Madrid- The global economic crisis could raise Spain's public sector deficit to about 3 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, the governor of the Spanish central bank said Wednesday.

Miguel Angel Fernandez Ordonez called on the government to "maintain a margin of action" in case the economy suffered "situations of major deterioration."

Madrid (Spain), Nov. 19 : Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros has been moved out of intensive care, weeks after undergoing a successful operation to remove a tumor from his brain.

The Spanish five-time Major winner, 51, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at La Paz hospital, after losing consciousness at Madrid Airport early last month.

He has since undergone three operations to reduce pressure on his brain and remove remaining tumor tissues.

A spokesman for the hospital said: “Severiano Ballesteros has left the intensive care unit and has now changed ward.

Cairo  - Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouq Hosni and his Spanish counterpart Cesar Antonio Molina opened the 32nd Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) late Tuesday.

Fireworks welcomed an array of international stars as they walked this year's shiny red carpet. British actress-producer Julia Ormond, Elvis Presley's ex-wife Priscilla Presley, Oscar winning star Goldie Hawn and her partner Golden Globe nominee Kurt Russell were joined by renowned actor Omar Sharif, the honorary president of the festival.

Valencia, Spain  - Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said Tuesday that the alliance should re-evaluate its relations with Russia without severing them.

The relations should be reconsidered after Russia's "disproportionate" use of force in Georgia, but not broken because they were a "strategic asset," Scheffer said at the
54th annual meeting of the NATO parliamentary assembly.

The assembly adopted a resolution urging Russia to respect the sovereignty of other nations as about 300 delegates from 50 countries were wrapping up their five-day meeting in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia.

Valencia - Spanish football giants Valencia announced on Tuesday that left-back Asier del Horno will be out of action for around three weeks due to injury.

The Basque defender has a twisted external ligament in his right knee, which should not require an operation, the club said. Del Horno, 27, suffered this injury in training earlier in the day.

Del Horno joined Valencia from Chelsea after missing the 2006 World Cup through injury. He has failed to be a regular at Mestalla and was loaned out to his original club, Athletic Bilbao, last season.

Valencia, Spain - Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said Tuesday that the alliance should re-evaluate its relations with Russia without severing them.

The relations should be reconsidered after Russia's "disproportionate" use of force in Georgia, but not broken because they were a "strategic asset," Scheffer said at the
54th annual meeting of the NATO parliamentary assembly.