One issue high on every expats priority list when moving to live in Spain, when they have children, is the quality of the education that they will receive so the news that a new scheme will allow overseas schools to be accredited by the British Government for the first time will surely be pleaseing to note.

Diana Johnson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, said: “We believe these arrangements will allow parents access to good quality, comparable and consistent school inspection reports that will set out the extent to which participating British institutions overseas measure up to a rigorous set of standards rooted in the British education system.

The European Union, currently headed by Spain, has activated its Emergency crisis management system on account of the earthquake that shook Haiti on Tuesday, as told by French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Pierre Lellouche, in an informal meeting of European affairs ministers.

Besides this, the Spanish national radio said on Wednesday that Spain will be sending 40 disaster relief experts consisting of fire fighters, police, emergency services members and trained dogs along with Secretary of State for Latin America Juan Pablo de Laiglesia and foreign ministry officials to help the natives of the quake stricken island. Another plane consisting of surgeons, medical equipments and field hospitals will follow on Thursday.

In addition to 3 million Euros announced already by the European Union, another three million Euros and a plan to send 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid has also been announced. Spanish Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos has also affirmed the set up and usage of a humanitarian Base in Panama to help in the proper distribution of the aid sent.

Original Source – Spanish News

In April 2010 Spain will start to close down the remainder of the Analogue Television frequencies, as their version of Freeview becomes the standard throughout the land. Along with the UK and the rest of the EU, it’s the start of a five-year plan to clean up the airwaves to make more use of wavebands for mobile and internet communication. The move to ‘Freeview’ in Spain will not concern most expats as many only watch UK Television although there are many Dual Language channels and movies in English broadcast on Freeview too!

Expats may be more concerned to hear that 2010 shall see more regulation of the radio waves. The EU plan is that in 2015 (at the latest) Radio station frequencies will be reallocated to free up and reorganise the airwaves. Details have yet to be announced as to how this will take place but it will also affect such institutions as the BBC and Independent radio around the United Kingdom. The UK has one of the most regulated Telecommunication bodies in all of Europe, in part because the BBC are funded through Tax-payers money. Since the 1960’s and the eventual closure of such icons as Radio Caroline and Radio London followed by the introduction of Radio One in 1967, UK Pirate stations have been few and far between.

Spain’s telecom policy has been more hands off. As Western Europe’s newest democracy, a very softly-softly approach to regulating the airwaves has been evident, in part because the automatons communities control licences rather than national government.

New Laws regarding radio stations introduced for 2010.

With the start of the New Year comes with it the ‘State Radio Communications Agency’ who have been tasked to evaluate and close down up to 3,000 illegal radio stations throughout Spain. Almost all Radio in Spain is commercial, relying on advertising and sponsorship to pay its way. In some regions of Spain, especially the major cities and along the Coast, illegal ‘Pirate’ stations outnumber the legal frequencies by two, sometimes three to one. Thus, those that are legal have been complaining to the Government for years of their loss in revenue and wanting action to be taken.

Although the English language stations do compete for revenue from the Spanish stations, as expat business centres are unlikely to advertise with a Spanish media group, some of the local stations around the Costa Blanca have been operating without the correct business licences and may face closure sooner rather than later, mainly because they interfere with and impact the revenue potential of the Spanish Broadcasters as areas they where once heard have been taken over by English stations!

Central Government has said it is to draw up a map of Spanish radio, which will allow a cleaning up of the FM band followed by the quick and firm closure of those broadcasters who lack the correct permissions! This new State Radio Communications Agency is to be set up before June 1 and then given the task of controlling the radio spectrum. Its creation is part of the AERC, Spanish Association of Commercial Radio and includes such heavyweights as SER, Onda Cero, Cope and Punto Radio. They have already presented a list of broadcasters they consider to be outside the law including 482 on the Canaries, 387 in Andalucía, 338 in the Valencia region, 183 in Cataluña, 144 in Madrid and 143 in the Basque Country. In addition there are many so-called Municipal Radios that are breaking the law as they are run by companies and not by the local Town Hall!

In defence of the dozen or more English stations on the Costa Blanca most, if not all pay Spanish taxes, pay royalties, pay their staffing fees and have been inspected by local royalty agencies. The illegal operators complain that no new concessions for licences have been made available and that many of them have submitted applications for licences but have not heard back from the commission.

Only time will tell if these new regulations will mark the end of some of our most popular stations. One argument against this move is that in closing down 3,000 stations, upwards of 30,000 people could find themselves out of work, putting further strain on Spain’s pressurised social services system.

Original Source – Spanish News

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the UK police’s use of stop and search powers granted under terrorism legislation is illegal.

The case was brought by two people who were stopped and searched under the Terrorism Act of 2000 while on their way to an arms fair.

The law grants police the power to search anyone regardless of suspicion. A senior police officer can grant the power for a defined area; this must then be confirmed by the secretary of state within 48 hours.

Since the law was passed in February 2001 there has been a rolling programme of applications and authorisations for the whole of the Metropolitan Police area all of the time.

The court objected on several grounds. It found the searches interfered with the right to a private life and that, unlike airline passengers, people had in no way consented to be searched. It found a lack of basic safeguards in use of the powers – no minister has ever objected or sought to change the terms of such an order.

The court was not impressed with the independent reviewer who has complained since May 2006 that the law is being over-used.

Finally the court objected to the lack of any controls on the individual police officers – they only have to say they had a hunch rather than show reasonable grounds for a search.

In summary the Court found the powers “were neither sufficiently circumscribed nor subject to adequate legal safeguards against abuse”.

The court also found from statistics that black and Asian people “were disproportionately affected by the powers”.

Between 2004 and 2008 total searches recorded went up from 33,177 to 117,278.

Kevin Gillan, a 32-year old student and Pennie Quinton, a 38-year old reporter and photographer, were on their way to a demonstration at an arms fair being held in Docklands when they were stopped.

The two applicants share €33,850 in costs and expenses.

The verdict is another blow for the Home Office which has had its wrists slapped over the DNA database, prisoners’ rights to privacy in recent months.

Policing and Security Minister David Hanson MP said: ”Stop and search under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 is an important tool in a package of measures in the ongoing fight against terrorism.

”I am disappointed with the ECHR ruling in this case as we won all other challenges in the UK courts, including at the House of Lords. We are considering the judgment and will seek to appeal.”

Original Source – The Register

Portugal’s parliament has passed a law to legalise same-sex marriage, but rejected proposals to allow homosexual couples to adopt.

The bill was approved with the support of the governing Socialist Party and other parties further to the left.

Prime Minister Jose Socrates opened the debate with an appeal to back the law, saying it would put right an injustice that had caused unnecessary pain.

The law has been fiercely opposed by conservatives in the Catholic country.

If the law is ratified by President Anibal Cavaco Silva, it could come into effect in April – just a month before a visit to Portugal by Pope Benedict XVI, a staunch opponent of gay marriage.

The bill’s ratification would make Portugal the sixth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriages after Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway.

Many other countries have introduced civil partnerships, which give lesbian and gay couples some of the rights of married heterosexuals.

Original Source – BBC

The RRP of a pint of Guinness will rise by 10p to £3.03 on 1 February, producer Diageo has announced.

In further grim tidings for drinkers, brewer AB InBev – which counts Beck’s, Budweiser, Staropramen and Stella Artois on its roster of brews – “will increase the wholesale price of all its drinks products by an average of 4p a pint” on the same date.

Stuart MacFarlane, president of AB InBev UK, told The Publican: “In keeping with standard industry practice we review our pricing at the start of each year.

“Within the context of continuing difficult market conditions and a challenging economic climate, AB InBev UK will be applying a price increase equivalent to an average of 4p a pint to the wholesale price of beer with effect from 1st February 2010.”

The same day will see Heineken UK hike beer and cider by 4p and 5p, respectively, while Carlsberg and Molson Coors “have yet to reveal details of any price increases”.

The news comes as the government’s health committee has suggested a minimum alcohol retail price of 50p per unit – an attempt to stop supermarkets punting cheap booze and fuelling the UK’s binge-drinking epidemic.

This minimum would, the report suggests, save 3,000 lives a year while helping to boost the UK’s pub trade.

Tony Brookes, managing director of North East-based pub company Head of Steam, enthused to The Publican: “This is good news. I totally believe in minimum pricing. Without doubt it is the supermarkets causing the binge-drinking problems and they need their knuckles wrapped.” [sic]

However, the report also notes that three-quarters of the industry’s sales depend on “hazardous and harmful” drinkers. If people could be persuaded to “drink responsibly”, pub sales would crash by 40 per cent, it concludes.

Original Source – The Register

Spanish police have detained a man for collaborating with the separatist organization ETA, according to media reports released on Friday. The police detained Pedro Maria Olano Zabala, who was sentenced to two years imprisonment, for collaborating with the ETA.

Euskadi Ta Askatasuna, or the ETA, is considered as a terrorist group by both the United States and the European Union. In the online edition of El Mundo, it was reported that this is the first detention of its kind this year.

Pedro Maria Olano Zabala was arrested in Lizartza in the Basque region, and two other homes were also searched. According to public radio RNE, Zabala has been detained on the suspicion of transporting explosives for the terrorist group.

The government had issued a warning last month of an ETA attack or kidnapping attempt during Spain’s EU presidency. The terrorism level had been raised to two from one on a scale of four, highlighting the “probable risk of a terrorist attack”.

The ETA is considered responsible for over 800 deaths in the Basque region in a 41 year long campaign for independence in the northern parts of Spain.

Original Source – Spanish News

What a difference five little kilometres can make and in the case of the Casino Mediterráneo in Torrevieja it could possibly mean closure and a loss of jobs because it seems that it was built within 60-kilometers of another gaming site!

Although they are still open for business the Tribunal Supremo (TS -The Supreme Court) has endorsed a ruling set down by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunidad Valenciana (TSJCV – High Court of Valencia) that annuls the decision that allowed the Casino to open in 2003!

Torrevieja’s Casino Mediterráneo is located about 55-km from another gaming establishment located in Murcia and thus violates a law that states that gaming houses should be more than 60-km apart!

Regional Valencian Government justified its decision to allow the building of Torrevieja’s Casino in stating that they are authorized to do so in their autonomous capacity without having to take into account other establishments outside Valencian territory as the other casinos are in Murcia.

However, others disagree and thus an action against Torrevieja’s Casino has been filed by Todman Casino, located in La Manga del Mar Menor, Murcia and Bingos Torrevieja. Casino Mediterráneo is located about 55 kilometers from the Casino in La Manga and 45 kilometres from Murcia Gran Casino.

Legislation has been changed throughout regions of Spain since 2006 and lawyers for Casino Mediterráneo have appealed the decision and are mounting a case to have this judgement overturned so that business can continue as normal. Casino Mediterráneo is located opposite the Habaneras Shopping Centre within the Ozone Complex and open daily 1pm-5am, possesses a 16,150 square foot gaming space and features forty-six gaming machines plus thirteen table games including roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat and wheel of fortune.

Original Source – Spanish News

The Spanish Monarch is having a quiet day with his family

King Juan Carlos is celebrating his 72nd birthday quietly with his family on the Zarzuela Palace today.

While the other Three Kings are making their preparations to process through the streets of Spain this evening, ahead of bringing the Christmas gifts for the Children tomorrow, Juan Carlos is taking the day off and has no official events planned.

The last 12 months have been mixed for the monarch. Enjoyable summer holidays at the Miravent Palace on Mallorca with his three children and eight grandchildren were the highspot, but attacks from ERC Catalan Republicans and the confirmation of the divorce of his eldest daughter Elena, from Jaime de Marichalar, the low point.

The next 12 months are likely to be somewhat austere as the Royal Household has sixed tighter budgets in line with the recession. (Via Original Source)

The latest from ETA, Cuba and Mr Bean on the front pages in Spain today

El País leads with Obama activating the anti-terrorist alert after the offensive being seen from Al Qaeda. The paper says that the threat from Yemen has changed the President’s agenda, while Europe continues to debate the use of full-body scanners at airports.
ABC says that José Blanco, the Development Minister, has ruled out their use in Spain without agreement in the EU, but notes too that the Government has not ruled out talking about the matter with the US at a meeting planned in Washington on Jan 13.
La Razón notes that the citizens from 14 countries now have to be body searched before they can fly to the United States.

El Mundo leads again with more on the ETA informant case and headlines that the Government made manoeuvres so only Judge Garzón would handle the informant. The paper claims that Grande-Marlaska was offer the post of link judge in London in exchange for blocking the instruction of the case until Garzón returned from New York.
El País notes that ETA has tried to silence its prisoners with the expulsion of five dissidents. They were accused of breaking discipline.
El Mundo reports that ETA prisoners are expecting the group to follow the lead of Otegi and announce a ‘technical halt’ in violent action.
La Razón notes that ETA prisoners have threatened taking actions against prison officers and directors.

El Mundo says that rejection of the new abortion law has fallen by 7% over the past month, but there is still 75% rejection on the point of 16 year olds being given the procedure without the permission of their parents.
Público notes that Development Minister, José Blanco, has accused the church of hypocrisy as they now reject abortion but did not do so when it took place under the PP Government.

El País tells us that the Ministry for Employment is considering reforms to the pensions system to make it more viable. Widows pension could be replaced with temporary payments, and the period used for the calculation of pensions could be extended.

El País has a front page photo of three men standing on a pipe, with the news that water from the Tajo river is now finally flowing to the Diamiel marshes where underground fires have been devastating the national park.

Público has a cut out and display bright yellow front page with the translated Greenpeace slogan, ‘Politicians talk, Leaders Act’, but with the talk replaced by ‘imprison’.
It’s because the head of Greenpeace España, Juan López de Uralde, remains in prison in isolation in Denmark, 18 days after being arrested for breaking a security cordon at the Copenhagen summit. The paper says that Greenpeace has called on Zapatero to put pressure on the Danish Government to get him released, but that the Foreign Ministry here has said it can do nothing as the Danish judicial system is beyond reproach.
Público notes the legislation in Denmark was toughened up just days before the summit.

El Mundo has a photo of Mr. Bean looking out of the EU presidency website and its front page today. The paper captions ‘Mr Bean inaugurates the Spanish six months’.
ABC has a screenshot of the web site and the caption, Mr Bean ‘collapses’ the Spanish Presidency.

El Mundo says that the thaw proclaimed by Foreign Minister, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, in Cuba has received a slap in the face after the island did not allow the Euro MP Luis Yáñez entry. The Socialist party has asked for explanations.
El País says that Moratinos has called the Cuban ambassador in Spain for a meeting today.
La Razón leads with the story and says that the diplomatic incident questions Spanish foreign policy on the island in the middle of the EU presidency. The paper has a photo of Fidel Castro, who re-appeared in a video yesterday which shows him in a wheelchair, along with his brother Raúl, and the visiting Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega.
ABC leads with the story and notes Cuba has given no explanation for refusing entry to the Socialist deputy.

El Mundo had an interview with Joan Laporta yesterday, but today says that the Catalan parties have welcomed his jump into politics with sarcasm.

El Mundo reports that two weeks after the Partido Popular approved a code of good conduct, Mariano Rajoy has brought back the ex EuroMP, Gerardo Galeote, into the fold despite his continued implication in the Gürtel case. He has been given a role in a group which will keep watch on the Government’s spending during the six month EU presidency.
La Razón notes that the EU President has overtaken Spain with the announcement of an economic summit in the month of March.

La Razón informs us that the Government will not use 24 million vaccines it had ordered against the A flu.

And finally,
El Mundo reports that the President of South Africa is extending his harem. He is marrying for the fifth time, and has announced a sixth. (Via Original Source)