Did the King of Spain try to seduce Princess Diana?

 

WHEN Prince Charles and Princess Diana accepted an invitation to spend a summer holiday with the king of Spain the shadow of Camilla Parker Bowles already loomed over their marriage. Perhaps Diana confided in Juan ­Carlos or he simply sensed her vulnerability and unhappiness. In any case it’s claimed in an explosive new book that the king seized his opportunity when Charles’ back was turned and made a pass at Diana. The book alleges the seduction was attempted in Mallorca in 1987. At the time the royals of Britain and Spain regularly played happy families together but it’s now claimed both marriages were elaborate shams. Charles’ infidelity pales into insignificance alongside the behaviour of the Spanish king if the book The Solitude Of The Queen is to be trusted. It’s claimed Juan Carlos, 74, is a serial philanderer who has a loveless ­marriage to Queen Sofia, mother of his three children, and has used his power to sleep with 1,500 women. Intriguingly the allegations about the handsome Juan Carlos and the beautiful British Princess were first aired a few years ago by royal biographer Lady Colin Campbell. Prince Charles’ infidelity pales into insignificance alongside the behaviour of the Spanish king if the book The Solitude Of The Queen is to be trusted. She asserted that the pair were occasional lovers, also ­having a brief fling the previous year on a cruise, and that Diana fell into the king of Spain’s arms to take revenge on her own straying husband. Photographs from the period show Diana was clearly relaxed in the company of Juan Carlos. In one informal pose she’s seen sitting on a settee with him, wearing an off-the-shoulder dress, while Prince ­William sits between the king’s legs. During a 1987 visit, in which Charles and Diana went to Madrid, the king was pictured smiling as he kissed the Princess on the hand in a gesture that left Diana looking flustered. Rumours of an affair have always been derided but the new claim that Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, who celebrate their golden wedding in May, have not shared a bed for 35 years is bound to fan the flames. Normally the royal family in Spain is out of bounds for gossip columnists because an attack on the monarchy is regarded as an attack on democracy.

Spanish Cleanup Plan May Backfire on Banks

 

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s proposal to force banks to recognize further losses from real estate holdings may backfire by saddling healthy lenders with the bill. “The plan is for a massive effort in provisioning of real estate and consolidation, and that has to be paid for,” said Daragh Quinn, a Madrid-based analyst at Nomura International. By refusing to use public funds to help purge a system burdened with 176 billion euros ($228 billion) of what the Bank of Spain calls “troubled” assets linked to real estate, Rajoy may not do the job properly or he may hurt solvent banks by leaving them with the costs, said David Moss, director of European equities at F&C Investments in London. Rajoy wants to make banks accurately value assets piled up on their books as part of his efforts to lower Spain’s borrowing costs and free up the flow of credit in the economy. Investors demand about 763 basis points more yield to hold Bankia SA (BKIA)’s senior unsecured bonds maturing in 2017 than similar German bunds, up from about 46 basis points when the securities were sold in 2007. Since Rajoy was elected on Nov. 20, the rate on 10-year Spanish debt has declined 124 basis points to 5.45 percent. Rajoy wants to avoid committing public funds as he battles to bring down a deficit that was 8 percent of gross domestic product in 2011, exceeding the 6 percent target from the outgoing Socialist government. He announced 15 billion euros of immediate spending cuts and tax increases last month to narrow the gap. “If the public purse doesn’t get used at all, this can only mean this whole process happens more slowly and it might take longer to make the impact that’s needed,” Moss said.

Venezuela on Tuesday deported three suspected drug smugglers wanted in the United States, Canada and Colombia

 

Venezuela on Tuesday deported three suspected drug smugglers wanted in the United States, Canada and Colombia, touting the moves as proof the government of President Hugo Chavez is making strides in fighting trafficking. Those deported include Luc Letourneau, a Canadian wanted in his homeland on drug trafficking charges, Oscar Martinez Hernandez, an American wanted in Puerto Rico on charges including cocaine and heroin smuggling, and Colombian Adalberto Bernal Arboleda.Arboleda, known by his nickname “El Cali,” faces drug smuggling charges in Colombia and the United States. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami trumpeted the deportations as evidence Venezuela is cracking down on drug trafficking. Venezuela is a major hub for gangs that smuggle Colombian cocaine to the United States and Europe, and U.S. officials have accused Chavez’s government of being lax in anti-drug efforts. Last year, President Barack Obama’s administration classified Venezuela as a country that has “failed demonstrably” to effectively fight drug trafficking. El Aissami dismissed that accusation, accusing U.S. officials of “defaming” Venezuela’s counter-drug efforts. Letourneau, 53, was captured in May on Margarita Island, a popular tourist destination. At the time of his arrest, Letourneau was planning to smuggle 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of cocaine into Canada, El Aissami said. Hernandez, a 44-year-old man who was nabbed by police on Jan. 4 in the western city of Maracaibo, faces numerous criminal charges ranging from drug trafficking to illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Arboleda was captured in the town of Mariara, in central Carabobo state, on Jan. 11. U.S.-Venezuelan counter-drug cooperation has been sharply scaled back since 2005, when Chavez suspended cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and accused it of being a front for espionage.

The Abu Dhabi General Prosecution for Public Funds has ordered the detention of two Europeans and other individuals on charges of embezzlement and fraud.

 

 A year ago, the suspects are alleged to have started a fake project selling properties in the United Kingdom at competitive prices. They allegedly targeted UAE investors. Investigations have since revealed that the company does not have a real estate licence and that the accused defrauded 40 investors. The General Prosecution seized around Dh3 million the suspects allegedly swindled from their victims, in addition to Dh100,000 found while inspecting the fake company. Another Dh250,000 in the firm's account was also confiscated. Article continues below The central bank has been asked to give a report on all the transactions carried out by the company. The means of information technology used by the defendants for the management of their operations have been identified by authorities, with Interpol being asked to arrest the other defendants in the case. An official in the Attorney-General's office urged investors in the UAE to be on their guard and to ensure the companies they deal with are authorised to carry out real estate activities in the country.

Asil Nadir faces £34m theft charges in biggest ever fraud trial

 

The biggest ever British fraud trial begins today when Turkish-Cypriot tycoon Asil Nadir stands up at the Old Bailey to face £34million theft charges. He is accused of 13 counts of theft dating back to the 1980s from Polly Peck, his failed business empire that folded in 1990 under the weight of its £1.3billion debt. When he joined Polly Peck in the early 1980s it was an ailing textiles firm which he transformed into a FTSE 100 conglomerate that housed the Del Monte fruit business and the Sansui electronics firm. On trial: The SFO alleges that Nadir transferred millions out of Polly Peck in the years preceding its collapse Following the collapse he jumped a £3million bail and fled in 1993 to Cyprus, which has no extraditions treaty with the UK, but returned in August 2010 stating he wanted to clear his name. Nadir has argued in the past that there was a grave abuse of process in the case brought against him by the Serious Fraud Office. For years he has alleged that the police and the SFO placed the judge in his case under improper pressure, made false allegations of corruption against him and his advisers and seized documents necessary for his defence. The 70-year old has pleaded not guilty to the 13 charges, which include theft of £33.1million and £2.5million from the company between 1987 and 1990. Under Nadir’s leadership the firm’s market value ballooned from £300,000 to £1.7billion, and an investment of £1,000 from the late 1970s would have been worth £1million at its peak. The SFO alleges that Nadir transferred millions out of Polly Peck in the years preceding its collapse. Its demise hit pension funds and small shareholders. The case is due to last at least four months. Nadir’s fall embarrassed John Major’s Conservative government after it emerged that a Tory minister, Michael Mates, had given Nadir a watch engraved ‘Don’t let the buggers get you down’. Mates, the minister of state for Northern Ireland, resigned over his links to the businessman. Nadir was a major donor to the Tories, pouring more than £1million into party coffers between 1986 and 1990. He was a regular guest in Mrs Thatcher’s Downing Street, and was consulted on overseas development and Middle Eastern trade.

No one calls him Sir Allen Stanford anymore. He is inmate number 35017-183.

 

On Monday, the Texas financier heads to court in Houston to battle charges that he operated a $7 billion Ponzi scheme from Stanford International Bank Ltd, his offshore bank on the Caribbean island of Antigua. By all accounts, his was a life of luxury, filled with private jets, yachts, mansions and the sport of cricket. Deemed a flight risk in June 2009 by a federal judge, the 6-foot billionaire has been in jail, sporting prison-issue green and orange jumpsuits and shackles instead of the dark, tailor-made suits he once ordered in bulk. Stanford, a native Texan who was knighted by the government of Antigua in 2006, is accused of misleading investors about certificates of deposit (CDs) issued by his offshore bank, in one of the biggest white collar fraud cases since Bernard Madoff. The CDs were touted as safe, with funds "generally invested in investment grade bonds, securities and foreign currency deposit," according to literature distributed by Stanford's brokerage firm. Instead, prosecutors allege, Stanford invested CD proceeds in illiquid pet-project investments that included Caribbean real estate, a Cowboys and Indians magazine and a pawn shop operator. He also loaned more than $2 billion to himself. The alleged Ponzi scheme started to unravel in late 2008 as the financial crisis deepened and more and more investors asked for redemptions, a situation that left Stanford scrambling for cash. Prosecutors will likely rely heavily on the testimony of the firm's former Chief Financial Officer James Davis, who pleaded guilty in August 2009 and has been cooperating with the government. The two men were college roommates at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In past interviews, Stanford has blamed Davis, a theme that is likely to be repeated by the defense at trial. "I didn't oversee anything in the investment portfolio, that was the CFO's responsibility," Stanford told Reuters in a 2009 interview. "The CFO had investment committees, the chief investment officer reports to him." Stanford, 61, has pleaded not guilty to 14 criminal counts of fraud, obstruction of a federal investigation and conspiracy to launder money. Among the alleged crimes prosecutors expect to prove to the Houston jury is that Stanford was involved in falsifying financial statements and made false statements about Stanford International Bank's financial condition. PAUPER IN LOVE Stanford's health has declined since his arrest. He was injured in a jailhouse brawl in 2009 and suffered from an addiction to a powerful anti-anxiety medication. He has hepatitis B and cirrhosis of the liver, and, if convicted, will likely spend he rest of his life in prison. The SEC seized all of Stanford's assets in February 2009 after filing a civil lawsuit. His lawyer at the time, Dick DeGuerin, said the government's action did not even leave enough money for his client to buy underwear. Once No. 205 on Forbes' list of richest Americans, Stanford's defense is paid for with U.S. tax dollars and his 81-year-old mother is struggling to help. "I've maxed out my credit cards and I'm on my last few thousand dollars of savings," said Sammie Stanford. She even had to do a reverse mortgage on her home "to get some extra cash," she said in December after a court hearing. After his arrest, Stanford had a bevy of women, four of whom are mothers of his six children, attend his court hearings. He had a "fiancee" half his age even though he remains legally married. Stanford lavished the women in his life with trips on private jets, luxury homes and, in one instance, spousal support payments of $100,000 per month, according to court documents. His oldest daughter, Randi, lived in a luxury Houston high-rise paid for by her father, for whom she worked. Court records from a 2007 paternity case, that was settled, showed Stanford also paid about $150,000 a year in child support for two other children who lived with their mother in a $10 million house in Florida. But now, in addition to losing his fortune, Stanford has only the support of his parents and family and not the harem of loyalists seen earlier. Only his mother lasted through the entire three days of testimony last month at a hearing in which Stanford was judged competent to stand trial. The man who once ran a business with operations in 140 countries has different priorities now. In a recent court hearing he could be heard complaining about being served a peanut butter sandwich on stale bread.

Spain's fast rail forestalled problems for farms

 

On a crisp Saturday morning last fall, Luis Valciente and Mercedes Martin enjoyed the quiet of their farm about 20 miles northeast of Seville. The retired husband and wife bought their patch of land in 1987, several years before Spain's first high-speed trains started running between Madrid and Seville. "It's very tranquil, which is what we like after all these years," Martin said through an interpreter. Without warning, a loud "swoosh" briefly interrupted the couple. It was one of Spain's AVE high-speed trains rushing on tracks about 100 feet from the rear of the couple's modest home. Within seconds, the noise subsided and the couple resumed their chat. To train passengers, the Valciente farm is little more than a blur about 10 minutes before they get to Seville, the southern terminus for the trains. Each arrival sends fresh activity through the station and a surge of cabs, cars and pedestrians onto the streets near the historic city's commercial center. Nearby restaurants, shops and rental-car agencies vie for attention from the arrivals. Spain's system connects urban centers and smaller provincial capitals while crossing fertile agricultural regions, much like California's planned high-speed rail system. In the countryside, Barcelona transportation engineer Andreu Ulied said, the Spanish government went to great lengths and expense to minimize the effect on farms. It skirted farmland where it could, built frequent overpasses and underpasses, and generously compensated owners who lost property to the project. In larger Spanish cities such as Madrid, Seville, Valencia, Cordova and Barcelona, stations for high-speed trains are in developed, central-city commercial districts. In Barcelona, preservationists' fears of a train tunnel under the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia forced extensive engineering measures to avoid damaging the iconic church. Most merchants near the stations say high-speed rail is good for commerce, but they are unsure whether it has directly helped their stores and restaurants. Ulied, economist Germà Bel and others say the prospects for economic gains by high-speed rail cities are murky at best, and at worst could bleed commerce from smaller cities between larger destinations. Valciente and Martin, who are in their 70s, tend to fruit trees and corn on their 6½-acre farm. The AVE trains speed by the farmstead several times an hour, "and it hasn't affected us at all," Valciente said. "We don't even feel them," Martin added. The trains create no wind turbulence, she said, and are less bothersome than slower, regional commuter trains. Conventional trains were there when Valciente bought the farm, but he doesn't think AVE trains affected his property value, and if neighbors have complaints, he hasn't heard them. High-speed rail raised little opposition from the agriculture industry. That experience stands in contrast to the objections by farmers in the San Joaquin Valley, where faith in the state rail authority and the economy are in short supply. Growers and ranchers say they fear losing farmland and homes, and worry the tracks will keep them from moving across their land. They also doubt they'll be fairly compensated for their property or troubles. Spanish officials worked with farmers to head off concerns, said Pedro Pérez del Campo, environmental policy director for ADIF, the government-owned company that runs the system. "It's in our interest to make it easier for the farmers," he said, noting the priority is to ensure farmers with divided property can reach all of the land. "About every 500 meters, there is the ability to pass from one side of the rail to the other. We are obligated that if the rails were to cross your property, we have to give you the ability to cross."

Spain workers lose bridge holidays in debt crisis austerity move

 

Considering how many of his friends are unemployed, electrician Javier Ramirez felt like he'd hit the jackpot when his company scored a contract for government buildings here in Spain's sprawling capital. He gets paid by the hour, and rewiring 250-year-old marble halls is a formidable job that should feed his family for years. The problem is, Ramirez worked only about half of last month, and the time off wasn't his choice. It was courtesy of Spain's slate of religious and municipal holidays — a generous 14 per year, 40% more than in the United States — and a beloved little tradition called the puente, or "bridge." Puentes result when a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday and, to make a long weekend, workers take off the Monday or Friday in between. Many employers tacitly acquiesce to an extra vacation day, and some close their offices altogether. Along with the siesta and three-hour lunches, puentes are one of the delicious little time-wasters that have the Spaniards thumbing their noses at more rigid schedules in northern Europe, efficiency be damned. But Europe's debt crisis has decimated Spain's workforce, and unemployment here tops 23%. Now, with northern leaders increasingly scolding the "layabouts" of the south, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says the puentes are something Spain can no longer afford. So, in a nearly $20-billion package of spending cuts and tax increases passed by the parliament this month, Rajoy took aim at the puentes. Starting this year, most holidays that fall midweek will be moved to Monday, limiting workers to a three-day weekend. A few holidays, such as Christmas and New Year's Day, will still be celebrated on fixed dates, but other fiestas that many Spaniards hold dear — the Day of the Blessed Virgin's Immaculate Conception, or the slightly more obscure Festival of St. Mary of the Head, to name just two — will be celebrated on Mondays, in much the same way Americans celebrate Labor Day or Memorial Day. It's too early to put a dollar figure on the potential savings, or to know how many Spaniards might take a vacation day in defiance or out of habit, and create a four-day weekend where they always had one. But the move could significantly boost productivity and outweigh potential losses for hotels, which benefit from domestic tourism with longer weekends, said Gayle Allard, an economist at Madrid's IE Business School who previously worked in Spain's banking sector. "We had problems being on the same schedule with other financial centers. Spaniards were working their traditional day, with the long lunch, and then they stay late at night," Allard said. "If they could kind of align working hours, drop the idea of the siesta and get rid of the puentes, it might actually be beneficial for Spaniards to work a more compact day and week, more similar to European hours." Many Spaniards lucky enough to have jobs these days are underemployed — law graduates working in restaurants, for example. And with a hiring freeze on public jobs, more and more Spaniards are working for hourly pay, with no benefits or job security. They're the ones who lose money on the puentes, among them electrician Ramirez, who doesn't get paid for time off. "I don't really want that relaxing day; I prefer to work," the 36-year-old said as he lined up to go through security early one recent morning to work at the Ministry of Public Works building in downtown Madrid. "I want to take my vacation when I want. So the puente, for me, it's an annoying thing." But for salaried workers, it's a different story. "The change doesn't really affect us office workers, because if we want a long weekend, we've still got plenty of vacation days," said Juan Carlos Yebra, a 38-year-old Web designer in Madrid. "But the puente is definitely a tradition here. Outside Spain, I have a feeling we might be famous for this," he said, laughing. "My co-worker, for example, is from England, and she's constantly saying, 'You're always on vacation!'"

Spain’s economy contracted in the fourth quarter and will shrink 1.5 percent this year,

 

Spain’s economy contracted in the fourth quarter and will shrink 1.5 percent this year, the Bank of Spain estimated, undermining government efforts to cut the budget deficit amid the second recession in two years. Gross domestic product fell 0.3 percent in the quarter, the most in two years, and grew 0.3 percent from a year earlier, the Madrid-based Bank of Spain said today in its monthly bulletin. Economic output may decline this year as unemployment reaches 23.4 percent, returning to growth of 0.2 percent in 2013, the central bank said. The forecasts are based on the premise that the government will adopt additional austerity measures to meet its budget goals “strictly.” Spain’s new government, in power since Dec. 21, is aiming to reduce the budget deficit by about half this year even as the economy slumps. Spain is already in a recession, Budget Minister Cristobal Montoro said on Jan. 18. Credit is shrinking at a record pace and the country has the highest unemployment in the European Union at 22.9 percent. “It’s going to be very difficult to meet the target but it all depends on what measures the government takes,” Jose Luis Martinez, a strategist for Spain at Citigroup Inc. in Madrid, said in a telephone interview. “The important thing is that brave steps are taken to allow for a stronger recovery.”

Ruling due in Costa del Sol bus crash

 

On Thursday afternoon, a Spanish court is to hand down the sentence in the case of a bus crash that left nine Finnish tourists dead in April 2008. The criminal court in Málaga is to sentence the driver of an SUV. The drunk driver caused the accident by crashing into the bus on a motorway on the Costa del Sol. Thirty-eight people were injured. The prosecutor is seeking a four-year prison term and a six-year driving ban for the man, who was 27 at the time.

Mention of Mafia at hearing for Hells Angel murder

 

References to the Mafia surfaced Tuesday as prosecutors and public defenders argued whether names of some witnesses should be kept secret at the upcoming murder trial for a Vagos motorcycle gang member accused of killing a high-ranking Hells Angel during a shootout at a Nevada casino. Ernesto Gonzalez, a Vagos member from San Francisco, is accused of fatally shooting the president of the rival Hells Angels' San Jose chapter, Jeffrey "Jethro" Pettigrew, during the Sept. 23 melee at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks. Lawyers for Gonzalez and two other men charged in connection with the killing asked Washoe District Judge Connie Steinheimer to order prosecutors to release the name of another Vagos member who testified confidentially before the grand jury that indicted all three men in November. But police testified Tuesday that the unidentified Vagos member fears for his life and is bound for a witness protection program. "The Hells Angels are a well-known, outlaw motorcycle gang, as are the Vagos, and people are scared of them," Deputy District Attorney Karl Hall said. Police Sgt. Eric Bennett, an investigator from San Bernardino, Calif., said yet another Vagos member who was wounded during the casino shootout - Leonard Rameriz of Garden Grove, Calif. - met with a member of the Mafia in the weeks after the killing. "We know a member of the Vagos met with the Mafia and gave him copies of affidavits for search warrants," Bennett said. He said that while the confidential witness is identified only as a number in the grand jury transcripts made public, there may have been clues to his identity in the search warrants. Rameriz, who was shot in the stomach but survived, also visited the residence of the secret witness and attempted to contact one of his friends, Bennett said. "He's afraid for his safety," he said. "Some (Vagos) members do know who he is." Steinheimer said she would consider the arguments and rule in the coming days whether the names of the confidential witnesses should be provided to the defense lawyers. Gonzalez, who police said is the president of a Vagos chapter in Nicaragua, appeared in court under heavy security Tuesday along with co-defendants who face the equivalent of murder charges for their role in the brawl that led to the fatal shooting. Gary Rudnick, the vice president of the Vagos Los Angeles chapter, is accused of instigating the fight by provoking Pettigrew. Cesar Villagrana, a Hells Angel member and friend of Pettigrew's, is accused of shooting Rameriz and another Vagos wounded that night. Gonzalez and Rudnick, whose nickname is "Jabbers," both wore bullet proof vests, shackles and handcuffs in court Tuesday. They're being represented by public defenders and are being held in the Washoe County jail awaiting their trial set to begin Oct. 29. Villagrana, who claims he was acting in self-defense and is free on $300,000 bail, is represented by David Chesnoff, a high-profile defense lawyer from Las Vegas. Chesnoff said Villagrana's rights are being violated because he doesn't have a chance to question the witness whose name remains secret and whose testimony was key to the grand jury indictment. He tried to make his point by asking two police officers testifying Tuesday whether they would want their defense lawyer to be able to question all the witnesses if they were accused of a crime they didn't commit. The officers acknowledged they would. "This isn't done in secret," Chesnoff said. "I want equal protection under the law here." The confidential witness told the grand jury he had been a member of the Vagos for 27 years and been part of its "higher echelon" of leadership "before this event." He said "Jabbers" is known for having a "big mouth" and was responsible for provoking a fight with Pettigrew that turned the casino floor into a shooting gallery. Rudnick had refused to back down even after national Vagos officers were summoned and talks with Hells Angels' leaders had calmed the volatile situation shortly after 10 p.m., the grand jury witness said. But about an hour later, Rudnick again was taunting Pettigrew, who the witness said "in the Hells Angels world is one of the most important guys in the United States." Finally, he said Pettigrew had enough and punched Rudnick in the face, touching off a series of fights that led to the gunfire. "All hell broke loose," the witness testified. "Just bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam." Other witnesses who testified before the grand jury on condition of confidentiality included the director of security and the director of surveillance at the Nugget. Gonzalez was arrested in San Francisco on Sept. 30. He told arresting officers that the Hells Angels were after him and asked them to get him out of the area as fast as possible when he was nabbed sitting in a rental car near campus police headquarters at the University of San Francisco, police said.

Five European tourists killed in attack in Ethiopia

 

Gunmen in northern Ethiopia have attacked a group of European tourists, killing five, injuring two and kidnapping four people, according to a government official. Bereket Simon, the Ethiopian communications minister, said the attackers struck before dawn on Tuesday. The dead were two Germans, two Hungarians and an Austrian; two Germans and two Ethiopians were kidnapped, and an Italian and a Hungarian were wounded in the attack. Simon blamed rebels trained and armed by neighbouring Eritrea, which remains a bitter foe. "The attack occurred at 5am on Tuesday, in which Eritrean-trained groups also kidnapped four," Bereket told Reuters. "Two of them are foreigners; one is a driver and the other a policeman." Eritrea dismissed the allegation as an "absolute lie". The tourists were visiting the volcanic Afar region, which is one of the hottest places in the world and a known haunt of rebels and bandits from Eritrea and Ethiopia. Simon said the attack occurred 12 to 15 miles from the Eritrean border. A German media report said the group of tourists had been close to the Erta Ale volcano, one of Ethiopia's most active. The Afar region is a known haunt of bandits from Ethiopia and Eritrea. Photograph: Reuters Ethiopian state television reported that there were eight tourists in the targeted group, but Simon suggested the party was bigger. An Austrian foreign ministry spokesman, Peter Launsky-Tiefenthal, said two groups totalling as many as 22 people may have been attacked, though he said the numbers were unconfirmed. Girma Asmerom, Eritrea's ambassador to the African Union (AU), said Ethiopia's allegations were "fabricated" and the attack was an internal Ethiopian matter. "This is pathetic, an absolute lie," he told Reuters. "Eritrea has nothing to do with any of these movements." Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 but the two countries soon became embroiled in border disputes. The east African countries fought a war from 1998 to 2000, which claimed the lives of about 80,000 people. Tension grew last year when a UN report revealed that Eritrea was behind a plot to attack an AU summit in Ethiopia in January. "It has become a trend for Ethiopia to fabricate sensational news against Eritrea whenever the summit is nearing," Girma said. In 2007, five Europeans and 13 Ethiopians were kidnapped in Afar. Ethiopia accused Eritrea of masterminding that kidnapping but Eritrea blamed an Ethiopian rebel group. All of those hostages were released, though some of the Ethiopians were held for more than a month. In 2008, Ethiopia foiled a kidnapping attempt on a group of 28 French tourists in the area. Foreigners who venture into Afar usually include researchers, aid workers and adventure tourists visiting geographical wonders such as the Danakil depression and ancient salt mines. Launsky-Tiefenthal said an Austrian foreign ministry travel warning had been in effect for the region since 2007 "because of several incidents involving attacks on tourist groups ... in some cases politically motivated, in others criminally motivated". He added: "The problem is, there is no infrastructure in the area. No telephone lines; satellite phones barely work." He likened Afar to "the surface of Mars".

Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Disaster: Captain Says He 'Fell Into Lifeboat' And Could Not Escape

 

The captain of the stricken cruise ship Costa Concordia has told investigators he "fell into a lifeboat" during the evacuation and could not get out again. Francesco Schettino gave the excuse during three hours of questioning with an investigating magistrate before he was released from custody and given house arrest. The skipper, 52, was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of manslaughter and abandoning the cruise liner while passengers were still onboard. The death toll from Friday night's disaster now stands at 11, while 28 others including 24 passengers and four crew are still missing.

Passengers feared death after cabin crew accidentally issued emergency landing message

 

Duncan and Tracey Farquharson were flying to London from Miami when a recorded message came over the public address system announcing that the aircraft was going down. Passengers on board began panicking, believing that they would be killed before a flight attendant apologised, saying the message was a mistake. However, the pair yesterday accused the airline of trivialising passengers’ concerns, claiming that staff issued a “blasé” apology and did not explain the error until hours later when they were coming in to land at Heathrow. Mr Farquharson, 58, an engineer from Twickenham, London, said: “We were about three hours into the flight when an automated message came over the tannoy saying: ‘This is an emergency, we will shortly be making an emergency landing on water’. “We looked at each other and figured we were both about to die. Families with children were distraught and people were in tears. It was very distressing. “About 30 seconds later one of the cabin crew told us to ignore the announcement and accept their apologies but the tone of suggested they had not grasped how seriously we had taken it. “Imagining yourself plunging towards a cold, watery grave in the middle of the Atlantic is a pretty horrific thought but they seemed very blasé about it.” Mrs Farquharson, 51, an administrator, added: “The captain didn’t even say anything about it until when we were coming in to land and even that did not explain what had happened. “It still makes me very emotional thinking about it now – it was very traumatic. We’re going to complain to British Airways about the way we were treated.” A British Airways spokesman said cabin crew apologised for the incident aboard the flight on Friday night and that staff spoke to passengers individually to reassure them. The spokesman said: "A pre-recorded emergency announcement was activated in error on our flight from Miami to Heathrow on Saturday January 14. "The cabin crew cancelled the announcement immediately and sought to reassure customers that the flight was operating normally. "We would like to apologise to passengers on the flight for causing them undue concern. "We take such matters seriously as safety is our paramount concern." Share:     inShare 5 UK News News » How about that? » Murray Wardrop » IN UK NEWS   Bafta 2012 nominees   London Art Fair 2012   Telegraph readers' photos   We Are Not The Dead   Crazy customised coffins

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 to travel together in case of an accident.

William , 29, who was not believed to be accompanied by his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, flew into Seville while Harry, 27, arrived on a private jet at Cuidad Real Central later in the afternoon.

Hunting: The sprawling estate owned by the Duke of Westminster in Cordoba, Spain, where the Princes were on the hunt for wild boar

Traditional: The Princes stayed at the Duke's Spanish property over the weekend

They took up residence in a ten bedroom villa with a group of friends and their Scotland Yard bodyguards, one of three luxurious hunting lodges built at the heart of the estate at a cost of several million pounds by the reclusive Duke.

 

It has marble floors, wooden beams - and its own jacuzzi and sauna.

The estate has just one  – practically impassable – public road, its own petrol station and a fleet of armed security guards driving 4x4s to keep any undesirables at bay.

Sharpshooters: Prince William at the Beaufort Hunt, Tetbury, in Gloucestershire, left, and Prince Harry on a shoot at Sandringham 

In the bag: The princes, who are both crack shots, had their sights on wild boar during the hunting trip

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton did not join Prince William on his trip to Cordoba

More than 15,000 hectares in size with a 40 mile perimeter, the Finca also boasts  a private train station and accommodation for nearly 100 staff.

It is understood that William took his then girlfriend, Kate Middleton, to the estate a couple of years ago when they took part in a wild boar and deer hunt involving hundreds of local beaters

According to one local employee, they killed 'dozens' of animals that day.

'They were mostly very good shots, ' said an estate employee.

Their latest trip was organised  as an early celebration to mark Prince Harry's graduation as a fully operational Apache attack helicopter pilot.

He is due to be assigned to one of the Army Air Corps Apache squadrons at RAF Wattisham in Suffolk and could be posted back to the frontline in Afghanistan by the end of the year.

The holiday is also something of a farewell for William who is due to be stationed in the Falkland Islands with his RAF Search and Rescue crew for six weeks from next month.

Locals said the princes remained on the estate all weekend and were due to fly back yesterday.

A Clarence House spokesman said : 'We cannot discuss the movement of the princes as they are on a private weekend.'

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 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 to travel together in case of an accident. William , 29, who was not believed to be accompanied by his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, flew into Seville while Harry, 27, arrived on a private jet at Cuidad Real Central later in the afternoon.

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 Timmer, director of development prospects at the bank.

Birmingham murders: Second man arrested

 

A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of a couple in Birmingham. The 41-year old is being questioned over the murder of Carole, 58, and Avtar Singh-Kolar, 62, who were found dead at their home in Handsworth Wood. Post-mortem tests confirmed the couple died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and that both had been struck a number of times. A 24-year-old man arrested on Friday in Birmingham remains in custody. The couple's bodies were discovered on Wednesday by their son, Jason, a serving police officer.

M&S workers pose nude for charity calendar sold under the counter

A calendar with pictures of scantily clad Marks & Spencer staff has raised £2,500 for charity despite having to be sold under the counter.

The M&S workers were asked to keep the calendar under the counter (Picture: SWNS)

The publication features naked and topless workers in Calendar Girls-type poses involving items for sale such as cakes, newspapers, underwear and marshmallows. 

It was not intended for sale to the public but word got around and copies were bought discreetly.

‘We weren’t really allowed to put it on display in the shop,’ said one member of staff at the store in Barnstaple, Devon.

‘It was a bit of a brown paper bag job, to be honest.’

The saucy calendar is raising money for North Devon District Hospital's Chemotherapy appeal. (Picture: SWNS)

Marks insists only a limited number of calendars were produced, all of which have now been sold.  

A M&S spokesman said: 'M&S supports the Barnstaple store's efforts to raise funds for the North Devon Health Care Chemotherapy Unit. 

'A limited number of calendars were produced by members of staff for sale to friends and family, and were never intended for commercial sale in-store

Three people were found alive on Sunday as rescuer workers continued to search a partly submerged Italian cruise ship

 

Three people were found alive on Sunday as rescuer workers continued to search a partly submerged Italian cruise ship resting just off this small island near the Tuscan coast. Multimedia Map Map of the Area Where the Italian Cruise Ran Aground Photographs Cruise Ship Runs Aground in Italy Cruise Ship Runs Aground Connect With Us on Twitter Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Enlarge This Image Enzo Russo/European Pressphoto Agency The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, was arrested on Saturday. More Photos » Early Sunday, an Italian fire brigade found a honeymooning couple from Korea alive inside a cabin of the Costa Concordia, which was resting on its side with a gash just below the waterline and a rock stuck in the hull. A brigade spokesman, Luca Cari, said the couple had been taken to a local hospital. Later, an Italian man, who was identified in media reports as a crew member, was taken from the ship by helicopter. The man was thought to have a broken leg. At least three people were killed when the Costa Concordia, carrying 4,200 passengers and crew on a weeklong Mediterranean cruise, slammed into an undetermined object near the island Friday night as passengers for the late seating had just started dinner, tucking into appetizers of grilled mushrooms and scallops. On Sunday, media reports described rescue workers in boats circling the big ship, tapping on the hull, and listening for a response. Divers also combed the ship’s underwater cabins for those still missing, up to 41 people. Shaken survivors spoke of a mad crush to flee a sinking cruise ship off the Tuscan coast, raising questions about the crew’s preparedness, Italian authorities arrested the ship’s captain amid concerns that the megaship had steered dangerously off course. Anxious survivors, many comparing the experience to the movie “Titanic,” recounted a chaotic and terrifying scene in which some crawled through hallways to escape down perilous ladders to lifeboats, while others leapt overboard into the wintry Tyrrhenian Sea. “In a moment, everything was up in the air,” said Alessandra Grasso, 24, a passenger from Sicily. “People, chairs, glasses, food.” Ulrike Schweda, 63, from Germany, was caught in a crowd of people pushing toward a lifeboat, and slipped on the deck. “The most terrible thing was seeing children trying to get down this ladder they had put on the side of the boat,” she said. Two French citizens and a Peruvian crew member were reported dead, according to a hospital official in Grosseto, Tuscany. Divers searched until nightfall Saturday for the missing, perilously probing the 2,000 cabins for survivors while the Leviathan ship lay on its side in the water, a boulder poking through a 160-foot gash in its hull. The Italian Coast Guard said 41 people were still unaccounted for. The coast guard is also monitoring the environmental impact of the accident, but as of Sunday morning, no oil had seeped into the ocean from the ship. “We are optimistic and hope that the ship is not going to slide further down,” Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro, a spokesman for the coast guard, told reporters. “But the weather conditions are slowly worsening, and that is a cause of concern.” There were conflicting reports about whether the ship was off course in reef-filled waters just miles from the shore or whether an electrical failure had caused the crew to lose control. Passengers spoke of faulty evacuation procedures and unprepared staff who told them nothing was wrong — until the ship began tipping over. After questioning him for several hours, the Italian police detained the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, and the first officer, for questioning on charges of manslaughter, failure to offer assistance and abandonment of ship, the police said. Before his detention, Captain Schettino told Italian television that the ship had hit a reef that was not on its navigation charts. Gianni Onorato, the president of the Costa cruise company, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise lines, said the ship had been sailing its “regularly scheduled itinerary” from Civitavecchia to Savona, Italy, when it struck “a submerged rock.” He said Captain Schettino “immediately understood the severity of the situation” and “performed a maneuver intended to protect both guests and crew.” The Italian coast guard said the captain had tried to turn the ship toward port in Giglio to make an evacuation easier, but it began to tip over as it reached the port.

Man arrested on suspicion of murder

 

24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the death of a couple in Birmingham. Carole, 58, and Avtar Singh-Kolar, 62, were found dead at their home in Handsworth Wood on Wednesday. Post-mortem tests confirmed the couple died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and that both had been struck a number of times. Their bodies were discovered by their son, Jason, who is an officer with West Midlands Police. Officers arrested the man at a house in the city on Friday night. He has been taken to a police station in the West Midlands where he is being questioned on suspicion of murder. Det Supt Richard Baker, who is leading a team of more than 60 officers assigned to the case, said: "This was a horrendous attack. "We continue to follow a number of lines of enquiry and we thank those who have called us so far. We encourage anyone with information to speak to us no matter how insignificant they feel the detail is." Crimestoppers said the double murder was a "vile crime" and has put up a £10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. 'Special people' The couple had four children and eight grandchildren. At an emotional press conference on Thursday, two of the children made a desperate plea for help to catch their killers. Daughter Michelle Kirwan, 39, described them as "the sweetest, kindest people that I have ever met". She said: "Our hearts are broken forever and our lives will never be the same." Detectives have said they are looking into a number of lines of inquiry, including a rise in burglaries and gold thefts in the area. Speaking earlier this week, Mr Baker said a possible link between Jason Kolar's position with the force and his parents' death was "not a significant line of inquiry".

Royal Navy captures 13 Somali pirates

 

The Royal Navy has captured 13 Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, the Ministry of Defence says. RFA Fort Victoria and a US Navy vessel intercepted the pirates' boat, which had refused to stop despite warning shots from a Royal Navy helicopter. Royal Marines in speedboats approached the vessel and boarded it, capturing 13 pirates and seizing weapons. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the UK troops, part of a Nato-led force, could be "proud" of the success. "The Royal Navy and Royal Marines are playing a crucial role in securing and protecting international sea lanes that are vital to global trade," the minister said. The dhow was identified as a known pirated vessel operating in Indian Ocean shipping lanes Capt Gerry Northwood, who leads the counter-piracy operation on RFA Fort Victoria, said: "This firm and positive action will also send a clear message to other Somali pirates that we will not tolerate their attacks on international shipping." The operation was carried out around dawn on Friday. Capt Shaun Jones RFA, commanding officer on RFA Fort Victoria, said: "To manoeuvre such a large ship at speed in close vicinity of a nimble dhow takes extreme concentration and skill; my team were never found wanting. "The 13 Somalis certainly found Friday 13th unlucky for them.

Child benefit cut will go ahead, says Osborne

 

Chancellor George Osborne has said child benefit for higher rate taxpayers will be removed, after ministers' hints the policy could be made "fairer". But he said he would set out in the next months how the policy would be implemented. David Cameron acknowledged there was an issue with the £42,475-a-year threshold - amid criticism the changes unfairly hit single earner families. Labour said the policy was "unravelling already" and was an "utter shambles".