Skyfall, feature a brace of Honda motorcycles shot on location in Istanbul and Adana, Turkey, earlier this year.

Honda (UK) unveiled the actual CRF250R motocross bikes used in the film at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu this week.

Twenty CRF250R were provided, to be adapted for stunt work and styled to suit the plot of the film, which opens in the UK on October 26. One is a Turkish police bike that villain Patrice (Ola Rapace) seizes after a policeman crashes, the other is a Turkish merchant's bike that James Bond (Daniel Craig) uses to pursue Patrice. Both bikes feature extensive modifications courtesy of Chris Corbould's award-winning special effects team.

The film unit also used two Honda CRF450Rs for HD filming of the chase sequences, because they allowed the camera crew to keep up with the action.

The Skyfall police and street merchant bikes, alongside an unmodified CRF250R, were unveiled at the National Motor Museum's Bond In Motion exhibition, showcasing 50 vehicles used in the various Bond adventures, which runs until December 31.

Frenchman drowns on Estepona beach trying to save a child

42 year old Frenchman has drowned on the El Padrón beach in Estepona when he was trying to rescue a young girl who was surfing on the beach. Witnesses report the Frenchman saw the child was in trouble and was having difficulties getting out of the sea, and he threw himself into the water. He was quickly dragged by the current some 100m from the shore. The 112 emergency services managed to revive the child who was semi-unconscious, but the cardiopulmonary procedure they carried out in the Frenchman was unsuccessful. A second adult who went into the water to help was rescued by Protección Civil lifesaver

Briton denies shooting a man on a bar terrace in Benalmádena

35 year old British man who is accused of shooting another Briton in a bar in Benalmádena in the back of the neck, has denied the accusation. The Briton is accused of shooting the other man on a terrace in Benalmádena and faces a charge of attempted murder and the prosecutor has initially requested 14 years in prison. The oral case started yesterday, Wednesday, amid high security given that the accused has a penal record in Britain where he will return when this case is closed. The shooting happened in February 2002, and according to the initial statement from the prosecutor the accused surprised his victim, who was sitting on the bar terrace, from behind, and fired a single shot into the neck with an unidentified weapon. The victim suffered a serious long lasting wound. The accused claims that he was in the bathroom when he heard shots, and thought they were after him, so he fled, indicating he left Spain. The bar owned did not recognise the accused in court yesterday.

Puerto Banús

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A trip to Marbella wouldn’t be a trip to Marbella without visiting this legendary port. Dubbed the ‘Port of Abuse’ by many of its heavy-drinking insiders, Puerto Banús is named after its designer (and legendary playboy) Jose Banús, who can be credited for single-handedly putting Marbella on the map. Row after row of designer shops, hip restaurants and trendy bars, the port is where the town’s super-rich moor up their megayachts and pose for their adoring public on the decks. Aside from the boats, the one-way road is like a supercar showroom, too, with every high-end marque you can think of polished to perfection and parked up outside hip and happening places. Whether you visit the port to inflict some damage on your credit card, to dine on fresh seafood or to dance like its 1969, you’re sure to have yourself a very good time. Highly recommended is an Indonesian dinner and rum cocktails at the nearby Trader Vic’s, followed by drinks at the world-famous Sinatra’s bar, which is like a who’s who of the movie industry on a Friday and Saturday night. After that, you can move onto the nearby Suite nightclub, hidden underneath the very posh Puente Romano Hotel.

Ten Britons a day are ending up in hospital abroad as young holidaymakers travel to the sun to get tanked up on cheap alcohol and drugs.

Spain had the highest number of Britons hospitalised, with 1,105 cases, followed by Greece (494) and Thailand (217). staggering 3,739 UK travellers ended up in foreign casualty departments - a large proportion after boozing heavily in popular 'sun, sea and sex' hotspots.

Rapes reported to consular staff in the year to April soared by a shocking 10 per cent - from 115 to 127 - as young women often let their guard down overseas.

Injured: Ten Britons a day are ending up in hospital abroad having hurt themselves

The number of deaths of British people overseas during the same period increased by 4 per cent - from 5,972 to 6,237.

And more than 6,000 were thrown in jail after falling foul of local laws including for carrying drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy - up 5 per cent, including a 2 per cent rise in drug arrests.

The highest number of arrests and detentions was in Spain, followed by the USA. Spanish arrests rose nine per cent in 2011/12, while the United States was up three per cent.

 

Consular Affairs Minister Jeremy Browne said: 'It is important that people understand that taking risks abroad can land them on the wrong side of the law'

The most arrests of Britons for drugs was in the US, followed by Spain.

The Foreign Office said anecdotal evidence from embassies and consulates overseas suggested many incidents were alcohol-fuelled, particularly in popular holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands, mainland Spain, the Balearics (which include Majorca and Ibiza), Malta and Cyprus.

Consular Affairs Minister Jeremy Browne said: 'It is important that people understand that taking risks abroad can land them on the wrong side of the law.

'The punishments can be very severe, with tougher prison conditions than in the UK. While we will work hard to try and ensure the safety of British nationals abroad, we cannot interfere in another country's legal system.

'We find that many people are shocked to discover that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cannot get them out of jail. We always provide consular support to British nationals in difficulty overseas. However, having a British passport does not make you immune to foreign laws and will not get you special treatment in prison.'

The snapshot of the perils of travelling abroad were highlighted in the Foreign Office's annual British Behaviour Abroad survey.

In total, consular assistance was needed on nearly 20,000 occasions - up 3 per cent. Of these, 5,405 were in Spain, 1,822 in the U.S. and 1,319 in France.

 

 

 

Even though the country has a large number of elderly UK expats, over half those requiring medical help were in Majorca, which has seen a 132 per cent rise in incidents since 2009-10, and Ibiza.

A large proportion of the hospitalised Brits were injured after boozing heavily in popular 'sun, sea and sex' hotspots

The report found: 'Many involve teenage holidaymakers. Common causes include road accidents, pedestrian accidents, balcony incidents and heart attacks.'

Spain also had the largest number of UK deaths - 1,755. The large British retired community again accounted for the majority of fatalities but an alarming number involved young people.

Top jockey Campbell Gillies, 21, drowned in a swimming pool within four hours of arriving in a holiday resort on the Greek island of Corfu 

Earlier this year, three Brits - Adam Atkinson, 20, Benjamin Harper, 28, and Charlotte Faris, 23, - died within a few days of each other plunging from balconies or stairs in the beach resort of Magaluf on Majorca.

And last month top jockey Campbell Gillies, 21, drowned in a swimming pool within four hours of arriving in a holiday resort on the Greek island of Corfu - after going boozing with his pals.

A Foreign Office source said: 'A lot of young people go wild and the sunshine combined with drinking cheap beer and cocktails all day leads to risky behaviour which can land them in serious trouble. At worst, they are brought home in a coffin.'

On the alarming rape statistics, officials urged women to 'take the same precautions they do at home to avoid putting themselves at risk' - staying with friends, avoiding car rides with strangers and keeping an eye on food and drink so they can't be spiked.

More than 56million Britons travelled abroad in 2011-12.

But the Foreign Office research revealed that half of Brits surveyed did not realise that without travel insurance they would be liable to pay medical bills running into thousands of pounds if they were injured or fell ill abroad.

Launching a drive to encourage holidaymakers to take out cover, Consular Services Minister Jeremy Browne said: 'Whilst the prospect of ending up in a foreign hospital may be the last thing on your mind as you head overseas for a summer break, sometimes things do go wrong on holiday and many people deeply regret not taking out comprehensive travel insurance.'

Bryan Ferry Concert in Marbella this Friday

Bryan Ferry Concert in Marbella this Friday There are still tickets available for the Bryan Ferry Concert at the Puente Romano Hotel in Marbella this Friday 20th July. Ferry is best known as the made his name as the front man for Roxy Music in the 1970s will be on stage on at the Puente Romano Tennis Club from 22:00 Tickets available at http://www.ticketmaster.es/ Restricted view 45,00 euros and reserved seating from 90,00 to 150,00 euros

American automaker Fisker Automotive have recently revealed significant expansion plans including the arrival of new dealerships and showrooms across the world.

(Images courtesy of Fisker Automotive)

Photos

The plans come as the company continues to make significant inroads into key international markets. Fisker’s first model, the Karma, which launched in 2008, is increasingly becoming a more frequent sight on the roads of Europe.

During the first four months of 2012, the Karma, one of the world's first production plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, was the second best-selling luxury car in the Netherlands.

The announcement also follows the news that long-established dealer group Guarnieri – who have worked with premium brands including BMW, Porsche, Ferrari, and McLaren – will exclusively import and market all Fisker vehicles in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Announcing the new partnership at the Marbella Luxury Weekend, Fisker Automotive’s Executive Chairman Henrik Fisker, said: “We are delighted to have an importer as well-established and experienced as Guarnieri to bring our range-extended luxury cars to Spain.

“This further increases Fisker Automotive’s international distribution footprint as we bring the concept of Responsible Luxury to consumers worldwide.”

Fisker Automotive is also set to open a new state-of-the-art showroom in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, whilst new Fisker Automotive showrooms and dealer facilities have recently opened in Paris and Cannes in France.

In April 2012 the Fisker Atlantic concept was unveiled at the New York International Auto Show.

clients ditch mobile phones in Spain

Spanish mobile phone firms lost a quarter of a million clients in May, led by customers ditching the biggest players Telefonica and Vodafone after the two cut smartphone subsidies, the country's telecoms regulator said on Friday. The figures indicated a slowdown in client losses in crisis-hit Spain after a record 380,000 customers cancelled mobile phone lines in April, though Telefonica remained the firm facing the biggest exodus, with more than 200,000 lines dropped. "We remain concerned about the near-term Spanish wireless trends given the ability for customers to change usage on per minutebased tariffs in a weak macro environment," Deutsche Bank analyst Keval Khiroya said following the data release. Mobile firms have struggled in Spain, once a booming market, where an economic slump has left almost one in four unemployed. The government announced a further round of cuts this week in a bid to slash $80 billion from the country's deficit. "Reduced activity was also noticeable in switches from one provider to another, with 329,200 changes recorded in May, a considerably lower figure than the half a million switches registered at the end of 2011," the Telcommuni-cations Market Commission (CMT) said in a statement. Telefonica and Vodafone, with almost 70 per cent market share between them, have suffered huge drops in client numbers since they decided to use Spain as a dry run for a new business model that cuts subsidies for smartphones. France Telecom's Orange gained 22,859 new phone lines in May, benefiting from its decision to continue subsidizing handsets for clients. "The savings achieved in 2012 from cutting handset subsidies for new customers to Telefonica (potentially up to around $620 million) are likely to be re-invested given Orange did not follow Telefonica and Vodafone's lead," Goldman Sachs telecom analysts said in a recent note to clients. Yoigo, with around 5 per cent market share, reversed its fortunes in May and lost 7,000 mobile clients. Teliasonera is selling the operator in a $1.2 billion plus deal that could attract tycoon Carlos Slim, Vodafone and France Telecom as bidders. Spain's telecom sector had a total turnover of $47 billion in 2011, the CMT said on Tuesday, 4.6 per cent less than in 2010. Broadband connections remained a bright spot for the sector, however, with 32,000 new lines added in May. Telefonica registered its second month of gains in this area.

Spain needs aid for 'more than just banks'

European assistance to ailing Spain should target the country's entire economy and not just the banking sector, the head of Germany's central bank said in an interview published on Saturday. "The banks' balance sheets are a reflection of the overall economy," Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann told newspaper Boersen Zeitung. "If investors see that the conditions set down for aid to Spain go beyond just the framework of the banking sector, this would also have a positive effect on bond markets." Weidmann said recent announcements by the Spanish government, financial problems in the country's regions and its high unemployment rate -- a record 24.4 percent in the first quarter of 2012 -- show Spain still has major issues to resolve. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday announced a 65-billion-euro ($80-billion) austerity package demanded by Brussels in exchange for rescuing Spanish banks with bailout loans of up to 100 billion euros. Eurozone finance ministers agreed this week to release an initial payout of 30 billion euros by the end of the month and a second of around 45 billion euros in mid-November. Three eurozone countries -- Greece, Portugal and Ireland -- have so far received bailouts from their partners. Spain will be the fourth to do so, but the first to have aid injected into its banking sector rather than the government itself.

Expats who banked their savings in Spain could see a third of their money disappear.

Spain's struggling banks finally begged for a eurozone bailout last week, but while the planned rescue may stem the crisis for lenders, it means fresh agony for thousands of British expats.

Spanish and foreign savers are expected to lose huge amounts after they were mis-sold savings products that left them exposed to banking losses. Expats who banked their savings in Spain could see a third of their money disappear.

Savers who thought they were putting their cash on deposit were in fact sold bonds or preference shares in the banks despite the fact that these were normally bought only by professional investors who knew the risks. If a bank were to fail, these products are not covered by the national depositors’ compensation scheme. 

Protest: A march in Madrid, Spain, against austerity measures

The terms of the Brussels bailout are expected to mean that those banks needing a hand-out impose losses of about 30 per cent on bondholders. Normally this would mean financial institutions. In Spain, it now also means savers.

It is thought that ordinary savers have been sold bonds and preference shares – which guarantee priority on dividends but have no voting rights – in Spanish banks worth 30billion euros (£26billion) when they thought they were putting money into straightforward accounts.

 

 

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The situation is particularly bad for customers of Banco CAM, an Alicante-based savings bank used by many Britons, Germans, Swiss and other northern Europeans who have settled in their hundreds of thousands along the Costa Blanca.  

Collapse: Spanish Banco CAM

The bank specialised in property lending and was brought to its knees last year as the Spanish property bubble burst. It was bailed out in 2011 by the government in Madrid and sold for one euro to Spain’s fourth-biggest bank, Sabadell. But it was discovered that 70,000 customers – about 400 of whom were British expats – had been sold a package including CAM’s bonds and preference shares. 

A simple cash deposit would earn about 2.5 per cent interest, but that shot up to 3.75 per cent or more if some of the money was put into the complex packages. Savers were told these could be sold within a few days or weeks if they needed cash.

But when the bank crashed, there was nobody to buy the bonds and preference shares. Customers, unaware of the true nature of the packages they had bought, found that they couldn’t get out what they put in, although some were allowed to convert their deposits into current accounts after paying a steep penalty and forgoing interest. 
Sabadell has now offered to exchange the bonds for ordinary shares in the bank. But it will  match the value of savers’ deposits only if the shares rise to become worth  2.30 euros. The market price is currently 1.45 euros, meaning savers are looking at an immediate loss of almost 40 per cent.

Former expats Keith Randall, 81, and wife Davina are two British victims of the CAM debacle. ‘We put all our money, which was 77,000 euros, into the bank,’ says Davina. ‘They assured us there was no risk whatsoever. Now we stand to lose 40 per cent of it.

‘We do not want shares because as soon as we take them we will have lost 40 per cent. We asked what the position was if we do not swap. We were told we would lose our savings. But we need the money – we are desperate.’

The couple, who are both retired and have lived in Spain for 14 years, are now renting a bungalow in Essex and renting out their house near Alicante. Although they had been thinking about a return to England, the crisis over their savings made their minds up. 

Faith Baxter-Hague is another British expat who found she had been robbed of a large part of her savings at CAM. 

She said: ‘The document I was given described the contract as a “deposito” or deposit.’ It emerged that she had in fact bought preference shares.

Like Davina and Keith, she has been offered a chance to convert her savings into Sabadell shares and take an immediate loss. Victims have until July 27 to accept.

Sabadell has admitted: ‘Yes, there was very bad mis-selling by CAM. The shares that customers were being sold for 100 euros were actually worth only 14 to 30 euros on the secondary market.’ That is the unofficial market where CAM customers were told they could recoup their investment.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Christina  Brady, Costa Blanca area manager for adviser Blacktower Financial Management, said: ‘It is a problem across Spain and should be big news, but there are so many things going on with the banks that it is getting lost.’

I popped into my branch...and walked into a nightmare

Faith Baxter-Hague is one of the thousands of Brits living in Spain who has fallen victim to the banks’ mis-selling. 

She is 58, divorced and moved to Marbella in 2003. Until 2009, she was self-employed, working with estate agents helping British emigrants to find a property. 

‘I am no expert and I don’t pretend to be,’ she said. ‘When people ask me detailed financial or legal questions, I introduce them to a financial adviser or a bank and a lawyer.’

Stunned: Faith Baxter-Hague says she expects to lose about £16,000 from her savings

When Faith moved to Spain, she sold her British property and put the proceeds into a current account with Banesto until 2009. 

She said: ‘For more than five years, it was simply in a current account. In 2009, with the cost of living going up, I realised I should try to get a decent rate of return to protect the value of my savings.’ 

She transferred it to the CAM bank as staff spoke English and offered a good rate of interest. 

Faith said: ‘The manager explained that she could give me just over seven per cent. That was far better than what Barclays in Spain were offering. 

‘She did say repeatedly that this money should be regarded as a long-term investment, but that suited me because I had some money to live off in my current account.

‘So I put 50,000 euros into what I understood was a long-term deposit account. I don’t speak much Spanish, but the document I was given described the contract as a deposito, or deposit.

‘I only realised fully what had happened when I went into the bank in March or April because no interest had been paid on my one-year deposit. 

‘That’s when I was told about my preference shares.’

Faith was told there was no interest payment because the bank had been wound up. ‘At the time, a couple of months ago, it seemed the preference shares I had bought – without meaning to or knowing it – were actually valueless. I saw the manager. She insisted that she had explained what  I was buying. But that simply isn’t true. I have never bought a share in my life. And the last thing anybody would have bought in 2009 were shares in a Spanish bank.’ 

Faith stands to lose about £16,000 as a result. 

She expects she will have to sign the contract to convert her savings into overpriced Sabadell shares, even though it includes a clause waiving all her rights to later redress. 

Like many others, she was told that she either signs or loses everything.

A conspiracy to sell forged works by Picasso, Goya, Manuel Viola, Menchu Gal, and Benjamín Palencia has led to arrests in three major cities in Spain

• 

AP Photo/Spanish Police

A police officer holds a forged Pablo Picasso oil painting in Sevilla, Spain

by Reid Singer

Published: July 12, 2012

A conspiracy to sell forged works by Picasso, Goya, Manuel Viola, Menchu Gal, and Benjamín Palencia has led to arrests in three major cities in Spain, the Spanish news siteInformador reports. Since May, officers from the National Police in Catalonia and Western Andalusia have been closely watching the activity of a prominent (though yet unnamed) gallery owner in Madrid who had been trying to sell a purported Picasso work titled "Buste de Jeune Garçon" for €1 million ($1.22 million). After obtaining the object in Seville, they presented it to experts at the Picasso Museum, who located an original certificate, signed by Picasso's daughter Maya Widmaier-Picasso, and concluded that the Madrid painting was falsely attributed.

The investigation began when holders of intellectual property rights of various works by Spanish masters recognized images that had been distributed online by the Madrid dealer. As with many forgery cases, the parties involved had put some elaborate tools in place to persuade collectors and earn their trust. National Police have attributed sixty works to a painter in Cordoba who carefully imitated 16th- to 19th-century styles and passed the works through an aging process before they entered collectors' hands. The newspaper Qué! reports that "Buste de Jeune Garçon" was accompanied by a certificate in the name of another of Picasso's daughters,Paloma Picasso, as well as a typed and signed letter by a reputed French art dealer.

The documents were only two of a trove of false certificates that have since been connected to the Madrid dealer, who had been offering the painting to numerous antique shops, galleries, and auction houses across Spain. In addition to this, investigators have seized furniture items that were being sold as ancient artifacts, 30 ivory objets d'art, 4 elephant tusks, a 9 millimeter Luger pistol, and 35 bars of gold bullion.

Man slits wrists in Marbella Town Hall building

angry at being refused allegedly outstanding payments has slit his wrists in Marbella Town Hall. The man, who has not been named, cut himself in the office of tax and personnel co-ordinator Carlos Rubio in protest. After being ruined by years’ worth of unpaid bills, the builder decided to demand the money he believes is owed to him. A doctor was called to the scene to treat what turned out to be a superficial injury. But Marbella Town Hall denies his claims, saying ‘the town hall owes him nothing’. Six years of economic hardship for the region has racked up a total of 10 million euros owed by Marbella Town Hall to 500 suppliers.

International Sand Art Contest in Marbella

The International Sand Art Competition, this year with the theme of ‘Secrets of the Sea’ lasts seven days and features 10 artists including award-winning Indian. Pattnaik is fresh from winning first prize at the Copenhagen Sand Sculpture Contest in May, with a 2.5 metre high mermaid, with which the he intended to highlight climate change and ‘the threat to our seas’. “This will be my second appearance in Spain. When I participated here six years ago I won second prize,” he said, referring to the competition in Valladolid in 2003. “There are so many species living in the oceans of which people know very little. I will create a sculpture to raise for awareness,” said the 35-year-old, who started working with sand at the age of seven. His many previous sculptures include aids awareness pieces, of Michael Jackson, and a sculpture of 105 Santa Clauses and Christmas trees on the beach in his hometown of Puri – in which he used a thousand tons of sand.

Four brits need rescuing by coastguards on Lanzarote

Two British 19 year olds have been rescued from the Playa de los Pocillos in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote. The Emerlan emergency and rescue service in Lanzarote said it happened on Friday at 6.30 pm, when the youngsters were dragged by the current and wind. Several coastguards and a support boat were used in the rescue. An inspection of the British men when on the beach considered they did not need medical treatment. Meanwhile in a separate incident on Saturday, a British man and his son were rescued on the Las Cucharas beach on the Costa de Teguise. Their kayak had been blown into a breakwater. Emerlen said that the action of the lifeguards on the beach was vital in stopping a more serious incident although the father and son suffered numerous cuts to their feet, knees and shoulders. The coastguard said that users of the beach should take special care in high winds, especially if they are using any inflatable in the water. They advised that if you are taken away from the coast on an inflatable and can’t get back to the beach, to never abandon the inflatable and try to make hand signals to the coast or any passing ships.

GLORIA GAYNOR PERFORMING ON JULY 7.

Title: Gloria Gaynor performing on July 7. Location: Hotel Puente Romano Link out: Click hereDescription: Gloria Gaynor performing on July 7. The Puente Romano Tennis Club in conjunction with the Delegation of Youth and Marbella Town Hall Party has scheduled a series of concerts for the summer and one of them is Gloria Gaynor performing on July 7.

Gloria Gaynor, one of the queens of the disc and the American soul group will be accompanied by U.S. Sister Sledge (Feat Kathy Sledge). The concert Gaynor will taste three of his best known hits like 'I Will Survive', 'Never Can Say Goodbye'y' I am What I am '. Gloria Gaynor

Location: Hotel Puente Romano 
Type: Other Music 
Festival: Concert at Hotel Puente Romano 
Date: 07/07/2012 
Time: 20 pm 
Advance: Red Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.es, 902 15 00 25, La Caixa offices, Fnac, Carrefour , Halconviajes.com and associated shops) 
Advance Price: From 30 to 95 €

The Puente Romano Tennis Club in conjunction With The Delegation of Youth and Celebrations Marbella Town Hall has scheduled a series of concerts for the summer and is one of Them Gloria Gaynor performing on July 7. Gloria Gaynor, one of the queens of the disc and the American soul group will be Accompanied by U.S. Sister Sledge (Feat Kathy Sledge).The concert Gaynor will taste three of his best Known hits like 'I Will Survive', 'Never Can Say Goodbye'y' I am What I am '. Gloria Gaynor Location: Hotel Puente Romano Type: Other Music Festival: Concert at Hotel Puente Romano Date: 07/07/2012 Time: 20 pm Advance: Red Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.es, 902 15 00 25, La Caixa offices, Fnac , Carrefour, Halconviajes.com and partner stores) Early Price: From 30 to 95 €

Time: 20:00 Date: 07/07/2012

Don Miguel Hotel to re-open in Marbella

80 ex workers at the Don Miguel in Marbella will finally be paid their wages which are still owed to them eight years after the establishment closed. An Arab group based in Luxembourg, Fundación Magna Invest, through its Spanish company Magma Hotels and Resorts, has purchased one of the pioneering hotels on the Costa del Sol in its heyday. Now the new owners want to return it to its former glory as luxury 5 star hotel, and the refurbish will take two years. The 550 room hotel is on a 70,000 square metre plot which includes a large tropical garden. 32 of the rooms are suites, 28 conference rooms, five restaurants, four swimming pools, 15 tennis courts and new spaces for an artificial lake and waterfalls, a spa, and fitness and disco club are all to be added. Mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz described it as excellent news. She noted this was the first establishment to close because of the crisis, and said ‘its recovery is key for the recuperation of Marbella and would bring credibility and confidence to the town’.

Diabetes drug makes brain cells grow

The widely used diabetes drug metformin comes with a rather unexpected and alluring side effect: it encourages the growth of new neurons in the brain. The study reported in the July 6th issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, also finds that those neural effects of the drug also make mice smarter. See Also: Health & Medicine Brain Tumor Stem Cells Nervous System Mind & Brain Brain Injury Intelligence Neuroscience Strange Science Reference Neural development Stem cell treatments Diabetes mellitus type 2 Embryonic stem cell The discovery is an important step toward therapies that aim to repair the brain not by introducing new stem cells but rather by spurring those that are already present into action, says the study's lead author Freda Miller of the University of Toronto-affiliated Hospital for Sick Children. The fact that it's a drug that is so widely used and so safe makes the news all that much better. Earlier work by Miller's team highlighted a pathway known as aPKC-CBP for its essential role in telling neural stem cells where and when to differentiate into mature neurons. As it happened, others had found before them that the same pathway is important for the metabolic effects of the drug metformin, but in liver cells. "We put two and two together," Miller says. If metformin activates the CBP pathway in the liver, they thought, maybe it could also do that in neural stem cells of the brain to encourage brain repair. The new evidence lends support to that promising idea in both mouse brains and human cells. Mice taking metformin not only showed an increase in the birth of new neurons, but they were also better able to learn the location of a hidden platform in a standard maze test of spatial learning. While it remains to be seen whether the very popular diabetes drug might already be serving as a brain booster for those who are now taking it, there are already some early hints that it may have cognitive benefits for people with Alzheimer's disease. It had been thought those improvements were the result of better diabetes control, Miller says, but it now appears that metformin may improve Alzheimer's symptoms by enhancing brain repair. Miller says they now hope to test whether metformin might help repair the brains of those who have suffered brain injury due to trauma or radiation therapies for cancer.

Spanish Tourism Industry Prepares for Difficult Summer

Spain's tourism industry is bracing itself for a painful slowdown in bookings this summer, driven by a steep decline in local tourism, according to the country's leading hotel association. Reservations by Spanish vacationers for the month of July are 30% lower than last year, amid persistently high unemployment and a protracted economic recession, said Juan Molas, president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations. An influx of visitors from Russia and other countries in Eastern Europe has compensated somewhat for the decline in local tourism, but weak local demand is expected to weigh on an industry that accounts for about 11% of Spain's annual economic output. Hotel owners are concerned that the government may raise the industry's value-added tax to 18% from the current 8%, in a bid to reduce its yawning budget deficit, making Spain less attractive to foreign tourists compared with other less expensive destinations "If the VAT rises to 18%, it will be absolutely catastrophic for the sector," Mr. Molas said at an event Thursday in Madrid. Spain's government is working to secure €100 billion ($126 billion) in aid for its struggling banking sector from the European Union and plans to meet with EU officials next week to discuss new measures to improve its public finances. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has already implemented €45 billion in austerity measures, but weak tax revenue threatens to undermine his administration's goal of trimming its shortfall this year to 5.3% of gross domestic product from 8.9% last year. Sentiment in the hospitality industry is at its lowest level since 2009, according to an index developed by the hotel association and consulting firm PwC. Based on a survey of hotel firms, 57% of operators expect international tourism will hold steady this year, while 76% expect domestic tourism to decline. "The parts of the country that will suffer the most are those that cater to national tourists," Mr. Molas said.

Holidaymakers in Spain this summer are facing a surprise new airport tax imposed by the Spanish government

Holidaymakers in Spain this summer are facing a surprise new airport tax imposed by the Spanish government as it tries to balance its books. Some airlines are passing the new departure tax on to passengers, even if they booked their flights months ago. Some passengers have received emails telling them either to pay an extra charge of up to seven euros (£6) per person - or to cancel their flights. Other airlines are deciding whether to absorb the cost themselves. The budget airline Ryanair said Spain's 2012 budget, passed into law at the end of June, obliged airlines to pay increased taxes. Spain is implementing drastic measures to try to slash its budget deficit to 5.3% from 8.5% in 2011. It has been promised bailout funds of up to 100bn euros for its banks, but wants to avoid a full state bailout. Retrospective The European travel agents' association ECTAA said the amount of the extra levy varied depending on which airport people used. It said the average rise in the tax was 18.9%, but at some of the larger airports it would almost double. For instance, at Madrid-Barajas the tax would rise from 6.95 euros to 14.44, while at Barcelona's El Prat airport it would rise from 6.12 euros to 13.44. Ryanair said it would pass the cost on to passengers, even those who had already paid in full for their flights, because the tax applied "retrospectively to customers who booked flights before 2 July 2012 and are travelling from 1 July onwards". It said for bookings made on or after 2 July, the increased tax would have been included in the price. The Spanish low-cost airline Vueling is also passing on the cost. It sent emails to passengers giving them seven days to cancel their flight, or the extra payment would be debited automatically from the card they used to book. British Airways and Iberia told the BBC they had not yet decided whether to pass on the cost or absorb it. ECTAA said in a statement it was "dismayed" by the rise, which was imposed "without proper consultation of airport users nor appropriate implementation time". It said travel agents faced a "technical and financial nightmare to recover the extra charge".

Freeze Fresh Herbs in Oil to Preserve Them

Have a few fresh herbs sitting around that you won't get to using before they turn? Sure, you can freeze them in water or dry them out, but if you know you'll use them relatively quickly, you can add a few weeks to their life without damaging their potency by freezing them in oil instead. We've shown you how to make simply syrups with them, and how to use sea salt to dry them, but if you have some lovely herbs you want to use, but won't get to before they turn brown, consider dropping them in an ice cube tray, filling up the cubes with olive oil (or any other oil of your choice, as long as it freezes nicely), and popping them in the freezer. When you're ready to fry some potatoes, for example, pop out a couple of rosemary oil cubes—you'll need the oil for the pan anyway, and the rosemary will be right at home. Need some oil in a baking dish or crock pot for a few chicken breasts? Grab a frozen sage oil cube. The sky's the limit. The only thing to note is that with some herbs have a shorter shelf life when frozen in oil than in water (like garlic, for example), so this won't beat drying if you're looking to keep your herbs fresh for months and months. It will, however, work for weeks on end, and if you freeze them, pop them out of the ice cube trays and put them into zippered baggies, they'll keep even longer. Then, the next time you need oil for a recipe, you can add a little fresh flavor at the same time. Hit the link below for even more oil-freezing tips, and some tips on which herbs take well to freezing and which don't.

Maurice sells 'too-big' €1m Marbella villa

Pain in Spain? Not in the Marbella property market at any rate. Maurice Boland and his wife Wendy are selling their palace in the hills overlooking Marbella for e1m. And, pardon my Spanish, but it is absolutely nothing to do with his relationship with a 16-year-old teenager in Marbella in the not-too-distant past, which the top Irish DJ described as "a massive error in judgment". "That was two years ago," he told me. "You learn from your mistakes. Wendy and I have just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. We're stronger than ever," he said, adding that they have five lovely grandchildren. Maurice, who last year launched his new radio station iTalk FM in Marbella, told your diarist that the House Casa Eden (with three living rooms, two dining rooms and its own cinema set in more than an acre of land with incredible views) is just too big now for himself and Wendy. "Our sons are all married and have their own homes so Wendy and myself just don't need something as large as this," he said. "It's a magnificent home with amazing sea and mountain views. We are looking at a smaller place closer to Marbella with a view of the sea."

Barclays boss Bob Diamond resigns

Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond has resigned with immediate effect. The move comes less than a week after the bank was fined a record amount for trying to manipulate inter-bank lending rates. Mr Diamond said he was stepping down because the external pressure on the bank risked "damaging the franchise". Chairman Marcus Agius, who said on Monday he was stepping down, will take over the running of Barclays until a replacement is found. "I am deeply disappointed that the impression created by the events announced last week about what Barclays and its people stand for could not be further from the truth," Mr Diamond said in a statement. He will still appear before MPs on the Treasury Committee to answer questions about the Libor affair on Wednesday. "I look forward to fulfilling my obligation to contribute to the Treasury Committee's enquiries related to the settlements that Barclays announced last week without my leadership in question," Mr Diamond said. Last week, regulators in the US and UK fined Barclays £290m ($450m) for attempting to rig Libor and Euribor, the interest rates at which banks lend to each other, which underpin trillions of pounds worth of financial transactions. Staff did this over a number of years, trying to raise them for profit and then, during the financial crisis, lowering them to hide the level to which Barclays was under financial stress. Prime Minister David Cameron has described the rigging of Libor rates as "a scandal". The Serious Fraud Office is also considering whether to bring criminal charges.