10,000 Euro fine for those found working while claiming unemployment pay in Spain

The Government on Friday approved in cabinet its new measures against the submerged economy. Under the plan employers will have until July 31 to regularise their employees without any fines being imposed. Despite the fact that the company will only pay the social security quotas from the moment the worker in affiliated, the Government has said it is ‘not an amnesty’.After July 31, sanctions imposed will be imposed on businesses between 1.6 and 5...

First train arrives in Málaga for the new metro system

The first train for Málaga’s new metro system arrived in the capital of the Costa del Sol this Thursday, ahead of test runs on the line this summer once the electrical installations are in place.Diario Sur reports that it was brought there from the CAF Santana factory in Linares, Jaén province, the company which is contracted to build the 14 trains which will run on the metro.The Málaga metro system will have a total length of 13.5 kilometres, with...

Weak jobs and retail data together with rising inflation on Friday undermined Spain's efforts to revive a stagnant economy already beset by rampant unemployment, high prices and depressed consumer sentiment.

Weak jobs and retail data together with rising inflation on Friday undermined Spain's efforts to revive a stagnant economy already beset by rampant unemployment, high prices and depressed consumer sentiment.Unemployment, which is more than double the European Union average, rose to 21.3 percent, or 4.9 million people, in the first quarter from 20.3 percent a quarter earlier, the National Statistics Institute (INE) said.The government says unemployment...

Spain cracks down on black economy, pledges heavy sanctions for companies with illegal workers

Spain is giving companies three months to put their workers fully on the books under a new bill aimed at eradicating a black economy that account for up to 20 per cent of the economically ailing country's GDP.Labor Minister Valeriano Gomez said Thursday that after this period heavier sanctions will be imposed and workplace inspections increased.Gomez told Spanish National Television the decree would be passed Friday.The bill aims to boost state coffers...

Police in Paris have arrested 60 suspected illegal migrants, most of them Tunisians

Police in Paris have arrested 60 suspected illegal migrants, most of them Tunisians, as France pushes for tighter border controls.The suspects, who include some Egyptians, Libyans and Algerians, were arrested for "breaking the residency laws", a police source said.Unrest in the Arab world has generated a wave of migrants to Europe.France, part of the EU border-free Schengen zone, is seeking to re-impose internal frontier controls.No other details...

Royal Family attend Easter Mass in Palma

The absence of the King was the most commented part of the Spanish Royal Family’s visit to the ‘Misa de Pascua’ Easter Sunday service in Palma Cathedral.Don Juan Carlos remained in his office in the Zarzuela Palace preparing the official visit to Spain by the Emir of Qatar and his wife who will be here between April 25 and 27.It was left to Queen Sofía to lead the royal family this week on Palma, with several events organised by Marivent Palace....

Civil Guard are investigating the death of a young Spanish boy on Ibiza

The Civil Guard are investigating the death of a young Spanish boy on Ibiza, who was accidentally run over while he was riding a children’s mini moto on his family’s property in Sant Antoni de Portmany on Sunday.The six year old was hit by a kart cross buggy driven by his mother, who failed to see that her son was in her path.The boy was rushed to hospital in Can Misses by his father, but was pronounced dead on arriv...

another construction accident in work to build the Málaga metro system on Monday

There was another construction accident in work to build the Málaga metro system on Monday, the second in the past month.Three workers were injured when, Diario Sur reports, a series of metallic structures used to reinforce concrete fell like a row of dominoes, hitting the three men. One worker was trapped beneath the fallen structures, which had to be lifted off by a crane on site.It happened at around 1pm near the María Zambrano railway station...

The National Police have asked for help from the public in finding some of Spain’s most wanted, both Spaniards and foreigners, by showing their faces in a video placed on the police’s Youtube channel.

The National Police have asked for help from the public in finding some of Spain’s most wanted, both Spaniards and foreigners, by showing their faces in a video placed on the police’s Youtube channel.It includes those wanted for murder, torture, drug trafficking, theft, fraud and other crimes.Using the music from Dexter as backing the video mentions the Briton, Daren Michael Elarmo, wanted for kidnapping and sexual abuse of children and thought to...

British youth in new case of 'balconing' on the Baleares

19 year old British youth, who jumped from a fourth floor balcony of a hotel in Palma de Mallorca in an attempt to reach the swimming pool, has become the first victim of ‘balconing’ of the season on the Baleares. It happened at 0.55am in the early hours of Sunday.The man is now in the Son Espases hospital with a broken forearm and suffering from abdominal pains. He is undergoing a series of tests to determine the seriousness of his injuries.Que.es...

The emir of Qatar arrived in Madrid on Monday on a visit to boost economic ties between the oil-rich Gulf state and Spain,

The emir of Qatar arrived in Madrid on Monday on a visit to boost economic ties between the oil-rich Gulf state and Spain, which is seeking new investments to shore up its battered economy.Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and his wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, lunched with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the royal palace of Zarazuela outside Madrid following their arrival.On Tuesday, he is to hold talks over lunch with Prime Minister...

Fuengirola, Wife's agony as father-of-two dies swimming

FATHER of two has died after he was swept out to sea while swimming on holiday in Spain.Colin McLean, 42, had been playing with his eight-year-old son Fraser in the sea near Fuengirola, Malaga, shortly before he got into difficulties. He shouted for help and is understood to have been pulled from the water by a police officer who tried to revive him as his wife Jenny sat by his side but he could not be saved.Mrs McLean flew back to Edinburgh this...

Spanish gym offers naked workouts

A gym in Spain has come up with an eye-catching way of battling the recession.Easy Gym in the Basque region has begun offering naked workouts, for nudists.The gym's owners say amid the global financial recession they'd noticed a drop off in membership and the move is aimed at simply increasing gym numbers.A poll of the group's members showed 90% support for a facility offering the full range of nude workouts.However sceptics suggest that running...

Spain court bans atheist march on Holy Thursday

court has barred atheists from holding a march on Holy Thursday, saying that would be offensive to Spanish Catholics who mark Easter with processions of their own.In Wednesday's ruling, the Madrid Superior Court of Justice upheld a ban imposed last week by the Interior Ministry office for the Madrid region.That office had argued among other things that the march planned in the Lavapies district of Madrid would pass by several Catholic churches and...

Bandit of the Sierra de Cádiz arrested by the Civil Guard

dangerous criminal who operated like a modern-day bandit from his base in the mountains of Cádiz has been arrested in an operation involving more than 70 Civil Guard and a chase which saw him jumping from a height of 3 metres into a mountain stream as he attempted to flee his pursuers.Known as ‘El Lute’, the suspect was wanted on a warrant issued by a court in Oviedo, Asturias, and was finally brought to ground last Friday when he was tracked to...

Two German tourists reported drowned off Gran Canaria

Two German tourists drowned on Monday morning while swimming off the beach of Amadores, in Mogán, on Gran Canaria.EFE reports that emergency services were called out shortly before noon after the two victims, a man and a woman in their twenties, got into difficulties near the local cliffs. They were rescued by a Cruz Roja boat and a regional government helicopter and were brought to shore for treatment.All attempts to revive them however failed.There...

So far the reaction has been very favourable, people can’t wait to get Maurice back

DJ Maurice Boland is returning to the airwaves for the first time since his close relationship with a 16-year-old girl was exposed. AKA ‘Mr Marbella’ is to start a regular slot on Heart FM, based in Coin, from next month.He will take over the afternoon show from current station...

Málaga actor Antonio Banderas took up his normal place as the mayordomo in the procession of the Lágrimas y Favores brotherhood

Málaga actor Antonio Banderas took up his normal place as the mayordomo in the procession of the Lágrimas y Favores brotherhood in the city on Sunday. The Lágrimas y Favores was just one of eight brotherhoods on the streets of the city during Palm Sunday.Banderas, who had the additional honour of giving the Pregón speech which opened the Easter celebrations in Málaga last week, was joined by Baroness Carmen Thyssen, with Melanie Griffith witness...

SIX out of ten people who have registered on the census in Malaga province in the past year are foreign residents and over 65 years

old. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, of the 14,588 people who registered on the censuses of Malaga towns in 2010, 61 per cent are foreign.This brings the total number of foreigners registered in the province up to 321,582, 20 per cent of the total number of 1,624,145 people, which is well above the Spanish average of 12.2 per cent. The group which has grown the most is the over 65 year olds, with 8,873 new registrations....

12,000 drivers in Malaga Province should be off the road. But they continue to drive unaware they have lost all their points from their licenses,

the Spanish Traffic Department (DGT) has revealed. Meanwhile, in the whole of Spain, there are more than 5,000 who have lost their licenses at least twice, having lost their 12 points after already having to take courses to recover them.Drivers criticize the was the DGT has managed the system, with some 400,000 people in Spain still on the roads not knowing that they have lost all their points because it takes the DGT too long to inform them...

41 year old man from Málaga has been killed in a shooting in Maracaibo, Venezuela

41 year old man from Málaga has been killed in a shooting in Maracaibo, Venezuela, the second person from the province to have met a violent death in South America within the past month.The first victim was 34 year old Irene Cortés, who was shot during a robbery in Barranquilla, Colombia, on March 2.The latest victim, named by Diario Sur as Eduardo F.G., was found badly injured lying on waste ground in the El Palotal district of Maracaibo on March...

terror attacks on both Ceuta and Melilla next week – Semana Santa, when Easter processions traditionally take to the streets of Spain’s North African enclaves.

There is much consternation amongst the operatives of the Spanish intelligence services as they study a message from Atahadi, an al Qaeda linked group.The message warns of terror attacks on both Ceuta and Melilla next week – Semana Santa, when Easter processions traditionally take to the streets of Spain’s North African enclaves.The message is addressed to Muslims living in Ceuta and Melilla and tells them the attacks will be launched in markets...

Saloufest - billed as 'the biggest student festival in the world'

Thousands of British students rampaged through a Spanish seaside resort in a drunken annual festival outraging local residents.The students were taking part in Saloufest - billed as 'the biggest student festival in the world' - in the Costa Dorada resort of Salou.Around 5,000 18 to 23-year-olds descended on the town in north east Spain and by midnight many of them were already drunk.Carnage: The students were taking part in Saloufest - billed as...

E.U. Telecommunications Operators Seek to Rush Through Price Rises

The price of broadband and phone services in Europe is poised to rise as the Continent’s big operators win large rate increases from their national regulators before the implementation of a new law that gives the European Commission more influence over setting of rates.In Germany, Italy and Spain, the former monopolies, Deutsche Telekom, Telecom Italia and Telefónica, have sought increases of as much as 25 percent over three years in the fees they...

Málaga brotherhood El Rico, is to pardon a Marbella drug trafficker this Easter on Holy Wednesday as part of a tradition which dates back to Carlos III in 1759.

The Málaga brotherhood El Rico, is to pardon a Marbella drug trafficker this Easter on Holy Wednesday as part of a tradition which dates back to Carlos III in 1759.According to the story, back in 1765 there was an outbreak of cholera which killed many citizens of Málaga. Due to fear of infection, during Holy Week there were no men available to carry the statue for its yearly procession. Hearing of this, the prisoners of the county jail escaped in...

young woman has been released with charges after six people were admitted to hospital in Motril after eating a cake she had made with marijuana.

They began to feel ill while partying with other friends on the beach in Salobreña last Saturday, with symptoms including vomiting and, in some cases, loss of vision. Analyses carried out at the hospital confirmed the presence of THC in their blood, which is the main active ingredient of cannabis plant.The woman who had made the cake was released without charges after questioning by the judge, and all six patients had been discharged from hospital...

El Corte Inglés department store in Málaga has been fined for recording people walking past its building in the street,

El Corte Inglés department store in Málaga has been fined for recording people walking past its building in the street, and by nearby parked cars. Expansión newspaper says the images, by which it is easy to identify the passing people, were generally kept for seven days.On appeal, the National Court has ratified an earlier fine issued for more than 60,000 € imposed on the company by the Spanish Data Protection Agency, considering damage had been...

2 million Euros is the value of the fraud that the "Guardia Civil" of Castellón claims was carried out by P.A.R.M. who allegedly bought more than 1,500,000 kilos of citrus from province's farmers, but did not pay for them

2 million Euros is the value of the fraud that the "Guardia Civil" of Castellón claims was carried out by P.A.R.M. who allegedly bought more than 1,500,000 kilos of citrus from province's farmers, but did not pay for them, according to sources in Benemérita. 4 people were arrested for the fraud in  Almería.Investigations started on the 7th of March, when several citrus producers presented a complaint to the headquarters of the "Guardia Civil"...

The ranks of the unemployed grew by 167,056, or 4.01 percent during the 12 months ending March 31.

The number of Spanish citizens and legal residents out of work rose by 34,406 last month to 4.3 million, the highest level in 15 years, the Labor Ministry said Monday.Unemployment was up last month in every sector. In absolute terms, the biggest increases were among people working in services, 14,836; and first-time job-seekers, 10,526.The number of unemployed agricultural workers climbed by 5,698, or 4.14 percent.Among immigrants, who now represent...

Spain gets world's first 'contactless' bank machines

Spain's biggest savings bank, La Caixa, said Monday it has installed "contactless" automatic teller machines in three Spanish cities, making it the world's first bank to use the techology.Instead of inserting their debt cards into a slot, customers using the machines only need to wave their debit cards next to a reader and enter their PIN code to withdraw cash or carry out other transactions.The technology was developed by Japan's biggest IT services...

100,000 Britons registered to vote in Spain's local election

34 million people have the right to vote in the local elections which take place in Spain on May 22, including 473,574 foreign nationals from 36 countries.New agreements have been signed with a number of South American countries, Cabo Verde, Iceland and New Zealand mean that this year is the first time that citizens from those countries will be able to vote in the municipal poll. 2011 is also the first time that Spanish émigrés will not, although...

House prices in Spain continue to trend downwards.

House prices in Spain continue to trend downwards. Weak demand, massive oversupply of housing, record high unemployment, low consumer confidence, and a struggling economy are among the factors that prevent a full recovery from taking place.On an annual basis, house prices were down 4.46% in February 2011, according to the valuers TINSA, or 1.92% down on the quarter, after a meagre increase of 0.01% q-o-q to November 2010. When adjusted for inflation,...

property investor has successfully had his deposit returned after a business opportunity in Spain went awry

 property investor has successfully had his deposit returned after a business opportunity in Spain went awry, thanks to international law firm Judicare.Investor Dave Connelly bought into a new Spanish development in 2008 with his then business partner, whose name was the sole one on the bank deposit guarantee. After the project stalled and his relationship with his partner dissolved, Connelly felt helpless to regain his funds, and sought advice...