Madrid - Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone on Thursday indirectly criticized Spain's liberal social reforms such as homosexual marriage, downgrading religious education in schools and plans to liberalize abortion.

Cardinal Bertone stressed the right to life and the importance of the heterosexual family in a lecture he gave at the headquarters of the Spanish Bishops' Conference after meeting Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, King Juan Carlos, the deputy prime minister and the foreign minister on Wednesday.

Madrid  - Cristiano Ronaldo's mother wants the World Footballer to leave Manchester United for Real Madrid, according to fellow-Portugal international Pepe.

"Cristiano Ronaldo's mother has a dream: seeing her son play for Real Madrid. And everybody knows that mothers carry great weight," Pepe told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in an interview.

Madrid  - Sevilla came from behind Wednesday to beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 in a lively King's Cup semi-final, first-leg clash.

Just as against Valencia in the quarter-finals, Sevilla needed an injury-time goal to win, this time from Argentine Lautaro Acosta.

"We refused to give up again," said Acosta, "and I think we deserved this win."

Madrid  - Human bones h

Madrid - Spani

Madrid - A Vatican cardinal regarded as Pope Benedict XVI's right-hand man was Wednesday expected to try to improve relations with Spain during a visit to the country which the Vatican now regards as a leading advocate of liberal secularism in Europe.

Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone's visit is classed as private, but includes meetings with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and King Juan Carlos scheduled for Wednesday.