City officials said at least 30,000 homes would not have electricity until Tuesday morning, and another 80,000 would even have to wait longer, possibly weeks.

The blackout hit around 11 a.m. (0900 GMT), affecting traffic lights in the city center and several subway lines, officials said.

Firefighters reported a flood of calls from people stuck in elevators, and police officers were sent to major intersections to direct traffic. The airport, however, was not affected.

At least one major hospital was relying on generator power to light operating rooms, Hospital Clinic i Provincial spokesman Marc de Semir said.

Red Electrica, which manages Spain’s power grid, said more than half the power supply had been restored within four hours. However, 130,000 of around 350,000 customers of electricity operator Fecsa Endesa remained without electricity, Industry Minister Joan Clos told a news conference.

City officials said the company was working to fix the problem, but that in the worst case scenario, it could take weeks for some areas to return to normal.

Clos, a former mayor of Barcelona, ruled out sabotage, blaming the blackout on a substation cable that fell, causing a chain-reaction failure in as many as six other substations. It also caused a fire in one substation.

Clos said the reasons for the accident were being investigated.

Meanwhile, authorities doubled the number of police patrolling Barcelona’s streets.

“We need immediate solutions for this emergency,” said the president of Catalonia region, Jose Montilla.

According to a report from the consultant CB         Richard Ellis, 76% of the demand of local businesses     corresponds with fashion-related firms which are looking for establishments between 100 to 300 square meters in the centre of Barcelona. It is believed that “Bread & Butter” is opening doors to operators “with an urban character”.

During the visit, the purpose of which is to to further develop economic relations between the two nations, the regional president has meetings planned with both the president of Portugal, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, and prime minister José Socrates.

Mr Montilla will be a guest of the Spanish Embassy in Lisbon, where former regional presidents, Jordi Pujol and Pasqual Maragall, also stayed when they undertoook similar missions.

Four other individuals were arrested yesterday including two civil servants employed in the national government’s regional headquarters and a member of staff at the Russian Consulate in Barcelona.

Mr Planells, who was questioned several times by the National Police, Guardia Civil and CNI over his relation with the suspects detained during the first two parts of ‘Operation Avispa’, stepped down from his government post last month to take up a position with the Telecommunications Market Commission (CMT).

The first phase of the operation took place in June 2005 when 28 suspects were arrested - 22 of whom were believed to be Russian mafia bosses - and charged with illegal association, money-laundering, and fradulent bankruptcy. 400 officers took part in the operation during which 41 properties were searched and 800 bank accounts frozen. Nine people were arrested in the second phase of the operation in November last year.

“Wow…what an awesome weekend that was, and a great warm up for Benicasim. Saw some great music including The Chemical Brothers, Pheonix, Lilly Allen and The Flaming Lips..amongst others. Chemical Brothers id it or me though, as always…awesome!! Friday went with a friend who´s birthday we were celebrating, so that was cool. I think he was a bit broken Saturday as he didn´t make it out for the last night. We went much earlier on the Saturday so got to hang out in the sun and listen to some groovy tunes..Lilly Allen was wikkid, loads of fun. Had a bit of a nightmare getting home, but other than that an awesome festie and i would def go again. Getting ready for benicassim now, got a bus at 8am tomorrow…so excited, gonna be a blast. Anyway, i put some pics up if there is actually anyone out there reading this…enjoy!!”

“The Jesus and Mary Chain were simply out of this world, people telling they’re just a basic rock’n'roll band nowadays don’t go down the front or aren’t fans as well. Being a fan myself and with other die hard ones we said being there was a great time already and we wouldn’t have minded if the show had sucked. Truth is they were just too fucking astonishing and there’s no way you can change that. Instant classic and the show of a lifetime. FUCK YEAH!”

“Hi I’m back from summercase im really happy but I’m so sleepy and my throat hurts I’ve been singing a lot specially kaiser chiefs xD
Ima post some photos my,me sis and my bro made ”

“Last night was the first night of SUMMERCASE. The two day festival with awesome music that I totally splurged on. It was fantastic. Lots of music and best of all, I got to hang out with Spanish people. I went with the girl that I work with in lab and her friends. And they were all ridiculously nice to me. Everything they brought they shared with me and continously made sure that I was having a good time. More interestingly is how many foreigners are in love with Spain. There was also a guy from England who had a Spanish girlfriend who he met in Mexico when they were both studying abroad. And another guy from Italy on a scholarship. And they like it here and want to stay. But I am lamenting the fact that we dont have such concerts in Gainesville. Yesterday there were the Kaiser Chiefs, Air, !!!, Scissor sisters and the Chemical Brothers. Fuck, the chemical brothers are awesome live. And the scissor sisters were my second favorite. Tomorrow, there will be the Flaming Lips, Bloc Party, LCD soundsystem and some others i cant remember.”

Next Year, buy your tickets for the Summercase here, and don’t miss the oportunity!!

PP council representative, Alberto Fernández Díaz, proposed yesterday that the new marine zoo should have a whale park to complement the planned dolphinarium, and that ‘Ulysses’, who is now in her thirties and reaching the very end of her maximum expected life span, should be the star attraction.

The killer whale was initially loaned to the American facility on a four year contract, renewable every two years thereafter.

The only Spanish zoo with killer whales is in Tenerife, although Valencia are hoping to acquire one for the city’s new zoo complex being built at the end of the River Turia gardens, in Mislata.

Hotel owners deny that Barcelona is attracting cheap tourism… The flow of visitors with enough purchasing power to stay in four or five star hotels has encouraged businessmen in the industry to plan the construction of another 36 establishments of both four and five stars, which will bring another 5,014 inhabitants to the city. Barcelona, which will have 49 new hotels by 2011, has doubled its supply in only a decade. In spite of that, the occupancy rate continues to increase. And the average price: 125 euros, 12% more than it was last year; is an increase of four times more than the average salary.