Madrid - Novelist Juan Marse, 75, was Thursday awarded the Cervantes Prize, regarded as the literature Nobel of the Spanish-speaking world, Spanish Culture Minister Cesar Antonio Molina announced in Madrid.

Marse, whose novels are often set in his home city Barcelona, was chosen because of his "capacity to reflect post-war Spain," the jury said.

Marse dropped out of school at age 13 and became a jeweller's apprentice after his adoptive father was jailed for being a leftist during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.

Madrid - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Thursday announced measures worth 11 billion euros (14 billion dollars) to reactivate the economy hit by the global crisis.

Madrid  - Spanish media Thursday hailed the appointment of Belgian Gerard Mortier as the artistic director of Madrid's Teatro Real opera, expecting him to raise its profile.

Mortier, 65, who currently heads the Paris National Opera, will occupy the post in Madrid from January 2010 for five years.

Described as an "authentic intellectual" and "agitator of consciences" by the daily El Pais, Mortier was expected to develop ambitious projects at the Teatro Real, which has tried to raise its international ranking to the top level for several years.

Madrid - Esperanza Aguirre, one of the leaders of Spain's main conservative opposition People's Party (PP), arrived Thursday in Madrid after surviving the terrorist violence in Mumbai.

Madrid regional Prime Minister Aguirre was visiting India with a delegation of Spanish businessmen and politicians, when shooting and explosions broke out near their hotel, press reports quoted members of the delegation as saying.

Aguirre and others hid behind a desk and threw themselves to the ground while bullets were flying by in the hotel lobby.

Paris  - Giro d'Italia and Vuelta champion Alberto Contador of Spain won the prestigious Golden Bike award for the second straight year on Wednesday.

Contador received 72 votes as he beat Olympic time trial champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland (47) and Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre of Spain (36) in the poll among the cycling media conducted by France's Velo Magazine.

Contador, 25, won the Tour in 2007 and completed his collection of major race wins this year at the Giro and Tour of Spain. He was unable to go for a second Tour de France title because his Astana team was not invited in 2008 over its doping-tainted past.

Bilbao, Spain  - Basque separatists Wednesday hailed the vote giving Greenland more au