Euro Weekly News - Mallorca 30 April - 6 May 2015 Issue 1556

30 April - 6 May 2015

Banks give extra time

By Eleanor Hawkins SPANISH banks will be giving customers an extra 10 days to provide ID and avoid having their accounts blocked.

BBVA director for Spain and Portugal Cristina de Parias explained that accounts would not be blocked before May 11.

MALLORCA

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION Photo by Cordonpress

ISSUE NO. 1556

Ferry fire

Evacuation as ferry catches fire from Palma to Valencia Full story on Page 9

WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM

Historic hidden shelter found Archaeologists discover a Civil War safe haven Researchers in Palma have uncovered a historically important bomb shelter from the Spanish Civil War period hidden away in a building which is currently home to Spanish clothing chain Zara.

Turn to Page 12

Know your balls Campaign highlights male cancers Entitled Pro-Test, a dri- at the Magaluf Beach ve to raise awareness Rugby Tournament this about testicular and weekend.

Turn to Page 14 prostate cancer will be

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LOCAL NEWS

Commercial costs most expensive PROPERTY registrars put the price of commercial premises in the Baleares amongst the most expensive in the country.

Valued at an average €1,481 per sqm2, commercial

property on the Islands is only outweighed by the value of Madrid at €2,136 per sqm2, the Basque Country (€1,701), Cantabria (€1,664) and Canaries (€1,539).

Tourist spending up TOURIST spending in the Baleares grew in the first quarter of the year to €483 million, 20.3 per cent more than during the same period last year.

In March, tourists spent €269 million in the Balearic Islands, 26.5 per cent more than in 2014, according to the Tourist Expenditure Survey (Egatur).

Use of train increases THE introduction of turnstiles and ticketing machines in each station of Serveis Ferroviaris of Mallorca (SFM) has led to more train travel.

Juan Salvador Iriarte, CEO

of Transports, said: “The new access system has increased users and has been welcomed as a public service, but the primary concern is to meet passenger demand and schedules.”

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NEWS

Council pays off debt to Cloud Atlas company MALLORCA Provincial Government will pay off the debt due.

By Maria Jose Fernandez MALLORCA Provincial Council will pay off a €150,000 debt to a production company that made the movie Cloud Atlas, directed by American filmmakers Andy and Lana Wachowski and filmed in Mallorca in 2011.

The now disbanded Mallorca Film Commission, an organisation which belonged to the Tourism Department, had committed in 2011 to pay the production company an amount of at least €100,000 to film the movie in different settings across Mallorca, In exchange, the production company Calle Cruzada SL, committed to spending a total of €2.8 million, mentioning the different Balearic institutions that collaborated in the filmmaking, and advertise the

CP CLOUD ATLAS

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CLOUD ATLAS: Movie directors and stars pose during the premiere in Berlin.

150,000 amount to be paid off for the shooting of ‘Cloud Atlas’

scenes shot in Mallorca.

However, two years later, the council dismissed the payment, claiming there was not enough

money in the coffers to pay off the debt. Now, three years later the regional government said the debt would be paid shortly.

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Long trip

BREAKING NEWS

Biker on odyssey

An incredible display of colourful fantasy

MALLORCAN Ricardo Basabe has embarked on a year-long journey on a motorbike around 25 European countries. He left the Port of Palma for Barcelona joined by owners of classic bikes and Vespas.

Flasher caught Seen at school gates

Alex Stoen. www.alexstoen.com

HORSES OF WINE held in the beautiful medieval town of Caravaca de la Cruz in Murcia treats 200,000 visitors to the historic spectacle unrivalled in the world.

A JUDGE has issued a restraining order prohibiting a young ‘exhibitionist’ from going within 300m of the Colegio San Agustin de Palma. The 25-year-old was caught flashing at the gates of the school.

Pan fire Firefighters act quickly A FIRE broke out in a villa in Son Vida after the owner left a pan on the oven and forgot about it. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames. No one was hurt in the incident.

Stuck solid Rescuer rescued AGAINST THE CLOCK: The men run beside the horses instead of riding them.

By Steve Walsh SOMEWHERE in the mists of time between legend and history was born the fiesta of Los Caballos del Vino, or ‘Horses of Wine.’

In the beautiful medieval town of Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia, an incredible display of fantasy and symbolism takes place every year, where some 200,000 visitors are treated to an historic spectacle unrivalled in the world.

According to popular tradition, around the year 1250, the Templar fortress of Caravaca was under siege by the Moors of Granada. Water and wine were desperately needed, so a group of brave Templar knights secretly broke through the lines to retrieve supplies for the townsfolk.

10.7 BILLION is the number of euros spent in Spain by tourists from abroad during the first three months of this year. British tourists are reported to have increased their spending by 14.8 per cent, reaching a total of €1.8 billion.

Having been discovered by the Moors, they had to make a dash back to the castle with their laden horses.

Hence the race.

The fiesta begins before dawn, when only the most privileged can witness the highly secretive washing and decorating of the horses in embroidered robes of silk and gold.

From over 40 different locations in the city the teams then assemble to race their horses.

In a timed sprint against the clock, the brightly decorated Cuesta del Castillo surprisingly witnesses the men not riding the horses, but running beside them instead.

The spectacular ‘not to be missed’ fiesta takes place on the morning of May 2, and is the day before the Feast of the Cross.

POLICE officers in Vigo, Galicia, had to rescue a 57-year-old woman who got stuck in a fourmetre-deep drain while trying to get her dog out. An officer was lowered into the drain on a rope, and dragged the woman out by her feet.

o p ia te s a n d a ju d g e s e ntenced her for theft.

Yet, in a separate process, the health authority also decided to punish the worker by suspending her for two years as the offence is listed as ‘extremely serious’ in the

health service’s staff regulations.

The nursing assistant was found to have taken a total of 290 capsules of strong opiates from the hospital in 2012 using access codes belonging to fe llow s ta ff

Crashed into building A DRUNK driver crashed in Alfons the Magnanim in Palma. The driver was arrested after crashing into several cars and into the side of a building.

New office Service for tourists

Quote of the Week There’s nothing left, no city, no heritage, just rubble and bodies’ said Jonathan Herranz, a 27year-old man who was one of the first group of Spaniards evacuated from Katmandu after the earthquake in Nepal.

Nurse’s suspension is confirmed THE Balearic Islands Supreme C o u r t h a s co n firmed a two year suspension given to a nursing assistant who stole medicine.

The woman, who worked at S on E sp a se s h o spita l, was reported for stealing

Drunk driver

members and faking patient reports to state that they had re quire d the s trong pa inkillers.

The nurs e a ppe a le d the decision from Ib-Salut he a lth a uthority, but a Supreme Court judge has

now confirmed it, declaring that the public worker’s actions were detrimental to medical centres and citizens and also affected her colleagues whose data she had used t o get hol d of t he drugs.

A NEW SATE office to serve foreign tourists has been approved for S’Arenal at a recent meeting of the Minister of Public Administration and the Local Safety Board of Llucmajor.

Man found Stabbed to death A POST MORTEM has confirmed that a homeless man whose body was found in Son Rapinya was stabbed to death. The results show the man had been dead for several days.

Car crash Vehicle overturned A WOMAN, aged 30, escaped unhurt after her car crashed into the guard rail of a road in Llucmajor and overturning.

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INDEX News 1 - 21 Breaking News 3

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Farmers in Mallorca fear the arrival of olive ebola MALLORCAN farmers are fearful the disease will arrive on the island.

News Desk 18 European Press 20 Russian Press 21 Finance 23 - 28 Stocks 24 Street Talk 29 Leapy 29 Pets 30 Nora Johnson 32 Our View 33 Colin Bird 33 Daily TV 34 Letters 36 Time Out 38 - 39 Health & Beauty 40 Food 42 Homes & Gardens 43 Property 44 - 46 Classifieds 47 - 48 Boats 49 - 52 Travel Club 53 Motoring 54 Sport 56

By Gemma Quinn THE ‘Ebola of Olive’ has arrived in Europe. It is sweeping olive and almond groves in southern Italy and has begun to attack the woody fruit crops in France with Mallorcan farmers fearful it will arrive on the island.

Xylella Fastidiosa is a highly contagious bacteria of American origin that has devastating effects on olive, almond and oleander trees and if the bacteria reaches the Mediterranean area it could affect 8,100 hectares of olive trees on the Island; 2,075 of them classed as ‘Designation of Origin Olive de Mallorca’ and affect some 24,440 almonds trees; two of the most important and traditional crops of our islands.

The Xylella Fastidiosa is transmitted by leafhoppers, very common in the Mediterranean basin, in the olive grove and other woody crops. These

OLIVE TREES: Farmers want the public administration to increase controls.

8,100 is the number of hectares of olive trees and 24,440 almond trees which could be affected

insects absorb the sap of almond and olive trees and if in-

fected, transmit the bacteria quickly.

Andalucia was the first autonomous community in Spain to be aware of the problem that can be created by the pest in the millions of acres of olive trees that populate southern Spain.

The Balearics have not yet

launched a specific control over this bacterium but is observing the arrival of olive trees and other plants outside the islands with the aim of detecting diseased trees. So far it has not detected any infected specimen, but farmers want the public administration to increase controls.

The Street Angels return to Magaluf THE ‘Street Angels’ project has returned to Magaluf.

It is a local initiative by Christians based in Palma Nova and Magaluf and has been running now for two years.

The aim is to provide basic assistance to people who have perhaps enjoyed a little too much of life’s excesses while out for an evening’s entertainment in these holiday resorts.

The scheme has been set up in co-operation with Local Police and the town council with volunteers receiving support on a regular basis. The initiative is supported by some of the churches on the island.

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NEWS EXTRA

Gas leak THE theft of a gas meter of a building in Palma nearly caused a fire as the theft caused a gas leak in the property in Calle Caliana.

Cut free FIREFIGHTERS had to cut out the driver of a car as their vehicle crashed into a tree in Avenida Joan Miro, Palma.

Car thieves PALMA court has sentenced five youths to prison sentences totalling 13 years for carrying out a dozen burglaries from cars in one night in Calvia. Police also recovered 412g of cannabis during searches.

Stolen tools POLICE arrested a band of thieves accused of robbing from eight vans in Porreres, stealing tools and other items.

Strike action to be taken Health Unions are taking action

By Gemma Quinn HEALTH unions have decided to take strike action next week.

Five day strikes in the Balearic public health are scheduled to take place on May 12, 14, 18, 20 and 22, according to the CCOO, UGT and CSI-F unions.

In addition to the strikes, unions predict concentrations and protests to be gathered at all health centres.

The protests are in relation to pay conditions and recognition for all healthcare workers and the relevant pay for their level of expertise.

Unions have clarified that it is not only an economic issue, but one of dignity of labour, since the agreement signed by the Medical Asso-

ciation and the Nursing Administration excludes the non-medical personnel, as they are also a relevant part in the operation of public health.

Unions have requested an urgent meeting with the President of the Government, Jose Ramon Bauza, because they believe he is the only person able to unlock the conflict.

Bad news for jobs UNEMPLOYMENT in the Balearic Islands rose by 19,400 in the first three months of this year, reaching a total of 130,700 jobless people.

The latest Active Population Survey (EPA) by the National Statistics Institute (INE) reported that at the end of March there was an unemployment rate of 22.29.

The islands were found to be the second worst region for people losing their jobs over the three months, beaten only by Catalu単a with 28,400.

On a national level, the number of people out of work fell by 13,100 people.

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Lucky escape Mallorca’s top horses were due to sail on burning ferry

By Gemma Quinn

were due to travel onward to Madrid to participate in an LUCK has smiled on four of equestrian event. the top 10 horses of the However, two hours before Baleares. sailing and Uson was offered As news broke of the ferry the opportunity of sharing a fire and the evacuation of ride with the passengers back to the of the best equestri- animals on a port of Palma an horses, valued at transfer via €500m escaped the Barcelona. owner and ill-fated ferry By acceptrider David ing the offer Uson revealed he undoubtedly saved the he should have travelled on lives of the horses. board the ferry.

As four of the best equesThe head of the Sa Gubai trian event horses on the Isriding school had booked lands, their value exceeds transport for their four horses half a million euros. on the Palma to Valencia fer(Ferry fire, see page nine) ry crossing, from which they

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NEWS

Two deaths in a week A GERMAN woman died after falling down a 10m embankment in Soller.

The 24 year-old is believed to have lost her balance and fallen while hiking in the Pas d’en Barona area.

Mallorca fire brigade and Guardia Civil officers were sent to the rescue and a helicopter called to airlift the badly injured woman to Son Espases hospital in Palma, where doctors worked for 45 minutes attempting to revive her without success as she passed away.

This is the second death in the mountains in just one week as another German woman, aged 51, lost her life after falling in Cami dels Pintors, near Cala Deia.

Prime Minister meets President THE Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy is to meet the President of the Balearic Islands, Jose Ramon Bauza to discuss the economic situation and issues affecting the Islands.

The meeting will take place in Moncloa Palace as part of the regular meetings scheduled between the Prime Minister and President.

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NEWS EXTRA

Computer cleaning A COMPUTER programme has been installed by Son Servera council to allow residents to monitor the cleaning and maintenance of public spaces and view the routes taken by the street cleaning machines.

Fundraising RESIDENTS in Inca are helping to raise funds for a three year-old boy suffering from congenital muscular dystrophy.

Money raised will go on global research projects.

Ferry fire rescue PASSENGERS were rescued and transported to Palma.

By Gemma Quinn PASSENGERS on board a ferry which caught fire have been rescued and transported to the port of Palma.

A fire took hold on board the Italian ship, named Sorrento, during its route from Palma to Valencia. It left port at 11.50am with 152 passengers on board.

It is reported that there were around 13 nationalities on board and many were residents in Mallorca. Around two hours later a major fire broke out on the fourth deck and quickly spread throughout the vessel with a column of black smoke

152

passengers were on board as the ferry caught fire

being visible from several miles away.

With the Sorrento raising the alarm, three vessels headed out to help it including a ferry which covers the same route and had left 10 minutes earlier.

Maritime Rescue was also sent out.

Passengers were taken on board the Puglia boat and taken to the port of Palma. Two passengers who had failed to reach

the evacuation zone were rescued by helicopter and taken to the Espases Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and an anxiety attack. Both were later released.

Red Cross workers were deployed to meet the passengers as soon as they landed at the dock and Acciona Trasmediterrรกnea which operates the ferry, has set up a phone number for concerned families of the occupants of the boat who require information. The hotline number is 971 707 202.

Salvage workers are now working to try and prevent the boat from sinking out at sea.

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NEWS

Mallorca’s first gay chorus festival MGMC is a self-starting group of 40 friends.

By Gemma Quinn MALLORCA’S first ever Gay Chorus Festival takes place in Andratx, Palma de Mallorca, next week.

From May 7-9 and organised by the City Council d’Andratx and The Mallorca Gay Men’s Chorus (MGMC) this international vocal extravaganza is planned to take place in various locations over the three days.

Appearing will be The Pink singers from London, The

MGMC: Performing in Mallorca’s first gay chorus festival.

Rainbow singers from Barcelona, and Equivox from Paris.

Food bank donations THE 65 Correos post offices on the Balearic Islands have collected 813 kilos of non-perishable foodstuffs for the Food Bank.

As part of a campaign, donations were collected at post offices and delivered to the food bank in Mercapalma by Correos staff. On a national level, Correos offices have collected almost 26,500 kilos of food which have been distributed amongst food banks all over Spain.

The MGMC, a self-starting group of 40 friends from the choral world, decided in 2012 to create a group to sing a wide repertoire of songs from pop to classic rock.

With an idea based on successful existing gay male voice choirs such as the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, the Los Angeles GMC, and London GMC, they were encouraged to create the same in Mallorca.

The events will start with the MGMC at Castell de Son Mas de Andratx, on May 7, at 8.30pm, with all four groups on stage. On May 8 Alcudia will host Equivox, and Barcelona Rainbow Singers, while Sa Maniga, will see the MGM Chorus and the Pink Singers.

To wind the festival up on May 9, at the Trui Teatre de Palma, all four choirs will be performing.

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Property power Islands attracting more foreign buyers than anywhere else Over 18 per cent of homes bought on the Islands were acquired by companies.

The number of purchases was an increase ONE in three homes sold in the Baleares are of 19.7 per cent over 2013. The sales of secto foreign buyers. ond-hand properties increased by 42.4 per The Islands are the region of Spain with cent, the highest rate in Spain. the highest rate of non-SpanForeign buyers ish buyers according to propAcross the country, foreign erty registries who report a buyers accounted for 13 per positive increase in property homes were sold in the cent of the total, but in the sales thanks to the high purBaleares last year Baleares, that was 32.6 per chasing power and the numcent, followed closely by the ber of foreign buyers.

Canary Islands (27.4 per cent) and Valencia The National Association of Registrars has (27.1 per cent). presented its report on 2014, which showed Germans were the most prominent buyers that last year 9,248 homes in the Baleares followed by UK purchasers and then were sold, of which 3,470 were new conSwedes. structions and 5,778 second-hand properties.

By Gemma Quinn

9,248

Entrance to a bomb shelter found AN ARCHAELOGICAL research team have found the entrance to a bomb shelter in a building at the Es Born district in Palma, currently home to Spanish clothing shop Zara.

“This bomb shelter was documented in the map of refugees of the Spanish Civil war but the

location of its entrances were unknown,” said an expert of the Patrimony Department of Mallorca’s Provincial Government.

“Upon the removal of a wall, which served as a kind of cover, the stairs were unveiled,” said archaeologist Magdalena Sastre, Head of the Project.

The Provincial Government has allowed the company in charge of the archaeological digs to continue research works in the basement of the building which was expected to be turned into a warehouse and has ensured the bomb shelter will be preserved on its whole.

NEWS

NEWS EXTRA

Youth help THE Regional Government of the Balearic Islands will spend €1.35 million to promote employment amongst Balearic youths who are inscribed in the National System for Youth Guarantee and other job associations.

Approved THE project to regenerate the Platja de Palma has been finally approved

by Mallorca Provincial Council.

Waste fine A PALMA court has sentenced the municipal waste collection companies Envac and Urbaser to pay a €18.7 million fine for failing its obligations.

Top of list SEVERAL trade unions have released a report which shows the Balearic Islands are at the top of the national list in the workplace accidents rate,.

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Know your balls

Art display

Cancer group is working on new campaign of male cancers

By Gemma Quinn MALLORCA’S Cancer Support Group is working tirelessly on a new campaign which highlights two male cancers that are becoming increasingly prevalent and need to be talked about openly, so that their symptoms are recognised and checked out as early as possible.

Pro-Test aims to educate the public about prostate and testicular cancers and the local Cancer Support Group has teamed up with Ballboys, a British Charity, who will be attending the MagBEACH RUGBY: Tournament. aluf Beach Rugby Tournament and is the most common canbeing held on Saturday May 2 Testicular cancers largely cer in men. While those in the and Sunday May 3. affects men between those early stages may not show any The Pro-Test campaign are ages with prostate cancer symptoms, others may experialso inviting sports, tennis, affecting older men such ence various problems. rugby, football and cricket as the over 50s If you are concerned by any clubs to display the literature of these symptoms or wish to know more and possibly allow one of the charity’s repreabout the campaign contact the Cancer Supsentatives to give a 10 minute talk called port Group by calling Krista on 659 887 455 ‘Know your Balls.’ or email cancermallorca@gmail.com.

Testicular cancer usually affects younger The Mallorca Beach Rugby Tournament atmen between the ages of 15 to 49. The most tracted 3,000 people during last year’s edition common symptom is a painless lump or and gets bigger and bigger each year. It takes swelling in the testicles, or a dull ache or feelplace on Magaluf beach and includes both ing of heaviness in the scrotum. Prostate canmen and women’s tournaments. cer typically targets men over the age of 50

15 and 49

NEWS

NEWS EXTRA

PEDRO MONTEIRO SHUTTERSTOCK

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SWEDISH artist Helena Falk currently has her art exhibition ‘Other Coffee Another Cafe’ on display until May 20 at the Palma Centre and Marina.

Film on THE Maremostra film festival is being held in Palma this weekend until Sunday May 3.

Free tours FREE guided tours are available every Wednesday and Friday of Alcudia’s historical centre. Meeting point is at the Church of Alcudia at 10am. For more information contact the Tourist Office.

Boat show PALMA’S International Boat Show returns to Palma’s harbour at La Llonja offering displays of all things nautical. Entry costs €5 and the show is on until Monday May 4.

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Victims remembered MEMORIAL for those who died in Alps crash VQUEEN Letizia comforted grieving relatives as the Spanish royals attended a memorial service for victims of the Germanwings plane crash in the French Alps last month, In a poignant service in Barcelona on Tuesday, the Queen along with her husband King Felipe met with the relatives of some of the Spaniards who died. Letizia shook hands with and embraced the families of the victims.

She also met those who had hosted the 16 German students who had been visiting Spain and were travelling back to Dusseldorf on the flight.

In a service at Barcelona's landmark Sagrada Familia

Photo by Cordonpress

By Steve Walsh

MEMORIAL: The royals attend a service in Barcelona. basilica, mass was led by Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach. Around 1,000 people

gathered outside while Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also joined the congregation.

Report on murder of Lorca comes to light ANY doubts over the fate of Federico Garcia Lorca, one of Spain’s greatest writers, came a step closer to being cleared up this week with the release of a police document related to his execution.

The details of the report have been released by Cadena Ser radio. Written in 1965, 29 years after the poet and playwriter was murdered during the Civil War in 1936, the police detail Garcia Lorca’s ‘crimes’ - being a ‘socialist,’ ‘a freemason’ and involved in ‘homosexual and abnormal practices’ - and claim he “confessed” before being put to death.

Although it’s long been believed that Garcia Lorca was murdered by official nationalist forces, obfuscation from the Francoist regime suggesting that he was killed in a street fight has never until now been officially contradicted.

But the report, recounts his arrest in Granada and how he was taken, alongside another unnamed detainee, to the ‘vicinity of the place known

as Fuente Grande.’ He was then ‘shot after having confessed, and was buried in that location, in a very shallow grave, in a ravine.’

While the report doesn’t clarify the final burial place, saying that it is “very difficult

to find,” Garcia Lorca’s biographer Ian Gibson highlighted its importance. He told El Pais: “It demonstrates that it was not a street killing, that he was taken out by the civil government to be murdered.

They themselves say it.”

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NEWS FROM OUR FIVE OTHER REGIONS

COSTA DEL SOL

The Red Cross ‘Baywatch day’ on a Javea beach

TECHNICAL TEST: A simulated sea rescue of a victim.

COSTA DE ALMERÍA

AXARQUÍA

MORE than 60 volunteers took part in trials in sea rescue and safety on Javea’s Arenal beach from 8am until 7pm on Saturday April 25, supervised by the local Red Cross.

A total of 205 candidates took part in the tests, undergoing a series of practical exercises to establish their suitability to become lifeguards and perform other tasks associated with beach safety.

The screening tests consisted of three parts: a practical test, a technical test and an interview held later for those assessed as suitable.

Paqui Molina, responsible for human Red Cross resources in Alicante, said: “The aim is to ascertain the best possible staff for each role for beaches in the province and anywhere the Red Cross has a presence, to best ensure public health and safety.”

In addition there were technical tests involving aquatic equipment and a simulated sea rescue of a victim.

COSTA BLANCA NORTH

COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

Film debut

Kitchen training

Women’s parade

Windsurfer rescued

A SHORT partly filmed on location in the Tabernas desert was premiered at the recent Malaga Film Festival. Entitled ‘Stomach,’ it was directed by Madrileño Javier Kuhn.

A FOUR-month training course organised by the council will boost the chances for 17 jobless people from Almuñecar, who will learn the tasks required of kitchen assistants at Horno de Candida catering school.

FOR the first time an all-woman ‘fila’ has taken part in the Moors & Christians celebration parade in the historic city of Alcoy. The ladies were dressed as a contingency of Moors.

A MAN was rescued by the Marine Unit of Santa Pola Local Police after being adrift on a windsurfing board for over three hours.

Cruise visit

Book exchange

MOTRIL port received 238 passengers from the Hamburg cruise ship, which stopped off on its way from Cartagena to Gibraltar, allowing tourists to visit the Alhambra, Motril, Nerja and Frigiliana.

OVER 500 books were exchanged at the La Nucia book exchange fair last Saturday, an event aimed to promote and encourage reading experiences, especially among younger readers.

Ugly bugs COCHINEAL and scale insects are infesting prickly pears in the area around the Alcazaba in Almeria City.

Bar-owners complained that the insects are putting off clients and affecting trade.

Night owls EL EJIDO will hold a Noche en Blanco (Awake all night) on May 15.

Shops, bars and restaurants in central streets and squares will remain open from 7pm until 2am.

Fine situation GUARDIA CIVIL officers complained that they are obliged to impose 50 traffic fines a month to earn a productivity bonus. They are being turned into cash registers, their union said.

Miniature Einsteins ALMOST 1,000 robotics students from all over Spain have been at a Science Meet in Bezmiliana secondary school in Rincon de la Victoria sharing ideas and showing off their work.

Traffic control RETRACTABLE bollards are to be installed on central Nerja streets to regulate traffic and improve safety, the council has announced.

Tunnel date

Cross day

WORK on the ‘false tunnel’ for lorries bound for Garrucha port should finish

by July. The €12.7 million project will not affect residents or summer tourists, the Public Works department said.

THIS Sunday, May 3, is Cross Day, a traditional celebration in Frigiliana.

Musicians and dancers provide entertainment to a backdrop of floral crosses across town.

NEWS

Run to the cross THIS Sunday the fourth Benidorm run takes place, a 10,000 metre route starting at 9am for walkers and 10am for runners from the town hall square.

Gandia son GANDIA Council has awarded 62year-old writer and journalist Ignacio Mora with the accolade ‘Son of the City of Gandia.’ Mora was born in the town and has enjoyed a long literary career.

Food donation 150 KILOS of non-perishable food, collected at the dog walk on Sunday April 5 was handed over to the La Nucia food bank.

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

Winning wines NINE new wines have received the ‘gold medal’ at the annual contest organised by the Wine Guild Kingdom of Monastrell. Seven of them belong to the Designation of Origin (DO) Jumilla and two to the DO Alicante.

Coffee thieves THIEVES are believed to have climbed up Lorca’s Town Hall to gain entry into the building before robbing money from a coffee vending machine.

Kite surfing A KITE surfing festival takes place over the weekend at Playa Isla del Ciervo in La Manga. The event, running until Sunday, includes the first cable-ski facility in Murcia.

Car crash A LATE night crash in the centre of Torrevieja caused damage to five vehicles and left a pedestrian injured.

The driver of a car skipped a light and hit a vehicle which in turn hit and shunted three parked cars.

More cruise passengers CRUISE passengers visiting Malaga were up by 32.2 per cent for January and February this year with a total of 39,554 visitors registered.

No more fires MIJAS Council has announced that bonfires are strictly forbidden from today, April 30, until October 31 (unless specifically authorised by the Junta de Andalucia regional government) due to extreme risk of forest fires.

Seedy theft from port THREE people have been arrested for allegedly stealing 25,000 kilos of sunflower seeds worth €10,000 from a storehouse in Malaga port.

Flight fright EMERGENCY protocols had to be activated at Malaga airport on Monday, April 27, when a Ryanair pilot arriving from Stansted reported faulty brakes. Luckily the plane landed safely with no complications.

Big spenders from abroad TOURISTS from abroad spent more than €1,500 million in Andalucia in the first three months of this year, the Touristic Studies Institute has reported. The highest spenders were found to be from the UK and France.

English TV CANAL 43 TV in Manilva and Estepona has launched a programme in English for Costa del Sol expatriates. Manilva Life Style was screened for the first time on Sunday, April 26.

EWN top for all the news from Spain.

FINANCE

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

We are now in the new age of UK pensions, where you have complete freedom to do whatever you wish with your funds… depending on what type of pension you have.

While the new pension regime is generally welcome, it is more complex than many realise, with various myths about what you can and cannot do, and you need to understand the tax implications in Spain. There is a concern that people will make the wrong decision, because they have not weighed up all their options or were encouraged to transfer into an unsuitable scheme.

The new pension freedom only applies to defined contribution schemes. This is the industry term for money purchase schemes, such as personal or stakeholder pensions, Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), Executive Pension Plans etc.

It does not apply to defined benefit schemes - i.e. final salary - though you could potentially transfer to a defined contribution scheme.

Regulated advice The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) confirmed that all transfers from defined benefit schemes can only take place if the

EWN

19

Update On UK Pensions

By Peter Worthington, Senior Partner, Blevins Franks member has received advice from a pension transfer specialist who is regulated by the FCA. Defined benefit schemes pose particular issues and those considering moving to other arrangements must be aware of the potential benefits they are giving up.

Transferring may not be in their best interests.

The rule also applies to non-UK residents. If you live in Spain, you still need to take advice from a UK

regulated pension transfer specialist.

Overseas advisers who are not FCA regulated and transfer pensions into Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS) will need to pass cases onto UK firms to provide the advice. The UK adviser becomes responsible for the advice even though they may never meet or speak to the client.

Indeed, the best advice is to carry the FCA’s rule on taking regulated advice forward to all your pension decisions. This is a highly complex area; getting it wrong could have serious consequences.

Scam proof your pensions The Pension Regulator launched a campaign warning people not to get stung by pension scams, which are on the increase following the new freedom.

The FCA also stepped up consumer warnings and launched a

“ScamSmart” campaign amid growing fears that retirees will fall victim to fraudsters or make poorly informed decisions. Pension savers face new risks with new complex and difficult to compare products.

Those who have not taken proper advice could lose out from providers shielding them from the full range of options.

QROPS In December HM Revenue & Customs issued a draft statutory instrument which proposed removing the “70 per cent rule” on QROPS (where 70 per cent of the funds should provide an income for life) from April.

However, in mid-March HMRC confirmed that the rule will remain in place for now, which means many QROPS cannot provide full flexibility on withdrawals. This is temporary, but there was no indication of a time scale.

This 70 per cent rule does not

apply to EU schemes; QROPS in, for example, Malta, can offer the new flexibilities.

Annuities From April 2016, pension freedom will be extended to people who have already bought an annuity. Retirees will be able to sell the income from their annuity and use the capital as they wish they could take it as a lump sum or place it in drawdown.

You need to be extremely careful about what you do with your pension fund, and take regulated professional advice for peace of mind.

Just because pension freedom exists, does not mean you have to use it. Take your time to research all your options and take professional advice.

To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com.

20

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www.euroweeklynews.com

GERMAN

EUROPEAN PRESS SCANDINAVIAN PRESS

Refugee aid NORWAY: Prime Minister Erna Solberg has confirmed to the EU that Norway will fast track procedures to provide a civilian aid vessel to refugees in the Mediterranean.

Rights judge FINLAND: Pauline Koskelo, president of the Supreme Court of Finland, has taken an appointment as judge for the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Wolf hunters NORWAY: Five men have received jail sentences in a landmark case, for carrying out illegal wolf hunts. The sentences range from six months to one year and eight months.

Bestiality ban DENMARK: Courts will issue fines and prison sentences for bestiality after lawmakers recently approved a new law. Some 17 per cent of Danish vets suspected their patients had been abused.

White goods SWEDEN: According to Electrolux, the demand for Swedish white goods in Western Europe has grown by 4 per cent in the first quarter of 2015.

Subway heroes SWEDEN: Four Swedish policemen on vacation in New York have foiled an assault on a subway train.

They held down the attacker until the NYPD could take over.

CEO replaced SWEDEN: THE Volvo Group in Gothenberg has confirmed that CEO and President Olof Persson is to be replaced with immediate effect by Martin Lundstedt, former boss of rival truckmaker Scania.

PRESS

UK in the dark on deficit EXPERTS have criticised political parties over lack of debt plans THE Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that the four major contenders in the UK General Election “have not provided anything like full details” on plans to cut the deficit.

Festival boost ACCORDING to the Association of Independent Festivals, such events contributed £296 million to the UK economy in 2014.

Luckie lady GEORGE KIRBY, at 103, has become the UK’s oldest bridegroom after proposing to 91-year-old Doreen Luckie.

Move mooted SHARES in HSBC have gone up 3 per cent on the news that the bank is considering moving its HQ out of the UK with Hong Kong tipped as favourite.

BRITISH PRESS

ticket prices increased from £350 to £1,000.

Train slammed

Director leaving CHRIS DERCON is to leave his role as a director of the Tate Modern. He is the second director to leave in the last two months.

CHRIS DERCON: Leaving his role.

LONDON Transport Commissioner Sir Peter Hendy has heavily criticised the city’s commuter train service, particularly the Southeastern line that carries 600,000 passengers every working day.

Uni walk out AROUND 700 staff members of the University of Salford went on strike after two colleagues were sacked.

Season ticket fury

Dutch small businesses on the up THERE’S encouraging start-up news for the Dutch economy.

Unhappy Holland THE Netherlands is no longer in the top five of the world’s happiest countries, having dropped three places. In 2013 it was in fourth place.

DUTCH PRESS Smokey schools PLANS are in place to ban smoking in school playgrounds in the Netherlands. Currently only half of the country’s schools apply a stringent no smoking policy according to Junior Health Minister Martin van Rijn.

Tourism surge TOURISTS and business travellers to the Netherlands have increased by 40 per cent, the Dutch Tourism Board NBTC said on Thursday April 23.

Greek aid package GREEK Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is urging German Chancellor Angela Merkel to exert her influence and fast track negotiations over a new aid package for Greece by the end of April.

Baby favourites GERMANY’S top favourite baby names for 2014 are Sophie and Maximilian, chosen from a list that collated more than 59,000 choices.

Film boycott DISNEY’S new ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ that opened in Germany on April 23 was boycotted in 193 small towns.

The movie’s rental fee went up from 47.7 to 53 per cent of ticket sales.

Beer fountain

A GROUP of disabled Manchester City fans are furious after their season

STATISTICS Netherland has reported that just over 65,000 new small businesses were registered in the Netherlands in 2014.

NEWS

NO SMOKING: Playgrounds to put ban in place.

Wrangler shutterstock_109977626

Expert fired A DUTCH expert, George Maat, who helped identify victims from the MH-17 air crash in Ukraine has been sacked after showing photographs of the fatalities at a public lecture in Holland in early April.

Teenage sentence THE court in The Hague has sentenced a 16-year-old boy to 20 months in youth detention and psychiatric care for stabbing his 15-year-old classmate to death in October 2014.

Toddler hurt A LITTLE boy was seriously injured on Friday April 24 in Papendrecht, Holland, when a massage table fell on top of the three-year-old in a Health Centre.

King’s Day KING Willem-Alexander celebrated his birthday in Dordrecht on Monday, while hundreds of thousands of people were expected to attend celebrations.

NATIONAL Beer Day was celebrated on April 23 in the Bavarian capital Munich with a free beer fountain that served around 1,000 litres of free beer to happy recipients.

Drug driving EU CITIZENS caught driving in Germany under the influence of cannabis can be banned from driving regardless of regulations in their home country, warned Luxembourg on Thursday April 23.

New terminal FRANKFURT Airport (FRA) has announced its decision to start construction of a new Terminal 3 this year with an investment of €2.5 billion.

Asylum rules GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a new system for distribution of asylum seekers throughout Europe as current regulations “are no longer workable.

NEWS

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

RUSSIAN P RESS

Not bothered VICTORY DAY viewed as an internal national holiday.

VICTORY PARADE: Russians celebrate the holiday.

RUSSIANS view the upcoming Victory Day as an internal national holiday and won’t be particularly bothered if it isn’t attended by Western leaders such as US President Obama, says the latest research by the public opinion centre.

Russian economy THE Russian economy has contracted by 2 per cent in the first quarter, admitted Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. He said: “Russia is facing an array of challenges.”

Foreign students RUSSIA’S Education, Science and Foreign Affairs ministries have requested a 30 per cent increase in foreign students to facilitate ‘pro-Russian national elites,’ promoting Moscow abroad.

Baggage scam THREE ex-baggage handlers employed at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow have been arrested, suspected of stealing US$3.3 million in cash from a Novosibirsk flight and substituting it with waste paper.

Pilot on trial

Tulip ban THE import of Dutch tulips into Russia could soon be banned according to Russia’s Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, along with flowers from other countries via Dutch auctions.

The group had planned a ride through Poland to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in WW2.

Border concern THE US State Department jas voiced concerns that Russia recently sent arms and drone aircraft into eastern Ukraine, amassing troops along the border.

FORMER Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko accused of being involved in the deaths of two Russian journalists in east Ukraine last year is to request a jury trial, her lawyer has confirmed.

Gas supply THE Russian Duma has ratified an agreement on natural gas supplies via the Western route to China.

Tennis rights PRESIDENT Francesco Ricci Bitti of the International Tennis Federation has said that, “Crimea is part of Russia,” therefore should have the right to play on the Russian national team.

Arms invite

Foreigners parade IT is confirmed by Russian Ground Forces that more than 700 foreign military servicemen will take part in the Moscow parade marking the 70th anniversary of the Allied Victory in World War II.

COLOMBIA has invited Russian defence sector companies to participate in the national arms exhibition Exspodefensa-2015, to take place in Bogota from November 30 to December 2.

No to bikers POLISH authorities refused entry to a Russian biker gang with Kremlin backing.

Frederic Legand - COMEO shutterstock_186564146

DUTCH TULIPS: Could be banned.

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FINANCE

Mallorca

30 April - 6 May 2015

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal LONDON - FTSE 100 C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 27

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

+0.12%

C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 27

NASDAQ

+1.33%

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Take care over financial advice

By Jason Bailey UNREGULATED financial advisors are offering high returns to expatriates after the recent change in British legislation. This allows people over 55 to release their pension equity and speculate in the open market.

Money invested in pension schemes in Britain is generally overseen by one of two regulatory bodies. These are the Financial Conduct

Quote of the Week

75% of these offers result in losses

Authority (FCA) and Financial Services Commission (FSC).

In Spain, the regulators are Direccion General de Seguros (DGS) and Comisión Nacional del Mercado

de Valores (CNMV).

Rogue advisors offer investment opportunities in a wide range of areas: shares in car parks; carbon credits; fine wines; property investments… these are just some of the suggestions put to retirees, sold with a promise of guaranteed yields or high payments designed to attract interest from pensioners striving to boost their income.

Nobody can understand the things,’ J M Marin Quemada, president of a watchdog commission, at a conference on electricity bills.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Good figures THE Spanish PM, Mariano Rajoy, said: “They are good figures, we should celebrate,” after data released on April 23 showed the country’s recovering economy had created close to half a million jobs over the past year.

WASTE MANAGEMENT: Attractive to investors.

Piles of money to be had from rubbish!

WASTE management is becoming big business in Spain, and an attractive option for investors on the hunt for opportunities.

Spain generates more than 150 million tonnes of waste per year, or 6 per cent of the total for the EU, according to management consultancy Norgestion.

Waste management accounts for 40 per cent of all environmental sector-related activity, chalking up revenues

of over €7.8 billion and employing 140,000 people.

About 50 per cent of the market is controlled by a handful of big companies, such as Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, and most of these offer an integrated service which incorporates the whole production chain.

But there are more than 10,000 companies operating in Spain’s waste management sector, so it could be ripe for consolidation.

State of affairs THE Eurozone’s economic crisis is driving Spaniards who can’t afford expensive divorces to have affairs outside marriage, according to an extramarital dating website.

Equity sale BP is to sell its equity in the Central Area Transmission System (Cats) business to Antin Infrastructure Partners, who already own a majority interest in the operation. BP said the agreement involves a payment on completion of £302 million.

IMF predicts Spanish growth THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has adjusted its forecast for Spanish growth to 2.5 per cent for 2015.

This represents the fastest growth rate in the euro-zone. It stated that domestic demand would be strong enough to assist the recovery.

For the first time since the property bubble burst, construction is contributing to GDP. The

23

CELLNEX Television claims €143 million from the government after it closed down the DTT channels. The company, which handled the signal transmission, said the cessation of nine DTT channels resulted in severe losses.

DOW JONES

+0.24%

EWN

external conditions of lower oil prices, euro depreciation and assistance from the European Central Bank (ECB) are all providing the conditions for sustained growth. This is the seventh positive revision of Spain’s economic status.

The IMF predicts that if the present conditions continue, it would take over eight years for Spain to get back to its pre-crisis position.

The FCA stated that 75 per cent of these offers result in losses.

Many of the salesmen operate under subcontractor status for larger financial firms, meaning liability for any loss would be hard to prove.

People should always check when taking professional financial advice that the adviser is regulated by the DGS or CNMV or has transferred their FSA and/or FSC authorisation from the UK/Gibraltar.

IBEX 35

-0.70%

C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 27

More working for themselves SPAIN has 19,040 more self-employed foreign workers than last year, according to data from the OPA (federation of organisations of professionals, self-employed and entrepreneurs). In February there were 242,733 foreign professionals registered in Spain. This is an increase of 7.85 per cent. OPA President Camilo Abietar viewed this increase as a positive development but he stated that sufficient financing needed to be directed to this sector to maintain and support it.

24

E W N 30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR MONEY WITH US

LONDON - FTSE 100

See our advert on opposite page

C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 27

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group 494.50 -14.00 Aberdeen Asset Management 482.50 8.90 Admiral Group 750.00 -1,581.00 Aggreko 1,690.50 18.50 Anglo American 1,073.50 -8.50 Antofagasta 792.25 -1.25 ARM Holdings 1,202.00 16.00 Ashtead Group 1,170.00 4.00 Associated British Foods 2,880.00 109.00 AstraZeneca 4,767.50 18.00 Aviva 532.50 1.50 Babcock International Group 1,007.50 -6.50 BAE Systems 518.50 3.50 Barclays 258.05 -3.70 Barratt Developments 538.50 -2.50 BG Group 1,170.00 2.50 BHP Billiton 1,539.50 -24.50 BP 481.20 2.80 British American Tobacco 3,740.00 -6.50 British Land Co 893.00 55.00 BT Group 469.00 1.40 Bunzl 1,854.50 -1.50 Burberry Group 1,805.00 9.00 Capita Group (The) 600.00 -1,134.00 Carnival 3,150.00 2.00 Centrica 259.50 -5.00 Coca-Cola HBC 1,290.50 -72.50 Compass Group 1,182.00 13.00 CRH 1,900.00 45.00 Diageo 1,875.00 4.50 Direct Line Insurance Group 348.00 21.90 Dixons Carphone 438.50 5.70 easyJet 1,840.00 0.00 Experian 1,196.50 6.50 Fresnillo 728.00 4.50 G4S 286.80 -16.80 GKN 363.00 0.00 GlaxoSmithKline 1,530.50 -4.00 Glencore 306.90 -4.30 Hammerson 630.00 -44.50 Hargreaves Lansdown 568.00 -1,181.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 1,189.00 -2,150.00 HSBC Holdings 626.50 -3.20 Imperial Tobacco Group 3,292.50 -12.50 InterContinental Hotels 2,798.00 -31.00 International Consolidated Air 575.25 3.25 Intertek Group 2,602.50 -81.50 Intu Properties 357.00 7.00 ITV 270.00 0.40 Johnson Matthey 3,435.00 23.00

% CHG. NET VOL -2.75 4,898.74 1.88 6,472.31 -100.00 4,451.78 1.11 4,243.88 -0.79 14,740.25 -0.16 7,672.43 1.35 16,803.65 0.34 5,841.31 3.93 21,917.50 0.38 61,109.26 0.28 21,734.11 -0.64 5,064.65 0.68 15,889.88 -1.41 43,126.05 -0.46 5,230.26 0.21 40,199.89 -1.57 32,187.97 0.59 88,221.52 -0.17 69,755.82 6.56 8,620.86 0.30 38,770.06 -0.08 6,218.93 0.50 8,012.06 -100.00 7,506.58 0.06 6,806.71 -1.89 13,078.03 -5.32 4,964.60 1.11 19,627.17 2.43 15,099.39 0.24 46,798.30 6.72 4,857.75 1.32 5,016.34 0.00 7,282.81 0.55 11,864.04 0.62 5,322.21 -5.53 4,688.92 0.00 5,974.04 -0.26 74,242.57 -1.38 39,416.93 -6.60 5,284.29 -100.00 5,679.97 -100.00 4,226.20 -0.51 118,083.64 -0.38 31,416.51 -1.10 6,666.77 0.57 11,780.18 -3.04 4,318.85 2.00 4,617.58 0.15 10,813.58 0.67 6,971.30

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Kingfisher 351.50 -3.70 Land Securities Group 1,294.00 25.00 Legal & General Group 269.50 6.10 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 78.65 -0.45 London Stock Exchange 2,405.00 -150.00 Marks & Spencer Group 545.00 -9.50 Meggitt 539.50 -5.00 Merlin Entertainments 447.50 -6.40 Mondi 1,367.00 13.00 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 187.85 -6.25 National Grid 894.00 -12.10 Next 7,395.00 220.00 Old Mutual 231.60 0.60 Pearson 1,392.50 32.50 Persimmon 1,759.50 0.50 Prudential 1,631.00 -1.00 Randgold Resources 5,025.50 75.50 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,025.00 34.00 Reed Elsevier 1,155.00 39.00 Rio Tinto 2,945.00 -58.50 Rolls-Royce Group 1,039.00 -11.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 351.50 -2.40 Royal Dutch Shell 2,090.00 24.00 Royal Dutch Shell 2,107.50 15.50 Royal Mail 442.50 1.60 RSA Insurance Group 422.75 0.45 SABMiller 3,617.50 63.50 Sage Group (The) 479.70 -5.00 Sainsbury (J) 273.90 5.80 Schroders 1,640.00 -3,306.00 Severn Trent 2,171.00 -27.00 Shire 5,450.00 -165.00 Sky 1,094.00 -6.00 Smith & Nephew 1,159.00 -25.00 Smiths Group 1,132.50 -2.50 Sports Direct International 657.50 44.50 SSE 1,565.00 -40.00 St James's Place 498.00 -896.50 Standard Chartered 1,075.00 5.00 Standard Life 475.00 5.10 Taylor Wimpey 83.85 -169.20 Tesco 226.50 1.70 Travis Perkins 990.00 -2,060.00 TUI AG 1,214.50 -2.50 Unilever 2,985.00 11.00 United Utilities Group 993.50 -9.50 Vodafone Group 230.50 -1.75 Weir Group 1,890.00 135.00 Whitbread 2,362.50 -5,335.00 Wolseley 3,938.00 -46.00 WPP Group 1,587.50 13.50

% CHG. -1.04 1.97 2.32 -0.57 -5.87 -1.71 -0.92 -1.41 0.96 -3.22 -1.34 3.07 0.26 2.39 0.03 -0.06 1.53 0.57 3.49 -1.95 -1.05 -0.68 1.16 0.74 0.36 0.11 1.79 -1.03 2.16 -100.00 -1.23 -2.94 -0.55 -2.11 -0.22 7.26 -2.49 -100.00 0.47 1.09 -100.00 0.76 -100.00 -0.21 0.37 -0.95 -0.75 7.69 -100.00 -1.15 0.86

NET VOL 8,191.67 10,059.59 15,798.06 56,199.68 8,832.40 9,157.73 4,336.79 4,587.71 6,404.45 4,507.89 33,129.03 10,949.57 11,344.68 11,463.50 5,350.66 41,875.06 4,677.01 42,695.36 12,645.57 41,663.63 19,058.05 22,537.42 81,427.98 51,683.02 4,422.00 4,315.62 57,589.43 5,223.98 5,129.55 7,431.62 5,164.37 33,344.97 18,677.12 10,522.41 4,500.46 3,691.03 15,714.99 4,731.81 26,249.00 9,232.07 5,366.59 18,279.18 5,104.57 7,092.03 38,099.49 6,716.60 60,964.43 3,789.65 9,672.51 10,641.03 20,542.40

1.39524

0.716718

Units per €

US dollar ...................................................................1.08727 Japan yen.................................................................129.427 Switzerland franc.................................................1.03734 Denmark kroner ..................................................7.460511 Norway kroner.....................................................8.44953

currenciesdirect.com/mallorca • Tel: +34 687 906 226

DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 27

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

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE +0.08% 159.11 +0.12 -0.72% -0.56 77.43 +1.79% 132.61 +2.33 -0.36% -0.54 147.86 +0.23% 84.80 +0.20 +0.48% 110.40 +0.53 -0.28% -0.08 28.74 -0.03% -0.01 40.88 +1.32% 110.97 +1.45 +0.48% 71.86 +0.34 +0.43% 87.34 +0.37 +0.22% 26.86 +0.06 +0.39% 198.77 +0.78 -0.25% -0.28 113.42 +0.41% 170.47 +0.69 +0.69% 32.30 +0.22 +0.24% 101.32 +0.24 +0.58% 62.96 +0.36 -0.28% -0.28 98.46 +0.47% 57.87 +0.27 -0.58% -0.28 47.59 +0.55% 101.51 +0.56 +0.23% 35.35 +0.08 -0.19% -0.15 80.85 +0.81% 104.79 +0.84 +0.15% 116.34 +0.18 +0.20% 118.93 +0.24 +0.22% 50.14 +0.11 +0.27% 67.66 +0.18 -0.40% -0.32 79.52

VOLUME 3.0M 3.4M 44.5M 4.9M 5.8M 5.0M 27.1M 11.6M 6.4M 3.8M 8.4M 27.7M 1.4M 2.9M 3.9M 1.6M 283.0K 529.0K 274.8K 411.6K 5.0M 145.0K 1.3M 486.9K 125.8K 116.9K 93.2K 597.2K 491.8K 298.7K

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES A PRIL 27

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Affimed N.V. Hong Kong Television Network Limited Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corporation eHealth, Inc. Innocoll AG Amazon.com, Inc. Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. China Information Technology, Inc. Acacia Research Corporation CEPHEID Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.

$ 11.72 $ 9.11 $ 5.61 $ 13.50 $ 9.90 $ 445.10 $ 4.875 $ 5.21 $ 11.10 $ 58.97 $ 6.26

3.47 ▲ 42.06% 1.44 ▲ 18.77% 0.86 ▲ 18.11% 2.06 ▲ 18.01% 1.28 ▲ 14.85% 55.11 ▲ 14.13% 0.545 ▲ 12.59% 0.55 ▲ 11.80% 1.08 ▲ 10.78% 5.67 ▲ 10.64% 0.60 ▲ 10.60%

$ 12.87 $ 6.88 $ 26.52 $ 2.11 $ 22.94 $ 3.66 $ 27.18 $ 30 $ 6.33 $ 4.31 $ 17.61

22.52 ▼ 63.63% 3.12 ▼ 31.20% 8.18 ▼ 23.57% 0.46 ▼ 17.90% 4.50 ▼ 16.40% 0.69 ▼ 15.86% 4.99 ▼ 15.51% 4.17 ▼ 12.20% 0.85 ▼ 11.84% 0.51 ▼ 10.58% 1.89 ▼ 9.69%

Most Declined Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc. American Superconductor Corporation The Spectranetics Corporation Durect Corporation XBiotech Inc. SORL Auto Parts, Inc. HomeAway, Inc. NETGEAR, Inc. Maxwell Technologies, Inc. TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation Healthways, Inc.

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FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Advertising feature

New exchange of financial tax information AS residents of Spain are aware, in addition to implementation of the European Savings Directive, Spain has introduced the Modelo 720 declaration requiring all assets held outside of Spain over â‚Ź50,000 by value in various asset categories to be disclosed.

While these measures now give the tax authorities a good picture of assets held outside the country by residents of Spain, the USA, OECD, EU and many other countries will be moving to a new higher transparency standard of cross-border financial disclosure starting in 2017.

The Common Reporting Standards (CRS) as drafted by the OECD are now agreed and there is a group of early adopter countries including Spain, UK (Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Malta) which will be implementing this enhanced disclosure starting as early as September 2017.

The financial information to be reported with respect to reportable accounts includes all types of investment income (including interest,

FULLY TRANSPARENT: Financial assets wherever they are held. dividends, income from certain insurance contracts and other similar types of income) but also account balances and sales proceeds from financial assets.

The financial institutions that are required to report under the CRS do not only include banks and custodians but also other financial institutions such as brokers, certain collective investment vehicles and certain insurance companies.

Reportable accounts include accounts held by individuals and entities (which include trusts and foundations) and the standard includes a requirement to look through passive entities to report on the individuals that ultimately control these entities.

In practical terms almost all financial assets wherever and however held, which can be attributable to an individual will become fully transparent. Trusts, Swiss foundations and off-

shore companies will have assets fully reported. Many issues will need to be resolved and are likely to be dealt with by national laws as they are enacted.

As this happens differences between common law countries including UK and civil code countries including Spain may result in unwanted outcomes for British expats here.

As one possible example, tax laws already enacted in France (another civil code country) if adopted in Spain, would give Spanish settlors and potential beneficiaries of trusts cause for concern.

The financial institutions will identify country of tax residence, and where dual residency is possible, report to both countries. The detail required includes name, address, date of birth, account number, balance/value, income and redemption proceeds if sales have been made. Your tax identification number will also be disclosed.

In Spain the Modelo 720 declaration requirement already covers many of the disclosure requirements but

when implemented trustees and directors of offshore companies and financial institutions will automatically disclose the value of trust, foundation and company assets, insurance policy investments, dividends, interest and the value of non-interest earning cash deposits.

The CRS agreement will plug obvious gaps in the existing EUSD provisions and it is hoped will much decrease tax evasion.

For those coming to and living in Spain, taking professional planning advice has just become more important than ever. Recognised tax planning structures will remain and with a 117-year tax-led financial planning pedigree The Fry Group will be helping clients to make key financial planning decisions, legitimately mitigating tax and ensuring their personal long term financial security.

If you would like further information contact Mark Davies mark.davies@thefrygroup.co.uk or telephone 952 768 450.

The Fry Group of companies comprises of Wilfred T. Fry Ltd – Taxation Consultants, Wilfred T. Fry (Executor and Trustee) Ltd, The Fry Group (H.K.) Ltd, The Fry Group (Belgium) SA, and Wilfred T. Fry (Personal Financial Planning) Ltd. The last company is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority is also passported under EU regulations and is authorised to act as a financial adviser by the Monetary Authority of Singapore-license number FA095023. The Fry Group (H.K.) Ltd is authorised to conduct investment business by the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) in Hong Kong and are members of the Hong Kong Confederation of Insurance Brokers. The Fry Group (Belgium) SA is regulated in Belgium by the FSMA (Reg. No. 23345 A-B) and is also passported under IMD EU regulations.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

27

JOBS WOZNIAK CORDON PRESS PRINT

Friendship is good for business Loose change Jane Plunkett A look at finance for females jane.plunkett@euroweeklynews.com

SOME might say it’s not a good idea to mix friendship and business. This however might not be entirely true according to numerous entrepreneurs, who have set up successful companies with their best friends.

The two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, became friends at a summer job in 1970 and went on to set up Apple. University pals Larry Page and Sergey Brin set up Google.

Studies show that those with best friends at work tend to be more focused, loyal and passionate. They also get sick less often and are not

SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP: Friends Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. as likely to leave their jobs. A study by two US universities put this ‘friendship is good for business’ theory to the test. They set up projects be-

tween close friends and then people who didn’t know each other and found that those in groups with friends outperformed the groups who were

teamed up with acquaintances. The study revealed that friends showed better communication and were encouraging toward each other.

If you’re thinking of getting into business with a friend, it’s important to ask some vital questions before you both sign on the dotted line.

1. How well do you know your friend?

You’re far more likely to do your homework when it comes to people you don’t know, asking around about them and checking their references. You may assume you know all about your friend, but they may be entirely different under high-pressure situations.

2. How much do you trust her? When your friend says she’ll do something, are you 100 per cent certain it will happen?

3. Does she have a key skill that you don’t?

Your partner should have a compelling value proposition that you lack.

OPINION & COMMENT

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

29

All a bit too rich for ITV! A discussion programme I recorded some time ago has been shelved. Could it have been something I said?

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT SOMEWHAT disappointed to discover that ITV has decided to shelve ‘On Assignment’, the discussion programme I recorded some time ago with fellow guests Michel and Steven Euesden, proprietors of our EWN. No reason has been given, but I suspect the content may have been a little too rich for the programmers’ ‘blood’! Ah well, I suppose my stating there was no such thing as a moderate Muslim didn’t help. By that observation, I didn’t of course mean that all followers of the Muslim faith were potential bombers or terrorists, merely that no one is a Muslim in ‘moderation’.

The followers of Islam are all or nothing.

It’s the nature of the religion. No place or room in their belief for any other opinion.

It’s the rather sad attitude that totally prevents any progress whatsoever.

To learn anything from this physical jour-

ney of ours you simply have to retain a fairly open mind. Even if you don’t agree with the attitudes or beliefs of others, it is imperative to be receptive to different ideas, even if you ultimately reject them.

The Muslims are not the only religion with this biased attitude, I may add, but let’s not get into all that. Immigration also took up a large bulk of the ‘On Assignment’ interview.

The host kept insisting that we were also immigrants, many of whom also hadn’t integrated with the

Spanish locals quite as well as we should have. Consequently, what right had we to criticise others? I had to somewhat reluctantly agree with this observation, but insisted that, although we could do better, we didn’t congregate in the streets decrying the Spanish customs and army.

BRITS ABROAD: Not always as integrated as we should be.

STREET TALK

The host kept insisting that we were also immigrants, many of whom hadn’t integrated with the Spanish locals quite as well as we should have.

Consequently, what right had we to criticise others?

We also didn’t behead their citizens in the street, blow up their buildings or preach messages of hate while burning the Spanish flag. The interviewer went a bit quiet after that; it appears that you can’t tell the truth in the British media.

Ah well, let ’em all stew in their own juice, I say. Shame about that, but I’ve no doubt we will soon get over it.

Interesting chat with a colleague today.

He runs a very successful company on Mallorca and was recently informed by the council that his employees were obliged to attend newly-organised health and safety classes, which he had to pay for.

He agreed to comply, but couldn’t help remarking on the council dustcart employees, still standing on small platforms at the back of their vehicles, clinging on for dear life, with no protection whatsoever as they career down the street collecting the bins.

Gooses and ganders come to mind!

Keep the faith, Love Leapy leapylee200@gmail.com leapylee.co.uk

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

ID red card: Have banks messed up?

Some people face having their bank accounts frozen from May 1 unless they can prove who they are. An anti-money laundering law was passed in 2010 which means banks must hold digital ID for all their clients. Were you aware of this law, and do you think the action is fair to long-standing clients who opened their accounts before that year?

FLORENCE NAVARRO, owner of Agua Flo Spas in Los Montesinos, admits she received notice from her bank several months ago about updating her information to follow new procedures but questions why it is necessary. She said “I must admit I don’t understand

why it is needed, if you are a regular user of your bank account it shouldn’t be needed. I could maybe understand it if an account had remained inactive for a while.”

She added: “They shouldn’t be cancelling or freezing the accounts without telling people first as they will lose too much business.”

On the Costa del Sol, Rob Jeacocke of Robsat IPTV and Satellite Solutions, said he wasn’t aware of the impending change, but wasn’t perturbed by it. “I have a couple of long-standing accounts where the staff would know me after 15 years or so. Everything is going digital

FLORENCE: Banks should inform customers first if they are going to freeze accounts.

now anyway, so it is a good idea to safeguard your account; after all, it should not worry anyone unless they have something to hide or they are dodgy in any way. Maybe it is a good thing,” he remarked.

From Nueva Andalucia-based Andalucia Glass & Steel, Rudi Kaiser said he had known about the new law since ‘way before Easter’, as his business is in contact with the bank on a daily basis. His company has fulfilled the requirements, but he still feels like he has been left in the dark by the bank.

“We asked them what we had to do and what they needed from us, and we put that in place straight away, but up until now we have had no update. We have heard nothing more,” he said. “To be quite honest,” Rudi added, “I just think it is a new

game they are playing which will probably involve fees of some kind.

As for money laundering, I think to stop that is almost impossible.”

However, Emma Higginson, owner of Villas-Plots.com in Javea, had no concerns. She said: “Yes, I have heard of the law and certainly not having the required documents in place when the bank demands them can cause a lot of delay. So we always try to keep abreast of changes in banking and property laws.”

EMMA: Keeps abreast of changes.

RUDI: No doubt fees will be involved.

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E W N Mallorca

30 April - 6 May 2015

SPONSORED BY

Eva gets help of new pet-sitters

By Lamia Walker of HouseSitMatch visit friends and relatives.

EVA had spent many a winShe met the sitters online ter night in Sweden thinking through the HouseSitMatch about a new life in Spain, network online. Anne and planning where to live, how Jeff are a retired Canadian she would travel there with couple who pet-sit to enable her family and deciding their travels around the whether to rent or buy for the world. They love it! first year. So much to decide They use their own years before setting off on this new of experience as dog owners adventure. And at the end of and home owners, moreover every thought process was it gives them an affordable the question - how will we and sustainable way to travel settle the dogs..? to new countries, lighter on Gretha and Per are funthe planet and fun to live in a loving Collie-cross dogs home from home with pet used to cool climates, so a dogs to play with. What large garden to play in somecould be more fun and rewhere in the mountains warding? would be ideal. Once she Whether you are a homefound a place to rent for an owner or house-sitter register initial settling in period her now for your Free 60 Day vision took shape... and once Trial and secure your Free she had found pet-sitters to Easy Guide to Housesitcare for the dogs in her ting. absence she knew To find a pet-sitshe could relax ter go to and enjoy the jourwww.Housesitney.

Match.com or Finding expericall Lamia on +44 enced dog sitters al(0)1865 521508. lowed her to make firm plans. By February she had even DOG SIT: What could be planned a long more fun and rewarding?

Christmas holiday to

PETS PAGE www.euroweeklynews.com

Important to clean dog’s ears and teeth CONSULT your vet for specific advice and treatment.

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

WHILE often overlooked, the teeth and ears are areas of pet care which are essential for the health and well-being of your dog. Indeed, they need regular dental care, as a build up of tartar can cause inflamed, swollen gums and secondary infection that can lead to serious health problems. Dogs, one to three years old, should have their teeth brushed once a week.

Dogs over three years old should have their teeth brushed three times a week.

Use a toothbrush that is made especially for dogs. They have long handles which allow you to brush the dog’s back teeth.

And never use human toothpaste - instead use an enzyme toothpaste specifically made for dogs. Additionally, there are specially treated dental cleaning pads which can be wiped over the surface of the dog’s teeth. The enzymes in the pad do the cleaning.

DENTAL CARE: Use a toothbrush especially made for dogs.

Another important but overlooked area is that of ear care. Dirt and debris in the ear canal can lead to inflammation and infection. Routine ear care, using products which cleanse the ear of debris, help to dry the ear canal and assist in preventing otitis, a chronic inflammation and infection of the external ear canal.

Ear mites are small parasites which can invade your dog’s ears. These mites typically cause a dry, dark brown debris to form in the ears of dogs. Ear mite treatments kill only the adult mites, not the

nymphs, (pre-adults). Effective ear mite treatment includes an initial series of treatments to kill the adult mites followed 10 to 14 days later by a second series of treatments to kill the newly matured adults.

Of course, always consult your own veterinarian for specific advice concerning the medical condition or treatment of your own pet or animal.

Whilst on the subject of teeth, a friend of mine ‘Bente’ left his teeth at the side of his bed. When he woke up he found his six- month-old Rottweiller chewing them!

Expat finds homes for dogs abroad AN expatriate in Alhaurin de la Torre saves hundreds of abandoned greyhounds, often finding them new homes and lives as far as 6,000 kilometres away.

Used to catch hares, for clandestine races or breeding, once they reach the age of four, some are handed in to refuges but others are just dumped by the side of a road.

Vera Thorenaar, a Dutch woman who has lived in Malaga Province for 30 years, opened a refuge in Alhaurin de la Torre in 2010 to take in greyhounds and find them homes in Spain and abroad.

Although the refuge has space for just 30 dogs at a time, collaboration with international groups allowed the refuge to arrange 190 adoptions last year.

About 20 of these travelled all the way to the US thanks to the Galgo Rescue International association.

US regulations only allow dogs to travel in March, April, May, October and November to avoid extreme temperatures. First the greyhounds are driven to Madrid, where they spend the night at a hotel near the airport before flying to New York.

GREYHOUNDS: Are used for catching hares, clandestine races or breeding.

A Spanish or American volunteer accompanies the dogs on their flights, and they

usually relax in their carriers and do not need tranquilising, Thorenaar explained.

Once an animal leaves Spain it is placed under the custody of the foreign associ-

ation, and if it does not fit in with the adopted family, something that very rarely happens, another home is found in the same country.

Most dogs sent abroad go to Holland and Belgium, thanks to collaborations with Greyhound Rescue Holland and Greyhounds Rescue Belgium, and also to Austria, Finland, France and the UK.

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

EWN

31

Mike Walsh Mike, based in Mediterranean Spain, is an international journalist, author and professional writer.

LIBYA, until 2011, was Africa's richest and most successful nation. Forget the propaganda of mainstream media.

A few facts about President Gaddafi’s Libya. Through a system of tribal councils the Libyan nation was more representative than is the West’s flawed political process.

Under the colonel’s benign rule Libyans benefited from free electricity, interest-free loans, and the fruits of massive infrastructure investment despite sanctions imposed at the bequest of Western bankers.

Newlyweds received $50,000 with which to purchase their marital home, mothers received $5,000 for each child born. The country’s city transport infrastructure, in many respects, put ours to shame. What changed?

The NATO West changed everything: If you want to discover a slug’s lair follow the slime trail.

If Western politicians are your prey the slime trail is coated with corporate banknotes. Corruption, not national interest, underpins the West’s entire foreign policy.

When compared to many African nations, the descent into lawlessness and poverty suffered by once rich Libya, has transformed it into Africa’s most dangerous and unpleasant regime.

During the disastrous Libyan conflict, mainstream media, like a bunch of American football cheerleaders, whooped the Westminster line.

Again, a sovereign nation’s head of state was demonised and set-up for the killer blow.

“The enemy aggressor is always pursuing a course of larceny, murder, rapine and barbarism. We are always moving forward with high mission, a destiny imposed by the Deity to regenerate our victims while incidentally capturing their markets, to civilise savage and senile and paranoid peoples while blundering accidentally into their oil wells.” ~ John Flynn, 1944.

How much longer can the hapless EU endure? European Union sanctions backfired, EU foreign policy is non-existent. Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in as many words, observes “Protocol suggests that I confer with EU Foreign Ministers. In truth, I may as well go direct to Washington DC.” Western European defence is entirely dependent upon US funded

Slavko Sereda / Shutterstock.com

Reaping Westminster’s foul wind sidering the perilous crossing.

Today, the murdered Gaddafi prophecy is coming true. He warned the then Italian President Silvio Berlusconi of the likely consequences of the NATO West removing him.

“Europe might no longer be European, it would be black as millions of Africans pour into Europe.”

When compared to many African nations, the descent into lawlessness and poverty suffered by once rich Libya, has transformed it into Africa’s most dangerous and unpleasant regime.

PRESIDENT GADDAFI: Today his prophecy is coming true.

NATO. Today, Russian media smirks as the European Union reels from an influx of African immigrants it cannot hope to stem.

Let us cast our minds back to before NATO overthrew the Gaddafi governance. Amnesty International,

along with many others, places the blame on the EU ending of the Mare Nostrum initiative. This was a mutual arrangement of coastal defence administered by Gaddafi’s Libya and Italy. It was so successful there was little point in African immigrants con-

Wherever the smiling colonel is he certainly wiped the smile off our smug faces.

Once again, ordinary Europeans suffer the ghastly consequences of Brussels and Westminster’s incompetence and corruption. These are the only people I want to see on a rickety vessel attempting to cross the Mediterranean - on a course set for Africa.

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www.euroweeklynews.com

OPINION & COMMENT

Nora Johnson

Breaking Views Nora is the author of popular psychological suspense and crime thrillers and a free-lance journalist.

To comment on any of the issues raised in her column, go to www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/nora-johnson

“OF course, the Spanish are backward. Why, before the Brits arrived you couldn’t order a fry-up in the noonday sun!”

The recent BBC documentary, Costa del Sol: Last Brits Standing, which followed Bronte the barmaid, 66-year-old jive-dance instructor Colin and Big Dave (who ought to go on a whisky diet; he’d soon lose three days, no sweat), was meant to paint a picture of expat life on the Costa del Sol. Instead it spouted the same old sensationalist clichés. At any moment you expected someone to come out with the above quip.

In fact, the BBC missed a trick by not having Jeremy Clarkson on hand.

He could have upped the offensiveness factor single-handedly.

The film’s portrayal of both the Spanish and the British was a gross exaggeration. Such a one-sided ‘documentary’ simply misrepresented the lives and opinions of the majority of Brits who get on well with the Spanish.

But then, ‘colourful’ stereotypes make good TV. Focusing on ordinary people successfully integrated in the community who’ve learned Spanish would fly in the face of the show’s spotlight on a few who are plainly struggling. Basically, anyone who gets on screen will be a ‘character’, so ‘boring’, hard-working individuals won’t get a look in.

In some ways, Spain is a country at the crossroads. The uncertainty of the past few years has taken its toll in many ways, including a rise in the number of house repossessions, bankruptcies and expats forced to return to the UK. But with GDP slightly up and unemployment figures slightly down, it’s maybe finally turning the corner.

And corruption scandals, so long

landmarkmedia / Shutterstock.com

Have we got news for you: Clarkson couldn’t have made things worse!

MISSING: BBC documentary could have used Jeremy Clarkson.

the plague of Spanish life, now seem finally under the control of the judicial system. In fact, they’re now so numerous that Spanish TV news lumps them together in one swift round-up, ranging from King Felipe’s sister’s indictment for tax fraud plus her husband’s alleged embezzlement, to the alleged slush fund operated by Spain’s governing conservative party.

Yes, there are good and bad bits about living anywhere but this programme was totally unrepresentative.

The vast majority of industrious expats who are doing well personally and professionally after migrating here weren’t featured.

Ordinariness and a sense of balance, after all, make for dull TV. Not so much a documentary then, more a bigoted rant.

Nora Johnson’s thrillers Landscape of Lies, Retribution, Soul Stealer, The De Clerambault Code (www.nora-johnson.com) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.89;£0.79) and iBookstore.

Profits to Cudeca.

Make May your best month yet MAY is the fifth month of the year and the influence of this number is helping you to reach out and ask for help where you need it.

Sally Trotman

HOW can you make May your best month yet? With the sun now moving through earthy Taurus, this is the best time to be practical, grounded and strategic in your approach to life.

Whether you want to get fit and healthy, meet new people or take your career to the next level, you will need a plan! Your greatest success will come through listening to your instinct and taking action to bring these ideas to fruition. Taurus wants you to build firm foundations to support you comfortably through the years ahead.

May is the fifth month of the year and the influence of this number is helping you to reach out and ask for help where you need it. This is also the perfect time to take up a new hobby and meet more like minded people. If you don’t always feel confident in new social situations, repeat this simple affirmation with movement first thing in the morning. Stand tall and stretch your arms straight out wide whilst repeat-

TAURUS: Build firm foundations to support you through the years ahead. ing the following statement out loud: ‘I welcome new people into my life and know that I deserve to be happy.’ Now rest your hands on your heart and breath deeply knowing that you have taken the first step towards developing new relationships.

The full moon in Scorpio on May 4 will help you further to release fears, so be aware of your dreams, hunches and intuitive insights around this time. Scorpio will help you to get in touch with your passions, to live your truth and to release the

past. Often we hold onto people, places and situations which we have outgrown for fear of change. Now is the time to release anything which no longer serves you.

The influence of the Hierophant Archetype which is the fifth card in the major arcana tarot deck, reminds you to listen to your own wisdom this month. The answers you seek to the most important questions lie within your own heart, so take time to meditate quietly when you can, so that you can hear the whispers of your heart. The Taurus new moon on May 18 will help you to put these ideas into practice.

So make the most of the mixture of heavenly and earthly energies this month, to help you become aware of what you need and how you can create the firm foundations required to sustain your dreams.

To find out more about how the astrological influences of this month affect you personally based on your date of birth, contact Sally to book in for an individual session via telephone or Skype. Sally also produces written couple compatibility charts. Please email at sally.trotman@bt internet.com or visit her website for more information : www.sallytrotman.com.

OPINION & COMMENT

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

Credit Shutterstock/Kim M Smith

‘Spanish onions if you may, not the foreign stuff’ went one conversation Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-the-wall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.

A

COUPLE of weeks ago I wrote about the diminishing number of real characters in our society.

When I was a boy every neighbourhood seemed to have its own quirky, off the wall characters; men or women whose mannerisms or appearance set them apart from the rest of us. Eccentricity has always been a very English trait.

They often had strange little ways that were a source of entertainment.

They might be heard having conversations with themselves as they pottered around their gardens, or perhaps be seen in the local shop still dressed in a pyjama top over a pair of tatty corduroys, buying fish paste and peppermints.

There is perhaps a fine line between this sort of unconventionality and stark, staring nuttiness, but it is that very hair’s breadth of difference that made them what they were.

ECCENTRICS: An endangered species who could be entertaining.

They often had strange little ways that were a source of entertainment. They might be heard having conversations with themselves as they pottered around their gardens, or perhaps be seen in the local shop still dressed in a pyjama top over a pair of tatty corduroys, buying fish paste and peppermints.

These were people who did not give a fig about what others thought or what society dictated. They were nonconformists who lived by their own set of rules and standards, but broke no laws and bothered no one.

But they were respected in a strange kind of way and invariably listened to whenever they made pronouncements, because most of them shared a common thread - a certain brand of worldly wisdom.

Now these characters have all but disappeared, which came home to me last year when I returned to Suffolk and learned that another one of the old timers - probably the last of the great

village characters - had passed on.

In the mid 70s when we arrived fresh-faced in that Suffolk community, there was a plethora of these wonderful people and the pub was a good location for some eavesdropping.

‘They would’n let moi dawg in the shop, soo oi took him out and chained him up with a bit’a string. Oi only went in for some o’them Spanish onions, not they foreign beggers,’ went the way of one conversation.

When a new doctor arrived in the village, one old boy was heard to say to another, ‘Hev yoo met the noo doctor yet? His woif’s the best lookin’ bloke in Suffolk.’

When a colleague on the Parish Council said he had to rush off after one meeting because of his wife’s birthday, we asked him what he had bought her.

‘Nuth’n,’ he told us. ‘She haint used last year’s present yet.’

What was that then we enquired.

‘A plot in the cemetree,’ came the expressionless reply.

Don’t be so mean, you can’t take it with you, one lady councillor admonished. ‘Well then, I haint goin,’ was his answer.

Life is drabber without these larger than life characters.

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EWN

33

OUR VIEW

MAYPOLE: For dancing.

Mayday, not only a distress call WITH all the natural and maritime disasters dominating our TVs and newspapers of late, the word Mayday automatically sums up images of the international distress call.

But since the beginning in the late 19th century, May Day, Labour Day, or International Workers’ Day, has been a European spring holiday, as well as a celebration of labourers and the working classes.

Whether you prefer to watch people dancing around the Maypole with brightly coloured ribbons while listening to Morris dancers jingle their way to a hard earned pub lunch, or sing Union songs while gazing up at a socialist flag, make plans to enjoy Mayday.

Being a traditional European spring celebration, May Day is a national public holiday in many countries, however in a few, it is celebrated as a Labour Day only.

In the UK, it probably originated as a Roman festival honouring the beginning of the spring season (in the northern hemisphere). But only recently has it been noted as a day to campaign and celebrate worker’s rights.

No matter what your take on Maydays is, enjoy the spring festival and have the day off work.

limited number of trips with a choice of cover for Worldwide or Europe only. You can select from policies giving a maximum individual trip duration of 17, 31, 45, 60, 90 or 120 days.

This is reduced to a maximum of 60 days for people aged 66 to 71 and 31 days if you are aged between 71 and 74. Policies for single trips are available for periods from one day to 15 months, but only up to six months for people aged from 66 to 84.

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For an instant quote and to arrange cover securely online, Now we enabling you to print your want to policy documents immehear your news. diately, visit www.globelink. co.uk or telephone YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE Globelink on 00 44 1353 - YOUR OPINION 699082 or their Spanish link www.euroweeklynews.com line on 966 265 000.

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E W N 30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

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TV LISTING

THURSDAY 30 APRIL

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

FRIDAY 01 MAY

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:35pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:25am

SATURDAY 02 MAY

SUNDAY 03 MAY

MONDAY 04 MAY

6:10pm 7:40pm 7:50pm 7:53pm 7:55pm 8:45pm 9:30pm

05 MAY

WEDNESDAY 06 MAY

The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out Have I Got News for You Mrs. Brown's Boys BBC News at Ten BBC London News The Graham Norton Show Peter Kay's Car Share

2:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:20am 1:10am 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 12:35am 1:40am 2:30am 3:30am 4:30am 3:00pm

10:20pm 11:10pm 11:28pm 11:30pm 12:55am 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:05pm 7:20pm 7:25pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 11:25pm 11:30pm 12:35am

Songs of Praise Pointless BBC News Regional News Weather Countryfile Antiques Roadshow The C-Word BBC News Regional News Weather Match of the Day 2 The Football League Show

10:00am 11:10am

6:40pm 7:25pm 7:45pm

Pointless BBC News Regional News All the latest local news.

Weather The One Show Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers EastEnders V.E. Day: Remembering Victory BBC News Regional News

12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 7:00pm

5:45pm 6:15pm 6:55pm

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 11:50pm 12:50am

BBC News Regional News Party Election Broadcast by the Conservative Party The One Show EastEnders Holby City 24 Hours in the Past BBC News Regional News Weather Del Boys and Dealers Texas Rangers

4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 11:50pm 12:20am

Escape to the Country Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Inspector George Gently Peter Kay's Car Share BBC News Regional News Weather A Question of Sport A Few Best Men

7:55pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 7:55pm

World Championship Snooker Eggheads World Championship Snooker Alex Polizzi: Chefs on Trial The Game W1A Newsnight World Championship Snooker Highlights Who Will Win the Election?

7:25pm

Natural World The Clare Balding Show Newsnight Election Late Show Later... with Jools Holland World Championship Snooker Highlights Secret Britain Strangeways This is BBC Two

7:30pm

7:30pm

3:20pm 4:10pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 10:30pm 12:00am 12:50am

12:40pm 1:40pm 2:40pm 3:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 12:00am 12:30am

James Martin's Food Map of Britain Timewatch Timewatch World's Most Photographed Snooker Natural World Dad's Army Snooker Quartet QI XL Perfume The Football League Show Saturday Kitchen Best Bites Back in Time for Dinner Alex Polizzi: Chefs on Trial James Martin's Food Map of Britain Snooker Flog It! Snooker W1A The Accidental Husband

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

6:30pm 6:45pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:15pm 11:00pm 11:15pm 7:50pm 8:00pm 8:15pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:05pm 11:20pm

7:05pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 12:00am 1:00am

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:50pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 5:10pm 5:45pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:50pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

BBC News World News The Daily Politics How We Won the War How We Won the War Snooker Party Election Broadcast by the Labour Party Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Snooker Wastemen Back in Time for Dinner Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Party Election Broadcast by the Conservative Party Eggheads Escape to the Continent Coast Australia Nature's Weirdest Events Inside the Factory Wastemen Later Live... with Jools Holland Newsnight 'Allo, 'Allo!

Just Good Friends Antiques Roadshow Eggheads Escape to the Continent Coast Australia Nature's Weirdest Events Inside the Factory Charlie Brooker Election Wipe QI Newsnight Weather

Party Election Broadcast by the UK Independence Party ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale Double Decker

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm Driving School 10:00pm Fraud Squad

11:40pm

WALL-E BBC News Regional News Weather Pointless Atlantis The National Lottery: In It to Win It Casualty BBC News Weather Match of the Day The Football League Show

11:00pm 11:25pm

TUESDAY

Escape to the Country Flog It! Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Question Time Election Leaders Special Peter Kay's Car Share BBC News at Ten BBC London News

7:25pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm Weather 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm Weather 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm

ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Coronation Street Weekend Escapes with Warwick Davis Coronation Street Slow Train Through ITV News at Ten and Weather Senna

4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather You've Been Framed!

Ninja Warrior UK Britain's Got Talent Play to the Whistle ITV News and Weather Cliffhanger

1:30pm

Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Celebrity Squares Sunday Night at the Palladium Home Fires ITV News and Weather Perspectives

2:30pm 5:00pm

Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Coronation Street Wild Ireland Coronation Street Safe House ITV News at Ten and The Paul O'Grady Show Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale UEFA Champions League ITV News at Ten and

2:30pm 5:15pm 5:50pm 6:20pm 6:50pm 7:20pm 7:45pm 8:15pm 9:15pm 11:00pm 12:55am

6:00pm 6:20pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:05pm 11:35pm 12:40am 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:25pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:35am 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:55pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:35am

The Paul O'Grady Show Local News and Weather ITV News and Weather Emmerdale Coronation Street Give a Pet a Home Newzoids The Delivery Man ITV News at Ten and Weather

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

Deal or No Deal Three in a Bed Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Party Election Broadcast The Supervet The Island with Bear Grylls The Last Leg First Dates

7:00pm 7:30pm 7:55pm

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:50am

Three in a Bed Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Unreported World Party Election Broadcast Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Gogglebox Alan Carr Virtually Famous

7:00pm 7:30pm 7:55pm

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Channel 4 Racing Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Channel 4 News For the Love of Cars Men in Black II Dredd Stephen Merchant

3:00pm 4:55pm 6:35pm

Channel 4 Racing A Place in the Sun: Home or Away Channel 4 News The Karate Kid For the Love of Cars 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown An Immigrant's Guide to Britain Gogglebox Bill Bailey Qualmpeddler The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Party Election Broadcast How the Other Half Eat Food Unwrapped The Stranger on the Bridge Ballot Monkeys Jimmy Carr: Making People Laugh The Island with Bear Grylls

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:55pm 12:50am

7:30pm 8:20pm 9:15pm 9:20pm 10:10pm 11:10pm 12:05am 12:30pm 1:25pm 2:25pm 4:05pm 6:00pm 8:05pm 8:10pm 10:00pm 12:05am 2:30pm 3:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:55pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:55pm

Home and Away 5 News Tonight Party Election Broadcast on Behalf of the Uk Independence Party The Classic Car Show The Body in the Freezer: Countdown to Murder The Hotel Inspector The Mentalist True Crimes Home and Away 5 News Tonight Party Election Broadcast on Behalf of the Liberal Democrats The Gadget Show Secrets of Great British Castles NCIS: New Orleans NCIS Law and Order: Special Victims Unit True Crimes Columbo: Undercover Secret Liaison The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Britain's Horror Homes Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

5 News Weekend NCIS NCIS CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Law and Order

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

3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 5:15pm 5:30pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:30am 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:15pm 5:15pm 5:45pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:30am 11:30am 1:30pm 4:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am

Neighbours The Other Wife Neighbours The Gadget Show Party Election Broadcast on Behalf of the Labour Party World's Busiest Hotel Police Interceptors Gotham Person of Interest Lord of War

8:30am 10:00am 11:00am

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 7:55pm

12:00am

5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight Party Election Broadcast on Behalf of the Conservative Party Police Interceptors Britain's Horror Homes 20 Moments That Rocked Britain Far and Away

A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Channel 4 Racing Posh Pawnbrokers Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Restoration Man The Island with Bear Grylls Ballot Monkeys Bugsplat!

1:45pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:10pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:55pm 12:50am

The Hotel Inspector Neighbours NCIS: New Orleans Deadly Honeymoon 5 News at 5 Neighbours Car Crash TV 5 News Tonight GPs: Behind Closed Doors The Nightmare Autopsy CSI: Trilogy CSI: Trilogy CSI: Trilogy

10:00pm

7:15pm

Cowboy Builders and Bodge Jobs Ultimate Police Interceptors Blue Streak Zathura: A Space Adventure Holes 5 News Weekend Legally Blonde Resident Evil: Afterlife Gamer

Couples Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Party Election Broadcast Kirstie and Phil's Love it or List it No Offence Ballot Monkeys 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown The Island with Bear Grylls

8:00pm 9:00pm

5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm

1:00am 2:30am 3:30am

12:00pm 4:15pm 4:30pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 12:00am 7:30am 8:00am 9:00am 11:30am 12:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 1:30am 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm

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OPINION & COMMENT

30 April - 6 May 2015 /Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

35

Advertising Feature

A lacklustre week Commentary by Moneycorp EUR Lacklustre would be the best word to describe the euro’s week. It was by no means the weakest performer among the major currencies but it never really looked as though it was up to the job. The euro lost a quarter of a US cent and went down by three quarters of a cent against the pound. It did strengthen against the Australian dollar though, if only by half a cent.

Except for the ZEW surveys of investor confidence, which were suitably positive, the Euroland economic data were disappointing. Euro zone consumer confidence deteriorated and every one of Thursday’s dozen or so provisional purchasing managers’ index readings came in lower on the month, below forecast or both.

The coming week’s performance will be determined by the progress of discussions this Friday between Greece and its creditors. Ahead of the meeting investors were optimistic, but that optimism smacked of a triumph of hope over experience.

USD It is hard to find the bright spots in the dollar’s week. Close examination reveals two; consumer confidence improved in April and existing (as opposed to new) home sales last month were the

highest since 2013. The rest of the US economic data were not so pretty. Inflation fell to -0.1%, putting it exactly in line with Euroland. Jobless claims went up and new home sales went down.

The purchasing managers’ index indicated slowing growth in the manufacturing sector.

There was little among the figures to encourage investors to buy the dollar. Consequently it weakened by a quarter of a cent against the euro and by more than a cent against sterling. The dollar lost a quarter of a cent to the US dollar.

In the week ahead the ecostats to watch will be first quarter growth figures from Britain and the States.

CAD Almost the entire week’s stock of Canadian economic data was delivered last Friday. And there was not a bad statistic among them. The consumer price index figures showed the headline rate of inflation accelerating from 1.0% to 1.2% with the ‘core’ rate - excluding energy and fuel prices - up from 2.1% to 2.4%. Retail sales rose by 1.7% in February, more than three times the expected increase.

Curiously, the good news did nothing for the Canadian dollar. That might have been because investors were paying more attention to US data

Clarisse Musselwhite is Moneycorp’s Account Manager for Mallorca

She can be contacted on Tel: +34 902 887 243 Mobile: +34 687 932 472 Email:mallorca@moneycorp.com

902887243 mallorca@moneycorp.com which emerged at the same time and showed 0.1% deflation in the States.

Anyway, the Loonie was able to strengthen by a quarter of a US cent on the week. It lost three quarters of a cent to sterling, which was the week’s overall major currency winner.

AUD The week’s price action for the Australian dollar was defined almost entirely by central banks and monetary policy. It moved higher after the People’s Bank of China said it was reducing the

amount of capital banks must hold to back up their lending. The move is intended to stimulate the Chinese economy, which would be good for Australian exports.

On Tuesday the Reserve Bank of Australia governor sent the Aussie south when he said in a speech that the possibility of lower interest rates “has to be on the table” and “the board has… clearly signalled its willingness to lower [the Cash Rate] even further.”

A day later the currency strengthened on the back of higher-than-expected inflation with the RBA’s preferred measure, the ‘trimmed mean,’ accelerating to 2.3%. Higher inflation means less chance of a rate cut.

The net result was the Aussie lost a cent and a half to sterling and held steady against the US dollar.

NZD Among the major currencies the NZ dollar was one of the slackest performers last week.

The Norwegian krone and the South African rand both fell further but not a lot further. Overall the Kiwi lost one US cent and it fell by four cents against sterling.

36

E W N 30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

LETTERS

www.euroweeklynews.com

OPINION & COMMENT

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

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

Last Brits standing a nasty depiction of Costa del Sol THE TV SHOW Last Brits Standing was yet another nasty depiction of the Costa del Sol and its British residents. I am surprised that the BBC should lower itself in this type of documentary.

The Spanish press is right to be indignant.

After 10 happy years here we do not recognise the people in the film.

Where are the Brits of the U3A with a myriad of classes? Where are those in DFAS going to their fine art lectures?

Those who prop up the various charities? There is also the great interaction with other foreigners who live here.

My club in Mijas Pueblo can boast of at least 10 different nationalities. I wonder if their countries mount the same vitriolic attacks as the UK on the Costa del Sol? There were also the inaccuracies which appeared. The Spanish thinking that the Brits were a drain on their health services. The UK pays for the British here.

We love living on the Costa. We admire the artistry of the Spanish. Where in the UK will you find such beautifully kept roundabouts with their sculptures? The Spanish welcome foreigners but it must be a quid pro quo.

Here’s another film idea: ‘From Surrey to Sol: another view of the Brits on the Costa.’ Any film-maker brave enough to present this alternative documentary should contact me.

Catherine Cohen (by email)

NHS is paid for SAMMY and Paul (Street Talk) ask “what other country refuses to pay for its own people’s needs such as the NHS and Education, while at the same time handing out to others?”

This is a typical UKIP statement, which may sound fine but is in fact absolute nonsense. Britain does not ‘refuse to pay for the NHS and Education.’ One may argue that we do not spend enough on them, but the amount we do spend on them is enormously greater than what we give in development aid or contributions to the EU, so it is wrong to suggest that we would make much more money available if we stopped aid and EU membership.

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

the earth who can say! The leaves also make a wonderful substitute for shamrock on St Patrick’s Day. Carole V Poole, Manilva (Malaga)

Wrong report FIRSTLY, a thank you for the EWN. Now may I have a little gripe! Page three ‘Quote of the Week’ mentions a “13-year-old student”. There are no students aged 13. Children attending a SCHOOL are PUPILS. Students go to College. Undergraduates and Postgraduates go to University.

Hal Perkins (by email)

I was in Fuengirola when hundreds of Harley riders turned up. They made it a special day for many of us bike lovers, and I managed to get this shot. Adrian Bowman, Fuengirola (Malaga)

UKIP’s thesis is that we should abandon our most important markets in Europe, and hope that we could make up the loss by trading with the Commonwealth. They do not seem to have noticed that whereas Britain is one of the largest countries in the EU, it is dwarfed by Commonwealth nations such as India, Pakistan and Nigeria (with which we can trade perfectly well now from within the EU).

The tragedy is that we seem afraid to aim to lead the EU and prefer to run away from it. David Cameron’s proposed referendum is unnecessary and damaging to Britain’s interests, as our European partners puzzle over why on earth we are taking such a negative and defeatist attitude.

Bill Campbell (by email)

Japan’s blunder THANKS to Mike Walsh for his article ‘Inconvenient History’ (Euro Weekly News some editions, Issue 1555).

Hitler controlled Norway. Why did he not, as part of Barbarossa, seize Murmansk which was only 80 miles from the Norwegian frontier? Even if the Nazis had been unable to hold

Murmansk they could have destroyed its port facility.

The biggest strategic blunder (probably in all history) was Japan attacking the US instead of the Soviet Union.

They would have had all the Siberian resources and the Germans would surely have defeated European Russia. The added bonus to the Axis would have been the continued isolationism of the US. Roger Page, Mojacar Playa (Almeria)

Not so free A FEW months ago a friend’s Venezuelan born wife passed away.

Her family were unable to attend the funeral as in order to fly out of Venezuela one can only buy a ticket in dollars.

These can only be obtained from the government. This takes at least one month and usually more. Yes, Mr Les Adams (Letters, Issue 1554) Venezuela is obviously a wonderfully free and liberal country. I somehow think that living there would not be so much to your liking as your letter may have implied.

Jon Allso (Valencia)

Thanks angels DUE to the debilitating illness my husband suffers from, which has caused him to fall over on several occasions, I had to call the 112 emergency service. My goodness was I impressed - they arrived within 10 minutes, picked my husband up and were so kind telling us to call whenever help was needed. Thank you, you were like guardian angels.

Carol McCormack, Caleta de Velez (Malaga)

Not a weed IN answer to the letter (Letters, Issue 1555) re: the yellow wild flower Oxalyis (let’s not call it a weed) is a wonderful, colourful, ground cover during March and April. It is easily suppressable as it does eventually die down, even the leaves, and can be pulled up quite easily as the ground is usually still quite moist.

My chickens would soon clear your garden of it, they love it. I have noticed when dogs of mine need to eat grass, they seem to prefer grass growing through Oxalyis, so whether it has properties to purify

What cover?

I ALMOST fell off my stool laughing at the comments regarding the EU health card (EHIC).

On holiday in Gayanes I was unfortunate to dislocate my right hip. I attempted to pop it back in as I have managed to do before to no avail.

So it was off to Alcoy Hospital where after a lot of consultation over my EHIC card (I am a pensioner) they decided to look at the problem and attempt to pop it back in.

That’s when it was discovered the prosthesis had come loose in the femur and I needed surgery, a full hip replacement. Then I was told, we cannot operate, as ‘you do not have proper insurance cover.’ They told me to discharge myself from the hospital with the paperwork. I reorganised the ferry and my wife drove to the UK and Sheffield Northern Hospital where I had a hip replacement.

The card seems to work for emergency treatment only (cut finger). Is Spain part of the EU ?

David Goulding (by email)

WHEN YOU WRITE All letters, whether by email or post, should carry the writer’s postal address, NIE and contact number though only the name and town will be published.

Letters may also be edited.

Readers who have missed earlier correspondence can see all letters posted on:

www.euroweeklynews.com

The views expressed and opinions given in Letters are not necessarily those of the EWN publishers. They accept no responsibility for accuracy of information, errors, omissions or statements, and reject claims arising out of any action that a company or individual may take on the basis of information contained therein.

38

E W N 30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

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TODAY

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

ALCUDIA

POLLENÇA

CALA MILLOR

INCA

CALVIA

CALA d’OR

PALMA ANDRATX

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

TOAD WOAD WOLD WILD WILY LILY

TOAD

TIME

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CALVIA

‘POLITICIANS - YOU CAN NEVER TELL IF THEY ARE CELEBRATING THE DAY - OR JUST PANICKING!

ALCUDIA

POLLENÇA

CALA d’OR

PALMA ANDRATX

LLUCMAJOR MAGALLUF

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

Good: 14 Very good: 20 Excellent: 24

Mon - 26 19 C Tues - 26 19 Cl Wed - 26 18 Cl

(April 21 - May 21)

bigger picture, you realise that it is not so daunting after all. If one person can do it, then so can another. It is a matter of how you approach it.

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 R) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION dent, diet, dine, dint, dire, dirt, doer, done, dote, edit, nerd, node, redo, rend, ride, rind, rode, tend, tide, tied, toed, trod, diner, doter, droit, drone, idiot, indie, indri, noted, tined, tired, toned, trend, tried, dentin, dinero, dinner, dotier, editor, indent, indite, intend, iodine, ironed, rioted, rodent, tendon, tidier, tinder, tinned, triode, diorite, edition, intoned, nitride, RENDITION

22 17 C 23 17 Cl 24 18 C

Mon - 24 18 Sh Tues - 24 18 Cl Wed - 23 18 C

26 18 Cl 26 18 S 26 19 C

Mon - 27 19 C Tues - 26 19 Cl Wed - 26 18 Cl Cl Clear,

Sh Showers,

6-Star Quiz

Fill the grid so that every row, every column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1-9.

There’s no maths involved. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

UK THUNDERBALL

IRISH LOTTO

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

Saturday April 25

Saturday April 25

Friday April 24

Saturday April 25

Sunday April 26

Saturday April 25

4

11

27

28

30

49

5

11 20

13 33

3

17

18

29

35

37

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

47

7

13

5

19 31

29 40

LUCKY STARS

3

10

3

29

33

43

47

48

REINTEGRO

38

5

CLOUDY

TODAY:

MAX 26C, MIN 19C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

26 19 C 27 18 S 28 20 C

Mon - 26 18 C Tues - 26 18 C Wed - 25 17 Cl

CLOUDY MAX 22C, MIN 13C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

24 14 C 26 15 S 27 16 C

Mon - 26 17 C Tues - 26 16 Cl Wed - 26 14 Cl

19

20 42

22 50

REINTEGRO

3

CLEAR MAX 29C, MIN 17C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Sudoku

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

Mon - 23 14 Sh Tues - 22 13 Sh Wed - 23 13 C

Murcia

CLOUDY MAX 24C, MIN 17C

S Sun,

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Although things are going pretty well, there are some things that could be just a little better organised. It's the ongoing positive attitude that counts.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Look at the long-term picture when considering money matters. What seems like a good deal now may not be so a few

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Although things seem fine, this is not a time

MAX MIN

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

25 14 C 27 16 Cl 26 16 C

Mallorca

CLOUDY MAX 22C, MIN 16C

Benidorm TODAY:

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Keep things simple. Getting involved in other people's problems is not for you at the moment. It may be necessary to delay a decision to give yourself time to think.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) This is not a particularly lucky week for you, so I would certainly advise caution.

Gambling is not recommended. Being clever with money is as much about not spending it as about how you spend it. .

Mon - 26 19 C Tues - 24 19 Cl Wed - 25 18 Cl

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

24 19 C 26 19 Cl 26 20 C

Barcelona TODAY:

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) This is a time to consider finances and keep your options open. Someone who tries to get a fast decision out of you by pushing you into a corner is doing you no favours.

to overstretch your finances. Spending a lot this week without thought is problematic later.

This is a week of shifting and changing and that certainly means your finances.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) This should be a great time for your finances. Any glitch is likely to be because you have overspent. Even if things still need close attention, you can win if you concentrate. A bit of plotting and planning can work wonders at the moment.

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

Malaga

CLOUDY MAX 22C, MIN 17C MAX MIN

years down the line. Someone who appears to be telling a lie may simply have either misunderstood or have the wrong information.

It is better if you don't get involved in any high profile, high risk business deals. Success is definitely not assured.

This is a time for financial consolidation. Count your pennies and see the pounds collecting in the future.

TAURUS

Nonagram

TARGET: Average: 11

26 18 Cl 25 18 S 26 19 C

CLOUDY MAX 22C, MIN 12C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Almeria

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Aim a bit higher than usual and you may be surprised at your success. When seeing the

Fri Sat Sun TODAY:

LOTTERY

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Money is good and this can make you overconfident. Beware bank managers offering loans in large amounts. Nothing is for free and you need to look carefully at interest rates right now.

Madrid

CLOUDY MAX 23C, MIN 17C MAX MIN

www.fiduciarywealth.eu

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Partnerships see you leap ahead on something that was a bit stuck in the mud.

A leap in your bank balance follows. Some quick decisions may be called for so it is better to share responsibilities, whatever the outcome.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) After a hectic start to the week, things seem to have slowed down. Look carefully at what has happened, but remember that there is no point in worrying over something that you cannot change.

Alicante TODAY:

Fri Sat Sun -

F Fog, Sn Snow,

MAX MIN

31 19 Cl 32 18 S 32 20 Cl

Mon - 32 20 Sh Tues - 31 19 Cl Wed - 30 18 C

C Cloudy, Th Thunder

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES 1. By what title is Anthony ArmstrongJones, the former husband of Princess Margaret, also known?

2. In the television comedy series Dad’s Army, what was the peacetime occupation of Lance-Corporal Jones, played by actor Clive Dunn?

3. In which 1970s BBC television series did actress Gemma Jones star as Louisa Leyton/Trotter, who works her way up from servant to renowned cook to proprietress of the upper-class Bentinck Hotel in London?

4. Paul Jones was the lead singer of which pop band from 1962 to 1966?

Their hits include: Do Wah Diddy Diddy and Pretty Flamingo.

5. Released in 1981 and starring Harrison Ford as the fictional architect, what was the title of the first of the Indiana Jones series of films?

6. Named after two American economists whose company compiled the first average of US stock prices in 1884, what is the US equivalent of the Financial Times Index?

1. EARL OF SNOWDON - in 1999 he was created BARON ARMSTRONG-JONES, OF NYMANS IN THE COUNTY OF WEST SUSSEX, 2. Town BUTCHER, 3. THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET, 4.

MANFRED MANN, 5. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, 6. DOW JONES INDEX

YOUR STARS

OUT

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page

AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

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

Quick Across 1 Snares (5) 4 Gap (6) 9 Provide commentary for a film (7) 10 Care for (5) 11 Flat (4) 12 Lean back (7) 13/18 Exhaust (3,3) 14 Feel physical pain (4) 16 Offensively curious or inquisitive (4) 18 See 13 20 Male ruler of an empire (7) 21 Grotto (4) 24 Male duck (5) 25 Very old (7) 26 Courtly dance (6) 27 Engine (5) Down 1 Delicate (6) 2 Concur with (5) 3 Examine minutely (4) 5 Free from evil or guilt (8) 6 Root vegetables (7) 7 Scandinavian kingdom (6) 8 Gain knowledge (5) 13 Get back (8)

Code Breaker 1

2

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Crossword

EWN

3

4

5

6

7

8 9

10

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 11 represents C and 24 represents J, so fill in C every time the figure 11 appears and J every time the figure 24 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC Across: 1 Assets, 4 Scales, 7 Shah, 8 Academic, 9 Resents, 12 Set, 14 Leader, 15 Racist, 16 Ace, 18 Rafters, 22 Managers, 23 Bore, 24 Desert, 25 Stolid.

Down: 11

12

1 Australia, 2 Staircase, 3 State, 4 Start, 5 Abel, 6 Elite, 10 Smear, 11 Slate, 12 Swiss roll, 13 Title deed, 17 Chase, 19 Adept, 20 Tasks, 21 Dame.

13 14

15

16

17

18

19 21

20

22

QUICK

23 24

Across:

25

26

1 Swap, 4 Vile, 9 Chatter, 10 Sigma, 11 Irate, 12 Shamble, 13 Parish, 15 Duress, 19 Decline, 21 Infer, 23 Raise, 24 Trounce, 25/26 Well done.

27

15 Commander of a ship (7)

19 Court clown (6)

17 Not often (6)

22 Watchful and ready (5)

18 Keyboard instrument (5)

23 Fraudulent business scheme (4)

English - Spanish

2 Witness, 3 Peruse, 4 Vista, 5 Legible, 6 Scrimp, 7 Saga, 8 Face, 14 Receive, 16 Unicorn, 17 Series, 18 Heated, 19 Dare, 20 Ideal, 22 Fine.

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

ENGLISH-SPANISH

Across 1 Ribbon (5) 4 Tables (furniture) (5) 7/16 Pajarita (corbata) (3,3) 8 Mensaje (7) 9 Arco (4) 10 To gnaw (4) 14 File (document) (7) 16 See 7 17 Yemas (de huevos) (5) 18 Principio (comienzo) (5) Down 1 Bucket (pail) (4) 2 Más nuevo (5) 3 Sillones (9) 4 Champiñones (9) 5 Mar (3) 6 Semilla (4) 11 De más (5) 12 Bebé (4) 13 Cinturón (4) 15 Cabbage (3)

Hexagram

Down:

Across: 1 Scots, 3 Sheet, 5 Use, 7 Aburrir, 9 Eggs, 10 Male, 13 Answers, 14 Ant, 15 Ships, 16 Adios.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

Down: 1 Saucepans, 2 Soap, 3 Soul, 4 Tormentas, 6 Edges, 8 Riada, 11 Keys, 12 Isla.

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

ADVISE

REASON

ARENAS

RELIEF (10)

AWAKEN

REMAIN

BEASTS

RETAIN

CHOSEN

ROARED

CINDER

SERVER

DESIRE

SHELLS

DETAIL

SINGER

FRINGE

TWEEDS

HEADER

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Arenas, 2 Steeds, 3 Dining, 4 Reduce, 5 Retain, 6 Seized, 7 Deeper, 8 Dinner, 9 Buried, 10 Prints, 11 Cheers, 12 Series, 13 Detain, 14 Waters, 15 Stiles, 16 Kitten, 17 Noises, 18 Relate, 19 Needed

Across 7 Fix bent rapier (6) 8 Contracted in meagre education (6) 9 Surprising name for locks (4) 10 Example of epic men’s makeup (8) 11 Calls for more or scene change (7) 13 Had the courage to confront an awful dread (5) 15 Cheese, fine if crisp (5) 17 Depression is beginning to threaten professional practitioner (7) 20 Additional pay for a sincere sort (8) 21 Loot concealed in Volkswagen (4) 22 Stan’s partner goes after leader of Conservative’s dog (6) 23 Shore bird at cove flying around (6) Down 1 Get back, for example, in rain (6) 2 Many dined and departed (4) 3 Fit to take in skinhead and

succeed (7) 4 Greek god from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (5) 5 To start with I read revelation in Times’ article naming the menace (8) 6 Go back to sow again, by the sound of it (6)

12 Annul finished law (8) 14 Old soldier never at sea (7) 16 Pay-off from Iran somehow (6) 18 Traps laid for tin god (6) 19 Skip sports class in the car (5) 21 Female accepting love for footwear! (4)

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23rd April

TO READ MORE

HEALTH BEAUTY

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The magical date has arrived APRIL 22 As usual I attended the hospital early keen to have my last chemotherapy session.

Erica Russell Watson: My journey – and I’m driving THE magical date of April 22 finally arrived and I sprang out of bed and made my way to the Materno Hospital in Malaga for my eighth and final chemotherapy session.

As per usual I arrived early to ensure I had my blood test done quickly to be able to send it off for analysis and hopefully be seen as quickly as possible by my oncologist.

After having breakfast I went to the eighth floor and sat in the waiting room. Time flew by as I got chatting to two lovely ladies, Sally and Beryl, or the Ner-

ja girls as I shall call them!

We exchanged views on the differences in the British and Spanish medical systems as Beryl had firsthand experience owing to 42 years in the nursing profession. Sally made off with one of the armbands they use to make your veins pop up when giving blood! Amazingly enough the nurse remembered that it was Sally and came to look for her.

The band was returned as Sally had kept it safely but was unsure of who to hand it in to!

I thought my luck was in as my number was called out earlier than usual and off I went to see the oncologist. Things were about to take a turn for the worse. They had lost half of my blood analysis so I had to do another test! I was not impressed, but being more focused on making sure I had my last chemo treatment I raced down to have the test.

The waiting room was heaving but I just thought that today I was going to have to adopt the Spanish modus

operandi and got straight to the front of the queue and demanded they repeat the test because my oncologist was awaiting the results to be able to give me my treatment. To be fair to

I think I have done quite enough for one day, so I will sign off now feeling tired but very happy.

One phase down and now for radiotherapy and then reconstruction. them they pushed me up the list, as it had been their error, and I was in and out in five minutes. Had I waited patiently as we all have in Spain, I might never have received my last chemo.

Back in the waiting room with the Nerja girls for another two hours! Fi-

nally I was called and it turned out all my levels were good so I could proceed. The oncologist told me I had to book a CAT scan to see how everything had gone and I needed extensive blood tests to check my tumour markers and hormone levels, etc.

I would be back to see her within a month to see what hormone treatment they would give me and to see how the breast area was and if the shadows on my lungs had gone.

Jorge came to the rescue and booked my CAT scan because I would not have had time to go down to the bowels of the hospital and book it myself as they shut at 2pm and I ended up finishing at 4pm.

I took my place next to the sweetest lady who turned out to be the mother of a client of the notary’s where I used to work. Malaga is a small place! We had a lovely chat, which was just as well because they took one hour to come to put my line in and then had six attempts at it.

A new nurse wanted to practise!

Grrr. I repeatedly said that Jesús was the only one who knew how to deal with my difficult veins and after the fifth attempt the newby yielded.

Jesús came and popped the line in, no problem. I would have preferred to have avoided that amount of jabbing but the most important thing was I was about to cross my chemo finishing line!

I actually fell asleep in the middle of it, unheard of for me. The relief when they finally unhooked me was fabulous. I scurried off to recover at Jorge’s mother’s house and then made my way back home.

Today has been a whirlwind of activity between visits to the bank, post office, doctor, hospital orthopaedics, translating for a friend, shopping, collecting children and then trying to sell my car. I think I have done quite enough for one day so I will sign off now feeling tired but very happy.

One phase down and now for radiotherapy and then reconstruction.

Poco a poco, as the Spanish say!

Brits are grumpiest in the morning MORNING: How do you wake up?

BRITONS wake up grumpier than anyone else.

According to users of a sleep app, even though Brits get

more time in bed than most other nations; seven hours 22 minutes a night, they wake up moodier than most. Only the Japanese, South Koreans and Singaporeans are grumpier in the morn-

ings. The Japanese may have a valid reason, getting an hour and a half less sleep.

The results from 944,000 people, including 75,000 from the UK, found the

British had the seventh most disturbed sleep out of 50 countries surveyed. The mood upon waking up in the morning was determined by users tapping a ‘happy’, ‘sad’ or ‘in-between’ face.

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TO READ MORE

FOOD D R I N K

&

Advertising feature

Fresh is best at Pizzeria Venezia ITALIANS take pride in what they do and their food is prepared with a passion.

By Wendy Ann Cowham

OWNER of Magaluf’s top quality restaurant Pizza Venezia, Luigi, always insists “Fresh is best” which is why he has attracted a following to his business.

If the preparation is good from the

PIZZA: Made with fresh dough.

start then the end result is sure to be great food.

Luigi lives by his statement as he makes his own dough daily, so you will not find any pre-packed products here.

Italians take pride in what they do, and their food is prepared with a passion. Attention to detail is key - even the water that the ingredients are cooked in is filtered and Luigi grows his own herbs to make sure there are no nasty additives.

This is the sort of care that comes from someone who has been in the business for over 35 years. Luigi knows how to get it right and have his clients returning time after time for what

they know is the best Italian food around.

One of the secrets of his success is knowing what his clients want. Luigi certainly knows that, saying: “Our most popular menu item is the Tagliatelle Venezia which is made with prawns, white wine, courgettes, mushrooms, onion, dill and cream.”

Pizzeria Venezia opened in 2001 and despite being based in a tourist area, gets a lot of repeat business from the locals.

“I would say about 80 per cent of my clients are regulars, many of whom have become good friends. We have many Spanish, English, German and Scandinavian clients.” If the restaurant is appealing to so many nationalities it goes to show that Pizza Venezia has created a formula which is exactly right.

One of the special features of the

restaurant is a private, plant-filled terrace. “The table can seat up to 10 people, but many of my customers like to reserve it for romantic evenings,” said Luigi. Since it is in the open air it is possible for people to smoke if they wish.”

Pizza Venezia welcomes parties for special occasions or stag and hen dos.

The restaurant offers an extensive Italian menu with a large variety of pizzas, pastas, meats and fish. Roast shoulder of lamb with fresh vegetables is ever popular and also the bruschetta which the Italians are famed for.

There is also a great selection of Italian and Spanish wines to compliment the exquisite food. Pizzeria Venezia also offers a pizza take-away service.

Call 971 683 288.

Rawpixel/Shutterstock

Puzzles under pressure for real thrill seekers in the ‘Adventure Rooms’ Vicki McLeod

Family Matters

G

IVE your business the name ‘Adventure Rooms’ and you’ve already got me

hooked.

As soon as I started to hear about this new attraction, which has opened in Palma in the Can Valero estate, I wanted to go. Everyone who has gone is raving about it, but no one will say exactly what they did in there. What could it be?

The marketing materials enigmatically proclaim: “You have 60 minutes to escape… Now the real adventure begins!” So when I got the opportunity last week to go along with some friends and family, I jumped at the chance.

You have to hand over your belongings to the staff, in our case a very friendly Daniela, before being taken in small groups into the room and, yes, handcuffed to a rail. The timer is set and the challenge begins.

ALL FOR ONE: The game requires teamwork, and the talents of the whole family.

The game originated in 2012 in Bern, Switzerland as a school project designed by a science teacher.

Its main influences came from adventure computer games from the 1990s, Hungarian escape games and

scientific experiments, and the Adventure Rooms franchise has become a hit across the world.

It’s easy to see why as the next 60 minutes flew past whilst we solved puzzles and used our wits and teamwork to try to escape from the room we were trapped in. There is no way you will have the time to solve all of the puzzles you need to complete if you are working on your own.

You can see that different talents are required. Interestingly our daughter saw and solved some of the most complex games naturally where perhaps our older and more addled brains would not have been so agile. The puzzles enhance logic, critical thinking, ability to work under pressure, communication and teamwork.

Throughout the game we were watched on surveillance cameras in order to check that we were okay, and also to give a hint if they thought we were going to get stuck.

As the countdown reached zero I can tell you that my heart was pounding as I desperately struggled to solve a clue.

Over a post-game drink we glowed in the knowledge that yes, we had managed to escape with a generous one minute and 21 seconds to spare!

The owners of the Adventure Rooms told us that the escape rate is 30 per cent, but that even so the groups that get nowhere near to escaping come out of the game thrilled and excited and desperate for more!

The owners are planning to change the games every month or so in the winter so that game addicts can go regularly for their fix.

I for sure will be back, and probably with my father in law in tow.

He is a lover of Sudoku.

Perhaps I can combine that with my daughter’s 10th birthday party where you can do a game as a duel with two teams working against the clock to race to a central point.

I wonder if they can cope with a dozen squealing girls? Or perhaps we could just leave them locked in there... hmmm..... www.familymattersmallorca.com

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HOMES GARDEN

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Gardens in the countryside COUNTRY GARDENS can be a more interesting choice and will give you the chance to be self-sufficient.

However, you need to be aware of the different climate with winter and early spring frosts to put up with.

Dick Handscombe

Gardening Corner

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

I

N general deciding to buy and develop a country garden implies that you prefer a larger and more interesting plot and the chance to do up an old historic building or build something unique.

The surrounding views of the countryside and mountains, peace, and perhaps the chance to be self-sufficient, mean you are willing to put up with winter and early spring frosts. So with that introduction let’s look at some of the issues involved.

Microclimates Once out of the urbanisations gardens are often more exposed unless walled, which defeats one of the reasons for living in the wild, or thick boundary and internal hedges are planted to create less harsh microclimates.

A greenhouse or small poly-tunnel will be useful for protecting plants in pots over the winter.

Soils In country areas the soils inherited will vary from very rich, because mules used to be tethered to the trees, to dead soil denuded of natural humus and nutrients by the growing of fruit trees and vines for decades without the addition of animal fertilisers. The depth of soil will also vary from a spade depth of rich top soil to just a couple of centimetres over bed rock. Unless you are very lucky, improve the soil before you plant anything, whether flowering plants, aromatic herbs, fruit trees or vegetables. If you have little depth of soil build raised beds from day one.

Flowering plants In developing your plant lists do study the descriptions of the 350 garden plants and trees described in our book

COUNTRY GARDENS: Can provide a larger and more interesting plot to develop. attempted in the most sheltered of sunny south facing spots. The book ‘Growing healthy fruit in Spain’ describes over 70 fruits that can be grown and many are suitable for country areas.

‘Your garden in Spain’ and focus mainly on those that are both drought and frost resistant. Do make the best of the hardy aromatic herbs such as rosemary, lavenders, sage and thyme. If you purchased a large plot of land with many olive, walnut or almond trees do consider cutting out a large glade in the centre for the house and main formal garden, if not too late, and develop a network of paths between the trees with occasional glades of garden.

Fruit trees Re fruit trees, check on

A greenhouse or small polytunnel will be useful for protecting plants in pots over the winter.

what fruit is or was grown commercially in the area.

Recognise that citrus trees do not like being continuously exposed to strong winds and that attempts to grow subtropical fruits should only be

Growing vegetables One of the joys of growing one’s own vegetables, whether grown in the ground, in raised beds, or in builder’s buckets is that you know that they are fresh and free of residual chemicals when you eat them. ‘Growing healthy vegetables in Spain’ includes details of some 100 vegetables that we have raised in Spain. Our winter salads do not include tomatoes, but they do include a diverse mix of some 40 leaves and edible flowers full of raw energy and natural vitamins minerals and fibres.

Large pests Being isolated you will probably get fewer problems with small insects that can hop over the fences in an urbanisation comprising just holiday makers, letting owners, abandoned gardens as

well as enthusiastic residents.

However there is the chance that you will need to protect the garden from rabbits, wild boar and deer.

If rabbits are thirsty or looking for some tasty moist fleshy plants to eat they will

try and get in unless you do something about it. They even love young prickly pear cactus plants.

The best way to keep out rabbits is with a chain-link fence which has the bottom 30 centimetres sunk into the ground or a sunken two building block wall under the fencing which is cemented into the top of the wall. Tall strong fences will also keep out deer and wild boar.

The second best is a hunting type dog that has the run of the garden.

The third is to plant in raised beds with fencing on top.

There is an anti-rabbit product sold by Neudorff but it would be expensive to protect a large area.

Netting bags filled with human hair from the nearest hairdresser, hung on posts near a vegetable plot or along the wires supporting vines, and peed on once a month will make boars think that there are humans around and disappear.

For more ideas there are special chapters in the book ‘Your garden in Spain’ focused on gardens in different types of situation including in inland valleys, on mountainsides, on saline and barren soils and woodland sites.

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PROPERTY S P E C I A L

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‘Living roofs’ make homes warmer and cities cooler VEGETATION covered houses are increasingly being seen in eco projects.

By Jo Harvie IT may give a home a distinctly Hobbity look, but vegetationcovered houses are increasingly being seen in futuristic eco developments with ‘living roofs.’

A living roof involves covering the building with a waterproof membrane, into which

plants are set, usually species that require little maintenance such as mosses.

It’s a centuries-old tradition in some parts of the world, sod roofs having always been common in Scandinavia, for example, which has been adapted with modern materials in response to 21st century prob-

lems. In Germany, about 10 per cent of roofs have been turned into gardens, and the idea is spreading. The environmental benefits are numerous. Living roofs provide excellent insulation, and can significantly reduce carbon footprint and the costs of heating the building, as well as extending the lifespan of the roof.

And for the wider community, they promote biodiversity, providing urban habitats for birds and insects, help filter pollutants and store rainwater, easing pressure on drainage systems in heavy rain.

There’s even evidence that living roofs can make cities cooler in summer. Traditional building materials soak up radiation from the sun then release it as heat, which can see urban temperatures as much as four degrees Celsius higher than surrounding areas. After Chicago’s

MEETING the cost of buying a new home remains out of reach for most Spanish families, so the market is looking to foreign buyers.

Analysts point to the continuing high disparity between average income

50% URBAN WHEATFIELD: The living roof on the Canadian War Museum,Ottawa.

City Hall was given a green roof, temperatures on summer days were found to be between 1.4 and 4.4 degrees Celsius cooler than on other buildings.

If that wasn’t enough reason to get roof planting, they could also make people happier and healthier. When the roof of a Stuttgart post office was ‘greened,’ a survey found the

number of staff sick days fell.

Spain hasn’t been as quick on the uptake of this environmental advance as Germany or other front-runners, but living roofs have been installed here since the 1990s.

One of the biggest living roof projects tops Banco Santander’s HQ in the outskirts of Madrid,.

Other materials for building homes WHEN you picture your ideal Spanish property, is it made of bricks and mortar? Or is it made from timber? For many the answer is, ‘neither.’

Market looks to foreign buyers

Bricks and mortar, wood and stone seem the logical choices for most buildings. Since uniformity is dull we are lucky that there are those who think out-

side the box when it comes to building With the ever increasing market of alternative living options now becoming popular in Spain, you can find people living happily in all sorts of homes made from unconventional materials.

From a converted London bus, to a treehouse, from a metal storage container to a boathouse, you will be surprised what some people call home.

But even more so at the quality and luxury that can be reached with a little imagination.

Shipping containers are flood and fire proof, making them a great home-building material.

Ranging in length from four to 10 metres, shipping containers are typically only used for 10 to 15 years, but they can last much longer. It is estimated that there are 24 million empty shipping containers in the world that will not be used for cargo again.

Large vehicles are also becoming a favourite. What may immediately spring to mind is a broken down double decker bus, or old coach left in a field.

of homes buyers did not use a mortgage and house prices as a significant hurdle for recovery in the property sector.

The Ministry of Development has released figures confirming several other studies showing more than a sixth of property purchases last year were made by foreign buyers. Moreover, more than 50 per cent of home buyers did not use a mortgage, pointing to the majority of residential property purchases being made by people with significant capital, investing in property at the point where it was believed prices had bottomed out.

Banco de España say the average cost of a home is 6.3 times the average annual household disposable income.

Another study by valuers Sociedad de Tasción (ST) puts the ratio at 7.8 times average income, although some analysts say the extreme differences in property prices from region to region in Spain have thrown out ST’s results.

In the cheapest areas to buy a home, which include Valencia and Murcia, the average price is six times average income. In the Balearics, houses are 15 times the average income.

Either way, experts agree that a healthy economy should see property prices equal to just four years’ average income, a ratio that is some way off in Spain’s still depressed jobs market.

PROPERTY SPECIAL

30 April - 6 May 2015 / Mallorca

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EWN

45

More tips on how to increase the value of your apartment ADVICE on how to increase the square metres of your living space, both expensive and inexpensive.

John Graham The property expert MANY readers have asked for more advice on how to increase the value of their apartments.

When I carry out a valuation, the general rule in property is that the more square metres of living space your apartment has, the more your apartment will increase in value.

Here are some expensive and inexpensive things you can do to increase the square metres of your apartment or make your apartment look bigger.

Expensive Hire a professional company to convert part or all of your balcony and terraces into extra interior living space.

APARTMENT LIVING: There are many ways to improve the value of your apartment.

Fit a new modern kitchen with mid range appliances, choose light colours and avoid black appliances and dark coloured wall tiles.

Fit new modern white or pastel

coloored bathroom suites with light coloured wall tiles.

If you have a separate dining room and lounge, remove the nonload bearing walls and change to an

open plan room, the effect will be more light and space.

Lay new light coloured flooring throughout or in selected rooms.

Inexpensive There are things you can do to make your apartment look bigger which are not expensive.

Decluttering all the rooms, remove bulky or dark furniture, take out dark heavy curtains and reduce the number of paintings or pictures on the walls.

In the kitchen fit new light coloured cabinet doors, work tops and sink.

Change the taps and fittings in the bathrooms, replace shower curtains with glass screens.

Fit light pastel blinds or curtains.

Paint all walls, ceilings and doors in light pastel colours.

If you have dark coloured floors, lay light coloured rugs throughout.

In the bedrooms have light coloured bed coverings and add a splash of colour with scatter cushions.

Fitted wardrobes should be painted a light pastel colour.

Coordinated lighting throughout your apartment is very important as this enhances the feeling of extra living space.

Add extra floor, table and wall lamps, throughout your apartment, avoid many ceiling lights, aim for a light cosy luxurious ambience created by new pastel coloured lamp shades.

Tip of the week. For an extra touch of luxury, fit dimmer switches in the lounge and dining room.

Contact me for an independent survey and advice.

John Graham FGIS 020 32 900 983/+34 657 337 477 gk.ipad@me.com

46

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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

The International Boat Show is here!

THE Port of Palma area will host 117 boats as well as 63 yachts.

By Steve Walsh THE 32nd edition of the International Boat Show Palma, and the Second Edition Superyacht Show, starts today April 30. It is considered one of the most important nautical events of the Mediterranean and the largest in the world’s calendar of sailing and yachts.

The port of Palma and surrounding areas will host 117 boats up to 30 metres, as well as 63 yachts, of which some 70 per cent are mega-yachts.

This year, the Balearic Government expects to exceed last year’s numbers of 36,000 visitors to the show, and are hoping for nearer 40,000 patrons. The one yacht that may encourage a few

more dribbling potential buyers, is the fantastic ‘Mondango,’ a 52 metre-long superyacht with a price tag in the region of €20 million.

Also new for this year’s show will be extensions to both the land and sea exhibition areas. Both zones have had to be extended to allow for the number of yachts on display.

When you are not looking at the most beautiful marine hardware available in the world, or have had enough wining and dining for the time being, there will be over 3,000 brands and companies from 15 countries presenting and promoting their products and services for you to peruse.

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SUPERYACHTS: The Palma Boat Show is considered one of the most important nautical events of the Mediterranean and the largest in the world’s calendar of sailing and yachts.

YACHTS: More will be on display.

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BOATS SHOW PALMA

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OPINION & COMMENT

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Elaborately kitsch and selfconsciously unconventional Kevin Pilley Pilley’s Planet Kevin is an exprofessional cricketer and the former chief staff writer of PUNCH. He is the UK's most published travel writer. His work appears worldwide. He once went to Vienna and dressed up as Mozart.

T

HE rooms have been described as a cross between a bordello and an explosion in a tartan factory. The Witchery is also said to be haunted by a lady who was burned at the stake for witchcraft 500 years ago. I didn’t see or smell her.

And the fire alarm and smoke detectors certainly didn’t go off if she was padding about during the night.

‘The Witchery by the Castle’ in Edinburgh was opened by chef and restaurateur James Thompson who, fearing he had been born into the wrong time and class, gave an eccentric, incredibly OTT and very self-indulgent makeover. Scottish baronial baroque and flamboyantly creepy but gentrified Gothic style.

With more than a little of camp thrown in for good measure. It’s all very Pugin, deliberately decadent, elaborately kitsch and selfconsciously unconventional.

And great fun.

The Witchery is not a typical hotel. Reached via a narrow passage called Boswell’s Court and up a turnpike stone stairway, the tenement building right beside Edinburgh Castle dates back to 1595. It offers seven premium-priced suites.

You aren’t asked whether you prefer smoking or non-smoking.

Instead, you choose whether you want an organ pipe headboard. Or not. Or whether you want gilded Empire furniture. Or velvet or tartan or paisley-lined walls. Or would rather your walls leather panelled. You can have either three windows or seven looking out onto the Old Town rooftops, Princes Street and the Firth of Forth.

You can sleep the night in the ‘Guardroom’ or the ‘Armoury’ as

BARONIAL BAROQUE: The Witchery by the Castle in Edinburgh.

The unique hotel has an award-winning restaurant under its heraldic painted ceiling. You have breakfast by candlelight and can also bathe in a chapel. well as the library which singer Dannii Minogue described as “a lust den”.

The unique hotel, a 16th century merchant’s house, has an awardwinning restaurant serving, under its heraldic painted ceiling and surrounded by A-listed stonework, Scrabster monkfish, Isle of Mull cheddar scones and scallops, Oban oysters, Arran beets, Scotch border beef and lots of Scottish salmon. This year is ‘Scottish Year of Food and Drink’. At the Witchery you have breakfast by candlelight. You can also bathe in a chapel.

The room is cluttered with tasselled damask curtains and bric-a-

brac. Military uniforms are casually draped over chairs. The Witchery is the only hotel where you can go to bed if you wish in a Buzby which gives an entirely new meaning to ‘the night-cap’.

The Witchery, a former Satanists’ meeting place you are told tongue-in-cheek, also organises tours exploring the supernatural, grisly and sadist side of the burgh, following in the footsteps of cadies, grave-robbers and stranglers. Your escort is the Chief-InSpectre.

The Witchery’s sister hotel is five-star boutique baronial 1687

Prestonfield House, which is equally decadent in décor although equipped with concessions to modernity like Wi-Fi and mood-adjusting lighting.

The trouser presses are a bit outré. And straight. But the rooms are still much like boudoirs and overlook Arthur’s Seat and Royal Holyrood Park. And like The Witchery are a defiant challenge to the bland uniformity of most hotels.

There is a suite named after Benjamin Franklin who stayed there. But probably did not laze and lather away in the huge silver

leaf sleigh bath. (“Neatness and sweetness all around/ These we at Prestonfield House found,” 1759.)

The opulent hotel boasts the ‘Rhubarb’ restaurant which celebrates one of Scotland’s most unsung dicks. Sir Alexander Dick who introduced rhubarb to Scotland in the 18th century.

For further information contact The Witchery by the Castle, Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1NE. Tel: 031 225 5613 / www.thewitchery.com

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Motoring shorts

BMW USA recalls Minis BMW of North America is expanding an airbag-sensor recall for the third time to include older Mini Cooper models that may disable the passenger-side frontal airbag.

Findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, meant BMW recalled 91,800 cars, specifically the 2005–2006 Cooper and Cooper S hardtops, and 2005-2008 convertibles.

BMW has recalled more than 276,000 cars for this problem both in 2008 and in 2013. It also extended the warranty to 10 years and unlimited miles on certain affected vehicles.

These recalls do not affect cars sold in Europe.

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Be afraid, be very afraid of the future CHEVROLET introduce new concept car at the Shanghai Motor Show which even Batman would be jealous of, it’s a self-driving electric mobility capsule.

Best quarter since 2007 SEAT closed the first quarter of 2015 with its best sales results since 2007. For the first time in eight years, worldwide customer deliveries exceeded 100,000 units between January and March, reaching a total of 102,700 vehicles, 10 per cent more than during the same period in 2014. The Leon is again the model with the highest growth being up 15 per cent.

THE FNR: The shape of things to come.

By Steve Walsh IF the Terminator ordered a new car from Chevrolet to take him back to the future, this is it!

Chevrolet has revealed a new concept car at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show called the ‘FNR,’ and you should be afraid, it’s the shape of thing

to come.

Developed in Shanghai by GM’s Asia tech hub, we are talking about a laser head lighted, car networking, gesture controlled, fully autonomous, radar guided, Hot Wheels car from The Matrix.

This is a car that would make even Batman dribble like Homer Simpson. It’s perfect, except for one tiny thing: It’s autonomous. Sigh!

It’s essentially a self-driving electric mobility capsule. The wheels have magnetic hub-less electric motors embedded inside, it features a wireless charging system, crystal laser head- and taillights, ‘dragonfly’ upwardsopening doors and a sharp, angular and downright excellent body shape stolen straight out of a comic book.

So far, so very cool.

Step inside, however, and everything suddenly turns all

‘Startrek.’ You’ll have an ‘iris recognition’ start system, and a roof-mounted radar that, for now at least, maps out the environment to enable it to selfpilot. OK, the Mercedes Benz S-Class does that today, but then again, the Mercedes Benz doesn’t look like a sports car that’s escaped from Blade Runner.

Speaking of the future, Chevy says the FNR concept can also serve as a “personal assistant” to map out a preferred route. There’s gesture control, swivel seats and more sensors than the Millennium Falcon.

“The Chevrolet FNR is loaded with a full range of intelligent technologies, usually seen only in science fic-

tion movies,” says Chevy. Yeah, we’ve seen enough science fiction movies with autonomous robots involved to know the meaning of fear.

Thankfully, and to every petrolheads delight, the autonomous feature can be turned off, returning full control back to the driver.

Which will of course enable it to be driven as it should, and it needs to be driven like you stole it!

“Some say, half man, half oaf” IF you are an oil drinking petrolhead whose spine arches at the thought of a sideways taken bend, and whose lower regions tingle with the sound of a V8 being ripped through the gears, read on...

The unceremonious departure of Jeremy Clarkson from our TV screens earlier this year, along with his ‘normalist’ attitudes on our beloved big boy’s toys, may find you needing a little ‘fix.’

To that end, we have put together a few of our Lord J.C’s choicest comments, and best quotes: Bentley Continental GT’s suspension adjustability: “It really is about as useful as having a snooze button on a smoke alarm.”

BMW Z3: “And if you are clinically insane, by which I mean you wake up in the morning and think you are an onion, here’s your car.”

Buick LeSabre: “It was rubbish when it was new, it was built by idiots, and it’s rubbish now.”

Ferrari F430: “Now we get a few complaints that we don’t feature enough affordable cars on the show, so we’re kicking off with the cheapest Ferrari of them all.”

Chevrolet Corvette ZO6: “In many ways then this car is like herpes. Great fun catching it, but not so much fun to live with every day.”

Nissan Almera: “ Telling people at a dinner party you drive a Nissan Almera is like telling them you’ve got the Ebola virus and you’re about to sneeze.”

Renault Clio V6 handling bends: “In typical French fashion, it just gives up! A bit like the French did with the Germans. “ JEREMY CLARKSON: No longer on TV screens.

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Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko won his 18th successive fight beating Bryant Jennings to retain his world heavyweight title.

Last Saturday, at Fulham, Middlesbrough defender George Friend was sent off by referee Kevin Friend.

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SPORTS IN BRIEF

Cricket ENGLAND won the second Test against West Indies... thanks to Jimmy Anderson’s bowling (six wickets) and fielding (two catches and a run out). The third Test starts in Barbados tomorrow.

Retiring TONY MCCOY, OBE - the greatest jump jockey of alltime - has retired after taking part in his final race in front of a capacity 15,800 crowd at Sandown Park. He was a 20-time NH champion.

Marathon LAST Sunday, over 38,500 athletes competed in the annual London Marathon.

Gold medals were won by Eliud Kipchoge and Tigist Tufa. Paula Radcliffe also ran her last ever marathon.

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El Toro RC girls on tour to play in the south of Spain WHILE 60 youngsters headed north to Barcelona to play a 3 way tournament.

By Lynda Demangeat THE El Toro RC Girls team headed off to the south of Spain to play in a friendly tournament in aid of Scleroderma, whilst 60 youngsters aged from eight to 12 headed north to Barcelona to play in a three way tournament in La Guinardera, with Sant Cugat, and Sant Boiana, to play some of the most influential rugby schools in the Spanish rugby circuit.

The youngest El Toro RC players, the seven-year-olds, had the most successful results and won each of their matches.

The 12-year-olds won one game and lost another, and the eight and 10-year-olds were unlucky to lose both of their matches.

Every participant enjoyed their first experience of rugby away from the Baleares and left a great impression and

U18: El Toro RC v RC Ponent. many new friends in Barcelona.

Under 16 Friendly: In preparation for the Na-

Running hard. tional championship El Toro RC and RC Ponent played against each other in a

friendly match in Son Caliu. The home team of El Toro RC just took the win by 19 points to 10.

Under 18: Winners were RC Ponent by 47 points to 16.

Beach Rugby Weekend: The May holiday weekend promises to be an exciting weekend for lovers of Beach Rugby. For those in Palma the second HM Palma Beach Rugby Tournament kicks off on Friday evening with the opening ceremonies and entertainment.

Magaluf, sees the ninth Mallorca Beach Rugby Tournament begin on Friday night with the traditional opening party. Saturday sees matches in the Men’s, Girls and Juniors’ trophies leading to the finals and closing party on Sunday.