SSUENN 1555 //15 23 29 APRIL 2015 - 21-September 2016 IISSUE OO . .1628
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
A royal visitor
WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
Bisbal is back in town LOCAL legend and international superstar David Bisbal is filming his latest music video in locations across Almeria, showcasing his home region to millions of adoring fans across the world. See page 2
Woof of thanks A MOJACAR animal charity shop has expressed its immense gratitude to all those who donated hundreds of kilograms of pet food and is proud to announce the opening of a new local shop ths week. See page 20
Jubilee celebration ALBOX welcomed hundreds of pilgrims who had made a long voyage to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the
arrival of a hugely significant religious icon to the town. See page 53
Ambitious blueprint By Matthew Elliott Greeted by hundreds of excited children, parents and special guests, the Queen of Spain officially opened the new school year in Almeria. Letizia, wife of King Felipe VI, delighted pupils with her appearance at the bilingual school Gines Morata to the north of the capital. Famous for her easygoing style, the former journalist and television anchor mingled effortlessly with delighted primary age children, before unveiling a new plaque in the school hall to honour the occasion. Welcomed by cheers, ap-
plause, balloons and walls adorned with children’s paintings, the Queen was joined at the jubilant ceremony on Tuesday by the school’s namesake Gines Morata, an award-winning scientist, and also its head teacher Dolores Ruiz. The president of Andalucia, Susana Diaz, missed out on attending after her plane broke down. Letizia’s atypical royal background is largely credited with bolstering her popularity and common touch. Before she became Queen she was married to a high-school teacher and reported from Mexico, Iraq and a disaster in Galicia.
Her natural flair showed as she met autistic students, joined in gym classes, which the children had converted into a shrine to Spain’s Olympic stars, and joked with students in the playground as part of her tour. Gines Morata was a fitting choice for a royal visit. The bilingual school teaches several
classes in English and has a highly interactive curriculum well regarded by local parents. It also teaches French as a foreign language, is inclusive of special needs students, campaigns against bullying and collaborates in Erasmus programmes with other institutes as far afield as Italy and Portugal.
ALBOX mayor Francisco Torrecillas has revealed that he was tapped long ago for the political hot seat as he laid out his ambitious plans for the town in an important interview. See page 55
Get fit, win life ALBOX is holding a very special fitness programme aimed specifically at sufferers of fibromyalgia, the only event of its kind in Spain and aimed at making a real difference to people’s lives. See page 56