Madrid- The Spanish government Friday revised its 2009 economic forecast dramatically downwards, saying the economy would shrink by 1.6 per cent in its first contraction in 16 years.

Until now, the government had officially expected the economy to grow 1 per cent, down from an estimated 1.2 per cent in 2008.

The public deficit will increase from 3.4 per cent in 2008 to 5.8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), far above the 3-per-cent threshold set by the European Union stability pact.

Unemployment will soar by 3.6 per cent to 15.9 per cent.

Madrid - Ramon Calderon's short and stormy reign as president of crisis club Real Madrid came to an end on Friday over the latest affair involving unqualified delegates at a club assembly.

Calderon was yet to confirm the move but it seems that he was left with no option but to resign after being abandoned by his directors at a stormy midday board meeting.

Calderon, 57, was under massive pressure to quit since Tuesday, when Marca revealed that he had sneaked unqualified delegates into the club's annual general assembly on 7 December, in order to have his proposed budget and other measures passed.

Madrid - Real Madrid will be without veteran midfielder Guti for around a month, the troubled Spanish giants announced on Friday.

Guti, 32, has torn the cuadriceps muscle in his left leg, according to the club doctors.

He has not played since December 20 and will not be out until the middle of February. Thus he is doubtful for Real's Champions League round of 16 clash against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The injury to Guti will open the door for new signing Lassana Diarra to establish himself in the Real midfield.

Madrid - Ninety per cent of Spaniards welcome the election of Barack Obama as US president, a poll made public on Friday showed.

The high percentage was only comparable with the number of Spaniards who had opposed the US invasion of Iraq, which was backed by Spain's then conservative government, according to the Elcano Institute.

The international studies institute interviewed 1,000 people for the poll in December.

Those interviewed regarded Obama as the best world leader, followed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and future US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

Madrid - The Spanish government was Friday expected to lodge a low-key protest with the Cuban embassy over Cuban criticism of Madrid regional Prime Minister Esperanza Aguirre, who was slammed for her anti-Castrist views, the Spanish media reported.

Aguirre has repeatedly criticized the leftist revolution that took place under the leadership of Cuba's former president Fidel Castro 50 years ago, and gave her backing to an anti-Castrist demonstration scheduled for February 1 in Madrid.

Madrid - The international art event known as the Cow Parade began in Madrid on Friday with 105 colourful fiberglass cows showing up in the Spanish capital.

The life-size models painted by professional and amateur artists can be seen in central districts of the city until March 31, after which the artistically best of them are to be auctioned for a minimum price of about 1,500 euros (2,000 dollars) each, media reports quoted officials as saying.