World Cup comes to Algeciras

ALGECIRAS (Agencies/Photo: EuropaSur) The World Cup, the actual cup, was on show at the Nuevo Mirador stadium. Thousands of people queued to take their photos next to it. Children, adults, grandparents, they were all here, smiling into their cameras, intent on being Iker Casillas for a second. It is the Cup that Spain won in South Africa last July. The early birds were lucky enough to be able to touch it, th est had to be content with seing it through its safety glass. No matter, there was a smile on every face, one that is likely to be seen on one of those social networks...

Conspiracy theories rage over Paul the Psychic Octopus's death

As we never reported yesterday, caught up as we were in whatever was more important, Paul died of something or other a couple of days ago. Paul is dead, long live Paul, according to the Spanish media, who had naturally taken the cephalopod oracle up in a big way when it predicted Spain's victory in the 2010 World Cup (over which Paul -or Peter, or Mary for all we know- appears to be lifting a leg in the photo). However, Metro.co.uk puts it this way: "There are some in England, Germany and Holland who wanted Paul turned into paella after he predicted defeats for them in the World Cup this year. Perhaps he ended up in the stomach of a disgruntled fan?>

World Cup quandary, by Prospero

I'm in a quandary. Here's why: I have a son born in England and partly brought up in South Africa, which he considers home; I have a daughter born in Argentina, is a US citizen and lives there; I have a son who was born and lives in Spain and whose parents are English. I was born in England and brought up in Argentina, lived in Brazil and the US and have lived in Spain for almost 20 years. Who do I cheer for? Let the best team win!