A thief has been arrested by the Mossos for stealing gold teeth from bodies at an ossuary in Badalona (read article in Castilian here, El Periodico). The accused, a cemetery worker, took 17 dentures and later sold them for €2,000. The investigation began after officials detected the appearance in shops of a suspiciously high number of gold dentures over a period of time. After investigating the suspect, officers found evidence that proved he had obtained 17 gold teeth from an unknown number of corpses. The suspect has been charged with crimes against the freedom of conscience and religious beliefs and respect for the dead as well as 17 other infringements against property, one for each tooth removed. It is believed that the detainee stole the gold teeth from human remains when the bodies were moved from niches to ossuaries. Such transfers occur here in Spain after 25 year concessions that have expired and families of the dead have not organised extensions. What makes this kind of crime difficult to detect is that the time period that bodies spend in the niches before they are transferred varies from cemetery to cemetery.
Barcelona is to open a museum of magic (read article in Castilian here, La Vanguardia). Owners Josep Maria Martínez and Rosa Maria Llop hope to open the museum and theatre before Reyes in January. Martinez, an illusionist himself, is excited to be able to offer a regular programme of shows because he belives, "Barcelona needs a fixed schedule of magic, all week." Barcelona has not had a permanent theatre dedicated to magic since 1900, since Partagàs opened on the Ramblas. As well as performances the space will be devoted to training people who want to know the secrets of magic and outreach programmes aimed at school children. Illusionist Josep Maria Martinez and the actress Rosa Maria Llop wished to preserve the 100-year-old shop saying, "we did it was a question of romance because it was necessary to preserve the store. Many 100 year old shops have disappeared." They wanted to explain the world of magic and therefore adapted the old store as a small theatre and museum.
Zapatero justifies moving the country in a state of national emergency (read article in Castilian here, La Vangaurdia). In a new clash in Congress between the Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and the opposition leader Mariano Rajoy. The clash was over the moves to tackle the 'wildcat' air traffic controllers. Although Rajoy said he supports the management of the crisis but lost no opportunity to criticise José Blanco, the leader of the Ministerio de Fomento. Rajoy claimed that the drivers strike has highlighted the "lack of foresight" of the government and "an excess of stupidity". In detail, hour by hour and in great detail, Zapatero conducted an extensive account of events that began last Friday and led to air chaos following the decision of pilots to abandon their posts. Zapatero argued he was obliged to declare a state of alarm because they had "exhausted their possibilities." The president has said that the action taken has been "successful and achieved what had not been possible with ordinary powers". Accompanied by a long list of laws, the president justified the decision to declare a state of emergency and said in summary, "the government adopted a decision strictly limited to the declaration of a state of alarm."