Finca La Garganta, near the village of Conquista, on the border of Castilla La Mancha, is one of the largest and most exclusive hunting estates in western Europe.

Finca La Garganta, near the village of Conquista, on the border of Castilla La Mancha, is one of the largest and most exclusive hunting estates in western Europe.It is teeming with wildlife including wild boar and stag which William and Harry, both crack shots, are said to be keen to bag.Beaters and packs of dogs were brought in to ensure that the princes did not return home without several 'kills' to their name.The brothers have visited the estate before and last time were said to have bagged a staggering 740 partridge on a single day.The second and third in line to the throne arrived in Spain on Friday on separate flights as they are not allowed...

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Princes William and Harry fly to Spain for secret weekend hunting trip

 They bagged themselves several brace of pheasant at Sandringham over Christmas. But at the weekend Prince William and Prince Harry set their sights on bigger game. The brothers flew to Spain on Friday for a secret hunting trip to celebrate the end of Harry's advanced helicopter training. The royal pair were staying on an estate in the backwaters of rural Cordoba owned by the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Grosvenor, Britain's third-richest man and one of William's godfathers. Finca La Garganta, near the village of Conquista, on the border of Castilla La Mancha, is one of the largest and most exclusive hunting estates in western Europe. It is teeming with wildlife including wild boar and stag which William and Harry, both crack shots, are said to be keen to bag. Beaters and packs of...

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World Bank warns emerging nations to prepare for slump

In a report sharply cutting its world economic growth expectations, the World Bank said Europe was probably already in recession. If the euro area debt crisis deepened, global economic forecasts would be significantly lower. "The sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone appears to be contained," Justin Lin, the chief economist for the World Bank, told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday. "However, the risk of a global freezing-up of the markets and as well as a global crisis similar to what happened in September 2008 are real." The World Bank predicted world economic growth of 2.5pc in 2012 and 3.1pc in 2013, well below the 3.6pc growth for each year projected in June. "We think it is now important to think through not only slower growth but sharp deteriorations, as a prudent measure," said Hans...

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Home builds Marbella Mansions

 UKTV-owned pay channel Home has commissioned a 10×60’ series that follows British ex-pat property workers in Spain’s Costa Del Sol. UK indie Splash Media is onboard to produce Marbella Mansions, in which local interior designers will oversee makeovers of some of the Southern Spanish coast’s most expensive properties. Each episode will feature a “big reveal” at its conclusion, according to UK multi-channel operator UKTV. Jane Lush, Fenia Vardanis and Michael Massey will executive produce, with James Capria taking on series producer duties. “This fascinating series about the glamorous and luxurious homes and lifestyles in Marbella will resonate well with Home’s core audience and those that like a bit of property porn,” said Home’s general manager Clare Layco...

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Nine in every 10 Spaniards feel uncomfortable speaking English

 new survey has shown that nine in every ten Spaniards still feel uncomfortable speaking English, despite the fact that 37% of them have spent more than 15 years studying the language. Thirty five percent said they felt insecure and embarrassed, and 4% said they would not make the attempt in case they seemed ‘ridiculous’. Europa Press reports that one in two, although knowing that their grammar was not correct, would however try and speak the language. The survey by ‘Pueblo Inglés – More than English’ also revealed that 98% of those questioned felt that the standard of teaching English in Spain’s schools was not the best. Many felt that more time should be spent on the subject in schools, with particular emphasis on conversations with English speakers and on role playing for real life...

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British destroyer makes a stopover in Gibraltar

 British destroyer HMS Daring arrived in Gibraltar on Monday on a stopover in its journey to Suez where she will spend the next seven months on maritime protection duties. Some reports talk about a patrol of the Hormuz Strait as tension with Iran remains high. HMS Daring is the first of six type 45 destroyers in the Royal Navy. Each one has cost 1.2 billion € and HMS Daring has some 200 crew. New Gibraltar First Minister, Fabian Picardo, offered a reception ceremony for the cr...

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'Neurology time bomb' on the cards for NHS

 The NHS could find itself facing a "neurology time bomb" as more people develop conditions such as motor neurone disease and Parkinson's disease. According to the Neurological Alliance, which represents 70 groups and charities, the rising number of cases is being compounded by the poor quality of services. The alliance's criticisms follow a report by the National Audit Office, which questioned the level of care on offer, bringing particular attention to delays in diagnosis and muddled follow-up care. In response, the government has acknowledged that more needs to be done. Steve Ford, chair of the alliance and chief executive of Parkinson's UK, said: "The situation can only get worse. A crisis is looming but the government has its head in the sand. "When it comes to helping vulnerable...

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Captain ordered back onto boat by port officials

  Mr Schettino 'attempted to take a taxi away from the scene' • Crew 'began evacuation before captain's orders' • Number of missing passengers and crew rises to 29 • Navy blasting holes in hull to improve access to divers • Captain due to appear in court this morning • Minister warns of ecological disaster According to reports in Italian media, Captain Francesco Schettino was attempting to catch a taxi away from the scene. “What do you want to do, go home?” one official asked him, according to transcripts of the increasingly frantic exchanges between port authorities and the captain, who allegedly refused a direct order to return to the ship and take charge. The transcripts reveal the mounting anger and frustration of port and Coast Guard officials as they began to realise the full...

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Property owners not impressed by Junta's decree on irregular property

 The regional government’s plan to regularise the dozens of thousands of illegal properties is not proving successful. Owners of the properties are refusing to pay the costs of bringing their properties into legality. In most cases the regional council for public works and housing have offered a ‘recognition’ of the properties – a legal device to allow them to come out of limbo and gain access to power and water. But this needs the collaboration of the citizens, and their money. Many Town Halls have discovered the process does not get underway, and El País reports that two of the most interesting cases are in Córdoba and Chiclana in Cádiz. These two localities have about 25,000 homes build outside the regulations, 15,000 in Chiclana and some 9,000 in Córdoba. In both cases the property...

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Elton John’s husband attacks Madonna after Golden Globes win, calling her ‘embarrassing’ and ‘desperate’

 David Furnish was one angry man following last night’s Golden Globes in Hollywood, attacking Madonna for her ‘embarrassing’ speech (watch it below) after she beat his husband Elton John to Best Original Song. Advertisement >> Shortly after Madonna won the award for single Masterpiece – which she wrote for her own film W.E. – David logged onto Facebook and criticised the singer and the ceremony. He typed angrily: “Madonna. Best song???? F**k off!!! “Madonna winning Best Original Song truly shows how these awards have nothing to do with merit. Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissis...

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Shark attack at South Africa's deadliest beach

 Mr Msungubana was swimming with a group of friends in shallow water off Second Beach in Port St Johns, a town on the country’s southeastern coast, when the attack took place. John Costello, local station commander for the National Sea Rescue Institute, said he sustained “multiple traumatic lacerations to his torso, arms and legs” where the shark bit him repeatedly. His death marks the sixth in just over five years at the beach, making it the most dangerous in the world for fatal shark attacks. In South Africa, one in five attacks by the ocean predators ends in the death but every single attack at Second Beach has proved fatal. Zambezi or bull sharks, known as the “pitbulls of the ocean” for their ferocity, have been blamed for most of the incidents. Experts from the nearby Natal Sharks...

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Thousands of children are being "needlessly dumped in prison" because of Britain's failing youth justice system

 Thousands of children are being "needlessly dumped in prison" because of Britain's failing youth justice system, a think-tank has warned. The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) said courts and prisons were being used to "parent children" and were expected to sweep up problem youngsters inadequately dealt with by other departments, such as social services. In a new report, the group called for a radical overhaul in the way the Government deals with young offenders. It said there needed to be a drastic cut in the 5,000 children a year currently given custodial sentences, arguing the imprisonment of youths between the age of 10 and 17 should be limited to the "critical few" guilty of the most serious or violent crimes. The CSJ said too many children are being taken before the youth courts...

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Anthony Read was found dead in the sea in the port town of Puerto De La Duquesa

Anthony Read was found dead in the sea in the port town of Puerto De La Duquesa – on the country’s Costa del Sol – the morning after a night out drinking with friends in March last year.Yesterday, at an inquest, mum and dad Jacqueline Jenkins and Martin Read criticised the investigation into the tragedy carried out by the authorities in Spain.Anthony, 33,  had visited a number of pubs during the evening and took a taxi back to a pal’s home ten minutes’ drive away in the early hours.But it is thought he may not have had the correct fare when he arrived and was driven back to the port, between Marbella and Gibraltar. Hours later, his body was found in the water.Spanish authorities said there had been no signs of violence and that Anthony had drowned, concluding that the death may have been...

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Days of the Costa del Crime could soon be over

 THE days of the Costa del Crime could be seriously numbered. Or at least, so say the Spanish police. Detectives in Malaga have revealed that a year-long crackdown on British and Irish fugitives is paying off and Malaga is no longer an ideal hideout for wanted criminals. The clampdown, which came in a series of on-the-spot raids on pubs, bars and shops on the Costa del Sol, has drawn considerable success. In total, dozens of wanted fugitives have been caught in the raids after six roving teams of national police were set up at the end of 2010. The teams entered establishments closing off exits and demanded identification from all those present. In one day alone, last year, they made a staggering four arrests, while in total 117 Irishmen were arrested last year, using the method. The moves...

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Fire, power failures, crime and tragic overboard deaths are common on cruise vacations

 A luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side after running aground the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, They're often billed as the ultimate in worry-free vacations. But cruise critics say these floating hotels -- some as high as 12 storeys tall -- aren't nearly as safe as claimed.Fire, power failures, crime and tragic overboard deaths are common on cruise vacations, said Ross Klein, a Memorial University sociologist and author of two books on the cruise industry.The ships, which can carry more than 4,000 passengers, are as big as towns, Klein said, packed with strangers often bent on having a good time. Many passengers...

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The Italian captain of a ship that sank off the coast of Tuscany was placed under arrest after one of the most dramatic holiday cruise disasters

The Costa Concordia lies on its side after running aground off the west coast of Italy at Giglio island. Photograph: ReutersThe Italian captain of a ship that sank off the coast of Tuscany was placed under arrest after one of the most dramatic holiday cruise disasters ever seen in the Mediterranean. Three passengers died and 69 were still unaccounted for after the 114,000-tonne Costa Concordia smashed into rocks amid scenes of panic and chaos.Local prosecutors said Francesco Schettino was being investigated for manslaughter and abandoning ship following reports his stricken vessel failed to raise a mayday alert as the disaster unfolded.There...

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Russian ship suspected of carrying munitions to Syria appears near Turkish port

 Authorities say a Russian ship suspected of delivering weapons to Syria has anchored off Turkey’s coast. A Foreign Ministry official said Turkish coast guard and customs officials would board the Chariot on Saturday before allowing it to dock at the port of Iskenderun. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government rules. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? inShare The ship had made an unscheduled stop in Cyprus, technically violating an EU embargo on arms shipments to Syria. Cypriot authorities allowed it to leave Wednesday after the ship’s owners said it would not head for Syria. Turkey, citing navy intelligence, said the ship nevertheless made its way to the Syrian port of Tartus after leaving Cyprus. U.S. officials said Friday they had expressed concerns...

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Iberia pilots announce more strike action

 Pilots from the SEPLA union who work for Iberia have announced three more days of strike action on January 25, 27 and 30. It follows four days of previous action in protest at the plans by Iberia to establish a new low-cost carrier, Iberia Express. SEPLA say that they have picked the dates with care, so as not to affect the Spanish tourism fair, FITUR, which runs in Madrid between the 18th and 22nd of this month. Meanwhile cabin crew and ground staff are also considering taking action, and are reported to be looking at striking on Mondays and Fridays from February 2. A meeting will be held on Tuesday to confirm that action which could affect 21,000 workers on the ground in handling, cargo, maintenance, trade and operational activiti...

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The Decree to regularize houses in Andalucia

 According to Hillen “It’s possible that this fireworks display will dazzle some but if you look at the detail of the Decree you will see that it does not help those with ongoing court proceedings, where perhaps the majority could face the chop”. “If what the Junta wants is more cases like the Priors, the decree certainly does nothing to prevent that” she added. “Actually, I sometimes despair at how little the administration is in contact with the real problems of its citizens. They must know that what looks nice on paper is not always workable in practice. It appears that they don’t and all they want to do is inundate us with a byzantine tangle of laws and, whilst they are about it, completely destroy foreign investment in Spain”. Hillen asks “What shall I tell elderly retirees who...

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Government to bring in changes to the 'Ley de Costas'

 The current and controversial ‘Ley de Costas’ has been in force since 1988 with hardly any modifications. Now the new Minister for Agriculture, Foodstuffs and the Environment, Miguel Arias Cañete, has indicated that ‘very deep reforms’ are on the way to bring value to the coast. El País reoprts that at an event to welcome top civil servants in his department, he gave a speech which indicated that the environment cannot stop economic development, and said that environmental legislation needs to be simplified. Sources at the ministry have noted that there is a problem of judicial insecurity with the current legislation and that they have received pressure from countries such as Britain and Germany, and complaints from EuroMPs as there are foreigners who have been affected by the compulsory...

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SHIP AGROUND: COAST GUARD CONFIRMS 3 DEAD

 At this time, 3 people are confirmed dead in an accident involving the cruising ship Costa Concordia. The ship left Civitavecchia for Savona yesterday at 7:30 PM and ran aground near the Isola del Giglio. According to Coast Guard sources, the situation is still confused. The ship has been boarded by Coast Guard rescue personnel, firefighters and a Costa officer and checked top to bottom to confirm that everybody has been evacuated. A portion of the passengers was taken on other vessels to Porto Santo Stefano while other went to Livorno by helicopter. The cause of the accident has not yet been ascertained. The grounded ship suffered a blackout just before running aground. ....

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'Six feared dead' and thousands evacuated as cruise ship hits rocks off coast of Italy

 Holidaymakers from France, Italy, Germany and Britain were forced to flee the 1,500-cabin Costa Concordia in lifeboats when it hit a reef less than two hours after leaving port. Some leapt overboard and swam to shore as the ship started to sink into the waters near the island of Giglio, off the Tuscan coast. Francesco Paolillo, the coastguard spokesman, said that at least three bodies were retrieved from the sea and at least three more were feared dead. Pregnant women and young children were among the 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew on board. Passengers' dinner on Friday night was interrupted by a loud boom at around 8pm and a voice over the loud-speaker system initially claimed that the ship was suffering an electrical failure, before ordering everyone on-board to don life-jacke...

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Europe Banks Hoarding Cash Resist Draghi Bid to Avoid Crunch

 Banks are hoarding the European Central Bank's record 489 billion-euro ($625 billion) injection into the banking system, thwarting attempts by policy makers to avert a credit crunch in the region. Almost all of the money loaned to 523 euro-area lenders last month wound up back on deposit at the Frankfurt-based central bank instead of pouring into the financial system, ECB data show. Banks will use most of the three-year loans to meet their refinancing needs for this year and next, analysts at Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc estimate. “It's illusory to think that the measure will translate into credit generation,” Philippe Waechter, chief economist at Natixis Asset Management in Paris, said in an interview. “It will assuage some of the anxiety banks have regarding...

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Bay of Gibraltar bunkering: New call for EU intervention

Bay of Gibraltar bunkering: New call for EU intervention MEP claims there have been four spills in the Spanish port of Algeciras in the last ye...

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Gaming Industry to Benefit from New Copy writer Training Programmes

 With the continuing success of online gaming companies worldwide, and Gibraltar being a key center, the need for quality marketing copy writers is at a high. Gibraltar gaming companies employ a lot of creative people. “Considering the various languages that Gibraltar gaming companies market to, the demand for top quality creatives will not be diminishing anytime soon.” Now, Jamie Sylvian, Founder of Copy writing business www.SociallyConnected.co.uk has come up with a fresh solution to helping Gibraltar online gaming businesses develop their writing teams to produce high quality marketing material “Gaming companies on Gibraltar need better than average copy writers. It’s a competitive industry, so the importance of great copy can’t be overstated. But training ‘in-house’ isn’t the answer...

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the Gibraltar Ship Arrest Symposium being organised by Isolas will focus on ship arrest activity internationally as well as in Gibraltar

 The first of its kind in the jurisdiction, the Gibraltar Ship Arrest Symposium being organised by Isolas will focus on ship arrest activity internationally as well as in Gibraltar, debt recovery and injunctive relief as well as ship arrest in Spain, a topic which will be covered by a guest speaker, Dr Felipe Arizon. The symposium is targeted not only at the local shipping industry but also international shipping companies and aims to provide delegates with a more comprehensive understanding of the legal options available in the event of a dispute with clients and contractors alike.   Christian Hernandez, Partner in charge of shipping at ISOLAS, commented that ‘it’s important for local and international players to understand the options available when there is a breakdown in...

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Switch to olive oil for better health

 Indian households should completely switch to olive oil as a cooking medium as its nutritional value is very high, it is rich in monounsaturated 'good' fats and, when used daily, can bring instant and easy wellness to a family's diet, celebrity chef and noted cookery expert Nita Mehta says. "Even though we have such a wide range of olive oils in our market, people don't seem to use them because of their mental block that the flavour of olive oil doesn't gel with Indian flavors," Mehta said at the launch here Satuday her latest book, "Indian Cooking With Olive Oi...

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Trial begins in giant Spanish corruption scandal

 top Spanish former official went on trial Monday at the start of legal proceedings into a raft of corruption scandals in which King Juan Carlos' son-in-law is also accused. Jaume Matas, the ex-head of the regional government of the Balearic islands who had also served as environment minister, appeared at a court in Palma de Majorca alongside three other suspects. They have been charged with embezzlement, fraud, falsifying documents and influence peddling. Matas was charged in March 2010 and was released after paying a record bail of 3.0 million euros ($3.8 million). Prosecutors are demanding an eight and a half years jail term. Matas served as president of the government of the Balearic Islands between 1996-1999 and then between 2003-2007. He was environment minister between 2000-2003....

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Spanish property an 'attractive investment' for Brits

 The growing strength of the British pound against the Euro is to make the Spanish property market an interesting prospect, according to an expert. Mark Stucklin, head of Spanish Property Insight, explained that 2012 will be a "key year", meaning Brits will benefit from attractive offers "after some real years in the dumps". "Within Spanish property, you have to define what you are talking about. Is it the middle of nowhere property that was badly built in the boom or the nicest property of which there is scarce supply?" he said. "It is a completely different market. With the best property, I think we are now in [a period of] price stability and, with the euro getting cheaper compared to the pound, that will mean that it gets more interesting for British buyers." Mr Stucklin went...

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Alcoa to Curtail Operations in Italy, Spain

 Hours before kicking off earnings season, Alcoa (AA: 9.44, +0.02, +0.16%) said on Monday it plans to scale down operations at three aluminum smelters in Italy and Spain to tighten expenses as metal prices continue to fall. The curtailment will reduce the company’s global smelting capacity by 12%, or 531,000 metric tons, with operations as its Portovesme, Italy, and La Coruna and Avilies, Spain, facilities impacted in the first half of 2012. Alcoa plans to permanently close the facility in Portovesme, which has capacity of 150,000 metric tons, but just partially and temporarily shut the operations in Spain. The company said those plants are among the highest-cost producers in the Alcoa system. The Pittsburgh-based company blamed the curtailments on an uncompetitive energy market combined...

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Santander Chairman Botin, Brother Lose Appeal in Spain Tax Case

 Banco Santander SA Chairman Emilio Botin lost a bid at Spain’s National Court to block three groups’ ability to file complaints against him over accusations he broke national tax laws by hiding funds in Switzerland. Appeals by Botin, his brother Jaime Botin and other people contesting a November decision to allow the complaints by the three groups were rejected, the Madrid-based court said today in a ruling sent by e-mail. In Spain, any citizen can make a so- called popular accusation in legal proceedings even if they are not directly involved in the matter. The court said in June it would investigate Botin and 11 family members after tax officials received information on clients at HSBC Holdings Plc’s Swiss private bank from French authorities. The Botin family, in a statement distributed...

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Spanish Home Sales Decline for the Ninth Straight Month as Economy Shrinks

 Spanish home sales declined in November for a ninth month as the economy contracted and unemployment surged. The number of transactions fell 14.4 percent from a year earlier, the National Statistics Institute in Madrid said in an e-mailed statement today. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, the People’s Party leader whose government took over from the Socialists on Dec. 22, has said he will restore a tax rebate for the purchase of homes to spur the market as a 23 percent unemployment rate weighs on demand. Spain is struggling to work through an excess of 700,000 new homes after the collapse of a building boom saddled banks with 176 billion euros ($225 billion) of what the Bank of Spain calls “troubled” assets linked to real estate. Spain’s economy contracted in the final months of 2011 as...

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