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ISSUE NO. 1591

EWN

31 Dec 2015 - 6 Jan 2016

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

The only one, 6 editions, 52 weeks a year

Torrevieja water will save the day for all Keith Williamson

DESALINATION plant to make up the shortfall

By Linda Hall The good news is that the New Year will bring mild weather and higher-than-normal temperatures. The bad news is that 2016 will be the third year of drought for Alicante Province and 2015 brought patchy rainfall that did little to improve the situation for the Vega Baja. Only the monsoon-like downpours of September and early November alleviated conditions for

the southern Costa Blanca. Nor does it help that this January could be the first time without a water transfer from the Tajo-Segura pipeline which has brought water from central Spain to Alicante and Murcia each month since 1979, transforming Vega Baja agriculture and guaranteeing the domestic supply. Now levels at the reservoirs that feed the pipeline are only slightly above the cut-off point for water transfers.

No-one need go without, however, because the shortfall will come from the Torrevieja desalination plant. This costs 10 times more than the Tajo-Segura water and the rise will be reflected in the tariffs paid by local

town halls which in turn will be passed on to consumers. Agricultural produce from the Vega Baja and neighbouring Murcia will also be affected by price rises, warned the Asaja agricultural union.

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E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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NEWS

LOCAL NEWS

Better road THE ministry of Public Works approved plans to widen the access to Alicante airport with a €29.3 million project doubling the width of the N-338 in the direction

of the N-332 and the A70. Work will affect a total of 4.75 kilometres, improving traffic flow and eliminating a dangerous section of road, the ministry said.

On the beat MORE than 3,000 Local Police officers in Valencian Community municipalities aged between 55 and 64 no longer go out on patrol but attend to paperwork. The SPPLB union which represents police and firemen calculate this situation will deteriorate further and by 2020 at least half will be occupied with admin tasks.

No tower tour TORRE VAILLO, a 16th century lookout tower in the middle of the Elche palm forest, will no longer be open to the public on Sunday mornings. The three-party politi-

cal alliance that controls Elche City Hall has decided that it is no longer cost-effective to pay overtime for a municipal employee to attend to the public.

Woman dies after argument A VILLENA man, aged 37, was remanded after allegedly battering his ex-wife to death with a stone after they recommenced their relationship. They quarrelled while dining out, he admitted, but denied killing the 36-year-old mother of two and claimed that she fell and hit her head on a stone while they were arguing.

agency Cv-m-700A

PRIZEWINNERS: Choir members with Jose Manuel Dolon and Domingo Soler.

Torrevieja junior choir brings home 3rd prize MUNICIPAL CHOIR SCHOOL ensures tradition is maintained By Gemma Quinn THE Junior Choir from Torrevieja’s Escuela Coral Municipal took third place in the Rojales Carols and Lullabies contest. This was the 37th edition of the nationwide competition, one of the most important in Spain, and the excellent result brought

with it €1,000 and a trophy. Representatives from the choir later visited the town hall where they were received by Torrevieja’s mayor Jose Manuel Dolon and councillor Domingo Soler. “We are very proud of our Municipal Choir School which ensures that Torrevieja’s choral tradition is maintained,” said Dolon who is al-

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so president of the board that organises the annual Habaneras song contest. “Not only that, but the prizes and recognition you bring home from festivals and contests demonstrate that you are doing a very good job,” the mayor told the choir members and Pilar Paez, director of the Escuela Coral Municipal.

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

Featured News 3

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The Sunday opening controversy rumbles on NEW ruling means spending habits will change

European Press 38

Russian Press 40

Finance 41 - 46

Stocks 42

Leapy Lee 47

Daily TV 48, 50, 52, 54,

56, 58, 60

Letters 51

By Linda Hall ALICANTE CITY stores denied Sunday opening are still deliberating how to fight new regulations. Their counterparts in Valencia City have decided to take a firm stance on a similar ruling and plan to fight the measure through the courts. The regional government’s Consell, equivalent to a Cabinet, gave the go-ahead to Alicante City Council’s decision to exclude big Avenida Maisonnave stores from opening on Sundays and national holidays. Alicante Mayor Gabriel Echavarri said he was keeping his election promise, and had the backing of most members of the Commerce Committee. The move is designed to promote smaller stores and familyrun shops although not all back the city hall initiative. Alicante members of

Les Haines

News Desk 37

ALICANTE CITY: Move to promote businesses away from Maisonnave. ANGED, Spain’s national association of big stores whose members include El Corte Ingles, described the measure as ‘a backward step.’

Although ANGED respected the decision, a spokesman said the association stressed it does not support the Maisonnave exclusion. El Corte Ingles has not

expressed an opinion yet. The new regulations will not benefit shoppers and are going to change spending habits, ANGED warned.

Time Out 63 - 66

Colin Bird 67

Our View 67

Health & Beauty 69 - 71

Social Scene 72 - 75

Property 76 - 79

Homes & Gardens 80 - 81

Pets 82

Services 83 - 89

Classifieds 90 - 92

Motoring 93 - 94 Sport 95 - 96

EWN’s 2015 - A year in review AT the risk of extreme understatement, 2015 has been an eventful year. Rather than bring you the usual rundown of global trends and excitements, we thought our readers might appreciate

some of the local highlights that their community has experienced over the past year. The following pages will be devoted to a recap of some of what we considered to be the defining tales that 2015 brought

to our papers. Some were of immense local significance, while others have touched all of our hearts, we hope you find time for both reflection and joy in this trip down memory lane.

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A REVIEW OF 2015

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

The World is due in port RY A NU JA p 8,000 Ecuadorian and Bolivian people have left Lorca in recent years due to the financial crisis and incentives offered to return home. Many of those who chose to stay had married Spaniards.

computers, smartphones.

tablets

and

p g p and speed up communication while also allowing parents to keep track

Conflicts and problems will also be quicker to report and resolve.

Recognition for workers SANTA POLA followed tradition by holding a ceremony to honour municipal workers who retired in 2014. Seven workers were awarded with diplomas by the mayor, Miguel Zaragoza, and council members.

(INEM).

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Race for charity TORREVIEJA Athletics Club and Urban Woman establishment organised a Charity Three Kings race last Sunday with donations and non-perishable goods collected for Alimentos Solidarios.

Recognition for police IN preparation for Easter 2015, the Santisimo Cristo de la Esperanza y Maria Santisima de los Dolores Brotherhood has awarded Murcia Regional Police force with its gold medal. Local improvements CHANNELLING of the Rambla de las Señoritas in La Viña, Lorca, has left space for construction of a new park and gardens which will offer sports, leisure and cultural activities.

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Worker arrested A WORKER was arrested in Murcia after climbing over a fence outside the Ciudad de Transportes and causing €5,000 worth of damage to a lorry belonging to the company he worked for.

UNDER ATTACK: People have eggs and flour thrown at them while dressed in military gear.

Mock ‘coup’ quelled at traditional festival

OT content with pelting each other with

popping firecrackers, the allegorical new ‘rulers’ of

Royal visit MELCHIOR, Gaspar and Balthazar visited children in Orihuela hospital on Sunday bearing gifts to brighten up the day for the young patients and their families.

Protected areas FOUR new areas of Murcia were declared Special

January 8, Issue 1540 LUXURY residential cruise ship The World will spend three days docked in Cartagena Port at the end of April. Popularly referred to as ‘the millionaires’ boat’, The World has 165 private residences on board with purchase prices ranging from €1 million to more than €6 million and rentals from €1,000-€4,000 a day. Owners can get on and off the ship, which was built in 2002 by Norwegian designers Petter Yran and Bjørn Storbraaten at an estimated cost of €3 billion, anywhere across the five continents it travels between each year, and residents vote on

THE WORLD: To spend three days docked in Cartagena Port. the routes to be taken. This will not only be the first year a cruise ship stops overnight at Cartagena, but also the first time 140,000 cruise passengers visit in one season, a figure which is increasing every year. Although the number of ships due is lower than last year, they will be larger and carry more passengers.

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A warm welcome on a cold night for New Year babies THE Valencian Community’s first 2015 baby was a girl. Her parents Alicia and Jorge have called her Ana. She was born at nine minutes after midnight on January 1 in La Fe Hospital in Valencia City and weighed 3.65 kilos. The first baby to come into the world in Alicante Province was another girl, Sulamita. Her Spanish mother gave birth in Alicante City’s Hospital General Universitario at 12.50am and the baby weighed in at exactly three kilos. Another newborn - and yet another girl - also arrived at 12.50am, this time at Castellon City’s Hospital General. She is to be called Valeria. All three baby girls were received into a warm world of family love, but the weather outside was less welcoming as the New Year was rung in. Temperatures fell to 6ºC below freezing in some parts of both Valencia and Castellon Provinces, and also fell to 2ºC below zero in inland Alicante.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

Skeletal horses saved from horrific breeding yard RY A NU JA Cartagena is listed as the most expensive large city in

of Cabo de Palos has been recognised as the most

than Jumilla, where average price is €505.

the

Mortgage clause AN Elche couple are to be repaid €12,000 after a court in Alicante ruled their bank had to repay the money ruling a clause in their mortgage loan “lacked clarity” and that the couple had been overpaying since 2008. Costly lay-offs ELCHE’S health department dismissed 41 workers from 2010 to October 2014 amounting to compensation of just over €391,000 being paid. Unemployment falls UNEMPLOYMENT fell in Elche in December by 281 people. The total number of unemployed in the city now stands at 31,823, a decrease of 5,366 compared to December 2012. Beach blaze RUSH hour traffic suffered

coast at Cabo de Palos.

Winter sunshine NASA ISS012E11144

in the Valencia Region compared to last year. Flu season has been reported as milder this year due to the higher temperatures recorded so far this winter.

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SPRING like conditions are set to continue this weekend across the Alicante province according to the Meteorological Agency. Daytime temperatures have been reaching 20 degrees Celsius, but falling to lows of three overnight.

Cheap tickets RENFE has discounted 750,000 train tickets on the AVE high speed and long distance routes available on sale until January 18.

SUCCESSFUL SEASON: The Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Spain, as seen from the International Space Station.

So far so successful for Sierra Nevada

HE Sierra Nevada ski resort enjoyed its

Throughout the break the resort kept as many

Paris tribute THE French Lyceum of Alicante paid tribute to the victims of the Paris terrorist attack with a ceremony and moments silence at the centre.

Popular belen THREE weeks after it was officially opened and the new Belen Museum in Lorca has

January 15, Issue 1541 THE Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre in Rojales has been involved in a major joint operation to rescue a group of severely malnourished horses and donkeys from a breeding yard in Granada. One foal was found dead at the property, and other animals were allegedly moved before authorities could act. Police were alerted to the

SKELETAL: One of the horses rescued in Granada and now being cared for at Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre. case by Malaga-based donkey rescue charity El Refugio del Burrito, which teamed up with the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre to save the animals left behind.

At least four donkeys were taken into custody and El Refugio del Burrito then paid to truck four horses from Granada to Rojales: “They can’t just take the

donkeys and leave the horses, every animal has to be removed if there’s a court order,” Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre co-founder Sue Weeding said. “Basically, if we didn’t take these horses, all of these animals would be left there to suffer, because the courts can’t hand them over to places that aren’t registered charities and there just aren’t that many registered charities around that take horses.” The Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre will now permanently care for the rescued

stallion and three mares, all of which were all later found to be pregnant and are due to give birth soon. “You wouldn’t even know they’re in foal, they’re so thin,” Sue said. It is understood that police are pushing for prosecution. For more information on the rescue centre call 652 021 980 or visit www.easy horsecare.net. The centre is fully funded by donations and money raised through the charity shops. Open days are held every Sunday.

Jobs promise from president A L B E RT O FA B R A , P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Va l e n c i a n C o m m u n i t y, i s committed to creating between 75,000 and 100,000 jobs this year. In his traditional endof-year speech, he t h a n k e d t h e r e g i o n ’s families for their forbearance in coping with the crisis and promised more employment opportunities. His term in office has been characterised by the four basic pillars of good example, good management, participat i o n a n d t r a n s p a r e n c y, Fabra claimed. Wi t h l o c a l a n d r e gional elections in May, he also indirectly attacked the up-and-comi n g p o l i t i c a l p a r t y, Podemos. “This is the moment of evolution, not revolution. We have to consolidate the progress m a d e s i n c e t h e Tr a n s i tion without making false moves that would have the opposite effect,” he warned.

A REVIEW OF 2015

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Cruising into 2015 Y AR U BR E F come to fruition following delays as a result of the requirements

the salinas and the salt industry. A tourist train will then take visitors

distinguished companies with 34 having the award. Sebas Romero/Red Bull/SIPA/Cordon Press

road from the town to Calle Maria Cristina at a cost of €550,000. Benejuzar budgets BENEJUZAR has approved a budget for 2015 of €3 million, with around €1 million planned on investments to improve the infrastructure of the town. Eviction stopped ANTI-EVICTION platforms have managed to halt the planned eviction of a family with a three-year-old child in Catral. They had been paying their rent but it seems the banks had not received payments from the owners. Doctor exams AROUND 3,000 health sciences graduates in the Valencia Region have sat exams to get a seat on one of the specialised training courses offered by the Ministry of Health in public hospitals. More nurses UNION officials are calling on Elche’s General Hospital to increase the number of nurses and nursing assistants to deal with the increase in cases of

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dinners for two people in restaurants around the town. The campaign runs until Valentine’s Day.

Cycle lanes A NEW 30km network of cycle lanes in Pilar de la Horadada has been completed connecting the town centre with Mil Palmeras, Torre de la Horadada and El Mojon.

Tech park THE Fuente Alamo technology park in Murcia is being expanded to attract more high-tech companies to the Murcia Region. Over 20 new industrial plots will be made available on the 180,000 square metre area being developed.

THRILL-SEEKING: Extreme sports go up a notch.

Daredevils’ ‘slingshot’ jump at 7G is spectacular

PAIR of death-defying adrenaline junkies have taken it upon themselves

they somersaulted through the air before slingshotting themselves in perfect tandem out of

Toy sales FOREIGN sales by Alicante Province toy manufacturers rose by 6.4 per cent between January and November last year with exports to the USA increasing 40 per cent.

February 5, Issue 1544. CRUISE passenger numbers in 2015 are expected to reach more than 230,000 in local ports. Last year around 138,000 foreign visitors to the Murcia Region arrived by cruise ship at Cartagena, representing approximately a sixth of all tourists from abroad. The president of Cartagena Port Authority, Antonio Sevilla, hopes that this year, the figure will rise to around 150,000, further boosting the local economy. This year, there are at present 102 confirmed visits to the city by cruise ships. This is seven less than last year but the ships are bigger, bringing more passengers and one cruise

CRUISERS: Alicante Port hopes to double the number of cruise passengers this year. liner has already confirmed a stop-over in Cartagena for three days. Most of the visitors on ships are British, with UK tourists accounting for 63 per cent of last year’s total, followed by Americans at 20 per cent and Germans, 9 per cent. The port of Alicante plans to double the number of cruise passengers to reach 88,000 this year. The new chairman of the port authority, Juan Ferrer, is hopeful of the increase, citing the 34,583 passengers who disembarked in the port last year, arriving on 29 cruise ships. With 49 liners

planned this year the city is hoping to double the number of visitors. Ferrer explained that measures had been taken to promote Alicante Port as a cruise destination with lower port tariffs and a doubling of efforts in the services provided, including an expansion in the range of excursions available. He added that Alicante had the advantage of being able to serve the largest ships in the world. Tourists arriving on cruise ships spend an estimated €75 per person per day, with them being predominantly British, as in Cartagena.

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

Police use Facebook to help expat drivers Y AR U BR FE

February 12, Issue 1545. NEARLY 3,000 people have been gaining valuable driving information from the Guardia Civil’s new Facebook pa ge , la unc he d jus t two weeks ago. Set up by Francisco Morales, an officer attached to Torrevieja’s traffic department, with help from his colleagues, the site has far exceeded expectations with hundreds ‘liking’ the page each day. Following changes in the law regard-

GUARDIA CIVIL: Have set up a Facebook page to explain the law to expats. ing driving lic e nc e s , Morales set up the page to explain the law in English for expatriates. “There have been many changes in the law in recent months and a lot of Spanish drivers don’t know about them, so how can expats be expected to know? So I set up the page and thought I could add information and articles in my spare time, but it has been flooded with questions and followers,” Morales remarked. A Guardia Civil officer since 2002, Morales hopes

the page will break down the barriers between residents and police and give drivers a better understanding of the law and rules and regulations, and ultimately make the roads safer for everyone, lowering the accident r at e and pr event i ng people from getting fined. But isn’t that what their job is, fining people? “Yes,” said Morales, “but we don’t want to be fining people because they don’t know the law. I want to fine you for br eaki ng t he l aw t hat I know you know. We al so

Murcia’s crime rate decreases MURCIA is one of the safest regions in the whole country. That’s according to the latest crime statistics revealed for 2014 which showed a fall in reported crime of 3.7 per cent, with an average of 35.9 offences per 1,000 inhabitants. The national average is 44.8 offences per 1,000 people. All areas of crime in Murcia saw a fall in numbers, except for homicides. Last year there were nine in the region whereas there

were only five in 2013. One of the largest areas of improvement was in rural and agricultural theft. Thanks to extra rural crime o ff i c e r s b e i n g d r a f t e d i n and increasing initiatives to reduce rural thefts, 874 crimes were reported last year, compared to 1,144 in 2013. Vi o l e n t c r i m e s f e l l b y 8.4 per cent, robberies by 7 per cent and drug related o ff e n c e s f e l l b y 2 4 . 6 p e r cent.

want t o educat e peopl e about why they are being fined and why those rules are in place.” And the question of the UK driving licence? “If it is a valid 10-year driving licence you are OK to drive with it in Spain. When it expires, you have to renew it wi t h a Spani sh one,” he said. Readers are invited to ask Morales driving-related questions via his Facebook page, search N332, or email gemma.quinn@euroweeklyn ews.com.

Tourism jobs rise THE tourism sector in the Valencia Region created a total of 22,971 new jobs last year, with 70 per cent of them on the Costa Blanca. According to data published by EPA Turespaña, workers have gone from 214,219 at the end of 2013 to 237,190 at the end of last year. “Some results are the consequence of the good performance of the sector, with growth in passenger numbers and tourist spending confirming 2014 as a record year,” said Regional Minister for Tourism and Commerce Maximo Buch, adding: “This figure represents a 10.7 per cent increase over the occupied sector in 2013, the second largest increase among the autonomous communities which confirms the strength of our tourism industry as a source of employment.”

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

€25m for much-needed school improvements H RC A M

March 5, Issue 1548.

AN investment of €25 million has been promised to improve five schools across the Vega Baja. Regional Secretary for Education, Manuel Tomas, visited Orihuela and Torrevieja to deliver the news. He said: “This is aimed at providing quality facilities to all Valencian municipalities where temporary facilities currently exist or it is necessary to increase capacity.” Tomas said the Ministry of Education was working hard to finalise the necessary paperwork. The new classrooms being built are part of a regional government plan to replace 75 per cent of the temporary classrooms still in use in Valencia. One of the schools to benefit will be CEIP Playas de Ori-

PARENT POWER: Vega Baja schools will now get attention. huela, which will not only get six classrooms for early infant and primary education, but also a new cafeteria at a cost of more than €7 million. In Torrevieja, 24 classrooms and a new canteen will be added at the CEIP Amanecer school.

More than €5 million is budgeted for more classrooms and a dining room at Guardamar’s CEIP Dama de Guardamar. San Fulgencio will see eight new secondary education units and a new dining room built for €4.2 million.

The long-awaited Principe de España school in Rojales will finally see construction improve the conditions at the centre as €4.17 million is being allocated for 18 new units for primary education and a cafeteria, after years of protests by parents.

INSPECTION VISIT: Government officials on the new pedestrian path in La Mata.

Coastal upgrades for Torrevieja A TOTAL of €505,118 has been invested by Alicante Coastal Service to undertake repairs and emergency measures along the promenades of La Mata and Playa de Los Locos in Torrevieja. Government Delegate in Valencia, Serafin Castilian, visited the works in a section of the municipal park of the Molina de Agua in La Mata, accompanied by Mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolon, and various government officials. Castilian stressed the government’s commitment to improving and preserving the Alicante coast,

which saw an investment increase of 181 per cent during 2014 compared to 2013, a trend that is maintained this year, receiving a budget of €3.2 million, a 52.4 per cent increase from last year. Work has included emergency repairs on the footpath in La Mata, repairs to masonry at Playa de los Locos, which was destroyed in recent storms, and improvements to the pedestrian path in La Mata, which has also allowed the recovery of more than 5,000 square metres of beach.

A REVIEW OF 2015

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

Business begins to boom once again CH R MA spread across 14 different areas, but none of the areas have

plans on the part of farmers and other business concerns, but if

special areas of conservation and marine sites. klublu / Shutterstock.com

models of landmark buildings of Crevillente and the municipality. The exhibition of work is open until April 11 in Calle Corazon de Jesus from 6-9pm Monday to Saturday. Lights off CARTAGENA is joining the World Earth Hour initiative on Saturday and will turn off the lights at 10pm at the Palacio Consistorial in a bid to raise awareness about environmental issues.

hour’s sleep is the price we pay to welcome back those long, sunny evenings.

Car to tram A CAR jumped the security fence and landed on the tram track at the stop of Isleta on line four, headed towards Alicante.

Gang trial THE trial has begun this week in Alicante of those accused in the shooting between two rival family clans which occurred in San Vicente del Raspeig in July 2013. Over 20 bullet holes were counted and police initially made 21 arrests.

Flamenco teaching THE Virgen de la Puerta school in Orihuela, one of the poorest schools in the province, has won the Award for Teacher Action with a project that has been able to instill poetry in the classroom through flamenco. Vatican performance THE Conservatory Choir of Orihuela celebrated their sixth anniversary in the Vatican. The 70strong choir sang five pieces

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Half marathon

RELIGIOUS SPECTACLE: Holy Week processions take place throughout Spain.

Prepare to be amazed!

AROUND 3,000 runners took part in Elche’s 43rd half marathon which was won by Moroccan Hassane Ahouchar.

Pets allowed DISABLED pets are now allowed on public transport in

March 26, Issue 1551. FOR the first time since the start of the economic crisis, there has been a boost in business creation in Alicante. Statistics reveal that in the last year 191 new businesses have been created, including 111 shops and 80 catering establishments, compared to the 144 which have closed, leaving a positive balance of 47 establishments; a recovery that is noticeable especially in the traditional centre of the city.

BOOST: 80 catering establishments opened in Alicante in the past year. The impact of tourism is cited as one of the causes of this improvement. In the past year, the number of travellers staying in Alicante rose 9 per cent compared to 2010, thanks to the 627,000 visitors who came and the 1.5 million overnight stays registered, resulting in a good year for Alicante as a tourist destination. The study was pre-

pared by sociologists based on a census that includes the type of business, size, brand, location, and economic activity, according to which there are 3,415 establishments that develop retail business, as well as hospitality, catering and entertainment businesses in the centre of Alicante. Of these, 2,760 are open and the others closed a lower per-

centage than that recorded in Madrid. The city council agreed with the findings of the study, saying: “There are more openings and premises available. They are creating new businesses and modernising the commercial fabric thanks to online sales and image updating of many establishments.”

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Quarry to get a life of leisure recreational area FIVE THOUSAND pine trees are being given to the town of Cox by the government to be planted in the old quarry. The pine planting is part of a regeneration project to turn the old quarry into a recreational area and one of the largest green spaces in the Vega Baja. The first phase of the plan has begun with the construction of a perimeter wall from 300 tonnes of stone. Thirty unemployed people will be given work on the project, recruited through three employment workshops and grants totalling €600,000. Carob, fig and olive trees will also be planted to attract wildlife and help reduce the impact of possible pests such as the Tomi-

cus pine beetle.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

Better days to come in next four years, says the mayor THE next four years will be better than the last. That’s the promise from Torrevieja Mayor Eduardo Dolon.

In reaching out to the expatriate community, the mayor, joined by Councillor Rosario Martinez, was open in speaking

about projects for the town, past, present and future. He highlighted the biggest project the town hall has undertaken this term in office; supporting and helping families in need. The town hall has also worked hard to reduce the debt which four years ago was 80 per cent; that has now been reduced to 60 per cent and over the next four years, the mayor plans to reduce it further. In meeting with the international media, Mayor Dolon said exciting times were ahead for the town. He highlighted the last phase of the new Semana Santa museum now under way and plans for the harbour and marina salinas fishing industry. He recognised the work and efforts of the expat community, charities and local associations, saying they probably give more to the town than the town gives them. Close ties have been formed in recent years and the mayor hopes this will continue.

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A REVIEW OF 2015

A befitting fountain RIL P A EWN

El Campello and San Juan on drug trafficking charges, seizing cocaine, hashish, marihuana and ecstasy plus €8,000 cash.

ing. In total 11,040 purchases were made in the Murcia Region last year, 11.9 per cent

sales also increased in 2014. Spending on Murcian properties last year reached €4.96 billion. In the Valencia Region, prop-

cante Province with over half of all residential property purchases of the Costa Blanca made by foreigners.

THE Bonotaxi programme has been set up in Murcia to help with taxi transportation for severely disabled people throughout 2015. For more details contact Murcia Town Hall.

Legionnaires budget ELCHE City Council has allocated a €150,000 budget, taken from the contingency fund for the control of Legionnaires disease in municipal sports facilities across the city. What’s the rush ALICANTE, Elche and Benidorm head the list of drivers in the province who have lost points on their licences due to speeding. Obviously healthy ONLY 290 foreign residents under the 65 retirement age have subscribed to the €60 per month contribution to be covered for healthcare on the Social Security system. El Llano Care Centre THE mayor and the minister f H lth d S i l P li

Miguel Town Hall show that 13.7 per cent of those participating never read a newspaper.

Bonotaxi programme

All go in Torry AFTER a three year delay work has restarted on the four-storey Easter Museum located on the Avd de las Habaneras in Torrevieja.

Market pitches TENDER applications for pitches at the Callosa de Segura Municipal Market have been extended until April 17 at 10am.

SEVILLA FERIA: One of the most internationally recognised Andalucian spring celebrations.

Sevilla in April, a citysized party not to miss PROBABLY one of the most internationally recognised Andalucian spring celebrations, the Feria de Abril in Sevilla is held every year during the third k ft E t

(Night of the Fish) due to the fact that people traditionally ate fish for dinner on the night, Monday 20 will see thousands head for the Real de la Feria fairdb t L R di d T bl d di t i t

Easter school EASTER School in Callosa de Segura is now in session until April 10 from 9am until 1pm for ages 3 to 8 years. A meal is included.

Aspe workshop ASPE’S Black Theatre Workshop on Wednesdays and Fridays is running until Friday April 10. Telephone enquiries h ld b d t 966 919

April 2, Issue 1552 PILAR de la Horadada has a new fountain. It was inaugurated by Mayor José Fidel Ros, who referred to the past efforts of Carmina, Pili, Encarnita, Sole, Fina, Tivina, Maruja and Mariana. In 1965, the ladies managed to moti-

FOUNTAIN OF MEMORIES: In Pilar de la Horadada. vate the townspeople to build a fountain to be placed in front of the doors of Pilar Church in Plaza de la Iglesia. At the time, Pilar was still a hamlet of Orihuela. The fountain was later de-

molished when the plaza was remodelled in 1988. Mayor Jose felt the new fountain was a sincere and appropriate tribute to those ladies from the town hall, and for residents of all ages to enjoy.

HAPPY EASTER: Tourists returned for what is being described as the most successful Easter in a decade.

Easter brings €40m EASTER has generated around €40million for the hotel industry

in the Valencia Region, with over half of that coming from Alicante

Province where hotels averaged 85 per cent occupancy levels. Regional Minister of Economy, Industry, Tourism and Employment, Maximo Buch, expressed his satisfaction with the good results achieved by the tourism sector in terms of the number of travellers and overnight stays, which has also resulted in a increase in spending compared to 2014. “These results show good occupancy data recorded this holiday season, with hotels along the coast of Alicante Province averaging 85 per cent occupancy (4.5 per cent more than last year) with peaks above 90 per cent in several municipalities like Benidorm (98 per cent),” he said. The minister stressed that Easter “is often a barometer of how the next summer season will be so we certainly have high expectations in terms of travellers, overnight stays and tourist spending.”

FINANCE

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016/ Costa Blanca South

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New Year Financial Planning Review The New Year is an excellent time to carry out a “wealth-review” to make sure your money is working as well as it can for you. Spending a little time now will help you preserve your wealth over the long term to meet your financial objectives. Are you up to date with the latest developments in Spain and internationally that affect you? Do you have a considered, strategic tax and wealth management plan in place? Has there been any change in your circumstances since you last reviewed your affairs? Once you have assessed your investments, tax planning, succession planning and pensions, you will then be able to discuss any necessary adjustments with your financial adviser. Savings and investments Are you sure your investments, and the mix of them, is suitable for your life in Spain – and for your circumstances, needs, time horizon and risk tolerance? This is such an

By Brett Hanson, Partner, Blevins Franks important element of protecting and growing your wealth, yet many people do not have an investment plan in place, or have neglected one they set up years ago. You may have built up a portfolio of shares and funds over the years, without really considering how they work together or whether they suit your aims. Consider the principles for successful investing below. • Your appetite for risk

Obtain a clear and objective assessment of your appetite for risk, or your portfolio will not be suitable for you. • Match your risk profile to the optimum portfolio Make sure your investment portfolio matches your attitude to risk. • Diversification It is critical to ensure your investments are suitably diversified, so you are not over-exposed to any given asset type, country, sector or stock. • Yearly review Your portfolio can shift away from the one designed to match your risk profile and objectives, and your circumstances may have changed. Tax planning Get advice to make sure your investments and wealth are arranged in the best, most up-todate way to limit your tax liabilities. Choose someone who is well-versed in the nuances of both Spanish and British taxation. The right tax-efficient arrangement can keep most of

your investments in one place and help you legitimately avoid paying too much tax. Estate planning The first step is to establish your goals: • Who would you like to benefit from your estate? • Do you want them to have control over the money or not? • How quickly would they need to be able to access the money? • What impact will tax have? • Would you like to try and avoid probate on some of your assets? You then need to obtain specialist advice to ensure that your estate planning is specifically set up to achieve your wishes for your heirs. The new EU succession regulation allows you to choose between Spanish or UK succession law to apply to your estate on death. You need to ensure your will is up to date for your wishes,

or your estate may be distributed according to the restrictive Spanish law. The EU succession regulation does not allow you to opt out of Spanish succession tax, which can be costly in certain circumstances. This is due on death if the asset being inherited is located in Spain or if the recipient is resident in Spain. Tax is paid by each recipient, not by the estate, and the rate depends on the relationship between the benefactor and the recipient. Whether it is investments, pensions or tax planning, seek specialist advice to ensure you do what works best for your personal situation. Use an adviser who can guide you on all these aspects and provide holistic solutions so you can enjoy a healthy, wealthy 2016 and beyond. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

SOS Save Our School! Easter brings in €40 million to the region

RIL P A EWN

this area soared by 108.3 per cent compared to a year earlier, standing at €1.19 billion. The President of Coepa (the

conquer the crisis: Companies know they must adapt their goods and services to current needs. They are now more confident and

more than half of the investment in innovation went on machinery, equipment, software and buildings. aaltair / Shutterstock.com

ing €8,000 and a laptop, re ported stolen from AlicanteElche airport. It was found on a bench as it appears the man had forgotten it! Father’s assault A FATHER has been arrested in Banyeres, Alicante, on suspicion of assaulting his nine-year-old daughter. The mother reported the incident which led to the 45-year-old man being arrested.

Car thief

Natural gas MOORS AND CHRISTIANS: The medieval decorations make this festival a spectacular affair.

Spectacular celebration of Spain’s history om

City parking MORE than 100 new parking spaces have been completed at el Porton, near Santa Cruz, Alicante. They will be rented for €85 per month ith l l i

Hikers rescued TWO female hikers have been rescued and evacuated. The first, aged 41, broke her ankle on Cartagena’s Mount Roldan. The second, aged 51, sustained a broken ankle after a fall on Mount de las Cenizas.

A TEENAGER has been arrested accused of robbing seven cars in one night in San Javier. Police also recovered a range of stolen items from cash to stereos and sunglasses.

No pay CLEANERS at Alicante’s General Hospital have protested at the gates as they once again complained of delays in payment of their salaries. Boat show MORE than nautical companies were present at the fifth Boat Show at the Puerto Marina de las Salinas in San Pedro del Pinatar, showing off latest models, special offers and boating information.

van.

ONE of the most colourful and well-known festivals in Spain - the Moors and Christians festival of Al i f t

well as Andalucia. In Alcoy, where the festivities attract thousands of people, the festival is held around April 23 - St George’s Day - as di t l d E l d’ P t

A DANISH freighter has become the first large cargo ship to receive natural gas as fuel in the port of Cartagena, one of 10 reloads expected this year after the port obtained the necessary authorisation to supply natural gas.

Visitor centre THE visitor centre within Elche’s Municipal Park has reopened following a renovation j t hi h h t

April 09, Issue 1553. AFTER years of campaigning and complaints, Rojales could finally be getting a new school. The Valencian Government has just put out to tender the works on the Principe de España school with a value of more than €4 million. However, a new building is still a long way off and parents want urgent improvements. “We need answers regarding our children’s safety in the interim. We have just been very lucky so far that no one has been hurt,” said mother Rachel King, whose daughter was in one of the buildings close to where a pile of render fell off the roof last week, crashing

IMPROVEMENTS: Work on the Principe de España school has been put out to tender. down on to the patio area where the children play. What concerns parents is that this latest incident was in a block of buildings newer than the main building, yet cracks are clearly apparent across all the overhanging roof ledges. AMPA parents association has long campaigned for improvements and a new building to be erected but parent Andy Lee explained that they don’t want a flash new building. “We just want a safe school,” he said. Another of the parents with children attending the school is

Louise, with four daughters. She was appalled when she arrived at the school and found a pile of rubble and brick smashed on the floor and now she is seriously having to consider moving her children to an alternative school. “I don’t want to move them, but if something isn’t done quickly, I will have to. It’s really hard when you know you are sending them to a dangerous school,” Louise said. Today, the block where the render fell off remains taped off following an inspection by technicians from Valencia.

The inspection team made a thorough examination of the area and within days of their visit, the tender was put out for work, giving parents and teachers hope that the authorities are finally taking the situation seriously and action will be taken as a matter of urgency. In the meantime, many parents are facing a difficult decision as to whether they will send their children back to school after the Easter holidays, with the worry that still more of the buildings will fall away or even collapse completely and cause injury to a child.

EASTER has generated around €40million for the hotel industry in the Valencia Region, with over half of that coming from Alicante Province where hotels averaged 85 per cent occupancy levels. Regional Minister of Economy, Industry, Tourism and Employment, Maximo Buch, expressed his satisfaction with the good results achieved by the tourism sector in terms of the number of travellers and overnight stays, which has also resulted in a increase in spending compared to 2014. “These results show good occupancy data recorded this holiday season, with hotels along the coast of Alicante Province averaging 85 per cent occupancy (4.5 per cent

more than last year) with peaks above 90 per cent in several municipalities like Benidorm (98 per cent),” he said. The minister stressed that Easter “is often a barometer of how the next summer season will be so we certainly have high expectations in terms of travellers, overnight stays and tourist spending.” The results have also had a positive impact on employment with 58,500 employed in the tourism sector, 7 per cent more than in the same period last year. Easter has also been deemed a success in the Murcia Region with the regional government saying it was the most successful Easter period in a decade.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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Domestic tourists Jumping to fil a wing and a p return to the Costa ALICANTE-ELCHE AIRPORT offers 14 direct links to Spanish cities

MAKING a film is one thing, but when the writer says: “I’d like you to do your own stunts,” that’s another! But to do a parachute jump, record it and raise money for charities at the same time? That’s the challenge one

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smells for the senses

the Murcia hamlet of Blanca.

Splashing fun

GIRONA will be adorned with spectacular floral displays as the Temps de Flors (Time for Flowers) festival gets under way from May 9 to 17. flickr by Montse Poch

Permit wait finally over THE first water-skiing park in the area has opened in Santa Pola after months of delays in getting the permits. The centre, next to the Salinas, offers wake-boarding, water skiing and flyboarding.

No weevil Tree clean of pest

Drug stash found in seniors’ home BEDECKED: The grand staircase leading up to Girona City Hall. By Eleanor Hawkins TIRED eyes and noses are in for a guaranteed pick-me-up for those visiting Girona for the Temps de Flors (Time for Flowers) festival. For a few days each year, the Barri Vell district of Girona in Cataluña be-

118,923 is the amount unl t f ll b

to enter the courtyards and gardens of homes and buildings that are not generally open to the public. Although almost everyone participates in the huge display in some way, be it by adding a small tub to the outside of their home or creating massive works of floral art, City Hall on Plaça del Vi al-

A MAN has been arrested in Oviedo, Asturias, for hiding drugs in the ceiling of a bedroom in a senior citizens’ home. The stash was found by an electrician carrying out repairs. Police investigators tracked down the man who made frequent visits to the elderly couple living in the room, according to the home managers.

IRISH actress takes up a parachute

CREVILLENTE Council has denied that a palm tree which fell during recent storms was affected by the palm weevil plague. Municipal workers who removed the tree confirmed that it was clear of the pest.

Sea showcase Hundreds of visitors THE first boat show for Santa Pola attracted 15 major exhibitors and hundreds of visitors to the port area during the weekend-long event.

€1,000

May 7, Issue 1557. CONFIRMING its commitment to reinstating domestic tourism, Alicante-Elche Airport is offering direct links to 14 Spanish cities this summer season. From Alicante you can now fly non-stop to Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Oviedo, Leon, Palma, Tenerife, Las Palmas, Menorca, Burgos, Zaragoza, Santander and Santiago de Compostela, which is a

raised for charity from parachute jump. DOMESTIC TRAVELLERS: Airport is increasing flights to Spanish cities as market recovers. route Ryanair is maintaining throughout the year. The airline subsidiary of Iberia, Air Nostrum, will also begin operating direct flights to Leon from July. The move confirms the dra-

matic recovery in domestic traffic which has occurred in the terminal since January, with around 400,000 passengers (266,379 in the first quarter), 15 per cent more than in the same

period of 2014. March saw a total of 107,628 domestic passengers, which represented a growth of 22.5 per cent over the same month in 2014.

Irish actress completed for the feature film The Cucaracha Club. Caoimhe O’Shea was joined in jumping out of a Piper Cherokee by Kevin O’Hanlon, Rain O’Connor

SECOND THOUGHTS: Caoimhe parachute jump.

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lm success on prayer

e jump challenge

e and Kevin before the

and Greg Lomas, and in doing so, they raised €1,000 for two charities: the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and Reach Out Torrevieja. Rain O’Connor came up with the idea and as a result the experience has been recorded both for YouTube a n d T V, a n d s o m e o f t h e footage will be used in The Cucaracha Club, now in the editing stage and soon to be released. Camera man Clive Grey was very impressed with the efforts of the team and the family and friends who turned out to support them, travelling up into the hills of Murcia. For more information and how to donate, visit www.siesta.productions

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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Cultures combine at European Day CULTURE and community spirit were in abundance in Torrevieja at the weekend as Saturday saw two of the town’s most popular and most important events, the May Fair and European Day, come together. The European Day celebrations drew hundreds of international residents to Plaza de la Constitucion as Mayor Eduardo Dolon, along with Councillor for Foreigners, Rosario Martinez, welcomed the residents and various associations before the hoisting of the EU flag as the ‘Ode to Joy’ by Ludwig van Beethoven was performed. Following the ceremony, there were performances by dance troupes, singers and bands from France, Bulgaria and Germany. Representing Britain was the Phoenix Band who concluded the morning’s event and Chloe Leigh who performed the song to the soundtrack of the film The Cucaracha Club, which was shot in and around Torrevieja. Billie Anthony Gaddess from Siesta Productions and writer of the film, said the group was delighted and honoured to have been asked to attend the European Day celebrations.

RAISING THE FLAG: Mayor Dolon and Councillor Martinez.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

Airports authority pledges to make life better for nearby residents THE move is part of the noise insulation plan aimed at soundproofing a further 500 dwellings

NE JU EWN

the making of this fiesta

youngsters to past cultures.

BABY-JUMPING in Burgos during the feast of Corpus Christi

Robot degree Cordon Press

First for Alicante THE University of Alicante will be the first centre in Spain to offer a degree in Robotics Engineering from September.

Less toxicity Tobacco additive A NEW additive has been developed to help reduce the toxicity of tobacco by 50 per cent, according to researchers at the University of Alicante.

Blood drive

Beer on tap

BABY LINE: ‘Devils’ jump over the infants. By Steve Walsh FROM the early 1600s, every year during the feast of Corpus Christi, the small Spanish town of Castrillo de Murcia in Burgos is where babies lay in the street as devils jump over them. But don’t worry, it’s not as horrific

117,985

500 users per week place in the Baby Jumping Festival of El Colacho. Mattresses are laid end to end with the babies carefully positioned in a line, (doting mothers close to hand, take note!). Then, local men dressed as devils in red and yellow suits proceed to jump across the baby line. The idea behind this weird festival

Regardless of complaints from drivers, residents and caterers, Beer Bikes are proving a great success in Madrid, with an estimated 500 users per week touring Atocha and Cibeles on the multi-tandem vehicles for up to 18 people with beer taps incorporated.

Donors needed MURCIA’S Regional Blood Donation Centre is hosting a blood drive today (Thursday). Donors can simply present their ID at the Hospital Ronda Sur from 9.30am-2.30pm.

GDP increase 3.4 per cent rise VALENCIA led the growth of Gross Domestic

June 4, Issue 1561. AROUND €562,000 has been designated to soundproof houses within the locality of Alicante-Elche airport. Airports authority AENA said an environmental monitoring committee has approved new materials with acoustic insulation properties which will improve the quality of life for people living close by to reduce aircraft landing and take-off noise. In recent months the airport man-

QUIETER TIMES: Those living in the vicinity of Alicante-Elche airport will receive support for soundproofing their homes.

agement company has received a total of 3,123 applications for assistance to soundproof buildings affected by their proximity to air traffic. Of those, 2,079 projects have been approved for acoustic improvements. In addition, a payment of €180,000 has been authorised for buildings that have already completed soundproofing works. As previously reported earlier this year in the Euro Weekly News, the move is part of the noise insulation plan, aimed at soundproofing a further 500 dwellings in the Alicante-Elche area over the next few months. Many more will be assessed for eligibility. AENA stated it was “committed to demonstrating a high degree of responsibility for the impact of noise on the environment and reconciling the quality of life for residents and workers within the vicinity of airports.”

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

Pink perfection HUNDREDS take part in Walk for Life NE U J EWN

the making of this fiesta

youngsters to past cultures.

BABY-JUMPING in Burgos during the feast of Corpus Christi Cordon Press

Robot degree First for Alicante THE University of Alicante will be the first centre in Spain to offer a degree in Robotics Engineering from September.

Less toxicity Tobacco additive A NEW additive has been developed to help reduce the toxicity of tobacco by 50 per cent, according to researchers at the University of Alicante.

Blood drive

Beer on tap

117,985

Donors needed MURCIA’S Regional Blood Donation Centre is hosting a blood drive today (Thursday). Donors can simply present their ID at the Hospital Ronda Sur from 9.30am-2.30pm.

GDP increase 3.4 per cent rise VALENCIA led the growth of Gross Domestic

June 4, Issue 1562. MORE than €10,000 has been raised for the AECC cancer charity from the hugely successful week-

end’s Walk for Life event. The Playa Flamenca beach front was awash with pink as around 500 women, men, children and pets got into fiesta mode as they prepared to walk the five-kilometre route. Friends Philomena, Mable and Queenie were all taking part. Queenie is one of the Pink Ladies’ fundraisers, Deebie Weedon was also taking part. Debbie started t h e f i r s t ‘ Wa l k f o r L i f e ’

event in 2003 after taking part in the London Moonwalk event for breast canc e r. A b r e a s t c a n c e r s u r vivor herself, she arranged for a similar event in Quesada and Rojales and in the following six years raised €200,000. Taking a back seat, Maria Wilson and her Pink Ladies launched one further down the coast which Debbie now supports. Maria said the turnout was one of the best they had ever had and with sponsorship still to come in, she hopes the final figure could top €12,000; their biggest single fundraising event to date. She thanked Sunshine Fm for daily entertainment,Torrevieja Pipes and Drums, Stevie Spit for hosting the day and all the artists for giving their time for free. They all sang Run

PINK SPECTACLE: Participants prepare for the five-kilometre walk. for Life by Melissa Etheridge in tribute to a shocked Maria: “As I've now been breast cancer free for five years, it was

very emotional and there wasn't a dry eye. I was so full of pride and very overw h e l m e d , I c a n ’t t h a n k them enough.”

Donations can still be made at the AECC office in Playa Flamenca Commercial Centre or call 965 329 841.

Air traffic controllers begin series of strikes AN estimated 30,000 passengers were affected on the first day of the air traffic controllers’ strikes at Alicante-Elche Airport. The airport was assessed to be amongst the worst affected by the strikes due to 80 per cent of its flights going through Barcelona air space. As workers walked out from 10am-12pm and again from 6-8pm, 236 scheduled flights were affected. At the start of the busiest season of the year, the strikes are now causing maximum disruption and inconvenience to holidaymakers. Air traffic controllers are complaining about working conditions but have little support as some can be paid up to 50 times the average wage. More strikes are planned for tomorrow (Friday) and Sunday June 14 from 10am12pm and from 6-8pm.

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

Social event of the year LY JU

Premsa Ajuntament de Torrent

TAKING part in San Juan and Fogueres can be an expensive business

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Against terrorism TORREVIEJA Council held a three minute silence on Sunday, June 28, in protest against terrorism and as a sign of respect for the victims of attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait, France and Somalia.

Exam success School celebrates ORIHUELA’S Santo Domingo school is celebrating the fact that all of its students who sat the University Access Exams, commonly known as Selectividad, held at Miguel Hernandez University passed and will be able to go to university.

Cruise visit Brits in town

Game on! Hopefuls queue

ICONIC: Spectacular and chaotic scenes during the San Fermin festival.

THOUSANDS of people queued in Girona on Monday morning as casting began for the sixth season of Game of Thrones. The

CARTAGENA’S shops, museums, bars and restaurants, were flooded with British accents last week when Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas cruise liner paid a visit with more than 4,000 British tourists

July 2, Issue 1565. THE Festival of San Juan and the Fogueres in Alicante are the height of the social calendar for many Spanish families who take their traditions, including the costumes, the bonfires and the parties, very seriously. For families who enter into the festivities in a big way, the expense can be incredible. Each family member is dressed meticulously with costumes ranging in price from €800 for men to €1,500 for ladies and that’s not counting the jewellery! For a lady who takes a major part in the celebrations her costume may cost around €2,500.

BEVY OF BEAUTIES: Festival ladies in their ornate and colourful costumes. Each year the family’s wardrobe expands, with ornate waistcoats and headdresses passed down through the generations. Some costumes can range from €100 to €800 for the material alone, and on top of that there are extremely expensive lace trims and combs to buy. The cost of being involved in the fiestas can be prohibitive, and despite many of the expenses being shared between

friends and family, preparations and small celebrations go on throughout the year. Each party requires more new outfits and the cost of bringing along guests can add greatly to the tab at the end of the evening. Most families arrive at an economic compromise by splitting the cost of the festivities so that each working adult member chips in an amount each month. That amount depends on

how senior the family are in the organisational side of the fiestas but an average seems to be around €80-€100 each month. All those expensive costumes are at risk of picking up a spark that can burn a hole in a costly brocade or silk in seconds. However, all of the families involved in the Fogueres would not even dream of giving up their participation and are already frantically saving for next year.

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Well done everyone! TOTAL raised from Walk for Life will go to AECC THE final total raised from last month’s Walk for Life at Playa Flamenca has been announced as €13,322 which will go to the AECC cancer charity to assist their work in research, and funding the early detection screening programme. President of the Orihuela Costa branch of the AECC, Maria Wilson, said: “This is fantastic, and now means that the charity has raised over €220,000 since we started in 2010 thanks to the generous people of the Orihuela Costa, and the voluntary work of our Pink Ladies and Pink Panthers. Well done everyone.”

Details will be soon be announced about Maria and The Pink Ladies’ ‘End Of Summer Ball’ which will hopefully raise more funds for fighting cancer. Meanwhile, the AECC office in the Playa Flamenca commercial centre will remain open throughout the summer where people can make screening appointments for breast, cervical and prostate cancer, book to see a psychologist and receive information and advice. The office is open from 10am-1pm Monday to Fridays, or call 965 329 841.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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Bathers ignore red flag warnings to cool off LY JU Cordon

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eac es awa ded SAN PEDRO’S beaches have been awarded two Q for Quality Flags and the Blue Flag at Villananitos and La Puntica recognising their quality and cleanliness.

Car sales Increase over last year THE Murcia Region recorded an increase in the sale of new cars during June of 31.7 per cent, compared to the same month last year, selling 1,948 new vehicles.

Film time Selma on screen THIS week’s film in English at the cinema in Pilar de la Horadada is Selma, showing tonight (Thursday) at 7pm and again on Saturday July 11 at 5pm. Tickets cost €5 on the door.

MARAUDING: ‘Northern invaders’ prepare to take the Torres del Oeste.

By Dilip Kuner

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Visitors can visit a ‘medieval market’ before the highlight of the festivities: the

Better times

Dog hunt

Franco-era names out

Pit bull being sought

MADRID’S new council has decided to remove conflictive names from Franco times from the city’s streets and is considering replacing them with names of famous women or well-known, local

POLICE in San Fulgencio are searching for a pit bull terrier which is reported to have attacked a flock of sheep causing injuries to 10 animals.

July 9, Issue 1566. WIND, waves and strong currents stopped people being able to escape the extreme heat with a cooling dip in the sea during the first weekend of July. Red (bathing forbidden) and yellow (bathing dangerous) flags had to be flown at almost all the province’s beaches including San Juan and Urbanova in Alicante, El Altet and Carabassi in Elche and Muchavista and Carrerlamar in El Campello. Yet as temperatures in some

SAFETY: Lifeguards warn of going into the sea when the red flag is flying. areas hit up to 40 degrees Celsius, hot and bothered would-

be bathers, decided to ignore the flags. Lifeguards could

hardly keep up trying to stop people from swimming and pulling them out when they got into trouble, they later reported. The lifeguard services wish to remind bathers that red flags forbid entering the water, while yellow ones recommend not going further than waist deep. Their warning comes as a number of incidents were reported. A man, aged 62, died on the beach at La Mata after suffering a heart attack. Two other men, aged 89 and 78, also had heart problems at the beaches of Guardamar del Segura and El Campello and were taken to hospital. Bathing in the sea when yellow and red flags are flying, can place people at unnecessary risk and take lifeguards away from dealing with other incidents.

A REVIEW OF 2015

San Javier swings into jazz mood for festival

JAZZ FAVOURITE: Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne was on stage in San Javier. THE 18th edition of the San Javier Jazz Festival is under way throughout July attracting thousands of visitors and music lovers. The weekend saw Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne and the Drew Davies Rhythm Combo take to the stage and tomorrow night (Friday) the Bill Charlap trio is performing featuring Peter and Kenny Washington and Ruthie Foster. On Saturday July 18, Richardo Galliano new musette quartet featuring Sylvain Luc take to the stage. Individual concert tickets cost €15 or €18 or you can pay €125 for entry in to all concerts. All shows start at 9.30pm at the auditorium inAlmansa Park. For more information, call 968 191 588 or email festivales@sanjavier.es.

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Turtle excitement as rare loggerhead lays eggs 24 HOUR observation was put in place on La Mata beach to protect the nest ST U G AU

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Cruise visit Brits in town

Game on! Hopefuls queue

ICONIC: Spectacular and chaotic scenes during the San Fermin festival.

THOUSANDS of people queued in Girona on Monday morning as casting began for the sixth season of Game of Thrones. The

August 6, Issue 1570. ROUND the clock observation was put in place on La Mata beach after a loggerhead turtle laid its eggs on the shoreline. The turtle was first spotted by two holidaymakers who called 112 emergency services after they realised it was spawning. Police brought municipal biologist Juan Antonio Pujo to the

PROTECTED: Area sealed off as Loggerhead turtle lays eggs on La Mata beach. sight and beach supervisor Mariano Lara, who spent all night guarding the site and to prevent anyone from disturb-

ing the turtle and the eggs. Pujo said it was a “historic event” as it was the first time they had observed a logger-

head beach laying eggs on a Torrevieja beach. He said: “It is not very common that they spawn in the Mediter-

ranean, but it has been increasing in recent years.” As protection protocol was activated, the scene brought curious onlookers as well as the Mayor Jose Manuel Dolon and councillor for Beaches Javier Manzanares. It then took the team an hour to locate the 85 eggs before a team from the University of Valencia and the Cavanilles Institute removed the nest to the La Albufera beach in Valencia where they can keep a closer eye on the eggs ahead of them hatching in around two months’ time. In other similar situations newborn turtles have spent a year in at the Oceanographic before being released and it is hoped these turtles will also be released.

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30,000 jobs created in the region OVER 30,000 jobs have been created in the Valencia Region in the last three months. That’s according to figures from the latest Active Population Survey (EPA) which relates to the second quarter of the year. Between April 1 and June 30, the jobless total fell by 30,400 (5.16 per cent) to 558,000. However, with a decrease in the active population of people of working age, the overall unemployment rate is still slightly higher than the national average of 22.37 per cent and now stands at 23.02 per cent. The EPA is a phone-based survey conducted by the National Central Statistics Institute and seeks to identify how many people are technically of an age to work and whether they are in employment, seeking work or receiving benefits or training.

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Call to ban pet shops COUNCILLOR urges an end to cat and dog sales in Torrevieja stores

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with the Fiesta de Gracia AN eagerly awaited event in anyone’s calendar is the city’s annual street party

Fishing break Deck accident MARITIME Rescue personnel took to hospital a crew member of a fishing boat that was around 30 miles south east of the coast of Cartagena, after falling on deck and breaking his leg.

Water drugs Six bundles SIX bundles of hashish were found in waters off the coast of Villajoyosa. It is unknown how long the drugs have been drifting for.

Cost of cooling Electricity up

Yes officer COLOURFUL DECORATION: Be amazed by the canopies above you and the creative designs.

By Steve Walsh EVERY YEAR in August, the streets of

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that the streets of the neighbourhood compete to win the prize of being the best decorated street. Each street takes

To be paid damages

The High Court has ruled the Spanish Home Office must accept a National Police officer applicant for training and pay him damages for violating his rights. The man was

ELECTRICITY bills are up by an average 9.04 per cent this summer in Alicante Province compared to last summer, mainly due to the increased usage in the heat wave.

Equal parties In ruling council THE Ciudadanos party of Alicante is challenging the allocation of representatives of district boards calling for

August 13, Issue 1571 ZOOLOGICAL and Health Councillor for Torrevieja, Carmen Morate, wants to ban the sale of dogs and cats in stores. Morate, from the Los Verdes party, intends to update the bylaws and include the prohibition of sale of animals, especially dogs and cats in the city’s shops. A prominent animal activist before becoming a councillor two months ago, Morates said the demand for animals is amply covered by adoption programmes developed by municipal pounds and humane

SALES BAN: No more ’doggies in the window’. charities’ kennels, that it seems ridiculous that people would buy an alleged pedigree when

they can rescue one.” Dave also said SAT had a full adoption procedure and all

dogs have the correct vaccinations and health checks. Morate’s motion also wants

the bylaw to include banning the use of animals in circuses. The plans come after it was announced that by the end of June, around 40 cats had been killed in municipal kennels. Morate said she wanted to see this practice eradicated and hoped to have a budget in 2016 for sterilising 1,000 stray cats to avoid the discomfort that generates colonies of urban cats in the neighbourhood, expanding the current programme initiated by the previous municipal government. It was also recognised that the severe penalties within the current ordinance for pet abandonment, intentional poisoning of dogs and cats and not collecting dog waste on the streets, which can hold fines of up to €10,000, were not being implemented. Morate noted this was largely due to the lack of police resources which she said were expected to be solved soon.

Sex in the city video in Torrevieja goes viral ER B M TE P SE

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Back on air

THE iconic sculpture was created by master of surrealism, Salvador Dali Photo Credit monysasu shutterstock

US G AU

societies across the province and country. She added that such a ban is already in force in many European cities. The motion expressed the will of the ordinance but did not specify how to legally enforce the measure. President of SAT, one of the longest-established animal charities in the area, Dave Moore, said he would welcome such a move. He said concerns arise when dogs are sold in shops as many are from Eastern European countries and do not have the same health checks. This can lead to outbreaks of Parvo disease. “People fall in love with these balls of fluff they see in a shop window, but you can’t always get a full health history and we end up with many of them,” he remarked, adding: “I would love to see a ban on selling animals. There are so many looking for homes in our kennels and many of the other

Broadcaster returns CANAL 9, the region’s broadcaster closed down during 2013 due to spending cuts, returns to the air in October. It will show films and repeats but does not plan to re-employ laid-off employees.

Power outrage Electricity cut off ALICANTE City Hall complained after Iberdrola cut off electricity without warning at a building occupied by the PAH anti-eviction collective. “Iberdrola has totally ignored the new corporation,” protested Social Welfare Councillor Nerea Belmonte.

LGBT profit MONSTER GREETING: Dali’s three-ton rhinoceros accompanied by sea urchins.

By John Smith

€20

As is to be expected with any Dali

Gays spend billions

SPAIN is the biggest European destination for gay and lesbian tourists, according to new research from in

Knife attack Bar client injured LAST Sunday a 70-year-old woman was arrested for throwing a knife at one of the clients in a bar. The victim was taken to hospital

September 3, Issue 1574. THE Guardia Civil has identified the two young lovers caught having sex in a s q u a r e i n To r r e v i e j a , whose antics were filmed by a passer-by and broadcast via social media. Police identified and reported the two young men who got carried away with their passion and had sex outdoors, at dawn, in the Plaza Waldo Calero, a wellknown square in Torrevieja. The steamy scene was captured on video by a few

tourists and is now running like wildfire through instant messaging services such as WhatsApp. The incident occurred in one of the most popular tourist areas of Torrevieja, which is surrounded by restaurants and cafés, near the popular hippy market and close to the casinos. The couple got carried away by their instincts and decided to have sex on one of the benches (pictured)

coated with white and blue ceramics inspired by the works of Gaudi, which are so famous, they feature on many of the postcards sold in souvenir shops. However, not seeing the lighter side of it, the facts have been brought to the attention of the government offices, who may now file a sanction against the couple for disorderly conduct based on the Public Safety Act.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

A REVIEW OF 2015

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Alicante to host the start of the Volvo Ocean Race R BE O T OC BOOM TIME: The UK and Nordic countries lead the rebound of visitor arrivals.

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Big burger

SEPARATISTS say they now have a mandate to declare independence

ER B M TE P SE

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Back on air Photo Credit monysasu shutterstock

THE iconic sculpture was created by master of surrealism, Salvador Dali

LGBT profit MONSTER GREETING: Dali’s three-ton rhinoceros accompanied by sea urchins.

By John Smith

€20

As is to be expected with any Dali

Gays spend billions

SPAIN is the biggest European destination for gay and lesbian tourists, according to new research from in

Knife attack Bar client injured LAST Sunday a 70-year-old woman was arrested for throwing a knife at one of the clients in a bar. The victim was taken to hospital

September 3, Issue 1574.

FOREIGN tourism in Valencia is riding high, to the tune of €816 million, in fact. The region saw an increase of 11 per cent compared with July 2014, according to the latest figures for July. The Tourist Expenditure Survey (Egatur) revealed that the spending boom is due to the increase in tourists from the UK and Nordic countries. Commissioned by the Min-

istry of Tourism, the survey indicated a rebound in visitor arrivals from the UK and the Nordic countries, with annual increases of 22 and 21 per cent respectively. The survey also highlighted that as well as foreign tourists spending € 816 million in July, tourism continues breaking records in that in the first seven months of this year, total spending by foreign tourists in the

Valencian Community has been €3.1 billion, 8.2 per cent more than last year. Britain again is the main architect of this result, followed by the Nordic countries and then France. These results are due to an 8.9 per cent rise in tourist arrivals, as well as an increase of 1.9 per cent in the average daily spend per person, which is now €72.

Alexander Tihonov shutterstock

Britons and Scandinavians spend €816 million in July

Practice session REDOVAN has created a burger big enough for 4,000 servings. The burger was a warm up as the town prepares to try to create the world’s largest hamburger.

School swap Building plan SANTA POLA is to cede land in Gran Alacant which was planned to build a College of Social Initiative (CIS). The land is instead intended to build a much needed primary school.

Free time Substantial savings

New Spanish saint RALLY: Pro-independence supporters march through the streets of Barcelona.

By John Smith

dependence through the courts and the

Junípo Serra canonised POPE Francis conducted the first ever canonisation on US soil in Washington on September 23 He

CREVILLENTE’S mayor, Cesar Augusto Asencio has announced he is rejecting his salary of €47,768 making substantial savings to the municipal coffers.

Two awards Design studio

October 1, Issue 1578. IT has been confirmed that Alicante will again host the start of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2017. But Josep Miquel Moya, Director General of Sports of Valencia, warned that there will have to be a change in funding for Alicante Port to remain as the starting point for the race. Moya said the agreement has been signed but that a long meeting had been held with the Volvo Ocean Race team and they will have to assess whether the agreement with the organisation expands and see “how far

the work comes and the contributions of the government for 2017.” He added: “We will stand by any event that adds to the economy of the Valencian Region but the starting point must be sustainable and self-sufficient performances economically.” He stressed the need to “work to facilitate the arrival of sponsorships through the Patronage Act or through the declaration of public interest which enables tax exemptions to be included in the budgets. We have to get to work so that public funding is the minimum possible.” The comments came after it was revealed that the promoter of the Volvo Ocean Race was threatening to sue the Generalitat over debts relating to the deal of hosting the 2014 race launch. The Generalitat was left to pay €2.23 million, with race organisers saying there had been a default on payments.

A REVIEW OF 2015

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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Largest sum ever raised at the annual charity ball GUESTS dig deep to support DEBRA Butterfly Children’s Charity ER B TO C O y

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Big burger

SEPARATISTS say they now have a mandate to declare independence Alexander Tihonov shutterstock

Practice session REDOVAN has created a burger big enough for 4,000 servings. The burger was a warm up as the town prepares to try to create the world’s largest hamburger.

Free time Substantial savings

New Spanish saint RALLY: Pro-independence supporters march through the streets of Barcelona.

By John Smith

dependence through the courts and the

Junípo Serra canonised POPE Francis conducted the first ever canonisation on US soil in Washington on September 23 He

CREVILLENTE’S mayor, Cesar Augusto Asencio has announced he is rejecting his salary of €47,768 making substantial savings to the municipal coffers.

Two awards Design studio

October 1, Issue 1578. THE annual Butterfly Ball raised over €5,500 for DEBRA Butterfly Children’s Charity, the highest amount ever raised at this event. The evening at La Marina Camping International began with a poolside cocktail reception with magician Graeme Mykal showing a trick or two before a three-course meal and entertainment with Richie

BUTTERFLY BALL: Guests enjoy a poolside reception before the night’s event. Alexander. Organisers Mary Chambers and Sue Rogers said this was the most important event in

their fundraising calendar and over the last five years of hosting the ball, an impressive €23,000 has been raised for

the DEBRA charity which supports those suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), an incurable and life debilitat-

ing disease. This year’s event raised €5,747.28 and brings the total amount raised from the ball to nearly €30,000, largely thanks to generosity from the 178 guests. There were three winners of the Lucky Numbers and Marie Godfrey and Carol Barkway donated half of their winnings back to the charity. Brian Jeffers won the Head and Tails and kindly donated back all his winnings of €100. The Mini Apple iPad was a main raffle prize won by Alan Venables and he also kindly donated the prize back to the charity for auction. The successful bidder was Janet McSeveney who paid €330 for it. Many guests entered into the spirit of the auction putting in bids for weekend breaks and

artwork and a challenge was even given to the waiters; €50 would be donated if they would dance, they obliged and took to the stage and performed for all of the guests. Mary, who manages the La Marina DEBRA charity shop, said: “We would like to thank everyone who works extremely hard behind the scenes to make this event a success along with Camping International and all their staff, all the local business who donated so generously with fabulous prizes. We could not raise this amount of money if it was not for our guests.” The annual ‘Thank-you Coffee Morning’ is tomorrow (Friday) from 10.30am-2pm to thank all customers for their support.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

Tornadoes hit Costa Blanca

New dropin centre STORMS wreak havoc across the province for the ER Samaritans B M VE O N

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A TRIBUTE to those who died in the service of their country

GRANT is €15,000

Photo Credit Peter Broster

THE Samaritans in Spain have proudly opened their new drop-in centre at the Punta Marina shopping centre, Punta Prima. The new facilities are a welcome extension to the charity shop and will allow for a better and more private service for those needing a listening ear. General Manager Stephen Baker said: “We have a purpose-built, private room which has a separate entrance where people can come in and have chats. It will also house the call centre for the freephone number manned by two staff.” Samaritans in Spain are now working closely with the Red Cross and Stephen said they are soon to have a room in the Alicante headquarters offering a facility there also. The official opening of the new facility was carried out by Samaritans’ patron Dave Bull, who said he was honoured to have been asked to join the charity. British Ambassador Simon Manley and the consular team were also present as he thanked the Samaritans and all the volunteers for their efforts in helping the most vulnerable. “This has been a tremendous success over the last 10 years and I’m proud to be here at the opening of the next chapter,” he said. The free phone number is 900 525 100.

PUSOL cultural centre in Elche is to have a grant increase from the Provincial Council of Alicante; now receiving €15,000 over the previous grant of €6,000. Aid only resumed in 2014 after being stopped in 2008.

School plans CLASS extension LAS BAYAS school in Elche is to be extended, going from six to eight classrooms over two floors, resulting in a 30 per cent increase in floor space. The plans were presented by the council to the AMPA parents association

Pooch party DOG competition

A year later CENOTAPH, LONDON: The main focus of the Remembrance Sunday parades. By John Smith PEOPLE will stop work to observe a

monwealth and Overseas Territories, politicians, veterans of various conflicts and serving military together

WW1 only ended in 1919 Although the Armistice signed in 1918 effectively ended the Great War, the conflict was only officially concluded with the signing of the peace treaties in June 1919. Due to

HALLOWEEN was celebrated with a difference in Gran Alacant as residents were invited to dress up and bring their dogs for a party and a canine costume competition at the dog park.

Paella tasting NEW initiative A PAELLA tasting was on

November 5, Issue 1583. TWO tornadoes have struck the Costa Blanca. The weather phenomenon hit the centre of Torrevieja with whirling winds damaging the façade of a building. A tornado was also reported in the town of Benissa on the north Costa Blanca, damaging green areas. No one was injured in either of the events. The tornadoes occurred at around 11am on Monday morning and added to a weekend where weather warnings were put in place as heavy

FALLEN: Tree collapses in Avenida de Pinoso, Torrevieja. storms were predicted for much of the province. Sunday’s storms saw 85 litres of rainfall per square metre fall in Rojales and AlicanteElche airport registered 74 litres.

Along the coast waves exceeded 3.5 metres in height. In Torrevieja, the storms saw gusts of up to 85mph sweeping across the city causing damage. In the area of Playa Acequión, glass was broken in the Nava-

mares building and the strength of the storm even caused a wall to come down. At the Marina International, four trees crashed down, two of them damaging parked cars and a fallen tree also caused traffic delays along

the Paseo de la Libertad. Police received numerous calls from residents warning of falling trees in at least 10 different points of the city, with some requiring the intervention of firefighters, as well as cases of fallen traffic signals, fences and tiles and rubble from buildings. In Elche, palm trees fell in the palm grove, affecing electrical wiring as they collapsed and the town hall issued an order for the closure of parks to prevent anyone being injured until checks could be made to ensure safety. There are no reports of anyone being injured during the ‘gota fria’ (cold drop). Weather conditions stabilised a few hours after the tornadoes and Torrevieja’s Mastral Project has predicted calmer and more settled conditions for the remainder of the week.

‘Nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ article viewed by 58,000 GUARDIA CIVIL’S posting is viewed by thousands

FACEBOOK PAGE: Is a good and fast tool to reach everybody, everywhere. The team will keep working on this for the community.

MORE than 58,000 people viewed the article ‘Nothing to hide, nothing to fear’ by the Torrevieja Guardia Civil team about not publishing where police check points are and more than 67,000 viewed the posting on the N332 Facebook group site about the search for the suspect collaborating in the recent Paris terrorist attacks. The team said: “The figure

is amazing for a page which has been established for less than one year. We have realised that Facebook is a good and fast tool to reach everybody everywhere. We will keep working on this way, for you, for the community.” It was back in February that the Euro Weekly News first met Francisco Morales who, along with colleagues, set up the

page to explain the law and driving issue in English for the expat community. A Guardia Civil officer since 2002, Morales is attached to Torrevieja’s Trafico Police Department and set up the page to break down the barriers between residents and the police. Within two weeks of the page launching, 3,000 people had been gaining valuable driving information from the Guardia Civil with hundreds of new ‘likes’ every day. That popularity has increased so much with followers across the whole of Spain aside just from Alicante Province and as a result the Facebook address name has now been changed from Torrevieja Traffic Department to www.face book.com/drivingspain/

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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A REVIEW OF 2015

Black Friday attracts Alicante shoppers SHOPPING event is now second behind the UK in terms of spending ER B EM C DE lottery TV advert launched THE draw has been so popular it even continued during the Civil War

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tickets are considered ‘lucky’ for one reason or another, and people stand in line for hours to buy their ticket there.

What are the odds? CHANCE is one in 10 YOUR chances of winning the El Gordo jackpot, worth €4 million is about one in 100,000! It doesn’t take a mathematician to see why so many people like those odds, and the chance of winning a prize of any sort is one in 10 even though that may only be a refund of the ticket cost.

Who can play? SPANISH laws changed

ADVERT: Justino and colleagues after winning El Gordo, in the advertisement by Leo Burnett Madrid.

By John Smith ALTHOUGH tickets for the Christmas EL Gordo (the Fat One) lottery have been on sale for some time, it is about now that the organisers launch TV ad-

2.24bn

same numbers is offered for sale, and most of the outlets only have two or three different numbers which means that there could be say 500 big winners within the same town. There have been some fairly boring adverts for the lottery, but this year the

Christmas lottery El Gordo is first prize ALTHOUGH referred to mostly as El Gordo, the correct name for the Government Christmas Lottery is ‘El Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad’ sometimes shortened to ‘Lote-

AN estimated 75 per cent of Spaniards purchase tickets and many hold lottery parties on the night of the draw. Thanks to a change in Spanish laws, people from overseas can purchase tickets within Spain or through internet sites although there is a slight risk of scams with internet clubs.

How much does it cost?

December 3, Issue 1587. BLACK FRIDAY arrived in Alicante with discounts available at some of the major department stores. Many saw the discounted prices continue throughout the weekend as they took advantage of the recovery in consumption after the recession. In Alicante, El Corte Ingles offered discounts of up to 60 per cent to kick-start Christmas shopping, with the travel department offering €100 discount on holiday bookings. Carrefour was offering discounts and special offers on

BLACK FRIDAY: Discounts extended over the weekend at many stores. food items as well as household items, clothes and electrical appliances. Redder offered discounts on many small and

large appliances from hairdryers to washing machines and refrigerators, from ovens to mixers, all at heavily dis-

counted prices. Black Friday originated in the US and is the day after Thanksgiving that officially

marks the start of the festive holiday shopping, where stores put on sale many of their products to stimulate

consumption at the start of the Christmas season. Online sales during the campaign of Black Friday and the following Cyber Monday were expected to reach €1.172 billion in Spain, according to a study by the Spanish Association of Digital Economy. The Black Friday phenomenon arrived in Spain a few years ago and this year for the first time extended the range of sale items to include food and beauty products. Its growth and popularity is now second in Europe after the UK in terms of the impact of sales, although this year, British shoppers showed more calm on the high streets than in 2014 when scenes of long queues and physical fighting for bargains were seen. This year, more shoppers seemed to remain in the comfort of their own home and purchased online.

Standing firm for a better quality of life DISABLED groups on the Orihuela Costa petition the mayor EU International Disabled Day, December 3, was seen as a perfect opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of disabled people living on the Orihuela Costa. A group of residents delivered a letter addressed to the mayor at the town hall in Playa Flamenca, seeking his support for their request to use a room at the Civic Centre to hold social meetings and events for those with disabilities. The Help At Home Costa Blanca charity has set up a selfhelp support group for their many clients but they need somewhere to meet. They have used the café in the Civic Centre, but it is not really suitable for people in wheelchairs or on electric scooters; they need their own space, a place to socialise and relax together. They can use facilities in the

city, 38 kilometres away, but argue there is no regular bus service to Orihuela. They protested that disabled people on the coast, or those with special needs, are largely forgotten about. As the group gathered at the town hall, there was an event taking place to mark EU International Disabled Day, but no groups or associations on the coast had been aware that the event was even taking place. Whilst there are two day care

centres and an Alzheimer’s centre plus funding to support disabled groups in Orihuela, there is nothing for them on the coast, they complained. Stroke Support Torrevieja and the EU Untouchables have joined the campaign for a room at the Civic Centre and a day care centre. They said: “We hope the letter to the mayor will encourage him to help and hopefully agree to meet with the disabled support group in Orihuela Costa in due course.”

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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Local hospitals in Top 20 for patient care TORREVIEJA and Vinalopo recognised for their standards of excellence

ER B M CE E D lottery TV advert launched THE draw has been so popular it even continued during the Civil War

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tickets are considered ‘lucky’ for one reason or another, and people stand in line for hours to buy their ticket there.

Who can play? SPANISH laws changed

ADVERT: Justino and colleagues after winning El Gordo, in the advertisement by Leo Burnett Madrid.

By John Smith ALTHOUGH tickets for the Christmas EL Gordo (the Fat One) lottery have been on sale for some time, it is about now that the organisers launch TV ad-

2.24bn

How much does it cost?

December 3, Issue 1587. TORREVIEJA University Hospital is now the most awarded centre in the Valencia Region. It has received four awards in the renowned Top 20 by IASIST Consultants, who compared healthcare data from more than 150 participating centres throughout Spain. The hospital was recognised in the 16th edition of

MOST AWARDED: Torrevieja Hospital. the awards for Best Global Hospital Management in the category of large hospitals and was also awarded in the Best Area of Musculoskeletal, Best Area of Heart and Best Area of Kidney/Urinary Tract categories. The University Hospital of

Vinalopo, Elche, has also been recognised in the categories of Best Global Hospital Management, Best Department of Women and Obstetrics and Best Area of Digestive Medicin. With these new awards, the two centres now have more

than 30 awards that recognise the good work and excellent performance since their opening. The management teams of both centres have welcomed their inclusion in the prestigious Top 20 list and have valued the recognition of the efforts of professionals to provide care of the highest quality. “We thank the IASIST board for this recognition and the Health Department for its confidence in our work that allows us to move forward together, improving patient care in our health departments,” they said in a statement. This edition saw 155 hospitals; 114 public and 41 private, participate voluntarily in the awards and 47 received an award.

A REVIEW OF 2015

vice to Orihuela. They protested that disabled people on the coast, or those with special needs, are largely forgotten about. As the group gathered at the town hall, there was an event taking place to mark EU International Disabled Day, but no groups or associations on the coast had been aware that the event was even taking place. Whilst there are two day-care centres and an Alzheimer’s centre plus funding to support disabled groups in Orihuela, there is nothing for them on the coast, they complained. Stroke Support Torrevieja and the EU Untouchables have joined the campaign for a room at the Civic Centre and a daycare centre. They said: “We hope the letter to the mayor will encourage him to help and hopefully agree to meet with the disabled support group in Orihuela Costa in due course.”

NEWS

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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NEWS FROM OUR FIVE OTHER REGIONS

IMPORTANT private burial ground has now been reconstructed AN article in Lucentum, an Alicante University science journal, sheds more light on Villajoyosa’s San Jose tower. The Second Century monument marks one of the most important private burial grounds in Roman Spain, experts say. Now reconstructed, it can be seen as its builders intended after centuries as part of a normal dwelling. Archaeologist Ana Maria Charquero and Diego Ruiz Alcalde - resident archaeologist at Villajoyosa’s Vilamuseu - established that the precinct was reached via a turning off the principal road into the town the Romans called Allon. The person buried there was likely to have been a person of some importance and the owner of a rural villa east of Villajoyosa. They clearly chose to be buried on their own land, rather than in one of the public cemeteries that have been excavated on the outskirts of the town, the archaeologists said.

FUNERARY TOWER: Once part of a normal building.

MALLORCA

AXARQUÍA

COSTA DE ALMERÍA

Christmas gifts

Hospital heroes

Colmenar crash

Water transfer

THE first Marina Baja baby was a girl born at 12.45am on Christmas Day, followed by a boy at 8.18am, Villajoyosa hospital announced.

A WASHING machine caught fire last Sunday at Son Latzer hopsital but was quickly extinguished and caused no serious damage or injuries. Staff were praised for their rapid response in attending to the incident.

SIX people were injured in a traffic accident in Colmenar on December 26. Four of them had to be taken to the Carlos Haya Hospital to be treated for their injuries.

THE Ministry for the Environment has authorised the transfer of six cubic hectometres of water from the Entrepeñas and Buendia reservoirs via the Tajo-Segura aqueduct to benefit 2.5 million people in Murcia, Alicante and Almeria.

Concert deal ORGANISERS of big events staged in publicly-owned installations or on public land in Benidorm could be charged 50 cents for every entrance ticket sold. Hourly rentals of up to €230 made the cost prohibitive as some venues required days to prepare.

Food bills VALENCIAN Community residents spend an annual average €1,418 a head on food. The Basques spent most, with €1,830 a head and Castilla-La Mancha the least, with €1,248 per person.

Red alert ALWAYS expensive, prized red prawns from Denia are fetching €102 a kilo over the holiday season. “They’re a snip,” said a fishing-boat owner recalling pre-crisis prices hovering at €260 a kilo.

No takers BOTH offers to run the bar-restaurant at San Vicente’s municipal swimming pool and football ground were rejected. Neither was financially nor technically viable and the contract be put out to tender.

Climber injured A 25-YEAR-OLD woman was injured last Saturday when she fell approximately six metres whilst climbing Sa Gubia in Bunyola. Emergency medical services attended to her on site and she was transported by helicopter to Son Espases hospital.

Toy story ALCUDIA residents showed solidarity by delivering presents to a local business last week to be donated to local charity Aspanob. The business, Quiro-Mass, donated their services for every present delivered thus providing a win-win situation for many!

Marihuana discovered A WOMAN discovered a bag of marihuana last weekend in the Sa Vileta area of Palma and rang the police. It seems that the bag contained roots and leaves of the Cannabis Sativa plant but nothing worth smoking.

COSTA DEL SOL

Roman tower regains former glory

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

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Sports event A SPORTS tournament in Nerja raised €5,000 for the NGO Taller de la Amistad. The money will go towards helping people with disabilities and developmental disorders.

Beach damages

Future Almeria ALMOST 600 students took part in a competition in which they represented Almeria as they see it, how they would like it to be and how they think it can be improved.

Farmers’ protest

THE Commonwealth of Axarquia has asked for funding to begin dealing with the damages to local beaches. Bad weather that occurred on November 1 caused €837,211 worth of damage alone.

THE Small Farmers’ Union in Almeria handed out 6,000 kilos of cucumbers outside a city store to protest against the low prices which they have been obtaining for the past two years.

Capsized kayak

Cocaine seized

A 27-YEAR-OLD and a 28-year-old were rescued by Salvamento Maritimo in Velez-Malaga when the kayak they were travelling in began to fill with water.

THREE residents of Macael were arrested by Guardia Civil when an investigation into the theft of €6,000 worth of jewellery and cash from a local household revealed a cocaine sales point where 50g of the drug were found.

Higher prices IT has been a good season for subtropical fruits in Axarquia, with avocados, mangos and custard apples fetching higher prices than they have in years past.

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

Five injured FIVE people, including two children, were injured when their car fell down an embankment near the cemetery in Roquetas de Mar.

Estepona arrests NATIONAL Police announced on December 23 that they had arrested a group of six women and two men in Estepona following a police investigation into shoplifting which started in November 2015. The thieves are estimated to have stolen goods to the value of €600,000.

Loan offer THE La Linea Council approved in an extraordinary meeting on December 22 to authorise the mayor, Juan Franco, to take a loan worth €43,878,171,71 given by the Administracion General del Estado through the Instituo de Credito Oficial (ICO).

Knock down PSOE, which now holds the majority of seats on the town council of Torremolinos, has confirmed its intention of knocking down the Monumento al Turista, a 20 metre column donated by disgraced businessman Rafael Gomez Sanchez which is based on an image of his wife.

Drinks price THE Business Owner’s Association of Mijas, met on December 22 with the mayor, Juan Carlos Maldonado, to agree a standard price of €4 per drink to be charged by 10 bars around the town square on New Year’s Eve. In return it was agreed the traditional New Year’s Eve tent would not be set up in competition.

Kidnapper arrested NATIONAL Police have released information that earlier in December, acting on an arrest warrant issued by the Swiss authorities they identified the whereabouts of a 42year-old German woman who had removed her children aged 9 and 14 from Switzerland without the permission of her husband.

EWN top for all the news from Spain.

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GERMAN

EUROPEAN PRESS PRESS

Refugee housing SWEDEN: Sweden’s migration agency has signed a deal to house 1,260 refugees on board a cruise ship as authorities continue their search to find long-term asylum accommodation in the Nordic country.

King’s speech SWEDEN: In his annual speech to the nation, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf referred to both the real threat of world terrorism and the refugee problems saying that Sweden must defend society’s values by remaining both trusting and open.

PRESS

Caring Katie sparks outrage

Robot teachers

POSTED an insensitive response to a news story KATIE HOPKINS has sparked outrage after posting an insensitive response to news a British Muslim family were banned from their dream Disneyland trip. She wrote: “two men and nine kids called Mahmood turned away from flight to America. Fair play. Were their mothers locked in the kitchen? Too female to fly?”

Speaker’s salary COMMONS Speaker John Bercow is now paid more than the prime minister after accepting an extra pay rise on top of the 10 per cent already handed to MPs which means that his annual salary is £150,236, while David Cameron earns £149,440.

Terrorism arrest A MAN has been arrested in south London in connection with “extremist Is-

BRITISH PRESS lamist terrorism,” the Metropolitan Police said. The 31-year-old was arrested at a business address on December 22. He was detained on suspicion of “being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.”

Roadworks suspended NEARLY 400 miles of roadworks have been removed ready for one of the busiest days on the roads for motorists, Highways England has said. A total of 148 schemes were lifted on the morning of December 23 in an effort to free up motorways and A-roads.

Amazon gift

Photo Credit Fonats Shutterstock

SCANDINAVIAN

IT SEEMS that Amazon really does believe in the season of goodwill after sending a woman 42lbs of play-dough - even though she didn’t order anything from them. The surprise delivery - containing 180 cans of play-dough - even came with an added ‘gift’ of a laser scanner - presumably having been accidentally left in the box by staff at the Amazon depot.

Photo Credit Monkey Business Images Shutterstock

Getting the goat SWEDEN: The traditional Christmas goat has once again been set on fire in Gävle, central Sweden by Christmas arsonists, with one suspected perpetrator spending the night sobering up in a cell after being arrested by police with fire lighters and newspaper in his possession.

English is Scandinavian NORWAY: New linguistic research has concluded that residents of the British Isles didn’t just borrow words and expressions from Norwegian and Danish Vikings and their descendants. Rather, claim two professors now working in Oslo, the English language is in fact Scandinavian.

KEPT INDOORS: As they are milked three times a day.

Permanent cover for dairy cows MORE were kept indoors in 2014 than in 2013 MORE than three in 10 Dutch cows were kept permanently indoors in 2014, a slight rise on 2013, the national statistics office CBS has announced. Bigger farms, which use robot milking equipment, tend to keep their cows indoors because they are milked three times a day.

Tax benefits DUAL income families with children will benefit most from next year’s Dutch tax reforms now the senate has voted in

DUTCH PRESS favour of them and they should expect to have 2.5 per cent more to spend in 2016.

Victim compensation ALL victims of crimes will be guaranteed compensation from the Dutch gov-

COMBINING artificial intelligence and language acquisition skills, robots will soon teach refugee children the German language. Scientists are focusing on children to develop the technology’s effectiveness.

Naked truth GERMANY’S highest court has ruled that people have the right to force their exlovers to delete naked pictures of them. The Bundesgerichtshof confirmed a ruling made in October by a court in Koblenz, western Germany, on the case of a man who had taken several intimate photos of a woman during their affair.

Gun laws GERMAN gun club lobbyists were invited to the German Interior Ministry to discuss something that has been bothering them for a while the European Commission’s proposed plans to tighten Europe’s gun laws, which were suddenly revived from legislative stagnation in the wake of the ‘Islamic State’ attacks in Paris in November.

Train track selfies A NUMBER of German teens - in particular young girls pledging each other eternal friendship - are taking selfies while posing on train tracks. This reckless pastime has forced the rail operator into a counter-campaign using social media.

Feeling isolated FINLAND is isolated by the Baltic Sea both from Sweden and Estonia. There are increasing fears in the Finnish capital Helsinki of being ‘too far’ from the European continent especially with ground transport, as the EU has just granted Estonia €440 million to build a new high speed rail link to Poland and on to the rest of Europe.

NEWS

ernment from January 1, 2016. If the perpetrator is late in paying compensation ordered by the court, or refuses to do so, the government will pay the compensation to the victim and claim it back from the perpetrator.

Iraqi stowaways A 36-YEAR-OLD Hungarian truck driver was arrested in Venlo after seven Iraqi stowaways were found hiding in his truck, the Koninklijke Marechaussee.

Daesh eyes Germany ISLAMIST extremist Harry S wasn’t in Syria for long. But during his stay there, he claims, Islamic State leaders repeatedly tried to recruit him to commit terror attacks in Germany.

Tour de France ORGANISERS of the most famous bicycle race in the world have announced that Dusseldorf will host the start of the Tour de France in 2017.

A REVIEW OF 2015

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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EWN

Let our business make your business the best business in town…

YOUR voice is important to us… HERE at the Euro Weekly News (EWN) we are confident we produce an excellent newspaper as well as the best English-language internet news site in Spain, but we also know we should never rest on our laurels. Our dedicated team is always willing to listen to our readers. Your views are important

e knew we could rely on our readers to come up with some ideas, and we were not to be disappointed with a bulging (virtual) postbag. On this page we give just a selection of the comments we received, plus a round up of the (previously announced) winners of the iPad minis. We have read every single one of the comments and taken note of some of the common suggestions as well as taking action. A recurring theme was the need to increase our local news content and be an even bigger part of the community. “It

would be great to see faces from the EWN around more and perhaps have a local office,” said Joan Adams from the Costa Blanca. We have taken such comments to heart and are opening three more local offices now, and a total of six by Easter, showing we are firmly at the heart of the community. From Marbella to Mojacar, Albox to Benissa, Benidorm to Mallorca, Benalmadena to Albir and Benijofar, we will have your local area covered – guaranteed. Moira Bartle from Caleta de Velez (Malaga) raised a subject echoed by several readers when she said: “Ensure that forthcom-

Almeria Murphy Stevens, from Arboleas, was the winning entry for the Almeria region. The 18-year-old Motocross fan said: “I wouldn’t make any changes to the company because it is perfect as it is.” Murphy, who is out and about on his bike constantly, has worked for Almeria Homes for the past 18 months but is thinking about returning to the UK to continue his studies, so his iPad will prove invaluable.

Costa del Sol Eveline Kleyngeld, from Estepona, took home the prize for the Costa del Sol. She likes the puzzles section. “I always turn to them first, so that gave me the idea that the index was very important, so I could find them easily. Then I look at the news, there is always so much to read.”

to us, so early in 2015 we asked our readers what they thought of the EWN. With a winning prize for the best comments of an iPad mini being given away in each of our six regions we asked: “If you were in charge of the EWN for a day, what is the one thing you would do to make it even better than it is?”

ing events be published in advance so readers can participate and enjoy, and not report after the event.” She was annoyed she missed an event that happened at 3.30pm on the day of publication and she read about it that evening, thus missing it. This is a very valid point, which the whole editorial team has taken on board. We pledge to strive to print as many upcoming events as possible, although for reasons of space we cannot always do so. Bill Mullaney, from Alicante Province, would like to see some travel features. He said: “I’d include travel features on

some interesting places in Spain to visit.” This is something that we have thought about and are delighted to have persuaded travel writer Kevin Pilley to start contributing. Although he will be writing about some Spanish destinations, we took it a stage further and he will give witty and informative reports from spots all round the world. Robert Walford from Campoverde (Alicante) came up with an excellent suggestion, shared by several readers. He said: “I would bring in a feature called Parish Pump News bringing input from correspondents

Costa Blanca South

Our winners Costa Blanca North Over in Javea on the Costa Blanca North, Brian Moreland showed his humour when asked what he would do if he was editor for a day. He quipped: “Immediately sack myself as I’d be useless.” Looking forward to checking out the iPad, he said it was the first thing he’d ever won, “apart from a turkey we won once on Christmas Eve!”

Axarquía Marcel Van den Huevel from Nerja’s suggestion was to do with team work, something we all recognise as vital at

of local news and items of interest from their village or town.” We thought it was such a good idea that we are actively recruiting volunteer local correspondents to report on their patch, and are inviting Mr Walford to be one of our first correspondents. If you would like to have a go then email us at newsdesk @euroweeklynews.com. Other ideas included increasing the number of distribution points, something we have done. Should you have any trouble finding a copy of the EWN drop us a line at distribution@ euroweeklynews.com.

EWN: “It’s all about motivating your workforce, you need everyone to go to work with a smile and job satisfaction is incredibly important,” he said. “Building a family atmosphere helps with communication, which is very important for any company, but in particular for a newspaper where it is vital that the readers get what they want – information. “I have always liked working for happy companies and I think that as the Euro Weekly News is the best English-language newspaper available, they need to make sure that everyone who works there is positive, upbeat and happy in their work.”

Joyce Gallagher from Catral would like to see recipes in the paper. “I always read the paper but I am a keen cook and there are no recipes, so I thought that was a shame and would invite people to send in their favourite recipes.”

Mallorca Congratulations to John Griffiths from Mallorca, who was forthright in his answer: “I would not change anything as I think that you have got things right.” Mr Griffiths, 66 years old, had been coming to Mallorca for 38 years, but retired to Son Ferrer 14 years ago. His parents had an apartment in Peguera so he had many opportunities to visit Mallorca over the years while he was working for a foreign royal family.

CONGRATULATIONS! Our winning ‘editors for the day.’

From left to right: Murphy Stevens, Eveline Kleyngeld, Brian Moreland, Marcel Van den Huevel, Joyce Gallagher and John Griffiths.

Marbella

Watch out, watch out, there is an EWN office about in your neighbourhood! Benalmadena

Albox

Mojacar

Benijofar

Benidorm

Albir

Benissa

Mallorca

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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NEWS

RUSSIAN P RESS

Star in the making DUE to number of votes, came in second place

KAMILLA ISMAILOVA: Stunned the judges. RUSSIAN-BORN Kamilla Ismailova stunned the judges at the Junior Eurovision 2015 singing ‘Mirror’ for San Marino, and receiving the tiny former Soviet Bloc country’s first-ever ‘douze’ points. Due to the strength of the Russian votes, she managed second place.

Oil for India RUSSIA and India are reported to have signed multiple agreements enabling cooperation on matters such as energy, the military, technology and economy. As a part of this, Vladimir Putin has said Russia will supply 10 million tons of oil annually to India for the next decade.

Border bicycle ban THE Finnish border patrol service has banned cyclists from crossing the border with Russia on a bicycle. The border patrol service said that the measure was introduced because ‘riding bicycles in the winter is a threat to cyclists themselves and other participants of road traffic.’

Nuclear New Year TASS have reported that Russia and Iran plan to begin construction of Iranian nuclear

Toughen up on Turkey PRIME MINISTER Dmitry Medvedev, speaking at a cabinet meeting this week said, “Russia will be taking new restrictive measures against Turkey,” in response to the unfriendly actions seen recently. “Although we don’t plan on completely ending cooperation with Turkey, unfriendly actions need an equivalent response,” he said.

power plants within weeks, according to Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran. He added, “We wish to start the job as soon as possible after the New Year holidays.”

Big investment TWO months after the law on the Free Port of Vladivostok entered into force, Russia’s Far East Development Corporation has announced it has signed 16 agreements with businesses

wishing to invest to the tune of 164.4 billion roubles (€2.13 billion)

GDP down ACCORDING to Dow Jones & Company, Russia’s economy dropped in November after a brief recovery. Russia’s GDP fell 4 per cent in November, bringing the annual decline for the January-November period to 3.7 per cent, and with falling oil prices is likely to contract further in 2016.

FINANCE

Costa Blanca South

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016

LONDON - FTSE 100

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

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A temporary reprieve for Abengoa SPANISH banks and HSBC have agreed to lend further funds By John Smith SPANISH Banks and HSBC have agreed in principale to continue to support Abengoa by lending further funds which will allow it to pay December wages. However, they expect the stricken

is the amount of money that a consortium of Spanish banks is prepared to lend to Abengoa to allow it to keep going until mid-January.

PLANS: To reduce price differences between regions.

Prada sales are suffering in Asia By John Smith ALTHOUGH the Devil may wear Prada, people in Asia seem to have turned their backs on the Italian designer brand, and profits for the nine months to October 2015 dropped by an alarming 26.4 per cent to €235 million, compared to €319 million for the same period last year. Whilst the company is not

company to put up shares in its US subsidiary Abengoa Yield by way of collateral. Although this support will only carry it through until the middle of January, it gives the company some breathing space in which to review its situation and to allow the banks to

Npower failed its customers. Not only have its billing and complaint procedures been chaotic, it treated its customers poorly, which is unacceptable.” Dermot Nolan CEO of Ofgem on fine of £26 million

Photo Credit pcruciatti shutterstock

Quote of the Week

€113M

exactly facing hard times, they are clearly worried, especially as for the last quarter profit fell by 38 per cent. In accordance with tradition, the company will be looking to cut costs. Prada also apparently plans to reduce price differences between different regions, to discourage tourists from travelling to countries where some items may be cheaper.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Another Ortega purchase AMANCIO ORTEGA, owner of Inditex, has extended his real estate empire by purchasing the historic and protected Haughwout building in New York, just off Broadway at a cost of €133 million. This increases his holdings in property which includes iconic buildings in London, Madrid and Miami.

Electoral goodies JUST before the country went to the voting stations, the Spanish Government announced that in January, the cost of electricity would fall by 0.7 per cent and natural gas by 3 per cent. Minister Jose Maria Lassalle confirmed that if reelected and the economic climate was right, his government would reduce some IVA rates to 10 per cent.

Starbucks finally pay up IT has been revealed that Starbucks UK, which is an arm of the world’s largest coffee chains, has stuck to its word and has started to pay significant amounts of tax after averaging just over £500,000 (€700,000) per year over a period of 14 years.

$57 million (€52.5 million) is the record value of box office takings on the opening day of Star Wars The Force Awakens in the USA.

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal

EWN

Stung by widespread criticism and possibly suffering from a customer backlash from its lack of payment, it has seen a jump in profits and has paid £8 million (€11 million) in the past 12 months.

consider their positions if, as appears likely, there is no ‘white knight’ on the horizon to rescue the company and protect their investment. It appears the lawyers representing both Abengoa and the rescuing bank will be paid up to €40 million by the company.

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Competitor for Amazon THE Spanish department store El Corte Ingles has launched a new online rapid delivery operation in order to try to combat Amazon, which is seeing a steady rise in its business within Spain. The new service from El Corte Ingles offers two-hour delivery on a series of items in six of the largest Spanish cities, with categories including, computers, and cosmetics.

E W N 31 December 2015 / 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 328.05 4.70 Associated British Foods 3,339.00 21.00 Admiral Group 1,639.50 -7.00 Aberdeen Asset Management 290.00 -2.30 Ashtead Group 1,112.00 -7.00 Antofagasta 462.60 -0.50 ARM Holdings 1,038.00 -6.00 Aviva 519.25 0.00 AstraZeneca 4,540.00 27.00 BAE Systems 497.30 -1.60 Babcock International Group 1,023.00 -103.00 Barclays 221.65 -0.60 British American Tobacco 3,781.00 35.50 Barratt Developments 616.00 0.00 BG Group 987.75 -1.60 Berkeley Group Holdings 3,626.50 -65.00 British Land Co 793.50 4.00 BHP Billiton 776.50 -1.60 Bunzl 1,864.50 8.00 BP 365.95 5.55 Burberry Group 1,205.00 8.20 BT Group 467.25 -1.45 Coca-Cola HBC 1,470.50 -12.00 Carnival 3,800.00 8.00 Centrica 218.20 1.40 Compass Group 1,162.50 -3.00 Capita Group (The) 1,218.00 11.00 CRH 1,947.50 0.00 Dixons Carphone 497.70 0.00 DCC 5,485.00 -15.00 Diageo 1,855.00 3.50 Direct Line Insurance Group 410.70 1.70 Experian 1,203.50 6.00 easyJet 1,721.00 -3.00 Fresnillo 715.50 3.00 GKN 305.85 -2.70 Glencore 92.48 -0.69 GlaxoSmithKline 1,376.00 6.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 2,252.50 7.00 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,482.00 1.00 Hammerson 604.00 3.00 HSBC Holdings 541.30 0.40 International Consolidated Air 602.50 5.50 InterContinental Hotels Group 2,634.50 -11.00 3i Group 478.80 4.50 Imperial Tobacco Group 3,543.50 0.00 Intu Properties 321.05 2.10 Inmarsat 1,125.50 12.00 Intertek Group 2,791.50 12.00 ITV 275.00 0.00

% CHG. NET VOL 1.45 4,532.84 0.63 26,267.75 -0.43 4,594.12 -0.79 3,873.63 -0.62 5,647.52 -0.11 4,565.50 -0.57 14,695.37 0.00 20,997.43 0.60 57,028.15 -0.32 15,785.19 -10.10 5,142.81 -0.27 37,287.25 0.95 69,823.03 0.00 6,131.99 -0.16 33,745.48 -1.77 5,026.25 0.51 8,058.29 -0.21 16,434.03 0.43 6,239.13 1.54 65,898.56 0.68 5,386.93 -0.31 39,428.49 -0.81 5,418.53 0.21 8,196.54 0.65 10,784.79 -0.26 19,310.87 0.91 8,048.84 0.00 15,982.50 0.00 5,730.82 -0.27 4,971.09 0.19 46,593.54 0.42 6,135.00 0.50 11,841.35 -0.17 6,847.87 0.42 5,250.37 -0.88 5,074.36 -0.74 13,578.29 0.44 66,667.05 0.31 4,462.87 0.07 7,024.66 0.50 4,721.55 0.07 105,546.98 0.92 12,185.02 -0.42 6,250.02 0.95 4,622.11 0.00 33,914.52 0.66 4,236.63 1.07 5,026.25 0.43 4,482.63 0.00 11,069.88

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Johnson Matthey 2,711.50 -30.00 Kingfisher 328.65 -0.90 Land Securities Group 1,186.00 4.00 Legal & General Group 269.40 1.50 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 73.50 -0.15 London Stock Exchange Grp 2,701.00 -7.00 Merlin Entertainments 450.00 3.00 Marks & Spencer Group 452.25 6.40 Mondi 1,358.00 24.00 National Grid 933.20 -4.50 Next 7,200.00 -40.00 Old Mutual 181.70 2.60 Provident Financial 3,283.00 16.00 Prudential 1,540.00 -0.50 Persimmon 1,974.50 -12.00 Pearson 768.00 0.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,217.00 21.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 305.00 0.50 Royal Dutch Shell 1,557.00 6.00 Royal Dutch Shell 1,571.00 6.50 RELX 1,180.00 -2.00 Rio Tinto 2,006.50 -8.00 Royal Mail 448.55 1.10 Rolls-Royce Group 594.75 4.50 Randgold Resources 4,233.50 -13.00 RSA Insurance Group 430.95 -1.20 SABMiller 4,075.00 30.00 Sainsbury (J) 265.95 0.40 Schroders 2,961.00 -7.00 Sage Group (The) 596.25 -4.00 Shire 4,609.00 39.00 Sky 1,099.50 -8.00 Standard Life 394.75 2.80 Smiths Group 958.75 -1.50 Smith & Nephew 1,173.50 2.00 Sports Direct International 563.75 3.50 SSE 1,529.00 17.00 Standard Chartered 589.00 5.40 St James's Place 997.25 3.50 Severn Trent 2,173.00 6.00 Travis Perkins 1,969.50 7.00 Tesco 150.98 -2.00 TUI AG 1,230.50 -4.00 Taylor Wimpey 197.85 -2.10 Unilever 2,891.00 8.00 United Utilities Group 936.75 -0.50 Vodafone Group 216.65 1.05 Wolseley 3,690.00 -281.05 Worldpay Group Ord 3p Wi 300.90 -1.50 WPP Group 1,540.00 -10.00 Whitbread 4,440.00 34.00

% CHG. -1.10 -0.27 0.34 0.56 -0.20 -0.26 0.67 1.43 1.80 -0.48 -0.55 1.45 0.49 -0.03 -0.60 0.07 0.34 0.16 0.39 0.42 -0.17 -0.40 0.25 0.76 -0.31 -0.28 0.74 0.15 -0.24 -0.67 0.85 -0.72 0.71 -0.16 0.17 0.62 1.12 0.93 0.35 0.28 0.36 -1.31 -0.32 -1.05 0.28 -0.05 0.49 -7.60 -0.50 -0.65 0.77

NET VOL 5,600.40 7,707.24 9,344.22 15,914.26 52,566.76 9,407.83 4,531.45 7,367.74 6,482.14 34,920.50 11,037.47 8,822.75 4,824.49 39,606.04 6,084.86 6,295.71 44,319.62 19,584.92 60,405.01 38,180.22 13,282.57 28,338.52 4,489.00 10,856.90 3,956.16 4,393.41 65,382.61 5,109.65 6,708.35 6,464.39 27,038.49 19,029.52 7,727.09 3,789.86 10,473.32 3,357.39 15,054.88 14,858.21 5,186.80 5,159.17 4,897.01 12,440.71 7,238.68 6,484.15 37,002.13 6,389.29 57,161.39 9,611.70 N/A 20,205.03 8,007.43

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US dollar....................................................................1.09713 Japan yen ................................................................132.302 Switzerland franc ................................................1.08428 Denmark kroner ....................................................7.46313 Norway kroner .....................................................9.53425

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COMPANY MM 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 151.19 +0.03 +0.02% 70.16 +0.19 +0.27% 108.03 -0.58 -0.53% 143.53 -0.53 -0.37% 69.38 -0.51 -0.73% 92.05 -1.76 -1.88% 27.38 -0.02 -0.07% 43.54 -0.13 -0.30% 105.86 +0.30 +0.28% 66.40 +0.37 +0.56% 79.33 -0.86 -1.07% 30.83 -0.12 -0.39% 182.47 -0.48 -0.26% 132.90 -0.21 -0.16% 138.25 -0.29 -0.21% 34.98 -0.02 -0.06% 103.72 +0.23 +0.22% 66.60 -0.13 -0.19% 118.57 -0.23 -0.19% 52.85 -0.13 -0.25% 55.67 -0.15 -0.27% 63.18 -1.18 -1.83% 32.62 +0.06 +0.18% 79.79 -0.13 -0.16% 113.27 +0.06 +0.05% 96.30 0.00 0.00% 118.34 -0.35 -0.29% 46.71 -0.24 -0.51% 78.26 -0.30 -0.38% 60.83 -0.26 -0.43%

VOLUME 848.4K 2.0M 13.6M 1.2M 2.3M 5.0M 8.2M 3.0M 4.4M 1.6M 5.8M 13.5M 1.1M 1.5M 1.5M 5.9M 2.5M 4.5M 1.7M 3.0M 9.6M 13.9M 7.9M 2.5M 507.3K 1.4M 900.1K 4.3M 2.2M 2.5M

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 28

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Resource America, Inc. Allied Motion Technologies, Inc. Auris Medical Holding AG Vanguard Natural Resources LLC Hovnanian Enterprises Inc Memorial Production Partners LP Legacy Reserves LP Vanguard Natural Resources LLC Legacy Reserves LP Vanguard Natural Resources LLC Auburn National Bancorporation, Inc.

$ 4.61 $ 27.27 $ 4.17 $ 10.82 $ 5.3458 $ 3.08 $ 6.36 $ 10.12 $ 6.20 $ 10.84 $ 30.3899

1.01 ▲ 28.06% 5.76 ▲ 26.78% 0.8012 ▲ 23.78% 1.7301 ▲ 19.03% 0.5959 ▲ 12.55% 0.34 ▲ 12.41% 0.70 ▲ 12.37% 1.0501 ▲ 11.58% 0.63 ▲ 11.31% 1.04 ▲ 10.61% 2.8876 ▲ 10.50%

$ 3.01 $ 6.93 $ 16.39 $ 3.80 $ 43.08 $ 3.47 $ 13.65 $ 23.65 $ 12.63 $ 2.60 $ 13.35

0.3693 ▼ 10.93% 0.56 ▼ 7.48% 1.30 ▼ 7.35% 0.27 ▼ 6.63% 2.98 ▼ 6.47% 0.24 ▼ 6.47% 0.88 ▼ 6.06% 1.44 ▼ 5.74% 0.73 ▼ 5.46% 0.15 ▼ 5.45% 0.75 ▼ 5.32%

Most Declined Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. Northeast Community Bancorp, Inc. WAVE Life Sciences Ltd. Dawson Geophysical Company BioSpecifics Technologies Corp Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. Central Garden & Pet Company Bassett Furniture Industries, Incorporated Amaya Inc. Intersections, Inc. Central Garden & Pet Company

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016/ Costa Blanca South

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

BA considers taking off to Spain Photo Credit NATS Press Office flickr

By John Smith ALTHOUGH the Davies Commission concluded in July of this year that a third runway at Heathrow was probably the best option for expansion of flights in and out of London, the government announced in December that a decision had been postponed until the summer of 2016 whilst further analysis is to be undertaken. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said that there was a ‘clear’ case for airport expansion “but it’s vitally important we get the decision right so that it will benefit generations to come.” This lack of decision has angered a number of British industry leaders, none more so than Willie Walsh, the chief executive of IAG, which owns British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling, and has its registered office in Madrid. He has now warned the government that if it does not make a decision about a third runway at Heathrow soon, then he will look to

AS widely forecast, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.25 percentage points on December 16, which was its first increase since 2006. This move takes the range of rates banks offer to lend to each other overnight known as the Federal Funds rate to between 0.25 and 0.5 per cent, although this still allows the banks to charge much higher rates to business and consumer customers whilst only paying very small amounts of interest on funds invested. The move is likely to affect economies throughout the world, such as Brazil which has been benefiting from the fact that although its economy is risky, investors were receiving better rates of interest than offered in the US, and can now expect to see a flood of funds leaving the country.

expand his business in either Ireland or Spain where the other airlines are based. Any decision to expand the business in that manner will be to the obvious detriment of the British economy and to the benefit of the Irish and/or Spanish economies. Writing in the Daily Mail he did not mince his words, saying: “We’re a small island, and this Government looks set to make us even smaller on the world stage. Our leaders bestride the world saying the UK is open for business, but their actions do not match the rhetoric. “If the Government continues to dither over a new runway, then I’ll move my business elsewhere. We now have airlines in Dublin and Madrid, and can expand our business there, supporting the strengthening Irish and Spanish economies.”

Takeovers continue in the pharmaceuticals sector By John Smith Photo Credit Maxwell Hamilton flickr

US raises interest rate

AIRLINE BOSS: Willie Walsh at the controls of a flight simulator.

IT h as b e e n a n inc re dibly bus y year for takeovers in the drug sector, with the latest announced being GlaxoSmithKline taking over HIV drug development assets from Bristol-Myers Squibb for $1.4 billion (€1.3 billion).

GlaxoSmithKline to take over HIV drug development assets from Bristol-Myers Squibb for $1.4 bn

According to financial software company Dealogic, which assists in many of these takeovers, global deals in the pharmaceutical industry have reached $677.5 billion

DRUG GIANT: GlaxoSmithKline headquarters UK.

(€625 billion) which is an increase of 64 per cent over 2014 and is much greater than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many countries around the world. At the same time, 32-year-old Martin Shkreli, former hedge fund manager turned CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals and said to be the most hated man in America, was arrested on securities fraud charges. Shkreli, described by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as being responsible for a ‘trifecta of lies, deceit and greed,’ is accused of running a Ponzi scheme. He is, however, perhaps best known for increasing the price of Daraprim, the HIV drug marketed by the company he took over by more than 5,000 per cent. Shkreli did reduce the price of t he dr ug sl i ght l y af t er m ass protests but then complained that he should have actually charged more than his original price.

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016/ Costa Blanca South

EWN

No more round pounds as they will be withdrawn from circulation DECEMBER 16 saw the production of the last ever British round pound by the Royal Mint. It will be introducing a new pound coin, which it claims is the ‘most secure coin in the world,’ in 2017. Whilst there will be considerable expense involved in producing and using this new coin, bearing in mind the number of vending and other machines which accept coins, the government was disturbed by the ease with which the old pound could be counterfeited. Conservative estimates suggest that there are 45 million forgeries in circulation. The new pound coin is based on the design of the old threepenny bit (3d), which was 12-sided, and it is intended that this new coin will be produced in bi-metal format (like the existing £2 coin) in similar size to the existing pound coin but incorporating special technology to combat counterfeiters.

Photo Credit Adrian Reynolds Shutterstock

By John Smith

The obverse will continue to carry the effigy of the monarch and the first reverse design has been chosen from a nationwide competition with the winner being a 15-year-old boy from Walsall. It is estimated that the introduction of the new coin and the withdrawal and destruction of the original round pound will cost the government something in the region of £20 million (€28 million) and judging from past experience there are

Current pound coin is too easy to be counterfeited 45 million fakes are in circulation

CURRENCY CHANGE: Round pound coins will be replaced with 12-sided ones.

likely to be delays and teething troubles before the coin is accepted throughout the country. Ironically, the original project title for the new pound coin was iSIS, which was still in use as recently as 2014.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

EWN

What the hell have we done? WE’VE brought people into our society who are totally alien to the Christian celebration LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

AND so this is Christmas and what the hell have we done? What we’ve done, is to bring hundreds of thousands of individuals into our society who not only couldn’t give a damn, but are totally alien to the whole Christian celebration. Instead of the normal warm feelings of unity and goodwill, we have now managed to introduce into our midst a bunch of aliens, most of whom would prefer to see the whole event banned altogether. And you can feel it. Something is missing. Great chunks of our towns and cities are not only ignoring the whole joyous occasion, but are no doubt decrying it. And still they arrive in droves. Yet another section of our western culture and lifestyle is being eroded by immigrants, many of whom are at best cowardly deserters and at worst Islamic terrorists

TRAVELLING EXPERIENCE: The whole thing is now a security-blighted nightmare. infiltering our society with a view to spreading death and destruction among us. Slowly but surely the Islamic extremists are bringing more and more gloom into our existence. Flying used to be great fun.

How many can remember when the plane reached cruising height the pilots would open the door and invite all and sundry into the cockpit for a magical treat? The whole travelling experience is now

a security-blighted nightmare. Tubes, buses, even music concerts and sporting occasions, are overshadowed by the possibility that some of its attendees may never see their loved ones again. Is this what our forefathers gave life and limb for? We’ve insulted their memories. In our complacency, we have wasted the precious sacrifices they gave to ensure we would live in a democracy, not afraid to speak out, free and safe from danger in the sanctuary of our homelands. Our leaders have betrayed them all. And for those of you who still feel we should let all these people in regardless, I’ve just read a report of 52 tonnes of arms and ammunition, found by the Greek border control in imported containers meant to be holding furniture to ‘make life bearable’ and ‘ease the discomfort’ of the ‘refugees’. Well I hope this ‘offends’ all of them. Happy Christmas Keep the faith Love Leapy. Leapylee2002@gmail.com.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

7:00am Breakfast 10:00am Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings 11:05am CBeebies Panto 11:55am The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn 1:30pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:10pm BBC London News 2:20pm Harry Hill in Professor Branestawm Returns 3:20pm Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers 3:50pm Up 5:15pm Stick Man 5:45pm Take That 6:45pm Pointless 7:30pm BBC News 7:50pm BBC London News 8:00pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:30pm Roald Dahl's Esio Trot 10:00pm BBC News 10:15pm Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie 11:45pm The Graham Norton Show 12:30am Bryan Adams Rocks Big Ben Live

7:00am Homes Under the Hammer 8:00am Flog It! 8:45am This Wild Life 9:15am Great British Menu 9:45am Father of the Bride 11:15am Natural World 12:15pm Custer of the West 2:30pm Ice Station Zebra 4:50pm Flog It! 5:50pm World's Sneakiest Animals 6:50pm The Odd Life of Timothy Green 8:30pm University Challenge 9:00pm Gareth Malone's Great Choir Reunion 10:00pm The Sapphires 11:35pm Live at the Apollo 12:10am Jools's Annual Hootenanny 2015 2:20am Best of Glastonbury 2015 A joyful round-up of highlights from 2015's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. 4:20am Snow Chick: A Penguin's Tale 5:20am Back in Time for Christmas

7:00am 7:15am 7:25am 7:40am 8:00am

7:00am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:50am The X Factor Winner's Story 2015 8:40am Emmerdale 9:05am Coronation Street 9:30am Britain's Got More Talent 10:25am The Almost Impossible Gameshow 11:25am Arthur and the Great Adventure 1:30pm Emmerdale 2:00pm Coronation Street 2:30pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 3:35pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:40pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:45pm Catchphrase 6:45pm Luke Kempner's Impression of 2015 7:45pm E.T. The ExtraTerrestrial 10:00pm Quantum of Solace 12:15am Celebrity Juice 1:15am Celebrity Juice 2:00am Celebrity Juice 2:45am Celebrity Juice 3:30am Release the Hounds

9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 12:30pm 1:30pm 1:40pm 3:30pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 7:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:35pm 11:05pm 12:05am

12:55am 1:10am 1:40am 3:30am

Dino Dan Dino Dan Sooty Super 4 Good Morning Britain Lorraine Dickinson's Real Deal Judge Rinder Who's Doing the Dishes? ITV News Dragonheart Dinosaur Britain The Chase Downton Abbey ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Panda Babies Birds of a Feather Piers Morgan's Life Stories The Nation's Favourite Bond Song ITV News The Nation's Favourite Bond Song Goldfinger ITV Nightscreen

8:00pm How to Train Your Dragon 9:30pm Toy Story 2 11:00pm Russell Howard's Good News 11:30pm Russell Howard's Good News 12:00am Family Guy 12:25am Family Guy 12:45am Family Guy 1:10am Family Guy 1:30am Family Guy 1:50am Family Guy 2:15am Family Guy 2:35am Family Guy 2:55am Family Guy 3:15am Russell Howard's Good News

7:40am 9:40am 10:10am 10:35am 11:05am 11:35am 12:05pm 2:10pm 4:20pm 6:20pm 6:35pm 7:35pm 8:30pm 10:00pm 12:10am 1:10am

8:00pm Canals: The Making of a Nation 10:00pm Sinatra: All or Nothing at All 11:55pm Made in Dagenham 1:40am David Bowie and the Story of Ziggy Stardust 2:40am Queens of Disco 3:40am Disco at the BBC 4:40am This is BBC Four

3:10am 3:35am 4:05am 4:35am 5:00am 5:50am

www.euroweeklynews.com

Explorers The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Imagine That The Rocketeer Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Channel 4 News Hollyoaks Celebrity Couples Come Dine with Me TFI Friday: New Year Special Alan Carr's New Year Specstacular 8 Out of 10 Cats Big Fat Quiz of the Year Catastrophe Catastrophe Catastrophe Gadget Man Location, Location, Location Deal or No Deal Another chance to see the episode from Tuesday 15 December.

8:05am 8:20am 8:30am 8:45am 8:55am 9:10am 9:25am 9:45am 10:00am 10:50am 12:35pm

2:30pm

2:55pm 4:55pm 7:00pm 7:50pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:55am

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1:00am

2:30am 4:35am

Movies Now Fresh Fields Wycliffe Mutiny on the Buses Holiday on the Buses Forever Young Housewife 49 Carry on Screaming Horror spoof. Inspector Morse Midsomer Murders Endeavour Crime drama series about the young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. Corrie: The Road to Coronation Street 6.53pm, December 9th 1960, Granada Studios, Manchester. Inspector Morse A Touch of Frost Set in the town of Denton, this police drama series focuses on Detective Inspector Frost and his long-suffering Superintendent Harry Mullett.

7:00am Football's Greatest: Bobby Charlton 7:15am The Big Match Revisited 8:05am Tommy Cooper 8:35am The Professionals 9:40am Minder 10:45am Alias Smith and Jones 11:50am Goodwood Supercars 12:55pm Goodwood Festival of Speed 1:55pm Pawn Stars 2:20pm Pawn Stars 2:50pm Pawn Stars 3:15pm Pawn Stars 3:45pm Superman 6:40pm Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment 8:25pm Space Cowboys 11:00pm Inside Man 1:35am The Boat That Rocked 4:05am ITV4 Nightscreen 4:20am The Professionals 5:15am Minder Drama series about the shady dealings of a loveable rogue.

7:00am 8:45am 10:45am 1:00pm 3:00pm 4:40pm 5:10pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 11:15pm 1:15am

7:00am 8:40am 10:15am 11:50am 1:40pm 3:30pm 5:05pm 6:50pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:40am 2:25am 4:05am

Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat World's Strongest Man 2015 Carry on Teacher Sinatra at 100 - An All-Star Grammy Concert Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back One Chance The Wizard of Oz Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild World's Strongest Man 2015 Ben Fogle in Winter Wonderland Britain's Best Loved Double Acts Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments Super Casino

Poseidon The Maze Runner Jupiter Ascending Taken 3 Cloverfield Everest: Sky Movies Special Poseidon The Maze Runner Jupiter Ascending Taken 3 Cloverfield

Alien Autopsy Road Trip: Beer Pong The Waterboy Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Dumb and Dumber To The Waterboy When Harry Met Sally Mrs. Doubtfire Dumb and Dumber To Road Trip: Beer Pong The Rocky Horror Picture Show When Harry Met Sally Stir Crazy

7:00am 7:20am 7:45am 8:35am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:35pm 8:05pm 8:35pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:25pm 1:05am 1:35am 2:10am 2:40am

Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Rude(Ish) Tube Bad(Ish) Robots Troy How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother Casper The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Gogglesprogs Gogglebox Gogglebox The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners

7:00am Cinderella 8:50am Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 10:35am Exodus: Gods and Kings 1:10pm Big Hero 6 2:55pm Cinderella Lavish, live-action retelling of the classic fairytale. Fantasy drama. 4:50pm Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers reassemble in order to take down terrifying new enemy Ultron. 7:15pm Big Hero 6 9:00pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 10:45pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 1:05am Exodus: Gods and Kings 3:40am I Origins 5:30am Dino Time Three kids travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.

THURSDAY TV

7:00am 7:15am 7:30am 7:45am 8:00am 8:30am 8:45am 9:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:00pm 3:55pm 6:00pm 10:00pm 12:00am 12:30am 1:00am 2:00am 3:00am 4:00am 5:00am

Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Premier League Football Gold Football Gold Big Bash League Pace Like Fire Ford Football Special Premier League 100 Club Football Gold Football Gold La Liga Goals Football World Darts Championship Fight Night Review of 2015 SPFL Round Up Barclays Premier League World La Liga Goals Sky Sports Years Sky Sports Years Sky Sports Years Sky Sports Years A look back at the programmes, events and stories that made the headlines on Sky Sports throughout 2015.

9:00am Chinese GP Highlights 10:00am Bahrain GP Highlights 11:00am Spanish GP Highlights 12:00pm Monaco GP Highlights 1:00pm Canadian GP Highlights 2:00pm Austrian GP Highlights 3:00pm British GP Highlights 4:00pm Hungarian GP Highlights 5:00pm Belgian GP Highlights 6:00pm Italian GP Highlights 7:00pm Singapore GP Highlights 8:00pm Japanese GP Highlights 9:00pm Russian GP Highlights 10:00pm United States GP Highlights 11:00pm Mexican GP Highlights 12:00am Brazilian GP Highlights

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

7:00am 10:00am 11:25am 12:55pm 1:55pm 2:00pm 2:10pm 2:15pm 5:05pm 5:30pm 7:05pm 7:20pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 12:10am 12:25am 12:35am

1:50am 1:55am

Breakfast Turbo Monsters vs Aliens Top of the Pops The Archbishop of New Year Message BBC News at One BBC London News The Sound of Music The Farmer's Llamas Wreck-it Ralph BBC News BBC London News EastEnders Billionaire Boy EastEnders Dickensian Sherlock Mrs. Brown's Boys BBC News BBC London News Adele at the BBC Accompanied by her live band, Adele performs her muchloved classics alongside new material. Weather for the Week Ahead BBC News

9:05am A Grizzly New Year's Tale 9:35am Almost Naked Animals 10:10am Horrid Henry 10:25am Dickinson's Real Deal 11:30am Judge Rinder 12:30pm Who's Doing the Dishes? 1:25pm Celebrity Squares 2:10pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:25pm Dr. No 4:35pm Midsomer Murders 6:35pm Wild River with Ray Mears 7:40pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Gino's Italian Escape: Islands in the Sun 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm The Big Quiz 11:00pm ITV News 11:15pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:20am American Pie: The Wedding

7:35am Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas 8:50am Natural World 9:50am Viva Las Vegas 11:15am Darcey's Ballet Heroes 12:15pm New Year's Day Concert Live From Vienna 2016 1:45pm Little Women 3:40pm The Eagle Has Landed 5:50pm Gorilla Family and Me 6:50pm The Archbishop of Canterbury's New Year Message 6:55pm The Terminal 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm The Many Faces of Ronnie Corbett 10:30pm The One Ronnie 11:20pm Catch Me If You Can 1:30am Shadow of a Doubt 3:15am Top Gear 4:15am Hugh's War on Waste Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall is on a mission to find out why the UK wastes so much food.

7:00am The Hot Desk 7:10am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:35am The Almost Impossible Gameshow 8:20am Emmerdale 9:25am Coronation Street 9:55am Mr. Bean 10:30am Space Jam 12:15pm Richie Rich 2:10pm Emmerdale 3:15pm Coronation Street 3:45pm Happy Feet 5:55pm The Nation's Favourite Disney Song 6:50pm Minion Madness Shorts 7:05pm Despicable Me 9:00pm Skyfall 11:55pm Celebrity Juice 12:55am Release the Hounds 1:55am Luke Kempner's Impression of 2015 2:55am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 3:20am Teleshopping

8:00pm Great Movie Mistakes 8:15pm Top Gear 9:30pm Shrek 2 11:00pm EastEnders 11:30pm EastEnders 12:00am American Dad! 12:25am American Dad! 12:45am Family Guy 1:10am Family Guy 1:30am Family Guy 1:50am Family Guy 2:10am Fried 2:40am Fried 3:05am Fried 3:35am Fried

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10:00pm

8:00pm New Year's Day Concert From Vienna 2016 10:00pm The Joy of Rachmaninoff 11:00pm Sinatra: All or Nothing at All 1:00am Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely Ones 2:00am Sammy Davis Jr: The Kid in the Middle

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

4:20am 4:40am

Sparkling Cyanide Wycliffe Goodbye, Mr. Chips Agatha Christie's Marple Agatha Christie's Marple Inspector Morse Blue Murder at St. Trinian's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Agatha Christie's Marple Wycliffe Inspector Morse Agatha Christie's Marple Movies Now The latest news and reviews of this week's film releases. ITV3 Nightscreen Emmerdale Omnibus Aaron's alibi falls apart. Cain's plan backfires. Ross comes under suspicion.

12:00am 2:10am 4:00am 4:25am 5:20am

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The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Planet 51 The Simpsons The Simpsons Inspector Gadget Channel 4 Racing The Golden Compass Channel 4 News Tangled Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty join forces for a third series at their endof-the-pier caff. A Good Day to Die Hard Bruce Willis returns to his role as wisecracking cop John McClane. Rude Tube Damien: Omen II Friday Night Dinner You Deserve This House Location, Location, Location

9:10am 9:15am 9:25am 9:40am 9:50am 10:05am 10:20am 10:25am 10:35am 11:50am 1:35pm 3:45pm 5:30pm

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:55pm 2:55am 4:10am 5:00am 5:45am

7:00am Football's Greatest 7:10am The Big Match Revisited 8:05am Tommy Cooper 8:35am The Professionals 9:35am Minder 10:35am Kojak 11:40am Kojak 12:45pm The Far Country 2:45pm The Land That Time Forgot 4:35pm Storage Wars Texas 5:00pm Storage Wars Texas 5:30pm Storage Wars Texas 6:00pm Storage Wars 6:25pm Storage Wars 7:00pm Storage Wars 7:30pm Police Academy 6: City Under Siege 9:15pm Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey 11:00pm Passenger 57 12:50am Waterworld 3:25am Nitro Circus 3:45am ITV4 Nightscreen 4:00am Teleshopping Shopping from home.

Peppa Pig Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Milkshake! Bop Box Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat Milkshake Monkey Wanda and the Alien Thomas and Friends Carry on Cabby Harry and the Hendersons Dracula: Dead and Loving It Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes World's Strongest Man Final 2015 Christmas with the Double Acts An Audience with Ken Dodd Britain's Favourite Stand-Up Comedian Super Casino Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild House Doctor

12:00pm The Matrix 2:30pm Everest: Sky Movies Special 3:00pm The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 5:00pm Gladiator 7:40pm The Matrix 10:00pm The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 12:00am Behind Enemy Lines

7:55am The Good Dinosaur: Special 8:25am Sex Ed 10:05am The Inbetweeners 2 11:55am Shanghai Noon 1:50pm Shanghai Knights 3:50pm Borat 5:20pm Mr. Deeds 7:00pm A Million Ways to Die in the West 9:00pm The Inbetweeners 2 10:50pm The Wedding Singer 12:40am Borat

7:00am 7:25am 7:45am 8:35am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 1:25pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

12:15am

Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Charmed Charmed The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Animals United The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Avengers: Age of Ultron 9:25am Exodus: Gods and Kings 11:50am Home 1:30pm Top Five 3:15pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 5:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 7:15pm Home 9:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 11:15pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 1:45am Top Five 3:30am I Origins A biologist studying the evolution of the eye makes a potentially lifechanging discovery. 5:30am Kingsman: The Secret Service Special Alex Zane looks at Matthew Vaughn's riotous love letter to the spy genre starring Colin Firth.

FRIDAY TV

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

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5:30am

Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Football World Darts Championship Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Football Gold Football Gold Sporting Triumphs Sporting Triumphs Ringside: Fights of 2015 Fantasy Football Club, the 22 - Merse Meets Tony Adams Premier League Legends Series profiling some of the greatest players to grace the Barclays Premier League. Premier League Legends

6:00am Spanish GP Highlights 7:00am Cricket's Greatest 7:30am Cricket's Greatest 8:00am Cricket's Greatest 8:30am Cricket's Greatest 9:00am Big Bash League 12:30pm Cricket's Greatest 1:00pm Cricket's Greatest 1:30pm Cricket's Greatest 2:00pm World Darts Championship 5:30pm Sporting Greats 6:00pm Game Changers 6:30pm La Liga Show 2015 7:00pm Sporting Greats 7:30pm Big Bash League The T20 Big Bash League round four game between the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Thunder. 11:00pm ODI Cricket New Zealand take on Sri Lanka at the Saxton Oval, Nelson, in the fourth ODI of the five-match series.

OPINION & COMMENT

LETTERS

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

EWN

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

Thirty minutes in his company is a memory I’ll never forget

Robert & Marie Barnes. Campoverde, Costa Blanca.

We need to look no further than our own doorstep I DON’T expect you to agree with m e 100 pe r c e nt but the re is no avoiding the fact that by definition we are immigrants. While I agree many are coming in to take advantage of our benefit system, there are also those escaping war, famine and other hardships in their own country. When it comes to sponging we need to look no further than our own doorstep in the UK. Not only working class layabouts but politicians, people fiddling expenses and people with more money they can spend in several lifetimes avoiding tax. We all use Amazon, Starbucks and McDonald’s etc, all of whom reputedly avoid paying tax in UK. By doing so we encourage the practice because it suits our needs. Ian via the website on Enoch Powell by Leapy Lee

would collect them before Christmas, which will now mean I can navigate through my living room without tripping over the boxes or bags. This has certainly encouraged me to k e e p o n colle c ting, but hopefully I can pass them on to the charity every month or so. Anne Lee, Coin, Malaga

Bottle tops Failure to find new home comply I JUST can’t believe how influential the Euro Weekly News must be. Wh e n I c o n t a c t e d y o u la s t week about what to do with the bottle tops and ring pulls that had been c o l l e c t e d , I d i d n ’t e x p e c t such a fantastic response. Within just five hours of the latest Costa del Sol edition appearing, I h a d r e c e i v e d a ca ll fro m your head office saying somebody wanted to contact me and when we spoke she confirmed that she

Decimation of Asturias

Photographs for possible publication should be sent by email with a full caption to: photonews@euroweeklynews.com

Photo Credit Allan Warren Wikimedia.

SHOULD these jottings reach your home internet base, before Christmas Day, then sincere good wishes f o r t h e d a y, t o y o u a n d yours. If received later, very best wishes for 2016! I enjoyed your splendid article on Enoch Powell MBE. In 1968, prior to my attending a speech to be giv e n b y E n o c h P o w ell, a t Birmingham’s Rag Market building, long now demolished, I decided to visit the Burlington Hotel, just off New Street, to firstly make use of the rather excellent toilets (too much information, I know) and the n t o t a k e a d r in k at th e Burlington lounge. Takin g m y b e e r t o a w in d o w seat, it was something of a shock to find that my companion on the couch was the great man himself. There appeared to be no security personnel in attendance, or perhaps it was their professionalism at work! Mr Powell at once stood and introduced himself. I explained that I would be meeting him again in about two hours, and was looking forward to his speech. We talked of his upbringing in Stetchford, and shared thoughts of how we saw the United Kingdom in the future. I felt privileged to spend just over 30 minutes in his company, a memory I will never forget. Very best regards sir.

DEAR Sir, In 2013 the PP Government in Madrid passed the Law of Transparency, Access to Information and Good Governance, perhaps in response to the wave of corruption scandals involving both main parties. This law required that local authorities at all levels publish on their website all information relating to their financial affairs, such as the levels of debt, full budget

Enoch Powell MBE.

information, cost of public services, details of public works, contracts and also full disclosure of councillor’s assets and salaries paid to elected members of the council. Most local authorities, whatever their political complexion, have voted for this... So why not Estepona? Over the past year opposition PSOE councillors have asked in vain for this information to be made public. Frustrated by the lack of response, the PSOE opposition group, he a de d by C ounc illor Manuela Benitez, has formally denounced the Estepona local government for its failure to comply with this law. Since coming into office in May 2011 the PP has undoubtedly made improvements to the town. So why the failure to provide the citizens of Estepona with information as to exactly what is being done with their tax money? It just doesn’t make sense, especially as this law was a measure

which was passed by their own government. Yours Mary Page Cancelada, Estepona

Expatriate voting rights FOR sure, we as expats, having no more property in our homeland, who live all year round and pay taxes in Spain, would need to be able to vote in the national elections, especially if we don’t vote anymore in our homeland. It’s here in Spain that we will endure the decisions not only of the politics of our town, but as well the general decisions taken by the main government. Let us vote please! Thank you! Micheline Via the website

IF they ever find the people who started these fires (I understand there were about 150), they should be tried for manslaughter. I am surprised there haven’t been more reports on the decimation of Asturias by arson - it’s a national disgrace. Annie Via the website

La Siesta worries DEAR Sir, It is now 10 years since work in an area of La Siesta was left in a terrible state with rubbish just all owed t o r ot . Mysel f and m y nei ghbour s have wr i t t en t o t he town hall but without any positive response. This is particularly upsetting when you consider that the local council has been promoting the fact that it is spending millions of eur os on bui l di ng a par k at La Siesta, yet does nothing to remove this eyesore. There were workers in the area earlier this year but they disappeared as the funds ran out, and we are still left with an area that not only looks bad but could attract vermin and fly tippers. Hopefully, when I return to Spain from my annual holiday in Holland, I can start to work with Euro Weekly News to try to apply pressure for this issue to be resolved. Fred de Jong, La Siesta

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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E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

7:00am Breakfast 11:00am Saturday Kitchen 12:30pm James Martin: Home Comforts 1:00pm BBC News 1:10pm Football Focus 1:50pm Saturday Sportsday 2:00pm Darts 5:30pm Final Score 6:10pm Mastermind Celebrity Special 6:40pm BBC News 6:50pm BBC London News 7:00pm Bruce's Hall of Fame with Alexander Armstrong 8:10pm Iron Man 3 10:10pm Casualty 11:00pm The National Lottery Live 11:10pm BBC News 11:30pm Match of the Day Gary Lineker presents highlights from the first Premier League matches of 2016. 1:00am Black Death 2:35am Weather for the Week Ahead

7:10am Race to Super Bowl 50 8:00am The Valley of Gwangi 9:35am Merrill's Marauders 11:10am Animal Park 12:10pm Natural World 1:00pm James Martin: Home Comforts 1:30pm Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure 2:15pm Talking Pictures 2:55pm Cat on a Hot Tin Roof 4:40pm Coast 5:30pm Darts 6:40pm Natural World 7:40pm Flog It! 8:40pm The Many Faces of Ronnie Corbett 9:40pm Dad's Army 10:10pm Leningrad and the Orchestra That Defied Hitler 11:40pm QI XL 12:25am Darts 1:15am Darts 3:15am Horror Hospital 4:40am This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.

10:25am Murder, She Wrote 11:15am The Jeremy Kyle Show 12:20pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 1:20pm ITV News and Weather 1:25pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 2:30pm Catchphrase 3:15pm Off Their Rockers 3:45pm From Russia with Love 6:00pm Panda Babies 7:00pm ITV News London 7:15pm ITV News and Weather 7:30pm You've Been Framed! 8:00pm Ninja Warrior UK 9:00pm Take Me Out 10:00pm The Dark Knight 11:05pm ITV News and Weather

9:55am Coronation Street Omnibus 12:50pm The Big Quiz 1:50pm Catchphrase 2:30pm The Little Vampire 4:30pm Horrid Henry: The Movie 6:25pm Liar Liar 8:05pm Evan Almighty 10:00pm Take Me Out: The Gossip 11:00pm Bridget Jones's Diary 1:00am American Pie 2:50am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 3:15am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 3:40am Teleshopping Shopping from home.

8:00pm 8:10pm 9:15pm 10:10pm 11:45pm 12:10am 12:30am 12:50am 1:15am 1:35am 2:00am 2:20am 2:50am 3:20am 3:50am 4:20am

Great TV Mistakes Top Gear Don't Tell the Bride Sherlock Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Together Together Together Together Together

9:00pm Castles: Britain's Fortified History 10:00pm The Young Montalbano 11:50pm The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill 12:50am Kate Bush at the BBC 1:50am An Evening with Glen Campbell 3:10am Country at the BBC 4:40am This is BBC Four

7:00am 7:25am 8:15am 9:15am 10:20am 11:20am 12:25pm 2:55pm 4:55pm 6:55pm 9:00pm 11:00pm

1:00am

In Loving Memory Where the Heart is Where the Heart is The Royal The Royal By Royal Appointment Emma Foyle's War Columbo Midsomer Murders Foyle's War Lewis Feature-length drama following on from the Inspector Morse series. Marchlands Chilling drama about three families who live in the same remote house in different time periods.

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7:10am How I Met Your Mother 7:30am The War of the Worlds 9:00am The Morning Line 10:00am True Grit 12:40pm Thunderbirds 2:30pm Channel 4 Racing 5:00pm Channel 4 News 5:20pm The Simpsons 5:50pm Mission: Impossible 7:50pm Mission: Impossible II 10:00pm The World's Greatest Spy Movies 11:35pm Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 2:00am Marley Kevin Macdonald's documentary explores the life, cultural influence and legacy of Bob Marley. 4:30am TFI Friday: New Year Special Chris Evans welcomes in the new year with an exciting mix of features, raucous stunts and top guests.

9:15am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:30am Wanda and the Alien 9:45am Toby's Travelling Circus 9:55am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 10:30am The Saturday Show 12:30pm Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild 1:30pm Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild 2:25pm Columbo Goes to the Guillotine 4:20pm Columbo: Candidate for Crime 6:15pm The Hunt for Hitler's Missing Millions 7:10pm World War II in Colour 8:00pm Ben Fogle in Winter Wonderland 9:00pm Building the Ice Hotel 9:55pm 5 News Weekend 10:00pm Football League Tonight 11:30pm 20 Moments That Rocked Talent Shows 12:55am Access 1:00am Super Casino

7:00am 7:25am 8:10am 9:10am

7:00am 9:05am 11:20am 1:30pm 3:30pm 5:30pm 7:45pm 10:00pm 12:00am

9:45am 10:50am 11:50am 12:20pm 12:50pm 1:15pm 1:45pm

5:30pm 8:35pm 11:00pm 1:35am 4:00am

Tommy Cooper Ax Men Ax Men Formula E: Sound of the Future Kojak Kojak Storage Wars Texas Storage Wars Texas Storage Wars Storage Wars Spartacus Stanley Kubrick's critically acclaimed historical epic, set in 73 BC, about a violent slave rebellion Superman Space Cowboys Magnum Force Inside Man The Store

Stealth Executive Decision Air Force One Top Gun Snakes on a Plane Executive Decision Air Force One Top Gun Snakes on a Plane

12:40pm Superfast 2:25pm Blazing Saddles 4:10pm The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear 5:45pm The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult 7:20pm Top Secret 9:00pm Hot Shots! 10:30pm Hot Shots! Part Deux 12:00am Superfast 1:45am Jackass: The Movie

7:00am 7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 9:05am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 4:25pm 5:00pm 5:25pm 7:30pm 10:00pm 12:15am 1:05am 1:55am 2:25am 2:55am 3:30am

Rude(Ish) Tube Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother Made in Chelsea Couples Come Dine with Me Couples Come Dine with Me Rude(Ish) Tube Toy Story of Terror Toy Story Toons Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Casper The Big Bang Theory The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Gogglebox Gogglebox The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The IT Crowd The IT Crowd

7:00am The Loft 9:00am Home A loveable alien on the run from his own species makes friends with an adventurous young girl. 10:45am The Top Ten Show 2015 11:00am Big Hero 6 1:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 3:45pm Top Five 5:30pm Big Hero 6 7:15pm Home 9:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 11:15pm Top Five 1:00am The Loft 3:00am The Marine 4: Moving Target 4:45am Chappie Special 5:00am I Origins

SATURDAY TV

6:00am Premier League Legends 6:30am Sporting Triumphs 6:45am Sporting Triumphs 7:00am Fantasy Football Club, the 22 Merse Meets Tony Adams 8:30am Barclays Premier League Review 9:00am Game Changers 9:30am Fantasy Football Club, the 22 Merse Meets Tony Adams 11:00am Soccer A.M. 1:00pm Scottish Premiership 3:45pm Pro 12 Rugby 6:00pm Ford Saturday Night Football 9:00pm World Darts Championship 12:30am SNF: Match Choice 2:00am SNF: Match Choice 3:30am SNF: Match Choice 5:00am Sporting Triumphs 5:15am Sporting Triumphs 5:30am Sporting Triumphs 5:45am Sporting Triumphs

11:00pm 7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am

9:00am

5:30pm 6:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am

ODI Cricket Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. Cricket The opening day of the second Test between South Africa and England at Newlands in Cape Town. Cricket's Greatest Pro 12 Rugby Sporting Rivalries SNF: Game of the Day SNF: Match Choice Cricket

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

Breakfast Match of the Day Wanted Down Under Homes Under the Hammer Money for Nothing Bargain Hunt BBC News Britain's Muslim Soldiers Eat Well for Less Escape to the Country Billionaire Boy Songs of Praise Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough BBC News BBC London News Countryfile Still Open All Hours Antiques Roadshow War and Peace BBC News BBC London News Match of the Day 2 The Road Weather for the Week Ahead BBC News

9:15am Countryfile 10:15am Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 11:45am Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure 12:30pm Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure 1:15pm MOTD2 Extra 2:00pm Darts 6:00pm Flog It! 7:00pm The Great History Quiz: The Tudors 8:00pm The Millionaire's Gift Guide 9:00pm Dragons' Den 10:00pm My Mediterranean with Adrian Chiles 11:00pm Charlie Brooker's End of Year Review 2015 12:00am Abz on the Christmas Farm 12:30am Darts 1:20am Darts 3:20am Countryfile 4:15am Holby City 5:15am This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.

9:05am The Aquabats! Super Show! 9:30am A Grizzly New Year's Tale 10:00am The Tom and Jerry Show 10:25am ITV News 10:30am Murder, She Wrote 11:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 1:30pm ITV News and Weather 1:40pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 2:40pm Catchphrase 3:25pm Ninja Warrior UK 4:25pm Goldfinger 6:35pm ITV News London 6:45pm ITV News and Weather 7:00pm Ninja Warrior UK 8:00pm Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands 9:00pm Endeavour 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:20pm Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure 12:20am Rugby Highlights

7:00am The Hot Desk 7:10am You've Been Framed! 7:35am Emmerdale Omnibus Aaron's alibi falls apart. Cain's plan backfires. Ross comes under suspicion. 10:25am Coronation Street Omnibus Liz advises Johnny to come clean. Carla and Robert's worlds collide. Who is kissing who at midnight? 1:25pm Take Me Out 2:30pm Take Me Out: The Gossip 3:30pm Evan Almighty 5:35pm Jurassic Park 8:00pm Nanny McPhee 10:00pm The Shawshank Redemption 12:55am The Faculty 2:55am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 3:20am The Hot Desk 3:30am Teleshopping

7:00am 9:00am 10:30am 11:15am 12:15pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:15pm 2:55pm 3:55pm 4:25pm 5:25pm 6:00pm

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

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:25pm 11:55pm 12:20am 12:40am 1:05am 1:25am 1:55am 2:25am

Top Gear Don't Tell the Bride Shrek The Third Russell Howard's Good News Family Guy Family Guy American Dad! American Dad! Russell Howard's Good News Russell Howard's Good News Footballers, Sex, Money: What's Gone Wrong?

7:15am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 1:30pm 1:55pm 2:25pm 2:55pm 4:55pm 6:40pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am 1:30am

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:00am 12:45am 2:15am 3:15am 4:15am 4:45am

7:00am 7:25am 8:10am 10:35am 11:40am 12:40pm 2:45pm 3:50pm 4:55pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 12:50am 2:40am 4:20am

5:40am

Treasures of Heaven Westminster Abbey Citizen Kane Talking Pictures The Richest Songs in the World Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia Westminster Abbey Britain on Film This is BBC Four

On the Buses Fresh Fields Emma Heartbeat Heartbeat Columbo The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Foyle's War Midsomer Murders The Cruise Ship The Cruise Ship The Royal Variety Performance Lewis And Then There Were None Where the Heart is Drama series following the lives of community nurses in a small Yorkshire town. Heartbeat Drama series set in a Yorkshire village during the 1960s.

2:25am

4:35am 5:00am 5:30am

7:00am 7:40am 8:20am 9:15am 10:15am 11:15am 11:45am 12:10pm 12:35pm 1:00pm 3:05pm 6:10pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:35am 3:15am

4:00am

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The Parent Trap Frasier Frasier Sunday Brunch The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Jungle 2 Jungle A Monster in Paris Channel 4 News Fantastic Four Walking the Himalayas Deutschland 83 Gogglebox The Rich Kids of Instagram How the Rich Live Longer Hollyoaks Omnibus Peri fears that she's being lied to by her family again, and searches for the truth. Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me

9:10am Blaze and the Monster Machines 9:40am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:55am Wanda and the Alien 10:10am Toby's Travelling Circus 10:20am Jelly Jamm 10:30am LazyTown 10:55am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:30am Football League Tonight 1:00pm Fail Army 1:30pm Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild 2:30pm Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild 3:30pm The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep 5:35pm 5 News Weekend 5:45pm Snow White 7:25pm Cinderella 9:00pm Legally Blonde 11:00pm Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2015 1:40am Super Casino 4:10am World's Strongest Man 2015 5:00am House Doctor

Ax Men Ax Men Ax Men Legacy! The 2015 Rugby World Cup Minder Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Destry Cheyenne Autumn Rio Bravo Rugby Highlights The Krays Public Enemies Ax Men Series following the work of North American lumberjacks as they risk their lives to cut timber. The Store Every day The Store brings you a fantastic range of products from JML which you can purchase.

5:00pm The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 8:00pm The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 11:00pm The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 2:30am The Condemned 4:30am The Anomaly

8:40am Son of the Mask 10:20am Baby's Day Out 12:05pm Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story 1:45pm The Wedding Ringer 3:30pm Life 5:20pm Baby's Day Out 7:05pm Get Smart 9:00pm Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story 10:45pm The Wedding Ringer 12:30am Better Living Through Chemistry 2:05am Revenge for Jolly! 3:35am Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

7:00am 7:20am 7:40am 8:00am 8:35am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am

SUNDAY TV

Rude(Ish) Tube Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother Hollyoaks Omnibus Space Chimps Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes Back Toy Story Toons Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Rude(Ish) Tube Shorts The Big Bang Theory Johnny English Reborn Tattoo Fixers The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The IT Crowd The IT Crowd Gogglebox How I Met Your Mother

7:00am SNF: Match Choice 8:30am SNF: Match Choice 10:00am The Sunday Supplement 11:30am Goals on Sunday 1:30pm Ford Super Sunday 4:30pm Ford Super Sunday 7:30pm World Darts Championship The final from the PDC William Hill World Darts Championship. 10:30pm Sporting Triumphs 10:45pm Sporting Triumphs An in-depth look at one of Joe Calzaghe's career defining moments. 11:00pm Ford Football Special Action from the Barclays Premier League as Crystal Palace host London rivals Chelsea. 12:25am Cricket Day two of the third Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

7:00am The Loft 8:50am Avengers: Age of Ultron 11:20am Home 1:00pm Top Five 2:45pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 5:10pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 7:20pm Home 9:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 11:15pm Top Five 1:00am The Loft 3:00am The Marine 4: Moving Target 4:45am Chappie Special The stars of Neill Blomkamp's latest sci-fi thriller talk about the making of the film. 5:00am I Origins A biologist studying the evolution of the eye makes a potentially lifechanging discovery.

7:00am Cricket 8:30am Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. 9:00am Cricket The second day of the second Test on England's tour of South Africa. 5:30pm Cricket Australia and West Indies meet in the opening day of the third Test at Sydney Cricket Ground. 6:30pm NFL New Year American football from week 17 of the NFL. 10:00pm NFL New Year American football from week 17 of the NFL. 2:00am NFL New Year American football from week 17 of the NFL. 5:30am Football Gold

10:30am 11:00am 1:30pm 3:05pm 4:45pm 5:10pm 5:40pm 6:00pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 12:40am 1:15am 1:50am 2:20am 3:10am

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

EWN

What is the key to keeping your New Year’s resolutions? Ignore them! A LIST of ideas that should be smashed to smithereens and avoided at all costs Nora Johnson

5. Product placement on TV, in books. (Oops. In one novel in my own thriller series, one cigarette brand is named, I don’t smoke. Honestly!) 6. Slebs. All those sanctimonious ‘celebrities’, who tell us how to run our lives whilst failing to realise just how dysfunctional their own are. 7. Spam. Got spammed by a message purporting to be anti-spam but which came from a site advertising, yes you guessed it, Viagra, fake Rolexes. So please, anti-spam software that works. Just get it done. 8. Wish lists that are never, ahem, fulfilled. Ah, well, there’s always next year’s … it’s being so cheerful that keeps me going! Happy New Year!

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

I LOVE lists. Especially lists in alphabetical order. In fact, I love them so much I’ll share with you my latest for 2016. About New Year’s resolutions that should be smashed to smithereens, and what you should avoid at all costs. 1. Cookery shows on TV. Cook a gourmet meal in 30 minutes? Well, with superb knife skills, zillions of exotic ingredients and a professional kitchen/chef at your disposal. Simples! 2. Kids’ carol concerts. Maybe I’m in a minority but I can’t stand carol concerts with five-year-olds singing tunelessly and one little brat taking over as if auditioning for the X Factor. 3. Loudmouths. Who immediately comes to mind? Trumpeting his own

LISTS: I love them, especially in alphabetical order. loudmouth? Well, Donald Trump, naturally. Not to mention his ego, enough of that to make topless calendar boy Vladimir Putin look self-effacing. Talk about dumping Trump from the UK, how about some others, too? Like

Jean-Claude Juncker, who’s forever pontificating to Brits how they should run their country, when he’s made such a shambles of running the EU. Who would you ban? Feel free to add your own names either online un-

der this piece, or in the newspaper. 4. Piped muzak in stores, especially Christmas jingles. Stores spend millions on what customers see but zilch on what they hear. Poor assistants have to endure it all year long.

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.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Rip Off Holiday 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Close Calls: On Camera 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Father Brown 3:30pm For What It's Worth 4:15pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin: Home Comforts 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Celebrity Mastermind 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm A Question of Sport 10:00pm Silent Witness 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 12:45am The Graham Norton Show

7:15am Homes Under the Hammer 8:15am Escape to the Continent 9:15am Stick Man 9:45am Thief Trackers 10:15am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC News 1:00pm Britain's First Photo Album 1:30pm My Life in Books 2:00pm Darts 5:15pm Coast 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Only Connect 10:00pm Immortal Egypt with Joann Fletcher 11:00pm Insert Name Here 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Darts 1:05am Darts 3:05am Darcey's Ballet Heroes 4:05am Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip

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 Griff's Great Britain 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm When Ant and Dec Met the Prince 11:30pm ITV News 12:10am Emergency! Trains v Weather 1:10am Jackpot247 4:00am The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:55am ITV Nightscreen

7:00am 7:10am 8:00am 9:05am 9:35am 10:05am 10:35am 11:20am 12:20pm 1:10pm 1:45pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 4:40pm 5:50pm 6:55pm 7:50pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:55am 1:25am 1:55am 2:30am 3:25am

The Hot Desk The Cube Dinner Date Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street Catchphrase Dinner Date Royal Pains Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street Richie Rich The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show Take Me Out The Hot Desk You've Been Framed! You've Been Framed! Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men FHM American Pie Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men Safeword FHM Teleshopping

10:00pm I Know What You Weighed Last Summer 11:00pm EastEnders 11:30pm Siblings 12:00am American Dad! 12:45am Family Guy 1:30am Siblings 2:00am I Know What You Weighed Last Summer 3:00am Young, Trans and Looking for Love 4:00am I Know What You Weighed Last Summer

8:30pm Sorry! 9:00pm The End of the World? A Horizon Guide to Armageddon 10:00pm To Boldly Go 11:00pm Legends of the Deep: Deep Sea Sharks 11:55pm Big Hits: TOTP 1964 to 1975 1:25am The First World War From Above

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

3:30am

Rising Damp Inspector Morse Wycliffe Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Wycliffe Heartbeat Wild at Heart Where the Heart is Man About the House Rising Damp On the Buses Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Agatha Christie's Marple Law and Order: UK Case Sensitive And Then There Were None ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. Teleshopping Shopping from home.

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7:20am How I Met Your Mother 7:45am King of Queens 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 11:30am Undercover Boss USA 12:30pm Four in a Bed 1:00pm Channel 4 News Summary 1:05pm Four in a Bed 1:40pm Four in a Bed 2:10pm Four in a Bed 2:40pm Four in a Bed 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Food Unwrapped Diet Special 10:00pm The Undateables 11:00pm Rich Kids Go Shopping 12:05am Tattoo Fixers 1:10am What Britain Bought in 2015

9:00am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:15am Peppa Pig 9:35am Paw Patrol 9:45am Bananas in Pajamas 10:00am Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:10pm Cowboy Builders 1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Snow 2:15pm Fail Army 2:45pm Neighbours 3:20pm NCIS 4:20pm A Trace of Danger 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 7:55pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Police Interceptors 9:00pm Sinkholes: Buried Alive 10:00pm World's Toughest Prison 11:00pm 14 Years on Death Row 12:00am The Next Three Days Super Casino Challenge

7:00am Football's Greatest: Ronaldo 7:05am The Big Match Revisited 7:55am Minder 8:50am The Professionals 9:50am Magnum, P.I. 10:55am Alias Smith and Jones 12:00pm Duck Dynasty 12:30pm Duck Dynasty 12:55pm Ax Men 1:50pm Minder 2:55pm The Professionals 3:55pm Magnum, P.I. 4:55pm Alias Smith and Jones 6:00pm Minder 7:00pm The Professionals 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm Storage Wars 9:30pm Storage Wars 10:00pm Storage Wars Texas 10:30pm Storage Wars Texas 11:00pm Passenger 57 12:50am Rugby Highlights 1:50am Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey 3:35am Nitro Circus

7:00am The 6th Day 9:15am The Longest Day 12:20pm Bad Asses on the Bayou 2:00pm The Terminator 4:00pm Clash of the Titans 6:00pm The Longest Day 9:00pm The Terminator 11:00pm Clash of the Titans 1:00am Bad Asses on the Bayou 2:30am The 6th Day

7:00am 8:45am 10:25am 12:10pm 1:40pm 3:30pm 5:30pm 7:05pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 1:00am

Jack Frost Arthur Brewster's Millions Idiocracy Dumb and Dumber To Superbad The Waterboy Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason Dumb and Dumber To Superbad Shanghai Noon

7:00am 7:50am 8:35am 9:30am 10:35am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Made in Chelsea Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Rude(Ish) Tube Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Charmed Charmed The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Hollyoaks Does Come Dine with Me The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Made in Chelsea Scream Queens The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Big Hero 6 Special 7:30am The Marine 4: Moving Target 9:15am The Loft Five married guys use a penthouse loft to live secret lives, but things get badly out of hand. 11:15am Top Five 1:15pm Home A loveable alien on the run from his own species makes friends with an adventurous young girl. 3:00pm I Origins 5:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 7:15pm Home 9:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 11:15pm Top Five 1:00am The Loft 2:50am The Marine 4: Moving Target 4:25am I Origins

MONDAY TV

7:00am Cricket 8:30am IPL Greatest Catches 2015 8:45am Cricket Classics 9:00am Cricket's Greatest 9:30am Big Bash League 1:00pm Football League Goals 2:00pm Football Gold 2:15pm Football Gold 2:30pm Goals on Sunday 3:30pm Football League Goals 4:30pm Football Gold 4:45pm Football Gold 5:00pm Goals on Sunday 6:00pm Fantasy Football Club Hlts 21 (Tony Adams Special) 6:30pm Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 7:30pm Football's Greatest 8:00pm Boys of 9:30pm Ford Mnf: 1966 Special 11:00pm Boys of 12:30am Football's Greatest 1:00am Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits 2:00am Fantasy Football Club Hlts 21 (Tony Adams Special)

7:00am 7:15am 7:30am 7:45am 8:00am 9:00am 5:30pm 6:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm

8:30pm 9:30pm 10:30pm 11:30pm 12:25am

Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold WWE Raw Cricket Cricket Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. Cricket's Greatest Cricket Day three of the second Test between South Africa and England at Newlands in Cape Town. Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Cricket Day three of the third Test between Australia and the West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016/ Costa Blanca South

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Rip Off Holiday 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Close Calls: On Camera 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Father Brown 3:30pm For What It's Worth 4:15pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin: Home Comforts 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 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 Silent Witness 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Reggie Yates' Extreme UK 12:35am Stacey Dooley Investigates 1:35am Weather for the Week Ahead 1:40am BBC News

7:15am Rip Off Holiday 8:00am Wanted Down Under 8:45am Close Calls: On Camera 9:15am An Island Parish: Falklands 9:45am Caught Red Handed 10:15am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC News 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Darts 5:15pm Coast 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm Victorian Bakers 10:00pm You Make Me Feel Like Dancing 11:00pm Mock the Week 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Race to Super Bowl 50 1:05am Darts 1:55am Darts 3:55am The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone 4:55am Doctor in the House 5:55am This is BBC Two

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 Quiz show hosted by Bradley Walsh. Nicki, Hannah, Michelle and Mark pit their wits against the Chase. 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News The latest headlines from around the world. 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm The Kyle Files 9:00pm Trawlermen Tales 10:00pm Saved 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm Britain's Biggest Adventures with Bear Grylls 12:45am Double Decker Driving School 1:10am Jackpot247

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The Hot Desk The Cube Dinner Date Emmerdale Coronation Street Catchphrase Dinner Date Royal Pains Emmerdale Coronation Street Baby Mama The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show Take Me Out You've Been Framed! You've Been Framed! Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men The Fast and the Furious The Keith Lemon Sketch Show The Keith Lemon Sketch Show Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men Safeword Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records

8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm Don't Tell the Bride 10:00pm Don't Tell the Bride 11:00pm EastEnders 11:30pm Cuckoo 12:00am Family Guy 12:25am Family Guy 12:45am American Dad! 1:10am Family Guy 1:30am Cuckoo 2:00am Siblings 2:30am Don't Tell the Bride 3:30am Together 4:00am Don't Tell the Bride 5:00am This is BBC Three

8:00pm World News Today 8:30pm Sorry! 9:00pm The World's Most Expensive Stolen Paintings 10:00pm The Queen's Castle 11:00pm The Crusades 12:00am When Albums Ruled the World 1:30am To Boldly Go 2:30am The Joy of Logic 3:30am Treasures of Heaven

7:00am Movies Now 7:10am Man About the House 7:35am Heartbeat 8:35am Where the Heart is 9:35am Wycliffe 10:40am Judge Judy 11:05am Judge Judy 11:35am Judge Judy 12:00pm The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1:05pm Murder, She Wrote 2:10pm Heartbeat 3:15pm Wild at Heart 4:15pm Where the Heart is 5:20pm Man About the House 5:50pm Rising Damp 6:20pm On the Buses 6:55pm Heartbeat 8:00pm Murder, She Wrote 9:00pm Midsomer Murders 11:00pm Law and Order: UK 12:00am Case Sensitive 1:05am The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 2:10am Where the Heart is 3:00am ITV3 Nightscreen 3:30am Teleshopping

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7:00am Countdown 7:45am King of Queens 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 Four in a Bed 1:00pm Channel 4 News Summary 1:05pm Four in a Bed 1:40pm Four in a Bed 2:10pm Four in a Bed 2:40pm Four in a Bed 3:10pm Deal or No Deal 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Tricks of the Restaurant Trade 9:30pm Travel Man: 48 Hours in Vienna 10:00pm Big Fat Quiz of Everything 12:05am 24 Hours in A and E

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9:15am The Knights of Badassdom 10:45am Godzilla 1:10pm Taken 3 3:10pm Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 5:25pm Brick Mansions 7:00pm Predator 9:00pm Taken 3 11:00pm Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 1:15am Brick Mansions

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Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold WWE SmackDown! Cricket's Greatest Big Bash League Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Premier League Legends Bob Wilson Interviewing Gordon Banks Premier League Legends Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits Barclays Premier League Review Fantasy Football Club Hlts 21 (Tony Adams Special) Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits Barclays Premier League Review Football To be Announced Football Gold La Liga World 2015

12:25am Cricket 7:00am Cricket 8:30am Cricket's Greatest 9:00am Cricket 5:30pm Cricket 6:30pm Cricket's Greatest 7:00pm Cricket's Greatest 7:30pm Cricket 8:30pm Cricket 9:30pm Cricket Day three of the third Test between Australia and the West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground. 10:30pm Cricket The fourth day of the second Test as South Africa host England at Newlands in Cape Town. 11:30pm Cricket 12:25am Cricket Day four of the third Test as Australia host the West Indies at Sydney Cricket Ground.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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UK and EU citizens recover money from Spanish taxman PUNITIVE inheritance tax charges can be reclaimed THE Spanish government has started to repay millions of euros to British holiday homeowners who were hit with punitive inheritance tax charges. The tax charge - which in many cases was as much as a third of the property’s value - has been levied on up to 30,000 Britons inheriting a holiday home in Spain, according to research by the Spanish solicitors Spanish Legal Reclaims. The Spanish government has now hastily changed its inheritance tax law after the European Court of Justice ruled the legislation, which exempted residents from the charge, was discriminatory. Under the law, Spanish residents were exempted from up to 99 per cent of the tax charge, while homeowners living abroad had to pay the full amount within six months of inheriting. With more Britons owning holiday homes in Spain than any other nationality, UK citizens were disproportionately affected. The average repayment is €25,000, according to Spanish Legal Reclaims, a Barcelona-based law firm which specialises in helping non-residents to reclaim overpaid tax.

EWN

About Spanish Legal Reclaims Spanish Legal Reclaims S.L. is a law firm specialising in legal reclaims from the Spanish tax authorities. Founded in 2011, its legal team are experts in Spanish and European tax law, and act on behalf of clients from across the EU. It offers its services on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis to non-residents of Spain who have paid Inheritance Tax on a Spanish property. It currently has a 100 per cent success rate, with all clients receiving a tax refund (plus interest) within six to eight months of making a claim.

residents who inherited a Spanish property during the past five years can claim back the tax they paid - but doing so is a complex and daunting task, as there is no single form to fill in. “Inheritors can only claim once and there are time limits for claiming, so it’s essential they seek expert legal advice to ensure they get it right first time.”

TAX REFUND: Consult an EU tax expert to find out if you have a claim. Luis Cuervo, CEO of Spanish Legal Reclaims, comments: “Losing a loved one is hard enough, but to then receive an unfair tax bill rubs salt in

the wound. Yet for years this is what happened to thousands of Britons inheriting holiday homes in Spain. Spain’s authorities have agreed that non-

For more information about claiming back your inheritance tax contact: Donna Knight Spanish Legal Reclaims Tel Spain: (0034) 936 804 563 UK: 0845 680 3849 Email: info@spanishlegalreclaims.com www.spanishlegalreclaims.com

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

10:15am Rip Off Holiday 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Close Calls: On Camera 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Father Brown 3:30pm For What It's Worth 4:15pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm James Martin: Home Comforts 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Dickensian 10:00pm Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm A Question of Sport 12:05am The Truth About Calories

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

2:45am 3:15am

Top Gear Don't Tell the Bride Live at the Apollo Live at the Apollo EastEnders Russell Howard's Good News Extra Family Guy Family Guy American Dad! Family Guy I Know What You Weighed Last Summer Siblings Don't Tell the Bride

9:00pm The Story Of... 10:00pm Empire of the Tsars: Romanov Russia with Lucy Worsley 11:00pm The Queen's Castle 12:00am Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely Ones 1:00am The Crusades 2:00am The World's Most Expensive Stolen Paintings

7:10am Man About the House 7:35am Heartbeat 8:35am Where the Heart is 9:35am The Darling Buds of May 10:40am Judge Judy 12:00pm The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1:05pm Murder, She Wrote 2:10pm Heartbeat 3:10pm Wild at Heart 4:15pm Where the Heart is 5:20pm Man About the House 5:50pm Rising Damp 6:20pm On the Buses 6:55pm Heartbeat 8:00pm Murder, She Wrote 9:00pm Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs 9:30pm Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs 10:00pm Inside Death Row with Trevor McDonald 11:00pm Law and Order: UK 12:00am Wycliffe 1:10am The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

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9:15am Peppa Pig 9:30am Milkshake! Show Songs 9:35am Paw Patrol 9:45am Bananas in Pajamas 10:00am Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:10pm Celebrity Big Brother 2:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:15pm Fail Army 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm Amish Grace 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 7:55pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:00pm Bus Pass Beauty Queens 12:00am Capital One Cup 1:00am Manchester United: Munich Air Crash 2:00am Super Casino 4:10am World's Strongest Man 2015

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7:00am Big Hero 6 Special 7:30am The Marine 4: Moving Target 9:15am The Loft 11:15am I Origins 1:15pm Home 3:00pm Top Five 5:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 7:15pm Home 9:00pm Kingsman: The Secret Service 11:15pm Top Five 1:00am The Loft Five married guys use a penthouse loft to live secret lives, but things get badly out of hand. 2:50am The Marine 4: Moving Target Sergeant Jake Carter is assigned to protect a whistleblower trying to expose a corrupt army defence. 4:25am I Origins

6:30am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 11:15pm 11:45pm 12:00am

12:30am 1:00am 2:00am

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E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

The best of Cassandra Nash JUNE VOTERS demand exemplary behaviour from those they elect. Once politicians are in office they must be Caesar’s wife, not Cleopatra. Edition 1564

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

JANUARY JIHADISTS claim that Spain was originally theirs, conveniently forgetting that the Romans were here first. Thankfully Italy has so far refrained from claiming territorial rights. Edition 1542 FEBRUARY THE Partido Popular should examine its unswerving loyalty to its high-ranking politicians linked to scandals. Double standards are self-indulgence in an election year. Edition 1548 MARCH “ I ’ M h e r e t o g i v e e x p la n ations, not affection,” Finance minister Cristobal Montoro said. It’s an oxymoron, but that’s one sincere politician. Edition 1553

JULY PODEMOS second-in-charge Iñigo Erejon called Greece’s ‘no to austerity’ vote a triumph for democracy in the birthplace of democracy. Fitting, then, that this will be only a Pyrrhic victory. Edition 1567

CRISTOBAL MONTORO: One sincere politician. APRIL PODEMOS regional election candidates were democraticallychosen by party members, yet only two are women. Is gender equality less important to voters than political leaders believe? Edition 1556

MAY ARTUR MAS, who wants to guide Cataluña towards independence, routinely forgets that Catalan nationalism does not automatically entail separatism. Edition 1561

AUGUST NATIONAL MPs claimed €2.6 million in travel expenses between January and July. The parliament chamber usually looks empty so how do they manage to spend that much getting there. Editon 1572 SEPTEMBER CHURCHILL said that ‘to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.’ Sixty-one years later

Spain’s president, Mariano Rajoy and Artur Mas could give that a try. Edition 1577 OCTOBER CIUDADANOS are creeping up on the PP and PSOE in the opinion polls. Appropriately the general election is set for December 20 and the pantomime season with its cry of ‘He’s behind you!’ Edition 1582 NOVEMBER DOES being a paid-up PP or PSOE member impair a judge’s impartiality? Opinions and prejudices are a mindset, not a standing order at the bank. Edition 1586 DECEMBER SIXTY-FOUR per cent of Catalans prefer EU membership to independence. And Artur Mas, who wants to be president of an independent Cataluña, gets no for an answer time after time but won’t listen. Edition 1587

Advertising feature

Globelink provide specialist travel insurance for people living in Spain David Deverson GLOBELINK INTERNATIONAL Insurance correspondent david@globelink.co.uk

GLOBELINK have been providing specialist travel insurance for many years and offer a unique combination of personal service, sensible cover and security including a 24-hour multilingual emergency service. This enables you to relax and enjoy your holiday with the comfort of knowing you will be looked after if things go wrong. Travel insurance cover used to be a problem for Brits living in Spain. Most UK insurers will only offer cover if you live in UK, and Spanish insurers provide very restricted cover at an enormous premium. That’s all changed. Globelink International is a UK based travel insurance specialist, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and approved by EU Regulators. Globelink have become the leading provider of annual multi-trip policies and also single trip cover for people living in all EU countries. The poli-

cy is written in English and the premiums are the same irrespective of which country you live in. It is not necessary to have formal residential documents. In view of recent events, we believe our clients should be insured for emergency medical expenses and repatriation should they be injured as a result of a terrorist attack, and our underwriters have agreed to include this cover. Cover for many pre-existing medical conditions are included, others may require a quick telephone call to ensure you will be insured in the event of a reoccurrence, or in case it causes you to cancel a pre-booked holiday. If you have a pre-existing medical condition you can either accept the policy will not cover you for claims related to that particular condition, or you can speak to Globelink’s Medical Screening Service who may or may not

GLOBELINK: The leading provider of multi-trip policies. agree to include additional cover for an extra premium, depending upon their assessment. Most hazardous activities are covered as stan-

dard and higher risk activities can often be included for an extra charge. Globelink annual multi-trip policies give cover for an unlimited number of trips with a choice of cover Worldwide or for Europe only. You can select from policies giving a maximum individual trip duration of 17, 31, 45, 60, 90 or 120 days. This is reduced to a maximum of 60 days for people aged 66 to 71 and 31 days if you are aged between 71 and 74. Policies for single trips are available for periods from one day to 15 months, but only up to six months for people aged from 66 to 84. Remember, if you live in Spain your travel insurance might be invalid if it does not cover the entire duration of your return trip from the date you leave Spain, until the date you arrive back in Spain. For an instant quote and to arrange cover securely online, visit www.globe link.co.uk or you can telephone Globelink on 0044 135 369 9082 or their Spanish link line on 966 265 000 or 951 242 434.

TIME OUT

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

www.euroweeklynews.com

Famous quote

This week

MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

‘

Sometimes in life you don’t always feel like a winner, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a winner. Lady Gaga (1986)

in history 45 BC - The Julian calendar takes effect for the first time. 870 - Skirmish at Englefield: Ethelred of Wessex beats Danish invasion army. 1066 - King Harald of England crowned. 1431 - Joan of Arc handed over to Bishop Pierre Cauchon. 1640 - Portugal regains independence after 60 years of Spanish rule. 1642 - King Charles I with 400 soldiers attacks the English parliament. 1651 - Charles II Stuart crowned king of Scotland. 1762 - England declares war on Spain & Naples. 1776 - Gen George Washington hoists Continental Union Flag. 1781 - Bank of North America, the first US bank opens. 1818 - Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus’ is published. 1833 - Britain seizes control of Falkland Islands in South Atlantic. 1835 - Hans Christian Andersen publishes his first book of fairy tales. 1907 - For first time a ball drops at Times Square to signal the new year. 1913 - Mahatma Gandhi leaves the Tolstoy Farm in Transvaal, South Africa. 1946 – US President Harry Truman officially proclaims the end of WWII. 1958 - BOAC Britannia flies London to New York in a record 7h 57m. 1958 - Edmund Hillary reaches South Pole overland. 1965 - Martin Luther King Jr begins a drive to register black voters. 1968 - Evel Knievel fails in his attempt to jump Caesar’s Palace Fountain. 1969 - Australian Rupert Murdoch gains control of the News of the World'. 1979 - Sid Vicious’ trial for murder of girlfriend Nancy Spungen begins. 1988 - Margaret Thatcher becomes longest-serving British PM. 1999 - Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President.

Women’s wit

‘

Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life. Brooke Shields

World of English

‘

You fill in a form by filling it out, and an alarm clock goes off by going on. When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

‘MUM, WOULD YOU BE ANGRY IF I STOPPED BEING A LESBIAN OVER CHRISTMAS AND THE NEW YEAR’

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

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ALICANTE

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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION ORIHUELA

ORIHUELA

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17 10 C 19 8 C 18 11 Cl

Benidorm MAX 21C, MIN 11C Mon - 19 13 C Tues - 19 12 Cl Wed - 19 11 C

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Fri Sat Sun -

18 11 C 19 11 Cl 19 11 C

MAX 18C, MIN 11C Mon - 21 12 C Tues - 20 13 Cl Wed - 20 12 Cl

Fri Sat Sun -

15 11 C 15 9 Sh 15 11 C S Sun,

14 8 C 13 8 Sh 16 11 Sh

MAX MIN

Mon - 16 11 Sh Tues - 15 11 Sh Wed - 16 10 Sh

Madrid

SHOWERS MAX 16C, MIN 9C MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Mon - 17 11 C Tues - 17 10 Cl Wed - 17 9 C Cl Clear,

TODAY:

Fog,

18 12 Cl 18 10 Sh 19 12 C

TODAY:

CLOUDY MAX 18C, MIN 8C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

18 9 C 18 7 Sh 18 9 C

SHOWERS MAX 10C, MIN 3C

10 4 C 11 3 C 12 7 C C Cloudy,

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 14 8 Sh Tues - 14 6 C Wed - 13 5 Sh

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 11 C Tues - 18 9 C Wed - 19 8 C

Sh Showers,

CLEAR MAX 21C, MIN 9C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

19 9 Cl 19 7 C 19 10 Cl Sn Snow,

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

Saturday December 26

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 13 C Tues - 19 13 C Wed - 19 11 C

Murcia

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mallorca

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

CLEAR MAX 20C, MIN 11C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 13 C Tues - 19 12 Cl Wed - 19 12 C

SHOWERS MAX 13C, MIN 6C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Barcelona TODAY:

17 11 C 17 9 C 18 12 C

Bilbao

Almeria TODAY:

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Malaga

CLEAR MAX 18C, MIN 11C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 22 12 C Tues - 22 11 Cl Wed - 23 9 C Th Thunder

LOTTERY

Alicante TODAY:

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Friday December 25

6 31

Saturday December 26

Sunday December 27

10 10

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

LUCKY STARS

REINTEGRO

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He Named Me Malala Directed by Davis Guggenheim Distributed through Fox Searchlight AN intimate documentary portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The 15-year-old (who turns 18 this July) was singled out, with her father, for advocating for girls’ education. The attack on her sparked an outcry around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund. This is a moving documentary highlighting how her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide.

King Juan Carlos I, January 5, former King On 22 November 1975, two days after General Franco’s death, Juan Carlos was designated King according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. He abdicated in favour of his son Felipe in 2014.

Alex Salmond, December 31, Politician, 61 Scottish politician who was the leader of the Scottish National Party, became First Minister of Scotland in 2007 and is now an MP at Westminster. Verne Troyer, January 1, Actor, 47 Little person actor and stuntman who rose to fame for his role as Mini-Me in the Austin Powers films and other movies. Loic Remy, January 2, Footballer, 29 French striker who joined Queens Park Rangers in 2013 after spending three years with Marseille and is now part of the Chelsea FC set up. He has also played for the French national team. Michael Schumacher, January 3, Formula 1 driver, 47 Former world champion racing driver who was involved in a serious skiing accident but is said to be recovering slowly but surely. Michael Stipe, January 4, Singer, 56 Former front man and singer of American independent rock group R.E.M. Also known for his political activism. Nigella Lawson, January 6, TV Chef, 56 English food writer and critic who appears on TV ‘flirting’ with her audience as she makes various dishes. Daughter of former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson.

Funagram

Just Joking

Unscramble the name of a 1989 American comedy-drama film starring David Duchovny (three words): DRAW ANY EYES

I went to my sister’s house and saw her packing a suitcase. I asked, “What’s going on?” She said, “I’m feeling homesick.” I said, “But you’re at your home now.” She replied, “I know, I’m sick of it!”

Unscramble the name of a common New Year’s resolution (two words): LEG SO WHITE FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: NEW YEAR’S DAY, LOSE WEIGHT

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

ALLELE ASTUTE ATTEND BEETLE BILLET CAREEN CHALET CREAKY EVENTS INGEST

LETTER QUAVER RELIEF RESENT(10) RUSSET SLATER STRAIN STRICT SULFUR

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Retina 2 Pander 3 Attest 4 Vortex 5 Distal 6 Effort 7 Eldest 8 Banter 9 Serene 10 Dancer 11 Gambol 12 Cheery 13 Camera 14 Heater 15 Earthy 16 Yearly 17 Cheese 18 Scurry 19 Return

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Satisfaction with your love life is paramount this week, and the opinion of others seems important to you. Perhaps you are looking for an excuse to make a change. It is possible that a change is not required so much as a different approach. It is not essential to put all your eggs in one basket. ARIES (March 21 - April 20) A conversation with a colleague brings insights into how others live and it is quite an eye-opener. Friendships are particularly important this week. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) There is something in you that needs a creative outlet. Perhaps you would like to write a book: memoirs, for instance, take up a craft or paint. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Being very much in demand for your talents this week means less

CAPRICORN

(December 22 - January 20)

It’s a better week for travel with less likelihood of delays. Should you be feeling a little lethargic and sorry about recent events, just count your blessings. Consider raising some money and having fun by indulging in a garage or car boot sale.

time to spend socially, so it’s important to make time for loved ones at the weekend. Someone seeking your advice may simply be seeking your approval for an action they will take anyway. CANCER (June 22 - July 23) There may be some opposition to your ideas as Pluto turns this week. Perhaps your natural charm just doesn’t seem to be working. As you have helped others in the past, make it clear that you expect a bit of co-operation. LEO (July 24 - August 23) This is a week when progress is fast and plans run ahead. Try new ideas and seek information to hone your knowledge. An organisation that is new to you offers insight and social involvement. An offer that thrusts you into the limelight would be to your advantage. VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Although you have perhaps been

EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA

12-Star Quiz New Year’s Day 1. Born in Washington DC on January 1,1895, which famous US lawyer was appointed the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in March 1935? 2. David Dinkins was sworn in as which US city’s first black mayor on January 1, 1990? 3. Entertaining Mr Sloane (1964), Loot (1965) and What the Butler Saw (1969) are all plays written by which English playwright and author, who was born in Leicester on January 1, 1933? 4. Euro banknotes and coins became legal tender in 12 of the European Union’s member states on January 1 in which year? 5. Riga is the capital of which Baltic republic that became the 18th member of the Eurozone on January 1, 2014? 6. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Joseph Allen McDonald, who was born in Washington DC on January 1, 1942, was the lead singer of which 1960s psychedelic rock group? 7. Which British cricket journalist and a past President of the MCC, who died on January 1, 2013, was known as CMJ? 8. Which central midfield player, born in Stevenage on January 1, 1992, made his Arsenal first team debut in 2008, becoming the club’s youngest ever league debutant at the age of 16 years, 256 days? 9. Which French actor, cabaret singer and entertainer, best known for his signature songs, including Louise, Mimi, Valentine and Thank Heaven for Little Girls, died on January 1, 1972, aged 63? 10. With what type of music would you principally associate Milt Jackson, who was born in Detroit on January 1, 1923? Not a lot of people know that… in Italy, people wear red underwear on New Year’s Day to bring good luck all year long

YOUR STARS AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Spirituality seeps right through the week. As you are feeling particularly sensuous, invite someone special to dinner or on a trip. Visit garden centres and plan ahead. The colours and perfumes will be particularly pleasing.

TIME

looking to money-making ideas to progress finances, think also of alternatives. Perhaps there are areas of your lifestyle where money could be saved. Items that are not used could be sold for a profit and rid you of clutter. LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Having suffered a bit of a setback last week, you may be feeling less confident. Revving up your social life will certainly help to bring spirits up again. Be with people who liven or inspire you in some way. SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Thoughts come to you, perhaps in dreams, that are creative and energy boosting. Someone who recently moved out of your sphere is sadly missed but is in some ways still a part of you. A person at work who has been causing you concern needs investigation. SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) A strong and exciting romantic feeling flows through the week, which is fitting as Valentine's Day comes round again next month. Someone returning from a trip makes you smile and boosts your spirit. People who have been a little bossy finally realise that you will not rise to the bait.

1. J EDGAR HOOVER, 2. NEW YORK, 3. JOE ORTON, 4. 2002, 5. LATVIA, 6. COUNTRY JOE AND THE FISH, 7. CHRISTOPHER MARTIN-JENKINS, 8. JACK WILSHERE, 9. MAURICE CHEVALIER, 10. JAZZ

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 G) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

TARGET: Average: 7 Good: 9 Very good: 13 Excellent: 16

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION echt etch hens hues hunt huts shun shut such tech then thus tush chess chest chute hunts shuns shunt shuts tench tenth thens chests chutes shunts stench tenths tushes chestnut CHESTNUTS

Vulnicura Björk Released January 2015, by One Little Indian Records. Although Vulnicura, the ninth studio album by Icelandic musician and singer Björk has been out for a year now, it gained widespread acclaim from critics and is well worth listening to again. It was produced by Björk, who said, “The album expresses my feelings before and after the breakup with Matthew Barney and the healing process.”

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

Across: 4

1 Custard, 5 Bards, 8 Elation, 9 Ladle, 10 Scrub, 11 Elegant, 12 Sacred, 14 Master, 17 Avocado, 19 Stall, 22 Loads, 23 Narrate, 24 Scent, 25 Clarets. Down:

16 17

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

CRYPTIC

Quick

Cryptic Across 1 Christmas visitors can include one conjuror (8) 5 Fiasco deep in computer instruction (4) 8 Roman emperor confined in one room (4) 9 End a hotel employee strike (8) 10 Got better after the morning was over (7) 12 A novice gets a large amount of grant (5) 13 British capital held by vigilant prince (6) 15 Discovers escapism in poetry (6) 17 Calls the conditions (5) 18 Land transformed into sea (7) 22 Actress Gloria comes to German capital for final appearance (4,4) 23 Depressed plumage (4) 24 The last word in a team entry (4) 25 Words of condolence may be expensive, darling (4,4) Down 1 The state of a man not getting upset (7) 2 Wolf in ravine (5) 3 Is little Susan having children? (5) 4 None can alter this element (4) 6 Wise words they utter could be so clear (7) 7 Maintain former monarch’s car (5) 11 Female resident of island or isthmus? (5)

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1 Chess, 2 Stair, 3 Amiable, 4 Dancer, 5 Belle, 6 Radiant, 7 Shelter, 12 Stables, 13 Chorale, 15 Austria, 16 Cognac, 18 Asset, 20 Awake, 21 Leeks.

QUICK 12 Proficient in a small department (5) 14 It obstructs gunners in a boat (7) 16 You’ll turn nuts if you use it (7) 17 A Scot translating one of Puccini’s operas (5) 19 A letter for Socrates (5) 20 Putting one’s head in this may make one so wretched (5) 21 Brave, we hear he’s out in cricket (4)

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 4 represents H and 7 represents Q, so fill in H every time the figure 4 appears and Q every time the figure 7 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 Influences (7) 5 Farm buildings (5) 8 Proceeding in small stages (7) 9 Loans (5) 10 Additional (5) 11 Projectile (7) 12 Not open or public (6) 14 Implored (6) 17 Item (7) 19 Somewhat fat and rounded (5) 22 Reaches the highest points (5) 23 At a previous time (7) 24 Is compliant (5) 25 Decreases in size, range or extent (7)

Across:

Down 1 Discuss with reasoning (5) 2 Ceremonial dinner party for many people (5) 3 Bravery (7) 4 Serious (6) 5 Written accounts of money owed (5) 6 Sprinting (7) 7 Hang freely (7) 12 Hair cleansing agent (7) 13 Small house with a single story (7) 15 Male ruler of an empire (7) 16 Precious stones (6) 18 Court matters (5) 20 Marriage (5) 21 Components (5)

7 Parade, 8 Images, 9 Here, 10 Creation, 11 Whisker, 13 Treat, 15 Smile, 17 Reaches, 20 Organise, 21 Snow, 23 Funnel, 24 Skates. Down: 1 Bake, 2 Camels, 3 Peaches, 4 Given, 5 Fatter, 6 Lemonade, 12 Humorous, 14 Release, 16 Learns, 18 Casual, 19 Bills, 22 Oxen.

ENGLISHSPANISH Across:

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

1 Sled, 2 Pesebre, 6 Fir, 7 Pan, 8 Zorra, 9 Poinsettia, 13 Gift, 14 New. Down: 1 Sleep, 2 Prizes, 3 Spirit, 4 Baya, 5 Early, 6 Fun, 10 Oro, 11 Elf, 12 Inn.

CODE BREAKER

Across 1 Chantaje (9) 7 Good-looking (5) 8 Sleeve (5) 9 Train (railway) (4) 10 Tazas (4) 13 Pala (para cavar) (5) 14 Derecha (5) 16 Motorway (9)

Down 1 See 15 2 Housewife (3,2,4) 3 Nudo (en hilo, cuerda) (4) 4 Soul (of a person) (4) 5 Lenguajes (9) 6 Latón (metal) (5) 9 Gusto (sentido) (5) 11 Ordenado (habitación, escritorio) (4) 12 Goteo (de líquido, grifo) (4) 15/1 Bolsita de té (3,3)

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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New Year’s Resolutions

Over the Top and Back

App of the Week News360 brings you quick news summaries with help from Apple’s 3D Touch News360 is a news aggregation app that learns from your habits. Grant it access to your Twitter and Facebook profiles and it will learn what you like and surface stories you might be interested in reading. And iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users, News360 has a tricks up its sleeve to save you even more time. The app is free and is available on iOS, Android and Windows devices.

Play on Words

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: Have a healthier 2016. IT’S that time of year again, partying away the old year, Old Lang Syne and the chimes at midnight. Lots of drink, dancing and waiting for somebody to ask you what your New Year’s resolution will be. If you haven’t given any thought of which one you would like to break this time.. here’s a few ideas! 1. Lose Weight and Get Fit Losing weight isn’t the hard part. Sure, you may swear that you will lose 10 kilos by the end of January, but can you keep it off? If so, are you really healthy? If you just make the resolution, you are already 10 times more likely to follow through than those who don’t make the resolution. 2. Quit Smoking People vow every year to quit. It’s hard. It’s difficult. Most people can’t stop forever. Only 4 to 7 per cent of smokers actually quit on any given attempt. Being so challenging, creating a New Year’s Resolution to quit smoking adds an extra incentive for many out there that can’t do it at any other time. 3. Learn Something New They say knowledge is power, and learning something new can be as simple as picking up a new hobby, sharpening a skill or developing your career goals. For those looking to broaden their academic horizons and shy away from the expense of physical courses, there are thousands of free online and virtual tutorials to keep you busy.

Sudoku

one month more per year than they were in 1970. Can you imagine what the numbers are today? With a fluctuating economy and a society in which being ‘on time’ is late, it’s no wonder we feel so stressed out. 8. Travel to New Places If you're looking to break out of your everyday routine and explore new places next year, booking some new travel experiences may be the best way to broaden your horizons. In 2014, around 78 per cent of all trips booked in the Europe were for leisure, so you won’t be the only one searching for the perfect getaway. Seeing new sights doesn’t mean you have to travel far, or spend lots of money doing so. 9. Be Less Stressed A 2015 study conducted by the American Psychological Association showed that 42 per cent of adults believe that their stress levels have increased over the past five years. Stress levels among adolescents have almost doubled since last year, with 31 per cent reporting higher levels of stress. Relieving stress and finding balance can be an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 10. Volunteer Honestly, most people focus on themselves when choosing their New Year’s Resolutions. But, the statistics show that a large number of people out there set out on January 1 to help others in need. There are many ways to accomplish this, such as giving moral support to your friends and lending a hand to those who are less fortunate.

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.

TARGET: Average: 33 Good: 43 Very good: 62 Excellent: 76

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 gnome goer gore gores goon goos goose gooses gorse noose norm nose noise honor horse hose hoses ores moron morose more mores mono moon moor moors moos moose mere meres merer merest errs rose roses rest room song some soon sore sores sorer sorest sermon sere croon crest broom bison berm best seem seer sperm perm peso pest skis specs

Word Ladder WORM

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.

4. Drink Less Letting loose on the weekends can often mean kicking back with a cold beer or curling up with a glass of wine, depending on your preference. But if you’re thinking about removing alcohol from your life, you should know that you’re not alone. Fifteen per cent of adults in Britain abstain from alcohol, with 43 per cent of those who abstain saying they used to drink alcohol but have given up. Cutting back on alcohol consumption could also mean a fitter lifestyle (an average beer has 154 calories) and a fuller wallet. 5. Eat Healthier and Diet Did you know that worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980? That’s not that long ago, and it’s a frightening prospect to think about. Luckily, there are many clubs, programmes, and support groups that can help you lose weight and stay fit and healthy. But choosing healthier food is a good start. 6. Get Out of Debt and Save Money The New Year arrives, and we often realise our wallets are empty. Or, maybe they aren’t as full as we’d like them to be. With a new year comes a chance for a fresh start, and many people try to crack down on their spending. It’s easy to do…for a while. However, around the end of January or maybe into February, we forget our vows to stop eating fast food. 7. Spend More Time with Family In this busy world of ours, finding time to spend with our loved ones is difficult. Even back in 1990, the British were working an average of

BONBNET

FISH BACK

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

WORM WORE WIRE WISE WISH FISH

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OR OR QUITS

Answers:Double or quit, A bee in the bonnet.

In this, his first ever autobiography, Tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime Pontypridd to LA and beyond. ‘For a lot of years, I’ve answered a lot of questions, but have never told my story.’ Across six decades, Sir Tom Jones has maintained a vital career in a risky, unstable business notorious for the short lives of its artists. With a drive that comes from the love for what he does, he breaks through and wrestles with the vagaries of the music industry. But how did a boy from a Welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe? And how has he survived the twists and turns of fame and fortune to stay exciting, and become more credible and interesting with age?

31 December - 6 January 2015 / Costa Blanca South

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What to write about? 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.

DURING the winter months, there is nothing I like more than a good long soak in a hot bath. Well that’s not strictly true, there are other things that I like much more, but space and modesty prevents me from enlarging on that. I regard it as pure luxury to lie back with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc, up to my neck in soap suds, listening to the honeyed tones of Nat King Cole or Deep Purple on my iPod. I have eclectic musical tastes. It’s a place where I can formulate new world shattering wheezes, compose brilliant pieces for my column, and reminisce about times gone by and people I have known. I can also play submarines with a half empty shampoo

MARINA: I pondered writing about the expensive boats you see in the Costa Blanca. bottle and a water pistol I purchased from our local Bazaar Chino, as I did yesterday before the Princess came in and

took them off me. She can be so childish at times. The rug would have dried out eventually.

Anyway there I was wondering what to write about next week. I pondered about the

amount of expensive boats you see in any marina along the Costa Blanca, and the fact that some of them never seem to move from one month to the next. I also thought that maybe I should do one more piece about Christmas, but then decided that the subject was about done to death. The Syrian crisis, mass immigration, the latest Strictly Come Dancing series, and the HM Revenue and Customs self assessment website that makes Einstein’s theory of relativity look like Play School , all paraded through my Sauvignon Blanc-ed mind as possibilities. But then I must have fallen asleep. I woke up in water that was so cold, I would not have been surprised to see icebergs bobbing around my extremities. Then resembling a giant raisin on legs, I hopped from the tub and realised that I was no closer to any firm ideas for next week’s EWN.

Another Spanish election probable WILL take place if no stable government is formed to take power DESPITE the fact the election results have only been out for a few days, there is little doubt that Christmas won’t be a time of peace and goodwill for all men as politicians try to review all of the combinations which could allow for a stable government to take power. The options however are very limited and in theory, although the PP will have the first opportunity to form a government, even with the support of Ciudadanos, the two parties would have to pick up another 13 supporters in order to have a one-seat majority. The left is in a slightly stronger position and could command a strong majority, if the PSOE combined with Podemos and all of the nationalist members, but even that doesn’t seem very likely or if attempted, very workable. In times of war, true coalitions have been seen to work and work well, but in times of peace, they tend to be unworkable with individual parties unable to agree to a common theme, and withdrawing if they disagree with any law that the party with the largest number of seats tries to put through. When you consider the number of seats that Podemos won and the fact they won on an anti-austerity manifesto, it seems highly unlikely that they would be able or prepared to agree to any government which does not espouse their basic policy. Apart from policies, there are also personal differences between the leaders of the various parties, most appearing to consider Mariano Rajoy a stumbling

Photo Credit European Union flickr

By John Smith

PP GOVERNMENT: Mariano Rajoy and Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo. block to power-sharing for various reasons including his personality, and support of various members of his government who have been caught up in a range of scandals. The surprise emergence of previous PP leader Jose Maria Aznar soon after the election where he called for an immediate meeting of the party, suggests that he has a plan. Although he has indicated he won’t stand as leader, it is possible he may be about to suggest that Mr

OUR VIEW

A FEW subjects paraded through my Sauvignon Blanc-ed mind, then I fell asleep Colin Bird

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OPINION & COMMENT

WISH: A prosperous 2016.

What about the future? FIRST of all, the publishers and staff at the Euro Weekly News would like to wish all of our readers a very happy and prosperous 2016. Most of us want to have a peaceful and stress-free life where we are healthy, don’t have to worry about our financial position, can enjoy a pleasant life here in Spain and where appropriate watch our children and grandchildren grow into well-rounded and happy adults themselves. Life isn’t always kind and sometimes it deals us fairly unpleasant surprises, but generally people are able to cope with difficulty and move forward. Even illness is being conquered, with cancer less likely to be the guaranteed killer it was just 20 years ago. What we can’t prepare for are the totally unexpected. We know that there has been an increase in natural disasters over the past few years, but who expected the Tsunami of 2004, or some of the devastating attacks by nature that have claimed so many lives over the years? There is now, not a new worry, but a much extended one with the reappearance of terrorism undertaken by Daesh in the so-called name of religion. Nowhere is safe but equally, we have to live our lives as normally as possible and not be afraid of being caught up in what would be an ill chance in millions by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Life doesn’t come with any guarantees so we need to enjoy it the best we can, try to protect those close to us and do no deliberate harm to those who aren’t.

Rajoy steps down in favour of his deputy Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, who is likely to be a more acceptable Now we partner to the other leaders. want to Whatever happens, some decision has to be made by hear your views. January 13 when the king is due to nominate the head of government. If there is a minority PP YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE government or a fragile coalition, then odds are - YOUR OPINION that it will not last for long and new elections will www.euroweeklynews.com need to be held.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

It’s time for my last grump of the year Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man WELL that’s Christmas out the way and you already know my feelings about that so obviously my last grump of the year has to be about New Year’s Eve. When I was younger, much younger, it was OK to go out with the wife and a few friends to celebrate. (Yeah I know, smart ass, I do have some!) To be honest it used to be fun but as I’ve got older it’s just another day. If you actually want to go out to a restaurant you have to be prepared to get a second mortgage, because for some reason most places find it necessary to charge ludicrously high prices for extremely average food. I remember a couple of years ago we went to a local four-star hotel for New Year’s Eve and, as is usual these days, we had to pay up front and choose our menu in full in advance. Now, when you are a bit grumpy like me

this gives you nowhere to go when, after ordering what you want, you find that they have changed the menu and the dish you ordered was no longer being served! Of course, I was just about to have a ruck but Mrs S said to leave it so as it was New Year’s Eve I just had a mini moan to the waiter who just said sorry but couldn’t offer a reason for the change. At the end of the meal we were meant to have a plate of cheese and biscuits which turned out to be a slice of sweaty cheddar and three Ritz crackers. By this time my red knickers were really chaffing and I’d had enough. The 12 grapes were all spotty brown with pips in. The flashing fairy lights all around the room were giving me a migraine. Midnight came and everyone ran around kissing each other which, at any other time of the year, would be seriously frowned upon and would finish up in a mega punch up. Everyone then sat there on their mobile phones shouting, “I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up. Happy New ... what? You’re breaking up …. Year.” And that was it, another New Year’s Eve out the way. Happy New Year everyone – I’m staying at home this year.

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OPINION & COMMENT

LEGALLY SPEAKING

N332 team alert of potential scam 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.

ADVICE: Check around your vehicle before you enter it. A WARNING has been issued regarding a new scam warning that is being spread through social networks around the globe. The instigator of the scam places a cash note on the windscreen of the car, affixed by the windscreen wipers. The idea is that once inside the vehicle, the driver will see the note and, thinking that their luck has just come in, exit the car in order to retrieve the money. At this point, with the engine still running, the scammer would rush into the vehicle and drive off, leaving the victim holding a note, which is actually a fake. Although there are currently no reported cases of this happening in Spain, it is only a matter of time before somebody attempts it, and succeeds. The advice is always to check around the

vehicle before you enter it, not only looking for things placed on your windscreen or back window, but also checking for obvious damage and that your tyres are inflated. It is highly unlikely that anybody would leave money for you in this way, so if you do see such an occurrence, don’t build your hopes up and stay alert. E-Book Don’t forget the E-book ‘The New Rules of the Road’ is still available which details some of the changes to traffic laws in Spain, some already implemented and some due in the near future. It can be downloaded via www.n332.es/ebook/ with all proceeds going to the Elche Children’s Home based on the Costa Blanca.

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

Can the President act alone? Q. At our AGM in January an item on the Agenda was eventually withdrawn by the President after a debate with every speaker opposed to what he wanted to do. Coming forward to August, the very same Agenda item has been If the action included the spending of substantial Community funds or if it altered elements of the Community property, the President should have called an extraordinary general meeting to seek authorisation. However, there are many minor actions that lie within

implemented. Other than a health or safety issue, is this in order, or should there have been a special general meeting to discuss the merit of the issue again?

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

the President’s power to act on his own accord, even if they are not immediate issues of health or safety.

R.D. (Mallorca) We observe that the item was never put to a vote, so the members cannot say they denied it officially, even though they spoke against it. An opponent with his wits about him should have called for a vote on the Agenda item at the time. That would have made it official.

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

HEALTH BEAUTY

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016

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Pill could solve the obesity crisis RESEARCHERS in the UK believe it could be available in next five years By Gemma Quinn

IT could be the answer to many people’s prayers after a little overindulgence over the Christmas and New Year period, as British scientists say they have developed a ‘fat pill’ that could solve the obesity crisis. The capsule, packed with a mix o f n a t u r a l o i l s , is thought to trick the stomach into thinking it’s full and suppre ss t h e a p p e t i t e . It could lead to a reduction in the need f o r g a st r i c b an d surgery. The pill has been lab-tested on human tissue for more than two years by a team of researchers at Queen Mary Univer si t y o f L o n d o n (QMUL).

‘FAT PILL’: Capsule is packed with natural oils and is thought to trick the stomach into thinking it’s full.

Clever trainers A PAIR of trainers have been developed that could help spot the first signs of arthritis and delay the need for a replacement knee joint. The shoes, which are designed to shift the wearer’s stride to take pressure off the damaged part of the knee, have already been shown to ease the pain of arthritis in tests by researchers at Stanford University in the US. They are now looking at whether blood tests taken during six months of wearing the trainers can also detect changes in levels of inflammation, helping to diagnose the condition at an early stage. The structure of the shoes is thought to alter the angles between the foot and the knee during walking, taking

the load off the inside and shifting it to the outside, where cartilage is less damaged. One in five adults over the age of 45 has osteoarthritis of the knee, which occurs when the cartilage that lines and cushions the joint gradually wears away and thins, leading to inflammation. Over time many patients end up requiring surgery to replace the joint. The Journal of Orthopaedic Research reports that a previous Stanford study found wearing the shoes was linked to a 32 per cent reduction in pain after 12 months.

PREVENTION: Shoes shift body weight to prevent damage to knee joint.

The project is part-funded by the charity Bowel and Cancer Research. Now, the researchers have won funding to test the capsule and its contents on human volunteers. Approximately 40 volunteers will spend 18 months helping to establish the correct dosage levels and manage possible side-effects. The ‘ f at pi l l ’ wor ks by sending special food suppl em ent s di r ect l y t o t he lower bowel, bypassing the small intestine. This causes the release of hormones which suppress the appetite and helps with the release of insulin to control blood sugar levels. Researchers hope it will be widely available in the next five years.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016/ Costa Blanca South

Five common cold prevention techniques

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

Vitamin D could ease IBS symptoms

GETTING enough sleep is important THE average adult gets a cold three times a year, and each typically lasts around nine days, according to Jane Sadler, MD, a family physician in Texas, USA. There are prevention techniques that you can adopt to lower the risk of falling prey to the common cold. Sleep: Getting at least seven hours of s leep i s t h e e a si e st w ay to w ard o ff colds. Sleep regulates the release of the hormone cortisol, which stimulates the cells that boost the immune system. Water: Without sufficient hydration, immune system cells cannot work optimally. Try to drink at least two litres of water per day, and more if exercising. Exercise: 30-90 minutes of moderate exercise multiple times throughout the week increases the activity of certain white blood cells

ATISHOO: Several factors can help lessen the risk of falling prey to a cold.

that attack viruses. Zinc: Foods rich in zinc, such as oysters and beef, may offer protection as zinc interferes with viruses by blocking their metabolic activity. Laughter: Although the process is not yet unde rs tood, s tre s s contributes to a de c re a s e d immune re s pons e , a nd la ughte r c a n ra is e thos e le ve ls of infectionfighting antibodies.

VITAMIN D: Most commonly produced when sunlight hits your skin. VITAMIN D could be key to treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Scientists from the University of Sheffield found that 82 per cent of those with IBS also had low vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is most commonly produced when sunlight hits your skin, which

kicks off vitamin synthesis and is naturally found in food such as milk and tuna. In a study, the scientists found that vitamin D supplements could improve the symptoms of IBS. IBS is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that causes both diarrhoea and constipation, but affects each

patient differently. Many take years to get a diagnosis due to fluctuating flare-ups and the symptoms being put down to other things. Researchers now suggest those with an IBS diagnosis should also have their vitamin D levels tested.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

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Rise in allergies

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016/ Costa Blanca South

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Could your personal trainer also be your best friend? FitFoxy

Looking Good, Staying Trim

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. THIS week we have asked Dr Perez Belmonte a few questions about allergies. In the old days not many people seemed to be allergic to things yet nowdays almost everyone claims to be allergic to something. Why is this? Over recent years allergies have started to appear a lot more often and can cause discomfort. This may be due to modern lifestyles, exposure to contamination and various substances. We now have allergy specialists who can diagnose them whereas in the past this wasn’t possible and anyone with signs of a possible allergy should see their doctor. How can I tell if I have an allergy? Allergies can cause all sorts of symptoms and even seem like other illnesses. Common symptoms include sneezing, an itchy nose and sore throat but can also cause breathing difficulties. The eyes and skin can be affected. These are the most common symptoms although others can affect the digestive system and in serious cases general allergic reac-

tions can cause collapse. Are there effective ways to control allergies? The first thing to do is get a diagnosis from a specialist. Then there are many different treatments ranging from tablets to vaccinations depending on the type of allergy which can help control symptoms and in some cases cure them. Can children with food allergies be gradually cured? Sometimes children can develop allergies to certain foods which stop them from leading a normal life. Although cases vary, they are usually unable to ‘get used’ to these foods. These allergies are important and require attention from a specialist in paediatric allergies. How should I react to a severe allergic reaction? At the first sign of a possible allergy, from a simple itchy nose or sneezing fit to a general feeling of being unwell or a reaction of any type, you should see a medical professional who will take any necessary measures. Once the crisis passes patients should see a specialist for tests and diagnosis.

The 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.

My role as a personal trainer goes way above and beyond counting out reps for clients and ushering them to the next piece of exercise equipment, I am quite often personal trainer/best friend. Client relationships become close, as a fitness coach I teach them to recognise that their physical appearance is much more a counter product of their mental state and attitude than they realise. When a client who generally leads an extremely busy life, juggling career and family, visits me twice a week for their hourly session, this becomes THEIR time. This I can virtually guarantee is the only opportunity they are likely to have in that week to focus on themselves completely. A good personal trainer genuinely cares about their clients. It does not take me long to see exactly what makes my

Winter skin care tips DURING the colder temperatures, both men and women find their skin is affected more than simply a rosy glow to the cheeks. Dry skin can lead to flaking and cracking, leaving you vulnerable to infections. There are ways to ensure your skin remains hydrated. Lip balm: cracked lips are uncomfortable and painful so invest in a lip balm. Drink water: try and consume at least two litres per day. Moisturise more: your skin care regime should adapt with the weather changes and you need a different moisturiser to the one you use in summer.

RELATIONSHIP: A close bond develops between trainer and client. clients tick, their strengths and weaknesses. I am in a sense the invaluable best friend that tells them when they need to change their habits or attitude to themselves and how hard they are capable of pushing themselves. I recognise if they are feeling low or having trouble coping with personal issues and I adapt the hour session that they spend with me, to incorporate the mental focus needed, just like a best friend would.

I agree that the relationship I have with clients is relatively unique in the way that they pay me for my time, it is a business transaction and this can sometimes be tricky. Most personal trainers would agree that even though a business transaction takes place, it does not change the level of care and fondness that develops for clients and the great feeling it gives to see them reach and achieve their goals.

E W N Costa Blanca South

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016

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OCIAL CENE

€1,000 Donation for RAFA ROYAL Air Forces Association receives cheque from Masonic Home DEMANDS on the resources of the RAFA are increasing as members and ex-RAF personnel age and will need additional support over the coming years. This increasing demand was highlighted at this year’s 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, hosted by the Costa Blanca branch of the RAF Association, and moved Hugh Parker from the Masonic Home of Valencia so much that he addressed the Council of the Masonic Home with a request for a donation to be made to the Association. A request that was unanimously approved, and resulted i n t h e p r e se n ta tio n o f a cheque to the value of €1,000. Financial demands on the Association are already high, and are expected to rise to over £15 million by 2020. New projects are being considered all the time, but these will cost money. Consequently, the fantastic donation made by the Masonic Home o f Va l e n c i a rep res e n ts much needed funds that will be used in support of the RAF Association’s charitable work.

(from left to right) Keith Hart and Hugh Parker from the Masonic Home of Valencia presenting their cheque for €1,000 to Gaby Ferenczy and Bob Hunt, RAFA Branch President and Chairman respectively. The Association’s Welfare Officers made in excess of 100,000 wel-

fa re c a lls , vis its a nd c onta c ts to those in the RAF family in need in

2014. Moreover, the Association ma d e over 2,000 gr ant s t o t hose in f i nanci al di ff i cul t y, pr ovi ded over 2,200 service and ex-service pe opl e wi t h t he oppor t uni t y t o take a much needed break at one of the Associ at i on’s Wi ngs Br eak Hotels. Fu r t her m or e, and par t i cul ar l y imp or t ant as once m or e our R A F Ser vi ce m en and wom en a re pl aced i n danger i n t he skies above Iraq and Syria, 2,600 fa mi l i es wer e hel ped t hr ough the St or ybook Wi ngs i ni t i at i ve, where mums and dads can professionally record a bedtime story to be read to their children whilst the parent is away on operational duties. If you are interested in supporting the ai m s and wor k of t he RAF A s soci at i on pl ease cont act our Branch Secretary, Brian Flowers, on 966 430 215 or for more information regarding the activities of the N ort h Cost a Bl anca Br anch of the Associ at i on vi si t www.raf ancb.org.

Performing songs.

Special students, special festival TORREVIEJA’s centre for the disabled, ALPE, saw 35 students perform several songs for their Christmas Festival. Parents, teachers and council officials watched enthusiastically as the students entertained and delighted them. A video was also shown, giving the audience an opportunity to see the students at work in their workshops.

SOCIAL SCENE

Join free singing workshop in Orihuela CAMPAIGN to encourage barbershop singing in Spain By Keith Baker A FREE, one-day workshop is to be held at the Conservatorio Pedro Terol, Orihuela. It is open to all ages, male and female. Those attending will spend the day learning four-part harmony from the national champion quartet Aftershave. The day culminates in a concert for family and friends, to demonstrate what has been learned. The free workshop takes place on Sunday January 10, from 10am to 6pm, and is part of a nationwide campaign organised by the Spanish Association of Barbershop Singers (SABS).

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South E W N

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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SOCIAL SCENE

It’s time to book for the pantomime THE WINNER: Patricia Rhodes receives her hamper from fundraiser Tricia Lee.

Quesada resident wins Christmas hamper PATRICIA was overjoyed to win all the goodies to make an extra special Xmas By Keith Baker THE winner of the Paul Cunningham Nurses Charity Christmas Hamper was a delighted Patricia Rhodes. Patricia was overjoyed to win all the goodies in the hamper and said it would make Christmas extra special for her. The

winning strip was white 71. Their next charity event, a Race Night, will be on Saturday January 16, at Reflections Bar San Luis. Tickets cost €7 each and include dinner (chilli con carne with baked potatoes). For reservations, please telephone 688 387 490.

IT’S not just the UK that upholds this theatrical tradition. You can’t get m uch more British than a pantomime, but fortunately you don’t have to travel all the way back to the UK to find one. The Campoverde Theat r e Gr oup wi l l be performing a new retelling of the Owl and the Pussycat - you r em em ber t hey went t o sea i n a beaut i f ul pea gr een boat! In good old pantomime t r adi t i on, t he st or y has been r ef r eshed wi t h a dame and her silly son, the unschool ed cr ew of t he Green Pea and her captain, plus all the usual baddies.

Rest assured, however, t hat The Owl and t he Pussycat has everything you woul d expect f r om t r adi t i onal Br i t i sh pantomime. The Owl and the Pussycat will be staged at the Casa de Cul t ur a, San Miguel de Salinas on February 5-7, 2016. Reserve your tickets at Bargai n Books i n San Miguel or contact the ticket Li ne by em ai l i ng ctgticketline@gmail.com or call Graham on 629 258 697 or drop into the Blue Lagoon Community Centre (Monday and Wednesday 2-4pm). This production will sell out fast so book soon to avoid disappointment.

SOCIAL SCENE

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South E W N

Campoverde NHW delivers some Christmas cheer to local children STAFF were overwhelmed with the generosity once again shown by the residents and local associations MEMBERS of Campoverde Neighbourhood Watch made their last trip of the year to Orihuela when they took their annual Christmas collection of clothes, toys etc., plus â‚Ź1,153 to the San Jose Obrero Foundation. The foundation looks after children between six and 18 years old who have been orphaned, abandoned or taken into care either on a permanent or a temporary basis. They also support many children who come in on a daily basis for schooling and who are fed and make use of the bathing facilities. The staff were overwhelmed by the generosity once again shown by the residents and associations of Campoverde. Included in the large amount of clothing (almost all of it brand new) were approximately 50 new tracksuits. The toys, again many of which were new, will be a wonderful addition to the childrenâ€™s Christmas celebrations. One very important point that came out in discussions was that San Jose, which receives children from the Diocese of Orihuela, looks after many more children than the much more wellknown and better supported orphanage in Elche. The training workshop for the older boys is surprisingly well equipped, with a vehicle repair workshop that had everything a professional re-

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH: The foundation looks after children. pair shop would have, plus facilities for teaching both wood and metal working. The young men

are all taught skills to a professional standard so giving them qualifications for a good start in life

after leaving the care of San Jose. The young ladies are taught hairdressing also to a professional level. During a chat over coffee, members of the NHW discussed with staff members what could be done for next year. Among the suggestions were such simple things as new swimming costumes, swimming goggles, flip flops, sandals and trainers for the summer months (the children here are no different from children anywhere else). Dressing gowns, pyjamas, new underwear, shirts, blouses, t-shirts and shoes are always welcome. For the dormitories, bed linen, duvets etc. for single beds are needed. Lightweight curtains would be most welcome, so if you are changing curtains why not donate the old ones to the orphanage. If you would like to help these children who are so much worse off than ourselves, contact Ray Marsh by email on: rayandjune@costacom puters.com. Campoverde NHW has also been supporting Pilar de la Horadada CARITAS, and during the past year has again collected over 500kgs of food and many items of clothing. They recently delivered these Christmas donations, with extra sweets, biscuits and toys for the children, who would otherwise have so little this Christmas.

E W N Costa Blanca South

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016

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Noise within the home is a very Spanish problem

MORE than 75,000 new British property millionaires emerged in 2015 at an astonishing rate of more than 200 per day. There are now approximately 622, 939 homeowners with a property valued at over £1 million (€1,358,000), which is a 14 per cent rise on last year’s figures, according to housing specialists Zoopla. Predictably the vast majority of instances came from London and the south-east where property prices have been soaring for years. In the capital the strongest growth has come from the poorest boroughs as gentrification marches on and investors turn from the already highly saturated market of Kensington and Chelsea and its ilk. Despite seeing an 11 per cent growth in numbers, Wales still features the lowest amount of property millionaires in the UK at 1,404. Scotland was the only area where the numbers actually decreased, falling 4.5 per cent, although this is likely due to a new land-tax making it more costly to purchase homes valued over £750,000 (€1,107,000).

AROUND 80 per cent of homes in Spain have inadequate sound insulation By Matthew Elliott SPAIN is officially one of the noisiest countries in the developed world when it comes to decibel levels within the home. Around 80 per cent of Spanish homes have inadequate sound insulation, according to a survey by building company Danosa. Typical decibel levels in Spain are at 65 or above, while the World Health Organisation recommends a healthy background level maximum of 55 during the day and 45 in the evening. Part of the problem lies in the fact that Spain has built so few homes since 2009, when EU regulations came into force demanding safe levels of sound insulation.

Photo by megaflop, shutterstock

There are 200 new property millionaires a day in UK

SOUND: Spain is officially one of the noisiest countries when it comes to decibel levels in the home.

PROPERTY

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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The year 2015 was a good one BANK mortgages have become more available and interest rates remained at a record low John Graham The property expert

CELEBRATING New Year’s Eve in Spain is a wonderful experience for English-speaking homeowners. We dress up for the occasion, join in the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes while the Puerta del Sol clock in Madrid counts down to 2016, and enjoy Spanish cava while watching the spectacular fireworks’ display. We sing the traditional Robert Burns ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and some of us will stay up to watch the Vienna Philharmonic New Year Concert or party on into the first day of 2016, enjoying some of Spain’s excellent wines. This is also the time of the year when you look back and reflect on what happened in 2015 and start to

FUTURE: Now is when you start to make plans for 2016. make plans for 2016 and hope for a good year.

Some of you will be planning to buy a new home, and some of you

will be planning to sell your property and move into a smaller or bigger home in Spain in 2016. These are big decisions and you will need the best qualified help available to ensure that your plans go as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and as a qualified senior surveyor and property expert, I’m here to help you in 2016. I have the advantage of being qualified with many years of practical experience in buying and selling property in Spain on behalf of my customers. Let’s be honest there are enough problems in the world without creating any more, so my job is to make sure that you avoid having problems when buying or selling your home. If you do happen to have a problem it’s my job to advise you on how best to solve the problem. The year 2015 was a very good one for non-Spanish property buyers and sellers on the Costas and Balearics, where demand has been

growing over the past two or three years. Bank mortgages have now started to become more available to buyers and not surprisingly readily available on all properties owned by the banks. Interest rates in 2015 have remained at a record low so mortgage costs are a real bargain, which is good news for buyers and will help you in selling your home in 2016. In 2016, I will continue to write articles which I hope will be helpful when buying your dream home, selling your property and maintaining your property, plus I will give you regular updates on the Spanish property market throughout the year. I’m here to help, so if you are planning to sell or buy a property in Spain please contact me. I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year. John Graham Fellow of The Architecture & Surveyors Institute. Property Advisor. Email. Gk.ipad@me.com

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

EARLIER this year, the Ministry of Development announced the nation’s first quarterly increase since 2008, when house prices went up 1.3 per cent, while the overall health of the market was bolstered by a 13.9 per cent rise in sales. Murcia, however, had an impressive 25.7 per cent increase, which has developers turning their attention to this relatively unexplored south-east region, often overlooked due to its flashier neighbours in Malaga and Marbella. Properties in Murcia are roughly a third cheaper than identical ones in Alicante, representing greater value for money and an element of quietness that has been lost on its more tourist friendly neighbours. Modern houses and homes are, however, more difficult to find and interested buyers will have to search hard for historic or character laden properties on sale.

PROPERTY

Protect yourself from currency movements EXCHANGE rates can seriously affect the purchasing process which could take months By Matthew Elliott WITH the average UK house price now said to be just over £186,000, it’s unsurprising that Britons with e n o u g h in th e b an k a re e a ge rly lo o k in g to fo reig n ma rke ts for a new home or investment. The interest is fuelled by stagnant h o u s e p ric e s in p o p u lar ma rke ts such as Spain, France, and Portugal. While there has been doubtless improvement across Spain in recent years, the bottom line remains that property prices are still some 35 per c e n t o ff th e ir p re-c ris is pe a k in 2008. Right now, however, it is the strong pound that is the major impetus to buy, as British budgets stretch much further than before. This is where prospective buyers must be at their most vigilant as exchange rates are notoriously volatile

NOTORIOUSLY VOLATILE: Currency exchange rates. and could have changed dramatically by the time the purc ha s ing

process is complete, which could take months. A fall of 3 per cent in

the number of euros to the pound, f or exam pl e, i s not par t i cul ar l y wild, and accumulated over a chaotic financial month could see buyers lose massive amounts of money. The pound i s cur r ent l y si t t i ng close to its five-year high against t he eur o and Aust r al i an dol l ar, which isn’t to say a fall is imminent, but consider that the pound lost 20 per cent of its value towards t he end of 2008. Had you been locked in contract negotiations for a property in the eurozone at that time you m i ght have pai d an ext r a £30,000 on a £150,000 property. To t ake advant age of t he favourable exchange rate, but also protect yourself against such potentially devastating losses, speak to foreign exchange experts who may be able to secure you a contract that fixes the rate for up to two years.

2015 Spanish property roundup MARK these words because they’re unusual around these parts. The year 2015 has been an excellent year for the Spanish property market. A stable conclusion to a

fairly standard year with decent growth levels doesn’t scream success but marks a welcome turnabout from the last seven years which have been characterised by doom and gloom. Average prices are around 4.5 per cent higher, sales have risen by just over 11 per cent, banks are regaining confidence and lowering interest rates, and international investors are starting to take notice. It all represents a far cry from the dark days of 2013 when homes were seeing their values slashed in half. However, it’s important to remember that much of the improvements are localised, with some areas performing much better than others, while it will be impossible to maintain the current interest rate, and demographic concerns lurk in the near future. But if lessons are learned from Spain’s recent humbling, 2016 should shape up to be a positive year for property.

Photo by Acountries, wikipedia.

Murcia leads the Spanish recovery

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Photoo courtesy of TaxRebate.co.uk, via Flickr

HIGHEST RENTAL RATE: La Barceloneta district in Barcelona.

Airbnb model inflating neighbourhood rents LIKE many billion-dollar ideas, Airbnb started in relative obscurity, inspired by two San Francisco residents who offered inflatable beds in their apartment to help pay the rent in 2008. It is now a formidable international company with over two million properties allied to its short-term renting structure. Spanish cities are, however, now experiencing a distortion of rental rates as certain apart-

ments become in effect tourist flats subject to much higher rents. It is now estimated that in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter one flat in nine is a tourist apartment while the historic neighbourhood has lost 17.6 per cent of its population and seen rents increase by 6 per cent. An Airbnb spokesman has rejected the impact by noting that Airbnb has just 17,000 registered homes in

the Catalan capital out of roughly one million homes, just under 2 per cent of the total. The problem, however, is borne of the sheer concentration of Airbnb homes in particular districts. La Barceloneta, for example, is a relatively normal neighbourhood with poor building quality and a lower than average family income, but now has the highest rental rate per square metre in the entire city.

PROPERTY

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

EWN

In a galaxy far, far away... Well, not that far away actually

STAR WARS: Hotel SidiDriss (left) and the Free Spirit Spheres (right) belong to people to whom Star Wars is more than just a film.

AT this time of year, many people’s thoughts turn to the greatest story ever told… No not the Baby Jesus one, the Star Wars one. Taking advantage of the latest release of ‘Star Wars: Episode VII - The Awakening of the Force’, we have decided to take a glimpse

at the properties belonging to some people to whom Star Wars is not so much a film, as a way of life. Lars homestead In Matmata, Tunisia, you will find Hotel SidiDriss, which has become one of the most fa-

mous filming locations of Star Wars, nicknamed the Star Wars hotel. It’s a traditional Berber house, built centuries ago. It served as the interior for Lars homestead on Tatooine, in A New Hope. Now a hotel, it is open all year and the props are still intact.

Forest Moon of Endor Others prefer to indulge their inner Ewok by living the treetop life. The Free Spirit Spheres in Canada bear an uncanny resemblance to the Forest Moon of Endor, and the home of the Ewok.

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

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GARDENS

End of year gardening thoughts A FEW general observations... from Cox’s Orange Pippins to ecological weedkiller Dick Handscombe

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

1. I HAVE a bowl of very juicy and tasty eco-grown tangerines from the garden on the sideboard but miss the box of Cox’s Orange Pippin apples that were less tough and tastier to eat than the packing station apples that are mostly available in Spain. Has any reader been able to grow good Cox’s in Spain? If so I would love to have a photo via yourgardeninspain@ hotmail.com. 2. Early this year I obtained a carton of the then new Neudorff’s ecological citrus fertilizer, Fertilizante Citricos, to trial. My Christmas oranges, tangerines and lemons have been of an exceptionally excellent size. The micro-organisms in the product have worked well and should continue to do so. They do not exist in organic chemical fertilizers; yes, those often referred to as those little blue granules. 3. More and more Spanish magazines are including articles about the steady increase in the

MISSED FAVOURITE: Cox’s Orange Pippins are less tough and tastier than packing-station apples in Spain. number of people growing vegetables in urban areas in containers, on growing tables and in gravity watered hydroponic units as well as in small vegetable plots. This is probably not so in the British community. At a recent talk on the Costa Blanca I discovered that just 3 per cent did so. It was significantly higher at a talk the following week in Andalucia. Incidentally, I had a last

tomato, aubergine and several peppers at Christmas-time from plantlets planted last spring. 4. The researchers developing the early lie detector machines in the US found that plants had feelings. When they connected the machines to plants and then took out secateurs to prune them, even before actual cuts were made, an off-scale response could be detected. So do ensure you use

sharp secateurs during the winter cutback to reduce the pain. 5. How can some supermarket lettuces stay crisp in the fridge for a month when freshly-harvested ones from the garden never exposed to chemicals of any sort wilt in a couple of days? A search of the internet makes for interesting reading! 6. An international study of birdlife in urban areas including Valencia City concluded that

the noisy urban environment favours birds that sing shrill and highly pitched with tenor versus baritone tones. My observation is that the same applies to country gardens for there are more of those types of birds. How do such studies get funded? 7. Remember that ecological home-made garlic, thyme and soapy water insect sprays are easily prepared if your local

horticultural shop or agricultural co-operative refuses from January to serve you with your traditional chemical sprays if you do not have a new EU stimulated certificate to prove that you have been on and passed a spraying course. I wonder if the UK is introducing this new requirement as enthusiastically as the Spanish authorities? 8. Some years ago I managed to obtain a bottle of Neudorf’s ecological weedkiller from outside Spain to trial. It was very effective except on well-established perennial weeds which need to be dug out. Unfortunately, it is still not available in Spain although it is now in the UK. However, I have been informed that it may be authorised during 2016. When I hear anything more I will let you know in my weekly column. As tomorrow is the first day of 2016, may I wish you all happy and productive gardening next year. © Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com December 2015

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Potted blueberries for Be smart and give a breakfast delight Photo by Madereugeneandrew, wikipedia

ENJOY fresh berries with your porridge every morning

EXPENSIVE TREAT: Growing your own will bear fruit. By Matthew Elliott BLUEBERRIES are considered one of the healthiest fruits around, full of antioxidants and low in sugar. Caught a t t h e r i g h t t ime , they’re also delicious, with a plump juicy exquisiteness that ha s p i e s, c a k e s an d sauces n a m e d a f t e r th is punchy b l u e d e l i g h t . B u t let’s face it, blueberries are shockingly expensive. You’re often faced with a bitter choice of paying more than €3 for a decent organic pack, or less for some

disappointing rejects only g o o d u n til th e e n d o f t he day. Well, without further ado, here’s a quick run-down on h o w y o u ca n av o id b e ing ripped off and enjoy a fresh batch of blueberries for your morning porridge every day. First, blueberries need to grow in an acidic pH zone of 4.5-5.5 so if you have alkaline soil then it’ll be best to cultivate yours in a pot or container. Yo u c a n co n tro l th e pH level by using organic acid

fertiliser (blood or cottonseed meal are perfect) and be sure to top up the acidity levels with a small helping of fertiliser every month. Consider it your blueberry rent. Use a large pot of around 18 inches and also ensure that your blueberries get full sun for at least six to eight hours. Be sure to grow at least three plants close together and preferably of different varieties as they will bear fruit at different times and extend your blueberry season.

New Year tricks WITH 2016 upon us, here are a few tricks to use in your gardening endeavours over the next year. To prevent your fingernails absorbing a thick layer of dirt, draw them across a bar of soap in order to seal your nails. Once you’re done, use a nailbrush to sweep out the soap and ‘voila’ clean nails. Leftover tea and coffee grounds can help keep the pH of your soil on the acidic side, with a light sprinkling each month for acidfreaks like camellias, blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons.

Chamomile tea can be used to control damping-off fungus and help protect young seedlings close by. Dry your herbs and freshen up your ca r b y la ying a s he e t of ne w s pa pe r on the seat, place the herbs on top in one layer, close the doors and roll up the windows. Aggressively attack aphids by wrapping s tro n g ta pe a round your ha nd w ith the sticky side facing out and pat the leaves of infested plants, especially the undersides where they like to hide.

iDIY a try!

SMARTPHONE apps aren’t just for sullen teenagers, there’s actually an excellent variety out there full of useful tips and tricks for a spot of Sunday DIY that will soon have you wondering how you ever managed without them. Best part - most of them are completely free. Take the Handyman Calculator app, for example, which has 125 tools which cover all your calculating needs from lumber and concrete to baluster and asphalt. With Homestyler you can take a photo of a room, upload it, then use thousands of editing techniques to mix things around by painting,

laying new flooring, placing new furniture, etc, to get a free feel for how your big idea will pan out in reality. The Family Handyman DIY Tip Genius is an incredible resource full of advice and information that you can consult on the spot without coming unstuck in the middle of a job. Other apps include basic tools such as flashlights and spirit levels, and if you really want to go overboard (or take a sneaky break), there’s even the Construction Sound Effects app,which can have you hammering nails, sawing wood or drilling holes while you pour yourself a cold beer and admire your handiwork.

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Chocolate danger to dogs IT is made for human consumption and dogs are sensitive to the chemicals

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

DONKEYS: Are friendly and great company.

To find a pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on +44 (0)1865 521508 PHILIPPA left the UK some years ago and now lives in a beautiful rural part of Andalucia. She lives alone but for the company of her family of donkeys, dogs and cats. She is so happy in her rural idyll that she rarely leaves, in fact by her own admission it is hard to pull herself away. However, once in a while she is tempted to return home to see family and friends and then she needs to find someone to care for her beloved pets. The dogs and cats usually go to kennels and the donkeys are fed and cared for by a neighbour who lives 20 minutes away.

This is far from ideal. The dogs pine for home, and lose weight in her absence, and the cats actively ignore her for extended periods on her return. Recently she discovered an online house-sitting platform that found suitable house-sitters to come and live in her home and care for her furry family. The most recent is a software engineer from Palo Alto in California, who having sold his business at a young age is cycling his way around the world! He has already cycled around much of Beijing and Shanghai, now he is peddling his way through Southern Europe. House-sitting helps him manage his budget. He lives rent free in exchange for caring for Philippa’s home and pets. Carl grew up on a farm in California so he has plenty of experience with all manner of pets, including donkeys. Housesitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting and the sitters get free accommodation!

MISTAKE: It would be tragic to encourage a dog to develop a taste for chocolate. 2oz per kilogram of bodyweight. For a five kilogram dog this would be about 280 grams. A lethal dose of milk chocolate for a 25 kilogram dog would be about 1.4 kilograms. Dark chocolate is at least 10 times as lethal. A 25 kilogram dog could die from the methylxanthines in five ounces. Symptoms include vomiting, hyperactivity, restlessness, hypersensitivity

to touch, a dog will jump when touched, very rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing rate. A loss of control of leg muscles, muscle tremor seizures, general weakness, coma and finally death. It would be a tragic mistake to encourage a dog to develop a taste for chocolate. A small dog left alone in a house with a box of chocolates might well follow his nose to the goodies and commit suicide by poisoning.

Tips from the vets REGULAR exams are vital to keeping your pet healthy in the long run by catching any serious problems early. Neutering your pet not only cuts down on unwanted pregnancies, but also helps reduce their tendency to roam around, whilst also offering numerous health benefits. Provide mental and physical stimulation with a rich environment of free movement and curiosities to keep them active. ID microchip your pet to allow them to be reunited with you should they wind up lost or in trouble, roughly 86 per cent of pets who become lost stay lost without a microchip. Never give your pet human medication and ensure they can’t

Lindsay Turner, via Flickr

Caring for a furry family in a rural idyll

CHOCOLATE made for human consumption can cause death in dogs. Dogs are sensitive to a class of chemicals called methylxanthines. Caffeine and theobtomine are members of that family. Dogs simply cannot metabolise and excrete methylxanthines as efficiently as humans. The half life of those compounds in the human body is in the order of two to three hours, in the dog it is more like 18 hours. In a dog the compounds are taken up by the liver and transmitted via the bile into the intestine. They are then converted back into the original methylxanthines for another circuit through the animal. This repeats itself a number of times and instead of getting rid of the substances the dog keeps repoisoning itself. There are many formulations of chocolate with varying amounts of caffeine and theobromine. The lethal dose of sweet milk chocolate for a dog is

REGULAR CHECKS: Vital to your pet’s health in the long run. access it. Ibuprofen may seem harmless but is actually one of the biggest culprits

out there when it comes to pet poisoning, so keep it out of reach.

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SPONSORED BY ALARMS ALARMS & CCTV: All types, quality systems, very reasonable, guaranteed. Tel: 966 797 370 / 662 243 099 (239453)

BUILDING SERVICES J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (225782)

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ROUNDABOUT CHARITY SHOP. We are now into summer and very soon we will be feeling the heat! It is time therefore for another visit to the shop where you might find a bargain or two. Choose from the clothing selection, jewellery, household goods, books or bric a brac. There is usually something there for everyone —- but not always. Charitable donations have recently been made to The Alzheimers Centre, Cancer Research and The Amigos Ambulance Service. We still need your help with donations etc. Please keep them coming in! We are situated on Avenida Del Furs close to the Fountain Roundabout and immediate left by Don Colchon bed shop. (93325) THE ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION, Torrevieja Branch, meet at 17.00 on the first Wednesday of each month at the Restaurante El Paraiso, Urb. Jardin del Mar 3 (behind Carrefour), Torrevieja. Contact Mike Wright, Chairman 966 722 895 or Margaret Forshaw, Secretary 966 921 996. (95455)

CAVITY WALL INSULATION INSULATE YOUR HOME and save on your energy bills. Keep your home warm in winter, cooler in the summer. Approx 90% of properties built in the last 40 years have cavity walls that are ideal to insulate. We also do floors & ceilings. To arrange a survey and no obligation quote call 626 997 748. www.ecocon fort.es (243780)

CHAIRITIES/CHURCHES ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life – damaging everything that is important to you. Englishspeaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: *648 169 045* or Costa Blanca South: *625 912 078* or Costa Calida *679 385 105*. All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aa-costablanca.org (93323)

HELP Vega Baja. We help people of all ages with all sorts of problems, particularly at times of crisis and emergencies. Offices based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). La Marina Helpdesk Calle Madrid 5 (Tel: 673 109 096). Our offices are open Monday to Friday 10am -1.30pm and the Helpdesk at La Marina is open every Friday 10 am - 1.30 pm. We are online at www.helpve gabaja.com or email office@helpvegabaja.com Remember we also have a 24 hour Emergency help-line on 966 723 733 (95456) THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Orihuela Costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. The branch meets at Olympia restaurant, Mil Palmeras on 3rd Thursday of each month at 19.00 - 19.30pm. More info can be found on branch website www.orihuelacostarbl .co.uk. (95457) THE BAKER FOUNDATION for SPIRITUAL AWARENESS. 16 Nicolas De Bussi Ave, Playa Flamenca. Sunday Service every week 11am to 12 noon, everyone welcome. For further details please phone/fax 966 760 665 (95458)

BUY & SELL

THE PHILIP SCOTT LODGE No 10671 of the RAOB meets every Friday in the Bar Catorce, Benijofar. Please call the secretary, Colin Bird on 693 287 614 for further information. (95459) CHARITY BOOK STALL PEGO THURSDAY MARKET. Selection of over 500 books, all proceeds given to the elderly/disabled of Pego and local Animal Rescue. More stock always required please contact Chrissie 965 977 228/617 647 395 (95460) THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, La Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on 966 495 188 (95461) ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIATION (Costa Blanca). The aim of the Association is to bring together not just ex Royal Marines, but ex Service personnel with an affinity to the Royal Marines. We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at Casa Ventura, San Luis Urbanisation, at 6.30pm. For further details Hon Sec 965 724 652 CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: 693 275 779 (95462) PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH, Calle Canalejas, 3. Pilar de la Horadada. Sunday Service at 11am & Thursday at 5pm for Prayer and Praise and Worship. Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information, contact PilarChristian.Community Church@gmail.com / 966 849 448 / 966 848 806. Reg No: 2009-SG/A (95463) TORREVIEJA Christian Fellowship (TCF) is an English speaking lively church located at Avenida de las Valencianas 68, Torrevieja 03183. Residents and holidaymakers are welcome to attend our services with communion and ‘kids church’ each Sunday at 10.30am. We have a Fellowship Meeting (Bible Study) each Wednesday at 6.00pm. For further information see our website www.tcfSpain.org or tel 966 700 391. (95464) THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA BRANCH. Former & serving aircrews of the UK or Allied Armed Forces are welcome to join this convivial

& friendly organisation, now in its 21st year. www.aca costablanca.org or call the Secretary on: 966 495 042 (95465) THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION JAVEA BRANCH meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month @ Scallops Rest on the Arenal at 11.00am. Everyone is welcome to attend as a visitor and join the branch if they wish. Anyone needing any help or advice on welfare, or any information regarding the branch can contact either Sheila on 965 791 270 or Roger on 965 790 123 (95472) TORREVIEJA STROKE SUPPORT GROUP meets each Friday 2.45pm to 5pm in The Annex, (behind Age Concern Centre), Calle Paganini, Urb. La Siesta. Our aim is to support stroke survivors and their carers by a range of facilities from speech therapy, rehabilitation exercise, group discussion etc. For info: Louie 966 718 964 or 965 071 920, e-mail: stroke supportgroup @hotmail.com Donations and further voluntary helpers are needed and guest speakers with relevant knowledge or experience are very welcome. (95473) THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch meets 1st Monday of every month (except July and August) at Bar Sioux , Avda Escandinavia GA at 7pm for 7.30pm prompt. For further info contact Brian, Branch Secretary on 639 917 971 / email secretarybr3606@ gmail.com (95474) CAMPELLO CONTRA CANCER in conjunction with AECC Association Español Contra Cancer has opened a charity shop at C/Virgen de los Desamparados No 13 (next door to Mas y mas) El Campello. The shop is open Mon-Fri 10 - 2pm and is run by unpaid volunteers and all monies raised goes to the AECC. We urgently need donations of clothes, books, large and small furniture etc, and we will arrange collection of large items. We need volunteers to help out in the shop and also clothes rails, shelves etc. for display. Please support your local Cancer charity and if you wish to obtain literature or simply talk to someone. Please stop by at the shop. Contact Mina or Trisha. Tel 650 071 278 or 610 921 413 e-mail aecc_campello@hotmail.com (95475)

CHARITY

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International Christian Assembly Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja Evangelical non-denominational Sunday services 11am Children’s church 11am House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am. Pastor, Rafael Restrepo All nationalities welcome 966 799 273 / 660 127 276. (95476)

INSURANCE

FREEMASONRY Are you aware that Freemasonry is thriving on the Costa Blanca? There are various lodges meeting up throughout the Valencia region. If you already are a Mason or simply wish to know more about Freemasonry in Spain please contact Harry Palmer Membership Committee Tel: 966 712 326 or email: palmers.quesa da@yahoo.co.uk (95477)

CHIMNEY SWEEP PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP. Family Business established over 60 years. 660 478 881 (236418)

DAMP www.dryzone-espana.com - We are the longest established Damp Proofing company in Spain. We can cure Rising Damp, leaking Flat Roof or Terrace problems quickly & safely. We can make your Underbuild Dry. Villa Paint Due! We can protect your villa & stop PENETRATING DAMP with a Protective Coating. Call us for a survey now; Tel: 634 322 672 (237179)

ELECTRICIAN MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (233062)

GARDENING

SOS <http://www.sosin suranceinspain.com> Insurance in Spain. Best prices available. CALL US FIRST for all your insurance needs, including best deals on Funeral plans. Buildings and contents cover from just 82 euros per year and cars from 120 euros. Tel 966 787 123 / 622 275 561 / 686 116 297 / email info@sosinsur anceinspain.com (238734)

INTERNET

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GET YOUR business noticed online! Make sure that expats in Spain can find your product, service, restaurant, bar or shop. Contact Spain’s newest and brightest online directory TODAY. Call 952 561 245 or email serena@euroweek lynews.com for more details.

METAL WORK www.eriksmetalwork.com HOME SECURITY WE COME TO YOU. Costa Calida. stan@eriksmetalwork.com 636 050 008. (231100)

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WE BUY, Sell, Store, Remove all types of Mobile Homes. We pay CASH and cover all of Spain. More details call Suzi Caley 616 250 727 / 951 063 059 or email suzicaley@ gmail.com (237117)

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PET-COURIERS.COM – If you love your pet try us first – we are the best. Door to door service throughout Europe. Specialised vehicles – bespoke service. Full legal service including documentation if required. For further information call or email us: Tel: (0034) 651 033 670 or (0034) 637 066 227. Email: info@pet-couriers.com or www.pet-couriers.com (231443)

PET TRANSPORT

WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

WANTED WANTED Cars, vans, caravans, 4 X 4’s British Spanish 600 781 873 ibuyany car@hotmail.com (239455)

MUSIC TUITION PIANO, Keyboard, Organ, Qualified Teacher. Please call 606 984 535 (238468)

PERGOLA COVERS TAILOR made, durable canvas, sails, umbrella, spa and BBQ covers. Mazarron based, and at Procomobel Market, Guardamar Saturday mornings. 667 879 399 kruger canopies@yahoo.co.uk (238737)

THE DOG MOVER. Licensed transporters. Two handlers, so never alone. 651 581 067 / 0044 (0) 7875 947230. www.thedog mover.com (228731) PET TRAVEL UK Family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free. All air conditioned vehicles (no vans) www.pettraveluk.co.uk. Removals also arranged in other vehicles. Tel UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537 (237026)

P.E.P.A. VOLUNTEERS & FOSTER HOMES URGENTLY NEEDED. By fostering an abandoned dog, or spending a few hours each week on our telephone helpline, you could help save the lives of many animals. Please call: 650 304 746. For more information browse our website: www.pepaspain.com EURO WEEKLY NEWS CLASSIFAX AGENT (95708) GATAMI ORGANISATION, to help kittens and cats, looking for good homes, also spaying wild cats in the community. Kittens require adoption, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, defleed. We also need volunteers to help Car boot sale in Polop on Sundays Tel Anna: 966 806 976 / 654 729 977 (95709)

INTERNATIONAL and European Removals. Expert removals worldwide. www.uni versalremovals.com. Tel: 951 247 834 / +44 (0)203 128 7007 (239495)

EASYHORSE CARE RESCUE CENTRE We aim to rescue HORSES. If you would like to DONATE please call 965 967 033 or sales@easyhorsecare .net www.easyhorsecare.net or call Sue 652 021 980 (95706) SPAMA GANDIA SHELTER. Dog and cat rescue registered charity, La Safor area. 500 animals awaiting rehoming. Shelter open 7 days a week 12noon - 2.00pm & 3.30pm - 7.00pm. (Spanish speaking staff) or phone Gail 962 896 118. Visit our website for directions. www.spama.org and view our new blog at www.spa ma-safor.blog.com.es PLEASE HELP US TO HELP THEM (95707)

SPAS / JACCUZIS

FIELD SALES positions available. Must have own transport, English and Spanish preferred, but not essential, must have local knowledge of the area and be smart and presentable. Applications by email with full CV should be sent to recruitment@euroweek lynews.com.

POOLS POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltechspain.com (243962)

DUE TO RECORD SALES Vista Casas have the following vacancies in our busy Villamartin Plaza Office, SALES TEAM – English & French speaking essential, Spanish & other languages a bonus, Property sales experience required & good knowledge of local area, Computer literate, Basic salary plus competitive commissions, AFTER SALES – Verbal & written English & Spanish essential, French & other languages a bonus, Good customer service skills, Excellent communication & administration skills, Computer literate, Previous experience in either estate agents or lawyers office preferred. If you want to join an expanding, professional company please contact Mark by email mark@vistacasas.com or mobile 603 107 696.Confidentiality assured to all applicants. (237563)

PROPERTY FOR RENT

REMOVALS/STORAGE

MAN AND VAN UK - Spain. 2 vans travelling twice a month, Murcia - North / South UK. Storage in Spain. Tel 610 846 260 or 0044 751 918 6355 email van.man@hotmail.co.uk (237750)

LOWEST PRICES IN SPAIN. www.solarmegas tore.es (236769)

SITUATIONS VACANT

MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (233062)

SPANISH MOVES Small removals and deliveries. Spain/UK Budget prices. Last minute jobs undertaken. www.spanishmoves.net. Pet transport also arranged in our air conditioned pet/people carriers. Telephone UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537 (237026)

SOLAR

QUALIFIED SEAMSTRESS 40 years experience, turn-ups to tailoring patterns taken from your favourite cloths, reasonable prices. Torrevieja, Sandra: 966 799 188 / 680 486 336 (228946)

PLUMBING

UK - SPAIN - Anywhere Europe! Masses of experience. New clean vehicles. Insured with Royal Sun Alliance. Genuinely CARING service. FULL and part moves. ONLINE QUOTES!! www.bmceuropean.com UK 08456 443 784 / ES 634 344 787 FIND US ON FACEBOOK! (239719)

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PERSON required to work in an office in Torrevieja with lots of experience. Perfect written and spoken English & Spanish necessary. Tel 691 510 958. (237612)

SEWING

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SWIMMING POOLS WOODEN POOLS LIMITED. Manufacturers & installers of wooden above ground pools. Take the plunge with one of the above ground pools. Best of all “No Planning Permission Required” Tel: 634 322 672. Phone or email for a FREE COLOUR BROCHURE & PRICE LIST NOW. www.woodenpo ols.limited info@woodenpo ols.limited (237179)

TELECOMS FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK 5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM TEL: 902 889 070 (0)

TILING PLUMBER/CERAMIC WALL & FLOOR TILER. 30 years’ experience. No job too small, free quote. Tel Shane on 645 664 298 / 965 075 190 (237242free)

TRANSLATOR I CAN TRANSLATE in Dutch, Spanish, English, French & German. Translation of official documents, accompany to Spanish speaking businesses, doctors, etc. Contact Gregory 602 240 301. (243773)

WANTED

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SITUATIONS VACANT

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WANTED JACUZZI, SPAS, HOT TUBS WANTED. Working or not 650 722 905 (237573) WANTED Quad Bike and Jet Ski. Call 650 722 905 (237575) RECORDS & CDs WANTED. Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues. Top cash paid. Henry 630 665 363 (237222)

XXX RELAXATION Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the advertisements in this section offensive.

SOPHIE. Escort, sexy, slim, elegant, naughty lady, home or hotel. 693 357 526 (237649) BEAUTIFUL Dutch girl, 36, slim, blonde hair, big breasts, all fantasies. Campoamor, 676 067 381 (232657) www.chicosorihuela.com. Guys, transvestites, complacent, feisty. We are eager and hot. DARE!!! 616 804 411 (233059) EXPERIENCE a great 1 hour massage with Veronica. Qualified. Call 679 292 678 for appointment. (232559) SPANISH lady - classic. Playa Flamenca, private house, 35 years, attractive. All erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie. From â‚Ź40. Ana 865 646 437 (232687) ALMORADI - 2 sexy hot blonde bombshells waiting for you with many kisses. 645 323 546/604 104 757 (232645) BENIDORM 2 sexy pretty affectionate girls, massage, kisses, hotel/private apartment. Tel 671 431 214 (232564) NAUGHTY sexy Bi Lady, discreet, out calls only. Orihuela Costa. Email lush.lips99@ya hoo.co.uk (239338) SENSUAL RELAXING MASSAGE 25mins professional relaxing massage followed by 25mins sensual body2body. Julia 647 234 622 Torrevieja (241766)

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SEXY MATURE ENGLISH BLONDE, gives discreet massage, 1 hour or overnight stay. 15 mins Alicante airport. Tel Karen 662 049 021 (238538)

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Costa Blanca South

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New improvements for Park and Go COMPANY will see new tarmac and covered areas created THERE are some exciting changes ahead for Park and Go, meaning 2016 will further excel their position as the leading airport parking facility. Already synonymous with professional, highly personalised customer service at its best, Park and Go, based at Alicante-Elche airport, offers a first class service for people wanting safe and secure premises to leave their vehicle whilst going on holiday or returning to their home country. This month, work also begins on resurfacing 5,000 square metres of land on their site with tarmac, to allow for a better parking facility for customers. There will also be around 100 covered spaces created. A €288 annual pass for parking now has a 5 per cent discount, and to celebrate the opening of their new covered spaces, an annual pass in this area for your vehicle will be €550 for a

limited time only, considerably less than other covered airport parking. These annual passes include 15 transfers, shuttle service and free car wash. The offers are just another way that Park and Go looks after their clients, offering them the best service at the best price possible. The company carefully considers all the individual needs of each client and, with many being repeat and return customers, their details are logged and stored so that friendly service becomes a familiar one. Ilde Casanova, who has years of experience in the field, said: “I always say ‘we work with vehicles, but deal with people, everyone by their name’ and we pride ourselves on offering that personalised and friendly service.” The requirements of each and every customer are considered and dealt with. If leaving your vehicle

PARK AND GO: Safe and secure parking at Alicante-Elche airport. for a longer period of time Ilde and the team can carry out an ITV test and do any mechanical checks and a full valet service, so when you arrive it is like driving off in a new car once again. For any stay over five

days, all customers receive a free automatic car wash and the company, unlike many others, are happy for you to keep your car key so you have complete peace of mind and knowledge that your car will remain

safe and secure at the facility where you left it. Further committing themselves to customer’s preference, they have gone mobile and launched an app making it even easier for people to park and go. A full security system is in place at Park and Go and with three new mini buses purchased, customers really can be assured that they will be at the airport terminal within minutes of dropping off their vehicle, without lengthy waits. So for service and treatment unlike any other, Park and Go is the name you can trust. Call now for further information and visit the website to view a video of how to find us. Park and Go Alicante-Elche airport Tel: 965 685 712 or 606 684 683 Visit www.parkandgo.es Email info@parkandgo.es

E W N 31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

Clarkson Quote of theWeek

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MOTORING

This [Ferrari F60 Enzo] isn’t just uncool, it’s seriously uncool. Think of it this way, if you walk into the bathroom and see a man standing suspiciously close to the urinal, he probably owns one of them.”

Some might say...

Zero hour THE engine is dead… Long live the motor! By Steve Walsh THE jury is out and the future of motoring has been decided; the internal combustion engine has been found guilty of pollution and has been given its execution date… 2050. Following the COP21 conference this month, the UK, as well as many other countries, has reaffirmed its commitment to an agreement that all new cars sold by 2050 will be zero emissions vehicles, and it’s likely only a matter of time until everyone else follows suit. The ZEV Alliance has already received the signatures of five countries including Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, as well as eight US states, who have pledged to kill off the car as we know it and continue to support zero emis-

sions’ technology while promoting the clean-up of vehicle-produced pollutants. By signing the agreement, the government has effectively signed the death warrant for petrol and diesel driven cars, and agreed to strive for all passenger vehicle sales in the UK to be zero emissions vehicles as soon as possible, with the 2050 date being the final deadline. ZEV Alliance members also have to provide incentives to purchase zero emissions vehicles, and use policies such as tax breaks and government grants to promote cars producing no emissions. That means cheaper vehicles! Like with any transition, moving from cars with engines to transport with motors will be

in stages. Today’s hybrids will be seen in the future as our first steps to that end. Although hydrogen power-plants are coming to the fore with Toyota and Honda investing heavily in development, battery electric hybrids look imminent to be taking over the roads. So with that in mind, which are the best hybrid cars you can buy today? Toyota Yaris Hybrid: Boasting 60mpg and 75g/km of CO2 emissions, the supermini has running costs to match its diminutive size, and a

price to match. At around €17,000 new, a two-year-old Yaris can be bought for as little as €11,000. Toyota Auris Hybrid: Big brother of the Yaris, the 1.8-litre petrol hybrid achieves 78.5mpg and emits only 79g/km of CO2. Approximately €22,000 new, a two-yearold might be found for €16,000 Lexus IS300h: The near-silent electric-only is ideal for zipping around town, and its 67.3mpg at a mere

CLASS ACT: Mercedes-Benz C-Class Hybrid. 97g/km of CO2 doesn’t break the bank to run. The IS300h SE being the best edition starts at £29,000 in the UK (€40,000) Mercedes-Benz C-Class Hybrid: The rain-sensing wipers, reversing camera, climate and cruise control, plus a plethora of other toys as standard makes the Mercedes a class act and always a quality choice. Starting at £36,765 (€50,000) in UK.

A classic collectible investment BUYING a classic car can make you money WHILE some invest their time and money in the financial markets, and others in bricks and mortar, there are those amongst us that would like to see our money put to a more practical and enjoyable use. Buying a classic car can be a sound long-term investment, and if common sense is used and a few key rules are adhered to, collectible vehicles can provide a better

RE-PLATE MATE Don’t take a chance! Don’t break the law! Take the hassle out of re-registering your vehicle onto Spanish plates We endeavour to better any genuine quotation 490 Euro + Road Tax + CO2 emission tax if applicable

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yield than art, wine, coins or jewellery. In addition, there is the fun factor. I can’t ever remember anybody telling me they’d been stopped in the street and told: “Wow! That’s a beautiful bottle of wine,” or they had just had a wonderful experience, racing through the country lanes, wind in their hair, listening to the burble of their V8 oil painting. However, an investment is exactly that, an investment, and great care should be taken in buying the right car. If you let your heart rule your head when choosing, you could well lose money in repairs and restoration. To avoid the ‘money pit motors’, and to ensure you have the best chance of a return on your investment, it’s best to stick to the popular brands, and even then only

the best spec and condition on offer. For example: the market (and people with money to buy) for a pristine top spec Jaguar XJS Convertible in 10 years’ time will be far greater than the many tempting cheap rusty old ‘do’er up-ers’ that will be available. If you were to pay €15,000 for that pristine Convertible now, you’re likely to have 10 years of happy classic motoring every weekend and probably make €5,000 when you sell it with a smile on your face. Alternatively, buying an average Coupe with cloth seats and no history that needs ‘a little catching up’ for a bargain €8,000, then spending €4,000 repairing bits as they break, and getting everything perfect and running right (meaning you

can’t use it a lot of the time). Then in 10 years when you sell, you would be selling a pristine average spec Coupe without history in a market of hundreds the same… You would be lucky to get your €12,000 back. In essence, the cream always rises to the top. Given the option of driving around in a beautiful and perfect XJS Convertible for 10 years and being paid €5,000 to do so, for me, is a far better option to 10 years of car trouble for no reward. The only hurdle in this principle would be the initial cost. But if you don’t have the €15,000 for that pristine top of the range 40-year-old Jag, don’t settle for second best… buy a pristine top of the range 20-year-old XK8. Just as much fun, and everything becomes classic one day!

SPORT

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31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016 / Costa Blanca South

EWN

San Miguel golfers take part in a stableford BEST DRESSED: The winners of the competition.

TMGS visit Villamartin SOMEHOW Roger and Sandra managed a truce, at least for Christmas THE players were asked to dress in the spirit of Christmas, some made a very modest attempt, but others really made an effort. Obviously the opportunity of winning a bottle of Vodka for the best dressed gave them some encouragement. During this last year there has been an ongoing battle between Viking, Roger Nilsen and Englishwoman Sandra Twentyman. As yet, it is not known which of them gave in first but somehow they have managed a truce, at least for Christmas. Roger is a marshal at Villamartin and he turned up on the day, not in his longship, but in his buggy decorated as his

sled in the hope of wooing Sandra into riding with him. The pair made a really impressive sight and were stopped several times during their round by other players for a photo. It should come as no surprise that they would share the Vodka, well that’s if Roger could prize the bottle away from Sandra. The prize giving was made during the Christmas meal in the restaurant. First to receive his prize was Ian Brown, who won player of the month for December. The NTP competition results were; hole 6 Stephen Ross, hole 9 Reme

Matikianen, hole 13 Joe Dean, hole 17 Arne Hansson. There was just €26 in the two’s pot and this went to Stephen Ross for his two on hole 6. In the team results: In second place was Dave Lethaby, Stephen Ross, Chris Bellman and ghost player Mike O’Regan with 145 points. The four winning players were; Kjell Aasebo, Andy Mills, Robbie Rea and Olga Haubner with a total score of 148 points. More information about the Society can be found at www.tmgs.org or at Facebook/TMGSGOLF, @ TMGSGOLF.

A depleted field for the Xmas season ON December 22, due to the festive season, there was a depleted field for Toffs, the Eurogolf Tuesday society at La Marquesa. Because there were just over 20 players, there was only one category with prizes from first to fourth, best front and back and no NTPs. The best front went to Bill Martin with 16 points, and the best back was won by Gina Ashworth with 19 points. First was Debbie Weedon, with 35 points c/b, from Robin Richards, in second also with 35 points. Third place was Ian Stewart, on 33, and fourth Mary Sanderson 32 points. Congratulations were offered to all the winners as they look forward to happy golfing in 2016. If you are interested in playing with Eurogolf on Tuesdays and Thursdays at la Marquesa please visit website www.eurogolf-quesada.co.uk.

XMAS TOFFS: The Eurogolf Tuesday society played at La Marquesa.

SAN MIGUEL MEMBERS: Played at La Finca.

WITH most sensible people away preparing their Xmas festivities, being with or travelling to visit friends and family, a mere 17 golf addicted members, joined by five golf addicted guests, made it to La Finca to take part in a Stableford competition. The first golf day this autumn/winter to have a wintery feel, with dull grey skies and a chilly breeze early on, found the course in good condition with very true running greens. A wide range of scores were submitted, but the leaders were very tight, with only two points separating the top five. The ever consistent Robin Eastman was the only one to break par, with Joost Boelhouwer and Grattan Forber both equalling their handicaps. With such a small field there was no division into categories for members, but five prizes were played for. The results, in reverse order, were the following:Fifth Steve Higgins (35 on CB), fourth Darren Hancock (35 on CB), third Gratton Forber (36 on CB), second the Society’s youngest member Joost Boelhouwer (36 on CB), and first, once again, with yet another cut awaiting, the very much in form and order of merit leader Robin Eastman. Nearest the pins on the par three’s (open to all) went to Mike Frankish (3), Joost Boelhouwer (6), Robin Eastman (13) and Steve Higgins (16). The best guest prize went to Terry Morris with 31 points. The San Miguel GS Committee wishes all members and their families, past and present guests, all supporters, and those they interact with at the many courses they play, a very happy New Year. Keep up to date with all SMGS matters by logging on to their website www.smgs.org or call: 966 731 033 to find out more about the society and its weekly golf get-togethers.

E W N Costa Blanca South

31 December 2015 - 6 January 2016

ENGLAND CRICKET: All out for 303 against South Africa in the first test in Durban.

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Bull Flanagan Santaâ€™s Special MEMBERS were asked to join in the spirit of Christmas THE Golf Society travelled the short distance for their match at Vistabella and were greeted with free coffee and bacon butties sponsored by the society. On this occasion members were asked to join in the spirit of Xmas and turn out in their

Santa outfits. Members had also been previously notified that they would only be allowed to use four clubs of their choice and a putter for the duration of the match. One of the members was able to beat the course even though the choice of available

clubs was restricted, and with an excellent score of 39 points Barrie Hopkinson was way out in front of all other players. Chris Smith was second with a score of 33 points, and third on count back with 32 points was John Stone. Nearest the pin prizes went to Bill Fantom hole 4, Barrie Hopkinson hole 8, and John Stone hole 15. Best front nine went to Ian Allison with 18 points, and best back nine went to Phil Harris also with 18 points. Best dressed Santa prize went to Eric Stoneham who went that little bit extra and also

decorated his buggy in true Xmas style. Best dressed Mrs Santa prize went to Gill Britten. The secretary notified members that the January match would be at Alenda on the 22nd, and he thanked everyone who had contributed to making the Santa event so successful. Bull Flanagan Golf Society look forward to seeing you at our future events and appreciate your support. If you wish to join their Society on the Costa Blanca; contact the Secretary Bill Fantom on 635 212 916.

SANTA SPECIAL: Members wore Santa outfits.