Seville, Spain  - Seville became the first southern Spanish mainland city to get an underground on Thursday, as the first of a planned four lines started functioning.

The line measuring 18 kilometres links north-western Seville with the southeast.

The construction of the subway, which is estimated to cost 600 million euros (800 million dollars), is running more than two years late of schedule. Media reports attributed the delay to unexpected problems caused by short-term planning.

Seville, Spain  - England manager Fabio Capello praised Spain on Tuesday and said the team his squad is up against in a friendly on Wednesday "has its own typical play, similar to the South American variant, but with greater speed."

The match between England and European champion Spain in Seville has prompted great expectations given the good run both teams are enjoying. It also marks Capello's return to a country he loves, following two stints as Real Madrid coach.

Madrid  - Spanish giants Sevilla announced on Tuesday evening the extension of the contract of Adriano until 2014.

The original contract of the Brazilian wing-back was due to expire in 2012.

Adriano (full name: Adriano Correia Claro) has become one of Sevilla's most important players in the past four seasons - he joined the Seville club from Coritiba in 2004 - with his powerful surges down the left.

He is still only 24, and Sevilla are convinced that he has a bright future.

Madrid  - Almani Moreira, Portuguese player for Partizan Belgrade, is in hospital in Seville after fainting on the field at the start of Wednesday's UEFA Cup clash between Sevilla and Partizan.

Moreira collapsed after just three minutes of the game, on the same Sanchez Pizjuan pitch where Sevilla youngster Antonio Puerta died of a massive heart attack in August
2007.

Moreira was stretchered off and taken by ambulance to the Virgen del Rocio hospital, where his condition is said to be stable. He will spend the night in the hospital and will undergo various tests on Thursday.

Sevilla went on to win the match 3-0, with two goals from Luis Fabiano and one from fellow Brazilian Renato.

Seville, Spain - An earthquake of 3.8 degrees on the Richter scale rattled five southern Spanish provinces on Thursday, a spokesman for the National Seismic Network said.

Seville - Spain has sent a reconnaissance aircraft and 90 soldiers to Somalia as part of its efforts to combat the recent upswing in piracy off the coast of the African state, the Spanish Ministry of Defence said on Saturday.

The surveillance plane as well as two troop transport and equipment flights left from Moron airbase near Seville in southern Spain and will operate from a base in Djibouti, the ministry said.

The Spanish mission will support a recent EU initiative to curb piracy in the Gulf of Aden, which has become a pressing problem in recent months.