Madrid - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Tuesday announced measures to shore up the country's car industry, the slowdown of which is endangering an estimated 50,000 jobs.

The government is preparing a 2009-2010 plan to revive an economy hit by the global crisis. The plan includes measures to help the "important" car industry, Zapatero said.

"We will make efforts up to where we can legally," said Zapatero. But Spain could not act "outside the lines marked by the European Union," and would wait until the European Commission presented its plans for the car industry on Wednesday, the premier said.

Madrid - A planned deal for the Russian oil giant Lukoil to become the biggest shareholder of Spain's top oil company Repsol YPF could collapse over lack of financing and Spanish political opposition, media reported Tuesday.

Lukoil is interested in buying nearly 30 per cent of Repsol in a deal estimated at up to 9.8 billion euros (12.5 billion dollars).

The purchase would include a 20-per-cent stake now held by the debt-ridden construction company Sacyr Vallehermoso and part of a

Madrid- A planned deal for the Russian oil giant Lukoil to become the biggest shareholder of Spain's top oil company Repsol YPF could collapse over lack of financing and Spanish political opposition, media reported Tuesday.

Lukoil is interested in buying nearly 30 per cent of Repsol in a deal estimated at up to 9.8 billion euros (12.5 billion dollars).

The purchase would include a 20-per-cent stake now held by the debt-ridden construction company Sacyr Vallehermoso and part of a 12.5-per-cent stake owned by Criteria, a holding of La Caixa bank.

Madrid - Spain's triumphant Davis Cup-winning tennis team flew into Madrid airport on Tuesday morning after writing the final chapter in a glorious year for Spanish sport.

Headed by captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario, the tennis heroes left Buenos Aires on Monday evening and flew into Madrid's Barajas airport early on Tuesday, to be greeted by around 200 delighted fans.

Arriving at a more hospitable hour would surely have provoked a more tumultous reception.

Madrid  - Angel Maria Villar was, as expected, re-elected as president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) on Monday for another four-year term.

Villar, 58, has reigned for two decades since 1988, one of the longest in world football.

He obtained 144 votes on Monday, with three votes being declared null and 18 left blank.

In his acceptance speech, he said he was "very grateful for the continued confidence in me," and promised "four more years of dedication and hard work."

Madrid - Former Tour de France champion Alberto Contador underwent surgery to relieve a blockage in his nasal passage and to remove a polyp on his vocal cord on Monday.

Contador said the operation would force him to miss a December training camp of his Astana team in Tenerife even though he will travel to the island for light training in the gym.

"The moment to take the bike again will depend of how I evolve, but I have thought to use the stage in Tenerife to make a specific work in the gym," he said on his website.