Fears of global recession as Italy teeters on brink

 

On a day of unremitting gloom and yet more market turbulence, the Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, won a late-night confidence vote in parliament after making a speech in which he promised to start power-sharing talks to form a caretaker coalition government. Although he won the vote, 153-145, he is expected to step down, with a national unity government likely to take over. In a sign that the spread of the debt crisis to Italy could break up the single currency, the British Chancellor, George Osborne, admitted Treasury was undertaking crisis planning for a euro zone collapse. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, hinted at worse to come, saying this was only ''a stage of the global crisis''. There had been hopes that the G20 would agree to increase IMF resources by as much as $US250 billion to more than $US1 trillion, but disagreements about the wisdom of doing so, its structure, size and the contributors to the fund forced world leaders to pass on the issue to a meeting of G20 finance ministers in February. In financial markets an early rise in share prices was reversed after it became clear that divisions in the G20 would prevent a deal in Cannes

Too many of our gangland criminals are sitting in places like Marbella and Amsterdam, leading the rich life.

 

Too many of our gangland criminals are sitting in places like Marbella and Amsterdam, leading the rich life. An initiative I instigated at European level is to try and ensure the CAB model is replicated in every European country so we have a framework in place," he said. "Those engaged in gangland in Ireland who have used their assets to acquire properties abroad will discover there's no hiding place. We'll have sister organisations in every EU country who we can rely on to secure the assets of those who have gained from their criminality." And he pledged to continue to support the work of the Garda in continuing to tackle criminals who have ruined so many lives. COMPLACENT "They have no respect for human life and that lack of respect extends to the products they sell -- the drugs they bring to the street are destroying lives in our cities and towns," he continued. "They have done it over the decades, they continue to do it and they have no concern for the lives they're destroying. "It's my job to ensure that An Garda Siochana have the resources and the support from all political parties on all levels in the work they do." He was speaking at the launch of Paul Williams' new book Badfellas which was launched at the Harcourt Hotel last night. But he said he could "never be complacent" about the fight against organised criminality. "Unfortunately as one gang disappears and a group is sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, there always seems to be another group to fill their space," he added.

National Police agents have broken up an organization dedicated to the sexual exploitation of Nigerian women in Almeria

 

National Police agents have broken up an organization dedicated to the sexual exploitation of Nigerian women in Almeria. Girls were forced into prostitution by threats, which included alleged practices of voodoo or abduction of family members. Ten people have been arrested in the Andalusian village of Roquetas de Mar in a raid in which seizures also included 20,000 euros in cash, a large number of passports of women from sub-Saharan origin and documentation relating to their criminal activity on the site of the Yegua Verde. The investigation began in late 2010 when police discovered the existence of a group of victims who had all been sexually exploited by the organization. The network, now dismantled, had been bringing women from Nigeria since 2005 and then the introducing them illegally into Spain before forcing them into prostitution. The organization, members of which were all Nigerian nationals, recruited women in various towns in Nigeria. The recruitment was carried out by relatives of the leaders of the organization. They also formed an association to attract women, called "The Nigerian Women’s Progressive Movement", through which they had even applied for grants from the Junta de Andalucía, although this was not granted. The women arrived in Spain by boat having spent many days walking through African deserts.  The victims were transported by land with false documents from Nigeria to Morocco, crossing through many other African countries such as Benin, Niger, Mali and Algeria. Once on the Moroccan coast, the organization made contact with citizens of Morocco, who in exchange for large sums of money, provided them with places on a boat which made the journey across to the peninsula. During this journey which could often last several months, the girls suffered numerous tragedies. After crossing the strait, and once in Spain, the network took many of the victims to Roquetas de Mar (Almería) where they were forced into prostitution with constant beatings and threats. Among the forms used by the criminals to coerce the women were included alleged practices of voodoo by which method they were made toto submit their will to the control of the organization. They were also threatened with the kidnap of their families in Spain and Nigeria. Debts of up to 50,000 euros The women were forced to work for more than two years until they eventually obtained freedom having paid of debt which could easily amount to 50,000 euros, although, depending on how the victims might behave they would often find the cost of their living expenses, clothing or other support dramatically increased. As a result of painstaking research, carried out by a National Police operation in Roquetas de Mar ten members of the network, six men and four women, have now been arrested and charged. In addition, agents found four homes and a brothel located in the Paraje de la Yegua Verde where they also found involved 20,000 euros in cash, numerous sub-Saharan women's passports, a large amount of documentation relating to the sexual exploitation of the women and various instruments of voodoo. The Police were assisted in their investigation by members of the Central UCRIF led by the Commissioner General of Immigration and Borders at the Provincial Police Station UCRIF Almeria.

two Ferraris in one, with all the extra opportunities for enjoyment that brings

 

Price: About £198,850 
Engine: 4,499cc, V8 cylinders, 570bhp 
Transmission: Seven-speed sequential gearbox, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 199mph, 0-62 in 3.4sec, 21.2mpg official average, CO2 307g/km

In the minds of some, this should not be allowed. That it is suggests that the EU compliance office responsible for certifying vehicle-noise levels has a local branch in Ferrari's home of Maranello, staffed by ex-Ferrari employees. How else can I be sending gloriously explosive soundwaves of fuel-combustion across the valleys of Emilia-Romagna in a brand new, fully certified Ferrari? And discover that, contrary to the likely response in the UK, the locals smile and wave at the source of the sound?

As for me, I'm hearing it in better Sensurround than ever before, as this new version of the 458 Italia is currently roofless. It is called 458 Spider, but unlike previous Spider versions of mid-engined V8 Ferraris, it has not a fabric convertible roof but a hard one made of two flat aluminium panels. Their folding is electro-hydraulically powered, of course.

So the new open Spider is a coupé-cabriolet (CC), which instantly brings notions of extra weight and aesthetic challenge. Few CCs are genuinely good-looking, although the job is easier when there are just two seats and thus a shorter roof. And with the roof in place, the Spider looks much like the Italia coupé. The only obvious differences are the lack of the small rear quarter windows and a different rear deck: while the coupé has a large, sloping rear window through which you can see the engine, the Spider has a vertical rear window immediately behind the occupants and the engine is covered by the panel under which the roof sits when folded. The engine's air intakes are repositioned, too, under slots in the rear deck. Just as well, as leaving them near your ears would be too much of a good thing with roof stowed.

In Race mode, rather than the usual Sport mode, the loudness is on offer all the time, which it is not in the coupé. Ferrari figures that those who buy the open car are especially likely to want to hear the engine, but there are times in towns when the inevitable attention can get embarrassing. Best to keep Race for open spaces. Or tunnels, in which a blast up to the 9,000rpm point of peak power and peak screaming is irresistible.

How much power? An extraordinary 570bhp, making it ridiculously rapid. There is also very strong pulling power from relatively low engine speeds, and gear shifts, the work of a near-instant via shift levers either side of the steering column, are inherently smooth.

As I squirt the Spider through bend after bend, revelling in its grip, thrilling to little tail-slides as I squeeze the power, there's an occasional tremor through the steering column, but that's as far as the disturbance goes. The structure is significantly more rigid than the old F430 Spider's, and it feels it. With side windows up and the little rear window set to the optimal midway position, there's not much buffeting from the wind, either. This is as close to the perfect open Ferrari as it's possible to get.

The Spider has to be stationary to open the roof, but 14 seconds of aluminium choreography later the roof is closed. Now it's just like the coupé inside, albeit 30kg heavier and the view over your shoulder almost non-existent. But, at speed, the roof proves a fine piece of engineering. There is practically no wind noise at all, such is its sealing.

This is truly two Ferraris in one, with all the extra opportunities for enjoyment that brings – even if having the second personality facet does demand an extra £25,675. If you can afford an Italia coupé, though, you can probably run to a Spider. In which case, do it.

Ricky Martin and Benicio del Toro now have Spanish nationality.

The concessions were granted by the Spanish cabinet on Friday

Benicio del Toro and Ricky Martin - Archive photos EFE

 

Ricky Martin and Benicio del Toro now have Spanish nationality. The news of the concession was given by the Government on Friday to the artists who were both born in Puerto Rico. 

Spokesman José Blanco made the announcement after the Friday cabinet meeting.
He said that the two ‘recognised in different artistic facets’ wanted to share their Spanish nationality with all the Spanish people and therefore the Government congratulated them for it.
There is widespread speculation that the decision will allow Ricky Martin to marry his boyfriend, the economist Carlos González, in Spain.

Also granted nationality on Friday was Yisi Pérez, wife of the El País journalist, Mauricio Vicent, whose accreditation as a correspondent in Cuba was removed by the Cuban authorities. 

Read more: http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_32580.shtml#ixzz1cmPtmd1C

Ricky Martin granted Spanish citizenship

 

Puerto Rican pop singer Ricky Martin was given Spanish citizenship today, the country’s government said. The star, who came out in 2009 reportedly wants to take advantage of Spain’s gay marriage laws. Spokesman Jose Blanco told a news conference that ministers had agreed to grant him a “letter of naturalization”, issued in special circumstances, because of his “personal and professional links with Spain”. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that Martin sought citizenship in order to marry boyfriend Carlos Gonzalez Abella, with whom he is bringing up his twin three-year-old sons. Spain passed legislation allowing same-sex marriages in 2005, only the third country to do so at the time, with 20,000 gay couples entering into marriage since. Appearing on the Larry King show last year, he had said: “I would get married… There are many countries around the world where same-sex marriage is a right. Not in Puerto Rico, unfortunately. And not in many states in America. “Yes, we could go to Spain and get married. We can go to Argentina and get married. But why do we have to go somewhere else? Why can’t I do it in my country where the laws are – you know, protecting me?” He added: “I can go to Spain. I have many friends in Spain. And get married. And make it very beautiful and symbolic. But… I [can't] do it in the backyard of my house. I want to have that option. I don’t want to be a second class citizen anymore. I pay my taxes. Why can’t I have that right?

Robert Dawes was finally arrested in Dubai on an international warrant but is now living free on the Costa del Sol.

 

For five years a man named in a British court as "the general" has been pursued by detectives in a multimillion-pound operation.

Over the past decade Robert Dawes has moved from a two-up, two-down terraced house on an estate outside Nottingham to a base in Dubai and finally to a villa on the Costa del Sol.

Police believe he has left a trail of destruction as one of the heads of acrime syndicate that flooded the UK with millions of pounds of cocaine, heroin and cannabis. He has been identified in nine UK investigations involving large scale shipments.

Dawes is wanted in the Netherlands in connection with the murder of a teacher, Gerard Meesters; in Spain, where police have identified him as "the boss of an important English drug trafficking organisation"; and in the UK, where Nottinghamshire detectives are seeking him over the alleged commissioning of the murder of David Draycott in October 2002.

So when investigators from the Serious Organised Crime Agency, working with Spain's Guardia Civil, had Dawes secured in a Madrid prison this spring to face trial over the seizure of 200kg of cocaine, the belief was that the reign of a man described by Soca as a "highly significant international criminal" had ended.

But the Guardian has discovered that Spanish judges have been forced to drop the trial and free 39-year-old Dawes because the British authorities had failed to respond for months to a request for assistance.

Dawes is now back in his enormous villa near Benalmádena on the Costa del Sol with his wife and three children, enjoying his freedom.

After Dawes's release a few weeks ago, the Spanish courts issued a statement which made clear their hand had been forced by the failure of the British to respond to a request for documents sent in April through the highest diplomatic channels.

"The provincial court in Madrid has revoked the indictment of Robert Dawes ... and so he is at liberty," the statement said. "The magistrates ... understand that... it is necessary to wait for a response from the Commission of Dubai, with reference to the searches in the case, and, above all, the Commission of the United Kingdom.

"When the judicial authorities of those countries respond with evidence the case will be taken up again, but neither of the two commissions has yet commented and there is no indication of when they might do so."

Soca officials have been left embarrassed by the bureaucratic bungling. They say the request via a letter rogatory – the official method of requesting assistance between countries – was only received by the Home Office in August before being forwarded on to them in the same month.

The letter rogatory was sent to the Home Office via Eurojust, an organisation based in The Hague that is supposed to speed up co-operation on major criminal investigations between EU countries.

Asked by the Guardian this week about the case, Soca officials said they were planning to send an official to hand deliver the documents. A spokesman said: "We are supporting this Spanish-led investigation. Upon receipt of their request for evidence we took immediate action, in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service, to collate the material required.

"This process must take into account various legal and operational issues but it is Soca's intention to provide the material to the Spanish at the very earliest opportunity."

But it is not the first time that Dawes has slipped through the net, and some of his former associates have refused to co-operate with the authorities in the past because they believed he was an "asset" who was being protected.

Dawes grew up on the Leamington estate in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, and is thought to have began his criminal career in the 1990s working as an enforcer. By 2000 his name was cropping up in investigations from Scotland to London, where he is known to have associated with some of the UK's most notorious crime syndicates including the London-based Adams family.

By this time Dawes and his brother John – later jailed for 24 years for drug dealing and money laundering – had allegedly moved into large scale shipments of heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis.

In the Netherlands he became known in thousands of phone taps carried out by Dutch police as the "Derbyman".

In 2001, fearing the police net was closing in, Dawes left the UK for the Mijas Costa area of Spain – but could not resist making fleeting trips back to his old estate where he still owned two terraced houses that had been knocked together.

Soca began Operation Halbert in 2006 to target Dawes and his lieutenants. In August 2007 they seized £13m worth of drugs including 65kg of heroin in a major raid in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire. A month later, after receiving intelligence from Soca, officers from the Guardia Civil drug unit seized almost 200kg of cocaine just outside Madrid that was allegedly linked to Dawes.

But by then Dawes had fled Spain to set up a base in Dubai. He was eventually extradited in April this year to face trial in Madrid until his release by the Spanish a few weeks ago.

Italy government hangs by thread as coalition crumbles

 

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's fate hung by a thread Friday and desertions from his crumbling centre-right coalition may have already robbed him of the parliamentary numbers he needs to survive. Berlusconi, caught in the crossfire from European powers and a party revolt at home, agreed at a G20 summit in France to IMF monitoring of economic reforms which he has long promised but failed to implement. But this may soon be irrelevant for the Italian leader, who will return to Rome later Friday to face what looks increasingly like a deadly rebellion by his own supporters. With financial markets in turmoil over the situation in Greece and Italy viewed as the next domino to fall in the euro zone crisis, calls are mounting for a new government to carry through reforms convincing enough to regain international confidence. Berlusconi has consistently rejected calls to resign and says the only alternative to him is an early election next spring, rather than the technocrat or national unity government urged by many politicians and commentators. Yields on 10-year Italian bonds reached 6.36 percent by early afternoon, creeping closer to 7 percent, a level which could trigger a so-called "buyers' strike" where investors take fright and refuse to buy the paper. Two deputies from Berlusconi's PDL party this week defected to the centrist UDC, taking his support in the 630-seat lower house of parliament to 314 compared with the 316 he needed to win a confidence vote last month. But at least seven other former loyalists have called for a new government and could vote against the 75-year-old media magnate. "The (ruling) majority seems to be dissolving like a snowman in spring," said respected commentator Stefano Folli in the financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore. Other commentators spoke of an "inexorable" revolt against Berlusconi. Even Defence Ministry undersecretary Guido Crosetto, a Berlusconi loyalist, said on television: "I don't know how many days or weeks the government has left. Certainly a majority relying on a few votes cannot continue for long." PATRONAGE Berlusconi, one of Italy's richest men, still has significant powers of patronage and he and his closest aides are expected to spend the weekend trying to win back support for a parliamentary showdown Tuesday. Some rebels have already threatened to vote against Berlusconi in the vote to sign off on the 2010 budget. Berlusconi faced concerted calls to resign when he lost a previous vote on this routine measure, which was almost unprecedented. Although it is not a confidence motion, he would come under huge pressure if he suffered a second defeat. "Unpopular prescriptions are necessary and this challenge cannot be faced with a 51 percent government," said UDC leader Pier Ferdinando Casini, in a reference to Berlusconi's weakness and a widespread feeling that the reforms can only be passed with a broad consensus. The premier has promised European leaders that he will call a formal confidence motion within 15 days to pass amendments to a budget bill incorporating new measures to stimulate growth and cut Italy's huge debt. That will be in the Senate where he has a more solid majority but it could still bring him down. Berlusconi, beset by a string of sex scandals and court cases, has consistently resisted pressure from groups ranging from a powerful business lobby to the Catholic Church to stand down.

The Sierra de la Nieves is surrounded by a belt of nine villages

The Sierra de la Nieves is surrounded by a belt of nine villages, all of which are bound by common characteristics and history that have served to create a region with a strong local identity within the province of Malaga.

Situated in strategic locations, much of their charm is derived from the architecture of their old village centres, which is based on the Arabic model. The visitor can best appreciate the villages by losing himself in their winding, maze like streets and admiring their whitewashed houses. The arrival of the Christians saw the introduction of large squares and straight streets. As a result, in addition to fountains and plants, these mountain villages still retain the typical low walls built to level out the land and facilitate acess to houses built on slopes.

As far as fauna is concerned, the Sierra de las Nieves boasts a number of indigenous species of great importance, as well as being a key port of call on the migratory routes of many birds.

Numerically speaking, the invertebrates are the largest group to be found in one area. One such creature worthy of special mention by virtue of both its peculiarity and its heavy dependance on the Spanish fir for its survival is the small butterfly known as the Dioryctria.

Fish such as barbel, bogue, rainbow trout, carp and black bass will delight anglers in locations such as the River Verde reservoir in Istan, where they co-exist alongside amphibians such as the San Antonio frog, the running toad and the speckled newt.

A wilder, more exotic touch is provided by reptiles such as the freshwater tortoise, the snake and the snub-nosed viper, as well as Iberian birds of prey, notably the golden eagle, the tawny vulture, the goshawk, the sparrowhawk and the peregrine falcon, while bats are the most significant of the cave dwellers. However, standing proudly on the mountain peaks, pride of place among all of these species goes to the mountain goat.

The Biosphere Reserve

Locations rich in natural beauty, ecosystems to be found nowhere else in the world and the habitat of extremely rare animal species as the mountain goat. These were just a few of the reasons that led UNESCO to declare the Sierra de la Nieves Biosphere Reserve on the 15th June, 1995. Proof of the importance of UNESCO's MAB programme was provided by the award of the prestigious Prince of Asturias Harmony Prize in 2001.

This living showcase, a model of co-existence between man and nature, encompasses both the Natural Park itself and the surrounding area, a total of 93,930 hectares. It consists of the entire municipal area of the villages of Alozaina, Casarabonela, El Burgo, Guaro, Istan, Monda, Ojen, Parauta, Tolox, Yunquera and part of Ronda.

Its geological complexity means that the area is home to a number of sharply contrasting landscapes. So, on the one hand we have the white limestone rock of the Sierras Blancas, karstic formations, teeming with canyons, caves, galleries and potholes, and on the other, the red of the Sierra Bermejas. The former is home to two of the deepest potholes in Andalusia which are also among the largest in Europe: GESM and El Aire.

Apart from its unique geographical relief, the characteristic that best typifies this International Reserve is its rich flora. The combination of different climatic conditions that prevail here mean that it is home to a variety of species, ranging from sub-tropical examples such as the palmetto and the arbutus to forests or confiers. Spanish fir groves, mountain gall oaks and laburnums.

However, star billing, botanically speaking, in this mountain range (and, indeed, pride of place overall, along with the mountain goat) must go to the Spanishg fir. Its conical form and dark green colour make it unmistakable among the multitude of other species to be found in the region, which include a wide variety of pines, the yew tree, the holm oak, the cork oak and a number of roiver-bank species, not forgetting the mountain gall oak. Colour and beauty are provided by the flowers that grow in the mountains, such as the peony, the mountain rose, the foxglove, the orchid, the iris and the narcissus.

The Spanish Fir

The pinsapo, as it is known in Spanish, is a conifer belonging to the fir tree family whose origins date back to the end of the last glacier period and which is considered the oldest of all the indigenous Mediterranean firs. The Sierra de la Nieves is home to the largest concentration of this botanical treasure to be found anywhere in the world. This ancient tree, whose cross shaped branches were once carried as amulets during Corpus Christi processions, is notable for its characteristic pyramidal form, its greyish, slightly cracked bark and its smallm stiff leaves.

A number of curiosities surround this beautiful botanical species, whose varieties include the blue Spanish fir, so called in reference to the bluish hue of its leaves, and the candelabra variety. In fact, it is even thought that the masts of many of the vessels that made up the Spanish Armada weere built from this highly valued wood.

The Snow Sellers

In one profession could be said to have typified the Sierra de la Nieves for centuries, then it would be that of the snow seller. This arduous job began at the end of the winter, when teams of men would spend several days on the highest peaks gathering snow in panniers before taking it to pits, where it was pressed and compacted to form ice. The pits were then covered up until summer, when muleteers with their beasts of burden would transport the ice in large blocks to be sold.

The ice, which was used both to conserve food and medication and to make ice creams, was considered a luxury item and provided an important source of commercial and economic activity in the area. The visitor can still find restored ice pits in the villages of Yunquera and Tolox.

The Queen Of The Peaks

The most typical and representative of all the living species that inhabit the Sierra de la Nieves is without doubt the mountain goat, an animal that teetered on the brink of extinction in the mid XX century, when its numbers shrank to just 20, all of which inhabited the Ojen area.

It was for this reason that the species was granted official protection, the area being declared a National Hunting Reserve in order to facilitate the animal's recovery.

Today, the population comes to some 1,500 goats, the animal is the most prized and diifcult to attain of all Spain's big game prey, not to mention one of the rarest species in the whole world, not being found outside of Spain.

Such is the importance of the animal and the extent to which it is associated with this region that attractive metal statues of this impressive beast can be found both at Puerto Rico viewpoint in Ojen, the viewpoint in Refugio de Juanar and near the health spa in Tolox.

Spanish man shocked after snake slithers out of cashpoint

 

The middle-aged man, from Llodio in the Northern Basque region, had stopped off at the ATM outside the Caja Madrid bank on his way to work. Despite getting a shock from the hissing snake which emerged from the machine and tried to attack him, he managed to grab his money before calling the police. And in video footage of the incident posted on YouTube, a policeman is seen attempting to move the creature with a baton before officers - together with the bank manager - discovered that the snake was trapped by the mechanism of the cash machine. The manager subsequently activated the machine from the inside to free the snake, which was put into a box and taken to an animal shelter. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the snake may have been placed in the cash machine as a prank. However it is also possible that as the cash machine is in a rural area the reptile made its way inside of its own accord.

six-year-old female falcons have proved an unmitigated hit through the Alicante portion of the Volvo Ocean Race

 

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Team certainly has a strong Abu Dhabi flavour.

 

IAN ROMAN / VOLVO OCEAN RACE

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ALICANTE, Spain // Fern and Ying sat unvisited in the front right corner on Thursday midday. They appeared to relish the solitude even as they declined to comment.

These six-year-old female falcons have proved an unmitigated hit through the Alicante portion of the Volvo Ocean Race, the lines to pose with them often snaking out the door and down the wharf.

"Since I've been here, in three weeks we've done just under 10,000 photographs," said Bryan Paterson, their English owner and handler. "Three weeks. A bit mad, really."

As the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and its chairman, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon, have envisioned the Volvo Ocean Race as a fresh way to introduce Abu Dhabi to the world, the pavilion here on the Mediterranean shore has done likewise in microcosm. Nicknamed the "Oasis", it has joined with all the other temporary structures in a temporary neighbourhood.

From left to right, they line the shore in front of the six boats that will make off for the ocean on Saturday: Puma (the American sporting-gear company), then Telefonica (Spanish telecommunications giant), followed by the Volvo pavilion itself, then Abu Dhabi, Groupama (French insurance company), Sanya (a second tourism concern, this time for the Chinese resort island) and Camper (Spanish footwear company).

All along, the longest lines have formed outside Abu Dhabi's vivid red structure, owing to Fern and Ying, and to a booth at which people have their names written in Arabic, and to another booth drawing hand tattoos. Cost to visitors: zero.

 

 

"From our perspective, it has been great, a useful platform to host our guests," said Carla Nebreda, of the ADTA communications team. "It's a great venue to showcase Abu Dhabi."

Last Thursday, for example, ADTA held a gathering as the skipper Ian Walker introduced the crew, providing a bit of insight into each sailor.

Adil Khalid and Butti Al Muhairi, the Emirati sailor and Emirati reserve sailor and Shore Team member, welcomed guests and answered interviewers' questions.

"This has been interesting for people," said Khalid, all set for his first ocean race. "They like to see what Abu Dhabi looks like, and the falcon, that's our heritage. And the handwriting, they love that and they say they're going to post it in their room." The 23-year-old Khalid stopped through to greet visitors and pose for photos at times when not out in the bay or at the row of team base camps that lines the jutting edge of the shore. Visitors have asked one predominant question, according to Paterson, who brought his falcons from England as quarantine regulations mandate that they hail from Europe.

 

 

"They ask you what the connection is," Paterson said. "And so I explain a little about a thousand years of hunting in the desert." Often he explains that on the yacht just steps out the door, a sail showcases a falcon emblem.

The pavilion is two-storey, with its front lobby anchored by a glass-encased replica of the Abu Dhabi village constructed for the third stopover of the 10-stop race. It has a kitchen and an air-conditioned meeting area. Paul Fox, a contractor working for M-Sport, the motorsport company that delivers the pavilion materials, said assembly of the structure required eight men. Almost immediately after the Abu Dhabi yacht Azzam shoves off to sea on Saturday, they will begin the fine art of deconstruction, which will require two to three days.

The entire edifice will fit into three containers, Fox said. From there, this very pavilion will turn up at stopovers in Sanya, China (the fourth), and Lorient, France (the ninth). That means it is likely that Fox will drive it all the way to China and all the way back to France, itself a global adventure, and that Fern and Ying might well turn up again in France. "The birds are really good," Fox said. "They don't bite you or anything."

 

Maurice Boland launches iTalk FM radio

 

THIS month radio presenter, Maurice Boland, will launch iTalk FM, a new radio station on the Costa del Sol. The radio station will be based at the Five Star Kempinski Hotel in Estepona, according to Boland. Presenters include: Mat Court, Jack Jackson, Stephen Ritson, Sheila Sanderson , David Jelley, Richie Allan, and Maurice Boland, according to a statement from the presenter.

A man who fled to Spain after being charged in connection with a terrifying robbery has been jailed for 10 years

 

A man who fled to Spain after being charged in connection with a terrifying robbery has been jailed for 10 years. Stephen Devalda provided a motorbike used by two robbers to get to and from the scene of a cash-in-transit raid. The robbers, who were carrying an imitation firearm and a machete, attacked a security guard collecting money from an Asda supermarket. Devalda, of Stanton Avenue, Salford, was arrested and charged in 2007 but he went on to skip bail and fled to Spain. A joint operation between the Serious and Organised Crime Agency and Spanish police was launched – and they tracked him down in Malaga in March. CCTV of the robbery Devalda, 28, who pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to rob and a bail offence, has now been handed a sentence of 10 years and three months behind bars. Detective Inspector Simon Cheyte said: “This was a pre-planned and violent attack which has left the security guard so traumatised and distressed that he has not been able to return to his normal work duties.  “This investigation was carried out by a small team over a protracted period of time. They showed dedication and determination to bring this offender to justice and their resolve to succeed has lead to the conviction of a member of an organised and dangerous criminal gang from the Salford area of Manchester. “Thankfully these types of offences are extremely rare but we take them very seriously and are committed to carrying out full and thorough investigations to identify those responsible. “This should demonstrate the lengths Lancashire Constabulary will go to in order to arrest people and bring them justice. I am pleased with the sentence and hope it sends a clear message that this type of offence will not be tolerated.” The court heard how the armed robbery was carried out at Asda, in Colne, in May 2005. Two men in crash helmets arrived on a motorbike. The security guard was attacked with a machete after being knocked to the ground. The victim had a handgun pushed into his neck and a demand was made for money. He was then hit over the helmet with such force that he fell to the floor. One of the robbers shouted 'kill him' to his accomplice. He was ordered to tell a colleague to pass money out. The terrified guard curled up in a ball as the machete was used to rain blows to his head and upper arms. The court heard how the ordeal left him with both physical and psychological injuries. He had three lacerations to the upper arms and £25,000 in cash was stolen. The robbers made off on the motorbike and later switched to a getaway vehicle. Devalda pleaded guilty on the basis that he had been recruited by someone else. His role had been limited to providing the motorbike. A second man, Andrew Moran, 25, from Salford, was also charged with conspiracy to rob in connection with the raid. He appeared at Burnley Crown Court in March 2009 after a six week trial and was remanded into custody by the judge pending the result of the jury’s deliberations. Moran then assaulted a Group 4 security member, vaulted over the dock and ran from the court building. The jury later returned a guilty verdict and he was convicted in his absence of conspiracy to rob, for which he is to be yet sentenced. Moran is still missing and this week was named one of Britain’s most wanted criminals as part of a national Crimestoppers appeal. Det Insp Cheyte said: “We are determined to get Moran back before the courts to serve the time for his crime and I would urge anyone with any information as to his whereabouts to come forward and contact the police.” Moran is described as being around 5ft 8in, of stocky build with cropped fair hair. He has a Manchester accent 

Gangster suspect Freddie is bailed in Spain

 

SUSPECTED gangland boss 'Fat' Freddie Thompson is enjoying the Spanish sunshine after being freed on bail following a brief court appearance. Mr Thompson (30) was allowed to leave a Costa del Sol court a free man yesterday after more than a fortnight in jail in Ireland and Spain. He was told he was suspected of offences including drugs trafficking, money laundering and unlawful assembly, at the private court hearing in Estepona near Marbella. But he was spared more prison time after agreeing to bail conditions including the surrender of his passport and a ban on leaving Spain. Accomplices He has also been ordered to sign on at the court twice a month -- a requirement likely to bring him into contact with alleged accomplices John Cunningham and Christy Kinahan's sons Daniel and Christopher. Suspected gang boss Christy is in jail in Belgium after being extradited there in August. Mr Thompson's bail address has not been made public. A court source confirmed yesterday: "Frederick Thompson has been released on bail. "He has been informed he is under investigation for crimes including money laundering, unlawful assembly and drugs trafficking. Court "The three conditions of his bail are that he cannot leave Spain, hands in his passport to the authorities and signs on at court twice a month on days fixed by the court." Mr Thompson consented to extradition after being arrested in Dublin on a European arrest warrant on October 14. He spent 13 days in Cloverhill Prison before being flown to Spain last Friday. He is thought to have spent the weekend in prisons in Madrid and Alhaurin de la Torre near Malaga. He is said to be facing nine years in prison in Spain if convicted. Under Spanish law, he has not been officially charged with any crimes.

Fat FreddieThomson has been wanted in Spain for the past 18 months

30 year old Irishman, Freddie Thompson, known in the criminal world as ‘Fat Freddie', was arrested by the Garda in Dublin on October 21.

The arrest order dates from 18 months ago and was issued by the courts in Estepona, Málaga. The police consider that Thomson was a member of the Irish gang led by Christopher Kinahan, which was broken up by police in May 2010 in an operation codenamed ‘shovel’ which saw the arrest of more than 30 people in Spain, Ireland and the U.K. They were all linked to large scale drug and arms trafficking, as well as money laundering and other crimes committed on the Costa del Sol.

Thomson is now expected to declare before the court in Estepona this week. Police had thought that he could have been hiding in Holland.
He has been the most famous prisoner in the Clovenhill prison since his arrest.

Marbella police arrested a man considered to be a ‘frontman’ for the group, who was paid a monthly sum for the use of his name. Officially he owned luxury cars and businesses, when in fact he was almost pennyless.

Most of the money is thought to have been laundered in Brazil where real estate was purchased. 60 properties worth an estimated 150 million € have been impounded on the Costa del Sol in connection with the case.