Euro Weekly News - Costa Blanca North 30 November – 6 December 2017 Issue 1691 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

ISSUE NO. 1691

30 Nov - 6 Dec 2017

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

A fright in the night trapped beneath the wreckage. Town hall operatives then removed the rubble and debris and stabilised what was left of the 18th century Poador de la Font Major. The wall giving on to Calle de la Font, which was still standing, had to be partly demolished as it was badly damaged when the roof fell. “It was just a fright and luck-

ily nobody was hurt,” said Callosa mayor Josep Saval afterwards. Accompanied by councillors, the mayor visited the site later that morning where municipal technicians inspected the damage to discover the reasons for the collapse. Initially they believe this could have been caused by a

defect in a corner of the Calle de la Font wall that supports the washhouse roof. Saval has pledged to rebuild the structure which was built in 1783 with 12 spouts and can hold more than 70 people. It was first roofed in 1910 and restored 25 years ago when the fibrocement was replaced with cement. Photo credit: Callosa town hall

CALLOSA residents were rudely awakened when the roof of the old washhouse collapsed in the early hours of the morning. Residents hearing the ‘thunderous noise’ advised the Emergency Services who sent out the Local Police and Guardia Civil as well as the Fire Brigade with their Canine Rescue Unit to ensure that no-one was

WRECKAGE: All that is left of the 18th century washhouse

Property Special 75 - 79

WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

NEWS EXTRA

Naming names THE most popular name for newborns in the Valencian Community in 2015 was Lucia for girls and Hugo for boys. These were also the most popular nationally, followed by Maria and Daniel.

Sad stats SIX of the 45 women killed by their partners this year lived in the Valencian Community, where the region’s 112 Emergency number received 1,251 alerts relating to gender violence between January 1 and November 16.

Way to go CALPE recently presented three electric bicycles and five electric cars to promote its Sustainable Energy Action Plan - the municipality has also installed LED lights in municipal buildings.

By Harrison Jones SPAIN is looking forward to two national holidays. Next Wednesday marks Spanish Constitution Day, but in the wake of controversy surrounding Catalonian independence, the public holiday may have a different feel to other years. Traditionally, the day is one of national pride, with plenty of patriotic displays. Yet with the constitution and the national flag now widely seen as a symbol of Spanish repression in Cataluña, the anniversary could be used as an opportunity for further defiance from the region. In early October, Catalonians voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence in an illegal referendum, which sparked ugly scenes in Barcelona. In the rest of Spain, most of the public spend the day quietly at home. December 6 marks the day Spaniards approved a new constitution in 1978, following the overthrow of General Franco, the Fascist dictator who ruled Spain for 36 years.

www.euroweeklynews.com

Holiday time! Spain set for 5-day weekend

DEMONSTRABLY SPANISH: Pro-Spain demonstrators on Constitution Day last year and (inset) a Christmas market. In the build up to next week’s 39th anniversary, schoolchildren have had extra lessons on Spanish history and politics. Each year, a small number are invited to read from the constitution in Madrid parliamentary buildings, which have a special

public opening close to the anniversary. Another public holiday t akes pl ace next Fr i day, with many Spaniards taking the Thursday off to enjoy a five-day weekend. The Decem ber 8 hol i day i s a Catholic event, known as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is an ideal time to visit one of the many Christmas markets springing up around the country since it is typically viewed to mark the start of the festive season.

NEWS

Murder and suicide A MAN of 40 drove from Germany to Vinaros (Castellon) solely to kill his ex-girlfriend. After they broke up three months earlier, 31year-old Katharina left Germany to join her parents and sister in La Triador, a quiet urbanisation inhabited almost exclusively by Northern Europeans. The family occupied three houses on the same plot and not long after 7am on the day of the murder, Katharina’s ex-boyfriend climbed the garden wall and went to the house where she lived with her two cats. Hearing shouting and shots from the house, her sister alerted the Emergency Services and the Guardia Civil, already patrolling in La Triador, arrived almost immediately. Seeing that he was cornered, the killer then shot himself, sources close to the case said.

NEWS

P47

MOTORING

TV COUCH CRITIC

LEAPY LEE

News, LATEST reviews, PERSONAL VIEWS and FROM THE EWN’S driving MOST READ advice COLUMNIST

P91

Blackspot accident

P53

Love it, hate it! The Best and worst of home viewing

BACCHUS CELLAR Thoughts on various wines, but first a peep into Spain’s rich vino history

In the build up to Christmas, hordes of Spaniards spend hours queuing outside to buy tickets for El Gordo, the €2.3 billion festive lottery that has become the richest draw in the world.

News 1 - 40

Feeling lucky? Credit: Barcex/Flickr

Finance

Faking it

OLIVA will receive a grant of €65,000 from the Valencian Provincial Tourism Agency to make improvements to its beaches in time for next year’s high summer season. Fifteen cabins will be erected along the O l i v a c o a st l i n e , p ro v id in g beach-goers with toilets, showers and baby-changing facilities.

Tidying up THE regional government is clearing trees damaged in last winter ’s storms from Sierra de Mariola woodla n d i n t h e n a t io n a l p a rk ’s beauty spot adjoining Agres. This will assist in preventing forest fires next summer and also reduce the likelihood of plagues affecting the

48 - 60

Letters

FULL OF HOPE: A queue of people waiting to buy lottery tickets in Puerta del Sol, Madrid. ‘EL GORDO’ - or the ‘the fat one’ - is the nickname given to Spain’s unique annual Christmas lottery, also known as el Sorteo Extraordinario de Navidad. According to state figures, around 70 per cent of the population take part each year, with each person spending an average of €60 on tickets, while the total prize money in 2017 is forecast to be €2.38 billion. The draw started more than 200 years ago in 1812, and is held every year on December 22 at the Teatro Real de Madrid in Madrid. A group of 40 children, aged between eight and 14, from the Colegio de San Ildefonso school in Segovia are chosen to select the numbers each year. The school used to be an orphanage and the winners of the lottery traditionally donate a portion of their winnings to the school.

Many people flock to watch the ball be drawn live, with many dressing up in lottery-themed clothing for luck. The numbers are drawn from two giant golden drums, one with the numbers of the lottery tickets and another with the prize amount, and the children traditionally sing the results as they’re drawn. The prize fund is split among thousands of prizes ranging in value. Unlike other traditional lotteries, it’s not possible to pick your own numbers. When you buy a ticket, the number is already printed on it and can range from 00000 to 99999. A full ‘billete,’ or ticket sheet, costs €200, but most people buy a 10th of a ticket, or a ‘decimo,’ for €20; meaning they win a 10th of the prize money allocated to the winning number. This can be split up further into ‘participaciones’ worth €1.

A fat chance

What’s up? DENIA’S Department of Culture was in trouble after mistakenly creating a WhatsApp group and sharing the data of some 280 contacts. The group was set up to promote events and cultural goings on in the town, but what the department actually meant to create was a ‘broadcast list.’

Tech

IT is not uncommon for people in the same location to win at the same time if they buy ‘decimos’ or ‘participaciones’ from the same place. Last year the first prize of €4 million was split between 10 people who all bought their tickets from the same lottery shop in Madrid. In 2011, all but one of the 250 residents in the tiny Spanish village of Sodeto won a share of €120 million,

dead trees.

Too late A WILD boar piglet, found in a gap beneath an electricity pole in Pinoso

with people collecting prizes worth between €100,000 and €1 million depending on how many tickets they had bought. This was the first time in history that an entire village won the prize. The unlucky man who missed out was a Greek man who lived on the edge of town and allegedly didn’t realise what a big deal the Christmas lottery was.

died soon afterwards despite veterinary care. Discovered by an Environment department employee, it was probably trapped for two or three days and weakened by lack of food and low night-time temperatures.

Credit: Madrid Directo/Twitter

Beach glee

P69

PLUS THE REGULARS

SPANISH FACTS OF LIFE...39

THREE people were injured when two cars collided on the N-332 at the turning to Albir. The accident o c c u r r e d n e a r t h e E l Ve n t o r i l l o restaurant and hostel, a recognised blackspot at the busy crossroads and three vehicles from the Benidorm fire station were sent to the scene.

FIVE men - four Senegalese nationals aged between 30 and 36 years old and a 29-year-old Moroccan were c a u g h t se l l i n g co u n terfe it goods at Denia’s weekly market and arrested for crimes against industrial property. Officers also seized 500 items, wo r t h a p p ro x imate ly €30,000.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Health & Beauty 64 - 68

Social 69 - 73

Homes & Gardens 80 - 81

Services 84 - 87

Classifieds 88 - 90

SING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING: The draw is chanted by schoolchildren.

194

Sports 94 - 96

The total number of news and features which appeared in Issue 1690 of the Euro Weekly News Costa Blanca North edition, including 78 local stories.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Crisis deepens ‘Spain has lived as if it were water rich’ Photo credit Pedro Armestre/Greenpeace

Parts of Spain braced for the cold and wet weather.

EWN on the web Page views 144,920 Nov 20 – 27

Top 5 stories is coming:Temperatures plummet, 5,756 Winter strong winds and rain forecast for most of Spain views

airline to launch daily flights 3,408 Icelandic between Spain and UK

DRY AS A BONE: The Entrepeñas reservoir, the TajoSegura transfer (inset left) and its course (inset right). By Matt Ford THE longest river in the Iberian Peninsula is drying up. It comes as a series of dramatic images showing the extent of the crisis gripping the Tagus river emerged. Known as the Tajo in Spain and Tejo in Portugal, the river rises in Aragon, northern Spain passing close to Madrid before forming a length of the border with Portugal and eventually emptying into the sea at Lisbon. Along its 1,000 kilometre length it is dammed 51 times, but its current problems arise at the headwaters. And they are likely to exert a knock-on effect in expatriate strongholds on the Mediterranean slope.

Constructed between 1966 and 1979, the 292-kilometre Tagus-Segura transfer is a concrete canal designed to carry water from the upper Tagus to the Segura river basin, where it is used to irrigate crops in Alicante, Murcia and Almeria. But much of the channel is open to the air, meaning tens of thousands of litres of water are lost to evaporation before reaching their destination. Environmental organisation Greenpeace this week published a scathing report on water management in Spain, as the country continues to battle its worst drought for two decades. The study, entitled Drought, Something More Than a Lack of Rain, concludes that 75 per cent

views

flights from UK airport to Gibral3,400 Charter tar trialled next July views

of Spain is at risk of becoming a desert and claims that “the problem is not drought, but robbery.” According to the report, the national government “has not worked to mitigate dry periods” and Spain has instead “lived and legislated as if it were a waterrich country.” The Entrepeñas reservoir in Guadalajara near Madrid is one of the sources of the Tajo-Segura transfer, but currently sits below 10 per cent of capacity, with local villages forced to ship drinking water in by lorry. Our View - page 8

€500,000 Christmas lights 3,108 Malaga’s switch-on views

quarantined over infectious 2,631 Passengers disease concerns after flight from Spain views

www.euroweeklynews.com @euroweeklynews euroweeklynews +euroweeklynews

FOR COMMENTS FROM EWN ONLINE TURN TO LETTERS PAGE

Poll of the week With Black Friday out of the way, have you already finished your Christmas shopping?

LAST WEEK’S POLL: Amid air pollution fears in Spain, should cars be banned from city centres?

Yes 51% No 49% 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, nononsense manner. To ask for an inaccuracy to be corrected. Email: editorial@euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Prince and Megan Markle to tie the knot By John Smith THE announcement of the engagement of Prince Harry to actress Meghan Markle hardly came as a surprise as there had been much speculation over the possibility. Prince Harry is, on the face of things, making a groundbreaking choice as far as the Royal Family is concerned as he is marrying a divorced American actress of mixed race. It was 81 years ago that the Duke of Windsor gave up the throne for the love of a divorced American woman and then in 1955, Princess Margaret decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend also a divorcee, although in this case, it was not because of political pressure but because she was unsure of her love for him. Despite the fact that the Queen and Prince Philip have just celebrated 70 years of marriage, their children have not been so successful with only Prince Edward still with his

70%

first wife. This new couple who are expected to marry in the spring of next year are in the happy position that it is very unlikely that Harry who is currently fifth in line will ever ascend the throne, so they can be a little more relaxed in their behaviour. Ms Markle had a history of involvement in charitable causes long before her blind date meeting with the Prince and she has declared that once married, she will give up acting and concentrate on humanitarian work. Prince Harry has indicated that he hopes the pair of them will spend much of their time touring the Commonwealth and extending their assistance to those in need. It has been confirmed that the wedding will take place in St Georgeâ€™s Chapel in Windsor, the same location for the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex and for the Service of Prayer and Dedication following the civil wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla

of Spaniards who watch sports on TV say football is their favourite sport.

Duchess of Cornwall. Unlike certain previous Royal Weddings, it has been indicated that there will be no public holiday to celebrate the event. The government of Gibraltar on learning of the engagement announcement immediately sent the couple their best wishes and invited them to visit the Rock.

Photo by Prince Charles @Charles_HRH Twitter

Harry to marry

HAPPY COUPLE: Announcing the engagement to the press

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

Strutting her stuff

Purr-fect hostess!

SHE’S the philanthropic model who got her big break posing for Calvin Klein. And now Toni Garrn, 25, has SHE’S one of the most desired women in Spain. lent her looks to fashion brand And actress Blanca Suarez, 29, showed why she Calzedonia. leaves others in the shade as she appeared as The leggy star brand ambassador for British car manufacwowed in a short turer Jaguar at the launch of the new E-type dress with a seein Madrid. through chest panel After slipping into an eye-popping, mulover pear fishnet ti-coloured mini-dress combined with tights which perthigh-skimming stiletto boots, the TV star fectly showcased posed for a series of racy snaps with the her endless legs. car. Photo credit Toni Garnn/Instagram With her golden hair SHEER DARING: falling over her shoulToni Garrn. ders, the stunner wowed at the company’s 25th anniversary in Madrid. The German model, who spends her spare time raising money for girls’ education in Zimbabwe, showed off her tanned skin and chiselled cheekbones as she posed for photographers. Garrn made headlines in September when she was spotted dining with former flame Leonardo di Caprio in New York. The stunner previously dated the Hollywood star for 18 months between 2013 and 2014.

Celeb focus TOP CAT: Blanca Suarez.

Photo credit Twitter

Millionaire’s row

LAWSUIT: Nick and Holly.

HE’S a super-wealthy property developer married to a former star of Australian soap Neighbours. But multi-millionaire Nick Candy is suing a former good friend whose wife filmed him being ‘drunk and embarrassing’ in Ibiza. Emma Hollyoake, partner of his ex-business associate Mark Hollyoake, allegedly refused to erase the footage from her mobile phone, leading to a court battle.

The property tycoon, who tied the knot with Australian actress Holly Valance in 2012, is said to have ‘engaged in some embarrassing behaviour when heavily intoxicated’ at a party on Ibiza in 2010 as friends filmed him. He now claims his privacy and data protection have been breached. Candy, who is said to have a joint worth of €1.6 billion with his twin Christian, shares two children with his wife.

Neigh joke SPANISH actress HORSY: Elsa Elsa Pataky has a Pataky. new best friend. The Madridborn star, 41, took to Instagram to show off her new horse Dolly as she enjoyed an afternoon of riding near Byron Bay in Australia, where she lives with actor husband Chris Hemsworth and their three children. A smiling Elsa appeared to be fullyrecovered after a recent trip to Spain.

Crown glory SHE’S the monarch with a taste for high fashion. And Spanish Queen Letizia did not disappoint as she attended a Jubilee Year celebration in Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia. The mother-of-two slipped into a glamorous grey jacket and snakeskin heels, together with diamond earrings.

NEWS

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Town hall sees the light

www.facebook.com/euroweeklynews

T h e lin e cro s s es S a n MUNICIPALLY-OWNED Juan from north to south Personas y Ciudad (Pycsa) a n d in itia lly th e en erg y has saved San Juan Town c o mp a n y w as a s k in g Hall €200,000 on the Nou €1,623,000 with IVA on Nazareth electricity deal. top of this. P yc sa h a s n e g o t iate d Pycsa instead asked for w ith I b e r d r o l a a n d s u cthe cost to be shared beceed e d i n r e d u c i n g th e tween all the sectors that cost of the electricity line w ill b e n efit connecting fro m th e n ew Nou Nazareth connection, to th e C a n t a including Alilar substation. c a n te City Thi s a l so Hall. brings the deJoin the Iberdrola has velopment conversation on our n o w a g ree d nearer to comFacebook page and after a repletion after it assessment w as c e d e d t o w ill ch arge the town hall €740,000 plus IVA, 55 per following the 2015 municcent less than the original ipal elections, six years afestimate, saving the town ter work halted.

EWN online

hall €200,000. “Pycsa has cleared the way towards finishing Nou Nazaret, which has been a priority for me since taking over the To w n P l a n n i n g d e p a r t ment,” said councillor Esther Donate. “The municipal company ha s s a ve d the tow n ha ll more than €300,000 this year, first with the contract for c le a ning munic ipa l buildings a nd now the Ibe rdrola a gre e me nt,” pointed out San Juan mayor Jaime Albero said. “It has also absorbed the difference between official Dependency payouts and the amounts that are paid to carers.”

Heavy-handed Iberdrola maintenance THE owner of a La Carrasqueta property complained after Iberdrola maintenance workers felled a stand of pines without authorisation. He has now made an official complaint to the Guardia Civil and is claiming compensation from Iberdrola for demolishing the trees on his land near Jijona. He was aware that trees and vegetation beneath hightension cables must be cleared to reduce fire risk but this should also be done with permission and in the presence of the owner, he said. Usually Iberdrola lopped the tops of the trees to leave a safety margin beneath the electricity lines, he continued. This time however, the energy company had destroyed a plantation of young pines together with their drip-irrigation system and had felled a 30-year-old pine “without a second thought,” reducing it

to firewood. Iberdrola have now offered their “most sincere apologies,” explaining that the

damage had been done by subcontractors who would be held responsible for felling the trees.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Hunter’s death mystery POLICE are investigating the death of a huntsman whose body was found floating in a large water deposit near Fontcalent. The man had left his shotgun and other belongings nearby and his body was discovered five metres from the edge of the huge irrigation pond by a party of hunters. Initial investigations suggested that the 63-year-old man’s death was accidental and that he drowned while trying to rescue his dog from the water. According to the provincial media, the 112 Emergency Services also received a call from someone in the area who reported that a dog was barking at the side of the deposit. After the body was recovered from the water, divers carried out searches to determine whether a dark patch at the bottom was the submerged dog although the National Police later declined to provide further details.

NEWS

OUR VIEW

It’s time to save water THE ongoing water shortage is a crisis that has been lurking in Spain’s shadow for decades. But the country appears to have no plan or will to deal with it. And as a Greenpeace report claims that Spain has ‘lived and legislated as if it were a water-rich country,’ then it certainly appears time to address a problem which is long in need of a solution. As reservoirs lie at their lowest levels since the 1990s, and state weather office AEMET forecasts a mild and dry winter, a natural fix may not be close at hand after the third driest year on record behind 1981 and 2005. Ill-advised infrastructure projects such as the Tajo-Segura transfer, largely created during General Franco’s era, are wasteful and woefully inadequate for a country as rich as Spain. Golf courses and public green spaces are typically irrigated with drinking water, while a number of towns and cities continue to pump raw sewage into rivers including the Tagus and Ebro. As climate change continues to show that it is far from a future problem, Spain must find a way to use its precious water resources more efficiently or suffer the inevitable consequences brought about by a perfect storm of rapidlywarming planet, over-exploited aquifiers and unchecked pollution. What is clear is that connecting more river basins by building pipelines, canals and dams is not the answer.

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

NEWS

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo by Generalitat Valenciana

NEWS EXTRA

Black spot smash up A MOTORCYCLIST who lost control on a tight bend on the Carrasqueta mountain was unharmed after running into several parked bikes. This was the same spot where another biker was killed a year ago.

Cleaner air CAMPELLO residents living near the Les Canyades landfill site want details of air tests carried out in the area and requested a meeting with the regional government to clarify the extent of pollution.

Air lifted OWING to the steep terrain, a Fire Consortium helicopter from Alicante was mobilised to take a Bocairent woman to hospital after she was taken ill while walking in Sierra Mariola near Alcoy.

TRAM: Stoppages since last September.

Train drivers still stopping THE TRAM service is still affected by industrial action which hit trains on Tuesday and today, Thursday. All lines on the TRAM network as well as the Line 9 trenet between Benidorm and Denia will be affected by a stoppage between 6.35pm and 10.35pm today. The drivers, who have been striking intermittently since last September, claim that regional rail operator FGV still refuses to discuss their claims.

These include equal status and training as mainline drivers, schedules observing the minimum rest periods stipulated by the Railway Laws and updated driving regulations. FGV announced a 60 per cent minimum service when a stoppage coincides with a peak period and 50 per cent outside this. “More information is always available on the free 900 720 472 line or the www.tramalicante.es website,” FGV said.

Margarita Gonzalez, a Madrileña staying in Benidorm who took the trenet on several occasions to visit her British sisterin-law - Euro Weekly News reader Ali Maples - in Altea, was unimpressed by the stoppages. “Each time we called we were put on hold only to be told that all their operators were busy and to please ring later,” Ali said. “So on the strike days she had to get the bus instead. It took longer but at least it ran to time.”

Drivers not put to the test FOUR THOUSAND people in Alicante Province have been waiting since June to take their driving test. Examiners from the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), calling for better working conditions and already on strike since last year, took further action in June and July. In August, complaining that the DGT had failed to make even one proposal, the examiners announced that the stoppages would continue indefinitely. The strike is also affecting driving schools whose pupils are having to wait 45 days instead of the usual 12 after putting their names down to take the test. There is also a month’s wait for the theory exam with an enormous backlog of pupils. Strike action is threatening 1,000 direct jobs and two Alicante Province driving schools have now closed, sector sources revealed. “People don’t know when they can take the test and the moment comes when you have to cut the classes,” a driving instructor said. DGT director general Gregorio Serrano pledged a 50 per cent minimum service if the stoppages continue into December and announced that more examiners would be taken on to lessen the effects of the strike.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS Photo by Juan Carlos Molina Gimenez

OLD HEADQUARTERS: Built over Iberian necropolis.

Headache over new headquarters CAMPELLO Council announced that it cannot afford to build new Guardia Civil headquarters. The town hall advised the Ministry of the Interior some time ago that it was unable to find the €1.5 million needed for new premises. After Campello’s new General Urban Development Plan (PGOU) was cancelled on a technicality last year, the town hall faces huge compensation payments from investors and developers affected by the court ruling, mayor Benjamin Soler explained. Although Campello has €30 million in the bank and no debts, the town hall has no idea how much it will be obliged to pay out and does not want to put the Council’s fi-

nances at risk, Soler said, A new Guardia Civil post would also be dependent on the town hall’s joint plans with Alicante City’s archaeological museum (Marq) to develop and excavate the La Illeta tower area. The Campello Guardia Civil post, currently housed in temporary rented premises, was originally located next to the tower where an Iberian burial ground was located in 2015. Soler was prepared to exchange municipal land for the vacated site, he said, but the Ministry of the Interior has not confirmed the agreement despite asking the town hall to go ahead and provide land for the new post.

Butano explodes on country road A LORRY carrying butano canisters caught fire and exploded on the CV-846 road near Aspe. The driver pulled up immediately on noticing fire inside

Covering the whole of Spain

Insure In Spain

IIS

Spanish translation service available

Motor Insurance Fully Comp from 190€ 3rd Party including breakdown for under 115€ Motor Insurance

• UK & Spanish Plates • Quick & Efficient Service • Protected Bonus available

House Contents

• Policies in English • Emergency 24hr Claims Service

Other Services Motorcycle, Medical, Funeral, Marine, QROPS and Investments Call us for advice or a no obligation quotation

info@insureinspain.com www.insureinspain.com

966 482 667

the cabin and was able to leave unhurt, although the flames spread to the gas canisters. These finally exploded and firemen called to the scene activated standard procedures for

accidents involving dangerous cargoes. No other vehicles were involved and no-one was hurt although flames reached adjoining land planted with vines.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo credit: Villajoyosa town hall

NEWS

SPAIN-BRAZIL: Condemnation of gender violence.

A banner that says a lot TOWN HALLS and institutions all along the Costa Blanca observed International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In Villajoyosa, as well as the official commemoration, the Spanish Rugby Federation demonstrated its rejection of gender violence before the start of a friendly with Brazil as both teams unfurled a banner proclaiming, ‘No to gender vio-

lence.’ This is the first time that the Spanish side has chosen Villajoyosa to prepare players for matches against Germany, Belgium, Romania and Russia in the qualifying rounds for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. “It is an honour for Villajoyosa to receive the national team, so today is a fiesta on a sporting level,” said Jose Ramon Ucles who heads the town

hall’s Sports and Social Welfare departments. “Nevertheless, we should not forget that today is a day for awareness and condemnation and the town hall wanted to join the Spanish Rugby Federation in this gesture. “A banner can say a lot and we know that this will reach a great many people, as all eyes will be on today’s match,” Ucles said.

Every little can help LIKE many municipalities, the local population in Aigues can choose how part of the town hall budget is spent. While some Costa Blanca participatory budgets run into five or six figures, Aigues’ is more modest, with just €1,000 to spare, but the town hall nonetheless put how it should be spent to

the vote. A little over 15 per cent of Aigues residents - a total of 134 - voted in the mini-referendum and the majority voted in favour of improving traffic signs and road safety. Aigues Town Hall has so little to spare because it was declared bankrupt in 2011 and still has an €800,000 debt.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo credit: Generalitat Valenciana

MONICA OLTRA: ‘Linguistic rights subject to vulnerability’.

Parlem Valencia and that’s official THE regional government will set up an office to regulate the use of Valenciano. The Oficina de Drets Linguistics will collect, process and attend to claims, suggestions and consultations relating to the rights of Valenciano-speakers. Generalitat vice-president, Monica Oltra said that although the right to know and use Valenciano was officially guaranteed, ‘numerous deficiencies’ existed in administrative practices as well as private relations. The official stance did not always correspond to social reality, the vice-president added. Approval for an Oficina to safeguard the

rights of Valenciano-speakers was announced a day after, use of Valenciano in public administration regulations that favour Valenciano over Spanish, came into force. At present linguistic rights in the Valencian community are frequently subject to vulnerability in many different contexts, Oltra said: “For that reason it was necessary for the public authorities to provide the Oficina which can mediate in cases of linguistic discrimination.” At the same time it was important to help society to re-establish normality in using Valenciano as an official language, explained sources in the regional government’s Education department.

NEWS

Fire risk suggestions invited MUCHAMIEL residents were given two weeks to contribute to the local plan for preventing and dealing with forest fires. Muchamiel is officially classed as a municipality that is at high risk from forest fire and is obliged by regional law to have established procedures in place that are ready to be applied when necessary. The same Generalitat regulations also require the town hall to request input from the local population on matters relating to the environment. Residents can take part via the municipal web page or Mutxamel App Participa. All suggestions and comments will be taken into account, said Environment councillor, Lara Llorca who urged residents to take part.

14 E W N

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

SPONSORED BY

N E W S

FOR BEST RATES IN INSURANCE CALL: 951 27 74 55

Marina Baixa no more Photo credit Benidorm

EIGHT Marina Baixa municipalities took to the streets of Benidorm last Saturday waving ‘Marina Baixa contra la violencia de genero’ (Marina Baixa against gender violence) flags to celebrate International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Supporters gathered MAKING A STAND: Men and women, old and on the plaza de Sus young, participated in the march. Majestades los Reyes de Espana where a manifesto La Nucia, l’Alfas del Pi, Polop and Villajoyosa. was read by Councillors of A minute’s silence was then followed by a march, Equality from Benidorm, Altea, weaving through the city’s streets, before a service held Callosa d’En Sarria, Finestrat, outside the Els Tolls building paid homage to victims of gender violence, including Jessica Bravo Cutillas, the 28-year-old Spanish mother who was shot dead by her ex-partner in front of their son in Elda just over three weeks ago.

ASSOCIATED ADVERTISERS

MAIN SPONSOR

To find out more about what Abbeygate Insurance can do for you, call 951 277 455.

Christmas cracker! THE Giving4Giving charity is organising a Christmas Fair in Benidorm. Taking place at the Hotel Flash Benidorm, next to the Hotel Calypso, there will be over 50 gifts and well-being stalls, a tombola and raffle, with all proceeds going direct to the charity. Visits to Santa Claus in his grotto, including a gift for each child, will cost €2. The event is on Friday December 8, from 11am to 5pm, and entrance is free.

Edificio Benidorm 7, Moraira: Tel: 966 265 072.

A taste of Benidorm BENIDORM participated in the sixth edition of the ‘Sneak Preview’ fair organised by the Dutch tour operator, Solmar in Eindhoven, last weekend. The event is organised exclusively for Solmar customers, who it transports from different areas across Holland, to its headquarters in North Brabant. Benidorm has several hotels in Solmar’s catalogue, including the Poseidon chain hotels, Hotel Poseidon Playa, Poseidon Resort and Hotel La Estacion. Poseidon’s Commercial Director attended, together with Department of Tourism representatives, to get to know the Dutch customers first-hand and promote everything the city has to offer. Benidorm reaffirmed its commitment to Dutch tourists, who have a medium-high purchasing power and tend to visit in the autumn/winter months when the Netherlands are typically very cold.

F O R B E S T R AT E S I N M OTO R I N S U R A N C E CALL: 951 277 455

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Photo credit: Tango717

Whining about cava

CAVA: Requena is giving Cataluña a run for its money in cava (inset) production. THE Cava Regulatory Committee asked the Ministry of Agriculture to restrict any increase in areas authorised to produce Spain’s ‘Champagne.’ This should be restricted to 0.1 hectares over the next three years the Regulatory Committee said, a proposal that Valencia’s AVA-Asaja agricultural union opposes. This would harm Requena’s burgeoning cava industry, the AVA-Asaja claimed. In contrast Catalan bodegas, which concentrate 95 per cent of production, would profit while those outside the region would suffer, the union said. “Cataluña wants to prevent Requena from producing more cava,” a union spokesman said.

60%

Photo credit 2: cyclone bill

“But it would be senseless to put the brakes on an activity that is growing and has an increasing demand.” Of the 159 municipalities where cava is produced, 132 are in Cataluña, with the remainder located in La Rioja, the Basque Region, Zaragoza, Navarra, Badajoz and Requena. A total of 36,000 hectares of land are given over to cava-production, of which onof Spaniards between the ages of 18-65 do not do ly 7,000 are outside Cataluña. any sports or physical activity according to a health Most of this - 4,000 hectares - is survey by insurance company Linea Directa. located in Requena.

NEWS

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS EXTRA

Success for student TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Estela Marti Simo from Denia travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam recently, where she was awarded the prize for excellence in the Silk Road University Network (SUN)’s first ever writing contest.

It begins CONSTRUCTION works have begun at the new Marina Real development in Denia. A complex of 80 houses complete with a swimming pool will be erected on the site located on Calle Castor.

No decision THE Ministry of Education has proposed that instead of refurbishing the El Trinquet school in Pedreguer, it should be demolished and completely rebuilt - its fate is to be decided before the end of the year.

Open again MASYMAS (Juan Fornes Fornes, SA) reopened its newly refurbished Benitachell store last week, boasting locally caught fresh fish and seafood and a new ‘kitchen’ section, where takeaway food is prepared daily.

Buzzed off THE treatment against Xylella fastidosa is threatening thousands of beehives in Bolulla and Tarbena. Beekeepers have said the fumigation of the plots affected by the plague is likely to affect this year’s production of medlar honey.

Hiker saved A 60-YEAR-OLD French hiker from Pedreguer was airlifted to safety after fainting on the Segaria mountain - the man had been walking with two friends.

THE Valencia region’s government is a PSOE-Com promis coalition that needs Podemos onside to ensure its parliamentary majority. It could soon lose this support when it tries to put through the 2018 Budget unless the PSOE agrees to include a tourist tax. The tax proposed by the

Arm-twisting over tax Podemos party and backed by Compromis is opposed by most of the PSOE socialists including the regional president, Ximo Puig and Tourism chief, Francesca Colomer.

The Consell, equivalent to Puig’s Cabinet, is prepared to make a ‘gesture’ to Podemos with a committee or an amendment introduced at some in the future, but nothing more.

Vice-president, Monica Oltra, who belongs to Compromis, has avoided any mention of introducing the tax next year but stressed that she was always ready to study matters that affect the

voting agreement with Podemos. The regional government is adamant that applying a tourist tax in 2018 is unviable and Ximo Puig has maintained that a measure bringing ‘at best €20 or €30 million’ should not be central to a €20 billion Budget.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo credit: Juan Carlos

A welcome change of direction

NEWS

NEWS EXTRA

To me to you FIREFIGHTERS worked for four hours pumping 40,000 litres of water from a leak in the basement of the shopping centre at Denia Ibiza port last weekend.

Red-handed

ALMOND GROVE: Trees need seven years to bear fruit. LOCAL agricultural growers welcomed a possible easing of Xylella fastidiosa restrictions. Stringent EU directives at present require the destruction of infected trees and those within a 100-metre radius. As a result, approximately 500 almond trees in inland Alicante Province have been uprooted and shredded to stem the plague that is spread by flying insects. Regulations ban replanting for five years but the regional government has been in touch with the national government’s Ministry of Agri-

culture and Brussels in hopes of cutting this to two. “This is good news,” the Asaja Young Farmers’ Union said, since almonds take seven years to bear fruit and regenerating a plantation would currently require 12 years. Until now eradicating the plague has been limited to uprooting and shredding the trees, but the new approach would allow growers to plant species that are not hosts for the deadly bacterium, said Asaja’s Technical secretary Ramon Espinar. “The regional government’s tunnel vision is widening a little instead of

laying waste to everything without offering an alternative,” Espinar added. Some varieties of almonds and olives are resistant to Xylella, he pointed out, and studies are underway in Baleares, where the first Spanish cases were detected, to determine which trees would be suitable. Asaja also believes that healthy trees should not be felled but only those infected or suspected of harbouring the bacterium. There was still some way to go, Espinar said, although Asaja welcomed the Generalitat’s change of direction.

A 57-YEAR-OLD Italian scammer was caught redhanded in Benissa and arrested. He had three search and detention orders issued on him, one from Gran Canaria, one from Madrid and another from Italian authorities.

Two hired DENIA Council has received a €24,358 grant from the European Social Fund and the Servef Youth Initiative to hire two unemployed young people on full-time contracts for a period of six months.

NEWS

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

By Kat Ashton THE ‘Padron’ is the town hall’s list of everyone who lives in the vicinity. It is the local authorities’ way of keeping track of how many people live in the area without delving into their financial affairs. Everyone who lives in Spain is legally required to get themselves on this list, yet there are many expatriates who have yet to do so, or are not aware this is something they need to do. What are the benefits? There are many benefits of ‘Empadronarse’ - the act of registering yourself on the ‘Padron’ - which could make a significant difference to your time in Spain. As the residence certificate (‘Certificado de Empadronamiento’) is your official proof of address, you will need it if you want to register for healthcare, enrol your children in Spanish schools or get Spanish number plates for your car. You can only have access to certain benefits and social care services provided by the town hall if you are registered on this list. It also helps to improve local services, such as health centres, fire department and schools, if you register as the Spanish government allocates money to different towns depending on how many people are on the ‘Padron.’ It is also required if you want to take part in local or European elections as this is how the census office gets their information to

Are you registered? Why it’s important for expats to get on the ‘Padron’

ON THE LIST: There are a multitude of benefits. put together the electoral register. What do you need to register? To get on the ‘Padron’ list, you just have to take the following documents to your lo-

cal town hall: • Your passport and a photocopy. • NIE certificate or residency card issued by the National Police Foreign Office.

• Proof of ownership of property (either your deeds or a rates receipt in your name and a photocopy). • If you are renting a property, bring the rental contract in Spanish and a photocopy. • If you don’t own a property and are not renting, you need to bring the owner of the dwelling in order for them to sign the registration form to authorise you to register at the property. • All family members over the age of 18 must sign the registration form in person. For children, the birth certificates and passport have to be presented, but the form can be signed by parents. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes, and then you will be issued with a certificate of registration with your name, NIE number and address on it. The information you provide when you register is kept confidential and is protected by data protection laws. You will need to renew the certificate again every two years if you registered with a passport or NIE number or five years if you registered with your residence card. If you are asked to provide the certificate under any circumstances, the date of issue should not be older than three months. If this is the case, you can ask the town hall to print you a new one. If you leave Spain, you must inform the town hall before you go so you will be taken off the ‘Padron.’

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

Beach bar stays closed AN Alicante court upheld the closure of a bar on the Varadero beach in Villajoyosa. It was shut down by Villajoyosa Town Hall last September as a precautionary

measure following claims that the owners had not respected the terms of the concession. The chiringuito owners appealed against the temporary closure but the Alicante

court ruled that there were no grounds for reversing it. Costas, the Ministry of the Environment’s coastal authority, allowed the chiringuito to partly occupy the maritime-terrestrial strip - a public right-of-way - on condition that some of the installation could be used by the public. Instead, a solarium and children’s play area were a clients-only zone, complained nearby residents, who were also inconvenienced by fumes and cook-

ing smells from the kitchen. The bar put on live music, not allowed for in its contract, and the owners had attached cables and lights to nearby palm trees, they said. A spokesman claimed that Villajoyosa Town Hall was persecuting the chiringuito’s owners who were given only days to rectify smoke extractors or install a noise limiter. “But they could not comply because the restaurant was closed down before the time limit was up,” he said.

Liar got it in the neck A MONFORTE DEL CID resident who squandered €400 initially claimed that he had been mugged. He made a formal complaint to the Guardia Civil, displaying bruises that he said were inflicted during ‘a brutal attack.’ As the investigation progressed, Guardia Civil investigators concluded that the supposed victim’s ordeal was nothing more than a montage. He finally admitted that his injuries were self-inflicted and he invented the story so that his partner and family would not know he had spent the cash “on a wild night out.”

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS Photo credit: Dilema

SAN VICENTE: Buildings in the Old Town will be respected.

Building licences put on hold SAN VICENTE will not grant planning permission in its Old Town for the next two years. This period will be used to draft new regulations but meanwhile it will not be possible to construct, extend or demolish buildings in the area between the Plaza de España, Calle Mayor, Plaza del Pilar, Calle Dominguez Margarit and the Municipal Market. The Old Town was built over

a period of time and modified at different stages in the past, explained the town hall’s Territory and Infrastructure Advisory Committee. Only the present Town Development Plan (PGOU) has made provision for substituting existing buildings, the Committee added. Suspending building licences is a safeguard contemplated in the region’s Land Use Laws to provide time to study

or reform new zoning regulations, said San Vicente’s councillor for Town Planning, Mari lo Jorda. This breathing space would be used to draft protection plans, she added. San Vicente’s mayor, Jesus Villar visited the Old Town with Jorda stressed the importance of having a system to protect and respect San Vicente’s heritage while avoiding ‘situations of negative visual impact.’

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

PROTESTERS in more than 50 cities across Spain marched to protest violence against women. To commemorate the 2017 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, people took part in demonstrations across Spain to rally against violence against women and girls. As well as holding marches through the streets of all major towns and cities, including Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga capital, organisers also arranged talks, presentations and minutes of silence held in memory of the victims who lost their lives to gender violence. While speaking to the

www.euroweeklynews.com

NATIONAL

Abuse awareness Photo by Ayuntamiento de Malaga

ON THE MARCH: The protest in Malaga City. Spanish press, Pedro Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) denounced violence

against women and girls, saying that “each murder is a failure of society as a whole.”

The PSOE leader also condemned the murder of a German woman in Vinaros, Castellon last Friday, saying that the high number of deaths from gender violence each year was proof of “how much remains to be done to achieve effective equality between men and women.” More than 1,000 women in Spain have been murdered by their partners or ex-partners since 2001, according to data collected by a Spanish media outlet, including 45 deaths this year alone.

NATIONAL

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

SPANISH beauty queen Sofia del Prado declared herself “not entirely satisfied” despite a top 10 finish in the Miss Universe 2017 pageant. The 22-year-old from Albacete in Castilla-La Mancha followed up her victory in September’s Miss Universe Spain by wowing the judges at the international extravaganza at the Planet Hollywood resort in Las Vegas. She performed particularly well in the swimsuit section but was let down by her evening gown score. And the stunner took to Instagram in the wake of the glittering event famously owned by Donald Trump until 2015 - to review the experience. “A top 10 place is quite good considering there were 90 contestants,” she wrote. “But I think I could have finished higher.” The competition was won by South Africa’s Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, while British entrant Anna Burdzy, 25, also did herself proud after placing in the top 16.

Photo by Miss Universe/Twitter

She’s a total knockout!

SIZZLING: Sofia in the swimsuit lineup.

Going cheap A HOMEOWNER has advertised her flat for rent in a trendy suburb of Valencia at half the going rate. But there is a chilling reason for the bargain price. Her neighbours say the owner has been too honest about the reason for the rent reduction. An advertisement posted by a middle-aged ‘Anglo-Saxon’ woman called Cathy, who works at a local school, read, ‘Apartment for rent in Calle Sueca, Valencia. €580 a month. 120 square metres, four bedrooms, second floor.’ “In September there was a murder in the flat. That’s why it’s cheap.” Furious neighbours told the El Pais newspaper, “Everyone here is trying to put this behind us and we don’t understand how an educated person can do something like that.” The advertisement has since

Photo by Google Maps

Flat owner rents murder scene

FLAT BARGAIN: Calle Sueca in Valencia and (inset) Pierre Danilo Larancuent. been removed from the Idealista website. The previous tenant of the flat was Swedish citizen Pierre Danilo Larancuent who murdered his boyfriend, Alberto Enrique Ferrer, a 42-year-old hairdresser, by stabbing him through the heart before chopping up his body and hiding the torso in a suitcase. At the time a downstairs

neighbour said he saw a red stain appear on his ceiling. Police said the murderer cut up his victim in the bath before getting rid of the body parts. Once the suitcase was found, police traced bloodstains back to Larancuent’s apartment. When two policemen asked him to identify himself, Larancuent stabbed one fatally in the heart before he was shot dead.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

Advertising feature

Non resident income tax Carlos Baos We can help you.

AS we do every year, we wish to remind readers who are non-tax residents in Spain, that they are still obliged to pay income taxes in Spain, even if they do not have any Spanish income, just because they own a Spanish property or a share of it. If you live in Spain, are not registered with the tax office as a tax resident or you do not submit taxes as tax residents, you could be legally considered as a nontax resident, as no notice has been given to the tax authority.

Non-tax residents could be liable to pay wealth tax but only if the value of their assets in Spain (after deducting debts such as outstanding mortgage capital) is above â‚Ź600,000 in the Community of Valencia, that means the provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellon.

Non-tax residents are still obliged to pay income taxes.

If you are a non-tax resident in Spain (or you are not legally tax resident in Spain), you will need to pay tax for income in Spain (Income Tax for Non-Residents, IRNR): for example,

rents from a letting, interest on bank accounts, etc. However, if you do not have any income but own a property or a share in a property, your tax bill will be based on a calculation, called Cadastral Value (value that appears on your Spanish local rates receipt from the town hall, the SUMA office or the equivalent). Even now it is quite common for people who are nonfiscal residents in Spain (or not legally tax resident in Spain) to simply not pay this tax; usually due to ignorance or neglect and especially when they have no income in Spain and only own a house. Please note, however, that if you let your property in Spain, you have an obligation to submit the taxes

every three months and not just once a year. If you are not sure whether you are legally or officially a tax resident or non-tax resident, we can assist you by studying your personal situation. Please bear in mind that the tax declaration for 2016 (when the property is not let out, etc.) must be presented before the end of this year, 2017. If you are a non-tax resident, do not forget to meet your tax obligation if you want to avoid a possible tax inspection with resultant penalties, do contact us and we will try to help you. The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice, it merely conveys general information relating to legal issues.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NATIONAL

EXPORT CRISIS: Spanish ham.

On a knife edge Chinese ham demand causes shortage SPAIN is in danger of running short of one of their most beloved delicacies. According to Spanish media sources, Chinese consumers have developed a love for the top-of-the-range Iberian ham, but their demand for the product is now threatening to exhaust supply. As the best quality ham takes a long time to produce, the increase in exports of China have put pressure on producers and raised prices by nearly 10 per cent. The priciest ham on the market, jamon iberi-

co de bellota - made from pigs that graze on acorn-rich pastures for months on end - is reportedly the most in-demand in China but is also cured for the longest amount of time. To try to speed up the process, the Chinese have allegedly started to import frozen ham legs and cure it themselves but the result is often much saltier. The country have become such afficionados of the gourmet product that they have even opened specialised academies to train their own ham slicers.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo by Twitter

NATIONAL

Eyes on the prize Spanish snappers claim top spots

NATURE PRIZE: Good Morning Damian Shan by overall winner Jesus M Garcia.

Muggles behaving badly A 4,000-YEAR-OLD megalithic tomb in Vigo, Galicia was vandalised with the ‘Deathly Hallows’ symbol from J K Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The symbol, which represents the ‘Resurrection Stone,’ the ‘Cloak of Invisibility,’ and the ‘Elder Wand’ in the books, was spray painted onto the ancient monument along with the word ‘Always.’ The ancient monument is considered

one of the top tourist attractions in the town of Vigo, Galicia, and is a renowned example of megalithic stone building from the Spanish occupation by the Moors. The tomb is allegedly located on private property but is managed by local officials. According to Spanish media sources, authorities are on the hunt for the culprits, who could face a fine of up to €150,000.

SPANISH photographers have finished first and second in a major international contest. It comes as Jesus M Garcia from Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain was crowned the 2017 Photographer of the Year in the Epson International Pano Awards. His stunning shots of the sun rising over Damian Shan in China, a foggy night in his home city of Toledo, and Whuzi Hill in China saw him bag the trophy. The Damian Shan photo also scooped the Open Award for nature and landscapes, while the built environment and architecture gong was won by fellow countryman and overall runner-up Javier

STUNNING: Toledo City Foggy Night by Jesus M Garcia. de la Torre for his brooding capture of Shanghai, China. And the 2017 Major Amateur Winner was British lensman Darren Moore, who triumphed with an image of a row of beach huts in Essex.

Emergency calls to report a traffic accident were

24,918 made in Andalucia from January to October this year, a 12 per cent increase on the same period in 2016.

ARCHITECTURE PRIZE: Flying Shanghai by Javier de la Torre.

26 October - 1 november 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

The good life

Unsocial media

ALFAZ has joined the International Association of Educating Cities, a non-profit-making organisation founded in 1994. The association now has 488 members from 36 countries who share a common goal of working together on projects and activities to improve their inhabitants’ quality of life through active involvement.

THE itinerant exhibition No em toques el WhatsApp (Don’t touch my WhatsApp) is currently on show at the L’Arabi high school. Organised by Valencia’s Youth Insitute (IVAJ) it centres on eliminating gender violence while stressing the right to equality, respect and freedom from bullying via the social media.

NEWS

Photo by Alfaz town hall

Newest technology for ancient history

GEO-DETECTION: Getting to the bottom of Albir’s Roman past. By Linda Hall

GREAT FOOD: In a delightful environment.

Great food that simply Sizzles in Albir THERE are plenty of ordinary restaurants around the world but when a new and innovative kitchen opens, then people start talking about it. This is true of Sizzle in Albir which is run by German owner, Rene and his Irish wife, Fiona, with the intention of presenting a very special range of food to local residents and visitors. Although relatively new to the area, the restaurant is receiving a lot of very positive comments about the unusual food options and the quality

of the meat that is served. M u c h o f th e fo o d is served on a sizzling stone so that you can choose exa c tly h o w w ell d o n e y ou want your juicy steak to be. T h e re are s o man y o ptions including the seafood platter, home smoked ribs and a range of food suitable for vegetarians. The latest innovation to be offered in this friendly and comfortable restaurant is the brand new ‘El Macho’ burger weighing 250 grams which is made from 65 days dry aged

meat covering a centre of Emmental cheese plus three additional cheeses and a Jack Daniel’s based sauce.

‘E l M ac ho’ burger weighing 250 grams which is made from 65 days dry aged meat. Determined to offer efficient service with a superb dining experience, guests are made to feel at home in the

recently opened Sizzle restaurant in Albir. Situated at Oscar Esplá 7 in Albir and serving food from noon until 11pm, seven days a week, reservations aren’t always necessary but for those who like to be sure of a table, you can call 657 262 790, email sizzlerestaurante@gmail.com or visit the Sizzle Facebook page which shows a range of the delicious dishes available.

You can take your hat off AN Escoles Velles exhibition commemorates the Spanish women, who more than a century ago, described themselves as ‘hatless.’ At the recent inauguration writer, poet and university lecturer, Jose Luis Vicente Ferris, explained that the group of thinkers and artists born between 1898 and 1914, broke away from the stereotypes of their time. Living and developing their artistic activities in Madrid, they would remove their hats in public in an era when a hatless woman was considered shameless.

A CADIZ UNIVERSITY (UCA) team are using ground-penetrating radar to explore the Albir subsoil. They are concentrating on the protected area that surrounds the Roman villa, first discovered in 1979 and excavated during the 80’s and 90’s. Alfaz’s Culture department and Alicante University are backing this geophysical prospection that should provide important information and determine the area that the late Roman settlement occupied. UCA’s Geo-detection Unit, coordinated by Lazaro Lagostena will reveal details of unexcavated zones and the possible existence of further remains, explained Alfaz’s Culture councillor, Mayte Garcia. The operation, part of the Patrimonio Virtual project directed by UCA’s, Jaime Molina Vidal, is examining the area between the Camino Vieja de Altea, the seafront, Calle Andromeda and Avenida de Albir. This area includes the Villa Romana and Mausoleum as well as a possible necropolis, Molina Vidal said, and the noninvasive technique will allow the archaeologists to learn more without having to excavate. “When this area was developed, digs were carried out using the methods available in the 80’s and material was collected but not documented,” he explained. “In places, where no previous excavations have been made, any information we obtain will be fundamental because it will provide a record and a better understanding of this zone’s history.”

Concert to stamp out disease ALFAZ’S newly-formed branch of Rotary Club International organises its first fundraising concert at 8pm tomorrow (Friday). There is a recital by Jovenes Prodigios, pupils from the Franz Liszt Centre for Perfecting Young Talents. They will be performing at Casa de Cultura. All money raised through the €5 entrance free will go entirely towards eradicating polio. The local Rotary Club presi-

dent, Caroline Bjalstam, MaiLis Bruse, who contracted polio as a child, and the Franz Liszt Centre’s director, Isaac Istvan Szekely, who is also the Rotary International secretary, visited the town hall where they met Alfaz’s mayor, Vicente Arques, councillors and town hall staff. They explained the work that the Rotary Club’s one million members have been carrying out worldwide since 1979 to eliminate polio.

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

NEWS

British resident receives British Empire Medal BRITISH AMBASSADOR to Spain Simon Manley presented Teulada-Moraira resident Sylvia Tatnell with a British Empire Medal last week. British Empire Medals are awarded twice annually by Her Majesty The Queen and recognise meritorious civil or military service. Sylvia, who moved to Teulada-Moraira in 1971, was presented with the medal for her services to British residents and the wider community here in Spain.

She was a local councillor for 25 years and Head of Social Services. Silvia is now President of the Teulada-Moraira Alzheimer’s Society (AFA) and helps the municipality’s most vulnerable residents. She was surrounded by her family and friends at the award ceremony and said: “I am overwhelmed. I decided to go into politics 25 years ago, because I felt I could be of help to fellow British residents in Spain. I

am deeply honoured to have received this award, which is a fantastic encouragement to continue assisting people in need.” She also expressed her greatest thanks to former mayors Antoni Joan Bertomeu and Pepe Ciscar who attended the award ceremony - for their support whilst she worked at the town hall. Silvia is now entitled to sign using the post-nominal letters ‘BEM.’

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

This Sunday

NEWS

THE CORAL CLASICA JAVIENSE (Javinese Classical Choir) will take to the stage at the church of Loreto in Javea Port this Sunday with the Orquesta de la Marina Alta to perform the second part of J S Bachâ€™s Christmas Oratorio. Tickets cost â‚Ź15 and are available on the door or in advance from Humpty Dumpty.

Arrested for sexually assault of children A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested in Javea accused of sexually assaulting two children. The investigation began after the victim filed a complaint with the Guardia Civil. The children described how they met the accused just one day prior to the incident and he later added them on Facebook. The man messaged the victims on Facebook and invited them to watch some shooting stars with him in the isolated area near the Ermita del Calvario.

ERMITA DEL CALVARIO: Scene of the alleged incident. The children obliged and met with the accused again. Taking advantage of the darkness and remoteness of the site, the man allegedly sexually assaulted the victims.

It took the Guardia Civil less than 24 hours to locate and arrest the accused after analysing Facebook and identifying him. He remains in custody awaiting trial.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Wheely good news

Forest fire

NEARLY seven months later, Andres Contreras - one of the three surviving cyclists of the accident that occurred on the N-332 in May – is back on his bicycle. He cycled 17 kilometres from his home in Javea to Gata and back last Sunday and captured the ride on video, which will be used to make a documentary.

FIREFIGHTERS extinguished a fire that broke out in Javea last weekend. The emergency services were called to the forest area in the Portixol on Saturday. Thanks to the speed at which the fire was controlled, it was not necessary to evict any neighbours in the area.

NINTEY-ONE-YEAR-OLD local painter Rosa Cortell Valles has donated almost all her works to Caritas in Javea. The organisation will sell the paintings to raise funds for the needy. Rosa, originally from Javea herself, emigrated to France in the late 1950s, fleeing the hardship of the post-war period. In France, in addition to finding work (and love!), she trained in fine art and developed her practice with a paintbrush. Rosa, who signs her paintings as Rosa Gonzalez (the

Photo credit Javea Ayuntamiento

A gift from me to you

HERE’S ONE I MADE EARLIER: Rosa together with Caritas representatives. surname she took from her husband when she married

in France), specialises in painting landscapes and na-

ture scenes. The works donated to Caritas mostly depict the agricultural and mountainous settings of the Alps and Avignon, France where she lived until she returned to Javea in 2000. The collection also includes paintings of riaraus and typical Marina Alta villages. Caritas acts as a social safety net, providing a food bank, a clothing store, help in preventing eviction proceedings, grants to pay for utilities, help to improve people’s job prospects, household essentials and school supplies for children.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

COMMUNITY

Your Christmas shopping - sorted! Hair AMATA has organised a beautiful Christmas market for the first time in the middle of Benigembla. The main attraction is a live nativity scene, with craft people playing the part of Joseph and Mary. Joseph will give carpentry demonstrations and Mary will produce wool using a spinning wheel. There will be a local tavern, stalls with Christmas decorations and local delicacies as well as an arts-and-crafts exhibition. There will also be traditional Christmas music and live music by Solredo at the market, which runs from December 8 to 10. The craft people will not only show (and sell) what they have made, but many of them will also be at work, so you can ask questions on techniques, tools and materials. Quite a few even speak some English (or French or

SILENT NIGHTS: The fair’s nativity scene with Joseph and Mary.

THE Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir will be filling the Santa Maria Magdalena church in Benitachell once again this year for their annual Christmas carol concert. It’s always standing room only at this beautiful church and this year the choir are promising a great programme of festive songs, old and new, with some traditional carols which

German). There will be a blacksmith, a potter who makes beautiful Raku pottery and lets you have a go at making your own little bowl or cup, stalls with different styles of candles and ample choice of presents for children and adults. Amata has been organising craft fairs over the last 20 years and makes sure that everything on sale is handmade by the participants. As Friday December 8 is a bank holiday, the fair will be open all day from 11am to 9pm, with the usual break for lunch from 2pm to 5pm. On Saturday, the opening times are also from 11am till 2pm and from 5pm to 9pm, but on Sunday it is only open in the morning, until about 2pm. For more information ring: 639 979 678 or visit: www.amata.es.

Get into the festive spirit the congregation can join in with. The concert will be held on December 13 at 7pm. Entry to the concert is free but there will be a collection on exit.

The choir have also been invited to take part in a carol service in the Iglesia de Santa Catalina Martir in Teulada old town on December 14 at 8pm. Once again, entry is free.

today WINNIES Cafe Bar in La Cala de Finestrat is holding a charity event to raise money for Help International tomorrow (Friday). The Barbershop BM of Calle Almeria, Benidorm (just off the beach front Levante) shall be donating their skills and time to offer traditional cut throat shaves or hair cuts for a donation of €5 per person. Kevyn Noble (the owner of Winnies) has been growing a full beard and won’t have shaved the whole of November, or ‘Movember’, so it can all be shaved off on the day. The event will start at 11am and there will also be a charity raffle and collections for Help International, who fund many worthwhile causes including cancer.

COMMUNITY

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Festive dates for the diary

GOOD TIDINGS: The English Choir of Teulada/Moraira invites you to join them at their annual Christmas concert.

The most wonderful time of the year IT’S that time of the year again and the English Choir of Teulada/Moraira is well into rehearsal for their annual Christmas concert. Following the sell out success of A Little Light Music in the autumn, the choir is hoping for another full house and to making another substantial donation to the Alzheimer’s day centre as well as spreading some seasonal goodwill. The Christmas concert promises to be great fun with plenty of audience participa-

tion. Carol sheets will be provided and the congregation will be invited to join in with old favourites such as Good King Wenceslas, Deck the Halls, Silent Night and many, many more. Under the mighty baton of Joanna Baldwin and fantastic organist, Heather Butcher, the choir will sing for you the theme from The Snowman, then the very dramatic March of the Kings and Schonberg’s Bethlehem. They will also delight you with Angel Tidings, Little

Drummerboy, Winter Wonderland and The 12 Days of Christmas in Moraira Parish Church at 7pm on Wednesday December 6. To pre-order your tickets contact Janet Brown on: 965 745 091 or email her at: janet brown craft@gmail.com. Tickets are €5 each and proceeds will go towards Church funds and the Alzheimer’s Society. For any further information about the choir or future events please phone Judith on 966 480 195.

LIKE churches around the world, the Church of England on the Costa Blanca is preparing for Christmas. This year the Chaplaincy has formed a choir and will present The Gift, by Graham Kendrick. They will sing their hearts out on the following dates: December 5, 7pm: Calpe Church (La Merced). December 8, 8pm: Denia Church. December 13, 7pm: Albir Church. There are other carol services and worship up and down the Costa Blanca, including carols and readings: December 4, 3.45pm: La Fustera Service of nine lessons and carols. December 6, 6.30pm: Gandia Carol Service. December 8, 10.30am: Javea Christmas Coffee Morning at the home of Carol Buchanan. €5 cava draw. (For more information please contact Pamela Pittar by email: pam.pittar@gmail.com, or Gill Atkinson at petergillatkinson@ya hoo.co.uk. December 9, 1pm: Calpe - Carols in the old town. December 10, 10.45am: Javea Christmas Hamper Raffle. For more

information, please contact Pamela Pittar by email: pam.pittar@gmail.com, or Gill Atkinson at petergillatkinson@ya hoo.co.uk. December 11, 3pm: Albir - Carols on the Beach by the Albir Anchor. December 12, 4pm: Javea - Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. December 14, 4pm: Calpe - Carol Service at the Merced church. December 16, 4.30pm: El Campello Carol Service. December 18, 5pm: Albir - Candlelit Carol Service. December 24, 11.30pm: Javea Midnight Mass. The Eucharist will be celebrated in all our churches on Christmas Day at t he usual Sunday ser vi ce times: Albir - 9.45am, Javea - 9.45am, Calpe - 10.30am, Denia - 11.45am, El Campello - 12.00, Gandia - 12.00 and La Fustera - 12.00. For information on the activities of the church, contact details and service times visit: costablanca-an glicanchaplaincy.org. For services in the southern Costa Blanca (as far south as La Manga and Hondon de las Nieves) visit: cof-e-torrevieja.com.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

COMMUNITY

PANTO JUNIORS: Back row: Emily, Charlotte and Maya. Front row: Izabel, Aliyah, Daisy and Laura.

Party at the Panto ‘ROBIN HOOD - The Panto’, directed by Marian Carter, is coming to the Careline Theatre in Alcalali. Written by Peter Denyer, it has all the traditional ingredients of the classic pantomime, with ‘The Babes in the Wood’ as the twist in the tale. With Careline’s trademark professional touch, it’s sure to be a hit with the whole family. Opening night will be ‘Party at the Panto’ with a free glass of cava plus nibbles. Donations from this production will be going to

Help of Denia and Marina Alta, MABS and Jalon Valley Help. Seats are €12, with children under 10 years €8. Pre-paid groups of 10 or more adults are €11. Performance dates are Thursday January 18 to Sunday January 21 at 8pm, with matinees on Saturday January 20 and Sunday January 21 at 3pm. To reserve your tickets, contact the Box Office on the new number: 605 181 726 or email: carelineboxoffice@gmail.com.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

NORWAY

NETHERLANDS

Off the hunt

Big move

WOLF hunting in Norway has been temporarily suspended after the World Wide Fund for Nature sued a court in Oslo, demanding they examine current laws on controlling the wolf population.

Raised voices MORE than 1,000 Norwegian artists have condemned sexual assault and harassment in a new manifesto published by the national media, claiming the problems are as prevalent there as in other countries.

Black protest

conduct by retailers.

LEADING THE PACK: The wolf population is on the rise in Germany, while hunters in Norway have also been banned from shooting them.

Royal recovery KING HARALD of Norway was submitted to hospital to receive treatment for an infection, but the 80-year-old is now believed to be in good health.

THE owner of an online shop in Norway has announced he will double his prices on Black Friday to protest ‘irresponsible’

GERMANY

Packed full THE wolf population in Germany is reportedly on the rise, with research

THE European Medicines Agency has decided to relocate 1,000 of their London-based staff to Amsterdam as the EU organisation will be unable to stay in their current UK headquarters after Brexit.

Roof rip-off

Hot spot

Housing boom

TOURISM in the Netherlands increased by 5.5 per cent last y e a r, a c c o r d i n g t o r e p o r t s b y Statistics Netherlands and the World Tourism Organisation, beating the European average of 2.4 per cent.

HOUSE prices in the Netherlands were 8.2 per cent higher in October than they were at the same time in 2016, marking the biggest increase since 2002 according to Statistics Netherlands.

A MAN from Cork, Ireland is on trial in the Netherlands for allegedly running a roof repair fraud scheme that scammed several senior Dutch citizens.

DENMARK

Cut short THE life expectancy in Germany was revealed to be significantly lower than that in many other European countries as the 80.7 year average ranked 18th among the 28 EU countries.

EUROPEAN PRESS

Sympathy vote showing that there are now 60 packs of wolves living across the country; 13 more than last year.

was reported by a member of a prolife organisation.

Killer owns up

Grey matter A DOCTOR faces up to two years in jail for providing financial information about abortions on her website ruled illegal in Germany - after she

A 40-YEAR-OLD truck driver has confessed to murdering a 27-year-old jogger in Freiburg, and is also suspected of killing a French exchange student in Austria in 2014.

FRANCE

BELGIUM

Smoked out

Waffle woes

A FRENCH senator has demanded that smoking in films be banned as she suggests that seeing film stars indulging in the deadly habit on screen makes it seem cool.

A HUGE fire at a waffle factory in Brussels caused delays on the Eurostar train between London and the Belgian capital, while residents were warned to close their windows due to the potentially toxic smoke.

Xmas threat PILOTS from the French budget airline Hop! have threatened to strike over Christmas if their request for better working conditions is not met, which could affect thousands of people.

Attraction axe COUNCILLORS in Paris have voted to get rid of the city’s riverside Ferris wheel to protect the area’s ‘historic visual appearance,’ after already scrapping the Champs-Elysees Christmas market because they felt it looked too ‘tacky.’

Job success CONFIDENCE in French business confidence hit a near 10-year-high in November according to French statistics agency INSEE, following President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to push through a major reform of French labour law.

Safe haven BELGIUM has issued visas to 150 Syrian refugees on humanitarian grounds, whose stay will be funded by religious groups, in an effort to stop human trafficking.

Gone to pot POLICE busted a huge cannabis farm in Jurbise and seized 2,100 plants that were spread across four growing rooms, but have yet to arrest those responsible.

Pricey present AN opinion poll from the myShopi app revealed that the average Belgian family with three children spends around €150 on presents from Father Christmas each year.

A COPENHAGEN councillor who resigned from her post after it emerged she used the city hall for her wedding reception free of charge was voted back into power in local elections.

Flight fright THE Independent Police Complaints Authority is investigating an incident which saw an Algerian man lose consciousness onboard an aircraft and die in hospita l t wo days l at er af t er a struggling with police who were deporting him.

Fluffy find VOLUNTEERS from an animal protection organisation found 46 rabbits running freely around a small apartment in Denmark many of which were injured - living in less than ideal conditions.

Balanced out DENMARK has been revealed to have the best work/life balance after a survey from TotallyMoney studied which countries offered the highest amount of leisure time and minimum working hours.

SWEDEN

Slavery stopped TWO men have been sentenced to more than four years in prison for operating a human trafficking network which lured people from Bulgaria to Sweden then forced them to beg on the streets.

Santa scrapped T H E S a n t a Wi n t e r G a m e s i n Sweden have been cancelled this year due to urban development in the town where they have been held since 2003 due to multiple construction projects.

Case buried A CASE against a Sweden Democrat politician, who allegedly sexually assaulted one of his colleagues, was dropped due to a lack of evidence, saying it was “word against word.”

Higher power THE Church of Sweden has urged its clergy to use gender-neutral language when referring to God as they have agreed that God is “beyond our gender determinations” and “not human.”

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

RUSSIAN PRESS

www.euroweeklynews.com

ICE FUN: Magical Christmas at Gorky Park.

A winter wonderland CHRISTMAS ice-skating has opened at Moscow’s Gorky Park. British music stars Maribou State and Holly Walker performed at the opening ceremony. The new rink is cube shaped and, like a Russian doll, has nine smaller rinks inside. There are 15 kilometres of LED strip lights.

High-rise Pisa TOY cars are rolling from one side of the room to another in a Nizhny Novogorod high rise now being described as Russia’s very own leaning tower of Pisa. More than 200 worried people live in the bendy building which began to tilt two years ago.

Health and safety HUNTING and gun sales will be banned in Yekaterinburg during the 2018 World Cup. The safety precaution will also see gun-owning residents banned from travelling with their weapons. Terrorist group Daesh have pledged to attack the summer football tournament, leading to a security crackdown.

Outraged conservatives in the Russian parliament demanded he apologise for insulting Soviet forces.

Rail birds SAKHALIN island will be connected to the Russian mainland in a huge infrastructure project. The 580-kilometre railroad will include a tunnel and will cost almost €10 billion. There has long been talk of connecting Sakhalin to the Japanese island of Hokkaido, creating a rail link between the two countries.

Elvis of opera ONE of the world’s greatest opera singers died in London. Dmitry Hvorostovsky, an acclaimed baritone from Krasnoyarsk, passed away from brain cancer aged 55. He performed Russian classics across the world, was best known for playing Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and was described as the ‘Elvis of opera.’

Sex scandal A MOSCOW university has been accused of a cover-up. A female student was threatened with expulsion unless she retracted allegations of sexual harassment. Other students have suggested that the Higher School of Economics is trying to avoid the embarrassment of a sex scandal.

Speech furore A TEENAGE student from Novy Urengoy who gave an anti-war speech in the German parliament has received threats. Nikolai Desyatnichenko expressed sadness over the fate of German POWs who perished in Soviet camps.

ELVIS: Handsome baritone was beloved by opera world.

FINANCE Investment bond lasts a millennium

A COMPANY in Denmark has seen its latest bond offer five times oversubscribed, even though the bond cannot be cashed in for 1,000 years. Orsted which builds wind farms is offering 2.25 per cent annual interest and could have raised €2.5 billion whilst analysts are surprised at how popular it has been. There is of course no guarantee that the company will still be trading in 3017 or that descendants of bond holders will still be around.

to be the last, group to have information compromised in this way, but what has horrified regulators around the world is that it kept the hacking secret for more than a year after reportedly paying a ransom of $100,000 (€84,000) to the hackers to have the data deleted. It is claimed by the company that no financial information had been taken and the head of security has since been dismissed

Photo by ICCI

BUSINESS EXTRA

Bank jobs SANTANDER Bank has reduced the number of redundancies that it expects to make following the takeover of Banco Popular from 1,585 to 1,384. Whilst this has been welcomed by the unions, they have asked the bank to consider keeping more staff in work.

Pakistan promotes EU trade THE Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Pakistan in Spain returned to Islamabad to encourage local businessmen to expand their exports to the EU using Spain as a base. He made it clear that Spain was an ideal partner both as a stepping stone for exports and as a customer for IT and marble products in particular. Advising those attending a meeting at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Counsellor Dr Muhammad Hamid Ali observed that the Mobile

By John Smith

The challenge for us as a nation is to prove them wrong,” said British Chancellor Philip Hammond after the Office for Budget Responsibility slashed its 2017 growth forecast from 2 per cent to 1.5 per cent.

DR ALI (in tie) being greeted at ICCI.

World Congress would be held in Barcelona next February and urged that the Pakistani business community of relevant sectors should take active participation in this event to explore new business opportunities. In addition it was suggested that as law and order had become much stronger in Pakistan that inward investment from Spain should also be encouraged and that the Pakistan Embassy and the ICCI would consider ways of assisting exporters to encourage increased trade with Spain.

Price drop DESPITE the fact that the average cost of luxury properties in Barcelona has dropped by 20 per cent, the actual market has collapsed by 50 per cent. This figure has been calculated by estate agents Barnes and covers the six weeks since the Catalan referendum.

EU support THE European Union, taking into account the potential financial losses to the Spanish economy since the Catalan crisis has accepted the forecasts for the next two years may be reduced. There is no plan to threaten penalties if this is the case.

Giving Tuesday suggested FORGET Black Friday says Giving Tuesday, a global movement supported by ecologists in Spain who last year raised €558,617 for 321 projects. The concept that they have is that the Tuesday following Thanksgiving should cele-

A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 6 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION | WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM/3.0.15/FINANCE

Uber ethics under question UBER, the private hire company which is surrounded by controversy, may face an EU fine of up to €20 million if they fail to alert consumers to security breaches again. The company which has seen its licence to operate rescinded in London and taxi drivers all over Spain striking because of its presence, recently admitted that it had been hacked and lost data covering 57 million customers and drivers. This is not the first, nor likely

EWN

the amount of compensation paid to claimants following Spanish natural €877.27 million isdisasters since 2005 according to the Insurance Compensation Consortium.

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal

Quote of the Week

Costa Blanca North

30 November - 6 December 2017

brate the action of giving food, money, time, second-hand objects or even blood to those worse off than oneself. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday, only Wednesday and Thursday are left without titles.

with offers of assistance being made to drivers but nothing to customers whose information was taken. A new General Data Protection Regulation is due to be enacted by the EU early next year which will require that companies have to notify data regulators about a breach within 72 hours of becoming aware of a hack. I n t h e e v e n t t h a t t h e y d o n ’t , then they can be fined 4 per cent of their global annual turnover or €20 million whichever is higher.

USA to tax olive imports DESPITE the recent warm meeting between Mariano Rajoy and Donald Trump, ‘Olivegate’ continues to be a problem and could result in annual import duties of up to €4.3 million. Following a complaint from Californian olive growers that Spanish exporters were receiving unfair subsidies of between 2.3 and 7.2 per cent, the US Commerce Department has agreed and will impose equivalent import duties on ripe Spanish olives entering America. Although the duties have been announced, it has been decided the matter is subject to final ratification in May 2018 alongside a number of other new duties aimed at protecting American producers.

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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

C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 27

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 1,450.00 -10.50 Associated British Foods 3,202.50 159.50 Admiral Group 1,917.50 31.50 Ashtead Group 1,881.00 -38.00 Antofagasta 967.00 -11.50 Aviva 497.50 -1.90 AstraZeneca 5,065.00 82.00 BAE Systems 540.00 -2.00 Babcock International Group 733.25 67.25 Barclays 189.25 -0.10 British American Tobacco 5,030.00 26.00 Barratt Developments 619.00 18.50 Berkeley Group Holdings 3,464.00 -211.00 British Land Co 616.50 -2.00 BHP Billiton 1,400.00 -10.50 Bunzl 2,160.00 24.00 BP 499.08 -2.22 Burberry Group 1,755.00 15.00 BT Group 257.40 10.95 Coca-Cola HBC 2,509.00 91.00 Carnival 4,980.00 22.00 Centrica 138.50 -0.50 Compass Group 1,555.50 45.50 Croda International 4,257.50 -45.50 CRH 2,773.50 124.50 ConvaTec Group 212.50 17.00 DCC 7,292.50 202.50 Diageo 2,640.00 17.50 Direct Line Insurance Group 395.00 38.10 Experian 1,560.00 -18.00 easyJet 1,364.00 -1.00 Ferguson 5,317.50 -2.50 Fresnillo 1,454.00 89.00 G4S 275.00 17.60 GKN 307.00 0.90 Glencore 362.50 0.15 GlaxoSmithKline 1,298.25 0.75 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,620.50 -2.12 Hammerson 519.50 5.00 HSBC Holdings 739.25 3.55 International Consolidtd Airs 598.50 2.50 InterContinental Hotels Grp 4,320.00 -24.00 3i Group 933.00 3.50 Imperial Brands 3,132.50 1.00 Informa 703.50 -56.50 Intertek Group 5,152.50 1.87 ITV 153.95 3.55 Johnson Matthey 3,080.00 -3.00 Kingfisher 318.50 2.40 Land Securities Group 923.00 6.00

% CHG. NET VOL -0.72 20,373.85 5.24 24,328.15 1.67 5,405.37 -1.98 9,600.11 -1.18 9,661.40 -0.38 19,895.58 1.65 63,291.11 -0.37 17,313.94 10.10 3,450.70 -0.05 32,171.40 0.52 115,804.34 3.08 6,286.81 -5.74 5,050.99 -0.32 6,208.18 -0.74 29,790.77 1.12 7,279.23 -0.44 99,156.58 0.86 7,465.41 4.44 24,695.27 3.76 8,882.39 0.44 10,481.38 -0.36 7,722.04 3.01 23,912.79 -1.06 5,640.69 4.70 22,176.69 8.70 3,864.66 2.86 6,332.99 0.67 65,299.53 10.68 4,900.50 -1.14 14,343.45 -0.07 5,465.58 -0.05 13,403.94 6.52 9,948.06 6.84 4,029.49 0.29 5,269.22 0.04 52,404.05 0.06 64,213.39 -0.13 7,612.81 0.97 4,132.70 0.48 146,138.53 0.42 12,225.70 -0.55 8,247.47 0.38 8,891.98 0.03 29,978.11 -7.43 6,192.40 0.04 8,343.89 2.36 6,134.72 -0.10 5,937.61 0.76 6,948.76 0.65 6,828.64

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Legal & General Group 263.00 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 65.99 London Stock Exchange Grp 3,803.50 Micro Focus International 2,565.00 Mediclinic International 672.50 Merlin Entertainments 362.40 Marks & Spencer Group 300.00 Mondi 1,796.00 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 212.50 National Grid 879.00 NMC Health 2,859.50 Next 4,362.50 Old Mutual Group 201.15 Paddy Power Betfair 8,560.00 Prudential 1,908.50 Persimmon 2,590.00 Pearson 705.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,460.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 268.00 Royal Dutch Shell 2,348.00 Royal Dutch Shell 2,350.50 RELX 1,610.00 Rio Tinto 3,650.00 Rolls-Royce Group 817.50 Randgold Resources 6,520.00 RSA Insurance Group 632.50 Rentokil Initial 326.90 Sainsbury (J) 229.60 Schroders 3,535.00 Sage Group (The) 844.75 Segro 557.75 Shire 3,710.00 Smurfit Kappa Group 2,327.50 Sky 962.50 Standard Life Aberdeen 420.25 Smiths Group 1,525.00 Scottish Mortgage Invstmnt Trst 460.60 Smith & Nephew 1,372.50 SSE 1,330.00 Standard Chartered 738.05 St James's Place 1,113.00 Severn Trent 2,186.50 Tesco 193.50 TUI AG 1,336.00 Taylor Wimpey 198.50 Unilever 4,142.50 United Utilities Group 778.75 Vodafone Group 225.00 Worldpay Group 414.75 WPP Group 1,267.50 Whitbread 3,555.00

CHANGE(P) -3.00 -0.10 27.50 -90.00 152.00 0.50 2.20 45.00 0.30 12.40 -6.05 56.50 8.55 -250.00 25.50 34.00 -3.00 -10.00 -2.80 10.50 -34.50 -154.00 -5.00 -69.00 -760.00 29.00 -0.48 2.20 78.00 40.25 0.65 -1.00 -39.50 22.50 1.25 22.00 -3.40 53.50 -14.00 -1.85 -73.00 80.50 0.90 -20.00 6.30 -118.50 -10.75 -0.50 -1.11 11.50 -21.00

% CHG. -1.13 -0.15 0.73 -3.39 29.20 0.14 0.74 2.57 0.14 1.43 -0.21 1.31 4.44 -2.84 1.35 1.33 -0.42 -0.15 -1.03 0.45 -1.45 -8.73 -0.14 -7.78 -10.44 4.81 -0.15 0.97 2.26 5.00 0.12 -0.03 -1.67 2.39 0.30 1.46 -0.73 4.06 -1.04 -0.25 -6.16 3.82 0.47 -1.47 3.28 -2.78 -1.36 -0.22 -0.27 0.92 -0.59

NET VOL 15,842.83 47,293.26 13,123.42 11,690.47 3,870.53 3,652.11 4,853.10 8,540.89 5,018.95 29,344.25 5,858.91 6,409.84 9,583.87 7,204.40 48,679.45 8,181.76 5,737.20 45,169.60 32,250.20 106,293.86 89,292.40 18,779.81 49,748.92 16,390.46 6,825.02 6,192.71 5,969.50 5,011.07 7,852.02 8,714.77 5,606.35 33,937.67 5,565.87 16,175.95 12,597.28 5,963.09 6,507.78 11,659.06 13,823.61 24,262.12 6,237.68 5,046.59 15,892.91 7,819.35 6,442.54 52,270.88 5,400.56 60,122.76 8,296.00 16,092.99 6,607.02

0.89511

1.11704 Units per €

US dollar ...............................................................1.19342 Japan yen .............................................................132.751 Switzerland franc..............................................1.16804 Denmark kroner ..............................................7.44243 Norway kroner.................................................9.70847 currenciesdirect.com/moraira • Tel: +34 966 265 072 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 27

COMPANY 3M AMERICAN EXPRESS APPLE BOEING CO CATERPILLAR CHEVRON CISCO SYSTEMS COCA-COLA DOWDUPONT 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 231,380 93,4800 174,970 265,880 137,390 116,51 36,490 45,88 71,16 81,42 18,1900 235,95 172,3300 151,84 44,7500 98,3200 138,0100 169,1100 54,35 83,260 59,32 35,4900 88,450 129,83 116,91 212,51 47,01 111,97 96,6200 102,6400

CHANGE% -0,09% -0,36% 0,01% 0,28% -0,45% 0,52% 0,11% 0,09% 0,79% 0,39% 0,22% -0,20% 0,16% 0,05% 0,22% -0,32% 0,52% 0,04% -0,04% 0,18% +0,42% 0,17% 0,14% -0,14% 0,15% +0,61% -0,19% +1,04% 0,22% -0,10%

CHANGE VOLUME(M) -0,200 137.811,80 -0,3400 81.140,29 0,010 898.350,57 0,730 158.352,42 -0,620 81.737,92 0,60 221.296,06 0,040 182.451,97 0,04 195.479,42 0,56 166.513,71 0,32 344.985,18 0,0400 157.745,23 -0,48 89.000,69 0,2700 201.238,12 0,07 140.599,94 0,1000 210.280,25 -0,3200 341.143,42 0,7200 370.766,63 0,0600 134.812,05 -0,02 148.073,14 0,150 641.288,84 0,25 77.250,82 0,0600 211.545,50 0,120 224.393,94 -0,18 35.533,94 0,18 93.392,75 1,29 205.965,60 -0,09 191.856,10 1,15 203.561,46 0,2100 288.623,42 -0,1000 158.422,89 M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 27

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Xcel Brands, Inc ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ATA Inc. Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Flexion Therapeutics, Inc. Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Great Elm Capital Group, Inc. Videocon d2h Limited Compugen Ltd. IRIDEX Corporation Melinta Therapeutics, Inc.

$ 2.65 $ 74.56 $ 5.10 $ 11.51 $ 26.32 $ 7.23 $ 4.20 $ 9.39 $ 2.80 $ 8.58 $ 15.25

0.4144 ▲ 18.54% 11.21 ▲ 17.70% 0.60 ▲ 13.33% 1.27 ▲ 12.40% 2.83 ▲ 12.05% 0.77 ▲ 11.92% 0.40 ▲ 10.53% 0.89 ▲ 10.47% 0.25 ▲ 9.80% 0.76 ▲ 9.72% 1.35 ▲ 9.71%

$ 36.20 $ 10.945 $ 25.80 $ 8.78 $ 20.36 $ 17.90 $ 8.75 $ 11.90 $ 3.77 $ 6.90 $ 5.52

4.45 ▼ 10.95% 1.335 ▼ 10.87% 2.45 ▼ 8.67% 0.69 ▼ 7.29% 1.45 ▼ 6.65% 1.25 ▼ 6.53% 0.60 ▼ 6.42% 0.80 ▼ 6.30% 0.25 ▼ 6.22% 0.45 ▼ 6.12% 0.35 ▼ 5.96%

Most Declined SMART Global Holdings, Inc. Net 1 UEPS Technologies, Inc. Editas Medicine, Inc. Tuniu Corporation Xencor, Inc. Hibbett Sports, Inc. Coherus BioSciences, Inc. Epizyme, Inc. Novelion Therapeutics Inc. Francesca's Holdings Corporation Maxwell Technologies, Inc.

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Pound reacts to budget & Brexit, EUR fluctuates on German concerns Ask the expert Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

STAYING on top of the latest currency news can help you time your transfers more effectively, so find out what you should be looking out for over the next couple of weeks… Latest currency news The pound lost much of its strength at the beginning of November, but GBP was able to rebound from its lowest levels as the month progressed. Over the past two weeks GBP/EUR has trended between a high of €1.13 and a nine-week low of €1.10. GBP/USD, meanwhile, has seen even choppier trading, moving between lows of US$1.30 and a three-week high of US$1.32. Over the same period, EUR/GBP fluctuated between £0.88 and £0.90 while EUR/USD ranged from US$1.16 to US$1.18. What’s been happening? The pound has largely recovered from the significant GBP sell-off inspired by the November 2 Bank of England (BoE) interest rate decision. Although the central bank increased interest rates at the November gathering, policymakers made it

CURRENCY MOVEMENT: The pound could climb if UK/EU trade negotiations get underway. clear that borrowing costs wouldn’t be increased again for a considerable period, leading to widespread pound losses. Political scandals also rocked market confidence in the government and its ability to deliver a smooth Brexit, further weakening the pound. Theresa May was faced with mounting pressure from within her own party to sack Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Secretary for International Development Priti Patel following separate diplomatic incidents, Then it emerged that 40 Tory MPs were prepared to sign a letter of no confidence in May.

Since then positive Brexit news has given the pound a lift, with hopes that trade negotiations could progress bolstered by reports the UK plans to up its offer to the EU for the Brexit bill. The UK Autumn Budget turned out to be a bit of a non-event, having little impact on GBP exchange rates. The euro, meanwhile, was caught between positive economic data and a less rosy outlook for monetary policy. The latest Eurozone data continues to largely suggest that the currency bloc economy is in robust health and is headed for its strongest year of growth since the financial crisis.

However, the European Central Bank (ECB) is unlikely to make any positive adjustments to monetary policy for some time, somewhat limiting the euro’s strength. The euro also came under pressure in response to the news that German coalition talks collapsed, leaving the nation without a working government two months after the election. What do you need to look out for? Over the next couple of weeks, the euro will be responsive to any political developments in Germany. If it looks as though the nation will have to head to the polls again, the euro could be pressured lower. The pound, meanwhile, could climb if it looks as though UK/EU trade negotiations will finally get underway. UK data to look out for includes the nation’s consumer confidence figure and Markit’s Manufacturing PMI, while the Eurozone is set to publish inflation figures and German employment data. At Currencies Direct we’re here to talk currency whenever you need us, so get in touch if you want to know more about the latest news or how it could impact your currency transfers. Since 1996 we’ve helped more than 210,000 customers with their currency transfers, just pop into your local Currencies Direct branch or give us a call to find out more.

Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca. Telephone: UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 SPAIN +34 950 478 914 Email: euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com

BBVA TESTS BLOCKCHAIN

NEW technology is being tested by BBVA which could speed up international transactions by days rather than hours. Many payments are made by use of a letter of credit which requires a great deal of physical work to actually set up and if there are any errors in the document then payment may be withheld. In the case of an agreement between a Barcelona-based company and a Mexican company for the purchase of 25 tons of frozen tuna, the bank issued the letter of credit using Blockchain technology. By allowing digital information to be distributed but not copied, Blockchain technology created the backbone of a new type of internet. Originally devised for the digital currency, Bitcoin, the tech community is now finding other potential uses for the technology. Initially, the most well-known example of Blockchain technology was Bitcoin the computer generated currency

Photo Credit: Daniel Penfield Wikimedia

New technology could speed up commerce

BLOCKCHAIN: IEEE Computer Society TechIgnite conference 2017.

EWN online Tweet us your opinions @euroweeklynews

which started as being worth less than the cost of a pizza and is now a whisker away from $10,000 (€8,377) for a single coin. Analysts believe that using the Blockchain procedures, a whole new and more efficient form of secure internet connectivity could be achieved in the not too distant future and this test by BBVA Bank is a major step forward in international commerce.

In this particular transaction, the entire documentation was completed in just two and a half hours rather than the normal seven to 10 days that a traditional letter of credit would take to be completed. Not only was the activity safe and made the entire transaction much more efficient, it allowed all parties to be able to view the documentation at the same time and to note any changes in delivery. Spain is particularly advanced in the use of new and developing technology and a recent European Union report which was very critical of the level of unemployment in Spain acknowledged that the number of students studying computers and programming was high and they were leaving university with much-needed skills and in demand. This innovative test by the bank could well pave the way for a massive increase in the use of Blockchain technology to speed up worldwide commerce.

Congress expected to approve new payment law A LAW pr oposed by t he Ciudadanos political party which could see fines as high as €819,780 for late payment of invoices is expect ed t o be appr oved by Congress. Research suggests that the larger the company, the later that payment is made and i n som e cases i t can t ake as l ong as 120 days when the legal requirement i s t o set t l e wi t hi n 60 days. Wi t hi n t he Eur opean Union, late payment occurs wi t h 30 per cent of pur chasers but in Spain the number is believed to be as high as 60 per cent which can have a crippling effect on the cash flow of smaller companies. Persistent offenders will face fines ranging from €406 to €819,780.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

Photo by Berkeley

EQUIPMENT: Ready for use at Retortillo.

www.facebook.com/euroweeklynews

THE Spanish arm of Australian mining corporation Berkeley has had an appeal against an environmental group stymying its €454 million uranium project rejected. A Madrid court reviewed a number of complaints raised by the company against Ecologistas en Acción and political party Equo which had started a legal attempt in 2016 to stop the company from operating an open cast mine in Retortillo, Salamanca. According to the environmentalists, the mining company’s environmental assessment failed to recognise that the uranium processing activities and nuclear debris disposal at the mine could potentially cause health problems to the residents of surrounding towns. Berkeley had seen a previous appeal rejected by the judges at the court of National Audience and the current decision highlighted the fact that the presentation was weak in

EWN online Join the conversation on our Facebook page

defending its position and was similar to the previously rejected appeal. The proposed mine is a major financial opportunity for the company which Berkeley has stated will show significant profits in the long run, especially as the local area has benefited from EU development funding and therefore initial investment is lower than normal. According to its forecasts, the company expects to produce 4.4 million pounds of uranium each year for the next 10 years and will make between $5 (€4.21) and $21 (€17.70) per pound over that period. There is already a ready demand for material from the mine, if it gets the go-ahead, as it has entered into a non-binding agreement with the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to cede 35 per cent of its uranium activity in Salamanca in exchange for a $70 million (€59 million) investment.

In addition, there has been a further investment of $120 million (€101 million)in the project from the Sultanate of Oman which means that the approval for the opening of what will be the largest open uranium mine in Europe is attracting a great deal of interest worldwide. On one hand the environmentalists are fighting against the mine which is close to a river and a protected area as well as a number of towns, whilst the company is anxious to start converting its investment into hard cash. Politicians are also involved in the debate with a Podemos spokesman suggesting that the Castilla and Leon authorities would make things easy for the opening of the mine whilst the president of the Junta has responded that he has no personal opinions about the opening of the mine other than wishing to ensure that the entire project respects the law.

Should do better

PROPOSED URANIUM MINE STILL CLOSED

Greens oppose opening

EWN

BASED on information collected across Europe in 2016, the EU acknowledges that whilst Spain’s economy is improving, it could do better. Although it acknowledges that many countries, especially those in the east of the Union, are suffering from significant problems with unemployment it has highlighted Spanish inequality in income and the consistently high number of young unemployed. As the economy continues to improve and unemployment drops (often due to part-time contracts) Spain still has the second highest number of unemployed at 17.3 per cent after Greece at 21.6 per cent. Youth unemployment however at 40 per cent in Spain compares exceptionally badly in comparison with the EU average of 18.7 per cent whilst the average age of school leavers continues to drop.

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

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

Photo credit BBC

You really couldn’t make it up could you? LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT APPARENTLY, the term Black Friday refers to the chance for businesses to get back into profit (black ink) after being in the red for the rest of the year. Ah well, each to his own. The only thing that has surprised me, is that some luvvie committee or another has not declared the term to be somehow non-PC! Well just about everything else has. This past week really has taken the whole ridiculous tin. Caring surgeon Colin Baillie was chastised when he praised a toddler’s father for acting ‘manfully.’ The child’s Mother accused him of ‘promoting sexism’ and demanded an apology from the surgeon’s bosses. Girl Guide leader advisors ruled that teenage boys who identify as girls would be allowed to use the girls’ changing rooms and showers. (Probably one of the best excuses for declaring gender confusion to date!). A woman was banned from giving a University lecture because she, quite acceptably, stated that young children, who are somewhat sexually confused, should not immediately be labelled as transgender. A terror suspect was awarded thousands of pounds in legal aid to overturn his travel ban, as it prevented him taking his children to a

DIANE ABBOT: ‘The savvy of a senile sea sponge.’ (non-halal!) McDonald’s. The whole, almost unbelievable debacle simply went on and on. We learned that re-arrested child killer and monster Jon Venables, has cost the taxpayer over five million pounds for his ‘rehabilitation’! Another scintillating snippet told us that last year, every six seconds, an immigrant won the right to stay in the UK (and they were only non-EU individuals!).

And of course, the greatest humdinger of all, the woman who wanted Sleeping Beauty banned because she considered the Prince, kissing the sleeping beauty without her permission, was tantamount to sexual assault! Sorry love chucking a bucket of water over her royal highness, just doesn’t have the quite the same romantic ring to it. Oh no it doesn’t. You really couldn’t make it

all up, could you? The only true bit of sanity to emerge this week was the doubling of Oscar Pistorius’s laughable sentence for the brutal murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. I always said the whole case involving this spoiled psychopathic brat, was a struggle of money and power versus justice and was delighted to see the rule of law finally emerged as the victor in this previously unsatisfactory example of the South African legal system. ‘Dumb, Dumber’ award of the week has to go to the producers who selected Diane Abbot to partner the razor-sharp Paul Merton on ‘Have I Got a Bit More News for you.’ This awful, incompetent political pretender, proved that with the personality of a plank and the savvy of a senile sea sponge, she could probably lose any future election of the Labour movement totally unaided. Sitting there with a blank, albeit slightly panicked expression (ala her mathematical budget gaffe) she was an embarrassment to all concerned. Keep at it love, the way you’re going, you could possibly get more votes for the Conservatives than Theresa May (the way things are going, not that difficult!). Keep the faith. columnists@euroweeklynews.com

Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors. Advertising feature

The first Bitcoin bakery THE SPACE BAKE is a new artisan bakery recently opened in the heart of Albir. Selling 100 per cent sour dough bread, speciality breads and delicious cakes all made with natural ingredients and no chemicals, this is a true bread lovers’ delight. The bakery is beautifully decorated and much care and detail has gone into designing this little gem. All produce is baked on site with the bakers starting at 2am to provide clients with delicious, quality baked goods and there is a delightful terrace to sit and have coffee made by one of the baristas. The man with the idea of The Space Bake is Alex. Originally from Ukraine, and after living in China for 10 years, he moved to Spain two years ago and finally settled in Albir to open the first Bitcoin bakery. This is a new venture for Alex and he is driven by hard work and ambition and his dream is to open a chain of The Space Bake across Spain with plans for a second one in the near future.

ARTISAN BAKERY: Visit the brand new Space Bake in Albir. B itcoin te c hnology ma y be ne w to some but has been around for a number of years, originating in Japan. Bitcoin is a digital currency known as cryptocurrency. This is different from normal currency as it is decentralised and no notes or coins are printed meaning there is no need for banks or bank accounts.

Many businesses and people are using this s ys te m a nd The Spa ce Bake was opened with Bitcoin. The Space Bake is one of the first to take payment for produce using Bitcoin, so no need to take your wallet or purse, all you need is your smartphone. Alex and his team welcome you all to

The Space Bake f or del i ci ous br ead, cakes and coffee. They are open six days a week (closed Monday) from 7.30am until 6pm. Find them at C/Ruperto Chapi 4, Edif Capi t ol i o 2, Local 6, Al bi r, vi si t t he Space Bake Facebook page or call 679 786 996.

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

THURSDAY TV

12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Royal Recipes 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm DIY SOS The Big Build 10:00pm Love, Lies and Records 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:30pm BBC London News The latest news, sport and weather from London. 11:45pm Question Time 12:45am This Week

7:00am An Island Parish 7:30am Claimed and Shamed 8:15am Royal Recipes 9:00am DIY SOS 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Link 2:45pm Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip 3:15pm Going Back Giving Back 4:00pm The Indian Doctor 5:30pm Oxford Street Revealed 6:15pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm Blitz 11:00pm Live at the Apollo 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Expedition Volcano

8:00pm Beyond 100 Days The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective. 8:30pm Christmas University Challenge 2015 Jeremy Paxman asks the questions in the Christmas-themed quiz for distinguished university alumni. 9:00pm SAS: Rogue Warriors 9:55pm The Farthest: Voyager's Interstellar Journey 11:30pm The Beginning and End of the Universe 12:30am The Beginning and End of the Universe 1:30am SAS: Rogue Warriors 2:30am Revolution and Romance: Musical Masters of the 19th Century 3:30am Moominland Tales:

7:20am King of Queens 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:05am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00pm Undercover Boss USA 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Kirstie's Crafty Christmas 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Lost and Found 5:00pm A Place in the Sun 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Great Canal Journeys 10:00pm Trump: An American Dream 11:00pm The Sex Robots are Coming 12:05am Naked Attraction

8:05am Paw Patrol 8:20am Noddy: Toyland Detective 8:35am Peppa Pig 8:50am Floogals 9:05am Digby Dragon 9:20am Rusty Rivets 9:35am Shimmer and Shine 9:55am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:05am Mofy 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:45pm Christmas Mix 2:25pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:30pm Neighbours 3:00pm Finding Mrs Claus 4:45pm The Christmas Angel 6:30pm 5 News at 5 7:00pm Neighbours 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm UK's Strongest Man 2017 9:00pm Bargain Loving Brits in Blackpool 10:00pm Seventh Son 11:00pm 5 News 11:05pm Seventh Son 12:05am Sinkholes

7:00am 8:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm

Hollyoaks Charmed Rules of Engagement Black-Ish How I Met Your Mother New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks First Dates Abroad The Big Bang Theory 2 Broke Girls The Big Bang Theory The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Big Bang Theory Rude Tube

7:30am Live European Tour Golf 9:30am Total Goals 10:00am Good Morning Sports Fans 11:00am Premier League Daily 11:30am Live European Tour Golf 2:30pm SKY Sports News 3:00pm SKY Sports News 6:00pm SKY Sports News 6:30pm Live PGA Tour Golf 10:30pm Sky Sports Tonight 11:00pm Cricket Day one of the first Test as New Zealand take on the Windies at Basin Reserve in Wellington. 1:30am Live NFL: Washington @ Dallas 5:50am Cricket Day one of the first Test as New Zealand take on the Windies at Basin Reserve in Wellington.

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Elderly Theft: Robbing the Relatives - Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs 10:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 11:30pm ITV News 12:00am ITV News London 12:15am Car Crash Britain Caught on Camera 1:15am Parking Wars 2:05am Jackpot247 4:00am Elderly Theft

7:00am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:20am Planet's Got Talent 7:45am Dinner Date 8:35am Emmerdale 9:00am Coronation Street 9:30am Coronation Street 10:00am The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:50am Dinner Date 11:50am I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 12:50pm Planet's Got Talent 1:20pm Emmerdale 1:50pm Coronation Street 2:20pm Coronation Street 2:50pm The Ellen DeGeneres Show 3:45pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 8:00pm You've Been Framed and Famous! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Family Guy 11:00pm Family Guy 11:30pm I'm a Celebrity... Extra Camp 12:30am American Dad! 1:00am American Dad! 1:30am Plebs

7:00am Judge Judy 7:20am Classic Coronation Street 7:45am Classic Coronation Street 8:15am Heartbeat Drama, set in the North Yorkshire moors in the 1960's. 9:20am Wild at Heart 10:15am Judge Judy 10:40am Judge Judy 11:05am Judge Judy 11:35am A Touch of Frost 1:35pm Wild at Heart 2:40pm Heartbeat 3:40pm Classic Coronation Street 4:15pm Classic Coronation Street 4:45pm A Touch of Frost 6:50pm Heartbeat 7:55pm Murder, She Wrote 8:55pm Doc Martin 10:00pm Midsomer Murders 12:10am Blue Murder 1:35am A Touch of Frost 3:25am ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 3:30am Teleshopping

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

7:15am 9:15am 11:20am 1:20pm 3:20pm 6:15pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 1:20am 3:00am 5:25am

7:00am The Top Ten Show 2017 7:20am Burn Country 9:15am Escobar: Paradise Lost 11:30am Collateral Beauty When a New York exec Will Smith tips into depression, his scheming partners plan to use his letters to Love, Time and Death against him. 1:20pm At the Devil's Door 3:10pm Winter Wedding 4:55pm Burn Country 6:50pm Escobar: Paradise Lost 9:00pm Collateral Beauty 10:45pm At the Devil's Door 12:30am The Night is Young 2:15am Creepy 4:45am Winter Wedding Couple Hallie and Lucas hold a small town winter wedding in the snow after their original plan for a breezy wedding in the tropics is cancelled by family conflict.

12:00pm La Liga Icons 1:00pm Football's Greatest 1:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 2:00pm La Liga Icons 3:00pm 20 Years of El Clasico 3:45pm La Liga Icons 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm 20 Years of El Clasico 7:45pm La Liga Icons 8:00pm EFL Matters 8:30pm EFL Greatest Games 9:30pm EFL Matters 10:00pm 20 Years of El Clasico 10:45pm La Liga Icons 11:00pm La Liga Show 11:30pm EFL Matters 12:00am Football Years 12:30am Football Countdowns 1:00am La Liga Show

10:00pm 11:05pm 11:10pm 12:20am 1:20am 1:25am 2:30am 3:35am

4:00am

The Chase The Chase Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Steve Mcqueen: Motorcycle Movie Star Bullitt FYI Daily Bullitt The Road FYI Daily The Road The Professionals Tommy Cooper Comedy and magic from legendary Tommy Cooper. Teleshopping Shopping from home.

Operation Chromite Stealth Green Zone Lethal Weapon The Great Escape Troy Green Zone The Rock Bloodsport Face/Off Rocky V

7:40am Julie and Julia 9:50am How the Grinch Stole Christmas 11:40am The Waterboy 1:20pm Keeping up with the Joneses 3:10pm Why Him? 5:05pm Meet the Parents 7:00pm How to be Single 9:00pm Keeping up with the Joneses 11:00pm Why Him? 1:00am The Escorts 2:40am Knocked Up 5:00am BrÃ¼no

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

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

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

12:00pm The Housing Enforcers 12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Royal Recipes 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Sounds Like Friday Night 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Still Open All Hours 10:00pm Have I Got News for You 10:30pm Mrs Brown's Boys New Year Special 2017: Chez Mammy 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Graham Norton Show 12:25am Would I Lie to You?

7:00am An Island Parish 7:30am Claimed and Shamed 8:15am Royal Recipes 9:00am Anglesey 9:30am Britain Afloat 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Link 2:45pm Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip 3:15pm Going Back Giving Back 4:00pm Match of the Day Live 5:30pm Oxford Street Revealed 6:15pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Mastermind 8:30pm Match of the Day Live 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight 12:05am Snowfall 12:45am Panorama 1:15am Saying Goodbye 2:15am Army: Behind the New Frontlines

8:00pm World News Today The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective. 8:30pm Christmas University Challenge 2015 Jeremy Paxman asks the questions in the Christmas-themed quiz for distinguished university alumni. 9:00pm The Good Old Days Leonard Sachs presents the old-time music hall programme, first broadcast on 6 August 1980. 10:00pm Top of the Pops 1980 Top of the Pops collection. 11:00pm Gregory Porter's Popular Voices 12:00am Truth Tellers at the BBC 1:00am Bastille Live at Eden 1:55am Top of the Pops

7:20am Kevin Can Wait 7:45am King of Queens 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:05am Frasier 10:35am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00pm Undercover Boss USA 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Kirstie's Homemade Christmas 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Lost and Found 5:00pm A Place in the Sun 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast 10:00pm Gogglebox 11:00pm The Last Leg 12:05am First Dates

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Australian Wilderness with Ray Mears 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 11:30pm ITV News 12:00am ITV News London 12:15am Total Recall 2:15am Jackpot247 4:00am Storage Hoarders 4:50am ITV Nightscreen

7:00am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:20am Planet's Got Talent 7:45am Dinner Date 8:35am Emmerdale 9:30am Planet's Got Talent 10:00am The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:50am Dinner Date 11:50am I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 1:20pm Emmerdale 1:55pm Emmerdale 2:20pm Planet's Got Talent 2:50pm The Ellen DeGeneres Show 3:45pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:50pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Family Guy 11:30pm I'm a Celebrity... Extra Camp 12:30am Family Guy

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

7:00am Sporting Funnies Humorous sporting moments. 7:10am The Chase 8:00am The Chase 8:50am Cash Cowboys 9:45am Pawn Stars 10:15am Pawn Stars 10:45am Ironside 11:50am Quincy, M.E. 12:55pm The Sweeney 1:55pm River Monsters 2:30pm ITV Racing: Live from Newbury 5:00pm The Sweeney 6:00pm The Professionals 7:00pm Cash Cowboys 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm Road Racing Series 10:00pm Die Another Day 11:00pm FYI Daily 11:05pm Die Another Day 12:40am Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber 1:40am FYI Daily 1:45am Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber 3:00am The Sweeney 3:55am ITV4 Nightscreen

Judge Judy Coronation Street Coronation Street Heartbeat Wild at Heart Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Wild at Heart Heartbeat Coronation Street Coronation Street A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Doc Martin Midsomer Murders Blue Murder A Touch of Frost Margery and Gladys Judge Judy Judge Judy The Emmy nominated reality courtroom series, presided over by outspoken family court judge.

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

Paw Patrol Thomas and Friends Peppa Pig Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Shimmer and Shine Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Mofy The Wright Stuff A Country Christmas Story 5 News Lunchtime Neighbours Wishin' and Hopin' at Christmas A Family for Christmas 5 News at 5 Neighbours 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Greatest British Bridges: The Severn Eight Days That Made Rome Secrets of Henry Viii's Palace Nazi King: Royal Conspiracy

7:15am Twister 9:15am Charlie's Angels 11:00am Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle 12:50pm Death Race 2:50pm The Magnificent Seven 5:00pm Fearless 6:50pm Air Force One 9:00pm Death Race 11:00pm The 13th Warrior 12:50am Fearless

8:00am 9:50am 11:45am 1:30pm 3:30pm 5:15pm 7:15pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:45am 2:35am 4:25am

The Meddler Dumb and Dumber 50 First Dates Sisters Bad Neighbours 2 Almost Christmas Uncle Buck Sisters Bad Neighbours 2 Beverly Hills Cop Beverly Hills Cop II Beverly Hills Cop III

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

FRIDAY TV

Charmed Charmed Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Black-Ish Black-Ish How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks First Dates Abroad The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Oblivion The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Live Rugby Sevens: Dubai 10:30am Good Morning Sports Fans 11:00am Premier League Daily 11:30am Live European Tour Golf 2:30pm Sky Sports Today 3:00pm Live Rugby Sevens: Dubai 6:00pm Ram Slam T20 Challenge 8:30pm Football Leeds United take on Aston Villa at Elland Road in the Sky Bet Championship. 11:00pm The Debate - Live 12:00am Cricket Day two of the first Test as New Zealand take on the Windies at Basin Reserve in Wellington. 4:50am Cricket Day one of the third Test as India host Sri Lanka in Delhi. This is the final Test in this series.

7:00am The Night is Young 8:45am Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Special 9:15am Collateral Beauty 11:05am Escobar: Paradise Lost 1:15pm Mine 3:15pm Burn Country 5:10pm The Top Ten Show 2017 5:25pm Winter Wedding Couple Hallie and Lucas hold a small town winter wedding in the snow after their original plan for a breezy wedding in the tropics is cancelled by family conflict. 7:10pm Collateral Beauty 9:00pm Mine 10:50pm Escobar: Paradise Lost 12:55am At the Devil's Door 2:35am The Night is Young 4:10am Creepy

10:00am Scottish Cup Greatest Games 10:30am La Liga Greatest Games 11:00am EFL Matters 11:30am La Liga Show 12:00pm La Liga Icons 1:00pm EFL Matters 1:30pm La Liga Show 2:45pm La Liga Icons 3:00pm EFL Matters 3:30pm La Liga Show 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Show 6:00pm La Liga Preview 2017/18 7:00pm SPFL Matters 7:30pm EFL Matters 8:00pm Football 11:15pm MLS Round Up Show 11:45pm SPFL Matters 12:15am SPFL Greatest Games 12:30am SPFL Matters 1:00am Football

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

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

FEATURE

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

TECH FOR THE TIMID

Fake it till you make it MY favourite TripAdvisor review, for a really appalling hotel, said its best feature was the car park. And that was written by the manager. Well no, it wasn’t. But it could have been, because it turns out shock, horror - that by one professional estimate, up to 40 per cent of all online reviews are fake. There’s even a new word for it: astroturfing, or ‘the deceptive practice of presenting an orchestrated marketing or public relations campaign in the guise of unsolicited comments from members of the public.’ In simpler words: ‘Will lie for cash.’ A recent trawl by an American consultancy unearthed 650 reviewers who had posted 40,000 fake reviews involving up to 6,000 businesses. Produce a new product or service and just over €4 buys you a good review. In the early days you could pretty much count on a review being genuine. So much so that when a couple logged a terrible review of

Would you buy a product with a one-star review? No, neither would Terence Kennedy, but you might both be wrong

FAKE REVIEWS: Scourge of the internet. Blackpool’s Broadway Hotel (‘a rotten stinking hovel’), the hotelier was deluged by bad publicity after adding a £100 (€112) fine to their bill for reputational damage. Now tens of thousands of more flattering hotel and restaurant reviews are written by the owners themselves. Amazon is struggling under a deluge of fake reviews and has launched more than a thousand

rearguard legal actions. The reviews may be fake, but in another twist to the tale the reviewers themselves often aren’t. Companies increasingly pay (okay, bribe) real customers to write good reviews, giving them products, perks and discounts. Why should it matter to the rest of us? Because the stakes are so high: online, 70 per cent of cus-

tomers read reviews before buying. Any number of websites offer tips beyond the ability of most of us to perform, to discover whether a review might be real or a rip-off. Google, Amazon and others put their faith in algorithms and Artificial Intelligence to sniff out patterns, serial reviewers and obvious inconsistencies like a whole rash of great reviews coming out just as a product hits the warehouses. But until someone creates that digital magic bullet, all the rest of us can do is sample as many reviews as we can to glean what might or might not be a realistic assessment of the product or service under review, take away the review you first thought of, and hope. Things were so much simpler when a journalist friend managed to sink a truly awful movie about an elephant almost single-handed in his home town. All he wrote was: ‘They say elephants never forget. Let us hope they forgive.’

Sticking the knife into poncey, chefy ‘theatre on a plate’ Nora Johnson

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

THE ‘sainted Delia’ (Smith) was recently roundly attacked online for complaining that: “Cooking has become very poncey, very chefy. If I get one more plate put in front of me with six dots of sauce on it, I will go mad.” Personally, I can’t stand Michelin-style minute portions, the emphasis being on minute, with artfully arranged drizzles of coloured spots or smeary daubs. I go out to eat, not admire the lavish plate decoration when more time’s plainly been spent on appearance than on how the food tastes. And don’t get me started on seasonal tasting menus with wine flight - I’d have more fun at the chiropodist, getting my corns removed. If I get served

one more, I’ll have the chef up before The Hague... The problem with presentday cookery that we see on shows like ‘Masterchef’ is the idea of deconstruction. This turns food into something less about the pleasure of eating, more about the chef’s creativity. ‘Good’ cooking invariably reflects the established ways of making the dishes. That’s why old-fashioned TV chefs like Keith Floyd were so much fun to watch. He wasn’t a creative genius but was devoted to tasty dish-

‘SIX DOTS OF SAUCE’: Michelin-style food and (inset) critic Delia Smith. es made traditionally. Nowadays, everything’s rushed: chopping, pressure cooking, pan frying, pre-cooking in a water bath. What’s become of long slow roasts, braising, stews? Chefs produce ‘theatre on a plate,’ traditional cooks produce tasty, comforting food full of flavours and tantalising smells. But that’s ‘reality’ TV for you: everything’s instantaneous. A garden can be ‘made over’ in days, an entire house in a week.

Unlike in real life... Benny Hill had it right. Diner sees sign in Diner: ‘Home Cooking Just Like Mother Made.’ Diner orders meal which he finds disgusting. He complains that he expected more from ‘Mother’s Home Cooking.’ Chef responds: ‘Nobody said my mother was a good cook!’ So, good, traditional ‘home cooking’ best done, yes, at home and you avoid the salt, sugar and fat, plus all the added preservatives most people can’t spell let alone pronounce. You got this one so right, Delia! Nora Johnson’s psychological crime thrillers ‘The Girl in the Red Dress,’ ‘No Way Back,’ ‘Landscape of Lies,’ ‘Retribution,’ ‘Soul Stealer,’ ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.norajohnson.net) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.99;£0.99) and iBookstore. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity. columnists@euroweeklynews.com

Fake vs funny ONE thing fake reviews don’t do is ‘funny.’ Little could match this real review of a Kim Kardashian book: ‘It’s a little uncomfortable, but it doesn’t leave pieces behind when you wipe, like other toilet paper brands.’ Would you stay where ‘The owner kept trying to sell me the hotel?’ From a ‘dissatisfied’ buyer: ‘I measured the TV and it was actually 104.6 inches not 105 so I returned it.’ An Amazon grocery review for Tuscan Whole Milk: ‘Has anyone else tried pouring this stuff over dry cereal? A-W-ES-O-M-E!’ Or one I confess to writing myself after visiting the lost city of Petra in Jordan: ‘The tourist brochure says you approach the ruins, becoming more beautiful the further you go. Well I did, and I didn’t.’

THURSDAY THOUGHTS By Susan Piercy

Nanna: the new scapegoat? SO the media tells us we have a new culprit in the childhood obesity saga. We no longer blame the usual suspects like computer games and mobile phones, Nanna’s in the dock now. Not the hours watching TV, munching on sweets and crisps so working parents can have peace and quiet. No, Nanna’s the culprit. And it’s not the fact that rushed for time, working Mums’ dish up ready meals and TV dinners. Oh no Nanna gave little Freddie a bag of jelly babies as an after-school treat. Guilty as charged. No denying busy roads and dodgy neighbourhoods can be unsafe. Children can’t play in the streets like we did; hopscotch, ‘run-outs,’ ‘knock down ginger’ - if you’re too young to have played such games believe me you missed out. No instead Mum’s Taxi drives the children to school and takes them to their clubs. Welcome to the 21st century. Don’t even get me started on Christmas, Halloween, and Easter. All wonderful calorie-laden celebrations where gluttony, (yes, I used the word gluttony) takes on gargantuan proportions. Now I’m not suggesting you go back to giving a tangerine and a couple of walnuts for Christmas, but really mums and dads, get a grip. Dear ol’ Nanna waited years for your offspring to arrive. Are you really going to deny her, and them, the treasured moments of home baking, days out, and special treats? Twenty-first century living isn’t easy but somehow, we all need to find a healthy balance. columnists@euroweeklynews.com Readers interested in submitting articles for this guest column should send articles of around 250 words on topics felt to be of interest to the cosmopolitan EWN readership to editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Australian Wilderness with Ray Mears 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 11:30pm ITV News 12:00am ITV News London 12:15am Total Recall 2:15am Jackpot247 4:00am Storage Hoarders 4:50am ITV Nightscreen

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

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

8:00am 9:50am 11:45am 1:30pm 3:30pm 5:15pm 7:15pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:45am 2:35am 4:25am

The Meddler Dumb and Dumber 50 First Dates Sisters Bad Neighbours 2 Almost Christmas Uncle Buck Sisters Bad Neighbours 2 Beverly Hills Cop Beverly Hills Cop II Beverly Hills Cop III

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

SATURDAY TV

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

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

FEATURE

www.euroweeklynews.com

TV Couch Critic HOW could Kay Mellor make the day-to-day running of a register office interesting? Simply through her usual brilliant writing. Welcome to Love, Lies & Records (BBC1), her latest creation situated at Leeds City Hall and starring Ashley Jensen as Kate, a Superintendent Registrar who combines chaotic home surrounds with her professional life. It may be a cliche but Kate doesn’t always play by the rules and where work is concerned it’s very successful. There was the man registering his baby’s birth, born to a mother with cancer who refused treatment to save the child. They are not married, but as Kate does weddings as well, cue the resulting tears. Staff wise, Registrar James announces plans to work dressed as a woman, with all are pleased except Judy who happens to have been passed over when Kate was promoted to superintendent. Popular with everyone except Judy, Kate is particularly liked by Rick, especially after they sidled off

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

Kay raises the smiles but its heartache from rubber ducks to a storeroom for some festive fun at the Christmas party. But Judy had a copy of the CCTV recording their event in full, with this leading to a proposal from Kate to her partner Rob, a detective investigating the local murder of a young woman. This will no doubt be linked to one of the future story lines in a comedy drama series that is yet another triumph for Mellor, making Thursday evening one to look forward to.

BRILLIANT WRITING: Kay Mellor.

Blue Planet II (BBC 1) was a bitter-sweet highlight with the consignment of 7,000 plastic duck bath toys ready to embark on their various journeys after being tipped from a container ship in high seas off Alaska. The star performer landed off the west coast of Scotland, but then there was the sad sight of tons of discarded plastic, endangering and killing the blue world, including a whale carrying dead offspring, thought to have been poisoned by pollution. It was t r u l y heartbreaking and

thought provoking as usual. I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (ITV) is beginning to scrape the barrel for so-called celebrities, though many viewers clearly still enjoy it and it’s good to see Ant fit and well and self depreciating about his personal life over the last six challenging months. The sight of the first five contestants meeting and not knowing who each other was served up amusing viewing. But the camp mates discussing each others’ fame with Rebekah Vardy claiming recognition for her charity work (really?) and Hollyoaks ‘star’ Jamie Lomas telling Made in Chelsea ‘star’ Georgia Toffolo “that’s what your talent is, being yourself,” was another matter. Boxer Amir Khan’s frightened reaction to pulling out a snake thinking it was a rope, however, was priceless… showing there is still potential for comedy gold. Would I Lie to you (BBC1) is back

for a new series. Arguably television’s funniest panel show is as good as ever, but why put it on Monday evening opposite Coronation Street which is a traditional graveyard slot? Meanwhile The A Word (BBC1) is back for a second series and as good as ever. This time around it follows Joe’s move to a more specialised school and the effect this has on his dysfunctional family. The separation of Alison and Paul, Joe’s mum and dad, while travelling to his new school leads to problems between them and the inter-action between Paul’s own father and music teacher Maurice and Louise is both amusing and sad as he tries to support her during her cancer fight whilst bringing back memories of his previous wife’s death from the same disease. Eddie (Alison’s brother) and Nicola pretend to her parents that they haven’t separated, with this leading to amusing moments, and as always some brilliant music is a theme throughout with the talented actor Max Vento having an encyclopaedic knowledge of the songs and lyrics as he sings along to them. Critique: SC, Torrevieja, Costa Blanca

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

SUNDAY TV

7:00am Breakfast 8:25am Match of the Day 10:00am The Andrew Marr Show 11:00am Fern Britton Meets... 12:00pm Sunday Politics 1:15pm BBC News 1:30pm Flog It! 1:50pm Mary Berry's Country House Secrets 2:50pm FA Cup Final Score 5:15pm Songs of Praise 5:55pm Blue Planet II 6:55pm BBC News 7:10pm BBC London News 7:20pm Countryfile 8:20pm Strictly Come Dancing 9:00pm Blue Planet II 10:00pm Howards End 11:00pm BBC News 11:20pm BBC London News 11:30pm Match of the Day 2 12:30am Ronny Chieng: International Student 12:55am Weather for the Week Ahead 1:00am BBC News

8:05am Gardeners' World 8:35am Monty Don's Secret History of the British Garden 9:35am Countryfile 10:30am Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:00pm Food and Drink 12:30pm My Life on a Plate 1:15pm MOTD2 Extra 2:00pm Snooker 7:00pm Match of the Day 8:00pm Turkey with Simon Reeve 9:00pm Robot Wars 10:00pm Expedition Volcano 11:00pm Snowfall 12:40am Snooker Hazel Irvine introduces highlights from Sunday's second-round matches at the UK Championship. 1:30am Snooker 3:30am Question Time 4:30am Holby City 5:30am This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.

8:00pm Great Continental Railway Journeys 8:30pm University Challenge 9:00pm Classic Quartets at the BBC 10:00pm Natural World Wildlife film. South African naturalist Mike Rutzen is crazy about great white sharks. 10:50pm Natural World 11:40pm Mull: Eagle Paradise The story of the white-tailed sea eagle is one of the great successes of British conservation. 11:50pm Shearwater Island 12:00am Taxi Tehran 1:20am Classic Quartets at the BBC 2:20am Natural World 3:10am Natural World 4:00am This is BBC Four BBC Four is the BBC channel for people who want more. More depth, more range, more to stimulate the mind.

7:20am Kevin Can Wait 7:45am Kevin Can Wait 8:10am Everybody Loves Raymond 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Frasier 10:00am Frasier 10:30am Sunday Brunch 1:30pm Paul Hollywood 2:00pm F1: Grand Prix 3:00pm The Simpsons 3:30pm The Simpsons 3:55pm The Simpsons 4:25pm The Simpsons 4:55pm Arthur Christmas 6:50pm Shrek 8:30pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Coastal Railways with Julie Walters 10:00pm Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol 12:35am I, Frankenstein 2:15am Morning Glory 4:00am Trump: An American Dream 4:55am Gillette World Sport 5:25am KOTV Boxing Weekly 5:50am Mobil 1 The Grid

8:55am Paw Patrol 9:10am Noddy: Toyland Detective 9:25am Shimmer and Shine 9:40am Peppa Pig 9:55am FIA Formula E: Hong Kong 11:40am Football on 5 12:25pm Finding Father Christmas 2:10pm The Christmas Secret 3:55pm On the Twelfth Day of Christmas 4:55pm 5 News 5:00pm On the Twelfth Day of Christmas 5:45pm Northpole 2: Open for Christmas 6:45pm 5 News 6:50pm Northpole 2: Open for Christmas 7:30pm Call Me Claus 9:15pm Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights 9:55pm 5 News Weekend 10:00pm The Paul O'grady Story 11:30pm When Reality TV Goes Horribly Wrong 2:30am Lip Sync Battle UK 2:55am Super Casino

7:00am Rules of Engagement 7:25am Couples Come Dine with Me 8:25am Couples Come Dine with Me 9:25am Hollyoaks Omnibus 12:00pm Made in Chelsea 1:00pm Don't Tell the Bride 2:00pm Marmaduke 3:45pm Rude(Ish) Tube Shorts 4:00pm The Goldbergs 4:30pm The Goldbergs 5:00pm The Goldbergs 5:30pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:30pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:30pm The Big Bang Theory 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Ted 12:05am The Big Bang Theory 12:35am The Big Bang Theory 1:05am Gogglebox 2:05am Rude Tube 3:10am First Dates 4:05am Rude Tube 4:35am Hollyoaks Omnibus

7:00am Cricket Day two of the third Test between India and Sri Lanka in Delhi. 12:00pm Goals on Sunday 1:30pm Football Aberdeen meet Rangers at Pittodrie in the SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership. 2:15pm Live Nissan Super Sunday 4:30pm Live Nissan Super Sunday Manchester City take on West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League. 8:00pm Live PGA Tour Golf Day four of the Hero World Challenge from New Providence in the Bahamas. 10:00pm Live NFL: Sunday Game 2:00am Live NFL: Sunday Game 5:30am Cricket

9:10am 9:30am 10:00am 10:25am 10:30am

12:25pm Take Me Out 1:40pm You've Been Framed! 2:10pm Merry Christmas Mr Bean 2:45pm The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol 3:15pm Beethoven's Christmas Adventure 4:15pm FYI Daily 4:20pm Beethoven's Christmas Adventure 5:05pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 6:10pm Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang 7:15pm FYI Daily 7:20pm Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang 8:20pm The Amazing SpiderMan 9:20pm FYI Daily 9:25pm The Amazing SpiderMan 11:00pm Family Guy 11:30pm I'm a Celebrity... Extra Camp 12:35am Family Guy 1:05am Family Guy

7:00am 7:25am 8:20am 9:15am 10:20am 11:25am 12:30pm 12:35pm 1:40pm 3:45pm

7:00am 7:10am 8:00am 8:50am 9:25am 9:50am 10:15am 10:40am 11:05am 11:35am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:30pm 1:35pm 3:25pm 4:25pm 4:30pm 8:05pm 9:05pm 9:10pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:05pm 11:40pm

7:00am Avengers Confidential: Black Widow and Punisher 8:30am In the Heart of the Sea 10:35am The Goonies 12:35pm Troy 3:20pm Lawrence of Arabia 6:55pm In the Heart of the Sea 9:00pm Braveheart 12:00am Last Action Hero

7:00am Escobar: Paradise Lost 9:15am Winter Wedding 11:00am Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 12:30pm Red Dog: True Blue 2:15pm Mine 4:05pm Collateral Beauty 5:45pm Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 7:15pm Red Dog: True Blue 9:00pm Mine 11:00pm At the Devil's Door 12:45am Escobar: Paradise Lost When a New York exec Will Smith tips into depression, his scheming partners plan to use his letters to Love, Time and Death against him. 2:55am The Night is Young 4:40am At the Devil's Door

9:15am La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 9:30am EFL Goals: Championship 10:00am EFL Goals: League 1 and 2 10:30am The Sunday Supplement 12:00pm EFL Goals: Championship 12:30pm EFL Goals: League 1 and 2 1:00pm Football 3:45pm SPFL Greatest Games 4:00pm La Liga Greatest Games 4:10pm Football 6:15pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:25pm Football 8:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:40pm Football 10:45pm La Liga Icons 11:00pm EFL Goals: Championship 11:30pm EFL Goals: League 1 and 2 12:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid

11:00am 11:55am 12:25pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:05pm 4:10pm 6:05pm

7:05pm 7:15pm 7:30pm 8:25pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Mr. Bean Make it Pop Wishfart ITV News Australian Wilderness with Ray Mears Peston on Sunday The Martin Lewis Money Show Save Money: Good Food Tipping Point ITV News The X Factor Midsomer Murders How to Spend it Well at Christmas with Phillip Schofield ITV News London ITV News The Chase: Celebrity Special The X Factor I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News Peston on Sunday Car Crash Britain Caught on Camera

5:50pm 7:55pm 10:00pm 12:00am 2:00am 3:05am 4:00am 5:50am

On the Buses Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote Heartbeat Heartbeat Santa Claus FYI Daily Santa Claus Columbo Agatha Christie's Marple Midsomer Murders Midsomer Murders Endeavour Lewis The Knock The Knock Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four Judge Judy The Emmy nominated reality courtroom series, presided over by outspoken family court judge, Judge.

12:40am 12:45am 1:30am 2:30am

Football's Greatest The Sweeney The Big Fish Off Storage Wars Storage Wars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Superman FYI Daily Superman The Dam Busters FYI Daily The Dam Busters Nacho Libre FYI Daily Nacho Libre The Dictator FYI Daily The Dictator Hot Tub Time Machine 2 FYI Daily Hot Tub Time Machine 2 Mars Attacks! FYI Daily

12:25pm 27 Dresses 2:25pm Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping 4:00pm A Street Cat Named Bob 5:50pm Airplane! 7:25pm Airplane II: The Sequel 9:00pm Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping 10:35pm Airplane! 12:10am Airplane II: The Sequel 1:40am BrÃ¼no

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

FEATURE

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Classic cars in Spain 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.

NO RULE CHANGE: Classics subject to same road laws as newer cars. ROYAL DECREE 1247/1995, deals with the laws for historic vehicles, or classic cars, under article 10 of the circulation rules. First and foremost, unless rules are specifically in place for this type of vehicle, classic cars are governed by the same laws and rules as normal vehicles, including the requirement of liability insurance. The rules relating to the technical inspection and registration are also applicable, as per normal vehicles. The period of the technical inspection also remains the same, unless otherwise indicated in the official report. Those vehicles which, on account of their age or constructive characteristics, do not have lights or indicators as are normally required by law, are not allowed to travel between sunset and sunrise, or in circumstances which would normally require use of lights and indicators. Historic vehicles that are not able to exceed the speed of 40 kilometres per hour should drive on the shoulder, if practicable and it is suffi-

cient, or, alternatively, as close as possible to the right outside edge of the roadway, except when overtaking or turning left, manoeuvres which may force other drivers to abruptly change the direction or speed of their vehicles. Historic vehicles are not allowed on the motorway if they are unable to reach a speed of at least 60 kilometres per hour. The General Directorate of Traffic also reserves the right to prohibit classic cars on certain dates and routes, if they are not able to exceed the speed of 80 kilometres per hour. Vehicles categorised as classic cars under Royal Decree 1247/1995, or over 25 years old and in numbers greater than 10, and with a speed of less than 50 kilometres per hour on average, as well as participating in events or demonstrations, rallies, competitions or, in general, any kind of event in which there is established classification on the basis of vehicle movement, either in terms of speed or regularity, will require administrative authorisation.

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

How does he pay CGT? I read your article in the Euro Weekly News concerning inheritance tax. If I sell my house in Spain for €225,000, how is the CGT paid or can I roll this into another property? M C (by email) You have left out some important information from your question. So, let us first suppose that you are a non-resident who lives in the European Union. You pay Spanish capital gains tax at 19 per cent. You file Form 210 within 30 days of the sale. If your profit is €50,000, your tax will be €9,500. If

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

you are tax resident in Spain, and the house is your principal residence, where you have lived for three years, and you use all of the amount of the sale to purchase a new principal residence, you are free of capi-

tal gains tax. If, in addition, you are more than 65 years old, you are completely free of CGT. If you are resident but the house is not your principal residence, you must pay Spanish CGT on your profit at a slightly higher rate than the non-resident, declaring on your next year’s income tax declaration.

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

It’s a complete wind up Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man WE have inherited a few things from the USA but this Black Friday nonsense is a complete wind up. First of all it’s the day after Thanksgiving - a holiday that doesn’t even exist in the UK or Spain. Secondly, it goes on for two weeks so it should be called Black Fortnight. I suppose you could say it’s a good time to start your Christmas shopping but I think December 24 is fine for me. In fact, I now prefer to go Christmas shopping after Christmas when the real sales start, not this Black Friday nonsense. Having said that, my daughter wanted a cordless vacuum cleaner and asked me to research some for her as she is a very busy lady and well, to be honest, I do absolutely nothing. In fact, if doing nothing was a sport, I’d play off scratch. So I got online and typed in ‘best cordless vacuum cleaner’ and that’s when the fun started. This make, that make, then there’s the different models within the makes, then there’s the different prices. I get four or five different ones up on screen and it has a comparison fea-

ture. This model has loads of tools but needs charging every 30 minutes, another one lasts for 60 minutes without charge but has no tools. Another weighs a bit more than the other two but has got a shoulder strap and on and on it goes. Then there’s the model numbers. Fifteen digit numbers and letters which are impossible to remember and probably even too complicated to use as an Apple password and, believe me, that’s saying something! When I was younger you had a Hoover. That was it no different models; just a Hoover. You might have had a choice of colours and every couple of years they might bring out a slightly different model. I also quite like the Henry. That’s simple you went in the shop and asked for it by name. They should just make it a simple model number 1, then 2, then 3 so you can just look at it and know if it’s the latest model or not. It ticks me off big time when I buy something and then find out it’s a deleted model. I sent my daughter all the information and said it was now up to her and what did she do? She ordered the only one that didn’t have any discount on it and wasn’t in the Black Friday sale! KIDS!! columnists@euroweeklynews.com

Email me: mikesenker@gmail.com

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

10:15am Island Medics 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Claimed and Shamed 12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm The Hairy Bikers Home for Christmas 5:30pm Money for Nothing 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Panorama 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Would I Lie to You? 10:00pm The Real Marigold on Tour 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm Have I Got a Bit More News for You 12:30am Michael Mcintyre's Big Show

7:00am An Island Parish: Falklands 7:30am Claimed and Shamed 8:15am Royal Recipes 9:00am Mary Berry's Country House Secrets 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Snooker 6:15pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Match of the Day 8:30pm Wild Cameramen at Work 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Nigella: At My Table 10:00pm Employable Me 11:00pm Insert Name Here 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Snooker 1:05am Snooker 3:05am Countryfile 4:00am Blue Planet II 5:00am This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.

8:00pm Beyond 100 Days The latest national and international news, exploring the day's events from a global perspective. 8:30pm Christmas University Challenge 2015 9:00pm Mexico: Earth's Festival of Life 10:00pm The Art That Made Mexico: Paradise, Power and Prayers 11:00pm Handmade in Mexico An intricate look at the creation process of three Mexican art forms. 11:30pm Britain's Lost Masterpieces 12:30am Mugabe and the Democrats 2:00am Pappano's Classical Voices 3:00am How to be a Surrealist with Philippa Perry 4:00am The Art That Made Mexico: Paradise, Power and Prayers 5:00am This is BBC Four

7:20am 3rd Rock from the Sun 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00pm Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Kirstie's Handmade Christmas 1:25pm A Christmas Proposal 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Lost and Found 5:00pm A Place in the Sun 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Paul Hollywood 9:30pm Supershoppers 10:00pm 999: What's Your Emergency? 11:00pm First Dates 12:05am Don't Tell the Bride 1:05am Life Stripped Bare 2:20am One Born Every Minute

8:25am Milkshake! Festive Fun! 8:30am Peppa Pig 8:50am Floogals 9:00am Digby Dragon 9:20am Noddy: Toyland Detective 9:35am Shimmer and Shine 9:55am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:05am Mofy 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:35pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 1:25pm The Gadget Show 2:25pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:30pm Neighbours 3:00pm Christmas Cookies 4:45pm The Christmas Calendar 6:30pm 5 News at 5 7:00pm Neighbours 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Weather Terror 9:00pm Sinkholes 10:00pm Concorde 11:00pm JFK's Secret Killer: The Evidence 12:05am JFK Jr: The Crash That Killed a Kennedy

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm The Martin Lewis Money Show 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 11:30pm ITV News 12:00am ITV News London 12:15am Killer Women with Piers Morgan 1:15am Life Inside Jail: Hell on Earth 2:05am Jackpot247

7:00am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:20am Planet's Got Talent 7:45am Dinner Date 8:35am Emmerdale 9:00am Coronation Street 10:00am The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:50am Dinner Date 11:50am I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 1:20pm Emmerdale 1:50pm Coronation Street 2:50pm The Ellen DeGeneres Show 3:45pm The Jeremy Kyle Show 7:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 8:30pm You've Been Framed! 9:00pm Two and a Half Men 9:30pm Two and a Half Men 10:00pm Family Guy 10:30pm Ghosted 11:00pm American Dad! 11:30pm I'm a Celebrity... Extra Camp 12:30am Family Guy 1:00am Family Guy

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

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

9:20am 11:05am 12:50pm 2:50pm 5:00pm

Coronation Street Coronation Street Heartbeat Wild at Heart Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Wild at Heart Heartbeat Coronation Street Coronation Street A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Doc Martin Foyle's War Blue Murder A Touch of Frost ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 3:30am Teleshopping Shopping from home.

The Chase Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars River Monsters Live and Let Die FYI Daily Live and Let Die Senna FYI Daily Senna Motorsport UK ITV4 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 4:00am Teleshopping Shopping from home.

6:50pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:50am 2:45am

Drop Zone I Am Legend The Bourne Identity Domino Once Upon a Time in Mexico Superman 2 The Bourne Identity I Am Legend Universal Soldier The Punisher: War Zone

8:15am Our Brand is Crisis 10:10am Planes, Trains and Automobiles 11:50am Hail, Caesar! 1:45pm The Boss 3:30pm The Back-Up Plan 5:20pm Hitch 7:25pm Liar Liar 9:00pm The Back-Up Plan 10:45pm The Boss 12:35am Jackass: The Movie 2:10am Jackass: Number Two 3:50am Jackass 2.5 5:05am Three Amigos!

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

Hollyoaks Hollyoaks Charmed Charmed Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Black-Ish Black-Ish How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl Kevin Can Wait Kevin Can Wait The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks First Dates Abroad The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Made in Chelsea Tattoo Fixers The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 8:35am Mine 10:30am Winter Wedding Couple Hallie and Lucas hold a small town winter wedding in the snow after their original plan for a breezy wedding in the tropics is cancelled by family conflict. 12:15pm Non-Transferable 1:55pm Red Dog: True Blue 3:40pm Escobar: Paradise Lost 5:45pm Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 7:15pm Red Dog: True Blue 9:00pm Mine 10:50pm Non-Transferable 12:30am The Night is Young 2:15am At the Devil's Door 4:05am Burn Country

MONDAY TV

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

11:00pm 12:00am

2:15am 5:45am

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

Cricket My Icon Sky Sports Daily Sky Sports Today Sky Sports Today SKY Sports News SKY Sports News SKY Sports News SKY Sports News SKY Sports News Sky Sports Tonight Football Birmingham City meet Wolves at St Andrew's in the Sky Bet Championship. Info not available Cricket Day five of the first Test between New Zealand and the Windies at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. Live NFL: Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati Cricket Day four of the third Test between India and Sri Lanka at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi.

SPFL Greatest Games Football Years Football Countdowns Football's Greatest Football's Greatest Teams Info not available La Liga Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games Football Scottish Cup Greatest Games La Liga 2017/18 Football's Greatest Football's Greatest Teams La Liga 2017/18 Magical Messi Soccer A.M. Football SPFL Round Up 2017/18 SPFL Greatest Games Soccer A.M. 20 Years of El Clasico La Liga Greatest Games

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

FEATURE

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Advertising feature

Insurance you can rely on ESTABLISHED since 1987, AJB Insurance Consultants have been providing a wide range of insurance products and services to the expat community on the Costa Blanca for 30 years. With offices in Javea and Calpe, they provide a quick, efficient and competitive service of the highest professional standards, helping every client find the best policy at the best price. They provide insurance cover on everything from car and contents to pet and private medical, meaning you can rest assured and have the peace of mind that you are protected. AJB work alongside several of the largest international insurance companies which allows them to provide the best range of cover and ensure that you get the lowest premiums. One of the most popular is car insurance of which manager Philip Rayner says they have some of the cheapest policies around: “We have some very good deals for expat drivers, for example, fully comprehensive policies for a Ford Focus 1.8 diesel cost just €285 with an excess of €200.” Philip explained this is just one such example of their highly competitive prices. Another popular and much-needed service is medical insurance. With waiting times for specialists and operations becoming much longer in

Cassandra Nash A weekly look

and remain with you throughout your claim process, on hand 24 hours a day if you need assistance. They have provided insurance cover to many tens of thousands of clients throughout the years and many clients who joined them in 1987 have remained with them, happy with their ethos of offering the best policy at the best price, combined with a friendly and personal service. So for a wide range of insurance policies, all in English, contact the team. Or fill out the form online with your requirements and the team will contact your directly with the best quote. The offices are open from 9am-3pm Monday to Friday. The managing director Philip Rayner is available on 606 213 665 24 hours a day for any emergencies. * Conditions apply. AJB INSURANCE: Offer the best policy at the best price with a friendly service. Spain with reports of some patients having to wait over a year to see a specialist on the national health service, many people are turning to private cover. With AJB’s range of policies they can make sure you are seen by a specialist within 48 hours in most cases. Until the end of 2017 AJB Insurance Consul-

tants have some amazing discounts - three months free on all new life and funeral insurance policies.* They even have a pre-paid funeral plan for the over 70’s with no medical required and immediate cover. Should the worse happen and you need to make a claim, AJB will be your point of contact

Not an earthly

- and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene

EXAMINING judge Jose Castro, trod on many toes during his instruction of the Noos case which could send the Infanta Cristina’s husband to prison for fraud and tax evasion. Castro revealed recently that while handling the pre-trial instruction he was openly followed and would wake up to find excrement smeared on his doormat or silicone filling the lock on his front door. After installing a CCTV camera Castro was bothered no more and he made no further attempt to identity who was behind the intimidation. Cristina’s husband Iñaki Urdangarin was found guilty and has appealed against a sentence that could be as much as 14 years. Cristina was acquitted of any involvement or knowledge of the money siphoned off from the non-profitmaking Noos Foundation to jointly-owned Aizoon which paid for so many of the couple’s material goodies. The Infanta stuck faithfully to her story throughout the instruction phase and trial, insisting that she was

little wifey at home who left everything to her clever hubby. Yes, that’s the same Cristina who has a degree in Political Science and a Master’s in International Relations, plus a high-flying job with the Caixa Foundation.

Unsugared pill DID Cataluña really believe it would be possible to snaffle the European Medicines Agency (EMA)? Article 155 and the December elections notwithstanding, Cataluña is no longer the kind of calm millpond that the EU wants for one of its agencies. EMA was up for grabs thanks to Brexit and it slipped from Spain’s grasp thanks to the cataleptic miasma emanating from Catalexit.

Get us out of here FORMER Catalan vice-president Oriol Junqueras plus independence diehards and one-time government

members Jordi Turull and Josep Rull are currently remanded for sedition and rebellion. They believe the National High Court should release them as all accept the measures imposed by the Constitution’s Article 155 and Junqueras says the UDI of October 27 was “strictly political and not executive.” Now he tells us. Amazing what a few weeks in the slammer can do to men of strong convictions.

Have a swinging time BARCELONA mayor Ada Colau is still hedging her bets. CatComu, the alliance between her Cataluña en Comu party and Pablo Iglesias’ Podemos, could swing either way after the December 21 elections. After intoning the obligatory promises to prioritise the social agenda and eliminate corruption she wouldn’t rule out pacts with parties that defend unilateral independence or those taking the authoritarian route.

AJB Insurance Consultants Avda del Pla, CCA 2.08, Javea Tel. 965 796 357 Calpe Calle Santa Maria 4 Tel: 965 838 256 Visit: www.ajbinsurance.com Email: info@ajbinsurance.com

Spy story POOR Dolores de Cospedal. Some things don’t change for Spain’s Defence minister. Years back she was wrongfooted by national vice-president Soraya Saenz de Santamaria into wearing a mantilla with an outsized comb to meet the Pope. Soraya then turned up with a low, discreet comb, making Cospedal look like something from the rancid Franco era. This time a couple of Russian comics made her look a twit after convincing her that she was talking to the LatPhoto Credit Partido Popular. vian Defence minister on the phone. TRICKED: Dolores de Cospedal. Amongst other things she was warned that the self-exiled ex-president of Cataluña Carles Puigdemont is a Russian spy codenamed Cipollino, a revelation that she promised to pass on to Mariano Rajoy. Cospedal evidently still takes a long time to catch on and more so in a situation when she hears something she’d like to be true.

Yet again Colau demonstrates that she wants to have her cake and eat it

and there is every reason to believe that she will. columnists@euroweeklynews.com

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Island Medics 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Claimed and Shamed 12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm The Hairy Bikers Home for Christmas 5:30pm Money for Nothing 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm The A Word 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm Drugsland

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

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

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Dickinson's Real Deal Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Save Money: Good Food How to Spend it Well at Christmas with Phillip Schofield I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News ITV News London The latest news and weather from London and the South East.

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:05am 1:55am 3:55am

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

An Island Parish: Falklands Island Medics The Hairy Bikers Home for Christmas Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Snooker Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Celebrity Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals Rick Stein's Road to Mexico Motherland Newsnight NFL Snooker Snooker The Apprentice

8:00pm Beyond 100 Days 8:30pm Christmas University Challenge 2015 9:00pm Armada: 12 Days to Save England 10:00pm Invasion! With Sam Willis 11:00pm The Vikings 12:00am The Turner Prize 2017 12:30am The Fairytale Castles of King Ludwig II with Dan Cruickshank 1:30am Pappano's Classical Voices 2:30am Armada: 12 Days to Save England Three-part drama documentary series. 3:30am Invasion! With Sam Willis 4:30am This is BBC Four BBC Four is the BBC channel for people who want more.

Planet's Got Talent Dinner Date Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Dinner Date I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! You've Been Framed! Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy I'm a Celebrity... Extra Camp Family Guy

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

8:10am 8:35am 10:00am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 1:25pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Judge Judy Coronation Street Coronation Street Heartbeat Wild at Heart Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost Wild at Heart Heartbeat Coronation Street Coronation Street A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Doc Martin Foyle's War Blue Murder A Touch of Frost A ruthless, calculating man holds a supermarket chain to ransom with the life of a young boy. 3:20am ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 3:30am Teleshopping Shopping from home.

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

1:40am 2:55am 3:50am

www.euroweeklynews.com

3rd Rock from the Sun Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast Channel 4 News Kirstie's Handmade Christmas Nanny for Christmas Countdown Lost and Found A Place in the Sun Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Political Slot Kirstie's Handmade Christmas Finding Me a Family Extraordinary Teens: My Gay Life Naked Attraction

The Chase The Chase Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars The Chase Celebrity Special The Man with the Golden Gun FYI Daily The Man with the Golden Gun Bullitt FYI Daily A round-up of the latest entertainment news. Bullitt Ax Men ITV4 Nightscreen

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

2:00am

Peppa Pig Floogals Digby Dragon Noddy: Toyland Shimmer and Shine Ben and Holly‘s Little Kingdom Mofy The Wright Stuff FilmChristmas Angel 5 News Lunchtime Neighbours FilmThe Christmas Apprentice Call Me ClausFilm 5 News at 5 Neighbours 5 News Tonight Yorkshire: A Year in the Wild Jo Brand‘s Cats and Kittens Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild The 00s: The Most Shocking Celebrity Moments Super Casino

1:00pm

The Bourne Supremacy 3:00pm The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 5:00pm Fearless 6:50pm Superman III 9:00pm The Bourne Supremacy 11:00pm The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

7:00am The Top Ten Show 2017 7:20am Hot Shots! 9:00am Runaway Bride 11:00am This Christmas 1:00pm Julie and Julia 3:10pm Splash 5:10pm Almost Christmas 7:10pm Dragnet 9:00pm Splash 11:00pm Big 12:50am Date Night 2:30am Jackass 3 4:10am Jackass 3.5 5:40am Music and Lyrics

TUESDAY TV

10:00am Rules of Engagement 11:00am Black-Ish 12:00pm How I Met Your Mother 1:00pm New Girl 1:30pm New Girl 2:00pm The Big Bang Theory 2:30pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm The Goldbergs 3:30pm The Goldbergs 4:00pm How I Met Your Mother 4:30pm How I Met Your Mother 5:00pm New Girl 5:30pm New Girl 6:00pm Kevin Can Wait 6:30pm Kevin Can Wait 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm First Dates Abroad 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Tattoo Fixers 11:00pm Rude Tube 12:05am The Big Bang Theory 12:35am The Big Bang Theory

12:30pm One2eleven 2:00pm Eredivisie 3:00pm SPFL Round Up 2017/18 3:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 3:30pm Football Countdowns 4:00pm Soccer A.M.S 4:30pm Football‘s Greatest 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Eredivisie 7:00pm SPFL Round Up 2017/18 7:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 7:30pm Soccer A.M. 8:00pm Football Years 8:30pm Gillette Soccer Special 11:00pm Revista de la Liga 11:30pm La Liga World 12:00am Eredivisie 1:00am Revista de la Liga

7:00am Winter Wedding Miranda (Erin Krakow) travels to small-town Vermont hoping to spend the perfect Christmas with her long-lost family, but an anonymous text threatens to derail everything. 8:40am Non-Transferable 10:20am Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 11:55am Red Dog: True Blue 1:40pm Mine 3:40pm Detour 5:30pm The Top Ten Show 2017 5:45pm Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 7:15pm Red Dog: True Blue 9:00pm Mine 10:50pm Detour 12:35am Non-Transferable 2:05am At the Devil's Door 3:45am The Night is Young 5:20am Winter Wedding

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

Football Countdowns Soccer A.M. One2eleven One2eleven Eredivisie SPFL Round Up 2017/18 SPFL Greatest Games Football Countdowns Soccer A.M. Football's Greatest Teams Scottish Cup Greatest Games Scottish Cup Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games Eredivisie SPFL Round Up 2017/18 SPFL Greatest Games Soccer A.M. Football Years Gillette Soccer Special Revista de la Liga La Liga World Eredivisie

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

E W N 30 November- 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Island Medics 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Claimed and Shamed 12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm The Hairy Bikers Home for Christmas 5:30pm Money for Nothing 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm Mary Berry's Country House Secrets 10:00pm The Apprentice 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm A Question of Sport 12:15am Junior Doctors 12:45am Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 1:45am Weather for the Week Ahead 1:50am BBC News

7:00am An Island Parish: Falklands 7:30am Island Medics 8:15am The Hairy Bikers Home for Christmas 9:00am See Hear 9:30am Nigella: At My Table 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 12:30pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Snooker 6:15pm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Celebrity Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm Peaky Blinders 11:00pm The Apprentice: You're Fired! 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Snooker 1:05am Snooker 3:05am See Hear Topical magazine series for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. 3:35am Rick Stein's Road to Mexico

8:00pm Beyond 100 Days 8:30pm Christmas University Challenge 2015 9:00pm How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears 10:00pm Digging for Britain 11:00pm Detectorists 11:30pm The League of Gentlemen 12:00am The Undiscovered Peter Cook 1:00am Spike Milligan: Assorted Q 1:30am Spike Milligan: Assorted Q A further selection of sketches from the legendary Spike Milligan's irreverent sketch shows. 2:00am Pappano's Classical Voices 3:00am How the Wild West Was Won with Ray Mears 4:00am Digging for Britain 5:00am This is BBC Four BBC Four is the BBC channel for people who want more.

8:10am 3rd Rock from the Sun 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 10:35am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00pm Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Kirstie's Handmade Christmas 1:25pm Christmas Land 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Lost and Found 5:00pm A Place in the Sun 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm The Political Slot 9:00pm The Secret Life of the Zoo 10:00pm The Channel 11:00pm Gogglebox 12:05am The Mega Brothel 1:05am Random Acts

7:35am Fireman Sam 7:50am Thomas and Friends 8:00am The Secret Life of Puppies 8:05am Paw Patrol 8:20am Thomas and Friends 8:30am Peppa Pig 8:40am Peppa Pig 8:50am Floogals 9:05am Digby Dragon 9:20am Noddy: Toyland Detective 9:35am Shimmer and Shine 9:55am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 10:05am Mofy 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:45pm The Christmas 2:25pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:30pm Neighbours 3:00pm Spirit of Christmas 4:45pm Marry Me at Christmas 6:30pm 5 News at 5 7:00pm Neighbours 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm All New Traffic Cops 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm My Son: The Serial Killer 11:00pm Levi Bellfield Left Me for Dead

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson's Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Gino's Italian Coastal Escape 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:45pm UEFA Champions League Highlights 1:15am Stuck on You: The Football Sticker Story 2:05am Jackpot247 4:00am May the Best House Win

7:20am 7:45am 8:35am 9:00am 10:00am

7:00am 7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 9:15am 10:10am 10:40am 11:05am 11:35am

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

11:30am The Bourne Ultimatum 1:30pm Lawrence of Arabia 5:05pm The Mask of Zorro 7:25pm Superman IV: The Quest for Peace 9:00pm The Bourne Ultimatum 11:00pm Conan the Barbarian 1:15am Wanted 3:10am Uncommon Valor

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

Planet's Got Talent Dinner Date Emmerdale The Cube The Ellen DeGeneres Show Dinner Date I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Emmerdale You've Been Framed! The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! You've Been Framed! Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men Family Guy Family Guy I'm a Celebrity... Extra Camp Family Guy Family Guy American Dad!

1:35pm

2:40pm 3:40pm 4:15pm 4:45pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:05am 1:35am

3:30am

Judge Judy Coronation Street Coronation Street Heartbeat Wild at Heart Judge Judy Judge Judy Judge Judy A Touch of Frost A ruthless, calculating man holds a supermarket chain to ransom with the life of a young boy. Wild at Heart Drama series set on a South African nature reserve. Heartbeat Coronation Street Coronation Street A Touch of Frost Heartbeat Murder, She Wrote Doc Martin Foyle's War Blue Murder A Touch of Frost Detective drama series. Teleshopping

9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:05pm 12:35am 1:35am 1:40am 2:55am

Snooker v Darts The Chase The Chase Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Ironside Quincy, M.E. The Sweeney The Avengers Cash Cowboys Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Devon and Cornwall Cops Devon and Cornwall Cops The Spy Who Loved Me FYI Daily The Spy Who Loved Me Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber FYI Daily Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Ax Men

7:30am Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Special 8:00am Hot Shots! Part Deux 9:35am Whiskey Tango Foxtrot 11:35am Superbad 1:35pm Sausage Party 3:10pm How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 5:10pm Fred Claus 7:10pm Dad's Army 9:00pm Sausage Party 10:35pm Superbad 12:35am Brüno 2:05am Tyler Perry's Boo! a Madea Halloween

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

WEDNESDAY TV

Charmed Charmed Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement Black-Ish Black-Ish: Just Christmas, Baby How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Goldbergs The Goldbergs How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl Kevin Can Wait Kevin Can Wait The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks First Dates Abroad The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Prometheus The Big Bang Theory

7:00am Mine Stranded in the desert after a mission falls apart, lone US soldier Armie Hammer must battle both his enemies and the hostile environment. Thriller with Annabelle Wallis. 9:00am Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 10:35am Winter Wedding 12:20pm The Top Ten Show 2017 12:35pm Red Dog: True Blue 2:20pm Non-Transferable 4:00pm Detour 5:50pm Louis and Luca and the Snow Machine 7:20pm Red Dog: True Blue 9:00pm Mine 11:00pm The Deal 12:50am Detour 2:45am Non-Transferable 4:40am At the Devil's Door

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

Revista de la Liga La Liga World One2eleven One2eleven Revista de la Liga La Liga World La Liga Icons La Liga Icons Revista de la Liga La Liga World Football‘s Greatest Teams Scottish Cup Greatest Games Scottish Cup Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games Football Years Football Countdowns Revista de la Liga La Liga World Football Years Gillette Soccer Special EredivisieEredivisie Magical Messi EredivisieEredivisie One2eleven One2eleven

10:45am La Liga Greatest Games 11:00am Revista de la Liga 11:30am La Liga World 12:00pm One2eleven 12:45pm One2eleven 1:00pm Revista de la Liga 1:30pm La Liga World 2:00pm La Liga Icons 2:45pm La Liga Icons 3:00pm Revista de la Liga 3:30pm La Liga World 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 5:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Revista de la Liga 7:30pm La Liga World 8:00pm Football Years 8:30pm Gillette Soccer Special 11:00pm Eredivisie 12:00am Magical Messi 1:00am Eredivisie

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

OPINION & COMMENT

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com

Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.

It’s nothing to do with the EU SIR, I see Leapy Lee adding weight to the argument that the most ardent Brexiteers are those with least knowledge of the European Union. In his last column he gleefully cites the case of a Somali criminal as absolute justification for leaving the EU because of the decision of the much maligned European Court of Human Rights. Although it has the word ‘European’ in its title, this court is NOT an EU body, and is part of an entirely different legal system to the European Court of Justice with which it is constantly confused. It was set up after the war by the Council of Europe to uphold the Convention of Human Rights and in fact the UK was one of the first members to ratify the Convention when it passed through Parliament in 1951. The EU has actually decided not to be bound by the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights Elaine, Torremolinos

HAVE YOUR SAY

Editor’s note: This is correct, and was noted by other readers. The error slipped through due to pressing deadlines in the editing process, and we apologise.

What a puzzle! A reader wrote in asking for puzzle answers to be printed the same week, sparking a deluge of replies. Here is a selection. STAR APPEAL? From left, Nicky Minaj, Nicole Scherzinger and Gorka Marquez.

Strictly cobblers I WOULD be interested to know how your editors decide what news is worth including in this publication, because I see no obvious logic. Anybody ever heard of Nicky Minaj, Nicole Scherzinger or Gorka Marquez? Er… who? Yet for some reason we are informed of their activities and of other non-entities in your page labelled Celeb Focus. Sorry, this does not qualify as news. No way! By publishAll letters by email or post should carry the writer’s address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published.

ing this nonsense, the Euro Weekly is simply playing into the hands of those press agents who will do anything to get publicity for their talentless clients. Please, EWN, use your valuable space to give us real news! David Baird, Frigiliana Editor’s note: Since introduction, the celebrity page has been warmly welcomed by thousands of EWN readers. Readers who have missed correspondence can see all letters - which can be edited before publication - posted on: www.euroweeklynews.com.

Woman rescued above busy road Firefighters worldwide are all heroes. With love and gratitude to each and every one of you. Irene Margaret Weston Good job. Hopefully she will get the help she needs. Jeni Potter

Gibraltar ‘to fall out of the single market’ ‘Blow for the UK leaving the EU!’ You are totally mistaken! It is a blow for EU, UK leaving the EU! That is the reason that EU put up all the obstructions, they can find, in the ‘Brexit’ negotiations! They know, that UK leaving the sinking ship, will mean the beginning to the end, for EU! Carsten Thorvald

Comments from EWN online Police reopen toddler death I said before that there is no way a three-year-old could walk 4km on her own at night without something happening. Debbie Tobin Strange, all of it. Something doesn’t add up. Keep delving more and see what the outcome will be. Jay Ellis Something doesn’t add up!!

It’s a blow for everyone Carsten Thorvald but it will be a bigger mistake for the UK singularly and every indicator is showing this to be the case - nothing positive is jumping out to show us that leave is the way forward. As for sinking ship, well all the predictions of collapse, capitulation and other members queing up to leave haven’t transpired and if anything Brexit has galvanised the other members to stick together. Obstructions? The EU negotiators have made it clear what is required to move this forward, the obstructions to progress are internal caused by a divided government that is wasting more time and energy from belligerent in-fighting, and power positioning. The only ship sinking is the Brittania! Dave Syd

Karen Joy Harley

Spain defends holding migrants in prison Here in Malta they are sent to detention centres for two years! Moira Palmqvist Yes, sounds like they are warm, dry and being fed, what’s the problem? Madeline Wilson Best place. Can keep track and process... well done at least they know where they are and if not eligible for staying

they can be returned from whence they came. Susannah Washington Spain is battling this type of immigration virtually on its own. Eleven thousand arrived in boats on the shores of southern Spain this year alone to date. The problem is the trafficking mafias in their h o m e c o u n t r i e s, t h a t i s w h e r e t h e s o l u t i o n s should start. Carl Verwulgen

Passengers ‘quarantined’ after flight from Spain Better still, a dab of Vaseline in each nostril will catch the germs. Most throat and chest problems are caught when breathing through the nose. I always take a cotton handkerchief with tea tree oil on it and inhale it regularly, as it’s antibacterial. I do this in hospitals as well. Jeni Potter Just returned from trip to UK and back. I think I have picked up every germ on those planes. People will get on, sit down and put the air-con on... Don’t they realise that just spreads everyone’s germs around. Clare Lloyd Wear a mask on every trip. The amount of people that have nasty colds when flying to and fro from the UK is terrible. The air circulation/aircon units are crap.... Thank god I don’t fly these days... Sian Foster

The case for… I THINK putting puzzle solutions in the same week as set would be a bad move, as often I find that the answer is so obvious I wonder why it took me so long. If you get a majority response to include answers, will you please put them on a different page so that they are not seen accidentally! Les Johnston, address withheld REGARDING the letter from Norman (November 23-29) - no, no, no - please DON’T publish the answers to the puzzles in the same issue, it takes all the fun away! Sometimes it can take me two-three days to complete the cryptic crossword and people should have a little patience to wait for the answers to be given the following week. Barbara, Alhaurin de la Torre

…and against I AM one of the loads of people and I definitely agree with last week’s reader! It is infuriating not to be able to check the answers to the puzzles immediately. I particularly like the crosswords and even using a dictionary I cannot find one or two of the answers so have to wait. Muriel, Algorfa I AM writing with regard to the puzzle answers being printed in the same issue. My partner and I take two papers every week so that we can each do the Codebreaker and puzzle. We both feel that it would be much easier for most of us if the solutions were in the same issue, obviously printed on a different page, otherwise we might peek. Lynn Hopkins, Fuengirola

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

Quick

Across 1 Corporal revised by lido (6) 4 Improves barracks around the street (6) 9 Distant from pedalo off the coast (5) 10 Scottish town’s tune has dire arrangement (7) 11 Broad squadron leader is in tears (8) 12 Five hundred sick, Herb? (4) 14 Animator Sidney’s upset (6) 16 From and to Kensington for souvenirs (6) 19 Voice quality begins to offend nearly everybody (4) 20 Naval ice breaker in Spanish city (8) 23 Company chief ordered to get a small house (7) 24 Withdraw yearbook, it has a letter missing (5) 25 Father’s address is now in a closer Monaco villa (6) 26 Prevents the desert crumbling (6)

8 Fashionable to be covered in fat? That’s hard to see (5) 13 Average fashion cost (8) 15 Failure to snare legislator (7) 17 Small pieces of furniture for farm buildings (7) 18 Rubbery stuff of recent times (5)

Code Breaker

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION FACING PAGE

19 They secure money for the government, so we hear (5) 21 Stick nothing in boat (5) 22 Bermuda dollar contains part of a wall (4)

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 1 represents Z and 22 represents B, so fill in Z every time the figure 1 appears and B every time the figure 22 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 Fresh bread is cooked (7) 2 Doctor has a small aircraft (5) 3 Nobleman might feel pier shake (4,4) 5 Blades appearing when people have a row (4) 6 Presume serum is destroyed (7) 7 It’s metal crime, reportedly (5)

TIME

SPONSORED BY

Down 1/8 Rough, tight embrace (4,3) 2 Rough (5) 3 Dry (4) 4 Plays for time (6) 7 Ludicrous (6) 9 Open space in a wood (5) 10 Go across or through (4) 12 Counterfeit or pretence (4)

Across 2 Annoy continually or chronically (6) 5 Second letter of Greek alphabet (4) 6 Eyeball membrane (6) 7 Weapons (4) 8 See 1 Down 11 Fewer (4) 13 African country (6) 14 Dreary (4) 15 Long for (6)

English - Spanish

Across 1 Dump (hovel) (9) 8 Hueso (4) 9 Courgette (9) 10 Botella (6) 13 Suitcase (6) 15 Seaweed (5) 16 To owe (5) 17 Peludo (5) 18 Guante (5) 21 Raffle (draw) (6)

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

22 Mirror (6) 25 Amusing (9) 26 Yesterday (4) 27 Locutor (entre programas, en anuncios) (9) Down 2 Used (stamp, syringe) (5) 3 Corazón (5) 4 Viajar (6) 5 Language (6)

6 Ama de casa (9) 7 Alemania (7) 11 Stools (seats) (9) 12 Grande (5) 14 Cenizas (5) 16 Recogedor (7) 19 Lotion (6) 20 Poison (6) 23 Python (5) 24 Juez (5)

LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

‘ TAKE A GOOD LOOK GIRLS - A MALE GENDER SEX CHANGE WOULD RUIN THE LOOK OF YOUR JEANS! ‘

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

TARGET: • Average: 13 • Good: 19

IRISH LOTTO Saturday November 25

EURO MILLIONS Tuesday November 21

BONUS BALL

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION aged ague drag dreg drug egad frag frug gaud gaur gear gird grad grid guar rage urge argue auger dirge fudge grade grief guard guide raged ridge urged urger argued arguer figure fridge girder grader guider regard figured figurer gaudier guarder argufied FIREGUARD

BONUS BALL

• Very good: 27 • Excellent: 34

5 7

Friday November 24

BONUS BALL

Sudoku LA PRIMITIVA Saturday November 25

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.

BONUS BALL

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)

Consider what is the most important thing to you at the moment? Is it wealth or social position? Your work, or how it may be possible to afford that new conservatory are minor considerations compared with your greatest asset which is your health.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)

Pat yourself on the back for all of your efforts of recent weeks. Looking back just a few months, would you have thought so much progress could be made? Because of your efforts, home life is enhanced and you are more appreciated. Give yourself a break at the weekend and do something with a loved one that you have not done together for some time.

As the saying goes, ‘no one ever said it would be easy’. In the past few months you have found this to be true. Hard work is not alien to you, but there is a point where you want to shout ‘enough’. It may be that business or home life needs some rearranging, or that someone is moving job and the routine is severely disrupted.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Rarely has your mind been as sharp as it is at the moment. There have been some awkward and downright bad periods in the recent past, but this week everything falls into place. Why, you wonder, have you worried so much about things which could not be changed?

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA Sunday November 26

24 50

39 54

BONUS BALL

CRYPTIC

QUICK

Across:

1 Lush, 3 May apple, 9 Parsnip, 10 Issue, 11 Taboo, 12 Erodes, 14 Crummy, 16 Starve, 19 Mantra, 21 Altar, 24 Alarm, 25 Sceptre, 26 Pleasure, 27 Reed.

1 Pastime, 5 Bling, 8 Pious, 9 Baggage, 10 Recline, 11 Seems, 12 Suffer, 14 Canyon, 18 Stoat, 20 Shatter, 22 Edifice, 23 Agree, 24 Scarf, 25 Satisfy.

1/4 Rub out, 3 Rabo, 5 Esto, 6 Soft, 8 Risa, 11 Bed, 12 Aula, 15 Once, 16 Leal, 17 Onda, 18 Yes.

Down:

1 Lipstick, 2 Scrub, 4 Apples, 5 Amigo, 6 Pasteur, 7 Eyes, 8 Inform, 13 Befriend, 15 Unaware, 17 Thanet, 18 Hawser, 20 Times, 22 Title, 23 Wasp.

1 Papyrus, 2 Stoic, 3 Inspire, 4 Emblem, 5 Bogus, 6 Imagery, 7 Guess, 13 Florida, 15 Adamant, 16 Nursery, 17 Assess, 18 Sheds, 19 Thief, 21 Turns.

ENGLISH-SPANISH

Down: 1 Roer, 2 Bees, 3 Rosada, 7 Fall, 9 Iron, 10 Abuela, 13 Ugly, 14 Arms, 15 Oro.

CODE BREAKER

For all of the things that you want to do, there are three others that you wish to do. Maybe they are waiting for their own time to come. During the course of this week you will be thinking of what the future could hold, even though dealing with practical issues.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

KAKURO

LEO (July 24 - August 23)

When you are at home this week I would like you to consider how you view your surroundings. This is a good week to make changes and have discussions about future directions. It is assumed that those close are happy with the status quo, but this may not be the case.

3 10

YOUR STARS

BONUS BALL

Nonagram

FOR NEXT 7 DAYS

Saturday November 25

Kakuro

EWN

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

SPONSORED BY

VIEW ON LIFE

MADDOCKS’

OUT

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

When it isn't possible to change something, often it is just as effective to rearrange it. That is the solution which comes to you this week. Instead of being frustrated at a delay, try changing the conditions or times. This may mean that you save money or delay a payment to your advantage.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) When we have long-standing friendships, these are often taken for granted and yet often we could make so much more of them.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) As a home-loving Libran, you are torn between making changes to your surroundings and getting some cash in on the business side. Apparently, it is not possible to do both because energy levels fluctuate.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) There is so much in you that is determined and looking forward to a fresh start, but something that you are trying to get rid of, or give up, may be giving you more trouble than anticipated. Some things have to be done alone, or so you think, but others have gone through this before you so they are able to give support.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Is playing the waiting game really to your advantage? Your Sagittarian character naturally leads you to be optimistic, and why not? Even so, it won't hurt to hurry someone along rather than having them go at their own pace. Bear in mind that, in letting someone get away with sloppiness, you are doing them no favours at all.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) The enthusiasm of your bright Capricorn mind is also capable of making you restless. There are mixed feelings about being at or near home this week, with thoughts of more progress being possible elsewhere.

E W N Costa Blanca North

30 November - 6 December 2017

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

TO READ MORE

HEALTH BEAUTY

Advertising feature

Nowadays hearing loss sufferers need suffer no more THE way our ears and our hearing perform is an amazing process. To put it simply, for our ears to receive sound, the sound travels down our ear canal, through the middle ear and into the cochlea. The cochlea is a portion of the inner ear that looks like a snail shell (cochlea is Greek for snail.) The cochlea is filled with a watery liquid, the perilymph, which moves in response to the vibrations coming from the middle ear which causes the small hair cells inside to move to the different frequencies. These signals are then sent to the brain, which subsequently decodes the incoming messages and makes sense of them. When we have normal hearing, our brain routinely filters out the background noise and other non-important information to allow us to focus on speech and other important signals. However, this process can be more problemat-

ic for someone with hearing loss. Due to the damage to the tiny hair cells in the ear, people with hearing loss have a harder time distinguishing speech when they are in a noisy environment and more often, they will also find loud noise uncomfortable. Nowadays, hearing aid advancement means that hearing loss sufferers need suffer no more. At Apple Hearing & Healthcare, we are proud to introduce a virtually invisible hearing aid with directional microphone. With our extensive product knowledge in the industry and by working closely with major UK hearing aid manufacturers, we can offer our customers the latest product available in the market. This virtually invisible hearing aid enables you to hear more effectively and most importantly, more discreetly, in a noisy environment. If you suffer from this problem and dread go-

VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE: Hearing aid with directional microphone. ing out to social gatherings, why not come in to our hearing test centres either in Ciudad Quesada or Benidorm to benefit from our FREE, NO OBLIGATION hearing test. We offer flexible appointments to our clients and, for those with reduced mobility we can arrange home visits which cover the whole of Costa Blanca region. In most cases, we can guarantee your hearing will improve significantly. We pride ourselves in providing the best after care service which means that our relationship with our customers does not end at the point of sale, but we strive to continue taking care of the servicing, testing and repairing of the hearing aids as and when necessary. We are on hand to make sure you are satisfied with the aids and our life-long six monthly check up will also ensure you are kept updated with the latest technology and servicing of your aids.

On our new, improved website - www.apple cares.eu, booking online for a test could not be easier. Or if you prefer, drop in at one of our centres or give Apple Hearing & Healthcare a call on 965 020 813 and check out how improved hearing can contribute to a happier and more fulfilled life. You might surprise yourself at how much it might benefit you and the people around you. CIUDAD QUESADA HEARING TEST CENTRE: Calle de Los Arcos 5. Ciudad Quesada, 03170 ALICANTE. Opening Times: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 2pm BENIDORM HEARING TEST CENTRE: Avenida Doctor Severo Ochoa 7, Local 4, Benidorm, 03503 ALICANTE. Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm. Tel: 965 020 813 Email: info@applecares.eu

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Beat the bulge them on an in b r e a t h . Yo u c o u l d also try gentle stomach crunches by lying on your back with bent knees before slowly raising your head to your chest while engaging your core muscles. Lulu also recommends sticking to low-impact training for six months after giving birth and avoiding weights to prevent healing muscles and organs from being placed under too much pressure as well as upping your water intake to help cells renew. The trainer suggests further boosting your body’s cells with healthy fats, including those found in coconut oil and oily fish, as well as taking a multivitamin to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need as you heal. F i n a l l y, L u l u t e l l s n e w mothers to be relaxed about returning to their pre-baby weight and not give themselves a hard time, advising, “just have some faith and be patient!” Photo by Lulu Adams/Twitter

IT takes nine months to put it on and can easily take nine or more to take it off. But celebrity personal trainer, Lulu Adams, has offered one publication simple tips on how to safely return to your pre-baby weight after giving birth. The professional, who helped Made i n C h e l s e a s t a r, Binky Felstead, get back into shape after giving birth five months ago, starts by explaining it is important to appreciate your body has been through a lot of change and take workouts slowly. She goes on to add it takes around eight to 10 weeks for the abdominal

BEFORE AND AFTER: Lulu Adams.

New mothers should be relaxed about returning to prebaby weight. muscles to heal after giving birth, explaining exercise should focus on restrengthening the core and pelvic floor muscles. Suggested training includes contracting abdominal and pelvic muscles on an out breath and relaxing

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ask The Doctor

Brought to you by

More than just cold fingers

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. THIS week, the doctor answers our questions on Raynaud’s phenomenon. What is Raynaud’s Phenomenon? Raynaud’s Phenomenon is a condition whereby cold temperatures or strong emotional reactions lead to vascular spasms which block blood flow temporarily. If when you are out in the cold or at emotional times find that your fingers, toes, ears or nose turn white, then blue, then red over a period of a few minutes or up to a few hours, you may have Raynaud’s. When does it happen and what is the cause? This phenomenon is usually caused by low temperatures and stress. There are two types: primary Raynaud’s, where the cause is unknown and most patients have few symptoms, and secondary Raynaud’s, which is associated with autoimmune diseases, artery problems, certain medications, infections and heavy smoking among others. Can I beat it without having to take drugs? These steps can help keep Raynaud’s under control: keep your body warm, avoid exposure to the cold

in any form, use gloves when outside or touching ice or frozen food, avoid getting cold after active sports, stop smoking as this causes blood vessels to narrow, avoid caffeine and medicines which case blood vessels to spasm. If these measures are not enough to control the problem, you should see a Specialist in Internal Medicine for evaluation who may prescribe medication if necessary. It is important to treat the cause of the phenomenon. Who does it usually affect and why? When does it appear? Primary Raynaud’s usually appears in women under the age of 30. Secondary Raynaud’s is association with other conditions and generally appears in the over 30s. Can it cause other health problems? Primary Raynaud’s Phenomenon is usually related to other illnesses and only appears due to cold or stress. Secondary Raynaud’s however is associated to other conditions. In any case, patients suffering symptoms of Raynaud’s should see a specialist in Internal Medicine for evaluation

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

HEALTH & BEAUTY

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

Junk food overload

GET INVOLVED: Find local community groups, or use technology to contact family and friends.

Don’t suffer this winter AFFECTING one in 12 adults, eczema is an uncomfortable - and sometimes painful - skin condition. Often exacerbated in winter when the air is drier due to heating, the eczema can cause skin to become red, swollen and itchy. The consequences can be lower self-confidence, an inability to wear certain clothes which chafe, and an intolerance to certain skin creams. So what you can do to avoid or reduce the impact of eczema? If this is the first time you have suffered from the condition, it may be that you have contact eczema, where your skin is reacting to a particular irritant. This particularly affects the hands if they have been in contact with harsh chemicals and can be treated with prescription or over-the-counter steroid creams to reduce inflammation. A strong non-allergy moisturiser such as E45 will help to restore skin’s hydration levels, reducing your symptoms.

If you have been suffering from eczema for some time, however, and find your symptoms flare up time and time again, there are some home remedies to improve the condition. According to the Express newspaper, the most important thing is to take steps to lock moisture into the skin and avoid irritation. This begins with lowering the temperature on your bath or shower. The hotter the water, the more moisture is drawn out of the skin and high temperatures can also cause itching. Similarly, the newspaper suggests ditching scratchy fabrics for smoother ones, including replacing wool with cotton or cashmere and swapping manmade polyesters for breathable, natural fabrics like linen. Finally, keep your skin hydrated by moisturising before and after showering and swap harsh shower gels for kinder soap substitutes. If your symptoms persist, however, or you think your eczema may have become infected, it is always advisable to visit a doctor.

A DIETICIAN has warned some so-called ‘superfoods’could be as bad for us as junk food. Australia-based nutritionist, Lyndi Cohen, has told one publication there are several junk foods disguising as healthy options. Lyndi’s first victim are acai salads which are commonly mentioned as a superfood. According to the dietician, “while they do contain good nutrients and have the same amount of antioxidants as an apple, they are simply not worth paying the extra money - just because they are a socalled ‘superfood’,” adding, “in fact, acai bowls can be incredibly high in both sugar and calories.” Instead she says, “swap the acai berries for one banana and a cup of frozen blueberries and top with a handful of seeds and nuts.” Next on the list are rice cakes. Lyndi explains, “they might be low in calories, but they are not a healthy op-

CALORIFIC: An acai salad. tion,” explaining they, “offer fast-burning carbohydrates without much fibre or nutritional value.” Her alternative? Grainy brown bread topped with avocado of cheese. Finally, prepare to forgo your favourite fruit juice. According to the nutritionist, “while a whole piece of fruit is healthy, fruit juice is really high in sugar without the ben-

efit of fibre to help slow how quickly it’s digested.” She adds, “it can also take six to seven oranges to squeeze one cup of orange juice, yet you’d never just sit down and eat seven tangerines.” Lyndi argues this makes the calorie content high, explaining, “it might be better than a soft drink, but it’s not a healthy option.” Instead she suggests a vegetable juice or water.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Advertising feature

Dedicated to those with mobility problems FOUNDED in 2010, Total Access understands the needs of those who find it difficult to move up and down stairs and offers a solution for every problem. The problem may be a simple difficulty in climbing due to age or an infirmity such as arthritis in which case a stair lift may be the answer, but for those who are confined to a wheelchair then an internal or external lift may be more helpful. Even a simple ramp or adapted bath or shower could make life easier for young and old alike. Gone are the days of Thora Hird advertising slow and ugly stair lifts as nowadays, Total Access can offer a range of custom designed single rail, double rail or even outdoor stair lifts. A qualified team of trained installers can consider all of your accessibility needs and will be very happy to show you details of other installations in your area. Cost will obviously be a factor in any decision that you may make and the company not only offers the most economical options but can, under certain circumstances, arrange financing. It is very easy to contact Total Access who will be happy to visit you in your home in

One of many stair lift options.

External platform makes access easier.

order to discuss your needs and then give you a free quotation for the most suitable solution. They deal only with the best producers of machinery, can customise to your exact needs and every system which will be fitted by trained personnel comes with a two year warranty and a first year service free of charge. Total Access offers these services across Alicante Province and is happy to work with individual customers, shops, restaurants, hotels and social clubs. One of the major advantages to using Total Access is that the company has contacts with all of the major manufacturers of this type of machinery and equipment and is therefore able to introduce clients to new innovations and development made to make life easier for those with mobility problems. Total Access is open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm at C / Pau Casals 6, Local 2, 03581 El Albir (Alicante) and can be contacted by calling their Toll Free number 900 525 920 or 622 555 160 and 622 555 168. For details of the services that the company offers and to see a range of the most up to date machinery on the market, visit www.to tal-access.es to view their website in English or Spanish.

SCENE

OCIAL

30 November - 6 December 2017

Costa Blanca North

Update on food, drink, entertainments, what’s on and weekly happenings

EWN

TO READ MORE VISIT WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

Advertising feature

Enjoy the true taste of Spain in Oliva THE Restaurante Viva España in Oliva is guaranteed to give guests a true taste of traditional Spanish food and entertainment. Viva España was established in 1977 by a Valencian family, along with their two daughters following their return to Spain from South Africa, where they set up the first Viva España in Johannesburg. This Oliva restaurant is the perfect setting for a romantic meal or a fun outing with friends and family. In creating Viva España the aim was to give customers the best in quality food and entertainment in a relaxed and comfortable environment and they succeeded, so much so that now, some 40 years later, the restaurant is more popular than ever. Christmas and the New Year promise to be particularly exciting for the restaurant and guests with

Tickets still available TICKETS are still available to see Brotherhood of Man and Mud II perform in an expected sell-out conert at Benidorm Palace on Sunday December 10. Brotherhood of Man are a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s. They won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with Save Your Kisses for Me. Altogether, the group have released 16 studio albums, with worldwide sales topping 15 million records. Mud (now Mud II) are an English glam rock band, formed in February 1966. Their earlier success came in a pop and then glam rock style, while later hits were influenced by 1950’s rock and roll. The band had 14 UK Top 20 hits between 1973 and 1976, with three number ones, including Lonely This Christmas which reached Christmas number one in December 1974. Tickets are priced from €25 and are available via the Benidorm Palace Box Office on 965 851 660.

Get to know the real Andalucia at Viva España. some very special offers which will delight customers new and old alike. Although traditionally a summer event, there will be a special Andalucian Horse Show on Saturday December 23 with a wonderful exhibition of horses in the skilful hand of excellent horse riders. After the exhibition customers will be served with a typical An-

TORO is a Spanish Denominacion de Origen (DO) for wines produced in the Castile and Léon areas of Zamora province. The DO takes its name from the town of Toro with wines made locally since 100 BC and where King Alfonso IX 1300 years later granted by Lorenzo lands to reli- Barbareschi gious orders with the obligation to plant vines. Many of the 40 churches that still exist in Toro - which sits above the Río Duero and boasts medieval architecture and the site of Spain’s first university - were built through wealth generated by the wine trade. Producers established underground bodegas to ensure more effective temperature control, as many vineyards sit at 600 - 750 metres above sea level amid sand, clay and calcareous soils that suffer climate changes from winter lows of -11c to

dalucian dinner and later they can enjoy the famous flamenco floor show. Christmas offers a superb set meal which includes drinks at just €45 per person or €18 for children with a performance from the Viva España flamenco dance troupe. New Year’s Eve is even more exciting where the restaurant offers a

spectacular evening which includes a range of starters, two further courses followed by dessert and coffee and a selection of drinks. Add to this the Viva España flamenco dance troupe, balloons and grapes at midnight and an open bar for just €90 per person. All of these great events will be popular and reservations are essen-

Spanish value

BACCHUS CELLAR

TINTO DE TORO: Deeply coloured and full-bodied. summer highs of 37c. Due to the protection provided by the sandy soils, Toro vines were not affected by the phylloxera louse at the end of the 19th century, and many vineyards 80 to 100 years old are now the source of grapes for special cuvées. Tinto de Toro, which is synonymous with Tempranillo, is an early-ripening grape with small berries and thick skin translating into intense, deeply coloured, full-bodied, tannic

and excellently valued wines that pair well with meat dishes. Most of Toro’s best wines are 100 per cent Tinto de Toro, although those with just 75 per cent of the variety and blended with Garnacha, also qualify for DO status. Tempranillo Colegiata by Bodegas Fariña (100 per cent Tinto de Toro) and Caño Tempranillo-Garnacha (Blend) by Bajoz are among my recommendations. Happy tasting.

tial, so call 962 850 018 or 695 161 207 to arrange everything with Jacqueline. The restaurant offers a vibrant, modern space serving excellent food at surprisingly reasonable prices. If you can’t make one of the celebration nights, then don’t forget there is a Menu del Dia which costs just €9.50 plus IVA on Monday to Friday at lunchtime and every Saturday they have a dinner and dance night with a Spanish band and a threecourse menu for just €16. Perfect for couples and larger parties, Viva España is easy to locate and has ample free parking, Viva España Ctra. Valencia-Alicante N-332 km 216 Oliva Tel: 962 850 018, 962 851 931 or 695 161 207 Visit www.viva-espana.net

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo credit sarabaras.com

SOCIAL SCENE

WE DANCE: Sara herself on stage.

Bailamos! FLAMENCO dancer and choreographer Sara Baras requires little introduction. Born in Cadiz and taught by mother Concha Bara, Sara has been dancing for more than 30 years and is currently touring Spain directing her company’s 14th show ‘Sombras.’ Sara Baras’ Flamenco Ballet - founded in 1998 - boasts 4,000 performances at some of the best theatres in the world and Sara is fast becoming recognised as an ambassador of Spanish culture.

The company has sold out some of the world’s most emblematic stages such as the 104-year-old Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris. Sara herself has danced at the iconic Parisian theatre more than any other artist, performing more than 200 times and wowing audiences totalling more than half a million. The company has also performed at the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Buenos Aires Opera House, Tokyo Orb The-

atre and the Great Theatre in Shanghai to name just a few. Sombras will take to the stage at Valencia’s Teatro Olympia next month, with show dates running from Thursday December 14 - Saturday December 23 at 8.30pm each evening. Tickets are priced from €30 to €54 and are available via the Teatro Olympia Box Office on 963 517 315 or online at h t t p : / / w w w. t e a t ro olympia.com/compania-sarabaras.

Photo credit: Altea town hall

Let’s party! By Linda Hall ALTEA’S municipal sports complex hosts a Lan Party over the long Constitution weekend between December 6 and 10. The 250 people expected to take part will each have a 2GB fibre optic internet connections so that they are assured of an uninterrupted link for the 100 hours that the Lan Party lasts, the organisers explained. The event revolves round computers and video games and includes workshops, competitions and tournaments to test participants’ skills. Official tournaments will be League of

LAN PARTY: 100 hours’ gaming. Legends, Heartstone, Counter Strike and Clash Royale with €1,500 in prize money that will be shared amongst the winners. Places are limited and more information is available on www.altealanparty.com.

A reason for saying ‘cheese’ A CALLOSA cheese manufacturer received a silver medal at the World Cheese Awards 2017 held recently in London. This was the second consecutive year that the local cheesemaker took a prize, after receiving a bronze in last year’s edition. This year’s prizewinner was a cured goat’s cheese with the addition of rosemary, selected from a total of 3,001 cheeses from all over the world judged by a jury of 250 professionals of different nationalities.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo credit: La Nucia town hall

SOCIAL SCENE

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS: A day to remember them.

Dual-purpose fun morning By Linda Hall MORE than 3,000 people attended La Nucia’s 10th International Children’s Day. All the 25 activities held in the car park at the Camilo Cano sports ground were free and focused on the three-to-12 age group. The event was organised by the Social Welfare while 30 volunteers coordinated the activities and workshops. Each of the 15 workshops was themed on one of the

Rights set out in the UNICEF Convention, so the children could make a glove puppet at the Right to Protection workshop, for instance, or a bookmark at the Right to Education booth. As well as the workshops there were bouncy castles, organised games and an obstacle course. There was also a bar for the adults, run by the Els Grillats fiestas association to raise funds

for the Festes d’Agosto 2018 celebrations. As well as reminding children of their rights and providing them with a fun morning, the event was also held to encourage all La Nucia residents to integrate and meet socially through their children’s activities, the Social Welfare department explained.

SCULPTOR Teo San Jose is exhibiting his work at the Frax Foundation in Albir. Originally from Valladolidad but now based in Denia, San Jose is a sculptor, art therapist and writer who is best known for monumental works after several years of working in wood and metal. A member of Britain’s Royal Society of Sculptors, San Jose’s work was selected for the 2006 Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition and displayed alongside those of the internationally renowned Spanish artist, Antoni Tapies. The exhibition jury chose San Jose’s Fire Bird as one of the summer show’s most significant pieces and it was later featured in a BBC documentary. San Jose’s exhibition at the Frax Foundation entitled Esculturas en un jardin zen opens tomorrow, Friday, in the hall and the stairs at the entrance and can be seen until February 7. Each of the large-size works is accompanied by a poem which San Jose will be reading at tomorrow’s inauguration.

Photo credit: Wikimedia

Sculptures in a Zen garden

MONUMENTAL WORK: One of Teo San Jose’s sculptures.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

FEATURE

Advertising feature

No need to paint with Andura GIVE your home the ultimate spring clean with Andura Abroad No Need To Paint system. Every home owner on the Costa Blanca is aware of the continual struggle to upkeep and retain the fresh, clean appearance of the exterior of their Mediterranean home, but with Andura, this spring clean is one that will last for years. Thanks to the Andura Abroad No Need To Paint system, repetitive house painting is a thing of the past, as this specialist exterior wall coating lasts up to 10 times longer than any ordinary paint. The system has been in place since 1979 and has been on the Costa Blanca in Spain for 25 years, transforming the exterior appearance of thousands of homes. Andura wall coatings offer numerous benefits over standard exterior paints. The coating is made from a flexible resin allowing it to expand and contract with the building, preventing cracks and blisters. It is 10 times thicker than paint offering an unrivalled coverage and resists strong sunlight and UV rays. The coating creates an impenetrable barrier which prevents any water getting into the fabric of the building, but also allows internal moisture to escape. It prevents mould and fungus and also acts as an insulator to the building.

Before As well as vastly improving the appearance of your property it also adds value. The coating comes in a standard range of 12 colours and the professional team will offer the best service possible working on your home until it is completed. The service begins with the walls being cleaned to remove dirt and loose paint and surface imperfections are carefully treated. Doors and windows are masked up and plants and lawns are fully protected by tarpaulins before the primer and coating is applied.

After

Andura Abroad No Need To Paint is so confident of the long lasting finish you will obtain, they offer a 15 year guarantee and an insurance backed guarantee is available. Promotional homes are currently wanted across the Costa Blanca. For nearly 20 years the company has successfully used the open house/open day promotional homes concept to promote the products and services they offer as the home owner enjoys substantial discounts on the normal cost of the Andura coating. So for more information or to arrange a free

on site survey and assessment, contact the team today. No Need To Paint Calle Cristo del Mar 29 Javea Port Calle de la Goleta 6 Denia Grupo San Roque Los Dolores Callosa de Segura Tel: 659 692 540 Visit: www.noneedtopaint.com Email: contact@noneedtopaint.com

Albir offers an Oasis of comfort ESTABLISHED in 1980, the Albir Oasis Park was one of the original mobile home parks on the Costa Blanca. Run by Shaun and Chris Wilson it is set in a peaceful, residential, suburb in Albir, is close to all amenities and only a short drive to Benidorm. Albir Oasis is one of the very few mobile home parks where owners can stay 12 months of the year and although there are many residents that use the park as their own home away from home, many stay the whole year round. There is a shop offering a range of British staples and the popular Pineapple bar which serves food and runs quizzes and karaoke with delicious fish and chips on Fridays. The park has a well-appointed sun terrace where you can relax and enjoy a drink if the weather is clement as well as a good sized swimming pool and a gymnasium together with a bubbling Jacuzzi and Sauna. As well as the traditional mobile

Single chalet.

Oasis Parks. home business, Oasis has unveiled a new concept to owning your own holiday home in Spain. Home Share is a system where you can purchase a selected three month period which will be yours for the next 10 years. The year is divided January March, April - June, July - September, October - December. The choice of homes ranges from one to two bedrooms and all the mobile homes are fitted out to a high stan-

Sun terrace. dard. Once you have chosen your preferred option you choose the annual fee package that suits you. The Oasis Parks at Albir aims to offer a feeling of tranquillity in a busy world so has a no pets policy

and children are generally only present when they visit a relative there. The whole site is fenced in and there is a security barrier to stop unwanted visitors. So if you ever dreamed of owning your own Oasis in Spain then contact Shaun or Chris at Oasis Parks Albir and make your dreams a reality.

With just 67 sites this is a discreet and exclusive park ideal for those expatriates who want to enjoy all of the benefits of Spanish life. Oasis Caravan Parks Albir Oasis Park Carrer Eurim 23 03581 Alicante Tel: 966 865 748 / 696 090 776 Email: oasisparks@yahoo.co.uk www.oasisparks.com

PROPERTY S P E C I A L

30 November - 6 December 2017

Costa Blanca North

EWN

Look no further for a home. 5-page special starts here...

SPONSORED BY

HOMES

Photo Credit: Tracie Hall Flickr

Roses

A challenge for the Mediterranean gardener GRAEME TYRRELL ROSES are one of the most favourite flowers for their wonderful form and beautiful scent. To grow a rose plant in the Mediterranean is a challenge though as they prefer cooler summers and winters to be at their best. There are ways to improve the ability to grow them. The most important difference in the Mediterranean climate is to provide summer shade for roses for at least half of the day, preferably shaded from the afternoon sun. The normal requirements for growing roses applies in terms of providing a rich soil with soil amendments of compost, manures

and other fertilisers suited to alkaline soil. Alkaline soil is predominant in the Mediterranean regions. Roses prefer neutral to acid soil but will tolerate a degree of alkalinity. Applying mulch around the rose plants will also help to keep their root zone cooler in summer, so a thick layer is recommended to provide the most insulation. Organic mulches are the best for roses as they allow greater aeration for the soil to breath. If you apply the organic mulch after the start of the hot weather it should last through summer and even if it breaks down by winter it does not need renewing until the next spring. Allowing the mulch to thin out over winter permits the colder weather to affect the rose

plants to become dormant and rest before the spring awakening. Planting roses adjacent to buildings can keep the rose plants too warm in winter so they are better planted in rose beds in zones more exposed to the winter cold but protected from strong winds. Roses have the advantage in the Mediterranean of having a spring flush of flowers and a second flush in autumn. They often reduce their flowering over summer due to the heat and may have some flowers over winter, although it can make the plants stronger to remove the winter buds, it is also wonderful to be able to get roses at that time. Pruning is best done at the start of spring to create a good framework for the coming flower season and another pruning at the end of

GARDENS

A FAVOURITE: The beauty that is a rose. summer to reduce height and remove crossing branches, but leaving many of the new shoots that have grown over summer to support the autumn flower display which can often be their best display if treated in this way. Spring and summer removal of rose hips is also a good idea to make the plants stronger and more attractive. Aphids can be a problem in late spring but a 50/50 mix of pharmacy type alcohol and water sprayed

on them can clean them up easily and it is safer than many chemical products. Caterpillars usually attack at the end of summer. They can be sprayed off with water from a hose. I leave a lot of them though so that the air is full of butterflies in autumn at the cost of perforated rose leaves for a month. The rose plants always recover quickly and they seems to flower better or at least the flowers stand out better for their perfect form and beauty.

HOMES & GARDENS

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

FRUIT SALAD: Many trees can be grafted.

A feast of fruit salad WHILE so m e o f u s m ay b e lu ck y enough to have a garden, many of us simply have a patio or balcony. And although this may seem to offer fewer options for planting out, there are many things you can do to make the most of a small outdoor space.

Several stone fruits, including plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines can all be grown on the same tree. If yo u a r e a g r o w- y o u r-o w n fan , don’t be put off, you can still grow several fruits and vegetables by maximising the space you do have. One of

PLACE CUTTINGS: Into the root.

the most efficient ways to grow several plants in one go is by grafting one to another. An example of this is so-called ‘fruit salad’ trees which can combine up to six fruits on one plant. Stone fruits including plums, apricots, peaches and n ec ta rin es c a n a ll be grow n on the s a me tree , w hile c itrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits

can also share a plant. W hile fruit s a la d tre e s c a n be bought in garden centres and online, you can create your own and enjoy all the benefits of a country house garden on your balcony! Start by buying or using an existing root of a fruit tre e me a s uring around one inch thick. Then take up to five cuttings of plants from the same family - like stone fruits, citruses or apples - which each measure around ¼ inch thick and four inches long. Make a two-inch-deep cut into your root and use a knife to make a spearshaped end to your cuttings. Place the cuttings into the root and cover the plant to keep it secure and keep water out. And prepare to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

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

PETS PAGE www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017

Costa Blanca North

SPONSORED BY

Your questions answered! David THE Dogman LISTEN to David on TRE on Saturdays 10am to 11am Costa del Sol (Gibraltar/Sotogrande) 98.7fm (San Roque to Calahonda) 91.9fm (Calahonda to Motril) 88.9fm, Costa Calida 92.7fm Costa Blanca (Torrevieja to Elche) 105.1fm (Elche to Calpe) 88.2fm, (Calpe to Gandia & Ibiza) 104.6fm, (Denia to Valencia) 95.3fm Mallorca 103.9fm columnists@ewnmediagroup.com

Q. My dogs like to eat grass and mushrooms. Is this a problem? A. There is no definitive answer as to why dogs and cats eat grass. Three veterinarians will most likely give three answers. Theories range from their stomach is upset to the need for vegetation in their diets. The fact is grass has no nutritional value for pets. The most plausible

ROUGHAGE: A dog eats grass. explanation is that it is a habit dating back to their ancestors where a certain amount of roughage was required for normal bowel activity. Present-day dog and cat foods contain varying amounts of fibre

making grass eating unnecessary. It is most likely an instinct that has just not faded away with time. It is true that too much grass can be irritating to the stomach lining, which can cause vomiting. Although some

Planning to go away this springtime ...? AS Christmas approaches many of us try to get ahead of the game to book our flights and hotels early with good prices for a spring break. If you’re planning a holiday you may also be wondering what to do with your dog, cat or other animals. There are many options today, but keeping them at home in their own environment with minimal disruption to routines, can often be the best option. That’s where we come in, we can help you find house and pet-sitters to keep your property and pets safe and sound in your absence. If you are not yet familiar with our

HOUSE-SITTERS: For when you can’t holiday with pets. house-sitting network, www.HouseSitMatch.com, take a look online. It is easy to join and we can help you get started. Check out our Trustpilot reference online to

see what our verified customers say about us too. So if you have holiday plans firming up, best to pin down your house-sitter now. Get ahead and start early.

Do you need a house or pet-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or homeowner now with a 20 per cent off introductory offer using coupon code PERFECT20. To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on 00 44 (0) 777 214 2742.

dogs enjoy eating grass, it is best to discourage them from grazing like cows. Some mushrooms can indeed be very toxic to pets. Most cause gastric irritation resulting in vomiting

and diarrhoea. Others can cause damage to the heart, liver and kidneys. In some cases, seizures and death can occur. The best advice is to identify the species of mushrooms in your garden. If they are safe for human consumption, they will not be harmful to your pet. Remove all poisonous and unidentifiable mushrooms from your pets’ environment. Cats are finicky and less likely to ingest mushrooms. The potential for ingesting such toxic agents is another reason to keep your dog from roaming freely. Owners should constantly inspect their pets’ outdoor environment for potential toxins. These include garbage, dead animals, dangerous mushrooms and toxic plants. Remember pets, especially dogs, are non-discriminating when it comes to potential food. Items such as rotting garbage and dead birds may appear disgusting to us, but they can be filet mignon to some pets. Sharing is caring!

Leaders of the pack NEW research has suggested that those who own dogs are less at risk from developing serious illnesses than those who don’t. Scientists studying heart disease came to the conclusion after examining data from more than 3.4 million Swedish nationals between the aged of 40 and 80. As registering a dog and going to the hospital both require Swedes to present their national identification number, scientists were able to analyse the records of people over a 12-year period to see if there was any correlation between the two factors. They discovered those who had registered a dog in the system were less likely to be treated for heart disease in the long run if they had not shown any previous symptoms of the illness. Although the research did not draw any conclusions why this was the case, scientists suggested that it might have something to do with the fact that having a dog gives

people more motivation to do exercise. They also encourage people to be more social and are known to improve happiness levels, all of which has a positive impact on physical and

health. It has also been suggested that being in constant exposure to dog’s germs could help to boost the immune system which helps to keep serious illnesses at bay.

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017

SPONSORED BY

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

AIR CONDITIONING

GAS

AWNINGS

BUILDERS

www.euroweeklynews.com

BREAKERS YARD

AIRPORT PARKING

AIR CONDITIONING

BUILDERS

SERVICES

Costa Blanca North

SERVICES PLUMBERS

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

POOLS

EWN

PLUMBERS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

SEE OUR CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE - ASK FOR PRICES AND START PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

REMOVALS & STORAGE

www.euroweeklynews.com

SERVICES

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

TV & SATELLITE

SCRAPYARD

VEHICLE TRANSPORT

SOLAR

EWN

E W N Costa Blanca North

30 November - 6 December 2017

SPONSORED BY

FOR BEST RATES IN MOTOR INSURANCE

CALL: 952 89 33 80

Volvo strikes taxi deal By Matthew Elliott VOLVO is set to supply Uber with 24,000 cars which the American tech-taxi company will convert into driverless cars. Uber has transformed the transport market in recent years by supplanting the traditional taxi industry in almost every country it operates in. Users order taxis and pre-pay using an application on their smart phones. The company is also at the forefront of driving technology. Instead of hiring drivers, who have frequently been accused of sexually assaulting female passengers, it wants a legion of autonomous cars to serve as taxis. Swedish carmaker Volvo has stepped in, signing a deal to provide Uber with 24,000 cars between 2019 and 2021. Each car will be compatible with Uber’s pioneering driverless technology. Uber chief, Travis Kalanick, said: “Over one million people die in car accidents every year.

These are tragedies that self-driving technology can help solve, but we can’t do this alone. That’s why our partnership with a great manufacturer like Volvo is so important.” Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the firm has ambitions to be the major worldwide supplier of vehicles for the emerging driverless taxi industry. If the Uber deal goes ahead it will be the biggest for Volvo since it was taken over by Chinese giant Geely in 2010. Although Uber will be responsible for the autonomous component of the cars, Volvo has its own designs on the intelligent car market. It is currently trialling its driverless XC90 in the United States and has four other models Volvo engineers are working on making it 100 per cent autonomous.

NO CHAT: Driverless XC90 new ride for Uber users (above).

E W N 30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

MOTORING

ROAD TEST by Nick Fletcher

Volvo V90 D5 VOLVO has long been noted for capacious estate models and its latest V90 upholds this tradition, with practicality complementing executive luxury and sporty performance. The company has also been a pioneer of new technology, and even on entry level versions, from €40,530 (£35,865), you get large touch-screen, satnav, connectivity, voice control, adaptive cruise control, LED headlights, and safety kit which includes pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection, auto emergency braking, and Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous system to aid steering, acceleration and braking, plus 17-inch alloys and leather-faced upholstery. My test model was V90 D5 PowerPulse AWD Inscription, a top-spec version laden with many extra features including a premium sound system, 360-degree surround-view parking camera, head-up windscreen display, powered glass

sunroof and much more, taking the price to €64,338 (£56,935). The car featured Volvo’s smooth and quiet 2.0 litre 235 hp diesel engine mated to an eight-speed auto gearbox, with all-wheel-drive. This is a beautiful combination of refinement, performance and economy - so good I felt I could drive right across Europe and still be relaxed at the end of the journey. The 0-100 kph time of 6.9 seconds underlines its sporty credentials and top speed is 233 kph (145 mph). The fuel figure is very respectable at 20.3 kpl (57.6 mpg). The V90 has elegant classy styling which turns heads, and the cabin also impresses with its use of top-quality materials, thoughtful layout and comfortable seating. I did find the touch-screen menu hard to fathom though admittedly, I was trying it without first reading the 22-page instruction book! There is good space for occupants front and rear and the boot space with rear seats in use - while not the largest in the class - is still a substantial 723 litres. The rear seats drop flat to boost capacity to 1,526 litres and the tailgate is powered. On the road, the relative quiet of the car, its seamless auto gearshifts, responsive acceleration and reassuringly composed handling get top marks. Overall, I rate this Volvo estate as arguably best in class.

Model tested is UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

SPORT

Three Lions set to roar in 2018 World Cup Harry’s top quality - we’re fortunate to have him - Southgate “Playing for England is different from that at club level and one of the key things we have to continue to work at,” said Southgate. There will be players ‘missing out’ in the England 23, with Daniel Sturridge, dropped in the friendly internationals against Germany and Brazil, desperate to return to the fold. Liverpool outcast Sturridge, 28, in the cold at Anfield under manager Jurgen Klopp, is among a plethora of players that could miss the cut. Ashley Young, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fraser Foster, Chris Smalling, Danny Wellbeck, Jermaine Defoe and Theo Walcott await their fates. Sturridge could miss out, with Liverpool teammate Dominic Solanke, 20, getting the nod after his surprise call up to the England squad. “We assess who can take us forward - that’s the challenge for

with Andrew Atkinson

HARRY KANE: Top quality - fortunate to have him Southgate. all the players - you have to be playing well enough to get into the squad,” said Southgate. Klopp, ahead of Liverpool’s

Premier League game at Brighton on Saturday, said: “Solanke will be a future player for England, 100 per cent.

“Apart from his football skills, his character is absolutely outstanding. He is completely calm and doing so well, but doesn’t feel like ‘roll out the red carpet’; he is a smart lad.” Chelsea duo Ruben LoftusCheek, 21, and Tammy Abraham, 20, on loan at Crystal Palace and Swansea, respectively, are among new blood, alongside Solanke, brought in by Southgate. “Ruben and Tammy are two really good young players - the future for Chelsea,” said Blues boss Antonio Conte, ahead of the Blues fixture against Newcastle on Saturday. Two players who have surely got their England passports stamped for Russia are Phil Jones and Harry Kane: “Phil Jones has got the pace and the reading of the game at a relatively young age. “He competes well and it’s clear what he brings to the team.

SPORTSCENESPAIN with Andrew Atkinson Photo by England/Twitter

JULEN LOPETEGUI’S shoulders carry the hopes of Spain’s 2018 World Cup glory in Russia - after qualifying undefeated to top Group G - in a bid to repeat Spain’s success in 2010. “Whoever wants to do something special at the World Cup, besides having great players, they will need a great team,” said Lopetegui. Spain, who beat the Netherlands 1-0 at Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa after an extratime goal by Andrés Iniesta, giving Spain its first World Cup title in 2010, have a great team. Spain qualified for the 2018 World Cup, winning nine and drawing one of their 10 group games, scoring 36 goals, conceding a paltry three. That underlines David de Gea will be the No. 1 goalkeeper pencilled in by Lopetegui, knowing their chances of glory are in safe hands. Spain are in Pot 2 at The Kremlin in Moscow on Friday December 1, along with Peru, Switzerland, England, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Croatia, for the draw on the road to the final on July 14 at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow. Spain have a plethora of talent, including Carvajal, Pique, Ramos, Alba, Azpilicueta, Nacho, Alonso, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Silva, Isco, Koke, Alcantara, Niguez, Pedro, Deulofeu, Asensio, Morata and Alcacer. Will Juan Mata, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Iago Aspas, Nolito and David Villa get the nod in Lopetegui’s 23-man squad?: “There are many that will be in Russia,” said Lopetegui. “But I have not got the clear 23 players that will go to the World Cup. There are some that

UKSPORTSCENE Photo by England/Twitter

THE 2018 World Cup Group draw is set to take place in the Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Russia, with England’s Three Lions set to roar. The 32 teams playing at 12 venues in 11 different cities that go head-to-head during June 14July 15, 2018, will be split into four pots, based on their current FIFA world rankings. Pot 1 contains Russia and the highestranked seven teams. The December 1 draw will divide the 32 teams into eight groups of four, from A to H. Each group will play three matches, before the top two countries advance to the second round. Russia are in Group A as host nation. England meet Italy and Holland in friendlies in March, prior to manager Gareth Southgate naming his final 23-man squad: “The team are getting clearer messages in how we want to play,” said Southgate.

MORENO: World Cup dream.

Baby talk from Moreno as he dreams of Spain World Cup glory are certain and others that have an excellent opportunity,” said Lopetegui. Spain have a strike force to be reckoned with and Lopetegui said of striker Alvaro Morata,

who joined Chelsea from Real Madrid in the summer: “Morata is a very good No. 9 and we are very happy with him.” Costa, Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas, Valencia’s

Harry’s finishing is top quality, as good as anyone, we’re fortunate to have him,” said Southgate. Manchester United travel to Arsenal on Saturday and Red’s boss Jose Mourinho said of defender Jones, 26: “Phil Jones is still young, still learning.” The 2018 World Cup Final Draw: Pot 1: Russia, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland, France. Pot 2: Spain, Peru, Switzerland, England, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Croatia. Pot 3: Denmark, Iceland, Costa Rica, Sweden, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Iran. Pot 4: Serbia, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia. Group Stages: June 14-June 28: Round of 16: June 30-July 3; Quarter Finals: July 6-July 7; Semi Finals: July 10-July 11; Third place play-off: July 14. Final: July 15.

Rodrigo and Athletic Bilbao’s Aritz Aduriz are all vying for striker roles in Russia, and Lopetegui said: “Rodrigo is very good - so is Aspas - Diego Costa too. “We will decide who our No. 9 player will be for our first game. It may be that we will not play with the same No. 9 for our second game. We shall see. They all have possibilities to be the starting No. 9 for Spain.” Atletico Madrid’s Costa cannot play until January 2018, having last played for Spain in June, having missed the final four qualifying games, after a dispute with his former club Chelsea. Liverpool left-back Alberto Moreno, 25, returned to the Spain squad for the friendlies against Costa Rica in Malaga and against Russia after a three-year absence. “Alberto, a left-back that suits us, is someone that is eager to go forward, and is also very fast at correcting his position,” said Lopetegui. Former Sevilla star Moreno and his wife Lilia, who became proud parents following the arrival of Alberto Junior two weeks ago, said: “Last season was bad for me. I didn’t play. “I am playing all the games now, and at a good level. I am here now, and with the World Cup so close why not dream?” Defending champions Germany, bidding to become the first country to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, are the 5-1 favourites; France 11-2; 6-1 Brazil; 7-1 Spain; 8-1 Argentina; 14-1; Belgium; 20-1 England; Portugal 24-1; Russia 40-1; Mexico 80-1.

30 November - 6 December 2017 / Costa Blanca North

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo credit You Tube

SPORT

REALISTIC: Wayne Bennett.

England to take on Australia Rugby League ENGLAND coach Wayne Bennett believes his side’s huge task in defeating Australia in the Rugby League World Cup final is unlikely: We probably won’t win. “We’ll be there, we’ll still go to the game, but we probably won’t win,” said Australian Bennett, 67, a World Cup winner with New Zealand in 2008, when assistant coach. England, who defeated Tonga in the semi-final, play in their first World Cup final since

1995, against holders Australia, 1-9 odds-on favourites, in Brisbane on Saturday. Australia, unbeaten under coach Mal Meninga, are on a path to win a fourth World Cup crown in five attempts. Underdogs England’s odds are 6-1. Will defeat see Bennett retire?: “Retiring isn’t in my head. “The England job challenges me - there’s a lot of talent in this team - the type I want to work with,” said Bennett.

Javea Green Bowls Club Winter League go from strength to strength JAVEA GREEN’S Winter League team continued their winning streak when they welcomed The Emerald Isle Bowls Club on Wednesday. Anticipation for a good result was high and from the onset Javea stamped their mark on the game. Ahead from the onset on all five rinks they finished w i t h a s h o t d i ff e r e n c e o f plus 53 and the all important 12-0 scoreline. J a v e a ’s B e r l e e n t e a m were also victorious. Emerald Isle’s Captain was kind enough to say that Javea are the team to beat this year. This puts Javea in the enviable top of the league spot, eight points clear of their nearest rivals. If Javea dominated on the green then Emerald Isle certainly made their mark during the post match lunch with impromptu singing and joke telling.

J a v e a ’s Wi n t e r L e a g u e Captain Clive English commented: ¨This is what the winter league is all about, meeting up with old

friends, making new ones and playing good competitive bowls in a great sporting spirit before sharing an enjoyable lunch.”

EWN

E W N Costa Blanca North

30 November - 6 December 2016

MALAGA, Real Madrid and Barcelona were all in Copa Del Rey action earlier this week. La Liga clubs dominate the final 16, which may provide more drama than the league, where Barca remain comfortably top.

TO READ MORE

Costa Blanca’s best guide to local sport

Pego Golf Society report THIRTY-EIGHT members and one guest, Andrew Brown, played a medal match for the Copa De Escocia. The weather was very changeable but all managed to get through without getting too wet, too cold or too hot. The scores were interesting as a few new faces in the Winners’ Enclosure supplanted the usual suspects. The winner of this prestigious trophy was Paul Trigwell coming in with a net score of 71 playing off 21.2, followed by Bob Jenkins with

WINNERS: Paul Trigwell, centre, holds his trophy aloft. 72 playing off 17.2. The following four players all had net scores of 75, third Barry Carter playing off 19, fourth Ian Robertson playing off 13.5, fifth Michael Connolly playing off 17 and sixth John Guest playing off 11.4. The lowest gross score of the day was from Shaun O’Gorman with 84, a great

score. Nearest the pins were Malcolm Wise, second shot on hole five and Angus Muir on hole 16. There were three twos today, from Peter Cornes, Roger Miller and Ian Robertson. The re w e re 109 ba ll in the water today, with a correct guess by our guest An-

drew Brown. Next week the society is playing a singles Stableford competition, any guests wishing to play contact pe gohandicapsec@gmail.com. The competition will be followed by our AGM and the club would like as many members as possible to attend.

SPORT www.euroweeklynews.com

Global Sport: Cricket: Ashes ENGLAND and Australia go head-to-head in the opening day of The Ashes 2 n d Te s t a t t h e A d e l a i d e Oval on Saturday December 2 after the First Test in Brisbane. Vice-captain Jimmy Anderson has laughed off speculation it will be his l a s t Te s t S e r i e s a f t e r Aussie off-spinner Nathan Ly o n t a l k a b o u t e n d i n g England players’ careers. “ T h e s t u f f h e ’s b e e n coming out with has been tickling us - we’ve been laughing about it in the dressing room - it’s good for team spirit,” said Anderson. Swing bowler Anderson, 35, played in the 2010-11 series in Australia, that England won; and the

2013-14 Ashes series humiliating 5-0 whitewash. “I am not thinking if we don’t win I am ‘done.’ My body feels fine. It’s just a case of looking after myself. If I can keep fit, keep my speeds up,” said Lancashire star Anderson. Anderson, who broke onto the international scene in the 2002-03 season, says he could be in the 2021-22 Ashes series in Australia. “There’s no reason why n o t . T h e r e ’s n o r e a s o n why I can’t extend my career - I wouldn’t rule it out,” said England’s most successful test bowler Anderson. T h e A s h e s 2 n d Te s t i s during December 2-6 at the Adelaide Oval.