Madrid - Spain's government budget showed a deficit of 3.8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008, the finance ministry said Tuesday, as one of Europe's most troubled major economies showed further signs of weakening.

The deficit compares with a with a surplus of 2.2 per cent in 2007, the ministry said.

The government attributed the change to fiscal stimulus packages designed to buttress the economy, which has gone into a recession after being hit by the meltdown of the key construction sector.

Madrid - The glaciers on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees mountains straddling Spain and France are set to melt completely by mid-century, the daily El Pais on Tuesday quoted an Environment Ministry report as saying.

The glaciers covering parts of the Spanish Pyrenees have lost 88 per cent of their surface since 1894, down to 206 hectares in 2008, according to the report.

The glaciers are now retreating faster than before, losing 25 per cent of their surface between 2002 and 2008.

Recent harsh winters have stabilized the glaciers temporarily, but have not allowed them to grow.

Experts attribute the retreat of the glaciers to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall linked to global warming.

Madrid - Spanish Justice Minister Mariano Fernandez Bermejo announced Monday that he is to step down.

Bermejo had come under increasing criticism by the conservative opposition over going on a hunting expedition with a judge who is investigating a corruption scandal among the conservatives.

It also turned out that Bermejo faced a fine of up to 4,000 euros (6,700 dollars) for not having a licence to hunt in the southern Andalusia region, where the expedition occurred.

Madrid - Spanish movie profes

Madrid  - Two weeks ago everybody in Spain agreed that the battle for the Spanish Liga title was all over.

After breaking all the records in the first half of the season, Josep Guardiola's brilliant Barcelona were 12 points ahead of Real Madrid.

Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi, Xavi and company were breaking all the points and goals records, while waltzing through each game with elegance and authority.

Madrid  - Barcelona suffered their second league defeat of the season on Saturday 2-1 at home to lowly Espanyol, for whom ex-Barca star Ivan de la Pena was the two-goal hero.

At the same time, Real Madrid were scoring their ninth straight win by thrashing hapless Betis 6-1, with all the goals coming in a breathless first half.

These results bring the Liga race back to life because second-place Real are now just seven points behind Barca, who held a 12-point lead two weeks ago.