Euro Weekly News - Mallorca 29 December 2016 - 4 January 2017 Issue 1643 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

ISSUE NO. 1643

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017

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MALLORCA

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

THE BEST OF THE YEAR 2016 SEE PAGES 6 - 15

Filth and noise Mallorcan venues shut in crackdown By Matthew Elliot Twenty-three bars and restaurants across Mallorca had to be closed in a crackdown on filthy and unsafe premises. Offences ranged from hygiene horrors, including insect infestation, to a lack of door staff to ensure clients and customers remained safe. The move follows an exhaustive series of inspections by the public health directorate. Nearly 80 premises were given o ff i c i a l n o t i c e o f sanctio n s a n d o r d e r ed to carry o u t i m m e d i a t e improvements. Those that could not satisfy the requirements of the Food and Nutrition Safety

Service were ordered to close. Its officers inspected nearly 1,200 establishments th ro u g h o u t M allo rca b e tween June 1 and the middle of October. Inspectors have revealed nearly 64 per cent were pulled up for some form of non-compliance. The list includes failings in the preservation of food, wrongful food handling or processing, issues over the physical state of the premises, inadequate staff qualifications, poor customer info rma tio n an d ev en the traceability of products. Elsewhere, a campaign by Local Police in Palma durin g w h ic h v en u e s w ith a liv e mu s ic lic e n ce w ere checked, found that nearly

nine in 10 w e re bre a king the rules. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Green Patrolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; investigated 71 venues, finding 20 had been abandoned or c onve rte d a nd, of the re ma ining 51, 44 w e re in breach of at least one rule. Just seven passed with flying colours. The most frequent breach was of noise restrictions and failure to provide proper sound regulators which me a nt ne ighbours in the vicinity had to put up with excessive noise levels often into the small hours. Other regular offences included not having the proper insurance and having no door staff as a safety precaution. Most of the establishments have been fined, but six will face further legal action.

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INSPECTIONS: Were carried out on nearly 1,200 venues.

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

LOCAL NEWS

Local is best

THE 1642 (December 22-28) issue of the Mallorca EuroWeekly News contained no less than 42 local news items, demonstrating once again our dedication and commitment to delivering the news that matters most to you, our readers, in each of our six editions. Nobody does it better!

Festive filchers foiled A PAIR of thieves who targeted foreign families over the festive period have been captured by the Guardia Civil. The two men are considered leaders of a criminal outfit which robbed at least

50 homes across Mallorca, sometimes using force. Police found that the bandits specifically targeted properties owned by wealthy foreign nationals in coastal areas.

Going underground A FASCINATING new cave has been discovered deep in Ciutadella’s Cala Blanca. The 800 square metre, 7.5 metre-tall cave has a lake inside and a wealth of stalagmite rock formations. Located close to the Cova de S’Aigu, it was found by researchers from the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain.

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NEWS

Natural disaster will be wake-up call A CYCLIST who has been biking through Spain to raise environmental awareness says he has been shocked by some of the attitudes encountered on his travels through the south of the country. Former carpenter, Martin Hutchinson, who is now 55, believes the attitude of those who live on the coast is “absolutely appalling.” At one beach-cleaning event, organised after he spoke to employees at a large firm, barely a handful of people arrived to help. “People just don’t care. I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “Human waste is going into the sea and nobody seems to want to do anything about it.” Martin is making his way on his threewheeled bike through large parts of Europe including Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Sweden and Poland, before going to Australia and then on to India. “We can’t keep going on like this. There will be a natural disaster caused by what we’re doing to the environment. That will be a painful wake-up call,” he said. Martin spent many years travelling

MARTIN HUTCHINSON: Raising environmental awareness. across South America trying to raise the plight of the environment, including the state of many rivers, to local authorities and ordinary people alike. As reported by Euro Weekly News, he saw raw, untreated waste being tipped into the Amazon.

“I want people to act on what I’m doing. If I can do this, one man by himself, then so can you.” If you would like to follow Martin’s experiences, you can find him on Facebook and contacted him at martinhutchin son99@yahoo.co.uk.

NEWS

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29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

EWN

Featured News 3

European Press 16

Finance 17 - 22

Stocks 18

Leapy Lee 23

Time Out 24 - 25

Daily TV 26

Letters 27

Health & Beauty 30 - 31

Social Scene 32 - 33

Nora 34

Property 36 - 39

Homes & Gardens 40

Pets 41

Classifieds 42 - 43

Motoring 44

Boats 46

Sport 48

A TRAPPED dolphin was rescued and released at the Bay of Palma just one day after a gargantuan shark was found washed ashore. On Boxing Day a team of divers were dispatched to cut the net the female dolphin had become entangled in, likely saving her life. She had been spotted the week before by a team of marine researchers having difficulty, and again on Christmas Eve by some youngster playing watersports. They reported the situation to Cofib, the Balearic body which helps rescue wild animals in trouble. On Monday experts were finally able to find the three metre long mammal, cut the net and set her free. Cofib

FEMALE DOLPHIN: Was freed after becoming entangled in a net, therefore saving her life. thanked the public for their wariness and said the call to 112 made the difference between life and death. Unfortunately a huge shark wasn’t so lucky. The mammoth 3.8 metre bluntnose sixgill shark, Hexanchus griseus, was found dead on the bank of the

Molinar on Christmas Day. Dozens of onlookers stood by as animal rescue services photographed the deep sea dweller and took samples. It had already begun to decompose and the cause of

death wasn’t immediately clear. There is speculation that it may have been caught up in a trawler catching shrimp or lobster and then discarded.

Airline firm comes under attack EASYJET is under fire from angry Mallorcans for not serving its online customers in Catalan. The storm erupted after one local user asked for help on the airline’s social network site in Catalan, the mother tongue of many islanders. In reply he received a message asking him to ‘please write in Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Ger-

man or Dutch.’ Naturally that didn’t go down well with many of the Romance language’s native speakers, estimated at over five million. The British low-cost airline has apologised for any offence but said it didn’t have the resources to offer help in all existing languages, even if it would like to. Meanwhile, Palma’s airport is readying itself to be the

low-cost capital of the Mediterranean in summer 2017. Four new airlines will have official bases at Son Sant Juan next year as the airport continues to break new ground in passenger traffic. Ryanair, Vueling, Iberia Express and Air Europa already have bases at the airport. To them will be added other low cost kings easyJet, Germanwings, Jet2 and Germania.

The additions will give Palma more budget airline bases than any of its Mediterranean rivals. This year Son Sant Juan cracked the 26 million passenger mark, the vast bulk of them coming over the summer months. The third largest airport in Spain, one of the busiest in Europe, it now offers flights to 30 countries and is set to expand even further next year.

NEWS

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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Bumper Xmas bonus for four EL GORDO, Spain’s gigantic Christmas lottery, left more than half a million euros in prize money across Mallorca. Four lucky winners scattered across Palma and Magaluf won €125,000 a piece with the number 04536. Meanwhile in Can Picafort, a 72-year-old lady won €59,444 in unusual circumstances. The lady before her in the queue to buy tickets hadn’t liked the number she’d been randomly drawn and rejected it for another. But Angela Matas, a local shop owner, saw fortune in the number and scooped it up instead, being rewarded for her belief in the underdog with a bountiful Christmas bonus. El Gordo has been Spain’s Christmas lottery for more than two centuries, even running during the Civil War. It is the biggest lottery in the world with a total pay out this year of almost €3 billion.

Wettest in history THE December deluge has made the month officially the wettest in Mallorca’s recorded history. AEMET, the State Meteorological Agency, confirmed that December saw more rain than any other month since records began in 1944. November saw just 191 litres of rainfall per square metre, yet in Llucmajor alone 202 litres fell on December 20. Across the island there was far more than double the usual December rainfall in just 24 wild hours.

OUR VIEW

Our hearts go out ‘THERE but for the Grace of God’ is a truism that’s also ironic in as much as the recent attack in Berlin is claimed by an Islamic organisation dedicated to spreading the word of their God. Things are always magnified when they are close to home and just a few days before the lorry crashed into the Christmas market in Berlin, a party of retired police officers and their partners flew to Berlin via Madrid to enjoy the atmosphere of the Christmas markets in that city. They were lucky and were in the wrong place at the right time returning home unscathed and with plenty of happy memories but those who were mowed down in this act of terror were not so lucky and our hearts go out to them and

their grieving families. In the past, the concept of terrorism depended on perception. If you were a partisan fighting for freedom in occupied Europe then you were a freedom fighter yet to the Nazis, you were without a terrorist. No government or terrorist group is free from blame. The only consolation is that the actual number of people killed in Europe is negligible and whilst every life is precious, we can continue to enjoy our lives in relative safety and despite pressures of all types, 2017 is unlikely to see any major change. The staff and directors of Euro Weekly News therefore take this opportunity to wish all of our readers and advertisers a safe and prosperous New Year.

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E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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BEST OF THE YEAR

Balearics has fewer unemployed Issue 1592

PALMA CATHEDRAL: No other city with similar characteristics allows parking and now neither will Palma.

No parking near cathedral PALMA Town Council will no longer allow any vehicles to park in front of the cathedral from next week. On Monday, January 18, the new ruling prohibiting the parking of cars in the Mirador street will come into effect. The ruling by the council is to pro-

Issue 1593 tect the historic patrimony of the city and the councillor for Mobility, Joan

Ferrer, pointed out that â&#x20AC;&#x153;no other city with similar characteristics allows parking and nor should Palma.â&#x20AC;? The council will offer 26 parking places in the Antonio Maura car park nearby for neighbours on a first come, first served basis. These reduced rates are for night

time parking (from 6pm till 10am weekdays) and weekends and public holidays (all day). However, neighbours in the area criticised the council for the lack of consultation, complaining that there was no possibility given to negotiate other options.

BY the end of 2015 less people were registered as unemployed, 9.31 per cent compared to the same month of the previous year. December saw the total for those unemployed at 75,784, less than November by 1.82 per cent according to information published by the Ministry of Employment and Social Security. The majority of those unemployed are to be found in the service sector followed by construction, industry, those without previous employment and agriculture. A total of 15,754 foreigners were registered and this is 1,332 less than the previous year with 6,420 from the European Union and 9,334 outside of the EU. The amount of contracts handed out was 23,407 in time for Christmas, with 2,797 of those being indefinite contracts, 228 more than the same month in 2014, an increase of 8.88 per cent. Not only was unemployment benefit delivered to many but other benefits included 37,883 contributory benefits, 33,089 grants, 2,867 active insertion income and some 133 grants for job activation.

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flickr by Karl Baron

The season starts early with arrival of tourists Issue 1598 THE first British tourists of the season arrived in Mallorca last Thursday (February 11). The group, flying in from Manchester with Jet2 holidays, was the first to come for organised city-break weekends. This marks the start of the season which is more than two and a half months earlier than last year due in great part to the cancellation of flights to Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia, which has resulted in a higher demand in the UK for holidays in Mallorca. The Mallorcan Hotelier â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Federation considered their arrival significant because it was the first time British hol-

NEW ARRIVALS: Tourists arrive at Son Sant Joan Airport in Palma. idaymakers have come to Palma on organised citybreak weekends and their arrival marked an early start to the 2016 tourist season. Jet2 has become the first tour operator in the UK to offer city-break weekend holidays of three or four days. El Corte Ingles took part in welcoming the holidaymakers

and said that the short-break tourist market is good news for businesses on the island and because of the strong pound sterling, the British have become important customers for the retail sector in Palma. Jet2 will operate more than 80 weekly flights to Palma this summer.

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Protest as the last bullfight is held DOZENS of people protested in front of the bullring in Muro against what they anticipate to be the last bullfight held in the Balearic Islands. The demonstration on Sunday April 17 anticipated proceedings the following week for parliament to start the process of modifying the animal protection law banning this type of event. Protestors gathered at 4.30pm at the gates of the bullring before the start of

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BEST OF THE YEAR

Hotels to create up to 6,000 new seasonal jobs

Issue 1607 the bullfight that had been postponed the week before due to rain. Mallorca Sense Sang (Mallorca Without Blood) spokesman Guillermo Amengual lamented the fact the bullfight was carried out despite complaints but was satisfied it was the last one to be held in Mallorca.

flickr by quimby

Issue 1601 THE Mallorcan Hotel Business Federation (FEHM) plans to create between 5,500 and 6,000 new jobs this tourist season. According to the president of FEHM Inmaculada Benito, these new positions are due to the expected boom in tourism forecast for this year. Benito added that the start of the season is looking very optimistic and hotels have already begun the hiring process ahead of schedule. Given the growing demand because of the current economic situation, the hotel industry has decided to create these jobs to give tourists the best quality and service they can starting from this month up until the end of October. Hoteliers believe that this year will be an exceptional year for tourism since Mallorca has become a haven for European

HOTEL BARS: Will hire more employees to offer clients a better quality service. holidaymakers avoiding the possibility of jihadist terrorism in Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. She also explained that investments made in hotels towards modernisation are being highly valued by tour operators.

It is expected that more than 55 per cent of hotels will be open in March and occupancy levels will rise progressively during this month. The increase of tourist arrivals to the island in April will result in almost 85 per cent of hotels opening.

E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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BEST OF THE YEAR

Boozy ‘balconing’ Abandoned

mansion

Issue 1616 THE Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Travel Association (ABTA) have renewed their campaign for British holidaymakers to ‘use their balconies safely’ after a recent flurry of catastrophes left several people in hospital. Three Brits were killed after plummeting from Spanish balconies in 2015, as the baffling craze of ‘balconing,’ which involves leaping into a swimming pool from a hotel room, or

ISLAND HOTELS: Seem to be magnets for the craze. climbing between balconies, shows no sign of abating. Many such incidents involve young people and alcohol or drugs, a heady mix which can lead to irresponsible behaviour,

so the campaign has produced a series of posters for resorts popular with youthful travellers. Nikki White, ABTA’s Director of Destinations and Sustainability, said: “We see too many people badly injured or worse because they’ve tried to climb over, jump or dive from their hotel balcony. A moment of thoughtlessness can have a devastating impact, not just on the holidaymaker themselves, but also on their family and friends. We hope to help holidaymakers use their balconies sensibly and safely.”

THE validity of the building licence of Oscar-winning British composer John Barry’s unfinished mansion is being challenged in Santa Margalida. An unnamed citizen recently requested that the licence which was granted in 1974 be revoked. Barry, whose mansion sits atop a hill with beautiful views of the bay of Alcudia, never lived in the unfinished Californian-style mansion. The building licence was granted without a specific expiration date, so according to the administration, it is still valid. The anonymous citizen claims that the licence should be declared expired. Though the licence is still valid, it was granted under a planning legislation that has changed.

Issue 1612 Today, it is impossible to legally build a mansion similar to the one planned by Barry decades ago on a 12,000 square metre plot of land. John Barry, who died in 2011 at the age of 77, was known for composing music scores for various films including Born Free, Dances with Wolves, Out of Africa and 11 James Bond films. Barry stayed in the small Mallorcan village of Santa Margalida in the early 1970s. The house, which is very deteriorated, has been burglarised several times over the years.

Balearic obesity is the lowest in Spain May - Issue 1610 ACCORDING to the Spanish Cardiology Soci et y, t he l owest obesity rates in Spain are in the Balearic Islands. The Balearics have t he l owest r at es of obesity registering at 10.5 per cent. Cataluña is secondlowest with 15.5 per cent . The hi ghest r at es, on t he ot her hand, are in Asturias, Galicia and Andalucia. The Spanish Cardiology Society points out that 39.3 per cent of Spaniards between the ages of 25 and 64 are considered overwei ght , and m or e t han 21 per cent of them are categorised as obese. The dat a com es f r om a nut r i t i onal study of the Spanish popul at i on, whi ch anal ysed a t ot al of 3,800 m en and wom en. Men wer e f ound t o be m or e prone to being overweight with a notable weight gain in the 2534 age group. Wom en t ended t o put on weight later in life. Pr of essor at t he University of Navarre Javier Aranceta-Bartrina emphasised the need for preventive m easur es to be taken. He pointed out that bei ng over wei ght suggest s a poor er quality of life and an increased burden for t he heal t h ser vi ce, and stressed the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

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29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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Protecting marine life in the Balearics Issue 1620

Royal family arrive in Mallorca Issue 1622 DESPITE the fact King Felipe invited Mariano Rajoy to take the steps of trying to form a new government, it is clear that although he has accepted the challenge and should actually get on with it quickly, it seems fairly obvious that nothing is likely to happen in a hurry. Thanks to this, the king has decided to continue to take his annual vacation (only he may well be popping backwards and forwards to Madrid), arriving in Mallorca on Saturday July 30 in time to attend the 80th Birthday Party of Infanta Pilar, older sister to former King Juan Carlos. Also present at this family affair in Sol de Mallorca were the former King and Queen Sofia together with their oldest daughter Elena. Queen Letizia and the royal couple’s two daughters Leonor and Sofia didn’t arrive until the following day and then the family, including the former king now 78 and having to use a walking stick, ate together at the prestigious Puerto Portals. Monday August 1 saw the King on official duty, meeting at the Almudaina Palace with Balearics president Francina Armengol, who put in a slightly cheeky bid for Pedro Sánchez to be invited to form the government if Mr Rajoy wasn’t minded to try to do so. Also formally introduced to the king were the speaker of the Balearic parliament Xelo Huertas, the mayor of Palma, José Hila, and the president of the council of Mallorca, Miquel Ensenyat. All were naturally delighted to welcome the royal family back to Mallorca as it showed their continued support for the island.

FISHERMEN in the Balearics are working on greater marine conservation. The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) and the Balearic Federation of Fishermen have signed an

agreement to harmonise the fisheries and conservation of sensitive ecosystems, inhabited by benthic invertebrate species that live anchored to the seabed, such as coral, sea anemones and crustaceans.

The main measures proposed to carry out this initiative are to throw benthic invertebrates that have been accidentally captured and have no commercial interest back into the sea. Fishermen must return them back

to the water in less than 30 minutes after their capture to increase their chances of survival. Another measure proposed by the IEO is to avoid fishing in areas where fragile communities have been detected.

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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BEST OF THE YEAR

Gilded panorama Very nearly an ABBA PALMA CATHEDRAL: Will be conducting guided tours of the terraces.

Issue 1627

Issue 1633 of the hidden gems around the cathedral’s belfry and rosette. Taking around one hour, the tour will cost €12 and can be booked on the cathedral’s website. It begins near the gate of the Almoina and explores the monument’s

dramatic medieval history, architectural style and restoration. Known locally as La Seu, the cathedral is one of Spain’s most visited tourist destinations, racking up an impressive 900,000 visits each year.

ADORING fans hoping for an ABBA reunion have been chasing their dream for more than 30 years making do with tribute bands and karaoke. All four members have only appeared together in public for a few fleeting moments since 1982 but if trends continue they might find themselves as neighbours on Mallorca.

Former singer Agnetha Faltskog has now bought a new home in Calvia, following the footsteps of ex-husband and band member Bjorn Ulvaeus who also has a house on the island. Singer Anni-Frid Synni Lingstad has long had a home away from home on Mallorca, meaning with three members on the island, the quartet is almost complete. Only Benny Andersson is resisting the island’s allure but the relationship between ABBA and mallorca hasn’t always been r osy. I n Mar ch 2008 t he band’s sessi on drummer Ola Brunkert tragically died at his Arta home after a serious fall.

Rhapsody of the Seas Photo by Shutterstock

BRAND new tours are being offered around one of the largest gothic-inspired cathedrals in Europe. Palma cathedral will be conducting the revamped guided tours of the extravagant terraces from Monday until Saturday right through till late October. Culture vultures will be able to feast on a panoramic view of Palma while accessing some

reunion on the island

RHAPSODY OF THE SEAS: Docked in Venice.

Issue 1636 AN award-winning cruise ship docked in Palma to a hero’s welcome from local nautical aficionados who awarded the Captain, Johan Malmberg, with a special medal. The 279-metre-long ‘Rhapsody of the Seas’ is part of the Royal Caribbean Cruises family and a sister ship to the world’s largest cruiser ‘Harmony of the Seas.’

Completed in France in 1997 it is considered one of the finest tourist vessels to sail the seven seas, boasting two swimming pools, a rock climbing wall and even wifi access. The ship is also known for the mysterious case of Amy Lynn Bradley. The 23year-old American disappeared from the Rhapsody during a Caribbean cruise in 1998. Investigators found that she didn’t fall overboard and there have since been multiple reported sightings of her around the Caribbean.

E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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BEST OF THE YEAR

Dolphins alarm fishermen DOLPHINS: Are very intelligent.

Issue 1640 HIGHER numbers of bottlenose dolphins around the Balearics might delight animal lovers and tourists, but it is causing serious alarm among fishermen who find themselves battling the startling intelligence of the mammals at sea. The Balearic Confederation of Fishermen

claim the dolphins are breaking through their nets to release, steal and eat their catch, causing more than â&#x201A;Ź20,000 in losses. They are demanding aid to offset these losses and point to an EU directive supporting their claim. The fisheries ministry say they will respond when a legal case is put forward. Bottlenose dolphins are renowned for their intelligence and have the second largest brain to mass ratio of any mammal on earth, behind only humans. They are, however, considered a vulnerable species, frequently being killed in tuna-hunting drives and suffering from exposure to heavy metal contamination.

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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EUROPEAN PRESS

DENMARK

GERMANY

Happy workers

CCTV spread DANISH DELIGHT: The country has the happiest workers.

DENMARK has the happiest workers in the world. That’s according to an international survey by research firm Universum which produced the ‘Global Workforce Happiness Index.’ Over 200,000 young professionals were asked about their satisfaction at work.

Film drop

Drug deaths

Residence denied

THIS year has been called the worst year for the Danish film industry. In the past 12 months just 2.8 million cinema tickets were sold to Danish-produced films compared to 4.2 million tickets sold in 2015.

T H E n u mb e r of drug-re la te d deaths in Denmark has fallen to the lowest levels since the 1990’s. The latest report relates to 2012 and s h o w s 2 1 0 d ru g -re la te d de a ths compared to 285 in 2011.

Save the Children Denmark calls for immigration law changes after figures highlighted there were over 1,000 children under age 12 refused permission to live with one or both of their parents in Denmark between 2005-2010.

FRANCE has reinforced its border

THE Tunisian man suspected of being involved in the Berlin C hrist m as m ar ket at t ack, has been under the watch of authorities since the start of the year because of his Islamic links. A reward of €100,000 has been offered for his capture.

GERMAN car manufacturer Volkswagen has reportedly reached a $1billion agreement with US authorities as part of a compensation deal relating to the emissions-cheating scandal, but a criminal investigation is ongoing.

Working refugees WITH around 1.2 million people arriving in Germany seeking asylum in the last two years, government figures show that in the last 12 months 34,000 refugees have found work.

Citizen participation

Express train

Border checks

Under watch

Deal done

BELGIUM

FRANCE PLANS for an express train line between central Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport have been approved and are on track for completion by 2023. The link will be twice as fast as the current train service.

G ERMANY has appr oved plans to expand the country’s C C TV net wor k acr oss publ i c places such as sports stadiums and shopping centres. The move comes following the attack at a Christmas market in Berlin.

controls as the hunt remains for the suspect who carried out Germany’s attack at a Christmas market.

Icon dies FRENCH film star and glamour icon, Michele Morgan, has passed away at the age of 96. The actress was the first to win the ‘best actress’

award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Rat invasion PARIS is reporting being in the midst of a rat infestation. Nine parks and gardens have had to be temporarily shut as the authorities tackle the problem saying it is getting worse as people feed them.

GHENT is giving €1.3 million to citizens to decide how it is spend. Local residents can put forward project proposals and then a vote will decide where the money goes.

Virtually bankrupt A NUMBER of institutions relying on public funding are virtually bankrupt and need to look at how to improve efficiency. Those needing to cut costs include the police watchdog committee, the intelligence gathering watchdog and the privacy commission.

Student work A START-UP business at Leuven University is recruiting the university’s own undergraduates. A wage of €15,000 is on offer to those who decide to work rather than carry on studying.

Work death TWO people were killed after a free-standing wall collapsed on a bui l di ng si t e i n Ant wer p Province. The wall was behind a new building being constructed at the Reynaers Aluminium company.

SWEDEN

NORWAY

Ikea compensation

Wolves survive

SWEDISH furniture giant Ikea has reached a $50 million settlement with three American families whose children died after their chest of drawers tipped over on top of them. Ikea will also donate to three children’s hospitals.

FOLLOWING outrage over plans to cull two-thirds of the country’s wolves to protect sheep, the government has issued a last-minute reprieve to the delight of conservationists.

HOLLAND

Boss guilty

Missile tests

Information requests

THE former boss of the Kolmarden zoo has been found guilty of manslaughter over the death of a woman keeper killed by wolves at the zoo in 2012. The judge ruled he neglected safety precautions which could have saved her.

A NORWEGIAN missile designed for the F-35 has successfully carried out flight tests in the USA. It is being developed for the Norwegian military and will complete its testing programme in 2018.

Fewer commuters

Residency test

THE number of regular rail commuters across the Öresund bridge between Sweden and Denmark dropped this year. Sweden’s public transport operator said it sold 17 per cent fewer travel cards for commuters between January and November in 2016.

FOREIGNERS seeking a permanent residency in Norway are now required to pass an oral exam and civics test. The new rules apply to all foreigners between the ages of 16 and 55 who seek permanent residency.

Satisfaction survey A SURVEY of 2,200 people showed most were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with public services in Sweden. Water and sewage management got the highest marks.

Digital switch ON January 11, Norway will turn off the FM airwaves and switch to being the first country to have digital only radio transmissions, however two out of three Norwegians are opposed to the move.

DUTCH officials made 450 us e r i nf or m at i on r equest s t o Facebook in the first six months of the year. In total, 28 of the requests were made in an emergency with someone in a lifethreatening situation.

Busy quarter BOTH Schiphol and Eindhoven airports saw an increase in the number of passengers in the third quarter of the year. Schiphol’s figures rose 8 per cent to 18.6 million between July and September and Eindhoven rose 15 per cent to 1.5 million.

Twitter closed TWITTER is closing its Amsterdam office at the start of 2017 as part of its re-structuring plans. All 14 staff have been given jobs with media company Brand Deli who is taking over the sales activities.

No beds HOSPITAL beds are in shortage in North Holland due to an increase in the number of children admitted suffering from the RS virus which is a variant of the common cold that affects the respiratory system.

FINANCE

Mallorca

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017

A EURO WEEKLY NEWS 6 PAGE SPECIAL SECTION // WWW.EWNBUSINESS.COM

Lloyds to take over MBNA By John Smith LLOYDS BANK, which was bailed out by the British taxpayer, has agreed an in principle deal with Bank of America to take over the MBNA credit card company. Having managed to get itself into trouble during the financial crisis when it over extended itself the government had to purchase 43 per cent of its capital. Unlike RBS, the government has been able to sell most of its shares back to the market as the revi-

Quote of the Week

£1.9 billion (€2.25 billion) is the amount that Lloyds Bank will pay Bank of America to take over its MBNA credit card division.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Photo Credit: Krichevsky Wikimedia

Job losses

OIL EXPLOITATION: Russian Arctic exploration. By John Smith POSSIBLY worried by a statement made by Donald Trump about exploitation of existing oil reserves, President Obama has banned the offshore drilling for gas and oil in the Arctic. This was made in a joint announcement with Canada, although the Canadian decision only covers the next five years whilst Obama’s office has indicated that the ban will be permanent based upon an exisitng 1953 law.

talised Lloyds has been so successful that the government has reduced its holding to just 7 per cent, although some pundits suggest that the sale price was too low. According to a Lloyds’ spokesperson, the acquisition of MBNA, which is expected to take place during the first half of 2017, will add around £650 million (€772 million) to its annual profits and will increase its share of the UK credit card market to 26 per cent.

“The government will need to take a ‘whole economy’ approach to avoid leaving sectors behind.” Carolyn Fairbairn Director General of the Confederation of British Industry on Brexit

US bans Arctic drilling

Two main problems exist for the current Administration. Firstly, once Trump is in power he may well look to reverse the decision. Secondly, the Russians are already exploiting the Arctic waters and it may be possible for American firms to lease rights from them prior to being allowed into US Arctic waters. Environmental groups have welcomed the decision and have promised to take legal action in the event that the decision is challenged.

IN what is a somewhat ironical situation internet employment agency Jobandtalent, founded in Madrid in 2009 with outlets in Colombia, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom, has decided that due to lack of profits it will have to lose a number of existing staff.

Italian banks THE Italian government under new prime minister Paolo Gentiloni has announced that it intends to make up to €20 billion available to support Italian banks that are in the process of running into financial difficulty during the coming year.

Sherry sales ACCORDING to statistics released in the UK by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, sales of sherry have more than halved in the past decade, falling from 22 million bottles to just 10 million bottles whilst gin sales have increased dramatically.

Stop IKEA sleepover craze A SPOKESMAN for the IKEA has appealed to young people to stop filming themselves hiding in IKEA stores and having illegal ‘sleepovers.’ It appears there’s been at least 10 episodes during the last few months and the latest found two

€18 billion is the amount reportedly removed in 2016 from the Spanish Social Security Reserve (Pension) Fund which five years ago contained €66 billion but may be empty by 2018.

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal

EWN

14-year-old girls in one of their Swedish stores. Two Belgian youngsters appear to have started the craze after hiding in wardrobes and filming the adventure. IKEA were unaware until they saw the YouTube video seen by 1.7 million viewers.

Not all has been rosy in the Lloyds camp as it has been very heavily hit for compensation to individuals mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) and it still expects to have to refund up to £1 billion (€1.18 billion) in the future despite having already paid o u t l a rg e a m o u n t s o f c o m p e n s a tion. With savings in its credit card division once MBNA is incorporated as well as 9,000 less employees, Lloyds seems to be on track for continued and long-term recovery.

Facebook faces fine WHEN the EU needs money it has come up with a great new idea. Find a successful company, hopefully in the USA, which may have issued incorrect information and then fine it. First it fined Apple $13 billion (€12.5 billion) and now it has given Facebook until January 31 to explain why it apparently gave false information in evidence when taking over WhatsApp with a fine of up to €120 million possible.

E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 27

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 1,113.00 -12.50 Associated British Foods 2,680.00 -19.00 Admiral Group 1,728.00 -71.00 Ashtead Group 1,567.50 0.50 Antofagasta 650.50 -25.00 Aviva 478.75 -1.55 AstraZeneca 4,330.50 -76.50 BAE Systems 586.00 -7.50 Babcock International Group 922.75 -21.25 Barclays 223.98 -0.97 British American Tobacco 4,549.00 -9.00 Barratt Developments 460.75 -8.55 British Land Co 634.25 -6.75 BHP Billiton 1,254.50 -3.00 Bunzl 2,046.50 -41.50 BP 498.05 -4.95 Burberry Group 1,454.00 -9.00 BT Group 367.68 -2.67 Coca-Cola HBC 1,646.50 -69.50 Carnival 4,125.00 -22.00 Centrica 226.80 -3.70 Compass Group 1,456.00 -1.00 Capita Group (The) 503.75 -16.75 Croda International 3,128.50 -21.50 CRH 2,517.00 -217.00 Convatec Group Ord 10p Wi 232.70 1.40 Dixons Carphone 342.70 -7.00 DCC 6,055.00 -15.00 Diageo 2,076.00 -21.00 Direct Line Insurance Group 345.60 -22.20 Experian 1,525.00 -28.00 easyJet 1,027.00 -8.00 Fresnillo 1,110.50 -1.50 GKN 312.75 -17.75 Glencore 270.33 -0.32 GlaxoSmithKline 1,537.00 -12.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 1,811.50 1.50 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,212.00 -8.00 Hammers 540.50 -28.50 HSBC Holdings 644.85 -1.65 International Consolidtd Air Gr 450.60 -6.60 InterContinental Hotels Grp 3,213.00 -388.00 3i Group 675.00 -20.00 Imperial Brands 3,533.00 -6.00 Informa 625.75 -45.75 Intu Properties 276.60 2.30 Intertek Group 3,397.00 -17.00 ITV 200.55 -2.95 Johnson Matthey 2,962.00 -191.00 Kingfisher 343.55 -3.15

% CHG. NET VOL -1.11 15,789.23 -0.70 21,414.79 -3.95 5,089.91 0.03 7,892.76 -3.70 6,624.96 -0.32 19,553.75 -1.74 54,934.86 -1.26 18,832.08 -2.25 4,747.55 -0.43 38,500.23 -0.20 84,763.60 -1.82 4,791.60 -1.05 6,548.65 -0.24 26,833.87 -1.99 6,996.92 -0.98 97,943.75 -0.62 6,480.00 -0.72 36,938.52 -4.05 6,190.45 -0.53 8,930.66 -1.61 12,605.00 -0.07 23,953.11 -3.22 3,349.05 -0.68 4,146.12 -7.94 22,643.27 0.61 4,513.76 -2.00 4,028.63 -0.25 5,388.17 -1.00 52,449.52 -6.04 4,999.50 -1.80 14,609.93 -0.77 4,075.36 -0.13 8,282.68 -5.37 5,671.48 -0.12 39,153.70 -0.77 75,835.45 0.08 4,350.38 -0.66 5,762.97 -5.01 4,441.86 -0.26 130,160.26 -1.44 9,561.19 -10.77 7,027.67 -2.88 6,682.89 -0.17 33,564.47 -6.81 5,537.31 0.84 3,716.88 -0.50 5,509.74 -1.45 8,203.78 -6.06 6,136.95 -0.91 7,848.74

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Land Securities Group 1,020.50 -49.50 Legal & General Group 244.50 -2.50 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 63.40 -0.40 London Stock Exchange Grp 2,844.00 15.00 Micro Focus International 2,105.00 -50.00 Mediclinic International 701.00 -51.00 Merlin Entertainments 447.90 5.20 Marks & Spencer Group 350.00 -2.00 Mondi 1,577.50 -27.50 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 228.60 -1.10 National Grid 940.65 -10.65 Next 4,909.00 -13.00 Old Mutual Group 196.45 -2.45 Provident Financial 2,813.00 30.00 Paddy Power Betfair 8,700.00 -35.00 Prudential 1,577.50 -27.50 Persimmon 1,732.50 -32.50 Pearson 814.00 -3.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,781.00 -30.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 223.05 -8.05 Royal Dutch Shell 2,133.25 -80.25 Royal Dutch Shell 2,315.50 -5.50 RELX 1,379.00 -59.00 Rio Tinto 3,052.00 -12.00 Royal Mail 450.80 -5.40 Rolls-Royce Group 681.00 0.50 Randgold Resources 5,780.00 -55.00 RSA Insurance Group 577.00 3.50 Sainsbury (J) 247.85 -0.85 Schroders 2,742.50 -242.50 Sage Group (The) 650.25 -3.75 Shire 4,522.50 -25.50 Smurfit Kappa Group 1,878.00 -13.00 Sky 974.00 -8.50 Standard Life 354.05 -10.15 Smiths Group 1,257.00 -156.00 Smith & Nephew 1,193.50 -9.50 SSE 1,550.50 18.00 Standard Chartered 656.30 -5.30 St James's Place 901.50 -97.00 Severn Trent 2,189.50 -38.50 Tesco 203.43 -2.42 TUI AG 1,145.50 3.00 Taylor Wimpey 152.20 -1.70 Unilever 3,232.25 -40.25 United Utilities Group 895.00 -5.00 Vodafone Group 200.08 -0.47 Wolseley 4,717.50 -221.50 Worldpay Group 256.60 -11.10 WPP Group 1,700.00 -95.00 Whitbread 3,676.00 -86.00

% CHG. -4.63 -1.01 -0.63 0.53 -2.32 -6.78 1.17 -0.57 -1.71 -0.48 -1.12 -0.26 -1.23 1.08 -0.40 -1.71 -1.84 -0.37 -0.44 -3.48 -3.63 -0.24 -4.10 -0.39 -1.18 0.07 -0.94 0.61 -0.34 -8.12 -0.57 -0.56 -0.69 -0.87 -2.79 -11.04 -0.79 1.17 -0.80 -9.71 -1.73 -1.18 0.26 -1.10 -1.23 -0.56 -0.23 -4.48 -4.15 -5.29 -2.29

NET VOL 8,294.74 14,659.92 45,679.19 9,910.17 4,916.10 5,507.21 4,496.99 5,767.77 7,778.57 5,369.17 35,070.99 7,277.83 9,884.37 4,112.14 7,335.48 41,387.91 5,436.93 6,733.18 47,704.61 26,956.80 98,033.79 87,026.38 15,543.19 42,357.81 4,553.00 12,549.73 5,427.09 5,846.02 5,438.64 6,708.35 7,079.69 41,245.54 4,469.31 16,992.49 7,244.28 5,583.23 10,512.84 15,543.98 21,799.24 5,240.41 5,296.89 16,651.45 6,686.37 5,057.43 41,860.03 6,065.40 53,167.93 12,479.50 5,336.00 23,038.11 6,786.11

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US dollar ..................................................................1.04432 Japan yen ................................................................122.549 Switzerland franc ..................................................1.07271 Denmark kroner...................................................7.43427 Norway kroner.....................................................9.09242

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DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 27

COMPANY 3M AMERICAN EXPRESS APPLE BOEING CO CATERPILLAR CHEVRON CISCO SYSTEMS COCA-COLA DU PONT(EI) DE NMR EXXON MOBIL GENERAL ELECTRIC GOLDMAN SACHS HOME DEPOT IBM INTEL CORP J.P.MORGAN CHASE JOHNSON & JOHNSON MC DONALD'S CORP MERCK AND CO. NEW MICROSOFT NIKE PFIZER PROCTER AND GAMBLE TRAVELERS CIES UNITED TECHNOLOGIE UNITEDHEALTH GROUP VERIZON COMMS VISA WAL-MART STORES WALT DISNEY CO

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 178,750 -0,25% -0,450 107M 74,9700 +0,52% 0,3900 68M 116,520 +0,20% 0,230 620M 157,810 +0,22% 0,350 97M 94,320 +0,21% 0,200 55M 118,42 -0,29% -0,35 223M 30,530 +0,23% 0,070 153M 41,60 +0,12% 0,05 179M 74,9300 -0,19% -0,1400 65M 90,71 -0,18% -0,16 375M 31,8800 +0,19% 0,0600 282M 240,97 +0,35% 0,85 95M 135,0500 -0,28% -0,3800 164M 166,71 -0,21% -0,35 158M 36,9700 +0,11% 0,0400 174M 87,0500 +0,18% 0,1600 310M 115,9600 +0,45% 0,5200 315M 123,1400 -0,47% -0,5800 102M 59,56 -0,03% -0,02 164M 63,240 -0,49% -0,310 490M 51,91 -0,44% -0,23 69M 32,4800 +0,43% 0,1400 196M 84,960 +0,58% 0,490 227M 122,12 +0,00% 0,00 34M 110,65 +0,17% 0,19 90M 163,03 +0,90% 1,45 154M 53,68 +0,06% 0,03 218M 78,15 +0,32% 0,25 144M 69,5400 -0,07% -0,0500 213M 105,1500 -0,26% -0,2700 167M

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES

DECEMBER

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Synergy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc. Flexion Therapeutics, Inc. T2 Biosystems, Inc. Revance Therapeutics, Inc. Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. Aquinox Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Caesars Entertainment Corporation NewLink Genetics Corporation Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

$ 25.06 $ 5.77 $ 4.43 $ 20.71 $ 5.69 $ 21.70 $ 4.99 $ 16.61 $ 7.85 $ 10.99 $ 4.38

6.33 ▲ 33.80% 1.03 ▲ 21.73% 0.66 ▲ 17.51% 2.14 ▲ 11.52% 0.56 ▲ 10.92% 2.10 ▲ 10.71% 0.46 ▲ 10.15% 1.50 ▲ 9.93% 0.70 ▲ 9.79% 0.98 ▲ 9.79% 0.39 ▲ 9.77%

Most Declined Strongbridge Biopharma plc $ 2.50 Fulgent Genetics, Inc. $ 10.35 Oncobiologics, Inc. $ 2.33 DAVIDsTEA Inc. $ 6.80 Sears Holdings Corporation $ 8.79 ProShares UltraPro Short NASDAQ Biotechnology$ 22.18 Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc. $ 11.90 Destination Maternity Corporation $ 5.52 VisionChina Media, Inc. $ 4.72 Vanguard Natural Resources LLC $3 Diana Containerships Inc. $ 3.08

1.10 ▼ 30.56% 1.44 ▼ 12.21% 0.1775 ▼ 7.08% 0.50 ▼ 6.85% 0.61 ▼ 6.49% 1.53 ▼ 6.45% 0.70 ▼ 5.56% 0.32 ▼ 5.48% 0.27 ▼ 5.41% 0.17 ▼ 5.36% 0.16 ▼ 4.94%

E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Too good to be true? It probably is! By John Smith THE National Police received a formal request from Germany through Europol to investigate one particular case of internet fraud and ended up arresting 31 people in Spain. Basically, all of those arrested were involved in what tends to be known as a

It appears that at least 34 victims from 17 different countries had been conned into parting with some €5 million.” Nigerian letters scam whereby huge numbers of e-mails are sent out indiscriminately inviting individuals to assist in smuggling money from one country to another with the promise that they would receive a significant portion of the liberated funds. In this instance however, the Spanish conmen were more sophisticated and rather than just send out huge numbers of emails, they purchased information about potential victims on the ‘dark net’ which allowed their approaches to be tailored to the individuals and therefore more believable. In the case of the German complainant, he

Photo Credit: Cherezoff Shutterstock

INTERNET FRAUD: Some victims are hooked by greed. was persuaded to assist a so-called Americ a n s o ldie r w ho ha d be e n s e rving in Afghanistan and wanted to transfer money from that country to Europe in euros and af-

ter investigating the records of those arrested, it appears that at least 34 victims from 17 different countries had been conned into parting with some €5 million.

In some situations, individuals were encourage to journey to Spain where they wer e t aken t o speci al l y set up off i ces, signed fake documents and handed over funds all at very short notice when tired or suffering from jet lag whilst those they were meeting, suddenly disappeared. One American was reportedly defrauded of $1.7 million (€1.62 million) in a scam involving the daughter of a Vietnamese businessman who was trying to get her father released from prison where he was being unfairly held and she promised to let the victim have half of his fortune. Officers raided 16 properties where they discovered fake banknotes, 1,500 letters ready to be dispatched, documents implicating those arrested, computer records, cash and paper which could be used in a ‘switching operation’ where packages of bank notes become blank paper. Considering that this type of fraud has been going on for years and has been heavily publicised it is a lesson to all that it still nets money for the fraudsters and as the basic concept involves the victim agreeing to become involved in an operation which may involve t he i l l egal m ovem ent of cash f r om one country to another, any sympathy that may be felt for them, may also be tempered by that knowledge.

European governments lose out on VAT AS more and more sales of goods are made through the internet, a major problem concerning collection of VAT is emerging which can cost governments billions of euros. If a retailer within the European Union sells a VAT-able product to an individual (rather than another VAT registered company) in another EU country, then it should charge VAT as if the sale had been made within the country that the seller is based. However if the company is not based in the EU and sells to a consumer in the EU then it is impossible for it to charge VAT unless it goes to the trouble of registering for VAT in the country that it is supplying. In theory, the post office or the company delivering the goods should collect the VAT involved or at least some form of import duty and failing that, the recipient should contact customs and revenue and volunteer to make the relevant payment. The reality is that a lot of revenue is being lost by a number of countries and whilst individual amounts may be small, the annual total in the UK alone is estimated at £1.5 billion (€1.78 billion) per annum and this will obviously reflect across Europe. Wha t m a n y o f u s d o n ’t rea lis e is th at companies like Amazon don’t just sell their

Photo Credit: Diego Cervo Shutterstock

By John Smith

VAT AVOIDANCE: On stock shipped from the Far East. own product but they also act as portals for sellers around the world and whilst an order ma y b e pla c e d through a n A ma z on s ite

based in the EU, goods may be dispatched and supplied by countries in the Far East or even America and whilst there may be heav-

ier delivery charges, savings on VAT could be significant. I n t he case of Ebay, ever y i t em sol d comes from an independent source and unless it is a company registered for VAT, none finds its way to the exchequer of the country to which the goods are dispatched. One argument goes that not only is this VAT avoidance increasing the burden of debt on governments it is also making it more difficult for local business to compete on price if they are having to charge a fifth or more extra. Individuals are quite happy to take advantage of this opportunity and with the speed of deliveries nowadays, whilst there may be a few days extra to wait, it is not an insurmountable problem. Now Britain at least is going to look at this more closely and the Public Accounts Committee which has considerable influence intends to question the National Audit Committee and also HM Revenue and Customs to see what they are doing to try to stamp out the problem. Legislation does exist to pass the charges on to website managers such as Amazon and Ebay but what is possible in theory is likely to be much more difficult in practice and in the event that Britain leaves the free trade mechanism when it leaves the EU, the situation could become even more confused.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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EU Court of Justice orders full refund of Spanish mortgage floor clauses

RULING U-TURN: Means banks have to pay back all money paid by clients. By Pellicer Heredia THE European Court of Justice (EJC) has declared that the decision of the Spanish Supreme Court Ruling held on May 9, 2013 was limited, and the terms and conditions and indeed the use of the ruling were unfair. Not only did the ruling provide incomplete and insufficient protection for consumers, it limited the amount that clients could claim back when trying to recover the money paid in relation to overpaid mortgages. Basically, that meant that those affected by the ground floor rate clause could only reclaim any overpaid money after May 9, 2013 irrespective of whether they had paid more before this date. This new ruling is a total Uturn and will mean that banks will now have to pay back – to the last euro – all of the money

paid by the clients from the date that overpayment took place, rather than from May 9, 2013. This decision applies to the whole of the European Union and especially in Spain, finally ending a long legal battle. This new ruling represents a clear victory for customers and consumers against banks. According to the Bank of Spain report, the banks will have to return close to €7.5 billion to all the customers that have been affected. This decision is legally binding - meaning that it affects both the pending cases and any future proceedings that have not yet been reviewed. However, with regard to final judgments, this issue is still controversial. Our team of legal experts will negotiate with the bank on your behalf and can even sue the bank in order to save you money on each monthly install-

ment due to the fact that the interest you pay is probably greater than the official interest stated by the European Bank Central. We firmly believe that most of the ‘threshold clauses’ that reflect mortgage contracts are unfair and customers of banks are at a disadvantage and penalised for their lack of knowledge in financial matters. At Pellicer & Heredia we can give those affected by the mortgage clause the opportunity to check your deeds to make sure whether there is a mortgage floor rate. If so, you could then ask the Bank to reimburse the money that is being taken because of that abusive clause. For more information, please contact us on 965 480 737, mobile 606 056 282, or send an email to info@pellicerheredia.com and our team of specialists will be able to assist you.

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

EWN

OPINION & COMMENT

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29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

Long lives of utter bone idleness LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

extension of public school debating societies - and just about as useless. As most of the privileged are on the ‘blue team,’ this leads to the ‘red side’ resorting to decisions instigated by the politics of envy and often barely disguised hatred - none of which does the country any good whatsoever. As I have stated on numerous occasions, the world is a business. Highfalutin individuals, who act like children, and are often morally immature, don’t fit the modern day bill at all. Good luck to President elect Trump and his board of directors (including ‘Mad Dog!’). May he

run his section of corporation Earth with shrewd acumen, fairness and as much moral and physical profit for its shareholders as possible. Well, here it comes 2017AD. Reads like a Sci Fi number (to me anyway!) What an exciting future we Brits have in store. Freedom

from Brussels. A dramatically changing planet. Hopefully controlled borders and, PG, an iron fist for those who would do us harm. All this, plus Theresa May’s choice of high heels. What more can we ask? Happy New Year to us all. Let us hope that peace, harmony and the survival of our culture will be the order of the day. Keep the Faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

AT long last we will start a New Year with business people at the helm of our most powerful ally. Let’s hope this trend spreads to more of our leading nations. Politicians simply can’t hack it.

Most of them are so out of touch with the real world, they don’t have a clue how to make it a success. So-called diplomatic expertise and political solutions are positively old hat. Although they do have their place, they are about as far removed from effectively creating a thriving society as Jeremy Corbyn is from ever becoming prime minister (and it doesn’t get any further than that!) Most of the members of this outdated profession are cosseted dinosaurs, raised in an entanglement of old boys’ networks with basically three objectives in mind; power, prestige or lives of utter bone idleness. Parliament is nothing more than their playground, merely an

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT: Nothing more than a playground.

E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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

YEAR

TODAY:

Fri Sat Sun -

‘LET US ALL HOPE FOR A BETTER ONE...’

attention? Don't begrudge time spent with them, even if you are busy. Consider what you would want others to do if you were in the same position. After all, you love a challenge so see this as a bit of a juggling act. Bringing humour into the equation makes such a difference mid-week when you wonder where it is all going.

(December 22 - January 20)

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) An authority figure may also be seen as a possible romantic attachment. Your talents and charm serve you well when approaching this person. Opportunities need approaching with eyes wide open, however, because they could be timeconsuming and disruptive. Nothing is for nothing, though, and maybe you feel that it will all be worth the effort in the longer term. Financially, keep the ball rolling and contacts current.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Bring more zip to your life by putting the spotlight on your health. Getting out and about lifts the spirits, while perking up the diet with new foods brightens the system. As energy levels come up this week, be aware of what is happening around you. A chance remark in conversation may bring to light a really great idea for improving your finances. Romance is not exactly sparkling but you have your eye on this area.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) This week will see more progress on a health issue. Maybe you have recently given up something or taken to the gym. Recent weeks may have conspired to upset your best efforts. It is never too late to make a fresh start, though, especially right now. Someone who gives your confidence a boost also leads you to believe that anything is possible.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Keeping up the activity level physically is really in your best interests this week. It is a pivotal point where your resolutions in this area could fail. With life very busy, it is still important to retain your priorities. A new year promise broken may still be restarted without trauma, just determination is needed.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) The chance to travel seems exciting but can be made even more so by including a few people who are on your wavelength. So busy have you been on the more mundane aspects of life that the 'big picture' may have faded into the background. An early holiday or weekend break opens the mind and gives impetus

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Avoid like the plague people who would dampen your spirit. It may not be deliberate but, if you are near repressed or depressed people, it may rub off. Find positive, active people to be near. If you have not started a form of exercise, then now is as good a time as any.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Does someone in the family need your

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Saturday December 24

BONUS BALL

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

Tuesday November 20

Friday December 23

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LUCKY STARS

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Mon - 16 8 S Tues - 16 7 C Wed - 15 7 C MAX 17C, MIN 5C

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Nonagram

How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case M) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed. TARGET: • Average: 5 • Good: 6 • Very good: 9 • Excellent: 12

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION abet able bale bare bate bear beat beer beet belt beta blat brae brat carb crab abler acerb baler beret betel blare blear bleat brace bract caber cable celeb rebec rebel table beater beetle berate rebate treble retable bracelet CELEBRATE ERECTABLE

Sudoku

Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9. There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

LOTTERY

1 Cl 0 C -1 S

Mallorca

SUNNY

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) With your enthusiasm socially at a peak, now is the time to get involved with anything that takes your fancy. A project involving music or painting will give you the chance to make new friends. Children and young people fill your time for a lot of this week and certainly give you a reason to smile.

to any personal plans. Don't be shy when with members of the opposite sex because they have much to offer you spiritually.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

a politician, pensioner or anyone in between, the opportunities are there to be had. Slow progress on the love front should not see you fretting. At the moment, the priorities are elsewhere. Putting down roots and establishing your position are paramount.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) There are moments of boundless energy which really urge you to 'get up and go'. Make use of this at work, where most progress is to be made this week. Be you

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 16 9 S Tues - 16 9 Cl Wed - 16 8 C

17 9 S 15 7 S 15 8 C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 9 Tues - 9 Wed - 9

MAX MIN

Benidorm TODAY:

MAX MIN

13 -3 S 10 -2 S 9 -1 S

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Romance will find you this week if only you are in the right frame of mind. You may be inclined to refuse social gatherings that hold no prospects for you, but don't close the door on anything. The right kind of companions are sometimes found in the strangest places. It is cosy to stay at home but life is all about progress, not stagnation.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) In this your birthday month, your mind is positively buzzing with ideas. There has been so much progress in your personal life during the past year that it is hard to believe. However, you are capable of being very dynamic and single-minded. This is why, now, you may be patting yourself on the back. Keep colleagues on your side by taking a particular interest in them.

MAX 18C, MIN 10C

Barcelona Fri Sat Sun -

MAX 13C, MIN -1C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Malaga

SUNNY MAX MIN

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Don't chance your plans being disrupted by ill health. Get any problems sorted out now even if you think they are 'nothing'. When you are feeling good it is easy to take that for granted. Fresh foods and air mean more at the moment than making an extra few pounds. Allow others to become involved and give a hand when energy is low because you can easily repay the favour later when your own energy levels are high.

MAX MIN

Mon - 16 8 S Tues - 16 8 Cl Wed - 15 7 C

16 8 C 15 7 C 15 6 S

SUNNY

TODAY:

Almeria TODAY:

Solution YEAR BEAR BOAR BOAT (BOOR) BOOT FOOT

YOUR STARS

MAX 18C, MIN 9C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

TODAY:

FOOT BACK

Madrid

CLEAR

OUT

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29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

page

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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC

Code Breaker

Quick Across 1 Basis for comparison (8) 7 Utter words (5) 8 Not otherwise committed (9) 9 Long-tailed rodent (3) 10 Let have for a limited time (4) 11 Refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing (6) 3 Deliver to an enemy by treachery (6) 14 Not interesting (6) 17 Utter a sudden loud cry (6) 18 Bestow (4) 20 Take in solid food (3) 22 Inspecting (9) 23 Revolves (5) 24 Larval amphibians (8) Down 1 Little (5) 2 Opposed to (7) 3 Blunt (4) 4 Thief who steals from someone by

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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, 11 represents H and 16 represents V, so fill in H every time the figure 11 appears and V every time the figure 16 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.

Across: 1 Melchior, 5 Read, 9 Grabs, 10 Narrate, 11 Nearest, 12 Sales, 13 Assist, 15 Depths, 19 Sport, 21 Elevate, 23 Twaddle, 24 After, 25 Suet, 26 Protests. Down: 1 Magenta, 2 Llama, 3 Hostels, 4 Ornate, 6 Epaulet, 7 Diets, 8 Arts, 14 Storage, 16 Elegant, 17 Sierras, 18 Veneer, 19 Sates, 20 Tide, 22 Altos.

QUICK

threatening violence (6) 5 Strikingly odd or unusual (5) 6 Gliding on ice (7) 7 Division (7) 12 Takes for husband or wife (7) 13 Below (7)

English - Spanish

15 Beginning (7) 16 Yellow fruit (6) 17 Look at with fixed eyes (5) 19 Borders (5) 21 Drag a leg (4)

1 Rustic, 2 Grandma, 3 Employer, 4 Sort, 5 Tiara, 6 Nylons, 7 Salsa, 13 Elegance, 16 Million, 17 Photos, 19 Dress, 20 Parent, 22 Radio, 24 Knee.

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

ENGLISH-SPANISH

Across 1 Oil (6) 3 Useful (information, advice, tool) (4) 7 Labio (anatómico) (3) 9 Filling (culinary) (7) 10 Butterflies (insects) (9) 13 Ruibarbo (7) 14 Mentira (embuste) (3) 15 Weight (4) 16 To tire (out) (6)

Across: 1 Bangle, 3 Frosts, 8 Sleds, 10 Castaña, 11 Emoción, 12 Sueño, 13 Camel, 15 Ganso, 20 Trees, 22 Miracle, 24 Meeting, 25 Niñas, 26 Stoves, 27 Prices.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

Down 1 Classroom (4) 2 To finish (8) 4 Uña de pie (7) 5 Lion (4) 6 Carpet (8) 8 Cacahuetes (7) 11 Gota (4) 12 To read (4)

Hexagram

Across: 1 Regret, 4 Satin, 8 Stamp, 9 Airmail, 10 Indoors, 11 Dawn, 12 Ale, 14 Fare, 15 Lamp, 18 Red, 21 Hark, 23 Regalia, 25 Tidings, 26 Noise, 27 Store, 28 Peanut. Down:

Down: 1 Basket, 2 Nuevo, 4 Risas, 5 Skaters, 6 Season, 7 Scent, 9 Slide, 14 Aderezo, 16 Apron, 17 Stamps, 18 Amiga, 19 Feasts, 21 Spice, 23 Coñac.

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

BLONDE CHAPEL CHEERS (10) CHISEL DEMEAN ICICLE IMPISH JUMBLE NESTLE PATRON

ROTTEN SPECIE TALLOW TEETER TEETHE TENDON TISSUE VACATE WEALTH

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Detour 2 Carrot 3 Orient 4 Deceit 5 Routed 6 Harden 7 Trance 8 Vendor 9 Notice 10 Advent 11 Theory 12 Intent 13 Cereal 14 Entice 15 Income 16 Pariah 17 Iodine 18 Polite 19 Skimpy

Across 1 More sage is planted in clockwise rotation (5) 4 Launderer used to be female (6) 9 Building renters are more strict (7) 10 Swagger like Rod (5) 11 Organs will show up in dress rehearsal (4) 12 Overhaul religious ceremony (7) 13 Appropriate for a gymnasium (3) 14 Ring round for a beam (4) 16 Some involve a system that’s effortless (4) 18 Keys get one offer (3) 20 Refuse to accept sink (7) 21 Choose first vacation on the East (4) 24 A musical piece from a potential donor (5) 25 Cigar with revolutionary origin (7) 26 Sidney could be a famous film Nevada (4) maker (6) 5 Took in some Arabs or Bedouins (8) 27 Grow from endless spring (5) 6 His rare frolicking badgers (7) 7 Row in London park is deplorable (6) Down 8 Try small Ford for a secret 1 Ted was terribly worn out (6) rendezvous (5) 2 Insult leaves a mark (5) 13 A remedy, not a diet change (8) 3 Letters from Grenoble for a city in 15 Takes back car sent incorrectly (7)

17 Respected communist is after a party (6) 18 A seat for the judiciary (5) 19 Hire charge included in current allowance (6) 22 Sea-air adds a little weight to one (5) 23 Clues found in a Mickey Spillane novel (4)

E W N 29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Silent Witness BBC News at Ten BBC London News Mrs. Brown's Boys Little Fockers

7:00pm 7:30pm

9:00pm

The Sheriffs are Coming Italy's Invisible Cities BBC News at Ten BBC London News A Question of Sport The Recruit Weather for the Week Ahead BBC News

7:30pm

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12:30am 1:30am

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8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

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To the Manor Born: 1979 Christmas Special University Challenge Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars Charlie Brooker's 2016 Wipe Cunk on Christmas Kevin Bridges: A Whole Different Story A Gert Lush Christmas

6:30pm 6:50pm

Flog It! The Marvellous World of Roald Dahl Roald Dahl's Esio Trot Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage The Real Marigold on Tour QI Dara O Briain Crowd Tickler Live Stag

3:00pm 3:05pm 5:30pm 7:25pm 7:40pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

We Dive at Dawn The Eagle Has Landed The Olympic Golden Ball What Women Want Life in Polar Bear Town with Gordon Buchanan Dragons' Den Match of the Day Jools's Annual Hootenanny 2016

2:30pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

Dad's Army Dad's Army Dragons' Den Thailand What We Did on Our Holiday The Real Marigold on Tour Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage

5:30pm 7:40pm 8:00pm

Great British Railway Journeys Rick Stein's Long Weekends University Challenge An Island Parish Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney Charlie Brooker's 2016 Wipe QI XL Eggheads Great British Railway Journeys Rick Stein's Long Weekends The Great Interior Design Challenge Yellowstone Revolting Newsnight NFL Great British Railway Journeys Rick Stein's Long Weekends The Great Interior Design Challenge Yellowstone Second Opinion Newsnight West Side Stories The Making of a Classic See Hear

9:30pm 10:00pm

12:00am 12:20am

11:40pm 12:05am

12:30am 1:15am

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

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11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 2:15am

ITV Evening News The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Emmerdale Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ITV News Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

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

ITV News London The Dam Busters Midsomer Murders ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ITV News Jaws 2

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

Midsomer Murders The Chase ITV News London ITV News and Weather Wos Wrestling Ninja Warrior UK Take Me Out Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ITV News and Weather The Chase

7:00pm

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial ITV News and Weather Diversity Presents Steal the Show Coronation Street Morecambe and Wise's Funniest Moments ITV News and Weather Prince Harry Rugby

10:00pm 11:00pm 12:35am 1:35am

10:00pm

11:00pm 1:05am

8:00pm 9:00pm

10:00pm 12:05am 4:50pm 4:55pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:35am

1:35am

The Chase ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street You've Been Framed! Coronation Street The Halcyon ITV News at Ten and Weather Take Me Out The Chase

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

Robson Crusoe: A Surprising Adventure ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London Wilderness Walks with Ray Mears Trawlermen Tales Jackpot247

5:00pm

ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Midsomer Murders. Crime and Punishment ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London The Shawshank Redemption Jackpot247

9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

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The Simpsons Hollyoaks The Ballroom Boys Location, Location, Location 19 Kids and Counting Bruce Springsteen It Was Alright in the 1970's Father Ted The Simpsons Hollyoaks Noel's Sell or Swap Live Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown New Year Special Rude Tube Tattoo Fixers at Christmas Winnie-the-Pooh: The Most Famous Bear in the World Britain's Best Loved Sitcoms Peter Cook and Dudley Moore: The Missing Sketches Alan Carr's New Year Specstacular 2016 Gogglebox 2016 Channel 4 News Mirror Mirror Rio 2 Titanic: The New Evidence Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown New Year Special Rude Tube The Simpsons The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Supercommuters: How Far Would You Go? Food Unwrapped Diet Special The Undateables First Dates Hotel Tattoo Fixers A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News How to Lose Weight Well 24 Hours in A and E This is Us the Game Plan The Undateables Bodyshockers A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Location, Location, Location No Offence A Very British Brothel 24 Hours in A and E

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1:05am

Five News Update Serendipity Battlebots: World Championship World's Strongest Man 2016 Biggest Dog in the World The Adele Story World's Greatest Divas Lip Sync Battle UK Xmas Special World's Strongest Man 2016 Britain's Cleverest Dog Flowers in the Attic 2: Petals on the Wind Five News Update weather. Flowers in the Attic 2: Petals on the Wind The Blind Side Super Casino Wyatt Earp 5 News Weekend Another Audience with Ken Dodd Ken Dodd... In My Own Words World's Strongest Man 2016 Football on 5 Pulp Fiction Reservoir Dogs The Bridge at Remagen 5 News The Bridge at Remagen Ken Dodd... In My Own Words 5 News Football on 5 Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of 2016 Super Casino The Bridge at Remagen 5 News The Bridge at Remagen Ken Dodd... In My Own Words 5 News Football on 5 Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of 2016 Super Casino Abducted 5 News at 5 Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! 5 News Tonight To B&B the Best A New Life in Oz Celebrity Big Brother Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side Celebrity Big Brother 5 News Tonight The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door GPs: Behind Closed Doors Celebrity Big Brother In Therapy Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side Sex Pod

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OPINION & COMMENT

LETTERS

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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

What bitter and bigoted people Photographs for possible publication should be sent by email with a full caption to: photonews@euroweeklynews.com COPYRIGHT Twocoms/Shutterstock.com

WHAT a bitter and bigoted person Michael Hill must be (Witchdoctor in a dress: Edition 1641). All that insulting ranting against people of faith on a subject of minimal importance to most people - the ability to go shopping on a Sunday. I have no problem with shops being open on Sundays. People who want to shop will shop and those who want to attend church will do so, and may also shop as well!! As to Mr Hill’s assertion that churchgoers are uneducated, in my experience it is the people who resort to bluster and insult who are uneducated because they are not intelligent enough to hold a reasoned argument. I wish Mr Hill peace and joy at this festive season as we celebrate the birth of Christ although I would anticipate his reply being the same as Ebenezer Scrooge’s - Bah humbug!! Sue McNae, Alicante

Pump failure AFTER 15 years in Spain I have convinced myself of one thing and that is that in matters of protection from flooding self-help is the only help you can depend on! After flooding three times I raised my ground floor by almost a foot back in 2009. Each time I flooded before it was due to pump failure and those failures continue! Last weekend after having kept the constant rain confined to the street for three days the pumps failed and within two hours the water had come up the driveways and into the houses of about 20 properties in Bahia that I know of. I came within two inches of flooding myself so why does the system always fail at crucial times? Many people put boards up to prevent water incursion without realising once the water reaches a certain level it comes up through the ground floor irrespective of any perimeter protection and it just shouldn’t happen! An example of authority indifference was exemplified in 2010 when a cloud burst in August flooded Bahia. When Aqualia were asked why the pumps were never applied, a spokesman simply replied, “It’s August, I don’t have the staff, what do you expect?” What more can I say? Ken Bethell, Puerto de Mazarron

Gone but not forgotten THIS year has seen so many stars leave the stage forever it’s really awful. I know we look back on those who’ve gone every year, but why is it 2016 seems much worse? For me it’s always the passing of the comedy stars that seems to affect me most. The thought that Victo-

Cluster bombers I NEVER thought I would find myself in agreement with one of your articles (Leapy: Edition 1641) but you are spot on about Saudi Arabia. But who were the greater hypocrites? The oh so pious Muslim Princes or the cynical Brits who sold them military airfields and advanced fighter planes? And they still do. The cluster-bombs used by the Saudis in Yemen were made in the

ria Wood won’t be poking fun at all of us in her wonderful way is heart-breaking… the departure of Caroline Aherne and Ronnie Corbett who made us laugh so much. Will we ever see their likes again? Maybe, but I don’t think it will be in my lifetime. How very sad for their families and all of us. Gina, Benidorm

UK. The UK is a signatory to a 2010 international treaty banning the use of cluster munitions. Adrian

The children of today I KNOW we are not the only ones that think all this is so bloody bonkers as to be surreal, but as far as I know not many of us died from playing conkers without crash helmets

and goggles. If it wasn’t so ridiculously pathetic it would be funny and as for cycling, well how the children of today ever get on their bikes after kitting up beats me. Soooo mad, the whole world has it wrong and while they fixate on such stupidities drugs are circulating like smarties in almost every school. Now there is something that needs sorting big time. I can guarantee there are more drug-related deaths in schools than injuries resulting from playing unprotected conkers... it’s pathetically obvi-

ous to anyone that there are a lot of people employed in these departments whose skills (if any) should be employed in other directions or retrained to be of some actual use in society. Caroline

Bah humbug A FRIEND of mine bought a few small Christmas decorations from a market stall the other day. He purchased the products and wished the market trader Feliz Navidad, as you do. The trader was not impressed and told my friend that he did not believe in Christmas, due to his religion and promptly turned his back. Did his religion prevent him from making a few Bob from his Christian punters? No. It smacks of hypocrisy to me! Why couldn’t he have just reciprocated the greeting, or just said nothing? Still, miserable sods are not exempt in any religion. I think he needed a drink. Me, I would have given him the goods back, told him not to volunteer for the diplomatic corps and gone elsewhere but that’s life. Philip, San Fulgencio

Pointless celebs I CAN’T be the only one hoping the antics of idiotic minor celebrities won’t be filling our TV screens as much next year. Too much to hope for? They seem to spend their entire time filming themselves and then posting it online. As if everyone wants to see what they’ve been doing for the last 10 minutes! I know social media is the heart of the world now and I know I’m too old for all that, but it’s a bit depressing when a bit of tomfoolery (or bare flesh) can make a giant section of the whole country seem to stop in its tracks. And then everyone wants to interview them…very very depressing. Bill, via email

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29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

Pensions, news & showers Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man SO Christmas is over - thank goodness! Time to reflect on the last year and some of the things that made me grumpy. I’ve mentioned pensions before but this week I saw that the UK government want to put into place a billion pound fine if companies ‘mess about’ with pensions whilst specifically mentioning slippery Phillip Green. Well how about how the UK government ‘messed about’ with millions of people’s pensions? Hard working individuals may have been reckoning on getting their pension at 60 for women and 65 for men. They may have wanted to invest in a little retirement home in Spain or just retire. Then BANG they are told ‘you aren’t getting it till you are 67 or older.’ How is that fair? I don’t see much difference between them and the scumbags that nick pension funds! There is a phenomenon happening now which is fake news stories that are cropping up. It seems now anyone can say anything about anyone and it immediately becomes the truth. Shove it on Facebook or Twitter and it’s not just Joe public doing it. There was a story

last week where a guy goes in to a pizza place with an assault weapon because he read that Hillary Clinton and her campaign manager, John Podesta, were running a paedophile ring from there. How crazy and dangerous is this? An absolute lie but it becomes the truth because it was read on the internet and it can’t be stopped as the public demand to know everything now without filters and checks. My ongoing battle with hotels continues. I just got back from the UK. I stayed at a hotel in Maidenhead. I have been using them for years. But now everything is about health and safety. I had a room with a walk in shower. Well it was ridiculous. The water was lukewarm at best and the flow was… Well, put it this way - if I was an urologist I’d be recommending surgery or at least some kind of tablets. I, of course, mentioned it to the manager who told me it was a recommended temperature in case people got scalded. I’m an adult. I know how to control the temperature on a shower. What you can’t do is make me take a trickly, lukewarm shower. Plus, as it was Christmas week on Friday and Saturday there were company parties going on and on and on which involved a lot of shouting and screaming till 3am. I, of course, let them know my thoughts about that too and I did get a discount. Happy New Year everyone.

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OPINION & COMMENT

LEGALLY SPEAKING

High risk areas AS part of the series, we answer some common driving questions and keep you updated on the latest driving and road news kindly provided by members of the Guardia Civil based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, who set up the N332 website and Facebook page to help break down barriers.

RISKIEST ROADS: Include the N-332 and V-31.

THE latest incident report released for Spanish roads shows there are now some 3,264km of road classed as being of ‘high’ or ‘very high’ risk due to the number of recorded incidents. Whilst this is still a high figure, it is a slight decrease on 2015. The report looked at 24,805km of roads and examined the risk by assessing the number of recorded incidents and injuries or fatalities over the last three years. Looking at the severity of the accident, they then calculated the data into a ‘Risk Index’ based on the number of fatal and serious accidents occurring in relation to the number of vehicles. A total of 4,101 incidents occurred on the national road network in the years 2013, 2014 and 2015, of which 1,036 were fatal incidents resulting in 1,219 deaths. There were 3,065 incidents classed as serious with 4,077 people seriously injured. Looking at these figures the report concluded there are 77 ‘high risk’ sections of the

roads looked at, with 17 ‘black spots.’ Statistically, the most dangerous section of the Spanish road network is the N-435 between kilometre 33.4 and 45.9 in Badajoz. This stretch of road has seen five serious incidents between 2013 and 2015, resulting in three deaths and four serious injuries. An average of 2,844 vehicles use this stretch daily. The number of incidents involving motorcycles has continued to increase. Since 2003, the number has almost tripled in the case of serious or fatal incidents. It means that in 2015, around one in every five fatal or serious accidents involved a motorcyclist. The N-332 between kilometre 220.5 and 225.6 in Valencia and the V-31 between kilometre 0 and 5.7, also in Valencia, are two locations noted for the high amount of incidents involving motorcycles and scooters. Incidents involving heavy goods vehicles account for around 22 per cent of the total of fatal and serious incidents.

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

Licence exchange not so easy YOU recently answered a query about the Spanish driving licence. I am 72 years old and my British licence runs out at the end of next year. We have decided to live in Torrevieja but at the moment we do not have official residencia. I need to change to a Spanish licence and I had the impression from you that it is only a medical and coordination exam. I thought I would have to go to ‘trafico’ in Alicante and fill out many forms. Is this not the case? C B (Costa Blanca) I am very sorry to have misled you and the earlier questioner. It is only licence renewals that are done by the single application through the Medical Centre. The first time exchange indeed requires, as you say, a

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

personal visit to the Traffic headquarters in Alicante, with forms to fill in.

Be warned that, in order to exchange your valid EU licence for a Spanish licence, you must first be officially resident in Spain. This means the Certificate of Residence for EU Citizens. Once you have this you can apply for the exchange.

Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.

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Some tips for keeping fertile MORE and more couples are seeking medical help in conceiving a child. With fertility problems, amongst both men and women on the rise, what can be done to help take care of your fertility? Even if you are not ready for a child just yet, take note of these top tips from the Assisted Reproduction Unit of Vithas Perpetuo International Hospital in Alicante, as told to Diario Informacion, and when you are ready to start a family hopefully fertility problems will not be a cause for concern. Fertility should be taken care of from a young age. Advise teenagers and youngsters on safe sex and preventing sexually transmitted diseases as some can lead to fertility problems later in life. As in all areas of health, a balanced diet will have an impact. Regular exercise and healthy eating will also help care for fertility. For women looking at starting a family sooner rather than later,

try increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals including omega three and six as well as green vegetables which are rich in f o l i c a c i d a n d i r o n . Tr y and keep a healthy weight. Being overweight can result in difficulties in getting pregnant, as can being underweight, as both can lead to abnormalities in the menstrual cycle with ovary function deteriorating. Try and stay calm. Stress can cause some hormones to be released inappropriately affecting your chances of falling pregnant.

STAY CALM: Stress can affect your hormones.

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HEALTH BEAUTY

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ask The Doctor

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What is a stroke?

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. A STROKE is a type of attack which happens when insufficient blood reaches the affected area of the brain. While the best known type of attack is that which happens to the heart, they can also affect other parts of the body including the brain, lungs or legs among others. People with higher cardiovascular risk such as those with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obese people and smokers are those most likely to suffer a stroke. How can we recognise the symptoms and realise someone is having a stroke? Strokes can present themselves in different ways ranging from slight alterations to behaviour or speech to inability to move arms and legs, difficulty walking or sudden death. So what should we do if we think someone is having a stroke? If you have the slightest suspicion somebody is having a stroke you should get them to a medical centre as quickly as possible for tests and treatment. What if I’m on my

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own and think I might be having a stroke? You should call emergency services and tell them you think you’re having a stroke. If you can’t call an ambulance, you should get a relative or neighbour to take you to hospital immediately. What are the chances of complete recovery? This depends on the size and type of stroke. Minor strokes caused by slight bleeding are easier to recover from and less likely to leave after-effects than those which affect a large area or those caused by a blood clot which stopped blood reaching the brain. Whether or not there are after-effects, anyone who has had a stroke should take medication to reduce the risks of a repeat. However, this will always be a possibility. Is there any way of avoiding a stroke? The best way to reduce your risk of a stroke is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Stop smoking, lose weight if you are overweight, follow a low-fat, salt-free diet, exercise regularly and check your blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels.

If you have any questions for Dr Perez Belmonte, please send them to: jefemedico@helicopterossanitarios.com

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Is your brain triggering the urge to drink? HAVE you had one tipple too many over Christmas? For many, a little indulgence over the festive period is normal, but what happens when that extra drink turns into one too many? A professor at the University of Florida has treated thousands of patients for alcohol use for over 15 years and believes that binge drinking, such as at Christmas, can be a result of the chemicals in the brain. Alcohol releases dopamine giving a happy buzz, but for some, as the brain starts releasing dopamine it is unable to stop and malfunctions, causing the drinker to carry on past the buzz and into intoxication and a compulsion to binge drink can result. This binge drinking can be seen as an addiction and should be treated as such. Binge drinking is classed as drinking at least five or more drinks for men and four for women, on the same occasion on at least one day in the past 30 days. The American Medical Association acknowledged that brains of binge drinkers have a disease but it is still relatively ignored and not seen as a disease

in the same way as heart disease or obesity. So as we head in to the New Year celebrations, just be aware of the effects drinking can have on you and the people around you. JUST ONE MORE: Binge drinking is an addiction.

Purple is new food fad READY for the new food trends of 2017? Go purple and you should be on track as according to Whole Foods supermarket chain’s predictions, purple foods will be the new fad. The move will be welcomed by dieticians as purple foods are known to be full of an antioxidant called anthocyanins which help to fight cancer, aging and inflammation. Anthocyanins can also protect the heart muscle and blood vessels so try going purple in the New Year and look out for these health-boosting super foods. Acai. The acai berry is a rich purple fruit indigenous to the Amazon rainforest and packed with amino acids and vitamins A, B, C and E. Purple sweet potato. These contain the all-important anthocyanin antioxidant and can be used as a substitute for normal

potatoes. Purple carrots. Rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A, they are best eaten raw to make the most of their

healthy benefits. Beetroot. Eat it raw, pickle it, grate it or blend it in smoothies, beetroot is perhaps the easiest purple food

to start consuming now. P u r p l e c a b b a g e . D o n ’t just save it for Christmas and indulge it in all year round.

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J M BARRIE’S much-loved story of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up has been turned into a musical by Rafel Brunet which, while still based on the original story, introduces song and music to Peter, Wendy, Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, the pirates and Captain Hook. This adventure takes the audience from London in the early 20th century to the island of Neverland. The music has been composed by Jaums Carreras and features special effects, changes of scenery and

spectacular costumes. Although it is presented in Spanish, the story is so wellknown and the music so infectious that it should be quite accessible to a young expatriate audience. There will be just three performances starting at 7pm at the Teatre Municipal Xesc Forteza in Carrer Miquel Maura, Palma starting on Monday January 2 and running until Wednesday January 4. For further details call 971 710 986 or email teatrexforteza2@palma.es.

By John Smith

Heavy rock night IF you like loud music that is free of charge then you could do worse than visit Manacor on December 30 when five live tribute bands will be playing in the Plaça Ramon Llull. There will be a DJ from 6pm to 8pm and then the bands will appear and in no particular order they will be Ramonikos (Ramones), Ugly Bitches (System of a Down), Purple Head (Deep Purple), Electric Drill (Mr Big) and Eliminator (ZZ Top).

SCENE

Forty performers help celebrate San Sebastian Photo Credit: Fundacion Cajasol.

Peter Pan flies in to Palma

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OCIAL

Ariel Rot.

THE council of the city of Palma has announced that it has chosen a total of 40 bands out of 250 who applied to take part in a mega-fiesta to celebrate the patron saint of the city, San Sebastian. Whilst the majority of the bands come from Mallorca, there will be some from other parts of Spain and there is a wide choice of different styles of music, particularly on January 19. The dates and places are as follows: January 14 starting at 8pm sees six performers in the Plaça de Joan Carles I. January 19 sees no less than eight different venues, each hosting a different genre of band and start times vary from 9pm to 0.30pm but all are likely to play into the early hours. Plaça de Joan Carles I four rock, indie and metal bands.

Plaça Espanya four pop and electro bands plus DJs. Plaça de la Reina four flamenco, rumba and sevillanas presentations. Plaça Santa Eulàlia two electronic bands and a DJ. Carrer Jaci nt Verdaguer f our bands performing blues, pop and rock. Plaça de la Porta de Santa Catalina four bands offering a range of jazz, swing, soul and reggae. Plaça Major four performers presenting folk, ball de bot and Catalan song. Pl aça de l ’ O l i var t hree bands playing a range of world music. Fi nal l y on January 20, at 8pm i n t he Pl aça Espanya, Whol e Lot t a Band, consi dered t he best Spanish tribute to Led Zeppelin, will be appearing followed by Argentinian rocker Ariel Rot who is promoting his new album La Manada.

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Photo Credit: Pep’s Records Wikimedia

SOCIAL SCENE

OVIEDO BROTHERS: The twins in 2014.

Gemeliers to play in 2017 at Son Fusteret By John Smith THE Oviedo brothers are twins wh o h a v e b e e n singing since they were four but became well-known after Daniel and Jesús, now better known as Gemeliers, appeared on La Voz Kids in 2014. Although they didn’t win, they were so well received

that they quickly signed a re c o rd c o n tra c t a n d the ir first album ‘The best is yet to come ‘went double platinum in Spain in 2014 and th is w a s fo llo w ed u p by their equally popular album ‘Arabian nights’ the next year. Now they will be touring their third album ‘Gracias’ in 2017 which has also gone

double platinum for the sale of 80,000 c opie s a nd the twins will be 18 by the time the y a rrive in Pa lma on June 24 when they appear at Son Fusteret. Tickets are now on sale at prices from €26 to €100 from the usual outlets but anyone under 16 has to be accompanied by an adult.

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The life and death of Don Giovanni on in Manacor WITH the official title ‘l dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni’ (The Rake Don Giovanni punished) generally shortened to just Don Giovanni, this opera with music by Mozart is considered to be one of the best ever published and is consistently in the top 10 of the most performed operas in the world. Tickets to attend some of the great European Opera houses can be eye wateringly expensive but on Sunday January 8, the Symphony Orchestra of the Balearics under the direction of Pablo Mielgo will be bringing Don Giovanni to Manacor at a price that most people will be able to afford. Featuring the Mallorcan bass baritone Simón Orfila and with a full supporting cast of

experienced singers, the two act opera which first premiered in 1787 and is based on the work of Spanish writer Antonio de Zamora and the myth of Don Juan will be presented at the Auditorium in Manacor at 7pm. The basic story, as hinted at in the full title, concerns an arrogant young nobleman who treats everyone badly and tries to seduce every woman he meets. Despite being offered the chance to reform, he will not repent his evil ways and is finally taken to hell by a hoard of evil demons to the relief of some and disappointment of others. Tickets cost from €40 per person and may be obtained from the Auditorium website which can be found at http://www.teatredemanacor.cat.

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OPINION & COMMENT

A plea to hoteliers in 2017! Nora Johnson

Breaking Views Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a freelance journalist. To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/nora-johnson

IT’S happened again. Every time I return to London, it’s the same old, same old. Namely, a minuscule room in a trendy hotel costing an arm and a leg, and where I end up feeling less at home than in my own home! A major bugbear is inadequate soundproofing not just between rooms, but between rooms and corridors, and televisions that can be turned up full volume. Yes, you’ve guessed, noise is my main problem in hotel bedrooms. I go there to sleep, not to listen to an impromptu party outside in the corridor or someone else’s TV – assuming they can get it to work. (Incidentally, on a recent US tour, the Rolling Stones asked not for curvaceous groupies and class A drugs to be left in their hotel rooms but simple instructions how to operate the TV!)

HOTEL ROOMS: Require contortion to get positioned near an acceptable light to read the paper. Another gripe is the lighting. Very few rooms have central ceiling lights, and trying to position yourself near an acceptable side light to read the paper often requires Houdini-like athletic contortions. Some-

times the lighting is so dim you assume the hotel is doing its bit to stop the National Grid shutting down. Yet another pet hate is pillow mountains, shower curtains (uncom-

fortable and unhygienic), gauzy, inadequate curtains, and windows with so much security that any escape in an emergency would be impossible unless you happen to have a hammer to hand.

And hairdryers in hotel bathrooms – what’s that about? How am I supposed to dry myself with something that hasn’t got enough power to dry a mouse? Or use my own hairdryer when the only socket is on the other side of the room from the mirror. Who designs these rooms? One temporary solution? I’ve now devised a ‘hotel kit:’ some bulldog clips to close the inadequate curtains, a Swiss penknife for emergencies, earplugs for noise (of both infrastructure and intimate kinds) and eyemasks (see ‘inadequate curtains,’ above). These are just a few practical issues I’d be really grateful if any hoteliers amongst you out there could consider in 2017. OK, rant over! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Nora Johnson’s psychological/suspense crime thrillers ‘No Way Back,’ ‘Landscape of Lies,’ ‘Retribution,’ ‘Soul Stealer,’ ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.norajohnson.com) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.99; £0.99) and iBookstore. All profits to Costa del Sol Cudeca cancer charity.

Speak out but watch your step Cassandra Nash A weekly look

anti-capitalist Monedero was economical with the truth in the past over his undeclared Venezuela earnings, why believe him now?

- and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene

JUAN PEDRO YLLANES, a judge by profession, is on voluntary leave because he is also a Podemos MP. Yllanes complained not long ago that the party’s co-founder Juan Carlos Monedero threatened him for backing Iñigo Errejon, the Podemos number two currently at loggerheads with party supremo Pablo Iglesias. This internal crisis is due to peak during the party conference in February and Mondero warned Yllanes that until then he can say things which he disapproves of “but be careful afterwards.” When this became public knowledge, Monedero denied threatening Yllane s, c l a i m i n g “ a misunderstanding.” Both men have talked since then and agreed to let it drop, but as Juan Pedro Yllanes.

Friendly fire FORMER president Jose Maria Aznar resigned as honorary president of the Partido Popular not long after his think-tank, Faes, had detached itself from the party. He wants more independence, Aznar said, meaning freedom to criticise the party and Mariano Rajoy whom he appointed as his successor. The current president was supposed to win the March 2004 elections so that the government could continue under Aznar’s tutelage. Instead Rajoy lost then and again in 2008. When he finally came to power he and all but a few PP hardliners disappointed the former president. Party insiders admitted that Aznar’s news came as a relief although that could be short-lived because the sniping won’t stop and friendly fire is about to begin.

A question of values SOME PP politicians would like to remove the phrase that confirms the party’s commitment to ‘values of Christian humanism’ from its statutes. They were unsuccessful as would expected in a party where the former Interior minister Jorge Fernadez Diez awarded the Police Medal of Merit to La Virgen de los Dolores.

Pole position PABLO IGLESIAS and Iñigo Errejon are struggling to decide which direction Podemos should take. Former television pundit Iglesias meanwhile showers Errejon with flowery phrases containing an eloquent and ominous subtext. “You are one of the most brilliant and talented people I have ever known and I want you at my side, not in front of me,” Iglesias recently simpered. In fact he wants Errejon behind him, where he can neither cast a shadow nor stab him in the back.

Mallorca 36 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

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PROPERTY

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More popular than ever By Matthew Elliott SPAIN is by far the most popular destination for Brits interested in moving abroad according to new research from UK property portal Rightmove. Spain beat France, the US, Italy and Portugal to the top spot. There were more than 30 million searches for second homes in the Spanish sun, with Alicante surpassing Malaga as the most popular choice. That revelation comes hot on the heels of similar findings from global property portal Kyero. It found that

interest from Brits in moving to Spain soared to its highest ever level this year after the Brexit vote, with an incredible 50 per cent more searches than in 2015. With many potential British buyers sitting on enormous equity levels, the Brit brigade looks set to lead foreign interest in the Spanish market well into 2017. This year one in five homes in Spain went to foreign buyers as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international appeal strengthens in line with the property marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impressive performance.

MOVING ABROAD: Spain is the most popular choice with Brit buyers.

PROPERTY

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New Year, market remains strong By Matthew Elliott THE latest figures on the Spanish property market indicate that there was a cooling down during October after months of back-to-back double digits increases. Home sales fell by 1.7 per cent from September but were 2.6 per cent higher than October last year. House prices rose by 1.5 per cent and the year looks set to close with prices roughly a third below their

pre-crisis peak in 2007, still a huge improvement on recent years. Prices have risen 2.6 per cent across the year and are expected to rise by 5 per cent in 2017, with stable growth predicted until the end of the decade. They did, however, rise in less than half of Spain’s thousands of municipalities, confirming the two-speed market across the country. Coastal and city properties have performed particularly well, shoring

up losses in the interior. The luxury ma rke t, c ons is ting of home s upwards of €1 million did fantastically well in 2016 with abundant interest from foreign buyers. In 2017 expect to see the emergence of ‘servicers’ a new player in the real estate game. They are the privileged partners of banks and offer various financial packages to buye rs a nd home ow ne rs tha t the banks are shifting away from.

HUGE IMPROVEMENT: On house prices.

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Safe and stylish removable pool fencing FOR families with a swimming pool, safety is of vital importance. Drowning is among the leading causes of death among children, so it is critical that pool owners take steps to isolate their swimming pool. While supervision is the best prevention, pool fencing is the most effective option for preventing children from reaching the pool. For a fence to be effective, it must be nonclimbable and have mechanisms in place to prevent children from opening it. Mesh pool fences have been extremely effective in providing peace of mind to pool owners for more than 50 years. They are made of a strong, finely woven mesh material. While some are produced with aluminium support posts, the best mesh fences, like the Protect-A-Child Pool Fence Co., utilise strong fibreglass support posts that won’t break or become bent and crooked. Another advantage to fibreglass

MESH MATERIAL: Will not allow finger or toe holds for climbing.

MODULAR FENCING: The sections can easily be removed in minutes by an adult.

posts, is they will not corrode, as seen with aluminium posts if you live near the sea or use a salt system to treat your pool. Protect-A-Child’s removable pool fencing offers many ad-

CHRISTMAS is a time of partying and special meals and, far too often, this can lead to unwanted stains which are the bane of whoever is in charge of the laundry. Some can be busted without too much grief by following a few tricks. If your clothes get stained with oil or grease during a meal, try to apply talcum powder imme-

vantages. First, the mesh material will not allow finger or toe holds for climbing while the solid-core unbreakable fibreglass posts are strong enough to protect even the most active lit-

tle ones. The mesh design also prevents toys and small objects from passing through or under the fence keeping a child’s attention on the safe side of the fence.

Protect-A-Child’s unique mesh design is extremely transparent and attractive, so parents can enjoy the beauty of their pool and keep an eye on their children in and around the pool. Let’s face it. No one likes the idea of fencing their pool. Here is where the features of the Protect-A-Child pool fence really

Bust those Christmas stains diately. Leave the stain to dry before brushing the powder out and washing with water and detergent. If you are unable to do so, or don’t notice the stain until later, soak overnight in a mixture

of two measures of vinegar to one measure of water then wash with soap the following day. Coffee is another enemy for our clothes. To blast its stains, mix equal amounts of alcohol,

shine. It is easily and completely removable in minutes by an adult. In just a few minutes, the lightweight, modular fence sections can be lifted out, rolled up, and removed from the patio. Colourkeyed patio caps fit into the small, quarter size holes to make them disappear. Already there are many holiday rental companies only offering villas with fenced and gated pools. Their success proves there is demand with many villa owners reporting increased bookings because the pool is toddler and baby safe. Protect-A-Child’s pool fence is the best solution available for providing a safe, enjoyable environment for children and pets around the pool and patio. Protect-A-Child Pool Fence of Mallorca Call Graham at 618 404 087 graham@protectachild.com protectachild.com

white vinegar and water and apply to the stain. Egg yolk is also quite effective for coffee stains on white materials and wood. Apply before washing as normal. New chocolate stains can often be lifted with sparkling water and older ones may disappear after a few hours in very hot soapy water.

Make your poinsettia last WITH a little care, the extremely popular Christmas houseplants, poinsettias, can be made to last from one year to the next and there is a simple trick which can be employed to make them bloom just in time for the festive season. Rather than allowing your plant to die this year, follow these tips to keep it alive and have it ready to party again come next December. The plants originate in Mexico, where in the wild they grow into tall shrubs. To create the houseplant sized versions we find in the shops, growers use dwarfing hormones in the soil. Once these wear off, careful pruning will be needed to keep them manageable and suitable for indoor decoration. In March the plant will shed its leaves: this is the time to cut stems down to a length of around 10cm. Coat the cut ends in white petroleum jelly and keep the

plant warm and relatively dry until new growth appears. Poinsettias do not need too much water, in fact overwatering will cause the leaves to yellow, wilt and drop off. Diluted liquid fertiliser should be used once every two weeks during the spring and once a week in the summer to feed the plants and keep them healthy. Come autumn, about eight weeks before you want your plant to burst into colour, begin giving it ‘short-day’ treatment. This consists of plunging the plant into total darkness for 14 hours every night to trick it into thinking winter has already POINSETTIA: arrived. During the day, Can be made to place it on a warm, sunny last from one windowsill so it gets as year to the next. much light as possible.

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Stopping a dog from jumping up

GETTING BETTER: Bella recovering in the comfort of her own home.

Bella the Beagle recovers JUMPING UP: Your dog will quickly learn that your reaction is not very rewarding.

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

A DOG jumping up at a visitor is the worst possible introduction anybody can have to your home and your dog. Indeed, for those who do not even like dogs, it could be the end of a beautiful friendship and visits from them! Somebody wrote to me: “I have been doing the off command as a dog trainer told me since he was small, and kneed him in the chest, all to no avail. I have put him on his leash with a choke collar and he is still tugging away. That initial greeting is a horror story every time.” My reply was give it up. The knee in the chest is outdated. It is bad advice to tell any owner to knee his dog. The sound of the doorbell or knocking on the door can be a trigger for excitement. It heralds the arrival of another potential member of the pack. The dog jumps to show he is

the host. So remove excitable triggers. The front door bell rings but before opening the door I put away the dog. To me my dogs are not big; to me my dogs do not smell. To others they are big and they smell. What is acceptable to me is not always acceptable to my friends. Put the dog away so he cannot demonstrate dominance by going to the front door. Keep him there for around 10 minutes. Then allow him in with a bone or Kong filled with a titbit to keep him occupied. Dogs jump up at other times because the act is rewarding by attracting attention. When a dog jumps up, do not be aggressive. Simply hold it up by its front paws and tell the dog you love it. Do not let it down; keep it up as long as you can. By keeping the dog up, I mean stretching it up and up and keeping walking. The dog will then start to mouth your hands. When that happens drop the dog down. Do not place the dog down, drop it. When it is on all four legs, love him to bits, cuddle and talk. Then encourage the dog to jump again. As soon as it does so grab the paws and repeat the whole exercise. It is important to get the timing right and that the whole family learns to do this. Your dog will quickly learn that by jumping up your reaction is not very rewarding.

Alternatively answer the door with a spray bottle filled with water and squirt the dog in the face when it jumps up at the visitor. The surprise may teach it a lesson. This may not work at first with every dog but it can be repeated by keeping the spray bottle near the door. Case story. A friend took my advice by having a spray bottle handy. Problem was the dog jumped up, knocked my friend’s hand and he squirted water over the visitor’s face. I know this is true for I was the visitor.

House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! To find a pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on 00 44 (0) 777 214 2742. THE owners of Bella and Sky travel the world one country at a time, and spend a year or so in each country in order to really enjoy and absorb the local culture. The Beagles go with them naturally, wherever they live. They are currently based in Sevilla, and are loving the culture and lifestyle so much they have decided to spend a second year. A nd from time to time t he owner s have to travel for work, one is a travel writer and the other is a photographer. Their dogs stay at home in Sevilla with hous e s itte rs . R e c e ntl y Bel l a, t he younger of the two beagles, fell ill while they were away and our house-sitter Bragi immediately contacted the owners.

They arranged for a friend to collect Bella to see a local vet. She was examined and a medication prescribed. She is now recovering in the comfort of her own home. Meanwhile, Bragi is there to oversee her recovery and tend to her. He r epor t s dai l y t o t he owner s on her progress. Get better soon Bella! Do you need a sitter? Get in touch. House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting, and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! Register as either housesitter or homeowner now with a 20 per cent off introductory offer using coupon code PERFECT20. To find a house petsitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com.

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Today Porsche brings ANOTHER 911 to an already confused world.” Some might say...

This is the year of Ford By Matthew Elliott FORD has finally produced its first ever GT Supercar. Boasting the best power-to-weight ratio of any production car with a top speed smashing 200mph, the GT rolled off the assembly line in Ontario to acclaim in December. A twin-turbo 3.5 litre V6 engine grinds out more than

600bhp alongide a seven-speed paddleshifter. Streamlining is key and the low weight is achieved in a body largely carved out of lightweight carbon fibre. The Ford GT debuted at the 2015

Geneva Motor Show and has fulfilled its production target of 2016 in the nick of time. It will cost upwards of €300,000. The sleek grey supercar is Ford’s

answer to the Ferrari range and tops off an exciting year for the timeless manufacturer. In June Ford won at LeMans, exactly 50 years after its historical 1-2-3 victory in 1966.

GT SUPERCAR: Ford’s answer to the Ferrari.

Motoring shorts

Real public punishment FORGET Brexit, the real referendum in Britain today is on how should the courts punish dangerous drivers. The Ministry of Justice is asking the public their thoughts on life and death motoring matters as it seeks to calm anger over recent road deaths. Ministers want to know what you think is the difference between careless and dangerous driving, what should result in a lost licence, and what the maximum penalties for causing death on the roads should be. Naturally ministers will steer clear of suggestions like ‘hang them lot of them’ but, if they are genuine about wanting a public input, Britain will likely see some tougher laws in the near future. Last month a Polish lorry driver got 10 years for killing a family of four while playing on his phone. You can give your opinion on the Ministry of Justice website until February 1.

A motoring milestone HONDA has just clocked up another mammoth milestone in its motoring history. In December the Japanese manufacturer produced its 100 millionth car since it began in 1963 with its S500 sports car. That means Honda have averaged almost 1.9 million cars produced a year, although they have certainly cranked up the volume in recent decades. The five million mark was hit in 1978, 10 million in 1983, and 50 million in 2003. It took them 40 years to hit the 50 million milestone, and just another 13 to smash 100 million. Production pace is increasing by the day and Honda is at the forefront of robotic manufacturing. With operations on every corner of the planet it’s a fair bet to say the number will double again soon. Production kudos shouldn’t be just for Japan. The UK saw its best production year since 1999 with more than 1.6 million cars. The vast majority were shipped off to the continent for export as Britain sharpens its manufacturing appeal abroad.

29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017 / Mallorca

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BOATS

Photo Credit: @AntMiddleton333 Twitter

Anthony Middleton launching the show.

Captain Bligh’s epic journey filmed for TV By John Smith AFTER the Mutiny on the Bounty in 1789, Captain Bligh and 14 loyal crewmen were cast adrift in a 23 foot open boat in the Pacific with just four cutlasses, enough food and water for a week, a quadrant and a compass with the expectation that they would die, but not at the direct hands of the mutineers who went on to settle on Pitcairn Island. Within a matter of days, they had lost one of the complement as they were at-

tacked by natives on the island of Tofua in Tonga as they tried to take on supplies but in just 47 days, thanks to his exceptional navigational skills learnt under the tutelage of Captain Cook, they arrived at the island of Timor after sailing for more than 4,000 miles. Now, Channel 4 TV has filmed a reconstruction of this incredible feat with Anthony Middleton, of SAS: Who Dares Wins fame taking on the role of Captain Bligh and with eight crew members will try to follow the route taken by the navi-

gator travelling in a similar 23 foot open boat and using Bligh’s diary of the journey. Whilst not as dangerous as the initial journey, this was a true test of the will of man against the elements as they could have faced sudden storms, treacherous reefs and the need to stop at often deserted islands in order to collect supplies with a combination crew of seasoned sailors and complete novices. The programme is due to be screened in the spring of 2017.

JEAN-PIERRE DICK: Greetings from fourth place. THERE are still 19 competitors left in the Vendée Globe round the world race, but second place Briton Alex Thomson in Hugo Boss has been catching up with the leader Armel Le Cléac’h every day due to the high pressure system which has hindered the Frenchman and not hurt Thomson. Spanish representative Didac Costa is still hanging on gamely but is in 16th place at the time of writing with just under 13,000 nautical miles to go, whilst the leaders are almost 7,500 nautical miles ahead and have only 5,500 nautical miles left to the finish.

THE 10-day London Boat Show wi l l o n c e a g a i n b e held at t h e E x C e l C e n tre running run from January 6 to 15, 2017. Exhibitors will range from boat builders through to fashion, travel operators and water sports companies from all over the world, ensuring there is something for everyone who visits and startin g t h e b o a t i n g y ea r with a bang. Show attractions will in-

Photo Credit: defenceimagery.mod.uk wikimedia

London Boat Show clude the Dream Lodge Marina with waterfront cafés and a specially built pool hosting live demonstrations. There will also be hundreds of boats to climb aboard, fashion shows, music, and themed discussions led by industry experts in the London Boat Show Theatre. It is still possible to obtain entry tickets at a discounted price and for fuller d eta ils v is it w ww. lo n don boatshow.com.

HMS SCOTT: Was based in the Antarctic for more than three years.

HMS Scott visited at Christmas NAMED after heroic failure, Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott, HMS Scott is the only vessel in its class in the Royal Navy and is the largest survey vessel in any fleet in Western Europe. With a crew of up to 78 and commissioned in 1997, the vessel docked at Pal-

ma on Christmas Eve and remained there for several days before returning to the Mediterranean and Atlantic in order to continue with its survey operations after being replaced in the Antarctic where it was based for more than three years. Although not fitted with weaponry of

any size, the vessel could be used in conjunction with a minesweeper or for submarine detection due to its sophisticated sonar equipment and the fact that it is designed to be as stable as possible because of the usual research activities that it undertakes.

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29 Dec 2016 - 4 Jan 2017

FA CUP: There will be 32 third round FA Cup-ties between January 6 and 9, with a handful of non-League clubs hoping to cause major upsets. Mallorca’s best guide to local sport

Last of the races By Matthew Elliott NEW YEAR’S EVE is set to be t h e f i r st Sa t u rd a y in deca d e s wi t h n o l i v e h o rs e racing broadcast on British terrestrial TV as Channel 4 gives up the reins to ITV. In January it was revealed that ITV had won the rights to broadcast the sport from 2017 in a deal worth over €30 million. But the sheer logistics of setting up equipment means that there will be a delay between Channel 4’s December 27 coverage and the ITV debut on New Year’s Day. Race fans have been treated to free broadcasts on Channel 4 on Saturdays since its partnership with the sport began in 1984. The handover to ITV this week will represent a seismic change, not only for horse racing, but for British

television itself. The Grand National, Cheltenham, Derby and Royal Ascot will all be shown live on ITV in 2017, beginning with Sunday’s New Year ’s Day card at Cheltenham.

All major races will be shown live on ITV in 2017. Low ratings and disappointment with the sport’s waning mainstream appeal led key sponsors to seek a new television partner. But it is expected that ITV will shuffle the bulk of race days off to subsidiary channels like ITV4, saving only the major races for proper terrestrial telly.

It’s a huge coup for ITV w ho ha ve re c e ntly los t the rights to the C ha mpions League and FA Cup, and it remains unclear who the new face of horse racing will be. Rugby and tennis broadcaster John Inverdale is a firm favourite to take over from Claire Balding et al. 2016 marks the end of an era with the loss of Channel 4 Racing. But it will surely go down in the history books as one of B ritis h te le vis ion’s milestone shows. With a cast of characters including the eccentric John McCririck with his outlandish sideburns and deerstalker hat, it will be remembered fondly. HORSE RACING: Race fans have been treated to free broadcasts on Channel 4 since 1984.

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