When Playboy’s new London club opens later this year, its bunnies will have access to an unusual perk: an employee whose sole job it is to help them adhere to its 'strict' dress code.

When Playboy’s new London club opens later this year, its bunnies will have access to an unusual perk: an employee whose sole job it is to help them adhere to its 'strict' dress code.

The club will be employing a bunny mother to fluff tails, make sure bunny costumes are pressed, and ensure that hair and make-up is flawless. It is also the job of the mother bunny to mentor and advise girls, and answer any questions they have about their job.

A spokesperson for the club said: "It is one of the most important roles in the club. [The mother bunny] is someone that all the other bunnies can look up to and she also makes sure that the club runs really smoothly.

"She will check that the girls have got their outfits on correctly. It is a very standard way of dressing."

Perhaps this unique brand of human capital management is especially important for Playboy, where employees are its assets in more ways than one.

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Ukraine's richest man spends record amount for a UK home after buying two Knightsbridge flats totalling 25,000 sq ft

Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, has paid the highest price for a UK residence, buying an apartment in the One Hyde Park development in Knightsbridge.

Land Registry documents show that two properties on the seventh and eighth floor of the luxury development have been bought by a single buyer, the total consideration amounting to £136.4m.

Confirmation of the sale had been expected for some time, with news that a purchaser had paid the huge sum emerging last year. It has been estimated that the buyer would also be spending £60m fitting out the property.

A spokesman for Akhmetov's company, System Capital Management, confirmed the oligarch had invested in the development, which has caused uproar among local residents because of its modern architecture.

Akhmetov, the son of a coal miner, runs SCM, a Ukrainian conglomerate involved in mining, retail, financial services and even football – it owns the club Shakhtar Donetsk.

Estimates of his fortune vary, although most agree he is worth billions of pounds. As the owner of Metinvest, a coal, ore-mining and steel business, his net worth is likely to have soared over the past year on the back of the commodities boom, with Forbes recently estimating his fortune at $16bn (£10bn).

Buyers of flats in One Hyde Park are treated as permanent guests of the Mandarin Oriental, the hotel adjacent to the development. As well as outlining the property bought in each case, each lease document also specifies which area of the development's wine cellar the buyer is entitled to. Akhmetov will be able to store his collection of fine wines in wine storage spaces 16 and 17.

The flat is reported as having an area of 25,000 square feet, meaning the Ukrainian billionaire has spent £5,456 a square foot.

That is less than the absolute peak figures the developers, Nick and Christian Candy, had hoped for – with the highest flats with the best views of Hyde Park expected to go for as much as £6,000 a square foot.

The brothers are unlikely to be too bothered, however. Total sales of about half the flats have reaped £963m, the Candys have indicated, enough to almost pay off the £1.1bn cost of the development.

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Peter Andre is a 'dirty' lover

Peter Andre admits he's a "dirty little rotter" in bed.

The singer - who recently split from Spanish model Elen Rivas after a brief romance - says he is very adventurous when it comes to sex and is confident any woman who sleeps with him won't be disappointed.

He said: "I'm a gentleman, but I'm fiery, too. I'm a hot-blooded male! I'm a sexual man, definitely.

"I'm pure filth. But I'm not a sleaze. I'm a massively passionate person. A dirty little rotter in the bedroom, and a gentleman, too. The whole package, I hope!

"I like to satisfy the other person. I'd rather they be satisfied than me. I'm generous."

Although Peter - who has two children, Junior, five, and three-year-old Princess Tiaamii, with ex-wife Katie Price - enjoys sex, he is careful that his children never see him in bed with a woman.

He told this week's issue of heat magazine: "It's about having fun, but I want to stress that this is only when the kids aren't around. They have never seen me in bed with anyone but their mother, and I feel very strongly about that. Children get confused and they shouldn't see stuff like that.

"When they are with me it's about them having a great time and me being with them, hands on and enjoying every moment. They are the most important thing. My personal life is when they're not around."

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World's 50 best restaurants

Every year, San Pellegrino water sponsors a contest and names the world's best restaurants. It's pretty prestigious.

This year, for the second year in a row, top honors go to an eatery few outside Europe have heard of. No, it's not in a renowned foodie destination such as Paris or the rest of France, or Italy or Spain.

It's Noma, an eatery in Denmark, where you can feast on "New Nordic" cuisine featuring the freshest North Atlantic fish, local berries, vegetables and other produce prepared in creative ways under the supervision of chef Rene Redzepi. Think razor clams with horseradish and buttermilk, with fresh clam juice poured on. Be prepared to spend $300 or more for dinner for two (I peeked in when I visited Copenhagen, appreciated the minimalist-chic decor, but couldn't afford the tab). The restaurant also has two Michelin stars.

Six U.S. restaurants also made the S. Pellegrino "World's 50 Best Restaurants Guide" for 2011, overseen by Restaurants magazine.

They are Alinea in Chicago (6), Manhattan's Per Se (10), Daniel (11), Le Bernardin (18), Eleven Madison Park and the interestingly named Momofuku Ssam Bar(40). Momofuku, by the way, supposedly means "lucky peach" in Japanese,

All these, save for upscale noodle bar Momofuku, are out of reach of the average diner, and I would think some Vegas and West Coast restaurants would make the cut.

If you care to share your favorite U.S. restaurant, belly up to the comments area!

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George Benson to return to Marbella

Performing at the Hotel Puente Romano Tennis Club in Marbella on June 25th 2011, George Benson is quite simply one of the greatest guitarists in Jazz history and he is back in Marbella by popular demand, entertaining us with his greatest hits including Never give up on a good thing, On Broadway, Give me the Night and many more.

At various points along the four-decade continuum of George Benson’s career, he has been heralded as a jazz guitarist of unparalleled talent, a vocalist with great emotional range and sophistication or a combination of both and with 14 Grammy´s in his pocket, another spectacular performance is guaranteed in Marbella.

Location: Hotel Puente Romano Tennis Club, Marbella, Spain

Date: June 25th, 2011

Doors: 8pm

Support: 9pm

George Benson: 10pm

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Spain's leading bull breeder, Juan Pedro Domecq killed in a traffic accident

Juan Pedro Domecq, one of Spain’s most important breeders of fighting bulls, has died in a traffic accident which took place in Higuera de la Sierra on Monday morning, when his car crashed head-on into a lorry on the A-433 road close to his Lo Álvaro finca in Sevilla.

The 69 year old inherited from his father the breeding estate which his grandfather, Juan Pedro Domecq y Núñez de Villavicencio had founded in 1939. It became one of the most important in Spain under the control of this great aficionado of bullfighting.

Juan Pedro Domecq never entered the ring as a bullfighter, but until just a few years ago would often try out his skills in the training rings on his estate.

He was also a skilled horseman and the author of the book published in 2010 ‘Del toreo a la bravura’ – ‘From bullfighting to fighting spirit’.

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Champagne sabering World Record Set at Nermans Restaurant

32 bottles were opened with a sword at the Marbella establishment


Julio Chang, member of Team NR Sabrage Professionnelle, set a new World Record with 32 champagne bottles cracked open with a traditional sabre in one minute at Nermans Restaurant, Nueva Andalucia. The attempt, which has yet to be ratified by Guiness World Records, smashed the sabering record of 27 bottles of champagne opened with sword in one minute. set by Andrew Duminy, at the Bull Run Restaurant in South Africa, on February 14 2010.

A delighted Julio said “I’m so happy to have done it. I wasn’t sure how many bottles that I had opened. I didn’t have time to think about it. It didn’t feel like a minute – it felt like ten seconds”

Joakim Nerman commented “I’m delighted for Julio and the whole team. This attempt has taken two months of planning and I’d like to thank everyone who supported us”

Also present at the attempt where Sandi Davidson, Officer Maitre Sabruer, Confrere du Sabre d’Or and Rosibel Vindel Barrera, actress and fencing master, who also got the ceremony underway. After the record was set Sandi Davidson surprised Julio when she hounoured him by knighting him as a Sabruer.

The act of opening a champagne bottle with a sabre (Sabrage) is an old tradition dating back to Napoleonic days, when French officers would sabre their champagne bottles to celebrate victory.

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Three Spanish restaurants in the Top Ten of the World

There are three Spanish restaurants in the San Pellegrino Top Ten list which has just been published in the British ‘Restaurant’ magazine, and which is headed again by the Danish establishment ‘Noma’ run by chef, René Redzepi.

Last year he took over the number one slot from El Bulli, from Ferrán Adrià who was second, but this year El Bulli is no longer listed as it is closed until 2014.

The Spanish restaurants are :-
El Celler de Can Roca, in Girona, run by the Roca brothers, who are second on the list,
Mugaritz, in Renteria, from Andoni Luis Aduriz, who comes in third,
and Arzak, from Juan Mari Arzak which is eighth.

The top ten:-
1. 'Noma' - René Redzepi, Copenhague (Dinamarca)
2. 'El Celler de Can Roca' - Hermanos Roca, Girona (España)
3. 'Mugaritz' - Andoni Luis Adúriz, Rentería (España)
4. 'Osteria Francescana' - Francesco Bottura, Módena (Italia)
5. 'The fat duck' -Heston Blumenthal, Bray (Gran Bretaña)
6. 'Alinea' - Grant Achatz, Chicago (EE UU)
7. 'D.O.M.' - Alex Attala, Sao Paulo (Brasil)
8. 'Arzak' - Juan Mari Arzak, San Sebastián (España)
9. 'Le chateaubriand' - Iñaki Azpitarte, París (Francia)
10. 'Per se' - Thomas Keller, Nueva York (EE UU)

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Irish celebrity DJ Maurice Boland is returning to the airwaves for the first time following his inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old teenager in Marbella.

Known as 'Mr Marbella', the former Irish nightclub boss, who has been married for 40 years, has been absent from public life for the past nine months since his close relationship with the teenager came to light.

But speaking this weekend, Mr Boland said he is looking forward to re-launching himself on the airwaves and will not shy away from his outspoken views on "issues that need to be addressed".

"Somebody asked me the other day, will I be more humble after everything that's happened, quieter, less controversial. And my answer was 'absolutely not'.

"I'll be as outspoken as ever about serious issues that need to be addressed. And if people want me to answer their questions, or take a pot shot at me, then they can ring my chat show. I've an open line with no delay so they can ask whatever they want."

He added: "If people want to address the issue, then we'll address it."

The flamboyant presenter will return to Radio Leinster for a two-part special documentary entitled My Story, which will cover his colourful life to date -- from his time in Dublin right up to the aftermath of the scandal surrounding his relationship with a teenage girl.

However, he will not be returning to his long-standing show with Talk Radio Europe on the Costa del Sol, which suddenly terminated his contract when his relationship with the teenager came to light.

"I will be starting a chat show on a different radio station, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks," explained Mr Boland.

Speaking of his dismay at the way in which his former employers handled the controversy, he drew comparisons with the way in which shamed DJ Neil Prendeville was given a second chance by his bosses at Cork 96FM.

"I have to say that the way in which they handled the Neil Prendeville situation was very good," he said. "I know the two situations are very different, but they never commented on the matter and they re-instated him to his old job. I certainly didn't get the same from my side. I'm disappointed with the way it was handled."

Mr Boland was helping the young entertainer prepare to sing in his Marbella talent competition, The Wow Factor, which he set up in aid of a cancer charity, when the inappropriate relationship took place.

Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Independent at the time the scandal broke, Mr Boland admitted he had made a "terrible" mistake.

"I made an error of judgment," he said. "I got involved with someone. I have been married for 40 years next year. I have been in the media and nightclub business for many, many years and I've never had an affair.

"This is the first time it's happened. I made a very bad misjudgment, which is terrible and hurt a lot of people, including my own wife and her family and my children. And all I can say to those people who are hurt -- I am sincerely sorry."

After spending the past nine months rebuilding his relationship with his wife Wendy, Maurice has described this weekend how the controversy had affected his wife of 40 years.

"She's put up with me. It's been very difficult but we've gotten through it because we love each other very much."

He went on: "It's different now. Things happened that shouldn't have happened and just because I'm back on radio soon, I'm not saying that I'm walking around with a smile on my face, thinking 'ha, ha, ha'. Things have been very difficult."

At the time, the news sent shockwaves around those who knew Maurice Boland from his days as a high-profile nightclub owner when he launched the late-night club culture on Dublin's Leeson Street. Later he joined forces with La Stampa owner Louis Murray to launch Barbarella's nightclub.

He later went on to manage Mandy Smith, the 13-year-old 'Lolita' girlfriend of Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. The convent-school girl met Wyman in 1984 and when the romance cooled two years later, she hooked up with Boland, who got her modelling jobs and a record deal for a song titled I Can't Wait. She later dropped Boland and ended up marrying Bill Wyman in 1986.

Mr Boland and his wife Wendy were a glamour couple of Dublin's social set and moved to Marbella, Spain, in the Eighties, where they became part of the ex-pat Irish social scene. Wendy is very well-known among the ladies who lunch and has her own business as a party organiser, mainly for Irish people.

Mr Boland himself is well-connected with the ex-pat Irish community and frequently has guests over from Ireland as well as interviewing a string of famous people, including British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Speaking about the liaison with the young girl, he explained at the time the scandal broke how he had set out to help her build on her musical talents, but their relationship eventually turned into something more.

He said their relationship started off as a working relationship while he helped her with her music career, saying, "It was a very short involvement and it was never planned. Some of these things just happen.

"It came about through circumstance. The wrong time at the wrong place. There's nothing planned about it."

Asked how his working relationship crossed the line, he replied: "I can't answer it. I can't answer because there was no plan. How do these things happen? I don't know.

"It came to light, people found out and that was it," he said.

"There is no rape involved, no illegality involved, so there's nowhere else to go with that."

Drawing on the young girl's age, he said, "The reason that anyone is showing any interest is because of the girl's age, but I've done nothing illegal. She is of legal age. I have done nothing illegal."

"She's 100 per cent over 16. Not that I feel any better. I'm feeling awful about everything. I didn't set out to have a relationship with anyone, or to have it with someone so young. It was just a misjudgment on my behalf."

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Victims of phone-hacking by the News of the World have rejected an apology from News International, amid reports further arrests over the scandal are likely.

The newspaper published a prominent public apology on page two of its print edition today, but the move – which came two days after the parent company issued a similar statement – showed no sign of calming the fury of those affected.

Lawyers for Sienna Miller, one of the most prominent admitted victims – said she had not accepted any offer of a settlement over the "outrageous violation of her privacy".

The Former MP George Galloway, who says he has seen proof that his phone was hacked, dismissed the apology as "a cynical attempt to protect the company's chief executive", Rebekah Brooks.

In its statement the News of the World said the hacking "should should not have happened. It was and remains unacceptable." Speaking of the victims, it said: "Here today, we publicly and unreservedly apologise to all such individuals."

The cabinet minister Danny Alexander described the hacking as "a very serious scandal", adding that the court cases and police investigation "must go forward".

"It's outrageous that people have had their voicemails hacked into, seemingly a large number of people," the chief secretary to the Treasury said on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show.

Alexander repeated previous government statements that the affair would have no bearing on News Corp's attempt to take over BSkyB, an issue he said was "completely separate".

The shadow Welsh secretary, Peter Hain, called for a "full and proper public investigation" and said the police investigation had been "tardy".

The Observer revealed that Rupert Murdoch tried to persuade Gordon Brown as prime minister to get Labour to back off on the affair.

A former minister in Brown's cabinet said there was evidence that Murdoch relayed messages to Brown via a third party, urging him to help take the political heat out of the row, which he felt was in danger of damaging his company.

News International's apology confined direct blame to "a News of the World journalist and a private investigator working for the paper" – the former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, both of whom were jailed in 2007.

No mention was made of the arrests last week of its chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, and assistant editor Ian Edmondson, who has been sacked.

John Whittingdale, chair of the culture, media and sport select committee, told the Sunday Telegraph that more arrests were like. "I think there'll be more arrests because as I understand it there's more evidence that points at other people being involved," he said.

The News International statement said an unreserved apology, admission of liability, and compensation was being offered "in certain civil cases that meet specific criteria", but that the company would "continue to contest cases what we believe are without merit or where we are not responsible".

The News of the World apology said: "Evidence has recently come to light which supports some of these claims. We have written to relevant individuals to accept liability in these civil cases and to apologise unreservedly, and will do the same to any other individual where evidence shows their claims to be justifiable."

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HOLIDAYMAKERS flying on British Airways will be stung by higher prices after the airline put up its fuel surcharge yesterday.

Long-haul passengers will have to pay £10 more per flight in economy seats while those in business or first class will pay an extra £20.
It means the surcharge will go up from £75 to £85 per economy passenger on a flight which lasts less than nine hours. For a longer flight, the tax will rise from £88 to £98.
Domestic and short-haul flights will not be affected.
The news comes as BA passengers await the dates of a strike by the airline’s cabin crew. The walk-out must take place between April 4 and April 25, with Easter being the most likely time.
BA chief financial officer Nick Swift said: “It’s with real regret that we are having to increase our long-haul fuel surcharge. As customers will know from the price at the petrol pumps, the cost of fuel has continued to rise significantly over the past three months.
Long-haul passengers will have to pay £10 more per flight in economy
“For us, fuel now represents over one third of our costs and particularly affects our long-haul flights.
“We are very aware of the wider economic pressures on our customers at the moment and we will bear the vast majority of the recent fuel price rise ourselves to keep this increase in surcharge to a minimum.”
BA is blaming the increased charge, which will come into effect on Friday, on rising oil prices.
Yesterday the price of oil reached its all-time high against sterling. The highest recorded price was $147 a barrel in 2008. Yesterday the price per barrel stood at $121 but because of the weaker pound it meant that in sterling terms it was at a record high of £74.60. The increased cost of oil has already been passed down to British motorists.

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new hotel, the Villa Venecia, with five stars above its door. It is a boutique spa hotel, to boot, with spectacular views out to sea and to the wedge-shaped island that punctuates the Benidorm horizon – La Isla de los Periodistas.

A new hotel, the Villa Venecia, with five stars above its door. It is a boutique spa hotel, to boot, with spectacular views out to sea and to the wedge-shaped island that punctuates the Benidorm horizon – La Isla de los Periodistas.



"We opened a year and a half ago," said employee Tito as he took me to the chill-out terrace, gym, massage room and Jacuzzi. "We get a lot of couples wanting to recharge their batteries." The head chef, Victor Conus Cervantes, from Barcelona, is aiming to get a Michelin star within the next couple of years. "That's the way Benidorm is going," said Tito.

As if by way of confirmation, later that day I had lunch with an old friend, Jorge, at Taita (Calle Primavera 8, +34 965 852 148), one of a new generation of high-class restaurants in the town. Others include El Mesón (Calle Gerona 5, +34 965 858 521), and Rias Baixas (Plaza del Torreó 3, +34 965 855 022), known for its excellent seafood.

As we sat on the terrace eating crispy grilled duck breast with dauphinoise potatoes, Jorge told me Benidorm really was changing. "Take this place," he said. "Was there anything like this restaurant when you were last here?"

There wasn't. Nor were there Balinese chill-out lounges, designer boutiques or swanky gin bars like the one I'd seen as I crossed town.

Perhaps even more surprising than the town attempting to clamber upmarket is the assertion that it could become a model for sustainable, mass-market tourism.

"Ah, yes, the Benidorm model – everyone's talking about it," Jorge said. "By building vertically rather than horizontally you get more people in, but you cause less damage to the landscape. Imagine if you had to fit all the millions who come here into low-rise accommodation. It would be a disaster."

I had my doubts. Many would say that Benidorm is already a disaster. But a number of respected architects, including Luis Fernández-Galiano of Madrid's Universidad Politécnica, are claiming that the resort is an example of sustainable urban development. Alfonso Vegara, the former president of the International Society of City and Regional Planners, says Benidorm and Manhattan are both sustainable "intelligent terrains".

Perceptions of Benidorm are changing, and much of the impulse behind this appears to be coming from the town authorities themselves. While the resort still caters principally for families and the elderly, the new administration is keen to attract sophisticated and independent travellers. To this end they're targeting students and the gay market, as well as people interested in adventure and sport (the scuba diving is among the best along the coastline).

As part of this programme, last July saw the first Low Cost Festival (21-23 July 2011, festivallowcost.com), a three-day music event with more than 40 acts, including bands such as Placebo and Editors. A sister techno festival, Electrobeach (24-27 August 2011, electrobeachfestival.com), is held in August.

"Benidorm is adapting to survive," a Town Hall spokesman assured me. "In five years' time we will still be the Med's number-one resort."

• Hotel Villa Venecia (+34 902 165 454, hotelvillavenecia.com) charges from €192 for a room half-board or €155 B&B. Budget airlines fly to Alicante from several UK airports.

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Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz received a coveted star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame on Friday, becoming the first Spanish actress to earn the honor.

Oscar-winning actress Penelope Cruz received a coveted star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame on Friday, becoming the first Spanish actress to earn the honor.

Cruz, who won her Oscar for supporting actress playing a fiery artist in Woody Allen's movie "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," called the unveiling of her pink granite star "a very special day that I will always remember.

"Every time I look at that star, I will see the names of all the people that have helped me make many of my dreams a reality," she said at the unveiling attended by a large crowd, including her husband Javier Bardem and friend, Johnny Depp.

Cruz, 36, thanked her parents, siblings, Bardem and their newborn son, "for making me happy every day."

The Spanish beauty made her acting debut on television when she was just a teenager and began her feature film career under the direction of Pedro Almodovar in his 1992 movie "Jamon Jamon," in which she starred opposite Bardem.

She was featured in several Almodovar films before making the move to Hollywood where she has worked movies such as "Blow," "Vanilla Sky" and "Nine." Next up, she stars opposite Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

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Gaddafi Construction Projects in Marbella Costa del Sol Stopped

The Spanish Government has the first March stopped the construction of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi construction projects in Marbell on the Costa del Sol.
It emerged at the end of February that the Libyan Bank, the Libyan Foreign Bank, which belongs to the Libyan state, owns 6.500 acres of land in Benahavis and that Marbella Town Hall commune had received an application for a permit to build an 18-hole golf course and 1.915 properties, in the form of luxury apartments, townhouses and villas on the land.
.

The first March adopted the Spanish government – in line with sanctions from the UN and the EU – to stop all work in connection with the plans for the construction. The sanctions also mean that the current Libyan Board will not be able to sell or otherwise exploit the properties and land.
According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs owns Gadaffi and his family, perhaps several properties and investments in southern Spain, prepared by the Spanish authorities will now examine. It is also suspected that the family has other forms of investment in Spain, they are also been freeze

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FORMER UN secretary general Kofi Annan is coming to Marbella to talk about wine.

FORMER UN secretary general Kofi Annan is coming to Marbella to talk about wine.
The Nobel Prize winner will be the key note speaker at the Third World Conference on Climate Change and Wine, which is being held in Marbella next month for the first time.The main focus of his speech – which will be introduced by Pancho Campo MW, the first Spaniard to hold the title Master of Wine – will be on the responsibility of the corporate world in the fight against climate change.
And after the conference guests will have the chance to quiz the Ghanaian diplomat in a 30 minute question and answer session.
Organized by The Wine Academy of Spain, in conjunction with one of the foremost authorities on climate change research, the two-day event aims to raise awareness of the impact climate change is having on the global wine industry.
In particular, the conference will focus on ways to ease the problem, adjusting to the new climate and publicizing a business model for the wine industry that is more compatible with the environment.
While here, Annan and his wife will also be joined by the mayor of Marbella, Ángeles Muñoz, to preside over an Official Dinner in aid of the Vicente Ferrer Foundation.

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Cabin crew at British Airways have voted overwhelmingly in favour of new strike action.

Cabin crew at British Airways have voted overwhelmingly in favour of new strike action.

The vote opens the possibility of strikes over Easter, although union sources have previously played down the prospect of any April walk-out.

The ballot was a re-run of an invalid vote held before Christmas.

The row began about cost-cutting but now centres on travel concessions taken from striking staff and disciplinary action against Unite union members.

The latest ballot - the fourth in less than two years - saw 5,811 Unite members vote in favour of strike action, while 1,170 voted against. The turnout was 72%.

The union now has 28 days to announce any strike dates.

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first of three Moroccan projects commissioned by BMCE (Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur) may be an exception.

We haven’t always loved Foster & Partners developments in the Middle East. Although they are visually spectacular, we often wonder at the true sustainability of buildings that cost millions of dollars to construct. But the first of three Moroccan projects commissioned by BMCE (Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur) may be an exception.

Albeit no quaint mom-and-pop straw bale building, the bank is nonetheless slightly less flamboyant than other F&P projects. By incorporating several energy-saving and passive design elements, the firm has kept the building’s carbon footprint to a minimum, while relying extensively on local materials, craftsmanship, and design.
The outer screen is made from a low-iron stainless steel that doesn’t heat up as quickly as conventional steel. Evoking traditional Arabic architecture, the screens help to keep the building’s interior nice and cool without sacrificing natural daylighting. Black granite and grey limestone are among the materials sourced locally.
A familiar scene in the Arab world, the dome was plastered on the inside with a technique called tadelakt, while exterior was sculpted with traditional ceramic tiles called zellige.The building is cooled without electricity with a system F&P call “earth tube.” Water circulated around the circumference of the building in underground pipes maintains a comfortable interior temperature. The first two BMCE banks are in Rabat and Casablanca, while a third in Fez is still being completed.

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Eversheds is adding Morocco to its expanding international network through a cooperation agreement that is expected to develop into a Casablanca office in the future.

Eversheds is adding Morocco to its expanding international network through a cooperation agreement that is expected to develop into a Casablanca office in the future.


Former Eversheds associate Mohamed Oulkhouir is establishing his own ­practice in Morocco to work in cooperation with the UK firm. Oulkhouir left Eversheds’ Paris office in 2008 to become Tangiers managing partner for Moroccan firm Balms & Cruz.

Eversheds Africa co-chair Boris Martor told The Lawyer that the firm was seeing “growing opportunities in North Africa, ­especially in Morocco”. He described Morocco as the most “significant hub” for the region.

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British Airways started new flights to Marrakech from London Gatwick on March 27,

British Airways started new flights to Marrakech from London Gatwick on March 27, 2011 in direct competition with low cost carriers.
The airline announced its new flights to Marrakech last November at the World Travel Market at ExCel in London.
Richard Tams, head of UK and Ireland sales and marketing, said at the time: "British Airways offers a real alternative to discerning travellers to Morocco. Unlike the low cost carriers, we offer fantastic all-inclusive fares with no stealth extras. The benefits you get on BA at no extra charge include a generous baggage allowance, drinks and snacks and much more.
"Marrakech adds another fabulous destination to our leisure network at Gatwick and I am confident it will be a huge success. It's a great starting point to explore Morocco; from trekking in the Atlas Mountains to exploring its amazing deserts and beaches and soaking up the atmosphere of the many medinas."
The chief executive officer of the Moroccan National Tourist Office, Mr. Hamid Addou, welcomed the announcement and said: "We're delighted that British Airways is returning to Morocco and Marrakech, where we know that there is a strong demand from the UK tourist market for flagship carriers.
"Marrakech is one of the key tourism destinations in the southern Europe and Africa regions.  Its brand image is very strong and we will reinforce it in our joint marketing programme."
A mix of Boeing 737s and Airbus A319s will operate the thrice-weekly service, which departs Gatwick on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, returning the same evening.
British Airways offers a wide range of hotels suitable for all types of holidays in Marrakech. Right in the centre of the authentic Medina, minutes walk from the Souks and the famous Place Djemma el Fnaa is the four-star Riad Karmela. For those seeking paradise during their luxury holidays coupled with a 27-hole golf course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the award-winning five-star Palmeraie Golf Palace is the place to visit.
British Airways last flew to Marrakech as GB Airways. The service operated from October 2002 until March 2008, when the route was discontinued following GB's takeover by easyJet.

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new Cafe Nikki, part of the forthcoming Nikki Beach, which is set in a lush garden overlooking waterfalls with a sprawling outdoor deck

Already open is the new Cafe Nikki, part of the forthcoming Nikki Beach, which is set in a lush garden overlooking waterfalls with a sprawling outdoor deck.  A European-style cafe, it offers 24/7 dining in the trademark Nikki Beach atmosphere, with a menu offering an exquisite blend of American cuisine and flavors inspired by international dishes.  Cafe Nikki features the Amazing Buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as the famous Sunday Amazing Brunch.  Cafe Nikki Happy Hour at the Tropicana Hotel & Resort offers an ambiance that's unique to the Las Vegas Strip, with open patio seating, live music/DJ, $5 specialty drinks, specialty ceviche and sushi bar every Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m.
Biscayne Steak, Sea & Wine, which opened last August, offers sizzling prime cuts and Safe Harbor-certified fresh seafood in a South Beach-infused atmosphere of casual elegance.  Complementing the menu is a 200-bottle wine list that features wines from around the world, including rare vintages, and specialty drinks with a twist of Latin flavor, as well as Tropicana Las Vegas' signature Leblon classic caipirinhas and Ambhar key lime margaritas.  Biscayne offers regular specials, currently a Four-Course Tasting Menu & Wine Pairing for $39.99 per person with your Trop Plus Players Club Membership.
Coming soon is South Beach Marketplace, which will provide an array of casual food and drink shops, including Starbucks and Pellegrino Pizza, as well as Asian noodles and self-serve frozen yogurt/gelato.  These and other shops in development will all be open late (Starbucks will be 24 hours), with common seating that can accommodate up to 90 people.  South Beach Marketplace will be located right off the casino floor, adjacent to the entrance to the Tropicana hotel pool and Cafe Nikki.

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