Madrid  - Spanish Liga club Espanyol announced on Wednesday that captain Raul Tamudo would be out of action for around two months.

Tamudo, 30, has torn the femoral biceps muscle in his left leg, according to the club doctors. The injury was suffered in Sunday's 1-0 home defeat against Sporting Gijon, a result which led to coach Bartolome Marquez being replaced by Mane.

Tamudo was expected to be part of the Spain squad at Euro 2008 but missed the tournament due to a broken arm.

San Sebastian, Spain - Suspected Basque separatists Wednesday shot dead an entrepreneur in Azpeitia near San Sebastian in Spain's Basque region, police said.

Ignacio Uria Mendizabal, 71, was one of the heads of a company participating in the construction of a high-speed rail network which had come under threat from the militant Basque separatist group ETA.

Two people shot Uria Mendizabal in the head and chest as he was about to leave his car in the car park of a restaurant where he came daily to play cards.

Health workers failed to revive the victim who died of his injuries.

Madrid - Klaas Jan Huntelaar flew into Madrid on Wednesday to sign for Spanish football champions Real Madrid.

The Dutch striker was due to undergo medical tests later in the day, particularly on the right ankle that has kept him out of action fror the past month.

Huntelaar told the media at Barajas airport that his injury was "coming along well."

The international forward added that it was "a dream come true" for him to sign for Real, who have paid 20 million euros (25.30 million dollars) to Ajax of Amsterdam for him.

San Sebastian, Spain - A businessman was injured by several gunshots Wednesday in Azpeit

Madrid - Controversy continued in Spain on Wednesday over allegations that the former conservative government gave permission to the United States to secretly fly terrorist suspects via Spain to the prison camp in Guantanamo, Cuba.

Conservative leader Mariano Rajoy denied having known anything about such flights, while the left-leaning daily El Pais reported that a 2002 Foreign Ministry document on the flights had mysteriously disappeared.

Madrid - Troubled Spanish giants Valencia are considering selling off their most important stars - in order to reduce their massive debts.

Sports daily Marca said on Wednesday that Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester City are interested in in Euro 2008 top scorer David Villa, and that Barcelona are renewing their interest in David Silva, another member of the Euro-winning Spain team.

Other Valencia stars rumoured to be the targets for other clubs, are Spanish internationals Joaquin, Fernando Morientes, Vicente Rodriguez and Raul Albiol, plus Portuguese players Miguel, Manuel Fernandes and Hugo Viana.

Valencia are rumoured to be more than 150 million euros (253 million dollars) in debt, and could be soon filing for bankruptcy.