Issuu

22 - 28 February 2018

Explosion case closed A COURT in Almeria has declared inquires into an explosion in a warehouse in Almeria’s Science and Technology Park (PITA) closed. Maria Belen Lopez, the judge presiding over the case, stated in the court order that there was no evidence to suggest the accident was criminal. The court has therefore been required under criminal procedure laws to dismiss the case, according to the statement. Ten researchers from the companies Hintes Oil Europe and Fergon SL were involved in examining the explosion at the site in September 2015. The companies have reached a financial settlement with those affected, according to sources reported in Spanish media. The explosion at the warehouse killed one of the workers while four had to be taken to hospital in the morning of September 21. Two of the workers were left with burns covering 60 and 80 per cent of their bodies respectively. They were taken to the Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Sevilla for treatment where one of them died in November from the injuries. The explosion is believed to have been caused by welding work and the court has dismissed the possibility that it could be classed as a violation of work safety laws.

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Justice at last by Matt Ford After a decade of agony Helen and Len Prior have finally received a payout for their illegally demolished home. “Now this is over, we just want to try and recover our lives, we have lost 10 years that no amount of money can ever replace,” Helen said. It comes as the couple, both in their early 70’s, were paid a settlement of almost €236,000 by Vera Council. Helen thanked lawyers Victor Martinez and Jose Contreras for their “hard work over the last 10 years,” but pointed out that the payout is “very poor” since it does not even cover the original €350,000 cost of their home. “The house was legal and demolished for political reasons, we were scapegoats,” she said. “I was awarded €1,500 for ‘moral damages’ and my husband €7,500 for 10 years of suffering, ridiculous. “In any other EU country the amount would have been much higher,” she added. The Priors’ story made international headlines after their home was bulldozed over ‘planning irregularities,’ although the

Photo credit AUAN

ISSUE NO. 1703

TEN YEAR BATTLE: Helen Prior speaks at a 2016 rally while husband Len (right) looks on and (inset) bulldozers demolish the couple’s villa in 2008. couple insist the build was legal after the town hall granted them a municipal construction licence in 2002. But their two-storey dream villa was pulled down in 2008 and they were forced to live in a garage for four-and-a-half years, with the demolition order later annulled by the Constitutional Court. In 2016 they won a court battle entitling them to €425,185 in compensation, but the Andalucian High Court of Justice later ruled that they should re-

PROPERTY SPECIAL

ceive just over half that amount. They had initially requested €800,000 which included a €200,000 emotional damages claim, but the latter was reduced to less than €10,000. Gerardo Vazquez, lawyer and spokesperson for the Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora No (AUAN) campaign group, which has been helping the Priors through their ordeal, said: “As a spokesperson for AUAN, I am very happy for the Priors. “I hope that you can at least continue with your lives

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more peacefully. “With the good humour that has characterised them during the last 10 years that their struggle has lasted, they have shown great tenacity and resistance and are an example to all of us. “I give all my love and admiration to the Priors.” And Helen added that at least “our case has helped others. “We have supported AUAN and fought to change the laws to protect the innocent and those that bought property in good faith.” Politicians from the local Popular Party have called for a public apology to the Priors via social media.

22 -28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

NEWS EXTRA Identity fraud TWO men who stole a total of €12,400 from a friend by falsifying information from his personal bank documents and credit card have been arrested by the Guardia Civil in Garrucha.

Council pact H U E R C A L - O V E R A’ S Council and Chamber of Commerce have signed an agreement committing them to supporting local businesses, with plans for training sessions and inclusion of vulnerable people.

Crime down THE mayor of Tabernas was joined by an official from the Almerian authorities who thanked the town for its cooperation on combating gender violence, with the area having committed itself to helping protect victims.

Alleged Almeria jihadist arrested in Paris By Joe Gerrard A MOROCCAN man who lived in Almeria around the time h e alle g ed ly b e ga n plotting a terror attack targ etin g a n A ms te rd am to Paris train has been arrested. T h e 3 5 -y ea r-o ld w a s p ick ed u p in th e F renc h capital in a joint operation between that country and Spain’s anti-terror police forces. Police began their investig atio n s a fte r a lle g edly learning the man, who had an address in Almeria, was p lan n in g to atta c k the Thalys 9364 train in August 2 0 1 5 . T h e y a ls o w o rke d with Almeria’s Provincial Intelligence Brigade. The joint operation reportedly uncovered the suspect’s membership of a cell connected with the Daesh t e r r o r o rg a n i s a t i o n . T h e group were plotting multiple attacks across the EU which the planned train

strike was part of. Police claim the man collaborated with the cell to arrange for the movement of its members around the EU and by providing vehicles for this purpose. N a tiona l Polic e pla c e d the man under 24-hour surveillance when he returned to Spain and he was arrested by their French counterparts while reportedly on his way to Belgium.

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Drug smugglers make hash of travels Photo by Guardia Civil

WEEDED OUT: The suspects were caught en route to their homeland.

By Tom Woods THE Guardia Civil has arrested two men accused of transporting 20 kilos of hashish in a vehicle bound for Switzerland. According to police sources, the alleged traffickers were hiding the drug in the lining of the passenger airbag as they made

their way from Almeria. The arrests form part of Operation ‘Garpon,’ centred on an international drug distribution network based in the Costa del Sol. A total of 16 people have been detained so far, and five trading sites for drugs have been dismantled. The investigation followed the steps of the sus-

pects and their contacts with producers established in Morocco. A cartel had introduced the hashish in Spain through the coast and were identifying different routes of commercialisation. Both detainees have Swiss nationality and were hoping to make a handsome profit in their home country.

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Tool theft A MAN and a youth who allegedly burgled tools from a van to sell on have been arrested by police. The accused were picked up in Almeria City after officers spotted them carrying a wheelbarrow loaded with the tools in the early hours of last Friday.

Couch Critic 54

Time Out 48 - 49

Transport use

Health & Beauty 52

IN THE PINK: Snow blankets the Sierra Nevada mountains in Granada as almond trees burst into flower on the lower slopes.

Social 55 - 56

Hit and run POLICE have identified the owner of a car abandoned after hitting a 71year-old man in Almeria City. The driver and his passenger left the vehicle at a roundabout and fled after hitting the man, who was taken to Torrecardenas Hospital with severe hip pain.

Student visit A GROUP of 25 pupils studying law at Alhamilla high school got the chance to put their knowledge into practice in a visit to Almeria’s city hall. The students, hosted by deputy mayor Manuel Guzman, were told about the importance of participating in city management.

PLUS THE REGULARS News

AN Ombudsman has criticised the conditions and organisation of the migrant reception centre in the Port of Almeria. Fernandez Marugan said the facility had become in practice an extension of a police station that lacked beds, meaning people there had to sleep on the floor.

MORE than 3.3 million trips were taken on intercity buses last year, according to Almeria’s Transport Consortium. Antonio Martinez, the province’s development spokesperson, said the figures represented an advance towards improving Almeria’s environment and quality of life with the buses reducing traffic pollution.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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Albox A MAGICAL display is taking place in the hills and mountains of Mediterranean Spain. For a few weeks in January and February hundreds of thousands of almond trees erupt into blossom, with the countryside briefly transformed into a spectacular fairytale landscape of delicate pink and white hues. Grown mostly in Andalucia, Aragon, Cataluña, Valencia, Murcia,

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and the Balearic Islands, almonds form an important part of the local diet, being used to prepare everything from soups and sauces to cakes, pastries, marzipan and nougat. Almonds form part of the Prunus ‘stone fruit’ genus along with plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines and apricots. Native to the Middle East and Northern Africa, the trees were domes-

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ticated around 3,000 BC and brought to Spain by the Moors. And the country is now the world’s second-largest producer of almonds after the United States. More than 100 varieties are currently grown, but only five are produced on a commercial scale, with the marcona form - known as the queen of almonds - widely considered to be the best quality in the world.

149

57 - 61

Pets 65

Classifieds 66 - 67

The total number of news and features which appeared in Issue 1702 of the Euro Weekly News Costa de Almería edition, including 36 local stories.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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Spring watch Photo credit Jesus_I/Flickr

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TOP A Harramacho looks on and (inset) revellers gather in the village square. IT is an ancient festival of unknown origin. Taking place in the hamlet of Navalacruz in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos mountains, Avila, the Los Harramachos ritual is thought to be a preRoman call to protect livestock and children and boost fertility at the onset of spring. During the event revellers dress in fearsomelooking costumes made from sacking, animal skins and natural materials, concealing their faces with animalistic masks. And a number of different characters are involved in the annual celebration, which took place last Saturday. The Harramachos themselves are brash, masked individuals with a frightening appearance, although they do not participate in the ritual itself.

The Heifer is the incarnation of evil and wears a set of cow antlers and a bell at the waist, with three black crosses painted on his face. He chases women and lifts their skirts with his horns, before fighting and ‘dying’ in the village square. El Vaquero carries chorizo, wine and bread, and traditionally rewarded children who rang small bells. The mayor is the highest-ranking of the Fifths boys who turned 18 during the previous year and can be recognised by his black cloak and long stick that is used to leap the Chico River several times at a point of his choosing during a key part of the ceremony. He temporarily becomes mayor of the village during the festival.

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SPEEDING SNAP: The EXACT speeds that will trigger the devices have been revealed.

Police warn of exact speeds that will trigger roadside radar cameras Couple face fine after shooting adult film in national park in Spain

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OUR VIEW Wildlife trade pledge smacks of tokenism SPAIN has announced it is to tackle the illegal wildlife trade. It is the country’s first crack at confronting the issue, and comes after a gang of monkey traffickers were recently caged by Guardia Civil investigators. Animal rights campaigners will be overjoyed at the news the country long-known as the gateway to Europe for poachers operating in Africa and the Americas is finally acting to address the problem. But will the government’s measures make a difference? The official plan speaks of increases in funds for awareness campaigns and the provision of alternative livelihoods for communities involved in poaching, but crucially, it does not have a specific budget. Wildlife trafficking is among the most profitable criminal activities in the world, worth hundreds of millions of Euros per year. Demand is unlikely to be stemmed by an educational crusade, while it will surely be difficult if not impossible to convince local people profiting from the trade that they should seek new employment. Conservation biologists say that in reality, Spain will need to spend millions to make even a small change. And based on previous pledges by a Spanish government which has a long history off flouting or simply ignoring environmental laws, the level of investment is likely to be lacking. While this week’s announcement has been widely cheered by animal lovers, including many readers of the Euro Weekly News website, time will tell whether it is simply a token gesture.

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Bank fraud suspect held by Joe Gerrard A 39-YEAR-OLD who allegedly amassed a €9,000 haul in fraudulent bank withdrawals has been arrested by the Guardia Civil. The man, from Nijar, is accused of gaining access to a number of houses and taking bank cards and account documents from them once inside. Police began their investigation after a number of people complained that money had been taken out of their accounts. Officers claimed the accused looked for houses with several people living inside and visited them asking for a resident that he knew was not inside. He then got inside the houses and took the documents and the bank or credit card while the others in the house were distracted. The man was then able to go to banks and withdraw cash and over the course of the thefts took a total of €9,000, police said. Police arrested the accused on February 12. The proceedings have been sent to a court in Almeria.

Photo by Guardia Civil

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FOUND OUT: The suspect’s home is thoroughly searched by police.

Police raid yields drugs and illegal weapons THE GUARDIA CIVIL has arrested a 35 yearold man in Zujar for allegedly committing at least 14 robberies in Almeria and Granada. He is also suspected of carrying out 45 similar crimes in homes and farmhouses across the region. The detainee, of Romanian nationality, is also accused of illegal possession of weapons and drug trafficking. The arrest comes as part of the Guardia Civil’s operation ‘Losan,’ where two house searches were made in Zujar and Baza. A stockpile of firearms was discovered in-

cluding a rifle, five shotguns, four pistols and around 500 cartridges. Officers also established that the suspect was involved in the commercial sale of drugs, and found a room in his home completely kitted out for indoor marihuana cultivation. In total 1.7 kilos of marihuana, 800 packages of hashish, and three precision scales have been seized. The operation began last November after a high number of robberies in the Baza and Guadix districts caused a great deal of public alarm.

ram tag i/Ins iazz Imp Jess

Strictly on beach duty

IN THE PINK: The stunner recently made the CBB final.

SHE recently finished fourth on Celebrity Big Brother after splitting from rugby player fiancé Denny Solomona. And former Ex On The Beach star Jess Impiazzi, 28, certainly appeared to be living life to the full after hitting the beach at an unknown location in Spain. The London-born beauty left little to the imagination after slipping into a barely-there swimsuit for a racy frolic in the shallows.

ED | LOV

AFTER months of speculation they finally confirmed their romance on Valentine’s Day. And Spanish dancer Gorka Marquez, 27, and actress Gemma Atkinson, 33, are clearly head a Marquez/Instagram Gork over heels after the pair posted a series of snaps after jetting to Tenerife for a blast of winter sun. The loved-up couple were pictured enjoying a tanning session on the beach, with Gemma sporting a skimpy bikini and Gorka showcasing his :G rippling torso, after earlier em ma uploading a video of themselves and Gorka. arm wrestling. Although they had previously denied any romantic link, Gemma let the cat out of the bag on Valentine’s Day as she posted a picture of them sat on a rock together with her head resting on his shoulder. She captioned the shot: ‘Here’s to many more kid. Happy Valentine’s Day @gorka_marquez.’ Their idyllic getaway came afCIRCLED: From L-R, culprits ter the pair wrapped up the Strictly Livermore, Barry, Evans and Come Dancing live tour. Myhill.

Jess the ticket!

Bad Baggies off hook over taxi raid THE West Bromwich Albion players who allegedly stole a taxi from a Barcelona McDonald’s have been let off by Spanish police. Jonny Evans, 30, Gareth Barry, 36, Jake Livermore, 28 and Boaz Myhill, 35, were expected to face community service or a fine, but a court in the Catalan capital shelved the case due to ‘a lack of proof.’

The quartet reportedly broke a midnight curfew and returned drunk at 6am, leaving a set of taxi keys at reception before heading to bed. They were quizzed at a Local Police station and later released an apologetic statement via the club. They had been staying in Cataluña for three days warm weather training ahead of an FA Cup fifth round game at home to Southampton, which they lost 2-1.

Celeb focus Life’s a peach! CHEEK

Y BUM TIME: SHE’S never Cha nte lle shows off been shy of her new cur ves. flaunting her surgically-enhanced assets on social media. And exGeordie Shore star Chantelle Connelly had even more to display after slipping into an orange thong to display the result of her new bum implants. The 27-year-old jetted to Marbella on the Costa del Sol for the surgery, and captioned the saucy snap with a series of peach emojis.

Dancing on ice HE’S the Oscar-winning Spanish actor who married fellow star Penelope Cruz. And dad-of-two Javier Bardem, 48, has revealed that his next film project will be to provide a voice-over commentary for upcoming environmental flick Sanctuary. The project aims to draw attention to the plight of the Antarctic and create the world’s largest nature reserve.

Chantelle Connelly/Twitter

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by Tom Woods ALMERIA Council plans to link Macael’s industrial estate to the centre of Macael with a bicycle lane and pedestrian path, through the Tahal Highway. Development Councillor, Oscar Liria, has announced the move which will involve an investment of €100,000 and also enable the completion of the restructuring works on Calle Canteras. The underlying vision is to improve the urban mobility of Macael and will “facilitate access for many workers by bicycle and on foot, who at present only

have the option to drive or walk along a dangerous hard shoulder,” says Liria. The works will be carried out on a 360-metre stretch of road, from the roundabout by the petrol station to the industrial estate. To direct people onto the new pathway, a new signpost or physical monument will indicate the route for pedestrians and cyclists. Lighting will be installed along the route and there will also be a handrail to assist commuters. The others works on Canteras street will complete the renovation of the area, and will see improvements

Photo by Almeria Council

Council invests €100,000 in commuter lanes

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NEWS EXTRA Jobs for disabled A CENTRE which looks after people with severe disabilities is set to create 90 new jobs, 80 per cent of which will be carried out by disabled people.

Plant works ROAD TO SUCCESS: The new lanes will be welcomed by the public. in lighting, street furniture, and undergoing piping. The mayor of Macael, Raul Martinez said: “the

council of Almeria has been fundamental in making these plans a reality. “Not only has it drafted

the project, it will also allow us to save almost half of our contribution thanks to its funding.”

Second in region for fatal work accidents DEATHS due to accidents in the workplace numbered 20 in Almeria last year and the rate of fatalities in Andalucia rose by 15.4 per cent. Almeria came second among Andalucia’s provinces in terms of deaths resulting from accidents at work. It came behind Sevilla which had 31 fatalities and ahead of Malaga which registered 16, Granada with 11, Cadiz with 10, Jaen with nine and Cordoba with eight. Figures from the Ministry of Employment stated that the total of 112 workers lost their

lives as a result of work-related incidents in Andalucia. Of that total, 95 died during the workday itself, with the remaining 17 fatalities occurring on the way to or from work. Andalucia saw a greater rise in the number of such deaths than Spain experienced overall. A total of 618 people died in work-related accidents in 2017, a rise of 1.8 per cent compared to the previous year. More than 583,000 accidents resulted in sick leave nationally last year, an increase on 2016 levels of 5 per cent. The number of those which

resulted in minor injuries was more than 499,000. The manufacturing industry saw the greatest number of accidents at more than 94,100, followed by retail, wholesale and car repairs at a total of almost 72,000. More than 59,500 of the accidents were in construction, followed by the hospitality industry at almost 51,000. Most workplace accidents were due to physical overstress, falls, stumbles and hitting objects or sharp and hard metals, according to data.

THE construction of a €6.3 million water treatment plant near Nijar is now a quarter complete, which comes as the town’s mayor and the planning spokesperson on Almeria’s Provincial Council visited it last Thursday.

Free birds AROUND 50 schoolchildren from the Federico Garcia Lorca Primary and Early Childhood Education Center took part in the release of an eagle owl and a common eagle in Pulpi, following the rehabilitation of the birds after they were found injured.

New midwifes PONIENTE’S health district has recruited four new midwifes as part of a Ministry of Health plan to improve patient care, bringing the total number to six.

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Caught in the act THE National Police has arrested a 59-year-old man who was caught as he was allegedly about to enter a shop to rob it. The suspect was wearing a balaclava, gloves, and was carrying a large knife, a revolver, and another firearm. Local Police were tipped off last Saturday that an individual was hanging around several shops holding a balaclava in his hand. Upon seeing the police approach, the man began running

Photo by National Police

RUMBLED: Police apprehended the man before he could cause harm. away but was soon intercepted. The detainee has 21 previous

arrests for a variety of criminal acts.

Another dolphin dead ALMERIAN animal protection organisation Equinac have found another dolphin washed up on an Almerian beach. According to the group, the dolphin was reportedly found with clear markings of fishing nets on its body and had undigested food in its

stomach, which suggests the death was related to fishing. It comes after five other dolphins were also found dead in recent weeks on different beaches across the region, some found with fractured jaws. Following the latest finding, the group wrote on their

Facebook page: “We will continue to criticise (these deaths) without stopping, until the Ministry of Environment make it clear to the fishermen and everyone who causes the death of these animals that if a cetacean dies or is injured, even accidentally, you have to report it.”

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NEWS EXTRA La Desbanda road rename IZQUIERDA UNIDA will push for the Malaga to Almeria motorway to be designated as the Path of Democratic Memory to commemorate the La Desbanda massacre which took place on it during the Civil War.

Fishing aid A MEETING on aid for the fishing sector is set to be held at the Interpretation Centre of Fisheries in Adra next Monday at 12pm, following an announcement from Andalucian authorities about cash help.

Lifeguards THE Municipal Services of Almeria’s council have said authorities are still aiming to have lifeguards on the city’s beaches from the first weekend of May to October 31 despite changes to salaries and hours.

Deputy criticises Palomares clean-up effort ALMERIA’S representative in the Congress of Deputies has accused the Spanish government of throwing itself into the arms of the United States and Donald Trump over radioactive waste at Palomares. Diego Clemente, from the Ciudadanos party, made the claim during a session of the parliamentary committee on the cleanup of the waste. Pablo Garcia-Manzano, the government’s Undersecretary for Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda, was in the meeting taking questions from deputies on the Almerian town. Clemente said: “Palomares cannot wait a second more. “The silence and ignorance of the government on the waste at Palomares brings us back to the dictatorial ways of 40 years ago,” he told the committee. Government energy officials have said the plan for the United States to take the waste from

Photo by Wikimedia Commons

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CLEANUP TIME: Radioactive waste from the bombs that fell on Palomares after the 1966 plane crash has yet to be completely cleaned. Palomares was still in place. Clemente said the United States had always been reluctant to remove the radioactive debris. “With or without the USA, Palomares cannot wait,” Clemente said. He added the Spanish government should implement the original Palomares Rehabilitation Plan as soon as possible.

“Waste management and evacuation plans for Palomares should also be enacted and a destination for radioactive substances should be found in one of the world’s nuclear cemeteries,” he said. “Get back to reality and stop lying to the people of Almeria because the United States’ plan gives no hint of following through on the removal of the

waste,” he said. Palomares was covered in radioactive debris following a mid-air collision of two American planes in 1966, one of which was carrying four nuclear bombs. The cleanup operation was never completed and parts of the town are still off limits due to the continued existence of waste.

Historic park enjoyed by tourist rats RATS have been filmed marauding around the Nicolas Salmeron park, the supposed green lung of Almeria. The footage, produced by the PSOE, shows several rodents scuttling through the area, despite the council’s promise to eradicate them. Socialist councillor Ines Plaza said: “They (the Popular Party) are always saying that they have acted or that they are going to act, but residents have confirmed that nothing has been done and they continue to suffer the same problem.” That is why we are going to make a formal request to see the council’s management plan for ridding the park of these pests. The park has recently been registered by the Junta de Andalucia as an area of Cultural Interest and a historic garden.

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Hiking pilgrims retrace fateful journey

NEWS EXTRA Workers thanked ADRA’S mayor Manuel Cortes has thanked a group of young people who took part in works to improve the town, in a work experience programme that lasted six months.

by Tom Woods UP to 800 hikers have repeated the steps of the thousands of people from Malaga who arrived in Almeria during the Civil War. The ‘pilgrims’ followed the route of those who fled to Almeria in 1937, which was under the control of the Republican Popular Party and represented the only means of escape. Between 3,000 and 5,000 civilians and militiamen from Malaga lost their lives in the so-called ‘road to death,’ as they were attacked from land, sea and air. In homage to this tragic episode, considered one of the bloodiest of the Civil War, the trekking club ‘La Desbanda’ has repeated the same 250

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Photo by Facebook: Asociacion de Amigos de las Brigadas Internacionales

MARCHING ON: Those who took part honoured the memory of the victims. kilometre route along the Malaga-Almeria road. The march of remembrance took 11 days, ending on February 16 with the arrival of about 200 people to the centre of Almeria (although 800 have participated over the various stages). On his arrival in Almeria, club President Rafael Morales said: “At the end of each

stage we organise events, conferences, book presentations and other activities. “Last year was the inaugural march and the 80th anniversary of the event, and now we want to maintain the tradition every year.” The walk ended with the laying of a wreath at the monument to those who lost their lives.

Councillors place motion supporting feminist strike THE Izquierda Unida (IU) group on Almeria City Council have requested a vote on supporting a strike set to mark International Women’s Day. Amalia Roman, of the IU, tabled the motion to be addressed at the next session of the council over whether to back the feminist strike.

Backers hope the industrial action will be a general strike of women throughout the country when it takes place on March 8. It has been called in protest over inequality, discrimination and structural violence experienced by women. Strikers will also call for a fairer society, according to a statement from the IU.

Maths time CUEVAS DEL ALMANZORA is set to host the Mathematical Olympiad for the first time on March 10, following a meeting with Mayor Antonio Fernandez and the Andalucia education spokesperson with the Thales Mathematical Association.

Women talk THE Nijar Town Council has prepared a series of activities to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, including hiking, talks and plays for children.

Bike death A 51-YEAR-OLD man has died after his motorcycle crashed into a car on the Camino del Mar in Viator on Monday evening, with no other people injured as a result of the collision.

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NEWS EXTRA Marihuana arrest A 54-YEAR-OLD man who sold marihuana out of jars from his van has been arrested by Guardia Civil officers, who subsequently seized 25 grams of the drug and also almost €500 in cash from his vehicle.

Not on track A MEMBER of the Partido Socialista on Almeria’s provincial council has said unfinished works on the Cuesta del Negro (AL-7105) road had left it in a poor state of repair almost seven years after repairs began.

Egg-static CHILDREN of all ages from Cuevas del Almanzora have taken part in egg and mask painting workshops in the town hall and competed for prizes in a competition to decide which was best last Friday.

Jobs figures THERE were 3,917 people unemployed in Almeria last month, a fall of almost 6.3 per cent compared to January 2017 according to Andres Garcia Lorca, an Almerian provincial council official.

Cancer check AROUND 200 people were given advice on how to self-detect the early signs of cancer in a 30 minute micro-course held at the officers of the Vocational Training Institute (MEDAC) in Almeria City.

Smoked out THE number of people in Almeria who smoke daily has fallen by 9.4 per cent in four years, from 27.6 per cent of the population in 2016 compared to 37 per cent in 2011.

A GROUP of people accused of being members of an illegal cockfighting club have had their charges sent to court. Prosecutors have requested 10 months in prison for each of the 11 defendants, who reportedly organised the fights in a warehouse in Viator’s industrial estate. More than 100 people were at one fight when police raided it in 2016. Seven young people were also at the fight and spectators were placing bets on the

Eleven in court for alleged cockfighting outcome of the matches, it was reported. Around 84 cages for the animals were found in the warehouse, along with a ring, stands and a bar. Police were able to

rescue 17 cockerels during the raid, according to the Guardia Civil. Prosecutors claim the group organised a series of fights in January, February and

in the first days of March 2016. The birds reportedly had tape and glue applied to their limbs so they would be more harmful to their opponents. Thirteen roosters had to be slaughtered because of their injuries from the fights and two died after losing both their eyes. Andalucian environmental authorities have announced they will pursue sanctions against the group which could lead them to receive fines of up to €30,500.

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NATIONAL

It’s a fare cop Taxi meter fare fiddle probed Credit: Twitter / @EmergenciasSev

ON THE TAKE: Meters may have been tampered with. POLICE in Spain are investigating several taxi drivers who, it is alleged, have fiddled their meters to overcharge their customers. Local Police offices in Sevilla in Andalucia, southern Spain, have also raided a workshop where it is claimed the electronic system was installed. Pressing a button, the electronic device allowed the taxi driver to manipulate the final price of the passengers’ journeys on the official meter.

The button was located below the gear lever out of sight of the customer. When drivers changed gear they could easily press the button that bumped up the price on the meter. The city council in Sevilla that licenses the taxis issued a statement saying it believed the fraud only affected a ‘small group.’ A taxi drivers’ spokesman said, “It is not a massive fraud, but confined to a small group.”

E W N 22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

A BRITISH woman, aged about 60 years old, has died after a multi-vehicle smash on the holiday island of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, according to the regional government. Three other people were injured in the three-vehicle pileup on

Car crash horror the TF-46 in Guia de Isora. After the accident one vehicle caught fire. Firemen released four people who were

trapped in two of the cars. And one woman died at the scene. An air ambulance airlifted another with a serious head injury to hospital. Guard Civil traffic officers are investigating the sequence of events that led up to the fatal crash.

www.euroweeklynews.com

NATIONAL

L of a plan Revamped driving test to be unveiled

TESTING TIMES: The new rules come into force in May, according to Gregorio Serrano of the DGT (inset). NEW drivers taking their test in Spain will have to attend compulsory classes. It comes as the Spanish government puts the final touches to a raft of traffic law amendments expected to be approved ‘within days,’ according to reports. Director of the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), Gregorio Serrano, confirmed that an official announcement is expected shortly. “It is clear that we must change the way we examine and introduce new material, such as videos, which include real life traffic situations and not just answering a, b or c,” he said while addressing Spanish Congress. Under the new rules, learner drivers will not be able to sit the theory test without attending a series of mandatory lessons. According to the DGT, ‘many’ students show up to take the exam without any prepa-

ration, causing test centres to ‘collapse.’ And some of the new questions will involve writing down solutions to potential traffic issues, rather than picking a traditional multiple choice answer. New subjects introduced via the classes will include driving at night and the safe use of satellite navigation, plus risk assessment while at the wheel. The DGT also plans to unveil a new system of sanctions for drug and alcohol offenders, making it more difficult for them to recover their licences. More than 193,000 driving tests were cancelled last year in the wake of a slew of strikes by driving instructors locked in an ongoing pay dispute with the DGT. The new rules - including previously announced changes to the ITV technical inspection - are set to be applied from May 20.

E W N 22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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COMMUNITY

REHEARSALS: A few of the ladies who dressed up for the occasion in Bar Solare.

Raise the curtain STAGE DOOR will be performing their first matinee of ‘The Speakeasy Murder’ in the Roof Garden, Parque Comercial, Mojacar on Thursday March 22. Entrance is by ticket only available from the Roof Garden at €15 each including a meal. First course to be served at 2pm and the show will start at around 2.30pm. On Wednesday April 11 they will be at La Magnifique, Mojacar Playa. Once again entry is by ticket only and these will be available from the venue. Tickets are €16 each including a free glass of wine with your meal.

Now is a good time to join the Indalo Players. They have just commenced rehearsals for their next murder mystery entitled ‘The Mississippi Murder’ and very soon they hope to recommence rehearsals for ‘Plaza Suite’ which some of you may recall had to be postponed last year. They rehearse in Bar Solare, Turre every Tuesday from 4pm until 6pm. If you want to be on stage or back stage they will find a spot for you. Alternatively contact: 671 810 819 or email: williamwhite9552@aol.com and they can arrange to meet over a coffee.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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Year of the Dog A JOLLY audience greeted The Chinese New Year of the Dog at The Rooftop Restaurant in Mojacar in order to raise funds towards the Quarantine Unit for the Paws-Patas animal shelter. The action packed afternoon provided music from Andy and Nadine, Lady Ellen and Stuart Drury. With a themed animal quiz, raffle plus a donation from Linda, owner of the restaurant, a grand total of €250 is added to this special fund. Please visit our website: www.paws-patas.org.

COMMUNITY

Dance and sing along with FUSION LOTS of barking, meowing and applause from PawsPatas to the band FUSION who have raised almost €500 from recent gigs which they have donated towards the fund dedicated to building the much-needed Quarantine Unit at the animal shelter. Local band FUSION consists of Baritones, Ukuleles (acoustic and electric) plus an array of percussion instruments. Their upbeat personalities deliver a range of 60’s/70’s classics from the likes of The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Creedence Clear Water, T-Rex, Bob Dylan and more! They are a perfect formula for any joyful occasion and are willing to play for ‘free’ for any charity. To book them please contact Lesley Darling either at CliniVet in Turre or email he r: le s le y dar ling@ hot mail.com.

FUSION: Hand over their donation to Paws-Patas. The band visited the shelter (minus percussionist Ray) with a heavy bag of money and was joined by Nouka who was abandoned at the shelter in September 2016. Nouka is super cuddly and friendly, about five years old, weighs 30kg and is 55cm high. She loves people, attention and lying in the sun. Although she has a hip dis-

playsia on one side this does not bother her, but limits the amount of exercise she can do. So if you are that person/family who would love to give Nouka her ‘forever home’ please contact Paws-Patas on 678 490 217. For all other information please visit the website: www.paws-patas.org.

FINANCE

business & legal

Crypto cash sweeteners

Quote of the Week

STAT OF WEEK

A SENIOR British naval officer who cost the UK €2.4 million after crashing a nuclear submarine near Spain has pleaded guilty in court. Commander Justin Codd, 45, was in charge of the €1.2 billion HMS Ambush when it collided with the tanker MV Andreas off Gibraltar. The submarine was taken out of service for three months after suffering damage to its conning tower. Commander Codd was leading a training course when the incident occurred, as the group practised observing shipping

‘

€19m shirt deal for Turkish firm Having been a relatively small sponsor since 2014, Beko now becomes one of the historic club’s most important backers. A new deal with American sportswear behemoth Nike FC Barcelona’s most important patron - is reportedly set to land the club €100 million per year for shirt sponsorship plus a further €60 million for managing its dedicated stores.

The future is bright SPAIN is set to be the second country to receive French telecommunication giant Orange’s mobile banking service, with a full rollout planned for 2019 after the product dubbed Orange Bank launched in France last November.

Pension pain SPANISH pensioners will lose an average of €350 of purchasing power per month over the course of their retirement as a result of the latest government reforms, according to consultancy form Analysts Financieros Internacionales [International Financial Analysts].

Tasty profit FOOD group Campofrio - headquartered in Madrid but owned by Mexican multinationals since 2013 - has revealed net sales shot through the €2 billion barrier in 2017, as the firm’s Spanish sales soared by 22 per cent to €68.3 million.

Spanish misery goes on SPAIN has retained its position as the world’s eighth most miserable economy. The country scored 17.3 on US technology firm Bloomberg’s annual Misery Index, which ranks economies according to their rates of inflation and unemployment. The company said in a statement: “The Bloomberg Misery Index relies on the age-old concept that low inflation and unemployment generally

illustrate how good an economy’s residents should feel.” The league table was topped by Venezuela with a massive score of 1872, followed by South Africa (33.1), Argentina (27.1), Egypt (26.4), Greece and Turkey (20.6) and Ukraine (17.8) ahead of Spain, with Brazil (15.8) and Saudi Arabia (14.7) completing the top 10.

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

movement while controlling the craft at periscope death. Captain John Atwill, prosecuting, said that the commander did not carry out observations himself, relying on those of the trainees, who focused on a nearby yacht and failed to spot the tanker. He added: “Commander Codd’s decision to focus on teaching, not safety, compounded the error carried out by the students.” Captain Sean Moore, defending, said: “This is a failure that will live with him for the rest of his life.

» BUSINESS EXTRA

EWN

The amount of money that Madrid-based multinational banking group BBVA lost in Spain last year prior to deduction of taxes, according to its own official report.

By Matt Ford

The EU does not abandon those who face a tragedy.” EU Policy Commissioner Corina Cretu announces Spain is to receive €3.2m in EU aid to help repair the damage caused by last year’s devastating wildfires in the Galicia region.

GREAT BARCA BEKO-OFF: The firm has sponsored the club since 2014.

FC BARCELONA has extended a sponsorship deal with a budget washing machine brand. Turkish domestic appliance maker Beko has revealed it is to pay €19 million per season for the next three years after sealing a new deal with the Catalan club. In return, the company’s logo will continue to appear on the first team training strip plus the left sleeve of the official club shirt.

€856 million

Sub crash trial goes on

Photo by Twitter

THE Spanish government is eager to attract companies using blockchain technology. Conservative lawmaker Teodoro Garcia Egea has been tasked with preparing legislation to smooth potential deals, including possible tax breaks. “The level of digitalisation for companies is key,” he said. “We hope to get the legislation ready this year.” According to Mr Garcia, it is in the country’s interest to attract such firms as a driver for industries including finance, health and education.

Costa de Almería

22 - 28 February 2018

“No officer becomes teacher of the Submarine Command Course because they are good enough, they must be the best the submarine service has to offer. “Perisher is widely acknowledged as the toughest command course in the world.” Judge Advocate Robert Hill said while sentencing: “You have, save for this incident, an exemplary record. It was more in the nature of a momentary aberration than a careless attitude.” The case will reportedly affect Commander Codd’s ‘career progress’ and €88,000 annual salary.

A licence to print money SPAIN wants to print money at a new location. And the government is pushing ahead with plans to build a new ‘money factory,’ after printing firm IMBISA - 80 per cent owned by the Bank of Spain - agreed contracts worth around €2 million. More than half the cash will be handed to Spanish consultancy firm Everis for ‘strategic design of information systems, with the remainder awarded to El Corte Ingles, best known for its chain of department stores, for ‘development of new computer applications.’

E W N 22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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

C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 19

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 1,723.00 -25.60 Associated British Foods 2,645.00 -17.00 Admiral Group 1,875.00 -31.00 Ashtead Group 1,939.50 -91.50 Antofagasta 925.00 10.40 Aviva 509.50 12.90 AstraZeneca 4,750.00 10.50 BAE Systems 596.50 -1.30 Barclays 198.00 -2.05 British American Tobacco 4,540.00 88.50 Barratt Developments 591.90 40.10 Berkeley Group Holdings 4,007.00 207.00 British Land Co 650.00 1.00 BHP Billiton 1,530.00 -47.40 Bunzl 1,965.00 -69.00 BP 475.00 1.60 Burberry Group 1,534.25 -17.75 BT Group 238.50 10.10 Coca-Cola HBC 2,360.00 -99.00 Carnival 4,845.00 34.00 Centrica 127.00 -1.15 Compass Group 1,467.50 -80.00 Croda International 4,456.50 1.00 CRH 2,482.50 20.40 DCC 6,967.50 262.50 Diageo 2,517.00 12.00 Direct Line Insurance Group 407.40 21.60 Evraz 351.00 -43.60 Experian 1,571.00 14.00 easyJet 1,655.00 8.00 Ferguson 5,328.00 112.00 Fresnillo 1,348.00 -52.00 G4S 271.55 12.85 GKN 403.00 -13.50 Glencore 386.50 -1.50 GlaxoSmithKline 1,304.50 -14.10 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,681.50 -7.32 Halma 1,222.50 0.00 Hammerson 479.30 16.60 HSBC Holdings 750.00 -10.80 International Conslidtd Airs Grp 635.00 27.00 InterContinental Hotels Grp 3,852.50 -850.50 3i Group 940.00 35.00 Imperial Brands 2,666.50 9.00 Informa 698.30 9.30 Intertek Group 5,130.50 137.50 ITV 167.50 -4.45 Just Eat 855.00 -35.00 Johnson Matthey 3,515.00 289.00 Kingfisher 357.00 -2.00

% CHG. NET VOL -1.46 23,785.75 -0.64 20,694.36 -1.63 5,409.68 -4.51 9,941.61 1.14 9,030.45 2.60 19,720.39 0.22 61,166.92 -0.22 18,239.56 -1.02 33,393.79 1.99 101,837.58 7.27 5,546.69 5.45 5,129.53 0.15 6,269.22 -3.00 33,256.68 -3.39 6,822.80 0.34 94,660.10 -1.14 6,453.32 4.42 22,378.85 -4.03 8,610.24 0.71 10,123.13 -0.90 7,081.54 -5.17 24,519.92 0.02 5,682.74 0.82 20,360.50 3.91 6,065.66 0.48 61,118.43 5.60 5,303.38 -11.05 5,374.50 0.90 14,036.65 0.49 6,559.89 2.15 12,788.37 -3.71 9,797.00 4.97 3,910.02 -3.24 7,064.52 -0.39 55,160.21 -1.07 64,000.38 -0.44 7,880.80 0.00 4,540.51 3.59 3,651.86 -1.42 149,988.83 4.44 12,372.63 -18.08 8,815.54 3.87 8,668.42 0.34 25,026.06 1.35 5,514.24 2.75 7,829.06 -2.59 6,658.03 -3.93 5,857.20 8.96 6,007.28 -0.56 7,757.13

COMPANY

PRICE(P)

Land Securities Group 967.50 Legal & General Group 230.55 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 67.09 London Stock Exchange Grp 4,074.50 Micro Focus International 2,235.50 Mediclinic International 591.50 Marks & Spencer Group 292.50 Mondi 1,901.50 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 223.90 National Grid 742.50 NMC Health 3,426.00 Next 5,211.00 Old Mutual Group 225.20 Paddy Power Betfair 7,615.00 Prudential 1,855.00 Persimmon 2,686.50 Pearson 691.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,502.50 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 274.80 Royal Dutch Shell 2,325.00 Royal Dutch Shell 2,283.25 RELX 1,520.50 Rio Tinto 4,080.00 Rolls-Royce Group 834.50 Randgold Resources 6,770.00 RSA Insurance Group 640.10 Rentokil Initial 295.00 Sainsbury (J) 247.00 Schroders 3,562.50 Sage Group (The) 751.10 Segro 600.60 Shire 3,250.00 Smurfit Kappa Group 2,633.00 Sky 1,105.00 Standard Life Aberdeen 367.10 Smith (DS) 489.35 Smiths Group 1,536.00 Scottish Mortgage Invstmnt Trst 445.50 Smith & Nephew 1,225.00 SSE 1,315.00 Standard Chartered 820.00 St James's Place 1,149.25 Severn Trent 1,815.50 Tesco 205.50 TUI AG 1,645.75 Taylor Wimpey 189.50 Unilever 3,800.00 United Utilities Group 662.00 Vodafone Group 206.55 WPP Group 1,423.00 Whitbread 3,850.00

CHANGE(P) 23.70 -26.25 -0.64 24.50 117.50 8.50 -6.30 38.50 3.10 -7.10 0.00 290.00 -21.20 -680.00 16.00 263.50 -9.10 -65.50 -0.60 62.00 -5.25 29.50 -22.00 2.30 464.00 29.70 4.60 -3.90 146.50 50.90 9.40 48.00 23.00 4.00 2.90 5.65 -53.00 -12.90 -54.50 115.00 -1.50 24.25 77.50 0.90 91.75 1.70 -1.50 -7.40 1.90 -48.00 -100.00

% CHG. 2.51 -10.22 -0.94 0.60 5.55 1.46 -2.11 2.07 1.40 -0.95 0.00 5.89 -8.60 -8.20 0.87 10.87 -1.30 -1.00 -0.22 2.74 -0.23 1.98 -0.54 0.28 7.36 4.87 1.58 -1.55 4.29 7.27 1.59 1.50 0.88 0.36 0.80 1.17 -3.34 -2.81 -4.26 9.58 -0.18 2.16 4.46 0.44 5.90 0.91 -0.04 -1.11 0.93 -3.26 -2.53

NET VOL 6,900.75 15,051.35 48,034.79 13,772.38 8,929.06 4,217.04 4,724.76 8,698.70 5,112.12 25,139.53 6,771.10 6,916.16 11,808.92 6,919.79 46,906.72 7,444.43 5,249.67 44,501.74 32,894.13 104,883.66 86,876.57 15,445.27 54,236.45 15,182.85 6,007.73 6,169.90 5,216.19 5,361.82 7,594.35 7,471.07 5,552.20 28,534.30 5,940.39 18,599.77 11,597.50 5,046.93 6,112.35 6,210.39 11,015.02 12,082.63 26,670.97 5,925.70 4,087.47 16,563.62 9,045.76 6,083.80 46,708.61 4,563.20 53,280.07 17,575.87 6,997.81

0,88554

1,1292 Units per €

US dollar..............................................................1.24065 Japan yen .............................................................132.212 Switzerland franc...............................................1.15228 Denmark kroner ..............................................7.44824 Norway kroner.................................................9.64309 currenciesdirect.com/mojacar • Tel: +34 950 478 914 THE ABOVE TABLE USES THE CURRENT INTERBANK EXCHANGE RATES, WHICH AREN’T REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RATE WE OFFER

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 19

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 236,670 96,7900 172,430 355,040 156,290 112,14 44,330 44,98 71,95 76,54 15,0500 267,62 186,9700 156,18 45,5600 114,6800 133,1500 157,7900 56,29 92,000 68,30 36,2600 82,600 141,16 129,26 229,37 50,15 121,85 104,7800 106,5300

CHANGE% +0,77% +0,24% -0,32% -0,40% -2,31% -0,35% +0,57% +0,45% +0,14% +0,43% +1,35% -0,02% +0,92% +0,11% -0,78% -0,72% +1,46% -1,86% +0,54% -0,71% +0,01% +1,54% +0,23% +0,20% -0,57% +1,48% +0,82% -0,35% +1,50% +1,28%

CHANGE VOLUME(M) 1,800 141.407,43 0,2300 83.365,95 -0,560 879.828,78 -1,420 209.249,50 -3,690 93.508,69 -0,39 213.185,73 0,250 220.164,21 0,20 192.177,40 0,10 169.087,70 0,33 324.853,65 0,2000 130.899,92 -0,06 101.150,35 1,7000 218.637,57 0,17 144.646,57 -0,3600 215.092,80 -0,8300 395.074,10 1,9200 358.395,21 -2,9900 126.270,21 0,30 153.957,93 -0,660 713.136,70 0,01 88.891,45 0,5500 217.088,96 0,190 208.587,85 0,28 38.684,18 -0,74 103.347,35 3,35 221.972,20 0,41 204.955,19 -0,43 220.244,67 1,5500 309.331,87 1,3500 161.118,83 M - MILLION DOLLARS

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 19

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. Yangtze River Port and Logistics Limited The Navigators Group, Inc. Calithera Biosciences, Inc. Cowen Inc. ObsEva SA US Ecology, Inc. BlackLine, Inc. ARMO BioSciences, Inc. Computer Task Group, Incorporated DMC Global Inc.

$ 9.05 $ 5.25 $ 59.40 $ 8.10 $ 14.80 $ 14.13 $ 56.85 $ 39.04 $ 53.65 $ 5.87 $ 23.40

1.57 ▲ 20.99% 0.80 ▲ 17.98% 8.70 ▲ 17.16% 1.15 ▲ 16.55% 1.75 ▲ 13.41% 1.65 ▲ 13.22% 6.60 ▲ 13.13% 4.39 ▲ 12.67% 5.36 ▲ 11.10% 0.58 ▲ 10.96% 2.30 ▲ 10.90%

$ 11.07 $ 30.15 $ 19.31 $ 4.51 $ 11.66 $ 14.62 $ 4.63 $ 14.72 $ 2.95 $ 3.01 $ 122.45

2.36 ▼ 17.57% 5.95 ▼ 16.48% 3.60 ▼ 15.71% 0.84 ▼ 15.70% 1.95 ▼ 14.33% 1.69 ▼ 10.36% 0.45 ▼ 8.86% 1.43 ▼ 8.85% 0.275 ▼ 8.53% 0.28 ▼ 8.51% 11.35 ▼ 8.48%

Most Declined Impinj, Inc. Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Cohu, Inc. Pixelworks, Inc. PDF Solutions, Inc. Aquinox Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Restoration Robotics, Inc. Veritone, Inc. Harmonic Inc. Westport Fuel Systems Inc LogMein, Inc.

E W N 22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Hunt for Med October SPAIN appears set to build new warships for the United States (US). The news comes after the US government confirmed that it has chosen Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia to head the conceptual design of its massive multi-billion Euro frigate programme. And the decision places the shipbuilder - the fifth biggest in Europe at the head of the queue to construct the boats on behalf of the US Navy. The programme, dubbed FFG(X), will see the first of the frigates completed by 2020, with a second due in 2021, after which the Navy will buy two per year until reaching a total of 20 at a cost of ‘no more than $950 million (€767 million) each,’ according to a US Department of Defence report. This timeframe does not allow for development of a completely new design, therefore the Navy has requested that the FFG(X) be based on an existing ‘parent’ ship, with the Australian Hobart-class destroyer, itself based on Navantia’s F100/Alvaro de Bazan-class frigate, having been selected. Having beaten off competition from four other firms, Navantia will now work alongside partner General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, to design the frigates. The US has ordered a warship that can keep pace with aircraft carriers, and the FFG(X) programme will equip the Navy with “sufficient capacity to achieve the objective of maritime security control and operations, as well as provide support to naval combat groups,” Navantia said in a statement. The frigates will be equipped with guided missiles and will have

Photo credit Wikimedia

STATE-OWNED FIRM TO DESIGN WARSHIPS

ART OF WAR: The new frigates will be based on Navantia’s existing F100 blueprint.

the capacity to destroy enemy ships over the horizon, detect submarines, defend convoys, employ electronic warfare systems, and defend against swarming small boat attacks. The F100-class design has seen Navantia contracted to the world’s largest warship programmes, including the Australian and Canadian fleets. It last year agreed to work with Bath Iron Works on US military projects in a reverse of a relationship which began more than 40 years ago, when the American company helped provide technology to build ships for the Spanish Navy’s Santa Maria-class fleet.

FAST FOOD AND BREAKFASTS ON RISE SPANISH diners are visiting more bars and restaurants than ever. Sales in the catering sector increased by 2.5 per cent in 2017, with overall revenue topping €36 million, according to American market research company the NPD Group. It is the third consecutive year that the industry has demonstrated positive growth, with the number of visits climbing by 1.3 per cent, or 98 million. Each customer also spent an additional 1 per cent, an average of €4.88. NPD Group Executive Director Vicente Montesinos said: “The improvement in an economic context has favoured recovery in terms of traffic, while the increase in visits and a growing average expenditure allowed the market to exceed €36 million in sales for the first time since 2011.” But the market has not yet recovered to pre-financial crisis levels, with the number of visits and expenditure both below the totals for 2005-2007. The annual average number of visits per individual during that period was

Photo credit Shutterstock/Twitter

Grub’s up for restaurants

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Spaniards are eating out more but increasingly prefer burgers and pizza, says NPD’s Vicente Montesinos (inset).

180, while the average for 2017 was 158. And the latest statistics show that eateries serving products quickly are the main driver behind the growth, with fast food restaurants, tapas bars and coffee

shops representing 86 per cent of the increase. There is also a trend away from traditional Spanish fare, with American-style hamburger and Italian restaurants outstripping their rivals. Chains also eclipsed independentlyowned businesses in terms of both the number of visits and the amount of money spent, accounting for 23 per cent of the overall catering market. Breakfast and lunchtime demonstrated the greatest increases in diners during the week, while the number of people eating out at weekends also shot up. Mr Montesinos added: “At the beginning of the [financial] crisis the first thing that was hit were breakfasts eaten outside the home, because unemployment increased and labour mobility decreased. “Then, around two million people lost their jobs in 2009 and the lunch industry was hit. “But with the economic recovery we are seeing more jobs and an increase in the number of people eating out, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

Spanish oil company inks €1.2bn ‘mega deal’ SPANISH oil and gas firm Cepsa has announced a €1.2 million mega deal with the United Arab Emirates. The 40-year agreement will see the multinational bag a 20 per cent stake in the Umm Lulu and Satah al-Razboot (also known as SARB) offshore oilfields from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. It is the biggest contract inked by the company since its €1.76 billion acquisition of South East Asian exploration and production company Coastal Energy in 2013. Cepsa was bought by Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) in a €267 million 2011 takeover. IPIC was in 2016 merged with Mubadala Development Company PJSC, an investment vehicle owned by the Abu Dhabi government and classed as a National Wealth Fund.

Minister to tour London SPAIN has moved to quash Brexit fears. Speaking to the national congress, Development Minister Iñigo de la Serna revealed that Spain continues to view the UK as one of 11 key construction and infrastructure markets despite voting to leave the EU. The official went on to confirm that he has a trip to London lined up later this month, during which he will offer support to Spanish companies competing for major UK infrastructure contracts, including construction of the HS2 high speed train and expansion of Heathrow Airport. The whistle-stop tour will see the official hold a series of key business meetings plus bilateral talks with his UK government peers, before he visits some existing Spanish-led projects.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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FLORIDA AND BALI CHEAPER THAN SPAIN

Long-haul savings sky high BALI: Cheaper than Menorca (inset) this summer despite being more than 11,000 kilometres further away from the UK.

family of four flying from London Gatwick on the last weekend in May - is priced at €350, while Florida costs €420. In summer, Pattaya in Thailand and the Indonesian paradise of Bali are up to 20 per cent cheaper than Ibiza or Menorca, according to TravelSupermarket’s Emma Coulthurst. “People may think their holiday budget can only stretch to short haul and they can’t afford

long haul, so don’t consider it. “But the reality is, long-haul destinations can offer incredible www.facebook.com/euroweeklynews

SPANISH hoteliers may have shot themselves in the foot. Rising room prices, plus a weak United States dollar and competition from the Middle East mean it can now be cheaper to spend two weeks in far flung locations including Thailand, Dubai and Florida. It comes after several years of record-breaking tourist figures, with 82 million holidaymakers choosing Spain in 2017. But research by price comparison website TravelSupermarket has revealed that in 2018 various long-haul destinations are considerably more cost-effective than the Costa del Sol, Balearic and Canary Islands. For example, over the upcoming May half-term, a week in a four-star Abu Dhabi hotel costs around €350 per person, compared with €620 in Menorca and €475 in Tenerife. A similar break in Dubai based on a seven-night stay for a

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value this summer… it is really worth doing your research and comparing both to see what else you can get for your money. “But, be realistic on weather. Florida, for example, is also coming up cheaper this July and August and offering some incredible deals - but the weather at that time of year is incredibly hot and humid.” US holiday firms have slashed prices by up to 35 per

cent due to the so-called ‘Trump slump,’ with travellers less-inclined to visit the country in the wake of his appointment. Ms Coulthurst added: “Brits have always been one of the US’s biggest markets and Florida, particularly Orlando, can’t afford for us not to go there.” Abu Dhabi and Dubai have also made cuts of around 10 per cent, while Spanish hotel prices have increased by around 8 per cent since 2016. It is however cheaper to eat and hire a car in Spain. More than 20 million British holidaymakers visited Spain last year, the most of any country, but 2018 forecasts predict a fall in numbers. The 2016 Spanish boom came in the wake of terrorist attacks in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia, although travel agent Thomas Cook recently announced that it will fly to the latter this year.

EWN

De Guindos fears raised in Brussels HE appears set to be named vice-president of the European Central Bank. But the European Parliament has raised concerns over the appointment of Spain’s Finance Minister, Luis de Guindos, to the coveted role. In government office since 2011, the conservative politician announced he will step down ‘in the coming days’ after Ireland’s Philip Lane - his sole rival pulled out of the race. He has been slated to replace Portugal’s Vitor Constancio for months, although it was Lane who most impressed senior members of the parliament’s monetary and finance committee during a non-binding, closed-door hearing with the two candidates in Brussels. He had little support from ministers, however, while De Guindos has been backed by influential countries including France and Germany. A final decision is expected in March.

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

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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Something must be done quickly LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT THESE latest revelations of paedophilia and ‘sex for aid’ in OXFAM didn’t surprise me one bit. Frankly I also consider it merely the tip of the iceberg. I believe that just about all organisations that deal with children are positively riddled with these low life predators. After all, if I were a junkie I would go where the drugs are. If my habit was gambling I would seek out gambling joints. It stands to reason that those who feel the need to prey on youngsters, go where they can find children. OXFAM. UNICEF. Football scouting. Church and teaching organisations. Dr Barnardo’s homes. Children’s hospitals and so on, all are vulnerable to the infiltration of these evil beings who destroy young lives before they have barely begun. A recent report by an ex-UN official stated that UN aid workers, may not only have raped up to 60,000 people over the last 10 years, but are estimated to employ some 3,300 paedophiles in their worldwide operation. One terribly sad result of these alarming, seemingly never-ending revelations, is that decent men and women, who sincerely want to

OXFAM SCANDAL: The tip of the iceberg? help and care for the young, are shying away and entering other professions, simply because they don’t want to be regarded with suspicion by their peers. Even stating publicly that you love children can attract a ‘funny’ look in some circumstances. If this unacceptable situation is allowed to continue unchecked, sooner or later the majority of children’s charity workers will all be sex abusers and paedophiles.

So where do you start? Well first of all there needs to be a worldwide easily accessible data centre, which holds a record of every worker who has been sacked for abuse of any kind. This would ensure that these people at least could never get into any other organisation that involved children. Secondly, those at the very top need to be thoroughly vetted. After all it stands to reason, if they are rife with such

large numbers of offenders, some could quite easily be in board and management positions. This would also explain the fact that there have been numbers of occasions where whistleblowers have been sacked, with their accusations stifled and pushed under the carpet. Far from being vilified, these caring people need to be given every encouragement and complete anonymity while a thorough investigation of their accusations is conducted by an independent body set up by respective governments. I also believe the finances of these big charity companies should be more carefully looked into. It seems to me many of those ‘at the top’ seem to be living far too comfortably for comfort - if you get my drift. Well that’s my three penneth, for what it’s worth. All I know is something must be done and as quickly as possible. After all it is the children who are suffering at the hands of these monsters, and above all they must retain priority. Thanks for all your wonderful mails after last week’s piece. Fair warmed the ol’ boy’s cockles. Keep ‘em coming, and whatever ya do. Always. 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.

If ‘Send to All’ really existed… If you really want to play the Michael McIntyre game, practise safe sending

TECH FOR THE TIMID LAST year a friend sent my email address a joke. Now I’m deluged with offers to augment the male anatomy, retrieve my winnings from a lottery I didn’t enter, or enjoy the charms of ladies called Anushka or Anastasya. And all because my friend took a leaf from the Michael McIntyre show by using his equivalent of that ‘Send to All’ game to pass on his innocuous joke. What email etiquette did he contravene? His emailed joke was openly addressed to everyone in his address book. I could see all his dozens of friends’ addresses, and they could all see mine. In this age of easy digital pilferage that put all our addresses out there in the wild, it’s easy pickings for the spammers. So here’s this week’s tiny but vital email etiquette tip: when you want to forward the funniest thing since seg-

EMAIL OVERLOAD: To BCC or not to BCC. mented whole wheat, hide the addresses of your inflictees. Here’s how: 1) Compose your email. 2) Address it to your own email address. 3) Then add your recipients one by one with the BCC button. BCC officially means ‘Blind Carbon Copy’. It’s the subversive variant of the CC ‘copy’ function, responsible single-handedly for swamping workplaces with

avalanches of digital sludge. BCC is a really sneaky way to copy someone into correspondence without the original addressee being aware of it. All BCC addresses are hidden from all other recipients, so no one can harvest valuable contact details from your address book. By addressing an email to yourself and then BCC-ing your recipients, their details remain sacrosanct and they’ll only hate you for the inanity of your joke, not for revealing their

email addresses to all. While we’re at it, here’s another obvious but surprisingly common email fault: keeping everything in your Inbox. My immortal beloved eventually had several thousand emails in her groaning, treacle-slow Inbox until she finally saw the light and was saved. All it takes is to make folders/directories in your email program’s lefthand navigation column, and every day drag your dealt-with emails from the Inbox into their respective folders: Business, Friends, Lovers, Potential lovers, Final demands, Absolutely final demands, whatever folders suit your particular needs. It makes finding the email you want a whole lot easier too. One more tip: delete those huge attachments from your emails once you’re done with them. In some programs you just right-click the attachment symbol and choose delete. Your email program will become much more responsive without the burden of all those forwarded cat videos. So do it right miaow.

Scorched earth RATH ER t han cl ean m y lodgings as a student, it was of t en easi er j ust t o keep moving somewhere else. Sadly it’s not that simple with email, though some of us do indeed just give up when spam m ers overrun our accounts, and endure the ‘scorched earth’ hassle of starting a new address. Hitting an ‘Unsubscribe’ l i nk at t he bot t om of an em ai l of t en works. But sometimes it has the opposite and unintended effect of confirming to the spammer that he has reached an actual live recipient, and the invasion ramps up. For ext rem e cases you can actually train your program t o recogni se j unk mail and move it to a junk f ol der aut om at i cal l y. O r you can use a proper spam blocker. I had 30 emails advertising one in my Inbox last week…

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

FEATURE

What a state Britain’s in how did it get to this?

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

WHAT’S going on in the UK? We read that the NHS was forced to pay £1,500 for a £2 pot of moisturiser, people have been extortionately fined for putting cardboard boxes in the wrong recycling bins, plus there’s been a torrent of false rape allegations. First up, the owner of the high street chemist, Boots, charged the NHS £1,500 for a £2 moisturiser. The case is among thousands where it looks as if the NHS has been overcharged for drugs called specials: custom-made for patients who need non-standard medicines, mixtures of skin creams for eczema etc and drugs in liquid form for those unable to swallow pills. This speaks volumes about poor management at the NHS. Are they totally blind to the blatant abuse of the

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system by unscrupulous suppliers, who must have knowledge of pricing and policies, but choose to exploit them for their own gain? Next, a woman was fined £600 for putting one cardboard box into the wrong recycling bin. When she complained, she was warned she’d face an even larger fine, possibly a prison sentence unless she paid up. The fine was imposed by a company, employed by the council, that provides enforcement to councils free of charge and makes money from all these fines. Really? Then, the false rape allegations. A teenage schoolboy, Liam Allan, was cleared of rape after his lawyers uncovered key evidence proving his innocence but missed by

ple. The UK, as elsewhere, is confronted by threats of a world order; Putin’s Russia on the prowl, terrorists galore, Trump’s America not completely dependable anymore. Meanwhile, what sort of questions were the British media hurling at the defence secretary in response recently? Why, all about his past sex life, of course. ’Nuff said.

EXTORTIONATE: Boots ripped the NHS off £1,500 for a £2 moisturiser. police and prosecutors. Expelled from school after his arrest, on bail for two years, he’s the youngest vic-

tim of the disclosure scandal engulfing the CPS. But are other innocent men behind bars less ‘lucky’ than

young Liam? Has the pendulum against men swung a bit too far? Let’s take another exam-

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.no ra-johnson.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

Advertising Feature

An appetite to travel? Christina Sharp GLOBELINK INTERNATIONAL christina@globelink.co.uk.

WE know that age doesn’t slow down your appetite for travel to new, exciting destinations. We know that it’s the mature generation taking holidays by storm and travelling more often and further afield than ever before. An impressive 85 per cent of over 65’s travel more than twice annually. And why not! With time and enthusiasm to discover the world, whether visiting family, friends, or taking a life time trip, there is no holding back this sea of change as holidays escalate up our ‘essentials list’ the older we get. Older travellers tend to be more security and health conscious, yet it’s sometimes increasingly difficult to get travel insurance the

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

TO READ MORE

HEALTH BEAUTY

LAVENDER oil is extracted from the flowers of the lavender plant, usually using steam, and is often used in beauty and health products such as aromatherapy oil, lotions and soaps. The essential oil also works well when blended with other essential oils such as pine, cedar wood, geranium and nutmeg. The health benefits of lavender oil have been raved about for centuries. It has the ability to relieve pain, enhance blood circulation, get rid of nervous tension, disinfect the skin, enhance blood circulation, and treat respiratory problems among others. It also works as an effective bug repellent and has anti-inflammatory qualities that help to reduce the irritation if you do get bitten.

Lavender oil has been used for centuries to induce sleep and can be used to treat insomnia. Studies on elderly people have revealed their sleep regularity increases when they place some lavender essential oil on their pillows due to its relaxing impact. For this reason it also helps to calm the nerves and ease anxiety. The stimulating aroma has been proven to get rid of nervous exhaustion and restlessness while increasing mental activity at the same time. This, therefore, makes it effective in treating depression, headaches, emotional stress and nervous tension. One study revealed that people taking exams suffered from less anxiety if they inhaled lavender and rosemary oil before taking the test.

Photo by Unsplash

Lathering in lavender

PURPLE GAIN: Lavender has been proven to reduce emotional stress and nervous tension.

Get kicked into shape IF you’re bored of jogging or Zumba and are looking for a new workout to keep you motivated, you should consider adding kickboxing to your routine. Kickboxing combines heartpumping cardio with martial arts, giving an effective, well-rounded workout and helping you to reach your fitness goals in no time. The exercise could help to reduce stress as an hour of punching and kicking your way to a healthier life can help to resolve many of life’s small problems. It also releases endorphins which will help boost your mood and confidence. The key kickboxing moves work out several core muscle groups so will help you get toned and fit in no time. Your legs and glutes are worked doing front, side and roundhouse kicks while the upper arms, shoulders and chest get toned from doing all the punching and jabbing. It could also improve your posture and coordination as it helps to improve your reflexes and strengthen your core. The workout will give you an energy boost as it helps you to sweat out toxins and breathe harder, increasing oxygen intake.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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FEATURE

TV COUCH CRITIC THERE seems to be a concerted effort by the BBC to bring American football to the British sporting masses? I applaud the coverage shown on Sunday at some ungodly hour for the Super Bowl, and I realise it’s a big deal in America, but to headline it on the sports news the following day. Why? Not too many people are interested except the odd fan. There is only one football and it doesn’t have American before it! We also have rugby in two codes - union and league - both of which are much more entertaining and British. I prefer The Voice (ITV Saturdays) to the X Factor. Although the judges are far more famous on The Voice they are also more humble and don’t love themselves as much as the X Factor pretenders. Will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, Olly Murs and the great Sir Tom Jones come across as genuinely seeking singing talent that they personally like and can improve. The banter between the acts, with themselves and the audience really appeals. I also love the ad-lib jamming that they all do and last week we had an impromptu rendering of ‘It’s Not Unusual’ live by Tom which was fantastic. His own voice has lost none of its strength and he is held in awe by the three other judges as well as myself. Yes indeed Tom, a true legend! What can you say about Casualty (BBC1 Saturdays)? Firstly, it’s not my usual fare on Saturdays but

HUMBLE: The Voice judges Olly Murs, Jennifer Hudson, Tom Jones and will.i.am.

FABULOUS: Mary Berry.

The Voice has the X Factor and Berry is a gem I occasionally watch it. It’s been going so long the early operations were performed using ether as the anaesthetic, and they even had a contract with Burke and Hare for supplying specimens to practise on. Good old Charley, (Derek Thompson) the only surviving original cast member on the show, was a sprightly young man at the series onset and him and Duffy (Kathy Shipton) seemed to always have a thing for each other so marriage was inevitable. Still, the hospital staff always go the extra mile, much further than a normal hospital in the UK would, but it seems there’s a good following or the Beeb would have pulled the plug ages ago. Who wouldn't want to stay at Mary Berry’s house for a week or two? Her Saturday lunchtime cookery show on BBC1 has me drooling at the screen. Apart from her fantastic food recipes she comes across as a

nice person. The rack of lamb she produced last week had me scrambling to open a tin of beans as soon as the show finished. Still judging by the size of the house and gardens either her cooking or character has paid dividends, or her husband’s not short of a few bob. Good luck to her whichever, she deserves it and is fabulous. It’s obvious Morse was as miserable in his early police career as he was in later life, judging by ITV’s Sunday evening prequel, Endeavour. I have to admit his fledgling police career is more gritty and the nostalgia of early policing methods and the 60’s feel swings it for me, even though there was only one John Thaw. Shawn Evans plays the young Endeavour Morse well, and in this episode he had just been promoted to a DS before going about his business hunting

down murder suspects which are connected to a horror film set at the local flix. There’s also an influx of racist attacks which seem to escalate. Morse and Inspector Thursday hunt down their prey in a relaxed manner, ably assisted by the usual forensic scientist describing the victim’s injuries in colourful detail after examining the bodies. Not seen much of the Winter Olympics this time round (BBC1 and BBC2, various times), although I don’t think many people have. The usual problem is that it’s not cold enough and there’s not enough snow, but Korea seems to be the opposite! Oh well, at least we have had a lessening of hostilities between the two warring factors north and south, both actually presenting a passable united front and sitting down to talk. Progress I hope. Crtitique: PM, San Fulgencio, Costa Blanca.

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Costa de Almería

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

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Il Divo to perform in Almeria

MAGICAL: A scene from the musical with Bella and the Beast.

Beauty and the Beast OFTEN music and imagination can transcend language and this may well be the case for youngsters who are taken to see the musical Beauty and the Beast. It may be performed in Spanish, but so many children know the story from the 1991 Disney cartoon on which the musical is based that they will be swept away by the magic when it visits the Adra Cultural Centre tomorrow (Friday) at 5pm for the second time.

Taken from a French fairy tale written in the 18th century, the show tells the story of a young prince who is transformed into a horrible beast as punishment for his cruel and selfish behaviour and the story of a beautiful girl named Bella whom the Beast imprisons in his castle in exchange for her father’s freedom. To become human again, the prince must win Bella’s love before it’s too late. Tickets cost €15 from the

box office on the night. Tickets are available from the Adra Cultural Centre box office and website.

IT has just been announced that classical vocal group Il Divo will perform in Almeria City in September as part of their world tour. The quartet has been confirmed as appearing at the Teatro Apolo on September 6. Il Divo have confirmed just three dates in Spain so far as part of their tour, which will also see the group perform in Argentina, Mexico and the UK. The other Spanish performances have been confirmed

for Marbella on July 28 and Merida on September 8. Tickets for the concert will officially go on sale on next

Tuesday with prices starting at €50 and may be obtained from www.almeriaculturaen tradas.es.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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SOCIAL SCENE

The Luvvies Theatre Group next presentation

Statue of J B Priestley in Bradford. THREE couples are celebrating their combined 25th wedding anniversaries, all married on the same day, at the same church, at the same time by the same preacher. A revelation that comes forth during the festivities throws them into turmoil and the comedy When We Are Married written in 1938 by J B Priestley is set in Northern England in

1908, where the theme of the story would have made the participants social pariahs. These couples celebrating their silver weddings receive such news of such calamity, such misfortune and the audience will be able to see the turmoil that results. Tickets cost just €7.50 each for the performances taking place on March 9, 10 and 11 at

the Teatro Museo Pedro Gilabert in Arboleas with curtains up at 7.30pm on the Friday and Saturday and 3pm on Sunday afternoon. Tickets can be purchased at the following outlets, Total Entertainment in Albox and Arboleas, One Stop Pool and Colin the Card in Longos, The Corner Shop, Albox and Cat Services Alfoquia.

Upcoming wine region PRIORAT, as one of the upcoming Spanish wine regions, has recorded an extraordinary by Lorenzo leap in quality and Barbareschi reputation over the last decade. This small area which qualifies as Denominacio d’Origen Qualificada (DOQ) is in Tarragona Province in Cataluña and is one of only two regions - alongside Rioja - to qualify as DOCa, the highest qualification. It produces mainly red and powerful wines. Characterised by a terroir of volcanic origins with black slate and quartz soil known as llicorella, with vineyards on terraces at 100m - 700m, the area has low yields due to the rocky soil which does not allow water accumulation. Wine production in the area dates from the 12th century, when monks from the Monastery of Scala Dei introduced viticulture and the prior ruled as a feudal lord, giving rise to the name Priorat. At the end of the 19th century, the phylloxera pest devastated the vineyards and replanting was undertaken only in the 1950’s. In the 1980’s bulk wine production was phased out

BACCHUS CELLAR

PRIORAT: On the march. and bottling of quality wine was introduced. The traditional grape variety in El Priorat is the red Garnacha tinta, which is found in all the older vineyards. Other red varieties are Garnacha Peluda, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. White varieties are Garnacha blanca, Macabeo, Pedro Ximenez and Chenin. The traditional reds are a single grape bottling of Grenache and Carignan, or a blend of these with French grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Syrah. Usually aged in oak barrels for 18 months followed by six months in the bottle, Priorat wines have a consumption optimal two years later. Happy tasting.

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

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Bowling for Walk for Life

LUCKY WINNER: Glenn presents the bottle of brandy to Liz Carey.

Raising funds with raffle APSA, the animal charity based in Albox, runs a monthly raffle to raise funds. Albox Insurance was delighted to support the raffle with a bonus prize for the January draw. Glenn, from the office in Calle Malaga, Albox, was pleased to present the prize, a bottle of brandy, to Liz Carey from Partaloa. The monthly raffle is run by Jackie and Keith

Roberts and they are grateful to local businesses for donating prizes and to all those who purchase tickets. You can buy tickets from the APSA shop in Avenida Lepanto, opposite Chapmans, from the Bowling Alley and from APSA volunteers. Local businesses, who may be able to help with regular or bonus prizes, can contact Jackie via the APSA shop or bowling alley.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

A FUN-FILLED bowling event has been organised for Walk for Life by the Arboleas Forum, ar boleas.co.uk. This will be held on the afternoon of Saturday March 10 from 1pm to 4pm at the Almeria Tenpin Bowling Centre. They need 150 bowlers in teams of three to make this as big a success as it has been in two previous years when it has raised over €3,000 to help people affected by cancer and their families. You can collect a form and register at The Bowling Alley or email w4lifesweet@btinternet. com. It is open to anyone, regardless of whether you have bowled before or not and the cost is €8 per person. This includes two games and free entry into the raffle. All entry fees go to Walk for Life. Find out more at www.walk4lifearboleas.com. Thanks to Phil Taylor of the Arboleas Forum, arboleas.co.uk, and to Rafa of Almeria Tenpin Bowling Centre for organising this event.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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Mayor criticises Junta over health move THE mayor of Albox and the local Partido Popular (PP) have criticised the Junta de Andalucia over alleged proposals to move the town’s

mental health unit to Arboleas. Francisco Torrecillas said on Facebook that the PSOEmanaged Junta wanted to fill the new centre at Arboleas

with services at the expense of Albox. “Everything has been done with treachery and with the acquiescence of Albox socialists,” the mayor said. “This is aggression towards the town and its people,” he added in the post on the social media site. Juan Pedro Perez Quiles, a spokesperson for the Partido Popular, said the party would not allow the loss of another service in Albox. “The Partido Socialista should stop pursuing personal vendettas and try to settle their differences with the mayor another way. The people of Albox are not to blame for their mistakes or problems,” he said. Sources from the Andalucian health service told Spanish media that no transfer had been decided. They added the mayor should have made contact with the Health Delegation before making statements that could alarm the population.

ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS

Council acquires Building of the Unions THE mayor of Albox has finalised the purchase of the Union Building from the Spanish government. Francisco Torrecillas reached the agreement at the offices of the Ministry of Labour. Albox Council are set to use the building for social and cultural purposes. The building, located on the Calle Ramon y Cajal, was purchased for €55,000 and has two floors along with space totalling 600 square metres. The mayor said the sale of the building would be beneficial to the town. “The importance of the artistic works and materials that will be housed in the building is beyond doubt. “The legacy of Don Bartolome Marin, from Albox and a key figure in 20th century Almeria, originally had to be moved from the town because there was no space. Finally it will remain in Albox.” Marin’s works, which include sculptures of Don Quixote, will be moved to the building after the mayor reached an agreement with the Ibanez-

Picture credit Albox council

DONE DEAL: The mayor signed documents confirming the purchase of the building at the offices of the Ministry of Labour. Cosentino Foundation. The building is also set to serve as a home for the elderly where they will be able to meet in their free time.

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ALBOX & SURROUNDING AREAS Picture credit LEGO Education Robotix/ Twitter

CONTEST: The University of Almeria hosted this yearâ€™s provincial round of the First Lego League.

Students triumph in robotics contest PUPILS from the Cardinal Cisneros high school in Albox have won the provincial round of the First Lego League, a global technology contest. The team represented Spain at the international tournament in South Africa three years ago. They are now set to compete in the next round after besting the competition at the contest held at the

University of Almeria. The tournament focuses on applying maths, engineering, and robotics to a given theme, which this year was water management. The Albox team created a system that collects data from a simulated water plant which can be accessed from any location.

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

Nick Horne The Rich Pick Freelance correspondent, London, England SEARCHING for a discreet yet fabulous holiday? One that is a destination and a conveyance at one and the same time? Need to take the whole family, several friends and their families too? Looking for the height of luxury, the epitome of service, huge interior spaces as well as a close and intimate connection to the ocean? May I suggest the yacht NIRVANA. Completed by Oceanco and delivered to her owner in the spring of 2012, then presented to the world at the Monaco Yacht Show (the premier superyacht show of the world) that September. NIRVANA at 88.50 metres is a striking, elegant and exclusive mega yacht with modern lines and contemporary style. NIRVANA features six enormous decks and offers an impressive 150 square metre owner’s suite comprising study, lounge, lobby and private exterior deck area with whirlpool. A further five guest cabins, a 3-D cinema, a fully equipped gym, a 7.5-metre long oval pool and whirlpools with panoramic views are just a few of the massive superlatives of this superyacht. NIRVANA’s six decks are connected by the main stairwell and an extraordinary six-person glass lift, which is entwined in a striking Balinese stainless-steel woven art piece resembling a bubbling whirlpool. This sculptural feature is a focal point from all levels of the yacht. Two vivariums act as room dividers - be-

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This is what a €900,000 a week holiday looks like EATING IN STYLE: The al fresco dining area.

TRULY OPULENT: NIRVANA at sea. WATER SPORTS: The garage houses jet skis and a speedboat.

SIX DECKS: A view from above.

tween the salon, dining room and a cosy separate sitting room - and are home to live and active reptiles, a chameleon, water dragons, bearded lizards, turtles and exotic frogs. The timeless Sorgiovanni-designed interior mixes various distinctive and exceptional materials, including bamboos and textured leathers, in imaginative and inspiring ways. NIRVANA accommodates an experienced crew of 24 in an exceptionally friendly layout, enabling the efficient and discreet fulfilment of any and all her guests’ requirements. Guests are close to the sea and the excitement and involvement is enhanced through the garage, which can hold a large array of tenders and water sports equipment. A watersports room holds diving equipment and a drying cabinet for wetsuits, with immediate access to the sea through the lower lobby access. Charlie Birkett and Gary Wright together with their professional team at Y.CO (www.ycoyacht.com) are the brokers for numerous mega yachts as well as NIRVANA. This winter NIRVANA is cruising in the Indian Ocean, and can be yours for a charter of €900,000 per week.

Letter from the Canaries

Every island town has its own carnival WE may be over 2,000 kilometres further south down here, but it’s not very warm at the moment. This comes to you from the coldest February on record. Tourists in summer togs huddle out of the wind and locals shiver in boots, sweaters, scarves and woolly hats. This two seasons at the same time clothing phenomenon is normal. Everything, after all, is relative. If I’d just arrived from Stockholm I’d probably wear a tshirt too. Tenerife’s high peak Teide, at 3,718 metres is covered in snow, as it is at some point most winters, but this year there’s snowfall down at rarely affected levels, with approach roads in and out of Teide National Park closed. Gran Canaria’s peak area, Pico de Las Nieves at 1,956 metres, is much lower than Tenerife’s, but also snowbound. So is Tejeda at 1,050 metres, which had snow this morning, surprising everybody. Tejera postman Jaime Gitana’s day: “…Has been very difficult. I’m not used to driving in these conditions. I couldn’t believe it when I woke up!” Neighbour Sergio Cobas adds: “We’re not used to these extreme conditions, but it’s not all bad. There’s been no rain for two years and this’ll help fill reservoirs.” Eastern islands Lanzarote and Fuerteventura

CARNAVAL: Comes to Tenerife. are also hit by high winds, rain and colder than normal temperatures. With an already low 13ºC feeling like 9ºC in the wind, islanders are feeling chilly. Local authorities impose alerts, urging people to stay at home and keep clear of high areas and coastal areas battered by huge seas. There’s TV debate about irresponsible bad weather behaviour, which has caused injuries, one fatality and a lot of work for rescue ser-

vices. Images of sightseers blithely taking selfies beside enormous waves were the last thing I saw before TV transmissions crashed here (La Gomera) 10 minutes ago in high winds. An unprecedented zero degrees and blanket of white surprised villagers in Igualero, La Gomera’s highest village, this morning, whilst westerly neighbour El Hierro is wind-battered and wet. La Palma’s Roque de Muchachos Observa-

tory area, at 2,426 metres is, unsurprisingly, snow-covered, but again with snow spreading down to much lower altitudes than usual. In short, we’re having uncharacteristically wintery weather. Never mind. Carnaval’s come early this year to warm us. From the Latin, ‘carne vale’ means goodbye meat and marks the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, 40 days before Easter. Carnaval’s the goodbye party, the hedonistic big bash before abstinence. In carnival-crazy Canaries, fantastic costumes are being concocted everywhere. Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s carnival is second only to Rio de Janeiro’s and must be seen to be believed. Every town on each of the seven islands has its own particular carnival version, with traditions like La Palma’s extraordinary Los Indianos on carnival Monday going from strength to strength. All night dancing to son, salsa, meringue and cumbia, Canarian popular music from the Americas, is the common thread running through Carnaval celebrations here and we’ll hopefully dance off the chill very soon. Barbara Belt EWN February 2018

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GRAEME TYRRELL ATTRACTING birds to your garden is easy if you have the right plants that will provide water, food, shelter and protection from predators. Birds do best in gardens with multiple storeys of plants from ground covers, shrubs as under storeys, to taller tree canopies as an upper storey. Providing water in the dry months in safe places for birds to drink, is the sure way to have birds attracted to your garden. A steady, reliable source of water is a primary need, even more than food, if other sources of water are not nearby. If you provide water, birds will visit regularly, if you provide food plants, they will stay longer and if you provide safe shelter as well, native birds may start to nest in your garden. Migratory birds will only visit but are more likely to visit if you have a food source as well as water. There are many plants that can provide food for the birds. As different bird species have different requirements of seed, nectar or insects, a variety of different plants are needed to attract the bird species you wish to support in your garden.

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Bird lovers paradise, a garden for the birds The best way to provide food is to use a lot of native plants and have a wild zone for allowing naturally occurring non-invasive native plants even the plants considered weeds in the ornamental and vegetable garden - to go through their full life cycle. Many plants considered weeds are useful plants for birds to feed on for the flowers, nectar and seeds. Birds usually prefer to arrive onto the upper storey to survey a garden for food and dangers before entering, and different species build their nests in the upper storey for safety from ground based predators. Each bird species has different needs however, so many smaller birds will look for nesting places in the under storey that has dense thickets to prevent larger predators from entering. So to attract a wide range of birds, having a wide range

GARDENS

BEAUTIFUL: Everyone loves to see birds in their garden. rstock Perez Shutte Ana Aguirre

of plants that give good protection is important for diversity. Plants that provide nectar include Sages (Salvia species), Grevillea species, Torch lilies (Kniphofia species), Lobelia species, Penstemon species, Verbena species, Sunflowers (Helianthus), Thyme (Thymus species), Lavender (Lavendula species), Honeysuckle (Lonicera species), Ice Plant (Sedum species), Firethorn (Pyracantha species) and Barberry (Berberis species). Seed plants include Sunflower (Helianthus species), Coneflower (Echinacea species), Aster species, Zinnea species, Cumin (Cuminum species), Calendula species and many others. Attracting birds can just be a matter of widening the range of plants that you normally grow, which may provide even more interest to your garden as many bird food plants are very attractive. Hedges and thickets of plants will provide safe nesting places for smaller birds, and tall trees can have nesting boxes installed to make trees a ready-made nesting place. Applying natural mulches around your garden will help birds find materials to build the nests.

February jobs for the garden IT may not quite be spring yet, but now is a great time to start getting stuck into your garden again. Al t hough t em per at ur es are on the up, there is still a risk of some chilly days ahead, so make sure you

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

protect any plants that are extremely averse to the cold by wrapping them in insulation, such as garden fleece. This is also a good time to clear your garden of any fallen leaves or debris in time for spring, as well as clearing out your shed or greenhouse. You could also get structures and plans in place for what you want to plant when it gets a bit warmer. If it is fairly warm where you live, you could start sowing seeds in parts of your garden that receive a lot of sunlight. Keep the seeds and seedlings covered at night to protect them from pests and then plant in well-prepared soil when it gets warmer. Also make sure to keep up with your pruning, but l e a v e c h e r r y, p l u m a n d apricots trees until summer, as pruning these trees now could make them vulnerable to Silver Leaf disease.

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Training day is vital

David THE Dogman columnists@ewnmediagroup.com

OVER the past 60 years I have seen many changes, some excellent but many not suitable. I frown upon the harness as I do not know anyone that can train a dog in a harness which was designed for tracking, rescue and for the blind and disabled. Those that use the flexi cord should be aware they were designed for people who live in apartments to enable dogs to be taken down to the garden to relieve themselves. Those that use them in the streets are not aware of the danger these can cause since there is no control when they are extended and again this is not a suitable tool for training. I have known many people to trip and indeed get hurt. The standards of training have certainly diminished. Most ‘trainers’ have been to a training school themselves for four to six months, then give themselves a title ‘ I am a dog trainer’. Some join American organisations on the internet which give out certificates without putting the person through a test to see how they handle

GOOD JOB: These dogs know how to behave. dogs. Note I use the word ‘dogs’, every type of dog is different to handle and so much depends on the breeders and puppy school teachers, best to look before

Dangers of a ‘butcher’s dog’ diet IN the vein of the clean eating health food trend that involves going back to basics and consuming r a w, u n p r o c e s s e d f o o d , some dog owners are rejecting traditional pet food and going back to a more old-school ‘butcher ’s dog’ diet consisting of raw meat. This f o o d i s st i l l ofte n bought pre-prepared so it can be e a si l y se r v e d an d frozen for convenience. However, a recent study has s u g g e st e d t h e se raw meat products could contain bacterial and parasitic diseases, which are not necessarily a problem for dogs althou g h t h e y c a n su ffe r

Costa de Almería

from food poisoning - but they can become carriers of the bacteria. This can then be spread through their faeces, which could then make their owners seriously ill. Storing the meat at -20°C could help to kill the bacteria and handling the food sensibly should help minimise the risks. A lw a y s ma k e s u re to wash your hands with hot water and soap after handling the dog food and picking up your pet’s faeces. Yo u s h o u ld a ls o k ee p your cutlery and bowls separa te fro m y o u r d o g s and try to keep him out of the kitchen if possible.

you book! All good schools will spend at least half the time explaining to owners many aspects of the dog including,

WILD: Golden Retriever eats a raw chicken.

most importantly, feeding the correct type of dried food, as food affects behaviour and many skin problems. Today one does not need to march around

in circles as owners need information and help on feeding, grooming and their general attitude towards their pet. Dogs must be respected by children who in turn need educating and taught that this is not a furry baby or toy, it is a canine live creature. Young married couples must think hard before taking on a dog as one must think of their lifestyle including a future family, since everything changes once the lady gets pregnant. Dogs do get jealous and a good trainer will explain about dangers etc. Many of you reading this article may not realise that I never trained a dog! (I educated people.) Never forget children need to be taught to respect animals. It is always a good idea to allow them to feed the dog and explain we never touch the dog or bowl when the dog is eating. Before training a dog one must do research and understand how much work, cost and time is needed, plus the most important fact that dogs should never be allowed to be on their own for more than two hours.

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MOTORING

BEAUTIFUL: The limited edition Aston, owned by Daniel Craig (inset).

nity Network with its sale.” The car was personally designed by Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, who was also responsible for the DB10 in Spectre. It is capable of doing 0 100 kmph in roughly four seconds and reach 320 kmph thanks to its 5.9 litre V12 engine. The famous Aston will officially head to auction on April 20 in Christie’s, The Exceptional Sale. Along with purchasing the car, the winning bidder will also be offered a behind-thescenes tour of the Aston Mar-

tin headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England. Becky MacGuire, director of The Exceptional Sale, told British media: “We are thrilled at the chance to support Daniel Craig’s generosity to The Opportunity Network with the offer of this unique and gorgeous sports car. “With its pristine condition, luxury materials, exceptional craftsmanship and impeccable provenance, the Aston Martin fits perfectly into Christie’s masterpiece sale.” Auctioneers have estimated that the car will fetch between €320,000 and €480,000, with all proceeds going to The Opportunity Network. The Opportunity Network, which Craig is an avid supporter of, is a non-profit organisation that aims to help young people into higher education and support career development.

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Spanish superiority OPEL has announced that the next generation of the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa will be exclusively produced at the company’s Zaragoza plant as of 2019. The company has also announced that the electric version of the bestselling sub-compact car will roll off the Zaragoza production line by 2020, meaning that the Spanish plant will be the first Groupe PSA plant to produce a fully electric Opel/Vauxhall model in Europe. Opel C h i e f E x e c u tiv e, Michael Lohscheller, said: “This is an important step forward for the Zaragoza plant and marks the beginning of a new era.” The news comes after a social framework agreement was signed between Opel and the workers unions at the end of January. The deal will not only enable the plant to significantly increase its competitiveness, b u t wi l l a l so a llo w further future investments into the site Lohscheller continued: “This result is significant and shows the mutual trust and co n f i d e n c e o f a l l in volved stakeholders. “Zaragoza will continue to play an important role in the industrial footprint of Groupe PSA.” The Corsa will be one of four electrified models in

the Opel/Vauxhall portfolio by 2020 and according to th e c o mp a n y ’s s tra te gic plan ‘PACE!’, all European Opel/Vauxhall passenger c a r mo d els w ill h a v e a n electrified version by 2024.

STEP FORWARD: Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller, Plant Manager Zaragoza Antonio Cobo and Jonathan Akeroyd, Director Sales, Marketing & Aftersales Opel Iberian Cluster

69 Photo by Opel

MOTORING

22 - 28 February 2018 / Costa de Almería

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La Liga Preview

Malaga on the brink by Ben Park MALAGA’S relegation to the Segunda division could be all but confirmed by next week as they face a tough La Liga double header in the space of three days. Los Boquerones were much the better side in their last match against Valencia, and led for a large period of the game thanks to Brown Ideye’s first goal since joining on loan in January. But a late collapse saw them concede two goals in the final 10 minutes and lose Ignasi Miquel to suspension after picking up a red card, as they fell to yet another loss. They first face a Bilbao side on Saturday that is desperate for a win themselves, having picked up just three points from a possible 15 in their last five La Liga games. Following the trip to Bilbao, they host Sevilla at home in what will be considered as a must win game if the side have any hope of surviving the drop to Segunda B. Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid will look to cement their position in second but face a difficult match as they travel to Sevilla on Sunday. Madrid closed the gap on Barcelona

last weekend as they swept aside Athletic Bilbao 2-0 thanks to goals from Kevin Gameiro and Diego Costa. Following the Sevilla match, Greizmann and co host Leganes at the Wanda Metropolitano and will be confident of a win. Barcelona will continue their push towards the title and look to keep up their unbeaten record as they host Leganes at the Camp Nou. The Catalan giants sit seven points clear of Atletico at the top of La Liga following their 2-0 win over Eibar last weekend and are still yet to lose in the league this season (W19 D5). Valencia remain locked in a battle with Real Madrid for third place and will be confident of grabbing all six points from their La Liga double header as they first host Real Sociedad on Sunday before heading to Athletic Bilbao next Wednesday. Madrid will also be hopeful of getting all six points but may suffer from fatigue as their schedule begins to hot up. After travelling to Leganes yesterday (Wednesday) Real Madrid host Alaves on Saturday before playing their third game in six days against Espanyol on Tuesday.

Villarreal remain in the driving seat for Europa League qualification and will hope to get back to winning ways after last week’s 1-1 draw with Espanyol as they first host Getafe before travelling to Eibar, who are also in the hunt for a Europa League spot, on Wednesday. Full week’s fixture list Tomorrow (Friday) Deportivo La Coruña vs Espanyol Saturday Celta Vigo vs Eibar Real Madrid vs Alaves Leganes vs Las Palmas Barcelona vs Girona Sunday Villarreal vs Getafe Athletic Bilbao vs Malaga Valencia vs Real Sociedad Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid Monday, February 26 Levante vs Real Betis Tuesday, February 27 Espanyol vs Real Madrid Girona vs Celta Vigo Wednesday, February 28 Athletic Bilbao vs Valencia Getafe vs Deportivo La Coruña Malaga vs Sevilla Atletico Madrid vs Leganes Eibar vs Villarreal

Premier League preview

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71 Credit: @ChampionsLeague/Twitter

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STRUGGGLING: Malaga are yet to win under Jose Gonzalez.

SPANISH LA LIGA 2017/18 TABLE TEAM

1 • Barcelona

2 • Atlético

3 • Valencia

4 • Real Madrid

5 • Sevilla

6 • Villarreal

7 • Eibar

8 • Girona

9 • Getafe

10 • Betis

11 • Celta

12 • R. Sociedad

13 • Leganés

14 • Athletic

15 • Alavés

16 • Espanyol

17 • Levante

18 • Las Palmas

19 • Deportivo

20 • Málaga

Champions L.

Europa L.

Relegation

United host Chelsea in top four clash MANCHESTER UNITED welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford as the Premier League returns this weekend in what could be a huge game in the quest for automatic Champions League places. The Red Devils were all at sea during their last fixture against Newcastle, as Matt Richie’s goal was enough to secure a memorable win over Mourinho’s men. They host a Chelsea side on Sunday, who returned to winning ways with a 3-0 win against West Brom, following a string of bad results to ease the pressure on boss Antonio Conte and could climb up the table with a win. If Manchester United were to lose by several goals, they could drop down as low as fourth in the Premier League table by the end of the day. That is provided that Liverpool, who thrashed Porto 5-0 in their Champions League match last Tuesday, beat West Ham at Anfield. The Hammers have found a bit of form in recent times, registering a 2-0 win against Watford in their last game, but it is hard to see anyone stopping in-form front three Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino at the moment. At the other end of the table, West

RESULT: Alvaro Morata scored the only goal of the game the last time the two sides met.

Bromwich Albion host Huddersfield Town in a tie that could be vital for both team’s seasons Premier League new boys Huddersfield currently sit just a point above the relegation zone and a win could give them some breathing space between them and the bottom three, while a loss for West Brom may all but seal their drop to the Championship. Fellow strugglers Swansea seemed to have turned a corner since bringing former Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvahal into the frame, with big wins against Arsenal and Liverpool followed up by a 1-0 victory against Burnley They travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, who themselves will be buoyed by the result in their last Premier League fixture, a big 4-1 win over Bournemouth. In the weekend’s other fixtures Leicester host Stoke, Newcastle travel to Bournemouth, Burnley are at home to Southampton, Watford take on Everton and Tottenham travel to Crystal Palace on Monday. Full weekend fixtures Saturday Leicester vs Stoke City Bournemouth vs Newcastle United Brighton and Hove Albion vs Swansea Burnley vs Southampton Liverpool vs West Ham United West Bromwich Albion vs Huddersfield Town Watford vs Everton Sunday Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur Manchester United vs Chelsea

PREMIER LEAGUE 2017/18 TABLE TEAM

Pts

1 • M. City

2 • M. United

3 • Liverpool

4 • Chelsea

5 • Tottenham H.

6 • Arsenal

7 • Burnley

8 • Leicester City

9 • Everton

10 • Bournemouth

11 • Watford

12 • West Ham Utd.

13 • Newcastle United

14 • Brighton

15 • Crystal Palace

16 • Swansea City

17 • Huddersfield Town

18 • Southampton

19 • Stoke City

20 • West Bromwich

E W N Costa de Almería

22 - 28 February 2018

AFTER going 160 games without a goal for Arsenal, January signing Francis Coquelin opened his goal-scoring account for Valencia at the weekend. Coquelin scored the equaliser in Valencia’s 2-1 victory over Malaga.

Costa de Almería’s best guide to local sport

Credit: Federacion Española de Rugby

Spain edge nearer to Rugby World Cup

BATTLE: Spain fought hard for their victor y against Romania. four successful penalties in front of almost 16,000 fans. Spain now sit one point clear of Romania on 21 points at the top of the group following the victory and two wins from their remaining fixtures against Germany and Belgium in March will guarantee Spain’s place at the World Cup. The winner of the group will

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One step closer SPAIN took a huge leap towards qualifying for the 2019 Rugby World Cup after beating top-of-the-table rivals Romania 22-10 in Madrid. Los Leones haven’t qualified for a World Cup tournament since 1999, but moved top of the table after overpowering the Oaks at a packed Estadio Nacional Complutense in Madrid. Early tries from Benat Auzqui and Sebastien Ascarat eased the pressure on the hosts, as Brad Linklater also kicked

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qualify outright for the Tokyo World Cup next year and will go into Group A alongside Ireland, Scotland and Japan as well as the winner of a playoff. Los Leones host Germany in their next group game on March 11, before heading to Brussels to face Belgium in their final group game on March 18.

Open de España returns to European Tour THE Open de España, one of the oldest and most celebrated tournaments in Continental Europe, will return to the European Tour in April. After its absence from last year’s, the 91st edition of the Open de España will be held at the Centro Nacional de Golf in Madrid, the home of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, from April 12 to 15. The €1.5 million tournament will fulfil a pledge created by European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley made during a visit to Spain’s capital last year when he promised the event would return to the European Tour in 2018. Pelley said: “I am delighted to announce the return of the Open de España to our

schedule. The roll call of champions reads like a Who’s Who of the game itself and we look forward very much to seeing who will add their name to that illustrious list in a couple of months’ time. “Our game thrives on prestigious national championships such as the Open de España and we thank everyone at the Royal Spanish Golf Federation and the Madrid Golf Federation for helping us to make this happen.” The Open de España was officially the first tournament played in the European Tour’s inaugural season in 1972, with home favourite Antonio Garrido crowned as champion.

Several Spanish greats followed onto the Roll of Honour including Seve Ballesteros with three victories, Sergio Garcia, Alvaro Quirós and Miguel Ángel Jiménez. Other prestigiouus winners include Major Champions Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington, Charl Schwartzel and the late Arnold Palmer among many others. Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, said: “The Open de España is back on the European Tour International Schedule, which is great news for Spanish golf and we are doubly delighted to be welcoming it back to our home at the Centro Nacional de Golf.”