Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 26 February - 4 March 2015 Issue 1547

ISSUE NO. 1547

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Flamenco flair ALBOX’S sports and fitness centre will soon be holding flamenco classes for adults and children. There will be a minimum of one class per week. Further details are available from Reception.

Woman hurt A 67-YEAR-OLD woman was injured after being hit by a 4x4 vehicle on Paseo Pedro Ponce in El Ejido.

Charity ride THE San Juan de los Terreros charity cycle race for San Animal Santuario has been rescheduled for March 15. Meet at 10am at El Pinar picnic area, €4 donation required.

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Desperate times for Doghouse shelter By Elle Draper STORMS and high winds have resulted in severe damage to a dog’s shelter in Huercal Overa and the death of four dogs. And now the Doghouse Foundation is calling for help from the public to continue its life-saving operation as it faces a ticking clock that could ultimately lead to the destruction of some of its dogs. A clearly upset Paul Tighe from the Doghouse Foundation told Euro Weekly News that the damage to the compounds in Huercal Overa has come at a time when the foundation is in desperate need of help. “I just love what I do,” said Paul, who added: “I want to continue the work here at the Doghouse and with more than 1,000 dogs already having come through our doors, we are making a difference. It must continue. I want the shelter to continue in perpetuity and so continued efforts are vital. I don’t like asking for help, I would rather give than receive. But in order to provide care and attention for these dogs,

and the many more that will come through the doors in the future, it is time to ask for a bit of help from others.” The shelter is desperate for funds to repair the compounds and pay for vets’ bills. From April, the Doghouse will be unable to meet monthly outgoings for the care of the dogs and will have to

reduce the number from 60 to 20 dogs either by re-homing, or – as a last resort – having them put to sleep. The Doghouse is appealing for any type of help, by funding, donations or re-homing. Those who can help in any way can contact Paul Tighe on thedoghse@hotmail.com.

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Brand Almeria set for major publicity drive TOURISM chiefs from a provincial to municipal level across Almeria have agreed a number of marketing initiatives to promote tourism for Marca Almeria (Brand Almeria). Almeria City Council has been promoting the area at the prestigious Ferie for AlleDanish Travel Show, in the Danish city of Herning, to almost 64,000 visitors. The Junta de Andalucia regional government has announced the refurbishment of Almeria City’s tourist office and plans for five additional offices scattered throughout the province at a budget of €155,600. It intends to grab Almeria’s brand with both hands, taking care of corporate image, enhancing and updating the image of Almeria. And now the provincial tourism service has announced a roadshow. It will take the marketing resources of the province to major hotel chains and intermediary agencies across Spain in May and June. The areas to be visited are Albacete, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Valladolid, Madrid, Toledo, Ciudad Real, Jaen, Seville, Cordoba, Malaga and Granada.

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INDEX News 1 - 32 Finance 35 - 40 Leapy Lee 41 Daily TV 48 Time Out 54 - 55 Letters 56 Health & Beauty 60 - 62 Food 67 - 69 Albox 71 - 75 Property 78 - 80 Homes & Gardens 81 Classifieds 82 - 84 Motoring 85 - 86 Sport 87 - 88

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Fire awareness drive launched INSURANCE company Mapfre has released figures which show that on average 200 homes are destroyed by fire in Almeria each year. Most house fires happen from November to March and 40 per cent occur between 9pm and 6am. During 2013 more than 100 people were victims of house fires in Spain, in which 70 per cent perished, five of those in Almeria. The report noted that half the fatal fires in homes in Spain were during the winter; 22 per cent were caused by overloading the electricity network, 30 per cent by careless appliance handling and 19 per cent by smoking. For these reasons, the emergency services have launched an awareness campaign. It aims to reach as many people as possible through social networks

FIRE PREVENTION: Emergency services launch campaign. and other lines of communication, putting special emphasis on the elderly who live alone.

Most fatalities were aged 65 and above, with the highest number of deaths in the age group of 80 to 84.

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Fondon jobs FONDON has 16 more people in work as part of the Emple@30+ and Emple@Joven programmes. The roles are all in maintenance of public spaces or in boosting tourism for the area. Illar works WORK is now complete on the A-348 from Lanjaron to Almeria in Illar. Work included the installation of safety barriers and providing alternative access to vehicles moving in either direction. Gador visit SCHOOLCHILDREN from Gador enjoyed the opportunity to see how the town hall operates during a visit recently. The mayor, took time to answer questions from the students. Benahadux work WORK has begun on a roundabout at the junction of the N-340A and AL-3101 at Benahadux. The roundabout forms part of a series of road improvements planned for the area. Huercal drains AVENIDA DE LOS FLORES in Huercal de Almeria will shortly have a new drain network that will avoid rainfall issues that have blighted the area. It will also include pavement work. Film school ANDALUCIA will soon have its first official film school, similar to those in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. The school will be located in Tabernas, an area used often for movies.

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Football ground work kicks off HUERCAL-OVERA will soon have new facilities at the town’s football ground. The project involves the construction of brand new offices and a meeting room. It takes advantage of an unused area and will provide a new service area for athletes and residents. Mayor of the town, Domingo Fernandez, the

councillor for Sports, Alonso Mena, and Salvador Parra, president of the football club at Huercal-Overa, announced the project on site, which came in response to requests from residents. Fernandez said: “Through this project, we will have facilities where club members can meet and we can attend to

the needs of the parents of the student athletes in a suitable place. To date there have been no facilities or offices at the club. The new project has been agreed with the football club and work begins in the coming weeks.” The construction will be carried out at the town’s Campo de Futbol de El Hornillo.

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ews watch

Pig arrests

OFFICERS from the Guardia Civil have arrested two people for the unlicensed slaughter of three pigs, found in a van in Fiñana. The van driver claimed the pigs were from a farm in Granada.

Bollywood film

TATYANA VYC/SHUTTERSTOCK

Ohanes heliport OHANES has a new heliport, located on land donated by the local council. The heliport, one of a number popping up across Almeria will be used to ease access for emergency services.

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BOLLYWOOD producers are in Tabernas filming a brand new movie called Jill. Tabernas is enjoying a movie revival with Hollywood and now Bollywood choosing its landscapes as backdrops.

Tabernas footie WORK is almost complete on Tabernas’s football ground. The final works include new public toilets and placement of artificial turf. The football ground is set to open in March 2015. JUZCAR: Andalucia’s famous ‘smurf’ village.

Smurf village turning local volunteers blue

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F you haven’t heard of Juzcar, a typical white Andalucian village 22 kilometres from Ronda, you’re obviously not a smurf fan. The village was chosen in 2011 by Sony to launch the premiere of the Smurfs Movie, and 4,000 litres of paint turned the village buildings a shockingly bright shade of blue. Overnight, the sleepy village went from receiving 300 tourists a year to an estimated 80,000 in just six months. Although Sony offered to repaint the village white in December 2011, the villagers voted to keep it blue and watched in awe as thousands of fans and curious tourists continued to appear to have a look. Now the ‘pueblo pitufo’ (smurf village) has decided it needs to do a little more work to encourage the visitors to keep on coming, and has created a project to turn locals into smurfs.

Quote of the Week We kiss against discrimination, racism and homophobia, to condemn these acts that are seen too often within companies, society and public life,’ said Jose Lebaniegos, a Madrid Metro ticket inspector who attended a protest kissing session against homophobia in Madrid.

A €15,000 budget has been put in place to take on an artistic director to train volunteers up as actors and provide costumes and props for ‘pitufo’ (smurf) shows, which have proved a popular attraction at the weekends. Lessons and rehearsals are about to begin for local volunteers of all ages, and the council hopes the street shows and other new activities will be ready by May 30. Juzcar Mayor David Fernandez announced that the local smurfs, who are to receive diplomas after completing their lessons, will also be going on tour with shows planned in Ubrique, Marbella, Malaga City and other towns. Along with face painting, a smurf themed market, blue manicures, personalised smurf baseball cap painting and smurf-meals, the new improved shows are bound to give the young and young-at-heart an unforgettable visit.

Number of the week

150,000

is the estimated number of packets of illegal cigarettes that were being smuggled into Spain each week from Gibraltar by a well-organised smuggling gang that has now been busted by police.

Liverpool visit TWELVE students and a teacher from Liverpool have visited Huercal-Overa as part of an exchange programme with the local Cura Valera school.

ANDA race MORE than 750 runners came together in Almeria City to race and raise funds for ANDA, an association that assists children with disabilities. The 10 kilometre race was won by Ignacio Martinez Asensio.

Meals on wheels FAAM, an organisation that helps the elderly, served 2,515 meals to older people in the last six months. The three course meals are delivered with the assistance of Social Services.

And finally... TWO brothers from Girona tried to swindle an Arab sheik by selling him a forged Goya painting for 1.7 million Swiss Francs (€1.58 million), only to discover they had been paid in photocopied bills. The brothers, who were conned when they bought the fake painting, thought they could recoup their losses by swindling the sheik.

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It’s carnival season THE last few weekends saw towns and cities across Spain burst into colourful life as they each celebrated carnival. Almeria was no exception as many towns held their own celebrations. Albox transformed from a working town into party central as the town’s residents worked hard to ensure everyone enjoyed themselves. The children’s excitement was very apparent and energy levels were sky high. After the children’s parade in the late afternoon it was the turn of the adults to party with their own parade and a party that carried on until the wee hours. Mojacar, too, handed its usual big bash on a plate with people travelling from near and far to join in the celebrations including the parades. Turre wowed the crowds with plenty of street based activities including the burial of the sardine, a traditional event which

CARNIVAL: Colourful parties. culminated in a bonfire in the town square. Huercal-Overa turned orange as the fruit was celebrated in big style and the winners of the children’s parade nabbing top prize with their bright orange outfits. Almeria City honoured Sergio Santiago Muñoz who died in August 2014. Sergio was a huge fan of carnival and would have been thrilled to be honoured in style.

Our View

Facing up to evil

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T’S extremely worrying and distressing to see young people from all around the globe deciding to make their way to Syria to join the ranks of IS. Just this week, four people were arrested in Spain suspected of recruiting for the terrorist group, and many of us are praying that the three teenage girls from Britain, who are believed to have travelled to Syria, are safe and well. When you’re 15 years old, you do not have the sufficient level of maturity and life experience to make a decision as life-changing as running off to a war zone, and it remains to be seen just why they chose to do so. IS recruiters are using social media sites to help indoctrinate impressionable young people to their cause, and the situation once again highlights one of the

dangers the internet can create. The majority of people in the world would like to see every religion, race and creed living life in peace, as John Lennon put it, but unfortunately - in reality - life is not that simple. While we, in the relative safety of our democratic comfort in the West, baulk at the barbarity of life in places like Syria and Iraq at present, others are drawn to the cause because of misguided beliefs and values. No regime, be it democratic or otherwise, can be viewed with any degree of respect or integrity when they freely behead people on film for not agreeing with their religion or values. IS and other groups such as Al Qaeda and Boko Haram have shown the world intolerance is one of the greatest evils this planet faces.

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Tasty Carboneras HEAD to Carboneras on Saturday February 28 as the town celebrates Day of Andalucia with food. The town hall square will be full of food inspired by art from 10.30am until 3pm.

Bentarique fair BENTARIQUE’S La Feria Empresarial Sol Mio brought more than 800 visitors to the town keen to visit and chat to approximately 60 businesses in a synergy of business and art.

Maria streets MARIA is to benefit from road improvements over the coming weeks thanks to a cash injection of €79,900 from the provincial government. Three thousand metres are to be resurfaced.

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Susana Diaz comes to Almeria, bearing gifts SUSANA DIAZ, president of the Junta de Andalucia regional government, visited Almeria Province and announced a series of measures for the area. Among the measures was the opening to tender for the renovation of 32 homes in El

Puche. The work should enable families to return to their homes within eight months, towards the end of 2015. The project has a budget of €1.2 million and will form part of a more ambitious project that will eventually benefit 320 families.

Diaz also visited the elderly day centre in Las Salinas, which is managed by FAAM (Federation of Persons with Disabilities). The centre can accommodate up to 50 users and currently serves 38 elderly people. The centre won an award in 2013 for best practices. Diaz also broached the problems at Fines’ Escuela de Marmol. She said the issues of integration into the ESI and Perez hired 37 people, (Infrastructure Services) without the correct Education be solved procedures, costing would although €400,000. At the same immediately time he allegedly hired an she did not specify when architectural firm for 14 workers would receive €124,634 and claimed wages owed to them. Diaz added: “The miscellaneous expenses outside the allocation from present and future are the budget, amounting to guaranteed with the new system and now we need €388,740. The prosecution has to fix the past and pay requested a sentence of 10 whatever we have to pay years’ disqualification from to those with months of backlog.” public office.

Ex mayor faces ban ALMERIA Magistrate Court has issued proceedings against Oria’s former PSOE mayor, Jose Perez Perez. In the letter issued by prosecutors to the court, Jose Perez Perez’s alleged activities from 2007 to 2011 were described: “In his capacity as mayor, he took a number of decisions that are not documented in writing, that were contrary to law, without using any administrative procedure

or technical opinion and without legal bodies to vouch for his actions. “Under these conditions he carried out labour recruitment and issued contracts for various works and services, imposing on all occasions his own criteria and will, regardless of the capabilities of the beneficiaries and the public services.” Among the alleged irregularities are that Perez

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Illegal homes hope HOMEOWNERS’ groups in Almeria have hailed a proposed change to the Criminal Code that would help protect people who purchase illegal properties in good faith, as “a golden opportunity” to take a step forward. A proposal by the PSOE political party in the Senate on February 18 for an amendment to the Criminal Code seeks to ensure that third parties who purchase an illegal property in good faith receive compensation before the property is demolished. The AUAN group in Almeria and its sister association SOHA in Malaga - who have long campaigned for this change - are calling on all political parties to support it. Their call comes following the demolition of several illegal homes in Spain bought by foreign buyers who were unaware of any problems at the

ILLEGAL HOMES: The solution is simple, first compensate and then demolish. time of purchase. AUAN estimates there are around 300,000 illegal homes in southern Spain alone. “The normal practice is that the promoter is given a small fine for building an illegal house, whilst the person who spent their life savings on the house sees it demolished with a theoretical order of compensation that never

actually happens,” said Gerardo Vazquez, lawyer for the associations. “In reality, the victim receives the greatest punishment and this cannot be right. Certainly, the environment must be protected, but the end does not justify the means if you violate a person’s fundamental right to inviolability of the home,

their human right to property and their constitutional right to decent housing. “The solution is simple, first compensate and then demolish.” A decision is believed to be due at the beginning of March on the amendment and at the end of March there will be a general vote in the Senate.

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ANDALUCIA DAY: The flag will be raised in Mojacar.

Day of Andalucia FEBRUARY 28 will see a series of events organised across the region to celebrate the Day of Andalucia. In Mojacar the festivities will begin in the town hall square at noon with the raising of the Andalucia flag. This will be followed by an exhibition of Zumba at Plaza Nueva and a release of balloons to mark the festival. At 2pm at the Plaza Parterre a giant paella will be cooked with free helpings, courtesy of the town hall. At 6pm in the Centro de Usos Multiples (formerly known as the Artisan Centre) there will be a traditional concert performed by local schools and groups

including The School of Music Choir Yolanda Parra, the guitar playing group Pedro Clemente, the pro-danza School Nicky Mainstone, the Spanish dance school Gustavo Criado, The Oriental dance school Fatima Perestrello and the Rociero choir Embrujo Mojaquero. Finallly, at 11pm to conclude the festivities at the Centro de Usos Multiples, there will be a performance by popflamenco group Los Jereles who will entertain the crowds with their versions of flamenco numbers but with a pop twist. There will also be a bar to raise funds for the AECC, a Spanish cancer charity.

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30,000 people sign nuclear bomb petition A CAMPAIGN to collect signatures driven by Ecologists in Action to demand the governments of Spain and the United States decontaminate Palomares from plutonium has reached 30,000 in just one month. The village of Palomares in Cuevas del Almanzora has been contaminated since

1966 following an accident involving an American B52 bomber in which four nuclear bombs leaked radioactive material into the soil. Although the bombs were swiftly removed contamination remains, claim environmentalists. The text of the petition states that “To

Drunk driver fined A DRUNK woman who took her partner’s car without permission, drove without a licence, skipped a police checkpoint then crashed into several cars in Pulpi causing €7,000 worth of damage, has been sentenced. An Almeria court ordered her to do 120 days of community service, banned her from driving for one year and issued a fine of €3 per day for 30 days. The Local Police said they had to take evasive action to avoid being hit as the 28-year-old woman, DCV, went on her drunken rampage in June 2011.

avoid radiation exposure in Palomares requires preliminary cleaning and decontamination. The government cannot shirk its responsibility to protect the population.” It goes on to state that plutonium from the atomic bombs continues to spread throughout the area. The online petition criticises the lack of governmental interest and demands action in accordance with national and international regulations on the storage of radioactive material. A spokesman for Ecologists in Action says that the online petition on Change.org has reached 30,000 supporting signatures although the goal is to reach 100,000.

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Let us know ARBOLEAS Town Hall is conducting an evaluation of the intentions and necessities of the European Union citizens that live in the town. Expat residents older than 65 are being asked to fill in a five-minute questionnaire, which could greatly help to improve aspects of the town. The questionnaire is anonymous so people can put whatever opinions they may have. You can fill out the form at the case sensitive url http://goo. gl/forms/DPkVFq73fc

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Tenders are in for business hub TENDERS are in for the ‘hub’ to help promote business and employment in an Almeria town. Last Friday, February 20, proposals from five companies were

opened at Huercal Overa Council for tenders for the new project. This is the first step in the construction of the business hub, which will be located in the industrial area. It will cover approximately 1,300 square metres and house classrooms friends that can offer a little for ICT, training and more in terms of support other courses. for patients. This may be The project has a by visiting and helping with budget of €600,000 and tasks or household duties is funded 80 per cent by or picking up shopping. It FEDER. Huercal Overa may be something as Council will manage the simple as being on the end project. of a phone if someone Huercal Overa mayor, needs to chat. This is not a Domingo Fernandez, medical position and no said: “We hope to previous experience is contribute to improve necessary. employment in our If this is something you town. We open new can help with, contact doors for entrepreneurs, continuing macscancersupport@live. the route of active co.uk. MACS is also policy that we have urgently seeking Englishmarked with enterprise speaking Andalucian and employment.” registered nurses.

MACS buddies needed MACS (Mojacar Area Cancer Support) is desperately seeking volunteer buddies for patients in the Mojacar and Huercal Overa areas. Buddies are, simply put,

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Two Vicar men arrested for theft OFFICERS from the Guardia Civil have arrested two men from Vicar on suspicion of three cases of theft in La Mojonera and Almerimar. One of the men is also suspected of theft from two shopping centres in Malaga. Almeria resident AB, aged 20, and JAMS from Purchena, aged 18, were arrested after officers disturbed the former during an attempted robbery at a home in La Mojonera. After a brief chase, the officers found a number of clothing

STOLEN GOODS: Items of clothing were found. items in their vehicle. The items matched those taken in a robbery in a shopping

centre in Malaga. The men were then connected to other thefts.

Charges dropped in Zurgena PROSECUTION has dropped charges against individuals associated with Tisan Sureste SL relating to construction of properties in Los Menchones, Zurgena, as time has run out with regard to the planning crimes they were charged with.

However the case continues with former mayor and current councillor Candido Trabalon, the former planning officer Miguel Tijeras and seven former councillors who were in office between 2007 and 2011.

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Mojacar English language library FOR those that may not be aware, there is an English Language Library in Mojacar, located on the lower level of the Centro de Usos Multiples where you can find more than 15,000 books. The community library started in 1981 and today is manned by 37 volunteers, including one original, Elaine Kenyon. A committee, chaired by Anne Marie Tandy, meets regularly to select books, so that there are on average 65 new books every couple of months. Donations of good quality books are accepted also. New books for the library are bought with

money raised from member donations. The requested membership amount is â‚Ź12 per year per household, although Spanish members may join free. You do not have to live in Mojacar, or even Spain, to

Donations help to purchase new books become a member. Currently there are almost 200 households using the library with approximately 300 members, but the library

does need more in order to raise funds through donations, which enables the purchase of more books. None of this would be possible, however, without the free use of the premises and so the library committee would like to express its gratitude to Mojacar Town Hall for its continued support in providing the sole use of the room, as well as meeting the costs of the heating and lighting. With its team of volunteers, the library is staffed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am to 1pm, closing only on fiesta days.

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2015 budget approves works VARIOUS improvements are already obvious in Arboleas, with a large amount of urban works currently under way. Improvements include

work on the rock walls and the creation of a pavement and cycle track at the town’s entrance, work in front of the medical centre, extensive

works in El Chopo to control future flooding and to add a pavement, and the new children’s playground near the town hall. All the work is being carried out by PFEA (unemployed workers scheme) and the youth employment initiative, plus a grant from Madrid

for flood control measures. Although the projects are under the supervision of the Arboleas Town Hall and they have the funds as a result of projects proposed, there are regulations about which type of project can be authorised under these schemes.

The 2015 budget has now been approved and provides €1.5 million for new urban works, for which the town hall will have control. This will allow them to make improvements in the various neighbourhoods, such as street lighting, sewage works and tarmacking.

Thinking of buying your own golf course? PLAYA MACENAS BEACH AND GOLF RESORT goes to auction on March 19. The starting bid is €153,089, although the final price is expected to exceed €2.66 million. The 270,442.85 square metre plot includes an 18 hole golf course and 11 120 square metre detached houses (valued at €220,000 each and with first

occupation licences in place), plus a beach club, gymnasium and Jacuzzi. The project was originally started in 2006 by Med Macenas SL and is located close to the natural park of Cabo de Gata. The auction is already garnering interest from investors across Europe.

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Albox flamenco ALBOX’S municipal sports and fitness centre will soon be holding flamenco classes for adults and children. There will be a minimum of one class per week. Further details available from reception.

Woman injured A 67-YEAR-OLD woman was injured after being in collision with a four-wheeldrive vehicle on Paseo Pedro Ponce in El Ejido. She was transferred to Torrecardenas hospital in Almeria City for treatment.

Porsche winner ALMERIA driver and current champion, Jose Antonio Aznar Jose Crisanto, stamped his winning status by coming first in the AlmanzoraFilabres rally. He won in his Porsche 911 GT3.

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CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA: Some of the adults in their decorated masks.

1st mask contest CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA held its first Traditional Mask Contest with La Sastreria Maestro Perales (Master Tailors of Perales) and Los Panaderos (The Bakers) taking the top prizes. Groups of children and adults have been spending their time decorating masks in preparation for the competition, the first in the town. Councillors and organisers of the competition were on hand to present

awards to the lucky winners. Los Panaderos won the children’s prize and gained €50, redeemable for school supplies. They were followed by Capitana America and Los Militares who earned second and third place respectively. La Sastreria Maestro Perales nabbed the adult prize and got €100. Mercado de la Plaza de Abastos took second place. The week’s festivities continued with the ‘burial of the sardine’ and traditional family games, with the main parade on Saturday February 21.

Almeria pepper prices dropping ACCORDING to Jose Antonio Baños, president of the Ejidomar cooperative in Almeria, the price of peppers in the province dropped compared with courgettes and cucumbers that are seing prices rebound due to shortages. Jose Antonio said that Israel is becoming a bigger player in the market by

selling peppers at a lower price than Almeria farmers. “A few years ago, Israeli peppers were always more expensive than Spanish,” said Jose Antonio, “but the situation changed when producers started marketing their products on their own instead of under a consortium. This makes it difficult to achieve high prices and they end up selling cheaper which ultimately hurts Spanish producers.” Ejidomar will finish its pepper campaign in late March. Its produce is shipped primarily to Germany, Switzerland, the UK and Scandinavia. It is also exported to the United States and Canada by air.

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Charity show SHIRLEY VALENTINE is being performed at Teatro Miraflores, Camping Los Gallardos March 28 to 30 at 7.30pm. Tickets at €8.50 from itgbox office@gmail.com. The charitable beneficiary for 2015 is the Vera Orphanage.

RBL Mojacar MOJACAR’S Royal British Legion branch’s next meeting is on Thursday March 5 at the artisan centre of Mojacar pueblo at 11.15am. Everyone is welcome.

Circus gripe EQUINAC animal protection society has filed a complaint with the Guardia Civil against German circus Berlin Zirkus, currently in El Ejido. The complaint specifies the restricted storage of several wild animals.

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Mojacar singer vows judges on The Voice ONE woman stole the show on UK talent television show The Voice and that was 26-year-old Sheena McHugh from Coalville, Leicestershire. And she is already known in Almeria as the voice of the Mojacar song. On The Voice, Sheena sang Hold On, We’re Going Home, and her emotional performance had all four judges turning their chairs and giving her

STANDING OVATION: Sheena McHugh. a standing ovation. The audience and judges were further wowed when they heard

Sheena’s story. Sheena survived a near fatal car accident, suffering horrific injuries and at one point

Almeria is tomato capital for a day ALMERIA CITY hosted a huge tomato event where attendees had the chance to taste tomatoes presented in a myriad of ways. One of the activities enjoyed by visitors last Saturday (February 21) was a healthy breakfast which cost just €1 with all proceeds going to the Association of Children with Disabilities in Almeria (ANDA). Chefs Antonio Gazquez, Tony Garcia and Visitacion Miras hosted a live cooking show which was broadcast on a giant screen to an eager audience. There was also the opportunity to taste a Sobrasador sandwich accompanied by a Cruzcampo beer for just €1 with all

proceeds going to Cruz Roja (Red Cross). Visitors enjoyed stands, children’s workshops and product exhibitions while younger visitors had a chance to meet the event’s mascot, Tomatal. The day continued with a concert by Los Happys, an 80s’ style band. To celebrate Almeria, tomato capital of the world, all visitors could purchase a bag of tomatoes for €1 with the proceeds going to Cruz Roja. Numerous horticultural firms supported the event and it was sponsored by the province of Almeria, Almeria City Council, Cajamar and Cadena SER.

wondering if she would ever walk again. “I know you’ll be an amazing, amazing contestant,” enthused judge Rita Ora. But it was Will.i.am who Sheena chose as her mentor for the next stage of the competition. He remarked to the other judges: “She’s the best singer we’ve heard.” Since her performance, Sheena has been placed as second favourite to win, just behind Scottish fireman Stevie McCrorie. Richard Shanley, of Spectrum FM, said: “We always knew she had a fantastic voice which is why we chose her to sing our Mojacar song, which we had produced several years ago to promote the beautiful Costa Almeria. We wish her all the best for the remainder of the competition and let’s see if she can go all the way. I hope that everyone in the UK with a connection to the area votes for her.” You can listen to Sheena sing Mojacar at the case sensitive url: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=qx_Lvz LMqDU

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Macael on a new EU cultural route THE European Union is creating a new European cultural route, this time focusing on the marble industry. In the project, five destinations, famous for their marble, are involved. Attica in Greece with its translucent marble mountains of Penteli, the Walloon region in Belgium with its red and black Rance marble, Lucca in Italy with the white marble of the Apuan Alps, Portugal’s Alentejo with the pink marble of Estremoz, and the Almanzora Valley with the white marble of Macael are all included on the new route. The aim of the initiative is to create and

promote a new transnational tourism experience based on a common and industrial heritage, the production of marble in Europe. In Spain, the project is being carried out by the Association of Municipalities of Valle del Almanzora in collaboration with the Department of Tourism in Macael. The cost to get the area ready is €259,371.89. The slogan for the campaign is ‘A journey of how a rock grows into a masterpiece and during its execution’, which is scheduled for January 2016, a route will be created in each of the destinations which allows visitors to experience

different aspects of the marble. Visitors will be able to see ancient quarries, some of which are still in operation. There are museums to browse and displays of artistic pieces made from marble. A promotional campaign will be launched to ensure maximum visibility at a European level. Macael has already opened a museum and information point for visitors, showcasing different routes and tours focused around the marble industry. Macael is well represented at artisan fairs, showcasing ornaments and gifts made from the white material.

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NEWS

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HUERCAL-OVERA: A previous awards ceremony for Dia de Villazgo.

Awards ceremony SEVERAL residents and organisations in HuercalOvera will be honoured at a ceremony on March 3 presided over by mayor, Domingo Fernandez. The recipients were agreed in a plenary session held at the town hall. The date of the presentation is an important one in the town’s diary and is named, simply, ‘Dia de Villazgo.’ In total, four awards will be handed out. The title of Favourite Daughter will be awarded to Carmen Pinteño. Considered one of Almeria’s most important painters of the 20th century, her work

continues the Indaliano movement made famous by Jesus de Perceval and Benjamin Palencia. The Cooperativo Agrolevante is being awarded for its work on behalf of local agriculture. The cooperative was born from the union of citrus producers located in the town who pooled their efforts to join other producers, adding quality and value. Almost 200 people work for the cooperative in seasonal periods and the aim is to increase production, ensure quality and provide employment.

An Honourable Mention will be given to Encarna Lorenzo, that has been key in holding the traditional crafts of Huercal-Overa, in its case with bobbin lace. It has worked in cooperation with La Cuna del Bun, an association through which many local women are learning to make lace with traditional methods. To accompany the Dia de Villazgo, Huercal-Overa will be hosting a medieval market and an outdoor painting exhibition.

NEWS EXTRA

Repair works WORK has begun on the restoration of Vera’s Ermita de San Anton. The restoration, at a budget of €150,000, includes repairs to walls, wiring, reconstruction of the choir area and woodwork.

Park upgrade RESTORATION of Carboneras’ Lometico park is now complete. The work includes a new mural, aesthetic improvements to the stone terrain and installation of ramps and planters.

Dead dolphin EQUINAC has removed the body of a dead dolphin from Genoveses beach in Cabo de Gata. The 1.4 metre male dolphin was in an advanced state of decomposition according to Equinac.

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NEWS

26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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Social media scrutiny by tax inspectors TAX dodgers and fraudsters in Spain had better be careful what they Tweet or post on Facebook as tax inspectors are taking to

social media sites to help in their crackdown on suspected tax avoiders. Inspectors are to search the

internet with special software in order to pinpoint suspected dodgers, including data about their professional contacts and

family ties that may lead to information on any undeclared business activities. “It is extremely important to be

intensive in our use of new technology and to be able to use support from computer auditing experts during our controls, in order to access the internal workings and information contained within computers and which is not shared with the Tax Agency,” said of the Western World, a Santiago Menendez of the documentary film on the Spanish Tax Agency. The Spanish agency has group. Tickets for the concerts staff who regularly analyse go on sale from 10am websites and blogs in tomorrow, Friday February search of clues, and some 27 from www.livenation.es, even search through celebrity magazines for www.ticketmaster.es, signs of undeclared wealth www.elcorteingles/entrada in photos. s or www.entradas.com.

EIGHTIES pop superstars Spandau Ballet have announced concerts in Spain as part of their Soulboys of the Western World Live tour. On June 18 in Madrid and June 19 in Bilbao, Spandau Ballet will be visiting Spain with a third concert also

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS - ANDREW HURLEY

Spandau soulboys to sing in Spain SPANDAU BALLET: In a previous concert. pencilled in for Barcelona, details to be confirmed. The group announced its return to the road with a tour starting in March following the release in the UK last October of Soulboys

NEWS

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Speed trap locations published for safety MOTORISTS in Spain will soon know the location of all speed cameras and traps thanks to the Spanish traffic authority (DGT). What’s more, drivers will get early warnings of the presence of an upcoming speed control in order to make Spanish roads safer. Director general of the DGT, Maria Segui, said that all speed controls, both mobile and fixed, would be clearly visible on the roads for motorists. “This initiative is being adopted so that drivers will respect established speed limits, particularly on stretches of road that have been identified as especially dangerous,” said Ms Segui. “Violation reports are not our final goal. Speed in and of itself is neither good nor bad, but the challenge lies in managing it.” The DGT are to publish on their website the location of all checkpoints in Spain in order to raise awareness about the need for safe driving. In January of this year, there was a 44 per cent rise in road

deaths over the same month in 2014. Despite the bad month, in 2014 there were fewer road fatalities than the year before. “Our 2014 figures consolidate us as one of the safest countries in terms of moving around,” said Ms Segui. “France and England have reported annual rises of 2 to 6 per cent in road deaths, and Germany is anticipating a 2 per cent increase.”

terstock. Tom Wang/Shut

SPEED TRAPS: Locations to be made known.

26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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NEWS

Safeguard right to vote online BRITONS living in Spain are being urged to sign an online petition to safeguard their right to vote in any referendum on staying in or out of the EU. Alan Thomas, a Briton living in France, decided it was unfair that any referendum in Britain may exclude some of those who would be most affected by it - those people who have been living in the EU for more than 15 years. At the moment people who have lived outside the UK for that period of time lose their right to vote in the UK. That is an issue that has been becoming a hot topic as the British

General Election approaches. There has been legislation proposed that would remove the time restriction, but crucially that legislation may not be passed, if ever brought forward, until after an in-or-out referendum on EU membership. So Alan has set up the e-petition on the UK government website calling for all British passport holders to be given the right to vote in any such referendum, regardless of how long they have lived abroad and is urging British residents in Spain to go online to sign it. The full text of his

petition reads: “It has been proposed that legislation will be introduced to remove the 15-year limitation on non-residents being able to register to vote in UK elections and referenda. Should a motion be tabled in Parliament to hold a referendum on EU membership, before such legislation is passed, this petition requests that all British passport holders meeting the qualifying criteria who are resident in the EU outside the UK be able to register to partake in any such referendum.� To sign the petition visit http://epetitions.direct. gov.uk/petitions/74848.

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NEWS

Worry over life after retirement rises in Spain PEOPLE in Spain are increasingly fearful for their quality of life after they retire. Fifty-seven per cent are concerned about retirement, a 3 per cent increase compared to June 2014, according to the report Barometer on Retirement Perception, conducted by the Aviva Institute. The study compared how worried people in Spain are about the income they would need to live comfortably in their later years with the level of concern amongst other European citizens. Interviewees aged between 35 and 44 years old are the ones who feel most worried about the issue, both in Spain and the rest of Europe. The results show that 61 per cent of people in Spain in this age group say they are very concerned, followed by those between 45 and 54 years old, 60 per cent of whom admit to being very concerned.

The report reveals that women are more worried than men, both in Spain and the rest of Europe, with 59 per cent confirming that they are worried, compared to 55 per cent of men. Across Europe as a whole, the difference is more significant, with 57 per cent of women and 51 per cent of men stating their concern. Amongst those closer to the age of retirement, fears have increased dramatically, reaching 58 per cent, 10 points more than the figures registered in June. Finally, the level of worry in families with small children has decreased during the past few months, both in Spain and Europe. Couples without children, and families with older children display a higher level of concern, the latter feeling the most worry (61 per cent in Spain and 59 per cent in Europe).

E W N 26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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NEWS PETER KATES/FLICKR

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SPAIN: Popular with British holidaymakers.

Sun, sea and sangria

NEARLY two-thirds of British couples planning to go on holiday during 2015 will travel to Spain, more than three times as many people than will go to the next most popular destination, Greece. A whopping 58 per cent of UK holidaymakers will take a sunshine break in Spain, out of season, and stay in a hotel that affords them a healthy spending budget. This is the average British holiday in 2015

according to Monarch Airlines, who surveyed more than 2,000 UK adults about their plans for a holiday. Spain dominated the top 10 choices, with second-placed Greece only being chosen by 17.2 per cent. “Spain’s popularity amongst those looking for sun, sea and sangria is as strong as ever,” said Ian Chambers, head of retail and online at Monarch Airlines. “It’s also great to

see savvy travellers making the most of the exceptional bargains that are to be had outside of the traditional peak season - June is a month that offers the excellent weather conditions of high summer without the crowds.” The Monarch survey also revealed that the most popular amount of spending money to take on holiday is a very sizeable £400 to £500 per person (€545 to €680).

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

inance F

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business & legal Ministerial tug-of-war over Bankia ECONOMY minister Luis de Guindos and Finance minister Cristobal Montoro do not always see eye to eye. They disagreed over raising the value-added tax IVA, for instance, with De Guindos for and Montoro against. They now differ over future compensation for small investors who launched lawsuits after losing their savings through Bankia’s flawed 2011

flotation. The bank is now partly nationalised, with De Guindos in favour of limiting Bankia’s compensation liability to 38 per cent. The remainder would come from the bank’s parent company BFA, which is 100 per cent government-owned. Montoro, whose ministry controls Spain’s Hacienda or Treasury, is determined that taxpayers should not

Telefonica bites the bolivar bullet THE falling value of Venezuela’s bolivar has hit Telefonica once more. The oil producer’s devalued currency has cost the company €7.45 billion over the last five years and the Spanish multinational has now decided to reduce the value of its Venezuelan assets. Telefonica announced that henceforth both these and income will be valued at 50 bolivars to the dollar instead of the previous 12. Even this could be considered overpriced as a black market dollar fetched 118 bolivars at the beginning of February, insiders said. US companies like Kimberly Clark have

already adopted the same exchange rate or, like Ford and Pepsi Cola, intend to do so. BBVA and Mapfre have been less courageous and are still valuing assets at 12 bolivars to the dollar. The move will write down its Venezuelan assets by €2.84 billion, Telefonica said, an amount that includes retained profits now estimated at €1.23 billion that it has been barred from repatriating to Spain. Its Venezuela results for last year will be adjusted to the new exchange rate, reducing its gross profit by €915 million and net profit by €399 million.

B

usiness extra

Portuguese bid CAIXABANK, which owns 44 per cent of Portuguese bank BPI, launched a takeover bid. Threequarters of BPI shareholders must first agree to reverse rules that restrict Caixabank’s voting rights to 20 per cent.

Orange alert ORANGE ESPAÑA’s 2014 earnings of €3.87 billion were 4.4 per cent less than in 2013 although mobile contracts increased by 455,000. Pre-tax profits of €958 million were 7.8 per cent down.

Hedge funds fly to AENA TWO hedge funds have invested in Spain’s airports operator AENA. London-based TCI acquired a 6.67 per cent stake for €580 million and the US fund, Fidelity, bought 1.3 per cent for €120 million. Morgan Stanley, one of the banks that managed the flotation, controls 3.62 per cent. Some institutional Spanish

investors like Ferrovial and Grupo Alba dropped out when AENA was partly-privatised earlier this month when the €58 initial public offering price (IPO) exceeded the price they were committed to paying. Shares rose by 20 per cent on the first day of trading, however, making an €800 million profit for the big investors.

LA VEU DEL PAÍS VALENCIÀ LA MAREA

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

STAT OF WEEK HACIENDA received €12.32 billion in taxes last year, making 2014 a record year. Thanks to Hacienda’s onslaught against fiscal fraud and despite staff cuts, each employee collected an average of €479,000.

have to foot the Bankia bill. The Bank of Spain has yet to make a pronouncement, but Bankia itself is uneasy, sources revealed. If it has to compensate all losses arising from the flotation, this will drag down share prices, they said. PROTEST: Bankia shareholders demanding compensation.

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LONDON - FTSE 100

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US

C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 23

C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) 3i Group 487.70 Aberdeen Asset Mngmnt 471.50 Admiral Group 1,470.50 Aggreko 1,690.00 Anglo American 1,224.50 Antofagasta 744.50 ARM Holdings 1,120.50 Ashtead Group 1,142.00 Associated Brit Foods 3,046.50 AstraZeneca 4,472.50 Aviva 549.25 Babcock International 1,019.00 BAE Systems 532.75 Barclays 263.20 Barratt Developments 505.50 BG Group 972.55 BHP Billiton 1,555.75 BP 446.23

C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G. 5.50 1.14 4.10 0.88 7.50 0.51 3.00 0.18 -22.00 -1.76 -9.00 -1.19 4.50 0.40 12.00 1.06 10.50 0.35 59.00 1.34 2.75 0.50 7.00 0.69 2.75 0.52 1.70 0.65 5.00 1.00 1.15 0.12 -25.25 -1.60 -0.47 -0.11

NET VOLUME 4,651.17 6,130.75 4,073.05 4,300.23 17,081.29 7,379.14 15,419.31 5,685.27 24,217.31 56,004.79 16,242.23 5,010.67 16,603.15 43,037.72 4,930.53 32,510.78 33,239.79 81,323.00

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1.35648

0.73719

Units per €

US dollar..................................................................1.13360 Japan yen ...............................................................135.160 Switzerland franc................................................1.07165 Denmark kroner.................................................7.45754 Norway kroner ....................................................8.57913

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

PRICE(P)

British Am Tobacco British Land Co BT Group Bunzl Burberry Group Capita Group (The) Carnival

3,676.75 826.00 444.50 1,962.00 1,921.00 1,176.00 2,880.00

C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G.

DOW JONES

NASDAQ

C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 23

C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 23

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 KO The Coca-Cola Co DIS Walt Disney Co 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 IBM International Business Machine... MMM 3M Co AXP American Express Co T AT&T Inc BA Boeing Co CAT Caterpillar Inc CVX Chevron Corp CSCO Cisco Systems Inc KO The Coca-Cola Co DIS Walt Disney Co 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 IBM International Business Machine...

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 168.12 79.83 34.08 158.31 84.44 108.60 29.61 41.97 104.55 76.67 89.92 25.21 191.51 112.24 163.65 168.12 79.83 34.08 158.31 84.44 108.60 29.61 41.97 104.55 76.67 89.92 25.21 191.51 112.24 163.65

+1.03 +1.43 -0.01 +4.56 +1.14 +0.25 +0.30 -0.14 +0.66 +0.59 +0.48 +0.20 +2.40 +1.30 -0.24 +1.03 +1.43 -0.01 +4.56 +1.14 +0.25 +0.30 -0.14 +0.66 +0.59 +0.48 +0.20 +2.40 +1.30 -0.24

+0.62% +1.82% -0.03% +2.97% +1.37% +0.23% +1.02% -0.33% +0.64% +0.78% +0.54% +0.80% +1.27% +1.17% -0.15% +0.62% +1.82% -0.03% +2.97% +1.37% +0.23% +1.02% -0.33% +0.64% +0.78% +0.54% +0.80% +1.27% +1.17% -0.15%

2.4M 11.3M 21.3M 9.4M 6.0M 7.6M 26.0M 16.0M 5.2M 3.9M 16.0M 39.9M 2.3M 7.3M 3.4M 2.4M 11.3M 21.3M 9.4M 6.0M 7.6M 26.0M 16.0M 5.2M 3.9M 16.0M 39.9M 2.3M 7.3M 3.4M

C O M PA N Y

20.75 8.50 3.30 34.00 13.00 5.00 5.00

0.57 1.04 0.75 1.76 0.68 0.43 0.17

NET VOLUME 68,319.70 8,402.88 35,545.37 6,406.34 8,448.17 7,687.51 6,350.89

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

$ 14.50 $ 7.87 $ 3.73 $ 8.06 $ 12.19 $ 100.75 $ 18.97 $ 26.89 $ 70.35 $ 2.58 $ 19.73

3.29 ▲ 29.35% 1.07 ▲ 15.74% 0.39 ▲ 11.68% 0.79 ▲ 10.87% 1.12 ▲ 10.12% 9.20 ▲ 10.05% 1.72 ▲ 9.97% 2.39 ▲ 9.76% 6.07 ▲ 9.44% 0.22 ▲ 9.32% 1.54 ▲ 8.47%

$ 18.90 $ 10.82 $ 33.68 $ 17.95 $ 9.51 $ 7.54 $ 57.51 $ 14.42 $ 28.53 $ 19.51 $ 6.07

8.84 ▼ 31.87% 3.95 ▼ 26.74% 5.30 ▼ 13.60% 2.82 ▼ 13.58% 1.24 ▼ 11.53% 0.87 ▼ 10.34% 6.41 ▼ 10.03% 1.58 ▼ 9.88% 2.57 ▼ 8.26% 1.68 ▼ 7.93% 0.51 ▼ 7.75%

Most Advanced Egalet Corporation Sizmek Inc. CafePress Inc. ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. Hingham Institution for Savings ProQR Therapeutics N.V. Allied Motion Technologies, Inc. CyberArk Software Ltd. Hudson Global, Inc. MedAssets, Inc.

Most Declined Noodles & Company Rocket Fuel Inc. Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. TrueCar, Inc. BioTelemetry, Inc. NMI Holdings Inc Universal Electronics Inc. VisionChina Media, Inc. Famous Dave's of America, Inc. Bel Fuse Inc. Planar Systems, Inc.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) CHANGE Centrica 250.25 -1.85 Coca-Cola HBC 1,125.00 -7.00 Compass Group 1,142.50 8.50 CRH 1,844.00 9.00 Diageo 1,895.25 9.25 Direct Line Insurance 329.40 1.90 Dixons Carphone 443.50 2.50 easyJet 1,759.50 7.50 Experian 1,195.50 5.50 Fresnillo 808.75 -18.25 Friends Life Group 418.55 1.45 G4S 285.75 1.85 GKN 386.85 3.85 GlaxoSmithKline 1,530.50 0.50 Glencore 291.48 -0.62 Hammerson 670.50 5.50 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,070.50 4.50 HSBC Holdings 586.30 -18.90 Imperial Tobacco Group 3,117.00 17.00 InterContinental Hotels 2,548.50 15.50 International Consldtd Air 555.00 4.00 Intertek Group 2,520.00 -27.00 Intu Properties 364.80 2.40 ITV 233.85 0.75 Johnson Matthey 3,478.50 -2.50 Kingfisher 341.35 0.05 Land Securities Group 1,241.00 11.00 Legal & General Group 275.70 2.40 Lloyds Banking Group 78.97 0.99 London Stock Exchange 2,490.50 29.50 Marks & Spencer Group 500.25 2.55 Meggitt 569.75 -3.25 Mondi 1,274.50 3.50 Morrison (Wm) Sprmrkts 188.55 -0.95 National Grid 892.10 -6.90 Next 7,355.00 30.00 Old Mutual 218.30 0.00 Pearson 1,411.00 20.00 Persimmon 1,704.50 10.50 Prudential 1,617.50 13.50 Randgold Resources 4,943.50 -71.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 5,712.50 27.50 Reed Elsevier 1,194.50 12.50 Rio Tinto 3,190.00 -47.50 Rolls-Royce Group 952.00 -4.00 Royal Bank of Scotland 399.00 1.50 Royal Dutch Shell 2,123.00 -4.00 Royal Dutch Shell 2,205.50 -0.50 Royal Mail 425.15 1.25 RSA Insurance Group 454.85 2.85 SABMiller 3,588.25 -11.25 Sage Group (The) 475.25 3.65 Sainsbury (J) 271.70 0.10 Schroders 3,056.00 35.00 Severn Trent 2,053.00 4.00 Shire 5,112.50 47.50 Sky 964.50 7.00 Smith & Nephew 1,180.50 5.50 Smiths Group 1,191.50 -0.50 Sports Direct Internatnl 702.00 3.00 SSE 1,531.50 4.50 St James's Place 900.00 3.00 Standard Chartered 959.15 -14.35 Standard Life 424.50 4.90 Taylor Wimpey 146.15 0.85 Tesco 242.13 1.53 Travis Perkins 2,024.00 8.00 TUI AG 1,191.00 1.00 Tullow Oil 398.65 -8.65 Unilever 2,820.50 20.50 United Utilities Group 947.00 1.00 Vodafone Group 234.15 1.75 Weir Group 1,890.00 -21.00 Whitbread 5,042.50 32.50 Wolseley 4,011.00 12.00 WPP Group 1,528.00 10.00

% C H G. -0.73 -0.62 0.75 0.49 0.49 0.58 0.57 0.43 0.46 -2.21 0.35 0.65 1.01 0.03 -0.21 0.83 0.42 -3.12 0.55 0.61 0.73 -1.06 0.66 0.32 -0.07 0.01 0.89 0.88 1.27 1.20 0.51 -0.57 0.28 -0.50 -0.77 0.41 0.00 1.44 0.62 0.84 -1.43 0.48 1.06 -1.47 -0.42 0.38 -0.19 -0.02 0.29 0.63 -0.31 0.77 0.04 1.16 0.20 0.94 0.73 0.47 -0.04 0.43 0.29 0.33 -1.47 1.17 0.58 0.64 0.40 0.08 -2.12 0.73 0.11 0.75 -1.10 0.65 0.30 0.66

VOLUME 12,789.95 4,099.21 18,794.41 14,939.58 47,422.80 4,860.00 5,086.70 7,068.32 11,824.13 6,167.80 5,897.59 4,391.01 6,317.49 74,269.94 37,189.32 5,270.46 4,987.46 115,759.04 29,593.25 6,028.07 11,494.29 4,076.81 4,811.07 9,420.56 7,045.07 8,188.94 9,735.40 16,224.82 55,250.41 8,507.37 8,134.57 4,539.68 4,658.45 4,368.94 33,483.08 11,255.32 10,733.12 11,486.56 5,237.41 41,315.58 4,646.99 40,978.07 13,359.08 45,596.32 18,054.65 25,215.31 82,226.45 53,586.54 4,285.50 4,591.52 57,859.16 5,086.20 5,144.45 6,780.67 4,874.13 30,342.69 16,455.29 10,602.42 4,689.68 4,139.88 15,140.27 4,703.60 23,912.16 9,776.23 4,701.25 19,489.49 5,011.37 N/A 3,630.81 36,026.70 6,413.16 60,653.78 3,975.29 9,119.19 10,322.65 19,825.21

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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How to write a product review PRODUCT reviews are one of the most effective forms of local newspaper advertising. Basically, these are couched like editorial, and, in small print, you will see that it is flagged up as an advertising feature or similar. The content will be a synopsis of your company’s product or service. Product reviews are a balance between a news story, that you cannot purchase, and a conventional advertisement that you can and do buy. Advertising features are perfectly legitimate and part of newspaper life as long as newspapers have been

Talking shop Mike Walsh Mike Walsh was for 20 years Regional Assessment Manager for the Guild of Master Craftsmen, Britain’s biggest quality assurance body for businesses.

www.michaelwalsh.es • 966 786 932

published. The trick is to get your company’s message over so that readers are tempted to take an interest in your business or its products. The larger companies engage

professional copywriters to write, submit and manage their advertising. Copywriting agencies’ fees are notoriously high. But, if what they do is recoverable through extra sales they are, of course, worth the investment. If you are in touch with a newspaper writer you might be lucky enough to get them to do one for you. The going fee is usually about €60 for a small advertising feature. Don’t quote me; as with all else in life, advertising copywriters are perfectly entitled to charge as they wish. If you wish to do your own copy then remember to stick to the five W

principles of editorial writing. Your content must cover what (product), why (the benefits of using it), who (who it benefits), where (your contact details) and when (now as it is a special offer etc.). There is another expression common to selling: KISS. (Keep it Simple, Simon). A trick often used is to pour out your thoughts and then take the blue pencil to it; bring it down to size. The most common mistake is to write far more than is necessary. To give you an idea of size, this column is roughly 350 words in length. Aim for 200 words.

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Get on your bike and save a bomb Loose change

jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com

Riding a bike is fun and it’s also great exercise

CARS - they most certainly are luxury items and for some, even an extension of their personality. Typically… driving a Volvo insinuates you’re a responsible and somewhat boring person. A big 4x4 driven on city streets screams “I am the centre of the world, now move out of my way,” while a dainty little vintage car lets the world know you’re hip and trendy and most likely own a lot of Apple products. So what does it mean to ride a cycle then? What does it say about a person? Well I’ll tell you what - it implies that

does all add up! Then in comparison there is the humble bicycle, which will set you back a microscopic fraction of the cost of a car. I used to drive a car, but for the last five years I have been using a bicycle as my mode of transport. And I love it. My bike cost me €295 and since then I have probably spent an extra €50 on punctures or other bits of minor maintenance. I don’t need to buy petrol, pay for a parking space or fork out for expensive insurance. It really

A look at finance for females

Jane Plunkett

MONEY SAVER: Ditch four wheels for two. they’re a smart cookie, because by choosing a bicycle over a car it’s possible to save a heck of a lot of money. Add up the average costs of owning a car. First there is

the purchase price, which can be well into the thousands or tens of thousands, depending on the car. Then there’s petrol, insurance, parking and maintenance. It certainly

Can they embargo rental income? Q. I read your article regarding community debtors who cannot be denied use of the swimming pool. We are a community on the Costa Blanca with the same problem of non-paying debtors. In our case we have debtors who let their properties and therefore receive rents. However these owners do not pay the community fees. We have taken court action and obtained judgements against them but still they do not pay and it seems they have no

You and the Law in Spain By David Searl

A. Yes, you can obtain a court order against any assets or income that the debtor has in Spain. In fact, I am surprised that your lawyer has not already advised the community to take this step. If you have a court ruling that the debtors must pay, the next logical step is to locate any assets they have in Spain and proceed to seize them for the debt. This would include bank accounts, property, and rental income, whichever is the most convenient and effective.

intention of paying. I was advised that, if an owner does not pay the fees, then the mortgage provider must be advised and action may be taken by them. A further issue is that the downturn in property values has put these apartments into ‘negative equity.’ One owner has suggested that we may be able to insist that any rents paid by the tenants should be paid to us, the Community, and not to the non-paying owners. Can you advise? K.G. (Costa Blanca) If the debtor is not a resident of Spain, with other property here, his only asset in the country is the apartment he owns. In the first place, the court can order the tenants to pay the rental on the flat directly to the court, for final payment to the community. If seizing the apartment to sell at auction is the last resort, this is more complicated. The court may inform the mortgage provider that legal action is being taken against the mortgage holder, especially if the flat itself is being seized. After all, the bank has a financial interest in the property. The fact that the property is in ‘negative equity’ does not influence any of these proceedings.

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

has saved me a fortune. To go shopping, simply attach a basket onto the back of your bike to carry the groceries. To transport a small child, it’s the same thing, but rather than a basket, attach a child’s seat. While older kids can have their own bike and cycle alongside you! In the south of Spain the weather is fantastic most of the year and riding a bike is really fun and it’s also great exercise. It can be faster getting around the city on a bicycle too, with bikes being able to cut through places where cars just can’t go. For anyone struggling to pay bills or save money, I highly recommend ditching four wheels for two. It’ll save you a fortune and you’ll be surprised by just how much nicer it is to cycle rather than pollute your way around the town.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Debt-ridden SPAIN finished 2014 with a public debt of €1,034 billion, 7 per cent more than in 2013 when this stood at €966.18 billion. The debt is the equivalent of 97 per cent of last year’s GDP of €1,064 billion and is the highest it has been in more than a century.

New markets FAGOR CNA, new owners of the longestablished Mondragon cooperative, will take on hundreds of workers before the summer. CNA, which has opened new markets in Russia, Eastern Europe, Argentina and Brazil, acquired all Fagor household appliance manufacturing lines in San Sebastian after the firm filed for bankruptcy in 2013.

High fliers RYANAIR flew 1.53 million passengers in Spain last month, 24 per cent more than in 2014. Having made peace with the unions, budget airline Iberia Express experienced its first-ever January without labour conflict and with a 26 per cent increase in business climbed two places in the rankings to 262,953 passengers.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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Give radicals a ticket out LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT

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T the time of writing, the news is full of three more young girls, all Muslims, who have allegedly become ‘radicalised’ and left Britain to join up with the IS movement in Syria. Disturbing? Possibly. Worrying? Not at all. If these young people, or anyone else for that matter, thinks they would be happier living in a culture that suits their beliefs and outlook more than the environment they are living in, I suggest they should be given every encouragement possible, even to the extent of paying their air fares. Rather they all left for good, than to stay and turn their frustrations against the people

TAKING-OFF: Those who want to leave UK and join IS should be given every encouragement. they presumably consider enemies of their beliefs. I would go even further. I would set up a Governmentrun helpline, well-funded and equipped with people who used a little common sense (as opposed to the do-gooders’ PC brigade). This department could act rather like Esther Rantzen’s ChildLine. Anyone who feels they would like to

leave and join one of these movements, could ring anonymously, state their case and be given advice and counselling. If they still truly wanted to leave, and weren’t underage, they could then be given every assistance to pursue their ambitions. We could probably get rid of scores of potential terrorist threats in this way.

The only stipulation that would have to be made, of course, is that once their decision had been made, they would have their passports franked to expire one week after their departure, making any change of heart and desire to return virtually impossible. What about the parents and family, you may ask? Well, unfortunately, as upsetting as

it may be, something has been missed in their upbringing. Something has occurred that has made them feel they would be happier away from their home environment. The fact that those close to them have either not spotted it, or done nothing about it is, I’m afraid, simply unfortunate. I’m sure there are many countries they could arrange to travel to and visit their absconded loved ones in the future, so it’s not exactly a permanent loss. Dream on, Leapy, dream on. I see the Greeks have been given another ‘stay’ to resolve their debt problems. If they cough up, or straighten out their position in the next four months, ya can come around and smash every piece of crockery in my kitchen! Keep the faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com Website leapylee.co.uk

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Thursday BBC ONE 4:45pm Escape to the Country 5:30pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm DIY SOS The Big Build 10:00pm Death in Paradise 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:45pm Question Time 12:45am This Week

BBC TWO 5:15pm Three Up, Two Down 5:45pm Hi-De-Hi! 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Two Tribes 7:30pm Eggheads 8:00pm Wanted in Paradise 9:00pm The Great British Sewing Bee 10:00pm Reinventing the Royals 11:00pm Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am A Cook Abroad

ITV 5:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:15pm ITV News and Weather 7:45pm Emmerdale 8:45pm UEFA Europa League Live 11:10pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:55pm The Great War: The People's Story 12:55am River Monsters

CH4 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Deal or No Deal 5:00pm Come Dine with Me 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm The Simpsons 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Location, Location, Location 10:00pm Cucumber 11:00pm Gogglebox 12:05am The Romanians are Coming

CH5 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm The Classic Car Show 9:00pm Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 10:00pm Britain's Biggest Primary School 11:00pm The Mentalist 11:55pm Castle 12:55am Access

SKY1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Arrow 10:00pm Ross Kemp: Extreme World 11:00pm Quiz Nights 12:00am NCIS: Los Angeles

Friday BBC ONE 5:30pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 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 The Musketeers 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Graham Norton Show 12:25am Would I Lie to You?

BBC TWO 5:45pm Hi-De-Hi! 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Two Tribes 7:30pm Eggheads 8:00pm Wanted in Paradise 9:00pm Mastermind 9:30pm Britain's Supermarket Revolution: What's in it for Us? 10:00pm Italy Unpacked 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight 12:05am Doubt 1:40am Question Time

ITV 5:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Barging Round Britain with John Sergeant 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Bear Grylls: Mission Survive 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm The 40 Year Old Virgin 1:50am Jackpot247

CH4 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm The Simpsons 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm The Million Pound Drop 10:00pm Gogglebox 11:00pm The Last Leg 12:05am Catastrophe

CH5 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 9:00pm Angry Brits: Caught on Camera 10:00pm NCIS: New Orleans 11:00pm NCIS 11:55pm Law and Order: Special Victims Unit 12:55am Access

SKY1 5:00pm Futurama 5:30pm Futurama 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Flintoff: Lord of the Fries 10:00pm Stella 11:00pm Quiz Nights 12:00am NCIS: Los Angeles

Saturday BBC ONE 5:30pm Six Nations Rugby Union 7:55pm BBC News 8:05pm Regional News 8:10pm Weather 8:15pm The Voice UK 10:15pm Casualty 11:05pm The National Lottery Live 11:15pm BBC News 11:28pm Weather 11:30pm Match of the Day 12:55am The Football League Show

BBC TWO 5:30pm Final Score 6:30pm The Wonder of Animals 7:00pm The Great British Sewing Bee 8:00pm Flog It! 8:45pm How We Got to Now with Steve Johnson 9:45pm Dad's Army 10:15pm Reginald D Hunter's Songs of the South 11:15pm James Brown 12:55am Brooklyn's Finest

ITV 4:35pm Doc Martin 5:35pm Big Star's Little Star 6:35pm Local News and Weather 6:45pm ITV News and Weather 7:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:00pm Saturday Night Takeaway 9:25pm Take Me Out 10:40pm The Jonathan Ross Show 11:35pm ITV News and Weather 11:50pm Boxing 1:30am Jackpot 247 4:00am The Jeremy Kyle Show USA

CH4 5:15pm Come Dine with Me 5:45pm Come Dine with Me 6:15pm Come Dine with Me 6:45pm Come Dine with Me 7:15pm The Simpsons 7:40pm Channel 4 News 8:00pm Homes by the Sea 9:00pm The World's Weirdest Weather 10:00pm Cuban Fury 11:55pm Runaway Jury 2:25am The Last Leg 3:20am Hollyoaks Omnibus 5:30am The Supervet

CH5 3:25pm Rio Bravo 6:10pm 5 News 6:15pm Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light 8:10pm NCIS 9:05pm NCIS 10:00pm CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 11:00pm Law and Order: Special Victims Unit 11:55pm Law and Order 12:50am True Crimes: The First 72 Hours

SKY1 3:00pm Inside RAF Brize Norton 4:00pm David Attenborough Conquest of the Skies 5:00pm The Simpsons 5:30pm Modern Family 6:00pm Modern Family 6:30pm Modern Family 7:00pm Modern Family 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 9:00pm Hawaii Five-0 10:00pm Batman Begins 12:40am Hawaii Five-0

TV LISTING

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Sunday BBC ONE 3:00pm My Chinese New Year 3:30pm Six Nations Rugby Union 6:00pm Songs of Praise 6:35pm BBC News 6:50pm Regional News 6:55pm Weather 7:00pm The Big Painting Challenge 8:00pm Countryfile 9:00pm Call the Midwife 10:00pm The Casual Vacancy 11:00pm BBC News 11:20pm Regional News 11:25pm Weather 11:30pm Match of the Day 2 12:35am The League Cup Show

BBC TWO 3:15pm Three Up, Two Down 3:45pm Hi-De-Hi! 4:15pm Flog It! 5:00pm Speed Dreams: The Fastest Place on Earth 6:00pm The Tuxedo 7:30pm Pompidou 8:00pm The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway 9:00pm Top Gear 10:00pm Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief 10:50pm Cosmopolis 12:30am Genghis Khan 2:30am Countryfile

ITV 3:40pm Tipping Point 4:40pm A View to a Kill 7:05pm Local News and Weather 7:15pm ITV News and Weather 7:30pm Celebrity Chase 8:30pm Off Their Rockers 9:00pm All Star Family Fortunes 10:00pm Mr Selfridge 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:15pm ICC Cricket World Cup Highlights 12:15am Bear Grylls: Mission Survive

CH4 3:00pm The Big Bang Theory 3:30pm The Wizard of Oz 5:30pm Location, Location, Location 6:35pm Channel 4 News 7:05pm A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 8:00pm Four Rooms 9:00pm The Auction House 10:00pm Indian Summers 11:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 12:05am Twilight

CH5 4:00pm Arthur and The Invisibles 5:45pm 3 Men and a Little Lady 7:45pm 5 News 7:50pm Ghost Rider 10:00pm Total Recall 12:15am Twelve Monkeys

SKY1 4:00pm Modern Family 4:30pm Modern Family 5:00pm Modern Family 5:30pm Modern Family 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm The Simpsons 7:00pm About a Boy 8:00pm Modern Family 8:30pm Modern Family 9:00pm The Flash 10:00pm Hawaii Five-0 11:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 12:00am NCIS: Los Angeles

Monday BBC ONE 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Inside Out 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Panorama 10:00pm Crimewatch 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:40pm Weather 11:45pm Crimewatch 11:55pm Waterloo Road 12:50am The Graham Norton Show

BBC TWO 5:45pm Hi-De-Hi! 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Two Tribes 7:30pm Eggheads 8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Only Connect 10:00pm A Cook Abroad 11:00pm Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Weather

ITV 5:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm More Tales From Northumberland with Robson Green 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Arthur and George 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:45am A Great Welsh Adventure with Griff Rhys Jones

CH4 5:00pm Come Dine with Me 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Coach Trip 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Dispatches 9:30pm Food Unwrapped 10:00pm NHS: £2 Billion a Week and Counting 11:00pm My Baggy Body 12:00am 24 Hours in A and E

CH5 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm The Gadget Show 9:00pm Police Interceptors 10:00pm Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole 11:00pm 10,000 BC 12:00am Crimson Tide

SKY1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm The Holidaymakers 10:00pm Moone Boy 10:30pm Arrow 11:30pm Critical 12:30am Futurama

Tuesday BBC ONE 4:45pm Escape to the Country 5:30pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 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 The Gift 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:40pm Weather 11:45pm No Place to Call Home 12:45am Cemetery Junction

BBC TWO 5:15pm Three Up, Two Down 5:45pm Hi-De-Hi! 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Two Tribes 7:30pm Eggheads 8:00pm Wanted in Paradise 9:00pm Natural World 10:00pm Horizon 11:00pm Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Weather

ITV 5:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm River Monsters 9:00pm Bargain Fever Britain 10:00pm Exposure 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm On Assignment 12:10am Benidorm

CH4 5:00pm Come Dine with Me 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Coach Trip 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Mary Portas: Secret Shopper 10:00pm The Romanians are Coming 11:00pm Drugs Live: Cannabis on Trial 12:35am Don't Look Down

CH5 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Police Interceptors 9:00pm Costa Del Casualty 10:00pm Killer Psychopaths 11:00pm Chicago PD 12:00am Jack the Ripper: New Suspect

SKY1 5:00pm Futurama 5:30pm Futurama 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm The Flash 10:00pm Critical 11:00pm Ross Kemp: Extreme World 12:00am NCIS: Los Angeles

Wednesday BBC ONE 5:30pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm The Great Comic Relief Bake Off 10:00pm The People's Strictly for Comic Relief 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:40pm Weather 11:45pm Match of the Day 1:15am Three Fugitives

BBC TWO 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Two Tribes 7:30pm Eggheads 8:00pm Wanted in Paradise 9:00pm Suffragettes Forever! The Story of Women and Power 10:00pm This World 11:00pm Let's Play Darts for Comic Relief 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Weather

ITV 5:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Big Star's Little Star 10:00pm DCI Banks 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm Pop Gold 12:40am Spandau Ballet

CH4 4:00pm Deal or No Deal 5:00pm Come Dine with Me 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Coach Trip 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Location, Location, Location 10:00pm 24 Hours in A and E 11:00pm Being Bi-Polar 12:00am My Tattoo Addiction

CH5 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Cowboy Builders 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm My Violent Child 11:00pm Farage Fans and UKIP Lovers 12:00am Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole

SKY1 4:00pm Modern Family 4:30pm Modern Family 5:00pm Futurama 5:30pm Futurama 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Modern Family 9:30pm Modern Family 10:00pm Batman Begins 12:40am Stella

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OPINION & COMMENT

It’s ‘déjà vu’ (again) and really worth it! 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.

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FTER we had come here to Spain in ’69 and survived, a very innermost craving grew in both of us. We needed beef, the real stuff, and there was no place on the beach that served it. Finally, I started asking around: “Where could we get a decent steak, the kind they have in the Mid-West?” The peasants didn’t know but some of the owners of the boats in Garrucha harbour knew; they directed me to the bus station in Vera as being the only place within 500 kilometres that served authentic beef. I went and they did - kinda. It wasn’t aged in anyway, but was chewable and had some

flavour of beef which made us happy. As neither of us had seen any cattle we knew it had to be trucked in from afar. Now, let’s jump forward some 47 years. One afternoon I get a phone call from my brother who has just arrived from Kosovo. “Where are we to pick him up?” Well, we didn’t know he was coming and being a good distance from him we told him to grab a bite to eat in the bus station and we’d be there within a couple of hours. Naturally when we arrived we expected him to be fuming but he wasn’t. Sitting calmly and satiated, he announced that “he just had the best steak he’d eaten in Spain for the last 20 years.” I glanced over at the small premises and growled to myself - a bus station. Then my mind started cranking and grinding through the cobwebs of long-forgotten meals. I conceptualised, steak, bus station. Is it possible that the world’s spin had returned?

LOOKING BACK IN MOJACAR

THUMBS UP: Pedro serves a mean steak. A month later, returning him to take another bus, he insisted on inviting us for a meal in this newly-discovered Steak Place - at the bus station. What a meal! Delectable from the tapas right through the main course of some good old buey,

apparently from Holland. The owners Pedro and Anna run a really good place. The ongoing theatre supports the novelty of the place. Hardened individuals that stagger in from time to time argue with their wives and then bolt back to their buses. Meanwhile, you

Cassandra Nash

defeat in 2011. Now the party’s national secretary general Pedro Sanchez has booted him out, succeeding where the former socialist president Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and his successor Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, both failed. Whether this is enough to regain Madrid remains to be seen, as the party’s different currents produce stormy seas there. This is where the PP has the advantage because its surface is seldom ruffled; whatever happens in its Calle Genova headquarters stays in Calle Genova.

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

A new comfort zone IF Spain’s monarchy is relatively austere, the same cannot be said of the CCOO union’s bank division, now called Comfia. The change of name clearly put Comfia in another comfort zone as it spent €14.06 million between 2008 and 2012 on ‘journeys and meetings’. This included annual bills of ‘tens of thousands of euros’ on steaks and seafood, those staples of Spanish jollies, as well as expensive restaurants. Is that what those workers had in mind when they first organised CCOO in the 60s and were often imprisoned for it?

Surface tension TOMAS GOMEZ was until very recently the PSOE socialists’ leader in Madrid and candidate for the regional presidency. He is mixed up in a finance scandal dating back to his time as mayor of the Madrid suburb of Parla, enough in itself for his removal. Unforgivably he also led the PSOE to its worst-ever Madrid

are being treated to a choice of cuts of meat not heard of in our area - ever! Furthermore, the garnishes are good, too, but especially the incredible variety of cuts you have to choose from. The wine selection is not exceptional but very good also. And most important, the prices are very fair and understanding. You’ll owe me one for this suggestion. Last Saturday I took a famous Spanish writer there. He had been used to being wined and dined and entered with a little trepidation. He left charmed, shocked and full of praise for this special, unique place, tucked away in the shade of the bus station in Vera. You won’t regret it.

MINDFUL: King Felipe recently cut his salary by 20 per cent.

Every little helps THE Spanish are not monarchist by vocation. Those who remember the transition to democracy after Franco’s death and the failed 1981 coup - which recently celebrated its 34th anniversary - will always be grateful to Juan Carlos I. His son Felipe benefits from that gratitude and, mindful of it, he recently cut his salary by 20 per cent to €234,204 a year. It’s still a fortune but modest compared with other European monarchs and not a bad gesture during times of need. There were some grumbles because the savings went to other Palace allocations but robbing Peter to pay Paul is a time-honoured way of balancing the books without raiding the moneybox.

Come hither THE PP national government headed by Mariano Rajoy is saving its heavy artillery for Podemos. The newly-formed party is its closest rival for the upcoming elections, according to some surveys, which disquiets Rajoy, who believes in and is more comfortable with the two-party system. He wants Podemos out of the way instead of splitting the vote, but the strategy is risky and could backfire. Discrediting Podemos is more likely to push voters towards the PSOE instead of luring them to the PP.

OPINION & COMMENT

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26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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Benidorm commissioned for eighth series by ITV with brand new family and Reading. The game which takes place at 1.45pm (CET) on Saturday, March 7 will be free to view for all, the FA has revealed. The BBC was criticised for not broadcasting Bradford's game against Sunderland in the previous round. League One side Bradford have beaten Sunderland, Chelsea, Millwall, Dartford and Halifax Town to progress to the quarter-finals.

Richard Shanley

DISHING THE DIRT OF EUROPA DIGITAL

BENIDORM has been commissioned for an eighth series by ITV. The award-winning comedy will film its latest series on location in Spain later in the year. The new series will contain seven episodes, all written by series creator Derren Litten. ITV’s Comedy Commissioner Saskia Schuster welcomed the return and teased some information about the new episodes. “We are absolutely thrilled our audiences continue to enjoy the antics of the Solana staff and its holidaymakers,” she said. “The new series of

BENIDORM: Series seven is currently airing on ITV1. Benidorm will be introducing a brand new family to our viewers.” The seventh series of Benidorm is currently airing on ITV1, and has seen the return of series regulars Johnny Vegas and Elsie Kelly.

Last year’s guest star Dame Joan Collins also reprised her role as Solana’s CEO Crystal Hennessy Vas. BT Sport is to televise the forthcoming FA Cup quarterfinal between Bradford City

BT Sport will televise the FA Cup quarter finals Sky Sports and BT Sport recently won the UK television rights for the Premier League

from 2016 to 2019. The huge new deal covers the rights to show 168 games per season, and is worth a recordbreaking total of £5.136 billion (€6.96 billion). If you would like me to answer any questions you may have on satellite TV or to expand on anything I have written about please call me on 678 332 815 or email richard@europadigital.com. I look forward to your comments and questions. Don’t forget to listen to my radio show every weekday from 10am on Spectrum 96.1 & 106.8FM, now covering over 2,000sq kms of Costa Almeria and Calida or listen online at costaalmeria.spectrumfm. net for all the latest news and views.

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E W N 26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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OPINION & COMMENT

1000 WORDS / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Time for the ‘big four’ to BOGOF? Nora Johnson

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

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HE top 10 packaging tricks employed by supermarkets to tempt customers are misleading and confusing according to a recent Which report. Tactics include tiny portion sizes making products seem healthier; own-label products copying the packaging of international brands; poor-value gift sets in which the cost of individual items is the same, and oversized packaging that looks as if you’re getting a lot until you open it to find one third empty space. Then you clock the catchall: ‘This product is sold by weight, not by volume.’ But the problem’s much bigger than a few packaging tricks. Supermarkets in the UK are

YPICAL, now my iPod has gone wrong! Having written about the unreliability of modern day technology - or at least the fact that gadgets are simply not built to last these days - yet another piece of high priced gear is giving me a hard time. In fairness, I’m not sure whether it’s the iPod itself or the docking station where it sits and sings to me when I’m happy, and in the mood for a bit of José Feliciano or Cat Stevens. Conversely, when I’m feeling sluggish and I turn up the volume for the full blown Black Sabbath experience to blast out the cobwebs and ear wax. And if I’m really brassed off, some Leapy Lee is always guaranteed to lift my spirits. (Mine’s a large Havana Club on the rocks Leapy) But in any event, iPod or docking station, it was not reenergising as it should. I found that it would charge quite happily if I connected it to my computer overnight, so that’s what I started to do. But not for long, because the other morning I found that all 8,700

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SUPERMARKET TIP: Best to have quality items at honest prices, which is what most people want. having a really tough time. Sainsbury’s reported its worst Christmas for a decade and is cutting 500 jobs. Morrisons announced 400 job-losses, the closure of 10 loss-making stores and sacked its CEO. Tesco, reeling from a series of profit warnings and that ‘black hole’ in its accounts, is cutting 10,000 jobs, closing 43 stores and

has shelved plans to open 49 superstores. Basically, the ‘Big Four’ are suffering from falling sales as everyone’s buying more cheaply elsewhere. People don’t want ‘Loyalty cards,’ ‘points’ on some vague scheme where 50,000 points equal 50p or BOGOF (buy one, get one free). Especially so on perishable goods - unfair to

singles or the elderly whose families have flown the nest and the ‘free’ item likely to go mouldy before it can be consumed. They want quality, but lower prices. Well, I have a few tips for supermarkets. Please stop constantly moving everything everywhere all the time to force the shopper to walk around more of the store. You know where

everything is, but your customers don’t. Can you also stop doing those annoying two for £5 (when each item costs £2.47 individually) type tricks? And generally can you please try to treat your customers with a modicum of respect rather than trying to wheedle a bit more money out of them? Aldi and Lidl aren’t to everyone’s taste but, now accounting for over 10 per cent of Britain’s grocery sales, they’re scaring the living daylights out of the Big Four. Maybe it’s because they don’t have Two for Ones or stuff endlessly moving aisles? Just quality items at honest prices which strangely may be what most people want when they’re shopping. To misquote Tesco, ‘Every Lidl’ helps.

Nora Johnson’s thrillers ‘Landscape of Lies,’ ‘Retribution,’ ‘Soul Stealer,’ ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.norajohnson.com) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.89;£0.79) and iBookstore. Profits to Cudeca.

Oh for the long playing record! Colin Bird Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-the-wall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.

tracks had disappeared. I thought my wife was marvellous. She is just not used to seeing me blubbing like a baby, balanced on our window sill in my underwear and threatening to jump. But she managed to talk me down by means of a mug of tea and a packet of Jaffa Cakes. Alright, it was the downstairs lounge window, but that’s not the point - you could inflict some nasty damage by dropping three feet into a pot of cacti. But I needn’t have worried, because on closer inspection, I found for some reason known only to the rebellious machine, it had uploaded all my music onto the computer. Phew! I love my iPod when it’s behaving - it is convenient and

MODERN TECHNOLOGY: Fine when it’s working well. compact, but I’m sorry, I still recall those far off days of vinyl

recordings with dewy eyed rapture.

There was something exciting and yes, romantic, about travelling into town on a Saturday to purchase the newly released 45, or the latest long player (they weren’t called albums then). And the best part was, you got to hear them before you bought. You simply made your selection from the packed record shelves, took it to the desk where it would be placed on a turntable, then you would be directed to booth four or whatever to sample your prospective purchase. Vinyl may have been fragile, scratched easily and prone to warping, but I miss the sheer adventure of buying records and those fab LP sleeves that were often works of art in their own right. And yes - I still favour flared trousers.

E W N 26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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The Captive After leaving his young daughter Cassandra in the back of his car while he pops into a diner, Matthew returns to find she has vanished without a trace. Her unsolved kidnapping destroys his relationship with his wife, but eight years later a series of events occur that indicate she may still be alive. Detectives discover recent images of Cassandra online, and as a suspect in his daughter’s disappearance, Matthew takes matters into his own hands to ensure his daughter’s safe return. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Rosario Dawson and Mireille Enos. Run time 112 minutes. Rated R.

TODAY

VELEZ RUBIO

TOMORROW HUERCAL OVERA

ALBOX

VELEZ RUBIO GARRUCHA ALBOX MOJACAR

ALMERIA

HUERCAL OVERA

RETAMAR GARRUCHA

ADRA

ROQUETAS

MOJACAR

RETAMAR

ALMERIA

ROQUETAS

ADRA

Visit the stars, for details on our expanded range of services

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Putting yourself first is necessary at the moment. There is so much happening this week that you may be tempted to run yourself ragged trying to do it all yourself.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS! 1. Actor Jim Backus provided the voice for which short-sighted, wealthy, short-statured retiree cartoon character? 2. Released in 1937 and based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, what was the title of the first fulllength animated feature film and the earliest in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series? 3. Usually depicted wearing a short polka-dotted dress with a matching bow and white gloves, what is the name of Micky Mouse’s girlfriend? 4. What is the title of the fictional animated television series that is regularly watched by Bart and Lisa Simpson? 5. Which British pop group was named after the two bumbling detectives in Hergé’s comic strip The Adventures of Tintin? 6. Which cartoon character was portrayed as the ‘fastest mouse in all Mexico’? 7. Which cartoon character’s trademark was his tone deaf and inaccurate rendition of Oh My Darling, Clementine? 8. Which famous cartoon duo won seven Academy Awards (Oscars) between 1943 and 1953?

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 18 11 S Tues - 19 11 C Wed - 18 11 C

18 8 Sh 15 8 S 18 10 Cl

Y S

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) You are still looking more to the past than to the future, but now it seems that circumstances are urging you to move ahead at more of a pace.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Where you see things failing to go your way, it may seem that others are being unfair. It is unlikely to be that simple. Perhaps you have given the impression of not being particularly caring.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) What you truly want in life is now becoming clear to you. Not for you the fuzzy ideas of the past. Now, you realise that, if you do not give a strong lead, then others will lead you.

SCORPIO (October 24 November 22) Judgment may be impaired this week and it would be advisable to get second and even third opinions.

Sudoku

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 December 21) This week be prepared to be forthright when it comes to a certain difficult situation. This involves someone trying to get you to make a decision you are either not sure of or against.

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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

CAPRICORN (December 22 January 20) Are you being pushed into a corner? There is no need to respond with aggression, but a smooth and fast move is required to avoid this. AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) You are looking to having everything your own way, which may not be entirely out of the question. The only sticking point could be that you are not even willing to be sharp with someone who has been far from straight with you.

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

EURO MILLIONS

Saturday February 21

Saturday February 21

Saturday February 21

Friday February 20

1

9

24

27

38

48

3

18 29

26 31

12

27

28

39

41

45

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

36

14

25

4

10 37

LUCKY STARS 4

7

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

9

12

14

24

37

40

REINTEGRO 7

9

5

Fri Sat Sun -

7 29

Fri Sat Sun -

21 11 S 20 8 S 21 11 S

Fri Sat Sun -

S Sun,

14 4 Sh 16 6 Cl 18 7 C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 17 8 Cl Tues - 17 7 C Wed - 17 7 C Cl Clear,

SUNNY MAX 23C, MIN 11C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun Fog,

Sn Snow,

21 10 Sh 21 8 S 22 9 Cl C Cloud,

MAX MIN

Mon - 23 10 S Tues - 23 11 C Wed - 22 11 S 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 C) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

TARGET:

Average: 10

Very good: 19

Good: 13

Excellent: 23

cape, cava, cave, cite, epic, pace, pact, pica, tact, vice, apace, attic, civet, evict, tacet, tacit, vatic, active, capita, caveat, tipcat, vacate, captive, activate, capitate, CAPTIVATE

Word Ladder SOFT

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

17 34

REINTEGRO 8

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 8 S Tues - 19 9 Cl Wed - 19 7 Cl

Murcia

SHOWERS MAX 14C, MIN 7C 16 6 Sh 14 5 C 16 7 C

CLOUDY MAX 17C, MIN 6C MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Mon - 21 11 S Tues - 20 12 S Wed - 19 12 Cl

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

Mon - 21 12 S Tues - 20 12 C Wed - 19 12 S

Madrid

Mallorca TODAY:

18 10 Sh 17 10 S 18 12 Cl

TODAY:

MAX 22C, MIN 11C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

CLEAR MAX 19C, MIN 11C MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Mon - 18 10 S Tues - 18 9 Cl Wed - 19 9 Cl

14 7 Sh 16 8 S 17 9 Cl

SUNNY

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 13 S Tues - 19 12 C Wed - 20 12 S

Benidorm

Malaga TODAY:

MAX 19C, MIN 12C

18 11 Cl 17 11 S 18 13 S

TODAY:

SHOWERS MAX 14C, MIN 10C

Sunday February 22

Saturday February 21

14 46

LA PRIMITIVA

Fri Sat Sun -

CLEAR MAX MIN

Barcelona TODAY:

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) With your self-confidence on a high note, you are ready to sing the song of your future. There will be highs and lows but that is what makes life interesting and exciting.

tars

TODAY:

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

our

8-Star Quiz

Almeria

CLOUDY MAX 19C, MIN 9C MAX MIN

www.fiduciarywealth.eu

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) You should bear in mind that you are the best one to decide what you want, when you want it and how you will go about getting it. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) You know where you are going and who with, but there is this one unresolved thought in your mind. It is just a thought, isn't it? Or is it more? This is something only you can answer. Be prepared this week to take advice and ask questions.

Alicante TODAY:

CELL

CELT CELL

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) So far as your work or business life is concerned, those in authority may seek to see things done their way. Where they seem to pay lip service to your needs, that is all it is talk.

SOFT SOOT COOT COLT

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1. MR MAGOO, 2. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, 3. MINNIE MOUSE, 4. THE ITCHY AND SCRATCHY SHOW, 5. THOMPSON TWINS, 6. SPEEDY GONZALES, 7. HUCKLEBERRY HOUND, 8. TOM AND JERRY.

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CROSSWORDS

Crosswords

26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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55

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

Cryptic

Quick

Across 1 Secret dress rehearsal version of trays (7) 4 Trials for important matches (5) 7 The right fish and the means to catch them (5) 9 Arranged taverns’ helper (7) 10 Make plans for a railhead on the mountains (7) 11 Crime is the result when clergyman loses his head (5) 12 You and I, Al deserted a wooded area of southeast England (5) 14 The dog for a pugilist (5) 19 Shaky house-building materials? (5) 21 Calm down, silly sausage! (7) 23 Closest set ran frantically (7) 24 Turn away from a green (5) 25 Point ties out on locations (5) 26 For a change, respect the royal staff (7) Down 1 Form of water around river or what may flow into it (6) 2 Quintessentially in German town (5) 3 Method of making tea messy? (6) 4 Mad? Not Dora, it's just wind (7)

Across 1 Talk with (8) 5/24 Genuine (4,4) 9 Outlive (7) 10 Skinflint (5) 11 Humiliation (5) 12 Card game similar to rummy (7) 13 Fortified wine (6) 15 Compositions (6) 18 Equivocating (7) 20 Low waterlogged ground (5) 22 Appearance (5) 23 White ant (7) 24 See 5 25 Worried and uneasy (8)

5 Scrapes vehicle aboard the ship (5) 6 Industrial actions where there is no action (3-3) 8 Weird peer I encountered inside (5) 13 Enlists fresh minds (7) 15 Some surfer, a serious wipe

out! (5) 16 Perfumes made from many nests (6) 17 Religions reorganise a shift (6) 18 Intelligent leader embraces a tender nature (6) 20 Cook in the right oven (5) 22 Criticise tablet (5)

Code Breaker Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 10 represents G and 23 represents Q, so fill in G every time the figure 10 appears and Q every time the figure 23 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 Sorrow, 4 Berate, 9 Opera, 10 Okapi, 11 Rites, 12 Eremite, 13 Scales, 15 Assess, 19 Peerage, 21 Agate, 23 Shade, 24 China, 25 Sheath, 26 Career. Down: 1 Spheres, 2 Roost, 3 Oversee, 5 Erode, 6 Avarice, 7 Exile, 8 Cadet, 14 Acetate, 16 Stamina, 17 Slender, 18 Leach, 19 Pests, 20 Agent, 22 Abate. QUICK Across: 1 Pets, 3 Passages, 9 Soldier, 10 Again, 11 Upset, 12 Splash, 14 Errors, 16 Eraser, 19 Barber, 21 Snaps, 24 Reign, 25 Shelter, 26 Pleasing, 27 Urge. Down: 1 Pastures, 2 Tales, 4 Arrest, 5 Small, 6 Glasses, 7 Send, 8 Litter, 13 Preserve, 15 Realise, 17 Rushes, 18 Prison, 20 Banks, 22 After, 23 Crop. ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Casas, 4 Primo, 7 Ahi, 8 Ahijado, 9 Shed, 10 Gansos, 14 Storage, 16 Ace, 17 Agria, 18 Aisle.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

Down: 1 Coats, 2 Shine, 3 Scar, 4 Primavera, 5 Ida, 6 Oro, 11 Swans, 12 Siete, 13 Raza, 14 Sea, 15 Oar.

17 Mild and refined in manners

or prize (5)

(6)

20 Proud stiff pompous gait (5)

19 Give officially as a payment

21 News medium (5)

English - Spanish The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English. Across 1 Tallas (de ropas) (5) 3 Stamp (postage stamp) (5) 5/3D Sopa de guisantes (3,4) 7 Nautical (7) 9 Tienda (4) 10 Tía (4) 14 Pride (satisfaction) (7) 15/14D Salir del sistema (3,3) 16 Late (after usual time) (5) 17 To open (5) Down 1 Toads (5) 2 Hijos (4) 3 See 5 Across 4 Gold (metal, commodity, currency) (3) 6 Entre (5) 8 Equal (5) 11 Tigre (5) 12 Azul (4) 13 Wedding (4) 14 See 15 Across

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 (BUTLER) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues. ALTERS

MODELS

ARROWS

PIERCE

BANKER

REGARD

BREACH

RESENT

BUTLER (10)

RESTED

DEALER

SALUTE

HEALER

SINGLE

HURLED

TALLER

KINDER

THENCE

MELLOW

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

Funagram Unscramble the name of a famous British horse racing course (two words): NO DARK PAWNS FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: OSCAR WILDE, SANDOWN PARK

Unscramble the name of a famous Irish writer and poet: LOW SIDECAR

Down 1 Expenditures (5) 2 Give a running commentary (7) 3 Superior group (5) 4 Communication by word of mouth (6) 6 Fertile area in a desert (5) 7 Unpaid overdue debt (7) 8 Corrects (6) 13 Principal law-enforcement officer in a county (7) 14 Destroyed physically or morally (6) 16 Extreme greed for material wealth (7)

1 Robots, 2 Thence, 3 Barrel, 4 Minded, 5 Holder, 6 Borrow, 7 Yonder, 8 Elders, 9 Render, 10 Yellow, 11 Others, 12 Shadow, 13 Killer, 14 Crease, 15 Solder, 16 Monkey, 17 Shred, 18 Inlaid, 19 Seeing

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E W N 26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

Bilateral pact please stop moaning! LEAPY LEE says he’s sick of debating about Islam. As someone who lived in various Muslim countries for 20 years, I’m sick of reading Leapy’s constant distortion of life there. All right, he lived for eight years in Saudi Arabia, a country which is about as typical of the Muslim world as the deepest recesses of the US Bible Belt are of Christian culture. The restrictions he suffered in Saudi are simply not enforced elsewhere and most Muslims are embarrassed by Saudi attitudes, even if they reluctantly have to defer to them for economic reasons. The rest of Leapy’s article is a moan which only amounts to saying that Britain, like the rest of the world, has irrevocably changed. Of course that does not mean that British Muslims should murder British soldiers or go off to fight for the Jihad, but then only a tiny minority ever think of going to such extremes. On the other hand, we will see more extreme conduct if we persist in seeing Muslims as the stereotypes that Leapy keeps on presenting. Here’s an offer, Leapy: stop your moaning and I’ll lay off too! Bill Campbell (by email)

Big deal I HAVE just received notification that I will receive an age addition of £0.25 with my pension from April 2015. Actually I was 80 years old in February 2014. I remember my mother receiving the same amount when she was 80 in 1989 and even then it wouldn’t buy a small loaf. It’s unbelievable that 26 years on the amount is the same. But we are only pensioners who worked and paid into the system. M Caldwell, Benitachell (Alicante)

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www.euroweeklynews.com

Get it together CHRIS TAYLOR’S complimentary comments on the exemplary quality of the Euro Weekly News’ writers is to be praised and I would like to make a suggestion that will hopefully copper-fasten them. As we have been suffering north-easterly mini-gales since early January, I have (as an old-timer sorely in need of exercise) found it difficult to continually chase and finally retrieve the pages that blow away. So how about investing in a couple of staples? Jim Clancy (by email)

Gobsmacked I WAS so pleased to see that somebody had at last highlighted the issue of why footballers feel compelled to spit at every conceivable opportunity. Before a free kick, after a free kick, immediately before they come on to the field as a substitute, straight away afterwards and incessantly during the game. It is a disgusting habit which is picked up frequently when players are featured in close-up. Apart from being a health hazard and a bad example for young kids who mimic the behaviour of their idols, who would want to fall over on a

in every way, except for the lack of flights, particularly in the winter. This will not change just because a massive new waste of money has opened; cut your losses, turn it into a factory or something useful. Leave our airport alone, it’s ours and I for one would not use Corvera. Sylvia Fleck (via Euro Weekly News website)

MY gran always knows when the weather is going to turn cold because her cats snuggle up together like this, instead of fighting. Alberto (by email) football pitch? And it’s not only the players; managers patrolling their technical areas are often seen spitting and, occasionally, referees. What on earth is it all about? Do these people spit all over their dining room carpets? Ken Turner, San Fulgencio (Alicante)

Hatchet job I ORDERED via Teletienda-tv a juice extractor which was duly delivered. To my consternation both the instruction manual and the recipes were in German, which I do not speak. Also, there was no accompanying guarantee. I immediately sent an email requesting instructions in either Spanish or English and eventually received a reply saying that this was not possible and asking if I would like to cancel the order. I replied in the affirmative and it was arranged that they would collect the machine and I would receive a refund. Instead I received an email requesting that I destroy the juice extractor (quite a large machine!), take a photograph

and send it by email to show that this had been done. They would then make the refund. I replied that I could not possibly do this as I am 83 years old, live alone, cannot walk as I am waiting for a hip operation and in any case do not have the strength to destroy the machine. Nor do I know how to take and email a photo. This email was ignored and they again asked me to destroy the machine, but to date they have not responded to my reply repeating that this was impossible. As the goods were ordered in Spain, am I being unreasonable in expecting instructions to be in Spanish (or English as it is an American product) or that the product should carry a guarantee? What do readers think? Elma Thompson, Torrox Costa (Malaga)

Hands off PLANS to close San Javier airport in Murcia when the new facility at Corvera opens are a travesty. San Javier is a perfect airport

CONGRATULATIONS on your excellent publication, an absolute must for every Thursday. We wonder if readers can advise us on a problem we are having regarding our NonResident tax in Benidorm? We are, of course, registered on the padron and pay all our SUMA bills promptly and without delay. For the past two years we have used the services of a solicitor to pay the NonResident tax at a cost of €80plus for what seems a 10minute job. We were told that we can deal with this issue ourselves and save some cash into the bargain. Being able to speak reasonable Spanish we ventured to Hacienda for a statement of any amounts owing for 20142015, which we could take to our bank and pay. We were told very brusquely and with great bureaucratic indifference and contempt that we had to do it via the Internet: “Internet. Internet. No comprende?” We downloaded the relevant forms and using past years’ information tried to fill them in. We had to admit defeat after several hours! Surely Hacienda should be able to provide with one click the amount we are due to pay and give us that information to take to our bank? Or was it because we went within 20 minutes of the office closing time that the very rude clerk could just not be bothered to help us in case we delayed his knocking-off time? We look forward to hopefully receiving some very interesting comments. Rita and Michael Stimson, Benidorm (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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E W N 26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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OPINION / FEATURE

How do you keep in touch? VSANDRA FIELD from Consultus Care, “I use SKYPE quite often as you can see the person that you are talking to and I like that. I also use my mobile phone to call the UK because that seems to work out cheaper than my landline would you believe. For work I use the mobile phone and email mostly, WhatsApp gets occasionally used if the Spanish address or email is a bit tricky. Lamia Walker from HousesitMatch said “I really love WhatsApp for the speed and convenience of staying in touch with people all over the world for free from my mobile phone. It’s a great way to stay connected especially with our pet sitters wherever they are. They send me pictures of the pets they are looking after. We’ve even started a competition for the best ALFREDO: WhatsApp offers a quick way of keeping in touch with people you may have lost contact with.

In recent news 98 per cent of Smartphones in Spain have a messaging application such as WhatsApp which seems to be the favoured app among expats to keep in touch with loved ones back home. Do you use it or do you prefer to speak to someone either on the phone or face to face? Perhaps you still prefer to use the post?

STREET TALK HEIDI: Facebook is her preferred choice of communication. SANDRA: Prefers to use Skype as you can see who you are talking to.

LAMIA: Loves the speed and convenience.

photos of Pet Antics - it’s quick and fun.” For our new bride Heidi Price, modern, quick forms of communication have been great for her to share photos and thanks to her nearest and dearest following her big day: “Facebook remains my preferred form of online communication and was really useful on my wedding day for sharing thoughts and photos with absent friends. I do use WhatsApp to send the odd photo and quick messages, but do not rely on it half as much as Facebook.” Alfredo Millá Ferrero, Managing Partner at Sonneil Homes and More, which operates across the Spanish coastline from the Costa Brava, throughout the Costa Blanca and down to the Costa del Sol, said advances in technology and the introduction of programmes such as WhatsApp, has made business so much easier and quicker: “For personal communication it is still nice to receive a letter, but with the dynamics of living today, everything is so quick and instant, so WhatsApp makes it easy to keep in touch with people you may have lost touch with. It is easy to send a quick message to let them know you are thinking of them and to say hi.”

Advertising feature

More and more people are cruising David Deverson

GLOBELINK INTERNATIONAL Insurance correspondent david@globelink.co.uk

GLOBELINK has found more and more of its customers are turning to cruise holidays. They need have no worries about insurance cover as Globelink ensures they are covered under the terms of its standard travel insurance policy. With 1.76 million people expected to take an ocean cruise holiday this year, according to the UK’s Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), more people than ever before are settling on the cruise option 2 per cent more than last year, and double the numbers of a decade ago. That is no surprise considering the exceptional value cruises offer, with accommodation, meals and entertainment all included in the package. And all of that with a minimum of packing and unpacking, as yet another exciting destination sails into view...

FLOAT YOUR BOAT: Globelink include cruises in their travel insurance policies Once seen as the preserve of mature travellers who liked to dress for dinner every night, the customer profile has changed significantly. These days the average passenger is under 55 and there are almost as many cruise types as there are kinds of passenger. Adult-only cruises offer the ultimate in sophisticated

getaways, while others cater for all the family, from Playstation-mad children with energy to burn, through to granddads who want to sharpen up their putting skills, or get expert tuition on how to work their iPads. Mainstream cruises now provide classes on everything from history,

antiques or painting to salsa dancing or the art of chocolate-making. Whatever your interest, you’re sure to find something that floats your boat. Even with the best planning, though, the unexpected can happen. A missed transfer, and the ship leaves without you. A cruise that has to be cut short when a close relative falls ill back home. Wise travellers take out travel insurance cover, but even they can be caught out. Unlike Globelink, some insurers exclude cruises from their standard travel insurance policies - which means you could end up paying a hefty premium for adequate coverage before you go. Remember, if you live in Spain your travel insurance might be invalid if it does not cover the entire duration of your return trip from the date you leave Spain until the date you arrive back in Spain.

For an instant quote and to arrange cover securely online, enabling you to print your policy documents immediately, visit www.globelink.co.uk or you can telephone Globelink on 00 44 1353 699082 or their Spanish links line on 966 265 000 or 951 242 434.

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E W N 26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

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Practise standing on one leg for 20 seconds to stay young HOW well you can balance could give an insight into your overall general health. A study found that being unable to stand on one leg for more than 20 seconds was linked to an increased risk of a ‘silent’ stroke, which are tiny bleeds in the brain that don’t cause symptoms, but which raise the risk of both full-blown stroke and dementia. The UK’s Medical Research Council found that 53-yearolds who could stand on one leg for 10 seconds with their eyes closed were the most likely to be fit and well in 13 years’ time. However, those who could only manage a few

seconds were three times as likely to die before the age of 66. There are some things you can do to improve your balance system and keep it working well. Try marching on the spot to strengthen the co-ordination between your body and your eye movement. Swap shoes during the day, this can help keep the balance sensors in your feet and legs. Watch your blood pressure as high blood pressure can lead to tiny arteries in the brain hardening, which can lead to balance issues.

Go for a swim or play bowls as gentle exercise helps preserve balance and both improve handeye-body co-ordination.

GOOD BALANCE: Can give an insight into your overall general health.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería

EWN

61

An early night and I’m ready for another day NAPS: Stop children having a good night’s sleep.

No napping during the day CHILDREN’S daytime naps should stop at the age of two. Researchers say new evidence shows that children who take an afternoon nap over the age of two don’t get such good quality nighttime sleep. Researchers analysed data from 26 studies to find out what impact daytime sleeps had on a child’s night-time sleep

quality up to the age of five years old. They found some evidence indicating that napping beyond the age of two increases the amount of time it takes for a child to fall asleep at night and shortens the overall amount of sleep, but the findings on the impact of napping on behaviour and development are not clear.

When bacteria is good for your skin WHEN people think of bacteria they often think bad thoughts. But ‘good’ bacteria are essential for people’s wellbeing. In fact the billions that live in the human gut are essential for the immune system, and the same is true for the bacteria that exist on the skin. The beneficial bugs on the surface of the skin work to maintain moisture and radiance and fight the bad bacteria which cause redness, sensitivity, spots and other infections. What’s more, good bacteria penetrate the deeper levels to repair skin DNA and build wrinkle-preventing collagen, so increasing them can help combat wrinkles, sagging and pigmentation, restoring your complexion’s youthful plumpness and glow, studies suggest.

Erica Russell Watson: My journey – and I’m driving

19th February STILL getting back to an even keel after the tragic death of Angus on February 8. Family and friends have had a rough time coming to terms with his untimely departure. By the end of last week I was totally drained and in desperate need of sleep. My next chemo session was booked for February 18 and with such a lack of sleep and irregular meal times, coupled with extreme stress and sadness, I was wondering whether my blood tests would be up to scratch. So into my car I got and drove to the hospital and had my blood test done. Those of you who read my blog will recognise the pattern. Then off for breakfast and then a three-hour wait to see the oncologist. She

cheerfully greeted me and asked me how I was. Well, that was a question! I replied I was fine despite everything! I asked after my test results and she said everything was fine and my immune system was doing really well. Miracles never cease as I was half expecting her to say that I would not be able to have the treatment due to some dive in my results. Luckily for me, this wasn’t the case. I was hooked up for blasting number five. Joy of joys, María Jesús the nurse, an utter star, got the line in first time! This was the first in the next cycle of treatment, so Rosa, the chemo nurse, came and gave me a chat about the possible side-effects. I say ‘possible’ because they are worst case scenarios. Frankly, I pay very little attention to them and that way they don’t affect me. Who wants their eyelashes to fall out, their nails to blacken, nausea, muscular aches and pains, streaming eyes and redraw eye sockets? Correct, nobody! So best put it to the back of your mind! A quick pit stop for a very late lunch with my lovely Pepi and then it was

back home to do the football run and cook dinner. No rest for the wicked! I got the few bits and bobs and medicines that I deemed necessary and hunkered down for the night. I slept well and have had no side-effects at all today and have managed to do lots of jobs around the house. I find keeping busy is the best medicine. I have also answered a great deal of correspondence. The emails and texts keep coming. A special thanks to Marilo and Kevin for their kind comments last week. My love goes to them as I fear they are going through a similar process as me. Good luck and chin up! Later I collected Oliver and greeted him with a roast chicken, his favourite, so all was good. Izzie arrived and got stuck into her books… she is such a swat, but I’m grateful as I have never had to push her to study, a little star. Once all our jobs had been done we went down to the village to meet friends and the boys played football. Always good to let off steam for both the big and little people! An early night for me and I live to fight another day.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Phone addiction is linked to emotional instability DO you find yourself constantly playing with your phone and checking for updates? If so, you may be depressed, say scientists. A new study claims that people who can’t put down their mobile phones are more prone to moodiness and temperamental behaviour after they found a link between phone addiction and emotional instability. Scientists from the Baylor University in Waco, Texas, USA, said that individuals who relentlessly check their phone may be trying to improve how they feel emotionally. Researchers had 346 participants take part in their study, aged between the ages of 19 to 24.

They assessed personalities and level

their

of mobile phone addiction by analysing their answers to a detailed questionnaire. As well as emotional instability, the

MOBILES: Not so smart to use them all the time.

Spanish put too much salt on food

Mediterranean Diet for building stronger bones MANY know that the Mediterranean diet is good for the heart, but research has shown it is also good for the bones. It would appear that just two years of

researchers found that those constantly on their phone also struggled to focus on one thing. The average smart phone user is believed to look at their handset around 150 times a day and a new app called Moment can monitor phone usage to track how much an individual uses their phone and where.

using olive oil rather than less healthy fats may preserve or even build bone in older people. The Mediterranean diet is thought to improve heart health because it is high in fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and ‘healthy’ fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products. But a study shows people eating more olive oil had higher levels of the hormone osteocalcin in their blood - a marker linked to better bone strength. Mediterranean countries have lower rates of osteoporosis compared with Northern European nations, and therefore traditionally better heart health. However, that has been changing as diets too have changed with more saturated fats being consumed.

SPANIARDS consume twice the maximum recommended daily amount of salt. The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises no more than five grammes of salt should be eaten each day while the Spanish Society of HypertensionSpanish League for the fight against hypertension, has revealed that Spaniards consume an average of 10 grammes daily. Salt intake is necessary for the body as it controls the amount of water that regulates fluids and helps transmit nerve impulses. However, excess salt cannot be removed and accumulates in the blood attracting water and increasing the volume of circulating blood, causing the heart to work harder leading to higher blood pressure.

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ESTERN Europeans are waking up to the fact that they have been betrayed by a Brussels elite whose allegiance is to Washington DC. Equally gut-wrenching, their sabotage of the European Union’s economy and security has played out to Russia’s advantage. Since 1945, US foreign policy has lurched from one débâcle to another. An independent think tank estimates that American imperialism has led to the deaths of an estimated 20 to 30 million people. A Greek government minister was recently quoted as saying: “The EU and US pose a far greater threat to Europe than the Soviet Union ever did.” Leading Serbian king-maker Vojislav Selelj said: “Serbia will never join the EU as it is due for collapse anyway.” The mindset that claims US alliance adds to European security and prosperity doesn’t hold water. During the American inspired sanctions, which brings immense hardship to Europeans, trade between America and Russia has increased significantly. Washington DC did admit to

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OPINION & COMMENT

The enemy within Mike Walsh

MYKHAYLO PALINCHAK / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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Mike, based in Mediterranean Spain, is an international journalist, author and professional writer.

investing $7 billion (€6.14 billion) in Europe; these were the costs incurred in their overthrow of Ukraine’s legitimate government. I have family and friends throughout Ukraine. I cannot begin to tell you how they suffer as a direct consequence of US policy. The US had no interest in Ukraine other than its own corporate and destabilising geopolitical anti-Russian ambitions. It is ruinous for Ukraine, but tomorrow we could all share the same fate if America gets its dollar-saving war with Russia. Thanks to US policy and Brussels collaboration, Ukraine, Europe’s largest country, has been completely destroyed economically and militarily. Abandoned by the EU and US, neither of which can afford to

UKRAINE: Has been destroyed economically and militarily. rescue it, all Ukraine’s essential trade ties with neighbouring Russian are severed. The fighting in East Ukraine, which German intelligence reveals has cost the lives of 50,000 Ukrainians, has worked to Russia’s advantage. Russian

President Vladimir Putin, a far smarter statesman than Obama could ever aspire to be, again betters his Western critics. Scratching around for evidence of Russian invasion, Western mainstream media repeatedly make fools of themselves. They’ll

get used to it. Mainstream media, the government's bullhorn, is forced to use fraudulent photographs to falsely allege a Russian presence in Ukraine. It was never in Russia’s interests to physically intervene in Ukraine. To leave the selfproclaimed independent republics to their own devices was actually to the advantage of Russia. Today, Kiev’s skinhead regime, backed by Washington DC and Brussels, has yet another big problem. Ukraine’s disputed Novorussia, whose five million population is largely UkrainianRussian, is de facto independent, a humiliation and thorn in the side of Kiev and, like Crimea, irrecoverable. Kiev cannot survive whilst at war with an antagonistic rebellious Novorussia that it has lost anyway. Neither can Kiev survive without this most productive and prosperous Ukrainian region. Game, set and match. Another success for Russia that, at Western Europe’s expense, now turns to far more productive eastern markets. Keep this article; I have just written tomorrow’s obituary on Western Europe.

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Centro Comercial Almanzora: An Aladdin’s Cave in Olula del Rio OLULA DEL Rio is a lucky town for a host of reasons, but one of the unusual reasons is because it has Centro Comercial Almanzora. This two storey hypermarket is a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of goodies. On the ground floor is a large supermarket with a meat counter and fish counter and just about anything you would need for a weekly food shop. The prices are extremely competitive and there are regular special offers across a plethora of food items. Upstairs though is where the magic begins. Everything from fashion clothing to electrical goods, lighting to kitchenware, white goods to gardening equipment and baby items to toys is available there. There are also a number of decorating products such as paint. Need a new widescreen television? No problem, the shop has a great range with something to suit any room and all the fittings you’ll need

LUCKY FIND: You’ll be sure to grab a bargain.

to mount it on your wall too. The staff members are very friendly and helpful. When Euro Weekly News popped in recently and wanted some advice on bathroom accessories, the staff could not

have been more helpful, taking their time to show us various alternatives and colour options. There is a real family feel to the place and the staff members are informal yet professional. This is a hypermarket with

top brands at great prices but with a truly local feel. You can buy almost anything you want for your home and be treated to extra inspiration while you’re at it. Finding Centro Comercial Almanzora is simple. Come off the A-334 onto the A349 towards Olula del Rio. Follow the road into Olula del Rio and it is on the left hand side just before Hotel Jardines la Tejera and Mercadona. There is plenty of free parking outside. Centro Comercial Almanzora is open from Monday to Saturday from 9.30am until 9.30pm, which means that they are open when most of us need them to be. Pop in and have a look, you’ll be pleased that you did and you’ll be sure to grab a bargain or three.

Centro Comercial Almanzora Avenida de la Legion Española, 44. Olula del Rio Tlf: 950 442 102

COMMUNITY

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New kid on the block EW

LAURA MACLEOD is settling in well to her new life in Almeria. Laura arrived in late January from Huddersfield and has already snapped up a job as the new stylist at Wavelengths Hair and Beauty Salon in Albox. She joins the salon assistants Louiza and Nadia, and the owners Debbie and Kelly. Laura has moved out to live full time with her boyfriend Sam Brierley.

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LAURA: Enjoying her new life.

APSA sponsored walk APSA (Animal Protection Society Albox) are having a sponsored dog walk on Sunday March 22 to raise much needed funds. Participants should meet in the square opposite La Parrilla in Albox at 10am for a 10.30am start. The walk is approximately five and seven kilometres heading towards Saliente along the Rambla. If you don’t have a dog to walk, APSA can supply one if you let them know in the shop ahead of time. Sponsorship forms are available from the

TED: Gets on well with everyone he meets. APSA shop on Avenida Lepanto, Albox. Ted and Penny still need a forever home. Ted is a lovely little black dog that gets on with everyone he meets, including cats and other dogs.

Los Bomberos SUNDAY February 15 was the marathon mountain bike race of Los Bomberos Turre. More than 600 starters raced the tough 40 kilometre route. Local Albox team All Bike All Run had a good day of results. Shop owner and team sponsor Jose Garcia was top rider with a fantastic 7th in General and 7th in Elite. Pedro Martinez came 17th in General and 10th in Veteran A. Mark Saunders was 70th in General and 10th in Veteran B.

He is ready to go, is vaccinated and has been neutered. Penny is a friendly little girl and her fosterers have generously offered to help towards the cost of vaccinations. Please ring 663 762 642.

Levante Ladies LEVANTE Ladies Club will be meeting at the Arriba cafe bar in Mojacar from 12.30pm until 3pm on Tuesday March 3. There will be tapas and healthy food available and a 25 question quiz with Tony Matthews.

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OPINION & COMMENT

The War of the Rosés

Battlegrounds make the best bars. Wars make the best parties. Kevin Pilley Pilley’s Planet Kevin is an ex-professional cricketer and the former chief staff writer of PUNCH. He is the UK's most published travel writer. His work appears worldwide. He once went to Vienna and dressed up as Mozart.

B

y nine o’clock in the morning, Spanish time, I was half-man, half-marinade. I was completely pickled. My hair had turned a dark velvet and my clothes were spattered blood red. I gave off the unmistakable bouquet of blackcurrants and baked plums with maybe just a hint of cinnamon. I was engaged in closecontact hand-to-hand fighting of the most enjoyable kind. A man pressed a water pistol to the side of my head and asked if I liked ‘Rioja.’ Before I could answer he said “Hasta la vista, baby!” and shot me at point blank range. ‘Tempranillo’ grape juice trickled from my nostrils. ‘La Battala dos Vinos’ or ‘Battle of Wines’ takes place every St Pedro’s Day (June 29th) in Haro, the capital of the Rioja winemaking region of Spain. The town dates back to the 10th century and derives from a shanty town which grew up around a lighthouse on the Turon river and the Rio Ebro. The main attractions are the parish church of Santo Tomas, the baroque ‘Our lady of la Vega’ basilica and the neoclassical town hall. The town is famous for its bodegas and winehouses like ‘La Rioja Alta,’ ‘Muga’ and ‘Roda.’ ‘La Herradura’ (the horseshoe) is the recommended route for a tapas and tippling crawl. Northern Spain’s War of Wines, which lasts three hours and started in 1906, commemorates a 10th century property dispute between Haro and the neighbouring village of Miranda.

BLOOD RED: With a bouquet of blackcurrants.

Over four thousand were involved in the mayhem last year. Torrents of red wine poured past us as we trudged up ‘La Calle Navarre’ to the clifftop battlefield of Biliblio. Returning from the front, battle-stained survivors staggered by, their weapons emptied, their compulsory white shirts crimson. Some stopped to be sick by the roadside. The rocks looked like they had been used by firing squads. In the old days, the ‘guerreros’ used to arrive by foot and horse. Now they come by car, caravan and tractor. Modern technology has improved weaponry. Today, everything from fire extinguishers and pump-action high-velocity ‘Supersoakers’ capable of shooting a half a bottle of plonk in five seconds to water pistols, buckets and farming pesticide sprays are used in the mayhem. Everyone carries their own personal ‘bota’ or leather

wine boot. Everyone knows how to use their boot. It is every man and woman for himself. The ‘Jarrilleros,’ as the locals call themselves because of their jam-making heritage, are born with their boots in their hands. They are great marksmen. They can hit a moving target at eight yards, firing from the hip with an ancient shepherd’s wine gourd. They are masters at boot-to-boot combat. Fifty thousand litres of wine were fired last year. Mostly, it seemed at me. The local council provides four litres per person. Most bring their own ammunition in the form of ‘Don Simon’ supermarket plonk. Some prefer watered-down ‘Valdepenas’ from La Mancha. It causes greater and more stubborn staining. They don’t waste the ‘Roda 1 1995 Reserva.’ “It’s a fiesta intergalacticos,”

said one wine warrior. He wore a pair of welding glasses and we took shelter together near the fifth century hermitage of San Felices, the patron saint of Haro. He reloaded his boot from a large Coke bottle. “Pamplona is cosmopolitan and touristy. It is how you say… He paused to give himself time to be erudite. “Pants! “This is local. The Bunol tomato fest is too big. Our battle is more personal. It is the ultimate wet tshirt contest!” It was the last thing he said before a braless woman shot him straight between the eyes. Vineyard owner Felix Alonso is 82 and battle-hardened. He led the way from the tiny church overlooking the two rivers. Around every corner we were ambushed. Snipers picked us off. Our friend, teacher Edourado Alegria, was caught in the crossfire of expertly squirted Granache. He did not have a chance and was drenched. We carried on down the mountainside to complete the traditional circuit. Thinking we had reached safety, we were strafed by a battalion of youths armed with ‘las bocas de las sulfatadoras,’ sprays used on vines.

‘Charanga’ bands played local folk songs like ‘La Estanquera’ (‘The Tobacco Seller’) and ‘Moros y Cristianos’ (‘Moors and Christians’). In the woods, our fellow fighters made themselves bean stews and barbecued piquillo red peppers with red chorizo sausages and black morcilla chitterlings. The Battle of Wine spares noone. Even your allies turn against you. I had gone into battle with Pedro Ortega, who owns the ‘Senorio’ hotel in nearby Brinas. We ate our lunch below the battlefield. It was snail stew followed by potato hash Spanish omelettes. “These are the good moments in life,” said Pedro. “Food, drink and many, many happy people.” Then, raising his boot and squeezing gently, he shot me in the mouth. Then he offered me some cherries, picked that morning. “War is a fine thing. Is it not, amigo?”

For more info about the War of Wine (La Batalla del Vino) on June 27, contact turismo@haro.org/www.wine-fight.com www.vueling.com fly from Malaga and Sevilla. Fares start at €44.00.

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Costa de Almeria’s best guide to local restaurants

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Venta el Guarducha: quality and service VENTA EL GUARDUCHA had been kept a secret by those local to the Albox area, fiercely guarding this gem of a restaurant for fear of the hordes that would gather if they all heard. But the secret is now out and already this friendly venue is gaining more fans by the day. The restaurant seamlessly blends a large and airy dining area and terrace with a cosy bar. The premises are spotlessly clean and the customer service is of an excellent standard. It is the perfect place for celebrations and special events, with plenty of seating for everyone indoors and out. But it has personality in bundles making it equally as ideal for a quiet place for an intimate meal for two.

FAMILY FRIENDLY: With excellent service. The restaurant is extremely family friendly, and all staff are attentive and knowledgeable about the menu and the drinks available. Quality meats cooked over firewood are on the menu,

full of flavour and cooked just how you like them. Special mention must be made of the tapas menu, especially the deep fried

anchovies which are excellent. There is a great menu choice with a menu del dia and a la carte options in addition to the wide selection of hot and cold tapas. The portions are hearty, especially the Sunday lunches which we highly recommend you book in advance to avoid disappointment. Can’t wait to check your emails or Facebook? Feel the need to check in with friends and family online? No problem, because Venta el Guarducha offers free WiFi for its clientele. The owner Pedro is very proud

of his restaurant and makes a special effort to spend quality time with his customers. Pedro speaks five languages, switching easily between them in order to make everyone feel at home. His command of the English language is superb, which is reassuring to those who haven’t quite mastered Spanish yet. Venta el Guarducha is open from 9am until 10pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am until midnight at weekends and on fiesta days. Venta el Guarducha Tlf: 698 369 075 www.ventaelguarducha.wix.com/ venta-el-guarducha www.facebook.com/venta. elguarducha Paraje Los Castejones s/n, Albox

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FOOD & DRINK

Do you advertise with EWN? AT EWN we have our clients’ best interests at heart. Getting your news out to the public can sometimes be a struggle, but we here at EWN want to help. Have you changed your menu, recently renovated or won an award? Do you have an upcoming charity event you’d like to publicise? Do you have a new member of staff?

Maybe you’d like to take part in our ‘Restaurant’ experience? Your establishment provides a meal for two which we will review and publish - with pictures - in your local edition. If you have any news of interest, then please let us know. Please send your news and photos to whatson@euroweeklynews.com

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FEATURE

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Kiko Jimenez / Shutterstock.com

GRAND PRIX: 22 drivers representing 11 teams will race at 20 different venues.

By Tony Matthews THIS year will see the 66th season of the Formula One World Championship, motor racing championship (FIA). Twenty-two drivers, representing 11 teams, will race at 20 different Grand Prix venues, starting in Australia on March 15 and ending in Abu Dhabi on November 29. Lewis Hamilton is, of course, the defending Drivers’ Champion, having secured the second title of his career at the 2014 Abu Dhabi

Grand Prix. And Mercedes will begin the season as the defending Constructors’ Champion, after claiming their first crown last term with victory in Russia. The following teams and drivers have been officially registered to take part in the 2015, although crippling financial problems which forced Caterham to miss the final races of the 2014 season, have cast their entry into doubt. However, they have been listed (for the time being). You will note that two teams - Caterham and Manor - have yet to name their drivers. And these could well come from Kamui Kobayashi, Robin Frijns, Antonio Pizzonia, Max Chilton, Timo Glock and Charles Pic.

CHAMPIONSHIP FAVOURITE: Lewis Hamilton will be aiming to become the first Briton to retain the world title.

Team

Constructor

Caterham Scuderia Ferrari Sahara Force India Lotus Manor McLaren Honda Mercedes AMG Petronas Infiniti Red Bull Sauber Scuderia Toro Rosso Williams Martini Racing

Caterham-Renault Ferrari Force India-Mercedes Lotus-Mercedes Manor-Ferrari McLaren-Honda Mercedes Red Bull-Renault Sauber-Ferrari Toro Rosso-Renault Williams-Mercedes

Drivers To be confirmed Sebastian Vettel/Kimi Raikkonen Sergio Perez/Nico Hulkenberg Romain Grosjean/Pastor Maldonado To be confirmed Fernando Alonso/Jenson Button Lewis Hamilton/Nico Rosberg Daniel Ricciardo/Daniil Kvyat Marcus Ericsson/Felipe Nasr Max Verstappen/Carlos Sainz Jnr Felipe Massa/Valtteri Bottas

Season calendar These are 20 Grand Prix venues scheduled for 2015. Round

Grand Prix

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Australian Grand Prix Malaysian Grand Prix Chinese Grand Prix Bahrain Grand Prix Spanish Grand Prix Monaco Grand Prix Canadian Grand Prix Austrian Grand Prix British Grand Prix German Grand Prix Hungarian Grand Prix Belgian Grand Prix Italian Grand Prix Singapore Grand Prix Japanese Grand Prix Russian Grand Prix United States Grand Prix Mexican Grand Prix Brazilian Grand Prix Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Fact File

Preview of the 2015 Formula One Season

• Lewis Hamilton will be aiming to become the first Briton to retain the world title. He is the championship favourite but Nico Rosberg will be keen to go one better than 2014 when he lost out to his Mercedes team-mate in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. • The most experienced and

Circuit

Date

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal Red Bull Ring, Spielberg Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone To be announced Hungaroring, Budapest Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka Sochi Autodrom, Sochi Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi intriguing driver line-up is at McLaren where former world champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have started 500 Grands Prix between them. • In contrast, Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Junior have yet to start an F1 race. • It will be Button’s 16th season in F1, making him the most

15 March 29 March 12 April 19 April 10 May 24 May 7 June 21 June 5 July 19 July 26 July 23 August 6 September 20 September 27 September 11 October 25 October 1 November 15 November 29 November

experienced driver on the grid. • At the age of 35, the 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen will be the oldest, while Dutchman Verstappen, 17, is the youngest. • Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel has the most wins of any driver on the grid to date, with 39, six more than reigning champion Hamilton.

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EIGHTH RACE: As well as a healthy pastime and for enjoyment, this year it is collecting money for charity.

Night racing in Albox ALBOX’S eighth edition of the Carrera Nocturna (night race) is being held on Friday February 27. Runners set off at 9pm from the town square, running seven kilometres through the town’s streets and there are prizes for the top three in each category. One euro from each entry will be donated to the AECC, a Spanish cancer association.

Race distances vary according to age from four to 104, a category for all ages and for anyone who wants to help in the fight against cancer. For further information, visit the municipal sports pavilion or telephone (in Spanish) 647 081 346. Registration will take place from 8pm on the night. Councillor for Sports in Albox,

Francisco Carrillo, said: “After the success of previous editions, Albox is hosting the night race for the eighth consecutive year, a race that is becoming a sporting reference for the town and the province. This year, in addition to being a healthy pastime and for enjoyment, it is most importantly bringing money for a united purpose, the AECC.”

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La Tienda de Basilio Rubio: the pet store LA TIENDA DE BASILIO RUBIO in Albox has a wide variety of products available for your pets at the friendly family run shop which has been trading for more than 30 years. Basilio Rubio has been in the shop for 16 years, eventually taking over from his father before him when he retired due to ill health. Basilio breeds canaries and other birds at home, as well as owning a cat. He also has his own aquariums and a Spanish water dog that is often seen in the shop. The shop stocks high quality and respected food brands as well as an assortment of snacks for cats and dogs. There is also an excellent range of pet accessories including aquariums, cages, toys and beds for

FAMILY RUN: For the best value for your pet. dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, rodents and other pets. It would be very difficult for any pet owner to pop in without picking up something for their pet. There is a great assortment of fish, birds and rodents and the shop is in contact with reputable breeders to get any dog

with confidence and assurance. Customer trust is their highest priority, and they pride themselves on offering the best value which brings customers from as far afield as Baza, Huercal-Overa, Garrucha and Mojacar. Basilio’s customer base is a good mix of nationalities that return time and again to this trusted little shop. The shop is open Monday to Saturday from 9am until 2pm and Monday to Friday from 5pm to 8.30pm. It is located on Calle Canonigo Bartolome Marin, three streets north of Mercadona supermarket in Albox. Telephone 950 431 592 Latiendadebasiliorubio@ gmail.com (in English) www.facebook.com/ latiendadebasiliorubio

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Bitches are fighting David THE Dogman

Listen to David on TRE every Saturday 10 thru 11. 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

WE have had two bitches, both spayed, one for five years, aged approx. seven now, and the other for 16 months from the age of four months. They have always got along, and play very well together. But out of the blue on Saturday evening, the

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FIGHTING: Sometimes better to rehome one of the dogs. older one attacked the younger in the house. We got them apart and they did only slight damage to each other (cuts and scratches on the ears). The following day they were very wary of each other, but by Monday everything seemed to have been forgotten and they were playing again. However, last night the younger one attacked the older one. We managed to get them apart sooner with no damage done (except for my husband who seems to have come

off the worst). This morning they are playing again. I really don’t know what has happened. There does not appear to be any warning they just suddenly go for each other. Do you have any suggestions.? Susan Hello Susan. Your problem is common where females are concerned. As the younger one gets older she will by nature challenge the

older one as a matter of hierarchy. Often the fighting is when someone in the family is present and they become jealous. Shouting only edges them on. Quite often it is better to rehome one of the dogs otherwise the injuries can become nasty and costly. I am aware you love them and emotionally it is a killer, I had the exact same problem and rehomed the younger one. Regards David

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Cortijo Madera near Huercal-Overa

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A VERY attractive, 172m2, quality renovated, three/four bed, three bath country house with lovely country views, 8m x 4m swimming pool, neighbours nearby and 1,230m2 of flat fenced land. Only 15 mins drive to Huercal-Overa town and 35 mins drive to the coast. The property has tarmac road access and has been recently redecorated and improved inside and out. To the front is a large conservatory with double glazed doors which can be used as a living room and dining room in the summer and winter. There is also a large storage room. A lovely old stable door leads into the living room and dining room, each with wooden ceiling beams and log burning fires and H&C air con. This leads on to the large recently fitted quality kitchen, large enough for a dining table. In the main house there are three bedrooms. The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom and walk in dressing room, The second bedroom is a double and has an en suite shower room. Bedroom three is a single bedroom which is currently used as a study. Next to this is a family shower room.

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€189,950

QUALITY RENOVATION: The property has been recently redecorated and improved inside and out. Attached to the house with its own entrance is the fourth bedroom / study / hobby room of approx 10m2. Above this is a sun terrace to enjoy the views. Outside is 1,230m2 of fenced land. To the front is the tiled swimming pool area with feature tower, large parking area laid to gravel for easy maintenance and big enough for many cars. Here

there are two wooden sheds and a carport. There is also a built in bbq and eating area. To the rear is another garden area. Mains electricity, phone and internet are connected. Irrigation water is also connected to the property and stored in sealed underground water deposits totalling 27,000m2, so you have lots of cheap water for the plants

as well as the house. The water for the kitchen is heated by solar power. A tarmac road takes you within a five minute drive to the A7 motorway and a village with a shop, bar, restaurant, doctors and school. It is less than 15 minutes to the traditional market town of Huercal-Overa with its award winning hospital and many shops,

restaurants, sporting and leisure facilities and historic buildings. The coast at San Juan de Los Terreros, Mojacar and Vera are 35 to 40 mins drive away. For more information, to arrange a viewing of VH751 Cortijo Madera or meet in our office in Huercal-Overa, please call Voss Homes on 0034 950 616 827 or 0034 678 002 006.

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HTime to think trees

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Dick Handscombe

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

AT last a sunny day after two weeks of generally drizzly weather with an occasional heavy down pour, and more sun is promised for the next 10 days. So now is a good time to think about planting flowering trees. There are numerous to choose from and they can be used as specimen trees for their flowers, shade, architectural shapes and varying heights. They can also be planted as integral parts of boundary hedges to frame the best views beyond the garden and hide the worst. The benefits are as follows: 1. The wide variety of seasonal flowerings possible from early spring to late autumn. 2. Most flowering trees are deciduous and therefore provide summer shade and allow the winter sun to shine through the skeleton of branches during the winter. 3. Well planted in enriched soil they can grow relatively fast. 4. Once established most are fairly frost and drought resistant. 5. The wide range of leaf, flower, fruit and bark colours and textures with which to brighten up the garden and add interest. However there can be a few problems as well: 1. Flowering seasons are often short. 2. Fallen leaves, dead flowers, fruit and broken twigs need to be swept up especially after strong

FAST GROWING: Trees lend colour and shade. winds and storms. 3. Some may seem small when taken home from the garden centre. But they can become too large for their situation unless trimmed every couple of years. 4. Vigorous roots can undermine the foundations of the house, outbuildings, paths and boundary walls. 5. Heavy heads can snap from thin young trunks unless the trees are well staked for some years after planting. In general the soil needs are the same as for smaller

perennial plants and shrubs. Namely reasonably fertile, rich in humus, water retaining and free draining. It is of benefit to work in a little TerraCottem moisture retaining gel into the bottom of planting holes to help roots grow continuously in the first few years. Popular trees include the following: Early flowering Almonds, Acasias, Cersis the Judas trees that flower for Easter, Poinsettias, Laburnum and Tamarix. Summer flowering Albizias, Bauhinas - the

orchid trees, Caesalpinias, Chorisias, Jacarandas, Justicias, Lagerstroemias, Melia Azedarachs, Parkinsonias, and Robinias. Autumn flowering Arbutus, Bauhinas, Hibiscus Matabilis and Justicias. Fruiting trees with wonderful blossom displays can also be regarded as early flowering trees. Especially impressive are peaches, apricots and pears. The taller growing varieties of the bottle brush shrubs can also be trained into three of four metre trees. More information about flowering trees and many other groups of plants likely to be of interest in your garden will be found in Part Four of ‘Your Garden in Spain’. Descriptions, flower photographs and Botanical, English and Spanish names are given. © Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com February 2015

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26 February - 4 March 2015 / Costa de Almería POOLS

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World premieres lined up for Geneva BMW will take to the stage at the Geneva International Motor Show from March 5-15 with two world premieres: the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer, which offers seating for up to seven people, and the new compact BMW 1 Series. The BMW 1 Series - almost two million units of which have been sold worldwide to date cuts an even more striking, sporty and efficient figure in its latest incarnation, complete with its extensively modified front- and rear-end design in both three- and five-door guise. The new line-up of latest-

generation petrol and diesel engines, boasting additional measures designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions (fuel consumption combined: 8.0-3.4 litres per 100 kilometres [35.3-83.1mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 188-89g/km), ensure the new BMW 1 Series can offer customers a fresh, efficient source of power. The BMW 116d EfficientDynamics Edition, powered by an 85kW/116hp three-cylinder engine, posts average fuel consumption of 3.4 litres/100 kilometres (83.1mpg imp) and CO2 emissions of 89g/km in

BMW: Will premiere two of its models. the EU test cycle, making it the efficiency king of the BMW model range. The BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer sees BMW creating a new vehicle segment. Its signature feature is the impressive amount of space within its compact dimensions. This is the first model in the premium compact class that can accommodate up to seven people across three rows of

seats and a generously sized luggage compartment. All of which allows the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer to meet the mobility requirements of young families and offers thanks to the five newly developed turbocharged engines producing from 85kW/116hp to 141kW/ 192hp (fuel consumption combined: 6.4-3.9l/100km;

CO2 emissions combined: 149104 g/km) and the BMW EfficientDynamics package sporting dynamics

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Self-driving cars a reality WHO needs a driver? Volvo thinks they could soon be a thing of the past as it presents its ‘complete system solution’ that makes it possible to integrate selfdriving cars into real traffic - with ordinary people in the driver’s seat. “We are entering uncharted territory in the field of autonomous driving,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development of Volvo Car Group.

“Taking the exciting step to a public pilot, with the ambition to enable ordinary people to sit behind the wheel in normal traffic on public roads, has never been done before.” Volvo Cars is moving rapidly towards the aim of placing 100 self-driving cars in the hands of customers on selected roads around Gothenburg by 2017. The public pilot, one-of-a-kind collaboration between legislators, transport authorities, a major city

SELF-DRIVE: Volvo presents its ‘complete system solution’. and a vehicle manufacturer, is a central component of Volvo Cars’ plan to achieve sustainable mobility and ensure a crash-free future. Based on an extensive analysis of potential technical faults, Volvo Cars has designed a complete production-viable autonomous driving system. The key to making this unprecedented leap is a complex network of

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sensors, cloud-based positioning systems and intelligent braking and steering technologies. “Autonomous driving will fundamentally change the way we look at driving. In the future, you will be able to choose between autonomous and active driving,” Dr Mertens remarked. “This transforms everyday commuting from lost time to quality time, opening up new opportunities for work and pleasure.” Volvo Cars’ Autopilot system is designed to be reliable enough to allow the car to take over every aspect of driving in autonomous mode. The technology advances a crucial step beyond the automotive systems demonstrated so far since it includes fault-tolerant systems.

“It is relatively easy to build and demonstrate a self-driving concept vehicle, but if you want to create an impact in the real world, you have to design and produce a complete system that will be safe, robust and affordable for ordinary customers,” said Dr Erik Coelingh, Technical Specialist at Volvo Cars. “The main challenge is to design an Autopilot that is robust for traffic scenarios as well as for technical faults that may occur. It cannot be expected that the driver is ready to suddenly intervene in a critical situation. “Making this complex system 99 per cent reliable is not good enough. You need to get much closer to 100 per cent before you can let self-driving cars mix with other road users in

real-life traffic,” said Coelingh. “Here, we have a similar approach to that of the aircraft industry. “Our fail-operational architecture includes backup systems that will ensure that Autopilot will continue to function safely, also if an element of the system were to become disabled.” For example, the probability of a brake system failure is very small, but a self-driving vehicle needs a second independent system to brake the vehicle to a stop, as it is unlikely that the driver will be prepared to press the brake pedal. On the road, the complete technology solution shall handle even the most complicated scenarios, from smooth commuting to heavy traffic and emergency situations.

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Chelsea and Spurs are set for final showdown and England win at last! 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

DIARY OF EVENTS - On Sunday (March 1) Chelsea play Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final (both teams have won the trophy four times) while in the Premiership this coming weekend, it’s ArsenalEverton, BurnleySwansea, LiverpoolManchester City, Manchester UnitedSunderland, NewcastleAston Villa, WBASouthampton and West Ham-Crystal Palace. In the Championship, there’s the East Anglia derby between Norwich and Ipswich while Bournemouth play Blackburn and Middlesbrough visit Sheffield Wednesday. Rugby’s Six Nations continues with FranceWales and Scotland-Italy on Saturday, followed by Ireland-England on Sunday. And Down Under cricket’s World Cup goes into its third week with England-Sri Lanka (Sunday) and IrelandSouth Africa (Tuesday). WORLD CUP CRICKET After taking ‘batterings’ from Australia and New Zealand, England, with a record opening stand

RUN ENDS: Nadal suffers Rio Open semi-final defeat.

King of Clay out

Rafa Nadal has lost his first semi-final on clay for 12 years, beaten by Brazil’s Fabio Fognini in the Rio Open. between Moeen Ali (128) and Ian Bell (54) finally won a game, beating Scotland by 119 runs in their third Group ‘A’ game. Earlier, England lost by eight wickets to the Kiwis for whom Tim Southee took 7-33 and Brendan McCullum hit a recordbreaking 16-ball fifty. This was England’s joint heaviest World Cup defeat and afterwards Geoff Boycott said: “I was embarrassed; it was a diabolical performance.” In Group ‘B’ the West Indies reduced Pakistan to one for four before going on to win by 150 runs. There were also victories for Sri Lanka (v Afghanistan) and India (v South Africa).

DID YOU KNOW? Aston Villa’s 1920s centre-half was Doctor Vic Milne; Birmingham’s 1880s captain Billy Edmunds was a chartered accountant and Manchester United’s 1908 winger Ernie Payne won an Olympic cycling gold medal. And, oh, 44 Smiths have played League football in the UK this season.

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP • Chelsea drew 1-1 with PSG and Real Madrid beat Schalke 2-0 in recent Champions League games. • In the Europa League knockout stage, 10-man Everton defeated Young Boys of Berne 4-1 with a Romelu Lukaku hat-trick;

Mario Balotelli’s penalty gave Liverpool a 1-0 victory over Besiktas; Spurs drew 1-1 with Fiorentina and Celtic shared six goals with Inter Milan. The return games take place tonight. • Already this week (Tuesday and last night) there was Champions League action involving

Manchester CityBarcelona and ArsenalMonaco. • In the Premiership, Joey ‘Bonkers’ Barton was sent off for the ninth time in his career in QPR’s defeat at Hull... Chelsea had Nemanja Matic red-carded in their surprise home draw with Burnley... Swansea beat Manchester United to clinch their first-ever League double over the Reds)... Stoke (with Victor Moses’ 92nd penalty) won at Aston Villa (bad start for new boss Tim Sherwood)... Arsenal edged out Crystal Palace... Manchester City (aided by Sergio Aguero’s 28-second spot-kick) belted Newcastle 5-0... Harry Kane’s 95th penalty salvaged a point for Spurs v West Ham... Liverpool won 2-0 at Southampton... and the games between Everton and Leicester and Sunderland v WBA were drawn. • Elsewhere there was a shock in La Liga as Malaga (7th) beat Barcelona (2nd) 1-0 at the Nou Camp. Real

Madrid who won 2-0 at Elche are now four points clear at the top (60-56). • In Germany, Bayern Munich made it 14 goals in two games with a 6-0 away win over Paderborn (they won 8-0 four days earlier). IN BRIEF • The winner of the long-awaited fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2, will receive €105m, the loser €70m: the richest fight ever. • St Helens lost 3-0 to South Sydney in Rugby’s World Club Challenge. • And Tom Daley has regained his British 10m diving crown. • After beating Bath, Northampton are now six points clear at the top of Rugby’s Aviva Premiership. • In the World track cycling championships in Paris, GB’s men and women pursuit teams both won silver medals. • England’s women cricketers won their first but lost their second 20/20 international against New Zealand.

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Sport

Clarke to lead Europe Darren Clarke will captain Europe in next year’s Ryder Cup.

Costa de Almería’s best guide to local sport

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Blistering score for Ali BOTH the sun and Ali Mahmud shone brilliantly in warm temperatures at Marina Phoenix, with Ali scoring an incredible 48 Stableford points to annihilate the competition and earn himself a big handicap cut to boot. Jim Budd came in second, at a respectable distance, with 36 points on countback, ahead of Hylton Smith. The ladies’ division went to Jackie Dale on 34 points, followed by June Nicol on 32 and Isobel Jones on 29. Two’s prizes went to Ali Mahmud, Kenny Nicol and Rod Ambrose. The team game had 10 four-balls playing best to three count, two on par fives. The winning team of Rod Ambrose, Sammy Tumblety, Alan Morris and Frank Conmy scored 106 points, ahead of Malcolm Taylor, Isobel Jones, Marcos Caparros and Rosalie Fardon on 104, and Brian Watts, Mike Schorfield, Jackie Dale and Margaret Budd finished third with

MILES AHEAD: Ali Mahmud wins by wide gap. 103 points. Three were nearest the pin prizes for Des Coates, Frank Conmy, Nadie Wass and Steve Richardson.

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Marina Phoenix Golf Society plays on Mondays and Thursdays. To join, for a €25 green fee, call Jim on 950 162 727/600 353 670.

End of year for 19th Hole THE 19th Hole Golf Society had their end of year bash at the weekend at Valle del Este golf resort. The main event was a Team Waltz, with 33 players turning out for the contest. The team of Terry Caddick, Chrissie Dow, Lee Coxon and John Boutler stormed away with a first place lead of 84 points, followed by second placed Ian Postles, Mike Duckham, Don Harbron and Nekana Galindez on 74 points. In the individual Stableford competition, Lee Coxon comfortably

took the first division men’s award with an impressive 37 points, followed in second by Terry Caddick. Nekana Galindez won the ladies’ division with 36 points. The La Vida Order of Merit Trophy was presented to the most consistent player over the calendar year. Chrissie Dow became the first lady player to win it thanks to her decreasing handicap throughout the year. Anyone interested in joining 19th Hole Golf Society can call 610 340 653 or email gs19th hole@hotmail.co.uk