Oz in Spain

OzinSpain has been mildly disparaging about the Ryder Cup in the past (Ryder Hype Runneth Over), arguing that it might be über-significant for US and European players and fans but considerably less so for the overwhelming 90 per cent majority of the rest of the world: i.e. Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania and all the Americas apart from the US. […]

When Lieutenant-Coronel Antonio Tejero and his band of military misfits infamously stormed Spain’s Cortes (parliament) on 23 February and shot several machine gun rounds into the air most of the deputies dropped terrified to the floor and hid. Except for three: acting minister of defence and deputy prime minister General Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, who remonstrated with Tejero and ordered him to desist, acting prime minister Adolfo Suárez… and Communist Party leader Santiago Carrillo, who calmly lit a cigarette (they were different times) and remained seated.

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The new champion and his wife Alicia Carriles (Photo: Getty Images)

Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño was one of four high-ranked Spaniards hoping to make his Ryder Cup debut this year. In the end he, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Álvaro Quíros and Pablo Larrazábal fell short in the qualification process – and failed to gain a wild-card selection from captain José María Olazábal to join the only Spaniard in the 2012 team, Sergio García (Miguel Ángel Jimñénez is also one of Chema’s vice-captains). […]

After making his first appearance in a professional event at the same course where his celebrated father made his professional debut, Javier Ballesteros Botín teed up for his second tournament at the emblematic scene of Seve’s final victory. […]

Sota, Mª Acacia and TV presenter Carlos García-Hirschfeld, in Pedreña in 2009 (Photo: Fernando Herranz)

Severiano Ballesteros was the first Spanish golfer to shine in the international spotlight but it was his uncle Ramón Sota who helped pave the way when the game was effectively in its infancy in Spain.

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(Photo: Getty Images)

One of Miguel Ángel Jiménez’s most celebrated contributions to past European Ryder Cup challenges has been his liberal supply of Spanish wine. This year, there will no doubt be another crate or two in the cargo hold as the team heads across the Atlantic to Chicago but once on American soil the Spanish star will be providing another key weapon to the defending Europeans’ arsenal. […]

Spirit of the Plains (1897)

A retrospective exhibition of one of Australia’s foremost Art Nouveau artists is on show at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. Born in Goulburn in 1871, Long studied in Sydney before gaining prominence in the Symbolist movement in the late 19th century – creating haunting images of the Australian landscape, frequently featuring mythical creatures. […]

A scene from Camera Cafe with Arturo Valls

It’s that time of the year for otherwise under-employed marketing types to keep themselves busy – and entertained. At Personality Media, they carried out a survey among men to determine this season’s most attractive Spanish woman. And the winner was… actress and presenter Carolina Cerezuela. Born in Elche (Alicante) in 1980, she is best known professionally for her role as Mónica Salazar en the Telecinco comedy series Camera Café (2005-2009) and personally for her relationship with 1998 French Open tennis champion Carlos Moya… they have a two-year-old daughter (Carla) and are expecting a second child in November.

He went close to a first world championship title in 2010 (On the Grid) and Mark Webber is once again well-placed to become only the third Australian to lift Formula 1’s ultimate trophy.

After finishing third in the driver’s championship in 2010 and 2011, Webber moved up to second behind 2012 pacesetter Fernando Alonso with his victory in the British Grand Prix. It was his second win of the season, after Monaco, and soon after he ended speculation about signing for Ferrari next year by renewing his contact with Red Bull for at least one more season.

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An exotic Spanish melting pot in northern Africa

By DAN LORE

CEUTA LOCALS like to quote a favourite joke. A child asks his mother: “Where do good people go when they die?” To heaven.” “And where do bad people go?” “To hell.” So where do the others go?” “To Ceuta and Melilla.”

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