Paco de Lucia dies

World-renowned Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia has died aged 66 in Mexico, reportedly of a heart attack while playing with his children on a beach.

The death of one of the most celebrated flamenco guitarists was announced by the mayor's office in Algeciras, southern Spain, where he was born.

He is said to have died in the Mexican resort of Cancun.

Famous for a series of flamenco albums in the 1970s, he also crossed over into classical and jazz guitar.

He also worked on films by Spanish director Carlos Saura, notably appearing in his 1983 version of Carmen, which won a UK Bafta award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1985.

Algeciras is to hold two days of official mourning. Its mayor, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, called the musician's death an "irreparable loss for the world of culture and for Andalusia".

He had lived both in Mexico and in Spain in recent years. (BBC News)

No free wi-fi biggest tourist complaint

A survey from a hotel chain reveals that a lack of free wi-fi is one of the biggest complaints among holidaymakers. It is a key requirement for many tourists and travellers. Many guests are frustrated that hotels charge for Internet access. Some hotels set a fee of $30 a day, while others charge up to $10 an hour. Two thousand travellers answered questions about their biggest complaints. The most common one was rude and unfriendly staff. Second was checking in to find your room is not ready, and third was no free wi-fi.

The survey showed that 51% of people thought free wi-fi was crucial. It ranked higher than a hotel swimming pool or being close to a city's sites. A spokesman said: "It's crazy to think that, in 2014, hotel chains are still charging for wi-fi." A hotel management professor said luxury hotels charge because they know their customers will pay. He said budget hotels provided free wi-fi because their guests care more about value. They offer it for free to stay competitive. Meanwhile, journalists at the Sochi Olympics are complaining about there being no Internet in their rooms. (Breaking News English)

Saint Valentine – 14th February

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14. It is a festival of romantic love and many people give cards, letters, flowers or presents to their spouse or partner. They may also arrange a romantic meal in a restaurant or night in a hotel. Common symbols of Valentine's Day are hearts, red roses and Cupid.

In 260 AD, Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for all young men. He believed that single men made better soldiers than married men and he wanted his army to be as strong as possible. 

A priest at the time, named Valentine, felt that the law was unfair and continued to perform secret marriage ceremonies for young lovers. When Claudius found out, he ordered Valentine’s execution. While in prison waiting for his execution, Valentine fell in love with the young daughter of his jailer.

Just before his death (on February 14th), he wrote her a love letter which he signed ‘From your Valentine’, an expression still used today.