SUSPECT CHARGED IN HOSPITAL WITH BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING

SUSPECT CHARGED IN HOSPITAL WITH BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING

(Reuters) - Prosecutors charged Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for the Boston Marathon bombings in an impromptu hearing on Monday in his hospital room, accusing him of crimes that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted.

Video taken by security cameras showed the 19-year-old ethnic Chechen placing a backpack near the finish line of the race one week ago, the criminal complaint said, alleging he acted in concert with his older brother, who was killed during a shootout with police early Friday.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was captured later that day after a massive manhunt and taken to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

The criminal complaint did not mention a motive for the bombings, leaving that as one of the mysteries of the investigation.But a sworn FBI statement in support of the criminal complaint did reveal new details, such as the recollection of a man whose car was allegedly hijacked by the brothers while they tried to escape on Thursday night.

"Did you hear about the Boston explosion?" one of the brothers is said to have told the carjack victim. "I did that."

The brothers carried two backpacks containing pressure cooker bombs that ripped through the crowd near the finish line of the world renowned race, killing three people and wounding more than 200, the complaint said.

Ten people lost limbs from the bombs packed with nails and ball bearings. By Monday, Boston-area hospitals were still treating at least 48 people, with at least two listed in critical condition.

The 10-page complaint in the Boston case drew from investigators' review of a mass of video and still images captured by security cameras, the media and the public at the race before and after the bombing.

Thirty seconds before the first explosion, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev started fidgeting with his cellphone, the complaint said. After the blast, virtually everyone around him turned to look in that direction "in apparent bewilderment and alarm," while Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appeared calm, the complaint said.

He then left his backpack on the ground and walked away, the complaint said. About 10 seconds later the second explosion ripped through the crowd.

The charges were issued shortly before the city paused at 2:50 p.m. (1850 GMT) to mark the moment a week ago when the bombs exploded. A funeral was held for Krystle Campbell, a 29-year-old restaurant manager who was killed in the bombings, and a memorial service was planned for another victim, Chinese graduate student Lingzi Lu, 23.

An 8-year-old boy, Martin Richard, was also killed.

WOUNDED SUSPECT

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was wounded during at least one of two gun battles with police on Friday, suffering gunshot wounds to his head, neck, legs and hand, the complaint said.

He was mostly unable to speak due to a throat wound, managing to say "no" once in response to a question, according to a court transcript posted on the New York Times website. Mostly, he nodded in response to questions.

Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler found he was lucid and aware of the nature of the proceedings, the transcript said.

His capture capped a tense 26 hours after the FBI released the first pictures of the two bombing suspects, still unidentified, on Thursday.

Five hours after their faces were pictured on TV screens and websites around the world, the brothers shot and killed a university policeman, carjacked a Mercedes and sought to evade police by hurling more bombs at them during a shootout on the streets of a Boston suburb, police said.

Older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was shot during a close-range exchange of gunfire with police and run over by his younger brother during his escape, police said. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev later abandoned the car and fled on foot, evading police for nearly 20 more hours until he was found hiding and bleeding in a boat.

Those extraordinary days captivated the United States and reminded people of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Mr Tsarnaev is facing federal charges, including using a weapon of mass destruction and malicious destruction of property resulting in death. Massachusetts has no death penalty, but because Mr Tsarnaev is being prosecuted under the federal legal system, he could still face execution.

VOCABULARY

Impromptu: spontaneous, unplanned(espontáneo 
Hearing: preliminary inquiry vista, audiencia 
Be convicted: found guilty(declarado culpable 
Place : to put or set in a particular or appropriate place colocar 
Backpack: a rucksack or knapsack mochila 
Complaint: A formal charge, made under oath, of the commission of a crime querella, demanda 
Shootout: a gunfight tiroteo 
Manhunt: an organized search, usually by police, for a wanted man or fugitive búsqueda, persecución 
Hijack: to seize, divert, or appropriate (a vehicle or the goods it carries) while in transit secuestro 
Carjack: to attack (a driver in a car) in order to rob the driver or to steal the car for another crime robo de un automóvil con violencia 
Rip through: to move violently or precipitously; rush headlong desplazarse de forma impetuosa 
Ball bearings: cojinete de bolas 
Fidget with sth : to make restless or uneasy movements moverse nerviosamente, no estar quieto 
Hold (a funeral): to cause to take place celebrar, llevar a cabo 
Memorial service: acto funerario , ceremonia conmemorativa 
Seek-Sought : try procurar, intentar 
Hurl: to throw or propel with great force arrojar, tirar 
Close-range (close proximity to target) de cerca 
exchange of gunfire : intercambio de disparos 
Run over: knock down with a moving vehicle atropellar 
Flee- fled: run away huir

Boston Marathon bombs: Prosecutors prepare charges

BOSTON MARATHON BOMBS: PROSECUTORS PREPARE CHARGES

 

The Tsarnaev brothers

US federal prosecutors are preparing charges against the surviving Boston Marathon bomb suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as more details emerge of his capture.  If he is charged with using a weapon of mass destruction to kill people, he could face the death penalty. 

Mr Tsarnaev is in hospital, unable to speak because of a wound to the throat.  

US media quoted anonymous sources as saying he had been responding to questions in writing, but this has not been officially confirmed. Boston's Mayor Tom Menino had earlier told ABC News that "we don't know if we'll ever be able to question the individual".  But the ABC, NBC and CBS networks all reported late on Sunday that the suspect was responding in writing to interrogation. This included questions about possible cell members and other explosives.  "We have a million questions and those questions need to be answered," said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. 

The suspect was captured on Friday evening after a huge manhunt during which his elder brother and suspected fellow bomber, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, died. 

Police believe the 19-year-old Dzhokhar may have killed his brother himself, running him over in a car as he fled capture on Thursday night. 

Monday's twin bomb attack on the Boston Marathon finish line killed a boy of eight and two women, and injured more than 180, of whom 13 lost limbs.  One policeman was killed and another injured during the manhunt.   Governor Patrick has asked Bostonians to observe a moment of silence for the victims at 14:50 local time (18:50 GMT).  A funeral service was also held on Monday for one of the victims, 29-year-old restaurant worker Krystle Campbell. 

'Throw the book at him' 

No motive for the attack has been established. The brothers, who originate from Chechnya in southern Russia, had been living in the US for about a decade. 

It is unclear when the charges will be filed against the suspect.  In addition to the federal charges, prosecutors for the state of Massachusetts, which does not have the death penalty, may file their own. 

Mayor Menino said he hoped the federal prosecutor for Massachusetts, Carmen Ortiz, "takes him [Dzhokhar Tsarnaev] on the federal side and throws the book at him". 

Interrogators are not reading Mr Tsarnaev his Miranda rights, which guarantee the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer. This exception is allowed on a limited basis when the public may be in immediate danger. 

Boston police commissioner Ed Davis said on Sunday he believed the brothers had probably been planning further attacks. 

The federal public defender's office in Massachusetts has agreed to represent Mr Tsarnaev once he is charged. 

He is being treated in Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for injuries he sustained before his capture, when he was found hiding in a boat in the back yard of a house in Watertown, a suburb of Boston. The hospital said on Monday that his condition remained serious. 

'Run over' 

Watertown's police chief, Ed Deveau, has said he believes Dzhokhar Tsarnaev mortally injured his brother just after their firefight with police. It was initially reported that Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, had died of bullet and blast injuries. 

Mr Deveau told the Boston Globe newspaper, however, that Dzhokhar had driven over him in a stolen SUV, dragging him on the pavement and apparently inflicting the injuries that killed him.  After Tamerlan shot at police and apparently ran out of bullets, the police chief said, officers tackled him. 

They were trying to apply handcuffs when the SUV came roaring at them, with Dzhokhar at the wheel. The officers scattered and the SUV ran over Tamerlan, Mr Deveau said. Abandoning the car, Dzhokhar then fled the scene on foot, he said. 

Separately, US lawmakers on Sunday questioned why the FBI had failed to spot the danger from Tamerlan Tsarnaev after Russia had asked the US agency to question him two years ago.

VOCABULARY:

Federal prosecutor: fiscal federalManhunt: an organized search, usually by police, for a wanted man or fugitive (persecución)
Flee- Fled: (huir darse a la fuga/huir) 
Finish line: (línea de meta)
Injure: to cause physical or mental harm or suffering to; hurt or wound (dañar, lesionar, herir)
Limb: an arm or leg (miembro/extremidad)
File charges against sb:(presenter cargos)
Sustain (injuries): suffer (sufrir)
Firefight: short exchange of gunfire ( tiroteo)
Bullet : a metal projectile in the shape of a pointed cylinder or a ball that is expelled from a firearm (bala)
Blast : A violent explosión (explosión/estallido)
Tackle sb:  To stop especially by forcing the opponent to the ground. (derribar, placar)
Scatter: To separate and go in different directions; disperse. (dispersarse)
Roar at sb: To express with a loud, deep, and prolonged sound (rugir,)
SUV: Sport Utility Vehicle (todoterreno)
Throw the book at someone: colloquial way of saying that the maximum criminal charge, or the full weight of the law, has been applied to someone charged with a crime (hacer que le caiga todo el peso de la ley)

COMFORT DOGS COME TO BOSTON

 

Five golden retrievers made their way around Boston Wednesday, visiting some of the 176 victims of Monday's marathon attack. Maggie, Addie, Luther, Ruthie, and Isaiah are comfort dogs, dispatched to various communities in the aftermath of tragedies. They're trained like service dogs, but focus on providing emotional support.

"The dogs work for about two to three hours at a time, and then we make sure to give them a break," Lizzie Brose, a handler for the K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs, told BuzzFeed. "They really do absorb the feelings of the people around them."

There are about a dozen dogs in the K-9 Parish, which is based at a Lutheran church in Chicago. This isn't the only comfort dog group in the country, but it is the most popular group, and the only one that travels extensively around the country. Other comfort dog groups typically work locally out of churches, hospitals, and universities.

Debbie Custance, a London psychologist who's studied the empathy of dogs, explained to National Geographic that during times of crisis, interactions with humans involve "expectations and judgments," but interactions with dogs are refreshingly simple.

"[It's] a very uncomplicated, non-challenging interaction with no consequences," she said. "And if you've been through a hard time, it's lovely to have that."

All five of the dogs spent time in Newtown, Connecticut, last December. Two of them even stuck around permanently, becoming five-days-a-week employees at the relocated Sandy Hook Elementary School. Newtown was the dogs' first high-profile event, but earlier this month they also went to Wadsworth, Illinois, where a school bus carrying 30 children tipped over. (None of the children were seriously harmed.)

After visiting patients at Tufts Medical Center on Wednesday, the dogs were stationed on the porch of First Lutheran Church — a half-mile away from the marathon explosion site. They were petted and embraced by dozens of passersby.

"I saw the explosion, and as one would be, I was incredibly shaken up," said Nick Holmes, an acting student at Emerson College. "But I saw online yesterday that the dogs were going to be at the Lutheran church, and I was like, 'I know what I'm doing after class tomorrow.' Because I need this."

Vocabulary:

dispatch: enviar

in the aftermath: tras
handler: adiestrador

parish: parroquia

tip over: volcar

pet: acariciar

passersby: transeúntes / peatones

be shaken up : conmocionado

THERAPY DOGS BRING COMFORT TO BOSTON VICTIMS (VIDEO + SCRIPT)

  

SCRIPT

We’ve seen it all too many times lately, but they are such a welcome sign when they arrive on the scene- the therapy dogs, who show up to comfort the humans who have been through a trauma.  Well, they are on the job tonight in Boston. We get the story tonight from NBC’s Kerry Sanders.
For two days,  all 15-year-old David Yepez has heard and thought about are his injuries from the second explosion.
This is Ruthie
But today, David smiled
We have a dog at home. He’s a small Yorkie Terrier
For just a moment ,Luther and Ruthie made the shrapnel  that tore through his left leg and the painful second degree burns almost an afterthought.
It’s relaxing. It kind of takes my mind away from everything that’s going on.
Good morning
Today Lutheran church charities deploy the comfort brigade at Tufts Medical  Centre.  Dogs that have recently been working with other recovering children in Newtown, Connecticut.
Come on , puppy
Quiet peaceful visitors who Leanne Ianne says set her nerves at ease just hours before the surgery on her wounded leg.
Animals, you know, they just have a different sense, you know. They don’t talk back to you.
Oh, my goodness! Hi!
The comfort dogs are like furry therapists and it is not just those who were injured that need relief. How nice is it for you to have just a different moment here with a dog?
My stress level has gone way down.
They sense love. They sense that somebody is caring and they sense that in the midst of darkness there is light.
This is Luther.
Companionship, compassion and comfort when it’s needed the most.
You are a big puppy for two.

Kerry Sanders, NBC news, Boston

Vocabulary:
show up: aparecer
be through: pasar por
shrapnel: metralla
afterthought: algo secundario
take one's mind away from: distraer
deploy: desplegar
set sb's nerves at ease: tranquiliza
comfort: consuelo
furry: peludo (animal)
go way down: bajar muchísimo

Bomb survivor: We were ‘10 feet from the finish’

  

Vocabulary:
shrapnel: metralla
blast: explosión
neck brace: collarín
fibula: peroné
skin graft: injerto de piel
healing: curación
pierced eardrum: tímpano perforado
go off: explotar, estallar
sneak: ir a hurtadillas

SCRIPT
>> As we mentioned, many of the injured remain in hospitals this morning. Nick and Leanne Ianne were watching a friend in the race when they were hit by shrapnel from the blast. They're at Tufts Medical Center, Nick and Leanne good morning to both of you.

>> Good morning.

>> Leanne, let me start right off by asking, how are you doing I can see the neck brace, your leg is wrapped up, what is the extent of your injuries?

>> I have an open fibula fracture and waiting to get a skin graft either today or tomorrow and then probably be put in a boot for the last part of the healing.

>> And Nick, how about you? were you injured as well?

>> I was fortunate I only had a pierced eardrum.

>> Leanne , describe for me how close you were to the finish line , how close you were from where these devices were detonated?

>> I'm not sure exactly where it was detonated. It sounded awfully close. we were probably about ten feet from the finish line . Yeah, it was quite loud and definitely I could smell the smoke and everything when it happened.

>> and Nick, I understand when you looked down and saw the extent of Leanne 's injuries you went into shock. How long was it before either of you could get to the hospital and were you able to stick together?

>> When the police came in, they you know, they wanted to get anybody who wasn't hurt out and so they could take care of everybody who was hurt. We were close enough to the bomb that went off by the finish line that there was a lot of bad things going on and everybody was just trying to help everybody.

>> There was probably about 15 minutes if not more by the time I was carried from marathon sports to the medical tent and then I got loaded onto an ambulance after that.

>> I had to sneak to the back of the medical tent and try to find my wife.

>> I'm glad you two are back together. Leanne , I wish you luck with the surgery as you described it a little bit earlier. our thoughts are with you.

FAMILY VIOLENCE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FACTS

STUDENTS' VIDEO FOR THE ORAL PRESENTATION

Judge accepts prosecutor’s request for king’s daughter not to be named as suspect

Subpoena of Princess Cristina on Urdangarin case suspended

The judge handling the investigation into the business affairs of royal son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin on Friday accepted a petition by the prosecutor’s office to suspend the subpoena of Urdangarin’s wife Princess Cristina to answer questions on the case in court.

Prosecutor Pedro Horrach argued that the justice system should first rule on an appeal by the prosecutor’s office against the implication of the infanta.

Earlier this week, Judge José Castro summonsed Prince Cristina to appear before him on April 27 to clarify her role as a director of the non-profit Nóos Institute, through which her husband Urdangarin allegedly siphoned off millions in public funds to private firms, including Aizoon, which is jointly owned by the princess and her husband.

In his judgment, Horrach argued that it was “discriminatory” to cite the infanta as a suspect on the case based on the evidence that had been gathered in the course of the investigation to date. He said “absolutely nothing” had emerged in the probe to reverse the previous decision not to name her as a suspect in the case.

In order to justify calling off the citation of Princess Cristina, Horrach referred to testimony by Urdangarin’s former partner at Nóos, Diego Torres, on the infanta’s role in the organization. Torres cited things such as her accompanying him and Urdangarin to view a property the Nóos Institute was considering moving its headquarters to.

Horrach said Torres’ testimony had “zero criminal relevance.” The judge also argued that it had not been demonstrated that the personal secretary to the royal daughters, Carlos García Revenga, who also worked for the Nóos Institute, knew that Urdangarin was receiving “privileged treatment” from public administrations.

Torres has been gradually feeding the judge investigating case with emails that include exchanges between the royal couple on Nóos’ business.

Vocabulary:

the prosecutor's office: la oficina del fiscal , la fiscalía
subpoena:  citación
rule on: resolver, decidir
appeal: recurso, apelación
summonsed: citado, convocado
non-profit: sin ánimo de lucro
allegedly: supuestamente
siphon off: desviar fondos
jointly: conjuntamente
probe: investigación, averiguación
call off: cancelar, suspender

Spain’s Royal Scandal (El país in English)

Urdangarin informs the king of plan to take up job in Qatar

The king’s son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin, who is at the center of a corruption investigation, has informed the monarch of his intention to take up a job offer in Qatar, thus putting thousands of kilometers between him and the court in Mallorca where he, his former business partner and now his wife, Princess Cristina, are being probed by a judge for their alleged role in the Nóos fraud case. 

Urdangarin, who has no official role after giving up his Washington-based job with Telefónica, is set to take up an as-yet unspecified position on the staff of Spanish handball coach Valero Rivera, who has been asked to take charge of the Qatari national team. Urdangarin and Rivera have been friends since the latter was coach of the FC Barcelona handball team in the 1990s, when Urdangarin was one of the club’s key players and an Olympic star for Spain.

Rivera has yet to agree terms with the Qatari sporting authorities, but he has already asked Urdangarin to form a part of his staff. Rivera, currently the coach of Spain’s national team with which he won the world championship in Barcelona earlier this year, has always defended Urdangarin from the accusations he faces, describing him as a “great friend” and criticizing the media for “condemning him before he is put on trial.”

Urdangarin is expected to travel to Doha in the coming days to negotiate his contract. Princess Cristina will stay in Spain with the couple’s children, at least until the end of the school year.

It is believed the duke will be allowed to travel abroad as the prosecutor in the Nóos case, Pedro Horrach, will not demand that he hand over his passport, despite his status as a suspect in the ongoing investigation.

In 1997 Urdangarin married Princess Cristina, taking the title of Duke of Palma. Now the investigation led by Judge José Castro has revealed that he and his partner at the non-profit Nóos Institute, Diego Torres, received fat contracts from the regional governments of the Balearic Islands and Valencia when organizing sports-related events and conferences, later allegedly pocketing the money via offshore accounts and front companies. In 2005 the duke and duchess bought a mansion in Barcelona worth 5.4 million euros. This property is now at the disposition of the Mallorca court after Urdangarin and Torres were unable to pay the 8.1 million-euro bond imposed on them by Judge Castro.

Last week the investigating judge took the step of targeting Princess Cristina as a formal suspect in the case, although the subpoena that demands she report to the Palma de Mallorca courthouse to declare has been suspended pending an appeal by Prosecutor Horrach in the case.

Vocabulary

Take up: to adopt the study, practice, or activity of:  ( iniciar, empezar)
former: previous, first of the two mentioned (anterior)
probe: to search into or question closely  (investigar)
alleged: supposed (presunto, supuesto)
give up : quit, resign from a job ( abandonar)
take charge of: take command or control of ( hacerse cargo de)
latter: mentioned second ( último mencionado)
currently: at present ( en este momento,  actualmente)
prosecutor: fiscal, abogado de la acusación
hand over: give ( entregar)
ongoing investigation:  in progress ( investigación en curso)
non-profit: not run to make money (no lucrativa, sin ánimo de lucro)
fat contracts: contratos jugosos
allegedly: said to be ( presuntamente, supuestamente)
pocket : to take surreptitiously or unlawfully; steal  (embolsarse)
offshore: overseas; abroad (extranjero)
bond: bail ( fianza)
take the step: dar el paso, tomar la iniciativa
subpoena: a writ issued by a court of justice requiring a person to appear before the court at a specified time  (citación)
pend : to await judgment / be unresolved or undecided (quedar pendiente)
appeal: to apply to a superior court to review (a case or particular issue decided by a lower tribunal)  (apelar)
an application or resort to another person or authority, esp a higher one, as for a decision or confirmation of a decision  (apelación)

CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST KING OF SPAIN'S SON-IN-LAW RUMBLES ON

WATCH THE VIDEO AND READ

The King of Spain's son-in-law is being questioned in court on the island of Mallorca in connection with a multi-million euro corruption case.

Iñaki Urdangarín is married to the King's Juan Carlos' second daughter, Princess Cristina. 

The former Olympic handball player, who holds the title Duke of Palma, is accused of diverting millions of euros of public money meant a non-profit organisation he controlled to private offshore accounts.

Saturday's hearing Is about tax fraud in relation to this money. He is also charged with forgery, embezzlement and corruption.

Anti-monarchy protesters gathered outside the court in Mallorca's port city of Palma.

The corruption scandal has angered a public facing unemployment of twenty-six per cent and tough austerity measures.

Urdangarin, who denies any wrongdoing, has tried to make deal with the prosecution to avoid jail time, offering to pay the government at least 3.5 million euros in compensation.

The Duke, the Princess Cristina and their children now live in Washington.

Spain's royal family has been losing popularity. A secret elephant-hunting trip to Botswana by the King last year further tarnished the royal’s reputation.

Euronews 23/02/2013

PRINCESS CRISTINA OF SPAIN TO APPEAR IN COURT

WATCH THE VIDEO AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Spain’s  princess Cristina has been summoned to appear in _________1________ over allegations that her husband _______2_________ millions of euros of public money . She’s _____3_____ to appear on 27th April . Her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, a ______4_______Olympic handball player, is under investigation for ______5_________ embezzling more than 6 million euros of public money along with his former _____6_______ Diego Torres. The judge in ______7________ of the investigation, said the statements of the two men, along with ________8_________ emails submitted as evidence raised doubt over whether Cristina could have been _______9_______ of her husband’s financial _______10_________ .

VOCABULARY: PRINCESS CRISTINA OF SPAIN TO APPEAR IN COURT

READ THIS VOCABULARY BEFORE READING THE FOLLOWING NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

A damaging blow- un duro golpe

A formal indictment- una acusación formal

Accomplice- cómplice

Allegations of corruption- acusaciones de corrupción

Allegedly- presuntamente, supuestamente

It is alleged that- supuestamente, se alega que

Amid- entre, en medio de

Be Charged with- acusado de cometer un delito

Blunder- equivocación, metedura de pata

Bribery- soborno

Business dealings- actividades empresariales, negocios

charitable foundation- fundación benéfica

Charges- cargos

Court summons- citación judicial

( he is) credited- se le atribuye

Crippling economic crisis- grave/demoledora crisis económica

Embezzling public funds- malversación de fondos públicos

Former- anterior

Funnel (money) - destinar, canalizar

Has been barred from royal family events- quedar excluido de los eventos de la familia real

Has sought to distance… from… - ha intentado distanciar a… de…

Head- dirigir

His standing has been hit- su posición / prestigio se ha visto afectado

Keep a low profile- pasar desapercibido, tener una actitud discreta

Leak- filtrar

Misuse- malversar, usar indebidamente

Money laundering- blanqueo de dinero

Non-profit- sin ánimo de lucro

Offshore bank accounts- cuentas bancarias en el extranjero

Out of touch- muy alejado, sin contacto

Overcharge- sobrecargar

Partner- socio

Put sb on trial- procesar

Recent polls- encuestas recientes

Social welfare programmes- programas de bienestar social

Stage events- organizar actos

Steering- dirección

Stepped down as head of… - dejó el / renunció al cargo de jefe

Stirred public ire- levantar/provocar la cólera

Summon to appear in court- citado a comparecer en un juicio

Summons- citación, orden de comparecencia

Suspended from… suspendido, inhabilitado,  separado

Syphone (money) – desviar

Tax evasion- evasión de impuestos

Tax fraud- fraude fiscal

Testify- testificar

The cases of corruption have piled up- los casos de corrupción se han ido acumulando

The Royal household- La Casa Real

The standard of living has plunged- el nivel de vida ha caído, se ha hundido/desplomado

Urge- instar, apremiar

(His popularity) is waning- va decayendo, va en descenso

Wrongdoing- irregularidad, infracción

SPANISH KING'S DAUGHTER CHARGED IN CORRUPTION INQUIRY

Picture

Spanish king's daughter charged in corruption inquiry 
(Reuters) - Spain's Princess Cristina, daughter of King Juan Carlos, was charged on Wednesday in a corruption inquiry against her husband, the latest in a spate of high-level graft cases that have angered Spaniards suffering in a severe recession. 

The princess, 47, was ordered to appear before a judge on April 27, charged in a pre-trial investigation amounting to an extraordinary legal move against a member of the royal family.

Judge Jose Castro said there was evidence the princess was an accomplice to her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, who has been accused of tax fraud and embezzling 6 million euros in public funds when he headed a charitable foundation.

"The law is the same for everyone," the judge said in a court document explaining his decision, echoing the king's own words in his 2011 Christmas address to the nation.

Corruption experts said Castro was building up to issuing a formal indictment against both Urdangarin and Cristina that could lead to putting them both on trial.

Disenchantment with the rich and powerful has grown in Spain as unemployment has soared to 26 percent, one of the worst rates in Europe, and a cases of corruption and nepotism in the ruling classes have piled up.

Manuel Villoria, an expert in corruption and professor of political science at King Juan Carlos University, called the charges "devastating" for the royal family.

"He is saying he considers (Cristina) an accomplice, that he (Urdangarin) could not have done it without her. She had knowledge and didn't put a stop to it," Villoria said.

The decision will probably deepen public disenchantment with the royal family and fuel debate on whether the once-popular king should abdicate in favour of his son, Crown Prince Felipe.

Castro had been looking into emails which were sent by Urdangarin to his wife asking for her advice on business matters at his charitable Noos Foundation.

A former Olympics handball player, Urdangarin is accused of using his powerful connections to win public contracts to stage events on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca and elsewhere in Spain. Urdangarin has denied any wrongdoing.

Castro said he had charged Princess Cristina because he wanted her to testify in person, and under Spanish law she could have avoided doing so had he charged her as a witness.

The Royal Palace declined to comment.

King Juan Carlos, 75, and his wife, Queen Sofia, have tried to distance themselves from the scandal. Urdangarin has been barred from royal family events, and photographs of him have been taken off the official website.

"I think this is a good thing. If she did something wrong, it's logical that justice be done," said Diana Presa, a student in Madrid.

In an unrelated case that has also stirred public ire, judges have brought charges against three former treasurers of the governing People's Party for crimes ranging from bribery to money laundering to tax evasion.

Public irritation with the king has risen as his luxury lifestyle, rumors of adultery and allegations of corruption in the royal family have taken prominence in once respectful local media while ordinary Spaniards face a crippling economic crisis.

Juan Carlos was once revered for his role in shepherding a transition to democracy in the 1970s after dictator Francisco Franco died. But his image has deteriorated.

Last year he broke his hip while hunting elephants on safari in Africa, and the news enraged many Spaniards whose standard of living has plunged during the recession.

In December a survey found 79 percent of Spaniards felt that Prince Felipe was ready to be head of state, while the king's personal approval rating had fallen to 58 percent, down from 74 percent before his safari.

The latest CIS poll showed Spaniards naming corruption as the nation's second biggest problem after unemployment.

SPANISH PRINCESS TO FACE COURT IN CORRUPTION INQUIRY

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Spanish princess to face court in corruption inquiry

Spain's Princess Cristina has been summoned to appear in court over allegations that her husband misused millions of euros of public money. 

It is reported to be the first court summons for a direct descendant of the Spanish king. She is King Juan Carlos's youngest daughter. 

Her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, denies wrongdoing and has not been charged. 

He is suspected of having massively overcharged local authorities for organising sporting events. 

It is alleged that some of the money ended up in companies controlled by Iñaki Urdangarin - who is the Duke of Palma and a former Olympic handball player - in offshore bank accounts. 

The events allegedly happened between 2004 and 2006, when the duke stepped down as head of the non-profit Noos Institute. 

He and his former business partner Diego Torres are suspected of misusing millions of euros in public funds that were given to the institute - a charitable foundation. 

Mr Torres, who was questioned by a judge in February, has also denied any wrongdoing. 

The duke has sought to distance King Juan Carlos from the scandal, pointing out in February that the royal house "had no opinion, did not advise and did not authorise" any of his activities at the institute. 

"When the accusations arose, the palace recommended I stop any activity not considered appropriate to my institutional status, which I did," the duke is reported to have said. 

'Out of touch' 

Princess Cristina has been asked to appear in court in Palma de Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, on 27 April. 

Emails have come to light suggesting that the princess knew about her husband's financial affairs, the Spanish El País newspaper reported. 

Anti-corruption campaigners have urged the judge to formally name Princess Cristina as a suspect, alleging that she may also have been involved. 

Emails published by Spanish newspapers in February also appear to show that King Juan Carlos took a close interest in his son-in-law's business affairs. 

Support for the royal family has diminished in recent years, amid criticism that it is out of touch with ordinary Spaniards as they struggle with a severe economic crisis. 

The king, 75, is credited with steering Spain to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 - but his reputation has been damaged by the corruption inquiry implicating his son-in-law and by a luxury elephant-hunting safari he took in Africa last year at a time of record unemployment in his country. 

Correspondents say that the summons issued to the princess by Judge Jose Castro will be seen as another extremely damaging blow to the royal family. 

The duke was suspended from official royal engagements in December. 

His wife - who works as the director of social welfare programmes for a Barcelona-based financial services group - has kept a low profile since reports of the alleged scandal emerged two years ago. 

She has mostly confined herself to the mansion in which she lives in the city with her husband and four children. 

"The royal household does not comment in any way on judicial decisions," a spokesman for the royal family told the AFP news agency.

PRINCESS CRISTINA OF SPAIN TO APPEAR IN COURT

Princess Cristina Of Spain To Appear In Court
Spain's Princess Cristina has been ordered to appear in court in a corruption case involving her husband the Duke of Palma.
A court has named Spain's Princess Cristina as a suspect in a corruption case involving her husband, the Duke of Palma.

The court in Palma, on the island of Mallorca, said that the 47-year-old daughter of King Juan Carlos, is to be called for questioning on April 27.

The case centres on claims that her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, and his former business partner, Diego Torres, funnelled around 5 million euros (£4.25m) of public funds to companies they controlled.

They are accused of syphoning off money paid by regional governments to stage sports and tourism events to the non-profit Noos Institute, which the Duke was chairman of from 2004 to 2006.

The Duke, who has not been charged with any crime and maintains his innocence, attempted to distance his wife and the rest of the royals from his business dealings when he was questioned in court in February.

But his former business partner then provided the judge with emails that were leaked appearing to show that the Duke regularly consulted his wife, a member of the board of the Noos Institute, about the organisation's affairs.

Princess Cristina, the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, is seventh in line to the throne.

The princess, who was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team at the Seoul games in 1988, married her husband, a former handball player, in 1997 and together the couple have four children.

The couple moved to Washington in 2009 when the Duke took up the role as executive director of the US subsidiary of Spanish telecommunications firm Telefonica.

They were living there when the corruption allegations emerged but returned to Barcelona in August last year.

The summons by Judge Jose Castro will be seen as extremely damaging to the royal family, whose popularity is waning, according to recent polls.

The 75-year-old king is credited with steering Spain to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 but his standing has been hit by the corruption case and over a luxury elephant-hunting safari he took in Africa last year at a time of record unemployment in Spain.

An opinion poll published last month showed almost 57% of Spaniards felt the king should abdicate in favour of his 45-year-old son Prince Felipe.

He is currently recovering from surgery to his lower spine - his seventh operation in three years.

A spokesman for the palace said: "The royal household does not comment in any way on judicial decisions."

INFANTA CRISTINA OF SPAIN FACES CHARGES OVER CORRUPTION SCANDAL

Infanta Cristina of Spain faces charges over corruption scandal   03 APRIL 2013

Spain's Infanta Cristina, the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, faces charges over allegations that her husband embezzled millions of euros of public money.

Her husband of 16 years, Inaki Urdangarin, is suspected of having overcharged local authorities for organising sporting and tourism events.The Duke of Palma, a former Olympic handball player, denies wrongdoing and has not been charged. His wife, the Duchess of Palma de Mallora, has been summoned to appear in court on 27 April. 

Emails have come to light suggesting that she knew about her husband's financial affairs, according to Spain's El País newspaper.

Inaki and his former business partner Diego Torres are believed to have syphoned off around €5m given by local governments to the Noos institute, of which Iñaki was partner from 2004 to 2006, to organise sporting and tourism events. It is alleged that some of the money ended up in companies controlled by the duke and in offshore bank accounts. The 45-year-old was suspended from royal engagements in December. 

It is not clear on what charges the princess was called to testify by judge Jose Castro but commentators have said that the situation may increase pressure on Juan Carlos to abdicate after a series of blunders in recent months.

It is reportedly the first court summons for a direct descendant of the Spanish king.