ISSUENN . 1555 //7 23 29 A2015 PRIL 2015 ISSUE O.O1557 - 13- May
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
No takers for lighthouse hotels
Easy ride for Almeria MERELY 1.18 per cent of Almeria drivers are fined each year, a survey found recently. According the Fundacion Linea Directa, this places Almeria almost at the bottom - or top, depending on point of view - of the list of fines imposed in each province. Only Alava, where 0.26 per cent of drivers are fined or Zamora (1 per cent), give drivers an easier ride. Teruel is the worst province in which to be a driver, where 32.3 per cent pay out for fines each year.
Fire plan woes RED TAPE is threatening to hold up the region’s firefighting strategy for this summer. Plan Infoca is due to come into force on June 1 but it looks as though the helicopters which play a vital role in extinguishing forest fires might have to stay on the ground. The operators are having a long wait in obtaining authorisation from Central Government, said a spokesperson from the Junta’s Environment Department.
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High praise for natural park Cabo de Gata held up as great example Following inspections by the body that monitors protected sites around the Mediterranean, the nature reserve has won plaudits for involving locals in making See Page 2 plans, and sustainable development.
Climber comes home El Ejido mountaineer is on way back from Nepal Eduardo Ibero Cobos, who was climbing the Makalu peak in Nepal when the earthquake hit, has spoken to the
media, and his family confirms that he and his group are now on their way back to See Page 11 Spain.
DNA poop plans Shooting perplexes Nijar and Sorbas ALLEGED killer gives himself up
By Linda Hall BOTH Nijar and Sorbas declared a day of official mourning for Manuel Tristan and Francisca Herrera. A minute’s silence was also held in their memory following a crime that no-one in either town can understand. Both were shot dead by Francisca’s 50-year-old husband, although initial investigations indicate that victims’ relationship was nothing more than a working one.
Francisca, aged 47, was employed by Manuel at a seedling nursery in Nijar and on the day of the shooting she had gone to see her mother in the Sorbas neighbourhood of Barranco de los Lobos. The killer allegedly fired at her twice with a shotgun and left for Nijar where he gunned down Manuel at the door to one of his greenhouses in the Bayo Lirola area. He then went to the Guardia Civil in Nijar to give himself up.
City residents demand dog dirt analysis People who live in Almeria City’s El Zapillo neighbourhood are asking the council to use forensics to track down owners who let their dogs foul the paveSee Page 12 ments and don’t clean up.
Together in Harmony New voluntary group launches in La Alfoquia An organisation called Harmony, which aims to fill the gaps in services not offered by other charities by providing
volunteer assistance to people in need, got off to a great start on its launch night by raising €675. See Page 20
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Official praise for Cabo Case dismissed de Gata national park LOCAL NEWS
months later. He had not satisfactorily explained how the fall occurred and failed to provide proof or witnesses to back his story, the Advisory Council ruled.
Homes legalised ARBOLEAS Council has provisionally approved its revised town development plant (PGOU). Legalising properties that are at present considered illegal is a principal aim of the new plan, said
Arboleas Mayor, Cristobal Garcia. A total of 291 homes on 19 adjoining urbanisations can now be reclassified as occupying ‘unconsolidated building land’ or ‘land sectored for development.’
Keeping a close watch THE revamped Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente park in Berja will have 24-hour CCTV surveillance. Day-long scrutiny will en-
sure children can enjoy the park. “Parents stopped bringing their children as some people who visited the park made them feel uncomfortable.”
AN example to follow for the Mediterranean area Photo by Carme
AN Adra resident will not receive €49,634 compensation for dislocating his shoulder after falling in the street. The town hall and Andalucia’s Advisory Council rejected the claim, made almost 18
By Linda Hall THE Cabo de Gata national park was singled out as setting a good example for Mediterranean areas. Officials from the advisory council that oversees Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI or ZEPIM in Spanish) recently visited Andalucia. They visited ZEPIM sites which included the Alboran Island, Fondos Marinos del Levante de Almeria (the seabed in Almeria’s Levante area), the Cabo de Gata-Nijar national park and the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs (Malaga). This was one of the committee’s periodic reviews required by ZEPIM protocol of 1995 that integrated in the Barcelona Convention of 1976, signed by 21 countries
SUCCESS: Cabo de Gata national park.
21
countries signed Barcelona Convention in 1976
to protect the Mediterranean from pollution.
Committee members were checking to ensure that the areas’ outstanding features that earned them their ZEPIM rating still exist and are being respected. Cabo de Gata-Nijar is a
pronounced success, thanks to the high level of the local population’s involvement in planning and running the site, as well as the opportunities for sustainable development.
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Late start
FEATURED NEWS
Virgin causes delay
A feast of colour and smells for the senses
SPAIN’S election campaign begins tomorrow, May 8, throughout the country. The exception is Lepe (Huelva) where the start is postponed until May 12, owing to the town’s Virgen Bella fiestas.
Paint it white Grants to help costs
flickr by Montse Poch
GIRONA will be adorned with spectacular floral displays as the Temps de Flors (Time for Flowers) festival gets under way from May 9 to 17.
SERON Town Hall, which stipulates properties in the town centre must be painted white, set aside €35,000 to assist residents with the cost. They have until September to apply.
Moving on Streetwalkers leave THREE prostitutes from the same family finally abandoned their daytime ‘pitch’ in Almeria City’s Avenida Cabo de Gata. The street is now peaceful said residents.
Funny science
Drug stash found in seniors’ home BEDECKED: The grand staircase leading up to Girona City Hall. By Eleanor Hawkins TIRED eyes and noses are in for a guaranteed pick-me-up for those visiting Girona for the Temps de Flors (Time for Flowers) festival. For a few days each year, the Barri Vell district of Girona in Cataluña becomes a treat for the senses as Temps de Flors flower festival covers the city in plants and floral creations. Running from May 9 to 17 this year, the festival turns Girona into a huge canvas for artistic expression which brings the beauty of floral compositions into harmony with the stunning architecture and historical heritage. First held in 1954, the festival has moved around many of the city’s bestknown landmarks and since it became an official route in 1993 offers a chance
118,923 is the amount unemployment fell by in Spain in April, the largest drop in a month of April since figures began to be recorded for comparison in 1996.
to enter the courtyards and gardens of homes and buildings that are not generally open to the public. Although almost everyone participates in the huge display in some way, be it by adding a small tub to the outside of their home or creating massive works of floral art, City Hall on Plaça del Vi always comes up trumps with surprising decorations adorning the grand staircase leading up to the building. Flowers aside, the festival also includes a number of other activities with something to catch the interest of almost everyone: flower, photography and film competitions, an A Cappella music festival, and special menus with flowers included at many restaurants. All in all, it’s an explosion of colour, smells and sounds which are well worth a visit.
A MAN has been arrested in Oviedo, Asturias, for hiding drugs in the ceiling of a bedroom in a senior citizens’ home. The stash was found by an electrician carrying out repairs. Police investigators tracked down the man who made frequent visits to the elderly couple living in the room, according to the home managers.
Quote of the Week If we all want to, we can put a stop to corruption’ said Andalucian regional government president Susana Diaz during her investiture speech on Monday, May 4.
Bone-marrow donors are inspired TWELVE-YEAR-OLD Oscar died not long ago of leukaemia in Barcelona. Last March his family were desperately hoping for a bonemarrow transplant that might have saved his life. Oscar’s uncle, an army cap-
tain posted to the Legion Brigade in Viator, appealed to his fellow soldiers to become bone-marrow donors. This would not only help Oscar but also those searching for a donation that could provide a cure for leukaemia, he explained.
The response from the legionnaires was overwhelming and Almeria’s Blood Transfusion Centre sent a mobile unit to the base to take blood samples. The results of the analyses were then sent to the international data base that stores
details of all potential donors. More donors came forward in four-and-a-half hours than the centre would usually receive in a year, doctors said afterwards, and within a fortnight more than 700 soldiers had volunteered.
“Today is immensely sad. After fighting for 10 months, Oscar has left us,” his family announced on social media. “But the disease did not win because thanks to Oscar hundreds of people have become donors and we can continue the battle.”
Scientific roadshow ‘BIG VAN THEORY’ visits Almeria City on May 13. The caravan of young scientists, Oriol Marimon, Albert Vivo, Javier Santaolalla and Jose Santiago, use humour to introduce people of all ages to science.
More in work Jobless figures fall THE number of unemployed in Andalucia fell by 14,425 to 1,014,675 last month, announced national statistics office, INEM, which is a 1.40 per cent improvement on April 2014.
Air-raid Opening for public view ADRA Town Hall has almost finished renovating underground galleries at the old San Andres foundry used as air-raid shelters during the Civil War.
Big job Social homes project THE regional government invited tenders to renovate 70 Realengo I social housing homes in Cuevas de Almanzora.
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Reaching for the stars and looking for new planets UNIQUE instrument Carmenes is undergoing tests By Linda Hall THE Calar Alto Spanish-German observatory in Gergal (CAHA) has begun assembling and testing Carmenes. The observatory, jointly owned and operated by the Max-Plank Astronomy Institute (Heidelberg, Germany) and the IAA-CSIC, is located on the 2,168-metre Calar Alto mountain in Sierra de los Filabres. The instrument’s full name of ‘Calar Alto high-Resolution search for M dwarfs with Exoearths with Near-infrared and optical Echelle Spectrographs’ provides the acronym Carmenes while revealing its function. The unique device, which has been developed by a consortium of 11 Spanish and German institutions, will search for Earth-like planets outside the solar system. This is one of the greatest challenges in present-
Photo by Sofia
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SEARCHING: The Calar Alto observatory. day astrophysics, explained CAHA’s deputy director Jesus Aceituno. Carmenes is remarkable for its precision and stability in measuring the minute variations in speed that planets produce in the stars that they are orbiting billions of kilometres away. The front of the instrument that connects with the 3.5-
metre telescope has now been attached. “You could say that this is Carmenes’ eye,” said CAHA’s assistant director, Jesus Aceituno. “We are testing it night and day to be certain it is working perfectly.” The initiative that began in 2009 is nearing completion and now awaits the arrival of the two spectrographs. “These are
due to arrive in July and September,” revealed Pedro Amado of the Andalucia Astrophysics Institute (IAA-CSIC) and the project’s principal investigator. “Calar Alto’s Spanish and German astronomers will soon be using an instrument that is the only one of its kind in the world,” Amado added.
Almeria pupils glued to their screens ALMERIA pupils are glued to their televisions, computers, tablets, phones and video consoles up to six hours a day. This excludes the time that the 11 to 18 age group use them for study purpos-
es, found a survey by the Almeria University. The researchers led by Encarna Soriano, lecturer in Educational Investigation and Diagnosis, questioned 2,160 pupils of 72 different nationalities in 12
Almeria Province schools. “The sums hardly add up,” Soriano said. “If they sleep 10 hours, spend six hours at school and six in front of a screen, where do they find time for homework, sport or leisure?”
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Playtime in hospital DOGS selected for their empathy with humans will visit the children’s oncology ward at Torrecardenas Hospital. Every Saturday the children receiving cancer treatment can play with the dogs without leaving the hospital.
Not fair
NO business concern has yet shown interest in turning one of Almeria Province’s 10 lighthouses into a hotel. The central government announced in 2013 that it planned to lease out the empty premises that in pre-digital days would have been occupied by the lighthouse keeper and his family.
Only around 60 of Spain’s 387 lighthouses are occupied and the Minister of Public Works Ana Pastor announced two years ago that the remainder could be put to more profitable use. Around 20 serious enquiries are being handled at the moment, according to government sources which stressed that
Rato troubles EX-MINISTER needs €5.6m surety
Plotted out
Going rate ALMERIA City Hall has been ordered to repay a property developer overcharged for IBI rates. The finance department must also pay for previous years whose appeal period it maintained had expired.
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Almeria hotel plan fails to shine a light
THE Coag growers’ cooperative has criticised Almeria supermarkets for selling watermelons imported from Senegal. This was disloyal competition now that local melons and watermelons were coming onto the market, Coag said.
HUERCAL-OVERA Town Hall took the first steps towards constructing the La Inmaculada hospital ring-road. The planned route will be marked out so that landowners involved can see how this affects their property.
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RELAXED: Rodrigo Rato in less problematical times. By Linda Hall THE taxman could seize Rodrigo Rato holdings in Almeria. The former government minister and bank president who also headed the International Monetary Fund already faces two trials linked to his time as president of Caja Madrid and later Bankia. Now he is threatened with a third prosecution for suspected fraud and moneylaundering. The two court cases
still loom but Rato’s finances have eased because the High Court has reduced his surety from €133 million to €5.6 million. He and other defendants must each provide this amount to cover possible compensation to small Bankia shareholders who lost savings through its subsequent bailout. Rato must still find the cash and since much of his €27m fortune is in property and land, these are being blocked.
these are still at an initial stage. Lightouses in Trafagar (Cadiz), Tabarca and San Antonio (Alicante) and El Pescador (Santander) are first in line to be transformed into boutique hotels. But Almeria is not about to follow suit, revealed Andres Garcia Lorca, the central government’s sub-delegate to Almeria,
although three uninhabited lighthouses are now cultural centres. Mario Sanz, the Mesa Roldan lighthouse keeper, doubted that the initiative would have much success in Almeria. “Few could be turned into hotels because there is only the tower and no space for rooms,” he pointed out.
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Citizens believe city clean-up required ALMERIA is the eighth dirtiest Spanish city By Linda Hall ALMERIA is one of the dirtiest cities in Spain, a consumer survey found. Association of consumers and users OCU asked not only residents for their opinion on the cleanliness of the cities they inhabited but also the councils of 60 city municipalities. After OCU collated replies from city-dwellers
€70
outlay for every resident
and city halls regarding their cleaning budgets and methods, Almeria limped in eighth out of 60 provincial capitals. Only Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Alicante, Valencia, Jaen, Huelva and Cuenca were lower placed. Almerienses had a poor opinion of the state of their city’s streets, awarding it 43
out of a possible 100 points. OCU noticed growing dissatisfaction throughout the country in the two years since its previous survey of Spanish cities where overall satisfaction has fallen Despite the poor opinion of the city’s overall state of cleanliness, Almeria City Hall spends an annual €70 for every inhabitant. This is almost €20 more than the national average.
Intercepted tanker crew detained CUSTOMS patrol boats boarded and impounded the Maria D, which they had been watching for some time. Suspicions were aroused when the Palauregistered tanker hugged the Moroccan coast for three days after entering the Strait of Gibraltar. The nine crew members, all Turkish, were
detained after the ship was intercepted in the Alboran Sea. Police are confident that they will find a haul of cocaine but are still looking. The search could last several days, sources said, at which point the case will be handed over to the courts in Cartagena, where the Maria D is now anchored.
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A long way down A 33-YEAR-OLD housebreaker fell three floors while scaling the facade of a Roquetas apartment building. Bruised and bloody, he tried unsuccessfully to escape when police arrived and is now in hospital.
Bye Vera THIRTEEN pupils from Kurt Schumacher High School in Karben (Germany) recently returned home from Vera. They were on an exchange trip following Alynub Instituto pupils’ visit to Karben last February.
All in order ARBOLEAS Town Hall has now archived all of its documents up to 1990. The task began in 2013, and archivists continue working “without pausing or hurrying,” municipal sources said.
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Climber on way home AN El Ejido climber is homeward bound from Nepal. Mountaineer Eduardo Ibero Cobos was tackling the 8,643-metre Makalu peak in Nepal when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit and killed many thousands. “We felt the first big earthquake and several aftershocks, but here in the advanced base camp at 5,000 metres we are safe,” the 52-year-old Correos employee said during a mobile phone call to the local Spanish media. He had experienced earthquakes before but none as intense as the Nepal disaster: “This was different, not normal. Years ago I felt tremors at El Ejido, but they were milder.” The group eventually decided to suspend the climb and return to Kathmandu before making the journey home to Spain. “They are all well,” family sources confirmed.
Looking to Spain for adoptions ALMERIA couples adopted 15 children last year. China and Russia are now tightening up conditions and departing from previous trends, 10 babies were Spanish. Couples cleared to adopt abroad can wait up to six years before they are allocated a child, prompting more families to look closer to home. Paradoxically, the formalities for adopting abroad require around six months but take much longer in Spain. Nevertheless, once the Almeria families finally made it onto Andalucia’s adoptions register they had a shorter wait. The regional authorities did not turn down any of the Almeria adoption applications last year, although two were rejected between January and April. On a happier note, three children - all Spanish - were adopted during this period.
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Yet another delay for murder trial FOUR accused in family feud killings will now have to wait for a new jury to be sworn in By Linda Hall THERE has been yet another hold up in the Costacabana murder hearing. “At this rate we shall finish in October,” complained High Court judge Tarsila Martinez when Bernardo Santiago
and his three sons came to trial more than three weeks ago in Almeria City. They are accused of shooting and killing their close relations, Santiago’s brother Bernardo and his son Jose, during a family quarrel over running a pub.
The judge had complained at the length of time taken over selecting a jury and preliminary statements owing to the complexity of the case and the number of defendants. After a break of a few days, when Tarsila Martinez was taken
ill at last week’s session, the hearing was suspended and the jury sent home. A new jury will now have to be sworn in and the trial restarted, to the dissatisfaction of Juan Manuel Santiago, son and brother of the two victims.
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Loyal wife PURIFICACION SANCHEZ is being called the ‘Hillary Clinton’ of Cantoria. She took over as the PSOE mayoral candidate when her husband stood down after being found in possession of cocaine.
Will planning SINCE the Junta’s 2010 ‘Right to die in dignity’ law 2,134 Almeria Province residents have made living wills. A total of 210 made them in 2014, plus 58 this year so far.
Summing up APPROXIMATELY half of Almeria residents fail to make their wages go round each month. Sixty per cent of their outgoings are spent on family and domestic obligations, they said.
Digging deep THE regional Ports Authority is dredging 47,000 square metres of sand from Adra harbour. This will be taken to the town’s El Censo and Guainos Bajos beaches to halt erosion.
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El Zapillo plans to zap left poop DNA could track down thoughtless owners By Linda Hall DNA testing could hound down Almeria City dog-owners who allow their pets to foul streets and parks. The city council has been asked to follow the lead of Malaga and Zaragoza by analysing the DNA of ‘calling cards’ left by the pooches’ inconsiderate owners. In El Zapillo neighbourhood residents are complaining about the state of local pavements but have suggested
INCONSIDERATE: Owners to blame, not dogs a solution which would incur little expense, they said. By law all dogs must be microchipped, they pointed out, and the information this con-
tains could be extended to include the animal’s DNA. A petition by El Zapillo residents has been delivered to Almeria City Council.
More help for putting out fires CARBONERAS Town Hall’s new trailerpump will enable Proteccion Civil to complement firefighting operations. Andrés Caparros Diaz said that civil defence had been asking for a trailer-pump throughout his 10 years as coordinator.
The equipment will help Carboneras to keep a blaze under control until the fire brigade arrives, he explained. “We are always grateful to Bomberos de Levante. They are great professionals,” Caparros said. “But it takes them about 40 minutes to get here.”
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Bus info A MOBILE phone app has been introduced in El Ejido for users of public transport. They can consult timetables, routes and fares and receive information of delays in real time.
Lotto luck SOME of tickets for the €600,000 first prize in a recent National Lottery draw were sold in Almeria City.
Spike study LA SALLE-VIRGEN DEL MAR and IES Valle del Andarax competed in an Almeria University competition for secondary schools pupils. The prize went to an Andarax group’s investigation into adulterated alcoholic drinks.
Big rebate INCOME tax rebates on last year’s earnings for Almeria farmers and growers are expected to reach €87 million. Tax authority Hacienda originally put the figure at €37 million.
Hot revenge A MAN who set fire to his ex-partner’s car has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment. Two other vehicles were damaged to the tune of €4,543.
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Bells chime with Dalias children PUPILS learnt the history and name of each bell By Linda Hall DALIAS schoolchildren were recently given a bellringing demonstration at the parish church. “The language of the bells is still alive in Dalias and is part of our cultural heritage,” explained Pilar Lopez, Councillor for Culture at the local town hall which organised the concert. “This is a legacy whose future is in the hands of the young,” she added. Beforehand the pupils from the Luis Vives school had been told the names and history of each bell and the meanings of the different peals and changes. The concert, which adults could also attend, was entertaining and really interesting they said afterwards.
BELL-RINGING: Legacy in the hands of the young.
Third time unlucky A 36-YEAR-OLD HuercalOvera man recently raided a local petrol station for the third time. He had received a prison term for robbing the same
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raids on same petrol station in Huercal-Overa
establishment twice in the past and had been released only six months earlier. Guardia Civil officers called in to investigate immediately recognised his modus operandi and their suspicions were confirmed by the employee and clients. The thief had acted rapidly, made no attempt to cover his face and made off with €700 after threatening them, they said.
The Guardia Civil scoured bars and clubs that the suspect was known to frequent, looking for him. After searching for some time, officers finally located him in the early hours of the morning at what they described as a ‘girlie’ club. The suspect resisted arrest and reacted violently and aggressively, according to Guardia Civil sources. The officers were unable to recover the stolen money as he had spent most of it by the time they caught up with him.
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Almeria arrests for counterfeit clothing gang 30,000
A GANG selling counterfeit clothing and footwear from Portugal has been dismantled with arrests made across Spain, including in Almeria. The gang would allegedly produce and manufacture the fake items in Portugal before taking them across the border for sale in Spain. The Guardia Civil operation ‘Mercados’ led to the arrest of the three Portuguese leaders of the gang in the province of Pontevedra, for continuous crimes against industrial property and belonging to a criminal group. Their headquarters were located in the north of Portugal where two factories were found making counterfeit designer clothing and shoes. The goods were moved to the border and distributed to 16 Spanish provinces.
pieces of fabric seized with a market value of nearly €2 million Accused of offences against intellectual property, further arrests were made in Cantabria, Gijon, Leon, Palencia, Malaga, Huelva, Almeria, Oviedo, Cordoba, Murcia, Ourense and Girona. Police seized 30,000 pieces of fabric of the leading brands which allegedly are counterfeit and with a believed market value close to €2 million. In addition, €22,000 in cash was also recovered in the operation. The operation was the result of close collaboration between the Guardia Civil, the authorities in Portugal and the Deputy Directorate of Customs Surveillance (DAVA).
Zurgena RBL raises funds for the Poppy Appeal THE Zurgena and District Royal British Legion (RBL) raised €53 for the Poppy Appeal at a recent lunch. There was also a generous donation to the Poppy Fund and raffle gifts from George and Mary Prowse, President and Secretary of the RBL’s Hitchin branch, in Spain on a family visit. The Zurgena branch meets on the first Thursday of every month at 11am at Bar Latinos in
La Alfoquia. There is also a coffee morning at the same venue every third Wednesday. Full details of other events can be found on the branch website and Arboleas Forum. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the meetings. For more information email www.zurgenarblsecreta ry@yahoo.co.uk or ring Joan Howard on 617 512 432.
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Big plans for port FACILITIES and services to be upgraded in Carboneras
Starring role
Look-see CARBONERAS PORT: More cargo ships will dock. quay will also serve for loading and unloading bulk liquids,” he added. Eighty per cent of the cost of the new dock will be covered by the EU’s Feder programme and building
should be completed before the end of this year. Other port authority plans for the facilities include a €183,000 access road from the Al-5106 via a two-lane roundabout.
New times for old custom SAN GONZALO DE AMARANTO recently had his yearly outing in El Cariatiz near Sorbas. The Dominican friar born in Portugal in 1186 was venerated in El Cariatiz for protecting animals and crops, but his fiesta died out many years ago. It was reinstated 10 years ago by the Villa Cariana women’s association with a romeria which, like most romerias, was considerably less liturgical than its translation of ‘pilgrimage’ suggests. The area lost much of its population when young people left to work elsewhere. Now foreign residents, many of them British, are repopulating the district, and enjoying the revival of old
customs. Severiana, the mule who carried San Gonzalo on her back, died two years ago and has not been replaced so the statue was passed from person to person on the six-kilometre round trip. The fiesta began with Mass at 9am in El Mayordomo, after which parish priest Paco Martinez Botella took his place amongst the musicians who provided music for the dancing each time the procession halted. The romeria finished at 2pm but the dancing and music continued until dusk, after which the statue was returned to its owners for another year.
Work inspection fines swell the government’s coffers WORK and Social Security inspections cost Almeria employers more than €750,000 in fines last year. According to a regional government report, checks and inspections in Almeria Province
NEWS EXTRA EDDY and Alex, formerly with Expresiones which counts David Bisbal amongst former members, have recorded their first videoclip ‘La consentida’. This also features the Cabo de Gata-Nijar national park.
By Linda Hall MORE cargo ships will be docking at Carboneras within six months. The contract to build the new quay, officially named ‘Muelle de Ribera Duque de Alba’, was awarded to Acciona. The company, part of the Entrecanales combine, put in a bid of €2.9 million for the €3.6 million project. Once built, two ships with an 18-metre draught and up to 140 metres long will be able to tie up at the same time. “These tankers and bulk cargo ships are Carboneras’s principal traffic,” a port authority spokesman said. “The Duque de Alba
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led to 250 cases which resulted in a fine. Two thirds of the cases stemmed from breaches of Health and Safety regulations while the remainder included irregularities concerning con-
tracts, rest periods, overtime, holidays and salaries. Some employers were fined for gender discrimination and failure to recognise workers’ union rights. Fines start at a modest €60 for a minor contract transgression but can rise to €187,515 in serious cases. Likewise, overlooking Health and Safety regulations could, in the most serious cases, cost an employer a €819,780 fine. A total of 2,500 work inspections in Andalucia - most of them in Malaga and Sevilla resulted in fines last year, bringing in approximately €7 million.
ADRA has launched its www.adraturismo.com web page promoting the town and its tourist potential. The town’s history, resources, food fiestas and leisure activities are showcased “very visually,” the town hall said.
Leak plugged A MECHANICAL digger pierced a gas main in Vega de Aca. The area was cordoned off and residents evacuated but gas company operatives cut off the supply before the escape could escalate.
New wheels THE government’s €2,000 PIVE incentive to write off old cars prompted sales of 76,3721 new vehicles in Almeria Province last year. A further 902 were sold between January and April.
Birth rights THE regional health department dismissed the Ombudsman’s claims that more midwives were needed in the province’s health centres. Care for mothers-to-be is guaranteed, the Junta de Andalucia regional government insisted.
Police work GUARDIA CIVIL officers explained their daily routine to 200 pupils at Luis Vives school in Dalias. This included demonstrations of locating drugs using sniffer dogs, deactivating explosive devices and detaining a suspected burglar.
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Almeria doctors help out in Palestine A MEDICAL team from Almeria City’s Torrecardenas hospital recently returned from the West Bank in Israel. Neurosurgeon Antonio Huete, surgeon Salvador Fernandez, anaesthetist Rosario Blanquez and nurses Maria Cassinello, Inmaculada Loro
False pretences OBTAINING a UD Almeria football club season ticket under false pretences earned an Almeria man a six-month sentence. The 30-year-old presented a document which apparently confirmed that he was an Almeria University student and entitled to a €50 reduction on the season ticket. He had intended to obtain ‘unlawful profit’ according to the prosecution but UD Almeria declined to press for compensation. This six-month sentence was suspended for two years.
and Sonia Navarro performed 25 operations in 12 days. Their patients were principally children wounded during the bombing of Gaza last year. Most had head trauma but their worst injury, the doctors said, was the terror they had lived through.
The doctors and nurses had responded to an appeal from the ONG Palestina after the charity contacted the Junta de Andalucia regional government, asking for help for the children. A group of orthopaedic surgeons from Cadiz also responded to the call, as did a team from Granada that
specialises in children’s surgery. All worked at hospitals in Nablus and Hebron. It was a sobering experience, Antonio Huete said. “They have been bombed and know terror. Their frightened faces and constant weeping got to me,” he said.
Dames cook up a treat DAMES IN SPAIN learned how to prepare a variety of fish dishes By Community Reporter DAMES in Spain recently enjoyed a demonstration on preparing fish dishes. Chef Jeremy Stent showed them how to cook lubina (sea bass) in salt and clean and prepare gilt-head bream and squid. They also learnt how to make a variety of sauces as well as a
LUNCH: Sampling the results of the demonstration.
pear and apple dessert. Later the Dames had lunch, sampling the dishes they had been shown. The next event for Dames in Spain is the Garden Party on May 19 at Casa Gregory in Turre. Further information on 950 529 399 or 950 956 130.
Anglican Church Fayre in Mojacar THE Anglican Church of Mojacar, Aljambra and Llanos del Peral is holding a Church Fayre on Saturday, May 9.
This is a major fundraising event and stallholders - from the church only - will be selling bric-a-brac, books, homemade cakes
and preserves, plants, clothing and children’s toys. There will also be a raffle and a bottle tombola.
NEWS
NEWS EXTRA
Fair’s fair for animals ROQUETAS Council has approved a motion vetoing the presence of animals in fairground attractions. Merry-go-rounds with ponies will no longer be licensed and newly-hatched chicks may not be put on sale.
Splitting up ANDALUCIA’S Advisory Council (CCA) pronounced in favour of Balanegra becoming a separate municipality from Berja, which is 20 kilometres away. The move, first suggested almost 10 years ago, was opposed by Berja.
On the line ALTHOUGH 60 per cent of Almeria Province inhabitants have mobile phones there are only 29.4 landlines per 100 inhabitants compared with the national average of 42.
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NEWS EXTRA
Flying high IBERIA’s regional franchise Air Nostrum will operate twice-weekly flights between Almeria and Malloca from June 15 until September 30. These will all connect with international Iberia flights.
Waste not FONDON Town Hall is clearing irrigation channels to prevent wasting water. The two-month project will be carried out by council staff and workers contracted under the Junta de Andalucia regional government’s employment plan.
Fiesta thefts EIGHT youths were arrested during El Ejido’s San Marcos fiestas, accused of bag-snatching. They were found with several mobile phones and wallets when stopped by police.
www.euroweeklynews.com
Harmony gets off to a great start A NEW group provides free, practical and informative assistance By Community Reporter HARMONY, a new charity based in La Alfoquia, got off to a good start by raising €675. The brainchild of its president Karen Revel, Harmony is a new community support group. It is committed to providing voluntary, practical and informative assistance to those in need, particularly people who are struggling to find spe-
NEW CHARITY: Two of the Harmony helpers. cific help not provided by existing charities.
At the launch at the Renfre centre the organisers thanked everybody for their donations and contributions as well as stallholders and the musicians who provided entertainment. Readers interested in becoming a Harmony Helper or helping behind the scenes should telephone 634 339 192 from Monday to Friday between 11am and 2pm or email help@harmonycharity.com.
NEWS
Almeria goats reduce fire risk SHEEP and goats provide Almeria Province with readymade firebreaks. Andalucia’s government imported flocks from France to keep down undergrowth in 2005. This is now widely practised throughout the region in areas at risk from forest fire, particularly during the summer months. The controlled grazing scheme provides regular work for local shepherds and goatherds, while providing free forage for the animals.
Using ‘cabra-bomberos’ (fire goats) is environmentallyfriendly, favouring conservation and biodiversity. Better still, it reduces the need to introduce machinery and lowers by 75 per cent the cost of using more labour-intensive ways of keeping firebreaks clear. The Junta de Andalucia has renewed its annual agreement with 26 owners of Almeria flocks although this year’s total of 16,500 goats and sheep is slightly lower than that of previous years.
Foreign travel vaccinations see an increase SEVEN per cent more travellers attended Almeria City’s Centro de Vacunacion Internacional last year than in 2013. The centre has already vaccinated 706 potential travellers and so far dealt with 2,384 enquiries in the first three months of this year. Many were Almeria Province resi-
2,384
enquiries in first three months of year
dents from Senegal, Ecuatorial Guinea and Mali planning to return for family visits. Others were local residents intending to travel for business or pleasure.
The centre receives constant updates of outbreaks and epidemics of dangerous diseases worldwide, enabling staff to inform travellers of the protection they need and the possible risks attached to their prospective journeys. Vaccinating against yellow fever, meningitis, polio, Central European encephalitis and rabies during the first
quarter of this year has already increased by 28 per cent compared with 2014. The centre recommends making appointments between four and six weeks before the intended journey. These can be maade by ringing 950 759 000 and 950 759 418 or by emailing citaviajero.almeria@seap.minhap.es.
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NEWS
Robber arrested, items recovered POLICE also discover marihuana plantation at property By Gemma Quinn THE arrest of a 29-year-old from Balerma, El Ejido, on suspicion of two counts of burglary from farms, has led to the recovery of a number of materials from other robberies in Almeria. Police say they are now investigating the origin of a
number of other items found at the property and have so far located 10 stolen items as the items stolen have unique brands that have enabled the identification of the owners to be found. As police approached the property, an inspection of
the building located a greenhouse where a total of 55 marihuana plants of different sizes, with a net weight of 2,800kg were found along with two cans of marihuana buds, weighing 1,200kg and a precision scale used for the measuring and distribution of the drug.
Stolen cattle found
Dames assist
ALMERIA police have recovered 11 sheep stolen from a cattle farm in Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia. Six people were arrested in Nijar, Almeria, suspected of a crime of receiving stolen goods after officers observed two parked cars and people transferring live animals from one vehicle to the other. They quickly left after detecting the presence of officers and police proceeded to track them down and ask about the origin of the livestock. No legal paperwork for their sale could be produced by the men. The arrests come following constant activity by the Guardia Civil in investigating rural crimes.
DAMES in Turre recently donated €5,000 to the Vera Orphanage. Lesley Barlow, Pam Smith, Sylvia Baker, Soo Wallace and Anne Anstey proudly handed over the cheque to Sister Antonia to assist in rebuilding the children’s toilet and shower block. Our apologies for attributing this donation to Dames in Spain last week.
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NEWS
Police canine unit goes into training HUERCAL-OVERA officers go on new courses with sniffer dogs By Gemma Quinn LOCAL POLICE in HuercalOvera have been in training with the canine unit. The City wants to train officers so they can work and train any type of dog. Currently, the canine unit has two dogs; Attila and Tina. Both are aged 18 months old and all went on the new course which incorporates a new patented training system which is being developed in police stations throughout the country, giving the officers and dogs new skills for preventing and detecting drugs, particularly in retail centres, schools and parks. Mayor Domingo Fernandez and councillor for Safety, Antonio Lazaro, spent the day with the officers and said: “Our agents have had the opportunity to acquire new
NEW COURSE: Mayor and councillor with the canine unit. knowledge and above all the keys to getting the best possible performance from the canine unit.” The mayor said the work being done with the canine unit was an “important part to prevent criminal acts espe-
cially on the issue of retail and in protecting our youth in the neighbourhood institutes and parks from drugs.” He added: “The unit is doing a great job for the benefit of all our neighbours and security.”
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AVE breaks records MORE tickets had to be made available By Steve Walsh HIGH-SPEED and long distance rail operator Renfe’s AVE service broke existing records on May 1 by transporting 125,467 people across Spain in one day. The holiday weekend prompted 8,302 more passengers than usual to use the highspeed rail service to get to their favourite May Day retreats, Europa Press reported. This broke the previous record, which was set on March 27 this year, the week before Easter. Some 860,000 tickets were up for sale between Thursday and Sunday, which was an increase of 11 per cent over a normal weekend period. However, that was not enough as an extra
HIGH SPEED: Many travelled to the Costa del Sol.
125,467 passengers in a single day 86,000 tickets had to be made available.
The need for additional tickets was mainly due to the demand on trains linking Madrid and the Costa del Sol, and those travelling along the Mediterranean corridor.
Resigned: Juan Carlos Monedero SECRETARY-GENERAL of anti-austerity independent party Podemos Pablo Iglesias announced that candidate num-
ber three Juan Carlos Monedero had resigned from the party’s Board of Directors. “This situation is tremen-
dously painful for me,” said Iglesias during a press conference. He continued: “He is one of my best friends and a key figure to our political biography and to the party.” Monedero’s resignation from all his roles comes after a controversial interview given to Cable radio in which he claimed: “Sometimes Podemos closely resembles those parties that it wants to overcome,” although he clarified: “It is still the most decent party on the Spanish political scene.”
NEWS
State TV accused of political bias SPAIN’S ruling PP conservative government has rejected allegations of political interference in state television ahead of regional and parliamentary elections this year. Staff at TVE and opposition parties accuse the station’s news programmes of favouring Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government and glossing over news that could damage the ruling PP. They say the problem began in April 2012, just after the PP took office, and abolished a requirement that the channel’s president be approved by a two-thirds parliamentary majority. Socialist lawmaker German Rodriguez told parliament: “Since then cases of manipulation and censorship and complaints by news professionals have been constant, and it has got worse as the elections approach. Public television is there to serve the people not to serve the electoral interests of the PP.” The station’s internal ethics watchdog delivered a report to the European Parliament earlier this month in which it accused the channel’s news programmes of “pro-government manipulation.”
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Ferry to go into port for repairs THE government of the Balearic Islands has confirmed the passenger ferry that caught fire last week will be towed to a Spanish port for repair The Sorrento, bound for Valencia from Mallorca, caught fire at sea last Tuesday prompting an emergency evacuation of the 156 people on board. The initial fears that the burning vessel, carrying 753 tons of fuel, could sink causing another ecological disaster were dispelled by the government, as they said: “There is no evidence to suggest it has lost buoyancy.” The spokesperson added that it would be towed to port for repairs. The burnt-out ship will be dealt with by its owner, the Italian shipping line Grimaldi, who had leased it out to Spanish company Acciona Trasmediterránea. The Public Works Ministry also announced that a salvage company would work on the boat at high sea before it was towed to a shipyard, where it could be repaired.
www.euroweeklynews.com
Mothers in Spain still main carers FATHERS much less likely to take time off to care for children
PATERNITY LEAVE: Although on the increase, child care mostly undertaken by the mothers. By Eleanor Hawkins THE latest figures on maternity and paternity leave from the Spanish Social Security Institute show that,
although paternity leave is increasing, new fathers are still much less likely to take time off to care for their offspring. Between January and
March of this year, the institute paid for 70,521 periods of leave of which 69,254 were taken by mothers and just 1,267 by fathers.
While in Spain the first six weeks’ leave after childbirth must be taken by the mother, the remaining 10 weeks can be taken by either parent.
NEWS
May Day demo draws thousands A MAY Day demonstration organised by trade unions CCOO and UGT in Madrid gathered thousands of people in support of workers’ rights and the end of austerity measures. Starting at the capital’s Plaza de Cibeles, it was led by trade union heads Candido Mendez and Ignacio Fernandez Toxo. Mr Toxo and Mr Mendez were accompanied by political leaders including the General Coordinator of left-wing party Izquierda Unida Cayo Lara, PSOE socialist representatives in Madrid Antonio Carmona and Angel Gabilondo and the Socialist councillor Pedro Zerolo. CCOO and UGT representatives explained that the main goals of the demonstration were to support democracy, public freedom and the right to hold demonstrations, and to denounce the financial and social deterioration experienced by citizens as well as the negative impact of austerity policies and their devastating effects on quality of life.
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NEWS FROM OUR FIVE OTHER REGIONS
COSTA DEL SOL
All the fun of the May fair as celebrations begin
MAY FAIR: Celebrations continue throughout the weekend in Torrevieja.
COSTA BLANCA SOUTH
MALLORCA
TORREVIEJA’S annual May Fair celebrations are now underway. The official inauguration took place last night (Wednesday May 6) with a grand fireworks display and the Sevillanas fiesta fun continues throughout the weekend until Sunday May 10. Taking place in the fair area by the port of Torrevieja, there are daily dance and musical performances but the most popular events are the parades of horses and riders dressed in full traditional Andalucian outfits, which takes place Saturday from midday and Sunday from 11am until 4pm, where around 300 horses and between 25-30 carriages will be parading around the enclosure of the fair. Torrevieja’s councillor for Fiestas, Lola Sanchez also highlighted the role of dance academies from the city for the first time in the Sevillanas Fair who will be present throughout the weekend and the performance of the Spanish duo Camela, which takes place tomorrow (Friday) night at the Real de la Feria at 10pm.
AXARQUÍA
COSTA BLANCA NORTH
Splashing fun
Port petition
Migrants rescued
Ghoulish garbage
THE first water-skiing park in the area has opened in Santa Pola after months of delays in getting the permits. The centre, next to the Salinas, offers wake-boarding, water skiing and fly-boarding.
A PETITION to stop the extension of the Port of Punta Portals in Calvia has already been signed by more than 4,700 people. Residents of the area have voiced their concerns regarding environmental and social negative impact.
TWENTY-TWO people on board a dinghy were rescued off the coast of Motril and taken to the town’s port by Salvamento Maritimo (Spanish sea search and rescue services).
RUBBISH collectors in Valencia last weekend were surprised to find an empty coffin propped up against one of the city’s refuse containers. It is thought that the coffin had not been used.
Aqueduct graffiti GRAFFITI artists of the Vega Baja have transformed the brackets holding the pipes of the Tajo-Segura Aqueduct. The Hydrographic Confederation of Segura, responsible for maintenance of the water transfer, has acknowledged the “creative value” of the work.
Museum night CARTAGENA has launched its ‘Night of the Museums’ programme, which starts on May 16 at 8pm until the early hours where events, concerts and exhibitions have been arranged throughout the night.
Sea showcase THE first boat show for Santa Pola attracted 15 major exhibitors and hundreds of visitors to the port area during the weekend long event.
No pets AN animal society is urging Guardamar Town Hall to allocate a pets’ beach. The PP governing team initially rejected the idea.
Faithful visitors THE Council of Capdepera with the Mallorcan Hotel Association, Firstsun, gave awards to 15 tourists who had visited the municipality more than 15 times in an event celebrated in Cala Rajada.
Training singers A TOTAL of 26 young singers gathered in Sant Joan to participate in the workshop Oh, Happy Weekend, aimed at talents between 12 and 22 years old in order to train them to become professional singers.
Leg injury A 35-YEAR-OLD man broke his leg on Sunday (May 3) after accidentally falling from the first floor of a building in Palma de Mallorca.
Boat fall A MAN remains in critical condition after suffering a work accident on board a boat in Puerto Portals (Palma). The 22-year-old was close to drowning but was rescued and taken to hospital.
NEWS
Repaved streets MORE than 20 kilometres in 22 streets have been repaved during the past week in Torrox. The project had a total cost of €145,000.
Cottage fire A FIRE started last Wednesday in an abandoned cottage in Calle Hurtado de Mendoza, next to the Almuñecar health centre. The house is usually occupied by homeless people. No one was hurt.
Fantasy park THE construction work on the ‘Tolkien-inspired’ park in Rincon de la Victoria has been put out to tender. The project has sparked significant interest amongst bidders, who will have to meet a minimum bid of €1.74 million.
Mayor busted FORMER mayor of the Axarquia town Alcaucin, Jose Manuel Martin Alba, is currently facing trial over several corruption allegations, which could see him sentenced to a total of 226 years in jail if found guilty.
For more local news from our five other regions see www.euroweeklynews.com
Gymnastic talent CALPE gymnast Naiara Fernández of Club Les Marines has taken sixth position in the Spanish Gymnastics Championship held in Guadalajara.
Jazz festival critic THE president of JOVEMPA (Young Entrepreneurs Association of Marina Alta) has criticised organisers of Xabia Jazz Festival saying it does not include enough local musicians.
Monster wipes JAVEA’S Amjasa water company boss Josep Lluis Henarejos says wet wipes thrown down toilets cost utility companies in 27 European countries between €500 million and €1 billion each year in damages.
Videotrip PROVINCIAL Tourism group ‘Valencia Terra I Mar ’ has produced a ‘Videotrip’ to promote Cullera, Gandia and Oliva, shortly to appear on social networks.
Busy month for tourists SAN ROQUE tourist office has a packed activity agenda for this month with a total of 51 events planned including guided tours of Carteia, tapas routes, rural and adventure activities and golf and polo tournaments.
Massage record A NATIONAL record has been broken in Malaga City as more than 100 people carried out simultaneous massages for 15 minutes at a healthy lifestyle fair.
Fatal accident A MAN died on Saturday, May 2, after being hit by a bus while attempting to cross the A7 motorway near Pinamar in Marbella.
Wanted, and caught A ROMANIAN man of 46 with a pending arrest order from a Malaga criminal court has been arrested by border control officers after landing at Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport.
Spring market SAN Pedro Boulevard will be the scene of an Urban Spring Market from 11am to 8pm on May 9 to 10. A total of 60 stands will be offering spring-related products and children’s activities will be available.
Motocross coming EL REALEJO in Las Chapas is the site chosen by Marbella Council for a 73,000-square-metre motocross circuit to meet official competition standards, which will include a paddock area and cafeteria for spectators.
EWN top for all the news from Spain.
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GERMAN
EUROPEAN PRESS SCANDINAVIAN PRESS
Oslo Global Summit NORWAY: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is expected to attend the education for development summit on July 6/7 along with heads and ministers from 40 countries.
Pill ban SWEDEN : From November, Swedish supermarkets are to ban the sale of Paracetamol tablets after a significant increase in the number of accidental overdoses since 2009.
An upgrade NORWAY: The Norwegian government is planning to invest more than $1 billion (€895 million) to procure new armoured vehicles and upgrade its current fleet.
Positive state SWEDEN: Following a survey of all 28 EU member states, seven of the top 10 regions in Europe for low longterm unemployment were in Sweden.
Mama Mia! SWEDEN: Is set to open its first Abba restaurant - the Greek-themed restaurant will be located in Stockholm and is planned to open next January.
Off the rails DENMARK : Has Europe’s safest railways according to a comparison of European railway systems and comes third behind Switzerland and Sweden for best railway system.
PRESS
Less pollution please! DIESEL vehicle emissions produce nitrogen dioxide. THE UK’s highest court has ruled that the government must take immediate action to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution - mainly produced by emissions from diesel vehicles.
What a find TWO brothers discovered a World War One medal in a Manchester sewer while carrying out maintenance work and are looking to reunite it with the man’s family.
Edinburgh Airport A FIVE-month trial will commence from June 25 trialling a new flight path for aircraft departing from Edinburgh which would enable aircraft to take off at one-minute intervals. Airport bosses have reassured locals about noise, saying the path crosses few populated areas.
What’s up Doc A LMOST one in 10 GP posts in the UK are empty, with patients struggling to get appointments and one in six surgeries take more than a year to recruit new doctors.
BRITISH PRESS
Broadchurch success FOLLOWING the success of the TV series Broadchurch, a walking route has been launched off the Jurassic coast in Dorset where the series was based.
TV SHOW: David Tennant heads up the cast.
AN East London council is set to be the first local authority in the UK to use DNA testing to identify irresponsible dog owners who fail to clean up.
Sports award
Jail escape
Phew - at last
BELFAST will host the 2015 Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday December 20 at the Odyssey Arena, the first time Northern Ireland has held the event.
Calorific wine MOST drinkers are unwittingly consuming more calories than they realise, according to a public health expert, with a large glass of white wine containing 185 calories.
THE Netherlands has been ranked eighth in the 2014 Global Competitiveness Index published by the World Economic Forum (WEF). High scores in health, education, training, infrastructure and business sophistication helped achieve this top ranking.
Pricey city
Fruit and veg
DENMARK: According to data from The Economist magazine, Copenhagen is among the world’s 10 priciest cities, ranking at number eight. A loaf of bread costs on average €1.64 and a supermarket can of beer €1.51.
JUST one-quarter of the Dutch population eat the recommended servings of fruit, vegetables and fish, the Dutch Health Council has reported. Educated people are more likely to meet the targets than their noneducated compatriots, and this gap is widening.
A 43-YEAR-OLD murderer escaped from the JVA Rheinbach jail in North Rhine-Westphalia by smuggling himself out in the trailer of a tractor. Police said he was highly dangerous.
Rise in attacks THERE has been a disturbing rise in antirefugee attacks. The police said they had yet to apprehend anyone for a recent arson attack on a hostel in Troglitz.
Crash victims
BAN could be lifted on using blood from homosexual men.
Global ranking
Government assists spying THE German government has been accused of lying to the Bundestag after it emerged that Angela Merkel’s office knew German spies were assisting economic espionage for the Americans.
Hoping to expand blood donations DUTCH Health Minister Edith Schippers favours lifting the ban on blood donations from homosexual men, following research from Maastricht University showing this group no longer need be excluded in the interests of blood safety.
NEWS
DUTCH PRESS Close libraries ENTREPRENEUR Annemarie van Gaal says public libraries across The Netherlands should be closed as they cost over €600m annually, and book-lending has become a marginalised activity due to the wealth of information to be found online.
House prices rise HOME prices continue to rise, according to figures from Statistic Netherlands. Prices of owner-occupied properties are 2.4 per cent higher in February 2015, than in February 2014.
No more Porsches TWO years after the unit was abolished in 2013, Dutch national traffic police are back on the roads but not in high performance cars as before.
No charge BOOKS: No longer as popular.
A DUTCH appeals court has ruled that three former UN commanders will not be prosecuted for the deaths of three Muslim men murdered after leaving a UN compound.
RELATIVES were joined by political and religious leaders to commemorate the 150 victims of the Germanwings plane crash. The service in Cologne was attended by Angela Merkel and Joachim Gauck.
Bund rise GERMAN government bonds should produce their largest rise since December 2013 following a weak bond auction. The 10-year German Bund climbed 12 points to yield up to 0.289 per cent.
More people STATISTICS office Destatis has stated that the German population will rise over the next five years.
Man saved A BARRIER has saved the life of a drunk man in Nuremberg. When he fell onto the track, the subway train stopped automatically.
NEWS
7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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RUSSIAN P RESS
Rocket is lost PROGRESS M-27M is a supplies spacecraft.
UNMANNED: The spacecraft is expected to fall to earth. AN UNMANNED Soyuz rocket carrying the Progress M-27M supplies spacecraft is feared lost and expected to fall to earth. All attempts to contact the rocket have failed.
Banner blunder A BLUNDER on a WWII 70th anniversary banner in Ivanteyevka has prompted a local politician to apologise to the town: Luftwaffe pilots were depicted next to the slogan: ‘They fought for the Motherland.’
IT in St Petersburg ST PETERSBURG has hosted the ‘Modern IT Solutions for Media Companies,’ where IT publishers and specialists met in a workshop environment.
Sputnik site
Moscow smokers A NETWORK of cafes for the use of smokers in Moscow is planned to be available by the summer. The premises are no different to ordinary cafes – just smokier! prices in Russia by 5-20 per cent as an incentive to stimulate sales.
Remains found
RUSSIAN Railways have reported an 8.6 per cent increase in profits for the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period last year.
JAPANESE car manufacturer Toyota has reduced
Sommelier school ENTREPRENEUR Cyril Burlutskiy has opened a school for sommeliers in St Petersburg with a turnover of 24 million rubles. It began as a special interest club.
RUSSIAN Energy Minister Alexander Novak has confirmed that the contract with Ukraine for the transit of Russian gas due to expire in 2019 will not be extended.
Chernobyl fire
Toyota discount
A SPECIAL version of the Kia Picanto hatchback with increased road clearance is tipped for release mid-May on the Russian market. It is designed specifically for Russian roads.
Gas contract
SPUTNIK.DETI is a new search engine for children, created by Sputnik.ru. The site offers more than 5,000 of the best and most interesting sites for young internet users and includes puzzles, games books and songs.
REMAINS suspected to be those of Soviet troops who fell while fighting in China in WWII have been discovered in Xinjua.
Road clearance
A FIRE near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has caused 400 hectares of forest to be burned.
Rail profits
SPECIAL INTEREST: Sommeliers.
EWN
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FINANCE
LONDON - FTSE 100 MAY
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Unemployment may be down but Spanish families are still suffering By Staff Reporter RECENT figures show that half a million jobs have been created in the last year. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said: “They are good figures, we should celebrate.” However, many Spaniards feel there is little to celebrate. Many live from
Monthly mortgage is a bill too far. month to month with few funds in reserve. Elsa Carmona, a 39-year-old mother-of-two, explained: “We survive
Woody Allen
MINI BOOM: Strong sterling rate and lots to choose from.
British buyers back on the hunt in Spain THE combination of a strong sterling rate, as well as a feelgood factor, has resulted in a 50 per cent rise in investors looking to buy in Spain. This combined with more than 650,000 properties on the market in Spain and favourable mortgage packages has generated a ‘mini property boom’. Legal fees, when purchasing property in Spain, can mean that homebuyers must budget for an extra 15 per
from money my father gives us from his pension. My husband has a gardening job for nine hours a week but that is not enough to cover our mortgage, which is €800 per month.” Elsa has many part-time jobs but not regular hours. They are two years behind on their mortgage and
Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons,’
Arena Photo UK / Shutterstock.com
Quote of the Week
€800
cent on top of the properties’ value. These costs can be considerable, but with banks offering cashback to buyers of up to 13 per cent of the properties’ value, the attraction of buying in Spain is obvious. One Spanish lender, Banco Popular, offers a financial package that requires no deposit. When combined with the cashback offer this means that a mortgage of up to 113 per cent is possible.
BUSINESS EXTRA
Fast growth SPANISH PM Mariano Rajoy has forecast that Spain will grow 2.9 per cent this year, which would make it the fastest-growing economy among major euro-area nations, including Germany.
Saudi deals SULTAN bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, and Jaime Garcia-Legaz Ponce, Spain’s Secretary of State for Trade, met on Sunday to discuss ways of increasing trade between their two countries.
Euro surges THE euro surged higher against the dollar after some encouraging economic data in the eurozone, including a welcome rise in prices and stronger-than-expected growth in Spain. The euro climbed to US$1.1224 from around US$1.1128 last week.
Profit jump for Santander SANTANDER, the Eurozone’s biggest bank, has declared a 32 per cent net profit for the first quarter of 2015. It said that the strong economic recovery in its home market had boosted revenue as well as improved earnings in Britain and Brazil. Santander reported a net profit of €1.72 billion, which was up €1.3 billion from last year.
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AENA, Spain’s airports operator, said profits jumped last year for Madrid and Barcelona as a record number of tourists visited the country. Pre-tax earnings rose 17 per cent to €1.88 billion.
STAT OF WEEK
business & legal
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This rise was attributed to an increase in private investment, higher business investment and the reduction of provisions for bad loans. The bank, which is one of the world’s most foremost finance groups, reported profits of 14 per cent in Britain. Santander said it was cautious yet optimistic regarding further growth.
have not been able to pay utility bills. A food bank helps feed the children and relatives have offered assistance to pay for her eldest son to go to university. The Spanish have a long tradition of keeping up appearances and this is one reason why many are too proud to ask for help.
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Green shoots IN a landmark turning point, figures show Spain’s economy is growing at its fastest pace since before the global economic crisis in 2007. Spanish GDP figures have boosted hopes that the Eurozone is bouncing back, despite the ongoing tumult in Greece. Spain, which received a €100 billion bailout for its wobbling banking sector in 2012, recorded a 0.9 per cent increase in GDP in the first quarter of this year. The news highlights the growing rift between the fortunes of Greece and the other bailed-out Eurozone countries.
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C LOSING P RICES M AY 4
PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group 497.90 -8.60 Aberdeen Asset Management 463.20 -11.90 Admiral Group 1,596.00 38.00 Aggreko 1,649.00 -2.00 Anglo American 1,165.00 60.00 Antofagasta 792.50 11.00 ARM Holdings 1,118.50 4.50 Ashtead Group 1,146.50 20.50 Associated British Foods 2,874.00 17.00 AstraZeneca 4,461.50 -35.00 Aviva 523.00 -4.00 Babcock International Group 1,002.50 -6.50 BAE Systems 503.50 -4.50 Barclays 254.48 -0.82 Barratt Developments 513.50 -6.00 BG Group 1,187.00 4.50 BHP Billiton 1,607.25 46.25 BP 468.63 -1.47 British American Tobacco 3,640.00 47.50 British Land Co 821.50 -11.00 BT Group 459.80 4.05 Bunzl 1,832.00 -7.00 Burberry Group 1,724.00 -20.00 Capita Group (The) 1,165.00 21.00 Carnival 3,008.00 19.00 Centrica 254.60 -0.80 Coca-Cola HBC 1,376.00 -3.00 Compass Group 1,154.00 -3.00 CRH 1,838.00 9.00 Diageo 1,815.00 3.50 Direct Line Insurance Group 317.75 -1.35 Dixons Carphone 418.10 -6.20 easyJet 1,801.00 -12.00 Experian 1,161.00 -7.00 Fresnillo 712.00 -7.50 G4S 291.60 -1.40 GKN 348.65 -2.65 GlaxoSmithKline 1,511.50 -3.00 Glencore 312.65 2.40 Hammerson 665.00 -4.00 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,198.00 -32.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 2,031.00 -16.00 HSBC Holdings 646.30 -1.80 Imperial Tobacco Group 3,226.50 34.50 InterContinental Hotels Gr 2,817.00 13.00 International Consolidated 557.50 12.50 Intertek Group 2,626.00 14.00 Intu Properties 338.90 -4.10 ITV 254.25 0.65 Johnson Matthey 3,320.00 -25.00
% CHG. NET VOL -1.70 4,925.48 -2.50 6,326.50 2.44 4,348.51 -0.12 4,228.52 5.43 15,490.23 1.41 7,704.47 0.40 15,723.87 1.82 5,667.65 0.60 22,618.13 -0.78 56,813.35 -0.76 21,319.45 -0.64 5,067.16 -0.89 16,071.80 -0.32 42,678.04 -1.15 5,153.38 0.38 40,377.44 2.96 32,969.44 -0.31 85,842.19 1.32 66,968.95 -1.32 8,495.85 0.89 38,156.38 -0.38 6,156.99 -1.15 7,756.34 1.84 7,596.22 0.64 6,459.83 -0.31 12,692.87 -0.22 5,024.72 -0.26 19,236.45 0.49 14,927.99 0.19 45,546.19 -0.42 4,786.50 -1.46 4,885.65 -0.66 7,201.38 -0.60 11,523.66 -1.04 5,301.95 -0.48 4,546.17 -0.75 5,788.67 -0.20 73,692.74 0.77 40,574.33 -0.60 5,247.04 -2.60 5,834.12 -0.78 4,071.07 -0.28 124,926.56 1.08 30,550.34 0.46 6,620.73 2.29 11,112.41 0.54 4,214.77 -1.20 4,516.84 0.26 10,224.92 -0.75 6,854.50
COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Kingfisher 354.40 3.10 Land Securities Group 1,229.00 -20.00 Legal & General Group 257.30 -2.70 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 82.87 5.49 London Stock Exchange Group2,525.00 -24.00 Marks & Spencer Group 548.50 -5.00 Meggitt 529.00 -1.00 Merlin Entertainments 436.00 -0.40 Mondi 1,322.00 -1.00 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 187.85 1.05 National Grid 886.45 7.45 Next 7,332.50 -17.50 Old Mutual 233.00 -1.90 Pearson 1,337.00 17.00 Persimmon 1,691.50 -8.50 Prudential 1,613.25 -15.75 Randgold Resources 5,002.50 38.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 5,800.00 -26.00 Reed Elsevier 1,106.50 24.50 Rio Tinto 2,997.00 112.00 Rolls-Royce Group 1,043.00 -3.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group (The)339.80 1.30 Royal Dutch Shell 2,060.00 0.50 Royal Dutch Shell 2,098.25 3.75 Royal Mail 468.70 1.00 RSA Insurance Group 425.10 -2.50 SABMiller 3,480.00 17.00 Sage Group (The) 488.50 2.50 Sainsbury (J) 271.60 -0.50 Schroders 3,240.00 -7.00 Severn Trent 2,083.50 -41.50 Shire 5,355.00 20.00 Sky 1,079.00 2.00 Smith & Nephew 1,143.00 26.00 Smiths Group 1,134.00 -11.00 Sports Direct International 620.50 1.50 SSE 1,550.00 3.00 St James's Place 886.00 -6.50 Standard Chartered 1,068.00 -2.00 Standard Life 466.80 -1.10 Taylor Wimpey 165.50 -0.70 Tesco 225.00 4.00 Travis Perkins 2,056.00 -22.00 TUI AG 1,200.00 -23.00 Unilever 2,875.00 9.00 United Utilities Group 957.50 -13.50 Vodafone Group 230.00 -0.55 Weir Group 1,885.00 5.00 Whitbread 5,220.00 -35.00 Wolseley 3,857.00 -15.00 WPP Group 1,537.00 11.00
% CHG. 0.88 -1.60 -1.04 7.09 -0.94 -0.90 -0.19 -0.09 -0.08 0.56 0.85 -0.24 -0.81 1.29 -0.50 -0.97 0.78 -0.45 2.26 3.88 -0.29 0.38 0.02 0.18 0.21 -0.58 0.49 0.51 -0.18 -0.22 -1.95 0.37 0.19 2.33 -0.96 0.24 0.19 -0.73 -0.19 -0.24 -0.42 1.81 -1.06 -1.88 0.31 -1.39 -0.24 0.27 -0.67 -0.39 0.72
NET VOL 8,209.20 9,873.82 15,450.42 55,229.00 8,851.50 9,120.66 4,196.25 4,423.99 6,423.88 4,361.95 32,863.58 11,236.21 11,571.28 10,827.78 5,211.19 41,880.20 4,608.77 41,686.47 12,189.32 40,651.91 19,269.91 21,784.45 80,208.98 51,114.40 4,677.00 4,343.55 55,973.11 5,235.83 5,224.60 7,338.95 5,065.45 31,555.73 18,513.82 10,007.26 4,520.20 3,704.50 15,362.46 4,660.02 26,489.14 9,213.36 5,407.25 17,951.82 5,170.51 7,174.16 36,783.95 6,621.14 61,123.50 4,011.56 9,549.85 10,322.45 19,973.05
1.35539
0.73779
Units per €
US dollar .....................................................................1.11653 Japan yen.................................................................134.140 Switzerland franc ................................................1.04647 Denmark kroner...................................................7.46422 Norway kroner.....................................................8.45687
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DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES M AY 4
COMPANY MMM 3M AXP American Express AAPL Apple BA Boeing CAT Caterpillar CVX Chevron CSCO Cisco KO Coca-Cola DIS Disney DD E I du Pont de Nemours and Co XOM Exxon Mobil GE General Electric GS Goldman Sachs HD Home Depot IBM IBM INTC Intel JNJ Johnson & Johnson JPM JPMorgan Chase MCD McDonald's MRK Merck MSFT Microsoft NKE Nike PFE Pfizer PG Procter & Gamble TRV Travelers Companies Inc UTX United Technologies UNH UnitedHealth VZ Verizon V Visa WMT Wal-Mart
PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 2.2M +0.82% 157.68 +1.29 3.9M +0.30% 77.68 +0.23 +3.04% 58.5M 128.95 +3.80 3.6M +0.93% 144.67 +1.33 4.9M +0.56% 87.37 +0.49 -1.82% 10.4M -2.02 109.04 +1.04% 18.9M 29.13 +0.30 +0.86% 10.8M 40.91 +0.35 6.2M +1.66% 110.52 +1.80 3.1M +1.15% 74.04 +0.84 +1.69% 12.3M 88.85 +1.48 +0.85% 28.3M 27.31 +0.23 2.0M +0.57% 197.53 +1.11 6.7M +2.40% 109.55 +2.57 3.3M +1.39% 173.67 +2.38 +2.67% 27.1M 33.42 +0.87 6.3M +0.94% 100.13 +0.93 +0.55% 11.6M 63.61 +0.35 6.3M +1.29% 97.80 +1.25 9.4M +0.50% 59.86 +0.30 48.66 +0.015 +0.03% 38.9M 3.3M +1.96% 100.78 +1.94 +0.44% 21.5M 34.08 +0.15 8.2M +0.98% 80.29 +0.78 1.8M +1.00% 102.12 +1.01 2.8M +1.49% 115.44 +1.69 5.8M +1.62% 113.20 +1.80 -0.06% 13.9M -0.03 50.41 -0.42% 10.1M -0.28 65.77 5.0M +0.70% 78.60 +0.55
NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M AY 4
COMPANY
PRICE
CHANGE NET / %
Most Advanced Escalera Resources Co. Olympic Steel, Inc. NutriSystem Inc Nektar Therapeutics SkyWest, Inc. EnerNOC, Inc. Callidus Software, Inc. Web.com Group, Inc. Blucora, Inc. Century Aluminum Company Auris Medical Holding AG
$ 3.789 $ 13.70 $ 23.25 $ 11.48 $ 16.12 $ 12.86 $ 14.16 $ 21.06 $ 15.55 $ 14.595 $ 5.54
0.78 ▲ 26.33% 2.75 ▲ 25.11% 4.20 ▲ 22.05% 1.96 ▲ 20.59% 2.47 ▲ 18.10% 1.81 ▲ 16.38% 1.81 ▲ 14.66% 2.69 ▲ 14.64% 1.88 ▲ 13.75% 1.705 ▲ 13.23% 0.64 ▲ 13.06%
$ 27.51 $ 22.35 $ 9.56 $ 6.815 $ 27.53 $ 55.48 $ 2.05 $ 25.60 $ 3.90 $ 14.24 $ 14.09
7.34 ▼ 21.06% 5.35 ▼ 19.31% 2.16 ▼ 18.43% 1.315 ▼ 16.17% 4.88 ▼ 15.06% 8.52 ▼ 13.31% 0.26 ▼ 11.26% 3.20 ▼ 11.11% 0.45 ▼ 10.34% 1.58 ▼ 9.99% 1.51 ▼ 9.68%
Most Declined Constant Contact, Inc. Liberty Tax, Inc. Control4 Corporation Accuray Incorporated Monotype Imaging Holdings Inc. ABAXIS, Inc. Synacor, Inc. Federated National Holding Company TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation Tuesday Morning Corp. YRC Worldwide, Inc.
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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
Volatility continues in currency markets Ask the expert Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com
IT has been an extremely bumpy ride across the currency markets and we can expect more volatility for GBP/EUR in the months ahead. Firstly, if we look at the current euro depreciation, we can put the live rate nearing 1.40 into context. The European Central Bank’s (ECB) massive Quantitative Easing (QE) programme is now in full flow to the tune of €60 billion per month. The ongoing effect of the programme is still unclear but it is expected to continue to erode appetite for the euro especially once other central banks such as the US and UK start to raise interest rates. The effect of this divergence should drive GBP/EUR higher and EUR/USD lower and parity and below for EUR/USD have been touted. Late 2015 for the US and 2016 for the UK look like the projected lift-off times for increasing interest rates. Despite considerable euro weakness
BUMPY RIDE: Expect more volatility for GBP/EUR in the months ahead. already fed into the markets it is likely that this will increase once we do see a clear divergence of monetary policy. Greece is also a major concern for the euro and could lead to periods of high volatility and further euro weakness. As it stands, Greece looks set to get
through its immediate debt concerns as the funds are already available and Greece will need to unlock these funds for short-term obligations. However, it is in June when the bailout expires that things could get messier. The euro is vulnerable to any perceived lack of
agreement on the continued funding of Greece, and the Greek concerns are expected to continue over the coming months. The immediate elephant in the room for the Great British pound is the approaching general election. So far the pound has managed to shrug off any election uncertainty concerns and has been largely driven by external factors. The big concern is that the messy outcome that is expected will fail to form a coherent government in a short time-frame. If we see protracted negotiations extending over many days and possibly into weeks then expect the pound to nosedive on this uncertainty. If we look at the election in 2010 it took five days for a government to be formed and in that period the pound was sold heavily across the currency markets. This election looks set to be even more uncertain and thus we should expect to see the pound come under short-term pressure. Overall, prepare for some short-term downside pressure on GBP/EUR. However, assuming a government is formed we should see the trend once again revert back to GBP/EUR upside with the next big target of 1.45 and 1.50 in mind.
Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca. Telephone: UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 SPAIN +34 950 478 914 Email: euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
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7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
What would you spend money on? Loose change Jane Plunkett A look at finance for females jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com
CULTURAL stereotyping originates from somewhere, it’s definitely not just plucked from thin air! For example, even though not everyone might agree with it, the Spanish are well-known for bullfighting and also for Flamenco music and dancing. And for good reason too, as these cultural traditions have survived decades and continue to live on. The British and Irish are perhaps renowned for their love of a drink. While the Swiss are famous for adhering to rules and regulations, apart from when it comes to banking that is!
But if you were to be asked what is the most popular ‘thing’ that people want to spend their money on in each country in the world, what would you say? Maybe it would be carpets in Turkey? Electronics in Japan? Beer in Germany? Or an expensive car in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or Saudi? An online cost-estimating website recently put together a map of the world listing what the most-Googled-for objects are in each country. And the results, which show what the majority of people want to spend their money on in each particular country, are very interesting, highlighting the wealth or lack thereof in various places around the world, as well as other things. Some countries appear to abide by cultural stereotypes. For example in Saudi, the vast majority of people want to know how much it is to
buy a Lamborghini sports car. In the UAE it’s a Ferrari. In France, consumers are typically interested in the price of a croissant, while in Switzerland people want to know how much a Rolex costs. In Spain, considering the current rate of unemployment and general discontent, it’s no great surprise to see that the price of food is the thing most Spaniards Google. Other results, however, were a little more surprising. People want to know how much a MIG aircraft costs in Russia. How much a prostitute costs in Brazil. How much rhinoplasty surgery costs in South Korea. Or
how much a watermelon costs in Japan. Go figure!
CULTURAL STEREOTYPING: The Spanish are wellknown for Flamenco.
EWN
39
OPINION & COMMENT
7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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EWN
Don’t mention the war!... Everett Historical / Shutterstock.com
A UK newspaper reported that 91 per cent of Germans believe they were victims of Nazi tyranny LEAPY LEE SAYS IT
OTHERS THINK IT I CANNOT believe that a report published last week in a British newspaper didn’t cause an absolute furore of public indignation. Instead it was somehow brushed aside and, as far as I could see, never saw the light of day again. Up to now, that is! The piece was headlined. ‘Why Germans no longer believe they lost the War’. Intrigued? It gets worse. Apparently 91 per cent of Germans consider the end of the Second World War as their liberation from Nazi tyranny. They see themselves as victims. What pure, unadulterated, arrogant poppycock! In other words, the millions of German citizens, who took to the streets maniacally cheering Hitler and celebrating the fall of country after country under the jackboots of their evil armed forces, weren’t really happy at all! They must think we all came over on the last banana boat. Let’s just get this absolutely straight. The German people were solely re-
HITLER’S GERMANY: Responsible for the death of millions. sponsible for the Second World War (we won’t get into the first one). A war which killed, maimed and tortured millions of innocent human beings and resulted in the death and annihilation of millions of its own citizens. To infer that it was solely the fault of the Nazi Party, and that the German people were not to blame, is an affront to the millions of Holocaust vic-
tims and citizens of the world who died in the struggle to crush the evil spawned and voted into power by the German race. Of course, there were large numbers of its citizens who disagreed with the policies of Hitler, but the majority sat back and did nothing. If we cannot learn from the mistakes of history, we are all lost. Hopefully, we the
British have learned from our mistakes in the Middle East. Somehow I doubt it, but we are certainly not squealing that it was not our fault, and we were merely the victims of Herr Blair and his NLP. How dare Germany endeavour to rewrite history in this way! If they really want to achieve some form of forgiveness and closure, a bit of apologising wouldn’t go amiss. Own up and be thankful that their country is once again a free and thriving society. The rest of the world has all but forgiven Germany’s past misdeeds, but be assured it will never forget. Show a little backbone. Admit you were totally in the wrong and move on. It takes courage to say sorry. Are you listening, Ms Merkel? What a shame that on your recent visit to Dachau you didn’t take the opportunity to apologise on behalf of the whole German race, instead of laying the blame on ‘The Nazi Party’, thereby refuelling the delusion of the 91 per cent. Keep the faith, Love Leapy Leapylee2002@gmail.com www.leapylee.co.uk
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OPINION & COMMENT
www.euroweeklynews.com
A’ (fortune) hunting we shall go Cassandra Nash A weekly look
Freudian slip
- and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene
IT was a slip of the tongue but a luxury that politicians cannot permit themselves, not when their recorded words will always come back to bite them. But Maria Dolores de Cospedal was unfortunate to have declared: “We
MONTORO admitted to reporters soon after the Rato scandal broke that he failed to understand how someone as prominent as the exeverything could have behaved as he did. Spain’s Finance Minister was being ingenuous at best and disingenuous at worst. Rato behaved as he did because in the good old days no-one would have noticed what he was up to. And if anyone had noticed, it would have been hushed up and the scandal kept within a closed circle. It was bad luck from Rato’s point of view that because of the economic crisis, Montoro himself has been looking around for cash in the same way that someone who is hard-up scrabbles amongst the sofa cushions to find a euro or two. And when Rato’s hoard was located, it was too conspicuous to be overlooked or forgiven.
In transit MANY who did not live through the Transition to democracy - particularly those who lis-
selves what would have been the alternative to burying the past in the mid-seventies. Reopened wounds, renewed bitterness and escalating conflict instead of one failed coup d’état a few years after the dictator’s death.
have worked hard to pillage our country.” She presumably intended to say: “We have worked hard to save our country,” but too many people must have felt that for the first time ever they entirely agreed with her.
Double standards SUSANA DIAZ, President-elect of the Andalucia region, pulled off a PSOE victory but not an overall majority. While she has been trying to woo Podemos or Ciudadanos to facilitate her investiture, how many recall the PP government’s abortive attempt to introduce a law giving automatic victory to the mostvoted party? The PP has certainly consigned it to the litter bin now that it doesn’t suit Mariano Rajoy’s own supporters. Futile to speculate whether it would have been resuscitated were their Andalucia candidate Juan Manuel Moreno now in Diaz’s position instead.
UNFORTUNATE: Maria Dolores de Cospedal’s slip of the tongue came back to bite her.
ten to Podemos and the more radical Catalan nationalists - regard it as a failure. Too few were called to account, they claim, and insufficient reparation made for Franco’s victims and the destruction wrought by his regime. That period was both an epilogue and prologue at a time when the apparently impossible happened: the past was not forgotten but neither was it dwelt upon. The Transition-deniers should ask them-
s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Mr Ambassador, please heal my cat’s paw & help me with my dominatrix! Nora Johnson
Breaking Views Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a free-lance journalist. To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/nora-johnson
CAN you recommend a Scottish chef in Brussels who can make haggis? Can you heal my cat’s infected paw? Can you find me cheap flights to New Zealand? These are just some of the 365,000 calls made last year to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s British consular services, 38 per cent of which “aren’t related to consular support at all.” Some of the daftest calls received included a British woman asking the consulate in Albania how to discover if her son’s fiancée was already married; someone asking for help with setting up ‘British-style’ hanging baskets at a trade show because the professional gardener he’d hired had ‘stage fright’, and the lady asking about treatment for her sick moggy. A traveller asked staff in Mexico to
DAFT REQUEST: Don’t be asking for Phil Collins’s phone number!
British consular staff offer invaluable help to travellers abroad who encounter serious issues. But that doesn’t stop people from contacting them about weather forecasts, booking tickets and what clothes to take on holiday. nip along to the airport to see if he’d left his mobile on a plane; a woman in Italy wanted to know how to synchronise her TV antenna to receive English channels and an event co-ordinator in Brussels asked for the name of a Scottish chef to make haggis for a Burns Night event. Australia, too, has asked travellers not to make inane requests at the country’s embassies overseas, labelling them ‘serial pests’. In 2013, staff provided assistance to nearly 15,000 Australians abroad, including a man who asked officials for a loan to pay for a prostitute in Thailand and another who wanted help removing a polecat from a roof. British consular staff offer invalu-
able help to travellers abroad who encounter serious issues as the victims or perpetrators of crime. But that doesn’t seem to stop people from contacting them about weather forecasts, booking tickets and what clothes to take on holiday. And other daft requests. Like asking for Phil Collins’s phone number (Spain), selling a house (Sofia), how to get rid of ants (Florida) or how to build a chicken coop (Greece). One man in Spain even asked if staff could contact a dominatrix who had left him stranded at an airport. (Bet that caused a bit of an, err, backlash.) Just think. Greece could by now be the world’s leading exporter of chicken coops and single-handedly have saved itself from the Eurozone crisis, neverending bailouts and Grimbo (Greece...limbo. Geddit? Do keep up!) had it not been for whoever was manning the phones that day at the British Consulate... 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.
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E W N 7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de AlmerĂa
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2:25pm 5:10pm 6:45pm 7:10pm 7:35pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm
6:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:25am
'Allo, 'Allo! Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain Antiques Road Trip The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge Seven Million Animal Mummies Episodes
5:00pm 6:00pm 7:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm
Tipping Point The Paul O'Grady Show Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Coronation Street Wild Ireland Coronation Street Safe House ITV News at Ten and Weather
3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm
'Allo, 'Allo! Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain Antiques Road Trip The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge Wastemen Later Live... with Jools Holland
4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm
Dickinson's Real Deal Tipping Point The Paul O'Grady Show Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale UEFA Champions League ITV News at Ten and Weather UEFA Champions League Highlights
4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm
'Allo, 'Allo! Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain Antiques Road Trip The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge The Great British Garden Watch Rory Bremner's Election Report
11:45pm
4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm
Dickinson's Real Deal Tipping Point The Paul O'Grady Show ITV News London ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Coronation Street Give a Pet a Home Newzoids The Delivery Man ITV News at Ten and Weather
7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm
7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 3:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm
Channel 4 Racing Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The World's Most Extreme: Railways Channel 4's Alternative Election Night
4:10pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm
Channel 4 Racing Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Gogglebox Alan Carr: Chatty Man
3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm
The Big Bang Theory Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Channel 4 Racing Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Channel 4 News For the Love of Cars World's Most Extreme... Robin Hood
3:35pm 5:30pm
10:00pm 11:00pm
10:00pm 11:00pm
6:30pm 7:25pm 8:25pm 8:30pm 9:25pm 10:15pm
Do No Harm 5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight World War II in Colour The Last Days of Jesus Christ The Hotel Inspector Stephen King's Bag of Bones
3:00pm 3:30pm 3:45pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm
NCIS: Los Angeles Shadow on the Mesa 5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Secrets of Great British Castles NCIS: New Orleans NCIS
3:00pm
Columbo: A Trace of Murder The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Britain's Horror Homes Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 5 News Weekend NCIS) NCIS CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
10:00am 11:00am 1:00pm
7:00pm 8:00pm 11:00pm
4:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 12:00am 1:00am 1:30am
Premier League Legends Football Gold Football Gold Sky Sports Originals Boots 'n' All The World Rugby Show Barclays Premier League World Ringside Premier League Darts 2015 Ringside FL72: Play-Off SemiFinal Hlts Indian Premier League FL72 - Play-Off Semi-Final The Fantasy Football Club Tight Lines Barclays Premier League Preview FL72: Play-Off SemiFinal Hlts
11:00pm 12:00am
Game Changers Soccer A.M. FL72 - Play-Off Semi-Final Pro 12 Rugby Union Ford Saturday Night Football FL72 - Play-Off Semi-Final Cricket: IPL Highlights Cricket: IPL Highlights
3:30pm 5:45pm 8:40pm
The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules A Place in the Sun Channel 4 News Three in a Bed For the Love of Cars Prometheus Piranha 3DD
11:35am 11:50am 12:50pm 1:45pm 2:45pm 4:25pm 6:20pm 6:25pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:45am
Chinese Food in Minutes Police Interceptors Police Interceptors Police Interceptors National Security Big Momma's House 5 News Weekend Spider-Man 3 Grown Ups Safe Soldiers of Fortune
10:00am 11:30am 1:30pm 4:30pm 7:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am 1:30am 4:00am
The Sunday Supplement Goals on Sunday Ford Super Sunday Ford Super Sunday FL72 - Play-Off Semi-Final Sky Sports Originals Ford Football Special Goals on Sunday Scottish Premiership Ford Football Special
Countdown Deal or No Deal Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Damned Designs Benefits Street The Night Bus
3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm
NCIS The Devil's Teardrop 5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Worlds Angriest Caught on Camera Gotham Person of Interest
10:00am 11:30am 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:30pm 5:30pm
Ford Football Special FL72: Play-Off SemiFL72 Review Ford Football Special Goals on Sunday Fantasy Football Club Highlights Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits FL72 Review Ford Monday Night Football
Deal or No Deal Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Kirstie and Phil's Love it or List it No Offence Benefits Street
2:45pm 3:15pm 4:10pm
Channel 4 Racing Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The World's Most Expensive Food The Island with Bear Grylls Gogglebox
10:00pm 11:00pm
6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 3:15pm 4:10pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm
Neighbours NCIS Rosamunde Pilcher's Shades of Love 5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight Police Interceptors Britain's Horror Homes Big Brother 2015 NCIS: New Orleans Rosamunde Pilcher's Shades of Love 5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight GPs: Behind Closed Doors Cats Make You Laugh Out Loud Autopsy Big Brother 2015
6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 10:30pm 10:45pm 11:00pm
2:30pm 2:45pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 11:15pm 11:45pm 12:45am
Super League Fulltime FL72 Review Barclays Premier League Review Fantasy Football Club Highlights Elite League Speedway Speedway Gold Speedway Gold Barclays Premier League Review Football Gold Football Gold Barclays Premier League Review Game Changers Elite League Speedway Boots 'n' All Football Football's Greatest Barclays Premier League Review Football Gold
FEATURE
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Advertising feature
Prepare for next winter with Neater Heater SPRING may seem an odd time to think about next winter, but it makes good sense. Especially to those expats who would like to use their Spanish holiday homes all year round, rather than just for the summer. We also urge new owners, who have just moved to Spain this year, to consider their winter heating options. All fuel costs are rising steadily, whether you choose gas, oil or electricity; it pays to make sure that whichever system you decide upon is efficient and economical. Remember: efficient means it does the job, and economical means it’s cheap to run. Many systems are one OR the other, but Neater Heaters are both. Neater Heaters are made in Norway, where they benefit from Scandinavian styling, and modern, stateof-the-art, design and materials. Whether wall-mounted or freestanding, you have the confidence that these heaters will be providing a more cost-effective, efficient heat output than any of their rivals. Our ADAX standard panel heater offers the customer a cheaper option to the stylish BEHA heater, without
compromising on the running efficiency and reliability that we have come to associate with Norwegian systems. Neater Heater can also offer the stylish NEO range for people with a more colourful outlook on life. At the moment the customer can choose to have their NEO heaters in one of four colours: white, black, silver and red. “By offering the ADAX range as well as the BEHA range, we believe that we have all bases covered when it comes to electric convector heating,” owner Tony explained. He added: “Customers can now browse our website or visit one of our distributors and select a heater that totally suits their circumstances, whether it is a stylish BEHA or NEO heater or a more utilitarian, but cheaper, ADAX standard panel heater.” Buying now, in the spring and summer, allows you the comfort of having plenty of time to investigate our heaters against all others. We know the ones you will probably choose, as we made the same choice ourselves many years ago; in fact, we were so impressed we started a company!
HEATING SYSTEMS: Scandinavian styling and modern, state-of-the-art design and materials. SAN JAVIER: DFS Spain. Tel. 968 334 194 MAZARRON Camposol B. La Red Solutions. (Mapfre). Tel. 968 199 025 ANTAS: Lifestyle Enclosures. Tel. 950 459 060 Heaters also available for purchase at our online shop with free home delivery WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES OR Tel. 634 312 171
52
E W N 7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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FEATURE
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Advertising feature
For a decent night’s sleep
Corner
SLEEPCENTRE has a wide range of UK beds of every possible description and much more... SLEEPCENTRE is a family business based on Calle Malaga in Albox, providing UK beds, mattresses and bedding across the Almeria and Murcia regions. The previous owners retired at Christmas and Ruth Reily with daughter Becky are happy to welcome customers old and new into their new-look shop. SleepCentre has a wide range of UK beds to choose from in faux leather, pine, oak, cherry, fabric and metal finishes. Beds are available in sizes Single to Superking, some with options of guest beds, lift up or drawer storage. Customers have a wide choice of display or stock items available for quick delivery and there is also the option to order from brochures. Co-ordinating furniture is available including wardrobes, bedside cabinets, drawer units, dressing tables and ottomans. SleepCentre also stocks ranges of solid wood furniture, relaxer chairs and day beds to complement the rest of your house. Alongside the beds is a wide choice of UK and Spanish quality mattresses. Available from budget to
NEW LOOK: UK beds, co-ordinating furniture, bedlinen and soft furnishings. top of the range and with springs, pocket springs, memory foam, gel or latex in a range of Spanish and English bed sizes. Customers are encouraged to try different mattresses to assess which best fits their needs. Ruth and Becky know it’s a very individual purchase and they are happy to take time to ensure the customer has made the right choice for themselves. SleepCentre has a fan-
tastic range of quality UK bedding, something for everyone in terms of price, colour and style. Duvet covers, bedspreads and sheets are available in 100 per cent cotton or 100/400 thread count Egyptian cotton or high quality poly cotton. That is not all, SleepCentre also stocks a variety of soft furnishings including cushions, throws, voiles and Egyptian cotton towels, all in
fabulous colours. A full range of sizes and togs of duvets including the popular 4.5tog lightweight duvets for summer and a range of pillows including hollowfibre, bounceback recovery, feather and three grades of memory foam are also stocked. Mattress toppers, protectors and V pillows are available too. Join the hundreds of customers who have already experienced the
Ruth and Becky friendly customer service given by Ruth and Becky and call in to SleepCentre in Calle Malaga, Albox. Alternatively email or telephone and don’t forget a great night’s sleep begins with a comfortable mattress on a quality bed with fresh pillows and some new bedroom accessories. Email: sleepcentrespain@hotmail.com Tel: 868 931 872
54
E W N 7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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OPINION & COMMENT
What would you do with your first million? 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.
IT finally happened. That glorious and notable day when the heavens finally relinquished my just dues, a rainfall of manna, my first official million (pesetas) and to a better person I couldn’t think more deserving. I had endured in this newly discovered land for some eight years, jumped out from under the umbrella of my brother and started up business on my own. Following Franco’s death investors flocked here seeking large tracts of land bordering the sea. And I had spent the last y e a r s g e t t i n g to k n o w everyone within a hundred miles, what they owned and what they would sell it for. I got just the right parcel, cut myself in for a ‘kool kilo’ and took it to the bank. I had heard about it in a bar and actually trekked it from Los Lobos over the Sierra Almagre right down to the sea past Villaricos. Naturally such luck was not to be attended lightly. It had to be
HIGH LIFE: We lived it for a short time in the days when I was a peseta millionaire. shared and so I arranged dinner at th e famo u s Rin con de Pe pe in Murcia, without a doubt one of the world-class restaurants of the land. And, there just happened to be a corrida that afternoon, so reserved a table for the evening. Of course, everyone could order their
favourite meal but I warned them we were drinking tinto. Oh, and not jus t a ny re d but the king’s favourite and as hard to obtain as photos of nuns frolicking in bikinis,Vega Sicilla. I made sure they laid in a stock for me. Invitees were my wife
Karen, brother Paul and his wife Dinah and friends Bob and Doreen Hurst. Bob was long on farmer wisdom, once describing the difference between American football and English rugby being the former was “rougher and rugby the tougher” ranked him high in
international understanding in my short book. The night went well, three bottles of VS (about €220 a pop at today’s prices) but another treat followed, fireworks all around the Giralda mosque while we sipped on Murcia’s own Constitution, 60year-old brandy (gold chain) and puffed on Monte Christo number three’s (torpedoes). From that day on I never had to make a reservation at the hotel or restaurant. The moment I walked i n I becam e a cel ebr i t y of t he highest order. So, every feria in September it was a God-granted right to stroll through the Men’s Club with all of its gilded polish and crystal chandeliers then sneak around the corner for a snack. This righteous living lasted but a year, yet we made good use of what monies were left. Karen returned to the States to help teach the kids to read and write English while I stayed at home teaching myself photography and read all the great Russian writers, which almost made me blind. Let me tell you right now, being rich was fun for that short time. If you should have a cool million, give me a call and I can show you how to spend it.
56
E W N 7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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Word Ladder TEST
TIME
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for next 7 days
Costa de Almería
weather
Move from the start word (TEST) to the end word (ROOM) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.
TODAY TOMORROW
VELEZ RUBIO
HUERCAL OVERA
ALBOX
VELEZ RUBIO GARRUCHA ALBOX
TEST TEAT TEAM REAM ROAM ROOM
ROOM BACK
MOJACAR
ALMERIA
HUERCAL OVERA
RETAMAR GARRUCHA
ADRA
‘YOU ARE ASKING THE WRONG BIRD TO TELL YOU WHO WILL FORM A GOVERNMENT - THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY CUCKOOS IN THE NEST!
ROQUETAS
MOJACAR
RETAMAR
ALMERIA
ROQUETAS
ADRA
Visit the stars, for details on our expanded range of services
Good: 17 Very good: 25 Excellent: 30
Mon - 26 17 S Tues - 27 18 S Wed - 27 18 S
Now that you are feeling much better, it will be tempting to put aside your healthy eating and exercise, but if you remember what a difference it makes it would be silly to stop now. Enlist the help of a friend or two in keeping the momentum going.
TAURUS
concerned with others than yourself. This can be good but can also be overdone.
SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Leave nothing to chance when it comes to your health. Although you are feeling good now you will soon have problems because you are more
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION emir, mere, mire, more, mort, rete, rime, riot, rite, rote, term, tier, tire, tore, tort, tree, trim, trio, trot, eerie, emeer, merit, meter, metre, metro, miter, mitre, moire, otter, remit, timer, titer, titre, torte, toter, trite, meeter, meteor, remote, teemer, teeter, emitter, eremite, termite, METEORITE
MAX MIN
26 18 S 25 17 S 25 18 S
Mon - 26 18 S Tues - 26 18 S Wed - 26 18 S
27 19 S 26 18 S 25 18 S
Mon - 27 18 S Tues - 28 19 S Wed - 27 19 S
S Sun,
Cl Clear,
Sh Showers,
5-Star Quiz
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. UK THUNDERBALL
IRISH LOTTO
EURO MILLIONS
LA PRIMITIVA
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA
Saturday May 2
Saturday May 2
Friday May 1
Saturday May 2
Sunday May 3
Saturday May 2
7
10
11
30
31
42
3
4 12
9 22
1
7
18
28
30
36
BONUS BALL
THUNDERBALL
BONUS BALL
36
5
6
3
19 25
20 26
LUCKY STARS
6
10
7
13
36
39
48
49
REINTEGRO
25
4
SUNNY
TODAY:
MAX 24C, MIN 16C
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
MAX MIN
28 18 S 26 18 S 27 18 S
Mon - 27 17 S Tues - 27 18 S Wed - 28 19 S
SUNNY MAX 26C, MIN 14C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
MAX MIN
26 15 S 25 14 S 26 14 S
Mon - 27 14 S Tues - 28 15 S Wed - 27 15 S
4
15 29
18 30
REINTEGRO
8
SUNNY MAX 27C, MIN 16C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
MAX MIN
Sudoku
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
Mon - 31 16 S Tues - 32 16 S Wed - 31 15 Cl
Murcia
SUNNY MAX 24C, MIN 17C MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
MAX MIN
24 12 Cl 27 14 Cl 30 15 S
Mallorca
CLEAR MAX 23C, MIN 17C
Benidorm TODAY:
ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Looking back over the past few months you will realise that fine adjustments are needed. Both your working life and diet need attention, so be determined that progress made will continue apace. Certainly, you have no qualms about facing any problems straight on. You thrive on responsibility and there is no shortage of that at the moment.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Concentrate on your physical needs this week and spend much more time on yourself. There will be plenty of opportunities to look after others when you are feeling 100 per cent yourself. Stay in control of day-to-day plans. .
Mon - 26 19 S Tues - 26 19 S Wed - 28 19 S
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
Fri Sat Sun -
MAX MIN
24 18 S 25 18 S 27 19 S
Barcelona TODAY:
PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Others may be changing their minds, and generally being a bit of a pain. That may irritate you but it is no reason to change your plans. Both you and your colleagues will be glad that you did in the longer term. You may need to find some peace and space for yourself come the weekend.
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Your tendency to see yourself through the eyes of others can lead you to undervalue your worth. This could see you going pear-shaped, emotionally. Try not to believe everything that you are told because there are always at least two ways of seeing things. Be positive. You are capable of so much. Take care of your needs on a daily basis.
LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) With so much going on, you are in danger of burning yourself to a frazzle. You won't realise until you have done it, so make a point of getting some peace and quiet, preferably both of them at the same time. Relax and don't even think about things that are unchangeable. Time will sort out most things for you.
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 V) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.
AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Keep up the pace this week so that you have plenty to discuss and 'write home about’. With your mind so active, you are capable of doing in a day what would normally take a week. By-pass those who try to slow you down. There will be plenty of time to be a plod later.
(April 21 - May 21)
think that you know it all, but in this world there is no chance of that. Maybe you are out of touch generally, or just out of touch with your own needs. Give building your strength priority. How much better you will cope with extra energy.
Fri Sat Sun -
MAX MIN
Malaga
SUNNY MAX 26C, MIN 18C MAX MIN
Nonagram
TARGET: Average: 13
27 20 S 26 17 S 24 17 S
SUNNY MAX 28C, MIN 14C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Almeria
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) It happens that energy is sometimes low. Take the chance to read up on why this could be. You may
Fri Sat Sun TODAY:
LOTTERY
LEO (July 24 - August 23) After a few recent excesses, bad habits can prove hard to shake off. Remember that any time of the year is a good time to make a fresh start. Don't put off looking after your health any more than you would put off stashing a cheque in the bank. Use it or lose it? You know it makes sense. Think about combining health with a holiday.
Madrid
SUNNY MAX 23C, MIN 17C MAX MIN
www.fiduciarywealth.eu
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) There are so many things to do or try that you should be spoiled for choice. No, don't settle down in front of the TV. Get out, make some friends and aim to learn something new every day. That may only be the name of your neighbour on the bus but it counts. You are charming and urbane, so don't keep it all to yourself. CANCER (June 22 - July 23) When your feelings are so positive, which they should be now, it is hard to remember that they have ever been any other way. You may have a plan in mind for a new activity to get the adrenalin flowing. How much more enjoyable, though, to find someone to share this with you. Book that course and maybe you will meet them there.
Alicante TODAY:
Fri Sat Sun -
F Fog, Sn Snow,
MAX MIN
31 20 S 31 18 S 30 17 S
Mon - 31 17 S Tues - 32 18 S Wed - 33 18 S
C Cloudy, Th Thunder
US STATE CAPITALS All the answers contain the name of a US state capital 1. In classical mythology, what was the name of the unique bird that lived for five or six centuries in the Arabian Desert, after this time burning itself on a funeral pyre and rising from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle? 2. John Henry Deutschendorf Jr was the real name of which American singersongwriter, whose Annie’s Song topped the UK singles charts in 1974? 3. What was the surname of the British field marshal who commanded the Allied ground forces in the invasion of Normandy in 1944 and accepted the German surrender on May 7, 1945? 4. Which Academy-award winning actress first became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1992 and currently represents Hampstead and Kilburn? 5. Which apostle (although not one of the 12 Apostles) who taught the gospel of Christ to the first-century world, was originally known as Saul of Tarsus? 1. PHOENIX (Arizona), 2. John DENVER (Colorado), 3. Bernard MONTGOMERY (Alabama), 4. Glenda JACKSON (Mississippi), 5. SAINT PAUL (Minnesota)
YOUR STARS
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AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE
Enjoy filling in the following puzzles and check the answers in next week’s edition
Quick
Code Breaker
Across 1 Undergarments worn by men and boys (10) 7 Eight-armed cephalopod (7) 8 Sedate (5) 10 Small, elongated insect with 'pincers' (6) 11 Acknowledgment of appreciation (6) 13 Formal neckwear (6) 15 Thinly scattered (6) 16 Astonished (6) 17 Improved in health or physical condition (6) 20 Ballroom dance of Brazil (5) 22 Definite (7) 23 Called to public attention (10) Down 1 Articulate (5) 2 Make, do or perform again (9) 3 Flower (4) 4 Donkey (3) 5 Soft running shoe (7) 6 Humble social group (5,5)
Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 10 represents P and 23 represents Z, so fill in P every time the figure 10 appears and Z 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.
9 Take away the enthusiasm of (10)
12 14
sense of danger (7)
12 Joy (9)
19 Blemish (4)
14 Experiencing a sudden
21 Consumed (3)
Down: 1 Tender, 2 Agree, 3 Scan, 5 Innocent, 6 Turnips, 7 Sweden, 8 Learn, 13 Retrieve, 15 Captain, 17 Seldom, 18 Organ, 19 Jester, 22 Alert, 23 Scam.
The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.
ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Cinta, 4 Mesas, 7/16 Bow tie, 8 Message, 9 Arch, 10 Roer, 14 Archivo, 17 Yolks, 18 Start.
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
Down: 1 Cubo, 2 Newer, 3 Armchairs, 4 Mushrooms, 5 Sea, 6 Seed, 11 Extra, 12 Baby, 13 Belt, 15 Col.
Cryptic The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 sixletter 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 (SEVERE) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.
AROUSE
REELED
1
ASPIRE
SCARED
D
DISUSE
SEARED
FILTER
SETTLE
GALLEY
SEVERE (10)
LEERED
SPEARS
METRES
SPEEDS
NORMAL
STEEDS
PEAKED
VEERED
3 6
E
S 10 V E R E
8
E
M 19
11
PURRED
13 16
15 17
1 Traps, 4 Hiatus, 9 Narrate, 10 Nurse, 11 Even, 12 Recline, 13/18 Run out, 14 Ache, 16 Nosy, 20 Emperor, 21 Cave, 24 Drake, 25 Ancient, 26 Minuet, 27 Motor.
18 Attempted (5)
5
E
7 Repair, 8 Agreed, 9 Mane, 10 Specimen, 11 Encores, 13 Dared, 15 Brief, 17 Dentist, 20 Increase, 21 Swag, 22 Collie, 23 Avocet.
QUICK
Hexagram
9
Across:
Across:
Down 1 Rezar (oración) (4) 2 Admiral (9) 3 Heater (6) 4 Traducir (9) 5 Tejado (4) 8 Rubbish (refuse) (6) 10 Race (racial origin) (4) 11 Pope (4)
7
CRYPTIC
1 Regain, 2 Late, 3 Prosper, 4 Hades, 5 Irritant, 6 Recede, 12 Overrule, 14 Veteran, 16 Ransom, 18 Snares, 19 Caper, 21 Shoe.
Across 1 Paz (tranquilidad, no guerra) (5) 3 To be (5) 6 Weapon (4) 7 Holdup (robbery) (6) 9 Desayuno (9) 12 Although (6) 13 Nothing (4) 14 Pavement (for walking on) (5) 15 Granddaughter (5)
4
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
Down:
English - Spanish
2
57
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Crossword
EWN
18
Across 7 Calling for full speed (6) 8 Wild orange ass (6) 9 Herbalist uncovers island (4) 10 New red paper is ready (8) 11 A trained spider had high hopes (7) 13 Started back in the teenage boy’s team (5) 15 King or jack? Same difference! (5) 17 It’s safe to upset Ted when he’s eaten so well (7) 20 Set off, eager to arrange cheap accommodation (8) 21 Skin healing starts to show courage and bravado (4) 23 Have a home in the Azores, ideally (6) 24 Oddly set about love for hi-fi (6)
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Server, 2 Tweeds, 3 Desire, 4 Retain, 5 Advise, 6 Header, 7 Arenas, 8 Shells, 9 Singer, 10 Relief, 11 Cinder, 12 Fringe, 13 Detail, 14 Awaken, 15 Reason, 16 Chosen, 17 Remain, 18 Beasts, 19 Roared
Down 1 Flag before a heroic tale (4) 2 Twins finding jewel in Italy (6) 3 Sprinkled very softly in dried (7) 4 The dog for a pugilist (5)
5 Foreign lady compelled to go around after midnight (6) 6 Need ears at sea for A Little Night Music (8) 12 Surprised when beginning was first? (8) 14 Again let loose (7)
16 Iris may be behind it (6) 18 Part of embassy’s temporary procedure (6) 19 Spent to get journal dead wrong (5) 22 New name, the last word in prayer (4)
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LETTERS
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OPINION & COMMENT
YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION
Letters for Your Say should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments straight on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com
Worth a look to see if you are due some cash back WE have all seen the scam emails saying Dear Mr/Mrs X you have won... Or I am holding an amount of money that can be put into your bank if you let me have your bank details. But last week I received one from the SSE, (Scottish & Southern Electricity). It had got past my Outlook junk and spam messages so I thought it might be worth checking out. It was from their Credit Resolution Team, saying that they were holding some money of mine dating back to when I was using them for my electricity and gas, and would I contact them via the email they sent. It appears that the UK Government has been chasing all the main electricity and gas suppliers to pay back to customers the hundreds of thousands of pounds they are holding that have been paid to them in error When we moved to Spain, we closed our electricity account using the final reading and stopped our direct debit, but our bank still made another payment to SSE, so SSE have been holding £100 of our money and only now decided to let us know, because the government forced their hand. A cheque for £100 has been raised and is winging its way to us, so the question is how many other expats have money sitting in the coffers of the service giants and not theirs? If in doubt, check it out! David White, Fuengirola (Malaga)
Billions to spare IN today’s and almost every recent UK election, the National Health Service is a major issue. Recently it has been claimed that £8 billion is needed to provide the current level of service. The recently published Sunday Times rich list reports that the number of billionaires is up, to 117, and the collective wealth of the top 1,000 has more than doubled in the last 10 years, the top one being worth £13.17 billion. If £8 billion was raised from those billionaires they would not even notice. Their lifestyles would not be affected at all.
Photographs for possible publication should be sent by email with a full caption to: photonews@euroweeklynews.com
less in his foreign policy. What about the Lockerbie atrocity, for which a Libyan agent was found guilty by a Scottish court? Or poor WPC Fletcher, shot dead by a Libyan ‘diplomat’ from inside the embassy which she was there to protect? Libya did not need Western action to make it into “Africa’s most deadly and unpleasant régime” – it already was. Bill Campbell, Mojacar Playa (Almeria)
Cereal shocker
How much is this little lot worth? I saw these Ferraris at a supercar expo in Malaga. All my boyhood dreams came back to me. My modest Fiat may be Italian but it does not quite compare. John Reynolds, Marbella (Malaga)
Firstly, why don’t they volunteer to pay it? Why wouldn’t they? Are they comfortable in the knowledge that some people can’t get the medication they need to stay alive? Secondly, what is wrong with taking it from them? Who could argue against it? Russell Brand and Brian May certainly have a case and have the platform to say what many people are thinking. That the gap between rich and poor must shrink. We need a fairer society. Peacefully, preferably. What do you say about that then, (right-winger) Leapy? Paul Whitfield, Murla (Alicante)
Name blame NORA Johnson’s column about unusual names made me smile, remembering my mother telling me that she went to school with a girl named Pearl Button. I also read about a Mr and Mrs Carte who named their son Orson! Parents can be thoughtless when choosing names for their offspring. Della Naylor (via www.euroweeklynews.com)
Patient’s choice No angel REGARDING the story that people in Valencia will soon be able to choose which hospital they get treated at, does that mean I can have all my treatments in one hospital? At present I deal with two hospitals, and it would be marvellous if I could choose just one. D Howells (via www.euroweeklynews.com)
Magic world LIKE Colin Bird (Issue 1556) I am also in that age bracket when there was such a thing as black and white TV, the test pattern and programming that ended at a decent time to go to bed. I will admit that I did watch Children’s Hour... “Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.” I wasn’t sitting comfortably but the old girl just carried on. But I didn’t really care, I was transfixed by that fuzzy window into the magic world. D Dewar (via www.euroweeklynews.com)
YET another example of Mike Walsh’s paranoia, which prevents him from blaming anyone except Britain and her allies for everything that goes wrong in this world. Now we are treated to praise of the enlightened Colonel Gaddafi and the idyllic state which was destroyed by wicked Westminster; in other words, our democratically-elected government. Just to refresh Mike’s memory: Gaddafi did indeed hand out largesse from his oil wealth, as he could well afford to do. However, we would hardly think that government by handout is a very sound system, especially when the oil price can fall – take note of what is happening in Venezuela. Gaddafi did not allow formal political institutions to exist, so that he had no rivals. However, this meant that when he departed, for whatever reason, there would be no system to carry the country forward. He fell from power because enough Libyans wanted rid of him, and Libyans killed him. Western intervention was not the decisive element. And Gaddafi was not exactly harm-
AFTER looking at the new format of the paper and web I have one word: ‘impressed’. Those papers that consider themselves rivals would have been choking on their cornflakes on Thursday morning. Well done, everyone! Mike Walsh (EWN columnist)
Well done... I’VE been reading your newspaper and I love the new style. It’s cleaner and I think you have done a good job. Well done! A Wilkinsons (via www.euroweeklynews.com)
Oh dear! OH dear, you have changed the typeface and layout of the paper making it so much more difficult to read. Just compare the Letters page last week to this week’s page. Please change it back. Dot Wisdom (Malaga) Editor’s note: We are proud of our new look, but what do you think? Please let us know if there is anything we can do better.
WHEN YOU WRITE All letters, whether by email or post, should carry the writer’s postal address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published. Letters may also be edited. Readers who have missed earlier correspondence can see all letters posted on:
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OPINION & COMMENT
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STREET TALK
7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION
Is the cloud or the old shoebox best? A RECENT survey showed that only 6 per cent of us choose to keep our most important documents online, with 13 per cent storing them on computers. We spend so much of our time online but do you prefer to store paperwork still using the old shoebox method? EMMA HIGGINSON, CEO of Villas-Plots.com in Javea (Alicante), is still a paper fan. “I made a New Year’s resolution to try to store more digital information on computers, iPads and phones but I do still like to keep a paper diary. And of course real estate means providing hard copies for town halls and notaries, however much we would like to escape all those piles of paper files,” she explained. Patrick, owner of Bonanza Bar and Restaurant in Urbanisation El Chaparral, Torrevieja (Alicante), said he is more old-fashioned than his business partner, who has everything stored on his mobile phone. He remarked: “I have numbers in my phone but also in a good oldfashioned phone book. What would happen if you lost your phone? So I definitely do keep important documents in safe places rather than online. The problem is that now for a
lot of things you are obliged to do it all online. I think that technology has gone too far and one day there will be a very clever person who shuts down the internet and then we will see the world in chaos.” Wendy Garrood of Costa Less Golf in Mijas Costas (Malaga), said: “If you store valuable information on your computer, it can break down or be stolen and then you have lost it, although I do believe in backing up information to safeguard it. “ I still like to have a hard copy of something that you can hold in your hand,
PATRICK: Things are too technologybased today.
though. For example, there are things such as a boarding pass which we apply for online or via the phone, but should you lose your phone, then a problem arises. Physical papers still have their use.” Kelly Jasper of Andalucian Glass &
Steel, Marbella (Malaga) said: “Although I don’t store valuable documents on my computer I do use a memory stick to store or transport things. I am a bit wary of keeping everything on my computer as my daughter was once using it and it blew up! Since then I do think twice on how I can safe-
guard from that happening again.” And Bernardette Woolley of Avalon Funeral Plans said: “I prefer to have documents safely in my hands or at least a hard copy and one on the computer as well. As far as things such as boarding passes for travelling it does seem to be quicker when you are at the airport. My friend used her phone for that at the airport once and she didn’t have to queue, so it works as long as you don’t lose anything in the process.”
L to R: Bernadette and Wendy like to have hold of a hard copy. Kelly is wary of storing on computer.
E W N 7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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OPINION & COMMENT
Henner Damke / Shutterstock.com
It’s a slow boat to China Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-the-wall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.
MAY 3 was a significant day in the life of Christopher Columbus. He was not exactly a popular man when he returned to Spain at the end of his first voyage in 1493. Instead of taking back gold and Oriental silks and spices that he had promised Ferdinand and Isabella, his offerings were a few islanders, some pineapples and a strange contraption called a hammock. Moreover he had lost one of the three ships that had been given for the expedition - the Santa Maria. Careless. But Columbus could have sold sand to the Arabs, and still convinced that he had found some outlying islands off China or Japan and the route to riches, he set about convincing the King and Queen to finance a second attempt. He would have gone down a storm as a double glazing salesman, because not only did they agree, but this time providing 17 ships and 1,000 men. So, fully equipped and stocked, and with a cry of heave ho me hearties - or words to that effect - and in Spanish of course - they set sail from Cadiz.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: Famous for his maritime exploration. The fleet made several landfalls in what we now know as the Leeward Islands and Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean, and then on the third of
May, Columbus was convinced that he had made China at last when he sighted Jamaica. Ooops! Little did Columbus realise his fun-
damental mistake on his first voyage, when he should have turned left and not right at the Azores. Their Majesties were going to have the right hump yet again. Because gold and silver were conspicuous by their absence - and what little there was, was usually trousered by Chris - he hoped to make a killing by transporting natives to sell as slaves. But he was to be disappointed here too, because to their credit, the Royal couple decreed that as subjects of the Spanish crown, all of the Carib Indians were to be returned to their island homes. Nevertheless, Columbus was still hailed as a hero in Spain and since he had been responsible for establishing colonies in the New World, he retained the patronage of the King and Queen who went on to fund two further voyages. However, the third was a fiasco after Columbus was sent back to Spain in chains by the newly appointed governor Francisco de Bobadilla, and the fourth another disaster, with ships lost and many men dead. He was corrupt and administratively incompetent, making him a hated man in the new world, but there can be no doubt Christopher Columbus was a brave and skilled navigator and bears a name that is still synonymous with maritime exploration and discovery.
Facebook could now be failbook RESEARCH has indicated that Facebook could lose 80 per cent of its users by 2017.
Mike, based in Mediterranean Spain, is an international journalist, author and professional writer.
LOSING users by the million, Facebook is no longer a vital place for younger users. Not good as they are most likely to respond to advertising. The worst thing that can happen in today’s market place is to lose one’s cool status. Nor is the social forum holding its own with older generations. When Princeton researchers published a paper asserting that Facebook would lose 80 per cent of its users by 2017, everyone, including Facebook, laughed out loud (lol). However, Germany’s noted Frauenhofer Institute reached a similar conclusion. Their studies analysed results from 175 different internet services across 45 nations. Google Trends offers the most respected analysis. Their findings disclose that Facebook
faces catastrophic decline. It predicts that within 36 months Facebook users will be back to 2008 levels. Google Trends describes the loss of users as a ‘massive falloff.’ Their claim is that Facebook will ‘struggle to stay relevant to users lives.’ Social forums are notorious for including lapsed subscribers when carrying out head counts. Once a member always a
member. The network claims one billion subscribers, but these are not necessarily one billion users. Disappointed advertisers are the litmus test and sales response falls far short of the Facebook rhetoric. Those actually using the forum are likely to be a fraction of this figure of one billion. Whilst Facebook has earned
Ttatty / Shutterstock.com
Mike Walsh
a notorious reputation for imposing user bans for silly things like users posting artistic images of lightly clad ladies, it defends (to the death) appalling acts of cruelty and depravity. The network clearly doesn't trust its users to act with propriety, yet Facebook itself gets the big thumbs down for appalling lapse of trust and security. The network’s notion of what constitutes freedom of information certainly seems to be bizarre. If propriety underscores users guidelines it is fair to say that Facebook itself would be under a permanent ban. As whistleblower Julian Assange wryly observed, “What are
FACEBOOK: Is no longer a vital place for young users.
OUR VIEW Cordon Press
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Princess Charlotte.
A safe choice for William A ROYAL birth has always been a joyous occasion for the British public. Whether you are a royalist or not, a new baby is a beautiful addition to any family. Choosing a name for the new bundle of joy however can be a little tricky, especially if yours is the most famous family in the world. William and Kate must have known that the naming of their daughter would be a serious matter. Not only would she be fourth in line to the throne and need a regal forename, (Chantellicia, or Harley, not quite cutting the mustard), Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was a perfect choice. Charlotte has not been used within Royalty for a long time, but being the female version of grandfather Charles, it’s ideal. Not to mention the fact that she will almost certainly be referred to as Princess Charlie. But the nice touch is the fact that William’s mother Diana’s name is included along with his Grandmother’s Elizabeth. Before meeting Kate, his mother and grandmother were the two most important woman in his life. So, with mum, dad, and granny happy, Charlotte was the safe, and perfect choice.
the differences between Mark Zuckerberg and me? I give private information on corporations to you for free and I’m a villain. Zuckerberg gives your private information to corporations for money and he’s Man of the Year.” Americans are incensed at ‘arrogant’ Facebook’s pro-Democrat bias. A correspondent says, “If Facebook cannot remain unbiased in its policy enforcement it deserves to die when the public walks away.” Most infuriatingly, the forum has a penchant for arbitrarily closing accounts or banning users for a period of time. It does so without giving a reason for doing so. Quite ordinary users, who have never sinned in their lives, experience an inexplicable closure of their accounts. Yet, their profile may Now we have taken years to develop. want to Thankfully, Facebook is not hear your news. responsible for other utilities. Otherwise, we’d cross our YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE fingers when turning a tap, - YOUR OPINION tripping a light switch or www.euroweeklynews.com picking up the telephone.
OPINION & COMMENT
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LEGALLY SPEAKING
Police answering your questions… AS part of a new series, we give the answers to some common questions, kindly provided by members of the Guardia Civil based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, who set up the N332 website and Facebook page to help break down barriers. Can I put a flag on my car? Whether it is of a country, football team or a group to which you belong, displaying that patriotism with a flag on your vehicle can lead to a range of problems and fines from the traffic police if your flag does not comply with the regulations. Article 14 of the ‘Reglamento Circulacion’ deals with the distribution of loads and although a flag may not be considered a ‘load’, because it is something that is in addition to the normal fixtures of a vehicle, in this case it qualifies as such. In the interests of safety, flags are not permitted as they can produce drag, fall or move dangerously, interfere with vehicle stability, produce noise, dust or other problems. They can also interfere with lighting, signals and number-plates, all of
which classify as a safety hazard. However, there are small, purpose-built flags which are permitted such as those often seen attached to the side windows or to the main structure like those on presidential vehicles. Similarly, there are other accessories that can be fitted to a vehicle safely such as covers for wing mirrors as long as they do not obscure the view. There are of course exceptions to the rule and occasions larger flags may be permitted, such as when a road is closed to normal traffic, for example, during a private event or organised parade.
For more news and articles visit www.n332.es or search N332 on Facebook.
Are the over-65s exempt from Capital Gains Tax? With reference to the article in EWN of 12-18 March, I was interested to read that one is totally exempt from Spanish Capital Gains Tax if you are over 65, a tax resident of more than three years, and you sell your principal home. I thought this Both you and other letter-writers as well, can rest easy. If you are over 65, a tax resident, and sell your principal home, you remain free of Spanish Capital Gains Tax on the profits. There is a change in the tax law for 2015, but it expands the exemptions, it does not replace them. Let’s take it by parts. First, we have the existing exemption described above. Second, we can add to this a new exemption on the sale of other assets by residents over 65. This includes
rule was changed in January, 2015, and now only the first €260,000 is exempt and this also applies to any residence, not just the principal home. I would love you to tell me that you are right - and that I have got this wrong. JWC (Costa Blanca)
David Searl You and the Law in Spain
property, shares, or almost any asset. If the proceeds of the sale are reinvested in pension annuities, they are free of Capital Gains Tax up to a maximum of €240,000. This must be done within six months. Third, home-sellers under 65 years old. If they are official residents and they use the total sales price from selling their principal home to purchase another
principal home inside Spain within three years, they are exempt from CGT. If they use the total sale price, it is completely exempt. If they use half of the sale price, they are exempt on 50 per cent. These are the three types of exemption available in 2015. We can suppose that confusion arose because of the new provision for exemption on the sale of any asset. Many people thought it replaced the former exemption. It does not. It is an additional exemption.
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30th April
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HEALTH BEAUTY
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Each day I am feeling better I REVEL in the knowledge that I won’t have to go back for more chemo treatments.
Erica Russell Watson: My journey – and I’m driving WELL, as per usual I have been wading my way through the aftermath of the last chemo treatment. This consists of a white tongue that feels like you have been licking astroturf, an almost unquenchable thirst, achy muscles, a watery eye and a few numb toes and fingertips, and toenails that are threatening to come off! The great thing is that each day I feel better and revel in the knowledge that I won’t have to go back for more chemo treatments. It is a waiting game now.
I had yet another blood test to check my tumour markers and am awaiting the results of that. I am also waiting for the hospital to call me in for my CAT scan and hope that the results will be ready in time for my next oncology appointment in May. Also pending is the call up for my first radiotherapy treatment. There isn’t much I can do apart from stay out of the sun and slather hugely expensive cream on the area to be treated. Although I have to spend this summer in the shade I still intend to swim in the early evening so have been looking at mastectomy swimwear. As some of you will know the bikinis and costumes are extremely expensive. I decided to buy a normal swimming costume with a good amount of support and have a
pocket inserted into it to accommodate my prosthesis. The prosthesis is an aqua and lighter version of my daily one
Although I have to spend this summer in the shade I still intend to swim in the early evening so have been looking at mastectomy swimwear. As some of you will know the bikinis and costumes are extremely expensive. and worth the money because it will allow me freer and easier movement in the water. As I write this, I can hear the
sound of the goats and their bells as they descend down the hill and munch their way through practically anything in their path. I have to say I love it. I live near the sea but have campo behind my house so have the best of both worlds. I particularly like the smell of all the herbs as their scent is stirred up by the goats as they trample around. They do, however, erode a fair amount of countryside away but the campo wouldn’t be the same without them or the lofty cries of their master corralling them with great skill. If all else fails he gets out his trusty sling and bounces a stone with inch-perfect precision in front of the straying beast and the goats are back in line instantly. Tomorrow is a holiday so I shall see what I will do with
the children. It is also the funeral of their Grandpa in England, which they decided they preferred not to go to because they thought it would be too upsetting. It is getting harder to corral my own little herd. I hope I don’t have to resort to goat-herding tactics! They want to spend more time with their friends and we are in a period of adjustment which seems to have happened overnight and is a little difficult to control. I now remember friends telling me to enjoy them while they are little; the challenges don’t go away, they just change. How right they were! “Deep breathers,” as my son used to say when he was little. Inhale I shall! Tomorrow is another day.
HEALTH & BEAUTY
7 - 13 May 2015/ Costa de AlmerĂa
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Some top tips to boost your concentration THERE are some simple ways to stay alert at work. By Gemma Quinn DO you struggle to concentrate? Lose your train of thought easily and struggle with a mid-afternoon slump? Here are some top tips to boost your concentration: Massage Massaging reflex points can boost memory and dissolve tension. Apply pressure to the point between your eyebrows where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead for three to four minutes to help boost memory and concentration and relieve stress. Pumpkin seeds Can prove beneficial for enhancing thinking skills as they are full of zinc. Fish for breakfast Swap cereals for kippers and wholemeal toast and their slow release sugars will help you to stay focused all day as oily fish deliver a powerful boost of omega-3 fatty acids. Other good options include
APPLY PRESSURE: Massaging reflex points can boost memory and dissolve tension.
salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines or pilchards. Kittens and puppies If you’re struggling to concentrate at work, you may have to run this one past your boss first, but a study by Japanese researchers found university students performed tasks with greater time and
care after viewing pictures of cute kittens and puppies so maybe taking your pet into work can help your performance. Yoga at lunchtime This will help you stay sharp as after yoga you are better able to focus and process information quickly and accurately.
Eat an apple before shopping EATING an apple before going to the supermarket is believed to encourage shoppers to buy more healthy foods. US researchers discovered people can be primed to buy healthy food if they eat a
healthy snack before going to the shops. The team carried out three studies to find out if healthy snacks cause shoppers to make better food choices in the shop. In the first study, 120 shop-
pers were given either a bit of apple, a piece of cookie or nothing when they arrived at the supermarket. They found those who were given apple bought 28 per cent more fruits and vegetables.
The second and third study involved the participants being shown pairs of food, one healthy and one less so, and asked which they would choose. Those who ate the apple opted for the healthy item.
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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@euroweekly news.com
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FOOD D R I N K
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Frankies Bar for quality GLOWING reviews from far and wide By Wendy Ann Cowham
PREPARE to be entertained not only with some of the best sport channels and TV
programmes in Vera Playa, but Frankies Bar is also attracting a crowd to sample some of the best food that
BEST STEAK: Now offering fillet, you will find in Spain. I t i s sai d t hat on Fr i days, Frankies offer the best fish and chi ps i n t he ar ea whi ch i s why many are booking their table as through demand it has now become a necessity. Through the week there are dail y speci al s at gr eat val ue, so check them out as there is always something new to keep clients’ taste buds flowing. Not only do Frankies offer their very best fillet steak, but you can now order sirloin and rump steak which is ever popular. The portions are generous so you receive quality with quantity, the perfect combination. Every night is a good night at Frankies and on Thursdays you can join in the fun with the prize quiz that starts at 9pm and is a perfect way to test your knowledge and get to know a few of the locals. Now t hat Fr anki es i s open every day from midday until late, you can even make use of the secure mail boxes that are available
Hotel Family a special night f IN 1988 Michele and Rene opened their Hotel Family in the beautiful setting in Cabo de Gata Natural Park in Agua Amarga. Set in the small whitewashed fishing village and on the edge of Cabo de Gata Nature Reserve, guests have plenty to visit in this very pretty area. You can stay at Hotel Family for one night at a fantastic price of only 92€ for two people, and that is not just for the room and the excellent surroundings. This special offer includes an evening meal for two consisting of three courses with a bottle of wine included, and the next morning, breakfast for two. What a perfect way to sample this wonderful venue at an all inclusive price! As this is a remarkable
FOOD D R I N K
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, sirloin and rump. for clients to u se wh i c h m an y people find so user friendly. The reviews for Frankies Bar are glowing and are posted from far and wide, the holidaymakers can’t wait to return and the locals can’t keep their distance either. History shows that this bar has built up a solid and loyal clientele who know where to go to be sure of a good time bearing some good memories. Attracting international clients, everyone speaks the same language when it involves having a good time. Even the hotels offering all inclusive can’t compete with what Frankies has to offer. T he next b i g d a t e f o r m u s ic lovers is on Sunday May 9 when you can be entertained by Adelante from 2.30pm and enjoy a great afternoon in great surroundings. Make a date in your diary and if you can’t wait until then, there is lots more in the meantime. You will find Frankies Bar at Vera Playa. Tel 950 467 541.
all inclusive for two - 92€ special offer, Michele and Rene strongly advise that guests book well in advance. There are lots of facilities at the hotel, double family rooms with air conditioning, flat screen TV, private bathroom and shower, some rooms have a sea view, and there is an outdoor pool. The outside solarium is spacious and the conservatory dining area is delightful as it looks out onto the pool area. Hotel Family is a hidden jewel looking out to sea but still offering easy access to other attractions. Today many return to this welcoming and homely venue as part of its beauty is also great value for money. Why not book and enjoy an exclusive experience at an exclusive price! Please call 950 138 014.
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OPINION & COMMENT
Corrie role for Paddy McGuinness THE comedian and Take Me Out presenter will play wilderness survival enthusiast Dougie Ryan, who meets up with the Tinkers and Dobbs on a camping holiday. Richard Shanley
Dishing the Dirt OF EUROPA DIGITAL
PADDY MCGUINNESS has won a guest role in Coronation Street. The comedian and Take Me Out presenter will play wilderness survival enthusiast Dougie Ryan, who meets up with the Tinkers and Dobbs on a camping holiday. “Being asked to appear in Coronation Street was a very special moment for me,” McGuinness said. “I remember Peter [Kay] telling me how much he enjoyed his guest spot on the show, and I can’t wait to get started. It’s an iconic and much-loved show, not just in the UK but around the world. The character I’ll be playing is very funny, and I’m sure the Corrie fans will love him.” Coronation Street producer Stuart Blackburn added: “It’s an absolute delight to be working with Paddy who is a talented actor with a flair for comedy that will ensure he fits right in with the Corrie cast.” Dougie appears in six episodes, and will be putting Kirk, Beth, Craig, Chesney, Sinead, Tyrone and Fiz through their
DELIGHTED: Paddy McGuinness can’t wait to get started. paces. He will be on holiday with teenage daughter Caitlin, who becomes friends with Craig Tinker. Filming begins on location next
month and the episodes will be broadcast in August. SKY has given up on its dedicated 3D channel,
five years after it launched with hopes of revolutionising television viewing. The broadcast giant has announced plans to close Sky 3D in June, but will continue to provide 3D content on-demand. The move is no surprise, as viewers never warmed to 3D from their living rooms, despite a heavy push to make it the next big thing. On the flip side, on-demand television is booming, according to Sky’s brand director Luke Bradley-Jones, which is why it has decided to shift its 3D content. “Since its launch in 2010, Sky 3D has led the industry, becoming the home of incredible 3D content from Sir David Attenborough’s award-winning documentaries like Flying Monsters, to the biggest Hollywood blockbusters like Avatar,” he explained. There was no comment on the future of 3D sport on Sky. If you would like me to answer any questions on satellite TV or expand on anything I have written about please call me on 678 332 815 or email richard@europa-digital.com. Don’t forget to listen to my radio show every weekday from 10am on Spectrum 96.1 & 106.8FM, now covering almost 3000sq kms of Costa Almeria and Calida or listen online at costa almeria.spectrumfm.net for the latest news and views from the world of satellite television.
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ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS
Albox popul reached hist
ONCE a cosy village, it is growing in gian By Eleanor Hawkins THE latest population census carried out in 2014 registered a historical high for Albox with 11,715 inhabitants reported. The previous record of 11,499 was registered in 1932, after which civil war and dictatorship saw figures drop in many areas of southern Spain, Albox included. The all-time low of the 20th century was reached in 1960, when just 9,049 residents were registered. The National Statistics Institute population report found that there were slightly more women than men in the town, and the largest age-group was 30-34. Albox was found to be one of the areas of Almeria that had grown the most over recent years, and topped the list for
POPULATION: Every day the diffe growth in the Almanzora area. “Albox isn’t just growing at speed in services, the same can be said of the population, which is of vital importance for the future,” said Mayor Rogelio Meno. Although up to 52 different na-
ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS
lation has orical high
nt steps with its future in its hands
erent cultures live in harmony. tionalities have been registered in Albox, the largest community of expatriates was found to be from the UK with 1,210 people registered, followed by Romania with 344 and Ecuador with 250. “Every day the different cul-
tures in Albox live in harmony, proving the tolerance and respect and the great welcome locals have traditionally given outsiders. Once a cosy village, it is growing in giant steps and has its future in its hands,” the mayor declared.
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Exhibition is to visit ALBOX is one of nine local towns and villages which will be visited by a photography exhibition organised by Almeria provincial council. A total of 30 photos of Almeria countryside will be touring Alboloduy, Albox, Alcolea, Alhabia, Alhama de Almeria, Canjayar, Fines, Rioja and Tabernas as part of a scheme by the culture, sports and youth deparment to support cultural departments of municipalities of less than 20,000 people. The images were selected from those put forward for an international competition.
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ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS
Santa Maria church opens RENOVATION works have been completed and the building reopened By Eleanor Hawkins RENOVATION works on Santa Maria church have been completed and the building reopened to the public. The work, which cost €546,600, was paid for by the provincial council and
Almeria bishopric following an agreement signed by council leader Gabriel Amat and Almeria Bishop Adolfo Garcia Montes. The Bishop held the first mass after the 18th century baroque church was reopened to the public, which was attended
by local and provincial authority representatives. Development delegate Miguel Angel Castellon thanked the bishopric for its collaboration on the project, which he declared was important both for religion and for tourism.
A flurry of short films ALBOX film fans were treated to a flurry of free short film screenings last week for the first edition of Albox Short Film Competition and CortoEspaña Festival. Organised by the local council’s Culture department and CortoEspaña, nine short films and the 16 best national shorts were screened for free at the town hall’s Federico Garcia Lorca hall. BUILDINGS: Have been whitewashed and repaired.
Turning the town white SERON Council has once again decided to provide help to whitewash the house and building fronts. Last year grants were approved at a plenary session for whitewashing and repairs to facades in the historical centre, and this has now been extended to include the entire urban area. Those wishing to apply for the grants, which a total of €35,000 has been put by for, can do so until September 30 at the council offices.
Welcome for the virgin DEVOUT followers of the Virgen del Saliente celebrated last Sunday, May 3, as a sacred image of the saint was brought into town for the first time since 2010. Thousands of locals and visitors gathered to follow the procession, which tradition dictates is held once every five years. Starting at 6am with prayers and the exit of the image from the shrine, the procession reached Las Pocicas for a mass at 9am and was then taken to Llano de los Olleres, where a blessing ceremony was held. After lunch, another mass was held at Nuestra Señora del Carmen church and a reception at Fuente del Marques with an image of San Roque, patron saint of Albox, completed the stops on the route before it arrived at Plaza Mayor at 8pm and was received in style by thousands of people including council and church representatives.
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Gardening with a gardener DECIDE if you are going to be an absentee gardener, only visiting your Spanish property for a few weeks of a year, if you want a gardener to tend the garden all year round or just to tidy up before your arrival. your family will want to do fully or partially and what would be best delegated to a paid gardener partially or totally.
Dick Handscombe
Gardening Corner By Spain’s best known expatriate gardening author living in Spain for 25 years.
MANY expatriates purchase properties with a garden or space for a future garden, but for some gardening is not one of the most important hobbies so they wisely resort to the use of a gardener for design, redesign and or maintenance work on either a regular or occasional basis. The extent of work delegated to a paid gardener will depend as said on the extent of one’s interest in gardening, one’s interest in getting closer to nature after many years of working and living in cities and urban areas surrounding historic villages, one’s other activities and of course one’s budget. Retirees moving to Spain with plenty of leisure time often have an interest in a variety of interests, including flower gardening and growing fruit and vegetables for a healthy diet. Younger people who come here to work may have little time for gardening and there are others young and old who are physically unable to garden. All of us age and the time can come when it becomes difficult or impossible to keep up a large complex garden developed and maintained enthusiastically in earlier years. If new to Spain it is easy to let enthusiasm for creating a wonderful garden get out of hand and to assume that everything can be done in a year. It can, of course, if one employs a landscape gardener to do the whole job, but this could be expensive. Many expats will prefer to have the fun and satisfaction of creating a new garden from nothing, or perhaps improving an existing one. In either case, creating a garden that satisfies all their needs will take a good number of years. For one satisfaction will be the planting of a young twoyear-old olive tree and watching it grow and develop its first olives for pickling. For another satisfaction will be planting the oldest olive tree in the area, perhaps even a millennium or two old, at a cost of up to 8,000 euros plus transport and the crane
Retirees moving to Spain with plenty of leisure time often have an interest in a variety of interests, including flower gardening and growing fruit and vegetables for a healthy diet.
PAID GARDENERS: Firstly, consider what tasks you and your family can do and what would be best for them.
for planting it. Before looking around for a gardener do consider objectively and honestly what yourself and other family members are capable of doing and have time for. Then consider each of the tasks involved in designing, constructing, planting and maintaining a garden and decide which things
Ask these questions in relation to each of the potential tasks listed below. • Design or redesign of garden. • Landscaping, including construction of paths, terraces walls and raised beds. • Development of special features. • Selecting and purchasing
plants. • Watering, feeding and pest control. • Raising new plants from cuttings or seeds. • Ongoing maintenance of flower garden, fruit garden and vegetable garden. • Care of greenhouse and garden frame. • Winter cutback. • Lawn cutting and tree pruning. • Pool and Jacuzzi cleaning. If you are going to be an absentee gardener, only visiting your Spanish property for a few weeks or months a year, decide if you want a gardener to tend the garden 52 weeks a year whether you are in Spain or not, or whether you want a gardener to just do a tidy up just before each visit and during your stay. This article is an extract from a rather longer chapter in the book ‘Your Garden in Spain.’
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PETS PAGE www.euroweeklynews.com
Taking care round the pool in the summer ROUTINES: Pets usually creatures of habit.
DOGS have inefficient cooling systems compared to humans.
A good time to recap By Lamia Walker of HouseSitMatch I THINK now is the time to recap on how people should go about finding a pet sitter. Many pet owners are happy to go through friends either to do the sitting or to suggest someone. However, more and more pet owners use online networks to find sitters online. But as an owner how can you be sure the sitter is really experienced and caring? Vetting helps, you can use an agency or do it yourself. Experience in running a pet and house sitter network says that before you commit to any sitter it is best to take a few steps yourself to learn about their pet care experience. Here are my guidelines: 1. Meet and Greet - Ideally you would introduce the sitter to your pets personally before the sit, watch how each reacts.
2. Communicate Regularly - Before and after the sitter enters your home communicate regularly, learn about them; ask their history. 3. Previous Pet Ownership / Experience - Ask about their personal pet ownership experience. 4. Understanding Pet Routines - Anyone who cares for a pet will understand that there are different feeding and care routines, but pets are usually creatures of habit. 5. References / Police Checks - Ask for recent references. Police checks are very useful too. Download your Free Easy Guide to Housesitting from here www.bit.ly/ eurown001 To find a petsitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on +44 (0)1865 521508.
David THE Dogman Listen to David on TRE every Saturday 10am to 11am Costa del Sol (Gibraltar/Sotogrande) 98.7fm (San Roque to Calahonda) 91.9fm (Calahonda to Motril) 88.9, Costa Calida 92.7fm Costa Blanca (Torrevieja to Elche) 105.1fm (Elche to Calpe) 88.2fm, (Calpe to Gandia & Ibiza) 104.6fm, (Denia to Valencia) 95.3fm Mallorca 103.9fm
AT this time of year extra thought must be put in to ensuring that your dog does not drown in your pool. If a pool does not have walk in steps then there is no way that your dog can get out should it fall or jump in. The result is they swim until their little hearts give up on them and drown. Of course it is very costly to call in builders to rebuild and put walk in steps into your pool. The first sensible advice is to build a fence around the pool. Many people do this to ensure that children cannot fall into the pool. The other safety idea is to fit a chair upside down on top of the swimming pool ladders. By doing this you will ensure that if the dog falls into the pool he has a platform to get on and will be able to get out of the pool. Chemicals and dogs do not get on; dogs can suffer dermatological skin problems from chlorine. During the summer months responsible
DANGER: If a pool has no walk in steps a dog cannot get out if it falls in.
dog owners must take vital precautions to protect their pets from the season’s many hazards. Dogs have inefficient cooling systems compared to humans. With sweat glands in its tongue and paw pads, a dog primarily sweats by panting. If something such as a muzzle or a respiratory blockage interferes with its ability to pant, a dog may overheat quickly. A high temperature of more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit can produce rapid panting, bright red gums, tongue and other
mucus membranes, vomiting, watery and bloody diarrhoea and staggering. Thick saliva is also a sign of impending heat stroke. If a dog is not treated immediately it is possible that coma, respiratory collapse and death can ensue. If your dog shows any signs of heat stroke cool it off by submerging the dog in tepid water and immediately take it to your vet. Cooling a dog that is in shock too fast can cause further problems, and it can actually go hypothermic, which is too low in temperature.
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Spanish cats emigrate to American shores PREGNANT cat leaves Spain as ship stowaway and arrives in Texas with four kittens By Steve Walsh IN a contrary move to all the migrants flooding to European sh o r e s o f l a te, a stow awa y c a t sa w h er chance o f a n e w l i f e fo r both her and her unborn kittens wh e n sh e j u m p ed aboard a c o n t a i n e r s h ip bound for Texas, USA. F red e r i c a a n d h e r f o u r kittens arrived in Houston
April 2, 2015, and are being cared for by Friends of the League City Animal Shelter u n til th ey a re rea d y for adoption. “Born March 17 on board a co n ta in er s h ip s a iling from Spain to Houston, the k itte n s a re p ro g re s s ing well and are expected to be rea d y fo r ad o p tio n n ext mo n th , d ep en d in g u pon th e ir in d iv id u al c irc um-
stances,” said Monica Millican, president of the Friends of Le a gue C ity A nima l Shelter. The ir tha nks go to the soft hearts of the ocean-going ship’s crew who fell in love with the kittens named, Bravo, India, Juliette and Zulu, a nd the ir mothe r, Frederica. The y s ure ly ha d the cruise of a lifetime.
STOWAWAY: Frederica with the ship’s crew.
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PROPERTY
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V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E W W W . E U R O W E E K LY N E W S . C O M
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New office success for Calida Homes CALIDA HOMES has been established for 15 years and specialises in inland properties CALIDA Homes Property Consultancy have now been open in their new office on Avenida Andalucia, Arboleas (the old Sofia’s gym) for a month and what a cracking success it has been. The overall response from vendors and buyers has been extremely positive. Also having Ivan de Backer, legal advisor on hand has proved invaluable for many sellers who find the whole issue of what paperwork is required to sell quite baffling. He holds a property clinic on Wednesdays and Thursdays for free paperwork checks and all sellers need do is call his office on 950 430 763 to arrange an appointment for one of those days. Calida Homes has been established in the area for 15 years and
NEW OFFICE: Come and visit them on Avenida Andalucia in Arboleas. specialises in inland villa and character property sales. They also have a good portfolio of coastal properties in towns such as Mojacar, Vera, Gar-
rucha, Villaricos. Having contact with the major banks means they also have access to a large database of bank repossession and distress sales.
Advertising on all the major property portals, including Rightmove, A Place in the Sun and Kyero, Calida Homes have a vast portfolio of
clients waiting to purchase property in this area. Over the last few years they have undertaken extensive marketing and promotion of the area to both Belgian and Dutch clients and attend property exhibitions in Belgium annually to promote properties. For the very competitive commission rates they charge, Calida Homes does more than any other local or coastal agent or to get your property sold. Call in and see them at their new office on Avenida Andalucia, Arboleas, call 950 430 763 or visit their website www.calidahomes propconsult.com.
Mortgage lending by the banks sees a big increase RISE of just under one third in February By Jo Harvie THE number of mortgages granted by banks in Spain rose by a little less than a third in February, say figures just released by the National Statistics institute of Spain. Compared to the same month last year, 29.2 per cent more home loans were taken out, amounting to 21,298 mortgages. Andalucia was the region that saw the second biggest number of new mortgages, with 4,032 agreed in February, just behind Madrid (4,066) and ahead of Catalonia (3,214). The southern region was also very near the top of the figures when looking at year-on-year percentage rises, with a leap of 42.9 per cent, following two regions in the north - the Basque County seeing a 59.5 per cent increase and Aragon’s home loans soaring by 89.5 per cent. Mortgages taken out in February
GETTING A MORTGAGE: Banks more willing to lend. 2015 benefited from lower interest rates than the same month in 2014. The news is good for analysts who were concerned that more than half of properties purchased in Spain last year were bought without a mortgage, suggesting they were made by investors
with significant capital hoping to profit from a bottomed-out market. Banks’ willingness to lend, and an increasing call for funding for property purchases, could be judged as a more reliable indicator of a recovering market.
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Make it First Choice ADVICE they give is valuable in saving you costs FIRST Choice Real Estate has been established since 2002 a n d h a s b u i l t u p a good r e p u t a t i o n t h r o u g h their reliability and honesty towards their clients. Peter Darville of First Choice is proud to head this successful company as they are second to none when it comes to providing advice and assistance to anyone wishing to buy or sell their property. The advice they give is valuable not only in knowledge but also in saving you the headache and costs that you would unnecessarily be paying with other companies. They pay the reservation fees direct to the sellers, u n l i k e so m e oth er companies and ensure that both vendors and purchasers are equ a l l y h a p p y d u rin g the process. Firs t C h o i c e c a n g u id e
FIRST CHOICE: Guide you each step of the way. you each step of the way to help you understand what the correct procedures are, from reserving a property through to obtaining your keys at the notary. They believe that a good reputation is imperative which is why they always go that extra mile to mak e s u re th e ir
clients receive a complete service. If clients require further information on bank account, solicitors, mortgages, water or electricity services, then First Choice a re the re to he lp s o tha t thos e things be c ome le s s scary and easier to understand. In fact they speak
your language so that you are aware of all your business transactions clearly and concisely. This year First Choice will be organising their own property tours that will be in the south of the UK and Channel Islands including loc a tions in Southport, Southampton, Portsmouth, Swanage, Guernsey, Jersey and many more. They are looking for full legal properties to promote on the tours and the details w ill be c onfirme d in the near future. If you wish to enquire please call Peter at First Choice on 0034 950 615 561 or visit the website w w w. f i r s t c h o i c e a l m e r i a . com/ You will find the First Choice office at 61 (BIS) 1st Floor, Parque Comercial Mojacar.
PROPERTY
Suburbia leads the way in property market growth AREAS surrounding the UK’s major cities have shown the biggest increase in prices By Steve Walsh HOUSE prices in suburban Britain are fuelling overall growth in the market, according to new figures from the Land Registry. Areas surrounding the UK’s major cities have shown the biggest growth in prices. This, it is hoped, will have a knock-on effect in Spain as people feel richer and look to buy holiday homes on the costas. Both Trafford and Salford, on the outskirts of Manchester, saw price increases of up to 9.2 per cent on an annual basis, while house prices in suburban commuter towns around London also boomed. Houses in Reading, Slough and Milton Keynes saw average annual prices
rises of around 13 per cent, while prices to the east and west of London jumped just before the opening of the Crossrail link. Meanwhile, Central London prices continued to slow down, as Kensington and Chelsea saw prices fall by 1.6 per cent between February and March. Other UK regions that saw declining prices include north-eastern England, where a house costs 4 per cent less on average than it did a year ago. The Land Registry survey is supported by the latest report from the Nationwide Building Society, which showed the average UK house price increased by 1 per cent between March and April.
Create a feeling of extra space John Graham The property expert IN addition to the condition of your apartment, the feeling of space adds to the overall perceived value, so it is important to make your apartment look as big as possible to maximise the value. A recent US survey was carried out to find out the average size of living space of apartments and houses in different countries around the world. As you can see from the survey sample, Spain’s average
LIGHT AND AIRY: Make your apartment seem bigger. square feet living space is not the smallest but let’s see if we can create the feeling of extra space and get closer to the average living space in France. • US: 2,300sqft • Australia: 2,217sqft • Denmark: 1,475sqft • France: 1,216sqft • Spain: 1,044sqft • Ireland: 947sqft • UK: 818sqft You can create the feeling of extra floor space by increasing storage with clever use of furniture in an affordable way. Modern beds offer excellent
storage space, with easy lift-up mattresses, also use footstools and ottomans to store unused items. Now you can now get rid of those bulky storage cupboards taking up valuable floor space in your bedrooms. In children’s bedrooms keep the floors clear by using stackable coloured boxes and shelving to store toys and books. Do you really need a full size bed in the guest room for the occasional guest? Why not replace it with a sofa bed? Not only will the room look bigger but also you now have a quiet
room to reading. The more floor area you keep clear the bigger the room will look. Get rid of clutter in the lounge and dining areas. Replace bulky or dark furniture with smaller, light-coloured furniture or shelving and you can even buy coffee tables with storage. Reduce the number of pictures on the walls. In the kitchen keep the work surfaces clear. If you have a kitchen table and chairs you could create more space by opting for a breakfast bar instead. Maximise the natural light and artificial lighting. Avoid blocking natural light from the windows and use lightcoloured lampshades. Curtains and walls should be light. Follow these tips and enjoy the feeling of having a bigger apartment without the need to move to France. John Graham FGIS 020 32 900 983 /+34 657 337 477 gk.ipad@me.com Twitter @JohnGrahamFASI
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Moving to luxury GT ASTON MARTIN has announced it will bring the DBX crossover concept car unveiled at Geneva’s motor show this year into production. In a statement announcing £200m of fresh funding, new CEO Andy Palmer confirmed Aston will move into the luxury GT crossover market.
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The 5th-Generation Morgan Aero 8 is introduced BRINGING a classic touch to modern motoring By Steve Walsh FIFTEEN years since the launch of the orig-
4x4 for Lotus BRITISH sports car manufacturer Lotus have confirmed that they are to produce a 4x4. The Norfolk firm whose name you normally see flying around the Grand Prix circuit, is developing a mid-sized, roadbiased 4x4 with the likes of the Porsche Macan in its sights.
MOTORING
NEW DESIGN: A throwback to the open cars from the 1960s.
inal Aero 8, Morgan is introducing the fifth generation of its iconic sports car. The new design, that is thankfully still a throwback to the open cars from the 1960s, stays true to the company’s styling. With low-slung seating and a dramatic clamshell trunk that contains the double-lined mohair soft top, the car can also adorn an optional hard top. The interior styling has been upda ted ( but not t oo m uch) with new dashboard arrangements, real-wood accents, leather trim, and textured box-woven carpets.
ICONIC: The fifth generation sports car. A host of new features has been added for driver comfort and convenience, including an air-conditioning system, cruise control, and a BMW l i m i t ed- sl i p di ff er ent i al . Saf et y i m pr ovem ent s i ncl ude airbags, ABS, and anti-roll bars. The 4.8-litre V-8 engine offers 367 horse power with either a sixspeed manual or automatic transmission. Owners can customise the car with optional touchscreen media systems, detailing packages, and a variety of paint and leather combinations.
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Clarkson Quote of theWeek
7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
Some might say” While reviewing a Suzuki Wagon R. “You do not just avoid the Suzuki Wagon R. You avoid it like you would avoid unprotected sex with an Ethiopian transvestite.”
Even quicker cat JAGUAR working on 600 HP F-Type SVR By Steve Walsh THINKING about buying a new Jaguar F-Type? You’ve got a number of supercharged engine options to choose from, and soon you’ll have one more. According to Motor Trend Jaguar, its Special Vehicle Operations unit are working on a new SVR version of the F-Type, and it’s tipped to pack 600 or
more horsepower. That’s more than anything Jaguar has offered for public consumption to date, but follows a delineated progression of output. As it is, the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 offered at launch in the F-Type convertible was already churning out
500 metric horsepower. Then came the F-Type R coupe that bumped output up to 550, followed by the limited-edition Project 7 roadster with 575. Topping 600 would only follow naturally, then, but would give the FType a broad range of outputs, starting at 335 hp and nearly doubling once it hits the SVR.
F-TYPE: Soon there will be one more super-charged engine option.
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RE-PLATE MATE Don’t take a chance! Don’t break the law! Take the hassle out of re-registering your vehicle onto Spanish plates We endeavour to better any genuine quotation 490 Euro + Road Tax + CO2 emission tax if applicable
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MOTORING
Comfortable cars CARS today feature so many gadgets and are so comfortable that drivers feel like they are in their living rooms, according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists. The IAM says drivers are getting too distracted by satnavs and mobile phones offering easy access to social media. The group says car makers should not introduce gadgets which can distract drivers for more than two seconds and wants new restrictions on use of ‘non-essential forms of technology.’
SPORTS
7 - 13 May 2015 / Costa de Almería
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Joy for Chelsea, Bingham, Lorenzo, Gloucester and the West Indies 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
*START with football, and on Tuesday and last night we had the first legs of the Champions League semi-finals, while this evening it’s the first legs of the Europa League semis. * This coming weekend the 10 Premier League matches are champions Chelsea v Liverpool, Arsenal v Swansea, Manchester City v QPR, Crystal Palace v Manchester United, Newcastle v WBA, Hull v Burnley (a real six-pointer this), Aston Villa v West Ham, Everton v Sunderland, Stoke v Spurs and Leicester v Southampton. * Also, we have the first legs of the Championship, FL1 and FL2 Play-off semi-finals, the big ones leading to a place in the Premier League, being Ipswich v Norwich and Brentford v Middlesbrough, and on Saturday Glossop play North Shields in the FA Vase final at Wembley. * Lewis Hamilton and his fellow drivers will be in Barcelona for the Spanish F1 Grand Prix... 200 cyclists will ride in the Giro d’Italia... golfers will tee-off in the Players Championship in Sawgrass... the Badminton horse trials continue until Sunday... and tomorrow England’s cricketers play Ireland in an ODI in Dublin. LAST WEEK’S ACTION FOOTBALL - Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 1-0 to clinch their third PL
GRAND PRIX: Coming from Barcelona this weekend.
DID YOU KNOW? Sixty years ago floodlights were switched on for the first time at the ‘old’ Wembley when London played Frankfurt in an Inter Cities Fairs Cup game. Soon afterwards England played Spain in the first international under lights at the stadium. title under Jose Mourinho, ‘Player of the Year’ Eden Hazard scoring the winner with a penalty follow-up.
Watford while Derby County and Wolves had to settle for the Play-offs. * Sad days for Cheltenham and Tranmere Rovers however. They both drop into non-League football, the latter for the very first time. * Celtic (SPL), Hearts (SLC), Morton (SL1) and Albion Rovers (SL2) won their respective Leagues in Scotland.
Manchester City won at Tottenham and WBA triumphed at Old Trafford for the second season running, also 1-0. * Bournemouth (3-0 winners at Charlton) clinched the Championship title, pipping Stuart Bingham is the 2015 World Snooker Champion.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
CORDON PRESS
BOXING - Last Saturday Floyd Mayweather junior beat Manny Pacquiao on points to win the ‘Fight of the Century’ in Las Vegas. Over 40 million TV viewers worldwide saw the contest which realised over €400 million with each fighter receiving a purse of €95 million. MOTOR CYCLING - It was Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi 1-2-3 in last weekend’s Spanish MotoGP. Rossi leads fellow Italian Andrea Dovizioso in the driver’s standings by 15 points (8267). SNOOKER - After 20 years of trying, Stuart Bingham (friend of Spectrum Radio and avid reader of the EWN) is the 2015 World champion after beating Shaun Murphy 18 frames to 15 in a superb tensionpacked final at The Crucible. A very popular guy, Stuart knocked out Ronnie O’Sullivan and Judd Trump in earlier rounds on his way to glory. Great win. RUGBY UNION - Toulon defeated Clermont 24 points to 18 to lift the European Champions Cup for the third year running while Gloucester defeated Edinburgh in the European Challenge Cup final. CRICKET - England lost the third and final Test against the West Indies in Barbados. Set 192 to win, the hosts won by five wickets to level the series with one game drawn.
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TENNIS - Roger Federer won his first clay GOLF - Rory McIlroy beat Gary court title for three years when beating Woodland to win his first WGC Pablo Cuevas in Istanbul. Match Play title at Bridgetown.
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SPORTS IN BRIEF
Test passed LA ENVIA, was the test for 30 members from Badgers G.S and Charlie Scott’s short game passed with flying colours, and he ran out the winner with 32 points. Steve Dodd was runnerup and Dave Wright was third. Dave also earned a nearest the pin prize at hole 15. Badgers play every Wednesday and Saturday.
Sunday play THE winners for the Sunday Stableford at Cortijo Grande were David and Carol Hardy, with Mike Picken sneaking into third place. The Green Jacket competition will be played in October. If you wish to take part in this event, you must first join and qualify. Contact the Club for details.
Marina Phoenix golf individual stableford José Nistal took advantage of the conditions By Steve Walsh IN the Marina Phoenix individual Stableford, José Nistal took advantage of the conditions to win with 39 points, followed by Jim Budd (35) in second and José Urroz (34) third. The ladies division was won by Penny Craig on 35 points, with Margaret Budd in second, and Linda King third on 28. Thursday’s team game saw the winning team of Jarlath Staunton, Margaret Budd, John Kavanagh and Hylton Smith, score 94 points, with Alex Elder, José Urroz, John Lally and Jim Budd on 93 just one point behind in second. Third place went to Neville Duncan, John McGowan, Ann Kavanagh and Penny Craig with 92. To join call Jim 950 162 727.
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In memory of Tony THE 19th Hole Golf Society play the Tony Slinn Memorial Challenge at the Marina Golf Resort. First place went to Nick Pogson, Ray Wicking, John Boulter and Rocket Ron with 50 points, followed in second by Chrissie Dow, Nekana Galindez, Paco Ocaña Grayal and Geoff Smith. Nearest the Pins were Nick Pogson, Brian Hunt, Nekana Galindez, and Ron Curtis. If you are interested in joining or playing with the 19th Hole give the secretary a ring on 610 340 653. Or email gs19thhole@hotmail.co.uk.
News from Aguilon
MEMBERS: The winners on Monday.
IN the latest match played at Aguilon Golf the winner was Mike Ankers with 42 points, followed by Glyn Ombler on 39. Third spot went to Dave Simpson with 36 points. Twos were scored by Dave Sharp on eight, Norman Whib-
ley on12, David Lees on14, and Derek Manning on 17. Guests and visitors are welcome to join on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For information contact, 636 240 726 or via website, www.aguilonmembersclub.com