Drug Trial
A British man accused of being one of Europe’s biggest drug traffickers went on trial yesterday accused of smuggling 1.3 tons of cocaine into France.
The drugs carried in 30 unregistered suitcases, were discovered in 2013 after an Air France plane arrived at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport from Caracas.
Robert Dawes, now 46, was arrested in November 2015 at his luxury resort in Benalmadena, after police intercepted a conversation in which he reportedly claimed ownership of the cocaine, worth an estimated £216million at today’s prices.
Extradited to France shortly after his arrest, Dawes is now on trial alongside two other Britons – and three Italians with links to the Camorra crime syndicate.
The group risk up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to £6.8million each. Dawes denies the charges against him.
Minimum Wage
THE promised minimum wage rise will be enshrined in law later this month, the government has announced – and will see an increase in monthly pay for over 6.3 million residents in Spain.
Before this month is out, the minimum wage will rise officially to €1,050 over 12 monthly payments.
The government believes this will ease the financial pressure suffered by the lowest-earning households, and will also increase tax and Social Security income for the State, as well as spending in general, which will eventually lead to more jobs being created.
The increase, of 22%, was not due to happen until the middle of next year.
Now the government has decided to bring the wage increase forward to December, meaning the first payment at the higher figure will be received by employees on or around January 1.
To do so, it has had to draw up a Royal Decree.
King or President Vote
Spaniards have been casting ballots in unofficial people’s votes to abolish the monarchy. Many say it’s time Spain became a republic and argue that the king no longer helps to hold the country together.
On December 2, over 23,000 people in 12 districts and four municipalities of the Madrid region voted in the unofficial referendum. The result was overwhelming in its rejection of the monarchy: 93 percent of those who cast ballots would prefer to have a president of the republic as Spain’s head of state.
Days before, over 7000 students took part in a similar unofficial referendum There too the result was a massive victory for the republic option.
Phone Numbers
SIX provinces including Alicante and Malaga are set to be given new phone dialing codes to ensure communications officials don ‘t run out of numbers.
The Economy Ministry announced the plans in the Official State Gazette. The measures will see provinces get alternative dialing codes to issue alongside existing numbers.
Alicante will now have 865 as well as 965, and Malaga 851 and 951.