Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 13 - 19 March 2014 Issue 1497

Remembering the victims of terrorism See Page 10

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ISSUE NO. 1497

EWN FRONT EXTRA

The most handsome SEVEN women from the fashion world in Almeria voted for ‘Suso’ as the most handsome UD Almeria footballer in a survey.

Exchange visit TEACHERS and students from a Blackpool college have arrived in Roquetas de Mar for a seven-day visit as part of an exchange programme with Las Marinas Institute.

Mojacar golf MOJACAR is hosting its spring golf tournament on Saturday at the Marina Golf Course. Prices are €35 for nonmembers and €32 for members.

Boat rescue THE Guardia Civil SubAquatic Department rescued 32 people from a boat. The thirty-one men and one woman were taken to Melilla.

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Finally... work to start on completion of motorway THE long-awaited works to complete the new motorway in the Almanzora Valley could start in May. Ever since construction ground to a halt on the Almanzora motorway, back in January 2011,

many voices have been raised demanding its completion. The latest in a long line has been the Secretary General of the PSOE, Jose Luis Sanchez Teruel, who has asked the Junta to ‘pull their finger out’ and expedite proceedings with

the EU, which has declared the motorway a ‘Great Project’. The delegate for Development in Almeria, Encarna Caparros, said the fact that they had not been able to meet the deadlines set by the department and start the work

was due to the problems they were experiencing with the original construction company. The UTE company was created by investors for the motorway project. “We are working to find solutions so it is not put out to tender, which, of course, would greatly lengthen the time,” said Caparros, who believes there will be a service arrived, they solution and that works, found an old chicken although she did not like to farm with a group of give deadlines, could begin people inside. after Easter. Once the firemen had In fact, according to put out the blaze they Caparros, during this time the department had confirmed that there continued working on the was no one inside the building. project and during 2013 After locating one of spent €8 million on the two children expropriations for different reported missing at her sections of the highway. home, the agents Caparros made it clear scoured the area for that the priority was to the other, who was finish the Albox by-pass later found four miles and finalise the Cucador-La from the incident. Concepcion to A7 sections.

Lost girl rescued after fire THE Guardia Civil came to the rescue of a 10year-old child who was found ‘alone and confused’ after abandoning a shed in which a fire had started. The agents received notice of a fire at a farm located in the hamlet of Los Menas, HuercalOvera. Once the patrol

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THIS WEEK IN

EWN News 1 - 24

Finance 25 - 30 GREAT MUSIC: An unforgettable night in Roquetas de Mar.

An ABBA Musical Spectacular

THE Auditorium Theatre of Roquetas de Mar hosted one of the great musicals of the year on Saturday night. The ABBA Symphonic spectacular featured five international singers, a rock band, a choir and a live symphony orchestra. For more than two hours the audience were treated to all the great Abba hits as well as a few lesser known songs. The show featured the singing talents of German, Tommy Herat, American, Michele McCain, who was superb all night with a unique and powerful voice, the Swedes,

Patrik Lundström and Alice Nilsson and from England, Lauren Lydia. On stage a rock band, created exclusively for this tour, consisted of musicians who have worked with artists of the stature of George Michael, Sade, Joe Cocker, Chris Rea and Simple Minds. All this was spiced up with the participation of the One World Symphonic Orchestra, a unique fusion of violins and electric guitars treating the audience to an unforgettable night with songs such as ‘Waterloo,’ ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Voulez-vous.’

Letters 31

Leapy Lee 32

Daily TV 46

Time out 52 - 53

Classifieds 73 - 75

Sport 79 - 80

NEWS Polishing up FIVE students from Katowice, Poland, are to spend two weeks at the Marble School of Andalucia in Fines as part of their mining studies. On the trail AROUND 300 walkers took part in the 6th Cabo de Gata Trail, walking from San Jose to Rodalquilar. Festival plans THE town hall of Tabernas has started preparing for the 4th Western Film Festival.The festival is expected to take place in October.

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Customs capture another haul IN what is now becoming a common occurrence out in the Alboran Sea off the coast of Almeria, another huge drugs haul has been discovered. Agents of the Inland Revenue intercepted an Egyptian fishing boat with around 13 tonnes of hashish on board. The operation, codenamed ‘Otero’ has led to the arrest of eight sailors who were on board the boat. Since June 2013, this Mediterranean route to the Far East has seen more than 60 tonnes of hashish intercepted in eight different operations.

The vessel was intercepted about 60 miles south east of the Cabo de Gata. The operation began when a Customs Surveillance flight and French Customs detected a suspicious fishing boat some 20 to 25 nautical miles south of Almeria City. The boat was not flying a flag and had inscriptions in Arabic characters on the bow. This new route has been very active in recent months with boats loading up in Moroccan waters and sometimes in the Atlantic.

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Sports grant for Purchena

PURCHENA has received a grant for €237,200 from the Provincial Government. The money will be spent on improving the municipal swimming pool and padel courts.

THE fourth ‘Alpujarra y Pedal’ mountain bike race scheduled for May 17 has already more than 200 athletes signed up for the event.

Trafico Almeria AS from March 4 it is necessary to make an appointment to visit the Trafico department in Almeria City. Appointments can be made via the internet on the DGT website or by phoning 060.

Paco dedication ALMERIA guitarist ‘Tomatito,’ who was discovered by legendary guitarist Paco de Lucia is to dedicate his April 12 concert in El Ejido to his memory.

Tu y Yo A 50-minute documentary,‘Tu y yo’ featuring Almeria singer, David Bisbal is to be shown in 16 cinemas throughout Spain from March 20. . Debut disc ALMERIA band Cables Cruzados have released their first Album ‘Nubes y Fabulas,’ the album was recorded in Madrid and finished in Abbey Road Studios in London.

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On your bike FATHER’S DAY: Celebrated in Spain on March 19 which is also Saint Joseph’s Day.

Happy anniversary THE Museum of Almeria now has its logo to mark its 80th Anniversary.The winning entry was presented by Rafael Moreno.

Town help THE Government of Almeria have approved for the third year running, a budget of €510,000 to be shared between 51 towns (€10,000 each town) in the province with a population of less than 1,000 people.

EWN

Time for the dads!

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ARCH 19 is Saint Joseph’s Day and in Spain, it’s Father’s Day. In 1948, a schoolteacher in Dehesa de la Villa (north of Madrid) decided to mark the day at her school to keep her students’ fathers happy, as some of them claimed to be ‘jealous’ of Mother’s Day and wanted a day of their own. The date was chosen to coincide with Saint Joseph’s Day, as she considered him the ideal role model for Christian fathers. The event included mass, gifts for the fathers hand-made by the girls, and a party with poetry, dancing and a play. The idea became popular and was announced the following year in local papers with which the teacher collaborated. In 1951, it went national, thanks to a programme on the national radio station.

Quote of the Week We would have suffered a lot less if the bombing had been done by ETA.’

Pilar Manjon, President of 11-M who lost her son in the March 11 Madrid train bombing.

It was promoted in 1953 by the manager at the time of the Galerias Preciados store, Jose Fernandez, and later by its rival, El Corte Ingles, thanks to its manager Ramon Areces. In Valencia, both the city and most of the region, it is also the most important day of the ‘fallas’ celebrations. Each neighbourhood has a group of people, the Casal faller, that works all year holding fundraising events, usually featuring paella, to produce the ‘fallas’. They are made of papiermâché and each of the figures is known as a ‘ninot’ (doll). Each group takes theirs out during a parade so they can be seen before eventually being burned with the help of fireworks. The figures are traditionally a satirical jab at famous people and events that attract the attention of the creators.

Number of the week was the number of games in three sets needed by No. 28 ranked Alexandr Dolgopolov in his stunning upset over Rafa Nadal, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6.

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Concert tribute THE Centro Unicaja de Cultura in Almeria is to hold a concert in June to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Almeria musician, Manuel del Aguila.

Load of bulls THE Bullfighting Museum in Roquetas de Mar currently has on display until the end of March, paintings and drawings by Artist Felix de la Vega.

Blooming great SOME 200 people took part in the last Almond Blossom Trail walk in the Sierra Filabres-Alhamilla. The last walk was held in Lucainena de las Torres.

And finally... Beware unkempt toilets! Learn from the unlucky lady who had a public toilet in Barcelona’s Gothic quarter explode under her. The poorly-maintained septic tank had a huge build-up of methane gas, which resulted in a spark from the light switch causing an explosion, leaving her with second- and third-degree burns to the legs. She is suing the bar owner.

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New Bowls Club for Mojacar THE new Mojacar Bowls Club was officially declared open last Friday. It is located in the Marina de la Torre area behind the Marina Mar Hotel. The Government of Almeria, and the hotel chain Servigroup, which owns two hotels in the area, have supported the project. The opening event was attended by the mayor, Rosa Maria Cano, various dignitaries and bowling club officials and members. There was a great demand

NEWS NEWS EXTRA

Road fatality A 30-YEAR-OLD man died and three others were seriously injured after a head-on collision on the A358 in Berja.

Fines trip

The mayor attended the opening of the Bowls Club. from the expatatriate community for this facility. Thanks to Servigroup the opening of this club in Mojacar is already known

to several other bowls clubs with the possibility of organising international championships and other sporting events.

A women’s group from Fines travelled to Almeria City as part of their celebrations for International Women’s Day. The group visited Los Refugios underground tunnels and the Guitar Museum.

Nosey police POLICE in El Ejido have arrested four men after finding 62 marihuana plants in an apartment. The police noticed a strong smell of marihuana in the street while patrolling the Matagorda area.

Life savers THE quick actions of a worker at a gym in Almeria City and two doctors who were there saved the life of a 47-year-old man after he suffered a heart attack in the changing rooms.

On the radio HUERCAL-OVERA is to feature on Radio Nacional España programme ‘No es un dia cualquiera’. The show will be broadcast live from the town’s theatre on April 5 and 6.

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Army attracts many Almeria youngsters THE latest enrolment period to sign up for the Spanish armed forces has proved a big attraction for unemployed youngsters in Almeria. The Defence Sub Delegation in Almeria has received almost 700 applications (615 men and 82 women) corresponding to positions offered for the year 2014. In total there are 2,000 vacancies available throughout Spain with 292 positions available in Almeria. More than 40,000 people throughout

Spain have applied for work with Andalucia leading the way with 13,887 applicants, mainly due to the bases such as Cerro Muriano (Cordoba), Rota (Cadiz), el Madoc de Granada, La Capitania General de Sevilla and the base in Viator. Young people seeking recruitment are aged between 18 and 29. Colonel Soriano, a defence sub delegate in Almeria puts the large number of requests in the area down to youth unemployment and the cordial relationship of the Armed Forces in Andalucia. In addition, the emblematic presence of the Legion Brigade in Almeria has encouraged many young people to enrol in the recruitment phase. Contracts are usually two years and include a training period, THE final film in the current cycle of English making it an attractive proposition language films is being shown at Huercalto those seeking a job in the Army. Overa Cinema tonight (Thursday). This year the Army are offering The Hobbit - An unexpected Journey is the 1,500 vacancies, the Navy 300 and last of the three films to be screened at the the Air Force 200. In 2013, a total cinema. Doors open at 7.30pm and the film of 1,500 places were provided for starts at 8pm. Tickets are â‚Ź4. The cinema is defence, with more than 42,000 in the heart of the town centre on the applications registered. roundabout close to the town hall.

Last call for the English cinema

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Spain still fears terror 10 years after train attack in Madrid SPAIN’S government has warned that the country is still a terror target, a decade after the Madrid train attack that killed 191 people. It was 10 years ago that AlQaeda style terrorists blew up four commuter trains in Madrid in what is still seen as Spain’s worst terror attack, and Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said Islamist extremists are still a threat. The minister told Onda Cero radio that intelligence on AlQaeda members and affiliates had revealed that reference has frequently been made to ‘Al Andalus,’ or Spain. “Clearly Spain forms part of the strategic objectives of global jihad. We are not the only ones but we are in their sights obviously,” Fernandez Diaz said. He added that the Spanish counter-terrorist service’s alert level is at its second-highest

ATOCHA STATION: Scene of Spain’s worst terror attack. category, signifying ‘a likely risk of attack.’ This level has not changed in recent years and is identical to that of most countries in the region. Diaz said that since the March

11, 2004, attack, 472 suspected Islamic extremists have been arrested. Following the 2004 attack Spanish courts sentenced 18 people for the shrapnel-filled bomb attack that killed 191

people and injured more than 1,800 on four commuter trains heading for Atocha Station, Madrid. Basque separatist group ETA was the prime suspect but Diaz

said the facts and the judicial process had since shown that ETA was not involved. The seven main suspects committed suicide on April 3, 2004, by blowing themselves up in an apartment near Madrid, killing a policeman in the blast. Aside from the intelligence service, some 1,800 Spanish police and counter-terrorist security forces were devoted to confronting the threat, according to Diaz. He presided over a ceremony in Madrid last week to present civilian awards to 365 of those affected by the attacks. A study by Spanish research facility Royal Elcano Institute said 84 Islamists, all young men, were convicted for attack plots in Spain between 1996 and 2012, or died in relation to such attacks. Most of these Islamists were first-generation immigrants from Algeria, Morocco or Pakistan.

Four star hotel for Los Velez area of Almeria THE Los Velez area of Almeria Province may well have a four star hotel in the near future. Chirivel Town Hall has already received the approval document from the Junta de Andalucia regional government for the construction of the hotel in the Misa de Once area. It will be the first facility of its kind in the whole region and will be part of the hotel group, Intercontinental Palace SL. Until now, the Los Velez area has relied on rural tourism where lodgings are independently run. The hotel, according to preliminary studies will be located next to the A92-N motorway, which connects Murcia with

the province of Granada as it passes through the north of Almeria Province. The two-storey hotel will have 27 double rooms, one of them specifically for disabled people and will cover an area of nearly 3,000 square metres with a restaurant for 200 people and a cafeteria with seating for 180 people. The mayor of Chirivel, Emma Sola, warmly welcomed the proposal: “Because it will create jobs and be a major tourist boost for my people,” but clarifies “we have not yet received the full proposals or work licence, at which point the previous steps will become a reality.” The mayor said the company now has one year to file the documents.

NEWS EXTRA Tickets please A TOTAL of 188,886 travellers used the daily Talgo de Renfe train service from Almeria to Madrid in 2013 according to figures released by Renfe.

Tijola success TWO youngsters from Tijola each won a bronze medal at the Spanish Junior Wrestling Championships held in Madrid at the start of the month.

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History Museum for town of Seron THE town of Seron will shortly have a History Museum next to the castle of the town. The new cultural space will be in the upper part of town and has been made possible thanks to an economic boost of €283,000 awarded through the Provincial Plans of the Government. The History Museum was started in

2011 in the first phase, when an investment of €230,000 was needed. The future museum will consist of a three-storey building, the basement will act as a warehouse and storage area, another floor will be a permanent exhibition hall and the third floor will be for a temporary exhibitions hall with a total floor area of about 400 square metres. A museum project will be developed once the building is completed and will interpret the interesting history of this town over the centuries, The youngsters from prehistoric times to enjoyed a parade on the the present. pitch at half-time during The project is part of the Liga game against efforts to revitalise the old Sevilla. Huercal-Overa town, which includes was represented with five burying electric cables affiliated teams: under the cobblestones in benjamin, alevin, infantil, several streets. The town cadete and juvenil. hall are also working on The agreement allows replacing all street the youngsters to go for lighting and the removal trials and play friendlies. of debris from the area.

Youngsters visit UD Almeria THE footballing youngsters of Huercal-Overa got a taste of the big time on Sunday with a visit to the stadium of UD Almeria. The reason for the visit was because UD Almeria had organised a presentation of clubs that have signed the cooperation agreement with the Premier League Club.

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Contador pays a visit for lunch PEOPLE enjoying a lazy Sunday in the town of Bacares had a surprise encounter with one of Spain’s most famous sportsmen recently. Alberto Contador, Spain’s best known cyclist of recent times, is becoming a regular on the curves and slopes of the Sierra de Los Filabres. Year after year he chooses the summits of Calar Alto and La Tetica de Bacares to train and get ready for the start of the season. In fact, it is not uncommon to see teams pedalling around the winding roads that link Bacares with Gergal or Velefique at this time of year. During his workout Contador pulled over for lunch at the Restaurante Las Fuentes in Bacares

with two teammates. The visit surprised customers enjoying a meal at this landmark in the Almanzora Valley. Within minutes, autographs, photographs and greetings were exchanged with the whole team, but the star was undoubtedly Alberto Contador. He graciously posed with fans and with his spectacular bicycle used for training, and even exchanged a few words with younger fans. This was the case for Javier, Carlos, Alvaro and Alejandro residents of Vera, who were delighted with the unexpected visit of the athlete at the same restaurant where they were having lunch with their family. Contador has won two

Tour De France races ,two Tour De España races and a Tour of Italy race among his many honours.

NEWS EXTRA

Gourmet delights THIRTEEN companies from Almeria Province will present their products at the Salon del Gourmet event in Madrid.

Race success Around 1200 women and 500 children took part in the second Womens Run to celebrate Women’s Day in Almeria City.

Drugs catch A 37-YEAR-OLD North African man was arrested by Guardia Civil agents at the port of Almeria after he was found with 40 kilos of hashish in his van.

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Still no answer for the A350 road THE mayor of Huercal-Overa, Domingo Fernandez, and the mayor of Pulpi, Juan Pedro Garcia, have expressed their indignation with the Junta de Andalucia regional government. This follows a lack of response from the president of the Junta Susana Diaz, on the opening of the A-350 Huercal Overa-Pulpi road which was badly damaged after the floods of

September 2012. Diaz visited Huercal-Overa last week and was questioned by the two mayors about the opening of the road between the two towns, which was finished last December. However, according to the two mayors, the question remained without answer, with no date announced on the possibility of opening this important road link between the two towns. The two mayors will continue to request the opening of this stretch of the A-350 and announced they will place posters with information in the two towns calling for the Junta to open up the centuries, the centre will road. provide tourist information The Ministry of Public for all visitors. Inside the Works and Housing building, visitors will find all successfully completed sorts of gadgets and tools load tests performed on used at different periods in the new road in midhistory for the extraction of December. the marble. At that time, the There will also be a Ministry announced that scaled replica of the Sierra the success of these tests de los Filabres carved from would allowed the a block of marble. Speaking opening of the road recently, the mayor of within a few weeks. The Macael, Raul Martinez said: works cost €6 million on a “The centre will be closer to road which was affected a museum, rather than an on virtually all its length. interpretation centre.”

Date set for Marble Centre THE opening of the new Marble Interpretation Centre in Macael now has a definite date. The centre will open its doors on Thursday, March 27 with an opening ceremony that will begin at 6.30pm. The town hall of Macael has spent €30,000 on this new tourist attraction although it has also enjoyed the collaboration of local businesses and an employment workshop. Apart from illustrating the mining activity over the

A beckoning to Bayarcal for three interested families THE phone in Bayarcal Town Hall has not stopped ringing in the past week. Since the news broke of an offer of three free homes to families with three children of school age there has been considerable interest, including families from Galicia in the north of Spain. “We have received more than 30 calls from interested families,” said the Mayor, Jacinto Navarro, who added: “The selection process will begin later this month, when we have finished gathering

information from all the people who are calling us.” Navarro is clear on one thing: “We want entrepreneurial families who want to carve their future in Bayarcal. We are going to help them. It would suit a family whose parents have a trade, such as plumbing, electrician or hostelry experience among other skills. Although the number one requirement is that they are good people who will integrate into the town without any problem.”

All set for first ever fair THE first ever Tourism Fair for the Almanzora Valley takes place this weekend. The two day event will be held in the old Renfe building in La Alfoquia and starts at 12pm on both

Saturday and Sunday. Zurgena Town Hall has organised the event in collaboration with the Junta de Andalucia regional government, the Mancomunidad of

Almanzora and employment workshops in the Valley. The fair will provide a shop window for businesses to promote tourism and their products.

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MACS put on glitzy evening THE spectacular ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ came to Mojacar last Saturday night as part of a Glitz and Glam fundraiser for MACS

TROPHY: Won by the tango. Cancer Support group. A whopping €1,833 was raised

Protest against violence in show of solidarity MORE than five hundred people gathered at the gates of El Palmeral de Vera Institute to support a demonstration against violence in schools. The group included teachers from various schools in the district, parents, students and councillors of Vera Town Hall, in a show of solidarity with teachers and students of the Institute where recently a teacher was a victim of an assault. In this case it was the director of the Institute. In front of the large number of people gathered, one of the

teachers at the school read a manifesto setting out the strongest condemnation of any violent act, and the declaration of unanimous support for the director of the school. To conclude the ceremony, the Institute wanted to thank everyone for their support, in the reading of the manifesto, students, parents, teachers, professors, authorities, associations and media and the solidarity that has been shown by teachers and workmates from the schools in the district.

during the evening, and the organiser Alison would like to thank everyone who helped in any way to make this party a success. The ‘Strictly’ team stole the show, four judges, Bruce and Tess... and the most unique dance acts you could wish to see. The glitterball trophy was awarded to Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson for their Argentinian tango, after a close battle that went to the studio audience vote. A big ‘Thank you’ also to Phil and the Invisibles for the live music, sound and technical support. It was a ‘FAB-U-LOUS’ evening and it is hoped it will become an annual event.

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Pesticide leads to death THE National Police are yet to receive the results from the laboratory on the contaminated bottle of whisky that caused the death of one man and the hospitalisation of seven others. However the analysis made by the medics in Torrecardenas Hospital

point to the causes of the intoxication. According to medic Nicasio Marin, the seven patients were treated for intoxication of a powerful insecticide commonly used in agriculture in Almeria Province. The treatment of the medics in Torrecardenas Hospital was key in

the quick recovery of the seven patients affected by poisoning. During the week,the youngsters spent time in Intensive Care before being transferred to a ward. All seven patients have now left the hospital and are recovering well.

Man hurt in house fire A 33-YEAR-OLD man was transferred to the Poniente Hospital in El Ejido after being injured in a fire at an apartment in Vicar. Two police officers were treated for smoke inhalation and 20 people had to be evacuated as a precaution. Sources at 112 emergency services reported the incident took place close to midnight on Friday. Indications are the fire may have originated from a fault in the electrical installation and the house has been affected mainly by smoke.

NEWS EXTRA

Late nights UD ALMERIA have two late night kick offs within four days at the end of March. The home games against Real Sociedad on Monday March 24 and Valencia on Thursday March 27 will both kick off at 10pm.

Road works THE AL7104 road from Zurgena to Arboleas currently has road works which are expected to last two weeks.

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Prime Minister Rajoy’s flight forced to return AN air force plane carrying Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy home from Dublin was forced to touch down soon after take-off as a precaution. A warning light in the cockpit of the Spanish air force Falcon plane had lit up, and the pilot made the decision to turn back

FALCON PLANE: Returned to Dublin for safety. to Dublin. Rajoy had been in Ireland for a congress of

The marines are coming THE US Marines are coming. The Spanish government has said yes to the force stationing more troops in Spain as part of a rapid reaction force. Their presence at the Moron, Sevilla, base will rise to 850 marines, up from the 500 approved last April. Transport and support aircraft numbers will double up to 16. The force is designed to be able to deploy to any crisis in Africa at short notice.

the European People’s Party being held in the city. The pan-European party picked former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Junker as its candidate to be the next European Commission president. Warning lights in air force jets seem to be becoming an occupational hazard for Spanish VIPs. In January Prince Felipe’s flight from Santo Domingo to Tegucigalpa in Honduras was forced to make an early landing for the same reason.

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Oil search sets off alarm bells CAMPAIGNERS are warning of environmental threats from new oildrilling projects off Spain’s Balearic and Canary Islands. The group, Ecologists in Action, said in a report that 10 oil installations are already operating off Spanish coasts and new oil-prospecting licences have been granted. Carlos Arribas, Valencia spokesman for the association, called the drilling plans ‘a threat to the integrity of the Mediterranean.’ The group said the proposals, along with the current projects, pose a constant risk of pollution and threaten sea species and fishing. In the Canaries, Spanish petrol giant Repsol is waiting for final authorisation to start exploring for oil in their Atlantic waters, a project that has sparked a wave of protests from locals. In the Balearic Islands, the company Capricorn Spain Limited, an off-shoot of Scottish energy group Cairn, is carrying out environmental impact studies prior to beginning exploration.

“There is emphatic social opposition to these prospecting projects,” said Arribas. The controversial plans come after recent demonstrations in Valencia and the nearby Balearic Islands, which include popular tourist destinations like Mallorca and Ibiza. Holidaymakers visit many of these places for their natural beauty, but with drilling posing a threat to this factor it could have an impact on tourism. Ecologists in Action also claimed that sonic shocks used by the companies are a major threat to species including sea tortoises, whales and dolphins. Spain is hugely reliant on energy imports, buying in 99.9 per cent of its oil and gas. It is for this reason that the government is keen to find resources locally. The current conservative government is searching for new ways to reduce this dependence by developing Spain’s own energy production.

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‘Silent holocaust’ of abortion - Spanish bishop AS the row goes on about Spain’s proposed antiabortion legislation a Catholic bishop has called abortion ‘a silent holocaust.’ Juan Antonio Reig Pla, the Bishop of Alcala de

Henares, said that since 1985 when abortion was made legal in Spain, there had been “two million abortions, many more deaths than during the Spanish Civil War.” Credits: ESA/NASA

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LIT UP: Most populated areas are the brightest.

Spain from space THIS image from the International Space Station shows the Iberian Peninsula including Spain and Portugal at night. The lights from human settlements reveal where the major towns and activity are. The large mass of light in the middle is Madrid, Spain’s capital city. The Iberian coastline is heavily populated with Valencia and Barcelona along the Mediterranean Sea prominent at the bottom right of this photo.

Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz Gallardon has been pushing for the new regulations that would drastically curtail the opportunities for women to terminate pregnancies. There would, if the legislation is passed, be a ban on abortion except for cases of rape or a serious risk to the mother’s health. The bishop is sure to have angered pro-abortion supporters when he said terminations are evidence of a “backwards society.” This new statement by the Church comes against the backdrop of a controversial legal reform of existing abortion legislation. If the changes sponsored by Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz Gallardon are passed, the current system will be replaced with a ban on abortion save for the cases of rape or serious risk to the mother’s health.

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OPINION

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A note from the

Editor

Democracy’s gain from 11-M T EN years ago Spain suffered its worst terrorist attack. On March 11, 2004, people not just in this country, but around the world, were left numb with shock at the TV images of the train bombings that shattered the lives of hundreds of families. One hundred and ninety-one people died and 1,900 were injured - many with life-changing injuries - in the indiscriminate attacks by al-Quaeda inspired Islamist extremists. Ten bombs ripped through four of Madrid’s commuter trains, targeting thousands of innocent civilians. The results of the attack were farreaching. A general election was held just three days later with the conservative PP party of Jose Maria Aznar being swept from power. That was not a result of the public blaming the government, but rather of their disgust at what many saw as blatant political posturing. An attempt

to blame home-grown terrorists ETA to deflect attention away from the hugely unpopular Iraq war back-fired at the voting booths. But it was a watershed in many ways for the Spanish public. From that incident can be traced the disenchantment with politics - or rather politicians - that has grown ever stronger through corruption scandal after scandal, a growing determination not to let the governing elite ‘get away with it.’ It can be argued that the horrifying March 11 attack, known in Spain as 11-M, was the catalyst for the seemingly endless list of criminal cases brought against politicians of all hues. And in the long term that will only strengthen democracy in Spain. It is a time of sombre remembrance, a time to recall those who died, but perhaps the most fitting memorial to those who died and their families is this: the anti-democratic terrorists lost. Democracy won.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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business & legal

Green payments...

Internet bills save trees and companies SPANISH companies sent out 59 million email bills in the first three months of 2013. They saved €458 million and 250,000 hours of ‘repetitive and unproductive work,’ found a survey by Seres, an organisation specialising in electronic transactions. Apart from the economic advantages, these internet bills saved 3,300 pines from being felled.

Nor are the advantages limited to the electricity, gas and communications’ multinationals, according to Alberto Redondo, director of marketing at Seres. The benefits of electronic billing extend to small and medium-sized firms, he said, with an average saving of €4.85 in receiving a payment and €2.82 in issuing a bill.

No puzzle over taxman solution SPAIN and Switzerland are negotiating a deal to ensure that the Spanish owners of numbered accounts pay tax. This will not be a “Rubik agreement,” Spain insisted, referring to treaties aimed at tackling tax evasion by EU residents with secret Swiss accounts. The name allegedly refers to the intellectual challenge faced by the Swiss authorities of shedding their international reputation of facilitating tax evasion without sacrificing Switzerland’s hallowed banking secrecy. They solved the puzzle with a

compromise whereby a person or company hands over up to 34 per cent of their money to their country of origin on condition that their identity is not revealed. A Rubik agreement, said Spain’s tax authority Hacienda, goes against policies orientated towards exchange of information and administrative assistance between states. It is more interested in pursuing fraud, sources said, not least because Hacienda can impose fines of up to 150 per cent of the defrauded amounts.

B

usiness extra

Pay dispute mediation AFTER the collective agreement with workers at Alstrom’s Santa Perpetua (Barcelona) plant expired in January, the French company cut pay by 14 per cent. The regional government is mediating between both sides.

Car stars GENERAL MOTORS assured the future of the Figueruelas (Zaragoza) Opel plant with a €210 million investment. Two important GM models, the Mokka and a new Meriva, will be produced there.

Good news for jobless UNEMPLOYMENT fell in February for the first time since the onset of the economic crisis. The last time that unemployment fell during this month was in 2007 when jobless fell by 7,233. This year there were 1,949 fewer out of work in February than January, a 0.04 per cent improvement. Employment is unstable in

February, the Ministry of Labour explained. Statistics show that since records began in 1996, unemployment has fallen on 10 occasions, including 2014, and rose in the nine remaining years. This was the seventh consecutive month with lower unemployment figures, making a total of 227,736 back in work in the last 12 months.

PINE FORESTS: Internet bills save trees being felled

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STAT OF WEEK DESPITE an €815.52 million turnover, cigarette sales fell by 7 per cent to 187.25 million packets in January. Marlboro, the most popular brand, occupied 14.90 per cent of the market.

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LONDON - FTSE 100

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US

C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 10

C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) Aberdeen Asset Mngmnt 377.50 Admiral Group PLC 1499.00 Aggreko PLC 1553.50 AMEC PLC 1094.00 Anglo American PLC 1450.50 Antofagasta PLC 865.50 ARM Holdings PLC 994.00 Ashtead Group PLC 939.00 Associated British Foods 2971.50 AstraZeneca PLC 4011.00 Aviva PLC 513.50 Babcock International 1438.50 BAE Systems PLC 406.15 Barclays PLC 242.97 BG Group PLC 1085.75 BHP Billiton PLC 1831.00 BP PLC 485.47 British Amrican Tobacco 3342.50

C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G. 1.00 0.27 -2.00 -0.13 -2.00 -0.13 4.00 0.37 17.50 1.22 7.00 0.82 3.48 0.35 3.50 0.37 -4.00 -0.13 22.50 0.56 4.00 0.79 2.00 0.14 3.30 0.82 0.72 0.30 -2.31 -0.21 9.50 0.52 1.45 0.30 3.00 0.09

NET VOLUME 376.00 1500.00 1556.00 1089.00 1433.00 858.50 992.00 936.00 2976.00 3989.50 509.50 1437.00 402.70 242.00 1087.50 1822.00 484.00 3340.50

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0.83276

Units per €

US dollar.................................................................1.38537 Japan yen..............................................................143.082 Switzerland franc................................................1.21888 Denmark kroner ................................................7.46248 Norway kroner....................................................8.26501

currenciesdirect.com/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914 C O M PA N Y

PRICE(P)

British Land Co PLC British Sky Broadcasting BT Group PLC Bunzl PLC Burberry Group PLC Capita PLC Carnival PLC

689.50 921.50 397.80 1594.50 1463.50 1129.50 2390.00

DOW JONES

NASDAQ

C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 10

C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 10

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 E I du Pont de Nemours and 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 WMT Wal-Mart Stores Inc DIS Walt Disney Co

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 133.56 93.70 32.51 126.89 96.75 115.84 21.68 67.35 95.50 26.04 173.51 82.18 24.84 186.39 93.45 59.20 95.20 57.32 37.82 78.98 32.39 78.53 38.65 83.78 117.77 77.88 47.03 225.50 74.43 81.97

-0.55 -0.16 -0.03 -1.65 -0.30 +0.76 -0.04 +0.11 +0.51 -0.09 -0.75 -0.37 +0.20 -1.29 +0.13 -0.20 -0.30 -0.15 -0.08 -0.48 -0.04 +0.15 +0.10 -0.15 -0.54 +0.48 -0.12 -0.06 -0.15 -0.24

-0.41% -0.17% -0.09% -1.28% -0.31% +0.66% -0.18% +0.16% +0.54% -0.34% -0.43% -0.45% +0.81% -0.69% +0.14% -0.34% -0.31% -0.26% -0.21% -0.60% -0.12% +0.19% +0.26% -0.18% -0.46% +0.62% -0.25% -0.03% -0.20% -0.29%

2.0M 2.2M 24.9M 7.0M 4.7M 6.2M 26.2M 2.7M 10.0M 22.3M 2.2M 4.1M 24.9M 4.6M 4.9M 17.0M 4.4M 7.4M 19.0M 2.7M 16.0M 5.2M 14.5M 2.0M 2.5M 3.0M 32.4M 1.8M 4.8M 5.2M

1.20081

C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G. 1.00 4.00 0.70 -1.00 -7.00 4.38 -3.00

C O M PA N Y

0.15 0.44 0.18 -0.06 -0.48 0.39 -0.13

NET VOLUME 688.50 918.00 397.10 1597.00 1470.00 1126.00 2391.00

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

$ 10 $ 6.8799 $ 18.83 $ 20.66 $ 7.27 $ 33.89 $ 3.9299 $ 15.512 $ 4.45 $ 22.19 $ 5.92

4.18 ▲ 71.82% 1.5999 ▲ 30.30% 3.84 ▲ 25.62% 3.50 ▲ 20.40% 1.22 ▲ 20.17% 4.65 ▲ 15.90% 0.3999 ▲ 11.33% 1.532 ▲ 10.96% 0.38 ▲ 9.34% 1.84 ▲ 9.04% 0.49 ▲ 9.02%

$ 3.54 $ 2.09 $ 3.9599 $ 2.03 $ 47.49 $ 3.78 $ 26.97 $ 16.18 $ 13.68 $ 12.04 $ 2.64

0.61 ▼ 14.70% 0.33 ▼ 13.64% 0.5701 ▼ 12.58% 0.2664 ▼ 11.60% 5.99 ▼ 11.20% 0.44 ▼ 10.43% 2.88 ▼ 9.65% 1.67 ▼ 9.36% 1.30 ▼ 8.68% 1.10 ▼ 8.37% 0.24 ▼ 8.33%

Most Advanced UBIC, Inc. Ballard Power Systems, Inc. Egalet Corporation Montage Technology Group Limited Mattersight Corporation Hydrogenics Corporation FuelCell Energy, Inc. Himax Technologies, Inc. EveryWare Global, Inc. P.A.M. Transportation Services, Inc. Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Most Declined First Financial Service Corporation Smith Micro Software, Inc. Dot Hill Systems Corporation Reliv' International, Inc. Varonis Systems, Inc. NewLead Holdings Ltd. China Lodging Group, Limited ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. B Communications Ltd. Amtech Systems, Inc. Origin Agritech Limited

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) Centrica PLC 329.15 Coca-Cola HBC AG 1471.50 Compass Group PLC 938.25 CRH PLC 1702.50 Diageo PLC 1855.75 easyJet PLC 1651.50 Experian PLC 1044.50 Fresnillo PLC 896.75 G4S PLC 244.25 GKN PLC 387.40 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1672.75 Glencore Xstrata PLC 319.10 Hammerson PLC 568.75 Hargreaves Lansdown 1387.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 621.25 IMI PLC 1449.50 Imperial Tobacco Group 2481.50 InterContinental Hotels 1900.00 International Consldtd ... 439.75 Intertek Group PLC 3036.50 ITV PLC 196.25 Johnson Matthey PLC 3178.00 Kingfisher PLC 401.15 Land Securities Group 1077.00 Legal & General Group 234.25 Lloyds Banking Group 81.96 London Stock Exchange 2015.50 Marks & Spencer Group 480.95 Meggitt PLC 469.05 Melrose Industries PLC 298.05 Mondi PLC 1094.00 National Grid PLC 825.50 Next PLC 6625.00 Old Mutual PLC 195.30 Pearson PLC 1023.50 Persimmon PLC 1323.50 Petrofac Ltd 1355.50 Prudential PLC 1359.00 Randgold Resources Ltd 4877.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 4854.50 Reed Elsevier PLC 919.50 Resolution Ltd 377.55 REXAM PLC 489.45 Rio Tinto PLC 3187.00 Rolls-Royce Holdings 1047.50 Royal Bank of Scotland 320.55 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2340.25 Royal Mail PLC 588.00 RSA Insurance Group PLC 95.45 SABMiller PLC 2923.25 Sage Group (The) PLC 417.55 Sainsbury (J) PLC 337.70 Schroders PLC 2651.00 Severn Trent PLC 1851.50 Shire PLC 3266.00 Smith & Nephew PLC 926.00 Smiths Group PLC 1356.50 Sports Direct Intrntionl... 816.25 SSE PLC 1427.50 Standard Chartered PLC 1256.50 Standard Life PLC 372.40 Tate & Lyle PLC 642.00 Tesco PLC 320.75 Travis Perkins PLC 1880.00 TUI Travel PLC 431.05 Tullow Oil PLC 804.50 Unilever PLC 2402.00 United Utilities Group 793.25 Vodafone Group PLC 230.15 Weir Group PLC 2515.00 Whitbread PLC 4355.50 William Hill PLC 375.55 Wm Morrison Sprmrkts 233.00 Wolseley PLC 3428.00 WPP PLC 1219.00

CHANGE 1.63 0.00 0.00 -1.00 -0.10 9.00 3.00 2.00 -0.90 3.80 0.20 2.12 -2.00 4.20 5.50 -2.00 -5.00 -8.00 6.70 -12.00 0.07 -8.00 -1.80 4.00 0.00 0.43 17.00 -0.80 -0.40 3.00 -0.36 2.38 30.00 -0.39 3.00 -5.00 -2.00 0.10 -16.00 13.00 -1.50 -0.40 0.30 48.00 4.00 0.70 -2.31 -1.15 0.03 -1.00 0.30 0.10 0.00 -1.00 7.00 2.50 -1.00 7.50 4.00 9.00 0.37 -0.50 0.75 6.00 1.30 0.88 -12.00 -2.00 0.14 6.00 12.05 1.87 -0.76 -4.00 -2.00

% C H G. 0.50 0.00 0.00 -0.06 -0.01 0.55 0.29 0.22 -0.37 0.99 0.01 0.67 -0.35 0.30 0.89 -0.14 -0.20 -0.42 1.55 -0.39 0.04 -0.25 -0.45 0.37 0.00 0.53 0.85 -0.17 -0.09 1.02 -0.03 0.29 0.45 -0.20 0.29 -0.38 -0.15 0.01 -0.33 0.27 -0.16 -0.11 0.06 1.53 0.38 0.22 -0.10 -0.20 0.03 -0.03 0.07 0.03 0.00 -0.05 0.21 0.27 -0.07 0.93 0.28 0.72 0.10 -0.08 0.23 0.32 0.30 0.11 -0.50 -0.25 0.06 0.24 0.28 0.50 -0.33 -0.12 -0.16

VOLUME 327.40 1471.00 938.50 1702.00 1855.00 1641.00 1043.00 896.00 245.00 383.70 1672.50 317.00 570.50 1384.00 615.70 1450.00 2487.00 1907.00 433.10 3046.00 196.80 3188.00 402.90 1073.00 234.30 81.50 1998.00 481.50 469.30 295.00 1094.00 824.50 6595.00 195.60 1022.00 1329.00 1357.00 1358.00 4896.00 4840.00 921.00 378.30 489.30 3139.50 1043.00 319.80 2342.50 589.00 95.40 2924.00 417.50 337.60 2648.00 1853.00 3258.00 923.00 1354.00 809.00 1424.00 1247.50 372.00 642.50 320.25 1875.00 429.80 804.00 2414.00 795.50 230.10 2512.00 4345.00 373.90 233.70 3429.00 1221.00

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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Challenges still remain towards the recovery of the Spanish economy THE economic recovery is gaining ground in Spain, but challenges remain. Spain is no longer on the list of European Union member states with excessive economic imbalances, but has been asked to follow a set of demands to address consistent problems. In the conclusions emerging from the in-depth reviews carried out into 17 member states’ economies, the European Commission (EC) considers that a significant adjustment has taken place over the last year and that on current trends, imbalances would continue to abate over time. However, while this is the basis to conclude that imbalances in Spain are no longer excessive, the Commission stresses that risks are still present. It said that Spain’s current

ECONOMY: Spain is starting to fit the pieces together. account has turned into surplus, as a result of a combination of import compression and strong exports, supported by competiveness gain.

These positive developments have led to a strong return of confidence, seen in the return of foreign capital inflows and a rise in business and consumer confidence.

Yet, the EC notes the very high stock of private and public debt, both domestic and external, poses risks for growth and financial stability. The adjustment of private

Traffic in Spain falls as economy struggles WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Santander executives learn to understand the message ANA PATRICIA BOTIN is regarded as one of the world’s 50 most influential businesswomen. She is the daughter of banker Emilio Botin, president of Santander Bank, and runs the group’s UK subsidiary. Despite her position, she and other Santander executives recently visited branches to work incognito behind the counter and at the other end of a call centre telephone. They were following the example of Emilio Botin who has personally visited Santander branches, urging managers to make more loans available. Santander feels the need to transform the face its 183,000 employees show to the 103 million clients of its 14,000 branches. This is more than an exercise in empathy, as the bank is striving to boost profits after seven years of crisis. A client in Britain discovered only afterwards the employee who had recommended Santander’s online banking app to her was in fact the

ANA PATRICIA BOTIN: Temporary employee of the bank she runs. owner’s daughter. The young man who told a bank clerk he would not become a Santander client until it was “more like ING” didn’t guess he was speaking to Santander managing director Enrique Garcia Candelas. The business-owner who rang the Santander call centre about the nonarrival of a point of sale terminal for processing card payments will never know her complaint was handled by

sector balance sheets is advancing, but unemployment at alarming levels and falling incomes have limited the pace of deleveraging of households, that is, the percentage of debt in their balance sheet. The Commission considers that the challenge for Spain is to ensure that deleveraging will go hand in hand with positive credit flows to financially healthy borrowers. Removing hindrances in the functioning of the product and financial markets and efficient insolvency procedures, the EC continues, could reduce the drag on growth from deleveraging. Finally, the Commission said that Spain should meet the 2014 fiscal deficit target thanks to the improving macroeconomic prospects, even though the 2013 target may have been missed.

the bank’s head of Technology and Operations, Jose Maria Fuster. Executives from Germany, Poland, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Brazil who worked incognito all received the same message, Santander revealed. Listening to clients, understanding them and getting closer to them is a priority, even though the bank would sometimes prefer not to hear what they are saying.

TRAFFIC congestion fell in Spain in 2013 as its economy continued to struggle with high unemployment. Data from traffic information and driver services provider INRIX shows that Spain recorded an 8 per cent fall in congestion last year. Spanish drivers spent approximately eight fewer hours in traffic in 2013 than in 2012, as the economy contracted and unemployment was at around 26 per cent. This puts Spain in 11th place in Europe for time spent in traffic in 2013, above only Hungary and Portugal. NRIX analysed data from 13 European countries and the congestion landscape generally aligned closely with each country’s economic outlook. According to the INRIX report, those nations

struggling with high unemployment and low or negative growth in 2013 typically recorded lower traffic congestion than in 2012. In that sense, traffic congestion rose approximately 6 per cent on average per quarter for the final three quarters of the year in Europe, hinting at signs of a possible economy recovery. Of the six Spanish cities included in the report, all six recorded falls in traffic congestion from 2012 to 2013. The most congested Spanish city was Bilbao, where drivers spent approximately 24 hours in traffic in 2013, a fall of eight hours on the previous year’s figures. Madrid followed closely in second, with Valencia recording the largest fall in time spent in congestion.

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Financial troubles make you fat? Loose change A look at finance for females

Jane Plunkett jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com

D

O you ever have those moments? The ones where you just can’t stop eating. Last night after a long day at work I arrived home to a full fridge. It had been stacked with fresh fruit and vegetables - and chocolate. I had one piece of chocolate, then another. Then I got up off the couch for another piece and another, and another. I just couldn’t stop. I don’t think I am that stressed out financially at the moment, but according to a news report women who are financially worried are more prone to binge eating and getting obese.

HUNGRY?: Perhaps you are worrying about your finances? Oh, come to think of it, on top of my mortgage, bills and travel plans, my bike was stolen last month, so I have been trying to put aside a few quid to buy a new one! And I have been trying to

save for an event that is taking place later this year. So I suppose there is some financial concern looming over me at the moment. But is it this concern that has me scoffing chocolates like there is no tomorrow?

Can my neighbour install a camera that overlooks my swimming pool? Q. My neighbour in the next villa has installed a video surveillance camera You and the outside his house, ostensibly to watch his Law in Spain garden. The camera’s field of view, By David Searl however, includes part of my own garden and swimming pool area. That is, if I can see the camera, it can see me by my pool. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? LM (Costa Blanca) A. The use of surveillance cameras in Spain is regulated by the LOPD, the Ley Organica de Proteccion de Datos, the Organic Law of Data Protection, or LOPD, which went into effect in 1999. The law is enforced by the Agencia de Protección de Datos, the APD for short. Their Directive 1/2006 provides that an easily seen notice of the camera’s presence will be sufficient. The Agency has

a website which offers complete details. A private citizen may place surveillance cameras in his home or watching his garden to ensure his security from theft. This ‘private and domestic use’ of cameras falls outside the data protection law. That is, if the camera only sees images in real time. If it includes a system to record and transmit the images, it then falls under the data protection act.

In your case, it will be difficult to show an invasion of privacy if your pool is clearly visible from your neighbour’s house.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

According to the news report, financial trouble can be a cause of obesity in women, due in part to the specific hormones females release when stressed. A body under a certain amount of stress releases a

hormone called cortisol, which triggers hunger in the brain. And this is thought to be a contributing factor, since women see financial trouble as stressful. Men, however, don’t have to worry about their waistlines, because the report states men view money troubles as a challenge to overcome, which would release adrenaline in their bodies - a hormone that actually curbs hunger. Nonsense, the lot of it! Girls if you are stressed out, perhaps behind on your rent or bills, and you happen to pig out once in a while - it’s no big deal. Being smart about money has absolutely nothing to do with hormones and more to do with planning, budgeting and using common sense. What next? A report that if a woman sees a spider in her shower, chances are her pension will be in danger! Watch this space.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Done deal IAG, formerly BA and Iberia, now owns 99.36 per cent of budget airline Vueling. After acquiring 90 per cent in last year’s takeovers, IAG obtained the remainder from minor shareholders in November and December.

Arm-twisting BARCELONA’S regional government will charge banks up to €1,650 for every empty property they own. It hopes this will prompt banks to rent out their 40,000 repossessed homes.

Profit up MERCADONA’S net profit amounted to €515 million in 2013, a 1 per cent increase in relation to the previous exercise. This has been achieved keeping a workforce of 74,000 people, President Juan Roig said.

2014 Forbes Rich List includes 26 Spaniards SPAIN has 26 dollar billionaires on the 2014 Forbes Rich List, more than before the financial crisis. Twenty-two Spaniards had assets of more than $1 billion in 2007 but this number dipped to 15 during the recession before inching up to 20 last year. They have a combined wealth of $122.5 billion (€88.97 billion), equivalent to 9 per cent of Spain’s GDP. Amancio Ortega, owner of Inditex and the Zara label, the world’s thirdrichest man, is the only Spaniard in the Forbes Top 10. He is worth $64 billion, $7 billion more than last year. He is preceded by Carlos Slim ($72 billion) and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates ($76 billion). The next Spanish name on the Forbes list belongs to Ortega’s daughter Sandra ($6.1 billion). She occupies 227th place after inheriting from her mother, Ortega’s ex-wife Rosalia Mera, who died last year. Next comes Turkish-born Isak Andic ($5.7 billion), president of the Mango clothing chain, whose assets

AMANCIO ORTEGA: Owner of Zara. increased by $700 million in 2013 to put him in 244th place. Mercadona president Juan Roig ($4.8 billion) fell 86 places to 305th after losing $700 million last year. In contrast Rafael del Pino ($3.4 billion), president of Ferrovial, increased his wealth by $1 billion in 2013 and was ranked 466th.

OPINION & COMMENT

Holidaying Brits deserve a monument I AM writing for myself but I am certain that I also represent many local businesses in Mijas Pueblo. We continuously discuss the way local politicians congratulate themselves about the contracts signed with Japanese tour operators. The figures as to how many Japanese tourists visit Mijas (100,000 last year) might be right, but the truth about what they spend and how we all benefit is a complete lie. Yes, the Japanese visit bars, restaurants and shops, but only the ones where they are told to go. Distributing brochures is banned in Mijas, so before they arrive Japanese tourists are given a photocopied map and a route with places of interest to visit and take photos. In between are the shops where they should make purchases (because the rest are not good shops and we might cheat them?). Recommended restaurants and bars are not on the map because these have contracts with the tour operators. It just happens that all the recommended businesses belong to local politicians, local guides and their friends. They recently erected a monument to all the Japanese visiting Mijas. What about all the other nationalities that keep local businesses going? What about the British who really support the Costa del Sol? They spend the most, they are jolly and the most polite. They deserve a monument! Agustina Blesa Rodriguez, Mijas Village (Malaga)

Telephone con tricks I WISH to alert readers to two recent scams. You receive a phone call saying your computer is about to crash and to start it up. These people say they are from Microsoft in Glasgow and are trying to clean out viruses. They

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Members of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club recently enjoyed this stunning scenery at the La Pedrera reservoir before a fabulous lunch in Rebate, about 30 minutes from Torrevieja.

Eric Arnold (By email) give a fictitious address and phone number and they ask for money. Luckily I realised it was a scam. The following day I received a phone call from a lady called Gabriella saying she represented a company called Minute Media who previously traded as Spantel. She said I had an outstanding bill from last June, which is nonsense as I changed telephone server before then. She gave a 900 free number which I called and a woman there said I owed €180. Yvonne Thomas, Torremolinos(Malaga)

Light fantastic I HAVE just been looking at the picture of the Lions Club president handing over €500 to the mayor of Rojales to help feed homeless and needy families in the area. Sometimes I wonder whether mayors and councils are doing enough for these unfortunate people. For example, there is a lovely sports centre in Calle Dr Quiles Mora adjacent to the Norwegian School in Quesada. At one end there are seven full-size street lights and six at the other that come on at 6pm and go off at 6am. The caretaker arrives at 8am

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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to unlock the gates to the sports centre and locks them again at 8pm. Thirteen lamps are alight for 10 hours a night, six nights a week, and 12 hours on Sundays when the centre is closed. In total that is 792 hours a week and in a short month like February works out at 3,168 hours when the sports centre is locked up with no access. It would be interesting to know the cost in euros. J Billet, Quesada (Alicante)

Disappearing act CAN you explain to me where the Hijate (Almeria) station on the ‘Via Verde’ is located as I cycle the route regularly and have no idea where it is? It was a good article on your front page and is very welcome, only we have heard many times that it will be started soon but

nothing ever happens. Best wishes on a great newspaper. Martin (By email) Editor’s note: Part of the disused Lorca to Baza railway line in Almeria will become a Green Route but the station no longer exists.

Lessons to be learnt SO FAR even Herculean efforts haven’t been able to put a dent in Spain’s stubbornly cruel unemployment rate of more than 25 per cent. In last week’s annual State of the Nation address, president Mariano Rajoy once again promised to “lower it considerably.” Here’s hoping, although don’t hold your breath! I remember how angry, frustrated Americans complained bitterly about the 7.8 per cent jobless rate Obama inherited when he became Commander-in-Chief. It took him five years to lower it to the present ‘almost tolerable’ 6.7 per cent with hopes of generating more and better jobs in the nottoo-distant future. So we can imagine Spain’s plight on being saddled with its lengthy (seven years and running) 25 per cent unemployment rate.

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What I didn’t know until last week was the relatively very favourable economic situation in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to a Time Magazine article entitled ‘The committee to save Mexico,’ the unemployment rate now stands at 4.76 per cent, down from 5 per cent in December 2012 when Enrique Peña Nieto became president. The average jobless rate in Latin America and the Caribbean countries in 2013 was 6.3 per cent. Maybe President Rajoy could employ some Mexican or Caribbean economic advisers. Richard M McBride, Benidorm (Alicante)

Service versus servant HAVING just returned from the US I can report that tipping adds much to the experience of eating out, as much as 30 per cent in some cases. Perhaps that’s why so many Americans eat takeaways, where it is almost acceptable not to tip. I had managed to tip a total of $40 before I reached the inside of my hotel room, so is it worth it? If you are one of those people who craves attention, likes to be noticed, enjoys asking to alter a dish that a famous chef has lovingly prepared for you or even to change your mind once it’s already arrived at the table then there will be “No problem at all, and is there anything else we can do for you?” So yes, for you a personal servant may well be worth it. For me, not so much. In the UK memories still fester over the treatment of servants in the past and waiting staff will not tolerate difficult customers, no matter what the request. Wave, click your fingers, ask a question or complain about anything and you will definitely be given bad service or even ignored. Unless you look potentially like a good tipper (yes, you can tell) then you’ll always get bad service, but then the staff won’t be able to complain about the lack of tips will they? Edwin Cheeseman, Javea (Alicante)

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.

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OPINION & COMMENT

Extremists will never win... T

HEY’RE still at it, aren’t they? Muslim extremists still trying to undermine our customs and culture by targeting our most vulnerable, namely our children. Every week we read or hear of some action taken in various schools in the UK. Not allowed to fly the British flag, pork banned from menus. Halal meat being insisted on, and even male/female segregation. This latest offering is even more sinister as it emanated from one of their own. The Muslim headmistress who was ousted in a smear campaign concocted by Islamic extremists, simply because she was considered too moderate. So much for integration! Why don’t these people, who appear to want to live a completely different existence to the country that’s hosting them, simply gather up their thobes and burkas and make off for countries whose climate not

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT ON PATROL: But no-go areas already exist that police are afraid to enter. only suits their attire, but will automatically provide them with all the ethnic opportunities they appear so desperately to desire? There is only one final outcome to their efforts. The British will never surrender their culture and customs to these people. If it continues unabated it will lead to war in the streets. Have no doubt about this. After horrendous loss of life and destruction of vast swathes of our infrastructure, the British will win, and they will rid themselves of these fanatics. It is disgraceful that while successive governments continue to bury their heads in the sand and appease these

people, the average British Joe has to simply wait and worry until it all kicks off. There are already no-go areas where our police are afraid to enter and which operate under Sharia Law; a situation that was so ‘out there’ some short years ago, it was scoffed at by a number of our esteemed leaders. What do they think is actually going on in these areas? Well, I’ll tell you, none of ‘em are planning to celebrate British cultural successes or events.

How can we allow these areas to exist in our towns and cities? They are an affront to any citizen who has ancestors who fought and died to preserve our unique culture and democracy. Let’s just hope the British secret services have infiltrated them all enough to give fair warning before the halal manure finally hits the fan. I don’t often use this column for personal comments but would like to make an exception this week to wish a dear friend

Jill Bertorelli many happy 70th returns. So sorry I couldn’t be there. Understand you looked like a million dollars. Will definitely try and make the 71st. And while we’re at it, just had it confirmed that my little David will be representing Spain in the up and coming European Karate championships in April. How’s that for integration!

Keep the Faith Love Leapy Leapylee2002@gmail.com

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OPINION & COMMENT

‘Shop till you drop’ Tamara splashes cash T

AMARA ECCLESTONE, 29, the daughter of Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, recently accused Britons of having “a vicious attitude” towards people who’ve inherited wealth, adding that Americans are happier for those who have money, even if they’ve made it in an “unconventional way.” The celebrity heiress who starred in Billion $$ Girl, a reality television show about her opulent lifestyle, is known to have spent £30,000 (€36,500) on Champagne in a single night, splashes out on Louboutin shoes and bought a £1 million (€1.2 million) crystal bath tub. No luv! I don’t think the issue is how you spend your money - we wouldn’t accept that criticism of ourselves. It’s the way you flaunt it and then bang on about how people don’t understand you! What is ‘vicious’ is to be the sort of rich, spoilt human being who

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/ nora-johnson

can happily squander money (reportedly a £3 billion (€3.65 billion) trust fund together with her sister, Petra) to feed an insatiable appetite for self-indulgence in the knowledge she lives in a world where thousands of babies die through poverty and disease, and thousands suffer indescribable conditions. And just imagine how many families could have paid off crippling mortgages with the billions of pounds gifted to this daft girl by her doting dad. His choice, of course, and all the money she fritters on ‘stuff’ presumably goes into the economy. But, all the same, what a waste!

Tamara, Petra and all the other poor little rich girls - they all have the money and opportunity to do something worthwhile with their lives but none of the resolve. Unlike Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, with his multi-billion-dollarfunded Gates Foundation tasked with finding cures for endemic diseases in Africa like malaria. A most curious age in which we now live, wherein someone is fêted as a celebrity simply for being well-known. But not for brains, talent, discoveries or humanity - this ‘nothingness’ merely serving to emphasise how far society is from the meritocracy it claims to be. Poor old Tamara. Good riddance, everyone’s saying! If you’re daft enough to court fame, then you can hardly be surprised when fame turns ‘vicious.’ Nora Johnson’s thrillers (www.nora-johnson.com) are available from Amazon and iBookstore. Profits to Cudeca.

TAMARA ECCLESTONE: One of many who is feted as a celebrity simply for being well-known.

OPINION & COMMENT

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Grant grumbles Cassandra Nash

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

J

OSE IGNACIO WERT is probably one of the most disliked ministers ever known. He even got the bird as he paid his last respects to Paco de Lucia when the flamenco guitarist’s body recently lay in state in Madrid’s Teatro Real. A dismal downpour of censure rains down on Wert and in his two years as Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, he has clocked up more demonstrations and students’ strikes than any predecessor. He is continuously reviled for education spending cuts and tightening up the grants system despite financial hardship and widespread unemployment. But Wert is not unreasonable in demanding consistently good marks for a grant to be awarded and later maintained. Students who can’t manage a pass mark shouldn’t siphon off taxpayers’ money at university. Those in favour of fewer restrictions point out that students with grants finish their courses at least two years earlier. It could be that students with grants know they must work harder to keep their grants. Or, dare it be said in such egalitarian times, they could be more intelligent, too.

JOSE IGNACIO WERT: Probably one of the most disliked ministers ever known.

Home and away SPAIN’S ambassadors are being coached in how to proclaim the merits of the new Public Safety Law. The government is worried about EU claims that the law erodes existing rights and hopes to convince foreign critics that it not “an attempt to protect politicians.” It could try convincing millions of Spaniards first.

Predictable rebel CELIA VILLALOBOS is a former mayor of Malaga and was a minister in Jose Maria Aznar’s Cabinet between 2000 and 2002. Like many within the Partido Popular (PP) she is unhappy with Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon’s planned reforms to the existing Abortion Law and voted in favour of a socialist motion to withdraw the bill. “She is very predictable,” said Alfonso Alonso, spokesman for the parliamentary PP party. She is indeed, and was fined €500 for her predictability because Villalobos is one of the few politicians from any party who is willing to put her money where her mouth is.

Hard proof needed MARIANO RAJOY, President of the

Spanish Government, accused nonbelievers in the country’s economic recovery of harbouring ‘outdated prejudices’. As next May’s European elections loom, Rajoy is determined to convince potential voters that the first indicators of growth are not ‘an abstract concept’. He has his work cut out for him, even though the bond yield might be down, exports up and growth predicted for this year. The 25 per cent of the Spanish population who are out of work or those who struggle each week to make ends meet do not read the financial pages. Until they can do their weekly food shop without worries and pay their bills without borrowing and until there is money in their pockets, they will continue to harbour ‘outdated prejudices’.

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RS E IS R T E R RNE V A D CO

’

SPOTLIGHT

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Advertising Feature

Neater Heater announce two new distributors

new Euronics Electrical IN times of recession it is very Store in Ciudad Quesada, noticeable that customers are located in the road running increasingly careful about behind the BBVA bank on the spending their money. Because High Street. of this, competition is fierce in all If you are north of Alicante, you walks of life, whether you are can go to the new UK Labels in La employing a tradesman, or Nucia, off the roundabout by the buying heating systems. Bad large BP petrol station. companies and inefficient heating Thanks to our arrangement with systems invariably all get weeded MRW Couriers, if any of our out when times are hard. distributors don’t have what you Neater Heater, on the other want in stock, but we have it in our hand, have a top grade product designed main stock, we can have it delivered to and built in Europe from high grade you within two working days. materials and using up-to-date technology. Because of this, and their UP-TO-DATE: Both in technology and design. Check our website to find out about unswerving loyalty and service to their of Neater Heater Distributors in the Costa our new range of ADAX heaters. customers, they are delighted to Blanca. If you choose to heat hlectric, choose announce that they have expanded and Customers south of Alicante can now Neater Heater: Norway’s answer to can now add two more outlets to their list view and buy Neater Heaters from the heating your home in Spain. Heaters also available for purchase at our online shop with free home delivery. WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES or Tel. 634 312 171.

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Advertising Feature

Enjoy a movie at Total Entertainment in Albox TOTAL ENTERTAINMENT in Avenida Lepanto, Albox is much more than an Internet Cafe. The shop has been open now for more than 10 years with Claire who started out as a Saturday girl taking over the business almost three years ago. The Internet Cafe is just one side of this busy shop, with people calling in for their English newspapers and magazines. The shop has four computers available and costs just five cents a minute with no minimum charge. Wi-Fi for laptops is also available at the same price and you can get a coffee and a cake or a range of snacks. Many people may not know that Total Entertainment has a 10 seat mini cinema. The cinema has a large screen and comfortable seating for a relaxing viewing and is available to hire for just €15. The cinema is available all day through the

week apart from Wednesday. Films can be booked from 11am to 7pm. Saturday and Sunday there is a matinee at 12pm. Wine and beer and, of course, popcorn are available while you watch your film. Claire has a huge range of DVDs to choose from, including all the latest releases. The cinema can also be booked for children’s parties and birthdays. Total Entertainment also has a DVD club with free membership and film hire for two DVDs is €5 for two nights. For a different night out, there are Movie-Meal Deals available where you can watch a film and have a meal at a choice of local restaurants. Prices start from €19 for a couple. The deal includes a drink at the cinema and special offers at the restaurant and could be a novel gift idea for friends or family. Tickets can be purchased in store from Claire.

Total Entertainment has lots to offer. Relax and enjoy a movie at the Mini Cinema.

Friday is a busy day at Total Entertainment, starting with the Friday Fair at 10am to 2pm with a different stall each week. There is a computer clinic from 12pm to 3pm with Mick on hand to offer advice. There is also a weight loss class for €4 with Amanda who is a nutritionist and fitness instructor. Claire sells Avon products and has been the number one seller in the region for the past three years and also offers a whole host of other services, from Passport renewals and UK Postal Service to faxing,

photocopying and printing documents. Total Entertainment is on Avenida Lepanto in Albox opposite the football ground. Open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10am to 6pm. Wednesday 10am to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday and Bank holidays for your newspapers 10am to 2pm. Telephone 950 121 318. E-mail contact@totalentertainment.es. You can also visit the website www.totalentertainment.es and Facebook page Total Entertainment Albox.

FEATURE

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Advertising Feature

UK TV: still undecided which option to go for? This is what our customers say... UK TV ROUTER is a product that was started mid-June 2013 with the intention of using TV on demand facilities from the UK via Sky+ HD boxes & Humax Freesat with Freetime. These include BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4OD, Demand FIVE. UK TV Router also allows you to connect iPads, PCs, smart phones, etc, all of which will appear to be in the UK, thus allowing Sky Go, Live TV, iPlayer, etc. The UK TV Router is a product originally developed by Base Satellite to allow our customers to get the most from their existing TV systems. We are a family-run business operating in Spain, with a very good reputation since 2000. Here’s a selection of our customers’ own reviews: • “Good decision. I am well pleased with the router and it was very easy to install. I also got On Demand - again easy to install." (TORREVIEJA) • "I am really impressed with this router. It arrived two days after ordering and took only minutes to set up after which it has performed

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OPINION & COMMENT

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Breaking the phone rules... THE modern rules on ‘mobile phone etiquette’ have come out in a new manual, including ‘Don’t text while you’re on the loo.’ (Apparently people need to have this

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OHN ROBERTS said: “I don’t use a mobile phone very often, to be honest.” The retiree from Albox (Almeria) commented: “I think they should fine more people for using mobile phones while driving. The police are not very strict around here. I see loads of people talking on phones when driving.” Waitress Kelli Alright, aged 26, from

pointed out!) We wanted to ask: What are your biggest mobile phone pet peeves? What would you include in the rules of etiquette?

STREET TALK Moraira (Alicante) said she wouldn’t like to see anything on a so-called ‘rules of etiquette’ list: “I’m guilty of breaking them all! I use my phone in public places. I take photos of my food when out which annoys my friends and a lot of selfies, my phone is constantly in my hand.” Janice Gilbert from Zurgena (Almeria) agreed with John. Her biggest peeve was people using their mobiles while behind the wheel. The 66-year old retiree added: “I also see couples out

HENRIK and MARGARET: Not fans of phone technology.

together and they spend more time playing with their phones than talking to each other, more so in the UK than here in Spain. My rule would be, switch off your phone when out with friends or on a date and have a proper conversation.” Renee Miner works in San Pedro de Alcantara (Malaga). The 31-year-old hospitality entrepreneur said: “I hate it when I’m with someone and he or she has the mobile sitting on the table between us. Even if they’re not picking it up, it still beeps or buzzes when there’s a message. It interrupts our conversation and I feel awkward wondering if they need to answer. If you’re expecting an important call, let me know and it’s not a problem. Otherwise, turn it off or put it on silent!” Retired Dutch couple Henrik and Margaret Visscher live in France and are on holiday on the Costa Blanca in Alicante. They both said it is annoying when people

RENEE MINER: Hates it when new message alerts interrupt conversation.

JOHN ROBERTS: Too many people talking while driving. are constantly on phones: “No one talks to each other, they would rather sit and message each other and all social communication is lost.” They don’t use a lot of phone technology: “We have an old phone that makes and receives calls, that’s it.”

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CREDIT PA.

NEWS

PRINCE GEORGE: Bonding time with his new nanny while parents are away.

A Spanish nanny for UK’s Prince George THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have picked a Spanish-born nanny for baby George The new nanny, who is thought to have started working for William and Kate last month, is currently being shown the ropes by Kate’s mum Carole Middleton. William and Kate are currently enjoying a romantic break in the Maldives. They arrived in the capital Malé last Thursday on their first trip away alone together since the birth of baby George last summer. Sources say the Spanish-born nanny, who ‘lives for her job’ is using this time to bond with baby George. The dark-haired woman has been seen out and about with her

charge. They’ve been spotted strolling around

London’s Hyde Park, a protection officer in tow.

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Thursday

Friday

SATELLITE CHANNELS - SkyMoviesComedy/

BBC1/

BBC1/

4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin's Food Map of Britain 5:15pm Flog it! Trade Secrets 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holiday Hit Squad 10:00pm Famous, Rich and Hungry for Sport Relief 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Question Time

Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin's Food Map of Britain 5:15pm Flog it! Trade Secrets 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 Room 101 10:00pm Jonathan Creek 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm New Tricks

BBC2/

BBC2/

4:25pm Bergerac 5:15pm Are You Being Served? 5:45pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:15pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Revenge of the Egghead 7:30pm Sport Relief's Top Dog 8:00pm Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure 10:00pm My Week with Marilyn 11:30pm Newsnight

4:25pm Bergerac 5:15pm Are You Being Served? 5:45pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:15pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Revenge of the Egghead 7:30pm Sport Relief's Top Dog 8:00pm Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm Mastermind 9:30pm Gardeners' World 10:00pm I Was There: The Great War Interviews 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight

ITV/

ITV/

4:00pm The Alan Titchmarsh Show 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:15pm ITV News and Weather 7:45pm Emmerdale 8:45pm UEFA Europa League 11:10pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm Edge of Heaven

4:00pm The Alan Titchmarsh Show 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Student Nurses: Bedpans and Bandages 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Edge of Heaven 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm The Americans

CH4/ 5:30pm Four in a Bed 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:30pm Paralympic Winter Games 9:00pm The Hoarder Next Door 10:00pm Astronauts 11:00pm How to be a Billionaire

ITV2/ 4:05pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:10pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:05pm The Millionaire Matchmaker 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm The Big Reunion 11:00pm Celebrity Juice 11:50pm Dads4:00pm

CH4/ 5:30pm Four in a Bed 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:30pm Paralympic Winter Games 9:00pm Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 10:00pm Gogglebox 11:00pm The Last Leg 11:50pm 8 Out of 10 Cats

ITV2/ 4:05pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:10pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:05pm The Millionaire Matchmaker 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm White Chicks

TV LISTING

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6:25pm Sunday •Breckin Meyer •Jennifer Love Hewitt •Stephen Tobolowsky

Saturday BBC1/ 5:35pm Six Nations Rugby Union 8:00pm BBC News 8:10pm Regional News 8:13pm Weather 8:15pm The Voice UK 9:35pm The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins 10:25pm Casualty 11:15pm BBC News 11:28pm Weather

BBC2/ 5:25pm Final Score 6:30pm Llanelly House Restored 7:30pm Flog It! 8:30pm Dad's Army 9:00pm The Perfect Morecambe and Wise 9:30pm Viking Art - A Culture Show Special 10:30pm QI 11:00pm Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle 11:30pm Page Eight

ITV/ 4:25pm Zookeeper 6:30pm Regional News and Weather 6:40pm ITV News and Weather 7:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:00pm Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 9:20pm The Cube 10:20pm The Americans 11:15pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm The Return

CH4/ 5:10pm Come Dine with Me 5:40pm Come Dine with Me 6:10pm Come Dine with Me 6:45pm Come Dine with Me 7:10pm Channel 4 News 7:35pm Paralympic Winter Games 8:05pm Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 9:00pm Hostages 10:00pm Limitless

ITV2/ 5:40pm Britain's Got More Talent 6:40pm Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed 8:35pm Batman and Robin 11:00pm Celebrity Juice 11:50pm Crazy Beaches

Garfield (Film, 2004) Family comedy in which the world's favourite Mondayhating moggy causes cartoon chaos in the real world. Trouble brews when dancing pooch Odie is dognapped by a devious TV host. So Garfield (reluctantly) goes to the rescue.

Sunday BBC1/ 5:00pm Deadly on a Mission: Pole to Pole 5:35pm Lifeline 5:45pm Escape to the Country 6:15pm Songs of Praise 6:50pm BBC News 7:05pm Regional News 7:10pm Weather 7:15pm Blandings 7:45pm Countryfile 8:45pm The Voice UK 10:00pm The Musketeers 11:00pm BBC News 11:15pm Regional News

BBC2/ 5:00pm Flog It! 5:30pm Collectaholics 6:30pm End of the Pier? 7:00pm The Hairy Bikers: Restoration Road Trip 8:00pm Wild Burma 9:00pm Top Gear 10:00pm Fast and Fearless: Britain's Bangers Racers 11:00pm Mock the Week 11:35pm Line of Duty

ITV/ 5:15pm To be Announced 7:35pm Regional News and Weather 7:45pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Catchphrase 9:00pm Harry's South Pole Heroes 10:00pm Mr Selfridge 11:00pm ITV News and Weather

CH4/ 4:45pm Paralympic Winter Games 6:55pm Channel 4 News 7:30pm The Floods That Foiled New Year: Caught on Camera 8:30pm Live From Space 11:05pm Terminator Salvation

ITV2/ 4:55pm Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 6:20pm About a Boy 8:15pm Mr Bean's Holiday 10:00pm Educating Joey Essex 11:00pm The Only Way is Essex 11:50pm Party Wright Around the World

Monday BBC1/ 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Bang Goes the Theory 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Panorama 10:00pm Silk 11:00pm BBC News

BBC2/ 6:15pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Revenge of the Egghead 7:30pm Sport Relief's Top Dog 8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Mary Berry Cooks 10:00pm Plantagenets 11:00pm The Culture Show

ITV/ 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Regional News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm I Never Knew That About Britain 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm The Widower 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather

CH4/ 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm The Political Slot 9:00pm Dispatches 9:30pm Shop Secrets: Tricks of the Trade 10:00pm One Born Every Minute 11:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats

ITV2/ 6:05pm The Millionaire Matchmaker 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Mom 10:30pm Mom 11:00pm The 40 Year Old Virgin

Tuesday

Wednesday

BBC1/

BBC1/

4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin's Food Map of Britain 5:15pm Flog it! Trade Secrets 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm Shetland 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:30pm Weather 11:35pm Keeping Britain Safe 24/7

4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin's Food Map of Britain 5:15pm Flog it! Trade Secrets 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm DIY SOS The Big Build 10:00pm Crimewatch 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:30pm Weather 11:35pm Crimewatch 11:45pm A Question of Sport

BBC2/ 4:25pm Bergerac 5:15pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 5:45pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:15pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Revenge of the Egghead 7:30pm Sport Relief's Top Dog 8:00pm Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm The Great British Sewing Bee 10:00pm An Hour to Save Your Life 11:00pm The Sarah Millican Television Programme 11:30pm Newsnight

ITV/ 4:00pm The Alan Titchmarsh Show 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Regional News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm UEFA Champions League 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm UEFA Champions League

CH4/ 4:30pm Deal or No Deal 5:30pm Four in a Bed 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm The Political Slot 9:00pm Kirstie's Best of Both Worlds 10:00pm Food Prices: The Shocking Truth 11:00pm Undercover Doctor: Cure Me, I'm Gay

ITV2/ 4:05pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:10pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:05pm The Millionaire Matchmaker 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm The Vampire Diaries 11:00pm Celebrity Juice 11:50pm American Pie 2

BBC2/ 4:00pm Coast 4:25pm Bergerac 5:15pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 5:45pm 'Allo, 'Allo! 6:15pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Revenge of the Egghead 7:30pm Sport Relief's Top Dog 8:00pm Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm Collectaholics 10:00pm Line of Duty 11:00pm W1A 11:30pm Newsnight

ITV/ 4:00pm The Alan Titchmarsh Show 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Regional News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm You Saw Them Here First 10:00pm Law and Order: UK 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm On Assignment

CH4/ 4:30pm Deal or No Deal 5:30pm Four in a Bed 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm The Political Slot 9:00pm Secret Eaters 10:00pm Peter Kay Live at the Bolton Albert Halls 11:00pm First Dates 11:55pm Embarrassing Bodies

ITV2/ 4:05pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:10pm The Real Housewives of New Jersey 6:05pm The Millionaire Matchmaker 7:00pm Dinner Date 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Party Wright Around the World 11:00pm The Only Way is Essex 11:50pm Educating Joey Essex

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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.

T

HE flag raising parties I mentioned last week, held to celebrate the finish of a contract, became not just popular with the workers who built the casas, but with many others. Soon restaurants heard about the occasion and vied to get the ‘food contracts.’ Worker participants had also decided to ‘spin detailed shenanigans’ of the happenings which quickly grew into weekend tales to be competitively outdone by the next group on the next outing. I would tell a lie if I stated the pace of the construction work accelerated - it didn’t, but frequent calls from the labour force expounded exponentially. Everyone wanted to attend. The wives wanted an invite as did the girlfriends and some of the labourer’s parents, such was the renown of these gatherings. Groups of roving troubadours

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The colour of your knickers isn’t really ‘flying the flag’! would learn of the event and travel great distances to crash the parties and perform. Initially, only the owner of the carpentry shop would attend, but within weeks he was insisting on bringing everyone that worked there, including the sweeping up girls, coffee ladies, and drivers that brought the wood from Valencia. Plumbers had cousins that wouldn’t be denied, as did the sparkeys and their electrical permit people. That brought request from the town hall paper stampers. The ‘snow ball effect’ rolled into gigantic proportions. Rules had to be established.

Numbers culled. Enforcing such a dynamic and natural happening became impossible. What man on this good earth could refuse a Spaniard a fiesta? Not me - EVER! The entire happening had to be re-engineered and thought out again. Invites were decided by only the home owner. Furthermore, as an extraordinary precaution, the place for the event was not divulged until that morning. By and large this worked and put the onus of turning down participants upon the villa owners and no one else. A good escape for me. Of course, I still met with the

LOOKING BACK IN MOJACAR owners the night before as required. Only once did anything go totally wrong. It concerned a wealthy London businessman who had divorced his wife and taken up with a well

NEWS COVER UP: High heels and a mini skirt to greet workmen. endowed young secretary who showed up to ‘please.’ “You can’t dress like that,” I admonished her. “Well, some of us do have standards and must show the flag every now and then,” she huffed with her personal self importance. So off she went to greet a party of some 15 workmen wearing lots of jewellery, high heels, and a mini skirt that left a seven inch gap between her knees and the hem. I insisted she cover her legs with my waistcoat ‘to feel comfortable’ from the burning glares. Precaution was demanded in the sense that most likely 98 per cent of my work force had never seen an ankle before let alone a white, ivory thigh inviting a crocodile bite.

Advertising Feature

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KENNELS: They all have spacious patios and runs, as well as an indoor sleeping area. Leishmaniosis disease. The kennels have five running areas for your pets to run around in and Bo likes to mix them with other dogs so they can play together. Bo has thought of everything and even has walkie talkies to speak to the animals and has classical music playing in the background for a calming atmosphere. The cattery is also unique with separate quarters containing

BO: (pictured in the cattery) and wife Antoinette have a real love for animals. water fountains and two living room style areas for the more sociable cats to mix together with plenty of climbing areas and sofas for a perfect stay. The cattery also has a VIP unit for older cats that require extra treatment. The Animal Hotel also offer a

pick up service for people who do not like to drive or are without transport. Antoinette offers dog training classes and visits people at home to help people with their

pets and is kept busy with voluntary work. Every Tuesday, the Animal Hotel works with an association of parents with mentally handicapped children. Each year a different group visits the Hotel for the season and are put to work to help stimulate them and give them work experience. Antoinette also visits local schools and talks to classes one by one to educate the children on how to care for animals. The Animal Hotel is exactly that, a hotel for Animals. So if you have an unusual pet give Bo a ring on 639 722 197 for more details and information from 9am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm.

An appointment is needed to visit the Animal Hotel, you can find the hotel in Los Arejos close to Aguilas (Murcia). For excellent directions and more information visit the website www.AnimalHotel.es or email info@animalhotel.es. Facebook page Animal Hotel, Aguilas Murcia.

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OPINION & COMMENT

Advertising feature

‘Expats an essential part of our strategy’

LÍNEA DIRECTA ASEGURADORA is the market leader in the sale of insurance for foreign residents in Spain. Since 1998 it has offered its customer services in English and German, which include handling claims, selling policies or road assistance, among many others. Francisco Valencia, Corporate Governance Director, introduces us to a new service: fine management. Línea Directa was the first Spanish insurer to offer its services in English and German. Why this commitment to expatriates? For Línea Directa, expatriates form an essential part of our strategy. Since we set up Línea Directa, in 1995, we have forged close links to them, due to the fact that our company model was imported directly from England, and as a result offering services specifically designed for them was something quite natural. We currently have a portfolio of over 2 million policyholders, 64,000 of whom are foreign customers. One of the latest services offered to expatriates is fine management. What does it consist of and what advantages does it have?

Our service offers the foreign customer advice on traffic fines in his or her own language, including notification of the official bulletins, a benefit specifically designed for expatriates. In Spain, when the person receiving the fine is not at home, he or she is considered to have been notified of the fine after it has been published in the official bulletin of the province where he or she resides, thereby reducing or even eliminating any chance of defence for someone who spends many months of the year abroad. What does this service cover and what other benefits does it include? Apart from the benefit that it can be used by any driver over 26 years of age, the cover also includes a payment of €500 to finance a road safety re-education course if the driving licence has been withdrawn. Once again Línea Directa shows its commitment to its foreign customers residing in Spain, offering them the best services and cover at the best price. You can find out more about all the benefits available at www.lineadirecta.com or by calling 902 123 309.

AABI: Paying tribute to the fallen.

Jack’s return RECENTLY the AABI (Friends of the International Brigades) organised the seventh annual Jarama Walk to commemorate the battle for Madrid in 1937. Over 50 members travelled from England, Ireland and Scotland to take part in the march among the olive groves south east of Madrid to the area known as Suicide Hill. The monument to Kit Conway stands as a reminder of what took place there in February 1937 and this was the spot chosen to spread the ashes of Jack Edwards and his wife, Ivy. A 22-year-old

Peter Fieldman London-born journalist and author, Peter spends his time between Paris and Madrid. His novel ‘1066 The Conquest’ available on Amazon or www.1066TheConquest.com

www.pfieldman.blogspot.com

Liverpudlian, Jack Edwards was just 22 years old when he volunteered to join the International Brigades and fight Fascism in Spain. Untrained and outnumbered, he and his comrades faced a professional army and although wounded in action he survived the vicious fighting on Suicide Hill, where hundreds fell. He recovered in hospital, fought in Valencia and did not leave Spain until 1939 when he managed to cross the Pyrenees to France and make his way to Paris and then to England where he served in the RAF during the Second World War. In 2009, together with other surviving members of the International Brigades, he was granted a Spanish passport following the adoption of the Ley de la Memoria Historica. Jack Edwards died in 2011 a few years after his wife. It was an especially poignant moment for his sons Pete and Colin, daughter Margaret and granddaughter Rachel as they stood on the hillside looking across the valley towards Madrid. They had finally fulfilled their dream

to bring the caskets holding their parents’ ashes and spread them over the hillside. While the reality was a horrendous loss of life, the image we often have of the international volunteers who fought in Spain has been somewhat romanticised by Hemingway and Orwell’s books, Chin, Capa and Gerda Tara’s photographs and movie director, Ken Loach. It is therefore encouraging that the AABI does a remarkable job of keeping alive the memory of the Brigadistas. AABI secretary Severiano Montero wants to contact people whose relatives may have taken part in the battle to raise money so that excavations can take place to find the remains of soldiers in order to give them a decent burial. It seems the Spanish Government has shown little interest in becoming involved and Pete Edwards admitted that his father had become disillusioned that so little was being done to help the families of those who disappeared and that the sacrifice of those who fought during the Civil War is not taught in schools. “The war divided so many families and it takes a long time to forget,” summed up Pete Edwards. ©peterfieldman 2014

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CROSSWORDS

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

Almería weather

NEW ON DVD MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

for next 7 days

The Butler Lee Daniels directs this historical drama that stars Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines, the long-time head butler at the White House. Gaines' 34-year career begins under President Eisenhower and goes through another seven presidents as he witnesses some of the 20th century’s most tumultuous periods, including the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. Starring John Cusack, Oprah Winfrey, Robin Williams, Alan Rickman, Vanessa Redgrave, James Marsden and Liev Schreiber. Directed by Lee Daniels. Runtime 132 minutes. Rated 13.

TODAY

VELEZ RUBIO

TOMORROW HUERCAL OVERA

ALBOX

VELEZ RUBIO GARRUCHA ALBOX MOJACAR

ALMERIA

HUERCAL OVERA

RETAMAR GARRUCHA

ADRA

ROQUETAS

MOJACAR ALMERIA RETAMAR ADRA

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Are you in the mood for some retail therapy? There are bargains to be had this week. The trend also extends to your personal life where it is possible to negotiate much more easily with a loved one.

March 17: Pilar Rubio. Spanish reporter, TV presenter and model. Best known as a reporter on Spanish TV’s Se Lo Que Hicisteis (I Know What You Did). In a relationship with the Real Madrid footballer Sergio Ramos since September 2012. Rubio announced in November 2013 she was expecting the couple’s first child this May.

35

spilled, it will not be you who is feeling guilty.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) The more sensitive side of your nature comes to the fore this week. You are likely to find yourself upset but, by looking on the bright side and keeping your sense of humour, brings a balanced view.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) This is a time of the year when new starts and fresh ideas come to you, which is excellent news for those who are looking forward to changes. The weekend brings you courage and determination and you feel confident enough to speak plainly with people.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) A slow start to the week sees you full of beans come Wednesday. What is the cause of this change of attitude? Something you worked on last week shows signs of progress just when you thought it wouldn't.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) This is a time to keep your mind sharp, so get plenty of sleep and exercise for sure. Legal matters

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Something said to you in confidence should be respected this week. Should the beans be

TELEVISION THEME TUNES Which famous television programmes had the following theme tunes? 1. Acka Raga, performed by John Mayer on the sitar (first broadcast in 1967) 2. Bad Boys, performed by Inner Circle (1989) 3. Breakin’ Away/That’s Livin’ Alright, by Joe Fagin, produced and arranged by David Mackay (1983) 4. Galloping Home, written by Denis King and performed by the London String Chorale (1972) 5. I’ll Be There for You, by The Rembrandts (1994) 6. The Ballad of Jed Clampett, written by Paul Henning and performed by Flatt and Scruggs (1962) 7. The Good Ol’ Boys, written and performed by Waylon Jennings (1979) 8. Unknown Stuntman, written by Glen A Larson, Gail Jensen, and David Somerville and performed by Lee Majors (1981)

are entering a period of frugality, but this is more for your own satisfaction than because of any money worries. SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Getting more sleep and fresh air last week may show dividends now. The results are a brighter mind and more willingness to be social. Young people will be particularly helpful and fun to be with.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) It is now that you may realise how right you were to keep something in reserve. Certainly, so far as a relationship is concerned, holding back has proved its worth. Financially, you

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Keep a wide circle of friends and constantly seek to add to them. With such an active mind as yours, boredom is agitating and non-productive. Spring gives you the ideal opportunity to visit others and get out in the open. Both your health and finances gain from a day somewhere new as an inspired idea comes to you.

Sudoku 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.

CAPRICORN (December 22 January 20) News of someone close brings finances into your mind. Perhaps some juggling is needed to keep the balance. There is more than one way to conserve both energy and money, which will give you a head start.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

AQUARIUS (January 21 February 19) A shopping trip with a friend makes you realise there is more to them than meets the eye. Should you have underestimated them, encourage them to open up. Something you hear this week will be of immense value to you in the future. Decorating and changes at home will perk you up.

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

EURO MILLIONS

Saturday March 8

Saturday March 8

Saturday March 8

Friday February 7

2

9

12

26

31

44

12

17 29

20 32

5

6

14

17

25

38

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

5

12

1

Almeria

SHOWERS MAX 16C, MIN 9C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

5

10 40

LUCKY STARS 1

8

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

11

20

23

28

31

43

REINTEGRO 27

7

9

17 41

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 18 11 S Tues - 17 11 C Wed - 16 9 C

16 9 S 18 10 S 18 10 C

CLEAR

17 8 C 18 10 S 19 11 S

Fri Sat Sun -

S Sun,

18 4 Cl 19 4 S 20 4 S

MAX 17C, MIN 3C MAX MIN

Mon - 21 6 S Tues - 21 6 C Wed - 18 4 C

Murcia

CLOUDY MAX 17C, MIN 8C 17 6 C 19 8 Cl 18 9 S

CLEAR MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 11 S Tues - 21 12 Cl Wed - 21 11 S

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

Mon - 18 13 S Tues - 18 14 C Wed - 18 13 C

Madrid

Mallorca TODAY:

16 11 C 18 13 S 18 13 S

TODAY:

MAX 17C, MIN 9C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

Mon - 21 13 S Tues - 22 13 C Wed - 22 13 S

SHOWERS MAX 14C, MIN 12C

TODAY:

MAX 16C, MIN 8C

Malaga TODAY:

18 11 C 19 11 S 21 12 S

Benidorm

CLEAR

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 18 9 S Tues - 18 10 C Wed - 17 10 Sh Cl Clear,

CLOUDY MAX 18C, MIN 8C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun Fog,

Sn Snow,

MAX MIN

19 7 C 22 9 S 22 8 S

Mon - 23 10 S Tues - 24 12 C Wed - 22 11 Cl

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: 10

Very good: 18

Good: 13

Excellent: 22

agar, agin, gain, game, gean, gear, germ, girn, gram, gran, grim, grin, mage, magi, mega, raga, rage, rang, ring, again, anger, gamer, gamin, grain, grime, image, mange, marge, range, reign, arming, earing, engram, enigma, erring, gainer, gamier, gamine, garner, imager, maigre, manage, manger, margin, mirage, ragman, ragmen, ranger, raring, regain, ringer, angrier, armiger, arraign, arrange, earring, grainer, manager, mangier, marring, rangier, reaming, rearing, marriage, rearming, MARGARINE

Word Ladder MIND

32 48

REINTEGRO 2

Fri Sat Sun -

Barcelona TODAY:

CLOUDY MAX 18C, MIN 11C MAX MIN

Mon - 20 11 S Tues - 22 12 Cl Wed - 20 11 C

17 8 C 20 9 S 20 9 S

Sunday March 9

Saturday March 8

38 41

LA PRIMITIVA

TODAY:

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

may be paramount and need specialist advice.

8-Star Quiz

Alicante TODAY:

GAME

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

TIME TAME GAME

Your Stars

IF IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK: Making the most of a fully energetic and progressive year is easy for a forthright Piscean. What is sometimes more difficult is getting a balance between your home and business life.

MIND MINE TINE

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Someone new to your circle of friends brings humour and a new lease of life, socially. When something outside your comfort zone is suggested, then be sure that it is not just faint heart that is stopping you.

ROQUETAS

1. ASK THE FAMILY, 2. COPS, 3. AUF WIEDERSEHEN, PET, 4. THE ADVENTURES OF BLACK BEAUTY, 5. FRIENDS, 6. THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, 7. THE DUKES OF HAZARD, 8. THE FALL GUY

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CROSSWORDS

Crosswords

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SPONSORED BY

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

Cryptic

Quick

Across 7 Tablet for deposit on teeth (6) 8 Dave travelling back through North America getting here (6) 10 Keeps dissolving in tears (7) 11 It’s in the back or middle of the book (5) 12 Expert covering right amount of land (4) 13 Remains in some dereliction (5) 17 Group of soldiers or police capturing rebel leader (5) 18 Set of rules for a fish with and eel’s head (4) 22 Can, or may be, a kind of fruit (5) 23 Sightseer in amongst our Istanbul visit (7) 24 Evicted, but used to moving (6) 25 Engineers model for peace of mind (6) Down 1 Carelessly ran past ancient Greek (7) 2 Baseball players’ cake mixtures (7) 3 Greek characters in charge of score (5) 4 Otherwise miss ice earthquakes (7) 5 Graduate’s equipment turned up in this colourful fabric (5) 6 Trainee given many a wrong date

Across 1 Commences (6) 5 European country (6) 8 Felines (4) 9 Very great or intense (8) 10 Basement (6) 11 Examines (6) 12 Nocturnal birds of prey (4) 14 Hatchet (3) 15 Financial institution (4) 16 Thin slices of fried potato (6) 18 Sudden pleasurable excitement (6) 20 Calamity (8) 22 Jump over (4) 23 Gluttonous (6) 24 Arranged by type (6)

(5) 9 Therapist made changes to teashop (9) 14 Knave tied up the Queen (7) 15 Keep an eye on nit in back room (7) 16 Is it true that the Real Estate

business is only skin deep? (7) 19 Organised loans for a beauty parlour (5) 20 Here’s to you, with beans on (5) 21 Potato, for example, for an awful brute (5)

Code Breaker Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 3 represents M and 8 represents Z, so fill in M every time the figure 3 appears and Z every time the figure 8 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.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC Across: 1 Lebanon, 5 Crook, 8 Exact, 9 Therapy, 10 Shoe trees, 12 Goo, 13 Iodide, 14 Cleave, 17 Tun, 18 Forcemeat, 20 Mandela, 21 Omega, 23 Sweet, 24 Sundial. Down: 1 Leeks, 2 Boa, 3 Notated, 4 Natter, 5 Chess, 6 Orangeade, 7 Keynote, 11 Ordinance, 13 Isthmus, 15 Lie down, 16 Dryads, 18 Fleet, 9 Trail, 22 Eli. QUICK Across: 1 Occasionally, 7 Here, 8 Identity, 9 Battle, 10 Errors, 11 Rod, 12 Heals, 14 Adult, 16 Ear, 18 Closed, 20 Abroad, 22 Talented, 23 Beef, 24 Measurements. Down: 1 Operate, 2 Chest, 3 Shiver, 4 Obeyed, 5 Altered, 6 Later, 13 Listens, 15 Leaders, 16 Editor, 17 Random, 19 Leave, 21 Robin.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Anger, 3 Teach, 5 Rib, 7 Treinta, 9 Dare, 10 Bell, 13 Retraso, 14 Arm, 15 Slums, 16 Sapos. Down: 1 Abridores, 2 Ruta, 3 Tres, 4 Headlamps, 6 Beret, 8 Nieta, 11 Pais, 12 Dogs.

English - Spanish The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English. Across 1 Pencil (5) 3 Fierce (5) 6 Nadar (4) 7 Trout (fish) (6) 9 Gentleman (having gentlemanly qualities) (9) 12 Accent (written) (6) 13 Lake (4) 14 Toll (on road, bridge) (5) 15 Pantalones vaqueros (5) Down 1 Último (final) (4) 2 Spring (season) (9) 3 Street light (6) 4 Scarlet (9) 5 To pray (say prayers) (4) 8 Tailor (6) 10 Húmedo (clima) (4) 11 Dedos del pie (4)

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 (JUMPED) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues. BLOODY

MORTAR

BOLTED

NEARBY

DEADLY

PARTED

FACTOR

ROAMED

GHOSTS

ROGUES

GRAPES

SALTED

HORSES

STILES

INJECT

TILTED

JUMPED (10)

UNABLE

LAIRED

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

Funagram Unscramble the name of a type of tea (two words): LARGE RYE FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: LEYTON ORIENT, EARL GREY

Unscramble the name of a professional football club currently playing in the English Football League One (two words): NOTE TINY ROLE

Down 2 Rub out (5) 3 Nasty remarks (7) 4 No Clue 5 A long way (3) 6 Similar (5) 7 Domesticated fowl 11 Animals (9) 13 Fighting man (7) 15 Housebreaker (7) 17 Frighten (5) 19 Depart (5) 21 Plaything (3)

1 Hugged, 2 Reared, 3 Angers, 4 5 Barren, 6 Waters, 7 Banker, 8 9 Hinges, 10 Ballet, 11 Dreams, 12 13 Reeled, 14 Herded, 15 Sheets, 16 17 Desire, 18 Steals, 19 Hissed

Raking, Barrel, Gather, Spears,

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

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

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Think twice before carrying those bags

Artificial heart man dies

RETAIL therapy may be good for the soul, but it’s maybe not so good for our bones. According to the Professional College of Physiotherapists of Madrid, (CPFCM) carrying too much weight in our shopping bags can potentially lead to musculoskeletal injuries. They warn that generally, we try to carry twice the recommended weight in each arm forcing strain and potential injuries on our body. Physiotherapists advise that the weight in each hand should not exceed 10 per cent of our body mass. However, canvas bags, acquired in larger stores, are prepared to support between 10 and 12 kilos in weight, when the average weight recommended per bag is five kilos. Jose Santos from the CPFCM said: “Ideally, use a

THE first man in the world to be given an artificial heart has died 75 days after the transplant. The 76-year-old passed away in a hospital in Paris, France. The exact cause of his death is not yet known. The battery powered artificial heart is designed to completely replace the real one and the man received the transplant when he was suffering from terminal heart failure and was given just weeks to live. It is now expected to be trialled on three more French patients.

bag that could be hung like a shoulder bag, but today no bags with these features are distributed. The best option is to spread the weight of the purchase in two bags, weighing no more than five kilos.” He said carrying all the weight on one side can also overload certain muscles.

HEAVY: Spread the load.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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New test could be twice as reliable A NEW urine test for prostate cancer could soon be available in GP surgeries. Studies show the cancer test to be twice as reliable as the existing blood test for detecting the disease, which is the most common cancer among British men. It can also tell doctors how serious the cancer is meaning it could not only save lives but prevent the need for embarrassing rectal examinations and unnecessary tests. The test has been created by Surrey University in the UK which hopes it will be in surgeries later this year costing as little as £10 (€12) per test before it could be available on the NHS and across Europe.

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FOOD & DRINK

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& DRINK

ood F

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Costa de Almeria’s best guide to local sport

Almería’s best guide to local restaurants

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Find out how long your bubbly will last GOOD news for wine enthusiasts: wineries and customers can now precisely predict how long sparkling wines will keep, from Champagne to prosecco. The findings were published by scientists in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and were funded in part from multiple Spanish regional government sources. The current process, which detects ‘browning’ by measuring light absorption at certain wavelengths, is fast and simple but not very precise.

Researchers of sparkling wine chemistry have therefore turned to the food industry for answers. Food manufacturers measure a built-up compound called ‘5-HMF’ used to decide when to throw a product out, a compound which scientists also found in sparkling wines and helps predict their shelf life. By testing levels of the compound in different bottles over a two-year period at varying temperatures (room, cellar and refrigerator), the study revealed 5-HMF as a good indicator of freshness.

The researchers also developed a mathematical model that helps predict how long a sparkling wine will stay drinkable at various storage temperatures. But to keep it simple, know this: Refrigerating sparkling wines almost completely prevents browning.

KEEPING ITS FIZZ: Making sure sparkling wine stays in tip top condition

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STEWS: Popular in the south of the region.

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FOOD & DRINK

A seal to promote local Navarra food THE regional government of Navarra has come up with an idea to protect and

promote traditional local food. Its Culture and Tourism department is now issuing the Navarra Food seal to restaurants with at least 30 per cent of local dishes in their menus. The food from Navarra has been historically linked with its location within Spain. In the north of the region, which borders with the Basque Countries, products like Idiazabal cheese, cider and goxua (a dessert made with sponge cake, cream and custard) are traditional. The south part of the region, however, is noted for its vegetable stews, asparagus and zurracapute, which can be considered the northern counterpart to the sangria.

But if there is a star in the culinary offer from Navarra, that’s probably the pintxos. These snacks similar to tapas are served with a toothpick on a piece of bread, and are normally eaten when having a drink with friends. To be awarded the Navarra Food seal, restaurants have to prove that they have been offering traditional food for at least five years. This includes a list with wines and cavas with a certificate of origin, and typical liquors like patxaran. As the distinction aims to attract more visitors, restaurants have been asked to translate their menus into other languages, including English.

FOOD & DRINK

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From farm to market prices differ greatly SPAIN’S Coordinator of Farmers’ and Livestock Farmers’ Organisations (COAG) has come out with the latest February figures related to the farmer price index. The Origin-Destination Price Index (IPOD) lists the fluctuations between the price of agricultural products on the shelf as compared to what is paid to the producer. February’s most significant figure came in the price of courgettes, with a massive 730 per cent price difference from farm to market. Effectively, this means consumers are paying 8.3 times more in the market than its value on the farm. Cabbage was a close second in the IPOD ranking, where agricultural producers received €0.15 per kilo, consumers paid an average of €1.22 per

kilo. The result was a 713 per cent price difference. Other products listed high in the IPOD ranking were garlic (€0.80/ €5.36, or 570 per cent), cauliflower (€0.22/€1.47, or 568 per cent) and oranges (€0.21/€1.28, or 510 per cent). The report did note, however, that in cases where the prices paid to producers was lower compared to previous months, those savings were also passed down to the consumer.

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ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

Town Hall celebrates Internat Women’s Day by rejecting the THE Town Hall in Albox celebrated International Women’s Day by showing their opposition to the reform of the Abortion Act that the Government of Rajoy is seeking to impose. That opposition was declared in full on Friday, in which a motion tabled by the Socialists of the town hall requested the withdrawal of the draft of the Government of Spain. The motion was approved by an absolute majority, despite timid opposition by representatives of PP Albox. The PSOE councillors defended a woman’s right to decide by donning T-shirts with the slogan ‘Yo decido’ (I decide). For the mayor of the municipality, Rogelio Mena, the former government of the PSOE in Madrid “raised the current law on sexual and reproductive health and

voluntary interruption of pregnancy after some rigorous work” and “achieved that the current law guarantees the right of women to decide on such a sensitive issue.” The mayor added, “It is uncomprehensible and unacceptable for the PP to turn what was a woman’s right into a crime and hide behind its electoral programme to do so, when it seems that all it’s going to do is satisfy the ultraconservative part of the party and the Church.” The motion to reject the reform of the Abortion Act of PP was presented by the councillor for Gender and Equality, Ana Belen Trinidad and defended by the Socialist spokesman, Matias Garcia, who demanded the withdrawal of this draft. Furthermore, the Deputy

‘I DECIDE:’ Albox councillors are supporting Women’s Rights Mayor Sonia Cerdán also intervened to defend the rights of women, noting “it is hard in the 21st century for women to keep fighting for equality and rights and is harder to fight for the loss of rights we already had.” In that sense, Cerdan described it as “an attack on

women” the current reform of the Abortion Act submitted by the PP. Cerdan defended the word ‘attack’ on the grounds that the new approach “is limiting our ability to make decisions, putting the right of the unborn before the rights of the women.” The socialist

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

tional reform

s. added, it is clear that as women, we have a right not to ruin our life for a mistake and we have a right to choose when we want to be mothers. With these arguments, Cerdan called it “amazing” that “a government that does not care about the living, now comes to care about the unborn.”

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APSA February raffle winners KEITH ROBERTS from the Animal Protection Society Albox (APSA) would like to announce Monthly Raffle Prize Winners for February 2014. Amigos Bowling Centre - two course Sunday Lunch for two or Fish & Chips with Dessert for two any day of the week (ex Mondays) was won by

John & Maggie Lyons . Bar International A €15 Voucher was won by Norman & Joyce Wells. Colin The Card - A 10€ Voucher was won by Brian & Anne Burke. Eurowise Supermarket - A €15 Voucher was won by Colin & Pauline Darby. Pricebusters - A €15 Voucher was won by Julie & Barry Seed.

The Winning tickets were drawn by Sue from Living Design. Sellers Cash Received, Jean €50 and Keith €68 making a total of €118 collected. APSA is grateful to the Amigos Bowling Centre, Bar International, Eurowise, Pricebusters and Colin The Card for their monthly prizes and to all those who purchase raffle tickets. The proceeds of the monthly raffle will go towards helping the many animals in APSA’s care. Keith would like to say many thanks for your continued support.

AUAN fundraiser at Parilla

THE AUAN are having a fundraiser event on Friday March 28, with a disco at the Parrilla Bar and Restaurant in Albox. The event is in support of an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against house demolitions. The music will be by DJ Rod Oxley of Smooth FM and starts at 8pm till late. Tickets are €5 including a free buffet for what will be a great night out. Tickets are available in Albox from Colin the Card, Total Entertainment and Girasol. There will also be an auction and raffle prizes on the night with some unique auction items available. To bid for an item, e-mail info@almanzora-au.org (include name & telephone number). To donate visit www.almanzora-au.org select the ‘donate’ button.

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Students from Andalucian Pa WITH the motive of the celebration of the traditional Andalucia Day, a group of students from the Velazquez college in Albox, visited the Andalucian

Parliament in Sevilla. Accompanied by their teachers, this is the first group of students from Albox to make a visit of this magnitude. Upon arrival,

2nd arrest for Alb than two weeks f THE Guardia Civil have once again arrested one of the two alleged extortionists known by Albox Town Hall. The man has been admitted to the provincial prison of El Acebuche. The arrest occurred when the man was seen outside premises in the town, thus

violating a restraining order. This is the second time the man has been arrested in less than two weeks for the same reason. The alleged extortionist, 49, was previously arrested on the evening of Sunday February 23, but was tried in a speedy trial for violating a

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

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m Velazquez visit the arliament in Sevilla the students were welcomed by the mayor of Albox, Rogelio Mena, and the former Andalucian Parliamentarian and chief of staff of the President of

Parliament, Aurora Atoche. During the visit, the youngsters learned about the history of Parliament, although it was noticable

box man in less for same reason restraining order by the Court in Huercal-Overa. The first arrest ended with the man being handed a fine for breach of injunction, before being released. Sources of the Provincial Command of the Guardia Civil have confirmed this second arrest and the

subsequent imprisonment of the detainee. Thus, the two alleged extortionists denounced by the town hall are in prison right now, the other man was arrested and jailed without bail last month after allegedly refusing to take a breath test whilst appearing to be drunk.

that one of the spaces that caught their attention was the meeting hall, where they had the opportunity to sit in the seats. Regarding this initiative, organised by the teachers of the school, Rogelio Mena said that “the objective of the activity was that students personally knew the functioning and importance of this institution for Andalucians.” In addition, the mayor explained that “the students had the opportunity to ask interesting questions,” concluding that “the experience had been very satisfactory, considering it was the first time a group of students from Albox had made a visit of this nature.”

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Stay safe online HELLO and welcome to CanDu Computer Bytes. Ever thought about storing all your passwords in a safe place but didn’t know where? You do have different passwords for each email account, palpay account, etc? NO! I genuinely suggest that you rethink that particular strategy. Today, I've been looking at my favourite geekess, Nixel Pixel, for inspiration. The programme that she recommends, and after playing with it for a little while, I recommend it.

Trevor Spencer Computers Meet Trevor Spencer who will be writing a weekly computer column for the EWN...

Called ‘KeePass’ and it is available for Windows, Linux, Android and Apple. Why is this piece of software so good? To start with it is available in a fully installable and portable (will work on a memory chip) version. It uses government standard

encryption technology (and we all know how paranoid the world’s governments are!). The Source code (the actual programme) is available for everyone to look at and even compile into the programme themselves, if you are truly that paranoid (I am :-) ). You can use this power to generate new passwords using lower case, UPPER CASE, 12..9 (Numbers), weird characters and make them really difficult to crack. Auto-complete the information on the web page without having to copy and paste a single character. Finally and most importantly, IT IS FREE! If you want to watch the video and get a better understanding of the steps involved go to http://www. youtube.com/watch?v= RvV698aztNs. See you all next week.

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SPECIAL FEATURE LA ALFOQUIA

LOCAL LANDMARK: ‘The Station’ is used for community events. Advertising Feature

Take a trip to the LA ALFOQUIA is located on the left bank of the

Almanzora River amidst orange and lemon groves.

The village dates back to prehistoric times and gained its name from an Arabic word meaning ‘the higher one’ and relating to the lower areas by the river. It was not until 1894 with the arrival of the Lorca–Baza railway that prosperity and growth came to the region. In fact, the village was known locally for many years as The Station. The renovated RENFE building is one of the

SPECIAL FEATURE LA ALFOQUIA

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The railway brought prosperity to the region.

station… current landmarks of the village and is used by Spanish and English for community events. With the housing developments within the last decade and the influx of expatriates eager to ‘live the dream’ many local businesses have developed. It may be small, but there is no shortage of things to do. There is a wide variety of bars and restaurants offering good

food

and

entertainment all year. Everything you could want can be found in La Alfoquia. Local services include health and beauty, mail and office, translation, arts and crafts, coach trips, holistic centre and much more. Well worth a visit to

A great place to stroll, shop and eat. support your local businesses as well as to take a stroll round the village, browse the friendly shops and stop off for something to eat.

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omes&gardens

HOMES & GARDENS

H What do you want from your SPONSORED BY

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

garden? Some general ideas... A

T the time of writing it seems that the lion winds that celebrated the first week of March are now over and for most the winds were warm and caused little air frost damage. Fortunately not a repeat of the record frosts of the first week of March in 2004 and 2005. After these frosts we had driven down the coast from Valencia to Sotogrande in southern

Dick Handscombe

Gardening Corner By Dick Handscombe Spain’s best known expat gardening author about to start his 26th winter cut back.

Andalucia checking out the frost damage to plants and trees in order to ensure that the indication of frost resistance of the 400 plants described in our book ‘Gardening in Spain’ were correct.

So with gardens safe, winter cut backs complete and signs of spring everywhere, it’s a good time to review what you really want from your gardens during the next year, particularly during the spring, summer and autumn. Use the check list below to decide on your personal priorities and the urgent changes in your garden. • The opportunity of an outdoor lifestyle. • An enthralling hobby. • Moderate exercise. • Wholesome fresh fruit vegetables and herbs. • Natural aromatherapy. • Somewhere to enjoy and relax. • Spiritual renewal. • Colourful in all seasons. • Generally low maintenance. • Not too high a watering bill. • Summer shade and winter shelter from winds. • Somewhere different in which to entertain guests. • A Jacuzzi. • An outdoor kitchen.

DICK: With a copy of his book ‘Your garden in Spain.’ • An aviary or a couple of hens for daily fresh eggs. • A carp pond. • An alternative to a lawn. • A petanque court. • A potting table and greenhouse. • A playing field for children and grandchildren. • A challenge and a chance to be creative to keep the brain active. • A series of interlinked mini gardens with varying styles.

• Privacy and security. If few of those thought starters are of interest perhaps just a desert of stone chippings with a tiled terrace around the pool plus a few token citrus trees and a palm to make it look Mediterranean may be nearer your thing. If this short selfanalysis has stirred the creative juices, why don’t you reread parts Two - Planning your Spanish garden, Three -

Add interesting features and Five - Situational gardening of our book entitled ‘Your garden in Spain.’ As the garden is to be enjoyed, I hope, by all members of the family discuss the needs with all, including the nongardeners and seasonal visitors, before finalising plans.

© Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com March 2014.

Stop Press - Homes and Gardens Show WITH Easter late there is time to make several changes before and for those on the Costa Blanca there is the Homes, Gardens and Lifestyle Show on April 3 and 4 in Calpe where you can look out for and test ideas on the garden related stalls. You will find me on Stand 66 willing to help

solve recent gardening problems and evaluate/polish any new plans for your garden. If you don’t have copies of our books they can be obtained via Amazon Books and I will have a few copies and free hand-outs at the show.

PROPERTY

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Advertising Feature

Almeria Property Finder: There to help you every step of the way ALMERIA PROPERTY FINDER’S office is located in the Organic Garden Centre, next to Longo ferreteria on the Albox industrial site. With several years experience, this AngloSpanish team has a wide knowledge of the area and due to successful collaborations with other key estate agents, access to a vast range of property. Whether their clients are looking for a coastal apartment, a mountain retreat or a country villa they help every step of the way to help them find and buy their dream Spanish home as easily

as possible. They pride themselves on their ability to listen to what their clients are actually saying and then giving them an honest opinion regarding the most suitable property for their needs. Almeria Property Finder spend time to develop a relationship with their clients before they come to Spain to view property, and when they are here show them the areas and the properties that they want to see. Once a property has been found, they will help with the stages of buying a home here, and

EXPERTS: The Anglo-Spanish team has a wide knowledge of the area. introduce clients to lawyers to help with the

legal aspects of a purchase and to obtain

The History of the FIFA World Cup By Tony Matthews THE 1962 tournament was the seventh World Cup. Initially a total of 57 associations from all six populated continents entered the competition via its qualification process which actually started in August 1960. Fourteen teams - Argentina, Bulgaria, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, England, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay and West Germany and Yugoslavia made it through to the finals, where they joined up with the hosts Chile and the 1958 winners of the trophy, Brazil. Russia won Group 1 with Yugoslavia runners-up; it was West Germany first and Chile second in Group 2; Brazil and Czechoslovakia made it through from Group 3 and Hungary and England (with one win,

The 1962 Tournament in Chile 3-1 v Argentina and a 0-0 draw with Bulgaria) from Group 4. Unfortunately Spain finished bottom of Group 3 with just two points. The results of the quarter-finals were: Brazil 3 England 1, Chile 2 Russia 1, Czechoslovakia 1 Hungary 0 and Yugoslavia 1 West Germany 0. Then, in the semis, Brazil beat Chile 4-2 and the Czechs knocked out Yugoslavia 3-1. This set up an intriguing final between the holders Brazil and a very good Czech side. In fact, Brazil fell behind before turning up the heat and going on to win 3-1 to become the second country, after Italy in 1938, to successfully defend the world title. A crowd of 68,998 saw the final in Nacional Stadium, Santiago.

Facts: * The first match of the finals saw Chile beat Italy 2-0, but this was one hell of a contest which was subsequently dubbed the ‘Battle of Santiago’ after two Italian players had been sent off and seven booked by English referee Ken Aston. * The average attendance at each game (32 played) was just 24,250 the lowest since the World Cup started in 1930. * Six players shared the honour for being top-scorer: Garrincha and Vava (Brazil), Albert (Hungary), Valentin Ivanov (Russia), Jerkovic (Yugoslavia) and Leonel Sanchez (Chile). * The average goals per match dropped to under 3 for the first time in the history of the competition (2.78).

Next week: England’s memorable World Cup final victory of 1966

all the necessary paperwork required for buying a property in Spain, from obtaining an NIE number, to a full after sales service that never really ends! Almeria Property Finder actively promote

the area and their properties for sale by advertising both locally in the free press and internationally via the major property portals. Recently returned from a successful exhibition in Ghent and preparing for one in Utrecht at the end of the month, they are constantly on the lookout to add properties for sale to their expanding portfolio. If you are looking for a property or want to sell one please call in to the office or call/email Almeria Property Finder and they will do their best for you. In the garden centre next to Longos Telephone: 950 431 624 658 811 623 Email:info@almeria propertyfinder.com Web: www.almeria propertyfinder.com

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Urgent help needed at The Doghouse Foundation DUE to Paul, the owner of The Doghouse in HuercalOvera being ill and also suffering long term illness, the foundation is in great need of assistance of all types. Volunteers, fund raising organisations and even donations of dog food are all very welcome. At present there are only two volunteers travelling quite a distance doing a rota system of looking after the dogs and this would become difficult long term. Without further help the situation could become impossible and the poor dogs would suffer. The foundation looks after lost and abandoned dogs until a new home can be found for them.

If you feel you could help in any way please contact Shirley on mobile 650 105 166 or email shirlcrawford@hot mail.com. More information on the Doghouse Foundation at: http://thedoghousehuercalovera.webs.com. Pets needing a home can also be viewed on the site.

PETS / FEATURE

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Some cat facts... HERE are a few of the most popular questions posed by cat lovers and a quick insight into normal cat behaviour. Why do cats purr? Purring is an extraordinary sound and it isn’t exactly clear how cats do it. Not only domestic cats purr, many of the larger members of the cat family do too. The behaviour stems from kittenhood, as the mother returns to the den and quietly signals (to avoid attracting attention from predators) that all is OK by purring to her kittens, they in turn suckle and purr at the same time. Cats will also purr when they are sick or injured; there are various theories for this - the frequency of the purr in sick animals differs from the healthy purr and it may have healing properties or it may

PURRING: Stems from kittenhood.

SPONSORED BY For all dog treats please call: 971 887 007 / 634 152 813

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

be self-soothing when the cat feels at its most vulnerable. Why do cats rub round their owners’ legs? A cat lives in a world where smell is vitally important. All creatures within its social group, as well as objects, will be anointed with its unique smell using scent glands in its face, body and tail. When your cat rubs round your legs to greet you it is doing the same as it would in greeting another cat by mutual rubbing of the face and body.

For your local radio frequency log onto www.talkradio europe.com.

Still time for Alice YOU still have a chance to buy tickets for the Indalo Players theatre group’s latest production. They are putting on a show of Alice in Wonderland at The Kimrick, Mojacar Playa. Adapted and directed by Otfried Laux, tickets are €10 and are available from PC Playa Multicentro 40 Mojacar, Connexiones, Turre, at The Kimrick, or phone 634 349 638. Shows are tomorrow (Friday), and Saturday at 8pm, and on Sunday at 3pm. There are also shows the following two

weekends at the same times and days. A pre performance meal

is available - contact The Kimrick on 950 475 198 for more details.

Fun fashion show THE Dames in Huercal Overa invite everyone to join them at a fashion show on March 21 at the Tennis Club, HuercalOvera, with Fashions by the Dressing Room of Turre. Starting at 7.30pm admission is only 8 euros including a light supper. Tickets on sale from CATS, La Alfoquia, Serendipity, Albox, ICafé Bar, Spar Shop, Salas Opticas all in Huercal Overa as well

Dames fashion show. as the Dressing Room in Turre. More information: 661 190 190

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FOR RESULTS EVERY WEEK

BOATS / CARS / JOBS / SERVICES / PETS / BIKES / FURNITURE / PROPERTY / MOTORING / FOR SALES

AIR CONDITIONING

BOATS

NEW: Informatica-NV, Technical support for small business and individuals, providing consultancy, e-marketing, installs, repair, upgrades, training & maintenance for Networks, Servers, PC’s & Printers (Laser, Impact, Hot-wax, Thermal, Band and HP large format). No call out fee, Call Vera 665-334991 (222715)

ELECTRICIANS

ZUMBA in Mojacar with Alison … Tuesday 9.30am at The New Kimrick and Thursday 9.30am at Jovasport gym… For more info call Alison 666 273 168 (93402)

DAMP PROOFING DAMP PROOFING. Tel 958 656 560/619 666 363 email: info@electro-os.com / www.electro-os.com (219323)

DRAINS

HEALTH & BEAUTY AQUAEROBICS.... Its back! Monday, Wednesday, Friday at Oasis Tropical Hotel at 10am, Call Alison on 666 273 168 for info (93402)

BS ELECTRICAL, Boletins, Rewires, Fault Finding, Endesa helpline, 33 years experience. Sean 952 961 108 / 669 070 011 / www.bselectrical.eu (222640)

AVON COSMETICS. Tel Claire 691 987 454 avonfromclaire@ yahoo.es (223379)

INSURANCE

FOR SALE/WANTED

MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 153, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 153 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! (200726) CAR & HOME INSURANCE. See our main advert on page 4 (222666)

ALARMS

BUILDERS

INTERNET

Andalucian Building Company, see our advert on page 18. (222694)

CAR VALETING FRIENDSHIP FIND LOVE IN THE SUN w w w. i w a n t 2 m e e t y o u . c o m . Browse for free Spain’s No. 1 online dating site. Bringing expats together. (219566)

GOLF ELECTRICIANS COMPUTERS

GOLF Power Caddy equivalent, 33 amp batteries with adaptors available, in stock. Quantity discounts. www.hispavan.com Tel. 687 845 730 (222034)

HAIRDRESSING

AUCTIONS

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INSURANCE

For daily news visit www.euroweeklynews.com Price per word: 0,42€ + IVA minimum 15 words - Discount: Book 10 weeks, get 2 weeks free - Deadline: 4pm Mondays Contact: Phone (0034) 950 472 109 • Fax (0034) 950 478 789 • email mojacar@euroweeklynews.com • www.euroweeklynews.es

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INTERNET

MOTORHOMES and caravans for sale. Interesting selection. Part exchange considered. www.his pavan.com 687 845 730 (222034)

MOTORING

MOTORING AUTOFRIO A/C services. 950 104 488 / 600 827 517 (222705)

PARKING

www.euroweeklynews.com Q U I R K Y a n d fu n w i t h a wicked sense of humour. Female of 60 years seeks like minded man with spirit and sparkle who likes to travel, t o s h a r e my l i fe a s f r i e n d a n d p a r t n e r. 6 7 1 2 7 7 1 6 1 (2225361)

PETS

PERSONAL I’D like a kind, interesting, intelligent man, preferably over 5’10” and under 55 y e a r s . I a m 4 8 , 5 ’ 8 ”, n i c e looking, slightly offbeat and love animals, books and fo o d . E m a i l w i t h p h o t o t o bartroscoe@yahoo.co.uk (222536) MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 153, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 153 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now!

For daily news visit www.euroweeklynews.com MOTORING MOBILE HOMES WE BUY, Sell, remove all types of mobile homes. We pay CASH and cover all of Spain. More details call Suzi Caley 616 250 727 / 951 063 059 or email suzica ley@gmail.com (215521)

MOTOR HOMES SMALL selection of motorhome and caravan accessories now available at great prices. Motormovers, solar panels, inverters, leisure and engine batteries, reversing cameras, 12 volt LED televisions, air-conditioners and Aqua Kem. www.hispavan.com 687 845 730 (222034) WANTED motorhomes and caravans, any condition, age or registered country considered. www.hispavan.com 687 845 730 (222034)

INTERNET

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PET INSURANCE PROTECTAPET. Spain’s leading pet insurance. 965 756 371. www.protectapet.eu (216721)

PET TRANSPORT INTERPAWS: 20 years’ licensed pet transportation. Competitive rates. Difficult dog? Effective behavioural training in your home. www.interpaws.com, janette@interpaws.com 689 742 289 (218076) SPECIALIST Pet Transport (DEFRA & TRACE). Fixed price €200 per cat or dog (England only) plus €50 Wales and Scotland. Find me on Facebook EDDY PETS (223419)

PLUMBING SERVICES KNOWLES PLUMBING. No 1 for plumbing! Central heating, solar hot water and water deposits. Tel: 950 137 197or 606 807 797 (223395)

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PROPERTY

CLASSIFIEDS PROPERTY TO LET F O R R E N T L o n g Te r m o r Short Term, Furnished or Unfurnished in Cabrera, Turre. High quality, spacious townhouse of 130m2. Consisting of 3 large bedrooms with bathrooms en suite, lounge/dining room, kitchen, reversible air conditioning, various terraces with spectacular views and tranquility. 10 minutes from the motorway, A7 exit 520. Quality commun a l s w i m m i n g p o o l . Re n t a l from 450€pcm. Similar quality 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 lounges, kitchen, garage, internal Andalucian patio etc, 600€pcm, unfurnished. jose.vaitier@hotmail.com / 609 626 140 (222721)

PROPERTY TO LET RESIDENTIAL INTI. Semi-detached duplex. 3 beds, 2 bathrooms. Fantastic views, €495 per month. Jardines del Mar, very large duplex with views, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, underground garage for 2 cars, €625 per month. 636 903 184 (222543)

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SWIMMING POOLS GENECO Pool construction. Tel 950 478 086 for no obligation quote (93401)

EUROPEAN removals and transport with scheduled UK routes. UK Company, fully legal, taking loads from 5kg to 24,000kg. Lowest prices and the best service. 952 816 582 or www.focus-transport.com (221351)

TILING

13 - 19 March 2014 / Costa de Almería XXX RELAXATION Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the advertisements in this section offensive.¨

FLOOR AND WALL TILING SPECIALIST Not a jack of all trades, just a master of one! Call Steve Holman on 697 678 708 (219415)

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TRANSLATION SOLAR ENERGY LOWEST PRICES IN SPAIN. www.solarmegastore.es

SPAS OFFICIAL Caldera Spa main distributor for Southern Spain. Sales and service. Get a fantastic deal on new economical to run models and part exchange considered for your old, tired models. www.hispavan.com 687 845 730 (222034)

INTERPRETER/TRANSLATOR. Hospital, Health Centres, Police, Guardia Civil, Town Hall, Notary, Huercal Overa, Vera & Surrounds. Good Rates. Call Monica on 652 123 607 (221016)

TUITION

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VETS CENTRO Veterinario ABC La Alfoquia. Traditional veterinary medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, open Mon-Fri 10-2, plus emergency cover Tel 617 516 115 / 950 449 064 (219403)

WINDOW CLEANING WOODY THE WINDOW CLEANER. Fully legal and insured. Almanzora Valley Area. Tel 950 604 130 / 634 349 665 (223362)

SITUATIONS VACANT

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MOTORING

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

Volkswagen unveils the T-ROC concept car CONCEPT CAR: Unveiled in the 84th Geneva International Motor Show.

V

OLKSWAGEN presented the all new T-ROC, a concept car with a progressive design in the Golf format. The German manufacturer unveiled its new vehicle during the 84th Geneva International Motor Show, which runs until March 16 in the Swiss city. The all-wheel drive TROC concept car follows a new design line and interior style, with the progressive design of the front section being particularly striking, the automaker claims. The two-door vehicle also combines the talents of an all-wheel drive sports utility vehicle (SUV) with the lightness

of a convertible. The middle section of the roof consists of two halves that with just a few flicks can be taken off and stowed in the boot. Front and rear cameras, which are backed up in the dark by LED headlights, extend the driver’s field of vision. Powered by a 135 kW / 184 PS turbodiesel direct injection engine, the TROC is equipped with three different driving modes: ‘Street,’ ‘Off-road’ and ‘Snow.’ The parameters of the drive train, 7-speed dualclutch gearbox (DSG), ABS, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control vary depending on the mode selected.

ENGINE: The car’s equipped with a 2.0 TDI engine with a fuel consumption of 4.9 l/100 km. NEW DESIGN: Combining an all-wheel SUV and a convertible.

The 2.0 TDI engine’s fuel consumption is of low 4.9 l/100 km, while maximum torque is 380 Nm. The vehicle body has been

designed based on the Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB). Thanks to lightweight construction the SUV weighs just 1,420 kg.

MOTORING

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Lotus’ C-01 motorcycle is road registered and ready for action THE prototype of the world’s first motorcycle to bear the Lotus marque is now road registered and ready for action. German manufacturer Kodewa has been granted a licence to produce the all new C-01 motorbike by Lotus after two years of intense development. The C-01 combines ample power via a V-twin engine with a distinctive body designed by Daniel Simon integrating carbon fibre, titanium and aerospace quality steel. The German designer said: “We have worked hard to create a motorcycle with very distinctive features such as a clean main body, an extremely low side profile, a bold stance, a unique air intake, logical partline solutions and clean graphics.” The motorcycle is not designed,

engineered or produced by Lotus but is the result of a collaboration between the two companies under the leadership of Kodewa, lead by Dr Colin Kolles. The C-01 will be available in a range of liveries some of which pay homage to Lotus’ sporting pedigree. A customisation service is also available,

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BOLD DESIGN: Integrating carbon fibre, titanium and aerospace quality steel. EXCLUSIVE: Production is limited to 100 units. limited only by the imagination of the client. With an exclusive production run of just 100 units, superbike collectors and fans of the Lotus brand will need to move fast to secure one!

The original idea to create the C-01 came from Kodewa’s Dr Colin Kolles. Speaking about the project he said: “We set out to create a bike that isn’t just great to ride but also represents a piece of art in motion.”

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MOTORING

Car sales in Spain on the up in February CAR sales in February increased by 17.8 per cent in relation to the same month the previous year, according to Aniacam. Last month 68,806 cars were sold in Spain, an increase the vehicle imports association attributed to the fifth phase of the PIVE incentive programme, passed late in January. The association expects figures in the following months to be similar to those in 2013, as the PIVE programme was in place then as well. The PIVE scheme guarantees a minimum price of €2,000 for cars older than 10 years when part exchanged for a new car and scrapped. All in all, Aniacam hopes sales in the first six months of the year will increase by 8 or 10 per cent, as long as a new phase of the PIVE plan is passed when the current one runs out of funds. In February, the favourite car in Spain was Seat’s Leon model, with 2,453 units sold. It was followed by Ford Focus and

another Seat model, this time the Ibiza. Citroen’s C4 is the most sold car in Spain so far this year, with 4,305 units. It was followed by Seat’s Leon and Ibiza model. The French manufacturer’s car led the sales charts in Spain in 2013. On the other side are Jeep, Peugeot, and Suzuki, all of them seeing their sales decrease by more than 15 per cent. Electric car sales are also showing positive signs, with an 83.3 per cent increase in relation to the same month in 2013. Twenty two electric cars units were sold in February, whereas only one was sold in January this year. These 23 units represent, however, a 73.9 per cent increase in relation to the same period last year. As for hybrid models, 685 units were sold in February, which was a slight 1.44 per cent decrease compared to 2013, when 695 hybrid cars were sold.

SPORT

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There’s enough action going on this week to please sports fans everywhere 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

THERE has already been Champions League action featuring Atletico Madrid-Milan, Bayern Munich-Arsenal on Tuesday and BarcelonaManchester City and Paris St Germain-Bayer Leverkusen yesterday, while tonight in the Europa League, it’s TottenhamBenfica and Sevilla-Real Betis. And moving forward to the weekend there’s a full Premiership programme including Aston Villa-Chelsea on Saturday followed by Manchester United-Liverpool and SpursArsenal on Sunday while Leicester, Burnley, and QPR are all at home in the Championship. Elsewhere, 50,000 fans will attend the Aberdeen-Inverness Caledonian Thistle Scottish LC final at Celtic Park; La Liga leaders Real Madrid visit Malaga, Barcelona play Osasuna and UD Mojacar play CD El Ejido (h) in

Kelly Gallagher.

1st winter gold medal In Sochi, Kelly Gallagher with her guide Charlotte Evans, won GB’s first-ever Winter Paralympic Olympic gold medal in the visually impaired giant slalom. Jade Etherington took bronze in this same event, having collected silver in the downhill skiing event. The latter was GB’s first medal of any colour since 1994. Regional Preferente (watch this game on the Playa). Moving onto the oval ball game, the final three Six Nations Rugby matches feature FranceIreland, Italy-England and Wales-Scotland. For racing enthusiasts, the Cheltenham Festival started on Tuesday. The Gold Cup takes place tomorrow and my eachway tip is Dynaste, trained by Martin Pipe and ridden by Sam Waley-Cohen.

And the first Formula One Grand Prix of 2014 takes place in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday. There’s a practice session tomorrow followed by qualifying laps on Saturday. LATEST SOCCER ROUNDUP • After the FAC quarter-final results - Arsena1 4 Everton 1, Hull 3 Sunderland 0, Manchester City 1 Wigan 2 and Sheffield United 2 Charlton 0 - the Wembley semis will feature

Arsenal v Wigan and Hull v Sheffield United who are the first third tier club to reach the last four since Wycombe in 2001. Holders Wigan shocked City for the second season running. • In the Premiership, Chelsea whipped Tottenham 4-0 in the London derby to go seven points clear at the top of the Premiership, while at the bottom Cardiff grabbed a vital win over Fulham. • In the Championship, it’s Leicester (1st), Burnley (2nd) and Derby (3rd); Wolves lead FL1 from Brentford while Chesterfield top FL2 ahead of Scunthorpe and Rochdale; alas Torquay United are 92nd and bottom! • In La Liga, Real Madrid (top) beat Levante 3-0, Atletico Madrid (2nd) defeated Celta Vigo 2-0 while Barcelona (3rd) surprisingly lost 1-0 at Valladolid. • Former WBA & England right-back Stan Rickaby (89) has died in Australia. This leaves exChelsea star Roy Bentley (also 89) and Ivor Broadis (91), once of Newcastle & Manchester City as England’s oldest former internationals still alive. • Swindon Town’s Nile Ranger has been cleared of raping a woman in a hotel. • Captain Carles Puyol will

Having a Grande time

WINNERS: Cortijo Grande members. CORTIJO Grande had two divisions on its March 5 match. Winner of the first division was Cathal Higgins (34) followed by David Hardy (32). Second division winner was Frans Diedan (34)

with Alan Woodward in second (33). Ballsweep winner was Barbara Wardley. Sunday was a major competition where John Geaves took the trophy with a 67 score.

Chris Astheimer was second (73), third was Mike Picken (74). Second division winner was Janet Kay with 69 points. Bobby Vindenis was second (76), third was Ray Linforth (78).

Longest drive was Juan Ramon Rubio for the men and Lilly Pepper for the ladies. Nearest the pins were John Geaves, Janet Kay and Mary Higgins.

DID YOU KNOW? • If Wolves were victorious against Swindon on Tuesday, they would have set a club record of nine successive League wins. They won eight in a row on four occasions, firstly in 1915. • The first football international featuring 22 professionals was the Scotland v. England clash in Glasgow in March 1886. Each player received 10s (50p). leave Barcelona in May. • Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies has been given a fivematch touchline ban. • Ex-Birmingham City owner Carson Yueng will spend six years in prison after being found guilty of money laundering (£55 million). GENERAL SPORT • In Six Nations Rugby, England gained sweet revenge by beating Wales 29-18, Ireland (in Brian O’Driscoll’s last home international) thrashed Italy 46-7 and France edged Scotland 19-17 with a late penalty. • At the World Indoor Athletics Championships GB’s Richard Kilty won gold in the 60m, Katarina JohnsonThompson silver in the long jump and Tiffany Porter bronze in the women’s 60m hurdles. • Having beaten the West Indies 2-1 in the recent ODI series, England’s cricketers are now playing the Windies in three T20 matches. They lost the first game by 27 runs. Meanwhile, South African captain Graeme Smith has retired from competitive cricket. He played in 731 matches (116 Tests) and scored 38,222 runs.

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Richard Kilty wins gold At the World Indoor Athletics Championships. Turn to Page 79 TO READ MORE VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

Badgers first trip to Aguilon

BADGERS made their first trip of the season to Aguilon on Thursday, March 6 where Neil Bown won the day’s competition with 37 points. Brian Watts was second (34), third went to Dave Wright (31). Nearest the pins went to Andy Mucha and Neil Bown with a two going to Jim Laird.

Saturday’s stableford competition at Macenas was won by Tony Waldren (39). Lynn Sefton followed in second (36) and Alan Thomas in third (35). Forthcoming fixtures: Wed March 12, Macenas; Thurs March 20 away at Lorca. To book phone 950 478 525 or 686 038 259.

FROM LEFT: Dell Kratzke (chairman), Mike Oulton, Mick Gardner, Tom Tannant and Dave Bower.

Trophies presented THE chairman Dell Kratzke welcomed members and guests to the Villaricos Golf Society inaugural dinner presentation night on Saturday at the Oasis Palomares. After an enjoyable meal the chairman called on last year’s captain Mick Gardner to present

the trophies. The player of the year went to Mike Oulton, most improved player was Rick Bird, most par 3’s and par 5’s in a season went to Tom Tannant and the ‘must do better Trophy’ to Dave Bower. Everyone agreed that this, their first event,

was a great success. Tuesday, March 4 saw Villaricos play at Aguilon, this time with Rick Bird in first place with 30 points. Jean Preston was second followed by Jorge Beimejo in third. Nearest the pins went to John Hepworth.