Demand for the best houses in London does not seem to be affected by the economic crisis, as there has been a three-month on month increas

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.Demand for the best houses in London does not seem to be affected by the economic crisis, as there has been a three-month on month increase with growth of 2.7 per cent, the highest level since July last year. According to the Prime Central London index published by the residential agent Knight Frank, demand for top homes in the capital rose by 0.9 per cent overall in January.

The annual growth in prime house prices has also reached 11.9 per cent, which has increased values by 42 per cent since their post-Lehman Brothers low in March 2009. Areas that have particularly benefited from this increase over the course of 2011 were Chelsea (16.6%), Hyde Park (14%), Kensington (13.9%) and St. John’s Wood (13.35), according to the index.

Liam Bailey, the head of residential research for Knight Frank, showed a positive prediction for this year, looking at the last figures. “As 2012 begins, our view is that the prime central London market will see slower but still positive price growth”, he said in the report.

Figures were positive in terms of new buyers’ applicant volumes, which grew by 10 per cent in last year, compared with the volumes of new homes for sale, which rose by 6 per cent. In this sense, the ratio between the number of buyers registering to purchase homes in Central London and the available offers had risen to hit 4.1 in the past three months. Knight Frank considers that the £5 million plus range, where applications were higher by 65 per cent year-on-year, was the moment with a higher imbalance between offer and demand.

Mr. Bailey pointed out that “the Eurozone crisis, which appeared to reach something of a crescendo in the pre-Christmas period, had little impact on the prime London property market. Ironically, economic and even political turmoil have provided the impetus for growth, with a sharp growth in investors looking for a safe-haven location for at least part of their wealth portfolio”.

In addition, there has been an increase of interest in property purchases from abroad. In a survey carried out by the residential agent between several estate agents, “there was a consensus that buyers from Russia and the former CIS states would become even more important to the London marketplace. Demand from Chinese nationals, which was negligible until 2010 was expected to continue its recent rapid growth, followed by Indian and Middle Eastern demand”, Mr. Bailey added.

According to the report, European buyers have also put their eyes on the central London property market, who describe the importance, value and privacy in an urban environment as the main factors taken in account when they buy a house. In terms of market, “one of the UK’s real attractions for international investors and residents has always been its reputation [London property market] for stability in legal, political and tax affairs”, Mr. Bailey commented. 

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The developer of the One Hyde Park luxury-home complex in London’s Knightsbridge district is seeking to sell a store on the ground floor for at least 21 million pounds ($33 million).

Project Grande (Guernsey) Ltd. is offering the space rented by the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, the developer said in an e-mail yesterday. It’s the bank’s first branch in the U.K., according to Project Grande.

“You can’t buy a shop on Bond Street or Oxford Street at the moment because they’re not available,” Paul Cockburn, a Savills Plc director who’s handling the sale, said by telephone. “London retail is very inaccessible and Knightsbridge is no exception.”

One Hyde Park was developed by a venture between Christian Candy’s CPC Group and Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Bin Jaber al Thani’s closely held Waterknights. Candy conceived the 86-apartment complex with his brother, Nick.

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank has a 14-year lease on the site and is one of three stores in the building, Project Grande said. The bank leases the property for 800,000 pounds a year, giving its landlord an initial yield of 3.6 percent at a 21 million-pound purchase price, according to the developer.

Russian Buyer

Grigory Guselnikov, a Russian entrepreneur, bought a store rented by Rolex at One Hyde Park for more than 13 million pounds in August, Savills said. Two months later, the space housing a McLaren sports-car dealership sold for more than 11 million pounds, two people with knowledge of the deal said at the time.

More than 1.5 billion pounds of sales have been completed at One Hyde Park, Project Grande said in the e-mail.

A five-bedroom apartment with almost 9,000 square feet (840 square meters) of space at One Hyde Park sold for 60 million pounds last week, the developer said. The building, which overlooks Hyde Park and is attached to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, is 300 meters (980 feet) from Harrods department store.

Luxury-home prices in central London gained for the 15th consecutive month in January as overseas investors turned to the city’s real estate amid political, economic and financial turmoil at home, according to Knight Frank LLP report yesterday.:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.

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Man stabbed to death in Marbella in the early hours

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.33 year old Ecuadorian man has been stabbed to death in Marbella following an argument with two individuals who then made their escape.

Police sources said the body of the victim was found on the N-340 at 1.20am today, near the cambio de sentido at Cabopino, after a call to the police from a hotel worker reporting that a man had been injured and was bleeding badly.

National and local police and health workers rushed to the scene but could do nothing to save the victim’s life. The police say the victim and the two other men were arguing in an establishment, and then continued their discussion in the street. 

The police continue to investigate and are still to identify the other two men involved.

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Sierranía de Ronda was affected by fire over the weekend.

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.500 hectares in five municipalities of the Sierranía de Ronda was affected by fire over the weekend. It started on Saturday in Pujerra, Málaga, and was not brought under control until Sunday.

The Junta de Andalucía has said that cork oaks, pines and shrub were all affected and the UME, Military Emergency Unit was called into assist INFOCA. 

The strong winds in the area, upto 40kms/hour on Saturday, complicated the control of the fire, and the fire-fighters continued their work on Saturday night despite temperatures of -4ºC.

More than 240 people took part in fighting the fire, using four helicopters and five amphibious planes. There were no injuries and nobody had to be moved from their homes.

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THE lawyer of a trumpeter claims the body of a Spanish nobleman exhumed for DNA testing which ruled out his client being a heir to his wealthy dynasty may not have belonged to him at all.

:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.
Marbella trumpeter Jose Collado, 62, claims to be the son of Jose Antonio Larios Franco the fourth Marquis de Larios, whose father founded the famous Larios gin brand in the 20s.

There are now suspicions, according to the lawyer, that the remains of the fourth Marques who died in 1954, aged 53, may have been transferred for a chapel in Malaga in 1999 from their location on a property in Albacete, meaning that the DNA tests, which ruled out Collado being a descendant of Larios, are worhtless.

Collado’s lawyer explained that a man who worked on property in Albacete since 1974 was witness to the remains being moved.

He also said that a crime may have been committed if the nobleman’s heir were aware that the analysed remains did not belong to the Marquis, something which they deny, and insist that they were never moved.

Collado’s mother, Emilia, told him that in the 40s, when she worked as a cook for the Larios family, she had an illicit relationship with the marquis, who had no other children.

She was in love with the marquis, but had to flee to Jaen because of his wife’s jealousy. Emilia left her son at a Malaga orphanage nine months after his birth on July 31, 1948.

She died in 2002, having signed her confession before a notary in Jaen at the request of her son.

The trumpeter says that although he might be entitled to a share in the family gin company and the vast Dehesa de los Llanos estate, he is not after money or titles, but the truth about who his father is.

He says if he did inherit anything he would use it to provide care for orphans and abandoned children.

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David Beckham is known for having wild boys nights out with any array of his famous male friends.

But last night dynamic duo Beckham and Prince Harry were forced to their cancel boys night to rub shoulders with a stunning Katerine Jenkins.

All three were out on the town partying at the Arts Club in Mayfair and despite the snow warnings the trio stayed in the London venue until after 3am, walking out in the freezing cold.

Looking dapper: David Beckham parties rubs shoulders with Katherine Jenkins, a known family friend 

Father-of-four Beckham looked dapper in a dark suit, white shirt and gold tie while singer Jenkins, 31, opted for classical chic in a simple strapless dress with black jacket.

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Half of Spain “Addicted” to the Internet

 

Nearly half of all Spaniards (45%) claim to “be addicted” to the internet, amongst them, the majority are women and youngsters between 18 and 34. The figures come from the “Nestea Study about the Internet and Social Networks”, carried out by the Sondea Institute. 2,618 people were interviewed throughout Spain. According to the study, the autonomous communities with the most “addicted” to the internet are people living in Navarra (65%), Balearic Islands (58%), Cantabria and the Basque country (both 50%). The least “addicted” are in Asturias (35%), Galicia (36%), La Rioja (38%), and Murcia (41%). The study reveals that 43% of all Spaniards spend between four and ten hours per day, actively connected to the internet, while 5% are connected more than ten hours per day. Over 90% of those who took part in the survey confirmed that they had a profile on a social networking site, mainly Facebook (85%), Twitter (35%), Tuenti (27%), and LinkedIn (17%).

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Snoop Dogg brands Kim Kardashian 'cold-blooded' in crude attack

 

Snoop Dogg launched an foul-mouthed attack on Kim Kardashian in a new web video. The 40-year-old rapper, who uses his Nemo pseudonym in the clip, calls the 31-year-old 'cold blooded' and uses a series of misogynist terms to describe her. In the video, which is running on the Hollywood Reporter, he claims to be giving 'advice' to her ex husband Kris Humphries, telling him he’s just one of many men who have be burnt by the reality TV star.

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'X Factor' Exorcism: Paula Abdul & Nicole Scherzinger Out

 

The "X Factor" news came fast and furious on Monday night -- first, that host Steve Jones would not be returning, then that judge Nicole Scherzinger was exiting and finally that Paula Abdul also would be shown the door. Now The Hollywood Reporter has learned that all of these major show decisions are coming from one key confab being held in the U.K.   According to a show source, a series of X" Factor" season 2 offsite meetings are currently taking place wherein show creator Simon Cowell has assembled his team and creative brain-trust for a postmortem. The purpose: detailing what went wrong and what was done right on season 1 of the Fox singing competition.   Among the brash verdicts, says the source: that Abdul's role was seen as "irrelevant to the mix," in part through no fault of her own (as mentor to the groups, her contestants were picked off early in the competition).   Still, Abdul was not without her controversies on the show. Many blamed her for the dismissal of show favorite Rachel Crow, precipitated by advice Abdul gave to Scherzinger to let the decision be made by the public vote. America then sent the 13-year-old packing.   As for Jones and Scherzinger, another show insider says the "X Factor" host was notified by a show producer around 7:30pm on Monday evening that his option was not being picked up. (Cowell did not call Jones personally to deliver the news.) Soon after, Scherzinger was informed that her contract also would not be renewed. The host and judge did not receive an explanation for the decision, but a source close to the show says Cowell has decided that the show needs a bigger celebrity on the panel next season.   A source says LA Reid, the fourth judge on the "X Factor" panel, has not been informed of any change to his status as judge.   Representatives for Fox, Abdul and Fremantle have not responded to THR's request for confirmation of the shake-up on the show.

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Queen strips disgraced Fred the Shred of his knighthood for biggest corporate disaster in British history

 

Disgraced former RBS boss Fred Goodwin was told this afternoon that his knighthood is being removed by order of the Queen. The unprecedented step was taken on the recommendation of a secretive Whitehall body which is responsible for ensuring the honours system does not fall into disrepute. The forfeiture committee, made up of senior civil servants and Government lawyers, met to consider the case after the Daily Mail highlighted growing cross-party pressure for Mr Goodwin’s knighthood to be rescinded. Mr Goodwin was telephoned by Sir Bob Kerslake, head of the home civil service, at 3pm to be given the shattering news. There is no right to appeal. It is a humiliation for the former head of the Royal Bank of Scotland, who has never spoken publicly about his role in the biggest corporate disaster in British history which cost the taxpayer £45bn, and whose lawyers succeeded in getting some direct criticism of him removed from an official report into the collapse of RBS. Honours are very rarely revoked, and it took years of campaigning for hated Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe to lose his knighthood. The most recent high profile case was that of Jean Else, a Manchester superhead who was made a Dame on the recommendation of Labour but was later accused of mismanagement and nepotism at her school. She was stripped of her damehood after a ruling by the forfeiture committee.

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David Hasselhoff proposes to Hayley Roberts on Sydney Harbour Bridge

 

He may have already popped the question twice to girlfriend Hayley Roberts, but her snubs didn't put David Hasselhoff off asking the pretty blonde again - this time on top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. And it seems the Baywatch actor's toygirl may have said yes, judging by the picture the Baywatch actor posted on his Twitter page. Hasselhoff was seen on bended knee as he asked Hayley, 32, to marry him, before kissing the Welsh beauty in a passionate embrace.

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Keira Knightley: Spanking? Only after vodka

 

Screen nudity and explicit love scenes have never been a problem for Keira Knightley. She filmed her first nude scene when she was only 15 in The Hole and since then has appeared topless, naked and in various stages of undress in Silk, Atonement, Domino and The Edge of Love. Yet the 26-year-old actress balked at what director David Cronenberg wanted her to do for her latest film, A Dangerous Method, because she thought the scenes were too outrageously explicit. But then, she says, after talking at length with Cronenberg and her co-star Michael Fassbender, she changed her mind and went through with them, helped by inhibition-easing shots of vodka. In the fact-based film she portrays a hysterical, tic-ravaged mental patient with masochistic tendencies who becomes sexually involved with her psychoanalyst, Dr Carl Jung, played by Fassbender. As well as some explicit sex scenes, the script also called for her to enjoy being tied to a bed and spanked with her breasts exposed. “When I first read it I loved the script and really wanted to play the character, but I didn’t want to do those scenes, and I phoned David Cronenberg and said I was going to have to turn the role down,” she recalls. “He said he really wanted me to play the part so he would take the scenes out but I said, 'Whoa!’ because I knew they were incredibly important to the story. “He said he didn’t want the scenes to be sexy or voyeuristic; he wanted them to be clinical and a complete exploration of what she was feeling. So we kind of came to an agreement with Michael as well because he had questions about the scenes, too. I wanted it to be as shocking as possible without going over the top.

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Spanish airline Spanair ceases operations after running out of funds

 

Spanair ceased operations late Friday after a regional government in Spain announced it could no longer fund the airline, officials said. Spanair’s financial woes were exacerbated by a 2008 crash that killed 154 people. Eighteen people survived what was Spain’s worst aviation disaster in 25 years. In a statement, the airline said its “last commercial flight will land at” 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) on Jan. 27. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? inShare ( Manu Fernandez / Associated Press ) - Passengers wait at a Spanair check-in desk of El Prat airport in Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. The Spanish air carrier Spanair announced on January 27, 2012 the cessation of the company and the suspension of flights. The regional government of northeastern Catalonia, which had been investing in the country’s No. 4 airline since its 2008 purchase from SAS Scandinavian Airlines System International, said in a statement that it could no longer bankroll Spanair. The Catalan government said the “current economic climate” and “European legislation concerning competition” made it impossible for it to continue financing the small carrier, whose hub was Barcelona airport. Spain’s Development Ministry also published a statement requiring Spanair to “fulfill its obligations with passengers.” The airline advised passengers who had booked flights with it to consult its website where it said “full information” would be displayed. However, from just before 9 p.m. (2000 GMT) the website read only “Website access not available.” Spanair said it had communicated its decision to Spain’s air authorities and had been coordinating its demise with AENA, the country’s airport authority, and with the Development Ministry, which is responsible for civil aviation. Spanair has a fleet of 36 mainly aging aircraft and flew to 19 domestic and 24 international destinations, which included Algeria and Poland. The airline, which also ran a commuter service between Madrid and Barcelona, was in trouble financially before Spanair Flight JK5022 — an MD-82 jet — crashed on takeoff on Aug. 20, 2008 as it tried to leave Madrid bound for the Canary Islands. In December 2008, SAS sold the airline to tourism group Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona and Catalana d’Iniciatives, a private equity group.

Spanish airline Spanair ceases operations after running out of funds - The Washington Post

Spanair ceased operations late Friday after a regional government in Spain announced it could no longer fund the airline, officials said. Spanair’s financial woes were exacerbated by a 2008 crash that killed 154 people. Eighteen people survived what was Spain’s worst aviation disaster in 25 years. In a statement, the airline said its “last commercial flight will land at” 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) on Jan. 27. 0 Comments Weigh InCorrections? inShare ( Manu Fernandez / Associated Press ) - Passengers wait at a Spanair check-in desk of El Prat airport in Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. The Spanish air carrier Spanair announced on January 27, 2012 the cessation of the company and the suspension of flights. The regional government of northeastern Catalonia, which had been investing in the country’s No. 4 airline since its 2008 purchase from SAS Scandinavian Airlines System International, said in a statement that it could no longer bankroll Spanair. The Catalan government said the “current economic climate” and “European legislation concerning competition” made it impossible for it to continue financing the small carrier, whose hub was Barcelona airport. Spain’s Development Ministry also published a statement requiring Spanair to “fulfill its obligations with passengers.” The airline advised passengers who had booked flights with it to consult its website where it said “full information” would be displayed. However, from just before 9 p.m. (2000 GMT) the website read only “Website access not available.” Spanair said it had communicated its decision to Spain’s air authorities and had been coordinating its demise with AENA, the country’s airport authority, and with the Development Ministry, which is responsible for civil aviation. Spanair has a fleet of 36 mainly aging aircraft and flew to 19 domestic and 24 international destinations, which included Algeria and Poland. The airline, which also ran a commuter service between Madrid and Barcelona, was in trouble financially before Spanair Flight JK5022 — an MD-82 jet — crashed on takeoff on Aug. 20, 2008 as it tried to leave Madrid bound for the Canary Islands. In December 2008, SAS sold the airline to tourism group Consorci de Turisme de Barcelona and Catalana d’Iniciatives, a private equity group.

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Nicanor Rodriquez: The Spanish Bandit

Nicanor Rodriquez is one of the characters that created many of the exciting bandit stories that dot the West and filtered into the Pioche area. Nicanor, generally referred as Nicanora, was the son of a high government official in Spain who came to the United States and settled in Missouri. At the young age of 16, Nicanora left home and headed West for California, more than likely looking to get rich in the gold fi elds, but where he ended up joining a band of stage robbers. He was in the process of robbing a stagecoach when he was captured and sentenced to 10 years in prison. After serving a few months, he was released because of his tender young age but he continued his life of crime. For the next few years he wandered around California and, for a time, it is believed he rode with the famous outlaw Joaquin Murietta. Located off state Route 322, this canyon is about two miles northeast of Eagle Valley Resort near the entrance to Spring Valley State Park. As a now wealthy man he made his way into the Nevada gold fields settling in the Virginia City area. He lived a double life, robbing stages and also passing as an affluent mining man. He was handsome and attractive and would entertain important people with his charm and wit at lavish dinners. He came to be known as the Spanish King. With his fertile brain, he would set up daring robberies and he would rifle the quartz mines. One robbery placed him in the presence of the infamous Baldy Green as he was loading three large gold bricks onto a stage. Nicanora joined the driver up top as a passenger. When Baldy stopped to water the horses, Nicanora threw off the gold bricks. Remembering the spot, he later returned for the gold. He took it to an assay office to be melted down but never returned for the gold, probably fearing an arrest. This led Nicanora to flee to the Ely area in Eastern Nevada and eventually to Pioche where he resumed his smaller robberies of stage coaches and payroll coins. Pioche was booming and Mexicans had been imported to work in the mines. Feeding the growing town became a problem and the price of beef soared. This need led to the rustling of cattle ranches in the Spring Valley area and also from across the Utah border. Nicanora formed his first gang of Mexican bandits. He also ran with a gang of robbers, Al Wing, Nate Hanson and Idaho Bill, who terrorized the Stateline and Desert Springs, Utah area. However, his luck ran out when he robbed a stage of $2,000 worth of payroll and passenger jewelry. He was arrested but acquitted with the alibi his gang was able to provide for him. At this point Nicanora fled to the mountains, possibly living in a cave along with his group of bandits. History tells us that he negotiated a deal with the Wells Fargo Co. to pay him $2,000 a month and he wouldn’t bother them again. As new owners took over, the money ceased and holdups resumed. Nicanora was again arrested. His name appears on the jailer’s record of the Million Dollar Courthouse in June of 1874. Somehow with the help of two other prisoners he struck a guard as he made his rounds, fled the jail and vanished on a stolen horse, supposedly heading for Utah. The history books tell us that Nicanora did venture into Utah robbing one more stagecoach, killing the driver and stealing some horses. He then headed for Mexico to spend the remainder of his life on a sprawling ranch and lived out his life in elaborate luxury. I’ll bet you thought that was the end of the story. Well, not so, at least for those of us who know and believe the local legend that continues to exist about this notorious character. Into this saga enters an early pioneer of Spring Valley by the name of Althie Meeks. He homesteaded a 200-acre ranch in the Spring Valley area and raised cattle and milk cows and he also freighted. He would sell his cattle in California and Utah. He became a prime target for Nicanora and his gang of outlaws. As Meeks and his daughter made their way through the Spring Valley Canyon by buckboard, Nicanora and his pal Al Wing had hidden in a canyon behind some brush waiting for a potential holdup. When Meeks reached that spot, action started and shooting began. Meeks was wounded but played possum and when Nicanora and Wing approached the wagon, Meeks opened fire, killing Nicanora and wounding Wing, who was able to escape. Meeks’ daughter remained in the wagon and was unhurt. Thus ended the life of Nicanora Rodriquez. Of him they always said no jail could hold him, no wealth could satisfy him, and no life had value. Many Nevadans say that every mill in Nevada was looted at one time or another by Rodriquez. For a while he was the most famous bandit in the Silver State. As for Meeks, he feared retaliation from the remaining members of Nicanora’s gang of bandits and made up his mind he did not want anymore shooting scrapes. He sold his ranch and moved back to Utah where he hoped things would be more peaceful. According to history, the cattle rustling and bandit activity continued to plague the area for many more years. Horsethief Gulch is the main campground at Spring Valley State Park and got its name because it was a favorite corridor for the rustlers to drive their stolen cattle through. Nicanora Canyon is not marked on any map nor is there a sign pointing to its entrance. It lies midway between Ursine and Eagle Valley Reservoir and it has become a campground and picnic area maintained by the BLM. Many of us are aware of the tragedy that happened in that tiny little canyon but are glad that the days of cattle rustlers and bushwhackers are gone. The legend and name of the canyon lives only within the minds and hearts of those of us who are aware of the history. We can now enjoy the sweet and beautiful spot with peace and contentment knowing we live in a safer time and place.

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Gibraltar “joke time over” Spanish minister tells Foreign Secretary Hague

In an interview with Antenna 3 this week Garcia-Margallo said that “now that I am Foreign Minister I have not forgotten the claim over Gibraltar. We are going to change the policy towards Gibraltar.” The remarks are likely to be discussed by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo when he meets in London for the first time since the General election with Europe Minister David Lidington. “Up to 2002 there was the tripartite forum where UK, Spain and Gibraltar sat. And Gibraltar tried to talk about sovereignty, about jurisdiction, about things that are the preserve of the main countries. I told the minister (Hague) that on sovereignty and jurisdiction the interlocutors are UK and Spain” Garcia-Margallo said in the interview. The Spanish minister said that he had added that if they were going to talk about co-operation “which seems good to me as it favours both sides of the fence (reja) then Spain, UK, the Junta de Andalucía and Gibraltar will be present. That should be the symmetry.” But he added that “we will progress on that as we progress on sovereignty matters. We are not going to be talking permanently of co-operation if we do not advance on the fundamental issue of sovereignty”.

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Liam Neeson 'considers converting to Islam

Liam Neeson is considering converting to Islam, according to newspaper reports. The desire to convert has sprung from spending time filming in Turkey, according to The Sun. The Northern Ireland actor, who comes from a Catholic background, told the newspaper that the call to prayer in Istanbul drove him to distraction for the first week of filming but he then began to find it "the most beautiful, beautiful thing". Neeson, a former altar boy in Ballymena, said: "There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim." The actor has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards during his career. He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List and Michael Collins. Neeson was married to actress Natasha Richardson for 15 years before her death on 2009, when she suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident at the Mont Tremblant Resort, in Quebec. It’s not the first time Neeson has spoken about religion. The 59-year-old faced criticism in 2010 after refuting claims by author C.S. Lewis that Narnia lion Aslan is based on Christ. Neeson – who voiced the character in the film adaptation – instead claimed Aslan was based on other spiritual leaders including Mohammed and Buddha. “Aslan symbolises a Christ-like figure but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries,” he said at the time. “That’s who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids – that’s what he means for me.”

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Easyjet bucks industry trend with sales uplift

 

Europe's second largest low-cost carrier said on Thursday revenue jumped 16.7 percent to 763 million pounds ($1.2 billion) in the three months to December, as passenger numbers rose 8.1 percent to 12.9 million in its first quarter. Analysts at UBS had expected sales of 730 million pounds. The Luton, southern England-based company said costs per seat, excluding fuel, fell 1.6 percent during the quarter, and it expected its seasonal first-half loss to be roughly the same as in 2010/11. "Assuming no significant disruption in the second quarter, easyJet expects to recover most of the 100 million pounds increase in its first-half fuel bill and contain first-half losses to between 140 million pounds and 160 million pounds compared to the 153 million pounds loss reported in the first half of last year," chief executive Carolyn McCall said. Shares in easyJet, which have risen 12 percent in the past three months, were up 7 percent at 432.2 pence by 3:45 a.m. ET, valuing the company at around 1.7 billion pounds. "Carolyn McCall's second full year in charge is off to a good start, helped by the mild winter weather. Both pricing and cost control have been strong," said Charles Stanley analyst Douglas McNeill, who retains a "hold" rating on the stock. EasyJet's European peers have struggled to overcome high oil prices and sluggish demand in recent months, with low-cost airlines expected to pick up more business as struggling European consumers trade down. German group Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) and Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA) have cut profit forecasts after being battered by fuel costs and slashed plans to expand in 2012. Industry body IATA recently said it expected airlines to suffer this year due to waning consumer confidence, sluggish international trade and high fuel prices. McCall said she was "cautiously confident" in the outlook for the business, despite the tough economic environment and the negative impact of a weak euro. Last year, easyJet agreed a string of deals aimed at giving it a larger share of the business travel market. The airline said some 200,000 more business passengers flew with the carrier in the quarter year-on-year, despite a general decline in business travel. EasyJet, the largest airline at London's Gatwick airport, expected to grow seats flown by around 3 percent for its first half and by around 5 percent for the full year. It said around 70 percent of available seats for the first half were already booked.

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The King of Spain is a serial womaniser who once made a pass at Princess Diana while she was on holiday with Prince Charles, a book has claimed.

It also alleges that Juan Carlos is a ‘professional seducer’ who has had numerous affairs and has not shared a bed with his wife for the past 35 years.

And it reveals that age has not stopped  the 74-year-old, with the monarch regularly receiving vitamin injections and anti-ageing treatments. 

Tactile: Princess Diana being kissed in 1987 by the King of Spain, who according to a new book, is a serial womaniser

Together: Diana, Prince Charles and their boys with King Carlos, Queen Sofia and members of the Greek royal family on board a yacht in August 1990

The Solitude of the Queen by Pilar Eyre, which is likely to prove controversial in the Catholic country, claims the king made a ‘tactile’ advance to Diana while she and Charles were on holiday in Majorca in the 1980s. 

It follows much-derided allegations made in 2004 by Lady Colin Campbell that the princess had a fling with Juan Carlos while on a cruise in August 1986 and then again the following April. 

Controversial: The Solitude of the Queen by Pilar Eyre claims the king made a 'tactile' advance to Diana while she and Charles were on holiday in Majorca in the 1980s

During a 1987 visit, in which Charles and Diana  went to Madrid, the king was pictured smiling as he kissed the princess on the hand – a gesture which left Diana  looking embarrassed.

Miss Eyre’s book also alleges that Queen Sofia has not slept in the marital bed since 1976 and only remains in the marriage out of ‘a sense of duty’.

She even claims the queen stumbled upon her husband with one of his alleged  lovers, the Spanish film star Sara Montiel, at a friend’s country house in Toledo in 1976.

Sofia, now 73, was forced to attend a football match the day afterwards ‘as protocol demanded’, before storming out of the  Zarzuela Palace, their official residence, with her children.

Advised to stay with her husband, she was told a break-up would mean she would ‘end up being paid to liven up the parties of the newly rich’.

Miss Eyre adds: ‘The role of the queen is sad, she is the loneliest woman in Spain.’

Distant: Carlos and Queen Sofia have allegedly not slept in the marital bed together since 1976

She also told Spanish gossip magazine  Vanitatis: ‘Queen Sofia is a woman betrayed and hurt with a married life that has been a real tragedy. The king’s closest friends I have spoken to say they don’t like her.’

And she alleges that, as recently as last year, when the monarch was recovering from the removal of a benign lung tumour, he was seeing a 25-year-old German translator.

After writing the book, Miss Eyre was informed she would no longer appear on Spanish TV channel Telecinco.

She said she was told: ‘The station has banned talk about your book and does not allow you to continue working. You are banned, Pilar, we are sorry.’

 

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Bad news for foreign victims of Costa del Sol mortgage scam

 

The National Court will not be investigating the mortgage fraud which was reported last year by twenty foreign residents of the Costa del Sol and which affected victims all along the Spanish coastline. Most of the banks and foreign financial advisors involved were from Denmark who informed their clients that, if they died without a mortgage on their Spanish property, their heirs would be subject to hefty inheritance taxes which they would never be able to pay. They were then offered a mortgage on their property, with the money invested outside Spain, mainly in Luxembourg. El Mundo reports that the investments did not however go well, and the victims are now in danger of losing their homes. The Málaga victims are represented by the Marbella law firm Lawbird, who told El Mundo, ‘This is complete judicial apathy from this court, which considers the complaint as lacking in relevance.’ ‘It contrasts,’ they said, ‘with the rapid response from the Danish government which has announced that it will investigate the manoeuvres which invested the funds from the loans in fiscal paradises.’

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Shark attack at South Africa's deadliest beach

 

Mr Msungubana was swimming with a group of friends in shallow water off Second Beach in Port St Johns, a town on the country’s southeastern coast, when the attack took place. John Costello, local station commander for the National Sea Rescue Institute, said he sustained “multiple traumatic lacerations to his torso, arms and legs” where the shark bit him repeatedly. His death marks the sixth in just over five years at the beach, making it the most dangerous in the world for fatal shark attacks. In South Africa, one in five attacks by the ocean predators ends in the death but every single attack at Second Beach has proved fatal. Zambezi or bull sharks, known as the “pitbulls of the ocean” for their ferocity, have been blamed for most of the incidents. Experts from the nearby Natal Sharks Board have been brought in to investigate the phenomenon and the town authorities have closed the beach to swimmers. Pictures taken on Sunday show lifeguards wading nervously into the sea to pull the badly-injured Mr Msungubana to safety. They placed him on a surfboard to bring him to shore where, Mr Costello said, he was treated by a doctor who had been on the beach before paramedics arrived.

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