Pantoja faces three and a half years imprisonment

MALAGA The owner of the Court of Instruction No. 5 in Marbella, Sergio Ruiz, has said today the former councilman Julián Muñoz and his ex-wife, Mayte Zaldívar, to notify in person the order for trial by a separate piece of 'Malaya case 'which is investigating alleged money laundering offense.
Both Zaldívar and Muñoz will appear, along with three other defendants, judicial headquarters at 10.00 am. Also goes old brother of former ruler, Jesus Zaldivar. And tomorrow, October 14, it will be the turn of the singer Isabel Pantoja, who is also accused of money laundering. Four other defendants accompany the popular singer from 10.00.
The judge has imposed on the defendants a bond identical to the penalty requested by the prosecutor in his indictment, in order to ensure payment of the financial responsibility if they are eventually convicted of the Provincial Court, as already anticipated the exclusive La Opinión Malaga on 1 October. Only have one day after the notification to submit the money.
Thus, the popular singer will have to deposit 3.68 million euros under threat of arrest, former alderman will have to contribute 7.46 million, while his ex-wife paid 2.6. For the other defendants also have set very high amounts, the minimum is 266,000 euros.
This is a separate piece of 'Malaya case "for which Pantoja faces three and a half years imprisonment for" wash "supposedly 1.84 million euros from alleged criminal activities of former mayor.
According to the prosecution, "during the time he was connected to the city of Marbella, Julián Muñoz was able to make a profit by becoming an important heritage. The exact total amount of money so obtained is unknown, but in any case for the purposes of this case is estimated at an amount in excess of 3.5 million euros. "
Until 2003, the former mayor "wash" the money as long as Corruption through Zaldívar, while after will do the same with the popular singer from Seville. The alleged money is made through the home buying or investing in luxury goods and financial assets.
The prosecutor states: "Both Pantoja and Zaldivar were perfectly familiar with the illicit origin of funds and goods they receive from Muñoz, since they knew what were the sources of legal income and its amount."

Julián Muñoz mayor of Marbella,NO MONEY

former mayor of Marbella Julián Muñoz not submit the bond of 7.46 million euros imposed by the owner of the Court of Instruction No. 1 of Marbella (Málaga), because "no money", according to sources familiar with their environment . This morning the former ruler has been submitted to the instructor to notify the opening of his trial on a separate piece of Malaya casewhere is accused of money laundering and bribery.


In addition the instructor has required the deposit referred to "ensure financial responsibilities" with the warning that not lend "them to seize assets in an amount sufficient to secure the sum mentioned." In this regard, the sources explained that Julián Muñoz can not cope with the money he has requested the judge for what will likely be an asset investigation to determine whether the former mayor can seize any property or money.

As indicated, Julián Muñoz is focused on his defense and try to dismantle the prosecution's case that it considers anti-corruption while he was mayor of Marbella, enriched and allegedly used his ex-wife and Pantoja to launder money. In this case, Julián Muñoz faces a prosecution request for seven and half years in prison and a fine of almost 7.5 million crimes of money laundering and bribery.

Tomorrow is expected to go to the courts of Marbella's popular singer Isabel Pantoja, also charged with money laundering, and sources of release of the singer have confirmed to EFE that appear at ten hours for the instructor to notify the self-opening trial. The case against Julián Muñoz is a separate piece of Malaya case against the largest corruption scheme known in Spain, and are involved as well as former mayor, his ex-wife, Maite Zaldívar, the popular singer Isabel Pantoja, and seven other people.

Isabel Pantoja on 'Operation Malaya': "My name is a smokescreen to cover up many things"

Isabel Pantoja on 'Operation Malaya': "My name is a smokescreen to cover up many things"
The popular singer Isabel Pantoja has maintained his innocence in the so-called Malaya case of planning corruption in Marbella, Malaga, under which the prosecution requested three years in prison and a fine of 3.6 million euros for her by a possible crime of money laundering, and says that his name has been used as a "smokescreen" as happened at the time to Lola Flores.

Sean Connery, the first and legendary James Bond, is accused

Marbella courts will host this week a whole parade of celebrities. At hearings of the former mayor of Marbella Julián Muñoz, his ex-wife, Mayte Zaldívar, and the popular singer Isabel Pantoja scheduled for 13 and October 14 joins the Scottish actor Sean Connery, who has been quoted on Friday, 15th , with his wife Micheline to declare in the framework of Operation Goldfinger.

The little walk will start this Wednesday, in which Mayte Zaldívar and Julián Muñoz have a subpoena in the Court of Instruction No. 5 in Marbella, where they will transfer to the opening of the trial against them for alleged money laundering and bribery case that had come away from macrosumario Malaya. During this event will be required to provide security to "secure the financial responsibilities" with the warning that not lend "them to seize assets in an amount sufficient to secure the sum mentioned" to each of the defendants.

A day later appear Isabel Pantoja for the instructor to notify the said ruling. The judge has required a deposit of 3.68 million euros for a continuing offense of money laundering and will face trial in a prosecution request for three and half years in prison and a fine of 3.7 million euros. Julián Muñoz, the judge requires a deposit of 7.46 million and his ex-wife for 2.6 million euros. Thus, the anti-corruption prosecutor, in its indictment, the former mayor sought for seven and a half in prison and a fine of almost 7.5 million to his ex-wife, three and half years in prison. Besides Pantoja, Mayte Zaldívar Julián Muñoz and there are seven people indicted in this procedure which is a separate part of the Malaya case.

In this separate piece investigates whether Julián Muñoz, while he was mayor of Marbella, enriched and if used his ex-wife and Isabel Pantoja to launder money. Anti-corruption prosecutor maintains in his letter that both Pantoja and Zaldivar were perfectly familiar with the illicit origin of funds and goods received from Julián Muñoz. The public prosecution also argues that Muñoz knew involvement "in numerous criminal proceedings, followed by administrative corruption crimes of economic content."

Regarding Pantoja, who was arrested in May 2007 at his home and paid a deposit of 90,000 euros to avoid prison, the prosecutor referred to the transfer of funds relates to the purchase of two buildings, an apartment in the Hotel Guadalpin and the chalet My Gitana. Marbella also has a hole for Hollywood stars. In the case with respect to Sean Connery, who is in the hands of the court number 1 in Marbella, there are a dozen suspects and are investigating whether the sale of the estate Malibu, which was owned by Scottish actor, the upgrading and construction of a luxury apartment building.

Sir Sean Connery, the first and legendary James Bond, is accused, along with his wife, the procedure instructs Judge Ricardo Puyol for alleged irregularities in the operation planning to build 72 apartments allowed on the floor of the villa of the actor. This is one of the cases filed after the complaint filed by the Anticorruption Office in 2006, which were then separated in a score of proceedings for an offense against the planning and money laundering, among other crimes.

Connery's wife, Micheline Roquebrune, is also charged in the case, along with 25 others which include Julián Muñoz, a former mayor of the town, and Juan Antonio Roca, a former adviser to the Consistory urban and alleged mastermind of the Operation Malaya. The investigations, which led to registration of the two offices of the firm Díaz-Bastien & Truan Abogados (located in Marbella and Madrid) studying the possible prejudice to the municipality at 2.7 million euros for the sale and subsequent redevelopment of the estate Malibu , where the Scottish actor has his home, and sold in 1998 for $ 9 million.

You do not put more hands in the pockets of citizens in difficult times like these

The mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, threatened today to the Andalusian refrained from adopting the proposed development that follows the expansion of the Costa del Sol hospital if the approximately 300 surface parking spaces on the premises cease to be public. "You do not put more hands in the pockets of citizens in difficult times like these," criticized the lord, who announced that the City Council even considering legal action against the Andalusian government to reconsider its position if not charge for parking outside of underground parking.
Last Friday began operating the hospital's underground parking, which generated a huge outcry among center users, who were forced to pay to leave your vehicle parked. These patients and relatives claimed not to understand how the Board imposes the levy amounted to 2.06 euros an hour when preparing to receive a free service such as health.

vintage store in Marbella

vintage store in Marbella


I recently had the pleasure of making me a getaway to Marbella. Direct flight from Bilbao to avoid wasting time, and time more or less assured to enjoy the late summer. We only had four days, so we had to make the most. For years he was not going to Marbella and loved again. You said it will not be long until the next time. Also, a friend gave me a few interesting directions and the result was impressive: sun, good shopping and luxury dining.
Walking through the old town of Marbella discovered this wonderful store vintage. If you go to Marbella is not to be missed: you will find real gems. While there a lady came to leave a Dolce & Gabbana last year ... and I almost shot to the neck. Anyway, stop by their website to see what you think.
General photos of the store.
This brown jacket with glitter Chanel seemed amazing, not to mention that super Chanel bag.A wonderful Chanel jacket, with a very classic cut, which is now in my possession, haha ... I'll show better.
I could not resist and I had to wear a pair of Hermes scarves. Could not leave the store, wearing my name. And does that Chanel pendant or silk dress?I also picked up a bag at the Ralph Lauren impressive. Little by little I'll show you everything.
Join the shop name to fire the head. These are the kinds of shops there is always interesting to visit.
Do you like shopping vintage? would be required to have one, at least, in every city.

Drugs.ie - Head-shop baron shuts outlet on Costa del Sol

Drugs.ie - Head-shop baron shuts outlet on Costa del Sol: "Head-shop baron shuts outlet on Costa del Sol
Millionaire head-shop baron James Bellamy has suffered a setback in his hopes of opening a chain of the controversial stores in Spain.
The businessman has closed down his first Nirvana head shop in the Costa del Sol resort of Benalmadena less than three months after opening.
Mr Bellamy vacated the premises near a notorious clubber's paradise after pressure from local authorities.
Town hall inspectors and local police are thought to have swooped on the shop and taken away dozens of products for analysis a few weeks after its opening at the end of June.
The closure has left Mr Bellamy's dreams of expanding his multinational empire after a clampdown from the Government here in disarray.
He is now thought to have postponed plans for a string of new shops in neighbouring Fuengirola and the Costa Blanca resorts of Alicante and Benidorm.
Read more ..."

Costa del Maurice

Costa del Maurice: "“Bless him,” says the publicist Max Clifford. “I’ve known Maurice for many years. He has never ceased to tell me how successful and famous he is. And according to the people who work for him at the station, it’s true. I’m sure he’ll eventually turn into the superstar he thinks he is.”"she had become infatuated with him and he was increasingly becoming fixated with the pretty blond teenager.

On her MySpace page, there are still numerous pictures of her with her svengali, as well as others of ‘the innocent teenager’ blowing bubbles.

At a recent dinner at a well-known restaurant in Marbella they sat in the corner with each other, quietly ‘cooing’.

“He even had the audacity to come over and tell me he had fallen in love,” said one fellow diner. “He said he had become the new playboy on the coast and was very happy.

“It was pretty sick-making.”

The relationship with the girl – whose family are said to be multi-millionaires living in the exclusive enclave of Sotogrande – rapidly developed and they began spending increasingly large amounts of time together.

Boland admitted to an Irish Sunday paper: “It was a very short involvement and it was never planned. Some of these things just happen.”

The parents however, did not see it that way.

Enfuriated when they saw a photo of the pair looking “unnaturally close” in society magazine Essentials, they decided to confront their daughter, who attends the nearly 20,000 euros-a-year Sotogrande International School.

First snow of the winter falls in the Sierra Nevada

First snow of the winter falls in the Sierra Nevada: "light snowfall has arrived later than in other years

The first snow of the winter has fallen in the Sierra Nevada in Granada, coinciding with the bank holiday El Pilar Puente weekend.

The snow’s arrival is later than that seen in other years; the first flakes fell there last year on September 13.

The fresh snow is a thin layer above 2,700m, but enough to excite skiing fans."

There are not enough pigs in Andalucía for all the legs of ham

There are not enough pigs in Andalucía for all the legs of ham: "Junta de Andalucía has said that large scale fraud has been taking place because twice as much ‘Jamón Ibérico’ is being sold as exists. Products equivalent to a million animals have been sold, when there are only 500,000 pigs in the region.

The fraud came to light when 17,000 kilos of ‘false Ibérico’ was found in a Sevilla company a few days ago labelled as coming from the Cerdo Ibérico in Andalucía.

The regional councillor for Agriculture and Fisheries, Clara Aguilera, said ‘this means that there could have been some fraud’, and she said her department would be very demanding in an investigation, declaring that we have to prove that these products ‘really come from the pastures of Andalucía’. She said that consumers needed protection, as do the farmers who are correctly meeting the requirements"

Valencia regional television accused of implication with the Gürtel companies

Valencia regional television accused of implication with the Gürtel companies: "New revelations in the Gürtel corruption case, with a new judicial report saying that the regional television channel, RTVV, in Valencia awarded contracts for the coverage of the Pope’s visit to the city in an irregular way to the companies linked to Gürtel.

Teconsa obtained the largest contract of just under 7.5 million €, and the Orange Market company appears in the accounts as both a provider of services and a client.

El Mundo reports that the total value of the contracts awarded was 14,713,924 € and 75 cents, and the report says that there was ‘a general failing to meet the principles of advertising and concurrence’.

The report had been requested by the instruction judge in the case in the Madrid High Court, Antonio Pedrira."

Businessman admits Gürtel PP corruption and repays 20 million to state

Businessman admits Gürtel PP corruption and repays 20 million to state: "Surprising new developments in the Gürtel case. One of the businessmen charged with tax fraud and paying kickbacks to the corrupt network that was alledgedly run by Francisco Correa has taken a step forward and paid state coffers nearly 20 million euros in fines for tax offenses arising from the case."

Sources: Senior al Qaeda leader directed Europe plot - CNN.com

Sources: Senior al Qaeda leader directed Europe plot - CNN.com: "The man at the center of an alleged al Qaeda plot to bomb cities in Europe has told investigators the conspiracy was directed by one of the organization's most senior figures, according to European intelligence officials.
Ahmed Sidiqi, an Afghan German, was detained in Kabul in July and has since been questioned at the United States' Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, the officials say. They say he has told interrogators that while in the tribal areas of Pakistan he met with a senior Al Qaeda leader, Younis al Mauretani, who was planning multiple attacks on European countries that would be similar to the attack on Mumbai, India, in 2008."

KU Office of Study Abroad issues alert on travel concerns / LJWorld.com

KU Office of Study Abroad issues alert on travel concerns / LJWorld.com: "The study abroad office notes that it doesn’t plan to cancel any of its programs in Europe. The staff, however, does ask students to follow several safety precautions:
• Be informed of local conditions.
• Maintain a low profile.
• Avoid tourist areas or being with large groups of Americans.
• Be aware of surroundings.
• Keep in contact with family, friends back home and the study abroad office."

Todos a la carga contra el noble juez Torres · ELPAÍS.com

Todos a la carga contra el noble juez Torres · ELPAÍS.com: "Las primeras jornadas del juicio del caso Malaya se han convertido en una especie de partida de caza mayor jurídica, en el que todos los abogados cooperan para cobrarse el mismo trofeo: la nulidad radical de la causa contra la corrupción en Marbella. Para lograr la pieza soñada, los abogados que han intervenido hasta ahora se han lanzado a un ataque -alguno con munición dialéctica de muy grueso calibre- contra el primer juez instructor de las actuaciones, Miguel Ángel Torres. Las arremetidas de los defensores han sido tan insistentes que en no pocos momentos daba la impresión de que el acusado era el magistrado granadino, y no los 95 procesados que, encabezados por Juan Antonio Roca, comparten el banquillo más poblado de la historia judicial española."

youth in Elche has been arrested for conning internet users out of €8,000 by using a “phishing” system.|Crime Scene Spain

Romanian arrested for internet crime |Crime Scene Spain: "youth in Elche has been arrested for conning internet users out of €8,000 by using a “phishing” system. National Police detained the 21-year old Romanian in connection with an internet crime investigation.
The investigation was launched following reports from a woman in Elche that she had heard from her bank via telephone that several transactions had gone through her bank account without her knowledge.
The transactions had taken place via the internet, including a deposit of €8,000 by way of down payment on a loan, as well as various withdrawals and transfers thereafter summing €8,237.
The investigation found that the conman had captured the users name and bank details by using internet phishing and sending lucrative job offers, supposedly from big international companies, to her email address."

Two Guardia Civil arrested for accepting prawns

Two Guardia Civil arrested for accepting prawns: "A popular jury in court in the Almería Provincial Court found two members of the Guardia Civil from Carboneras guilty of bribery, considering it proven that they accepted two boxes of prawns, valued at 300 €, in exchange for not informing customs about the arrival of a fishing boat carrying a cargo of shellfish and flying the Algerian flag at Carboneras port.

After the verdict was released the prosecutor reduced his sentence request by a year, considering the two men should now be banned from working as civil guards for two years. Each one is also facing a 500 € fine."

Complaining Ryanair passegers removed from flight after four hours on delayed plane

Complaining Ryanair passegers removed from flight after four hours on delayed plane: "Passengers on the flight from Palma de Mallorca to Madrid got angry at the lack of information from the cabin crew

Some Spanish passengers were removed from a Ryanair flight in Palma de Mallorca after being deemed troublemakers after they started to complain after four hours on the ground in a plane with no air conditioning.

The sweaty passengers claimed that they were not told when the plane would finally take off, or given any information apart from the fact that there was a technical problem. As temperatures and tempers rose they were not even offered a glass of water. They say the worst thing was not the breakdown in the plane, but the way they were treated.

Some of them on the flight to Madrid on Friday were already suffering a two delay as the result of flights cancelled as a result of Spain’s General Strike on Wednesday.

At the lack of information a group of the passengers demanded to be let off, something which the cabin crew refused.

Finally the Guardia Civil were called to restore order on board the aircraft and the passengers deemed as troublemakers were removed."

Isabel Pantoja to face charges of money laundering in court

Isabel Pantoja to face charges of money laundering in court: "Spanish flamenco diva was going out with the ex Mayor of Marbella, Julián Muñoz, who also faces new charges in the case which is an offshoot of Malaya

The decision to proceed with the oral hearing against the singer, who is the ex girlfriend of the ex Marbella Mayor, Julián Muñoz, will also see him facing new charges in court, along with his ex wife, Mayte Zaldívar, and her brother, Jesús Zaldívar. There are six others mentioned as charged in the case.

Isabel Pantoja will face charges of continued money laundering in the case which is a direct offshoot of the Malaya corruption based in Marbella Town Hall.

Proceedings have been ordered by the new Instruction Judge in Court Five in Marbella, Sergio Ruiz Martín. He has set bail at 7.466 million € for Muñoz and at 3.68 million for Pantoja and those concerned are set to be officially notified in person on October 13 and 14.

The prosecutor has called for a three and a half year prison sentence for Isabel Pantoja, and seven and a half years for Julián Muñoz who is accused of money laundering and passive bribery.

The prosecution contends that while Muñoz was linked to Marbella Town Hall, between 1991 and 2003, he amassed a large patrimonial of more than 3.5 million €, much of which is hidden abroad"

Bar and restaurant owners arrested in Barbate for money laundering

Bar and restaurant owners arrested in Barbate for money laundering: "Five owners of bars and restaurants in Caños de Meca, and a builder from San Fernando, have been arrested in connection with drug trafficking from Latin America.

A total of seven people have been arrested in the operation, which the Guardia Civil says remains open, accused of money laundering the proceeds from the sale of 300 kilos of cocaine from Ecuador, which is thought to have arrived in Spain via the port at Algeciras.

Several properties, including bars in Caños de Meca, have been searched in the operation. Those arrested are being questioned by the judge in Court 2 in Barbate."

95 people accused in the case that centers on planning corruption in Marbella Town Hall

Euro Weekly News | Marbella’s Malaya corruption €810m super-trial underway | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain: "IN the first day of Spain’s biggest ever corruption trial being held in Malaga, lawyers asked for phone tapping evidence to be scrapped for infringing their clients’ rights in a bid to have the whole case cancelled. The list of 95 people accused in the case that centers on planning corruption in Marbella Town Hall, features many high profile people including two former mayors and 15 councillors.
Àt the heart of the case are numerous building licenses handed out illegally by the town hall, on rural land, in exchange for money.
Charges range from money laundering to influence peddling.
In the case of Juan Antonio Roca, the alleged mastermind of the whole operation, his lawyer asked that the trial be completely annulled.
Roca is charged with a string of planning offences, influence peddling, embezzlement, coercion, fraud and money laundering for which the prosecution is seeking 30 years in prison and fines of €810m.
One lawyer, representing the Sanchez Zubizarreta-Soriano Pastor law firm, claims that 5,000 pages of the summary are missing and that this meant that the legal rights of the accused were not guaranteed."

Euro Weekly News | Rolex gang detained in Torremolinos | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain

Euro Weekly News | Rolex gang detained in Torremolinos | Costa del Sol | News | The Largest English Language Newspapers in Spain: "GANG of suspected thieves that targeted more than 40 elderly tourists in the Costa del Sol for their Rolex watches has been taken into custody. Torremolinos police arrested four people, most of them Italian, in an operation codenamed Herculano, which began in May in Torremolinos, when a man reported his watch had been stolen, just one of at least 40 similar cases.
One of the detainees was arrested at Malaga Airport when she intended to flee the country, and five gold watches were found on her person. Other watches, mostly Rolex, were found during a search, as well as large amounts of cash. All of the watches had had the straps broken thought to have occurred when they were stolen.
The attacks were carefully planned and carried out mainly in Estepona, Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola, targeting elderly tourists. Some of the victims were injured in the violent attacks.
The thieves could also distinguish whether the Rolex were fakes, and after the robberies, they would head to Naples to sell them."

Cyber Crime on the Rise in Spain - The New New Internet

Cyber Crime on the Rise in Spain - The New New Internet: "Authorities in Malaga, Spain, have reported that child pornography and fraud account for more than half of cyber crime, Euro Weekly reports.
Since its creation more than 18 months ago, the Computer Crime Service of Malaga Public Prosecutor’s Office has investigated almost 500 crimes. More than half of cases were related to fraud and the possession or distribution of child pornography. The remaining cases involved mainly slander, coercion and threats.
Despite frequent warnings, many people are tricked by phishing scams to steal bank passwords and false job offers. The victim is asked to give an account number, which is then used for money-laundering purposes.
As many of these scams are based in foreign nations, they are extremely difficult to investigate and catching the perpetrators is a challenge. In the case of child porn, the consumers and distributors are often caught, but the criminals who abuse children remain anonymous."

Spain Property Scandal Finally Gets Day in Court

Spain Property Scandal Finally Gets Day in Court: "One of the largest corruption trials in Spanish history opened this week, focusing on charges that public officials were paid hundreds of millions of euro to approve developments along the Costa del Sol.

Ninety-five defendants are on trial, including two former mayors and Juan Antonio Roca, the former city planner for the ritzy city of Marbella, who allegedly collected more than 33 million euro in bribes from developers. Roca reportedly lived like a king, with vast estates, aircraft and rooms filled with collectible art.

The Marbella town council was dissolved in 2006 after the accusations surfaced. In the wake of the scandal, dozens of developments were declared illegal, creating a mess that still affects thousands of homeowners, many of them expatriates who bought vacation homes.

A wide array of public officials and business leaders were caught up in the scandal. Investigators allegedly found $400,000 in cash in the home safe of Marbella’s deputy mayor. By one estimate, more than 2.4 billion euro was looted from the city’s coffers.

With so many so many defendants, the trial is expected to last several months."

Opposition leader not linked to Spain money laundering case, Diario Libre reports - DominicanToday.com

Opposition leader not linked to Spain money laundering case, Diario Libre reports - DominicanToday.com: "The start of the trial in what’s been called Spain’s biggest government corruption and money laundering case, speculations on the possible 'Dominican connection' in the infamous 'Malaya' scandal in the city Marbella, news source diariolibre.com.do reports that such link doesn’t exist.
It said regarding former opposition PRD party candidate to the Presidency in 2008, Miguel Vargas Maldonado, “he neither is, nor has been, nor is expected to be in the 'Malaya' case.”
“At least, if we entrust ourselves to the indictments filed by the Office of the Prosecutor, the instruction judge and the different particular accusations on both parts in the proceedings,” the report notes, adding: “Today we can conclude that main chapter of the ceremony of the confusion that has involved that investigation was a complete hoax or deceit.”
But for Vargas, questions still linger on his purchase of the Hispaniola Hotel and Casino, while Minister of Public Works during the Presidency of Hipolito Mejia (2000-2004)."

Europe Hit by Wave of Anti-Austerity Protests -- Signs of the Times News

Europe Hit by Wave of Anti-Austerity Protests -- Signs of the Times News: "Marches paralyse centre of Brussels while Spain sees first general strike in eight years

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Europe today as strikes against austerity measures that have hit public spending and services on the continent caused widespread disruption.

The main demonstrations were in Spain, Belgium and Greece, although there was co-ordinated action in more than a dozen countries including Portugal, Ireland, Slovenia and Lithuania.

One of the largest protests converged on a park in Brussels. The demonstrations in the European capital were reinforced by Spain's first general strike in eight years, which was called to oppose the Spanish government's spending cuts and reforms of the labour market and pensions. In Portugal, unions said 50,000 protesters joined a march in Lisbon and 20,000 in Porto."

Spain arrests 'Farc suspects' - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Spain arrests 'Farc suspects' - Europe - Al Jazeera English: "Spanish police have arrested 41 people suspected of financing the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) rebel group with laundered money allegedly from drug trafficking operations.

More than 250 officers took part in the operation on Friday, in which police searched 27 homes and money transfer offices in 13 cities and towns across the country, including Madrid, Barcelona and Alicante, a police statement said.

Spanish police opened their investigation in August 2008 after noticing a 'very significant rise' in the amount of money being transferred from Spain to Colombia and Ecuador.

'During the investigation it transpired that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or some of its members may have been the recipients of part of the funds,' the police statement said.

They estimate that since they opened their investigation the group under investigation sent more than $270m raised from the sale of narcotics across Europe to Colombia and Ecuador."