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1 - 7 March 2018
Schoolgirl accused of stabbing A 15-YEAR-OLD girl under investigation for allegedly stabbing a 13year-old student from her school has been detained in a juvenile centre. The court made the order after authorities received reports that the suspect was threatening to assault the victim again. The suspect was first arrested and later released following investigations into her alleged attack on the 13-year-old outside their school in Almeria City. Police were called after a fight broke out between the girls and other students, with no arrests made initially. Another brawl broke out outside the school a few hours later and several students and family members were reportedly involved. The 15-year-old allegedly slashed the 13year-old with a kitchen knife between her back and shoulder. Her injuries were later found not to be serious. Police arrested the 15-year-old who said she acted in self defence to stop the 13-year-old from attacking her, according to reports. The investigation continues.
COSTA DE ALMERÍA YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
Storm warning! Almeria braced for bad weather Photo by Almeriense Harto/ twitter
ISSUE NO. 1704
Newspaper in Spain 2018
DARK SKIES: Heavy rain is reportedly on the horizon.
Joe Gerrard T h e S p a n is h w e a the r agency has named Almeria as one of the provinces likely to b e s tru c k b y h e a vy wind and rain this week. AEMET issued yellow weather warnings for the p ro v in c e o v e r p red icte d weather conditions. It also issued an orange warning over waves and winds of up to 80 kilometres an hour today (Thursday). The weather agency has said Almeria’s coastline could be hit by waves up to four metres high as storms from the Atlantic, including Storm Emma, move across the Iberian Peninsula. Rain and clouds have been also been forecast for Friday. Forecasters have predicte d p a rts o f th e p ro v in c e c o u ld s e e h e a v y rain for several days. Snow has also been forecast at higher altitudes in other parts of the country although weather
agencies have said low tempe ra ture s w ill not re a c h Almeria, which will remain mild. The levels of rainfall may break last year’s records if the storms continue on their current path and are not interrupted, according to reports. AEMET had also forecast he a vy w ind a nd ra in for Almeria earlier this week. Yellow weather warnings for strong winds were issued for the province from 7am to 6pm on Tuesday. A lme ria C ity a nd Pontiente were also issued with wind and rain warnings for Wednesday from 5am, lasting all day.
The news comes as Almeria received similar warnings from the w e a the r agency in January. Waves and winds hit the province’s coast during a weather front tha t s truc k 23 othe r provinces in Spain. The province was also struck by hurricane-force winds at the start of the year which caused millions of euros in damage to farms. The Junta de Andalucia has since made €100 million available to farmers to repair greenhouses and other farming structures hit by the storms. Farmers are also eligible to claim funds to make their farms more productive.
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Public funds pilfered A C I V I L S E RVA N T h a s been sentenced to five years and three months in prison after being found guilty of taking more than €246,000 from the Junta d e A n d a l u c i a ’s e n v i r o n ment department. Miguel GL has also been disqualified from public o ff i c e f o r n i n e y e a r s f o r falsifying documents and of the misappropriation of public funds. The court heard the defendant sought to profit from his role in the Junta through his management of one of their accounts. The jury found him guilty of withdrawing money from the account a total of 49 times while in office in 2009. He was asked to give his DNI number and to sign for the last seven withdrawals and instead changed his number around and used fictitious signatures. The jury said the official had acted in a “personal and direct way” over the transfers and that his defence in which he claimed he had collaborated with authorities.
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NEWS EXTRA Madrid meeting ALMERIA CITY’S mayor has had a meeting with the government’s infrastructure minister to discuss the refurbishment of the city’s railway station and the road works at El Puche, among other plans.
Robber held A 29-YEAR-OLD man who allegedly walked into a cafe in Almeria and put a knife to a waitress’ throat before making off with €5,400 and a mobile phone has been arrested by police.
Pilot medal ALMERIAN fighter pilot Rosa Maria Garcia-Malea, who became the air force’s first female pilot at 21 years old, has been awarded the Favourite Sons of Andalucia medal in this year ’s honours.
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A heist of the heart A 31-YEAR-OLD has been arrested as allegedly responsible for a theft of multiple items from a house in Vicar. According to reports, an investigation into the theft began last year, after police received a complaint from a man claiming that his house had been robbed while they were asleep. T h e a lle g ed v ic tim claimed that a large number of objects had been stolen from his property, but was surprised that some objects w ith a h ig h er v alu e ha d been left, while also claimin g th a t h is v e h icle h a d been taken. P o lice fo u n d th e ca r p ark ed in a n e a rb y s tr e e t with a witness later reportedly testifying that they saw a woman park the vehicle and walk away. In light of all the information, officers focused their investigation on peop le c lo s e to th e v ictim a s
THEFT: The woman allegedly took items from the man’s home in Vicar. with. the y found it s us pic ious Gi ven t hat pol i ce bewhere the car was found but l i eved t hat t he a ls o the fa c t t hi ef knew t he that the stolen vi ct i m ’s hom e, objects were of the stolen objects both low a nd were related to personal value. their relationship After a furand the fact that ther investigaLatest news she lived on the tion, offic e rs and sam e ur bani sabe ga n to s us more as it tion, police prope c t a ne ighhappens ceeded to arrest a bour of the vic31-year-old tim, w ho he woman on suspihad previously cion of theft. maintained a relationship www.euroweeklynews.com
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Coke dealer sniffed POLICE in El Ejido have detained a man on suspicion of distributing illegal drugs after finding 23 wraps of cocaine on his person and more than €2,200 in cash. Officers carried out the arrest during a routine stop and search they had implemented in order to cut down on drug crime. The 41-year-old, originally from Roquetas de Mar, was caught at around 2.30am at a bar on an industrial estate in El Ejido, where he was found to be carrying a metal tobacco case stuffed with wraps of cocaine. He was also found with €2,214 in cash. Officers subsequently arrested the man on drugs possession charges and potential crimes against public health.
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Corpses found in dig
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NEWS, FIXTURES AND RESULTS FROM THE UK AND SPAIN.
GHOST TOWN: Villagers are possessed by evil spirits that emerge from a mysterious crack in the ground each year.
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Finance 27
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Couch Critic 40
Theft arrest A MAN accused of assaulting a woman and robbing her mobile phone has been arrested after allegedly attempting to steal from another victim in Almeria City. The 49-year-old reportedly chased a woman and punched her 10 days after the first assault but friends helped her escape.
Lacking staff MORE than 80,000 children are being treated by family doctors in Almeria because there are not enough specialists in health centres, according to the Partido Popular. Rosalia Espinosa, who made the claims, added specialists recommended there should be around one doctor for every 1,000 children.
Park works FIVE parks in Almeria City are set to have €1.4 million spent on them under plans from the city’s council. Playgrounds in Villablanca, Torrecardenas, El Zapillo, Nueva Andalucia and one at the Plaza de los Niños will be improved according to the council’s leisure spokesperson.
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Black as the devil ACCORDING to legend, they escape the underworld through a mysterious crack in the earth once per year. And in the small village of Luzon, Castile-La Mancha, the demons roam the streets in one of Spain’s most macabre celebrations. Known as the Festival of Devils and Masks [La Fiesta de los Diablos y Mascaritas], revellers daub their faces with oil and soot before don-
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ning horns and cow bells as they transform into servants of evil. A set of huge, fearsome teeth carved from a potato completes the fiendish look of the diablos, innocent villagers possessed by evil spirits. They wander the village, ‘cursing’ onlookers by smearing them with black marks. The only people safe from their sinister touch are the mascaritas, white-masked figures clad in tradi-
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POLICE have seized more than 220 marihuana plants, electricity transformers and lamps from a plantation in Almeria City. Officers arrested a man for allegedly running the plantation inside the house on the Calle Sierra de Maria, which was reportedly illegally hooked up to the city’s grid.
PLUS THE REGULARS News
AROUND 25 bodies, most of which belonged to children, have been discovered during archaeological excavations in Almeria City. The dig has been taking place in part of an Islamic cemetery near the Calle Marcos that was used for burials from the 11th century.
Drugs raid
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tional women’s clothing. While the first records of the bizarre ritual date back to the 14th century, its genuine origin is unknown. Outlawed during the reign of former dictator Francisco Franco, the event was rebooted in the 1980s. Today, any type of costume - from cartoon characters to nuns to pirates - can be worn to avoid the demons’ wicked touch.
123
Albox 58 - 61
Property 63
Pets 65
Classifieds 66 - 67
The total number of news and features which appeared in Issue 1703 of the Euro Weekly News Costa de Almería edition, including 52 local stories.
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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Will to win
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POLL OF THE WEEK
EWN scoops national award Karl Smallman
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Should Spain be allowed to co-manage Gibraltar Airport? LAST WEEK’S POLL: Do you agree with the Balearics’ decision to ban tourists from travelling to the islands in diesel or petrol cars?
Yes 54%
No 46%
EWN online this week 133,252 Page views ‘HONOURED’: EWN publishers Michel and Steven Euesden (centre) accept their award. THE Euro Weekly News has bagged a national press association award for the second year in a row. It comes after Spain’s leading English-language weekly newspaper picked up the Professional Trajectory Award at the 2018 Spanish Periodical Association (AEEPP) Awards. According to the organisers, the award is won by a company ‘for its successes and outstanding professional journey.’ The jury featured Jose Manuel Velasco, president of Global Alliance, the international confederation of PR and communication management associations, and Miguel Justribo, Corporate Communication Director of Telepizza Spain, among others. Other winners included national daily newspaper El Español, Spanish news website El Diario, and American streaming giant Netflix. The association said in a statement: “We want to recognise the Euro Weekly - the leading English newspaper - as an invaluable information resource for the foreign community living on our coasts.” The AEEPP Awards event is now in its 12th year and is considered to be among the most pres-
tigious press awards in Spain. The AEEPP comprises around 100 publishing firms which together produce more than 900 titles covering both online and printed media, with an estimated annual readership of almost 130 million. EWN publishers Michel and Steven Euesden were on hand to collect the award at the glittering gala event, which took place in the auditorium of the famous Royal Post Office building in Spanish capital Madrid. After collecting the award, a delighted Michel said: “The EWN Media Group is a family of people who work day and night throughout the year with dedication and passion. “We are so honoured to have received this award from the AEEPP. “As a team we work hard and believe in the future of all printed and digital publications. “We would like to give thanks to our wonderful clients and readers. “But in the main this award is for a team that has given everything over the last year, and we must also recognise their partners, as anyone in the world who works in print will understand. “A massive congratulations to everyone.”
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BENEFIT CHEAT: Great-gran Sally Folan.
UK Benefit cheating great-gran who secretly owned Spanish holiday home avoids jail Thousands trapped as Canary Islands battered by heaviest storm in years
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Beach in Spain crowned as best in Europe and sixth best in world for 2018
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FOR COMMENTS FROM EWN ONLINE TURN TO LETTERS PAGE CORRECTIONS At the EWN, we pride ourselves that reports are accurate and fair. If we do slip up, we promise to set the record straight in a clear, nononsense manner. To ask for an inaccuracy to be corrected. Email: editorial@euroweeklynews.com
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OUR VIEW Spain’s never-ending corruption problem THE news that Spain has risen in a global corruption ranking may not come as a surprise. The country has been plagued by scandal in recent years, with members of the Royal Family, political parties, large corporations, and the police implicated. Its Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index score has now dropped by eight points (out of 100) since 2012, with its latest tally of 57 worse than most other European nations. According to official figures, almost 1,500 individuals faced corruption trials in Spain between July 2015 and the end of 2016, while the issue has long ranked as the second biggest cause for concern after unemployment among the population. In 2013 a European Council report questioned the integrity and impartiality of Spain’s chief anti-corruption prosecutor, who was appointed by the government, and issued a series of 11 recommendations to help Spain tackle the problem. But three years later, it concluded that none had been ‘implemented satisfactorily.’ Some blame religion, since Catholicism allows for confession and absolution of sins, while others claim that corruption is a habit born in dictatorial times, when cheating the state was akin to an act of resistance. And unless political forces can come together and deal with the issue as a state policy transcending individual parties, it appears that systematic corruption is here to stay.
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Junta backs revamp plans PLANS to refurbish the ‘El Patio de Pescaderia’ neighbourhood has been supported by the Junta de Andalucia regional government. In their statement, the Property and Development Department said they were willing to “provide the necessary support” to assess the implementation of the works. “If the current government provides detailed plans of the works and the costs, we are willing to work on the petition.” Critics have said that should the Almeria authorities choose to go down this route, they would be placing the neighbourhood on a programme “that has not yet been approved by the central government.”
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Purr-fect bikini bod
Laying it bare
NAKED AMBITION: Emily Ratajkowski and (inset) her Vanity Fair Spain cover.
SHE’S the model who shot to fame after appearing semi-nude in Robin Thicke’s controversial Blurred Lines video. And Emily Ratajkowski, 26, again bared all as she appeared topless on the cover of Vanity Fair Spain before stripping naked in a series of sizzling snaps inside the glossy magazine. And the Westminster-born stunner shared a sultry image from the shoot on social media after the eye-popping cover hit the shelves.
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SHE’S the former Atomic Kitten singer who recently hit the headlines after changing her lifestyle. Kerry Katona, 37, appeared keen to flaunt her beach body during a winter jaunt to Spain. o credit Twitter Phot The Whole Again hitmaker slipped into a tiny fuschia bikini as she showed off her toned physique while topping up her tan by the pool. She again donned her favourite brown wig and posed for the waiting paparazzi before relaxing on a sun lounger and snapping PER KY : Ke some cheeky selfies. rr y Katona. The mum-of-four moved in with pal and Real Housewives of Cheshire stunner Ampika Pickston after splitting from third husband George Kay. And she showed off her body transformation on Loose Women after revealing exercise changed her figure when she stopped taking drugs for bipolar disorder. She said: “Exercise is a massive thing, more than anything and I’ve been off medication now for about FLACKING HELL: TV eight months.” presenter Caroline.
Is Love Island host dating CBB star? Photo credit Twitter
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SHE spends six weeks per year hosting ITV2’s racy dating show Love Island in Spain. But Caroline Flack, 38, showed she has been up to a little matchmaking of her own after stepping out with Celebrity Big Brother’s Andrew Brady, 27. The pair appeared totally enamoured as they were snapped enjoying an evening stroll in London, as they
walked arm in arm before Caroline brought her hand to rest on her toy boy’s backside. She is said to have enjoyed a ‘string of dates’ with the Cheshire-based project engineer after they met at a party. They fuelled speculation over their blossoming relationship after sharing social media posts that appeared to be taken in the same room.
Celeb focus Pay slips don’t lie WAKA
WAKA: COLOMBIAN Sha kira . pop superstar Shakira has allegedly paid almost €20.5 million to Spanish tax authiorities. The Whenever, Wherever singer - who lives in Barcelona with footballer husband Gerard Pique - reportedly forked out after being warned she could be prosecuted for tax evasion. But Spanish media have reported that she may appeal the sanction after paying more than €20 million in tax during 2011.
Classy ladies THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA set tongues wagging after a set-to between Porsha Williams and Marlo Hampton in Barcelona. Porsha stormed home from the Spanish trip early in the wake of the drama after Marlo accused her of having ‘smelly breath.’ The incident was aired during an episode entitled ‘Barcelona Breakdown.’
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Caught green handed
Alcazaba management ALMERIA’S provincial environment spokesperson has said they have begun talks with the Junta de Andalucia over Alcazaba’s management, while the Partido Socialista opposition have said no changes should be made over the arrangements.
Food bank THE Food Bank of Almeria helped 6,000 fewer people in 2017 than in the previous year, with a total of more than 55,000 people served at its 287 branches.
Water ideas
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A MAN was held by police after being caught in the act while stealing from a greenhouse in Roquetas de Mar. Officers received a phone call from a witness who claimed a suspicious unknown man had broken into the greenhouse. They promptly investigated the matter and caught the man mid-theft, trying to steal boxes of bell peppers. The 38-year-old, who was reportedly a local in the town, also admitted to being behind three other similar thefts in the area. The man was subsequently arrested and awaits trial to face retribution for his actions. www.euroweeklynews.com
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PURPLE GAIN: Beetroots have been proven to reduce post-workout pain.
A MAN was held in the town of Berja for allegedly stabbing someone for tying up a donkey outside his home, which in turn blocked one of his windows. Officers were reportedly alerted to the incident when the victim called the station claiming they had been stabbed in the leg. The man who was stabbed apparently tied the animal to the window bars outside the man’s house while he went drinking with friends in town. The occupant of the house reportedly ap-
What an ass! proached the victim with a knife shortly afterwards, and assaulted him, wounding his leg. Police arrived at the scene to find a group of people, including the victim, in a heated
A TEAM from the University of Almeria has been at a national event to demonstrate their new technology and research on improving water quality, with the EU reportedly interested in its uses.
argument with the man who was shouting back at them from inside his house. After probing witnesses to clarify what had happened, officers tried to talk to the perpetrator, but one of his relatives informed them that the man had fled his home. However, they were eventually able to track down the 24-year-old and arrest him on charges of assault. Meanwhile, the victim was taken to the local medical centre to be treated for his injuries.
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Captain barbaric! Salvamento Maritimo/via Twitter
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DANGEROUS CROSSING: Spanish coast guards rescued 22 migrants from the boat of the man who is set to appear in court today. A MOROCCAN man accused of charging 22 migrants up to €900 for a passage to Spain aboard his boat is due to appear in court today. Prosecutors have requested four and half years in prison for the man should he be found guilty. They said his boat was stopped by coast guards and a Guardia Civil pa-
trol just south of Balanegra. Prosecutors claimed in their report to the court the 22 Moroccan passengers paid the accused between €800 and €900 for a place on board his boat. He and others in the country then arranged for them to travel to Spain. The vessel set out from Africa at night and the passengers had no lifejackets or
lights. Two children were among those onboard. There was a risk that the boat may have been shipwrecked but the accused decided to go ahead with the voyage despite this, prosecutors said. The 22 migrants onboard were rescued by the Salvamento Maritimo and the Port of Almeria on July 31, 2017.
FINANCE
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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How Brexit could increase Spanish succession tax for your heirs
The new year brought welcome succession and gift tax reforms to some Spanish regions. This has virtually eliminated this unpopular tax for close family in regions such as Murcia and Andalucía, so is good news for expatriates owning assets or living there. However, the situation is likely to change for British nationals after Brexit. The main issue is if Britain ceases to be part of the European Economic Area (EEA) when it leaves the EU. As things stand, if Britain leaves both the EU and the EEA after Brexit, Britons resident in Spain receiving inheritances could face a much higher succession tax bill. The same will apply to UK residents inheriting Spanish assets.
By Gerald Turner, Partner, Blevins Franks
What will change with Brexit? Spain treats non-EU/EEA residents differently for succession and gift tax purposes. Currently, if you are Spanish resident and leave Spanish assets to someone living in the UK, as EU residents they are usually taxed according to the rules of the region where you are resident. Post-Brexit, however, once they become nonEU/EEA residents, UK beneficiaries
will be subject to the less favourable Spanish state rules instead. What about if you are UK resident with Spanish assets? Today, your heirs (regardless of where they are resident) attract the rules of the Spanish region in which most of the assets are located, but after Brexit, once you become non-EU/EEA resident, the state rules will apply. Spanish regional rates, reductions
and allowances are generally far more generous than the state rules. The highest reduction under state rules, for example, is just €15,956 for spouses and descendants, whereas some regions offer a 99% succession tax relief and even exemptions for the same family members. As a result, wherever you are resident, your UK heirs could potentially pay significantly more tax after Brexit when inheriting Spanish assets. What can you do? While your Spanish home will always be subject to Spanish succession tax, irrespective of who inherits it, it may be possible to restructure other assets and wealth to reduce succession tax liability. A locally-based adviser with understanding of both the Spanish and UK tax regimes will be best
placed to recommend the most suitable options for your particular circumstances and goals. As for other taxes, if you have secured permanent residency in Spain before the Brexit cut-off date – due on 29th March 2019 – you should receive the same treatment as you do today. However, if you are not resident in Spain but earn Spanish-sourced income or own Spanish assets post-Brexit, as a nonEU/EEA resident you could face higher income and wealth taxes. Also, note that non-Spanish residents who sell a Spanish main home and reinvest the proceeds into a new main home in the UK will no longer be able to receive capital gains tax relief in Spain once Britain is outside the EU/EEA. While much is uncertain about the final Brexit deal – and we do not know what may change during negotiations – it is a good idea to be
as prepared as you can be. With only months left to go, now is the time to review your residency, estate planning, investments, pensions and tax planning to secure your position in Spain in the most tax-efficient way possible. Cross-border tax planning is a complex, specialist area, so take professional, personalised advice for the best results and to save your heirs from paying more tax than necessary. The tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; an individual is advised to seek personalised advice. Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www.blevinsfranks.com.
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DEMONSTRATORS formed a 1,200-metre human chain around the Ribera de la Algaida in protest against planned developments set for the area in Roquetas de Mar. Several hundred protestors from the ‘Salvemos Las Salinas’ environmental group formed the chain at the salt flats between the Calle Alba and the town’s promenade. They were demonstrating over what they said would be the ‘irreparable damage’ caused to the area if the works go ahead. The group claimed the planned urbanisation works for the area would break EU environment rules if they went ahead. Sunday’s demonstration was the second the group had
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Protest worth its salt
Photo by Irene Ramirez-Gutierrez/Facebook
HUMAN CHAIN: Several hundred protestors encircled the Ribera de la Algaida in protest over development plans. organised at the salt flats this year following the first in January. The group said 2018 would be “the year of mobilisation.” They added they had gathered in Roquetas de Mar to show the value of a space filled with history and nature.
“After this demonstration will come another, and we will not stop until our objectives are fulfilled,” the group said in a statement. “We ask with all our hearts for the immediate paralysis of this urban madness that will destroy the Salinas and drown
the Ribera de la Algaida,” they added. The protest follows an announcement from Gabriel Amat, the town’s mayor, that the council have planned road works for the Las Salinas area. Mayor Amat said the council were working to improve connections to the area following the completion of the A7 highway. “Communications will be streamlined to all neighbourhoods of the municipality, which is one of our priorities. The municipality has made a very important effort,” he said. “Our goal is to continue providing quality and improving services for our neighbours,” the mayor added.
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In a squat of bother LOCAL POLI CE i n Almeria have arrested a 75-year-old woman and her 36-year-old son after locating almost 100 marihuana plants at a property in Los Molinos. Emergency Services wer e r epor t edl y m ade aware of a situation after r ecei vi ng a r epor t of a sm al l f i r e on t he f i f t h f l oor of a bui l di ng on Calle Santa Rosa. When they arrived at the property, firefighters were quickly able to put out the fire, which was al l egedl y caused by a stove in the living room. Following the fire and after the smoke cleared, police were informed by firefighters that in two r oom s of t he pr oper t y there were a large number of marihuana plants, while also realising that the house was linked up illegally to public lighting. A 75-year-old woman and her son i dent i f i ed themselves as residents of the house and accordi ng t o r epor t s t he 75year-old admitted squatt i ng and deni ed any knowledge of the marihuana plants.
NEWS
NEWS EXTRA Pension protests DEMONSTRATORS, including elderly people, took to the streets of Almeria City and others across the country to protest against the planned increase in pensions of 0.25 per cent which they said was too small.
Jobs help ALMERIA and El Ejido are among the Andalucian cities set to host employment meetings over the next five months, with each having 20 people out of work who will receive help and training from specialists.
Road works ALMOST €1.5 million is set to be spent on the maintenance of Almeria’s road network over the next two years, according to the province’s development spokesperson.
Poem recital FIVE Almerian poets have recited previously unpublished poems at an event in Viator to celebrate Andalucia Day. Miguel Vela, Anibal Garcia, Ramon Crespo, Candela Tuck and Jose Luis all spoke about Andalucian life.
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Seeking new firemen THE mayor of Almeria City, Ramon Fernandez-Pacheco, has announced that the local authorities are looking to hire 10 new firemen, in addition to the 14 new places advertised last week for the police force. “All the positions published last week are a clear sign that this council keeps its word and believes in investing in public employment, so civil servants will be able to continue providing good service to Almeria citizens,” said the mayor. Seven new administrative assistants have also been advertised for the local council team, as well as an IT position and public librarian. To apply for the job, interested parties should visit the city hall website: www.aytoalmeria.es for more information.
Two injured after motorbike fall TWO people have been left injured after falling approximately 15-metres down an embankment after coming off their motorcycle in Nijar. The pair were reportedly travelling on the AL-3104 in Nijar when the two came off their bike while driving through the ravine located at kilometre four of the highway and fell
down the embankment. Emergency services were quickly on the scene to attend to the two injured people and rescued them, with one reportedly suffering a fractured arm while the other received multiple injuries as a result of the fall. They were subsequently rushed to the Poniente hospital in El Ejido for treatment.
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NATIONAL
That’s a moray! A 42-YEAR-OLD Moroccan man who allegedly had around 100 kilograms of eels inside his vehicle has been arrested in Melilla after arriving from Almeria by the Guardia Civil. The man, a resident of Almeria, had his vehicle searched when he arrived off a boat in the port of the Spanish enclave. Officers found the animals hidden inside plastic bags placed between bottles of ice to keep them alive. The origin of the eels was not known but the amount taken by police had an estimated value of around €200,000, according to the Guardia Civil. The animals reportedly left Melilla on an Armas ship and were sent to a Junta de Andalucia-run centre in Cadiz last Thursday. It is hoped staff there will be able to perform DNA tests on the eels to
SEIZED: Around 100 kilograms in eels were found in plastic bags weighing one kilogram each. determine what species they are and where they are from. Tests could also assess whether they are suitable to be put back into the wild.
The European Eel is now a threatened species because of a loss of its natural habitat and illegal fishing. The EU has prohibited the import and export of
the animals due to this. The 42-year-old has been charged with smuggling offences and proceedings are set to go to court.
NEWS
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
www.euroweeklynews.com
SPANISH police have detained a man charged with concealing more than 330 grams of marihuana in his car. The 33-year-old, who reportedly lives in the town of Berja, was initially pulled over by police after he suddenly braked upon noticing the patrol car, which was performing a routine stop and search. His nervous behaviour prompted officers to search his vehicle, which led them to discover the bag of marihuana hidden in the trunk next to the spare wheel. The man was subsequently arrested for possession of illicit substances.
Photo credit; Guardia Civil
Drug driver caught
WEEDED OUT: Police seized a total of 332 grams of marihuana. The arrest was seen as a success by Almeria police in their
campaign against the trafficking of narcotic substances and
putting the health and safety of the public at risk.
Junta invests €300,000 on river plantations THE Ministry of Environment has planted more than 11,000 trees and shrubs at the end of the river Aguas, after an investment of €295,625. Funding for the project was provided by the Junta de Andalucia regional government in a concerted effort to improve the ecological environment of the area. Works were carried out in a 1.5 km section of the Mojacar Lagoon, space that has been protected for 30 years.
The project began last October and was developed over four phases, involving sediment removal and other clearing work. Now that it has been completed, it will help to fortify this part of the river against flooding, since the trees and shrubbery will act as a ‘green wall’ for the water. In addition, they will act as an attractive habitat for migratory birds and invertebrates, while reducing CO2.
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NATIONAL
Blazing controversy Easter flight fear Police slammed over shock video POLICE in Spain have attempted to defend their actions after a video appears to show officers ‘ignoring’ a man lying unconscious on the gro u n d a f t e r l e a p in g from his apartment to escape a fire. The 4 0 - y e a r- o l d ma n jumped around six metres from his first-floor balcony and lay unconscious on the paveme n t a s o ff i c e r s a p peared to ignore him. He is now in an intensive care un i t i n h o sp i t a l in a critical condition. The incident happened in Calle Espinosa in the San A nton n e i g h b o u r h o od o f Cartag e n a i n so u t h ern Spain. A video shot by a neighbour shows that, for more than two minutes, members of the Local and National P olice f o r c e s i g n o r e th e critically injured man lying on the ground. However, the Local Po-
Ryanair boss warns of strikes
FIRE JUMP: The man lies unconscious on the floor after leaping from his blazing flat. lice of Cartagena say that th e v id e o ‘is o n ly a n extract’ of what happened, and that, moments before the officers, immediately after arriving at the scene, had app ro a c h ed th e p ers o n to check their status, and, once they found that he was unconscious, and did not res p o n d , ca lle d th e h ea lth
teams to act. The Local Police stress that its officers are trained in first aid and say that ‘a person in that state cannot be move d be c a us e of the risk of causing more serious injuries. Therefore, they say that the actions of the officers ‘was the correct one.’
LOW-COST Irish airline Ryanair ’s CEO Michael O’Leary has warned of potential strikes in Europe during Easter week. Earlier this month O’Leary warned of possible disruptions as the airline prepares to extend its recent recognition of pilot unions to cabin crew staff but did not specify what markets were likely to be hit. He said the airline would rather see bookings damaged by the uncertainty around a strike than give in to ‘laughable’ union demands. According to respected news agency Reuters he told a press conference in Lisbon, “We had a strike in Germany on December 22... we expect the next one will be in Ireland - or
maybe it will be in Portugal - during Easter week.” However, no flights were cancelled during the four-hour strike in Germany before Christmas which O’Leary referred to. Irish pilot union FORSA/IALPA has not announced any strike plans, but has said pilots had rejected an offered pay rise from Ryanair. It added that the airline was refusing the union’s demand to be recognised as the exclusive body for collective bargaining. O‘Leary said he was making ‘significant progress’ in talks with SPAC, the Portuguese pilots union, but managem e n t h a d o ff e r e d a p a y rise directly to Portuguese pilots and that 75 per cent of pilots had accepted the
Your Belgian estate agent at the coast! You
offer. A Ryanair spokesperson said, “As we explained in our Q3 results on February 5 last ‘as we finalise union discussions along similar lines to that agreed in the UK, we expect some localised disruptions and adverse PR so investors should be prepared for the same’.” The February thirdquarter results statement said, “In certain jurisdictions unions representing competitor airlines will wish to test our commitment to our low cost, high pay/high productivity model to disrupt our operations. “We are fully prepared to face down any such disruption if it means defending our cost base or our high productivity model.”
NATIONAL
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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19
Gangland killers CREDIT: Twitter/FutbolAlAndalus
FIRE AT NIGHT: Trouble ahead of the Sevilla versus Manchester United clash.
Man Utd fans held A POLICE officer was left injured after alleged public order and assault offences by Manchester United football fans in Spain. Five arrests were made for causing serious public disturbances, destruction of furniture and assaults on the Local Police after the football game in the city of Sevilla. The men had stayed on in the city following Manchester United’s 0-0 Champions League draw with Sevilla on Wednesday. It is claimed rocks were thrown at a hotel, a police car windscreen was smashed, motorcycles were pushed over and a biker attacked. Local Police and National Police officers who tried to calm the scene were allegedly attacked by the five Brits, aged between 27 and 30 years old. One officer received a hand injury that required medical attention.
A COURT CASE involving 35 members of MS-13, the murderous street gang also known as Mara Salvatrucha, is underway on the Costa Blanca. A total of 12 sessions are scheduled for the trial, which will run until May, with the defendants facing prison sentences of two to 30 years for a range of charges including illegal weapons possession, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, money laundering and drug trafficking. It comes after a major police sting saw investigators swoop on the gang’s Spanish headquarters in Ibi, Alicante, plus cells in Madrid, Barcelona and Gerona in the wake of a wiretapping probe. The crackdown was designed to stop the organisation from expanding its operations in Spain, where it had been receiving funds from kingpins in the dangerous Central American country of El Salvador. It also prevented the assassination of two people, including a man who witnessed the stabbing of a Romanian member of the Latin Kings - an enemy crew - in Alicante Port. Among those on trial are several local bosses, who allegedly orchestrated violent territorial battles with rival gangs and set up drug trafficking networks.
Photo credit; Guardia Civil/Twitter
By Matt Ford
STREET WARRIORS: A gang member at the time of his arrest and (inset) the men arrive at Alicante’s provincial court. But the majority are ‘soldiers,’ many of them children, who committed robberies and other petty crimes to pay the monthly membership fee of €100. According to reports, defence lawyers have negotiated a number of reduced sentences in exchange for confessions, although this has not been made official with the trial due to recommence on Thursday March 8.
Originating in Los Angeles, United States, most MS-13 members are from Central America, particularly El Salvador. They are famed for the tattoos covering their bodies and their motto ‘Mata, roba, viola, controla’ (kill, steal, rape, control). The gang is mostly active in the US, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Canada, and was planning to gain a foothold in Spain.
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Fake taxi driver held POLICE in the south of Spain have taken a ‘taxi’ off the road that had no MOT, no licence, no legal meter, a broken seat and a window jammed shut with wood to prevent it from opening. Suspicions of the Local Police in Sevilla were raised when they spotted the general state of disrepair of the vehicle as it dropped off two tourists at the train station in the city. Police officers also found the car was generally dirty and covered in dents. The vehicle was impounded by the police and the driver denounced.
Horror of house fire NEIGHBOURS rescued two young children from a house fire in Spain - but a six-monthold baby tragically died. The grandmother, who was looking after the rescued children, aged five and seven, was also rescued from the fire in the
three-storey property. The 112 Andalucia emergency control centre reported the fire broke out at 5pm last Friday in Albolote (Granada) in Andalucia, southern Spain. Guardia Civil officers have opened an investigation.
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NATIONAL
Migrant numbers triple THE amount of people who came to Spain by boat as migrants stood at almost 22,420 last year, with nearly 250 people losing their lives at sea. Migrants arriving in the country by land and sea numbered almost 28,590 in 2017. The amount of people travelling on other routes into Europe fell, according to a human rights group. The Andalucian Human Rights Association (APDHA) said there were no adequate structures or means to offer people dignified treatment when they arrived. This was evident in Malaga, Barbate and Motril, some of the main entry points for those arriving by sea, they added. “The measures of containment agreed with origin countries, repression exercised against migrants and closing Europe’s borders have not been capable of stopping the movement of people,” the group said. “The reality is unbearable,” they added. More than 6,000 people have
Emergency services overwhelmed
NUMBERS TRIPLE: Almost 22,420 people attempted to reach Spain by boat last year. died trying to reach Spain in the last 20 years, according to data from APDHA. The group said the figure could be higher because for every person that was confirmed dead there were two unaccounted for. Extreme poverty, armed con-
flicts and a lack of opportunities for the future meant that for many leaving their countries for Europe was the only alternative, they added. Morocco was the main country of origin for migrants arriving in Spain. Algeria, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Gambia and
Syria followed but sub-Saharan Africans were the largest single group, APDHA said. Figures showed there was a fall in the number of women making the journey to Spain but that the number of migrant children arriving had risen by more than 66 per cent. Wooden craft, jet skis, toy boats and surfboards were among the ways used to make the journey, according to the group. APDHA said: “Barbed wire, patrol boats, returns, death and suffering cannot continue to be the response of this country to people fleeing war or hunger. History will judge us by the cruelty and inhumanity exercised by our rulers.”
COMMUNITY
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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Mojacar RBL March diary YOU do not need to have served in the Armed Forces to be a member of the Royal British Legion. Everyone is welcome. If you would like more information please contact the Chairman, Andrew
Richardson on: 682 405 858 or: rblmojacar.socialevents@ gmail.com. March diary Today (Thursday), 11.15am: Branch meeting at Centro de Multi Usos (Artisan Centre).
Tomorrow (Friday), 7:30pm: Fish and chips quiz at Beachcomber Restaurant Mojacar, price €2. Thursday 15, 11.15am: Branch coffee morning at Mimi’s Bar.
ALL SMILES: Shirley (Burt) Valentine presenting Kris Wessels-Coles (PAWS-PATAS treasurer) with €300.
A big wow for PAWS-PATAS WOMEN on Wednesday (WOW) is one of the most established woman’s meeting groups in Mojacar. It was formed many years ago but started to crumble until Shirley (Burt - real surname) Valentine decided to resurrect this forum in September 2017. Shirley has lived in Mojacar for three years and is passionate about bringing people together. She is so happy to see the group growing and flourishing with friendship. Shirley views the group as an opportunity for women of all ages to come together and make new friends; become part of the community and promote local businesses and interests. WOW meets every Wednesday at the Roof Garden Restaurant in Parque Commercial, Mo-
jacar from 2pm until 4pm. Each week there is a specialised subject with a guest speaker which can range from financial advice, painting, skin care and much more. A weekly raffle raises money for local charities. And recently, the animal charity PAWS-PATAS was the chosen one and received €300, which is a great chunk towards the fundraising appeal for the vital Quarantine Unit which they need to build at their shelter. Whether you live here permanently or are just on holiday - WOW welcomes you - just pop in. As Shirley joked “one can get fed up just talking with the husband - it can be refreshing to share with other women!” There is no registration fee but please bring something to add to the raffle table.
Almanzora Lodge presents €200 BARRIE HOWARD, WM of Almanzora Lodge, recently met Christine Wint e r, P r e s i d e n t o f P I R d A , and Martin Wright, Treasurer, and presented them with a donation of €200. PIRdA exist to provide refurbished computer
equipment to people and o rg a n i s a t i o n s i n n e e d o f help, they may be schoolchildren or their families or indeed councils, the police, centres for the disabled and other charitable bodies such as MACS and even those starting up
small businesses. To enable them to meet their aims they rely on unpaid volunteers to carry out the refurbishment work, gifts of unwanted computer equipment and importantly cash donations.
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FEATURE
Advertising Feature
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OEM parts exclusively used in national repair network OEM PARTS OEM parts are Original Equipment Manufactured parts as made by your car’s manufacturer. They are brand new, usually more expensive and sometimes take longer to order. But they are a no brainer. Body shops love them because they fit perfectly and install easy. LÍNEA DIRECTA ONLY USES OEM PARTS Línea Directa is the only insurance company that guarantees the use of OEM parts in their repairer network. Thanks to an exclusive purchasing and distribution agreement with the major manufacturers, when you repair your vehicle through its exclusive network of body shops and repairers, they guarantee the use of OEM parts. After vehicle repairs are complete, they send a list of the OEM parts used for you to keep in your log book. It’s one less thing to worry about. DO ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES USE OEM PARTS? At the time of publishing this article, no other insurance company in Spain guarantees the exclusive use of OEM parts in their repairer network. Some insurance companies rely on after market parts and used parts to keep the repair costs to a minimum, only paying for OEM parts if no other parts are available. After-market
parts are parts made by a company other than your vehicle’s manufacturer. They are new and the spec should be very close to the original specs. However, some minor fitting adjustments may be required by the body shop. Used parts come from the scrap yard. Cars involved in accidents, engine trouble or age, mean that scrapped cars will have some working parts, which can be resold. The used parts are usually OEM parts. NATIONAL NETWORK OF BODY SHOP REPAIRERS Using the Línea Directa network to repair your car means more than just OEM parts. The whole repair service is handled from start to finish. Your vehicle is collected at the agreed time and place. The repairs are carried out swiftly, efficiently and according to original manufacturer specs. You can request a replacement vehicle for the duration of the repair. They will keep you updated on progress and after completion; your vehicle will be delivered at the agreed time and place.
We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Linea Directa please call 902 123 309 More information about Linea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com
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1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
RUSSIAN PRESS
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Opposition leader faces jail CHARGED: Alexei Navalny was arrested in February following a protest rally.
PRESIDENTIAL contender Alexei Navalny has been charged with breaking public embassy laws and could go to prison for a month if found guilty. Navalny has called on his supporters to boycott the upcoming election, which President Vladimir Putin is e xpe c te d to w in, a nd in st ead m oni t or polling stations.
Duma gets holiday DEPUTIES in the Russian legislature have been sent back to their constituencies for three weeks to work with voters ahead of the country’s presidential election this month. The break for Duma members has been called to stop them diverting attention away from the presidential campaign, according to sources quoted in the Russian media.
Corruption ranking R U SSIA ha s c ome in 135t h pl ace i n Transparency International’s World Corruption Index, putting it among the bottom 50
countries in the table. The news comes as the country saw a series of anti-corruption rallies and fraud cases that implicated senior government officials last year.
Nemstov plaque OFFICIALS in Moscow have approved plans to install a memorial to Boris Nemstov, an opposition politician killed outside the Kremlin three years ago. Nemstov was a critic of President Vladimir Putin and was shot while crossing a bridge in the city in February 2015.
Syria Ceasefire RUSSIA’S Foreign Minister has said the country is prepared to study UN proposals f or an end t o f i ght i ng i n Syr i a. Sergey Lavrov added the government in Moscow would consider ceasefire plans if the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra groups are excluded from it. He said Russia was concerned about its diplomatic and trade offices coming under fire in Damascus.
Dawn has broken Paseo del Mediterraneo 30, Mojacar Playa, Almeria
T: 950 473 104
E: info@mojacarhomeimprovements.com www.mojacarhomeimprovements.com
FRANZ JOSEF LAND’S polar night is over after the sun rose over the Arctic archipelago for the first time since October last year. The territory, which is around 1,100 kilometres from the North Pole, is in darkness for around four mouths during the winter and temperatures can reach minus 30 degrees Celsius.
SUNRISE: Russia’s northernmost Arctic territory got its first glimpse of sunlight in four months.
FINANCE
business & legal
Cheap flight island boom
STAT OF WEEK
SPANISH production firm Mediapro is set to auction off TV rights to European football in Spain. The move comes after Mediapro last year teamed up with Qatar-based beIN Sports to win rights to the next three seasons of the UEFA Champions and Europa Leagues, narrowly beating rival Telefonica. And the broadcaster is now looking to make a profit on its investment. “We’ll ask for offers to be sent to us at the beginning of March,” said Mediapro President Jaume Roures. “Then at
‘
Photo credit Alfonso Dastis/Twitter/Shutterstock
Spain demands rock share deal
fraud and tobacco smuggling. He also admitted the Spanish government’s ultimate aim is to obtain sovereignty over the rock. “Sovereignty is something we aspire to, that we are not renouncing, but in these negotiations it is not the issue,” he said, before claiming the government’s main focus is on easing transport between Gibraltar and Spain, with ideas including a common border control and pre-registering frequent visitors.
Fuel’s gold for Spanish firm MADRID-BASED energy behemoth Repsol has confirmed the €3.81 billion sale of its 20 per cent stake in Spanish utility Gas Natural to Rioja Bidco Shareholdings - a company controlled by international private equity firm CVC Capital Partners.
Top partners SPAIN has reinforced its position as Morocco’s top trading partner for the sixth consecutive year as turnover between the countries reached a staggering €57.8 billion in 2017, according to the European Commission’s statistics branch Eurostat.
Juicy profits FRENCH telecommunications giant Orange has revealed that Spain was its fastest growing market in 2017, with the company’s 20 million Spanish customers generating €1.58 billion in pre-tax profit for a 17 per cent year-on-year rise.
€2.5 billion investor lift SPANISH state-owned lender Bankia plans to fork out €2.5 billion of excess capital to shareholders between 2018 and 2020. The firm’s new strategic plan comes in the wake of its €22.4 billion bailout in 2012. And it is now aiming for a €1.3 billion profit in 2020 as it moves away from mortgage lending towards consumer loans, proper-
ty development and corporate activities after the European Union eased several restrictions. Meanwhile, British insurance firm Aviva has confirmed it is to offload its Spanish life insurance and pensions assets Cajamurcia Vida and Caja Granada Vida to Bankia for €202 million, retaining only a handful of small stakes.
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A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 6 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION | WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM/3.0.15/FINANCE
the start of April, we’ll see where the genuine interest is.” Digital giants Netflix and Amazon could enter the bidding, although there exist doubts over whether they have the technical capacity to stream live matches to millions of viewers. The rights to the Spanish La Liga for 2019-2022 are also set to be sold over the next few months, and La Liga president Javier Tebas has admitted he is aiming to rake in €1.3 billion per year, a 30 per cent increase on the cur-
» BUSINESS EXTRA
EWN
The maximum amount of debt in bonds that Spain plans to sell in four auctions today (Thursday), with repayments due in 2021, 2022, 2028 and 2030, respectively.
By Matt Ford
We are analysing a deduction in income tax that recognises the inherent costs of disability for taxpayers of a very advanced age.” Spain’s Finance Minister Cristobal Montoro after being quizzed on the recent countrywide protests over pensions.
BREXIT BARGAIN: Gibraltar Airport and (inset) Alfonso Dastis with the UK’s Secretary of State for Exiting the EU David Davies.
SPAIN has demanded joint control of Gibraltar Airport in the wake of Brexit. Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis spelled out the plans in an interview likely to infuriate the British and Gibraltarian governments. Speaking to The Financial Times, the official said Spain is seeking a bilateral deal which will include the two countries “managing the airport together” while cooperating more closely on tax
€5.25 billion
TV rights in streamland
IRISH budget airline Ryanair has announced a €162 million investment in Palma de Mallorca Airport. The splurge will see the no frills carrier base two additional aircraft at its Balearic Islands hub during the peak holiday season, bringing its fleet to 10. It will also launch six new routes to France, Germany and Luxembourg including Berlin Tegel, Düsseldorf, Luxembourg, Nuremberg, Strasbourg and Stuttgart. The move will see Ryanair fly a total of 53 routes from Mallorca this summer.
Quote of the Week
Costa de Almería
1 - 7 March 2018
rent deal. But industry experts say he is being optimistic after Sky recently paid just over €4 billion for the 2019-2022 English Premier League rights, 16 per cent less than the previous agreement. A report from Credit Suisse said: “Mediapro seems to be trying to generate interest in the football rights from new over-the-top (OTT) players, but the lack of OTT interest in the recent UK Premier League… suggests global OTT players such as Amazon are less likely to bid for Spanish domestic football.”
Bottom line cranked up SPAIN’S Banco Sabadell has revealed plans to increase profits by almost 80 per cent over the next three years. The country’s fifth-biggest lender said it is aiming for a cost-to-income ratio of 47 per cent by 2020, down from over 50 per cent last year. Sabadell bought British bank TSB from Lloyds in 2015 and will this year stop paying its former owner to operate its legacy banking platform after it launched its own version at the end of 2017.
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LONDON - FTSE 100
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C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 26
PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 1,818.50 30.10 Associated British Foods 2,682.50 37.50 Admiral Group 1,927.75 4.75 Ashtead Group 2,063.00 10.00 Antofagasta 909.00 9.20 Aviva 500.05 -0.75 AstraZeneca 4,808.00 56.00 BAE Systems 568.00 3.00 Barclays 210.38 0.58 British American Tobacco 4,447.00 -13.00 Barratt Developments 553.60 4.20 Berkeley Group Holdings 3,848.50 -2.50 British Land Co 652.80 2.40 BHP Billiton 1,533.20 17.20 Bunzl 2,016.50 5.50 BP 479.90 3.80 Burberry Group 1,544.25 3.75 BT Group 243.05 -1.00 Coca-Cola HBC 2,463.50 4.50 Carnival 4,802.00 5.00 Centrica 144.43 0.28 Compass Group 1,535.25 8.75 Croda International 4,591.50 53.50 CRH 2,465.50 -0.50 DCC 6,730.00 -30.00 Diageo 2,486.75 9.25 Direct Line Insurance Group 389.45 1.25 Evraz 435.80 3.60 Experian 1,566.25 3.25 easyJet 1,645.00 13.50 Ferguson 5,229.00 7.00 Fresnillo 1,326.25 15.25 G4S 262.55 1.65 GKN 428.30 1.80 Glencore 401.35 5.10 GlaxoSmithKline 1,297.40 1.40 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,720.00 2.50 Halma 1,217.50 10.50 Hammerson 477.00 0.80 HSBC Holdings 720.40 -3.00 International Conslidtd Airs Gp 594.10 6.90 InterContinental Hotels Group 4,632.50 3.50 3i Group 930.90 -6.10 Imperial Brands 2,623.50 9.00 Informa 691.20 2.80 Intertek Group 4,940.00 8.00 ITV 171.88 1.33 Just Eat 873.20 3.40 Johnson Matthey 3,185.00 25.00 Kingfisher 358.40 5.40
% CHG. NET VOL 1.68 25,235.32 1.42 21,034.78 0.25 5,448.46 0.49 10,317.22 1.02 8,892.43 -0.15 20,169.85 1.18 60,780.67 0.53 19,163.64 0.28 34,485.87 -0.29 102,066.94 0.76 5,745.15 -0.06 5,252.35 0.37 6,284.17 1.13 31,554.35 0.27 6,701.87 0.80 94,095.71 0.24 6,547.43 -0.41 23,068.42 0.18 9,091.44 0.10 10,249.45 0.19 7,348.34 0.57 24,591.17 1.18 5,942.90 -0.02 20,897.41 -0.44 5,949.70 0.37 61,600.64 0.32 5,361.13 0.83 6,123.46 0.21 14,482.18 0.83 6,736.65 0.13 13,121.76 1.16 9,815.42 0.63 4,077.59 0.42 7,253.46 1.29 58,355.29 0.11 65,676.25 0.15 8,139.31 0.87 4,646.81 0.17 3,714.60 -0.41 149,428.94 1.18 12,693.68 0.08 8,902.94 -0.65 9,049.79 0.34 25,426.63 0.41 5,693.88 0.16 8,088.89 0.78 6,933.77 0.39 5,975.51 0.79 6,212.42 1.53 7,791.70
COMPANY
PRICE(P)
Land Securities Group 948.90 Legal & General Group 260.30 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 68.77 London Stock Exchange Grp 4,085.50 Micro Focus International 2,063.00 Mediclinic International 604.10 Marks & Spencer Group 300.10 Mondi 1,884.75 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 224.35 National Grid 763.10 NMC Health 3,484.00 Next 4,925.50 Old Mutual Group 254.90 Paddy Power Betfair 8,460.00 Prudential 1,831.00 Persimmon 2,481.00 Pearson 710.60 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,018.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 270.90 Royal Dutch Shell 2,264.25 Royal Dutch Shell 2,293.00 RELX 1,517.00 Rio Tinto 4,020.75 Rolls-Royce Group 838.50 Randgold Resources 6,112.00 RSA Insurance Group 640.00 Rentokil Initial 293.75 Sainsbury (J) 256.95 Schroders 3,426.50 Sage Group (The) 705.00 Segro 589.60 Shire 3,002.00 Smurfit Kappa Group 2,505.00 Sky 1,104.75 Standard Life Aberdeen 372.75 Smith (DS) 482.40 Smiths Group 1,593.75 Scottish Mortgage Invstmnt Trst 468.40 Smith & Nephew 1,268.50 SSE 1,242.75 Standard Chartered 830.00 St James's Place 1,135.00 Severn Trent 1,765.75 Tesco 205.35 TUI AG 1,545.50 Taylor Wimpey 190.50 Unilever 3,818.00 United Utilities Group 685.70 Vodafone Group 204.90 WPP Group 1,366.50 Whitbread 3,927.50
CHANGE(P) 1.80 1.00 0.12 29.50 32.00 -4.30 0.70 7.25 0.35 5.10 -14.00 -3.50 0.80 25.00 -1.50 9.00 10.60 98.00 2.50 5.75 8.00 -1.00 19.25 1.70 98.00 0.20 0.15 1.45 -0.50 7.00 2.20 -22.00 9.00 0.25 -3.35 2.50 5.75 4.20 3.50 -8.75 0.40 12.50 -0.25 -0.05 -0.50 0.10 57.50 -1.10 1.05 11.00 28.50
% CHG.
NET VOL
0.19 0.39 0.17 0.73 1.58 -0.71 0.23 0.39 0.16 0.67 -0.40 -0.07 0.31 0.30 -0.08 0.36 1.51 1.66 0.93 0.25 0.35 -0.07 0.48 0.20 1.63 0.03 0.05 0.57 -0.01 1.00 0.37 -0.73 0.36 0.02 -0.89 0.52 0.36 0.90 0.28 -0.70 0.05 1.11 -0.01 -0.02 -0.03 0.05 1.53 -0.16 0.52 0.81 0.73
6,918.54 15,528.03 50,247.35 14,108.72 9,003.18 4,460.33 4,851.49 9,354.19 5,227.55 25,184.42 7,070.56 7,149.56 12,464.97 7,190.49 47,941.62 7,673.01 5,484.69 41,306.45 33,193.27 103,803.33 85,528.19 16,133.58 54,056.41 15,612.10 5,808.29 6,270.14 5,427.48 5,591.80 7,865.58 7,648.75 5,843.05 27,228.40 6,196.20 18,909.19 11,350.24 5,281.87 6,341.88 6,569.51 11,129.52 12,371.76 27,409.45 6,044.74 4,050.85 16,981.40 9,274.84 6,268.91 45,951.07 4,515.47 53,989.62 17,518.72 7,217.92
0,87738
1,13959 Units per €
US dollar...............................................................1.23235 Japan yen.............................................................131.433 Switzerland franc ................................................1.15114 Denmark kroner................................................7.44712 Norway kroner .................................................9.63743 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 26
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 237,020 98,8000 175,500 356,660 162,410 112,59 44,000 44,04 73,26 77,53 14,4900 266,77 188,3500 155,52 47,7300 117,3100 132,0200 163,0600 54,87 94,060 68,16 36,2600 81,050 139,74 133,15 230,16 48,29 122,93 92,8900 107,2500
CHANGE% CHANGE VOLUME(M) +0,43% 1,020 140.221,49 +1,49% 1,4500 84.518,09 +1,74% 3,000 887.850,79 +0,21% 0,740 209.120,03 +2,23% 3,550 96.345,34 +2,46% 2,70 213.166,74 +2,47% 1,060 216.011,56 +1,19% 0,52 187.171,12 +1,85% 1,33 169.816,32 +2,20% 1,67 327.589,92 -0,89% -0,1300 125.831,95 +2,04% 5,34 100.373,31 +1,55% 2,8800 218.730,99 +1,53% 2,34 143.368,05 +4,21% 1,9300 222.487,20 +2,03% 2,3300 399.166,65 +1,62% 2,1100 352.175,91 +1,49% 2,4000 129.781,81 +0,55% 0,30 149.606,46 +2,54% 2,330 721.391,31 +1,53% 1,03 88.164,64 +1,45% 0,5200 215.121,93 +0,26% 0,210 203.848,36 +1,53% 2,10 37.687,77 -0,32% -0,43 105.698,70 +1,35% 3,07 221.614,16 +0,88% 0,42 196.384,28 +2,12% 2,55 220.406,91 +0,13% 0,1200 274.790,50 +1,91% 2,0100 160.735,39 M - MILLION DOLLARS
NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 26
COMPANY
PRICE
CHANGE NET / %
Most Advanced Vicor Corporation Financial Engines, Inc. The Trade Desk, Inc. Universal Electronics Inc. Emmis Communications Corporation Blue Buffalo Pet Products, Inc. Momo Inc. Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. KemPharm, Inc. Frontier Communications Corporation BJ's Restaurants, Inc.
$ 25.80 $ 38.30 $ 59.94 $ 54.25 $ 3.90 $ 40 $ 35.75 $ 24.40 $6 $ 9.10 $ 43.65
7 ▲ 37.23% 8.35 ▲ 27.88% 11.54 ▲ 23.84% 10.40 ▲ 23.72% 0.5835 ▲ 17.59% 5.88 ▲ 17.23% 5.22 ▲ 17.10% 3.25 ▲ 15.37% 0.738 ▲ 14.03% 1.04 ▲ 12.90% 4.95 ▲ 12.79%
$ 130.40 $ 7.36 $ 42.75 $ 2.05 $ 37.05 $ 34.45 $ 51.69 $ 8.75 $ 17.08 $ 2.86 $ 9.56
24.50 ▼ 15.82% 1.26 ▼ 14.62% 6.95 ▼ 13.98% 0.30 ▼ 12.77% 4.79 ▼ 11.45% 4.09 ▼ 10.61% 6.02 ▼ 10.43% 0.95 ▼ 9.79% 1.45 ▼ 7.83% 0.24 ▼ 7.74% 0.71 ▼ 6.91%
Most Declined Universal Display Corporation Credit Suisse AG LifePoint Health, Inc. Digirad Corporation Acacia Communications, Inc. James River Group Holdings, Ltd. Anika Therapeutics Inc. MDC Partners Inc. Credit Suisse AG Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. ChemoCentryx, Inc.
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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
Outlook: Brexit, Italian election in focus Ask the expert Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com
Euro EUR/GBP: Holding firm at £0.88 EUR/USD: Up from $1.22 to $1.24 Speculation that the European Central Bank (ECB) will remain dovish on the subject of monetary policy for the foreseeable future has countered the impact of a run of positive Eurozone data over the last few weeks. That being said, the euro is still standing firm against rivals like the pound and US dollar. Italy will be taking to the polls in March and most experts expect the election to result in a coalition government, with Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative alliance projected to take the biggest share of votes. The impact this would have on the euro largely depends on which parties Berlusconi allies himself with. If Berlusconi opts for Matteo Salvini, the euro would be pressured lower thanks to his opposition to the single currency
THE POUND: Has steadily strengthened in the hope that the UK will secure a soft Brexit. and preference for returning to the lira. Pound GBP/EUR: Down from €1.14 to €1.12 GBP/USD: Up from $1.38 to $1.40 After getting off to a fairly positive start to the year, the pound failed to sustain its initial momentum and has reversed gains against a number of the majors. Demand for the pound eased
on concerns that government fissures will have a negative impact on Brexit negotiations. Investors were also concerned as EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier intimated that the UK achieving a transitional deal after Brexit should not be taken for granted. Brexit worries prevented the pound from deriving much benefit from the Bank of England
(BoE) indicating that rates could rise sooner than currently forecast at its first policy gathering of 2018. Any Brexit related news is liable to be the driving force behind pound exchange rate movement over the next few weeks. UK data will also be of interest, as any reports which reduce the chances of the BoE increasing interest rates in 2018 will put the pound under pressure. US Dollar USD/GBP: Down from £0.72 to £0.71 USD/EUR: Down from €0.81 to €0.80 The Federal Reserve increased interest rates in December 2017, but the move had been so long expected that it failed to boost the US dollar. In fact, USD exchange rates actually softened as the Fed implied that interest rates would only be raised a further three times in 2018 rather than the four times hoped for. The US dollar remained on soft form for much of January, although the currency has since recovered from its worst levels against the pound. The Fed is forecast to increase borrowing costs at its March gathering, and if it indicates that a further three adjustments could be made over the rest of the year we could see the US dollar jump.
Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca. Telephone: UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 SPAIN +34 950 478 914 Email: euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com
Welcome to the future
Outrage over sexist PR firm
MORE than 2,000 companies and 100,000 people have flocked to Barcelona for the annual Mobile World Congress. The wireless industry’s biggest trade show also offers ideal networking opportunities for executives, bankers and analysts to get together. Major trends at this year’s show include cybersecurity, ultrafast fifth generation mobile networks and blockchain technology. But the stars of the show are the latest smartphones, artificial intelligence (AI) devices and autonomous drones. Highlights so far have included the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy S9 handset, featuring an improved camera and augmented reality functions designed to challenge Apple’s iPhone X. The South Korean giant also showcased an updated version of its digital assistant Bixby, demonstrating how it can live translate a piece of text. Chinese tech firm Huawei unveiled its first 5G-capable chip, enabling its devices to access faster internet speeds, before using the AI of its flagship Mate 10 Pro phone to drive a Porsche sports car round an obstacle course. The company is now comfortably the world’s third biggest smartphone maker behind Samsung and Apple after bagging a 10.4 per cent market share in 2017. Spanish company Telefonica - one of Europe’s top three telecommunications firms - revealed its plans to move some focus from fibre, mobile and television to value-added services, big data and cognitive intelligence as it presented its AI-powered digital assistant Aura. Set to be launched in Spain, the UK (where it will be called O2 Ask), Germany, Argentina, Chile and Brazil over the weekend, Aura is the result of a collaboration with Facebook, Google and Microsoft. And it will shortly become one of the first digital assistants to be inte-
Photo credit Mobile World Congress/Telefonica/Twitter
AI DOMINATES MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS
ROBO-PHONES: An attendee snaps a selfie and (inset) Telefonica’s Jose Maria AlvarezPallete introduces Aura.
grated with Google Assistant, benefiting around 120 million customers who use Android devices, and Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant used by more than 600 million worldwide. Telefonica chairman-CEO Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete also revealed in a keynote speech some of Europe’s biggest telecommunications players, including Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, KPN and Orange, are working to develop a ‘global data portability ecosystem’ allowing customers to take usage data with them when they travel. Elsewhere Nokia - whose phones are now licensed by Finnish company HMD Global - announced a revamped 4G version of the classic 8110 ‘banana phone,’ while Sony unveiled its new Xperia X72. The five-day event ends today (Thursday).
S PA N I S H P R a g e n c y I m pulsa Comunicacion has lost two major clients over a sexism row. Coca Cola and glass repair company Carglass have dropped the Barcelonabased firm after a woman was turned down for an account executive position because ‘the successful candidate will work with Carglass and Coca Cola… they need a man who can handle the pace of working with big companies.’ Rejected applicant Carla Focada tweeted an image of the email, captioning the image: ‘It is incredible that companies that practice gender-based discrimination in the workplace still exist.’ And after the post went viral - prompting public slap downs from both named brands - the Impulsa website was mysteriously shut down.
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Photo credit Transparency International
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
ALARMING: More than two thirds of countries scored less than 50, meaning they have a ‘high corruption burden’ according to the report.
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Corruption in Spain exposed EWN online Join the conversation on our Facebook page
SPAIN has risen in a global corruption ranking. It comes as Germany-based nongovernmental organisation Transparency International released its 25th annual Corruption Perceptions Index, which lists 180 countries according to how they are perceived by the public sector. Each is given a score of zero to 100, with 100 being the least corrupt. pain scored 57 - one point less than in 2016 - to finish joint 42nd in the table alongside Cyprus, Dominica and the Czech Republic. The least corrupt countries were
New Zealand and Denmark, which scored 89 and 88, respectively, with the UK finishing joint fifth with 82, the same score as Canada, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Germany. Somalia, with a score of nine, South Sudan (12) and Syria (14) were the three most corrupt countries, with two thirds of nations scoring less than 50. The 2017 index is based on 13 surveys covering factors including the enforcement of anti-corruption law, access to information, political conflicts of interest and expert assessments.
Uranium mine scheme sparks pollution panic A SPANISH plan to open a uranium mine near the Portuguese border has sparked outrage. “Portugal will do everything it can to obtain the relevant information and, from there, ensure safety and zero impact on our side,” said Joao Matos Fernandes, Portugal’s environment minister. Speaking to an environmental parliamentary commission, the official was quizzed how the government would ensure that pollution from the mine would be confined to Spain. He replied that “we have performed all due diligence alongside Spain,” but added that organisation of the scheme “has created a problem” after his requests for updates were ignored or answered “inadequately.”And he has now demanded a meeting “because due protocol has not been fulfilled
satisfactorily by our counterpart.” Spain carried out an environmental impact analysis on the prospective site at Retornillo, around 40 kilometres from the border in rural Salamanca, Castilla y Leon, in 2013. Since then the mine has been discussed repeatedly in diplomatic channels, with Spain adamant that the project has not yet been given the green light. But announcements posted on the website of Australia-based mining firm Berkeley Energia suggest that construction is due to begin later this year, leaving environmental campaigners and other critics furious. The project is reportedly being financed by the sovereign wealth fund of the Sultanate of Oman, which has contributed more than €105 million.
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EWN
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FEATURE
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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Honestly, give her a break! LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT JUST when you think you’ve heard it all, up pops another ‘gem.’ This week’s mind numbing whinge was a real humdinger. Pop singer Jesy Nelson was accused of ‘cultural appropriation.’ My God. What had she done? Nicked a Massai make-up box? Pilfered a Pyramid? Wrong, it was much worse than that! Apparently, objections had been raised because the Little Mix member had - wait for it - chosen Dreadlocks for her new hairstyle! Yep, for just a millisecond the world suddenly stopped spinning. You really couldn’t make it up. Unfortunately, although intelligent, clear-thinking human beings consider accusations of this calibre utterly laughable, many don’t. In fact, through social media, this young lady was subsequently the recipient of a whole deluge of racial hatred and threats. If ever there was a glaring example
JESY NELSON: New hairstyle causes backlash. of reversed racism, this was most definitely it. Normally, one never gets to see the petty-minded pillocks who come up with these diatribes of non-
sense, but I actually switched to Sky News during the week and lo and behold one of them was sitting there. “Ah,” she spouted piously. “You
have to understand that dreadlocks are an important part of our African heritage. For a westerner to imitate our culture is extremely insulting to many of ‘our people’ and should not be allowed to happen!” Er... What? Hold on a minute. If there’s one problem that is often the bane of people of African descent it’s their hair. The girls in particular, spend fortunes on wigs or having it straightened. Many have it dyed blonde. I don’t hear any white Europeans screaming racism or ‘cultural appropriation.’ The whole sorry diatribe is ridiculous. Beau Brummel invented the suit and tie. In that case just about the whole of the planet is ‘offending’ the British culture. It’s all nonsense of course. Merely more stirring by the trouble-making minorities who infiltrate our societies like plagues of vindictive virus. If I had my way people like this would be arrested for stirring up racial hatred. The thing that always baffles me is that if these people hate western society and culture so much, why on earth do they live in it? Can you imagine
living in an environment you despise and where you are utterly miserable? No wonder they never stop moaning and whinging. Anyway, I have good news for them. According to the revered Oscar Wilde, far from being an insult, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. S’there. Delighted to see the teacher who was accused of ‘misgendering’ a female pupil by referring to her as a girl, is suing the school on the grounds of discrimination and constructive dismissal. The teacher, who is also a pastor, stated that the school had systematically and maliciously breached his human rights. Chances of winning? Don’t hold yer breath. Many Happy returns this week to my old mate Jess Conrad. Look out for him in his new ITV series starting any day now. Hang in there JC, not many of us left! Keep the faith, Love Leapy columnists@euroweeklynews.com
leapylee2002@gmail.com
Leapy Lee’s opinions are his own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.
Spare a few Bitcoins mister? Terence Kennedy has watched the price of Bitcoin, convinced it can’t go higher. Every day. For years.
TECH FOR THE TIMID TAKE pity on poor James Howells from Newport in Wales. His local council still won’t let him sift through the landfill site to find the hard-drive he dumped in 2013. It could be worth €66 million. Or €33 million when you read this. Or nothing. Cryptocurrencies are on a rollercoaster ride, and a novelty currency which bought part of a pizza a decade ago, could see you sunning in Monte Carlo today with hot and cold running margaritas. Or wiped out, as the ‘bubble will burst’ doomsayers predict. James Howells’ discarded hard-drive held the so-called ‘blockchain’ codes for 7,500 bitcoins he bought for just €140 in 2009. His computer was trashed in 2013, its codes forgotten. He’s not alone. An Australian threw away a hard-drive with 1,400 bitcoins on it in 2012. His loss today:
€12 million. And an American techie used 10,000 of the novel new exchange medium in 2010 to buy a pizza. Some pizza: €88 million today. Holland’s fabled tulip mania of the 1630s, where one bulb could be the cost of a house, has nothing on the madness that’s happening right now with 1,400 cryptocurrencies out there and rising. Even the silly ones attract obscene amounts. Dogecoin was dreamed up as a joke by a couple of technopranksters in 2013. It has no underpinning assets and no actual value, but investors sniffing from the same glue-pot
and desperate to jump on the bandwagon to buy anything bearing the name ‘coin,’ have thrown nearly a billion euros at it so far. Potcoin underpins legal and illegal cannabis purchases, Dentacoin is exactly what its name suggests (for dentists), Kanye West sued Coinye into oblivion, there’s Titcoin (no, don’t ask), and heaven help us all, Trump coin
help
will
to build the wall. Yes I confess, for a split-nanosecond I was also swept along by the hype, the famous ‘FOMO’ (Fear Of Missing Out) as I wondered whether to invest my vast and ill-gotten gains in Bitcoin. Two things quickly become apparent. One: There are more dodgy bitcoin dealers out there than you could shake your savings-book at, and many will also be happy to sell you a bridge. Two: Do you really want to be known a month, a year or a decade from now, as the loser whose life-savings will barely buy a pizza? My favourite cryptocurrency of them all? The ‘joke’ one whose name makes absolutely no bones about what you’re getting, yet is still worth double its 2016 cost: Ponzicoin.
BITCOIN: Chock-full of goodness?
Mine the gap IF you really want to swing aboard the cryptocurrency train, many think Bitcoin has already left the station. But there are more than a thousand others being ‘mined’ which might, just might, become ‘the next big thing’. Ethereum cost €1 in 2015. Today it’s worth over €700. Maybe next week, double, or nothing. Or search the web for Ripple, Stellar, IOTA or even the cheapie Litecoin. To buy coins you need a so-called ‘wallet,’ usually held by a cryptocurrency exchange like Coinbase, Kraken, Bittrex or Coinmama. But beware: Japan’s Mt Gox exchange famously lost 850,000 coins to hackers in 2014. Two months ago the Coincheck exchange lost a breathtaking €400 million. Personally I’m sticking with normal gold coins - the ones filled with chocolate.
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FEATURE
Advertising Feature
British Ski Center & Sierra Essence English ski and snowboard tuition and tailor-made holiday arrangements THE centre is based in Sierra Nevada at Intersport Rio Sport, Edificio Montebajo in the Plaza de Andalucia. They offer a full English service to arrange all Sierra Nevada ski holiday requirements along with professional ski and snowboard instruction with a team of qualified native English instructors. The Ski Center has over 25 years’ experience in Sierra Nevada having built up close relations with hoteliers, managing agencies and other suppliers to be able to offer a highly personalised service to cater specifically to clients’ actual needs. In addition they have staff in the resort designated to attend to all clients’ needs should they have any concerns or need any kind of orientation during their stay. Any tuition booked in advance comes with an automatic discount on our local rates as well as a 10 per cent discount on equipment rental with the
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collaborating equipment hire shop, Intersport Rio Sport. The websites offer comprehensive information on the various services they offer including tuition rates, snow reports, accommodation listings etc. Online booking enquiry forms are available as well as general email and telephone contact details with office hours running from 9am to 6pm daily throughout the winter ski season period.
FEATURE
1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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IN THE DOGHOUSE: Oxfam workers reportedly paid prostitutes with rice in Haiti.
Charities on life support... but charity begins at home! 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
THERE appears no let-up in allegations of misconduct by charity aid workers. UN believes more than 600 women and children suffered sexual abuse and exploitation by its peacekeepers. Oxfam workers in Haiti reportedly paid teenage prostitutes with rice, aid staff swapped wheat for sex in Africa, while those in charge knew what was going on 10 years ago. Many charities do fantastic work, but disillusionment takes its toll. Very high executive pay, immoral behaviour, rather self-righteous finger wagging, chugging and other aggressive marketing ploys will inevitably bring lasting changes. Oxfam’s far from an isolated case. The whole charity section needs root and branch reform.
Infuriated supporters of Oxfam are already withdrawing their contributions. But is this missing the point? Abuse is rampant in all sectors, and all organisations (political parties, churches, schools, colleges, businesses) are inclined to nip in the bud reports of abuse in order to protect their reputations. This encourages further abuse because perpetrators don’t fear repercussions and victims doubt they’ll be believed. What’s needed is an independent body to scrutinise all claims of abuse, safeguards and sanctions across the whole of society. So, let’s support charities we trust - like Cudeca here on the Costa del Sol - and reduce the UK foreign aid budget so that it’s in line with other countries. The Department for International Development (DfiD) now has a statutory requirement to spend 0.7 per cent of Britain’s gross national income on development aid annually. In 2016 this came to £13.3 billion! The appalling Oxfam scandal simply demonstrates
how impossible it is for staff at DfiD to manage this huge amount of taxpayers’ money and ensure it’s properly spent. British taxpayers are still sending financial aid to India, now one of the world’s fastest growing economies. They’re still sending money to Nigeria, the world’s sixth-largest oil producer, while we have such scandalous problems in need of funding at home... Finally, many thanks to all of you who have purchased my crime thrillers (all profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity) following my piece here two weeks ago. And keep those donations going to Cudeca! 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.nora-johnson.net) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.99;£0.99) and iBookstore. columnists@euroweeklynews.com
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FEATURE
Time to take bold action Welcome to your March 2018 Forecast. Every month I write about how the Astrology, Numerology, and Tarot for the month ahead affect you. Below is your forecast for March 2018. Sally Trotman www.sallytrotman.com Sally Trotman is a qualified Counsellor who works with Astrology, Numerology and the Tarot. Each month she will deliver the forecast as an intuitive tool to aid increased self awareness.
Astrology: trust your vibes SUN in Pisces: The watery influence of this sign throughout most of March helps you to develop your intuition. What feels right to you in each moment? Consider your deepest yearnings, listen to your inner voice and notice any repeated messages in your dreams. On March 22, around the time of the spring equinox, the sun moves into Aries. This is a time of renewed energy, so make the most of this fiery energy to take bold action when you are inspired. Get in tune with the moon: This month the moon is full twice - on March 2 and on March 31. The first full moon is ruled by the earthy sign of Virgo, encouraging you to make practical plans and get organised.
the new moon and a flower in her hand, she is able to balance the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical aspects of herself. The archetypal mother, she instinctively knows how to nurture herself and others. Consider how you can look after yourself better this month, and then extend this care to those around you. Repeat this affirmation through the month to help you: I am open to receiving abundance through all channels of the universe.
The second full moon in balanced Libra brings the focus to your relationships. Changing your perspective can help you to move beyond challenges, so perhaps consider the viewpoints of others to create more harmony. Also put in boundaries where necessary. Honour your feelings in all your relationships, balancing giving with receiving where you can. Numerology: go with the flow Number 3: This number reminds you that in each moment you are co-creating with the universe. Find balance between action and rest this month to help you make the most of the opportunities ahead. Remember you are a human being so relax into the flow of life and trust that you are being guided in the best direction for you. The Empress : nurture yourself The Empress is represented in the tarot deck as a bountiful woman surrounded by nature. With her foot on
ARIES: A time of renewed energy.
Your 2018 forecast Astrology, Numerology and the Tarot are ancient tools of divination which aid self-awareness. By looking at the unique numbers and planets in your date of birth, I will intuitively guide you to become clearer, calmer and more confident about your direction for the year ahead. I offer readings by Skype, Facetime, WhatsApp video and email. Contact me at sally.trot man@btinternet.com to book in. www.sallytrotman.com
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FEATURE
‘Sorry Jane, you should be in the life boat’ TV COUCH CRITIC WE have to remember that although it’s been cooler in Spain recently, the UK is shivering, so I thought I would ask a couple of friends visiting from Milton Keynes (recent visit to escape the cold) what they had been watching as the temperature plummeted. Now, Graham and Robert are no nonsense TV people. They know what they like and they stick with what they know. So why, please why, did they recommend I catch up with Cruising With Jane McDonald, final episode Friday April 2, Channel 5? I like Jane McDonald, I like rivers and water, I like travelling and don’t even mind ships where very small cabins with even smaller balconies are now called Staterooms, but I did not enjoy Jane’s trip along the Mekong in Vietnam. Everyone, but everyone on the ship not only knows Jane, but seems to be a signed up fan club member. It put me in mind of eating foods which lower cholesterol. We all know we should like them, there is no reason to dislike them, but as soon as the cam-
TOTAL LET-DOWN: Cruising With Jane McDonald. eras are turned off, we are back to cheese and crackers to finish a meal. Jane is travelling the Mississippi in the final show. Two predictions, firstly she is going to walk around in a shawl which could pass at any decent Sunday market on the Costas as a tablecloth and second, she is going to close the show belting out something by Elvis. I won’t know if I’m right about Elvis or the tablecloth because I can’t watch Jane be educated about the biggest maximum security prison in the US or sugar plantations. I don’t much like Elvis songs either.
RIP: Emma Chambers. Gogglebox, Channel 4, Fridays was back last week. This is cheese and crackers TV and I love it. Leon isn’t gracing the Gogglebox screens this time around, but I just know he’s sitting somewhere in a massive armchair saying just what he thinks about TV and telling June, in his own unique way, just how much he still loves her. Thank you Mr Bernicoff. In separate news, one half of the Brighton hairdressing duo has announced he is leaving the show to chase a TV career. Oh dear, this won’t end well. Chris Butland-Steed (the one with the better beard)
hasn’t thought this one through. Paul O’Grady already has any shows Chris might think he could be part of in the bag. Good luck though Chris. This week I also wanted to say ‘thank you’ to Emma Chambers, who sadly passed away aged just 53. Emma was and always will be Alice Tinker, the Verger to the Vicar of Dibley. Try not to smile when you remember that wedding dress. I don’t know how much of the BBC’s Winter Olympics coverage you have caught, but I have been blown away by most of the action in the freezing South Korean temperatures. The competitors equally match their Summer Games counterparts and if the reaction to Spain’s first medal at the Winter Games in 26 years is anything to go by, the Winter Olympiad will continue to go from strength to strength. Looking ahead, fellow Geordies Ant and Dec continue their Saturday Night Takeaway with the 100th offering this Saturday. The seemingly joined at the hip Alfie Boe and Michael Ball are the stars of the end of the show, and Scarlett Moffatt shows that she is more than Gogglebox with a surprise for a family who don’t know what’s coming - do we believe that? Happy viewing. Critique: Adam Whalley-Lewis, Casares, Costa del Sol
The lost mojo Cassandra Nash A weekly look - and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene
ACCORDING to the majority of pollsters, the PSOE socialists are currently in third place with Ciudadanos out in front and the PP limping behind. The PSOE regained Pedro Sanchez as its leader and lost its mojo with only 39 per cent of its voters believing that the party has a clear project for the future. Forty-eight per cent believe that Ciudadanos and Albert Rivera have a more defined plan. True to his usual form, Sanchez believes the best way to counteract the drift away from the PSOE is by entrenching himself still further as secretary general and giving more control to the party membership when selecting provincial, regional and national candidates. Thanks to the aptly-named militants, Pedro Sanchez heads the PSOE instead of Eduardo Madina (2014) or Susana Diaz (2017). And it is thanks to those same militants - all 187,360 of them - that the PSOE and Pedro Sanchez have yet to do well in an election.
Who me? ANNA GABRIEL, formerly represented CUP in the pre-Article 155 Catalan parliament. She is now in Switzerland, where she scarpered before facing the Supreme Court on rebellion charges. With her hair loose and the aggressive fringe grown out, she looked astoundingly demure and maintained that she was more use at large than behind bars. Well they all say that don’t they, Carles Puigdemont?
PEDRO SANCHEZ: Yet to do well in an election.
Special treatment
The right person FOR anyone around at the time, February is inseparable from the attempted military coup of 1981. Thirty-seven years later, less is made of the lethal threat to the still immature democracy at a time when a socialist politician saw nothing incongruous in declaring, “The Spanish will be democrats por cojones.” That he could say this not long after Franco’s death was thanks to the young man that the old dictator appointed as his successor, Juan Carlos I who abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son Felipe VI. He wisely exited at a time when his son-inlaw was accused of fraud and no-one had yet
forgotten that he was caught out a couple of years earlier, shooting elephants in Botswana with his mistress. Juan Carlos recently celebrated his 80th birthday and now resembles a florid old Borbon who would look more at home in a Goya lineup of 19th century monarchs than 21st century Spain. It’s easy to forget that he was a hero who reversed Franco’s legacy, surrounded himself with able politicians instead of courtiers during the Transition and defused the 1981 coup. Fortunately for Spain, Juan Carlos I was the right person in the right place at the right time.
ALVARO PEREZ, nicknamed El Bigotes (Whiskers) and Gurtel’s man in Valencia, recently declared before a parliamentary committee investigating the Partido Popular’s alleged illegal funding. For the uninitiated, Gurtel was a corrupt setup of 37 companies which via cash, kickbacks and munificent presents, snaffled government contracts and possibly swelled PP party funds. El Bigotes singled out Ignacio Lopez del Hierro, husband of Defence Minister Dolores de Cospedal, and Angel Piñeiro Lopez, a close friend of Spain’s president, Mariano Rajoy. “They dished out the lolly according to the Barcenas papers,” he maintained. “But not a word in the media. “Call them,” he suggested to the committee. “I don’t know if they get special treatment, or what.” Perish the thought that Dolores’ hubby and Mariano’s chum should get special treatment. As if. columnists@euroweeklynews.com
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Another terrible killing Mike Senker In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man LET’S start with good news. Last week I had a run in with Ryanair live chat. Basically they were not interested in my problem. Anyway the next day I found an email address and within two hours they had replied and refunded my money. So well done Ryanair for that - all you have to do now is teach your live chat people to act the same way. There has been yet another terrible killing spree in an American school. Seventeen people were mowed down by a lunatic with an AR-15. Trump’s answer to this? Make buying these killing machines harder than getting a drink if you are 18? Consider banning them completely? No, his answer is to arm teachers. The man is a complete raving lunatic and so is anyone who thinks that is a good idea. They are teachers! The clue to what their duties are when they turn up for work is in the name - they TEACH! There was an armed guard at the school in Florida. He did not do anything for whatever reason. Why not arm all the kids over 18? It’s all just nonsense and all Trump does, by fumbling through meetings, is show himself up as a bumbling fool who has zero empathy for these poor kids and fami-
lies involved. He talks about the FBI doing nothing and says if they spent less time investigating him they might have stopped the shooter. All the NRA disciples are spewing out their BS and every time I see them on TV their argument is being destroyed, not by politicians, but by the kids that are being involved in these massacres. That’s the major difference with this terrible incident from the others. This time the young people involved are speaking out. I’ve seen them on TV and they are calm, eloquent and sincere. They have no commercial interest - they are just talking from the heart and using their brains. They will not be deterred and it’s disgusting to see and hear how some NRA nuts and politicians that are on their payroll are trying to discredit these youngsters. These are the voters of the future. They can make change happen and, in my opinion, they will do it. Major companies in the USA are at last realising that offering their members NRA discounts is not in their best interests any more and they are stopping them. The NRA answer is to tell their members to boycott these companies. It has been proven time and time again that countries with strict gun controls have less people killed with guns than countries that don’t. I wonder why? columnists@euroweeklynews.com
Email: mikesenker@gmail.com
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FEATURE
LEGALLY SPEAKING School bus checks complete WE answer some common driving questions, kindly provided by members of the Guardia Civil based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, who set up the N332 website and Facebook page to help break down barriers. OFFICERS from the Guardia Civil traffic department have been carrying out extra checks and surveillance on school buses. During the five-day campaign, inspections on both the vehicles and the drivers were conducted. These included checks of the authorisation and documents that these vehicles must have to perform in service, verifying that the technical conditions and safety elements of the vehicle satisfy the minimum standards required by the regulations. Safety is the highest priority for this type of transport and the annual incident figures do reflect school transport as being amongst the safest ways for children to travel to school. According to Gregorio Serrano, the director of the DGT, “the safe mobility of minors is one of the priorities of the DGT. “Every day there are thousands of students who use the school bus to go to school and return home, so we have to keep checking that these trips are made safely.” He added: “With this type of campaign, we remind parents of the right to demand from schools or parent associations that school buses meet all the regulatory requirements to carry out this type of transport.” Inappropriate speed and distractions are the main causes of incidents in which this type of vehicle is involved, so speed controls will be carried out, as well as other factors such as not using a mobile phone or other devices whilst driving. Alcohol and other drug controls will also be increased. Statistically, 90 per cent of incidents in-
SCHOOL BUSES: Must meet regulations. volving school transport take place at the time of getting in or out of the vehicle. In many cases these are caused by the child being distracted, or the fact that the school bus driver or the parents are not paying full attention. To avoid this type of incident, it is recommended that parents respect bus stops, allow enough time for taking and collecting children, and do not wait on the opposite side of the road. Due to the importance of seat belts in saving lives in the event of an incident, special attention will be paid to the use of these in school buses that have them installed. Although all new buses that enter service must be fitted with seat belts, older vehicles are still allowed to continue without seat belts until time allows for their replacement. Currently, only around 60 per cent of the school bus fleet have seat belts installed.
For more news and articles visit www.n332.es or search N332 on Facebook.
Can owner change the use? I live on a large and long-established urbanisation. In the centre of the urbanisation for more than 30 years stood the only bar, which has been closed for the past 18 months. Now the property has been changed to a church. I would like to know if the The owner of the property must apply to the town hall for permission to change its use. When the town hall grants this permission, it notifies the Community of Property Owners. The owner has the right to
urbanisation management committee is obligated to notify members of the change of use, and whether the change of use must be formally approved by the town hall.
David Searl You and the Law in Spain
change the use of his property to any activity which is permitted in that area, and which
B B (Costa Blanca) does not constitute a bothersome activity. There is no requirement for the community administration to notify the members, but they can vote at the AGM to appeal against the town hall’s authorisation of the change of use.
Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.
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OPINION & COMMENT
YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION Letters should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com
Views expressed and opinions given are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements.
Electric cars in Mallorca could cause major problems IT was announced recently that the Balearic government is to ban new petrol and diesel cars over the next few years. Once again, this is a prime example of the government’s failure to do ‘joined up thinking’! If everyone has to have an electric car, how will current drivers be able to afford one if they are unable t o se l l t h e i r c u rren t petrol/diesel vehicle? How will people be able to afford all the new sets of batteries when they pass their ‘drop dead date’ a few years later and they are currently made of lithium which is mined, shouldn’t this proposal wait until a new form of battery is invented? Power brown-outs and blackouts occur on the island now so what can be done to improve the supply to cover the huge amount of electricity required to charge all these electric vehicles? How many electric buses, coaches, vans and heavy goods lorries are on the market as well as agricultural equipment and gener-
HAVE YOUR SAY
ators? Motorcyclists have little choice in electric bikes and the price is far higher than petrol powered models. Even t hough i t i s j ust under eight years away for the diesel ban, and 18 for the petrol vehicles, how long will ‘traditionally fuelled’ vehicles be allowed to be on the road? Why not move to hydrogen powered vehicles? Brian Gatcombe, Mallorca
Roundabout positions can cause accidents I HAVE been a Driving Instructor in the UK for 56 years and also employed by the DSA as a Driving Examiner. I have an HGV Licence which I also use to teach HGV drivers. I have travelled worldwide and driven in all the countries in Europe and the USA and OZ, Canada, New Zealand. Can I point out that the Spanish driving at roundabouts is dangerous and an accident black spot? In God’s name IF you are turning left at a roundabout why not approach in the left lane with a left signal on then change to a right signal and the right lane to exit just after the exit prior to your exit? I find the Spanish way of always
Many thanks BENIDORM: Is a fun place to be. going round the outside (right) lane irrespective of where you intend to go bloo*y dangerous and the big cause of accidents at roundabouts. There needs to be TV announcements to inform Spanish drivers how to signal lane position and leave roundabouts before more are killed and maimed. J Barry Clark, DSA ADI UK
All letters by email or post should carry the writer’s address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published.
Editor’s note: Barry thank you for your letter. Recently the authorities and the Guardia Civil have been encouraging drivers to always enter the right hand lane as early as possible and to exit roundabouts from that lane but it obviously is taking time for some Spanish drivers to come to terms with this.
Readers who have missed correspondence can see all letters - which can be edited before publication - posted on: www.euroweeklynews.com.
English football ‘hooligans’ arrested It’s not important if they were football supporters or not, take their passports off them. Helen Massingham Most Brits don’t misbehave, it’s the minority morons who cause the trouble. I have been holidaying in Spain since the late 60’s and have never caused any nuisance ever. Sheila Bowman Arrest them, put them in a Spanish prison, once their sentence is complete, deport them and shred their passports. Trev Vennard
British government debates expat vote If you leave the UK why would you still want to vote? OK so people will say pensions, but what is so bad about the UK that people leave but still want to have a vote? I know people move with work so they are not staying out of the UK permanently. I did watch the full debate live this afternoon an interesting debate. Libbyj Ogden Rainey Phelp Because Libbyj many expats still have property, pensions, investments, and if you were in the civil service or army you still pay tax in the UK. Makes sense to be able to have a say in what happens. We also have family we are concerned about who
Comments from EWN online
Police officer dies after football fans clash Frankly, the whole of European football fans should boycott the World Cup this year otherwise there will be blood shed!! Steve Homer
still live there.
Jenny Dodd As a Scot living in Spain I do not have the right to vote in Spanish general elections, only local ones. After the Brexit farce I doubt many of us would vote Tory! Claire Twigg
Priors finally receive payout for demolition So sorry that money is an insult, but they have to move forward now, this ordeal is shocking. Nasty bullying. Sandra Russell About time, hope they have many years to enjoy a good life. Gill Reynolds I hope this paves the way for more victims to be compensated Pps Estepona
So sorry for this man’s family, yes it was a heart attack but it was the violence that caused it. DEP. Gill Reynolds Watched the build up preparations... so much was set in place roads / transport, etc even schools in area closed all day .Guess they never expected it to be bad pitchside. Lydia Taylor
UK benefit cheating greatgran avoids jail People come to Spain wanting things now which most of us have worked all our lives to achieve. I love it when they say ‘I am 40 years old and paid in to the system all my life.’ Try paying in for 40/45 years then claim your rewards. If you need to work then be very certain you can make it here without benefits as they don’t exist in Spain. Don’t expect others to bail you out. Gill Reynolds
THROUGH your paper could I express my thanks to the Local Police at Calle el Parquet Nijar? On Sunday we visited Nijar. While in the town I used the ATM at a bank branch when my card was jammed in. Thinking this may be some sort of fraudulent device I went to the Local Police station where an officer went above what I would have expected. He came back to the ATM with me to check and then we went back to the station where he telephoned the bank to report the problem, then contacted my bank in the UK to help. Unfortunately I didn’t get the officer ’s name, but if you could pass on my thanks through Euro We e k l y N e w s I w o u l d b e v e r y grateful. Ron English at present on holiday at Vera Playa
Nerja fan I LOVE Nerja because it is essentially Andalucian. Unfortunately many of our newer developments are faceless, featureless boxes. It was therefore very pleasing to see the new hostel built on Calle Cruz, near the entrance to the underground car park. The developer is clearly proud of traditional Spanish architecture. Can we have more? Gordon Clark, Nerja
Likes Leapy WHAT an excellent article, we have sent it to all our friends and family. We cannot praise you every week for all your many excellent articles, we read them all. We hope that you can get one or more of the GB papers to publish your excellent articles. Kind Regards Andrew and Lucie Murray UK and Pacheco
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‘
If you want a happy ending that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” Orson Welles, actor
SOUNDSCAPE: Researchers found music and moods were closely related.
DID YOU KNOW?
World of English
The type of music you listen to can change the way you perceive the world, according to research. A study found people listening to happy music thought they saw happy faces that were not there.
IRISH LOTTO
Saturday February 24
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Tuesday February 20
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Friday February 23
10
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BONUS BALL
25
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA
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Saturday February 24
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Sunday February 25
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LUCKY STARS
LUCKY STARS
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Thursday February 22
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‘
Cybersquatting - The act of registering wellknown names as internet domains in order to sell them on.
LA PRIMITIVA
EURO MILLIONS
25 48
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When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak.” Audre Lorde, writer
Famous quote
14 35
Women’s wit
EL MILLON: XPN91473
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REINTEGRO
02
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JOKER: 6 822 466
REINTEGRO
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JOKER: 3 544 370
REINTEGRO
5
So far as your work or business life is concerned, those in authority may seek to see things done their way. Where they seem to pay lip service to your needs, that is all it is talk. Be clear that you want action and that you will not give in easily. Humour will not help.
Putting yourself first is necessary at the moment. There is so much happening this week that you may be tempted to run yourself ragged trying to do it all yourself. It is possible to persuade others to give a hand and, although it may seem too much trouble at the time, you will reap the benefits in the longer term.
TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) You should bear in mind that you are the best one to decide what you want, when you want it and how you will go about getting it. Others may offer you short cuts, but is that really going to deliver the goods? I think not.
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) You know where you are going and who with, but there is this one unresolved thought in your mind. It is just a thought, isn't it? Or is it more? This is something only you can answer. Be prepared this week to take advice and ask questions.
CANCER (June 22 - July 23) You are still looking more to the past than to the future, but now it seems that circumstances are urging you to move ahead at more of a pace. Because the matter becomes urgent, it may seem to you that circumstances are overtaking you. The choice is still yours if you show speed and determination.
LEO (July 24 - August 23) What you truly want in life is now becoming clear to you. Not for you the fuzzy ideas of the past. Now, you realise that, if you do not give a strong lead, then others will lead you. To avoid going backwards now you must be determined and clear. Show others that you are firmly taking the lead in your future.
VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) With your self-confidence on a high note, you are ready to sing the song of your future. There will be highs and lows but that is what makes life interesting and exciting. Do not now avoid changes for the sake of peace. What is exciting and balanced this week is where your future lies.
LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Where you see things failing to go your way, it may seem that others are being unfair. It is unlikely to be that simple. Perhaps, by being too easygoing and friendly, you have given the impression of not being particularly caring. State your case and change the tune.
SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Judgement may be impaired this week and it would be advisable to get second and even third opinions. In much the same way that you sometimes have an instinctive feel for things and situations, you now have this sensation about a certain person. An unbiased and imaginative opinion scatters your stress.
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) This week be prepared to be forthright when it comes to a certain difficult situation. This involves someone trying to get you to make a decision you are either not sure of or against. Your good humour is unlikely to deflect them but being openly insistent may.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Are you being pushed into a corner? There is no need to respond with aggression, but a smooth and fast move is required to avoid this. They say that forewarned is forearmed. You know more of the circumstances than I do, but there is someone you can call on as an ally, isn't there?
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Across 1 Socialist leader in fitting decline (7) 5 They secure money for the government, so we hear (5) 8 Former performance is precise (5) 9 Tramp on the dock, it's rougher (7) 10 A small pond, pure and simple (4) 11 Carte blanche for an unpaid employee (8) 13 Chair for a biker (6) 15 Pay back when a Peru company is reformed (6) 18 On the edge? Potentially alarming anyway (8) 19 Spot British group (4) 22 Castle Hotel is demolished for ski lodges (7) 23 Runner has nothing for the party (5) 24 A novice gets a large amount of grant (5) 25 Tureen I transported in train (7)
tree (8) 6 Silver discovered in elegant old US city (7) 7 A little bit of quiet colour (5) 12 Grounds for having a coin sent outside (8) 14 Liar cut-off limit (7)
Code Breaker
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION FACING PAGE
16 Help too difficult for a nuisance on the road (7) 17 Was confused in her cable (6) 18 Came about a century later to a city in Saudi Arabia (5) 20 Pick up king, then knight (5) 21 Help needed in a punt (4)
Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 10 represents P and 23 represents G, so fill in P every time the figure 10 appears and G every time the figure 23 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.
CROSSWORD PAGE
Cryptic
Down 1 Doctor East, half American, is a wishful thinker (7) 2 A way to ventilate a rising flight (5) 3 Consumes ingredients from meat safe (4) 4 Knight's tunic is the result of bad art (6) 5 Meddled with chopped up damp
TIME
Across 1 Card game (5) 4 Bad-tempered (5) 7 Spaceman (9) 8 Ill (4) 10 Commence (5) 13 Old-fashioned (5) 14 Interlocking plastic building blocks (4) 17 Schedule (9) 19 White heron (5) 20 Irreligious individual (5)
English - Spanish
Across 1 Scorpion (7) 5 Rocas (minerales) (5) 8 Brazo (de persona) (3) 9 To cross (over) 10 Temprano (5) 11 Ostras (7) 12 Fly (insect) (5) 14 To lower (5) 19 Español (7) 21 Signature (5) 22 To pass (overtake) (9) 23 Murciélago (3) 24 Autumn (5) 25 To show (7)
Down 1 Express approval of (6) 2/18 Knapsack (3,3) 3 Chess piece (4) 4 Place of worship that has its own altar (6) 5 Summary (7) 6 Free from danger (4) 9 Talk idly or rapidly (7) 11 Allow (6) 12 Rule (6) 15 Metal enclosure (4) 16 Come to a halt (4) 18 See 2
The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.
Down 1 Abbots (6) 2 Wardrobe (for clothihg) (7) 3 Preparado (5) 4 Estrecho (calle, pasillo) (6) 5 Magazine (journal) (7) 6 Swan (5) 7 Estrés (6) 13 Watch out! (7) 15 To approve of (7) 16 Tin (ore) (6) 17 Ritmo (6) 18 Shepherd (6) 20 Fir tree (5) 21 Tenedores (5)
Hexagram
The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 six-letter words into the 19 cells. The letters at the edges of interlocking cells MUST BE THE SAME. The letters in the words must be written CLOCKWISE. The word in cell 10 (UPROAR) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.
AMPERE ASSENT BICEPS COERCE DUGOUT OBLONG PETREL PLEASE PONCHO ROSTER SORREL SORROW TANDEM TEETER TELLER TINSEL UPROAR (10) WHEEZE ZOUNDS
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Stodgy 2 Sludge 3 Faulty 4 Scenic 5 Golden 6 Opaque 7 Census 8 Duplex 9 Vestal 10 Sextet 11 Closer 12 Utmost 13 Curate 14 Fiasco 15 Meadow 16 Detour 17 Cowboy 18 Droopy 19 Carboy.
Boggled How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules? • The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally. • Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms. • No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice. • No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.
Kakuro
How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case N) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.
Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.
TARGET: • Average: 22 • Good: 30
4 letters: 1 point 7 letters: 5 points 5 letters: 2 points 8 or more letters: 6 letters: 3 points 11 points
TARGET: • Average: 11 • Good: 15 • Very good: 22 • Excellent: 28
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION dead dean dear dado exam earl earlier nature damn dart dope dopier dram drat axed maxed made mart marl matt mature maturer hard harm hart harp harrier hope taxed tarp tarrier trade traded tram true truer trip tripod tripe triple trier turtle equip phat pram pique pile pier lire lieu ripe rile quip quilt quirt quire
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION arvo aver ever over pave rave rive rove veep veer vert veto vote avert evert ovate overt paver pivot prove reave revet rivet trave trove vapor viper vireo vitae voter privet vetoer overate overeat private EVAPORITE OPERATIVE
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
QUICK Across:
CODE BREAKER
• Very good: 44 • Excellent: 57
SCORING:
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
1 Return, 4 Jail, 8 Nectarine, 9 Opal, 10 Depend, 13 Stalls, 15 Oslo, 18 Lollipops, 19 Wasp, 20 Aspire.
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Nonagram
EWN
Down:
1 Raucous, 2 Tonga, 3 Rich, 5 Agile, 6/18 Lie low, 7 Camel, 11 Diocese, 12 Plain, 14 Atlas, 16 Sushi, 17 Boss.
CRYPTIC
ENGLISH-SPANISH
Across:
Across:
1 Arrest, 4 Causes, 9 Airdrie, 10 Trade, 11 Turn, 12 Hairline, 14 Haven, 16 Agony, 20 Betrayal, 21 Ha-ha, 24 Drama, 25 Shatter, 26 Sateen, 27 Tennis.
1 Unlucky, 5 Sapos, 8 Seagull, 9 Loros, 10 Trece, 11 Obtener, 12 Bucket, 14 Gansos, 17 Reinado, 19 Arcos, 22 Enero, 23 Earring, 24 Oveja, 25 Singers.
Down:
Down:
1 Adapts, 2 Rarer, 3 Spry, 5 Alter ego, 6 Station, 7 Skewer, 8 Debar, 13 Delaware, 15 Attract, 17 Abides, 18 Waist, 19 Madras, 22 Acton, 23 Kale.
1 Upset, 2 Llave, 3 Chupete, 4 Yellow, 5 Split, 6 Parents, 7 Sastres, 12 Barbero, 13 Chinese, 15 Alacrán, 16 Towels, 18 Ahora, 20 Crime, 21 Signs.
App of the week Thunderly An app for storm lovers everywhere which allows users to track weather events in real time on an animated globe. It includes a day and night cycle and lighting history.
QUIZ: MIND THE GAP All the answers contain the names of London Underground stations 1. Because of the colour of the order's habit, what nickname is often given to members of the Roman Catholic order of preaching friars founded by St Dominic? 2. Founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's cricket ground in St John's Wood, which cricket club is generally known as the MCC? 3. From which London prison did two Provisional IRA members Pearse McAuley and his cellmate Nessan Quinlivan escape on July 7, 1991? 4. Melanie Blatt, Shaznay Lewis and Simone Rainford were the original members of which girl group formed in London in 1993? 5. What is the name of the friendly, marmalade loving bear from deepest, darkest Peru
created by Michael Bond? 6. What was the title of Gerry Rafferty’s first British hit single, which reached number three in the UK charts in 1978? 7. Which famous British vehicle manufacturer has produced models called: Astra, Belmont, Chevette, Vectra and Zafira? 8. Which Grade I listed building is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London? 9. Which song was the winning entry for Sweden in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest? 10. Which word can precede: blood, bottle, clearing, piggy, river and sand? Not a lot of people know that... there is only one Tube station that does not have any letters of the word 'mackerel' in it: St John's Wood.
Answers: 1. BLACK FRIARS, 2. MARYLEBONE Cricket Club, 3. BRIXTON, 4. ALL SAINTS, 5. PADDINGTON, 6. BAKER STREET, 7. VAUXHALL, 8. MANSION HOUSE, 9. WATERLOO (Abba), 10. BANK
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BOOKS
weather
Costa de Almería TODAY
TOMORROW VELEZ RUBIO
ALBOX
VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX
HUERCAL OVERA
HUERCAL OVERA
GARRUCHA
GARRUCHA
MOJACAR
MOJACAR
ALMERIA RETAMAR ADRA
RETAMAR
ROQUETAS
SATURDAY
Almeria
Bilbao
Madrid
TODAY: MAX 13, MIN 7 - SH
TODAY: MAX 14, MIN 6 - S
TODAY: MAX 7, MIN 2 - C
TODAY: MAX 11, MIN - -5 S
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
14 15 15 14 18 19
8-C 8-C 10 - Cl 12 - Sh 12 - Sh 11 - Sh
15 15 15 17 17 17
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
9-S 9-S 9 - Cl 11 - Cl 11 - C 11 - Sh
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
9 13 13 11 11 8
0-C 3-S 3-S 4 - Cl 4-C 5 - Sh
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
11 11 13 13 14 13
-4 - S -3 - S 1-S 3 - Sh 2 - Cl 2 - Cl
Alicante
Benidorm
Mallorca
Barcelona
TODAY: MAX 13, MIN 7 - C
TODAY: MAX 14, MIN 6 - S
TODAY: MAX 11, MIN 4 - SH
TODAY: MAX 10, MIN 2 - S
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
13 15 17 14 15 18
S: Sun
6-S 6-C 8-S 10 - Sh 9 - Sh 9-C
13 15 15 17 18 16
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
6 - Cl 7 - Sh 8-S 8 - Cl 8 - Sh 9 - Sh
Cl: Clear
ROQUETAS
ADRA
Malaga
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
12 14 14 13 13 13
C: Cloudy
4 - Sh 5-S 6 - Sh 6-C 6-C 7 - Sh
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed -
11 13 13 12 12 11
3-C 4-S 4-S 4 - Sh 3 - Sh 4 - Sh
Sh: Showers
VELEZ RUBIO ALBOX
HUERCAL OVERA GARRUCHA MOJACAR
ALMERIA RETAMAR ROQUETAS
ADRA
Sn: Snow
Th: Thunder
Euro Weekly News strives for accuracy, but cannot be held responsible for any errors in published forecasts
BIRTHDAYS
ALICE, a young American editor, begins a relations hip with the mu c h older writer Ezra Blazer. Years later the economist Amar is detained in Heathrow Airport while travelling to Kurdistan to see his brother. Alice’s s tory take s place in the early days of the Iraq war and is a coming of age tale that r e volves around an unex pe c ted romance in New York. Amar tells his account of a weekend spent in an airport holding room in 2008. T hes e two character s are worlds apart, but both the ir s tories intertwin e through deep human drama. Told in three sections: Folly, Madness and Ezra B l az er ’s Des ert Is lan d D i sc s , Lis a Halliday ’s Asymmetry explores the imbalances of contemporary life.
ALMERIA
books@euroweeklynews.com
Sudoku LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
• Ron Howard, Director; March 1, 64 The Oscar-winning filmmaker behind A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13 was originally known for playing Opie on The Jessica Biel. Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham in Happy Days. • Chris Martin, Singer; March 2, 41 Coldplay’s front man was born in Whitestone, England and played his first gig with The Rocking Honkies which are rumoured to have been booed by the crowd. He has since found success with
albums X&Y, A Rush of Blood to the Head and Viva la Vida with his current group. • Jessica Biel, Actor; March 3, 36 The star of The Illusionist began modelling in adverts from the age of 12. She played Erin in the 2003 film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. • Kenny Dalglish, Footballer; March 4, 67 Dalglish scored 230 goals during his 21year long career, playing for Celtic FC and Liverpool as well as the Scottish national team. He went on to manage Liverpool and
has won two FA cups while at the team, once as a player and the other as its coach. • Moira Kelly, Actor; March 6, 50 The voice of Nala in Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King has also played Kate Moseley in The Cutting Edge and Karen Roe in One Tree Hill. • Rachel Weisz, Actor; March 7, 48 The Westminster-born film star founded the Talking Tongues theatre company while a student at Cambridge University before her movie career. She has had roles in The Mummy, The Constant Gardener, The Bourne Legacy and Constantine.
Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9. There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.
Sierra Nevada SNOW REPORT Snow is expected to fall today (Thursday) through to next week as well as rain, with temperatures rising to highs of seven degrees. If you are travelling to Sierra Nevada this week, expect some slopes to be closed due to the weather.
Word Ladder HARE
FEET BACK
Move from the start word (HARE) to the end word (FEET) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.
509 BC - First triumph The Roman Republic holds its first triumphal celebration after Publius Valerius Publicola defeats deposed King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, beginning a tradition that would last throughout the empire’s history. 1284 - Wales incorporated The Principality of Wales is absorbed into the Kingdom of England under the Statute of Rhuddlan. 1519 - Cortez lands Conquistador Hernan Cortez arrives in modern-day Mexico in search of the wealth of the Aztecs. He would go on to conquer the land for the Spanish crown. 1657 - Edo ablaze The Great Fire of Meireki starts in Edo (Tokyo). It would go on to last for three days and kill more than 100,000 people. 1869 - Periodic table Dmitri Mendeleev unveils the world’s first periodic table to the Russian chemical society, which would become the standard graphic depiction of the elements. 1876 - Telephone patented Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for the telephone. He had previously raced rival inventor Elisha Grey to be the first to submit proposals for the device. 1970 - Nuclear treaty signed The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons comes into force after being ratified by 43 countries. It requires countries never to acquire the weapons and to work towards nuclear disarmament and was extended indefinitely in 1995. 2003 - First ICC session The International Criminal Court holds its inaugural session in The Hague in Holland with the power to prosecute people for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
This week in history
Out of balance
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50
DVD
A powerful comedy
THE USSR’s ruthless ruler Josef Stalin (Adrian Mcloughlin) has just been found dead. Soviet officials quickly arrive to decide the future of the country and rival factions soon emerge. On one side is secret police head Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale) and leading Communist Party figure Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor). On the other is Nikita Khruschev (Steve Buscemi) and labour minister Lazar Kaganovich (Dermot Crowley). The Death of Stalin takes a humorous look at the ensuing power struggle.
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HEALTH BEAUTY
&
How to strengthen your immunity MAKING sure you eat healthily, exercise regularly, and minimise stress levels - not to mention keeping unhealthy vices such as smoking and alcohol consumption to a minimum - are just a few things you can do to make sure your immune system is in top shape. Food in particular plays a significant role in having a positive impact on your belly bacteria, which helps to strengthen your immunity. Harvard University research revealed that the amount of good bacteria in the belly rapidly improved when people are placed on a vegetable-only diet for a few days, so top up on your greens. Many vegetables also contain natural prebiotics , su c h a s a r t i c h o k e s , a s p ara g u s , onions, chicory, leek and garlic. These prebiotics pass undigested through the stomach and small intestine so as soon as they reach the large intestine; they help to stimulate the probiotic bacteria that are in there. Ensuring you have a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut will benefit your digestion and help you to absorb minerals, therefore boosting your immune system. Fermented food such as sauerkraut is also
HAPPY TUMMY: A healthy balance of bacteria in your gut will benefit your immune system. high in probiotic bacteria which can stop harmful bacteria from getting attached to
the lining of your gut and growing there. Carbohydrates can also fuel unhealthy
bacteria so try to stick to whole grains or sourdough bread, which are high in fibre.
How streng your im MAKING sure you eat healthily, exercise regularly, and minimise stress levels - not to mention keeping unhealthy vices such as smoking and alcohol consumption to a minimum - are just a few things you can do to make sure your immune system is in top shape. Food in particular plays a significant role in having a positive impact on your belly bacteria, which helps to strengthen your immunity. Harvard University research revealed that the amount of good bacteria in the belly rapidly improved when people are placed on a vegetable-only diet for a few days, so top up on your greens. Many vegetables also contain natural prebiotics, such as artichokes, asparagus, onions, chicory, leek and garlic.
HEALTH & BEAUTY
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Keep cool in the cold SEVERAL Olympic snowboarders recently revealed how they soothe their sore muscles and protect their skin in cold weather. While you may not be hitting fresh powder every day in sub-zero temperatures, these tips will still come in useful when exercising or during a particularly cold spell this winter. Chloe Kim, Olympic gold medallist and the only athlete to win three X Games gold medals before the age of 16, swears by an anti-inflammatory, plant-based gel to help soothe sore muscles, which can come in very handy after a particularly intense workout. Essential oils are also great at stimulating blood flow and relieving any soreness so try adding a few drops of lavender,
w to gthen mmunity These prebiotics pass undigested through the stomach and small intestine so as soon as they reach the large intestine; they help to stimulate the probiotic bacteria that are in there. Ensuring you have a healthy balance of bacteria in your gut will benefit your digestion and help you to absorb minerals, therefore boosting your immune system. Fermented food such as sauerkraut is also high in probiotic bacteria which can stop harmful bacteria from getting attached to the lining of your gut and growing there. Carbohydrates can also fuel unhealthy bacteria so try to stick to whole grains or sourdough bread, which are high in fibre.
SO MUCH CHOICE: Almond, cashew or peanut butter?
Go nutty for nut butter ylang-ylang or camphor to your bath at night. The snowboarders also said they always insist on wearing sun cream, which is good advice for anyone wherever you are, as your skin is actually in more danger during winter. Many people forget sun cream is just as important at this time of year as the sun can still be incredibly strong, even when
CHLOE KIM: Take care of yourself like the Olympian.
it’s cold or cloudy. Buying a moisturiser or face cream with added SPF is an easy way to remember to stay protected and will keep your skin feeling supple and smooth.
N U T butte rs a re pa c ke d with protein, and are also full of thos e good fa ts w hic h he lp to ke e p your heart healthy. However, are some versions better than others? Nut butters generally fall into tw o kinds : ra w a nd roasted. Roasting nuts appa re ntly doe s not c ha nge their nutrition levels and gives them a more rich and toasty flavour. However, many companies that roast the nuts beforehand often do so in oil,
which increases the fat cont ent as t hey absor b 2 t o 5 per cent of the oil they are cooked in. You can al so get ‘ no added’ or natural nut butt er s. Whi l e a ‘ no added’ but t er m eans i t st i l l has added oi l , peanut s and preservatives, just no sugar and salt, the ‘natural’ kind should be free from all of these. Asi de f r om t r adi t i onal peanut but t er s whi ch ar e high in protein and a good sour ce of vi t am i n E, you
can also get almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia butter and walnut butter. Al m onds ar e a good source of magnesium, calcium and vitamin E and are low in cholesterol whereas cashews are rich in iron and magnesium. Macadamia nuts contain m anganese and t hi am i ne and can lower cholesterol while walnuts are packed wi t h f ol at e, f i br e and om ega- 3 f at s whi ch have been proven to boost brain function.
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Update on food, drink, entertainments, what’s on and weekly happenings
Get ready to rock
FROM JAMAICA: The Skatalites to appear in Spain. ONCE again, the town of Adra will be welcoming some of the best Spanish rock bands later this year to the Juergas Rock Festival 2018. It’s a four-day festival in the sun running from August 1 to 4 and so far 14 bands have been announced for the main stage with others due to appear on an acoustic stage as well as several more involved in the welcome party. It’s remarkably cheap as the welcome party on August 1 is free whilst a ticket for the rest of the event is €40 although that may well rise as the festival gets nearer. There is also a special meet and greet option which gives a number of special opportunities for access and plenty of free drinks for €99. Camping is encouraged and all details including the current line up may be explored by visiting the festival website at https://thejuergasrockfestival.com.
LAURA DAVIES is an artist whose detailed pieces, created in honour of wild nature are being exhibited to raise awareness and funds to help with the conservation of the wild. Builder of the only Earthship in this region (an eco-friendly home made from up cycled and natural materials), Laura’s passion for these unconventional materials comes through in her sculptural handmade home and her intricate art pieces. “When I see your art it feels like I’m in your Earthship” - a quote from inauguration day. “Using what I have, by up cycling and using eco-friendly paints and processes are all things I’ve investigated and experimented with over the years to find a way to express myself without being a burden on the planet,” commented Laura. “But you really need to see them to understand how my art and processes are truly unique,” she added. A participant in Lynne McTaggart’s Intention Experiments in 2008 and a teacher of
SCENE
OCIAL
A unique new art exhibition debuts
UNIQUE EXHIBITION: Laura and some of her work. the right side of the brain drawing techniques, Laura has created a method to infuse her art with positive intentions. “These last two years, during the creation of the pieces for this exhibition, as well as being
a peeling off of layers to find my artistic voice - my soul - it’s also, and for me more importantly, been an exercise in sending positive energy into wild nature. “An energy that I’m hoping
will, in some small way, help with its protection,” Laura said. You can read more about her transcendental approach by signing up to her art blog at www.lauradaviesart.co.uk/sub scribe. The pieces aren’t for sale yet, but Laura asks that if you enjoy the exhibition you leave a donation for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundations Tigertime campaign in the collection box. There will be a book of the exhibition published later this year, also to raise funds for conservation charities. This notable exhibition is set in the lovely gallery space below The Albar restaurant in El Pilar, near Sorbas. It’s open from Thursdays to Mondays and runs until March 24.
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SOCIAL SCENE
Contender for national capital of gastronomy A MAJOR gastronomic event in Vera came to an end with a number of new special events. A number of much respected food writers and chefs spoke about the importance of gastronomy as well as a review of some of the new agricultural products and ways to present them.
The food and hospitality industry is so important that one of the workshops concentrated on training and opportunities for hospitality staff. There were also interesting demonstrations of cooking by a number of the top chefs who attended the event showing those in attendance a
number of new and exciting techniques. Students from local restaurants and hotels were presented with special awards and Felix Lopez, mayor of Vera, highlighted about the three days of the event, “the importance of having had the brilliance and knowledge of people
with so much experience in the culinary world.” He wants to see Almeria declared the national capital of gastronomy in 2019 and said “gastronomic tourism is gaining relevance that forces us to respond with quality and good to the enormous demand generated in this type of tourism.”
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 Denominació d’Origen Qualificada (DOQ) is in Tarragona Province in Cataluña and is one of only two - alongside Rioja - regions 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 that 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
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EXHIBITION: Raquel Belmonte and Ivan Mazocco. 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 Ximénez 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.
Italian photographer Ivan Mazocco on show THE Fuente de Mojacar Municipal Art Centre, which is located by the town’s emblematic fountain, has recently hosted a photography exhibition by Ivan Mazocco. The Italian photographer showed around 40 examples of his most recent works, which have architectural
shapes and colours as the main theme. The photographs have been taken on his travels around the world, mainly in Italy and Spain, featuring Mojacar and his current home town of Garrucha in particular, where he has been living for the last couple of years. A photographer by profession and training, Ivan studied in Italy and the Canary Islands, working in both digital and traditional techniques and since 1988 he has worked exclusively in this field, exhibiting and compiling press features. This show is his first in Spain and, he chose Mojacar as the venue to present this
collection. The town’s Culture Councillor, Raquel Belmonte, was at the opening and was given an explanatory tour by the artist himself. She spoke afterwards about the path that photography opens up in the art world, one in which the “photographic camera acts as a traditional brush and canvas,” expressing the artist’s concepts to the viewer. Ivan is already planning his next project and, without abandoning his common thread of architecture, he intends to include man’s imprint in time and space within a social context as a theme.
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Main road gets makeover ARBOLEAS Town Hall has begun to carry out improvements on Calle del Mercado, after they were awarded a €28,000 grant by the Andalucian authorities specifically to be invested in this project. “Little by little, and to the best of our ability, we are m aki ng pr ogr ess i n our pl ans t o m oder ni se Arboleas. “Our main aim is to impr ove publ i c spaces and smarten up the town. Now we just have to wait for it to be completed to see the final result,” said Cristóbal García Granados, the mayor of Arboleas. The wor ks i nvol ve i m proving the pavement and extending it up to three met r es wi de on each si de, addi ng ext r a t r ees t o t he ar ea, and i nst al l i ng new street lamps.
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NEW POSSIBILITIES: Pensioners in Arboleas will soon have a new retirement centre.
Golden plans get green light ARBOLEAS Town Council announced that plans to build a new retirement home will go ahead. The new retirement home will be built on a 496 square-metre plot located in front of the medical centre in the Rulador neighbourhood and will cost €160,000 to complete. The council also announced that it will fund 100 per cent of the costs. Mayor of Arboleas, Cristóbal García Granados, said that “This project is of great importance for our town, taking into account the high
number of pensioners who live in Arboleas. It is clear that this home is necessary to help improve the lives of the elderly people who reside here.” The new retirement home will reportedly also be a meeting place for retirees so they can organise different activities. It will have various leisure and entertainment facilities, as well as a theatre for them to put on performances, which will have a total capacity of 350 seats. “Now Arboleas senior citizens will have a fully-equipped space where they can spend their time,” said García.
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Health centres to stay THE controversy surrounding the possible transfer of the Mental and Veterinary Health Care Centres, as well as the Albox Pharmaceutical Health Centre, to Arboleas was recently brought to Al-
box Town Council for further discussion. During the meeting, the council rejected the proposal to change the location of these services by a significant majority, as well as any
others provided for by Albox Town Hall. The debate was taken to the council after professionals from the health centres expressed their concern when they were informed of a possible relocation of the sites to the next town over, which would lead to worse working conditions for the employees and poorer health care for patients, according to the staff. In addition to rejecting the possible transfer, councillors requested that a special committee be created in order to improve and expand the health services provided at the Albox Health Centre, especially in terms of the emergency services. A list of suggestions to help improve the health centre - that could be discussed by this committee in the future - was also proposed, including ‘two 24-hour medical teams’ and ‘a full-time midwife,’ among others.
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Nick Horne The Rich Pick Freelance correspondent, London, England STATISTICS and their cousin averages are slippery customers. On average when Bill Gates - of Microsoft fame and leader of the Gates Foundation enters a restaurant everyone in the room on average is a billionaire. Similarly, on average house prices in London recovered by the fourth quarter of 2017 and prices rose on average by £4,000 (€4,526) between November and December. On average London houses now cost £227,000 (€256,873) according to the Land Registry. Prices on average appear to be up by 5.2 per cent year on year. Of course statistics and averages can be useful illustrations but they can also hide and disguise some spectacular outliers in the range of prices that houses command. That we all place so much weight on statistics is a good reason to be very cautious of them as well. Hidden in plain sight is one wealthy man’s house. Consider Dr Gert-Rudolf Frick, heir to the Daimler automotive dynasty who placed the Park House Estate on the market in September 2013 for an eye-watering £105 million (€118.8 million). Park House sits in more than half an acre of private walled gardens in central London. Half an acre of ground close by the museum district in South Kensington to the west of Buckingham Palace and described as ‘a country house
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London house price cut of 60%
WHAT’S IT WORTH?: London is pricey, but Park House (inset) is set to sell with a 60 per cent discount on the original asking price, a mere €45.3 million.
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in the middle of London. From no window can you see a car passing by.’ Boasting six bedrooms, five bathrooms and seven reception rooms it was recorded as the ‘finest house to come on to the market in the capital for 25 years.’ But despite adding a five-bedroom house and two one-bedroom flats on the site as part of the package the Park House Estate failed to sell. Recently reports appeared that a buyer has eventually emerged though it took three and half years to do so and a headline grabbing price cut of slightly more than 60 per cent, too. Which is spectacular, though the selling price of £40 million (€45.3 million) as reported is weighty and considerable in any language. The Park House Estate is without doubt exceptional as is the price sought and realised for it. A news story headlining a price cut of one individual property or indeed a price rise does not signify a trend nor does it reflect the mood of the market as a whole. It does speak volumes though of the value attached to a given property by a specific willing buyer and seller on any given day. If you really desire that ideal villa you will pay as much as you can sensibly afford for it, but no more than you believe it is worth and less if you can convince the seller.
The spectacular hungry ‘cover girl’ for my book! Ric Polansky Ric Polansky moved to Mojacar in 1969 as a pioneer developer. He reads extensively and has travelled in South America panning gold and looking for El Dorado.
SHE never was a household name, probably not even in her own home, but she became the cover girl for my book. You can see also that she is not unfashionable by today’s standards - in certain parts of London. In all honesty I didn’t know her well. She did agree to carry a water jug and let me photograph her once at the fountain below. I met her when she worked at the big house where my brother lived. He employed quite a few people there but I could never figure out what each specifically did. They all seemed busy when I was around, moving furniture and carrying out rugs. It all followed some
ancient ritual written down and learned by rote some thousand years ago I surmised. After we have lived here for more than two months I suggested we go out for a night. My wife’s forehead curled and she frowned. Who could we leave our son with? There weren’t any other foreigners about and those in the village we really never knew. We thought and thought and finally I came up with the idea of one of the cleaning girls. All she had to do was feed him, change him if needed and put him to sleep. And we would be free to experience our first night out together - out on the worn and trod cobblestones of Mojacar village. Exciting stuff. I don’t know why, but we selected Damiana. I had never heard her speak but had heard that she was a good witch and that seemed important to me. It was settled, I would
pick her up at seven and return her before midnight. Off we went not giving it another thought and back we were on time. Our caretaker said not a word but son Joby was crying heavily, out of character. I left and drove Damiana back who refused money and hastened away from me as quickly as she could get out of the rolling car. She made a mad dash into the night and was gone. I returned home. Meanwhile our first born was still shrieking, kicking and fidgeting with his arms as if in a terrible stress. On the table were the three empty jars of baby food. “Well, maybe he ate too much”? I suggested. Within a blink my wife replied, I only left two jars of food for him. She moved off to our bedroom where the suitcases were open and further baby food was on top. That drew immediate suspicion.
COVER STAR: Damiana - the lady on the front.
My wife then noticed that what she had left out for his consumption wasn’t in the empty jars on the table but rather a new selection had been made and consumed to the last drop. I then explained Damiana’s unusual exit from the car when taking her home. Karen opened a new jar
and son Joby wolfed it down and squirmed for more. Dilemma solved and not a word more was ever said about it to anyone - especially Damiana, who was obviously more hungry that night than our son. Well, she’s the lady on the front cover.
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ANTONIO BANDERAS has travelled around the world for the glitziest Hollywood functions, but these days the Spanish movie star is more likely to be seen cycling through leafy Surrey. Banderas, 55, recently bought a €2.7 million five-bedroom home with Dutch-German girlfriend Nicole Kimpel, 36, in Cobham, which he has described as a ‘magical’ setting. The prefabricated home, by German building firm Huf Haus, is an ecofriendly contemporary design featuring a stylish blend of wood and glass. The Mask of Zorro actor, who divorced Melanie Griffith in December 2014, has sold the LA home he shared with her for €12.9 million. Banderas recently starred in The 33, a film about the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 69 days in 2010 with Juliette Binoche. He is now commuting from his home in Surrey to study at the prestigious Central Saint Martins college in London, and plans to launch his own fashion label. Surrey has clearly struck a chord with Banderas who said recently: “I
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New house has Banderas in a Huf
BUTTERFLY EFFECT: The stylish and eco-friendly designs are seeing demand soar. am not a party person any more, so I have the space and peace to write and really get inside my own head and I am working on several scripts.
“Above all I am surrounded by nature and love watching the deer and foxes that come to my garden. “All this wood and glass, it is a
IN 2004, Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart were seen in Barcelona together and became the surprise couple of the season. The actress was shooting for the film Fragile in the city, and her new boyfriend had travelled to accompany her. Ford did not like being pursued by cameras every time he left his hotel, so he was provided with a luxury apartment right in the centre of Barcelona. This then set a trend among celebrities for requesting exclusive yet private accommodation, to avoid the paparazzi. Moreover, Barcelonian hotel groups are keenly tapping into the market of billionaires who visit the city and are looking to rent high-end properties with all the extras including a butler, personal shopper, tour guide, or a Michelin-starred chef. The Majestic and Murmuri Hotel Group for example, are happy to cater to these niche needs. A spokesman from the company said: “Imagine that a couple goes out for the night to see a play. “When they return they want to immediately have dinner with friends, so they
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Celebs and super-rich in world of privacy and plenty
MAJESTIC SURROUNDINGS: The hotel is a lap of luxury in the heart of Barcelona. ask us to arrange it and we do it.” Prices in the group’s Majestic Residence range from €450 to €1,200 a night, apart from the cool €15,000 a night that is charged for the penthouse suite. Majestic and Murmuri’s journey began 10 years ago when it snapped up 28 apartments in the middle of the housing crisis, for €1.2 million each. Their extraordinary success since has been based on a simple model of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and kitchen within 70 square metres.
beautiful concept. I have owned a lot of houses with many types of architecture but I think this is my favourite so far.”
The A-list actor was introduced to the home by Nicole’s father, who previously owned two Huf Houses and found the Cobham property for the couple. There are now about 200 Huf houses in the UK which have distinctive post-and-beam structures, eco-friendly credentials and generous glazing. Banderas’ model has a classic ‘butterfly’ split-roof, with four large reception rooms and more than an acre of gently sloping gardens. He so charmed by the house that he plans to build a beachside Huf in Marbella. The company deliberately restricts the number of houses built as the factory can put up only 200 homes a year, with just 20 to 30 of those in the UK. Seen as the Rolls-Royce of kit homes, factory production in Germany takes four months after which the flatpack is shipped to the UK along with a team of builders. Assembly of the shell takes a week or less, with the interiors (including electrics and plumbing) taking a further 12 to 14 weeks.
Feeling Barcelonely Barca’s new star loses car and gets burgled in same day PHILIPPE COUTINHO’S new home in Barcelona has been burgled while he was visiting the famous Sagrada Familia with his family. The playmaker endured a day to forget having earlier seen his Audi car towed away by the authorities. Coutinho had stayed behind while his Barcelona teammates travelled to London to face Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie (with the game ending 1-1). He is ineligible to play for Barca in the competition, having featured for the Reds during the group stages. The thieves are thought to have taken advantage of two ladders that had been left by a neighbouring property, due to construction work there. Coutinho contacted police immediately and the investigation is ongoing, which inc lude s the a na lys is by
forensic experts. The Brazilian international signed for Barcelona in Janu-
ary, finally sealing a protracted exit from Liverpool for a mammoth €164 million fee.
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DICK HANDSCOMBE LIVING in Spain, relaxing, strolling, drinking and eating in natural surroundings is an easy thing to do on as many days as possible, whatever the time of year. Valentine’s Day was a good example even though no Valentina was around. The morning awoke cold with a four-degree centigrade nip in the air but a bright blue windless day followed and by 1pm it was pleasantly warm to have a tapas lunch on a south facing terrace. By 2pm one was tempted to
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Natural gardens strip off for a two-hour early sun tanning and vitamin D topping up session. Then before things started to chill down it was interesting to observe how quickly the natural world reacted to the warm direct sunshine which took the liquid in a south facing thermometer up to 48 degrees. For the first time this year the Koi carp were continuously cruising the surface, two plump toads crept out from beneath a large rock and plopped into the pond, a welcome red
squirrel ran with amazing balance along the electricity line across the nearby street, for a second time this month a youngish hedgehog came out of hibernation, and naturally common garden birds visited nesting boxes and the thickest shrubs to see if one met their needs. Sadly rarer species disappeared 15 years ago when copses were felled and many new houses built. On the flower front early spring colour is led by the first yellow crocuses, winter jas-
mine, acacias, euryops, oxalis, nasturtiums until popped in a salad, and aeoniums. The first blues already follow with r o s e m a r y, echiums and the first heads of broccoli for daily eating. Looking through the study window across to the local mountain ridge seems that this afternoon will be as sunny as yesterday, but today I need to give some shrubs and a tunnel path for summer shade along the southern edge of the garden some urgent pruning to achieve some interesting shaping and heavier flowering.
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AWASH WITH LIFE: A natural garden and (inset) Dick’s latest must-read book. The 20 builder’s tubs that comprise today’s salad bed are in full production having had no heavy frosts - at least as yet. There were 21 varieties of salad leaves and flowers in the starter salad served to guests three evenings ago. If you have yet to start to eat a few healthy garden flowers and leaves, if not raising vegetables in a raised bed or two,
a read through the book Living well from our garden Mediterranean style could be an interesting read on a sunny terrace or in front of an evening fire. It is most easily obtained speedily and inexpensively from Amazon Books. Naturally it would be possible to organise a talk on the topic for a local social or gardening club, or radio station.
Budget ideas for your garden IF your garden is looking a little tired and is need of some sprucing up, now’s a great time to put the work in so its ready come summer for all the outdoor antics you’ll no doubt be partaking in, from barbecues to badminton games. Whatever you get up to, you want your garden to be looking its best but you don’t have to spend a lot to make it look good. Simple lighting designs such as fairy lights or well-placed tea lights can make all the dif-
ference to your outdoor space. When it comes to furniture, keep it simple, sleek and stylish. A one-colour scheme can help bring it all together and prevent it feeling cluttered. Meanwhile some metallic paint is an easy way to refresh any old, iron garden furniture. Colourful pillows and throws could also smarten it up. Don’t forget to add cute accessories made from old knick knacks such as a cute bird feeder made from a vintage teacup.
PERMACULTURE EDUCATION SUSTAINABLE DESIGN Telephone: 666 33 33 35 info@permamed.org http://permamed.org/
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Need pet-sitters to keep an eye on your pets at home? NEGLECTED: Make sure your animals are well looked after.
Link to animal abuse David THE Dogman columnists@ewnmediagroup.com
“THERE is no doubt that there is a link between animal abuse and human abuse,” says Dr Rhonda Schulman, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “The statistics are frightening, but it is important that everyone, including veterinarians, recognise this serious problem because animal abuse in a home is very likely a sign of an even bigger problem within that family.” It is estimated that nearly 90 per cent of pets living in homes where domestic abuse is taking place are either abused or killed, and nearly 60 per cent of women who seek assistance from shelters to escape abuse have had a pet killed by an abuser. In an abusive situation the family pet is often used by the abuser as leverage to control the
person being abused. Threat of harm to a beloved pet can be a very powerful tool for the abuser. Abuse of the pet is also a way to inflict mental anguish on the abused. Many women are reluctant to leave the abuser for fear that the pet will be harmed. Until recently there have been few options for abused women with pets. Now domestic violence shelters have begun to implement ways to protect not only the women and children but their pets as well. “Abuse can also be self-propagating within a family,” says Dr Schulman. “For instance, the mother or father abuses the child and then the child abuses the pet. This is sometimes the only way the child can assume any sense of personal power.” Witnessing the abuse of a family pet can influence children to become abusive later in life, because they have learned the behaviour through observing and identification with the abuser. Studies have also shown that children who torture animals are
at higher risk than others to grow up to use violence against people. Many adults who have committed serial murders or mass violence tortured animals as children. “This means that if a child is exhibiting this sort of behaviour, it is extremely important to take it seriously and intervene while there is still a chance to positively influence the child’s development,” says Dr Schulman. “Veterinarians are starting to take a more active role in spotting abuse and providing help for people who are in abusive situations; however, many veterinarians still do not ask questions when presented with suspicious circumstances, either they do not wish to be involved or because they don’t know how to help,” says Dr Schulman. It has been shown that women in abusive situations will seek medical care for themselves and their pets when they feel it is safe to do so. They may not volunteer how the injuries came about, but may give such information if asked.
MANY of our homeowners these days tell us they need a friendly house-sitter to stay in the house and look after their pets while they travel away on holiday. Do you have pets that need a friendly presence and a watchful eye? Keeping pets safe at home in their own environment If you have young, or mature pets and especially pets with a nervous disposition it can be a worry when you go on holiday. Planning ahead to find a suitable pet-sitter is the best way, someone who can come and be with them while you are away. For the pet-sitter this is like a working holiday, you choose the person or couple you want to house-sit and prepare a list of things for them to do while you are away.
What do you need to do? • If you have pets and need house-sitters - Register on our site as a Keep pets safe. ‘homeowner ’ and provide photos and general information about your location and your assignment. If you register as a Premium Homeowner for £79 per year we help you at every step. • If you have experience with home and pet care and want to house-sit in Spain or abroad - Register as a ‘house-sitter,’ build a profile with photos and describe how you think you can help homeowners with pets. Client testimonial -
How you benefit By registering on our HouseSitMatch network it means you can get to know people who would like to visit your area of Spain and would house-sit for free in exchange for free accommodation. Registered members of the network help each other. It saves both members a lot of money. Use the discount coupon code PERFECT20 when you register online in order to get the 20 per cent off any registration plan.
Fantastic result... fixed up in a flash! Lovely, responsive pet-sitters almost on our doorstep... would never have known had it not been for HousesitMatch. Lamia and team very helpful when we had problems sorting out the website. FIVE STARS for keeping in good contact! Will certainly spread the word, it’s a fabulous idea! Thank you! Sonia ~ Sonia, Estepona, Spain ~ Home & Pet owner (See more reviews in Trustpilot)
Do you need a house or pet-sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either house-sitter or homeowner now with a 20 per cent off introductory offer using coupon code PERFECT20. To find a house pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com. To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.HouseSitMatch.com call Lamia on 00 44 (0) 777 214 2742 or email admin@housesitmatch.com
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In 1941, Henry Ford made a car out of soybeans.
SEAT launches Cupra as independent brand SPANISH car giants SEAT have officially launched CUPRA as its own independent brand. The announcement was made at an exclusive event in Barcelona where the new brand’s first model was also revealed, the CUPRA Ateca. CUPRA, which has always been SEAT’s ultimate expression of sportiness, is born to captivate car enthusiasts around the world. CUPRA becomes its own entity, created to develop models in conjunction with SEAT and with the firm commitment to grow independently. SEAT President Luca de Meo said: “CUPRA is a big opportu-
nity for SEAT, for our customers and for the business. “The whole project has surfaced as the dream of a group of people who were looking for a way to conquer a new group of car lovers.” As part of its new identity, CUPRA will also encompass the entire motorsport and racing division, an area that until now was the responsibility of SEAT Sport and which will be directly integrated into the new brand. The CUPRA logo, which was revealed a few weeks ago, is inspired by the attitude of tribal civilisations and reflects the values that the new brand is keen to transmit - passion, precision, de-
termination and courage. As part of the announcement, the brand’s first model, the CUPRA Ateca was also revealed. “CUPRA Ateca offers versatility like no other brand. It’s about a unique model in its segment, with 300 PS, 4Drive and a new seven-speed DSG gearbox. It is the best example of balance between sportsmanship, fun at the wheel and ease of use in everyday life,” said SEAT Executive Vice-President for Research and Development, Dr Matthias Rabe.
Photo by SEAT
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SEAT: The CUPRA Ateca will be the brand’s first model.
MOTORING
1 - 7 March 2018 /Costa de Almería E W N
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FORD has achieved the Guinness World Record for largest billboard with a new advert in Madrid. The billboard, which advertises the brand new Ford EcoSport is plastered on the side of the Edificio España building, the eighth tallest in Spain. Measuring 5,265 metres, approximately 20
Guinness World Rec-Ford! tennis courts, and weighing 2,000 kilos the board eclipses the previous record set in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in 2014. Director of Marketing for Ford Spain, Elena Burguete, said: “Our Guinness World
Record title for the largest billboard demonstrates the creativity that drives our company. “Ford’s message is ‘go further,’ and that’s what we aim to do with our campaign for the launch of the new EcoSport. It’s a great way
A MINI Countryman that was owned and restored by pop icon Jay Kay has been sold for €25,600. The Jamiroquai singer offloaded his pristine Mini estate at an auction last Saturday despite recently giving it a full makeover. He fitted it out in homage to the much sportier Mini Cooper S, with a full body restoration that transformed the motor from a bare shell into a gleaming red classic. Work commissioned by Jay Kay has included a new sportier gearbox, a specialist handling kit and brand new state of the art disc brakes, along with a full body respray in tartan red paint. A new, much more powerful four-cylinder 1.3 litre engine was also installed, giving the Mini much more bark than before. Inside is a red leather interior with a period cigarette lighter, and a hint of the modern with a hidden Bluetooth audio system. After spending several thousand pounds on the makeover, the musician has used the car sparingly as a runaround at one of his holiday homes. The characterful Mini Countryman went
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Jay Kay’s funky Mini sells for almost €26,000
AUTOMATON: The classic car features a variety of Jay Kay’s flourishes. under the hammer with Silverstone Auctions, at their Stoneleigh Park sale in Coventry. Auctioneers anticipated offers of between €17,000 and €21,000, and were delighted with the final price. Originally introduced in 1961, the Coun-
tryman is one of the many classics in the Mini range, designed as an estate car which can even be used as a small van. This particular 1964 model owned by Jay Kay has been dubbed a ‘Q’ car, meaning that it is a high performance vehicle despite an unassuming exterior.
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to deliver the message ‘Life is out there, are you?’ to as many people as possible, right in the heart of Madrid.” When the advertising campaign ends at the end of the month, it will be donated to the Apascovi Foundation employment centre for people with disabilities who will re-use all of the materials for other projects.
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ROAD TEST by Nick Fletcher SPORTS coupes with stand-out styling and great driving dynamics that are also at the affordable end of the market are hard to find - but the Subaru BRZ ticks all those boxes. The latest revised version of the BRZ is priced from €30,032 (£26,495) but looks as if it might cost twice that. With a long bonnet, short tail and low-slung stance, the BRZ is a classic rear wheel drive sports coupe delivering a brilliant driving sensation and a lot of fun. Powered by a 2.0 litre 197 hp petrol engine, the BRZ has a 0-100 kph time of 7.6 seconds in manual form, and a top speed of 225 kph (140 mph). Fuel economy is 12.8 kpl (36.2 mpg) and emissions are 180 g/km. With a revamped front end with wider bumper and LED headlights - plus
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Subaru BRZ SE Lux an upgraded interior - the BRZ has a potent image, and on the road proves to be responsive and engaging, with an eager engine which likes to be worked hard. The horizontally-opposed boxer unit helps keep the car’s profile low and that helps provide planted handling even on tight corners. Indeed, the car comes with a trackmode system with four settings if you want to try it on race-days. The ride is understandably hard but still compliant enough for acceptable everyday use.
There is a 243-litre boot and two small rear seats which can fold down to boost luggage space. Standard kit includes upgraded touchscreen infotainment system, dual-zone climate control, sports seats, limited slip differential, alloy wheels, keyless entry and push-button start. My test model was also fitted with a slick six-speed auto gearbox which delivers a fractionally slower 0-100 kph time of 8.2 seconds and costs a little more - €31,735 (£27,995). SUBARU BRZ: Ticks all those boxes.
Rivals in this price-band are few, most notably the Toyota GT86 which shares a platform with the BRZ, and the Audi TT. Both have individual plus points but in my view, the BRZ offers the strongest visual presence in a sector where looks really do matter.
STATS PANEL Model: Subaru BRZ SE Lux Engine: 2.0 litre petrol Transmission: 6-speed automatic Performance: 0-100 kph 8.2 seconds, top speed 225 kph (140 mph) Economy: 12.8 kpl (36.2 mpg) Emissions: 180 g/km Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets.
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1 - 7 March 2018 / Costa de Almería
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La Liga Preview
BARCELONA will look to extend their record unbeaten run as they travel to struggling Las Palmas later tonight (Thursday). The league leaders thrashed neighbours Girona 6-1 on Saturday as a Luis Suarez hat-trick, Messi’s brace and a stunning strike from Philippe Coutinho saw the Catalan giants set a new club record of 32 games unbeaten. Following tonight’s fixture, they host Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou just four days later in a top of the table clash. Atletico, who currently sit in second, will be without highly rated duo Yannick Carrasco and Nico Gaitan after announcing that they had left for Chinese side Dalian Yifang earlier in the week. Elsewhere, Real Betis continue their push for a Europa League place as they host Real Sociedad later this
evening (Thursday). Betis are hot on the tails of Sevilla in sixth having won four of their last six league games and will be looking for a win against bottom of the table Sociedad, before facto Valencia on Saturday. At the other end of the table, Alaves will hope to pull further away from the relegation places as they face struggling Levante. The Babazorros El Glorioso have hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks, winning three of their last four, and victory over tonight’s relegation rivals may all but secure their safety before heading to Real Sociedad on Sunday. Last season’s champions Real Madrid will look to continue their recent good form as they welcome Getafe to the Bernabeu on Sunday. Madrid have refound their scoring boots in the past few games, much thanks to the return to goalscoring form of Cris-
tiano Ronaldo, and will look to continue to boost their confidence ahead of their Champions League second-leg with Paris Saint German on Tuesday.
Full fixture list Today (Thursday) Real Betis vs Real Sociedad Las Palmas vs Barcelona Alaves vs Levante Saturday Villarreal vs Girona Sevilla vs Athletic Bilbao Deportivo La Coruña vs Eibar Leganes vs Malaga Real Madrid vs Getafe Sunday Levante vs Espanyol Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid Real Sociedad vs Alaves Valencia vs Real Betis Monday, March 5 Celta Vigo vs Las Palmas
Premier League preview
Manchester City face tough double-header MANCHESTER CITY play Arsenal for the second time in four days later tonight (Thursday) hoping to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League. The runaway league leaders were far from their brilliant best against tonight’s opponents in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, but still coasted to a 3-0 victory over the North London side. Goals from Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva were enough to brush aside a very poor Arsenal at Wembley to secure the Citizens’ first trophy of the season. They sit 13 points clear at the top of the table and face an Arsenal side who currently find themselves 10 points adrift of the Champions League places. Anything but a victory for the Gunners will all but ensure that they will not qualify for next season’s Champions League competition, who later face Brighton on Sunday. Following their match against Arsenal, City are back in action CUP WINNERS: City comfortably beat Arsenal 3-0 in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
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SPANISH LA LIGA 2017/18 TABLE
Barca seek to extend record unbeaten run by Ben Park
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no less than three days later as they welcome Chelsea to the Etihad. Chelsea will be looking to bounce back from their loss at the hands of Manchester United on Sunday and get back into the Champions League places. In order to do that they will need Tottenham to lose, who continue their own quest for a top for spot as they host Huddersfield at Wembley on Saturday. Spurs opened up a two-point gap between them and fifth placed Chelsea following their late win against Crystal Palace last weekend and also sit just two points behind third placed Liverpool. Liverpool themselves will go back up to second in the table if they beat Newcastle on Saturday at Anfield. The Reds ran riot against West Ham last weekend as goals from Emre Can, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane ensured that their unbeaten record at Anfield in the Premier League remained intact. At the other end of the table, two huge games in the battle against relegation as Southampton host stoke while Swansea face West Ham. Just six points separate Swansea in 18th and Watford in 10th, meaning
up to 11 teams are facing the real threat of relegation with just 10 games left to play of the season. On Monday, Manchester United will look to consolidate their Champions League position as they travel to relegation threatened Crystal Palace. The Red Devils held on to a memorable 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Sunday as goals from Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard were enough to see off last season’s champions, while Palace could find themselves back in the Premier League bottom three before they kick-off should results not go their way.
Full fixture list Today (Thursday) Arsenal vs Manchester City Saturday Burnley vs Everton Leicester City vs Bournemouth Southampton vs Stoke City Swansea City vs West Ham Utd Tottenham vs Huddersfield Town Watford vs West Bromwich A Liverpool vs Newcastle United Sunday Brighton and H A vs Arsenal Manchester City vs Chelsea Monday , March 5 Crystal Palace vs Manchester Utd
TEAM
Pl
W
D
L
F
A
1 • Barcelona
25
20
5
0
68
12
Pts 65
2 • Atlético
25
17
7
1
41
11
58
3 • Real Madrid
25
15
6
4
62
27
51
4 • Valencia
25
15
4
6
49
29
49
5 • Villarreal
25
12
5
8
36
29
41
6 • Sevilla
25
12
3
10
33
40
39
7 • Betis
25
11
3
11
43
50
36
8 • Celta
25
10
5
10
43
37
35
9 • Eibar
25
10
5
10
32
38
35
10 • Girona
25
9
7
9
35
36
34
11 • Getafe
25
8
9
8
29
22
33
12 • Athletic
25
7
10
8
26
28
31
13 • Leganés
25
8
6
11
21
28
30
14 • R. Sociedad
25
8
5
12
47
47
29
15 • Espanyol
25
6
10
9
22
32
28
16 • Alavés
25
9
1
15
22
37
28
17 • Levante
25
3
11
11
21
40
20
18 • Las Palmas
25
5
4
16
18
52
19
19 • Deportivo
25
4
6
15
24
53
18
20 • Málaga
25
3
4
18
16
40
1
Pts
Champions L.
Europa L.
Relegation
PREMIER LEAGUE 2017/18 TABLE TEAM
Pl
W
D
L
F
A
1 • M. City
27
23
3
1
79
20
72
2 • M. United
28
18
5
5
53
20
59
3 • Liverpool
28
16
9
3
65
32
57
4 • Tottenham H.
28
16
7
5
53
24
55
5 • Chelsea
28
16
5
7
50
25
53
6 • Arsenal
27
13
6
8
51
36
45
7 • Burnley
28
9
10
9
22
25
37
8 • Leicester City
28
9
9
10
40
41
36
9 • Everton
28
9
7
12
32
47
34
10 • Watford
28
9
6
13
38
47
33
11 • Bournemouth
28
8
8
12
33
43
32
12 • Brighton
28
7
10
11
26
37
31
13 • West Ham Utd.
28
7
9
12
35
50
30
14 • Huddersfield Town
28
8
6
14
25
48
30
15 • Newcastle United
28
7
8
13
27
38
29
16 • Southampton
28
5
12
11
29
41
27
17 • Crystal Palace
28
6
9
13
25
43
27
18 • Swansea City
28
7
6
15
21
41
27
19 • Stoke City
28
6
8
14
28
54
26
20 • West Bromwich
28
3
11
14
22
42
20
Full speed ahead! FORMULA ONE teams have begun their 2018 pre-season testing in Barcelona. The first test of the week-long preseason testing officially got underway on Monday; with drama unfolding from the get go. McLaren got off to the worst possible start as Fernando Alonso lost a wheel after six laps on the first day. The two-time champion lost control at the final corner of Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya and his right wheel came loose of the car. At the time, McLaren Executive Director, Zak Brown said: “There is no drama. It is quite an easy fix. “It is what testing is for. All the teams will have a variety of issues. We will lose very little time. No
big deal at all.” Alonso had been on course to set the fastest time of the day so far when he crashed out and was back out before the end of the day, setting the fifth fastest time; before they lapped quicker than they managed in the whole of testing last year on day two. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo set the pace on day one and was the only driver to complete 100 laps, finishing ahead of Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes and Kimi Raikkonen for Ferrari. Testing continues for the rest of the week and after this week’s session, another test will take place in Barcelona between March 6 and 9, before the season officially gets underway in Australia on March 25.
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LA LIGA President Javier Tebas has announced the date for this season’s second El Clasico. The much-anticipated clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid will officially take place on Sunday, May 6 at 8:45pm to reportedly appeal to the American market.
SUPERJAVI: The bronze medallist wowed with his performance.
Credit: Twitter
Costa de Almería’s best guide to local sport
SuperJavi steals the show SPANISH figure skater Javier Fernandez stole the show at the exhibition gala at the end of the Winter Olympics with a super performance. The exhibition gala sees figure skaters from around the world come together to perform routines that are not judged and enjoyed by large crowds. Fresh from taking his first Olympic bronze medal in
Pyeongchang, the 26-year-old performed his ‘SuperJavi’ routine, which he first debuted in 2013, with a standout moment coming when the Spaniard was covered in a bucketful of water by an accomplice while lying on the ice. During his performance, ‘SuperJavi’ also showed off by doing press ups and paraded around the rink in his Spanish inspired superman costume for his 1980’s inspired routine. Other highlights from the exhibition gala saw the Olympic Athlete from Russia Alina Zagitova dressed in a skin-tight tiger suit and Uzbekistani skater Misha Ge combine dance moves with boxing.
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2018 CAA Mixed Rinks Knockout THE CAA Mixed Rinks has taken place at Indalo Bowling Club. A preliminary game was played to commence the competition and play continued until Sunday February 18, when the Semis and Final took place. After the prevailing cold and damp weather before the competition, it started off lovely and sunny boarding on hot for the first three days. Finals day was damp and cloudy, with some rain in the morning when the Semi-Finals took place, but brightened up in the afternoon for the Final. The competition was open to all local clubs including Mojacar, Cabrera, Almeria and Indalo bowling clubs. The winners were a team from Indalo, Dave Brannan, Tony and Mary
Mullen, Andy Cooper. who were successful over another Indalo team, Dennis Leigh, Keith Lester, Chris Ivin and J Wilson. In the Semi-Finals Tony’s team were the winners over another Indalo team, Gill Atkinson, John and Jan Dando, J Thompson, the other was when Dennis Leigh’s team won over a team from Almeria Bowling Club, Reg Birmingham, Graham Patrick, Sylvia Pritchard and Stephen Byatt. Both the Semi-Finals and Final were hard-fought battles. The Final started well for Dave Brannan’s team in the first four ends with the score at 6-1, Dennis’s team then scored four shots giving the message that this was going to be a good final. It was, however, Dave’s team never
let Dennis and team get ahead. However, on the 18th end with the scores at 15-14 the excitement of those watching could see a possible win for Dennis’s team. It wasn’t to be and Dave Brannan and team scored one shot taking the deserved championship. On completion of the competition the Delegada, Ruth Compton, thanked all those that had made the last four days so successful. This included the Indalo Club Committee, Tony Lear for running the competition, John Sephton, Colin Wright for umpiring and the bar staff, mainly Debbie Colquhoun throughout the days. Ruth then presented the Trophy and prizes and photographs were taken.