SPA- Arthur Mas said nothing but good

Andalucia politicians take offence at Catalan president's comments

President Artur Mas has offended politicians from across the country by saying ‘They speak Castellano in Sevilla, Málaga or Coruña, but sometimes they can’t be understood’. 

The matter quickly became the trending hashtag #arturmasnoentiende as Javier Arenas the PP leader in Andalucía accused him of ‘offending the Andalucian people’. Government spokesman, José Blanco, demanded an apology and said he himself felt offended because of his Galician roots.

Following the protests Mas has apologised and lamented that his words were misunderstood. In a statement he said, 
‘It’s a shame that the legitimate demands of Cataluña and the calls for a basic understanding in the judiciary get far less response than a ‘casual statement’ made with no intention to offend anybody’
.

Murder suspect gunned down in California woods

 Three law enforcement officers patrolling a remote stretch of northern California woods shot dead a double-murder suspect whom authorities had been hunting for 36 days, a sheriff said.

Aaron Bassler was wearing black clothing and carrying a large backpack, a fanny-pack and assault rifle when three Sacramento sheriffs spotted him early Saturday, Mendocino County Sheriff Tom Allman said.

From about 40 yards away and at an elevation 25 feet higher, they 

fired about seven rounds into his upper torso.

Allman said Bassler didn't fire a shot, and there was no verbal exchange between the parties. The suspect raised his weapon -- which was loaded and not on safety -- from the ground toward law enforcement officers.

It is believed to be the same weapon used to kill one of his victims, officials said.

The suspect was considered "armed and dangerous," and was believed to have engaged in a gunfight with three other law enforcement officers from Alameda County two days earlier.

7 arrested in alleged SAT cheating scam

Authorities have arrested seven people in an alleged SAT cheating scam at a Long Island, New York, high school and are investigating whether the cheating extends to other schools.

Samuel Eshaghoff, 19, of Great Neck, New York, was arrested Tuesday on felony fraud charges that could result in four years in prison if he's convicted, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office said. Six students face misdemeanor charges. Their names are not being released because they are minors.

Samuel Eshaghoff

Prosecutors allege Eshaghoff impersonated six Great Neck North High students between 2010 and 2011, charging between $1,500 and $2,500 to take the SAT test for them. Eshaghoff would take the test at schools other than Great Neck, where proctors would not be familiar with the students' identity, and present fake, unofficial identification, prosecutors say.

Wall Street protests enter 11th day

Protests to draw attention to the power of Wall Street firms in the United States and world economies will continue for an 11th straight day in lower Manhattan Tuesday.

"Our main concern is the way that democracy is hijacked through wealth inequality," said Patrick Bruner, a spokesman for the protest group Occupy Wall Street. Bruner said protestors plan to present a list of demands, though they don't know when or to whom they will present them to.

The group, taking its inspiration from the Arab Spring protests that swept through Africa and the Middle East, has taken up residence in a park in New York's Financial District, calling for 20,000 people to flood the area for a "few months" to press home their point. Social media fueled those uprisings in places like Egypt and Libya and organizers are hoping it will work in the United States too.

"The rich are getting away with a huge crime," documentary filmmaker Michael Moore said Monday on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight." "Nobody's been arrested on Wall Street for the crash of 2008. They're not paying their fair share of the taxes."

"I do well," Moore acknowledged, but "we reward people for making money off money, and moving money around and dividing up mortgages a thousand times over, selling it to China ... and it becomes this shell game."

Moore spoke to the protesters before appearing on CNN, telling them that he'll be happy when "the real people in this country are in charge" and he doesn't have to make another movie or write another book on what he sees as the social and political ills of America.

Málaga court hears that Roca controlled money down to a mop Read more

 Malaga Court hears that Roca controlled money down to a mop.

The court heard that he paid for his art collection with four properties

As the Malaya corruption case has reached its first year in Málaga, the court has heard that Juan Antonio Roca paid for parts of his art collection with real estate via one of his companies. 

Inspection of commercial deals done on February 3 and April 15 2002, show that Roca valued a list of paintings at 1,153,943 €, and that he paid for them in exchange for four properties.

Mississippi storm causes damage

 possible tornado ripped through Cleveland, Mississippi, on Sunday night, damaging two department stores and a nearby subdivision, officials said Monday.

No injuries were reported.

The storm did knock out the county's communication network and the local hospital stopped taking patients, said Kimberly Broadwater of the Bolivar County Volunteer Fire Department said The storm also caused a gas leak that has since been capped, she said.

"We've got a mess on our hands," Broadwater said.

It was unclear Monday if the storm was a tornado. The National Weather Service sent out an alert that a tornado had touched down, but authorities were still trying to determine if the damage was done by a tornado or straight-line winds.

Lee Tedder of the Bolivar County Sheriff's Office said the Sears and Walmart stores in the northwestern Mississippi town of 12,000 people had lost their roofs in the storm, but Broadwater said the Sears store had been demolished.

U.S- Obama urges black community to 'march with me'

Obama urges black community to 'march with me'

While acknowledging the hard-hit black community and budding criticisms in its ranks, President Barack Obama said in a speech Saturday night to the Congressional Black Caucus that he wouldn't give up -- and urged members of the black community to join him to jump-start the still-sluggish economy.

"I expect all of you to march with me, and press on," Obama said. "... Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We've got work to do."

The unemployment rate among African-Americans is 16.7%, nearly double the national average, while 40% of black children live in poverty. Such facts have made fiscal reforms a priority for caucus members, some of whom -- most of them Democrats -- have criticized Obama for not doing enough on the issue.

They include Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, who at a caucus "jobs' tour town hall" in Detroit this month described the unemployment rate among blacks "unconscionable." She said the strategy to fix it was unclear, adding that the caucus was "getting tired" of waiting for one.

U.S - Suspected serial killer arrested on the Costa del Sol.

Suspected serial killer arrested on the Costa del Sol
Suspected serial killer arrested in Costa del Sol

An alleged serial killer, who has been operating on the Costa del Sol and who is believed to be responsible for the deaths of two women, has been arrested.

The crimes were on August 11 and September 10 in Calahonda and San Pedro de Alcántara, and in both cases the women had Spanish nationality but were of Latin American origin, and both were stabbed. Preliminary reports from the autopsies show certain similarities between the crimes.

Gr- Pope in Germany 'to speak about God,' not politics

Pope in Germany 'to speak about God,' not politics

On his first state visit to his homeland, Pope Benedict XVI met Thursday with Germany's prime minister and president and spoke to legislators, but insisted that his purpose was not economic or political, but spiritual.

"Even though this journey is an official visit which will reinforce the good relations existing between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Holy See, I have not come here primarily to pursue particular political or economic goals," he said during remarks at Bellevue Castle, the president's official residence, "but rather to meet people and to speak about God."

"The Federal Republic of Germany has become what it is today thanks to the power of freedom shaped by responsibility before God and before one another."

The pope arrived Thursday morning at Berlin's Tegel airport for a visit marked by heavy police presence and, in some places, protests. Many see the papal itinerary as an encroachment on church-state separation; others in the increasingly secular nation are critical of the church's more conservative teachings.

World - 10 commandments of dressing for work

10 commandments of dressing for work

1. Modesty is a virtue.

Get noticed for your great work, not your tight pants, overdone makeup, short skirt or cleavage-revealing shirt.

"Nothing undermines how you are perceived in business as leaving nothing to the imagination," says Chris Hauri, founder of Mirror Image, a Chicago-based image and identity consultancy.

2. Keep holy the casual Friday.

Yes, the workweek is almost done -- the key word being almost. "Casual Fridays are a recipe for fashion disasters," says Lizandra Vega, author of "The Image of Success: Make a Great Impression and Land the Job You Want." Don't jump the gun by wearing your weekend plans, whether that be catching some rays in a halter top and short shorts or cleaning out the garage in your college sweatshirt and cut-offs.

3. Thou shalt wear the right shoes.

Your feet should look prepared for work. Vega suggests skipping flip-flops and other open-toe shoes, while Hauri notes, "High high heels may be fashionable, but not for actually working. Image conveyed: I can't pitch in and do any work because I really can't walk in these things. Want to be a team player? Wear flats."

4. Honor thy leaders.

Not sure what is appropriate for casual Friday or a client meeting? Look around. "The wisest employees often observe and take cues from the most respected individuals within their organization on what is appropriate workplace attire," Randall says.

5. Thou shalt not steal thy boss's tie.

Keep in mind that taking cues from those above does not mean replicating their wardrobe piece for piece. Instead of coming off as a lemming, find comparable styles, colors and accessories that work for you.

6. Control thy festiveness.

Wearing seasonal colors is one thing, looking like Santa's elf is another. Randall recalls a story about a co-worker who exuberantly over-accessorized her outfits to fit the holidays. "Her overzealousness caused her co-workers to snicker, and she became unofficially known as 'the walking calendar.' Moral of the story: Your workplace wardrobe should enhance your professional skills and qualities, not detract from them."

7. Remember the good book.

Whether you are questioning what constitutes an acceptable variation of a uniform or wondering about the company's stance on jeans, chances are the employee handbook has the answer. Still trying to decide if you should cover up a tattoo? Seek the advice of a trusted mentor, human resources representative or immediate supervisor.

8. Thou shalt notice what year it is.

Congratulations on taking such good care of your clothing that items from 1983 are still "fine" today. Now put these relics in the Goodwill box where they should have landed years ago. While one need not be a fashionista, looking outdated can give the impression that you lack fresh ideas.

9. Err on the side of caution.

Worried that your casual Friday outfit might be too relaxed or that a bright orange shirt might not be received well by a new client? Avoid the guesswork -- and the corresponding nervousness -- by making safer choices when in doubt.

10. Dress for the job thou want.

A final tidbit: "My advice for everyone, no matter what age or gender, is to dress for the job you want, not the one you're in," Hauri says. "Unless you're happy with where you are, which is just fine."