ISSUE NO. 1437
17 - 23 JANUARY 2013
Shopkeepers hope for a winter sales boost ANDALUCIAN shopkeepers hope to take €225 million during the winter sales. According to the Andalucian Business Confederation, discounts of between 50 and 70 per cent should attract shoppers and persuade them to spend their money. And that, they hope, will make up for the poor results of recent months.
The best offers will be on clothing, which represents 75 per cent of items available in the sales and which sell most in the first two weeks of the campaign. Historically, the items which sell most are clothes (75 per cent) and accessories (10 per cent), followed by technological and household goods. The average Andalucian will
spend €80 in the sales, 6 per cent less than last year. Thirty-four per cent of shoppers in Malaga estimate they will spend between €50 and €70, according to the Malaga Business Federation, while 32 per cent aim to spend between €30 and €50, and 15 per cent between €70 and €90. Fifty per cent of shopkeepers think the sales will be ‘acceptable’, 32 per cent think they will be ‘bad’ and only 6 per cent say they will be ‘good’. Only 24 per cent of businesses in Malaga began their sales before January 7, the official date in Andalucia. Last year, Malaga shopkeepers took €55 million during the sales. This year, throughout Spain, takings of between €3.5 and €3.6 billion are expected, which is almost 4 per cent less than the BAD LUCK: The car was parked in front of Puerta del Mar Secondary School. previous year. The average Spaniard plans to spend €80 in the sales, 11.1 per cent less A CAR parked on Secondary School in Town hall sources than last year. Calle Hurtado de Almuñecar was reported the tree’s Only 17 per cent plan to Mendoza in front of seriously damaged trunk was snapped by spend more than in the Puerta del Mar after a tree fell on it. strong winds. previous year.
Car crushed by tree
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Caves launch virtual tour THE 54th anniversary of the Cuevas de Nerja (Nerja Caves) discovery was marked by the launch of a virtual tour of areas not open to the public, at: www.cuevadenerja.es
Health delay A YEAR after Torre de Benagalbon’s health centre was finished there is still no funding for equipment or staff.
Dead turtle A MORE than one metre-long turtle was found dead on the shore near Calle Real in Algarrobo. The animal had to be removed with a bulldozer.
Women’s aid THERE were 25 per cent more consultations at Motril’s Women Rights Centre in 2012 than the year before. Most involved domestic violence.
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Fugitive arrested A POLISH man aged 44 was held by National Police in Velez-Malaga, as he is wanted in his home country accused of being the head of a fraud network. ALL CHANGE: Will El Copo nightlife become ‘day-life’?
Pub promenade to get new ‘daily’ use NEW plans have been announced by Velez-Malaga Town Hall for El Copo nightlife area in Torre del Mar. Changes in local urban development plans could be introduced in order to allow these beach pubs and discos to run different businesses during the daytime. Currently, most of them are closed or open only at night, following measures taken by the town hall last summer, due to neighbours complaining about the noise levels in the area for the past several years.
Mayor Francisco Delgado stressed that any change in the operation of the pubs will be previously discussed with their owners. However, he proposed that building a hotel and other businesses related to catering ‘could be very interesting for investors and would be economically feasible’. In any case, before the town hall can introduce changes, they will first have to deal with the coastal authorities, as part of El Copo falls under their jurisdiction.
Slope fall A WOMAN, 51, was badly hurt after falling down a bank when walking between Torrox and Competa. She had been blinded by a car’s headlights, she said.
Welfare cuts RINCON de la Victoria’s Welfare Council has said it will be very hard to guarantee grants for 678 handicapped people after Andalucian Government cuts.
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Murderer sentenced MALAGA COURT has confirmed a sentence of 10 years in prison for a 41-year-old man who murdered his wife with an axe in the city’s El Palo area.
Film scene THE second Noir Film Festival will be held in Salobreña from March 4-10, with the participation of Unit 7’s filmmaker Alberto Rodriguez, nominated for the 2013 Goya national film awards.
Owners appeal to EU SAVE Our Homes Axarquia (SOHA) has decided to take its case directly to the European Court of Human Rights. The pressure group is teaming up with the Almanzora Urban Abuses Association (AUAN) in its EU quest. SOHA represents 400 foreign residents who want their homes in Axarquia to be legalised to avoid demolition. AUAN represents hundreds of homeowners in similar circumstances in Almeria, including
Farming boost AGRICULTURE initiatives will be promoted between the town halls of Motril and El Ejido (Almeria), in order to share their knowledge on large-scale farming.
Police wages THE Local Police chief officer in Velez-Malaga has been criticised by the local PSOE party for being paid a €1,050 monthly bonus, for a total salary of around €4,500.
Hill run AROUND 400 are expected to take part in the first Desafio Trail La Capitana cross-country running competition this Sunday in Rincon de la Victoria.
Officer dead A POST-MORTEM examination has revealed that a 39-year-old Malaga-born police officer, whose body was found at his Ceuta home, died of natural causes.
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S Placido Domingo set to become recognised as a pop star as well as a global opera singer? This seems a fair question as the renowned Spanish baritone and tenor prepares to celebrate his 72nd birthday next Monday. The Madrid-born opera singer is currently conductor, director, producer and composer of the Washington National Opera and Los Angeles Opera in America. But he recently released a pop album - his first for 20 years - and now admits that he feels more ‘exposed’ singing this type of song because “with opera, there are not so many people who sit at home and say ‘well I could sing that too’ as there are with pop.” In Songs - his latest album - the Madrid-born star sings in four languages and performs several duets including with his son Placido Domingo Junior, and with British singing sensation Susan Boyle. Domingo, who debuted in 1959 in Mexico, three years later joined the Tel Aviv in Israel Opera which launched him to fame. He debuted at an international level in Hamburg in1967, and obtained greater recognition worldwide in 1981, when he recorded Perhaps Love with US star John Denver. In 1982, he recorded the track for the Football World Cup in Spain and eight years later formed
Quote of the week
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was not planning to sit around and wait for the Andalucian Government to decide on the future of members’ homes. It claimed that they were granted official licences when they bought their homes. “This is a David versus Goliath fight,” SOHA President and La Viñuela Town Hall Councillor Philip Smalley said, when announcing the EU appeal, adding: “The Andalucian government’s decree was useless.”
Domingo switches to pop as birthday nears
Magi expense THIS year’s Three Kings parade in Almuñecar cost €17,000, the largest budget ever allocated by the town hall for this purpose, Councillor Juan Carlos Benavides reported.
Len and Helen Prior. They became the first British homeowners to have their property in Vera demolished after a planning dispute between the local council and the regional government. For longer than five years, SOHA members have been demanding solutions for some 12,760 houses in the Axarquia area, a figure closer to 22,000, according to environmentalists. In late 2011, SOHA announced it
Closing hospital emergency rooms at night puts people’s lives at risk’
Francisco Parra, Albacete Medical Association President, regarding plans to do so in 20 towns proposed by the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Government.
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Holy festival MORE than 500 people visited Comares for the San Hilario de Poitiers festival. There was a religious procession through the town and free food in Plaza Balcon de la Axarquia.
Twin towns VELEZ-MALAGA and the North-African Spanish town of Melilla have become twinned. The agreement signed between the respective local authorities will bring further co-operation between them.
Prize tickets A TOTAL of €90,000 from three winning tickets of El Cuponazo de la ONCE lottery was won in Motril, out of the €13.3 million main national prize.
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Search over MISSING woman Irene Ayllon, aged 24, has been found in Malaga City by National Police. The family said they had heard nothing from her since last Thursday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Domingo the celebrant and Susan Boyle (left). The Three Tenors. On his 70th birthday in 2011, a gala concert was held in his honour in Madrid, attended by Queen Sofia, who accompanied him from the Royal Box. In the past decade he has performed and recorded albums with many stars including Carlos Santana and Michael Bolton.
Number of the week in Spain demand that the 20 towns government modify the current
legislation regarding marihuana plantations. One is Rasquera, Cataluña, which last year granted seven hectares of land to a cannabis association for two years.
School floods SOLUTIONS to prevent further floods in Nerja’s San Miguel Primary School during heavy rains have been demanded of the Andalucian Government by the town hall.
and finally... TWO lieutenant colonels of the Spanish Army are on trial for accessing the email of a sergeant and demanding that he send them photographs of himself naked. They reportedly pretended to be women on a adult contact site to which the sergeant subscribed.
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Australian solution for Velez trams
SEAVIEW: One of the Nerja coast’s views from the Balcon de Europa.
VELEZ-MALAGA’S tram service could be saved by plans to sell or lease its streetcars to Sydney. Mayor Francisco Delgado has said that the town would invest in smaller carriages built by Skoda and Alstom to re-launch the service. Now he has ordered the town hall’s legal and technical services to start writing a report on how to sell or rent three of its present trams to the
Australian city. The decision was taken by him after the Andalucian government’s deputy officer Jose Luis Ruiz stated that “financing of Velez’s tram is not our competence.” Mayor Delgado replied: “It is an insult to our intelligence that Ruiz says that, as long as Velez is a township of more than 50,000 inhabitants, transportation funds should come from the Central Government.”
Smartening up Mother charged for selling
THE Balcon de Europa promenade and viewpoint, one of Nerja’s tourist landmarks, will be improved under a €60,000 investment. Works will focus on repaving Calle Carmen, one of the town’s main streets connecting Balcon de Europa with Plaza de España central square. “Lots of tourists get to Nerja’s main viewpoint from the municipal parking area in Plaza de España. We want the walk to have the best image possible,” Public Buildings Councillor Antonio Garcia said.
daughters to prostitution ring A MOTHER has been arrested and charged with selling her 16-yearold twin daughters into prostitution. The girls had initially been forced to have sex with members of a criminal gang. Then they
were made to work in brothels in Gerona, Madrid and later on the Axarquia. They were allegedly subjected to numerous attacks by their ’owners.’ Now 12 people, including the mother, have been charged by a Malaga Court for the prostitution of the twins in Nerja and Velez-Malaga brothels.
The suspects were remanded in custody and are awaiting trial. Six of those held are Spaniards, five Romanians and one Brazilian. The mother sold her daughters in Romania to a prostitution network for money, police believe. Arrests were made following the girls’ mother moving to Torrox to run a prostitution ring.
Cleaning strikes stop THE public cleaning service in Rincon de la Victoria is getting back to normal after a controversial strike. Company Emmsa and trade unions CCOO and UGT have reached agreement in the dispute
that started on December 17. Workers will see their salaries rise in line with town hall employees until 2015. Temporary workers will also have their contracts upgraded to permanent. No staff will be fired. Source: flickr, carloscASTROweb.
LA ALMIJARA: A panoramic view of the mountains.
Snow white mountains THE first snows of the season have covered La Maroma mountain, near Velez, in white. This weekend the snow line is set to be above 2,000 metres, according to the National Weather Centre (Aemet) forecast. On its first snowy day the 2,068 metre high peak showed a thin layer of white on its upper slopes.
BRITISH
PRESS
Stories making headlines from the United Kingdom
Breast inquest SOLIHULL Hospital as well as two Spire Healthcare-owned private ones are being investigated over alleged partial or unnecessary mastectomies carried out between 1994 and 2011.
Private rehab LOW and medium risk offenders could be put under the supervision of private probation companies. The Ministry of Justice said they would be paid according to rehabilitation success rates.
Pro-gypsy A WELSH law change to force councils to justify in court the eviction of gypsy and traveller families from public land has been proposed by Welsh Equalities Minister Jane Hutt.
Family search THE family of a British man who disappeared in Budapest (Hungary) – where he was studying medicine – on January 1 after leaving a bar, has flown to the city to search for him.
Touchy issue BELFAST City Hall flew the union flag for the first time on the Duchess of Cambridge’s 31st birthday after a December 3 decision not to display it permanently.
Costly wish FULFILLING a postScottish Independence wish to remove nuclear submarines from Faslane Naval Base would cost billions of pounds and thousands of jobs, according to the UK government.
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No jail plea for mentally-ill drug addict ALL SET: Avenida Karat is the main entrance to the tourist town of Algarrobo.
Gateway ready to open THE main street in Algarrobo, Avenida Karat, is now finally finished after €800,000 worth of refurbishments. Works included building a viewpoint towards the Algarrobo River, providing 25 parking places, a new wall along the 215-metrelong street and repairing the pavement. “It is important that we spent this money so the town had an entrance worthy of it,” Malaga Province President Elias Bendodo said.
Residents call for action SEVEN residents’ groups in Almuñecar and La Herradura have presented a manifesto to the town hall, political parties and local business associations. Among their proposals, they want local parties to ask the Andalucian and central governments to finish delayed projects like the A-7 motorway. They also want cheaper water for farmers and a tourist plan. And there are calls for private projects like the Cortijo de Andalucia and Bahia Fenicia hotels and the El Coso shopping centre to be finished.
Mayor charged THE mayor of Colmenar has gone on trial in Malaga charged in a €2 million fraud. Pedro Fernandez is accused of not justifying to the treasury how he spent €2 million given by the Andalucian Government as grants for public works.
THE family of a jailed, mentally-ill man has pleaded with a judge to transfer him to a special centre in Huelva. Raul Diaz, aged 27, from Velez-Malaga, was officially declared to be mentally disabled as the result of a motorcycle
accident in which he suffered serious head injuries. Diaz’s later addiction to cocaine and hashish made a psychological disorder he suffered from worse. Following a series of minor robberies he was jailed. Diaz’s sister Maria del Carmen fears her
brother will not get the medication he needs in prison. She told local newspaper La Opinion de Malaga: “We know he has been trying hard, but the addiction leads him to offending. He is convinced he gives back what he stole.”
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Parking attendants prevent car theft TWO parking attendants prevented a car theft outside a shopping centre in Nervion, Sevilla. The two men, who are homeless and earn some money helping people to park in the area, saw a man approaching a BMW in which a woman was waiting for her husband. The would-be thief, 41, who has more than 50 prior arrests, got into the driver’s seat and attempted to start the vehicle. He threatened to stab the woman if she did not tell him how to do so. Passers-by and the two car park attendants nearby were alerted by the woman’s screams. The two men forced the criminal out of the car and held him until police arrived.
17 - 23 January 2013
Knife and gun haul REALISTIC fake guns, wicked looking lock knives and swords were part of the haul from a police raid. Officers discovered the hoard of weapons, including three Japanese style katana swords, three blank bullet guns, an air gun and 13 knives when they arrested two men suspected of a string of beach bar burglaries. Guardia Civil accuse the 28 year old Romanian and his Albanian accomplice, aged 31, of seven robberies in Castell de Ferro, Salobreña and Calahonda.
SEIZED: Some of the items seized by the Guardia Civil. They had allegedly specialised in breaking into beach bars. Investigators believe they could
be responsible for more crimes in different coastal resorts in Granada and Almeria.
Taking a hike
flickr, Landahlauts
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LOCAL FLORA: The ‘Five-branch Pine Tree’ is one of Almijara’s beauties.
THE 2013 hiking programme in Almuñecar, featuring up to 17 different routes, has been unveiled by the Sports Council. All routes explore the Almijara natural park and participants are escorted by professional guides. Difficulty of the hikes is normally easy. Bus transportation is included in the route fee of €12. To apply call 958 883 142.
Axarquía - Málaga East
Convent plan for Velez THE 16th century Nuestra Señora de Gracia convent in Velez-Malaga could be saved from oblivion. One of Velez’s most notable heritage buildings, popularly known as Las Claras convent, it may be bought by the town hall to be turned into a cultural and exhibition centre. It has been lying empty since 2009, when company Conclave Nostrum bought the building from the Las Claras nuns, planning to open a hotel-resort. But as the financial crisis bit deep the plans never got off the ground. Now the town hall is measuring the costs of buying it. “If we use it as a cultural hub it would enhance the tourist appeal of Velez’s town centre,” Culture Councillor Antonio Fortes said.
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Writer in court for joke gone wrong A WRITER who pretended to shoot at the King on Catalan regional TV has been summonsed in court. Jair Dominguez and the presenter of the programme, Bibiana Ballbe, could be charged with crimes against the Crown for the programme in which he pretended to shoot at a silhouette of King Juan Carlos and other famous people, including Prince Charles of England. They have not been charged but they are recommended to attend the hearing accompanied by their lawyers. The programme aired on October 9, 2012, and was reported by union Manos Limpias. The director of the programme resigned after it came to light, saying that the images were against ethical and democratic principles.
GERMAN
PRESS
Stories making headlines from Germany
Coal from the garden A NEW process which transforms garden waste like leaves, grass and plant debris into a type of coal has been developed by German scientists. AT YOUR SERVICE: The Salud Responde team can translate in 46 languages.
Help line knows your language NEARLY 36,000 calls have been dealt service to request a doctor’s with by a phone translation service that appointment. In that case, the user is charged for the call. The same goes covers Andalucian health centres. The Salud Responde line was launched when asking for medical advice and paperwork,” Salud Responde in 2009 and has translators manager Jose María covering 46 languages. Malaga Gonzalez explained to the The most requested province uses the Euro Weekly News language is English service most with 65 per “The second main which was needed 74 cent calls, and more than per cent of the time. 23,150 translations so far. To source of calls is the With a foreign use the 24 hour service phone 061 emergency centre and hospitals. population of 600,000 902 505 060, or email In these cases there the line is seen as vital saludresponde@ are no charges for the in helping health workers juntadeandalucia.es patient as the service is and patients understand requested by the staff.” each other. It can be called either by Jose Maria added: “Translations patients or health workers whenever can also be done for a will, of medical needed. records and when donating blood. “Patients mainly use the translation “The hardest calls to manage are emergencies. It takes around a minute before we receive the 061 call and the patient can speak with the translator. When assisted by a 061 ambulance we keep the FOUR Ghanian they were the wife and operator, the patient and immigrants who two children of the fourth the translator in pretended to be a family man arrested. communication at all to obtain up to €50,000 National Police report times.” In December from the state were that they had managed to Malaga’s Carlos Haya arrested in Zaragoza. obtain residence permits Hospital withdrew its Three of the detainees, and €50,000 in benefits onsite translators team. who were living illegally in from the state. Since then all translations Spain, had forged One of the detainees have gone through Salud passports which showed claimed to be under 18. Responde.
Fake family arrested for claiming €50,000
Ministry to introduce ‘sober’ law THE Spanish Ministry of Health wants to introduce a law restricting access to alcohol for youths. Following the success of the antismoking laws, which have seen sales of cigarettes drop by 25 per cent, government delegate for the National Drugs Plan,
Francisco de Asis Babin, said society should think about how much alcohol it wants young people to access. He considers that setting limits is the only way to stop compulsive alcohol consumption. “The government wants zero alcohol consumption amongst youths” he said.
Road delays ROADS in Western state North RhineWestphalia are the country’s busiest with 50,000 hours and 161,000 kilometres worth of traffic jams reported last year.
Home charity A TOTAL of €128 million has been contributed by the states of Hesse, Bavaria, BadenWürttemberg and Hamburg to help poorer states through the Länderfinanzausgleich Fund since 1990.
No means no ENVIRONMENT Minister Peter Altmaier ruled out a return to nuclear energy, in response to doubts over the country’s decision to be nuclear plant-free by 2022.
Bomb alert AN EIGHT-HOUR home evacuation affected 25,000 residents in Hanover following the discovery of several unexploded Second World War bombs by police.
Only one left PRESUMED neo-Nazi terrorist Beate Zschäpe’s prison conditions have been softened by a Munich court. Her two alleged accomplices committed suicide before capture, meaning she is the last National Socialist Underground member alive.
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End for Urende stores SPANISH white goods chain Urende has closed its last four stores in Spain. The shops were in Cordoba, Jaen, Granada and Ciudad Real, which together with the closure of the headquarters in Cordoba will leave 110 people out of work. The company was founded by Eugenio Sanchez Ramade in 1960 and initiated bankruptcy proceedings in October 2011 with a debt of €232 million. In February last year, 18 shops were closed throughout Spain and 592 people lost their jobs. The closure of the last four shops was planned for January 20, but the staff themselves decided there was no point in opening after the Christmas period was over. They are confident they will receive the money they are owed.
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Parents demand new concierge for school PARENTS of pupils at the Galeon High School in Isla Cristina, Huelva, won’t let anyone enter the premises until a second concierge is hired. The parents’ association has
been demanding a second concierge since 2008 and is now preventing teachers and pupils from entering until their demands are met by the Junta de Andalucia Education Department. They have the support of the teachers.
The school, one of two in the town, has 600 pupils and had two concierges until 2008 to see to the needs of parents and students. One of them retired and no-one has been hired since.
FORGERIES: €70,000 in €200 notes circulated in Spain.
Money gang held SEVENTEEN alleged members of a network which distributed forged €200 notes throughout Spain have been arrested. The arrests were carried out by National Police and the Catalan Regional Police, Mossos d’Esquadra, in Madrid and Barcelona.
Almost €46,000 in forged notes was seized in nine searches, as well as nine firearms, falsified documents and equipment to forge the money. Most of the detainees were Spanish who were part of a gang in which the leader acquired the notes and gave them to
other members to complete the process of forgery. They later used them to purchase cheap items in small shops and get change in legal currency. In the past year they had allegedly put around €70,000 into circulation in €200 notes.
Fewer civil servants on sick leave FOR the first time, absenteeism in Spain is lower in state employment than in the public sector. The National Institute of
Statistics reports that for the first time since 2005, there are fewer state employees missing work due to illness, temporary incapacity or accidents than there are in the
private sector. In the first four months of 2012, 1.75 per cent of state employees missed work, compared to 1.76 per cent in the public sector.
Batchelors super noodles chicken or mild curry flavours, 100 g
€
Save a minimum of
0.79 Price per kilo €7,90
€
0.20
Ve Wong Sauce soja, 150 ml Save a minimum of €
0.20
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1.65 Price per litre €11
This offer is valid until the 31st of January 2013 in: Avda. Principal del Candado, 2 (Málaga), Alhaurín de la Torre, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas Costa, Manilva, Nerja, Torremolinos, Torrox Costa, Marbella (with the exception of Avda. General López Domínguez, 19), Torre del Mar (with the exception of C/ Dr. Fleming, 26), Estepona (with the exception of Urb. La Portada parcela 4D), San Pedro de Alcántara (with the exception of Pza. Istan s/n), Rincón de la Victoria (with the exception of C/ Ronda s/n) and Salobreña (with the exception of C/ Pontanilla, 1).
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Pensioners thrown out on street A COUPLE have been arrested in Valencia for allegedly abandoning two elderly relatives. The pensioners were found by Local Police at a bus stop in Sagunto on Christmas Day at around 4am. They told the officers that their son and his partner had thrown them out of their home in Altura, Castellon, the night before and that they had gone to Sagunto because they used to live there. The woman was taken to hospital because she was diabetic and required medication, and neither of them had eaten for hours. They were later taken to a local hotel before being moved to a care home.
Axarquía - Málaga East
Search for children cost state €140,000 THE search for the two children reported missing from Cordoba in October 2011 cost the government more than €140,000. This amount could have been saved if Jose Breton, the father of Ruth, six, and Jose, two, had confessed instead of claiming they had been snatched from a local park. But more importantly, it could have been saved if the forensic scientist who first analysed remains found on a bonfire on a property belonging to the children’s paternal grandparents had not described them as being, without doubt, animal bones. All evidence pointed to Jose Breton, and police searched the property belonging to his parents on several occasions, as well
Local weather for next 7 days AXARQUÍA TODAY AND TOMORROW ARCHIDONA
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S Sun,
Cl Clear,
Sh Showers,
Alicante TODAY: CLOUD Fri - 19 9 Cl Sat - 18 8 Cl Sun - 18 8 Cl
Madrid TODAY: CLEAR Fri - 11 4 C Sat - 13 4 C Sun - 12 3 Cl
MAX 18C, MIN 11C Mon - 17 11 Cl Tues - 16 10 Sh Wed - 16 9 C
TODAY: SUNNY, Fri - 18 11 Cl Sat - 18 12 C Sun - 18 11 Cl
MAX 11C, MIN 14C Mon - 13 6 Cl Tues - 13 6 Sh Wed - 14 6 Cl
TODAY: CLEAR, Fri - 13 3 C Sat - 16 5 Cl Sun -16 6 S
MAX 19C, MIN 8C Mon - 18 8 Cl Tues - 17 7 Sh Wed - 16 7 Cl
TODAY: CLEAR, Fri - 17 7 C Sat - 18 72 Cl Sun - 18 7 Cl
MAX 17C, MIN 11C Mon - 18 9 Cl Tues - 14 8 Cl Wed - 16 8 C
Mallorca MAX 12C, MIN 3C Mon - 16 7 S Tues - 15 7 Sh Wed - 16 7 Cl
Murcia
Benidorm TODAY: CLEAR, Fri - 18 8 C Sat - 18 8 Cl Sun - 18 8 Cl
MAX 11C, MIN 4C Mon - 10 3 C Tues - 8 2 Sh Wed - 8 2 C
Malaga
Barcelona TODAY: CLEAR Fri - 13 4 C Sat - 13 5 Cl Sun - 13 5 Cl
C Cloud,
as the surrounding area and the Guadalquivir River. Specialists were brought
in from Madrid who had to be accommodated and fed for eight months, fuel had
to be purchased for the vehicles used in the searches, and the studies and reports carried out in the case had to be paid for, all amounting to more than €140,000. However, Breton has claimed he is bankrupt, so will not be able to pay the cost of the investigation or any compensation to the children’s mother which could amount to €1 million for each child. Her lawyer plans to ask for 40 years in prison for the murders of the two children and a fine for making a false report.
Missing British man spotted in Alicante A MAN missing from Sussex, UK, has reportedly been sighted in Benissa, Alicante. Robert Golden, 54, of Shoreham, flew to Sevilla on November 5, 2012, for a walking holiday and was due to return two weeks later. He had told friends he planned to trek through Granada, Cordoba, Cadiz and Jerez. He has not used his bank cards since November 8 but was reportedly spotted in Benissa at the end of last month, although the report has not been verified.
MAX 18C, MIN 7C Mon - 17 7 Cl Tues - 16 6 Cl Wed - 16 6 Cl
Greener heating NORWAY - A NEW Oslo heating plant running on wood pellets to help reduce carbon emissions is expected to be fully operational by the end of March.
Air growth SWEDEN - Ryanair is planning on developing domestic routes in Sweden as well as increasing the number of Swedish destinations, according to CEO Michael O’Leary.
Drug route DENMARK - Most of the marihuana smuggled into Sweden and Norway is thought to have passed through Denmark, according to Danish daily Berlingske.
Five caught
Donor limit
KEEN WALKER: Robert Golden.
Neighbours foil kidnapping A POLISH resident of Granada, 33, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap a boy of 10 while he was walking his dog near his home. Residents in the area were able to rescue the boy from the
Stories making headlines in Denmark, Norway and Sweden
SWEDEN - Five people – including a man in critical condition after being shot in the head by police – involved in a jewellery shop robbery in Södertälje have been remanded in custody.
Th Thunder
MAX 19C, MIN 9C Mon - 18 8 Cl Tues - 17 8 Cl Wed - 16 7 Cl
Almeria TODAY: CLEAR Fri - 18 11 C Sat - 19 11 Cl Sun - 19 11 S
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CAMPAIGN: Poster used in the search.
SCANDINAVIAN PRESS
would-be kidnapper and alert the National Police. A friend of the boy’s parents took him home. The suspect allegedly grabbed the child by the arm and began to drag him along. The child began to
cry, scream and kick his attacker, alerting the neighbours and passers-by. Police officers were able to locate the man thanks to a report made by a Romanian national who witnessed the event saw him flee the scene.
DENMARK - Aarhus sperm bank Cryos, the world’s largest, announced it will stop supplying Danish fertility clinics due to new regulations imposing a limit of 12 children per donor.
One faith NORWAY - Progress Party (FrP) Spokesman Tord Lien expressed his support for privatelyfunded single-religion schools in the country as long as they are not of the Muslim faith.
17 - 23 January 2013 www.euroweeklynews.es
Stat of week FUEL prices increased 1.9 per cent at the start of the year, with petrol rising to €1.40 and diesel €1.36 per litre.
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A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 8 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION
Bosses gain most as pay triples AVERAGE salaries throughout Europe have tripled since the late 1970s. But in the same period management salaries have risen eightfold. This is revealed in the latest Europe Survey of the BAT Foundation for Future Studies, in which more than 11,000 people from 10 countries - including Spain - were interviewed. The survey also showed that during the last three years, despite the tough economic times the number of regional millionaires has risen 19 per cent, with 10 per cent of the total European population owning 60 per cent of the total assets. Also 5 per cent of the European people own as much real estate property as the other 95 per cent. All across Europe the trust in political representatives has reached a new low with just 12 per cent now feeling politicians are preparing
well for the future, while two years ago that figure was 14 per cent. Danish people are the only ones still believing to some degree in the appropriate behaviour of their elected representatives. In Poland and Greece, Germany and Britain, on the other hand, only a small minority trust the politicians. Almost seven in every 10 people in Europe expect further crises in the future, especially in Spain and Greece, who are suffering particularly from the current economic situation. But also three-quarters of the French and two thirds of the German people display a pessimistic view of the future. Even among the usually positive-thinking Dutch people, almost half of them dread a continuation of insecure times.
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www.ewnbusiness.com FLYING HIGH: 2012 was a record year.
14.8 million give Vueling record year SPANISH low-cost airline Vueling carried a record 14.8 million passengers last year. This was 20 per cent more than in 2011. Occupancy levels for the year
Top firms to sack 30,000 THIS year 30,000 workers will be dismissed by 20 of Spain’s leading firms. Staff cutbacks will come at AENA (the airports authority), the Valencian Railway Department, the Paradores and companies dependent upon the Ministry of Public Works. Regional TV channels will also cut back staff. Iberia, the nation’s airline, also plans to dismiss 4,500 people. Meanwhile, BFA-Bankia has plans to axe up to 6,000 jobs, and further dismissals are planned by Novagalicia, Banco de Valencia, Caja3, BBVAUnnim, Sabadell-CAM, and Banco Santander, following its fusion with Banesto.
A boost from sunny thoughts TRAVEL firms in the UK braced “This week is always our busiest as themselves this week for bumper people tend to run out of money business as Britons tried after an early payday in to drag themselves out of December, feel guilt winter depression by perpetuated by broken seeking breaks in the New Year’s resolutions sun. and are knocked by the “Every year we see inevitable sun depthousands of Brits in a rivation that creeps up mad rush to book SUNNY BREAK: Many Britons on many. January breaks in a bid suffer from winter depression. “Even just the idea of a to cheer themselves up,” holiday can help some said Directline Holidays CEO, Maria through the dour January and February months,” Whiteman added. Whiteman.
reached 77.7 per cent on 108,433 flights. In December alone, 967,456 passengers used the airline, which is 14.3 per cent more than in
December 2011. Vueling continues to expand internationally, with a flight planned between Alicante and the Russian capital Moscow from June.
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Taxman’s snooping is an anti-fraud measure
Q. WE have been seeing articles in the Englishlanguage Press here and adverts from lawyers and tax consultants that all residents of Spain must declare to Hacienda any assets they hold outside Spain by March 31 this year. I know a number of Brits who are resident in Spain and who have investments and property back in the UK. They bring You and the into Spain enough income for their needs and they Law in Spain By David Searl declare this for Spanish tax. Nevertheless, the majority of their assets are outside Spain and have never been declared to the Spanish Tax Agency. These people are very concerned about what might happen in the future if they declare. Will Spain start to tax them on these assets? SD (Costa del Sol) A. The new law, part of an anti-fraud package passed in November, is drawing criticism precisely because it does not contain any reference to the future use of the data. In fact, even the forms for making the declaration are not yet available only 10 weeks before the due date. Let’s look at a few points. The penalties for not declaring are extremely harsh, starting with minimum fines of €10,000. If your assets outside Spain do not exceed €50,000, you do not need to declare. At the moment, you are required to make this declaration only once. If the Spanish taxman chooses to come after you in the future, he will only be able to claim on income arising from these assets, not the assets themselves. For example, if you own a property in the UK which you rent out and pay tax on the income in the UK, you still owe the Spanish tax agency because, as a resident you are subject to Spanish income tax on your worldwide income. It is a disturbing thought that Spain’s tax agency should have all this information about you, but on balance it seems safer to make the declaration. Yes, you should use a tax consultant to assist you. David will respond to queries but reserves the right to select letters which will be of interest to the greatest number of readers. You can also consult David through lawyers Ubeda-Retana and Associates in Fuengirola. ask@lawtaxspain.com or call 952 667 090.
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
17 - 23 January 2013 Axarquía - Málaga East
Tesco back on form after festive feasts TESCO Chief Executive Philip Clarke claims the supermarket giant is ‘back on form’ after seeing a 1.8 per cent rise in like for like sales over the Christmas period.
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ritish usiness riefs
£££ Coopers, recently called in by STORE closures and job the struggling camera retail losses at Jessops are chain. inevitable say administrators £££ PricewaterUK car sales saw a houseOPTIMISTIC: Tesco’s Philip Clarke. 5.3 per cent rise last
year with 2.04 million vehicle registrations, the highest figure since 2008, reported the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
£££
THE Bank of England has decided not to extend its quantitative easing programme, which injected £375 billion (€456.75 billion) into the UK economy by printing money. It is also keeping its key interest rate unchanged at 0.5 per cent where it has been since March 2009.
Red lights flash as EU High Command considers Britain ONE can imagine the High Command of the EU huddled down as it meets in secret conclave to decide what’s to be done about that turbulent and troublesome United Kingdom. Red lights are flashing, ticker-tapes rattle and messengers scamper to and fro, while a haze of smoke from cigarettes and fat cigars hovers above the table. Possibly that’s only a product of my fevered mind, but it does seem rather as though the EU is flapping its collective hands and running around in small circles at the very idea that the UK might one day decide to wave goodbye. On December 18, 2012, David Cameron moved away slightly from his habitual stance that: “Britain must remain in the EU, fighting its corner from within,” to admit that an exit is now a possibility. “All futures are imaginable,” he said in answer to a question from his MPs. “We are in charge of our own destiny; we can make our own choices,” adding, “but Britain’s departure is not my preference.” The problem with which he is forced to wrestle is that his coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, are for the most part staunch Europhiles, determined not only that Britain should remain as a member of the EU, but also that at some future date
ANTI-EURO: Most Britons polled want the UK to leave the EU.
Jim Collins Costa Blanca
will it will embrace the euro. That is despite recent independent polls that show a clear majority of Britons would like to see the UK leave the EU forthwith. Prior to all this, and perhaps tiring of Cameron’s insistence that he would ‘fight for a better deal for Britain’, seeking to claw back certain powers previously handed to Europe, the French president François Hollande said: “Britain cannot repatriate powers from Brussels.” Even earlier, on December 8, Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, insisted the Britain could not ‘cherry-pick’
which laws from Brussels it wished to follow. What’s really scaring the EU barons is that any successful repatriation of powers might pave the way for a British exit, thus encouraging other countries to examine similar deals. Van Rompuy has warned that “countries must not seek to undermine the EU, since such actions could cause the entire European project to fall apart.” That may, of course, be political rhetoric to frighten possible backsliders into standing straight to salute the blue EU banner. Following all this, on December 24, Germany strode into the fray, with Wolfgang Schauble, the country’s finance minister, stating that Germany will not allow itself to be ‘blackmailed’ by the threat of a possible British exit. Further, he urged (demanded?) that Britain should not hold a referendum on EU membership, since that would create ‘uncertainty’. It’s come to something when the finance minister of a foreign power feels he has the right - not to dictate perhaps, but certainly to influence - British foreign policy! Perhaps the holidays, intervening so fortuitously, will have provided the EU barons with the sorely-needed opportunity to ‘just calm down’.
17 - 23 January 2013
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
www.euroweeklynews.es New reporting law The big story here in Spain is the new asset reporting law. This is a significant game changer. The government warned it would get tough on tax evaders once the amnesty closed at the end of November, and will now impose very high penalties on anyone failing to declare their offshore assets. The first reporting deadline is 30th April 2013, and reports can be submitted in March and April. In future years it will be 31st March, with reports to be filed from January. Under this new obligation, all Spanish residents, whatever nationality, have to declare assets held abroad if the value of each class amounts to €50,000 or more. This includes bank accounts, shares, bonds, funds, life assurance, property etc. You will need to report assets if you are the owner, beneficiary or authorised signatory. It includes assets held in trust. A new form will be released for this purpose, to be submitted on top of your annual income tax and wealth tax returns. The penalties for failing to comply can be devastating. It is possible, for example, that you would need to pay more than the total sum held in your offshore bank account. You need to make sure you get it right. A tax advisory firm like
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What Does 2013 Have In Store, Tax Wise? by Bill Blevins, Financia l Correspondent, Blevins Franks
Blevins Franks, which specialises in tax planning for British expatriates in Spain, will guide you on what you need to declare, and advise on steps you can take to make your assets more tax efficient. 2013 budget Those with worldwide chargeable assets above the wealth tax threshold (residents have an individual allowance of €700,000 and main home allowance of €300,000), will be hit by the tax for another year. Wealth tax has been extended to apply for assets held as at 31 December 2013. This also applies to residents of Valenciana and the Balearic Islands, which had initially continued applying the 100% credit before dropping it for 2012. From 1st January 2013, capital gains on assets held for less than 12
months are taxable at your marginal income tax rate. This is up to 52% (54% in Andalucía and 56% in Cataluña) instead of the current fixed rates (21% to 27%) applicable to investment income and gains. Lottery winnings over €2,500 are now subject to tax at 20%. 2013 income taxes Income taxes in 2013 remain high. An additional contribution of between 0.75% and 7% is added to the scale rates of income tax for 2012 and 2013 income. Additional tax of between 2% and 6% applies to savings income for the same period. You may well see a noticeable increase in your tax bill when you prepare your 2012 return. Speak to an adviser like Blevins Franks to find out what you can do to reduce tax on your savings, investments and wealth. UK statutory residence test Until now HMRC has only provided guidelines as to what makes a person resident or not resident for tax purposes in the UK, as there has been no statutory guidance.
This has caught some people out. The situation should improve when a new UK statutory residence test comes into effect on 6th April. There will be definitive tests to determine if you are UK resident or not resident. If you do not fall into either category, your residence status will depend on the number of connecting factors you have with the UK and how many days you spend there in a tax year. While the test is a big improvement on the current situation, it is still very detailed and complex so you should take advice to make sure you get it right. It will not override the UK’s double tax treaty provisions with Spain, so you also need to be clear on Spain’s residency rules and how they interact with the UK’s. Other UK news The UK’s new tax agreement with Switzerland came into effect on 1st January. Any UK resident who does not authorise their Swiss bank to disclose their assets to HM Revenue & Customs will have a one-off levy of between 21% and 41% deducted on 31st May 2013 to clear past tax
liabilities. Future income and gains will be subject to a withholding tax of 48% on interest, 40% on dividends and 27% on capital gains, paid over to the UK exchequer on an anonymous basis. Over the coming years I would expect other countries to strike similar deals with Switzerland as a pragmatic way of collecting tax revenue from hidden assets. Austria has a deal starting this year as well. The Future? There is a general worldwide move towards exchanging information and levying taxes at rates not seen for many years. The world is changing, but there are still ways to protect your assets, and these are becoming more and more important as countries adopt austerity budgets. Seek advice from an established professional tax and wealth manager in Spain like Blevins Franks. 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 should take personalised advice. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
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17 - 23 January 2013 Axarquía - Málaga East
LONDON - FTSE 100 C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G. 6.20 1.58 -9.00 -0.76 -31.00 -1.74 -4.00 -0.37 -5.50 -0.27 -6.00 -0.46 3.00 0.34 -30.00 -1.96 12.00 0.40 -3.30 -0.87 -3.50 -0.35 -1.10 -0.31 -0.75 -0.25 -5.50 -0.52 -0.50 -0.02 -2.65 -0.57 -5.00 -0.16 -2.50 -0.44
NET VOLUME 4,903.36 234.83 606.38 764.25 2,471.69 903.83 5,621.78 2,194.38 1,510.11 8,417.70 770.57 3,247.93 44,798.61 5,247.24 3,939.23 15,946.81 2,337.90 2,293.87
CU RR EN CI ES
C LOSING P RICES J ANUARY 14
PRICE(P) C O M PA N Y Aberdeen Asset Mngmnt 397.75 Admiral Group PLC 1183.50 Aggreko PLC 1748.50 AMEC PLC 1082.00 Anglo American PLC 2037.25 Antofagasta PLC 1298.00 ARM Holdings PLC 873.00 Associated Brit Fds PLC 1500.00 AstraZeneca PLC 3029.50 Aviva PLC 376.85 Babcock Intl Group... 990.25 BAE Systems PLC 348.50 Barclays PLC 298.85 BG Group PLC 1048.00 BHP Billiton PLC 2075.75 BP PLC 459.45 British Am Tobacco PLC 3144.50 British Land Co PLC 567.00
0.83180
Units per €
United States $......................................................1.33702 Japan Yen ¥ ...........................................................119.442 Switzerland Francs................................................1.22691 Denmark Kroner ....................................................7.46236 Norway Kroner.......................................................7.36554
C O M PA N Y
PRICE(P)
British Sky Broad Gr BT Group PLC Bunzl PLC Burberry Group PLC Capita PLC Capital Shopping Cnts Carnival PLC Centrica PLC Compass Group PLC CRH PLC
774.75 243.35 1065.50 1324.50 779.50 364.65 2445.00 332.85 745.50 1237.50
C H A N G E ( P ) % C H G.
DOW JONES
NASDAQ
C LOSING P RICES J ANUARY 14
C LOSING P RICES J ANUARY 14
C O M PA N Y
PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME
MMM 3M Co 96.88 AA Alcoa Inc 8.95 AXP American Express Co 61.00 T AT&T Inc 34.11 BAC Bank of America Corp 11.46 BA Boeing Co 76.10 CAT Caterpillar Inc 94.71 CVX Chevron Corp 112.13 CSCO Cisco Systems Inc 20.82 DD E. I. du Pont de Nemours and C... 46.46 XOM Exxon Mobil Corp 89.50 GE General Electric Co 21.14 HPQ Hewlett-Packard Co 16.75 HD Home Depot Inc 63.62 INTC Intel Corp 21.80 IBM International Business Machine... 192.57 JNJ Johnson & Johnson 72.71 JPM JPMorgan Chase and Co 45.89 MCD McDonald's Corp 91.64 MRK Merck & Co Inc 43.27 MSFT Microsoft Corp 26.83
+0.60 +0.005 -0.24 -0.16 -0.175 +0.94 -0.48 +0.40 +0.34 +0.31 -0.11 +0.01 +0.59 -0.08 -0.20 -1.88 +0.36 -0.25 -0.09 +0.04 0.00
+0.62% +0.06% -0.39% -0.47% -1.50% +1.25% -0.50% +0.36% +1.66% +0.67% -0.12% +0.07% +3.65% -0.13% -0.91% -0.97% +0.50% -0.54% -0.10% +0.09% 0.00%
113.1K 575.4K 258.8K 934.2K 5.7M 178.6K 121.2K 311.6K 3.5M 346.3K 344.8K 1.2M 1.7M 303.8K 2.1M 182.0K 341.2K 1.2M 135.4K 507.5K 1.8M
1.20220
-5.50 -2.70 4.00 20.00 5.00 -1.20 25.00 -3.00 -2.00 1.00
C O M PA N Y
Most Advanced
-0.70 -1.10 0.38 1.53 0.65 -0.33 1.03 -0.89 -0.27 0.08
PRICE
NET VOLUME 2,016.00 12,330.32 507.52 1,332.51 1,192.55 882.21 773.06 6,630.20 2,420.29 885.79
CHANGE NET / %
Adept Technology, Inc. $ 3.9602 0.6502 / +19.64% Colony Bankcorp, Inc. $ 5.07 0.70 / +16.02% Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. $ 8.18 0.97 / +13.45% Research in Motion Limited $ 15.032 1.472 / +10.86% Crimson Exploration Inc. $ 3.09 0.29 / +10.36% Aviat Networks, Inc. $ 3.64 0.32 / +9.64% RRSat Global Commnctns Network Ltd. $ 7.24 0.63 / +9.53% Ixia $ 19.1999 1.5399 / +8.72% ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. $ 5.44 0.43 / +8.58%
Most Declined Education Management Corporation Transcat, Inc. Willdan Group, Inc. Cirrus Logic, Inc. Waterstone Financial, Inc. Flamel Technologies S.A. Francesca's Holdings Corporation Luminex Corporation SunPower Corporation
$ 3.86 $ 6.0001 $ 2.11 $ 29.09 $ 6.576 $ 4.30 $ 26.61 $ 17.35 $ 7.76
0.45 / -10.44% 0.5599 / -8.54% 0.1899 / -8.26% 2.49 / -7.88% 0.494 / -6.99% 0.28 / -6.11% 1.62 / -5.74% 1.04 / -5.66% 0.43 / -5.25%
C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) CHANGE Croda International PLC 2293.00 -15.00 Diageo PLC 1789.00 -0.50 Eurasian Nat Resources 334.05 11.40 EVRAZ PLC 282.00 1.10 Experian PLC 1027.00 -3.00 Fresnillo PLC 1748.50 6.00 G4S PLC 270.30 2.60 GKN PLC 241.20 1.80 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1372.50 -10.00 Glencore Intnl PLC 391.70 0.25 Hammerson PLC 486.05 0.70 Hargreaves Lansdown 729.25 -1.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 675.95 -1.90 IMI PLC 1117.00 -13.00 Imperial Tobacco Gr PLC 2470.50 22.00 InterCntnntl Hotels Gr 1767.50 -6.00 International Consldtd 210.50 2.80 Intertek Group PLC 3054.00 -47.00 ITV PLC 111.60 1.70 Johnson Matthey PLC 2242.50 -7.00 Kazakhmys PLC 786.00 -23.00 Kingfisher PLC 287.05 1.90 Land Securities Gr PLC 827.00 -4.50 Legal & General Gr PLC 149.75 -1.30 Lloyds Banking Gr PLC 54.92 0.88 Marks & Spencer Gr PLC 367.25 -5.30 Meggitt PLC 425.05 -6.20 Melrose Industries PLC 244.00 -1.20 National Grid PLC 687.75 0.50 Next PLC 3955.00 -35.00 Old Mutual PLC 185.30 0.10 Pearson PLC 1182.50 -17.00 Petrofac Ltd 1697.00 18.00 Polymetal Intnl PLC 1135.50 -22.00 Prudential PLC 925.50 4.50 Randgold Resources Ltd 5882.50 -15.00 Reckitt Benckiser Gr PLC 3949.50 -46.00 Reed Elsevier PLC 659.25 -1.00 Resolution Ltd 266.80 5.80 REXAM PLC 456.95 -2.60 Rio Tinto PLC 3474.50 5.50 Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC 898.25 7.50 Royal Bank of Scotland Grou...364.55 4.10 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2213.00 -3.00 RSA Insurance Group PLC 126.50 -1.10 SABMiller PLC 2917.00 -16.50 Sage Group (The) PLC 309.95 -3.60 Sainsbury (J) PLC 325.60 1.60 Schroders PLC 1869.00 49.00 Serco Group PLC 552.00 2.50 Severn Trent PLC 1549.00 -23.00 Shire PLC 2042.00 9.00 Smith & Nephew PLC 691.50 5.00 Smiths Group PLC 1218.50 5.00 SSE PLC 1435.50 -14.00 Standard Chartered PLC 1682.75 2.50 Standard Life PLC 352.60 -0.30 Tate & Lyle PLC 758.75 -10.00 Tesco PLC 351.15 -2.00 TUI Travel PLC 282.50 -0.80 Tullow Oil PLC 1172.00 -14.00 Unilever PLC 2378.50 -6.00 United Utilities Group PLC 685.25 -10.00 Vedanta Resources PLC 1202.00 -9.00 Vodafone Group PLC 163.88 -1.35 Weir Group PLC 1938.00 -5.00 Whitbread PLC 2414.00 -48.00 Wm Morrison Sprmrkts 252.15 -0.50 Wolseley PLC 3033.50 -5.00 Wood Group (John) PLC 783.75 -17.50 WPP PLC 945.25 5.50 Xstrata PLC 1174.75 -0.50
% C H G. -0.65 -0.03 3.53 0.39 -0.29 0.34 0.97 0.75 -0.72 0.06 0.14 -0.14 -0.28 -1.15 0.90 -0.34 1.35 -1.52 1.55 -0.31 -2.84 0.67 -0.54 -0.86 1.63 -1.42 -1.44 -0.49 0.07 -0.88 0.05 -1.42 1.07 -1.90 0.49 -0.25 -1.15 -0.15 2.22 -0.57 0.16 0.84 1.14 -0.14 -0.86 -0.56 -1.15 0.49 2.69 0.45 -1.46 0.44 0.73 0.41 -0.97 0.15 -0.08 -1.30 -0.57 -0.28 -1.18 -0.25 -1.44 -0.74 -0.82 -0.26 -1.95 -0.20 -0.16 -2.18 0.59 -0.04
VOLUME 368.06 3,465.39 4,139.33 4,512.30 2,131.02 373.60 2,840.59 4,732.40 4,802.23 8,747.74 1,194.09 540.24 16,060.61 310.52 1,342.72 709.15 7,321.11 250.36 11,709.83 824.18 1,817.58 5,206.71 1,152.36 19,094.23 166,771.60 4,013.38 1,475.49 2,343.95 4,078.18 331.76 6,676.26 1,922.46 900.88 276.10 3,043.46 233.80 859.91 2,166.13 4,839.05 1,199.84 3,194.90 3,029.50 11,894.17 2,036.88 12,109.53 1,046.87 3,185.86 4,079.82 397.60 798.53 912.59 1,320.94 925.27 733.18 1,145.24 2,916.06 4,857.43 2,168.35 23,789.36 1,445.69 1,984.03 2,249.27 2,190.17 504.18 60,445.13 491.77 435.46 4,721.74 392.25 997.29 2,935.85 3,031.25
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
17 - 23 January 2013
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Horse meat more popular on the menu THE financial crisis has led to more horse meat being consumed in Spain. From January to October 2012, 12,900 tons of horse meat was produced for consumption, while the amount for the whole of the previous year was 11,265 tons. One of the main reasons for this is that horses are expensive to maintain and there is no market for their sale, hire or training, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Production has increased the most in Andalucia, with 3,197 tons, a rise of 255 per cent. In the first 10 months of 2012, 60,391 horses were slaughtered in Spain, mainly in Andalucia with 16,608. Consumers purchase horse meat for stews and other meals, with markets selling it at an average of €2.05 per kilo.
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LOBAL
IZ Tax demand FINNISH phone giant Nokia’s Chennai (India) factory was swooped on by Indian tax officers demanding outstanding payments totaling 30 billion rupees (€419 million).
Crude forecast ALHAMBRA: Spain’s most popular monument saw visitor numbers decrease.
Ahambra has fewer visits VISITS to Spain’s most popular monument, the Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens, fell by 2.28 per cent in 2012. The total number of visitors to the Alhambra in 2012 was 2.26 million, of which 48.69 per cent were Europeans, 8.08 per cent more than in 2011. There were 73,099 visitors to cultural activities held at the
Alhambra, including the Granada International Music and Dance Festival and the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the Alhambra’s naming as a World Heritage Site. The day on which most people visited the Alhambra was October 12, on which 100 per cent of available tickets were sold, and the day with the
fewest visitors was January 16, with just 1,784 tickets sold. The most popular month was April, with 249,876, and the least popular, January, with 10,995. Most of the visitors are European, aged between 30 and 44, have a university degree and are very satisfied with their visit to the Alhambra.
US oil production is predicted to increase from 6.4 million barrels a day last year to 7.9 million a day next year - the highest since 1988 - thanks to the discovery of large shale oil reserves.
Gallic fall FRENCH car alliance Peugeot Citroen’s worldwide sales fell by 16.5 per cent last year, from 3.55 million vehicles in 2011 to 2.97 million last year.
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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
Axarquía - Málaga East
The ghastly price of being a guest makes a wedding just too costly WHEN it comes to a wedding I really want to say ‘I do’ but sometimes I just can’t. I mean I want to get dressed up in a beautiful outfit. I want to walk up the aisle and take my place. I want to enjoy the party with all my friends, but the A look thing is - with finances at finance as they are at the for females moment - I just can’t afford to be a guest at Jane Plunkett so many weddings. jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews. This year, my brother com is getting married in Ireland. A friend is getting married in Spain, while not two other very, very, very good be possible to attend. friends are getting wed in A new mortgage, bills, living Dubai. expenses and our average It’s become a bit of a financial Spanish salaries mean that we conundrum. My brother’s live comfortably to our means wedding is a must and while I’d each month, but there is never hate to miss out on any of the much left for extravagant other three, financially it might expenses.
17 - 23 January 2013
Loose change
EXPENSIVE: Weddings mean the cash till rings, too. A wedding in Spain could be less harsh on our wallets, but it still racks up quite a bill, considering stag and hen parties, a wedding gift, clothes, travel, accommodation and drinks. Meanwhile, the overseas weddings in Dubai are filling us with dread - financially speaking - and we despair at the fact that
we might not be able to attend. Two return flights to Dubai cost an average of €1,200 and then there’s all the extras like accommodation and gifts. Getting married is definitely an expensive affair, even when you are only a guest. In fact, research from the UK recently revealed that 6 per cent of us resent the amount we have to spend to attend and a further 13 per cent refuse to go to some weddings because they cost too much. The study also calculated that 1.6 million people have actually gone into debt in order to attend a wedding. Such debt can be very hard on first-time homebuyers, like us, or those still burdened by student debt. So, while we want to please everyone and support our friends, sometimes we might just have to watch the wedding video!
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USINESS IZ
Cash hoard SPANIARDS still have €1.69 billion worth of pesetas which they have not exchanged at the Bank of Spain. The peseta was withdrawn on March 1, 2002.
Fewer notes THE number of €500 notes in Spain has fallen by 17.5 per cent since the onset of the financial crisis.
Magic deal BANK La Caixa has sold the Isla Magica theme park in Sevilla to French company Looping Group, which runs Pleasurewood Hills in the UK.
17- 23 January 2013
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ROUND - UP OF REGULAR AND OCCASIONAL TOPICS
E XPAT EXTRA
LETTERS LEAPY HEALTH & BEAUTY
FOOD TIME OUT HOMES & GARDENS
PETS TV
The older man I love in my life...
DADDY’s flying in this weekend and it couldn’t have come at a better time. My heart needs repairing after finding Crispin in the arms of another woman, and what better way to fix my shattered soul than to hopefully stitch it up with sparkling presents, adorned with
As I see it... Ana Jefferson-Smith takes an irreverent look at life as a singleton expat in Spain dazzling ribbon. In Marbella on business next week, I see Daddy about four
times a year; twice when he flies here and the other when I join him in the most exotic place I can
identify with on his business schedule. His IT company has really done well and he is always jetting off somewhere or other, and when in Europe, aboard the company plane. As chairman he obviously has lots of responsibilities, and I know
MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE
COMMENT Deadly delay THE PSOE will take no decision regarding party leadership until late 2014. This is not procrastination by current Secretary General Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba or the party heavyweights backing him. It is denial. The boys at the top are happy, but to appreciate Rubalcaba’s qualities it is necessary to be a fervent PSOE supporter and they are not the people he must win over. Undecided voters decide elections, not cardcarriers.
Nice work RODRIGO RATO, having scuppered nownationalised Bankia, is going to Telefonica. Admitted, his talents will not be let loose in Spain as he is to be a special adviser for Europe and Latin America. His appointment is part of Telefonica’s ‘global vision’, according to a spokesman. It can only be hoped that he does not touch its finances, or the company’s global vision will soon need its eyes tested.
Pros look to score in World Cup! PROSTITUTES in Brazil are receiving free language classes in preparation for foreign visitors during the 2014 football World Cup. *** THE US congress is currently less popular than cockroaches and lice, a survey by Public Policy Polling has revealed. *** ICELANDIC girl ‘Blaer Bjarkardottir’ is suing her country for the right
JUST FANCY THAT... to use her own name because it does not appear on the list of the 1,712 male and 1,853 female ones approved . *** PRINCESS, a lovesick macaw parrot should be reunited with her male partner after fasting when separated, a Bangladeshi court has ruled. ***
A SWISS court has cleared a farmer of responsibility for a 655-year debt established when an earlier landowner who killed a man in 1357 vowed to finance the sanctuary lamp of a local church for eternity. *** A ROMAN CATHOLIC priest in Holland is to
display the names and photographs of parish members trying to leave the Church in the hope that they will decide to stay. *** McDONALD’s restaurants across Australia plan to temporarily change their signs to ‘Macca’s’, the name given to the chain by 50 per cent of inhabitants, to mark Australia Day later this month. ***
when I was growing up he was always working, and I rarely saw him. Because of his work commitments we may not meet as often as I would like, but he phones regularly, and always wants to shower me with gifts when we spend quality daddydaughter time together. And I’m never going to complain about that! Throughout his visit, he will be staying in his usual residence, the Royal Suite in the Marbella Club Hotel. While he checked out my own two-bedroom penthouse - which he kindly pays all the bills for - I can’t put him up as it is just too small, and my pooch Stella isn’t going to be kicked out of her bed to accommodate him. I’ll make the most of his Marbella Club surrounds and stay with him one evening, grabbing at the same time the chance to relax in their Thalasso Spa and savour only the finest in their Champagne Bar. Whenever Daddy is staying there I get treated like royalty and this time around it will be the perfect pick-me-up after a not-so festive Christmas. He’ll also have a driver on hand all day every day which should aid some shopping trips together. As his little princess I simply cannot wait to see him. But in his eyes I cannot do any wrong, so will consequently not delve into my escapes with Crispin. Daddy arrives by the company jet at Malaga tomorrow, just in time for a relaxed work-free weekend before he focuses more on business. Luckily my puppy-dog eyes still work, and he just can’t say no to his precious angel. I truly do love him.
yoursay@ euroweeklynews.com
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L etters OPINION & COMMENT
22 EWN
Down to earth shock over high security! IF it wasn’t true, it would be laughable. A Dutch neighbour has just flown back to his main home in Rotterdam from Malaga Airport... travelling on his partner’s passport. It seems after she dropped him off at the airport he discovered the passport he had in his jacket pocket was not his own. With no time to return home, and unable to contact her by phone as she was driving, he decided to chance his luck and continue his journey. While I do not have full details, I know that in total his journey included three passport checks though I use the word ‘checks’ loosely - for he was allowed through on each occasion, arriving safely on time at his final and foreign destination. MR, El Faro (Malaga)
Deadly river MORE than 20 dogs have died due to drinking the water of the River Quisi in Benissa. Some pets have been saved as their owners have managed to get them to the vet quickly. I have advised people walking their dogs in the area not to allow their animals to drink this contaminated water. Even the weeds have turned red in places. The Guardia Civil had been advised at the time but I don’t think anything has been done. Apparently hunters put down poison to eradicate foxes which destroy their game. This river water is crystal clear with no visible signs of poison. Marion Fisher, Benissa (Alicante)
Pricey order MANY people have recently received notification from Mijas Town Hall that urbanisations must bury all electric cables. In 2004, our small urbanisation received a quotation for similar work which would have cost us about €4,000 per household. These days not many people have that amount spare. Surely this work should be the responsibility of the people who installed the cables, SevillanaEndesa. If this is principally for
Snapped! By Sarah Simpson
P pub hotog r l em icati aphs pho ail w on sh for p o ton ews ith a f uld b ossibl e es @e ull e c uro wee aptio nt by klyn n to ews : .com
17 - 23 January 2013 Axarquía - Málaga East and take their rubbish home. The litter I see is either dumped or washed off the decks of passing commercial ships and fishing boats. Name and address supplied, Javea (Alicante)
Sad for charity IT is sad to hear that a very worthwhile charity finds it is unable to keep going, as is the case of the cat charity called PAWS. They state they are not officially registered (Letters Issue 1436). One of the easiest and very inexpensive things to do in Spain is become a nonprofit association. All one need do is go to the town hall, fill in the forms and for less than €20 become legal. Raquel Peña Sirvent (By email)
Stay away TAKEN from Calpe, this photo shows the sun setting over Benidorm after another beautiful day in Spain. It certainly beats the torrential rain we’ve experienced in the UK!
WHEN YOU WRITE
All letters, whether by email or post, should carry the writer’s postal address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published. Letters may also be edited. Readers who have missed earlier correspondence can see all letters posted on:
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tourism, then why not limit it to the village as 90 per cent of tourists to Mijas only visit the old town. I think that the hanging cables give personality to the village. James Binyon, Mijas (Malaga)
Staff praised PLEASE be assured, NJ from Mijas, (Letters Issue 1435) that there are some wonderful staff at Malaga Aiport dedicated to helping people. My flight from Gibraltar was relocated to Malaga for technical reasons. Upon arrival at Malaga Airport, passengers had to queue at the desk to have their tickets changed. I have a disability and was directed to the information desk in the middle of the vast terminal. The gentleman at the desk took me to a seat and said everything would be done for me and I should not worry. Very soon, new paperwork was given
to me and another gentleman came and wheeled me to the aircraft. I could not have asked for more. They were so kind. GDC (By email)
Fraud alert A MAN speaking broken English phoned, asked for me by name and said he was from electricity company Endesa. He claimed I owed them €700 and could I pay on the telephone with my credit card. I refused and then phoned Endesa. They told me I did not owe any money. No way would they ask for payment over the phone asking for bank details. A proper bill would be sent for payment. I hope this letter may stop readers paying any money to fraudsters. G Bulmer (By email)
Clean boaters AS a resident of Javea and a boat owner I agree that a large amount of debris and rubbish is regularly washed up on the pebble beach, including palm tree trunks! But it is not correct to say (Costa Blanca North, Litterbugs, Issue 1433) this is caused by owners of small boats. Most leisure craft owners that anchor in Sardine Bay are respectable people
ABOUT the letters from people complaining about churches, (Issue 1435), well, the answer to me seems obvious, stay away. The whole religious, superstitious, nonsense thing is a big deception, and the sooner people realise this the better. Fortunately, the majority of thinking people have already arrived at this conclusion, hence the ever faster emptying pews. I renounced all links with religion a few years ago and feel much better for it. Alan (By email)
Gas query THE Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism has set the maximum price for butane gas as €16.10 a bottle. Yesterday I was charged €16.75 at the new BP petrol station at Rio Padron, (Estepona) 4 per cent more. I wondered if you know if the announcement by the ministry is mandatory or recommendatory. Tony Bolton (By email)
Editor’s note: The figure announced by the ministry is the official maximum price charged at gas depots. Resellers may increase the price.
Bird answer WITH reference to the picture from Phil Holman (Letters Issue 1436) I think the bird might be a Black Redstart. Angela Lane, Casares Costa, (Malaga)
The views expressed and opinions given in Letters are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. They accept no responsibility for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements, and reject claims arising out of any action that a company or individual may take on the basis of information contained therein.
OPINION & COMMENT
24 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013
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A
Death knell sounds for NHS as floodgates open in Romania and Bulgaria is an insult to the intelligence. The idea of millions of Brits rushing to obtain jobs, have their heart by-passes and receive free housing in these ‘Eastern blocs’ EAPY EE is an example SAYS IT of how OTHERS THINK IT gullible and mentally impaired most British politicians consider BITTER PILL: Demise of Britain’s NHS. their constituents to be. All I can say is thank God you a life-threatening couldn’t even get hold of a we live in Spain. Apropos illness than a cure is packet of Rennies in their the medical treatments horrific. A service now countries of origin, fills me over here, I do remember littered with incompetent with dread. years ago people scurrying staff, where 70 per cent of And now there’s another back to UK for their struck-off doctors were 20 million potential operations, ailments and those who had received ‘patients’ on the horizon. new births. Not any more. their training in ‘other’ Well, as far as I’m Frankly, to me the idea of countries, and waiting- concerned the Brits going for treatment in rooms jammed with deserve all they get. If they hospitals more likely to give hypochondriacs, who are prepared to roll over
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and accept the unacceptable then on their own heads be it. Thank the Lord it won’t affect the wellbeing of my children, who are perfectly integrated and secure in a country that at least retains a fair slice of common sense. Finally, I’d like to pay tribute to a friend and colleague who passed over after a short, devastating bout of cancer. Leo Klein was a wonderfully talented performer, who entertained millions of fans during his 35-year stint on Mallorca. He was the unsung hero of countless charity events for which he neither intended, nor indeed wanted, to receive any personal recognition. RIP Leo Klein. Keep the faith. Love Leapy Leapylee2002@gmail.com
Chicken raid TWO men broke into a fried chicken restaurant by mistake instead of a jewellery store, but staged an impromptu hold-up of the KFC branch in Australia, escaping with $2,600 (€1,900).
Cash only VATICAN tourists are limited to cash transactions after card payments for museum tickets, souvenirs and other services were blocked by Italy’s central bank over money laundering fears.
END COLUMN
T the end of this year Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) will finally commit harikari. Indeed, as we speak, millions of Bulgarians and Romanians are listing their malaises, carbuncles and ingrowing toenails in the build-up to an onslaught on this already mortally wounded institution. When the floodgates open to allow some 21 million (you ‘eard!) more immigrants to work freely in the UK, it will also create a scarcity of housing. This will result in the pavements of our once beautiful country of origin being littered with beggars and spongers the like of which have not been seen since Victorian times. It is almost beyond belief that this situation is being allowed to happen without the beleaguered British public having even the smallest say. For the government to point out that by the same token British people will also have the same facilities available
Axarquía - Málaga East
Bee-zinga A NEW species of bee in Brazil has been named 'Euglossa Bazinga' after a catchphrase from US sitcom character Sheldon Cooper in ‘The Big Bang Theory’.
26 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013
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Axarquía - Málaga East
Youngsters are 75 per cent safer in rear facing child car seats REAR facing children’s car seats save lives and reduce the risk of injury by 75 per cent. That is the message from a study carried out by a Spanish motoring organis-ation. Last year 39 under 14s died in Spanish road accidents. It was an increase of 13 over 2011, despite the number of deaths amongst all age groups falling 180 over the same period. In Spain, 1,304 people died in out- of - town road accidents during 2012, the General Traffic Management (DGT) reported. Deaths on urban roads were not included in the statistics. The only other age group that showed a rise in accident deaths was the 75-84 year old group
SHUTTERSTOCK
Life in Spain
Boost for children
-Out of 1,000 drivers surveyed by RACE, 95 per cent said they use booster seats for their children, with 52 A weekly focus aimed per cent equipped with international standard IsoFIX anchorage at keeping expatriate readers points. informed on various aspects of - Grandparents are sharing the wheel with 19 per cent now Life in Spain regularly driving their grandchildren – mostly on the school run - up from 10 per cent in 2011. - 19 per cent of drivers reported By Raul Candela experiencing an accident or hazardous situation with children on board. - 54 per cent think it safer to have front facing child ‘HEY, MUM’: Fitting the booster seat in the opposite direction seats, rear facing seats got the vote of 21 per which saw 10 more killed for a can be safer for the child. cent of drivers. 25 per cent did not total of 141. know. The Royal Spanish Automobile
Club (RACE) and car seat manufacturer Cybex sponsored a DGT backed study into rear facing safety seats with passenger airbags turned off. Currently all children
using Group 0+ boosters, designed for children up to 13 kilos, must face rearwards by law.
RACE commissioned an independent laboratory to perform crash tests with Group One rear facing and forward facing seats for children between nine and 18 kilos.
Inspections to keep homes safe and sound
Q AND A
MORE councils around Spain are insisting older buildings be inspec-ted for safety reasons. And the cost of that will fall on the shoulders of property owners. By national law, buildings over 50 years old in towns with a population over 25,000 must undergo periodic Building Technical Inspections (ITE). But regional governments, and even local town halls, can come up with their own regulations. Mijas, Malaga, for example has recently declared that all buildings over 25 years old must pass the ITE tests. “We do not want to generate the type of news coming from other places, where a corner falls off a building killing a passerby,” Manuel Navarro, Urban Planning Councillor for the town said. He added that 10,200 local
What’s the damage? OWNERS whose properties need an inspection should keep in mind that inspectors can charge what they want. Architect Daniel Trujillano said: “In several municipalities, town halls have signed agreements with official architects associations, establishing estimated fees. But this usually is for the town hall’s benefit. The agreed charges are only applied when the owner fails to carry out the test and the town hall becomes responsible for the ITE.” But the Malaga Official Association of Architects and Technical Architects (COAAT) suggests a fee of €30 for the report. Trujillano points out that repair costs may be covered by insurance depending on the cause of damage and the insurance contract. Grants from local or provincial public authorities are sometimes given. “They usually cover part of the technician’s fees or the repair costs and are normally means tested.” But, he added, it is always worthwhile asking the town hall’s Council of Works (Concejalia de Urbanismo) if grants are available.
RUSTY: This building definitely needs some repairs to be done. buildings will be inspected throughout 2013. In Mijas, buildings over 25 years old will need to be inspected every seven years. Those over 50 years old will need to be inspected every four years.
What about people like myself that come to Spain for the winter in campervans and caravans? We stay longer than three months but do not own property here. Do
The regulations vary throughout Spain, but normally the local town hall will notify property owners when an inspection is due. There are two reasons for these inspections:
1. To assess that a building complies with building regulations. 2. To check for structural soundness and list any repairs needed. When notified of an ITE, the property owner must hire a qualified inspector an architect or technical architect – to do a report. “It usually takes no longer than a week, unless
we have to register on the padron? If you keep travelling you do not have to register on the municipal register (padron). However, if you
difficulties arise when inspecting the building or getting the title deeds proving ownership and age,” architect Daniel Trujillano said. The inspector takes pictures of the building and writes a description of any damage found. The owner must take care of any repairs and apply for a works licence.
The results, after performing 64 kph head on collision tests, revealed rear facing seats reduce the chance of injury by as much as 75 per cent. In normal forward facing booster seats children are at more risk because their head is unprotected and jerks violently with whiplash. This, safety experts found, can severely injure the neck and spine and even lead to death. But in order to fix a rear facing Group One booster the car should be fitted with not just an IsoFIX system, but also a special seat adapter. IsoFIX is the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars. Many older cars do not have it, and not all child seats can use the system. A child’s height is also a factor. RACE’s study does not specify a maximum height a child can be to comfortably fit in a rear facing seat. So it will be up to parents to decide if the child’s height and weight, as well as the size of the car make rear facing safety seats suitable. More information: www.race.es.
sign a long-term rental contract on a legally registered camping ground, then it is advisable to register. Registration can be done by producing a rental contract.
Send your questions to: raul@euroweeklynews.com
17 - 23 January 2013
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T first I thought they were early (yes, really early!) April Fool’s jokes. Then that both stories had been dreamed up by reporters in the aftermath of huge New Year’s Eve hangovers. And yes, that can happen, believe me! But no, both reports were quite true. The first concerns a white cat ‘arrested’ for breaking into a prison in Arapiraca, Eastern Brazil, over New Year. Guards spotted tape around the cat’s body as it strolled through the prison gates. The swag it was carrying included a saw, drills, mobile-phone and charger, earpiece, memory card and batteries. According to the local paper Estado de S Paulo, a prison spokesman declared: “It’s tough to find out who’s responsible for the action as the cat doesn’t speak.” Well really! You have cat to be kitten me right? Meow. Cat burglar? Feline felon? He’s got to be looking at nine life sentences. Was the officer who nabbed him named Dibble by any chance? (Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m sorry.) The second story’s about the spread of the Japanese cat café craze to London where you’ll soon be able to enjoy a cup of coffee
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Axarquía - Málaga East
Feline felon pussyfoots into jail Breaking Views NORA JOHNSON Nora, who has lived on the Costa del Sol for a number of years, is the author of psychological suspense and crime thrillers. To comment on any of the issues raised in Nora’s column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/ nora-johnson
with an extra shot of moggie. Cat-themed cafés that started in Taiwan and quickly spread a decade ago to Japan’s crowded cities (Tokyo now hosts about 40) are taking off in Europe, with one each already in Austria and Russia.
In London, the entrepreneur Lauren Pears is trying to raise £108,000 to open Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, where for £5 (€6.10) you’ll be able to relax, enjoy free books and cuddle cats. “I think Brits will take to it,” she says. “Lots of people live in small flats or their working lives make it impractical to keep pets.” Purrfect catisfaction, you might say, giving us all paws for thought. (Sorry!) But try as hard as I can, I can’t take to cats. Never have. It’s a cliché, I know, but you’re either a cat or a dog person. Whether trained as guide dogs for the blind or comfort pets for the bereaved (like at Newtown), dogs get my vote. Feel sorry though for the breed
CAT BURGLAR: Now serving a life sentence. in that Tommy Cooper joke: “Went to the zoo yesterday, there was only one dog in it. It was a shitzu.” Nora Johnson’s thrillers Soul
Stealer & The De Clerambault Code (www.nora-johnson. com) from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.89;£0.77) and iBookstore. Profits to Cudeca.
From Menton to Murcia, Monaco to Montbrison, carnival company dancer Lauren Shakespeare has visited and performed across Europe during the last few years. Now, as she prepares to travel to Hong Kong, she speaks to Gemma Quinn about how she got involved in La Sal de Torrevieja. How did you first get involved in carnival dancing and become a member of La Sal de Torrevieja? I am a trained dancer but it was pure chance and coincidence really that I found out about the group. My other half plays ice hockey in Elche and one of the player’s wives is the dance captain in the group and he just happened to mention that they needed members and so I went along. How many members are there? There are around 25 members who practise and rehearse once or twice a week with around 12 travelling to take part in carnivals at any one time. Conchi is our manager and is in charge
60-SECOND FOCUS
Dancing queen bound for Far East
of all our bookings, liaising with our international manager, Fulvio. What is it like being the only English member in the troupe? It was a little scary the first time I went away with the girls to take part in a carnival in France as no one spoke any English and you are travelling on a bus across the country and sharing a room with them, but it has certainly improved my Spanish!
• Name: Lauren Shakespeare • Age: 28 • Originally from: Wirral, England • Lives: Playa Flamenca, Orihuela Costa • Hobbies: Walking my 2 dogs, spending time with my family • Day job: Cambridge800 weight plan consultant and deputy manager at Medaesthetics • Night job: Choreographer/dancer (Beatz Dance Company) and dancer in La Sal de Torrevieja
The costumes are quite elaborate, how long do they take to make? There are around 10 costumes for us all and they take months to make. It’s big business. They are constructed and stored in warehouses across Torrevieja and when we arrive for a carnival we have to assemble them all the night before. They weigh around 25-30 kilos and wearing one is nothing like I have ever done before. I trained in classical ballet, tap, Latin American, modern and this is not
• Guilty pleasure: Party rings • Biggest achievement: Dancing in street carnivals around Europe (and now Asia) • Would most like to meet: Darcy Bussell • Favourite Food: Chocolate • Favourite Film: Love Actually • Best thing about Spain: Hopping into the pool at the end of a long summer’s day • Worst thing: The paperwork
technically difficult but it is a heavy weight to carry around when you are walking in heels for a long parade route where you are constantly performing. What has been your favourite carnival to take part in? My most memorable was in March 2011 when we went to Italy for the San Remo flower festival. I’ve never been to Italy before and we were in a lovely hotel and the people were so stylish. But I am really looking forward to going to Hong Kong next month!
28 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013
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For solutions: http://www.euroweeklynews.com/puzzle-answers.html
Axarquía - Málaga East
Time Out NEW ON DVD
Regime change with a new hero 10-star quiz
In the futuristic action thriller Looper, time travel will be invented, but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a ‘looper’ – a hired gunman, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) – is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good, until the day the mob decides to ‘close the loop’, sending back Joe’s future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination. 1h59m Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph GordonLevitt, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano
AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Being at the forefront of a learning experience is pleasurable this week. An unexpected offer seems small but could have a big effect. A friend in need may go over the top and annoy you. It may be necessary to distance yourself and give help through others. .
PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Even as you prepare to go on a trip or start something new this week, the future beckons. In small things there are clues to the way forward. A chance encounter brings humour and opens your eyes to a friendship lately neglected.
BOOKS books@euroweeklynews.com
Available from El Corte Ingles in Marbella, autographed by the author, The Man details how a new type of hero can influence and change the course of world affairs. The subject of Iran and how to curb its nuclear ambitions fills our news daily now. Yet, other than the two extremes of diplomacy or a strike on its nuclear facilities, no one has
IF ITʼS YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK: Meeting a stimulating person is both surprising and delightful. A few busy months see you burning the candle at both ends. A spring holiday can recharge batteries.
Y our S tars
demands that you find unacceptable and you will need all your tact to avoid unpleasantness, but any resistance by you will only gain you respect.
ARIES (March 21 - April 20)
TAURUS (April 21 - May 21)
Emotional and monetary wealth go hand in hand at the beginning of this energetic week. Someone is likely to make
provided a solution. In The Man, Eric Jordan offers us an exciting and audacious alternative that kills two birds with one stone. The hero, Rick Sterling, is a man who both mingles with global policymakers and business leaders and leads a secret life as the
You may feel a bit like Sherlock
one who tackles global threats when others can’t, or won’t. Written by someone who ‘has been there and done that’, and brimming with the latest technologies, sexy hit-women, drug lords, and spies, The Man offers a real and lively contemporary alternative to James Bond.
Pep Guardiola, born January 18, 1971. He is a Spanish football manager and former player. As a player, he spent most of his career in FC Barcelona, winning one Championsʼ League among other titles. In 2008, he signed in as Barcelonaʼs manager winning 13 trophies during the four seasons in charge.
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Holmes when you solve a tricky dilemma. With your intellect soaring, it is little surprise others come to you with problems.
very well if you are willing, but if not keep your distance. As thoughts turn to summer, it is not surprising that a holiday is on your mind.
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)
CANCER (June 22 - July 23)
Someone with a romantic interest in you starts buzzing around. This is all
Small matters start to clog up the emotional works. You would rather be somewhere else, but grit your teeth and deal with necessary matters. Finances certainly must be watched most carefully. Get your glad rags on at the weekend and really let your hair down. Of course, there are more serious matters to be considered but not all the time.
SU DOKU
LEO (July 24 - August 23) Mutual plans are exciting but make sure others know your needs exactly. As a Leo, you will never willingly accept second best but how can others know your standards? Your needs and desires are close to your heart but are sometimes held so close others cannot see and respond to them.
HOW TO PLAY 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.
VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
Putting your thoughts and feelings on a par with someone else will help you to understand their point of view. As painful as it seems, there will need to be some compromise if everyone is to be happy.
LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Sometimes, you retreat into your shell and your normally gregarious personality takes a back seat. Although you may not have received the expected response to a question recently, it is no reason to brood. Show yourself in your true colours.
1. Acinonyx jubatus is the scientific name (binomial nomenclature) for which longlegged spotted cat of Africa and southwestern Asia? 2. Anura ranidae is the scientific name for which tailless amphibian? 3. Capra hircus is the scientific name for which hardy domesticated ruminant mammal? 4. Chiroptera is the scientific name for which flying mammal? 5. Hymenopetera formicidae is the scientific name for which social insect? 6. Pan troglodytes is the scientific name for which great ape? 7. Puma concolor is the scientific name for which large cat native to the Americas? 8. Rangifer tarandus is the scientific name for which ruminant mammal? 9. Ursidae carnivora is the scientific name for which large, heavy mammal? 10. Vulpes vulpes is the scientific name for which omnivorous mammal?
TARGET: Average: 16 Good: 21
Very good: 30 Excellent: 37
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
cedi, clod, code, cold, cord, dice, diol, dire, doer, dole, door, idle, idol, lido, lied, lode, lord, odor, olid, ride, rodo, cider, credo, dicer, dolce, olor, doric, droil, drole, drool, idler, oiled, older, rodeo, coiled, cooled, docile, doolie, colored, CROCODILE
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 H) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.
Word ladder
SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22)
LOTTERY
UK NATIONAL UK LOTTERY THUNDERBALL Saturday January 12
7
3
Saturday January 12
6
IRISH LOTTO
EURO MILLIONS
Saturday January 12
Friday January 11
13
2
4 22
26
11
12
27
24
24
22
30 31
39
BONUS BALL
THUNDERBALL
13
12
LA PRIMITIVA Saturday January 12
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA Sunday January 13
2
3
17
19
20
44
27
29
37 32
33
BONUS BALL
25
41
29
LUCKY STARS
4
45
7
37
REINTEGRO
1
4
51 REINTEGRO
9
DARK
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Look ahead to see how exactly you can make this spring special. Making your plans clear to others means a smooth journey as opposed to unnecessary delays. A particular place brings back memories of a love long past.
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20)
There is an incredibly romantic week ahead if you only enter into the spirit of it. Let your feelings be seen and felt, showing appreciation for loved ones. You do not need the excuse of a birthday or anniversary to give a gift, just a heart full of love. Contentment surfaces several times this week and is down to your own past efforts.
MEAT
Move from the start word (DARK) to the end word (MEAT) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.
DARK PARK PERK PERT PEAT MEAT
The way to bring energy levels up this week is to spend time with energetic people. You may feel a little on the fringes initially but, at the end of the day, your spirit will be lifted. Fresh air and group activities bring the most satisfaction.
Just joking Why do seagulls live near the sea? Because if they lived near the bay, they’d be called bagels. What’s small, red and whispers? A hoarse radish. What’s black and white and eats like a horse? A zebra.
BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
Nonagram
Action and Adventure
1. CHEETAH, 2. FROG, 3. GOAT, 4. BAT, 5. ANT, 6. CHIMPANZEE, 7. COUGAR, 8. REINDEER or CARIBOU, 9. BEAR, 10. RED FOX
Looper
17 - 23 January 2013
EWN
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Axarquía - Málaga East
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Crosswords CRYPTIC
ENGLISH - SPANISH
Across 1 Saw heʼd, by accident, got the dirt off (6) 4 Diabetes is not turning into an argument (6) 7 A name for time spent in an office (4) 8 Disappears if he is in vehicles (8) 9 Joins a union, arise Mr Dance (7) 12 Chime in with a load of twaddle (3) 14 Friends for whom gangster tells tales (6) 15 Has a trying experience of stormy States (6) 16 Sign of agreement appears in no doubt (3) 18 Spread new form of car test (7) 22 Strange clue: ʻPair offʼ (8) 23 Some wombats are loopy (4) 24 Slumbering when former PM returns (6) 25 Rotates head of states troops (6) Down 1 Ate in warm, damaged subterranean pipe (5,4) 2 Confused Marcʼs returned to find 50 in bed (9) 3 Tom Daley is the new Verdi (5) 4 Thick, of French North/South divide, lastly (5)
The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English. Across 1 Principio (comienzo) (5) 4 Needle (5) 7 Aire (3) 8 Smoked (f) (7) 9 Maletín (portafolios) (9) 13 Trillizo (7) 15 Costilla (3) 16 To peel (fruit, vegetable) (5) 17 Cuttlefish (5)
Co d e B r e a ke r 5 Bottom in Cubaʼs easy listening chart (4) 6 Starting tax returns every night, daft craze (5) 10 The right fish and the means to catch them (5) 11 Begin the jump (5) 12 Alert Etna about replacement (9)
13 Has misgivings about Old Bob, trust Sid (9) 17 Begins to write in circles (5) 19 Credit is power snack (5) 20 Rolls goes off (5) 21 Expected to carry money for fool (4)
Down 1 Conflict (5) 2 Nettle rash (5) 3 Admire (7) 4 Stern (6) 5 Large wild ox (5) 6 Real (7) 7 Landscape (7) 12 Outrage (7) 13 Inactive (7) 15 Choose not to vote (7) 16 Postpones (6) 18 Requires (5) 20 Nimble (5) 21 Fragment (5)
CRYPTIC Across: 7 Salami, 8 Latvia, 9 Nets, 10 Cleaning, 11 Loathes, 13 Nails, 15 Yearn, 17 Loudest, 20 District, 21 Bear, 22 Divine, 23 Grocer. Down: 1 Came to, 2 Bags, 3 Air crew, 4 Fleet, 5 Standard, 6 Signal, 12 Turn tail, 14 Pottage, 16 Elixir, 18 Spared, 19 Given, 21 Book. QUICK - Across: 1 Dusk, 3 Spotless, 9 Surplus, 10 Again, 11 State, 12 Rancid, 14 Elapse, 16 Accede, 19 Ramble, 21 Start, 24 Rides, 25 Example, 26 Sinister, 27 Fees. Down: 1 Disaster, 2 Syria, 4 Pastry, 5 Train, 6 Examine, 7 Send, 8 Pliers, 13 Restless, 15 Abandon, 17 Casual, 18 Severe, 20 Basis, 22 Ample, 23 Iris. ENGLISH - SPANISH Across: 1 Stamp, 4 Perro, 7 Margarine, 8 Eternidad, 12 Martillos, 14 Roses, 15 Snail. Down: 1 Sand, 2 Arm, 3 Portraits, 4 Platillos, 5 Reina, 6 Obey, 9 Tyres, 10 Amar, 11 Azul, 13 Sea.
Play on Words SLAP L3 and
tickle,
1. Unscramble the name of a famous Scottish-born actress: CREATE BONNIEST 2. Unscramble the name of a football club that plays in Football League Two: POLAR VET
13579 WHELMING Answers: Slap Overwhelming odds
Funagram
Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 17 represents C and 23 represents H, so fill in C every time the figure 17 appears and H 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.
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
QUICK Across 1 Cronies (7) 5 Fake (5) 8 Consultant (7) 9 From that time (5) 10 Hurry (5) 11 Restrict (7) 12 Staid (6) 14 Not often (6) 17 Organise (7) 19 Pointed (5) 22 Male duck (5) 23 Analyse (7) 24 Water lily (5) 25 Genuine (7)
Down 1 Mares (4) 2 To open (5) 3 Viajero (9) 4 Avocados (9) 5 Grape (3) 6 Abbot (4) 10 Jarabe (líquido) (5) 11 Paso (4) 12 Work (4) 14 Enfermo (3)
Quote
‘
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison (1847-1931) American inventor and businessman
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
Hexagram The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 sixletter 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 (GLIDER) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.
ASIDES
FLANKS
SAGGED
AWARDS
FRIGHT
STALLS
BAIRNS
GLIDER(10)
WATERS
BOARDS
GUILTY
WHEELS
CALLER
HARDLY
WRISTS
CLOSER
LEMURS
DESERT
MAIMED
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Relief, 2 Ruined, 3 Chafed, 4 Dangle, 5 Ruffle, 6 Trench, 7 Girdle, 8 Placid, 9 Fleets, 10 Depend, 11 Grains, 12 Seldom, 13 Abated, 14 Awaits, 15 Months, 16 Braver, 17 Hammer, 18 Charge, 19 Escort.
FUNAGRAM SOLUTION ANNETTE CROSBIE PORT VALE
30
TV
EWN
LISTINGS
17 - 23 January 2013 Axarquía - Málaga East
www.euroweeklynews.es
THURSDAY JANUARY 17
BBC1 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 8:57pm BBC News and Regional News 9:00pm Waterloo Road 10:00pm Silent Witness 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Question Time 12:35am This Week 1:20am Skiing Weatherview 1:25am BBC News
BBC2
7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Masters Snooker 9:00pm Winterwatch 10:00pm Winterwatch Unsprung 10:30pm Married in Britain 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am Masters Snooker Highlights 1:10am Masters Snooker Extra 3:10am Panorama 3:40am Queen Victoria's Children
ITV
6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm London Tonight 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm Nursing the Nation 10:00pm Inside Death Row with Trevor Mcdonal 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:45am The Late Debate 1:10am Jackpot247 4:00am Tonight 4:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:20am ITV Nightscreen
Channel 4
6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Location, Location, Location 10:00pm The Restoration Man 11:00pm Rude Tube 12:05am The Undateables 1:05am Random Acts 1:10am Don't Blame Facebook 2:05am Irish Dancing Triplets 2:35am Dispatches 3:05am Time Team
Channel 5
6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Benidorm ER 9:00pm Great Northern Cookbook 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:00pm Gareth Thomas Coming Out: My Secret Past 12:00am Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 1:00am Super Casino
FRIDAY JANUARY 18
BBC1 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm A Question of Sport 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Room 101 10:00pm Silent Witness 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Graham Norton Show 12:20am Tropic Thunder 2:00am Weatherview 2:05am BBC News
BBC2
7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Masters Snooker 9:00pm Mastermind 9:30pm Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein 10:00pm Italy Unpacked 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight 12:00am The Review Show 12:50am Masters Snooker Highlights 1:40am Masters Snooker Extra 3:40am Question Time
ITV
6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm London Tonight 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Wild Britain with Ray Mears 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Great Night Out 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm Raw Deal 1:35am Jackpot247 3:55am The Fugitive
Channel 4
6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm First Time Farmers 10:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats 10:30pm The Last Leg 11:00pm Paddy's TV Guide 11:50pm Alan Carr: Tooth Fairy Live 12:55am The New Normal 1:20am The Big Bang Theory 1:40am Random Acts 1:45am Happy Endings 2:10am Bob's Burgers 2:35am Bob's Burgers
Channel 5
6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News National and international news. 8:00pm The Great Falklands Gamble 9:00pm Ice Road Truckers 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:00pm American Idol 11:55pm Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 12:55am Inside Hollywood 1:00am Super Casino
SATURDAY JANUARY 19
BBC1 5:30pm Final Score 6:15pm BBC News 6:25pm Regional News 6:28pm Weather 6:30pm Animal Antics 7:00pm Richard Hammond's Secret Service 7:45pm Britain's Brightest 9:00pm The National Lottery: In It to Win It 9:50pm Casualty 10:40pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 11:10pm BBC News 11:25pm Weather 11:30pm Match of the Day 12:50am The Football League Show 2:05am Weatherview 2:10am BBC News
SUNDAY JANUARY 20
ITV
4:35pm River Monsters 5:05pm Garfield 6:30pm Local News and Weather 6:45pm ITV News and Weather 7:00pm You've Been Framed! 8:00pm Splash! 9:30pm Take Me Out 10:45pm The Jonathan Ross Show 11:45pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 12:00am The Game 2:20am The Store 3:50am In Plain Sight 4:30am Pushing Daises 5:15am ITV Nightscreen
Channel 4
5:10pm Celebrity Come Dine with Me 5:40pm Celebrity Come Dine with Me 6:10pm Celebrity Come Dine with Me 6:45pm Celebrity Come Dine with Me 7:10pm Celebrity Come Dine with Me 7:40pm Channel 4 News 8:10pm 4thought.tv 8:15pm The Simpsons Movie America's favourite family make their debut on the big screen in David Silverman's comedy. 10:00pm World Without End 11:00pm Saving Private Ryan 2:15am Exit Through the Gift Shop 3:40am Hollyoaks Omnibus 5:50am Countdown
Channel 5
4:25pm Operation Crossbow 6:45pm Operation Daybreak 8:50pm 5 News 8:55pm NCIS 9:50pm NCIS 10:45pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:45pm Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 12:45am Comedy Kings - Best of Just for Laughs 1:15am Super Casino
BBC1
BBC1 4:20pm Chatsworth 5:20pm Lifeline 5:30pm Songs of Praise 6:05pm Africa 7:05pm BBC News 7:20pm Regional News 7:25pm Weather 7:30pm Blandings 8:00pm Countryfile 9:00pm Call the Midwife
9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Panorama 10:00pm Miranda 10:30pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:30pm Weather 11:35pm Have I Got Old News for You 12:05am Blandings 12:35am The Graham Norton Show
BBC2
ITV
BBC2
4:00pm Coast 4:30pm Flog It! 5:30pm Snooker 6:30pm The Big Freeze 1963 7:30pm Dad's Army 8:00pm Snooker 11:30pm Doubt 1:10am Masters Snooker
MONDAY JANUARY 21
Starring Emma Thompson 4:55pm Nanny McPhee 10:00pm Ripper Street 11:00pm BBC News 11:15pm Regional News 11:20pm Weather 11:25pm Match of the Day 2 12:25am Room 101
BBC2
5:45pm Ski Sunday 6:30pm Flog It! 7:30pm Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey 8:30pm Fawlty Towers 9:00pm Snooker 12:00am There Will be Blood
ITV
4:55pm Nanny McPhee 6:45pm Local News and Weather 7:00pm ITV News and Weather 7:15pm Dancing on Ice 8:45pm All Star Family Fortunes 9:30pm Dancing on Ice 10:00pm Mr Selfridge 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:15pm The Bourne Ultimatum 1:15am The Store 3:20am Monk
Channel 4
6:25pm Time Team 7:25pm Channel 4 News 7:55pm 4thought.tv 8:00pm Come Dine with Me 9:00pm The Hotel 10:00pm It's Complicated 12:20am Utopia 1:35am Chatroom 3:15am The Last Mitterand
Channel 5
6:50pm Pearl Harbour 9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:00pm Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 12:00am The House Bunny
7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Heir Hunters 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm The Great Comic Relief Bake Off 10:30pm Natural World Special 11:30pm 12:20am Locomotion: Dan Snow's History of Railways 1:20am American Football 2:20am Bowls
ITV
7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Cornwall with Caroline Quentin 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Lewis 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm My Child's Not Perfect 12:35am Monk 1:25am Jackpot247 4:00am The Jeremy Kyle Show 4:55am The Jeremy Kyle Show 5:45am ITV Nightscreen
Channel 4
7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Dispatches 9:30pm The Wild Things 10:00pm Embarrassing Fat Bodies 11:00pm What Happens in Kavos... 12:05am One Born Every Minute 1:10am Random Acts 1:15am The Shooting Gallery 1:45am Scandal 2:25am The Promise 3:50am Supersize v Superskinny
Channel 5
6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Cowboy Builders 9:00pm The All New Gadget Show 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:00pm Botched Up Bodies 12:00am Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 1:00am Celebrity Wedding Planner 2:00am Super Casino Live interactive gaming featuring roulette, blackjack and autowheel.
TUESDAY JANUARY 22
BBC1 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm Death in Paradise 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:30pm Weather 11:35pm Allotment Wars 12:30am Greenfingers 1:55am Weatherview 2:00am BBC News
BBC2
7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Heir Hunters 9:00pm The Great Comic Relief Bake Off 10:00pm Locomotion: Dan Snow's History of Railways 11:00pm The Sarah Millican Television Programme 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am Why the Industrial Revolution Happened Here 1:20am Bowls 2:20am The Battle for Malta 3:20am Nature's Weirdest 5:00am Acting Around Words 5:30am Making Media
ITV
5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 9:00pm Who Wants to be a Millionaire? 10:00pm Great Houses with Julian Fellowes 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 12:35am The Cube 1:30am Jackpot247 4:00am Loose Women 4:50am ITV Nightscreen
Channel 4
5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Supersize v Superskinny 10:00pm The Undateables 11:00pm Utopia 12:10am 8 Out of 10 Cats 1:10am Random Acts 1:15am Pokerstars.co.uk and MonteCarlo Casino EPT Grand Final
Channel 5
6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Monkey Life 8:30pm Highland Emergency 9:00pm Benidorm ER 10:00pm Body of Proof 11:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 12:00am Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 1:00am Botched Up Bodies
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 23
BBC1 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm Food Inspectors 10:00pm Africa 11:00pm BBC News 11:25pm Regional News 11:30pm Weather 11:35pm A Question of Sport 12:05am The League Cup Show 12:50am Film 2013 1:25am Cabaret 3:25am Weatherview
BBC2
6:10pm Vintage Antiques Roadshow 6:55pm Party Political Broadcast Conservative Party 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Heir Hunters 9:00pm The Great Comic Relief Bake Off 10:00pm Funny Business 11:00pm The Culture Show 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am Tankies: Tank Heroes of WW2 1:20am Bowls 2:20am Dara O Briain's Science Club
ITV
5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Local News and Weather 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Coronation Street 8:30pm National TV Awards 2013 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:35pm Trevor Mcdonald: Inside Death Row 12:35am Safari Vet School 1:05am Jackpot247 4:00am Midway
Channel 4
4:30pm Face the Clock 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:55pm 4thought.tv 9:00pm Gok's Style Secrets 10:00pm One Born Every Minute 11:00pm 16 Kids and Counting 12:05am Random Acts 12:10am Embarrassing Fat Bodies 1:15am Launched at Red Bull Studio in Association with Lacoste! 1:30am Launched at Red Bull Studio in Association with Lacoste!
Channel 5
7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News 8:00pm Ice Road Truckers 9:00pm Charley Boorman's South African Adventure 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:30pm Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side 12:30am Alien Hunter 2:15am Super Casino 4:55am House Doctor 5:20am House Doctor 5:45am Michaela's Wild Challenge
32 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013
www.euroweeklynews.es
Axarquía - Málaga East
Say a big no to dressing down A
RECENT survey discloses that women wish their men were as smart in appearance as were men in the 1950s. They desperately want the sons of those sartorially appealing gents to look as smart as their dads. These days there is a depressing dress code and the trend is for young and old to dress down. I infrequently meet friends; both are hospital doctors earning shed-loads of cash. When socialising, their dress code means they would blend in with any partygoers emerging from a sink estate. I passed their bedroom; for wardrobe read ‘floordrobe’. I was once introduced to three ordinary-looking punters chatting at a bar; I recognised one of them. All three were millionaires, but there was nothing about
their attire that set them apart from men I knew to be unemployed. Waiting to check in at a UK airport I couldn’t help but notice a huddle of black cab drivers; refugees are far better dressed. There to greet tourists they wore unwashed tracksuit bottoms and filthy trainers; I have seen better tops in skips. Eight out of 10 women wish their partners would make more effort with their appearance. The ladies hanker also for the small acts of gallantry that were once part of social protocol. I recall helping my 32-year-old showroom assistant on with her coat before opening the car door for her. Poor Jayne; she noticeably coloured and later confided no one had ever done that for her before. The survey carried out by Scaramouche & Fandango
SMARTEN UP: Most women wish their men were better dressed.
Mike Walsh vwww.michaelwalsh.es International Journalism Europe Broadcaster Commentator International Radio Awarded ‘Writer of the Year’ Mobile 0034 662 067 490 To comment on any of the issues raised in Mike’s column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/ mike-walsh
(there’s a handle for you) reveals that 79 per cent of men are self-delusional. They fondly believe their behaviour towards ladies is chivalrous. Dream on; 82 per cent of women wish they were. Men have yet to realise that getting the round in doesn’t carry the same romantic weight as presenting one’s loved one with a bouquet of blooms. The men retort
that the ladies could do better in dress code, deportment and ladylike manners. I can run with that, too. The ladies in the 1950s knew how to present themselves as ladies. Not surprisingly we mist up when we see those icons like Audrey Hepburn. A reserved and chaste appearance was once standard. Youngsters today wouldn’t recognise the irony in the then observation ’I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin’. Unfortunately, rather than maintaining the standards of the
1950s, the grey brigade goes with the flow and they dress down, too. Jeans and shirt winter dress code; shorts and shirt for the other 10 months. Oh, picture for a moment the debonair deportment of David Niven, Sean Connery, Rex Harrison, Alec Guinness when cast in plots set in sub-tropical climes. Those tuxedos, linen slacks and jackets did it for me. The Panama hats were superb trimmings but we shall give the pith helmets a miss. Please do not ask what pith helmets are for, especially if you have a lisp.
The road to Hell is well paved W
E all know that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions and, since I am still fully committed to fulfilling at least a couple of those New Year’s resolutions, I am about to conquer Spain. Or at least Spanish. Easy as pie, or tortilla, being in Spain and all… I am already a natural born linguist. Fully versed in bulls**t, the art of blagging and have on occasion been accused of verbal diarrhoea, but that might be a tad too much information. Not being much of a ‘self-starter’, an annoying term favoured by recruitment consul-tants worldwide, I have to enlist help in the process of elevating my Spanish from mortifyingly embarrassing to acceptably rubbish. The well-known language schools have, seemingly, avoided the recession since they wanted some €45 per hour to awaken the inner scholar. They probably attract the Russian oligarchs by serving caviar and vodka to liven up the class, which might just make it worthwhile, come to think of it.
Expat Strife Swedish-born Ulrica is a freelance journalist living in Mallorca with her family. Her debut novel $Expat Wives is available on Amazon and iBooks. To comment on any of the issues raised in Ulrica’s column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/ ulrica-marshall
PILLOW TALK: The best way to learn a language!
ULRICA MARSHALL ulrica @euroweeklynews.com
Then there was the mainstay of language schools, catering for mere mortals. Quite reasonably priced, but four hours every day? I wanted to learn Spanish, not gain a doctorate in it. Luckily, there is the halfway- house solution of the more reasonably priced teachers. I found mine by word of mouth, a lovely South American lady who offered classes on a small-group basis for a quarter of the price. So, sleeves rolled up, diccionario en mano and off I go to my first lesson. Having watched a couple of Pedro Almodóvar movies, I am confident of being able to hold my head up high and throw a couple of off-the-cuff remarks into
the fold to impress my new profesora. “Bienvenido, Ulrica, cuentame sobre ti!” She says with a big expectant smile. I am guessing this means she wants some sort of reply. Oh, the pressure… Now, whoever said that communication is 95 per cent non-verbal should have their head examined. As much as I shrug and mumble incoherently, hands waving wildly for inspiration or immaculate interception, my lovely teacher is not really getting anything. Nada! I think that maybe I should give it all up as a bad job and resolve to stay in guirilandia (as we foreigners in expat communities in Spain are known, in case you’d missed this term of ‘endearment’). But some of that Almodovar movie must have stuck, since out of the ‘azul’ I am able
to stutter a poorly-formulated sentence in response. My teacher smiles tolerantly, repeating what I said in perfect, melodic Spanish. It turns out my efforts are more inspired by Manuel in Fawlty Towers. I have perfected my ¿Que? but the rest will be a long, hard slog. After the lesson, a fellow student kindly sidles up to me to share the secret of her success. It all boils down to getting a ‘novio’ apparently; pillow talk is the best way of perfecting your language skills. It might also be an exceedingly good way of losing, or at least deeply annoying, your spouse. So for the sake of matrimonial harmony I shall have to persevere in the classroom. After all, it is way too early in the year to give up on those good intentions.
17 - 23 January 2013
HEALTH & BEAUTY
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EWN
33
Axarquía - Málaga East
Daydream to stimulate creativity
BORED?: The brain needs to have some ‘down time’ to be more productive.
DAYDREAMING at work could help boost the brain’s activity and help you become more creative. Two studies carried out by researchers at the University of Central Lancashire (UK) gave volunteers a deliberately boring task to complete followed by another task to measure their creativity. It was found that they did better than those who had not performed the boring task beforehand.
To see if daydreaming was a factor in this effect, a second boring task was introduced that allowed even more daydreaming than the first boring task. Senior psychology lecturer Dr Sandi Mann said having a stimulating job that never allowed the brain any ‘down time’ could be counterproductive. “Boredom at work has always been seen as something to be eliminated, but perhaps we should be embracing it to
enhance our creativity.” So don't worry too much the next time your brain wanders during that meeting at work, call it being creative.
34
EWN
FOOD
17 - 23 January 2013
www.euroweeklynews.es
Axarquía - Málaga East
Alcoholic spy in the glass A STUDENT has invented high-tech ice cubes that calculate how drunk you are. Dhairya Dand’s digital cubes measure the number of sips taken, giving an estimate of blood alcohol content that is 80 per cent accurate.
The cubes are made from gelatin and implanted with infrared transmitters, accelerometers and LED lights that change from green, to yellow, to red, depending on how much drink has been consumed. If the drinker continues despite the red-light warnings, the ice
cubes send text messages to friends warning the drinker should be taken home. The idea came to the student after blacking out at a campus party at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in America from drinking too much.
HIGH-TECH: Colourful ice cubes.
Remedy fit for a princess THE Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly snacking on lavender shortbread biscuits in a bid to beat morning sickness. Lavender has long been used as an anti-nausea remedy, although pregnant women usually administer it in the form of a few drops of oil in the bath. However, Kate is said to have had the recommendation from the Duchess of Cornwall, who is known to be a fan of the biscuits. If you can’t get your hands on the biscuits, then there are other traditional methods used to help ease morning sickness. Try drinking herbal tea (especially ginger) and teas made with lemon balm and peppermint, which are also known to reduce nausea. It is recommended that you drink flat, roomtemperature ginger ale to settle your stomach and smelling a slice of lemon has been reported to help. Crackers are the plainest food for those feeling sick and fennel seed is a nausea remedy from Chinese folk medicine.
SICKNESS SOLUTION: Lavender biscuits.
What an edible waste! NEARLY half of all the food we buy gets binned, even though a lot of it is still edible.
Experts say that our throwaway consumer culture and confusion over sell-by dates on food is to blame, as well as special offers that encourage people to buy more than they need. Food waste expert Emma Marsh said: “Our research has shown that 7.2 million tons of food and drink waste is generated by households in the UK each year. “Of this, 4.4 million tons is avoidable food waste. This avoidable OLIVE OIL: Spain is largest producer. food waste has a value of £12 billion (€15 billion) per year.” Globally, around SPAIN produces 44 per cent of the world’s olive half of all food oil, more than twice that of Italy and four times produced, two billion that of Greece. More than a quarter of Spanish tons worth, goes to oil (10 per cent of the total world production) waste, she claimed. comes from Jaen.
It’s a food fact
PROPERTY
36 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013
www.euroweeklynews.es
Axarquía - Málaga East
House movement in Spain: Warning signs to watch for The potential perils of subsidence and heave
U
NFORTUNATELY, some of the building work undertaken in Spain during the past few years has not been very good. This was particularly true of construction during the glory years of the boom. At that time there were simply not enough skilled building workers to meet the demand for new buildings and some work was undertaken by unskilled workers or constructors ‘learning on the job’. Meanwhile, of course, any building control on behalf of local authorities in Spain was often dismal, certainly when compared to the rigour applied in the UK. Overwhelmed by the amount of buildings being constructed, local authority building control often ceased to function in any meaningful way or was subject to corruption and undue influence. Indeed, the building project architect rather than the town hall
Nick Snelling Web master www.culturespain.com and author of 5 books including: ‘How to Buy Spanish Property and Move to Spain – Safely’ and ‘The Laptop Entrepreneur’
BUILDING WOES: Poor standards of work and lack of control in the boom years has resulted in problems. architect or ‘tecnico’ would normally be ultimately responsible for defects, other than basic checks (mainly of the planning application only). So, the town halls typically left it up to the builder and his architect to produce the house. In some cases, young and relatively inexper-ienced architects were put in
charge of signing off projects with some constructors encouraging their own sons and daughters to qualify as architects, resulting in all the signing off being completed ‘in house’. The end result has been that structural problems with Spanish properties are not uncommon. Indeed, deliberate cost cutting, lack of knowledge or little authoritative supervision has meant that some properties have inadequate foun-dations or a structure that is inherently defective. Of course, poor foundations can adversely affect a property and make it subject to either subsidence or heave. These problems can affect any badly
constructed building and are not, by any means, restricted to just villas on steep hillsides. Certainly, subsidence can occur regardless of the type of property, with it equally affecting blocks of flats, town houses or casitas. Furthermore, properties do not have to be located on a hillside to suffer movement. Some areas of level ground can cause subsidence, depending upon the substrate concerned. Areas of infill or clay are notorious for causing problems, unless the foundations laid are properly done, to the correct specification. What are the signs of movement and what should you do?
Well, assessing whether a property has movement (and why and to what extent) is not something you should attempt to do unless you are a qualified surveyor or structural engineer. However, if you notice the following then you would be wise to obtain professional advice, as soon as possible: 1. Cracking where the crack is wider at one end than the other. 2. Vertical, horizontal or diagonal cracking to house walls or roof eaves areas. 3. Cracking to floors; the separation of a floor from a wall at skirting level. 4. Cracking to ceilings; separation of a ceiling from a wall 5. Sticking windows or doors. Doors that swing shut or open on their own. Sticking blinds. 6. Damp filtration via cracked areas in walls or roof structure. 7. Rotating steps or balustrades. 8. Swimming pool water that is not level with tile lines.
9. Damp filtration via cracked areas in walls or roof structure. 10. Leaning walls or sloping internal floors. Of course, not all movement is serious and you should not panic, if you see some of the above indications in your own home. There may be no problem or only a minor one that is easily remedied. However (as with everything else in life!), if there is a problem then it is best to ‘catch it early’. This is particularly true if you have a ‘Decenal’ policy or Builder’s Guarantee, which may well be about to expire. The latter is only valid for 10 years and the last thing you want is for there to be a problem that would have been covered by the Decenal, had you notified your insurer in time!
Nick Snelling is the author of five books including ‘How to Buy Spanish property and Move to Spain – Safely!’ and runs the information site Culture Spain.
38 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013
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STREET TALK Ryanair was recently voted the worst airline in Europe in a survey of 16 budget airlines. But what do expatriates think
about the airline, which is so strict on baggage size and weight, plus extra charges?
What some expats think of Ryanair
Jeff Dolan. price structure add-ons, I just want an overall price. I have never used the airline, which remains my last choice.” Shelly Conway from
ROB WILSON / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
A
PRIL MOCHIL regularly flies Ryanair when visiting family in Bristol. “They are often cheaper than easyJet, but the plastic yellow headrests and the rude attitude of hostesses make me cringe each time,” says the Benalmadena expat. Argentinian-born Manuel Ortega identifies with only good experiences on the four occasions he has flown Ryanair, although the Altea resident is concerned by “increasing inflexibility about the size of hand luggage and suitcase weight, which does irritate me.” Matthew Schovrage from Marbella has no strong airline preference as long as the carrier gets him to his destination on time. “I can’t stand delays, and that rarely occurs with Ryanair, though I feel the fanfare when the plane lands on time is a little unnecessary.” But Jeff Dolan makes a point of not using Ryanair when he visits his holiday home in Vistabella on the Costa Blanca. “When it was launched I didn’t like all the
April Mochil. Quesada on the Costa Blanca thinks otherwise. “Everybody slates them but I have not had any problems. Despite all the extra costs for luggage
Manuel Ortega. and taxes and admin fees, they still come up a lot cheaper than other airlines.” Walking long distances and no seat choice are minuses for
SKY HIGH: Many passengers complain about Ryanair. Rita Gibbs, also from Quesada. “I will never use them again; I felt money was more important than customer service. We call it the Harrods’ elbow, where everyone is shoving each other like during the London store’s sales.” And Sophie Vincent from Altea has nicknamed Ryanair Rat Air. “It is cheap and we often use it for family holidays.” says Sophie. “Given this, it seems unfair that when my husband is sent abroad by his company, he usually flies business class.”
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LTHOUGH the serious cutback started last week a few things were trimmed earlier to take advantage of the continuing warm sunny weather. Overgrown herb plants were cut for drying in our tray dryer and in bunches in the sun. But these need taking inside at night to prevent them reabsorbing moisture. Decorative sages were cut back to provide cuttings for new plants. But last week the cutting back of larger plants started in earnest. The shredder was taken out of the shed to reduce the volume for the compost heap. Cutting back tasks 1 Lantanas have done their job of flowering from spring to Los Reyes but now need pruning. Flowering growth will be cut back just leaving one or two budding points on each stem. Standards need cutting to shape to stimulate side shoots and create a round head.
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2 Bougainvillaeas of all sizes and colours will benefit from pruning. Lightly prune young plants but be harder on established mature plants to stop them getting out of control.
OLEANDER: Trim to prevent plants getting leggy. Cut out the water shoots which tend to have lighter green bark, larger leaves and bigger thorns. After pruning check that any ties are not too tight or loose.
3 Oleander require pruning to prevent them getting too tall and leggy. We cut back shrubs to a size and shape suitable for their position in shrub and perennial beds.
4 Cersis Judas trees need trimming to shape and a size suitable for their situation and the stripping of the numerous seed pods from last year’s Easter flowerings. 5 Roses growing alongside our fruit growing area provided a last good bunch for a new year vase but have now been pruned back to two buds, weeded and mulched with horse manure. 6 Grapevine leaves have now fallen so it’s time to prune them to stimulate strong growth buds for the spring. Cut back bushes and stand-
ards to three or four eyes/ buds on four main branches. If you are training a young plant to grow up the supports of a gazebo or eventually cover it for shade and fruit, retain just the strongest branch when it reaches the required height. 7 Leonotis plants will be cut back to stimulate good displays in the summer and autumn. 8 Carob trees will be pruned according to their purpose. The most mature, important for summer shade, will be pruned in the traditional style as a flat topped wide column. Having finished these jobs, in January and February we will work through the flower garden and fruit trees following our own advice in ‘Your Garden in Spain and Growing Healthy Fruit in Spain.’ ©Clodagh and Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com January 2013
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MOTOR INSURANCE. For the most competitive quotes in English call Linea Directa on 902 123 153, you could save as much as 30% and you can transfer your existing no claims bonus. Call Linea Directa on 902 123 153 for motor insurance with a human voice in English from Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and save money now! WANTED expat owned Spanish cars. If you have a quality car with service history that you want to sell, please phone us and we will pay the top price in cash for it. Remember Robertson, the name you can trust. Over 46 years buying and selling cars and more than 26 years in Spain. We are a small family business and will make sure that all documentation is correctly taken care of. Phone Gordon 608 658 785 or ladies you can ring me, Samantha Robertson on 952 832 173. See our web page www.robertsoncars-spain .com (200963) AUTOMATIC Opel Astra 2000 1.6 Comfort, one owner (nearly) silver, air condition, PAS, only 2,500 euros. Samantha and Gordon Robertson 952 832 173 / 608 658 785 www.robertson cars-spain.com (200963)
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4X4 DIESEL MITSUBISHI Montero 3.2GLS long wheel base, 2003, “top of the range”, one lady owner, gold, alloy wheels, air con, 5 speed, was €7,995 now €6,500. Samantha or Gordon Robertson 952 832 173 / 608 658 785 (200963) SEVEN seater automatic 2008 Toyota Corolla Verso VVTI, one owner, only 53,000kms (33,000miles), sale due to relocation, climate control, electric everything, good looking in grey with alloy wheels, now 9,995 euros. Samantha or Gordon Robertson 952 832 173 or 608 658 785 www.robertsoncars-spain.com (200963) 4x4 AUTOMATIC Ford Explorer XLT Limited Edition 1995, UK reg, but left hand drive, only 47,000 miles, looks right in white, air con, CD player, rarely used holiday jeep, great for bad roads and campo, now 2,995 euros. Samantha or Gordon Robertson 608 658 785 / 952 832 173 www.robertsoncars-spain.com (200963) RENAULT Clio 1.2 Alize 1999, 5 door, low kms, air con, red, runaround, only 1,500 euros. Samantha or Gordon Robertson 952 832 173 / 608 658 785 www.robertsoncars-spain.com (200963) JUST arrived SuperSport Coupe Nissan 350Z (300 BHP), only 18,000kms (approx 11,000 miles). FSH, striking in copper colour with black leather, this is a real driver’s car, see it on our web page, cost new 45,000 euros. What a bargain at 16,995 euros. Phone Gordon for more information 608 658 785 / 952 832 173. www.robertsoncars-spain.com (200963)
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Mercedes’ E-Class has arrived L
IKE the Saloon and Estate models, Mercedes-Benz has completely revised the Coupe and Cabriolet members of the E-Class family. New additions include powerful BlueDIRECT four-cylinder engines featuring new injection technology and assistance systems, which come under the heading ‘Intelligent drive.’ These are systems which can help to prevent accidents with crossing vehicles or pedestrians, like the Active Lane Keeping Assist and the anti-glare, permanent high-beam headlamps, for example. The E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet have a base price of €40,450 and €44,100, respec-
VISUALS: Both the Coupé and Cabriolet draw on the new Mercedes-Benz design idiom. tively. The main feature of the new look E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet is the revised front with new headlamps comprising a single headlamp lens over all functional elements. The headlamps are fitted with anti-dazzle LED lights as standard, with full LED technology now available for
the first time in this class as an option. Flowing light elements within the headlamps reinforce the ‘twin-headlamp’ look which is typical of the E-Class. New front bumpers with a more pronounced V-shape and large air intakes give the cars a more dynamic look.
SINCE the financial crisis broke out in 2007, illegal car sales have risen by 20 per cent in Spain. According to the Ganvam national association of vehicle dealers, of the overall annual sales between individuals, around 10 per cent are fraudulent. This means some 95,000 vehicles at an estimated value of €300 million every year. Most illegal sales are done in shopping centre car parks used as if they were some sort of showroom, Ganvam reported. This blackmarket is considered unfair competition for car dealers, the association said. These private
flickr, Nemigo.
Dangers of buying a car illegally on the street
ATTENTION: Street car sales do not guarantee administrative and technical reliability, dealers say. dealers operate with no municipal licence, do not pay taxes and are
not registered on the IAE trade income tax list. Selling a car on the driveway in Spain can be allowed or forbidden by law – with fines of up to €3,000 in Alicante city, for example - depending on The motorcycle is the town’s regulations. In powered by a wellsome towns, councils proven 125cc fuelneed to be notified before injected four-stroke displaying a for sale sign. engine, which has been The benefits of buying a tuned for better economy and smoother new or second-hand car torque and power from a professional delivery. It also dealer, is they are covered features a motorcycleby law with a warranty style four-speed gearand are given a signed box and clutch. contract and invoice as proof of purchase.
Fun and edgy MSX125 THE new MSX125 carries on the tradition of the original, small-wheeled leisure motorcycle, defined by Honda in 1963 with the iconic Monkey. It is nimble, yet has a fully-fledged feel thanks to a selection of standard sized motorcycle parts.
Inside the vehicles, stylish materials dominate alongside clean-cut surfaces and the twopart trim which stretches across the entire dashboard. It can be selected in a wood or aluminium look, thereby rounding off the high-quality overall impression made by each interior. One special benefit of the new E-Class Cabriolet is that, thanks to the acoustic soft top with its particularly highgrade insulation, the
Honda’s MSX125 is due on sale in European markets in late spring 2013. No prices are known yet. It is part mini-bike, part motorcycle, with engaging performance matched to confident handling and styling combining a sense of fun with urban edge.
vehicle has the lowest noise level in its class. As standard, the Coupe and Cabriolet are fitted with the Agility Control suspension with selective damping system. The shock absorbers adapt to road surface conditions, thereby ensuring a high level of ride comfort. The Audio 20 CD Radio also comes as standard equipment. It features a 14.7 cm TFT colour display, twin tuner and MP3capable CD player as well as a USB connection. Mercedes-Benz is offering a wide choice of petrol and diesel engines for the E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet. All are equipped with the ECO start/stop system. Six petrol engines are available ranging in output from 135 kW (184 hp) to 300 kW (408 hp) and there are also three diesel engines ranging from 125 kW (170 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp).
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Kiosk literature and La Casita de Papel J
UST around the corner from my apartment is a news-stand called La Casita de Papel. During siesta and non-business hours, it is a small austere aluminum box. Come business hours, however, La Casita opens up like a flower in full bloom. It becomes a colorful display of glossy magazines featuring eye-catching photos of movie stars and celebrities. These periodicals cover a full spectrum of topics from football players to high-tech toys, from pets to FULL SPECTRUM: motorcycles, from Kiosks sell travel destinations to periodicals on a Consider This fashion. There are so US citizen Jack is spending the first years of huge range of many magazines La his retirement in Almeria. His articles have topics. been published in Spain and the US. Casita has wing-like book racks along its associated sides that fold back. stacks of newspapers? with Also featured are lottery Why so many magazines ‘commuting’ tickets, comic books, and so little newsprint? Do where paperback books and the Spanish disseminate readers buy postcards, which all add up ‘news’ differently? This is a a copy at the to a kaleidoscope of full- ‘news-stand’ is it not? start of their journey and colour display. The newspaper reader- deposit it at the end. By contrast, there seems ship culture in Spain is quite Home delivery and to be a limited supply of different from that of other monthly subscriptions are daily newspapers. free press democracies. still quite popular but these Foreign visitors might Newspaper readership in concepts are virtually wonder: Where are the the UK and the US is often unknown in Spain. Spanish newspapers are most likely to be shared at work, home or in a café. Those few newspapers that do appear (in La Casita’s case El Pais, El Mundo, ABC) tend to be geared toward ‘serious journalism’ that give a focused coverage to political, economic and international news. If there is a paucity of newspaper choice in Spain that gap is covered by the magazine industry. Whereas Spanish daily newspapers fail to cover the equivalent of social diaries or gossip columns, the thriving magazine industry has picked up the slack. The most popular publications devoted to the lovelives and gossip of Spain’s rich and famous (for
Jack Gaioni
No tabloids AMERICAN tabloids or what is known as ‘red top’ journalism in Britain has no counterpart in Spain. Statistics seem to bear out the fact that newspaper readership in Spain is different. In 2002 within the UK, 62 per cent of adults would read a newspaper on any given day. In Spain, only 34 per cent picked up any newsprint.
example HOLA and Pronto) sell an amazing two-and-a-half million copies a week. These publications are collectively known as ‘prensa de corazon’ or press of the heart. Journalistic historians agree that the immense popularity of this genre is a reaction to the rigors and ‘colourlessness’ of Francoist Spain. During the 40 years of Franco’s rule, the government had complete control of all forms of the media including the press, literature and cinema. Censorship was omnipresent and dissent was not tolerated. The state was the principal newspaper publisher as all newsprint was placed under control of the government press agency. The agency’s name, The National Propaganda Agency, left little doubt as to its stated mission. The press was something other than a for-profit enterprise.
Readership differences may also have to do with the proclivities of those who enter Spanish journalism schools. Most of Spain’s newsprint journalists are products of just a few official schools. These schools were deemed ‘official’ as a way of controlling what had been a traditionally troublesome profession. Journalists must be registered by the government, must be graduates of a recognised journalism school and are pressured to join unions or like-minded professional organisations. Even though the Constitution of 1978 guaranteed the rights of a free press, there still is a hangover from the Franco era with what gets printed and where. It should come to anyone paying attention that the newspaper business is in a period of rapid transformation. Satellite technology, the internet, online versions and the social media are changing the news. Just last week La Casita de Papel began to offer itself as a gratis Wi-Fi zone. Stay tuned!
Rich press tradition SPAIN has a long and storied press tradition. Its roots are to be found in the 17th and 18th century gazettes. Political and military news and later the arts and sciences, were circulated in Spain in a public almanac format. The readership consisted of those few urban dwellers that were literate (less than 20 per cent). Newspapers continued to proliferate into the 19th century when they reached a zenith of public fascination with journalism. Newspapers became the heartbeat of the period. Readers were not only attracted by the general and political news, but by articles from the wellknown authors of the day. Sometimes these authors defended the restless world of politics while other times were critical of it. Newspapers took on the role of the public conscience denouncing poverty, illiteracy, public health and making suggestions for improvement of the national economy. In 1900, there were more than 2,000 circulated newspapers in Spain. Today there are 136 papers in print and the majority of those are non-daily, regional, a niche topic or a foreign language paper such as the Euro Weekly News.
SPORT
48 EWN
17 - 23 January 2013 Axarquía- Málaga East
www.euroweeklynews.es
Heineken Cup action hots up T
HE last round of Heineken Cup rug-by group matches will be played this weekend. Biarritz, Clermont, Leicester/Toulouse, Leinster, Montpellier, Munster, Northampton/Castres, Saracens, Toulon and Ulster will round off their Heineken Cup group games ahead of the quarter-finals. Moving to football there are London derbies involving Arsenal and Chelsea and West Ham and QPR. Elsewhere, WBA play Aston Villa at The Hawthorns, Tottenham meet Manchester United and Manchester City, seven points behind their nearneighbours, play Fulham. Many teams will have to do without their star African players as the African Cup of Nations gets under way
RECORD-BEATER: Lionel Messi’s list of achievements goes on and on. Natu rspo rts / Shut terst ock. com
Marvellous Messi
SPORTS SCENE By Tony Matthews A former football player and the world’s most prolific author of football books (more than 100 published), Tony is also the sports reporter for Spectrum Radio and lives in the Cabrera mountains.
in South Africa this weekend. * Southampton won last weekend’s Premiership ‘relegation’ six-pointer 1-0 to send Aston Villa into the bottom three; Reading came back from 2-0 down to beat WBA and QPR drew with Spurs. * Both Arsenal and Manchester City finished with 10 men as the visitors won 2-0 while Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford, Robin van Persie netting his 20th goal of this season. * Jonathan Waters, making his 100th appearance for Stoke, ‘scored’ twice against his own team and missed a
PELE: “Messi is the greatest footballer ever.” penalty, in Chelsea’s 4-0 win in the Potteries. * Leicester won 4-0 at Bristol City to go third in the Championship behind Cardiff and Hull. * The big League One clash ended Bournemouth 1 Swindon 1 while League Two leaders Gillingham lost 2-1 to second-placed Port Vale. * Michael Appleton is Blackburn’s fourth manager this season, following Steve Kean, Henning Berg and Gary Bowyer (caretaker). * England’s rugby coach Stuart Lancaster has selected two uncapped players - Calum Clark and Billy Twelvetrees - in his squad for the first Six Nations match of 2013 against Scotland at Twickenham. * Malaga, suspended from European football for
a year, must pay off huge debts before March 31 or face another 12month ban. * After 13 successive away defeats, England finally beat India by nine runs (325-4/316-9) in the first of five ODIs. * Next month, Darren Clarke will play in India’s new Golf League (modelled on cricket’s 20/20 game). * The Masters Snooker championship is under way at London’s Alexander Palace. * Brilliant Scott Waites beat Tony O’Shea 7-1 to win his first World Darts title.
Football enthusiasts know that Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or (World Footballer of the Year) trophy for an unprecedented fourth time, beating Johan Cruyff’s triple success in the 1970s, but did you know these facts regarding the 25-year-old Barcelona magician: • Most goals scored in a calendar year: 91 • Most goals scored in a season: 68 • Most goals scored in a European Cup competition: 14 • Most goals scored in a La Liga season: 50 • Most goals scored in a single European Cup game: 5 • Most goals scored in the Spanish Super Cup: 10 • Barcelona’s top goal-scorer of all-time with 286 • Barcelona’s record goal-scorer in Champions League: 56 • Scorer of most La Liga hat-tricks: 15 • So far this season, scored 41 goals in 32 games.
* Lance Armstrong will ‘reveal all’ on the USA’s Oprah Winfrey show tonight (Thursday). * Luka Modric (Spurs to Real Madrid) and Alex Song (Arsenal to Barcelona) were the two ‘worst’ signings made by La Liga clubs in
2012, said Spanish newspaper Marca. * The Australian Open started on Monday with Olympic and US Open champion and number three seed Andy Murray starting with a first round win over Dutchman Thomas Haas. * The funeral of former WBA, Chelsea, Manchester City and England centreforward Derek Kevan (77) takes place at Sutton Coldfield on Monday. The ‘Tank’ scored 235 goals in 440 games, won 14 England caps (8 goals) and played in the 1958 World Cup. He died in Birmingham, aged 77.