Latest news with #Aragon
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Talented motorsport star dies aged 17 after horror crash - with surgeons unable to save him from injuries
An up-and-coming motorcyle racer has died aged 17 after a horrific crash in Spain. Pau Alsina crashed at the MotorLand Aragon circuit near Alcaniz and was thrown from his motorbike, sustaining head injuries. He was rushed to hospital in Zaragoza and underwent emergency surgery but died from his injuries on Monday, two days after his accident. Alsina was competing in this year's FIM JuniorGP World Championship and was placed 13th overall. He began riding motorcycles aged three and from there grew his reputation to become one of Spain's rising stars. More to follow.
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Emerging JuniorGP talent Pau Alsina dies in Aragon racing crash
MADRID, July 22 — JuniorGP rider Pau Alsina has died at the age of 17 following an accident at MotorLand Aragon last weekend, his team Estrella Galicia 0.0 said. Spanish media reported Alsina went flying over the top of his bike during a training session and was rushed to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. Born in Sallent, about 70km north of Barcelona, Alsina made his JuniorGP debut this year and was 13th in the riders' championship standings. 'His commitment and his attitude, always positive and close, will remain forever in our memory,' his team posted on social media on Monday. — Reuters
Times
7 days ago
- Times
I've lived in Spain for 35 years — these places welcome tourists
The figures are extraordinary: 94 million tourists in 2024 and more expected this year. As are the scenes of furious Spaniards firing at visitors with water pistols in protest. No less extraordinary, however, is just how much of Spain — almost twice the size of the UK — remains untouched by tourism. While it is true that certain areas of Barcelona, San Sebastian and Palma de Mallorca now have more avocado-toast brunch bars, luggage lockers and Ikea-decorated short-let apartments than seems reasonable, whole swathes of the country are not only tolerant of tourism but happy to receive a good deal more of it. Staying ahead of the hordes is simple enough: the trick is to cast your net wide across this hugely diverse country. Unfold an old-fashioned printed map and consider the lush green hills and sweeping beaches of Galicia; the moon-like deserts of Aragon; the forests of Extremadura in the far west, where blackfoot pigs virtually outnumber people. Whole regions of Spain are puzzlingly absent from British bucket lists — examples being Castilla y León, with its pungent historic legacy and powerful red wines; or the province of Teruel, empty of people yet bursting with character. Each of the 50 provincial capitals has its own heritage and personality, and of these only a handful — Cordoba, Girona, Toledo — have a substantial tourism infrastructure; in Albacete, Soria, Badajoz or Lugo it's unusual to hear a foreign voice. Here are some great destinations to try where you won't be in the firing line. My top tip for a Barcelona substitute would be Zaragoza, capital of Aragon and a festive, hospitable town that for the moment is not complaining about overtourism. The fifth largest Spanish city, it stands beside the mighty Ebro River, the towers of its great basilica rising proudly above the water. On your to-do list here might be the medieval architecture of the old town, the rumbustious wine-and-tapas scene in El Tubo district — a maze of streets with an estimated 60 tapas bars — and Zaha Hadid's twisty bridge over the Ebro, built as part of the city's Expo 2008 celebrations. Also not to be missed are the works by Francisco de Goya, an Aragon native, at Museo Goya. Stay at the chic-and-cheerful Hotel Avenida, with white rustic-minimalist rooms and a courtyard decorated with cacti in B&B doubles from £69 ( Fly to Zaragoza • The northeastern Spanish city with a surprising tapas scene Of course it's not quite Seville — nothing could equal the dreamlike beauty of the Andalusian capital's cobbled streets and squares perfumed with orange blossom. But Jaen has beauties of its own — plus a low tourist presence of which stressed-out Sevillanos can only dream. Among the dun-coloured rooftops of the its historic quarter stands the twin-towered façade of a mighty Renaissance cathedral — the masterpiece of the local architect Andrés de Vandelvira. A medieval bathhouse, discovered by chance in the 1970s, is a fascinating relic of the city's Moorish past. With its rabbit-warren of whitewashed alleys, churches, convents and time-worn taverns (try the Taberna Cassa Gorrion, where locals take their late-morning snifters along with a plate of raw broad beans and a hunk of cheese), the old town is like Seville without the souvenir shops. Stay at the Parador, in a castle high above the city, and dine at the Michelin-starred Baga, for many the best restaurant in town, with dishes such as Motril shrimps with shiitake mushrooms or smoked eel with pear (tasting menu £85; B&B doubles from £132 ( Fly to Granada Done San Sebastian? Remember there is another Basque town — capital of the region and Alava province — that is one of the best places in Spain to live. Slow-paced, affable Vitoria-Gasteiz offers a pintxo scene to rival that of San Sebastian and the Virgen Blanca, an annual fiesta that can out-party San Fermin in Pamplona (August 6 to 9; — and nary an Australian tourist in sight. A green belt of carefully preserved park-like countryside surrounds the city centre. When you're done with the historic centre, with its palaces and plazas, drive into the rolling wine country of Rioja Alavesa, known as the Tuscany of Spain. Stay at urban bolt hole La Casa de los Arquillos, which has simple, smart rooms and studios beside the central Plaza de la Virgen Blanca. Details Room-only doubles from £69 ( Fly to Bilbao • The unsung Spanish city that's a great alternative to San Sebastian The northern regions of Spain are increasingly the subject of scrutiny among foreign visitors worried about soaring temperatures on the southern coast. Asturias is filling up fast, but Cantabria remains a summer destination that many would prefer to keep under their sombreros. This autonomous community has it all: verdant hills, soaring peaks, rustic villages, historic towns and a good number of the country's most pristine beaches. Ferries from the UK connect directly with the elegant capital, Santander — a place to spend at least a few days (check out the Centro Botín art museum, designed by Renzo Piano, on the harbourside) before heading east towards the seaside towns of Laredo and Castro Urdiales. The 180-mile Cantabria coastline has beaches as sweeping and spectacular as Arnia, Oyambre and the surf-tastic Somo. On the two-and-a-half-mile stretch of sand at Trengandin, backed by dunes and forest, finding a space for your towel will never be a problem. Stay at the Helguera Palacio, a 17th-century country house 20 minutes' drive from the sea, with 11 elegant rooms and a pool overlooking the B&B doubles from £264 ( Fly or take the ferry to Santander Finding alternatives to the overcrowded Spanish islands is a challenge. Even on Menorca — once the low-profile Balearic, where mass tourism was kept firmly under control — there have been protests and mutterings about visitor numbers. The Canary island of La Palma has resisted excessive tourism, and combines low-key pleasures with big-screen thrills — botanists, horticulturists, ramblers and stargazers will find much to enjoy here. Explore towns such as Garafia and Tazacorte, where you will find traditional houses with sash windows and clay-tiled roofs, or hike along the island's more than 600 miles of signposted paths, the most demanding of which — the 15-mile Ruta de los Volcanes — follows its central spine from north to south. Stay at the Faro Punta Cumplida, a converted lighthouse on a volcanic outcrop. Details B&B doubles from £251 ( Fly to La Palma Much of what makes Valencia a massively popular destination can also be found in Murcia. Yet this handsome provincial city, inland from the southeast coast, shows little sign of tourist-tiredness and visitors are welcomed with open arms. Stroll along the banks of the Segura River towards the Floridablanca Gardens, where families congregate in the shade of century-old ficus trees. Shop at the Mercado de Veronicas, an early 20th-century modernist building with the soul of a genuine Spanish produce market, free of the gawping selfie-snappers that have spoilt the Mercat Central in Valencia. The tapas scene in Murcia, based on vegetables grown in the market gardens surrounding the city, is a powerful draw — head for the Plaza de las Flores to feast on marineras (a combo of ensaladilla and cured anchovy on a breadstick). Stay at the Rincon de Pepe, a classic Murcian establishment with neat rooms near the glorious baroque B&B doubles from £116 ( Fly to Murcia Guadalajara province, in Castilla-La Mancha, is an hour's drive northeast of downtown Madrid, yet it might be said to suffer from 'undertourism' — indeed, you can drive for many miles here without seeing another car. Single-track roads wind between ancient forests of oak and juniper; it is said that the Iberian wolf, once almost extinct, has returned to this wilderness. Overlooked by the brooding peaks of the Sierra Norte, the landscape is peppered with the astonishing black villages of Guadalajara — so called because their houses and churches are built of slate. Meander between Campillo de Ranas, Majaelrayo and Roblelacasa, stopping for a simple lunch of chargrilled beef or stewed lentils at Los Manzanos in Campillejo — one of only a handful of eating places in the area (mains from £3.50). Sparsely populated, these silent villages suggest that some parts of Spain could do with more tourism, not less. Stay in Campillejo at Casa Rural El Roble Hueco, a villa with eight double en suites and beds and cots for One night's self-catering for 18 from £649 ( Fly to Madrid
Bangkok Post
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Bangkok Post
ONE Championship: Chihiro Sawada targets Denice Zamboanga title shot in Japan after submission win
Chihiro Sawada has her sights set on a ONE Championship world title shot – and she wants it in her home country. The Japanese atomweight contender returned to winning ways with a first-round armbar submission of Argentina's Macarena Aragon last Saturday morning at ONE Fight Night 33 in Bangkok. It marked a strong response from the 27-year-old after her first professional loss – a decision defeat to China's Meng Bo in January – and she now has her eye on gold. 'My intention is the same – to go to that Japan card, ONE 173,' Sawada told the Bangkok Post backstage at Lumpinee Stadium. 'I got the win and I want the chance to fight there too.' ONE 173 is set for November 16 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. But it remains to be seen whether Sawada will get her wish. Ayaka Miura, a former ONE strawweight title challenger who dropped to atomweight last year, will compete against Colombian newcomer Juliana Otalora at ONE Friday Fights 116 – and is believed to be in pole position to challenge newly elevated champion Denice Zamboanga in November. Sawada is currently ranked No 5 in the atomweight MMA division and knows the opportunity may not fall to her just yet. 'If there is no title shot, I want Ham Seo Hee,' she said. 'Or it is going to be Ayaka Miura in Japan.' Sawada, who trains with AACC in Tokyo, dominated from the opening bell against Aragon – who had failed hydration for the bout – before locking in the armbar. 'Armbar is just one of my plans that I had for Aragon,' she said. 'I also prepared other submission techniques like the leg lock, and I have increased my striking skills also. But this time, the armbar – I made it, I executed, and I'm very happy about that.' Despite the finish, Sawada missed out on a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong. 'I expected the bonus, but maybe this is not the right timing for that – next time,' she said. Asked whether she was compensated in other ways after Aragon's weigh-in issues, she smiled and replied, 'I can't say anything about this!' – though it is likely she received at least 20 per cent of her opponent's fight purse. Sawada was quick to thank her supporters after the win, which improved her overall record to 9-1-1, and 4-1 in ONE Championship. 'Thank you very much to everybody that's been supporting me from Japan – and not only from Japan, from my fans around the world,' she said. 'It means a lot to me. 'And not only that – all the athletes that have been training with me, all my trainers, everybody in my gym, and especially my corners that have been helping me. I thank them a lot.'
Khaleej Times
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
UAE embassy in Spain urges citizens to exercise caution amid adverse weather conditions
The UAE mission in Madrid urged citizens residing in Spain to exercise caution due to the bad weather conditions in several regions of the country. The alert is due to an isolated upper-level depression, named "Dana", which will destabilise the environment. The mission also stressed the need to follow the safety instructions issued by the authorities. Citizens in Spain must also to contact 0097180044444 in emergency situations on 0097180024 or register in the Tawajudi service. Spain's meteorological department Aemet, on Thursday, warned of storms and heavy rainfall, accompanied by hail and strong wind gusts. While storms will occur in northern half and eastern third of the country, it is difficult to accurately determine the areas which will be most impacted, due to the uncertain nature of such weather disturbances, Aemet added. Storms prediction from July 11 to 13 July 11 The storm will begin building today afternoon, July 11, around the Cantabrian Mountains and the Iberian Range. With it moving northward or northeastward, areas such as eastern Cantabrian Sea, Navarre, La Rioja, and Aragon are likely to see hail exceeding 2cm, showers accumulating up to 30-40 mm in one hour, and very strong wind gusts, Spain's met forecasted. This is also possible in northern parts of Castile and León, Asturias, and the Pyrenees. Over some areas, the storms might "locally regenerate", which leads to continuous rainfall accumulating, Aemet said. Less intense storms are also likely today in parts of the eastern third of the Iberian Peninsula. July 12 On Saturday, the upper-air pressure may "move eastward across the northern half of the peninsula, with the area of greatest instability shifting to the northeast," Aemet added. Aragon and Catalonia would be most affected by the storms; parts of Valencian Community, Navarre, La Rioja, the eastern Cantabrian Sea, eastern Castile and León, and Balearic Islands could also experience significant storms. As the storm moves through the country, a cooler air mass will enter, and combine with the cloud cover, leading to a noticeable drop in tempatures, occurring in the western half on Friday and in the eastern half on Saturday, according to the Spain agency. July 13 The episode "will end" as this system leaves the Peninsula and is replaced by an Atlantic ridge, which will "favour increased stability," Aemet said.
