Madrid  - Real Madrid battled to their seventh straight win on Saturday, 1-0 at home to willing but harmless Racing Santander.

It was the fourth 1-0 home win since Juande Ramos took over two months ago, and imposed an unattractive but effective counter- attacking style.

The colourless win leaves Real in second place, nine points above third-placed Sevilla, who surprisingly crashed 2-1 at home to crosstown rivals Betis later on Saturday, in their third straight defeat.

Madrid - Real Madrid battled out their seventh straight win on Saturday, 1-0 at home to willing but harmless Racing Santander.

It was the fourth 1-0 home win since Juande Ramos took over two months ago, and imposed an unattractive but effective counter- attacking style.

The only three players to warm up the Estadio Bernabeu on a chilly night were Gonzalo Higuain, who scored the only goal; Arjen Robben with his handsome wingplay; and keeper Iker Casillas, who had to work hard towards the end.

Madrid  - The Spanish government Friday approved an agreement allowing Argentinian immigrants to vote in the 2011 municipal elections, making Argentina the third Latin American country to get that right after Peru and Colombia.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and his Argentine counterpart Jorge Taiana were scheduled to sign the agreement on Monday at the start of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez' visit to Spain.

Seville - Barcelona youngsters Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets have been called up for the first time as Spain coach Vicente del Bosque on Friday picked them for next week's friendly against England.

Pique, 22, has been in excellent form since rejoining Barca from Manchester United last July.

He has been a regular in the Spain Under-21 side for the past two years, and helped them Under-19 team to pick up the European crown in Poland in 2006.

Madrid - Spain is willing to take "a limited number" of inmates from the US prison camp

Madrid - A high-level Vatican official on Friday declined to comment on allegations that Vatican decision-making is failing in the wake of the Bishop Williamson Holocaust denial scandal, replying with only one sentence: "We have no FBI."

Mexican Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health, was commenting on the row in an interview published by the Spanish daily El Mundo.

Lozano Barragan described Williamson's denial of the Holocaust as a "stupidity," stressing the British-born bishop had already made the claims a year ago.

"Any one of us can say a stupidity, and are we going to be excommunicated for that?" the cardinal asked.