gay couple having a kiss outside the PP headquarters in Madrid

TV channel, Al Jazeera, catches gay couple having a kiss outside the PP headquarters in Madrid after the election result

Al Jazeera

 

You may be fed up with election stories, but a passionate gay kiss between two men celebrating outside the PP headquarters in Calle Génova in Madrid on Sunday night was captured by the cameras of the English language channel of Al Jazeera, and broadcast live as the reporter described the scene.

The two men appeared behind the reporter in passionate embrace. It’s not known whether the couple are PP supporters or just had gone along to see the party.

Either way with the PP threatening to repeal gay marriage legislation the couple made their mark, and their affection was broadcast by the Arab channel based in a country where homosexuality is punished and condemned.

Apple to open its biggest store in Spain this Friday

 

Marbella has been chosen as the location for the company's fourth store in Spain The largest Apple Store in Spain is to be unveiled in Marbella this Friday, November 25, in the centro comercial La Cañada. It will be the company’s fourth store in Spain and, to celebrate its opening, free T-shirts will be given away to the first 1,000 visitors on inauguration day. Opening hours are 10am until 10pm, Mondays to Saturdays. Plans for expansion include another new store in Murcia, although there has been no confirmation as yet of when it is likely to open.

German man remanded to jail for death of Frigiliana farmer

 

German man, named as Europa Press as M.G.B., was remanded to custody on Tuesday on the charge of murder following the death of a local farmer in Frigiliana last week. The victim spent two days in a coma before he died on Saturday from the injuries he received during an argument over farming tools. It appears the deceased surprised the accused on land he owns on the outskirts of the village as he was attempting to steal the tools and was seriously hurt after the two men argued and then fought. It’s understood that M.G.B. gave himself up to the Civil Guard after learning of the other man’s death.

TOP Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson tried to stop his ex-wife from claiming they had sex after he remarried.

Jeremy Clarkson took out the gagging order against his ex-wife last year. It's not known why he applied to lift it. Picture: Cameron Richardson Source: Supplied

Clarkson, who has made a name for himself as a man refuses to be silenced, denies the allegation but took out a gagging order against Alexandra Hall last year.

The claim can now be revealed because he asked for the order to be lifted.

It is unclear why he decided to withdraw the order, which banned any reporting of "sexual or other intimate acts or dealings" between Clarkson and Ms Hall.

Ms Hall married Clarkson in 1989 but their marriage lasted only a year.

She claims she had relationship with him after they split and Clarkson was married to his current wife, Frances.

Clarkson's marriage came under fire from the tabloids earlier this year over claims he had cheated on his wife with a member of the Top Gear production team while in Australia.

He denied the reports and said his 18-year marriage was strong.

The couple have three children.

Cowell: Tweet for X Factor faves

 

US X Factor judge Simon Cowell says he wants fans to use Twitter to vote for their favourite contestants. The Fox show has announced that from November 2, fans can cast a ballot by sending a direct message over Twitter to the official X Factor account. Viewers can also cast a ballot on the show's Facebook page and its official website. "It's a sign of the times," said Cowell, who believes more votes will come in as a result of expanding the process. "Sites like Twitter and Facebook give (the audience) a much bigger voice." Aside from social media, votes can be sent the old fashioned way, by making a phone call or sending a text message and by using a special App created for Verizon Android devices. Cowell uses the internet to gauge what people think of the series so far. He goes online during and after the show to see what people are saying and plans to join Twitter once he learns "how to type quicker". The US show is averaging about 12.5 million viewers an episode, but one thing that has hindered it in recent weeks is the Major League Baseball World Series. Games on Fox have pre-empted the show leading to confusion among viewers and causing some DVR devices to not record X Factor. Cowell says the conflict has been frustrating but they "knew in advance this was going to happen". He believes the ratings have been consistent so far and word of mouth will get people to tune in. On Tuesday's first live show, five acts were cut leaving 12 remaining contestants. With the competition heating up, so has the tension among its judges, who are each mentoring a class of contestants. Cowell has the girls, LA Reid is mentoring the boys, Paula Abdul is helping the groups and Nicole Scherzinger has the solo acts over 30. Cowell says Abdul claims to have the hardest category to mentor, but disagrees with her. He mentored the groups in the UK version of the show and "loved doing it".

Netflix, the American media giant that streams blockbuster movies and TV series over the internet, is to launch on this side of the Atlantic.

Netflix will offer tens of thousands of films in the UK - including exclusive early access to new films. The move comes after a series of hiccups for the company in the U.S., including price hikes and a disastrous attempt to split off its DVD rental business into a new company called Qwikster. 

Neftlix lost 800,000 U.S. subscribers in the last quarter. In the UK, it will offer video streamed to PCs, TVs and consoles, rather than DVD rentals. 

Coming over to the UK. Netflix has signed a number of deals with leading film studios to have the first rights to offer blockbuster movies once they have finished their cinema run

Robert Downey Junior in Iron Man. In the USA, the company¿s 'watch Instantly' service holds first-run rights to films from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Lions Gate Entertainment. Paramount titles include Iron Man, Star Trek and Captain America.

Netflix has 25 million users worldwide. It is said to be the biggest single source of North American web traffic, accounting for 24.71 per cent of use.

North American customers typically pay around $7.99-$9.99 a month to stream Netflix films to electronics such as connected TVs, PCs and games consoles.

In the UK, though, it's up against serious competition in the form of it Lovefilm, a UK on-demand service owned by Amazon which is integrated into electronics such as connected TVs and Sony's PlayStation 3.

Netflix is pulling out the stops to try and ensure it offers a unique service. 

 

 

 

It has signed a number of deals with leading film studios to have the first rights to offer blockbuster movies once they have finished their cinema run.

The company said the price details will be announced closer to the date of the launch of the service, which will go live in Britain and Ireland early next year.

Rapid expansion: Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, already has 25million subscribers worldwide

The TechRadar website said: ‘This is pretty exciting news for fans of streaming content.’

Netflix was founded in California in 1997 initially as a DVD rental business where discs were posted to customers across the USA.

It subsequently developed into the world’s largest supplier of web downloads of films and TV with 24.6million users in the US alone.

The company has now embarked on a major international expansion. It began operating in Canada last year and recently added  43 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A spokesman said: ‘Netflix has revolutionised entertainment across the Americas by giving its members a huge selection of films and TV shows to enjoy when and where they want.’

‘Upon launch, Netflix members from the UK and Ireland will be able to instantly watch a wide array of TV shows and films right on their TVs via a range of consumer electronics devices capable of streaming from Netflix, as well as on PCs, Macs and mobile tablets and phones.’

In the USA, the company’s ‘watch Instantly’ service holds first-run rights to films from Paramount Pictures, MGM, Lions Gate Entertainment.

Paramount titles include Iron Man, Star Trek and Captain America.

There are also deals with Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, and Anchor Bay Entertainment, together with US TV shows offered by NBC Universal and 20th Century Fox.

Netflix is locked into complex negotiations with these companies to have the right to show all its output in the UK and Ireland.

In Britain, the business will face competition from LoveFilm, which is owned by Amazon and offers packages that combine DVD postal rentals with access to streaming.

Lovefilm deals start at £5.99 a month, which includes three DVD rentals a month and two hours of streaming. A £19.95 a month package allows unlimited streaming of films.

Sam, 20, said: "There is no way we will be going anywhere near where it happened. It's left us terrified of further repercussions. We're discussing security."

 

Screen beauty ... Sam Faiers

 

Billie added: "It's the only thing we can do to feel safe."

A spokesman said: "It is being arranged. Whenever the girls feel it appropriate they will have security around them."

 

Gesture ... Peri Sinclair takes flowers to sisters' house

LOUIS WOOD / THE SUN

 

Replacement locks were fitted at their home yesterday after the thugs stole Billie's keys along with her £1,500 handbag, mobile, jewellery and shoes. She said: "We've been too scared to go out. I lost everything."

The sisters — who run a boutique in Brentwood and are regulars on the Essex party circuit — are considering a trip out today. They will also be visited by police to take statements.

 

Thoughtful ... pal Mark Wright buys gifts for the girls

 

Yesterday The Only Way Is Essex newcomer Peri Sinclair and Sam's ex Joey Essex, 21, took flowers to their home.

The sisters have decided to continue filming the programme and references will be made to their ordeal in tonight's show.

 

Precaution ... locks being changed at pair's home

 

Co-star Mark Wright was due to visit last night for dinner. Earlier he was seen buying cuddly toy gifts for the girls.

Viewers will see tonight's ITV2 show fade to black at the end, before Sam talks to him about the attacks.

McLaren driver Lewis, 26, says the X Factor supremo is one of the key reasons that his four-year romance with Nicole Scherzinger hit the skids.

Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger (Pic:PA)

IT’S just as well Simon Cowell likes fast cars – he might need to speed off sharpish if F1 race ace Lewis Hamilton claps eyes on him...

McLaren driver Lewis, 26, says the X Factor supremo is one of the key reasons that his four-year romance with Nicole Scherzinger hit the skids.

He reckons 52-year-old Cowell’s decision to offer Nicole, 33, a judging job on X Factor USA – replacing Cheryl Cole – put “immeasurable strain” on the couple’s relationship.

Lewis has been tied up on the Grand Prix circuit while former Pussycat Doll singer Nicole’s own hectic schedule has prevented her from spending time with him on race days.

It means they have barely seen one another in person since May.

Concerned by both their hectic lifestyles, Lewis is understood to have decided they needed a break – as I revealed on Monday.

Last night, a source close to the couple confirmed: “Lewis and Nicole have been having problems for the past six weeks.

“Increasingly hectic schedules this year have meant limited face-to-face time.

“They’ve probably spent more time on the phone or on Skype than they have in person.

“Sadly, Nicole’s job on X Factor USA – which, professionally, has been an unmitigated success – appears to have come at the cost of her relationship.

“Nicole was under enormous pressure to succeed and was desperate to please Simon, her boss.

“But Lewis found their intense working relationship hard to contend with.

“This, plus Lewis’s crazy international jet-set lifestyle, put immeasurable strain on the pair.

“She was crushed and did everything she could to make it work. They are still good friends though and the break-up is all very amicable.”

Multi-millionaire Lewis, who was said to be in a “vile mood” after last weekend’s Korean Grand Prix, recently said he was a long way off wanting to start a family.

Meanwhile, Nicole has become friends with host Steve Jones, who is said to have a crush on her.

Last night, a spokesman for the couple declined to comment.

Celebrities and millionaires living on one of Britain’s most exclusive estates have become the targets of a crime wave.

Celebrities and millionaires living on one of Britain’s most exclusive estates have become the targets of a crime wave.

A diplomat’s wife and son became the latest victims after they were tied up and held at gunpoint during a £100,000 robbery.

St George’s Hill in Surrey has been dubbed the British ‘Beverly Hills’ and is home to Russian oil tycoons, hedge fund managers and City financiers.

Exclusive: The St George's Hill estate in Surrey has been hit by a crime wave in recent months. It lists oil tycoons and hedge fund managers among its residents

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and Chelsea footballer Didier Drogba are also residents.

The estate is hidden behind security gates and guarded around the clock by security guards and CCTV cameras.

But that has failed to protect the residents from falling foul of a string of crimes since April.

Police have warned them to be on their guard after the latest incident last month was a gunpoint £100,000 robbery in which a diplomat’s wife and son were tied up.

One resident said homeowners, who paid up to £10million for the privilege, are ‘living in fear’ of becoming the next victim.

The neighbourhood, a favourite with Russian oil tycoons, hedge fund traders and City financiers, has been dubbed the British ‘Beverley Hills’.

Among the high-profile names to own a home there are Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and Chelsea footballer Didier Drogba.

Other include Scottish TV actress Hannah Gordon, former Chelsea player Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and the BSkyB chief executive Jeremy Darroch.

While former residents on the 420-home estate include Ringo Starr, Kate Winslet, Cliff Richard, Jenson Button and Sir Elton John.

Surrey Police admitted the tranquil Weybridge neighbourhood, known as ‘The Hill’ to locals, has been hit by a string of crimes since April.

Celebrity residents: Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty and Chelsea striker Didier Drogba are among the people who live in St George's Hill, Surrey

They included two violent robberies, a burglary, two thefts, the theft of a car, vandalism and a violent attack.

Detectives are still hunting the masked gunman behind the terrifying robbery where the victims were tied up and threatened with a sawn-off shotgun.

The woman, aged in her 30s, and her teenage son escaped unhurt as he made off with cash and jewellery worth £100,000.

Police suspect their attacker may have had an accomplice in a car outside but the pair managed to dodge security on the estate.

One local, who did not want to be named, said all householders had been warned about the recent crimes and been told to ‘be vigilant’.

He said: ‘There has been a lot of talk about the crime rate in the past six months.

‘Although it might not seem particularly high compared to most of the country, the simple fact is that people pay a lot of money to live here and do not expect to be living in fear.

‘There are private security guards, CCTV cameras, barriers and all sorts, so this kind of thing is very out of the ordinary for people who live here.

‘We have been told to be vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to the police and to the security team here.’

Elmbridge councillor Peter Harman said: ‘They’ve got their own security on the estate and they have cameras that monitor traffic going in and out, and all the cars are recorded, so it should be easy to trace people.’

The residents’ association boasts it is a ‘unique location’ for successful high achievers looking for a ‘secure and private location.’

Each house is required to have ‘at least’ one acre of land and boundaries cannot be marked by fences or walls, only hedges and bushes.

The 964-acre estate boasts its own golf club and 15 tennis courts, four squash courts, state-of-the-art gym, 20m swimming pool and sauna, bar and restaurants and its own beauty spa.

According to estate agents Savills, the the area is ‘internationally renowned as one of the most sought-after private estates in England.’

But it is not the first time the estate has had problems with unwanted intruders and people ignoring the law.

In May, peace at the gated community was punctured when squatters moved into an empty property 200 yards from the members-only tennis club that forms its social hub.

Residents were sent a letter saying those responsible were ‘known to police’ and they should be on their guard.

But the unwelcome neighbours managed to stay for several weeks at the £3million empty property which was at the centre of a long-running legal dispute.

A Surrey Police spokesman confirmed the crimes took and said officers continue to appeal for witnesses over the armed robbery.

A spokesman for St George’s Hill Residents’ Association declined to comment.

Costa del Sol’s oldest magazine shuts its doors

 

The Costa del Sol’s oldest magazine is reported to have closed down after running its final edition on Friday. The Friday-Ad – which continues to run a UK operation boasting over 1 million readers a week – had produced a Costa del Sol edition out of its Gibraltar offices since 1975. The reason behind the decision to close remains unclear. When the Olive Press attempted to contact the publication’s office, the number failed to connect. However, a member of staff in the UK office confirmed that it was their understanding that the Costa del Sol edition had closed. “As far as I am aware that was the plan (to close on Friday) but you will need to call back in 10 minutes to speak to someone who can confirm that,” she said.

Barcelona's last bullfight marks end of an era in Spain

 

When Spanish bullfighter Serafin Marin plunges his sword into the back of a bull's neck in Barcelona on Sunday, he will be marking the end of an era. The bull will not only be the last of six killed in the bullfight, but the last-ever to be killed in Barcelona's Monumental bullring, which is nearly a century old. The closure of the Monumental - in keeping with a bullfighting ban in the north-eastern region of Catalonia - reflects the decline of bullfighting in Spain, though fans of the country's 'national fiesta' vow to fight on. 'We have lost a battle, but not the war,' Marin told the daily El Mundo. But animal rights campaigner Aida Gascon said, 'Now that we have achieved (the end of bullfights) in Catalonia, we shall try to finish with them in the rest of Spain.' Catalonia, a wealthy region of 7.5 million people, has spearheaded the campaign against bullfights, or 'corridas,' in a country where animal rights activism is on the rise. The Catalan capital of Barcelona declared itself an 'anti-bullfight' city in 2004. Dozens of other municipalities followed suit, and finally in July 2010 the regional parliament outlawed bullfights from January 1, 2012. The Canary Islands had already done so in 1991, as part of a more general animal protection law, but that decision had gone largely unnoticed. The Catalan opposition to bullfights is explained not only by animal rights activism, but also by Catalan nationalism, many of whose representatives see 'corridas' as an expression of Spanishness. The region with separatist currents 'wants to eliminate everything that represents Spain,' Marin said. Bullfighting remains an important industry in Spain with an annual turnover of more than 2.5 billion euros (3.5 billion dollars), contributing to 0.25 per cent of gross domestic product. It provides direct employment to 200,000 people, including bullfighters, or 'toreros,' bull breeders, managers and others. Yet gradually the spectacle that once inspired artists and writers such as Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway is losing its appeal. Only 37 per cent of Spaniards are interested in bullfights, while 60 per cent dislike them, according to a 2010 poll. 'Corridas' are least popular among young people. Animal rights campaigners see the event, in which darts are stuck into the back of the animal's neck before the 'torero' kills it with his sword, as torture. Some observers attribute the decline also to other causes, ranging from Spain's economic crisis to an alleged deterioration of the race of the Iberian 'brave bull.' Not only are bulls' horns 'shaved' to make them less dangerous, but they are also losing their fighting spirit, some bullfighting commentators complain. Another important reason for the decline of 'corridas' is their image as an old-fashioned form of entertainment. 'Young people do not choose an anachronistic spectacle,' anti-bullfight campaigner Helena Escoda said. Even Catalonia, however, has not outlawed other bull spectacles, such as bull runs. Some Spanish regions have come out in defence of the 'corrida,' describing it as a part of their cultural heritage. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government placed bullfights under the responsibility of the Culture Ministry, instead of the Interior Ministry. The opposition conservative People's Party, which is expected to win the November 20 parliamentary elections, has taken legal action against the Catalan bullfighting ban at the Constitutional Court. Catalan bullfighting enthusiasts have also collected 300,000 signatures in defence of the fiesta. Yet it is far from certain that such initiatives will stop what many see as an inevitable social development. Catalan bullfighters, in the meantime, are planning to face the bull elsewhere in Spain or in the south of France.

Spain fears pain as Ratón the killer bull prepares to enter ring for last time

Ratón the bull at a festival in Sueca, Spain. Photograph: Alberto Saiz/AP

It is the end of a long career, deemed venerable by those who admire Spanish fighting bulls.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the half-tonne 11-year-old killer bull known as Ratón, or Mouse, will feel a bullring's sand under his hooves and sniff the scent of commingled human adrenaline and fear for the last time.

Those who pay their €2.50 (£2.20) in Canals, eastern Spain, will witness the final chapter of a life spent chasing, and occasionally goring, people. Fans are expected to arrive from around the country.

Many will be secretly hoping Ratón, who has killed two and reportedly gored five others in his career, will draw blood at his valedictory outing in the small town near Valencia. A fiesta poster promises "a show with the presence of the famous Ratón" starting at 12.30am. It does not mention that Ratón killed a spectator in nearby Xátiva last month and another man in 2008.

Canals mayor, Ricardo Cardona, claims to have been unaware of Ratón's bloody past when hiring him. He has asked the bull's owner, Gregorio de Jesús, to prevent members of the public coming face to face with the beast.

Four professional recortadores, or bull-taunters, will instead dodge in front of him in the bullring, encouraging him to chase them over obstacles for up to half an hour.

"It is when someone jumps in spontaneously that things inevitably happen," De Jesús said this month.

Police and security staff will try to prevent enthusiastic amateurs jumping into the ring with Spain's most infamous bull.

The future of Ratón, who is past retirement age, remains uncertain. De Jesús wants to clone the bull but is waiting to hear if he will receive local government funds to pay for it.

 

 

Ojai's Beth Allen posts career best finish

 

Former Ojai resident Beth Allen posted her best career finish on the Ladies European Tour, tying for second at the Open de España Femenino tournament last week at the La Quinta Golf Resort on the Costa del Sol. The 29-year-old Allen, who played at Nordhoff High and at Cal State Northridge, went into the final round with a one-shot lead. She posted a even-par 72 on Sunday, but England's Melissa Reid fired a 2-under 70 to win by a stroke. The strong finish allowed Allen to earn her biggest paycheck as a professional, winning 23,308 Euros ($31,879 U.S. dollars). In addition, Allen jumped up 17 places in the LET's money list, putting her at 24th for the season. This is her fourth season playing in Europe after competing for several seasons on the LPGA Tour.

Bullfighting to end in Spain's Catalonia,

 

Bullfighting fans will shout "Ole" for the last time in Barcelona's Monumental bullring on Sunday before a ban on the sport takes effect across the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia. The regional legislature banned the centuries-old tradition -- which pits a sword-wielding matador in a skin-tight shiny suit and red cape against an enraged bull -- last year after Catalans signed a petition against it. The bullfighting industry is still convinced it has a chance to overturn the ban and bring back the "toros" next season to Catalonia, the only mainland region in Spain that has blocked the sport -- or the art as its fans see it. "I think the politicians will think twice about the ban and bullfighting will live on. And thank God because Catalonia has plenty of serious bullfighting fans and in a democratic country they should be able to go to a bullfight," said Moises Fraile, 64, owner of El Pilar, the breeder supplying bulls for Sunday's spectacle. Some 20,000 spectators are expected to fill a sold-out Monumental -- the only bullring still operating in Catalonia -- for Sunday's blockbuster corrida starring celebrated Madrid "torero" Jose Tomas. Tomas retired in 2002, but came back in 2007 at a bullfight in Monumental, his favorite ring. Since then he has made sporadic appearances and is the only bullfighter who can still sell out Monumental.

Silva reveals Spain frustration

 

David Silva feels as though he has fallen by the wayside in Spain coach Vicente del Bosque's plans since last year's World Cup, describing himself as a "supporting actor". The 25-year-old midfielder has won a half-century of caps for his country since debuting in 2006 but has struggled to claim a first-team berth since Spain's opening game in South Africa against Switzerland last summer. The Manchester City playmaker told AS: "I feel that I don't have the confidence of the coach. When I was the only victim of the defeat against Switzerland, I thought that it could be to do with fitness, but afterwards, the critics towards my performances have always been good, although that isn't enough for the coach to trust in me." He added: "Before that game (against Switzerland) I felt confident. I played regularly, I had a place in the team, but after that defeat everything started to change. As such over time I've thought that I was the victim of that bad start that we had in the World Cup." Silva is well aware that competition is tough for berths in the Spain midfield, though. "My team-mates are very good and it's not up to me to decide if I have to be part of the starting XI. The only thing I say is that whilst Luis (Aragones) had confidence in me, Del Bosque thinks differently," he said. Looking ahead to the Euro 2012 finals, which reigning champions Spain have already qualified for, Silva added: "The decision of who goes or not will be the coach's. I'm going to work hard to maintain this level I'm at now, but even still I doubt I'm going to have a leading role in the European Championships.

Stoner makes statement in Spain

 

Casey Stoner took another significant step towards his second MotoGP world title after easing to a crushing victory at the Aragon Grand Prix in Spain. The Repsol Honda rider was the class of the field in practice and qualifying and backed up that pace as he finished over eight seconds clear of team-mate Dani Pedrosa to register his eighth win in 14 races this season. The Australian, whose first championship came with Ducati in 2007, now leads the riders' standings by 44 points from Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo with four rounds remaining. Stoner failed to make the most of his pole-position start off the line, out-dragged first by Pedrosa and then by Ben Spies as the Yamaha man took the lead into the first corner. But Stoner was not be be denied, and overhauled both Pedrosa and Spies by the end of the opening tour en route to a victory by a commanding margin. "We're pretty much back to our best," Stoner told BBC Sport. "It felt good all weekend. The bike has been fantastic and the only problem was the wind - it was changing direction and speed every lap so that was a challenge but I just had to bring it home. "It was my race to lose today and I did the job." Pedrosa clung to his team-mate's coat-tails as best he could as he came in a distant second, but Spies could not maintain the pace and faded to an eventual fifth-placed finish. Spies' demise allowed team-mate and reigning champion Lorenzo to come through for the final podium berth, the Spaniard finishing well clear of Italy's Marco Simoncelli (Gresini Honda), who ran third early on but dropped back after on off on lap 10. Suzuki's Alvaro Bautista took a strong sixth place from Hector Barbera (Aspar Ducati) and Nicky Hayden (Ducati), while Britain's Cal Crutchlow took ninth for Tech 3 Yamaha, ahead of Valentino Rossi, who continued his struggles on the factory Ducati. The race saw a number of riders crash out in the windy conditions, the most notable coming when Honda's Andrea Dovizioso, currently lying third in the riders' standings, lost control on the first lap to register his first retirement of the campaign.

Reid wins Spanish Open, Pace joint second

 

England’s Melissa Reid gave herself an early 24th birthday present by nailing her third Ladies European Tour victory at the Spanish Open. The 23-year-old, who celebrates her birthday on Monday, fired a two under par 70 at La Quinta Golf Resort in the Costa del Sol on Sunday to end eight under, one stroke clear of Lee-Anne Pace, Tania Elosegui and overnight leader Beth Allen. It was Reid’s second win this season, following victory at the Deloitte Ladies Open in the Netherlands and she will be full of confidence as she heads straight to The Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle in Ireland. A par on the 18th was enough to seal the win after Pace bogeyed the hole

Pace one shot behind Spanish Open leader

 

American Beth Allen will chase her debut Ladies European Tour victory at the Spanish Open. The 29 year-old Californian finished the third day at the head of affairs after a round of level par 72 at La Quinta Golf Resort on the Costa del Sol. She ended at seven under par, one stroke clear of England’s Melissa Reid (70) Finland’s Ursula (70) Wikstrom and South African Lee-Anne Pace (73). Allen held steady with three birdies against three bogeys on another scorching day in Marbella, making up her score on the par fives. There will be a friendly European-US rivalry in the last group on Sunday ahead of next week’s Solheim Cup, which pits the best 12 European players against their rivals from the United States. Allen and a group of friends will celebrate Reid’s birthday tonight, as she turns 24 on Monday, just prior to making her Cup debut at Killeen Castle in Ireland. Reid will be in pursuit of her third LET title following a second win at the Deloitte Ladies Open in Holland in June. Her card contained an eagle, a double, three birdies and one bogey. Wikstrom also had a colourful scorecard, with an eagle on the 14th. Italian duo Veronica Zorzi and Stefania Croce are currently tied for fifth place on five under par, while overnight leader Tania Elósegui from Spain shot 79 to slip back into a share of seventh alongside Sweden’s Carin Koch and Italian Diana Luna. Thai LET rookie Nontaya Srisawang recorded her second hole in one of the season at the 186-yard 6th hole, but after winning a Skoda in Slovakia, there was no prize this time. There would have been a Seat car for an ace at the 11th. THIRD-ROUND SCORES 209 - Beth Allen (USA) 69 68 72 210 - Melissa Reid (ENG) 71 69 70, Ursula Wikstrom (FIN) 72 68 70, Lee-Anne Pace (SA) 68 69 73 211 - Veronica Zorzi (ITA) 71 71 69, Stefania Croce (ITA) 72 68 71 212 - Carin Koch (SWE) 70 73 69, Diana Luna (ITA) 71 70 71, Tania Elosegui (ESP) 68 65 79 213 - Laura Cabanillas (ESP) 72 71 70, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 76 67 70, Frances Bondad (AUS) 70 72 71, Stacey Keating (AUS) 69 69 75 214 - Louise Stahle (SWE) 72 71 71 215 - Cassandra Kirkland (FRA) 71 71 73 216 - Ashleigh Simon (SA) 73 72 71, Raquel Carriedo (ESP) 73 71 72, Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 72 71 73, Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 72 70 74, Louise Larsson (SWE) 71 70 75, Becky Brewerton (WAL) 67 72 77 217 - Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA) 75 68 74, Caroline Westrup (SWE) 71 76 70 218 - Emma Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 76 69 73, Stefanie Michl (AUT) 74 72 72, Marianne Skarpnord (NOR) 78 68 72, Caroline Masson (GER) 73 71 74, Rebecca Codd (IRE) 73 74 71, Melodie Bourdy (FRA) 72 70 76 219 - Line Vedel (DEN) 70 75 74, Joanna Klatten (FRA) 72 73 74, Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 71 73 75, Tara Davies (WAL) 74 72 73, Liebelei Elena Lawrence (LU) 68 73 78, Mianne Bagger (DEN) 73 76 70 220 - Danielle Montgomery (ENG) 73 72 75, Anna Rossi (ITA) 75 71 74, Marjet van der Graaff (NL) 74 70 76, Lynn Kenny (SCO) 71 73 76, Elizabeth Bennett (ENG) 76 71 73, Trish Johnson (ENG) 71 72 77, Julie Tvede (DEN) 73 74 73, Charlie Douglass (ENG) 72 76 72 221 - Bree Arthur (AUS) 72 75 74, Lisa Holm Sorensen (DEN) 73 70 78, Teresa Caballer (Am) (ESP) 74 73 74, Jenni Kuosa (FIN) 75 74 72 222 - Kim Welch (USA) 72 73 77, Garrett Phillips (USA) 74 72 76, Karen Lunn (AUS) 73 73 76, Klara Spilkova (CZE) 77 72 73, Nikki Garrett (AUS) 77 72 73 223 - Laura Davies (ENG) 74 72 77, Sahra Hassan (WAL) 73 71 79, Marina Arruti (ESP) 73 75 75, Rebecca Flood (AUS) 77 71 75, Georgina Simpson (ENG) 74 75 74, Carly Booth (SCO) 76 73 74, Henrietta Zuel (ENG) 77 72 74 224 - Lucie Andre (FRA) 73 73 78, Mireia Prat (Am) (ESP) 76 70 78, Adriana Zwanck (ESP) 76 71 77, Lynnette Brooky (NZ) 76 72 76, Kate Combes (AUS) 75 73 76, Rachel Bell (ENG) 76 73 75 225 - Malene Jorgensen (DEN) 75 73 77, Stacy Lee Bregman (SA) 74 75 76 226 - Morgana Robbertze (SA) 75 73 78, Kyra van Leeuwen (NL) 74 75 77, Zuzana Kamasova (SVK) 72 77 77 228 - Caroline Martens (NOR) 74 74 80 229 - Kym Larratt (ENG) 78 71 80

APPLE MEGASTORE IN MARBELLA

Tourists come to know Marbella as one of the most sought after holiday destinations not only in Spain but throughout the European continent; now Apple choose the charming mediterranean town with the highest Millionaires concentration to host its most ambitious project in the Iberian Peninsula.

A series of rumors speak of the future opening of an Apple store in Marbella, something which has been discussed for months, but now with an added extra, since it would be the largest Apple store in Spain.

Recently, Apple opened two of its famous stores in Madrid and Barcelona and everything indicates that the next one will be located on the Costa del Sol, specifically in the shopping center La Cañada in Marbella.

The Apple Store in Marbella would have an area of 1700 square meters, which would make it the largest in the Spanish territory. Its inauguration is expected in November. Thus, Marbella will host the third Apple store in Spain. 

 

 

Polo Experience at Tres Rosas Polo

 

Tres Rosas Polo offered the chance to try some horse riding as well as the opportunity to play a very popular sport called Polo. Polo is a team sport played on horseback and the players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet. The traditional sport of polo is played at speed on a large grass field up to 300 yards in length, and each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts.    Personally, I must admit I was a bit intimidated by the whole thing, since my only(and very brief) experience with horses was more than 10 years ago. Getting up the horse and heading to the field already raised a fair amount of adrenaline in me, but the peak was reached once my horse started to gallop. Let's just say it isn't as easy at it looks and for me the fear of falling was the biggest!    Thankfully my horse, Todo, let my first experience be totally positive, even though I was not sure at all what I was doing. What they told me was that the horse can sense if the rider is insecure and totally in charge. That is the reason also why she didn't obey 100%. Nevertheless, riding the horse with the mallet in the right and leading the horse with my left hand made me feel like a polo player, even if it was for only 15 minutes!    I definitely suggest this type of sport to anybody who loves to try something different and Tres Rosas Polo club is the right place to take up this interesting hobby that is played professionally in 16 countries!