Madrid  - Spanish leaders Barcelona kicked off 2009 with a 3- 1 comeback at home over lowly Mallorca, a win that leaves them with a 13-point lead.

Record-breaking Barca now have 44 points from 17 games - the highest-ever total at this stage of the season - 13 more than second- place Sevilla, who are at home Sunday to bottom team Osasuna.

"It was a great way for us to start the year," said Thierry Henry, scorer of Barca's first goal.

Barca coach Josep Guardiola raised eyebrows by leaving Lionel Messi - who returned late from holiday - in the stands, and Daniel Alves on the bench. The tight win, however, tends to vindicate his "rotation" policy, though his team did not play particularly well.

Madrid - Madrid's Prado art museum drew a record number of visitors in 2008 despite the economic crisis, sources of Spain's top art museum said Friday.

Madrid - Spanish car sales went down 28.1 per cent in 2008 in t

Madrid - Spain will become the first major buyer of surplus carbon dioxide emission rights from eastern Europe in an attempt to comply with the Kyoto Protocol, the daily El Pais reported Friday.

Spain has sealed with Hungary the purchase of a quota of 6 million tons of CO2, and is in talks about similar deals with Poland, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the daily quoted government sources as saying.

The Kyoto Protocol allows eastern European countries to sell surplus emission rights after closing contaminating factories in the early 1990s.

Madrid  - Struggling Spanish Liga club Mallorca have signed goalkeeper Dudu Aouate from Deportivo Coruna, the club said Sunday.

Mallorca have been keen to sign another goalkeeper to replace Miguel Angel Moya, out until late February after undergoing a knee operation.

Mallorca are to pay Deportivo around 1 million euros (1.40 million dollars) for Aouate who is being given a contract until 2011.

The Israeli international will have a baptism of fire in the Mallorca goal on January 3, away to runaway leaders Barcelona.

Mallorca are fourth from bottom in La Liga and facing a difficult relegation battle.

Madrid  - Spanish giants Valencia announced Thursday evening that Nikola Zigic had been loaned to Racing Santander until the end of the season.

Santander president Francisco Pernia intends to present Zigic to the media on Monday.

The gigantic Serbian striker was a great success when playing for Santander in the 2006-2007 season, scoring 11 league goals. He was then sold to Valencia, where he has failed to hold down a regular first-team place.