Euro Weekly News - Costa de Almeria 17 - 23 March 2016 Issue 1602 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

SSUENN 1555 //1723 - 29 APRIL2016 2015 IISSUE OO . .1602 - 23 March

COSTA DE ALMERÍA

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

Residents rage at endless saga ROAD repairs remain a mystery

Art and vision Expat exhibition brings out the best A CZECH and a Brit, both long-time residents of Mojacar, are thrilling audiences with their skilful photography and artistic prowess, which can currently be glimpsed in the town’s municipal arts centre. See page 2

Easter excitement Festivities commence in Albox A JOYOUS concert in the Santa Maria church may have had toes tapping and heads bobbing, but the fun is just beginning in Albox, where processions, parties and prayers are set to keep the town See page 6 buzzing right up until March 27.

By Adele Land Residents of an exclusive area in Mojacar are up in arms over the state of the roads in the area. La Parata is a hillside urbanisation with dozens of large luxury villas inhabited by expatriates of various nationalities. The area was one of the first in Mojacar playa area to be developed more than 30 years ago and has been popular with yearround residents along with holiday home owners. Over the last few years the area and its residents have suffered from ongoing water problems with pipes beneath the roads regularly bursting, leaving the area without water. Following a series of meetings between Mojacar Council and the La Parata resident’s association, the council agreed to intervene and negotiate with water company Galasa to arrange for the pipes to be properly repaired.

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Almeria dreaming British singer inspired by Mojacar A YOUNG Brit only has eyes for Mojacar, and the tranquility and beauty of the area have led him to pen a heartfelt ode to the town, which comes with an accompanying music video. See page 10

Feeling the rhythm Hungry hearts and bendy bodies Earlier this year, the longawaited work began on the pipes which involved the closure of a number of roads for periods of time. Throughout the urbanisation, along every road large trenches were dug in order to access and replace the damaged water pipes. The work on the pipes was completed a number of weeks ago but the damage caused to

the roads has yet to be repaired. Galasa confirmed that it was only responsible for repairing the pipes and the job of repairing the road belongs to the town council. A number of property owners rent out their villas to holidaymakers throughout the year and the ongoing situation with the water and roads has caused problems for the renters.

Kevin Worrell holidays in La Parata every spring, and told Euro Weekly News: “Last year we were without water for four days out of our 14-day holiday and this year we have difficulty accessing the villa due to the state of the roads.” The council confirmed the repair work would be completed, but could not give a date for the work.

A HUGE rhythmic gymnastics gala in Albox is set to stretch the town to its limits as 35 mu-

nicipalities, 40 clubs, and 800 competitors show up to compete. See page 70

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LOCAL NEWS

Photography and art in one exhibition THIS month Mojacar will host an exhibition displaying the talents of two expatriates. Photographer Rod Westwood and artist Ivan Karl will showcase their work at the municipal arts cen-

tre. Westwoodâ€™s work has been used in advertising campaigns for Spanish brands, including Seat and El Corte Ingles. Czechborn Karl was part of the velvet revolution movement in Prague.

No bail for shooter A MAN in Oria, accused of the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old woman has appeared in court in Purchena and has been remanded without bail. The 29-year-old is charged with murder, burglary and illegal possession of a firearm. The man was arrested last week after allegedly shooting his neighbour twice in the chest. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Little earthquakes THE Province of Almeria continues to be rocked by earthquakes, albeit small ones. A quake with a magnitude of 2.5 was registered in Taberno in the early morning

of March 10, and another one originating from the Sea of Alboran could be felt throughout the province on March 15, this one with a magnitude of 4.8.

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NEWS

Illegal fights result in euthanised roosters UNDERWORLD cock-fighting club being investigated by Guardia Civil By Sam Croft SEVENTEEN people in the Province of Almeria are being investigated by the Guardia Civil for their alleged involvement in illegal cock fights. The investigations began after a cockfighting underworld was detected, leading to a raid on a club in Viator, which was lined wall to wall with chicken coops and featured a designated area being used as a fighting pit. When Guardia Civil officers entered the club, they interrupted a fight between several roosters, which was being attended by some 120 people, including several minors. During the raid, the officers managed to find 30 roosters, 11 of which were seriously injured and were taken to a veterinary clinic. After the vet examined them he determined that their organs were badly damaged and had to euthanise the creatures.

FIGHTING ROOSTERS: Suffered horrific injuries. The owner of the club, the referee, and the owners of the birds are being investigated for their presumed involve-

ment. If found guilty, they will be charged with crimes against flora and fauna.

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Your papers, your views

Featured News 3

Finance 33 - 38

Stocks 34

Leapy Lee 39

Our View 42

Colin Bird 42

Letters 50

Daily TV 52

Time Out 56 - 57

Health & Beauty 61 - 62

Social Scene 64 - 66

Albox 69 - 72

Property 74 - 75

Homes & Gardens 76

Pets 78 - 79

Classifieds 81 - 83

Motoring 84 - 85

Sport 87 - 88

By Sam Croft A TO WE R in H u e rc a lO v e ra is ta k in g o v e r t he world, one documentary and magazine at a time. T h e Vig ia To w e r, a ls o known as ‘The Castle’, has been the subject of extensive renovation work over the last few years. The remo d e llin g w o rk aime d to provide modern touches to the tower while keeping its original spirit intact. T h e g amb le s e e ms to have paid off. Not only has the tower caught the attention of high-end publications like Casabela, Metamorphose, and C3, but last weekend it was the subject of a new Swiss documentary, which examined the imp o rta n ce o f th e to we r from an architectural, archaeological, and touristic standpoint.

Tourism Councillor Monica Navarro stated that “the recording of this documentary is yet another project that gives a boost to the image of our Castle. This will help the tower on its path towards gaining international recognition.” The tower was originally constructed in the 14th century, and has been declared a Place of Cultural Interest. The tower is also famed for its Arbol de la Vida (The Tree of Life), a decorative element on one of the walls of the third floor of the tower. The Tr ee of Li f e has been seen as an iconographic representation of Islamic art and philosophy. REMODELLING: Aimed to add a modern touch while keeping the tower’s original spirit in tact.

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Check-up time in Vera HEALTH professionals need more resources IN a recent appearance in Vera, President of the Junta de Andalucia regional government, Susana Diaz, promised to improve health services in the coastal areas of the region. Diaz said that the Junta is working on “special reinforcement plans,” so that health centres located in the coastal zones of the region will have “the same quality,” even taking into

AVE works may start PARTIDO Popular (PP) deputy and spokesman, Rafael Hernando, has suggested work on the AVE railway on the sector between Pulpi and Cuevas del Almanzora could begin in June. In a meeting with Carmen Crespo, spokeswoman from the Andalucian parliament Hernando said in March the tortoises located on the route could be moved so they are not affected.

account the growth of the population as a result of tourism. Vera has grown almost 50 per cent in the last 15 years. During her visit Diaz empha-

sised she is aware that some coastal municipalities triple during holiday periods, and that health professionals need resources to be able to cope.

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Somos Albojenses

Easter preparations AS Albox prepared for Easter week, a special concert was held in the Santa Maria church last weekend. The municipal band, along with the junior band of Albox performed beautiful music during the afternoon to the delight of the residents. Easter festivities continue on Friday March 18 with the children’s procession, followed on the Saturday by a second parade. Events continue until Sunday March 27.

SPEEDY: One of the many events at the weekend.

The need for speed in Albox MOTORCROSS championship takes place By Sam Croft THE Andalucia Motorcross Championship held in Albox last weekend was hailed a massive success by the

town’s council. The event, organised in a joint venture between Albox council and Motoclub Terdiguera, attracted hundreds

of riders from across Spain. A council spokesperson said the event consolidated Albox as a provincial leader in motorsports.

NEWS

Boy racers caught in the act THE Guardia Civil has arrested three youngsters, aged 22, 19, and 14, for allegedly stealing a quad and going on a wild joyride near Huercal de Almeria. The three youths were caught after the officers spotted two motorbikes and a quad driven without lights and going in the wrong direction. Although the officers flagged down the youths, they kept driving in order to avoid the police. However, the drivers of the two motorbikes fell down going around a curve. After making sure that they were not injured, the Guardia Civil arrested them for crimes against road safety. The officers then began the investigations to find the driver of the quad, and they discovered that the vehicle had been stolen from a show company that was staying in town temporarily. Eventually, the Guardia Civil were able to apprehend the driver of the quad, who was arrested for theft and disobeying police authorities.

Press Release

Mojacar council collaboration FOLLOWING its tradition of supporting and promoting art and culture, Mojacar Town Hall has approved collaboration with the Valparaiso Foundation at an extraordinary council meeting, with scholarships being awarded annually to artists from different creative disciplines. The foundation was created in 1990 by Paul and Beatrice Beckett in an old olive oil mill set amongst orange groves,

olive and almond trees and is located at the foot of the hill where the ancient town of Mojacar once perched. Each month, eight scholarships will be awarded to artists from around the world to stay at the centre and concentrate on their art. The scholarship programme approved by the council is the relaunch of an essential part of the spirit of the Foundation, which has brought hundreds of

artists to Mojacar over the years. At the same time, the town picks up on the energy of the intellectual and artistic avant-garde, serving once again as a framework and inspiration for young talent whilst confirming its unique village character. At the end of their stay artists are asked to donate a piece of their work to the town, and musicians will offer a public performance.

Extraordinary plenary session MOJACAR held an extraordinary plenary session to allocate the budget surplus to reduce the council’s level of debt, following directives of the Budget Stability Law and its legal binding provisions. Good management of public funds, restraint in spending and adjustments in line with avail-

able funding resulted in the need for a positive adjustment to the municipal coffers. It was decided that the budget surplus be used to reduce the remaining balance of town hall loans, with the motion approved in spite of votes against by the socialist representatives and the Somos Mojacar group.

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Man faces two years in jail ACCUSED hit the victim in the head By Sam Croft THE Criminal Court of Almeria has sentenced a man to two years in prison for assaulting another man who was in a wheelchair. The incident occurred in September of 2012 in the Almanzora area. The two men had an argument in a shop and the accused hit the victim numerous times in the head.

The 53-year-old victim suffered an injury to his left eye and a broken nose, and the fact that he was in a wheelchair was seen as an aggravating circumstance for the other man’s punishment. In addition to the two-year prison sentence, the accused has also been ordered to pay €1,552,030 to the victim as a compensation for the damage caused, although he can still appeal the sentence.

Cuevas visitor numbers are up TOURISM is on the rise in Cuevas del Almanzora. According to the tourist office, more than 11,500 visitors came to the town last year. Of the visitors, 82 per

cent were Spanish and the remainder were foreign. British tourists made up the majority of foreigners visiting the area and the coastal hamlet of Villaric o s w a s o n e o f th e mos t

visited areas. Tourism councillor, Indalecio Modesto, said the figures were very positive a nd he hope d the tow n would continue to grow in the tourism sector.

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Up and coming songwriter influenced by Mojacar VIDEO filmed in the resort and nearby towns By Adele Land MOJACAR and the surrounding area was the inspiration for a song and video produced by an up-and-coming music artist. Ben Peel, from Bradford in West Yorkshire, first came to the area to visit his mother Julie who lives in Cabrera. During his stay he toured around towns including Mojacar and Turre and spent time relaxing at his mother’s mountain home enjoying the peace and quiet. He told Euro Weekly News: “I would spend hours sitting on the roof terrace taking in the beautiful scenery, delving into my writing.” It was the beauty and tranquillity of the area which inspired Peel to write the track ‘Hours Picking Flowers’. To accompany the track, the

INFLUENCED: Peel takes in the stunning Mojacar scenery. self-taught producer drove through the mountains and down to the Mojacar coast filming a uniquely styled video using an iPhone and converting the footage using an 8mm style editing suite. The captivating video, features bars, beaches, restaurants

and beauty spots in and around Mojacar and perfectly complements the laid back melody. During his frequent visits to Almeria, Peel,

whose influences include, Bob Dylan, Oasis and Ocean Colour Scene, has played gigs in a number of bars in Mojacar, Cabrera and Turre. Peel, aged 31 has been songwriting for 15 years and has set up two recording studios in his hometown, one of which cost him £16 (20 euros), built exclusively using salvageable material from scrapyards. Currently living in London and recording his latest EP, Peel spends two nights a week working as a bartender while seeking out contacts and backers to move him forward in the music industry. The video ‘Hours Picking Flowers’ by Ben Peel and The Invisible Exploding Band, can be viewed on YouTube and you can find more information on the artist at www.benpeel.band camp.c om.

Arrest in theft case THE Guardia Civil have arrested a man and opened an investigation against a woman for their presumed involvement in a burglary in Huercal-Overa. The victim reported on the night of the incident she had heard a knock on her front door. She had opened it to find a woman who said she “was confused”. Minutes later the victim found a man in her home, who escaped with around €5,000 worth of jewellery. The woman investigated on social networks, and eventually managed to find a woman who she believed to be the one who had knocked on her door.

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Battle of the brains for chess nerds in the region CHESS nerds were pushed to the limits at a huge tournament that recently took place in Seron. Almost 300 students came from all parts of the Almeria Province to participate in the event, which took place on March 12

in the town sports complex. The tournament was the second leg of a three-part championship, which includes stops in Almeria, Seron, and a third and final installment next month in Benahadux. Anyone who was born in 1998 or after can

participate in the event. The tournaments are designed to foster a love of chess in the youth of the province, right down to the very youngest children. Jose Juan Rubio Tapia, resident of Fines and current chess champion of the Almeria

Up in smoke POLICE have made the biggest drug bust in Spanish history POLICE officers have seized €14 million worth of loose leaves in the biggest tobacco bust in Spanish history as a joint operation pounced on three sites in Almeria Province. A criminal organisation was caught with the tobacco, which they were manufacturing in three industrial units, one in Benahadux and two in Huercal de Almeria.

shutterstock by underworld

By Sam Croft

TOBACCO: Police seized €14 million worth of loose leaves.

tonnes of loose tobacco were seized along with machinery and tools In addition to the 88 tonnes of loose tobacco seized, police officers discovered numerous rolling cigarettes, 20 machines for rolling, cutting, and weighing tobacco, packages of aromatic products. Six people have been arrested for their involvement in the illegal operation.

Province, explains that chess provides many benefits to those who play it. It has been shown to enhance concentration, memory, reasoning, and coordination. Rubio says that children can begin to play as young as four years old.

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Anniversary of the daring dip INFAMOUS swim was half a century ago By Adele Land THIS week marked the 50th anniversary of the infamous ‘swim’ taken in the sea off the coast of Palomares just weeks after an aircraft carrying hydrogen bombs crashed into a nearby field. The then US Ambassador to Spain, Angler Biddle Duke, together with tourism minister, Manuel Fraga, took a dip in the sea to min-

imise the negative impact of the event and to show that the area was safe. Dozens of journalists took photos which appeared in newspapers all over the world. Although no indication of related health issues has been discovered, over the years, tests on snails in the affected area showed high levels of radioactivity. Talks are ongoing with the US administration to resolve the clean-up issue.

Seizing the moment OVER the course of 2015, National Police officers seized more than €47 million worth of drugs in Almeria City and El Ejido alone. Data provided by the Provincial Police Headquarters of Almeria has in-

dicated that cocaine busts in the province increased exponentially last year. This can largely be attributed to an extensive operation that was carried out by National Police Officers between Cartagena and Almeria.

However, marihuana is the drug that has gone up the most, both in regards to volume and the number of seizures. In Almeria City and El Ejido alone, 154,965 grams of marihuana were seized, 35 per cent more than in 2015.

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International Women’s day COMMUNITIES unite to celebrate By Adele Land TO commemorate International Women’s day, Vera Council held a round-table meeting with women of different nationalities and cultures. The meeting, which was hosted by Culture councillor Yolanda Torres, was part of a proje c t to promote equality in the town and to overcome what she called, prejudices of the past. Professor of social an-

thropology, Angeles Garrido moderated the conference whi ch was at t ended by women from Russia, South America, North Africa and also from the Gypsy community. Mayor, Felix Lopez welcomed the delegates saying he hoped t hat t he t own woul d soon achi eve f ul l equality. Councillor Torres said the meeting was important for all women in the town, from all backgrounds.

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New committee CANTORIA has launched a new committee which aims to do battle with gender violence in the community. Their main objective is to deal with possible cases of gender violence as well as to stop future cases occuring. The committee will be made up of town agents and institutions, including Guardia Civil, Local Police, medical workers, social services, town councillors, and the mayor herself.

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Protecting the area ECOLOGIST group, Ecologistas en Accion, marked World Wildlife Day by arranging a visit to wetlands in Vera. March 3 was recently declared World Wildlife Day by the United Nations, to stress the importance of protecting flora and fauna on our planet. The Salar de los Canos wetland is home to various species of tortoise, along with the rare white-headed

duck and numerous species of teal. An ornithologist from the University of Almeria accompanied the group and expressed his surprise that the area was not protected by the town council and the land was still classed as urban. Ecologistas en Accion urged Vera Council to take care of the area and protect what it called a natural jewel of Almeria.

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Vera sports centre to be refurbished VERA sports centre is to undergo a full refurbishment. Mayor, Felix Lopez, said the improvements were high on the council agenda in order to get the facility in full working order for the townâ€™s children and adult residents. The football pitch is to be resurfaced with artificial turf along with repairs and resurfacing of the athletics track. Sports councillor Pedro Gallardo said he hoped the improvements would lead to the facility being chosen to stage regional and national sporting events.

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A walk in the park THE Parque de las Familias in Almeria City was named ‘the best children’s park in Spain’ at the Expoalcaldia Fair on March 9. The park will receive a plaque

as a result of this achievement. Numerous Spanish municipalities participated in the fair, which takes place every two years in Zaragoza.

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Somos Mojacar supporting refugees TWO councillors have donated money By Adele Land POLITICAL opposition group Somos Mojacar has pledged its support to a group helping refugees arriving in Europe. Proactiva Open Arms is a group of people, many of whom are lifeguards who travelled to Lesbos on the Greek islands to offer support

to the many refugees arriving daily on the island.

€200 was donated by two Somos Mojacar councillors

The group receives no government funding and the vol-

unteers pay all expenses out of their own pockets. Director Oscar Camps said: “We are just a group of individuals helping the refugees, people to people, pueblo to pueblo.” Somos councillors, Jessica Simpson and Carlos Rodriguez, have donated €200 from money paid to them as opposition councillors. Last year the group worked with the charity Almeria Acoge in collecting food items, clothing and other goods to help people displaced by the ongoing crisis in the middle east. The group has urged people to visit the Proactiva Open Arms website at www.proactivaopenarms.com and help in any way they can.

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Coast clean-up NIJAR Council intends to spend more money By Sam Croft THIS year, the Nijar Council intends to spend more money paying workers to clean up the local beaches. The overall budget set aside for these tasks has been raised from €50,000 to €80,000. Last year there were six people assigned to cleaning up the beaches from June 15

to September 15, whereas this summer there will be eight workers during the same period of time, plus four more who will be there from June 1 to 15 and September 15 to 30. There will also be people contracted for 10 days at Easter and 10 days around the long weekend at the beginning of May. The work conditions will

also be better than last year. The amount of work hours has been reduced from 40 to 37.5 per week, and the workers’ salaries have seen a slight increase. Council members say that there has been a tremendous amount of interest shown in the positions. Around 100 people have applied for the jobs.

A clash of the titans THE 23rd edition of the Thales Maths Olympics took place on March 12 in the Villa de Vicar secondary school. The event, one of the biggest national competitions in the sphere of education, came with the participation of 485 students and 100 teachers from all over Almeria Province. Participating students took a test that was created by regional experts with the aim of finding the most mathematically-gifted stu-

dents in the province. The event began at 10am with a huge breakfast to prepare the students for war. Then they were thrown headfirst into the two-hour test, frantically scribbling down sums and fractions and counting right down to their fingers and toes. Upon completion of their gruelling trial, the students enjoyed a lunch followed by two robotics workshops and other entertaining activities.

Budget for rural jobs THE Ministry of Employment is allocating €8,455,458 to the development of rural employment projects in Almeria Province. In addition to generating employment, the funding has the objective of bringing important works of infrastructure to fruition. The programme will generate 5,000 contracts and offer more than 120,000 paid work days in 89 communities.

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Almanzora’s an godmother has h

CENTRE relies on donations from kind animal lover By Adele Land A BRITISH expatriate in La Molata, near Albox is on a onewoman-mission to rescue stray and abandoned dogs throughout the Almanzora area. While most of her peers are enjoying a relaxing retirement, Marianne Bailey, known as

Maz, has been taking care of unwanted dogs for the last 15 years. One of the original founders of APSA animal rescue, Maz, aged 64, decided to go it alone and set up ‘Puppy Rescue’ concentrating on caring for abandoned puppies and younger dogs.

Your Belgian Belg estate agent at the coast!

She described to Euro Weekly News how litters of puppies were found abandoned by rubbish bins or left outside her house. Following the death of her husband, Maz had to return to the UK for a brief period for financial reasons, but soon returned with a new-found energy to continue her work and expanded into helping dogs of all ages, shapes and sizes. ‘Maz’s Canine Rescue,’ is currently caring for 68 dogs, a task Maz describes as an exhausting 24/7 job. Maz and her four-legged friends have recently located to a new premises, having taken up residence at the Palomino Kennels in Tijola, a much more suitable location for the ever-

FORE

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nimal fairy her hands full

rs and volunteers are now needed at the kennels

EVER CARING: Maz with one of the resident dogs.

expanding number of dogs. She also hopes to be able to offer a boarding kennels service to help fund care of the dogs. Maz has been successfully rehoming an average of seven dogs per month, but every other day new arrivals turn up. The centre relies 100 per cent on donations from kind animal lovers and Maz is grateful to local businesses and members of the local community who have organised fundraising events. Despite her best efforts, this pet-loving powerhouse can only do so much on her own and is desperate for volunteers to help with the day-to-day task of caring for so many dogs. Visit Facebook page ‘Maz’s Canine Rescue’ to see how you can help or call 634 304 498.

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New Almeria-Germany weekly routes to be offered soon GERMANIA Airlines have announced that they will be connecting Almeria City with Germany between May and October. Specifically, weekly flights will be offered which will connect Almeria with Dusseldorf and Munich.

Sales Director of Germania said feedback from customers has been excellent and he expects it to get even better. Germania Airlines was founded in 1978 the company is currently looking into further options for Almeria City.

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Mysteries of the Alcazaba revealed TO increase historical knowledge By Sam Croft DOORS that lead to underground passages. Towers that are locked and bolted. Dark corners hidden behind ancient walls. These are some of the least known places of the Alcazaba of Almeria, which the public will now be able to access for the first time thanks to a pioneering experience that is

aiming to attract people to visit the local monument. The programme is called ‘The Hidden Spaces of the Alcazaba’ and is made up of eight guided visits to points that for different reasons are not included in the conventional circuit of the Alcazaba. These special routes will go on over the course of the year, with the exception of the

Almeria military hopefuls battle it out A TOTAL of 106 youths from Almeria Province have classified for the second phase of trials to gain entrance into the military. This is the first selection cycle of the current year. There were initially 421 hopefuls from the province, but the grueling process has whittled the number down until only a quarter of the original applicants remained. The list of the chosen applicants will be published on May 6, and on May 16 those selected will be taken to training centres. In these centres they will be given basic and specific training exercises which they will have to complete properly to be accepted definitively into the military. One thousand five hundred places have been offered in the current cycle, of which 800 correspond to the army, 350 to the navy, and 350 to the air force.

months of July and August, and they will take place on the last Saturday of the month at 10am. Culture councillor Alfredo Valdivia said that: “With this programme we are hoping not only to show unknown places of the Alcazaba, but to increase historical knowledge about the monument, because on the conventional visit it’s impossible to cover all of the information.”

Sentenced for child porn A TWENTY-ONE-YEAROLD man has been sentenced to a year in prison for keeping and distributing child porn. The man, a resident of Almeria Province, published various photographs of paedophilic content on his Twitter account, and also made the content available to other users. Additionally, police officers carried out a search of the man’s home, where they discovered over 100 files of pornographic content featuring minors on his computer.

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New shop for PAWS By Adele Land A NEW charity shop for PAWS animal rescue opened in Vera this week. The shop, near Mercadona in the town centre has an excellent range of clothing, furnishings and nick nacks.

Junior chefs BUDDING chefs in Huercal-Overa are invited to enter the ‘Mini Chef’ competition. The annual contest forms part of the Almeria Gastronomy Festival and is open to children between the ages of four and 12. Entry f e e i s € 5 a n d in cludes entrance to the show for a parent or guardian. Inscriptions are open until April 13 and the competition takes place over April 16 and 17. More information can be found o n t h e we b s ite www.huercal-overa.es.

Mayor Felix Lopez presided over the opening event, and a PAWS spokesperson thanked everyone for their hard work. If you are looking for a new pet, PAWS has many lovely dogs and cats looking for their forever home. Visit www.paws-patas.org.

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Palomares issue is unresolved PROBLEM dates back 50 years

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Toll booth fire

By Adele Land THE problem of the contaminated land in Palomares is unlikely to be rectified until Spanish ministers can reach an agreement to form a government, according to press reports. The problem dates back 50 years when a US B52 bomber, carrying four hydrogen bombs, collided during a refuelling exercise and crashed into a field near the village. An agreement was reached last year between, US Secretary of State, John Kerry and Spanish foreign affairs minister, Jose Manuel Garcia, to have the contaminated earth removed and the area cleaned up. According to reports, the US will not sign off on the deal un-

BOMBS: Two on display in a museum. til a government is formed in Spain. Decemberâ€™s Spanish national election failed to deliver a government and more than two months later the parties have

yet to reach agreement. The situation could be further complicated by the upcoming US presidential elections in November, leaving the problem dragging out until 2017.

TWO toll booths on the AP-7 toll road near Vera were destroyed after a car caught fire while a driver was paying the toll. The Mercedes caught fire and was immediately engulfed in flames, subsequently igniting the prefabricated toll booths. Fire services were quickly despatched to the scene, where they managed to move two other vehicles which were in danger of catching fire. Nobody was injured in the incident.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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LACK OF RAINFALL: Has become a problem for owners of livestock.

Almeria farmers left feeling high and dry SOME farmers have even had to buy water in barrels so the animals can drink By Sam Croft THE lack of rainfall in the province of Almeria has been a huge issue for crop farmers recently, but it has also become a problem for owners of livestock. One of the main problems is the lack of grass. Many livestock owners have

been obliged to buy food for their animals, particularly goats and sheep, which are the most common in the province. Some farmers have even had to buy water in barrels so that the animals can drink, as many of the fountains in the province have dried up and are of no use.

Many farmers and shepherds feel that they may need to ask the government for help. They are disheartened by the situation, as they can only afford to spend so much money on food and water for the animals, but at the same time want to keep the creatures healthy and safe.

NEWS

Students finding their sea legs STUDENTS from a Nijar Secondary school recently became honorary tourism agents after participating in a series of educational and recreational activities. The programme ‘My Village, My Beach, My Sea’ was organised through the Tourism Council and the school itself, as well as the Asociacion Desembarco Pirata, a local organisation with a focus on the history of pirates. The day began in the Plaza Genova de San Jose, where lifeguarding staff were on hand to teach students about the dif-

ferent flags on the beach, and to give recommendations for their safety, so they can enjoy the pleasures of the sea in a safe and informed manner. Then the students went to the beach. The youngest children were accompanied by a giant green character named Don Poseidon, whereas the older ones played games and learned about the environment and nautical history. At the end, the students received their Junior Tourism Agent Licences, as well as presents for their participation.

Age support shop sale THE Age Support shop in Arboleas is holding a sale starting March 21, followed by the new spring fashions on display after the Easter weekend on Tuesday March 29. Margaret, the shop manageress, and all her volunteers, work hard to provide clothes and household items of a good standard, sold to support the local charity. All the clothes are washed and ironed and there is a changing room in the shop. If you are having a spring clean, donations are very welcome at the shop at Placeta Padre Arias, which is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 1.30pm.

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17 - 23 March 2016

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€70 billion is the amount of estimated tax that member states of the EU will recover when all 28 countries exchange information on the finances of multinational corporations operating within their borders.

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Investment money leaves Spain

OECD makes observation

ECONOMISTS appear not to be overly concerned

THE Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Spain has released details of a report in which it notes that Spain’s gradual economic recovery should enable it to start reversing the sharp decline in its development assistance since 2010 and focus more of its aid budget on the neediest countries. Spain has previously had a good record of overseas aid, but the current level of percentage of GDP committed is the lowest since 1988.

By John Smith THE year 2015 saw a significant outflow of investment money from Spain due mainly to uncertainty regarding the future government and whether there will be increased taxation should a left of

is the value of investment funds withdrawn from Spain during 2015

“We see ourselves as an integral part of society.” Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of BMW on increasing annual charity foundation donations to €100 million in its centenary year.

Photo Credit Alfonso de Tomas Shutterstock

Quote of the Week

€70 billion

SUPERMARKET CHAIN: Some staff received bonuses.

Mercadona success THE president of Spain’s largest supermarket chain, Mercadona released figures which show that their profits for 2015 had increased by 12 per cent to €611 million, whilst their workforce had been increased by 1.5 per cent as they had employed a

centre coalition come to power. The exodus of funds is the l a rg e s t s i n c e 2 0 1 2 w h e n o v e r €150 billion moved out of the country. Economists appear not to be overly concerned about this exodus as they expect that much of it

further 1,000 people in fixed posts. Juan Roig was also pleased to announce that the company had paid significant bonuses to some of its staff for meeting targets and had also increased the wages of others.

BUSINESS EXTRA

VW woes NEWS has broken that prosecutors in both France and Germany are widening their investigations into the emissions scandal at Volkswagen and authorities in Paris are reviewing possible charges of ‘aggravated fraud’ over the misleading emissions results. German prosecutors say that the number of VW employees now under investigation has increased from six to 17, whilst the company’s CEO in America has left the company with immediate effect.

Counterfeit goods THE profit margin on counterfeit goods appears to be colossal according to a release issued by the Customs section of the Spanish Tax Authority, which claims that the street value of counterfeit goods seized in 2015 could be as high as €130 million.

Green company red in the face WHATEVER next? An American company, Whole Foods Market, which caters to the organic market and boasts it is ‘America’s Healthiest Supermarket’ has had to admit its mistake and withdraw a range of mandarin oranges which have been peeled and placed in plastic containers.

A customer tweeted an image of stocks of these mandarins, which are specially bred to have soft skins with the comment: ‘If only nature could find a way to cover these oranges so we didn’t need to waste so much plastic on them.’ The company said “Definitely our mistake. These have been pulled.”

will return once a new government is in place and its economic policy has been established. The problem in the meantime is that not only is money flowing out of the country, but there is little coming in from outside to replace it.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almeria

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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group PLC 445.55 7.50 Aberdeen Asset Mangmnt PLC 274.60 4.30 Admiral Group PLC 1875.50 -40.00 Anglo American PLC 537.20 21.30 Antofagasta PLC 539.25 15.50 ARM Holdings PLC 1000.50 17.00 Ashtead Group PLC 790.25 5.16 Associated British Foods PLC 3349.50 -4.00 AstraZeneca PLC 4060.75 16.50 Aviva PLC 496.00 0.60 Babcock International Grp 955.50 5.50 BAE Systems PLC 501.75 5.00 Barclays PLC 166.40 0.40 Barratt Developments PLC 553.00 9.00 Berkeley Group Holdings 3060.00 82.00 BHP Billiton PLC 838.20 22.30 BP PLC 350.85 2.45 British American Tobacco PLC 4081.25 5.00 British Land Co PLC 699.25 9.50 BT Group PLC 460.53 1.50 Bunzl PLC 1986.00 11.00 Burberry Group PLC 1397.50 20.00 Capita PLC 1040.00 3.00 Carnival PLC 3422.50 9.00 Centrica PLC 229.85 0.20 Coca-Cola HBC AG 1402.50 6.00 Compass Group PLC 1217.00 0.30 CRH PLC 1961.00 21.00 DCC PLC 5790.00 55.00 Diageo PLC 1876.00 3.42 Direct Line Insurance Group 369.65 3.20 Dixons Carphone PLC 428.60 5.00 easyJet PLC 1526.00 5.70 Experian PLC 1215.00 10.00 Fresnillo PLC 929.50 0.50 GKN PLC 286.40 6.74 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1412.25 14.08 Glencore PLC 147.45 5.80 Hammerson PLC 575.25 7.00 Hargreaves Lansdown PLC 1291.00 18.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC 1735.00 14.39 HSBC Holdings PLC 454.30 3.00 Imperial Brands PLC 3741.50 -10.50 Inmarsat PLC 928.00 9.50 InterContinental Hotels Gro 2739.00 13.00 International Consolidated 545.25 4.00 Intertek Group PLC 3084.00 23.00 Intu Properties PLC 307.75 3.00 ITV PLC 238.70 4.40 Johnson Matthey PLC 2561.50 22.00

% CHG. 1.71 1.59 -2.09 4.13 2.96 1.73 0.66 -0.12 0.41 0.12 0.58 1.01 0.24 1.65 2.75 2.73 0.70 0.12 1.38 0.33 0.56 1.45 0.29 0.26 0.09 0.43 0.02 1.08 0.96 0.18 0.87 1.18 0.37 0.83 0.05 2.41 1.01 4.09 1.23 1.41 0.84 0.66 -0.28 1.03 0.48 0.74 0.75 0.98 1.88 0.87

NET VOL 90.99 313.92 151.67 845.99 433.77 306.46 151.43 59.12 316.01 792.39 28.90 247.78 3,144.85 219.88 109.37 1,422.11 2,962.35 321.35 217.19 857.64 16.34 88.17 76.52 13.14 828.87 8.50 147.74 69.20 5.92 459.42 192.27 52.11 68.55 86.58 102.52 374.66 412.30 8,557.38 160.97 45.70 17.84 3,112.05 240.82 65.71 28.89 602.09 17.46 151.09 2,042.30 17.63

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Kingfisher PLC 347.10 4.80 Land Securities Group PLC 1070.50 19.10 Legal & General Group PLC 245.25 3.20 Lloyds Banking Group PLC 70.76 0.62 London Stock Exchange Grp 2890.50 22.00 Marks & Spencer Group PLC 403.10 5.00 Merlin Entertainments PLC 453.85 1.90 Mondi PLC 1342.00 7.00 National Grid PLC 968.95 3.50 Next PLC 6617.50 50.00 Old Mutual PLC 186.25 4.30 Pearson PLC 880.50 8.50 Persimmon PLC 2021.50 31.00 Provident Financial PLC 3090.00 -4.00 Prudential PLC 1361.50 2.70 Randgold Resources Ltd 6360.00 35.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC 6587.50 58.00 RELX PLC 1255.50 9.00 REXAM PLC 615.75 3.84 Rio Tinto PLC 2053.50 53.00 Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC 691.75 6.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Gr 230.05 0.40 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 1687.00 11.00 Royal Mail PLC 457.95 6.00 RSA Insurance Group PLC 457.65 4.20 SABMiller PLC 4223.25 3.50 Sage Group (The) PLC 593.25 6.50 Sainsbury (J) PLC 274.05 0.70 Schroders PLC 2704.00 5.00 Severn Trent PLC 2067.50 5.00 Shire PLC 3744.50 -33.00 Sky PLC 1020.50 14.00 Smith & Nephew PLC 1132.50 11.00 Smiths Group PLC 1071.50 15.00 Sports Direct International... 396.15 5.50 SSE PLC 1474.00 12.00 Standard Chartered PLC 479.70 12.15 Standard Life PLC 367.45 3.00 St James's Place PLC 907.50 13.50 Taylor Wimpey PLC 179.95 2.20 Tesco PLC 192.65 0.40 Travis Perkins PLC 1785.50 6.00 TUI AG 1038.50 3.32 Unilever PLC 3114.00 19.50 United Utilities Group PLC 901.25 4.00 Vodafone Group PLC 219.65 2.35 Whitbread PLC 3820.00 24.00 Wolseley PLC 3796.50 43.00 Worldpay Group PLC 284.20 -0.61 WPP PLC 1583.50 18.00

% CHG. 1.40 1.82 1.32 0.88 0.77 1.26 0.42 0.52 0.36 0.76 2.36 0.97 1.56 -0.13 0.20 0.55 0.89 0.72 0.63 2.65 0.87 0.17 0.66 1.33 0.93 0.08 1.11 0.26 0.19 0.24 -0.87 1.39 0.98 1.42 1.41 0.82 2.60 0.82 1.51 1.24 0.21 0.34 0.32 0.63 0.45 1.08 0.63 1.15 -0.21 1.15

NET VOL 204.88 259.26 1,166.27 8,010.83 52.34 617.87 26.86 75.94 343.77 12.16 2,610.40 142.31 58.25 36.37 649.47 28.87 76.89 106.83 31.88 559.37 357.13 1,530.60 415.33 161.98 90.23 47.24 81.98 371.65 43.37 20.91 359.27 147.38 228.55 58.66 61.90 276.50 953.02 171.15 90.80 615.40 983.86 31.92 86.03 195.96 66.02 2,463.51 16.84 16.11 190.16 182.87

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COMPANY MMM 3M AXP American Express AAPL Apple BA Boeing CAT Caterpillar CVX Chevron CSCO Cisco KO Coca-Cola DIS Disney DD E I du Pont de Nemours and Co XOM Exxon Mobil GE General Electric GS Goldman Sachs HD Home Depot IBM IBM INTC Intel JNJ Johnson & Johnson JPM JPMorgan Chase MCD McDonald's MRK Merck MSFT Microsoft NKE Nike PFE Pfizer PG Procter & Gamble TRV Travelers Companies Inc UTX United Technologies UNH UnitedHealth VZ Verizon V Visa WMT Wal-Mart

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 161.88 +1.99 +1.24% 1.7M 59.46 +0.71 +1.21% 7.8M 102.26 +1.09 +1.08% 27.4M 124.63 +1.69 +1.37% 3.3M 72.80 +1.44 +2.02% 4.8M 94.58 +0.64 +0.68% 14.1M 27.86 +0.48 +1.75% 21.9M 45.20 -0.03 -0.07% 16.1M 97.94 +0.90 +0.93% 5.6M 63.83 +1.67 +2.69% 2.3M 82.19 +0.01 +0.01% 15.4M 30.34 +0.40 +1.34% 32.2M 153.94 +2.92 +1.93% 4.1M 128.46 +2.57 +2.04% 4.6M 142.36 +2.17 +1.55% 4.4M 31.76 +0.51 +1.63% 22.8M 107.71 +0.57 +0.53% 7.8M 59.34 +0.73 +1.25% 21.1M 121.55 +1.57 +1.31% 7.0M 53.20 +0.16 +0.30% 15.5M 53.07 +1.02 +1.96% 32.3M 60.08 +1.20 +2.04% 8.8M 30.50 +0.91 +3.08% 60.4M 81.75 -0.53 -0.64% 11.1M 113.64 +2.11 +1.89% 2.0M 96.75 +0.57 +0.59% 4.0M 125.10 +3.01 +2.47% 3.8M 52.53 +0.21 +0.40% 15.2M 71.63 +1.41 +2.01% 9.5M 67.17 -0.24 -0.36% 8.3M

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 14

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Bojangles', Inc. Finisar Corporation Zions Bancorporation Kirkland's, Inc. Legacy Reserves LP The Providence Service Corporation Legacy Reserves LP Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. Editas Medicine, Inc. Flex Pharma, Inc. Surgery Partners, Inc.

$ 18.57 $ 17.15 $ 2.41 $ 17.16 $ 2.71 $ 52.75 $ 2.8001 $ 191.62 $ 31.25 $ 7.62 $ 16

3.54 ▲ 23.55% 2.97 ▲ 20.94% 0.41 ▲ 20.50% 2.86 ▲ 20% 0.45 ▲ 19.91% 8.67 ▲ 19.67% 0.4401 ▲ 18.65% 28.23 ▲ 17.28% 4.51 ▲ 16.87% 1.09 ▲ 16.69% 2.23 ▲ 16.19%

$5 $ 8.37 $ 19.005 $ 6.355 $ 2.24 $ 16.64 $ 17.53 $ 4.76 $ 6.25 $ 7.12 $ 2.78

1.25 ▼ 20% 1.3399 ▼ 13.80% 2.875 ▼ 13.14% 0.795 ▼ 11.12% 0.275 ▼ 10.93% 1.79 ▼ 9.71% 1.81 ▼ 9.36% 0.47 ▼ 8.99% 0.60 ▼ 8.76% 0.68 ▼ 8.72% 0.26 ▼ 8.55%

Most Declined Paragon Shipping Inc. AccuShares Spot CBOE VIX Up Shares Zumiez Inc. Sunrun Inc. HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc. Arctic Cat Inc. Citi Trends, Inc. Cara Therapeutics, Inc. region Freshpet, Inc. Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Advertising feature

Family issues when living abroad YOU may still be able to use the English Courts, enabling you to understand the advice given

ENGLISH COURTS: Take a sensible and pragmatic approach to child arrangements. whereas the Spanish Court’s approach is if there is no express agreement between the parties, and

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asset. The Spanish Court’s approach to children is also different if one parent has custody

of a child they will remain in the property, an English Court may order it to be sold to allow both parties to properly adjust and provide adequately for their housing needs. English Courts take a sensible and pragmatic approach with child arrangements and adopt a ‘no Order principle’ i.e. they trust the parents of the children to make appropriate arrangements for the welfare of the child or children. In Spain a Custody Order is inevitably always made even if the parties have reached agreement. Decisions have to be made as to where the children live and how often the absent parent has contact, also decisions on issues such as your children’s health and education. The English Courts allow you to make a decision as long as it is in the children’s best interests, the Spanish Courts may impose their will. See our advert below.

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HEALTH COSTS: A shambolic state of affairs. A PARLIAMENTARY question table by Labour MP John Mann received a response which showed that Britain paid out £674 million (€857 million) to European countries for their health costs in 2015 but received only £49 million (€63.7 million) in return. The largest recipient was the Spanish Health Authority which received nearly

€290 million and paid the UK €4.4 million and the next largest recipient and also largest payer was France. There is a somewhat complicated procedure in the calculation of the payments that have to be made by each country with a combination of completed health forms and estimated numbers of pensioners registered in each country.

On receiving this information, Mr Mann commented: “Sorting this scandal out in itself would transform the financial situation of the NHS. This is a shambolic state of affairs and we are being played for fools. “This is money that should directly be going into the NHS and it would make a huge annual difference to its finances.”

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Having the courage of his convictions By John Smith IT is refreshing to see someone having the courage to resign over a point of principle but this is exactly what John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce has done, following his speech regarding a belief that Britain would prosper if it were to leave the European Union. Regardless of which side of the debate one might sit, it is so unusual nowadays for anyone in a position of public recognition to simply resign so that they can have the freedom to promote their belief or understanding on any matter that he deserves recognition. Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference in London on March 3, Mr Longworth said: “My first observation is that it has reinforced my long held belief that the very best place for the UK to be is in a reformed European Union. “My second observation is that I have come to the conclusion that the European Union is incapable of meaningful reform, at least in the foreseeable future. “It certainly does not appear capable of the sort of reform necessary to give the UK the breathing space to fulfil its true potential.” Later that same day, he confirmed to

Sky News that he had said far more than would have been expected by the BCC and that this was his personal opinion, not BCC policy. By March 5, he had been suspended and on March 6, the BCC announced his departure from his role. BCC president Nora Senior said the organisation was “non-partisan” and had decided not to campaign for either side in the forthcoming UK referendum on EU membership. She added: “John Longworth and the BCC board recognise that John’s personal view on the referendum is likely to create confusion regarding the BCC’s neutral stance going forward. “In light of this, John has taken the decision to step down as director general and his resignation has been accepted by the board with effect from March 6, 2016.” This apparent joint decision has encouraged pro-Brexit campaigners to accuse the government of managing his exit which claim has been rejected by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon as being yet another bizarre conspiracy theory whilst support for him has come from Boris Johnson and UKIP leader Niger Farage who said “I’ve met John Longworth, who is a thoroughly decent man. He has been treated appallingly for supporting Brexit.”

17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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IMF world economy fears CHINESE performance was worse than expected in February By John Smith THE Deputy Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) David Lipton has warned that the global economy faces a growing ‘risk of economic derailment’ and has called for urgent steps to boost global demand. “We are clearly at a delicate juncture,” he said in a speech to the National Association for Business Economics in Washington. “The IMF’s latest reading of the global economy shows once again a weakening baseline,” he warned. The poor performance of the Chinese economy during February which was much worse than expected prompted this statement as its downturn is taken to be reflected in the economic position of the world’s major economies and will adversely affect those overseas businesses who have invested in China based on an expectation of continued and dynamic growth. It appears likely that the IMF will be reducing its 2016 forecast for general economic growth in its next round of predictions due to be presented in April. Basically, the organisation wants to see the world improve its position by making economies grow, which is clearly easier said than done. During the latest G20 meeting in Chi-

THE IMF: Will be reducing its 2016 forecast. na in February, representatives of the fund called for co-operation between the leading economies to ensure that not only would they enjoy stronger results, but their actions would in turn help those countries with weaker economies.

In his latest speech, Mr Lipton said “The downside risks are clearly much more pronounced than before, and the case for more forceful and concerted policy action, has become more compelling.”

OPINION & COMMENT

17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

I’ve decided to lighten up a bit Mitch Gunn/Shutterstock.com

THIS week the health and safety brigade finally lost it completely LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

WELL this week the ‘ealth n safety brigade finally lost it completely. They were actually suggesting that for safety’s sake, they wanted a total ban on tackling in the game of rugby! I’ll tell you what, why don’t we take that dangerous ball out of the game altogether? All those lovely big hulking men could then run around for 80 minutes playing tag with each other! You really couldn’t make it up. It was with this ludicrous suggestion in mind I decided this week to lighten up a bit, (I can hear the derisory snorts from here!). Subsequently sniffing through a few internet sites, I managed to come up with some real ‘ealth n safety/PC humdingers. In Canada a Santa was banned from saying Ho Ho Ho, because it was too close to the American slang for prostitute and could be derogatory to women. The word pet must

RUGBY TACKLES: Deemed dangerous by some. be replaced by ‘companion animal’ because it was ‘demeaning to free loving creatures’. Easter eggs should be referred to as ‘spring spheres.’ And my absolute favourite to date.

A ban on advertising for ‘reliable employees,’ because it may discriminate against unreliable applicants. All very funny so far. With all this in mind, I decided to dig a lit-

tle deeper. As I delved into the origins of political correctness in particular, it actually began to take on quite sinister overtones. Political correctness has in fact been around far longer than many of us may actually realise. Previous totalitarian regimes have used it to great effect. It was at one stage referred to as Cultural Marxism. One piece stated that Political Correctness is the principal tool of the political left. Its purpose is to intimidate. It promotes critical theory, separatism and victimology rage. It operates on the premise that ‘victim groups,’ and other minorities are automatically good regardless of what any of them do, and that all bourgeoisie and capital owners are evil. Label any subject politically incorrect and there is no debate. It effectively closes down all opinions, freedom of speech and ultimately freedom of thought. In other words all these PC pushers are not petty, piddling pains in the bum – they’re as dangerous as hell! Keep the faith. Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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NEWS

EXCLUSIVE

A fugitive or loving son? MICHAEL CLARKE’S side of the story as told to John Smith By John Smith NO matter whether you are a national daily newspaper or in our case a weekly, six-edition English language paper, the freedom of press comes with obligations which need to be recognised. Here at the Euro Weekly News, we published an article two weeks ago about an Englishman and his mother, Michael and Ann Clarke, where we gave some details of what we understood to be their story and asked readers to keep an eye open for them. Within a few days of the publication of the article, we were contacted by Michael himself, who asked that he be given the opportunity to present his side of the case as he believed that he was being placed in an unfavourable light, and in his opinion he had been wronged by both his family and the process of English law. This is where our responsibility to present the other side of the story comes in, and I met both Michael and his mother Ann (who unfortunately is currently in hospital in Spain), to hear exactly what he had to say and after spending several hours in his company, I do agree that his position should be made clear. According to Michael, when the accident occurred in 1995, Ann spent a year in hospital and when she came out, she moved to a care home which she didn’t like so it was agreed between the family that she would stay in her own house. It was also agreed that she would pass it to her daughter who would take over the mortgage and in return would make a payment to her mother (which she allegedly failed to make) and look after her, and that Michael would move in as well. In a relatively short period of time, Michael decided to move out as he had been offered the tenancy of a pub, but within about 10 weeks his sister advised she couldn’t cope with Ann and she would have to go into a home. Neither Ann nor Michael wanted this and although the pub wasn’t really suitable for her needs, she moved in with him and he looked after her on an unpaid basis from 1996 until 2001. During that time he left the pub and ran a student lodging house and rented a bungalow for himself and his mother. His sister moved in after a marital dispute and agreed that if he moved to Tenerife, she would look after Ann. After a few weeks, Ann travelled to Tenerife on holiday and asked that she be allowed to stay with Michael to which he agreed and they stayed on the Island for two years. This

Michael and Ann Clarke exclusive picture

MICHAEL CLARKE: With his mother Ann, who is in hospital in Spain.

1995 was the year when Ann Clarke’s accident occurred

was all prior to any settlement and without any cash, except for the mother’s disability allowance on which they lived. There was a problem with a credit card which I cannot go into detail about, but for a period of time the benefits allowance was suspended whilst an investigation took place and this caused significant financial stress on the pair, although it was eventually resolved and back payments were given to them. At the same time, in the lawsuit there was a change of solicitor and the new solicitor suggested that the matter be settled out of court to which they reluctantly agreed, and a payment of £775,000 was made to the moth-

er, with Michael acting officially on her behalf. At the time of the settlement, Ann and Michael employed two clinical specialists to establish whether she was able to make her own decisions to which they declared she was. Despite this however the whole matter was sent to the Court of Protection and a solicitor was appointed to look after her affairs and manage her funds. In 2001 they moved to Blackpool. According to Michael, and I have not seen documentary evidence of this, (although I don’t doubt that this is his absolute belief), the solicitor was supposed to charge around £2,000 annually to manage this matter, but in the first year released just £10,400 to Ann, whilst charging £26,377 for his services, with a further £14,000 charged the second year. This carried on for two years before Michael found this out, and after they a made a formal complaint their allowance was increased. Michael set up a club by 2003, which was successful. All was well until the recession in 2008, when the club suffered set-

backs and they decided to immigrate to Spain. At that time, in 2008, they had been trying to sell the property in Blackpool, without success as the recession had set in and Michael has been accused of acting improperly by his sister which he completely denied. Whilst living in Spain, Ann tried to exchange her UK property for a Spanish villa, which Michael has accused the deputy solicitor of prevaricating resulting in the loss of two properties. In addition, because so much money has been held in sterling rather than a euro account which they had requested, there was a significant exchange rate loss. In short, they allege that the Court of Protection had overcharged Ann an estimated £150,000, and facilitated an exchange rate loss by not providing a euro account of £100,000, meaning Ann was out of pocket by a total of £250,000. From 2009 to 2013 Michael had written to all known complaint bodies to try and draw attention to this, but all to no avail. The advice received was to serve on the solicitors a Commercial Lien that basically is a statement of truth sworn on oath before a notary. He insists he would return to the UK to have the whole matter aired in front of a court provided there is a jury which will make the decision with regards to his guilt, and he advised me he has been given an undertaking by the court, (which has no right of extradition from Spain) that if he returns to the UK to apologise, and if his mother returns and surrenders her passport then ‘all will be forgiven’. That begs the question of why Ann should give up her passport, what happens about the alleged losses, does Michael have a ‘record’ and will he be chased for court fees? It is up to each and every one of our EWN readers to make their own conclusion on this situation, but as the writer of both stories I do believe that neither the local press nor the general public should play judge and jury in this matter. What is crucial to remember is the whole point of the initial story was to try to ensure the protection and welfare of Ann Clarke, who I have now seen for myself and do believe without question she is more than happy to be here in Spain with her loving son Michael. What do you, our readers think? Is this a case of a fugitive on the run or simply a loving, doting son doing the best he can for his mother? Let us know by visiting www.eur oweeklynews.com.

NEWS

17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de AlmerĂa

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Four years for hit and run death DRIVER jailed for killing elderly pedestrian By Antonio Melgar A YOUNG m a n h a s b e e n sentenced to four years in prison for hitting and killing an elderly man with his car near Almeria City. He was under the influence of alcohol and fled the scene. A cco r d i n g t o t h e s e n -

te n ce , th e a c c u s ed consumed alcohol before gettin g in to th e c a r a ro u nd 7.30am. O n e h o u r late r, h e ra n o v e r an 8 0 -y ea r-o ld m a n who was walking across the street at a pedestrian crossing even though the traffic light was red.

Although the accused got out of the car after hitting the ma n, he drove a w a y when he saw that the man had serious injuries. Three hours later he was arrested and tested positive in a n a lc ohol c he c k. The pedestrian died six days later as a result of his injuries.

Little towns, big money grants

Almeria airport is flying high

ALMERIA Provincial Council will give â‚Ź520,000 in grants to all of the municipalities in the province with less than 1,000 inhabitants. Fifty one towns will benefit from the grants, designed to stimulate and encourage projects and investments in different communities. The money can be used for projects that may have been impossible otherwise.

THE Almeria airport finished February with 48,325 passengers, a 46.5 per cent increase compared to February 2015. Of these, 47,709 travelled on commercial flights. 39,446 headed to a Spanish city, with 8,263 on international flights. In regards to foreign destinations, the United Kingdom registered 87.6 per cent more passengers compared to the same month last year.

EWN

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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OPINION & COMMENT

The illusion of time

OUR VIEW Photo Credit Ollyy Shutterstock

UNTIL we acquired a diminutive drawing some years ago, I had no idea what it meant Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-thewall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.

IN one of our guest bedrooms, amongst the various framed landscapes and priceless Picassos hanging on the wall, there is a small unprepossessing pencil drawing of an ancient thatched cottage. This was the house that we were fortunate enough to live in for 30 years. I often study the little drawing as I go about my housemaid duties, and as evocative as the unsigned sketch of that chocolate box cottage is, it’s the legend in red ink at the bottom of the picture that invariably captures my imagination. Wickhambrook 27/6/53, it states. June 27 of that year was a Saturday. I checked.

LANDSCAPES: Some people like to capture local scenes in their spare time. An unknown artist decided to plonk himself down across the narrow lane from a cottage known then as ‘Grimwoods’, and sketch away. Perhaps it was a one-

off impulse by a passing amateur enthusiast, or maybe a villager who simply liked to capture local scenes in their spare time. It may even have been one

of the Grimwood clan who were the owners back then. We will never know. But as the artist picked up his pencil, a very young boy, as skinny as a vegetarian’s

toothpick and wearing baggy, short grey trousers, was probably playing in the back garden on a council estate in Berkshire. Totally ignorant even of a place called Wickhambrook, he was oblivious to the artist, as indeed the artist would have been to him, and yet many years later that boy and his wife would be the owners of ‘Cuttbush’ - formerly ‘Grimwoods’ - and would spend three happy decades of their lives there. There is a philosophical school of thought that time is an illusion, but until we acquired this diminutive drawing some years ago from a junk shop many miles away in Stamford, I had no idea what that meant. But as I look at the picture and imagine the pencil strokes being applied, I also think of that grubby little boy and the invisible silver cord that even then linked him and that unknown Suffolk artist.

Tennis player could lose fortune Photo Credit Porsche Motor Company

MARIA SHARAPOVA failed a drug test after the Australian Open John Smith Random thoughts... TENNIS pin-up, Russian-born Maria Sharapova is said to have earned €27 million during 2015 from a combination of prize winnings and endorsements, but now her world has changed dramatically following revelations that she has failed a drug test after the Australian Open championship. Her three biggest sponsors, Nike, Tag Heuer and Porsche have immediately reacted with Nike suspending their relationship, Tag Heuer cancelling theirs and Porsche for whom she became the first female ambassador, considering their situation although their contract with her is due to expire by the end of 2016 and may simply not be renewed. In 2010, the 28-year-old tennis player signed a new eight-year contract with the US sportswear giant Nike, worth €64 million as well as a percentage on sales of her own

MARIA SHARAPOVA: May lose more sponsorship deals. branded clothes and in the case of Porsche, she has access to one of their cars for personal use. She also has contracts with Avon perfume, Luck, and the water company Evian. Ms Sharapova has said she had

been taking the drug meldonium since 2006, on the advice of her family doctor although it was prescribed under a different name and she was not aware that the particular drug had joined a banned list at

VIEWS: Very interesting.

Reader’s comments WE love to hear from our readers, both for the letters page and with comments that appear on the website. What is very interesting is trying to gauge who takes the trouble of posting an opinion, and what topics they are most interested in, using a totally unscientific method, we have come to a conclusion which is probably correct this week and will have changed by the next. Men outnumber women almost exclusively when commenting about matters of a political nature, and they certainly can enter into very long and argumentative tracts between each other with some regulars having almost daily disagreements. What is nice about this, provided they don’t get too personal, is that their opinions often irritate others so much they have to join in, which shows the reach of the website. Turning to women and trying not to be either condescending or promoting stereotypes, it’s animals that inspire comment. A damaged donkey, a bullied bull, a traumatised turkey or any other animal that has been mistreated is guaranteed to bring comments, all understandably in favour of the animal and against humanity’s cruelty to them. Whereas men seem to like entering into sparring matches with each other, women generally appear to be content to make a simple statement of belief and then leave the matter. As we said at the beginning, these are our general findings and we love to see comments of any kind as long as they are legal and decent about the wide range of stories we write, and welcome opinions on any topics our readers might like to see covered in the future.

the beginning of 2016. She has, however, admitted that she was foolish not to realise what she was doing and can blame no one other than herself. She will clearly hope that the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible, and that she receives a warning rather than a lengthy ban, although no doubt she has sufficient funds in reserve to allow her to continue to lead a comfortable life. Whereas in the past, sponsors may have taken a less dramatic view of what could have been a simple if potentially expensive error, the pressures of social media, the speed in which information flows around the world, and the number of recent stories concerning drugs in sport have all conspired to panic them. It does however bring into question whether this type of expenditure by large corporations is money well Now we spent, and in the case of Nike, the want to number of complaints that have been hear your views. received about the poor conditions and pay of third party Asian YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE workers seems to gather less - YOUR OPINION publicity than the suspending of www.euroweeklynews.com one photogenic tennis player.

FEATURE

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17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de AlmerĂa

EWN

Free lunch in Vera A FANTASTIC opportunity to get all the facts about life in Almeria THE team at Free Lunch Spain have now supplied essential information about life in Spain to more than 2,000 people. They have a 96 per cent satisfaction score from those who have attended for correctly answering all their questions. The experts from the five local companies are overwhelmed by the massive popularity of these events. As a result they are now expanding the number of seminars. This will be a fantastic opportunity to get all the facts about life in Almeria. Everybody who attends is able to ask the experts in various fields about how things work in Spain, which is a refresh-

ing change to the continued confusion that reigns here. Once again the highly respected UK and Spanish companies based in Spain are inviting all British, Irish and European nationals, spending time or living in Almeria, to a meeting for their questions regarding life here to be answered. Some of the topics that will be covered will be as follows:1. Savings 2. Wills â€“ A new law came into effect on August 17 2015 3. Pensions 4. Inheritance law and taxes in Spain

5. Currency exchange 6. Complex Spanish funeral system 7. Home security systems

lunch at Valle Del Este Hotel. The event begins at 12 noon on Monday March 21.

Experts from the five companies will also be providing professional advice on all these topics and answering all the questions. Everybody who wishes to attend the event can send their questions in advance and the answer will be provided at the meeting. How fantastic is that!! We could have all done with this type of event ages ago. Once all the questions have been answered then everybody will get a free

To register your question and to attend this unique event you can email freelunchspain@gmail.com with your name address and telephone number or call 966 799 070. Spaces are limited so I am off to register right now. The thing is I have about 10 questions that need answers. Apparently the experts will have an answer for each one! Great news.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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OPINION & COMMENT

Fame, faith and flossing - and demon dentists SURELY odontophobia has to be up there amongst the nastiest, cruellest phobias known to man Nora Johnson

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

YOU know how, some mornings, you wake up ready to take on the world, feeling invincible, immortal and potentially omniscient? Well, yesterday wasn’t one of them. There’s a short preface to this tale. I’ve always had a fear of dentists, odontophobia it’s called, a condition that hasn’t improved over the years. But yesterday, when a filling and I unexpectedly parted company, I had to bite the, err, bullet, and go and sit in that dreaded dentist’s chair. Now, phobias exist for almost anything. But odontophobia surely has to be up there amongst the nastiest, cruellest phobias known to man. I mean, let’s look at what you can expect: 1. There’s always an aquarium. To calm you.

MASKS: Do they even have faces behind them? Huh! All those goldfish swimming around with their eyes bulging out of their heads. Don’t they just look as if they’re silently screaming ‘I’m A Celebrity (Fish), Get Me Out Of Here!’ 2. The dental staff. Yes, all of them. Their teeth

are too pristine white. They need to join the rest of humanity and down some coffee or red wine occasionally. It’s unnatural. And unfair. 3. You sit in that uncomfortable chair and two sets of eyes peek at you from behind masks. Re-

mind you of a horror flick? The Chainsaw Massacre, maybe? I could never pick out any dental hygienist in a line-up. Do they even have faces behind those masks? 4. Tools: You know the, um, drill. One’s sucking saliva while the other drills, producing seven times the decibel level of the entire BA 747 fleet. Triffic! The dentist asks about your plans for Easter, if you’ve seen any good movies. Huh? Excuse me while I drool and try to work out how I’m supposed to talk? Any response sounds so trite and makes as much sense as asking Bruce Forsyth for his views on George Osborne’s budget. ‘Nuff said. I floss and I brush, but I do not enjoy the dentist’s. I legged it away from there with a face like curdled milk and faster than Banksy would to a freshly painted white wall. 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 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

LETTERS

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OPINION & COMMENT

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

Letters for Your Say should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments straight on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com

I was against it from the start Hi Leapy, YOU should have entitled your latest column in Euroweekly as ‘So much to say and nothing to say.’ The following is a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln: ‘Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt’ but hey ho ‘keep the faith.’ Frances, via email

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

He’s one of a kind

Quality recognised I LOOK forward to your comments and find myself in agreement with almost all of yours. As you rightly said we were trading throughout the world before the common market came into being, but having joined we were forced to give preferential treatment to those within the market casting aside long established trade. We then found that Australian Passport holders now needed visas to visit, and like-wise, ourselves to visit them. But regarding New Zealand lamb, I saw this in the Mercadona freezer section in Javea, so someone recognises quality! Tony from Alcalali

The best spinners I HAVE read your column since the start and spend about 12 weeks a year in Spain as a holidaymaker, but being of your age group plus a bit, I am fully retired. When you have folk here worrying about Brexit refer them to the Migration Watch website where they will find that they have acquired residential rights under the 1969 Vienna Convention and can’t be deported. Most of Cameron’s scaremongering is spin and some is from the best spinners, the British Civil Service. Clearly Brexit supporters have a lot to do against the odds and, as a trainer of negotiators, I know we could do better than Cameron did with the EU, and better than the EU has done with Turkey. The idea that the EU will not negotiate with us is nonsense. It will be a rich country that refuses us, not one in debt. The idea that all the other trading areas like ASEAN, NAFTA etc would just reject us is laughable, but then the EU is only 7 per cent or so of world trade, so the other 93 per cent may be of interest. Companies like

that she was not happy with the way the EU was going does not mean she supports a Brexit. Even many pro-EU campaigners are unhappy with several aspects of the union, which clearly need reform - but reform, not ‘abandoning.’ The very same paper with its ‘1 in 5 Muslims’ headline which was deliberately aimed at inciting hatred towards race and religious choice was rapped over the knuckles because the title and story were blatant lies. People read these rags and believe them and form judgements based upon them. Why are they allowed to print deliberately misleading and dangerous articles, or headlines which do not reflect the articles? Kally via the website

Dying out as a breed

AS you are aware, a single game of snooker is called a frame... Attached is a photo of our dog (owned by Gerry and Mary Cannon in Manilva). His name is Zodiac, and he is photographed in a frame playing snooker. Notice that he is eyeballing the red ball in line with the left hand side pocket! Gerry, via email

BMW threatening the UK have caveats with words like ‘might’ lose jobs and the media parrot the sensational bits. Dave from Essex

helped everyone enjoy themselves, and most of all the public who came along and supported us and raised such a fantastic amount. Thank you for your support in helping publicise this event this year, and in previous years. Debbie Benham, Secretary Welsh Society - Costa del Sol

Good news on St David’s Faith and Day feminism WE recently emailed you with details of the Welsh Society - Costa del Sol’s St David’s Day celebrations which were held a day early on February 29 at CJ’s Karaoke Bar in Benalmadena. I am writing to you now to let you know that the amount raised for the Cancer Charities (Positively Pink and Positively Blue, and AECC) was €1,700! We are absolutely thrilled with the amount, and would like to thank all the artistes who gave their time, the members who supplied the lovely food, and

WHILE I understand that Spain is a country steeped in religious tradition, it was with dismay that I read the EWN story on a council in the Costa Blanca celebrating International Women’s Day with what was clearly an outdated and insulting text, insinuating that women came from the rib of man. Of course I understand that religion gives many people hope in the darkness of night and a reason to wake up in the morning, but we must recognise that when it begins poisoning our soci-

ety it is time to step in. I remember learning in school about the incredible wonder of stigmata, being told that supernatural forces were at work among certain people, or about visions of the Virgin Mary. Imagine for a second a world where children were told the, far more interesting, truth that human psychology is such a powerful force that people can actually bleed or suffer epileptic attacks simply through the power of their mind. I am certain that such a world would be far superior to the superstitious mischief that still hurts women, and girls from Spain to Somalia. Jennifer from Marbella

The Sun vs the Palace HOW are these right-wing tabloids allowed to publish such glaring mistruths and inflammatory headlines? Journalists are expected to report the facts. The Queen stating five years ago

THE QUEEN should keep herself to herself, regardless of whether she made any pro-Brexit comments there really is little doubt as to her political sentiments. It is time we either did away with this anti-democratic feudal institution or simply use the family to trick wealthy Americans out of their money. For all the swivel eyed royalists out there, it’s time to face up to the fact that Her Majesty and her ilk are finished as an institution. There is a commoner in the bloodstream and the royal groupies are dying out as a breed. The scariest thing, however, is that there is still a tiny per centage of the population who believes that the German-Greek aristocrats really have Britain’s best interests at heart, despite being absolutely fine with living at the taxpayers expense on the basis of nothing but an accident of birth. The sooner we show the Windsors the door the better, oh and while we are at it, let’s do away with the backwards Church of England, with its superstitions and ignorance. It’s time to focus on education and bringing Britain into the 21st century. Alan from Denia

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:

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de AlmerĂa

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TV LISTING

THURSDAY 17 MARCH

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E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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OPINION & COMMENT

Legalising refugees... and me! I’M celebrating getting my residency renewed for the ninth time Ric Polansky Ric Polansky moved to Mojacar in 1969 as a pioneer developer. He reads extensively and has travelled in South America panning gold and looking for El Dorado.

I AM celebrating again with fine music. This time I am listening to Manuel de la Falla’s great ballet opera The Sombrero De Tres Picas. Now, what is it that I might be celebrating with classical Spanish music, nothing less than getting my residency renewed for the ninth time. I have written in earlier instalments the fact that I would much prefer to ‘French kiss’ a venomous snake than go to Almeria and get my papers renewed. The civil servants were surly and totally molested by having to give you assistance. And of course they regaled themselves in finding that one paper, however unimportant, that would put an immediate stop to your imprudence of residency in this country. Once started, they had your records, on the floor along with eight to 10 others and you were a marked man, sent

CIVIL SERVANTS: They couldn’t have been friendlier or more efficient, I was worried.

away with great relish to obtain that one errant photocopy or ‘certificado de penales’ from your place of birth, stating unequivocally you had not robbed a bank or committed any major criminal infraction upon the world.

Not with a lot of forethought, but they so beamingly expounded “it’s your problem not mine”. “But, but, I left there 20 years ago and grew up in another place.” “Not my problem.” The box had to be ticked even if a ficti-

tious document was substituted. Well, last week, I was ushered into a big hall seating 150 persons and full. Within minutes I was attended to and sorted out. A green elongated light served for putting my index finger for

prints and other high tech gadgets were used for photos and card information. They couldn’t have been friendlier or more efficient. Done, dusted, history. I was aghast. It just didn’t feel like Spain. The endless paper chase, the one last paper syndrome, the uncaring civil servants. It worried me. I reflected back. When I first arrived in the main hall it was almost segregated in that the Sub-Saharan Africans were all sitting together and the Moroccans on their side of the room. I enquired where they were from. They all said Senegal. Think of it, how enormous Africa is and only Senegalese come to Almeria. The Moroccans were from various towns but easily jammed the remaining space to be filled. Worst yet, I knew they all would get the residency permits in a few minutes and the room would fill up again and again. Spain has its own refugee crisis being legalised and guided as I am sure all those newcomers will be allowed to vote in the next elections both local and nationally. I suppose you can expect a socialist government for at least the next 50 years.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA

Word Ladder SOFT

TIME

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MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

Almería

for next 7 days

weather

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

TOMORROW

TODAY VELEZ RUBIO

HUERCAL OVERA

ALBOX

VELEZ RUBIO GARRUCHA ALBOX MOJACAR

SOFT SOOT FOOT FOOL FOWL BOWL

YOUR STARS

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) A fleeting meeting stirs feelings that you thought were dead. This could be good if it reminds you of how life can be, or bad if it makes you think of missed opportunities.

TARGET: • Average: 5 • Good: 6 • Very good: 9 • Excellent: 12

worms. Trying to get them back in could turn out to be very messy. We all open our mouth and put our foot in it sometime. However, overreacting won't help. You will need help with something this week.

agar amir aria carp cart crag cram girt gram grim grip grit marc mart pair para part pram prat prig prim raga ramp rapt rata tarp tram trap trig trim trip acari apart atria atrip carat carpi cigar cramp crimp maria prima raita tapir tiara tramp agaric amrita armpit impart tarmac tragic PRAGMATIC

ROQUETAS

Madrid

CLEAR

MAX 16C, MIN 11C

Fri Sat Sun -

16 11 C 17 11 C 17 11 Sh

Mon - 18 11 Sh Tues - 18 11 C Wed - 19 12 S

Almeria Fri Sat Sun -

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) The goat in you is keen to find pastures new. It isn't a nibble that is needed at the moment, but a feast. Accepting anything less would be a mistake because someone is watching your reaction to an offer. If you feel unsure of your worth, then ask a few trusted friends.

MAX 18C, MIN 12C

Fri Sat Sun -

15 11 C 16 12 C 16 12 Sh

S Sun,

Cl Clear,

Sh Showers,

10-Star Quiz

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

Saturday March 12

Friday March 11

Saturday March 12

Sunday March 13

15 27

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

21 40

26 43

LUCKY STARS

REINTEGRO

CLOUDY MAX 16C, MIN 6C MAX MIN

17 6 C 17 6 Cl 19 7 Cl

Mon - 18 8 Cl Tues - 16 8 Sh Wed - 16 8 Cl

12 24

22 53

REINTEGRO

CLEAR MAX 18C, MIN 11C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 16 12 Sh Tues - 16 12 Sh Wed - 17 12 S

IRISH LOTTO

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

UK THUNDERBALL

MAX MIN

Mon - 19 9 Sh Tues - 21 10 C Wed - 21 11 S

Murcia

SUNNY MAX 15C, MIN 11C

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

SUNNY MAX 22C, MIN 12C 18 12 C 17 9 Sh 19 9 C

MAX MIN

Mon - 17 11 C Tues - 17 10 C Wed - 17 11 S

16 9 C 17 9 S 17 11 C

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.

Fri Sat Sun TODAY:

MAX MIN

Sudoku

Mon - 16 5 C Tues - 16 4 Cl Wed - 16 4 S

Mallorca

SHOWERS MAX 13C, MIN 10C

MAX MIN

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Don't allow an open-ended offer to muddle your mind. There is no need for an immediate decision and this may be too soon for a positive move. A sense of urgency may be put down to practical reasons when, in fact, it is no such thing. A feeling of insecurity is more likely to be the trigger to uncertainty.

MAX MIN

15 6 C 15 6 Sh 16 6 Sh

MAX MIN

Benidorm TODAY:

Fri Sat Sun TODAY:

Mon - 17 11 C Tues - 18 11 C Wed - 18 12 Cl

17 12 C 18 11 C 17 11 Cl

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX 16C, MIN 4C

MAX MIN

Malaga

SUNNY

Barcelona TODAY:

CLEAR

TODAY:

MAX MIN

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) An intimate meeting is less exciting than anticipated. This should not bother you because time could yet change that. You need to be in the right place at the right time, so don't give up hope, just have a little patience. A change of plans will be more beneficial than irksome, at least in the longer term.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) A chance remark opens a can of

Alicante TODAY:

TODAY:

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Someone who is usually quite the opposite to you will surprise with an offer. Although you are naturally suspicious, give them the benefit of the doubt. Leopards do not change their spots but they are capable of behaving for the bigger good.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Are you feeling that you have been dealt a rough hand? Consider this: there are some who are not dealt a hand at all. Many are missing those few cards that mean they are never really in with a chance. Instead of lurking on the shady side, walk out into the sun. You will soon see the bright side.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

RETAMAR

ALMERIA

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) While counting your pennies, also count your blessings. Money can be a big problem or merely an irritation but the lack of it must be kept in perspective. You are right to think twice about accepting something that seems to be for nothing.

(February 20 - March 20)

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) Someone really has rattled your tree, but try to refrain from throwing coconuts on their head. It is much more effective to be charming and get them confused.

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

MOJACAR

ADRA

It is never too late to make a fresh start. Why not go on that painting holiday or stamp-collecting weekend? Pole dancing anyone?

Nonagram

ROQUETAS

‘DADDY - PATRICK’S BEEN AT THE FAIRY LIQUID AGAIN!’

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Get out in the fresh air as much as possible and be kind to your body. You may have neglected yourself because you have been such a busy bee of late. What about a trip to the seaside or a walk in the hills? Maybe a trip to the local cocktail bar is more your style! Whatever puts a spring in your step will be good.

GARRUCHA

LOTTERY

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Awkward situations usually bring out the best in you and this week proves that. In the longer term, you will be grateful to those making things difficult now.

RETAMAR

ADRA

Are things going swimmingly? Good. Maybe you had forgotten how to have real fun. Remember when you were a child? Life was so simple. Relax and be that child again. If some old fogey accuses you of being silly, feel sorry for them.

PICSES

HUERCAL OVERA

Fri Sat Sun -

F Fog, Sn Snow,

MAX MIN

18 9 C 19 9 C 19 10 Sh

Mon - 21 10 Sh Tues - 21 10 C Wed - 22 11 Cl

C Cloudy, Th Thunder

ST PATRICK’S DAY 1. Founded in 1936, what is the name of the national flag carrier airline of Ireland? 2. How many times has Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest? 3. Located in County Kerry, what are Carrauntoohil, Beenkeragh and Caher? 4. What was the Roman/Classical Latin name for the island of Ireland? 5. What was the title of the 1972 Wings’ single that was banned by the BBC, Radio Luxembourg and the Independent Television Authority? 6. Which Dublin-born professional golfer has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008? 7. Which famous racehorse was kidnapped from the Ballymany Stud, near The Curragh Racecourse in County Kildare by masked gunmen on February 8, 1983 and was never seen again? 8. Which is the largest and southernmost county in Ireland? 9. Who served as the seventh, and first female, president of Ireland from 1990 to 1997? 10. With which branch of the performing arts would you principally associate Dame Ninette de Valois, who was born near the town of Blessington, County Wicklow on June 6, 1898 and christened Edris Stannus? Answers 1. AER LINGUS, 2. SEVEN (1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996), 3. The highest PEAKS/MOUNTAINS in Ireland, 4. HIBERNIA, 5. GIVE IRELAND BACK TO THE IRISH, 6. PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON, 7. SHERGAR, 8. CORK, 9. MARY ROBINSON, 10. BALLET/DANCE

BOWL BACK

ALMERIA

OUT

www.euroweeklynews.com

17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

page

AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

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

Quick

Code Breaker

Across 1 Serpents (6) 4 Red or green fruits (6) 9 Keen (5) 10 Depository (7) 11 Slide (4) 12 Cellar (8) 13 Deceitful (5) 15 Fox’s tail (5) 18 Cherished desire (8) 21 Containers (4) 24 Real (7) 25 Apart from (5) 26 Leave a post voluntarily (6) 27 Association of teams (6) Down 1 Outbuildings (5) 2 Irritatedly (7) 3 Gain income (4) 5 Early settler (7) 6 Depart (5) 7 Candies (6) 8 Largest continent (4)

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Crossword

EWN

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 2 represents J and 14 represents H, so fill in J every time the figure 2 appears and H every time the figure 14 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC Across: 1 Lesson, 4 Habits, 9 Glade, 10 Anemone, 11 Operates, 12 Ease, 14 Stable, 16 Census, 19 Scat, 20 Valencia, 23 Agitate, 24 Apart, 25 Seemed, 26 Better. Down: 1 Legions, 2 Scale, 3 Operable, 5 Aden, 6 Isobars, 7 Suede, 8 Cameo, 13 Generate, 15 Avarice, 17 Scatter, 18 Camel, 19 Snaps, 21 Craft, 22 Mate.

QUICK Across:

12/15 Famous London clock tower and bell (3,3) 14 Not any thing (7) 15 See 12 16 Apportioning (7)

English - Spanish

17 Peril (6) 19 Stoops (5) 20 Do what one is told (4) 22 View (5) 23 Sport of any kind (4)

Down: 1 Shrine, 2 Urns, 3 Floors, 4 Prayer, 5 Rule, 6 Doctor, 7 Energetic, 8 Exchanged, 11 Crack, 12 Lifts, 15 Slower, 16 Helped, 17 Spread, 18 Shouts, 21 Toys, 22 Here.

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

Across 1 Vapor (de agua) (5) 4 Cangrejos (de mar) (5) 7 To be born (5) 8 Cream (for face, shoes etc) (5) 9 Hielo (3) 10 Gota (de líquido) (4) 11 Route (4) 13 Gold (metal, commodity, currency) (3) 15 Carreteras (5) 16 Long (dress, hair) (5) 17 Proyectos (5) 18 Sleep (5)

ENGLISH-SPANISH Across:

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

1 Throat, 3 Knot, 7 Yes, 9 Delgado, 10 Tenedores, 13 Cosecha, 14 Tia, 15 Tuna, 16 Harina. Down: 1 Toys, 2 Audience, 4 Nearest, 5 Tool, 6 Almohada, 8 Stepson, 11 Scot, 12 Taza.

Down 1 Arena (tierra) (4) 2 Scarlet (9) 3 Butterflies (insects) (9) 4 Saucepans (9) 5 To have a shave (9) 6 Cicatriz (4) 12 Trampa (para cazar) (4) 14 Well (for water) (4)

Hexagram

1 Scruff, 4 Parted, 7 Enjoyable, 9 Inns, 10 Exit, 11 Cruel, 13 Errors, 14 Richer, 15 Speech, 17 Stings, 19 Keeps, 20 Omit, 22 Hero, 23 Completed, 24 Raised, 25 Dreams.

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

CARTEL DESIRE DUPLEX JUMBLE MANTIS (10) METEOR NEEDLE NUANCE ORACLE PIGEON

RABIES RELATE RENTAL SEXTON STRING TELLER TIMBRE TWENTY VALUED

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Cheery 2 Diaper 3 Gyrate 4 Cactus 5 Detent 6 Corral 7 Italic 8 Linear 9 Titian 10 Annual 11 Loaves 12 Allied 13 Bluish 14 Pander 15 Menial 16 Behest 17 Entire 18 Member 19 Teethe

Across 1 Stands up to corrupt sisters (7) 4 Obscure second class king (5) 7 Vessel from Riga or Tallin (5) 9 Ring around after tea is a disappointment (7) 10 Stark true sea setting (7) 11 A lighter shove (5) 12 Needs rebuilding, being compact (5) 14 Started back in the drainage business (5) 19 Exchange employment (5) 21 Credit a score (7) 23 Daft ideas to get hangers-on (7) 24 Ham in Home Counties is a disgrace (5) 25 Vegetable discovered in packages we delivered (5) 26 Doubt American party leader is in a religious cult (7) Down 1 President George in new arena (6) 2 Pole is put at risk (5) 3 Small bag of cash excited alien (6)

4 Wander after a bighead to the prickly shrub (7) 5 Cyber-terrorist admits slip-up (5) 6 A flipping tenner for curdle milk (6) 8 Is roe is cooked for her? (5) 13 Let sire become unprofitable (7) 15 Girl from German-Italian background (5)

16 Figures losing key reputation (6) 17 Services for the general public (6) 18 Take off rested replacement (6) 20 Saw a US Democrat grow old (5) 22 Scots change prices (5)

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

Why is everything so expensive? Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man WHY is everything so expensive these days? I saw a book the other day called ‘How to find happiness without money’- it cost €20! I have grey hair and was advised to use a special shampoo. I looked it up online and it was £30 a bottle. Are they mad? My first mortgage was less than that a month and I struggled to pay that! Of course you don’t have to pay that much. You can go down the supermarket and get a bottle for a couple of euros but I think there is just a big keg somewhere and they use the same stuff for shampoo, body wash, dishwashing, carpet cleaning, car wash and flea shampoo for dogs! I was in the airport the other day and had a cheese and tomato baguette which is just a poncey name for a big roll. It was £6.50! I’ve seen more cheese on a mouse trap, and the slice of tomato looked like it had been shaved off and was cleverly hanging out the side to make it look full. And £3 for a bottle of wa-

ter! It’s just a liberty. I remember years ago I was in Dallas and wanted to go out for a steak, so I asked the concierge where a good place to go was. “Do you want a $50 steak or a $100 steak?” he asked. “What’s the difference?” I enquired. “$50,” he said, “the steak’s the same but one place has carpet on the floor the other sawdust.” We went with the sawdust! Get my point? It’s the same here in Spain. I went to a restaurant with some mates and was told it was nouveau cuisine. Not having a clue what that meant at the time, as this was a few years ago, I ordered something with prawns as a starter and up came a lettuce leaf with a prawn on it. I treated it a bit like testing the wine. By the time the waiter had served the other three people I looked up and said, “Very nice, I’ll have a whole portion please.” “That was a whole portion sir.” “Err, no I don’t think so and definitely not at €25 a pop.” Needless to say it went downhill from there. The bill came, it was a few hundred euros and I was starving. I told them, in no uncertain terms what I thought, and told them there was no way their place would last. Sure enough three months later it was gone and now is a very successful ‘eat as much as you can’ wok place. Banged out every night!

www.euroweeklynews.com

OPINION & COMMENT

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Poor conditions TIPS for safe driving in bad weather 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.

AQUAPLANING: Avoid the risks. WEATHER conditions across Spain have taken a turn for the worse in the last week or so with high winds, rain, cooler temperatures and snow fall on high ground. Weather conditions pose the biggest risk to road users, partly due to the inexperience and lack of preparedness by drivers, and partly due to the changing dynamics of the road and driving environment, so the N-332 team have prepared their top tips for safe driving: Slow down It might seem like the most obvious thing to say, but all too often it is advice that is ignored. Speed and adverse weather is a deadly combination. When the road is wet, your vehicle’s tyres cannot grip the road as much as in normal, dry conditions. Cornering and braking are all affected by water on the road, reducing grip and increasing stopping distances considerably, therefore, slowing down allows more time to adapt and deal with the situation. Ease off the accelerator a little and you will see the difference immediately. Avoid violent movements or sharp braking Sudden braking, acceleration or harsh movements of the steering wheel may result

in loss of vehicle control. If the operations are carried out progressively, smoothly and slowly, it also gives other drivers time to react. Avoid driving on road markings Road markings including lane lines, crossings and markers provide less grip than the road surface and can therefore increase braking distances. Riders on two wheels should be particularly aware of this problem. Be seen During rain or reduced visibility make sure you have your lights on. Daytime running lights may not be sufficient, especially during reduced visibility where headlights must be used. The timely use of indicators, including brake lights, is crucial to give other road users advanced warnings of your intentions. Avoid aquaplaning risks Keep a sharp lookout for puddles and pools of water which may reduce the grip of your tyres on the road even more, potentially creating a liquid barrier between the tyre and road surface, commonly referred to as aquaplaning. Don’t carry out any sudden movements to avoid these puddles, slow down, hold the steering wheel firmly and try to keep your vehicle on a straight and level course.

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

Do we owe tax in two countries? WE have been residents in Spain for 14 years and have recently sold a property in the UK. This property was buy-tolet, with taxes paid on the rental income in the UK. We also pay taxes in Spain on income ‘Resident in Spain’ means that you are liable for Spanish tax on your worldwide income. Yes, you must declare your property sale in Spain as well as in the UK. If you have already paid

generated here. There is a capital gain of £50,000 on the rental property we sold, and CGT will have to be paid on this in the UK. Do we also need to declare this gain to Hacienda? We do not want to be liable for double taxation.

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

Capital Gains Tax in the UK, you can deduct this when you make your Span-

ish declaration You should have declared the rental income in Spain as well. If you owned the property last year, you should have filed a Form 720 in Spain, listing your assets outside the country.

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

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

Advertising feature

Liberty Seguros Insurance are the expats no.1 choice OFFER a professional service at a sensible price OF the many thousands of expatriates living either temporarily or permanently in Spain, Liberty Seguros is the favourite of many who are seeking professional insurance at a sensible price. Currently, Liberty Seguros have around 175,000 expatriate clients just like you, serviced by over 300 brokers and agents who speak your language. It’s so pleasant to have a face-to-face chat with a dedicated expert about all your insurance needs, rather than

an impersonal chat over the telephone with someone you’ll probably never meet. As Ivan Ortego, Expatriate’s Experience Director at Liberty Seguros explains: “We endeavour to provide the best insurance at the best price, so our customers are covered for as many eventualities as possible. “Like every insurer, there is some small print as the saying goes, but we like to keep this to a bare minimum to ensure our customers have not had the ‘wool

pulled over their eyes’ so to speak, and to be as transparent as possible. “Our brokers/agents can explain this type of detail at the time of contracting the policy in their offices.” Liberty Seguros not only covers your main insurance needs for car and home, but also provides life cover, marine, commercial (office and industrial), pet, leisure, like golf and other pastimes and sports, personal and public liability too. Their advertising cam-

paign sums up their philosophy: Better care, better cover, better insurance from the market leader. To contract insurance from Liberty Seguros, you can telephone 902 255 258 for an instant quote and the name of your nearest broker/agent or visit www.lib ertyexpatriates.es. Alternatively, if you know where your nearest broker is, go along and be sure of a great reception and all the help you need.

FEATURE

HEALTH BEAUTY

Costa de Almería

17 - 23 March 2016

TO READ MORE

COME on, it doesn’t take long to complete these simple exercises, in or out of the gym

FitFoxy Looking Good, Staying Trim

the top of the movement. This way the core is dealing with the weight of the legs and avoiding the doming look of the abdominals that crunches create. You want to create a ‘flat’ abdominal look right? - Standing Alternating Knee Rais-

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Find out how to achieve the best results when and when not training

BEAUTIFULLY sculpted abs are not only made in the gym - diet is also everything. If you are still consuming too many calories, the sculpted torso you were hoping to create is probably buried under too much stomach fat to be visible. Think about incorporating different core exercises into your session. - Flat Ab Lifts: if I do any mat abdominal work, it normally involves straight legs/feet to the floor raising them up alternatively, one at a time under control, slowly to meet your shoulders, guided by your hand at

EWN

es: stand facing the mirror, balance and raise your left knee up to your chest and then out to the side, without it dropping down. Alternate with the other leg and repeat for 30-40 reps. - Core Rotations: one of my

favourites. Facing the mirror, hold an appropriate weight in front of you with bent arms. Place it over your head making a halo shape, bring it back to the front and repeat slowly and under control. Keep your hips facing the mirror and your knees slightly soft to protect your back. Repeat in the other direction. - Four Way Plank: There had to be one in there somewhere! Supported by your elbows, ensure you are in a perfect plank position, alternate right and left knee to elbow in a slow controlled movement for 30 repetitions, rotate onto your right side, hold for 30 seconds, now raise onto your hands with straight arms, rotate until your chest is to the ceiling and your finger tips face forward, hold for 30 seconds on both sides and repeat again.

Make-up dangers in your bag CHEMICALS found in certain make-up products, shampoos and lotions could disrupt hormone levels in teenage girls. Scientists have warned that this increases the risks of cancer and other illnesses later in life. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, (USA) focused their study on teenage girls. For three days, the study’s 100 teenage participants stopped using their regular cosmetics and were provided with others labelled free of chemicals, including phthalates, parabens, triclosan and oxybenzone; all chemicals thought to affect changes of hormone levels within young women. After three days without their regular health and beauty products, dangerous chemical levels dropped by 45 per cent.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

More young people needing support THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the increase in the number of young people being prescribed antidepressants is ‘concerning.’ Research has shown the number of children being given the drugs increased by more than 50 per cent between 2005 and 2012. Usage in Britain fell in 2004 following a warning that antidepressants could lead to suicidal behaviour in young people. Now a study suggests there has been a resurgence. The study looked at antidepressant use in children and teenagers from at least five western countries. It showed a 54 per cent increase in the number of young adults prescribed antidepressants in the UK, 49 per cent in Germany and 26 per cent in the US. Doctors have blamed the waiting lists for psychological therapies, drugs sometimes being the only option GPs have available to help and support patients.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ask The Doctor

The problem of shaky hands

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. Dear Doctor, For a while now I’ve noticed my hands are shaking quite a lot and am worried. I’m a 62-year-old woman and I had never had this problem before. Why could it be? There are many possible causes of shaky hands including from vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies, joint or nerve problems, depression or anxiety, etc. It’s hard to pinpoint a cause as many illnesses can cause your hands to shake. Could it be something serious? That depends on the cause but it could be a sign of something serious, therefore it should be checked out, especially if other symptoms appear which could help pinpoint the cause. Should I see my doctor, or is it just a normal part of aging? You should see your doctor, who should give you a

Health Food Shop & Community Centre Are you looking for inspiration? You’ll be surprised at the range of natural & organic products available to inspire you.

In the Community Centre Kids Karate, kids Gymnastics Art classes, Pilates, Yoga, Tai-Chi, Salsa-size Spanish lessons and health screening

C/Malaga s/n, Albox, Almeria, Tel: 639 089 170 Mon-Fri 10am-6pm Sat 10am-2pm email: alboxgirasol@hotmail.com

Brought to you by

complete check-up including blood tests and, depending on other symptoms and how your condition progresses may decide further tests are necessary to make a diagnosis. Is there anything I can do to improve it myself? That will depend on the cause. Generally it is due to a vitamin or iron deficiency, meaning usually a correct diet and supplements can help improve the problem. However sometimes it can be more complicated. Will I need medication? This also depends on the underlying cause. Some illnesses which cause shaky hands require medication to help reduce or eliminate this and other symptoms.

If you have any questions for Dr Perez Belmonte, please send them to: jefemedico@helicopterossanitarios.com 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.

E W N Costa de AlmerĂa

17 - 23 March 2016

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TO READ MORE

SCENE

OCIAL

Flamenco show heats up the night FRANCESCA is hosting workshops for people who want to learn more about the art and will include a dancing display By Adele Land THE temperature on a chilly Mojacar night heated up with a sizzling display of passion by local flamenco star Francesca Girone. The venue was restaurant Reina Mora and every table was full with people having booked well in advance for the show. Known as La Gitana Inglesa (The English Gypsy) Francesca has become a local favourite and is making her mark on the

fiercely competitive Flamenco world. Accompanying her were regular singer and percussionist Edu Garcia and on guitar Edu el Socio. Making his debut with the group was dancer Daniel de los Ramones who thrilled the audience with his spectacular display of flashing footwork. Star of the show, Francesca, was splendid in a dove grey dress, lavishly layered with lace. The atmosphere was thick with red hot tension with the

TINY DANCER: Young member joined the group.

passion of the dance and the haunting music and vocals. A young member of the audience had a special treat as she was invited to join the performers on stage for the final dance. Francesca is hosting workshops for people who want to learn more about the art. The events will take place at restaurant Il Forno di Roma in Vera, starting on March 31. The workshops which include a dancing display are by booking only, places can be reserved by calling 687 480 694.

A fantastic Flamenco event is also scheduled for Friday May 13 at the Artisan, multi-use centre in Mojacar. The show follows a sold-out event which took place at the end of last year and stars dancers from four generations of the same family. Tickets are on sale at â‚Ź10 and can be purchased at the newspaper kiosk in the Parque Comercial Mojacar, Il Forno di Roma in Vera, the Mojacar tourist office and the estanco in Turre.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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SOCIAL SCENE

Lady bowlers and guests enjoy lunch ORGANISERS were thrilled with the amount raised for local charities THE Bella Vista Restaurant in Mojacar was packed with 98 lady bowlers, and honoured guests, from Almeria, Indalo, Cabrera and Mojacar Bowls Clubs for the annual charity lunch which was the finale of three charity matches that had been played over the course of two weeks at Indalo and Almeria. The men even got involved, apart from driving their wives home, raising some much appreciated cash at their alternative lunch on the same day. The organisers Christine Ivin, from Indalo, and Jackie Mayhew, from Cabrera, were absolutely thrilled with the total of €1,590 raised and thanked everyone who had competed in the matches, attended the lunch, brought donations for the substantial raffle and bought tickets for the prizes.

WINE TASTING: The group at the Valle de Laujar bodega.

Dames celebrate Women’s Day By Adele Land

ANNUAL EVENT: Ladies enjoying lunch and a chat. Money raised would primarily be sent to Owls Children’s Home in Arboleas and ASIDDAS Children’s Special Needs

Unit in Los Gallardos with MACS and PAWS also receiving a donation. Special thanks were given to

Christine and Jackie for their wonderful organisation of the event which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The Fat Lizards rocking THE Fat Lizard band will be rocking the house again at the celebration afternoon for the reopening of the Ankara beach bar on Saturday March 19. This latest gig comes just a couple weeks afte r th e p ac k ed o u t eve nt a t Pura Vida where fans in their droves turned out to see the guys.

The band will play all the usual favourites from various groups including The Rolling Stones, Cream, David Bowie and other rock classics. The music starts at 4pm. Keeping themselves busy, the band will play the next day at Miraflores, Camping Los Gallardos.

DAMES IN TURRE celebrated International Women’s Day with a visit to the Alpujaras. The first stop was in the village of Canyajar with a coffee break and a steady walk through the village taking in the beautiful views with a chance to take photographs of the snow on the mountains. Next destination was the Bodegas Valle de Laujar, here the group had the chance to sample and purchase the organic wines which they produce, plus sweets, cheeses and preserves. The last stop was the Hotel Almirez where the group enjoyed a delightful four-course meal with plenty of house wine followed by coffee. Everyone had a fun day with plenty of laughter and gorgeous sunny weather. Thanks once again to Lesley Barlow and Sylvia Baker for organising this lovely trip and Marco the fabulous driver.

E W N 17 - 23 March 2016 / Costa de Almería

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NEWS Wikimedia commons

PLAYA DE MONSUL: A lifeguard presence has been requested.

Far too many drownings GROUP frustrated at lack of resources By Antonio Melgar MORE than 500 people have joined the Facebook group ‘Stop Ahogados en las Playas de Almeria’ (Stop Drowning Deaths on Almeria Beaches). The group has been created with the objective of demanding more measures to prevent people from drowning at the beaches of the province. In 2015, 12 people drowned in the waters of Almeria beaches. Most of the incidents occurred in the Cabo de Gata area. Given this dramatic situa-

tion, many people have begun to petition for a greater lifeguarding presence in the area, so that this service would be available at beaches outside of the city, including Cala del Plomo, La Isleta, Genoveses, and Monsul. Members of the drowning prevention group recently had a meeting with representatives from the Junta de Andalucia regional government. Although many people reportedly volunteered to be lifeguards in the Cabo de Gata area last year, the meeting seems to have indicat-

ed that there are no new resources expected for the upcoming summer season. Members of the Facebook group have expressed frustration with the situation. They claimed that last year, an agreement was reached between the Junta and the Nijar Council to launch a safety campaign for the beaches of the Cabo de Gata-Nijar area. Despite this, Junta representative Garcia Fernandez told members of the Facebook group that no such safety measures will be forthcoming.

Say cheese and smile A NEW speed-tracking camera has been installed on the A-7 motorway. The camera will be located at kilometre 437, just before the entrance to Almeria City by way of the port. This device brings the number of speedtracking cameras in Almeria Province up to 12.

All of the cameras are located in areas where many accidents are registered due to speeding. Speeding is the main reason that drivers in the province are penalised, with 110 cars on average caught exceeding the speed limit every day, and three out of five accidents occurring due to speeding.

Three Algerians intercepted in Almeria THE Guardia Civil has intercepted a dinghy that was carrying three Algerian migrants to the Cabo de Gata-Nijar coast, in Almeria. A representative of the Spanish Government in Almeria reported that the dinghy was spotted on March 14, nine miles away from the southeast of the Cabo de Gata coast. Guardia Civil Officers intercepted the boat at around 9pm in a spot near Cala Higuera, where they found the three Algerians in good health.

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

New mayor’s manifesto NEWLY elected Albox mayor, Sonia Cerdan has pledged to make Albox “a better place for everyone to live.” In an interview with Spanish newspaper, La Voz de Almeria, Cerdan said she wanted her administration to help improve the lives of all residents irrespective of their political leanings. The town’s first female leader also said her door was always open to listen to proposals from the opposition parties. Cerdan was voted into office following the belated resignation of former mayor Rogelio Mena who was forced to step down after months of protesting his innocence against corruption charges. Priorities for the new mayor include driving the growth of the municipality, providing more cycle lanes and pavements and offering security to residents who own illegally built houses.

Albox arson attacks FIREFIGHTERS in Albox are investigating a string of possible arson attacks in the town. The fire service was called to three fires last weekend, all in the same area. Two of the fires occurred in the Llano de los Olleres and the other near the bridge on Avenida America. Witnesses described seeing a person start the third fire and a spokesperson for the fire service said there were possibly two people involved.

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ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

Twisting and tur Albox gymnastic

GIRLS GYMNASTICS: Different age categories.

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

rning in cs event By Adele Land ALBOX is set to become the rhythmic gymnastics capital of the province. The town will host a gala on Saturday March 19 which will bring together more than 800 participants from across the province. Gymnasts from 35 municipalities and 40 clubs will converge on the town to take part in the marathon event which starts at 10am, running until 9pm at the municipal pavilion. Albox has 60 competitors entered in the competition which was organised by the Levante Gymnastic Club and Albox Council. The competition is split into different age categories throughout the day and includes a special display by local girls Tallulah May Banford and Andrea Urs. Mayor Sonia Cerdan wished the competitors the very best of luck and invited people from throughout the province to enjoy the event.

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ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

Foot on the gas in Albox ALBOX residents and businesses should soon see a reduction in their energy bills with the arrival of natural gas to the town. Gas supplier, Redexis, has reached an agreement with the Junta de Andalucia regional government to provide natural gas, fed through some 180 kilometres of pipes throughout the Almanzora valley. The company already provides gas to the town of Huercal-Overa and there are plans to expand further across the province. The €6.5 billion project is expected to create some 50 jobs and will supply gas to around 12,000 residents. The first areas to be included in the scheme are Avenida Lepanto, Avenida America and the area between the Virgen del Saliente and Velazquez school and the Residencia Nuestra Señora Del Saliente.

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V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E W W W . E U R O W E E K LY N E W S . C O M

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rooms and there is also a separate family shower room. The private east facing patio is situated just off the lounge and provides access to the upper level. An enclosed staircase leads up to the summer room which can easily be used as a third bedroom. From there you can go out onto the roof solarium which boasts fantastic mountain views and is the perfect place to entertain friends and get the BBQ roaring. Community fees are €74.56 per month. * Coastal property

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The Brits are back! UK buyers now represent the biggest foreign property buyers John Graham The property expert

IT’S official! Brits are the Number One foreign property buyers in Spain! I’m sitting on the cafe terrace in the marina, writing this week’s article for Euro Weekly News, the morning sun is bouncing off the blue Mediterranean Sea as boats come and go. As I drink my coffee two couples sitting at the next table are chatting away in English about how wonderful it would be to own a holiday home in the area and how affordable the prices are compared to property prices back home in London. I have arranged to meet my Architect and construction associates for a coffee later on this morning to discuss the specifications of the new luxury villas that we will be building for a UK investor. I’m surrounded by well-off Brits in the marina cafe talking about buying a place

in the sun and I am meeting my associates to discuss building luxury villas for a UK property investor, who also wants the retail side of my company to sell the villas to buyers in the UK. You may be thinking that this is all a bit of a coincidence, are there more UK property buyers coming to Spain than in previous years and if so, is it the same story for other nationalities, the answer might surprise you. The Brits are back! The fact is that UK buyers now represent the biggest foreign property buyers in Spain and dominate the market, so let’s take a look at the official statistics. Property sales to UK buyers increased by around an incredible 81 per cent last year compared to 2014 sales figures. Foreigners bought around 46,000 properties in Spain last year and as a percentage of foreign property buyers, UK buyers represent 24 per cent followed by French buyers at 9 per cent, German buyers 7 per cent with buyers from Sweden 6 per cent and Norway 3 per cent.

The big surprise is how the Russian demand for property has dropped dramatically in Spain. Last year property sales by Russians were down by a staggering 43 per cent, caused in part by the serious domestic economic problems, the drop in the value of the Ruble and strict controls on the movement of money. Unfortunately the trend will continue to fall in 2016. Now you know it’s not a coincidence, don’t be surprised when you’re sitting in a cafe and you overhear UK buyers talking at the next table about their new home in Spain. The Brits are back! My associates have now arrived so I must leave you now and get back to work and I look forward to writing something interesting for you in next week’s edition. If you are selling your property, we have UK buyers and if you are looking to buy property we have an excellent selection for you. Contact John Graham Fellow of The Architecture & Surveyors Institute Email me at gk.ipad@me.com

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Get back in the garden Dick Handscombe

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

THIS winter has been amazing. Hardly any rain or cold winds to burn succulent flowers, so plenty of sunny days to work, siesta, eat and entertain friends. Yesterday was the anniversary of the devastating frosts and freezing winds of March 5 in

2005, when gardens suffered from the Pyrenees to Gibraltar. Our pond froze for 10 days and many local orange groves and 1,000- year-old olive trees were wiped out, where the wind-chill factor was reported as minus 40 degrees centigrade one night. It is now time to get out or draw back the glass panels of the covered terrace to enjoy the unpolluted air and hear the bird song and croaking of frogs, both of which started early this year, the tadpoles being at least a month old already. If you are interested in knowing what other natural vitamins or vitamin boosters lurk in your garden, or could do with spring plantings, get a copy of ‘Living well from our garden Mediterranean style’ from Amazon or The Book Depository. © Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com

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Eating chocolate is a danger to dogs

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Isco and Lilo love company Housesitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and petsitting and the experience and checked sitters get free accommodation! To find a pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on +44 (0)1865521508

THEY 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

CHOCOLATE made for human consumption can cause death in dogs. Dogs are sensitive to a class of chemicals called methylxanthines. Caffeine and theobromine 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 a number of times and instead of getting rid of the substances, the dog keeps poisoning itself. There are many formulations of

SYMPTOMS: Include vomiting, hyperactivity and restlessness. chocolate with varying amounts of caffeine and theobromine. The lethal dose of sweet milk chocolate for a dog is two oz per kg of bodyweight. For a five kg dog this would be about 280 grams. A lethal dose of milk chocolate for a 25 kg would be about 1.4 kgs. Dark chocolate is at least 10 times as lethal. A 25 kg dog could die from the methylxanthines in just 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 follow. In my opinion 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.

ISCO AND LILO: Are happy with a house-sitter. WHEN Marie leaves home in Marbella for a holiday abroad or a work trip, she always worries about Isco and Lilo, her pet chihuahuas. Even though they have each other for company, they obviously miss her whenever she goes away. They are much happier with a house-sitter living with them to care for and cherish them while sheâ€™s not there. She has tried alternative pet care arrangements but historically the dogs tend to stop eating and become sorrowful. It takes them a few days to pick up and get back to their chirpy

selves even after her return. A friend recently introduced her to HouseSitMatch and one of the regular sitters in that network. Now, Marie plans to use house-sitters each time she goes away. She has peace of mind knowing the dogs have an experienced and constant companion, and they can stay at home where they feel safe and routines can stay unchanged. The house-sitter lives with the dogs in their own home so they have constant care and companionship.

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Labradors are the most popular again

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Keeping creepy crawlies as pets Credit Cindy Jenkins / Shutterstock

THEY have fascinating habits

LABRADORS: Took the number one spot for the 25th year in a row. AN American study has revealed what Labrador Retriever owners have known for a long time, namely that they are top dogs! For the 25th year in a row the intelligent, family-friendly breed took the number one spot in a list of the most popular breeds drawn up each year by the American Kennel Club (AKC), the country’s largest purebred dog registry. Labs hold the record for the longest reign as America’s favourite breed in the history of the AKC list. Yet there could be a battle soon as the French Bulldog seems to be planning a takeover, having jumped three spots to sixth place in 2015. “The versatile, loveable Lab has firmly

planted its paw print in AKC’s history, celebrating a quarter of a century as America’s most popular dog, but keep your eye on the French Bulldog. The Frenchie has risen 32 spots over the past decade and shows no signs of stopping,” said AKC Vice President Gina DiNardo. Second place on the 2015 list went to the German Shepherd, with Golden Retrievers in third place followed by Bulldogs in fourth and Beagles in fifth. Yorkshire Terriers, which held sixth place in 2014, were knocked down a slot by French Bulldogs. Poodles also dropped a place to eighth, Rottweilers meanwhile move up to ninth from 10th in 2014, and Boxers fell from eighth place in 2014 to 10th place.

Increasingly stylised breeds IT has been said that the dog is man’s best friend. If true then many dogs across Spain and Europe have been betrayed. Not necessarily in an act of direct cruelty but in a relatively new fashion for increasingly stylised breeds. Hundreds of years of intensive breeding have created breeds of dogs with excessive deformities and ongoing health issues. In order to achieve the perfect accessory humans have se-

lected particular traits and after years of breeding accentuated these purely for fashion. Excess folds of skin, no snouts, ludicrously long ears. These intensive breeding programmes, which are slowly mutating and disfiguring pets beyond all recognition, have caused some breeds atrocious pain. Health issues can be anything from hip dysplasia, which causes chronic suffering, impaired immune function and

loss of resistance to fatal diseases like cancer. Nowadays, many breeds are highly inbred and express an extraordinary variety of genetic defects. Unsuspecting owners can be hit with endless vet bills and the agony of watching beloved pets suffer unnecessarily. Now with the ever-advancing world of science at our fingertips, gene sequencing and cloning in pet dogs is becoming more commonplace.

PET TARANTULAS: Are very popular. By Emily Chettle MOST people think about adding to their family with the addition of a fluffy kitten or dog. Spiders are not usually considered a valid option of pet. However they have fascinating habits including home-making and hunting behaviours. They are also silent so won’t disturb your neighbours or wake you up in the night. Spiders are one of the cheapest pets on the market. While you could invest hundreds of euros in a rare tarantula with special housing and food needs, other spiders cost very little. You can buy them or capture them just about anywhere. Most spiders, including tarantulas, eat one to two crickets per week. As low-maintenance as spiders are, you still

need to research the needs of the species you’re keeping. For example, spiders you catch in or around your house don’t have the same heat and humidity requirements as tarantulas from tropical climates. Enjoy watching web building, burrowing, hunting and other activities. Different species create different webs and display a varied collection of behaviour. Spiders excel at squeezing into, and out through, tiny cracks. When you give your spider food or water, pay close attention to your pet, many species move extremely quickly and will take the chance to race up your arm to escape. Most experts advise against handling spiders as some species are very delicate and can be injured or killed easily.

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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 e-mail us: Tel: (0034) 651 033 670 or (0034) 637 066 227. Email: info@pet-couriers.com or www.pet-couriers.com (243861) THE FIVE BONE HOTEL, TURRE. Still at 2010 prices! Cats 5€, Big dogs 7.25€, med dogs 6.50€, little dogs 5.75€, per day. 630 234 556 / the5bonehotelturre@ gmail.com (237845) THE FIVE BONE HOTEL TURRE dog grooming salon is getting very busy. Anita asks all clients to please book well in advance to avoid disappointment 662 344 734 or the5bonehotel turre@gmail.com (237845)

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Motoring shorts

A classic touch up AN age suit has been developed by an innovative insurance company with the purpose of demonstrating to younger generations just what it is like trying to get behind the wheel with a variety of different ailments. Weights are tied to the hands and feet, fingers tightened with velcro, the neck and legs braced, a large fake stomach planted and shoulders tied to the waist to prevent the wearer standing up straight. Now imagine yourself turning to look out the rear mirror, adjusting quickly to an emergency, or trying to escape from an accident. Whether gimmicky or not, the age suit does serve a purpose in vividly illustrating the problems faced. The idea behind the suit is encouraging aging drivers to give up the habit before it’s too late and they’re involved in an accident due to wear and tear.

Clarkson Quote of theWeek

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“Hollywood movies are designed for 15-year-old youths from North Dakota who, intellectually speaking, are on equal terms with a British zoo animal.”

Some might say...

Dreams of electric sheep MAY soon make financial sense By Matthew Elliott DESPITE international pressure to clamp down on air pollution and carbon emissions, electric cars have remained something of an unfulfilled promise much like hoverboards in the 1970s. Although we’ve been hearing these reports for what seems like ages, it does now look as though electric cars may soon make financial sense for the average consumer outside Hollywood and Bangkok traffic jams. A new report issued by Bloomberg New Energy Finance indicates that, as efficiency increases and battery prices drop dramatically, electric cars will be cheaper to own

and run than their petrol counterparts by as early as 2022. The news indicates a coming wave for an industry that has long remained dormant due to technological and market hurdles. At present roughly 1 per cent of new cars sold are electric but this is accounted for largely by battery price and strength. Forecasts for battery prices, the length of time they can run, and world gasoline prices, all indicate that the internal combustion engine will be an ineffectual and costly means of individual transport in the next decade or so.

CHEAPER: By 2022. Various governments are already ploughing resources into electric infrastructure, including public charging points,

with the UK setting itself a lofty target of the majority of new car sales being electric by 2030.

As prices continue to fall, however, consumers likely won’t need any extra encouragement.

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Porsche 911 R and new Macan debut NEVER one to shy away from publicity, a fool’s errand given their stellar reputation , Po r sc h e wi l l b e stealing the limelight once again as it debuts three cars on the North American circuit.

First up will be the 911 R, described as a pure, unadulte ra te d d riv in g mac h in e , which features a naturallyaspirated, 500 horsepower engine mounted in the rear. N ex t u p is th e 718 Boxster, which boasts ex-

te ns ive c ha s s is e nha nc e ments and an all-new turboc ha rge d, mid-mounte d flat four-cylinder engine. Following protocol the 718 Boxster is powered by a 2.0 litre engine with 300 horsepower and the Boxster S has

a 2.5 litre e ngine putting 350 horsepower at its disposal. The third car to make its debut is the Macan, featuring a highly efficient and sporty turbocharged 2.0 litre inline four-cylinder engine.

The excl usi ve Ger m an brand is also increasing its range of compact SUVs wi t h a new t wi st on t he Macan. This follows the int r oduct i on of t he r ecent Macan GTS, as well as the Macan S and Macan Turbo.

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England clinch the Triple Crown and Six Nations titles AND the Hornets sting Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals Tony Matthews International Sports A former player and now the world’s most prolific author of football books with almost 150 published since 1975, Tony is also the sports correspondent for Spectrum Radio and lives on La Pilica in the Sierra Cabrera Mountains overlooking Turre. Costa de Almeria

FOOTBALL • The FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on Saturday April 23 and Sunday April 24 will be between Crystal Palace and Watford and Everton will play West Ham or Manchester United. • Last weekend Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Reading, Everton beat Chelsea 2-0, Watford humbled holders Arsenal 2-1 and Manchester United drew with West Ham. Gareth Barry (Everton) and Diego Costa (Chelsea) were red-carded at Goodison Park. • Arsenal, aiming to be the first club since Blackburn in the mid-1880s, to win the Cup three seasons in succession, were ‘hopeless’ for 85 minutes. Why? But all credit to the Hornets. • And Chelsea’s season is over! Dumped out of the Champions League by PSG and eliminated from FA Cup four days later, they have no chance of winning the PL title and therefore there’ll be no European football next season for the first time since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003. • Ross County won their first-ever trophy by beating Hibs 2-1 to win the Scottish League Cup final. This was Hibs’ 18th defeat in a major final. • Leicester City lead the Premiership by five points after grinding out a 1-0 home win Newcastle, now under Rafael

Benitez after Steve McClaren’s dismissal. Second-placed Tottenham won 2-0 at Aston Villa, and there were also excellent wins for Bournemouth over Swansea and Southampton at Stoke, while battling Norwich held lack-lustre Manchester City. • Burnley (74 points), trouble-torn Middlesbrough (67), Hull (65), Brighton (65), Derby (61) and Sheffield Wednesday (59) are the top six in the Championship while bottom club Bolton are 11 points shy of safety! • Burton Albion (FL1), Northampton (FL2), Celtic (SPL), Barcelona, recent 6-0 winners over Getafe (La Liga), Bayern Munich (Bundesliga) and Juventus (Serie ‘A’) are all closing in on their respective League titles, while PSG walloped Troyes 9-0 to clinch the top prize in France. • In the Champions League this week, Arsenal who were 20 down had it all in Barcelona (37 games unbeaten), but Manchester City, 3-1 up on Dynamo Kiev, should be in the quarter finals! • Tonight Liverpool (leading 2-0) visit Manchester United and Tottenham (trailing 3-0) to Borussia Dortmund, play the return legs of their last 16 Europa League ties. • This weekend’s PL fixtures include: Chelsea-West Ham, Crystal Palace-Leicester, Everton-Arsenal, the Manchester and Tyne-Wear derbies, SpursBournemouth and WBA-Norwich. In the Championship promotion race, it’s Burnley-Wolves, Derby-Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough (whose Spanish manager Aitor Karanka recently stormed out of the club and missed last Sun-

PAWS CHARITY QUIZ The PAWS Charity quiz will take place at Miraflores, Los Gallardos Camping on Tuesday March 22. The event costs two euros per person. Make an effort to attend, it’s for a good cause.

DID YOU KNOW? Since Sir Alex Ferguson quit as manager in May 2013, Manchester United have spent £320 million on new players!

day’s defeat at Charlton) v Hull, MK Dons-Brighton and Sheffield Wednesday-Charlton. RUGBY UNION • Last Saturday England clinched the Triple Crown with a tense but deserved 25-21 points victory over Wales, and were then handed the Six Nations title as Scotland beat France 26-19 in Edinburgh. England will complete the Grand Slam for the first time since 2003 with victory in Paris on Saturday (9pm). • Leaders Saracens beat London Irish

26-16 in the first Premiership game to be played outside Europe – in front of 25,000 fans at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, USA. Second-placed Exeter beat Newcastle 32-17 in Devon! CRICKET • Last week, Ireland and Scotland crashed out of the T20 World Cup. England began their programme yesterday against the

West Indies and play South Africa on Saturday. Australia meet New Zealand on the same day while it’s the hosts India against Pakistan on Sunday. HORSE RACING • The Cheltenham Festival started on Tuesday with the Champion Hurdle the big race. Cole Harden and Thistlecrack will to do well in today’s World Hurdle and watch Silvinia-

co Conti in tomorrow’s Gold Cup, while ex-Olympic cycling champion Victoria Pendleton rides Pacha Du Polder in the Foxhunter Chase, also tomorrow. ROUND-UP • Wigan Warriors gained sweet revenge by thrashing reigning champions Leeds Rhinos 28-6 in the re-run of Rugby League’s 2015 Grand final. ENGLAND: Were double winners.

E W N Costa de Almería

17 - 23 March 2016

DIEGO COSTA: Could be punished when FA officials review a tape that appears to suggest he bit Everton’s Gareth Barry.

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Cabrera Lawn Bowls Club Marina Phoenix Golf Society

CABRERA Lawn Bowls Club has held three competitions in the last few weeks completing the competition year. The first competition was The Cyril Heath Singles Handicap which was held from February 19-25. This is a very popular competition as Cyril Heath was a long serving member of the club. The final was contested between David Schofield and Vic Holloway. Vic started the better but David who has been bowling for years gathered momentum and was 8-5 ahead after 10 ends. David continued to dominate the game and eventually won 23-9. Many congratulations to David and commiserations to Vic who just happened to play David when he was on top form. The next competition was The Ted Barrett Yardstick held over several months and concluded on March 3 with Brian Firth and Trevor Young in the final. As the competition implies a point is awarded for bowls within a yard of the jack.

WELL DONE: Three competitions were held over the last few weeks. The competition is over 18 ends and the winner is the player with the most shots. Brian and Trevor haver met before in competitions and Brian has usually come out the better however this final was pretty even with neither player taking a big lead and after 15 ends Brian was only ahead by one shot. Trevor sadly did not manage to score again and Brian won the final 11-9. Congratulations to

Brian and always another completion Trevor. Finally completing the completion year was The Bob Wright Singles held over a few weeks beginning in February and concluding with the final on March 11. This competition is slightly different as it is for members who have not won a singles club competition before. There were quite a few entries for this

as Cabrera have had a lot of new members joining in the last 12 months. The winner is the player who is the first to 21. The final was between Kevin Riley and Tony Wells and what a brilliant final it was. There was never more than two shots difference on any end, so close. Tony however just pipped Kevin and won 21-20. Brilliant. Well done Tony and unlucky Kevin.

THURSDAY March 10 saw the team waltz start in blustery conditions and deteriorated to gale force winds on the back nine. The team of Ali Mahmud, José Urroz, Linda King and Sheila Watts played well, in the conditions, to win with 80 points. Second were Brian Watts, Don Atkins, Chantal French and Therese Le Tohic (79) followed in third by Jeff Williams, Steve Lyons, Carole Taylor and Rosalie Fardon (78). There were nearest the pin prizes for Vic Bee (2nd) and Rosalie Fardon (5th). The individual stableford on Monday March 7 saw Jim Budd return to winning ways with 36 points in the men’s division. Second place went to Tony Wells (35) followed by Brian Watts (34) in third. The ladies division was won by Rosalie Fardon on 31 points ahead of Rhoda Elwick (30) in second. Linda King (29) was third. There were two’s prizes for Ali Mahmud (9th) and Brian Watts (5th). Marina Phoenix play Mondays (individual) and Thursdays (team game). To join for a €25 greenfee, ring Jim on 950 162 727 / 600 353 670 or Rosalie 950 397 117 / 697 512 882.