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18 - 24 DECEMBER 2014
WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM ©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM
ISSUE NO. 1537
EWN FRONT EXTRA
Busy underground FIGURES released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) show 152,000 people used the Palma underground in October. According to INE, the number of underground passengers has registered a slight increase during 2014 (+0.3 per cent).
Charity race MORE than 150 people participated in a charity race organised in Llucmajor by the youth wing of the Partido Popular on Sunday (December 14). The funds raised (€600) to be donated to the nonprofit organisation Yes With Cancer.
2015 budget SES SALINES Council has drawn up a €5.9m budget for next year. It has earmarked almost €280,000 for investments, which will be used for improvements in Ses Salines and Colonia de Sant Jordi.
Michael Douglas villa up for sale for €50.5m FANCY owning a luxurious villa owned by Hollywood superstar Michael Douglas? Well, for a cool €50.5
million, you can. The spectacular Mallorcan villa owned by Douglas and his ex-wife Diandra Luker is up
for sale, and its guest-list down the years reads like a red carpet event. Previous visitors to the property
Palma a hit with tourists AN overwhelming amount of holidaymakers to sunny Palma say they would gladly return in the future. A visitor satisfaction survey, conducted by Fundacion Turismo Palma de Mallorca 365 Dias, shows that 93.4 per cent of visitors would gladly
return to the city and that 96.4 per cent of them would recommend it to their friends and families. Moreover, 58.8 per cent of respondents (9,169 people) said their visit to Palma had exceeded their expectations.
include Michelle Pfeiffer, Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The 247-acre property located in Valldemossa on the west coast of the island, features 11 bedrooms and a further 10 bedrooms spread throughout a number of buildings. It also comes complete with swimming pool. The villa is a holiday home to Douglas and his wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones (pictured).
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INDEX News 1 - 14 Finance 17 - 22 Letters 23 Leapy Lee 24 Daily TV 30 Time Out 32 - 33 Health & Beauty 34 - 35 Food 37 Homes & Gardens 38 Property 40 Classifieds 42 - 43 Boating 44 - 45 Motoring 46 Sport 48
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INFANTA CRISTINA: There is no proof she has committed any crimes.
Infanta Cristina civil liability bond
ON Monday (December 15), the Duchess of Palma and younger sister of King Felipe VI posted a civil liability bond of €587,413 demanded by the Anti-Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office for her alleged profiting from the funds purportedly diverted by her husband Iñaki Urdangarin. The bond, however,
ended up in Barcelona and not in Palma after it was mistakenly deposited in the wrong bank account. Judge Castro told the Infanta’s defence attorneys that the required amount had not been entered because of a mistake in the bank account numbers. The account of Palma Court of Investigation Number Three ends in 0458,
while the account of the Barcelona Court of First Instance Number 15 ends in 0548, he said. Public Prosecutor Pedro Horrach has found no proof the Infanta committed any crime that would make her criminally liable for the Nóos case but believes she may in fact have benefited from her husband’s dealings.
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Fewer tourists THE devaluation of the ruble has resulted in fewer Russian tourists visiting Mallorca. Figures show that the influx of holidaymakers from Russia registered a 35 per cent decrease during 2014.
18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS in the waters of the Balearics are under threat from the increase in tourism, fishing and sea transport. Though bottlenose dolphins are common in the Mediterranean, they tend to live in areas close to people, which causes continual conflicts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said the dolphins’ subpopulation in the
area was vulnerable following a 30 per cent drop in the last decades. An IUCN study showed that the dolphin population is actually smaller than originally believed. Since dolphins are loyal to their habitats, they tend to live in areas where overfishing, habitat degradation, tourist boat disturbance and the fishing industry are an everyday phenomenon. Previous
watch
Merry Christmas
NEXT week all our readers will be getting an early Christmas present - the Euro Weekly News is hitting the streets a day early. It will be out on Wednesday, December 24.
New waterpark UK travel agents have been asked to submit suggestions for the name of a new waterpark currently under construction. The new waterpark in Magaluf is due to open next year.
Palma theatre TEATRE PRINCIPAL in Palma is presenting Damunt Sa Roca Poems and Music to Stay Healthy on Saturday, December 20 and 27 at 9.30pm and on Sunday December 28 at 8.30 pm. Tickets are €15.
Upcoming concert TEATRE PRINCIPAL in Palma is presenting a unique piano and violin concert that will pay homage to the Serra de Tramuntana on Tuesday, December 30th at 8pm. Tickets are €10, €15 and €20. Free concert THE Municipal Band of Palma is performing Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks by German composer Richard Georg Strauss tomorrow (Friday, December 19) at 7.30pm at Teatre Municipal Xesc Forteza in Palma. Admission is free.
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Paying tribute CCA Andratx is presenting an exhibition that pays tribute to the late American conceptual artist, sculptor and photographer Dennis Oppenheim until December 28. The CCA Andratx is located at C/Estanyera 2.
STREET ART: Exhibition is one of the hottest art shows of the year.
Striking art - but whose work is it?
T
IME is running out to see one of the hottest art shows of the year in Spain; one that will have art lovers strongly divided in their opinions. Los Angelesbased artist Thierry Guetta - aka Mr Brainwash - is currently exhibiting a collection of his work at Barcelona’s Galeria 3 Puntos, and his street-art style has critics divided as to just how talented the Parisborn, self-proclaimed filmmaker and street artist is. In fact, there are strong rumours that the work of Guetta is actually the work of the world-famous Banksy, and the Mr Brainwash persona is an elaborate hoax dreamt up by the elusive and mischievous British street artist. The protagonist of the Oscar-nominated 2010 documentary film ‘Exit
Quote of the Week I had two options. One was to remain silent and wait to be killed. And the second was to speak up and then be killed,’
said Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year-old shot by the Taliban after speaking out on education.
matt northam
Legend honoured VETERAN footballers of RCD Mallorca held their annual dinner at the club and an honorary medal was presented to ex-Mallorca footballer Angel Gomez Benito ‘Balao’ for his services to the club from 1960 to 1967.
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studies have shown that 30 to 60 dolphins die every year as a result of conflicts with fishing vessels. There are many fishing boats in the Balearic Islands so interactions with dolphins are common . Fishing, however, is not the only threat they face. Since sea traffic has increased, the risk of dolphins colliding with boats and ships is now a cause for concern.
Mallorca-Slovakia AUSTRIAN airline Niki will offer flights between Mallorca and Bratislava, Slovakia, from April 2015. The airline was set up by former F1 driver Niki Lauda in 2003.
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Tourism threat to dolphins
Lord Jim
Higher rent RENTING a house on the islands is now 0.6 per cent more expensive than last year, according to real estate website Fotocasa. This is the sharpest increase since 2007
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Through the Gift Shop,’ Mr Brainwash shot to fame by copying the styles of other street artists he saw around him, including Banksy. The movie chronicled his rise through the ranks of the underground scene to the eventual staging of a massive art exhibition in LA. Dismissed by many as a copycat, but hailed by others as a genius, the work of Mr Brainwash undoubtedly gets the art world talking wherever his attention-grabbing exhibitions take him. The Mr Brainwash exhibition will run until December 31 in Barcelona and is the perfect opportunity to see some of the world’s most famous street-art pieces, as immortalised on film. If it is all a hoax, then perhaps the works on show at Galeria 3 Puntos are a chance to see pieces by Banksy.
CREDITlev radin / Shutterstock.com
Number of the week
€31.5
million is the reputed yearly salary of Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso who will be racing with the McLaren-Honda F1 team for next year’s championship. The team will also be paying Jenson Button around €10 million after retaining his services for another year.
Swimming competition PALMA PORT will host the fifth ‘Copa Nadal-Port de Palma’ on Friday, December 26. Registration for the charity swimming competition is €3. The proceeds will be donated to the non-profit organisation Mallorca Sense Fam.
Hospital visit CHRISTMAS came early for the children hospitalised at Son Espases when they were visited by the RCD Mallorca first-team squad. The footballers brought them gifts and posed for pictures with the smiling children.
And finally... SPANISH high-street fashion brand Desigual held their first ‘Semi-naked Party’ in Singapore over the weekend. In what is now a Desigual tradition, shoppers are urged to strip down to their underwear in order to get freebies and massive discounts. Hundreds of shoppers showed up to the Singapore event.
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Radiokafka Shutterstock com
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AWARD WINNER: Alejandro Sanz returning to Palma.
Alejandro Sanz to play Palma concert MALLORCA: Alejandro Sanz fans will be delighted to learn that the Spanish singer-songwriter will be returning to Palma next year.
The winner of 15 Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards will reportedly hold a concert at Plaza de Toros in Palma on August 12.
STREET DRINKING: Plans to be put in place to clean up the area’s image.
Cleaning up Magaluf BRITISH policemen accompanying Guardia Civil officers on Magaluf streets and bans on drinking in public are to be part of a major project to clean up the area’s image. Calvia Council has announced its intention to copy bans on public drinking already in place in Playa de Palma for
Magaluf and surrounding areas next summer, and to investigate ways to end sales of so-called ‘drinking tours’. Although exact details are not yet in place, negotiations are under way to bring British policemen to the area to patrol with the Guardia Civil, as was done last
summer with German and French officers. British vice-consul for the Balearic Islands, Gillian Margaret Brion, said she was sure the mixed patrols would have great results and help prevent crime. Further campaigns to ensure nightclubs close their doors at midnight will also be part of the project.
Our View
Food drive success is example for the year
I
T’S wonderful to see that the recent national food drive in the run up to Christmas exceeded all expectations and collected more than 700,000 tonnes of food to help impoverished families throughout the country. It was over 100,000 tonnes more than expected and it is an excellent indication of how generous people can be at this time of year. At Christmas, nobody wants to think of families unable to buy presents for their children or feed themselves well, of those sitting alone at home because they have nobody to talk to, or of elderly people who can’t afford heating for the home. People tend to open their purse strings more often over the festive holidays. After all, it is the season of goodwill.
While giving to charity is commendable over the Christmas period, it doesn’t take much to be as charitable for the rest of the year also. Here at EWN we are involved with charitable causes the whole year round, not just when it comes to Christmas time. It’s so important to help others who are unable to help themselves, and causes and charities need help 365 days a year. Those individuals and families who find it difficult to cope do so throughout the entire year and once Christmas is over they face the same difficult circumstances every day. So please do give generously during the festive season, but don’t forget that once the holidays are over, plenty of people’s troubles are not.
Balearic Islands in heavy debt THE Balearic Islands are one of Spain’s most heavily indebted autonomous communities. According to data from Spain’s national central bank, the Balearic Islands’ public debt amounted to €7.5 billion during the third quarter of the year. This not only represents 28.3 per cent of the islands’ gross domestic product, but also means that the islands are among Spain’s most heavily indebted autonomous communities, which also include the Valencian Community (35.8 per cent of its GDP), Castilla-La Mancha (33.7 per cent) and Catalonia (31.8 per cent).
Royal banquet cost a small fortune THE banquet held in honour of the succession to the throne of King Felipe VI is reported to have cost a pretty penny. According to the official budget, disclosed by the royal palace on its website in an effort to promote openness and transparency in public administration, the sumptuous banquet cost €65,993 and was organised and served by Mallorca Difusion y Catering. The banquet was attended by 2,000 people and included 15 different appetisers. The Spanish King and Queen reportedly asked the catering company to serve only Spanish products.
NEWS
Team Sky in training BRITISH cycling team, Team Sky, has returned to Mallorca to get in some pre-season training ahead of a tough 2015 campaign. The UK cycling squad has used Mallorca as a base for several seasons and this winter sees them return once more to train and plan for next year’s competitions. Among the visitors are new signings Nicolas Roche and Andrew Fenn, but Tour de France 2013 winner Chris Froome is absent after getting in some pre-season training in Australia.
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Mallorca to UK flights face the longest delays FLIGHT delays are an alltoo common occurrence when travelling on holidays, but the problem seems to be even worse when it comes to jetting off somewhere warm for the winter. British passengers have to put up with some of the longest delays, and it’s
been revealed that flights between Mallorca and Luton face some of the worst disruptions. According to new research conducted by passenger rights specialist Refund.me, the route that suffers the most delays for UK winter tourists to Spain is the Thomson
Mallorca to Luton flight (46 per cent on-time rate) and the Thomson Mallorca to Gatwick flight (49 per cent on-time rate). In one instance, passengers returning to Luton from Mallorca were left waiting for almost five hours.
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Don’t drink drive POLICE in Palma launched a campaign to crack down on drink- and drug-driving. In an effort to deter drivers from getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Local Police and the Guardia Civil have set up checkpoints on local streets and roads, where drivers are
being tested for drugs and undergoing alcohol breath tests. The traffic safety campaign started Monday (December 15) and will finish Sunday (December 21). According to sources, as many as 20,000 people have lost their driver’s licences for driving while intoxicated.
Children throwing rocks A GROUP of children were caught throwing rocks off a Palma bridge. National Police officers temporarily detained a group of young children who were reportedly throwing rocks off the Aragon bridge and the walkway of Estadi Balear. A driver said his car had been hit by one of the rocks, though it caused no damage. The 10-year-olds admitted the fact and were turned over to their parents.
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Thousands of Xmas loans THOUSANDS of people on the islands will take out a loan to cover their Christmas expenses. A recent survey shows that 103,591 Balearic Islands residents (13.7 per cent of the population) will borrow money from the bank to pay for their Christmas shopping. However, they are not alone. Figures show 14.1 per cent of people in
Murcia, 13.8 per cent in Castilla-La Mancha, 13.7 per cent in Andalucia and 11.1 per cent in Asturias will run up a debt to have themselves a merry Christmas. It is estimated Spanish consumers will spend on average €671 during the festivities: €264 on gifts, €212 on food, €104 travelling and €91 on entertainment.
Shark’s death A DEAD shark approximately three metres long - has been found in Port d’Andratx. It appears its belly had been torn open. Some neighbours said most sharks that are found dead in the area become entangled in fishing nets and when the fishermen see them they simply throw them back into the sea. Others said its tail must have been cut by a boat’s propeller.
No winter uniforms AS many as 800 Emaya workers in charge of picking up rubbish, cleaning and environmental control have been waiting for months to get their new uniforms, according to trade union UGT. UGT has now lodged a
complaint against Emaya with the Labour Inspectorate. “They have repeatedly missed the deadlines to deliver the uniforms, so some of the workers are wearing clothes in poor condition or their own,” UGT remarked.
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Bad grades boy fakes bike crash A TEENAGER faked a bicycle accident to avoid being grounded for his poor grades. Earlier last week, a passerby saw the male teenager lying on the ground next to a bicycle and a skateboard and decided to alert the police.
It did not take long for several ambulances to arrive on the scene and when the youngster did not regain consciousness – despite the paramedics’ efforts – they rushed him to the Son Llatzer hospital. A few days later, the police called the hospital
Police hunt for escaped child abuser in Llucmajor GUARDIA CIVIL have launched a hunt for a child abuser who escaped from jail. The 45-year-old man was serving a sentence in Jaen for raping four of his five children and his wife. The convict had reportedly been granted a temporary leave of absence from jail and failed to return to the facility at the appointed time. Police have launched a manhunt to locate his whereabouts and are actively looking for him on the island, where he reportedly has family.
to clear up the circumstances of the accident. The doctors, however, told the officers there was nothing wrong with the patient. The mother said it had all been a ruse thought up by her son to avoid being punished for his bad grades. Police are now considering making him cover the costs of the emergency operation.
Pet care PALMA COUNCIL and Baldea have launched a campaign, ‘Animals are not toys,’ to raise awareness among parents and children about what it means to get a pet this Christmas.
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Alarm bells over online meetings A LARGE percentage of young people in Inca communicate on social media with strangers. A survey conducted in Inca showed that 44 per cent of young people in the municipality have befriended strangers on social media and 19 per
cent of them have even agreed to meet somebody. Moreover, figures show that 87 per cent of respondents have taken naked or partially naked pictures of themselves and shared them with others online, and that 68 per
House searches for child pornography NATIONAL POLICE conducted two house searches on the Balearic Islands as part of a nationwide operation launched against child pornography. Following an investigation that lasted nearly 10 months, the police conducted 21 house searches and detained 13 people for allegedly sharing child pornography files in peer-to-peer networks. The operation targeted Asturias, La Rioja, Malaga, Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona and the Balearic Islands.
cent of them would meet a stranger without telling their parents. Mayor Rafel Torres voiced his concern over the study, in which 304 youths and 104 parents participated, and was shocked at how widespread the problem is.
Calories galore A TRADITIONAL Balearic Christmas meal contains over a thousand calories. Wolfing down the average traditional meal, consisting of sopa de Nadal, porcella de porc negre and cuscusso, is equivalent to 1,200 calories, said the Spanish Dietetics and Food Society (Sedca).
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(Flickr by La Moncloa Gobierno de España)
Bye bye love
New regulations CLOSE to 1,200 Balearic industrialists and 15,000 retailers on the islands will have to make changes to the labels on their products to comply with new food labelling provisions of the European Union.
No approval SEVENTY-FIVE per cent of Palma residents oppose the extension of Puerto del Molinar, according to a survey carried out by GADESO. Figures also show that 86 per cent of people want the facilities to be renovated.
Union prize THE Casal Balaguer Cultural Centre in Palma has been nominated for the 2015 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies Van der Rohe award. The nominations span 36 countries with the most nominated projects coming from Spain.
Less internet ACCORDING to the Hotel Technological Institute (ITH), 63 per cent of Balearic hotels offer their guests an internet connection of less than 10Mb. On a national level, an internet speed of 56.7 per cent in four-star hotels is higher than 50Mb.
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Financial help for unemployed
NEWS EXTRA ACCORDING to the Balearic Family Policy Institute, for every couple that gets married on the islands, another one files for divorce. Figures show that between January and June, 1,667 couples divorced and 82 decided to separate.
18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
MINISTER FATIMA BAÑEZ: Presided over the signing ceremony in Madrid.
Teenage thugs are held over brutal beatings POLICE in Palma have detained four teenagers for brutally assaulting and robbing their victims. The police broke up a gang of teen thugs targeting other teenagers. following as many as 12 complaints for aggravated robbery and intimidation lodged in the last two to three weeks. The detained would reportedly kick and punch their victims using skates, stones and iron bars, which resulted in many of the victims being rushed to hospital. The police also identified three other members of the gang. All the detained will purportedly to be put at the disposal of the Youth Prosecution Office.
PEOPLE out of work on the islands could benefit from six months of financial assistance. Starting in January 2015, the long-term unemployed in the Balearic Islands will be able to apply for €426 a month in financial assistance for up to six months, as long as they have dependent relatives, are no longer covered by social protection and thus find it difficult to find a job. The good news was made possible by a job creation programme signed in Madrid by Balearic Economy councillor Joaquin Garcia on Monday (December 15) in a ceremony presided over by Labour and Social Security Minister Fatima Bañez.
SPANISH POLICE: Detained a man who assaulted his ex-wife, her father and a police officer.
Man held for triple assault A MAN has been detained for assaulting his ex-wife, her father and a police officer. The 32-year old man showed up at his ex-wife’s home in Palma asking for his daughter’s medical card as he wanted to take her to the doctor. When he was told to wait at the door, he reportedly became upset and started kicking it until it broke and he managed to get inside. Once there, he threatened to kill his ex-wife and her father before assaulting them. He only left the house when the victims called the police. After the police got there, the man insulted them and threatened to kill one of the officers. He was detained and taken to the police department where he attacked one of the officers.
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SON LLATZER HOSPITAL: Where the stabbing victim was taken.
Brutal stabbing man in hospital A MAN has been hospitalised with serious injuries in Son Goteleu following a brutal stabbing. National Police detained a 41-year-old Moroccan who allegedly stabbed a Senegalese man, aged 43, in the abdomen on Calle Indalecio Prieto.
The victim walked to a nearby bar and asked for help. “He showed up here and told me to call the police because he had been stabbed” said an eyewitness. “His innards were coming out.” The man provided a detailed description of the attacker, who was later arrested.
Maintenance manager is sacked THE maintenance manager at Palma General Hospital has
reportedly been fired for the state of neglect of the hospital facilities. After the Healthcare Services Federation complained about the lack of proper maintenance and state of neglect of the hospital, the management board decided to fire the head of maintenance of the hospital, said Balearic Trade Union CCOO Balears. CCOO representative
Paco Moreno said that they have been denouncing the policies followed by the hospital’s management board for more than two years, which they consider to be lacking. “Their management has turned a historic building into a disaster in every sense of the word and will soon lead to the hospital being closed or even worse,” said CCOO.
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STAT OF WEEK EXACTLY 18.12 per cent of Spain’s total population is now over 65, compared with 17.6 per cent in 2013. There are now 112 pensioners for every 100 under16s, the national statistics office revealed.
The longest train line in the world THE Chinese freight train that arrived recently in Madrid was the first ever to reach Spain from that country. Its 13,000-kilometre direct route from Yiwu on China’s east coast is the world’s longest and the train took three weeks to cross Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France.
FREIGHT: From China to Spain.
Pepe Jeans wants to sell out PEPE JEANS sounds Spanish, 90 per cent of its capital is in Spanish hands and it is Spanishrun. Nevertheless it was British until 1998. At this point executives running Pepe Jeans’ Spanish subsidiary bought the company from three Kenyan brothers Nitin, Arun and Milan Shah - who had started out by selling jeans in the Portobello Road in 1973. The Spanish investment company 3i also entered in 1998, later selling its 43 per cent stake to Juan Abello’s investment group Torreal in 2005. Apart from its US and Canada operation, which the Shahs still own, Pepe
Jeans is present in 60 countries. The company also acquired Hackett in 2005 and is Tommy Hilfiger’s distributor in Spain. Valued at €116 million in 2005, Pepe Jeans was worth €300 million within five years and Abello now wants €800 million, multiplying his original €72 million investment several times over. Arta Capital with a 16.4 per cent stake and L Capital (11.5 per cent) will also come out smiling. Annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation allegedly stand at around €60 million. Why is Torreal selling? This is one question that remains unanswered.
B
usiness extra
Shipshape jobs SPAIN’S Navy commissioned two Maritime Action Ships (BAMs) from Navantia’s Ferrol and Cadiz shipyards. Work should start on the €335 million project within a few weeks and will provide 1,350 new jobs.
Red-faced MOROCCO’S year-onyear tomato exports to the EU increased by 66 per cent last October, Spain complained. France and Italy as well as Spain warned that Morocco was seriously ‘perturbing’ the market.
The big Bankia mistake CREATING Bankia and listing its shares in 2011 was an error, Luis de Guindos admitted. Spain’s minister of the Economy was responding to revelations that Bankia presented erroneous accounts in 2010 as well as 2011 when its shares were quoted on Spain’s stock exchange. Hundreds of thousands of small investors were affected after Bankia needed a €22 billion bailout less than
a year after being floated. Between 2002 and 2004 De Guindos was second in charge when Rodrigo Rato - later Bankia president - was Economy minister. The recently-released court documents prepared by Bank of Spain experts did not impinge on independent evaluators’ Bankia bailout calculations, De Guindos insisted.
A direct rail link will bring an enormous reduction in time and overheads for imports and exports between Spain and China, said Zhang Shuming, director of the Trade department in Xinjiang Province. These were not the only advantages, Shuming pointed out. The 3,155-kilometre journey between Malacheviche (Poland)
and Madrid generated 44 tons of carbon dioxide, compared with 114 tons emitted by lorries transporting the same merchandise along the same route. The train’s 40 containers arrived with 1,400 tons of consumer goods produced in Yiwu and for its return journey after Christmas it will carry Spanish ham, wine and olive oil.
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-2.03 -2.13 -0.55 -2.60 -2.19 -2.53 -0.135 -0.62 -0.26 -2.28 -2.60 -0.52 -4.72 -0.49 -5.69 -0.475 -2.29 -1.10 -0.35 -1.62 -0.22 -0.76 -0.70 -0.86 -1.41 -1.89 -0.97 -0.78 -6.34 -0.02
-1.28% -2.29% -1.68% -2.11% -2.36% -2.41% -0.50% -1.49% -0.28% -3.18% -2.91% -2.05% -2.44% -0.49% -3.53% -1.29% -2.15% -1.80% -0.38% -2.73% -0.47% -0.78% -2.21% -0.95% -1.35% -1.66% -0.97% -1.68% -2.41% -0.02%
2.8M 4.5M 30.1M 6.7M 10.3M 12.0M 27.0M 18.4M 7.9M 4.2M 24.6M 51.0M 3.8M 6.0M 8.6M 29.3M 8.3M 17.4M 8.7M 12.1M 34.2M 4.1M 27.5M 6.6M 2.2M 5.9M 3.1M 23.8M 3.8M 7.3M
1.00 6.20 10.00 26.00 1.00 39.00 3.20
C O M PA N Y
0.13 1.56 0.58 1.64 0.10 1.43 1.21
NET VOLUME 480.51 3,532.57 82.13 306.48 273.82 79.93 2,655.60
PRICE
CHANGE NET / %
Calithera Biosciences, Inc. $ 29.85 ChemoCentryx, Inc. $ 5.60 Oncothyreon Inc. $ 2.02 Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. $ 16.53 Cerulean Pharma Inc. $6 Quotient Limited $ 15.36 CNinsure Inc. $ 7.11 Tuniu Corporation $ 13.30 VelocityShares Daily 2X VIX Short Term ETN $ 3.32 Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. $ 12.88 SeaChange International, Inc. $ 6.01
6.65 ▲ 28.66% 1.11 ▲ 24.72% 0.31 ▲ 18.13% 2.46 ▲ 17.48% 0.83 ▲ 16.05% 2.05 ▲ 15.40% 0.85 ▲ 13.58% 1.50 ▲ 12.71% 0.31 ▲ 10.30% 1.19 ▲ 10.18% 0.51 ▲ 9.27%
Most Advanced
Most Declined Caesars Entertainment Corporation Louisiana Bancorp, Inc. Liberty Broadband Corporation Momo Inc. I.D. Systems, Inc. Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc. Eagle Rock Energy Partners, L.P. Zions Bancorporation Linn Energy, LLC Windstream Holdings, Inc. Vanguard Natural Resources LLC
$ 12.83 $ 20 $ 8.91 $ 15.15 $ 6.03 $ 9.73 $ 2.21 $ 2.79 $ 12.01 $ 8.47 $ 15.22
2.03 ▼ 13.66% 2.95 ▼ 12.85% 1.29 ▼ 12.65% 1.87 ▼ 10.99% 0.74 ▼ 10.93% 1.17 ▼ 10.73% 0.25 ▼ 10.16% 0.31 ▼ 10% 1.32 ▼ 9.90% 0.91 ▼ 9.70% 1.63 ▼ 9.67%
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
C O M PA N Y PRICE(P) Coca-Cola HBC AG 1263.50 Compass Group PLC 1054.50 CRH PLC 1464.50 Diageo PLC 1843.50 Direct Line Insurance 282.80 Dixons Carphone PLC 430.55 easyJet PLC 1629.50 Experian PLC 1017.50 Fresnillo PLC 736.75 Friends Life Group Ltd 358.50 G4S PLC 272.00 GKN PLC 329.10 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1367.25 Glencore PLC 290.12 Hammerson PLC 597.00 Hargreaves Lansdown 921.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 605.10 IMI PLC 1195.00 Imperial Tobacco Group 2740.50 InterContinental Hotels 2463.00 International Consldtd ... 461.40 Intertek Group PLC 2173.50 Intu Properties PLC 327.20 ITV PLC 204.70 Johnson Matthey PLC 3224.50 Kingfisher PLC 318.45 Land Securities Group 1134.50 Legal & General Group 238.65 Lloyds Banking Group 76.50 London Stock Exchange 2099.50 Marks & Spencer Group 466.30 Meggitt PLC 481.45 Mondi PLC 1040.50 Morrison (Wm) Suprmrkts 171.10 National Grid PLC 883.75 Next PLC 6405.00 Old Mutual PLC 182.70 Pearson PLC 1150.50 Persimmon PLC 1521.50 Petrofac Ltd 699.00 Prudential PLC 1465.75 Randgold Resources 4141.00 Reckitt Benckiser 5057.50 Reed Elsevier PLC 1053.50 Rio Tinto PLC 2699.50 Rolls-Royce Holdings 819.75 Royal Bank of Scotland 375.00 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2078.00 Royal Mail PLC 397.00 RSA Insurance Group 430.95 SABMiller PLC 3282.50 Sage Group (The) PLC 434.40 Sainsbury (J) PLC 229.45 Schroders PLC 2567.00 Severn Trent PLC 1930.00 Shire PLC 4530.00 Sky PLC 884.25 Smith & Nephew PLC 1039.00 Smiths Group PLC 1041.50 Sports Direct Internatnl 660.50 SSE PLC 1611.50 Standard Chartered PLC 915.00 Standard Life PLC 397.05 St James's Place PLC 776.75 Tesco PLC 168.05 Travis Perkins PLC 1781.50 TUI Travel PLC 445.45 Tullow Oil PLC 386.45 Unilever PLC 2590.50 United Utilities Group 901.75 Vodafone Group PLC 216.80 Weir Group PLC 1756.00 Whitbread PLC 4485.50 Wolseley PLC 3590.00 WPP PLC 1297.50
CHANGE 7.00 6.00 16.00 19.55 -2.00 9.20 -11.00 9.00 4.50 3.40 1.00 4.30 3.00 2.10 0.00 -0.50 1.60 4.00 30.00 9.00 4.90 19.00 -1.10 0.70 24.00 3.60 0.12 -0.99 0.37 -6.00 -1.20 0.10 7.00 0.10 1.41 20.00 2.10 12.00 2.00 21.00 6.41 -13.00 25.00 1.00 17.14 11.08 -0.50 45.50 3.30 2.20 8.26 0.90 1.90 14.00 -7.90 -2.00 -18.00 -1.00 18.00 5.50 1.00 6.60 5.57 2.00 2.29 20.00 0.00 19.30 3.81 -1.32 1.50 57.00 30.00 55.00 10.00
% C H G. 0.56 0.57 1.10 1.07 -0.70 2.18 -0.67 0.89 0.61 0.96 0.37 1.32 0.22 0.73 0.00 -0.05 0.27 0.34 1.11 0.37 1.07 0.88 -0.34 0.34 0.75 1.14 0.01 -0.41 0.49 -0.29 -0.26 0.02 0.68 0.06 0.16 0.31 1.16 1.05 0.13 3.10 0.44 -0.31 0.50 0.10 0.64 1.37 -0.13 2.24 0.84 0.51 0.25 0.21 0.84 0.55 -0.41 -0.04 -1.99 -0.10 1.76 0.84 0.06 0.73 1.42 0.26 1.38 1.14 0.00 5.25 0.15 -0.15 0.70 3.35 0.67 1.56 0.78
VOLUME 190.33 478.93 848.88 925.86 683.95 596.36 318.43 342.09 196.80 1,245.35 875.71 553.98 2,671.81 8,946.88 322.58 183.06 5,147.18 230.72 368.03 94.22 1,734.01 88.81 384.34 1,473.63 83.88 995.58 309.22 3,537.96 40,250.95 96.00 4,771.91 405.90 202.61 1,838.64 2,244.53 115.55 2,632.00 426.95 164.53 868.56 856.51 556.77 544.70 781.90 785.87 1,533.56 1,578.64 1,480.49 451.17 527.29 338.33 544.04 2,024.68 86.90 170.07 454.91 1,281.69 482.93 306.82 334.20 1,098.01 907.34 1,500.54 290.01 8,321.70 131.68 .00 1,838.51 648.34 703.50 14,341.39 281.55 76.85 236.45 724.26
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
www.euroweeklynews.com
18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
EWN
19
Therein lies the power of branding CORPORATE identities are part of today’s advertising landscape. When we are out and about, long before we can make out the detail, a company brand is identifiable. Many logos come to mind such as those of Shell, Cadbury, Virgin, car makers and television giants BBC and ITV. Corporate bodies pay telephone numbers when acquiring or changing their logos. No upstart rival, even if their product was superior, could hope to compete against established brand names. BT is a telecommunications company; it does not manufacture telephones. Yet, we often see the British Telecom
BUSINESS EXTRA
Tickets to ride CAF, which manufactures railway rolling stock, received a €500 million order for 118 trains from Holland’s Nederlandse Spoorwegen rail operator. This is their largest European order to date.
On the move WHEN the crisis began, removal firms carried out 1 million relocations a year compared with the current 700,000 average. The sector, which has an annual turnover of approximately €70 million, is gradually beginning to recover, increasing 5 to 10 per cent on last year.
Talking shop Mike Walsh Mike Walsh was for 20 years Regional Assessment Manager for the Guild of Master Craftsmen, Britain’s biggest quality assurance body for businesses.
www.michaelwalsh.es • 966 786 932
logo on equipment we purchase. I realised why when I spotted a two-inch news story in a copy of Financial Times whilst waiting for an appointment. Any telephone manufacturing company wishing to use the BT identity
on their product first acquires a licence to do so. This does not come cheap. I seem to recall that this figure is 10 percent of the product’s price. However, the BT symbol on a product is much more likely to be taken to the check-out than is an unknown brand. Rentokil, which most regard simply as a pest control company, is in fact one of the great corporate giants of the world. With its tentacles in a myriad of global industries, Rentokil does not actually employ operators. These will be subcontracted out to the conglomerate. When vetting a pair of damp proofing specialists for the Guild of Master Craftsmen (another logo protected
species), the Rentokil uniformed two explained that they were carrying out contracts on behalf for Rentokil. Their hourly rate was about 20 per cent of what Rentokil charges the client. My son is a factory manager of a company that makes specialist bags. These are purchased by the likes of the NHS, Virgin Airlines, hotel chains, the Ministry of Defence. Such enterprises do not buy direct from my son’s company, but from an agent his company supplies. The actual manufacturing cost of each bag is a fraction of what these illustrious bodies pay for the end product. There lies the power of branding.
Google news quits Spain GOOGLE NEWS has quit Spain in response to a new intellectual property law. After the Spanish Government passed a new piece of legislation which seeks to protect local publishers by requiring online content aggregators - including Google - to pay for using their content, online search giant Google decided to shut down Google News in the country and to remove Spanish media outlets from the service. The law will also affect Yahoo News and grants authorities the power to slap fines of up to €600,000 on websites that link pirated content. According to Google, the company makes no profit from its search-based service. “This new legislation requires every Spanish publication to charge services like Google News for showing even the smallest snippet from their publications, whether they want to or not. As Google News itself makes no money (we do not
GOOGLE NEWS: Will no longer operate in Spain. show any advertising on the site) this new approach is simply not sustainable. So it’s with real sadness that on December 16 (before the new law comes into effect in January) we’ll remove Spanish publishers from Google News, and close Google News in Spain,” said Head of Google News Richard Gingras in a blog post.
Spain is not the first European country to charge online content aggregators. In fact, Germany, France and Belgium have similar legislation. The difference is the Spanish publishers do not have a say on whether they actually want to charge a fee or not, because the law makes it mandatory.
Cyber crimes on the rise MORE than 13,000 cyber incidents have been registered in Spain during 2014. The National Cryptology Centre (CCN) has managed 80 per cent more incidents in 2014 than the previous year. Out of those, 11.6 per cent were considered to be of high or critical risk, which means those cyber attacks which affect the private information of organisations. The impact and sophistication of the attacks has also increased, with hackers being able to access public administration systems and other key institutions such as energy and pharmaceutical companies or military facilities. This was revealed at a conference for Technological Patrimony Protection. The discussions revolved around cyber crimes and the large economic losses they cause each year.
Olive oil waste could be converted into clean electricity LONG an important part of the Spanish agricultural economy, a new plant promises to give olive growers another boost. The pilot plant is designed to convert toxic byproducts of olive oil production into heat and electricity. Funded through the EU at a cost of €1.1 million, the project was completed last month (November) and it is hoped it will be the precursor to a series of plants capable of turning the vast amounts of waste
from oil production into something not just useful, but also carbon neutral. The waste has long been a problem to dispose of as it can contain pesticides and poisonous organic compounds, as well as being acidic and having high levels of salinity. With the search always on to produce ‘clean’ electricity, it was decided to see if there was a way to kill two birds with one stone.
To that end the plant was built in Andalucia to develop and test innovative technology to see if the waste could be turned into electricity. The system first sees biogas produced by using microorganisms to ‘digest’ the waste. Next step is to take this gas and convert it into a hydrogen rich gas which can then be used in fuel cells to produce clean electricity to power the olive mill.
OLIVES: Waste can be a problem.
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E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
Put your spending on a diet this New Year and make a big impact Loose change A look at finance for females
Jane Plunkett jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com
NEW YEAR’S resolutions can be pretty pointless. Most of the time little thought is put into them - and then, any resolutions made last minute are shortlived knee-jerk reactions to too much eating and boozing over Christmas. Yes, the muffin top waistline suddenly dictates an extreme diet plan that probably lasts about a week, while the same goes for that vow to never touch alcohol again having woken up to a thumping headache on January 1. According to studies, only one in 10 people stick to New Year’s Resolutions for a year, while most people don’t last much more than a month. And it’s a
SAVING MORE: Can have a substantial impact on your emotional well-being. shame really, because we all need incentives to really dedicate ourselves to something and the New Year is a great time to start afresh and get
things in order. So as 2015 fast approaches, you might seriously want to consider a financial New Year’s resolution regardless.
Apparently those who make commitments to start off the year on the right financial foot tend to find themselves in a better financial situation as the year progresses, than those who don’t. Research shows that simple commitments such as saving more and paying off debt can have a substantial impact on the financial and emotional well-being of a household. And like everything in life, the key to achieving long-term financial goals is to create a plan and stick to it. In order not to get too overwhelmed by a resolution, it’s important to set realistic goals. Much of the time we set ourselves massive goals, as most things worth saving for are expensive. Then suddenly, when our New Year’s Resolution buzz dies down, we don’t see enough progress to keep our motivation levels high. So we quit. Therefore set smaller goals - a goal for the end of each month for example. This way, goals will appear more attainable which helps keep up motivation. Happy 2015!
Must Administrator be qualified? Q. In our Community, the President has appointed an Administrator who does not hold You and the a Certificate from the College of Law in Spain Administrators. By David Searl She was not appointed by vote at the AGM meeting, and no one knew that she did not have the qualification to be a Community Administrator. She lives in another town and she is not even Spanish. Do we have any assurance that she can safely manage our Community funds? SJ (Costa Blanca) A. First, the Administrator who handles the paperwork and accounts for a Community of Property Owners needs no professional qualifications. Anyone who can read and write and do simple sums may be contracted to do the job. There is no requirement to be Spanish. Your only assurance will be the members themselves who keep an eye on the accounts. There is an official ‘Colegio de Administradores de Fincas’ and it is a good idea to contract a member. However, there is no requirement for this. Second, a Community Administrator is usually contracted for one year by vote of the AGM. The AGM also authorises
BUSINESS EXTRA
No answer SPANISH energy multinational Repsol renewed talks with Calgary-based oil and gas producer Talisman Energy with options that ranged from purchasing a selection of Talisman shares to the entire company. The Canadian firm claimed it has been approached by other companies and there is no assurance of an agreement with Repsol.
Fast growth
payments to the Administrator. The AGM will decide whether or not to renew this contract when it expires each year.
Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.
SPAIN’S economy should grow by more than 2 per cent in 2015 following 0.5 per cent growth during the third quarter. “If factors affecting the exchange rate and the price of raw materials continue, Spain will be the fastest-growing country in the European Union, the Spanish president Mariano Rajoy said.
OPINION & COMMENT
Grateful thanks to all the volunteers ONCE again the HELP Vega Baja Christmas Fayre at the Asturias Restaurant was a very successful event, raising over €3,500. Our grateful thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard to make this event such a success, as well as all the members of the public who supported us. We hope everyone left with bargains. All money raised by this event will be used to support projects that provide support and services to the local community. Very best wishes to all our volunteers, members and friends of HELP Vega Baja for a very Happy Christmas. Pauline Yates (acting president HELP Vega Baja), San Miguel de Salinas (Alicante)
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Spain’s rival THE quote by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni relating to Uganda as an alternative tourist destination is not far off the mark. I had the good fortune to visit Uganda many times when I lived in East Africa, based in Nairobi.
TRUS
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Fighting spirit YOU’VE got to hand it to the Spanish. They seem to have elevated the level of football hooliganism to its ultimate form of expression. In the UK hooligans conformed to smashing up shops and bars in the opposing team’s city or fighting with rival fans wherever they could be found. In this country, using WhatsApp, they now pre-arrange not only the time and venue of the battle but also its duration and which weapons may or may not be employed. With this new state of the art ‘a la carte’ hooliganism in mind, I would like to suggest clubs stage these gladiatorial combats inside the stadiums, say two hours before kickoff, and charge an entry fee for the public to watch. Business, after all, is business and local inhabitants would be free to walk about without fear. Jonathan Allso, Valencia.
18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
THE Spirit of Christmas hovers over the shopping centre of Plaza Mayor in Malaga City. Ernie Barnes, Arroyo de la Miel (Malaga)
It really is a very beautiful country with a hospitable and friendly population. Among its many attractions are the fabulous Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks. Coincidentally I was on a short visit to Kampala when Idi Amin overthrew the then former president, Milton Obote. Ron Godfrey, Nerja (Malaga)
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Spied-on REGARDING surveillance cameras and the Spanish privacy laws, I wrote to Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) about cameras our community had installed. It was agreed that cameras be placed at the entrances to the community and that the scheme would be approved by the AEPD. Three cameras were placed so they covered the public walkway. I drew this to the attention of the president but it was claimed they were legal as we allegedly owned the walkway. After my letter to the AEPD they inspected the system and the report concluded that 11 of the cameras contravened the privacy
laws. The community could face a fine of between €40,000 and €300,000. Moral: don’t install cameras without taking proper advice. Robert Peake (by email).
Not-so-sweet charity I WAS executor of my aunt’s will. In her innocence she left the residue of her estate, after bequests, to six charities. Five were very high-profile, one was a small local organisation. The legacies were large and took two years of lengthy
correspondence and admin to complete. The large charities wanted constant breakdowns of every penny I spent, right down to the cost of skips needed to clear my aunt’s house. One even queried the cost and told me to find a cheaper firm. Another said they wanted an account of all expenses and I was only allowed 30p a mile while visiting the house to clear it. I was absolutely disgusted with their uncharitable attitude and especially their greed as they all have head offices around the UK which must cost a fortune. The only charity which caused no trouble was a small local one that was overwhelmed and so grateful for the cheque I finally sent them. If you plan to leave money to any charity try to leave a specific sum. After this unpleasant exercise dealing with high-profile charities, I would sooner give to a small local charity where you can see the good it brings. I gave up donating to big charities and now, knowing the obscene salaries they pay staff, I am glad I did. Julie Perkin, Downend (Gloucestershire, UK)
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Think twice “THERE are a number of reasons for the UK to leave the EU,” says Roger Page, of Mojacar Playa, and I agree with some of the points he makes about the EU’s shortcomings. But what would happen to UK residents like him and me in Spain if the UK were to leave the EU? Would we have the right to continue living here and still have the right to free healthcare, provided we were part of the social security system, either as contributors or pensioners? Not unless Spain were prepared to negotiate a new treaty with the UK, and would Spain do that if the UK had slammed the door shut on Spanish immigrants desperate to work? These Spaniards are young immigrants whom the UK with its aging population needs. They are prepared to work in the low-paid jobs that the British don’t want and many studies have shown that immigrants to the UK aren’t a drain on the economy, in fact the reverse. We are the immigrants in Spain, and we should never forget that. I can live modestly, but comfortably, in Spain on my UK pensions, but if I were forced to return to England I could barely exist. I might very easily become a burden on the government, along with possibly many thousands of returning expats deported from Spain and as many as two million from all of the EU. People like Roger Page should be careful what they wish for, because if they get it, they might not like the effect it would have on their easy lives here. David Frost, Malaga
In black and white I READ recently in the local Spanish press that magpies (urracas) and collared doves are ousting sparrows from Alicante city. Come on! Collared doves, more than likely. But magpies? I have yet to see a magpie in this part of Spain, yet alone in a city anywhere. Puzzled, Campello (Alicante)
The views expressed and opinions given in Letters are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. They accept no responsibility for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements, and reject claims arising out of any action that a company or individual may take on the basis of information contained therein.
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E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
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OPINION & COMMENT
Give our children a break LEAPY LEE SAYS IT OTHERS THINK IT
I
F you’re all sitting comfortably, I’ll begin. Today we are going to talk about the children. The little kiddiewinks. The only species that can drive you from aggravation, to adoration and back in the blink of an eye! Some weeks ago I wrote that giving the vote to 16-year-olds was ridiculous. The backlash I received for that statement was, somewhat predictably, hysterical to say the least. ‘How can you say that?’ a number of readers ranted. ‘Don’t you realise how informed the young people of today actually are? And so on. Well actually loves, as a father of six, I know exactly how informed they are. Despite the whole issue being raised again this week. (I don’t need to say by whom, but he has trouble with bacon sandwiches!) I can quite categorically say the ratio of the ‘informed,’ ‘uninformed’ and ‘don’t give a monkeys,’ teenagers is probably around 500 to one. By this
TEENAGE VOTERS: Let them be kids, most of their lives will be spent as adults. reckoning, the outcome of this experiment would mean that for every ‘informed’ teen voting responsibly for a political party, 499 would vote for Harry Styles. For heaven’s sake give the kids a break. Most of their lives will be spent as adults - with the worry and responsibility that comes with it. Let ‘em just be. Let them revel in their new discoveries; excitement of first kisses and dates.
Let ‘em enjoy their music, young energy and gift of life. To me, endeavouring to heap adult responsibilities on our youngsters is akin to child abuse. I can actually remember being young. Despite the fact that, in the aftermath of WWII we were somewhat deprived, it was a magical, innocent and wonderful experience. Robbing the children of their childhood is unforgivable.
Also, while I’m about it, I think all these ‘Tiny Tot’ beauty pageants should also be banned and indeed some of the mothers actually committed. The agony heaped on most of these tiny participants is a pure parental disgrace. Now we come to another pair of ‘saucepans’ in the news this week. The two young tykes who attempted to rob the bank. All dolled up in crash helmets, with a cleverly faked gun, they strolled into the bank like a couple of John Derringers. Apparently after their capture they were locked in a cell for the night. Quite right. Give them a taste of what to expect if they embark on this type of career. ‘Oh no,’ scream the predictable, completely misled do-good brigade. ‘They should have been treated much differently than that’. Like what I ask? Taken out for a McDonald’s? Given a trip to Disneyland? Of course they needed a sharp, short lesson. After a night on bread and water, they should have been given a guided tour of the grimmest prison around. I dunno, sometimes I do despair of it all. Keep the faith. Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com
What is the best gift you have ever been given or given to someone else?
D
R Martin Espinosa, head of the Royal Aesthetic Clinic in Albir, said the best gifts he has ever been given have all been work related and believes that they are a great and unusual gift to give to someone special in your life: “Giving an aesthetic treatment is the best gift, as the results give the receiver a new found confidence and feeling in their lives and that is amazing.” Simon Foster from Somedo on the Orihuela Costa, says that the best gift he has ever given to anyone was from the
Tracey
STREET TALK heart to his beloved sister for her milestone 40th birthday: “It was a brother/sister necklace and quite symbolic and something she really liked.” Tracey Evans from Avalon SL. Almeria says that meeting her partner was the greatest gift she could have ever received;
DR MARTIN: His work is the best gift.
Joyce
“The best gift I have ever received was actually a late Christmas present. The gift was my other half. He has completely changed my life for the better. With him we have moved to Spain and begun a whole new chapter of our lives.” Joyce from Curiocity hair salon in Fuengirola, who also specialises in dreadlocks, says that she received an unexpected and amazing gift this week from a client! “My client had come in for the first time having been told about me by
someone else. I styled her hair and she was so pleased that the client offered to take me out for dinner with her and a friend to a lovely fish restaurant in Fuengirola as a way of saying thank you for the hair style, which she loved and because she thought I was so nice! It was so unexpected and I had such a lovely time! I felt so appreciated!” Paula Read Kenny from Sophia Wellness Centre in Arboleas said Paula that her first bike was the best gift she has ever received. “My favourite Christmas memory has to be as a child. At sevenyears-old I got my first bike, a yellow Tomahawk and was the proudest girl in the world. I only got this great present from SIMON: 40th gift to Santa because I must sister was the best have been such a good present he has given. girl all year!”
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E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
OPINION & COMMENT
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SHUTTERSTOCK COM
Revolutionary thoughts Vicki Mcleod
TESTING
Family Matters I HAD another of those conversations about running a business in Spain this week. It was with a friend who runs a successful photography business in Mallorca. When she started to live here she had a meeting with a gestor who told her the minimum amounts of money she would have to earn to make it profitable to be legal, and she said she almost didn’t bother trying. She’s a gifted photographer who speaks fluent Spanish and English; you’d think that this would make it easy to make money. No, gestor fees, the taxes and the autonomos charges cripple a small business, it’s exhausting to have to keep your head above all of this and stay in front of your declarations, and that’s on top of your actual business. This week in Spain there has been a change in several laws. Firstly you may have heard about the Google News
GOOGLE NEWS: Will no longer be available in Spain. shutdown for Spain because the Government decided, (showing how little they understand the internet or promotion) that Google should pay to use any news clippings that they pull from newspaper websites. Then there are the new gagging laws whereby if you decide to peacefully protest, about what…? Ooh, let’s see, possibly to protest about the ridiculous cost of running a small business in Spain or the corruptness of politicians… Well you can’t do that now, you can receive a
fine of (are you sitting down?) €600,000. It’s as if they are deliberately trying to disable us and make us more reliant upon the state, as if we’re all idiots who can’t think for ourselves. Or perhaps I am being too “conspiracy theory” about this, perhaps, actually it’s the Government who are idiots and really have absolutely no clue of how to get the country out of recession. There are 700,000 households in this country (how many actual people is that? Two million people?) who have no access to any income at all.
They have dropped off the benefits radar and have nothing coming in because they have remained out of work for longer than they are entitled to benefits. How about incentivising these people to start businesses or work for themselves in a legal way? Wouldn’t THAT not only give everyone encouragement to start but get the economy moving again? Currently they are planning to give a very small new benefit to some of these households starting in January, but it’s not enough, more people need to be presented with opportunities that they can legally take. We need a business revolution, and it needs to be more than just a discounted autonomo fee which is currently on offer, that’s not going to solve it. There’s a general election next year. A change could be made to push Spain out of its malaise and backward facing policies, and into the 21st century like the rest of Europe. If you have the right to vote make sure you look at the policies of the parties, and please, please register to vote at your local council offices, there is a deadline for registration so do it now. www.familymattersmallorca.com
Ready to pump up the volume Colin Bird Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-the-wall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.
I
WAS loading the car with our weekly shopping, when a grim faced chap came rushing toward me, brandishing a clip board. “UGH!” he grunted as he stabbed the clip board with his shiny Bazaar Chino ball point. The form declared it was an official document issued by the Society for the Deaf and Dumb. There were no other details except for two little flags stuck on the bottom - one Spanish, one British - supposedly to denote its authenticity, and three signatures each with a €10 donation signified, but all suspiciously bearing similar hand writing. “UGH!” he repeated, this time more forcefully as he bayoneted the
clip board with his pen. The life of this poor Oriental pen was going to be short lived. Equally forcefully and in words I am not allowed to repeat here, I told him to scarper, at which he turned on his heel muttering something to do with my parentage. It’s a miracle I thought. The gifts of hearing and speech had been
restored simultaneously. But this little incident reminded me of another some years ago. We had decided to stop for a coffee break and a respite from our round of sightseeing in the town of Falmouth in Cornwall. It was a
pleasant little cafe not far from the harbour and the prices although elevated, were not strato-spheric and a short term loan was not necessary. The ambience was pleasant with soothing background muzak and waitresses who were smiley, attentive and cor! Furnishings were comfortable and I was greatly relieved to see that the tables had not been manufactured in Greece, and had legs of equal length. Then as we tucked into our sticky treats, there was a commotion as a crowd of elderly people screaming like Banshees, blew into the cafe like a geriatric hurricane. There were empty tables available for only half of them, the others remaining at the HARD OF HEARING: There is no need to shout, I can hear you loud and clear.
counter where they harangued the serving staff deafeningly with their orders. Suddenly the gentle atmosphere of the cafe had been transformed into a hell hole of noise and three figure decibels. The racket was horrendous. Looking through the window, our attention was directed to a mini bus parked across the road - Van Gogh Centre for the Hard of Hearing it proclaimed. Someone has a sense of humour I thought. Didn’t Van Gogh cut off one of his ears? Then as we were about to leave, one of the worst offenders and definitely in the running for The Bedlam Cup, approached us. “THIS TABLE FREE THEN IS IT?” he bawled. “Half past four!” I hollered back, which seemed to satisfy our loud friend, and we hurried out to the welcome sound of traffic and a police siren.
28
E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
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FEATURE
Advertising Feature
Take action now to ensure your overseas property passes to who you want it to TAKE action now to ensure your overseas property goes to your loved-ones, says Stone King’s Dan Harris. For decades Brits abroad have been immune to Spanish forced heirship rules that determine who gets someone’s property when they pass away. That’s because Spain has allowed the law of a person’s nationality to govern the devolution of their property. But this is all set to change in 2015 when attempts to simplify succession law across Europe come into effect. From August 17 next year a person’s ‘habitual residence’ and not their nationality will determine who gets what when they die. The impact on affected families who don’t take the appropriate action could be devastating. The changes will mean that the devolution of the property of foreigners (including Brits) living in Spain will be subject to that country’s domestic law, not British law. In most civil law jurisdictions like Spain an individual’s property is subject to
HEIRSHIP RIGHTS: The new rules could protect British owners of Spanish property. forced-heirship provisions. This means that the legal system of the state where the property is situated decides who receives your property when you die. Put simply, your will is likely to be (at least partly) ineffective if it conflicts with forced-heirship rules. Instead your children, including estranged children and children from previous relationships, could inherit your property on your death ahead
of your spouse, regardless of your wishes. The good news is that the new regulation contains provisions that have the potential to protect British owners of Spanish property. After August 17, any British national who has property in Spain - and who has taken appropriate action before their death - can avoid the default position of the law of their habitual residence
governing the devolution of their estate by instead making a formal election for the law of their nationality to apply. The ‘appropriate action’ is to make a nomination in a will which is valid in the state where the property is situated, stating which law will apply to your property. As Spain has adopted the provisions of the 1961 Hague Convention on testamentary dispositions your English will is as valid in Spain as a Spanish will, and arguably, as English law is being applied, an English will may be more appropriate. The nomination can and should be done now to avoid problems should you lose the mental capacity to make a new will before August 17 or forget to do so. That way you can ensure that your overseas property passes to your loved ones. For more advice on this complex area of international law please contact Dan Harris or Simon Lofthouse on +44 (0)1225 326761 or email international@stoneking.co.uk
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30
E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
Thursday BBC ONE 4:10pm Escape to the Country 4:40pm Christmas Kitchen with James Martin 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm DIY SOS The Big Build 10:00pm Panorama 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Apprentice: Why I Fired Them 12:35am This Week
BBC TWO 5:25pm Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain 6:25pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:00pm Nigellissima 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Fall 11:30pm Newsnight 12:20am Posh People: Inside Tatler
ITV 4:00pm Secret Dealers 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm A Night of Heroes: The Sun Military Awards 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm A Night in with Olly Murs 12:40am River Monsters
CH4 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 6:30pm Coach Trip 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm George Clarke's Amazing Spaces 10:00pm 24 Hours in A and E 11:00pm Babylon 12:05am Skint
CH5 4:45pm Will You Merry Me 6:30pm 5 News at 5 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm The Gadget Show 9:00pm The Railway: First Great Western 10:00pm Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty 11:00pm Pothole Britain: Drivers Beware! 12:00am Big Foot: The Missing Evidence
SKY1 4:00pm Road Wars 5:00pm Sun, Sea and A&E 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Road Wars 7:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Arrow 10:00pm Arrow 11:00pm Alien: Resurrection
Friday BBC ONE 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm The Two Ronnies Sketchbook 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Citizen Khan 10:00pm Have I Got 2014 News for You 10:30pm Not Going Out 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm The Graham Norton Show 12:25am Cuckoo
BBC TWO 4:55pm Restoring England's Heritage 5:25pm Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain 6:25pm Antiques Roadshow 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two 8:30pm Tom Kerridge Cooks Christmas 9:00pm Mastermind 9:30pm Mary Berry's Absolute Christmas Favourites 10:00pm Canterbury Cathedral 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Newsnight 12:05am Never Mind the Buzzcocks
ITV 4:00pm Secret Dealers 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Text Santa 12:20am ITV News and Weather
CH4 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 6:30pm Coach Trip 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 10:00pm Gogglebox 11:00pm Alan Carr: Chatty Man 12:10am The British Comedy Awards 2014
CH5 4:35pm A Christmas Kiss 6:30pm 5 News at 5 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm The Gadget Show 9:00pm Ice Road Truckers 10:00pm Trespass 11:50pm Shoot 'Em Up 1:30am Super Casino
SKY1 3:30pm Futurama 4:00pm The Simpsons 4:30pm Road Wars 5:30pm Sun, Sea and A&E 6:30pm Road Wars 7:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Best Christmas Movies Ever 11:00pm An Idiot Abroad 12:00am Britcam: Emergency on Our Streets
Saturday BBC ONE 3:00pm Escape to the Country 4:00pm Kung Fu Panda 5:25pm Final Score 6:20pm BBC News 6:30pm BBC London News 6:40pm Pointless 7:30pm Strictly Come Dancing 8:55pm Atlantis 9:40pm The National Lottery Live 9:50pm Strictly Come Dancing 11:00pm BBC News 11:20pm Match of the Day 12:45am The Football League Show
BBC TWO 3:45pm Flog It! 4:45pm Secrets of the Castle with Ruth, Peter and Tom 5:45pm Nativity! 7:30pm The Good Life 7:55pm John Le Mesurier: It's All Been Rather Lovely 8:55pm Dad's Army 9:35pm University Challenge 10:05pm QI 10:35pm Blackadder II 11:05pm Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule 12:05am The Young Ones
ITV 3:25pm The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song 4:50pm Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium 6:35pm ITV News London 6:45pm ITV News and Weather 7:00pm Celebrity Squares 8:00pm Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince 11:00pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:30am ITV News and Weather 12:45am Bette Midler: One Night Only
CH4 5:00pm Channel 4 News 5:30pm The Simpsons 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:25pm The Simpsons 7:00pm Mission: Impossible 9:00pm Rewind the Christmas Hits 10:30pm Four Christmases 12:15am Wanderlust 2:10am Devil
CH5 3:35pm Mr Miracle 5:25pm Kris Kringle 7:05pm The Wish List 8:50pm 5 News Weekend 8:55pm Scrooge 11:10pm Rob Brydon Live 12:05am The Best of the Joan Rivers Position 1:05am Jason Manford Live
SKY1 3:00pm Last Man Standing 3:30pm Last Man Standing 4:00pm Harrow: A Very British School 5:00pm Harrow: A Very British School 6:00pm Portrait Artist of the Year 2014 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 9:00pm Hawaii Five-0 10:00pm A League of Their Own 11:00pm Predator 1:05am Dumb and Dumber Special 1:35am Chickens 2:05am Chickens 2:30am Hawaii Five-0
TV LISTING
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Sunday BBC ONE 4:15pm The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 6:25pm Songs of Praise 7:05pm BBC News 7:20pm BBC London News 7:30pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:00pm Countryfile 9:00pm Antiques Roadshow 10:00pm The Apprentice 11:20pm BBC London News 11:30pm The Apprentice 12:00am BBC News 12:15am Regional News and Weather 12:25am Have I Got a Bit More 2014 News for You 1:10am Weather for the Week Ahead 1:15am BBC New
BBC TWO 5:30pm Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em 6:15pm Flog It! 6:55pm The Terminal 9:00pm Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 10:40pm QI XL 11:25pm Match of the Day 2 12:25am The Sarah Millican Slightly Longer Television Programme 1:05am Serendipity 2:30am Countryfile
ITV 3:50pm Tipping Point 4:50pm The Chase 5:45pm Casper 7:35pm ITV News London 7:45pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm You've Got to Love Christmas 9:00pm Surprise Surprise 10:00pm Midsomer Murders 12:00am ITV News and Weather 12:15am Vicious 12:45am Rugby Highlights
CH4 3:00pm The Big Bang Theory 3:30pm The Simpsons 4:30pm The Simpsons 5:00pm Channel 4 News 5:10pm Bugsy Malone 7:00pm Jamie's Cracking Christmas 8:00pm Men in Black 3 10:00pm Homeland 11:00pm Rewind the Christmas Hits 12:35am The IT Crowd 1:30am Peep Show 2:00am NFL 5:45am NFL
CH5 3:25pm The Christmas Shepherd 5:10pm The Family Man 7:30pm 5 News Weekend 7:35pm Space Cowboys 10:00pm Gran Torino 12:15am Unforgiven 2:45am Super Casino 5:00am House Doctor 5:25am Make it Big
SKY1 4:00pm Penguins of Madagascar Special 4:30pm March of the Penguins 6:00pm We Love Penguins 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Futurama 8:00pm The Flash 9:00pm Modern Family 9:30pm Trollied 10:00pm Best Christmas Movies Ever 12:00am Karl Pilkington: The Moaning of Life 1:00am The Flash
Monday BBC ONE 5:00pm Cinderella 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:30pm A Question of Sport 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Would I Lie to You? 10:00pm John Bishop's Christmas Show 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:35pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 12:05am Citizen Khan
BBC TWO 5:10pm Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em Classic sitcom about one-man disaster area Frank Spencer. 6:00pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm The Great British Bake Off 8:30pm Top of the Pops 2 10:00pm The Wrong Mans 11:00pm Never Mind the Buzzcocks Anarchic pop quiz. 11:30pm Brian Pern: A Life in Rock 12:00am Andy Parsons - Slacktivist
ITV 6:00pm The Cube 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Countrywise 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Tsunami: Survivors' Stories 11:05pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:45pm Notting Hill 2:00am Jackpot247
CH4 3:10pm A Place in the Sun: Home or Away 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Gadget Man's Guide to Christmas 10:00pm Food Unwrapped's Christmas Dinner 11:00pm Derek 12:05am Gogglebox
CH5 4:35pm Garfield 2: A Tail of Two Kitties 6:05pm Christmas with the Kranks 7:55pm World's Strongest Man 2014 9:00pm The Railway: First Great Western 10:00pm Michael Buble's Christmas 2014 11:00pm Dirty Dancing 12:55am Abba: The Image
SKY1 4:00pm Futurama 5:00pm The Flash 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Little Crackers 7:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Modern Family 9:30pm Trollied 10:00pm Stella 11:30pm Trollied 12:30am Arrow
Tuesday BBC ONE 6:10pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm The Royle Family 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:25pm BBC London News 11:40pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 12:10am Cuckoo
BBC TWO 5:20pm Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em 6:05pm Flog It! 7:00pm The Great British Bake Off Masterclass: Christmas Masterclass 8:00pm Dad's Army 8:30pm University Challenge 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Wrong Mans 11:00pm Mock the Week 11:30pm Russell Howard's Good News 12:00am Backchat with Jack Whitehall and His Dad
ITV 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears 9:00pm Roman Britain From the Air 10:00pm Lottery Stories: Be Careful What You Wish for 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:40pm Kylie: Kiss Me Once 12:50am The Jonathan Ross Show
CH4 4:10pm Countdown 5:00pm Deal or No Deal 6:00pm Celebrity Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 8:30pm The Snowman 9:00pm Celebrity Fifteen to One 10:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats 11:00pm Man Down 11:30pm Da Best of Ali G 12:30am Ali G in Da USAiii
CH5 7:00pm World's Strongest Man 2014 7:55pm My Crazy Christmas Obsession 8:50pm Michael Buble's Christmas Songbook 10:00pm Kids' Hospital at Christmas 11:00pm Saving Private Ryan 2:15am Super Casino
SKY1 3:00pm Harrow: A Very British School 4:00pm Futurama 4:30pm Futurama 5:00pm The Flash 6:00pm Treasure Island 8:00pm The Simpsons 9:00pm The Flash 10:00pm Arrow 11:00pm Britcam: Emergency on Our Streets 12:00am 50 Ways to Kill Your Mammy
Wednesday BBC ONE 4:05pm Merry Madagascar 4:25pm Shrek the Halls 4:50pm The Gruffalo's Child 5:15pm On Angel Wings 5:45pm 101 Dalmatians 7:05pm BBC News at Six 7:15pm BBC London News 7:25pm Toy Story 3 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm 10:30pm Not Going Out 11:15pm The Vicar of Dibley 11:55pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 12:30am BBC News at Ten
BBC TWO 3:35pm Little Women 5:25pm To the Manor Born 6:25pm Carols from King's 7:40pm The Good Life 8:10pm Victoria Wood with All the Trimmings 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm The Choir: New Military Wives 10:30pm Julie Walters: A Life on Screen 11:30pm Calendar Girls 1:15am Buster
ITV 4:35pm Off Their Rockers 5:05pm Santa Claus 7:15pm You've Been Framed! 7:45pm ITV News and Weather 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Skyfall 11:45pm ITV News and Weather 12:00am Christmas Carols on ITV
CH4 3:35pm Channel 4 News 3:45pm How the Grinch Stole Christmas 5:50pm The Muppet Christmas Carol 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:25pm Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas 8:55pm The Snowman and the Snowdog 9:30pm My Big Fat Gypsy Christmas 10:30pm Gogglebox 12:05am Rude Tube Christmas Cracker 2014
CH5 4:50pm Scrooge 6:35pm Michael Buble's Christmas 2014 7:30pm My Big Xmas Benefits BlowOut 8:20pm Britain's Craziest Christmas Lights 9:25pm The Dog Rescuers with Alan Davies 10:30pm Greatest Ever Christmas Movies 1:30am Scrooge
SKY1 4:00pm Futurama 4:30pm Futurama 5:00pm The Flash 6:00pm Treasure Island 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm The Simpsons 9:30pm The Simpsons 10:00pm A League of Their Own 11:00pm Stella 12:30am Trollied
32
E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
CROSSWORDS
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EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREAK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE
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NEW ON DVD
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MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE
Guardians of the Galaxy Adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of a bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by a powerful villain with plans to threaten the entire universe. Quill joins up with a team of misfits including a gun-toting raccoon and a tree-like humanoid. The ragtag bunch must face up to one desperate last stand once they discover the true power of the orb. With the fate of the galaxy in the balance, the team must try their best to save the universe. Directed by James Gunn. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Vin Diesel. Runs 121 mins. PG-13.
TODAY TODAY
ALCUDIA
POLLENÇA
CALA MILLOR
INCA
CALVIA
CALA d’OR
PALMA ANDRATX
LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF
ALCUDIA
POLLENÇA
TOMORROW CALA MILLOR
INCA
CALVIA
CALA d’OR
PALMA ANDRATX
LLUCMAJOR
6-Star Quiz GUYS AND DOLLS
particularly true of a financial situation, so there's no sense in fussing until you understand what needs to be done. Someone who has in the past been uncooperative is more flexible. You wonder at this and try to see an ulterior motive, but it is most likely that they have seen the error of their past actions. LEO (July 24 - August 23) Your attention is needed on more than one front, and some decisions are at odds with your personal thoughts and attitudes. Being reminded that 'business is business' does nothing to relieve your conscience.
CANCER (June 22 - July 23) After the 22nd it is much easier to see the path ahead. This is
VIRGO (August 24 September 23) Are you willing to take a risk on someone who has let you down before? Looking into their recent past is likely to tip the balance. What you find shows clearly if there has been a change of heart on their part or if they are trying to pull the wool over your eyes.
Sudoku 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.
LIBRA (September 24 October 23) A disagreement with a friend upsets you but is short-lived. To avoid such a situation in the future, look at how you should have dealt with it. There is always something to know that guides us to a better position.
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
SCORPIO (October 24 November 22) A great feeling of joy comes over you more than once in the week ahead. Your inner child has been set free, and this is likely to be because of recent restrictions, which are now lifted.
LOTTERY UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
UK THUNDERBALL
IRISH LOTTO
EURO MILLIONS
Saturday December 13
Saturday December 13
Saturday December 13
Friday December 12
18
30
33
34
38
48
2
16 23
19 25
3
8
10
19
28
36
BONUS BALL
THUNDERBALL
BONUS BALL
36
5
44
2
15 31
37
6
LA PRIMITIVA Saturday December 13
28
LUCKY STARS 4
Alicante
Almeria
SUNNY MAX 19C, MIN 9C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
1
25
27
36
39
42
REINTEGRO 14
5
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA
Mon - 16 9 C Tues - 17 9 C Wed - 18 9 C
19 11 S 19 9 C 18 11 S
SUNNY
Fri Sat Sun -
9 35
Fri Sat Sun -
SUNNY
Fri Sat Sun -
21 12 S 18 12 S 18 13 C
CLEAR 18 8 S 17 10 Cl 17 9 C S Sun,
MAX MIN
Mon - 17 11 Cl Tues - 17 11 C Wed - 18 10 C
Madrid CLOUDY MAX 13C, MIN 4C MAX MIN
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
Mon - 16 11 C Tues - 17 11 C Wed - 17 9 C
11 3 S 14 4 S 11 3 S
MAX MIN
Mon - 12 3 S Tues - 13 3 S Wed - 12 3 Cl
Murcia MAX 17C, MIN 9C
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
19 12 S 19 12 Cl 17 12 S
TODAY:
MAX 19C, MIN 10C
Mallorca TODAY:
MAX MIN
Mon - 17 11 S Tues - 18 11 S Wed - 18 11 C
SUNNY MAX 19C, MIN 12C MAX MIN
MAX MIN
Mon - 15 9 Cl Tues - 15 9 S Wed - 16 10 Cl
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
MAX 20C, MIN 14C
Benidorm
Malaga TODAY:
19 13 S 19 12 C 18 12 S
TODAY:
MAX 18C, MIN 12C
16 11 Cl 16 9 S 14 8 C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Mon - 16 9 Cl Tues - 16 9 Cl Wed - 16 11 Cl Cl Clear,
SUNNY MAX 21C, MIN 9C MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun Fog,
Sn Snow,
MAX MIN
21 8 S 19 7 S 17 10 S
Mon - 16 8 C Tues - 17 8 C Wed - 17 8 C
C Cloud,
Sh Showers,
Th Thunder
Nonagram 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 G) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.
TARGET:
Average: 18
Very good: 33
Good: 23
Excellent: 40
gilt, glom, goon, hong, ling, logo, long, nigh, ting, tong, glint, gloom, igloo, ingot, light, lingo, might, night, thing, thong, tigon, holing, homing, mooing, oohing, tiglon, hooting, looming, looting, molting, mooting, tooling, MOONLIGHT
Word Ladder SETS
Sunday December 14
5
MAX MIN
Barcelona TODAY:
SUNNY
TODAY:
MAX MIN
MAX MIN
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) When discussing a holiday with others, be aware that agreement is not always easily met. Although you are not inclined to compromise, it is necessary to go with the majority decision.
TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Everything on the home front is emphasised and there will be a
PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Who is trying to push you into a
64
flurry of activity. Get others involved in any changes. Work in the garden or painting is much more enjoyable and half the work if you enlist the help of someone you get on well with.
ARIES (March 21 - April 20) A rather slow start to the week leads you to feel bored but be assured that the weekend will be far from dull. A recent conversation or correspondence with an old friend leads to unexpected contact.
AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) It is difficult to avoid repeating mistakes made in the past. Your approach to certain situations has not changed and therein lies the problem. Someone who blames you for a mistake shows ignorance but that does not make it less upsetting.
1. Which two former England cricket captains were nicknamed Guy (the Gorilla) and Dolly? 2. Athol Guy, was the double bass player with which Australian folkinfluenced pop quartet, whose UK hit singles include: I'll Never Find Another You, A World of Our Own, Morningtown Ride, Georgy Girl and The Carnival is Over? 3. In which decade did Dolly the sheep become the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell, using the process of nuclear transfer? 4. What was the name of the British radio producer, intelligence officer and Foreign Office official who, along with Kim Philby, Donald Maclean and Anthony Blunt was a member of the Cambridge Four spy ring that passed Western secrets to the Soviets before and during the Cold War? 5. In which novel Charles Dickens’ novel, largely set during the Gordon Riots of 1780, first published in 1841, did the character Dolly Varden appear? 6. Which American adult animated sitcom centres on the Griffins, a family consisting of parents Peter and Lois, their children Meg, Chris and Stewie plus their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian?
corner? Maybe it is being done so subtly that you have not even noticed. Who wants a decision from you? Appear to take pressure lightly and not give in to an irritation.
December 23, Vicente del Bosque, football manager. Former Spanish football player and current manager of the Spanish national team. Del Bosque led Spain to two European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012, and one World Cup title in 2010. He coached Real Madrid between 1999 and 2003.
Move from the start word (SETS) to the end word (FREE) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.
31 48
REINTEGRO 0
FREE
FEET FRET FREE
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) The need to plan ahead is frustrating when you know exactly what ought to be going on. Patience is something that you need to cultivate, or you risk upsetting someone close. Spending time with a colleague makes you realise how good things could be, but a lot of effort is involved.
Your Stars
IF IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK: Social life is important because friendships will be made that last a long time. Your popularity should not be taken for granted, but built on. As you need other people, they also need you.
SETS SEES FEES
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Travel arrangements may have to be changed at the last minute. Do not fret, however, because success is more likely later in the month. During a dream, or when reading a book, an idea comes to you. Can this really make a difference to your future?
MAGALLUF
1. IAN BOTHAM and BASIL D'OLIVEIRA, 2. THE SEEKERS, 3. 1990s (1996), 4. GUY BURGESS, 5. BARNABY RUDGE, 6. FAMILY GUY
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Across 1 Highly ornate style, or designed by Chanel? (6) 4 Waterways made of tin, aluminium and sulphur (6) 9 Madagascar goatherd carries a load (5) 10 The platoon revealed its own philosopher (5) 11 Near a demolished stadium (5) 12 Unimaginative, as theatre usually is (7) 13 Changed course continually - sound diplomacy (6) 15 Credit is double big trouble (6) 19 Memory loss is initially a mind numbing experience, so is academia (7) 21 Fixed crude switch (5) 23 Wait, it’s the wrong verse (5) 24 Run away to find work in the Spanish quarter (5) 25 Cleans up when diet is changed (6) 26 Needles from French city (6) Down 1 Bright team leader Adrian is badly beaten up (7) 2 Ride a bike for the full course (5) 3 Proceedings for careless driving? Animal killed (7)
Across 1 Young rooster (8) 4/6 Athletic event (4,4) 7 Parody (5) 9 Spherical (5) 11 Besmirch (5) 12 Flat (5) 13 Go by (6) 15 Evaluate (6) 19 Denim pants (5) 21 Domesticated South American ruminant (5) 23 All keyed up (5) 24 Big (5) 25 Moist (4) 26 Unafraid (8)
5 Tree begins autumn pruning, putting leaves everywhere (5) 6 Slow movements from a dog is a treat (7) 7 Total is twenty (5) 8 Bridge players under low deer (5) 14 Concentrated on made up red cent (7) 16 Furred animal turning on orca, cold
inside (7) 17 Doctor Les adds burdens (7) 18 Furtively checks out court events (5) 19 Savings account returning capital (5) 20 A display of bad temper in the theatre? (5) 22 It concerns Adam’s wife and the bailiff! (5)
Code Breaker Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 10 represents Z and 15 represents G, so fill in Z every time the figure 10 appears and G every time the figure 15 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 CRYPTIC Across: 1 Waddle, 5 Dearth, 8 Loss, 9 Treasure, 10 Senior, 11 Create, 12 Fade, 14 Aha, 15 Aden, 16 Canton, 18 Thread, 19 Likeness, 21 Sale, 22 Pestle, 23 Disuse. Down: 2 Adore, 3 Dislike, 4 Entertain, 5 Doe, 6 Aisle, 7 Turn the tables, 11 Chastised, 13 Avarice, 15 Arrests, 17 Treat, 20 Ewe. QUICK Across: 1 Chooses, 4 Super, 7 Anger, 9 Screams, 10 Trouble, 11 Needs, 12 Spare, 14 Feast,19 Harms, 21 Replace, 23 Insults, 24 Cheap, 25 Lists, 26 Suspend. Down: 1 Charts, 2 Scrub, 3 System, 4 Strange, 5 Peace, 6 Resist, 8 Group, 13 Results, 15 Share, 16 Thrill, 17 Crisis, 18 Leaped, 20 Rests, 22 Picks.
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
English - Spanish The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English. Across 1 Sixteen (9) 8 Pavement (for walking on) (5) 9 Grano (5) 11 Wool (4) 12 Beso (4) 14 Alto (edificio, persona) (4) 16 Weapon (4) 19 Help (assistance) (5) 21 Boy (5) 22 Waiters (9) Down 2 Artículos (5) 3 Which (in questions and reported speech) (4) 4 Señal (de aviso) (4) 5 Departure (3) 6 Sierra para metales (7) 7 Rings (on finger) (7) 10 Rata (3) 13 Triste (persona) (3) 15 Warning (advance notice) (5) 17 Branch (of tree) (4) 18 Dolor (4) 20 Grape (3)
Hexagram The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 six-letter words into the 19 cells. The letters at the edges of interlocking cells MUST BE THE SAME. The letters in the words must be written CLOCKWISE. The word in cell 10 (FIRING) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues. CORONA
RIGOUR
ENGLISH-SPANISH Across: 1 Cesto, 4 Sello, 7 Ese, 8 Aviador, 9 Soap, 10 Octavo, 14 Collars, 16 Cod, 17 Lagos, 18 Seats.
DESIRE
SCREAM
FIELDS
SCURRY
FIRING (10)
SEDUCE
HAULED
SHREDS
LEERED
TRAILS
Down: 1 Chess, 2 Sueca, 3 Orar, 4 Suitcases, 5 Lid, 6 Our, 11 Ancla, 12 Ondas, 13 Saws, 14 Col, 15 Leg.
MASSED
TRAITS
PIERCE
UPROSE
RAISED
WHEELS
RETAIN
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
Funagram Unscramble the name of a type of musical instrument (one word): OR I’M HUMAN FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: MARILYN MONROE, HARMONIUM
Unscramble the name of a famous Hollywood superstar: MORAL IRONY: MEN
Down 1 Manner of dressing (7) 2 Annoyed (5) 3 Delivery job (6) 5 Complain (5) 6 See 4 Across 8 Apartments (5) 10 Male duck (5) 14 Separated (5) 16 Shoulder cover (5) 17 Triumph (7) 18 Wool of sheep (6) 19 Fatigued (5) 20 Sound of mind (4) 22 Concur with (5)
1 Divide, 2 Priest, 3 Decree, 4 Treaty, 5 Rested, 6 Others, 7 Starry, 8 Chaste, 9 Centre, 10 Astern, 11 Caters, 12 Nearer, 13 Ceases, 14 Scream, 15 Meters, 16 Abases, 17 Neatly, 18 Massed, 19 Whiled
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I am really living life because having regrets is such a shame Erica Russell Watson: My journey – and I’m driving
10th December LIFE seemed to slow down. The last few months had been a whirlwind of appointments, tests, scans and chemo. It had been two weeks since my first chemo session and apart from a sore throat, I was feeling pretty good. I noticed that my hair was starting to fall out, nothing dramatic, but quite a lot on the pillow in the morning. I gave my hair a good wash and then towel dried it. The majority of hair seemed to cling on to its roots so I decided that I still wasn’t quite at the stage where I needed to shave my head. My blonde Bond wig was at the ready though! I was told at my last appointment that I would have to remove my coil because the hormones were ‘in contra’ to my treatment so my doctor made an appointment for me at family planning and they called me in pretty quickly. I hoped it wouldn’t affect my iron levels because the original reason for having the IUD
inserted was because I was extremely anaemic owing to very heavy periods. Only time would tell. In the meantime I looked after myself, went for walks along the beach with Jorge. I did homework with my children, cooked meals, laughed a lot… life as normal. I still had an army of people offering to help, but I thought that I needed to get on with things as much as I could on my own.
What a lucky girl I am, and yes, I do feel like a girl I decided to get fitted for an arm compression stocking to wear when I was doing anything a little more strenuous, sport for example. The goal was to avoid lymphedema at all costs. Once your arm puffs up it’s a condition you will have to live with. A lovely friend, Kelly, rang me and asked if I would like a foot massage! Well you can imagine I was over to see her in a flash. Aside from the importance of looking after ones feet and nails, I can honestly say Kelly has magic fingers and a wonderful heart.
She talked away and I could have stayed there forever. A massive thank you to her. She is in Avenida Tore Tore near the seafront in Torre del Mar. Go and visit her she is a wizard! It was the run up to Christmas and I was planning for the arrival of my family. My parents would be arriving from Mexico, shortly followed by my sister from Manila and her boyfriend. It is always a major operation uniting us! I was so looking forward to Christmas and my children were desperate to see their grandparents and aunt. Last week of school and I could tell they were tired. Time to decorate the tree and get in some Christmas goodies, mince pies and the like! Yummy. Food really makes me happy and I was feeling so thankful that so far my appetite had remained healthy. You can have all the treatments you want but I think that without love, a fighting spirit and a full tummy it wouldn’t be enough. Just like everything in life you have to believe in yourself and in your ability to overcome. I have been able to find so many positives in my situation. I see my children much more, I have changed the pace at which I live, which is just as well because my work life balance was askew before. When I come out the other side… I will be a far healthier
person in so many respects. I take time to truly appreciate the little big things as I call them. A walk, a beautiful sunrise, my children’s laughter, it doesn’t matter what it is really but each cuddle, kiss, smile, kind gesture seems magnified at a time like this. I just feel so grateful for the endless kindness and love from family, new friends and old. What a lucky girl I am. Yes, I do feel like a girl. To me it seems just like yesterday that I was wielding my hockey stick on the muddy pitches in the pouring rain at school. I remember my mother saying the same thing to me. “I may be older on the outside but I feel so young on
How often do we talk about doing things, but never get around to it the inside.” Recently I have been replaying my life to date through my head. From that tiny little girl who sailed the oceans with her father, mother and sister, from the shy girl who grew and blossomed at school to the young lady who studied in Malaga for a year as part of her degree. A very special time for me.
To the executive in London who had more jobs than you could shake a stick at! Then the move to Spain. Starting a business, having my children and living life to the full. I have done so much in my life, but I feel that I have so much more to achieve. We all need a reason to get up in the morning. The drive to survive is a powerful motivator. When you are diagnosed with cancer it forces you to look at life in a different way. How often do we talk about doing things, but never get around to them? Well life is not a dress rehearsal and we aren’t on the planet for very long, so we might as well live life to the full. Take up yoga, go on that course or climb that mountain you’ve always talked about climbing. Go on that holiday, visit those friends and family you keep meaning to see. There is nothing sadder than going through life procrastinating because it so easy to come up with reasons not to do things. Start doing! Really live because having regrets is such a shame. Next week I would have my next chemo session and hopefully find out the results of my bone scans. Step by step, week by week, but I had embarked upon my journey to recovery and I was really living life.
The Christmas ‘gift’ you really don’t want FLU is often the other ‘gift’ that Christmas brings, affecting between 10-15 per cent of the population each year, peaking over the Christmas and New Year period. Dr Jose Luis Cañada, coordinator of the working group of infectious diseases of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians said it can be difficult to
avoid, “without flying on a plane on December 1 to Buenos Aires for three months!” Joking aside, he adds: “Influenza is a disease of children and adolescents, but the elderly are those that pay the price.” Around 1,500-3,000 people die each year in Spain from flu and most are the elderly or those
considered in high risk groups. Dr Cañada is an advocate of the flu jab to help protect people from the virus and its spread amongst the population. In Spain, rates of vaccination against influenza are around 60 per cent, below the recommended target of 70 per cent of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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Doggy heaven REPORTS that Pope Francis told a distraught little boy that dogs can go to heaven turn out to be wide of the mark. The World’s Press picked up on a report in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, that suggested he said there was a place in heaven for people’s pets. But it turns out his comments and the context into which they were put were misinterpreted. According to Vatican Radio, what the Pope actually said was: “The Holy Scripture teaches us that the fulfilment of this wonderful design also affects everything around us.” Corriere della Ser interpreted that remark to mean that dogs could go to heaven. Other media sources then picked up the story and within hours it was making news around the world. To make matters worse the Pope was not talking to a distraught boy, but rather to a general audience, and comparisons the paper drew with remarks from Pope Paul VI were then attributed to Pope Frances by many news sources. Outlets which misreported the comments included The New York Times, TODAY, and NBC News. The Vatican has not clarified exactly what the Pope meant.
EVERYONE loves puppies. They’re adorable. But how adorable will you think your puppy is when you find him in the middle of a mess that used to be your favourite pair of shoes. Puppies, like babies, require an enormous amount of attention and effort - from housebreaking and socialising to teaching acceptable manners. If you don’t have the time to keep a steady training schedule, perhaps you should look into getting an adult dog. However, adult dogs come with their own ‘baggage.’ Some adult dogs have been abused or neglected. As a result, these dogs have acquired
David THE Dogman
options you can take to get your new puppy or adult dog. You can buy a dog from a reputable breeder, or you can adopt or rescue a dog from an animal shelter. Unless you’re looking for a purebred dog that you possibly plan to breed in the future, adoption from a shelter is one of the best ways to go. Adopting a pet from a shelter is PUPPIES: not as expensive Adorable, but hard work. as buying a pet from a breeder. Animals from a shelter some less-than-ideal are usually screened for behaviours of their own. Once you’ve got an health and temperament, idea of what you want, so you can be sure that there are generally two while you’re giving an Listen to David on TRE every Saturday 10 thru 11. Costa del Sol (Gibraltar/Sotogrande) 98.7fm (San Roque to Calahonda) 91.9fm (Calahonda to Motril) 88.9, Costa Calida 92.7fm Costa Blanca (Torrevieja to Elche) 105.1fm (Elche to Calpe) 88.2fm, (Calpe to Gandia & Ibiza) 104.6fm, (Denia to Valencia) 95.3fm Mallorca 103.9fm
animal in need a home, it’s the right animal for your home. However, if you’re looking for a specific breed, a breeder (or a specific breed rescue) is the way to go. Contact the Kennel Club in your country, they normally have a list of registered breeders. Ask for references from your breeder, and ask about how many times of year they breed. A good breeder generally only produces one to three litters a year and will guarantee their dogs against most major health defects. When chosen for all the right reasons, the ownership of a dog can be wholly rewarding and a very satisfying experience.
A regular sitter for Bella and Boo has been found online By Lamia Walker of HousesitMatch SMALL dogs can be famously fussy with their food, and who cares for them, or so I have been told by many dog owners. Bella and Boo, a couple of Dachshunds who moved to Costa Almeria with Moira their owner last year apparently fit this description. It’s quite a challenge
for a newly retired empty nester, now excited to travel and discover new places in her retirement. So how can she find suitable and affordable care for her dogs for the 12 weeks she plans to be absent this year? Irish friends also retired in Spain had mentioned a new membership they had taken up to an online network - HouseSit Match.com - that allows
them to meet up with other people who love animals and are happy to petsit or housesit in exchange for free accommodation. It sounded like a really good collaborative idea. When she learned that the company was active in a number of different countries with sitters and housesits all around the world, Moira joined as both a homeowner and a
housesitter. The first pet sitter for Bella and Boo is booked for April and she is exploring housesits herself in France for the New Year! Download your Free Easy Guide to Housesitting from here www.bit.ly/eurown001
To find a petsitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on +44 (0)1865 521508.
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Maybe you’d like to take part in our ‘Restaurant’ experience? Your establishment provides a meal for two which we will review and publish - with pictures - in your local edition. If you have any news of interest that you would like to get out to local readers, then please let us know. We cannot promise to publish everything, but we will do our best.
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AFRICAN DAISIES: Flowering profusely at this time of year.
Preparing for a very merry Christmas from your garden Dick Handscombe
Gardening Corner By Spain’s best known expatriate gardening author living in Spain for 25 years.
JUST a week to Christmas now, so here
are some urgent jobs. If there could be a frost in the next few days, it is wise to harvest any new potatoes that you have nursed along since September as soon as possible. I have quite a nice crop and since the recent
rains and generally sunny weather, should be able to harvest the first small but tasty broccoli heads. Likewise salad leaves have grown large. In fact, it’s difficult to keep eating salads, so a pre-Christmas soup is on
the menu. Lettuces, broccoli leaves, young garlic, onion, rocket, radish and carrot leaves with a little added Jamon Serrano should make for an interesting lunch. My attempt to grow a bigger turkey this year worked but the 44.1 pounds, 40 last year, proved too much for the turkey’s left leg, so it had to be killed two days ago and weighs 37.5 lbs oven ready. Salvias and euryops continue to give bright colour to the garden and during the past week African daisies have started to flower profusely. Roses are giving a good show, so vases of roses may well grace many a Christmas table. Fruit trees are very confused. In our garden a plum tree has unseasonal new fruit and, similarly in a neighbouring garden, a pear tree has fruit. The branches can be
cut to mix in with other greenery for Christmas decorations. On the way to the village, grape vines are being pruned early, as although the autumn coloured leaves have all fallen, new buds are already opening three months early. Thinking about crops in the vegetable garden beyond Christmas, there is still time to sow some final peas and broad beans and plant plantlets of onions, leeks, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflowers and lettuces. Now is the time to obtain a few vegetable and flower seed catalogues to select things to sow in the spring. Unfortunately the choice of vegetable seeds in many garden centres and agricultural cooperatives in Spain gets less each year due to the increasing number of hybrid genetically modified seeds which do
not reproduce well a second year if you try to harvest and dry some seeds. A Spanish website and catalogue still worth trying is Madre Terra and an English Catalogue, Chiltern Seeds, who source many seeds from Mediterranean countries. By the way, each year more and more readers are setting up mini 10tub vegetable gardens, a concept which we first introduced in our book ‘Growing healthy vegetables in Spain.’ To achieve good crops mix up a good growing medium from sacks of dried manure, an earth based compost, worm compost and TerraCottem gel based soil improver to prevent the tubs from drying out. So with that, it’s a happy Christmas to you all.
© Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com December 2014
OPINION & COMMENT
C
OLUMNISTS are often taken as just another piece of newspaper furniture. However, in some parts of the world these scribes carry a great deal of weight with readers. Often controversial and hopefully enlightening, perhaps because they ‘play to the audience,’ the columnist attracts readership loyalty. The term has its source in Saint Simeon Stylites of Syria who, in the 5th Century, harangued the populace from the steps of his column. This was a Speakers Corner of its time. Columnists became a formidable force in America and Britain. In the US the great names included Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, Walter Winchell, and HL Mencken. Britain had its own drum beaters in Cassandra (Daily Mirror), Lynda Lee-Potter, Simon Heffer and Richard Littlejohn (Daily Mail). One of the most influential of columnists was the Daily Telegraph’s Peter Simple. Michael Wharton aka Peter Simple was a thorn in
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Mightier than the sword Mike Walsh Mike, based in Mediterranean Spain, is an international journalist, author and professional writer.
the side of Britain’s Leftists. When he saw several members of a BBC TV camera crew sobbing he asked the reason. They replied they had just heard the news Soviet dictator, Josef Stalin, had died. Wharton replied: “It’s a pity he was ever born.” From that moment on, he said, they never spoke to him again. Washington columnist Marquis Childs guessed that New York Times editorialist James Reston held roughly the power of three US Senators. Presidents and Prime Ministers tirelessly court these satirists. US President Lyndon B Johnson, a friend of Walter Lippmann, said
COLUMNISTS: Can get away with expressing opinions the editor dare not utter. this columnist could make or break him while the electorate was still in bed. Lippmann’s column appeared three times a week in more than 200 newspapers. As author of President Wilson’s 14 Points, the document sealed the fate of defeated
Germany in 1918. This newspaper columnist might have set out the road map for Hitler and World War Two. Lippmann, constantly courted by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, played a leading role in bringing the Vietnam War to an end.
The public mood for this US military débâcle was said to have been started by Lippmann’s formidable rival, Joseph Alsop. As the US President ordered 50,000 more troops to Vietnam, President Lyndon Johnson was heard to murmur: “There; that
should keep Joe Alsop quiet for a while.” As many as 800 American newspapers carried Winchell’s column. Few of his readers knew that Herman Klurfield served as the columnist’s stand-in and ghost-writer. Many columns are penned by an editorial group and appear under a pseudonym; in effect it is a brand name. Both US President Theodore and Franklin D Roosevelt were newspaper columnists, President Ronald Reagan and presidential hopeful Barry Goldwater likewise. A columnist’s value to an editor cannot be understated. The challenging essayist gets away with expressing opinions the editor dare not utter. It is the columnist not the newspaper that attracts the flak.
Star quality in the political field maintained, before going on to point out that it focuses on public institutions and does not assess the public’s perception of corruption linked to party politics. Had it done so, Spain would have precious little to smirk about. It is precisely the nasty nexus between parties and sleaze that makes corruption the population’s greatest concern.
Cassandra Nash
A weekly look - and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene
S
OME PSOE grandees in the provinces and regions resent Pedro Sanchez’s starring
role. He takes centre stage too often, they grumble, and instead of promoting himself he should be promoting them, and helping them do better in next May’s elections. Many are out in the cold since they were ousted in the regional and local elections of May 2011 and are feeling the draught. But Sanchez is promoting himself to good effect: a recent Metroscopia opinion poll puts the PSOE on 27.7 per cent of the intended vote, Podemos on 25 per cent and the PP on 20 per cent. Opinion polls are just that: the voicing of an opinion for the benefit of pollsters, pundits and
PEDRO SÁNCHEZ: Promoting himself to good effect. predictors and in a reversal of the old song, it’s a long, long time from December to May. The voter who matters, the undecided floating voter, usually knows damn-all about politics but is currently taken with tall, attractive and media-friendly Pedro Sanchez. Sanchez and his advisers have perceived this and between now and May there will be more of him, not less. Insecure party grandees had better get used to it.
Less good than it looks AS usual, Denmark and New Zealand emerged as the world’s least corrupt countries. In at 37, Spain was placed comfortably near the top of the list of 175 countries evaluated for the annual Transparency International corruption index. Corruption in Spain is not systematic, the organisation
Now for the tough bit PODEMOS might be able to trace its unconventional origins to the M-11 ‘Indignados’ movement prior to the 2011 municipal elections. But it must go some way down the conventional route if it wants to get anywhere, and the first steps have been a little unsteady. It will be subjected to the same scrutiny as other parties and promises become policies. The party’s Number Two, Iñigo Errejon has already displayed
clay-feet symptoms over his €1,800 a month research grant at Malaga University. Not only has he not complied with its terms but he was the only applicant for the plum post dispensed by another Podemos member. Small beer compared with the PP and PSOE, but disappointing from a group that derides other parties as “the caste” and deprecates the feathers that line their nests.
Different approach needed CATALUÑA’S anti-independence group Societat Civil Catalana recently complained of an absence of “positive things” from Spain’s national government in Madrid. Mariano Rajoy concentrates on demolishing independence sentiments instead of strengthening ties. What Cataluña needs is love and nurture, not all stick and no carrot.
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GIVING further credence to the belief that the Spanish property market is finding its feet again, the third quarter of this year saw house prices rise for the second consecutive quarter. Compared with figures for 2013, house prices for the third quarter of 2014 increased by 0.3 per cent. This follows on from an increase of 0.8 per cent in the second quarter of this year. Prices in Andalucia remained stable, according to latest data from the National Statistics Institute, and the Balearic Islands showed an increase in prices of 2.1 per cent. The biggest increases were noted in Madrid and Cantabria. El Economista has reported that between July and September the price of new housing rose by 0.8
CHRISTOPHER CHAPPELEAR
House prices continue to rise
RINCON DE LA VICTORIA: Andalucian house prices remain stable. per cent and the price of second hand housing rose by 0.1 per cent. A total of 12 Spanish regions saw
declines in their annual rate during the third quarter, particularly Galicia and La Rioja.
Banks extend their role with new developments
ÑEZ
new development in the capital, with BBVA and Banco Santander leading the pack,” said Mark Stucklin of Spanish Property Insight. “Solvia, the Banco Sabadell property division, is another company within the banking sector betting hard on residential development. It finished 19 projects in 2013 with 900 homes and up to October 2014, it finished a further 24 with 707 homes. In addition, it has 18 under construction (663 units).” With the banks dominating new development and holding an extensive portfolio of repossessed properties already, the face of the Spanish property market is changing.
ALVARO IBA
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SPANISH banks are extending their grip on the property market by offering hundreds of new developments to go with the hundreds of thousands of distressed and repossessed properties already on their books. According to national press reports, banks are offering a raft of new properties in residential developments that are either finished, under construction or off-plan, particularly in Madrid. Properties on offer range from apartments for as low as €87,500 to highend, luxury houses priced at over €1 million. In most cases, banks in theory own the developer and are heavily involved in the marketing and sales of the developments, according to Spanish Property Insight. “So, Spanish banks now dominate
SPANISH BANKS: Moving into new property.
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E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
Two sailors mugged at knifepoint TWO Olympic medal-winning sailors were mugged at knifepoint in Brazil as they returned from training. Britons Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark, who are in Rio for a training camp ahead of the 2016 Olympics, posted a message on their Facebook page following their terrifying ordeal. The message stated: “Our delightful walk back from the sailing club to the hotel turned fairly nasty when two guys wielding seven-inch knives ran at us, pushed us around and grabbed everything we had. “Along with the things that were actually worth something, the most annoying thing right now is our lycra we were sailing in got taken, unbelievable! Anyway, we made it back to the hotel slightly shaken, but all ok, looking forward to what tomorrow brings.” Mills, aged 26, and Clark, aged 35, won silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games in the women’s 470 class, and recently won bronze in this year’s World Championships.
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BOATING
Danish team hoping to
PHOTOS have been released of the dramatic grounding of Team Vestas Wind on a remote patch of land in the Indian Ocean during the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. The team had to abandon ship after their $6 million (€4.79m) sloop slammed into a patch of coral reef and tore open the boat’s hull. Unable to stay on the badlylisting boat, the crew were transported by the Mauritius coastguard to a small island called Ile de Sud, where the nine-man crew spent two days before being brought by boat to Abu Dhabi. It is still unknown if the Danish boat will be able to continue. Team Vestas Wind CEO Morten Albaek said: “It is Vestas’ clear ambition to get Team Vestas Wind out sailing again. We’ll do everything within our means to make that happen. That said, the assessment from all parties is that the boat can’t be repaired, and therefore one of the options we’re looking into is building a new boat. Whether that can be done, and done in time which is meaningful for Team Vestas Wind to re-enter the race, is still to be
GROUNDED: Team Vestas Wind comes a cropper.
STRANDED: Modern day Robinson Crusoes. concluded. We’re working closely together with Volvo Ocean Race on exploring that opportunity.” Meanwhile, the second leg of the race finished with Team Brunel arriving in Abu
Dhabi in first place, followed just 16 minutes later by Dongfeng Race Team. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing came home in
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18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
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BOATING
BRIAN CARLIN/TEAM VESTAS WIND/VOLVO OCEAN RACE
o continue EXTREME SAILORS: Team Alinghi.
Alinghi go to the extreme
third, and Spanish team MAPFRE finished in fourth place. The third leg of the race, from Abu Dhabi to Sanya in China, will start on January 3.
RENOWNED two-times Americas Cup winner Alinghi has been crowned the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series champion. After clinching the Act 8 victory in Sydney and following 231 races this year, the Swiss team has capped an amazing season with the Extreme Sailing accolade. Eleven top international teams battled it out in one of the most hard-fought Series to date, with Ernesto Bertarelli’s team coming out on top. “We’ve had an amazing season with an amazing team,” said team
captain Morgan Larson. “To win the season and the Act on the last day in the conditions we had here in Sydney, which is the best sailing venue in the world, is a special moment that’s going to take a long time to sink in. The level of confidence that we have on our boat just made me realise I can win anything with these guys. This is the best feeling I’ve had all year and probably in the whole of my sailing career, so I’m going to cherish it.” Alinghi were hot favourites for the Series and didn’t disappoint. The
crew could have played it safe as all they needed was a sixth place finish or higher, but they came out with guns blazing and took first place. The Extreme Sailing Series is the original ‘stadium-style’ racing circuit designed for spectators, delivering high-performance action close to the shore. Set up in 2007 and attracting some of the best sailors in the world, the Series features 40feet multihulls on short courses and the global circuit spans Asia, the Middle East, Russia, Europe and Australia.
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How to look after your car’s battery this winter, with Mallorca Batteries
AS the nights have drawn in and with the onset of winter weather just around the corner, now is the time to check your battery to prevent that starting problem either first thing taking children to school or at the end of a hard day going home. With the higher temperatures during the summer months batteries produce more power, but discharge quicker. As temperatures fall so does the power output of your battery. This combination of temperature change and
BATTERIES AND MORE: The team use the latest testing technology.
accelerated discharge means your battery will be starting the winter at a disadvantage. Also take into account the fact that we drive our
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know that recent surveys found 50 per cent of all vehicles entering a workshop for repair or service had a flat battery! This is where the battery voltage has discharged to below 12.4v, and suffers the impact of ‘sulphation’. The simple way to remedy this is to charge your battery at regular intervals, every six months will be sufficient. This will ensure your battery remains in a healthy, charged condition, and will perform and last for much longer. The battery is the ‘heart’
of every vehicle, yet it remains one of the most neglected components. No matter how well you clean or service your vehicle, if you fail to maintain your battery, it will eventually let you down... sooner than you expect. Mallorca Batteries offer an extensive range of batteries, but that’s not all. The key to our success is in our ability to resolve our customers’ problems. We use the very latest industry battery and electrical system testing
technologies, so you not only get the right battery meeting your needs but we ensure your vehicle’s charging and starting system receive a health check too. Why not ask your garage the next time you book a service, whether they have tested your battery, and what they can tell you about its condition? We offer a range of smart consumer chargers, and can also perform a diagnostic test on your battery. Why not give us a call, even if just to find out how you can protect your battery this winter. Mallorca Automotive & Marine S.L.U Carrer Alexandre de Laborde No.3, Palma Tel: Office 971 254 330, Mobile 625 193 774 info@mallorcabatteries.com
E W N 18 - 24 December 2014 / Mallorca
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Sport Mallorca’s best guide to local sport
SPORT
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Lewis & Sir Chris Hoy TOP MAN. Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Gymnast Claudia Fragapane won the Young Sports Star of the Year award, while Sir Chris Hoy (on home soil) was presented with a Lifetime Achievement award. Other awards went to England women’s Rugby Union World Cup winning team, Paul McGinley (coach of the year), Jill Stidever (unsung hero).
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Ponent win with speed and skill IN the Baleares Senior League Corsaris RFC played strongly against RC Ponent B but were no match for the speed and defensive skills of their opponents. Although they were able to recover on several occasions and scored 10 points this was not enough to end their losing streak. Final score was 10 – 21 in
favour of RC Ponent B. The RC Ponent A team played at home in Principes de España against unbeaten league leaders Bahia RC who were missing some of their key players and as a result suffered their first loss of the season. In a tough match the RC Ponent players took advantage of their superior speed in attack and some good defending. Bahia RC were unable to break through to score against 46 points for the home team. The other match played in Son Caliu between Shamrock RC and Ibiza RC resulted in a 14 points to 40 win for Ibiza RC although this is the highest score to date for the improving,
RUGBY GIRLS: Ponent RC. young Shamrock RC team. Dimonis RC postponed their match for the second week running, this time against El Toro RC. In the Baleares Senior Girls League there was a highly successful tournament organised in Son
RC Ponent back on form, although only just able to beat their main rivals in this league, El Toro RC. In preparation for the U18 Spanish Championships in April, the members of the Balearics Academy spent a few days on the peninsula testing themselves against various clubs. They began in the Centre for Sport Specialisation in Cheste where they RIVALS: El Toro RC and RC Ponent spent time lining up for a scrum. training and Caliu and hosted by El Toro then played against a RC. The girls’ teams national level team. They continue to improve with next stopped in Barcelona Pablo Zelarayan.
By Lynda Demangeat
where they trained under former national selector Pablo Tomas Garcia and finished with a triangular tournament against Masia Barça and Hospitalet RC. The results were: CTE Cheste 24 v Baleares 0; Masía Barça 12 v Baleares 24; Hospitalet RC 0 v Baleares 42. This weekend there is a last chance for the youngsters to play before Christmas with RC Ponent hosting the U16 Michel Rodier Trophy. El Toro RC hosts the Michel Rodier Trophy for the U14 teams in Son Caliu whilst the Senior Girls teams head to Menorca. Postponed matches could possibly be played this weekend.