Euro Weekly News - Mallorca 21 - 27 May 2015 Issue 1559 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

ISSUE NO. 1559

21 - 27 May 2015

MALLORCA

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

By Maria José Fernandez MORE than 120,000 people have already signed a petition entitled, Mallorca Sense Sang, which aims to turn the Island into an anti-bullfighting region. The Mallorca Sense Sang campaign, which translates to ‘Mallorca without blood,’ was launched one year ago by animal rights associations AnimaNaturalis and CAS International. “We believe the end of bullfights is near,” said organisers in a statement: “The campaign also gained support from cultural and political circles, with the signature of actors Carlos Turn to Page 4

FLICKR BY ANIMANATURALIS

Mallorca without blood

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Wrong code False hijack alarm on Palma flight A pilot who keyed in the wrong code led to a hijacking alert on a flight to Palma. He

had meant to say there was a communication error. Turn to Page 2

Selling like hot cakes Good news for banks as homes sell Bank-owned homes in Palma are selling much faster than the national average. The Balearic Islands currently have

1,405 bank-owned homes for sale, only 2.9 per cent of the national total. Turn to Page 5

Flying high Boost for low cost airlines There has been a big rise in the number of passengers carried by low cost airlines to the

Balearics with 551,597 in the first four months of the year. Turn to Page 8

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Plane hijack ‘false alarm’ Fewer foreign actioned at Palma airport LOCAL NEWS

THE number of foreign employees in the Balearic Islands has fallen from 16.5 per cent to 15.7 per cent. In 2007, a total of 71,344 foreigners were working on the Islands, compared to 61,858 currently, according to a study released by Randstad, which was created using data provided by the Employment and Social Services Ministry.

Ready, steady, vote! A TOTAL 744,880 people in the Balearics are called to vote in the local elections on Sunday (May 24). That is 33,354 more voters registered this year, compared with the local elections

of 2011. There will be 382 polling stations, with a total of 3,513 ballot boxes, and in addition there will be 40 polling stations administrated electronically in Marratxi.

Tourist in balcony fall AN ENGLISH tourist is in critical condition after falling from a hotel balcony in Magaluf on Friday (May 15). The 46-year-old man re-

portedly tried to jump from a balcony to another and fell. Emergency services attended and were able to stabilise him before going to hospital.

PILOT accidentally input the wrong numbers when dialling the code By Maria José Fernandez A HIJACK false alarm caused authorities to take control of the Son Sant Joan airport in Palma on Monday, May 18. According to the information released by the Flight Controllers Trade Union, the pilot noticed a problem in the communications during the flight and tried to warn the control tower by using number codes. However, when dialling the numbers, the pilot introduced the code 7,500, which references the ‘flight hijacking’ code, instead of 7,600, used to warn about a communication error. Authorities at the control tower activated the ‘illicit plane take over’ protocol, and an emergency meeting was called amongst the Guardia

Photo Flickr David Martin Suki

island workers

CONTROL TOWER: Activated the ‘illicit plane take over’ protocol. Civil and National Police high authorities in the Balearic Islands. Officers proceeded to surround the aircraft and con-

tacted the pilot from the runaway. Finally, they confirmed that there was no evidence of hijacking, deactivating the

protocol shortly after. The pilot apologised upon arrival and the incident did not cause any delays or other disturbances at the airport.

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Zoo demo

FEATURED NEWS

Aromatic markets fuel creativity in kitchen

Citizens outraged AS many as 100 people gathered on Sunday (May 17) at the front door of the Safari Zoo in sa Coma to demand its closure after the controversial death of two of its chimpanzees.

Financial aid Self-employment boost THE Economy Department of the Balearic Islands regional government will spend €461,815 in grants to encourage selfemployment. The project is aimed at unemployed residents of above 45 years, survivors of domestic violence and the disabled, amongst others.

THE HEART of the neighbourhood that inspires you to cook

Fixing dam Road improvements

Chimp-ion Award for Brit scientist

FIESTAS DE SAN ISIDRO: Where agriculture and food are high on the agenda.

By Steve Walsh THERE are celebrations and festivals in Spain all year, but one of the largest and most widely celebrated is the May Fiestas de San Isidro, where agriculture, food and local markets are high on everyone’s agenda. Why are the Spanish markets so special? It’s because they are thought of as the heart of their neighbourhoods. A tour of these wonderfully aromatic and colourful streets with their choreographed displays of fresh produce empowers you to cook. If you’re a foodie with an open mind and a shallow pocket, Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona could be your new best friend. The Catalan capital is a ver-

108 is the number of stained-glass window panes that run along one end of Malaga’s cathedral of cookery, the Mercado de Ataranzas. The market dates back to the 14th century.

itable cornucopia of beautiful, creative cuisine that celebrates fresh, local Catalan produce. Walking into this 13th century establishment, your senses are teased with a burst of colours and aromas. Madrid’s equivalent would have to be Mercado de San Miguel. The 100year-old, beautiful, iron structured building has a commanding position over the Plaza Mayor. Its multitude of cultural and culinary happenings are extremely popular, especially during San Isidro weekend. Further south in Malaga, Mercado de Ataranzas is best known for its 108 stained-glass window panes that run along one end of the building, and the magnificent Moorish gate entrance.

BRITISH primatologist Jane Goodall has been awarded the XXVII Premi Internacional Catalunya prize for her contribution to science and promotion of solidarity between all living creatures. She is considered the world’s leading expert on chimpanzees and is also a UN Messenger of Peace.

Quote of the Week Many women choose to stay at home with their children and don’t work as long as their husbands do,” said Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy in an attempt to justify the fact that women’s pensions are an average of €400 lower than men’s.

THE road improvement works of the Cura-Randa road in Algaida have been put out to tender by the Urbanism Department of Mallorca’s Provincial Council. They are expected to be completed in a period of two months.

Suspicious fire Started on purpose A FIRE with nine different focal points in Llucmajor, believed to have been set intentionally, flared up on Sunday (May 17). Firefighters took an hour and a half to extinguish the blaze and authorities are looking for the culprit.

Three fought Football violence THE prosecutor’s office of the Palma Court has requested a total of 10 years and six months in prison for three young men who participated in a fight after a football match in the Sa Torre field of Manacor.

Road opens

Bail reduction call for Duchess of Palma PEDRO HORRACH, prosecutor of the Noos corruption case involving the Duchess of Palma, has supported her lawyer’s request to reduce the €2.7 million civil responsibility bail. That was the sum set in De-

cember but the Infanta Cristina’s lawyers considered that the maximum amount the judge could demand would be €449,525, according to law. The prosecutor’s office, led by Mr Horrach, has supported

this, saying the Infanta Cristina did not commit a fiscal crime, even though it is possible she benefited from the money reportedly defrauded by her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, through his shell company Aizoon.

Mr Horrach said that the €500,000 already deposited by the Duchess would “practically cover” her civil responsibility bail in the case if she was sentenced. Jose Castro, the case’s judge,

has already transferred more than 100 volumes and 70,000 pages of documents to the Provincial Court of the Balearic Islands in Palma, as he is retiring and will leave the case in someone else’s hands.

Works almost finished THE third stretch of the Ma-30 road between Son Ferriol and the old road of Inca was reopened to traffic after construction works on Saturday (May 16). The project had a cost of €11.8 million.

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INDEX News 1 - 17

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Mallorca without blood CALL to become a bullfight free region FLICKR BY ANIMANATURALIS

Featured News 3 News Desk 18 European Press 20 Russian Press 21 Finance 23 - 29 Stocks 24 Street Talk 30 Leapy 30 Nora Johnson 31 Our View 33 Colin Bird 33 Mike Walsh 33 Daily TV 34 Letters 36 Time Out 38 - 39 Health & Beauty 40 Food 42 Homes & Gardens 43 Property 44 - 45 Pets 46 Classifieds 48 - 49 Boats 50 - 51 Motoring 54 Sport 56

CAMPAIGN: Seventeen municipalities on the island have been declared anti-bullfighting.

From Front Page

Bardem and Rossy de Palma.” They added that 17 municipalities of the Island have been declared as ‘anti-bullfighting” by their Councils. “It is the first time in the history of bullfighting in Mallorca that this degree of support by the population has been registered. We will not stop here,” read the statement.

“Being able to achieve this amount of signatures in only a year has been a very important step in our goal to turn Mallorca in a region free of bull-fighting and making possible that this season will be the last one in the Mallorcan territory,” explained the coordinator of the campaign, Guillermo Amengual. Political parties MES per Palma, PSOE Palma, Som Pal-

120,000 Number of people who have signed a petition to end bullfighting in Mallorca ma and Guan-yem Palma have already shown their support to this project, which has only encountered resistance from the

PP conservative party and independent party Ciudadanos. The petition can be found at the official website www.mal lorcasinsangre.org/. The creators claim that even though an estimated amount of 70 per cent of the population is against bullfighting, the Spanish Government reportedly spends more than €500 million every year to fund it and promote it.

Brit dies after falling down pub stairs A 36-YEAR-OLD tourist named Ian John Frankland, died on Friday (May 15) after falling down the stairs to a pub toilet in Magaluf. The man sustained severe injuries to his

head and also suffered a heart attack after losing his balance and falling down 20 steps. The incident took place around 8pm at the bar, located between Punta Ballena and

Martin Ros Garcia streets. Local authorities attended the scene immediately and cordoned off the area. However, medical staff could not resuscitate the man who died shortly after.

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Handlers threaten strikes STAFF members of Acciona Airport Service, in charge of plane handling at Palma’s airport, have threatened strikes on May 23. Trade unions CGT and CCOO explained that the employees are protesting against proposals made by the company’s management to impose part-time schedules to all workers and cut back on hiring. The workers carry out handling for flight companies Air Berlin, Lufthansa, Condor, Tomas Cook and Germania amongst others and trade unions warn that a strike like this would represent the total paralysation of the airport. Apart from the strike scheduled for Saturday morning, they have called another one on May 26 until 6pm and May 30 for the entire day.

Bank-owned homes sales are on the up PRICES are 55% above the Spanish average

The Balearics currently have 1,405 bank-owned homes for sale. By Maria José Fernandez SALES of properties owned by banks in the Balearic Islands have registered an increase 5.5 per cent higher than the national average. According to the data released by online site DonComprador.com, the Balearic Islands currently have 1,405 bank-owned homes for sale, only

2.9 per cent of the national total. However, the average price of these homes is 55 per cent above the Spanish average. During the first four months of the year, the number of properties has registered a negative trend, with a decrease of 9.3 per cent, while prices reached an average of €137,973 per home.

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A true Euro woman MARIA is a remarkable, dynamic person

Maria Isabel Fernandez Utges with Michel and Steven. By Dilip Kuner IT is said that behind every successful man is a strong woman. In the case of British Ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, that truism could well be turned on its head. Mr Manley’s wife Maria Isabel Fernandez Utges stands squarely as his equal in strength and success. Euro Weekly News Publishers Michel and Steven Euesden had the pleasure of meeting and having lunch with Maria at the

Ambassador’s residence in Madrid on Friday, May 15. There they found a remarkable, dynamic person - a genuine high flyer who combines being a mother and wife with a hugely successful career as a partner and director of prestigious London lawyers, Bristows LLP. She is fluent in three languages, Spanish, English and French, and slightly less fluent in German, Italian and Catalan. Maria agreed to be interviewed for a charity book being

produced by the EWN media group. Euro Women will focus on the lives and achievements of some of the more remarkable women in the expat population. This book will come out for Christmas and all proceeds will go to deserving charities. For more details on Euro Women and the exhilarating interview that took place with one of the most dynamic women one could hope to meet, see next week’s Euro Weekly News.

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He’s just magic! DAVID wins a top prestigious award By Jan Gamm THE prestigious Merlin Award is acknowledged by world class magicians at the top of their profession as the accolade to beat them all - a lifetime goal, the best of the best. This is an honour bestowed upon some of the finest magicians that ever lived, the latest of whom is the extraordinarily gifted expatriate David Climent Yarwood. David is to be presented with the coveted Merlin Award on June 5 at the Benidorm Palace, one of the youngest magician/illusionists ever to receive the honour and he still can’t quite believe it! A Merlin is not given for being a competent magician - it is awarded for skills, natural talent and that elusive spark of showmanship that holds audiences spellbound - a gift David shares with the world’s greatest magicians. Thirty-four-year-old David has been Ring Master at the Benidorm Circus for some years as well as starring as ‘David Climent - Laserman,’ an exceptional training ground that polished David into

an all-round entertainer, musician and now star magician, illusionist, escapologist and laser man. David indulges in none of that tired magic-act arm-swirling preamble - he performs six illusions in just a few minutes, after the style of his hero Hans Klock - and casually makes a helicopter appear just for fun! What made David Climent a choice for the Merlin Award? David told the Euro Weekly News: “I think it was the lasers,” he said. “Very few magicians perform with lasers.” Whether it is the lasers or the slick escapology, David Climent Yarwood has found the one thing in life he does better than anyone else - and is here to stay.

David and his mother Cristina Climent Yarwood

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Low-cost flight companies boost IN APRIL the number of passengers transported represented a 4.1 per cent growth By Maria JosĂŠ Fernandez LOW-COST flight companies transported 551,597 passengers in the Balearic Islands during the first four months of the present year. The figure translates into an 11.9 per cent increase if

compared with the same period of 2014, according to the data provided by the Industry, Energy and Tourism Ministry. In April, data indicates that 381,629 passengers were transported by low-cost flights in the Balearic Islands, which represents 4.1 per cent growth if compared with

April of 2014. In addition, this amount makes up for 12.4 per cent of the total passengers transported in Spain. The low-cost companies transported in the Son Sant Joan airport of Palma de Mallorca, a total of 484.876 passengers between January and April, 11.4 per cent more than the previous year.

NEWS

Balearics in Germany FROM May 19 until today, the interests of the Balearics were represented in the largest area of business in Europe: the IMEX International trade fair in Germany. Frankfurt played host to the famous IMEX exhibition which is an exclusively pr of essi onal f ai r, and i s considered the most important meeting and incentive travel show in Germany, as wel l as a benchm ar k f or business tourism in the German market. The ATB (Tourism Agency of the Balearic Islands) presented all that the Balearics had to offer with a 110 square metre stand. Many companies under t he um br el l a of t he ATB displayed their services and products with the aim of est abl i shi ng cont act s wi t h stakeholders and various organisations through conferences and conventions.

Illegal bar terrace claims SPOKESPERSON for independent party MES has denounced that the Palma Council has not yet closed down an illegal bar terrace since it was found one year ago that the owners did not have a permit. Antoni Verger, the spokesperson, claimed that in June of 2014 the Urbanism Department of the Council certified that the establishment, which is located at the Plaza Alexandre Jaume, was operating without a licence. In addition, Mr Verger stressed that since 2013 neighbours of the area have issued several official reports due to disturbances. The Urbanism Department assured that the first report was only made back in March and that the terrace will be closed down shortly. They claimed that they did not intervene before due to the establishment changing owners several times.

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NEWS EXTRA

Marihuana seized LOCAL authorities of Manacor and Porreres have arrested two young men after finding a marihuana plantation in a property of Porreres. A total of 170 and 130 buds were confiscated during a search at a home at Calle General Barcelo.

Whale body THE body of a large whale was found on Tuesday (May 19) off the coast of Cala Banyalbufar. The remains were found in an advance stage of decomposition.

English play THE play Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson in English will be performed at Palma’s Auditorium (Avenida Gabriel Roca 18) every day until May 24 at 7pm. Tickets are €20 at the door.

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RAFA NADAL: Is training in the city for the Roland Garros final match.

Special award for Nadal from Paris HE is to receive the Grand Vermeil medal MALLORCA-BORN tennis player Rafael Nadal, will be awarded with the Grand Vermeil medal, the highest title bestowed by the city of Paris. Mr Nadal, winner on nine occasions of the Roland Garros competition, will receive the medal today (Thursday, May 21) in a ceremony at the town hall of the French capital, according to the statement released by the municipal council. The medal will be delivered by Spanish-French Mayor of France, Anne Hidalgo.

The tennis player has been training in the city for the final match of the Roland Garros, which is scheduled to take place next Sunday. Ms Hidalgo has invited a group of students of a renowned tennis school of Paris. “They will have the opportunity to see the man who has become a role model for the coming generations of tennis players,” read the Council’s statement. With Mr Nadal, the mayor will inaugurate an exhibition titled ‘Roland Garros of tomorrow.’

Tourism sector accounts for 34.9% of sales THE online activity related to the tourism sector, which includes travel agencies, air transport, land transport and hotels, accounts for 34.2 per cent of the total turnover of e-commerce. The turnover of online sales in Spain increased by 24.7 per cent in the third quarter of 2014, to €4.1 billion, while the traditional sales balance continues to show a deficit of almost €1 billion, according to data provided by the National Commission Markets

and Competition (CNMC). Within Spain, the tourism sector now accounts for 34.9 per cent of sales, followed by direct marketing at 5.4 per cent, artistic, sporting and recreational events with 5.2 per cent, and appliance sales and accessories at 3.7 per cent. Broken up geographically, e-commerce stores in Spain have accounted for 60 per cent of revenues in the third quarter of 2014.

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Choose your beach online ONLINE page will feature information on 260 Mallorcan beaches

BEACH INFORMATION: Now available at the click of a mouse. By Maria José Fernandez FOR that perfect day at the beach a new website has been set up to tell you the best place to go in real time. The temperature, width and how crowded the beaches are is just some of the information

now available at the click of a mouse. The online page Eltiempo.es will offer information on 260 Mallorcan beaches, and also include what kind of sand there is and the bathing conditions. In addition, users will be able to consult the weather report,

the water temperature as well as wind conditions and ultraviolet index. Other kinds of information displayed will be the beaches’ safety, accessibility, environment details, transport options and the existence of medical centres nearby.

Street vendor is suing the mayor A VENDOR at the weekly market of Alcudia is suing Mayor Coloma Terrassa, accusing her of favouring a councillor’s business to the detriment of his own. The man, who is also suing councillor Juan Luis Gonzalez and Deputy Major Carme Garcia, claimed they have relocated his market stall

in the market so Mr Gonzalez can have a bar terrace, even though he reportedly does not have a terrace licence. The council, according to the complainant, has given priority to Mr Gonzalez’s businesses, alleging he requested the space before and the restaurant wasn’t even open at the time.

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Taxi driver threats to cycle rickshaws BICITAXIS operate in the most touristic areas without permits By Maria José Fernandez TAXIS associations and horse carriage horses have denounced the presence, for the third year in a row, of cycle rickshaws known as ‘bicitaxis’. Opponents claim that the bicitaxis operate in the most touristic areas of the Palma without necessary regulations or permits. They have warned that these

vehicles have a driver and are carrying out public transport services without regulation thanks to a legal loophole. Police of the Platja de Palma have confirmed that several police reports have been carried out and sent to the Transport Department of the council, but have not yet received an answer indicating whether or not these rickshaws are allowed to operate in the area.

Taxi and horse carriage drivers have threatened to pursue further actions to protest for what they have called an obvious case of professional encroachment. In fact, taxi driver trade unions have announced they will carry out a protest on June 2 between 10.30 and 2pm to request a municipal regulation for ‘bicitaxis’ in the Platja de Palma.

Fugitive picked up in Palma NATIONAL POLICE in Palma arrested a Nigerian man wanted in Germany for drug trafficking. The 45-year-old was accused of organising the transport of large amounts of cocaine from Spain to Germany.

The suspect had a European arrest warrant issued in 2010 by a Court in Halle (Germany) and had reportedly travelled with drug hauls of up to a kilo. He has been remanded to prison and is awaiting a deportation order from the National Court.

NEWS EXTRA

Car shop FRENCH-BASED company Norauto will open a new shop in Palma de Mallorca and four more in different parts of Spain. A total of 250 jobs are expected to be created thanks to this expansion.

Gas leak ALL residents of a building in Calle Fra Lluis Jaume in Palma had to be evacuated on Monday (May 18) due to a gas leak, reportedly caused by thieves who had stolen a copper pipe to sell as scrap metal.

Student aid A TOTAL of €26,050 has been allocated by Muro Council to aid 94 university students of the town. Thirty-three of them are currently studying outside the island.

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21 people on trial for car fraud TRIAL will be held next July By Steve Walsh THE trial has been set against 21 people accused of fraud involving the scrapping of old and buying of new cars. The prosecutor’s office has asked for sentences of three years in prison for the 21 defendants involved in a fraud, which allegedly accessed funds from the Ministry of Industry in the purchase of new vehicles. Throughout 2010, the prosecutor described how four major dealers in Palma and Inca allowed the accused to get a grant of €500 from each of their clients without their knowledge with the help of false purchases and sales invoices, along with the scrapping of old cars. The trial will be held next July in the criminal courts of Palma.

number of people tried in connection to a car fraud crime

10 kilos of Fonoll Mari

Fonoll Mari: Protected species of the Balearics.

Over 10 million homes in Spain are underinsured For most people their home is their biggest financial investment and one of their most important assets. Therefore it is essential that your property and all its possessions be properly and comprehensively insured. Simply being insured is not enough. Check your insurance policy, ask your provider about potential loopholes, make sure it’s comprehensively insured, or you could face costly repairs should something go wrong. DECIDING BETWEEN A SPANISH OR UK BASED INSURANCE COMPANY

SCRAPPED CARS: Major dealers were allegedly involved in fraud.

THE Local Police in Calvia ha ve s e iz e d 10 kilos of a protected Mallorcan plant called Fonoll Mari. The plants, which are edible and classified for spec ia l prote c tion in the Balearic Islands, had been reportedly collected in the area of Costa de la Calma. They were discovered in plastic bags in a car by officers who were conducting a routine roa d c he c k in the area of Illetes. The driver stated that he had collected the plants just a few hours before, but didn’t have authorisation to do so. Although the possession of Fonoll Mari is allowed for personal use, the amount is limited to one kilo. The police believe that the two suspects intended to sell it in the local shops and restaurants.

NEWS

If you live in the UK and rent out your property in Spain, then it makes sense to use a UK based insurer. If you live in Spain then it may be easier to contract your home insurance from a Spanish based insurer. Línea Directa is a Spanish based insurance company that offers comprehensive insurance for your home, with a dedicated expat customer service centre in English or German. Whether you’re asking for a quotation or filing a claim, our customer service staff will guide you through the process and explain everything in your language. PROTECTING YOUR HOME: BUILDINGS INSURANCE Buildings insurance covers the actual structure of your home and includes garages, swimming pools, gardens, tennis courts, gates, patios and fences. Cover includes the cost of repairs from damage caused by fire, storm, flood and earthquake. Buildings insurance also covers the permanent fixtures and fittings in your Spanish home and includes fitted

kitchens, bathrooms, oil and gas pipes, etc. It’s important that you check your policy carefully. The sum insured must cover the cost of rebuilding the property, and not the current market value. PROTECTING YOUR HOME: CONTENTS INSURANCE Contents insurance covers all the general contents within the home such as furniture, furnishings, electrical equipment, paintings and other valuables. It needs to cover all those items that you would take with you if you were moving house. To calculate the value of the cover, you need to work out the cost of replacing all those items. It’s important not to undervalue your contents, as this will reduce the amount you can claim. UNDERSTANDING YOUR POLICY AND ITS COVER Understanding exactly what your policy covers and exposing any loopholes can be a challenge. When you choose Línea Directa we help you decide on the best insurance for your home. We are committed to providing all our expatriate customers with comprehensive home insurance for their total peace of mind.

We hope the information provided in this article is of interest. If you would like to contact Línea Directa please call 902 123 309 More information on Línea Directa online at www.lineadirecta.com

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Happy anniversary EWN GETS IT We get it and so should you… In 2014, the Euro Weekly News launched an exciting and innovative product to complement its six weekly newspapers an online business directory EWNGetsIt.com. Since then it has gone from strength to strength and become the latest EWN success story. One year on, we thought we would answer some of the most frequently asked questions from members of the public, and business owners. Why an online directory? The weekly newspapers are hugely successful - half a million readers every week can’t be wrong! - but we live in the age of the Internet, so we wanted to offer an online resource for our readers and the expat community in general. The di-

rectory is filled with reputable companies offering the sort of services that tourists and residents alike need in Spain. And the beauty of it is you find those companies from anywhere in the world, at any time of the day as long as you have a connection to the worldwide web! How does it work? Like our papers, the directory is FREE and easy to use. You can find it at www.ewngetsit.com, or follow the link from the Euro Weekly News website (www.euroweekl ynews.com). You can then search by type of business and by city or town - ensuring you find a local firm that can deal with you in your language. Once you have used the site, bookmark it or save it to your favourites to make it even easier next time. When you have found the ideal

local company in the directory, their contact details are at your fingertips - there is even a Google map to help you find them. If you happen to be browsing out of working hours, then simply use the blue ‘Contact business’ button to send an email with your enquiry - and wait for them to call or email you! Don’t forget to tell the business where you found them! What sort of businesses are in the directory? In a word - all sorts! There are large companies covering all of Spain as well as chandlers in Palma, builders in Benidorm, car rental firms in Torrevieja, schools in Malaga and many many more. Literally local companies that can give you their expertise, on your doorstep.

EWN GET S IT .co

How can I get my business listed? Simply call the office on +34 952 561 234 or email directo ry@ewngetsit.com. One of the team will be happy to help your business to connect with the English-speaking expat community.

The pricing is extremely economical for businesses large or small.

Follow the directory on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ewnget sitbd and on Twitter twitter.com/ewngetsit and become part of our online community.

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1,152 awards

NEWS EXTRA

Bank help

MAJORITY held by Mallorca By Steve Walsh TRIPADVISOR users have voted that a total of 1,890 catering businesses in the Balearic Islands should be awarded the Certificate of Excellence 2015. It ranks as Spain’s fourth most awarded region this year, and has been honoured this with, a recognition that distinguishes the best performing companies rated by the users of the famous travel website. The businesses were broken down into categories

th at s h o w a to tal o f 5 82 were hotel or hostel related, 1,085 were restaurants, and 223 were classed under the ‘attractions’ heading. According to the company, this award “celebrates excellence” in hospitality a n d “is g ra n ted to o n ly around 10 per cent of companies” listed in its database. It also revealed that, by islands, Mallorca held the majority of the awards where there were 1,152 recipients.

NEWS

THE office of La Caixa bank in Llubi, together with the town council, has launched a campaign to help local families in need by donating €3,000 to buy staples food items.

Ward open FEED A CHILD: The event is held annually to raise money for poor children.

Coffee and cake morning THE ‘Feed a Child’ coffee and cake morning will be held in Palamanova on Sat-

urday, May 23. The event, which will take place at the San Lorenzo church hall and patio, is held annually to raise money for the poor and orphaned children through the charity Foundation for Poor Children of Peru. This organisation currently feeds 300 children twice a day in the South American country and has been aided to set up an orphanage for

youths. The coffee and cake morning will donate funds to these two projects. Participants will be able to enjoy unlimited coffee or tea as well as a slice of homemade cake for a price of €4. Crafts and jewellery stalls will be set up as well as a second hand book stand. For further information contact Dave or Chris Barter at 971 233 038 and pobresdepru@gmail.com.

Police officer kicked suspect A PALMA Local Police officer has confessed before a judge that he kicked a handcuffed suspect at the police station. The events took place in September of 2011, after the victim was arrested on Palma’s seafront for driving while intoxicated. The prosecutor’s office has requested a four year jail term for the police officer accusing him of torture. Three other officers linked to the case are facing one year in jail for allegedly standing back and doing nothing to help the victim. The main evidence used in the trial was a video recording of the attack in which the officer appears to kick the suspect twice in the face. After that, another police officer approaches the camera and turns it away. The man accused explained that he “lost his temper” after the suspect reportedly threatened to hurt his daughter. The other three officers involved claimed that they did not have time to react.

THE fourth floor of Manacor’s hospital has been reopened after being forced to close for two months due to floods. A total of 13 patients have already been moved.

New build WORKS to build a new roundabout at the crossroads of the Ma-1 (PalmaAndratx) and the Ma-1022 (Andratx-Sant Elm) have started. The project will cost €298,840.

First ME MALLORCA-BASED company Melia, has inaugurated its first ‘ME by Melia’ hotel in Milan (Italy). The new hotel has 132 rooms and a private terrace of 100sqm.

Work case THE Mayor of Alaro, Joan Simonet and several councillors have been tried by an Inca Court in connection with a case of work harassment reportedly experienced by another council worker.

Traditional ON Saturday (May 23) at 9pm the Sala Dante will host a classic concert featuring Jewish traditional music. Tickets €10 at the door. www.saladante.com

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21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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Financial boost for Balearic’s sailors FISHING sector to receive aid from European funds By Maria José Fernandez THE Balearic Islands fishing sector will receive a total of €7.2 million in aid from European funds. Agriculture Minister, Isabel Garcia, explained on Wednesday (May 20) that the funds are for the 2014 to 2020 period and that the fig-

ure represents a 188 per cent increase if compared with the last grants, which amounted to €2.5 million. Ms Garcia, together with the Agriculture Regional councillor, Biel Company visited Palma fish market on Wednesday and held meetings with representatives of different fishing brother-

hoods to discuss their requirements. “Workers of this sector are highly aware that they are dealing with a resource which has to be preserved for the future,” said Ms Garcia after the meeting, who also stressed the great responsibility held by the industry.

Illegal tourist rental properties threatening thousands of jobs MORE than 13,000 jobs could be in danger due to the significant increase of non-authorised holiday properties. A study carried out by Ernest and Young has evaluated the negative impact on the Balearic economy of illegal rental properties for tourists in the next 10 years.

The hotel industry is estimated to lose between 5,000 and 13,000 employees and a market size of up to €529 million. In addition, the study shows that the number of properties working without a permit in the Balearic Islands ranges between 50,000 and 80,000 currently.

Second-hand car sales rise SALES of second-hand cars in the Balearic Islands registered an increase of 24.1 per cent during the first four months of the year. A to t a l o f 1 6 , 3 9 4 w e re sold during this period, according to the data release by the National Association of Vehicle Vendors (Ganvan). This data has placed the Islands as the autonomous community with the highest increase i n se c o n d - h a n d

24.1 percentage of increase registered in second-hand car sales

sales. In S p ain , th is marke t g re w b y 1 2 . 8 p er ce nt, reaching a total of 586,981 vehicles. The association Ganvan, which represents 4,600 car

dealers and 3,000 other vehicle businesses, said in a press release that the numbers display a positive trend which is also shared by the market of brand new cars, w hic h s a w a n inc ra s e of 23.9 pe r c e nt in the s a me period. The most popular vehicles amongst customers are thos e be tw e e n thre e a nd five years old, which registered a significant increase of 34.4 per cent.

Pizzas and cocaine in Magaluf GUARDIA CIVIL officers arrested the owner and an employee of a Pizzeria in Magaluf (Calvia) for allegedly selling drugs in the restaurant. Police said that while on patrol they caught the owner red-handed selling cocaine to a tourist. In a search, officers found and seized 15 small packets with cocaine, €4,000 in cash and several Viagra-like tablets. They also confiscated a vehicle which was allegedly used to transport the drugs. The 41-year-old Italian owner and his only employee, a 50-year-old Pakistani man, have been remanded to prison and are accused of crimes against public health.

E W N 17

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NEWS FROM OUR FIVE OTHER REGIONS

COSTA DEL SOL

Norwegian members celebrate national day in Alfaz del Pi NORWEGIANS mark their national day in the sunshine

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

MORE than 50,000 Norwegians now call Spain their home. The pretty coastal town of Alfaz del Pi in the Marina Alta put on a superb celebration in recognition of Norway’s Constitution Day, celebrated annually on Sunday May 17 when the Constitution of Norway was signed by the Constituent Assembly in 1814 in Eidsvoll. There are more than 2,500 Norwegian nationals registered officially in L’Alfaz, many of whom joined in Sunday’s festivities in traditional dress, which varied depending on the region. Lisa Uttersrud, president of the local Norwegian Club, met with L’Alfaz Mayor Vicente Arques in the run-up to the celebrations to finalise details. The Norwegian Club of Costa Blanca, currently with over 1,000 members, has provided a Norwegian presence for more than 45 years in the region.

AXARQUÍA

Busy airport MALAGA Costa del Sol airport received 11.9 per cent of all low-cost flight passengers coming to Spain in the first four months of this year, the Ministry of Tourism has announced.

Bad language

By Jason Bailey

STREET PARTY: Norwegians in Alfaz celebrate their country’s constitution.

NEWS

COSTA DE ALMERÍA

A MAYORAL candidate for Antequera has been asked to stop tweeting due to his terrible spelling. The UPyD party candidate replied “Everyone is free to express themselves as they like.”

Local history HISTORY fans can now consult local documents dating back to the 17th and 18th century at the Historical Archives in Mijas village, which have been enlarged and prepared for public use.

Speedway victory

Tiger mosquito

Participation record Getting bigger

Running costs

GANDIA Speedway Rider 22-yearold Oscar Climent stormed to victory at the Ricardo Tormo de Cheste MotoDes Speed Championship on Friday May 15.

TIGER mosquitos have been detected in at least 14 Murcian municipalities by University of Murcia biologists. Presence was not found in three of these areas last year, showing they are spreading.

MALAGA’S Materno Infantil children’s hospital has saved €750,000 in electricity and water bills over the last four years thanks to an energy efficiency project.

No more markets

Immune tomatoes

MORE than 131 carriages participated this year in Nerja’s San Isidro festivities, which translates to 40 per cent more than last year. Local Police reports that 12,000 people took part in the different activities celebrated.

COUNCILLOR Gema Amor has agreed that no more markets will be allowed in Benidorm to help boost trade for local retailers.

MIGUEL Hernandez University is working to recover traditional varieties of tomato to be grown in the Vega Baja by making them immune to three different viruses.

Guided walks JAVEA Council has begun its series of guided walks of the historic landmarks of the town. The first takes visitors through the development of the raisin industry in the 19th century.

School grants MURCIA is to receive an extra €7.3 million from the Ministry of Education to support families in need by supplying school supplies and lunches.

Linguistic diversity Safety first FIONA PHILLIPS, Head of Secondary at Xabia International College was invited to speak at a conference on multilingualism at the University of Alicante to give the school’s opinions on managing linguistic diversity within the British curriculum.

COMPLAINTS have been registered as Santa Pola lighthouse is receiving visitors despite the new viewpoint still being under construction. While the town hall said all safety measures are met, visitors complained that nothing stops youngsters climbing up to peek at the view.

Minute’s silence

Fires begin

A MINUTE’S silence has been observed in the towns of Javea, Denia and Benidorm for the latest fatality to gender violence in Denia on Thursday May 14.

A FIRE on the southern bypass in Elche caused traffic to be cut off for three hours as firefighters tackled the blaze. Emergency services are on alert for high fire risk due to recent high temperatures.

Council award THE Almuñecar Council has been awarded with the label of ‘Institution for youths employment and entrepreneurship,’ by the Spanish Employment and Social Services Ministry, which recognises its support for youth employment policies.

Clean beaches DOZENS of volunteers participated last Sunday (May 17) in a beachcleaning day around Velez-Malaga’s El Cantal area. Environment councillor, Sergio Diaz, said that the project was aimed at raising awareness amongst residents on responsible environmental behaviour.

Axarquia artists THE Axarquia School in VelezMalaga won a prize at the National Drawing Contest on technology, to commemorate the International Internet Day. The awards ceremony will take place in the Spanish Senate in Madrid.

For more local news from our five other regions see www.euroweeklynews.com

ALMERIA Province has grown by 18.76 per cent in the last 10 years, revealed Spain’s national statistics office INE. There are now 688,888 residents compared to 580,077 in 2004.

Tough blaze HUERCAL-Overa’s first large fire of the season had to be put out twice as after being initially declared extinguished it sparked up again the next day and took four more days to put out.

Aid for helpers THE Almeria Diputacion presented €32,500 to eight provincial non-government organisations and charities. This will be shared between Alcer, Aspodalba, the Food Bank, Caritas, Argar, Centro la Milagrosa, Asperger Almeria and the Verdiblanca association.

Neat and tidy ALMERIA City Hall has cleared the mouth of the Rambla at the section closest to the sea. Much-used by residents and visitors, the accumulated rubbish had earned criticism from both.

Better road THE Almeria Diputacion will spend €120,000 on improvements to the AL3412 Paulenca road that links the A-92 with Gador.

Local venue LA LINEA is hosting the final of Cooking Cup, a German TV cooking competition on June 11 at the Aldiana hotel. The competition is sponsored by Eat Smarter magazine and Siemens.

Call to declare THE mayor of San Roque has been called to declare in court on August 3 accused of refusing to allow a council plenary session to be filmed back in 2013.

Violent man A MALAGA man has been arrested for allegedly dragging his partner along the pavement by her hair and stealing €110 from her handbag. The 53-year-old was found to have a record of more than 30 previous offences.

EWN top for all the news from Spain.

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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GERMAN

EUROPEAN PRESS SCANDINAVIAN PRESS

Slowed down FINLAND: The country has slipped back into recession after its economic growth slowed down for the second consecutive quarter between January and March of this year.

Ukraine aid NORWAY: The country is to increase its aid to Ukraine to 310 million NOK for 2015 with an additional 70 million NOK.

Property hike FINLAND: House prices in Greater Helsinki in March rose by almost 4 per cent according to data released this month by Statistics Finland.

Gay sign SWEDEN: Peace activists have installed a bizarre underwater sign intended to deter Russian submarines from Swedish waters. It says: ‘This way if you’re gay’ in Morse, depicting a sailor wearing only underpants and a sailor’s hat.

Marriage rights FINLAND: Päivi Räsänen, the chairperson of the Finnish Christian Democrats, has expressed her hopes that the decision to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples is overturned.

PRESS

Egg freezing treatment DEMAND has risen 407 per cent in the past 12 months ACCORDING to research by healthcare comparison website WhatClinic.com, egg freezing is the most popular fertility treatment in the UK, with demand rising 407 per cent in the past 12 months.

BRITISH PRESS

Billboard accident

Educated drinking

A WOMAN in her 30s was seriously injured when she was crushed by a fallen advertising billboard while on her way to work in Tooting, London. The billboard fell onto her from a height of 20 feet.

ACCORDING to a recent survey one in five female graduates in the UK drink excessively compared with one in 10 of lower education.

Asylum seekers THE UK accepted more asylum seekers last year than 17 other European Union countries put together according to latest available data.

ing up overtime pay for working on a Sunday.

No discrimination THE UK’s Boarding Schools Administration has advised that boarding schools in Britain may soon adopt ‘gender-neutral’ uniforms to avoid offending LGBT students.

Botox boys AROUND 10 per cent of Brits who opt for cosmetic procedures such as Botox each year are now male, according to industry experts.

Suitcase find THREE men have been arrested by London police in connection with the death of a woman found stuffed into a suitcase in the Grand Union Canal.

Next accused UK fashion retailer Next, employing 52,000 people, has been accused of bullying 800 shop workers into giv-

One in five female graduates drink excessively.

More trade?

NORWAY: MPs have voted to overturn Paragraph 42 of the Criminal Act against blasphemy that authorised up to six months in jail for offenders.

Coffin scandal PUBLIC health officials in Mainz, Germany, have discovered five dead bodies in caskets at an abandoned supermarket in Germany, where a local undertaker used the premises as storage.

Torgau opens ‘LUTHER and the Princes,’ the first of four exhibitions focusing on political and religious influences and scheduled to run until 2017 to mark the anniversary of the Reformation, is now open in Torgau.

Still violated GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Minsk ceasefire is still being violated, just days after her return from a visit to Russia.

Bye-bye zoo LUDWIG, a 1.6-ton baby elephant, celebrated his fourth birthday by packing his trunk and moving in a special jumbo-sized truck from Munich to Heidelberg Zoo.

Nailing it

LOCATION of Rotterdam will be beneficial

MUNICH’S first nail salon for men, offering manicures and pedicures, is now open for business, complete with a macho décor featuring rough workbenches and motorcycle memorabilia.

Legal cursing

Fake art

NEWS

Tornado hits ICE CAP: Melting.

SWEDEN: Scandinavia’s largest online auction house, Lauritz.com in Sweden, has been accused of selling fake Andy Warhol prints.

ROTTERDAM will benefit from the melting of the Arctic ice cap. The northern sea route between north Asia and Western Europe will open and the location of Rotterdam will mean increased trade.

Benefit cuts

Cancer find

NORWAY: Minister for Labour and Social Affairs has proposed that sickness, unemployment and child benefit should be trimmed for Norwegians on extended stays abroad.

RESEARCHERS at Amsterdam’s VU University has found vaccinating boys against the HPV virus can prevent cancer in later years. The findings show that vaccination has an indirect effect on cancer prevention.

DUTCH PRESS Gangland shooting A GANGLAND shooting at traffic lights on the corner of the De Clercqstraat in the west of Amsterdam left one man dead. Two men were seen shortly before wearing helmets and carrying guns.

A safe place ZUIDHORN in Gronigen Province has been declared the safest place to live in the Netherlands. Consisting of several small villages it has climbed from eighth place last year.

€800m plan A DYKE which links Den Oever in Noord-Holland to Friesland will have an €800 million renovation. The Afsluitsdijk separates the Zuiderzee, a salt water inlet from the freshwater IJsselmeer lake.

A LARGE scale clean-up has begun in the village of Affing. Bavaria, after a tornado swept through the village. Up to 15 construction companies were available for assistance despite the tornado occurring on a public holiday.

Measles cases HEALTH authorities in Berlin have confirmed that the Measles outbreak that began in October 2014 is still not showing signs of abatement, with a total of 1206 cases reported.

NEWS

21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

RUSSIAN P RESS

Marital tests MEDICAL testing to reduce children born with disabilities

WEDDED BLISS: As long as you are not related. COUPLES considering marriage in Tajikistan could be required to undergo medical testing to prove they are not related. The move is designed to reduce the number of children born with debilitating illnesses and also control the HIV crisis.

Joint training RUSSIAN sources say the country’s land forces will join troops from Belarus, China, India, and Mongolia in joint military training exercises during the second half of this year.

Parting shot A REPORT by Boris Nemtsov published after his death has recounted how Russia launched the annexation of Crimea and the rebellion in Donbas. Nemtsov was shot dead on a bridge near the Kremlin on February 27.

Russia talks to the US PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin and US Secretary of State John Kerry met for a four-hour talk in Sochi on Tuesday May 12. The talk which took place was seen as progress.

Pint-sized regalia THE town of Rostovon-Don in southern Russia, near the Ukraine border, has held a parade featuring children aged four to 10 in miniature military uniforms.

Ringtone ban A COMMUNIST party MP has proposed a bill detailing the circum-

stances in which Russian state symbols can be used and introduced liability for using the national anthem as a ringtone for advertising purposes.

Riviera resort YALTA, on the Crimean coastline, has es-

tablished itself as the Russian Riviera. It has 250 days of sunshine a year and is well known as a health spa.

Not wanted RUSSIA’S Interior Ministry in Moscow has removed a ‘wanted’ poster from its website after media reports identified the suspect as the Deputy Defence Minister of the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine.

New York spy IT has been confirmed that a state-owned Russian bank is paying for the legal defence of an employee charged with posing as a banker in New York while secretly spying for Moscow.

Russian arms for Egypt A SENIOR Israeli intelligence official has alleged that Egypt is buying Russia’s advanced S-300 air defence system, a deal reported in Russian media but not confirmed by Cairo.

Cutting hours THE Hay Group consultancy has reported that despite the economic crisis, two-thirds of Russian companies are opting for cutting salaries and working hours rather than resorting to redundancy measures. CHILDREN: On parade.

EWN

FINANCE

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal LONDON - FTSE 100 C LOSING P RICES

MAY

Mallorca

21 - 27 May 2015

+0.58%

A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 7 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION // WWW.EWNBUSINESS.COM

DOW JONES MAY

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NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES

MAY

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Tourists boost retail economy WITH sterling surging against the euro the retail sector is experiencing a revival in sales, in part due to tourist purchases. The Business Association of Textile Trade and Accessories has revealed figures that show 59 per cent o f a l l p u r c h a se s ma d e b y tourists are in the clothing retail sector.

proportion of tourist retail spending on clothing Jewellery sales are also up 15 per cent, electronics 4 per cent and sports goods 3 per cent, suggest-

SEASONAL: Agriculture workers often on temp contracts.

Temporary contracts AFTER losing three million jobs during the recession, the creation of over one million new positions should be greeted with a positive outlook. However, for many Spanish workers there is little security attached to new job roles. Spain operates a two tier system. People either have indefinite contracts with few rights or permanent ones with all the associated protection. The option for employers is to either employ people temporarily where they can be laid off as required or opt for per-

ing traditional souvenir purchases ha ve be e n re pla c e d by mode rn products. It seems that the development of la rge c omme rc ia l c e ntre s ha s replicated the purchasing environment visitors are accustomed to back home. Where once traditional holiday activities c e ntre d on be a c he s

We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs. Gloria Steinem. Pedro Rufo / Shutterstock.com

Quote of the Week

59%

manent employment where it is very expensive to cancel the contract. In the first quarter of 2015, 90 per cent of contracts were temporary and of those 24 per cent were for seven days or less. The knock-on effect of this is threefold: it hurts productivity as there is little reason to train temporary workers, it keeps wages low as the workers have little bargaining power and it creates a feeling of insecurity which keeps morale very low.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Sales rising TELEFONICA quarterly sales rose as Spain’s economy recovers. The Spanish economy is expected to grow twice as fast as the EU average this year, allowing Telefonica to increase its prices. Telefonica’s sales rose 13 per cent to €11.5 billion.

More traffic ABERTIS Infraestructuras SA said first-quarter profits rose 7 per cent, boosted by its Spanish business, as the country’s economic recovery caused traffic to increase on its toll roads. Net income rose to €133m.

No bailout THE International Monetary Fund is backing away from a potential third Greek bailout package, according to El Mundo. The paper cites a lack of ‘really effective action’ and Athens’ recent rehiring of public employees, previously made redundant.

Eurozone GDP still growing THE Eurozone economy continued its gentle acceleration in the first quarter of the year, led by growth in Spain and France, but the pace of expansion still fell short of economists’ forecasts. The euro area’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at a 0.4 per cent quarter-onquarter clip in the first three months of the year and by 1.1 per cent in comparison to a year ago.

IBEX companies gained 38 per cent more in the first quarter year on year, earning jointly €9.397 million.

C LOSING P RICES

By Jason Bailey

EWN

The quarterly rate of growth fell short of economists’ forecasts by one tenth of a percentage point. Spanish GDP sped ahead at a 0.9 per cent clip in the first three months of the year and France’s by another 0.6 per cent. Growth in Germany slowed down to 0.3 per cent after registering a blistering pace of expansion of 0.7 per cent in the final stretch of 2014.

a nd the m e par ks, shoppi ng has now been added to the list. Purchasing power due to the weak euro has meant that tourists a re ta king advant age of l ower prices. With the pound’s biggest one day gain against the euro for two years following the election results, the trend is likely to continue.

IBEX 35 C LOSING P RICES

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Work does not pay! THE crisis in Spain has led to an environment where the wages for a working person are less than they can claim through social security. A third of positions offered currently pay less than the state assisted aid, an InfoJobs survey revealed. The majority of jobseekers rejected low paid employment citing unreasonable hours and travelling distance as well as the low salary. Wages are unlikely to rise in the near future due to the uncertainty of the euro.

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group PLC 534.00 0.00 Aberdeen Asset Mngment 432.10 -1.40 Admiral Group PLC 1468.00 4.00 Aggreko PLC 1620.50 19.00 Anglo American PLC 1093.50 3.00 Antofagasta PLC 796.50 7.50 ARM Holdings PLC 1103.50 3.00 Ashtead Group PLC 1186.00 8.00 Associated British Foods PLC 2928.00 18.00 AstraZeneca PLC 4400.25 33.50 Aviva PLC 540.50 -2.50 Babcock International Grp 1089.50 8.76 BAE Systems PLC 503.50 0.50 Barclays PLC 262.65 1.10 Barratt Developments PLC 581.75 4.85 BG Group PLC 1179.50 2.12 BHP Billiton PLC 1465.25 -68.00 BP PLC 453.78 1.40 British American Tobacco PLC 3609.00 17.00 British Land Co PLC 882.00 4.00 BT Group PLC 465.53 2.55 Bunzl PLC 1895.50 4.00 Burberry Group PLC 1775.00 2.00 Capita PLC 1271.00 8.00 Carnival PLC 3155.50 8.00 Centrica PLC 284.90 3.90 Coca-Cola HBC AG 1382.50 -9.00 Compass Group PLC 1150.50 4.00 CRH PLC 1828.50 13.00 Diageo PLC 1794.00 8.00 Direct Line Insurance Group 324.75 1.70 Dixons Carphone PLC 474.50 3.40 easyJet PLC 1697.50 -1.39 Experian PLC 1228.50 2.00 Fresnillo PLC 777.75 25.50 G4S PLC 295.80 2.30 GKN PLC 359.60 5.70 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1434.50 16.00 Glencore PLC 297.72 4.45 Hammerson PLC 693.75 3.00 Hargreaves Lansdown PLC 1250.00 1.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC 2089.00 -13.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 619.20 2.30 Imperial Tobacco Group PLC 3251.00 13.00 InterContinental Hotels 2783.00 25.00 International Consolidated ... 573.00 6.00 Intertek Group PLC 2672.50 -22.00 Intu Properties PLC 346.35 1.60 ITV PLC 264.05 2.00 Johnson Matthey PLC 3396.50 24.00

% CHG. 0.00 -0.32 0.27 1.19 0.28 0.95 0.27 0.68 0.62 0.77 -0.46 0.81 0.10 0.42 0.84 0.18 -4.44 0.31 0.47 0.46 0.55 0.21 0.11 0.63 0.25 1.39 -0.65 0.35 0.72 0.45 0.53 0.72 -0.08 0.16 3.39 0.78 1.61 1.13 1.52 0.43 0.08 -0.62 0.37 0.40 0.91 1.06 -0.82 0.46 0.76 0.71

NET VOL 129.58 642.52 45.68 26.45 410.49 102.85 378.69 111.61 58.08 276.47 625.78 286.36 681.15 3,669.06 411.53 579.46 2,001.12 3,446.73 234.75 313.90 855.27 11.90 166.94 104.76 30.90 2,064.38 62.82 329.52 36.45 239.03 227.62 198.87 218.43 134.60 382.20 128.18 474.93 930.07 2,960.97 138.57 64.74 39.20 3,173.50 146.59 60.63 765.95 66.29 187.01 833.43 8.79

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Kingfisher PLC 356.50 2.50 Land Securities Group PLC 1314.50 6.00 Legal & General Group PLC 266.80 0.72 Lloyds Banking Group PLC 88.44 -0.63 London Stock Exchange Grp. 2484.00 21.00 Marks & Spencer Group PLC 578.25 10.18 Meggitt PLC 517.00 4.50 Merlin Entertainments PLC 463.35 0.50 Mondi PLC 1460.50 10.00 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 180.50 1.17 National Grid PLC 895.45 1.90 Next PLC 7362.50 15.00 Old Mutual PLC 230.20 0.40 Pearson PLC 1315.00 0.00 Persimmon PLC 1864.00 17.00 Prudential PLC 1641.00 13.50 Randgold Resources Ltd 4957.00 90.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC 5762.00 14.00 Reed Elsevier PLC 1104.50 8.00 Rio Tinto PLC 2953.00 22.50 Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC 1019.00 6.00 Royal Bank of Scotland 352.50 0.80 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2038.00 13.07 Royal Mail PLC 495.55 10.00 RSA Insurance Group PLC 436.35 2.60 SABMiller PLC 3627.50 5.00 Sage Group (The) PLC 557.25 13.50 Sainsbury (J) PLC 268.50 2.70 Schroders PLC 3394.50 13.00 Severn Trent PLC 2181.50 17.00 Shire PLC 5427.50 40.01 Sky PLC 1079.50 4.00 Smith & Nephew PLC 1126.00 1.00 Smiths Group PLC 1145.00 4.00 Sports Direct International 673.25 7.50 SSE PLC 1665.00 4.00 Standard Chartered PLC 1051.75 0.00 Standard Life PLC 482.75 1.80 St James's Place PLC 947.00 2.50 Taylor Wimpey PLC 187.70 3.00 Tesco PLC 226.40 1.85 Travis Perkins PLC 2162.50 8.00 TUI AG 1216.00 7.00 Unilever PLC 2854.00 9.00 United Utilities Group PLC 1004.50 11.50 Vodafone Group PLC 235.30 0.85 Weir Group PLC 1958.00 61.00 Whitbread PLC 5347.50 28.14 Wolseley PLC 3936.00 8.00 WPP PLC 1553.50 2.00

% CHG. 0.71 0.46 0.27 -0.71 0.85 1.79 0.88 0.11 0.69 0.65 0.21 0.20 0.17 0.00 0.92 0.83 1.85 0.24 0.73 0.77 0.59 0.23 0.65 2.06 0.60 0.14 2.48 1.02 0.38 0.78 0.74 0.37 0.09 0.35 1.13 0.24 0.00 0.37 0.26 1.62 0.82 0.37 0.58 0.32 1.16 0.36 3.21 0.53 0.20 0.13

NET VOL 569.97 195.52 729.78 32,303.94 58.02 1,016.30 130.53 197.05 132.52 406.63 527.35 34.14 1,034.34 151.84 60.60 329.92 114.33 123.17 259.37 504.66 204.25 950.66 483.62 776.36 62.86 158.88 274.23 780.12 44.71 91.49 106.34 161.84 104.06 73.38 41.10 159.50 428.47 143.04 81.68 2,471.39 1,195.71 27.29 15.84 157.81 107.20 6,606.42 195.10 30.87 65.53 377.71

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US dollar.......................................................................1.13911 Japan yen................................................................136.402 Switzerland franc ................................................1.04789 Denmark kroner..................................................7.46409 Norway kroner.....................................................8.37069

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DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES M AY 18

COMPANY MMM 3M AXP American Express AAPL Apple BA Boeing CAT Caterpillar CVX Chevron CSCO Cisco KO Coca-Cola DIS Disney DD E I du Pont de Nemours and Co XOM Exxon Mobil GE General Electric GS Goldman Sachs HD Home Depot IBM IBM INTC Intel JNJ Johnson & Johnson JPM JPMorgan Chase MCD McDonald's MRK Merck MSFT Microsoft NKE Nike PFE Pfizer PG Procter & Gamble TRV Travelers Companies Inc UTX United Technologies UNH UnitedHealth VZ Verizon V Visa WMT Wal-Mart

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 1.9M +0.09% 163.30 +0.15 4.5M -0.66% -0.53 80.22 -0.14% 38.2M -0.18 128.77 3.4M -0.73% -1.08 146.88 3.2M -0.35% -0.31 88.43 5.6M -0.39% -0.42 108.03 +1.72% 37.7M 29.55 +0.50 8.5M +0.05% 41.52 +0.02 5.9M +0.34% 110.30 +0.37 9.8M +0.83% 70.25 +0.58 8.4M +0.44% 87.35 +0.38 -0.51% 35.8M -0.14 27.27 1.7M +0.17% 202.97 +0.35 4.6M +1.26% 113.35 +1.41 2.9M -0.45% -0.79 173.26 +0.06% 17.1M 32.99 +0.02 6.0M +0.46% 102.30 +0.47 -0.26% 11.2M -0.17 65.88 7.6M +0.34% 98.04 +0.33 7.7M +0.75% 60.23 +0.45 -0.87% 28.6M -0.425 48.30 3.9M +1.49% 104.98 +1.54 +0.15% 16.9M 33.99 +0.05 7.5M +0.60% 81.05 +0.48 1.6M -0.07% -0.07 102.68 3.0M -0.55% -0.65 118.49 3.1M +0.67% 119.33 +0.80 -0.36% 14.1M -0.18 49.79 7.1M -0.61% -0.43 69.57 6.6M +0.66% 79.24 +0.52

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES M AY 18

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced BSQUARE Corporation Oncothyreon Inc. China Lodging Group, Limited Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. Proteon Therapeutics, Inc. Upland Software, Inc. TRACON Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. Applied Micro Circuits Corporation Affimed N.V. Avis Budget Group, Inc.

$ 5.50 $ 2.43 $ 24.75 $ 26.27 $ 16.49 $ 7.41 $ 12.27 $ 39.84 $ 6.11 $ 8.35 $ 56.29

1.41 ▲ 34.47% 0.41 ▲ 20.30% 4.16 ▲ 20.20% 4.31 ▲ 19.63% 2.45 ▲ 17.45% 0.94 ▲ 14.53% 1.41 ▲ 12.98% 4.35 ▲ 12.26% 0.61 ▲ 11.09% 0.81 ▲ 10.74% 5.22 ▲ 10.22%

Most Declined El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. MakeMyTrip Limited Vascular Biogenics Ltd. Dicerna Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. Cartesian, Inc. Escalera Resources Co. Clovis Oncology, Inc. Moko Social Media Ltd. Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. Celladon Corporation

$ 24.70 $ 17.93 $ 5.76 $ 19.52 $ 94.26 $ 3.66 $ 2.63 $ 92.74 $ 4.7495 $ 24.81 $ 2.18

4.36 ▼ 15.00% 2.14 ▼ 10.66% 0.68 ▼ 10.56% 1.89 ▼ 8.83% 8.815 ▼ 8.55% 0.34 ▼ 8.50% 0.2201 ▼ 7.72% 7.66 ▼ 7.63% 0.3905 ▼ 7.60% 2.02 ▼ 7.53% 0.17 ▼ 7.23%

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL BUSINESS EXTRA

Get summer budgeting in mind Loose change Jane Plunkett A look at finance for females jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com

THE sun is out, your energy’s up and your social calendar is taking off. At this time of the year there is always so much more going on as we spend more and more time out and about. BBQ lunches, a cold drink on the terrace or long leisurely afternoons with friends enjoying the sunshine. All these extra activities sound as though they could rip through a bigchunk of your earnings, but with a little careful planning it doesn’t have to be that way! First off, don’t rush out and buy a whole load of new summer clothes just yet. Make an effort to pack away all your winter clothes and re-visit what summer clothes you already own. Sometimes our summer clothes are so hidden at the back of the wardrobe that we forget what we have. Spend a free evening trying on skirts, dresses and shorts and try to put

Bonus breach EUROPEAN banks must rewrite contracts for senior staff to comply with new European Union rules banning top-up ‘allowances’ that breach a cap on bonuses. The Bank of England said banks have been giving key staff allowances on a monthly or quarterly basis to bump up their basic pay and soften the impact of the curb on bonuses.

New minister

EATING OUT: Think about how hungry you are and watch what you are ordering for the children. together a few nice outfits for summer. After doing this you’ll know what you have and what you actually need to buy for this summer. The pleasant evenings at the moment are so inviting to eat out and take a break from the hot days. Be smart about how you socialise. Look out for

meal deals and special offers and remember not to over-order, as the heat tends to take away our appetite. In the evenings, if visiting a terrace, think about how hungry you are. It might be more economical to just have a tapa in a bar, but of course this should not stop you going out to a restaurant if

that’s what you want. If you’re taking young kids along with you on a night out, then watch what you are ordering for them. I have yet to meet a child under five who voluntarily eats all of what has been ordered for them - without constant insistence from either parent!

THE economist who coined the term BRICs to describe the world’s leading emerging nations is turning his sights closer to home after he was appointed by British finance minister George Osborne to work for him. Former Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill will be commercial secretary to the Treasury,

Back on track IBERIA is firmly back on investors’ radar screens as economic recovery in Spain benefits the real estate sector and the retail market in particular.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

21 - 27 May 2015 / Maloorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

Is your reputation on four wheels? Talking shop

None of us are perfect, but it pays to be so when driving your firm’s vehicle.

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

AS with all else your attitude as a driver is your business. We all have our faults, myself included. Although I have since mellowed, there have been occasions when my ‘behind the wheel manners’ left much to be desired. Fortunately, the only clue as to my identity was my number plate. In effect, my anonymity shielded me from swift retribution. There were two occasions when I did allow myself to be goaded by anonymous drivers. These resulted in two madcap road races that might have come from the Steve McQueen movie, Bullitt.

DRIVERS: Be a company ambassador.

Sadly, in both instances, the competing drivers were plain-clothed policeman. Stuff happens. The first time I was complimented on my dexterity at the wheel, the second occasion I was fined 50-sobs. One of my favourite business slogans is, “If we get it right tell the world. If we get it wrong tell us.” None of us are perfect but it pays to be so when you are driving your firm’s vehicle. This

is especially so when the vehicle’s livery includes full contact details of the company you work for. Drive carefully, it might be the company you once worked for. Road rage invariably causes an irate response. The victim might not be satisfied with merely giving you the finger. He might use this finger on his laptop’s keyboard to give your boss the finger too. Furthermore, the last thing you need is to see your failings as a driver discussed on a local social forum. It happens. When driving, it is your golden opportunity to be an ambassador for your company. Impeccable manners behind the wheel might bring you more than a smile. You could be the lucky winner of a complimentary letter to your boss. Better still, a new customer may be keen to know the company whose road manners are deserving of his or her patronage. Mind how you go, sir.

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Spain meets with UAE in bid to strengthen business cooperation

By Steve Walsh SPAIN’S Secretary of State for Trade, Jaime Garcia-Legaz Ponce, has met with Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, from the United Arab Emirates Federal National Council (FNC). The main topic of discussion was how to further cement cooperation and friendship between the UAE and Spain, and the compatible visions and political will of the two states to bolster bilateral relations and promote ways of preserving their interests in areas of common work. Manuel Gomez Acebo, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Joaquim Gay de Montella, of the Madrid Confederation of Employers and Industries (CEIM), were also in attendance, as well as Spanish business leaders and represen-

2014 to reach €1.9 billion. He noted that 40 Spanish registered companies and 73 trade agencies operate in the UAE, with 1,456 trademarks from the European country. “The UAE hopes to forge a strategic economic partnership that reflects the real potential of the economies of the UAE and Spain,” Al Murr said. He added that the “UAE-Spain Joint Economic Committee, which was established in 2010, is a main booster of economic cooperation.”

per cent growth in trade between the countries from 2009 to 2014

tatives of the country’s major companies. Al Murr stressed the UAE’s desire to expand economic and investment cooperation in both the private and public sectors. He noted that trade between the UAE and Spain grew more than 90 per cent between 2009 and

TRADE SECRETARY: Jaime GarciaLegaz Ponce.

Looking back at austerity ECONOMY MINISTER: Luis de Guindos.

Guindos: “Spain is growing at 3.5%” THE Economy Minister, Luis de Guindos, said this week that the Spanish economy was growing in the first half of the year, and on an annualised basis, closer to 3.5 per cent as opposed to the predicted 3 per cent. De Guindos made his statement during a speech at a forum organised by Europa Press, which asked whether the Executive would lower taxes, and said that as expected with the government’s Stability Programme, there was “room” to reduce the tax burden in Spain. A few days ago, the president, Mariano Rajoy, suggested at a rally that he could reduce VAT next year, but later added that he had “betrayed the subconscious” and would “not go into details.”

A PROMINENT think tank on the Eurozone recovery and lessons about austerity, states that, for the first time since 2010, the economies of Germany, France, Italy, and Spain all had a quarter of economic growth. Long-beleaguered Spain led this foursome, growing at a 0.9 per cent rate in the first three months of 2015. Michael W Klein, professor of international economic affairs at Tufts University’s told the Wall

Street Journal that he believed some would attribute this performance to the success of austerity programmes that began five years ago. Outside the Eurozone, the conservative victory in Britain’s elections last week was treated by Prime Minister David Cameron as justification of his austerity programme. But the facts cast doubt on these claims. Austerity did not deliver in Britain, which experienced an even sharper decline in output than

the United States, or the Eurozone as a whole, in the wake of the 2008 crisis. From its lowest point in early 2009, the British economy grew 2 per cent by the time Mr Cameron became prime minister in May 2010. But after that election, growth stalled for the remainder of the year. Only when its austerity policies were reversed did the UK economy start to grow again. And it took more than five years for the economy to reach its pre-crisis level.

Managers ‘justify corruption’ A REPORT by the consultancy EY (formerly Ernst & Young) on 38 countries around the world reveals that 69 per cent of managers in Spain justify bribery and corruption to generate profits. The figure is almost double the average for Western Europe, where 35 per cent of execu-

69 tives perceive this conduct as acceptable in the name of progressive business, and it even surpasses that of emerging economies

per cent of managers in Spain justify bribery and corruption to generate profits

with a result of 61 per cent. Portugal tops the list of most prolifically corrupt countries within the European Union,

followed by Greece and Spain. At the other end of the spectrum is Denmark with a result of only 4 per cent. The report found that 57 per cent of managers are pressured to find new sources of revenue in high risk markets where there is a greater likelihood of corruption becoming a temptation.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Parks follow a theme BY 2020, London will see a film and television theme park costing €3.4 billion, which will twin a similar new feature in Spain. The theme park business, which earns annual revenues of €6.9 billion in Western Europe, is attracting other new entrants. Last July, Cinecitta opened its first theme park near Rome. And a giant theme park with 15,000 hotel rooms, also based on Paramount Pictures’ films, is due to open in Spain next year.

Best school for business Spanish business school Iese, part of the University of Navarra, has topped the Financial Times’ 2015 combined ranking of executive short courses, regaining the position it last held in 2012. The school ousted HEC Paris, which dropped to second place in the combined table.

Employment inspection The employment agency in Spain has released figures that show 2,372 bogus self-employed claims had been detected since their investigation began in 2012. It also highlighted that the inspection uncovered 3,395 full-time jobs that were being disclosed as part-time in order to save on employment costs.

Coin contest launches THE European Commission has decided to issue a special commemorative €2 coin to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the European flag. The design of the new currency will be chosen by the residents of the EU, who can vote on any one of five designs preselected by the Commsion. You can register your vote for your favourite design at: www.coin-competition.eu

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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OPINION & COMMENT

Sour grapes from left-wingers Michaelpuche / Shutterstock.com File photo

SINCE their rout in the election they’ve accused the British public of being stupid LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT WHY are so many left-wingers such an unpleasant bunch? Since their rout in the election they have produced more sour juice than a premature grape harvest. They’ve accused the British public of being stupid and making the wrong decision, invaded Downing Street, dubbed graffiti on the memorials of our brave servicemen and women and, headed by the awful Charlotte Church, displayed disgracefully-worded placards, denigrating the conservatives in ways only surpassed by the hate messages delivered by the militant Muslim brigade. The unions, in a fit of pique, tongues undoubtedly rubbed raw by extensive woundlicking and no doubt anxious to remind their dwindling supporters that they still have a reason to actually exist, have instigated Plan B or C and are intent on punishing as many voters as possible. The threat of disrupting an impending public

LEFTIST RALLY: Protestors invade Downing Street.

STREET TALK

Like it or not, the world is run by capitalists, it’s a business. To be in with a chance, we need strong, intelligent leaders and an efficient workforce.’

holiday with a transport strike is typical of this uncaring, self-serving bunch of bandits, who are good for nothing but holding the country to ransom to finance their own hypocritical lifestyles. Well, I’ve a message for all of you. You lost,

get used to it. The main bulk of the British public doesn’t want your style or idea of government. Bite the bullet and show a little character for a change. In fact, the reaction of many lefties shows the true reason the public voted as they did. Militancy and negative disruption has no place in the modern world. Unions were fine in the bad old days, when people were paid a pittance in t’mill while their masters reigned supreme on the hill, but those days are gone. To compete and be successful, the machines of modern existence need to work smoothly, with as few diversions as possible. Like it or not, the world is run by capitalists, it’s a business. To be in with a chance, we need strong, intelligent leaders and a willing, efficient workforce. Frankly, running around with placards and coming out on strike simply doesn’t hack it. Buckle down and extend the success achieved in the last five years. The last thing Britain needs are bitter dissenters airing their dirty laundry in public. Oops, sorry, Mr Balls! No puns intended. Keep the faith, Love Leapy, Leapylee2002@gmail.com www.leapylee.co.uk

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

Dealing with begging on the street IN some parts of Spain police are cracking down on street beggars and mothers who sit with children in the heat to beg for money to feed them. Do you think the services are sufficient to help people who are living in this way? THE SHELLY FAMILY who own Bob the Bed, told us, “We don’t really see many beggars here at all, and I have not seen any women with children out on the streets. Most of what we have going on here are younger youths that wait outside the supermarkets, usually wanting to take your trolley back so that they can get the Euro coin. It is always the same faces you see, it doesn’t upset me but some can be pushy if you offer them food and not money.” Nikki Tingle from O’Neills Bar agreed with the Shellys and added, “The thing that

you see in this area is kids of 15 years of age and upwards taking your trolley back in the supermarket car park. Then there is the older end who go through the bins, and it is upsetting to know that they are desperate enough to do that. There is a shelter nearby to where we are and people do use it who are genuinely poor. They are vagrants, but as long as they don’t pester people

then it doesn’t bother me. I have not seen women with kids begging much.” Joanne, owner of Webb Removals found the same when she said, “To be perfectly honest you don’t see women and children begging in Magaluf, here we have lots of Looky Looky men. I think there are more beggars in central Palma where there is a mixture of needy peo-

ple. When I was nursing I travelled to people’s homes and I did see homeless people or people with disabilities begging, and I did give them money. However, it can be quite frightening if some are over demanding, but so far it has not been too much of an issue for me.” We see

a pattern emerge as Donna Silvester, owner of Little Britain Supermarket Mallorca said, “I am fortunate that I don’t see many beggars in this area as it can put people off and bother them. “This area is very good in that respect, but when I hear of mothers using their children as a cry for help to beg, that is a step too far and it annoys me. I think that is as bad as teaching them to steal. Then there are those who are vagrant but keep themselves to themselves and don’t bother people, but any kind of begging is not that common here at all.

From left: Joanne, Nikki Tingle and Donna Silvester.

OPINION & COMMENT

21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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EWN

Good, bad and almost naked - are the emperor’s new clothes to die for? Nora Johnson

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

DID you catch those ‘naked’ designer dresses sported recently at New York’s Met Gala? Among those who turned up to the annual event - the so-called fashion Oscars - almost completely devoid of clothing were Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian. Now, do these slebs dress for themselves, the men in their lives, to out-Gaga Lady Gaga - or simply for the cameras? I suspect they know only too well that more media space will be given to those revealing the most flesh and they’ll happily wear these jaw-dropping, naked-effect outfits to bolster a flagging image in the hope of maintaining their position in the public

eye. After all, if they dressed ‘normally,’ they’d hardly get papped. But appearance is everything now, isn’t it? Shortly after reading about the Met Gala, I read about 21-year-old student, Eloise Parry, who died in agony after taking banned diet pills bought online. Like most of us, she was concerned about her appearance, a pretty girl probably chasing the size 0 supermodel dream, sadly caused by a multi-billion pound industry which wants us to obsess about our weight rather than our health. I’m reminded here of Protein World’s infamous ‘beach body ready’ weightloss posters that had to be removed from London Underground last month ahead of mass protests. KATIE PRICE: Too much Botox.

Do celebrities dress for themselves, the men in their lives, to outGaga Lady Gaga, or simply for the cameras?

But then, children as young as six begin suffering from body image problems and dangerous dieting a recent study suggests. According to campaigners, a society obsessed with thinness is harming children’s mental health as heavier pupils, dissatisfied with their bodies, start risky, unhealthy diets to compensate. Recently published books on America’s $88bn anti-aging industry conclude, not surprisingly, that millions face seFeatureflash / Shutterstock.com

rious health problems caused by the gurus of unregulated dietary, vitamin supplements and Botox crazes. Now, I’m not sure but I think we’re allowed to get older but we’re not supposed to look as though we are. Is that right? Do the Botoxers and face-filler folk actually know that we know that they’ve been cheating? Everything peeled, exfoliated, filled and polished - the full (late) Joan Rivers, bless her. The problem for people who’ve had excessive Botox, you see, is that they don’t look younger, just weirder. Think Katie Price. Or... someone trapped in a lift for a week with Nicola Sturgeon, George Galloway or any other politician for that matter. Nora Johnson’s thrillers ‘Landscape of Lies,’ ‘Retribution,’ ‘Soul Stealer,’ ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora-johnson.com) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.89;£0.79) and iBookstore. Profits to Cudeca.

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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OPINION & COMMENT

LEGALLY SPEAKING

Driving in flip flops or high heels WE feature some common driving questions, the answers to which are kindly provided by the Guardia Civil based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, who set up the N332 website and Facebook page to help break down barriers.

BALEARES INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CAMP 2015 (JULY 6TH - JULY 31ST)

This will be the 27th year for the BIC Summer Camp at Sa Porrassa.

The children of ages 3-15 will enjoy an organised programme of fun and educational activities. In the morning, students will do Crafts, Science, Dance, Computers, etc. The afternoon programme is devoted to Archery, Cooking, Swimming, Sports, visits to Western Water Park and sailing.

To enrol, call Gabriella at 971 133 167 or e-mail bic@balearesint.net

ARTICLE 3.1 of the Reglamento General de Circulacion states: “You have to drive properly avoiding damage to people or things. It is forbidden to drive in a negligent or reckless way.” When you drive in flip flops or high heels you can have an accident and when you drive back home from the beach, your flip flops are usually wet and covered in sand and therefore you have a high risk of losing your flip flops whilst driving and using the car pedals. With flip flops you cannot brake or accelerate properly and all these factors can end in

HIGH HEELS: Driving hazard.

a traffic accident, and it could be taken that you were driving in a negligent way. In these cases you can be fined for driving in inappropriate footwear. There have been many cases of people driving in flip flops or high heels who have had an accident caused by the use of this footwear. So whilst wearing them is not recommended, there is no article that actually prohibits wearing flip flops or high heels during driving, although Article 3.1 can be applied to those drivers who have an accident as a consequence of this or if they do not drive properly.

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

Can we replace the president? MANY members of our community feel that our president has put himself in a situation of conflict of interest by awarding contracts to his own construction company. He has underestimated costs and paid out money without informing the members or the committee in advance. Now some of us are trying to get him out but he insists that he

An auditor’s report shows that contracts were awarded to a company apparently operated by the president without any competitive bidding and that the expenses are much higher than the estimates given. Conflict of interest is a general term, not a legal matter, unless the statutes specifically forbid it, as suggested by your auditor. That is, a community president who awards a contract to his own company might be acting in the best interests of the members.

was elected in 2014 for two years. He himself had new statutes voted on at an AGM which specify the two-year period: The general meeting at which the changes were made had an attendance of just over 18 per cent of the owners and I always thought that 100 per cent approval was required to change the statutes. J H (Costa del Sol)

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

The way to replace a sitting president is to call an EGM’

However, it is certainly irregular. Yes, revising the statutes requires a unanimous vote of the members, but if only 18 per cent of them attend

and vote in favour, and the remaining members do not protest within 30 days of being informed of the decision, it is regarded as unanimous. The way to replace a sitting president is to call an Extraordinary General Meeting with this item on the agenda. If 25 per cent of the members agree, the EGM must be held. Finally, there is the possibility of a lawsuit brought by any member against the president to recover community funds paid without authorisation.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

Am I just a dumb animal? Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-the-wall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.

WHEN I see the brilliant work that veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick carries out, as depicted on the Channel 4 programme Super Vet, I am filled with admiration for this wonderful man. Not only because he performs near miracles at times on his non-human patients, but also because of his obvious love and deep respect for each and every animal that is brought to him, and the camaraderie he displays with their owners. I simply do not understand those who cruelly abuse animals or seem to have no affinity with these, our fellow creatures. And particularly whenever I hear some idiot declaring, “It was just a cat,” or something equally dismissive when one is lost, or is mown down on the road by some careless driver. Equally of course for dogs or any other living creature if it comes to that, because all are individual miracles of creation in their own right. Just take the trouble to study them at close quarters. Even the humble sparrow is a masterpiece of creative engi-

WISE FOX: The safest place to be was behind the hunt.

neering and no matter how clever we believe the human race to be, it cannot come within a billion miles of creating anything so complex or extraordinary. The closest we can come to this is to clone. In other words, copy something already crafted, using a living template. Then we are led to believe that most animals operate purely on an instinctive level and not by what we class as intelligence. But I’m not so sure about that. Take the wild bird that has been flashed across the internet recently, gradually manoeuvring some floating bread that has attracted feeding fish, ever nearer to itself in order to spear its own dinner. I once personally witnessed a fox in full daylight, trailing a couple of hundred yards behind the Thurlow hunt. The hounds and riders were some way ahead, but Reynard had figured that the safest place to be was behind the whole lot of them. I stopped my van to watch him; he paused and cocked his head at me as if to say, “Who’s the dumb animal, me or that lot?” before trotting on. We can learn a lot from animals and they enrich our lives. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that bar some notable exceptions, this would indeed be paradise Earth without the presence of man.

The scourge of tribal Europe THE Russians are skilled at creating the myth that triumph was exclusively a Soviet victory Mike Walsh Mike, based in Mediterranean Spain, is an international journalist, author and professional writer.

WITH trepidation I watched Russians celebrate ‘their victory’ over Nazism. Once again the same tiresome exclusivity that fuelled the deaths of an estimated 100 million Europeans during the disastrous 20th Century. Don’t be too quick to accuse Americans for taking the credit for winning the war single-handed. The Russians are as skilled at creating the myth that triumph was exclusively a Soviet victory. Here we go again, I thought: triumphalist British Empire 1900, Germany in the 1930s. The writer, George Bernard Shaw, explained Europe’s fault-line in a few words: ‘Patriotism is your conviction that your country is superior to all other countries be-

Celebrating victory. cause you were born in it.’ Russian President Vladimir Putin, keen to forge international partnerships on a base of peaceful co-existence, must have mixed feelings too. He must pay lip service to Russians nostalgic for the time

A jackboot is a jackboot regardless of nationality.

when Bolshevik Occupied Russia shared world power status. He otherwise condemned Bolshevik socialism as unworkable. Are those who hanker after British Empire and

EWN

OUR VIEW

It’s time to vote.

Now is your chance THE day is nearly upon us! This Sunday May 24 is the day we expatriates get the chance to vote in local elections, our chance to influence the town we now call home. The British people that have chosen to embrace the Spanish life form an important part of the local community. Especially in the coastal regions where they contribute greatly to the local economy. Local Ayuntamientos (councils) know and welcome this fact, but need our help and advice as to what would benefit everyone - if they don’t know something, they can’t change it! Simply by voting for the party you feel can help your community the best, you have already helped make everyone’s lives better. We came to Spain because of its culture, let us respect it, embrace it and immerse ourselves in it. We at the EWN are completely impartial, however we do strive for transparency and integration, and in doing so, realise that both of these issues are two way streets. We need to show a little more understanding toward our naturally hospitable neighbours who welcome our input. Spain is not ‘Little Britain.’ It is the beautiful country we chose to live in. If we wish to make it even better, your vote is needed. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.

Winston Churchill any better? To Russian friends I point out that peoples of the West, especially Germans and Eastern Europeans, fear and detest hammer and sickle symbolism as much as Russians blanch at the sight of a Swastika. They don’t accept this and believe sincerely the Soviets liberated Europe. It is what they were taught. I show photographs of the Reich forces greeted as liberators throughout German Occupied Europe. This is dismissed as propaganda. I concede many Russians, having little choice anyway, resisted the Reich’s onslaught. “Why,” I asked, “don't you salute the peoples of Finland, Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, who as heroically resisted Soviet aggression and Now we occupation?” want to A jackboot is a jackboot rehear your news. gardless of the nationality of the foot in it. Unless EuYOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE ropeans shrug off national - YOUR OPINION tribalism history is doomed www.euroweeklynews.com to repeat itself.

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'Allo, 'Allo! Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain Antiques Road Trip RHS Chelsea Flower Show The Game The Clare Balding Show Newsnight Death Defying Acts

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 11:35pm 12:35am

BBC London News The One Show RHS Chelsea Flower Show EastEnders The Vicar of Dibley Have I Got News for You Peter Kay's Car Share BBC News at Ten BBC London News The Graham Norton Show Peter Kay's Car Share

6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain Antiques Road Trip Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites RHS Chelsea Flower Show Britain's Greatest Generation Newsnight Later... with Jools Holland

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

3:00pm 4:40pm 5:40pm 6:10pm 7:45pm 7:55pm 7:58pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

3:35pm 5:10pm 6:10pm 6:30pm

The Trouble with Harry F1: Grand Prix Flog It! Britain's Greatest Generation Golf Dad's Army RHS Chelsea Flower Show Great Expectations The Many Faces of Michael Crawford

3:40pm

12:35am

Father of the Bride II Escape to the Continent Celebrity Mastermind F1: Grand Prix Qualifying BBC News Regional News Weather The National Lottery The Eurovision Song Contest BBC News

5:00pm 5:35pm 6:05pm 7:35pm 7:50pm 7:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm

Songs of Praise Chelsea Flower Show F1: Grand Prix BBC News Regional News Weather Countryfile Antiques Roadshow Jonathan Strange BBC News Regional News

12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 4:50pm 5:30pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Paul Hollywood's Bread Alex Polizzi: Chefs on Trial Camelot Flog It! Final Score Nature's Weirdest Events Golf A Very British Airline Demolition Armada: 12 Days to Save England

6:00pm 6:45pm 7:30pm 7:50pm 7:55pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

3:25pm 6:15pm 6:45pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

11:15pm 11:30pm

Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News Weather The One Show EastEnders Marvel Avengers Assemble BBC News Regional News

Dances with Wolves Eggheads Antiques Roadshow Beat the Brain A Cook Abroad Springwatch Churchill: When Britain Said No Episodes The Many Faces of Les Dawson

5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:25pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm

Tipping Point The Paul O'Grady Show Off Their Rockers Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Britain's Got Talent Coronation Street Britain's Got Talent ITV News at Ten and Weather

5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 11:40pm

Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Crimewatch BBC News Regional News Weather

4:15pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

Elephant Diaries Are You Being Served? 'Allo, 'Allo! Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain A Cook Abroad Springwatch Joan of Arc Later Live... with Jools Holland

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm

The Paul O'Grady Show Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Britain's Got Talent Coronation Street Britain's Got Talent ITV News at Ten and Weather On Assignment The Big Fish Off

6:00pm

5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 11:40pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Traffic Cops New Tricks BBC News Regional News Weather Suntrap Match of the Day

4:15pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 5:40pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:30pm

Elephant Diaries Are You Being Served? 'Allo, 'Allo! Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Beat the Brain A Cook Abroad Springwatch Springwatch Modern Times Newsnight

3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm

Judge Rinder Dickinson's Real Deal Tipping Point The Paul O'Grady Show Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Britain's Got Talent Coronation Street Britain's Got Talent ITV News at Ten and Weather

3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

9:30pm 10:30pm 11:30pm 12:05am

7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:00am

11:00pm 11:30pm

11:00pm 11:40pm 12:10am

9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

6:30pm 6:45pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:20pm 11:05pm 11:20pm 6:45pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:15pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:05pm 11:15pm 12:15am

11:45pm 12:15am

The Paul O'Grady Show ITV News London ITV News and Weather Emmerdale The British Soap Awards 2015 ITV News at Ten and Weather Newzoids Piers Morgan's Life Stories

4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm

ITV News London ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Coronation Street Weekend Escapes with Warwick Davis Coronation Street Man and Beast with Martin Clunes ITV News at Ten and Weather

6:00pm

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather You've Been Framed! Unleashed! Ninja Warriors UK Britain's Got Talent Play to the Whistle ITV News and Weather Mickey Blue Eyes

5:15pm 5:50pm 6:15pm 6:50pm 7:15pm 7:40pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Ninja Warriors UK Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Celebrity Squares Sunday Night at the Palladium Home Fires ITV News and Weather Perspectives Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights

1:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:35pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

12:10am

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

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Deal or No Deal Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Born Naughty? Born Survivor: Bear Grylls High Class Call Girls The Night Bus

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

5 News at 5 Neighbours Criminals: Caught on Camera 5 News Tonight Cricket on 5 The Last Days of... The Hotel Inspector Big Brother Big Brother's Bit on the Side

5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 12:30am

Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Unreported World Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Alan Carr

4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 12:30am

Jesse Stone 5 News at 5 Neighbours Criminals 5 News Tonight Cricket on 5 Mysteries of the Bible Big Brother Big Brother's Bit on the Side Big Brother Live From the House

1:00pm

Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Channel 4 News Walking Through History World's Most Extreme... Rise of the Planet of the Apes Savages

2:25pm 5:45pm 7:55pm 8:00pm 8:55pm

The Great Escape Anzio 5 News Cricket on 5 What the Dambusters Did Next Big Brother CSI: Crime Scene Investigation NCIS Super Casino

9:00am

George Clarke's Amazing Spaces The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons Casper A Place in the Sun Channel 4 News Speed with Guy Martin For the Love of Cars Trance

2:25pm

Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Food Unwrapped Damned Designs Benefits Street The Night Bus The Island with Bear Grylls Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Kirstie and Phil's Love it or List it No Offence 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Benefits Street Countdown Deal or No Deal Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Supervet 24 Hours in A and E The Job Centre Bodyshockers

10:20pm 11:20pm 12:20am 1:15am

4:35pm 6:30pm 8:00pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

4:20pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm

The Deep End of the Ocean What a Girl Wants Chicken Little Cricket on 5 5 News Dogs Make You Laugh Out Loud Big Brother Stevie Wonder: An All-Star Grammy Salute

2:00pm 4:00pm 8:30pm 11:15pm 11:30pm 12:00am 1:00am

10:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 3:15pm 6:00pm 9:00pm 1:00am 10:00am 11:30am 12:30pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 6:30pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am

Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War Neighbours Criminals: Caught on Camera 5 News Cricket on 5 World's Angriest Gotham Big Brother Big Brother's Bigger Bit on the Side

6:30pm

5 News at 5 Neighbours Criminals: Caught on Camera 5 News Tonight Ultimate Police Interceptors The Dog Rescuers Pets Make You Laugh Out Loud Big Brother

5:30pm

The Husband She Met Online 5 News at 5 Neighbours Criminals: Caught on Camera 5 News Tonight GPs: Behind Closed Doors Seconds From Death Benefits Britain: Me and My 14 Kids Big Brother

2:00pm

7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 10:30pm 11:30pm 12:00am

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 1:00am

3:00pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 12:00am

FL72: Play-Off Final Highlights The F1 Show Ringside Premier League Darts 2015 Ringside Barclays Premier League World FL72: Play-Off Final Highlights FL72: Play-Off Final Highlights The Premier League Years Indian Premier League Rugby League Super League Gold Barclays Premier League Preview The Fantasy Football Club FL72: Play-Off Final Highlights The Fantasy Football Club Game Changers Soccer A.M. F1: GP: Qualifying Pro 12 Semi-Final Football League Play-Off Final Fight Night International Sky Sports Originals The Sunday Supplement Goals on Sunday The Sunday Goals on Sunday Ford Super Sunday Football Ford Football: Game of the Day Ford Football Ford Football Monday Night Football End of Season Special Premier League 100 Club Premier League 100 Club FL72: Playoff Final Monday Night Football End of Season Special FL72: Playoff Final Premier League 100 Club Premier League 100 Club Fantasy Football Club Highlights Football League Gold FL72: Playoff Final Barclays Premier League Review Elite League Speedway Ringside Special Boxing Barclays Premier League Review Barclays Premier League Review FL72: Playoff Final The Premier League Years Barclays Premier League Review Boots 'n' All Rugby Union Championship Rugby Union Sky Sports Originals Boots 'n' All

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

LETTERS

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OPINION & COMMENT

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

Letters for Your Say should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments straight on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com

Take the time to show our nurses your caring side AFTER reading your story about the nursing crisis in Malaga (Costa del Sol Issue 1558) I just wanted to say I think this is appalling and something should be done about it ASAP. I regularly have to go for blood tests at the CARE in Las Lagunas and hear people moaning their heads off about having to wait 10 minutes to be seen and blaming the nurses for being slow. I can’t help wondering what they would be saying if they had their veins hacked about by hurried nurses trying to get the job done quicker. These nurses, mostly women although I have seen a couple of men too, are kind, gentle and receive you with a smile, quite amazing considering how thoroughly overworked they are. I suggest we all take the time next time we have to deal with a nurse to smile, thank him/her for everything they do for us, and maybe even take them a bunch of flowers. They certainly deserve it. Helena Bridges, Las Lagunas (Malaga)

Clean up act LIVING in Alhaurin de la Torre, with the nice and clean roads and streets, makes me feel so sad when I drive into Torremolinos. Half of the shops on the Avda. Palma de Mallorca are empty and for rent, the streets, although being cleaned on a regular basis, look like the full maintenance department of the town hall has been fired some time ago. Graffiti is everywhere, pavements are cracked/smashed and road signs from the 80’s are everywhere. With the elections and all the effort that the mayor has put in to staying in his luxury seat, he seems to have forgotten that Torremolinos is a place that needs to be looked after. Not only plants and trees but also roads and pavements. And whilst

Photographs for possible publication should be sent by email with a full caption to: photonews@euroweeklynews.com

in the Royal Air Force. I thank God for all the other German folks that I have known. As my Son says... “folks is folks” bless em all. If anyone is really interested in these facts read ‘Dresden’ by Frederick Taylor. Disturbing reading for sure. No excuses just the brutal facts. War is not pretty. Thanks for the best paper in English! Name supplied (by email)

Balcony danger One thing to say for the Spanish, when they hang their laundry out it makes for a colourful sight. John Edwards Cardiff (UK)

making a plan to do so, let the town hall talk to the owners of all these empty shops. Give new tenants a discount on local taxes if they rent in Torremolinos. Please try and be house proud of this town again. Let us smile when we talk about tourism and entrepreneurs in Torremolinos. Not laugh. Wessel Wiersma, Alhaurin de la Torre (Malaga)

Stop and think I HAVE become very concerned about the lack of thinking from the British people. Don’t get me wrong, because I chose to leave the UK and now live in Spain, in theory I shouldn’t give a damn. And I don’t as a rule, but I can’t help thinking of the old land. I see the failure of our schools, compared to the education which I was pleased to have received. I see the young people with nothing to do but paint graffitti and gladly go to a Muslim country to take up arms against us. I am sad about the lack of educa-

tion of the general public regarding the voting in of political leaders. These so called leaders are only looking after their own jobs. They don’t care about what happens, they just want their pennies worth and then off they go. The drug culture in the UK and other countries is a factor, not of the system but the failure of the system. If people have nothing to do then what do they do? These things have been robbed from them and replaced with iPods, iPhones, computers and games consoles. The UK needs a big wakeup call. Get serious about where you want that country to go. Do something about it and get off your backsides and make it happen. Mark Penn (by email)

Blame games CONGRATULATIONS to readers Mrs Fullerton and Mr Thompson on their realistic comments on the current mania for World War blame

games! (Letters, Issue 1558) Now, if only British TV would take a hint and stop making cheap television out of the same World War footage (in colour!) and the psychoanalysis ad nauseum of seemingly every single one of the Nazi membership! Charles Dowling, Orihuela Costa (Alicante)

Over the top? OK Leapy Lee goes over the top sometimes but his column and readers’ letters are the first pages I read and I bet many others do too. Regarding the response to his article on World War Two, I was in London when the buzz bombs were dropping around the time of the Dresden bombing. Dresden WAS a major legitimate military target containing many war industries and being a communications centre. I have heard quite a few ‘Hate the British’ types in the early years of living in Spain, but have never even replied to them, neither did my husband, he was a night fighter

WHEN will the builders and hoteliers learn the tragic lesson? Hardly a week goes by without a tragedy as someone falls from a balcony, as reported in the Euro Weekly News (Mallorca Issue 1558). People are quick to blame the poor victims themselves assuming they were either acting recklessly or blind drunk. While that may be true in some cases, I would say the simple fact of the matter is that the balconies are too low. I was on holiday with my daughter and her young children (aged five and nine) in a hotel in Palma and we could not have a moment’s rest when in our room. Every minute of our time was spent watching over my grandchildren as the balcony wall was so low. They could quite easily have climbed over and fallen, and we were six floors up! The hotel owners should be forced to make their balconies safe, and builders should not be allowed to build such unsafe balconies Jane Stansfield (by email)

WHEN YOU WRITE All letters, whether by email or post, should carry the writer’s postal address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published. Letters may also be edited. Readers who have missed earlier correspondence can see all letters posted on:

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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.

E W N 21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA

Word Ladder

for next 7 days

weather

TODAY

Move from the start word (TOOL) to the end word (BAGS) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.

TOOL TOOT BOOT BOOS BOGS BAGS

BAGS BACK

Mallorca

MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

TOOL WOOL WOOS BOOS BOGS BAGS or

TOOL

TIME

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ALCUDIA

POLLENÇA

CALA MILLOR

INCA

CALVIA

CALA d’OR

PALMA ANDRATX

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

TOMORROW

ALCUDIA

POLLENÇA

CALA MILLOR

INCA

CALVIA

‘MY DARLING, HAD I KNOWN THE TORIES WOULD ROMP THE ELECTION I WOULD NEVER HAVE FLOGGED YOUR PICASSO!’

CALA d’OR

PALMA ANDRATX

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

Visit the stars, for details on our expanded range of services

Average: 6 Good: 8 Very good: 12 Excellent: 14

Mon - 24 17 S Tues - 24 18 S Wed - 26 18 S

(May 22 - June 21)

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 23 17 S Tues - 24 18 S Wed - 24 18 S

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Are you putting off a decision affecting others? This is a good time to take the bull by the horns. Keep an eye on finances involving younger people. Sometimes, you are better able to help in other ways, perhaps by giving encouragement or advice.

times. If energy is low get out for a long walk in a relaxing place. Perhaps watch a film that raises your spirits. There is about you a kind of regret and fondness for the past, but there is nothing wrong with sentimentality so long as it does not cloud your picture of the future. That can be bright indeed.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Your activities this week may seem to be ones best done alone. To a certain extent this is true. However, if you wish to make others feel important and gain their support in the future, you should involve them. You don't have to take advice which is given but be diplomatic when not acting on it.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Is someone trying to sidetrack you by casting doubt on a relationship or plan? Something is going on so make sure that you have all the facts. It would be gullible of you to take everything at face value. You have good supportive colleagues and may seek their advice. Be optimistic as the weekend comes and remember your sense of humour.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Are you feeling less positive than usual? We all do at

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Showing confidence means others see you as

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.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION abed able bade bald bale bard bare baud bead bear beau bled blue blur boar bode bola bold bole bore brad brae bred burl daub drab drub lobe lube robe verb abler abode above adobe baled baler bared beard blade blare blear blued bluer board bored boule brave bravo bread broad debar labor lobar lobed orbed robed roble ruble adverb albedo balder blared bolder boreal braved burled dauber doable double labour rouble verbal boulder doubler durable labored laboured BOULEVARD

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

22 15 S 22 16 S 23 17 S

Mon - 24 17 S Tues - 24 18 S Wed - 24 17 S

Benidorm TODAY:

22 16 S 23 17 S 24 17 S

Mon - 25 18 S Tues - 25 18 S Wed - 26 18 S

S Sun,

Cl Clear,

Sh Showers,

8-Star Quiz

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. UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

Saturday May 16

Friday May 15

Saturday May 16

Sunday May 17

Saturday May 16

12 25

14 29

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

35 44

42 47

LUCKY STARS

REINTEGRO

SHOWERS

TODAY:

MAX 21C, MIN 15C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

22 16 S 22 17 Cl 23 17 Cl

Mon - 22 17 Sh Tues - 23 18 Cl Wed - 25 18 Cl

SHOWERS MAX 19C, MIN 13C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

21 14 S 23 15 S 23 16 S

Mon - 22 16 Cl Tues - 23 16 S Wed - 24 16 Cl

34 48

36 52

REINTEGRO

SUNNY MAX 22C, MIN 13C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Sudoku

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

Mon - 28 15 C Tues - 29 16 C Wed - 29 15 S

Murcia

SUNNY MAX 22C, MIN 14C MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

24 10 S 26 12 S 27 13 S

Mallorca

CLEAR MAX 20C, MIN 14C MAX MIN

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) It is all go for you at the moment. Not only will you be particularly clear-thinking but your intellect will be sharp as a knife. Your enthusiasm spills over from your business life to personal matters, leading to a hectic and eventful time all week. When it comes to romance, a positive and dynamic approach stands you in good stead. . TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) It is now important that you are clear about the person you wish to spend your time with because you may have more than one option. Plans that you started last week are now showing progress. Keeping the pace growing is essential to beat rivals. It is not an easy week by any means but it should not be boring.

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

22 15 S 22 16 S 23 17 S

Barcelona TODAY:

MAX MIN

Malaga

SUNNY MAX 21C, MIN 15C MAX MIN

being very much in control. They need to see that you can be trusted. If a plan is not going in the right direction, be prepared to change tack. Changes should not be made to financial plans until you are sure of your ground. Romantically, you are being admired.

A tendency to be emotional because of a setback should be avoided. When you feel the pressure rising, remember that nothing is worth risking your health for. Sound out friends and colleagues to avoid over-reacting. It is a week when you realise how someone close is able to be a great help. The question is, can you accept it?

GEMINI

Nonagram

TARGET:

22 14 S 23 16 S 24 17 S

SUNNY MAX 22C, MIN 8C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Almeria

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) This is a week of planning and making changes. Some things click into place and you realise that you are on your way to completing an ambition. The trick is to manage it without upsetting people on the home front.

Fri Sat Sun TODAY:

LOTTERY

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) A personal decision needs to be made. No major changes are necessary so long as you have a firm plan. It is not so much that caution is required, rather more that you should give yourself time to consider. In the longer term, you may see this week as a turning point.

Madrid

SUNNY MAX 20C, MIN 13C MAX MIN

www.fiduciarywealth.eu

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) There is sensitivity in your chart. It is possible to overlook someone who needs your time and consideration. You are not a mind-reader and they may not directly seek your help. Be aware, then, of how others are faring. LEO (July 24 - August 23) When someone asks you this week where you are going, will you know the answer? You will make progress if you do. If you're not sure, then there is no point in going full steam ahead. This is a week to consider your options on all fronts, particularly in business.

Alicante TODAY:

Fri Sat Sun -

F Fog, Sn Snow,

MAX MIN

24 13 S 26 14 S 27 16 S

Mon - 28 17 Cl Tues - 27 17 Cl Wed - 28 17 S

C Cloudy, Th Thunder

BIG IN JAPAN 1. In Japan, what is the Shinkansen? 2. In terms of population, Tokyo is the largest city in Japan. Which is the second largest city? 3. Name either of the two British longjumpers who both won gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games? 4. Two Japanese cities have hosted the Winter Olympic Games (1972 and 1998), name either? 5. What sort of creature is a Japanese tosa? 6. Which extinct/dormant volcano in south central Honshu is the highest peak in Japan? 7. Which huge prehistoric monster that has featured in a series of Japanese films since 1954, is known in Japanese as ‘Gojira,’ which is a combination of two Japanese words meaning ‘half gorilla and half whale’? 8. Which Japanese city is home to the professional football club Grampus Eight? 1. RAILWAY SYSTEM carrying high-speed passenger trains, 2. YOKOHAMA, 3. Lynn DAVIES and Mary RAND (BIGNAL), 4. SAPPORO (1972) and NAGANO (1998), 5. Heavily built, smooth-haired DOG, 6. Mount FUJI (also known as FUJIYAMA), 7. GODZILLA, 8. NAGOYA,

YOUR STARS

OUT

21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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page

AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

Enjoy filling in the following puzzles and check the answers in next week’s edition

Quick

Code Breaker

Across 1 Excessively quick (5) 4 Felicitous (5) 9 Low army rank (7) 10 Sporting venue (5) 11 Canines and incisors (5) 12 Implement (7) 14 Posing no difficulty (4) 16 Young, unfledged pigeon (5) 18 Young dog (5) 21 Onion-like plant (4) 24 Bedroom (7) 26 Disturb the balance of (5) 28 Flower part (5) 29 Flight attendant (7) 30 Concise (5) 31 Hold back to a later time (5) Down 2 Come into existence (5) 3 Windpipe (7) 5 Mindful of (5) 6 Floor exercise (5-2) 7 Roam goddess of love (5) 8 Bird of prey (5) 9 Sympathy (4) 13 Category (4) 15 Competent (4) 17 One of four equal parts (7)

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Crossword

EWN

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 6 represents K and 22 represents C, so fill in K every time the figure 6 appears and C every time the figure 22 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC Across: 1 Sable, 3 Acting, 6 Regards, 8 Idaho, 10 Ewe, 11 Sheathe, 12 Famed, 13 Scorn, 18 Agitate, 20 Aga, 21 Torso, 22 Trident, 23 Adders, 24 Table.

Down: 1 Surrey, 2 Earlobe, 3 Assist, 4 Twine, 5 Comet, 7 Grenadier, 9 Alternate, 14 Chariot, 15 Haste, 16 Vestas, 17 Battle, 19 Adore.

QUICK Across:

19 Four-stringed instrument (7) 20 Range or extent (5) 22 Rub or scrape out (5)

English - Spanish

23 Poker variation (4) 25 Swell slightly (5) 27 No longer fresh (5)

Down: 1 Signet, 2 Chaos, 3 Shoe, 5 Overstep, 6 Turning, 7 Entire, 8 Wrong, 13 Bandanna, 15 Darling, 17 Harass, 18 Tease, 19 Recess, 22 Actor, 23 Bait.

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

Across 1 Sureste (5-4) 7 Islas (5) 9 Sour (fruit, flavour) (f) (5) 10 Age (of person, animal, building) (4) 11 Ninth (6) 13 Smooth (skin) (5) 14 Nave (de iglesia) (5) 15 Hearts (organs, symbols of love) (9)

ENGLISH-SPANISH Across:

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

1 Tracksuit, 8 Araña, 9 Grain, 11 Lana, 12 Casa, 14 Gato, 16 Lake, 19 Early, 21 Suave, 22 Addresses.

Down: 2 Roads, 3 Coal, 4 Sign, 5 Ida, 6 Watches, 7 Encoger, 10 Rag, 13 All, 15 Awake, 17 Ayer, 18 Esos, 20 Red

Down 2 Prueba (4) 3 In love (9) 4 Calles (vías públicas) (7) 5 Enfermedad (7) 6 Drawers (in a desk) (7) 8 Called (named) (7) 12 Eyebrow (4)

Hexagram

1 Sects, 4 Bottle, 9 Glamour, 10 Egret, 11 Easy, 12 Nastier, 13/18 Big top, 14 Idea, 16 Edge, 20 Abridge, 21 Bare, 24 Avian, 25 Startle, 26 Signal, 27 Terms.

Cryptic The purpose of the Hexagram puzzle is to place the 19 sixletter words into the 19 cells. The letters at the edges of interlocking cells MUST BE THE SAME. The letters in the words must be written CLOCKWISE. The word in cell 10 (ASSERT) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.

ASSERT (10)

SEARED

DETAIL

STACKS

DINNER

STARRY

FEARED

TENDER

GUESTS

TILTED

LADIES

TITTER

PRINTS

TREATS

REDUCE

TREATY

REGARD

WANTED

RESTED

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Roared, 2 Awaits, 3 Resent, 4 Massed, 5 Rioted, 6 Series, 7 Trades, 8 Menial, 9 Wheels, 10 Admire, 11 Seared, 12 Elders, 13 Railed, 14 Houses, 15 Rather, 16 Steeds, 17 Kisses, 18 Metres, 19 Bushes

Across 1 To soak, use a tart stew (8) 5 Barrow featured in Paul McCartney song (4) 9 A sabre I broke in a military installation (3,4) 10 Noblemen attending court in London? (5) 11 Seam bowling caught 10 in Tests (5) 12 Rival finds dead bird first (7) 13 Good men digest small Scottish candies (6) 15 The SDP made a mess of the Ocean bottoms (6) 18 Rearranges holiday locations (7) 20 Sweet smell, it’s said, of money (5) 22 A byword for a commercial age (5) 23 Dealers starred in play (7) 24 Makes sure you get a grasp of, verbally (4) 25 Practical folks damaged the saltires (8) Down 1 Be curious about rates (5) 2 Some of the master race are hiding in a row of houses (7) 3 Raises backs (5) 4 Some of the message for the subjects (6)

6 Vessel seen in Victoria or Tasmania (5) 7 Setters upset the quizzers (7) 8 Deny soldiers an electrical device (6) 13 Go berserk as Spurs go one better (7) 14 Truer form of tank-top or tank top (6) 16 The varied uses of a classical hero (7)

17 Fly from the smart sets, eventually (6) 19 Theatre gates open (5) 20 Nails tipsy slow mover (5) 21 Team leader requests information about duties (5)

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21 - 27 May 2015

VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.EWNLIFESTYLE.COM

Doctor leaves his phone inside a woman’s stomach By Gemma Quinn A JORDANIAN woman claims a doctor left his mobile phone in her abdomen after delivering her baby by Caesarean. The 36-year-old was admitted to a private hospital in Amman, Jordan, for the operation. She said the birth went well and she returned home with her new daughter. But later,

she felt terrible pains in her stomach and her family noticed her belly vibrating. Being rushed back to hospital, an Xray revealed there was a foreign object inside her and surgeons quickly operated to remove the phone. The Jordanian Health Ministry said the woman’s story was ‘baseless and fabricated’ but was following up her claim.

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HEALTH BEAUTY

Pulling rank to get the right scan

15th May

AT the end of the day, it is my health that is at stake Erica Russell Watson: My journey – and I’m driving

TODAY has been interesting! I went to have my CAT scan. A few days prior to this an oncologist friend of mine who works in the private sector took a look at the appointment I had. She was not impressed. My oncologist had requested a very simple scan of just my torso and without any contrast. She said that it would not do as I needed the contrast which is a type of dye that they inject into your veins which helps the resolution of the scan, highlighting everything more clearly. She also insisted that the scan include my abdomen. She said she was going to try and get the appointment changed. When I arrived today I mentioned to the nurse that perhaps there had been a change to the scan. They checked and said no. So I thought it was now or never. I

pulled a bit of rank and file and mentioned a very well-known oncologist in the hospital and said she had requested the change…which was true. In the end they rang my oncologist and she said she was happy to give me the scan as I had requested. This was great news but we will see

Before the scan you have to drink a glass of water every 10 minutes. Four glasses in total. This helps the dye circulate around your veins. Then it’s time to get ready and lie very still with your hands above your head.

what she says to me at our appointment next week. At the end of the day, it is my health that is at stake and I’m not going to sit quietly and accept a scan that I have been told is not sufficient after the type of chemo I have

been through. Before the scan you have to drink a glass of water every 10 minutes. Four glasses in total. This helps the dye circulate around your veins. Then it’s time to get ready and lie very still with your hands above your head. Once the line is in and the dye starts to enter your system, you will notice a warm feeling. It isn’t unpleasant, just a little strange. You are moved back and forth through the machine which is rather like a giant donut. You receive instructions on when to breathe and when to hold your breath. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes and then the line is taken out and you can go. I felt very relieved that I had been given the proper tests and will look forward to next week when I get an overview of my blood analysis and general state post-chemo. I am still waiting to be called for radiotherapy, which should be imminent. In the meantime, the football matches have to be attended, the sleep-overs organised and a million and one other things, so life goes on. I always think it’s good to keep busy. Let’s see what the next chapter has in store for me!

OPINION & COMMENT

21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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It’s just a matter of opinion Cassandra Nash A weekly look - and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene

DAVID CAMERON’S win has fired up the PP camp, especially its big guns. The polls got it wrong, just as they did before the Scottish independence referendum so there could be surprises waiting inside those ballot boxes. The Partido Popular and the PSOE are plodding warily along and Ciudadanos seems to be doing nicely although Podemos appears to be backsliding. The truth is that it’s anyone’s guess as to what next Sunday will bring. But the Tory victory should also send a sobering message to parties (are you listening PP, PSOE and Podemos?) that build their policies on the shifting sands of opinion polls.

Not enough time CIUDADANO’s leader Albert Rivera irritated everybody over 40 with his claim that “democratic regeneration should come from those born in democracy.” It must originate with people without Swiss bank accounts and corruption

Sharing the load FORMER Health minister Ana Mato complained of the sexist, machista attitude in attaching some of her former husband’s blame to her. Her ex, one-time mayor of Pozuelo Jesus Sepulveda, is up to his neck in the Gurtel kickbacks-for-contracts case. He allegedly allowed Francisco Correa’s companies to spend more

ANA MATO: She didn’t ask.

than €28,000 on family holidays and their children’s parties. Mato therefore benefited, the courts claim. Not so, she insists: she had no idea who had footed those bills. Did it never occur to her to ask who was paying? Most women show some interest in hubby’s cash-flow.

cases “who only know how to work.” Fine words, but it could also be true that most under-40s have not yet had time to accumulate sufficient dosh to put into a Swiss bank account.

A bad diagnosis PODEMOS strategist Iñigo Errejon has been watering down its message to attract those coveted floating voters of indeterminate views. Errejon, despite his PhD in Political Science, has probably made a bad diagnosis because Podemos is beginning to lose the radical Left without attracting the undecided Centre.

Ana Mato insists that she had no idea who footed the bills for their family holidays or children’s parties.

La Moncloa Gobierno de España

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21 - 27 May 2015

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FOOD

D R I N K

Cava direct from the cellar PUT some sparkle into your summer By Wendy Ann Cowham

THE word Cava comes from the Catalan word which in English means ‘caves’ or ‘cellar.’ The caves are where the Catalan wine makers used to store and preserve aging wines. Spanish sparkling wine was first made as early as 1851, although the roots of the cava industry can be traced back to Josep Raventós’s travels through Europe in the 1860s. Although Josep was heavily into making and promoting still wines, he created his first sparkling wine in 1872 after he had taken a trip to Champagne, France where he was inspired by the method of producing sparkling wine. Back in the vineyards of

Penedes (the best wine growing region in Spain), there had been a plague that devastated the crops.

Spanish sparkling wine was first made as early as 1851.

Thereafter the red grape vines were replaced with white ones and sometime later the Catalan cava producers pioneered the development of sparkling wine. The macabeu, parellada and xarel·lo are the most popu-

lar and traditional grape varieties for producing cava. Cava is probably the most Champagne-like sparkling wine outside of France that uses different grape varieties than the Champagne ones. However, Cava is truly Spanish, and is usually good value for the price especially given the Método Tradicional used to produce it. Cava can also be appreciated for its own distinctiveness. According to Spanish law, cava may

CAVA: Truly Spanish and good value for money. be produced in eight wine regions, Aragon, Castile and Leon, Catalonia, Navarra, the Basque Country, Rioja or Valencia Community and Penedes in Catalonia. Some of the very popular producers are Codorniu, Freixenet, and Juve y Camps Segura Viudas Codorniu is popular in Spain and has lots of fruity varieties at great value for money, the Cava

It’s Pimm’s o’clock PIMM’S No. 1 was created in the mid-18th century by an English man James Pimm. It is an excellent thirst-quenching, supremely summery drink. James Pimm was a farmer’s son from Kent who became the owner of the Oyster Bar in London. He began to serve up a gin based drink that contained

his own secret recipe of herbs and liquers, as this was said to be an aid to digestion. As it was served in a small tankard, the name ‘No 1 Cup’ became its subsequent name. This grew in popularity and so Pimm’s began a large scale production in 1851 as there was a demand for this fashionable drink in other

Brut is aromatic and yellow in colour, a good choice pre dinner or with tapas. Freixenet is available in most bars and restaurants and offers a fantastic choice as the range covers dry, Extra dry, semi sweet, and rose, so it lends itself to most sparkling wine fans. Brut Cava Juve y Camps Segura Viudas is a more expensive choice, as it is a reserve, but still very good value for money here in Spain if you compare it to others.

Keeping cool as... a raw cucumber

PIMM’S: A gin based drink with a secret recipe. bars. Years later in 1859 the distillery began to sell it commercially and in 1865 Pimm’s decided to sell his business to a man called Frederick Sawyer who was still allowed to use the Pimm’s name. In 1880 the business was acquired by the future mayor of London and in 1887 the business boasted a chain of Pimm’s Oyster houses which were franchised. In the 1970s and 1980s Pimm’s was not selling as well as other years so the Oyster chain was sold. Other variations

of Pimm’s which were Cup 2 and Cup 5 were phased out through lack of demand. The Distillery Company had ownership of Pimm’s, but then they were bought out by Guinness plc in 1986. Pimm’s then became part of Diageo when The Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness in 1997. The brand became popular again in later years with advertising campaigns including Hooray Henry (AKA Alexander Armstrong) who humorously quoted ‘It’s Pimm’s o’ clock.’

THE height of summer is just a few months away, but you can keep your bodily temperature down by raiding Mother Nature’s fridge. So, the next time you’re eating out at your favourite restaurant, make sure you pick out some of the following - they’ll help keep you cool AND healthy.

Watermelon Made up of mostly water and natural sugar, watermelon contains both magnesium and potassium, which are important for regulating fluid in our bodies.

Herbal iced tea Any variety, but none with caffeine in it that has the effect of heating you up.

Mint As well as being famed for keeping you cool, mint is also a good source of vitamin A which helps to promote eye and immune health, reduces inflammation and promotes digestive health.

Green salads If you frequently eat green salads, you’ll have higher blood levels of a host of powerful antioxidants (vitamin C and E, folic acid, lycopene, and alpha and betacarotene).

Raw cucumbers Cucumbers are naturally hydrating and often used in skin treatments because they contain around 96 per cent water.

HOMES GARDEN

21 - 27 May 2015 / Mallorca

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Red weather alert stops strimming, and what exactly is TerraCottem? THE current ban on burning garden rubbish before the end of September suggests another 4. By working a little into drills made when sowing seeds. 5. By mixing a little into the bottom half of the compost in flower pots, containers and hanging baskets or by using a TerraCottem proprietary gun to inject the product into existing containers.

Dick Handscombe

Gardening Corner By Spain’s best known expatriate gardening author living in Spain for 25 years.

HAD intended to strim foot high grass in the olive grove to reduce the fire risk and allow some final prunings of overladen branches to be collected up, but found out by chance when visiting a local horticultural shop that a red weather

TerraCottem raises the moisture holding properties of soils and composts.

warning from the Valencian Government banned temporarily any work in agricultural and wild mountainside areas that could cause a spark, including strimming. This and the ban on burning garden rubbish before the end of September suggests another hot summer and the recommended use of TeraCot-

WHEN PLANTING: Mix a little TerraCottem into the compost. tem as mentioned last week. Readers have asked me to explain more fully what TerraCottem is, what it does, how to use and where to buy it. What is TerraCottem? It is a proprietary product originally developed around 20 years ago by Ghent University in Belgium for use in vegetable growing and exporting areas of

Making your new house your home GET the feel of the property first By Derek Smith PUTTING those final touches that will make your new abode feel really homely is by definition a very personal affair. Some years ago when a friend was selling a flat in London, a potential purchaser said bluntly to his partner, and in full earshot: “We’d have to change a fair bit, it’s not really decorated to our taste is it?.” We’ll it wouldn’t be, would it? A tip given to me by a professional interior designer a while ago is that when mov-

ing into a new abode don’t buy anything at all for a while - get the feel of the property and slowly add fixtures, furnishings and everything else bit by bit. It’s tempting to get all overexcited and splash out, but the chances are that a few months down the line, that new mock leopard print rug might look very out of place in your ultra modern living room. Ultimately, your new ‘nest’ will almost certainly be a reflection of your design tastes, interests and way of life.

Africa. Since then its use has spread worldwide in creating and maintaining drought tolerant public and private gardens, landscapes and agricultural growing greenhouses and open ground. The main ingredient is a white crystalline granule of an organic copolymer which swells on contact with water. A tablespoonful can fill a sizeable bowl when water is added.

What does it do? The main benefit to gardeners is it raises the moisture holding properties of soils and composts. How can it be used? There is a handbook available on www.terracottem. com and www.terravida.com but here is a précis. 1. By mixing the small rec-

ommended amounts into planting composts or new flower beds. 2. In preparing soil for a new lawn as on many Spanish golf courses. 3. By mixing it into the soil or compost at the bottom of planting holes prepared for all sizes and types of plants and trees.

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21 - 27 May 2015

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

Prices start to go up for resales THE price of second-hand homes in Spain rose 1.1 per cent month on month in April. This turned round seven months in a row of falls, according to figures from property portal fotocasa.es together with the IE Business School. On average second-hand housing cost €1,636 per square metre, an increase quarter-on-quarter of 0.4 per cent in April, compared with January 2015. The 0.4 per

cent rise is in contrast to the 1.4 per cent fall seen in the same period last year and is said to herald the stabilisation of property prices in Spain. Of the 15 regions that saw rises the biggest increase, prices in Castilla-La Mancha were up 3 per cent. and in the Balearic Islands by 2.4 per cent. Since the peak, prices of second-hand homes have fallen by an average of 45 per cent from €2,952 per square metre in April 2007.

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PROPERTY www.euroweeklynews.com

Advertising feature

The Reale deal in Santa Ponsa for your insurance LIFE assurance, pensions and savings policies are available too

REALE SEGUROS: Since it began trading on the island has gone from strength to strength. TWENTY-SEVEN years ago, Italy’s largest insurance company, Reale Mutua Assicurazioni, founded back in 1828, spread its wings and opened a Spanish division, Reale Seguros. Soon after, the company’s operational network expanded to Mallorca, opening its first agency on the island in Santa Ponsa, which, since it began trading has gone from strength-to-strength under the direction of Vicente and Helen Godoy. All classes of insurance are underwritten by the branch, ranging from personal to business, plus communities, the customer service having developed so much over recent years that insurance policies can now be issued in the office while clients wait. One big advantage is that many policies have been specifically designed for expats, and can be produced in English and German to eliminate any language

REALE SEGUROS C/ Puig de Teix 14,L1 Santa Ponsa, 07180 Tel: 971 695 077 Email: ar.santaponsa@reale.es Web: www.reale-santaponsa.es (100 metres down road opposite post office)

and help clients understand all the fine policy details. Very comprehensive home insurance is also available, which includes an automatic facility for policies to be assigned to a bank in order to secure mortgages while Reale motor insurance includes many ‘extras,’ such as the provision of courtesy cars, breakdown fa-

cilities and travel insurance along with funeral expenses. Life assurances, pensions, investments and savings policies are also available. The agency’s directors, Vicente and Helen can both converse in fluent Spanish and English, and there is a 24-hour telephone helpline available in both these languages along with German and Italian. With all these facilities, this agency is very confident that it is able to provide a first class service to all expats. Any clients bringing this advert with them will be offered a 15 per cent discount on all life and savings policies and can be reassured that the company has the huge backing of the organisation. Quite simply, you cannot go wrong choosing Reale. So, why not contact Reale for a quotation right now? Full details above.

Would you want to live in a convent? CONVENTS, churches, monasteries, manor houses, castles, palaces and Galician country houses can all be found in a distinguished niche of the Spanish property market. Investors from abroad show the most interest in these jewels, which have seen an unusual

increase in demand over the last four years. Although in the past Britons and Swiss were the people that tended to look for this type of property, Spanish business owners are now joining in the hunt for something special, Elvira Fafian from

webaldeasabandonadas.com specialist agency explained. Yet the unique property market is still dominated by buyers from abroad, especially from Russia and Eastern Europe, who are currently on the lookout for something special. “Over the last few months

we’ve seen more interest from British, French, Swiss, Austrian and German buyers,” said Tom Maidment from Lucas Fox Costa Brava agency. Yet they all have one thing in common: they’re looking for a unique piece of property with a story.

PROPERTY

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21 - 27 May 2015

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Travelling with peace of mind By Lamia Walker of HouseSitMatch HouseSit Match (link to http://www.Housesitmatch.com) WHEN planning your next trip away from home whether for work or indeed a holiday have you ever been stuck wondering how to care for your pets and property in your absence? Kennels and catteries can add significantly to the cost of your holiday, and they don’t suit all pets. Many people with very young or mature pets often prefer to have them cared for at home by sitters. Keeping pets and property safe and secure when you travel Where do you go to find checked and experienced sitters these days, when urbanisation has created a transient population and you may live far away from your home town or community? We may not know our neighbours and our immediate families may be far away and beyond the request of nipping in twice a day to clear the post and feed the cat. Our solution That’s where we come in, HouseSitMatch is an online network of home and pet owners and sitters that can help you find an affordable solution to your

travel dilemma. Most of our sitters do not charge, they consider the free accommodation their fair exchange for caring for your pets and managing your property in your absence. And all we charge is a small annual membership fee to join our network. Founded in the UK in 2013, we have already helped people in over 20 countries including Spain to find affordable pet and home care solutions online. Perhaps we can help you? Check us out with our no obligation Free 60 Day Trial today! For More Information GO TO - HouseSit Match.com (link to http://www.HouseSit Match.com)

PETS PAGE www.euroweeklynews.com

Stop the milk! As food allergies can affect pets SKIN problems in cats and dogs can be caused by dietary allergies

David THE Dogman Listen to David on TRE every Saturday 10am to 11am 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

AT one time fish was thought to be a major cause of skin disease in cats. Now we have come to know that the flea is the main culprit when it comes to skin irritation in cats and dogs. However, not many pet owners are aware that our pets suffer food allergies which can cause dermatological discomfort. In fact, according to Nigel Taylor, the Express vet, 1 per cent of all skin problems in cats and dogs are caused by dietary allergies. Allergen reactions may be triggered in minutes, hours or days. Once an allergy to a protein is established, sensitivity is often lifelong. Dogs are mostly sensitive to beef and milk, while cats often do not get on with beef, milk or fish. Some dogs can digest the lactose in cow’s milk. Give a pet dog or cat milk and the undigested lactose provokes an upset stomach in no time. This is not a true allergy but demonstrates how sensitive to certain food

SCRATCHING: Could indicate an allergic reaction to food. pets can be. Stop the milk and your pet’s life will look up immediately. Most pets will react in some way by incorrect feeding and apart from allergic reactions one can expect flatulence and inconsistent stool quality and large smelly motions. Most animals can be assessed by coat and skin vitality. There is always a possibility the protein is being utilised for energy with a subsequent loss of health and vitality. Many owners give far too many vitamins and one should remember a well-balanced diet should not have to be supplemented.

Scratching and licking could well indicate that there is an allergic reaction to the food and the eating of grass, twigs and roots sometimes is an indication that the food is not being digested properly. Tissue stealing and fibre based destruction could be another indication that there is a craving for fibre to help the digestive process in some way. It is a good idea to speak to your vet about feeding pets and to make things easy for you there are many good commercial dried pet foods with selected proteins like lamb and chicken that are unlikely to cause allergy already in them.

Dogs prescribed happy pills By Eleanor Hawkins RESEARCHERS from the University of Lincoln have revealed that dogs with separation anxiety become

more optimistic and behave better when given Prozac. The researchers recruited volunteer dogs with anxiety and behavioural problems believed to be caused by

separation stress and prescribed them doggie Prozac and behavioural management therapy and devised a way of finding out whether the pets actually felt better after the treatment. A special behaviour test was created to find out whether the dogs were feeling optimistic or pessimistic by teaching them that a bowl held food when placed in one location but was empty if placed in another. The bowl was then placed in other ambiguous areas and the dogs’ response assessed to see whether they

expected to find food, showing optimism, or not, displaying pessimism. The results, published in t h e B M C Ve t e r i n a r y R e search Journal, showed that when treated using fluoxetine (the drug in Prozac) and therapy, they became more likely to expect to find food in the bowls. Ye t t h e i s s u e o f g i v i n g pets this type of medication is a contentious one, and vet s war n t hat dol i ng out happy pills for pooches is not an excuse to fail to provide them with proper care and sufficient affection and attention.

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Older driver concerns A UK motoring group has called for action to address a surge in elderly motorists, with the number of drivers aged 70 or older rising by 10,000 a month. Figures reveal that there are now more than 4.34 million licence holders over 70 on the roads, compared to 3.9m in 2012,

Clarkson Quote of theWeek

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Koenigsegg are saying that the new CCX is more comfortable. More comfortable than what…BEING STABBED? Some might say...

Once seen, the Citroen Cactus is certainly never forgotten TAKING a spin in Spain with the funky Cactus STANDING OUT: The new Citroen C4.

By Steve Walsh

Graduated licence call MOTORING chiefs in Europe call for graduated licences after figures show new drivers are involved in a high number of fatal crashes. Nearly half of teenagers killed in car crashes were being driven by someone of a similar age, new figures revealed.

Dawn of a new era at MOTORING chiefs in Europe call for graduated licences after figures show new drivers are involved in a high number of fatal crashes. Nearly half of teenagers killed in car crashes were being driven by someone of a similar age, new figures re-

IF you have ever stood openmouthed at the side of the road or found yourself sitting in a traffic jam staring at a passing car and thinking: “Good grief, what’s that?” the odds are you’ve met a Citroen Cactus. Goodness knows how this funky version of the Citroen C4 got its name. Maybe cactus is French for bonkers. First unveiled as a concept car back in 2013 at Geneva, the released model, unlike a lot of production cars that bear very little resemblance to the original concept, is virtually the same. With its distinctive alloys, roof rails that give the illusion of a floating roof, and chunky ‘air bump’ plastic panels on the doors, it really stands out from the crowd. The interior carries on the distinctive styling, with a smart, minimalist dashboard, door handles modelled on lug-

gage straps and a glove box styled like cabin trunk luggage. Fortunately it doesn’t quite emulate The Luggage, as envisioned by Sir Terry Pratchett. The Cactus we drove was powered by a very capable 1.5 litre diesel engine. It may not be the most sophisticated diesel on the planet, but it is already winning awards, and is the very opposite of thirsty. It can achieve an amazing

250 kilometres on just 10 litres of fuel with CO2 emissions of only 92g/km

250 kilometres on just 10 litres of smelly stuff, with CO2 emissions of only 92g/km. And that puts it in Band A for tax in the UK, and the lowest bracket here in Spain.

Acceleration is a respectable 10.6 seconds from 0-100km/h, and a top speed of 180km/h is more than you’ll need in the real world. Prices start at around €16,550. It also comes with a gener-

ous array of useful gadgetry, including ABS, EBD and the like, hill start assist and cruise control, plus rear parking sensors with a rear camera, digital radio, MP3 player and Bluetooth. Starting around the €16,550

Japan’s auto giants recall millions JAPANESE auto giants Toyota and Nissan have said they are recalling 6.5 million vehicles globally in the latest chapter of an exploding airbag crisis linked to several deaths. The world’s biggest automaker said its recall of five million vehicles affected 35 models globally produced between 2003 and 2007, while Nissan said it was calling back 1.56 million vehicles also due to faulty airbags made by embattled supplier Takata. “This will affect many of our markets, including Japan, Europe and North America,” a Nissan spokesman announced, adding the explosion risk was

among a range of problems seen in the defective airbags. To allay the fears and concerns of their customers, they

stated that everyone that has cars in the range of concern, has already been contacted with a view to repairing them.

However, if people feel they may be affected, they should visit their respective websites for details.

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21 - 27 May 2015 Spain’s Jorge Lorenzo won last Sunday’s French MotoGP at Le Mans. Valentino Rossi was second, Andrea Dovizioso third and Marc Marquez fourth.

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Mallorca’s best guide to local sport

SPORTS IN BRIEF

2nd Brit In Russia, Bianca Walkden has become only the s econ d B r i t t o wi n a World Taekwondo gold medal.

Italian Open In tennis, Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova won their respective singles titles in the Italian Open in Rome while GB star James Morrison won the Spanish Open in Madrid.

Rory wins

Rory McIlroy, with a record 7 under par, won the Wells Fargo golf championship... his 11th PGA tour victory.

Defeated GB triathlon champion Jonathan Brownlee was also defeated - in a World Series event in Japan.

SPORT www.euroweeklynews.com

U16 squads play in Alicante EL TORO and RC Ponent participated in the Spanish National Club Championships By Lynda Demangeat

The El Toro RC U16 squad spent last weekend participating in the Spanish National Club Championships held this year in Alicante. As in previous years this proved to be a valuable and fun opportunity to gain useful match experience outside the Baleares for the youngsters who continue to improve. The El Toro RC team finished eighth having beaten the tough team of VRAC from Valladolid in the first round whilst RC Ponent finished further down the rankings. A hastily organised Sevens tournament between the veteran players of the Babarians, the Baleares senior team, and Bahia RC took place in S’Arracó on Saturday. Half size pitches were used and veterans’ rules were applied to the short but intense matches. The Baleares U14 squad, trained by Boris Gutierrez and Sean Judkins, will be heading to Valencia at the end of May to

BAHIA RC: Played a hastily organised sevens tournament. PHOTOS: PABLO

play against Las Abelles. This tour is the culmination of monthly training sessions since October and the team, with players from El Toro RC, RC Ponent, Agora Portals and Bocs is looking forward to meeting a team outside the Baleares. A summer rugby camp for young players between the ages of nine and 16 is being organised for the end of June at Agora Portals School in Portals Nous.

JJ Garcia It is with great sadness that the Baleares rugby community mourns the death of José Juan García. JJ was a past president of the Baleares Rugby Federation and member of the Spanish Rugby Federation as well as a member of the Babarians veterans team.

MATEO, RAÚL M

ONTES