Spain is demanding new reassurances from Brussels over the status of its Brexit ‘veto’ over Gibraltar, raising fresh fears that the issue could derail the Brexit negotiations at the eleventh hour, the Telegraph can reveal. Three European diplomatic sources confirmed that Spain’s new socialist government is demanding that this week’s European Council conclusions explicitly reference the need for a solution for Gibraltar before any deal applies to the Rock. The Spanish intervention comes as talks over Gibraltar and Brexit remain deadlocked after breaking down six weeks ago in a row over Spanish demand for joint policing of its airport. At the time sources in Gibraltar said Spain had crossed the... To continue reading this article Start your free trial of Premium Access all Premium articles Subscriber-only events Cancel any time Free for 30 days then only £2 per week Try Premium Access one Premium article per week … [Read more...] about Spain demands fresh assurances over Gibraltar Brexit ‘veto’, raising fears of stand-off over the Rock
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5-year-old Irish boy in intensive care after being hit by drink driver in Spain
AN Irish 5-year-old boy is in intensive care after being hit by a drink driver at a pedestrian crossing in Catalunya. The child is believed to be stable at Hospital Joan XXIII in Tarragona, after being injured in a hit-and-run in the resort of Salou on Monday night. The vehicle which hit the boy was an official Mediterranean Games Tarragona 2018 car, however a spokesperson for the competition said the driver was working for an external company and was not working during the time of the incident. Reportedly the driver had failed a breath test and later turned himself in to officials just before midnight. A spokesperson expressed their ‘deep regret’ over the incident. The Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport competition which takes place every four years, involving 26 nations. Irish embassy officials in Spain are currently offering assistance to his family. … [Read more...] about 5-year-old Irish boy in intensive care after being hit by drink driver in Spain
St George or Tintin? The best memes of Spain’s latest botched restoration
The restoration of a 16th century wooden statue of St George in a church in Estella, Navarra, made headlines in Spain and provoked widespread mirth. Twitter users came up with a thousand jokes to poke fun at the lick of paint which left the legendary dragon-slayer with a gormless stare on a cartoon face. READ MORE: New botched restoration gives 500-year-old St George statue a cartoon face Some compared the new look to Tintin, others to a Playmobile character. Here is a selection of some of the best jokes: One joker remarked on the resemblance to Hergé famous sleuth, Tintin. Others saw Stingy from Lazy Town Was the new look modeled on Marty Feldman, the British comedian famed for his bulging misaligned eyes? A playmobil character? Or another famous horseman. This time Woody, the cowboy from Plixar's Toy Story. Not the usual before and after photos: While someone else suggested it perfectly symbolized 1. How we really look and 2. How we … [Read more...] about St George or Tintin? The best memes of Spain’s latest botched restoration
Another church in Spain falls victim to a well-intentioned restorer
arts Published 26th June 2018 Credit: 'Navarre's Ecce Homo': Another church in Spain falls victim to a well-intentioned restorer Written by Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Spanish churches have a heritage of centuries-old art and history. But when restoration of that heritage becomes inevitable, troubles may begin. The changes made to a 16th-century polychrome statue of San Jorge (St George) in the Church of St. Michael in Estella, a town in the Navarre region, provoked anger among art experts and inevitable comparisons to another botched restoration -- the infamous Ecce Homo fresco of Jesus. The statue in Estella, portraying St. George charging the dragon, had turned a dark brown with age. After the restoration, photos of a pink-faced St. George wearing a flashy red and gray armor suit made the rounds on social media. The mayor was livid. "Today Estella doesn't make news for its spectacular historical, artistic, architectural or cultural heritage, but because of … [Read more...] about Another church in Spain falls victim to a well-intentioned restorer
Spain’s ‘stolen babies’ trial adjourned with accused in hospital
Spain's first trial over thousands of suspected cases of babies stolen from their mothers during the Franco era was adjourned Wednesday after the accused, an elderly doctor, was admitted to hospital, the court and his lawyer said. Eduardo Vela, 85, a former gynaecologist at the now-defunct San Ramon clinic in Madrid, went to hospital after "an episode of pain and dizziness overnight," his lawyer, Rafael Casas, said. When he took the stand on Tuesday, Vela appeared frail and spoke in a weak mumbling voice. The court was not able to say when the trial would resume. It can be delayed by up to 30 working days. "We had to suspend (the trial) and we hope to have more information" to know if the court could resume the trial next week," one of the judges hearing the case, Maria Luisa Aparicio, told the court. Vela is accused of having in 1969 taken Ines Madrigal, now aged 49, from her biological mother, and giving her to another woman who raised her and was falsely certified as her birth … [Read more...] about Spain’s ‘stolen babies’ trial adjourned with accused in hospital