Woman killed by boat propeller on the Costa Blanca

She sustained massive injuries in the accident off Santa Pola and died on Tuesday night A 37 year old woman from Elche died on Tuesday after a boating accident in Santa Pola where she fell into the water and was caught by the boat’s propeller, sustaining a massive wound across her body from her shoulder to her hip.Ambulance crew, Cruz Roja personnel and local police worked at the scene for more than an hour to stabilise the injured woman before she was rushed to hospital in Alicante for emergency surgery. She however died on Tuesday night.It’s understood that there were three other adults and three children on board when the tragedy happened,...

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Eight people were arrested unloading the cargo onto the dock at Isla Cristina

Details of another success in the fight against drug smuggling were released on Wednesday, after a months-long operation which the National Police say still remains open.Eight people were caught by officers as they were unloading a cargo of cannabis on the dock at Isla Cristina in the early hours of Sunday. Huelva Información gives the total weight of the drugs as 3.5 tons.There has been no confirmation of the nationalities of the suspec...

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Marbella return for Jordan

KATIE Price has ended speculation that she was set to appear on Celebrity Big Brother by touching down in Marbella for the second time this summer.The former glamour model, 33, is enjoying a break with her children and boyfriend Leandro Penna on the coast.‘Not doing Big Brother. I’m away with my family and I’m signed to Sky Living so impossible,’ the star declared on Twitter.&nb...

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High winds are complicating the work of the fire fighters and the town of Portman has been evacuated

2,000 people have been evacuated from their homes because of a fire in the Murcia sierra which was first reported at 11pm on Tuesday night.The fire is known to have burnt out three properties and it is feared that the flames could reach the town of Portmán, close to the La Manga Golf Club in Cartagena.There are no reports of any injuries, although Red Cross and 061 ambulances remain at the scene in case.The high winds in the area are complicating the work of the fire fighters. They have sent ten trucks to the zone, and six forestry brigades are also fighting the flames. Airborne measures in the form of three helicopters and other planes were...

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Moroccan man arrested for links to Al Qaeda

37 year old Moroccan man has been arrested in La Linea de la Concepción for his alleged links to the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQMI. He is accused of putting propaganda in favour of Al Qaeda on internet forums.Abdellatif Aoulad Chilba, is accused of belonging to an armed gang because of his connections, according to the Ministry for the Interior.He was arrested in his home where several substances were removed for analysis, although these are not thought to be for explosives. A pistol, computer, and leaflet about black magic, which the arrested man practiced, were removed.The internet forum he is accused of maintaining recruited new members...

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32 year old Briton in intensive care after almost drowning on Ibiza

A 32 year old British man is in the intensive care unit of the Can Misses hospital on Ibiza with symptoms of drowning.It appears he jumped from a rock into the sea at the Cala Llonga, but hit another rock in the water. A friend with him at the time, also British, jumped into the sea to help, but only to almost drown himself.A passing boat managed to rescue the two and take them to shore, from where the emergency services took them to hospital. The friend was released after treatment, but the other remains in hospital more critically hurt.&nb...

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Supplier to Zara in Brazil accused of slave labor

Spain's Zara, owned by the world's largest clothing retailer Inditex SA (ITX.MC), is under investigation by Brazil's labor ministry after a supplier was accused of slave labor, a local seamstress union said on Wednesday.Government investigators raided four Sao Paulo sweatshops in late June, union officials told Reuters. All the garments discovered in the investigation were labeled with the Zara brand."Before then, we had never received accusations" against Zara, Maria Susiclea Assis, who heads the Sao Paulo-based Sindicato das Costureiras de Sao Paulo e Osasco union, said in an interview.The workers in the shops were from Boliva and Peru, she...

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Brits planning a driving holiday in Spain have been reminded to make sure they have an extra pair of glasses in the car

Brits planning a driving holiday in Spain have been reminded to make sure they have an extra pair of glasses in the car, while those heading to Romania or Russia are warned that local regulations make it illegal to drive a dirty vehicle.These are among the unusual overseas driving rules highlighted by car rental company Avis UK, which has published a series of guides covering the top ten destinations for vehicle hire this summer.Other surprising laws dictate that motorists should have headlights on at all times outside of built-up areas in Italy and should never drink anything behind the wheel in Cyprus.In Greece, visitors might return to their...

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Abandoned 2-year-old girl rescued from dumpster in southeastern Spain

An official says a 2-year-old girl has been rescued from a dumpster after her parents abandoned her.He says residents of the southeastern town of Cabezo de Torres were alarmed by sobbing sounds coming from the garbage container late Saturday and after removing several plastic bags of refuse found the girl “crying, sweating and with panic showing in her face.”The toddler’s parents have been identified and arrested, and are awaiting trial on suspicion of having abandoned a minor, the official said Sunday on condition of anonymity in keeping with ministry rules.&nb...

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Spanish towns face funding crisis, rack up debts

In this hillside town, topped by a medieval castle and surrounded by olive groves, the 120 municipal workers haven't been paid since May. Police have new orders not to use their patrol cars unless they get word of a traffic accident or a crime in progress.The town pool is closed for the summer despite temperatures over 104 (40 Celsius) in the shade. Fees for the public day-care center have doubled. Water bills will soon go up 33 percent and local...

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TWO SHIPWRECKS discovered off the Donegal coastline may be linked to the late 16th-century Spanish Armada

TWO SHIPWRECKS discovered off the Donegal coastline may be linked to the late 16th-century Spanish Armada and a separate late 18th-century French armada, despatched to assist Irish rebellion efforts.However, identification of the two wrecks outside Burtonport harbour may take some time, Connie Kelleher of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s underwater archaeology unit, said yesterday.The two shipwrecks, one of which is definitely a warship, are lying 200m apart in just four metres of water off Rutland Island close to Burtonport.Lead shot balls were retrieved during dives in which Ms Kelleher participated yesterday morning. Pottery...

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You can find properties for less than 150.000 euros near the beach and in perfect conditions" says Antonio, real estate agent in Calpe

It was during the sixties when Spain became famous for its beaches. Many northern europeans came to spend there summer holidays at the mediterranean coast.This was due to the excellent climate that the Mediterranean countries have like Spain, Italy or Greece besides to the great hospitality offered by its people. This way the northern tourists changed there rainy days for sunny days, with a nicely and warm temperature and sea breezes to a much more affordable price compared to the standard of living in their countries. Mediterranean countries began to build houses to supply the high demand of tourists, arriving steadily throughout the year.Among...

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Spain's 18th Duchess of Alba overcomes disapproval of children and royal household by giving away her inheritance early

She is one of the richest women in Spain, owns a dozen castles whose walls are hung with works by Goya, Velázquez and Titian and is a distant relative of King James II, Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales. Now, however, the 18th Duchess of Alba is giving away her immense personal fortune in order to be free to marry a minor civil servant.According to Guinness World Records, Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca...

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Spanish house prices expected to drop further

An expert from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that Spain's property market will experience further falls in housing values.Commenting on the overall health of the Spanish economy, James Daniel, IMF mission chief, explained that although the country's government has taken positive steps to encourage a recovery, there are still hurdles to overcome.Among them is the real estate sector, with Mr Daniel noting that there is still a large amount of unsold stock on the market and he predicted that "house prices probably also have further to fall".However, he pointed out that the housing industry as a whole appears to have "returned...

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MAJORCA has long been an island with a special place in the hearts of holidaymakers

MAJORCA has long been an island with a special place in the hearts of holidaymakers who go back year after year, writes Julia Armstrong.We went to C’an Picafort on our first family package holiday abroad when I was a kid in the early 1970s and I’ve always loved the island.For a lot of people, the capital, Palma, is just the place that they pass through when they go to and from the airport but it is a lovely little city well worth a visit.The harbour is very pretty with the old walls of the city rising from it and the cathedral towering overhead.Inside the Gothic building there are some interesting modern additions by the artist and architect...

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Kings Of Leon have promised to repeat their gig in Dallas after lead singer Caleb Followill walked off stage

Kings Of Leon have promised to repeat their gig in Dallas after lead singer Caleb Followill walked off stage - prompting rumours of a rift within the band.Followill repeatedly complained that it was too hot to perform and that his voice was suffering because of it."My voice is completely 100% gone," he said during Friday's show.After a few more songs, he announced: "I'm gonna go back stage for a second, I'm gonna vomit, I'm gonna drink a beer and I'm gonna come back out and play three more songs."But he never did come back out, leaving the rest of the band to announce the abrupt end of their show while the audience booed.The other members - Followill's...

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MAN has been branded "reckless" for taunting a bull with a pink umbrella before it gored him to death

MAN has been branded "reckless" for taunting a bull with a pink umbrella before it gored him to death.The reveller was enjoying a Spanish fiesta when the horned animal careered down a narrow street and charged at him.The half-ton beast ran the 50-year-old father down leaving him helpless to fend off the frenzied attack as bystanders stood and watched.The dad-of-one was trampled and gored in the chest and armpit.Floored ... man never got up again...

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Drinking wine or eating grapes could protect you from sunburn, according to a new study that found a chemical in the fruit can limit cell damage.

Ultraviolet (UV) rays emitted by the sun are the leading environmental cause of skin complaints, premature ageing, sun burn and even skin cancer.But in another nod towards the healthy mediteranean diet, Spanish scientists found substances in the grapes protect cells from the damage.Already cosmetic companies are registering interest in the hope of making sun creams or pills that copy the process.The University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council looked at the chemical reaction in the skin when hit by UV rays from the sun.They found that flavonoids in the grapes can stop the chemical reaction that causes cells to die and therefore...

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