Hopes were raised in Gran Canaria a couple of weeks ago when police arrested a man for the attempted kidnap of a teenager in Vecindario with the family and friends of both seven year old Yeremi Vargas and fifteen year old Sara Morales both of whom went missing in similar circumstances various months ago crossing their fingers in the hope that the kidnapper of their children had been localized.

However although a link between the cases cannot be completely ruled out Spanish secretary of State for Security Antonio Camacho explained that it is unlikely that the man, who has now been set free, has anything to do with the cases of Yeremi and Sara.

Explaining that he preferred not to make an official declaration about any possible connection, Camacho urged the public to trust in the police force of the island who are still searching for the missing children.

According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Industry, Energy & Commerce in the Anuario 2006 the population of Fuerteventura has more than doubled in only ten years.

Officers from the Special branch of Las Palmas Police Department cooperated with members of America's DEA Drug Enforcement Administration mid August to capture Cuban Darli Velazquez Armas , a known narcotics dealer who had managed to escape from the USA after paying a million dollars bail money following his arrest for smuggling large quantities of drugs into the USA .

Velazquez Armas, a highly dangerous member of a criminal organization operating in Miami, Florida, had a thirty year prison sentence to serve but managed to flee to Spanish territory at the beginning of March.

Despite using false ID documents in June the Cuban was discovered living in a luxury villa in Matalahonda , Madrid . When officers tried to arrest him Velazquez Armas jumped into his vehicle and managed to escape driving through the streets of the capital following a spectacular high-speed chase during which several police cars were destroyed and several officers injured.

The presence of Velazquez Armas in the Canary Islands was discovered only a few weeks ago. The Cuban had set up home in Vecindario, Gran Canaria using a false identity. Police experts however managed to capture the criminal who once again tried to escape and gain possession of police firearms. After another high-speed chase the Cuban abandoned his car near the San Lazaro cemetery and tried to escape of foot. He was finally arrested in the Las Torres Industrial Estate from where he was transported to Madrid where he is awaiting extradition to the USA . At the time of his arrest the Cuban was carrying false documentation to avoid his being recognized and had altered his facial features by plastic surgery.

Police carried out a detailed search of the house where Velazquez Armas was living in the hope of identifying the associates of the Cuban.

For the third year running the Department of Social Well being, Youth and Housing of the Island Cabildo in cooperation with the Regional Department of Education and Youth Affairs organized an intensive driving course “Conducción Segura para Jovenes” aimed at the young people of the island in September.

The course was open to all those aged between 18 and 30 with at least a year's driving experience and was held in the island capital Puerto del Rosario.

Thirty youngsters attended the course, which was divided into two parts; theory and practice.

The theory section consisted of learning about danger factors on the road and how to avoid accidents etc while the practical section included slalom exercises as well as emergency braking in dry and wet conditions, and driving using a special “drunken” simulator as if they were under the effect of alcohol.

The practical part of the course was carried out on a closed circuit under expert supervision to guarantee the safety of the participants.

The course was welcomed and is undoubtedly the best way of helping the young drivers realize the importance of behaving responsibly behind the wheel.

The Look and Find Estate Agency has announced that whoever has nine million euros and who wants to invest their money in a worthwhile cause should not miss the opportunity to purchase the Montaña Clara Island , which is one of the most natural islands off the coast of Lanzarote .

The decision to sell the island, which is currently owned by a local family, has been prompted by the governmental policy to recognize all the tiny islands belonging to the Chinijo Archipelago as forming part of the Spanish coastline making them comply to regulations which have provoked the demolishing of many buildings constructed on the coastline of the Canary Islands in recent times.

The island itself occupies 2,700m2 and as part of the Archipelago Chinijo Natural Park is a protected area and has the largest protected marine area in Spain and the second largest in Europe . Its waters are home to 228 different species of fishes, 304 different types of seaweeds and numerous marine birds.

Despite its spectacular beauty, spending nine million euros on the island is not an investment which should be taken lightly since the buyer will not be able to build on the island, there are no beaches and the law will restrict the number of visitors allowed to access the island by boat.

Congratulations were the order of the day at Oasis Park Zoo following the announcement of the birth of both a baby hippo and a baby sea lion mid August.

The baby hippo, which is the second to be born at the zoo, was named Tindaya while the sea lion, born to parents from the Patagonia , Argentina will be known as Janey.

Tindaya was born in the water in only a few minutes and soon joined her sister Tefía swimming alongside her mother. The baby hippo and her mother will be virtually inseparable for the coming months until she is able to fend for herself.

Janey, the beautiful black sea lion pup, however was born on dry land since the pups cannot swim until they are at least two weeks old. Mother and son will remain in the breeding pool for the next eight months until the pup can be weaned onto the normal diet for sea lions in the park; fish, herrings, sardines, mackerel consuming between five and eight kilos per day.

Following the spectacular Gala held at the Los Rotondas Commercial Centre in Puerto del Rosario local beauty Laura Ramon Cerdeña was chosen as Miss Fuerteventura 2007.

Also chosen to represent the island was good looking Oswaldo Oliver Bonkanka who turned out to be the most popular contestant in the Mister Fuerteventura Contest which was also held in the capital.

Both Laura and Oswaldo will go on to represent Fuerteventura at the Miss and Mister Provincia de Las Palmas Contest later in the year.

The Canarian Minister for Health Mercedes Roldos has revealed that the Regional Health Department will be including the new vaccination against cervical cancer in the official vaccination calendar. The Minister explained that the Government plans to invest three and a half million euros on the administration of the vaccine to the target population; teenagers aged between 11 and 14 years, adding that the next group of the population to receive the vaccination will be teenagers and young women aged between 14 and 26 years. Since the vaccination will form part of the Health Service vaccination programme in the same way as the vaccinations against diphtheria, polio, tetanus, MMR, hepatitis B, meningitis C it will be administered free of charge to the target group in the hope that in this way the incidence of the disease, which has become increasingly common in recent times will be reduced

The Tourism Department of La Oliva town council has installed a series of digital information panels to act as computerised tourist info rmation points for those who visit the area.

Local councillor Nereida Calera explained that three panels had been set in Corralejo; one in the commercial harbour area, a second in the small harbour and a third in the Avenida Nuestra Señora del Carmen while a fourth panel has been installed on the wall of the La Oliva town hall. The councillor added that the installation of the tactile panel in the town centre was useful as the borough does not have a permanent tourist info rmation office and visitors are often at a loss as to where to obtain info rmation.

The panels are operative 24 hours a day and are updated on a daily basis to guarantee accuracy.

The Canary Islands were forced to withdraw around 15,000 toys from the islands' shops mid August when it was discovered that they contained dangerous amounts of lead and small magnets, which could cause choking.

On hearing the news, which was quickly distributed to the whole of the Archipelago via television news broadcasts, many assumed that the toys were cheap imports that did not comply with the EU safety ruling and did not bear the CE sign. Not the case, the manufacturer of these dangerous playthings was no less than American giant Mattel who ordered that 500,000 of their toys including some of the famous Barbie dolls be withdrawn from the shelves after discovering dangerous levels of lead in their composition.

Jose Manuel Quesada , head of the regional Consumer's Department, explained that Mattel had issued a list of the thirty toys, all made in China, which are under investigation adding that anyone who has purchased a toy which figures on the list must return the item for a full refund.

Anyone worried about a toy should return to the place of purchase to check whether or not it is on the list, explained Quesada, since not all the toys are manufactured in the same factory.

Rafa Benitez signs up Fuerteventura player.

Eighteen-year-old footballer Aridane Hernandez Umpierre will be joining the ranks of Liverpool FC this season. The local lad who began his career in Gran Tarajal before signing up with Real Valladolid CF at the tender age of fourteen years was spotted by Liverpool 's talent scouts when his team finished in second position at the end of the 2005/2006 season.

Aridane, who is described as not only being an excellent footballer but also as being an excellent person, has demonstrated that he is not just another signing by announcing that instead of wearing his own name on the back of his football shirt he will bear the name of Fuerteventura in tribute to the island that encouraged him to take up football in the first place.

Both the representative of Aridane Vicente Miranda and the Cabildo councillor for Tourism Agueda Montelongo are delighted with the decision.

We reach the short break for the Euro 2008 qualifiers with Liverpool on top of the Premier League, undefeated and having played one game less than Chelsea . The scousers have started very well; the addition of Fernando Torres has strengthened the forward line and if they can sustain their early promise could go very close this year and end a seventeen year spell without winning the title.

Man UTD are struggling early on, no Rooney, Ronaldo, Solskjaer, they just seem to be lacking in goal front. Tevez has not been able to adjust to playing for the champions, Ferguson needs to sort out the problem otherwise, UTD will find the gap getting wider and wider. Man City had a great start 3 wins in a row including the 1-0 derby win over UTD, lucky on the début the game is all about putting the ball in the back of the net. Sven needs to be a little bit more adventurous going forward; I think someone needs to tell him it's the Premiership not Seria A.

There seems to be a little unrest at White Hart Lane , the early signs were very good, but the loss of King at the back and the big guns not firing at the other end sees Spurs well down the table. Derby got a real welcome to the premiership with a 6-0 drubbing at Anfield adds on favourite to go straight back down. Newcastle and Everton are up there with the early pace setters and both look stronger outfits than last season.

The two horse race is well under way with Rangers taking the early initiative as I predicted. Celtics tough Champions League qualifier taking its toll, squeezing past Spartak on penalties. The outcome of the league is going to come down to two factors, the first two games at Park Head and two in the Ibrox. The second being the Champions League campaigns, Celtic being drawn with defending champions A.C. Milan, Benfica and Shakthar Donetsk. Rangers in with Barcelona , Lyon and German champions Stuttgart , both have a great chance of progressing, maybe the cost is the League title.

The four English teams all seeded cannot have much to complain about after the group stage draw. Group A Liverpool , Porto , Marseille and Besiktas. Group B Chelsea , Valencia , Schalke E04, Rosenburge. Group F Man UTD, A.S. Roma, Sporting Club and Dynamo Kiev . Group H Arsenal, Sevilla, Steaue Bucharest, Slavia Prague. Liverpool travel to Portugal , Chelase are at home to Rosenburg and Celtic away to Shaktar on the 18 th . On Wednesday the night Rangers host Stuggart, Arsenal host Sevilla and Man UTD are away at Sporting. They should all progress to 2 nd Phase.

Four races to go and the driver market for 2008 is already in full swing. Media speculation abounds concerning the future of some of Formula One racings biggest names, including Toyota 's Ralf Schumacher and Williams' Alexander Wurz. At Renault could Giancarlo Fisichella be set to bid adieu after three seasons with the French team.

Dance professionals from all over the world will be travelling to the town of Maspalomas in the South of Gran Canaria at the end of October to take part in the Twelfth Edition of the Masdanza Contemporary Dance Festival.

The organization will be paying the travelling expenses of the numerous different groups who be competing for cash prizes of up to four thousand euros with their ten to fifteen minute long choreographies.

Masdanza is the only International Dance Festival of its kind in Spain and one of only a few in Europe . Since it was founded back in 1996 the quality and prestige of Masdanza has grown considerably offering both choreographers and dancers the opportunity to demonstrate their skills to an international audience.

The list of dance styles included in the festival is endless and this year's edition will even have a section for break-dancers.

Entrance to the Festival, which will be held at various different points of Maspalomas between 20 th and 27th October, is free of charge.

On a high following his tour of Latin America the winner of Spanish TV's “Operacion Triunfo” David Bisbal returned to Spain to offer his Premonicion 07 tour to multitudes of fans.

Although Bisbal made a date with fans in Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife at the habitual concert venues the fact that Gran Tarajal town council brought the singer to Fuerteventura is commendable especially taking into consideration the fact that the population of the town is only 7,200.

With tickets at only twenty euros each, which certainly did not cover the cost of bringing Bisbal and his team to the island, the turn out to catch of glimpse of Bisbal in Gran Tarajal on August 21 st was equally as high good as the numbers of fans who attended the car park at the Parque Maritimo in Santa Cruz only days later.

A week later on August 28th Gran Tarajal was once again the place to be with the celebration of this year's edition of the Gran Tarajal Summer Experience.

Even though the huge crowd which turned out to take part in the second largest musical event of Fuerteventura after the El Cotillo concert to enjoy the music of Quijano, Iguana Tango the Koala, Spanish Eurovision representatives Nash and the world famous duo from Añaza in Tenerife Las K-narias, was probably a reflection of the fact that no entrance charge was made to the precinct, the local councillors were delighted with the response which has helped put Gran Tarajal on the map as far as musical events are concerned this year.

Fuerteventura often inspires, so it's no surprise that British singer songwriter Steve Titford chose to write and record part of his new album in one of the island's peaceful villages.

18 months ago, Steve's parents moved from the UK to Tindaya. Steve flies out several times a year to visit his parents and escape the bustle of living near London . It's a world away from the hectic pace of life back home says Steve. A quiet village at the foot of a mysterious mountain is a songwriter's haven.

At 27, Steve is also an experienced producer. Crazy Age is his exciting new 14-track solo album - a curious mixture of powerful, uplifting, heart wrenching songs.

Crazy Age was crafted almost entirely by Steve - who wrote, performed and produced the songs at his home studios in the UK and in Tindaya.

Steve's music is best described as rock and pop with an electronic twist.Put simply, I just want to make great songs. The kind of songs that make you turn up the radio, sing along and drift into another place.

Recently Steve gave an interview and performed live on QFM 98 – Fuerteventura 's English-speaking radio station. Presenter Johnny B is currently playing tracks off the album during his shows. “He has some real talent going on? says fellow QFM presenter Mel. His performance was brilliant. This guy's got a future!”

Copies of Crazy Age are now available on Fuerteventura . They can be bought for 10€ including delivery by calling 928 86 55 07. The album is available worldwide from iTunes and other major online resellers.

Further details and sound clips can be found at www.stevetitford.com.