Issuu

Full details on page 34

ISSUE NO. 1654

16 - 22 March 2017

COSTA DE ALMERÍA

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

Discrimination dust-up Hotel hell Female fun runners given cleaning products as gifts By Matthew Elliott A huge controversy has engulfed the annual Almeria Women’s Day race. The estimated 1,500 participants, many running in the name of feminism, were given a goody bag with gifts including a grocery shopping bag and a bottle of grease remover. The race was held on Sunday March 12 under the banner ‘Run for Equality’ and just days after global protests and marches celebrated International Women’s Day. Pilar Ortega, the family councillor who organised the event, has come under a barrage of criticism from the national media and leading politicians. Thousands have expressed their outrage in an avalanche of online fury. The Women’s Institute of Andalucia has accused Almeria of promoting macho stereotypes with the goody bag, which also included tomatoes, a t-shirt, bracelet and sports bag. Spokeswoman Francisca Serrano said it played into sexist tropes that consider a woman’s place to be in the kitchen. But councillor Ortega has derided the controversy as manufactured and ridiculous. She accused socialist politicians of ‘micromachism’ arguing that they were the true sexists.

AFTER being hounded out of the province in one of the most embarrassing scandals in Almeria history, the company behind the notorious El Algarrobico hotel has demanded €1.7 million from Carboneras Council. Azata SL paid the council the money in 2003 to acquire protected land to expand the hotel, but the deal was called off. See page 2

Scant resources SENIOR police officers have warned that they can’t properly protect Almerians against terrorism because their resources are being diverted to rescue and screen illegal immigrants. The

province is considered a potential hotbed of Islamic extremism, a place where jihadis both hide and enter continental Europe. See page 8

Health revolution A NEW agreement is set to put Almeria and Andalucia at the forefront of cancer treatment and research. The Amancio Ortega Foundation will contribute €40 million to equipment, doctors and research in what has been described as an unprecedented collaboration between the charity and public sectors. See page 12

Win a Car! WOMEN’S RACE: Approximately 1,500 participants took part. Only a sexist would see a cleaning product and immediately connect it with women she said, before apologising for any offence taken. The cleaning product company in question, KH Loreda, regularly sponsors

other sporting events. Other critics have centred on the inclusion of men in the traditionally all-female race, and the hefty participation fee of €10. Only €1 goes to help women in conflict zones, and where the rest goes is anyone’s guess.

YOU CAN STILL BE THE WINNER OF A CAR! SEE PAGES 6 & 7

Mayor Ramon Pacheco responded that it was ridiculous to forbid men from the race. The whole point, he said, was to educate future generations of men to see their mothers, sisters and daughters as equals.

The solution to great currency savings is on page 29

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

LOCAL NEWS

Scathing report ONE of the country’s top professors visited Almeria to deliver a damning report from Amnesty International on Spain’s silence on human rights violations around the world. Anthro-

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Bitter battle over eyesore Photo Credit Greenpeace

pologist Enrique MartinezSalanova denounced Madrid for pledging to take in 17,000 refugees but only managing a few hundred. He also criticised freedom of expression in Spain.

Seething spouse POLICE raced to an Aguadulce property to subdue a woman trying to stab her husband with a pair of scissors. On the same night, they also arrested a drunken Lithuanian driving dangerously around the streets, a Valencian urinating in public, and a Sevillian trying to steal a car, just two weeks after being arrested for the same crime.

A boy called It A MOTHER has been jailed for inflicting serious physical and psychological violence on her young son. An Almeria court heard how she beat him with a stick, insulted and even threatened to kill the young boy. She will spend two years in prison and be banned from contacting her son until 2020.

EL ALGARROBICO: Legal wrangling goes on.

the money in 2003 to acquire protected land to expand the hotel, widely ridiculed as an eyesore. The deal was called off following a Supreme Court judgement that declared any urban development of the land to be illegal.

Now Azata wants their money back, citing unjustified enrichment as the legal wrangling over the catastrophic enterprise reaches almost 20 years. The unfinished hotel was built on some of the most vulnerable and beautiful

spots in coastal Almeria at Carboneras. Greenpeace launched a huge international campaign to have it demolished and even the Telegraph named it as one of the worst architectural atrocities on the face of the earth.

NEWS

No love lost A BATTLE between two neighbours will be settled in court. Judges will decide whether a businessman can charge an old lady for the right to take a shortcut through his property to reach her own. Aurora Garcia from Carboneras has been driving across the small road on her neighbour’s property her whole life. But things soon changed when businessman Raul Seco moved in next door. He asked her repeatedly to stop taking the shortcut. Eventually he built a fence blocking her access to the pathway. Now the 68-year-old has to park a fair distance from home and walk the rest of the way. When she asked him to let her through Seco replied that she could... if she paid him for the land. Her lawyers now claim that she has gained a right of passage courtesy of more than half a century’s daily use.

Beating the digital divide HUNDREDS of rural women from across the province gathered in Almeria for a course on internet use and digital empowerment. Held by AMFAR, the course sought to educate women in the Almerian hinterlands on the value of knowing their way around online. AMFAR president, Adoracion Blanque, lamented the ‘digital divide’ between rural women and their urban counterparts. Many have no internet access or computer skills, making it hard to find jobs and secure more education in the modern era. An estimated two million women work unofficially on farms and land across Andalucia. They are the mothers, daughters and sisters who keep the agricultural sector humming along. AMFAR wants to give especially younger women and girls the opportunity to embrace new technologies, learn entrepreneurship skills and have more say in their own future.

Wacky weather AFTER an unusually warm weekend winter returned to Almeria with a vengeance. Weather warnings were issued across the country as the cold snap rudely interrupted a spot of ear-

SPANISH FACTS OF LIFE...5 Father’s Day in Spain is celebrated on St Joseph’s Day, which this year falls on Sunday March 19. This Catholic feast day celebrates the life of Mary’s husband Joseph, whose role within the Holy Family is seen as the epitome of what a good husband and father should be.

Honouring dear old dad FATHER’S DAY (Dia del Padre) started in the United States in 1910, when Sonora Smart Dodd, a 27-year-old woman from Spokane Washington, proposed a male equivalent to Mother’s Day. After pushing for local support, she convinced the state governor to establish an official celebration on July 19, 1910. Fifteen years later, President Calvin Coolidge turned the fledgling Father’s Day into a national event, before

• Father’s Day was until recently a national holiday in Spain. • Although most countries celebrate Father’s Day in June, fathers are honoured on March 19 in Bolivia, Honduras, Italy, Equatorial Guinea, Lichtenstein, Andorra and Portugal as well as Spain. • The word ‘padre’ is derived from the Latin ‘pater,’ itself originating from Ancient Greek. • Since 2009, the number of Spanish fathers reporting wives for gender violence has increased 223 per cent,

ly sunbathing. In Almeria there was even snow above 1,100 metres on Monday March 13. That gave way to strong winds and torrential rain on Tuesday. An orange alert was activated in Almeria, with a particular warning for the Almanzora Valley.

Back in the fold ALBOX mayor Francisco Torrecillas has inked an agreement with the Bish-

INSIDE VIEW News 1 - 24

Finance 27

Leapy Lee FATHER’S DAY: Originated in the USA. Richard Nixon confirmed it as a federal holiday in 1972. In Spain, the first Father’s Day took place in 1948 after Manuela Vicente Ferrero, a teacher and author in Madrid, was approached by disgruntled fathers jealous of the annual Mother’s Day celebrations. The celebration featured a mass, gifts handmade from materials recovered from a nearby landfill by girls from Manuela’s school, and a children’s festival with poetry, dancing and theatre.

Papa particulars

SUPER DAD: Russian, Feodor Vassilyev, fathered 69 children.

according to the International Institute of Family Studies. • There are currently more than 1.5 billion fathers worldwide. • Feodor Vassilyev, a Russian peasant who died in 1782, had 69 children, the most ever officially recorded, after his wife gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.

op of Almeria to lease the famous Casa Convento for 75 years. Albox Council can use the historic building as a town hall and for community activities and has also pledged to refurbish it. The building is one of Albox’s most iconic landmarks. The lingering question of its extremely precarious physical condition will also soon be resolved. Torrecillas has promised to start renovation works within days and has been set a two-year deadline for completion by the Bishop himself.

Railways meet the Flintstones LEADING local citizens and businessmen have established a new platform calling for greater train connections between Almeria Province and the rest of the country. High speed connections to Madrid and Sevilla have been promised for years but instead of building, there are less routes in operation today than there were in the 1990s. Jose Cano, an Almeria-based businessman has joined

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

forces with Croem, a Murcia-based association of entrepreneurs to demand urgent action on the region’s railways. Cano claims that people across Almeria have been forced into a corner by decades of constant neglect from Madrid. Croem president Jose Albarracin echoed the point, asking why eastern Andalucia hasn’t seen a single euro of investment, while Catalonia and Valencia are furnished with billions

TV 42

Letters 44

Time Out 46

Health & Beauty 50

Social 52

Albox 58

Property No mayoral mischief

AN embezzlement case against Mojacar mayor Rosa Maria Cano has been dropped. After an investigation spanning years the public prosecutor found no case to answer nor crime committed. Cano, a member of the conservative Popular Party, was investigated over the hiring of a company used for technical repairs in 2014. Earlier in March Cano appeared in court to testify over claims from 2015 that she helped rig the vote in local elections.

Classifieds 66

Motors 68

Sport 71

Postscript to ponder

279,243

Number of bars in Spain, corresponding to one per 175 inhabitants, the highest density throughout Europe and more than in the entire United States.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

Dramatic rescue for hikers

TWELVE hikers, including four minors, lost on the Peñalara peak in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Madrid) had to be rescued by a Guardia Civil air rescue team. A helicopter had to make several flights through a narrow pass due to poor weather to rescue the hikers who were then driven from Valsain to Cotos where they had left their vehicles.

Something fishy! TWO t o n n e s o f l i v e ee ls , €540,000 cash and several gold ingots were seized by Guardia Civil officers when they arrested eight people from Sevilla, Tarragona and Valencia , including two Chinese allegedly for obtaining illicit funds from Hong Kong to pay for the fish. The operation also saw nine additional arrests in Greece.

www.euroweeklynews.com

e ye

Cocaine alert

on SPAIN

Around the nation in 6 stories

Postcard from LEON

State visit

A FAMED stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail, Leon like many settlements in the north was founded during the reign of Julius Caesar by Octavian, who later became the Emperor Augustus. The original simple encampment grew as retired Roman legionaries settled and by 910 it was the capital of the Kingdom of Leon. After being conquered it later became a kingdom again until the 19th century. The present-day city with a 120,000 population contains spectacular classical buildings including the nation’s only true Gothic cathedral plus a private building - the Casa de los Botines - designed by architect Antoni Gaudi and said to be the inspiration for the famous Disney Castle. Like many Spanish cities, Leon has an unusual procession. Named the ‘Burial of Genarin,’ it is in memory of an alcoholic beggar believed to have been run over in 1929 by the first local motorised rubbish cart. Many nowadays treat the event as an excuse to get drunk. With good air, rail and road links, Leon is popular for visits.

IT ALL ADDS UP €14.883 million €100,000 Was collected last year by the Tax Agency collected in its ongoing fight against fraud, showing a 5 per cent fall on the previous year’s record collection.

The fine imposed on Endesa by the Competition Commission for falsifying five electricity contracts following consumer complaints.

A C A RTEL t hought t o have shipped almost 400 kilos of cocaine into Europe using Las Palmas as a staging post for drug trafficking and money laundering led to 12 arrests when 10 properties were raided by Guardia Civil officers in the Canaries. Items seized included two speed boats, €500,000 in cash and documentary evidence.

FORCED to cancel state visits when there was no elected gove rnme nt, K ing Fel i pe and Queen Leticia are now rearranging official trips including one to the UK where they will meet the Queen and the king will address parliament.

Terror find A HIDEOUT possibly used by the ETA terrorist group in Irun, Basque Country, and containing seven drums of explosives has been discovered, although there is no evidence of recent activity according to the Home Office.

16,000 The number of refugees and asylum seekers who were provided with direct assistance by the Spanish Red Cross last year.

NEWS

Birthdays • Jimmy Nail, Singer/Actor, March 16, 63 English actor best known as playing the character ‘Oz’ in the British hit TV show Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. His acting career also included films such as Evita, alongside Madonna, and he co-wrote and feaured in his own TV show Spender. He also had a singing career with hits including Ain’t No Doubt and Crocodile Shoes. • Alex Jones, TV Presenter, March 18, 40 The popular Welsh presenter is best known as the co-host of BBC’s The One Show. She also presents Close Calls: On Camera, co-hosts Shop Well for Less? and in 2011 she came fifth in Strictly Come Dancing. In January she gave birth to her first child, Edward Alun Burrell Thomson. • Ursula Andress, Actress, March 19, 81 Born in Switzerland the actress starred in the first James Bond movie when she played the first Bond girl Honey Ryder in Dr No, which featured the famous scene of her walking out of the ocean wearing the iconic white bikini. She has starred in many films including Fun in Acapulco and 4 for Texas and has posed naked seven times for Playboy magazine. • Steve McFadden, Actor, March 20, 58 English soap opera actor who has featured as Phil Mitchell in EastEnders since 1990. In 2001 the role won him a British Soap Award for Villain of the Year. He has also appeared in The Bill, Minder and Bergerac as well as in the films Buster and Kevin and Perry Go Large. • James Patterson, Writer, March 22, 70 American author of the fictional psychological thrillers and mysteries novels including the Women’s Murder Club and Alex Cross series. Some of his work, Kiss The Girls and Along Came A Spider, has been made into films which have featured actor Morgan Freeman who portrayed the psychologist Alex Cross.

NEWS

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

OUR VIEW

The weaker sex ONE thing that has been reinforced by International Women’s Day is the depth of feeling in Spain about domestic violence and its dreadful consequences. Women across the country (in most cases supported by men) stood up and called for a sea change in the attitude towards them which has steadily been getting better over the past 30 plus years. Unfortunately, there are still too many cases of violence and murder throughout Spain, caused in part perhaps by the inherited machismo of some Spanish men but as the older generations pass away, so it is to be hoped that the young of today will take note of those who want to see equality. There is absolutely no reason why women who undertake the same job as a man should be paid a single cent less than the male and there are very view jobs nowadays that can’t be undertaken by a woman and done just as well as their male counterpart. The ridiculous comments by a ludicrous Polish MEP that as women are less intelligent and smaller than men that they shouldn’t be paid the same amount was soon shot down by a feisty female Spanish MEP who was doing a great job for those who had elected her.

Now we want to hear your views. YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION www.euroweeklynews.com

Shocking abuse case By Matthew Elliott JURORS have heard the harrowing tale of a young girl who claims that she was sexually abused by her mother’s friend while they lived in Albox. The defendant Juan N is on trial in Murcia and strenuously denies the charges, claiming the girl was like a granddaughter to him. If found guilty he faces more than 10 years in prison for the alleged abuse, said to have begun in 2009 when the girl was just five-years-old. Now aged 12 she told the court with the aid of a psychologist that Juan would put cream on his genitals for her to caress and asked her to marry him. The girl’s mother is Nigerian and met Juan in Albox before they moved to Murcia. Her suspicions were aroused when the girl began screaming at Juan on a ride at the Albox fair. She had trusted fully in him, seeing that her daughter thought of him as a father figure. Juan frequently babysat and brought treats. The abuse worsened when he moved into their new home in Murcia, claiming to have nowhere else to go. Eventually the girl cracked and shocked her mother with the revelations.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

Sponsored by

The way insurance should be

EWN 2017 WIN-A-CAR SURVEY

MINUTE READER SURVEY

YOUR DETAILS Full name ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ Town ........................................................ Province ........................................................ Landline/Mobile ........................................................ ........................................................ Email ........................................................

Please send completed surveys: By post: 2017 Survey, Euro Weekly News, Calle Moscatel 10, P-62, Poligono Industrial Arroyo de la Miel, 29631, Benalmadena, Malaga, Spain By email: survey@euroweeklynews.com In person: Mojacar - Costa de Almeria Avenida Andalucia s/n C.C. Montemar, Local 7A, (1st Floor) 04638 Mojacar, Almeria, Spain Albox - Costa de Almeria Avenida Lepanto 13 Albox Almeria, Spain Terms of Entry: Completed survey forms must reach Euro Weekly News by noon March 30, 2017 at the latest. Only FULLY completed forms received by the final deadline will be entered into the prize draw. All entrants must possess a current NIE number, hold a valid driving licence and must be aged 18 or over. Only one entry per person is allowed. Failure to meet these requirements will invalidate the entry. No cash alternatives. No employees of EWN Media Group can enter. The winner will be announced on April 20, 2017. The winner will be required to take part in any promotional activity and EWN reserves the right to use the name of the winner and photographs in any publicity both in newspaper and online. The winner will have to collect the car from the EWN offices in Benalmadena. Any expenses incurred by the winner in collecting the car will be their own responsibility. Euro Weekly News takes no responsibility should the car offered differ from that pictured here in any way. Tick box if you do not wish your personal details to be shared with third parties or to receive promotional information or special offers.

You and the EWN How often do you read the EWN? Every week Regularly Monthly On occasions Very rarely

Which sections of the EWN do you read? Local News General Features Business Leapy Lee Other columnists Television Horoscopes Time Out Letters Health & Beauty Food/Social Scene Homes & Gardens Community Classified Motoring Sport

What do you THINK of the EWN? ........................................................... ........................................................... What do you EXPECT from the EWN? ........................................................... ...........................................................

What would you like to CHANGE about the EWN? ........................................................... ........................................................... ...........................................................

How long do you spend reading the EWN? Up to 10 minutes Up to 30 minutes Up to 45 minutes One hour or more

Do you find it difficult or easy to pick up your copy? ........................................................... ........................................................... Where do you usually pick up your copy? ........................................................... ........................................................... ........................................................... Do you have a suggested new distribution point? ........................................................... ........................................................... ........................................................... ...........................................................

You and the EWN Online Where do you primarily get your daily news from? Television Radio Newspaper Internet

What device do you browse the internet on? Desktop computer Laptop Tablet Mobile phone Smart TV

What time do you normally browse the internet? Morning Afternoon Evening All day

How often do you visit the www.euroweeklynews.com website? More than once a day Once a day Once a week Once a month Never

Do you subscribe to our daily news bulletins to your email inbox via the www.euroweeklynews.com website? Yes No

Do you follow Euro Weekly News on social media – Select those that apply…

WIN-A-CAR

Q & A Gender Female Male

How old are you? 18 – 22 – 36 – 51 – 71+

21 35 50 70

Status Single Married Separated/Divorced Widowed

Which other local newspapers do you read? ................................................................ ................................................................ How often do you eat out? Once a week More than once week Once a month Rarely

How long have you been reading the EWN? ................................................................ Do you have private health insurance? No Yes (specify)..........................................

Have you ever used a currency exchange/money transfer company? No Yes (specify)..........................................

Is your telephone Landline Mobile Both Name of your provider(s) .................................. .......................................................................

Is your mobile Contract Pay as you go Name of network provider ................................. .......................................................................

What kind of mobile telephone do you use? Android iPhone Windows Other (specify) .................................................

Is your internet Fibre Optic ADSL Other (specify) .................................................

How often do you use the internet? Regularly Rarely Never

Which social media sites do you use? Facebook Twitter Instagram Other (specify) .................................................

R SURVEY

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

Your chance to Win a Car An opportunity to have your say You don’t have to say you love us to win Only one entry per person WELCOME to the 2017 Euro Weekly News Reader Survey. We are continuously examining ways to further improve Spain’s leading English-language newspaper and we want you, the reader, to take part. Fill in this simple survey which will help us make decisions about the content and structure of the EWN in the future. It does not matter whether you are a regular or casual reader, nor do you have to agree with our firm belief that we are the best. All of your opinions will help us to improve what we offer both readers and advertisers in the future across all six editions of the newspaper widely distributed each week from Valencia to Costa del Sol, as well as Mallorca and inland. What’s more, if you fully complete the survey in today’s issue, which will be republished until March 23, 2017, or answer it online and send it back to us no later than March 30, 2017, then you stand the chance of winning this brand new car in our prize draw. So what are you waiting for?

Grab your pen or log on to our website and say what you like, want to read about, and how you would like the Euro Weekly News to improve.

Enter online a

lynews.com

k www.eurowee

ER SURVEY click on READ IN A CAR YOU COULD W

will insure the car for 12 months

FREE

THE GRAND PRIZE: Dacia Sandero Ambiance 1.1 litre 75cv, Glacier white Worth €10,456

Celebratory Lunch or Dinner to remember for 2 people

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS EXTRA

Smell alert POLICE found more than 200 marihuana plants being cultivated in a Pechina property. Wrinkle-nosed neighbours had alerted them to a pungent stench emanating from the garage.

Community united DOZENS of people joined a flamenco workshop in Zurgena to help raise funds for Proyecto Hombre. The charity has helped save countless people and families from drug addiction.

Enemy lines NATIONAL defence minister Maria Dolores de Cospedal stopped in Almeria to watch a special showing of ‘Hostile Zone,’ a film shot in the province that focuses on Spanish soldiers in Afghanistan.

NEWS

Needle in a haystack SENIOR police officers have warned that they can’t properly protect Almerians against terrorism because their resources are being diverted to rescue and screen illegal immigrants. The province is considered a hotbed of Islamic extremism, a place where jihadis both hide and enter continental Europe. National and Almerian police are fully aware of this and have made some spectacular arrests in the war on terror. But with almost 600 immigrants arriving on the Almerian coastline in January and February alone, security agents simply don’t have the capacity to combat terrorism and rescue people stranded at sea. More than 5,000 people were rescued and brought to Motril and

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: Thousands are expected. Almeria ports in 2016. The Federal Police Union has said that the Almeria force is overwhelmed and suffers from a severe lack of personnel. This is at a time when the terror alert across Spain is at level four, the second highest. The problem will only worsen in summer when thousands of North African immigrants are expected to arrive. With the Balkan countries closing their border to Syrian refugees, countless more will seek to

reach Europe through Spain and Italy. Now the situation is so severe that Almeria is considering opening a specialist detention centre for foreigners (CIE) to hold hundreds of people. The highly controversial internment centres are legally suspect and involve detaining people without charge for long periods. Riots and protests have engulfed similar camps in Melilla and Murcia.

NEWS

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

Beauty and the waste CRITICS have panned the dreadful state of disrepair the San Miguel de Cabo de Gata neighbourhood finds itself in, less than a month before Easter Week. One Socialist councillor wryly remarked that broken pavements, rusty benche s a n d

flickering street lights must b e th e ma y o r ’s id e a of tourist promotion. Public electricity blackouts are preventing people from doing basic everyday tasks said Indalecia Gutierre z . E ld e rly p e o p le c a n’t take the rubbish out at night for fear of falling, while drivers are fed up with potholes. She also said the Paseo M a r i t i m o i s i n u rg e n t need of a complete remodelling. Access steps to the beach

are broken and the signposting for newcomers is w o e f u l . G i v e n t h e a r e a ’s natural splendour and serious tourist earning potential, Gutierrez feels the mayor should be pulling out all the stops before the holiday. Easter falls on Sunday April 16 this year with Semana Santa beginning on Monday April 9. Precious little time for a last minute rescue operation.

IN DISREPAIR: The area is in urgent need of complete remodelling.

Photo by Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By Matthew Elliott

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de AlmerĂa

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Simple trick to help save lives By Matt Elliott FA STEN your s e a t be lt. That is the vital message of Almeriaâ€™s traffic police as the y la unc h a ne w s a fe ty campaign. It comes after the revelation that 28 people died on roads across the province in 2016. Eight of them were not wearing their seatbelt. The latest such incident was a 14-month-old baby in Fines after not being properly strapped in. National efforts to raise safety awareness have saved countless lives across Spain. Yet in Almeria thousands seem to resist the message, perhaps considering it a burden rather than a lifesaver. In one w e e k a lone la s t October 57 drivers and 56 passengers were fined for

ACCIDENTS: People are not buckling up. not being buckled in across local roads. Police stopped 3,000 peopl e t hat week, suggesting that around 3 per cent of the population do without a belt. I n t he past 10 year s 26,000 Almerians have been

caught without a seatbelt. Whether this latest campai gn wi l l m ake a di ff er ence i s yet t o be seen. Across Spain more than 100 people needlessly lost their lives through neglect last year.

FINANCE

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

How are your savings protected? When you have worked hard to build up your savings, it is important to understand what level of protection you will receive in the event the financial institution is unable to repay your money. For peace of mind, establish what investor protection you have with your banks and how it works. The same applies for capital you have in other financial institutions like investment firms, insurance companies, etc. in the event of institutional failure. Spain banks Under an EU directive, each EU country provides a bank deposit guarantee of €100,000. In the event a bank fails, your national deposit guarantee scheme will refund your savings, up to the limit of €100,000. Savings above this could be lost. Deposits are covered per depositor, so couples with joint accounts have €200,000 protected. The guarantee is per banking group, not per bank account or even per

By Gerald Turner, Partner, Blevins Franks bank – some banks with different names form part of the same banking group, so be careful. UK banks In the UK, accounts in regulated banks are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The amount protected should be the same as offered in the EU and is currently £85,000. As in Europe, protection is per depositor and per banking institution. Halifax and Bank of

Scotland, for example, are part of the same institution. The length of time each claim takes to process depends on a number of factors, but the FSCS will aim to pay compensation within seven days. More complex claims will be paid within 20 days. The FSCS now provides a £1 million protection limit for temporary high balances. UK offshore centres Banks in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are not covered by the UK scheme, even if they are divisions of UK banks. You would need to rely on their local guarantee schemes, which offer lower levels of protection. The Isle of Man provides compensation of up to £50,000 for covered banks. If a bank fails a fund will be created to pay depositors, with a maximum fund of £200 million. There is no guarantee when you will receive your compensation.

The limit in Jersey and Guernsey is also £50,000, capped at £100 million in any five year period. An interim payment of up to £5,000 will be made within seven days and the balance within three months. Protecting yourself Many savers with larger cash deposits have spread them out over more than one bank. Others have opted to move capital into arrangements which provide a higher level of investor protection than banks can offer. For example, if you have an investment bond issued by a Luxembourg regulated insurance company, your investment assets are protected should the insurance company fail. Luxembourg provides very robust protection for life assurance policy holders. There is the legal requirement that all clients’ assets must be held by an independent custodian bank approved by the state regulator. The bank is required to ring-fence clients’ securities so that

they are off its balance sheet. 100% of the policy holder’s securities are protected (excluding cash deposits, but cash held in monetary funds are treated as securities and so protected.) In any case, you should always ensure you have adequate diversification across different investment assets. This reduces risk and increases the potential for improved returns. Your savings and investment decisions should be based around your personal objectives, circumstances, time horizon and risk profile. Take expert tailored advice on asset protection and suitable asset allocation for you. All information contained in this article is based on our understanding of legislation and practice, in the UK and overseas at the time of writing; this may change in the future. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Genetically delicious ORGANIC farmers and biologists from all across Europe will gather in Aguadulce to discuss new genetic techniques to produce the healthiest and tastiest local fruit and veg. The InfoAgro Exhibition will run from May 10-12 at the Palacio de Congresos de Aguadulce. Horticultural topics include the fu-

ture of genetic engineering, organic certification and climate change. Known for its stylish bars, stunning scenery and spectacular beaches, Aguadulce is also one of the most important agricultural centres in Europe. Decisions made at the exhibition may direct future farming policies across the EU.

AMANCIO ORTEGA: Began his business empire with clothing giant Zara.

Healthcare revolution for residents by Matthew Elliott A NEW agreement is set to put Almeria and Andalucia at the forefront of cancer

treatment and research. The Amancio Ortega Foundation will contribute €40 million to equipment, doctors and research in what has been descr i bed as an unpr ecedent ed col l abor at i on between the charity and public sectors. Ortega is Spain’s richest m an, once f l eet i ngl y t he richest in the world ahead of even Bill Gates. He began hi s busi ness em pi r e with clothing giant Zara and i s a r enowned phi l anthropist. The Foundation’s agreement with the Andalucian Health Service will dramatical l y i m pr ove r adi ol ogy uni t s i n hospi t al s f r om Al m er i a t o Sevi l l a. The t her apeut i c capabi l i t y of cancer units across the region will be improved gradually until 2020 when they will be among the very best in Europe. Advanced technology will off er m or e pr eci se t r eat -

Each year there are roughly 32,000 new cases of cancer registered in Andalucia.

m ent , enhance qual i t y of life and increase survival chances. Research will also be conducted into possible cures and prevention strategies. Each year t her e ar e roughly 32,000 new cases of cancer registered in Andalucia. Medical advances have reduced mortality rates but prevalence is increasing. Diagnoses have gone up 1.6 per cent in men, and 2.3 per cent in women duri ng t he past 30 year s. An older population, junk food and more sedentary lifestyle are behind the increase.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Chacho receives commendation By Matthew Elliott ONE of Almeria’s finest journalists has been honoured for his incredible career at Spain’s national Talento Awards, held by the Academy of Science and Te l e v i s i o n Arts. Antonio Torres Flores,

known as Chacho, was commended for his stellar reporting, bringing some of Almeria’s biggest stories of the past 20 years to the public eye.

Chacho was born in Los Gallardos and has been in the industry since the early 1970s, working with local press before going on to national recognition. His filmscript CV reads like a modern history of the province. He was the first to uncover the notorious torture and murder of three young men in 1981 by the Almeria Guardia Civil, who claimed they confused the victims with ETA terrorists. He later exposed the mafia-style racket of illegal coral fishing in the Cabo de Gata, one of the worst environment crimes in living memory. ANTONIO TORRES FLORES: Has been honoured.

Lifestyle Enclosures Europe

info@lifestyle-enclosures.com

www.lifestyle-enclosures.com

More than just an enclosure companyâ€Ś

Glass curtains, fly free areas, insect screening, car ports, glazing, doors, windows & much more!

Andaluciaâ€™s only official stockist of Floplast gutter. DIY or supply and fit, PVC-UE, Achitraves and trims.

A cost effective alternative to tiling. PVC cladding including wall, ceiling and floor panels. Visit our showroom to see the range.

S Supply l & fit or DIY insulated composite roof panels.

Parque Industrial El Real, Calle El Garcel 11, Antas. Exit 534 E15 Autovia T/F 950 459 060 / 950 459 129 M: 638 063 196 Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm E: info@lifestyle-enclosures.com www.lifestyle-enclosures.com www.facebook.com/LifestyleEnclosuresEurope Vera Lifestyle

FINANCE AVAILABLE

Caldera spas

Tyre King

Petrol Station

E15/A7 MOTORWAY Exit 534

Antas

NEWS

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

School dispute intensifies THE Popular Party of Albox has urged their PSOE rivals to join them in stopping the closure of Fenoy College. The school’s closure has been part and parcel of complex and bitter political disputes at the local and regional level for years PP spokesman Juan Pedro Perez Quiles said it would be awful to see the town go from having three schools to just two. The only consequence would be that Albox loses he continued in a press release. He even accused PSOE councillors of being twofaced, claiming they promise parents they’ll vote against the school closure, but tell the educational board that they’ll support it. Dozens of parents and teachers have taken to the streets of Albox to protest against the school’s closure.

Eurochange Mojacar - we have moved! IN Eurochange we always try to improve our services to cover all the needs of our clients. For this reason we have changed the location of our currency exchange office in Mojacar where we offer you more services in a bigger and more up-to-date branch. This new exchange office is located on the first floor of the shopping centre Parque Comercial Mojacar and there you will find all Eurochange services: • Buy and sell currencies w ith th e b e s t rate s : Exchange your Pounds or other cu rren cie s to E u ro s or b u y cu rren cie s if y o u a re travelling abroad. We give you the best rates without commission. • C o lle c t y o u r o n li ne reservations and orders: You ca n v is it o u r w e b s ite to arrange a reservation or to place an order of currencies. Then you can collect them in our new branch in Mojacar.

• Pa y w ith c a rd: If you don’t ha ve c a s h, you c a n pay with debit/credit card in this branch. • Take advantage of the benefits of being a member: get your Eurochange Club card in this branch. You will a c c umula te points to ge t better rates. Moreover you will have special promotion in other partner companies. All this with the best customer service. Because in Euroc ha nge you a re the most important thing. EUROCHANGE: Improving our services.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Spanish State Visit to the UK THE Spanish State Visit will celebrate close ties between our two countries and our two peoples, says British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, who welcomed the announcement of

a State Visit to the United Kingdom from June 6 to 8. “In this Sapphire Jubilee celebration year for Her Majesty the Queen, I am delighted Their Majesties King Felipe VI and

Queen Letizia of Spain have accepted her invitation to visit the UK” said Mr Manley. “This visit will celebrate not only the long and deep royal and historic ties between our two countries, but also our strong relationship as partners bilaterally, within Europe and on the global stage. We enjoy close connections in terms of culture, commerce, education, science and innovation. This is an opportunity to celebrate and deepen those links.” The Ambassador was speaking from Santander, where he is touring the north of Spain to promote education, tourism and investment in the UK. Today, the United Kingdom and Spain are close partners in NATO and the United Nations, among numerous international organisations. We also continue to cooperate in the European Union, and once we leave the EU we want to strengthen our strong and constructive bilateral relationship with Spain. The two countries are also

AMBASSADOR SIMON MANLEY: Is delighted about the State Visit. major partners in trade, with £40 billion (€45.6 billion) of trade in 2015, including British goods and services worth almost £15 billion (€17.1 billion) exported to Spain, and imports from Spain to the UK worth £25 billion (€28.5 billion). Nearly 300,000 Britons are registered as residents in Spain and 18 million visitors came from the UK last year, whilst

more than 132,000 Spaniards are resident in the UK and two million visited in 2015. On top of that, we share close educational connections, with nearly 11,000 Spanish students studying at UK universities and 50,000 students attending British schools in Spain. This is the first State Visit by King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the UK and they will stay at

Buckingham Palace. The programme will be announced in due course. The last State Visit was when King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia visited in 1986. HM Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh returned with a State Visit to Spain in 1988. Since then the Spanish and British royal families have paid a number of formal visits to each other’s countries. In 2002, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia attended the annual Order of the Garter Ceremony at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, including a dinner at Windsor Castle given by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. In 2011, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall paid a three-day official visit to Spain that was hosted by Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia. A few weeks later Queen Sofia, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia attended the wedding in London of Prince William to Catherine Middleton.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo Credit: Number 10 flickr Crown Copyright Tom Evans

Second Scottish Referendum could now be on the cards BREXIT PAGE By John Smith PRIOR to the UK Parliament meeting to consider the Lords amendments to the proposed Article 50 White Paper, the general consensus of opinion (which proved correct) was that the Commons would reject the two amendments and then the Lords would capitulate. Anticipation of this, and therefore the imminent triggering of Article 50, prompted Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to confirm that she intends to request a second Independence Referendum for Scotland within a week. It would follow that the Scottish Parliament would approve such a re-

LEADING LADIES: Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon. quest as the Greens have already indicated that they would support the SNP over such a request which then means that Scotland would send what is known as a Section 30 order to Westminster. In such a scenario, it may be politi-

cally difficult for the Conservative government to reject the request but a huge amount will rest on the timing of such a referendum with the SNP wanting it to take place prior to Brexit and the British government more likely to argue it could only reasonably

take place after the UK leaves the EU. Leader Sturgeon believes that she and her advisors have found a way for an Independent Scotland to remain within the single market whilst Prime Minister May could well argue that she has enough to do to negotiate a workable agreement without the additional problem of Scotland getting in the way. It doesn’t appear that the Scots expect to achieve immediate membership of the EU, but would effectively continue to enjoy a number of the economic benefits if it could remain in the single market. In the event that Scotland does get its right to a second referendum based on the fact that such a large percentage of voters wanted to remain part of the Union, there could well be further protests from those who didn’t wish to leave or have changed their mind, plus politicians in Northern Ireland could well call for union with the Republic. The next week may be very interesting for all concerned.

NEWS

Approval of Article 50 TO steal from TS Eliot, the peers Brexit revolt ended “not with a bang but with a whimper” and those expecting some drama before the inevitable agreement to the passing of the Article 50 White Paper were left disappointed. Earlier on Monday March 13, the House of Commons had rejected the amendments sent back from the Lords with very few objections from tory backbenchers and ‘ping ponged’ it back to the Lords who, after a little deliberation (perhaps including some on their own future), decided to pass it without the amendments. This means that the bill will receive Royal Ascent very shortly and the government has indicated that it will stick to the original timetable of triggering Article 50 at the end of this month. Those UK passport holders living in Spain and other European Union countries will now hope to obtain positive information concerning their future once negotiations commence rather than current unsubstantiated promises of protection.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Allegations mayor hid key information THE mayor of Carboneras faces criminal prosecution over allegations that he prevented opposition councillors from accessing key information on the handing out of public contracts. Salvador Hernandez of the independent Gicar party will be taken to court by the public prosecutor, who wants him to stand down and be barred from holding office. The case centres on claims that he instructed staff to hide information on hiring and con-

It’s claimed he instructed staff to hide information on hiring and contracts. tracts from the Socialist PSOE party. If true, it represents a serious betrayal of civil rights and executive transparency. There is no smoke without fire and further investigation would be likely to uncover what, if anything, he was hid-

ing. The Socialist party was barred from accessing information on electricity payments, public lighting, and licences regarding the notorious El Agarrobico hotel. Hernandez is also facing a civil lawsuit from Greenpeace over his role in preventing the hotel’s immediate demolition. In 2015 he made headlines around the world when he told a told a female colleague to ‘shut up when a man is speaking’ during a heated debate.

Duathlon event’s sixth year in city TO celebrate Father’s Day on March 19 hundreds of people are expected to walk, run and cycle through Almeria’s streets in the city’s duathlon event. Now in its sixth year it is fast becoming one of Spain’s best community sporting highlights. Organised by Almeritour Spain it brings together children, adults, athletes and seniors from across the province. It is also part of the Andalucian Championships so some of the athletes will be timed in sprint races. The professionals will set off at 10am and cover five kilometres by foot, followed by 10 by bike, and another 2.5 running. Andarax park is the start and finish point, while the cycle route takes in the gorgeous coastal road towards Costacabana. The children’s race begins at 12pm, while hundreds of regular citizens are invited to join in the fun, whether as a participant or to cheer others on.

FINANCE

Costa de Almería

16 - 22 March 2017

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal

$9.2 billion (€8.73 billion)

IT has been confirmed that the discussions between GM, owners of Opel and Vauxhall, and PSA, owners of Citroen and Peugeot, have been finalised and as expected PSA will take over the entire European operation. Currently there are 24 factories in the group which are situated in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the UK employing 34,800 workers of whom 4,500 are in Britain and 5,000 in Spain,

Quote of the Week

€2.19 billion is the amount that the PSA Group has agreed to pay American company GM in order to take over its European Opel/Vauxhall business.

with the majority being employed in Germany. Portuguese CEO of PSA, Carlos Tavares has indicated that there are no immediate plans to close plants, but there will be an expec-

tation that workers will assist in making the factories more efficient and therefore more profitable. With this takeover, which appears likely to be approved by

The concern of the constitution is that flows of benefit to presidents from foreign sovereigns will distort their judgment, and trademarks are certainly capable of that,” Norman Eisen on Donald Trump brand names in China

Photo by @ajplus Twitter

Little girl versus Wall Street’s bull statue

BUSINESS EXTRA

Bank success AN international survey by financial publication Euromoney declared CaixaBank the best private bank in Spain for the third year. CaixaBank not only fought off all opposition but has a recent record of significant growth in the retail area, particularly after it acquired Barclays Bank in Spain.

On trial

LITTLE GIRL: Stares down the charging bull. By John Smith AS a reminder of the concepts behind International Women’s Day advertising agency McCann, on behalf of Boston based State Street Global Advisors, has placed a statue of a young girl directly in front of the charging bull, a symbol of Wall Street. According to the investment company, this is supposed to represent a plea to Wall Street to in-

crease the number of female financial advisors from its current almost derisory 15 per cent and to recognise the importance that women can play in commerce. This new piece of the schoolage girl received temporary permission to be placed opposite the bull in Manhattan from the city council and it is hoped that it will be allowed to stay as a reminder of the importance that women play in society.

THE trial of the vice-chairman of the Samsung Group Lee JaeYong, accused of corruption, bribery and embezzlement, has begun in South Korea. He will deny all charges through his lawyer, but the scandal has rocked the country and led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, said to have favoured the company.

Co-op losses FOR the fifth year in succession, the Co-op Bank, which promotes its ethical standing, has lost money. The loss of £477 million (€548 million) is down on the previous year but it does not bode well for the planned sale of the bank announced last month.

Spanish protectionism THE European Commission has given the Spanish government until April 9 to explain why it limits the percentage of equity that individuals and corporate investors can purchase in two companies involved in the transfer of energy, otherwise it may be taken

to court. Enagás and Red Eléctrica, involved in gas and electricity respectively, are protected under Spanish law so that no shareholder (other than the government) can take control and possibly affect the movement of energy.

is the first monthly trade deficit reported by China in the past three years due to increased imports and decreased exports caused by Lunar New Year closures. A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 6 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION // WWW.EWNBUSINESS.COM

Car manufacturers agree takeover By John Smith

EWN

state governments as well as the European Union, PSA will become the second largest vehicle manufacturer in Europe after the Volkswagen group but in order to maintain its position and expand, it is looking to make savings of €1.73 billion per year. One telling fact is that under GM ownership, the group had never made a profit, although it was on target to break even in 2016 had it not been for the drop in the value of sterling following the referendum vote.

Reprieve for disgraced Rato DESPITE the fact that disgraced former minister, head of the IMF and head of Bankia, Rodrigo Rato was found guilty of misusing funds and sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment, he is currently walking free. As he is expected to file an appeal against the conviction and the sentence, it has been decided that his impeccable behaviour during the trial meant that he could be trusted and should remain free until such time as the appeal is held. Many consider this to be inappropriate considering the suffering caused to many who believed the prospectus and invested in Bankia shares.

E W N 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US See our advert on opposite page

C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 13

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 1,183.25 42.75 Associated British Foods 2,632.00 1.00 Admiral Group 1,903.50 -0.50 Ashtead Group 1,691.00 13.00 Antofagasta 770.75 22.75 Aviva 539.75 -1.25 AstraZeneca 4,785.25 25.75 BAE Systems 640.50 3.50 Babcock International Group 898.25 4.25 Barclays 231.05 -0.80 British American Tobacco 5,110.00 2.00 Barratt Developments 540.00 3.00 British Land Co 614.00 1.50 BHP Billiton 1,273.25 28.75 Bunzl 2,308.50 1.50 BP 466.08 -4.62 Burberry Group 1,810.00 6.00 BT Group 342.70 0.25 Coca-Cola HBC 1,958.00 10.00 Carnival 4,552.00 -9.00 Centrica 222.70 -0.10 Compass Group 1,516.00 6.00 Capita Group (The) 549.50 5.00 Croda International 3,645.50 2.50 CRH 2,888.50 4.50 Convatec Group 256.05 -0.35 Dixons Carphone 305.10 0.30 DCC 7,020.00 20.00 Diageo 2,275.75 6.75 Direct Line Insurance Group 345.70 0.70 Experian 1,634.00 8.00 easyJet 985.50 8.50 Fresnillo 1,385.00 25.00 GKN 371.10 -0.40 Glencore 318.68 8.13 GlaxoSmithKline 1,672.25 -0.25 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 2,147.50 8.50 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,321.50 2.50 Hammerson 583.75 2.75 HSBC Holdings 677.60 10.90 International Consldtd Airs Gr 567.75 1.25 InterContinental Hotels Grp 3,856.00 6.00 3i Group 726.75 1.75 Imperial Brands 3,841.25 -6.25 Informa 647.25 1.25 Intu Properties 278.45 0.95 Intertek Group 3,869.00 14.00 ITV 208.30 0.60 Johnson Matthey 2,922.00 11.00 Kingfisher 336.85 1.35

% CHG. NET VOL 3.75 16,144.04 0.04 20,824.99 -0.03 5,441.08 0.77 8,289.64 3.04 7,425.97 -0.23 22,086.72 0.54 60,252.55 0.55 20,400.41 0.48 4,549.11 -0.35 39,342.92 0.04 94,794.09 0.56 5,384.69 0.24 6,412.84 2.31 26,386.11 0.07 7,616.64 -0.98 88,430.63 0.33 7,830.24 0.07 32,810.71 0.51 7,080.50 -0.20 9,669.32 -0.04 12,273.05 0.40 24,673.27 0.92 3,624.24 0.07 4,792.51 0.16 23,828.24 -0.14 5,012.36 0.10 3,513.78 0.29 6,224.81 0.30 56,708.92 0.20 4,677.06 0.49 15,266.33 0.87 3,881.72 1.84 9,948.06 -0.11 6,378.88 2.62 44,289.74 -0.01 82,165.62 0.40 5,072.99 0.19 6,249.15 0.47 4,677.83 1.63 132,649.15 0.22 12,166.18 0.16 7,619.23 0.24 7,052.75 -0.16 36,601.66 0.19 5,391.05 0.34 3,821.21 0.36 6,127.05 0.29 8,348.70 0.38 5,687.95 0.40 7,538.42

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Land Securities Group 1,045.50 5.50 Legal & General Group 249.10 0.30 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 68.64 -0.12 London Stock Exchange Grp 3,078.00 18.00 Micro Focus International 2,182.50 7.50 Mediclinic International 747.50 2.50 Merlin Entertainments 496.10 -0.80 Marks & Spencer Group 340.25 1.45 Mondi 1,886.50 7.50 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 233.55 -0.65 National Grid 981.75 3.05 Next 3,977.00 11.00 Old Mutual Group 224.25 0.45 Provident Financial 2,959.50 0.50 Paddy Power Betfair 8,832.50 17.50 Prudential 1,646.00 2.50 Persimmon 2,122.50 14.50 Pearson 672.25 -4.25 Reckitt Benckiser Group 7,321.50 0.50 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 243.75 -1.25 Royal Dutch Shell 2,110.75 -2.75 Royal Dutch Shell 2,205.25 -4.25 RELX 1,536.00 1.00 Rio Tinto 3,272.75 94.25 Royal Mail 407.45 1.95 Rolls-Royce Group 756.50 2.00 Randgold Resources 7,005.00 160.00 RSA Insurance Group 591.00 -1.00 Sainsbury (J) 265.90 -0.50 Schroders 3,132.00 4.00 Sage Group (The) 648.00 2.00 Shire 4,949.75 59.25 Smurfit Kappa Group 2,198.00 -2.00 Sky 992.00 -1.00 Standard Life 377.60 -2.40 Smiths Group 1,537.00 5.00 Smith & Nephew 1,241.00 2.00 SSE 1,506.00 3.00 Standard Chartered 743.40 2.10 St James's Place 1,086.00 3.00 Severn Trent 2,337.50 3.50 Tesco 188.45 -0.35 TUI AG 1,149.00 -1.00 Taylor Wimpey 193.55 1.05 Unilever 4,027.50 -8.00 United Utilities Group 972.50 0.50 Vodafone Group 203.68 -0.17 Wolseley 5,025.00 31.00 Worldpay Group 288.35 -0.15 WPP Group 1,697.00 -4.00 Whitbread 3,893.50 2.50

% CHG. 0.53 0.12 -0.17 0.59 0.34 0.34 -0.16 0.43 0.40 -0.28 0.31 0.28 0.20 0.02 0.20 0.15 0.69 -0.63 0.01 -0.51 -0.13 -0.19 0.07 2.97 0.48 0.27 2.34 -0.17 -0.19 0.13 0.31 1.21 -0.09 -0.10 -0.63 0.33 0.16 0.20 0.28 0.28 0.15 -0.19 -0.09 0.55 -0.20 0.05 -0.08 0.62 -0.05 -0.24 0.06

NET VOL 8,322.58 14,854.24 48,841.05 10,778.93 4,954.81 5,442.70 5,008.45 5,505.39 9,048.30 5,363.56 36,703.96 5,852.12 11,117.01 4,399.94 7,223.64 42,467.92 6,523.88 5,587.40 51,102.49 28,600.29 91,758.03 81,220.88 16,716.79 44,001.36 4,047.00 13,777.33 6,480.61 6,110.01 5,737.24 7,077.89 7,056.73 43,904.97 5,180.92 17,142.90 7,547.04 6,079.92 10,814.78 15,398.74 24,196.43 5,710.22 5,507.35 15,203.55 6,765.62 6,265.81 51,338.38 6,694.44 54,129.57 12,576.30 5,733.00 22,139.57 7,072.91

Kleinwort Benson Elite PCC Ltd

0.87529

1.14247 Units per €

US dollar ..................................................................1.06987 Japan yen..................................................................122.719 Switzerland franc ................................................1.08207 Denmark kroner ..................................................7.43360 Norway kroner ......................................................9.16995

currenciesdirect.com/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 13

COMPANY 3M AMERICAN EXPRESS APPLE BOEING CO CATERPILLAR CHEVRON CISCO SYSTEMS COCA-COLA DU PONT(EI) DE NMR EXXON MOBIL GENERAL ELECTRIC GOLDMAN SACHS HOME DEPOT IBM INTEL CORP J.P.MORGAN CHASE JOHNSON & JOHNSON MC DONALD'S CORP MERCK AND CO. NEW MICROSOFT NIKE PFIZER PROCTER AND GAMBLE TRAVELERS CIES UNITED TECHNOLOGIE UNITEDHEALTH GROUP VERIZON COMMS VISA WAL-MART STORES WALT DISNEY CO

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 191,210 +0,69% 1,310 113M 79,3800 +0,10% 0,0800 71M 139,140 +0,33% 0,460 730M 178,700 -1,04% -1,870 109M 92,310 +1,01% 0,920 54M 110,61 +0,52% 0,57 208M 34,260 +0,56% 0,190 171M 42,29 +0,62% 0,26 181M 80,8600 +0,47% 0,3800 69M 81,61 -0,07% -0,06 338M 30,2800 +2,09% 0,6200 264M 248,38 -0,72% -1,80 98M 146,8500 +0,16% 0,2300 178M 177,83 +0,37% 0,65 167M 35,9100 +0,25% 0,0900 170M 91,2800 -0,32% -0,2900 326M 126,2100 +0,21% 0,2600 342M 127,9800 -0,12% -0,1600 104M 65,60 -0,44% -0,29 180M 64,930 +0,31% 0,200 502M 56,43 +0,12% 0,07 74M 34,1100 +0,18% 0,0600 203M 91,070 +0,81% 0,730 232M 122,83 +0,76% 0,93 34M 112,14 +0,19% 0,21 90M 169,98 +1,17% 1,97 161M 49,35 +0,14% 0,07 200M 89,73 +0,70% 0,62 166M 70,1000 +0,34% 0,2400 215M 110,9200 -0,10% -0,1100 175M

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M ARCH 13

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. China TechFaith Wireless Com Tech Lim Willdan Group, Inc. Internap Corporation Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. Sears Holdings Corporation Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. Zogenix, Inc. Citi Trends, Inc. MYR Group, Inc.

$ 2.04 $ 2.11 $ 33.30 $ 3.08 $ 2.20 $ 9.23 $ 6.95 $ 15.09 $ 10.80 $ 18.85 $ 41.94

0.71 ▲ 53.38% 0.50 ▲ 31.06% 5.42 ▲ 19.44% 0.45 ▲ 17.11% 0.30 ▲ 15.79% 1.22 ▲ 15.23% 0.87 ▲ 14.31% 1.78 ▲ 13.37% 1.25 ▲ 13.09% 2.18 ▲ 13.08% 4.85 ▲ 13.08%

$ 26.98 $ 2.39 $ 2.276 $ 4.26 $ 18.40 $ 18.11 $ 10.55 $ 10.57 $ 18.85 $ 5.20 $ 15.84

7.92 ▼ 22.69% 0.46 ▼ 16.14% 0.434 ▼ 16.01% 0.61 ▼ 12.53% 2.60 ▼ 12.38% 2.24 ▼ 11.01% 1.21 ▼ 10.29% 1.18 ▼ 10.04% 2.10 ▼ 10.02% 0.55 ▼ 9.57% 1.65 ▼ 9.43%

Most Declined Finisar Corporation Inseego Corp. HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc. Roka Bioscience, Inc. Zumiez Inc. Federated National Holding Company Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. CECO Environmental Corp. Surgery Partners, Inc. Acacia Research Corporation Cara Therapeutics, Inc.

E W N 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

By John Smith WHEN the Carrefour Group decides to open a new hypermarket, it invariably obtains a site with sufficient space to allow it to create a mini-mall or retail park where other independent companies can offer a range of different products to visitors. This is a symbiotic relationship whereby the tenants have access to the Carrefour shoppers and the fact that there is a range of generally noncompeting products under the same roof often aids in the decision making process as to which supermarket consumers will visit. Up until now, the management of the shopping centres and in some cases retail parks adjacent to the Carrefour stores has been undertaken by two separate real estate companies, Carmila and Cardety, but it has been announced (subject to shareholder approval) that Cardety will take over Carmila in a three for one share exchange. It is planned that the combined operation will take the Carmila name and will be floated on the French Stock Exchange with an expected worth of some €3 billion but interest-

Photo Credit: Benjamín Núñez González Wikimedia

Carrefour to expand business

CARREFOUR: A number of new retail parks centred around the store are planned. ingly, Carrefour has significant shareholdings in both companies and will participate heavily in the newly merged one. Although initially a French company, Carrefour has expanded signifi-

cantly into Spain and Italy as well as other countries around the world fuelling its expansion through takeover of companies, development and recently, the absorption of several Eroski super-stores throughout Spain.

The new group plans a number of new retail parks centred around Carrefour stores as part of a new five year plan which will also see significant development in the area of online shopping.

AirBnB at the crossroads

AIR BNB: Brian Chesky the founder with letters in San Francisco. The Barcelona City Council believes that rentals via AirBnB do not recognise the laws in place and has levelled significant fines on the company which have been appealed, but fines have also been levied on property managers in New York City for using the company to advertise entire apartments for rent. This highly successful company has gone from strength to strength and has received investment

AFTER significant losses following the Brexit result, the pound started to recover against the euro in particular returning to a level of around €1.19 which was maintained for several months. Suddenly however it has taken a slow but sure backwards step dropping down to €1.145 at the time of writing this article and the reasons are not totally clear. Different analysts expound different reasons, one being that the Lords amendments to the Article 50 White Paper are to blame, whilst others suggest that the pound is undervalued against the dollar but is simply finding its correct level against the euro, especially as the Eurozone appears to be relatively sound at the moment. Those of us who receive pensions and investment payment in sterling are less interested in the reason and more interested in seeing it stronger.

JD Sports new Iberian deal Photo Credit: Kevin Krejci flickr

REGULARLY in the news in Spain because councils in many areas, especially Barcelona, Madrid and Mallorca believe that San Francisco based home rental company AirBnB continually encourages those renting properties to flout the laws, the company has just raised another $1 billion (€940 million). Only launched in 2008 by Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, the company charges letters 3 per cent of the value of the let and between 6 and 12 per cent to those renting and is now valued at $31 billion (€29 billion) with operations hitting 65,000 cities worldwide. Whilst the concept is very clever, there is no doubt that the company is managing to make enemies in very large cities which enjoy huge numbers of tourist visitors. Hotels are up in arms over the way in which the company takes business away from them and it is being blamed for the difficulty that many renters are having in finding long-term accommodation in London. So worried was the British government about this situation, that the matter has been raised in parliament and the company has agreed to stop renters from letting their properties out for more than 90 days in a year unless they are registered with local councils. Spain recently introduced some relatively draconian restrictions on short term letters requiring registration, air conditioning, free wifi and a number of other regulations in order to both support their tourist industry and to ensure that those letters actually pay tax on what they earn.

Sterling loses 3.5 per cent against euro

from the founder of Amazon as well as celebrities and movie stars, but doesn’t appear ready as yet to float on the stock market especially as its high development and expansion costs have finally taken it into significant profit. The company is at the crossroads, facing continued growth in the market and profit or being shut down due to alleged multiple breaches of laws around the world.

JUST one day before it is due to open its new store in Cordoba, JD Sports has announced that it intends to enter into a partnership through its Sprinter brand with Portuguese retailer Sport Zone owned by the Sonae group. This new joint venture to be known as the Iberian Sports Retail Group will manage and operate more than 250 stores in Portugal and Spain with an annual expected turnover of €450 million, although the British group has been expanding steadily within Spain and currently sells goods to the value of €40 million. The agreement appears to give JD Sports a 50 per cent ownership of the new company whilst its Spanish division Sprinter will have 20 per cent and Sonae are to take 30 per cent. If this deal is finalised, then the new group will become one of the largest sporting goods retailers in Spain and Portugal, competing directly with French-owned Decathlon. Not content with expansion in Europe, JD Sports is also expanding its business in Australia and despite regular negative media coverage, appears to continue to enlarge and discover new outlets for its goods.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo by HM Treasury

The UK’s spring budget and Spain

PHILIP HAMMOND: Leaving 11 Downing Street. By John Smith CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond presented his first budget on March 8 and whilst a great deal of it won’t have any effect on British passport holders living in Spain, there are a few developments which will be of interest. It was unfortunate that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted just prior to the budget, exhorting supporters to “Sign the petition against Osborne’s cuts” and although technically correct, it gave ammunition to certain parts of the media to suggest that he didn’t know that Osborne had been replaced. In general terms, Hammond took a fairly upbeat position with regards to the economy and the fact that Britain needs to borrow less money than originally forecast although growth is expected to slow down over the next few years until expanding in 2021. He allocated more money to adult social care over the next three years with £2 billion (€2.3 billion) put to one side and did not introduce a retroac-

tive claw back of monies spent on social care from inheritances which came as a relief to many. The NHS didn’t fare so well and despite the ‘promises’ (or were they just suggestions?) that many pro-Brexit campaigners - many of whom are now Cabinet Ministers - gave concerning massive monthly payments to the NHS, he was only able to find £425 million (€489 million) over three years for the countries health.

Britain needs to borrow less money than originally forecast.

The chancellor did however find around £1 billion (€1.15 billion) for education and the creation of even more selective schools as well as granting poor 11 to 15 year olds free transport to their schools as long as they are eligible for free school dinners. Investors can earn 2.2 per cent on a new Investment Bond but tax-free dividend allowance

will be reduced from £5,000 (€5,750) to £2,000 (€2,300) from April 2018. The area that has caused the largest furore concerns National Insurance contributions for the self-employed which, according to detractors, marks a direct U-turn from pre-election promises that there would be no new taxes with the government explaining that that wasn’t quite what they meant really and was down to a matter of interpretation. There should be a few more pubs left open for visitors to the UK as they will receive some rate relief for one year. Those living in Spain however can congratulate themselves on the fact that they are in a country where drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes is still considerably cheaper than in the UK. Finally, only a cynic would complain about the £5 million (€5.75 million) found on International Women’s Day to celebrate the Centenary of the Representation of the People Act which in 1918 led to the eventual granting of votes to women.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

EWN

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

Keep that mail coming always I do still get the occasional missive that wishes me harm, which is a bit sad really.

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT ONE of the bonuses I glean from writing this column is the mail I receive. The reason many go unpublished is because a large number have attachments, or are a tad too long. I do of course read them all. The feedback I gain is invaluable and I thank all who take the trouble to put their ideas and suggestion in the perusal pipeline. Some of the suggestions are of course unprintable. Others are actually a physical impossibility! However, as long as they contain even a smidgen of constructive criticism, all are welcome. I do still of course get the occasional missive that wishes me harm. Don’t worry I’ve been ‘poisoned’ by the very best. I find those particular communications a bit sad really. Some years ago the office did receive a letter addressed to me with the word ‘bomb’ inscribed in the top corner. After a bit of ‘pass the parcel’ one brave EWN staff member deemed to open it. Inside was a card with a Second World War bomb depicted on its front. Not too funny really.

FEEDBACK: Some of the suggestions are unprintable.

I’ve also received my fair share of mooners. If anyone feels this way inclined in the future, could you make sure you’re female? I’m afraid I've never been into male posteriors (no pun intended!). I did receive a funny one this week. A lady wrote to tell me she had stopped reading the EWN because of me. This was of course not true because she went on to say she was reading this particular issue in the lavatory! Whether she had carried it in with her, considering those particular surroundings gave it more atmosphere, or whether she intended to put it to more practical use I have no idea. Hope not. All the print comes off love. Still it would give hubby the opportunity to read it in bed! And on that low note (geddit!?) I’ll wish you all au revoir for another week. Keep that mail coming and always. Keep the faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

Your Belgian estate agent at the coast!

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

Leo the Lion embarks on ‘last chance’ proton beam cancer therapy not, but he shouldn’t be with the treatment.” She added: ”There is a chance that Leo’s tumour does not respond to radia tio n , n obody know s until they try. “If this is the c a s e th en the re are no more treatment options, except another possible trial in Florida for children that h av e g o t to tha t stage.

I do not know if another tumour comes back if we continue fighting or what... there is only so much you can do.”

BRAVE LEO: In Oklahoma.

Spanish account • Bank: Banco Sabadell Account Name: Leo James Bermejo Account Number: ES69 0081 0597 0900 0602 1116 • Swift: BSAB ESBB

UK account • Bank: Royal Bank of Scotland Account Name: Alda Keefe Account Number: 17485819 • Sort Code: 16-24-06

gofundme.com/leothelion3 • Paypal: karenlisakeefe@hotmail.com

DONATE

BRAVE cancer fighter four-year-old Leo Bermejo from Almeria has begun his 31 sessions of proton beam therapy in Oklahoma. It follows his recent brain tumour operation in the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in the UK. Doctors at the ProCure clinic have decided that Leo needs full brain and spine proton therapy with a boost to the tumour bed. The proton sessions, which will be given Monday to Friday, will involve approximately six weeks of treatment and, if all goes to plan, Leo could be back in Spain by the end of April. Speaking exclusively to the Euro Weekly News from the States, mum Karen said: “His first treatment took just over an hour. He was quite groggy afterwards and was saying ‘ouch’ and pointing to his head. It is difficult to know if he was really in pain or

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN hits the track with SPV Racing By Matt Ford EURO W E E K LY N E WS p u b lis h e r Steven Euesden was able to fulfil a lifetime ambition on Sunday, March 12, as he took a Ligier JS P3 European Le Mans Series car for a spin around the Mike G Racing Circuit in Guadix, Granada. Having been invited to try out the Ligier due to his close relationship with track owner Clive Greenhalgh, Steven certainly did not disappoint as he clocked some extremely fast times. Also putting his pedal to the metal was champion freestyle skier and notorious petrolhead Jon Olsson, who will be one of the team’s drivers in this year’s Creventic Prototype Endurance Series after competing in several Gumball Rallies. The Swede is currently sponsored by Red Bu l l , h a s p i c k e d u p n u me ro u s medals in the Winter X Games and clearly relishes an adrenalin rush since he has owned a series of modified supercars, including a Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 with a ski box strapped to the roof! Having completed his warm-up laps in the 2 6 0 B HP R a d ic a l S R 3 rs , a British-manufactured two-seater which competes in the International Automobile Federation’s C3 class, a visibly tense Steven took his seat in the Ligier

SINGLE SEATER: The Ligier JS P3.

SPV featured in both the European and Asian Le Mans Series in 2016 and this year will enter the Creventic Championship.

following detailed pep talks by SPV’s Lars GV Linberg and Raul Garcia Isern. The pre-heated tyres were fitted and the impressive 430 BHP Nissan-powered car, complete with EWN livery, w a s w h e e le d onto the tra c k w he re Steven was finally able to fire up the incredible-sounding 5-litre V8 engine. As an excited Team EWN watched on, he gradually reduced his lap times as his confidence increased, with the SPV pit crew clearly impressed by his skills behind the wheel after he and Jon posted very similar best laps. As he stepped out of the car, a grinning and emotional Steven could only manage a single word: “Awesome!” The Ligier is one of several owned by SPV Racing, a relatively new Spanish and Swedish team formed in 2015 through an alliance between Spirit Racing and SPV Motorsport. SPV featured in both the European and Asian Le Mans Series’ in 2016, and will this year enter the Creventic

Championship, a series of four 12-hour races in France, Belgium and Italy. The team have also been running a Ford-sponsored Mustang in the N A SC A R W he le n Euroseries, which last year was driven by former Toyota F1 test and reserve driver Borja Garcia. Their ambition is to take the step up to LMP 2-series racing in 2018, before taking on the infamous 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019. Massive thanks from Steven, Michel and Team EWN to everyone at the Mike G Racing Circuit and SPV Racing for a brilliant day, and watch this space for more news about their progress in upcoming editions of the Euro Weekly News.

Steven. r and team driver with JON OLSSON: Skiing sta

PENSIVE: A visibly tense Steven.

PEP TALK: Prior to taking his seat.

support. TEAM EWN: Provided

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

Advertising feature

WHETHER you want to invest in your future or set up an idyllic retirement in sunny Spain then Savannah Park Resort is the place for you. Savannah Park Resort is a brand new luxury mobile home park located five minutes from the beautiful picturesque town of Sorbas, Almeria. Sorbas has a variety of tapas bars, supermarkets, chemists, petrol stations, banks, a medical centre and a local daily bus service to Almeria City and Murcia. The resort is just a 30-minute drive from Almeria Airport and also 30 minutes drive from the beautiful beach resorts of Mojacar and Vera. Savannah Park Resort offers luxury living mobile homes and lodgestyle bungalows for sale, brand new or pre-loved at very affordable prices for you to enjoy all year round. All mobile homes are fully furnished so there’s no stress of buying furniture once you are there. Just move in and start to enjoy the beautiful sunshine! Savannah Park Resort boasts a huge selection of luxury mobile homes, static caravans, lodges and bungalows for you to choose from. If that all sounds like too much, then simply chat with the expert team on hand to help dis-

Your personal paradise

EXCELLENT FACILITIES: Include a sun terrace and lounge area.

cover which option suits you best. Manufacturers featured include ABI, Willerby, Victory, Carnaby, Cosalt and Trigano. Unlike a lot of other holiday parks Savannah Park Resort have the mobile homes right on the park for you to go along and view. Please don’t leave it too late as the plots are selling quickly! Facilities include a clubhouse bar/restaurant and an outdoor swimming pool with sun terrace and lounge area with free Wi-Fi. At Savannah Park Resort there’s no skimping on space. Pitch sizes are up to 563m2 and these are on a first come, first served basis to suit all

mobile homes, luxury lodges and motorhomes. The grounds are kept immaculate year round with the lawns, shrubs and trees lovingly tended by professionals with a passion for beauty. Having worked on various parks in the UK and France, the hand picked team at Savannah has over 20 years of holiday park experience and takes pride in making sure you are treated like family. The team always go the extra mile for customers and a member of staff is on site 24-hours. The park is owned by two entrepreneurs who have a wealth of experience owning holiday parks and camping sites in the UK and Spain. They have built a reputation of understanding customer satisfaction is of paramount importance and never

Please contact Mags or Kevin in the sales department on either 00 34 950 387 823 or mobile number 00 34 658 258 218 or email them at sales@savannahparkresort.com for further information. Feel free to pop in and visit them for a coffee and a chat to see what the team has to offer at Savannah Park Resort, Ctra.Al.4101 – De Sorbas, A Uleila Del Campo, Km.5.1, 04270, Sorbas, Almeria. They are open seven days a week from 10am – 7pm. Visit them online at www.savannahparkresort.com

forget the customer always comes first. To understand their background and passion have a look online at www.savannahparkresort.com or SavannahParkResort Facebook page for all the latest news and updates. What are you waiting for? Living in Spain and thinking of downsizing? On holiday dreaming of buying a holiday home in Spain? Looking for a second home for holiday purposes? At Savannah Park Resort there are also great facilities for motorhomes, tents and camping. Prices start from €34,995 which includes your choice of plot, site fees for the first year, all your gas, water, electric connections and a new cement base. Site fees start from as little as €300 per month. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!

E W N 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

TV LISTING

THURSDAY 16 MARCH

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

FRIDAY 17 MARCH

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 11:35pm 1:55am

BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Shop Well for Less Britain on the Fiddle BBC News at Ten BBC London News Question Time This Week

6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders Room 101 EastEnders Tracey Ullman's Show BBC News at Ten BBC London News Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest The Real Marigold Hotel

7:00pm 7:30pm

5:30pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:05am

SATURDAY

6:55pm 7:00pm 7:45pm

18 MARCH

9:00pm 9:40pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:18pm 11:20pm 12:45am

Weather Pointless Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief Who Dares Wins Casualty Mrs. Brown's Boys BBC News Weather Match of the Day This Country

6:50pm 6:55pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 11:25pm 11:30pm 12:40am

Regional News Weather The Big Painting Challenge Countryfile Antiques Roadshow SS-GB BBC News Regional News Weather Match of the Day 2 American High School

4:30pm

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 11:45pm

The One Show Inside Out EastEnders Panorama Crimewatch BBC News Regional News Weather Have I Got a Bit More Old News for You Live at the Apollo

7:00pm 7:30pm

SUNDAY 19 MARCH

MONDAY 20 MARCH

12:30am

TUESDAY 21 MARCH

WEDNESDAY 22 MARCH

8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 11:45pm 12:35am

5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 11:45pm 12:15am

11:00pm 11:45pm 1:30am

5:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:40am

8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:10am

EastEnders Holby City EastEnders Would I Lie to You? BBC News Regional News Weather How Police Missed the Grindr Killer The Scottish Bounty Hunter

7:00pm 7:30pm

Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show The Sheriffs are Coming DIY SOS The Big Build BBC News Regional News Weather Peter Kay's Car Share A Question of Sport

6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:10am

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm

Bargain Hunt Eggheads The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food Antiques Road Trip The Great Pottery Throw Down The Last Kingdom Match of the Day Newsnight Top Gear Eggheads The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Gardeners' World Only Connect Wild Ireland QI Newsnight Robot Wars

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm Stories 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am

Final Score Flog It! Wild Ireland Britain at War Dad's Army Dame Vera Lynn: Happy 100th Birthday QI XL True Grit: A Further Adventure Ash Wednesday

1:20pm 1:30pm 3:15pm 3:45pm 5:00pm 8:30pm

Back to the Land with Kate Humble Skiing Six Nations Rugby Special Robot Wars Top Gear Down the Mighty River with Steve Backshall While We're Young Women's Six Nations Highlights

7:00pm 7:10pm 7:30pm

9:30pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:35am

Emmerdale NHS: Crisis on the Frontline? Tonight Emmerdale Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule Prime Suspect 1973 The Nightly Show with Davina Mccall ITV News ITV News London

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Judge Rinder's Crime

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

Coronation Street Lethal Weapon The Nightly Show with Davina Mccall ITV News ITV News London ITV News and Weather Carry on Matron Off Their Rockers The Voice UK Six Nations Rugby Union Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway The Voice UK ITV News and Weather Lethal Weapon Rambo III

12:05am

10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 12:55am

The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Political Slot The Supervet A Very British Hotel Extremely British Muslims : The Rules Mystery of the Man on the Moor The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Unreported World Scruffts: Britain's Favourite Dog Gogglebox The Last Leg 8 Out of 10 Cats How'd You Get So Rich?

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

5:30pm 6:35pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:45pm 1:55am

Location, Location, Location Grand Designs Channel 4 News Escape to the Chateau Penelope Keith at Her Majesty's Service Lucy RoboCop Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA

5:15pm 6:10pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:55pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 12:30am

11:45pm 12:45am

Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule Five Gold Rings Vera ITV News and Weather The Nightly Show Best Bits Peston on Sunday Rugby

Eggheads The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food Top Gear University Challenge Mary Berry Everyday Second Chance Summer: Tuscany Cradle to Grave Newsnight Weather

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

The Chase Local News and Weather ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street The Kyle Files Coronation Street Broadchurch The Nightly Show ITV News The Chase

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:50pm 12:55am 1:45am

The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Political Slot Dispatches Travel Man 24 Hours in A and E How'd You Get So Rich? Tattoo Fixers Gap Year A Very British Hotel

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

Eggheads The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food The Best of British Takeaways Back to the Land with Kate Humble American Justice Inside No 9 Newsnight Weather

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm

The Chase Local News and Weather ITV Evening News Emmerdale Britain's Busiest Motorway The Secret Chef Play to the Whistle The Nightly Show ITV News Prime Suspect 1973

6:00pm

Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of the Zoo Mutiny Catastrophe This is Us Gogglebox

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Hidden Restaurants with Michel Roux Jr The Royal House of Windsor 999: What's Your Emergency? Lee Mack

6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

Bargain Hunt Eggheads The Hairy Bikers' Comfort Food Great Continental Railway Journeys The House That £100k Built Incredible Medicine: Dr Weston's Casebook Live at the Apollo Newsnight

8:00pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm

9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:15pm 7:45pm 8:15pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

Chopping Block Tipping Point The Chase Local News and Weather ITV Evening News Emmerdale International Football The Nightly Show ITV News England Friendly Highlights

3:55pm 5:45pm 7:35pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 12:30am 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Rio Johnny English Reborn Channel 4 News Dave's Guide to Spending Money Rivers with Jeremy Paxman Homeland Gogglebox 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown

4:05pm 6:00pm 7:50pm 7:55pm 10:00pm 12:10am 1:55am

9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

1:05am 2:00am

9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Home and Away 5 News Tonight Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door The Great British Benefits Handout Celebrity Sex Pod 100% Hotter! Super Casino

7:00pm

Patient Killer 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Tony Robinson's Coast to Coast When TV Goes Horribly Wrong Super Casino

4:00pm 4:15pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

7:30pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am

7:00pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 1:00am

The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS 5 News Football on 5 The True Story Criminals Caught on Camera

10:45am 12:30pm 1:30pm 4:00pm

Zathura: A Space Adventure Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 5 News Left Behind 5 News The Ant and Dec Story Dark Skies Greatest Sci-Fi Movies

3:15pm

5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News The Cars That Made Britain Great Police Interceptors Inside King's Cross: The Railway Traffic Cops Homefront 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Police Interceptors The Yorkshire Vet Yorkshire: A Year in the Wild Britain's Best Double Acts Super Casino Neighbours Home and Away 5 News America's Hidden Pyramid City GPs: Behind Closed Doors Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords Gypsy Kids: Our Secret World

6:15pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 11:30pm 12:30am

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

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

Barclays Premier League World Premier League Legends Live Premier League Darts Premier League Match Pack La Liga Show Barclays Premier League World Spanish Football Gold Spanish Football Gold Football Gold Football's Greatest Premier League 100 Club Premier League Match Pack The Fantasy Football Club Football Live Nxtgen Boxing Premier League 100 Club Soccer A.M. Football Football Gillette Soccer Saturday Football EFL Goals Nissan Game of the Day Nissan Match Choice Football Live Nissan Super Sunday Live Nissan Super Sunday ATP Masters 1000Indian Wells Live ATP Masters 1000-Indian Wells Pl Match Highlights Goals on Sunday Pl Match Highlights Soccer AM: The Best Bits 2016/17 Football Scottish Football Round Up Revista de la Liga Scottish Football Round Up Great Sporting Moments MLS Round Up Show 2017/18

Football Gold Scottish Football Round Up Premier League Review Crolla: The Million Dollar Story Boxing Football World Cup Qualifier La Liga World Premier League Great Sporting Moments Premier League Legends Premier League Legends Spanish Football Gold Football Gold Football's Greatest Premier League 100 Club Live WGC - Dell Match Play La Liga World 2016

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of Euro Weekly News.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

Remembrance to end of our days 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.

FOR my own sanity my heart has required me to jot a few notes concerning our living tragedy. Death is always shocking but even more so when unexpected. The loss of our son Peter Job has devastated us but must force us to be stronger. We enter the realm of distant lovers fully illuminated in our minds yet not within grasp. Each restaurant visit will awaken a flood of passionate memories hardly extinguishable because of their reverential importance; an ongoing passage of recognition and remembrance to the end of our days. The outpouring of sympathy and condolences has been overwhelming and most unexpected. Notes on Facebook from college friends not having seen Joby for some 20 years were reminiscent and poignant and

TOGETHER AGAIN: Best friends.

RED BERET: I vowed to wear it during cold times. especially eye opening for a sad eyed father. Many of the eulogies were heartrending but none more so than the photo posted by Clinton Brown’s widow, Inge.

Herein exists a story within another sad tale. Like many of the early pioneers to Mojacar our children grew up together and became friends for life. Sadly Clinton

Brown got cancer and was sent to Pamplona with just days to live. Sandy DeBruin and Joby wouldn’t have it and drove to Pamplona to take him on tour. On their walk about they came across a statue of Hemingway and next to it was a lady selling red berets. They all chipped in and bought one for me. Upon Clinton’s death I vowed to wear it during cold times and have. With the death of son Joby I feel

even worse about wearing it. Clinton’s wife posted on Facebook ‘together again’ which quite affected me. Best friends united again. Joby was a good son. A contented husband, a good father. Always helpful to everyone and gracious too; of noble deportment. The wonderful photos I have of the three of them on the town in Pamplona I am keeping hidden from the Gods.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

LETTERS

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

Dear Leapy, we can disagree WHILST normally enjoying your articles I must comment on your heading this week in the fine newspaper ‘Euro Weekly.’ I believe we all have ‘the right’ to free speech. Obviously there should be an appropriate time and place for opinions being expressed that are likely to offend or inflame. Yes, the Oscar presentations this year could have been better managed but your strong personal description of the ‘stars’ are surely over exaggerated. However, it is your ‘right’ as a columnist to print your views, as it is mine to disagree with you on this occasion. Even if those stars concerned did think themselves a bottomless pit of valuable information, we don’t have to admire their views, just their performance on celluloid. C. Nelson

Mr Paine and Mr Peters I JUST want to remind them that when we entered the European Market we were named the ‘Poor Man of Europe’ and rightly so. Now we are told our economy is doing well, so being in Europe must have helped Britain somewhat. Are we grateful? Of course not. Fancy suggesting anything to that effect. Stanley & Bea Denia

Dutch conman JOHN SMITH, re the article on page 23 of the February 23 edition regarding fraud in Santa

Pola. The same thing happened to me last year in Los Palacios, Formentera. He is very plausible, I would recognise him anywhere and he does the rounds according to neighbours. He tried for me to give him cash for the same reasons. I didn’t part with any money but I was taken in at first with his story. This guy needs catching. Judith Formentera

Go home OH how we love to move abroad and then try to change our new life to suit our narrow minds. I am ashamed of how all Brit mags are filled with moaners trying to change Span and its long held traditions. Of course some things are hard to ignore but go home or join Spanish parliament!!! M Watson

Time lapse IS Spain behind the time? In a week or so we will change our clocks to daylightsaving time, the wrong time. The sun rises earlier in Germany than in the UK. Now most of Spain is west of the Prime Meridian, 0° that runs through Greenwich. So why is Spain on Central European Time, the same as Berlin? It was not always the case. In 1942, the Fascist dictator General Franco moved Spain onto Central European Time to follow Nazi Germany. It said that following the ‘wrong clock’ explains why Spaniards tend to eat, leave work and go to bed late. Now seeing as both Franco and Hitler are less popular than they once were, isn’t it time to put Spain back into the correct time zone? Iain Robertson, Almanzora

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

Expat faces eviction WELL, I’m sorry but whereas I accept the Spanish system can be seen as a shambles, I think in any country, I would be wary of having a house built when I was told it would be illegal. I’m afraid I cannot be sympathetic as this person seemed to have had more money than sense, and blaming others when she obviously didn’t carry out proper research is just plain stupid. You wouldn’t do so in the UK so why do it in Spain.

Steven

Simon Manley WHAT a load of old tosh! Trotting out the party line to keep his job. Would he like to explain how being on the Padron ensures continued health care? Continued health care is reliant on the UK continuing to guarantee payments to Spain’s Treasury for pensioners’ health care, or paying the pensioners enough of a pension so that they could afford to pay the monthly Social Security payment of the Convenio. Josephine Stoll

Katie Hopkins

Many thanks EWN

SHE is just a silly girl trying to keep in the limelight by being controversial, she would declare black is white just to raise an argument in the public eye. In two to three years she will be history. Steven Campbell Crown Copyright Jay Allen

I HAVE just returned from singing the Mozart Requiem in Granada with Coral Coraxalia and I am now relaxing reading the Euro Weekly with my feet up. I have just seen the article about my art exhibition on page 13. Absolutely fantastic and I’m so delighted you have given over such a large space for it. Also, the story for the Coral Coraxalia choir. So kind of you and the promotion must have worked because the concert was a sell out! It was magnificent - four choirs performed three songs each before the joint choirs performed the Mozart. A music critic in the audience described it as a Susan Boyle moment when we performed our slot. The mostly Spanish audience were

COMMENTS from EWN Online

Gay lights AS a gay man I too find this a ridiculous waste of money. I DON’T however believe that it gives Roy Peters the right to refer to us as Q....S. Grow up, you can voice your opinion WITHOUT being offensive!!!! Antony Brown

Police inhibitor CORAL CORAXALIA: What a wonderful choir. probably not expecting the mostly retired international expats to be able to compete with the youngsters in the other choirs, but we excelled, judging by the cheers and what seemed endless standing ovation. We have worked so hard and our choir director, Eusebio Pita is still ‘en las nubes’ at our performance.

The hugs and kisses, and tears of emotion by both women, and men - even Eusebio - our ‘Gareth Malone’ of the Axarquia. What a wonderful choir we have, thanks to him. We are still inviting people to join us and they can find our more on: www.coralcoraxalia.com. Margaret Riordan

HAVE YOUR SAY 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

THEIR spokesman is ill informed. Limited available frequencies have nothing to do with the strength of the signal being thrown out. I wonder what their reaction will be when a pedestrian is killed due to their blocker killing a vehicle control system which could incidentally be a bus or lorry? Will they be so laid back then when a negligence lawsuit hits them? Could they be done for manslaughter as they were perfectly aware prior to the incident? Dave

Rajoy skips question AS “it’s not the first time” the BBC reporter displayed a shameful, crass lack of sensitivity tantamount to a calculated insult. This is precisely the sort of doltish behaviour which will prejudice #Brexit and in particular the interests of expats. Drew Edgar

Dogs shot ‘for fun’ I HOPE he goes to jail you can’t go round shooting dogs?? And the person walking the dogs will be traumatised for ever. Antony Gary Chandler

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 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

Kakuro

TIME

www.euroweeklynews.com

SPONSORED BY

EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA

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

MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

‘ JUST LOOK AT THAT - FLY TIPPING - IT’S DISGUSTING! ’

LOTTERY

Costa de Almería

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

TODAY

Saturday March 11

VELEZ RUBIO

BONUS BALL HUERCAL OVERA

ALBOX

GARRUCHA

IRISH LOTTO

MOJACAR

Saturday March 11 ALMERIA

ADRA

ROQUETAS

TOMORROW

VELEZ RUBIO

EURO MILLIONS Tuesday March 7

HUERCAL OVERA

ALBOX

BONUS BALL

Alicante TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 13 - C Fri - 18 11 C Sat - 19 11 C Sun - 21 12 S Mon - 22 13 C Tues - 22 12 C Wed - 18 11 C

Bilbao TODAY: MAX 21, MIN 9 - C Fri - 19 8 C Sat - 16 8 C Sun - 18 9 C Mon - 17 9 C Tues - 14 7 Sh Wed - 13 7 Sh

Almeria TODAY: MAX 19, MIN 11 - C Fri - 19 11 C Sat - 19 11 C Sun - 21 12 C Mon - 23 13 S Tues - 22 13 C Wed - 19 11 Sh

Madrid TODAY: MAX 18, MIN 6 - SH Fri - 18 5 Sh Sat - 21 5 S Sun - 22 6 S Mon - 21 6 C Tues - 20 5 C Wed - 16 3 C

Barcelona TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 8 - S Fri - 17 8 S Sat - 19 9 S Sun - 19 10 S Mon - 18 10 C Tues - 17 10 Sh Wed - 16 9 C

Malaga TODAY: MAX 16, MIN 11 - SH Fri - 17 10 Sh Sat - 19 9 C Sun - 22 11 C Mon - 24 12 S Tues - 23 11 C Wed - 20 9 C

Benidorm TODAY: MAX 17, MIN 12 - C Fri - 17 12 Sh Sat - 19 11 C Sun - 20 12 S Mon - 20 13 C Tues - 21 12 C Wed - 18 10 Sh

Mallorca TODAY: MAX 20, MIN 8 - S Fri - 20 7 S Sat - 20 7 S Sun - 21 8 S Mon - 20 10 C Tues - 20 9 Sh Wed - 19 9 Sh

RETAMAR

BONUS BALL

weather

4 GARRUCHA

MOJACAR

Friday March 10

BONUS BALL

ALMERIA

RETAMAR

8 ADRA

ROQUETAS

SATURDAY

LA PRIMITIVA

VELEZ RUBIO

Saturday March 11

BONUS BALL

HUERCAL OVERA

ALBOX

44 0

GARRUCHA

MOJACAR

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

ALMERIA

RETAMAR

Sunday March 12 ADRA

22 29

26 32

ROQUETAS

BONUS BALL

5 S: Sun

Cl: Clear

F: Fog

C: Cloudy

Sh: Showers

Sn: Snow

Th: Thunder

Euro Weekly News strives for accuracy, but cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of published forecasts

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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION cite cult cute deft diet duct duet edit feet felt fete flit left lift lite lute teed tide tied tile cited cleft cutie delft edict educt elect elite elute feted fetid filet fleet flute telic tilde tiled utile deceit defect delict dilute dulcet felted fluted futile leftie lifted deflect ductile DECEITFUL

NEW ON DVD Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them Directed by: David Yates Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler Set in 1926 this magical tale follows New Scamander, author and Magizoologist, who arrives in New York on his continuing global journey to research and rescue magical creatures. The city is already on edge as the wizarding community comes under threat of exposure when bumbling No-Maj (the American term for Muggles, those unable to use magic) Jacob Kowalski accidently releases some beasts stored within Newt’s magical leather case. Newt and a team of unlikely heroes need to recapture the escaped beasts before they come to any harm, but along the way they encounter dark forces that are a threat to their mission.

OUT

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

page

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

Cryptic

Code Breaker

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

CRYPTIC

Quick

Across:

Across 1 Plate from cupboard is hot (4) 3 Definite, horribly cruel act (5,3) 9 Los Angeles is less than clean (7) 10 Write to the church for money (5) 11 Enchanting Ullswater offers shelter for noisy seabirds (5) 12 In pain, chest moves slowly (6) 14 Coaches coaches (6) 16 Artist’s work, say, exhibited outside university (6) 19 Save when secure, possibly (6) 21 The right fish and the means to catch them (5) 24 Left on the side of a shelf (5) 25 State song about most of region (7) 26 Cook said hers are root vegetables (8) 27 English monk brought everybody dinner early to begin with (4) Down 1 Agent from England on stage during meeting (8) 2 A case for brains (5) 4 English poet not quite frolicking (6) 5 Delia’s pickle contains jelly (5) 6 Religious residence with Spanish outlet (7) 7 Meet up at stream (4) 8 Team about to take on inventor (6) 13 Urge rude apes to mix (8)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

SPONSORED BY

Crossword

EWN

1 Settlement, 7 Catching, 8 Beer, 9 Ties, 10 Liberia, 12 Respectable, 14 Damaged, 16 Pool, 19 Camp, 20 Tsarinas, 21 Tenderness. Down: 1 Scant, 2 Tickets, 3 Lair, 4 Magritte, 5 Noble, 6 Decide, 11 Detected, 12 Reagan, 13 Bromide, 15 Ample, 17 Leaps, 18 Fair.

QUICK Across:

15 Revised the last word and finally delighted editor (7) 17 Parched when free on hill (6) 18 Tell a story about the unpunctual (6) 20 Thinks about cold chops (5) 22 Call up the first girl outside, all right! (5) 23 It's a disgrace to speak indistinctly (4) Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 9 represents Z and 24 represents B, so fill in Z every time the figure 9 appears and B every time the figure 24 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Across 1 In a softened tone (7) 5 Tall towers on a farm used to store grain (5) 8 At fixed intervals (7) 9 South American transport animal of the camel family (5) 10 Squander (5) 11 Not any thing (7) 12 Former currency of Spain (6) 14 Short knife (6) 17 Person who serves in a coffee bar (7) 19 Skin that covers the top of the head (5) 22 Deduce (5) 23 Walk with great difficulty (7) 24 Austrian composer (5) 25 Keep out of sight (7)

Down 1 Small mouse like mammal with a long snout (5) 2 Fraudulent (5) 3 Most unattractive (7) 4 Throughout the time of (6) 5 Break in pieces (5) 6 Showing the way by going first (7) 7 Walk with a lofty proud gait (7) 12 Put into print (7) 13 Shabby and untidy (7) 15 Restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something (7) 16 Unit of astronomical length (6) 18 Loud, wailing warning signal (5) 20 Discuss with reasoning (5) 21 State of danger involving risk (5)

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

1 Halibut, 5 Roots, 8 Dingo, 9 Release, 11 Vacation, 13 Secret, 15 Clinic, 18 Cardigan, 19 Pair, 22 Ocarina, 23 Rodeo, 24 Since, 25 Suburbs.

Down: 1 Hideous, 2 Lunge, 3/10 Blow over, 4 Turban, 5 Reliable, 6 Oration, 7 Stern, 12 Feminine, 14 Certain, 16 Curious, 17 Harass, 18 Cross, 20 Adder, 21 Crab.

ENGLISHSPANISH Across: 1 Amargo, 4 Knit, 8 Araña, 9 Suiza, 10 Headlight, 13 Clavo, 14 Apodo, 15 Ojal, 16 Serrin. Down: 1 Amar, 2 Ama de casa, 3 Grandson, 5 Neighbour, 6 Team, 7 Estimate, 11 Ocho, 12 Town.

CODE BREAKER

Across 1 Stars (in sky) (9) 8 Living room (4,2,5) 9 Cordero (4) 10 Cinturón (4) 13 Grasshopper (11) 14 Palillo de dientes (9)

Down 2 Sirloin steak (9) 3 Grosero (maleducado) (4) 4 To read (4) 5 Auténtico (9) 6 Inútil (inepto) (7) 7 Británico (7) 11 Esperar (4) 12 Jabón (4)

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

It’s serious grumpy territory Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man WHAT is it with French air traffic control? Do they achieve anything by striking? Except for making sure that not one member of the travelling public has any sympathy for them. They have affected 35,000 flights since 2010, 34,999 of which didn’t really catch my attention because… well, to be honest, I wasn’t on them. But I was on Wednesday because I was flying to the UK. The problem started two days before my flight because I knew I was meant to be landing at about 9pm which was fine because Hertz don’t close till 11.30pm. Now this is where it starts to get into serious grumpy territory as I decided to give Hertz a call to check what provisions are in place if a punter is delayed because of the strike and land after 11.30pm. I decided to call them and ask. Simple really you would think because they provide you with a number to call - albeit a premium one. So I call it. It all starts off fine. Welcome to Hertz blah, blah, blah. Press 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 for something else, 4 to speak to the local office where you are picking up the car. So 4 is pressed and off we go again. Press 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 for

I don’t know, 4 to personally strangle the idiots that invented this frustrating no human response piece of annoying technology!!!! Or hold to speak to an operator. So I hold and hold and hold and then I’m told after a good 15 minutes of paying for a premium charge call that nobody is available to take my call right now and could I please call back later and the line goes dead. I am now verbally abusing someone who is not there and I mean abusing. Not someone to give up lightly I go online and find a number in the USA as I reckon they must be able to help me contact someone at Luton airport who won’t answer their phone. ‘Hello welcome to Hertz. Press 1 for this, 2 for that and 3 to speak to a very unnaturally happy operator who is going tell me her name and ask me how can she help me today and when we finish wish me a wonderful rest of my day! At last it’s a human and I explain my problem and she tells me not to worry as if my flight details are on the booking the Hertz staff have to wait for me. This is great except my flight details aren’t on my booking. Anyway she kindly adds them and sends me an email confirming what we’ve discussed. So over two hours later I finally get it sorted. My flight was delayed but the Hertz office was still open. So French air traffic control you can KMA!! Email me at mikesenker@gmail.com.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Car ban for cleaner air 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. OLDER CARS: To be banned on roads.

IN a recent meeting, Barcelona has agreed to ban all cars which are over 20 years old. When the rules come into force it means that old cars will be banned from driving on the road on working days in 40 municipalities. The authorities said the move is aimed at reducing pollution as part of the government’s strategy to reduce emissions. They want to reduce pollution by 10 per cent in the next five years and by 30 per cent within 15 years. However, owners of old cars do not need to panic just yet as the restrictions will not

come into force until 2019. From this year, it means that cars registered before 1997 and vans before 1994, will not be allowed to drive on working days. Between now and 2019, plans will be made for the implementation of the scheme. This will also include an awareness campaign on the restrictions and making improvements to public transport links, particularly in areas which it is considered to be deficient. It has been announced that the first stage of the plan will be presented before July this year.

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

Is the maintenance cost too high? OUR Community has several problems due to lack of maintenance. The buildings and outside areas like the garden and car park are looking quite shabby. At the imminent AGM a decision will be sought to spend around €50,000 to replace stair carpets with ceramic floor tiles. It is estimated we will all be asked to pay €90 per quarter extra ON the Second Calling of the AGM, which routinely is half an hour after the First Calling, the majority of owners present or by proxy will carry the motion. As

for the next three years. Some of us do not want to vote yes at the AGM. My question is: What percentage of owners is necessary to allow this? Is it 51 per cent, or 3/5ths of all owners, or is it simply a majority vote of those few people actually attending the AGM together with proxy votes? P.R. (Costa del Sol)

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

you describe it, the issue is necessary maintenance, so

a simple majority vote should be sufficient. You feel that the new flooring is more expensive than it needs to be, but if the AGM votes to install it, you are bound by the decision.

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

16 - 22 March 2017

Costa de Almería

VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.EWNLIFESTYLE.COM

TO READ MORE

HEALTH BEAUTY

Too much salt for most Spaniards 72

SPANIARDS consume nearly double the recommended daily amount of salt. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults should consume less than 5g of salt per day, but data published by the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) indicates that the Spanish population consumes an average of 9.7g of salt per day. The report said that 72 per cent of ingested salt comes

from processed foods such as sausages, breads, cheeses and ready-made meals, with many Spaniards not aware of the salt content in the foods they buy. Experts explain salt can be consumed as ‘visible’ and ‘invisible’ salt. In contrast to the popular belief that salt added during the cooking and seasoning of the dishes (‘visible’ salt) constitutes the highest percentage of salt consumption, this represents only 20 per cent. It is the ‘in-

per cent of ingested salt comes from processed foods like sausages, cheese and ready-made meals. visible’ salt, which comes from food, that is the most concern, accounting to around 80 per cent of total salt consumption. Salt is essential, but large amounts can have a detrimental effect on health if consumed in excess. For some years now, Spain has joined the National Salt Reduction Plan of the European Union. This plan includes studies to know the consumption of salt in the Spanish population and the main sources of salt, the application of public awareness actions and the

LARGE AMOUNTS: Can have a detrimental effect on health.

promotion of food education in the school. These initiatives, through

the AESAN, are part of a broader strategic plan such as the Strategy for Nutrition,

Physical Activity and Prevention of Obesity, to help reduce salt intake.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ask The Doctor

Brought to you by

Understanding hay fever and how to treat it

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. WHAT is hay fever? Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, is an over-reaction o f m u c o u s m embranes in the nose to certain p a r t i c l e s su c h as dust, pollen and sometime s e v e n t h e c o ld which mainly affect the nose and eyes. What causes it? Hay fever is caused by allergens that trigger the rele a se o f c h e m i c als , s uch a s h i st a m in es , which in turn cause the symptoms of an allergic reaction. Is it worse at certain times of the day? Depending on the type of a l l e rg y, sy m p to ms might be worse at certain times of day. Pollen for example, is most abundant in the early morning, although the weather can a l so a ff e c t l e v e ls throughout the day. What are the symptoms? The allergic reaction may cause an itchy and

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

runny nose throughout the months when plants a re in flo w er. O th er symptoms include nasal congestion, headaches and in some cases dizziness similar to when one suffers from vertigo. How is it treated? T h ere are d iffere n t w ay s o f tre a tin g h ay fever. Antihistamines, decongestants and corticoids are the most common as th ey h e lp man ag e th e symptoms. It is also adv is ab le to av o id e x p o s u re to th e s u b s tan ce s which trigger the reaction when possible. Are there other remedies? A person can receive s e v era l v a c c in atio n s , known as immunotherapy, to help the body tolerate allergens and imp ro v e th e s y mp to ms ; however this course of treatment must always be prescribed and managed by a qualified allergist.

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

Breakthrough blood test A NEW form of blood test can help show doctors where in the body a tumour is growing. It is hoped the new ‘liquid biopsies’ will revolutionise cancer treatment by showing slow-growing tumours and those people most in danger, without the need for painful biopsies where part of the organ is removed for further testing. The scientists in America say normal cells killed off by cancer also release DNA into the bloodstream. It has its own unique signature which allows them to detect where the tumour is based on the DNA pattern as they have identified 10 different patterns for different areas of the body including the liver, lungs and kidneys. Meanwhile a team of

Plea to women to take care JUST 11 per cent of Spanish women spend more than a hour a day taking care of themselves, with most caring for others before looking after themselves. Herbalife nutrition company conducted a study through its 12th Healthy Habits Panel, in which 89 per cent of Spanish women admitted to not dedicating more than one hour a day to their own care. Just 2 per cent said they were able to dedicate more than three hours to their own care. Work, family and home occupations were primarily responsible, but this could have negative consequences on the health of women as not spending time on themselves eating correctly, exercising and getting enough sleep can trigger health problems. Herbalife said they wanted to appeal to all Spanish women “to find time in their day to day life to dedicate to themselves” believing that “following a healthy and active lifestyle is the key to being better physically and mentally.”

scientists from the Lund University in Sweden say a new blood test could give doctors a quick and simple way of diagnosing Parkinson’s disease. It comes after the experts discovered a protein in the blood which is an accurate marker of the disease in the patient. FORWARD STEP: The new tests make detection and diagnosis of disease easier.

E W N Costa de Almería

VISIT WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM/FEATURES/RESTAURANTS

16 - 22 March 2017

TO READ MORE

Hollywood hall of fame THE television and pop culture juggernaut that is Game of Thrones will be back filming in Almeria ahead of its seventh season, scheduled for release in the summer. Spain has been a firmfavourite of the fantasy TV series thanks to its remarkably diverse scenery. And tax incentives to help rekindle its own film industry. Almeria has previously f e a t u r e d i n t h e s h o w ’s desert scenes, though the dragons used are not thought to be local. The Tabernas desert has s e e n a r e s u rg e n c e a m o n g Hollywood blockbusters in recent years, raising hopes of a return to the golden age ofthe 1960’s when Clint Eastwood and Spaghetti Westerns put Almeria in the Hollywood Hall of Fame.

TABERNAS DESERT: Has seen a resurgence in recent years.

SCENE

OCIAL

Solidarity swimming COULD you swim for 12 hours straight? That’s the latest calling among Almeria athletes who want to help children with cancer. The next big swimathon takes place in Roquetas de Mar on March 25. Brave fundraisers will take to the water and swim, paddle or float from dawn till dusk hoping to raise 130,000 to help provide research, new faciities and care centres. For non-swimmers looking for a great day of activities there will be c h i l d r e n ’s w o r k s h o p s , aerobics classes, hiking workshops and even butterfly stroke lessons from Spanish Olympic Gold Medalist Rafael Munoz.

SOCIAL SCENE

www.euroweeklynews.com

Glorious return of the original dance master ONE of Almeria’s most iconic singers will be back on stage in his home province when he roars back from retirement. DJ and crooner Javier Rapollo is credited with practically inventing dance music in Spain. His iconic album ‘Made in Spain’ was released 21 years ago in 1996 and is one of the best selling Spanish albums of all time. His breakthrough into mainstream Spanish pop placed him among the province’s hottest musical exports. But before he was a singer, Rapollo had smashed all kinds of records as a d a n c e r. H e s t i l l o w n s a p l a c e i n t h e Guinness Book of records for DJ’ing in a studio for 170 hours straight. In his earlier days he danced for 130 straight hours, falling just 70 minutes short of the world record when a doctor demanded he stop. Now after years of the quiet life the artist will be returning home to perform at the Almeria fairground. Tickets are now on sale for the August 27 gig which will surely be a musical highlight of the Almeria calendar.

JAVIER RAPOLLO: Will return to perform at the Almeria fairground.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

SOCIAL SCENE Success is born out of arrogance - but greatness comes from humility. Marco Pierre White

Ambitious or capricious? GOOD FOOD, GOOD WINE AND GOOD FRIENDS WITH

GARRY WAITE

HAVE BEEN watching a three-part series called The Replacement. It’s very good and tells the story of a woman architect who is pregnant and needs to find someone to take her place in the practice while she goes on maternity leave. In her absence it would appear that the replacement has eyes on her job, position and reputation within the practice. Although not as dark and well scripted as this programme, I experienced something similar many years ago. I was looking for an assistant food and beverage manager for the hotel where I was the Food and Beverage Manager. A colleague of mine was aware of my search and put me in touch with an experienced and ambitious young man. This guy was a very personable chap and had the qualities I was looking for. I took him on. The General Manager liked him as did the area director and soon he proved himself to be a good addition to the team. He was always volunteering to take on some of my load and in return for his enthusiasm I imparted as much knowledge of the business and the operation in particu-

lar as I could. Months went by and I was due a holiday, I hadn’t had one for over a year and I was looking forward to it. I knew the place would be in good hands so I went with the confidence that all would be well in my absence. Unfortunately while away I contracted some sort of virus and on my return was not able to go back to work for a further 10 days. When I eventually said that I was free to come back, I was informed that in my absence they had reorganised the hotel’s management structure and - you guessed it! - my position was no longer!! I had been replaced!! I had turned him into a mini me, he had met my clients, was playing tennis with the boss and generally making himself indispensable. The pole to success can be slippery, in order to climb it, it pays to have the right gloves!! Perhaps boxing gloves? The irony of this story is, I met up with my nemesis a couple of years later. I asked how things were going and he told me a familiar story. He had done with another exactly what I had done with him. Trusted him, encouraged and taught. Obviously too well. Had he learnt anything? “Yes,” he said, “don’t be generous with your knowledge and play everything close to your chest” - ‘et tu Brute?’ comes to mind!!

DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE SMILE - Look behind it!! Did I learn anything from this? Yes, never go on holiday because if you do, when you get back, the chances are you’ll find someone sitting at your desk!!

THOSE READERS FROM the west of England may well remember Thornbury Castle just outside of Bristol. The castle was built as a residence in 1511 for Edward Stafford the then 3rd Duke of Buckingham. However the Duke ran into a spot of bother with Henry VIII being accused of treason and so met his demise at the end of the executioner’s axe. Henry confiscated the house and used it himself, staying there in 1535 for 10 days on his honeymoon with new bride Anne Boleyn. Following the English Civil War, the castle fell into disrepair, but was renovated in 1824 by the Howard family. Between 1966 and 1986 the castle was operated as one of the UK’s top restaurants by Kenneth Bell MBE with staff that included a soon to be food writer Nigel Slater and now a MasterChef New Zealand judge Simon Gault, honing their culinary craft. I first met Kenneth in 1974. No one deserved to be lord of the manor more than him. He had an air of aristocracy about him and was a fine mine host. He also has a major claim to fame in as much as that during his reign the hotel restaurant gained one of the very few Michelin stars in Great Britain at the time.

THORNBURY: Famous Grade 1 listed castle and hotel. Kenneth retired after he sold the property for an undisclosed sum and it was eventually owned and operated by Van Essen Hotels. In 2011, following the administration of Van Essen Hotels, the property was on the market for 7.5 million pounds and was bought by Luxury Family Hotels as part of a 30 million pound purchase of a seven strong portfolio.

IN THIS WEEK’S WINE CORNER I am introducing you to a wine from one of my favourite white wine growing areas of Spain. Galicia! Most enthusiastic consumers will immediately know Rias Baixas famous for Albariño, but not all of our readers will know the other areas of denomination, Monterei, Ribeira Sacra, Ribeiro and Valdeorras. Galicia is a typically complex wine region, it has a variety of climates (Atlantic to Continental) and soil (granite to slate). One of the most interesting of these areas is Valdeorras, the easternmost wine region of Galicia, where the best vineyards are planted on terraces on the steep sides of the Sil river. Like many other wine regions in Spain, the area is being rediscovered by a new, young generation of talented winemakers, willing to make elegant wine with a sense of place. The two best in Valdeorras are Telmo Rodriguez and Rafael Palacios. Rafael grew up in a wine family and, having left the family estate in 2004, settled in the Val do Bibei part of Valdeorras, where he works with terraced plots of Godello grape which are locally known as ‘sorte,’ some of which are 720 metres high. All vineyard work and harvest is done by hand - crippling, but rewarding, work. Th e w i n e I a m w r i t i n g a b o u t t h i s w e e k i s A s Sortes. Made from a selection of the older vines of each plot, some of which are almost 100 years old, this wine is a benchmark for Godello. Structure, complexity, intensity, character, freshness... it has it all. It bears a great resemblance to Burgundy and I

The castle is now for sale again for offers in excess of 8.5 million pounds. Set in 14 acres of landscaped grounds this 28 bedroom Grade 1 listed building has a two rosette restaurant and conference and banqueting facilities. So if your back pocket is bulging and you fancy being ‘King of the Castle’ then it’s being marketed by Savills. I’ll just go and check my bank balance!!

am sure on a blind tasting even the most competent taster will be surprised to find out it that it’s Spanish! Tasting notes show it has a striking nose showing freshly podded peas, green apple, fresh pastry and toasty citrus - deep and complex but still fresh and inviting. The palate has that pleasing oiliness which coats the mouth with what can only be described as an ‘English garden’ crunch, combining gooseberry, Granny Smith apple, and a mineral character that invokes the deep savoury flavour of black kale. It’s a savoury, rich beauty that will triumph with food but is complex and satisfying enough to drink on its own. It has some vintages, most notably 2014 which of course is still drinking well. Again it isn’t cheap for a white wine, costing around 25/30€ a bottle. I have said for a long time now that Spain is now producing astonishingly good wines to compete with some of the best in the world. It’s hard to think that 30 odd years ago we seemed to be limited to Monopole, Marques de Caceres and Esmeralda. Having said that I do still try and avoid white Rioja! GALICIAN WINE: With Burgundy overtones.

ON THAT NOTE I will bid you farewell until next week and should aspiring restaurateurs need some help or advice, please do not hesitate to contact me. A toast to Good Food, Good Wine and Good friends.

Garry Waite is a well-known foodie and restaurateur as well as a Hospitality Management Consultant. If you are contemplating setting up an operation in Spain, or indeed having problems with an existing project contact him on garrywaite@euroweeklynews.com.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

OPINION & COMMENT

Stop press! Is Theresa May after a hard Brexit or soft crexit? 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

NEWS that Theresa May is giving up crisps for Lent - salt and vinegar variety, since you ask – made me wonder what else people are giving up. Is Jeremy Corbyn giving up trying to lead the Labour Party, or is that just the impression he seems to give? And, as for Sir Philip Green, is he giving up £363 million to hang on to his knighthood? Reports that the retail billionaire had a scrabble down the back of the sofa on one of his many yachts to bail out the BHS pension scheme in a deal to salvage his reputation - and keep his gong - positively makes his the most expensive knighthood in history. (Will David Beckham be reaching for his chequebook now too?) A knight of the realm who’s already opened his chequebook is Sir James Dyson, a self-made billionaire who’s putting billions back into the economy, innovating and creating thousands of new

jobs. Unlike Sir Philip, also a selfmade billionaire, but most of whose money has ended up in Monaco and not in the UK where thousands of people have lost their jobs. We could do with many more like Sir James and fewer like Sir Philip. Someone else who seems to have given up something for Lent – in his case, common sense – is the

THERESA MAY: Giving up crisps for Lent.

Royle Family actor, Ricky Tomlinson, who’s accused the ‘most indiscreet’ late TV Countdown presenter, Richard Whiteley, of being an undercover agent for MI5, having helped jail him and other striking workers in the 70s (the jury having been ‘swayed’ by an ITV documentary featuring him, Red Under the Bed, fronted by Whiteley). A true Kremlin conundrum... Finally, and back to Mrs May’s crisps, if you take a packet and

scrunch the contents to tiny bits (soft crexit?), you’ll have no problem giving them up - not just for Lent but for life. Ugh! I find a far better way is to give yourself a 100 per cent chance of success and guaranteed bragging rights. Which is why I’ve decided to give up broccoli for Lent. I hate broccoli. Always have. Nora Johnson’s psychological/suspense crime thrillers ‘No Way Back,’ ‘Landscape of Lies,’ ‘Retribution,’ ‘Soul Stealer,’ ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora-johnson.net) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.99; £0.99) and iBookstore. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

E W N 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

Advertising feature

Sunergy - more power for le ENERGY produced by traditional means is becoming expensive and is often not friendly to the environment, so that anything that can be done to produce electricity for example, from renewable sources is to be welcomed. Solar power for all Sunergy Almeria is a Solar Power System installation company based in Purchena, Almeria which has been working in Albox and surrounding areas for 17 years, but is also quite comfortable to move further afield and regularly undertakes work in Granada, Murcia and Aguilas. Now, with more than 25 years of experience in renewable energy systems, the company is totally up-to-date with all major equipment manufacturers. Sunergy can provide all materials and installation of many different types of renewable energy systems and all equipment supplied comes with a warranty and technical back up service in Spain performed by fully trained technicians. Off-Grid systems for houses not connected to mains power which store energy in batteries for use when needed are part of the services offered and the system can also include a generator with automatic

SOLAR POWER: To suit client’s needs. start/stop mechanism. Whatever the customer requirement, these systems can be designed to suit the client’s needs from 1Kw to 30Kw supply in single or three phase. On-Grid systems to reduce bills by using the power of the sun during the day or to store in batteries are readily available together with mains back-up technology to

supply power during cuts. Water pumping systems Solar pool pumps can be installed in any size of pool and this could be a valuable

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

ess cost move as they can run in the summer for up to 12 hours every day keeping the pool in perfect condition with the potential to save over €1,000 per year on utility bills. Sunergy is an approved partner of Lorentz, a German manufacturer of high quality water pumps designed especially for use with solar panels, do not need any battery or inverter and have a very long life compared to traditional pumps. Systems are available for bore holes, irrigation and domestic water supply as well as pools, so please contact the company for more information. Sunergy also offers a maintenance and upgrade service and is more than happy to become involved if you need your solar system checked over, added to, or just need the panels cleaning. For details of all services, contact Phil by email at info@suner gyalmeria.com or telephone +34 636 261 240

www.euroweeklynews.com

Stargazing paradise A LOCAL company is planning to transform the beautiful village of Oria into one of Spain’s top star-gazing destinations. The ambitious project would see three special domes constructed to observe and study the night sky. It is the brain child of Alboxbased Proyme Ingenieros. An investment of roughly €60,000 would help connect the futuristic facility with other observatories online. Professional and amateur astrologers and school trips could make terrific use of the new design. The favoured site is the Cortijo La Noguera which is 1,150 metres above sea level and has negligible light pollution. The observatory would have a rustic

character to blend in with the natural landscape and preserve the region’s rural heritage. If the project goes ahead it will only add to Oria’s stellar reputation as one of the most scenic inland destinations across Andalucia. Almeria Province is already renowned as boasting the most startlingly visible night skies in continental Europe. The Calar Alto observatory in Almeria’s Sierra de los Filabres is one of the most important in the world. Its 3.5 metre telescope is the largest in mainland Europe. Astronomers have discovered almost 100 minor planets throughout the galaxies from the Spanish-German owned observatory.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

EWN

E W N 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de AlmerĂa

www.euroweeklynews.com

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

Fires comes in threes FIREFIGHTERS were in action across Albox three times in just one day. A field caught fire near the Almanzora river at Olula del Rio on Friday March 10 during one of the hottest days of the year so far, as the mercury clocked up a scorching 30 degrees. The blaze began at 4pm and by 8pm was finally under control. But then the phone rang again

and exhausted firemen raced off to an Albox house at Camino del los Segovias to quickly extinguish the threat. Even fires come in threes and in the evening the call came again. This time a car had caught fire at an industrial estate. Fortunately fate had saved the easiest for last and the fire was out within minutes.

Boundless energy AFTER a week of protests, exciting workshops and raising awareness, around 50 women took part in a six kilometre charity run in Seron. Participants came from all walks of life and enjoyed a healthy breakfast before the run. The community group had dedicated the week from March 8 to celebrate International Womenâ€™s Day and held important talks and workshops on health, emotions, energy and family.

Mystery of blaze A MAN was treated for smoke inhalation when a fire broke out at a farm goods shop in Seron. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze but were puzzled by what caused it.

travelgas

950 39 09 08 info@travelgas.es Ctra. Ronda, 20. Vera

16 - 22 March 2017

E W N Costa de Almería

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

TO READ MORE

Advertising feature

Beautiful penthouse apartment with three large private terraces is an absolute must see! THE apartment has independent access via stairs with a south facing entrance terrace, a good size lounge/dining room with sliding doors to its second terrace, also southeast facing, and enjoys rollaway sides and top to allow cooling summer breezes to enter, or in the cooler months with the sides closed to enjoy the warmth of the winter sun. Furthermore there is a fully equipped modern white kitchen with all appliances, a separate laundry room with washing machine and dryer, an independent store room, two bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and a fully fitted renovated bathroom. There is a third large south facing terrace which is very private, so ideal for sunbathing. The owners have installed a Jacuzzi here, which is included in the sale. The apartment comes furnished with a private parking space included in the price. The owners have com-

PENTHOUSE APARTMENT: Has a Jacuzzi on one of its three terraces.

pletely renovated the kitchen and bathroom and it’s ready to move into for you to enjoy your first holiday! This corner top floor apartment is located in a residential urbanisation 200m from the beach and very close

Real estate ramps up CONSTRUCTION company Neinor Homes, based in Bilbao, plans to float 60 per cent of its share capital on the Spanish stock exchange. Vast amounts of foreign investment flowing into the country has inspired the move, the first time a residential

property developer has gone onto the stock exchange in 10 years. A statement from Neinor said international investors had a powerful vision for the recovery of the Spanish real estate sector, which continues its strong recovery.

to the commercial centre with supermarket (Consum) and pharmacy, bars and restaurants. It is within walking distance to the waterpark and very close to the Puerto Rey sports club (golf, mini golf, gym, padel, ten-

nis...), four golf courses and karting. The seaside resort of Vera Playa covers the beach area between Garrucha and Villaricos. The resort has earned the prestigious blue flag for its 5km of white sandy beaches.

PROPERTY www.euroweeklynews.com

Property of the week Brought to you by Almeria Property Investments For more information or a viewing you can contact Almeria Property Investments by calling +34 950 460 874 or +34 666 260 792, emailing info@almeria propertyinvestments.com or popping into the office. Almeria Property Investments is a real estate company specialising in selling beach properties (Mojacar to San Juan de los Terreros) and project management of new builds. It is based in Vera playa, in the Buganvillas area, next to the Dutch bar ‘Cactus’ and the shop ‘Luces.’ It offers a large variety of properties ranging from small budget apartments to large front line beach villas. All properties have the correct paperwork. If you are considering buying or selling a (second) home on the Costa Almeria please feel free to contact us!

Stronger than ever before By Matthew Elliott HOUSE prices in Spain saw their biggest annual rise since the bursting of the housing bubble in 2007. Comple te da ta for 2016 is now in a nd makes for extremely optimistic reading.

It was the third consecutive year of growth and the best since 2007. Prices rose by a robust 4.7 per cent last year, well above the European average. It was the third consecutive ye a r of grow th a nd the be s t s inc e 2007 w he n pric e s ros e by 9.8 pe r cent. As recently as 2013 they had decreased by 13.7 per cent, which demonstrates the incredible improvements seen in the last three years. New homes fared especially well last year, with prices rising by 6.5 per cent. The figures may still be some way off those seen in the boom years, but are more sustainable by virtue of their moderation.

NEW HOMES: Fared especially well last year. At the end of the year the average va lue pe r s quar e m et r e st ood at €1,512. In 2008 it reached a peak of €2,101. It may take some time to hit those numbers again but the broader health and global appeal of the Spanish property market is stronger than ever.

The new year has already begun well. House prices clocked a 1.8 per cent year-on-year increase in February. Foreclosures also saw a dramatic drop, 30 per cent lower in 2016 than in 2015, which points to the broader favourability of financial conditions for property investors.

E W N 16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPONSOR GO TO WWW.LINEADIRECTA.COM

SPONSORED BY

HOMES

GARDENS

Succession planting can show dividends By Graeme Tyrrell IT is time to start preparing the vegetable garden for the sum-

mer harvest. Planting earlier in spring than northern Europe gardens gives a great bonus when living in Spain.

PERMACULTURE EDUCATION SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Telephone: 666 33 33 35 info@permamed.org http://permamed.org/

The longer growing season allows for an extended period of harvest of tomatoes, capsicum, and a host of other popular and exotic vegetables. If you want to maximise production, the secret to a prolonged harvest is succession planting. Succession planting is based on planting enough plants to produce what you need on a regular basis rather than the normal mass planting at the optimum time to fill the garden which creates a feast and famine harvest. It does have some risks to

plant early and late in the season with frosts or adverse weather affecting the production, but as only a small number are planted with each succession, it is a small risk to total production. Harvest is more useful when it is spread over a longer period and you can enjoy the fresh produce more regularly. Succession planting can also be used to ensure your garden is always in production as spent crops are replaced by the next seasonal crop. I usually plant lettuce every

month throughout autumn, winter and spring. I start planting tomatoes in March, usually just a few and then plant more each month until August, changing the varieties from early to late in order to match the planting times. Some years it works wonderfully to have very early tomatoes, other years the first planting fails but the second is soon ready to start picking in just a few weeks more. So I don’t miss out on a harvest and always have as long a season as possible for the year. It doesn’t work with all veg-

etables to have monthly planting. I find cauliflower and broccoli tend to produce at the same time as those around them even if only young. For these I don’t plant too many and give a two to three month interval of planting. I find this gives a greater appreciation of them when they are available. The most successful monthly planting succession vegetables (when in season) are lettuce, beans, peas, corn, carrots, radish, onions, tomatoes, spinach, beets and other salad greens.

PETS PAGE www.euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 March 2017

SPONSORED BY

Funny Travel Photo Competition FROM time to time we love you to share your funny animal or travel photos with us. Our current competition requests that you share your funny travel photos with us and our newsletter readership. The photo must be one that you have taken so you own the copyright. Also it must have an animal featured in the picture somewhere, or an amusing scene you witnessed while travelling. Please name your location and tell us what you find funny about this picture. Then we’ll let you know if we agree and add you to the competition entries! To enter you’ll need to email your picture to us at admin@housesitmatch.com and title your email ‘ENTRY Funny Travel Photo Competition.’ The best three will

Costa de Almería

Group hierarchy David THE Dogman

RELAXED CAT: Sleeping on Buddah’s lap. win a Free Premium HouseSitMatch annual membership either homeowner or housesitter - you choose. If you are already a member of our international housesitting and petsitting network, then you get a free renewal! The very best of the shortlisted three will also get £25 in Amazon vouchers.

Your submissions deadline is Friday April 14, 2017. Do you need a house or petsitter? Get in touch. Register as either housesitter or homeowner now with a 20 per cent off introductory offer using coupon code PERFECT20. To find a house or petsitter go to www.House sitMatch.com.

Housesitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and petsitting and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! To find a petsitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on 00 44 (0) 777 214 2742.

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

I HAD a call from a gentleman that informed me he had put his Dobermann to sleep due to illness, the dog was 12 years. Of course he was devastated. They have another four dogs. A few nights later they were in bed when they heard terrible fighting going on downstairs. The Cocker Spaniel had nearly bitten one dog’s nose off and they were all injured. Reluctantly he took the Spaniel to the vet and put the dog to sleep. He

said the Spaniel looked at him as if to say why are you doing this? The man was in a terrible state and called me to ask if he had done the right thing. I said no. The pack hierarchy had now changed and sometimes this causes fights. If dogs start fighting dogs it has to be established which dog is the new leader (in many cases it needs an expert to help you). The new top dog is to be loved 10 times more and fed first. We keep using his name and touching and cuddling him

as a favourite. We are showing this dog that he is a top dog. The fighting stops. However I would stress this does not work with fighting females. There is no known way to stop fighting and terrible injuries. Best to rehome one of them. When a dog places his paws and chest on the hindquarters of another dog like mounting this is normal and common canine behaviour. In most cases, it is NOT a sexual behaviour unless the dog is thrusting. In young puppies, it is just play.

E W N Costa de Almería

16 - 22 March 2017

SPONSORED BY

FOR BEST RATES IN MOTOR INSURANCE CALL: 952 89 33 80

Clarkson Quote of the Week

On the Corvette Z06 “As something to live with every day, I’d rather have bird flu.”

MOTORING www.euroweeklynews.com

Motoring shorts Some might say...

Concept and classics By Matthew Elliott SOME of the most outlandish concept cars seen in the 21st century made their debut as the 2017 Geneva Motor Show got into full swing. Though most of the concepts will always be mere ideas rather than reality, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the future landscape of the motoring industry. Among them were the Jaguar IPEUGEOT INSTINCT: Autonomous and drive modes.

Pace, the conceptual forerunner to the firm’s first fully electric vehicle. From Mercedes was a new GT concept, an AMG powered by a 4.0 litre v8 twin-turbocharged engine with an electric motor. Theoretically it can hit 100kph in less than three seconds. There was the Peugeot Instinct, which brings the ‘Internet of Things’ into the driver’s seat with a speechenabled personal assistant and both autonomous and drive modes. Renault

raised eyebrows with a lightweight electric four-wheel drive made of carbon fibre and kevlar boasting Formula E standard controls. But it wasn’t just the future being represented at the show. The retroverse was on full display too with a rollicking repertoire of Fords, Monteverdis, Mercedes and Porsches reaching out to classic fans. A 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda stood out with its fresh red

paintwork. There was a 1963 Porsche 901, a Monteverdi High Speed 375 C, first unveiled in 1971 and now lingering in a Swiss museum, and a Ford Focus RS WRC originally built for the late Colin McRae in 1999.

Aston’s new car models ASTON MARTIN is designing a new mid-engined super car t o t ake on t he McLaren 720S and Ferrari 488 GTB. The car is earmarked to launch in 2021, two years after its first mid-engined model, the Valkyrie, hits the market in 2019. It will be built in Gaydon, Warwickshire, alongside the DB11, the Vantage, due to be r epl aced by a spor t i er version later this year, and t he Vanqui sh, whi ch i s schedul ed t o m ove i nt o front-engined supercar territory in 2018. Also in the pipeline is the DBX SUV, which will be constructed at the company’s new factory at St Athan in Wales. In addition there will be two Lagonda models with a saloon due in2020 and an SUV in 2022.

MOTORING

www.euroweeklynews.com

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

ROAD TEST by Nick Fletcher

The Subaru Outback THE Subaru Outback is a formidable off-roader which is also very good to drive on the tarmac, making it ideal for those whose lifestyle mixes urban and rural activities. It is quite refined to drive, is well equipped, looks smart and classy and Subaru has an excellent reputation for reliability so it ticks many boxes for potential buyers, with prices starting from €37,844 (£32,680). While the 2.0 litre diesel will be the choice of many, those seeking sharper performance can have the 172 hp 2.5 litre petrol model which still offers 14.3 kpl, pretty good for such a

large vehicle, and this version – the Outback entry-level model was the one I tested. It is labelled SE Lineartronic and has CVT auto transmission with all-wheel-drive, and delivers a top speed of 209 kph and a 0-100 kph time of 10.2 seconds - quick by class standards. Underway, this engine pulls smoothly and quietly and the CVT box changes with minimal fuss. With nicely-weighted steering too, everything combines to give a refined drive on smooth surfaces, though on

heavily-potholed roads, you do feel the bumps. The Outback also feels quite nimble in town, easy to handle and park. On the open road it corners well and while, as with most vehicles in this sector, there is an element of body roll, it is well-controlled with reassuring grip and the overall ride quality is very good. The exterior of the Outback makes a strong and quite classy visual statement, and while the cabin is laid out for functionality rather than style, its understatement is no detriment to the overall good impression. There is

plenty of room for five occupants, and the boot space of 559 litres (expanding to 1,848 litres) is substantial. This entry-level version comes with an extensive standard equipment list which includes alloy wheels, roof rails, powered tailgate, sunroof, body-cladding, touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth, satnav, Starlink connectivity, adaptive cruise control, climate control, leather upholstery, auto emergency braking, and engine stop-start. The Outback comes over as a well-built no-nonsense contender with plenty of standard kit and Subaru’s top reputation for dependability. Model tested is UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

Stats panel: Model: Subaru Outback SE • Engine: 2.5 litre petrol • Transmission: CVT automatic • Performance: 0-100 kph 10.2 seconds, top speed 209 kph • Economy: 14.3 kpl combined • Emissions: 163g/km

REFINED DRIVE: That’s easy to handle and park.

EWN

Four by phwoar JUDGES have revealed the top three finalists for the World Car of the Year 2017 awards. The top trio were selected by 75 motoring journalists and experts from across the world. The real winner is already confirmed. The SUV. All three finalists are SUVs, showing how big family cars continue their plot of world domination. In 2017 the top three are the Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace, and Volkswagen Tiguan. The winner will be announced at the prestigious New York Interna-

tional Auto Show in April. Jaguar hasn’t yet won the World Car of the Year award but its F-Pace is also shortlisted for the World Car Design award. The top three luxury cars are the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Volvo S90/V90.

TOP THREE: The finalists are all SUV’s.

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

MOTORING

Bullitt gathered dust in scrapyard WHEN a 1968 Ford Mustang rolled off the set of Bullitt, iconic screen star Steve McQueen tried in vain to track it down. Even back then it had made history in one of the most daring car chases in film history. But instead of being snapped up by a billionaire playboy or given prime place in a Hollywood museum, the Mustang spent more than 30 years gathering dust in a Mexican scrapyard. That was until film director Hugo Sanchez bought the car to use in car heist flick ‘Gone In Sixty Seconds’ in the year 2000. Taking it into the body

shop for use in a new film, Sanchez has now discovered that the battered old Mustang was actually one of two used in the legendary Bullitt car chase scene. Electronic matching of its vehicle identification number confirmed its past life rampaging over the hilly streets of San Francisco. It’s a timely discovery too, ahead of the Mustang’s 50th year anniversary in 2018. Sanchez and bodywork specialist Ralph Garcia Jr plan to restore it fully to its 1968 prime and then auction the car off next year. HISTORIC CHASE: One of the most daring in film history.

SPORT

16 - 22 March 2017 / Costa de Almería

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

Imps, Lions, Scotland and the Windies all got blown away! 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: AFTER FAC semi-final and European last 16 action, which saw Arsenal hammer gutsy Lincoln City 5-0 in the former, having crashed 5-1 at home to Bayern Munch for a 10-2 aggregate Champions League defeat, Premiership fixtures return this weekend with Bournemouth v Swansea, Crystal Palace v Watford, Everton v Hull, Stoke v Chelsea, Sunderland v Burnley, WBA v Arsenal and West Ham v Leicester on Saturday, followed by Manchester City v Liverpool, Middlesbrough v Manchester United and Tottenham (fresh from a 6-0 FA Cup romp over Millwall) v Southampton on Sunday. Tomorrow night, Bristol City play Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday meet Reading in the Championship while on Saturday, promotion-chasing Newcastle visit Birmingham, Leeds play Brighton and Fulham en-

tertain Wolves. In FL1, Fleetwood play Wimbledon and Sheffield United (top) take on Charlton and FL2 leaders Doncaster visit Leyton Orient and Plymouth meet Morecambe. SPL champions-elect Celtic travel to Dundee, Aberdeen play Hearts and Rangers (under new manager Pedro Caixinha) meet Hamilton. We also have the second legs of the FA Vase semi-finals with Midlands clubs Bromsgrove Sporting and Coleshill Town sighting Wembley! Earlier this week, Leicester (1-2 down) and Manchester City (5-3 up) played Sevilla and Monaco respectively in the return legs of their last 16 Champions League ties. Tonight Manchester United (level at 1-1) meet Rostov in their home Europa League second leg encounter. The Scottish Cup semi-finals will feat u r e Celtic v

JONATHAN JOSEPH: His hat-trick of tries helped England beat Scotland.

DID YOU KNOW? THIRTY-NINE managers have left their posts in the PL/FL this season, 13 in the Championship, the latest Steve McClaren from Derby last weekend. Kazuyoshi Miura (Yokohama) aged 50 and 14 days, has become the oldest footballer to score in a competitive game. Stanley Matthews was 49 years and 14 days old when he netted for Stoke v Swansea in February 1964.

Rangers (who drew 1-1 in the SPL last Sunday) and Aberdeen v Hibs while the FA Cup semi-finals (both at Wembley) will feature Arsenal against Manchester City and Chelsea against Tottenham Hotspur. RUGBY: On Saturday, we have the last three Six Nations matches of 2017: Scotland-Italy (1.30pm), France-Wales (3.45pm) and Ireland-England (6pm). Last weekend, England, with seven tries, a Jonathan Joseph hat-trick and 26 points from Owen Farrell, crushed Scotland 61-21 in the Calcutta Cup to become the first country to claim backto-back Six Nations titles. They also equalled New Zealand’s record of 18 straight Test match wins and it was their biggest-ever over Scotland. Twenty-four hours earlier, Wales beat Ireland 22-9 and France defeated Italy 40-18. Wasps, Exeter and Saracens stand 1-2-3 in the Aviva PL, while in the Super League, the top three are Wigan Warriors, Castleford Tigers a n d Hull.

HORSE RACING: The Cheltenham Festival is underway. This annual event epitomises and encompasses everything that is great about NH racing, whilst delivering an unbelievable occasion as the best horses, jockeys and trainers battle it out for the highest racing honours. On Tuesday, the big race was the Champion Hurdle (I fancied Petit Mouchoir); yesterday (Ladies Day) we had the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Coral Cup; today (St Patrick’s Day) it’s the stayers and novices hurdle races, followed tomorrow by the Gold Cup. Champagne West, trained by Henry De Bromhead and ridden (hopefully) by David Mullins, is my selection. CYCLING: Jess Varnish (26) has stated she was the victim of a “cover-up… thrown un-

der the bus” by GB Cycling. Speaking for the first time since last April when she accused the governing body of sexism after being dropped from the elite programme, Varnish said she’s now “relieved the truth is finally coming out.” Former technical director Shane Sutton was said to have used ‘sexist language’ towards Varnish, but was cleared of eight of nine allegations against him. CRICKET: England ‘white-washed’ the West Indies 3-0 in the ODI series by winning the third game by 186 runs in Barbados. Alex Hales and Joe Root scored centuries as the Windies were simply blown away! During his country’s 259run win over Bangladesh, Sri Lankan Rangana Herath became the most successful left-arm spinner in Test cricket b y

taking his 366th wicket, overtaking New Zealand's Daniel Vettori’s tally of 361. Only Pakistan’s Wasim Akram (414) is ahead of Herath of all left-arm bowlers. TENNIS: Johanna Konta beat Heather Watson in the ‘Battle of the Brits’ in round two of the Indian Wells tennis tournament. However, GB’s trio of Andy Murray, Kyle Edmund, Dan Evans all crashed out of the men’s singles early on, Murray against qualifier Vasek Pospisil. Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova will be unranked when she returns to action on April 26 in the Porsche Grand Prix in France after serving her suspension for testing positive for meldonium. MOTORSPORT: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) was fastest in the final practice session before the F1 season starts later this month in Melbourne. And sadly, John Surtees, one of the greatest participants in motor-sport and the only man to win both the F1 and MotoGP World titles, has died, aged 83. RIP. ICE SKATING: Scot Elise Christie won gold in the world 1,000m and 1,500m speed skating races in Rotterdam.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Returns unranked after suspension.

E W N Costa de Almería

16 - 22 March 2017

Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) was the fastest in the final practice session before the F1 season starts later this month in Melbourne.

TO READ MORE

www.euroweeklynews.com

Costa de Almería’s best guide to local sport

19th Hole Golf Society THE 19th Hole Golf Society recently played a Three Division Stableford and a Team Waltz at the Aguilon Golf Resort. Mike Esposito enjoyed the weather and conditions leading his team to a comfortable victory in the Waltz and a win in division one as well as taking Nearest the Pin in two on the 11th. Nekane Galindez also took advantage of the conditions leading her team to second place, a win in the second division and a Nearest the Pin on the 8th. John Kennedy won the third division and claimed a Nearest the Pin on the 17th which he converted to a two. Team Waltz: 1st Mike Esposito, Bob Tagg, Bernie Obrien, Ellen Lea, net 86. 2nd Nekane Galindez, Paco Ocaña Grajal, Tony Lea and Ghostie, net 83. Individual Stableford: 1st Division: 1st Mike Esxposito, net 34 points (12) on card countback. 2nd Peter Death, net 34 points (10). 2nd Division: 1st Nekane Galindez, net 39 points (24). 2nd Tony Mackay, net 36 points. 3rd Division: 1st John Kennedy, net 36 points (28). 2nd Karyn Esposito, net 34 points (33). Nearest the Pins: 3rd Brian Lowden, 8th Nekane Galindez, 11th (in two) Mike Esposito, 12th Bob Tagg, 14th John Kennedy and 17th Vince Swain. Twos: 8th Bob Tagg and Bernie O’Brien, 12th Bob Tagg, 14th John Kennedy and 17th Tony Mackay. The 19th Hole Golf Society arranges weekly games around the area playing Aguilon every other week. For more information call 634 315 813 or email gs19thhole@hotmail.co.uk.

SPORT

Aguilon medal play IT’S a busy time of the year on the golf course, and it seems like most of Scandinavia has come to Almeria to play golf with the fairways very congested and it seems that spring has arrived right on time. On Wednesday March 1 the Monthly Medal was played. It was a lovely day to be playing the dreaded ‘medal’ although no fear for the winner, who is an example for everyone and any player in their ‘eighties’ who took the trophy with a five under par round. 1st Roy Bishop 81-15= 66. 2nd Dave Sharp 74-4= 70. 3rd Julie White 8413=71. Twos: Mike Hooker, Dave Sharp 3rd, Derrick Stephenson 8th, Ann Miles and Phil Miles 12th and Ann Holder 17th. With the Swedish contingent taking over the club’s home course for the day on Wednesday March 8, the members travelled to La Envia to enjoy a lovely sunny day on a different course. With the fast greens causing members problems at home there was a new problem with the greens only half the speed that the members were used to.

MEDAL WINNER: (Above left) Roy Bishop being presented with the trophy by Les Raufer (above right) and Mark Newall (right) the winner at La Envia. 1st Mark Newall 34 pts. 2nd Dave Simpson 32 pts. 3rd Paula Davies 30 pts on a card play off. Twos: only one Maj-Len Thun 3rd. For further information log on to the website at aguilonmembersclub.com.