Madrid - Valencia moved up to fifth Sunday in the Spanish Liga with a 4-1 thrashing of lowly Getafe.

Euro 2008 top scorer David Villa put Valencia on the road to victory by calmly putting away two penalties. Fellow Spanish internationals Juan Mata and Raul Albiol scored Valencia's other goals.

"It was important for us to win tonight," said Albiol, "in order to keep our Champions League chances alive."

Albiol and company are now just two points behind fourth-placed Villarreal, who crashed 3-0 Saturday at Almeria.

Valencia, Spain - A 39-year-old Spanish former breast cancer patient will become the world's first woman to give birth to twins after receiving a transplant of her own ovarian tissue, officials said Tuesday in the eastern city of Valencia.

Women who are treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy often experience precocious ovarian failure, health official Manuel Cervera explained.

Valencia, Spain  - Of the many spring fiestas in Spain, the loudest, most colourful and fiery is Valencia's Las Fallas ("The Fires"), which captivates the Mediterranean city for five days every March.

The locals parade proudly through the streets in splendid costumes. Outsiders flock to the city to see the paella contests, folk dances, processions, fireworks displays and "fallas" - gigantic papier-maché sculptures. Last year, 1.2 million tourists jammed Valencia during the festivities.

Vale

Madrid  - Spanish giants Valencia Wednedsay cancelled the contract of Ivan Helguera.

Helguera, 33, was under contract at Valencia until 2010, but is now a free agent to join any club in the January transfer window.

Helguera - who won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2000 and 2002 - joined Valencia on a free transfer in July 2007.

He has hardly played this season due to a stormy relationship with coach Unai Emery.