Issuu

ISSUE NO. 1638

24 - 30 November 2016

MALLORCA

YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION

Empire of the Med

By Matthew Elliott Trading blocs and pacts may be falling apart or under threat all over the planet, but Mallorca is banding together with two other islands to form a west Mediterranean union to defend their common interests. On Monday President Francina Armengol officially lent her support to the idea of Mallorca and the Balearics banding together with Corsica of France and Italy’s Sardinia to promote their specific needs and desires as islands within the EU. President Gilles Simeoni of Corsica and President Francesco Pigliaru of Sardinia visited Mallorca to formally

sign the ‘Pact between the islands of the Mediterranean.’ All three leaders described it as an historic event and said the time had come to provide common solutions to common problems. The three territories are autonomous regions of their respective countries (though to varying degrees) and believe their residents get a raw deal compared to their compatriots on the mainland. They share lowering GDP, ageing populations and environments heavily influenced by intensive tourism, are rich in natural resources yet also uniquely threatened by climate change. These common concerns inspired the strategic pact, which will see the west

Mediterranean islands jointly lobby the EU for funding and legislation specific to their needs. Chief among their goals would be securing an advantageous tax regime, such as that seen in the Canaries, which would encourage foreign investment. The trio would also like to improve transport links between the islands, and promote ‘Mediterranean targets’ in EU policymaking, specifically on tourism and the refugee crisis. The move is also part of a long-term strategy to improve transport and logistics links between the three regions, which themselves comprise an economic area of some three million people.

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24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

LOCAL NEWS

Pill poppers A BELOW-PAR policeman who threw 48 ‘ecstasy’ pills down the loo after making an administrative error was acquitted of trying to cover up a crime by a court in Palma.

Meanwhile, the youths he took them from were released from custody after forensics found that th ey h a d b e e n ch ea te d and the party pills were simply pulverised concrete.

Roaring success THE Euro Weekly News website recently achieved a whopping 146,132 page views in a little over 24 hours on its article about the Spanish government attempting to ban memes! Internet surfers from all over the world were directed to the article through many mediums including a very well-known online news portal and linksharing site.

Stir crazy WILD goats staged an inforced down from the surrection in Cala Llamp mountains to look for DON’T the clocks change on Sunday October and Calaforget Marmacen, food due to drought 30 at 03.00, marking the end of Daylight Savings stampeding across prisputting the kibosh on their Time for another Following the old and adage tine private gardens year. in natural food supplies, ‘Spring forward, Fall back,’ enjoy an extra hour’s search of chewable treahave even been spotted on sleep They on Sunday morning.the beach. sure. are being

Schiffer pine saga axed By Matthew Elliott SUPERMODEL Claudia Schiffer no longer has the threat of court action looming over her after a Mallorca court finally closed the books on her long-running dispute with former Formula 1 chief Willi Weber. The German pair were involved in a bizarre spat over the felling of two pine trees on Weber’s Camp de Mar property with Weber demanding more than €30,000 compensation from Schiffer and her British film producer husband Matthew Vaughan. Weber had accused the two of paying off some gardeners to axe the pines in order to improve the sea view on their sprawling 500,000 acre property, even saying that he would take revenge by ‘planting so many trees they can only smell the sea.’ The case was recently resolved out of court and this week a Mallorcan judge formally acknowledged the end of the dispute. What the terms were of the agreement remain unclear but Schiffer hasn’t been spotted anywhere on the island she visited frequently for months.

CLAUDIA SCHIFFER: Her island saga is over.

NEWS

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Featured News 3

European Press 20

Finance 23 - 28

Stocks 24

Leapy Lee 29 SMART CALVIA: Wifi will be available on the beach.

Daily TV 30 By Matthew Elliott

Time Out 32 - 33

Letters 34

Legally Speaking 35

Health & Beauty 36 - 37

Social Scene 38 - 39

Property 41 - 45

Homes & Gardens 45

Pets 48

Classifieds 49 - 50

Motoring 51

Boats 52

Sport 54 + 56

CALVIA will hold the Smart Island World Congress next year, giving the Mallorcan region the chance to showcase its commitment to a brave new world of energy efficiency, in-

novation and sustainability. The event will take place on April 20 and 21, attracting thousands of participants and a healthy dose of investment from the government and private sector. It is intimately linked to the Smart City Expo

held regularly in Barcelona. The basic idea is presenting ambitious and creative plans for an interconnected future that is friendly to both people and their environment. That means less pollution, less noise, better transportation, better cleaning,

wifi connectivity and public access to important information. Calvia is already planning to promote itself as a worthy spot for a Smart Island fair with free internet on beaches and a mobile phone app to gauge bathing water quality.

â€˜Tis the season to strike ONE of the largest trade unions in Mallorca has raised the prospect of a fullblooded strike after it accused key businesses of failing to make good on promises to finally increase wages, and dramatically reducing overtime pay for the festive season shifts.

UGT is backed by some 40,000 workers, many of whom have seen their salaries frozen for four years. They have demanded a 6 per cent rise, 3 per cent in 2016 and another 3 per cent in 2017, but have seen nothing except a reduction in their Christmas pay.

If no progress is made the strike, chiefly involving essential labourers, would take place in January to coincide with the opening term of the Balearic Parliament and prevent any ne ga tiv e pr ess by st r i ki ng over Christmas.

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Blueprint for island survival PUFFER FISH: Migrating from Japan to Mallorca.

Puffer paralysis concern By Matthew Elliott A MASSIVE puffer fish normally identified with Japanese diners playing Russian roulette with its highly poisonous flesh was caught in Balearic waters. The 7.8 kilogram tropical fish is thought to have crossed Egypt’s Suez Canal into the Mediterranean and swam right across the sea to Spain. It’s an extremely rare finding in the west Mediterranean. This particular species of puffer fish is typically found in the Pacific

Climate change is causing the Mediterranean to become warmer. and is a renowned delicacy in Japan where some pay top dollar for surgical chefs to prepare the flesh raw without the lethal tetrodotoxin which causes muscle paralysis.

That aside the discovery is quite an alarming one for marine experts. Climate change is causing the Mediterranean to gradually become warmer, encouraging migration of tropical fish from the Pacific and Indian oceans. The eastern Mediterranean is already struggling to deal with this invasive biodiversity and, if this latest finding is anything to go by, the waters and marine life around Mallorca also have some harrowing times ahead.

MALLORCA can’t do much about climate change. But finally the local government is waking up to the urgent need to improve infrastructure so as to mitigate the hugely damaging impact of drought, which is here to stay. A new proposal hopes to connect all of Mallorca’s key pipelines to one another so that they may react in tandem whenever an urgent need arises. It would allow essential water to be pumped from de-

salination plants and reservoirs in the north-west to parched areas in the south-east. The project makes perfect sense and begs the question why aren’t the pipelines already properly connected? Perhaps the estimated €160 million cost can answer that but it is now clear that, without such a system, the price paid in damage, destruction, and repair will be far higher. The plan would also tighten restrictions on water usage.

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Brazen Bauza bounces back By Matthew Elliott A WILD year for Spanish politics just went further down the rabbit hole in Mallorca with the announcement from former Balearic president Jose Ramon Bauza that he will return to the frontline. Bauza was president of the islands from 2011-2015 before being ousted by his own party the Partido Popular (PP). His departure sparked a long period of internecine warfare as members from different factions fought for control. After the dust settled on that turbulent piece of history the PP felt secure enough to begin challenging the new PSOE-led government under the emergent leadership of Jaime Martinez. José Party officials are now beRamón wildered by Bauza’s play Bauzá for the leadership and he Díaz has been firmly slapped down by the party’s national executive in Madrid. His tenure as president was highly controversial and saw the biggest mass protest in Mallorca’s history in 2013 when more than 90,000 marched on the streets in support of a teachers strike.

NEWS

OUR VIEW

Painful Christmas IT’S a month until Christmas and whilst for many it’s a time to relax and enjoy the festivities, we shouldn’t overlook the problems some people face. One obvious problem for many expats in Spain is loneliness which is amplified at a time that perhaps used to be enjoyed with a partner and children. Often, people feel particularly sad at this time and find it difficult to summon up the courage to carry on. Loneliness is a scourge, especially for the elderly. There are charities that cater for senior citizens and can put individuals in touch with each other to make life a little easier. Companionship often makes a difference. Without wishing to preach, if any of our readers

have an elderly neighbour, a Christmas card or mince pie could help cheer them up. Another problem is alcoholism as booze is cheap here in Spain. As we get older we become less able to cope with alcohol which can turn the most pleasant person violent even though they regret it afterwards. What happens behind closed doors shouldn’t be ignored. Anyone being abused by an alcoholic or fears they are becoming one should seek help from organisations, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, which exist throughout Spain. In the lead up to Christmas we’ll run articles which will give advice on how to cope. If you have any questions or suggestions, do contact us.

Now we want to hear your views. YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION www.euroweeklynews.com

Serious wildfires rage in Tramuntana mountains FIREFIGHTERS were battling a serious wildfire outbreak in the Mallorcan town of Escorca on Wednesday, backed up by a helicopter as

they dealt with strong winds. The fires broke out in the Mola Tuent region in the Tramuntana mountains early in the morning and several resi-

dences were quickly evacuated. Mayor Toni Solivellas said the situation had been complicated by the thick spread of fast burning pine trees and had affected at least eight hectares of scrubland.

Forest fires wreaked havoc on the island in the summer. Fortunately by the early afternoon the threat of the fires spreading to neighbouring communities had been reduced to virtually zero courtesy of the fire crew’s valiant efforts. A wave of destructive forest fires wreaked havoc on the island’s countryside this summer with three taking place in short succession in early August at the cost of thousands of acres of pristine land.

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21st century city by Matthew Elliott A BRAND spanking new hotel is set to be built in Magaluf in a huge project that will also include a spacious shopping centre and underground car park. On Tuesday various representatives from the corporate and political worlds got together to announce the beginning of construction on the new complex,

set to be the most expensive the area has ever seen. Funded by Melia Hotels International, the firm beh i n d P a l m a ’s P a l a c i o d e Congresos, the complex is expected to cost €45 million and will boast 270 rooms, outdoor pools, terr a c e s , 2 0 0 u n d e rg r o u n d parking spaces and the shopping centre itself. It will be on the site of the old Jamaica Hotel and

comprise an area of some 5,000 square metres and is just the beginning for Melia’s involvement in revamping Magaluf. The firm are helping fund and develop some 10,000 square metres of retail and entertainment space across the area and is a key player in the Calvia Beach project aimed at reeling Magaluf into the 21st century.

Santa Ponsa optician pledges to donate glasses to those in need SPECSAVERS OPTICAS are committed to helping people of all ages to see clearly and keep their eyes healthy. To support their local community, the branch in Santa Ponsa has made an agreement with C P Ses Quarterades school to give a free eye test and supply a free pair of glasses to underprivileged children in the school for every 500 pairs sold in store. This will offer a steady stream of free glasses for children and their families who need it. Martin Blake from Specsavers Opticas Santa Ponsa explains, “We are delighted to be sup-

porting families at C P Ses Quarterades school. Vision is vital for learning, so we don’t want to see any child falling behind because they can’t afford the glasses they need. With this ongoing relationship we hope we can ensure all children there have perfect vision and can perform to their full potential.” Specsavers Opticas Santa Ponsa are offering free eye tests for children and adults until December 4, and remind parents that children should have yearly eye tests from the age of three. Visit www.specsavers.es.

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Brexit role for courts deepens BREXIT PAGE By Matthew Elliott and Simon Firth

THE Scottish and Welsh governments will be allowed to dispatch lawyers to put forward their cases during the legal battle over who has the right to invoke Article 50 and formally begin Brexit negotiations. The UK government is appealing against the high court ruling that parliament must be given a vote on the matter, with the case due to go before the supreme court next month. Now the 11 supreme court justices have decided an already complex case will also involve the chief legal officers from the devolved governments. Prime Minister Theresa May’s executive protested against the idea and the influence of the Scottish government will it seems be limited to any areas of Scots law not already encompassed by the case. The Welsh input

SUPREME COURT: Will next month hear the UK government’s appeal. will be a mere formality, it is said. But in an effort apparently designed to sidestep the need for the Supreme Court to adjudicate, Sir Oliver Letwin, former Solicitor General Sir Edward Garnier and former Attorney General Dominic Grieve favour bringing a bill before Parliament now.

This would allow the government to trigger Article 50 when it wished and avoid the court “deciding to accord the devolved administrations some rights or even some veto powers” when it comes to Article 50, Sir Oliver said. A new challenge to Brexit has also unfold-

ed in Northern Ireland where the high court decided in favour of allowing a campaigner against the country leaving the EU to present his case to the Supreme Court. The veteran victims’ rights campaigner Raymond McCord, whose son was murdered by the UVF, successfully argued that Northern Ireland could not be removed from the EU against the will of its people, 56 per cent of whom voted to remain in the EU. Meanwhile 60 Tory MPs have called on the government to quit the single market and customs union when it does finally leave the EU. The customs union allows members to trade without tariffs but stipulates common duties on goods coming into the union from non-member states. MP Suella Fernandes, who represents Farnham in Surrey, told the Daily Telegraph the referendum result had been “an instruction to untie ourselves from EU shackles and freely embrace the rest of the world.” In her most recent statements, Theresa May told business leaders she was aware “a cliff edge” approach to negotiations and their aftermath would be bad for British trade. Confederation of British Industry president Paul Dreschler said his members did not want a hard or soft Brexit, but a “smooth Brexit.”

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By Matt Ford THE Guardia Civil has arrested 11 people and busted seven illegal workshops in an extensive operation which has brought down a criminal gang who specialised in the theft and resale of high-end vehicles in Europe and North Africa. Thirteen private properties in Mallorca, Malaga, Murcia, Germany and England were also raided in a collaborative effort by police forces based in the three countries and the Balearics. Investigations began at the end of May after the disappearance of a series of high-end vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, jet-skis and small boats. Detectives were able to identify a group of individuals, most of whom had previous convictions, with the top dog resident in Palma de Mallorca. The group was highly organised and comprised mechanics and drivers, plus transporters who arranged to have the vehicles transported out of Spain via seaports. Many of the stolen vehicles were dismantled and packed into boxes before being shipped, while another branch of the network in Palma, was responsible for falsifying documents such as driving licences, technical paperwork and licence plates.

Photos by Guardia Civil

Hard shoulder for moviestyle cabal of car thieves

GONE IN 60 SECONDS: Many of the vehicles were dismantled before being shipped out of Spain. The more expensive cars One of the most important tended to be swiped directly sites for storage was in Mijas, from private properties after a Malaga, where the gang were period of surveillance in order able to take any vehicle to to work out the daily routines of pieces within six hours, with intheir owners and how to overdividual pieces sent to Mallorca come any security measures. before being sold for prices Once stolen, the cars would well below their market value. be transferred to one of the In some cases gang members workshops to change licence would show up at municipal plates and other elements. depots with false judicial docuThe gang is also implicated ments allowing them to drive in the theft of motorbikes which away in their chosen vehicles were shipped to Morocco and before forging new documents sold to drug trafficking organiand making administrative sations for the transport of transfers to a number of screen hashish to southern Spain. companies they had set up.

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Black Friday is here SHOPPERS pay attention. Tomorrow, November 25 is Black Friday, which means all manner of shops will be launching discounts as the Christmas spending spree kicks off. Palma and other commercial hotspots across Mallorca will be chock full of ‘bargains’ in what has become the biggest sales day of the year since the American consumer phenomenon arrived in Spain a few years ago.

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False promises ECO group GOB are encouraging the regional government to use the tourist tax revenue as a bonus rather than a substitute for a smaller environment budget. The activist organisation, which has fought for Mallorcan nature and wildlife for decades, accused the government of exploiting the tourist tax to ‘compensate’ for a low increase in the budget. Some €33 million was raised by the tourist tax, which was expressly put forward to compensate for the environmental damage inflicted by mass tourism. Yet the annual allocation to eco causes across the islands is up by a meagre €25,000 this year. Millions have been set aside to different agencies involved in environmental affairs such as water and wildlife bodies, but GOB are adamant that, without the tax, the environmental budget would effectively have declined. This would suggest the government’s commitment to the natural world is ‘fraudulent’ they claim. The issue of environmental damage is quickly gaining prominence as the presence of millions of tourists, and the industry associated with them, makes itself felt across Mallorca’s mountains, beaches, air and water.

TOURIST TAX: €33m was raised.

NEWS

NEWS EXTRA

Exquisitely good PRODUCE from Andratx is of a special quality. That eternal truth will now be officially recognised with a new brand logo marking goods which have been produced in the Mallorcan hotspot. The logo is quite simply ‘d’Andratx’ and the symbol was chosen by popular vote.

Booming business AFTER 22 days and 6.25 million euros hopefully well spent Palma airport’s southern runway is finally back in action. Palma is the third busiest airport in Spain, clocking up more than 23 million passengers in 2015, almost 10 million more than Malaga in the Costa del Sol.

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Sports struck by sudden death BASKETBALL and the Balearics were shocked by the sudden death of Jose Ortiz, a famous local player who collapsed in the middle of a game in Llucmajor. The veteran captain of Marinx Forever in Son Veri hit the floor unconscious during a late night home game last Wednesday. Medical teams spent one hour trying to revive him to no avail. There was no obvious injury and doctors are evaluating whether a heart problem was responsible. Ortiz was 42 and known as the club’s ‘great captain.’ He leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.

NEWS

Mountainous challenge

TRAMUNTANA: New ideas being sought. HOW do you manage a mountain range? That presumably wasn’t the exact question at hand during the first citizens’ consultation on the future of the Tramuntanas, but the idea is the same. Attending the meeting were the consortium which presently manages the world heritage site, the Mallorcan council, environmentalist group GOB, the farmers union and, of course, local residents. The key challenges are how to harmonise increasing tourism with preserving the site’s natural gifts, and how to best convey the Tramuntana’s spectacular offerings to the outside world. There will be six workshops held by the end of December in different areas of the island, designed to encourage proposals for improvement in how the mountains are currently managed. Whatever the outcome of the meetings, future management plans would do well to consider the impact illegal levels of pollution are having on the mountains, and how to secure consistent and adequate funding for the region.

FEATURE

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No help for euro Commentary by Moneycorp EUR weekly currency update Barack Obama, on his farewell tour, visited Athens where he spoke of the need for Greece’s creditors to relieve some of the country’s debt. The following day he was in Berlin, perhaps to make the same suggestion to Angela Merkel. It was a reminder that Greece’s debt perma-crisis has not gone away: it has simply been overshadowed by the more immediate issues of Brexit and the US election. The Euroland economic data were not of much help to the euro either. Industrial production was down in September. Gross domestic product expanded only by a provisional 0.3% in the third quarter. Inflation remained stuck at 0.5%. Investors’ lack of enthusiasm for the euro allowed it to fall to a 12-month low against the US dollar with a weekly loss of three and a quarter cents. It did slightly less badly against sterling, losing two cents. USD weekly currency update Since the US election last Tuesday the dollar is the only major currency to have kept pace with sterling. In the last seven days it was the strongest performer, picking up one and three quarter cents against the pound and three and a quarter cents against the euro, where it touched a

12-month high. The two main factors contributing to the dollar’s popularity are the short-term outlook for interest rates and the longer term implications of a Trump presidency. Investors are now all but certain the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next month. The Fed chairperson Janet Yellen encouraged that expectation when she told a congressional committee the move could come ‘fairly soon.’ In the longer run investors have persuaded themselves that Mr Trump’s combination of tax cuts, deregulation and infrastructure spending will not only help the economy but also lead to incresed borrowing, higher inflation and higher interest rates. CAD weekly currency update The US dollar was the currency of the week, strengthening against all its major currency peers. Investors were drawn by a combination of short term interest rate expectations - an increase by the Fed is expected next month - and the longer-term growth promised by the president-elect. The Loonie attached itself to the Greenback’s coattails and was the only other currency to gain ground against the pound. Overall the Canadian dollar added just over a cent against sterling and lost half a US cent. Canadian economic data were thinner on the

Clarisse Musselwhite is Moneycorp’s Account Manager for Mallorca

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

902 887 243 mallorca@moneycorp.com ground than usual: manufacturing shipments were up by 0.3% in September and that’s it. Statisticians in Britain and the US were more forthcoming: UK inflation slowed to 0.9% and retail sales were up by 1.9% in October. The equivalent readings in the US were 1.6% and 0.8%. AUD weekly currency update None of the major currencies could compete with the US dollar. Investors were taken by the short-term likelihood of higher interest rates probably next month. They also liked the prospect of president-elect Trump’s policies

leading to higher growth, increased government borrowing and higher interest rates in the longer term. The Australian dollar fell by -3% against the Greenback, as did the euro and the NZ dollar. Sterling came away with a better result but was unable to put together a hat trick of winning weeks. It went up by 1.7% against the Aussie. The pound and the US dollar were helped by strong retail sales data. NZD weekly currency update None of the major currencies could compete with the US dollar. Investors were taken by the short-term likelihood of higher interest rates probably next month. They also liked the prospect of president-elect Trump's policies leading to higher growth, increased government borrowing and higher interest rates in the longer term. The NZ dollar fell by -3% against the Greenback, as did the euro and the Australian dollar. Sterling came away with a better result but was unable to put together a hat trick of winning weeks. It went up by 1.7% against the Kiwi.

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All is not as it would appear A COMPREHENSIVE survey from the Gadeso Foundation has shown islanders don’t view the region’s economic prospects optimistically. One in six consider the present situation to be bad, while just over 6 per cent reckon we are living in bountiful economic times. More than half don’t believe there will be any improvement across 2017 and about 15 per cent think conditions will worsen next year. One in four people are having trouble making ends meet, while only one in 10 are able to save monthly. The results may surprise those who follow the official narrative that the islands had a bumper summer and the Balearics are faring better than the mainland. A staggering 91 per cent dismiss all job creation as temporary contracts that do little for financial stability. A huge majority consider job insecurity to be a defining feature of Balearic life.

NEWS

Facts stranger than fiction

ALBERT EINSTEIN: And his time-travelling tongue. By Matthew Elliott A SQUAD of prodigious physicists based out of the UIB university in Mallorca will be given serious local funding to continue their groundbreaking work. Professor Alicia Sintes and her Palma-based team made headlines in the physics world earlier this year when they helped detect gravitational waves, a space-time phenomenon predicted by Einstein. Even the German genius

himself thought their detection would be impossible and Sinte’s team were promptly hauled to Washington to explain their discovery. Gravitational waves are essentially ripples in the very fabric of the space-time continuum forged when two inconceivably massive objects collide. In this case it was the merging of two black holes into a super black hole some 1.3 billion years ago that spawned the waves picked by the Balearic bunch. Einstein believed gravita-

tional waves were too faint but the power generated by this particular collision was incredible. In the final fraction of a second the collision produced some 50 times the power of all the stars in the observable universe combined. It was ‘huge’ as Trump might say. Now Sintes, whose name is aptly almost an anagram of Einstein, will have an extra €175,000 to play with as even they entertain hopes of a Nobel Prize further down the line.

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Lose-lose situation by Matthew Elliott FIERCE competition coupled with a ferocious price war is transforming the luxury residential property sector in Mallorca. Construction firms and developers are being increasingly tasked with building villas and other expensive compounds to satiate the extremely lucrative foreign resident holiday home market. Now construction firms are dropping their prices in an effort to secure promising contracts from British and German clients. The demand is growing across the island, especially in Andratx, Pollensa

and Porto Cristo and has attracted powerful firms from the mainland with little experience in Mallorca but enough funding to offer lower prices than their local competitors. In some cases it is reported that the wealthier mainland firms are able to bring in their own, cheaply paid labour force to help lower bills. This means that not only are Mallorcans being frozen out by a construction industry focused on building homes they cannot possibly afford, even the construction firms are losing out to mainland competition.

LUXURY VILLAS: The lucrative construction industry is tempting outside forces.

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Christmas charity lunch CALA NOVA Cancer Shop is hosting its annual Christmas lunch at Moods Beach on Friday December 16. The doors will open at 12.30pm and the menu will include a buffet lunch with wine, plus a glass of cava

on arrival. A variety of live entertainment will be provided including music from the BIS Choir amongst others. Tickets cost â‚Ź35 and are available for purc ha s e from t he Cal a Nova

Cancer Charity Shop or Moods Beach. Alternatively you can contact Angela on 971 708 664 or 609 848 522. Al l pr oceeds wi l l be donat ed t o cancer charities.

Lacking in use of renewable energy By Matthew Elliott DESPITE having some of the most abundant sunshine in Europe and being quite literally surrounded by waves, the Balearic Islands is one of Spainâ€™s worst performing regions when it comes to renewable energy. Just over 2 per cent of the islands electricity needs are met by renewable sources such as solar panels, wind turbines and hydroelectricity. This stands in sharp contrast to regions like Extremadura which actually

produces more electricity than they can use entirely from environmentally friendly sources. The Balearic government has reiterated its desire to meet EU targets of at least one fifth of electricity coming from renewables by 2020 but the dream remains distant given the present situation. Although Mallorca and the other islands have boundless potential to become entirely self sufficient geographical isolation makes it more difficult and expensive to get the right technology installed.

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EUROPEAN PRESS

DENMARK

GERMANY

Losing the climate battle

Teacher abuse rises

DENMARK is slipping in its fight against climate change. It has topped the Climate Change Performance Index in the last four years but the new edition lists the country at number 13 and criticises the government’s apparent turnaround in climate policy.

CLIMATE CHANGE: A tournaround in policy.

Trump call PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen has said he has had a short but constructive chat with new US President-elect Donald Trump in which they mainly spoke about defence and security.

Second place

tive of cosiness, creating a warm atmosphere and appreciating the little things in life.

DANISH word Hygge has missed out on being named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries, with ‘post-truth’ topping the poll. Hygge is representa-

Noise complaints C O P E N H A G EN is looking a t

pla ns to re duc e dis turba nc e to re s ide nts from the c ity’s night life. They are looking at halting the approval of new permits after midnight, doing more cleaning and expanding noise monitoring.

In memory

Presidency announcement FORMER Minister for Economy,

Emmanuel Macron, has announced he is standing for President. The 38-year-old quit as Minister with Francois Hollande’s government and set up his own political movement called ‘En Marche.’

Refugee shelter A SHELTER for refugees and migrants has opened in northern Paris as part of the process of re-

moving the ‘jungle’ in Calais. The s he lte r ha s be ds for 400 s ingle men.

False alarm A SUSPECT package was found on a P&O ferry in Calais. No passengers were on board at the time the bomb s qua d w e re called and later deemed it was not dangerous.

GERMANY has been named the ninth best country in the world for non-native English speakers. Levels of English are best in the north west of the country, with Hamburg having the highest level of proficiency.

THE Cologne Bonn airport is testing faster airport security. The ‘Easy Security’ system is reported as promising an ‘easier, more efficient and more pleasant’ experience during the security check process.

BELGIUM

Exports increase

Hospitality fall THE hospitality and retail sectors in Belgium report they have seen their turnover fall by some €180 million. It is believed the three suicide bombs in March is behind the fall as the country fights to recover from the terror threat.

NORWAY

HOLLAND

Workers strike

Child killing

Get the jab

A FOUR-DAY strike was held by the Swedish Dockworkers Union after talks failed between workers and the port unions over disputed working conditions.

A JOURNALIST has claimed in a book that Norwegian Islamist Bastian Vasquez, who was fighting in Syria, killed the two-year-old son of a rival. He was then executed by Daesh for the crime.

Old ice

Moral responsibility

SWEDISH experts have joined a team of European scientists searching for the oldest ice on earth. The team is heading to Antarctica in a bid to get a better understanding of the climate system.

NORWAY’S Prime Minister said they have a “moral responsibility” to help the international community to stop the IS terror group.

Sibling rivalry OLDER children are around 20 per cent more likely to become managers or CEOs than their siblings. The study by Statistics Sweden found that younger sisters often had more creative jobs.

IMMIGRANTS wanting asylum in Norway are required to attend classes on female rights. The move follows a series of rapes, of which it is reported, 75 per cent were committed by immigrants.

FOREIGN Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier from the Social Democrats (SPD) party has been presented as the presidential candidate by the German coalition government.

Easy security

SWEDEN

Women’s lessons

Next president?

Language skills

BELGIAN exports increased 7 per cent in September compared to last year, valued at €21.4 billion. During the period from January to August this year, exports rose 2.9 per cent to €161.2 billion.

FRANCE STING headlined a concert marking the reopening of the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, a year after the terrorist attacks which killed 130 people. A minute’s silence was observed as he opened the show.

A STUDY by the German teacher’s union has shown that physical aggression against teachers by students is increasing. The ‘Violence against teachers’ study found that six out of 100 teachers had experienced physical violence by students.

AROUND €2 m i l l i on i s planned on being spent on a public health campaign to encourage more parents to have their children vaccinated. There are concerns that vaccination rates are falling.

Bird flu THE Netherlands has reported more cases of birds dying from the highly infectious avian flu variant H5N8. All poultry farmers have been ordered to keep their birds indoors to help contain the disease.

Monarchy rejection A SURVERY carried out for the Institute of Political and Social Opinion, has reported that six out of 10 Flemish people are not impressed with the present monarchy and 59 per cent wanted reform.

Business goals MORE Belgians have a positive attitude to entrepreneurship and are more inclined to set up their own business now, compared to last year.

Fake fines FI NES wer e i ssued t o f i ve people last year claiming to be dentists but who did not have the cor r ect paper wor k and t hr ee were fined for claiming to be doctors.

Flying fossil THE fossil of a 66-millionyear-old Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur flew from Chicago, USA, to Amsterdam. It will reside at Naturalis in the ‘T.rex in town’ exhibition until June 2017.

E W N 24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

NEWS

RUSSIAN PRESS

Russiano roulette

ON THE MENU: Coffee in Crimea. FORGET cafe solo or Americano. Caffeine fiends after their fix east of the old Iron Curtain should order a ‘Russiano’ according to prime minister Medvedev. Russianos are already on the menu in Crimea as the peninsula celebrates its return to the motherland. Next up may be ‘Fyodor fries.’

Trump tribute CAVIAR, a Moscow-based luxury brand has produced a $3,000 gold-coated iPhone 7 which pays tribute to US president-elect Donald Trump. It is emblazoned with his portrait and engraved with the slogan ‘Make America great again.’ The brand has produced numerous Putin-themed phones in the past for a similarly handsome price.

Bad hombres FIVE suspected Daesh militants were arrested in Ingushetia and accused of preparing terrorist attacks in Moscow. The North Caucases region is marred with violent conflict and often sees Islamist fighters creep over from neighbouring Chechnya. Russia has been fighting a low level war with separatists in the region for decades.

Later alligator RUSSIA is done with the international criminal court saying it was ‘one-sided and inefficient.’ The symbolic move comes hot on the heels of the controversial court describing Russia’s annexation of Crimea as an ‘occupation’ and follows the withdrawal of South Africa who claimed the court was obsessed with African dictators.

High corruption MOSCOW’s political class has been rocked by the arrest of economic development minister Alexei Ulyukayev.

He is accused of soliciting a $2 million bribe to approve the takeover of an oil company. He is the highest ranking official to be arrested since communism fell and could face 15 years in prison.

Smash and grab IT was a rough week for Moscow traffic. One SUV was stopped for violations and found to contain the body of a foreign woman. The car of a famous composer was broken into and his instruments stolen. And an entourage of armoured military vehicles crashed into one another on a busy ring road causing wild delays.

White army A PLAQUE commemorating civil war era anti-Bolshevik warrior Admiral Kolchak will don a special covering to protect it from vandals in St Petersburg. Kolchak is a controversial character who ran an anti-communist outpost in Siberia and is hugely popular among Russian nationalists. He was executed by a Bolshevik firing squad in 1920.

Momument to Kolchak in Irkutsk.

FINANCE

Mallorca

24 - 30 November 2016

STAT OF WEEK

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Google is to support Britain By John Smith IN a piece of apparently good postBrexit news where no hidden incentives appear to have been offered, Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google has announced that it will be almost doubling its workforce in the UK from 4,000 to possibly 7,000 as the company sees the UK as still being a very attractive base for its European operations.

Quote of the Week

£1 billion (€1.15 billion) is the estimated amount that Google will invest in the UK by increasing its work force and building new premises.

BUSINESS EXTRA

Photo Credit: © European Union Lukasz Kobus

Black Friday warning

PRESS CONFERENCE: European Commission reps. IN a press conference on Wednesday November 16, representatives from the European Commission announced that Spain and Portugal will not be sanctioned, nor will they have EU funds suspended, following highly-publicised budgetary transgressions. The Commission has also argued in favour of a more relaxed fiscal stance across the continent. The European Commission has the authority to fine eurozone member countries that exceed annual deficit limits of

In order to cope with this increased staffing, it intends to build a new operating centre in King’s Cross which will more than double its office space but it does consider it important that there is plenty of opportunity for movement of staff between Europe and the ‘new’ Britain. According to Mr Pichai, the UK has been a great market for the company and is able to offer some

A tariff like that would be imposed on the entire auto sector that could have a major impact on the US economy,” Ford CEO Mark Fields on the threat issued by Donald Trump to impose a 35 per cent tax on cars imported into America.

Funds will not be suspended

above 3 per cent of their GDP, particularly if the countries have made no effort to correct the issue. Both Spain and Portugal were found to have breached said fiscal regulations last year. However, Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis indicated it would not be necessary to impose fines upon the two nations, as they have corrected the imbalances. The Commission has now put forth a proposal to relax fiscal policy next year.

CONSUMER group Which in the UK has announced it found that 49 per cent of last year’s Black Friday offers it followed were not necessarily the cheapest around and indeed some of the products were cheaper before or after the ‘special offer.’ Naturally, those companies who are accused of not offering the best deal disagree with the findings but it is important that consumers are aware of the possibility of some ‘creative’ pricing and if purchasing online they should check a number of sites.

Oil futures DESPITE or perhaps because of the current glut of oil on the market, the amount of money being invested in finding and developing new assets has dropped remarkably and unless this trend is reversed, the International Energy Agency fears that there will a significant shortage in supply by 2020.

Bank note chaos in India THE chaos in India following the overnight withdrawal of high value bank notes continues and appears to have been far more extensive than anticipated by the Indian government particularly as so few Indians have bank accounts but rely on cash.

€220 million is the amount that Japanese company Rakuten has agreed to pay Barcelona Football Club to sponsor the club’s shirts, replacing previous sponsors Qatar Airways.

DOW JONES

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EWN

Huge queues have been encountered in banks around the country with individuals having to wait for hours to either have relatively small amounts of cash exchanged for small notes or for money to be deposited into newly created accounts.

of the best technological talent which is why the company is set fast on expanding its London presence. Thomas Heatherwick, the man responsible for designing the Thames garden bridge has been commissioned to undertake the work on the new building as the original plans submitted were considered too staid and he will work with architects, the Bjarke Ingels Group from Denmark.

IBEX 35

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Spanish pensions DURING a press conference to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Spanish trade union CCOO, its secretary general Ignacio Fernandez Toxo drew attention to the situation with regards to state pensions which are sustainable only if the government takes action to protect them. For years it has been using funds from the ‘pension pot’ to assist the economy and now needs to take urgent measures to increase the funding by €40 billion in the years leading up to 2040, otherwise future pensions will be negligible.

E W N 24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

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LONDON - FTSE 100

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY 3i Group PLC 647.50 1.50 Admiral Group PLC 1893.00 -23.00 Anglo American PLC 1122.75 33.00 Antofagasta PLC 681.25 15.50 Ashtead Group PLC 1422.00 13.00 Associated British Foods PLC 2577.00 25.00 AstraZeneca PLC 4327.00 2.00 Aviva PLC 449.30 -4.70 Babcock International Group... 995.25 11.50 BAE Systems PLC 597.00 4.00 Barclays PLC 210.75 -1.65 Barratt Developments PLC 481.00 -9.30 BHP Billiton PLC 1271.75 8.00 BP PLC 456.03 8.60 British American Tobacco PLC 4356.75 -2.00 British Land Co PLC 594.75 -8.50 BT Group PLC 361.12 -1.35 Bunzl PLC 2006.50 18.00 Burberry Group PLC 1414.00 14.00 Capita PLC 572.50 -5.00 Carnival PLC 4029.00 -54.00 Centrica PLC 195.30 -4.40 Coca-Cola HBC AG 1690.00 13.00 Compass Group PLC 1390.50 10.00 CRH PLC 2712.50 -21.00 Croda International PLC 3196.00 57.00 DCC PLC 6235.00 60.00 Diageo PLC 2006.75 -24.00 Direct Line Insurance Group... 346.45 -8.80 Dixons Carphone PLC 333.70 -6.20 easyJet PLC 1067.00 -4.00 Experian PLC 1450.00 19.00 Fresnillo PLC 1329.50 41.00 GKN PLC 309.00 4.80 GlaxoSmithKline PLC 1515.25 -7.00 Glencore PLC 268.20 6.25 Hammerson PLC 546.50 -8.00 Hargreaves Lansdown PLC 1214.50 -9.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC 1672.00 9.00 HSBC Holdings PLC 632.20 -1.90 Imperial Brands PLC 3462.50 1.50 Informa PLC 641.25 -4.00 InterContinental Hotels Gro... 3216.00 -33.00 International Consolidated ... 444.00 -2.70 Intertek Group PLC 3242.00 16.00 Intu Properties PLC 268.50 0.70 ITV PLC 165.60 -4.40 Johnson Matthey PLC 3213.50 -32.00 Kingfisher PLC 369.45 1.60 Land Securities Group PLC 982.50 -14.50

% CHG. 0.23 -1.20 3.03 2.33 0.92 0.98 0.05 -1.04 1.17 0.67 -0.78 -1.90 0.63 1.92 -0.05 -1.41 -0.37 0.90 1.00 -0.87 -1.32 -2.20 0.78 0.72 -0.77 1.81 0.97 -1.18 -2.48 -1.82 -0.37 1.33 3.18 1.58 -0.46 2.39 -1.44 -0.74 0.54 -0.30 0.04 -0.62 -1.02 -0.61 0.50 0.26 -2.59 -0.99 0.43 -1.46

NET VOL 3,410.29 503.84 6,730.32 2,388.48 2,259.48 983.93 1,599.64 8,168.63 1,087.29 5,976.46 29,449.59 5,265.34 9,123.97 33,601.76 3,831.17 3,601.55 18,658.90 818.48 1,176.17 2,949.93 628.54 23,754.54 547.79 3,314.65 1,869.87 528.89 297.83 6,984.64 4,002.06 2,664.04 2,265.31 3,345.67 981.14 6,443.62 6,560.27 42,335.93 2,565.49 1,665.27 642.78 22,418.85 2,341.32 1,257.74 388.58 4,206.86 438.34 2,934.39 15,465.62 792.78 10,471.07 2,057.40

COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Legal & General Group PLC 229.75 -2.80 Lloyds Banking Group PLC 59.07 -0.33 London Stock Exchange Grp 2834.50 -46.00 Marks & Spencer Group PLC 333.85 -2.50 Mediclinic International PLC 746.50 -7.50 Merlin Entertainments PLC 431.65 -5.80 Micro Focus International PLC 2070.50 11.00 Mondi PLC 1587.50 20.00 Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets 218.10 -0.20 National Grid PLC 933.55 4.90 Next PLC 5022.50 -80.00 Old Mutual PLC 186.50 -2.40 Paddy Power Betfair PLC 8640.00 -165.00 Pearson PLC 784.00 19.00 Persimmon PLC 1748.50 -26.00 Polymetal International PLC 781.75 19.50 Provident Financial PLC 2898.50 -50.00 Prudential PLC 1512.25 -2.50 Randgold Resources Ltd 6000.00 215.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC 6876.50 -50.00 RELX PLC 1356.50 3.00 Rio Tinto PLC 2968.00 35.50 Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC 657.75 -0.50 Royal Bank of Scotland Grp 203.80 -1.50 Royal Dutch Shell PLC 2099.00 30.50 Royal Mail PLC 462.70 -8.00 RSA Insurance Group PLC 523.75 3.00 Sage Group (The) PLC 686.25 1.50 Sainsbury (J) PLC 236.20 -2.70 Schroders PLC 2818.00 -54.00 Severn Trent PLC 2221.00 -2.00 Shire PLC 4710.25 -87.00 Sky PLC 750.25 -16.50 Smith & Nephew PLC 1095.50 -12.00 Smiths Group PLC 1371.00 0.00 SSE PLC 1437.50 -5.00 Standard Chartered PLC 634.20 9.80 Standard Life PLC 342.65 0.00 St James's Place PLC 934.25 -19.50 Taylor Wimpey PLC 150.15 -2.60 Tesco PLC 213.35 0.80 Travis Perkins PLC 1414.50 0.00 TUI AG 1043.50 8.00 Unilever PLC 3106.25 -13.00 United Utilities Group PLC 893.25 -0.50 Vodafone Group PLC 202.15 -2.75 Whitbread PLC 3512.50 -93.00 Wolseley PLC 4572.00 18.00 Worldpay Group PLC 274.15 -1.80 WPP PLC 1696.00 -3.00

% CHG. NET VOL -1.20 11,682.67 -0.56 139,455.60 -1.60 433.55 -0.74 8,788.72 -0.99 1,449.96 -1.33 1,534.57 0.53 422.89 1.28 1,692.86 -0.09 5,635.14 0.53 6,994.76 -1.57 579.13 -1.27 6,788.10 -1.88 104.64 2.48 3,540.55 -1.47 668.79 2.56 1,780.62 -1.70 322.94 -0.17 5,023.05 3.71 748.86 -0.72 1,240.17 0.22 3,057.36 1.21 3,425.07 -0.08 13,570.45 -0.73 12,498.88 1.47 4,455.62 -1.70 4,290.65 0.58 2,494.86 0.22 1,806.16 -1.13 7,598.75 -1.88 266.83 -0.09 698.85 -1.81 1,817.82 -2.15 6,905.40 -1.08 4,031.64 0.00 958.06 -0.35 2,711.68 1.57 7,447.98 0.00 4,120.77 -2.05 737.56 -1.70 12,988.04 0.38 11,296.27 0.00 908.43 0.77 818.64 -0.42 2,626.65 -0.06 1,644.84 -1.34 55,544.38 -2.58 712.10 0.40 416.33 -0.65 4,128.06 -0.18 3,321.03

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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 171.33 -1.66 -0.96% 71.16 +0.15 +0.21% 111.51 +1.48 +1.35% 147.14 +0.78 +0.53% 93.10 +0.77 +0.83% 110.42 +1.21 +1.11% 30.14 -0.02 -0.07% 41.15 +0.23 +0.55% 97.77 -0.49 -0.50% 69.34 +0.49 +0.71% 86.19 +0.91 +1.07% 30.77 +0.09 +0.29% 209.83 -0.51 -0.24% 128.22 -0.13 -0.10% 162.17 +1.81 +1.13% 34.97 +0.02 +0.06% 115.00 -0.36 -0.31% 77.92 +0.21 +0.27% 119.19 -0.81 -0.68% 62.00 +0.13 +0.21% 60.64 +0.285 +0.47% 51.22 +0.12 +0.23% 31.54 +0.06 +0.19% 82.41 +0.41 +0.50% 111.32 -0.50 -0.45% 106.61 +0.11 +0.10% 150.02 +0.57 +0.38% 48.24 +0.17 +0.35% 81.38 +0.56 +0.69% 69.05 +0.51 +0.74%

VOLUME 28.5K 132.4K 1.0M 78.8K 102.9K 142.7K 872.6K 428.2K 219.8K 45.2K 339.2K 384.3K 69.5K 89.7K 128.7K 463.9K 219.8K 461.3K 101.0K 146.5K 640.5K 142.3K 565.6K 291.3K 26.3K 53.4K 75.3K 307.3K 219.4K 343.0K

NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES N OVEMBER 21

COMPANY

PRICE

CHANGE NET / %

Most Advanced Vanguard Natural Resources LLC Vanguard Natural Resources LLC Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc. Mitcham Industries, Inc. Applied Micro Circuits Corporation Vanguard Natural Resources LLC Glu Mobile Inc. Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. Health Insurance Innovations, Inc. Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.

$3 $ 2.70 $ 6.65 $ 3.83 $ 8.10 $ 3.30 $ 2.3936 $ 18.1001 $ 2.635 $ 10.50 $ 2.775

0.52 ▲ 20.97% 0.40 ▲ 17.39% 0.82 ▲ 14.07% 0.43 ▲ 12.65% 0.85 ▲ 11.72% 0.30 ▲ 10% 0.1936 ▲ 8.80% 1.3601 ▲ 8.12% 0.185 ▲ 7.55% 0.70 ▲ 7.14% 0.175 ▲ 6.73%

$ 2.95 $ 3.35 $ 6.65 $ 10.7624 $ 10.12 $ 4.6999 $ 2.56 $ 4.1963 $ 6.76 $ 20 $ 2.011

0.60 ▼ 16.90% 0.40 ▼ 10.67% 0.60 ▼ 8.28% 0.9376 ▼ 8.01% 0.79 ▼ 7.24% 0.3499 ▼ 6.93% 0.19 ▼ 6.91% 0.2837 ▼ 6.33% 0.45 ▼ 6.24% 1.30 ▼ 6.10% 0.129 ▼ 6.03%

Most Declined Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. aTyr Pharma, Inc. Cempra, Inc. Canadian Solar Inc. Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. Aixtron SE Fate Therapeutics, Inc. Catabasis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc.

E W N 24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

Whiplash under the microscope ONE of the least attractive imports into the UK from America has been the incredible growth of ‘ambulance chasing lawyers’ and unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of slight accidents (or even stage them) in order to claim compensation for whiplash! Although the number of accidents in the UK has dropped in the past few years, claims for whiplash have increased more than 50 per cent and the amount of money paid out to claimants is believed to be one of the main reasons for car insurance costs to be as high as they are. Now the British government is looking into ways of policing these claims and is also considering putting an upper limit on the value of any payment that can be made. Since the average payment is currently just under £2,000 (€2,300) there could be considerable savings to the insurance companies, which they have undertaken to pass on to

Photo Credit: Tommaso79 Shutterstock

By John Smith

WHIPLASH CLAIM: A slight ‘fender bender.’ consumers, and, if and when legislation is put into place, then drivers could see a reduction of up to £40 (€46) per annum on their annual premiums. It does seem to be one

promise that the government intends to keep and the only matter for discussion appears to be whether whiplash ceases to be a recognised injury for which any compensation is payable or if

there is to be a cap to allow a modest payment to be made to those who have sustained genuine, if transient, injury. There is no suggestion at this stage that this will be the thin

end of the wedge, with compensation for other more serious injury being reduced, but there may well be a table produced with suggested tariffs dependent upon the injury sus-

tained. It seems that apart from possibly a few lawyers, there is overall support for such a law which would be introduced by Justice Secretary Liz Truss. One additional option may be to increase, from £1,000 (€1,150) to £5,000 (€5,750), the amount that can be lodged in the small claims court for personal injury, thus speeding up the process as well as reducing overall costs. Another matter to be considered is the banning of cold calls and text messages from firms of lawyers and paralegals touting for accident business in the hope that it will also discourage what has been described as ‘crash for cash.’ These accidents often take place at roundabouts and are organised by gangs who cause the accidents with drivers of second cars acting as witnesses. The RAC supports the proposals in principle but warns that genuine claimants should not be disadvantaged by any changes.

PROSPECTS continue to look fairly black for the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) which is 73 per cent owned by the British government which is desperate to divest itself of its shareholding in order to raise funds for the economy. At the time, it paid a staggering £45 billion (€52 billion) to rescue billion to rescue the bank the ailing bank at and only £1.2 billion back the equivalent of from the bank in return. £5.02 (€5.77) per share and ever since it has been looking to bail out but the continued poor performance of the bank has stymied its plans. In 2015, the government sold part of its holding but only raised £2.1 billion (€2.4 billion) and shares sold for a disappointing £3.30 (€3.80) each, although that was a great figure compared to the current share price of a fraction over £2 (€2.30). Apart from the fact that it has been unable to comply with an EU directive to sell its Williams and Glyn branches (after a potential

Photo Credit: Lucian Milasan Shutterstock

RBS remains a millstone around the neck of the UK government £45

RBS: Carved in stone. sale to Spanish bank Santander fell through), it is also expecting a very heavy fine for misselling toxic mortgage packages in the USA. This was confirmed by James Leigh-Pemberton, the executive chairman of UK Finan-

cial Investments, the organisation that manages the public’s stake in RBS when he appeared before a committee of MPs and explained that there was likely to be a fine, but it could range anywhere from $5 billion

(€4.7 billion) to $12 billion (€11.25 billion) because of the huge and unexpected fine levied on Deutsche Bank which operated in a similar manner. Clearly no sane investor would want to put any significant amount of money into RBS until it is known what the fine is likely to be and because of the proximity of the appointment of the new US President and his subsequent appointment of a new Attorney General, nothing is going to happen in the immediate future. Whilst it is clear that the government at the time had to take action to support this and other banks, it does seem that the current government not only has its hands tied but potentially, when it can eventually offer the shares for sale, there will be a very significant loss when compared to the original investment. This uncertainty won’t help the Chancellor Philip Hammond with his forward financial planning and so far the government has received just £1.2 billion (€1.38 billion) back from the Bank in return for its investment as dividends are not yet being paid.

FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL

www.euroweeklynews.com

Photo Credit: Alexander Raths Shutterstock

Barometer for Global Corruption

GLOBAL CORRUPTION: Accepting an ‘encouragement’.

By John Smith AN organisation called Transparency International, which supposedly has affiliates in 100 different countries, exists to promote transparency and to fight corruption in business and government. It is unofficial and can theoretically do nothing other than act as a conduit for whistleblowers and publicise critical information when it comes to hand thus alerting governments and the media. It does however compile regular surveys when people in different countries are asked for their opinion on the level of corruption and backhanders received in business and government in their country and these are published under the title Global Corruption Barometer. Whilst the results are often illuminating, it must be stressed that these opinion polls are based solely on opinion from around 1,000 people in each of the countries surveyed but they do make for interesting reading. The latest Barometer looks at most of Europe (although there are a number of countries in Scandinavia and even

The Spanish consider corruption was mainly in the hands of politicians and big businesses and there was very little corruption reported with the police .” Ireland missing where perhaps no-one is seen to be corrupt) and the states of the former Soviet Union, so the results are certainly relevant to those who live in Spain or are regular visitors from other EU member states. One of the questions covered was whether respondents considered that corruption was one of the three biggest problems in their country. Germany is perceived as being the country with the least problem with corruption with just a 2 per cent vote and the relatively tiny Republic of Moldova (Moldavia) is seen as the most corrupt country with a response of 67 per cent. Alarmingly, Spain came a very close second with a ‘vote’ of 66 per cent and when one considers the spate

of prosecutions of former politicians perhaps it isn’t that surprising that people should feel that way about Spanish corruption in particular. With the exception of Portugal at 51 per cent, the bulk of EU members came very low in the list and even Greece was only considered marginally more corrupt than France with Italy slightly higher and the UK near the bottom. In a slightly different question which asked for views of corruption by members of parliament, Spain dropped right down the list and was beaten hands down by Greece and Italy, but bounced back when Spaniards were asked how well the country was fighting corruption with 80 per cent believing that it was doing very badly. The best bit of news was that the Spanish considered that corruption was mainly in the hands of politicians and big businesses and there was very little corruption reported with the police and local government, although others whose opinions were not canvassed may have different views.

24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

EWN

OPINION & COMMENT

www.euroweeklynews.com

24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

EWN

My column rants are restricted OTHERS THINK IT ONE o f m y p r o b l ems o f late , stems from the fact that because PC a n d i m m i g r a n t is s u e s are now being discussed far more openly, it tends to somewhat restrict my column rants. Well, don’t worry, rest assured the ol’ boy will still manage to dra g so m e t h i n g u p ! I a m o f course delighted with this new, far more intelligent approach to our social issues. As far as I’m concerned, as long as it isn’t deliberately derogatory or insulting, we should be able to publicly discuss and even lampoon any subject we choose. In t h i s r e sp e c t all mu s t b e equ a l a n d wi t h o u t e x ce p tio n : particularly in cases of religion. Once again radical Islam comes to mind. Why should the Muslim religion be regarded as a special case? Who are they to threaten our d e m o c r a c y a n d co n s id er

SADIQ KHAN: Just who does he think he is?

Today, White Billy and Black Billy would have to be known as Anglo African Billy and Anglo Saxon Billy - for crying out loud! Copyright Frederic Legrand – COMEO/Shutterstock.com

LEAPY LEE SAYS IT

themselves superior to our alternative beliefs and faiths? Even London’s mayor (surprise surprise) issued a barely disguised threat to Donald Tru mp , w he n he s tate d th at his (Tru mp ’s ) a ttitude would bring more terrorist attacks to America . J u s t w h o d oe s this jumped up little pipsqueak actually think he is? A n d w h ile we ’re a bout it, when did all the acting fraternity become men!? What happened to actresses? Or have you all you girls beco me as h ame d of your genre?

And what about Ms and Mrs? We are now obliged to address the ladies as the married/unmarried Ms So and So. What sor t of a m out hf ul i s that? Ah the, generally unmarried Ms’s cry; but there’s no equivalent for married or unmarried men. No there isn’t, and more’s the pity, because Mr has to always be followed by added information, ie, he’s a Batchelor/Married etc. Would that we could have the luxury of a one word description of our marital status. And finally, I once had two friends White Billy and Black Billy. Today I suppose we’d have to call them Anglo African Billy and Anglo Saxon Billy! For crying out loud why don’t all you jobsworth luvvies grow up and give us all a break? Keep the Faith Love Leapy leapylee2002@gmail.com

E W N 24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

www.euroweeklynews.com

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

7:00pm

BBC London News Pointless Strictly Come Dancing Michael Mcintyre’s Big Show Casualty The National Lottery Live BBC News Match of the Day The NFL Show

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

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

BBC London News The One Show Fake Britain EastEnders Panorama The Last Miners BBC News at Ten BBC London News Walliams and Friends Have I Got a Bit More News for You

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

Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Rillington Place BBC News at Ten BBC London News Imagine... Le Cri Du Hibou

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

Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show Watchdog The Missing BBC News at Ten BBC London News A Question of Sport Film 2016 Who Do You Think You Are?

8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 11:45pm 1:00am

The One Show Still Open All Hours EastEnders Citizen Khan Have I Got News for You Walliams and Friends BBC News at Ten BBC London News The Graham Norton Show Would I Lie to You?

BBC London News Countryfile Strictly Come Dancing Planet Earth II My Mother and Other Strangers BBC News BBC London News Match of the Day 2 Sunny D

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals Close to the Enemy The Apprentice: You’re Fired! Newsnight Black and British: A Forgotten History

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

10:30pm

11:30pm 12:30am 2:00pm 7:10pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:05am 1:55am 3:55am 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Mastermind Coastal Path Rick Stein’s Long Weekends QI Newsnight Close to the Enemy Rugby Union Rugby Union Sold! Inside the World’s Biggest Auction House The Brits Who Designed the Modern World Jazzie B’s 1980s: From Dole to Soul Snooker Snooker Deep Impact The Mayflower Pilgrims Whites v Blacks: How Football Changed a Nation Black is the New Black QI XL Snooker Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip University Challenge Only Connect Back in Time for Brixton Two Doors Down Newsnight Snooker Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals The Choir Live at the Apollo Newsnight NFL Snooker Snooker The Apprentice Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals Black and British: A Forgotten History The Premier League Show Newsnight No Such Thing as the News

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 6:30pm 6:45pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:50pm 11:50pm 12:10am 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:25am 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Tonight Emmerdale Coronation Street I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London UEFA Europa League Highlights Murder, She Wrote

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

ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Countrywise Coronation Street I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News and Weather ITV News London

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

ITV News London ITV News and Weather Tipping Point Meet the Parents The X Factor I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News and Weather Carry on Henry

6:40pm

Off Their Rockers The Next Great Magician The X Factor Results Show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News and Weather Peston on Sunday Rugby

7:40pm 8:00pm

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

7:35pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:40am 2:45am 4:50am

9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 1:05am

Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martin Lewis Money Show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London The Agenda Fierce

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

Emmerdale You’ve Been Framed! I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London Judge Rinder’s Crime Stories Murder, She Wrote

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

ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London How to Remember Everything Murder, She Wrote

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am 1:05am 1:50am

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

Coast v Country Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of the Zoo Grand Designs 60 Days in Jail 24 Hours in A and E

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

Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Unreported World Alan Carr’s Happy Hour Ep1 Gogglebox The Last Leg First Dates

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

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

10:00pm 11:00pm 1:45am 4:10am

A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Channel 4 News China Between Clouds and Dreams Britain at Low Tide Fast and Furious 6 Speed Hollyoaks Omnibus George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces

7:25pm 7:30pm 8:10pm 9:00pm 9:55pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:25pm

Channel 4 News The Secret Life of the Zoo Escape to the Chateau Humans 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Jon Richardson: Nidiot The Last Leg

6:30pm

1:15am

7:10pm 8:10pm 8:15pm 9:00pm 9:55pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:05pm 1:20am

Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Supershopper Tricks of the Restaurant Trade Our Guy in China First Dates The Lie Detective

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

Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds Life on the Psych Ward Gogglebox 999: What’s Your Emergency?

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

Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Supervet 24 Hours in A and E Kids on the Edge First Dates Carl Cox The Great Songwriters

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

11:00pm 12:05am

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 1:00am

5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The UK’s Strongest Man 2016 The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door Jack Taylor: Nemesis Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 10:00pm 2:00am

Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Secrets of Great British Castles Britain’s Greatest Bridges The Best of Bad TV: The 80s Super Casino That’s So...1982

5:00pm

5 News Weekend Finding Mrs Claus NCIS NCIS: New Orleans 5 News Weekend Football on 5 Football on 5 The Freddie Mercury Story: Who Wants to Live Forever? Super Casino

3:30pm

Annie Claus is Coming to Town Santa Who? 5 News Weekend Santa Who? Ice Road Truckers 5 News Weekend Saving Private Ryan 5 News Weekend Saving Private Ryan Flight of the Phoenix 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Tour De Celeb All New Traffic Cops Mps: Behind Closed Doors Gangland Gangland Home and Away 5 News Tonight All New Traffic Cops The Yorkshire Vet Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild The Boy Who Can’t Stay Awake Celebrity Botched Up Bodies

5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Ben Fogle: The Great African Migration GPs: Behind Closed Doors Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away! Undercover Benefits Cheat Football on 5 Bamma Highlights

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 11:15pm 12:15am

6:15pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 11:30pm 12:30am 1:00am 1:30am 2:00am 12:30pm 3:00pm 5:15pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 5:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 11:15pm 11:30pm 12:30am 4:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:00am

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

NFL NFL NFL NFL Live NFL: Minnesota @ Detroit Live NFL: Washington @ Dallas Live NFL: Pittsburgh@ Indianapolis Premier League Legends La Liga Gold Premier League Match Pack The Fantasy Football Club Football The Fantasy Football Club Barclays Premier League Preview Gillette Soccer Saturday Football EFL Goals Nissan Game of the Day Nissan Match Choice Football Football Football Football Live Nissan Super Sunday Live Nissan Super Sunday Live Nissan Super Sunday EFL Goals Football Football Football Football Football Football’s Greatest Premier League Gold Soccer AM: The Best Bits 2016/17 Football SPFL Round Up Great Sporting Moments NFL Highlights NFL Highlights The Premier League Years Premier League Gold Premier League Review Sky Sports Originals Football La Liga World Spanish Gold Spanish Gold Premier League Review The Premier League Years Sky Sports Originals Efl Cup Highlights Premier League Gold Barclays Premier League World Football Football Gold Barclays Premier League World Football’s Greatest

E W N 24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

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EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA

Word Ladder

MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE

TODAY: Fri Sat Sun -

Fri Sat Sun -

‘HE’S EVEN GOT LIBERTY PLAYING HIS TRUMP CARD!’

Fri Sat Sun it worthwhile by trying to hold on to as much of it as possible. Someone who is charming and plausible may try to get you involved in a fast-track money making scheme. VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) By showing confidence in your own way of doing things, you inspire others. This is chiefly because you are at last finding a balance between work and home life. In the past you may have felt stressed and equated that with working - not so now.

to help. That is great, but do ask yourself if you would be prepared to give anything in return. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Some exciting suggestions make you think twice about a current business matter. However, it may not be necessary to change anything but to consider the new suggestion as a sort of ‘add on’ to a current project.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20) An exciting project is bubbling away in your mind but may need financial backing. Take advice from a professional or someone with successful experience in these matters. Remember that any idea has to grow, so consider what you need to see happen in five years’ time. There is little time for romance and you may decide to put that on hold because of complications.

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) Because you are intent on pleasing others, you may be cramping your own style. This is something that you have in abundance and it should be used. You may be feeling that a business idea does not stand a chance and, in any case, you don’t want to risk any money.

CANCER (June 22 - July 23) The moment that you have been waiting for has arrived. A colleague has made a decision that is long overdue. Perhaps you are a little shocked and speechless because there has been such a time lag, but this will pass. It may not be over-convenient but the phrase 'striking while the iron is hot' springs to mind.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) During your social encounters this week you meet someone who offers

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) A juicy bit of gossip comes your way this week and it is hard to keep it quiet. You must do so, however, because there is a lot riding on it. When people trust you, they are saying much about the relationship. In this particular case, the person may well be able to progress you socially at some time in the future.

LEO (July 24 - August 23) You work hard for your money. Make

UK NATIONAL LOTTERY

IRISH LOTTO

Saturday November 19

BONUS BALL

EURO MILLIONS Tuesday November 15

Friday November 18

15 42

36 48

LUCKY STARS

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

12 32

27 47

LUCKY STARS

LA PRIMITIVA

EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA

Saturday November 19

Sunday November 20

REINTEGRO

22 41

36 51

REINTEGRO

MAX MIN

13 11 Sh 14 9 Sh 15 9 Sh

Mon - 16 8 Sh Tues - 17 8 Cl Wed - 17 8 S

Mallorca

THUNDER MAX 33C, MIN 24C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 33 25 Th Tues - 33 25 Th Wed - 33 24 Th

33 24 Th 32 24 Th 32 24 Th

SHOWERS MAX 16C, MIN 9C

TODAY:

MAX MIN

20 11 Cl 19 11 C 20 11 C

Mon - 21 12 S Tues - 21 12 Cl Wed - 19 12 Sh

Murcia

CLEAR MAX 17C, MIN 9C

S Sun,

MAX 17C, MIN 5C

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

Mon - 32 25 Th Tues - 32 25 Th Wed - 33 24 Th

33 24 Th 32 24 Th 32 24 Th

CLEAR

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Cl Clear,

Sh Showers,

F Fog, Sn Snow,

MAX MIN

16 8 C 16 8 Sh 17 8 C

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

C Cloudy, Th Thunder

Nonagram

How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case L) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed. TARGET: • Average: 19 • Good: 26 • Very good: 38 • Excellent: 49

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION emir emit item mien mine mint mire mite mont mope more morn mort mote norm omen omit perm poem pome prim prom rime romp temp term time tome trim merit metro miner minor miter mitre moire monte moper prime primo proem remit tempi tempo timer tromp emptor import mentor merino minter mopier permit pitmen trompe mention pimento orpiment PROMINENT

Sudoku

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

LOTTERY

Mon - 11 2 C Tues - 12 1 C Wed - 11 1 C

SHOWERS MAX 15C, MIN 8C

TODAY:

14 10 Sh Mon - 16 10 C 15 10 Sh Tues - 17 10 Cl 16 10 C Wed - 17 10 S

MAX MIN

the rescue when your situation changes. Well, they will, won't they? Have Plan B ready just in case. In continuing to think in the short term you do yourself no favours. Think now of a ‘10-year plan’ and be determined to reach your goal. Bit by bit and day by day you will progress. You don’t have to rush ahead and get stressed.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20) Someone will most certainly come to

MAX 16C, MIN 9C

Benidorm TODAY:

MAX MIN

8 3 Sh 10 3 Sh 11 2 Sh

Malaga

CLEAR

MAX MIN

The rather more serious side of your nature needs to take over this week. Someone in a higher position is keeping an eye on you. This maybe because they are considering you for promotion, so be on your best behaviour. It is important at the moment to stick to any rules and regulations or your reputation (and pocket) could be hit.

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) A chance remark alluding to your past brings a flashback. This helps you to see a current situation more clearly. We all make mistakes and follow the same old patterns, but this time you are being forewarned. It is in your experience and power to make a different choice of action this time. In doing so, much confusion and upset can be avoided.

Fri Sat Sun -

Barcelona TODAY:

MAX 16C, MIN 4C

MAX MIN

Mon - 17 10 Sh Tues - 17 10 C Wed - 17 10 C

16 11 C 16 11 Sh 17 10 Sh

CLEAR

TODAY:

MAX MIN

Fri Sat Sun -

SAGITTARIUS ( November 23 - December 21)

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) Letting life get too tame will eventually irritate you no end. Your social life needs a boost which, in turn, helps romance blossom. It is easy to be a bit lazy when things are going smoothly but we all need constant stretching. With an active mind such as yours, the important thing is to keep making progress. This may be in a physical way or in some kind of business. A brisk attitude to your whole life is needed.

MAX 17C, MIN 9C

Almeria TODAY:

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

YOUR STARS

for next 7 days Madrid

CLEAR MAX MIN

Solution WITH WISH WASH CASH (BASH) CASE (BASE) EASE

EASE BACK

Weather Alicante

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

WITH

TIME

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OUT

24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

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AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE

page

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

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS CRYPTIC

Code Breaker

Quick Across 1 Fraudulent (5) 3 Apartments (5) 6 See 18 8 Excessively affected by emotion (7) 9 Tired of the world (5) 10 Leave out (4) 13 Highest point (4) 14 Select group (5) 17 Mexican liquor (7) 18/6 Military identification label (3,3) 19 Take illegally (5) 20 Emit light (5) Down 1 Computer memory unit (4) 2 Basic unit of money in Israel (6) 3 Actuality (4) 4 Tried (9) 5 Anaesthetise (6)

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Crossword

EWN

Across:

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 4 represents L and 8 represents Z, so fill in L every time the figure 4 appears and Z every time the figure 8 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.

1 Sashes, 4 Mortar, 9 Theatre, 10 Terms, 11 Scene, 12 Portend, 13 Scared, 15 Scythe, 18 Reserve, 20 Angle, 23 Abase, 24 Edifice, 25 Tinder, 26 Relent. Down: 1 Sites, 2 Siege, 3 Extreme, 5 Outer, 6 Torrent, 7 Residue, 8 Tempo, 13 Servant, 14 Abstain, 16 Cyanide, 17 Rebel, 19 Reeve, 21 Guide, 22 Exert.

QUICK Across:

7 Ludicrously odd (9) 11 Spiny plant (6) 12 At any time (6)

English - Spanish

1 Beach, 4 Popular, 8 Cartography, 9 Spacious, 10 Flee, 12 Casual, 13 Knocks, 16 Turn, 18 Clarinet, 21 Clairvoyant, 22 Surreal, 23 Scary.

15 Beak (4) 16 Cruel wicked and inhuman person (4)

Down:

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

1 Backs, 2 Arrears, 3 Hooligan, 4 Pursue, 5 Pups, 6 Loyal, 7 Redress, 11 Enormous, 12 Cutlass, 14 Cantata, 15 Floral, 17 Recur, 19 Tatty, 20 Cage.

Across 1 Líder (6) 4/11 Portamaletas (4,4) 7 Corteza (de pan) (5) 8 Ceiling (5) 10 Twenty-one (9) 13 Arriba (indicando situación) (5) 14 Only (5) 15 Strike with the foot (4) 16 Jealous (husband, wife, lover) (6)

ENGLISH-SPANISH

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION Down 1 Cerradura (4) 2 Tile (floor) (7) 3 Then (at that time) (8) 5 Rana (4) 6 Actitud (comportamiento, disposición) (8) 9 With you (7) 11 See 4 Across 12 Mole (animal) (4)

Hexagram

Across: 2 Racha, 6 Tabu, 7 Pray, 8 Cheap, 9 Back, 10 Leon, 11 Smile, 12 Ceja, 13 Tail, 14 Citar, 15 Yolk, 16 Edad, 17 Style. Down: 1 Pasajeros, 2 Rucksacks, 3 Chemistry, 4 Apple-tree, 5 Palomitas.

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 (MINGLE) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.

ASYLUM BEFELL BODIES COUGAR EMBODY ENTITY FLOURY FROLIC GINKGO INDICT

KILLED MICRON MINGLE (10) PRIORY PROPEL PULLEY RIBALD SHAKEN URBANE

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Teeter 2 Sparse 3 Potent 4 Strain 5 Senior 6 Rustle 7 Slater 8 Series 9 Rabbet 10 Sortie 11 Census 12 Treble 13 Hasten 14 Gibbet 15 Gratis 16 Hither 17 Strafe 18 Legate 19 Frenzy

Across 1 Two hundred sails made for masterpiece (7) 5 Stingy? Close! (5) 8 Poles feel unwell after escargot (5) 9 Mix cider to make explosive (7) 10 The elderly are found in a garbage dump (4) 11 Wed a real eccentric in US state (8) 13 Ragged sort of weapon (6) 15 Is DERV designed for frogmen? (6) 18 Instrument of the French liberal's awful crime (8) 19 Moral people use renewable energy to begin with (4) 22 Two requirements for tennis or another sport (7) 23 Constellation seen from Mediterranean or Ionian Sea (5) 24 A lightweight feline (5) 25 A male offspring, you say? A big smile, Ray! (7) Down 1 Something chewed, filled with brilliant yellow sauce (7) 2 Sailor consumed sink (5) 3 Storage tower is back in the Coliseum (4) 12 It goes with her age and that’s the lot (8) 4 In court, yearn for prestige (6) 14 Protein discovered in Cambridge Latin 5 Ground harbours soft marine creature (8) Quarter (7) 6 Pained expression of a dour expert (7) 16 Small seabird's hesitation for a bone (7) 7 Could be three in that place (5) 17 Kingdoms about to receive charitable

handouts (6) 18 Wild dog doing tricks (5) 20 Join Manchester football club without a director (5) 21 Swallow bird feathers (4)

E W N 24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

LETTERS

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OPINION & COMMENT

YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION

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

Removed rights and citizenship BREXITEERS seem to be very fond of using statistics to prove their argument. In the referendum 72.2 per cent of the electorate voted so 27.8 per cent of the electorate were too apathetic or were happy with the current status quo to bother to vote. If you include their number in those who voted to retain their European citizenship with all of its rights they would come to 29,056,683 Europeans, even if we extrapolate that figure of the referendum result into this figure it still comes to a large amount of people (22,482,712 people). Never in the history of human civilisation have so many people had their citizenship removed without their government being defeated in a military action. Should 22.5 million people have their rights and citizenship removed against their wishes what message will that be giving to the rest of the world? Gerard

Hola amigo HOW does (Mike Senker) the Grumpy Old Git (sorry, Brit!) react to being greeted as ‘amigo’ by the friendly waiter whom he has never met before? And is he one of those expat Brits (sorry, gits!) who insists on addressing waiters by their Christian names? David, Nerja

Computer says no IN reply to your correspondence with regard to UK pensions being frozen as a result of Brexit, I am in the unfortunate position of having already suffered this for some years now. My only crime is that I spent half my working life in the UK and half here in Spain, having paid full contributions in both countries. Unfortunately, in Spain they will only make up my pension to the minimum state rate with no increases whatsoever. As a result, every time there is a rise in my UK pension rate, they decrease my Spanish one. Not only this if there is a rise in the value of the pound, they take this away from me at the same time.

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

I, like many others, have suffered from the drop in value of the pound but as on previous occasions the money men (our old friends the *ankers - you fill the missing letter) are flexing their financial muscle. As your agenda is to remain in the EU I would be most interested as to your reasons because saying you know where you are with the status quo is as unreasonable as saying the uncertainty of coming out as, unless you have a crystal ball, nobody knows what your friends in the EU commission will get up in the future i.e. an EU army. R J Casali PS A reply to put me right would be most appreciated

Karma police

Pension payments SOME of your readers are expressing fear that their pensions paid in Spain may be affected by the UK leaving the EU. All UK pensions are payable anywhere in the world. However only future increases are paid to expats living in countries with which the UK has entered into a Reciprocal Agreement on Social Security (RA). The UK had RAs since the 1950s with all Western European countries, but not with the Eastern European ones (they were at the time in the Soviet Bloc). When the UK joined the EEC in 1973 the RAs were superceded by the EEC rules. At that time Spain was not in the EEC, so the Reciprocal Agreement on Social Security with Spain continued in operation. When Spain joined the EEC in 1986 that RA lapsed and EEC rules took over. When Article 50 is invoked, the UK will use the two year period before leaving to enter into RAs with those countries remaining which wish to enter

Also, since June, as we all know, the pound has hit an all-time low and, therefore, logically, I am due a large refund. I visited the Social Security office to enquire about this and the young lady explained with a wry smile that the computer says no! This is how a person is treated here, even if they obey the rules and pay their contributions. When

into such agreements. Spain with the highest UK expat population will surely wish to enter into such an agreement. Spain will also wish to accommodate its citizens living and working in the UK. To sum up, all UK pensions will continue to be paid and once a RA has been concluded with Spain all future increases will be paid. However, the winter fuel payments are a different matter. There is a strong possibility that they will be discontinued. The original intention was that they were only to be paid to pensioners living in the UK. Under pressure from the ECJ the UK agreed to continue to pay this payment to recipients who were awarded them in the UK and then went to another EU country. At present the UK has tightened the conditions for receipt of the winter fuel payment. Please do not worry. Your pensions will continue to be paid in Spain, and in all probability so will future increases. Alan, Puerto Pollensa

Brexit finally kicks in, I look forward to meeting you at the food bank! Frank, La Nucia

Money men YOUR biased article by the plumber bleating about his loss of skilled foreign labour and the accompanying letters on the side of

the article is typical of the agenda that a lot of people that think they know better than all the ‘stupid ignorant ill-informed know-nothing uneducated mob’ that oppose their ‘enlightened views.’ Mr Mullins is only worried about not employing cheaper labour thus making incursion upon his privileged lifestyle. I would like to think his concern was for the country but I very much doubt it.

I HAVE only just read the article in Issue 1635 ‘Do you indicate?’ and yes I do. As do the many other expat and foreign drivers as they let other road users know when they are turning or changing lanes. But we all know that the use of indicators in Spain by our fellow Spanish drivers, is mainly to let others know that I am obstructing a carriageway so that is why I am using my hazard warning lights As to the mention of a €200 fine by the police for not using them, it then beggars belief that the policeman fining you is working on the principle ‘do as I as I say and not do as I do.’ For in all the years of driving in Spain to actually see a police patrol vehicle using their indicators to warn other drivers of their intentions is a rarity. So if the Guardia Civil, National Police and Local Police drivers all indicated to let other road users know their intentions, they could then fine drivers knowing that they were leading from the front and until that happens other drivers will say well the police don’t do it so why should I? Dave, Fuengirola

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

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

OPINION & COMMENT

LEGALLY SPEAKING

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

SAFE DRIVING: Checking the oil level. PROPER maintenance of your vehicle is vital to ensure it runs safely and economically. Whilst it is always important to get major work carried out by a trained professional, there are simple tasks you should be able to carry out to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Engine oil Oil allows the engine to work properly and the levels should be checked regularly. To check the levels, look for the dipstick, which is one of the parts often labelled. It will have a small handle for you to grip. Remove it, wipe clean and place back in and out. The oil deposit left on the end will be your level and should fall between the markers indicating minimum and maximum levels. Tyre pressure Running on tyres without the correct pressure will not only ruin the tyre, it will affect the performance of the vehicle and its safety. Tyre pressure can be checked at most petrol

stations and should be done when the tyres are cold. The pounds per square inch (PSI) level your tyres should be at can often be found on a plate on the car, often inside the driver or passenger door. Wheel change All drivers should know how to change a wheel in the event of a puncture. Vehicles carry different types of spares so it is important to know which type you have as some vehicles only have kits to temporarily repair tyres, or emergency wheels that can be used at reduced speed. If changing your wheel on a road remember to put your emergency triangle in place and wear a high visibility jacket. Changing wiper blades Something so simple can cause a dangerous situation if they are not working correctly when it is raining. If they squeak or do not clear away all the water when used then they probably need replacing. They can be found in most large supermarkets or petrol stations.

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

Help with feral cats My Community in Majorca is 18 apartments in two adjoining blocks. An English woman who is a tenant, not an owner, has been feeding feral cats. At first it was about five and then it was a dozen. It was brought up at the 2015 AGM and she said she would deal with it. At the AGM in 2016 she said would neuter them. More kittens then appeared. It smells terrible in hot weather and when she puts out food. The land around several Communities here now reeks of cat urine and faeces. Our Administrator says we should go to the police. Can anything be done under the law of horizontal property? B D (Majorca) Your cat problem is not a Community issue. It is a pub l i c h e a l t h m a tte r. Your President, along with the Presidents of other affected Communities, should go to your

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David Searl You and the Law in Spain

town hall and report the feral cat problem to the authorities.

This will probably be Sanidad, the health department. Many Spanish municipalities also have regulations against feeding feral cats and the offender can be fined.

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

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Lucky for wheelchair? Mike Senker

In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man I’VE never realised before but there is snobbery in the world of flying. I’m not talking about your first class mob. I’m talking about your everyday Ryanair, easyJet, and Monarch brigade. I’ve grumped about flying before so this is a bit of an update. This week I flew with Monarch, which is a perfectly adequate airline, but some of the punters were acting as though they were too good to be standing around waiting for a flight at all. It was a bit weird really. They all seemed a bit up themselves and a few of them were kicking off because there was no sign up saying which side was the speedy boarding line. They came marching down to the front of this massive queue with their boarding pass in the air and asking the girls behind the desk, who, by the way, obviously didn’t give a monkeys and just said, ‘Stand or sit and we will make an announcement when it’s time to board.’ This caused lots of tutting and mumbling. I’ve not seen this before as I usually fly easyJet and they always get the two lines going. With Ryanair, well there is no point questioning them as they will just not let you on

the flight. Then I remembered that Monarch was the last one to give in to the cheap flights and these people must be the remnants of the well looked after frequent flyers club. They were still living with the hope they were considered special. The old queuing lark doesn’t affect me as ‘I’m apparently the lucky one. Someone told me just that, that I didn’t have to stand in line because I’m in a wheelchair when I travel. ‘Sorry pal, did you just say I was lucky I didn’t have to queue because I’m in a wheelchair?’ I explained, in my usual friendly manner, that he was more than welcome to swap places with me if he really wanted to. All he had to do, to make it fair, is to be ‘lucky’ enough not to be able to stand still for more than a few seconds. Idiot! After all that the flight was fine. As I’m the last to get off the plane it still fascinates me to see everyone all get up and stand hunched up waiting for the doors to open as soon as the plane stops. You can’t go anywhere till people at the front start moving. Maybe someone can explain to me what that’s all about. So finally it’s the disabled crowd’s time to leave the aircraft and at Luton they use a separate vehicle to unload us. They never move us individually, it’s always together. So I’m sitting on the tail lift for about five minutes or so waiting to be unloaded and I said to the guy on the ground, ‘What happens if it was pouring with rain now?’ And his reply was, ‘You’d get wet wouldn’t you?’ Welcome to England!

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Try eating chocolate to ease period pains A SWISS chocolatier has claimed to have created a chocolate bar that will help to relieve and ease women’s menstrual cramps. The ‘Frauenmond’ bar, meanin g ‘ wo m e n ’s moon’ wa s d e v e l oped by the Choco l a t e wi t h Love c o m p a n y. They sa i d t h e chocol a t e c o n tains 60 per cent cocoa and 17 specially selected herbs from the Swiss mountains th a t c a n p r o d u ce a calming effect and can soothe the aches and pains suffered monthly by many women. Included in the ingredients is magnesium, but experts claim the magnesi u m c o n t e n t o f an y d ark chocolate could help ease cramps. If, for some reason, treating yourself

to a little bit of chocolate isn’t your favourite pastime, there are other ways to ease period pains. Exercise may be the last thing you fancy, but e ve n a bris k w a lk c a n re -

lease enough endorphins to counteract the prostaglandins which are the hormone-like substances in pain and inflammation. Try applying heat as it helps relax the muscles and drink chamomile tea a s s tudie s ha ve found it to c onta in pain-relieving properties. Ginger is also believed to help ease menstrual c ra mps by low e ring the le ve ls of prostaglandins. It can also help fight fatigue often associated with premenstrual syndrome.

HEALTH BEAUTY

Diagnosing receptivity for embryo transfer SINCE the first IVF birth in the 1970’s, more than five million children worldwide have been born through ‘invitro fertilisation.’ With a successful egg fertilisation, the success of an embryo transfer depends not only on the quality of the embryo but the timing of the transfer with the moment of maximum uterine receptivity essential for the treatment to be successful. With this in mind, the IVFSpain assisted reproduction clinic in Alicante offers all patients the ER Map endometrial receptivity test to improve results in not only more complex cases but in more common ones. The centre is the first to of-

fer it to all patients and the test identifies the optimum ‘window of implantation’ in a woman to receive the embryo transfer increasing the likelihood of pregnancy. Created by scientists from the start up Igls, specialising in genetics of reproduction, the test allows a more accurate picture of when the endometrium is at its peak time to receive the embryo. The endometrium is the inner layer of the uterus where embryo implantation takes place. IVF-Spain is a leading clinic in assisted reproduction and in recent weeks has been in the UK at The Fertility Show in London’s Olympia and at the Fertility Options Wales Information Day.

CHOCOLATE BAR: That will help ease menstrual cramps.

More women are missing smear tests than before THE number of women going for a smear test is at an all time low. In the UK, since the 1980’s women aged between 25 and 65 are invited to a smear test every three to five years, but new figures show that particularly younger women are missing their screening. Figures from NHS Digital for this year showed that 31 per cent of women aged between 25 and 49 had missed their test, a rise from the 24 per cent in 2011. Their data al-

so reported that almost a quarter of women had not had a test in the past five years which is the worst rate since records began in 1997. Smear tests are vital to detecting cervical cancer, which is often known as the ‘silent killer ’ as there are so few symptoms. As the number of those going for tests falls, the number of diagnoses is increasing with around 3,200 new cases a year being reported in the UK and more than half occur in women under the age of 45. The fall comes after years of highlighted awareness of the disease, particularly following the death of TV reality star Jade Goody. The celebrity, who rose to fame following her appearance on Big Brother, made her diagnosis public in August 2008 and in February 2009 her diagnosis was terminal. Her openness in talking about cer-

vical cancer brought it to the forefront of the minds of many young women and between 2008-2009, it is believed that more than 400,000 women in England went and got tested. Known as the ‘Jade Goody Effect’ it lasted some years but women are now ignoring their appointments and not going for screening. Many are calling on doctors to make the smear tests more accessible for women with many reluctant to take time off work or book a day’s holiday as appointments only fall within working hours. Women in Spain are advised to contact their medical centre if they have not had a smear test for a number of years. The smear test is very quick and involves taking a sample of cells from the cervix which will be examined for any changes, allowing them to be detected before they become cancer cells.

HEALTH & BEAUTY

Ask The Doctor

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Metamizole - is it safe to take?

SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte. M ETAMI Z OL E , co mmon l y m a r k e t e d a s N olo t i l , i s a n a n t i -in flammatory pain reliever prescribed regularly in Spain. It is prohibited in 30 countries, however, includ i n g t h e Un ite d S tat e s, Au st r a l i a , a n d France, so what benefits and disadvantages can this drug bring when it is used to treat inflammations? Metamizole is a cons ide r a b l y p o t e n t d ru g with anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic functions and very few side effects, as well as bein g f a i r l y c h e a p to produce. Despite its benefits, in a large number of c o u n t r i e s i t s u s e is forbidden. It i s sa i d i n c e rta in medical publications that the Anglo-Saxon population should not take this drug a s d u e t o g e n e tic reaso n s i t c a n b e v ery dangerous. Do these allegations have any foundation? If so, what dangers can arise when this drug is prescribed? It i s t r u e t h a t a m o n g the Anglo-Saxon population t h i s d r u g i s mo re

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dangerous, because this certain group of people have a genetic mutation th a t ma k es ta k in g th e drug cause a severe decre a s e in w h ite b lo o d ce lls in ch arg e o f th e b o d y ’s d efe n ce s , a n d sometimes can also affec t re d b lo o d c e lls , causing anaemia. A lth o u g h th e s e ad v e rs e effec ts are rare , their consequences can b e s e rio u s a s th ey ca n develop into infections that can become very serious, therefore, AngloS ax o n p a tie n ts s h o u ld avoid their use. Could you recommend another drug as a substitute for Metamizole? There are a lot of medicines that can be used as substitutes for metamizole. T h e mo s t u s e d in Spain are aspirin, paraceta mo l, ib u p ro fe n o r d e x k e to p ro fen . A ll o f them are relatively safe b u t lik e an y med icin e can have adverse effects. Patients should always consult with their physician or specialist before taking any medication so as to avoidany undesired side-effects.

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

Winter workouts WINTER’S here and whilst it’s the perfect excuse to stay wrapped up indoors and not participate in sport, there are benefits to winter activities. Sport can boost your natural defences and immune system helping fight against colds and flu. Exercise releases endorphins boosting a sense of wellbeing and fighting against depression. It could also be of great benefit for those who suffer the winter blues. Cooler climates or adverse conditions can make training harder and tougher. This will, in time, increase your fitness levels, cardiac output, lung capacity and help burn more calories. For us on the Costas, winter

here is never like a winter in the UK so it’s rare a friendly tennis match or jog would be called off due to rain or snow, so there is no reason not to get out there. However, when it does turn cold, experts say you should take extra care when exercising. It’s tempting to venture out in little clothing believing your body will warm up, but hypothermia is still a risk. Look out for symptoms such as dizziness, lack of coordination or trouble speaking. Wear synthetic clothing, but two layers should be ok. Avoid cotton as it absorbs moisture and soaked in sweat leaves you feeling cold. As in summer drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

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British composers concert dedication WITH a firm ear on British music, the Conservatory of M us ic o f t h e B a l e a r i c Is lands in Palma will be presenting a concert dedicated to four British composers: G erald R a p h a e l F in zi (1901-1956), Gustav Holst (1874-1934), Edward Elgar (1857- 1 9 3 4 ) a n d C h a rle s

Hubert Parry (1848-1918) on Monday November 28. T h e c o mp o s er M e rc è Pons will give a half hour talk about these four composers and their works at 8pm with the concert starting at 8.30pm. Entrance for students is €10 and for others €20.

Classical music recital in Alcudia AT 9pm on Saturday November 26, the choral group Quatre Llunes, which was formed in 2010 to promote classical music generally in Mallorca, will be appearing at the Alcudia Auditorium performing songs in Catalan on behalf of the Baleari c Asso c i a t i o n o f C h ild ren w ith Ra re D is ea s e s (ABAIMAR). The group which consists of five tenors, five contraltos, five sopranos and a bass regularly appears in charity concerts and entrance to this 60 minute performance will cost just €6.

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OCIAL

Fabulous Fungi Fair Photo Credit: Natallia Kirylka Shutterstock

By John Smith THE little town of Mancor de la Vall with less than 1,500 inhabitants to the north of the Island is able to trace its history back for more than 1,000 years and like so many locations in Mallorca enjoys welcoming visitors to enjoy special celebrations. Running from Friday November 25 to Sunday November 27 is the Fira de l’Escalata-sang (Festival of Mushrooms) which combines a gastronomic feast with a number of traditional celebrations including demons, dragons and St George. Commencing at 5pm on Friday, there will be a storytelling followed by parades around the town of different mythical creatures as well as fire demons and 11.30pm fireworks and a rock concert. The following day sees the opening of a craft market as well as an art exhibition and painting workshop which runs all day and is open to all ages. During the day there is entertainment for the children as well as an exhibition of the fruits of autumn, followed by the arrival of the Giants and their impressive parade at 5.30pm. This will be followed by a display of horses as well as the ar-

FESTIVAL OF MUSHROOMS: Will offer a variety of activities. rival of the Saracens. As the evening draws to an end at 10.30pm, Marga Rotger will present her new album. Sunday is perhaps a little more traditional and ‘folksy’ with a number of different performances of local music and dance for most of the day as well as displays of birds of prey and even a baby show.

The evening comes to an end with another band playing and spectacular fireworks. All during the three day festival, a number of bars and restaurants will be presenting a selection of their favourite fungi food and there will also be an opportunity to discover new and innovative recipes. For the full programme of events, visit www.ajmancordelavall.net.

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Photo Credit: The Mersey Beatles

SOCIAL SCENE

FLAWLESS TRIBUTE: Will transport you back to the swinging sixties.

Mersey Beatle mania is coming to Palma By John Smith PROMOTED by Julia Baird, the younger half-sister of John Lennon and a director of Cavern City Tours in Liverpool, the Mersey Beatles who have just returned from their first tour of the USA are in the middle of a string of Spanish dates which brings them to Palma at 9pm on December 16. These four are childhood friends who grew up in Liverpool and they had a record collection in common. The Beatles records were always sitting on the very top of the pile and they still are to this day. Having spent 10 years performing together in the resurrected Cavern Club in Liverpool, the four musicians (who are joined on stage by a fifth

member who plays organ) have honed their skills so that they don’t act on stage, they literally perform and their banter is natural, not rehearsed. Steven Howard (Paul), David Howard (George), Mark Bloor (John) and Brian Ambrose (Ringo) cover the entire gamut of the Beatles catalogue with no less than four changes of clothes as they recreate the growth and development of the Fab Four. Tickets for their single performance at the Palma Auditorium cost €42 but according to Julia Baird, “The Mersey Beatles are the most authentic I’ve heard... and I’ve heard them all.” If you missed the original band in any or all of their incarnations, now is the chance to see and hear four perfor-

mances in one which will transport you back to the decade when they made the Swinging Sixties. Whether you like the cherubic ‘mop tops’ or the more psychedelic band that created Sergeant Pepper then this could be the Christmas concert for you to see.

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OPINION & COMMENT

No ‘blind-date Brexit’ for Britain Nora Johnson

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

THE UK government is going through exceptionally tough times. Only a third of UK voters support Brexit unconditionally, according to an ICM poll that suggests a widespread desire for the government to release details of the deal sought with the EU BEFORE triggering Ar t i c l e 5 0 . Or, in o th e r words, two-thirds of voters oppose a ‘blind-date Brexit’. Plus, according to the latest Ipsos Mori poll, almost half of voters think the government is handling Brexit badly. Then, after being 10th in line to speak to president-elect Trump, Mrs May was obliged to witness Nigel Farage’s triumphantly smug grin beamed across the Atlantic direct from the golden portal of Trumpland. Next, there was the disputed, leaked B r e x i t m e m o fro m D eloitte, claiming that government

t hat she want s m or e gr am m ar schools (a view not shared by her backbenchers). Added to that, there are crises in the NHS, housing and the prison service due to lack of funding and/or policies. The UK’s on a disintegrating life raft, adrift in r ough seas. We need a gener al el ect i on som et i m e soon – f or the same reasons I gave here recently. Theresa May needs all the help she can get, so maybe she shouldn’t so readily dismiss Farage? After all, his self-styled credentials as ‘Mr Brexit’ are endorsed by the next occupant of the most powerful office in the world. And, incidentally, that image of Farage standing next to Trump in front of those glittering golden gates: Brexit at Tiffany’s, anyone?

departments are overstretched and there is no overall strategy and, crucially, criticising the Prime Minister ’s leadership style (that she holds her cards too close to her chest).

I am not telling you” very often means “I have no idea”. Theresa May has been criticised for her leadership style of holding her cards too close to her chest. Now, it’s all well and good to h o ld y o u r c a rd s c los e to your chest. However, that can’t change the quality of the cards you hold. “I’m not telling you” very often means “I have no idea”. This government has no mandate and is led by an unelected PM who vaguely supported remaining in the EU. It has no clear-cut plan for the economic future of the country. The o n ly d efin ite announc e me nt Theresa May has made as PM is

Nigel Farage.

FOTO

Nora Johnson’s thrillers ‘No Way Back’, ‘Landscape of Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, ‘The De Clerambault Code’ (www.nora-johnson.com) available from Amazon in paperback/eBook (€0.99;£0.99) and iBookstore. All profits to Costa del Sol COPYRIGHT Twocoms/Shutterstock.com Cudeca cancer charity.

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Don’t skimp on safety: avoid the chilling costs of travel mishaps Christina Sharp GLOBELINK INTERNATIONAL christina@globelink.co.uk.

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ICELAND: Boasts a unique blend of volcanoes, ice caps and crashing waterfalls. breathtaking scenery and the unique light that only the Arctic offers. Whatever you opt for, be a savvy traveller and research the right trip to suit you. Whether you prefer to travel under your own

steam or on a package, chances are, you’ll be paying something upfront, which means more at stake if things go wrong. It may be tempting to think “it won’t happen to me” - especially when booking a holiday, but things do go

wrong. Last year UK insurance companies paid out over £365,000,000 to cover costs of medical treatment abroad, cancelled trips, and other travel troubles to individuals, couples and families who had a problem whilst abroad. That’s £1,000,000 each day of the year! So if you are spending hundreds, or more likely thousands on your next break, do yourself a favour and don’t skimp on getting a decent travel insurance policy to protect you. With a Globelink policy you are protected for trip cancellation as soon as you purchase a policy and once you are overseas you have the peace of mind that you are covered for potentially head-spinning medical and repatriation costs if you run into unforeseen medical problems, or have an accident. So do the right thing and avoid the chilling cost of travel mishaps and focus on enjoying the chill-out of a winter break with the right travel policy in place. Over one million customers have trusted Globelink. Get an instant Travel Insurance quote and arrange cover securely with www.globelink.co.uk, or call (UK) +44 1353 699 082 or our Spanish link lines on 966 265 000 or 951 242 434.

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How to blag yourself a bigger looking bedroom IF you wish your bedroom was bigger but a change of home isn’t on the books, there are various decorating tricks you can use to make it look bigger and feel less claustrophobic. Colours and light play an important role so go for light colours on the walls and if there is-

n’t much natural light choose your lights carefully to make it as bright as possible. Mirrors can be great tools to make a room look and feel bigger. Carefully placed decorative glass helps spread light around the room and reflect space, reducing the cramped feel.

Choosing furniturewhich incorporates storage. Beds with storage underneath are great for keeping things tidy and uncluttered while wardrobes which sliding doors rather than hinges help make the most of available space. Textiles can make a room feel overloaded if

they’re too thick or heavy. Stay away from heavy drapes or dark bedspreads and opt for lightweight cotton or linen. As with the walls, go for light colours on your bed, using cushions to add a touch of bolder colours if you like.

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House-sitting can be a win-win for both parties, free house and pet-sitting and the experienced and checked sitters get free accommodation! To find a pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on 00 44 (0) 777 214 2742.

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INTRODUCTIONS: Learning each other’s body language.

How to introduce a new puppy to cats

CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Runners-up of our 2016 pet photo competition.

THE 2016 Euro Weekly News and HouseSitMatch funny pet photo competition runnersup are featured here. Thank you to all who sent in their photos, we really enjoyed viewing them and so did all our members, says Lamia Walker. Taking a good picture of your pet who can be moving or not realise the importance of the camera pointing at them, is never easy. The standard of entries was very high and

proves a lot of pet owners are a dab hand with a camera. There will be another pet photo competition next year and again we will feature the very best. Need to get ready for the holidays? To find a house or pet-sitter go to www.Housesit Match.com. Use coupon code SPECIAL50 to get 50 per cent off any registration for 2016!

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

SHOULD you ask your cat to live with a dog? You should think carefully before doing so. If you must, make sure it’s a puppy as young as possible. Chasing breeds like greyhounds, hounds or terriers are more likely to go for cats than gundog breeds like labradors or spaniels. NEVER expect cats to live with a dog that hates cats or, worse still, has been trained to chase cats. In this case, either cat or dog must be re-homed. How to make the introduction. Start with the cat, and once it’s established in the family add the dog. Both should be young: under six months for cats and under one year in dogs (a dog known to be hostile to cats shouldn’t be introduced). They need to learn each other’s body language. The cat must be able to go towards and retreat from the dog without being chased. Borrow a crate where you can put the puppy with his bedding and bowls. When he comes out for walks, make sure he’s on a lead. Let the cat first see him when he’s safely in the crate. Don’t let the cat get scared. Use a Feliway Diffuser in the main room to reduce stress to the cat. While he’s in the crate, make a fuss of the cat so he realises it’s a valued family member. Take this process carefully over several days. The aim is NEV-

ER to let a chase occur. If things are going well, let him out of the crate but with a houseline (use an old rope) trailing from his collar, so you can grab it if necessary. You can also mix their scents, by putting pieces of an old towel in each others beds and then swapping them round. Introducing a new cat to an existing dog. This should only happen if the dog is already accustomed to and friendly to cats. This time, the cat should be in the crate when the dog is let into the room. Only when the dog is out of the room should the cat be let out. Let it get accustomed to one room first. This can take several days. The aim is for the dog to get used to it. It should settle down and not harass it. The aim is NEVER to let a chase occur. Swap dog and cat bedding so their scents get mixed. Use a Feliway Diffuser in the room. Put it on a week before the introduction. Once they’re used to it, keep the dog on a lead and let the cat out of the crate in the same room. Make sure they’re under control at all times. If the cat runs away just one time, it may set off the dog’s chasing instinct so make sure they’re at ease before introductions without the pen. Chasing will set back the whole process.

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WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of direct car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309. (200726)

DRIVING LESSONS LEARN TO DRIVE IN MALLORCA. Scottish Driving Instructor now qualified to teach in Mallorca. Classes in English or Spanish. Obtain your Spanish licence easier or have refresher lessons and get behind that wheel. Interested! Call 648 133 929 (232360)

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REFORMS & Construction Kitchens, pools, terraces, extensions. Landscaping, wrought iron etc Office 971 230 590 Email enquiries@jmac.es (244804) WE CLEAR building rubble, garden waste, old furniture etc. Fast reliable service. Tel 971 231 623 / 629 547 685 (248521)

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Road test: Audi A4 Avant by Nick Fletcher

THE popularity of MPVs and SUVs has dampened demand for traditional estate cars, but a strong core market still remains for fast, refined and well-built estate models such as the Audi A4 Avant. It has formidable rivals from Mercedes C Class and BMW 3 Series among others, but in my view the Audi has a distinct sporting edge and cooler street image. Avant models come with petrol or diesel engines, manual or auto gearboxes, and some with all wheel drive so there is plenty of choice, with prices starting at £27,880 (€31,387). However, many Audi owners like to tailor their cars with additional kit and my test model, a 3.0 litre diesel in an already highly-equipped S Line trim and priced at £39,535 (€44,537) had so many extras, the final price was £52,895 (€59,547).

Added equipment included head-up display, advanced parking assist, adaptive sports suspension, panoramic glass roof, 19 inch alloys, and Technology, Comfort and Sound and Light and Vision packs. The 3.0 litre 270 hp diesel engine was mated to a Tiptronic gearbox and had allwheel drive, with sensational results: 0-60 mph in just 5.4 seconds, top speed 155 mph and fuel economy of 53.3 mpg combined. Underway, the car produced effortless performance, a smooth ride and outstanding grip and composure, aided by adaptive dampers which allow the driver to adjust the set up depending whether you want firm, sporty or supple comfort. And in city use this model is equally at home, with light precise steering and agile

responses. Visually, the A4 Avant is an eye-catcher, with elegant chiselled styling and a look of restrained potency which appeals to younger, more discerning buyers seeking a cool classic persona. The interior is beautifully styled, using premium materials well fitted and finished. The dashboard is logically designed, dominated by a large central infotainment screen, and a cascading central console which runs down between the front seats. There is plenty of space for five adults and the A4 Avant boasts one of the biggest boots in the

class, 505 litres with the rear seats occupied, a massive 1,510 with them folded. The powered tailgate and low loading lip give good access too. I found the A4 Avant hard to fault – I felt I could drive across Europe in it without getting at all jaded, and it gets top marks for refinement, comfort and day to day practicality.

EYECATCHER: The A4 Avant with elegant chiselled styling.

24 - 30 November 2016 / Mallorca

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BOATS

Year of the Dragon By Matthew Elliott

ish line and see the crews paddling furiously across distances ranging from 100-500 metres. Dragon races have a proud 2,000 year history in southeast Asia where the races were as venerated as the Olympics in Ancient Greece. DRAGON RACING: Not for the faint of heart.

Photo by Sylvain NGR Wikimedia

IT’S dragon boat racing season in south-east Asia where teams from Cambodia and China are competing in some of the region’s myriad speed races. Safety is top of the agenda in Cambodia where the country’s annual race was cancelled last year and in 2011 and 2013. A human stampede six years ago led to more than 300 deaths as authorities underestimated the people’s passion for dragon boat racing.

It is a heavily political event in a polarised country where the risk of protest and riot is always high. This year the dragon boat race took place peacefully last week, though that may have had something to do with the 10,000 odd security personnel in attendance. More than 250 boats participated in front of some 16,000 spectators. Dragon boats are powered by human paddling and normally made out of teak wood. The races are usually sprints to the fin-

Navy flagship docks in Palma THE Spanish Navy’s flagship, the Juan Carlos I, docked in Palma in advance of a series of military training exercises taking place in the Mediterranean. The aim of the operations is to put the Spanish military’s readiness to the test with the amphibious assault ship playing a crucial role. Equipped with a ski-jump ramp, it can accommodate Harriers and the American F-35B vertical take-off fighter. It can carry around 30 helicopters and transport 1,200 seaborne troops

VINCENT RIOU: The Frenchman was one of the early leaders.

Vendeé Globe update NEARLY three weeks into what is described as the most gruelling yacht race in the world, there have been some winners and some losers in the Vendeé Globe single handed race with some catching the wind, some catching damage and some simply trying to catch up! Britain’s Alex Thomson in the Hugo Boss is in the lead at the time of writing and

Spain’s lone competitor Didac Costa is in the doldrums languishing almost in last place with several thousands of nautical miles between first and last yachtsmen. One of the early leaders and a former winner from 2004/2005, Frenchman Vincent Riou had to drop out due to serious damage to his boat leaving six sailors well to the fore and the others

into a conflict zone. The ship, which was commissioned in 2010, cost around €460 million and has a complement of some 900. The Juan Carlos was named after the father of the present king and replaced the aircraft carrier, the Principe de Asturias. It was originally described as a strategic projection vessel and was constructed at the stateowned Navantia shipyards in Galicia. The military exercises which run until November 26, will also involve elements of the Portuguese Navy.

Juan Carlos I

having problems with high pressure and subsequent lack of wind. There is plenty time for positions to be reversed, but at the moment the leading six are literally streaking ahead of their competitors, although they could be slowed down as they sail around the Cape of Good Hope several days ahead of schedule.

Photo by David Acosta Allely

Seakeeper is a revolution A NIFTY new device designed to prevent sea sickness is now on the market. The ‘Seakeeper’ is a stabilising mechanism which helps stop boats swaying from side to side and is set to become a must-have in the boating business.

The Seakeeper can easily handle rough Atlantic waters by using computer controlled gyroscopes kept inside the hull of the boat. It doesn’t create any extra drag, neatly fits in the hull and only weighs around one 50th of the total weight of the boat.

A stabilising mechanism which helps stop boats swaying.

It can even handle boats over 30 feet long and is powered by a flywheel spinning at up to 10,700 rpm. Even seasoned sailors are snapping them up to get rid of the dreaded roll, which doesn’t always get easier with age.

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SPORT

Andy Murray’s on top of the world and Chelsea top the Premiership 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: • RECENT PL matches ended: Crystal Palace 1 Manchester City 2, Everton 1 Swansea 1, Manchester United 1 Arsenal 1, Middlesbrough 0 against top of the table Chelsea 1 (Diego Costa on target), Southampton 0 Liverpool 0, Spurs 3 West Ham 2, Stoke 0 Bournemouth 1, Sunderland 3 Hull 0 and Watford 2 Leicester 1. WBA played Burnley on Monday. • In the Championship, it was Brighton 1 Aston Villa 1, Cardiff 3 Huddersfield 2, Ipswich 0 Nottingham Forest 2, Leeds 0 Newcastle 2, PNE 0 Wolves 0 and a winning return for manager Ian Holloway as QPR beat Norwich 2-1. • Bolton beat

Millwall and Scunthorpe defeated Oldham in FL1, while Exeter’s 780-mile round trip to Carlisle ended in a 2-1 loss and Plymouth’s 14-match unbeaten run in FL2 was ended by Grimsby who won 3-0 at Home Park. • Here in La Liga, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 39th career hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 3-0 derby win over Atletico Madrid. Barcelona drew 0-0 with Malaga and are now four points behind Real in the table. • In the Milan derby in the San Siro, AC Milan defeated Inter 2-1 in Serie ‘A.’ • On Tuesday, it was Leicester-Brugge, MonacoSpurs, Sevilla-Juventus and Sporting Lisbon-Real Madrid in the Champions League, followed last night by ArsenalPSG, Atletico Madrid-PSV and Celtic-Barcelona. • This evening it’s Dundalk-Alkmaar, Man-

chester United-Feyenoord, Sparta Prague-Southampton and Zurich v Villarreal in the Europa League. • This weekend’s top PL games feature ArsenalBournemouth, Burnley-Manchester City, Chelsea-Spurs, Leicester-Middlesbrough, Liverpool-Sunderland and Manchester United-West Ham. • North of the Border we have Celtic against Aberdeen in the Betfair Scottish LC final. • Gareth Southgate could officially be England’s head coach as you read this line. • Steven Gerrard has had talks with MK Dons about the vacant manager’s job while Bury have sacked boss Dave Flitcroft. • Real Madrid would like Aaron Ramsey from Arsenal

for £25m. And Manchester City want Brazilian Gabriel Jesus. TENNIS: • Andy Murray is champion of the world after beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the final of the APT Championships at London’s O2 arena. CRICKET: • In the second Test, India (455 and 204) beat England (255 and 158) by 246 runs. • The third Test is in Mohali: November 26-30. • South African captain Faf Du Plessis has been charged with ‘ball tampering’ during his

country’s recent second Test victory over Australia in Hobart. • England’s women claimed a 4-0 ODI series win over Sri Lanka. RUGBY UNION: • Last weekend’s internationals finished England 58 Fiji 15, Ireland 9 New Zealand 21, Scotland 19 Argentina 16 and Wales 33 Japan 20. • Saturday’s friendlies are England-Argentina, IrelandAustralia, Scotland-Georgia and Wales-South Africa. FORMULA ONE: • Effect i v e l y L e w i s Hamilton has to win

ANDY MURRAY: The world number one beat Djokovic in straight sets.

the final Grand Prix of 2016 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and hope that current championship leader, by 12 points, Nico Rosberg, doesn’t make the podium. If that happens, the Brit will retain his world driver ’s crown. If Rosberg wins he will emulate his father, Keke, who won the world title in 1962. It will be interesting! ROUND-UP: • The UK Snooker championships are underway at the York Barbican (until December 4). • The Four Nations Rugby League final at Anfield last Saturday, saw Australia thrash New Zealand 34-8. • Scottish schoolgirl golfer Porscha Wilson (aged 14) from Fife is taking part in this week’s DM Classic here in Spain. Meanwhile, England’s Charley Hull has won her first LGPA gold title in the CME Group 4.

CRISTIANO RONALDO: Scored his 39th hat-trick.

DIEGO COSTA: Scored the only goal for Chelsea against Middlesbrough.

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24 - 30 November 2016 JORDAN HENDERSON and Adam Lallana escaped sanction after being caught at a Strip Club in a wild November for the England Team. Mallorca’s best guide to local sport

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Wiggins set to retire? AFTER his spectacular victory at the Ghent Six Day in Belgium, British cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins revealed his love for Mallorca as he hinted that his tremendous career may be in its twilight years. The five-time Olympic champion confirmed that the Ghent affair, which he first raced 18 years ago, would be his last with veteran riding teammate Mark Cavendish but reckoned he has one last season in him before hanging up his saddle for good. ‘Wiggo,’ who turned professional in 2001 and won his knighthood in 2013, shied away from confirming his retirement but said he’ll need a proper training schedule if he wants to return to the track one last time. “I’ve got to be realistic, and to be as good as I’ve been this week I need a full-blown season, probably, or a good full training season. I can’t just think that I’ll get away with riding round Mallorca.” Wiggins has been a long-term ambassador for cycling on the island, describing it as his home away from home and voluntarily pro-

moting Mallorca at the World Travel Market in London last year. In 2009 the star even wrote a column for British broadsheet newspaper The Telegraph eulogising Puerto Pollensa where he has frequently taken his family for holidays and enjoyed hard training stints with the British cycling team at their Pollensa base camp. What happens next for Wiggo remains to be seen. This was surely his last serious winter competition and, with a growing family, a knighthood, global stardom and millions of pounds under his belt, the time seems ripe for the 36-year-old to cycle off into the sunset. Whether he retires or hangs on for one last shot at glory, the Gold Medal, Tour de France, World Championshipwinning hero of British sport will certainly be spotted zipping across the Tramuntana’s for years to come.

rement. dley Wiggins has hinted at reti HANGING UP HIS SADDLE: Bra