Issuu

ISSUE NO. 1587

3 - 9 December 2015

COSTA BLANCA NORTH YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

For our future PROTESTORS marched in defence of the planet

By Linda Hall More than 570,000 protesters marched around the world last weekend to demand action on climate change. Some demonstrations were large and others, like Alteaâ€™s, more modest but all were marching in defence of the planet. All were hoping that real and lasting change would emerge from the

Paris Climate Summit. Populations called on world leaders to stop talking in abstract terms. The time has come, they were saying, for 100 per cent renewable energy, sustainable transport and food sovereignty to ensure that small farmers retain control of their land. The Altea march was organised by Environment Councillor Beatriu Nomdedeu, who headed

the march, accompanied by Anna Alvado, Councillor for Tourism and Commerce. The marchers of all nationalities included others from Alfaz del Pi, Benidorm, Villajoyosa, Calpe and Denia. Alteaâ€™s brass band brought up the rear and green heart-shaped balloons, the common emblem chosen for the global demonstrations, floated above the procession.

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LOCAL NEWS

Gata Town Hall revokes title GATA Town Hall revoked the title of ‘adoptive son’ granted to the late dictator Francisco Franco in 1940 in a vote that was backed by all political parties.

This was more than a mere formality, said Mayor Magda Mengual because as well as complying with current legislation it corrected an injustice. FIESTA BEGINS: Mayor Vicente Arques (third right) joins in the fun.

Best friend A DOG saved its sleeping owner by barking and pulling her bedcovers when fire broke out in her Denia apartment. The young woman warned

the forty occupants of other apartments who were evacuated. Two apartments were gutted but the other occupants returned the next morning.

Reminder

Festive celebrations have begun in Alfaz MAYOR Vicente Arques attended the Norweigian Advent traditions By Linda Hall

WE would just like to remind our advertisers of our upcoming 2015 festive deadlines: Kindly ensure you send us the necessary material for editions 1589/1590/1591 by no later than Friday December 11 and edition 1592 no later than Monday December 21.

THE Christmas spirit came early to Alfaz del Pi, thanks to the Norwegian community. For the fourth consecutive year the town’s Norwegian residents marked the beginning of Advent with a celebration attended by Alfaz Mayor, Vicente Arques, and local councillors.

A similar fiesta was held simultaneously in Kristiansund (Norway) and the two towns linked up onscreen to receive greetings from Father Christmas. As always, candles, Christmas lights, dancing and Norwegian carols sung round the Christmas tree were at the centre of the fiesta. “Light is very much present in a Norwe-

gian Christmas because this is the darkest time of the year,” explained Siri Lund, a member of the Jugelate Noruega committee. There was a chance to sample traditional biscuits and drink mulled wine in a celebration initiated by a group of local Norwegian businesspeople who wanted to introduce Alfaz to their country’s Christmas traditions.

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Illegal tourist trips targeted SEVERAL organisations are launching a campaign to alert tourists to the risks By Buster Smith BENIDORM is redoubling its efforts against illegal tourist excursions. The Association of Travel Agencies (Avibe) in collaboration with the city of Benidorm and the Mundosenior tour operator, will launch the campaign ‘tourist excursion security’, which, in addition to reporting on the advantages of legal trips offered by companies, will alert visitors to the risks of illegal tours offered in the street by so-called ‘street vendors’. The campaign has the support of the Department of Public Safety in Benidorm, the Costa Blanca Tourist Board and the Valencian Agency of Tourism, and was presented at a meeting at the town hall by the Security mayor, Lorenzo Martinez; Avibe president, Anton Luthi, and representative for Mundosenior in Levante, Tomás Mere. Luthi said the campaign will run

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TOURIST EXCURSION SECURITY: Measures discussed to combat the practice. in the Spanish and English press, on social networks, and information will be sent out to shops and hotels. Mundosenior will distribute leaflets among all customers of the Imserso holiday scheme.

Dolphin stress test MUNDOMAR Benidorm is participating in a pioneering project to detect the stress levels of its dolphins by analysing their saliva. The initiative was developed by Loro Parque, and Mundomar is now co-operating in the project.

Illegal trips do not include insurance for users in case of an accident, nor qualified guides, and the vast majority violate the bylaws. The practice undermines the image of Benidorm and combating and

By taking a simple saliva sample, which allows scientists to detect levels of the hormone cortisol, an analysis can be made as to whether these unique animals suffer from stress. Stress is a natural physiological reaction that occurs in all living beings. This method allows for rapid detection, then a broad and comprehensive monitoring of the animal to intervene immediately if necessary. This is a breakthrough in this type of detection as blood is no longer necessary to detect the presence of cortisol. Saliva collection is fast and does not require any further action and does not generate added stress for the animal. Collecting the sample lasts just a few seconds; when the dolphin opens its mouth, a swab is taken. Zoos and parks worldwide including in Portugal, France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Sweden and Spain, are among those participating in this pioneering project.

Race death A 26-YEAR-OLD broker collapsed after crossing the line in the Benidorm half-marathon, which

eradicating the operators is necessary. Fines of €300 can be imposed on street-sellers, with €1,200 being issued to the companies operating these types of illegal trips.

took place on Sunday November 29. He was revived by emergency services but lost consciousness again and nothing could be done to save him. The young sportsman belonged to a local football club in Benidorm and was not known to have suffered any heart disease. After running the 21kilometre race the man collapsed and emergency services were quick to attempt to revive him, using a defibrillator, but he lost consciousness once more and was taken to hospital where efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. A minute’s silence was held at the awards ceremony later. Over 3,000 participants took part in the event.

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Jump to it! A GROUP of international jumpers called Dream Walker, who are travelling around the world to complete 80 jumps from different buildings or natural points, arrived this week in Benidorm. They are carrying out a single qualifying event in Spain at the Gran Hotel Bali. The professionals have offered several people the chance of experiencing the same feeling as the base jumpers do, using a rope system that makes it much safer. The activity is called Dream Jump and involves leaping from a platform 160 metres above the ground from the Bali Hotel, stopping just 10 metres from the ground. The system created by Dream Jumper is a pioneering one, which has also been patented by the group.

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Straight through to the Canaries Chapuisat

PORT LINK reopens after three years

ABROÑIGAL: Freight complex in Madrid.

By Linda Hall ALICANTE Port’s rail link with central Spain has reopened. The absence of a rail connection played a major part in diminishing freight movement, according to the Port Authority. Three years after the closure a 500-metre goods train from the Abroñigal freight terminal in Madrid arrived with a consignment of containers

bound for the Canary Islands. The train returned the next day and will repeat the journey each week, delivering foodstuffs, drinks, tobacco and building materials. The port’s rail link, which retains the original Iberian gauge, was lost during work on the AVE high-speed track. Despite requests there are no plans to adopt the AVE’s track gauge and eventually link the port to the Mediterranean rail corridor and central Europe.

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NEWS EXTRA

Slave labour REGIONAL MPs will return to work in January instead of February as during earlier legislations. This will allow them to attend ordinary sessions without a two-month gap in the past.

In touch SIERRA MARIOLA, the province’s only remaining mobile phone black spot, will soon have coverage. Telefonica recently announced that it is installing a communications’ mast in the area between Alcoy and Bañeres.

Air death A SUNEXPRESSS Deutschland charter flight made an emergency landing at Manises airport in Valencia. The aircraft was diverted after a passenger on the Marrakesh-Vienna flight died of a heart attack.

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Air force base could become social centre By Linda Hall ALCOLECHA Town Hall is negotiating the future of the abandoned Aitana base with the Ministry of Defence. The installation located within the town boundaries has been empty since 2007 when Spain’s Air Force decided to concentrate on the EVA air vigilance radar installation. The local council hopes to acquire the unused buildings and living quarters for public use but does not want to commit to purchasing the property without Administration support. The town hall first put out feelers some time ago in order to carry out plans to convert the installation for social and environmental purposes. These

AITANA BASE: Council hopes to acquire the unused building for public use.

had to be put on hold owing to lack of funding and meanwhile the buildings have become increasingly dilapidated and an easy target for vandals. Officials from the Defence Ministry’s Housing Institute visited both the base and Alcolecha recently, revealed local Francisco Fenollar. The ministry is prepared to sell, he said. “They will give us an estimate so we have something to work on but the town hall can’t embark on a venture like this on its own.” Official backing and an assurance that the complex can be used by the public are essential before going any further, Fenollar added. “It would be pointless to buy a ruin with no prospect of being to do anything with it.”

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A rain and drains solution Lutmans

BLOCKED streams cause problems

LONG-TERM PLAN: Project for drainage and flood prevention. By Linda Hall CALPE Council plans to construct 136 kilometres of main drains. Many properties on urbanisations lack main drainage and were built in areas with filled-in or blocked streams. As a result streets can be temporarily flooded with up to 50 centimetres of water when there is no escape route for torrential rain.

Two experts from the Aguas de Valencia water company, Javier Ortega and Francesc Pascual have come up with solutions for the double problem. Using simulated mathematical modelling, they have devised a master plan providing main drains for thousands of properties while preventing the periodic flooding. Connecting properties that do not yet have it to the main

drainage system will cost €67 million alone. The entire project will cost €160 million, although the plans drawn up by Ortega and Pascual will take 50 years to complete. “The plan includes storm drains to prevent episodes of flooding,” confirmed Councillor Ana Sala. The project will also recover and restore old streams and watercourses.

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Pigeons to go on the pill Zarkos

VETS are not entirely convinced by the plan

DROPPINGS: Monuments like Los Luceros fountain at risk. Aimee Rivers

FITTER: Bigger and healthier pigeons thanks to contraceptives. By Linda Hall ALICANTE CITY plans to reduce its pigeon population with contraceptives. Spiked bird seed should reduce the number of birds by 80 per cent within four years. Vets agree that this has been successful in the UK, France and Italy but not all are entirely in favour. The feed, Nicarbazin, also eliminates the bird’s microscopic parasites, so there are fewer pigeons but those remaining are healthier. “We eradicate the parasites, we feed them good food,

we make them stronger and fatter and within a few years there are only half as many,” said vet Juan M Griñan. The pigeons cannot pass on the parasites, he explained, the feed now being tested on 200 pigeons at the old Bufort flour factory is not dangerous to humans. Griñan nevertheless has his doubts about Nicabarzin. “This will also sterilise other birds like sparrows and some species of seagulls that are not endangered, but whose numbers are declining,” he said. The vet prefers setting humane traps to catch pi-

geons which could later be set free in other places, he said. He also suggested introducing hawks as the birds would instinctively move themselves and their chicks to safety elsewhere. Another vet, Eliseo Agullo agreed with Griñan. Broadly speaking he was in favour of feed laced with fertility-reducing hormones given that pigeons do not have natural predators. But he too recognised that this would affect sparrows and other birds. “It’s the same as putting down rat poison which other animals will eat too.”

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Pensioners arrive for the winter at last G O V E R N M E N T- S U B SIDISED Imserso tourists are back. Spanish pensioners in Benidorm and other Costa Blanca resorts are once again helping to fill 60 hotels and providing 12,000 direct and indirect jobs. They usually arrive in October, but this year they were delayed by a now-resolved spat between Globalia and Mundiplan, two specially-created companies that are contracted to handle Imserso reservations and transport. Despite an increase in UK visitors, Benidorm occupancy had fallen by 2.2 per cent at the beginning of November, forcing several Benidorm hotels to lay off staff and close. Now hotels are reopening and re-engaging redundant staff

although the unions predicted that owing to the late Imserso start, winter work contracts would hover at around 300 instead of the usual 500. Approximately 81 per cent of the available holidays had been reserved by November 18 when in a normal year there would be no vacancies by the time the first tourists started to arrive, said UGT official Francisco Ruiz. The number of Imserso holidays has been reduced in recent years and the Valencian Community called for this to be increased this year to offset the late start. Extra visitors in notoriously low periods like early December and late January would compensate in part for losses caused by the late start, said Tourism chief Francesc Colomer. In all the region has lost €15 million, he claimed.

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Was article fair or unfair to the Brits? VIEWS of Spanish bureaucracy were inaccurate By Linda Hall AN Alicante newspaper recently wrote about British residents. It quoted claims from ‘various sources’ that despite being home to tens of thousands of Britons only 10 per cent are integrated into local society. “The rest live in an archipelago of settlements where the foreigners speak Spanish, where shops display prices in pounds sterling and all services - from plumbers to legal advisers - are advertised and conducted in English.” Curiosity aroused, the Euro Weekly News asked around amongst long-term expats if they agreed. “It depends where you go,” said Angela Bruce from Altea after a moment’s reflection. “I’ve never come across it myself. But I’ve lived here a long time and have Spanish friends.”

William Helsen

MARKET SHOPPING: Very Spanish way of life in La Cala. She reads the Spanish press along with morning coffee in her favourite Spanish-owned bar and saw the article.

As she and other expats who read or heard about it pointed out, the views of Spanish bureaucracy were inaccurate.

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Javea addresses the future of the forest THINGS have changed a lot in La Plana in the Montgo after the devastating fire of September 11, 2014. The Javea Town Hall and the department of the environment have made numerous efforts to

try to recover the timber and curb the invasion of pests such as the pine beetles that are infecting the pine trees that managed to survive the fire. Removal of the burnt trees and treatment for the surviving trees has been carried out to date, after the detection of the insects in September. Other works include the repair of terrace walls and construction of anti-erosion slopes. Many of the trees that have been removed have been used for biomass, however the future of the natural park and forest management is now being addressed.

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Golden Leaves: Their expat services are a one stop port of call COMPANY delivers peace of mind and a wide variety of services By Buster Smith GOLDEN LEAVES INTERNATIONAL have opened their first flag ship office in Javea, Alicante, part of their expansion plans and goal to bring a

wide variety of services ranging from funeral plans to insurance policies for expats across Spain. “This office represents the rebirth of Golden Leaves, the first of a number we have planned throughout Spain,” said Chairman Stephen Rowland at the opening ceremony which was attended by Mayor of Javea, Jose Chulvi, along with all of the business operational staff, including Emma Quantrill, who is the operations director for the new branch in Spain and Barry Floyd, the Managing Director of Golden Leaves International. The company has in fact been selling its policies in Spain for many years through numerous agents and recently decided it was time to expand to better serve the large expat community by bringing their brand Golden Leaves International to the continent. The company acquired a local business that had for many years successfully sold their policies and whose owner wanted to retire and incorporated the business into their own, opening their new offices in Javea. One of the agents who has been working for many years selling the Golden Leaves policies also joined the team, and brought his clients with him. “We have retained all of our clients, not only are they happy to see a familiar face when

L-R: Stephen Rowland Chairman of Golden Leaves, Barry Floyd Managing Director of Golden Leaves, Mayor of Javea Jose Chulvi & Emma Quantrill Operations Director of Golden Leaves. they come to Golden Leaves, they now have access to a much wider range of services than before. We make their lives easier, by providing sound advice a useful, complete service that covers everything they may need. Our customers are extremely happy and that is our ultimate goal,” says Simon. The company’s objective is to ensure that their clients get the most out of their time

abroad, fully understanding the problems and anxieties that many people face, it is the main reason the expat services division was created. A one stop port of call. Managing Director Barry Floyd said: “We really want to inject ourselves into the life of the expat, to be the company that they turn to no matter what their requirement or need, this is the purpose of our business, one call does it all.”

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Caritas charity supports 200 homeless people every week Photo by Photo by Joan Thorley

CARITAS assisted 1,664 homeless people in Alicante Province last year. Volunteers from the diocesan charitable entity serve an average of 200 people each week who are sleeping rough, providing warm clothes, hot food, and support. Caritas has residential facilities in Alicante, Elche, Orihuela and Petrer, and equipment that serves the homeless on the streets in Benidorm, La Vila, Calpe and Alicante. Caritas released the figures to mark the homeless campaign of 2015 which this year is called ‘Because it is possible. No homeless’. The initiative calls for the most basic rights for people who are in a situation of severe exclusion and committed social policies that offer people protection and security of access to basic rights such as health, housing and social protection. Caritas estimates that there are around 40,000 people homeless in Spain with five million people “suffering severe exclusion and 7 per cent of the population living in conditions of severe overcrowding.”

Recovering El Portet beach

ORGANISATION calling for better social policies By Gemma Quinn

EWN

THE Department of Sustainability and Costas has awarded a contract to draft the recovery of El Portet beach at Teulada-Moraira with the intention of increasing the beach width to50 metres. The project is expected to take at least 24 months to draft. The beach has notably regressed in the last decade,

with floods and waves gradually stripping away the sand of the beach and leaving it with barely a few metres of shoreline. The objective of the plan is to curb the regression of the beach and recover a stable and wide beach with material that possess characteristics similar to that currently in place.

Sport for the unemployed LA NUCIA has launched a promotion aimed at unemployed people, offering them a 50 per cent discount on admission fees to the town’s heated indoor swimming pool at the sports centre Camilo Cano. Facilities include the gymnasium and access to over 100 weekly classes.

Teaching the parents ON THE STREET: People at risk of social exclusion need rights.

MORE than 120 residents took part in the parent coaching workshop organised by Teulada-Moraira Town Hall and held at the Espai La Seni-

eta. The initiative aims to raise awareness and provide parents with the tools necessary to be effective educators of their own children.

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By Buster Smith EXPERTS are trying to understand the reasons why Denia is the point on the Valencian coast where most whales are spotted, especially minke whales, on their journey south between 500 and 1,500 metres from the shore. The whales are often seen from April through until May and provide a great spectacle, surfacing frequently. The whales can measure up to 24 metres long and are said to be swimming in no more than 15 to 30 metres depth of water when they are so close to the coast. This year alone there have been 33 sightings of the whales. One of the best observatory points lies on the coast of Denia, in Les Rotes and within the marine reserve of San Antoni. Local councillor Josep Crespo has recently installed a plaque to inform visitors about the so-called â€˜whale highwayâ€™. Theories as to why the whales venture so close to the Valencian coast vary, with Jose Antonio Esteban, a biologist from the Oceano-

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Whales off the coast of Denia STUDY to be made into why there is a concentration off the Valencian coast

WHALE-WATCHING: The giants of the sea pass the shore on their journey south. graphic Institute in Valencia, believing it could be due to the concentration of phytoplankton and zooplankton close to Cabo de San Antonio or that the Cabo could serve as a

reference point for the creatures. Esteban said they intend to investigate the behaviour, in co-operation with the Department of Environment, University of Valencia

and the city of Denia. They will use drones which will allow much more information to be gathered on the marine mammals with a more complete view, as current techniques for observations only allow them to distinguish the back of the animal. Another tool they hope to use are hydrophones, which detect whale sounds underwater and will help improve the accuracy of the data collected. Scientists do not know where the whales go once they leave the coast of Denia. However, sightings are becoming more frequent especially due to their close proximity to the coast and quite often they are seen in groups of up to seven. Scientists and biologists are eager to discover more information about these gentle giants of the sea.

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Recycling and responsible use CAMPAIGN promotes responsible consumption By Buster Smith TEULADA Town Council has launched a campaign that aims to recycle and reuse the plastic cups used at events organised by the town hall. The incentive has so far received €1,000 investment from the town hall. Partygoers will be

asked to pay €1 for a plastic cup at a fiesta, which will be returned to them when they return the cup at the end of the festivities. A joint incentive created by the town hall and committees for fiestas in the town, it seeks to promote responsible consumption and good environmental practices by residents and tourists alike.

Helping those in need ALTHOUGH HELP of Denia and Marina Alta covers Javea, for some people it is difficult to get to their office in La Xara, so they are coming to you. HELP’s care coordinator for Javea, Catherine Perez Pinto, will be in the Cancer Care office in Javea Park every Wednesday from 10.30am to

12.30pm. She will be able to attend to your enquiries, problems and requests as well as point you in the right direction to get the correct help you need. HELP, are very grateful to Cancer Care for offering use of their premises, and hope to improve the close relationship the organisations already enjoy.

One of the main problems for HELP is identifying those in need. The organisation is always on the lookout for volunteers. To find out more about HELP of Denia and Marina Alta and how to be a member please visit www.helpofdenia.com or their facebook page Help DAMA.

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Pilot energy saving plan for families PROMOTING responsible consumption of water and energy By Buster Smith FIFTY families in San Vicente del Raspeig will start noticing savings on their bills this year, especially for electricity and water usage. The families have been selected to participate in a pilot project aimed at achieving energy efficiency by undertaking routine tasks at home. The Department of Environment has launched the Green Homes initiative with the participation of 50 families. Councillor for the Environment, Nuria Pascual, stated: “This is a programme that promotes responsible consumption of water and energy at home.” More people are being encouraged to participate in the pilot scheme; those interested can enrol from Tuesday December 1 to 31. The department

will make a selection of families following several parameters: the order of registration, type of housing in question, if there is more than one person living at the residence and if the house has an individual meter. The scheme will last for one year and will start in January 2016. “The families participating in this initiative will notice savings in their electricity and wa-

ter bills,” said the head of the Environment Department. Participation in the programme is a collective challenge, to help reduce CO2 emissions by 5 per cent, “the overall goal which was set in Kyoto in 1990,” she said. The council pointed out that one of the objectives is to achieve a reduction of between 6 and 10 per cent in domestic water consumption.

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Good cholesterol is the key to fewer heart attacks RESEARCHERS concluded after a four-year study monitoring 55,000 patients By Buster Smith A TEAM of researchers led by two professors at the University Miguel Hernandez in Alicante has demonstrated that choles-

terol HDL, or good cholesterol, has much more importance than it was previously thought in preventing a heart attack or stroke. The research is the result of

a four-year study monitoring nearly 55,000 patients in Valencia with hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia, who had very low levels of HDL, now considered a high risk factor

GOOD CHOLESTEROL: Has much more importance than previously thought. when suffering myocardial infarction. In 2008, the Department of Health launched the study known as Escarval to investigate what causes heart attacks. The long-term study is now beginning to draw its first conclusions. Of the 55,000 people studied in the four years, 919 have died, 1,666 have been hospitalised for heart attacks and 1,510 for strokes. The researchers checked how many of the people who suffered from cardiovascular diseases had very low levels of

HDL cholesterol, while having normal levels of total cholesterol and bad cholesterol. “The importance of this work is that we have shown that of all the risk factors associated with cholesterol, good cholesterol is the most important. Thus, it has been able to detect a patient profile that is not being treated despite having a significant risk of suffering a heart attack,” said Domingo Orozco, one of the lead investigators. The treatment for these patients with very low levels of HDL-below 40 in men and 50

in women “is to try to increase their participation in sport and include certain foods in their diet that promote good cholesterol levels, such as the Mediterranean diet, but at the same time we must help in lowering their total cholesterol, since they are at risk of suffering a heart attack,” explains the researcher at the UMH. After this important finding, the researchers’ aim from now is to develop a new scale of risk of cardiovascular disease and present it to the Department of Health.

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NEWS EXTRA

Eco meeting A MEETING was held in Alcoy to discuss biodiversity in the private sector. The mayor and director of the Natural Environment and Agricultural Policy said the aim was to preserve the environment and implement more sustainable measures.

Safety call PARENTS in Ibi have called on the council to implement better security at Pocoyo park. A major complaint is the lack of fencing or a gate to the playground which is next to a road.

Festive fair THE Christmas market of Sant Joan d’Alacant will offer a variety of activities and attractions from gastronomic treats to handicrafts, dance to theatre and much more from December 5-8 in the Plaza L’Ordana.

EWN

Local Police of the Marina Baixa seek to improve their efficiency ONE issue discussed was cutting emergency response time By Buster Smith POLICE representatives who make up the Regional Commission for Local Security Marina Baixa (CCPSLMB) have met to discuss ways in which they can improve their efficiency. The meeting brought together Local Police officers from eight municipalities in the Marina Baja including Alfaz del Pi, Altea, Benidorm, Callosa d’en Sarria, Finestrat, La Nucia, Polop and Villajoyosa. The aim of the meeting which was held in La Nucia, was the revision of the targets that were set in the Letter of Commitment, which was implemented in January 2014, the results of which have been seen as satisfactory to date. The meeting was organised in order to evaluate the work done so far and set new stan-

EFFICIENCY FORUM: Officers met to discuss improvements. dards and commitments for the next two years. During discussions, it was decided that Local Police forces would commit to reduce the emergency response time from 10 minutes to eight, to increase their involvement in training citizens in areas of driver education, provide more talks to seniors, and address issues such as juvenile violence, cyber bullying and implement

preventative controls, and raise awareness in communities of these types of issues. They have also set a goal to reduce the response time for complaints from citizens from 15 to 12 days. The local forces are also working closely together as part of a co-ordinated effort to improve local security throughout the municipalities.

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Resort helps Terra Natura with conservation project for Asiatic lion A SURVEY has estimated that only 523 individuals remain in the wild By Buster Smith THE resort Pueblo Acantilado Suites is participating in a project with the Terra Natura animal park in Benidorm to assist in the reproduction efforts of the Asiatic lion in order to help preserve the endangered species. There has already been a number of attempts to inseminate the female currently at the

park, but unfortunately the efforts have not yet yielded the expected results. The hotel establishment has donated €1,500 to the breeding programme which has been raised through the resort’s loyalty card scheme and will be used to finance part of the conservation activity. The ceremony was attended by the director of Pueblo Acantilado Suites, Pablo Guzman,

and the commercial director of Terra Natura, Bartolomé Díaz. Due to the difficulties with the female becoming pregnant, the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) has made contact with other partners to secure another female, which will be brought to the park to breed with the male who currently lives there. The financial contributions provided by Pueblo Acantilado Suites will help pay for the transportation and for specialist vets who can help with the completion of the project. The Asiatic lion, Panthera leo persica, also known as the Indian or Persian lion, is a subspecies that exists as a single population in India’s Gujarat state. It is listed as Endangered by IUCN due its small population size. In May 2015, the 14th Asiatic Lion Census was con-

DONATION: Pablo Guzman presents the cheque to Bartolomé Díaz. ducted over an area of about 20,000 square kilometres and the population was estimated at 523 individuals, comprising 109 adult males, 201 adult females and 213 cubs. The Asiatic lion is one of five

big cat species found in India, the others being the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard. It formerly occurred in Persia, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Baluchistan, from Sindh in the

west to Bengal in the east, and from Rampur and Rohilkund in the north to Nerbudda in the south. It differs from the African lion by less inflated auditory bullae, a larger tail tuft and a less developed mane.

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Burglars arrested THE perpetrators of 34 burglaries of bars and residences in Javea, Denia and Gata de Gorgos have been arrested. Three people, two Spaniards and a Moroccan, and two of whom are minors, were arrested by the Guardia Civil, who have managed to recover some of the items stolen, including a shotgun and ammunition.

MARE NOSTRUM: The representative studied the features of Benidorm and how it was originally conceived.

Over 50 experts visit Benidorm to study the urban model AIM was to gain a better and more in depth understanding By Buster Smith EXPERTS from 11 Mediterranean countries have visited the city to gain a better, in depth understanding of the municipalitiesâ€™ urban model within the project Mare Nostrum. The project aims to identify and overcome legal and institutional obstacles with regard to integrated coastal zone management in the Mediterranean, with a focus on the management systems of regional and local governments. Among the topics that Mare Nostrum has focused its attention on are those related to planning and land use, planning regulations

linked to the residential and hotel tourism model and models of land use. Benidorm is seen as a model example for intensive hotel land use, with over 50 planners, academics and managers working in the field visiting. They were from countries includi n g I s r a e l , G r e e c e , I t a l y, Malta, Jordan, Croatia, Mor o c c o , Tu n i s i a , E g y p t , France and Spain. The representatives have studied the features of Benidorm and been informed as to how it was originally conceived in a speech given by the municipal architect of the City Council, JosĂŠ Luis Camarasa.

Specifically, Camarasa referred to a variety of topics including the optimal geographical conditions of Benidorm with its particular microclimate, the existence of an entrepreneurial and open society, intense urban governance based on moderate growth, a compact low density and high rise infrastructure on beaches based on the spatial model. In his speech Camarasa also discussed ambitious, simple and concise urban planning, good air and road accessibility, good urban infrastructure, tourism that offers a competitive product and a minimum consumption of land.

3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

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Picture by Ian Rogerson

NEWS

QUIZMASTERS: Jean and Tom Miller, left, and the winning Meddlers team.

Javea U3A quiz By Buster Smith A RECORD number of contestants took part in Javea U3Aâ€™s latest quiz. Sixty-six members made up 11 teams at the monthly brain-teaser held at Javea Golf Club on November 19, having to dig deep to answer the questions posed this time by quiz compiler Jean Miller and presented by her husband Tom. Team Meddlers eventually emerged as top

dogs in a closely-fought contest. The successful six, Dave and Lorna Oâ€™Connor, Malcolm and Sue Neill, Peter Christofis and Kenn Denton, were worthy winners and duly accepted their rewards, not quite Champagne, but bottles of welcome wine, from quiz organisers and groups coordinator David Grove and his wife Hilary. The next quiz is scheduled to take place at the golf club on Thursday January 21. For more information visit www.u3ajavea.org.

EWN

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

NEWS EXTRA

Xarxa Libres Calpe THE Department of Education in Calpe have set up an information point for parents at the Punt Jove in the town hall, to provide information and advice as to the procedures for the free provision of text books, part of the Xarxa Libres incentive.

New club THE Poble Nou de Benitachell is betting big on athletics. The municipality has created a new club of athletics and triathlon and will be opening a school for those who want to train.

Montgo aid A doctor has been rescued from the summit of the Montgo in Javea. Fearing he may be suffering a coronary problem the emergency services were called to the rescue.

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NEWS

Javea U3A extravaganza THIS extravaganza is verging on the ridiculous! So said nun ‘Sister Itis’ during Javea U3A’s big annual Christmas Extravaganza at the Parador Hotel on Wednesday November 25. It set the tone for another hilarious non-politically correct show, a farfrom-glorious celebration of the 50th anniversary of hit musical The Sound of Music. The stars were nothing like the demure Julie Andrews, but a number of badly-dressed U3A members backed by a bawdy band of singing and guitar-playing ‘old boys’. Star of the show, in the ‘dirty habit’ was Larry Sherringham, who roared onstage on his little scooter, not to the sound of music but to the throaty effects of a Harley Davidson. And he had his onlookers in stitches despite the fact that he hadn’t fully recovered from a heavy cold and sore throat. Other cast members, the children of Baron Von Crapp (‘my little Crappers’), were the ‘girls’ Mike Frost, Ian Rogerson, Brenda Bates and Linda Coughlin and the ‘boys’ Karen White, Sheila Giacomeli and Jacqui Rogerson. The band was made up of former president Paul Wessendorf, Ian

SOUND OF MUSIC: Hilarious, nonpolitically correct show celebrated the 50th anniversary. Mackenzie and Howard Parker and the choir included another expresident Peter Allin, Stan Staines and Duncan Robson, Directed as usual by the brilliantly talented impresario Sally Wells with

the assistance of Katrina Frost and Jackie Heaton, plus the support in rehearsals of cake-maker Lorraine Allin, this year’s production has been hailed as

‘one of the best yet’. Something Sally will no doubt strive to improve on next year! A capacity audience turned up to watch the show, which also featured an impressive performance by Javea U3A’s guitar group and the wonderfully velvet vocals of the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir. Thanks also go to the show’s presenter, U3A treasurer Mick Cox, who did a fine introduction despite having to wear a sling, after breaking his hand after bei n g blown off his bike in the recent high winds. If you are interested in joining in the fun at Javea U3A and want to know more about the many activities available, visit the website www.u3ajavea.org.

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015/ Costa Blanca North

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NEWS FROM OUR FIVE OTHER REGIONS

COSTA DEL SOL

Botanical garden set to bloom DESIGNERS have received a top prize for their work

DETUNDA: Botanical garden has 200 species of plants, 42 of which are endangered.

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

MALLORCA

By Sam Croft THE botanical garden Detunda, located next to la Cueva de Nerja and the Maro District, will shortly be ready to open its doors to the public. Work on the gardens began in August 2014 and has cost more than €3 million. The town council yesterday held a meeting with the architects who designed the gardens. The mayor of Nerja, Rosa Arrabal, and the Environmental Councillor, Jorge Bravo, welcomed the park designers, Isabel Amores and Modesto Garcia, who have been awarded the Premio Ateneo (Ateneo Prize) from the University of Malaga for their work on the project. Local authorities expressed their satisfaction with the recent push the project received after previously spending too much time at a standstill. In the botanical garden there are 200 species of plants, 42 of which are classified as threatened. It occupies a space of 26,000 square metres.

AXARQUÍA

COSTA DE ALMERÍA

Doll petition

Operation kilo

Pregnant swimmers Recycling tyres

ALICANTE toy manufacturer Famosa is taking one of its popular Nancy dolls off the market. Famosa decided to make the changes after receiving an 18,000-signature petition from the ‘SOS delfines’ group complaining that the bucket, ball and hoop that came with one of the dolls, were typical of those used in dolphinariums.

THE collection of food and other items organised by the Food Bank last weekend was a great success, with approximately 120 tonnes donated.

BEGINNING on January 11 the Nerja Sports Complex will offer classes for pregnant women for the first time. In addition, a new round of swimming lessons for beginners will kick off on the same date. Both activities will take place every Monday and Wednesday from 8 to 9pm.

Pollutants removed ORIHUELA is to remove the leachate ponds found on the surface of different parts of the Sierra de Orihuela, specifically in the hamlet of La Murada. Leachate is a pollutant residue that has dissolved environmentally harmful substances which may then enter the eco-system.

Driver flees THE driver of a black Seat Leon who crashed into four other vehicles fled the scene before the arrival of the emergency services. The street was closed for nearly an hour.

Parking blues NEARLY 17,000 residents of Palma have until 31 January to renew their parking permits. For those using the ORA parking areas, the permit cost will remain the same for next year at €24.

Valencia protests

More bike stations

REPRESENTATIVES of the yacht clubs of Valencia gathered at the ministry to show solidarity to the clubs concerned by the refusal of the regional administration to process renewals of its concessions.

THE bicycle rental service operated by Palma City Council will open five new stations and include 150 more bikes from next year with a service extending to Portixol.

Cinema to gym PLANNING permission has been granted to convert the old Alcazar cinema in Elche into a gym. Work is expected to be completed in 12 months.

Manacor blaze MANACOR and Felanitx fire services were called out to a blaze in Manacor, which took some hours to put out. One woman was taken to hospital as a precaution and treated for shock.

NEWS

Missing money EX-MAYOR of Algarrobo and PP representative Natacha Rivas claimed last Friday that a cash discrepancy detected by the town council was the result of an administrative error and that councillors began to return the missing money last September.

Christmas evictions RESIDENTS of the Carmenes del Mar de La Herradura Urbanisation in Granada are worried that they will have to spend Christmas ¨under a bridge¨ after receiving eviction orders for safety reasons. The urbanisation is gradually moving downwards as a result of the shifting of the ground.

Fishing bonanza THE fishing port of Caleta de Velez reigns supreme for yet another year. The Axarquia port is one of the most productive in Andalucia and all of the Mediterranean. Part of the port’s extraordinary success in 2015 can be attributed to its huge catches of sardines.

For more local news from our five other regions see www.euroweeklynews.com

THE Junta de Andalucia regional government has removed 485 tonnes of used tyres which had been abandoned in Velez-Rubio. They will be classified, reused and recycled where possible as part of a project partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Man overboard LIFEGUARDS in boats and helicopters took part in a rescue drill in Almeria recently. The ‘man overboard’ exercise aimed to improve their skills insearching for people missing at sea, one of the hardest rescue missions.

Fortress fire FIREFIGHTERS were called to put out a fire on the northern side of the Alcazaba (Arab fortress) in Almeria which started at around 9am. They reported that it destroyed approximately 100 metres of bushes.

Fatal crash A MAN, 34, died and two others, aged 31 and 24, were injured in a collision between two vehicles in the Cuesta de la Perla area of El Ejido, at Kilometre 0.4 of the A-1050 road. They victims were trapped inside the vehicles and had to be cut out by firefighters.

The Dutch connection EASYJET will be flying between Malaga and Amsterdam next year, general director of the airline in Spain Javier Gandara has announced. The airline aims to carry more than 13.5 million passengers to or from Spain in 2016.

Better kit SAN ROQUE Council has included €406,000 in its 2016 budgets to provide the Local Police force with vehicles, bullet-proof vests and other equipment.

Less skiving ABSENTEEISM cases reported by schools in Estepona have dropped by 36 per cent, the municipal absenteeism commission has reported. While there were 106 cases reported during the 2013-2014 school year, these fell to 67 last year.

Beach flag A MIJAS beach has once again been received acknowledgement from an independent quality assessor. This time it was Calahonda beach’s turn to receive an award, the Ecoplayas flag from ATERGUS environmental association.

Native species THE farm school and public country grounds in Entrerrios, Mijas, are undergoing maintenance and improvement work which is currently focusing on planting native vegetation.

Malaga beer VICTORIA beer, created in Malaga almost 90 years ago, is finally moving home due to a successful local level campaign running since 2007 to relaunch it at restaurants, bars and supermarkets in its hometown.

EWN top for all the news from Spain.

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

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GERMAN

EUROPEAN PRESS SCANDINAVIAN PRESS

Christmas pizza SWEDEN: A fast food restaurant in Karlstad has created a unique Christmas twist on the traditional pizza by combining Swedish favourites such as meatballs and pickled herring with Italian pizza.

Refugee ships SWEDEN: Refugees could be housed on cruise ships in a bid to ease the urgent asylum accommodation shortage as winter sets in. The Swedish Migration Agency said several shipping companies have been in touch with the agency to offer ships.

Innocent man

PRESS

Tax rise over five years MONEY needed to help town halls pay for elderly care COUNCIL tax bills could rise by an average of £250 (€356) over the next five years to help cash-strapped town halls raise more money to pay for elderly care.

Carols cancelled THE headmistress of a primary school in Mackworth, Derby has cancelled two carol concerts saying it was too dangerous for children to cross the road to church. She said she was ‘not comfortable’ with 360 children crossing the A-52 to the church.

Depression death A FORMER BBC journalist shot himself in the grounds of his old Catholic boarding school after suffering from depression and money worries.

BRITISH

David Prysor-Jones worked for the BBC from the 1970’s to 90’s and an inquest confirmed he shot himself in the head at his former Somerset school.

PRESS

Gone girl AN actress from Hampshire was given a suspended sentence at South-ampton Crown Court after she faked her own kidnapping, in a plot reminiscent of the film Gone Girl, to try and win back her ex-boyfriend.

DENMARK: An auction house has dropped its planned sale of two elephant tusks after a social media storm over the sale of the ivory. The auction was criticised by the WWF as ‘immoral.’

Norwegian plot NORWAY: A man, aged 29, suspected of being involved in a plot hatched in Norway to attack a Danish newspaper has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in New York, USA.

A REPORT has shown how Germany’s education system stacks up against the USA and the UK, with it showing German teacher’s salaries are substantially higher and a stronger early education programme.

A WOMAN was shocked to find a scorpion in her bed. What was more shocking was that it is likely to have been there for three months, stowing away in her luggage from her summer holiday in August.

CROWN COURT: Gave suspended sentence.

Happy atlas THE area of SchleswigHolstein is reported to be the happiest place in Germany according to a ‘Happiness Atlas’ which compared 19 regions on various aspects of life satisfaction including work, free time and healthcare.

German relief GERMANY is to send up to 650 soldiers to Mali, to provide some relief to France in its global fight against ISIS jihadists. The move comes in the wake of the November 13 attacks in Paris.

More learning

Ivory sale

Better education

Scorpion sting

SWEDEN: A man, aged 22, who was wrongly accused of planning a terror attack in Sweden, has returned to the northern town of Boliden after being freed without charge and cleared of all suspicions. The man said he is not angry at authorities for being falsely accused.

DENMARK: With 10,040 learning hours across 10 years of education, Danish students receive more instruction than pupils in any of the 33 OECD (Convention on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). According to a report, the average hours was 7,570.

NEWS

Cleaning fine USER-FRIENDLY: A system which can be built into new and existing cars.

Driver-less cars experiment CENTRAL part of government’s infrastructure police THE Dutch government is leading experiments with driver-less vehicles after making the project a central part of its infrastructure policy. The aim of the Dutch Automated Vehicle Initiative is to develop a user-friendly system which can be built into new and existing cars.

Pigs heads TWELVE pigs heads were dumped at a field near Enschede earmarked to be a new asylum seekers’ reception centre.

DUTCH PRESS Police said “there is little doubt the pigs heads are connected with the arrival of the refugees.”

Plant closure A DUTCH coal-fired power station

has been closed permanently following a string of accidents. The Borssele power plant was due to shut at the end of the year but after the death of a 52-year-old man, it has closed earlier than planned.

New €20 DUTCH banks have started issuing new €20 banknotes which the European central bank says are ‘more resistant’ to counterfeiting. The old €20 notes will be gradually withdrawn.

A TEACHER from central Germany has been ordered to pay a €1,000 fine after he painted over swastikas which had been sprayed on public property. The judge said the fine was related to the cost of cleaning up the damage.

Strike off AIR crew workers union UFO has called off planned strikes against Lufthansa, after the airline made significant concessions in ongoing negotiations. Air crew threatened a week of strike actions which would have affected thousands of passengers.

NEWS

3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

RUSSIAN P RESS

No change to Soviet station MUSCOVITES elected against proposed change

VOYKOVSKAYA: Will keep its name. A METRO station in Moscow which is named after one of the executors of Tsar Nicholas II will keep its name after Muscovites elected against a change proposed by liberal activists. Voykovskaya will retain its homage to Pyotr Voykova amid a wider changing of Soviet era street and landmark titles.

Turkish tours cancelled RUSSIAN tour agencies have cancelled flights to Turkey in the aftermath of the downing of a Russian fighter jet by the Turkish military. The move comes as tensions escalate between the two nations over responsibility for the incident. State tourist bodies have also cancelled trips to Egypt over the recent bombing of a packed passenger jet.

Nuclear gift for Japan ROSATOM, Russia’s state nuclear energy company has offered to help Japan shut down the reactors at

Arctic exploration THE Russian Senate has proposed an Arctic development bill to strengthen Moscow’s interests in the resource rich region. Industry, transport and territorial rights are high on the bill’s agenda which will draw the attention of the United States, Norway and Canada. Fukushima nuclear power plant. Japan has been struggling to close down the reactors following three meltdowns and a radiation leak in 2011, the worst since Chernobyl.

Scientology banned THE lA Moscow court has agreed with the Justice

DEVELOPMENT BILL: In resource rich region. Ministry that the Church of Scientology cannot call itself a religious organisation. The decision to ban the church’s activities came after the court ruled that the registering of the name as a US trademark precluded its protection as a legitimate faith.

Sabotage investigation THE FSB is investigating the recent sabotage of a Ukrainian power grid that led to massive blackouts in Crimea. Around 1.9 million people were deprived of electricity and a state of emergency declared after sections of the grid were bombed. Tensions continue after Russia’s 2014 annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine.

EWN

FINANCE

Costa Blanca North

3 - 9 December 2015

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Jaguar expands in the Midlands CAR manufacturer set to hire hundreds of new workers By John Smith JAGUAR LAND ROVER is set to hire hundreds of new workers as the car manufacturer announces plans to double the size of its engine manufacturing centre near Wolverhampton to 200,000 square foot.

is the amount that Jaguar plans to spend in doubling the size of its engine manufacturing plant.

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS: Being used to sell fake goods.

Be careful of internet bargains A NUMBER of warnings have been given about the sale of fake goods, whereby sellers use official photographs to show images of a rang e o f p r o d u c t s a n d then supply counterfeit and shoddy items to the buyers instead. In addition, a number of major companies are taking ex t r a c a r e t o e n s u re

The plant, in south Staffordshire, employs 700 people and once the expansion is completed it hopes to double the number of employees. A rise in global demand had led to the centre’s expansion, the company said. Conservative business secretary

“The technical steps needed to fix the vehicles are technically and financially manageable." VW Chief Executive Matthias Mueller.

Photo Credit Denys Prykhodov Shutterstock

Quote of the Week

£450m

that their websites are not hacked or have had malw are a d d e d w h ich co u ld steal financial information from clients. Many of the illegal activities stem from criminals in Eastern Europe, alth o u g h th is ma y d ro p a s the west recruits many of the hackers to combat web terrorists.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Digital investment BBVA Bank will invest €63 million in obtaining 29.5 per cent of British digital bank Atom, which hasn’t even started trading as yet and will take two seats on the board. “We’ve been interested in the UK for quite some time,” Teppo Paavola, chief development officer and general manager of new digital businesses at BBVA, said in an interview. “We studied the market and concluded the way to play here is in a digital fashion.”

Spanish Budget BRUSSELS has again warned the Spanish Government they need to reduce the deficit. President of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, considered the 2016 Budget was not in line with expectations but understood no changes would occur until after the election.

Paris climate change summit MUCH is at stake for the oil and gas industry at the UN organised Paris climate summit which runs from November 30 to December 11. More than 100 heads of state will gather to negotiate an agreement aimed at driving down

UK public finances over the next five years are looking £27 billion (€38 billion) better than they were in July, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal

EWN

greenhouse gas emissions. There has been much speculation about the financial security of some of the major oil companies as they may be sitting on too much crude oil in an ever shrinking market.

Sajid Javid said the company’s investment was “further evidence that the British automotive sector can compete with the best in the world. “More than 10,000 jobs have been created and about £3.5bn has been invested in its Midlands’ manufacturing sites since 2010,” he added.

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Apple acquisition APPLE has purchased the company behind motion-capture technology used in the latest Star Wars film. Faceshift specialises in software that allows 3D animated characters to mimic the facial expressions of an actor. Apple has now bought the company, though in keeping with tradition they have not revealed the cost or their plans for the business.

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LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group 497.85 -3.15 Aberdeen Asset Management 322.40 -12.40 Admiral Group 1,615.00 -6.00 Anglo American 395.00 -5.15 Antofagasta 489.45 -7.25 ARM Holdings 1,117.50 0.50 Ashtead Group 1,088.00 4.00 Associated British Foods 3,513.00 -3.00 AstraZeneca 4,505.25 -7.25 Aviva 510.00 -3.00 Babcock International Group 1,085.50 1.50 BAE Systems 520.25 0.75 Barclays 222.98 -1.32 Barratt Developments 588.25 0.75 Berkeley Group Holdings 3,131.50 -3.50 BG Group 1,023.00 -7.00 BHP Billiton 781.90 -25.70 BP 384.05 -2.50 British American Tobacco 3,908.75 10.25 British Land Co 832.00 -2.50 BT Group 498.83 -0.97 Bunzl 1,903.00 -1.00 Burberry Group 1,246.50 1.50 Capita Group (The) 1,266.50 -0.50 Carnival 3,477.50 14.50 Centrica 218.50 -2.30 Coca-Cola HBC 1,625.00 5.00 Compass Group 1,141.50 0.50 CRH 1,958.00 -2.00 Diageo 1,922.00 -2.50 Direct Line Insurance Group 407.80 -0.40 Dixons Carphone 484.60 3.00 easyJet 1,645.50 13.50 Experian 1,226.50 4.50 Fresnillo 708.25 -6.75 G4S 223.70 0.30 GKN 298.65 0.25 GlaxoSmithKline 1,357.25 -8.25 Glencore 90.18 -1.70 Hammerson 607.00 -2.00 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,466.50 -4.50 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 2,147.50 -4.50 HSBC Holdings 530.00 -4.90 Imperial Tobacco Group 3,603.00 -8.00 Inmarsat 1,111.00 -2.00 InterContinental Hotels Grp 2,529.50 40.50 International Consolidated Air 571.25 6.25 Intertek Group 2,776.00 20.00 Intu Properties 321.85 -1.45 ITV 271.90 4.30

% CHG. NET VOL -0.63 4,872.03 -3.70 4,436.85 -0.37 4,524.34 -1.29 5,609.45 -1.46 4,896.75 0.04 15,722.92 0.37 5,456.25 -0.09 27,835.26 -0.16 57,021.83 -0.58 20,754.69 0.14 5,465.49 0.14 16,436.98 -0.59 37,622.72 0.13 5,848.28 -0.11 4,284.20 -0.68 35,176.45 -3.18 17,057.09 -0.65 70,680.05 0.26 72,675.23 -0.30 8,517.59 -0.19 41,671.31 -0.05 6,379.87 0.12 5,538.17 -0.04 8,414.09 0.42 7,485.39 -1.04 10,983.77 0.31 5,903.17 0.04 18,945.57 -0.10 16,097.48 -0.13 48,391.40 -0.10 6,123.00 0.62 5,545.44 0.83 6,482.44 0.37 12,078.57 -0.94 5,268.79 0.13 3,466.26 0.08 4,917.80 -0.60 66,448.07 -1.85 13,401.80 -0.33 4,776.46 -0.31 6,977.23 -0.21 4,279.90 -0.92 104,376.19 -0.22 34,560.55 -0.18 5,003.77 1.63 5,876.96 1.11 11,522.24 0.73 4,447.13 -0.45 4,277.64 1.61 10,772.00

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Johnson Matthey 2,805.50 6.50 Kingfisher 351.40 1.30 Land Securities Group 1,231.50 -1.50 Legal & General Group 270.35 -2.45 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 72.39 -1.01 London Stock Exchange Group2,637.00 -8.00 Marks & Spencer Group 501.25 1.25 Meggitt 386.50 -0.50 Merlin Entertainments 408.45 0.95 Mondi 1,524.50 0.50 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 153.30 -1.30 National Grid 928.10 -4.50 Next 7,905.00 -15.00 Old Mutual 209.15 -1.05 Pearson 827.00 -2.00 Persimmon 1,866.50 -10.50 Prudential 1,538.75 -9.75 Randgold Resources 3,956.50 -40.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,269.50 -39.50 RELX 1,195.50 -1.50 Rio Tinto 2,179.50 -19.50 Rolls-Royce Group 605.75 -0.75 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 305.40 -1.30 Royal Dutch Shell 1,640.75 -15.75 Royal Dutch Shell 1,655.00 -18.50 Royal Mail 485.85 -3.75 RSA Insurance Group 436.65 -0.15 SABMiller 4,027.50 -0.50 Sage Group (The) 576.25 1.75 Sainsbury (J) 254.85 -1.25 Schroders 2,970.50 -19.50 Severn Trent 2,235.00 -13.00 Shire 4,666.50 1.50 Sky 1,117.50 -3.50 Smith & Nephew 1,118.00 -3.00 Smiths Group 1,025.00 -5.00 Sports Direct International 715.00 3.50 SSE 1,440.50 -19.50 St James's Place 1,010.50 1.50 Standard Chartered 551.15 -7.35 Standard Life 415.55 -2.55 Taylor Wimpey 188.90 0.20 Tesco 168.30 -0.85 Travis Perkins 2,003.00 -3.00 TUI AG 1,088.50 -1.50 Unilever 2,876.50 0.50 United Utilities Group 972.25 -6.25 Vodafone Group 224.25 -1.55 Whitbread 4,440.00 9.00 Wolseley 3,809.50 3.50 WPP Group 1,533.50 -7.50

% CHG. 0.23 0.37 -0.12 -0.90 -1.38 -0.30 0.25 -0.13 0.23 0.03 -0.84 -0.48 -0.19 -0.50 -0.24 -0.56 -0.63 -1.01 -0.63 -0.13 -0.89 -0.12 -0.42 -0.95 -1.11 -0.77 -0.03 -0.01 0.30 -0.49 -0.65 -0.58 0.03 -0.31 -0.27 -0.49 0.49 -1.34 0.15 -1.32 -0.61 0.11 -0.50 -0.15 -0.14 0.02 -0.64 -0.69 0.20 0.09 -0.49

NET VOL 5,735.65 8,161.84 9,747.40 16,211.39 52,388.32 9,185.57 8,241.32 3,048.04 4,131.02 7,399.84 3,610.05 34,890.57 12,107.59 10,354.78 6,800.19 5,753.79 39,811.72 3,722.40 45,062.45 13,451.13 30,933.93 11,151.08 19,739.38 64,513.80 40,840.27 4,896.00 4,441.20 65,107.83 6,189.65 4,919.48 6,758.07 5,347.08 27,600.55 19,270.18 10,026.13 4,066.21 4,258.08 14,498.77 5,273.03 14,219.17 8,233.17 6,139.28 13,762.89 4,991.57 6,393.98 36,912.29 6,672.28 59,865.68 8,052.86 9,897.77 20,113.66

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DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 30

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 157.99 +0.36 +0.23% 876.1K 71.85 +0.16 +0.22% 1.5M 117.81 -0.22 -0.19% 13.0M 146.95 -0.48 -0.33% 1.3M 71.22 -0.27 -0.38% 1.6M 90.37 -0.50 -0.55% 2.5M 27.32 +0.08 +0.29% 9.5M 43.15 -0.21 -0.48% 7.2M 115.13 -3.54 -2.98% 14.9M 67.09 -0.17 -0.25% 1.0M 81.23 -0.02 -0.02% 4.2M 30.36 0.00 0.00% 33.1M 190.47 +1.32 +0.70% 1.1M 134.74 +0.09 +0.07% 3.3M 138.46 +0.46 +0.33% 1.4M 34.46 +0.01 +0.03% 6.6M 102.37 +0.41 +0.40% 2.4M 67.17 +0.31 +0.46% 4.1M 114.23 -0.17 -0.15% 2.8M 53.96 +0.24 +0.45% 3.0M 53.93 +0.24 +0.45% 9.0M 134.33 +0.20 +0.15% 2.3M 32.79 -0.08 -0.24% 16.1M 75.70 -0.20 -0.26% 2.4M 114.85 +0.05 +0.04% 548.1K 96.80 -0.47 -0.48% 1.9M 114.34 -0.07 -0.06% 1.7M 45.23 +0.31 +0.69% 4.1M 79.84 +0.28 +0.35% 3.1M 59.89 -0.35 -0.58% 5.3M

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 30

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. MACROCURE LTD. Highpower International Inc The9 Limited Mesoblast Limited ModSys International Ltd. The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. Bio Blast Pharma Ltd. Sientra, Inc. InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. Mattson Technology, Inc.

$ 34.83 $ 2.44 $ 2.88 $ 4.29 $ 6.82 $ 2.01 $ 2.79 $ 5.24 $ 4.78 $ 9.27 $ 3.05

8.20 ▲ 30.79% 0.50 ▲ 25.77% 0.54 ▲ 23.08% 0.80 ▲ 22.92% 1.25 ▲ 22.44% 0.30 ▲ 17.54% 0.39 ▲ 16.25% 0.71 ▲ 15.67% 0.54 ▲ 12.74% 1.04 ▲ 12.64% 0.34 ▲ 12.55%

$ 2.04 $ 7.90 $ 8.76 $ 4.06 $ 3.14 $ 3.22 $ 6.61 $ 9.22 $ 2.29 $ 23.10 $ 31.11

0.18 ▼ 8.11% 0.69 ▼ 8.03% 0.74 ▼ 7.79% 0.318 ▼ 7.26% 0.23 ▼ 6.82% 0.23 ▼ 6.67% 0.405 ▼ 5.77% 0.55 ▼ 5.63% 0.13 ▼ 5.37% 1.30 ▼ 5.33% 1.71 ▼ 5.21%

Most Declined Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. XBiotech Inc. Baozun Inc. Hong Kong Television Network Limited China BAK Battery, Inc. Qumu Corporation TriVascular Technologies, Inc. TiVo Inc. Approach Resources Inc. Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. Insys Therapeutics, Inc.

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Time to take a look back at 2015 Ask the expert Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

AS another year comes to an end, it’s time to look back at 2015 and see what clues it gives us to the year ahead. Overall, 2015 has been a positive year for the UK economy, which remains the success story of the G7. With increases in wages, a strengthening job market and steady GDP growth, investors are increasing their bets UK policymakers will start raising interest rates sometime next year. However, the Bank of England remains cautious in its approach and is closely monitoring inflation, which remains well below its 2 per cent target. The bank is also evaluating global downside risks, as China and the developing countries are facing headwinds. Despite a slowdown during the summer, the UK still stands to grow 2.5 per cent. After three consecutive quarters of falling manufacturing output, the UK enters its final quarter with growth hitting its fastest rate. It remains to be seen if the manufacturing sector will succeed in

GROWTH: Despite a slowdown during the summer, the UK stands to grow 2.5 per cent. maintaining its momentum. The recent surge in Sterling poses a real challenge for UK exporters competing in Europe, their main export market. Sterling put in an impressive performance against the euro over the past year, thanks to a substantial improvement in economic activity and the prospect of monetary

normalisation in the near future. The divergence of monetary policies between the UK and the Eurozone is also likely to further support the pound. The Eurozone’s recovery is finally consolidating, and appears to be on a firmer ground than many analysts had anticipated. However, the

slowing of global economic activity is cause for concern to the Eurozone, especially as Germany’s engine has been making worrying sputtering noises. The euro has been kept weak by the European Central Bank (ECB), and though it tried to make up for some of its losses after the summer those gains were limited and short-lived. It only took the press conference following the October meeting of the ECB’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting for those gains to disappear. Interest rates were left unchanged (as was widely expected), but ECB President Mario Draghi managed, once again, to surprise investors during the press conference. ‘Super Mario’ sent a strong message to the market and investors were caught off-guard as they were presented, not only with the very real possibility of more easing in December, but also with a central bank that’s actively exploring lower deposit rates, extending the deadline on its quantitative easing programme and potential increasing the size of the programme. Investors couldn’t sell their euros quick enough as the implications of Mr Draghi’s speech hit home. The upshot is that, before the pre-Christmas ECB meeting, we could see a market that’s inundated with euros.

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

SPANISH renewable energy and engineering firm Abengoa SA said on November 25 that it intends to file for preliminary creditor protection, a step that could lead to the largest bankruptcy case in Spain’s history. For Abengoa this highlights the problems that a number of companies around the world have experienced when trying to expand whilst carrying heavy debts which have crippled them during the financial crisis. The company is one of the world’s major builders of power lines, specialising in transporting energy across Latin America as well as being a construction business, making massive renewable-energy power plants in the UK and the US. When Spanish investment firm Gonvarri Corporación Financiera cancelled a plan to lend the Sevilla based company a further €350 million it recognised that it needed to take immediate action to protect itself and its creditors.

Airline shares have fallen due to terrorism Photo Credit JHenryW Wikimedia

Possible largest bankruptcy

SHARM EL SHEIK: British Airways and easyJet have suspended all flights until at least January 2016. By John Smith FOLLOWING the decision by British Airways and easyJet to cancel all flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh until January 2016, a number of passengers have been delighted as they are now able to obtain a full refund and make other arrangements. The budget airline was the first to an-

nounce plans to continue its ban on flights, shortly followed by British Airways, who have suspended flights until January 14. A BA statement said: “Following advice from the UK Government about the situation in Sharm el Sheikh, we will not be operating any flights to or from the holiday resort up to and including Thursday January 14, 2016.”

This news was not well received in the city as there will be an immediate loss of revenue for the two airlines and the fear of attacks on transport generally may well see a drop in passengers carried on other routes. The announcements saw the value of their shares drop by up to 5 per cent on November 24 although both finished the day just over 3 per cent down.

UK Autumn spending review has one surprise CONSIDERING the stance the Conservative government took following the voting down of the proposed tax credit cuts by the House of Lords, Chancellor George Osborne has surprised critics by doing a U-turn as well as vowing to protect police budgets in his spending review on November 25. Low-paid families will not see their benefits cut in April next year, although it is now his plan to phase out tax credits by 2018 and critics insist that the new Universal Credit that will replace them is likely to be less generous. Rather than phasing the cuts, as had been expected, Mr Osborne said he had decided the ‘simplest thing’ was ‘to avoid them altogether,’ even though it means missing his own target for overall welfare spending. He was able to make this decision due to higher tax receipts and better public finances.

The top six supermarket chains IN a review released on November 24 by Kantar Worldpanel, a global market research company, they revealed the top six supermarket chains in Spain up until the end of September 2015, which makes very interesting reading with Mercadona dominating the sector by a huge amount. Actual market share calculated for each of the ‘main players’ is Mercadona with 22.9 per cent, Grupo Dia 8.8 per cent, Carrefour 8.6 per cent, Grupo Eroski 5.9 per cent, Grupo Auchan 3.9 per cent, Lidl 3.6 per cent. All of the top six with the exception of Eroski have seen slight growths, but they do account for over 50 per cent of all the groceries sold in Spain and although Lidl is leading Aldi in the list, both companies, with their policies of discounted food and fast expansion would expect to be gaining ground over the next year. The general opinion from the research company is that the growth in supermarket sales is to the detriment of the traditional specialist shops which have been such an important part of the Spanish landscape.

www.euroweeklynews.com

3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa

Beyoncé hopes to conquer the fashion world By John Smith GLOBAL superstar and style maven Beyoncé is entering into a commercial partnership with Sir Philip Green, owner of the Arcadia group which includes high street brands Top Shop, Dorothy Perkins, and Burton. They have announced that they are planning to start retailing a new athletic street-wear brand across the world in spring of 2016, under the name Parkwood Topshop Athletic which will offer clothing, footwear and accessories to a youngish demographic. Not only does Beyoncé have her own clothing line House of Deréon already, but she has also been known to model for other clothing companies including H&M. No doubt both she and Sir Philip

will ensure that the new brand stands alone from all that she has done in the past. “This not a collaboration. This is about building a brand and building a business, a separate, proper business, with separate overheads and a separate office,” Sir Philip Green told Women’s Wear Daily when the venture was first announced. Taveta Investments, Arcadia’s family-controlled parent company, has announced operating profits in its last financial year of £251.6 million (€352 million) an increase of 5.5 per cent. Although it has indicated that trading has been difficult and it sold the BHS Group for £1 earlier this year.

EWN

Photo Credit A. Ricardo Shutterstock

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

OPINION & COMMENT

3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

Long live The Lord’s Prayer! CINEMA ban is eroding British values even further LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. IF anything in this short prayer offends anyone, I suggest you either get a life or choose to live somewhere else. (This includes the relevant cinema owners!) OK? Merry Christmas! So, here we all are again. I think I gave Corbyn six months, or was it a year? With the latest antics of both him and his party (Mao’s Little Red Book, would you believe) I think any length of time is politically long for this bunch. Seriously, folks, how can anyone vote for a man who wants

THREAT: Jeremy Corbyn’s policies put our future at risk. to scrap most of the UK’s defences, allow unlimited ‘refugees’ into the country and considers that ‘negotiating’ with psycho-

pathic scum a more viable option than eliminating them? Give us a break. If this man ever came into power, we, our chil-

dren and (assuming they ever came into existence!) our children’s children would never sleep safely in their beds again. I still maintain the UK should close its borders completely for at least three years. With no terrorists getting in, we can then begin to root out all those already entrenched. If they manage to escape becoming ‘martyrs,’ bang’em up and then deport the whole lot to one of the MidEast hell-holes they all seem to admire so much. If Brussels objects, so what? What are they going to do, declare war? I hardly think they can say too much, considering the state the open border policies have got their own country in. I also suggest we round up all able-bodied ‘refugees’ between the ages of 18 and 25. Proceed to arm them to the teeth and ship ’em all back to fight for the various countries the cowardly bunch has actually deserted. Keep the Faith Love Leapy Leapylee2002@gmail.com

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Fake Britain 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Oxford Street Revealed 12:45pm Rip Off Britain 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries 4:10pm Escape to the Country 5:15pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Watchdog 10:00pm Doctor in the House 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Question Time 12:35am This Week byElection Special 3:00am Weather for the Week Ahead 3:05am BBC News

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm Travel Guides 12:40am The Chase 1:35am Jackpot247 4:00am Tonight 4:25am ITV Nightscreen Text-based information service.

7:00am Fake Britain 7:45am Oxford Street Revealed 8:30am Bargain Hunt 9:15am MasterChef: The Professionals 10:15am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC News 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Snooker 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Snooker 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Last Kingdom 11:00pm Russell Howard's Good News 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Snooker 1:05am Snooker 3:05am British Bribery Exposed 3:35am Dominic Sandbrook: Let Us Entertain You 4:35am Doctor Who Sci-fi drama. 5:30am This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.

7:00am The Hot Desk 7:10am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:35am Psych 8:20am Emmerdale 8:50am Coronation Street 9:50am Dinner Date 10:50am Psych 11:40am I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 1:10pm Emmerdale 1:40pm Coronation Street 2:40pm Dinner Date 3:40pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:50pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 6:00pm You've Been Framed! 6:30pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 8:00pm The Xtra Factor 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Scorpion 11:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here Now! 12:05am Celebrity Juice 12:50am Two and a Half Men 1:20am Two and a Half Men 1:45am Reality Bites 2:30am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 2:55am Animal Practice

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 12:25am 12:45am 1:10am 1:30am 2:00am 2:30am 3:30am 4:00am 4:30am 5:00am

Top Gear Don't Tell the Bride Live at the Apollo Live at the Apollo EastEnders Rent a Cop Family Guy Family Guy American Dad! Family Guy Rent a Cop Josh Young, Trans and Live at the Apollo Live at the Apollo Rent a Cop This is BBC Three

8:30pm Top of the Pops 9:00pm Patagonia with Huw Edwards 10:00pm What a Performance! Pioneers of Popular Entertainment 11:00pm Detectorists 11:30pm The Life of Rock with Brian Pern 12:00am The Curse of Frankenstein

7:00am 7:10am 7:35am 8:35am 9:30am 10:35am 11:00am 11:25am 11:55am 2:00pm 3:05pm 4:10pm 5:15pm 5:50pm 6:20pm 6:55pm 7:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

12:00am 2:05am 2:25am 3:20am

3:30am

Movies Now George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Where the Heart is Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Wild at Heart Where the Heart is Doctor at Large On the Buses George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Doc Martin Foyle's War Crime drama series set in the Cold War era. A Touch of Frost Judge Judy Wycliffe ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. Teleshopping Shopping from home.

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8:10am 3rd Rock from the Sun 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 10:30am Frasier 11:00am Frasier 11:30am Undercover Boss USA 12:30pm Come Dine with Me 1:00pm Channel 4 News Summary 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 1:35pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:35pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Posh Pawnbrokers 6:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm The Secret Life of 6 Year Olds 10:00pm 24 Hours in A and E 11:00pm First Dates 12:10am Gogglebox

8:35am Thomas and Friends 8:50am Noddy in Toyland 9:00am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:15am Peppa Pig 9:25am Peppa Pig 9:35am Paw Patrol 9:50am Bananas in Pajamas 10:00am Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 12:30pm The Heart of Christmas 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm A Christmas Promise 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Secrets of Great British Castles 9:00pm Alex Polizzi's Italian Islands 10:00pm Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild UK 11:00pm Homeless at Christmas 12:00am Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

7:00am 7:55am 8:50am 9:50am

7:00am The Knights of Badassdom 8:30am The 6th Day 10:45am Superman Returns 1:30pm American Sniper 3:45pm Chain Reaction 5:40pm The 6th Day 7:50pm Tron Legacy 10:00pm American Sniper 12:20am Superman Returns 2:55am Chain Reaction 4:50am Tron Legacy

10:50am 11:55am 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 3:55pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

1:50am 3:30am 4:00am

Gunsmoke The Sweeney Minder Alias Smith and Jones Gunsmoke The Professionals The Sweeney Minder Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Gunsmoke Alias Smith and Jones The Professionals The Sweeney Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Deals, Wheels and Steals Deals, Wheels and Steals Fifth Gear Year of the Dragon Intense thriller set on the crime-ridden streets of New York's Chinatown. Death Wish 2 Formula E: Sound of the Future Teleshopping

7:00am Alien Autopsy 8:45am Mr Woodcock 10:20am Austin Powers in Goldmember 12:10pm Bad Neighbours 1:55pm Tammy 3:40pm Analyze This 5:30pm Analyze That 7:15pm American Pie 9:00pm Bad Neighbours 10:45pm Tammy 12:25am Fading Gigolo 2:00am The Hottie and the Nottie 3:35am Risky Business 5:20am Brewster's Millions

7:00am 7:45am 8:30am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 12:00am

Revenge Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks A to Z The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Inbetweeners Movie The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Honour A young woman goes on the run after becoming the target of an honour killing. 9:00am Shelby 10:45am 13 Sins 12:30pm Blackhat 2:45pm Honour 4:45pm The Top Ten Show 2015 5:00pm Jupiter Ascending 7:15pm Shelby 9:00pm Jupiter Ascending 11:15pm Blackhat 1:30am 13 Sins 3:15am The Opposite Sex 5:00am Ted 2: Sky Movies Special 5:15am Shelby Heart-warming family tale about a dog who escapes the pound on Christmas Eve and finds himself in the home of a young wannabe magician. John Paul Ruttan, Chevy Chase, (voice of) Rob Schneider

THURSDAY TV

7:00am WWE SmackDown! 8:00am Intl Premier Tennis League 2:30pm Sporting Greats 3:00pm Football 4:00pm Football Gold 4:15pm Football Gold 4:30pm Football Gold 4:45pm Football Gold 5:00pm One2eleven 5:15pm One2eleven 5:30pm Premier League 100 Club 6:00pm Football 7:00pm Barclays Premier League World 7:30pm Capital One Cup Round Up 8:30pm Football 11:15pm Capital One Cup Round Up 12:15am NFL Highlights 1:15am NFL Hard Knocks A behind-the-scenes look at the Houston Texans, the team that boasts defensive superstar JJ Watt. 2:15am NFL: Jj Watt Special 2:25am NFL: Green Bay @ Detroit 5:55am Football Gold

7:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 1:00am 1:30am 2:00am 2:30am 3:00am 3:30am 3:55am 4:50am

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OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

Can’t costs be cut in a more sensible way? REDUCE overseas aid and redistribute it more effectively for the benefit of the UK

SALARIES: UK council chief executives earn as much as footballers.

Nora Johnson

Breaking Views Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist. To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/nora-johnson

THE theme of this week’s column is money. People with too much. Others too little (so they say). First off, what about UK council chief executives earning six-figure salaries, as much as footballers? This according to the new head of the Local Government Association. Lord Porter’s ‘not happy’ about it, but claims it reflects ‘the way the world is’. Hmm. Secondly, we learn that health inspectors have spent almost £1 million (€1.42 million) of taxpayers’ money on luxury hotels, spa resorts and stately homes. The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) total spending was £4.4 million (€6.26 million) in 2014-15, four times its original budget. In total, £921,279.98 (€1,311,819.77) was spent on hotels for 36 inspections. Whether the inspectors needed to be put up at these expensive hotels is open to question, but what isn’t is this: Why didn’t the CQC administrators who obtained the accommodation negotiate discounts for block bookings? It’s basic business sense. Even the daftest of Lord Sugar’s ‘Apprentices’ knows that! Here’s a suggestion. How about inspectors

staying in an apartment as that’s cheaper? Oops! Isn’t it only MPs who are able to claim rental on expenses when away from home? Or alternatively, a fleet of caravans? They could park in the hospital grounds and inspections could cover the full 24 hours of a hospital’s functioning. Oops again! The NHS couldn’t afford the hospital parking costs... Thirdly, and fairly familiar territory here. News that the NHS is on course for the worst financial crisis in its history, amid warnings that hospitals could run out of cash to pay staff within a year. This together with warnings from senior police officers that possible budget cuts will mean they couldn’t deal with Paris-style attacks. Like the Labour Party, the NHS and socialist-led councils, some think everything can be solved by simply throwing more money at the problem and recruiting more staff. But the kind of policing needed to tackle ISIS, for instance, isn’t simply the bobby on the beat or more community officers. It’s down to specialist counter-terrorism teams, and extra funding for this has been allocated. I’ve said this before and no doubt I’ll say it again. Cut overseas aid instead and redistribute it more effectively, for the benefit of the UK! Nora Johnson’s thrillers ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora-johnson.com) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.89;£0.79) and iBookstore. All profits to Cudeca charity.

3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

EWN

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

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7:10am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:35am Psych 8:20am Emmerdale 8:50am Emmerdale 9:20am You've Been Framed! 9:50am Dinner Date 10:50am Psych 11:40am I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 1:10pm Emmerdale 1:40pm Emmerdale 2:15pm You've Been Framed! 2:40pm Dinner Date 3:40pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:50pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:55pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 8:30pm Back to the Future 10:45pm The Hot Desk 11:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here Now! 12:05am Keith Lemon's Back T'future Tribute

8:00pm World's Craziest Fools 8:30pm Don't Tell the Bride 9:30pm Sherlock 11:00pm EastEnders 11:30pm Russell Howard's Good News Extra 12:15am Family Guy 12:40am Family Guy 1:00am American Dad! 1:20am Family Guy 1:45am Rent a Cop 2:15am Josh 2:45am Russell Howard's Good News Extra

8:00pm World News Today 8:30pm The Good Old Days 9:15pm Sounds of the Seventies 9:25pm Pop Go the Sixties 9:30pm Sounds of the 70s 10:00pm Forever Young 11:00pm I'm Not in Love 12:00am The Old Grey Whistle Test

7:00am 7:10am 7:35am 8:40am 9:35am 10:40am 11:05am 11:35am 12:00pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:10pm 5:15pm 5:50pm 6:20pm 6:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:00am 2:00am 3:55am 4:15am

Movies Now George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Where the Heart is Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Wild at Heart Where the Heart is Doctor at Large On the Buses George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Doc Martin Foyle's War A Touch of Frost Closing the Ring Judge Judy ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 4:40am Emmerdale Omnibus Aaron searches for answers.

www.euroweeklynews.com

9:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 10:30am Frasier 11:00am Frasier 11:30am Undercover Boss USA 12:30pm Come Dine with Me 1:00pm Channel 4 News Summary Includes news headlines and weather. 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 1:35pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:35pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Posh Pawnbrokers 6:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm TFI Friday 10:00pm Gogglebox 11:00pm Alan Carr: Chatty Man 12:05am First Dates

8:45am Minder 9:45am Alias Smith and Jones 10:50am Gunsmoke 11:55am The Professionals 12:55pm The Sweeney 1:55pm Minder 2:55pm Pawn Stars 3:25pm Pawn Stars 3:50pm Gunsmoke 4:55pm Alias Smith and Jones 6:00pm The Professionals 7:00pm The Sweeney 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm The Car Chasers 9:30pm The Car Chasers 10:00pm The Enforcer Police thriller sequel. 12:05am Child's Play 3 The murderous Chucky returns, reincarnated by an avaricious toy manufacturer. 1:55am The Chronicles of Riddick 4:00am Teleshopping

7:45am 7:55am 8:10am 8:20am 8:35am 8:50am 9:00am 9:15am 9:25am 9:35am 9:50am 10:00am 10:15am 12:10pm 12:25pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:55pm 12:50am

7:00am 9:10am 11:30am 1:30pm 3:15pm 3:35pm 6:00pm 8:15pm 10:00pm 12:20am 2:20am

Peppa Pig Pip Ahoy! Little Princess Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Peppa Pig Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat The Wright Stuff 5 News Lunchtime Deck the Halls Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Gift of the Magi 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The UK's Strongest Man 2015 Ice Road Truckers NCIS: New Orleans NCIS NCIS Access

Air Force One National Treasure Clash of the Titans Rush Hour 2 The Top Ten Show 2015 The Equalizer National Treasure Rush Hour 2 The Equalizer Clash of the Titans Con Air

7:05am Curse of the Pink Panther 9:00am Dragnet 10:55am Wedding Crashers 1:00pm Horrible Bosses 2 3:00pm The Intern: Sky Movies Special 3:15pm Lovesick 4:50pm Pretty Woman 6:55pm Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby 9:00pm Horrible Bosses 2 11:00pm Lovesick 12:30am Ali G Indahouse

8:30am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 12:00am

Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks A to Z The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Unstoppable The Big Bang Theory

8:45am The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 9:15am Ghosthunters 11:00am Extraterrestrial 1:00pm Shelby 2:45pm Cake 4:45pm Bridge of Spies: Sky Movies Special 5:15pm Taken 3 7:15pm Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Cake 12:45am Extraterrestrial Homicidal aliens terrorise a group of friends during a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods. 2:30am 13 Sins 4:10am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails A fearful young boy forms an unlikely bond with a loveable green ghost and tries to help him reclaim his haunted house.

FRIDAY TV

7:00am WWE Main Event 8:00am Intl Premier Tennis League 2:30pm Sporting Greats 3:00pm Capital One Cup Round Up 4:00pm Football Gold 4:15pm Football Gold 4:30pm Football Gold 4:45pm Football Gold 5:00pm One2eleven 5:15pm One2eleven 5:30pm Capital One Cup Round Up 6:30pm Game Changers 7:00pm The Fantasy Football Club 8:00pm Football 11:15pm The Fantasy Football Club 12:15am Barclays Premier League Review 12:45am Football Gold 1:00am The F1 Show 2:00am Game Changers 2:30am Football Gold 2:45am Football Gold 3:00am The Fantasy Football Club 4:00am Bpl Legends 4:30am Football Gold

7:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 8:15pm 9:15pm 9:45pm 10:00pm 1:15am 2:15am 2:30am 3:00am 3:30am

3:55am

Cricket Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Shane Warne:Living the Dream Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Shane Warne:Living the Dream Cricket NFL:Green Bay @ Detroit Ram Slam T20 Cricket Cricket Cricket's Greatest Cricket Shorts Ram Slam T20 Cricket Cricket Cricket Shorts Glenn Mcgrath Masterclass Cricketing Yorkshire Pace Like Fire A look back on five decades of the very best in fast bowling. Cricket

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:10pm 2:00pm 5:30pm 6:20pm 6:50pm 7:00pm 7:10pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:05pm 10:55pm 11:05pm 11:25pm 12:55am 1:55am

2:00am

10:25am 10:30am 11:25am 11:55am 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:10pm 3:15pm 4:20pm 6:30pm 6:45pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:30pm 11:35pm 12:40am

Breakfast Saturday Kitchen Simply Nigella BBC News Football Focus Snooker Final Score Celebrity Mastermind BBC News BBC London News Pointless Strictly Come Dancing Doctor Who Casualty The National Lottery Live BBC News Match of the Day The Apprentice Weather for the Week Ahead Detailed weather forecast. BBC News

ITV News Murder, She Wrote Countrywise The Jeremy Kyle Show ITV News and Weather The Jeremy Kyle Show Judge Rinder Doc Martin E.T. The ExtraTerrestrial ITV News London Catchphrase ITV News and Weather The Chase: Celebrity Special The X Factor I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! The Jonathan Ross Show ITV News and Weather

7:10am Race to Super Bowl 50 8:00am The Amazing Mr. Blunden 9:35am Beverly Hills Chihuahua 11:00am Ronnie's Animal Crackers 11:30am Ronnie's Animal Crackers 12:00pm The Wonder of Animals 12:30pm Animal Park 1:00pm My Life on a Plate 1:45pm Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure 2:30pm Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure 3:15pm Saboteur 5:00pm Flog it! Trade Secrets 5:30pm Snooker 6:30pm The Great Pottery Throw Down 7:30pm Dad's Army 8:00pm Snooker 11:00pm QI XL 11:45pm Glory 1:40am Come As You Are

7:10am Emmerdale Omnibus 9:50am Coronation Street Omnibus 12:15pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 1:15pm The Xtra Factor 2:20pm The Hot Desk 2:30pm Scorpion 3:25pm The Polar Express 5:20pm You've Been Framed! 5:45pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 6:50pm Lost in Space 9:20pm Back to the Future Part II 11:35pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here Now! 12:35am The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 1:05am The Keith Lemon Sketch Show 1:35am Viral Tap 2:20am Crazy Beaches 2:45am Totally Bonkers 3:10am Animal Practice

8:00pm World's Craziest Fools 8:30pm Don't Tell the Bride 9:30pm Top Gear 10:30pm Live at the Apollo 11:15pm Live at the Apollo 12:00am Family Guy 12:25am Family Guy 12:45am Family Guy 1:05am Family Guy 1:30am Family Guy 1:50am Family Guy 2:15am Rent a Cop 2:45am Josh 3:15am Live at the Apollo

8:00pm Empire of the Seas: How the Navy Forged the Modern World 9:00pm Britain's Outlaws: Highwaymen, Pirates and Rogues 10:00pm The Bridge 11:00pm The Bridge 12:00am Catching History's Criminals

7:00am 7:20am 8:10am 9:10am 10:40am 11:50am 12:55pm 1:55pm 3:55pm

6:00pm 7:55pm

9:00pm 11:00pm 1:05am

3:00am 3:30am

Judge Judy Where the Heart is Where the Heart is A Christmas Carol The Darling Buds of May Rosemary and Thyme Rosemary and Thyme Carry on Screaming A Touch of Frost Detective drama series. Columbo Doc Martin Drama series about a GP in Cornwall. Midsomer Murders Foyle's War A Touch of Frost Detective drama series. Two rich and outwardly successful brothers fall under suspicion of murder. On the Buses Teleshopping

www.euroweeklynews.com

7:10am 7:35am 8:00am 8:25am 8:55am 9:25am 10:00am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 12:55pm 1:25pm 1:55pm 2:25pm 5:00pm 5:25pm 6:00pm 6:35pm 7:05pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:10am

7:00am 7:10am 7:55am 8:40am 9:40am 10:45am 11:50am 12:50pm 1:20pm 1:45pm 2:10pm 2:40pm 3:15pm 3:45pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:10am

King of Queens King of Queens King of Queens Mobil 1 The Grid Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond The Morning Line Frasier Frasier The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Channel 4 Racing Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Channel 4 News The Great Polar Bear Feast The World's Weirdest Weather Non-Stop TFI Friday

Football's Greatest Ax Men Ax Men Motorsport UK Bundesliga Alias Smith and Jones The Professionals Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Storage Wars New York Storage Wars New York The Secret War of Harry Frigg The Car Chasers The Car Chasers Fifth Gear Storage Wars Texas Storage Wars Texas River Monsters Texas Killing Fields We Were Soldiers

8:00am 8:15am 8:30am 8:45am 9:10am 9:30am 9:45am 9:55am 10:30am 12:30pm 2:15pm 4:00pm 5:50pm 7:35pm 7:40pm 8:05pm 9:05pm 10:00pm 11:30pm

7:00am 8:55am 11:15am 1:15pm 3:30pm 5:30pm 8:00pm 10:00pm 12:15am 2:00am

Paw Patrol Little Princess Pip Ahoy! Blaze and the Monster Machines Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Wanda and the Alien Toby's Travelling Circus Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Saturday Show A Christmas Promise Hats Off to Christmas A Snow Globe Christmas The Christmas Spirit 5 News Weekend Fail Army Ultimate Police Interceptors Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Football League Tonight Live International Boxing

7:45am Rules of Engagement 8:10am How I Met Your Mother 8:35am How I Met Your Mother 9:00am Baby Daddy 9:30am Baby Daddy 10:00am Melissa and Joey 10:30am Melissa and Joey 11:00am The Goldbergs 11:30am The Goldbergs 12:00pm Made in Chelsea 1:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 2:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 3:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 3:30pm The Goldbergs 4:00pm The Goldbergs 4:30pm Astro Boy 6:15pm Rude(Ish) Tube Shorts 6:30pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:30pm The Big Bang Theory 9:00pm The Simpsons Movie 10:50pm Gogglebox

X-Men X2 X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: Days of Future Past X-Men X2 X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: Days of Future Past Rage Blade

7:00am Shelby 8:45am The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 9:15am Extraterrestrial 11:15am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 1:00pm Shelby 2:45pm Maleficent Special Alex Zane talks to the cast of the wonderfully wicked family adventure starring Angelina Jolie. 3:15pm Cake 5:15pm Taken 3 7:15pm Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Cake 12:45am Extraterrestrial 2:30am 13 Sins 4:10am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails

2:20pm Romy and Michele's High School Reunion 4:00pm Boat Trip 5:40pm Good Luck Chuck 7:25pm The Waterboy 9:00pm The 40 Year Old Virgin 11:00pm The Opposite Sex 12:40am Borat

SATURDAY TV

7:00am 7:15am 7:30am 7:45am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 3:45pm 6:00pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am 2:00am

3:30am

7:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 8:25pm 10:30pm 12:30am 12:45am 1:45am

2:00am

2:30am 3:00am 3:30am

Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Bpl Legends Barclays Premier League Review Game Changers Barclays Premier League Review The Fantasy Football Club Soccer A.M. Scottish Premiership Pro 12 Rugby Ford Saturday Night Football SNF: Game of the Day SNF: Match Choice SNF: Match Choice SNF: Match Choice Extended highlights of Saturday's matches in the Barclays Premier League. Fight Night A big bout from the boxing world.

Cricket Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Champions Tennis Sporting Greats Sporting Greats Football Football Football Football Cricket Football Real Madrid host Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga. Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. Glenn Mcgrath Masterclass Cricketing Yorkshire Pace Like Fire

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am Breakfast 8:25am Match of the Day 10:00am The Andrew Marr Show 11:00am Fern Britton Meets... 12:00pm Sunday Politics 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 1:38pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:15pm Escape to the Country 2:45pm FA Cup Final Score 5:15pm Songs of Praise 5:50pm The Hunt 6:50pm BBC News 7:10pm BBC London News 7:20pm Countryfile 8:20pm Strictly Come Dancing 9:00pm Antiques Roadshow 10:00pm The Hunt 11:00pm BBC News 11:20pm BBC London News 11:30pm Match of the Day 2 12:20am Citizen Khan 12:50am The Graham Norton Show 1:35am Weather for the Week Ahead

7:15am A to Z of TV Gardening 8:00am Big Dreams Small Spaces 9:00am Countryfile 10:00am An Island Parish: Falklands 10:30am Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:00pm Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure 12:45pm Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip 1:15pm MOTD2 Extra 2:00pm Snooker 7:00pm Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights 8:00pm Snooker 12:00am Brooklyn's Finest Crime thriller. 2:05am Countryfile 3:00am Holby City Hospital drama. 4:00am This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.

9:30am 9:45am 10:00am 10:25am 10:30am 11:25am

12:00pm The X Factor 1:35pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 2:35pm You've Been Framed! 3:35pm Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas 4:35pm The Polar Express Computer-animated family adventure. 6:35pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Ant and Dec present more celebrity jungle action live from Australia. 7:40pm Back to the Future Part III Final instalment in the time-travelling comedy adventure trilogy. 10:00pm The Xtra Factor 11:00pm You've Been Framed! 11:35pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here Now! 12:35am Plebs 1:05am Plebs 1:35am The Faculty

12:30pm 1:35pm 1:45pm 2:50pm 3:55pm 5:30pm

7:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:35pm 11:50pm 12:50am

Fish Hooks Fish Hooks Jessie ITV News Murder, She Wrote The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show ITV News and Weather The Jeremy Kyle Show The Chase The X Factor The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor ITV News London ITV News and Weather Jekyll and Hyde The X Factor Results Show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News and Weather Rugby Highlights Off Their Rockers

8:00pm Don't Tell the Bride 9:00pm Top Gear 10:00pm Russell Howard's Good News 10:30pm 8 Mile 12:15am Family Guy 12:40am Family Guy 1:00am American Dad! 1:25am Family Guy 1:45am Josh 2:15am Rent a Cop 2:45am Russell Howard's Good News 3:15am Is This Rape? Sex on Trial 4:15am Josh

8:00pm Concerto at the BBC Proms 8:25pm Pina: Legend of Dance 10:00pm The Golden Age of Steam Railways 11:00pm Easy Money 1:00am Natural World 2:00am Britain's Deadliest Rail Disaster: Quintinshill 3:00am Horizon

7:35am 8:05am 9:35am 10:40am 11:45am 1:50pm 3:50pm 4:50pm

5:55pm 8:00pm

9:00pm 11:00pm 1:30am 3:25am

4:20am 4:40am

On the Buses A Christmas Carol Heartbeat Heartbeat A Touch of Frost Columbo Rosemary and Thyme Wycliffe Drama series about a Cornish police detective. Agatha Christie's Marple Sunday Night at the Palladium Rob Brydon hosts the last in the current series of the revived entertainment show. Lewis The Constant Gardener Till Death Us Do Part Wycliffe Detective drama series. ITV3 Nightscreen Emmerdale Omnibus

www.euroweeklynews.com

7:35am Challenge Mallorca 8:05am World Superbike Review of the Year 8:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Frasier 10:00am Frasier 10:30am Sunday Brunch 1:45pm The Big Bang Theory 2:10pm The Big Bang Theory 2:40pm The Big Bang Theory 3:10pm The Big Bang Theory 3:35pm The Simpsons 4:05pm The Simpsons 4:35pm Journey to the Center of the Earth 6:25pm The Jungle Book 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:30pm World's Weirdest Homes 10:00pm Homeland 11:05pm Gogglebox 12:05am The Five-Year Engagement 2:15am Alan Carr: Chatty Man 3:10am Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners

7:00am 7:40am 8:25am 9:30am 10:05am 10:35am 11:35am 12:35pm 1:35pm 2:35pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:25pm 6:30pm

9:00pm 10:00pm 12:05am 2:20am

Ax Men Ax Men The Professionals Formula E: Sound of the Future Formula E: Sound of the Future Fifth Gear The Big Fish Off Shed and Buried Shed and Buried Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars The 'Burbs Blues Brothers 2000 Exuberant sequel to the 1980 box office smash. Rugby Highlights Kull the Conqueror Daylight Ray Mears' Close Encounters Series in which Ray Mears gets close to some of Australia's most dangerous animals.

7:00am 7:05am 7:15am 7:30am 7:40am 7:50am 8:05am 8:20am 8:30am 8:50am 9:15am 9:30am 9:45am 9:55am 10:10am 10:40am 11:15am 12:40pm 1:45pm 3:30pm 5:20pm 7:10pm 9:10pm 10:55pm 11:00pm 2:15am

Peppa Pig Bananas in Pajamas Bob the Builder Tickety Toc Zack and Quack Make Way for Noddy Paw Patrol Little Princess Pip Ahoy! Blaze and the Monster Machines Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Wanda and the Alien Toby's Travelling Circus Jelly Jamm LazyTown Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Football League Tonight The Gadget Show Christmas Mix Call Me Claus Santa Who? Bruce Almighty Bulletproof Monk 5 News Weekend Django Unchained Super Casino

7:00am Lethal Weapon 9:00am Lethal Weapon 2 11:00am The Top Ten Show 2015 11:15am Charlie's Angels 1:00pm Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle 3:00pm Predator 5:00pm Predator 2 7:00pm Lethal Weapon 9:00pm Lethal Weapon 2 11:00pm RoboCop 1:00am RoboCop 2

7:05am 8:45am 10:15am 11:55am 1:55pm 3:45pm 5:30pm 7:20pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 1:00am

Monkey Business The Harry Hill Movie American Pie Superbad Last Vegas Eight Legged Freaks Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 50 First Dates Superbad Last Vegas The Lost Boys

7:00am Rules of Engagement 7:20am How I Met Your Mother 7:40am How I Met Your Mother 8:00am Baby Daddy 8:30am Baby Daddy 9:00am Melissa and Joey 9:30am Melissa and Joey 10:00am Made in Chelsea 11:00am Hollyoaks Omnibus 1:35pm City of Ember 3:25pm Couples Come Dine with Me 4:30pm Couples Come Dine with Me 5:30pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:30pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:30pm The Big Bang Theory 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Rush Hour 3 11:45pm The Inbetweeners 12:15am The Inbetweeners 12:50am The IT Crowd 1:25am The IT Crowd

7:00am Shelby 8:45am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 10:30am The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 11:00am Extraterrestrial 1:00pm Cake 3:00pm Shelby 4:45pm Maleficent Special Alex Zane talks to the cast of the wonderfully wicked family adventure starring Angelina Jolie. 5:15pm Taken 3 7:15pm Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Cake 12:45am Extraterrestrial Homicidal aliens terrorise a group of friends during a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods. 2:30am 13 Sins 4:10am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails

SUNDAY TV

7:00am 8:30am 10:00am 10:15am 10:30am 12:00pm 2:00pm 4:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:30am 2:00am 3:00am 3:30am

3:50am 4:50am

SNF: Match Choice SNF: Match Choice Football Gold Football Gold The Sunday Supplement Goals on Sunday Football Ford Super Sunday Boxing Football League Goals Goals on Sunday MLS Match TBA Ford Football Special Football League Goals Boxing Football Gold A chance to relive some classic matches from English football's top-flight. Cricket Cricket Day five of the fourth Test from Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi as India meet South Africa.

7:00am Cricket 12:00pm Fight Night A big bout from the boxing world. 2:00pm Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. 2:30pm Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. 3:00pm Cricket 4:00pm Cricket's Greatest 4:30pm NFL 5:30pm NFL 6:30pm NFL A marquee match from week 13 of the NFL season as the race to reach the play-offs heats up. 10:00pm NFL 2:00am NFL:Colts @ Steelers 5:30am NFL Interview with Dwight Freeney

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Sister Rita to the Rescue 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Oxford Street Revealed 12:45pm Family Finders 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries 4:10pm Escape to the Country 4:40pm Home Comforts at Christmas 5:25pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Fake Britain 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm The Taliban Hunters 10:00pm Tomorrow's Food 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Have I Got a Bit 12:20am Doctor in the House

8:00am Oxford Street Revealed 8:45am Flog it! Trade Secrets 9:15am Caught Red Handed 9:45am Thief Trackers 10:15am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC News 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Cash in the Attic 2:45pm Pressure Pad 3:30pm The Great British Bake Off 4:30pm The Great Antiques Map of Britain 5:00pm The World's Most Photographed 5:30pm Wogan: The Best of 6:15pm Bargain Hunt 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Match of the Day 8:30pm Only Connect 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Simply Nigella 10:00pm London Spy 11:00pm Live at the Apollo 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Ireland with Simon Reeve

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm The Martin Lewis Money Show 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Las Vegas with Trevor Mcdonald 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm Travel Guides 12:40am Murder, She Wrote Murder mystery series about the sleuthing writer. 1:30am Jackpot247

7:35am 8:20am 8:50am 9:20am 9:50am 10:50am 11:40am 1:10pm 1:40pm 2:15pm 2:40pm 3:40pm 4:50pm 5:55pm 7:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 1:00am

Psych Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Cube Psych I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street Celebrity Catchphrase The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! You've Been Framed! Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men Through the Keyhole American Pie: The Wedding Two and a Half Men

8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm Don't Tell the Bride 10:00pm Reggie Yates' Extreme UK 11:00pm EastEnders 11:30pm Bad Education 12:00am American Dad! 12:25am American Dad! 12:45am Family Guy 1:10am Family Guy 1:30am Reggie Yates' Extreme UK 2:30am Bad Education 3:00am Josh 3:30am Rent a Cop

8:30pm Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury 9:00pm Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury 9:30pm The Quizeum 10:00pm Britain's Outlaws: Highwaymen, Pirates and Rogues 11:00pm Storyville 12:20am Tails You Win: The Science of Chance

7:00am 7:25am 7:50am 8:55am 9:45am 10:45am 11:15am 11:40am 12:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:15pm 5:20pm 5:50pm 6:25pm 6:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 1:35am 2:35am 2:55am 3:15am

3:30am

On the Buses George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Where the Heart is Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Wild at Heart Where the Heart is On the Buses On the Buses George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Agatha Christie's Marple Law and Order: UK Cold Blood Where the Heart is Judge Judy Judge Judy ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. Teleshopping Shopping from home.

www.euroweeklynews.com

11:00am Undercover Boss USA 12:00pm Jamie's Comfort Food 12:30pm Jamie's Comfort Food 1:00pm Midday News Summary 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 1:35pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:40pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Posh Pawnbrokers 6:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:30pm Turner Prize 2015 9:00pm Dispatches 9:30pm The Shopper's Guide to Saving Money 10:00pm Hunting the Paedophiles: Inside the National Crime Agency 11:00pm Fargo 12:15am The World's Most Famous Train

7:50am 7:55am 8:10am 8:20am 8:35am 8:50am 9:00am

8:00am The Professionals 9:00am Minder 10:05am Alias Smith and Jones 11:10am Gunsmoke 12:15pm The Professionals 1:20pm Minder 2:20pm Pawn Stars 2:50pm Pawn Stars 3:15pm Gunsmoke 4:20pm Alias Smith and Jones 6:00pm The Professionals 7:00pm Kojak 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm Storage Wars New York 9:30pm Storage Wars New York 10:00pm The Sentinel 12:15am Bundesliga 1:15am Rugby Highlights 2:15am Motorsport UK 3:05am Ax Men 3:50am ITV4 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 4:00am Teleshopping

8:45am Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 11:00am Noah 1:30pm 300: Rise of an Empire 3:30pm 3.10 to Yuma 5:45pm Into the Storm 7:30pm Noah 10:00pm 300: Rise of an Empire 12:00am War

9:15am 9:25am 9:35am 9:50am 10:00am 10:15am 12:45pm 2:30pm 2:35pm 3:05pm 4:45pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

8:20am 10:10am 12:05pm 1:55pm 3:55pm 4:10pm 5:40pm 7:15pm 9:00pm 10:45pm 12:40am

Peppa Pig Pip Ahoy! Little Princess Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Peppa Pig Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat The Wright Stuff A Snow Globe Christmas 5 News Lunchtime Neighbours A Perfect Christmas Lucky Christmas 5 News at 5 Neighbours 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Impractical Jokers Impractical Jokers On Benefits Danger: Teen Bingers Britain's Craziest Christmas Lights

Bad News Bears Shanghai Noon Tammy Cop Out The Intern: Sky Movies Special South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5 The Cable Guy Tammy Cop Out Pretty Woman

8:35am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

7:00am Shelby 8:45am The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 9:15am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 11:00am Extraterrestrial 1:00pm Shelby 2:45pm Cake 4:45pm Bridge of Spies: Sky Movies Special 5:15pm Taken 3 7:15pm Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Cake 12:45am Extraterrestrial 2:30am 13 Sins 4:10am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails A fearful young boy forms an unlikely bond with a loveable green ghost and tries to help him reclaim his haunted house. Charming family adventure.

MONDAY TV

7:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:15pm 1:30pm 1:45pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 12:00am 12:30am 1:00am 2:00am 5:00am

7:00am 7:15am 7:30am 7:45am 8:00am 9:00am 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 12:00am

1:00am 1:30am 2:00am 4:30am 4:45am 5:00am

Cricket Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football League Goals Goals on Sunday Ford Football Special Fantasy Football Club Highlights Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits Boxing Boxing Ford Monday Night Football Boxing Boxing Football League Goals NFL:Cowboys @ Redskins NFL This week's show focuses on Mike Ditka.

Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold WWE Raw Intl Premier Tennis League Sporting Greats Sporting Greats Sporting Rivalries WWE Raw Cricket Mosconi Cup Pool Cricket Day five of the fourth Test from Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi as India meet South Africa. SPFL Round Up Fantasy Football Club Highlights MNF Highlights Football Gold Football Gold Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

EWN

It’s election time eleven years on A woman’s world

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

IT was never fair to say that Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero won the 2004 election because of the Madrid bombings on March 11. He won it because Aznar’s government insisted the bombs were from ETA. The Spanish felt they had already been lied to and manipulated over joining Bush and Blair in Iraq, the 11-M bombs were the last straw. In the wake of the Paris massacre on November 13, Mariano Rajoy has postponed any decision over relieving the French troops in Mali until after the elections on December 20. Possibly he is mindful of what happened in 2004 or perhaps he is merely exercising his habitual prudence until he knows if he will still have a job on December 21. But 2015 is not 2004, and what

CHUNTERING has been heard because women head only 34 per cent of the leading parties’ lists of general election candidates. Who cares? Women don’t. They plan to vote for a political party and an ideology, not the gender of its candidates.

not an entirely bad thing. He’s poaching votes, of course, and has fallen prey to the ‘Liquorice Allsorts Syndrome’. Remember how each different type had its own distinctive flavour? These days they all taste the same regardless of shape and size and this could be said of Iglesias, whose views are coming into line with everyone else’s. Trying to please everyone satisfies no one, just like 21st century Liquorice Allsorts.

Cloth ears was pointless and reckless then seems the only possible course of action now.

Same difference ZAPATERO: Won the election in 2004.

PABLO IGLESIAS of Podemos no longer wants a reform of the Spanish Constitution and finally admitted that the Transition was

FIFTY per cent of Catalans now want to remain in Spain and 60 per cent reject their regional parliament’s ‘disconnection’ from Spain. Sixty-four per cent reject independence if this means leaving the European Union. And Artur Mas, who wants to be president of an independent Cataluña, gets no for an answer time after time but still refuses to listen.

Advertising feature

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E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

10:15am Sister Rita to the Rescue 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Oxford Street Revealed 12:45pm Family Finders 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries 4:10pm Escape to the Country 4:40pm Home Comforts at Christmas 5:25pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm Capital 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Imagine...

9:15am Ireland with Simon Reeve 10:15am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC News 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Cash in the Attic 2:45pm Pressure Pad 3:30pm The Great British Bake Off 4:30pm The Great Antiques Map of Britain 5:00pm The World's Most Photographed 5:30pm Wogan: The Best of 6:15pm Bargain Hunt 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Great Pottery Throw Down 11:00pm Mock the Week 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Race to Super Bowl 50

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm The Royal Variety Performance 11:05pm ITV News at Ten and Weather Tom Bradby presents the latest headlines from around the world. 11:45pm The Jonathan Ross Show

8:20am 8:50am 9:20am 9:50am 10:50am 11:40am 12:45pm 1:10pm 1:40pm 2:15pm 2:40pm 3:40pm 4:50pm 5:55pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 1:00am 1:30am

Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Cube Psych All Star Family You've Been Framed! Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street Catchphrase The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show Judge Rinder You've Been Framed! You've Been Framed! Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men The Dark Knight Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 12:40am 1:00am 1:25am 1:45am 2:45am

Top Gear Don't Tell the Bride Don't Tell the Bride EastEnders Russell Howard's Good News Extra Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Don't Tell the Bride Reggie Yates' Extreme UK

9:00pm The Fisherman's Apprentice with Monty Halls 10:00pm Blood and Gold: The Making of Spain with Simon Sebag Montefiore 11:00pm Dan Cruickshank: Resurrecting History 12:00am Building Burma's Death Railway

7:00am 7:10am 7:35am 8:40am 9:35am 10:35am 11:00am 11:30am 11:55am 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:10pm 5:15pm 5:50pm 6:20pm 6:55pm 7:55pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 1:40am

Movies Now George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Where the Heart is Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Wycliffe Where the Heart is On the Buses On the Buses George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Midsomer Murders Law and Order: UK Cold Blood Wycliffe Drama series about a Cornwall police detective. 2:40am Where the Heart is

www.euroweeklynews.com

11:00am Undercover Boss USA 12:00pm Jamie's Comfort Food 12:30pm Jamie's Comfort Food 1:00pm Midday News Summary 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 1:35pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:40pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Posh Pawnbrokers 6:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm The Political Slot 9:00pm Kirstie's Handmade Christmas 10:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown 11:00pm That's So Last Century 12:00am Tattoo Fixers

8:50am Noddy in Toyland 9:00am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:15am Peppa Pig 9:25am Peppa Pig 9:35am Paw Patrol 9:50am Bananas in Pajamas 10:00am Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:45pm The Christmas Spirit 2:30pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:35pm Neighbours 3:05pm All I Want for Christmas 4:45pm A Bride for Christmas 6:30pm 5 News at 5 7:00pm Neighbours 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Kids' Hospital at Christmas 9:00pm Crackers About Christmas 10:00pm Meet the Psychopaths 11:00pm CSI: Cyber 11:55pm Law and Order: Special Victims Unit 12:55am Law and Order

10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm

7:10am The Professionals 8:00am Minder 8:55am Alias Smith and Jones 10:35am Gunsmoke 11:40am The Professionals 12:45pm Kojak 1:50pm Minder 2:55pm Pawn Stars 3:20pm Pawn Stars 3:50pm Gunsmoke 4:55pm Alias Smith and Jones 5:55pm The Professionals 7:00pm Kojak 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm The Chase: Celebrity Special 10:00pm The Game of Death 12:05am Hard to Kill Action drama. 2:05am Child's Play 3 3:45am ITV4 Nightscreen 4:00am Teleshopping

9:05am Apollo 13 11:30am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1:30pm Ride Along 3:15pm Apollo 13 5:45pm The Dukes of Hazzard 7:45pm Air Force One 10:00pm Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 12:00am Die Hard

7:00am Shelby 8:45am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 10:30am The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 11:00am Cake 1:00pm Shelby 2:45pm Extraterrestrial 4:45pm Maleficent Special 5:15pm Taken 3 7:15pm Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Cake 12:45am Extraterrestrial Homicidal aliens terrorise a group of friends during a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods. 2:30am 13 Sins 4:10am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails

11:40am Sex Tape 1:25pm Trainwreck Sky Movies Special 1:40pm Grudge Match 3:35pm American Pie 5:25pm Failure to Launch 7:10pm Life 9:00pm Sex Tape 10:45pm Grudge Match 12:40am The Hooligan Factory 2:15am Idiocracy

2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:50pm

Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks A to Z The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Empire Tripped The Big Bang Theory

TUESDAY TV

7:00am Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 8:00am WWE SmackDown! 9:00am Boxing 9:30am Boxing 10:00am Fantasy Football Club Highlights 10:30am Ford Monday Night Football 1:00pm Boxing 1:30pm Boxing 2:00pm Ford Monday Night Football 4:30pm Barclays Premier League Review 5:30pm Boxing 6:00pm Boxing 6:30pm SPFL Round Up 7:00pm Fantasy Football Club Highlights 7:30pm Boxing 8:00pm Mosconi Cup Pool 12:30am Boxing 1:00am La Liga World 2015 1:30am Football Gold 1:45am Football Gold 2:00am Boxing 2:30am Football League Goals

7:00am Gary Newbon Interviews a p Mccoy 8:00am NFL Highlights 9:00am Intl Premier Tennis League Day three of the Manila stage of International Premier Tennis League at Mall of Asia Arena. 3:30pm Sporting Greats 4:00pm Sporting Greats 4:30pm Sporting Rivalries 5:00pm WWE From the Vault 5:15pm WWE From the Vault 5:30pm WWE From the Vault 5:45pm WWE From the Vault 6:00pm WWE SmackDown! 8:00pm Sky Sports Boxing 8:14pm Sky Sports Boxing 8:30pm Sky Sports Boxing 8:44pm Sky Sports Boxing 11:00pm Boxing 11:30pm Sporting Greats 12:00am Sporting Rivalries

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Sister Rita to the Rescue 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Oxford Street Revealed 12:45pm Family Finders 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm The Doctor Blake Mysteries 4:10pm Escape to the Country 4:40pm Home Comforts at Christmas 5:25pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm Cuffs 10:00pm The Apprentice 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Apprentice 12:35am Film 2015 1:05am Weather for the Week Ahead

9:45am Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip 10:15am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC News 12:30pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Cash in the Attic 2:45pm Pressure Pad 3:30pm The Great British Bake Off 4:30pm The Great Antiques Map of Britain 5:00pm The World's Most Photographed 5:30pm Wogan: The Best of 6:15pm Bargain Hunt 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Secrets of the Mona Lisa 11:00pm The Apprentice: You're Fired! 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Monty Don's Secret History of the British Garden

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm 1000 Heartbeats 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Coming Out 10:00pm Prey 11:00pm UEFA Champions League Highlights 12:00am ITV News 12:45am UEFA Champions League: Extra Time 1:15am Jackpot247 Join the presenters live and play roulette on your telly.

7:00am The Hot Desk 7:10am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:35am Psych 8:20am Emmerdale 8:50am Best of You've Been Framed! 9:45am The Cube 10:45am Psych 11:35am Secret Santa 1:25pm Emmerdale 1:55pm You've Been Framed! 2:55pm Catchphrase 3:40pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:50pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:55pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00pm Judge Rinder 8:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Through the Keyhole 11:00pm Release the Hounds 12:00am The Vampire Diaries 1:00am Two and a Half Men 1:30am Two and a Half Men

10:00pm Stacey Dooley Investigates 11:00pm Russell Howard's Good News 11:30pm Josh 12:00am Family Guy 12:25am Family Guy 12:45am American Dad! 1:10am Family Guy 1:30am Josh 2:00am Russell Howard's Good News 2:30am Stacey Dooley Investigates 3:30am Young, Trans and Looking for Love

8:30pm The Boats That Built Britain 9:00pm The Mary Rose: A Timewatch Guide 10:00pm Quartet 11:30pm What a Performance! Pioneers of Popular Entertainment 12:30am The Mary Rose: A Timewatch Guide

7:25am 7:50am 8:50am 9:45am 10:45am 11:10am 11:35am 12:05pm 2:00pm 3:05pm 4:10pm 5:15pm 5:50pm 6:20pm 6:55pm 8:00pm

9:00pm 10:00pm

11:00pm 12:05am 1:35am

3:25am 3:30am

George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Where the Heart is Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Wycliffe Where the Heart is On the Buses On the Buses George and Mildred Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Murder mystery series. Long Lost Family Inside Asprey: Luxury by Royal Appointment Law and Order: UK Crime drama series. Cold Blood A Touch of Frost Detective drama series. ITV3 Nightscreen Teleshopping

www.euroweeklynews.com

9:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 10:30am Frasier 11:00am Undercover Boss USA 12:00pm Jamie's Comfort Food 12:30pm Jamie's Comfort Food 1:00pm Channel 4 News Summary 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 1:35pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:40pm Come Dine with Me 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Posh Pawnbrokers 6:00pm Couples Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm The Political Slot 9:00pm The Supervet 10:00pm 24 Hours in A and E 11:00pm Peep Show 11:30pm Toast of London 12:05am 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown

8:10am 8:20am 8:35am 8:50am 9:00am

7:00am 7:50am 8:45am 9:50am

11:15am 1:00pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 5:00pm 7:15pm 9:00pm 10:45pm

10:55am 12:00pm

drama

1:05pm 2:05pm 3:15pm 3:45pm

4:50pm 5:55pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:55am 3:30am

Gunsmoke The Professionals Minder Alias Smith and Jones Gunsmoke The Professionals Action-packed series about two criminal-intelligence agents. Kojak Minder Pawn Stars Gunsmoke The long-running Western series set in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1880s. Alias Smith and Jones The Professionals Kojak Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Fifth Gear River Monsters Death Wish 2 Year of the Dragon Pawn Stars

9:15am 9:25am 9:35am 9:50am 10:00am 10:15am 12:45pm 2:30pm 2:35pm 3:05pm 4:50pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Little Princess Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Peppa Pig Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat The Wright Stuff Gift of the Magi 5 News Lunchtime Neighbours The Case for Christmas Christmas at Cartwright's 5 News at 5 Neighbours 5 News Tonight Kids' Hospital at Christmas GPs: Behind Closed Doors Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Suspects Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Rush Hour 2 Lucy Spectre: Special Getaway In the Line of Fire Rush Hour 2 Lucy Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 1:00am The Outlaw Josey Wales 3:20am The Package

11:40am Let's be Cops 1:35pm The Good Dinosaur: Special 2:05pm The Wedding Singer 3:45pm Austin Powers in Goldmember 5:30pm Anger Management 7:20pm My Big Fat Greek Wedding 9:00pm Let's be Cops 11:00pm The Wedding Singer 12:40am The Art of the Steal 2:15am Bad News Bears

7:00am 7:45am 8:30am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:35pm 11:00pm 12:00am 12:30am

WEDNESDAY TV

Revenge Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Twilight Supernatural The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Shelby 8:45am The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 9:15am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 11:00am Extraterrestrial 1:00pm Cake 3:00pm Shelby 4:45pm The Good Dinosaur: Sky Movies Special 5:15pm Taken 3 7:15pm Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Cake 12:45am Extraterrestrial Homicidal aliens terrorise a group of friends during a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods. 2:30am 13 Sins 4:10am Ghosthunters: On Icy Trails

11:00am 11:15am 11:30am 11:45am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:15pm 3:30pm 3:45pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 12:30am

Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Premier League 100 Club La Liga World 2015 Boxing Fantasy Football Club Highlights Premier League 100 Club Premier League Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Premier League 100 Club La Liga World 2015 Premier League 100 Club Fight Night Countdown Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits La Liga World 2015 Anthony Joshua-the Knockouts Mosconi Cup Pool Anthony Joshua-the Knockouts

8:00am MLS Goals 8:30am Challenge Mallorca Triathlon 9:00am Time of Our Lives 10:00am Gary Newbon Interviews Sir Roger Bannister 11:00am Time of Our Lives 12:00pm Racing News 12:30pm MLS Goals 1:00pm Sporting Greats A look at the career of record-breaking American sprinter Michael Johnson. 1:30pm Sporting Greats 2:00pm Sky Sports Boxing Gold 2013 2:30pm Sky Sports Boxing Gold 2013 3:00pm MLS Goals 3:30pm Challenge Mallorca Triathlon 4:00pm WWE Experience 5:00pm Ram Slam T20 Cricket 8:15pm Cricket Shorts 8:30pm Fight Night 10:30pm Boxing 12:30am Cricket

TIME OUT

3 - 9 December 2015/ Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Famous quote

This week

MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

‘

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. Barack Obama

in history 43 BC Cicero, considered one of the greatest sons of Rome, is assassinated on the orders of Marcus Antonius. 1492 Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Santo Domingo in search of gold. 1586 Sir Thomas Herriot introduces potatoes to England from Colombia. 1660 The first Shakespearian actress to appear on an English stage (Ms. Norris) makes her debut as Desdemona. 1791 Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart dies in Vienna. 1877 Thomas A Edison makes the first sound recording when he recites ‘Mary had a Little Lamb’ into his phonograph machine. 1914 The German cruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Nurnberg, and Liepzig are sunk by a British force in the Battle of the Falkland Islands. 1941 Japanese planes raid Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in a surprise attack, bringing the US into WWII. 1947 Tennessee William’s play A Streetcar Named Desire premieres on Broadway starring Marlon Brando and Jessica Tandy. 1952 Killer fogs begin in London, England; ‘Smog’ becomes a word 1954 The first Burger King is opened in Miami, Florida, USA. 1975 A Provisional IRA unit takes a couple hostage in Balcombe Street, London, and a six-day siege begins. 1984 Toxic gas leaks from a Union Carbide plant and results in the deaths of thousands in Bhopal, India. 1987 US President Reagan & Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev sign a treaty eliminating medium range nuclear missiles 1989 Presidents George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev announce the official end to the Cold War at a meeting in Malta. 1992 A test engineer for Sema Group sends the world’s first text message, using a personal computer and the Vodafone network.

Women’s wit

‘

“All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.” Lilly Tomlin

World of English

‘

The expression to ‘knuckle down’ originated from playing marbles: players used to put their knuckles to the ground for their best shots.

‘ SCOTLAND YARD? THERE IS A MARKET HERE IN SPAIN WITH A BLOKE CALLED BASIL SELLING EMPTY BANK SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES!’

Costa Blanca

weather

Kakuro

for next 7 days

TODAY

Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

TOMORROW

JAVEA

DENIA JAVEA

DENIA

CALPE CALPE ALTEA ALTEA BENIDORM BENIDORM

ALICANTE

TORREVIEJA

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION ORIHUELA

ORIHUELA

SUNNY MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

19 11 S 18 10 Cl 19 12 S

Benidorm MAX 19C, MIN 11C Mon - 18 11 S Tues - 18 10 S Wed - 18 11 S

SUNNY MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

21 12 S 19 11 Cl 20 12 Cl

MAX 22C, MIN 12C Mon - 19 12 S Tues - 20 11 Cl Wed - 20 11 S

SUNNY MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

17 9 S 18 10 S 17 10 C S Sun,

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 10 Cl Tues - 17 9 Sh Wed - 17 9 C

17 9 C 18 9 Cl 18 9 Cl

Madrid MAX 18C, MIN 9C MAX MIN

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

TODAY:

Fog,

21 11 S 19 10 S 19 11 S

TODAY:

CLOUDY MAX 19C, MIN 8C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

19 9 C 18 8 C 18 8 C

SUNNY

MAX 18C, MIN 4C

18 4 C 17 3 S 17 3 S C Cloudy,

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 16 4 S Tues - 15 4 C Wed - 15 3 S

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Mon - 18 8 C Tues - 18 9 S Wed - 17 9 C

Sh Showers,

SUNNY MAX 23C, MIN 8C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

23 8 S 22 8 S 21 9 S Sn Snow,

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

Saturday November 28

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

MAX MIN

Mon - 18 10 S Tues - 20 11 Cl Wed - 20 12 S

Murcia

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mallorca CLEAR MAX 21C, MIN 11C

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Fri Sat Sun -

SUNNY MAX 21C, MIN 11C

TODAY:

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Mon - 18 11 S Tues - 18 11 Cl Wed - 18 11 S

19 11 S 18 11 Cl 18 11 S

TODAY:

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Barcelona TODAY:

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Bilbao

Almeria TODAY:

Malaga

SUNNY MAX 20C, MIN 11C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 21 9 S Tues - 21 9 S Wed - 20 9 S Th Thunder

LOTTERY

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Friday November 27

12 20

Saturday November 28

Sunday November 29

29 17

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Funagram

Just Joking

Unscramble the name of an award-winning novel, first published in 2005 (three words): OF THE HOT BIKE

Amy

FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: THE BOOK THIEF, MICHAEL FARADAY.

Hexagram

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

AERATE ASSERT AUNTIE BAMBOO BODIED BOVINE (10) COYOTE DEVOUR FAULTY GLOOMY

Amy Winehouse was one of the most important musical figures of her generation and before she would tragically join ‘the 27 club’ she created some of the best music in recent years. This film features neverbefore-heard tracks and never-before-seen footage as her demons and her music take centre stage.

David Villa, December 3, Footballer. Spanish born Villa played for Barcelona and became Spain’s alltime leading goal scorer. He scored five goals while leading the Spanish national team to their first ever World Cup Championship in 2010.

Tyra Banks, December 4, Supermodel and TV presenter, 42 As one of the original Victoria’s Secrets models she has gone on to create a multi-million dollar business with programmes such as America’s Next Top Model. Ronnie O’Sullivan, December 5, Snooker Player, 40 Known as The Rocket, due to his quick style of play, he has been in the forefront of international snooker for many years, winning numerous championships. Nick Park, December 6, Director, 57 Acclaimed stop motion animation filmmaker best known for his work on the Wallace and Gromit series as well as Shaun the Sheep. He has also co-directed a number of full length animated features. Noam Chomsky, December 7, Educator, 87 Regarded by many as one of the most accomplished educators alive, he is a linguist, philosopher, political activist and educator. Sinead O’Connor, December 8, Singer, 49 Irish singer-songwriter whose cover of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ brought her commercial success although she has something of a controversial past with four marriages and ordination as a priest of an independent Catholic group. Judi Dench, December 9, Actress, 81 Considered by many as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, she was made a Dame and has received six Laurence Olivier Awards for her contributions to the stage as well as playing M in several James Bond films.

GOBLET HITHER MEMBER RABBET RANDOM REDDEN RHOMBI SHANTY SUTURE

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Cloudy 2 Ruckus 3 Fallow 4 Auntie 5 Coleus 6 Fluffy 7 Shrunk 8 Bureau 9 Turnip 10 Hurley 11 Ramble 12 Sherry 13 Illume 14 Magnet 15 Diesel 16 Scream 17 Father 18 Direct 19 Sprite

YOUR STARS CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) You are in for a bit of a bumpy ride this week. Some things will go well but other outcomes can be quirky. People change their minds, technology doesn’t work, phone calls don’t come. Be assured, however, that if you keep your sense of the absurd it could all be quite amusing. AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) When it comes to throwing wobblers, please don’t. It is so important this week to stay cool and unruffled. Change nothing that you can avoid changing. Even having discussions about change can set your nerves jangling. PISCES (February 20 - March 20) This month, there is much to be celebrated. So much has happened in the latter part of the year. Certainly, congratulations are in order. When you have made such an effort and are rewarded for it, the satisfaction level is high. ARIES (March 21 - April 20) The importance of making the right choices is clear to you. Where to begin seems to be a sticking point. Starting by taking away the things you really do not want is essential. Be practical and logical. This is not a time for sentiment or muddled thinking.

SAGITTARIUS

(November 23 - December 21)

Having problems with that new computer? Fallen foul of the new mobile phone? That wouldn’t be surprising this week. As you are prone to mistakes and misunderstandings, try not to tackle anything vital. Be sure to get plenty of sleep and fresh air. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Although you have the feeling that younger members of the family are not interested in your point of view, this is far off the mark. They, in their inexperience, may not know how best to approach you in this regard. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) The prospect of travel sets you thinking. Have you been spending too much time considering others? Should you take steps now to get time alone then these plans cannot be changed. This will save any discussions as to how or when. CANCER (June 22 - July 23) With the best will in the world it is only possible to spend money once. We are all guilty of trying to get over this truth, but it never works. Have patience when looking to improve your possessions. LEO (July 24 - August 23) Going over old ground is counterproductive. There is nothing to be

EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA

10-Star Quiz

A mother texts: “Hi! Son, what do IDK, LY, and TTYL mean?!” He texts back, “I Don’t Know, Love You and Talk To You Later.” The mother texts him back, “ok then, don’t worry about it. I’ll ask your sister, love you too.”

Unscramble the name of a famous 19th century English physicist and chemist: I AM HARDLY A FACE

TIME

A PICTURE QUIZ 1. A picture of which famous English physicist and mathematician appeared on the reverse of the Bank of England one pound note from 1971 to 1991? 2. Chapter one of which famous 1865 children’s novel opens with a young girl sitting on the riverbank and asking her sister ‘what is the use of a book without pictures or conversation’? 3. First published July 1890, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a philosophical novel by which famous Irish author, playwright and poet? 4. Pictures of Lily was a 1967 UK Top five hit single for which rock group? 5. Released in 1971, which singer’s third album was entitled Every Picture Tells a Story? 6. The 10-movement suite Pictures at an Exhibition is which Russian composer’s most famous piano composition? 7. Which 1971 American drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, set in a small town in north Texas from November 1951 to October 1952, is about the coming of age of Sonny Crawford (Timothy Bottoms) and his friend Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges)? 8. Which 1972 movie musical has the distinction of winning the most Oscars (eight) without winning the Best Picture award? 9. Which 1975 musical comedy horror film featured Tim Curry as Dr Frank N Furter, Susan Sarandon as Janet Weiss, Barry Bostwick as Brad Majors and Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff? 10. Which 1998 British-American romantic comedy-drama starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow), and Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench)? 1. ISAAC NEWTON, 2. ALICE IN WONDERLAND (ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND), 3. OSCAR WILDE, 4. THE WHO, 5. ROD STEWART, 6. MODEST MUSSORGSKY, 7. THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, 8. CABARET, 9. THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, 10. SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

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gained from repeating methods that did not work in the past. If it is not possible to find a fresh approach then seek the opinions of others. You do not need experience of a situation to be able to come up with a useful idea. VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Getting together with others to entertain is sure to be successful after the 26th. Before that there may be some irritations, particularly with people who refuse to be positive and make decisions. Those moving house or going on a journey need a lot of patience, and forward planning is essential. LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) This is an important week for both your physical health and your mental well-being. Because of things beyond your control, you may have let your diet or exercise slip. Having sorted out any problems that side-tracked you, there is a need to be particularly strong. SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) This is a week to let yourself be heard. Be it writing letters, sending emails, making phone calls or making conversation, you must express yourself. Being honest and outspoken need not mean upsetting people. Think of the way that a child gets its point over.

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

TARGET: Average: 8 Good: 11 Very good: 16 Excellent: 19

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION amid amir balm barm beam bema berm brim dame dime dram emir iamb idem lama lamb lame limb lime made maid mail male mare marl mead meal meld mild mile mire ream rime abeam aimed aimer alarm amber amble ameba amide armed bedim blame bream derma dimer drama dream embar imbed lamed lamer lamia limed maria medal media miler mired ramie realm rimed admire ambled ambler amelia bedlam beldam blamed dermal lambda lambed limbed limber mailed mailer marble medial medlar milder ramble admiral alarmed amiable balmier barmaid marbled rambled ADMIRABLE

SOUND OF THE WEEK A Head Full of Dreams By Coldplay Record Label: Parlophone - Atlantic The latest album from Coldplay, their seventh, will be released on December 4 and the record features collaborations with Beyoncé, Noel Gallagher, Tove Lo and Merry Clayton. The band previewed the album on Instagram recently, sharing almost eight minutes of new music which finds the group in liberating form.

AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

Crossword

Enjoy filling in the following puzzles and check the answers in next week’s edition

Code Breaker

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

CRYPTIC

Quick

Cryptic Across 1 Disturbed fish surrounded by poles (6) 4 Property in England, say (6) 9 Cared about a group of activists (5) 10 How old is bird in Dorset seaside resort? (7) 11 They curb characters involved in slaughter (8) 12 Talent is present (4) 14 From and to Kensington for souvenirs (6) 16 Virginia rents out the servants (6) 19 Plenty of land in tarmac resort (4) 20 Save joints of meat for private quarters (8) 23 Effect of comet crash after half an hour (7) 24 Saint gets drink that’s not fresh (5) 25 Note heard by male singer (6) 26 Refuse to accept awful jeer at court (6) Down 1 Dismiss reported target of humour, old music-maker (7) 2 Check the accounts of German car trader first (5) 3 The plane might be a Jumbo (8) 5 Remain for support (4) 6 Greed displayed by girl taking pudding (7) 7 Choose the chosen? (5) 8 Take over and use Earp from the sound of it (5)

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Across: 1 Tarzan, 4 Banger, 8 Snare, 9 Okapi, 11 Eerie, 12 Sterile, 13 Secure, 15 Ladies, 19 Swansea, 21 Staid, 23 Akela, 24 Erect, 25 Tables, 26 Hearts. Down: 1 Tenders, 2 Riser, 3 Amateur, 5 Atone, 6 Raise, 7 Dense, 10 Alibi, 14 Crate, 16 Austere, 17 Saddles, 18 Cadet, 19 Scant, 20 Skate, 22 Alter.

QUICK Across:

13 Game makes the French angry with English (8) 15 Material for nails a tinker ordered? (7) 17 Mistrust American priest in church faction (7) 18 Came with nothing but a piece of jewellery (5) 19 A boxing match, roughly (5) 21 That’s enough of the cold comfort! (5) 22 Fiasco deep in computer instruction (4)

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 14 represents B and 21 represents Z, so fill in B every time the figure 14 appears and Z every time the figure 21 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.

Across 1 Put down by force or authority (8) 7 Remains (5) 8 Flying machine (9) 9 Hot beverage (3) 10 Short musical composition with words (4) 11 Right to enter (6) 13 Arranged by type (6) 14 Overtakes (6) 17 Made afraid (6) 18 Own (4) 20 Hole in the earth (3) 22 Saying or performing again (9) 23 Footwear (5) 24 Worried and uneasy (8)

Down 1 Official stamps (5) 2 Associate (7) 3 Ready for harvest (4) 4 By no means plentiful (6) 5 Cobblers’ equipment (5) 6 Frees oneself from (7) 7 More than two but not many (7) 12 Mends (7) 13 Assume (7) 15 Coast (7) 16 Place of worship (6) 17 Arose (5) 19 Borders (5) 21 Lure (4)

1 Pines, 4 Shower, 9 Restore, 10 Slips, 11 Says, 12 Octopus, 13/18 Bow tie, 14 Thou, 16 Turn, 20 Realise, 21 Bait, 24 Crime, 25 Sausage, 26 Stress, 27 Sends. Down: 1 Phrase, 2 Nasty, 3 Shoe, 5 Hesitate, 6 Whisper, 7 Resist, 8 Below, 13 Business, 15 Heavier, 17 Cracks, 18 Tense, 19 Others, 22 Again, 23 Buys.

ENGLISHSPANISH Across:

English - Spanish The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.

1 Paint, 4 Swans, 7 Ahi, 8 Azulejo, 9 Shepherds, 13 Cremosa, 15 Sea, 16 Obras, 17 Sueca. Down: 1 Pray, 2 Irish, 3 Teaspoons, 4 Saucepans, 5 Age, 6 Slow, 10 Desde, 11 Ocho, 12 Baya, 14 Ear.

CODE BREAKER

Down Across 1 Waiters (9) 1 To marry (5) 2 Royal (4) 3 Goat (5) 3 Which (4) 5 Thousand (3) 7 Wire (metal) (7) 4 Olives (fruit) (9) 6 Monday (5) 9 Frog (4) 8 Cervezas (5) 10 Cinturón (4) 11 Expensive (4) 13 Rescue (7) 12 Alquiler (de inmueble) (4) 14 Hijo (3) 15 Sacred (5) 16 Gemelos (5)

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1. Italian Supercar day For the big boys who need big toys, how about treating him to an ‘Italian Supercar Experience’? Available from Virgin, it’s a sure winner. The recipient will get giddy over driving two of the latest models to be launched from rivals.

THE new offering from Dean Koontz is a thriller sure to keep you up all night. Bibi Blair is a young woman who has escaped death and now finds herself on a mysterious mission which will uncover the reasons for her survival. She is approached by a stranger who tells her that she has survived because she now has to save a girl identified only as Ashley Bell. Brilliantly paced, an exhilarating heroine and a twisting, ingenious storyline.

2. Marc Jacobs Decadence This new floral perfume has everyone talking, and will have her talking about you! It’s bound to be an instant classic and will surely put you in her good books this Christmas. Decadence is more sophisticated than Marc Jacobs’ other iconic fragrances and will be compatible with most tastes. This bottle itself is also quite the statement, taking its cues directly from Jacobs’ fashion with its handbag shape and opulent detailing. Sure to look good on any dressing table. 3. BOSS Hugo Boss has always had that ‘something special’ as a gift, but the new fragrance from Hugo has been flying off the shelves. It’s a scent designed for seduction: a heady mix of spicy ginger, intense leather and softer fruit and lavender notes. The result is something

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Sudoku

4. Eva Tote Gym Bag If she loves the gym, you can’t go wrong with this stylish gym bag that nobody will ever believe holds her training kit. A must for avid gym goers and yoga enthusiasts, the Eva Tote gym bag has special places for her phone, water, dirty clothes and yoga mat. Who knew you could give the gift of style and practicality in one bag? 5. Game of Thrones Monopoly If board games are his thing, or hers come to that, then settle in for the only game more bloodthirsty than the battle for the Iron Throne itself. In this brilliant spin on the classic board game, the hotels are keeps and the Chance cards are labelled Valar Morghulis. You even get to play as a little dire wolf. All men must die, but not before they’ve passed Go. 6. Olloclip 4-IN-1 Photo Lens This ideal gift is for the gadget-loving, snaphappy girl who can’t be bothered to carry around a bulky camera. The Olloclip 4-in-1 photo lens will fit in her pocket and offers a selfie function, fisheye (180° view), wideangles (double that of the normal iPhone), and two macro lenses. For every extra like she gets on Instagram she’ll think of you. 7. Tom Tom The latest incarnation and most cutting-edge sat nav yet, proves Tom Tom have lifted the

bar again. They now offer you lifetime extras like real-time traffic updates, speed camera alerts and map updates, all for free. The big bonus is the unlimited data roaming which means, through the built-in sim card, you’re always connected, no matter which country you’re driving in. 8. GoPro HERO4 Session For the action film maker in your life: Whether they are filming themself skiing down a mountain, or just recording their cycle ride to work, this is the camera to do it with. The new Session is GoPro’s highest performing, and smallest, camera made to date, featuring ultra-high speed capture and the ability to shoot fancy 4k video, meaning your wipeout will be a viral sensation in no time.

Play on Words HDEAD2O

9. Harrods Champagne Bar Treat her the way she deserves by making your way to the Champagne Bar and share a bottle of chilled Champagne exclusive to Harrods. Established in the Champagne region for over three centuries, the Hostomme family uses only premium quality pinot noir grapes. A taste of luxury she will remember.

Boggled How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules? The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms. No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice. No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.

10. Personalised Ring Necklace The classic version of this gift for her is the three ring design but you can order one with four or five rings and of course add a personalised message to make it special. The circle pendants with your personal message look great on the chain making this the perfect accessory to any outfit, night or day.

TARGET: Average: 22 Good: 28 Very good: 40 Excellent: 50

SCORING: 4 letters: 1 point • 5 letters: 2 points 6 letters: 3 points • 7 letters: 4 points 8 or more letters: 11 points

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

ITALIAN SUPERCAR EXPERIENCE: Lamborghini Aventador LP700.

nods odds odor odors oust ouster ousted condo coda cods cusp icon twerp dodo dads date dated dote doted dust duster with wither whit hews ados adore adored oats otter otters suit soda sort sortie sore store spew spar spare iota toad toads tore tier tiers trod rods road rots rotted rote pews prod prods proud pros pare parred raps rape drape rare apex

Word Ladder WORE

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

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.

that smells light or even sweet at first, before settling down as something deeper and intoxicating.

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So, it’s that wonderful time of year again! No not the new Starwars film… It’s time to go shopping for Christmas presents! But as always; now you face the age old problem of what to buy for your loved ones. We have been scratching our heads and scouring the web to give you a few ideas and save you some footwork this holiday season. Here is our Santa’s list for him and her this year.

App of the Week Fotoswipe This handy app allows you to share photos and videos instantly across multiple smart devices whether you have an iPhone, iPad, Android or any tablet. Simply select photos, videos or even an entire album, swipe a finger and the exclusive FotoSwipe technology allows you to send them on to a chosen device. It takes away the need to text or email photos and can be downloaded for free.

AWAY BACK

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

WORE WIRE WIRY AIRY AWRY AWAY

Ashley Bell

Gifts for him and her

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Answers: Dead in the water, Upside down cake.

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OPINION & COMMENT

LETTERS

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3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

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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

Islamic community has nothing to hide and is happy to help Re: Not wanted – but the most sought-after man in Europe AGREE with this editorial, but I must stress that Islamic communities all over Spain have, indeed, been standing up and speaking out in the media and on TV. Some even say they don’t mind if police stop every one of them in the country to check their ID, because they’ve nothing to hide and would be happy to help in the fight against terrorism. One of these was a woman injured in the 11-M attacks. The problem is that, although they actively want to help, they’re silenced, their words not always reported, and they’re blamed. We should be getting them on our side, because that’s where they want to be. Not responding to the Islamic community’s attempts to help and speak out, and demonising them instead, is a short-sighted, narrowminded and self-destructive attitude seen all too frequently, mainly among British right-wing tabloid readers with limited education who indiscriminately share ‘patriotic’ posts on Facebook. In fact, it’s just insane, and is fuelling the issue. From Kally, via email

Much too late Re: Have we left it too late to stop ISIS? BANG on again, Lee. All is lost unless we come down hard but I suspect, like you, it will be too little, too late (much too late). Paris is just the start, methinks. You let the migrants in without proper checks and ISIS becomes the world’s oyster. I also liked the front page of Euro Weekly News about the Muslim silence re Paris. Their silence speaks volumes, don’t you think? Brian Allen, via email

Smack on Re: Have we left it too late to stop ISIS? HI LEE, smack on again. I can

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Cabopino in our boat. A man in his early 50s with blonde hair driving a very small light blue car pulled up at our bus stop and told us that the bus in Fuengirola had caught fire and that there were long delays and huge queues so if we wanted a lift, he would be happy to help us out. Naively we accepted his help and said we were going to Marbella. When we arrived he explained that there would be a charge of €48 which I reluctantly paid. I then reported the matter, together with the registration number of the car to the police who didn’t seem overly interested. Let others be warned and do not accept lifts from strangers! Ted at sea, via the telephone

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Hit the nail on the head! Re: Have we left it too late to stop ISIS? Dear Leapy, As ever and sadly once again you have hit the nail on the head! Oh how I yearn to pour scorn and ridicule upon your opinion this week yet find no grounds whatsoever upon which to do so. You remind me of Bernard Dineen of the Yorkshire Post fame some years ago who also said it as it was. Please continue along this vein and perhaps some of what you have to say may make a difference one day! Robert C, via email

never work out why it is that straight after one of these atrocities, the security services seem to root out all the ones well known to them for some time, as posing a threat, and deal with them immediately. I’d like to believe that some organisation, albeit MI5 or the likes of, are disposing of these evil people, without the media and everyone else knowing about it. But unfortunately the occasional one slips through. Bombing a load of sand is never going to solve anything, so where are all these highly paid, highly intelligent, know all the answers type people to sort this problem out. It’s not as though you’re taking

on the might of Nazi Germany again, just a bunch of yobs, brandishing firearms, who want to cause as much death as they can before they go and meet their heaven full of virgins. Keep up the good work! From Fred, a agrumpy old git, via email

Daft TV Re: Just a bunch of prattling females! HI Leapy, you are so right, as usual... These women really are an embarrassment to the rest of us. As a female, I could never stomach watching this daft programme, after having switched it on out of cu-

riosity ages ago. And, just to see if I’d imagined how idiotic they are, I’ve passed by to make sure I was right. However, why do these men go on as guests? What does that say about them? Could it be for the money?! Patsy, via email

Bus scam I READ with interest your recent article about a scam whereby drivers stop at bus stops, advise that the bus is not coming, offer a lift and then charge for it. This is exactly what happened to me and my wife when we were visiting

Re: Podemos plan to enable voting for foreign residents I BELIEVE this is too dangerous in today’s world. Imagine a commune with a large immigrant popul at i on - l i ke Sal t i n Cat al oni a with 40 per cent of its population or i gi nat i ng f r om Mor occo and Muslim. A Muslim mayor could be elected and introduce islamic laws or have an influence which is not in the interests of Spain. Podemos and the Socialists are only in favour of this since the majority of immigrants tend to be at t he l ower end of t he soci al scale. Only members of the EU should be allowed to vote as at present. Other foreign residents should either choose to become Spanish or keep their own nationality. Peter Fieldman, via website

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

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

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Child has breast cancer AN American girl, aged eight, is thought to be the youngest ever to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Chrissy Turner, from Utah, discovered a lump on her chest last month. Tests showed she was suffering from a rare form of breast cancer called secretory carcinoma, with just one in a million people being diagnosed with the disease. She now faces surgery and her parents are fundraising to pay for the large medical bills. The youngster’s mother has previously battled cervical cancer while her father is currently battling non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, having been diagnosed when Chrissy was a baby.

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HEALTH BEAUTY

Boosting your brain power more important than ever QUICK tips to help ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s By Gemma Quinn WORLDWIDE, 47.5 million people suffer from dementia, with the World Health Organisation saying each year there are 7.7 million new cases diagnosed. With dementia and Alzheimer’s disease now some of the leading killers, taking care of our brains is more important than ever. But what can you do to improve brain health and be more alert? Avoid medication Overuse of taking over the counter and prescription drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, asthma medication and

TAKE CARE: There are some simple ways you can improve brain health and stay more alert. steroids, can deplete stores of B vitamins, which are essential for boosting mood and energy. Have house plants These are an easy and effective way to purify the air in your home and are known to have soothing and calming properties. No electronics at night Bodies and brains are programmed to sleep at night. When it’s dark the pineal gland releases more melatonin to signal that it’s time to wind down and go to sleep. When it’s light the pineal gland slows down melatonin production, signalling that it’s time to wake up. With electronic devices, they emit a blue light which slows the melatonin production and triggers the production of a hormone that keeps you awake.

This leaves bodies no longer knowing when to produce melatonin as they no longer know when they are supposed to be asleep so turn off electronic devices a few hours before bed. Meditate Meditation not only helps you feel at peace but practising for 12 minutes a day also greatly improves your focus and memory. Maintain sugar levels For the brain to work properly it is necessary to sustain blood sugar levels to keep brain chemistry balanced. Increased blood sugar levels can lead to type two diabetes, which can lead to Alzheimer’s. Stimulate the brain Like other parts of your body, the brain needs exercising. Try new activities that stimulate and improve your brain function. Eat more Omega three Eating healthy fats, such as omega three fatty acids, can help preserve the health of your brain. They are known to prevent inflammation, the key to preserving cognitive function and warding off depression, stress, and anxiety. Socialise Loneliness has been linked to depression amongst other things so it is important to feel connected and supported in reality, not just on social media. A 2013 study showed that checking Facebook actually made people feel worse.

E W N 3 - 9 December 2015 / Costa Blanca North

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

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Obesity issue

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. WEARING HEELS: A look which is both loved and loathed by women.

Tricks to make high heels more comfortable AVOID unnecessary pain during the Christmas party season WEARING heels is a look both loved and loathed by women. Whilst they add glamour to an outfit and lengthen the legs and figure, giving a slimming effect, they can also cause problems in your feet and when walking. However, there are some things you can do to

limit the damage. Heel height Heels don’t have to be skyscrapers to get the same effect and the varying height will have varying degrees of discomfort. It is recommended heels should not be higher than 7cm to be able to be worn all day.

Prepare your feet Think ahead and help prevent any discomfort by putting cream on your feet first or use padded silicone insoles to make them more comfortable. Put in freezer Some say by wrapping shoes in a plastic bag and putting it in the freezer 15 min-

utes before use will smooth the shoe and prevent chafing and friction of the feet. Use talcum powder If you sweat a lot add talcum powder inside your shoe or directly on to the foot to help control your sweat and make walking in heels more comfortable.

THIS week we’ve asked the doctor about obesity, which has been said to be the plague of modern times. ventable cardiovascular What is obesity? risk and it has virtually beObesity is a chronic illcome the epidemic of the ness characterised by an 21st century. It is not just excessive accumulation of an aesthetic problem, it is a fat in the body, both on an real health risk. external level (under the Also, type two diabetes skin) and an internal level is usually associated to (between and entering vital obesity and almost all paorgans). This causes an intients with this type of diacrease in bodyweight and betes are obese. volume which affects peoWhat can I do to conples’ lives. trol obesity then? What’s the difference There are various differbetween being overence causes but most are weight and being obese? down to an imbalance beThere are different levtween the amount of enerels of excess fat and obesigy we put into our bodies ty. (what we eat) and how The easiest way to difmuch we use each day (the ferentiate and classify the base amount of energy problem is known as the needed to keep us alive, corporal mass index, physical activity, intellecwhich is calculated by ditual activity etc). viding weight by the Therefore the best way square of height in metres. to control obesity and lose If this gives a number weight is to reduce the enbetween 25 and 29.9 then ergy going in (by followthe person is overweight, if ing a balanced, low calorie the result is more than 30 diet) and increase the they are considered obese. amount used with moderIs obesity dangerous? ate, daily exercise. Why? There are many safe, efObesity is considered to fective types of diet that be a major cardiovascular can help obese people to risk, meaning people with control their weight. Also obesity are more likely to these days there are treathave heart attacks, strokes, ments that can help lose etc. weight and even surgery Today it is considered as for extreme cases. the most frequent preThe Coast’s Home GP service - wherever you are - at home - in the office - in the car - on the golf course your GP will get to see you any time, anywhere. A priceless service at an affordable price.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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Cot bumpers pose risk to babies STUDY shows their direct link to a number of baby deaths

SAFETY: Study found a cot bumper, of all items in a cot, was the most likely to cause deaths. THERE are calls for cot bumpers to be banned for the safety of babies after they were linked to infant deaths. A study published in the Journal of Paediatrics, found that 48 infant deaths between 1985 and 2012 were specifically linked to cot bumpers, and an additional 146 babies were involved in accidents where they nearly choked, suffocated or were strangled by the bumpers. As a result, experts are now calling for them to be banned. The padded bumpers are widely

available and are tied to the inside of cots to stop babies from getting their limbs stuck between the railings, but in the study, it found that of all items inside a cot, such as blankets, pillows and cuddly toys, the cot bumper was the most likely to cause infant deaths, potentially causing suffocation and strangulation. The UK’s NHS has also said they do not recommend cot bumpers, warning parents that their baby may become ‘tangled’ in the fastenings.

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Warning against buying sperm online

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Is weight loss surgery really the best option? FitFoxy

Looking Good, Staying Trim

SPERM BANKS: Buying on the internet is illegal in Spain. THE Spanish Fertility Society (SEF) has warned about the risks of buying sperm on the Internet for self-insemination. Dr. Rocio Nuñez, coordinator of the Interest Group on Ethics and Good Clinical Practice, said of home sperm banks: “They threaten the Spanish rules of assisted reproduction and deprive patients of the essential health guarantees to undergo assisted reproduction.”

Among the necessary guarantees to be followed by a treatment of assisted reproduction are medical management, assessment of semen quality before insemination and the existence of liability insurance in case of damage. In addition, Dr. Nuñez indicated such sites are illegal in Spain because they violate the condition of anonymity guaranteed in Spanish legislation.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

IT is apparent we live in an age where many of us are managing our waistlines, let’s face it, here in the Western world we are a far cry from the days of our great grandparents, when food was rationed and stew made from leftovers was a treat. It wasn’t going to take long for food companies to exploit the fact humans love to eat, and what was once deemed a physical necessity to stay alive has now become a full-time leisure pursuit. Count how many different cafes and restaurants there are on the high street. Is it any wonder food for many has be- SURGERY: Will not fix their mind. come an obsession? So what can you do? created at the top of the stomach and conFirst option: The Gastric Band. nects to the small intestine, bypassing the This is an operation costing around rest of the stomach and bowel. €3,600, in which a silicone band is fitted You simply cannot eat anywhere near to shrink the stomach, or alternatively a the volume of food that you were before gastric bypass, in which a small pouch is

as your stomach cannot cope. The ability to only be able to eat small portions of food will certainly reduce your appetite. The problem with option A is it will not solve any emotional problems you have with food. I had a client that was fitted with a gastric band but she was still heavily overweight. She told me she still had huge cravings and knew how to cheat, by liquidising Mars bars etc. People have also been known to suffer with depression due to the effects it has on relationships and lifestyle. The better option: Nutritional Therapy. This would consist of several sessions with a qualified practitioner to help identify when, where and why you formed a habit of over or obsessive eating. Human beings are emotional creatures and many things affect us in ways that form habits we would prefer not to have. Weight loss surgery appears to be the easiest option to combat obesity, but is it really? From my experience nothing will work unless the client has the ability to fix their mind, as well as their body.

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La Sort Hotel always add a personal touch OFFERS an excellent location, comfort, tranquillity, quality and above all a friendly service By Buster Smith LA SORT HOTEL is a three star boutique hotel ideally situated in Moraira. The only hotel that enjoys such a unique position, it is beachfront on the town’s main beach, Playa L’Ampolla and within the town itself. Everything is within walking distance, the beach, bars, restaurants and shops, it offers a privileged location with stunning sea views. The hotel was opened over 10 years ago to fill a gap in the market in Moraira. Beach front access and being in close proximity to the town and its restaurants bars and many fiestas particularly during summer months, is what gives La Sort its unique charm. “Our team at the hotel is also a point of difference for us,” says Jose, one of the brothers who own the hotel. He also spends much of his time as a

consultant for top class restau-

tle changes such as the addition

UNIQUE POSITION: Beachfront on the town’s main beach. rants around the world. “Our guests feel at home, they are treated extremely well. There is a personal touch in everything we do. We make a point of paying attention to the small details, as they make all the difference,” he added. The hotel continuously upgrades its facilities, recently renovating many of the ensuite rooms, they have also made lit-

of Nespresso machines. “Coffee and tea facilities are usually expected in any three star hotel in Europe, but we go that little bit further and have incorporated Nespresso coffee machines. The La Sort name is synonymous with quality, but not extravagance,” says Jose. “Although our Sand’s restaurant is the only one recommended by the Michelin guide

in the town, it is because of the simplicity, freshness and quality of our food. Our guests want to be relaxed and looked after well. They value location, friendly service and good quality at a reasonable price and that is exactly what we provide.” The British market is very important. “This is why all of our staff are bilingual,” says Jose. With the excellent connections offered between UK, Alicante and Valencia airports and the unbeatable shuttle services, the hotel has become the number one choice with British tourists visiting Moraira. Although tourism drops in winter months, Jose believes the coast has something to offer: “I believe it would be cheaper for most northern Europeans to stay in Moraira in the winter months, rather than stay in their own countries and pay the heating bills,” he jokes. La Sort Hotel is located at Avenida de la Pau, 24, Moraira,

Alicante. For more information or reservations visit www.lasort

.com, email hotel@lasort.com or call 966 491 949.

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Christmas raffle prizes THE Teulada Moraira Lions Club Christmas Raffle, sponsored by Paichi Garden Centre in Moraira, is well under way. The sale of tickets will continue until December 18, when the Grand Prize Draw will be at 1pm at TM Lions Bookstall in the Moraira Market. Winners will receive €50 vouchers for Pepe la Sal Supermarket, there are five of the vouchers available. Second prize is a €50 voucher for Paichi Garden Centre and there are four

runners up prizes of €50 which can be used at any of Teulada-Moraira AECO members, the local trade association. Tickets cost just €1 each and are available at Paichi Garden Centre, TM Lions Bookstall or any members of the Lions Club. The Lions Den located beneath the Pepe La Sal Supermarket on the Crta. Moraira Teulada, is running its own draw of just 300 tickets, priced at two euros each, with two spectacular prizes, a mosaic ‘We Three Kings’ by Meri Snell, and a decorative plate ‘The Joy Of Christmas’, hand painted by Florence Li. These tickets are available exclusively from The Lions Den so why not pop in to buy one and have a look at the Christmas cards and stocking fillers, which are on sale. The winning tickets will be drawn in The Lions Den at 12pm on Friday December 11.

PROCEEDS: Will be donated to an Alzheimer’s charity.

Youth charity concert live in Alicante LIVE orchestra on Boxing Day By Buster Smith ON December 26 at 7pm, the Youth Orchestra from the Province of Alicante will be performing live at the Auditorium in Teulada-Moraira. The event has been organised so that all of the proceeds go towards the Association of Relatives of Alzheimer’s Suf-

ferers of Teulada. The orchestra this year gained first prize in the Summa Cum Laude Festival held in Vienna, directed by Francisco Maestre and on the boxing day will present their Christmas tour from J.Haydn titled ‘Concerto for Orchestra Vilonchello No. 1 in C Major’.

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Christmas School in La Nucia ENROLMENTS for the Seventh Christmas School in La Nucia are now open. The special Christmas school will be run on December 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 and 31 plus January 4, 5. Organised by the department of Social Welfare the school is focused on children from three to 14 years old and registrations are now open until December 18, at the Social Centre El Cavari. The eight days will cost â‚Ź45 and the conditions are that participants must be registered in La Nucia and within the age groups specified. The school runs from 7.30am until 3.30pm and will be held at the Muixara public school in La Nucia. The idea of the Christmas school, much like summer school, is to help parents out during the Christmas period with work commitments and provide the children with fun activities. There will be various sporting activities including dance, athletics, football, and gymnastics along with other activities such as strategy games, treasure hunts, crafts, theatre and workshops. Professionals run the activities, which helps families balance work and family life during the Christmas and New Year period.

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Cafe Poco Loco – Fun for t relaxation for the parents THE family run cafe is already a big hit with local families By Buster Smith CAFE POCO LOCO has recently opened their doors to the public but already is a big hit with local families. The Cafe concept was set up by Vaughn and his sister Cecilia, both with young families themselves. They saw the need for a place where children could come and play and have fun in a safe environment while the parents could relax, have a chat and maybe a bite to eat in a friendly and welcoming, family atmosphere, so they went about setting up the Cafe Poco Loco, the first of its kind in the town. The colourful family run cafe is ideally located close to the main shops of the arenal and port in Javea, and almost directly

SAFE ENVIRONMENT: Parents can relax while children are having fun. next door to the sports centre. It is within walking distance to residential areas and there is also plenty of free parking directly outside. For warmer, sunny days they have a spacious terrace out front while inside there is a children’s soft play area, a bar

serving an all day menu with a great selection of typical Spanish tapas, sandwiches, pizzas, nachos, snacks and drinks, plus there is a babies soft play area as well. Bright and clean, it has already become a popular meeting point during the day for mums and their babies, and after

OPPORTUNITY: For young, aspiring rockers in the region.

Bogamari Festival YOUTH Council announces rock concerts to be held in Javea By Buster Smith THE youth council of Javea has announced that the town will be running the Bogamari Rock Festival once again, an opportunity for the young and aspiring rockers to get their band and talents noticed in the region. The initiative to support new musical talents is open to groups who would like to perform an

acoustic concert at the culture centre in Javea. The only requirements are that members are between 12 and 30 years old and more than half of the band members are from the Marina Alta region. For those interested in participating contact the Department of Youth in Javea by calling 965 795 400 or email Sonabémonjove@monjove.net. Groups have until December 11 to register.

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the kids,

school for parents and energetic children who just want to play some more. They offer special birthday party celebrations, suitably decorating the cafe to the chosen theme of the day with balloons banners, piñatas, cakes and fun activities such as face painting. They organise set menus for the children and parents from just €6.50 per person. The entire cafe can be rented for the day and is already a popular option for parents looking for an ideal location to celebrate

their child’s birthday. They also provide hand printed birthday invitations, making the process of organising the day that much easier. The cafe is open seven days a week, Monday to Thursday 10am - 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays 10am10pm, and on Sundays 10am – 8pm, although if there is a party they are open until the kids can not play anymore! For more information everyone is welcome to pop in and have a look, give them a call on 690 320 706 or visit their facebook page or website on www.cafepocoloco.com. They are located at Avenida del Furs, 39, Javea, Alicante.

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OPINION & COMMENT

The hidden agenda of the ‘fat cats’ in our political elite

OUR VIEW UN Photo Rick Bajornas

DON’T you get the feeling that there is an underlying ‘something’ being kept from us all? Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-thewall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.

THE papers are full of it, the politicians hold endless rounds of talks about it, and each of us has an opinion on the subject. In the meantime, the situation becomes increasingly dangerous. The escalating refugee problem, with tens of thousands more entering Europe every single day and the growing threat from the subhuman monsters of ISIS, continue unabated and effectively unchallenged. Those who believe that Europe’s borders should be closed to the Syrian refugees are labelled racist by those of the opposite persuasion, with

INTEGRATION: England is already the most densely populated major country in Europe. the accusation of a blinkered and irresponsible attitude being thrown back by the other side (actually only 40 per cent of the influx is of Syrian origin, so why is there not a selection procedure in place at the very least?). Ordinary, caring, but gen-

uinely concerned, members of the public have for years been saying that uncontrolled migration into the European Union in general, and Britain in particular, needs by necessity to be strictly controlled. Not for any xenophobic reasons, but because vital in-

tegration, a term that we rarely hear these days, cannot take place with this continuous flood of humanity reaching our shores, coupled with the fact that England is already the most densely populated major country in Europe.

All that and the very real prospect of the collapse of our creaking public services, along with the rape of the countryside in the quest for more housing. Housing crisis? It is clearly a population crisis we are dealing with here. But, shock horror, this all seems to have come as a complete surprise to the politicians. Or has it? By their very actions and dubious decision-making on a host of important issues, it seems that our so-called leaders are at best complete morons incapable of coherent thought processes, and at worst criminally inept sociopaths. But don’t you get the feeling that there is an underlying ‘something’ that is being kept from us all and that the fat cats of our political elite have always had a quite different agenda of their own?

Tales of Hans Christian Walsh THE allegory was anti-Soviet Cold War satire Mike Walsh Mike, based in Mediterranean Spain, is an international journalist, author and professional writer.

IT was tough going for the Russian hunter as he made his way through the tundra. Suddenly, stopping in his tracks, he noticed a baleful bear staring at him. Instinctively, the stalker raised his rifle. As he was about to pull the trigger the bear called o u t : “ W h o a , n o t s o fa s t. Let’s talk this through, brother.” At the bear’s suggestion that he show some goodwill, the hunter placed his rifle against a nearby tree and took the proffered seat. The bear and the tracker chatted amiably. “The way I look at it,” the bear smiled, “I need a square meal and you need a fur coat.” The outcome was that the bear got its square meal and the hunter got his fur coat. The allegory was anti-Soviet Cold War satire. This was in response to the peace initia-

SIBERIAN TUNDRA: Tough going for the Russian hunter. tive waged by the USSR at a time when Moscow was amassing a nuclear arsenal. Aware of Russia’s rapid moderni-

sation of their military resources there are signs that the European Union’s political elite are acutely aware that the US wants Europe to

Ban Ki-Moon in Paris

Life has to go on DESPITE the terror attacks on Paris, life has to continue and the city is now host to the UN Climate Change Conference which runs from November 30 to December 11. Whilst people around the world are still mourning the 130 who died in Paris and thousands of others who have been killed in terrorist activity, leaders (or their deputies) of 142 different states were due to speak on the first day of the meeting to consider ways of combating climate change. There have been a series of public demonstrations calling for direct action to reduce the risk to the environment of greenhouse gases, and it is clear that all those leaders will publicly espouse the cause. Poorer countries will call upon the ‘developed world’ to take action to reduce emissions from industry and household activity whilst the response will be that those in less developed countries will need to introduce more efficient ways of handling their waste. Every country will pay lip service to the concept of change and then many will return to their countries where voters will continue to demand ever increasing standards of living whilst industrial and financial interests will ‘lean on’ those politicians who need support to stay in power. The one encouraging sign is that despite the size and power of the oil companies and despite the drop in the barrel price of crude, much is being done to find new and sustainable sources of power.

provide a battleground for their anti-Russian aggression. However, there is no way the EU democracies can hope to emerge other than as a glass-strewn parking lot much as the US left Germany in 1945. Some Europeans hold vivid recollections of the British and US incineration of Europe during the latter half of the 1940s. The Spanish have a maxim: ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’ European reconstruction, peace and security lie in good relations based on trade with Russia and the CIS. Russia is by far the world’s largest country. The economy is based on huge natural resources upon which the world depends. It is going to have a solid future. Russia spans two continents and is within swimming distance of the Now we American continent. want to The far smaller petrodollar-dehear your views. pendent US is a busted flush, he nc e t he about t ur n now YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE taking place in the faux par- YOUR OPINION liaments of Western Europe’s www.euroweeklynews.com democracies.

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Don’t throw away those Christmas season plastic soft drink bottles IF you produce too many cuttings, the excess can be passed on to friends and neighbours Dick Handscombe

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

DURING the next three months there will be plenty of opportunities for taking cuttings to propagate new plants to extend your plantings and fill in gaps. Unfortunately most plant pots kept from purchased plants and those available for sale in garden and horticultural centres are shallow and do not allow deep roots to be developed. This is a great pity as probably a new plant with 20 centimetre deep roots will be twice as easy to establish in the garden than one with only 12 centimetre long roots. The simple solution is to retain all 1.5 litre and five and seven litre water and soft drink plastic bottles and use them as deep plant pots. If the top is cut to leave a hinge, rather than being totally cut off, one can use this as a cloche over your cutting which will protect it during the winter. Plant individual cuttings in

PLASTIC BOTTLES: One can use the partially cut top as a cloche to protect your plants during winter. 1.5 litre bottles and up to six in the larger bottles. If possible over winter place the planted up cuttings in a greenhouse or cold frame. The mini versions sold most Springs by Lidl stores are useful in this respect. We also noticed the new Aki store on the Ondara Commercial centre site sells inexpensive green houses. On a smaller scale, one can cut off the

base of plastic bottles and invert them over plant cuttings in a same diameter bottle. Fix with tape and you have a mini greenhouse with a constant moisture level. These can be kept at the back of a frostless greenhouse or on a shelf in a conservatory or greenhouse, or in a cold frame protected with fleece. Wine bottles full of water

are also useful for raising cuttings from Oleanders and Bignonias. If you have never raised plants from cuttings do read Chapter 6.12 in the book ‘Your Garden in Spain - From planning to planting and maintenance.’ This describes, as does also Chapter 4.9 of the book ‘Apartment Gardening Mediterranean Style’ how to

propagate various types of plants from stem, side, root, air, and leaf cuttings. Once you are hooked, propagating becomes an interesting and absorbing hobby for all ages from school children to the aged. Once you have proved you have green fingers, take every opportunity of planting up cuttings from your own garden and those of friends. The result

will be inexpensive strong plants. When we stroll round our garden the majority of plants and mature trees started off as cuttings or seeds, and many of the seeds were collected from our own gardens on our travels around Spain. If you produce too many the excess can be passed on to friends and neighbours still developing new gardens or sold at Gardening Club meetings. To improve your success rate obtain a pot of hormone powder to dip the end of cutting in before planting. Unfortunately some cuttings can be prone to rotting off especially during winter months so spray the surface of the compost with a mild fungicide. By the way a great advantage of plastic bottles is you can write the name of the plant being propagated on the outside of the bottle with a waterproof felt pen. Happy propagating next year! (c) Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com. December 2015.

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This year Spaniards spending less on renovating their homes Photo, Poznyakov, Shutterstock

PRIORITIES for refurbishment are first the bathroom and then the kitchen A SURVEY from property portal fotocasa.es has revealed a d r o p i n a v e rag e budget f o r h o m e r e n o v ations in Spain with the results also pointing to more Spaniards contracting professionals for home refurbishments. Eigh t y - t wo p e r c e n t o f Spanish p e o p l e sa i d th ey hired professionals in this year ’s survey compared to 79 per cent in the same survey last year. O f th e p e o p l e wh o a re planning a renovation, 58 per cen t sa y t h e y h a v e a budget of less than €6,000. Last year 43 per cent said they weren’t looking to go over the €6,000 mark. Thos e wi t h a b u d g e t o f betw ee n €6,000 an d

€15,000 dropped from 24 per cent in 2014 to 22 per cent this year. Of all respondents who took part in the survey, only 8 per cent said they planned t o spend m or e t han €30,000, compared to 7 per cent in 2014. Most refurbishments were i n t he bat hr oom ( 61 per cent ) f ol l owed by t he kitchen (53 per cent).

Doing odd jobs is something home owners put off

FAULTY: Electrical appliances figure highly. MORE than half of Spanish home owners have odd jobs and DIY tasks about the home that remain undone, Reparalia renovations specialists have reported. The specialists have said that 40 per cent of Spanish families questioned for a survey spent between six months and a year putting up with flaws and faults before doing something about them. This means 46 per cent of

RENOVATIONS: Eighty-two per cent of Spanish people said they employed professionals to carry out the work rather than do it themselves.

homes are in need of a coat of paint, 29 per cent have bad drains, 26 per cent broken blinds, 25 per cent at least one faulty electrical appliance and another 25 per cent need their electrics checked. The thing that puts most families (67 per cent) off carrying out repairs is their cost, followed by the chore of organising work (18 per cent) and the amount of time they would take.

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HOMES & GARDENS

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Fiesta Crafts are ready for Christmas and are running festive workshops BOTH children and adults can take part in the fun activities making cards and gifts

GETTING FESTIVE: Shop in Javea is stocked with Christmas goodies. 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the Tanamera dogs’ home. They are also a dropoff point for the Make a Smile Christmas appeal for

Ideal gifts for gardeners HARDENED gardeners will probably prefer good quality tools rather than novelty gnomes! By Matthew Elliott CHRISTMAS is just around the corner, an d wi t h t h e su n n y S p a n is h weather, g a r d e n i n g g ifts ca n b e quickly p u t t o u se rath er th an stashed away until spring. Visit any home and garden store at this tim e o f y e a r a n d th ere w ill doubtless be an extravagant variety of fantastically creative tools and implements spilling out of the aisles. Ask any hardened gardener what they really want, however, and novelty gnomes probably won’t cut it. Neither will wind chimes, water features or t-shirts. Good, quality tools last for years and wh e n d e si g n e d f o r p ers o n a l comfort for the individual gardener will make for the best gift. Consider a solid p a i r o f h e d g e s h ea rs , o r a strong shovel at just the right height (under 5”5 should be 42-45 inches,

5”5 to 5”9 should be 46-49 inches, 5”10 and above should be over 50 inches). A new set of gloves will always be appreciated, and long-arm gloves allow the wearer to easily reach inside shrubs. Small, effective tools will be put to excellent use, from a sharp pocket knife, to a pair of secateurs. Also consider a soil thermometer or magnifying glass. A good hand pruner or gardening basket will also be much appreciated, as will a hand weeder or decent rake. Live plants and seeds are ambitious options if you know the gardener’s preferred taste. Have a prowl around the tool shed and see what’s in there, what needs changing, or just ask, and one last item will be ticked off your Christmas list.

the children of EMAUS. Fiesta Crafts run regular workshops and children’s craft clubs and parties where the children get to handcraft their own goodies. Christmas workshops for children and adults are running

over the holidays: children’s on Wednesday afternoon from 5pm-7pm and Saturdays from 11am-1pm; adults on Tuesday from 10.30am12.30pm. For the week leading up to Christmas from December 21-24, they are running the fun activity workshops daily from 10am-1pm, three hours of fun arts and crafts, making typical Christmas decorations, gifts and cards, aimed at aged four years and upwards. All of their products are available to purchase online and can be sent directly to your home address. Aside from all of the handcrafts, they have a massive range of traditional Old English penny sweets and can also prepare party bags for children’s birthday parties. Located at Local 22, Moreras del Saladar, Avinguda del Pla, Carreterra Cabo la Nao, Javea, they have a FaceBook page www.facebook.com/fiesta.crafts and can be contacted on 96 646 1788 or by email info@fiestacrafts.eu. Open 6 days a week, Mon to Thur from 10am1.30pm and in the afternoon from 4pm-7pm and Friday from 10am-6pm. Saturday 10am-2pm.

Revamp your stairs…Try using wallpaper! WALLPAPER can be used for more than just the walls. You can renew your steps with the versatile decoration and create new colours and designs for the staircase. It may take a little preparation but the end result will be worth it. First you will need to count the number of stair risers and then measure them for height and length. Even though they may look exactly the same, you are sure to find a couple of small differences which are best to know about before you start. Cut the wallpaper to fit each riser and after cleaning the steps put a little adhesive on and start sticking your strips. Remember that you are dealing with a different surface than standard walls when you are choosing your design. You will want a roll of wallpaper that will be suitable when it is on sideways. Unpasted wallpaper is more suited to this task than the prepasted kind because water isn’t needed for the project.

Domiriat, Wikipedia

FIESTA CRAFTS is the home of crafts and party supplies on the Costa Blanca. Based in Javea, Alicante they have been operating for more than eight years. Owned and operated by Samantha who was a schoolteacher, and her partner Sally, who has a background in retail sales, they are specialists in homemade arts and crafts, offering handmade cards, scrap-booking, jewellery making goods and party decorations. The shop is now decked out ready for the festive season with everything you may need to decorate your home, from typical Christmas decorations to Christmas crackers, sweets, stocking filler gifts and greeting cards. They also have doggie stockings for the family pet, with

NOVEL IDEA: Renew your stairs with wallpaper.

OPINION & COMMENT

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LEGALLY SPEAKING

Breakdowns are on the increase AS part of a new series, we answer some common driving 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.

BREAKDOWNS INCREASE: Indicative of a worrying lack of maintenance of vehicles. ACCORDING to the Real Automovil Club de España (RACE), breakdowns have increased by 8.4 per cent in the last two months, with more than 104,000 vehicles assisted during September and October. RACE believe that the upward trend is indicative of a worrying lack of maintenance of vehicles, stressing the importance of properly maintained vehicles at all times, especially during the winter months. During September and October the RACE attended 23,640 flat batteries, an increase of 2 per cent, 10,276 tyre related incidents, an increase of 13.2 per cent, and 4,889 engine problems, an increase of 2.5 per cent. To reduce potential problems a regular check of the battery, tyres, liquid levels and windscreen and lights is recommended. Indicating Whether you call it signalling, using the

indicators, turning on the blinkers, or something else, letting other road users know what you’re doing is an essential part of road safety. Signals warn and inform other road users, including pedestrians, of your intended actions. You should always: Use them to advise other road users before changing course or direction, stopping or moving off. Cancel them after use. Give clear signals in plenty of time, having checked it is not misleading to signal at that time. If you want to stop after a side road, do not signal until you are passing the road. If you signal earlier it may give the impression you intend to turn into the road. Your brake lights will warn traffic behind you that you are slowing down. Use an arm signal to emphasise or reinforce your signal if necessary. Remember that signalling does not give you priority.

For more news and articles visit www.n332.es or search N332 on Facebook.

Neighbour’s video cameras My neighbour has installed five long-range wide-focus cameras that video and record over almost half of my property, as well as public roads. He can see everyone that calls to my property and the areas around

No, he is not allowed. Spain has strict regulations about the use of security cameras. They are limited to the owner’s property and a minimum of its surroundings. You can report him to the

my garden and pool. Is he allowed to do this? I feel very stressed to know that he is watching me and my family. What can I do about it?

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

Data Protection Agency. If your neighbour has

G.A. (Costa Blanca)

cameras that view the public way, he should be registered with the Agency. If he is not, he could be fined. Visit the Agency’s website www.agpd.es, or call 901 100 099 and 912 663 517 for more information.

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

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Some things in Spain just wind me up! Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man I HAVE to start this by saying I love living in Spain. I’ve been here for 11 years now and a regular visitor for 35 years before that. But there are some things that just wind me up and that I don’t understand. Let’s start with pedestrian crossings on roundabouts. As we all know it’s a life threating event navigating the darn things as it is, as nobody would ever dream of giving way. In fact it’s time for most to accelerate at you! So what do they do to help? Yup, stick a pedestrian crossing right on the exit so you have to stand on your brakes as the pedestrian strides out in front of you in a total act of challenge and defiance. They never even notice you have a car hurtling up behind and your front wheels are already on the crossing. Then there is the act of trying to join the main road via its 12 inch slip road. You try and edge out and jockey for position but of course no one will slow down to let you out.

However, Lewis Hamilton behind has decided there is enough space to overtake and pulls out in front of you just to prove how macho he is and fears nothing in his probably uninsured heap. Red tape and rules could drive you nuts. How about the paying of bills? You know the ones you have to pay at a certain bank on a certain day between certain hours. Whoever heard of anything so daft? And get there five minutes late, not a chance! Come back next week...oh but not that date because it is a bank holiday that day on that side of the street! Mrs S goes to the post office, not a person in there and one counter open. So up she strides and goes to speak to the lady behind the counter who looks up and says ‘you have to take a ticket’. ‘Are you joking? There is no one here except you and me?’ ‘You have to take a ticket.’ So off she goes and gets her ticket, sits down and as her bum hits the seat her number lights up and she now gets served by Señora Jobsworth. My list is actually much longer but I’ve used up my word allocation for this week so I might add more soon and, by the way, I never realised how grumpy I was!!

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Med Playa launches a dedicated Call Centre to better attend to clients RING the Call Centre and get an extra 5 per cent discount if you make the booking with the team! NEW for this year is Med Playaâ€™s very own dedicated Call Centre. Based in Torremolinos, there is a team of three Call Centre executives who answer calls and reply to customer emails seven days a week from 10am to 8pm. The Call Centre is there to answer any queries and questions customers may have about the hotels and to make bookings over the telephone. Having our own Call Centre is a natural move for Med Playa, given the increased visits and bookings made via the hotel chainâ€™s own website. As Med Playa is known for its friendly service, we

HAPPY TO HELP: The friendly team at the dedicated Call Centre.

wanted to extend this service to customers booking direct with us. We understand that people like to talk to someone about their important hotel booking, and our team at the Call Centre is happy to help with making bookings or answering any queries. We can take calls in Spanish, English, French and Catalan and we find a way to help customers of all nationalities when we need to!! There is a dedicated UK telephone number to call as well as a local Spanish number. The Call Centre was only set up in May, with the telephone lines going active on May 6. In the few months the Call Centre has been open, we have seen a fabulous response to the service. Not only are our bookings up

on last year, but our team at the Call Centre is currently answering up to 300 calls a day, helping customers with all sorts of queries: from questions about the size of beds, to what is included in the Christmas menus, or what entertainment shows there are each day of the week, to what the weather is like. So when you are booking your next Med Playa hotel, please give the Call Centre a ring and they will only be too pleased to help! Call Centre open Monday to Sunday 10am-8pm. From Spain: 951 989 315 From UK: 0843 508 5479 Email: callcentre@medplaya.com Great offers are available on www.MedPlaya.com.

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Spaniards live in flats, Brits live in houses THE hardcore facts donâ€™t lie: majority live in flats THE vast majority of Spanish citizens live in flats (66.5 per cent), over single family homes (33.1 per cent), thus making them the leading flat-owners in all of Europe. However, residents of other European countries tend to opt for houses (59.3 per cent) over flats (40 per cent): United Kingdom (84.7 per cent), Croatia (80.8 per cent), Belgium (77.6 per cent), and Holland (77.1 per cent) lead the rankings when it comes to single family homes, according to Eurostat data. Of the citizens polled, 70.1 per cent of Europeans are home owners ahead of 29.9 per cent who rent. There are countries where home ownership is the clear choice among citizens. The countries of Eastern Europe are the ones with the most home owners: Romania (96.1 per cent), Slovakia (90.3 per cent), Lithuania (89.9 per cent), Croatia (89.7 per cent) and

Hungary (89.1 per cent) are all ahead of Spain, where 78.8 per cent of residents own homes.

In the north and west of Europe, ownership and rentals are about the same.

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Advertising feature

Bridgemark Estate Group: Bringing buyers and sellers together A COMPANY that listens to its clients to find out exactly what they are looking for BRIDGEMARK Estate Group is a real estate agency run by husband and wife team Mark and Bridget. Originally from Ontario in Canada they bring a refreshing approach to buying and selling a property. “Our focus is on the client,” says Mark. “I think we have a slightly different philosophy when it comes to selling homes, more of a North American approach whereby we really pay attention and listen to our clients, find out what it is exactly that they are looking for, what their requirements are, and make sure we find the right person to buy the property at the right price. Our job is to bring buyer and seller together to a mutual understanding and to make the deal happen.” The company has over 300 properties on its books “and we have personally sat and spoken with each and

REFRESHING APPROACH: Husband and wife team Mark and Bridget are originally from Canada. every one of our clients, to let them know we are working to get them the best possible result,” adds Bridget. The pair have an extensive background when it comes to finance, real estate and sales; Bridget passed her exams in Canada as a real estate agent while Mark has worked for important insurance and financial advisory companies in North America. They came to Spain and decided to settle on the Costa Blanca after travelling the country extensively and falling in love with the area. “We know the area well, and although we have many properties in and around Moraira, we also have properties in

Calpe, Javea, Denia and as far north as Oliva and inland to the Jalon valley,” says Bridget, adding: “We can walk the client from A-Z when it comes to buying a property, we have done it ourselves as foreigners com-

ing to a new country so we know the system and understand the process. We also like to ensure that the seller is involved in the process. Who better than them to know the ideal target buyer, while it is our job to listen to

them, assess the property, offer advice and work as a mediator to bring the buyer and seller together.” What is also different about the company is the lower than usual commission rate of 3.5 per cent. “This is something that fits in with our whole business philosophy,” says Mark, “it is beneficial for everyone involved, it represents a significant saving for the seller and allows more room for negotiation as less fees are incurred with the sale of the property, allowing for a happy medium for the buyer and seller. We do not need to incorporate holiday rentals or high commission rates, we do what we do and we do it well.” Bridget and Mark are available on 603 685 159 or email info@bridgemarkestategroup.com alternatively visit their website on www.bridgemarkestategroup.com

PETS PAGE

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A dog is not a wolf in disguise 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

HAVING been involved with dogs for over 60 years, I learned many years ago like in any other industry there is a word called ‘progress’. A dog is not a wolf in disguise. I used to use pinch collars, choke chains, write and teach about the ‘alpha’ in the pack. I wish I could destroy my past four books. Much progress has been made in the ‘canine world’. We no longer shout and punish our pets. No point in rubbing a dog’s face in pee or poo and saying ‘he knows he did wrong’. No, he does not know he did wrong he only understood you were being aggressive and you were breaking down your relationship with your pet. Some of my articles relating to dogs and packs on my website www.thedogman.net go back 25 years, and are being rewritten. Meanwhile I draw your attention to the fact that dogs are not pack animals! It has been proven that many of their genes are not that of a pack animal. There are no pack rules,

we raise dogs as we raise children, and our dogs should go to a school. We do not use the word pack, as a group of dogs is a collection, there is no hierarchy. What happened to the word alpha? For many years books and articles about wolves have mentioned the alpha male and alpha female or the alpha pair. Rather than viewing a wolf pack as a group of animals organised with a ‘top dog’ that fought its way to the top, or a male-female pair of such aggressive wolves, science has come to understand that most wolf packs are merely family groups formed exactly the same way as human families are formed. That is, maturing male and female wolves from different packs disperse, travel around until they find each other and an area vacant of other wolves but with adequate prey, court, mate, and produce their own litter of pups. When one puts a random group of any species together artificially, these animals will naturally compete with each other and eventually form a type of dominance hierarchy. In such cases, it is appropriate to refer to the top-ranking individuals as alphas, implying that they competed and fought to gain their position. We do not have to fight and compete with our pets. Next time you go out with your pet try talking softly, if you want your pet to sit, get down or stay, simply say it in a whisper. Dogs have a fantastic ear and will respond better, and hey what about some signals with your hands. In my schools I never allowed anyone to speak any commands, it works.

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Clarkson Quote of theWeek

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Every year, the world’s Golf GTI enthusiasts congregate in a field in Austria, and they talk about fuel injection and wear jumpers with ‘GTI’ on them. Frankly I’d rather blow-torch my nipples off.”

Some might say...

Praga returns with a vengeance AVOIDED spotlight for 68 years AFTER auspiciously avoiding the spotlight for 68 years, Czech manufacturer Praga has announced plans for a limited edition release of the super-sport road car Praga R1R in 2016. Founded in 1907, the company quickly diversified into motorcycles, engines and gearboxes before its chief factory was heavily bombed during WWII. The R1R will be the first road model released since 1947, anticipated as a commemorative model rather than a step back into the fray.

So what does over a half century lay off bring to the contemporary landscape? The lightweight model comes in at just 670kg, with a power to weight ratio of over 575bhp/tonne enabling it to hit 0-62mph in under three seconds. It is carbon constructed and uses a 390bhp Formula Renault 2.0-litre engine enhanced by in-house turbo and electronics. Forced induction allows for plenty of torque while a sixspeed auto box offers an excellent power flow. The twoseater cabin optimises space

through offset controls and a roof mounted switchgear The design features front and rear mounted crash boxes and a carbon composite monocoque to deliver safety technology matched only in Formula one. It is in effect a

double seater race car adapted for the roads and has a generated down force that exceeds its weight, so can theoretically turn corners upside down. Marking the time since Pra-

R1R: First road model released since 1947.

ga last hit the roads, 68 custom-modified editions will be on sale coming in at a reasonable £140,000 (€199,000).

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MOTORING

Formula 1 is slowing down By Matthew Elliott

AFTER this year’s Malaysian Grand Prix, winner Fernando Alonso claimed: “The winner of Malaysia this year would have been lapped six times by the winner in 2006.” A strange and bold claim, given that technology typically enhances the speed and accuracy of a given product, but a cursory glance over timesheets confirms his suspicions. Winners in the Monaco, Canadian and Japanese Grand Prix in 2005 edged out 2015 winners by seconds. In 10 years at the Suzuka track, winning times have slowed by almost five seconds with Kimi Raikkonen scoring course record 1’31.540 in 2005 and Lewis Hamilton managing 1’36.145 earlier this year. Today’s vehicles are certainly more technologically advanced, but the chief difference between now and then is the focus of new engineering promise. Fuel efficiency, ease of use and getting around ever-growing regulations are now top priorities for engineers. Track safety should always be a concern but as David Coultard said: “The current era of F1 should always be pretty much the fastest period of the sport in history.” With F1 selling itself as the epitome of racing the FIA has stepped in and to announce plans to make cars ‘five to six seconds a lap faster’ by 2017.

Steve McQueen THE Man & Le Mans A NEW documentary will look behind the scenes at Steve McQueen’s racing film Le Mans, revered by motor-sports fans for its

powerful footage. The film is legendary for almost being the end of McQueen who was riding a crest of popularity and respect. Excepting its cult status among racing fans, the film was a critical and boxoffice catastrophe. The documentary, The Man & Le Mans, uses lost footage from the original production and investigates McQueen’s conflict with writers and directors, as the sprawling film essentially functioned without a script. A search for authenticity had McQueen purely on the drivers and cars of LeMans, a 24-hour race in France. With a keen focus on the sheer volume of iconic racing cars the Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512, the film features an intense level of audio-visual appeal rarely seen since. The Man & Le Mans will be a great opportunity for avid fans to see new footage and the tale behind the tape.

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SPORT

Pego Golf Society Blacktower Trophy OLIVA Nova Golf Course Tuesday November 24 AFTER torrential rain on Monday, the course was still open, and in pristine condition, with hardly a drop of water showing. On the day, 48 members and guests played the last Major tournament of the year, The Blacktower Trophy. It was a medal competition, played off the yellow tees for the men, and red tees for the ladies. They were treated to blue skies and a gentle breeze. Five guests participated: Richard Morris, Derek Lindley, John and Susie Snelling, and Neil Ewell, and all were warmly welcomed by Captain Brendan Young. The winner of the guest prize today was John Snelling with a net 78 playing off 14. In the main medal competition for the Blacktower Trophy the winners were as follows:Division 1 Winners 1st Place, Gordon Weston, with net 67 playing off 17.1 2nd Place Shaun O’Gorman with

MEDAL COMPETITION: Winning line-up for Blacktower Trophy. net 72 playing off 4.5 3rd Place Steve Patton with net 73 playing off 12.3

4th Place Robert Jenkins with net 75 playing off 18 5th Place Andrew Harrison

with net 76 playing off 11.6 6th Place Charlie Miller with net 76 playing off 16.9

Well played, everybody, with special mention to our winner Gordon Weston, with a magnificent net 67. I played with this guy last week, and he blanked the last two holes for 36 points. He has been cut 2.7 for next week. Special mention also goes to Shaun O’Gorman who scored 72 net playing off 4.5. Shaun had two 2s but did not put his money in the pot for the prize. There were three other twos today, by Captain Brendan Young, Angus Muir and Robert Jenkins. ‘Balls in the Water’ was won by Paul Singh with 126 balls. ‘Nearest The Pin’ at hole No 5 with his second shot was Brendan Young with 1.44 metres, and at hole No 16, the winning shot was played by Ken Millar with 2.92 metres. Those interested can enter through website www.pegogolfsociety.com or send an email to Donna Green at pegohandicapsec@ gmail.com

Sporting Alfas Cricket Imanyo Golf Society Club Sporting Alfas 2nd ‘Dave Rotchell Trophy’ SECOND time around for hotly-contested event X1 v Intellectuals (Alicante Cup) THE 2015 Spencer Dawes Alicante Cup ON a sunny but windy November day the thought of Geoff Evans’ tea and chocolate biscuits induced the players of both Sporting Alfas and the Intellectuals to turn up punctually for the 15th Alicante Cup at the Woodbridge Oval in Albir, the fourth in which the name of the great muchmissed Spencer Dawes’s name was also associated. After the early dismissal of Ian Macinnes, and one drive too many from Waseem Waris (25) the Intellectuals were 70 for 2 and with only three balls left from the admirable Basharat Ali prospects looked good. But Tim Richards dragged one on, Yaseer (30) was very well caught on the deep mid wicket boundary, and Chris Horne carried on his Ian Bell impersonation, (looking quite at ease and then playing a poor shot to a good ball from Kieran Perman).

(Perhaps he too should be dropped - Ed.) A rollicking 18 not out by Bob Nix (relishing in not being the oldest player in the Intellectuals side) took the Intellectuals’ batsmens’ contribution to 148, which extras boosted to 189 for 8 off the allocated 35 overs. Andy Dell, not content with an excellent catch, picked up the last three wickets. Most pavilion sages considered this well short, even if the Intellectuals bowled well, which - with the exception of Yaseer - they did not. Phillip Pennick put the - rather large number of - bad balls away well supported by Jack Perman, until the combination of Pennick’s calling and some smart fielding ran Jack out. This turned out to be a tactical error by the fielding side, as young Perman (J) was replaced by not quite so young Perman (K), who set about en-

suring that a man who runs out one’s little brother does not get a man of the match award, dealing with bad balls even more savagely than his partner. With 15 wanted Pennick (73) (“allegedly suffering from” surely Ed.), a pain in the backside, was “hauled off for a Kopperberg” (according to his Facebook page). This induced Yaseer to try a revolutionary tactic - as far as the Intellectuals were concerned in this match - of bowling straight - too much for Chris Cooper and Ben Marriner before Kieran Perman finished the match off with 70 not out for a six wicket victory. Intellectuals of Alicante 189-8 (Ibitsam 30, Yaseer 30, Waseem 25, Andy Dell 3 for 35, Kieran Perman 2 for 26, Abdul Wajid 2 for 52) Sporting Alfas 190 -4 (Pennick 70, Kiernan Perman 70 not out, Yaseer 2 for 16)

Steve Day and Harry Goldsmith won with 44 points. THIS was the second time around for this Trophy and many thanks to Dave Rotchell for sponsoring the day. Defending winners, Alan Byrne and Andy Ramage were here to see if they could repeat the success they had last year. Odd numbers meant photographer, Harry the Lens, played as Texas Scramble needed even numbers. Seven pairs played, this was only Harry’s second game played in Spain but I was the fortunate one as I paired with Harry and we won by one point. Alan Byrne and Andy Ramage were runners up on count back with two other pairs. Winners of the ‘Dave Rotchell Trophy’ were Steve Day and Harry Goldsmith with 44

points, runners up were Alan Byrne and Andy Ramage with 45 points on count back, also on 45 points were Alan Rodger and Wendy Ralph and Donald Main and Mick Billins. Only two nearest the pins were won, hole 8 by Mick Billins and hole 17 by Alan Byrne. The football card was won by Ronnie King with Southampton winning €20 and raising €20 for this year’s charity, Parkinson’s. Due to Imayo’s being closed for holidays, breakfast relocated to The Village Inn in Catral and the presentation afterwards was held at the Parroquia Bar in Daya Nueva. Fantastic hospitality was received from both venues.

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FLYING THE FLAG: Players in the special St Andrews Medal Tournament.

Orba Warblers Golf Society ST ANDREWS Medal Competition sponsored by Bob & Rosemary Edwards Today 28 players travelled south to Alicante Golf Club for a special St Andrews Medal Tournament and the final leg of the 2015 Eclectic Competition. The sponsors dispensed whisky, coffee and shortbread on the first tee to all competitors whilst the Saltire flag billowed away in the background. It was a fresh, sunny morning with strong winds blowing across a course which was in good condition, playing long with tricky, rough and difficult pin positions yielding just one sub-par round. With a net 71 that serial winner Glynn Braidley (Hcp 9.0) took the St Andrews Gold Medal. Glynn also claimed the best scratch award, as well as the nearest the pin prize on hole 3 and must now be a serious contender for several end of year awards. Making a welcome return to the podium, taking the Silver Medal with a net 73, was Stafford Pemberton (Hcp 19.7) finally getting that long easy swing back on track, it should not be too long before he’s back in Division One. Taking the Bronze Medal was Clive Kay with a very good net 74 (Hcp 19.1). Fourth place went to General Secretary Michael Taylor who battled his way to a net 75 (Hcp 15.1) after fighting against some heavy cross winds on the last three

holes. Fifth and sixth places were decided on count back, with Vice Captain David Knight (Hcp 8.4) just edging out Fred Cooley (Hcp 12.4), both recording a net 76. Best Ladies prize was won by Sylvia Mortensen with a net 78 (Hcp 18.2 ). Sylvia also took the ladies’ longest drive prize and wrapped up a good day by winning the football card with ‘Blackburn Rovers’, and kindly donated her winnings into the Captain’s Charity Bucket. Other nearest the pin winners were Mike Morley on hole 12

and John Daniels, with the shot of the day to the very difficult pin position on hole 17. Chris Hoare boomed a big one on hole 10 to take the men’s longest drive prize. Three 2’s today with the coveted Orba Warbler Balls going to David Knight on hole 8, El Presidente Arturo Sullivan draining one on hole 12 and Steve Robo on hole 15. Well done to all the winners today, especially to Gold Medal Winner Glynn Braidley. Thanks to Rosemary & Bob for sponsoring the day.

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MATT JONES: Won the Australian Open golf by one shot, beating world number one Jordan Spieth.

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Success for Altea Golf’s Open Morning LAST Friday’s open morning at Altea Golf Club for potential new golfers proved to be a great success with many more attendees than anticipated. The weather was perfect and seven different nationalities were represented, which illustrates the international appeal of golf.

A f t e r c o ff e e e v e r y o n e was given a brief introductory talk about the club before moving to the practice area where they enjoyed free lessons on putting and c h i p p i n g f r o m t h e c l u b ’s resident professionals. These were followed by a fun putting competition and a tour of the course on golf buggies. Finally all returned to the clubhouse where prizes were awarded and drinks taken on to the beautiful restaurant terrace. C l u b M a n a g e r, P a b l o Riestra Rivas commented: “The unexpected response illustrates that there are many people living on the

PRACTICE SESSION: Tips on putting and chipping from resident professionals. Costa Blanca who would love to play golf but either

never get around to it or are not sure of the best way

to get started.” He went on to say: “Here at Altea Golf

Club we would be pleased to assist anyone to get started and to offer advice on which equipment they might need. We can also put them in contact with the many different groups who play here, including Spanish, Dutch, German, Scandinavians and English groups, all of whom welcome new members.” Following the success of the open morning the club intends holding further such events in the New Year. Anyone interested should contact the club office on 965 848 046 or email info@alteagolfclub.com.