Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 12 - 18 December 2013 Issue 1484

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ISSUE NO. 1484

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Film win for German GERMAN Andreas Henn won the prize for best short film with his work entitled ‘Great’ at the ‘Almeria en corto’ film festival.

Pricey prawns WITH Christmas approaching the price of the red prawn has increased by 50 per cent within a week and is expected to continue to rise.

Travel time THE General traffic Department (DGT) has estimated that 60,000 journeys were made in the province during the long Constitution Holiday weekend. The safety campaign finished at midnight on Monday.

On the beat MORE than 200 extra police officers will be patrolling the streets of Almeria City, in a drive to strengthen security over the festive period.

12 - 18 DECEMBER 2013

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Bank holiday flop Hotel beds empty as tourists stay away THE long holiday weekend in Spain failed to attract national tourists to Almeria Province. Despite the warm day-time temperatures on the Almeria coast, hotel occupancy failed to reach 50 per cent with only around 40 per cent of hotels and hostels open. The number of visitors was similar to other years with enclaves like the Cabo de Gato doing slightly better with a greater occupancy rate. Diego Garcia, the president of the Association of Hoteliers, ASHAL, commented: “Almeria continues to have a large component of seasonal tourism, and hotel bookings are increasingly a last-minute thing

via the internet and dependent on the weather. “Add to that the long weekend and Christmas, and we expect to

see mainly domestic tourism at this time of year.” The problem is that Almeria saw its accommodation capacity increase rapidly from 2005, which with the arrival of the financial crisis has meant a AN absent-minded woman of advanced age was intercepted by the Guardia surplus of beds that Civil on Saturday afternoon on the A92 near to Velez-Rubio. exceeds actual demand. The woman was driving her car the wrong way down the motorway That are simply more heading towards Granada, while other drivers were travelling in the direction beds than customers to of Murcia. fill them. The 112 Emergency Services reported that at 1.20pm they began to Travel links to reach receive calls mounting up to a total of 27, warning that a car was driving the Almeria are also a wrong way between km 117 and km 82 of the A92. problem with limited rail Luckily the police managed to intercept the vehicle at kilometre 89, near communications and high the province of Granada, without a major incident after the woman had ticket prices, as well as driven almost 30 kilometres in the wrong direction. the lack of available flights.

Wrong way M-way driver

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THIS WEEK IN

EWN News 1 - 20

Finance 21 - 26

Letters 27 HUERCAL-OVERA: Lighting has been installed in the shopping areas.

Lights switched on for shoppers CHRISTMAS has arrived in the town of Huercal-Overa with the switching on of the Christmas lights. The LED low consumption lighting contributes to the energy savings of the town thanks to an agreement which encompasses the lights of the Feria, Christmas and Easter. “The lighting package contracted in the purchase allows us to make savings without affecting the quality and artistic composition

of the lights,” explained the Councillor for Culture, Antonio Lazaro. The lighting has been installed on the main roads of the town and shopping areas in addition to the usual areas that traders have requested. A campaign has been launched to promote shopping in Huercal-Overa and on December 17 and 18 the Three Kings will visit a local primary school where children will hand over their letters.

Daily TV 28 - 29

Leapy Lee 39

Time out 40 - 41

Classifieds 62 - 64

Sport 71 - 72

NEWS Nativity scene THE ‘Belen’ Nativity scene covering 160 square metres and containing 1,100 pieces has opened to the public in the Santa Ana Castle in Roquetas de Mar. Check mates FIFTY FIVE youngsters from several chess clubs took part in the Municipal Games under 14 chess tournament in Almeria City. The winner was Salvador Perez from the Indalo Chess Club.

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Funds for the Philippines THE Jesus Peregrin Foundation, held its 10th Solidarity Dinner at the Gran Hotel Almeria. The foundation this year has allocated their profits, some €10,000, to those affected by the typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Specifically, the amount will be managed by the Sisters of Maria Inmaculada, who do their work in

Cebu at a shelter for girls. In October the area suffered a major earthquake and in November the devastating typhoon which caused extensive damage. The sisters encountered serious damage to the centre, and the families of the girls found themselves homeless and without supplies. The Jesus Peregrin

Foundation collaborates in needy countries through both religious and private organisations and this year more than 500 guests were able to see the projects that are underway in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, Ivory Coast, India, Cameroon, Chad and Bangladesh. For more information visit www.fundacionjesusperegrin.org.

Cuevas marathon THE 13th half marathon Bajo Almanzora brought together 96 athletes in Cuevas del Almanzora. More than €1,400 was raised for the Spanish Association against Cancer (AECC). New centre THE PSOE party in Taberno has collected 250 signatures asking for a new health centre to be built after the project was rejected by the town hall. Knock knock ALBOX is hosting a dominoes tournament in the Circulo Mercantil on the ground floor on Saturday at 10.30am. Inscriptions up to tomorrow (Friday) at €30 a pair includes breakfast and lunch. First prize is €120.

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Theatre night

MOJACAR has a night of theatre tomorrow (Friday) with Las Nacidas del Mar in the Multi Purpose Centre at 8pm. Tickets are €3.

Two arrested TWO men who passed themselves off as electricians to rob the elderly have been arrested in Lorca. The men allegedly committed seven thefts in Almeria City stealing jewellery and cash to the value of €1,000.

Carol concert A CAROL concert with three choirs is taking place in the Multi Purpose Centre of Mojacar on Saturday at 8pm. Entry is free. Tennis champ ALMERIA tennis player Javier Barranco has won the Mutua Madrid Open Under 16’s group beating Valencian Pablo Caffarena 6-4, 6-0 in the final held in Malaga.

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Back again EARLY CELEBRATION: Plaza Mayor in Salamanca hosts University New Year’s Eve.

Watching the clock New Year celebrations start early

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OW we are already in mid-December, the gummy sweets. In fact, it has become so popular that countdown to the New Year has begun, a sweet manufacturer in Madrid has created a bag of but students in Salamanca will be sweets specifically for the occasion with 12 grapeshaped sweets. celebrating tonight (Thursday). The celebration began by chance when in 1999 a Founded in 1134, Salamanca University is the oldest group of Salamanca University students got together to in Spain to still be in operation. It is the third oldest European university in celebrate New Year’s Eve early before each of them continuous operation, and the first in Europe to receive went home to a different part of Spain for the Christmas holidays. They drunk cava and ate sweets the formal title of ‘University’. Salamanca is the top-ranking university in Spain while the clock in the square struck midnight. From then on, more people took part based on the number of students every year and now it is organised coming from other regions. by an events co-ordinator and Thousands of students at supported by the city hall. Salamanca and other universities Companies have taken gather to celebrate ‘University New advantage of the celebration Year’s Eve’, normally two weeks to distribute before the proper promotional celebrations and on a items, and hotels Thursday, which is CHEERS: Cava is drunk and sweets eaten and discos hold traditionally ‘party’ night special events. for students in while the clock in the square strikes The event is Salamanca. midnight. broadcast on It is held in the Plaza Castilla y Leon Mayor, and instead of 12 regional TV. grapes, people eat 12

Quote of the Week YOU will feel my breath on the back of your necks.’

Jose Maria del Nido, President of Sevilla Football Club until this week, sentenced to seven years in prison and a fine of €2.8 million for embezzlement during his term as lawyer for Marbella City Hall.

Number of the week

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per cent less money is earned on average by women in Spain than by men, according to data published by the EU which shows that the salary difference between women and men is on a par with the rest of Europe, although it is getting smaller.

LEGENDARY 80’s Spanish group Duncan Dhu played at the Auditorium in El Ejido on Saturday as part of their comeback tour.

Of age THE mayor of Vicar has sent a letter of felicitation containing a copy of the Spanish constitution of 1978 to the 222 townspeople who reached the age of 18 during 2013.

Virus meeting MORE than 400 people from the horticultural trade in El Ejido attended a meeting organised by the Junta aimed at controlling the Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus.

Raining stars THE Casa del Cine Museum in Almeria City through ‘Almeria en corto’ has opened an exhibition by Charles Bignon entitled Mini Hollywood. The exhibition will run for six months.

And finally... How many EWN logos the same as this one can you find in this week’s paper? Visit www.euroweeklynews.com to enter your answer, for a chance to win €100! All correct answers will also go into a Christmas draw for a gift voucher to spend in local businesses.

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Town hall steps in to save jobs THE town hall of Seron has come to the rescue of an old people’s home in the town after 10 years of private management. The rescue of this community centre is,

according to the local mayor, Juan Antonio Lorenzo, due to the disagreements in recent months with the contractor ‘Union Geriatric Almeria’ which asked the council for a

reduction in the rent of the municipal owned building. From now on the council will take charge of the nursing home with the dual aim, according to the mayor,

NEWS EXTRA

New wine museum

TAKE OVER: Seron Town Hall safeguarding jobs. ‘to keep jobs for 41 employees and main-

Historic gas pipeline arrives in the Almanzora Valley WORK on the HuercalOvera to Guadix gas pipeline is complete. The work in Almeria Province has taken nine months since the project was authorised by the Spanish Government. As reported by the Almeria Government Subdelegate, Andres Garcia

Lorca, once the tests are carried out and the project complies with technical and safety standards, the subdelegation will issue the certificate of commissioning, which will open up the pipeline to supply gas. The pipeline, the largest under construc-

tion in Spain, has a length in the Almeria Province of 67 kilometres and passes through 13 municipalities of the Almanzora Valley. Four stations have been built in Huercal-Overa, Albox, Partaloa (which will service the Cosentino industrial park) and Tijola. The stations allow the distribution of pipes and the installation of future distribution lines according to a statement from the Almeria Government. During its construction the pipeline has generated 250 direct jobs and 24 companies from the province have participated in the project.

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Andres Garcia Lorca commented that the pipeline construction, along with improved road communications will go down in history in the Almanzora Valley. The commissioning of the pipeline, scheduled for early next year will eliminate the circulation of more than 2,000 road tankers and reduce gas emissions of 670 tonnes of CO2. In addition to bringing the supply of gas to existing companies, Andres Garcia Lorca stressed this new infrastructure will prove attractive for entrepreneurs to contribute to the Valley.

tain its focus on users and residents.’ The rescue was carried out following the economic problems of the company Union Geriatric Almeria, which has accumulated large debts to social security and has not paid the workers for four months, leading to demonstrations by workers outside Seron Town Hall. Mayor Lorenzo commented: “For these reasons the council has been forced to take this step, considering that in a small town in relation to our population and circumstances a lot of people are affected. Apart from being unfair to workers it creates social alarm in the town.” The mayor also thanked the workers at the home who continued to work despite not being paid.

LAUJAR TOWN HALL has given the association of friends of Wine ‘La Gabiarra,’ the former home of road workers in Laujar, to create a wine museum. The agreement will run for a period of 30 years.

Junta job THE Junta de Andalucia regional government has awarded more than €536,000 to two employment workshops in Canjayar and Padules which are creating jobs for unemployed people over the age of 25.

No to violence THE town hall of Alcolea have organised events for children in the town aiming to educate and eradicate violence in general.

Treemendous HUERCAL-ALMERIA welcomed Christmas by lighting up the pine tree in Cortijo Moreno. It is reportedly the tallest pine tree in the whole of Andalucia.

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New bike routes around Roquetas ENRUTADOS, the company which specialises in guided tours by bike in Roquetas de Mar, has introduced several new routes for the winter. These include little known aspects of the town, even for many ‘Roqueteros.’ The company has been offering bike rides for the last year and a half with great success, especially among foreign customers, and now it has added two routes ‘livestock and agriculture’ and ‘marine and gourmet.’ The first route involves a comfortable bike ride that includes the coastal area of the town to the Santa Ana Castle, the port and the centre of the city, then

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Road improvement WORK has begun on the rural road Molinillo-Plantonar, in Lucar to improve more than 2,000 metres of road at a cost of €121,000.

Piano man PABLO LOPEZ presents his new album ‘Once historias y un piano’ which has reached number four in the Album Charts at the Apolo Theatre in Almeria on Saturday.

Country calls CARMEN MARTIN from Roquetas de Mar made her debut for the Spanish handball team against Norway in the World finals held in Serbia.

ROQUETAS: One route includes the castle area. on to a farm where guests can visit an artisan cheese factory to learn about the process of developing different types of cheese. The farm has 1,500 goats which can also be seen on the tour, and there is the opportunity to visit a greenhouse and see how it functions. As for the marine and gourmet route, this offers a morning ‘laden with sensations.’ Leaving from Playa Serena, it follows the coastal area of the town arriving at the Roquetas Aquarium, where a guided tour is included. Cyclists then get to know about the fish auction of Roquetas and on return a visit to the Alejandro restaurant, the only Michelinstarred restaurant in Roquetas. While the chef

prepares the dishes and explains his techniques, cyclists can try three special tapas from the restaurant, accompanied by a beer or glass of wine. Enrutados offers a popular tour of Punta Entinas, a comfortable and affordable circuit suitable even for children, a route accompanied by expert guides, customers can learn about the history, economy, fauna and flora of this area of Almeria. All routes are accompanied by specialised guides that carry water, cereal bars, first aid kit, tool kit, binoculars, and anything that might be needed along the way. Bicycle rental, helmet, reflective vest and accident insurance are also included.

Xmas music in Los Gallardos THE ROSE SINGERS will be performing at Miraflores Los Gallardos on Thursday, December 19, at 7.30 pm. There will also be a raffle and donation in aid of ASADIS, the Los Gallardos disabled children’s charity. People are invited to go along to join in the singing of favourite carols and sample a turkey sandwich and mince pie. Tickets are €8 available from Gills Linen, Mojacar Playa, Treasure Trove, Turre, Forget-me-not, Buganvillas, The Shop at Camping Los Gallardos and choir members or ring Sue 950 617 737.

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Doorman run over THE 112 Emergency services were called to a Mojacar nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning after a doorman was deliberately run over. The 33-year-old man was transferred to the Inmaculada Hospital in Huercal-Overa. However due to his quick thinking he escaped with light injuries and is now out of hospital. According to the Guardia Civil the attack was intentional and seems to be due to an argument with a client who, after leaving the club got into his car and deliberately ran over the doorman before fleeing. While the doorman recovers and is denouncing the driver, the police are trying to locate the individual.

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NEWS EXTRA

Heavyweights in Madrid THREE youngsters from Almeria Weightlifting team won medals in the Spanish Championships held in Madrid. Rafaela Pascual won six gold medals and Aaron Francisco Cortes and Daniel Garcia Ruiz won three bronze medals each.

Verdi homage THE municipal band of Almeria, along with violin soloist Maria del Mar Sanchez, are performing a concert in honour of Guiseppe Verdi on the bicentenary of his birth, in the Apolo Theatre at 8.30pm tonight (Thursday).

Toy tests THE consumer department of the Junta has inspected 309 shops since December 2, checking labels and the safety of children’s toys.

Man arrested A MAN, 36, was arrested in HuercalOvera for allegedly selling drugs from his home. Guardia Civil seized 160 grammes of marihuana, precision scales and cannabis seeds.

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A visit to the caves for Gador seniors A LARGE group of elderly people from the town of Gador have made a cultural trip to Cuevas del Almanzora and Garrucha to discover more about two of the municipalities of the Levante area of Almeria.

During the trip, which was organised by Gador Town Hall’s Department of Social Services in collaboration with the Provincial Government of Almeria, the group visited the tourist attractions of Cuevas del

Almanzora before heading to Garrucha for lunch and a visit to the port. The group was accompanied by the deputy mayor, Lourdes Ramos, who shared with them the planned activities.

Improvements set for Chess Club in Roquetas de Mar WORK has begun to expand the chess club facilities in Roquetas de Mar located in the sports hall of Infanta Cristina. The club president Jose Manuel Magan will shortly have two floors to the right of the entrance to the sports hall with an extension of around 100 square metres. In addition, the headquarters will have separate toilet facilities, and a direct entry so that the chess players don’t have to pass across the sports hall and disturb other sports people who are training at the time. The club will also shortly have its own store for equipment. The investment made by the council for the enlargement of the venue is close to €30,000, which represents a strong commitment by the government team in sporting facilities for the sake of the chess

CHESS: Growing in popularity. players. The project stems from a concern expressed by the Councillor for Sports, Juan Jose

Have fun and help THE Vera and District Lions Club is holding a Christmas Market and craft fair tomorrow (Friday) from 10am to 2pm. There will be stalls, a raffle and competitions at the Miraflores Bar and Restaurant, Camping los Gallardos, event. And fish and chips will be available from 11.30am. Organisers are hoping for a big turnout to support local charities, particularly after their last event was washed out by bad weather.

Rubi, who has noted that chess is a game that has been enjoyed in the municipality and is becoming more and more popular.

First Zurgena Medieval Market THE first ever Medieval Market to be held in Zurgena will take place over the coming weekend in the Plaza del Olmo. Starting tomorrow night (Friday) at 6pm the market will continue on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm. Among the activities planned to take place are live music, street theatre, jugglers, workshops, as well as games and

attractions for children. In addition, there will be traditional food stalls and a tavern. More than 35 stalls will be offering original craftwork made by the stallholders themselves. Goods on offer will include ceramics, handmade jewellery, wooden toys and much more, giving people the chance to buy a more unusual gift for Christmas. Full story Page 54

NEWS A good month for the Legion THE Zurgena branch of the Royal British Legion has had a really good November, starting with an excellent Remembrance Day service at the Renfe building in La Alfoquia. The service was conducted by the Reverend Pauline Williams and was attended by approximately 100 members of the public and Legion members. On November 23 the club held its Christmas fair, also at the Renfe building. The fair was opened by the mayor of Zurgena and at midday the Cantante Singers sang some Christmas Carols. Father Christmas was also there in his grotto, giving out sweets to the children. The fair was very popular and was attended by about 400 people. Next on the agenda is the club’s Christmas Dinner Dance tomorrow (Friday) in Huercal-Overa. More information chairman Ken Davis, 634 663 584.

A fine fair in Fines FINES is holding a Christmas Market and lots more activities at the Sports Pabellon this weekend (Saturday and Sunday). There will be lots of sporting activities and plenty to see for people of all ages. Other attractions include a vintage car display, a motocross exhibition, bouncy castles and entertainment for kids.

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GRAVEYARD: The Port of Almeria

Stuck in dock of bay THE Port of Almeria is slowly turning into an ‘elephant’s graveyard’ of old ships. The Berkane, moored in the port of Almeria and former mainstay of the company Comarit, with ferry links to Morocco, is now a 20,000 ton giant without direction or an owner. Bankruptcy has left

Afternoon quiz TURRE is hosting an afternoon quiz with Tony Matthews: Spectrum Radio/EWN. It will take place at Greg & Co. Bar diner in Turre on Monday, December 16, starting at 5pm. Entry is just €2 per person. Teams of two, three or four members; winning team will name the charity to which the prize will be donated.There is still time to get a team together.

the vessel and its crew, mostly Moroccan, trapped in the port of Almeria and the ferry docked without any hope of a solution. This week Almeria Port Authority issued an official statement declaring the abandonment of the ship, in accordance with the State Law on Ports and Marine Mercantile. The Moroccan ship has, since January 5, 2012, been docked in the port with no activity. The Ministry of Development has said that it has proved impossible to notify the company Comarit Spain SL of the decision at its known address. The Berkane is not the only abandoned ship. The city is keeping guard on big ships like the OCT Challenger (seized with cocaine), The Moon Light (intercepted with 18 tonnes of hashish) and Theodoros, scrapped after being saved by Marine Rescue when it sank off the coast.

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NEWS EXTRA

Just champion referee IN-DEMAND Almeria referee David Fernandez Borbolan took charge of the Bayern Munich versus Manchester City Champions league game on Tuesday night.

Guitar man ALMERIA Grammy winning guitarist Jose Fernandez Torres ‘Tomatito’ has recorded a message of support for the new Guitar Museum opening in Almeria City.

Military parade THE military base Alvarez de Sotomayor de Viator held a military parade to celebrate the ‘Dia de La Inmaculada’ (Immaculate Conception) on Sunday.

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Town hall’s illegal power MACAEL TOWN HALL has received a notice from its utility company stating that for years the council has been hooked up to the electricity illegally. It is a situation that has been confirmed by Mayor Raul Martinez, who has been landed with an expense not catered for

by the current government team. All indications are that this situation has been ongoing since the building was renovated a few years ago. The mayor commented: “Here it seems there is not a week that goes by without a story to surprise us. All the town hall is hooked up to

power illegally. We have not realised in all this time because there is a meter from which we get a monthly bill of about €600, so we did not suspect anything. “The electricity company says the new building is illegally connected to a transformer next to the building. The meter has

Crane comes down in Garrucha GARRUCHA Town Hall has been forced to take down a disused crane. The Department of Urban Planning and Construction and Services has responded to a request from people living in the area amid safety fears. The crane was situated in Calle Miradores where building works have been stopped.The promoter of the works will have to pay for the cost of dismantling the crane. The council has suggested that as far as possible all the suggestions of citizens are addressed to improve the quality of life in the town.

COMING DOWN: Crane safety concerns.

only been counting one part of the building.” The mayor could not hide his anger at the situation: “We assume it was from when the renovation took place and the documentation was not processed correctly. We will not let this go. The works manager will have to take responsibilty for the consequences. “What cannot be overlooked is that we are assuming the consequences on a daily basis of mismanagement of the previous municipal government. When we know the amount that the electricity company is going to claim we will reclaim from the person or company responsible. “The renovation cost €1.8 million; leaving the power connected illegally cannot be tolerated.” The reform was carried out over five years ago and the mayor will now try to negotiate with the supplier to reach an agreement and try to minimise the economic consequences of many years without payment and come to a solution as soon as possible.

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Misia is here SINGER Misia, known as ‘The best voice in Portugal,’ will be performing at the El Ejido Auditorium on Saturday night at 9.30pm.

Padel clinic MORE than 50 people took part in a Padel Clinic held by prestigious player and trainer Dante Luchetti in El Toyo.

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NEWS

Youngsters attend a ‘tech’ workshop THE Provincial Government of Almeria, through the department of youth, remains committed to connecting and preparing young people in the province to adapt to technological developments. The first ‘New Technologies: youth and social networks’ programme was attended by 25 youngsters from Lijar, Albanchez and Bacares. The programme is aimed at young people with a

series of workshops aimed at providing key information in new technology. During the three day workshop, the youngsters worked with internet related content and social networks, learning measures on how to prevent risks arising from their use and possibilities offered as a useful tool for finding resources in any subject and helping young people in their personal, professional and social life.

The programme has three theoretical and practical sessions of four hours duration, making a total of 12 hours. The first two sessions concentrate on Facebook with an introduction to social networking, the power, hazards, risks and benefits of social network sites, and how to maintain privacy on Facebook. The youngsters also learned how to create a page on Facebook and how to advertise on the site. The final session was about business website Linkedin and professional networking with guidelines for writing and the use of a Curriculum Vitae on websites. In the coming weeks the same course will be held in Garrucha, Velez Blanco, Taberno and Cuevas del Almanzora.

HELPING: Zurgena launches charity campaign.

Caritas charity campaign in Zurgena ZURGENA Town Hall has thrown its support behind a food collection campaign promoted by Caritas this week. The initiative which began on Monday will allow residents of Zurgena to deliver non-perishable food at several shops in the town, which have also shown their full cooperation with the charity campaign. Food items which may be deposited include canned products, sugar, baby food and pasta or grains such as rice. The Caritas volunteers will be present at various stores throughout the rest of the week and the ‘Supermarket Cayuela’ will open its doors on Sunday, the last day of the campaign to help out.

NEWS NEWS EXTRA

Office hand over THE Junta de Andalucia regional government has handed over to the town hall of Velez Blanco the old Agricultural office in Calle Teatro for 30 years.

Film honour THE Almeria en corto film festival paid tribute to actor Cristobal Garcia who passed away recently. The tribute took place during the Marathon 48 x 3 contest in which he took part many times.

New book TIJOLA chef Miguel Angel Matias presented his new book ‘La cocina del Almanzora’ in Tijola at the weekend. The book contains 485 recipes collected from 21 towns in the Almanzora Valley.

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Stars shine during Film Festival THE Almeria film festival ‘Almeria en corto’ came to a close on Saturday but not before honouring British film producer Denis O’Dell and actor Max von Sydow. The Almeria walk of fame opposite the Cervantes Theatre now shines with two more stars after they were both inaugurated during the festival. O’Dell talked about his work on ‘How I won the war’ filmed in Tabernas and how John Lennon called it ‘a frenetic experience, but a real pleasure’ and was very

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‘Dia de La Inmaculada’

TWO MORE: The stars were unveiled on the Almeria walk of fame.

satisfied that the film has converted over the years into a cult movie. “To be here now is a great feeling in a land that I love so much and it has converted into a spiritual home for me

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during the last 40 year,” he explained. Actor Max von Sydow showed great humility and seemed genuinely moved upon the unveiling, going down on one knee to admire his star. Von Sydow recalled some of the great

filmmakers who have filmed in the province and said that he enjoyed the spaghetti westerns. “When the Leone films became successful, the Americans became very jealous and named them so,” he said, laughing. “For years I wished I had been a ‘good, bad or ugly’ but unfortunately I was never offered anything like this,” he explained.

THE Northern Area Health Management of Almeria has organised for another year various activities to mark the celebration of the ‘Dia de La Inmaculada,’ which gives its name to the hospital, located in the town of HuercalOvera. The ceremony included a tribute to workers who have reached retirement age during 2013. A total of 11 workers were honoured by their colleagues, six who worked in the hospital and five who worked in primary care centres in the region. Awards were also presented for research carried out by the Almeria College of Nursing. The activities took place in the Salon De Actos in the Hospital La Inmaculada.

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Top dogs EL TOYO hosted some of the best dogs in Europe over the weekend at the National and International Dog show held in the Palacio de Exposiciones and Congresos.

Cross words A 27-YEAR-OLD Latino transsexual prostitute has been arrested in Almeria City after stabbing a client following an argument.

Mojacar mass AN Anglican Mass takes place on Monday featuring the Rociero Choir in the Iglesia Parroquial Mojacar at 8pm. Entry is free.

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Bank cash machine gang broken up by Guardia Civil AN organised gang that used explosives to rob ATMs has been dismantled by the Guardia Civil. The arrest of six people has cleared up a spate of ATM thefts in the provinces of Valladolid, Zaragoza, Murcia and Almeria. The six people arrested are Romanian, five from Murcia and one from Zaragoza, suspected of at least 18 thefts from ATMs in the four provinces. Within the framework of ‘Operation Orbit’, the detainees have been charged with the crimes of belonging to a criminal organisation, robbery and aggravated damages with explosives. During the night the gang would allegedly place an explosive gas mixture, using precise amounts so as not to burn the banknotes, into the slots of the cash machines and blow them up to obtain the money. The investigation began late last year, after Guardia Civil

BLOWN UP: Damage after an ATM was targeted. detected intense activity by a criminal group in the province of Valladolid, where in just one month eight cash machines were targeted. The criminal group had allegedly been involved in similar robberies with the same modus operandi in central European countries. After carrying out a study and survey of the area, the gang

would select banks located in small towns and with different escape routes. Once the target town and bank were selected, it seems the gang would inject the gas mixture into the slot of the ATMs, blowing them up and causing significant damage to the cash machine, bank and sometimes adjoining buildings.

Police said this method of ATM robbery was repeated by the organisation 18 times, the last raid being on November 20 in the town of Torre-Pacheco in Murcia. After the latest robbery, the Guardia Civil located suspects in Almeria Province. Discreet surveillance eventually resulted in the arrest of one of the gang members and later four more people were detained. A house search in Roquetas de Mar revealed material used in the robberies and other documentation which appeared to show the planning of four more robberies in the province of Murcia. Apart from the serious damage caused to banks and buildings, the gang extracted an estimated €170,000. The operation ended with the arrest in the province of Zaragoza of a sixth person who had allegedly supported the organisation during the robberies in the province.

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Refurb THE City Hall of Almeria has proposed to neighbours and shopkeepers of the Casco Viejo a refurbisment to create space to display artwork.

Cakes in demand FONDON and Laujar will sell more than 160,000 kilos of Christmas cakes this Christmas. Orders have arrived from places like Denmark and Mexico.

Free advice THE Service of Assistance to Victims of Andalucia (SAVA) is offering free advice to victims of violence, the majority of whom are women.

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Christmas events for all the family ALBOX Town Hall has arranged several Christmas events, starting with Instrumental Concerts on December 17 and 18 at 7.30pm in the Salon de actos ‘Federico García Lorca’ inside the town hall building. On December 19 in the Salon de actos of the Martín García Ramos institute there is Musical Theatre at 7.30pm. December 20 there is a musical ‘Historias para no dormir’ at 8pm in the Salon de actos ‘Federico García Lorca’. On December 24 and 31 there is a parade through the streets of Albox by the Municipal Band at 10.30am.

Bikeathon THE people of Garrucha held a 24 hour bike ride at the weekend in collaboration with the Red Cross to raise funds to buy Christmas toys for children at risk of social exclusion.

Card fraud A MAN has been sentenced to two years in prison for using cloned credit cards in shops in the Almanzora and Levante areas of the province to spend almost €3,000.

Tasty event ALBOX: Fun for everyone. On December 27 there is a Christmas concert at 8.30pm in the Iglesia de la Concepción.

Finally on January 2 Peter Pan will be parading through the streets at 10.30am.

4m pyramid Christmas tree worth a study THERE is a 'Christmas tree' with a difference at the El Ejido municipal library. In a display of originality and creativity library staff used 6,000

NEWS

books, which have been placed strategically, to form a pyramid four metres high. That makes for an unusual 'tree'. The books used for the tree are

the latest encyclopedias and books that have been moved from the old library to the new unit at the Auditorium Theatre and are not yet available to the public.

THE Plaza Vieja in Almeria City held a gastronomic market over the weekend with products from all over Spain and the province.

Tourist target THE tourism plan of the Alpujarra Almeriense continues to make steps to improve their resources, with attention now focused on Nacimiento de Laujar and Fondon.

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E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

Carols on Friday

Lighting up the city

MULLED WINE and mince pies will be served in Turre after the traditional Christmas carol service on Friday December 20. The service will be held in English at the Turre Evangelical church at 7.30pm and people of all nationalities are welcome. Last year’s service saw the church full of regulars and visitors. They listened to readings and sang carols by candlelight. The church is on the way out of Turre from Mojacar and Garrucha, just past Clinivet, on the lefthand side of the main road. MACAEL has opened its ‘Belen’ nativity scene to the public. It is said to be one of the biggest in Andalucia and is made entirely with recycled products. Jose Delgado Romero and Jose Ramirez Navarrete have spent 50 days of intense

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THE streets and squares are lit up with beautiful arches, and ornate lampposts are decorated with spruce pine. In total there are 802,390 lights, of which 779,674 are LED. The lighting by traders in the city centre is funded 45 per cent by City Hall, which allows the installation of a further 105 light displays. In total, the city has installed 61 arches, 74 displays on lampposts, nine trees and an artificial pine 20 metres tall located in the Plaza de las Velas at the beginning of the Rambla. LIT UP: Christmas spirit in Almeria.

Traditional nativity scene opens to the public in Macael labour working on the traditional project. The nativity scene is inspired by the landscape of the Almanzora Valley which is

a region of contrasts, and the display invites people to take a tour of the valley, taking in the mountains including the white marble quarries, the

hallmark of industry in Macael. Materials used in the construction of the Belen include Styrofoam boxes,

NEWS

Religious dates THE Living Water Church, opposite the Red Cross on Mojacar Playa is inviting everybody to join in its annual Christmas Family Service. The service will take place on Sunday, December 22 at 4pm. Pastor David Hamilton said: “Also we extend a welcome to join us for a short Christmas Communion Service on Christmas Day at 11am.” He added: 2May we wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.” coffee sacks, cardboard boxes and damaged toys. The 150 square metres of construction recreates the most important passages of the birth of Jesus. The nativity scene is situated inside the town hall building and will remain open to the public until January 7.

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E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

S CANDINAVIAN P RESS

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Stories making headlines in Europe

GERMAN PRESS Killings investigated

BRITISH PRESS House call DENMARK - Social workers in a wealthy Copenhagen neighbourhood have begun making house calls to wake up students with high rates of absenteeism.

Digital books NORWAY - The National Library of Norway is planning to digitise all its books in Norwegian by the mid 2020s.

Halal reindeer NORWAY - Muslims in Norway will now be able to join in with local Christmas food after a butcher unveiled the country’s first halal reindeer meat.

HIV crime SWEDEN - Sweden’s use of criminal law in HIV cases is being challenged as experts argue that people on effective antiretroviral therapy have an extremely low risk of transmitting the disease.

Poor results SWEDEN - Swedish pupils’ poor results in the latest global PISA education ranking has pushed Sweden below the OECD average in maths, reading and natural sciences.

Least corrupt DENMARK - Denmark and New Zealand tied as the least corrupt countries in the world, according to this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International.

Arctic claims DENMARK - Denmark and Greenland have submitted a claim for 62,000 square kilometres of Arctic sea floor.

Expensive heating

Worst tree

UK homes are some of the most expensive to heat in Europe because of poor maintenance and insulation, according to figures from the EU.

A 15FT-TALL white Christmas tree erected in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, has been branded the worst in Britain after it became a laughing stock among residents.

Gambling addicts BRITONS spend nearly £46 billion (€55.33 billion) a year on gambling machines with the amount wagered rising by nearly 50 per cent in four years.

Eastern influx AT least 385,000 Romanians and Bulgarians will come to Britain after restrictions are lifted on January 1 experts have warned.

Health emergency THERE are signs of a ‘public health emergency’ in Britain with rising numbers of people needing to use food banks and increased malnutrition, experts warn.

New export

BRITAIN’S biggest Christmas dinner is on offer free to anyone who can eat it in 45 minutes. The Duck Inn, Oakenshaw, Worcs, devised the 5,000calorie meal.

THE head of Tatarstan Airlines was dismissed less than three weeks after a plane crash that killed all 50 people on board, the Ministry of Transport of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan announced.

Polar scare THE number of polar bears in the Arctic could drop by two-thirds by 2050 because of poaching, pollution and global warming, Russia’s natural resources and ecology minister said.

First smartphone THE first Russian-made smartphone, a dualscreen device with an LCD-colour display on one side and an electronic-paper display on the other has gone on sale.

A SOLDIER, 19, was arrested at an army base in Paderborn, Germany on suspicion of terrorism offences after a nail bomb was found at a house in Salford, UK.

Nazi alert

RUSSIAN PRESS

Fatal accident

Soldier arrest

A SALESWOMAN from Baden-Württemberg was named Germany’s most beautiful woman aged over 50. It is the second year the pageant for over 50s has been held.

Biggest dinner

DANCER Pavel Dmitrichenko was sentenced to six years in a high-security prison for ordering an acid attack that nearly blinded the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, Sergei Filin.

HUNDREDS of unsolved killings and attempted killings in Germany over the past two decades may have been committed by far-right extremists, police officials have said.

Beautiful 50+

FROM next year Britain is going to begin exporting pig semen to Chinese farmers in a deal worth £45 million (€54.12 million), as China plans to improve the country’s pigs’ genetic make-up.

Acid attack

EUROPEAN PRESS

Strange weapon

DANCER: Pavel Dmitrichenko ordered an acid attack on ballet director.

RUSSIAN TV has come up with an unusual weapon in its offensive against supporters of Ukraine’s integration with the EU - a TV programme designed to help children understand bodily functions.

Official language ACTIVISTS of the European Russian Alliance are to collect signatures for the Russian language to be used as an EU official language. One million signatures are needed for the EU Commission to consider the issue.

Russian desire OPINION polls show that many Swiss people are eager to learn Russian for professional or personal reasons. Russian is a mother tongue for 26,000 Swiss citizens.

GERMAN police have developed a smartphone app that allows them to identify rock songs with neo-Nazi or racist lyrics.

Surgery ban GERMANY’S next government will ban plastic surgery on children and minors unless it can be justified on medical grounds.

Flat-rate sex GERMANY’S biggest political parties have agreed to ban so-called flat-rate sex offered by some brothels in the country in a clampdown on the country’s booming prostitution industry.

Cultural beer GERMAN beer brewers want their five-century-old purity law recognised as world heritage by the United Nations’ cultural agency.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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inance F A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 6 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION // WWW.EWNBUSINESS.COM

12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

business & legal

Lighthouses hotels plans revealed Although the post of lighthouse-keeper is now practically superfluous, resident employees work for that area’s Port Authority. The remaining buildings are empty and the national Ports Authority hopes to put the plan, which Pastor admitted was “ambitious,” into action as soon as possible. The number of lighthouses involved has yet to be revealed.

Iberia cutbacks hit managment IBERIA is eliminating 191 of its management posts. The present number of 399 managers, assistant managers and unit managers will fall to 208, a reduction of 48 per cent. The staff cuts follow last July’s 46 per cent cutback when senior positions were reduced from 82 to 44. Two months earlier, the number of Iberia executives was cut from 11 to nine. The true figure for the latest reductions is closer to 35 per cent, Iberia claimed, owing to ‘quasi-management positions’ not included in its original

reorganisation plans. Iberia will study the future of the newlyaffected Iberia employees case by case. Some could be relocated while others “might be leaving,” the company said. The new structure responds to present and future needs, Iberia said, and reflects the best market practices. Iberia, which merged with British Airways to form IAG in 2011, has a redundancy plan affecting 3,141 employees. Salaries for air and cabin crews’ wages have been cut by 18 per cent and by 11 per cent for other staff.

B

usiness extra

Healthy figures SPANISH group BUPA Sanitas will buy at least 50 per cent, plus one share, of Chile health provider, Cruz Blanca Salud. Owners, the Said Somavia family, will receive €440 million.

Progress RATINGS’ agency Standard & Poor’s increased BBVA, Caixbank, Ibercaja and CecaBank rankings from ‘negative’ to ‘stable.’ The Spanish subsidiaries of Barclays, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas were also rated ‘stable.’

It’s cold comfort... LAST winter 17.9 per cent of Spanish families cut down on central heating. This was 4.3 percentage points more than in 2007 when the National Statistics Office (INE) carried out its last survey. Famililes on less than €15,000 a year net were the worstaffected. Twenty-five per cent turned their thermostats down in winter

2012 compared with 20.4 per cent in 2007, INE found. The higher the income, the higher the thermostat as only 16.3 per cent of families earning between €15,000 and €28,000 complained of being cold indoors. Even so, more of these higher earners economised on central heating last winter, compared with 11.9 per cent in 2007.

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STAT OF WEEK SPAIN’s consumers are less pessimistic. The Consumer Confidence Index (ICC) increased to 72.3 points last month, following a fall of 4.5 points in October.

creditAurelianusRex/Flikr

Holiday highspots DISUSED lighthouses could soon become private hotels. The state wants to put them to good and profitable use while respecting their heritage value, announced minister of Public Works Ana Pastor at a working breakfast with the media. At last count, between 50 and 60 of Spain’s 387 lighthouses were inhabited.

EWN

PEÑISCOLA: Could be put in priv ate hands?

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

LONDON - FTSE 100 C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G. 5.90 1.26 7.00 0.58 -11.25 -0.69 0.00 0.00 -11.50 -0.87 -10.00 -1.30 -7.00 -0.69 -7.00 -0.31 -5.00 -0.14 10.60 2.53 -1.00 -0.08 0.64 0.15 0.95 0.36 -3.00 -0.24 -3.50 -0.19 -0.35 -0.07 -7.50 -0.23 0.92 0.15

NET VOLUME 366.90 21.19 35.68 36.18 491.15 100.91 195.67 37.93 63.12 1,253.39 17.72 485.17 2,205.45 221.17 709.74 941.61 245.65 46.44

CU RR EN CI ES

C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 9

C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) Aberdeen Asset Mngmnt 473.15 Admiral Group PLC 1212.50 Aggreko PLC 1610.50 AMEC PLC 1098.00 Anglo American PLC 1313.50 Antofagasta PLC 759.25 ARM Holdings PLC 1011.00 Associated British Foods 2259.50 AstraZeneca PLC 3484.50 Aviva PLC 430.05 Babcock Intnl Group... 1273.00 BAE Systems PLC 416.45 Barclays PLC 266.57 BG Group PLC 1221.75 BHP Billiton PLC 1842.00 BP PLC 477.05 British Amcn Tobacco 3187.50 British Land Co PLC 602.00

0.83807

Units per €

United States $......................................................1.37172 Japan Yen ¥ ...........................................................141.495 Switzerland Francs................................................1.22365 Denmark Kroner ....................................................7.46034 Norway Kroner.......................................................8.43742

C O M PA N Y

PRICE(P)

British Sky Broadcasting BT Group PLC Bunzl PLC Burberry Group PLC Capita PLC Carnival PLC Centrica PLC Coca-Cola HBC AG Compass Group PLC CRH PLC

802.00 372.30 1359.00 1479.50 993.00 2145.00 329.10 1693.00 916.25 1470.00

DOW JONES

NASDAQ

C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 9

C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 9

C O M PA N Y MMM 3M Co AXP American Express Co T AT&T Inc BA Boeing Co CAT Caterpillar Inc CVX Chevron Corp CSCO Cisco Systems Inc DD Dupont E I De Nemours & Co XOM Exxon Mobil Corp GE General Electric Co GS Goldman Sachs Group Inc HD Home Depot Inc INTC Intel Corp IBM International Business Machine... JNJ Johnson & Johnson JPM JPMorgan Chase and Co MCD McDonald's Corp MRK Merck & Co Inc MSFT Microsoft Corp NKE Nike Inc PFE Pfizer Inc PG Procter & Gamble Co KO The Coca-Cola Co TRV Travelers Companies Inc UTX United Technologies Corp UNH UnitedHealth Group Inc VZ Verizon Communications Inc V Visa Inc

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 128.61 85.93 34.53 135.18 85.50 122.29 21.28 61.34 95.65 26.94 167.21 79.84 24.82 177.67 94.44 56.06 96.80 49.39 38.36 79.86 31.54 84.52 40.46 89.01 111.12 73.50 49.48 201.87

+1.78 +1.39 +0.28 +2.45 +1.09 +1.19 +0.37 +1.23 +1.52 +0.49 +1.65 +1.30 +0.56 +1.59 +1.47 +0.24 +1.37 +0.58 +0.36 +0.91 +0.29 +1.83 +0.63 +1.09 +2.07 +0.75 +0.57 +0.16

+1.40% +1.64% +0.82% +1.85% +1.29% +0.98% +1.77% +2.05% +1.61% +1.85% +1.00% +1.66% +2.31% +0.90% +1.58% +0.43% +1.44% +1.19% +0.95% +1.15% +0.93% +2.21% +1.58% +1.24% +1.90% +1.03% +1.17% +0.08%

2.9M 2.7M 19.5M 5.3M 5.8M 4.2M 51.3M 2.7M 12.1M 25.3M 2.7M 5.1M 53.9M 4.7M 7.3M 18.7M 5.8M 7.4M 36.5M 1.9M 18.9M 7.2M 12.6M 1.8M 2.5M 3.9M 11.2M 2.3M

1.19321

C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G. -2.00 1.76 -3.00 -3.00 3.00 3.00 -0.25 -1.00 -0.50 5.00

C O M PA N Y

-0.25 0.47 -0.22 -0.20 0.30 0.14 -0.08 -0.06 -0.05 0.34

NET VOLUME 160.95 1,215.61 12.07 47.26 38.77 18.87 671.11 4.64 140.87 52.39

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

$ 2.63 $ 3.28 $ 10.35 $ 21.64 $ 4.14 $ 7.25 $ 2.72 $ 14.37 $ 22.49 $ 2.84 $ 23.89

0.52 / +24.64% 0.52 / +18.84% 1.36 / +15.13% 2.31 / +11.95% 0.38 / +10.11% 0.65 / +9.85% 0.24 / +9.68% 1.25 / +9.53% 1.92 / +9.33% 0.24 / +9.23% 1.96 / +8.94%

$ 93.76 $ 12.03 $ 3.76 $ 4.065 $ 64.75 $ 36.47 $ 4.93 $ 92.04 $ 52.63 $ 8.51 $ 9.20

24.24 / -20.54% 2.37 / -16.46% 0.54 / -12.56% 0.505 / -11.05% 6.97 / -9.72% 3.48 / -8.71% 0.46 / -8.53% 7.97 / -7.97% 3.95 / -6.98% 0.62 / -6.79% 0.67 / -6.79%

Most Advanced RadiSys Corporation Pacific Sunwear of California, Inc. VisionChina Media, Inc. Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. China Recycling Energy Corporation Intevac, Inc. Double Eagle Petroleum Company Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. Farmer Brothers Company Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. Wix.com Ltd.

Most Declined Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. SeaChange International, Inc. China Auto Logistics Inc. ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. OSI Systems, Inc. Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Chart Industries, Inc. Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Credit Suisse Group RF Industries, Ltd.

C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) Croda International PLC 2304.50 Diageo PLC 1919.50 easyJet PLC 1435.50 Experian PLC 1111.50 Fresnillo PLC 741.00 G4S PLC 261.85 GKN PLC 366.00 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1606.00 Glencore Xstrata PLC 304.90 Hammerson PLC 502.50 Hargreaves Lansdown 1219.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 664.40 IMI PLC 1445.00 Imperial Tobacco Group 2280.50 InterContinental Hotels 1882.00 International Consldtd ... 361.95 Intertek Group PLC 2955.50 ITV PLC 182.90 Johnson Matthey PLC 3146.50 Kingfisher PLC 364.55 Land Securities Group 941.25 Legal & General Group 207.70 Lloyds Banking Group 78.59 London Stock Exchange 1616.00 Marks & Spencer Group 471.80 Meggitt PLC 494.00 Melrose Industries PLC 287.30 Mondi PLC 954.00 National Grid PLC 749.75 Next PLC 5442.50 Old Mutual PLC 189.10 Pearson PLC 1288.00 Persimmon PLC 1182.50 Petrofac Ltd 1175.00 Prudential PLC 1264.00 Randgold Resources Ltd 3980.00 Reckitt Benckiser Gr 4756.00 Reed Elsevier PLC 867.50 Resolution Ltd 331.35 REXAM PLC 486.15 Rio Tinto PLC 3277.75 Rolls-Royce Holdings 1197.00 Royal Bank of Scotland 338.55 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2150.25 RSA Insurance Group 101.60 SABMiller PLC 3066.25 Sage Group (The) PLC 373.70 Sainsbury (J) PLC 389.45 Schroders PLC 2456.50 Severn Trent PLC 1661.00 Shire PLC 2733.50 Smith & Nephew PLC 848.50 Smiths Group PLC 1375.50 Sports Direct Intrntnl... 751.75 SSE PLC 1308.00 Standard Chartered PLC 1330.25 Standard Life PLC 343.15 Tate & Lyle PLC 778.75 Tesco PLC 333.18 Travis Perkins PLC 1729.00 TUI Travel PLC 378.80 Tullow Oil PLC 880.25 Unilever PLC 2460.50 United Utilities Group 646.00 Vedanta Resources PLC 843.00 Vodafone Group PLC 231.70 Weir Group PLC 2066.50 Whitbread PLC 3489.50 William Hill PLC 379.30 Wm Morrison Sprmrkts 260.25 Wolseley PLC 3138.50 WPP PLC 1325.50

CHANGE 5.00 -3.00 8.00 -5.00 -16.50 -0.80 1.60 1.19 -1.55 0.00 10.00 5.18 1.00 -8.00 1.00 4.30 -9.00 0.40 16.00 1.10 0.50 0.30 0.36 -11.00 1.24 -1.56 -1.80 -2.00 -1.00 -5.00 0.40 -2.40 -1.50 -18.72 8.00 -58.00 -16.00 4.00 0.50 0.50 -27.50 2.00 2.92 -6.00 -0.21 -11.00 1.70 0.50 12.00 -2.00 25.00 2.50 4.00 0.00 6.00 -0.50 2.71 -3.50 0.35 2.00 0.60 -19.00 -4.00 0.84 -1.50 0.80 14.00 -3.00 -0.20 0.12 14.00 11.00

% C H G. 0.22 -0.16 0.56 -0.45 -2.18 -0.30 0.44 0.07 -0.51 0.00 0.83 0.79 0.07 -0.35 0.05 1.20 -0.30 0.22 0.51 0.30 0.05 0.14 0.46 -0.68 0.26 -0.31 -0.62 -0.21 -0.13 -0.09 0.21 -0.19 -0.13 -1.57 0.64 -1.44 -0.34 0.46 0.15 0.10 -0.83 0.17 0.87 -0.28 -0.21 -0.36 0.46 0.13 0.49 -0.12 0.92 0.30 0.29 0.00 0.46 -0.04 0.80 -0.45 0.11 0.12 0.16 -2.11 -0.16 0.13 -0.18 0.35 0.68 -0.09 -0.05 0.05 0.45 0.84

VOLUME 18.93 481.95 79.00 174.56 52.87 120.55 119.63 168.34 2,827.89 26.30 23.49 7,836.63 19.10 65.69 30.17 715.62 26.30 300.48 14.35 150.05 45.36 934.86 7,378.38 24.24 156.21 75.36 61.62 53.22 226.71 15.67 676.84 26.58 40.23 114.16 119.99 37.83 49.28 74.86 78.39 132.82 242.88 135.20 1,035.52 273.06 587.48 84.68 303.25 583.11 41.30 65.30 140.81 74.65 44.72 62.92 137.13 576.26 244.26 53.67 638.00 16.05 127.04 251.53 168.54 98.81 27.43 7,811.98 41.82 53.53 157.82 419.09 48.79 115.47

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

The rise of the humble bicycle A look at finance for females

Jane Plunkett jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com

HAVING been a car owner for six years, it was a nice relief when I moved to Spain to change four wheels for two. Granted, the car did have its perks; it was fast, comfortable and had a radio, but none of those benefits outdo my bicycle, which is also comfortable, easy to park and keeps my legs in good shape! But most importantly, it’s the money I save not having a car that is the most rewarding. I remember being petrified every time something was wrong with my car. “How much is it going to cost me this time?” I feared. Whereas

now with the odd puncture or brake tightening needed, I skip down to the local bike shop and never hand over more than a few euros. I don’t know or care about the price of petrol! Interestingly, a new report reveals that cycling now has the upper hand in Europe with bike sales beating car sales across Europe. More bicycles than cars were sold last year in 26 of the European Union’s 28 members, the exceptions being Belgium and Luxembourg, according to data from the cycle industry body Coliped and the auto industry association ACEA. Car sales have been falling since the start of Europe’s economic crisis, whereas bikes have proved pretty much crisisproof with 19.7 million sold Europe-wide in 2012, according to Coliped.

And while Northern European countries are famously more into their bicycles, nowadays the traditionally more carmad Southern European countries are switching cars for bikes, too. Here in Spain, 780,000 bikes were sold last year against 700,000 cars, while Madrid is said to be developing a new bike rental scheme with plans for a ‘green ring’ of cycle paths looping 10 kilometres around the city centre. The number of cyclists in Spain is steadily increasing. Cycle use for everyday journeys has jumped from 17 to 30 per cent, according to Spain’s road traffic agency. It appears the gasguzzling car may be losing some of its appeal as a status symbol, whereas with a bicycle you won’t be losing anything especially your money!

Union sackings THE UGT and CCOO unions have dismissed more than 1,000 of their employees since 2011. They blamed reduced state subsidies and the 500,000 members they and other unions have lost since the start of the financial crisis.

Now stable RATINGS agency Moody’s has upgraded Spain’s economic outlook from negative to ‘stable’.

Good news

PEDAL POWER: Sales of bikes are outstripping cars.

THE services sector in Spain expanded by its biggest amount in October since June 2010. Consultants Markit’s Purchasing Managers’ Index rose from 49.6 in October to 51.5. The services sector accounts for two-thirds of Spain’s Gross Domestic Product. Photo courtesy IBM

Loose change

BUSINESS EXTRA

Must we keep going to court? Q. Our house was burgled last year. Since then we have had to make three You and the visits to the police and the court in Torremolinos. They have caught the Law in Spain burglar, a young man who is now out on By David Searl bail. Last week we had to go to the Minors’ Court, where our burglar was to be tried. Apparently, if we don't turn up, we can be subject to a fine. However, our burglar did not appear and the judge suspended the case so that the police could find him. This is costing us transport and taxis and time and frustration. Do we have to go back every time we are summoned or does the thief get off because he doesn't appear? It seems that we, the victims, are threatened with a fine for not appearing but it’s OK for the thief. JA (Torremolinos) A. It is infuriating and it is unfair. I am afraid that you must indeed attend the court when you are called. And, yes, you can be fined for failing to appear. However, even if you fail to appear, as long as the police officers who apprehended your burglar do appear, the

young man will probably not get off. There is one thing you can do, both to ensure that you are not fined and to aid the prosecution. That is to put a plea into the court, stating your reasons for not appearing, declaring that you wish to proceed with the case, and

confirming your charges. You probably need a lawyer to do this for you.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952-667090

PARTNERS: Bajo Bidasoa region has teamed up with IBM.

Becoming a Smarter City with the help of IBM THE Bajo Bidasoa area in the Basque region of Spain is working with computer giants IBM to use real-time data to make accurate predictions and use data in new ways to become a Smarter City The area, with a population of 78,000 people, is leading the way in mining patterns in vast quantities of diverse data, using real-time data to make accurate predictions and helping locals make the area a better place to live and work. At the foundation of the project, IBM’s Intelligent Operations Centre software provides real-time insight into all city operations. It also powers the Smart City Centre, an integrated command centre where data is analysed and shared. For example, city leaders can see the

correlation between water consumption and waste generation, monitor and predict the effect of bad weather on incidents within the area, or visualise the amount of resources used across water, waste management, transportation, energy and public works departments. City leaders from the towns of Irun and Hondarribia set out to work together to improve sustainability, encourage more citizen participation and provide greater transparency. They did this by working with technology partners IBM, Servicios de Txingudi, the local water and waste water management and street cleaning agency, and Smartland Technologies, a group of six companies including IBM Business Partner BuntPlanet.

OPINION & COMMENT

West to blame for much Third World poverty I TOO read D Blanchette’s comments on Third World poverty. My reaction, however, in contrast to that of your correspondent Keith Hannan, (Letters, Issue 1483) was that D Blanchette was not only ill informed, but also guilty of blaming the oppressed for being oppressed. It is the greed of the West as well as its own political elites which collude to keep much of the world’s poor in poverty. The US in particular spends huge sums subsidising its own farmers who then flood world markets with cheap grain thus undercutting indigenous farmers and forcing them into poverty. As long ago as 2006, the National Center For Policy Analysis reported that ‘Subsidised agriculture in the developed world is one of the greatest obstacles to economic growth in the developing world.’ Also education is indeed the quickest solution to poverty. Here is an extract from Goal No. 3 of the UN’s 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): ‘Equal schooling for both boys and girls is the foundation for development. ‘No other policy intervention is likely to have a more positive multiplier effect on progress across all the MDGs than the education of women and girls. ‘Evidence shows a strong correlation between educating women and girls and an increase in women’s earnings, improved child and family health and nutrition, an increase in school enrolment, protection against HIV infection, higher maternal and child life expectancy, reduced fertility rates and delayed marriage.’ What looks like common sense is in fact more often than not nonsense. Information gained from empirical evidence is a far more useful tool. Helena McGinty, Alhaurin El Grande (Malaga)

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The ‘enjoy’ tabs in the postboxes pictured are part of a promotional leaflet. So now any local criminals just need to wait a couple of weeks to see which ones are not removed to get an indication of which houses might be vacant. Thank goodness our house is always occupied. But absent owners should be worried. The product being promoted might be very good. But, come on, this must be one of the most crass bits of advertising ever. Unless you know better, of course!

Andrew Johnson (by email)

Pen to paper I HAVE watched with interest the petitions objecting to the proposed cessation of the winter fuel allowance. However, when we lived in the UK we were advised by a civil servant that a petition is treated by the authorities as one complainant as many people sign petitions without reading them. Far the best way is to write to your old constituency MP; any expatriate living in Spain for less than 15 years will if they apply, be returned to their last constituency for voting purposes. Point this out as well as any objections you may have. MPs are obliged to reply to letters from constituents and if they receive large numbers it will, if nothing else, be a nuisance. In marginal constituencies it may well be seen as a threat to their parliamentary seat. Nothing moves an MP’s feelings more than the chance of being voted out. You could also ask friends and relatives still resident in

WHEN YOU WRITE All letters, whether by email or post, should carry the writer’s postal address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published. Letters may also be edited. Readers who have missed earlier correspondence can see all letters posted on:

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the post office and bought a couple of packs of oblong envelopes for about €1 and transferred all my 22 little square cards into the oblong envelopes and sent them for 75 cents each. What a saving, but how stupid! And once again it only affects foreigners. Merry Christmas, ho ho ho. Trilby (by email)

Not a good idea the UK to write also. The address for all MPs is: Care of The House of Commons, SW1, London. Lewis Rudge, Bellreguard (Valencia)

Ho, ho, ho POSTING a square Christmas card or a card in a red envelope to Europe costs €1.45. Send the same card in a white oblong envelope and it costs 75 cents or nearly half the price. Angry about this stupidity, I went to the shop next door to

LICENSING dogs ( Letters, Issue 1482) will mean that irresponsible owners will simply dump their dogs so only responsible owners will pay the price. This will mean even more abandoned ones being neglected. Many Spanish don’t have their dogs micro-chipped or neutered so how are they going to be licensed? I have limited money but my dogs are my loyal companions and I feed them as I would any family member. Licences would punish me even though my dogs stay in

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27

my grounds and are not a problem to anyone. Janet Hayden, La Vinuela, (Malaga)

Movistar woes WE have been customers of Movistar/Telefonica since we came to Spain some six years ago. It was not until we had a problem with our bank account that things went amiss. We received a text message from them. After four days of trying we eventually spoke to them but the amount owed went from €24 up to €176 then down to €157. When we asked for details we were told we had a dongle (a mobile internet connection). We do not have one other than the items we got with our phone. After telling them we do not use the internet connection via our phone, still no joy. We have tried to get more information from the internet with again no joy. If you had a meal and got a highly inflated bill, you would want to check the bill before paying, but we can only wait and see. Cherry Atkinson ( Letters, Issue 1482) who suggested the text message route of getting help must have the advantage of either being a fluent Spanish speaker or have access to a fluent Spanish speaker. Unfortunately, in this respect, we are not lucky, we are just ordinary expatriates. Linda C Walton (by email)

Second helpings YET another downside of living above a bar. The health department, the town hall and the administrator of our urbanisation all think that there is no problem when all the cooking smells from the bar below me are pumped into my apartment through a faulty chimney. Nobody will take any responsibility. Any advice? Raymond Langhorn, Vera Playa (Almeria)

The views expressed and opinions given in Letters are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. They accept no responsibility for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements, and reject claims arising out of any action that a company or individual may take on the basis of information contained therein.

28

E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de AlmerĂ­a

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

BBC1/

BBC1/

2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Perfection 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Keeping Britain Safe 24/7 10:00pm Christmas Supermarket Secrets 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Question Time 12:35am This Week

3:15pm Perfection 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm A Question of Sport 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Miranda 10:00pm Have I Got News for You 10:30pm Live at the Apollo 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Graham Norton Show 12:20am The Last Castle

BBC2/ 2:30pm Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam 3:00pm Cash in the Attic 3:45pm Expedition Borneo 4:15pm Orangutan Diary 4:45pm Cagney and Lacey 5:30pm Are You Being Served? 6:05pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:30pm Priceless Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Great British Garden Revival 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Silent War 11:00pm The Best of the Sarah 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am Tudor Monastery Farm

ITV/ 3:00pm Peter Andre's 60 Minute Makeover 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Show Me the Telly 6:00pm The Paul O'Grady Show 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm You've Been Framed! 10:00pm There's Something About Susan 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:40am The Late Debate

CH4/ 3:10pm Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm George Clarke's Amazing Spaces 10:00pm British Comedy Awards 2013 12:05am Gogglebox

ITV2/ 2:55pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:00pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:05pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:00pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here Now! Crown Jewels 10:00pm The Big Christmas Reunion 11:00pm Celebrity Juice 12:00am American Pie: The Wedding

TV LISTING

www.euroweeklynews.com

BBC2/ 3:45pm Expedition Borneo 4:15pm Orangutan Diary 4:45pm Cagney and Lacey 5:30pm Are You Being Served? 6:05pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:30pm Priceless Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Great British Garden Revival 9:00pm Mastermind 9:30pm Kangaroo Dundee 10:00pm Wild Burma: Nature's Lost Kingdom 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight 12:05am Julie and Julia

ITV/ 3:00pm Peter Andre's 60 Minute Makeover 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Show Me the Telly 6:00pm The Paul O'Grady Show 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Off the Beaten Track 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Boyzone at 20: No Matter What 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift 1:30am Jackpot247

CH4/ 1:25pm Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 2:30pm Channel 4 Racing 4:30pm Countdown 5:15pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 10:00pm Derren Brown 11:35pm Alan Carr: Chatty Man 12:40am Stand Up for the Week

BBC1/ 2:00pm BBC News 2:10pm BBC London News 2:15pm Gymnastics 5:00pm Final Score 6:30pm BBC News 6:40pm BBC London News 6:50pm Pointless 7:40pm Strictly Come Dancing 9:20pm Atlantis 10:05pm Casualty 10:55pm The National Lottery Live 11:05pm BBC News 11:25pm Match of the Day 12:55am The Football League Show

BBC2/ 1:00pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 1:45pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 2:30pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 3:15pm Coast 4:10pm Doctor Who Mastermind 4:40pm The Weakest Link 5:30pm Flog It! 6:30pm Tron 8:00pm A Culture Show Special 9:00pm Tron Legacy 10:55pm The Science of Doctor Who 11:55pm The Wrong Mans 12:25am The Wrong Mans

ITV/ 12:25pm ITV News and Weather 12:30pm Columbo 2:30pm Doc Martin 3:30pm Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 6:05pm The Big Christmas Reunion 7:05pm ITV News London 7:15pm ITV News and Weather 7:30pm You've Been Framed! 8:00pm The Chase: Celebrity Special 9:00pm The X Factor 11:05pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:10am ITV News and Weather

CH4/ 2:30pm Channel 4 Racing 5:00pm Come Dine with Me 5:35pm Come Dine with Me 6:05pm Come Dine with Me 6:35pm Come Dine with Me 7:05pm Come Dine with Me 7:35pm Channel 4 News 8:05pm Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 9:00pm Cornwall: Walking Through History 10:00pm Psychopath Night 11:55pm Clear and Present Danger 2:35am Stand Up for the Week

ITV2/

ITV2/ 1:55pm Emmerdale 2:25pm You've Been Framed! 2:55pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:00pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:05pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:00pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Coming Out 10:00pm The Holiday 12:45am American Pie Presents Band Camp

12:10pm The X Factor USA 2:00pm The X Factor USA 3:00pm Peter Andre: My Life 4:00pm The Only Way is Essexmas 5:05pm I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here Now! Trials and Tribulations 6:10pm You've Been Framed! Christmas Special 6:40pm Johnny English 8:25pm The Perfect Storm 11:05pm The Xtra Factor 12:05am Celebrity Juice 1:10am Fearne and... James Blunt 2:10am The X Factor

SUNDAY-

SATELLITE CHANN

Sky1/ 12:00pm WWE Experience 1:00pm David Attenborough's Micro Monsters 1:30pm David Attenborough's Micro Monsters 2:00pm David Attenborough's Micro Monsters 2:30pm Ashley Banjo's Secret Street Crew 3:30pm Frozen Movie Special 4:00pm Futurama 4:30pm Futurama 5:00pm Futurama 5:30pm Futurama 6:00pm Stephen Fry/Andy Sirkes Face 2 Face 6:30pm The Simpsons

7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Yonderland 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm The Simpsons 9:30pm The Simpsons 10:00pm Arrow 11:00pm Revolution 12:00am Banshee

SkyMoviesComedy/ 10:35am School of Rock 12:25pm Groundhog Day 2:10pm Mr Woodcock 3:40pm Mean Girls 5:20pm Ghostbusters II 7:10pm School of Rock 9:00pm Groundhog Day

15 December BBC1/ 7:00am Breakfast 8:35am Match of the Day 10:00am The Andrew Marr Show 11:00am Fern Britton Meets... 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Helicopter Heroes Down Under 1:15pm MOTD2 Extra 2:00pm BBC News 2:15pm Nigel Slater's Simple Christmas 3:15pm Bargain Hunt 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Christmas Supermarket Secrets 5:45pm Lifeline 5:55pm Songs of Praise 6:30pm BBC News 6:50pm BBC London News 7:00pm Countryfile 8:00pm Strictly Come Dancing 8:40pm Sports Personality of the Year 2013 11:00pm BBC News 11:15pm BBC London News 11:25pm Match of the Day 2 12:35am Adventureland 2:15am Weatherview 2:20am BBC News

BBC2/ 7:00am This is BBC Two 7:55am The Valley of Gwangi 9:30am Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein

10:00am Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein 10:30am Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:00pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 12:45pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 1:30pm EastEnders Omnibus 3:20pm Around the World in 80 Days 6:05pm Flog It! 6:55pm Ski Sunday 7:40pm Sports Personality of the Year at 60 8:40pm The Great British Sewing Bee 9:40pm The Duchess 11:20pm QI XL 12:05am Hebburn 12:35am Never Mind the Buzzcocks 1:05am The Culture Show 1:35am Countryfile 2:30am Holby City 3:30am This is BBC Two

ITV/ 7:25am The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That 7:35am Dino Dan 7:50am Dino Dan 8:00am Canimals 8:10am Canimals 8:15am Text Santa: Help with Hattitude 8:25am Sooty 8:35am Horrid Henry 8:45am Text Santa: Help with Hattitude

www.euroweeklynews.com

TV LISTING

12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

Monday SkyMoviesComedy/

5:20pm

NELS/

Five years on from their spectacular victory over the ghoulies, the supernatural sleuths have fallen on hard times, reduced to performing at children's parties. When a medieval madman comes back to life, threatening to suck New York into a river of ectoplasm, who you gonna call?

10:45pm Mr Woodcock 12:15am Tower Heist

SkyMoviesChristmas/ 8:40am The Flight Before Christmas 10:15am Naughty or Nice 12:00pm Deck the Halls 1:45pm Elf 3:30pm Miracle on 34th Street 5:30pm All I Want for Christmas 7:15pm Elf 9:00pm Miracle on 34th Street 11:00pm A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas

SkyMoviesAction/ 11:10am The Hobbit 11:40am The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

BBC2/

3:00pm The Amazing 3:20pm The Amazing Spider-Man 5:40pm The Mask of Zorro 8:00pm The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

TCM/ 2:30pm Ed Sullivan's Rock N' Roll Classics 3:00pm The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show 3:30pm The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show 4:00pm Rocky Mountain 5:35pm Bite the Bullet 8:00pm Ed Sullivan's Rock N' Roll Classics 8:30pm Ed Sullivan's Rock N' Roll Classics 9:00pm The Very Best of the Ed Sullivan Show

2013 Sunday 8:50am Victorious 9:15am Bottom Knocker Street 9:30am Fort Boyard 10:25am ITV News 10:30am Storage Hoarders 11:30am Sunday Side Up 12:30pm Sunday Scoop 1:30pm ITV News and Weather 1:35pm Inside the National Trust 2:35pm Let's Do Christmas with Gino and Mel 3:35pm Love Your Garden 4:35pm The X Factor 6:40pm You've Been Framed! 7:05pm ITV News London 7:15pm ITV News and Weather 7:30pm The Chase: Celebrity Special 8:30pm The X Factor Results Show 10:30pm Through the Keyhole 11:30pm ITV News and Weather 11:45pm Hellboy II: The Golden Army 1:50am The Store

CH4/ 6:25am 90210 7:10am The Hoobs 7:35am The American Football Show 8:30am Anglesey Sandman Triathlon 9:00am Jamie's Money Saving Meals 9:30am Jamie's Money Saving Meals 10:00am Jamie's Money Saving Meals 10:30am Sunday Brunch 1:30pm The Big Bang Theory

BBC1/ 2:45pm Perfection 3:30pm Escape to the Country 4:30pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 5:15pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Fight Back Britain 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Panorama 10:00pm Ripper Street 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Have I Got a Bit More News for You 12:20am India: A Dangerous Place to be a Woman

Ghostbusters II (Film, 1989)

•Bill Murray •Dan Aykroyd •Sigourney Weaver •Harold Ramis •Rick Moranis •Ernie Hudson

Tuesday

2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 2:30pm The Simpsons 3:00pm The Simpsons 3:30pm Gadget Man 4:05pm Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6:00pm Channel 4 News 6:20pm Fred Claus 8:30pm Brtain's Killer Storms 10:00pm Homeland 11:00pm Your Highness 1:05am Alan Carr: Chatty Man 2:00am American Football Live 5:45am KOTV Boxing Weekly

ITV2/ 6:55am ITV2 Nightscreen 7:00am Life's Funniest Moments 7:20am Emmerdale Omnibus 9:55am Coronation Street Omnibus 12:20pm The X Factor 2:30pm The Xtra Factor 3:30pm I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here Now! Best of the Bush 4:30pm I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here Now! Crown Jewels 5:30pm You've Been Framed! 6:30pm Two Weeks Notice 8:30pm Land of the Lost 10:30pm The Xtra Factor 11:30pm 2 Fast 2 Furious 1:40am The Big Christmas Reunion 2:40am The Vampire Diaries 3:25am Life's Funniest Moments

3:45pm Madagascar 4:45pm Cagney and Lacey 5:30pm Are You Being Served? 6:00pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:30pm Priceless Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Nigellissima 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Tom Kerridge Cooks Christmas 10:00pm The Choir: Sing While You Work 11:00pm Never Mind the Buzzcocks 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve

ITV/ 3:00pm Peter Andre's 60 Minute Makeover 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Show Me the Telly 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Tales From 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm A Night of Heroes: The Sun Military Awards 11:30pm ITV News and Weather 12:05am Cliffhanger

CH4/ 3:10pm Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Kirstie's Crafty Christmas 10:00pm Liberty of London 11:00pm Fresh Meat 11:50pm The Inbetweeners 12:20am The Inbetweeners

29

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Wednesday BBC1/

12:30pm Helicopter Heroes 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Perfection 3:30pm Escape to the Country 4:30pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 5:15pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm Last Tango in Halifax 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Matt Lucas Christmas Awards 12:15am Film 2013

BBC2/ 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Super League Show 3:00pm Cash in the Attic 3:45pm Madagascar 4:45pm Cagney and Lacey 5:30pm Are You Being Served? 6:00pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:30pm Priceless Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm The Great British Sewing Bee 9:00pm The Great British Bake Off 10:00pm Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve 11:00pm Hebburn 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am The Choir: Sing While You Work

BBC1/ 12:30pm Helicopter Heroes 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Perfection 3:30pm Escape to the Country 4:30pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 5:15pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm The First Great Train Robbery 10:30pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm A Question of Sport 12:05am The League Cup Show

BBC2/ 2:00pm One Man and his Campervan 2:30pm Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam 3:00pm Cash in the Attic 3:45pm Madagascar 4:45pm Cagney and Lacey 5:30pm Are You Being Served? 6:00pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:30pm Priceless Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Wartime Farm 9:00pm Food and Drink 10:00pm Tudor Monastery Farm 11:00pm The Sarah Millican Television Programme 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am The Silent War

ITV/ 2:30pm ITV News and Weather 3:00pm Peter Andre's 60 Minute Makeover 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Show Me the Telly 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 11:25pm ITV News and Weather 12:00am The Lockerbie Bombing

CH4/ 1:30pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:40pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Location, Location, Location 10:00pm Heston's Great British Food 11:00pm Masters of Sex 12:10am Masters of Sex

ITV2/

ITV2/

2:55pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:00pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:05pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:00pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm The Xtra Factor Brand new for 2013. The Xtra 10:00pm Peter Andre: My Life 11:00pm Celebrity Juice 12:00am Knocked Up

1:55pm Coronation Street 2:25pm Coronation Street 2:55pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:00pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:05pm The Xtra Factor 6:05pm The ITV2 Panto 7:45pm Funniest Ever You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm The Xtra Factor 10:00pm The Vampire Diaries 11:00pm American Pie: The Wedding 1:00am Tricked

ITV/ 2:30pm ITV News and Weather 3:00pm Peter Andre's 60 Minute Makeover 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Show Me the Telly 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Surprise Surprise 10:00pm Lucan 11:30pm ITV News and Weather 12:10am Smokin' Aces

CH4/ 2:00pm Come Dine with Me 2:35pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Phil Spencer: Secret Agent 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners 10:00pm 24 Hours in A and E 11:00pm Gogglebox 11:45pm Jimmy Carr: Being Funny

ITV2/ 2:30pm You've Been Framed! 3:00pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:05pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:10pm The Xtra Factor 6:15pm The ITV2 Panto 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm The Xtra Factor 10:00pm Miss Congeniality 12:15am The Only Way is Essexmas

30

E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

E

XACTLY who will feel safer when the Public Safety act becomes law early next year? Politicians, principally. Unauthorised demonstrations outside the national or regional parliaments could cost protesters €30,000. They should consider themselves lucky that Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz, deafened but not chastened by roars of outrage, backtracked on the proposed €600,000. The reduction is academic, because finding €30,000 is as impossible for most protesters as stumping up €600,000. Public safety is the least of the public’s concerns and was placed 10th amongst Spain’s principal worries by an official CIS survey last October. Nevertheless, Fernandez Diaz’s law seeks to protect them from the dangers of ‘offences to Spain’ and its institutions. The government, which must ride out next year’s European elections, followed by local, regional and finally general elections in 2015 might feel safer, believing itself buttressed against protest. Instead it will be more vulnerable. Nothing breeds protest like trying to eradicate it.

No-brainer WHATEVER trade union UGT says in Andalucia will sound like excuses, not explanations. It is already up to its neck in the ERE scandal and now the regional government

www.euroweeklynews.com

Protecting protesters from themselves Cassandra Nash

A weekly look and not entirely impartial reaction - to the Spanish political scene

is reclaiming €1.8 million for false invoices from 2009. The regional secretary has resigned and UGT is in the throes of an internal debate. Should it break with the past and come clean or keep quiet and let matters continue as they are? Merely needing to ask these questions must have father of Spanish socialism Pablo Iglesias (and Keir Hardie) turning in their graves.

Short memories GENERAL

ALFONSO

ARMADA

died

OPINION & COMMENT Juan Carlos, whom he later named his successor. Armada became the then prince’s secretary in 1965 but resigned or was dismissed - there are conflicting versions in 1977 as democracy galloped through Spain. Armada always wanted to be president of Spain and thought his day had come with the February 1981 coup d’état. The coup failed, entirely thanks to the King, a man now in his seventies whose popularity has gradually waned in the intervening years. The next time Juan Carlos is booed by the public - assuming they dare to under Fernandez Diaz’s new law - they should remember the hero’s role he played almost 33 years ago.

Better together

BACKTRACKED: Jorge Fernandez Diaz. recently, aged 93. He was a wily monarchist, one of the teachers appointed by Franco to tutor

COVERGENCIA I UNIO needs Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya’s support to retain control of Cataluña’s regional government. CiU now wants a joint ticket with ERC for the European Elections in the belief that it will get better results if the two parties go hand in hand. Trouble is, CiU is already two parties and Convergencia must persuade Unio less sold on separatism and none too fond of ERC - that this is a good idea. Nor does it help that CiU wants independence only if the price is right but ERC wants it at any price.

FINANCE

EUROPEAN PRESS12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

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EWN

31

New Tax Information Exchange Agreements

The UK Crown Dependencies have signed their new agreements with the UK to automatically exchange tax information. Agreements are also in progress with Spain. Spain and Portugal have agreed to strengthen automatic exchange of information on tax matters. These types of agreements are becoming more and more common, with countries globally starting to automatically share information bilaterally and unilaterally. This kind of information sharing leaves little room for tax evasion or concealed offshore funds going forward. Around 1,100 new Tax Information Exchange Agreements were signed from 2009. They tend to cover exchange of information on request. Today we are seeing new intergovernmental agreements signed where financial information on taxpayers’ assets will be automatically reported each year, regardless of whether the individual’s home country suspects tax evasion or not. On 10th October, the Isle of Man became the first UK Crown Dependency to sign an intergovernmental agreement with the UK on automatic exchange of

By Bill Blevins, Financial Correspondent, Blevins Franks tax information. This was closely followed by Jersey and Guernsey. Gibraltar signed an intergovernmental agreement on 21st November to improve international tax compliance with the UK. Once in effect, a wide range of financial information on UK taxpayers will be automatically shared with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) every year. This will significantly enhance HMRC’s ability to close in on those who fail to declare offshore assets. Often referred to as ‘UK FACTA

agreements’ or ‘son of FATCA’, these agreements are modelled on the requirements of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), introduced by the US to ensure tax compliance of its citizens with international interests. The Isle of Man and Guernsey already automatically share information on personal savings income with the UK and EU, under the Savings Tax Directive. Jersey has committed to start in 2015. The new intergovernmental agreements extend the scope of automatic disclosure to include, for example, trusts and companies. When the agreement was signed with the Isle of Man, UK Chancellor George Osborne said it was “a momentous step forward in tax transparency,” and warned: “For anyone attempting to hide their money offshore our message is clear: our resolve is stronger than ever, the net is closing in and the

world is becoming a smaller place to evade paying the taxes which are owed.” Under the agreements, financial information on UK resident taxpayers will start to be forwarded to HMRC from January 2015. Under the reporting schedule, information for the 2014 and 2015 calendar years must be reported by 30th September 2016. Going forward, reporting will take place within nine months of the end of the year. Disclosure facilities are available until September 2016 for UK taxpayers who have undisclosed assets and income in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey to disclose unpaid tax liabilities to HMRC under protection from the normal penalties. Spain and exchange of information A press release from the Spanish government on 22nd November confirmed that exchange of information agreements with the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey are in

progress. It is also working on one with Monaco. New Spain/Portugal agreement In October, Spain and Portugal signed agreements to improve automatic exchange of information and mutual assistance on tax matters. They target tax evasion and fraud, and focus on self-employed Spanish tax residents who work in and receive income from Portugal, fictitious tax residency in Spain, ‘phantom’ entities in Spain. International tax planning is becoming increasingly complex. It is essential to keep up to date and only use approved and legitimate tax planning arrangements. To avoid being caught out, and ensure your assets are in the right place, seek specialist professional advice. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

The dangers of market day favours and free taxis! Ric Polansky Ric Polansky moved to Mojacar in 1969 as a pioneer developer. He reads extensively and has travelled in South America panning gold and looking for El Dorado.

O

F course, owning a car gave you instant notoriety, almost hidalgo status (hijo de alguien - son of an important person). For the gobsmacked wishful peasants you were in control of a mechanised contraption almost beyond comprehension. My how their dark eyes envied you. You could feel that burning jealousy right to your bones. It was something I didn’t wish. I hoped more foreigners would follow and come to the markets so I didn’t want to create a class rift by owning a ‘coche’ and being holier than them.

Yet, I could see their blazing eyes doing calculations after a visit to the market: ‘He’ll probably be home before sunset’ they must have imagined. They all had long and dangerous burro rides ahead of them. I felt very sorry for them. I would sometimes see them loading their goods on the poor animal before the man crawled atop. The women would position themselves always directly behind the beast and hold on to its tail to aid themselves by being pulled along and not losing their way in the dark. On one occasion I stopped and asked if the ancient one wanted a lift. If she did say ‘yes’ to a trip in the car you had better be well armed with plenty of old newspapers and also plenty of airplane ‘bomb bags’ for her personal use. The Marias and Pacos of that era were not accustomed to rocking back and forth and

EWN

33

LOOKING BACK IN MOJACAR

MARKET TAXI: The old folks were not accustomed to moving cars. swaying in a moving car while the outside countryside whizzed past. Rounding a corner loaded with two tons of onions and 50 kilos of produce didn’t help the erratic journey. If you were lucky you’d get about a mile before ‘sea sickness’ took effect and then it was a pretty awful sight to behold. Then followed some pretty wretched guttural belching and garlic at its most vivid and pungent worse. Once a ‘sick’ accident occurred you’d have to stop immediately, let them get out and recuperate their land legs while you of course cleaned up the overpowering rancid

residue inside the car. You had to or you couldn’t bear to drive further. One quickly learned to drive at the speed of a turtle or an over burdened burro plodding his way home. Most of the journey back was like driving a steam train with your head well out the window and gasping for air. Worse yet, once the word escaped that you gave rides when you came back from the market you discovered long lines of country folk waiting for the free experience. But to be honest, I refused to carry live chickens and squirming rabbits. A market taxi must have some dignity.

34

E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

Forget the Xmas gifts - it’s all about me! Nora Johnson

Breaking Views A Costa del Sol resident for a number of years, Nora is the author of psychological suspense and crime thrillers. To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/ norajohnson

ACCORDING to recent press reports about Amazon UK sales records being broken both on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we’re maybe shopping more for ourselves than for others when we’re out Christmas gift-buying! But is this really such a recent phenomenon? There was this kid I read about whose dad bought his wife a spade one Christmas. Worse, he wrapped it up and left it under the tree for weeks prior to the big day, without making any effort to disguise the fact that he’d put some flash wrapping paper on a gardening tool. It sat there until Christmas morning. He then explained to her: “You really need to do something about the garden and at least this way you don’t have to buy your own spade - after all, I’m only thinking of you, dear!” At least she had something to bury him with after he’d eaten the poisoned prawn cocktail.

nt one for gardening? GARDEN SPADE: Do you wa

Which reminds me of other times past. One friend’s dad once got his wife an electric saw. To this day I'm amazed they didn’t have a repeat of the Texas chainsaw massacre. Another friend’s dad bought his wife a rolling pin as a hint. Mistake, in more ways than one. Although I’m not sure that tops the time my own father came home with a Dyson for Mum on her birthday. Or these Dear Santa letters from hopeful kids: “Please give me a big fat bank account and a slim body. And please, don’t mix those two up like you did last year!”

Or perhaps an electric saw?

“Please text my dad - he has my whole list.” “And if you bring presents, bring batteries!” Or the case of my best friend’s motherin-law who once gave her a blouse that she’d bought much earlier that year on holiday in Spain. The blouse itself was OK, although neither her style nor size, and had evidently come from a range of clothing for the much fuller-figured lady. I don’t recall what the name of the original Spanish range was but the label read ‘Fat Beauty.’ She’s received M&S vouchers ever since.

PS Just heard on the radio this morning about the husband who’s bought his Mrs a set of windscreen wipers! Oh, err! Nora Johnson’s thrillers ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora-johnson.com) available from Amazon (€0.89;£0.77) and iBookstore. Profits to Cudeca

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

I’m brainy, and that’s official! LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT

W

ELL, for the first time in something over 15 years, I feel somewhat overqualified to scribble this blurb. Last week, in the light of Boris Johnson’s dismal IQ test result on local radio, I completed a similar test that appeared in my favourite national paper. The result? Wait for it. I scored 22 out of 32. The paper’s verdict for this score was as follows: ‘Congratulations superbrain - your IQ is off the charts. You’re among the chosen few, destined for a stellar career and blessed with stellar intellect.’ Obviously, with a result like that, I should be writing political comments in The Times, or perhaps ‘How to run the world’ pieces in The Guardian! Give us a break! If the test was intended to determine superbrain status or the intellect of future leaders, then we truly are in trouble. The dumbing down of our schools is now obviously manifesting itself in the adult population and frankly I find it all a bit scary. I’ll run a couple by you; see what you think. Q. ‘If you rearrange the letters CIFAIPC you get a kind of what? A. Country B. Animal C. Ocean. Q. People climb me and burn me. My rings

aren’t made of gold, but do tell my age. What am I? Q. Which word is always spelt wrong? Q. Which members of the family are defined by the crossword clue LAINWS? Get the picture? I really do despair of it all. Ah well, it’s all a bit late for me to line up with the likes of Einstein and Socrates. I’m afraid you’ll just have to put up with my scribbling here for a while longer. A couple of personal views this week. Firstly, I think the 10-year prison sentence handed down to Royal Marine Alexander Blackman was a disgrace. I’m not saying that some form of retribution shouldn’t IQ TEST have been ordered, but RESULTS: to deliver a ‘Congratulations, punishment more severe than those superbrain.’ received by many rapists and civilians who murder in cold blood, is beyond belief. By this yardstick, Blair and Bush should be banged up for 1,000 years or more. Let’s hope some form of sanity prevails at his hopefully early appeal. My second view is that if I hear of any more presents offered up to us by Ed Miliband, I’ll be looking out for him to arrive at The Commons

EWN

39

LEAPY LETTERS

Vote Lee I ENJOY your comments every week. Then when I have finished reading, I keep thinking why can this guy not become Prime Minister. Like most folk here in Spain I would hate to go back to the UK which has become a cesspit. UKIP must surely gain from the present unacceptable mess we are in. May my God always be with you. Tom (By email)

More praise on a sleigh. When is this desperate party of political dinosaurs going to realise their policies are never going to work, and opposition is the very best they can expect for many a year to come? And as for Ed Balls... Answers to the ‘Intellectual Quiz’ 1. PACIFIC 2. TREE 3. WRONG 4. INLAWS. Keep the Faith, Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

EVERYTHING you say is true. It is a pity the UK papers don’t print your articles. Why do you not go into politics? You would make a good Prime Minister. The UK press aren’t man enough to print the truth about these people. Keep up the good work! All the best. EI (By email)

Advertising Feature

Occasions in Mojacar Playa, for the best occasions ever A

NJI from Occasions card and gift shop in Mojacar Playa is now into her third successful year of trading.The shop has the best range of celebration cards for all occasions in Mojacar with prices starting from just 50 cents. At this time of year there is also a huge choice of Christmas cards with a range of boxed sets also available. Occasions also has on sale a variety of unique Christmas ideas, novelty flashing earrings, decorations from snowmen to Father Christmas, wrapping paper and all you need to decorate your home and Christmas tree with tinsel, snow paint and even Christmas crackers. Occasions stock a great range of children’s toys and games and have a special Christmas offer of a 20 per cent discount off your child’s toys when you spend €10 or more on your cards. If you are looking for something a little different for a good friend or family members Occasions can help you out. There are some great gift ideas with bespoke gifts from the shabby chic range which includes humorous plaques and unusual gifts made from slate.

OCCASIONS: Has a wide range for every celebration.

UNIQUE: Cards and gifts if you are looking for something a little different. A popular range of celebration glasses are available for all ages and a range for weddings and anniversaries. As you would expect from a great card and gift shop you will certainly find something different from windchimes to picture frames, puzzle books and olde English sweets such as wine gums and

liquorice allsorts. Occasions also has a range of jewellery, rings and necklaces of various types and styles for all ages. Contrary to some false rumours the shop is fully legal and contracted to sell helium balloons for your special occasion. Occasions also offers a fax and photocopying service as well as a range of

stationery items. Anji would like to say a big thank you to all her brilliant customers for their continued support and would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The next time you are celebrating something special, visit Occasions in the Plaza Estrella on Mojacar Playa close to the Hotel Puntazo roundabout, Playa del Central 261. Open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10 am2pm. Tel 950 478 539.

40

E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

CROSSWORDS

www.euroweeklynews.com

Time Out EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREAK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

Almería weather

British Olympic Diver Tom Daley has revealed he is in a relationship with a man.

NEW ON DVD

MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

for next 7 days

The Conjuring The Conjuring tells the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, world renowned paranormal investigators. When the Perron family experience strange goings-on and are terrorised by a dark presence in their secluded farmhouse, they enlist the help of paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine. As they investigate, however, the couple begin to realise that, despite their expertise, they may not be equipped to deal with such a violent and foreboding evil. Starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. Directed by James Wan. Runtime 112 minutes. Rated 15.

TOMORROW

TODAY VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX

HUERCAL OVERA VELEZ RUBIO GARRUCHA ALBOX MOJACAR ALMERIA

HUERCAL OVERA RETAMAR

ADRA

GARRUCHA

ROQUETAS

MOJACAR ALMERIA RETAMAR

A chance lost in the past presents itself again but wonʼt be too easy. Holding back just a little makes you more desirable.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) You realise this week how liberating it is to share your thoughts and feelings with someone close. It is not always easy to do this, until you realise everyone has them.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) After a relaxed weekend, it might prove difficult to take up the reins of work again. When a challenge is issued, your natural stubbornness comes to the fore.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Time is precious this week because you are in demand.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) With a mind as sharp as a needle, you spin through the week, weaving your own charming

10-Star Quiz

IF ONLY 1. For which 1981 film did actor Henry Fonda win his only Oscar? 2. Only You was which British a cappella vocal group’s only UK number one hit single? 3. What was the title of Anna Sewell’s only published novel? 4. Which British jockey won his only Epsom Derby, on Pinza, in 1953? 5. Which French composer’s only opera was Pelleas and Melisande, which premiered in 1902? 6. Which is the only letter of the alphabet that does not appear in the name of any of the states of the US? 7. Which is the only play by William Shakespeare with an animal in its title? 8. Which is the only word in the English language that ends with the letters HTH? 9. Who is the only woman to have been awarded two Nobel Prizes (Physics 1903 and Chemistry 1911)?

45

December 18: Alejandro Sanz is a Spanish singer-songwriter and musician. Born in Madrid, Sanz originally intended to become a flamenco singer, however, he decided to focus on pop music. This change paid off because Sanz became one of the most successful Spanish singers in history, winning 15 Latin Grammy and three

spell. A bit of extra confidence works wonders for your mood.

adventure may mean an absence from someone close.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Although energy is not high, there is the need to have some kind of challenge. With the brain active, it is an ideal time to plot and plan your next moves.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Reading the small print or being sure what is offered in a personal encounter is most important this week. Leave nothing to chance or you could be out of pocket.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) The imagination stirs and the heart races at a suggestion this week. Your strong intuition tells you it is the right thing to do. You are a constant friend, but such an

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Being over-generous with cash midweek could see you making a poor move. Perhaps someone needs to be more hardworking or perhaps less of a spendthrift. LIBRA (September 24 October 23) A suggestion made by you recently did not seem to be taken seriously. This week, however, negotiations could be opened. Circumstances change and it may seem someone gave up too early.

Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9. There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

SCORPIO (October 24 November 22) Confidence in a close relationship should be maintained. Possibly someone who envies your position would like to see discord. A matter of spiritual or religious faith is questioned, but the answer comes more clearly and sharply than you would have thought.

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

EURO MILLIONS

Saturday December 7

Saturday December 7

Saturday December 7

Friday December 6

17

28

30

42

2

11 13

12 22

12

20

21

33

35

44

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

25

9

31

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

1

2 31

36

10

LA PRIMITIVA

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

SUNNY

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 15 9 C Tues - 14 8 C Wed - 14 8 C

MAX MIN

Mon - 16 11 C Tues - 16 11 C Wed - 15 11 C

17 10 C 16 10 C 15 11 C

Madrid

Malaga TODAY:

CLOUDY

Fri Sat Sun -

18 10 C 17 19 C 17 10 C

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 17 10 C Tues - 17 9 Sh Wed - 17 9 Sh

Mallorca SUNNY

CLOUDY MAX 12C, MIN -1C

TODAY:

MAX 17C, MIN 9C

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

13 1 C 15 0 Cl 12 1 C

Mon - 13 1 C Tues - 12 1 C Wed - 13 1 C

Murcia MAX 17C, MIN 6C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

CLOUDY MAX 16C, MIN 10C

TODAY:

MAX 15C, MIN 7C

14 7 C 14 7 C 14 8 C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 18 12 C Tues - 17 12 Sh Wed - 17 11 C

19 12 C 18 12 C 18 11 C

Benidorm

Barcelona TODAY:

CLOUDY MAX 19C, MIN 11C MAX MIN

Mon - 17 10 C Tues - 16 9 C Wed - 16 9 C

17 9 C 17 9 C 17 9 Cl

17 7 C 17 7 C 16 8 C S Sun,

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 16 9 C Tues - 16 9 C Wed - 14 9 C Cl Clear,

CLOUD

MAX 17C, MIN 8C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun Fog,

Sn Snow,

MAX MIN

17 7 C 17 8 C 16 9 F

Mon - 17 8 C Tues - 16 8 Sh Wed - 16 7 Sh

C Cloud,

Sh Showers,

Th Thunder

Nonagram How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case P) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

TARGET:

Average: 8

Very good: 14

Good: 10

Excellent: 18

vamid, amir, dame, dime, dram, emir, emit, idem, item, lame, lime, made, maid, mail, male, mall, malt, mare, marl, mart, mate, mead, meal, meat, meld, melt, mild, mile, mill, milt, mire, mite, ream, rime, tame, team, term, time, tram, trim, admit, aimed, aimer, amide, armed, demit, derma, dimer, dream, lamed, lamer, limed, mated, mater, medal, media, merit, metal, miler, mired, miter, mitre, ramie, realm, remit, rimed, tamed, tamer, timed, timer, admire, armlet, dermal, dreamt, mailed, mailer, mallet, malted, marled, matier, medial, medlar, milder, milled, miller, millet, mitral, mitred, readmit, TREADMILL

12

15

16

19

20

39

REINTEGRO 30

0

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

LEAF

Sunday December 8

Saturday December 7

18

LUCKY STARS 7

TODAY:

Word Ladder

LOTTERY 12

Almeria

CLOUDY MAX 17C, MIN 9C

MAX MIN

Sudoku

10

Alicante TODAY:

26

33 38

35

Move from the start word (LEAF) to the end word (BUDS) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.

49

REINTEGRO 6

BUDS

BEDS BUDS

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) An investment made recently is built upon and brings peace of mind. Finances do need consideration but more in the long than the short-term.

Your Stars

IF ITʼS YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK: Make this a year to build on friendships. Busy as you are, your well-being is tied up with those close to you. Money is not everything.

ROQUETAS

LEAF LEAS LETS BETS

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 December 21) An emotional cut-off from the past is not as bad as anticipated. Indeed, it confirms in your mind who you are and what your place in the world is.

ADRA

1. ON GOLDEN POND, 2. FLYING PICKETS, 3. BLACK BEAUTY 4. GORDON RICHARDS, 5. CLAUDE DEBUSSY, 6. Q, 7. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, 8. EIGHTH, 9. MARIE CURIE

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CROSSWORDS

Crosswords

12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

EWN

41

SPONSORED BY

For more information about the sponsor go to www.lineadirecta.com

Cryptic

Quick

Across 1 Having had enough, was unhappy about note (5) 4 A bird has swallowed her cigar (7) 7 African president to supply workforce with New Deal? (7) 8 Rub tea with iron (5) 10 Inflexible outfit I associated with duke (5) 11 Stone thatʼs great in building (7) 12 Hiding in bushes to attack an animal (5) 14 Pass laws about a cent (5) 19 Provokes with sharp points (7) 21 Long story without direction (5) 22 Cast worth altering (5) 23 Stuck with tot holding present (7) 24 Reds die, but revolutionary lived (7) 25 Boss around from border control (5) Down 2 Thing to alter between today and tomorrow (7) 3 Fear right in the dead centre (5) 4 Transform some money (6) 5 Limit each innʼs brawling (7) 6 A wild animal but itʼs all right, a quiet one (5) 7 Grade old German money (4) 9 Farm producers put to some purpose, we hear (4)

Across 1 Old manuscript copier (6) 4 Bonbons (6) 9 Element from sea water (7) 10 Royal rule (5) 11 Distressed (5) 12 Make good (7) 13 Carpenterʼs tool (11) 18 Pasta pockets (7) 20 Lacking freshness (5) 22 Large wading bird (5) 23 Stir up (7) 24 Avoids (6) 25 Inflamed (6)

13 Everyone was in debt, thatʼs permitted (7) 15 Like badly cooked food getting woman in house embarrassed (7) 16 Oddly, I got tuna without a single thing (4)

Code Breaker Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 10 represents P and 25 represents X, so fill in P every time the figure 10 appears and X every time the figure 25 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

17 No man is one, but Man is (6) 18 The girl to have a meal upside down (4) 20 Features about 50 members of the House of Lords (5) 21 Brute in agency, a hooligan (5)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC Across: 1 Tedium, 3 Lambda, 8 Montana, 10 Otter, 11 Torso, 12 State, 13 Kites, 15 Tarns, 20 Ensue, 22 Plant, 24 Total, 25 Swear by, 26 Guards, 27 Ostend. Down: 1 Tomato, 2 Dinar, 4 Aroma, 5 Bittern, 6 Arrest, 7 Pause, 9 Adore, 14 Inertia, 16 Apple, 17 Dog tag, 18 Feast, 19 Stayed, 21 Salad, 23 Agree. QUICK Across: 1 Barracks, 5/24 Word game, 9 Outcome, 10 Lingo, 11 Surge, 12 Literal, 13 Sedate, 15 Shares, 18 Purpose, 20 Recap, 22 Irate, 23 Diaries, 25 Restless. Down: 1 Boots, 2 Retired, 3 Adore, 4 Keenly, 6 Owner, 7 Doodles, 8 Glitch, 13 Sapling, 14 Trowel, 16 Recline, 17 Meddle, 19 Realm, 20 React, 21 Pests. ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Loser, 4 Add up, 7 Too, 8 Battery, 9 Stew, 10 Evitar, 14 Applaud, 16 Uso, 17 Oveja, 18 Debts.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION Down: 1 Latas, 2 Smoke, 3 Rabo, 4 Actividad, 5 Dye, 6 Pay, 11 Thumb, 12 Rooms, 13 Baya, 14 Ajo, 15 Pie.

Funagram

Play on Words

English - Spanish The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English. Across 1 Luck (6) 4 Esperar (4) 8 Clear (meaning, explanation) (5) 9 Corderos (5) 10 Grape (3) 11 Estrellas (5) 12 Tuberculosis (5) 15 Like that (3) 16 Otra vez (5) 18 Key (door) (5) 19 Train (railway) (4) 20 Cuello (6) Down 1 Calcetines (5) 2 Stage (of a journey) (5) 3 Mil (8) 5 Brazo (de persona) (3) 6 Cough (3) 7 Saucer (8) 13 Caracol (5) 14 Jurar (5) 16 Hormiga (3) 17 Bird (large) (3)

Hexagram The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 six-letter words into the 19 cells. The letters at the edges of interlocking cells MUST BE THE SAME. The letters in the words must be written CLOCKWISE. The word in cell 10 (MENDER) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues. BALLOT

OCEANS

BARELY

RENDER

CHEERS

RESENT

ENTERS

RESORT

HOLDER

RUMOUR

LUSTER

SPEARS

MENDER (10)

STEADY

METEOR

TESTED

MOULDY

UPPERS

MUSTER

Unscramble the name of a famous English film, television, and theatre actor: FLINT CHOIR

DOFTOR

Answers: A foot in the door, Hit below the belt

Unscramble the name of a famous James Bond novel/film (two words): A SCARY LOONIE

Down 1 Conquer (6) 2 Origins (5) 3 Easily broken (7) 5 Does a job (5) 6 Instalment (7) 7 Verse form (6) 8 Naval officer (4,7) 14 Overlaid (7) 15 Fill with enthusiasm (7) 16 Type of flower (6) 17 Hinge on (6) 19 Unit of weight (5) 21 Separate (5)

BELT HIT

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Nights, 2 Gander, 3 Thorns, 4 Barred, 5 Swords, 6 Leered, 7 Wearer, 8 Owners, 9 Neatly, 10 Wooded, 11 Breast, 12 Tilted, 13 Boards, 14 Volley, 15 Bitter, 16 Rotund, 17 Either, 18 Barren, 19 Shines

FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: COLIN FIRTH, CASINO ROYALE

42

E W N 12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

Looking after a new baby UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has unveiled a plan for new parents to share leave. After spending the first two weeks off work, a mother could then split up to 50 weeks’ leave between herself and her partner.

RETIRED Bob and Angela Davie, who lived on the Costa Blanca for nine years but have now moved back to Somerset, welcomed the plans. Bob recalled he had to take two weeks of his annual leave when his sons were born. He said: “I think parents should be able to split it.” His wife was happy to stay at home with the children but said nowadays in a lot of families the women have a better job so it would be better financially for women to go

OPINION & COMMENT

ANN: Up to parents to decide.

We asked people in the street if they thought it old fashioned that only mothers stayed at home to look after babies and what benefits or drawbacks they saw in the plan.

STREET TALK

back to work. “I think as long as the child has one parent at home it is fine and fathers have a much more active role,” she remarked. Costa Blanca airport worker Kara Blackstone, aged 28, doesn’t have children but would welcome the move. “I think it would help stop workplace discrimination against women of childbearing age. I have previously worked in HR departments and, although they say it doesn’t happen, I have seen women’s applications not taken as far as they should for concern they’ll be off having kids,” she said. Jill Austin, retired, who lives in Rambla de Oria, Almeria, could see the benefits and drawbacks of the plan. She said: “It is not old fashioned that mothers stay at home. The benefits are that it gives both parents the chance to bond with the child and they are free to make a choice of when to take the leave. BOB & ANGELA: Would welcome flexible maternity leave.

The drawback would be the problems it could cause for employers.” And Ann Corry, also retired, who lives in Saliente, Almeria, agreed about the benefits. She said: “No, it is not old fashioned for a mother to stay at home. But it is up to the parents to decide. The benefit is the father can stay at home, as my son is doing. I can’t see any real drawbacks to the plan.” JILL: Not old fashioned.

MACS hold their annual Christmas Party MACS held their annual Christmas party at Miraflores Camping in Los Gallardos. Organised by Maggie Lake and the fundraising team, congratulations also go to the staff of Miraflores who served up a lovely three course meal with great efficiency. Following the food service, Elaine Kay Brown founder and president of Macs started the evening with a short but uplifting speech thanking everybody for their support. Elaine announced that she will undertake her stem cell transplant and by March of next year will be ready to go forward in the hope of opening more shops in the near future. Elaine also thanked all the volunteers from administration, telephone holders for the helpline, shop volunteers, to all who volunteer to deliver equipment to patients and the fundraising teams. Elaine said it was not so much about the money but helping as many patients as possible. ‘Rough Justice,’ Tony Justice on vocals and Dennis Danzelman on guitar, entertained the crowd with their first set, a mixture of blues and soft rock, whilst some of the volunteers offered raffle

Maggie Lake and Elaine Kay Brown. tickets for the wonderful donated prizes. The raffle raised a very healthy €374.10 for the charity. A short auction was instigated by Peter Marriot for a Christmas hamper and raised a further €60. Total funds raised €965.60. The resident DJ and presenter at Miraflores, John Lodge, got the crowd dancing before introducing ‘Rough Justice’ back on stage, who upped the tempo and kept the crowd on their feet.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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ealth & beauty H TO READ MORE VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.EWNLIFESTYLE.COM

Four of the best ways to stay healthy for the Xmas and New Year holidays CHRISTMAS and New Year celebrations for many mean mince pies, turkey and maybe a bit too much to drink. News about people gaining weight during the holidays is a recurrent theme at this time of the year. A recent study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that people who overdo the turkey, puddings and mince pies are (surprise surprise) likely to gain two kilos during the holidays. Not surprisingly the more obese are likely to put on the most weight. Here are four steps to avoid gaining weight by counteracting it with exercise, plus a

few extra tips. While people should enjoy the food during the holiday they should return to their normal routine the next day with an easy run or gym workout. A recent review by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that the longer it takes people to get back to their normal exercise routines, the more their enthusiasm for workouts is

TURKEY: Don’t eat too much. dulled. Instead of putting their exercise programme on hold

Spanish company works on mattress to reduce baby cot death DIFFERENT organisations from Spain, reduction of sudden infant death. The project also involves British England and Belgium are working together on a new research project with technology companies and Belgian European funding, focused on advanced fabrics companies and paediatric research developing a smart cot mattress, in associations. a bid to reduce sudden infant death. The project ‘Baby Sleep Care’ is working on an active prevention mattress that is able to predict respiratory problems in the baby while sleeping and act accordingly. The European Sleep Institute (ESCI), the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia (IBV), the Paediatric Unit of Chiron Hospital of Valencia and Mattresses PROJECT: Delax are leading Europe’s To reduce largest investment in cot death. innovation applied to the

during the holidays people should get their training out of the way in the morning, so they don’t feel tired and drained in the evenings. A study by Appalachian State University showed that vigorous morning workouts helped average people burn an extra 190 calories over the next 14 hours on top of the 500 calories burned during the workout. People should set themselves up for party time

by having the right food while waiting for the main event. They should consume ‘smart’ snacks like fruit and nuts which are at least good for you by having fibre, vitamins and proteins, and keep away from chocolates and sweets which are filled with ‘empty calories.’ At work Christmas dinners or parties with friends, there’s often a buffet. Instead of automatically grabbing a plate and heading off to pile the food high, people should look around and choose only what they really want, otherwise they run the risk of over eating.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Supplements to boost well-being FROM fat burners to growth formulas, creatine or L carnitine there are lots of vitamins and supplements people can take for health and well-being. The following are some of the best for feeling great, healthy and having the most energy humanly possible. Fish oil is one of the most important of them all. Most people don’t get enough omega-3. Even if the consumer eats fish (twice per week recommended) Omega 3s are the cornerstone of a supplement regime, say many nutritionists. Multivitamins are a great

complement for a clean diet. They have a lot of nutrients and give a good base of selenium and Vitamin D. Talking about Vitamin D, the more data that continues to emerge, the more it is accepted as an essential need in our bodies by some food experts. Whey protein powder is convenient to use and an easy way to get quality nutrients into the diet, by making shakes with vegetables or fruits. A lot of studies support the consumption of whey protein which is thought to help maintain lean body mass, fat loss and more, say people in

the food supplement industry. Probiotics, or ‘good’ bacteria are seen by some as the future of nutrition. Scientists are learning about the microbiome, the bacteria present in our bodies. There is some data supporting its use for boosting immunity, helping the healthy functioning of the digestive system and even weight loss.

VITAMINS: Help make you feel great, healthy and full of energy.

A new calculator can reveal your ‘real’ age A NEW calculator claims to reveal how ‘old’ people’s bodies really are by taking into account their lifestyle, diet and even mood. The ‘Vitality Age Calculator’ developed by PruHealth, also reveals the measures that could reduce ‘body age.’ It was created as part of

the Britain’s Healthiest Company survey which looked at employee health of nearly 10,000 people. The survey found that one in five UK workers were found to have a Vitality Age more than eight years older than their actual age with many having seven years added to their age for not exercising. For example, a

30-year-old woman who is 5’4” tall, weighs a healthy 9st (57 kilos), exercises four times a week, eats a good diet and drinks seven units of alcohol a week, has a body age of 30. Take out the exercise and this jumps to 32. Add 10 cigarettes a day and 20 units of alcohol a week (around two bottles of wine) and this rises again to 35.

BODY AGE: Depends on your lifestyle, diet and mood.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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Male birth control pills AFTER decades of no success, a group of Australian researchers have found an

effective alternative to the hormonal procedure for a male reversible contraceptive pill.

Researchers developed an alternative contraceptive system for women nearly six

Forget about hangovers! THE best remedies for hangovers are not found in chemists but in the supermarket. Orange juice is one of the best cures, as juices and fruits can mitigate pain. This is so because vitamin C and fructose help the liver to wash out the alcohol from the body, according to the British Medical Journal. Isotonic drinks will rehydrate your body. Alcohol works as a diuretic and leads to dehydration. Isotonic beverages have electrolytes which help with rehydration and function better than

coffee and tea. Milk is one of the many ways to improve liquids absorption, also very high in calcium, which can alleviate some of the symptoms of a hangover. Also good are eggs as they contain a high amount of cysteine which some reports say helps the body metabolise alcohol. Tomato juice holds a high quantity of electrolytes that will help balance the fluids in your body and get rid of the nausea and headache. Garlic, (cysteine) ginger (reduces the risk of vomiting),

ORANGE JUICE: Full of vitamin C and one of the best cures for a hangover.

mint (anaesthetic) and bananas (vitamin B6) are other solutions to cure that problematic hangover and feel fresh.

years ago, but have failed in trying to create a similar solution for men. Hormonal mechanisms with uncontrollable side effects or vasectomy surgery were the only contraceptive methods besides the condom for men, but there was no guarantee of reversing the procedure because the spermatozoids flow could end up being damaged. The results presented by the researchers group from the Monas University (Australia), proved that blocking the reflection mechanism which activates the ejaculation stops the ejection of male gametes but not the orgasm. “We have proved that if we block two proteins allowing the ejection of the sperm, the muscle doesn’t receive the

CONTRACEPTION: An alternative system for men. chemical reaction and doesn’t impulse the sperm out, provoking a total infertility without affecting the reversion of this procedure or the sexual health of the man,” explained Sabatino Ventura, main researcher. The experts believe that this method will probably be rejected by the male population, due to the psychological effect of the lack of ejaculation.

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FOOD & DRINK

Food The most expensive Costa de Almeria’s best

Japanese treasure To read more turn to Page 48

Almería’s best guide to local restaurants

TO READ MORE VISIT: WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM/FEATURES/RESTAURANTS

Champagne is not always the best

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THE price of Champagne is not always linked to its quality, a study by the universities of Oxford and London has revealed. Instead, scientists argue there is a placebo effect with cost that makes us believe the more expensive a Champagne is, the better it is. Scientists carried out blind tastings with experts asking them to choose from six Champagnes and an English sparkling wine with prices going from £18 (€21.50) to £400 (€477) The results, published in Flavour Journal , indicate that these people ranked the £40 (€47.70) bottle with most points. The participants were four

people who work in the Champagne industry, six who work in the wine industry but are not experts in Champagne, and five social drinkers. They wore black glasses to disguise both the bottles and the colour of the drink. Only the most expert tasters were able to appreciate the most expensive drinks. According to scientists, that doesn’t mean expensive Champagne is not worth its price. PLACEBO EFFECT: The price of Champagne.

FOOD & DRINK

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Advertising Feature

A warm winter welcome from Eudoxia Greek Restaurant EUDOXIA Greek Restaurant in Mojacar Playa is a great place to beat the winter blues. It has a fully glazed, warm and comfortable spacious indoor terrace where you can enjoy great food with a great sea view by day and a special ambience by night. Panos and daughter Fiona look forward to entertaining you with a great new menu and new authentic Greek dishes. People come a long way to eat at Eudoxia; Panos has customers from Lorca, Albox, Arboleas and even El Ejido that visit on a regular basis to enjoy his great food. The new menu offers the ever popular Meze, a variety of dishes for a minimum of two persons offering fabulous Greek

SEA VIEW: Great food and a very special ambience. dips served with warm pita bread, Greek pastries, stuffed peppers, oven baked feta cheese and moussaka, with a range of prices from €8, €10 and up to €14 per person for those with a healthy appetite. Eudoxia restaurant is a great place to try out something different such as the Greek filo pastry dishes with chicken or lamb which can be ordered as starters

or main dishes. A very popular dish is the Styfado, an authentic Greek recipe with beef cooked with shallots, and for the more adventurous the dish can be tried with octopus. A good range of desserts is also available along with a wines and beers. Eudoxia restaurant is taking bookings for the Christmas period and is open Christmas Eve,

Christmas Day, New year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to provide you with something different, an alternative to the traditional Christmas Dinner. If you have a favourite Greek dish, call in and see Panos and with a couple of days’ notice he will prepare it for you. Give your taste buds a treat and visit Eudoxia where food and culture come together. Eudoxia is open for lunch from 1pm-3pm and evenings 6.30pm till close, seven days a week, tel 663 314 445. Check out the Facebook page Eudoxia Gastronomy for the menu. Eudoxia is situated across from Playa Venta del Bancal in Mojacar, 200 metres before the Hotel Best Indalo on the Paseo del Mediterraneo No. 85.

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Japanese traditional cuisine a declared a ‘national treasure’ WASHOKU, or traditional Japanese cuisine, has been declared of intangible cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). This decision is expected to give a boost to Japanese tourism and food exports. The UN specialised agency valued the spirit and the respect for nature traditionally associated with Washoku. According to the UNESCO report, Washoku is “a social practice based on a set of skills, knowledge, practice and traditions related to the production, processing, preparation and consumption of food.” These characteristics can be seen during the New Year celebrations. The Japanese prepare several

WASHOKU: Locally sourced, environmental-friendly food. dishes to welcome the incoming year, each with a different symbolic meaning and served on special plates.

The recipes followed to prepare these dishes are passed down to new generations at homes and schools, and favour

the consumption of locally sourced ingredients while respecting nature.

FOOD & DRINK

Smart fish buying A RESEARCHER from the University of Wageningen, in the Netherlands, is working on a system to avoid nasty surprises when buying fish. Based on the fact that fish release certain substances that cause water to conduct electricity more easily when caught, the PhD candidate has envisioned a tiny chip that would indicate how fresh the product is. Packed in with fish, the chip would measure the substances that cause the effect and, therefore, it would enable people to know the freshness of the fish without opening the packaging. Consumers should be able to read the information provided by the chip via an app on their smartphones which, at the same time, could give more information regarding the type of fish bought or where it was caught.

FOOD & DRINK

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A SPANISH woman has become the world’s only seven-Michelin starred female chef. Catalan Carme Ruscalleda earned this distinction after her restaurant in Tokyo (Japan) was awarded two of the coveted stars this year. Ruscalleda already had three Michelin stars for her restaurant Sant Pau in San Pol de Mar (Barcelona) and two more for her Barcelona restaurant Moments, with her son Raul Balam as head chef. The 61-year-old has thus surpassed fellow chef and competitor Frenchwoman Anne Sophie Pic, who has been awarded a total of six Michelin stars. Her success matches

Photo: APEGA/FLICKR

Seven stars for Carme

MULTI-AWARDED: Ruscalleda has won more Michelin stars than any other woman in the world.

that of Basque chef Martin Berasategui, who holds seven stars as well. “We’re very happy. There’s a huge and solid work behind this recognition,” the sevenstarred chef said.

Sources of protein PROTEIN is an essential nutrient for the body; it is the amino acids made in the body and comes from food. Our cells, tissues and organs cannot function without them and half of our body’s dry weight is made from protein. Whilst common sources of protein are eggs, meat, dairy, fish, nuts and lentils, nutritionists say it is important to consume a wide range of protein from different sources which can be found in unexpected places, with dried apricots, sprouts, bagels, beetroot, kale and avocados also rich in protein.

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Stew flavoured crisps THE Japanese division of FritoLay, the American counterpart to snack manufacturer Walkers, has launched new stew-flavoured crisps in the Japanese market. The snack supposedly tastes like cream stew, a traditional dish containing beef and vegetables. The new Cheetos ‘Cream Stew,’ as they are known, follow the Pepsi flavoured crisps released in the Asian country just this summer. Back then, the ‘Pepsi Shuwa Shuwa’ received mixed reviews from tasters posting their thoughts online. But these are not the only odd combinations Japanese consumers can

SNACKS: Unusual flavour combinations can be found in Japan. find in stores. Frito-Lay has a wide range of unusual flavour crisps that go from avocado and cheese Doritos to pizza-flavoured ones, including fried chicken Cheetos. Cheetos ‘Cream Stew’ will be available until March next year.

FOOD & DRINK

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Pasta is the ‘go-to’ meal PASTA is the meal most Britons turn to when making something quick for dinner, a study by Birds Eye has revealed. The Italian dish tops the list of the so-called ‘go-to’ meals, which are prepared and served in less than half an hour, with 33 per cent of polled people mentioning it. It is followed by jacket potatoes (with 11 per cent of people preferring them), stir-fry (10 per cent) and beans on toast (8 per cent). More than 1,000 people were polled in the study, and 49 per cent of them said they depended on these dishes week after week.

PASTA: A dish you can always rely on.

And 33 per cent of those surveyed said they ate the same dinner at least twice a week. This is despite 36 per cent of them considering themselves as ‘foodies’, and 54 per cent claiming to look for different flavours when grocery shopping.

Coffee is best served 9.30am THE best way to start your day with energy is having a cup of coffee between 9.30am and 11.30am, neuroscientists claim. This is because of the interaction between caffeine and cortisol, a hormone that makes people alert and regulates their internal clocks. The levels of this hormone are usually higher shortly after

waking up, which is why scientists argue it is best to drink coffee at least an hour later. This way the caffeine present in a regular cup of coffee would promote cortisol production and people would not develop a tolerance towards it. However, this is just an estimated time as people would have to have their morning coffee depending on the

BEST START: With coffee. time they wake up.

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FEATURE

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Advertising feature

Neater Heaters beat cheaper heaters W

ITH fuel prices seeming to be constantly on the rise, our customers are frequently asking the following questions: “Are Neater Heaters economical to run?” And “Why should I buy Neater Heaters as opposed to the cheaper oil-filled heaters?” The best way these questions can be answered is with a comparison. We frequently install our heaters in bedrooms that the customers are already heating with cheap oil-filled heaters. These can be bought from most ferreterias for €60-€80. The customers frequently say: “I know they’re cheap, but at least they take the chill off.” Many of the ‘cheap’ heaters that we remove are 2.5 Kilowatts. An Iberdrola customer will be paying 45 cents/hour to run it. For 45 cents an hour I would expect better results than “Just take the chill off.” The Neater Heater that we replace it with is often only 800 watts and costs, at the most, 15 cents/hour to run. The real cost of the Neater Heater will be less because the efficient element will raise the air temperature to a point where the thermostat will turn off the heater. This action will reduce the consumption. Many of the cheap oil-filled radiators don’t even have a thermostat!

What I am about to prove with boring figures and numbers can be summed up in the following statement: It can be as cheap to pay a bit more up front for a Neater Heater and run it for TWO winters, than to pay less for a ‘cheap’ oil-filled heater and run that for only one winter! There, I’ve said it! Now I’ll prove it. All the following costs include IVA at 21 per cent.

SLIM-LINE: Neaters Heaters are elegant as well as economical to run.

I haven’t even included the reductions in the running cost of the Neater Heater caused by the efficiency of the state-of-theart element in conjunction with the sensitive thermostat. But that’s a story for another day. Unfortunately, there is a cost implication to all heating in Spain, as the general lack of insulation in buildings causes all heating to have to work hard. All the more reason, therefore, for you to choose your heaters wisely and base your choice on their

performance against cost. We know Neater Heaters aren’t the cheapest electric heaters, but we firmly believe that they are the best value-for-money option in their class. Neater Heaters are pleased to announce the opening of three new outlets: Malaga Relocations, Mijas Costa, Costa del Sol; Almeria Relocations, Roquetas de Mar, Almeria; Lifestyle Enclosures, Antas, Almeria. Lifestyle are replacing the retiring Eileen are Pete from Iron Art in Antas and we would like to wish them all the best for the future and for all their hard work over the last three years.

NEATER HEATER DISTRUBUTORS: ALMERIA BALSICAS/ SAN JAVIER: Sierra Golf. Tel. 968 018 257 SAN JAVIER DFS Spain Tel. 968 334 194 MAZARRON Camposol B. La Red Solutions. (Mapfre). Tel. 968 199 025 ANTAS. Lifestyle Enclosures Tel. 950 459 060 ROQUETAS DE MAR Almeria Relocations Tel 950 335 340 Heaters also available for purchase at our online shop with free home delivery WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES OR Tel. 634 312 171

Advertising feature

Caravanas Sangar: your caravan and motorhomes dealer in Spain

WHEN people ask which sector will help the country get out of the financial crisis, the most common answer is tourism. Hotels, museums or beaches normally come into mind. However, there are unknown, and sometimes forgotten, sectors that are not taken advantage of. This is where Caravanas Sangar, a small family business opened 10 years ago, turns up. Based in Cartagena (Murcia), Caravanas Sangar is more than a caravan and motorhomes dealer. This family-run business offers a wide range of products that go from the sale of spare parts and accessories to their installation. Their highly qualified and dedicated staff is always trying to ensure that their clients are given the highest possible levels of service. In fact, one of their mottos is: “There are no

Spare parts and accessories are available. problems, only solutions.” Throughout its 10 years of history, Caravanas Sangar has helped clients from all around the world feel at home while visiting Spain. Caravanas Sangar offers several possibilities to those who still don’t know whether to buy a caravan or not. The company sells secondhand caravans and

motorhomes in mint condition at excellent prices, warranty included. They also have a motorhome rental service, being an official McRent point in Murcia. McRent is Europe’s largest motorhome rental company. For those who already have a caravan or a motorhome, the self-service shop at Caravanas Sangar offers

spare parts and accessories to make the most of their trips. In addition, Caravanas Sangar offers a parking service with a surveillance and monitoring system to ensure the best protection to their clients’ vehicles. For more information call Caravanas Sangar on 968 554 586 and 666 235 507, or caravanassangar@hotmail.es

New and second-hand models.

Caravanas Sangar is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 8pm with no breaks. It also opens on Saturday mornings. Caravanas Sangar, exit 800 on the AP7 motorway, next to the north entrance to the Camachos industrial estate, Cartagena (Murcia). www.caravanas sangar.es

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FEATURE

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An exceptional 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, villa of 254m2 on 10,000m2 with many extra features

terraces with a beautiful pool area and panoramic views. The entire plot is fully walled and fenced. Extras include hot and cold airconditioning, oil central heating, double-glazed windows and doors throughout, alarm system, broadband telephone connection, shared water reservoir, 2000-litre water tank, and an automatic irrigation system. This property has been awarded the energy rating E. To make an appointment to view this property, or to look at our extensive portfolio, call in to our office on the Paseo del Mediterraneo 171. If you are looking to sell your property call us now for a free, no obligation, valuation. We look forward to hearing from you. www.pricebrown.com sales@pricebrown.com Tel: 950 478 915

e ur at fe

THERE is something quite special about this house: 360 degree views, palm trees and olive trees by the score, planted gardens, swimming pool, huge terraces, sweeping driveway, spacious and lovely interior and very private. Yet it is only five minutes, by car, to local towns and beaches. The accommodation is all on one level and comprises an enclosed entrance porch, a very spacious living room with wood-burner fireplace, semi-circular dining room, top quality fitted kitchen, three double bedrooms, two of which have fitted wardrobes and en-suite bathrooms, and one further bathroom. Under the living accommodation is a huge basement which comprises a double garage, workshop and one further room. The outside ‘living areas’ have ample

ng isi rt ve Ad

An extensive three-bed villa with 360 degree views

Pr o f t op Br ou he ert gh tt oy y W ou by ee Pr ic k e

Beautiful pool area and panoramic views.

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Ref: DV1278 Cañada del Palamar, TURRE

€345,000

First Medieval Market in Zurgena ZURGENA is worth visiting this weekend, when a lively Medieval Market will be held in the picturesque square Plaza del Olmo. Between 30 and 40 stalls are expected and a score of medieval characters will create an authentic atmosphere. This is the first time that Zurgena will play host to a

Medieval Market. It is organised by Amata, a craft association that only admits original craftwork (no imported goods, nothing bought from the wholesalers) and thus guarantees a good opportunity to buy something different as a Christmas present. There will a variety of hand made goods such as ceramics, silver and enamel jewellery, carved and turned wood, soaps and perfumes, dolls and wooden toys and many others. To sustain the visitor there will be a medieval tavern and an Arab tea tent, as well as stalls with sausages, bread and preserved fruit prepared using traditional recipes Musicians, beggars, stilt walkers, soldiers, courtiers and pages pass along the streets to make for a lively atmosphere, and the juggler also gives a fire show in the evening. For the children there are some workshops, several table games and an old fashioned merry-go-round. The market is open tomorrow (Friday) from 6pm till 9pm or 10pm, and on Saturday and Sunday December from 11am to 2pm and from 5pm to 9pm or later. For more information ring 639 979 678 or look at www.amata.es.

Only original craftwork will be on sale

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Attractive and productive apartment terraces Dick Handscombe

Gardening Corner By Spain’s best known expatriate gardening author living in Spain for 25 years.

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INCE the publication of Apartment Gardening Mediterranean Style three years ago, it has been encouraging to see more and more apartment dwellers make their terraces and balconies greener, more colourful and perfumed, and more productive. The latter by setting up useful herb,

PRACTICAL: Herbs grown in a window box. vegetable and fruit gardens in containers. The wide range of styles, sizes and colours of containers, and the offer of better compost ranges by many garden centres, has simplified doing so especially if awnings and blinds are installed to protect plants from the hottest summer and low winter suns. As your 2014 New Year resolution, how about considering growing herbs in a window box, living well

from one square metre, or planting a fantastic petunia display for next summer? It is such a pity that so many apartment blocks look cold and unattractive to residents, passers-by and potential buyers. Although still few and far between it is gratifying to see that some architects are now building ‘green’ apartment blocks so that every owner has prebuilt planters and in some cases all planted up before they move in.

Your own efforts could be an enthralling and interesting hobby and add value to your apartment. In addition, if residents’ associations encouraged such actions, the attractiveness and value of the entire block would improve as well as the environment of the area. The carbon footprint of the block would be reduced with the right plantings and trees to cut pollution from traffic and microwaves. It is not too late for you to brighten up your own terraces and balconies or do so for an ageing friend as a Christmas present! If you need inspiration and are in London over Christmas visit the Spanish Garden on top of the Virgin Building in Kensington. How come an Englishman constructed a 5,000square-metre Spanish garden on a rooftop with a metre and more of topsoil in the 1930s? While we worry about carrying up a few pots, a bag of compost and a few plants! Even window boxes on railings planted with poinsettias, heathers, pansies, cyclamens, azaleas, cotons or kalenchoas during the next week would add Christmas cheer. There are hundreds of other ideas in our book Apartment Gardening Mediterranean Style, which is easily obtainable from Santana or Amazon Books. Happy Christmas plantings!

(c)Dick Handscombe www.gardeninginspain. com December 2013

FEATURE & PETS

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12 - 18 December 2013 / Costa de Almería

IN Spain, gifts are traditionally brought for children by the Tres Reyes Magos (Three Kings or Three Magi); however, in different regions of Spain there are other figures. In Cantabria, the Esteru is a friendly woodcutter who brings gifts on Christmas Day. In the Basque Country and Navarra, the Olentzero is a coal merchant who comes down from the mountains with a sack full of gifts. Children write to him asking for gifts which appear in their homes on Christmas morning. There are also parades with the figures of the Olentzero; in many cases those who dress as the character ask for money for charity. In Cataluña, the Tio de Nadal is a large log which is put in the house and ‘fed’ from December 8. When Christmas comes, children are allowed to beat the log, which then ‘poops’ gifts and sweets.

TETEGIL FLICKR

Christmas folklore figures in Spain

TIO DE NADAL: Logs are brought into homes and ‘fed’. The Anguleru in Asturias, introduced in 2008, is an eel catcher as this is one of the traditional trades of the area. In Galicia, the Apalpador, also a coal merchant, comes into town on the night of December 24 or 31 to touch children’s bellies to see if they have eaten enough during the year. He leaves them chestnuts, gifts and wishes them a

year full of happiness and food. In Ecija, Sevilla, there is a similar character the ‘tientapanzas’, brought back to popularity in 2004. In this case, the character comes to check children’s bellies to make sure they have eaten and then informs the Three Kings, so they can decide whether or not they get any gifts.

No time to teach new tricks? Adopt a senior pet! David THE Dogman Listen to David on TRE every Saturday 10am to 11am Costa del Sol (Gibraltar/Sotogrande) 98.7fm (San Roque to Calahonda) 91.9fm (Calahonda to Motril) 88.9, Costa Calida 92.7fm Costa Blanca (Torrevieja to Elche) 105.1fm (Elche to Calpe) 88.2fm, (Calpe to Gandia & Ibiza) 104.6fm, (Denia to Valencia) 95.3fm Mallorca 103.9fm

THE upcoming holiday season may be an excellent time to adopt a senior pet. Senior pets can and do bond strongly with adopters. Many seem to understand they have been given another chance at a happy life and are grateful for the opportunity to love someone and be loved in return. Although shaping the life of a youngster sounds appealing, giving a second chance to an older companion can be equally rewarding. They like to share quiet moments and don’t chew or scratch everything in sight.

GETTING ON: An older pet can bond strongly with adopters, grateful for another chance at a happy life.

Older pets have plenty to offer adopters, not least of which is love. What You See Is What You Get with adopted older dogs or cats - you will usually know about any behaviour challenges or health considerations before you adopt. In other words, there are no surprises. If you have young children it is important to discuss this with the

shelter and in my opinion it is important to pay a dog trainer to visit your home and chat with you and the children. The senior pet will not need too much educating, but the children certainly will. For more information about adopting a senior pet contact the local shelters. Copyright ©2013 David The Dogman All rights reserved. For your local radio frequency log onto www.talkradioeurope.com

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OPINION & COMMENT

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All I want for Christmas is…? Ulrica Marshall

Expat Strife

Swedish-born Ulrica is a freelance journalist living in Mallorca with her family. Her debut novel $Expat Wives is available on Amazon and iBooks. To comment go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/ulrica-marshall ulrica@euroweeklynews.com

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F you are foresightful enough to have ‘wrapped up’ the Christmas present duties already then feel free to skip forward to another article. Still with me? Fear not. Years of yuletide hysteria have left me with the definitive gift guide and rule number one is that the best present is creating or evoking memories. Unless you are a Russian Oligarch, of course, in which case your assistant would already have secured Buckingham Palace for the wife and lower Manhattan for your kids. For parents or grandparents, a memorable gift could mean a tailored photo book of some recent event or a summary of the previous year. Professional-looking productions are available to upload your photos via Apple or other online providers, such as Snapfish. Alternatively, a gift card for an activity you could both do together will do nicely - a day golfing,

ALL WRAPPED UP: The best present is creating or evoking memories. at the spa or lunch in their favourite restaurant. For your partner, wife or husband: Nothing excites as much as a weekend away from it all that someone else has organised. Depending on their schedules an ‘IOU’ outlining the weekend’s schedule may have to suffice pending actual fixing of the date, or make the booking

with option to change the dates. Make sure you pick a destination that they would choose. If you buy tickets to the Monaco Grand Prix weekend for your wife, there is a possibility she may not be as excited as you are. Short of funds? Lock the door and create a ‘staycation’ of their dreams. Your children may have lists as long as their arms of ‘things’ they want, but

chances are what they will really treasure is a day spent with you doing something they love; perhaps a ‘day of ice’ - starting at the local ice rink followed by the ice cream parlour and ending up watching wintery movie (Disney’s ‘Frozen’ for example) along with lashings of popcorn at the cinema. And no, you can’t check your mobile during the day and yes, you have to get your skates on, too. Presents for friends and relatives may not require your direct participation, but that doesn’t mean you cannot follow the same guidelines. The key is to really think about what they like and want. Often socks and bath salts don’t figure on the list, however harmless they may be. A niece that loves One Direction? Find the next concert dates in your area and give her two tickets. An uncle that has turned into a couch potato but used to love the outdoors? Find an activity gift day in his area and buy a voucher - be it introduction to fly fishing or a tennis lesson. Still stuck for ideas? Then a subscription to a magazine is the gift that keeps on giving. Failing that I hear that Upper Manhattan is still available.

Road improvements in Albox ALBOX is to undergo road improvements on the provincial road - the AL7100 - Albox to Chirivel through Saliente. The work will be carried out on a section of road measuring a total length of 2,450 metres and will include improvements using 1,595 tonnes of aggregates and 77 tonnes of asphalt. The contract is valued at €200,000, with added improvements totalling an extra €120,000. The roadworks will be carried out by contractor Salcoa. This project is one of five announced by the government of Almeria to implement road improvements in the province at

UPGRADE: Road improvements for Albox. a total cost of €1 million and is in response to a request from the town, which is getting everything

ready for the next canonisation ceremony of the Virgen del Saliente.

FEATURE

Spying amongst friends?

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Jack Gaioni

Consider This US citizen Jack is spending the first years of his retirement in Almeria. His articles have been published in Spain and the US.

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: Ohio River and Louisville skyline, KY, circa 1990.

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AST month, the Spanish government summoned the American ambassador to answer allegations that the United States had collected data on more than 60 million Spanish phone calls. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy responded by saying: Horses in the field. “Spying activities are not proper among partner countries and allies.” Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo followed that: “If true, these allegations threaten the climate of trust between Spain and its close ties to the United States.” James Costos, the American Ambassador, responded by saying that the electronic spying was originally collected Lord Palmerson, a by Spanish intelligence officials and then was two-time British ‘shared’ with the United Prime Minister, once States. quibbled: “Nations have no Espionage and spying is permanent friends nor do nations have not something one usually permanent enemies. Rather, nations have associates when only permanent self-interest. In light of the assessing the friendly Spanish/American spy allegations and the relationship between the Wilkerson/Miro conspiracy, Palmerson’s Spain and the United observation holds true. In spite of the close ties States. Yet cloak and dagger spying between the two between Spain and the United States, the allies nations does indeed have a do indeed continue to pursue their own selfhistory - a very colorful history. interests. Consider the late 18th century saga of Kentucky Governor James Wilkerson and Spanish colonial Governor Esteban Kentucky Rodriquez Miro... was either blocked In the late 1700s, in an area now known from using the river or required to pay the as Kentucky, lie the wild, western-most extremely heavy tariffs required by Spanish extremes of the United States. The infant authorities. nation had just wrested independence from In May of 1785, the Kentucky territorial mother country England. governor, James Wilkerson, took a trip As a result, British influence was greatly down the Mississippi to New Orleans to diminished as had French influence only a meet the Spanish governor, Esteban few decades earlier. Spain’s presence in the Rodriquez Miro. The meeting was area, albeit weakened and decentralised, clandestine in nature. In what was to was restricted to Florida, Louisiana and become known as ‘The Spanish control of the strategic Mississippi River. Conspiracy’, Wilkerson managed to The river, then as now, was a vital system convince Miro to allow Kentucky a of transportation, especially river-boat favourable trading monopoly on the commerce. Geographically, Kentucky has a Mississippi. In return, Wilkerson promised strategic position at the confluence of the to promote Spanish interests in America’s Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. However, westward expansion. Wilkerson swore

Clock Tower in the centre of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. allegiance to Spain and promised to actively lobby to make Kentucky a possession of Spain. Furthermore, he was to inform Miro of any possible American land acquisitions that would affect Spanish influence in the area. He swore to commit his life “to seek union under the protective vassal of Spain and to promote her interests.” Kentucky not only received favourable trade monopolies but Wilkerson was to personally receive a generous

Spanish pension (read: kickback) of $3,000 per year. Wilkerson, it should be noted, had personal connections within the highest levels of the young American government. He was close personal friends with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and was still a high ranking officer in the military. Over the next few decades, Wilkerson also covertly provided intelligence to American officials on Spanish military and shipping activities on the Mississippi. Wilkerson had, in effect, become a bona-fide double agent. He used his considerable influence within the American government to warn Miro of any plans for westward expansion plans. Simultaneously, he informed the American government of Spanish military vulnerabilities on the Mississippi River. For 12 years, the Wilkerson/Miro scheme worked perfectly. By 1796, Spain dispensed over $36,000 to Wilkerson while being totally unaware that he was a double agent. Ultimately, Wilkerson was caught redhanded receiving a gold-bullion kickback. He was removed from office, subject to two Congressional investigations and courtmartialled. His reputation has forever been disgraced. President Theodore Roosevelt, some 65 years after Wilkerson’s misdeeds said: “In all our history, in Wilkerson, there is no more despicable character.” Historian Fredrick Jackson Turner noted that Wilkerson was “the most consummate artist in treason the nation has ever known.” Later in life, his reputation tarnished, Wilkerson visited New Spain (soon to be Mexico) attempting yet another nefarious scheme with Spanish officials. He died mysteriously while trying to pursue a scandalous land grant for the territory of Texas. He was buried ignominiously in Mexico City.

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SPOTLIGHT

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Wet weather, boats and bilges PHOTO: Clarke Beek Sailfeed.

By Pete Woodall

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heir catch phrase is: ‘any boat, any waters, any use, anywhere’. Any waters? Nothing to worry about then, except perhaps rain. Even with an Edward William Marine Services insurance policy owners still have the responsibility to maintain their boats properly even if they go away. The best of boats will go down if enough rainwater gets into them. With the unpredictable Mediterranean wet weather surely on its way, it’s time to give a little thought to your automatic bilge pumps and more importantly the batteries that run them. Simple formula, if the battery packs up, the pump packs in and should it rain very heavily your boat could go down. Take a moment before the festive season gets under way to have a peek at your pumps and batteries, clean up the pumps and terminals, replace the batteries if needed.

GOING DOWN: Don’t let the unpredictable wet weather sink your boat. With the boat maintenance sorted out, Edward William Marine Insurance confidently maintain that for every risk there is a premium and that all boats are considered and invariably accepted. All you have to do is ask.

The quotes are given straight away; the insurance policies are available in both English as well as Spanish and come in an internationally recognised format that’s not limited to just Spanish waters, a small but important point

that is often overlooked. Extensive experience in marine insurance worldwide means this company is very comfortable with but not limited to - the insurance needs of expats and their craft, large or small. In recent years based on their sensible attention to detail and good service, Edward William Marine Services have constantly made healthy in-roads into the insurance market for Spanish-owned boats. It is a progressive company that looks after its customers. Remember if you’re in any boat business yourself, quality ‘introducers’ with integrity are welcome and remunerated for their efforts.

If you are a boat owner, visit their website www.edwardwilliam.com or give them a call on 952476090 before your next renewal is due and ask for a insurance quote for your boat. Any boat, any waters, any use, anywhere. Happy Christmas!

Advertising Feature

Don’t take a risk by skimping on travel cover David Deverson

GLOBELINK INTERNATIONAL Insurance correspondent david@globelink.co.uk

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olidays are sacred, not least to us Brits. A recent travel industry survey showed that most of us would sooner economise on gadgets, home improvements or eating out, than cut back on our well-earned breaks. We’re taking longer holidays, even if that means cutting back on the number of trips we make. What’s more, we don’t mind splashing out on the extras that help turn a ‘ho-hum’ holiday into the stuff of memories. Travel companies have woken up to that fact, and many now let you tailor your trip with special add-ons. A mini-cruise here, a scenic train journey there, and it can soon add up to a sizeable splurge. Whether you’re travelling under your own steam or on a package, the chances are you’ll be paying upfront... with more at stake if anything goes wrong. Suppose you’re

OUT OF THE BLUE: Check your policy to make sure you are covered. injured and have to cancel your trip because you’re unfit to travel? What if your flight from Spain is delayed, and you miss your connecting flight out of the UK? Or a relative back home falls seriously ill and you have to cut your holiday short to be there? It’s human nature to think “it won’t happen to me” but if it does, you’ll certainly be glad you took out decent

travel cover to shield you against the kinds of things that can and do happen out of the blue. Do check your policy to make sure it fits the trip you’re planning, and consider taking out top-up cover if appropriate. Cancellation costs can be peanuts compared to the head-spinning financial risks involved if you run into health problems without proper cover. People

generally underestimate the cost of medical treatment abroad, which has rocketed in recent years. That’s especially true of Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Japan and the US, where hospital stays alone can cost around £2,500 per day. Even then, medical bills are often only the tip of the iceberg. At Globelink, we recently paid over £45,000 to repatriate one of our clients back to UK following heart surgery in USA! One last thing I must stress: don’t wait until the last minute to book your travel cover - it’s just asking to be caught out. Remember, too, that single trip holiday insurance must cover the whole of your return trip, from the date you leave your country of residence to the date you return. Don’t be tempted to book it from a friend’s address in the UK. Declaring you’re a UK resident when you live in Spain is fraud. If you do make a claim, it won’t wash, but you could find yourself in pretty hot water! For an instant travel insurance quote and to arrange cover securely visit www.globelink.co.uk, or call (UK) +44 1353 699 082 or our Spanish link lines on 96 626 5000 or 95 124 2434

MOTORING

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SPONSORED BY For best rates in motor insurance call: 952 89 33 80

Porsche launches a special model Cayenne - the Platinum Edition

P

ORSCHE is upgrading the Cayenne sixcylinder model via a special series known as the Platinum Edition. The Platinum Edition Cayenne and Cayenne Diesel models feature some especially high-quality equipment and offers many of the most-requested options as standard. The German manu-

facturer only assigns the Platinum Edition designation to its exclusive, elegant vehicle ranges that are available for a limited period only. Painted in Platinum Silver Metallic, the lateral and central air intake grill fins, the side window strips, the rear spoiler lip and the trim strip on the tailgate create a

shimmering effect. The standard colour range includes monotone paint finishes in Black and White, and Meteor Grey Metallic, Basalt Black Metallic and Mahogany Metallic are available as further colour options.

HIGH QUALITY: Offers many of the most requested options as standard.

The Carrara White Metallic paint finish is also an option available for this Cayenne edition. The look is rounded off by the 19inch Cayenne Design II wheels with coloured crest. The vehicles, available from January 2014 from €75,569, come with a partial leather interior as standard, but a full leather interior is also available. The floor mats, with Luxor Beige edging and Porsche logo, and the front door entry guards with the ‘Platinum Edition’ logo, are further highlights. The Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system, including a navigation module, is also a standard feature. The PCM includes a highresolution seven-inch touchscreen and a sound

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system with 11 loudspeakers and total power of 235 watt. The Cayenne Platinum Edition offers an output of 300 hp (220 kW). In combination with the

Tiptronic S, the vehicle’s NEDC fuel consumption is 9.9 litres/100 km. The three litre V6 engine in the Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition offers an output of 245 hp (180 kW).

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MOTORING

Next Lexus GS model LEXUS is adding a fourth model to the GS range, the GS 300h to be launched this month. The GS 300h is expected to account for more than 55 per cent of all GS sales, a significant part of the percentage representing fleet customers. The car will also be available as an F SPORT version, featuring bespoke

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design elements and model-specific technologies. The new front engined, rear-wheel drive GS 300h’s second generation Lexus Hybrid Drive system is similar to that installed in the IS 300h. Featuring an L4 Atkinson cycle petrol engine with D4S direct injection technology and two electric motors, it offers significant reductions in fuel consumption and CO2. The full hybrid drive system combines a powerful 105 kW/143 DIN hp electric motor with a 2.5 litre, four-cylinder, 16 valve, DOHC Atkinson cycle petrol engine featuring a next generation D-4S fuel injection system, Dual VVTi and a high-efficiency

Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system. The engine develops 133 kW/181 DIN hp at 6,000 rpm, and 221 Nm of torque at 4,200-5,400 rpm. With the rear wheels driven through the hybrid system’s Electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT), total system power is 164 kW/223 DIN hp. The new GS 300h, available from €45,900, shares the exterior design of the rest of the GS model range, including the brand’s trademark spindle grille design. A new range of F SPORTspecific exterior colours is introduced with the launch of the GS 300h - F White, Starlight Black and Midnight Blue.

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SPORT Tony Matthews

International Sports A former football player and the world’s most prolific author of football books (more than 100 published), Tony is also the sports reporter for Spectrum Radio and lives in the Cabrera mountains.

Costa de Almeria

WE’LL start with the 2104 World Cup, and by now every England supporter knows that Roy Hodgson’s team has been drawn in a tough group along with Italy and Uruguay plus Costa Rica. Spain will meet Australia, Chile and Holland. In Tuesday’s final Champions League group games, Bayern Munich played Manchester City, FC Copenhagen faced Real Madrid and Manchester United met Shakhtar Donetsk, and last night it was Barcelona-Celtic, Chelsea (needing a point to progress) v Steau Bucharest and NapoliArsenal. This evening, in the Europa League, it’s Wigan-Maribor, Swansea (requiring a point to make the last 32) v FC Gallen and TottenhamAnzhi. Last week, Manchester United suffered

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Tough for English football, cricket and even snooker! successive home defeats for the first time in over a decade, losing to 1-0 Everton and 1-0 to Newcastle. In fact, it was Newcastle’s first win at Old Trafford for 41 years. Stoke beat Chelsea (3rd) for the first time since 1975, Oussama Assaidi’s superb last minute goal giving the Potters a 3-2 victory. Having won 4-3 at Sunderland a few days earlier, this was the first time Jose Mourinho’s side had conceded three goals in successive PL games for 14 years. Elsewhere, Arsenal are now five points clear at the top after a 1-1 draw with Everton (5th); Liverpool (2nd) walloped Norwich 51 and West Ham 41. Luis Suarez hit a fourtimer against the Canaries,

DID YOU KNOW?

WORLD NUMBER ONE: Neil Robertson of Australia making it 11 goals in four PL games against the Carrow Road club. Manchester City (4th) won 3-2 win at WBA and drew 1-1 at Southampton to remain with the leaders... Sunderland, five points adrift at the foot of the table following two home defeats, have three London clubs above them, Fulham, Crystal Palace (winners of their last two matches) and West Ham. Manchester United stand 9th place, yet manager David Moyes says: “We can still win the title!” Top two PL matches this weekend are Manchester City-Arsenal and

Spurs-Liverpool. Burnley, Leyton Orient, Oxford and Celtic are top of the Championship, FL1, FL2 and the SPL respectively. The latter are seven points ahead of Inverness in Scotland. The draw for the 3rd round of the FA Cup has thrown up some terrific ties, including ArsenalSpurs, BlackburnManchester City, DerbyChelsea, Everton-QPR, LiverpoolOldham/Mansfield, Manchester UnitedSwansea, NewcastleCardiff, Stoke-Leicester and holders Wigan-MK Dons. Non-Leaguers

JOSE MOURINHO: Manager of Chelsea football club.

2014 World Cup to be held in Brazil By Tony Matthews ENGLAND have been drawn with Uruguay (Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan & Co), Italy (with Fabio Balotelli) and Costa Rica in group D of next year’s World Cup in Brazil. “It will be tough but it’s not a disaster” said Wayne Rooney, “we have to beat the best if we are to become champions. Get out of the group and who knows.” Midfielder Jack Wilshere admitted: “Okay, it’s a tough group, but so what? If we want to win the World Cup, we will have to play the top teams anyway!” For former manager Glenn Hoddle, the draw is excellent. “The tougher the opposition the better

The full World Cup draw Group A: Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon. Group B: Spain, Holland, Chile, Australia. Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast, Japan. Group D: Uruguay, Costa Rica, England, Italy. Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France, Honduras. Group F: Argentina, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Iran, Nigeria. Group G: Germany, Portugal, Ghana, USA. Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea.

England play. We know that both Italy and Uruguay are good sides and don’t give too much away - but there’s a lot worse out there and we are better when we are up against

it,” he said. Ex-England striker Alan Shearer also agrees: “It will be a tough challenge, knowing that their first game against Italy will take place in the Amazon rain forest with 99 per cent humidity.” Another former skipper, Ray Wilkins, said: “Suarez is going to have a tough end to the season. I might have a word with John Terry - Chelsea face Liverpool on April 26. For experienced midfielders Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, this for sure, is going to be their last major tournament and they’ll be determined to do well in Brazil. Let’s hope so. The competition starts in earnest in mid-June.

LAST week, Blackpool had FIVE players sentoff in two Championship matches in four days, and in snooker, the Davis brothers, Joe and Fred, won 23 World titles between them over a period of 29 years: 1927-56. Kidderminster play Peterborough and Macclesfield meet Sheffield Wednesday. FIFA member Michel Platini has called for the yellow card to be replaced by a sin bin penalty, perhaps 10 or 15 minutes, like in rugby. And he has the backing of several clubs, managers and players. It could be a good thing and I agree with the former French international. Former Nigerian defender Sam Sodje, exBrentford, WBA, Charlton and Leeds, has been arrested by police in

respect of match-fixing. He’s admitted deliberately getting sent-off playing for Portsmouth against Oldham in a FL1 match last February. CRICKET - Poor England are now two-nil down in the five-match Ashes series, having crashed to a 218 run defeat in the second Test in Adelaide. Geoffrey Boycott described some of England’s batting as absolute garbage... and I totally agree. The third Test starts to tomorrow in Perth. Over 1,400 runs were scored in the recent drawn Test between New Zealand and the West Indies. And it has been revealed that three former New Zealand players are being investigated for matchfixing. ROUND-UP - England’s Mark Selby was beaten by world number one Neil Robertson of Australia in the UK snooker final in York... Christine Ohuruogu has been named British Sportswoman of the Year... and Britain’s Rugby Union clubs have ALL reiterated that they will not compete in next year’s Heineken Cup.

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Sport

Costa de Almeria’s best guide to local sport

Mark Selby beaten in UK snooker final. To read more turn to Page 71

Costa de Almería’s best guide to local sport

Turkeys trotting to golf

VALLE DEL ESTE Golf Society played a turkey trot where every player got a prize from a selection of wine, spirits, chocolates, cakes. The overall winner was John Main followed closely by Tony Dudley. third place went to the outgoing captain Sean Halligan. The incoming captain Bill Churchill had a few words to say before revealing the name of his vice captain for the next year - Sue Hull. Costas Coches Order of Merit for 2013 is looking like a two horse race with Paul Sedge on 420 points and Sue Hull on 415 pts.

TO READ MORE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

Playing at Marina

MARINA PHOENIX competition THE stableford competition played by Marina Phoenix was a single division as many members took pre-Xmas breaks. First was Juan Tijeras with 35 points from Brian Couper (34) and Rosalie Fardon (33). Thursday’s team game was a

Texas Scramble with a minimum of four drives each. First, with a score of 62.5 net, were Elmar Trappen, Brian Couper and Nadia Wass. Second were Greta Hahn, Tony King and Brian Mayhew (65). Margaret Budd, Hylton Smith and Terry Oliver (66.3) were third. Nearest the pins

were won by Linda King (5th) and Jim Budd (14th). Marina Phoenix play Mondays (individual) and Thursdays (team game). To join them for a €25 greenfee. Ring Jim on 950 162 727 / 600 353 670 or Rosalie 950 397 117 / 697 512 882.

Challenges at Indalo and Cabrera THE Andalucian Bowling Federation Mens and Ladies Singles and Pairs were played at Indalo and Cabrera Bowling Clubs.

The Mens Singles took place at Indalo Bowling Club with 36 players taking part. The four semi finalists all came from Indalo

Bowling Club with Derek Webb winning 21-13 over Mick Johnson and John Dedman beating Steve Grattage 21-9. The final

Waltzing around THE 19th Hole Golf Society danced its way round the Valle del Este course in a Waltz competition. With new temporary rules in place aimed at making the course a bit more manageable for the older high handicappers, off they set. The course really is a beautiful setting for a country walk, but few found the tough conditions around the course easy to cope

SPORT

with, except the team of Nick Pogson, Ron Curtis, Syd Walker and Ray Wicking. With Ray and Ron playing off the blues (which had been placed halfway up each fairway to accommodate some of our Scandinavian tourists by the ground staff, instead of just in front of the yellow tees) easily beat the rest of us who played off the yellow or red tees. Second place was taken by Mark Danson, Nigel Greenwood, Geoff Smith and Gary Grey and third were Brian Lowden, Ian Postles, Don Harbron and Fred The Ghost. More information:610340653 or email gs19thhole@hotmail.co.uk

saw Derek win 21-17. The Ladies Pairs took place at Cabrera Lawn Bowling Club. The first semi final saw Maureen De Boer and Linda Lester in a match against Jan Dando and Debbie Colquhoun where Jan and Debbie won to meet Doreen Hall and Jan Johnson. Doreen and Jan J had beaten Maureen Stakes and Sue Mannall from Almeria B.C. In the final Jan and Debbie were the eventual winners with a result of 19-10. In the Mens Pairs in the semis Chris Ewer and John Fitzgerald from Almeria Bowling Club won 19-11 over Keith Harvey and Gerard Donck from Indalo Bowling Club. Peter Sands and David Jenkins from Cabrera won 27-13 against David Ebdon and Colin Thomas again from Indalo. Chris and John took the

JAN DANDO Singles winner honours 17-10 in the final. At Indalo the Ladies Singles had 24 competing. In the semis Jan Dando beat Barbara Ruscoe 21-2 and Chris Dedman claimed the match against Doreen Hall 21 - 9. All semi finalists were from Indalo.In a close final Jan claimed the title.

Good times at Cortijo Grande CORTIJO GRANDE members played a competition sponsored by the Almazara restaurant, which is the club base and home. This year's winner with a score of 35 points was Ann Jackson. In the first division Martin D Archivio (34) was first with Peter Jackson (30) second and Brian Harwood (28) third. In division two winner was Martin Oliver (34) second with another 34 was Cathal Higgins and third Tony Stubbs (33). Third division winner was Juan Lopez (29), second was Lilly Pepper (29) and third with 23 Grace Ward. At their Wednesday competition the winner of the first div with 38 points was Frank McGovern, second was Frank Button (33). Second divisiom winner with 34 was Cathal Higgins and second with 30 Robina Dore. On Sunday it was the annual Captain versus Vice captain competition and as usual there was a good turnout and a close finish. In fact so close they could not split the teams.