Real bounce back, Valencia held

MADRID: Real Madrid bounced back from their UEFA Champions League disappointment after defeating Athletic Bilbao 5-2 to cut Barcelona’s lead at the top in Spain to just three points.

Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, top of the table for most of the season, can restore their lead to six points with victory over Almeria on Sunday.

Real saw their European dreams go up in smoke on Tuesday at Anfield as Liverpool overran them in a humiliating 4-0 win and they let out their frustration at San Mames.

Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, cup-tied for the Champions League, scored twice to turn the game in Real’s favour after Bilbao had come from two goals down to level.

Arjen Robben put Real ahead before Argentine centre-back Gabriel Heinze added another heading in a 34th minute free-kick. Heinze scored an own goal minutes later and Fernando Llorente levelled despite Bilbao being reduced to ten men with Francisco Yeste harshly sent off for pushing goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Huntelaar then took centre stage with a second half brace before substitute Gonzalo Higuain completed the scoring from the penalty spot.
source : jang.com.pk

Spanish judges strike over staffing levels

MADRID: Judges across Spain are staging an unprecedented strike to protest poor staffing levels and a lack of facilities and infrastructure.

The stoppage Wednesday is backed by two of the country’s four main associations of judges, representing just under 2,000magistrates out of a total of nearly 4,500. The stoppage has opened a debate on whether judges have a right to strike.

The strike is not expected to affect weddings or urgent cases. Leading Cadena SER radio said judges from the National Court, which handles terrorism cases, are not expected to take part in the stoppage. Justice Minister Mariano Fernandez Bermejo says everyone agrees with the judges’ demands but he says a strike is not the answer.

source : jang.com.pk