Aylan Kurdi: Drowned Syrian refugee boy features in nativity scene in Madrid, Spain

Most people will remember the heartrending image of a young Syrian boy, washed up on a Turkish beach as his family fled from Syria, hoping to reach Europe.

Now three-year-old Aylan Kurdi has been immortalized as a part of a nativity scene created by a Madrid church to highlight the plight of Syrian refugees this Christmas.

It was back in early September this year that the little boy washed ashore and his photograph, lying face-down in the sand, went viral on the social media and online news websites. The image was seen across the world by an estimated 20 million people and the backlash galvanized European governments, including that of Spain, to take action on behalf of the Syrian refugees.

Now the San Anton Church in Madrid's Chueca district, renowned as a forward thinking church where pets are welcome and where the faithful can make their confessions via iPad, has now incorporated the image of the young boy in their nativity scene.

Nuestro #Belén Solidario está abierto 24 horas como nuestra iglesia de San Antón en Hortaleza 63. pic.twitter.com/chxFOd1vcX

— Mensajeros de la Paz (@Padre__Angel) December 14, 2015

Aylan takes the place of the baby Jesus, and his grief-stricken parents take the roles of Mary and Joseph, looking over the child. Instead of a stable, the family are sheltered in a refugee tent with reproductions of drawings by refugee children of their journeys on the walls.

It was Spanish artist Ikella Alonso who designed the nativity scene for the Messengers of Peace Foundation, an NGO working with the refugees and the scene can be visited by anyone up until January 6th. The church, located on Calle Hortaleza is open 24 hours every day.

81-year-old "Dancing Queen" stuns Madrid residents [Video]

Age is only a mental state, as shown by this 81-year-old dancer in the heart of Madrid, Spain.

Photo: "Young since 1934" via YouTube

In the video we see what looks like a frail old lady, slowly making her way into the Puerta del Sol square in the centre of Madrid, where a dancing exhibition is in process. She tells people that she is old, that she has arthritis, all the while leaning heavily on her cane.

She stands there, watching a couple dancing, and then suddenly takes over. While she is dancing, at first we see her struggling a little, and almost falling to the floor, but then Sarah “Paddy” Jones shows her true light, thoroughly impressing onlookers as she athletically does all the fancy moves.



According to The Local, Paddy, 81, first shot to fame during a memorable performance on the talent show “Britain’s Got Talent” where she thoroughly impressed the judges with her unexpected and athletic dance routine with her Spanish partner, Nicolás "Nico" Espinosa, who is forty years her junior.

She has now become an internet sensation in Spain after the video of her latest dancing performance was aired on El Hormiguero, one of Spain’s most popular prime time shows.

The British pensioner lives in Gandía on Spain’s east coast and has become a viral YouTube star after the video first racked up almost 60 million views on Facebook.

According to El País, the video was made to "refute the idea that older people are always associated with frailty. Every older person has an enormous amount of potential and they should not be treated as if they were worth nothing."

Enjoy the 'off' season in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol

After a blazing hot and steamy summer, Fuengirola is now experiencing the most perfect warm and sunny weather.

 

Blue skies and warm sun are definitely the order of the day. 

In July 2015, southern Spain saw what was virtually one long, and extremely hot, record-breaking heatwave here on the Costa del Sol. August and September weren't that much cooler or less humid. Locals were dreading receiving their electricity bills after the summer heat, having lived in an almost constant air-conditioned state.

While in summer it was best to walk in the shade or sit almost on top of the air conditioning unit, now everyone can stroll or sit in the sun, enjoying the perfect temperatures, or reclining on an almost empty and beautifully clean sandy beach.

This is THE perfect time to visit the Spanish seaside resort and enjoy an out of season holiday in far quieter beachfront hotels, or if you prefer to be a little more independent on your holiday, to choose from the pick of the best holiday rental villas and apartments on offer in the town and surrounding areas.

What better time to visit Bioparc Fuengirola and meet its exotic residents while strolling the green and leafy interior - a virtual oasis in the centre of the Spanish seaside town. Meet the lemurs of Madagascar, laugh at the antics of the chimpanzees and watch the Borneo orangutans having fun.

Visit the magnificent Sumatran tigers or the gorillas, stroll around the aviaries and aquarium or gape at the Nile crocodiles.  All this and more is available in a much quieter environment now the main tourist season is over.

Close to the center of town, stroll on the endless sandy beaches, which stretch for seven kilometres down the coast. At one end, visit the Sohail Castle which stands guard over the coastline. At the other end enjoy the seaside suburb of Los Boliches, with great mountain views from all along the promenade.

Between October 6 and 12, have fun at Fuengirola's annual feria, with all the fun of the fair and other entertainment laid on over the week. Fun, food and fair combine for great entertainment.

You'll see lovely ladies, all dressed up in their beautiful flamenco dresses, strolling the streets and proud caballeros riding their horses or driving carriages between the town centre and the fairgrounds. Feria is always a colorful event and in the fairgrounds not only can you ride on the various exciting attractions, but also enjoy a meal, a glass of excellent Spanish wine or a cooling beer. On occasion, there is spirited dancing in the plazas of the town.

While the shops may close a little earlier than they do in summer, there are bargains to be had and attractive souvenirs to be bought. One recommended shop to visit is Etniart in Calle Francisco Cano, between the beach and the church in Los Boliches. The shop offers a perfect selection of small gifts to take home.

For your dining pleasure the restaurants in the center, including the popular "Fish Alley" offer a great range of both international and Spanish cuisine. Alternatively, the choice on the beachfront is endless, with many beachside restaurants and chiringuitos to choose from.

In closing, go on, spoil yourself! Come and enjoy the extended warm sunshine for a while down on the Costa del Sol.

Photos: All copyright Anne Sewell

Singing star Julio Iglesias dumps Donald Trump, says he's a 'clown'

Donald Trump's anti-immigrant remarks keep coming back to bite him in the rump. Now it's Spanish singing star Julio Iglesias that is upset with him.

 

Iglesias told La Vanguardia in an interview Wednesday that he will no longer perform in casinos belonging to the US presidential wannabe, Donald Trump, due to his anti-immigrant comments.

"I have sung many times in his casinos, but I won't do it again. He seems to be an asshole." 

He continued by saying that Trump thinks he can fix the world by forgetting what immigrants have done for his country. "He is a clown! And my apologies to clowns," he added.

The comments Iglesias refers to were made by Trump in a speech on June 16th where he said that some Mexican immigrants bring drugs and crime to the United States, and some are rapists.  Trump also called for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants and talked of building a wall between the US and Mexico.

Several organizations have also severed their ties with the presidential hopeful over the comments and Spanish-American celebrity chef  Jose Andres also cancelled plans to open a flagship restaurant in a new Trump hotel, currently under construction.

Julio Iglesias says will no longer perform in Trump casinos http://t.co/bf8ZnXC4d9 pic.twitter.com/Yoscp5d2wU

— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) October 7, 2015

Trump's recent remarks have also alienated Latino voters, with 82 percent of Hispanics looking unfavorably on the presidential candidate and only 15 percent in favor of him.

Meanwhile Julio Iglesias, 72, is world famous for his romantic ballads and has sold 300 million albums during his career. His latest album "Mexico" pays tribute to that country's great songwriters and features 12 songs, all with a Mexican flavor.

Enjoy a track from the album below.



Photos: Julio Iglesias CC.0 All4julio / Donald Trump CC BY-SA 3.0 Gage Skidmore

Lesbian Couple Win In IVF Case Against Spanish Hospital

After a hospital in Madrid refused artificial insemination to them due to their sexual orientation, a lesbian couple has now won a case against the hospital in a Spanish court.

 

The court ruled that the Madrid hospital had "infringed" on the couple's "fundamental right not to be discriminated (against) for their sexual orientation."  The hospital was then ordered to pay the lesbian couple almost €5,000 ($5,600) in damages.

According to The Local, one woman of the couple had started IVF treatment at the Madrid hospital in 2014, but on finding her sexual orientation, she was told she was excluded from the public program under a recent order from the health ministry. The hospital stated that under the ministry directive, the treatment can only be offered to couples who had for 12 months tried to have a child via sexual intercourse, and said that this obviously excluded a lesbian couple.

The couple then lodged the complaint against the health ministry in Spain, regional authorities and the hospital itself.

However, according to the court, since the woman was "in a romantic relationship with another woman this criteria is impossible to fulfill and she is therefore a victim of discrimination." The court further said that Spanish law on assisted reproduction, which effectively prohibits any form of discrimination, prevails over the directive of the health ministry.

Spanish lesbians win artificial insemination case http://t.co/MKvdx4OgPN

— BeautyCribTV (@beautycrib_tv) October 6, 2015

According to Glenys de Jesus, president of Women's Link Worldwide, the Spanish court's decision is "very valuable because it will set a precedent."

She added that their clients are very satisfied and that it is a "great victory for them, for LGBT groups and for all women in Spain."

Apparently before the court's decision was made, the hospital did tell the couple they they had reassessed the situation and that the woman could resume treatment. However, according to the group, the couple decided to push head with the lawsuit anyway.


[Image: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection artwork CC BY-NC-ND 2.0  Wellcome Images]

'Do it for Mom:' Danes Urged to Take Sexy Baby-Making Trips to Spain [Video]

Denmark just gave Spain's Canary and Balearic Islands a touristic boost by encouraging their citizens to come to Spain to make a baby. Better yet, they can get the future grandmothers to pay for the trip. Not a bad deal at all.

It seems there are not enough babies being born in Denmark at the moment, causing problems for the Danish welfare system and, of course, the potential grandmothers. A company called Spies Travel is trying to rectify the situation.

According to Spies, the fact that there are not enough babies being born concerns all Danes, but most of all people's mothers, the wannabe grandmothers who are currently losing out on the deal.

Back in 2014, Denmark launched a campaign called "Do it for Denmark" where they started encouraging Danes to have more babies. This apparently didn't work.

Now they have come up with the "Do it for Mom" campaign, which offers great holiday packages to the Canary and Balearic Islands, with the aim of helping Danish women conceive and, of course, giving grandmothers some grandchildren to spoil.

The video points out that people are more likely to relax, get sexy and then get pregnant in pleasant, sunny and warm surroundings. They refer to a poll run in 2014 which proved that Danes have around 51 percent more sex while away on a tropical holiday. They have now come up with a promotion which will encourage older parents to contribute to their adult children's sexy getaways, so they can produce a grandchild in return.

Spies Travel offers package holidays to luxury resorts on the islands of Spain, all of which include several kinds of physical activities, which they say will encourage sexual activities, such as running, yoga, golf, tennis and water aerobics. The best part is, if future granny pays the bill, they will receive a 134 euro discount on the price of the trip.

They tempt future granny to pay the bill by saying, "Send your child on an active holiday and get a grandchild within 9 months."

In closing, referring to the failed 2014 campaign they say, "In 2015, Danes will be having babies not just for their country, but also for the grandmothers. We think that it's going to work."

Spain is, of course, quite happy to accommodate the deal!  Enjoy the video below.



Images: Screengrab from YouTube video

Doggie honours: Black Lab graduates from University of Cádiz

A blind student at the University of Cádiz used to take his guide dog, Idena, with him to lectures. Now they've both graduated.

As students were studying social work and were accustomed to seeing the dog in the halls while studying for their degree, so they decided to include him in the class graduation photos, right alongside his owner, Arturo Diaz Benitez.

.@RoyalVetCollege, I thought you might like this. A guide dog included in the graduation photo of a university. http://t.co/22EsUfdaVD

— Pashi (@Er_Pashi) October 2, 2015

In another photograph, included top, the black Labrador can be seen, sporting a mortarboard just like the other graduating students.

According to The Local, the idea went down well on Twitter, with one person commenting, "I bet this dog attended more lectures than most students!"

Another tweeted: "Magnificent. Ten out of ten for the University of Cádiz."

The University of Cadiz @univcadiz Includes a Guide Dog in a Graduation Class Photo 👏 #WorldVegetarianDay pic.twitter.com/OJW9gT9WPk

— Elsa Negro Calduch (@ElsaCalduch) October 1, 2015

According to The Local this is not the first time a canine has appeared in a graduation photo in Spain. Apparently history graduates from the University of Santiago de Compostela, who studied there from 2007 to 2012, also posed alongside a dog friend in their graduation photograph.

Source: The Local

3 Syrian refugees discovered in refrigerated truck in the Basque region

Three Syrian men were found locked in a refrigerated food truck Tuesday, near the Basque town of Hernani. They were suffering from hypothermia and a lack of oxygen. 

 

The discovery was made at a gas station near the town of Hernani, where a driver pulled up next to the truck and heard banging and shouting coming from the back of the vehicle.

Reportedly the truck had originated in Poland but its last stop was in Belgium, where the truck was reloading fruit produce, bound for MercaMadrid in Spain's capital city.

The three refugees are all in their thirties and believed by Basque police to be Syrian nationals. On taking them out of the truck, the men were immediately hospitalized with hypothermia, but are believed to be doing well and are recovering.

The Basque regional police force have opened an investigation in an effort to determine whether the driver was aware that the Syrian refugees were in the back of his truck, where the temperature was reportedly only around 10 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile Spain has agreed to take on 14,900 Syrian refugees under an EU agreement, where the migrants will be relocated from Greece, Hungary and Italy. The first refugees are due to arrive early in October this year.

This quota was originally rejected by the Spanish government, but after citizens lobbied in protest, it was agreed to take them on. According to The Local, despite the economic crisis in the country, over 100 local councils across Spain have now declared themselves "refugee friendly" with thousands of people signing up to welcome them into their homes.

Source:  The Local / Telecinco

Photo: Basque police car CC BY 2.5 Javierme

PETA applauds Swedish stripper who jumped into bullring to comfort dying bull in Málaga

In a second recent incident of its kind, a Swedish stripper jumped into a bullring in Málaga to comfort the dying bull. Animal rights activists, PETA, have hailed her bravery. 

Amkina Axelsson, 41, attended a bull fight at the La Malagueta bullring in Málaga recently. After holding up a banner saying "No Más Tauromaquia!" or "No More Bullfighting!" during the event, she jumped over the barrier into the bullring to comfort the dying bull, but was removed from the area by the one of the matadors.

Axelsson describes herself as a Swedish stripper and adult model and lives in Marbella on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain with her husband. She told The Local, "It was a symbolic act to show that we are thinking about the bull."

"No animal should have to endure an agonizing and unnecessary death for the enjoyment of a crowd."

"I join together with PETA to urge all compassionate people to stop these cruel events, which have been condemned internationally, by never attending a bullfight."

https://t.co/7EJKs6hdgk pic.twitter.com/Sgu9JQWLlz

— Amina Axelsson (@AminaAxelsson) September 19, 2015

Axelsson says she was nervous about doing it, but was more nervous about police than the bull itself, and while she was arrested after the protest, she said the policeman was "fantastic".

"He was also against bullfighting, he was definitely on my side."

However, Axelsson will have to pay a fine for her actions, but says this doesn't worry her.

"I’m still going to stand up for what I believe in."

Watch Axelsson jump into the bullring in the video below.



Axelsson's protest was nothing new to Málaga, as in August this year a Spanish woman, Virginia Ruiz, also jumped into the bullring, but in her case she managed to give the bull comfort as it lay on the ground dying.

After the event, Ruiz told the Spanish TV station Telecinco, "I wanted to give him love before he left this world." Her protest can be seen in the video below.



PETA released a statement Monday where Mimi Bekhechi, director of PETA UK, condemned bullfighting practices in Spain, which she said included "subjecting the animal to electric shocks" along with "tranquilizing" the bulls before the corridas.

According to PETA, 12 people died in July and August after being gored by bulls, making this the deadliest summer bullfighting season in 15 years.

Source: The Local / PETA

SEARCH RESUMED FOR US WOMAN LOST ON ‘CAMINO DE SANTIAGO’ PILGRIMAGE IN SPAIN

Police forces in Spain have renewed their search for an American woman, Denise Pikka Thiem, who went missing while walking the “Camino de Santiago” pilgrimage route in northern Spain.

Thiem, 41, quit her job in Phoenix, Arizona earlier in the year, planning on traveling the world, but went missing soon afterwards on April 5 while walking the famous pilgrimage route... read more

Google Street View Car Destroyed In ‘La Tomatina’ Festival In Spain [Video]

The search engine giant has been rolling out its Google Street View cars all over the world, mapping out cities, taking shots of famous landmarks, but this time it made a huge mistake.

Recently, the Google Street View vehicles and their backpack camera versions have been capturing some of the more iconic scenes in Spain, including the famous Moorish Fortress, The Alhambra, and other emblematic sites.

As reported on the Inquisitr, they even made it possible for online viewers to experience the most dangerous footpath in Spain, “El Caminito del Rey,” without leaving the comfort of their computer chair.

However, as reported in the Mail Online, some bright spark decided it was a good idea to capture the messiest food festival in the world held in Spain each year, by taking their Google Street View car into Buñol in eastern Spain. They wanted to capture the essence of the famous “La Tomatina” festival this week.... What a big mistake that was ... read more

Photo: Courtesy Ainhoa Alberola

Spain’s Scariest Hiking Trail Now Available On Google Street View [Video]

Spain’s Scariest Hiking Trail Now Available On Google Street View [Video]

An island adventure for the whole family in Tenerife

Mt Teide, Tenerife

Tenerife, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, is a stunning destination, with magnificent scenery and gorgeous beaches.  Known as the Island of Spring for its pleasant climate, the island is home to the iconic El Teide, the third largest volcano in the world and a World Heritage Site. However Tenerife has so much more to offer than just beautiful views ... read more

Fuengirola Local Police, firefighters protest in Los Boliches [Video]

Members of the local police force and firefighters were out in force in front of the church in Los Boliches, Fuengirola on Tuesday evening protesting against their treatment by the local municipality.

They have received no increase in salary for eight years, despite the fact that Fuengirola Despierta exposed the overly large salaries of the mayoress and other councillors back in 2011. In fact, at some stage their salaries were even cut.

Now working under a new PP mayoress, Ana Mula, they have had enough and are saying that she has not fulfilled agreements made relating to their salaries and other benefits.

Spanish News in English was there when they protested on two occasions back in February 2013 and was fortunate enough to be there again this evening.  As at 8:14 pm this evening, the drumming, whistling and sirens continue.

 

Virtual Protest: Activists Launch Hologram Demo Against Spain’s New Anti-Protest Laws [Video]

There was a massive turnout in the streets of Madrid on Friday evening, protesting Spain’s new draconian anti-protest laws. 

There was no police brutality and no arrests were made, as in reality, no one was actually there. This was most likely the world’s first virtual protest and it looked pretty darn impressive... read more.

Morocco Experience Off the Beaten Path in Casablanca

Morocco Experience Off the Beaten Path in Casablanca

Cutest Robot Dances Like Michael Jackson [Video]

Well, maybe the robot doesn’t dance exactly like Michael Jackson, but it certainly is pretty darn close and is definitely very cute. 

What’s more it is aimed at inspiring kids and its homegrown in Spain ... read more

Historical Egyptian Loot Seized In Spain In Europe-Wide Crackdown

Spain’s Civil Guard working with Europol has sized more than 2,200 looted and valuable artifacts, mostly from ancient Egypt, as part of a major crackdown in Europe. In the operation 35 suspected traffickers were captured in total, consisting of Spaniards and Egyptians.

Among the 36 looted items recovered by the police was a vase, covered in hieroglyphics, and a statue of the goddess Isis.  According to Captain Javier Morales, an expert in the field, probably the most valuable single item is a majestic bust of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, which is worth around $113,000.  In total, the various artifacts are apparently worth up to $340,000.

The curator of Barcelona’s Egyptian museum, Luis Manuel Gonzálvez, told The Local that since the revolution in Egypt at the beginning of the Arab Spring, it has been far more difficult for authorities in that country to take care of the many valuable and ancient sites.

“Many artifacts have been taken from Egypt to Europe and the USA, but as the situation improves in Egypt, we are likely to see fewer incidents on this scale.”

The discovery formed part of a major operation launched in 14 countries in an effort to prevent further looting and illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts of this nature.  These particular items were found hidden in a container load of cheap vases, shipped from Alexandria in Egypt to the Port of Valencia in Spain. 

Guardia Civil recupera 36 piezas arqueológicas expoliadas en Egipto http://t.co/EzLxwJlqru No te pierdas la galería! pic.twitter.com/EkR0pDbPEq
— Europa Press (@europapress) January 28, 2015

According to police, some of the items were most likely looted from the Saqqara burial site and ruins, close to Mit Rahina in Egypt.

Among the 35 suspected traffickers found, the discovery of the looted items led Civil Guard officers to arrest of arrested five members of the network in Barcelona and Tortosa in Spain (four Egyptians and one Spanish) and two more in Egypt. The criminals will all now face several charges, including the trafficking of historic objects, being members of a criminal group and money laundering.

La @guardiacivil desarticula un grupo dedicado al comercio internacional de bienes culturales expoliados en Egipto pic.twitter.com/kM9MzPXstJ

— Ministerio Interior (@interiorgob) January 28, 2015

During the operation, agents have inspected several thousands of art and antique dealers, second-hand sellers and auction houses in 14 European countries, including Britain, France and Germany.  Inspections have also been stepped up at border posts, ports and airports.

Besides the successful operation in Valencia, Spain, the Italian Government advised last week that their police had sized over 5,000 ancient artifacts as part of a $51 million haul after they dismantled a combined Swiss and Italian trafficking ring.