ISSUE NO. 1667
15 - 21 June 2017
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
Killer sentenced Executed neighbour over barking dog By Matthew Elliott A killer who murdered his neighbour over a barking dog will serve 17 years in prison. The violent 64-year-old was found guilty of shooting his neighbour with a handgun before firing several shots at the victim’s family as they rushed him to hospital. The defendant, identified only as JGM, confronted his neighbour over the barking of his dog at his rural estate near El Ejido. A fight broke out between the men during which JGM whipped out his illegally owned handgun and shot his neighbour in the left arm. His victim attempted to flee into the garage but was tracked by his assailant, who fired another bullet into his chest. The victim’s wife desperately tried to stop the second shot but was punched and forced out of the way. After the shooting a friend of the victim’s family arrived on scene. He a n d t h e m a n ’s w i f e p u t h i m i n t h e car and sped off to the hospital. The killer fired a volley of 12 bullets at t h e c a r, s t r i k i n g t h e d r i v e r i n t h e arm.
THE CASE was heard at Almeria’s Provincial Court. Fortunately the driver escaped serious injury, but suffered post traumatic stress disorder and severe anxiety. The victim died of organ failure at the hospital. J u d g e s a t A l m e r i a ’s P r o v i n c i a l Court imposed a 10-year sentence
Almería Success
f o r t h e m u r d e r, w i t h a n e x t r a s i x years for attempted murder and one year for owning an illegal weapon. The killer has been ordered to pay €34,000 compensation to the driver and €100,000 to the family of his victim.
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Mission: Hollywood SCARFACE director Brian De Palma is in Almeria for the first time shooting his new film Domino. The American, who has been at the helm of Hollywood production for 50 years, is using the ‘sun-drenched landscapes’ of southern Spain for the suspense thriller. Specifically that means following in the footsteps of countless other directors and using the stunning scenery of the Tabernas Desert. Shooting takes place throughout the summer. Domino is a joint Spanish, Belgian and Danish production that tells the story
of a Copenhagen policeman tracking an Arab suspect who killed his partner to Spain. It is expected to be one of De Palma’s biggest budget films since Mission: Impossible in 1996. Serious acting royalty will be joining the 76year-old veteran in Almeria soon. The film stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, best-known for his portrayal of Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones, and Christina Hendricks of Mad Men fame. HOLLYWOOD: Brian De Palma to be shooting film in Almeria.
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NEWS EXTRA
Hell train TICKET prices were slashed by 50 per cent on the Madrid-Almeria train after the air conditionin g b r o k e d o w n leadi n g t o p a sse n g ers comp l a i n i n g o v e r t h e ‘hellish heat.’
Sun strikes THE mercury struck 34 degrees in Almeria on Tuesday with the weekend expected to bring clear blue skies and scorching temperatures soaring past the 30 mark.
Van death A 51-YEAR-OLD man was killed last Sunday when his van plunged 1 5 m e t re s d o w n a ravine on the AL-6113 in Mojacar. Firefighters arrived too late, finding his body trapped inside.
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Wanted: Dead or Alive By Matthew Elliott LA GRECORIA, an Almeria pub, is taking full advantage of the arrival of Hollywood royalty to Almeria. The city bar is offering a free bottle of Jim Beam bourbon to anyone who manages to somehow drag either Jake Gyllenhaal or Joaquin Phoenix along for a visit. Creative barmen have e v e n d r a w n u p t w o Wi l d We s t t h e m e d p o s t e r s w i t h portraits of the two leading men above the classic slogan Wa n t e d : D e a d o r A l i v e . A l though presumably alive would be better for business. The owners describe their challenge as "”but not impossible” and believe at least one plucky Almerian will be able to pull it off. The American stars are in Almeria filming the new Jacques Audiard film Les Freres Sisters. The film is set in the American Old West a n d t h e Ta b e r n a s Desert is providing much of the
scenery. Spain’s only desert has been the backdrop to several Western class i c s , i n c l u d i n g S e rg i o L e o n e ’s Spaghetti Western trilogy.
Boogie Nights star John C Reilly is also in Almeria filming with Phoenix and Gyllenhaal in what is one of the biggest films in years to be shot in the province.
WANTED MAN: Jake Gyllenhaal is in Almeria filming with fellow Hollywood stars.
NEWS
Concern over escalation in refugees OVER the weekend at least 80 people were rescued from four boats by Salvamento Maritime officers and the Guardia Civil. All four boats were discovered just off the coast of Al m er i a. Thr ee cont ai ned roughly two dozen sub-Saharan Africans. One carried eight Algerians. There were just three wom en and t wo chi l dr en among the 80 migrants. All were saved before their boats capsi zed and ar e i n good heal t h. The m en have been transferred to a detention facility. The eight Algerian men, who got as far as Carboneras, face immediate deportation. With an average of 40 per day, albeit over a two-day period, the rescues highlight the quick escalation of the people smuggling trade. Only a few years ago 80 would represent an annual, rather than weekend, total.
NEWS
Feeling appy NIJAR Council is upping the ante ahead of the peak summer season by updating and improving its tourist app, with the addition of new features and businesses, including a daily news service. The app is available as a free download by searching ‘Nijar App’ on Google Play or the iTunes App Store.
Death from above A NEW weapon in the war against mosquitoes has been unleashed by Vera Council after fumigators took to the skies in a helicopter to spray hotspots using a new biocide based on a bacteria that is harmless to plants and animals but attacks the digestive systems of mosquito larvae.
Special guests DESTINATION Costa de Almeria has launched its latest summer campaign bringing more than 40,000 tourists from 10 different European countries on 17 new flights. The campaign is distinct from regular tourism in that these guests have been targeted during specific giveaways, competitions, and advertising in their home countries.
Safety risk CONCERNING new figures reveal that Almeria is by far the most dangerous province in Andalucia for cyclists. More cyclists have been killed or injured here in the past five years than in Malaga or Sevilla, provinces with more than double Almeria’s population.
SPANISH FACTS OF LIFE...16 From jumping through bonfires to hurling dead rats at fellow revellers, Spanish culture is awash with quirky traditions, none more so than El Salto del Colacho, the annual baby jumping festival which takes place this Sunday.
HELD in the village of Castrillo de Murcia near Burgos in northern Spain, El Salto del Colacho most closely translates as the Devil’s leap. During the celebrations, babies born within the previous 12 months are laid on mattresses in the street before men dressed as the Devil in red and yellow costumes take turns to leap over them. Normally taking place on the Sunday after the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi, baby jumping is a traditional practice dating back to the early 1600s. The infants are placed in rows before the devils, who also sport grotesque face masks, make their way through the crowd, whipping bystanders before careering over the
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helpless children. As they do so, the babies are said to be blessed and cleansed of original sin before being sprinkled with rose petals and recovered by relieved parents. Although it might seem dangerous, there are no reports of injuries or fatalities during the event, although it is frowned upon by the Catholic Church, with news reports in 2012 suggesting that Pope Benedict himself encouraged the Spanish clergy to distance themselves from it.
Finance 29
Leapy Lee 35
TV 54
Time Out
the devil
EL COLACHO is organised by the shadowy, black-clad Brotherhood of Santisimo Sacramento de Minerva, members of which dress up as both the devil and his companion the Atabalero, or drummer. The devils clutch percussion instruments known as castanets while the top hat and tailcoated Atabaleros beat drums in unison as they run through the town’s streets. Festivities begin on the Wednesday preceding the event with daily processions during which the devils also chase cheeky adults and children, ter-
rorising and hitting them gently with horse-tail whips. Each Devil is followed by two rows of the brotherhood and the group makes its way to the church, where an entrance ritual is performed. All members remove their hats and bow in greeting as the Devil and Atabalero arrive, the former removing his mask before heading to the sanctuary where both remain during mass.
Twin Parks
THE council in Roquetas de Mar has approved the publication of a document concerning the control of motor homes in the town particularly with regards to overnight parking. They are placing this discussion document on their website to gauge public opinion.
CELEBRATING its 30th birthday, Sierra Maria-Los Velez national park in Almeria, twinned for the day with Altmühltal Park in Bavaria. Similar activities were undertaken in both parks to promote environmental awareness and expressions of support and congratulations were exchanged.
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Health & Beauty 64
Social 68
Albox 73
Property 77
Brit invasion
THE council in Carboneras has a policy of protecting its 17-strong Local Police force and has given bullet proof vests reportedly at a cost of €10,000. It is also looking to purchase a new police car and moving their headquarters.
PASSENGER numbers at Almeria airport shot up by 18.5 per cent in May to reach 102,482. British tourist numbers rose the most as the airport braces for a record breaking year.
the windows of an establishment and steal €12,000 of gems and gold. They frequently used stolen cars to smash through security gates. Police eventually tracked the gang to the small town of Albunol, Granada and caught them in the act of another armed robbery. Those arrested gave up key details allowing police to make further arrests in Almeria. Their base of operations was in El Ejido and all 12 members of the gang are believed to be Romanian.
Letters
THE DEVIL: Clutches percussion instruments.
Protecting police
Violent dirty dozen detained
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DEVIL: Jumps over the babies.
Speak of
Motor homes
INSIDE VIEW News
Look away, Mum!
A DANGEROUS criminal gang described by police as “violent and unpredictable” were dismantled in an extensive joint operation across Almeria. A dozen members of the gang were arrested by National Police and Guardia Civil at various addresses across the province. They are suspected of committing at least 30 armed robberies of shops in both Almeria and Granada. Targets included jewellers in Dalias, Pulpi and Berja, where they used hammers to smash through
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Classifieds 82
Motor
Go West
84
A NEW western, The Sisters Brothers, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Joaquin Phoenix and John C Reilly will be filmed over four weeks across Almeria. Filming will then move to other parts of Spain.
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Sport 87
The total number of news and features which appeared in Issue 1666 of the Euro Weekly News Costa de Almería edition, with 43 local stories.
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TRIVIA FROM AROUND THE WORLD For period June 5 - 12
In the UK every two seconds 94 KitKats are purchased,this is 1.5 billion a year!
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1 • Heat alerts hit Spain nine days before summer – 2,745 2 • Spanish ‘hero’ missing after London terror attack – 1,771 3 • Family of Kirsty Maxwell launch desperate social media appeal – 1,510
Page views = 70,927 Locations = 38.84% UK, 36.54% Spain, 9% USA 3% Ireland 12.62% Others
Devices used
Top Social Media comments Scotland and England fans clash in Magaluf - Sian Foster. How pathetic, let’s just show the world how ignorant, stupid some Brits are. These people are nothing but yobs, are ignorant, ill educated etc etc, nothing new then! Embarrassed to be a Brit once again… Spanish hero’s body returned to Spain - Liz Shaw. God Bless you Ignacio. May you rest in peace as you skateboard amongst the clouds. Sevilla sadist jailed for 39 years - Barbara Taylor. Not nearly enough, but the maximum sentence he’ll serve will be 30 years, although he will probably get out much sooner than that. I hope he shares a cell with men who have daughters! Britain goes to the polls - Shaun Van Wyk. Elmo would’ve made a strong contender. ‘Manspreading’ banned on public transport in Madrid - Grace O’Grady. Excellent, however refined people would never need to be told this, so basically this is education for dinosaurs and barbarians, no?
EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM POLL OF THE WEEK
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4 • Norwegian man stung to death by bees in Mijas – 1,208 5 • ‘Manspreading’ banned on all public transport in Madrid – 1,208
Do you expect Sterling to strengthen by the end of the year to €1.20 or higher? Last week’s poll:
Should Spain ban the burka? Yes = 82% • No = 18%
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In Japan, letting a sumo wrestler make your baby cry is considered to bring good health to the child. In Finland, at the Wife Carrying World Championships, first prize is the wife’s weight in beer.
Little bits on the side
Top 5 stories
In 19thcentury Britain, opium for babies was marketed under the name ‘Quietness.’
Did you know?
• Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift apart. • Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear better. CORRECTIONS At the EWN, we pride ourselves that reports are accurate and fair. If we do slip up, we promise to set the record straight in a clear, no-nonsense manner. To ask for an inaccuracy to be corrected. Email: editorial@euroweeklynews.com
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Hate crimes shoot up HATE crimes increased in Almeria last year, bucking a nationwide trend that saw a general decline in attacks against minority groups. Though they rose, Almeria’s figures are still low. The province accounted for just 15 of Spain’s 1,272 reported hate crimes. Offences are registered as hate crimes if victims are targeted on the basis of their race, religion, nationality, disability or sexual identity. Attacks on the homeless can also be designated as hate crimes. Almeria differs slightly from Spain with attacks on members of the gay community not being included in the official stats. The European Union also estimates around eight in 10 hate crimes go unreported as victims, especially immigrants, have a fear of going to police. In Almeria’s case the majority of the 15 formal hate crimes were attacks on eight disabled victims. Another five were against foreign nationals and registered as racism. There was also one anti-Semitic attack.
OUR VIEW
Surprise result raises questions THERE is little doubt that the Conservative party was caught by surprise by the seemingly disastrous result of the General Election. The powers behind the throne, the two advisors to Mrs May, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill resigned almost immediately and now the Prime Minister appears to be trying to carry on as if nothing too untoward has happened. Her cabinet remains broadly as it was prior to the election, although another Brexiteer Michael Gove returns as environment secretary and will be responsible for reviewing agricultural support following Britain’s exit from the EU. The loss of an overall majority will make it more difficult to enter Brexit negotiations when the EU knows that the prime minister has made a major error of judgement by getting the mood of the nation so wrong. She said she would use the anticipated increased majority to strengthen her hand with Europe and instead has to keep power by putting together an unlikely and possibly unstable pact with the Democratic Unionist Party which has already caused negative comments from the Republic of Ireland. Assuming she is not voted out as Tory leader, it is possible Mrs May will have to be a little less hard line in her negotiations with Brussels than she had originally hoped.
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Blue is the colour SHE is the only Spanish actress to win an Oscar after bagging the Best Supporting Actress gong for her 2008 performance in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona. And Penelope Cruz, 43, provided ample back-up to British-born American actress Lily Collins, 28, as the delectable duo filmed an advert for luxury cosmetics brand Lancome in Barcelona. The Iberian icon was a picture in a figure-hugging navy dress while Lily, daughter of Genesis singer Phil Collins, smouldered in a matching navy sleeveless blouse and elegant trousers.
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NEWS
Model behaviour! HE quit much-loved soap Coronation Street to pursue an acting career in London, a nd re c e ntly f i ni shed f i l m i ng Bear Grylls’ Celebrity Island in Panama. But work appeared the furthest thing from 33-yearold Ryan Thomas’ mind as he whipped up a storm at a pool p ar t y i n Magal uf , Mallorca alongside brother and Love Island star Scott, 28. The pair knocked back vodka before
accepting a chocolate cake for Ryan’s birthday which he duly smashed into his sibling’s face, much to the delight of the rapturous crowd. Ryan reportedly became close to exThe Onl y Way I s Essex beaut y Lucy Mecklenburgh, 25, while being tested to the limit on the Channel 4 survival show. And the fitness fanatic was also in the Balearics this week as she shot a racy series of swimwear shots in Ibiza after bei ng chosen as t he f ace of V by Ver y High’s summer collection.
Summer lovin’ HIS Barcelona team finished second in La Liga and was beaten in the Champions League quarter-finals. But Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi, 29, clearly remains a winner in love after his stunning partner Antonella Roccuzzo, 29, put on a sizzling display aboard a luxury yacht in Ibiza. The bronzed beauty topped up her tan after slipping into a tiny tanga-style bikini which accentuated her curvaceous figure. The pair have been together for almost 10 years and are set to marry in their hometown of Rosario, Argentina, later this summer. Their children Thiago, four, and Mateo, two, joined them on their aquatic adventure as did teammate Luis Suarez and his wife Sofia Balbi, plus Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas with girlfriend Daniella Semaan and their three children Lia, Leonardo and Capri. But it was the gorgeous Antonella who stole the show as she relaxed on the side of the boat, dipping her toes into the crystal-clear Mediterranean water, before her future hubby took the plunge as he launched himself into the deep.
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NEWS
NEWS EXTRA
Tax break RESIDENTS of Vera will enjoy a 4 per cent reduction in their IBI property tax from 2018 to help put more money in people’s pockets and stimulate the local economy.
TED: Famous public talk coming to Almeria this summer.
It is rocket science By Matthew Elliott THE world famous Ted Talks are coming to Almeria. More than one billion people have tuned into the TEDx discussions as they travel the world,
giving speakers just 18 minutes to express an exciting new idea. Ted Talks originally started as a technology conference in Silicon Valley. In the past decade it has begun posting short 18-minute speeches from a wide variety of experts online, attracting billions of views and a loyal following. Famous speakers have included Bono, Bill Clinton, Jamie Oliver and several Nobel laureates. Ted’s success has spawned a franchise of thou-
sands of TEDx events around the world attracting local speakers to focus on local topics. On Saturday July 22 Almeria will join the Ted map for the first time with a special TEDx event to be held at the Teatro Apolo. All speakers will be native Almerians, focusing on issues that make a difference to residents and guests. Only 100 tickets are up for grabs and are now on sale. The event will also be recorded and screened live on social media.
Numbers in the news
270,000
people in Spain live in squats.
Plastic sea A SHOCKING new report revealed that 96 per cent of the rubbish found in the Alboran Sea on Almeria’s coastline is plastic. The Mediterranean faces ecological catastrophe without intervention.
Near miss FIREFIGHTERS prevented a disaster when they quickly extinguished a blaze at a chemical factory in Huercal de Almeria, fighting off flames several metres high to stop the fire reaching more flammable materials.
Letter thief POLICE arrested a woman who broke into public post boxes to steal private correspondence. She then sold the information from 150 letters to online fraudsters who used it to carry out internet scams.
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Packed to the rafters By Matthew Elliott
BUSY: Nijar’s new tourist information points a huge success.
RECENTLY opened tourist information points across Nijar are already at full capacity. Throngs of tourists, both local and international have used the facilities since they opened on June 1. There is now talk of extending opening hours and dates at three tourist centres in Aguamarga, San Jose and Las Negras. The Villa de Nijar is open year round but may also get extended hours. Tourism and Beaches councilor Alexis Pineda has stressed that safety is paramount as beaches, boardwalks, public toilets, and
showers already see huge queues as the summer hordes arrive. Warning flags and lifeguards aren’t typically in service until this week. But with overwhelming numbers of tourists at both the information points and the beaches, Pineda believes both need to open much earlier next year. The councillor has also reminded residents and tourists to take advantage of the Nijar mobile phone app. The new technology offers daily updates on weather forecasts and whether it is safe to swim on local beaches. It also includes useful information on events, holidays and service locations.
NEWS
NEWS EXTRA
Time bonus PUBLIC sector workers i n Al m er i a m ay see working hours returned to a maximum of 35 per week after they were raised to 37.5 in 2012 to help cope with the recession.
Living lens PRIZE winning photos of Almeria’s landscape taken by students are on display in the city’s museum. Contestants were urged to emphasise the importance of protecting the environment.
Water tip WATER efficiency is the secret behind Almeria’s agricultural success. Last year the province ranked first in Spain for production with 3.5 million kilos of crops and a €1 billion turnover.
Foul smell A €23 MILLION invest m ent wi l l see t he dirty water, foul stench and mosquito nests of the Andarax river finally cleaned up. Work begins soon and wi l l benef i t some 50,000 people.
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NEWS EXTRA
Deep cover A WOMAN was arrested for trying to smuggle seven grams of cocaine into El Acebuche prison hidden in her bra just days after a man was busted entering with hash in his pocket.
Green jobs TWO dozen projects with a budget of €936,000 will promote employment opportunities in the agricultural sector at schools across the province as youngsters do their exams and consider a career.
Cowboy fun HORSE-DRAWN carriages are a novelty attraction for this year ’s San Isidro festival held in Roquetas from June 28 to July 2. Attendees are encouraged to come in Spanish cowboy gear.
NEWS
Blitz shelters to be salvaged in city COMPLEX architectural work is being carried out to conserve Almeria’s air raid shelters and Civil War defence fortifications. The expansive work comes as several sites scattered throughout the city expect to be declared national areas of cultural interest.
Tunnels and shelters were built in the Spanish Civil War. Their new status affords them greater legal protection. Labourers and architects are now working under the guidance of expert historians who are deeply familiar with the precarious bunkers, trenches and shelters that have survived the past 80 years.
SHELTER: Almeria’s air raid shelters due special protection. The historians want all of Almeria’s defences to be included collectively as one large site of cultural interest, rather than dozens of smaller sites. The conservation work will attempt to link the sites, if not physically then by helping create an overarching narrative. The ambitious plans aren’t limited solely to the city. There are an estimated 56 defensive fortifications dotted around the province that architects want to protect. Other areas include Mojacar, Benahadux, Nijar, Car-
boneras and Cuevas del Almanzora. There are a total of 25 bunkers in the city, 15 trenches, nine bomb shelters and three bases which are in surprisingly good condition and expected to receive more funding for protection. Miles of underground tunnels and shelters were built in Almeria at the height of the Spanish Civil War. During the Nazi bombardment of the city in 1937 an estimated 40,000 civilians took shelter underground as almost 1,000 bombs were dropped.
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NEWS
First Spaniard in space in Almeria SPAIN’S first ever astronaut visited Almeria to attend the province’s sixth Astronomical Conference and receive an honorary doctorate from the University. Speaking at the conference at the Maestro Padilla auditorium, Pedro Duque revealed how Almeria plays a key role in astronomy and space exploration today. The 54-year-old, who visited the International Space Station in 2003, is one of Spain’s foremost solar system authorities. He told a stunned audience that the brightness of the artificial farms in the greenhouses of Aguadulce, known as the plastic sea, are one of the only parts of Spain visible from space. A combination of the cleanest skies in Europe and the thriving agriculture landscape puts Almeria on a par with the
DUQUE: Performing medical tests on a space shuttle. Great Wall of China for visibility. Duque also praised scientists in the Tabernas Desert who are developing a new system of extracting oxygen from sand using concentrated solar energy. The technology could someday be used to help generate more oxygen for human explorers on the lunar surface. Duque, whose maiden voy-
age was aboard the STS-95 1998 launch from the Kennedy Space Centre, took time to visit the acclaimed Photography Exhibition of the Universe at the entrance to the province’s presidential palace. Duque wrote in the visitor’s book that the view from Almeria is even greater than the view from space thanks to its people, joy and light.
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Active approach to ageing in Mojacar AFTER the success of Mojacar’s Active Ageing programme, similar concepts are set to be rolled out across Almeria. Active Ageing was a series of activities designed to improve the mental and physical health of older residents through a variety of special workshops. Hundreds of people attended the free classes in Mojacar. Residenta over 55 enjoyed
challenging games and exercises, improving their mind, body and soul while socialising. Inspired by the public response the Provincial Delegation of Almeria has now established ‘Encuentros de Mayores,’ meeting sessions for older residents. Classes will include pilates, dance, and underwater exercises. There will be therapeutic sessions and advice on rehabilitation for those
with different knocks and injuries. Workshop leaders will be qualified instructors and offer expert advice on healthy eating and physical activity. Workshops have already begun in Mojacar, Sorbas and Olula del Rio. In the coming weeks others will begin in Macael, Berja and Gador.
ACTIVE AGING: New workshops to improve fitness now in vogue.
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COMMUNITY
Annual Charity Fundraiser HELPING Animals Almanzora will be holding their annual charity fundraiser on Saturday June 17 at Bar Kubatin, Hostal Meson, Arboleas, from 6pm till late. There will be stalls and a ‘guess the teddy’s name’ competition. Live music and a buffet will be provided, including a grand
raffle and a mini auction. Tickets are €9, and include a hot and cold buffet and vegetarian dishes will be on offer. Tickets are available from HAA Charity shop in Arboleas and Alfoquia, as well as Centro Veterinario in Huercal Overa, Inspired Home & Garden in Albox and Scrumptious in Albox.
APSA Quiz Night at Maloan’s Bar Albox MALOAN’S BAR Albox will be hosting a Quiz Night in aid of APSA. They hold the ‘fun’ quiz every month with teams of any size, which is run by quizmaster, Ian Holmes and it’s €2 each to enter. Now, they also have tickets on sale for their big summer fundraising event, ‘Dancing under the stars,’ on July 1 when they’ll be dancing the night away at Kubatin in Arboleas. There will be live music by Impulse with a barbecue, tombola, raffle and auction. Tickets cost €10 and can be purchased from the APSA shop, Harrisons or Los Llanos market stall. Dog walkers, kennel volunteers and shop volunteers are always welcome. Anyone who would like to lend a helping hand at the kennels or the shop, are welcome to drop into Los Llanos market or the shop in Albox. Contact APSA on www.apsa.org.es or tel. 664 730 289 or Facebook @APSAAnimalrescue.
Musical triumph A FUNDRAISING Leo the Lion concert featuring The 4 Stations tributing Il Divo was held at Renfe Site in La Alfoquia. The May concert was attended by 267 people who each paid an additional €3 to the Leo fund, together with four others who could not attend, raising a total of €813 which has now been paid into Leo’s bank account. The evening itself was a wonderful occasion with incredible performances from all the artists who appeared, including Kay Frances, Nick Spatoni, Ronnie Taylor and not forgetting the headline act, the fabulous ‘The 4 Stations.’ Everyone who attended the evening, agreed that it was one of the best performances they had ever seen in La Alfoquia. The guys will be coming back, which is great news! Many thanks to everybody who attended, because without their support these evenings could not take place.
COMMUNITY
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THE Festival started on Thursday May 26 at 3pm, with the delivery of fresh flowers. The volunteers’ hands went into complete overdrive in creating wonderful floral arrangements that formed different shapes and sizes. The craft fair arrived on Friday at 2pm and at 3pm the doors of the church were open to the public. Inside, the church revealed colourful displays along with a wonderful fragrance. There were over 55 displays in total, of
Aljambra Flower Festival which 30 were sponsored by the local businesses. Saturday morning saw the arrival of 22 classic cars and at midday, there was a barbecue. On Sunday, the festival opened at 3pm and 6pm, for an open-air service, which was held on the plaza. There was a diverse group of people in attendance, who not only came to see the
flowers but also to take part in the service. The entry was free and donations that were made will be divided between AECC and the Anglican Church. Cannon Michael was present to give a short service of blessing for the festival. FESTIVAL: Flowers arrangements on display.
Photos by EWN Media Group
Support for Leo continues
y performers. ARTISTS: Charlie, one of the man
A GALA concert in support of the Leo the Lion fund was held at 7.30pm in Zurgena’s municipal theatre last Thursday, with over €1,000 raised. The venue was donated for free by the town hall, with the gig organised by Charlie, aka the English Singer in Spain and hosted by Ray from Smooth FM. All 99 of the €5 tickets were snapped up, with all money raised from sales, plus a raffle on the night, donated to the Leo the Lion fund.
A donation was also made by the Kalevela bar, who ran the bar all evening, while all artists performed free of charge, with the lineup including Charlie herself, M&M (Jim Mackie and Geoff Murrell), the AKA Band and country rock duo Gilsons. Raffle prizes were donated by a raft of local businesses including Sol Supermercado, the English Corner Shop, Scrumptious, Wavelengths, El Teatro, Blue Ice Cream
CONCERT: Leo the Lion, his sister, Charlie and Ray.
Mojacar, Plaza Bar, Harrisons, Total Entertainment, and Chapmans, with a watch donated by Charlie. A backdrop screen displayed photos of Leo and his family and the history of his fight throughout the event, and when he arrived with sister Sofia the pair received handfuls of brightly-coloured helium balloons. The event was a massive success with an electric atmosphere and all the crowd dug deep into their pockets to
support Leo’s fight on what was a hugely enjoyable and extremely well-organised evening.
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NEWS
Beating the heat A SPECIAL plan is in place to protect residents across the province from the harmf u l e ff e c t s o f e x c e s s i v e temperatures this summer.
The Junta de Andalucia’s prevention plan will focus on some of Almeria’s most vulnerable groups, includi n g t h e e l d e r l y, c h i l d r e n ,
labourers and those with mental disabilities. Health and social workers will work with volunteer teams to monitor at-risk populations. They will make sure they either wear protection or stay out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day. The biggest threat isn’t dangerous sun rays but skyrocketing temperatures that can cause or seriously affect medical conditions, or even change how the body interacts with certain medications. Risk of heart failure and stroke is more pronounced during summer, especially f o r t h o s e s u ff e r i n g f r o m obesity, diabetes or hypertension. Home visits will be organised to ensure vulner-
able people are not exposed to extreme heat or humidity inside. Last year’s campaign saw almost 1,000 people visited by health response officials. This year, hundreds more will also receive phone calls to check in on them. An awareness campaign is set to be rolled out by the ministry of health offering advice on protection from the heat. E n t i t l e d Ve r a n o 2 0 1 7 : Cuidados frente al calor (Summer 2017: Care against heat), is available online and can be downloaded to phones. Advice includes wearing light clothing and hats, ventilating rooms, lowering blinds and closing doors during the afternoon, drink-
Numbers in the news average cost of a three-bedroom €580,000 the apartment in Santa Catalina, Palma.
HEAT: Poses a series of dangers during the long Almeria summer. ing plenty of water and avoiding strenuous day time exercises. The Health Responder mobile phone app has been downloaded 1.6 million times across Andalucia. It alerts users when outside t em per at ur es ar e danger ously high and advises on how to deal with sun stroke. The summer campaign will also offer free advice
on avoiding mosquito stings, insect bites, and unhygienic food and drink. A v a r i e t y o f a i r a n d w a t e rborne viruses sent dozens of people to hospital last year. Daily alert levels will be posted online. Green indicates normal temperatures, while yellow and orange suggest exercising care. Take extra precautions during the maximum red alert.
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15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
www.euroweeklynews.com
SWEDEN
NETHERLANDS
Best uni
Palace hotel A FORMER palace is to be turned into a hotel and museum space. The top floor of the Soestdijk palace, will be turned into 14 rooms with an exhibition area on the ground floor. Work is estimated to last a decade.
LUND has been named Sweden’s top university in the latest rankings and has been named 78th best in the world. The Royal Institute of Technology has also made the world’s top 100 list coming in at 98th.
Too drunk A TOURIST filmed in Bulgaria kicking a cleaner in a hotel claims he was so drunk he doesn’t remember the incident. The Swedish man has been remanded in custody awaiting trial.
Coastal clean up A CLEAN UP operation has been
EUROPEAN PRESS
No to 24/7 Sweden Lund University.
c a rrie d o u t alo n g the B ohus la n coastline where some 8,000 cubic metres of rubbish washes up on the beaches each year. It appears in the currents from the North Sea.
Turbine compensation LOCALS affected by the noise and obstructed views from local wind farms will be compensated. They will be compensated over the next 25 years.
PLANS to allow shops in Amsterdam to open 24 hours have been scrapped after just 17 shopkeepers applied to take part in the pilot scheme and most were tourist stores and fast food outlets.
Pricey burger A DUTCH chef has made the record books for creating the world’s most expensive burger. For around €2,000 it contains lobster, foie gras, Wagyu steak and 24k gold leaf.
Female protection IT is now an offence to shout at or intimidate women on the streets of Rotterdam and those found guilty could be fined up to €4,100. Amsterdam has a similar by-law in place.
GERMANY
DENMARK
Counsellor stabbed
Something new
A RED C R OSS m e n tal h e a lth counsellor was stabbed to death in Saarbruecken by an asylum seeker who was receiving counselling. It is believed they got in an argument during a therapy session.
Troop move GERMANY is to pull its troops out
of its Turkish air bases following a diplomatic row. It is believed the some 270 troops will be moved to Jordan.
countries taking part. Franka Sonntag won the competition for female drivers.
Global citizen
Best driver A BERLIN tram driver has been named the best in Europe. The competition took place in Tenerife with teams from different
PO P s ta rs Sha kira a nd Pha rre ll Williams are amongst the stars announced to take part in the first Global Citizen festival taking place in Hamburg.
FRANCE
BELGIUM
Third victim
Irate passenger
IT has been confirmed that a third French citizen was a victim in the London terrorist attacks. The missing Frenchman’s body was found in the River Thames.
A PASSENGER trying to board a Ryanair flight at Brussels airport has been criticised online after footage emerged of him being abusive and irate with an employee, leaving the woman in tears.
Isolated attack THE Notre Dame hammer attack has been named an ‘isolated incident’ by the authorities. The 40-year-old Algerian-born man is reported to have attacked a police officer shouting “this is for Syria.”
Joint agreement BELGIUM has joined Germany and Denmark in pledging to increase the world’s offshore wind capacity by five times in the next 10 years.
Back with a bump
Growth forecasts
ASTRONAUT Thomas Pesquet has held his first press conference back on Earth after spending six months on the International Space Station. He said it was taking time to get used to gravity.
FORECASTS predict a growth of 1.6 per cent for the Belgian economy this year and next, according to the country’s Planning Bureau.
Pollution claim A YOGA teacher is suing the state claiming she ‘nearly died’ when air pollution in Paris was so bad it triggered serious medical problems. The 56-year-old claims the state failed to protect her from air pollution.
Daesh threat AN investigation has been launched by the Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (OCAM) to assess how serious an alleged terror threat against Belgium is. The message advised Muslims to stay away from public places.
A CHAIN of Danish hostels are promoting sustainable eating habits by offering insects on its breakfast menu such as worms and grasshoppers. The food items have been developed for maximum nutritional benefits.
English care COPENHAGEN is working to provide childcare for the expat community as it announces plans to open two English language day care centres for youngsters up to age six.
Behind bars
Climate change
THE jetski driver who collided with a boat in Copenhagen’s harbour, killing two people, has had his custodial sentence extended. He is charged with double manslaughter and recklessly endangering lives.
THE climate council has claimed that Denmark’s plans to reduce climate change are too easy and should set itself more ambitious targets as it can reach the target of reducing CO2 emissions by 2030 relatively easily.
NORWAY
Future fjords A 42M all electric ferry will be introduced in Norway next year to navigate passengers through the famous fjords. It is already in the process of being built and is expected to be operational from April 2018.
New budget THE government has agreed a revised national budget after two weeks of negotiations. The budget promises more funds for teachers, clearing pollution from the sea and improved safety at work.
Cycling map CYCLISTS are being asked to use an app to chart the route they cycle. The authorities will use the data to help find the best places to create new cycle lanes and improve the cycling infrastructure.
Police shooting A MAN was shot in Bergen by police after threatening officers with weapons. The 36-year-old was taken to hospital to treat his gunshot wound but his condition was not critical.
28
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
RUSSIAN PRESS
www.euroweeklynews.com
A major relief
METRO: Passengers have been waiting decades for the toilet. AN extra 25 toilets will be dotted around Moscow’s extensive Metro system. Desperate passengers will be able to pay for toilet access using their travel card. The first toilet appeared in 2015, 80 years after the world’s fifth largest metro opened its doors.
Mystery colonel A DRUNKEN Russian colonel was taken to a St Petersburg hospital for treatment. In Andrei Troshev’s pockets were five million rubles cash (€80,000), $5,000 in US dollars, and various maps of Syria. The Chechen war veteran has close ties to Wagner, a paramilitary group fighting in Syria.
Generation tech POLITICAL candidates
are now allowed to advertise on Russian social network VKontakte. Onl y candi dat es r egi stered with the Central Elect i on Com m i ssi on wi l l be permitted space on the internet behemoth, Russia’s Facebook. Critics fear this restricts opposition candidates not registered with the commission from reaching voters.
Mammoth hotel PLANS to build a mammoth skull-shaped hotel are causing a stir in the eastern Republic of Buryatia. Blueprints for the ambitious project at Lake Baikal include tusks 100 metres long which will hold conference centres. Buryatia president Alexey Tsydenov reckons the skull-shaped hotel will become a lucrative tourist attraction.
Black gold A DEAL was struck between Russian and Iran to import 100,000 barrels of Iranian oil per day. The count r i es f orged a st r onger par t ner shi p when I r ani an pr esi dent Rouhani visited Moscow in March. He spoke with President Putin about establishing a free trade zone including Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan and Armenia.
Party massacre A DINNER party became a bloodbath when a 45-yearold electrician shot dead nine companions. Sergei Yegorov was drunk and outraged that guests didn’t believe he was once a paratrooper. He left to fetch a rifle and returned screaming “Now I’ll show you that I can shoot.”
Missing summer AN unusually cold start to Russia’s summer was jokingly blamed on the Americans pulling out of the Paris climate accord. Chilly temperatures are causing food prices to rise due to higher than expected transportation costs. The Central Bank warned that a cold 2017 might even trigger higher inflation rates.
CHILLY: Cold weather posing economic trouble.
FINANCE
Costa de Almería
15 - 21 June 2017
STAT OF WEEK
business & legal
€4,500
By John Smith
is the amount that the Amancio Ortega Foundation has made available to health authorities across Spain in the fight against cancer.
APPLYING for a Movistar Money loan.
Telefonica to offer consumer loans IN the UK, directory enquiry company 118 118 runs an unsecured loan business and now Spain’s Telefonica is to do the same. Movistar Money, is now to start offering loans from €600 to €3,000 in order to expand its sources of revenue and will initially market its services to customers who have obtained their mobile phones through the company finance division although once tested, they intend to expand the service to
of government not an individual. One medical professional even went so far as to suggest that it would be more appropriate for Mr Ortega to spend his money making life better for his employees
The basis of the management model of the Popular Party in our Madrid community is debt,” according to Podemos spokesperson Lorena Ruiz-Huerta.
Valua Vitaly / Shutterstock
Quote of the Week
€320 million but already four health authorities around Spain have been criticised by their own employees for accepting donations estimated at €17 million each, with staff saying that health funding is the job
a wider market. Everything will be applied for, approved and distributed online without the need to provide any paper documentation and loans for periods of up to three years at interest rates in the region of 16.5 per cent, will if approved, be transferred to bank accounts within 48 hours. The company arranging the loan, Telefonica Consumer Finance, is part owned by Caixa Bank, one of Telefonica’s largest shareholders.
BUSINESS EXTRA
Against CETA MADRID streets were taken over by hundreds of protestors demanding that the Spanish government should block the free trade deal between the EU and Canada. They believe that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will damage the Spanish economy.
Pound down IMMEDIATELY following the news of a hung parliament, the pound slipped against the euro and the dollar. Conversely, shares in the FTSE 100 rose as larger companies benefit from a weak pound especially when repatriating foreign earnings.
IMF comment THE International Monetary Fund has congratulated the European Central Bank on the speed of action to resolve the potential bankruptcy of Banco Popular. The sale to Santander, will it believes, bring stability to the Spanish and European market.
Catalonian economy plans DESPITE the fact that the Catalonian government plans to hold an Independence Referendum, the Spanish government has just approved loans of €5.3 billion until September. Whilst much is made of the value of the Cat-
alonian economy and there is no doubt that industry there generates large amounts of income, the government there is not so healthy and needed €1.3 billion to cover the budget deficit and the balance for interest and to repay debts.
29
is the release fee demanded by the brains behind JAFF, a new ransom ware spread by emails containing infected PDF documents. A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 6 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION // WWW.EWNBUSINESS.COM
Billionaire criticised for cancer donation WHEN billionaire Amancio Ortega, decided to offer funds for the treatment of cancer, he probably didn’t expect to receive so much criticism. A new book being published in the USA suggests that the majority shareholder of Inditex - the Spanish fashion retail group - had a small tumour that had to be removed and this is what spurred him on to make the offer. In Britain, hospitals are more than happy to accept donations
EWN
and those producing his stock in Asia rather than meddling in what is a matter for the government to deal with. His donations have been used to buy mammogram and radiography machinery as well as for investigation into the causes of cancer. If this was a ‘simple’ illness, easily cured, the position of medical practitioners would be more easily understood say cancer charities, but any advance in treatment doesn’t just help Spain but sufferers all over the world.
Liberbank suffers on stock exchange SET up in 2011 a after the amalgamation of three savings banks, Liberbank which employs 4,850 has seen a drop in share value. The sudden sale of Banco Popular seems to have caused a backlash for this supposedly vulnerable bank, with its shares dropping well below the €1 mark. In a bid to show support for the bank, major shareholders have been purchasing the cheaper shares and are attempting to push the price back up as with assets of more than €38 billion and a 2016 profit of €128 million, they do not consider it to be a risky investment.
30
E W N 15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group PLC 928.00 -3.50 Admiral Group PLC 2062.50 -6.00 Anglo American PLC 1075.00 -6.50 Antofagasta PLC 816.75 -7.50 Ashtead Group PLC 1641.50 6.00 Associated British Foods PLC 2927.00 -14.00 AstraZeneca PLC 5281.50 -56.00 Aviva PLC 533.00 1.00 Babcock International Group... 883.50 1.39 BAE Systems PLC 673.25 -3.50 Barclays PLC 207.22 0.65 Barratt Developments PLC 574.25 -2.00 BHP Billiton PLC 1199.25 -8.50 BP PLC 470.32 2.60 British American Tobacco PLC 5418.50 -99.00 British Land Co PLC 631.75 -1.00 BT Group PLC 297.03 2.60 Bunzl PLC 2401.50 -6.00 Burberry Group PLC 1741.00 -2.00 Carnival PLC 4969.50 -64.00 Centrica PLC 199.50 0.70 Coca-Cola HBC AG 2308.00 -21.00 Compass Group PLC 1654.00 -15.00 ConvaTec Group PLC 317.60 -6.10 CRH PLC 2854.50 -20.00 Croda International PLC 3919.00 -32.00 DCC PLC 7272.50 -45.00 Diageo PLC 2307.50 -18.50 Direct Line Insurance Group... 352.30 -1.80 easyJet PLC 1332.50 3.00 Experian PLC 1614.00 -9.00 Fresnillo PLC 1687.00 -39.00 GKN PLC 346.50 -0.10 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1686.75 -11.50 Glencore PLC 293.18 -1.75 Hammerson PLC 588.75 -1.00 Hargreaves Lansdown PLC 1377.50 -3.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC 1633.50 2.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 690.15 -5.63 Imperial Brands PLC 3570.00 7.00 Informa PLC 679.50 -1.50 InterContinental Hotels Gro... 4407.50 -27.00 International Consolidated ... 586.75 1.50 Intertek Group PLC 4315.50 -32.00 Intu Properties PLC 265.65 0.10 ITV PLC 184.05 0.06 Johnson Matthey PLC 3006.00 23.00 Kingfisher PLC 312.50 2.50 Land Securities Group PLC 1058.50 -1.00 Legal & General Group PLC 257.20 -1.00
% CHG. -0.38 -0.29 -0.60 -0.91 0.37 -0.48 -1.05 0.19 0.16 -0.52 0.31 -0.35 -0.70 0.56 -1.79 -0.16 0.88 -0.25 -0.11 -1.27 0.35 -0.90 -0.90 -1.89 -0.70 -0.81 -0.61 -0.80 -0.51 0.23 -0.55 -2.26 -0.03 -0.68 -0.59 -0.17 -0.22 0.12 -0.81 0.20 -0.22 -0.61 0.26 -0.74 0.04 0.03 0.77 0.81 -0.09 -0.39
NET VOL 94.45 10.87 192.64 61.76 140.56 43.42 137.98 326.91 44.16 249.17 1,872.96 297.31 278.60 1,930.61 347.76 226.09 1,617.05 19.46 61.17 23.81 790.16 13.65 280.56 218.48 64.07 7.55 1.77 238.37 165.24 75.88 71.21 96.30 116.65 281.95 1,624.20 64.00 20.05 29.64 1,548.74 125.86 55.37 17.69 175.38 7.73 73.30 330.46 56.19 477.04 108.45 498.45
COMPANY
PRICE(P)
Lloyds Banking Group PLC 69.75 London Stock Exchange Grp 3434.50 Marks & Spencer Group PLC 360.15 Mediclinic International PLC 788.50 Merlin Entertainments PLC 504.75 Micro Focus International PLC 2438.00 Mondi PLC 2045.00 Morrison (Wm) Supermrkts 243.50 National Grid PLC 1014.75 Next PLC 4282.50 Old Mutual PLC 196.25 Paddy Power Betfair PLC 8390.00 Pearson PLC 712.75 Persimmon PLC 2372.00 Provident Financial PLC 2968.00 Prudential PLC 1782.25 Randgold Resources Ltd 7527.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC 7881.50 RELX PLC 1686.50 Rentokil Initial PLC 278.30 Rio Tinto PLC 3242.25 Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC 902.75 Royal Bank of Scotland Grou... 252.20 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2161.75 Royal Mail PLC 435.75 RSA Insurance Group PLC 622.75 Sage Group (The) PLC 684.25 Sainsbury (J) PLC 264.70 Schroders PLC 3125.00 Scottish Mortgage Investmen 406.75 Severn Trent PLC 2482.00 Shire PLC 4322.25 Sky PLC 978.50 Smith & Nephew PLC 1341.50 Smiths Group PLC 1602.00 Smurfit Kappa Group PLC 2265.00 SSE PLC 1490.50 Standard Chartered PLC 787.35 Standard Life PLC 386.05 St James's Place PLC 1179.50 Taylor Wimpey PLC 178.55 Tesco PLC 181.97 TUI AG 1155.00 Unilever PLC 4293.25 United Utilities Group PLC 991.00 Vodafone Group PLC 222.78 Whitbread PLC 3998.00 Wolseley PLC 4880.50 Worldpay Group PLC 309.60 WPP PLC 1665.50
CHANGE(P) -0.27 -18.00 0.10 -7.50 0.00 -61.00 -14.00 -0.87 -5.00 7.00 -1.00 -95.00 -4.50 -6.61 -11.00 -12.50 -80.00 -74.00 -7.00 -2.70 -22.00 -5.83 1.20 10.00 -0.48 -2.50 -13.00 -0.23 -15.00 -11.13 -21.00 -23.50 -2.00 -20.00 -13.00 -8.99 -4.72 7.10 -2.10 -5.00 1.07 1.20 0.00 -35.00 -2.50 1.75 14.00 -1.00 -3.30 -8.00
% CHG.
NET VOL
-0.39 -0.52 0.03 -0.94 0.00 -2.44 -0.68 -0.36 -0.49 0.16 -0.51 -1.12 -0.63 -0.28 -0.37 -0.70 -1.05 -0.93 -0.41 -0.96 -0.67 -0.64 0.48 0.46 -0.11 -0.40 -1.86 -0.09 -0.48 -2.66 -0.84 -0.54 -0.20 -1.47 -0.80 -0.39 -0.32 0.91 -0.54 -0.42 0.60 0.66 0.00 -0.81 -0.25 0.79 0.35 -0.02 -1.05 -0.48
7,433.23 13.31 171.20 40.24 57.81 27.94 32.47 114.94 315.03 15.81 155.85 10.25 42.14 118.56 10.34 218.09 23.57 53.65 121.62 142.53 152.57 337.61 448.14 490.81 81.99 35.11 162.91 218.15 6.34 444.32 37.47 78.71 47.76 166.70 19.59 10.11 153.99 907.91 73.90 13.23 618.92 779.72 48.79 126.85 88.01 4,361.31 31.88 18.51 79.73 238.55
0.88003
Units per €
US dollar.................................................................1.12125 Japan yen ............................................................123.577 Switzerland franc .............................................1.08535 Denmark kroner...............................................7.43746 Norway kroner ...................................................9.51210
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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 206,930 +0,48% 0,990 123M 80,3100 +0,45% 0,3600 71M 148,980 -3,88% -6,010 776M 190,030 +0,05% 0,100 114M 105,920 +0,87% 0,910 62M 106,40 +2,31% 2,40 201M 31,370 -0,76% -0,240 156M 45,32 +0,42% 0,19 193M 82,9000 +1,51% 1,2300 71M 82,13 +1,87% 1,51 347M 27,9400 +1,27% 0,3500 242M 222,44 +1,68% 3,68 87M 152,9600 -0,35% -0,5400 182M 154,10 +1,31% 2,00 144M 35,7100 -2,11% -0,7700 168M 86,9600 +2,37% 2,0100 309M 131,5300 +0,75% 0,9800 354M 151,4800 +0,03% 0,0500 123M 64,39 +1,88% 1,19 176M 70,320 -2,27% -1,630 542M 53,46 +0,49% 0,26 70M 32,7700 +3,21% 1,0200 195M 88,160 +0,35% 0,310 225M 125,23 +1,17% 1,45 34M 120,64 +0,58% 0,70 96M 181,46 -0,13% -0,23 174M 46,72 +1,15% 0,53 190M 94,56 -1,59% -1,53 174M 79,4200 +0,62% 0,4900 239M 105,6200 +1,25% 1,3000 165M
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COMPANY
Kleinwort Benson Elite PCC Ltd
1.13632
PRICE
CHANGE NET / %
Most Advanced ATA Inc. Ascena Retail Group, Inc. Layne Christensen Company Washington Federal, Inc. Ovid Therapeutics Inc. Egalet Corporation Golden Ocean Group Limited Sterling Construction Company Inc Presbia PLC Urban Outfitters, Inc. NovoCure Limited
$ 4.89 $ 2.20 $ 8.85 $ 17.35 $ 13.84 $ 2.62 $ 6.25 $ 10.92 $ 2.98 $ 17.62 $ 15.30
0.91 ▲ 22.86% 0.385 ▲ 21.21% 1.26 ▲ 16.60% 1.87 ▲ 12.08% 1.40 ▲ 11.25% 0.24 ▲ 10.08% 0.56 ▲ 9.84% 0.81 ▲ 8.01% 0.22 ▲ 7.97% 1.27 ▲ 7.77% 1.10 ▲ 7.75%
$ 3.20 $ 11.49 $ 42.64 $ 22.88 $ 64.71 $ 21.57 $ 24.73 $ 30.59 $ 20.65 $ 8.10 $ 27.05
6.22 ▼ 66.03% 2.29 ▼ 16.62% 6.50 ▼ 13.23% 3 ▼ 11.59% 8.43 ▼ 11.53% 2.78 ▼ 11.42% 3.15 ▼ 11.30% 3.08 ▼ 9.15% 2.05 ▼ 9.03% 0.77 ▼ 8.68% 2.55 ▼ 8.61%
Most Declined XBiotech Inc. Endo International plc Impinj, Inc. Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. Five9, Inc. Ichor Holdings Mazor Robotics Ltd. Coherus BioSciences, Inc. Mesoblast Limited Brooks Automation, Inc.
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E W N 15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
Worthless money!
Chinese emporiums investigated by tax office
MORE than £150 million (€177m) in old British five pound notes officially withdrawn from circulation have still not been handed in. Some of the old fivers now worthless when shopping are undoubtedly still held by British expats living in Spain, according to one banking source. “We are not exchanging the notes here as they are no longer officially legal tender” the Costa del Sol based money man said. However, he claimed that some of the old-style cotton-paper notes not handed in before the final deadline ahead of the more modern and new notes will still be in wallets and travel bags used only by expatriates when travelling back to the UK. “We all do it, putting notes aside when we return from a trip to the UK, and we only look at the money when we next travel. In some cases the trips can be a year apart meaning many expats probably have some - and perhaps in certain cases many worthless fivers in wallets and purses used when travelling.” The Bank of England in London is legally obliged to encash the old notes - taken out of circulation from midnight Friday May 5 - when handed over the counter in person. Expats not travelling to the UK can post the old five pound notes directly to the Bank of England. But when posted this action is done at ‘sender’s risk.’ If the amount of old fivers is viewed as large, identification may also be sought. Additionally banks, building societies as well as post offices
: Africa Studio Shutterstock
Old British fivers now out of circulation
Hoping to exchange old £5 notes.
throughout the UK are still accepting them, but only in person, with many seeking an explanation as to the source and reason they were not handed in before they went out of circulation. There are even online companies who will purchase these and other withdrawn notes at 92 per cent of face value.
BANCO POPULAR SOLD FOR €1 IN what was something of a surprise announcement, Banco Santander Group Executive Chairman, Ana Botín announced that the Bank had paid €1 for Banco Popular. According to her, this now makes Santander the largest bank in Spain and one of the largest in the world although existing shareholders in Popular are likely to lose their entire investment. The acquisition was completed following an auction conducted by the Single Resolution Board and FROB in which Santander was selected as the successful bidder, paying a notional consideration of €1. As part of the transaction Santander will complete a rights issue for a total amount of €7 billion in order to cover provisions in Popular ’s balance sheet caused in the main by bad property debts. It is reported that quite substantial investments in the failing Banks had been made from South America recently and these investors together with an estimated 300,000 disap-
Photo Credit: Banco Santander
The story behind the sale Ana Botin announcing the Banco Popular takeover.
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pointed shareholders will only be offered the opportunity to have preferential rights to purchase new Santander shares although there are rumours of legal action. The Governor of the Bank of Spain Luis Linde declined to make any statement about Banco Popular when he appeared before a Senate Budget Committee saying that he was unprepared for the question and Ana Botin reportedly denied that Santander had been put under any government pressure to take over Popular. Popular will be brought under the Santander umbrella in Spain and
Santander Totta in Portugal and the combined operation will promote vital SME lending - loans to small and medium sized companies - in Spain fuelled by the recovery of the economy and expects to hold 25 per cent of the entire market. Although there will be the need to write down part of the value of the Popular balance sheet, Santander expects to reduce the number of bad debts and properties quickly so that it forecasts a return on investment of 13 to 14 per cent by 2020 and an overall cost reduction of €500 million by the same year. The combined entity will be led by the current management team of Santander Spain with Rami Aboukhair as CEO. “We welcome Banco Popular customers as part of the Santander Group and will work hard to continue serving them at the highest standards through the transition and beyond” said Ana Botin when making the announcement of the takeover.
THE Spanish Tax Agency is targeting Chinese-owned companies in Spain which it suspects may be importing or selling goods without paying tax. More than 300 officials have been tasked with visiting 60 warehouses of wholesalers in 11 different provinces including Elche and Madrid in order to audit books and identify possible evasion. This is one of a number of regular investigations into Chinese entrepreneurs who have opened wholesale operations and shops in numerous towns and cities throughout Spain thanks to earlier financial incentives from the government. Similar actions have taken place in recent years and resulted in the discovery that up to €100 million of unpaid or evaded tax existed.
Gibraltar’s cybersecurity IT is particularly appropriate that following the massive disruption by the Wannacry hacking that Gibraltar should have hosted its first Cybersecurity conference. Organised in association with the Royal Gibraltar Police, this event was particularly important to hold in Gibraltar with its many int er net bet t i ng com pani es and new tenants in the recently opened World Trade Centre, all of whom are potentially vulnerable to disruption. Expert speakers arrived on board the Sunborn Yacht Hot el t o war n del egat es about the dangers of cyberattack and the way to protect their companies. Later in the day, the event was opened to the general public and their families in order to pass on tips and advice to consumers who can also be vulnerable to cyberinfection.
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
www.euroweeklynews.com
Fallout from Banco Popular sale
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President of Duro Felguera, A ́ ngel Sua ́rez.
it may find the rush to sell its shares may either bring it down or frighten off new potential clients.
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2012 tax concession unlawful
SPANISH COMPANY FIGHTS FOR ITS LIFE JUST one year away from the 160th anniversary of its founding, industrial company Duro Felguera must be wondering if it will last that long. Shares in the company which specialises in the implementation of turnkey projects for the energy and industrial sectors, as well as the manufacturing of goods lost 26 per cent in one day, following the sale of Banco Popular to Banco Santander and in four years its value has fallen by €800 million. The problem for the company is that it has very large borrowings which it is having difficulty in refinancing, so shareholders fear that now with a worth of less than €100 million that it could fail or could be vulnerable to an aggressive take-over. This company faces a typical dilemma as it appears to be quite adept at obtaining new business but it is burdened with so much accumulated debt that
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The fact that shareholders in Banco Popular may receive next to nothing for their shares after acquisition of the bank by Santander for €1 is driving small investors to desert this and other vulnerable companies following what is being called ‘Black Wednesday’ in the Spanish financial press.
ALTHOUGH it will not affect retrospectively anyone who took advantage of the 2012 Spanish tax amnesty, the Constitutional Court has upheld complaints that it was unconstitutional. The matter was laid before the court by some 50 delegates of the PSOE political party who argued that it was an abuse of the constitution to allow some high earning tax payers to pay just 10 per cent of outstanding tax over €100,000. According to the complainants, those who were honest and paid their taxes in accordance with the law paid far more than those who had hidden their income and then simply declared it when the discounted offer was made. Current Minister of Finance Cristóbal Montoro was cited as being responsible for the introduction of this unconstitutional offer although the government argued that this was a way of collecting additional income which it might never have received. The court however considered that it would have been better to use the law to beat tax dodgers, rather than encourage them to benefit from their deception.
Losing mental capacity whilst living abroad by Stone King Charlotte Macdonald Contact me at international@stoneking.co.uk
MANY UK expatriates living in Spain own properties in the UK and have pensions and investments in the UK. They rely on their UK assets to maintain their lifestyles (and those of their families) in Spain. If they can no longer manage their affairs in the UK due to a loss of mental capacity, it can cause many difficulties.
You can choose a person or people, who you trust, to act for you when you are no longer able. The best way to avoid the legal and practical difficulties that can occur with the loss of mental capacity is to plan for it in advance by drawing up a document called a ‘Lasting Power of Attorney’ (‘LPA’).
An LPA must be made while you have full mental capacity.
What is an LPA? An LPA is a legal document that enables you to appoint one or more attor-
neys to act for you when you are no longer able to act for yourself. Your attorney can be a professional,
such as a solicitor or a family member or friend. There are two types of LPA: ‘Health and Welfare’ or ‘Property and Financial Affairs’ An LPA must be made while you have full mental capacity. It is therefore important to make one while you are in good health. Why should you get an LPA? You can choose a person or people, who you trust, to act for you when you are no longer able. If you lose your mental capacity and do not have an LPA, then your family (or the authorities) will have no choice but to make an application to the Court of Protection to appoint a ‘deputy’ to look after your affairs, which can be time consuming and costly. Will my LPA be recognised in Spain? Unfortunately there is no international type of LPA which is guaranteed to work in both the UK and Spain. The advice we give to our clients at Stone King, is that if you have assets in both Spain and the UK, your only safe option is to appoint attorneys in both jurisdictions.
If you would like to discuss LPAs contact Charlotte Macdonald or Dan Harris at Stone King LLP by email international@stoneking.co.uk or by telephone on +44 (0)1225 337599.
FEATURE
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Photo by Reuters Media Express
Beds and laying in them comes to mind! LEAPY LEE SAYS IT
OTHERS THINK IT I WOULD have loved to have been a politician. Of course, when I was a young man, those who aspired to these lofty positions were deemed untouchables; people who came from some planet of intellectual hierarchy that was far beyond the reach of mere mortals. Therefore very few of us who came from somewhat humbler backgrounds, ever dreamed that it may be possible to attain any sort of success in these areas. Well, after the recent performance of Ms May and her scurrying, utterly browbeaten ‘Yes Minister’ minions, I’m now convinced that even I could have stood a good chance of occupying the portals of Number Ten! In fact a large number of this column’s perusers would probably have a good chance as well. The utterly naive, egotistical mis-calculation of the public’s intelligence by the May
THERESA MAY: Even her post-election address outside Number Ten was atrocious. brigade simply beggars belief. Three weeks ago I voiced my concerns about her manifesto content and method of campaigning. Well, almost unbelievably, it actually managed to get worse. Even her post-election address outside Number Ten was atrocious. Almost in denial of the unmitigated disaster her arrogance (or ignorance) had led her party into, she spoke as
though there had actually been no election at all and nothing had changed. Well, as strange as it may seem, I personally think that in the circumstances it was a great result. May got her ego quite rightly kicked into touch. The fishy Kranke from Scotland realised that screaming freedom at every opportunity doesn’t exactly endear herself to all of our north of the
border friends. Salmond has now finally sunk beneath the rivers of obscurity and, despite his young supporters fanatical attempts to make sure they had no country for their own children to grow up in, Corbyn and his Union bully boys (hopefully!) won’t be photographed grinning from the steps of Number Ten. All in all a pretty good result and firm kick up the backside for all our
so-called leaders, who most certainly don’t originate from that distant planet I mentioned, nor do they live in the non-mortal bubble they all seem to think they do. And what a chance for this ol’ boy’s column to Phoenix itself up from the morass of baleful boredom we seem to have been sinking into of late. Particularly with the emergence of the DUP party. This party, founded by para military supporters, is led by a woman who has been declared sexist, wants a soft Brexit and denies climate change. It also dislikes women’s rights and is anti-abortion and gay marriage. And they are offering to be the new ‘stabilisers’ of British politics! Well, good luck with all that Ms May. Beds and laying in them comes to mind! Lots of fun and frolics coming up folks. Enjoy your week. Keep that mail coming. Thanks for all your votes, they don’t go unnoticed! And whatever ya do, always. Keep the faith Love Leapy. leapylee2002@gmail.com
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FEATURE
THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Exterminate! robots - How soon will Isn’t it a bit scary? they replace British jobs post-Brexit? By Graham Braben
Nora Johnson
ROBOT: Will it make a cup of tea?
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 the next likely governor of California is preparing for battle against Silicon Valley’s job-killing robots shouldn’t come as any surprise. After all, 60,000 workers in a Chinese factory owned by the manufacturer of the iPhone have already been replaced. But what about British jobs potentially lost to robots postBrexit, that’s the million-dollar question. After all, we already have the first ‘affordable’ household robot. With its big blue eyes and saccharine voice, this toddler-sized machine called Zenbo is billed as a friend for children, a personal assistant to parents and a carer for the el-
derly. All for less than the cost of a new iPhone. There’s no getting away from the fact that the age of the robot is already here. It’s just a question of how many there’ll be and how quickly they’ll replace humans. (But hang on! Don’t they already run the civil service, the public sector - and the EU?) When I discussed this Zenbo robot with a friend, she asked would it make a cup of tea, wash up, make the beds, get her kids off to school, iron,
hoover without knocking chunks off the furniture and trim her daughter’s pony’s hooves? No? Then, next to useless! And as for buying one to care for an elderly relative, she couldn’t see that catching on unless Social Services are salami-sliced to death. Even more slashed to the bone. But just to add some facts. We already have robots in numerous essential areas like medicine. They assist surgeons and do a better job of surgery than anyone could do on his
own, so horses’ hooves would be a doddle. Not sure about psychiatry and how robots could help there, though. Which reminds me of an old joke. A man goes to a psychiatrist to complain that the song ‘Delilah’ keeps going through his head and he can’t sleep or work. The psychiatrist tells him he has the ‘Tom Jones Syndrome.’ The patient then asks: ‘Is it common?’ To which the psychiatrist replies: ‘It’s not unusual.’ Very soon, robots won’t be that unusual either... 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.
IN my defence, I really didn’t know. You see someone asked me who I thought was the wickedest soap opera character ever. Unfortunately, I don’t watch soaps, so, like an idiot - which in this context I am - I said the first name that came into my head. Ena Sharples. As stunned silences go, it was up there with the best of them. I can understand it and I can understand the resulting ridicule. I’ve since checked, Ena Sharples left Coronation Street in the spring of 1980! Oops. Maybe my ignorance shouldn’t be such a big deal, but today, with wall-to-wall soap operas and reality shows throughout the day and night, it inevitably is. Just look at how the lives of a Kardashian or two fascinate audiences. Unfortunately, I still haven’t passed my GCSE in Kardashianology so don’t have a clue what they do to be so famous; does one of them play in goal for St Mirren? No of course not, everyone knows their goalkeeper is Billy O’Brien. There are people worse than I am though. I knew someone who thought Taylor Swift was an express delivery company. Silly, everyone knows he’s a singer. Today celebrities are all over the place, in jungles, on dance floors or, a new one, potentially washing dinner guests’ dishes. We can’t escape them - just look at the daily diet of models, actors and sports stars that fill our newspapers. That brings me to the point - well maybe not a point, just an excuse for this nonsense - so many people are obsessed with celebrities, they mimic what they say and look up to them as role models. Isn’t it a bit scary? Hasta la vista baby!
Readers interested in submitting articles for this guest column should send articles of 3-400 words on topics felt to be of interest to the cosmopolitan EWN readership to editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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© EWN MEDIA GROUP
PU LL OUT
ALMERIASUCCESS Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.”
Swami Sivananda
Hollywood success locally
TABERNAS DESERT: A unique arid, rugged landscape.
ALMERIA. As successful as Hollywood? ‘Of course not’ you may say, but for those in the know, Almeria was Spain's Hollywood for some time, being highly successful in the genre of country and western films. The desert of Tabernas, Almeria, the only desert in Europe, has a unique arid, rugged and somewhat enigmatic landscape. The area certainly captured the heart and inspiration of Italian film director Sergio Leone who decided the area was the perfect location to film ‘For a Few Dollars More’ in 1965. He went on to shoot more of the Spaghetti Western films with Clint Eastwood in the area including ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ and ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.’ It was also featured in ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ and more recently, in 2012, the Doctor Who episode ‘A Town Called Mercy’ was filmed in the area. As a result, hundreds of celebrities have left their footprints in Tabernas as it soon became known as the ‘mini-Holly-
wood’ throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Provincial Government of Almeria has now published an online guide to some of the movie locations so you can walk in the same footsteps. The guide is available as an e-book to download and is available in both Spanish and English. See http://www.tabernasdecine.es/pub licaciones/paisajes-de-cine.pdf for more information.
SPAGHETTI WESTERNS: There is now an online guide to some of the movie locations.
You can explore the area yourself now, enjoying the natural scenery, varied landscape and little beauty spots, but there are also mini theme parks you can visit to become fully immersed in the ‘Spaghetti Western’ era.
The Oasys Theme Park is home to the set that was used to represent the town of El Paso in ‘For a Few Dollars More’ and it also appeared in ‘The Good the Bad and the Ugly.’ This is the largest of the mini-Hollywood sites and it has a pool area and zoo, making it a fun day out for the family. There is also Fort Bravo, a Western town that was predominately built for ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ and today it remains in almost its original condition. In 1977 the set was bought by a stuntman and in the early 1980s he started charging visitors to view and tour the set. Western Leone is the smallest of the three such parks and was originally built to film Sergio Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in the West.’ So looking for a different reminder of Almeria’s success? Look for the success of the Spaghetti Westerns.
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ALMERIA SUCCESS
You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
Albert Einstein
SLEEPCENTRE
Sleep well at night with the Sleepcentre FOR those personal touches, there are also a range of home accessories available SLEEPCENTRE has been established in Albox for over 12 years. Seeing the store grow from strength to strength, the business opened a companion store Homecentre in 2015 now offering a range of homeware products, furniture and accessories. Sleepcentre stock is constantly changing however there are always over 100 beds in stock for immediate delivery. Standard sizes range from single to super king however any size can easily be made to order. The beds come in a wide range of finishes including metal frames in contemporary and vintage styles, solid wood with painted, waxed and lacquered options, fabric and faux leather ranges, drawer divans and storage ottomans, bunk beds, daybeds and space saver guest bed options. Mattresses are again available to match every customer’s requirements. Standard and bespoke sizes, classic springs, pocket springs, high density foam, memory foam, cooling gel and orthopaedic are all options. Detailed mattress specifications are shown on the website although there is no substitute for visiting the shop for a lie down on any or all of them. Take your time, there is no rush and no hard sell in Sleepcentre as staff will help and advise you. All beds, mattresses and furniture are fully assembled and delivered to your home with care. Old beds and mattresses can be removed as part of the service and placed in the recycling centre or passed onto local social services to be reused by needy Spanish families. The delivery team pride them-
SUCCESS can be defined in numerous ways, from having a successful career, to marriage or personal life and Spain has several s ucces sf u l m e n a n d w o men in their own right. Penelope Cruz Now a famed Hollywood actress, some would say Penelope Cruz is one of t h e m o st r e co g n is ab le Spaniards in the world. Born in 1974, she began her career a t a y o u n g a g e . S h e was signed by an agent at the age of 15 and made her acting debut on television at the age of 16. She has gone on to have an enviable CV of star r i n g m o v i e r o l e s and was the first Spaniard ever to be nominated for a best actress Oscar for her role in 2006 film Volver. She went on to be the first S panish a c t r e ss t o wi n an O scar f o r Vi c k y C r i s tin a Barcelona in 2008. The year 2001 w a s a l so a y e a r th at firmly fixed her on Hollyw ood’s A- l i st , a c h i e v in g recogn i t i o n f o r h e r l ea d
SLEEPCENTRE: There are always over 100 beds in stock for immediate delivery.
selves on offering accurate delivery times. To complement the beds, Sleepcentre offers co-ordinating ranges of bedroom furniture available in a large range of finishes and when Homecentre opened they began to source and display ranges of furniture for all your home. Sleepcentre’s UK bedding section stocks ranges in all sizes from single to super king in Egyptian cotton, 100 per cent cotton and high thread count poly cotton. Ranges change with the seasons but there is always a large choice in stock in a range of styles. For those personal touches Sleepcentre has a growing range of home accessories including cushions, voiles and curtains, bathroom accessories, artwork and gift ware. Local hand crafted products are in the shop and Sleepcentre is proud to be the first stockist in Spain of the fabulous Dandylions range of handmade products including soaps, essential oils and scented candles. Sleepcentre’s mission is to provide the highest standard of customer service so drop by today and you could soon be enjoying a great night’s sleep. The store is open Monday-Friday 9.30am-3pm and Saturday 9.30am-2pm. Sleepcentre Calle Malaga, Albox Tel: 868 931 872 or 671 715 294 Visit: www.sleepcentrespain.com Email: sleepcentrespain@hotmail.com
Successful Spaniards roles in the films Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Blow. Cruz has modelled for Mango, Ralph Lauren and L'Oréal. Known her for humanitarian work, it is rep o rte d s he dona te d her salary from film The Hi-Lo Countr y to he lp fund the la te M othe r Teresa’s mission in U ga nda a nd India. Pablo Picasso O n e o f the gre a te s t artis ts of a ll time . Born in Malaga, it is reported Pi-
Penelope Cruz
casso was busy drawing whilst other children were learning to read and write. By eight he was painting and his father, himself a painter and arts teacher by profession, was mentoring him. In 1895, the family relocated to Barcelona, Spain which led to Picasso being able to enrol at the prestigious School of Fine Pablo Picasso Arts but unable to follow the rules of school, he soon moved away from classical methods to indulge avant-garde art and he later moved to Paris, spending most of his adult life in France trialling different skills such as realism and develop-
ing the artistic style of cubism with much of his work depicted into different ‘periods.’ Margarita Salas Margarita Salas, or the 1st Marquise of Canero, as is her official title, is a well-known scientist in the f i el ds of bi ochem i st r y and molecular genetics. She was born in Canero, Asturias, in 1938 and graduated in chemistry at the Complutense University of Madrid and obtained a PhD degree in 1961. She later went to the USA with her husband, to work with Severo Ochoa, a Spanish physician and biochemist, and was joint winner of the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Sa la s and her husband have been responsible for promoting
Margarita Salas Spanish research in the field of biochemistry and molecular biology and she has published over 200 scientific articles. She won the L'Or éal - UNESCO Awar ds f or Women in Science in 2000 and received numerous awards for her cont r i but i ons t o sci ence ever since. She is a member of Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, European Academy of Sciences and Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, among other s. She st i l l wor ks at t he Autonomous University of Madrid.
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Success is not measured by what your accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.”
ALMERIA SUCCESS Orison Swett Marden
D & D PROPERTY CARE
Success leads to expansion THEIR aim is to manage and keep your home in perfect order for you and your guests YOUR home is probably the most important and valued thing you can own. You may have spent a lifetime saving up to own your holiday home in the sun and D&D Property Care and Rentals understand how important it is to know your home is in safe hands when you are not here. Whether you plan to use the property purely for your own use or wish to rent it out to holidaymakers, it is essential to have complete peace of mind when it comes to its management and upkeep and that is why many people have already trusted their home with D&D Property Care and Rentals. Despite only launching at the start of the year, D&D is already leading the way in the sector. Owned and run by husband and wife team Donna and Dean, they moved to Spain with the intention of setting up their own little business. After spending time taking in their new surroundings and meeting new people, it became clear that
D&D: Caring for your holiday home in the sun.
the experience some people had in renting out their properties and having someone act as keyholder was not as it should be. Bringing their UK business values of hard work and first class customer service they are bucking the trend of the ‘mañana’ culture and working to provide the sort of service clients should expect for their money. D&D was initially established as a property
care company but due to their dedication and great service, they were getting more and more recommendations and customers continually asked them for rental properties. It was due to this client demand that they expanded into rentals also, now providing a full service for holiday home and rental owners gaining new clients and more rave reviews by clients each week. Their aim is simple: to manage and
keep your home in perfect order for you, your family and your rental guests. With their full property management services, everything is covered, from key holding, which comes at no additional charge within the management package, to cleaning and linen laundry service. Part of their dedicated service includes regular property inspections which are carried out fortnightly to
Great Spanish inventions TH E B r i t i sh h a v e t h e p o s tag e stamp, the television and the tank. The Americans have dental floss, microwaves and the internet. The Irish have Guinness and the submarine. Every nation has had its own contributions to the world we live in today, but what inventi o n s h a s Sp a i n b ro u g h t forth? It’s not all paella and siestas, our Spanish friends are responsible for many ingenious products which make our lives better. Let’s take a look at a few: We wouldn’t have started floating aro u n d i n sp a c e h ad it n o t been for Spaniard Emilio Herrera Linares, inventor of the first ever space suit in 1935. One small leap for man, one giant leap for Spain! Nowadays guitars come in all sh a p e s, si z e s a n d colour s, b u t a r o u n d n in e centuries ago, there were just two v a r i a t i o n s b e in g
plucked across medieval Spain. They were eventually lost to a new design, la vinhuela, the first guitar to use six strings, in the 1 5 th c e n tu ry. L i ttle c ha nge d again until the 19th century when Antonio Torres Jurado, a Sevillano, made alterations to give us the guitar of today. In 1 9 4 9 , S p anis h teacher,
writer and inventor Angela Ruiz Robles had the idea to lighten the weight of the books carried by her students. Robles came up with a device she named ‘the Mechanical Encyclopaedia,’ which was the first electronic book. She was awarded a patent for her invention. The favourite Christmas
DRINKING CHOCOLATE: A closely guarded secret.
tipple of everyone’s grandmother, Sherry originated in the Spanish town of Jerez and has been one of Spain’s largest exports for hundreds of years. Finally, we all know that Spanis h ga s tronom y i s som e of t he best you can find. Chorizo, paella and Spanish omelette have all become favourites across the globe, but did you know that it was the Spanish who pioneered modern day hot chocolate? Chocolate was first drunk in South America, where they drank it bitter and sometimes flavoured with spices. When the Spanish conquistadors landed on the continent, they did not take to the original mix, instead opting to create their own version sweetened with sugar. For years they kept their prized chocolate a closely guarded secret, but fortunately for us they eventually chose to share it with the royal courts of Europe.
detect any possible problems and ensure that there are no nasty surprises upon your arrival. Owners will receive an inspection report after each visit and will be notified immediately in the event of any problem. Should issues arise, D&D offers a maintenance service able to carry out repairs, painting and decorating but no repairs or replacements will be carried out without the approval of the home owner. They will also effectively and efficiently market your home to increase revenue for you. So join the many others already discovering for themselves why D&D is one of the fastest growing companies in the area and put your home in safe hands. D&D Property Care and Rentals Tel: 950 105 806 or 643 337 063 Visit: www.ddpropertycarealmeria.com Email: info@ddpropertycare almeria.com
Self-made on Social Media THE last few years have seen a big change in the way we use social media. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have all come home to the rise of the social media star. Budding models, fitness freaks and lifestyle gurus have all been gifted with a platform from which to launch their own brands, to great success. The likes of Joe Wicks the body coach, Deliciously Ella and Hemsley & Hemsley have all shot to viral success through their savvy use of social media, amassing over six million followers worldwide between them. For each one of them this has led to untold successes, with book deals and restaurants generating brands worth millions of pounds. With countless people following this example and harnessing the power of likes, shares, hashtags and the potential to ‘go viral’ at any second, there is no doubting we have now entered a new age of self-made success.
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ALMERIA SUCCESS
Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time.”
ALBOX’S local convenience store, Harrison’s, is in its 17th month of trading and it has been a busy and fulfilling 17 months for the company. Providing British branded groceries, household products, pet foods and toiletries at lower prices, Harrison’s aims to bring a little bit of home to the expat community. In doing so, they provide customers with a light, airy and clean environment in which to do their grocery shopping, with a relaxed, friendly and helpful team ready to serve you. Owner Nicki admits it may be too early to say they are ‘successful’ as they are still building the business, but week by week they are developing and welcoming new customers. She said the success they have had up to now is also largely down to a great circle of helpers; some paid staff, others volunteers. Julie is on the shop floor and has been with Harrison’s since it opened. Nicki’s daughter Bryony is also on the team as well as newest member Karen. Combining their strengths and weaknesses the store is being run in a way that enhances and benefits everyone’s core skills. Behind the scenes is Nicki’s husband Lee, son Connor and Julie’s husband Lee, who all help in a major way with deliveries, giving a tru-
George Bernard Shaw
HARRISON’S CONVENIENCE STORE
Customer is king EVERY week they are developing and welcoming new customers to provide them with products they want. Currently, they are in the process of organising new lines for their freezers that will be unobtainable anywhere else for the same price and are expected to be in stock late June. Nicki added: “Of course without our loyal customers there would be no business. We thank you all. You are the most important people and your opinion is what matters most. Always feel free to ask us if we can source a particular product for you, if there are any problems we would rather know so it can be rectified, don’t hesitate to talk to any of us. At Harrison’s the customer is king.” Harrison’s Convenience Store is open in Avenida Lepanto in Albox Monday to Friday from 9am-6pm, Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 11am-3pm. Call 610 601 458.
HARRISON’S: Providing British branded groceries. ly close, family feel to the business with Nicki admitting “without them it wouldn’t be possible.” In the last year Harrison’s has added a large amount of new prod-
Plan B? STUDIES have shown that people who have a back-up plan are less likely to achieve success. Many of our goals in life are daunting, and the insurance of a backup plan is a comfort, however, a plan B could reduce motivation and harm your chances of succeeding.
Fail to succeed WHAT do Bill Gates, Walt Disney and Mark Zuckerberg have in common? They all experienced failures and setbacks before succeeding. How did they get to where they are today? They got up, dusted themselves off and came up with the new million dollar idea.
Branson on success WRITING on his LinkedIn page, self-made billionaire Richard Branson says that “too many people measure how successful they are by how much money they make or the people that they associate with. In my opinion, true success should be measured by how happy you are.”
ucts to the shelves and currently hold over 3,500 different products and offer them at the lowest possible price. After listening to their customers they always try
Avocado exports on the rise SPAIN is fast becoming a success story when it comes to the production and exportation of avocados. Fifty million kilos of the fruit are harvested each year an d th e s e c tor is w orth ove r €200 million. The main growers are situated in the heart of Axarquia in Velez-Malaga, an area known for its microclimate and tropical produce. The harvesting of the avocad o s is a little c urious . O n ce the fruit ha s ripened, it can remain on the tree for up to six months before it is plucked. In Spanish crops, this tends to h a p p e n be tw e e n December and May and TROPS, the comp a n y be hind it a ll, claim that customer loyalty is high and demand is increasing.
TROPS export to 25 different countries, mainly in Europe, commanding a 15 to 20 per cent increase in value compared to avocados which come onto the continent
from South America. This is down to detriment caused by the time taken to transport from the likes of Mexico and Peru, making Spanish avocados the tastier option for the consumer.
Taking advantage of recent political tensions, TROPS are now consi der i ng expandi ng their reach even further with m or e busi ness i n t he Uni t ed States. The main supplier of avocados t o t he US i s Mexi co, whi ch expor t s and suppl i es them with 700 million kilos of the fruit, but the rocky relationship between the two countries’ presidents could leave a small gap in the market. With Americans consuming a whopping one billion avocados per year, demand is high and unwavering and for the Spanish, this could be an incredibl y l ucr at i ve m ar ket t o crack.
AVOCADOS: Demand is high and unwavering.
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I attribute my success to this: I never gave or took any excuse.”
ALMERIA SUCCESS Florence Nightingale
PRICE BROWN
3 decades of property experience PRICE BROWN maintains an unbeatable reputation for honest, straightforward advice ESTABLISHED over 30 years ago, Price Brown is a leading name in The ability the local property market. to offer The company opened its first ofclients a wide fice in Mojacar in June 1986 by selection of renting an office between the property in the price Parador Hotel and Banco Santander’s first branch in Mojacar. range to suit their During this time they were conbudget is essential. sidered as another ‘Johnny Come Lately’ and had to fight hard to gain the respect of the other established estate agencies and businesses that 2014, and come out of it the other were around at that time. side, this in itself is a success story. By working hard and retaining They succeeded and survived where their core values they accomplished others simply couldn’t. this within a very short period of They are proud to have retained time and it soon became known that their valuable staff with many peoPrice Brown places honesty and inple part of the team for numerous tegrity before anything else in busi. other each years. Price Brown is not a conness. They put their clients first and to n know are THE TEAM: All the staff glomerate, they are a company success has grown because of it. where all their staff are known to each Having steered the company through In 1996 they purchased their preother, and who are ready and able to ‘take two market recessions, one in the early sent office premises along the Paseo the wheel’ for one another when needed 90’s of the last century and another, much Mediterraneo which has now become a and this is perhaps their greatest asset. longer and worse recession, from 2007 to Mojacar landmark.
With over three decades of experience in the area, Price Brown maintains an unbeatable reputation for honest, friendly and straightforward advice to clients about all aspects of buying and selling in this region of Spain, and clients can be assured that they take the time and effort to obtain all the necessary property documentation as established by law under the Decree 218. The ability to offer clients a wide selection of property in the price range to suit their budget is essential and this is reflected in their portfolios which are of manageable size to ensure that all properties are given the best exposure and are not lost in a vast portfolio, whilst maintaining the best selection possible for their buying clients. To find out more about this success story and how you can enjoy a successful and stress free buying or selling experience, contact the team now. The office is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am-6pm. Call 950 478 915, visit www.pricebrown.com or email sales@pricebrown.com
A successful footballer can name his own price WHEN you consider the concept of ‘rags to riches,’ the success of international football stars immediately jumps to the fore. As recently as 1960, there was a maximum national wage for footballers in the UK of £20 and it was only after the threat of a players’ strike that this was eventually scrapped alongside the ability of clubs to block player transfers. Nowadays of course the figures are enormous for salaries as well as transfer fees with many players adding to their income and that of their clubs by selling their images and endorsements for different products. Spain and England seem to vie with each other for the most successful and valuable clubs with transfer fees now climbing towards €100 million for a single player and weekly
salaries estimated at up to €400,000. A great deal of the success of clubs like Barcelona, Manchester United
Nowadays the figures are enormous for salaries as well as transfer fees.
and Real Madrid is thanks to fees from TV companies who transmit their matches on a worldwide basis as well as the sale of branded items such as club shirts and scarves. The value of individual footballers can only increase with the dramatic escalation of interest in the ‘beautiful
game’ in China and the USA where older players are currently flocking, but as gates increase, so clubs will look for current rather than retiring players, pushing costs up even more Fans are anxious to be seen as part of their team and even pay extra to have the name and number of their favourite player such as Messi, Rooney or Neymar on their shirts, but this in turn has led to a whole industry of counterfeiters proving the words of satirist Jonathan Swift who wrote ‘Big fleas have little fleas.’ Success in football however can come at a cost, especially in Spain where some of the most successful players have been accused of being badly advised with regards to payment of taxes, where players like Messi have relied on family members to manage their affairs.
Football is without doubt a hugely successful global industry which has plucked individuals from poverty to international fame and incredible wealth in a matter of a few years and unlike the players of the last century who were often lucky to find a job once their careers were over, many of today’s players can look forward to a life of luxury once they hang up their boots.
Lionel Messi – the best players reap enormous rewards.
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Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.”
ALMERIA SUCCESS Vincent Van Gogh
INSPIRED
Give your home an inspired touch OFFERING quality products at an affordable price is the simple secret to their success INSPIRED has been successfully providing home and garden furniture in Albox for the last three years. Run by Bradley Richards and Rachel Crawford, this successful duo pride themselves on offering quality furniture at affordable prices. Inspired Home and Garden Furniture has the support of a larger company based on the Costa Blanca which has around 15 years of experience. They provide Inspired with their products, being a major importer of garden furniture. They also have the benefit of using their warehouse so whilst Inspired offers as wide a range as possible, clients can also rest assured that if there is something they want that is not in stock, their chosen item can be with them within days with Bradley making a trip to the main depot once or twice a week. Inspired prides itself on its after sales service, working hard to ensure the customer gets the service they want and deserve. From the moment you walk into the showroom in Albox you will be offered help and assis-
QUALITY CHOICE: View the collection of furniture ranges at Inspired Home and Garden Furniture.
Inspired prides itself on its after sales service, working hard to ensure the customer gets the service they want and deserve.
tance should you need it, without any pushy salesman. Free delivery is offered across a wide radius and items will be installed and fitted in your
Early bird RESEARCH has shown that, when it comes to success and productivity, the early bird really does get the worm. A Harvard study has shown that physiology can play a role in our performance, and morning people have the edge, showing themselves to be more proactive, productive and alert.
Slow fast food DID you know that the famous Colonel Sanders’ recipe for his KFC took a grand total of nine years to perfect? He later went on to licence the recipe and received five cents per chicken. Another nine years later, he sold KFC for $2 million.
Don’t compare THEODORE ROOSEVELT once said that “comparison is the thief of joy.” There will always be someone who is, or seems, ahead of you, but life is a marathon, not a sprint. You don’t need the recognition from others to affirm your accomplishments.
BE INSPIRED: With a wide range of furniture and accessories. home to your specification. Any old items you no no longer want can also be removed for you and correctly disposed of. A full range of rattan furniture is
available using a thick weave offering a stronger, longer lasting product that comes with a five year guarantee. You can choose everything from full lounge suites to day beds and all the
accessories you want to complete your outdoor living space such as BBQ’s, fountains, fire bowls and furnishings. Bradley believes the secret to their success has been simply offering a quality product at an affordable price and they always try and have items on promotion. Currently, the Paloma Corner Sofa Set is just €999 reduced from €1,399 and the Puerto Banus Combo Set is €499 reduced from €599. More offers can be seen inside the 550 square metre showroom on Ctra Lorca-Baza Km 72.5, or on the website www.inspired4furniture.com. Bradley believes the secret to their success has been offering the right product and combining it with a great customer service. Due to their success they are also due to expand shortly. For more information or to view the furniture for yourself, visit Inspired Home and Garden Furniture open Monday-Friday from 10am-6pm and Saturday from 10am-3pm. Call 950 091 153.
Business as (un)usual FOR every fantastic and innovative business idea, there is another of a little more dubious nature. In business, success can often be about having the perfect unique selling point. Here are a few successful businesses with some seriously unique ideas. Rent-a-Mourner Based in Essex, Rent-aMourner do exactly what you would expect. They are available for funerals and wakes by appointment. Typically invited to help increase visitors to funerals, if your loved one has a slight issue in popularity, they’re the people to call. They describe themselves on their website as ‘extremely professional and very discreet’ and charge around £50 per appearance.
Potato Parcel Unperturbed by people criticising his seemingly stupid idea, Texas entrepreneur Alex Craig launched Potato Parcel in 2015 and was soon making $10.000 per month. The premise is simple. For less than $14, you can send someone a message up to 130 characters on the back of a potato. Craig describes the service as a ‘quirky and hilarious alternative to the traditional card’ and has recently gone international, with Potato Parcel now operating in Canada, Australia, the UK and the rest of Europe. Cuddle Party This American company describes itself as a movement, a workshop and a social event. Run by ‘trained and certified Cuddle Party Facilitators,’ they teach communication and
boundary skills before opening up for ‘free style cuddling.’ Cuddle Parties are for people who want to meet new people, enjoy amazing conversations and have fun, ‘in a structured safe place for exploration and enjoyment’ or, of course, if you just want a cuddle. These events are happening all over the US, as well as in Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Sweden and South Africa and you can even become a Cuddle Party facilitator yourself through a weekend workshop. Box Cycle Box Cycle is a marketplace for used cardboard boxes. The brains behind the company claim that while you may be tempted to say: “I’ll just recycle,” you’re actually only reducing your environmental impact
by a little bit. Through Box Cycle, you are facilitating local reuse, completely eliminating environmental impact and making a real difference. Hangover Helpers We all know that the worst part of a party is cleaning up the morning after, and when you’ve had a big night, it can be even harder to face. Based in Perth and Melbourne, Australia, Hangover Helpers will come to your home prepared to make the place look like the party never even happened. The staff will clean up your mess, serve you a choice of either a greasy or a green breakfast and help you get back on your feet, all with a smile on their faces! Prices start at $200, with some testimonials stating that it was the best money they’ve spent in years!
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There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.”
ALMERIA SUCCESS Ray Gorfoth
OLIVE PROPERTIES
It’s all in the detail OFFER good service and guidance to buyers OLIVE PROPERTIES is the only estate agent in Bedar, Almeria, specialising in the sale of rural villas, cortijos, village houses and apartments. Experts in country homes, they boast some of the best selection of rural villas for sale in and around Bedar and the neighbouring areas of Lubrin, Sorbas, Tabernas, Turre, Mojacar, Antas and across the Costa de Almeria. Owners Tim and Joanne Desmond are in their 10th year of running this successful real estate company, but have worked in the property market in Spain since 2004. Living in the area themselves, they are aware of and have had experience of ‘the wrong way to do things’ and therefore have become a business priding itself in doing things ‘the right way.’ They take great pride in offering an efficient, honest service as they help others to see the delights that await in this picturesque part of the country.
l 4 bedroom, OLV1200 – €209,950: A wonderful traditiona ming pool. swim 2 bathroom cortijo with large garden and
OLIVE PROPERTIES: Experts in country homes.
More and more people are wanting a quieter existence in unspoilt areas of Spain such as the village of Bedar; a mountain village offering fantastic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Sierra Cabrera mountain range. For those looking for the best of both worlds, it is also just a short drive from the coastal town of Mojacar and if you want to be closer to the sea and the hustle and bustle, Olive Properties does have a number of homes in these areas also.
As a small, local, family-run business, they believe in doing all they can to the best of their ability on behalf of the client. Customer service and attention to detail is very important to them, which is in part why they have been so successful for the last decade. As well as property sales they offer a good service and guidance throughout the complete buying process, whether you are looking for a village town house, a renovation
From school drop-out to billionaire IF you were going to ask anyone on how to become a success, Richard Branson is one of the first people to spring to mind. With a net worth of around $5 billion, he is most well-known for his airline Virgin Atlantic, but the man is much more than a few planes. Fifty years after he started his first business, Branson now has over 400 companies under his direction. The business mogul has been very vocal on what he believes constitutes success, employing a very no-nonsense approach. Quoted as saying things like “screw it, just get on and do it,” and “a good leader doesn’t get stuck behind a desk,” Branson took a much more unexpected route into
business. Having started so many businesses and ventures for which he was nowhere near qualified, he managed to go from a 16-year-old drop out selling a magazine out of a crypt in a local church, to a well-liked and respected multibillionaire who owns his own private island. There is no doubt that this transformation took a lot of hard work and probably a little luck, but the Richard Branson story proves that we all start in the same place, with no money, no resources, few contacts and little experience. If you wish to be a success in any aspect of life, you have to pick yourself up, have a little hope and get started regardless.
UNCONVENTIONAL: Branson pioneers the hands-on approach to business.
OLV1106 – €320,000: Finca Autillo boasts 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, private pool and large garage and sits on a sizeable plot of approx 50,000 square metre .
project, or a luxury villa. Olive Properties believes this area of Almeria has something to offer everyone. They have two offices, one in Calle Llanos, Bedar, is open Monday to Friday 10am-3.30pm and one also in Lubrin, Calle Almeria, which is open on market day (Wednesdays). Afternoon, evening and week-
end appointments are available, so contact the team now to help find your perfect retreat in the sun. Olive Properties Bedar, Calle Llanos, 6, Lubrin, Calle Almeria. Tel: 687 938 466/ 607 705 085 Visit: www.olivehouse-es.com Email: info@olivehouse-es.com
The feel-good album of success WHEN we think of an album, we often relate this to a collection of songs by an artist. The list of songs may cover all manner of topics from broken hearts to feeling good. Imagine an album of success, which would list all your achievements. Think of the character, Fletcher, an inmate in the comedy, Porridge. He thrives and prospers on success - which he likes to refer to as ‘little victories,’ when he has managed to get away with something he shouldn’t. Everyone has a personal view of what success is, and as the definition tells us - it is the accomplishment of an aim or a purpose. Naturally, each of us have different goals but the key to bringing about any kind of success, is the striving to reach a level of expertise in a chosen skill or even just carrying out a plan of action and seeing it right through to the end. Make your own album and collect a list of your own achievements, for days that don’t feel that successful. Find a moment in your day, and think about one of the songs on your album, then give yourself a pat on the back and say to yourself, ‘well done.’
O
Olive
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Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it”
ALMERIA SUCCESS Dalai Lama
If at first you don’t succeed... THINK you’re a failure? Career hasn’t gone to plan? Business enterprise didn’t make the millions you’d hoped? Well failure in one area doesn’t mean you can’t and won’t succeed later on. Many people who are now household names and top of their fields struggled to get where they are today with many starting on a totally different path... Oprah Winfrey The American talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist had a rocky start to life. She was brought up in a low-income family and admitted once she was sexually abused. She became pregnant at the age of 14 but lost the baby and went to live with her father. She was fired from her first job on a local television station, but has since gone on to become one of the most popular, influential and wealthiest women in media with television shows and even her own TV channel. In 2013, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. Forbes state her net wealth as around $2.9 billion (€2.7 billion). J K Rowling The woman behind the most famous wizard of all time, Harry Potter, has said she believed she was a failure before penning the novels. She was a single, divorced mother suffering from depression and struggling to make ends meet in Edinburgh. In 1995 all major publishers rejected the Harry Potter script. But a year later a small publishing house, Bloomsbury, accepted it and in 1997, the book was published but with only 1,000 copies. Today, Harry Potter is a multi-million franchise with books, films and even a West End show and J K Rowling is now considered to be the most successful female author in the UK. Her net worth is said to be
around $1.1 billion (€1.02 billion). Henry Ford Known for setting up the Ford Motor Company, one of the most successful automotive companies of all time, Ford is known to have failed twice before. His first foray into the motor industry was at the age of 36 with his first company, the Detroit Automobile Company. That company went bankrupt. His second attempt was in 1901, when he formed the Henry Ford Company, which he ended up leaving with the rights to his name. It was with his third try, with the Ford Motor Company, that finally became the success we all know today as he revolutionised the car industry. Ford died in 1947 but is reported that in today’s money, he would be worth around $200 billion (€187 billion). Sir James Dyson The Dyson is known around the world as the vacuum that doesn’t lose suction, but it took the creator, James Dyson, years to finalise and invent the system using the concept of cyclonic separation. He wanted to create the world’s first bag-less vacuum cleaner and it took over 5,000 failures to get it right. When he did, no UK distributor would take on the product so he hit the Japanese market and three years later he got his first US patent for it. However, he still struggled with manufacturers so Dyson formed his own company in 1993 to market the product. His net worth is reported to be $4.2 billion (€3.9 billion) according to Forbes. J K Rowling.
Fuel up in the morning
What is success? THE problem with defining success is the multitude of people who cannot agree on its exact meaning. To some people, success is earning a lot of money, and to others it can be health, happiness or family. Society itself seems to support the idea of the former group, that success c a n b e m e a su red b y h o w much money a person earns and not w h a t t h e y h a v e p ers o n a lly achieved. For example, we may consider the CEO of a company to be a major success, whilst an 18-year-old who passed all his A Levels is just going through life’s motions. The r e a l i t y i s t h a t b o th th o s e people are successful. We cannot give success a blanket definition, because no one achievement is the same as another. Success is a multifaceted and personal concept, and perhaps we should focus more on what makes us feel personally fulfilled rather than what others consider to be accomplishments.
BREAKFAST: Most important meal of the day.
THEY say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so stay on the right track to success and make sure you fuel up in the morning. According to Success.com, Marilyn Monroe ate two raw eggs whisked into cold milk and Muhammad Ali devoured two steaks and 12 eggs in the morning. But what about today’s successful entrepreneurs, what do they eat? Kevin Harrington, inventor of the infomercial and the ‘As seen on TV’ industry, said he starts the day with a vanilla protein milkshake, purified omega-3 fish oil, amino acids and glucosamine for joint health, along with a double espresso and mid-morning protein bar for later on. Tai Lopez, an investor and advisor to many multimillion-dollar businesses, recommends a monthly blood test to detect nutrient deficiencies. He then eats food with whatever he is deficient in. Jim Mathers, the CEO of North American Energy Advisory Inc, said for him it is about waking up excited to start the day, every day. This is followed by a protein shake and a latte with three shots of espresso. Entrepreneur, business consultant and motivational speaker AJ Rivera believes it is best to keep a routine. He goes for a walk at 7am with his wife to their favourite coffee shop where he enjoys a black coffee and an oatmeal and banana cookie. This simple breakfast which is the same everyday frees up mental energy for making the bigger decisions whilst he also gets to spend quality time with his wife.
FEATURE
www.euroweeklynews.com
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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Taboo creator confirms it’s “three series and out” for the hit Tom Hardy thriller Richard Shanley
Dishing the Dirt OF EUROPA DIGITAL
THE first series of Taboo went down a treat with viewers and reviewers, creating the sort of success that normally has show creators clamouring to peg down as many series as possible. But the man who wrote the Tom Hardy drama, Stephen Knight, says that there is a definite endgame with the show - in fact, there will be no more than two further series. “I can feel the three acts. The first was ‘the escape,’ the second will be ‘the journey,’ and the third will be ‘the arrival,’ and that’ll be it,” he told HuffPost UK. Knight is already penning the second series of Taboo, but he recently said that he’s planning an early 2018 shooting schedule. He went on to say that he was really pleased with the positive reaction that the first series received, from all ends of the viewing spectrum. The third season of Peaky Blinders ended on an almighty cliffhanger after a shock twist
TABOO: There was a positive reaction from all ends of the viewing spectrum. that saw Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby reveal that the family were to be arrested. Surely not? Thankfully, we’re not only going to be heading back to Birmingham for a fourth season, but also a fifth. There are few details
about the full cast of season four and five so far, but we’re expecting all the regulars to return. These include not only Cillian Murphy but Helen McCrory as Polly, Paul Anderson as Arthur, Sophie Rundle as Ada, Joe Cole as
John - and, of course, Tom Hardy as mad, bad and dangerous-to-know Alfie Solomons. “Of course (he’ll be back) - we can’t do it without Alfie,” said writer Knight. Charlotte Riley will also reprise her role of aristocratic widow May Carleton - last seen in series two - and was snapped on-set with Cillian Murphy in May, 2017. There’ll be a couple of high-profile new additions. Adrien Brody yes, actual Oscar winner Adrien Brody - will join Peaky Blinders in a part written especially for him, a character described as the biggest threat yet to the Shelby clan. If you would like me to answer any questions you may have on satellite TV or to expand on anything I have written about please call me on 678 332 815 or email richard@europa-digital.com. I look forward to your comments and questions. Don’t forget to listen to my radio show every weekday from 10am on Spectrum 96.1 & 106.8FM, now covering almost 3,000sq kms of Costa Almeria and Calida or listen online at costaalmeria.spectrumfm.net for the latest news and views from the world of satellite television.
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FEATURE
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
www.euroweeklynews.com
55
Do you know the sound of one hand clapping? 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.
CAN you hear it?” she shouted. I focused my best superman listening thoughts but couldn’t hear a thing. I went to the window and loo k e d o u t si d e a n d co ck ed my e a r strategically. Nothing. Finally I left the confines of the bedroom and sauntered upstairs. What are you hearing I pronounced to her in my most perplexed. “Listen” she replied but I was still deaf. Then she whispered to me, “there are no sounds. Not a bird, a dog barking or a car passing.” Her pronouncement was bothersome to me. We had been in Spain but five days and she always picked up on unusual happenings long before I did. She had just proved it again. There was nothing. In the coming days my inner mind remained perturbed by her conscious insights while my third eye spotted little. Within a
week the sounds picked up and I felt reassured. The chugging of the fishing boats going out at 5.30am, worker’s vans limping up the hill about 7:30, swearing and cursing would then commence until they unpacked and prepared for work; by 8am they would be all singing their own songs to just themselves.
Nine was my time to be in the office and I was never late. In the far distance the occasional donkey might bray or the soft clang of sheep bells tinkled but, never a bird. That bothered me. Nine was my time to be in the office and I was never late. Nothing was particularly ever happening but being punctual gave me a goal in the days that seemed to fill a vast emptiness. The day would flow on without noise or recrimination - so off to the Virgen del Mar for lunch. Upon entering there you encountered a
screaming match of at least 22 decibels with lots of hand gestures. At first I thought it would lead to fights, but a seasoned hispanofile like myself knew immediately it was just two fellows discussing football. No one else paid attention, even the fat plump birds sitting in cages tweeted not. The TV blared at the top of it’s volume ra nge a nd the wai t r ess shouted the orders to her mother in the kitc he n onc e s he had pa s s e d by your ta ble a n d DESERVE A CLAP?: I have now learned to gesture written it down. hysterically. There was so much noise you a lw a ys pre s ume d, a swith a Spaniard unless you have an arsenal sumed something major was happening of vile expletives locked up in recess of but it wasn’t. Just routine chit chat. your mind just waiting for the chance to Having had a propensity to blaspheme jump out. in Englis h fre que ntly a nd not want i ng I have since made up for that error and my youngest to pick up the habit I purposelearned to gesture hysterically and with ly refrained from learning to curse in aplomb that scores highly too. Spanish, a mistake that has plagued me Does that deserve a clap? since as you can never win an argument
56
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
What is it with choices? Mike Senker
In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man SO the election has been and gone and to be honest Mrs May got what she deserved. That’s all I’ve got to say about that because I only get a limited amount of words and I don’t want to waste any more of them on slime bag politicians. What is it with choices these days? My daughter has just bought her first house and needed to buy some white paint. ‘No big deal,’ I said to her, ‘go down to B & Q and buy a pot.’ Simple. Job done. Oh no not any more. There are so many it’s ridiculous. She sent me a list of 20 different whites. But these days it’s the same with everything. We are all spoilt for choice. Try buying anything. It gets on my nerves. You spend hours online just comparing prices. Then you find something and think you have cracked it. But no - it’s not quite the same thing - it’s either a little smaller or a little lighter in weight. Have you ever tried to buy a computer? What a minefield that is! You go into the store and ask the salesman to help. Then come the questions.
How much storage, how much memory, how much ram, dual core, quad core, bloody apple core and then you make your choice and off you go all happy with your lappy or desktop only to find a week later that the one you got sold has just been superseded by a newer model and yours is now defunct. It’s all so infuriating! Talking about computers this one peed me off this week. I was trying to log on to my Apple account. I try one incorrect password, try second incorrect password, try third incorrect password and I am now locked out. It says ‘please reset password.’ So in I go and answer all the security questions and reset my password and as I hit enter with my new password and up comes the writing ‘you cannot use a password that you have used before’! I didn’t think I had so I tried two other passwords that I use and they aren’t accepted either. One is too weak and the other I’d used before so now I have to think of a new one. Like I don’t have enough already I now have to use a capital letter and a number and now a special symbol. It’s exhausting and frustrating. And then the emails start telling me that I’ve changed my password. I know. You don’t have to tell me! Why does life have to be so complicated? Email me mikesenker@gmail.com
www.euroweeklynews.com
FEATURE
LEGALLY SPEAKING With or without a licence? 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.
MICROCARS: Still need a licence.
A REGULAR question that occurs is ‘can I drive a small microcar’ without a licence? According to the N332 Guardia Civil team, many people say you can drive them without a licence because you don’t need to have a Category B licence which is for cars. However, to say you don’t need any licence is not correct as you must have a Category AM licence which is the category required to be able to ride a moped. Because these ‘microcars’ have such a small engine, they are classed as mopeds and can even be driven by teenagers as long as they have the Category AM licence. However it must be noted that these vehicles must be driven on the hard shoulder where there is one, or as far to the right as possible, and they are not permitted on motorways.
The vehicle itself must be registered and insurance is still needed. It follows the same requirements as normal cars and it must have a logbook and ITV inspections must be carried out. To obtain a Category AM licence your local driving school will be able to give you all the information you need, including requirements for a medical report if necessary. So drivers should be reminded that yes they do need a licence for a vehicle and to drive any vehicle without a licence is breaking the law. Similarly, if you don’t have your licence with you when you are driving it can be assumed you are driving without one until proven otherwise and you may be arrested until you can prove you are qualified to drive.
For more news and articles visit www.n332.es or search N332 on Facebook.
How much capital gains tax? We purchased a property for €110,000 two years ago and we are selling it now for €300,000. We intend to spend about €200,000 on our next home in Spain. We are residents You have tripled your money in two years, turning a profit of €200,000. It seems you will have to pay the full rate of Spanish capital gains tax, at 23 per cent of your profit, for a hefty tax of €46,000. Reductions are available
of Spain and our house is our permanent residence Can you help us with what we should expect to pay for capital gains tax? A B (Costa Blanca)
David Searl You and the Law in Spain
but you do not seem to qualify. If you are a tax resident of Spain, this means you pay Spanish income tax.
1. If you have tax returns for the previous three years. 2. And if you have held your principal residence for three years. 3. And if you use all your profits to buy a new principal residence in Spain, you would be free of capital gains tax.
Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.
58
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
www.euroweeklynews.com
FEAT
An exclusive interview Today Michel Euesden, Managing Director went along to Oakland Furniture to meet and interview Steve Day, Managing Director of Oak Land Furniture Spain. The Euro Weekly News were delighted to be able to get the interview as Steve is not well-known to hold them and doesn’t like the limelight, so it was certainly an exclusive scoop for the coast’s number one expat newspaper.
MICHEL: Well Steve, here we are at your San Pedro store and I must say it looks magnificent with such a large choice not only of solid oak furniture but also wonderful sofas too. Firstly I would like to say thank you for allowing us this interview as I understand you don’t like publicity and interviews. May I firstly ask as it’s intriguing why is that? STEVE: Ha ha, straight to the point as always Michel, wouldn’t expect any more from you, but that’s why I enjoy my team working alongside the EWN Media Group as it does exactly what it says it’s going to do. You have a fantastic group of newspapers here in Spain. MICHEL: Thanks for the compliment Steve but you haven’t answered my question and this is only my first one! STEVE: I guess I’m quite a shy person deep down but it’s more than that, the business is not about me, it’s all about the furniture and my great team of employees, without both of those the business wouldn’t achieve what it does. I often wish wardrobes could talk as they and other items are the real success of the business!
At the end of the day if you haven’t got a quality product then there’s no longevity to your business, rather like your newspaper hey Michel! If you printed rubbish people wouldn’t read your newspaper, but as we know you deliver a great read and that’s why you have been on the coast for so many years! It’s the same for my furniture, we deliver a full USP, 100 per cent solid oak throughout the product, building a product that will last the client a lifetime. It’s not about me, it’s about the furniture and so I like to sit in the background and allow the furniture to stand out and do the talking, customers can come in store and see the quality of the product and it stands out. On the shop floor our ethos is the furniture sings out and the store staff just answer questions and explain procedures, we don’t employ sales people in effect as the aim is to build the highest quality and designs that stands out. MICHEL: Steve, whilst we are not here to talk about my newspapers thank you again for the compliment, but yes we carry that same ethos within our business. Now can we stick to the questions without the swing back to me! So obviously all this lovely furniture
The cuts of wood we use to manufacture the furniture are of the highest quality. in store, who designs it all and where does it actually come from? STEVE: Well as you can see the cuts of wood that we use to manufacture the furniture are of the highest quality, the wood itself comes North America from substantial forests complying with all strict EU timber regulations. We use the highest grade which is North American white oak grade 1 on all the natural oak finished ranges. These are the cleanest cuts with the least knots if any and the most beautiful grains. With our rustic oak finishes we use grade 2 as we want the slight blemishes and knots to create the rustic look. Anyway the logs are sent to our factories in both China and Vietnam where 90 per cent of the world’s oak furniture is produced, the factories work to our designs and produce the furniture en masse to ensure the manufacturing process is economical to be able to offer our low retail prices. So for instance we do a production run of double wardrobes and then ship 40 foot sea containers to the warehouse in Swindon of double wardrobes, Swindon warehouse receives on a daily basis around 35-40 containers per day, every day six days a week. The designs of our furniture are all exclusive to us and design protected and are all actually designed in-house by ourselves which I feel we are very good at, but this also saves huge designer fees to which again we pass on the savings to our customers. Designer fees are very large in the industry we are in, so as we all have an eye for design we make some great savings. MICHEL: So Steve do you go to the Far East yourself to the factories and what’s it like there if so? STEVE: In the early days of the business, the answer is yes, I probably spent 50 per cent of the year there, you had to as we had to train factories how we expected our furniture quality to be produced. I lived in Dalian which is north China, where the majority of factories are, as
STEVE DAY: Managing Director.
well as Qingdao, China. Whilst huge it is strange as different products are manufactured in different regions, although we did get down to Shanghai and Beijing many times. North China is beautiful and not how you would imagine, lovely coast line, great sea food and clean air! Over the last few years China has changed so much, I remember the first ever trip back in 2001 and as myself and my travel companion went down for breakfast we didn’t like the look of the food as it was quite extreme to say the least, so we decided to stick with what looked hard boiled eggs, the waiter brought them over in a basket with a pair of chopsticks, we knocked the top off the egg to discover the chop sticks were for eating the chick! Thankfully as the years have gone by and the country has become more modern, better food is now more available! I don’t go as much now as all the production is built up and as the business has grown Quality Control teams are now in place. Vietnam we also use too, they have caught up with the supply market and chain and do a fantastic job as well. In fact in furniture making terms they are now more competitive and trips there are enjoyable, but again less frequent as QC teams on the ground. Lovely places to visit but now I focus my main time here in Spain in the sunshine as we have a lot of work to do as we progress through Spain, Portugal and France.
MICHEL: Yes Steve I saw on your website that delivery options are available to Portugal and France too, was that planned? STEVE: In truth no, it wasn’t in the initial plans but when we launched in Spain some eight months ago now, lots of inquiries came in via the website requesting it and so we set up the delivery infrastructure to incorporate the ex- pats in those countries as well. No point turning away valued business! MICHEL: You haven’t hung around there then Steve, so what was the initial plan and why Spain? STEVE: At my age I don’t have time to hang around these days Michel! If I was as young as you maybe I would have more time! MICHEL: For someone who claims to be shy you are a bit of a charmer that’s for sure! Now back to the question why Spain? STEVE: Firstly I have always loved Spain and it was a good excuse to move here, but more importantly we could see the potential, we had customers on a weekly basis inquiring in the UK operation if we delivered to Spain. At the time we didn’t and customers were paying a small fortune to ship the furniture over themselves. So clearly there was a market opportunity and a service to provide. Customers obviously know our
TURE
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
www.euroweeklynews.com
We have launched a website in Spanish for the Spanish nation.
MICHEL EUESDEN: Managing Director.
product and brands so in realistic terms it made sense. MICHEL: Many people reading this could be thinking about starting a business here themselves, how did you find it to the UK and how different is it? STEVE: Patience is required for starters and a few deep breaths at times! But overall it’s rather much the same although trading patterns are very different to the UK, the main reason being that the expat market is very spread out along the coast in the main. So we get less people to the showroom and more through the website. As the ex- pat knows our brands and products from the UK and of course see the UK adverts on TV here in Spain, we had to build the infrastructure internally to cover all options to enable us to deliver further distances from our Malaga-
based warehouse. For instance delivery vans at home go out for a day’s work but here in Spain they can go out for a week’s work. It took a lot of planning and selecting the correct delivery teams was important too. Yes of course we have the product but we have to back the product up with the service. MICHEL: Yes I agree, the customer should always receive good service, I’ve taken a look at the reviews on your website and see that you have a 9.8 five star rating on the independent review website Trust Pilot, that’s very very impressive! STEVE: I’m sorry it’s not impressive enough, it should be 10.10 in my book, but we will achieve it. Yes it’s a great score because we work so hard to deliver the full customer service at all
OAK LAND FURNITURE
times, but I always believe there’s room to improve. Everything is about the customer within our company. As we cover so many thousands of miles on delivery routes so our customers can enjoy the benefits of our furniture, we have to strive hard and we do with a great delivery infrastructure, as well as fantastic communication channels from the team to the customer. MICHEL: So Steve simple question, what’s your biggest frustration? STEVE: Honestly, foot flow to the store, yes I know that the trading patterns are different here in Spain, but I still can’t get my head around it totally, yes I get it’s a modern world and people use the Internet and website, I get they know our quality product and brand but it still frustrates me, that’s probably because I’m used to large store foot flows. The Store Manager Nik probably holds the largest conversion rate ever because everyone who comes to the store purchases in the main as they have already done their homework via the web. I guess I’m just an old-fashioned retailer but I will always find it strange that a customer will order say from Mijas on the web when the store’s only 15 minutes away. I guess it doesn’t really make any difference to us, but we do like to show off our fantastic products and showroom. Just a personal frustration really, just an age thing I guess! MICHEL: Okay that’s your frustrations, but do you have a pet hate? STEVE: I try not to have them as it’s never the end of the world, but there
are a few. Advertising reps calling the store phone number has always been one for 30-odd years now. The phone line is for our customers to inquire about furniture not a free tool for advertising reps who can’t be bothered to call in store and show what they have to offer. It does really wind me up this especially as the phone line could be engaged whilst a customer is trying to get through. I can’t believe advertising reps can’t see it’s annoying and reduces their chances of obtaining business! I have to say we don’t get it too bad here as we have carefully selected our media partners like yourself Michel but it’s a pet hate of many years. Calls have dropped in recent years but at the same time spam emails have gone up which are just as bad. I believe if you have something decent to offer go out and demonstrate and sell it. MICHEL: So with the showroom open in San Pedro, the website clearly fully operational and the delivery structure all in place with deliveries basically going out on a weekly basis across Europe to what appears rapid rate, what’s next? STEVE: The first thing is always to both maintain and improve where possible standards and customer service. You have to establish a solid foundation to ensure when you do further expand you are ready for it and that it doesn’t affect current business and customers. We have though launched a website in full Spanish for the Spanish nation, we love Spanish people, their way of life and thank them for allowing us to bring our business to their country. At the same time I
59
hope they will enjoy and take advantage of our great product ranges and quality furniture. The website is www.oaklandmuebles.com. We have employed recently the lovely Lola Lopez to work both at the showroom and operate the Spanish website. It’s a very important project for me at present. We also have as many customers know a superb choice of sofas at the finest low prices so we have also added www.sofastorespain.com. MICHEL: Another store Steve? STEVE: Yes for sure, the next one will be in the Costa Blanca somewhere in 2018 I would imagine, but it may change route dependent on how the Spanish website performs. Things never go to plan so it’s a matter of how it all unfolds, maybe your readers could tell us if they want a store in Costa Blanca, if they do they can let me know by emailing info@oaklandfurnitures pain.com. MICHEL: Steve it’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you today and thank you so much for the interview. I know you don’t like doing them so it’s an honour for us at the Euro Weekly News to have one. Thanks again and I’ll leave you to get on with your work as I see the email inbox on your computer is filling up. Thanks again Steve. STEVE: Never an issue for you Michel and thank you for the amazing services you provide to Oak Land Furniture Spain. Shall we go for a pint now? All this talking has made me thirsty in this heat!
www.oaklandfurniturespain.com
60
E W N 15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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SPONSORED BY Quick
Across 1 Support parade proudly (5) 4 Plots resistance in different places (7) 8 Commemorate memorial, it’s rebuilt (11) 9 Take flight until tar is repaired (4,4) 10 Eye infection encountered in the first years of life (4) 12 Increases the number of dandies (6) 13 The approach or escape includes tedious tasks (6) 16 Ailment causing nasty eruptions, initially (4) 18 Detective is indeed comprehensive (8) 21 Hag can smell crooked coppers (5,6) 22 Beginning the climb after first of November (7) 23 Fibre used in optics is altered (5)
Crete (5) 7 Bags of cash confused alien skinhead (7) 11 Covers The Ashes broadcast (8) 12 Rank of Victoria for example (7) 14 Softens on the French in tears (7)
Code Breaker
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION FACING PAGE
15 Farmer loth to consume wine (6) 17 Sent school head faulty dens (5) 19 Live in Erskine Caldwell’s house (5) 20 We must accept silver as payment (4)
Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 13 represents Z and 14 represents G, so fill in Z every time the figure 13 appears and G every time the figure 14 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.
CROSSWORD PAGE
Cryptic
Down 1 Broke the family, in a way (5) 2 Regret about an inspector (7) 3 Accelerator or choke (8) 4 Good natured head of clan is wearing tartan (6) 5 Bitterly reproach perjurer for going back (4) 6 Upstanding characters from
TIME
Across 1 Omits (5) 4 Pairs of people who live together (7) 8 Fundamentally (11) 9 Manifold (8) 10 Adhesive (4) 12 Expensive (6) 13 Purchased (6) 16 Dark shade of blue (4) 18 Messages informing of danger (8) 21 Capable of being classified (11) 22 Spectacles (7) 23 Fragrance (5)
English - Spanish
Across 1 Well (in a good manner) (4) 3 Celery (4) 8 Cálido (climate) (3) 9 Estirar (7) 10 Nightmare (9) 14 Mayor (7)
Down 1 Water vapour (5) 2 Rude expressions intended to offend or hurt (7) 3 Showing reason or sound judgment (8) 4 Appreciably or disagreeably cold (6) 5 Unattractive (4) 6 Faithful (5) 7 Propose (7) 11 Joins (8) 12 Marked by skill in deception (7) 14 Real (7) 15 Differs (6) 17 Russian spirit (5) 19 Depleted of content, energy, force, strength (5) 20 Requests information about (4) The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.
16 Ceniza (polvo) (3) 17 Toad (4) 18 Pinzas (4) Down 1 Owl (long-eared) (4) 2 Between (5) 4 Mascota (animal doméstico) (3)
5 Eight (4) 6 Normalmente (7) 7 Alabanzas (7) 11 Dejar (5) 12 Alfombras (pequeñas) (4) 13 Este (4) 15 Taza (recipiente) (3)
OUT
LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
10
18
28
35
36
50
IRISH LOTTO Saturday June 10
5
6
19
20
24
29
BONUS BALL
39
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.
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 M) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.
• Average: 9 • Good: 12
AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) This is a time to consider finances and keep your options open. Someone who tries to get a fast decision out of you by pushing you into a corner is doing you no favours. You will decide what (if anything) needs to be done when you are good and ready.
PISCES (February 20 - March 20) EURO MILLIONS Tuesday June 06
BONUS BALL
20
TARGET:
YOUR STARS
BONUS BALL
2
Nonagram
• Very good: 17 • Excellent: 22
22
25
3 7
40
37
Keep things simple. Getting involved in other people's problems is not for you at the moment. It may be necessary to delay a decision to give yourself time to think. Could you manage a few days away somewhere? Maybe you could stay with a friend or relative. You need some peace and quiet on your own.
Friday June 09
BONUS BALL
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
9
20
come comp meet mete mont mope mote neem omen poem pome teem temp tome comet compt emote monte motet tempo tempt totem cement compete contempt COMPETENT
27
10 11
43
39
LA PRIMITIVA Saturday June 10
BONUS BALL
Sudoku
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9. There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.
18
19
22
29
35
45
4 8
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA Sunday June 11
2
3 29
13
BONUS BALL
43
0
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
CRYPTIC
QUICK
Across:
Across:
Across:
1 Talisman, 4 Deal, 8 Libya, 10 Acreage, 11 Reagent, 12 Eats, 14 Notary, 16 Stigma, 19 Grit, 21 Inspire, 24 Insular, 25 Alert, 26 Lush, 27 Asteroid.
1 Shampoo, 5 Cocky, 8 Buddy, 9 Piranha, 10 Uproars, 12 Stein, 13 Desire, 15 Closed, 18 Bling, 19 Epsilon, 21 Expands, 22 Apart, 23 Surge, 24 Success.
1 Marcador, 7 Nadar, 8 Awake, 10 Hoe, 11 Oca, 12 Oil, 13 Aisle, 14 Traje, 15 Bookshop.
Down:
Down:
1 Tolerant, 2 Shame, 3 Awaits, 5 Exact, 6 Lied, 7 Ernest, 9 Blast, 13 Talented, 15 Rattle, 17 Grime, 18 Tigris, 20 Rests, 22 Stale, 23 Pill.
1 Subdued, 2 Adder, 3 Pry, 4 Oppose, 5 Chrysalis, 6 Confess, 7 Yearn, 11 Arrogance, 14 Skipper, 16 Donates, 17 Versus, 18 Bless, 20 Leave, 22 Arc.
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ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Although things are going pretty well, there are some things that could be just a little better organised. The time and money that this saves could be small, but it's the ongoing positive attitude that counts. There have been times recently when you have wondered if your progress on a certain matter would ever start up again.
TAURUS (April 21 - May21) It is better if you don't get involved in any high profile, high risk business deals. Success is not assured. This is a time for financial consolidation. Count your pennies and see the pounds collecting in the future. On a cold winter’s night it can give a pleasant glow to realise your action during the summer is keeping you warm.
GEMINI (May 22 - Juny 21) Partnerships see you leap ahead on something that was a bit stuck in the mud. A leap in your bank balance follows. Some quick decisions may be called for so it is better to share responsibilities, whatever the outcome. You have a chance to show just how clever you can be, but do it because it gives you personal satisfaction rather than to impress.
CANCER (June 22 - July 23) After a hectic start to the week, things seem to have slowed down. Look carefully at what has happened, but remember that there is no point in worrying over something that you cannot change. Sitting tight and waiting for this period to pass could be the best solution. Certainly, it will prove less stressful than fighting a losing corner.
LEO (July 24 - August 23) Money is good and this can make you over-confident. Beware bank managers offering loans in large amounts. Nothing is for free and you need to look carefully at interest rates right now. Another, more personal, investment also needs looking at right now. Are things going exactly the way you want them to?
VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Aim a bit higher than usual and you may be surprised at your success. When seeing the bigger picture, you realise that it is not so daunting after all. If one person can do it, then so can another. It is a matter of how you approach it. What you have to ask yourself this week is why you should accept the minimum when the maximum is so close by.
LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) This should be a great time for your finances. Any glitch is likely to be because you have overspent. Even if things still need close attention, you can win if you concentrate. A bit of plotting and planning can work wonders at the moment. Most of your big expenses are behind you and if you can just tighten that belt a wee bit more.
SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Although things seem fine, this is not a time to overstretch your finances. Spending a lot this week without thought is problematic later. This is a week of shifting and changing and that certainly means your finances. The other area is your social circle, where people come and go, sometimes without warning.
SAGITARIUS (November 23 - December 21) This is not a particularly lucky week for you, so I would certainly advise caution. Gambling is not recommended. Being clever with money is as much about not spending it as about how you spend it. .
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Look at the long-term picture when considering money matters. What seems like a good deal now may not be so a few years down the line. Someone who appears to be telling a lie may simply have either misunderstood or have the wrong information.
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LETTERS
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OPINION & COMMENT
YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION
Letters for Your Say should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments straight on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com
Cover up! It’s time for a new law SIR, When is Spain going to clean up its act and ban tourists... and sadly in a few cases local residents... walking around the streets half naked. While it is easy to blame the Brits having now lived near Mojacar for the last five years I can assure you some German and also a few Scandinavian visitors – though to a lesser degree – are also among those who choose to walk around the streets and go window shopping without shirts on, or in the case of women, in just bikini bottoms. In the South of France local laws are in place making such behaviour illegal, and anyone walking around without a shirt or in beach attire can be fined on the spot. Keep beach wear and partial nudity where it belongs, which is the beach. Spain will be a better and more attractive summer destination if and when it makes such attire illegal away from around pools and on the beach. Nora Caulcott Torre
HAVE YOUR SAY
Adios English!
Security smile I AM delighted – yet a little surprised – to note (EWN Issue 1665) that Marbella is now considering installing CTV cameras in various places including Puerto Banus and La Canada shopping mall. Having lived on the Costa del Sol for almost 10 years, when the idea of such security checks in Puerto Banus was muted several years ago, local businesses fought the suggestion as it was feared cameras would frighten some clients away. One can glean for ones-self the base of such concerns given the criminal leanings of a few of the big spending people who frequent the ritzy port throughout the year, and especially in summer. Marbella is well aware of this, as are many people living and vis-
PUERTO BANUS: Security likely to be stepped up. iting Spain. Additionally having once been robbed in the car park of La Canada – I was distracted by a stranger, only to later discover my handbag had been stolen while giving directions - CTV cameras will be a huge
All letters by email or post should carry the writer’s address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published.
bonus, for the mall offers excellent facilities, but in this day and age crime is something we must all fight against. R Craddock Estepona
Readers who have missed correspondence can see all letters – which can be edited before publication –posted on: www.euroweeklynews.com
Comments from EWN online Gay friendly traffic lights in Madrid Surely Spain as a country emerging from years of recession would have better things they could spend the money on !!! Anyway, where are heterosexual people supposed to cross the road now? Rob Ogden It's good to see some light in Madrid!
Amandine
Have the dissenters gone quiet? (Leapy Lee) Media commentators can skew our perceptions away from reality if we’re not careful. The dreadful terror attacks in the UK have been truly awful for those caught up in them and my heart goes out to the victims, their families and friends. But everywhere else in the UK and the whole wide world billions of the rest of us have been leading normal lives at work, or we’ve been out and about enjoying ourselves, or having a quiet night in without experiencing any terrorism at all - except maybe for those who were glued to the blanket media coverage. While it is undoubtedly important to take action against terrorism, it is vital that we keep a sense of proportion. Countless billions of us live our entire lives into a ripe old age
without ever becoming involved in a terrorist incident. The vast majority of people on the planet never see terrorism at first hand. Without the 24-hour news media they might not be aware of it at all. It’s a fact there are many more deaths every year from accidents at home than from terrorism, but we don’t waste time being afraid of our own homes! Brian Eagleson
Mega drug bust in Madrid They are a greedy and arrogant bunch. They are making their money by hurting others. How many OD because of their actions? Too many! The authorities are helping put these criminals behind bars where they belong. Great job guys on a job well done!!!! Guy Campbell
Battered, bothered and bewildered by a boring election campaign (Nora Johnson) Spot on about everything-especially Brown and Blair - yesterday’s men! Stevie
Scottish voters save the Conservatives Great Scot! That clever Ruth Davidson has saved Theresa May’s bacon by delivering 13 Scottish Tory MPs! A lucky number for her and 12 more than before, undoubtedly keeping the keys to No 10 in Theresa’s handbag - for the moment. Her huge losses to Labour in England would have made her position completely untenable without those additional Scottish MPs. Who would have thought Scotland would save a Tory government? Life is full of surprises these days. With the SNP still the third largest party in Westminster, the DUP in a government coalition, and all those Scottish Tory MPs in government, Scotland and Northern Ireland now have more power over the Brexit negotiations than ever before. How ironic, considering the PM previously ignored both countries completely! It’s worth remembering both those countries voted to stay IN the EU. A second EU referendum is now much more likely. Some MPs are even saying Stormont has just imposed Direct Rule on Westminster! It’s usually the other way round. Talk about a Coalition of Chaos! The Irish border will dominate the talks at last. Seriously, how can a UK which has left the EU continue to have an open border with it in Ireland? I’ve said before I wouldn’t want to be in Theresa May’s shoes. That’s even more true now. Boy, those high heels must be killers! And she’s bound to lose the keys to No 10 sooner rather than later. Brian
WHY is it that so many British living in Spain do not even try to learn at least a little Spanish. I have now been here for three years, and can still only master a few simple sentences, despite numerous lessons and ongoing attempts to improve. But one thing is clear. My efforts, however poor, are invariably welcomed by local Spanish people, who either do their best to understand me, or try to speak to me in my own mother-tongue English. I look forward to the day when – just perhaps – I am fluent, for despite the fact I am now retired and many say I am too old to learn a new language, just imagine the pleasure I will get from mastering all the idiosyncrasies that seem to exist. Having said that, perhaps in reality it is the strange English language that is befuddling my linguistic brain! Name and address supplied Costa Blanca
Be warned I’VE been coming to Benidorm now for the last 14 years twice a year with my wife. It is brilliant we love the place and have never had any problems. On Wednesday June 7, I took my wife shopping and she bought a €160 leather coat before we decided to go to the church in the Old Town. An opportunistic thief stole the coat which was beside my wife in the church, leaving her devastated. Geoff, Wirral, Merseyside
Election mess WELL, after all the huffing and puffing, the election was finally decided and it resulted in a hung Parliament. That I would suggest is the last thing that anybody wanted, however it demonstrated the arrogance of Theresa May and the total misreading of the British electorate. She gambled, she lost, big style. Her ‘strong and stable’ government is anything but. What a shambles!! Philip, San Fulgencio
The views expressed and opinions given in Letters are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. They accept no responsibility for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements, and reject claims arising out of any action that a company or individual may take on the basis of information contained therein.
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V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E W W W. E U R O W E E K LY N E W S . C O M
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HEALTH BEAUTY
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Skin cancer awareness week MORE than 250 dermatologists evaluated thousands of Spaniards across 49 provinces in a bid to detect and prevent skin cancer. The initiative was part of the 2017 melanoma campaign organised by Spain’s Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), in which 33 other EU countries also participated. According to AEDV, around 4,000 melanomas are diagnosed each year in Spain and believe around 80 per cent of these could have been avoided if adequate sun protection was used. Cases are more common in those aged over 50, particularly as sun protection and the damaging sun’s rays were less known about a few decades ago, but there are more and more cases of young people being diagnosed due to unhealthy habits of sun exposure. However, the good news is that 80 per c e n t o f m e l a no ma s a re cured with surgery and early diagnosis means it is unlikely to
have spread to other parts of the body. During the week-long campaign, specialists analysed moles and offered free consultations to check people’s skin. Different activities were also arranged to remind people of the importance of protecting the skin from the sun’s harmful rays and in checking moles for any changes. Remember if you have an existing mole that has changed shape, colour or size, you should get it checked. Also, look for new moles, spots or lesions that are red, can bleed and are not healing.
SUN DAMAGE: Get your moles checked out.
HEALTH & BEAUTY
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15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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Good or bad boredom? BOREDOM. What is boredom? Simply being fed up, having nothing to do at the weekend? Lacking enthusiasm in your work, being uninterested in things? Boredom has many different levels and experiences and it can affect different people in different ways. It can be healthy, but can also be harmful. Now, experts have suggested their could be up to five different types of boredom and the ‘wrong’ sort of boredom can be self-destructive and could lead to an earlier death. A type of boredom known as ‘reactant’ is deemed the most harmful by experts. They say this involves strong negative feelings making people restless, angry and stressed. This can also lead to long term boredom with people more likely to skip school or quit their jobs, as well as smoke, take drugs and binge drink; all factors that can reduce the life expectancy as
it was found that the boredom leads to bad habits. However, ‘indifferent’ boredom could be beneficial. This is the state where people are not actively doing anything, but they are calm and quiet and so allow their mind to wander off.
The wrong sort of boredom can be selfdestructive.
FED UP?: Boredom can affect different people in different ways.
This has proven to boost creativity and it is often recommended to allow children to be ‘bored’ so they can spend time with themselves, be more creative and stimulate their minds to play and be active without outside factors such as electronics and video games being given to entertain them.
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HEALTH & BEAUTY
Ask The Doctor
Brought to you by
Jellyfish stings
DIET WARNING: Sleeping for long hours, means less hours to eat.
Avoid sleeping beauty diet EXPERTS are warning against the so-called ‘sleeping beauty’ diet. The ‘diet’ advocates sleeping
as long as possible so there are less hours in the day to eat. Many women are also relying on sedatives and sleeping pills
to enable them to sleep up to 20 hours a day and are at risk of overdosing and becoming addictive. The diet could also have an impact on the mental health of followers unable to interact or socialise, spending most of the day in bed leading to social isolation and potentially depression. It can also affect a person’s body clock and dieters are more likely to binge eat when awake. Experts warn sleeping pills should always be used with
caution. A study by Keele University found that as they can cause drowsiness and impaired balance, the risk of a fracture doubled in those who relied daily on sleeping pills to get to sleep. In 2015, a University of Washington study also showed a worrying link between sleeping tablets and dementia and researchers from Nottingham University in 2012 found that sleeping pills increase the risk of contracting, and dying from, pneumonia during their study.
SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. What happens if a jellyfish stings me? The com m on sym ptoms of jellyfish stings, assuming the patient is not allergic or suffering from some type of illness which could worsen the effects, are: Pain, burni ng, i nf l am m at i on and reddening and bleeding. How do I treat a jellyfish sting? When a jellyfish stings us, the pain and itchiness is immediate. The first thing that it is necessary to do is clean the area affected by the sting. We should never use freshwater, because it could break the stinging cells, causing another sting. To cl ean t he ar ea, a saline solution is perfect. In case you don’t have one, salt water could also be a sol ut i on. For approximately 15 minutes, you should apply cold to the affected zone. If you use ice, don’t apply the ice directly to the sting, but rather cover i t wi t h a cl ot h or a towel. If any of the tentacle is still stuck to the skin,
remove it, but never with t he hands. Use som e kind of pincers. You shoul d al so use some kind of antihistamine, for the reaction, and a painkiller for the pai n. Pr egnant wom en must pay special attention when taking antihist am i nes. I f t he pai n i s very intense, or the victim’s condition worsens, they should seek medical attention immediately. I t ’s not necessar y t o rub yourself, either with towels or with sand; not with anything that could hurt you even more. How can I avoid being stung by a jellyfish? You shoul d keep an eye out for the appearance of these animals on beaches or places where you regularly swim. You shoul d never t ouch or handle jellyfish if you are not wearing appropriate protective gloves. Limit yourself to looki ng at t hem f r om f ar away. They may be curious cr eat ur es, but you shoul dn’t f orget t hat their stings can be dangerous.
If you have any questions for Dr Perez Belmonte, please send them to: jefemedico@helicopterossanitarios.com
FEATURE
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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Advertising feature
A holiday without your pet is not a real holiday MAYBE you are thinking about visiting your country this summer taking your cat or dog away with you. If this is the case you should check if the PET passport is due and if your insurance extends abroad (in some cases, cover for travel abroad could be an add-on to your existing policy that you need to apply for separately). When you travel in Europe, the requirements will not vary much from one country to another. In both the European Union and most other countries, the Pet Trave Scheme is unified. This document is valid for dogs, cats and ferrets and contains the animal’s whole health history and all its identifying data and also those that refer to the owner. The Passport must be processed through a veterinarian. It must be taken into account that, in a generalised way, travel is not allowed with animals under three months. If you are one of those who likes the option of travelling by car, whether near or far, here are some tips to make the road more than comfortable to your most loyal friend: 1. Keep your pets safe and secure in a wellventilated carrier. There are a variety of wire mesh, hard plastic and soft-sided carriers available. Whatever you choose, make sure it is large enough for your pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around in. It would be good to get your pet used to the carrier in the comfort of your home before your trip. And please be sure to always
LOYAL FRIEND: Keep your pets safe and secure in a well-ventilated carrier. secure the crate so it won’t slide or shift in the event of a quick stop. 2. Your pet’s travel-feeding schedule should start with a light meal three to four hours prior to departure. Don’t feed your pet in a moving vehicle - even if it is a long drive. 3. Never leave your animal alone in a parked vehicle. On a hot day, even with the windows open, a parked automobile can become a
furnace in no time, and heatstroke can develop. In cold weather, a car can act as a refrigerator, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death. 4. What’s in your pet’s travelling kit? In addition to travel papers, food, bowl, leash, a waste scoop, plastic bags, grooming supplies, medication and a pet first-aid kit, pack a favourite toy or pillow to give your pet a sense of familiarity.
5. Make sure your pet has a microchip for identification and wears a collar with a tag imprinted with your home address, as well as a temporary travel tag with your cell phone, destination phone number and any other relevant contact information. 6. Don’t allow your pet to ride with his head outside the window. He could be injured by flying objects. And please keep him in the back seat in his crate or with a harness attached to a seat buckle. 7. Opt for bottled water or tap water stored in plastic bottles. Drinking water from an area he’s not used to could result in tummy upset for your pet. In any case, you must consider that there are many different pet insurance policies on the market, but Liberty Seguros is the only company that offers the best possible cover across the European Union at an affordable price, leaving you with total peace of mind knowing that your pet is covered against accidents and illness as well as public liability, telephone assistance, a stay in kennels/cattery if the owner is in hospital, help with expenses for finding your pet when lost and much more! Liberty Seguros can be contacted by telephone on 913 422 549 for the name of your nearest broker or agent, or visit www.libertyex patriates.es for more information on all the insurances they offer.
Advertising feature
Prepare for next winter with Neater Heater SUMMER may seem an odd time to think about next winter, but it makes good sense. Especially to those expats who would like to use their Spanish holiday homes all year round, rather than just for the summer. We also urge new owners, who have just moved to Spain this year, to consider their winter heating. All fuel costs are rising steadily, whether you choose gas, oil, or electricity; it pays to make sure that whichever system you decide upon is efficient and economical. Remember: Efficient means it does the job, and economical means it’s cheap to run. Many systems are one OR the other, but Neater Heaters are both. Neater Heaters are made in Norway, where they benefit from Scandinavian styling, and modern, state-of-the-art, design and materials. Whether wall-mounted or free-standing, you have the confidence that these heaters will be providing a more cost-effective efficient heat output than any of their rivals. Our ADAX standard panel heater offers the customer a cheaper option to the stylish BEHA heater, without compromising on the running efficiency and reliability that we have come to associate with Norwegian systems.” Neater Heater can also offer the stylish Neo range for people with a more colourful
Beha or Neo heater or a more utilitarian, but cheaper, Adax standard panel heater.” Recently we have added to our range the Turkish made Vigo heater and towel radiators. These heaters share the design technology and ethos of the current Neater Heaters, but it has two differences: The Vigo comes with a carrying handle, wall bracket, and feet included in the price; They also have a digital display that indicates the reduced wattage that the heater regulates once the room has reached the desired temperature, thus saving more money through reduced running costs. Buying now, in the summer, allows you the comfort of having plenty of time to investigate our heaters against all others. We know the ones you will probably choose, as we made the same choice ourselves many years ago. In fact; we were so impressed we started a company.
NEATER HEATERS: Can be wall-mounted or free-standing.
outlook on life. At the moment the customer can choose to have their Neo heaters in one of four colours: White; black; silver and red. “By offering the Adax range as well as the Beha range, we believe that we have all bases covered when it comes to electric convector heating,” explains Tony. “Customers can now browse our website, or visit one of our distributors, and select a heater that totally suits their circumstances, whether it is a stylish
NEATER HEATER DISTRIBUTORS: ALMERIA ANTAS: Lifestyle Enclosures.
Tel. 950 459 060
Heaters also available for purchase at the online shop with free home delivery WWW.NEATERHEATER.ES or Tel. 634 312 171
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Immortal images BUDDING or professional photographers pay attention. Mojacar is holding a special photography competition, the very first of its kind. On Monday applications opened for photographers to submit their best photos taken of the 2017 Moors and Christians festival. Mojacar has been formally celebrating the fantastical historical reenactment for 29 years now, with its festival considered among the biggest and brightest in Spain. It was the ideal opportunity to take some striking photos. Organisers for next year’s special 30th anniversary event want the best images available to use for their global advertising campaign. The competition rules are simple. Photos must be of the 2017 Mojacar Moors and Christians Festival. Photographers must be aged 14 and over. Those under 18 need parental consent. The deadline for submission is October 31
VIBRANT: Moors and Christians offers terrific photo inspiration. but it is advised to get photos in sooner rather than later. Photographers don’t have to be Mojacar residents, only to have attended the festival. Photos must also be unpublished and not already used on social networks or for advertising. There are six different categories and each participant can submit up to five photos per category. Categories include photos of the Moors; photos of Christians; black and white
photography; parade photos; creative photos; and a special category for 14-18-yearolds. There will an official award for best photo of the festival, which will be used as the cover photo for next year’s event. Category winners will receive €150 and a special diploma, except teenage photographers who will win a camera instead. Future official use of winning photos will see the author named. The competition offers a valuable opportunity for ambitious photographers.
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Spectacular Michael versus Gaga show arrives in Vera A SPECTACULAR show full of energy with outstanding voices, unbelievable look-a-likes, dancers, epic costumes, and the famous hits of the superstars! This is what is on offer at the Michael versus Gaga show on June 30 at Valle del Este Golf and Spa Resort, Vera. Helping Hands Sur registered charity are extremely proud and excited to present the first of three amazing shows featuring the outstanding talent of Mampuele and Carolina Serrato along with supporting dancers and Magnum professional PA and Lighting engineers. Priding themselves on producing only top quality entertainment for their supporters, this event is the largest yet for Helping Hands and comes at no small expense to produce. Mampuele is a singer, dancer, composer and musical producer. Not only does he dance like Michael Jackson but is a great vocal impersonator and is supported by several Michael Jackson fan clubs
and has even been congratulated by Michael Jackson’s father on his work. Mampuele is joined at this concert by Spain’s official Lady Gaga impersonator Carolina Serrato; a singer and actress who has appeared in several musical productions such as We Will Rock You and Peter Pan. Since launching her Gaga Xpression show in 2011 she has performed all over the world and is now waiting to entertain local audiences. You will have three chances to see this amazing show with the first being at Valle del Este on June 30. The second show is in Mazarron on July 15 and the final in Aguilas on December 16. Show tickets, priced at €20, can be obtained directly from Valle del Este reception and for those with an appetite a preshow buffet can also be reserved directly with the hotel. Further information and tickets can be also obtained by calling Linda from Helping Hands on 634 456 701.
SOCIAL SCENE
15 - 21 June 2017 / Costa de Almería
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FOR food lovers across Almeria it doesn’t g e t m u c h b e t t e r t h a n Wo r l d Ta p a s D a y. The global celebration of miniature marvels takes place today in dozens of cities throughout Spain, and countless more around the world. With its rich and decadent culinary history Almeria is getting in on the act, with a huge tapas festival overwhelming the city today and this evening. A total of 55 local bars and restaurants are competing for prizes and showcasing their famous tapas dishes. Most of the participating establishments are in Almeria City, though there are some scattered around Huercal de Almeria, Banos de Sierra Alhamilla (Pechina) and Aguadulce. A full list can be found on the council’s website and Facebook pages. Not only delicious food at tremendous p r i c e s i s o n o ff e r. Wo r l d Ta p a s D a y i n Almeria has been organised by the Provincial Association of Hospitality Entrepren e u r s ( A s h a l ) w h o a r e o ff e r i n g s p e c i a l prizes for the public. There are 5,000 tickets distributed among the 55 tapas bars taking part. They will be dished out along with their top tapas to guests who spend more than € 5 . A t i c k e t r a ff l e w i l l t h e n b e h e l d a t the Ashal headquarters on June 26 when a variety of lucky winners will be announced. Prizes include four baskets of specialty Almeria produce, including wine, cheese,
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Miniature heaven
TAPAS: World Tapas Day being celebrated in Almeria today. ham and beer, valued at €200 each. There are also two free games of golf up for grabs at the Alboran Golf Club in El Toyo. Top prize is two nights with breakfast and spa access for two at the Hotel
Barcelo El Toyo. T h e c o u n c i l i s u rg i n g r e s i d e n t s a n d tourists from all across Almeria Province to take part in World Tapas Day, enjoy local produce and quirky culinary treats, and
boost the economy. World Tapas Day is an initiative from Saborea Espana (Flavours of Spain) which is hoping to usher in a new Spanish golden age of gastronomical tourism.
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SOCIAL SCENE
Nature goes artisan
TALENT: Mas Que Pintura collection now open.
More than painting A STUNNING new collection of artworks from a trio of local Mojacar residents is now available for public viewing. Entitled Mas Que Pintura (More than painting) the exhibition has opened at Mojacar’s municipal art centre, La Fuente. Mas Que Pintura is a broad and ambitious exhibition of more than 100 powerful works from the three local artists. It is on display until the end of the month. All pieces are for sale. The three artists are serious professionals.
Anika Poort embraces landscape paintings with a special emphasis on playful contrasts of light and shade. Bernice Willis has enjoyed widespread acclaim as an artist and has often donated her paintings to raise money for animal charities and other local causes. Meanwhile Didi Arias has a wide ranging history as a creative talent in multiple areas, gaining a breadth of vision which is evident in her work.
THE very first edition of NaturAlbox takes place this weekend. From tomorrow evening at 8pm the town will celebrate a newly developed artisan market to coincide with traditional events to mark the beginning of summer. NaturAlbox is the combined artisan fair and water party. It runs on Avenida Lepanto, and from 11am on Saturday and Sunday, through the day.
An excellent variety of natural goods. The fair will be packed with exciting stalls selling an excellent variety of natural goods and offering games and activities for all the family. Wooden toys, natural cosmetics, soaps and clothing items will all be available. Specialty foods, including cheeses, crepes and baked potatoes will be on offer. For children there are water slides, facepainting and horse riding workshops.
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Barrels of fun
SOCIAL SCENE
If penicillin can cure those that are ill, Spanish Sherry can bring the dead back to life. Alexander Fleming If God had not made Sherry, how imperfect his work would have been. Benito Perez Galdos
GOOD FOOD, GOOD WINE AND GOOD FRIENDS WITH
GARRY WAITE NE OF THE MOST ANNOYING THINGS ABOUT BARS AND RESTAURANTS in this part of the world is attempting to get a Sherry. If very lucky you may be offered a Tio Pepe, but apart from that you will get a Manzanilla! And yet we are only a spittoon’s distance from the home of Sherry. Jerez is a fabulous city and a visit to the Sherry houses is always worthwhile, as is the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre (Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art) to see an incredible horse show. I have loved Sherry since I was a kid. It was my Christmas treat even at the age of 10. Just like Mateus Rosé, Liebfraumilch, Blue Nun and Entre-Deux-Mers it was the sort of wine that 60’s people drank... as long as it was Bristol Cream! But to discover the delicate chalky overtones of a delicate Fino, like La Ina, or a rich Oloroso is worth the wait. I once held a dinner where I paired food with Sherry, starting with a great Fino with Oysters and finishing with a rich dessert with the fabulous Pedro Ximenez. Though I could go on about the attributes of a great Sherry, instead I have asked my friend Rex Leyland, London restaurateur (ret’d) and Sherry aficionado to give me his perspective on the state of Sherry in Andalucia.
Deals on meals
O
BLUE WINE: Unusual.
SPANISH SHERRY: A visit to Jerez is worthwhile. REX SAYS “I share Garry’s annoyance that when I arrive in a restaurant in Andalucia and ask for a copita of Sherry all they offer is a glass of Manzanilla, which technically is not Sherry as it comes from Sanlucar and not Jerez.* Sometimes they may also offer a glass of Fino, which is of course Sherry, but very dry. I prefer the other slightly richer Sherries, like most English people, while the Spanish prefer Fino. Jerez produces many varieties of Sherry that for me are much more exhilarating - namely Old Amontillado, Oloroso Seco, Palo Cortado and abocado, ligadillos, [both local Andalucian words], in common Spanish it is mitad mitad, which is a mix of normally dry and sweeter varieties. These are normally dispensed in front of you so that you can choose which balance of dry and sweet you prefer. Why can’t every restaurant stock the province’s most famous wines. This beggar’s belief. I can only assume that the Spanish have just lost appreciation of their own incredible invention.
This is so sad as the wines have so much to offer and can be enjoyed primarily as an aperitif, or drunk with various foods including ham, seafood, cheese, and of course for the English, all Sherries complement fine smoked salmon. Sherry is robust enough to withstand many strong flavours which then, as with the sweeter varieties, allow them to be enjoyed as a digestif; as cream and old Oloroso, can accompany various puddings and cakes. A good way to enjoy the sweeter wines is to prick plump sultanas or raisins and macerate for 24 hours allowing them to engorge the Sherry and serve with ice cream! Sadly now, for aficionados, good Sherry has to be found in England as it is so difficult to obtain in Spain. The best stock of these great wines are in gentlemen’s clubs in St James’s in London. Recently I was in a small bodega in Puerto Santa Maria called Bodegas Obregon where we were spoilt with locally produced varieties of Sherry including Muscatel and other sweet wines which were all mixed with dryer types.
Rosé, Red, White or BLUE? THIS WEEK’S WINE CORNER is extremely unusual and a first in my case. I am familiar with blue tonic but this is the first time that I have encountered BLUE wine!! Baltar de Alort was given by a friend to try. I admit to having been a little hesitant, even though it looks pretty! Trying to find information about this
wine, however, has proven difficult. The Bodega, which is in Alcázar de San Juan (Ciudad Real) seems to specialise in sparkling wine. Nothing is mentioned about this ‘still’ version! It has very little nose, because of its colour one cannot determine the freshness of colour, hue just to say... it’s blue!! On the nose it has undercurrents of acetone (yes nail polish!) and little fruit. I did try two small glasses!! But was obviously not convinced.
I WAS VERY SURPRISED when asked by a colleague to find a place to hold a lunch for 60- 80 people in Marbella that there is a shortage of premises/restaurateurs willing to hold such an event. Having arranged many similar events across Spain as an organiser for Classic Car Clubs and the like, including such lunches in my own restaurants, I have normally been greeted with some enthusiasm. It’s true that the budget offered is normally well down on the average spend per head that many venues are used to achieving, but if you have a place that is empty on that day then to me it’s fairly logical. Criteria are parking space, a large enough room to lunch and a quality, value for money menu. Maybe Marbella restaurants are doing so well, they don’t need the extra €2,500 such an event can bring in!!
A copa in this bar costs very little - perhaps a couple of Euro - with tapas to accompany. You can also take away any of the Sherries from the barrels for about 6€ a litre, but they charge an extra 1€ if they have to provide a bottle! For those who adore Spanish brandy as I do, they also produce their own, which is well worth sampling and of course it’s for sale. Finally there are other Spanish wines that ‘pose’ as Sherry namely Montilla and Chiclana, and although they seem to drink better when consumed in their respective town’s bars, I prefer to avoid them elsewhere as they can never match the great wine called Sherry!” *Manzanilla can technically be considered Sherry. It has a separate DO (denominación de origen) as it only comes from Sanlúcar, but is run by the same Consejo Regulador, in Jerez.
ON THAT NOTE I will bid farewell until next week and should aspiring restaurateurs need some help or advice, please do contact me. A toast to Good Food, Good Wine and Good Friends.
(WINE SHOWN IS THE FRIZZANTE FOR WHICH THE BODEGA IS BETTER KNOWN)
Garry Waite is a foodie and restaurateur as well as an Hospitality Management Consultant. If contemplating setting up an operation in Spain, or indeed having problems with an existing project, contact (HIM) on garrywaite@euroweeklynews.com
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Marca Macael off to conquer the US by Matthew Elliott A PLUSH event in New York City has introduced ‘Marca Macael’ (Macael Brand) to more than a dozen top North American companies. The three-day promotional event began on Tu e sd a y a n d fin is h es th is evening. The Sp a n i sh Am b a s s a d o r to th e United States, Pedro Morenes, attended the formal gala last night at the city’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), which is also showcasing a special promotional exhibition about the Almanzora Valley town. The launch of Marca Macael is an ambitious project hoping to encourage top American architecture companies to invest in the town’s biggest export marble. Macael is world famous for its marble and is capitalising from the global success of Cosentino, headquartered in Cantoria, which now has Cindy Craw-
THE MET: Plush venue for Macael’s marble men. ford as its Canada Ambassador. A group of 11 Almerian companies with interest in Macael’s marble are on a commercial mission to New York to establish partnerships with five architectural studios and another eight ma-
jor design companies. If they are successful Macael may someday soon be a household name in the U S, w ith the bra nd ga ining a s much recognition as Cosentino’s Silestone surfaces.
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A shady business ALBOX councillors are urging the town hall to install shaded areas in children’s playgrounds. Popular Party spokesman Juan Perez Quiles said the parks are hardly used during summer days because of the exposure to intense heat. He claimed the felling of trees in Plaza de Abastos showed a remarkable lack of foresight, done without taking into account the role they played in relieving residents of the harsh summer sun. Trees should be planted and pergolas set up in the meantime he argues to encourage parents to spend more time with their children outside. Shaded parks would kill two birds with one stone, allowing children to play and getting adults a bit more exercise and family time walking them to the park. Meanwhile, Perez Quiles has also suggested that children across Albox be given the option to attend a special summer school with support
from the council. He proposes a summer school for all children in the municipality regardless of which school they regularly attend. It would be subsidised for poorer families and have a free canteen to feed students. The spokesman says his party believes the summer school would help reconcile family and work life during the season. Many parents struggle to keep up regular working hours while looking after their children when the term time ends. Previous summer schools haven’t been as popular or inclusive as they might be because of the high costs for parents. A subsidised system would be best all round and also provide more employment for teachers. The summer school would take a light-hearted approach to formal education, focusing instead on team building and problem solving exercises, sport and other skills.
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The Italian Job A GROUP of l ucky youngsters from Olula del Rio are set to visit the gorgeous Mediterranean island of Sardinia as part of an exchange programme. The exchange will see 11 young Olula residents live with families on Sardinia for a week in August. Before then 11 Sardini an youngst er s wi l l be coming to Olula del Rio to stay with local families, practise their Spanish and make a life long connection with Almeria. They will arrive in just a few weeks on July 12.
The project is called ‘Dance for Inclusion’ and will see the participants try to use creative methods to express themselves, cross cultural barriers, and promote European cooperation on a smaller scale. With both Olula del Rio and Sardinia enjoying excellent weather, the focus will be on outside activities, camping and healthy living. Participants will enjoy subsidised transport and free food and accomm odat i on dur i ng t hei r stay.
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TEAM SPIRIT: Albox youngsters play beach football.
Beach adventure DOZENS of Albox youngsters visited the Costa del Sol to take part in a southern Spanish beach football tournament. They were joined at the tournament by 21 young footballers aged eight to 11 from Mojacar Sports School. The 2017 beach football tournament was the biggest yet and attended by school teams from across Andalucia. The games aren’t competitive but instead help forge a team spirit
among the youngsters and also provide an excellent day trip packed with fun and adventure. The boys played countless games of beach football against other local teams while teachers and parents managed to catch a bit of sun and sea. Both the Albox and Mojacar teams explored Benalmadena, eating ice cream and taking in the sights of the pueblo. Perhaps the highlight of the
trip was a group visit to the hugely popular Tivoli theme park with its famous rollercoasters and rides. The journey for players in both the Albox and Mojacar teams was partly subsidised by the council. More tournaments and other sporting competitions are to be expected in the near future. Albox has dispatched teams of footballers, gymnasts and tennis players across the country in recent months.
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5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms divided into 3 independent properties in 1 building THE Los Gallardos property is a traditional Andalucian style build with a rustic cortijo feel about it, set in a semi-rural location offering an unusual opportunity to purchase three properties in one. Ideal as a large family home or for use as private accommodation with two rental apartments, the property with walled perimeter is very private and offers tranquillity with the convenience of the village of Los Gallardos 2km away and the larger towns and beaches of Mojácar, Garrucha and Vera all 10 to 15 minutes drive away. The main dwelling could be described as a single storey villa as its 117m² of build space is distributed over one level. It comprises an open plan lounge/dining room with fireplace; large kitchen; two double bedrooms both with en suite bathrooms, guest cloakroom; and two outside areas being a courtyard with BBQ and a patio seating area, both having access to the 8x4m swimming pool with terracing around it suitable for sun loungers and a covered bar area to one corner. The two self-contained apartments each have independent access from one another and also
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the main villa. The largest of the apartments has two bedrooms; bathroom; lounge/diner and kitchen. The smaller apartment comprises open
Rising like a phoenix THOUGH prices and sales are mar c h i n g o n t o e v e r more impressive numbers, secondary industries associated with real estate are lagging behind. Mortgages, appraisals, and construction industry expenses are much less active than they were a decade ago. So much so that the wider property market’s activity is today gauged at a level estimated to be at around a fifth of 2004 activity. The d a t a f r o m E u r o v a l suggests that the real estate sector i n i t s e n t i r e ty is around 80 per cent smaller today than it was at the beginnin g o f t h e h o u s in g boom. The number of appraisals offers a striking example. There were 625,000 housing appraisa l s i n 2 0 1 6 c o mpared to almost 1.4 million in 2006. Construction offers another i n si g h t . I n 2 0 0 8 there were 536,600 homes built compared to just over 50,000 last year. The number of p e r m i t s i ssu e d fo r
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new housing has plunged by 91 per cent since 2004. Euroval’s report shows just how deeply the real estate sector was tied in with S p a in ’s g re a te r e c o n o m y when the recession struck a
decade ago. It also demonstrates the immensely important strides the housing market has made since then, as prices and sales transactions ra pidly ma ke up ground on a lost decade.
plan lounge/diner and kitchen; bedroom and bathroom. Both apartments have terraces to the front of them and have been rented in past years
with good success. The final building to complete this comprehensive listing is a large garage, currently utilised as a storage room that could also be developed into a third self-contained unit. The gardens to the rear of the property are mature and provide shade from the sun and a lot of privacy. With gated access to the gardens there is sufficient room to park multiple vehicles without impeding on the gardens and terraced areas. Further parking can be found to the front of the property where there is a carport and parking for a second vehicle. The property benefits built in wardrobes in all bedrooms; mains water, electric and sewerage; hot water via electric or bottled gas and the apartments are fully furnished. Location Los Gallardos Contact: paul@nextstopalmeria.com 950 617 518 / 678 034 651
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Jacaranda tree - is it friend or foe? By Graeme Tyrrell A JACARANDA tree in full flower is a spectacular sight to behold. Its almost iridescent mauve flowers brighten up streets and gardens all around the world and it is celebrated with festivals in many countries when in flower. Spain is fortunate to have many Jacaranda trees as the climate here is almost ideal for them to thrive in coastal regions and frost free zones. The flowers appear in late spring and early summer. A healthy tree will produce hundreds of bell-shaped flowers in conspicuous large groups or panicles that will cover the whole tree. The fern like leaves are also very attractive. They create a softer environment and lighter shade which allows the flowers to be more dominant but add their own qualities of softness when the flowering season has finished.
Pruning a Jacaranda spoils its natural shape and they don’t recover well. The tree generally grows slowly to a height of 20 metres over several decades in average soil but will grow faster in nutrient rich soil. I have a tree that is 20 years old that I add no compost to now that it is established and has reached about 10 metres. This is an ideal size to appreciate the flowers but not have it take over the garden as its neighbouring mulberry tree attempts to do. The Jacaranda require no pruning except to remove dead-
SPECTACULAR SIGHT: A Jacaranda tree in full flower. wood. Pruning a Jacaranda spoils its natural shape and they don’t recover well from pruning. Pruning also stimulates vertical growth of branches which is contrary to its natural horizontal form. It spoils the look of the tree to have vertical growths so it becomes a chore to have to keep removing them. The difficulty of having a Jacaranda tree however is that it sheds material practically all year. Never plant one even remotely near a pool or over driveways, paths or any area that you do not want covered in plant debris. If you do, you will be constantly sweeping and cleaning the area of spent flowers, fern needles and seed pods.
This is where they become a foe. They must only be planted where they can happily shed their plant material without spoiling anything else otherwise they become a menace. The Jacarandas’ shedding
characteristic can be an asset however as in the right place, such as an open field or the centre of a large garden bed or as a bordered feature on a lawn, the fallen flowers can look wonderful and provide a mulch around
the tree and for the garden. So the answer to whether it will be a friend or foe depends on where you place it. For the Jacaranda to be a valuable asset to admire without the complication of constant clean up, place it in a position where it
can be a benefit to provide an abundance of mulching material for the garden away from built structures that can be adversely affected by its debris. In this way you can enjoy one of the most beautiful flowering trees in the world.
PERMACULTURE EDUCATION SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Telephone: 666 33 33 35 info@permamed.org http://permamed.org/
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HOMES & GARDENS
Shady flowering shrubs SHOES: There are many ways of storing shoes, including buckets and pallets.
Storing bits and bobs KEEPING a house tidy can be quite a challenge when there always seems to be a huge amount of ‘stuff’ lying around, stashed away in drawers or hanging over a chair. Life is so busy and it takes time to organise ways of storing and knowing where to start. Putting pen to paper may help to get the ball rolling, because when looking at what needs to be stored, it can become so overwhelming, that it gets left and ignored. If a list is made that puts everything into categories, it gives an idea of how much ‘stuff’ there is, time to think about where it should go and what to store it in. If there is a pile of vegetables rolling
around in a drawer, then why not place some baskets inside to contain them. The ‘under the sink’ cupboard can be a nightmare and products that are stored, can be difficult to get at. However, if a tension rod is placed inside, all spray bottles can be hung up out of the way. Major offenders that clutter are cables and mobile chargers, but for a quick solution, use a toilet paper tube to store them in, label and decorate them if necessary. Another item that tends to get under our feet are shoes, but there are many ways of storing them, which include the use of a wine rack, buckets, pallets and even a plastic bottle.
RHODODENDRON: One of the few plants that can withstand full sun. EVERYONE loves summer, but when temperatures are at their highest and the garden is lacking in the shade department, then it’s all too easy to crawl back inside for some relief. Adding shade to the garden with towering trees and shrubs can make the garden a more inviting prospect in the summer. It’s useful to plant shrubs and flowers to cast shade on walkways and for maximum shade, choose plants that are one to three feet tall. To keep patios cool and
shade specific areas, it’s a good idea to plant trees that have dense foliage. Also, try using an arbor and train a vine round the structure, including a Chinese Wisteria that looks good, twisting and turning to a height of 30 to 50 feet. The flowers are on show in spring and they tend to droop down providing extra shade for the ground below. It’s also a good idea to plant taller shrubs around patios and garden beds, to ensure that both plants and people are protected from
the unrelenting heat. The Rhododendron (Hydon Dawn) is one of the few plants that can withstand full sun. Its mature height is five feet, making it perfect shade next to a porch or other plants. An added bonus is that it displays large pink flowers in the spring. Ther e i s no need t o shade t he out si de ar ea completely, but to have a good bal ance of sun and shade is ideal, which will keep sun-worshipping visitors happy.
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A DOG harness is piece of equipment for dogs, similar to harness tack for horses. There are various designs, depending on the type of use. Harnesses can be used on Seeing Eye dogs in assistance of a disabled person, on working dogs that haul a cart or sled, or even in sporting events, such as in the Scandinavian practice of skijoring and pulka. Harnesses are also worn by non-working dogs for training purposes. A harness is often worn in conjunction with a dog col-
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types. HARNESS: Comes in three main lar and used as an alternative for a dog leash attachment. While a collar only encircles the neck, harnesses have a loop that surrounds the torso as well, with connecting straps between them for added reinforcement and control. The design allows for distribution of force which may prevent choking; a dog will also not be able to slip free from a harness as they may easily do from a standard collar. Harness us-
Assistance dogs will sometimes wear a harness as part of their job. age is growing in popularity among many pet owners, especially for those with smaller breed dogs. Buttonholes in pet clothes allowing access to harness straps are among recent adjustments to accommodate the increasing
use of harnesses. Assistance dogs will sometimes wear a harness if part of their job requires guiding or providing physical mobility for a disabled person. Generally, the harness design includes a builtin handle for the person to grip; this type also offers reinforcement to the handler as well as a padded breast plate for the dog’s comfort. Sturdiness of the design depends on whether the dog is gently leading, acting as a brace, or physically pulling a wheelchair. Sled dog harnesses vary depending on the purpose of the animal; the two basic duties of a sled dog is hauling freight or some sort or racing. Harnesses come in three main types: the freight harness, the H-back harness, and the X-back harness. Dog
sports are growing and more types of harnesses are being developed, including the Yback style and guard or distance harness. The freight harness is often an H-back harness that forms a ladder-like effect across the back with a wide chest band and extra padding. The construction distributes the weight across the chest and over the shoulders because of the broad-
ness of the area; is designed to help the dog pull heavy weights efficiently. The X-back harness gets its name from the straps that form an ‘X’ across the back of the dog. It is used more frequently than the H-back, with short versions that ride farther forward on the dog’s body. The Y-back is a hybrid somewhat similar in appearance to the H-back. The tug line attaches to the harness on top of the dog’s back and stretches parallel to the ground or upwards to whatever is being hauled; the direction depends on what is being hauled.
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Clarkson Quote of the Week
Braking in this car is so brutal, it would actually be less painful to hit the tree you were trying to miss.”
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Most powerful 911 ever By Matthew Elliott PORSCHE has released the most powerful 911 Turbo ever made. The Turbo S Exclusive Series went on sale in Germany last week and is scheduled for an extremely limited release of just 500 units worldwide. Priced at roughly €260,000 the Coupe boasts 607hp with a 3.8 litre six-cylinder biturbo flat engine. It can reach 100kph from a standstill in just 2.9 seconds and is distinguished by a golden yellow metal paint finish. Top speed is 330kph. Front seats adjust 18 different ways. The limited edition model naturally includes Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Porsche Active Suspension Management, and the Sport Chrono package.
The bonnet is carved from carbon fibre. Built entirely by an inhouse team, it is the first Porsche to advertise the team’s badge, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. The move has prompted speculation that the German brand is planning to wheel out regular exclusive edition models to cater to a growing luxury market. Other colours are available, at a price. There are also 500 watch-
es. The smoothly named Porsche Design Chronograph 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series Watch costs a cool €10,000 and is forged from lightweight titanium. A bespoke luggage set is also on offer.
EXCLUSIVE: Turbo S Exclusive Series most powerful 911 ever built.
Porsche press release.
Do not disturb TECH powerhouse Apple has announced a new iPhone feature which will block all notifications during driving. The Do Not Disturb While Driving option can detect whether users are at the wheel and how fast the car is travelling. If it determines that you are in fact driving, it will block all phone calls, text messages and emails. Contacts will be told that you are driving through an answering machine mechanism or text replies. If it’s an emergency, contacts can use the word ‘urgent’ and the driver’s phone will simply state that word to alert them. The Do Not Disturb feature will be available on all recent iPhones which can handle the new iOS operating system being rolled out after summer.
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ROAD TEST by Nick Fletcher
Opel Mokka X THE Mokka X is a revised version of the Opel-Vauxhall Mokka crossover, and with smart looks, extra equipment and the option of four-wh e e l d r i v e , i t ca n take on the best in this fastgrowing segment. There is a wide range of petrol and diesel engines, with the 1.6 diesel a highlight, but so too is the 1.4 turbo-petrol engine which offers 0-100 kph in well under 10 seconds, yet can still return excellent fuel economy. Mokka X prices start at €21,746 (£18,930) and entry level version is well-kitted with standard features such as cruise control, parking sensors, power windows and door mirrors, high beam assist, alloy wheels and a touchscreen infotainment system. That list covers what most people want but up the range more and more equipment is added and my test model was in Elite trim and with au t o g e a r b o x , fo u rwheel d r i v e a n d 1 . 4 litre petrol engine cost €30,282 (£26,360). For this price you get too much to list but kit includes larger a l l o y wh e e l s, ro o f rails , si d e m o u l d i n g s ,
MOKKA X: Smart looking.
Model tested is UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.
Stats panel: Model: Opel-Vauxhall Mokka X Elite Engine: 1.4 litre petrol Transmission: Automatic Performance: 0-100 kph 9.4 seconds, top speed 193 kph Economy: 15.4 kpl (43.5 mpg) Emissions: 150g/km
leather heated sports seats and heated steering wheel, touch-screen and connectivity including Apple CarPlay a n d A n d ro id A u to , and Opel-Vauxhall OnStar which offers a range of driver aids. You also get climate and cruise controls, auto lights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors among many other features. The Mokka X has strong
vis ua l roa d pre s e nc e a nd dis pla ys a c e rta in c a c he t which is important in a sector where kudos can sometimes outweigh commonsense. It also scores well for its practicality, surprisingly roomy ins ide tha nks to clever design and with plenty of cabin storage for oddments. It can just about accommodate three adults in the rear with reasonable
comfort. The 356 litre boot is among the biggest in the class and can be increased to 1,372 litres by folding the rear seats, which drop flat easily. The cabin has a quality appearance with attractive design touches, chrome deta iling a nd w e ll-orde re d layout of controls and overall, the Mokka X interior is a pleasant place to be. Only quibble is with the oddlydesigned handbrake release which is awkward to operate. On the road, the 150 hp 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine is refined and quick, with a 0-100 kph time of 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 193 kph (120 mph). Fuel economy is 15.4 kpl (43.5 mpg). The controls are light and pos itive , giving a s s ure d handling and minimal bodypitc h on the c orne rs , a nd ride quality though firm is still comfortable. Mokka X is right among the be s t in the c ompa c t crossover class, with impressive styling, good driving dynamics and plenty of standard equipment. So much kit in fact that many buyers will find bestvalue at entry or mid-range levels.
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Top 10 shake up
ation. TESLA MODEL X: Waiting in wings for world domin
AN intruder has broken into the ranks of the world’s most valuable car companies. The new global top 10 now includes Tesla, the Silicon Valley insurgent with a tech billionaire CEO and laser focus on the emerging autonomous driving field. Tesla’s value rose by 32 per cent last year to reach $5.9 billion. That makes it the eighth most valuable car brand on the planet, ahead of Land Rover and Porsche, on a 2017 Global Brands survey. Elon Musk’s company still has a lot of work to do before rivalling more established competitors at the business end of top 10. Despite registering a 3 per cent slump in 2016, Toyota is still the most valuable brand at $28.7 billion, almost five times Tesla’s value. German duo BMW and Mercedes are in second and third spots at $24.6 billion and $23.5 billion respectively. Ford, Honda, Nissan and Audi make up fourth to seventh places. Though nine members of the motoring top 10 would have been recognisable 30 years ago, industry experts believe quickly approaching changes will soon usher in a major shake up of the list. Tesla is valued in the billions despite having only made 84,000 cars last year, contrasting with the 10 million produced by General Motors.
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Lewis Hamilton wins again and Nadal is supreme at French Open defeated Argentina 38-34 in the first Test in San Juan while Scotland just beat Italy 34-13. And we have three more friendlies on Saturday featuring the second Argentina v England Test, Japan v Ireland and Australia v Scotland (in Sydney). TENNIS In the French Open at Roland Garros, Jelena Ostapenko beat Simona
Halep in the women’s singles final. The Latvian, ranked 47 in the world, is the first unseeded winner since 1933. The imperious Rafael Nadal, for the 10th time, won the men’s final, overcoming Swiss star Stan Wawrinka in straight sets. This week Roger Federer is back in action in the ATP championship in Hannover, and injured Russian Maria Sharapova will not compete in the Wimbledon qualifiers.
CRICKET The first Champions Trophy semi-final between England and Sri Lanka or Pakistan took place yesterday in Cardiff while today’s second ‘semi’ at Edgbaston features Bangladesh against India. England won all three Group ‘A’ matches, knocking out Australia in the process in a rain affected game at Edgbaston. Ben Stokes hit a brilliant 102 not out to seal a 40 run victory via the DL method as England scored 240-4 (in 40.2 overs) opposed to Australia’s 277 for 9 (off 50).
RAFA NADAL: Won the French Open for the 10th time.
Mark Wood and Adil Rashid took four wickets apiece to restrict the Aussies to 5.54 runs per over. India, meanwhile, thrashed South Africa by eight wickets in their last Group ‘B’ game. A crowd of 24,500 will attend Saturday’s final at The Oval. MOTOR SPORT Fernando Alonso - after his Indy 500 exploits - returned to F1 last Sunday in Montreal’s Canadian Grand Prix which was won for the sixth time in 10 years by Lewis Hamilton, with Valtteri Bottas second and Danny Ricciardo third. Presented with an Ayrton Senna helmets 24 hours before the race, Hamilton started on pole for a joint record 65th time and is now 12 points (141-129) behind championship leader Sebastian Vettel. Italy’s Andrea Dovizioso won last w e e k e n d ’ s Cataluñia MotoGP in Barcelona with Spain’s duo of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa second and third. Maverick
19th Hole Golf Society, match report THE society had a rare visit to Alboran on Tuesday June 6, for the 19th Holes Pairs Texas Scramble, on recently hollow tined greens. However, they were in excellent condition, which matched the perfect Andalucian weather conditions. The team selection based upon balanced teams tempered with the need to match those walking and buggie takers resulted in some ‘obvious favourites’ to take the win. But as always with these sorts of predictions, ‘egg on face’ always applies. The team of Sharon Stevens and Ron (The Rocket) Curtis looked a really good bet to take an award but they forfeited
their chances by taking longer over their canoodling than concentration on the shots. Ron, when asked about his round could only reply “Loverly Jubbly.” A revitalised Tommy Seed supported by Jerry Edwards took the first spot with a nett 64.2 strokes, a country mile ahead of Pete (The Limp) Watts and Dave (Eye Eye) Wadey on 69 nett strokes with Mike Esposito and Beverley Reader on nett 69.7 ( Beverley registering her first award with the 19th Hole). Result 1st Tommy Seed and Jerry Edwards nett 64.2 (10.8)
2nd Pete Watts and Dave Wadey nett 69 (12) 3rd Mike Esposito and Beverley Reader nett 69.7 (12.3) Nearest the Pins 1st In Two John Briddon 2nd Nekane Galindez 12th Pete Watts 17th Chris Crosby The 19th Hole Golf Society arranges weekly games around the area playing Aguilon every other week. For more information ring 634 315 813 or email gs19th hole@hotmail.co.uk.
Vinales (111 points) leads the rider ’s Championship from Dovizioso (104) and Marquez (88). Three British drivers, Ashley Sutton, Colin Turkington and Mat Jackson, all won races at the BTCC at Croft, North Yorkshire last Sunday. And on June 17/18 we have the 85th Le Mans 24hour race. ROUND UP Around 30,000 fans in Kingston, Jamaica, saw master-
ful Usain Bolt win his last 100m race on home soil. Jakob Fuglsang (Asanta) won the Criteria du Dauphine cycle race; GB’s Chris Froome was 4th. New Zealand beat GB’s Landrover BAR-sponsored yacht, with Ben Ainslie at the helm, in the five-race semi-final play-off in the America’s Cup. “We did well” said Ainslie, “It’s the start of something big for us.” In the World Triathlon championships last weekend it was ‘B’ for Britain as Alastair Brownlee, his brother Jonny, Tom Bishop and Alan Bowden finished 12-3-4.
CONNOR MURRAY: British and Irish Lions vs Crusaders
DID YOU KNOW? Between 1929 and 1934, Britain’s Fred Perry was the world table tennis champion and he also won all four Grand Slam tennis finals in Australia, France, the USA and Wimbledon.
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LEWIS HAMILTON wins the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal for the sixth time in 10 years, with Valtteri Bottas second.
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Costa de Almería’s best guide to local sport
Scots denied victory, and Lions roar Tony Matthews International Sports A former player, Tony is now the world’s most prolific author of football books with 150 published since 1975. He has also been a PE teacher and a policeman, and is now a quiz-organiser, fund–raiser, for various charities, and sports correspondent for Spectrum Radio. Costa de Almeria
GOLF Starting today we have the first of four rounds in the USA Open golf championship in Wisconsin. FOOTBALL In 2018 World Cup qualifying matches last weekend, England’s skipper Harry Kane scored a dramatic late equaliser to deny Scotland a famous victory in Glasgow. The hosts, 1-0 down with
three minutes of normal time remaining, grabbed the lead with two incredible free-kicks by Lee Griffiths, only for Kane to the net on 93 minutes. Elsewhere Northern Ireland beat Azerbaijan 1-0, the Republic of Ireland drew 11 with Austria, Serbia likewise with Wales and Spain beat Macedonia 2-1, while Germany smashed San Marino 7-0, Holland whipped Luxembourg 5-0 and Sweden beat France 21. On Tuesday, England were in France for a friendly international. Last Sunday England’s youngsters beat Venezuela 1-0 in the final of the World
U20 Cup… the country’s first global victory since 1966! England’s women beat Switzerland 4-0 in a pre-WC friendly. Manchester United will pay Benfica £30.7m for defender Victor Lindelof while Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be offered a new contract at Old Trafford. Gary Monk, former boss of Swansea and Leeds, has been appointed manager of Middlesbrough and Russian Leonid Slutsky has taken charge of Hull. And Chelsea’s Eden hazard will miss the start of next season after suffering a serious ankle injury with Belgium.
RUGBY UNION The British and Irish Lions won their third game of their New Zealand tour, beating the Crusaders 12-3 in Christ-church. On Tuesday Warren Gatland’s team played the Highlanders in Dunedin and on Saturday they face the Maori All Blacks in Rotorua. In other friendlies, England, with a late, late try by Solomona,
KANE & BERRA: Scotland were denied a famous victory.