World Health Organisation tells Spain first 6 months of new smoking law will be key

World Health Organisation tells Spain first 6 months of new smoking law will be key: "The World Health Organisation has warned Spain that the first six months of the new anti-smoking legislation will be key in the application of the law.

Armando Peruga, who is coordinator for the WHO’s Tobacco-Free Iniative, was speaking at a conference on Tuesday entitled, ‘The law for smoke-free spaces has been approved. And now what?’ He said that simply approving the law is not sufficient, stressing that it is vital that the public sees that the Spanish government is prepared to enforce it.

EFE quotes him saying, ‘It is just as important that people believe the law is being complied with, as is actual compliance’.

Peruga also warned, as had happened in other countries, that the government must expect strong opposition from the tobacco industry. They should be prepared for legal challenges in the courts, he said.

He had some critical words for some of the media in Spain. ‘Reading the headlines,’ he said, ‘could make you think that the country is up in arms’. In Peruga’s view, compliance with the law is very good, with a marked contrast between what is reflected in the media and the reality of the situation."

Police swoops across Europe on marijuana network which laundered money on the Costa Brava

Police swoops across Europe on marijuana network which laundered money on the Costa Brava: "Simultaneous searches were taking place in a number of European countries on Tuesday, in police swoops on an international network which is believed to have laundered up to 3 million € of drugs money.

The network was based in Holland and had been in operation since 2002, providing supplies from a grow shop in Wijchen to set up marijuana plantations, not only in the Netherlands, but also in other countries in Europe.

They invested some of their funds in luxury properties on the Costa Brava, and it’s understood that two properties belonging to the group’s leaders in Calonge, Girona province, were searched early on Tuesday morning. Others in the area have also been sealed off.

Twenty five searches, co-ordinated by Dutch police, took place in total in Spain, Holland, Belgium, Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic and on the Caribbean island of Aruba.

In a separate case, Spain’s Civil Guard released details on Tuesday of ‘Operation Pizzo’, a drugs operation which has seen the arrest of 18 suspects in Cádiz, Barcelona, Pontevedra, Sevilla, Málaga and the Canary Islands.

Officers seized 1.4 tons of cannabis, 5 vehicles and 16,000 € in forged notes."

Illegal Houses – Court overrules the Junta

Illegal Houses – Court overrules the Junta: "According to the ruling the house was constructed several years ago on non urban land without a building permit and any administrative action against it was proscribed as out of time. After satisfying several requirements, Albox Town council granted a license of first occupation to this property under a special ‘ordenanza’ or regulation which was created specifically to deal with this type of housing classified as ‘fuera de ordenacion’; that is to say constructed without a building permit but untouchable by the administration.

The Junta challenged the license of first occupation on the grounds that there was no building permit for the property and that these houses should be regulated by an urban plan. Alfredo Najas de la Cruz, representing Albox Council and Pedro Maldonado Ruiz acting for the homeowners, argued against the Juntas’ interpretation."

El País faces swingeing job cuts | Media | The Guardian

Sweeping job cuts will hit Spain's premier daily newspaper, El País, and all outlets of its owner, the country's mighty Prisa media group, following the sale of a majority stake to a group of US-based investors led by Briton Martin Franklin.

The company will cut 2,500 employees, or 18% of its workforce, over the coming year, it said in a statement today. The cuts will fall 'in all countries and all areas', meaning workers at venerable left-wing daily El País will take their share of the pain.

The cuts mark a definitive end to more than three decades of comparatively benign and paternalistic ownership by the Prisa group's founding Polanco family. Among the new faces on the committee that approved the cuts on Friday was Franklin, a serial entrepreneur based in New York.

The Polanco family ceded a controlling share in Prisa to investors in cash shell Liberty Acquisitions Holdings, formed by Franklin and the so-called 'homeless billionaire' Nicolas Berggruen, in December."

Briton arrested for drug smuggling at Málaga Airport

Briton arrested for drug smuggling at Málaga Airport: "Civil Guard have released details of the latest drug smuggling arrest at Málaga Airport, a 31 year old man who is named as D.J.R., who was caught trying to bring 4 kilos of cocaine into the country.

He is understood from El Mundo to have been born in Málaga, but holds a British passport.

He was pulled over for searching last Wednesday evening after landing on a flight from Bogotá via Madrid when the x-ray machine showed up suspicious items in his luggage."

Three British drug traffickers arrested in Alicante

Three British drug traffickers arrested in Alicante: "Three Britons were arrested with half a ton of the drug which was to be sent on to Britain.

The operation was carried out last weekend, according to sources close to the case.

The three Britons were in court in Dénia on Monday, where the judge is coordinating the investigation.

The National Police arrested another three British men in Catral at the end of December, again impounding more than half a ton of hashish, and it seems that case led to the discovery of the warehouse at Las Atalayas."

Spanish soldier tries to swim to Ceuta after losing his passport in Morocco

Spanish soldier tries to swim to Ceuta after losing his passport in Morocco: "soldier based in Ceuta has been arrested by the Civil Guard after trying to swim over to the North African enclave from Morocco.

He was picked up after security alarms were triggered in the Benzú area of the autonomous city early on Monday by an unidentified person attempting to gain illegal entry by swimming across to the city.

On being questioned by officers however, he turned out to be a soldier who had lost his passport while on leave in Morocco"

Christy Kinahan has lost his appeal against a four-year sentence for money laundering offences

Gang boss loses laundering appeal - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie: "Christy Kinahan has lost his appeal against a four-year sentence for money laundering offences.

Dubliner Kinahan (53) was convicted in a Belgian court earlier this year but granted bail to appeal the sentence.

In the meantime, he was arrested by Spanish police for allegedly masterminding a massive drug trafficking and money laundering empire, with an assets portfolio conservatively valued at €250m.

Kinahan's appeal was heard and rejected by a judge in a court in Brussels on Tuesday.

The charges followed his arrest by Belgian federal police in May 2008 following extensive inquiries into a laundering scam and after assets worth €2.5m were seized.

A warrant will be prepared by the Belgian police for his arrest but will not be activated until Kinahan has been processed through the Spanish courts.

Kinahan has already served a jail sentence in the Netherlands for handling stolen property."

Basque trawler escapes attempted hijacking in Indian Ocean

Basque trawler escapes attempted hijacking in Indian Ocean: "r trawler hijacked last week with 2 Spaniards on board has been spotted 260 miles off SomaliaPrivate security on board a trawler.
The Basque tuna trawler the ‘Albatun Dos’ managed to escape an attempted a pirate attack in the Indian Ocean this Thursday morning, by taking evasive manoeuvres to avoid capture by the skiff which was in pursuit.

No shots were exchanged, but the crew of the Albatun Dos said they could see at least five armed men on board the skiff. The trawler carries private security personnel on board to protect it from pirate attacks.

It happened at around 9am in Somali waters.

The EFE news agency contacted the Albatun Dos later on Thursday morning, and was informed that the trawler was leaving the area where the skiff had been seen.

Also on Thursday, there was news from Europa Press on the Vega 5, the Mozambique trawler which was captured by pirates last week with two Spanish crew on board. The news agency reports that Paddy O’Kennedy, from the EU anti-piracy mission Operation Atlanta, said the ship had been spotted 260 miles from the coast of Somalia."

Hindu guru Antonio Javier R.P charged with sexual abuse | Olive Press Newspaper | News

Hindu guru Antonio Javier R.P charged with sexual abuse | Olive Press Newspaper | News: "HINDU sect leader is being prosecuted for abusing his followers for personal, financial and sexual gain.


Guru Antonio Javier R.P., 51, of the Vaidika Partisana Sangha community in Granada was charged with illicit associations and crimes against moral integrity.
At least 22 former disciples have come forward with accusations.
According to the prosecutor, the guru used yoga and massage classes to lure psychologically vulnerable people with ‘coercive persuasion techniques’."

Inquest in UK into death of British woman on Ibiza

Inquest in UK into death of British woman on Ibiza: "An inquest was due to start in the UK this Thursday into the death of Francesca Foulkes, a 21 year old from Kent who was knocked down and killed while on holiday in Ibiza.

It happened in July last year outside a nightclub in San Antonio, on the west of the island.

The driver who killed her fled the scene but was later arrested by police. He is understood to have tested positive for both alcohol and drugs.

The website ‘KentOnline’ said it’s thought the 24 year old has been charged in Spain with manslaughter with a vehicle and with driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs."

More Spanish bars join the smoking rebellion

More Spanish bars join the smoking rebellion: "Marbella restaurant owner says that smoking will continue in his establishment until a judge tells him otherwisePhoto EFE
There are more cases emerging of bars which are refusing to enforce the Government’s new anti-smoking legislation which bans smoking in all closed public spaces, including bars and restaurants.

The owner of a bar in Castellón is defending his ‘private business’ and that if any of his customers is bothered by the smoke he will make a table available for them on the terrace.
‘It’s either that or we are ruined’, says the owner, Fernando Tegedor, who has already received a denuncia from the police. He claims that 90% of his clients are smokers and that his takings fell by 80% on the first day of the prohibition. Fernando made a call for other bars and restaurants across the country to boycott the law.
‘If we unite one by one and another and another they cannot do anything’, he told Canal 9 TV."

Big cocaine haul at Barcelona airport

Big cocaine haul at Barcelona airport: "Civil Guard officers based at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport have seized almost one ton of cocaine from a private medevac plane which recently landed at the airport, on a flight from Cabo Verde.

The plane was found to be carrying a cargo of more than 900 kilos of cocaine, which is believed to have been loaded on board the aircraft in Cabo Verde itself. The plane is owned by the Argentinean company ‘Medical Jet’."

Marbella restaurant owner starts petition against Spain's anti-smoking law

Marbella restaurant owner starts petition against Spain's anti-smoking law: "Marbella restaurant owner who is refusing to accept the new law and is allowing smoking on the premises says he has received messages of support from across the country.

José Eugenio Arias, owner of the Asador Guadalmina in San Pedro de Alcántara, still has signs up at the entrance to the restaurant which say that the extended smoking ban which came into force on January 2 will not be applied in his restaurant."

Local Police arrest man after attempted theft in Cuidad Quesada

RTN The Favourite Free Newspaper For The Costa Blanca, Costa Calida - Local Police arrest man after attempted theft in Cuidad Quesada: "While patrolling the local area and the golf club of La Marquesa, police noticed a disturbance at The Bull Flanagan in the town of Quesada.  A waitress of the establishment was trying to detain the man with difficulty when the police intervened to prevent injury to the employee and to stop the man taking the money for charitable causes which had been donated by clients and local residents.
 
According to the first report by the police, the arrested man had a companion who tried to take advantage of an oversight by the waitress by trying to remove a bottle which had been gathering donations.  At the first given chance the man broke free and jumped into a nearby car forcing a chase to ensue. 

The pursuit resulted in a three kilometer chase which ended when the car crashed into the terrace of a nearby house, where the man was detained immediately.  Later it was announced that the arrested was not a resident of Spain and had been implicated in such scandals before, including €15,000 in 2009, also a charity collection."