Madrid  - Spanish cup holders Valencia were relieved to escape with a 1-1 draw away to Racing Santander on Wednesday, in a lively fifth round first leg clash.

Valencia, who beat Getafe 3-1 in last season's final, had Vicente and Miguel sent off in the dying minutes, when Santander came close to winning.

Valencia had taken the lead in the 38th minute, when Santander veteran Gonzalo Colsa headed a Manuel Fernandes corner into his own goal. From then on, the hosts were in the driving seat, with Valencia content to soak up the pressure and play on the break.

Madrid - Lionel Messi is again all the talk in Spain after his hat-trick and brilliant form against Atletico Madrid received unanimous praise from country's media.

Messi dazzled as Barcelona beat Atletico 3-1 away in the Spanish capital to move close to the quarter-finals of the King's Cup.

The Argentina striker left the pitch at the Vicente Calderon stadium on Tuesday to applause even from rival fans, who surrendered to the charm of an outstanding player in undoubtedly great form.

Madrid - In what was taken as an indirect swipe at Israel's actions in the Gaza, Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon has announced a military ethical code of conduct to prevent the Spanish army from misusing force, press reports said Wednesday.

Chacon announced the reform in a speech in which she was seen as indirectly criticizing Israel, during an annual military ceremony on Tuesday.

The code of conduct based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international humanitarian law was seen as trying to prevent action such as that by the United States in Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and by Israel in Gaza.

Barcelona - Journalist and author Maruja Torres, 65, has been awarded the Nadal Prize, Spain's oldest literature award, media reported Wednesday.

The prize was awarded for the 65th time overnight in Barcelona.

Torres won the prize for her novel Esperadme en el Cielo (Wait for Me in Heaven), in which the protagonist meets old friends, Manolo and Terenci, in heaven.

The two represent Torres' friends, the late Spanish writers Manuel Vazquez Montalban and Terenci Moix.

The novel was described as a bittersweet tribute to friendship.

Madrid  - A year ago, 5-year-old Mari Luz Cortes left her home in the southern Spanish city of Huelva to buy a bag of crisps. She never returned. Two months later, her body was found floating in a river estuary.

"Case Mari Luz" could have been just another tragic killing by a paedophile, but it uncovered serious deficiencies within the Spanish judiciary.

The case is still making headlines as Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government faces a showdown with judges threatening an unprecedented strike this month.

Madrid - Spanish Liga club Osasuna announced on Tuesday that promising young l