Spain-Portugal high-speed train link postponed

Portugal's new conservative government today announced the suspension of the high-speed train link to Spain, although it maintained that it could be reconsidered at a later date and with a revised budget.As had already been outlined in his electoral campaign, the new Portugese prime minister, Pedro Passos Coelho (pictured, right), confirmed today that the project would not now go ahead, despite the fact that half the work on Portugese soil has already been done.The decision, which will now be debated in the Legislative Assembly, means that the future rail link, which was started with EU funding and is already well advanced in Spain, could be re-evaluated in the future under "new conditions".The conservative coalition government, that took over after the socialists were defeated in the elections...

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Hot Sangritas and Blanco con lima

If you think Sangria is passé, populist and puerile, think again. Red wine or white wine punch (called Sangria Blanco) packs bursts of vitamin-enriched fruit with wine, brandy or rum, and can be served as a hot mulled drink in winter, or with sparkling soda or lemonade as a long summer refresher.Did you know that sangria (or a version of it) is one of the world’s oldest known alcoholic beverages? Hippocras was made from wine, and enriched with spices, notably cinnamon and is traditionally attributed to the Greek physician Hippocrates (in the 5th century BC). It was first mentioned in texts from the mid 12th century onwards. Lacking fresh water options, many European households would drink alcoholic beverages, livened up with spices and fruits,...

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Alicante's Gegham Ghazaryan was last night named the "G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011" making him the purportedly the "best gin barman in the world".

Alicante's Gegham Ghazaryan was last night named the "G'Vine Gin Connoisseur 2011" making him the purportedly the "best gin barman in the world".Ghazaryan beat an international field of 15 other finalists to the title, coming out top overall after sitting a written exam, an aroma exam (focusing on citrus fruits, spices and ingredients in gin), producing his own commercially viable gin from different distilled gins, and a speed test involving five different gin-based cocktails.Ghazaryan's winning cocktail was the "Coupage Floral" made with G'Vine Floraison gin, fresh lime and pink grapefruit juice, cardamom and ginger syrup, blueberry reduction, and served on ice with flambéed lime and grapefruit peel.Apart from the coveted title, Ghazaryan, fromthe Xandom bar in Alicante, won a cash prize...

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Hotel sector to take on 60,000 more staff this summer than in 2010

Spanish hotels are set to take on 60,000 more seasonal staff this year than they did last summer, an increase of 26%, according to figures presented today by the president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels (Cehat), Juan Molas.This means that hotels will be taking on some 290,000 extra employees this summer compared with 230,000 in 2010.Hoteliers are hoping that 2011 will be better than last year, thanks in the main to the economic recovery in the main European markets and an important increase in Russian tourists (35% more bookings than last year).Give the increasing affluence of foreign tourists, Molas warned Spaniards holding out for that last minute deal that they might be disappointed, as many places are already fully booked for the summer.The home market, which accounts for 50% of...

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Ryanair to close base in Reus, Spain

Budget carrier Ryanair said Wednesday it will close an operations base in Spain's northeastern Reus because of contract disputes with the regional authorities.Ryanair said that since November 2008 it had used the airport in Reus, south of Barcelona, as a base for three planes in summer and one in winter. It planned to close the base October 30.The airline blamed the Catalan government and Tarragona authorities for its decision."Unfortunately, these institutions have repeatedly failed to comply with commitments to support and help the development of the Ryanair base in Reus," airline vice president Michael Cawley said in a statement.Ryanair would continue to fly to Reus using planes from other bases after the closure, the carrier said."At Ryanair we are overwhelmed by requests from many other...

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Fitch downgrades Spain's Banco Sabadell

Ratings agency Fitch downgraded the ratings of Spain's fourth-biggest bank, Banco Sabadell, by a notch on Wednesday owing to its exposure to the collapsed real estate market and weak economy.The agency said it had trimmed the Barcelona-based bank's long-term debt rating to "A-" from "A" with a negative outlook."The vast majority of Sabadell's activities are undertaken in Spain and thus its performance is highly correlated with that of the Spanish economy, which has uncertain growth prospects and has suffered from the collapse of the property sector," Fitch said in a statement."Like many Spanish banks, this is likely to continue affecting asset quality and profitability," it added.Banco Sabadell's exposure to the real estate sector totalled 10.8 billion euros ($15.4 billion), and repossessed...

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BRITISH expat has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a fellow Brit who he accused of having an affair with his wife.

The 48-year-old, identified by the initials P.D, was apprehended after a 32-year-old man was discovered with a stab wound at a bus stop in Torremolinos.The victim was taken first to a local medical centre and then to hospital in Malaga after allegedly being attacked at his home. It is believed that the attacker worked at a bar visited regularly by the victim and his wi...

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Paris luxury-home prices rose the most in the world in the 12 months through March as buyers from emerging markets competed for a limited number of properties

Paris luxury-home prices rose the most in the world in the 12 months through March as buyers from emerging markets competed for a limited number of properties, Knight Frank LLP said.Values of houses and apartments costing more than 2 million euros ($2.9 million) increased 22 percent in the French capital, Mark Harvey, a senior negotiator for the London-based property broker, said in an interview. Hong Kong was second with a 15 percent rise and Helsinki third with 12 percent. Shanghai and Beijing completed the top five.Buyers from the group of Brazil, Russia, India and China “are increasingly looking to Paris as a safe haven to invest funds in a mature and high-performing market,” Liam Bailey, head of residential research, said in a statement. “Like London, supply is hindered by a paucity of...

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