Canarian Weekly newspaper - distributed across Tenerife to 1000's of residents & tourists every week

News in Brief - 09.07.2010
News in Brief British Embassy joins Facebook revolution THE British Embassy in Madrid has launched a Facebook page, allowing social networkers to get news about the Embassy and Foreign Office via the popular site. It joins other British embassies using Facebook, including those from the UK, Caracas, Kabul and Kuwait. The Embassy in Madrid also has links to FCO travel advice and information about visiting or living in Spain. Its Facebook page, linked to the Embassy’s Flickr and YouTube channels, shows up-to-date photos from events and useful videos. Recently, the consular network in Spain uploaded a “Living in Spain” video, which gives important advice on a range of topics, from claiming a pension to registering to work in Spain. Facebook users are encouraged to visit the site and give it a thumbs-up if they feel the information they see there is useful ‒ just use the “like” button! The URL is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Madrid/British-Embassy-Madrid/138104872883324 or search for British Embassy Madrid on the site. Spain welcomes around 16 million British visitors a year, and is home to an estimated one million Britons. The British consulates across Spain will see a huge increase in British visitors in the coming summer months. Websites and social networking sites are, increasingly, the medium of choice for tourists and residents to obtain information, particularly regarding safety abroad. The British Embassy in Madrid also circulates messages on the microblogging site Twitter (ukinspain), and has its own website at http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk Costas clarifies that "only part of the Hotel Medano is illegal" The general secretary of the Sea of Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, Juan Carlos Martin Fragueiro, said yesterday (Thursday) that "only part of the Hotel Medano is illegal." Fragueiro, who came to Tenerife to inaugurate several works that are carried out under his department, said the risk of demolition under the 1988 Coastal Act does not rest on the entire hotel. "The Hotel del Medano has an affected section on which it has made an illegal construction," which is the responsibility of the Costas. Asked about the possible demolition he explained that "it must be run as appropriate, but not on the whole hotel." Although since the arrival of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero as Prime Minister there have been intensified efforts to implement the Coastal Act, Martin Fragueiro raised that his department is looking for "the recovery of the coasts." The general secretary of the Costas justified this momentum in implementing the Act to the coast, "as a public domain for use and enjoyment of all." In this regard, he said that "in all cases where there may be a problem area, what we like is to talk to who might be affected and seek alternatives." He compared it to cases such as the fishing village of Cho Vito, where there were house demolitions in the public domain with strong opposition of its residents. The Government, he said, does not focus exclusively on the demolitions. "We look at it case by case." Airports’ body-scanner tests SOME of Spain’s airports will employ full body scanners within six months to gauge the response by passengers. José Blanco, Minister for Development, said they would be used on a “provisional and experimental basis”, but did not say which airports were involved. Cataluña has been suggested for the first trial. The Minister said he was more concerned with safety than the discomfort to passengers, but his intention was to see if the two were compatible. Paris…in the Winter Airline Iberia are now offering direct flights to Orly Airport in Paris from November 6th, the airline has announced. The route will be operated every Saturday, with an Airbus A-321with capacity for 200 people, so more than 340 seats per week between the Canaries and the French capital. This new commitment for the winter season "goes beyond a new connection, since it represents the union of the Canary Islands to Paris, thus allowing the transfer of thousands of Canarians to the center of France, without having to go through Madrid, as they had to do until now, " said Iberia. The new flight will last about four hours, leaving from Tenerife South at 11.55 (local time) and land in the capital at 15.00. The return will be from Paris-Orly airport at 15:50 (local time) and arriving at Tenerife South Canary 20.45. Spanish PM under attack over British homes’ threat MARTA ANDREASEN, controversial UKIP Euro MP, has launched a second attack on Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero about the confiscation of Britons’ homes on the Spanish coastline. The outspoken MEP for South-east England first went for the Spanish PM at the start of the country’s EU presidency, and resumed the assault as Spain’s six-month term in the hot-seat ended. Zapatero was in the Strasbourg chamber last Tuesday, answering questions about the past six months, when Andresen pounced. She asked him whether he intended to confiscate the Britons’ homes, as had happened in Zimbabwe. She also compared the demolitions along the Spanish coastline with the colonial repossessions in Zimbabwe. Andreasen spoke strongly in defence of those Britons who had already been “cheated” in Andalucía. She also said that people from her constituency feared “the situation in Spain would be similar” to that suffered by the Britons in Zimbabwe under the Mugabe regime. And, given the “risk of confiscation” of British-owned homes in places such as Albox in Almería, she asked whether this was applicable treatment in a “friendly and European” country. Andreasen added that the situation was a violation of human rights, as well as being an important element in the crisis Spain was now suffering. She challenged Zapatero: “Are you waiting for the European Union to rescue a country where this violation is continued to be produced, without the central Government deciding to intervene?” She went on to criticise the attitude of Spain regarding the houses now affected under the new Ley de Costas. Record breaking viewing Over 14 million viewers and 81.5% of audience share watched Spain go through to the final of the World Cup. Telecinco had 13.289 million viewers and 77.3% share of the market, After the victory Telecinco aired a special two hour programme (between 22:15 and 24:15 hours) that brought together a 37.5% audience share and 6.211 million average. Furthermore, Telecinco reported a 30.9% and 2.937 million fans in the pre-World Cup semifinal. Spain's victory against Germany has become the most watched World Cup match in the history of Telecinco, above the match against Honduras last Monday, June 21 (12.721 million viewers), which broke all previous records. South Hospital The Ministry of Health of the Canary Islands Government has made public the basis for the tender for the construction of the South Hospital on the island of Tenerife with a budget of 34.6 million euros. Those interested have until August 19 this year to submit their tenders. It has also got to be the most economically advantageous tender which will be elected. The southern region has been waiting more than eight years to build this facility which has been delayed numerous times, despite the availability of land and population growth in the area. Residents and even the mayor of Arona, Jose Alberto Gonzalez Reveron, whose Council has made available the land have criticised the delays in the execution of the work. Underwater fiber-optic An underwater fiber-optic cable linking Europe and West Africa has gone live, boosting broadband capacity. The cable measures 4,350 miles long and links Portugal with Nigeria, Africa's largest mobile telecom market, and Ghana, branching out to Morocco, the Canary Islands, Senegal and Ivory Coast as well. The cable is expected to deliver more than 10 times the broadband capacity of Nigeria's only existing underwater cable. Yellow weather alert The Canaries have been put on a yellow weather alert for the weekend as temperatures are set to soar to 35 degrees in the archipelago with the presence of haze. The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) announced that Friday’s temperatures are expected to reach 34 degrees at the top, east, south and west of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, west of La Palma, south of La Gomera, east, south and west of Tenerife and west of El Hierro. On Saturday, temperatures will reach 35 degrees at the top, east, south, west and middle of northern Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, west of La Palma, south of La Gomera, southwest of El Hierro and La Orotava , Vilaflor east, south and west of Tenerife. It is also anticipated that this situation will continue until Monday 12th. The weather has caused problems for the third consecutive day at Los Rodeos Airport. Fog has caused cancellations, delays and detours plus delays on the north motorway. Many flights were cancelled or diverted to the south where the sky was hazy, but cloudless. AENA sources said during Thursday morning there had been 15 cancellations of flights, seven diversions to Reina Sofia Airport in the south of the island and numerous delays. 158 flights were due to use the North Airport on Thursday. Poor visibility also affects inter island travel despite the short flying time.