Historic theatre in Valencia goes up in smoke

A fire completely destroyed an ancient theatre in Valencia at the weekend.

Around 30 residents on had to be evacuated in the small hours of Friday morning when the nearby Teatro Princesa, which has not been used for over 20 years, caught fire.The theatre was considered an important part of the towns heritage.

Firemen had the very difficult task in accessing the site due to its location in a narrow back street.

Within hours, the fire was extinguished by the firemen and the evacuated residents were able to return to their homes safe and sound.

The Teatro Princesa was built in 1853 and designed by local architect José Zacarías Camaña.

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Missing teenager found in Alicante flat

A TEENAGE girl from Málaga who has been missing from her home and feared dead has been found in a flat in Alicante.The girl, 17, who has been identified only by her initials of M.B.P.S., disappeared on Wednesday, 11th February.She was found on Friday by the youth protection squad of the National Police along with her boyfriend.

Officers believe the girl left her home voluntarily, but without telling her parents, who reported her disappearance the following day.She is said to be in a perfect state of health and staying in a flat on the C/ Publicist José Tarí in the city.

Meanwhile in Sevilla, 17-year-old Marta del Castillo Casanueva, who went missing nearly three weeks ago, has still not been found.Her boyfriend confessed to having killed her and then throwing her into the river Guadalquivir. Police officers have been combing the banks of the river and surrounding areas for traces of her but have so far drawn a blank.

source: ThinkSpain

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27 Romanians Freed by Spanish National Police

NATIONAL Police have freed 27 Romanian nationals who were kept hostage and forced into slavery by their compatriots.

The victims lived together in two flats, with 13 and 14 in each, in Faura (Valencia).

They were lured away from home by a fellow Romanian living in Barcelona, who promised them stable jobs.

After being brought over by coach to Spain, they were forced to work with no money.

When their work dried up, their captors made them beg in the streets.

Among the hostages was a young boy, said to be under 18, who was obliged to work long hours in the fields and beg for money.

They had to sleep on the floor in properties with poor hygiene and sanitary facilities.

Although the doors of the flats were left unlocked at all times, the victims did not attempt to escape, fearing repercussions if they did so.

Police say they suffered constant threats.

Women were separated from their husbands and forced to sell themselves for sex, with their earnings handed over to their kidnappers.

Underage girls were also sold as prostitutes.

Police became aware of their plight after two Romanians from Alicante reported that they were living with more than 20 others, cramped together in tiny flats in Faura.

Officers arrested 19 people on Friday.

By ThinkSpain

Six Brits arrested in Fuengirola for fraud scandal

Six Britons have been arrested by police in Fuengirola for fraudulently selling time-share properties in  Málaga to fellow Brits.

The company boss and his five telesales operators were offering time-shares in properties on the Costa del Sol that they had already sold several times over, meaning that they new ‘owners’ would never have been able to make use of the time-share weeks they had purchased.

A spokesperson for the National Police explained that the police investigation had been complicated by the fact that the company had used various different names and had changed its address, moving from Alhaurín el Grande to Fuengirola, in an attempt to throw police off the scent.

Source:  thinkSPAIN

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Overworked Judges vote against going on strike

The Judges collective for Alicante Province  decided last week by 78 votes for to 26 against going on strike next February 18th, aligning themselves with a similar decision made by the judges of Castellón.

However the judges in Valencia decided to delay their decision until next week, when another meeting is scheduled to take place.

The meetings yesterday also resulted in the judges deciding that they would only undertake that maximum amount of work as allowed by the Federation CGPJ as another protest against the central government adding that their current workload currently is running at 150% of their capacity.

Pedro Viguer, the head of the Judges Federation in Valencia stated that his members preferred to wait before deciding to go on strike as a meeting is expected to take place next Monday with the Justice ministry after which the federation would make its own decision.

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Rei Pàixaro – a medieval tradition in Alicante

Rei Pàixaro

On the weekend of January 14th and 15th, the municipality of Biar, Alicante, will hold its festivity in honour of San Antonio Abad, patron saint of animals. During the celebrations on Saturday night, a peculiar character, who goes by the name of Rei Pàxaro, will appear in the Gran Cabalgata as it marches along the traditional streets of the town, while parading neighbours set bonfires ablaze.

The Cavalcade will end with the Gran Cordada in the Plaza del Convento.
Apparently linked to an ancient pagan celebration, the festivity goes back to the Middle Ages. It depicts the custom of collecting taxes on agriculture from the Moriscos in Biar before they were expulsed.

Thinking of renting an apartment in Valencia for the Rei Pàixaro fiesta?

Valencia’s economy fearing the weakened British pound

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has revealed that due to the drop in value of the pound against the euro – more than 20% in a single year – the number of Britons who will take their holidays in the eurozone is expected to drop dramatically next year.

This in turn is expected to have a knock-on effect for the Valencian economy, as last year 45% of all the foreign visitors to the region were British, but last November a 20% drop in British visitors was recorded.

Now, according to several sources, the favorite holiday destinations are Turkey and Egypt.

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Teams for the America’s cup announced

Americas Cup Management has revealed that a total of nineteen teams from twelve countries have entered for the 33rd Americas Cup, and this includes eight new entries and all of the teams that participated in the previous edition bar one.

Three other teams were denied entry as no further documentation had been received by the deadline that was set for last Monday and one syndicate – Carbon Challenge – has withdrawn.

Under the current schedule, there are to be two pre-regattas in Valencia next year – one in July and the other in October – the CNEV Regatta in November and the Americas Cup match in 2010.

The full list of entered teams is:

Alinghi, Société Nautique de Genève (SUI) – Defender
The Spanish Challenge Club Náutico Español de Vela (ESP) – Challenger of Record
Shosholoza, Royal Cape Yacht Club (RSA)
Team Origin, Royal Thames Yacht Club (GBR)
Team New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL)
DCYC, Deutscher Challenger Yacht Club (GER)
Green Comm Challenge, Circolo di Vela Gargano (ITA)
Ayre Challenge, Real Club Náutico de Dénia (ESP)
Victory Challenge, Gamla Stans Yacht Skallskap (SWE)
Argo Challenge, Club Nautico Gaeta (ITA)
Mascalzone Latino, Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia (ITA)
Team French Spirit, Yacht Club de St Tropez (FRA)
Luna Rossa, Yacht Club Punta Ala (ITA)
Russia Team – Fiona, Yacht Club Seven Feet (RUS)
Joe Fly, Società Canottieri Lecco (ITA)
K-Challenge, Cercle de la Voile de Paris (FRA)
Greek Challenge, N.O.K. Poseidon – Nautical Club of Kalamata (GRC)
Dabliu Sail Project (ITA)
China Team, Qingdao International Yacht Club (CHN)

Resource: ValenciaLife.Net

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Race organisers meet to discuss Americas Cup future

The World Yacht Racing Forum in Monaco was the setting for a debate on the Americas Cup, with both Tom Ehman of the Golden Gate Yacht Club/BMR Oracle Racing, and Brad Butterworth of SNG/Alinghi both trying to persuade the audience that their point of view was the right way to go for the future of the Cup.

A later debate featuring Mr Ehman, Sir Keith Mills, Stephane Kandler, Mr Butterworth, Paul Cayard, Peter Montgomery and lawyer Alessandra Pandarese brought no immediate solutions to the problems over the future of the Cup, but several interesting proposals were made.

Also at the top of the agenda was the current economic situation and how it would force everyone to reduce costs, with Knut Frostad, the head of the Volvo Ocean Race enthusing wildly about the meeting – the first of its kind for major racers and organizers.

The Race Calendar was another subject for discussion and a clear lack of communications between event organizers was also raised with Christophe Baudry, the head of Communiations for the Vendee Globe race stating that it was nonsense that the Vendee and the Volvo Ocean Race take place at the same time, and that future discussions should in principle prevent this happening in the future.

Source: ValenciaLife.Net

More protests in Valencia against ‘Citizenship in English’ scheme

Tens of thousands of disgruntled parents, teachers and students marched through Valencia city centre on saturday evening in the biggest protest march to date against the regional government’s insistence that the new Citizenship curriculum be taught in English.

Stretching back over two kilometres, by the time those at the front had reached regional government headquarters those at the back had still not left the starting point in the Plaza San Agustín with protesters filling the calles Xátiva and Colón, the Plaza de Alfonso el Magnanimo, the calle de la Paz and the Plazas de la Reina and la Virgen.

Organisers claim that at least 80,000 took part in the demonstration, making it the best attended in the city since the anti-Iraq war protests back in 2003 though Valencia police estimate the total at nearer 10,000.
Source: ThinkSpain
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