'Hatchet' Gerard Kavanagh shot dead in Costa del Sol pub

Gerard Kavanagh was shot dead in a bar on the Costa del Sol Notorious gangster Gerard “Hatchet” Kavanagh was gunned down by two masked assassins yesterday as he relaxed in a Spanish pub.

The 44-year-old was riddled with up to nine bullets by the hitmen, who burst into the Costa del Sol bar in Elviria, near Marbella, just before 4pm Irish time on Saturday. A source said: “The shooting had all the hallmarks of a professional hit.” Terrified gangster Kavanagh tried to flee after spotting the assassins coming through the door of Harmons Irish Bar in Elviria, a 20-minute drive east of Marbella. But it was too late for the doomed crime boss, who fell to the ground in a hail of bullets surrounded by a pool of his own blood. A burnt-out BMW X3 was discovered nearby shortly after the shooting, which happened in broad daylight around 4pm Irish time. Spanish police were last night carrying out a forensic search of the vehicle to see if it was used as the getaway car. A source said: “The gunmen were wearing balaclavas and were dressed from head to toe in black. “The shooting had all the hallmarks of a professional hit. It looks like they picked a time when they knew the bar wasn’t going to be busy. “It is believed the victim was trying to flee when he was shot because many of the nine bullets he took hit him in the back.”

Notorious Irish gangster Gerard 'Hatchet' Kavanagh shot dead in Costa del Sol bar  A police spokesman said: “A fatal shooting has occurred near to Marbella. We are investigating.” Witnesses to the shooting told last night how the gunmen shot their victim in the back as he talked with a mystery woman – and finished the job off as he tried to run for his life. One said: “He was sat on a chair in a pair of green swimshorts talking to a woman I’d never seen before. “The men rushed up to him from behind and shot him two or three times in the back and, as he tried to run for the safety of the bar, finished the job off with a shot to the back of the head. “They turned him over to see if he was dead before fleeing. It was absolutely horrific. “The police took the dead man’s black Audi away and undertakers removed his body around 8pm.” Another said: “The killers left the engine on their getaway car running. “I’ve been told it was found burnt out at a supermarket just down the road.” A pal, who asked not to be named, said: “The dead man was lying face down just inside the door of the bar when I saw him. “He was dressed in just a pair of shorts and there was a lot of blood.” Harmons bar is sandwiched between two restaurants in a pretty, tree-lined square just off the N340 dual carriageway running along the Costa del Sol, which was once dubbed the Road of Death because of the number of accidents along it. The bar was closed last night after the horror shooting. A woman who answered a side door said: “Sorry we’ve got nothing to say. We’re not going to speak.” The owner of a neighbouring bar said: “I don’t want to say anything. This is very bad for business.” Kavanagh’s body was taken to the Costa del Sol State Hospital for X-rays last night to determine exactly how many bullets were in his body. Kavanagh, from Ben Bulben Road in Drimnagh, West Dublin, was a senior member of the notorious Kinahan gang, controlled by godfather Christy Kinahan, who is based on the Costa del Sol.

The gang is involved in drug debt collection, drug dealing on an international scale and is suspected of ordering several executions in Crumlin-Drimnagh feud. Kavanagh was jailed for four years in 1996 when he was just 25 for dealing heroin in the Crumlin area. Back then his defence had argued that Kavanagh was only before the court as he had developed a drugs habit forcing him to work as a courier for gangs. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that he was involved in a chain of drug distribution headed by drug barons. Following his sentence, Kavanagh paired up with Tallaght gangster Paul Rice, who was jailed for 10 years in July 1995 after pleading guilty to the robbery of a bank in which shots were fired. Together they rose to the top of the drug ladder before Kavanagh packed up and moved to Spain where he was reported to be supplying most of Tallaght and a large area of Drimnagh with illegal drugs. He has been living in Benalmadena for almost a decade with his wife and two children where his daughter is a star of the show-jumping circuit and his son is a professional boxer. Security sources say that the shooting has now raised fears for the safety of the Kinahans.

The scene of the shooting is near to the luxury Don Carlos Hotel, which this weekend is hosting the 19th US-Spain forum. The Spanish ambassador to the USA and the American ambassador to Spain were among guests who opened the three-day event and security had been stepped up significantly in the area. Kavanagh was jailed for four years in March 1996 after he was caught with €3,500 worth of heroin and cannabis. In court, Detective Eamonn Maloney said that Kavanagh was “a major figure in drug supplies in the Crumlin, Drimnagh and Dolphin’s Barn areas of Dublin for some time”. He was forced to flee Ireland after he was targeted by anti-drug vigilantes and the Crininal Assets Bureau.

Irish man shot dead in suspected gangland murder in Spanish bar

Irish man shot dead in Spain was a well-known criminal who closely associated with some of the biggest drug dealers in Ireland and who gardaí believe was the intended target of a botched murder bid last month. The dead man, in his 40s and from Dublin, was singled out in a bar on the Costa del Sol on Saturday afternoon by two masked gunmen who fired at least nine shots, most of which are believed to have hit the victim.

The victim tried to run to safety when he saw the gunmen coming for him but collapsed on the premises when wounded. He was unresponsive when the emergency services later arrived at the scene. He was taken by ambulance to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. The murder occurred just before 5.30pm local time at an Irish bar in Elivira, on the outskirts of Marbella. A BMW the gunmen are believed to have been driven to and from the scene in was later found burnt out by Spanish police.

SCARFACE MURDER:A man identified as Amsterdam crime boss Samir B. was murdered in Benahavis, Marbella

A man identified as Amsterdam crime boss Samir B. was murdered in Benahavis, Marbella in Spain on Wednesday. image: inmo-andalucia.com The 36-year-old, also known as “Scarface,” was killed in the Spanish town near Marbella on Wednesday afternoon, Het Parool reports.

 

News reports speak of a gangland execution. Samir B. was in the Monte Halcones mall in the picturesque mountain village around 2.00pm when he was shot multiple times in his back and head by two assailants. He was apparently shot on his way out of a storefront in the shopping center. Witnesses called the authorities, but the emergency services could do nothing to resuscitate him.

The Dutch-Moroccan victim from near Sloterdijk in Amsterdam West has been named in connection with sizeable drug deals. Crimesite.nl writes that he was the largest drug dealer in the city, and he actually marked his cocaine blocks with his own stamp. B. had relocated to Spain a few years back, but apparently his hold on the Amsterdam underground remained. Het Parool writes that B. had a long career in the underworld of Amsterdam West. He grew to be one of the biggest crime bosses in the city.   In June 2010 he was arrested there and extradited to the Netherlands, in connection with the death of 12-year-old Danny Gubbels in Breda; the boy died when someone opened fire on his parent’s trailer and B. was named. He was released after only a few days in prison here, for lack of evidence.   His execution in Benahavis is being investigated by the local police, as well as the Spanish military police force, Guardia Civil, and national police agents. Earlier this month, another of Amsterdam’s criminal leaders, Derkiaoui van der Meijden, was also killed in Amsterdam Oost.

240 kilos of cocaine have been found in the hull of a yacht in Huelva

240 kilos of cocaine have been found in the hull of a yacht in Huelva Agents from the National Police, in collaboration with the United States DEA, have arrested six people; four in the province of Huelva and two in Madrid in the three searches carried out as part of the same operation. The investigation started at the beginning of April, when large amounts of cocaine has been arriving in Europe by sea, carried out by an international organisation. Further investigations revealed the head of the organisation is a Spaniard, who lives in Colombia, and who had returned to Spain recently, presumably, to coordinate a consignment of the drug. The rest of the organisation are all Colombian, and had the job of providing logistic support on land for the reception and extraction of the drug.

Marbella boxer ring return after trainer shot

MATTHEW MACKLIN, the Marbella based boxer, whose proposed fight against Argentine fighter, Jorge Sebastien Heiland in a WBC eliminator on August 30 was postponed after his trainer, Jamie Moore, was shot in Marbella, is set for a swift ring return. His opponent is as yet unnamed, however, Macklin is expected to undertake his 36th professional bout next month on September 27, on the Felix Sturm - Paul Smith WBA middleweight ‘Super’ title fight undercard in Kiel, Germany. If as expected Macklin wins, the three-time world title challenger expects to be returning to Dublin for the Heiland fight on November 15. Macklin, hopes the Heiland fight will bring him a fourth shot at a world title, as promoter Eddie Hearn looks to guide him to the big title that has eluded him so far.

Irish teenager being held on attempted murder charge in Costa del Sol

An Irish teenager is in custody on an attempted murder charge after a violent street fight on the Costa del Sol. The 17-year-old was part of a group of four Irish holidaymakers who got into a row over a girl during a night out in the upmarket resort of Puerto Banus near Marbella. His brother allegedly punched a friend unconscious before the teenager kicked him in the head as he lay on the ground. The victim was rushed to the nearby Costa del Sol Hospital before being transferred to a specialist centre in Malaga so he could be treated for “life-threatening” head injuries.

Doctors have told police he cheated death because of the rapid medical attention he received. The altercation happened around 3am on August 14 in a street a short walk from Puerto Banus port named after singer Julio Iglesias, who owns a house in mountains a short drive away. Investigators say they believe the four men, who had been out drinking together, rowed over a girl. Local police made the arrests at the scene after witnessing the assault from a distance. The injured man, who like the other three Irish holidaymakers involved has not been named, is now being treated in a normal ward after spending several days in an induced coma in intensive care. Police from a specialist anti-violence unit based in Malaga have led the investigation.

A youth court judge remanded the teenager to a young offenders’ institution after quizzing him in a closed court session. His brother, whose age is not known, has been released on bail but is thought to have had his passport taken away from him so he cannot leave Spain. A trial date has yet to be set. The Irish teenager is expected to be held for custody for several months before he is released ahead of trial. A source close to the case said: “The judge quizzed him on an attempted murder charge because medical experts who examined his alleged victim concluded the consequences of the assault could have been much more serious if he hadn’t received rapid medical attention.”

Climate change is gradually turning Spain into a fire zone

Spain’s changing climate and economy fuels wildfire risks.Climate change is gradually turning Spain into a fire zone – and a change in the economic climate is inflaming the situation.

The combined forces of climate, economic and social change are leaving Spain increasingly exposed to the damaging and costly effects of wildfires.

A research group reports that a mix of factors is behind the rise in both the numbers of forest fires and the areas of land scorched over the last 40 years.

Vanesa Moreno, a researcher in the geography department at the University of Alcalá in Madrid, and colleagues studied the pattern of fires in Spain from 1968 to 2010.

Although Spain, like much of southern Europe, is expected to become more arid with global warming, and although some Mediterranean vegetation is adapted to − and even benefits from − natural fire outbreaks, the picture is not a simple one.

In the moister Atlantic north-west of the country, there are two fire seasons − at the end of winter, and in the summer. In the Mediterranean region, fires are more frequent in the long, hot summer.

 

Fire in Benahavis

A fire has broken out in Benahavis, near Marbella. This photo was taken on the road between Estepona and San Pedro. The cause of the fire is still not yet known, but follows in the wake of a serious fire in Los Montes de Malaga exactly a week ago. The fire in Los Montes devestated 260 hectares of natural park. So far this year there have been 20 such fires in Malaga Province, which experts say is within the average range of annual fires.

Saudi prince's convoy in Paris attacked by gunmen

Heavily armed men have attacked a convoy of cars belonging to a Saudi prince, stealing 250,000 euros (£200,000; $330,000), police say. The convoy was heading through northern Paris on its way to Le Bourget airport late on Sunday evening when it was raided, reports say. The gunmen seized a vehicle carrying the money and documents, later releasing the driver and two others. The convoy was said to have come from the Saudi embassy. No-one was hurt. The gunmen, reportedly armed with Kalashnikov rifles, targeted a Mercedes mini-van at 21:15 (19:15 GMT) on the northern ring road, or peripherique, at Porte de la Chapelle, on the edge of Paris.

The motorcade, belonging to a Saudi prince, was targeted by eight people in two separate vehicles who pointed their guns at the driver of the Mercedes, forcing him to stop, French media reported.

The men then drove the vehicle away with the driver and the two other Saudis inside. No shots were fired but the Saudis were later freed and the vehicle eventually found burned out.

"In the vehicle there was roughly 250,000 euros in cash and official documents from the embassy," police union spokesman Rocco Contento told BFM TV news.

There has been a weekend of terror for immigrants in Tangiers

Immigrants who are waiting in Tangiers to cross into Spain have been attacked and their homes ambushed. The NGO’s at the scene fear the aggression against the Sub-Saharans will force them to try to cross the Strait to escape whatever the weather conditions.

The problem started on Friday near the Tangiers airport. The Sub-Saharan’s were told a bus was going to Spain and some 20 women and their children took up the offer. But the bus took them to a local dance festival of African culture called Twiza which was being held in Tangiers for some days. When they realised they had been fooled they returned home, and met a group of Moroccan men armed with machetes and sticks who started to hit them.

Five of the women suffered stab wounds and others suffered abuse. Spanish volunteer, Helena Maleno, was among them and believes the violence is being organised by criminal groups. She was sexually molested by one of the men. She said the Moroccans speech was always the same, ‘We want to clear up here, go to Spain’. Last year an immigrant died when he fell off a wall during a police raid, bringing charges of murderers against the police amid violent scenes as you can seen in the video below.

Ebola Alert In Alicante After Man Taken Ill

An ebola alert has been activated in Alicante, Spain, after a young Nigerian man was admitted to hospital with fever and vomiting. Spanish health authorities activated alert protocols after the man showed "several symptoms" of the disease.

The alert comes a week after a Spanish priest who contracted ebola while working in Liberia died in hospital in Madrid. The man was taken ill in the eastern city of Alicante Father Miguel Pajares was the first European infected by a strain of the virus that has killed more than 1,000 people in West Africa.

He was airlifted from Liberia to Spain on August 7 after becoming infected while working for a non-governmental organisation there. The 75-year-old was flown to Europe for treatment with his co-worker Juliana Bohi, a nun who has since tested negative for the disease. Elsewhere, 17 ebola sufferers have fled a Liberian clinic raided by looters who stole blood-stained sheets - sparking fears the virus will spread.

ISIS terrorists discovered in Morocco

MOROCCAN anti-terror services working in collaboration with Spanish police officers have broken up a jihadist terror cell in Morocco. In total nine members of the cell, reported to be linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), were detained on Thursday in the three Moroccan cities of Fes, Tetouan and Fnideq. The terrorists were working to recruit new members to the cell with the objective of sending them off to fight in the conflicts currently underway in Syria and Iraq.

It is believed that some of the group made frequent visits to the Spanish city of Ceuta, located on the north coast of Morocco, with the intention of converting people to their cause and raising financial aid. The Spanish Interior Minister has linked those arrested with ISIS, and confirmed that they had received training in the use of weapons and the manufacture of explosives with the goal of participating in suicide attacks or travelling to conflict zones in the Middle-East.

It has also come to light that there were plans to carry out a terror attack on Moroccan soil. Computers and other data-storage devices used by the jihadists are currently being examined for evidence of concrete plans. The investigation remains open within the three cities, with police from both nationalities continuing to work together. Government sources commented that the operation reflects on the excellent relationship that exists between Spain and Morocco when combating terror in the region.

Luggage thieves caught at airport

THE Guardia Civil have arrested two people under suspicion of stealing suitcases from distracted airport passengers. Within the Guardia Civil brief of the Safer Tourism Plan which has been put in place to prevent theft from tourists visiting Malaga, the officers at the airport have caught two people who were taking national flights with only hand baggage and then taking advantage of distracted tourists arriving at the baggage carousels to steal their luggage while they were looking away. On several occasions they also, allegedly, pick-pocketed passengers as well as taking their hand baggage while they were retrieving their check in luggage. Investigating officers calculate that they have stolen around €21,000 worth of luggage and wallets.

Ebola outbreak vastly underestimated

The death toll from the world's worst outbreak of Ebola stood on Wednesday at 1,069 from 1,975 confirmed, probable and suspected cases, the agency said. The majority were in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, while four people have died in Nigeria. The agency's apparent acknowledgement the situation is worse than previously thought could spur governments and aid organisations to take stronger measures against the virus. "Staff at the outbreak sites see evidence that the numbers of reported cases and deaths vastly underestimate the magnitude of the outbreak," the organisation said. "WHO is coordinating a massive scaling up of the international response, marshalling support from individual countries, disease control agencies, agencies within the United Nations system, and others." International agencies are looking into emergency food drops and truck convoys to reach hungry people in Liberia and Sierra Leone cordoned off from the outside world to halt the spread of the virus, a top World Bank official said. In the latest sign of action by West African governments, Guinea has declared a public health emergency and is sending health workers to all affected border points, an official said. An estimated 377 people have died in Guinea since the outbreak began in March in remote parts of a border region near Sierra Leone and Liberia. Guinea says its outbreak is under control with the numbers of new cases falling, but the measures are needed to prevent new infections from neighbouring countries.

"Trucks full of health materials and carrying health personnel are going to all the border points with Liberia and Sierra Leone," Aboubacar Sidiki Diakit president of Guinea's Ebola commission, said late on Wednesday. As many as 3,000 people are waiting at 17 border points for a green light to enter the country, he said. "Any people who are sick will be immediately isolated. People will be followed up on. We can't take the risk of letting everyone through without checks."

Arrested for allegedly throwing two suitcases of cocaine out of a hotel window

Poice have established that a 39-year-old Irish man who was arrested in Spain after allegedly throwing two suitcases of cocaine out of a hotel window is a criminal who was previously targeted here in a proceeds-of-crime case. The suspect, who remains in custody in Valencia, has been named as Philip Grendon from Greenfort Drive, Clondalkin, and also with an address at Spiddal Road, Ballyfermot. Grendon's brother, Brian, is a member of a major west Dublin drugs gang who have been constant targets of gardai for 15 years. Already this year, officers based in Ballyfermot have been involved in the seizure of more than €1m worth of drugs from this crew who are considered one of the most organised and longest-established in the country.

The bizarre incident for which Grendon was arrested in Valencia happened last Friday just before 10pm at the four-star Tryp Valencia Oceanic Hotel. Police are said to be working on the theory that the alleged drugs trafficker, who had checked into the hotel a few hours earlier, confused noise from other guests entering and leaving their rooms with a rival gang trying to steal his drugs after suffering a paranoia attack. It is alleged that Grendon also removed ceiling tiles in his room, along with an air vent in an apparent attempt to hide the stash.

The 55kg of cocaine in the cases would have an estimated street value of more than €3.8m in Ireland. Sources who know Grendon say they are "surprised" that he would be trusted by a gang to be in charge of such a huge drugs haul. "Philip was always known to be a paranoid individual, but if what the Spanish police are saying is true, this is taking paranoia to a whole new level," a senior source said. Grendon's younger brother is convicted heroin dealer Brian Grendon (37), who was jailed for six years in December 2002 after he was busted with almost €2m worth of heroin in Palmerstown, west Dublin, the year before. shootings Brian Grendon was previously described in court by a senior detective as being linked to a gang who had in the past "used fatal shootings of anyone who compromised their business".

Philip Grendon appeared in court in Dublin in February 2012 when gardai prosecuted him under proceeds of crime legislation. Some of his associates were targeted by gardai as part of Operation Jumbo in 2002. They included murder victim David McCreevy (23), who was shot dead in Tallaght in 2002.

Spain to probe cigarette smuggling Crime.

 

EU's anti-fraud office on Monday urged Gibraltar and Spain to launch legal action after it found signs that organised crime was behind a rise in cigarette smuggling in southern Spain, AFP reports. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) made the recommendation after completing a probe it launched in August 2013 at the request of Madrid into a sharp rise in cigarette smuggling across the border between Gibraltar and Spain between 2009 and 2013. "The OLAF investigation has raised a number of concerns regarding the link between a significant increase in the size of the Gibraltar market for cigarettes over the past four years and the subsequent increase of cigarette smuggling across the frontier," a spokesman for the anti-fraud office said. "The concerns include indications of the involvement of organised crime," it added. "The OLAF final case report, and recommendations to initiate judicial proceedings related to the findings of the report, have been sent to the Spanish General State Prosecutor and to the Gibraltar Attorney General." Widespread cigarette smuggling between the tiny, low-tax British territory of Gibraltar to Spain is a major irritant in their frayed diplomatic relations. Smugglers buy the cigarettes in large volumes in Gibraltar at a price much lower than is charged in Spain, where the government in 2012 increased the sales tax to help plug a gaping public deficit. Spain in August introduced stringent border checks at its border with Gibraltar, leading to lengthy queues for motorists, in what it said was a move aimed at clamping down on cigarette smuggling.

But Gibraltar argues the stepped-up border controls are in retaliation for the installation of an artificial reef in its waters that has prevented Spanish boats from fishing there. Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo welcomed the anti-fraud office report and said the territory wanted to work together with Spain to investigate the cigarette smuggling. "We wish any necessary investigations in this and in all areas to be carried out jointly between the competent Spanish and Gibraltar authorities in a genuine spirit of cooperation," he said. The government of Gibraltar said cigarette smuggling was already being brought under control thanks to the "draconian" measures it introduced in January. These include the introduction of searches of vehicles crossing into Spain and giving customs and police officers greater powers to fight smuggling. The Spanish government meanwhile said the anti-fraud office's report "justified" its "work in the fight against fraud and the underground economy". Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 but has long argued that it should be returned to Spanish sovereignty. London says it will not do so against the wishes of Gibraltarians, who are staunchly pro-British.

First Spaniard dies of Ebola

confirmed by the Madrid's health department that a 75-year-old Spanish priest, Miguel Pajares has died in Madrid’s Carlos III hospital from Ebola. The Spanish priest who was recently repatriated from Liberia, Africa last Thursday had been in isolation in Saint John of God hospital in the capital of Monrovia. It is known that he contracted the Ebola virus from the Director of the Hospital after a visit. The director is also known to have died. Miguel Pajares was being treated with an experimental drug ZMapp which is designed to fight the deadly virus, but failed to respond to the medication.

The drug ZMapp is a treatment that is made by a private US company and is still in intensely early stages and had previously been only tested on monkeys. In a statement the health ministry said that the drug arrived to the hospital late on Saturday evening to treat the 75-year-old. The drug ZMapp though in very early stages, was only allowed by the Spanish drug safety agency under “exceptional importation” to be used in the use of a non-authorised medication because of an incident where a patient’s life is in danger.

Christy Kinahan was celebrating today after being told he will not face trial in Spain on drugs and arms trafficking charges.

 

Christy Kinahan was celebrating today after being told he will not face trial in Spain on drugs and arms trafficking charges.

The underworld boss feared he would be prosecuted for the crimes after a high-profile police raid on his Costa del Sol home in May 2010,

But a judge investigating the Irishman and a gang of alleged accomplices including his two sons has decided to drop the allegations.

Kinahan, who was hauled back to a court in Estepona yesterday for further questioning, is now being probed only on suspicion of money laundering and membership of a criminal gang.

 

 

 

The dramatic decision, which a state prosecutor decided not to appeal against, will be seen as a major blow for the Spanish police and politicians.

Former Home Secretary Alfredo Rubalcaba branded the Kinahans a “mafia family” when Christy and sons Christopher and Daniel were arrested during a series of dawn raids on the Costa del Sol.

Nearly a dozen suspects were arrested in the UK and Ireland as part of the same Europol-coordinated police operation.

Rubalcaba, who has just been replaced as leader of Spain’s main opposition party, even linked the alleged gang ringleaders to a string of murders when he reacted to news of the arrests during a visit to Poland.

He said at the time: “This was an operation against an important, well-known mafia of organised crime, which has operated in different countries and which is being linked to various murders and with a number of crimes from drug trafficking to people trafficking.

“It is a mafia family relatively well-known in the United Kingdom, a little less known in Spain, but they are established on the Costa del Sol.”

Investigating judge Maria Carmen Gutierrez Henares is understood to have binned her drugs and weapons trafficking probe after finding no evidence linking Kinahan and his alleged accomplices to the crimes.

Christy and his sons and alleged right-hand man John Cunningham will remain on bail along with the other suspects while the secret court probe continues into the money laundering and criminal gang membership allegations.

 

Daniel Kinahan, front wearing shades, carries his mother's coffin

 

 

Sources close to the long-running case predicted last night it could take at least two more years to reach trial - and the number of defendants in the dock would be a fraction of those originally arrested.

One insider said: “All the suspects including Christy Kinahan have been called back to court over the last three weeks to give evidence behind closed doors.

“Most said they had nothing to add to earlier statements.

“Christy KInahan attended court yesterday/on Wednesday but managed to get in and out of the building without anyone cottoning on to the fact it was him.

“He’s not surprised the drugs and weapons allegations against him have been dropped but he’s obviously very relieved.

“The judge took her decision around the same time she called the first of the suspects in for further questioning.

“Their defence lawyers are confident the money laundering charges are not going to prosper either.”

Another well-placed source added: “The suspects weren’t asked a single question about drugs or weapons.

“Most declined to add anything to their original statements.”

More than 20 people including the Kinahans were arrested on the Costa del Sol more than four years ago as part of Operation Shovel.

Christy, arrested at his luxury apartment in a private development near Estepona, spent six months on remand in jail before being bailed.

Armed officers sealed off a residential street after his detention before marching him into court.

Police said at the time the gang he is said to have led owned property worth 500 million euros in Brazil and 160 million euros in Spain.

The suspects had a fleet of expensive cars seized and bank accounts frozen

Russia enacts 'draconian' law for bloggers and online media

A new law imposing restrictions on users of social media has come into effect in Russia. It means bloggers with more than 3,000 daily readers must register with the mass media regulator, Roskomnadzor, and conform to the regulations that govern the country's larger media outlets. Internet companies will also be required to allow Russian authorities access to users' information. One human rights group called the move "draconian". Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote The internet is the last island of free expression in Russia” Hugh Williamson, Human Rights Watch The law was approved by Russia's upper house of parliament in April. It includes measures to ensure that bloggers cannot remain anonymous, and states that social networks must maintain six months of data on its users. The information must be stored on servers based in Russian territory, so that government authorities can gain access.

Joaquín Cortés dances into La Sala Marbella

In the early hours of last Sunday morning, Superstar Spanish dance sensation Joaquín Cortés - the man whose stunning contemporary flamenco dancing and choreography has earned him the accolade of one of the top 10 dancers of all time - headed to La Sala, Puerto Banús to relax and enjoy a little down time with his dancers, musicians and entourage following a performance of his latest stage show, Gitano at the Tennis Club of the 5-star hotel Puente Romano on Marbella’s Golden Mile.

One of the entertainment highlights of the summer, the charismatic Cortés delighted crowds with his innovative flamenco choreography, modern stage sets and a smouldering performance that left women swooning and shouting out his name as his forceful, exhilarating dancing led him to remove his Armani jacket and tie and strip down to his soaked black shirt. Immediately after the event, Joaquín Cortés and his retinue were found enjoying drinks at La Sala Restaurant and Bar in Puerto Banús, the most happening venue in Marbella. The party started straight after the concert and Cortés and friends were royally entertained with live sax, bongos, violin and trumpet, and a spread of delectable La Sala signature dishes and drinks. Despite the rigours of the night’s performance, many of the professionals couldn’t resist dancing sevillanas almost ‘til dawn. Cortés appeared to be in his element throughout, and commented, “La Sala is awesome!”  Many of Cortés’s fans clamoured to the venue to catch a glimpse of the star, following him from his show to La Sala. Other celebrities to be spotted recently at La Sala include footballer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and girl band Little Mix.  For further details and reservations contact La Sala on Tel: 95 281 4145 info@LaSalaBanus.com

Ebola virus a threat

"The risk to UK travellers and people working in [affected countries] of contracting Ebola is very low but we have alerted UK medical practitioners about the situation in West Africa and requested they remain vigilant for unexplained illness in those who have visited the affected area. "It is important to stress that no cases of imported Ebola have ever been reported in the UK and the risk of a traveller going to West Africa and contracting Ebola remains very low since Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person." BBC global health correspondent Tulip Mazumdar said the West African outbreak had been going on for four months. In that time local people had been looking after the sick and carrying out burials, which could actually help to spread the virus, she added. Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected, but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment. The outbreak - the world's deadliest to date - was first reported in Guinea in February. It then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Ebola virus disease (EVD) Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage Fatality rate can reach 90% Incubation period is two to 21 days There is no vaccine or cure Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host

Massive increase in Brits abroad drug arrests

DRUG arrests of Britons in Spain have soared, with an incredible 68% increase on the previous year. In total, 708 Brits have been arrested overseas on drug charges already this year – a shocking 173 of which were in Spain, according to the UK’s Foreign Office. A worrying trend is the reported rise in the use of a party drug named ‘Cannibal’ – due to its tendency to dramatically increase aggressiveness. It is apparently being distributed widely in parts of Spain, including the Balearics. A British man was arrested in Magaluf, after biting beachgoers while high on the drug. The rapid rise in drug-related arrests is due to a serious crackdown on dealers launched by police this year. The second-largest number of drug arrests involving Britons last year was in America, with 102 cases.

MARBELLA’S last big summer concert is set to be a scorcher.

Tropical king of cool Kid Creole and the Coconuts – three glamorous ladies from Scandinavia – are bringing their exotic flavour to the coast on August 23. Kid is set to shimmy across the stage, dazzling the crowd in his infamous yellow and purple suits, belting out such favourites as Annie, I’m not your daddy, Stool Pigeon and I’m a wonderful thing baby. His vocals – a combination of latino and disco – will raise the roof at Hotel Puente Romano, while the Coconut’s dance routines will up the heat. Tickets cost from 25 euros, with top end SuperVips (inc. pre-show cocktail and after-show party) from 125 euros. Available from Ticketmaster, El Corte Ingles or call 602 644 546.

Forest fire in Casares

FOREST fire raged today near Casares. The fire was very near the site of Manilva’s Roman baths, inland from Sabinillas. Three helicopters and an aircraft were sent by Infoca in response, and emergency services rushed to the scene. A second fire station was reported to have sent emergency response teams as support.

‘Underwater wines’ make a splash in Costa del Sol

DEEP in the Mediterranean you might find vibrant ocean wildlife, beautiful coral, maybe a shipwreck… but a decent Cabernet? A new fad has hit winemaking markets around the world,  and now Spain is included. It’s called underwater aging. A Ronda bodega run by esteemed winemaker Federico Schatz has embraced the radical new process, aging some of its prime vintages in the Mediterranean Sea. The man in charge of the ‘Bodega Submarina’ project is Mr Antonio Martinez, who was generous enough to give the Olive Press the lowdown on his favourite science experiment. He explained that the bottles lie off the coast of Marbella, near the Puerto de la Bajadilla, where they are submersed 20m beneath the surface.

Ricky Martin Living la Vida Loca at Marbella

Last night's concert starred the fabulous Ricky Martin. The Puerto Rican singer had the crowd on their feet with his boundless energy and bouncing Latin tunes. He opened the show with a bang ‘Come with Me ‘ and the promise to get the crowd dancing, sweating and singing. He fulfilled his promise with gusto and his enthusiasm was completely infectious. Where does this man get his energy? The show was intense and Ricky Martin has become big news in Marbella, he would be welcome back anytime.

This samba dancing, hip swiveling 41 year old looks like he will go on forever. His charm and his appreciation of his fans made this show really special and his humility is really genuine. What a superstar! It was impossible not to be swept along in the special atmosphere here tonight, even if you are not a Ricky Martin fan, you cannot help but love every minute of this energetic show. The Marbella Starlite Festival is the perfect setting for Ricky Martin’s Latino style, the warm balmy evening combined with the Latin American tunes made for an amazing night. It is not just the moves that make Ricky stand out from the crowd either, this guy can really sing! Those who did not make it to his concert this time should look out in the Marbella news for more dates, he will surely come back!

The Marbella Starlite Festival is on every night until the 23rd of August. Not only are there legends from the music industry playing every night, there are also art exhibitions, fashion shows, gastronomical treats, an open air cinema and nightclubs after the concert every night. This is the 3rd year that the festival has been held and the acts get bigger every year. How will they top this year’s great shows in 2015? The Starlite festival in Marbella is a huge success again this year with plenty of amazing acts each night. Those who can make it to the festival just once won’t regret it, it will be all they hear in the Costa del Sol news in the coming weeks.

Paris Hilton’s one night in Marbella

famous for her acting career in sex tape ‘One Night in Paris’, now Paris Hilton is spending a night in Marbella. The American heiress is set to play a DJ set at nightclub Olivia Valere on August 18. A distinctly brief encounter, the diva will be touching down with her Spanish model boyfriend River Viiperi for the show before departing in their private jet to Ibiza and Barcelona. The American hotel heiress is most famous for appearances in reality show ‘The Simple Life,’ as well as the 2004 sex tape.

Lionel Messi may have just been named the most valuable player at the World Cup in Brazil but that is unlikely to soften the blow of having to pay Spain's largest tax bill

Lionel Messi may have just been named the most valuable player at the World Cup in Brazil but that is unlikely to soften the blow of having to pay Spain's largest tax bill — a whopping €53 million ($71 million)On top of that €53 million, the FC Barcelona star could also have to pay an extra €3 million on undeclared advertising and sponsorship earnings for the years 2007 to 2009.

 The huge sum paid by Lionel Messi this year covers taxes on his salary, as well as on his assets and advertising deals. It also includes €22.4 million in outstanding tax for 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

 Over the past seven years, the Argentina captain has paid more than €100 million to Spain's tax office, Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia reported. 

 This amount has increased proportionally to the player’s income.  

 According to the business magazine Forbes, Lionel Messi earns more than €48 million a year from salary and sponsorship, making him the fourth highest-earning athlete in the world. 

 He’s also the highest-paid football player with a €20 million annual salary, ahead of Real Madrid’s player Cristiano Ronaldo.

 Last year, Lionel Messi and his father were accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office of over €5 million ($7 million) but cleared the tax debt before a court appearance.‏

Cilla Black's Spanish villa engulfed by fire at 3am

Cilla Black’s Spanish villa has been damaged by a fire. The TV host , 71, was in the UK when the house, in Estepona, Costa del Sol, was engulfed earlier this month. She said: “All the hedges have gone at the front of the house. A Good Samaritan - a neighbour opposite - saw these flames at three o’clock in the morning. “I have management over there and a gardener, but I could’ve been in the house when it happened. “It frightens me.” She said she usually flies to the luxury property in August but is having to go earlier to oversee repairs. Cilla, whose husband Bobby died in 1999, admitted she was nervous about staying there on her own. But she added: “I’ve got to go to Spain, it’s got to be done, to get over being frightened, the longer I leave it , the worse it’s going to be. “What frightens me most is being on my own - I don’t stay there on my own. "I usually don’t go there until August but I’m going early this time.” The star also has homes in London, Buckinghamshire and Barbados.

Gas reps detained for defrauding the elderly

THE Guardia Civil have arrested two representatives of a ‘gas company’ who were thieving in people’s houses when they went to make their inspections. The victims, always elderly, would get a phone call a few days before the inspection; during the phone call the representatives would always inquire as to the age of the people in the house. The victims would be informed that two representatives would visit the house to make sure that everything conformed to standards and was safe.

They would charge €356 for this service and, when the victims would go in search of the cash, the reps would follow them to find where they hid their money and then go back later, while their colleague distracted the elderly person, and steal whatever cash they could find. Investigations began when a complaint was made to the Guardia Civil, by an 84-year-old man, who claimed that after a gas inspection he was left €3,000 short - this was money he had been saving in order to buy a hearing aid. Police rapidly identified and arrested the two individuals who made the visits as well as the woman who would make the preliminary phone calls and the appointments. Investigations into the matter are ongoing as the police suspect that there are a lot of victims who have not yet spoken up about the matter. All three are out on bail until their case goes to court.

British family recount moment forest fire forced them to flee Spanish hotel in Costa del Sol

'It was like Pompeii': British family recount moment they were forced to evacuate Spanish holiday apartment as raging forest fire sent hot ash raining down on them Family arrived at resort and were unpacking when they were forced to flee Clarks were alerted when Spanish porter looked up at hillside and swore Hot ash rained down and smoke obliterated the sun Eight-year-old Isla screamed that the family was going to die

THE Costa del Sol hospital has announced that it will be closing three operating rooms in the afternoons in July and four in August.

THE Costa del Sol hospital has announced that it will be closing three operating rooms in the afternoons in July and four in August.   Ana Corredera, spokesperson for the PP health department, commented that the works being done to expand the hospital have also been blocked for more than two years.   Corredera went on to underscore the fact that there would be no reduction in the number of beds available during the summer but that, due to the reduced budget this year, the summer reinforcements, brought in to cover the four-fold increase of the population, would be “minimal.” The PP spokesperson added that, in her party’s opinion, the delays in the expansion were due to bad local government by the PSOE.

MARBELLA taxi drivers have warned the council about the rising growth of the pirate taxi industry and are threatening a strike if something is not done about it.

MARBELLA taxi drivers have warned the council about the rising growth of the pirate taxi industry and are threatening a strike if something is not done about it. More than 150 cars stopped outside the fairgrounds for two hours to protest the situation about the amount of unauthorised vehicles which abound every summer in the town. “There are around 40 private individuals and companies endangering the livelihoods of the 316 legal taxi drivers in Marbella,” commented one driver at the two-hour protest. David Piquer, spokesperson for the taxi association of Marbella commented that this situation repeated itself every summer and the association was now asking for a sit down with the mayor in order to discuss the situation and find a remedy that would work for everybody. “We just want to be listened to and have our petitions taken into account by the council,” added Piquer. The petition, which summarises the association’s concerns along with the licence number plates of the rogue cars and photographs of their drivers, has been handed in to the council. One of the main bones of contention between the taxi association and the council is the Puerto Banus area which, according to one demonstrator, the police know about but have not taken any action on.

Marbella Rehab Dorian and Meena Lavender, who have been running Marbella Rehab centre since 2008, were accused by fellow expat Sharon Knight of stealing her home and business.

A BRITISH couple living in Marbella who were set to be evicted this week have been told by a court that they can stay in the property at least for the time being. Dorian and Meena Lavender, who have been running Marbella Rehab centre since 2008, were accused by fellow expat Sharon Knight of stealing her home and business. In a four-year legal wrangle, a Marbella court had previously ruled in Knight’s favour, ordering their eviction on July 15, and adding that the couple must pay €368,000 in damages to Knight. But the Lavenders have now successfully appealed this decision at a higher court in Malaga. The Lavenders’ lawyer, Alejandro Ponce confirmed today that the couple will not be leaving the property next week, as previously ordered. “There is no winner or loser at the moment, because it is a matter to be decided by the Malaga court,” he added. Knight took the Lavenders to court after she claimed they had failed to complete payment on the house or her business Marbella Rehab. The Lavenders moved into the property in December 2008, Knight claims that they agreed to pay €8,000 a month for the first year, with the final balance to be paid at the end of 2009. However she claims that when the time came for the lump sum to be paid, the Lavenders said they would not, having suffered the effects of the recession. The case is continuing.

Donegal teenager dies after fall on Costa del Sol

A teenager from Co Donegal died yesterday after falling from a wall in Spain. Ryan O’Shea (19) was on holiday with his parents near Torremolinos on the Costa del Sol, where the family own a holiday home. Mr O’Shea, a student at Sligo Institute of Technology, is understood to have fallen from a wall while on a night out. His family is well known in the Killybegs area of Co Donegal, where they run a fishing company. Killybegs-based TD Thomas Pringle said yesterday: “The town is stunned. It was an appalling tragedy for a family on holiday. “Everybody’s thoughts are with the family.” Mr O’Shea’s parents Sean and Joanne were joined by members of their family in Spain as preparations were being made to fly their son’s body home.

Thursday, saw the grand opening of a fabulous new restaurant and bar, Boardwalk, beautifully located on the Marbella sea front.

Thursday, saw the grand opening of a fabulous new restaurant and bar, Boardwalk, beautifully located on the Marbella sea front. The owner- director team made up of Howard, Charley, Penny, Nick and Kara, pulled out all the stops for the launch party, and gave everyone a night to remember. Not only is Boardwalk a brilliant location to see and be seen, in a unique twist, from the opening night onwards a cent from every single euro spent by patrons will go to local breast cancer charities, including Positively Pink run by Lorraine Palmer of El Oceano, so you can enjoy yourselves, and make a difference at the same time! The restaurant, in keeping with the charity theme, was decorated with pink and white tulle and balloons and guests were asked to wear white and pink outfits. Those who attended were treated to a delicious array of canapés which included both sweet and savoury treats, handed out by some of the most welcoming staff on the Costa. The wine and champagne flowed; entertainment was made up of a table magician and stilt walkers dressed entirely in white, which made sure that the launch party was a huge success.

Ever wondered which foods are most likely to kill you due to bacterial infection

Ever wondered which foods are most likely to kill you due to bacterial infection? While basically no one should be shocked by "undercooked meat," some of the others are actually kind of surprising. These answers come to us courtesy of USA Today, which interviewed several food safety experts about which foods are and are not a gamble for your health. Let's dig in, shall we? As numerous experts point out, the color of meat is significantly less important than the temperature; meat needs to be cooked to 160 degrees to kill off germs, and well done burgers and steaks aren't really any less likely to harbor bacteria if they weren't cooked to a high enough temperature. So, basically, all of the "red meat shouldn't have pink/blood in it because that's dangerous" people are talking out of their asses, and you can still get sick from a well done steak. Maybe most interestingly, washing chicken and red meat actually helps spread bacteria. The least shocking entry on the list is probably raw shellfish such as oysters, specifically because of a bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus which can attack a person's liver and stomach. We're just going to pretend that's why I can't stand them, rather than the fact that they're essentially enshelled wads of oceanic mucus. Anyway, one thing the USA Today article doesn't note is that Vibrio is actually only found in saltwater, so freshwater oysters are at least nominally less dangerous than those from coastal areas. Also not shocking: unpasteurized milk is apparently a really bad idea. The unpasteurized milk craze has been a part of the "back to nature" or "raw" or "fucking stupid" food trend in recent years, but apparently it's one of the most dangerous things you can eat. The CDC in particular is really, really passionate about the dangers of unpasteurized milk, pointing out that prior to the advent of pasteurization (which actually doesn't adversely affect the nutritional content of milk), people used to boil milk before giving it to kids. Considering the overlap between the unpasteurized milk people and the lunatic anti-vaxxer crowd, I'm pretty sure the CDC knows what it's talking about here. One entry that seems superficially surprising is bean sprouts...until you realize that people within the food industry and health departments have been sounding the drum about bean sprouts for years. The first issue is that most dishes involving sprouts serve them raw, a fact the USA Today article notes. Another problem it doesn't list, however, is that the porous nature of sprouts actually makes them more difficult to wash, and since they need humid conditions to grow in the first place, bacteria like E. Coli, Listeria, and Salmonella find them an easy breeding ground. Among fruits and vegetables, bean sprouts are actually potentially the single most dangerous, according to the CDC. Also dangerous, though: canteloupes. Canteloupe skins apparently soak up bacteria more easily than other melons, and when you cut into them, it exposes the edible part of the fruit to that lovely microbiological cocktail. It's worth noting that any food CAN be dangerous, as bacteria can live anywhere — some foods are just more likely to suffer from issues than others. Improprieties in not just cooking, but also treatment and storage, can have hugely detrimental effects on whether or not food will make you sick. Still, it's always good to know what foods are bigger potential risk factors.

The president of Malaga Province, Elias Bendodo, told local television that around 600 people including foreign tourists had been evacuated from Competa.

 

"The fire forced the precautionary evacuation of houses," the regional government said in a statement, adding that around 200 people participating in a traditional festival were also moved from the path of the blaze. The fire also threatened areas of the Sierras de Tejeda national park before being brought under control, authorities said.

Around 600 people were evacuated from Competa on Spain's Costa del Sol on Sunday

 

as a wildfire threatened to engulf homes in the tourist hotspot, local authorities said. More than 100 firefighters and several planes and helicopters were deployed to battle the blaze, which began in an area of natural park close to the village of Competa, 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Malaga. Local firefighting authority Plan Infoca said the blaze had been "stabilised" at 1900 GMT after an operation lasting several hours.

The Cómpeta fire is now under control after affecting 100 hectares

The Cómpeta fire is now under control after affecting 100 hectares The fire which broke out on Sunday afternoon in Cómpeta forced the evacuation of 600 residents. Sun Jun 29, 2014 - 22:22 The fire broke out just after 1pm in the Sierra de Tejeda, in Cómpeta on the border with Canillas de Abaida. Photo - Cómpeta Ayuntamiento At 10pm on Sunday night, the front closest to the village was extinguished, but the level 1 alert continues. Five homes in the upper part of the village have been affected as has the local football pitch. Work was concentrated on the Sierra de Tejeda and Almijara Nature Park where most Infoca fire-fighting crews are working. A force of 200 on the ground and as many as 19 airborne measures, two of which were amphibious planes from the Environment Ministry. They were taking water from the nearby La Viñuela reservoir. The extinction of the fire was complicated by the strong northerly winds in the area and the high temperatures. A spokesman from the Provincial Firemen’s Consortium (CPB) Manuel Marmolejo said, ‘The wind is the worst, and there have been some critical moments, because at one time we thought the fire could reach the village, and we had a bad time’. President of the Provincial Government, Elias Bendodo, said there was ‘correct and perfect’ coordination between the several services fighting the fire, and he underlined the work of the Guardia Civil in the evacuation. The fire is worst in the municipality for forty years, and the homes which were completely destroyed are in the Cruz del Monte estate, according to the Mayor, José Luis Torres, who was taking to La Opinión de Málaga. There were precautionary evacuations in the northern zone of the village, in Las Colmenillas, Tejarillo. 200 people who were on a romeria pilgrimage from Canillas de Albaida who were in the zone of the ‘Fabrica de la Luz’ were among the 600 evacuated. The ecologist group GENA Ecologistas en Accion, accused the local and regional authorities for the fire. The collective issued a statement: ‘It appears the fire has started in the area of disperse urbanisation, which the local authorities, and by omission the Junta de Andalucía, who have allowed construction outside the village limits, in a zone of difficult access and with abundant forest vegetation.

Firefighters battle Competa blaze from the air:Emergency services warn more evacuations may be necessary 17:00 – Level 1 Emergency Plan for Forest Fires declared

A FOREST fire is blazing in the village of Sierra de la Tejeda near the town of Competa in Malaga province. Four homes have been evacuated in the Las Colmenillas urbanisation so far as ten aircraft tackle the blaze in a rugged area. The 112 emergency services report that the fire started at around 13.15 this afternoon and members of Infoca, the brigade Guardia Civil and local police are currently in attendance. There are no reports of injuries.

17:14 – Seaplanes are collecting water from Lake Viñuela to fight the blaze

Firefighters battle Competa blaze from the air

A FOREST fire is blazing in the village of Sierra de la Tejeda near the town of Competa in Malaga province. Four homes have been evacuated in the Las Colmenillas urbanisation so far as ten aircraft tackle the blaze in a rugged area. The 112 emergency services report that the fire started at around 13.15 this afternoon and members of Infoca, the brigade Guardia Civil and local police are currently in attendance. There are no reports of injuries.

London Heathrow's new 'Spanish' terminal lifts off

The brand new Spanish-designed and built Terminal 2 building of London's Heathrow aiport welcomed its first flight on Wednesday morning, another symbol of Spain's place as an infrastructure superpower.

Spanish pilots ordered to speak only English

The Spanish Air Security Agency is preparing a controversial new law which will order all pilots and air traffic controllers in Spanish airspace to speak only English.

An American dentist is suing British Airways after being mistakenly flown 4,000 miles in the wrong direction

An American dentist is suing British Airways after being mistakenly flown 4,000 miles in the wrong direction to the Caribbean island of Grenada instead of the Andalusian city of Granada in Spain.

World's oldest human faeces found in Spain

50,000 year-old human excrement discovered in eastern Spain is offering a new insight into the not so meaty diet of our prehistoric ancestors the Neanderthals. The Local spoke to one of the scientists who found and studied the faeces.

Spain's gays get first ever royal reception

Spain's newly enthroned King Felipe and Queen Letizia broke with tradition on Tuesday by officially receiving representatives from Spain's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) groups at the royal El Pardo palace on Tuesday and highlighting that their work "deserves to be better known and acknowledged".

Ebola virus may have made its way into Spain

ON a flight from Morocco to Spain, a man began demonstrating signs of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Now hospitalised at La Fe in Valencia, the patient is having tests done to confirm if his symptoms are caused by EVD. Spain’s Minister of Health Manuel Llombart has urged the public to stay calm as the proper protocols are being followed for the case. According to The Spain Report, the man is from Guinea Conakry, the epicentre of West Africa’s current EVB outbreak. Doctors Without Borders has described the pandemic as “unprecedented” while the World Health Organization has released statistics listing some 599 cases and 338 deaths.

Spain decides to make up for its persecution of Jews, but won’t do the same for Muslims

Half a millennium ago, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand presented Jews living here with a stark choice: leave, convert or face burning at the stake. Some 50,000 Jews would eventually flee after passage of the Edict of Expulsion in 1492, giving birth to the Sephardic diaspora — “Sepharad” meaning “Spain” in Hebrew. Today their descendants live mainly in Israel, France, the United States and Turkey. Among those who remained, some who formally converted secretly maintained their faith under fear of constant persecution by the merciless Spanish Inquisition. Now the Spanish authorities are finally seeking to redress the injustice. Earlier this month, the government approved a draft bill that would grant dual citizenship to those who can prove themselves to be descendants of expelled Jews — in addition to passing a Spanish culture test. Officials say they expect up to 90,000 applications in the coming years. The same privilege isn’t being conferred on members of another community that was expelled because of policies aimed at maintaining “clean Christian blood.” More than a century after the Jewish expulsion, the Moriscos — Arabs previously forced to renounce Islam and become baptized — suffered the same fate. Around 275,000 ended up in North Africa, where they left an imprint on architecture, music and cuisine. A Moroccan association representing their descendants recently sent Spain’s King Juan Carlos I — who abdicated this month in favor of his son Felipe — a letter requesting the same conciliatory measure. The authorities balked. Denying accusations of double standards in an interview with El Pais newspaper, Undersecretary of Justice Juan Bravo wrote, “We’re not rewarding being expelled, but maintaining Spain’s links with its culture.” “The Sephardim kept their identity traits,” he added, referring to expelled Jews, while Moriscos “assimilated to the culture of the places they settled.” Despite their treatment, both previously persecuted groups influenced Spanish culture in ways that are still very much evident today. More than 10 percent of Spanish men have a “very high” proportion of genetic characteristics attributable to populations originating in North Africa, and almost 20 percent to Sephardic Jewish ancestors, researchers from Leicester University in England and Spain’s Pompeu Fabra University found in 2008. But there are far more visible traces in tradition and language. The ubiquitous Serrano ham legs hanging in restaurants and homes across the country are the legacy of public displays of pork-eating — prohibited by Judaism and Islam — by new or pretending Christians hundreds of years ago. “Those never seen eating pork became suspects of the Inquisition,” says historian Sebastian de la Obra, director of Casa Sefarad, a museum of Sephardic culture and tradition in the Andalusian city of Cordoba. The Spanish expression “hacer sabado,” or “Saturdaying,” refers to housecleaning and washing by converted Jews, who left windows and doors open to prove they weren’t observing the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day of rest. The eight-century Muslim presence in Spain is particularly evident in architecture, perhaps most famously in Granada’s magnificent Alhambra fortress and in the Great Mosque of Cordoba, now a cathedral. The Spanish language has thousands of words derived from Arabic. Some believe even the famous “Ole!” frequently heard in bullfighting, flamenco shows and almost everywhere else may come from “Allah.” Spaniards have traditionally downplayed that huge cultural impact, says Rosa Isabel Martinez Lillo, a professor in the Arab and Islamic Studies Department of the Autonoma University in Madrid. “There’s a tendency from the time of the Catholic kings to deny every Arab influence on our thinking or acting, to separate Spanish and Arab idiosyncrasies,” she says.

A Spanish mayor has been charged for setting a town on fire after ignoring a fireworks ban

A Spanish mayor has been charged for setting a town on fire after ignoring a fireworks ban. The illegal pyrotechnics resulted in a massive hillside blaze, which forced some residents of the town to evacuate from their homes. Despite a ban, which had been implemented because of an extremely high risk of forest fires, Mayor Ernesto Sanjuan gave the go ahead for a fireworks display on April 26 in the town of Cullera in southeastern Spain. Sanjuan was charged along with the display’s organizer, Andreu Piqueras, who are both members of Spain’s ruling People’s Party.

Smugglers arrested after landing drugs on tourist beach in broad daylight

THREE PEOPLE have been detained in Estepona, Malaga, for trying to unload 234 kilos of hashish onto a beach frequented by tourists. Several complaints were lodged with the Local Police reporting that, in broad daylight and in full view of all the beachgoers, smugglers were unloading large amounts of drugs from boats and then these drugs were being taken to the cars waiting on the promenade. The police investigated the claims and found that this was taking place on the Piedra Paloma beach; the smugglers were using a small pleasure craft to bring the drugs close to the beach and then just unloading them and carrying them to cars waiting on the closest road. While they carried the drugs to the waiting cars they frequently threatened the beach goers with violence if they said anything or raised the alarm with the police. A surveillance operation on the aforementioned beach produced three arrests and the confiscation of 234 kilos of hashish, two mobile phones, the small pleasure craft and a GPS. Police were later able to identify and arrest the owner of the pleasure craft.

Police jailed for torturing British tourists

FOUR Guardia Civil officers have been jailed for torturing two British tourists in Palma. The officers, who were found guilty by a Palma court, have been sentenced to terms of between two and four years imprisonment. The events took place in 2009, in Santa Ponca, when two British men were having a fight and one of them hit a Guardia Civil sergeant. Both men were detained and taken to the police station where they were beaten by the accused all night and most of the next day. The Guardia Civil even used objects like truncheons to beat them. Neither of the victims appeared in the court to take part in the prosecution and, as such, the exact circumstances of the beatings are unknown. The prosecution considered that the medical reports on the victims were enough to prove the case. The sergeant has been sentenced to four years in prison and a life-long ban from public service employment. He will also have to pay a fine of €2,455. The other three officers were given two years in prison each and banned from public service employment for eight years.

San Juan FREE SARDINES IN MALAGA NO . AUSTERITY CUTS

Traditional FREE Sardines scrapped as austerity package adds to Malagas woes. A SPECTACULAR rainbow heralded the start of one of Spain’s best-loved summer festivals. San Juan – otherwise known as the festival of fire – more than lived up to its nickname this week. Bonfires and fireworks lit up the midnight sky over the Costa del Sol, with massive fiestas filling the streets of the coast’s towns. Among the best vantage points were Sabinillas – with live music and a mini fairground – and Sonora, where the young and free-spirited treated themselves to a midnight dip and warmed themselve

Following the tragic death of the National Policeman who was stabbed on the 21 of last month in Malaga the police unions are again looking at the equipment that the police are given

Following the tragic death of the National Policeman who was stabbed on the 21 of last month in Malaga the police unions are again looking at the equipment that the police are given with which to carry out their duties without risking their lives in the process. The Spanish Confederation of Police (CEP) is compiling a list of all the complaints previously presented in order to bring a general list to the attention of the Police High Command. Juan Carlos Gil, secretary general of the CEP, is demanding that, among other pieces of equipment, the motorcycle police be given their own helmets as they currently have to pass helmets around at the end/beginning of shifts to make sure that everyone has one. He claims this is unhygienic and shows a lack of care for the rank and file from the Command. Gil is also asking for the bike police to be given the correct equipment in the correct sizes for the individual person as, currently, the elbow, knee, shin and back protectors they are given are “one size fits nobody”.

Act of God Spain’s team plane struck by lightning

Spain’s national team had a hair raising return flight from their dismal World Cup after their plane was struck by lightning. Spanish media has reported that the La Roja team were on their way home to Madrid from Curitiba, via Las Palmas, when lightning struck one of the aeroplane’s wings, causing what sounded like an explosion. The pilot reported that there had been no injuries and that all Spanish players and accompanying media representatives had left the plane uninjured. The teams’ extraordinarily rapid exit from the World Cup, their worst ever performance in a World Cup competition, was slightly softened by the team’s  3-0 win over Australia last night (Tuesday) after being eliminated in the first round. The team took an Iberian flight back to Madrid and arrived dressed in black tracksuits, ignoring the waiting media. Waiting fans were left disappointed as the players all left Adolfo Suárez airport via a back door.

Zero tolerance for ignoring bylaws

NOISE pollution, terrace tables that crowd out pedestrians and organised begging are promised “zero tolerance” in Benidorm. Bylaws must be obeyed to the letter, declared mayor Augustin Navarro. “The traditional balance between leisure and the right to rest has been lost in favour of the first,” Navarro said.  He was not going to stand by and let the Old Town to lose its population as people moved out because they couldn’t sleep at night, he added. Why turn central streets into pedestrian precincts to further business for bars and restaurants if they the pavements with more tables than were permitted, he asked. Policia Local officers are now checking the number of outdoor tables against town hall records.  If transgressors do not remove tables of their own accord they would be officially removed “clients and all,” Navarro threatened. The town hall is also concerned about the beggars brought into town each day by criminal groups of human traffickers.  Although the Policia Local acts rapidly in removing them, they needed the cooperation their counterparts as the gangs are based outside Benidorm. “Benidorm is a safe place,” said Public Safety councillor Pepe Marcet.  “Figures show a low crime rate but that does not mean we can drop our guard,” he warned.

Pierrade refers to the stone which rests above the heating element on my machine

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Pierre means stone, so a pierrade is a stone-like thing. This is definitely NOT a French monopoly in the food world: cooking your food on a hot stone slab. Still, it's a lot of fun and as you are heating up the machine for cheese-melting it would be a waste not to slap some meat on the top of the element, right? Cooking the meat is the responsibility of the guests: just lay the meat on the hot slab and remember to turn it over and remove it when done. Generally, one person is designated to keep an eye on each of the meats, making sure that more is put on the element as space becomes available. In using the pierrade, a cook has a bit more scope for creativity. First, you can prepare a variety of meats and marinate them in sauces if you like. Secondly, you can come up with tasty sauces to accompany your meats. This time I kept to a fairly simple meat selection: the Savoie ham, slices of beef and pieces of chicken with a touch of olive oil to keep them from sticking to the stone. The store had a good selection of the new fall mushrooms, so I bought trompettes de la mort, oyster mushrooms, some that looked a bit like shiitake (but weren't) and a new one to me: pieds bleus. I sauteed them in a bit of butter, garlic and thyme and added a spoonful of creme fraiche just before serving. (Not only was this delicious with the beef, but I ate the remainder tonight with some leftover raclette on toast and it went extremely well with the cheese too!) For the chicken, I sauteed a chopped shallot in butter, and added a little tarragon, mustard and creme fraiche. Other favourites in the sauce department are: peppercorn sauce, bearnaise, tomato and hot pepper...basically anything you can think of to go with meat will please your guests! As for the meat, I also often use slices of duck or pork. The duck can get a bit messy as it gives up more fat than the other meats, but it is truly delicious. Serve all of the above, cheese and meats, with a nice thick red wine to help fight all the cholesterol you are taking on. It's well worth it!

Spanish health authority runs Xbox consultations

A SPANISH health authority is cutting costs by doing consultations via Xbox. IT services giant Accenture has been working with the health authorities in the Basque Country to reduce the costs associated with caring for people with chronic illnesses through technology created for Microsoft´s Xbox games console. The Teki telehealth system enabling consultations to be carried out with the patient at their own home when the system, via the Xbox, is connected to the patient´s TV. It also enables medical staff to remotely monitor the patient´s health, give dietary advice, and prescribe medicine.

Schumacher's medical records stolen demand for 50,000 euros ransom

The representative of Michael Schumacher, Sabine Kehm, has issued a statement Monday in which he denounced the alleged theft of medical history, German, who spent six months in a coma admitted to a hospital in Grenoble after a skiing accident. "For many days are being offered for sale and data stolen documents. Whoever says it is offering medical history of Michael Schumacher," said Kehm in its statement. "We can not say whether the documents are authentic. Either way it is clear that the documents have been stolen. Has been reported the thief and the authorities are already working on the issue," he adds. Kehm warns that "prohibited the purchase and publication of such documents" and that "the content of any medical record is a completely private and confidential information and may not be available to the public." "Therefore, we will request criminal charges and damages, in each case, against any publication of content or reference to history," he concludes. Five and a half months in a coma Michael Schumacher was hospitalized in Grenoble since last December 29 after suffering a skiing accident. On June 16 came out of the coma and left the university hospital of the city to continue its "long period" of recovery. The Formula One world champion sevenfold suffered a skiing accident on a track marked out no station Méribel in the French Alps, where he owns a home and where he practiced the sport with his son. He hit his head against a rock, and from the first moment, the docto

Barcelona’s Agbar Tower to be Converted to Grand Hyatt Luxury Hotel

The iconic skyscraper in Barcelona, Toree Agbar, designed by Jean Nouvel is due to be acquired by Hyatt hotels. The hotel group is planning to convert the tower into a luxury hotel under its Gran Hyatt brand with an estimated investment of 35 million euros. Emin Capital, the company acquiring the building is set to pay between 150 and 250 million euros for the masterpiece. Sources close to the transaction suggest that the building could attract 1.5 million visitors a year.

Marbella, Benidorm or La Manga del Mar Menor Could Disappear Due to Climate Change Warns Greenpeace

Marbella, Benidorm or La Manga del Mar Menor Could Disappear Due to Climate Change Warns Greenpeace

US Investment Firms to Hand in Offer For Sotogrande

According to Bloomberg, “Oaktree Capital Group LLC (OAK) and Cerberus Capital Management LP are among bidders for NH Hoteles SA (NHH)’s real-estate unit Sotogrande (STG) SA as the Spanish hotelier reorganizes its assets to cut costs and debt, people familiar with the matter said.” The sale of the luxury development of the same name in southern Spain is said to fetch “more than 200 million euros” according to individuals close to the deal. Other assets that also belong to Sotogrande, S.A. include a polo field, a marina for boats and yachts as well as assets in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Italy. NH Hoteles has been pursuing the sale of Sotogrande for several years now. The hotel chain has a 98 per cent stake in Sotogrande according to filings.

Massive Closure Of Electronic Cigarette Shops Throughout Spain

The boom appears to be over for the countless electronic cigarette shops that opened all over Spain during the past few years. Commercial premises which were up until very recently selling electronic cigarettes have now got big ‘for rent’ or ‘for sale’ signs hanging in their shop windows. The ANCE (National Association of the Electronic Cigarette) admits that around 60-70% of the businesses dedicated to selling the electronic cigarette have closed. A spokesperson for Buy a Business in Spain suggests that the type of business has “short legs” and that anyone looking to start a business in Spain “should focus on industries that either have solid legislation surrounding them” or those that have “a proven demand by consumers”.

Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza

Hard Rock International Opens

Hard Rock International, owner of one of the most iconic brands in the world, Hard Rock is opening its first hotel in Europe this month, the Hard Rock Ibiza Hotel. The opening will be held on the weekend of the 13th to the 14th June, with the participation of Grammy award winner, Nile Rodgers from the group Chic. Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza will boast 493 rooms, combining the island’s Mediterranean flavor with the philosophy of the popular Hard Rock brand. It will include 235 suites and leisure facilities, such as the Rock Spa®, Body Rock® workout facility and the world famous Rock Shop®, featuring Hard Rock’s merchandise. To add to the destination’s highly anticipated nightlife offerings, the hotel is also set to include exceptional dining and entertainment, such as a lobby bar, kids club, teen venue and beach club. Guests can enjoy the natural beauty of Ibiza with private swim-out pools for specialty suites, in addition to two pools enhanced with bars, private cabanas and poolside service. Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza expects to cash in on the islands famous parties, by hosting its own live events with a capacity for up to 2,500 guests. This summer, the hotel has events programmed with UB40, Snoop Dog AKA Snoop Lion amongst others.

Chinese to buy Barcelona’s World Trade Centre

The Port of Barcelona together with the other owners of the WTC (World Trade Center) in Barcelona have decided to put the building up for sale. The office building is home to 40,000 square meters of offices, 4,5000 square meters of shops and 4,000 square meters of conference facilities. The building also has space for 900 cars and is home to a five star GL hotel. The Port of Barcelona owns 52% of the WTC, with 16.51% belonging to FCC construction conglomerate, another 16.51% is owned by Acciona Trasmediterránea, 9.99% by Banco Santander bank and 4.71% belongs to the contruction firm Grupo ACS. The building has an occupancy of 94% and the firm managing the property closed 2012 with €15.3M revenues and an EBITDA of €1.7M. According to Spanish newspaper Expansión, the value of the property is around €61M. The shareholders of the WTC have yet to announce a broker that will be handling the sale.

71 Bathing Areas in Spain Classified As ‘Bad Quality’

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), Spain is among the countries in Europe with the worst bathing quality areas – a total of 3%. The annual bathing water quality report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) tracks the water quality at 22 000 bathing sites across the EU, Switzerland and, for the first time, Albania. Alongside the report, the EEA has published an interactive map showing how each bathing site performed in 2013. 92% of bathing waters in Spain were considered of good quality or excellent, placing the country below the European average of 95%. Cyprus came in at 100% (excellent), with Malta at 99% (excellent), Greece at 93% (pass or excellent) and Croatia at 95% (pass or excellent). According to the report, 3% of the areas analyzed, did not present the minimum conditions or were closed entirely due to ‘abnormal’ situations detected or due to being contaminated. The highest rates of poor or non-compliant bathing waters have been found in Estonia (5.7 %), the Netherlands (5.1 %), Belgium (3.5 %), France (3.5 %), Spain (3.3 %) and Ireland (3.0 %). 71 bathing areas throughout Spain were classified as ‘bad quality’ with over 40 of them located in Galicia, the north of Spain.

Spanish Newspaper Marca Labels Spain Elimination From The World Cup ‘The End’

Spain took an early exit from the World Cup in Brazil after getting defeated 5-1 by Holland in Salvador and losing to Chile 0-2 at the Maracana in Rio de Jainero on Wednesday. The shocking early elimination from the World Cup has sent shock waves through the football world, with Spanish sports newspaper Marca labelling it ‘The End’.

Fruity Moscato Sangria

sweetandsavorybyshinee.com

 

All you need: Moscato or Rose, triple sec, berries, citrus, simple syrup.

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