Euro Weekly News - Axarquia 3 - 9 March 2016 Issue 1600 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

ISSUE NO. 1600

3 - 9 March 2016

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AXARQUÍA - COSTA TROPICAL YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

DON’T MISS OUR FRIGILIANA SPECIAL INSIDE! PAGES 30 - 31

Axarquia’s race for equal rights THE battle for women’s freedom never ends

Rock steady Salobreña’s main monument is back SALOBREÑA’S Castle de la Villa has officially reopened its doors to the public, after a dramatic last two years involving renovations, archaeological discoveries, and hard-hitting storms. See page 2

Up in smoke Tobacco dreams are dashed A SAVVY sting operation recently led to the seizure of a whopping 2,600 packets of contraband tobacco in Velez,

By Sam Croft Equality is something we fight for, not something we are given. It is a hard-earned reward which is achieved only through perseverance and the courage to stand up and ask for something greater than ourselves. Sometimes through trial by fire, and sometimes through heartrending sacrifice, but always with a keen eye to the future and the never-ending possibilities that exist just over the horizon. In a world where women are subjugated, abused, and devalued on a daily basis, a call for global unity like International Women’s Day on March 8 represents a much-needed reminder of the almost otherworldly power of determination and a common objective. Not just women, but people of all ages and nationalities are given an annual opportunity to come together, raise their voices, and petition for an end to the gender inequality that runs rampant throughout the world. But in Axarquia, one day is not enough. This month, an explosion of sporting, cultural and fundraising events with a focus on gen-

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a hefty haul which had a market value of €11,000. See page 5

Bairns banned Children get the boot NERJA’S Riu Monica four star hotel has invested a pretty penny in renovations, and now the sleek new structure will feature an exclusive Adults Only clientele. See page 9

Vicious vandals der equality is about to burn its way through the area, and one of the very first out of the gate is Rincon’s Race for Equality on March 5. The event, a five kilometre run, is also a fundraiser, with proceeds going towards the Malaga Association for Multiple Sclerosis. The race is scheduled for an 11am start and participation costs €2. Those interested can register after 9am on the day of the race in the Tourism Office, thereby showing their support for both

global gender equality and a disease that affects over 2 million people worldwide. And Rincon is not alone. Various other towns in Axarquia and the Costa Tropical have also loaded their cultural programming this month with activities revolving around International Women’s Day. In nearby Motril for example, the programme comes with the name ‘One Day of Celebration… 365 of Equality’: a fitting title considering that although the fight for gender

equality has come a long way, the battle is far from over. Anyone in Axarquia looking to show up and get involved in the fight should consult their local town hall or visit their town council’s website.

Nightmare for Nerja hockey club A NERJA hockey club is reeling after their changing rooms were the subject of severe vandalism, leaving the

squad bouncing back and forth as they search for a new base. See page 12

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LOCAL NEWS

House fire breaks out in Rincon A MAN received minor burns on Sunday February 28 while trying to put out a fire which broke out in a house in Rincon de la Victoria.

Neighbours called 112 and firefighters and the Local Police later reported that damage had been caused to the home’s kitchen and interior patio.

Arrests for olive theft TWO Romanians were arrested in Riogordo on February 25 for stealing olives. The arrests, the police reported, were made thanks to collaboration from gamekeepers with the Local Police forces of Riogordo and Colmenar and the Guardia Civil in Colmenar.

Snow revisits the southern Pyrenees THE areas of Alfarnate and Alfarnatejo, known as the southern Pyrenees, have proven their title again by displaying their second coat

of snow of the year. Both located about 1,000 metres above sea level, the two areas awoke to snow on Saturday February 27.

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Jewel of Salobreña opens its doors again CERTAIN parts of the castle can now be visited By Sam Croft SALOBREÑA’S crowning glory, the Castillo de la Villa Arabic Castle, is once again open to the public. H ow e ve r, only c e rta in pa rts of the c a s tle c a n be visited, as workers are still studying some recently discovered archaeological remains. Restoration work on the castle began in 2014, and at the same time archaeological research was permitted to take place. Ultimately this research le d to the dis c ove ry of a large Turkish bath possibly linke d to the N a s rid dynasty. Since the beginning of the initial renovations, the castle has typically alternated visiting periods, but storms

Flickr by: Allie Caulfield

RESTORATION WORK: Originally began in 2014. and rough seas last October obliged it to be closed completely for safety reasons.

Now the castle is opening its doors again part-time, and the restoration work is

rocketing towards completion. The castle is expected to reopen in April.

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Featured News 3

Finance 19 - 26

Stocks 20

Leapy Lee 27

Daily TV 28

Letters 32

Health & Beauty 33

Legally Speaking 34

Time Out 36 - 37

Our View 38

Colin Bird 38

Social Scene 39

Property 40

Homes & Gardens 41

Pets 42

Services 44

Classifieds 45

Motoring 47

Sport 48

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Riogordo residents tense after four local arrests THERE is to be an intense police presence in the streets By Jill Pickering SO far four people have been arrested and six accused of theft and other crimes after numerous residents have made public the wave of attacks on houses and businesses in Riogordo over the last few months. The town hall has confirmed these details and announced the creation of the Junta Local de Seguridad as being a new channel for making proposals to improve security in the town. Many residents have found out from social networks or in person the ‘high tension’ after a meeting last Saturday with a significant regional group of the Guardia Civil. The main presumed perpetrator of the attacks is free without charges and the youngster is being compared to notorious Spanish criminal El Lute. The mayor, Antonio Ales (PP) reminded that the town council has appointed a lawyer to be present in both the declarations and judgements to defend the people affected in the town of Riogordo.

Photo credit: flickr by Aitor Moreno Martinez

TOWN HALL: Better security has been proposed for the town. Up to now, only one person has been sentenced to six months in prison for stealing a bicycle from a house on Calle Cerrillo. The mayor also stressed that although legal procedures are slow, justice will be brought to the town of Riogordo in the end.

Over the next few weeks there will be an intense police presence in the streets as a preventative measure and arrests will be made of those found stealing. The Guardia Civil have requested the collaboration of residents to report any abnormal situation or suspicious behaviour.

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Busy weekend for hotels in the region REPORTED that business is on the up By Jill Pickering THE Andalucia Day bank holiday weekend was a busy one in Malaga Province, with hotels in the area reporting that business was on the up. Tourism to the area in-

creased over the first few months of this year due to the good weather, carnival events and other local festivals including the Andalucia Day, celebrated by most Axarquia towns and villages. Inland villages appear to be

popular this year, and while five out of 10 tourists are from Andalucia there were also many from Madrid over the bank holiday, as Renfe provided an extra 3,500 seats on 13 extra AVE high-speed train trips down from the capital.

Police seize tobacco in Velez

Nerja hosts Mister Malaga

THE Local Police of Velez-Malaga recently seized 2,600 packets of contraband tobacco, which was going to be distributed to kiosks and shops to be sold to the public. The confiscated material had a total value of €11,000. The seizure occurred after investigations carried out by the police identified a small tobacco distributor. After a surveillance operation, officers intercepted a vehicle on the road and discovered 460 packets of tobacco. Further investigations led to the discovery of another 2,140 packets.

DESPITE the cold weather, 900 people turned out on Saturday February 27 to see the new Mister Malaga crowned at a contest on Nerja’s Plaza de España. The winner was Francisco Plaza Brescia, a 24-year-old from Alhaurin el Grande who was voted the most handsome of 45 candidates. The contest began at 2pm and the party continued into the early hours of the morning. It was broadcast live by Channel 101.

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Almuñecar is shining brighter than ever before

Residents feel the flamenco heat

ALMUÑECAR is shimmering like never before thanks to some upgrades to the existing streetlights. Calle Bikini and La Plaza de Abderraman are now sporting brand new lampposts and the lights have been increased to a potency of 150 watts, which has noticeably brightened up the street. La Plaza de Abderraman has nine new lampposts, nine metres in height, which are also equipped with the new high-power lights.

PRODUCTION was by the company Tot Danza SENTIR: Displays of divine dancing.

Tapas contest on the horizon ALMUÑECAR Town Council has opened the registration period for participating in the second edition of the Ruta de la Tapa contest, which will take place from Friday April 1 to Sunday April 10. The registrations will be done by representatives of the Almuñecar Trade Department, who will go to the interested establishments in order to make the procedures easier. The period will remain open until Monday March 14 at 12am.

By Sam Croft LA HERRADURA and Almuñecar residents were treated to an explosive flamenco performance last week in the Casa de la Cultura. The show, ‘Sentir,’ was a masterclass in the art of flamenco, with head-spin-

ning choreography, inspired direction, and mesmerising displays of divine dancing. The production was mounted by the company Tot Danza, and featured choreography from Miguel Jien and the participation of renowned flamenco dancer, Cristina Matias Pages, who hails from Almuñecar.

NEWS

Food for the heart and brain LOVERS of art and science in La Herradura and Almuñecar will not be short of options this month, now that the cultural calendar for March has been released. The party begins on March 4 with the conference The Limits of the Solar System, chaired by University of Granada Professor Simon Verley. Space nerds can ponder the mysteries of space and the vastness of the universe from the cosy atmosphere of the Sala de Conferencias. There will also be a smorgasbord of artistic events, with everything from art to music to theatre getting its fair share. The local group 7D7 Teatro is performing a comedic play on March 4 in the auditorium of the Casa de la Cultura, and on March 6 the Carlos Martin Jazz Trio will set the house on fire with its inspired rhythms and arrangements. But it doesn’t end there. The fun has just begun and the rest of the month is jampacked with spectacles and oddities for those looking to get out and about. Anyone interested in knowing the full cultural calendar for the month of March can have a look at Almuñecar Town Council website.

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THE new and improved Sports Complex La Horca in Frigiliana has officially been unveiled to the public. The complex received €160,000 from the Malaga Provincial Council to carry out extensive remodelling work, which included the laying flickr by Jose M Martin Jimenez

THERE will also be planes from other countries

PATRULLA AGUILA: Will be present at Torre del Mar’s First Annual Air Show in July. rofighter to the Patrulla Aguila (Eagle Patrol), the aerobatic team of the Spanish Air Force. In addition, there will be various planes from other countries, including France, England, and Italy. On July 29 and 30, atten-

Frigiliana sports complex looking slick after works

Sky’s the limit in Torre del Mar

MORE than 30 aircraft are set to participate in a spectacular air show that will hit Torre del Mar in July. The first annual Torre del Mar Air Show will feature the presence of everything from fighter jets like the Eu-

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dees will be able to watch the training exercises. The big show take places on July 31. Velez-Malaga Mayor Antonio Moreno Ferrer has said the show “is a great option to strengthen touristic potential.”

down of new grass, improvements to the changing rooms, and the building’s structural integrity. To mark the opening of the complex, a 7-aside football match took place, as well as numerous other celebratory events.

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Rain gutter gets attention GUTTERS in Nerja’s Burriana beach area are getting some TLC from municipal workers following years of neglect. The gutters and gullies intended to channel rainwater had become blocked with weeds and dead leaves, which are now being removed. The clean-up will improve the state of the entrance and exit to the area’s most popular beach in time for the start of the tourist season.

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NEWS

Children invited to design mini-thrones PARTICIPANTS must be younger than 12 By Sam Croft CREATIVE children of Velez-Malaga will have an opportunity to show their stuff on March 19 during the minithrone parade. B e tw e e n M a rc h 7 a nd M a rc h 17, those interested in participating can register in the Festivities Office, located in the town hall, between 10.30am and 2pm. The parade aims to get children involved in Easter by having them des ign the ir ow n minia ture throne s , which they can then carry during the parade. Participants must be younger than 12 and the throne cannot be more than 70 c e ntime tre s ta ll. The ma ximum amount of children allowed with each throne is 25. The mini-throne parade will take place on March 19 at 5pm. It will depart from the Paseo de Andalucia and

CHILDREN’S PARADE: Mini-thrones will be carried around the town. will go around the town for about two hours, visiting various streets and

landmarks before ultimately arriving at the Plaza de las Carmelitas.

Town council demands €3 million to provide services THE Parque Victoria Urbanisation located north of La Cala del Moral, with more than 2,000 residents, consists of one of the largest urban expansions

in the area of Rincon de la Victoria. The area contains enough space to erect another 1,900 houses in addition to the 1,200

already built over the last decade. However, the residents complain they are paying the same taxes, but are treated as second class citizens because they don’t have the same services as the rest of the town. The town hall admits their services are the bare minimum because the urbanisation is awaiting a formal certificate of acceptance which has been in legal limbo for two years. In fact, this certificate depends on a series of work worth €3 million that has not been carried out yet, including the repair of damaged public infrastructures like lighting posts and sewers. However, the work cannot be carried out by the council as the majority of the land and houses now belong to banks because the developing companies went bankrupt during the crisis. The council therefore considers that it is the job of the banks to carry out the necessary work so that the council can obtain the certificate of acceptance.

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NEWS EXTRA

Rough ride CYCLISTS flooded the streets of Nerja despite the cold and windy weather to celebrate another year of the popular Dia del Pedal which finished on the Balcon de Europa with prizes and a raffle for bicycles.

Antiques thieves are arrested STOLEN goods were returned flickr by Michele Zanin

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Resign plea FRANCISCO SALADO, president of PP for Rincon de la Victoria has urged PSOE representative Francisco Conejo to resign as the result of being accused of suspicious irregularities related to a swimming pool at his house.

Horse fall

THEFT: Alleged thieves stole jewellery and antique coins worth almost €2,500.

A WOMAN had to be airlifted by helicopter to hospital with head injuries as a result of a horse riding accident in the Frigiliana area on Sunday, February 28.

By Jill Pickering THREE people have been arrested in VelezMalaga for allegedly stealing jewellery and antique coins worth almost €2,500, and selling them to establishments which buy gold. Following reports of the theft from a home in Velez, National Police officers began to investi-

gate the victim’s acquaintances as no damage or signs of forceful entry were evident, and discovered that two thieves had been given access to the property and safe by somebody the victims knew. Two men, aged 17 and 19, and a 51-year-old woman were later arrested, and the stolen goods returned to their rightful owners.

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Sorry children, but you’re not invited THE four star hotel Riu Monica in Nerja has reopened after undergoing a com pl et e r ef ur bi shment of all its rooms, and this time around it is an ‘Adults Only’ establishment. The Riu Monica thus becomes the first hotel on the east coast to offer this service, which has pr oven t o be popul ar with tourists in other dest i nat i ons, l i ke t he Hot el Ri u Naut i l us i n Torremolinos. The Ri u Moni ca, which originally opened i n 1986, i s l ocat ed on the sea front near the promenade of La Torrecilla. The remodelling work began on Novem-

ber 1 last year and has been com pl et ed i n a record time of almost four months. The Mallorquin hotel chai n has spent m or e than €5 million on the renovation of the building’s 234 rooms and has repainted the exterior of the building from yellow to white. In addition, the front of the building has been r edesi gned t o have a m or e m oder n appear ance. The lobby, reception, and swi m m i ng pool s have al so been m odi f i ed, and a new ‘ chi l l out ’ t er r ace has been created which connects to the bar lounge.

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Mature students’ courses up and running in Nerja THE new cycle of Mature Students’ Courses has kicked off in Nerja, and anyone over 55 is welcome to jump into any topic that might tickle their fancy. The programme, Aula de Mayores, aims to offer up a wide selection of classes to those who are retired or on the verge of retirement to keep them intellectually stimulated. Courses range from everything from mathematics to cooking to literature, and typically last a week or so. Several courses have already started, but many of them are still on the horizon. They will be firing off one by one over the next few weeks and

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Making the most of life in Motril COURSE for foreigners organised a workshop

55 and over is the age group the courses are offered to months, and won’t wrap up completely until the end of May. Anyone interested in attending can register in the Centro Cultural Villa de Nerja or the Oficina de Mayores between 10am and 1.30pm the same day that each course begins. The classes take place from 5 to 6 in the afternoon and are taught by a spectrum of notable professors, researchers, and qualified professionals from different fields.

LIBRARY: Participants browsed the bookshelves and discussed different literary styles. By Sam Croft AN eager group of foreign residents is experiencing firsthand all that Motril has to offer. This week the students from the Spanish Course for Foreigners visited the Motril Library, where they participated in a workshop that revolved around literature and promotion of reading. The Spanish Course for Foreigners has been

organised as a way of integrating immigrants into Spanish culture by teaching them the Spanish language, and organising different chats and sociocultural activities like trips to museums. During their trip to the library they browsed the bookshelves, discussed different literary styles and learned how to use the library’s ample technological resources.

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Wacky races rumble LAST Saturday, February 27, Velez-Malaga held their first competition of crazy cars, with a procession through the streets to show off the imagination and crazy creations of all those participating. However, due to bad weather, the quality of the procession prevailed the quantity of participants, although lots of people turned out to watch this original event filling the streets from 5pm in the afternoon. There were prizes for the most original car, the largest, the oldest, the shabbiest, the wackiest, the most recycled and ultimately, the most childish.

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Velez-Malaga reduces sport tariffs THE new rates to use the sports facilities came into force on Tuesday March 1 By Antonio Melgar THE new rates for the sports facilities of Velez-Malaga came into force on Tuesday March 1. Residents will be pleased with the

Traffickers caught THE Guardia Civil has busted open a large drug smuggling operation between Spain and the African continent with the arrests of 25 people. The drug-trafficking group intended to smuggle marihuana from North Africa into Spain hidden in the hulls of modified boats. The police operation named Batelo/Sol Naciente took place in Malaga, Melilla and Almeria provinces. Most of the arrested men have Spanish nationality and were responsible for managing the operation, storage, logistics and distribution of the drugs. Charges include several drug-trafficking offences, belonging to a criminal organisation and possession of illegal weapons. The band of smugglers took vessels from Spain to the north of Morocco where they loaded drugs before returning to Spain. The established procedure saw a network of people involved in the hiding of boats and drugs and the onward distribution. The undercover operation by the Guardia Civil included inspections in Malaga, Almeria and Melilla. The Malaga towns of Frigiliana and VelezMalaga were where most of the drug cartel was based.

Residents evacuated after fire TWENTY-FIVE residents of a block of flats in Torrox had to be evacuated for safety reasons after a fire broke out in a 4th floor flat last week. Luckily firefighters managed to get the blaze under control and no personal injuries were reported.

changes as they include reductions in the price for using the municipal sports facilities as well as discounts for certain collectives. Among the new measures included in

this regulation, which was approved last September, is the removal of the sports card, which was previously required for the usage of the facilities and cost â‚Ź25. Also, there are up to 40 per cent dis-

counts for families with two or more children as well as for disabled people and students. Furthermore, people in situations of social exclusion will be able to access the municipal sports facilities for free.

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NEWS

Traditional cakes aim for growth

HOCKEY CLUB: More than 30 children participate in the sport.

RECIPE has been passed down through seven generations By Jill Pickering Flickr by SH Photography.de

Nerja Hockey Club targeted by vandals at the weekend than 30 children participating in this sport. As they no longer have a suitable area with the right conditions to practise, they now have to change from one court to another. A similar misfortune AN 82-year-old man was arrested last week in Rincon de la Victoria for recently befell the inallegedly exposing himself to several young girls in public. door football club, The incident was reported to police by a father who allegedly saw the when their changing man showing his genitals and touching himself inappropriately in front rooms were burned of numerous children who were walking with their families along the and smashed up, and seafront. Upon being arrested, the detained made a declaration, denying various trophies were the incident and stating it was all accidental. stolen.

THE Nerja skating hockey team had their changing rooms vandalised on Sunday,

February 28. The club in Nerja is the second hockey team in all of Malaga and has more

Alleged indecent exposure in front of children in Rincon

AN Algarrobo business which produces the popular cakes known as ‘tortas de aceite’ and whose recipe dates back to the Muslim era, has received positive results for its expansion into the European market.

The factory produces around 100,000 units a day and is reported to be taking its first steps towards exporting across Europe, including various quality control certificates and projects to increase production even more. The recipe for the famous

torta, which has been passed down through seven generations of an Algarrobo family, includes extra virgin olive oil, wheat flour, sugar, almonds, green grain aniseed, cinnamon and yeast. The cakes have been made in exactly the same way since the Arabian era.

Punishment for couple in Velez

Creativity in motion for Motril youngsters

A V ELEZ-M A LA G A c ou pl e wi l l f ace prison time for growing marihuana in their home with the intention of selling it on afterwards. The man has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison whereas his girlfriend received two years. Additionally, a man who lived with the two of them has been sentenced to three years in prison for selling cocaine, marihuana, and hashish.

MOTRIL youngsters have a prime chance to wow their peers now that the third edition of Motril’s HelArte Drawing and Painting Competition is under way. Students have until April 15 to submit their work, which can be a painting or a drawing but not a collage or photography. There are two categories: one for children and one for teenagers. First prize is a tablet and second is a painting kit. Last year, the competition was a huge hit, with more than 2,000 Motril youths participating.

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NEWS

A sad story about a vulnerable pensioner and her fugitive son IF anyone spots the pair somewhere in Spain, authorities have asked you to report their whereabouts to police By John Smith FROM time to time, we come across stories which are so sad that they have to be shared, not just because they are newsworthy but because it is necessary to highlight the way in which some people act and who knows, we might even be able to help the elderly lady involved if a reader spots her and her son somewhere in the areas where we publish.

The story itself goes back 15 years to when Ann Clarke was awarded £775,000 by a court which found the NHS guilty of failing to help her, despite the fact she was depressed and had tried to commit suicide on more than one occasion, including throwing herself under a bus. Just two days after winning the compensation, Ann Clarke ran in front of a lorry and suffered incurable brain damage. Whilst some

2012 By this time the compensation received had run out of the money went towards the purchase of a house, her son Michael started to spend some of it on visits to Spain, which became more regular, using his mother as the reason for the travel and using her money to pay for it. Her two other children were so upset by the way he was acting they made a formal complaint, and a court deputy was appointed who was required to allow her reasonable amounts of money for living expenses, but these turned out to be £60,000 a year, which was a considerable sum for an elderly woman in a wheelchair.

MICHAEL CLARKE: Travelling around with his mother. By 2012 the money had run out but Michael Clarke continued to enjoy the high life, travelling to Spain and even Thailand with his mother, who had only the in-

come from the house (she has left it to Michael in her will), which is rented out and state benefits to live on. Three years ago, he was sen-

tenced to three months imprisonment in absentia for disobeying the orders of the Court of Protection, which has taken a serious interest in the case, and he and his mother have been travelling around without returning to the UK ever since. It is known they have been in Benidorm in July 2014 and in Barcelona in July 2015 as he has a habit of posting his whereabouts on his Facebook page, where he also complains about British justice and the judiciary. So worried is the Court of Protection about the financial situation of 75-year-old Ann, a judge declared on February 24 that the property she still owns may not be sold and he commented: “All that can be said is it is unlikely to be in her best interests to be kept out of her native country. If the property was sold, the proceeds would be spent in whatever way Michael Clarke chose.” Although he boasted in December 2015 they were going to travel to Cambodia, there is every possibility that the easily recognisable pair could still be in Spain or may return, so with the words of the judge ringing in our ears, we hope that if the couple are spotted that publicly spirited readers will report their whereabouts to the Local Police, who would no doubt check with British authorities as to how best to proceed. Dial 092 for Local Police, 091 for National Police or visit your nearest police station.

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NEWS

Bridge tournament proves popular GAMES were followed by an evening dinner and a presentation of the winnersâ€™ awards THE Trumps Bridge Group in Nerja held its annual David Leake Cup Bridge Tournament on Saturday February 20 at El Restaurante Cueva de Nerja. Trumps Bridge Group has grown in popularity

in recent years and there were 18 full tables with 72 people playing Duplicate Bridge in two sections. Trumps is truly international and the event was attended by players from the UK, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Norway, Spain and others.

Winners of the Trumps David Leake Tournament Cup February 2016 were: 1st place Lise Soby and Gill Sheppard. 2nd place Gertrud and Wolf Graber. 3rd place Gwen Royle and Ulla Rydmann.

At the end of the evening Penni Wilson made a presentation of thanks to Marion Talbot the Bridge group organiser. For information see website www.bridgewebs. com/trumpsnerja for current session times etc.

Provincial karate competition THE 29th provincial karate circuit, in which locals and competitors from six other Malaga municipalities took par t , was host ed by Fr i giliana.

500 people went along to watch the competition, which was hosted by Frigiliana.

Thirty people competed in the event, with 20 referees and a further 15 people involved in organisational tasks, and approximately 500 spectators went along to watch. To cater for the event, six r i ngs wer e set up and t he com pet i t i on l ast ed f i ve hours. Trophies were presented by local Mayor Jose Ant oni o Gonzal ez Conejero.

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Spanish Treasury boosts economy THEY were successful in their fight against fraud in 2015 By John Smith THE director of the Treasury Santiago Menendez has congratulated his staff on their success in the fight against fraud during 2015, which has seen an increase in the amount recovered by no less than 27 per cent, and the money has been a sig-

is the amount that the Spanish Treasury claims that it has recovered from fighting tax fraud during 2015.

RYANAIR: Carried the largest number of passengers.

AENA a huge success ANYONE who invested in the airport management company AENA when it was privatised in 2015, has made a very good return for the money spent. With its network of 46 airports including London Luton, it has reported that 2015 saw an increase in profit to €833 million, which is an increase

nificant boost for the Spanish economy. He advised that they have been concentrating their resources on large taxpayers who have previously been able to reduce their payments by use of legal loopholes, illegal avoidance and the ‘black

“It is easy for consumers to be lulled into complacency by ample stocks and low prices but they should heed the writing on the wall.” Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency. Photo by Evstafiev Photo Credit Ramon Espelt Photography

Quote of the Week

€15.64 billion

of 74 per cent over 2014 profits. The Spanish government benefitted from receipt of more than €200 million in 2015, and it was revealed that over 207 million passengers travelled through its airports, with Ryanair carrying the largest number at 35 million.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Nissan disables app NISSAN has disabled one of its own apps as it could have been used to hack its Leaf electric cars. Although it has known for some weeks about the flaw in the software, which could have allowed a hacker to run down the battery and review details of recent journeys, the company did not consider this a serious problem, but took action once news of the glitch was posted on social media.

Bimbo strike THIS is not an unusual walk out by ‘flighty’ women, but a strike of bread workers using the slogan ‘without a future there will be stale bread’, in order to try to persuade the owners not to close the Bimbo factory in Palma, Mallorca. There are six strikes planned initially, starting in Palma and rolling out to other bakeries in the group including Madrid.

Airport back on runway THE Ciudad Real airport has still not been sold, despite at least two previous announcements that it was. Now interested parties have been invited to submit new bids for the entire property, with a minimum starting price of €50 million.

€9 billion is the amount that Abengoa SA is said to owe in the US which has resulted in it filing for bankruptcy protection in America.

STAT OF WEEK

business & legal

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They were given just three days to submit their bids to the court, which is controlling the sale, but after all of these months of waiting, it does appear slightly unusual to give such a short deadline.

economy’, where payments are made in cash. Now that there are agreements in place with nearly 80 countries to allow for the exchange of financial information, the director believes that the amount recovered will continue to increase.

IBEX 35

-0.56%

C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 29

Three Chinese bankers have been bailed THREE directors of the Chinese Bank ICBC, who were arrested in Madrid as part of an investigation into money laundering, have each been released from prison following the payment of €100,000. The bank insists that it is continuing to operate normally within Spain and is cooperating with the Spanish authorities in their investigations.

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

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C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 29

PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group PLC 434.25 -5.10 Aberdeen Asset Mng PLC 240.70 -1.30 Admiral Group PLC 1739.00 -6.00 Anglo American PLC 454.75 4.45 Antofagasta PLC 489.05 5.10 ARM Holdings PLC 975.75 -2.44 Ashtead Group PLC 903.75 1.50 Associated British Foods PLC 3341.50 -23.00 AstraZeneca PLC 4153.25 -51.00 Aviva PLC 432.40 -3.50 Babcock International Group... 916.00 -7.00 BAE Systems PLC 510.25 -2.00 Barclays PLC 167.30 -1.80 Barratt Developments PLC 580.25 -7.00 Berkeley Group Holdings 3325.50 -21.00 BHP Billiton PLC 714.00 -2.20 BP PLC 346.10 -3.55 British American Tobacco PLC 3912.25 -2.00 British Land Co PLC 654.75 -4.50 BT Group PLC 485.45 0.30 Bunzl PLC 1937.50 2.00 Burberry Group PLC 1266.00 -3.00 Capita PLC 1017.00 -13.00 Carnival PLC 3533.50 -14.00 Centrica PLC 206.70 -4.50 Coca-Cola HBC AG 1358.50 -10.00 Compass Group PLC 1248.00 -1.00 CRH PLC 1811.00 -6.00 DCC PLC 5690.00 -35.00 Diageo PLC 1868.25 3.60 Direct Line Insurance Group... 387.40 -1.40 Dixons Carphone PLC 431.10 -2.30 easyJet PLC 1481.00 -13.00 Experian PLC 1168.50 -3.00 Fresnillo PLC 1007.50 11.50 GKN PLC 270.65 -1.90 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1412.00 2.00 Glencore PLC 130.70 2.40 Hammerson PLC 543.75 -4.50 Hargreaves Lansdown PLC 1243.00 -14.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC 1839.00 -65.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 455.12 -12.05 Imperial Brands PLC 3756.50 -14.50 Inmarsat PLC 983.50 3.00 InterContinental Hotels Grp 2668.00 -25.00 International Consolidated ... 537.25 -3.50 Intertek Group PLC 2921.00 -4.00 Intu Properties PLC 290.60 2.40 ITV PLC 248.80 -3.20 Johnson Matthey PLC 2515.00 -11.00

% CHG. -1.16 -0.54 -0.34 0.99 1.05 -0.25 0.17 -0.68 -1.21 -0.80 -0.76 -0.39 -1.06 -1.19 -0.63 -0.31 -1.02 -0.05 -0.68 0.06 0.10 -0.24 -1.26 -0.39 -2.13 -0.73 -0.08 -0.33 -0.61 0.19 -0.36 -0.53 -0.87 -0.26 1.16 -0.70 0.14 1.87 -0.82 -1.11 -3.41 -2.58 -0.38 0.31 -0.93 -0.65 -0.14 0.83 -1.27 -0.44

NET VOL 46.43 412.44 28.00 1,170.14 157.33 132.04 119.85 21.27 114.86 478.14 30.25 213.54 2,223.97 88.22 43.64 959.80 2,291.29 135.46 200.76 981.58 37.34 58.60 46.30 14.08 968.68 29.55 170.46 43.80 3.72 221.78 165.89 37.69 38.84 81.35 72.24 95.98 728.93 4,769.51 56.66 30.89 67.54 2,605.37 91.22 68.90 30.84 440.97 19.29 306.85 826.60 8.43

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Kingfisher PLC 333.05 -3.30 Land Securities Group PLC 999.00 -7.00 Legal & General Group PLC 224.70 -1.40 Lloyds Banking Group PLC 71.28 -0.84 London Stock Exchange Grp 2725.00 -92.00 Marks & Spencer Group PLC 418.00 -4.30 Merlin Entertainments PLC 452.10 3.20 Mondi PLC 1272.00 -9.00 National Grid PLC 959.10 -10.80 Next PLC 6712.50 -55.00 Old Mutual PLC 166.60 -2.30 Pearson PLC 843.25 6.50 Persimmon PLC 2199.00 -19.00 Provident Financial PLC 3219.00 -10.00 Prudential PLC 1239.50 -7.00 Randgold Resources Ltd 6577.50 170.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC 6548.50 -55.00 RELX PLC 1242.50 -6.00 REXAM PLC 607.75 -1.00 Rio Tinto PLC 1864.75 4.50 Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC 675.00 -4.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Grp 222.85 -3.70 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 1628.50 -7.00 Royal Mail PLC 453.45 -4.20 RSA Insurance Group PLC 429.85 -6.00 SABMiller PLC 4161.00 -9.00 Sage Group (The) PLC 587.00 -3.00 Sainsbury (J) PLC 250.85 -1.80 Schroders PLC 2588.00 -54.00 Severn Trent PLC 2109.00 -20.00 Shire PLC 3860.50 -37.00 Sky PLC 1045.50 12.00 Smith & Nephew PLC 1169.50 -7.00 Smiths Group PLC 997.50 -2.00 Sports Direct International 392.55 -5.20 SSE PLC 1377.50 -11.00 Standard Chartered PLC 413.00 -16.45 Standard Life PLC 329.50 -3.40 St James's Place PLC 857.00 -12.50 Taylor Wimpey PLC 184.55 -1.04 Tesco PLC 180.15 -4.05 Travis Perkins PLC 1768.50 -5.00 TUI AG 1069.00 -10.00 Unilever PLC 3066.25 -31.00 United Utilities Group PLC 914.75 -12.00 Vodafone Group PLC 217.45 -1.40 Whitbread PLC 3852.00 -28.00 Wolseley PLC 3672.50 -16.00 Worldpay Group PLC 294.90 2.00 WPP PLC 1506.00 -9.00

% CHG. -0.98 -0.70 -0.62 -1.16 -3.27 -1.02 0.71 -0.70 -1.11 -0.81 -1.36 0.78 -0.86 -0.31 -0.56 2.65 -0.83 -0.48 -0.16 0.24 -0.59 -1.63 -0.43 -0.92 -1.38 -0.22 -0.51 -0.71 -2.05 -0.94 -0.95 1.16 -0.59 -0.20 -1.31 -0.79 -3.83 -1.02 -1.44 -0.56 -2.20 -0.28 -0.93 -1.00 -1.30 -0.64 -0.72 -0.43 0.68 -0.59

NET VOL 157.20 80.61 541.96 7,183.80 98.85 213.76 74.41 78.72 443.82 10.82 463.49 169.25 46.38 19.66 328.68 60.16 53.41 211.72 67.19 491.97 295.32 1,242.73 364.41 59.94 120.09 195.52 61.35 306.49 29.14 18.94 62.02 436.47 51.02 26.90 75.38 123.97 1,005.51 115.95 76.16 367.24 2,146.83 23.03 39.09 218.42 74.70 2,259.45 16.64 16.92 294.78 107.41

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0.78733

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US dollar..................................................................1.09304 Japan yen ................................................................123.495 Switzerland franc...................................................1.09141 Denmark kroner....................................................7.46216 Norway kroner.....................................................9.50322

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DOW JONES C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 29

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

PRICE CHANGE %CHANGE VOLUME 158.27 -0.72 -0.45% 1.8M 55.38 -0.01 -0.02% 5.9M 96.91 +0.15 +0.16% 29.0M 118.16 +1.34 +1.15% 3.8M 66.87 +0.40 +0.60% 4.1M 84.35 -0.95 -1.11% 9.4M 26.41 -0.19 -0.71% 18.1M 43.14 -1.02 -2.31% 18.4M 95.31 -0.34 -0.36% 5.3M 61.51 +1.09 +1.80% 4.2M 81.75 -0.26 -0.32% 14.3M 29.40 +0.17 +0.58% 29.3M 150.25 +2.00 +1.35% 5.9M 126.26 -0.60 -0.47% 4.6M 132.03 -2.47 -1.84% 4.4M 29.80 +0.18 +0.61% 19.9M 105.78 -0.60 -0.56% 9.0M 57.54 +0.53 +0.93% 20.9M 117.06 -1.31 -1.11% 5.2M 50.64 -0.36 -0.71% 9.3M 51.30 -0.80 -1.54% 36.0M 62.60 +0.22 +0.35% 8.9M 30.23 -0.36 -1.18% 42.9M 81.10 -1.24 -1.51% 9.3M 108.46 -0.81 -0.74% 1.8M 97.69 -0.38 -0.39% 14.7M 121.33 +0.13 +0.11% 2.9M 51.02 -0.09 -0.18% 13.0M 72.73 -0.54 -0.74% 6.7M 66.51 -1.53 -2.25% 11.0M

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES F EBRUARY 29

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced RR Media Ltd. Scientific Games Corp Stamps.com Inc. Histogenics Corporation Presbia PLC Immersion Corporation Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. 2U, Inc. HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc. Editas Medicine, Inc. ATA Inc.

$ 13.07 $ 8.50 $ 116.51 $ 2.56 $5 $ 9.03 $ 9.17 $ 21.83 $ 3.09 $ 27.49 $ 4.89

4.37 ▲ 50.23% 2.19 ▲ 34.71% 20.26 ▲ 21.05% 0.37 ▲ 16.89% 0.71 ▲ 16.55% 1.27 ▲ 16.37% 1.28 ▲ 16.22% 2.93 ▲ 15.50% 0.41 ▲ 15.30% 3.54 ▲ 14.78% 0.62 ▲ 14.52%

$ 4.76 $ 7.99 $ 2.98 $ 22.63 $ 3.75 $ 5.12 $ 20.77 $ 43.99 $ 5.74 $ 5.76 $ 11.41

2.15 ▼ 31.11% 3.33 ▼ 29.42% 0.80 ▼ 21.16% 4.26 ▼ 15.84% 0.62 ▼ 14.19% 0.83 ▼ 13.95% 3.05 ▼ 12.80% 5.69 ▼ 11.45% 0.68 ▼ 10.59% 0.63 ▼ 9.86% 1.06 ▼ 8.50%

Most Declined Cara Therapeutics, Inc. PTC Therapeutics, Inc. Acacia Research Corporation PRA Group, Inc. Pershing Gold Corporation Ovascience Inc. NutriSystem Inc Universal Display Corporation MediciNova, Inc. EnerNOC, Inc. region

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

A Bank of Spain warning

LATEST REPORT: Indicates its belief that 2016 is likely to be difficult. ment but is ready to raise its head again at any point, it can be seen that the putative recovery in Spain could well come to a halt

quite quickly, although Spain did manage to sell a large volume of bonds during February. Finally, to add to the financial

woes, the European Union is insisting that the 2016 budget be reviewed and resubmitted by April of this year, even if there is to be

a new election, which could result in a new government who would be likely to amend the previous budget anyway.

Ciudadanos upset the British Photo by flickr by UK in Spain

By John Smith THE latest economic report from the Banco de España (Bank of Spain) indicates its belief that 2016 is likely to be difficult, and in its words ‘complex for the volatility and uncertainty in the markets’. It forecasts a tightening of credit to business as well as an increase in debt, which will be made worse if the price of crude o i l d o e s n o t r e c o v e r, a s l o s s e s from the energy companies will h a v e a k n o c k - o n e ff e c t o n t h e banks. When these factors are coupled with the fact that global stock markets are performing as poorly as they have done for years, then the recipe for 2016 is not encouraging. Add to this the continued wariness of foreign investors, whilst both the matter of the establishment of a stable government and the Catalan ‘difficulty’ remain, which is low profile at the mo-

Photo Credit Jorge Lascar Wikimedia

IT forecasts a tightening of credit to business and an increase in debt

ALBERT RIVERA: Was invited to visit the British ambassador to Spain. IN a very unusual move, it is reported that the leader of Ciudadanos, Albert Rivera, was invited to visit the British Ambassador to Spain, following an attack on the agreement reached between Great Britain and the other 27 Heads of State in the EU, which he made in a radio interview.

In his direct manner of speaking, he claimed in the interview that the EU had ‘dropped its trousers before Cameron’, and that he was very sorry that the Spanish government had publicly supported the concessions granted to the United Kingdom. With the fact that he may one day be-

come part of a ruling coalition in Spain, and in the assumption that Britain will remain within the Union, it would appear that Ambassador Manley wanted to take the opportunity to clarify Britain’s position, and remind Mr Rivera of the value of British investment in Spain, and of course vice versa.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

EWN

Google now in trouble with France By John Smith THE tax arrangement that the British government was so happy to boast about, whereby the Exchequer received £130 million (€165 m i l l i o n ) t o c o v e r a p e r i o d o f 11 years during which the internet search engine earned £24 billion (€30 billion), has not only been criticised by Parliament, but is looking more of a joke when compared to what the French authorities are now demanding. Following investigations into the companies’ activities in France, the government there is asking that Google pay €1.6 billion in back taxes, and this will no doubt be the matter of some discussion between company CEO Sundar Pichai who is visiting France and will be meeting the French economy minister Emmanuel Macron. It is not known whether this is a negotiating ploy by the French government, which would be content to accept a lesser payment, but it was only earlier in February that Finance Minister Michel Sapin stated that he would not enter a deal with any global company that owed back taxes. As has been previously an-

Photo Credit Maurizio Pesce Wikimedia

FINANCE MINISTER stated he would not enter a deal with any global company that owed back taxes

GOOGLE: French government have asked the company to pay €1.6 billion in back taxes. nounced, Brussels is also scrutinising the way in which these large, mainly American companies are

able to siphon money off to legitimate EU-based ‘tax havens’, to the detriment of the countries in which

these goliaths are trading. Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler were told they must pay back up to €30

million in taxes, but even this relatively small amount is being disputed, and Starbucks has declared that it will appeal the decision, whilst other investigations into tax deals with companies like Amazon and Apple, continue.

Starbucks and Fiat Chrysler were told they must pay back up to €30 million in taxes, but even this relatively small amount is being disputed It is to be wondered whether the relatively low-key announcement of the appointment of new senior officers at HMRC has anything to do with the criticism that the British government has received over the Google deal, and it remains to be seen whether these new appointees will take more stringent action against other companies. In the meantime, Spain appears to be biding its time, waiting for a stable government and watching the results of other members’ actions.

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Uncertainty is draining the value of sterling Ask the expert Peter Loveday Contact me at euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com

AT the turn of the year it seems like the Great British Pound made a New Year’s resolution to move lower. The heady levels of GBP/EUR over 1.40 seen late 2015 now seem like a distant memory. The pound has also tumbled against a basket of other currencies demonstrating an overall weak trend. So what is behind such a sharp move lower given we now see GBP/EUR in the mid 1.20s? As normally is the case with the currency markets we have a few independent drivers that have together created a perfect storm for the pound. Firstly the significant fallout in the global economy, particularly from China and falling oil prices has created a ripple of fear that has permeated the markets. In an environment of fear the pound tends to get sold and we have seen this selling pressure almost constantly in 2016 due to volatile and negative global conditions. To add to this we have also had

THE POUND: Has demonstrated an overall weak trend. clarification on the EU referendum vote which is set for June 23. The uncertainty behind this vote has already started to undermine appetite for the pound. A potential Brexit may or may not be a good thing for the UK economy and that is the point - we just do not know and this uncertainty is

draining value from the pound. This week we received news that London Mayor Boris Johnson is backing the call for a Brexit and this support increases the chance of a Brexit vote, the pound has dropped sharply this week after this news. The final reason for a lower pound is down

to sentiment from the Bank of England, who have hammered home the point that interest rates are not set to move higher any time soon. You could argue that the pound was overvalued anyway in late 2015, and this move lower is a welcome correction which will support exports and help drive the UK economy and reduce the deficit. GBP/EUR in particular has also fallen due to a stronger euro. The euro has gained an appetite as a funding currency, and it has also emerged as a safe haven currency of choice along with the US dollar, Japanese Yen and Swiss Franc. Looking ahead we are set for a very interesting few months. We have the run up to the referendum vote and the markets will look to get an idea of how polling is leaning. However confidence in polling will be lower due to the fact that polls were completely wrong in forecasting the UK general election. We also have the prospect of further easing by the European Central Bank (ECB) in March to curb falling inflation. The ECB will be keen to defend against a stronger euro and will be keen to push the euro lower. Throw into the mix the activity of the US Federal Reserve and ongoing market volatility and it is set to be a bumpy ride ahead!

Visit us at our Spanish offices in Costa del Sol, Costa Almeria, North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca. Telephone: UK +44 (0) 207 847 9400 SPAIN +34 950 478 914 Email: euroweekly@currenciesdirect.com • www.currenciesdirect.com

CUSTOMER found pieces of plastic in a Snickers bar

British house builder reports increased profits

By John Smith THE chocolate company privately owned by the notoriously private and for many years anti-royalist Mars family, has had to recall a range of chocolate products from general circulation in no less than 55 countries. The fallout from this decision is going to affect the financial standing of the company, even though the problem has only been caused by a lack of proper quality control in their factory in Veghel in the Netherlands. As distribution of their sweets is not limited to the country of manufacture, it is going to be very difficult for the consumer to decide whether to purchase a potentially dangerous Mars product or not. Although the company can identify what batches of product went to which country, it is going to be very difficult to persuade consumers to check long and complicated lists. The scare was started in Germany when a customer found

BARRATT DEVELOPMENTS, favourites with Baroness Thatcher, who bought one of their upmarket properties in 1990, have just reported an enormous increase in profits in the UK of 40 per cent thanks to selling more properties at higher prices. Unlike rivals such as Taylor Wimpey, the company, founded by the late Sir Lawrie Barratt has not looked at Gibraltar or Spain as potential markets but has concentrated on the UK. With latest profits reported as £295 million (€373 million), it certainly suggests that the British housing market is seeing a real insurgence despite all of the gloom. Whilst Spain is seeing some recovery, the UK with its ever-increasing population and large urban builds, is always going to see a demand for property but according to CEO David Thomas, the housing market remained strong thanks to improved mortgage availability and government support for first time buyers. The firm completed 7,626 homes in the six months to the end of December 2015, compared with 6,971 a year earlier, which they managed to sell at an average price of £254,000 (€321,000), an increase of 11 per cent over the previous financial year.

Photo Credit Joop van Houdt Wikimedia

Mars recall some products

MARS PLANT: The problem was caused by a lack of quality control at the factory in Veghel. pieces of plastic in a Snickers bar back in January, and whilst it may be a completely isolated case, the company doesn’t want to take the risk of any other contaminated chocolate being eaten by its customers. They say that this is to ensure good quality control, whilst others suggest that the losses of recalling the product are possibly less than the losses they might receive from both lawsuits and ongoing discov-

ery of rogue chocolates. The added problem is that some places purchase from more than one wholesaler or supplier, so that whilst Britain is mainly worried about fun size Mars and Milky Way bars and boxes of Celebrations, Gibraltar which purchases from Britain and Spain has to worry about different size Mars, Snickers, Milky Way and Celebration brands. The problem only exists in Europe and at the end of the day, a lit-

tle bit of plastic should be both relatively easy to spot and unlikely to cause major harm even if eaten, but this is not something that is going to help their financial position as not only will they have to dump huge volumes of chocolates but they will also lose sales to worried consumers. Having said this, with global sales of €30 billion in 2015, they will probably be able to weather the storm.

OPINION & COMMENT

3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

www.euroweeklynews.com

EWN

So much to say this week THE USA election, political correctness gone mad and Tony Blackburn’s witch-hunt LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

OTHERS THINK IT

SO much to say and so little space to say it in. Not generally a problem with the old boy’s scribbles, but a definite drawback in this issue. Column content has to stretch from this week’s CND demonstration, an event attended by Corbyn, where in defence of their views, one couple arrogantly remarked that ‘some countries at war at the moment had nuclear weapons, but weren’t using them anyway’! Well of course they weren’t. That’s the whole idea. Nuclear weapons are… A deterrent! Do you think America would have atomic bombed Hiroshima or Nagasaki had Japan also been a nuclear power? On to the subject of America’s next president, which looks increasingly like being Trump or Clinton. The USA’s choice between a somewhat unhinged business tycoon, whose extreme ideas could just possibly be the answer. Or a power mad, proven liar, with more

DONALD TRUMP: A somewhat unhinged business tycoon. skeletons in the cupboard than Winnie Mandela. An individual who apparently, when she was first lady, ordered White House employees to make no eye contact with her, and was so

unpleasant, that staff renamed the presidential 747, ‘broomstick one’! (Devils and deep blue seas come to mind). To the subject of more political correctness

gone mad. Apparently, among other insanities, you can no longer advertise for barmaids, handymen or paper boys as it may be considered sexist! Moving smoothly on to the increasingly boring subject of Brexit. Irrespective of the difficulties that could ensue for us expats, I am, nevertheless a proud Brit who truly believes that our great country may just be able to retain that hard won distinction, should it free itself from the ever increasing, arrogant shackles of the EU. And finally squeezing in, and making no comments whatsoever, on Tony Blackburn’s witch-hunt. Fat cat charity bosses, Tony Blair’s immigrant welcome mat and the woman who tripped in a pub, broke her wrist, and could receive 4.2 million pounds in compensation! Etc. Etc. Sorry no more space. (I can hear the sighs of relief from here!) Lost two dear and wonderful entertainers this week. Richard (Dicky) Fox and Vinnie Scott. RIP old friends. Sadly missed. Keep the faith. Love Leapy. Leapylee2002@gmail.com

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

www.euroweeklynews.com

TV LISTING

THURSDAY 3 MARCH

FRIDAY 4 MARCH

SATURDAY 5 MARCH

SUNDAY 6 MARCH

MONDAY 7 MARCH

TUESDAY 8 MARCH

WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH

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

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The One Show EastEnders Room 101 Would I Lie to You? Pompeii: New Secrets Revealed with Mary Beard BBC News at Ten BBC London News Question Time This Week

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 11:35pm 12:05am

BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show A Question of Sport EastEnders Celebrity Mastermind Shetland BBC News at Ten BBC London News Comedy Playhouse Catherine Tate's Nan

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Regional News Weather The Getaway Car The Voice UK Casualty The National Lottery Live BBC News Weather Match of the Day The Recruit

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BBC News Regional News Weather Countryfile Call the Midwife The Night Manager BBC News Regional News Weather Match of the Day 2 Women's Football

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Inside Out EastEnders Panorama Frontline Doctors: Winter Migrant Crisis BBC News Regional News Weather Cuckoo Have I Got Old News for You

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BBC News Regional News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Happy Valley BBC News Regional News Weather Life and Death Row Forget Me Not

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Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Shop Well for Less Famous, Rich and Homeless BBC News Regional News Weather A Question of Sport Would I Lie to You?

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Bargain Hunt Eggheads Too Much TV Cycling Murder Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle Newsnight The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story Eggheads Too Much TV Cycling Gardeners' World Land of Hope and Glory - British Country Life QI Newsnight Artsnight Leave to Remain

8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:40pm 12:10am 8:30pm 9:00pm Bradbury 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:40pm 12:10am

Flog It! Gardeners World Back in Time for the Weekend Queen Victoria's Children Dad's Army Stag Dom Hemingway Line of Duty Line of Duty

7:10pm

Flog It! Who's the Boss? Steve Backshall's Extreme Mountain Challenge Let's Play Darts for Sports Relief 2016 Thirteen The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

7:45pm

Too Much TV This Farming Life University Challenge Mary Berry's Foolproof Cooking The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story QI XL Newsnight Weather Eggheads Too Much TV This Farming Life Back in Time for the Weekend Who's the Boss? Scrappers Newsnight Weather Let's Play Darts for Sports Relief 2016 Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip Bargain Hunt Eggheads Too Much TV This Farming Life £100k House: Tricks of the Trade Our Story Dunblane. Live From the BBC Newsnight

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Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale The Cruise Bear Grylls: Mission Survive ITV News at Ten and Weather The Late Debate Frustrated Britain: Caught on Camera

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Coronation Street Best Walks with a View with Julia

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Coronation Street Mr Selfridge ITV News at Ten and Weather Benidorm The Man with the Golden Gun ITV News and Weather You've Been Framed! Saturday Night Takeaway Take Me Out The Jonathan Ross Show ITV News and Weather Never Say Never Again ITV News and Weather Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands Story of Cats Doctor Thorne ITV News and Weather Brits Behind Bars Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights

10:00pm 11:00pm

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Historical sights ting are worth visi rical village with the

FRIGILIANA is an important histo itecture in the rebest preserved original Moorish arch Church of San gion. The most popular sights are the Ecce Homo and Antonio, the old granary, the Shrine of of the Lizar Casthe Palace of the Counts. The remains eum of Archaeolotle, the Mudejar district and the Mus h visiting. gy at the Farming House are also wort rmation datinfo l rica histo al reve All these places The Algar Mening back to before the 17th century. archaeological hir is the most important 1500 BC imity. The vilsite, with other earlier sites in the prox to the tower ch chur the from ry, lage is rich in histo sure s; a vase whi ch host s one of its grea test trea ions, Chrisrelig e thre of on which has an inscripti Judaism and ) cent cres (the tianity (the cross), Islam id). Dav of (the Star

IMPORTANT: Historical village.

FRIGILIANA SPECIAL

Possibly Anda most charmin By Jill Pickering WHEN pretty, whitewashed houses dazzling in the sun come to mind, it has to be the village of Frigiliana. This charming village, with its narrow streets, alleyways and nooks and crannies, probably holds the title of being the prettiest village in the province of Malaga, and is located only a few kilometres inland from the touristic town of Nerja in the eastern part of the Axarquia. Home to what it claims is the best preserved original Moorish architecture in the area, Frigiliana’s most striking feature has to be the beautiful flowers displayed all year round, oozing from the whitewashed houses. With its typical Spanish charm and integration of expatriates with the local people, the entire village thrives with its hospitality to visitors, and is an ideal destination to visit and enjoy the amazing experiences on offer and should certainly not be missed.

HOME: To the best Moorish archite Further proof of Frigiliana’s charm and beauty, if required, is the fact that at the end of 2015 it came second in a competition as part of Ferrero Rocher’s 25th anniversary celebrations to find Spain’s perfect chocolate box village.

FRIGILIANA SPECIAL

alucia’s ng village

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Frigiliana offers exquisite culinary dish es

FOR those looking for a culinary experience in typical Andalucian dishes, there is nowhere be tte r than the village of Frigiliana , where several bars an d restaurants offer a great ra nge of food for both loc als and visitors. As well as national an d international cuisi ne, there is a variety of local dishes including go at in almond sauce, and ‘migas’, a popular and typica l me al in the mountain villages, which is a cross betw ee n br eadcrumbs and fried bre ad. Soups and stews are made from fresh, loc ally-grown vegetables and other local produce includ ing olive oils, moscatel grapes and the famous miel de ca ña molas se s ma de fro m loc al su ga r ca ne . Du rin g Ho ly Week, an outstandin g salted cod dish is traditionally served.

ecture.

Fiestas and traditions THE ma

in festivals of Frigiliana are the days of both its patron saints, that of San Sebastian celebrated on January 20 and San Antonio on June 13. The festival of San Antonio sees an opportuni ty to hold a Romeria, a pilgrimage come picnic or barbecue which takes pla ce down in the gorge of the river Higueron. The fes tiv al commemorates the victor y of the Christians over the Moors in June 1569. Other festivals include the carnaval held in Februa ry and The Day of the Cross is celebrated on May 3, wh en floral crosses are made and displayed around the village. At the end of August, the festival of the Three Cultur es is celebrated which repres ents the harmony between the Christians, Jews and Mu slims that once lived in the region. Market stalls, a str eet theatre, traditional food, music and dancing take place over a spectacular fourday event. Holy Week is the most reli gious tradition of the vill age with processions to mark the holy observances which are treated with pride and dee p reverence by local peo ple.

BEAUTIFUL: Flowers displayed all year round.

PRETTY: Whitewashed houses.

3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

EWN

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 /Axarquía - Costa Tropical

LETTERS

OPINION & COMMENT

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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

Local heroes came to our rescue, so thank you to all

Help please! ON one of your letters pages in December, Anne Lee wrote in from Malaga asking where she could take her ever-growing collection of plastic bottle tops. I was unable to find a copy of EWN for the following two or three weeks so didn’t see any reply. I too, have a large collection of bottle tops and am in the same position as Anne. J B of Quesada

Definitely not illegal I AM sick and tired of reading in the

Tough talk

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

Beware the Dog! Photo Credit C.M. Coolidge Wikimedia

WE are in Teulada for a short while to see our bank and on our first day here after arriving the night before we went to the supermarket. On leaving the supermarket our Spanish car would not start. Firstly a kind, elderly Spanish gentleman helped me push it for a bump start. No joy! I then decided to try and run down the hill to bump start it again no joy. There we are stuck at the side of the road on a hill, in the way of traffic etc. Firstly a Dutch lady stopped and tried to help then another gentleman arrived. Before I knew it we were surrounded by five different cars all willing to help. With their assistance we managed to move the car to a side street and then another gentlemen assisted further by taking us back to Teulada. I do not know how I could thank them enough each one of them was a star. One Dutch, one German, one English and two Spanish. This sort of behaviour must be highlighted as we do not live in a world entirely occupied by selfish people. I just wish I could thank each and every one who assisted me outside Pepe le Sal supermarket on the Moraira to Calpe road on Saturday afternoon (February 27). We are so grateful to each and every one of them. Faith in human beings restored. Love to them all. Derek and Olive via email

ANYONE who has the right to vote who does NOT use it here in Spain or indeed anywhere in Europe should be deported back to live in Britain and stripped of all of their benefits and entitlements. Britain will NEVER be allowed to leave Europe as the ramifications for so many are so huge. However we cannot afford one gram of apathy to filter through here - we ALL need to vote with our feet. As once this craziness begins we will never be able to stop the descent. Hannah via the website

Don’t believe the hype I have a theory that the real threat from within Spain and the UK is the ever increasing number of our canine species, dogs! They are everywhere, running wild, on leads, in pushchairs, in baskets, on bikes, driving articulated lorries, on scooters, mopeds, being carried, up peoples’ jumpers, in handbags, shopping baskets. Why, I even saw one directing traffic the other day. Late reports suggest they are now stroking humans and owners are sleeping with them in baskets. Makes you wonder how they came to have four legs. I hear several secret training camps are already thriving in Almeria. The majority seem to wear designer gear, hats, cardigans, socks, hats, sun shades, blouses, hobnail boots, wellingtons, evening gowns, tuxedos. Not to mention the scouse brow and back combed barnet! They crap where they stand and decorate endless walls, trees and sometimes people with urine. A great many owners don’t bother picking up the mess; they leave it for some poor sod to do that. Beware The Dog! Philip from San Fulgencio via e-mail

Euro Weekly News that if the UK leaves the EU we will become illegal immigrants. My family and I moved to Spain in 2004 and six months later complied with the regulations and went to the National Police office and applied for residency, which was granted. Dominic Grieve is a politician so we have to be very careful about anything he says. It is my understanding that an illegal immigrant is a person who enters a country illegally, are we saying that the Chinese, Americans, Australians and other non EU people

are here illegally, I think not. Let’s grow up and accept that we chose Spain and we are here legally. Philip Whale, Almuñecar

of the EU. The word hypocrisy comes to mind. Jim by e-mail

Hypocrisy?

Dear Jim, Thank you for your comment and of course you are entitled to your opinion. In our opinion however, there is one major difference between the two matters and that is as British citizens living in Spain or any other EU country, we will be directly affected and therefore should have the right to be able to indicate our wishes in a UK referendum which will decide our future.

I WAS interested to read your article on the banning of bull fighting, in particular your comment ‘should expatriates have a say in the affairs of a foreign country.’ What a pity you do not apply the same measure to voting in the British referendum on membership

Editor’s note

YOUR average Joe Public doesn’t understand what the EU does, and doesn’t, do for UK citizens and the country’s non-British residents. I firmly believe that, although democracy is essential as a human right, there are issues which should not be left in the hands of the general public. Most don’t have either the specialist knowledge, or the first-hand experience, needed to make an informed decision, and few realise how much the UK tabloids are spreading falsehoods or, at least, exaggerations that border on (and sometimes enter the territory of) unethical... nor who actually owns and controls said tabloids. And there’s no democracy in those who would be the MOST affected being denied a vote; which includes EU nationals living in the UK as well as us expats in the EU. Kally via the website

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.

HEALTH BEAUTY

Ask The Doctor

Axarquía - Costa Tropical

3 - 9 March 2016

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Brought to you by

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So you’ve taken up running then? Wear the correct shoes! THERE is no need for a trainer, just the motivation to get out there

FitFoxy Looking Good, Staying Trim

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. This week a reader asked the doctor about migraines: Dear Doctor, I recently had what I can only describe as a migraine attack. I was driving and suddenly my vision became blurred. About five minutes later I felt so bad I had to go home. Once there the migraine started, the pain was almost unbearable and I had to take painkillers and wait for it to pass. My GP told me it was a migraine. I’ve had a couple more attacks since and am very worried. -Is this normal? Do I need tests? Migraines are a frecuent cause of headaches but not all headaches are migraines. They can be intense and cause pulsating pain to one or both sides of the head. If you have these symptoms you should be evaluated by a specialist, who will carry out tests including a blood test and an MRI. -What is the difference between a normal headache and a migraine? Migraines tend to affect specific areas of the head and can be associated to neuralgic symptoms including visual alterations, numb-

ness or tingling sensation in the face or hands and even, although this is rare, temporary paralysis of the face or other parts of the body. They usually last between 24 and 72 hours and wear off gradually. Patients usually identify their symptoms quite quickly and as time goes by can learn to prevent or reduce attacks by taking certain measures. -How can I control these attacks? When they happen I have to stop what I’m doing and if I’m driving it could be dangerous. Attacks can be hard to control but usually if caught early they can be kept in check. Stressful situations should be avoided and those prone to migraines should get plenty of sleep at night and avoid anything they suspect sparks their attacks. -What causes them? The causes are unknown, but genetics, hormonal changes and certain medicines are believed to be involved. Some patients also relate their attacks to certain foods or drinks including alcohol, chocolate or caffeine.

If you have any questions for Dr Perez Belmonte, please send them to: jefemedico@helicopterossanitarios.com The Coast’s Home GP service - wherever you are - at home - in the office - in the car - on the golf course your GP will get to see you any time, anywhere. A priceless service at an affordable price.

RUNNING is the fitness choice selected by many, due to the fact it is so convenient and practically free to do, if you discount the fitness kit and trainers. You get to train outdoors, which is always a bonus, you don’t necessarily need a trainer or anyone else to train with you, just the motivation to get out there and enjoy yourself. However one of the important and often overlooked things to consider when you are taking up running is the condition your body is in when you start, and the condition it needs to be kept in to keep you from injury. There is a huge difference between a conditioned gym goer and a complete beginner. • The first basic thing you need to make sure you get right is your FOOTWEAR. You may think this is obvious, but believe me I have seen people running in Converse All Stars, fashion pumps and worse. If you are to take your new sport completely seriously you need to have

FOOTWEAR: You need to have your feet measured in a professional running shop. your feet measured and your gait assessed in a professional running shop. This way you will get the exact style and fit of running shoe that is going to one day take you through a 5km to 26.2 mile race. In the past I have trained clients that have suffered from shin splints from running and high impact exercises. After making a podiatrist appointment and correct inserts were put in their training shoes they recovered and were able to continue running without pain. • Another important thing to con-

sider to prevent injury is CORE and GLUTE TRAINING. You may wonder why your backside should have any relevance to running, the truth is, it has a great deal. Your core including lower back, abdominals right through to your glutes, adductors, abductors and hip flexors, all need to be kept in a strong balanced state if they are to support your body through any future challenging runs or races. Consider adding some glute exercises to your weekly routines. Happy running!

Meningitis jabs to be debated by UK MPs PETITION was signed by more than 700,000 people MPs in the UK are to debate the introduction of meningitis jabs for children under the age of 11, after more than 700,000 people signed a petition calling for action. The petition was launched after parents shared photos of their infants who died from the infection. Former England rugby player Matt Dawson also joined the campaign after he tweeted images of his youngest son, who had been

battling with meningitis. The Petitions Committee agreed to schedule a debate but said it would like the House of Commons to hear from some of the families who have been affected by meningitis B, as well as relevant medical experts. A vaccine to protect against Meningitis B has been available on the NHS for babies aged two months since September. Parents who want older

children vaccinated must pay privately.

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

How can a company work like that? Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man LAST week I was ranting about a well-known car rental company and a toll charge. You will be pleased to know that it has been concluded. I phoned the Gov.uk helpline and they were useless. They wanted a copy of the prosecution notice which I didn’t have, as it had been sent to the car rental company. So, I phoned the company again and this time I got someone who actually understood the problem. I told her I had a copy of my bank statement with the payment on it. She told me to send her it, so I did, and I got an email back saying they would refund the charge. The interesting thing was the toll people told me there was no fine. What they sent the car company wasn’t a penalty notice, just a reminder that it hadn’t been paid (even though it had) so it wasn’t a fine at all. It was a charge of £2.50. The £40 was an admin charge from the car company! A liberty but now sorted. I decided to upgrade my phone (again). My first port of call was one of my phone

company’s stores. No problem, I’m a diamond customer so apparently I get special service. Yeah righto! I find my phone of choice and of course it’s not in stock but if I’d like to leave a €200 deposit it will be there on Wednesday. It was Friday. No problem, so I paid. Wednesday comes - no phone. Same on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday. I ask for my deposit back which they give me. I go home and phone the operator and ask if I can order over the phone. No problem, I just have to pay €35 up front and the rest is paid over a two-year contract and the phone will be delivered in three days. It was delivered, but here is the dumbest thing. Bear in mind I’ve been with this company for 12 years with a direct debit for payments. The phone arrives by courier. I’m not home and they leave it with my security guard at the gate, but not until he gives the driver €35! The guard only has a €50 note and the driver hasn’t got the right change so it costs me €38 instead of 35, no big deal but how ridiculous that I have to give cash to a delivery driver, who then has to pay the phone company that I’ve had a direct debit with for years! How can a multi-million pound company work like that? If anyone knows please let me know.

www.euroweeklynews.com

OPINION & COMMENT

LEGALLY SPEAKING

New PIVE plan ENCOURAGES drivers to trade in for newer vehicles AS part of a new series, we answer some common driving questions, kindly provided by members of the Guardia Civil based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, who set up the N332 website and Facebook page to help break down barriers.

CARS IN SPAIN: Are found to be older than average. ACCORDING to information published in a survey conducted on behalf of the motor manufacturing industry, the average age of a car on the roads of Spain is 11.5 years, far older than the European average, and older than what is considered to offer the optimum in safety, performance and efficiency. The data reveals that 29 per cent of all cars on the roads of Spain are between 11 and 15 years, and 24 per cent are over 15 years of age. There are more than 11 million drivers in Spain who have vehicles older than 10 years, a figure which places Spain as the country with the oldest fleet in the five major European markets of Germany, UK, France and Italy. To encourage drivers to trade in for newer vehicles, the Spanish government introduced the Plan PIVE. Now in its eighth incarnation, Plan PIVE 8 offers attractive subsidies for new vehicles

and was launched last March with a total of €175 million allocated. Not only is the aim to ensure improvements in safety, as newer cars have evolved to include features which offer more protection, they are also more fuel efficient, and so emissions and pollution are also reduced. For example, if the objective of 885,000 old vehicles are replaced with new and more efficient models, the drivers will save around 308 million litres of fuel annually, preventing the importation of 1,961,542 barrels of oil per year. In order to satisfy the requirements, your choice of car will have to be new and registered in Spain, and of the M1 category, which is a passenger car with up to nine seats, including the driver. There are other restrictions applicable too, including a maximum price of the new car, but the majority of normal, everyday vehicles will be eligible.

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

Can we change our ‘cuotas’? WE are proposing to change the way we divide our community fees. Our ‘cuotas’ are not the ones recorded in our ‘escrituras’. Our fees have been changed three times without unanimity. The current fees have never been registered in the Property Registry or our Book of Minutes, and some are paying much more The short answer is yes. In your unusual circumstances, you may change your system by majority vote, as you apparently have already done. Properly, the percentage

per square metre than others. All 144 properties have been remeasured by a qualified architect. We will vote for the changes at our AGM. The proposal is that we base the fees on the area of the property. If we do not get a unanimous vote but only a simple majority, can we proceed with the change? A.W. (Costa Blanca)

David Searl You and the Law in Spain

of community fees assigned to each property should be established in the original

charter document of the community, registered in a special section of the Property Registry. These would be the ‘cuotas’ which appear in your ‘escritura’ or title deed.

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

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

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TODAY

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TOMORROW

OUR MARRIAGE IS LIKE THE EU REFERENDUM - MY BORIS HE WANTS OUT - BUT HE KNOWS I HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS!

CASABERMEJA NERJA

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GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Outside influences and pressures make it hard to concentrate. However, finances in particular need attention, so do not be distracted by others trying to put

LEO (July 24 - August 23) Some loss of control over a project is irksome. A new start that seemed so promising seems to be going off course. A real injection of time and effort will make all the difference, however. Midweek, you see things going in the right direction again.

Nonagram

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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION aced acid adit aide cedi coda code cued dace date dean deco dent dice diet dine dint done dote duce duct duet dune edit iced idea node nude tend tide tied toad toed undo acted adieu anode anted audio udit cadet caned canid cited coned dance daunt dicot dicta donut douce ducat dunce edict educt indue nicad noted octad outed tined toned tuned anodic atoned cadent canoed canted coated coined dacoit deacon decant detain docent donate induce induct iodate united untied conduit counted noticed actioned eduction uncoated AUCTIONED CAUTIONED EDUCATION

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX 18C, MIN 11C MAX MIN

22 12 S 21 10 Cl 17 8 C

Mon - 17 8 Cl Tues - 16 8 Cl Wed - 16 8 S MAX 19C, MIN 12C

19 10 C 17 9 C 14 8 Sh

19 11 S 18 9 Cl 16 8 Th

S Sun,

Cl Clear,

Sh Showers,

8-Star Quiz

EURO MILLIONS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

Saturday February 27

Friday February 26

Saturday February 27

Sunday February 28

29 36

BONUS BALL

THUNDERBALL

BONUS BALL

13 33

15 50

LUCKY STARS

REINTEGRO

MAX MIN

17 10 C 16 7 S 14 6 C

Mon - 14 6 C Tues - 16 5 Cl Wed - 15 6 C

17 36

25 38

REINTEGRO

SUNNY MAX 24C, MIN 10C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Mon - 17 7 C Tues - 16 8 S Wed - 16 8 S

IRISH LOTTO

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

UK THUNDERBALL

CLOUDY MAX 16C, MIN 9C

Murcia

CLEAR MAX 17C, MIN 11C

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

MAX MIN

Mon - 17 8 S Tues - 18 8 S Wed - 18 9 S

MAX MIN

Mon - 15 8 C Tues - 15 8 C Wed - 15 8 Cl

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.

SUNNY MAX 22C, MIN 12C 21 12 S 18 9 Cl 18 8 Cl

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Sudoku

Fri Sat Sun -

Mallorca

CLOUDY MAX 17C, MIN 10C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 12 1 C Tues - 12 1 S Wed - 12 1 Cl

MAX MIN

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

Benidorm TODAY:

MAX MIN

16 5 Cl 12 2 C 12 2 C

MAX MIN

19 12 S 19 11 Cl 17 9 C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Fri Sat Sun TODAY:

Barcelona TODAY:

MAX MIN

Malaga

SUNNY MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

CLOUDY MAX 15C, MIN 3C

TODAY:

Almeria TODAY:

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) In your heart of hearts you know what you want out of life. It is a little timidity of spirit that is now stopping you. I know that recent experiences have sapped your confidence, but now is the time that you are most likely to make progress in your chosen field.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) Hidden forces are working away in the background. These give good and bad influences but life will not be dull this week. Some-

Madrid

SUNNY MAX MIN

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Avoiding a decision will not help this week. Who will deal with this matter but you? A relationship is threatened if you do not make a move. Will loved ones always be there for us no matter how much we neglect them?

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Being a brave and forthright soul, it is easy this week to dispel the negative thoughts of others. A relationship that makes you hesitate could be beneficial.

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Be determined not to be intimidated by someone who thinks that they are superior. Decide who you will take advice (or orders) from and stick to it.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) Being unusually uncertain of yourself this week could throw confusion into your ordered life. There is a partnership problem to be sorted out.

Alicante TODAY:

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) Petty arguments should be forgotten. More important things are afoot. This may be you at the moment. Avoid wasting time with certain individuals and projects.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) You are holding a good hand. Deal with the right people and the rewards are high. There is potential for being cheated out of something that is yours, so it may be necessary to be ‘difficult’ to get what you deserve.

a finger into your ‘pie.’ Do not be concerned about making changes in your social life because this will sort out some problems.

LOTTERY

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Awkward situations usually bring out the best in you and this week proves that. In the longer term, you will be grateful to those making things difficult now. Midweek sees you turning the tables, which gives much satisfaction.

(February 20 - March 20)

Fri Sat Sun -

MAX MIN

25 11 S 21 10 Cl 18 8 C

F Fog, Sn Snow,

Mon - 19 9 S Tues - 17 8 Cl Wed - 18 7 S

C Cloudy, Th Thunder

MOTHER’S DAY 1. By what name was the Roman Catholic religious sister, born in Skopje in August 1910 and christened Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, better known? 2. From the Latin for ‘generous mother,’ what name is given to the university, school or college that one formerly attended? 3. The Mothers of Invention were an American rock band from California that served as the backing musicians for which musician, songwriter, composer, record producer, actor and filmmaker? 4. The painting in oils on canvas created by the American-born painter James McNeill Whistler in 1871 ‘Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1’, is better known by what other name? 5. Used in ornamentation, what is the name of the smooth shining iridescent substance forming the inner layer of the shell of some molluscs, especially oysters and abalones? 6. What was the name of the wimpish, smiling character played by Michael Crawford in the BBC sitcom ‘Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’? 7. Which alcoholic drink was formerly referred to as ‘mother’s ruin’? 8. Which small seabird of the open ocean is sometimes referred to as Mother Carey’s chicken? Not a lot of people know that… in the vast majority of the world’s languages, the word for ‘mother’ begins with the letter ‘M’ 1. MOTHER TERESA (also known as BLESSED TERESA OF CALCUTTA), 2. ALMA MATER, 3. FRANK ZAPPA, 4. WHISTLER'S MOTHER, 5. MOTHER OF PEARL, 6. FRANK SPENCER, 7. GIN, 8, STORM PETREL

YOUR STARS

times you wish others would leave you alone. Not that you are being anti-social.

Let others whinge if they will. Being determined to get your own way, they will stand little chance. Recent disagreements have left a sour taste. In the best of worlds, things will not always go your way. Life would be boring if that were the case. Be likeable and you will be liked. Simple, isn’t it?

PICSES

OUT

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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 Real (6) 4 Grate (6) 8 Frightening (5) 10 Nimble or active (5) 11 Makes better (5) 12 Vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment (5) 13 Make brown and crisp by heating (5) 14 Snow coloured (5) 17 Hit with something flat (4) 19 Payments for services (4) 21 Comes to an end (5) 24 Boggy area (5) 25 Bet (5) 27 Concur (5) 28 Monk (5) 29 Lift up (5) 30 Fisherman (6) 31 Conquer (6) Down 1 Allocates jobs or duties (7) 2 Snares (5) 3 No matter what (6) 5 Morally pure (6) 6 Try to stir up public opinion (7) 7 Choose by a vote (5)

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Code Breaker Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 9 represents C and 18 represents N, so fill in C every time the figure 9 appears and N every time the figure 18 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 Lindisfarne, 9 Nothing, 10 Stale, 11 Ague, 12 Lacrosse, 14 Meats, 15 Keats, 20 Entreaty, 22 Brie, 24 Therm, 25 Against, 26 George Cross.

Down: 2 Intrude, 3 Dais, 4 Signal, 5 Absorbed, 6 Nears, 7 Knead, 8 Defer, 13 Streamer, 16 Thrones, 17 Testy, 18 At ease, 19 Belts, 21 Theme, 23 Fair.

QUICK Across:

9 Asian dress (4) 15 See 16 16/15 Formal headwear (3,3) 18 Remarkable (7) 20 Snake (7)

English - Spanish

21 Scarce (6) 22 Man-eating monster (4) 23 Turn sharply (6) 24 Bulgarian capital (5) 26 Handbook (5)

Down: 2 Alike, 3 Example, 5 Heats, 6 Plateau, 7 Seems, 8 Stays, 9 Push, 13 Year, 15 Once, 17 Forgive, 19 Restore, 20 Chase, 22 Adapt, 23 Best, 25 Issue, 27 Ideal.

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

Across 1 Azulejos (ladrillos vidriados) (5) 4 Desván (5) 7 Hombros (9) 8 Strange (person, event, behaviour, feeling) (4) 9 Here (in this place) (4) 13 Traducir (9) 15 Rebajas (5) 16 Asses (donkeys) (5) Down 1 Stools (seats) (9) 2 Perdedor (5) 3 Nieve (4) 4 Over there (4) 5 Corbata (3) 6 Castles (buildings) (9) 10 Reina (5) 11 Pregunta (4) 12 Cow (4) 14 Todo (en su totalidad) (3)

Hexagram

1 Eager, 4 Chips, 9 Private, 10 Apart, 11 Sleep, 12 Mystery, 14 Lose, 16 Often, 18 Argue, 21 Care, 24 Hurried, 26 Seize, 28 Slips, 29 Protect, 30 Fewer, 31 Heals.

ENGLISH-SPANISH Across:

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

1 Elbow, 3 Salud, 6 Very, 7 Imagen, 9 Lento, 10 Norte, 11 Puerta, 12 Higo, 13 Shade, 14 Brass.

Down: 1 Envelopes, 2 Berenjena, 3 Semana, 4 Lagartija, 5 Dangerous, 8 Bottle.

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

ANTLER ARREAR BAUBLE CAREEN CLUTCH DUGOUT EXTENT FEEBLE GALAXY GARBLE

GLOBAL KINDLE RECODE RESORT RUSTIC SODDEN TACKLE (10) TARGET TRANCE

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Brandy, 2 Diesel, 3 Landau, 4 Spleen, 5 Indoor, 6 Afraid, 7 Jasper, 8 Beyond, 9 Serial, 10 Joyful, 11 Rabies, 12 Allele, 13 Defeat, 14 Lumber, 15 Fluent, 16 Astray, 17 Rueful, 18 Strand, 19 Mutate

Across 1 Block second best (4) 4 Car Erasure made a prize (8) 8 Dip in Eurocrat error rate (6) 9 Chef Jamie is musical (6) 10 Brigadier hid capital (4) 11 Mrs Hales turned out to be innocent (8) 13 Ethical oil Polish chap concocted (13) 16 Climb up and over damaged lead case (8) 19 Start supping beer, it’s a deal (4) 20 Order from top to carry high explosive (6) 22 Eat in, he’d be angry (6) 23 Others not more fidgety (8) 24 Expression used for part of school year (4) Down 2 Spots she’s after diverted train (9) 3 Mine’s on decrease, that’s the drawback (7)

4 Set fire to a bit of toast or charcoal (5) 5 Money after, for example, trio organised exhibition of selfishness (3,4) 6 Facility in Catskills (5) 7 Soldier ate duck eggs (3) 12 Half a can of lager is trifling (5,4) 14 Famous person let make-

up frighten (7) 15 Quick coffee on the spot (7) 17 On the lookout for later novel (5) 18 Distinctive character began education to help overseas students (5) 21 Female sheep, says you (3)

E W N 3 - 9 March 2016 / Axarquía - Costa Tropical

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OPINION & COMMENT

Little white lies don’t hurt

OUR VIEW

TALKING about an ingrown toe nail is not the best chat up line in the world Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-thewall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.

THE Princess and I celebrated our wedding anniversary recently, and it brought back the day that I first met her on a beautiful Bermuda beach. She had remarked upon a number of discernible scars on my abdomen, and having shown some false reluctance to talk about the subject, I eventually gave in and recounted the story of how they had been received. Some years before in my home town of Reading, I was passing a Building Society branch when two masked armed robbers burst out of the door. Stupidly and without giving too much thought to my actions, I gave chase and received a shotgun blast to my stomach for my troubles.

MEMORIES: Of that first meeting on a beautiful Bermuda beach. But I somehow still managed to wrestle one of the robbers to the ground and with the help of other passersby, we managed to subdue him and his accom-

plice until the police arrived. Being a modest kind of a bloke I don’t talk about it much, but the shotgun pellet marks are still visible. Bet you’re impressed.

My wife certainly was when I originally spun the tale to her many years ago in my efforts to win her affections. But the truth is, I had

surgery years before for a scary ingrown toe nail which was removed along with a significant chunk of my big toe. Grafting was deemed necessary before I was allowed to go home and a dozen or so pinch-grafts were taken from my abdomen. A routine procedure under local anaesthetic, but one that had me chewing the bed pan in agony once the effect of the drugs had worn off. I left the hospital two days later with a throbbing midsection; limping and chastened with lectures about the perils of wearing winkle picker shoes ringing in my ears. I was 18 years old. My good lady was a tad unhappy when I eventually told her the real story, but let’s face it; talking about a manky ingrown toe nail is not the best chat up line in the world. And I did get the girl.

Quo Vadis UKIP and Nigel Farage POLLS at present are running neck and neck

Random thoughts... THERE is supposedly an old Chinese proverb which says ‘be careful what you wish for. You just might get it’ and this seems to apply to Nigel Farage and UKIP. Really, what is going to happen to UKIP after the June referendum? If the result sees a withdrawal from the European Union, then they can hang around for a while giving sound bites about what the exit agreements should consist of. But, if the decision is to remain within the Union, then their day will have come and gone and their ideas will have been rejected, so unless they want to act like a pack of dogs snapping at the ankles of the victorious government then once again they become a spent force. Those in the conservative party who campaign for an exit are play-

Nigel Farage MEP

Photo Credit David Muscroft Shutterstock

John Smith

ing roulette with their political futures and if the ball falls on the right colour, their futures are assured and all they will have to do is agree which of them will take the roll of prime minister and who will take the other top jobs in cabinet. If the ball falls into the losing slot, then they won’t even have a viable UKIP to join and will have to set up their own party, which is likely to have few members as those on the back benches who secretly supported them, are likely to see a sinking ship and jump it. A lot is going to happen between now and June and with limited budgets, both the for and against exit parties are going to have to be very careful with their funds and very clever with their propaganda if they hope to in-

CALAIS: Clean-up.

Photo Credit Malachybrowne flickr

What will happen? THIS probably won’t be an immediate worry to many expats living in Spain, as the first and most likely effect will be that the French, who took literally years to put in to place relatively effective measures to control the border at Calais, will smile and with a typical Gallic shrug of the shoulders, simply walk away leaving Britain to its just desserts. They don’t want thousands of scruffy, unemployed foreigners camping in Calais and causing so much irritation to the French, who regularly have to spend a lot of euros on dismantling the camps or looking after these often destitute people, but whilst we both belong to the same club, then they will have to be seen to pay more than lip service to the borders. Britain is not part of the crumbling Schengen agreement and under European law is entitled to keep its borders guarded. The French have said that in the event of Britain leaving the EU, they will not relax their position and will still allow British border posts on French territory, but it will be a lot easier for them to wash their hands of the whole problem and let ‘les rosbifs’ cope with the migrants without French interference if Britain leaves. That’s the immediate problem, but what happens if Scotland decides to leave the UK in the event of the Brexit going through? Will we have a second front on the border between England and Scotland, as Hadrian’s Wall certainly won’t be too effective. Many people in Spain have the opportunity to vote in the referendum and hopefully everyone who can, will register to vote and will vote wisely.

fluence the media and the electorate. At the moment, the polls seem to be running neck and neck and for once the overseas vote may have a role to play. There are plenty of people living outside of the UK, both in and out of the EU who will have their own decisions to make, provided that they can be bothered or are allowed to vote. Will they be selfish and think only of their own futures or selfless and think of their children and grandchildren, as any decision is likely to last for a number of generations but one thing is certain, if the vote goes for an exit, it will take years for the actual exit to be completed and there will be a lot of Now we changes for expats all through the want to Union as well as Europeans workhear your views. ing and living in the UK. It is very easy to register to YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE vote and costs nothing, so - YOUR OPINION don’t give up the chance to help www.euroweeklynews.com make the decision.

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ACTIVITIES in the local towns included music, songs and dancing In a n e ve nt a tte nde d by loc a ls a nd vis itors of all ages, the air was filled with the sound of hands and feet clapping and tapping along to sevillanas and rumbas.

Eggs-iting Trip to Fuengirola to see a show event at Lux Mundi ON Saturday March 12, Lux Mundi is arranging a trip to Fuengirola to see the fabulous Jesus Christ Superstar at the Salon Varietes. The cost is €28 which in-

THERE will be an Easter Bazaar at the Lux Mundi Centre in Torre del Mar, running from 11am to 1pm on Friday March 11. There will be a chance to buy small gifts, preserves, cakes, tasty food, second hand goods, books and local arts and crafts.

VISIT WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM/FEATURES/RESTAURANTS

Celebrating Andalucia Day BENAJARAFE was just one of the local towns and villages which took Andalucia Day (Sunday February 28) seriously, with music, songs and dancing along with paella for all near the town hall.

EWN

cludes ticket, travel and insurance with pick-ups at Viñuela (football pitch) at 4.30pm, Algarrobo at 4.50pm, Caleta at 4.55pm and Torre del Mar at 5pm.

Arrival is expected at 6pm and will allow passengers time to have dinner as the musical doesn’t start until 8pm. To reserve tickets, call 952 543 334 or visit www.lux-mundi.org.

Some more photography fun By John Smith AFTER its inaugural meeting, Rob Bell photography will continue to an informal club at the Lux Mundi c e n t r e i n To r r e d e l M a r on March 8 and 29 at 4pm. The club will welcome anybody regardless of experience and the camera you use, and it will cost just €4 per session with proceeds going towards

the centre’s fundraising efforts. Don’t forget to bring your camera and if you would like more information contact the centre on 952 543 334 or you can send an email to luxmundi@luxmundi.org. You can also visit Lux Mundi Centro Ecumenico, Avenida Moscatel, 1 ‘1’, (Antigua Casa de la Vina), 29740, Torre del Mar, Malaga.

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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

TO READ MORE

PROPERTY www.euroweeklynews.com

It’s a dream come true in the sun SPAIN is now a must have location for a property portfolio for funds from around the world John Graham The property expert

GOOD NEWS: Property prices are expected to increase by 6 per cent on average by 2017. from the Spanish National Statistics Institute there were over 354,000 house transactions in 2015, that’s a lot of happy new home owners and 2016 is looking good for similar or even more property sales. What makes my customers even happier is knowing that they have

bought their dream home for an excellent price, around 40 per cent lower than the prices back in 2007. There’s more good news for property buyers this year from the European Commission, their economic forecast indicates that property prices in Spain are expected to increase by 6

per cent on average by 2017. This is especially good news when compared to the European Commission economic forecast for other countries such as France, Belgium and Greece etc where they are forecasting a further fall in house prices. The European Commission fore-

Grisha Bruev via Shutterstock

I’M on the Spanish Costas sitting on the terrace of the golf club, it’s late morning and the sun is hot, I’m wearing my sunglasses and golfers are playing in short sleeve polo shirts. Oh did I mention it’s mid February. I’m with my customers who have just bought their first home in the sun and naturally they are feeling very happy, it’s a dream come true. There’s something special about buying a home in the sun, it doesn’t matter if you’re buying a small apartment or a luxury villa, it’s a bit like when you bought your first car, it didn’t matter what type of car it was, all that mattered was that it was yours, to enjoy as often as possible. According to the official figures

cast is important news for property investors, who now see Spain as the country that will generate sustainable profits on property investments. In fact Spain is now a must have location for a property portfolio for funds from around the world. The increase in private and funds buying property in Spain will further increase the prices of property in 2016, for example we are negotiating on several large property portfolios and we see that property valuations are increasing every month. My customers have just ordered a bottle of Cava with a bucket of ice to celebrate buying their dream home and I’ve asked the waiter to place an umbrella next to our table. No it’s not raining it’s just that my customers need some shade, they are not used to the sun but that’s all about to change. If you are selling your property please contact me we have buyers especially for Mallorca. gk.ipad@me.com

HOUSE PRICES: Will rise in prime locations.

Forecast shows an impressive year By Matthew Elliott A BANK report on the year ahead for the Spanish property market has forecast an impressive year that will see continued improvement on the success of 2015. An estimated 420,000 sales will be made in 2016 according to Bankinter, which would represent an increase of 53,000. The following year is expected to continue the trend with 450,000 sales anticipated. Meanwhile house prices will rise by 3 per cent

on average and by 5 per cent in prime locations. The report identifies higher employment, better financing and property becoming a more valuable asset for investors, as the key reasons the market will continue going from strength to strength. Property is regaining its lofty status as the go to investment for financial players, both small time and multinational, who are looking for a safe bet away from the uncertainty of the financial markets.

HOMES GARDENS

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Don’t just put flowers in vases or let them die, eat them too! ROSE petals can be added to salads and elderflowers used to make home-made wine Dick Handscombe

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

I HAVE had a garden since the age of five. That means that for 73 years I could have been eating mostly home grown ecological food for every meal every day of the year. But poor school food, poor cooking by a busy mother, snacks on the run during a busy business life diverted me at times from maximising my eating of the free health foods from the garden. When I retired in 1994 following two cancer operations, I followed the surgeon’s advice of eating a healthy Mediterranean diet rather than experiencing a debilitating programme of radio and chemotherapy. Fortunately our then holiday home was in a selfsufficient valley that ate and exported fresh produce daily and the older folks gathered wild herbs and flowers for culinary and medicinal purposes and a good number lived well into their 90s, some becoming centenarians. For decades we had eaten globe

artichokes, the flower bud of the plant, and when harvesting nasturtium leaves to add zest to salads we added a few flowers for decoration and their subtle taste. Likewise rose petals were added to salads and elderflowers were used to make a home-made wine in the kitchen. Then we started to make Kombucha and added elder rosemary and thyme flowers to add interesting and beneficial tastes. When we walked the local mountains we chewed the flowering tips of rosemary stems for the energy giving oil and Romanesque and cauliflowers were often eaten as vegetables. Then within five years of living full time in Spain the village and valley lost its self sufficiency as families moved off the land to work in the construction industry during the boom. So we started to grow all we could ourselves to the state of being self-sufficient in vegetables, herbs, fruit, meat and beneficial

Buyers beware A CONTROVERSIAL weedkiller that was declared ‘probably carcinogenic to humans’ by the World Health Organisation has been ruled legal and fit for sale by the European Commission, meaning many consumers, gardeners and growers in Britain and Spain could unwittingly be using it. The substance is known as Glyphosate and is found in many popular herbicides, indeed it is so widely used that residues have been found in British high street bread. The European Food Safety Authority ruled after months of review that it was ‘unlike-

ly to be carcinogenic’ but scientists have ridiculed the judgement as relying on unpublished and industry funded studies. The decision was of course welcomed by the agricultural lobby. There will be a vote by European representatives on March 7 over whether to follow the Commission’s advice and relicence Glyphosate, a move which would see it seep further into EU soil for at least 15 years. The good news is consumers can avoid herbicides which contain Glyphosate by carefully studying what they buy.

edible flowers. We began to research what other beneficial flowers we had in our garden and what we could start to grow and eat. The following are extracted from a longer list mentioned in ‘Living well from our garden Mediterranean style’. Chive, broccoli, borage, citrus and courgette flowers for adding to salads. Marigold petals, nasturtiums and rose petals are also good in salads. Rosemary flowers for taste and oil content. Passion flower infusions can be relaxing. Rocket flowers add spiciness. Sunflower seeds can be dried and chewed as a snack. (c) Dick Handscombe www.gardeninspain.com February 2016

NASTURTIUMS: Add a tangy taste to salads.

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Group or private training classes to suit your dog’s needs MAKE sure the class you choose is appropriate to your pet’s skill level

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

ONCE you have chosen your method of training, you will then have to decide if you want to attend group classes or if you want to train your dog in private. I recommend group classes

to enable your pet to socialise with other people and dogs. Group training usually consists of a group of dogs, all roughly the same age, all learning the same basic commands at the same time. Make sure the class you choose is appropriate for your puppy’s skill level, as well as his age. A good group class will have no more than 10 dogs in it, and an instructor familiar with all breeds of dogs who will teach more than just the basic commands. Knowledge of behavioural issues is extremely important, and the class must be structured in such a way that it is fun for you and your puppy. If

GROUP SESSIONS: Enable your pets to socialise. there are children in your home, having them attend the

classes is also important. If there are no classes in

your area, or none that you find suitable, private training is an-

other option. It is individualised to suit your needs. Private training is also good for dogs that have behavioural issues, aggression towards strangers or other dogs. However your trainer will want you to attend a training club which has dog socialisation. Whether you are looking for private training or group classes, ensure the trainer teaches you how to teach your dog. Another sign of a good trainer is that he/she has the ability to acknowledge that some situations are beyond his/her knowledge, and tells you as such. Inappropriate training techniques can lead to bigger problems.

Sherlock, the most promising puppy Housesitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and petsitting and the experience and checked sitters get free accommodation! To find a pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on +44 (0)1865521508 WHEN six-month-old Sherlock, an Alsatiancross puppy, won the rosette for the most promising puppy at the Crowthorne Dog Show, little did he or his owner know that only six months later they would be moving to Spain. Sherlock’s owners weren’t sure how he would respond to moving to a new home and a new country, he had never left Berkshire before. Once he and his family had settled in Malaga, within very little time he seemed very comfortable with the new home, the climate and their outdoor way of life. They soon realised that he has a good memory and is smart so they thought he might adapt quickly. The only challenge was when the family had to return to the UK for a family holiday, they couldn’t bring him with them. They feared that being so young he might pine for them. The local vet recommended getting someone to stay with him at home while they went on holiday, so they went online and registered with HouseSitMatch.com. Within the month they had found experienced pet-sitters, who were happy to move in and care

SHERLOCK: Won a rosette at the Crowthorne Dog Show. for Sherlock, keeping up his feeding and walking routines to minimise his stress and any disruption he might feel. All went well and the family returned to a happy puppy, and a cared for home and garden.

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Into the future BMW will use this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, taking place on March 3 - 13, to present the world premiere of the new BMW M760Li xDrive. Also making its debut appearance will be the iPerformance model designation which will identify the transfer of technology from BMW i to the BMW core brand in all BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles. The new BMW M760Li xDrive will raise the bar in the sporting luxury sedan segment as the flagship variant of the BMW 7 Series model range. The first-ever M Performance TwinPower Turbo 12cylinder petrol engine generates 441 kW/600 hp and sprints from 0 to 100 km/h / 62 mph in 3.9 seconds (fuel consumption combined: 12.6 l/100 km [22.4 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 294 g/km).

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Clarkson Quote of theWeek

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“In Italy, you sometimes get the impression they'd be happier to lose the Pope than lose their right to drive like maniacs.”

Some might say...

Happy birthday Scenic CELEBRATING it’s 20th anniversary this year THE Renault Scenic, which was the European automobile industry’s first compact MPV, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2016. Like the original, the fourth generation Renault Scenic will share its underpinnings with the Ren au lt M eg an e. It w ill be based on the C/d version of the Renault-Nissan Alliance’ CMF platform, as is the case with the Ren au lt M eg an e a n d th e R en au lt K ad jar crossover. The compact MPV’s design will be in line with the company’s new lang u a g e, th at w a s in tro duced on the fifth generation Espace and later seen on the K ad jar, Ta lis ma n as w e ll a s the Megane.

SCENIC: Will be unveiled on March 1.

The interior, especially the dashboard and centre console layout,

will be ver y i dent i cal t o these models. The new three-spoke steering wheel, colour head-up dis-

What will Ferraris look like? COMPETITION held to find the best vision of the Italian carmaker’s vehicles in 2040 THE Ferrari Top Design School Challenge was a competition initiated a little while ago to find the best vision of what the Italian carmaker’s vehicles would look like by the time 2040 came around, based on the submissions of various teams from different design schools across the world. Well, now it’s time to find out who the winners were. The overall grand prize (or Gran Premio Absoluto) went to the Manifesto, a futuristic yet contemporarylooking car developed by six students from ISD Rubika in Valenciennes, France. The team’s entry seamlessly incorporates different sections of the vehicle together to form one complete and coherent design. You can say it’s forward-thinking with a touch of functionality. Aside from the Manifesto, the FL was another entry that deserved special men-

DESIGN COMPETITON: Teams were asked to incorporate ideas for engineering, safety and even environmental friendliness into their works. tion. Submitted by Roman Esgorovof Hochschule Pforzheim in Germany, the ingenious cabin of the future makes use of materials other than conventional leather, yet still manages to convey a sense of luxury. The design is said to allow us to rethink how we will eventually in-

teract with our cars. Finally, three students from Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea, took home the Premio Speciale for their de Esfera concept. This award was decided by online ballot. The Ferrari Top Design School Challenge was

judged by a board of jurors composed of esteemed members of the design, engineering, automotive and motorsports community. Teams and entrants were asked to incorporate ideas for engineering, safety and even environment-friendliness into their works.

play and R-Link two infotainment system with an 8.7-inch vertical touchscreen display flanked by vertical HVAC vents will likely be a few familiar interior elements.

E W N Axarquía - Costa Tropical

3 - 9 March 2016

LOUIS VAN GAAL inflamed the fans’ passion when he collapsed to the ground mocking an Arsenal dive. Axarquía ’s best guide to local sport

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SPORT www.euroweeklynews.com

Manchester City win the Cup FOUR goals for Marcus and England are rugby favourites Tony Matthews International Sports A former player and now the world’s most prolific author of football books with almost 150 published since 1975, Tony is also the sports correspondent for Spectrum Radio and lives on La Pilica in the Sierra Cabrera Mountains overlooking Turre. Costa de Almeria

FOOTBALL • After a 1-1 draw, Manchester City beat Liverpool 3-1 on penalties to win the League Cup last Sunday. City’s ‘Man of the Match’ was their former Elche and Malaga goalkeeper

Willy Caballero who saved spot-kicks from Lucas, Coutinho and Lallana. This was the first time two brothers (Kolo and Yaya Toure) had played against each other in a Wembley final. • Leicester City, with Leonardo Ulloa’s 89th minute goal, beat Norwich 1-0 to stay two points clear of Tottenham, 2-1 winners over Swansea, at the top of the Premiership as Arsenal (third) lost 3-2 at Old Trafford. • There were also PL wins last weekend for Chelsea (2-1

at Southampton), Stoke (2-1 v bottom club Aston Villa), WBA (3-1 over Crystal Palace) and West Ham (1-0 v. Sunderland). • Burnley (2-1 winners at lowly Bolton) lead the Championship with 65 points to Hull City’s 64; Burton Albion (after a 0-0 draw with Walsall) are two points clear of Wigan (6462) in FL1 while Northampton Town, unbeaten in 11, head FL2 by 10 points from Plymouth. • After Celtic drew 1-1 at Hamilton and Aberdeen likewise with St Johnstone, six points still separate the Bhoys and the Dons at the top of the SPL. • Barcelona (unbeaten in 34 games) are heading for their 24th La Liga title after beating Sevilla 2-1. Second-placed Atletico Madrid won 1-0 at Real Madrid (third) in the ‘capital city’ derby. • Juventus (Italy), PSG

(France) and Bayern Munich (Germany) are on course to win their respective League titles. • In the Champions League, Manchester City beat Dynamo Kiev 3-1 in the Ukraine and Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona. • In the Europa League round of 32, Manchester United, with two goals from teenage debutant Marcus Rashford who repeated the act in last Sunday’s PL win over Arsenal, whipped Midtjylland 5-1 (6-3 on aggregate); Liverpool edged out Augsburg 1-0 thanks to James Milner’s penalty and Tottenham ousted Fiorentina 3-0 (4-1 overall). Next up, it’s Liverpool v Manchester United and Spurs v Borussia Dortmund while holders Sevilla play Basle. The two-legged ties are on March 10 and 17. • There have been full programmes during this mid-week in the Premiership (including

Liverpool v Manchester City again) and Leagues 1 and 2 while coming up this weekend, it’s Manchester City-Villa, Tottenham-Arsenal, WatfordLeicester and WBA-Manchester United, while Birmingham play Hull and Burnley meet Blackburn in the Championship. • And for the record, Gianni Infantino (Who?) is the new FIFA President. RUGBY • Undefeated England are on course to complete the Grand Slam after beating Ireland 2110 in their third Six Nations encounter of 2016. Scotland won for the first time in two years, 36-20 over Italy in Rome and Wales eclipsed France 19-10 in a bruising and untidy contest in Cardiff where 21 minutes were ‘lost’ due to scrummages! • It’s Saracens first and Exeter Chiefs second in the Aviva PL.

• And Warrington Wolves lead the Super League while Leeds Rhinos, without a win, are currently bottom. BOXING • Carl Frampton is the undisputed super bantamweight champion of the world after last Saturday’s comfortable points win over Scott Quigg. SHORTS • GB’s fencing team have qualified for Rio this summer the first time they will compete in the Olympic Games since 1964. • For the second year running, golfer Rory McIlroy missed the cut in the Honda Classic which was won by Adam Scott while England’s Holly Clyburn finished second in the RACV Ladies Masters in Australia. • The World Track Cycling Championships are under way in London.