ISSUE NO. 1590
EWN
24 - 30 December 2015
COSTA BLANCA SOUTH
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
The only one, 6 editions, 52 weeks a year
A political revolution with no change? NO overall majority demands new alliances By Linda Hall Alicante Province expatriates were only onlookers in the weekend’s general elections. Even those living here for decades had no say in choosing the politicians who will represent them in the national parliament in Madrid until the next elections come round. Some of those politicians are old hands, like Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo (pictured centre), Foreign Minister in Rajoy’s previous government and who headed the list of candidates for the Partido Popular (PP) in Alicante. His party was the most-voted-for in the province and will send 11 MPs to Madrid after bringing in 71,000 more votes than last May’s municipal and regional elections. But the outlook is less than rosy for Margallo and his fellow MPs from the PP party. Nationwide the party has lost almost half of its seats, the majority of them to brand-new parties Podemos
and Ciudadanos, who have never been present in the national parliament. No party has an overall majority and without inter-party alliances, the PP cannot form a government. In Alicante Province the PodemosCompromis alliance is hot on the PP’s heels with three MPs in the national parliament. The PSOE socialists have another
thre e w hile C iuda da nos ha ve tw o. Practically the same story played out in e ve ry Spa nis h re gion e xc e pt Cataluña and the Basque Region where Podemos was the most-voted-for party. Negotiation and dialogue were noticeably absent during the last legislature but these are now the only option to calling another election early next year.
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LOCAL NEWS
Flight delays THE great Christmas escape saw delays of up to an hour experienced by passengers at Alicante-Elche airport. AENA said the start of the Christmas campaign saw a large influx of pas-
sengers, but was launched without any major problems, except for a few delays of around an hour. Christmas is expected to be almost as busy as summer for the airport.
Horse rescued A HORSE had to be rescued from a swimming pool at a villa in Valencia. Fire crews received the unusual call to come to the aid of the horse that had fallen into the empty pool and needed help being removed with a crane.
Mortgages rising HOME mortgages in the region of Murcia rose 28.6 per cent in October compared to the same month of 2014, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE). The Murcia Region was the fourth largest increase recorded by communities, only behind the Balearic Islands (61.8 per cent), Basque Country (43.7 per cent) and the Canaries (32.8 per cent).
Psychiatric sentence A MAN has been sentenced to four years in a psychiatric facility in Murcia for trying to burn a restaurant and an apartment building in La Manga in January 2013. The prosecutor agreed to apply the defendant’s mitigating circumstance of mental ill health and agreed the 77year-old’s sentence in a psychiatric facility rather than a prison. The man’s actions caused damage of €66,000.
agency Cv-m-700A
TAKING ACTION: Protest was held earlier this year in Torrevieja protesting against gender violence.
39 women have died at hands of their partner VALENCIAN community has been particularly hard hit this year By Gemma Quinn NEARLY 40 women have died at the hands of their partner in the last five years in the Valencia Region. The Valencian Community has this year been particularly hard hit by the brutality of violence against women as
far as fatalities are concerned. With nine murders in 2015 it is the second autonomy with the highest number of deaths of women, only behind Andalucia. Since 201, 39 women have been killed by their husbands and ex-partners in the Valencia Region, more than in Spain’s capital where there have been 35 murders.
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Six of the nine deaths which occurred in the Region this year took place in Alicante Province. The Judicial Observatory against Domestic and Gender Violence reports that in the third quarter of 2015 they issued 1,099 restraining orders, of which 495 were imposed in Alicante Province.
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Isabel Allende
A Christmas message from the EWN directors A WONDERFUL thing about Christmas is that it’s compulsory, like the British rain, and we all go through it together. This year the EWN family implores you to remember that word. Together. We urge you to help us bring back the true meaning of Christmas - the spirit of giving, not getting. Let us abandon meaningless materialism, rekindle the flame of charity in our hearts, and remember that without community, we can never speak of character. This is why this Christmas, as part of the Euro Weekly News 2016 Giving While Living campaign we will be donating to a wide variety of worthy causes on behalf of you, our readers. We believe that these different charities do such invaluable work in their local communities that through them, together, we can make a lasting difference. We will be kicking off our campaign with a thousand euro donation to the Asociacion de Padres Serrania de Churriana who assist parents of disabled children, working especially hard at this emotional time of year. We will be donating to Make a Smile to help with their invaluable assistance to orphaned and suffering children; MABS, one of the leading charities in Spain dedicated to supporting those with cancer; Sam Bayley who has done incredible work for those with mental health issues; MACS who support and raise funds for medical treatment for people with cancer and related problems; and Palma Pictures who have produced a wonderful short film to help raise money for food-banks. A donation will be made to 3C’s Care Agency, an agency devoted to helping senior members of the community in their time of need. On a personal note we will also provide help to a family in Axarquia, where the children unexpectedly lost their father in February. We stress that all of these charities and endeavours are fully transparent and we know with certainty that any money or goods provided will go straight to those in need. These donations are spread across all six of the areas where EWN is distributed, providing you, the readers, with the only national paper with six local editions written by expats for the expat community. Christmas is the time of year we can be truly human, it is a tonic for the soul, a state of mind. This Christmas we urge you to remember the forgotten, the lonely, the lost, and the hungry. Take round some food for a neighbour you know may be having an especially tough time of it this year. Wake up early and lend a helping hand at one of the many soup kitchens which are the anchors keeping many afloat. Be a friend in need, a shoulder to cry on, a consoling voice amid all the fanfare and noise. Remember that you too have felt the pangs of despair, and that someone close to you will be feeling them now. Remember that we came to Spain because we wanted to do things differently, so let’s be different this Christmas and renew our faith in our community for we are only as strong as the weakest among us. Therefore with all this in mind, we would humbly like to offer our sincerest wishes to all of our readers, and our valued clients, without you none of this would be possible.
A Very Merry Christmas from everyone at the
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INDEX News 1 - 34
Featured News 3
News Desk 36
Russian Press 40
Extra security in shopping streets PATROLS will protect consumers and stores this Christmas By Gemma Quinn
Finance 41 - 46
Stocks 42
Leapy Lee 47
Daily TV 48, 50, 52, 54,
56, 58, 60
Letters 51
Cassandra Nash 59
Time Out 63 - 66
Legally Speaking 68
Our View 69
Colin Bird 69
Health & Beauty 70 - 71
Social Scene 72 - 75
Property 76 - 79
Homes & Gardens 80 - 81
Pets 82
Services 83 - 88
Classifieds 90 - 92
Motoring 93 - 94
Sport 95
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E X T R A p o lic e w ill b e o p era tin g a ro u n d th e shopping districts of Orihuela during the festive period. Councillor for Citizen S ec u rity, M a rio la R o ca mo ra, s a id th e ex tra patrols are part of the ‘Trade Insurance Plan’, with the National Police working in collaboration with the Local Police of Orihuela. Rocamora emphasised that the goal of this camp a ig n is to ‘e n s u re th e safety of customers and traders during this time, an d th a t th e p u rch as e s are made with absolute n o rmality, ’ b ec a u s e in this way ‘we prevent theft, pickpocketing and shoplifting.’ T h e c o u n cillo r, w h o was accompanied by the head of the National Police, Luis Lombarte and chief steward of Local Police, Jose Maria Pomares, also presented an
MORE OFFICERS: Glorieta Gabriel Miro will have more police during the busy shopping times.
i nf or m at i on l eaf l et , which contains recommendations and security measures aimed at establ i shi ng “how t o act i n case a cr i m e occur s,” said Lombarte. Pomares, meanwhile, said: “We will increase t he am ount of f oot patrols in the busiest commercial areas, which will be r ei nf or ced by m otorised patrols and vehicles, in the mornings and afternoons during business hours.” Agents of the National Police will focus on Glorieta Gabriel Miro, Avenida Teodomiro and Duque de Tamames, with the Local Police concentrating on Calle San Pascual, Calle Mayor, Avenida de España and Ociopia.
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Mayor keeps his earlier promise of transparency EXPLAINS Acequion works to business owners first-hand TORREVIEJA’S Mayor, Jose Manuel Dolon, has held a meeting with 20 owners of bars and restaurants on Acequion beach, so they can know firsthand the plans for the area. The move was part of the town hall’s commitment to provide information to all stakeholders, so that transparency is part of the daily political work. The mayor showed the plan of action that includes improving Avenida Gregorio Marañon with landscaped areas, road resurfacing, cobblestone streets and the creation of two new green areas along the area of the canal bridge of Acequion. The business owners were concerned to know the route of the walk by the beach, especially its breadth, and how it
OWNERS: Were keen to know how the improvements would affect their businesses. will affect their terraces. He also explained the inconsistency of the project under the previous government team with the current legislation, and how he has managed to save the pro-
ject “in record time, thanks to the work of municipal technicians.” Dolon explained the plan was not permitted to have concrete on the beach, so their so-
lution is to place pre-fabricated slabs on wooden pegs that will keep the regularity of the walk and avoid the need for concrete to be directly on the beach.
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Arrest made in murder case A NEIGHBOUR has been arrested for the murder of a 70-year-old man who was strangled in Alicante. The body was found in a state of decomposition in the man’s home in the neighbourhood of Colonia Requena. Now police have arrested a 35-year-old man who lived on the top floor of the apartment building, and who was the same person to alert the authorities due to the strong smell in the building. The wife of the man arrested said he is innocent a s t h e y n o r m ally live in Madrid, and can prove they were there at the tim e o f t h e m a n ’s death.
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Community spirit praised in Villamartin LOCAL gardener presented with diamond ring as a thank you for her selfless work By Gemma Quinn
COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Cezar (left) presents a diamond ring to Nina with her husband Colin.
COMMUNITY spirit is alive and well in the form of Nina and Colin Rowell, who for the last three years have been sprucing up their surroundings. The couple live in Oporto Urbanisation, on the main road up to Villamartin from La Zenia, and after noticing the communal strip of land lying alongside the road was looking a bit messy, they decided to do something about it. Nina said: “I love gardening and it is the one thing I missed from when I lived in the UK so I just started tidying it up and sweeping up all the pine needles.” The hobby soon expanded
into daily gardening sessions, with other residents in the urbanisation purchasing plants and flowers which Nina would then gladly plant and brighten up the area. A man from the forestry department also comes along and collects her pine needles which are reused to assist in replanting and drainage. The efforts have not gone unnoticed in the local community, including by local businessman Cezar Ripanu from Gold Rush in Zenia Boulevard: “I have passed Nina gardening every morning for years and have been very impressed. It is great to see people working like this for the general good of the area.”
Cezar wanted to issue Nina with a little thank you for her efforts but did not know her name or exactly where she lived, only where she gardened. So with some help from The Euro Weekly News team, we tracked her down and invited her along to Gold Rush to meet Cezar, who was full of praise and admiration for her work. In the store, Cezar went on to present Nina with a diamond ring that he rescued and restored preventing it from being melted down: “It is wonderful and is very kind,” exclaimed Nina. A perfect early Christmas and birthday present ahead of her 80th celebrations at the end of the month.
More teaching jobs to be available THERE will be more than 1,000 teaching posts available in the Valencia Region
in the next academic year. The Department of Education has announced
1,055 teaching posts will be offered, the largest public offer of employment in Va l e n c i a ’s s c h o o l s s i n c e 2010. The proposal envisages the supply of around 100 teaching posts in nursery education, 100 in infants, 80 in English, 25 in hearing and language, 60 for additional support learning and 25 each for physical education and music. In secondary schools, there are plans for 380 places, 65 in Spanish, geography, history and educational guidance, 40 in maths, 25 in physics and chemistry, 30 in English, 40 in physical education and 20 in social studies, as well as more teachers in t h e f i e l d s o f h o s p i t a l i t y, tourism and health. Over 100 places will also be available for professors.
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112 urges caution with house fires
AWARENESS campaign gives advice on home safety THE 112 emergency number is urging this Christmas to help prevent home accidents. In Murcia last winter the region recorded an increase of cases classified as ‘house fire’from December to February, with the 112 emergency centre dealing with 104 incidents, compared to less than 100 in 2013. As a result, the Emergency Coordination
Crash landing in Torrevieja A CAR was left perched on a guardrail of the CV-95 after an accident in Torrevieja on the road to Los Balcones. The vehicle was carrying an elderly couple of Belgian origin, travelling just after midnight towards Torrevieja. It is believed the driver approached the roundabout but headed in the opposite direction of traffic and ended up flush against the barrier. Despite the shock of the driver and passenger, neither required medical attention.
Centre has called for home owners to “take precautions.” The main reason for incidence is due to the misuse of heating systems, for example, leaving a radiator near something that could catch alight. The Centre reminds residents that clothes should not be placed directly on radiators. With the increase in electricity usage over the festive season, Christmas lights should be checked and sockets not overloaded. The Centre has launched a Christmas awareness campaign that as well as giving advice about home safety, offers tips on staying safe throughout the holidays and preventing accidents whilst travelling. Minister Maria Dolores Pagan explained: “The 112 Murcia also has an important task of prevention because, although its main function is citizen services when suffering an emergency, this activity complements with the spread of self-protection messages to the population to help prevent accidents.” The Centre can be followed on social media through Twitter @112rmurcia by searching 112rmurcia on Facebook.
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25 homes purchased for social housing ALICANTE has approved the purchase of 25 homes for social rent. The Tenders Committee of Alicante Municipal Ho u si n g h a s a p prove d t h e p u r c h a s es totalling €690,000, with each property meeting the necessary requirement of costing between €25,000-30,000. Councillor for Social Actio n a n d Ho u si n g , Nerea Belmonte, said: “It’s affordable housing which is very satisfactory for habitation.” The properties are located i n d i ff e r e n t dis tricts of Alicante. It i s b e l i e v e d th e homes may be ready to be allocated to vulnerable fa m i l i e s i n Ma r ch , next year.
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Improvement project starts on playground WORK will include installing safety rubber flooring By Gemma Quinn ORIHUELA’S Mayor, Emilio Bascuñana, has been on the Orihuela Costa to visit the works taking place at Campoamor playground. He was joined by Councillor Sofia Alvarez as they assessed the work to be carried out, which includes expansion of the playground and street lighting, installation of safety rubber flooring and extending the entrance to allow easy access for maintenance vehicles. Alvarez said the work will also include painting the fences and renewing the current wooden pergola. It is expected to be completed within 60 days. Mayor Bascuñana said the work “has been carried out thanks to the efforts of Councillor for Infrastructure, Sofia Alvarez,” adding: “We continue to work with projects like this for neighbours and coastal residents to have the installations and services they deserve, because that is our commitment to them.”
PARK WORKS: Mayor and councillors visit site in Campoamor. The improvement works are part of “a budget of the Department of Infrastructure that we managed to get ahead,” amounting to €55,000.
Councillor Alvarez also declared that the result “will be successful because we will have a park overlooking the sea in optimal conditions.”
Three doctors face negligence charges A COURT has charged three doctors with the crime of homicide by professional recklessness. The charge is in connection with the death of a patient who had an operation to remove his gallbladder at Alicante General Hospital in July 2013. The victim, who was 46, died 48 hours after surgery because of an infection that caused peritonitis. He had been sent home the morning after the operation. A forensic report issued at the time ruled that the patient should have been subjected to a more thorough pre-operative study with some diagnostic tests. These should have included an MRI to assess the risks of the operation, especially as he had been an outpatient and had a biliary stent implanted in 2012, which is designed to hold a blocked or partially
blocked bile duct open. This was found in two pieces and out of place when the postmortem examination was performed.
Port-mortem examination revealed biliary stent was in two pieces and out of place The doctors accused in the case deny a lack of attention and said the stent was not a problem for the operation, so it was not necessary to remove it. The family are suing for alleged negligence.
Explosive bank robbery EXPLOSIVES were detonated at a bank in Pilar de la Horadada in a bid to access cash from the ATM machine. Thieves gained access to the ATM at the bank in Calle Mayor and made off with the money inside. Residents reported the explo-
sion to police after being awoken by the noise. This is the third such assault on a bank’s ATM in the area in less than two months. The first was in Los Montesinos, followed by a bank in Gran Alacant being targeted on December 5.
NEWS
Sewage problems denounced RESIDENTS in Gran Alacant are concerned that work to prevent sewage discharges will not be completed soon enough. Residents of the Panorama, Altomar 1 and Gran Vista residential developments have spent years denouncing the situation of sewage waste, bringing the issue to the attention of Seprona and the Ecologists in Action group, who confirmed that the effluent reached the Clot de Galvany and Carabassí beach. The current pumping system is insufficient to cover the hundreds of buildings in the area, especially in summer, when more people are in the area. To address the situation, the Popular Party (PP) began the process for the renewal of the pumping system, with funding from an agreement with the provincial government. Work began in October but affected residents complain the project is progressing “very slowly” and fear it will not be completed soon enough as already more residents are returning with the good weather and the same problem arises again. Residents said they are not going to tire of denouncing this situation as they say “you cannot be given licences to build houses and not provide the adequate infrastructure for the area.” Councillor for Infrastructures, Francisco Soler, said that currently the company CHM, Works and Infrastructure SA, is working to solve this problem with a time schedule of eight months. The project is budgeted at €2 million and aims to provide more capacity for the waste water that passes through Gran Alacant.
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NEWS EXTRA
Cemetery expansion THE new cemetery in Alicante will include an enclosure for the Muslim and Jewish community. The areas are part of the expansion of the cemetery, to ensure the needs of burials are met for the next 75 years.
Big chains must close on a Sunday in Maisonnave NEW decision will not affect smaller shops William Helsen, Flickr
NEWS
Donate food THE Brotherhood of Christ of the Sea of Alicante has held its annual campaign to collect food for Caritas, who will distribute to those in need locally. Non-perishable food was donated at the Basilica of Santa Maria.
New look THE Hogueras Bonfire Federation in Alicante has announced a contest to create a new look for the fiesta celebrations. For the rules visit www.hogueras.org.
ALICANTE CITY: Large stores on Avenida Maisonnave, including El Corte Ingles, must remain closed. By Linda Hall ALICANTE City’s large stores in Avenida Maisonnave must close on Sundays and National holidays. Apart from the 10 annual fiesta days authorised by the regional government, the Maisonnave stores, including two El Corte Ingles centres, must remain closed although smaller shops can still trade.
The three-party local government proposed the Sunday closing to assist smaller businesses, and applied to the Generalitat for permission to enforce the ruling, explained municipal spokesman Natxo Bellido. The decision to reduce the perimeter of the designated ‘Major tourist area’, where Sunday and National holiday opening is permitted, was made last October.
This now includes popular shopping areas like Calle Canalejas, Calvo Sotelo, the Rambla, Esplanade and the Old Quarter but excludes the big chains. The regional government has now ratified the city hall proposal and instead of taking the usual three months to respond, replied within six weeks, prompting Alicante mayor Gabriel Echavarri to applaud its rapidity.
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Budget concerns in San Fulgencio OPPOSITION expresses disdain at councillors not knowing their budgets By Gemma Quinn
AN extraordinary plenary council meeting at San
Fulgencio Town Hall to approve the 2016 budget revealed some major concerns for opposition party PIPN. President of PIPN and
councillor, Samantha Hull, asked: “Can you give me a total figure for the monies available to you for each of your relevant departments?” The answer was no. Not one of the councillors could answer this question and give a total for their departments. Councillor Hull said: “We are talking about the serious matter of the 2016 municipal budget, which is the most important thing that is approved in the municipalities, and ours is laughable.” The only member of the PP government team who could give a figure was Councillor Borja Alonso. Although he could not give a figure for each of his departments, he could state that he had a budget of €3,000 for tourism and €22,500 for youth. He said this €22,500 was for the Rock Fiesta and added that €18,000 had also been ear-
FIGURES UNKNOWN: San Fulgencio 2016 budget called ‘laughable’ at town hall plenary meeting.
marked for a Youth Information Point in San Fulgencio village. When Councillor Hull asked if ‘even one euro’ had been put aside for the youth on the urbanisations, she was told that they had the Rock Fiesta and whatever was offered to them in their schools. Hull then stated that the PIPN think that this is complete discrimination as the youth of the urbanisations are not considered to be of any importance to the PP government team. When she asked Councillor Alonso if he thought it was a disgrace that a designated tourist area with its own tourist information office is only to be given €3,000, he stated that no he did not. Councillor Hull said: “The PIPN feels that this is an absurd amount of money and that much more needs to be done to attract tourists and property buyers to the area.” She declared: “More and more, the Partido Popular
Party (PP) are showing the people of the urbanisations of San Fulgencio that they are out of sight, out of mind and are of no importance.” Councillor Hull added:
“They have approved budgets with the votes of PP and UpyD. Our party will not approve lying to the citizens of San Fulgencio. They say they have reduced the debts in the last four years of being in power but they do not admit that the PP has asked for credits from the banks for a value of more than €9,000,000. “Indeed, the mayor, Carlos Ramirez, has stated in the press that we are the first municipality to approve the budget, when in O c t o b e r o f t h i s y e a r, t h e 2015 budget was approved. “The town hall accountant was paid extra hours to finish the budget before the general elections only so that his party at provincial level can give him a pat on the back. Not because the budget is important to the people at municipal level. “He will always put his personal interests before those of the people of San Fulgencio.”
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NEWS EXTRA
Safe home TRAMS between Alicante City and Benidorm, San Juan and San Vicente ran until 3am last weekend. The service was extended so that employees attending Christmas parties did not need to drive home.
Multilingual THE Generalitat intends students to leave university speaking English and another foreign language as well as co-official Spanish and Valenciano, said the director general for Linguistic Policies.
Not used THE Mayor of Alicante said the analysis of the municipal accounts that the council instructed the University Miguel Hernandez (UMH) to carry out is finished, but it will not be “used as an electioneering tool.”
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Drugs alert as holidays begin ‘DON’T experiment with your Christmas’ warning given in recently launched campaign AT least 350 new designer drugs have appeared in recent years. One hundred were detected in 2013 alone and according to the regional Health department’s director general Rafael Sotoca, they are “20 times more dangerous than those we were familiar with in the past.” Sotoca and Vicente Pizcueta, president of the non-government organisation Controla Club, recently launched a joint campaign aimed at the young entitled “Don’t experiment with your Christmas.” Controla Club’s members participate in, or are involved with, the entertainment, leisure and fashion industry. The group promotes social responsibility with prevention and awareness programmes as well as drug dependency information aimed at users of discos, clubs, pubs, concerts and nightlife in general. The club has more than 75,000 young members from all over Spain. Most will be going out at night between three and five times over the Christmas period and many might not turn away from the opportunity of trying new kinds of diversions, Sotoca and Pizcueta admitted.
Photo by US Drugs Enforcement Agency
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WARNING: Some of what will be around at Christmas. Because of this, both emphasised the dangers of the new drugs that are around. “Changing just one molecule converts them into new substances that are much more dangerous and have serious consequences,” they warned. Once drugs are transformed into unknown substances they are outside the
law “until someone starts making money out them,” Pizcueta added. “We are concerned all year round but now consumption will peak. “Illegal substances with no medical history that are not registered with the World Health Organisation will appear and disappear. Their composition is un-
known and so are the materials they are cut with.” It was obvious that these are not the drugs that people are familiar with and whose side effects are known, the Club Controla president added. “That’s why we must react before they become habitual,” Pizcueta said.
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NEWS EXTRA
Growing artichoke NEW facilities have been opened for the collection and distribution of the Vega Baja artichoke, and growers are calling for a ‘designation of origin’ mark for the crop, which is a growing market.
Busy line ALICANTE’S Tram service was used by 783,672 passengers in November, averaging 26,122 a day. The most-travelled line was Line Two between the Luceros terminus and San Vicente with 316,517 users.
Cable stolen THIEVES removed copper cabling totalling 41.9 kilometres from the Valencian Community’s railways during 2015, revealed Spain’s track operator Adif.
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NEWS
Seafood prices increased by 80 per cent ahead of Christmas EVERYTHING has been sold due to high demand and sometimes there has not been enough By Gemma Quinn
SEAFOOD prices have increased up to 80 per cent in the lead up to Christmas. The Fishermen of Santa Pola Brotherhood faces another Christmas campaign with great optimism as they confirmed they are “selling all fish and shellfish that is extracted from the sea every day.” As every year at this time, catches are reduced considerably as a result of low temperatures (although 2015 has been more moderate than in previous years) which leads to a rise in prices. The treasurer of the Brotherhood, Manuel Agulló, said that despite the increase in the price of fish and seafood especially, which has increased up to 80 per cent, “we have sold everything because there is high demand, and even sometimes we lack enough to cater to everyone.” With regard to the annual balance of sales, Agulló confirms that 2015 “has
FISHERIES SECTOR: Have had a very good year and sales could have been higher if the number of catches had been greater.
been better than the previous year” while pointing out that “we seem to be emerging from the crisis.” The treasurer of the Brotherhood further added that the fisheries sector in Santa Pola “has had a very good year,” although fishermen were lamenting that Christmas sales could be higher if the number of catches were greater. In addition to the good results of the entity for the current year, the Brotherhood was preparing for next year with a new initiative to export abroad a concentrated broth made with fresh fish from the Bay of Santa Pola. The project, says Manuel Agulló, is well advanced and in the coming days will have a meeting with the person in charge of distribution in the US market, a local Santa Pola resident now settled in the United States. In addition, the company intends to introduce this product in other countries such as China and UAE. The broth is currently only sold in Alicante and other neighbouring provinces such as Valencia and Murcia.
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NEWS EXTRA
Old resident PALAEONTOLOGISTS discovered the remains of an unknown type of dinosaur that lived 125 million years ago in the Valencia Region. It was found in Morella, and it has been named Morelladon Beltrani.
Prisoner care THE prison pastor of the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante has launched his annual campaign to offer care to the prisoners of the province, as well as working for the families of those in jail who have difficult social conditions.
Clean streets ALICANTE has extended its awareness plan for clean streets and beaches, reminding residents to keep the area clean and prevent violations such as not cleaning up after your dog.
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New business directory for Alicante’s brides and grooms PROMOTION will also be through advertising on billboards and online through social networks By Gemma Quinn IT is the area known for brides. Between Paseo de Soto and the Rambla in Alicante are concentrated 50 establishments dedicated to weddings from bridal dresses and groom’s attire to photographers and florists. It is a renowned and almost unique area and now, through the Chamber of Commerce, it is proposed to relaunch the trade of the area bringing it to the forefront and making the area more well-known for those looking at tying the knot. A business directory has been published in Spanish and English listing 39 of these establishments which will be distributed at tourist offices in the city, as well as clinics, gyms and restaurants, as well as further afield in a bid to attract brides in the province. The City Council is also considering exporting this trade initiative to Madrid as it was found that 17 per
BRIDAL PROMOTION: Bridal shops to be highlighted in new campaign. cent of customers who shop at these stores come from the Spanish capital.
“They are attracted by the big names in bridal fashion which are known
throughout Spain,” said Pedro de Gea, advisor to the Department of Commerce. The guide brochure has been created through the Chamber of Commerce who said: “The project is part of the plan to boost the retail trade of the Ministry of Economy through European funds” and promote and support the so-called urban commercial routes. This promotional action will be completed by external advertising media, such as billboards and banners, plus online through social networks and web pages. According to data provided by the Department of Commerce, fashion and accessories stores located in the heart of the city of Alicante, specifically in the area between Avenidas Federico Soto, Doctor Gadea, Benito Perez Galdos and Rambla, are expected to close the year with revenues of around €73 million.
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NEWS
Orihuela Costa could be divided POLITICAL groups are considering a new regulation on citizens’ participation
MORE SERVICES: Recent protests for emergency services highlight the concerns of CLARO in a new regulation they say could further divide the Orihuela Costa.
POLITICAL groups in Orihuela are considering a new regulation on citizens’ participation in the governance of Orihuela. Whilst it sounds like a good idea, the CLARO party warn it could further divide the Orihuela Costa. The party said: “Indeed there are elements being studied which would have advantages for the residents of Orihuela. But as far as Orihuela Costa is concerned, it is of secondary importance because it could involve the division of Orihuela Costa into different districts, it could have implications which would definitely be negative.” The positive elements in these proposals for citizens’ participation are in relation to the rights of citizens and proposals for defending their rights, including the appointment of an ombudsman and facilities for making complaints and suggestions. CLARO said: “The proposals being studied for direct participation involving excessively bureaucratic and costly procedures are not what Orihuela Costa needs, and the proposals for dividing the municipality into districts would be clearly
against the interests of Orihuela Costa residents. “The needs of Orihuela Costa are radically improved public services like street cleaning, maintenance of the infrastructure of roads, pavements and public places, and in particular greatly improved investment in the so-called parks and gardens which are disgracefully inadequate. “We need properly organised and locally based emergency services. Orihuela Costa needs investment in social welfare and a Cultural Centre with library, theatre and rooms for the many groups on the coast, as the present under-sized Civic Centre does not provide anything like adequate facilities.” The party said Orihuela Costa needs major improvements considering the coast is as important in population terms as the city, growing constantly and providing the bulk of the income raised by the municipality in the form of taxes. In a statement, CLARO said: “The division of the municipality into districts constitutes the real danger in these proposals. By design, in the current municipal Master Plan which is dated 1990, Orihuela Costa is
considered to be a collection of unconnected urbanisations. “Denial of the existence of Orihuela Costa as a single integrated urban entity enables the political groups in Orihuela to more easily deny us the facilities we need and should have. “In its search for economies, the Post Office stopped home deliveries of post enjoyed for decades in five major urbanisations, saying we are not a single integrated urban entity with the required population to maintain a full postal service. “CLARO was successful in persuading the previous government to mount a legal challenge to the decision of the Post Office and to promise to change the status of Orihuela Costa in the new Master Plan which is being finalised. “We need the concrete assurance of the new minority PP government that they will defend the restoration of our right to a full postal service in the courts, and that they will change the status of Orihuela Costa in the new Master Plan so that Orihuela Costa becomes a single integrated urban entity. Division of Orihuela Costa into districts would contradict the status we need.”
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Sales in supermarkets grew by 8% on average SPENDING increases this Christmas in the Valencia Region By Gemma Quinn SALES have grown by 8 per cent on average in the first half of December in supermarkets in the Valencia Region. Stores linked to the National Association of Large Distribution Companies (ANGED), expected to receive 750,000 customers in their stores last weekend. The Association has pointed out that the first part of the Christmas campaign “is being addressed with a degree of satisfact i o n ” i n b i g Va l e n c i a n stores thanks to “good prices, payment facilities and quality assurance.” The Association said as a result, stores are receiving a significant consumer response, “providing good
flow of data and sales.” In the first two weeks of December, sales grew by an average of 8 per cent compared to the same period last year. S u n d a y, D e c e m b e r 2 0 , the third festive Sunday in December, in which most of the big supermarkets opened, was expected to be a bumper day with positive results for the stores in groceries and gifts. ANGED spokesman in Valencia, Antonia LopezPena said: “Consumer demand is further progressing this Christmas season. Every time we open on bank holidays the public responds. Also this year, there has been a greater degree of consumer optimism recovering consumption volumes closer to 2006.”
SUPERMARKET SPENDING: Showed an 8 per cent rise.
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Fewer affected by job losses in 2015 OVER 6,500 people were a ff e c t e d b y j o b l o s s e s i n the Valencia Region in the first 10 months of the year. A total of 6,783 workers were laid off in the region, 59.4 per cent less than in the same period of 2014. In the whole of Spain, the number of workers affected by job layoffs (ERE plan) in the first 10 months was 81,856 people, 50,004 less than in the same period of 2014, representing a decrease of 37.9 per cent according to the Ministry of Employment and Social Security. O f t h e t o t a l a ff e c t e d , 49,955 workers were subject to suspension of contract, 33.1 per cent less than in the first 10 months of 2014, while 20,049 entered redundancies, representing a decrease of 34.2 per cent. A n a d d i t i o n a l 11 , 8 5 2
6,783 workers were laid off in Valencia Region in first 10 months of 2015 workers saw their hours cut, 55.7 per cent less than in the same period of 2014. Companies that adopted measures to regulate employment between January and October were 4,828, a decrease of 47.4 per cent. The number of workers affected by collective redundancies, suspension of contract and reduced working hours fell in 15 regions, with the largest declines for Castilla-La Mancha (75.6 per cent), La Rioja (63.6 p e r c e n t ) , Va l e n c i a ( 5 9 . 4 per cent), Andalucia (57.8 per cent) and the Basque Country (54.6 per cent).
Murcia’s graduates slow to become entrepreneurs FIVE years is the average time it takes university graduates to sprout their entrepreneurial spirit. That
is the finding of a study ‘Entrepreneurship Education: From intention to action’ which was prepared
by the Chair of Entrepreneurship at the University of Murcia (UMU). This was the first investigation carried out by the UMU after joining the GUESSS Project: Global Survey University Student’s Spirit. The report revealed that only 3.4 per cent of Murcia university students intend to start a business after graduating. However, five years on and that number grows to 23.9 per cent. Students expressing a greater desire to embark on business ventures were those studying Business Administration, Economics and Law. The study also found that at the end of their university studies, 53.9 per cent of students wanted to be hired in a company and 15.9 per cent of respondents wanted to work in public administration.
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Hospital protest A DEMONSTRATION was held in Cartagena to demand reinstatement of full services at Rosell Hospital, following the transfer of wards to Santa Lucia Hospital on the outskirts of the city. The mayor believes two fully operational hospitals are needed.
Out of jail FIVE National Police officers accused of the death of a man in Cala Cortina, Cartagena, in March 2014, have been released from prison pending trial.
Best card LAURA SANCHEZ, a second year secondary school student, has won first prize in Crevillent’s 10th Christmas Card Contest, organised by the Department of Youth.
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Climate change marks the driest and warmest year HOT year and below average rainfall for Alicante and Murcia By Gemma Quinn ALICANTE Province will close the year as the driest and warmest year since 1940. Climate change is to blame for the changing temperatures, which also saw 2014 as amongst the warmest on record. The average temperature rose by one degree in just one year compared to 2014, and according to the Meteorological Agency (Aemet), the average temperature this year is 16.2 degrees, 0.9 degrees more than the normal average of 15.3 degrees. Despite heavy downpours and storms, particularly in November in Elda where 409 litres per square metre of rainfall was registered, 54 per cent more than the average, rainfall has been lower than normal.
WARM WEATHER: Temperatures higher than normal have kept the beaches busy this year. The province will end 2015 with a water deficit of 400 cubic hectometres. Across the border in the Murcia Region, the area will end the year as the second
warmest since records began, with last year showing slightly higher temperatures. This autumn, which officially ended on December 22, had slightly higher than average
temperatures, with an average of 17.9 degrees, 0.2 higher than normal. The first day of autumn was the hottest, with 36.2 degrees in Alcantarilla. In general, September registered tem-
peratures slightly cooler than normal, but the thermometers rose again in October and November. The first half of December has also been higher than historical averages.
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Spate of robberies SHOPS and bars in Los Belones, Mar Menor, have been targeted by robbers with three robberies in the last three weeks. Traders are now calling for an urgent meeting with town hall officials to discuss the situation.
Lucky escape A CAR caught fire just before entering the San Juan tunnel on the A-70 motorway. Despite the severity of the blaze, which entirely destroyed the engine, the driver suffered no injuries.
Fire break MEMBERS of an Alcoy City Hall employment scheme cleared a secondary firebreak in the wooded Barxell, to protect the area from forest fire.
The ‘Spirit of Christmas’ SIXTH grade pupil’s winning story By Gemma Quinn THE ‘Spirit of Christmas’ is this year’s winning story in a competition run by Torrevieja for school pupils. The author was sixth grade pupil Alba Manzanera from the Miguel Hernandez School. Councillor for Education, Begoña Cuartero, delivered a copy of the book to Alba and her classmates and said: “This is a heart warming story about a winter bird that deposits a trail of light and peace on two people.” The jury considered Alba’s piece the winner for its correct grammar, originality and expressive clarity.
ALBA MANZANERA: Author of the winning piece.
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Grape harvest increases after last year’s drought affected crops THE wine grape harvest, with Designation of Origin Alicante (Alicante DOP) has collected 31.1 million kilos of grape, which represents a 32.30 per cent increase over the previous year. The farmers stressed the improvement in the harvest thanks to the regulation in production after last year’s drought affected the crops. This year, there has been more rain in Spring and September, which allowed for the increase in production. The rain came after episodes of hail in specific areas, but fortunately it did not cause serious damage to the crops in isolated areas of Beneixama, Villena or El Pinos. The Muscat grape though, has seen its production slightly diminished somewhat this year. In addition, the average grade was 12.42 baume, (the scale used in winemaking to measure the density of liquids and access quality) just a few degrees lower than last year, indicating that the maturation of most varieties has ‘been very good’ according to Alicante DOP which will lead to strong wine production.
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Masonic Lodge members donate €500 worth of food to Red Cross WILL bring Christmas cheer to those going without this year By Gemma Quinn M EMB E R S o f t h e Ca le d o n ia Lodge number 68 made a welcome presentation of food to representatives of the Torrevieja Red Cross. The value of the food was €500 and was donated by the members of the Masonic Lodge. The presentation was made to representatives of the Red Cross by the Worshipful Master of the Lodge, Worshipful Brother David Turner who attended with several members of the Lodge. The donation was much appreciated by the Red Cross particularly at this time of the year when so many p e o p l e a r e f o r ce d to g o without. The food will be distributed to needy families within the area in time t o g i v e t h e m a h ap p ie r Christmas than they might otherwise have expected.
FOOD WELCOME: The donation was much appreciated by the Red Cross.
A helping hand for those in need By Sam Croft THE Christmas season is here and many of us are already stuffing ourselves full of turkey, red wine, and Quality Street chocolates. But it’s important not to forget that there are people out there with nothing at all to eat during the holidays. We have compiled a list of soup kitchens in different parts of the south of Spain. All of these services are free and open year-round, but keep in mind that some of them have specific requirements or ask for specific documentation, so it’s best to have a quick check before you go. In Costa Blanca: La Sal de la Tierra, Alicante: Located on Calle Alcala Galiano, 85. Serves lunch from 1:30pm-2pm from Monday to Friday. In Almeria: La Milagrosa, Almeria: Lo-
cated on Calle Alcalde Muñoz, 18. Serves lunch from 11:30am-1pm Monday to Saturday. In Mallorca: Palma de Mallorca: On Calle Felicia Fuster, 3. Lunch served between 1pm and 2pm. In Malaga and on the Costa del Sol: Alberque Municipal Gongora, Malaga: Open 24 hours a day. Those in need can go and have an interview with a social worker. Located on Calle Donoso Cortes, 2. Angeles Malagueños de la noche, Malaga: Open daily and featuring breakfast from 8am to 9am, lunch from 1:30pm2:30pm, and dinner from 7pm8pm. Located in the Plaza de la Religiosa Felipense Dolores Marquez. Emaus: Emaus is a chain of soup kitchens open from 9pm3pm Monday to Saturday and including holidays. There are
four locations in the Malaga Province: In Torremolinos, on Calle Cruz, 5, in Estepona on Calle El Naranjo, in VelezMalaga on Calle Esperanza, 15, and in Antequera on Calle Cordoba, 29. There are also two locations in the Granada Province: In Guadix on Calle Puerta Alta, 12, and in Baza on Calle Anta, 16. Remember if you are feeling depressed or lonely this Christmas, if you ever feel that things are getting out of control or there is just too much, or if you have an emergency you need to talk to someone about, you are not alone. You can call Samaritans in Spain on a freephone number open 24 hours a day, including Christmas, with a team of experts ready and willing to help you. The freephone number is 900 525 100 and all calls will be in confidence.
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Malnourished horse has been seized near San Luis salt lake ‘WALKING skeleton’ is rescued by Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre By Gemma Quinn
A HORSE so thin he was labelled a “walking skeleton” has been seized from owners living near the San Luis salt lake, Torrevieja, in a joint operation between the Torrevieja Council and the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre. Rescue centre co-founder Rod Weeding was called to the site by Torrevieja’s new animal welfare councillor Carmen Morate, who has vowed to act swiftly to save other animals that remain on the site. “Over the years many people have contacted us about the horses, donkeys and even dogs that are kept there behind the Mercadona in really bad condition,” said Sue Weeding: “We’ve had complaints about this place ever since we started the Rescue Centre eight years ago and we are delighted that Carmen is committed to stamping this out.” In March last year the rescue centre was involved in an attempt to save a starved and ex-
WALKING SKELETON: The rescued horse will now stay at the Easy Horse Care Rescue Centre. tremely dehydrated horse on the same property, but despite trying everything possible with specialist veterinarian care, the horse died. Sue later appeared before court as a witness
for the prosecution against the man who allegedly left his horse to starve to death. Sue said the horse seized this month had been tethered to a piece of rope beside the salt
lakes, which is public land and therefore made the legal seizure much easier: “He’s a male, about 17 years old and just absolutely skeletal, a walking skeleton, but he has shoes on so they were obviously still riding him. He has problems with the joints of all four legs from being overworked,” Sue said. The horse is now recovering well at their Rescue Centre in Rojales: “This case just shows the commitment to animal welfare by the people who are coming into the police forces and local authorities. Our biggest challenge now is funding and finding the space to keep the horses so that these seizures can continue,” Sue said. The Rescue Centre is run by volunteers and donations. Donations of cash or items for the centre’s network of eight charity shops across the Alicante Province are gratefully welcomed. Anyone interested in making a donation, becoming a long-term sponsor, or volunteering at the centre or in one of the shops, can call Sue on 652 021 980.
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Future plans for Cartagena Roman site A GROUP of international experts have been in Cartagena to discuss proposals to recover the city’s amphitheatre. The mayor invited the experts to visit the site, which lies partly beneath the old bullring along with Carmen Berrocal, from the Department of Archaeological Heritage. The aim of the meeting was to draw up a draft plan for future actions, to include the partial excavation planned for next year. The Roman site is one of just four in the country to include both a theatre and amphitheatre and it is the only one of these four which has yet to be excavated. The town hall is hoping these works to recover the amphitheatre will extend tourism offerings.
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Notable absences in Three Kings’ parade
Police dog LORCA has welcomed its first police dog to the new Canine Unit of the Local Police. Alma, a two-year old female Alsatian, has been in training for the last 18 months.
VALENCIA’S procession still promises to be a spectacular event By Linda Hall
VALENCIA City Hall is allegedly making radical changes to the Three Kings’ procession on January 5. Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar traditionally bring Spanish children their presents that night and their arrival is celebrated with a parade in practically every municipality in Spain. Valencia’s procession is especially splendid and still promises to be spectacular, although a regional Spanish newspaper has claimed there will be notable absences. There will be no live animals but the changes mostly affect the procession’s biblical aspects. There will be no float depicting the Annunciation and although the float with the shep-
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Mark Yokoyama, Flickr Flickr: Maciek Lulko
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Drugs op POLICE in Lorca have destroyed 2,000 marihuana plants. The plants were hidden amongst agricultural crops in rural areas of the municipality.
Crevillente earthquake THREE KINGS: Cutbacks in Valencia City mean no live animals in this year’s parade. herds, much reduced in number, remains, the angel sending them to Bethlehem has been banished, as have the Prophets.
The biggest surprise, according to the newspaper, is the absence of St Joseph from the Nativity scene, which will show
only the Virgin and Child. The decision to remove San Jose was particularly criticised as he is also the city’s patron saint.
A 3.4 MAGNITUDE earthquake was registered in Crevillente, with its epicentre in Elche. The Emergency Coordination Centre said there were no reported injuries or damage.
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Enjoy Torrevieja NEW website launched for residents and visitors
ENJOY TORREVIEJA: The team behind the new information website. By Gemma Quinn A NEW website has launched offering information on services, news, culture and entertainment in Torrevieja. Enjoy Torrevieja was launched at the Yacht Club, where it was explained that www.enjoytorrevieja.com will host a wide
range of features focused at the local population and visitors. Three spaces of audiovisual content are available, giving a voice to the ‘enjoyers’, showing the views of Torrevieja from visitors and those who live here permanently. Founder Gabriel Samper, said: “It aims to create a community of creative people to
share their contributions and obtain outlet of broadcast.” The Enjoy Torrevieja team is composed of 16 people from a diverse range of professional fields, ranging from journalism, law, and photography. The site can be viewed at www.enjoytorr evieja.com.
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Breast cancer charity calendar SEVENTEEN women and one man with breast cancer have posed in front of a camera for a solidarity calendar. The cancer patients are all from the Alto and Medi o Vi nal opo ar eas of Sax, El da, Novel da, Pinoso, Ibi and Villena, and wanted to take part in the calendar to help raise funds into the research of the disease and show their strong desire to live. Some embellished their surgery scars with paintings on the skin, others chose to cover up, but the fighters of all shapes and sizes proudly showed their courage and determination. The solidarity calendar was presented at the University Hospital of Elda in the presence of those who took part along with their doctors and nurses, the Mayor of Petrer, Alfonso Lacasa, and the Councillor for Health of Elda, Alba Garcia. Dr Jose Coloma was one of those who supported and encouraged the calendar. He commented: “An annual average of 135 new patients come to our unit.” He also said despite the pink ribbon being a symbol of breast cancer, and despite the support received, no one truly knows the suffering it generates until they have it. In Spain some 26,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed annually, accounting for almost 30 per cent of all tumours. Money raised will go to the AECC cancer charity.
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Solidarity in Torrevieja SOLIDARITY FOOD Torrevieja helps 370 people each week By Gemma Quinn SOLIDARITY FOOD Torrevieja is a group that has 70 volunteers helping those most in need. Since forming seven years ago, it has an indispensable role ensuring the daily diet needs of hundreds of poor people in Torrevieja. It feeds an average of 370 people each week through a system of social catering, in which the beneficiaries collect the food or it is delivered to their home. The most common user profile is families on almost no income, who are faced with the choice of continuing to
pay the mortgage and rent to avoid being evicted or going without food. It is here that the local charity NGO steps in. President Concha Sala said they work from a kitchen and warehouse facility in Calle San Pascual which is always extremely busy, particularly at Christmas when the number of applications for social services increases. She said the economic crisis for them peaked in 2012 when at one point there were 700 weekly users needing help. With many residents from South America since departing back to their home countries, she said this number has now fallen.
Solidarity Food receives a vital annual municipal subsidy of around â‚Ź33,000, but needs â‚Ź63,650 a year to ensure its viability. This shortfall is made up from private donations and support from the community, with dozens of acts of collecting non-perishable food, especially in schools, carried out throughout the year. Many supermarkets also donate products that they are not able to sell but are still fit for consumption. If you can give anything to help the charity, they can be contacted via their Facebook page. Search Alimentos Solidarios Torrevieja.
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Carol contest A CHOIR from Villaserena (Badajoz) has won first prize in the 37th edition of the National Contest of Carols in Rojales, winning €3,000. Second place went to a Granada choir and third to the Torrevieja Municipal School Choir.
On parade THE Nearly New Fashion Show, held at Restaurant Los Rosaless, raised €1,870 for Elche Children’s Home, who wished to particularly thank Lin Barter and Jan Savage for the event.
Fair success A TOMBOLA at the Benijofar Christmas Fair also raised €240 for Elche Children’s Home. It was the first event for Tracy, Colin, Rhianna and Alyssa Pearse, who did a sterling job manning the stall.
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Donations end a positive year for the butterfly children’s charity FESTIVE fundraising brings in more money for DEBRA By Gemma Quinn THE Consum square in Urbanisation La Marina, came alive to the sound of Christmas carols and the smell of mince pies at a recent charity concert event. Organised by Tina from The Palm Bar, the evening carol concert brought together businesses and residents to get into the festive spirit whilst also raising money for DEBRA Butterfly Children’s Charity. TAABS charity singers entertained the audiences and also made a donation of €488.22 to DEBRA. This was from the money raised from their last performances for the season at various clubs and events including the Nosmoking Club, Friends We Care, Rendezvous Ladies Club, Orihuela Division of the
FUNDRAISERS: TAABS hand cheque to Mary Chambers of the DEBRA shop. Royal British Legion and from a carol service in Lo Crispin. DEBRA volunteers also sold mince pies and proceeds and donations added a further €208.95 on the night.
DEBRA, which has a charity shop in the Consum square, has also benefited from money raised from the memorial baubles purchased for the Christmas trees in the square. Local businesses clubbed to-
gether to purchase four trees, which have now been adorned with messages to loved ones and those sadly not with us this Christmas. For more information on the DEBRA charity and the
work it does to support children with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) visit www.debra.es. EB is an hereditary condition that results in fragile skin, like a butterfly’s wing, which can lead to painful blisters at the slightest touch. Sufferers require daily treatment and dressings on their wounds. The high financial cost of the materials, such as bandages, has been the responsibility of the family, but earlier this year, the Euro Weekly News reported that after many years and numerous meetings with representatives of the Public Health System, the Butterfly Children Charity (DEBRA Spain) has managed to get the Ministry of Health and the regional government to agree to finance the bandaging materials necessary for those affected by EB.
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CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN: David Poveda, Caridad Salmeron and Manuela Osuna announce Torrevieja’s campaign with a cruise up for grabs.
Christmas shopping campaign launched TORREVIEJA offers cruise as a prize By Gemma Quinn TORREVIEJA has launched its Christmas campaign to promote shopping in the city. President of APYMECO, the small and medium business association, Caridad Salmeron, announced the campaign ‘One Trip of Friends’, along with David Poveda from APYMECO, and Manuela Osuna, Councillor for Trade and Commerce in Torrevieja. The scheme has been launched in association with the town hall and APYMECO, along with retail partners, and gives shoppers the chance to enter a prize draw, where a Mediterranean cruise is up for grabs for three people. This prize can also be redeemed for shopping vouchers. Companies associated with APYMECO are participating and will be handing out raffle tickets
to customers purchasing from their stores, with each one determining their own purchase value before receiving a ticket. Councillor Manuela said: “This type of joint campaign allows small and medium businesses to have promotions or do marketing that individually they could not do.” Caridad Salmeron added: “With this campaign we want to promote the original idea of a fantastic cruise with your two best friends or family, and we believe this is a great prize and very attractive to our customers and partners.” David Poveda also announced a new project is soon to launch to support the plan for retail by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, in which four trade routes will be identified in the area, along with Torrevieja, giving tourists information in five languages.
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Christmas parcels ready for families in need EXTRA food parcels and gifts have been collected for distribution By Gemma Quinn THE AAN Charity (Ayuda Al Neccesitado De San Fulgencio) would like to thank everyone who contributed towards making this a special Christmas for unfortunate families in the San Fulgencio municipality. Thanks to the generous donations from local residents and businesses, extra food parcels and gifts have been collected ready for distribution to those in need. The charity provides food every month to those the Social Services Department deem need extra help and additional food and presents this month means that everyone will be able to enjoy a bit of festive cheer. President of AAN, Pauline Prior, said they would like to wish “all our customers and friends a very happy Christmas and a great 2016.” If you can give a few hours in the New Year and become a volunteer in the charity shop, AAN would love to hear from you. Call Pauline on 660 934 615.
CHRISTMAS CHEER: Donations from residents to help those in need this Xmas.
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Thanks to all who have supported us throughout 2015 IT has been another busy year for the Help at Home (HAH) team for the carers and the fundraisers who between them have averaged 2,500 hours per month. The HAH charity helps people in their own homes for up to three months following illness and operations, all free of charge to their clients, along with the relevant mobility equipment, chairs, walkers, risers etc. They are able to do this due to a programme of great fundraising events, including Mother’s Day events, Rocking in Roda, numerous fashion shows and auctions and the Christmas Dinner Dance, along with regular book and card sales at La Zona Bar, raffles, and the monthly table top sale. Lesley Eburne, HAH
founder and manager said: “Our team work so hard to raise the money so the carers can help people recover in their own homes, and to date we have helped almost 600 people. We also loan out free mobility equipment to so many people and to a lot of grateful visitors as well. All the work we carry out is of course, subject to resources, and sometimes we struggle to find the resources, which is why we also pay some professionals to help when the volunteers are busy.” Lesley added: “We would like to thank all our volunteers, clients, the professionals and local businesses for their continued help and support and we would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a happy, healthy and safe new year.”
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Rascals’ donations RECRUITMENT drive will come in January
TSS RAFFLE: Sasha and Shane show off the hamper prize, with Patricia Owen from the Torrevieja Stroke Support group.
Raffle to support the TSS RASCALS: Donating to local charities from Christmas sing-a-longs. By Gemma Quinn THE Rascals will be donating all the proceeds from their Christmas sing-a-longs to local charities. A total of €1,436.87 will go to APANEE, a Torrevieja charity for children with learning difficulties and €216.25
collected at Los Montesinos, will be donated to a children’s charity in that area. Recruitment drives will also take place in local areas in January for their next production ‘Saturday Night at the Movies’ with details of locations, dates and times soon to be confirmed of when you can
go along and chat to members of this fun group who enjoy a good social life and entertain to raise money for local charities. If you wish to find out more contact Annette on 965 993 486 or Ann on 965 020 096 or visit the website www.theras cals.org.
SASHA and Shane offered to raise funds for the charity RAFFLE tickets are being sold at a restaurant in Benimar II, Benijofar, to help raise funds for the Torrevieja Stroke Support group. X-KLUSIV is a newly opened restaurant in Benimar II and is raffling off a beautiful hamper with the raffle being drawn on January 6. Tickets cost €2 a strip or €5 for three strips.
After losing her Grandma to a stroke earlier this year, Sasha and partner Shane, who have opened the restaurant, wanted to raise awareness and support the Torrevieja Stroke Support group (TSS) and kindly offered to arrange the raffle to help raise funds for the charity. The couple are pictured with Patricia Owen from the TSS and welcome everyone to pop by and pick up a raffle ticket.
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NEWS FROM OUR FIVE OTHER REGIONS
COSTA DEL SOL
Programme to use waste from beer PROJECT aims to put an end to environmental issues which production presents ALMERIA University is leading a European Research programme, Greenbiorefinery, to turn the waste from producing beer into nutrients for animal food or fertiliser. Five other research centres from Spain, Colombia and Argentina are a ls o t aki ng par t i n t he pr oj ect which aims to put an end to the environmental issues which beer production presents. The waste would be treated with microalgae to produce biomass and other products so that there are no CO2 emissions. It takes about 20 litres of water to make just one litre of beer.
RESEARCH PROGRAMME: To find more uses for beer.
COSTA BLANCA NORTH
MALLORCA
AXARQUÍA
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
Students raise funds Anniversary party
Centre closed
Swedish sound
LAST Thursday, XIC students joined other schools to help raise funds for Todos Juntos Javea. Everyone had an enjoyable evening singing carols, drinking hot chocolate and spreading the Christmas spirit through the Old Town.
THE municipal group of PP and New Generations in Nerja have criticised the closing of the Youth Information Centre located on Calle Cristo during the month of December. The centre was also closed in August and September.
THE ‘Abba Show Live, Dancing Queen Tour’ was held in El Eijdo. The group from Slovenia which includes live music and a huge likeness with the original artists lasted two hours. The group has performed more than 2,000 concerts.
New football pitch
Full schedule
TORROX Mayor Oscar Medina has announced that in 2016 he will move ahead with the construction of a football pitch in El Morche. He said that Torrox Town Council is going to allocate €1.8 million to build the football pitch in the industrial area of Santa Rosa.
EL EJIDO Town Hall has made a programme of more than 120 leisure, cultural, sports and social events which will be held over the Christmas period. There will be more security measures at the Three Wise Men parade.
Charity Christmas THE Brotherhood of Christ of the Sea of Alicante held its annual campaign to collect food for charities who will distribute to those in need. Non-perishable food was donated at Basilica of Santa Maria.
Bonfire logo THE Hogueras Bonfire Federation in Alicante has announced a contest to create a new look for the fiesta celebrations which will be used as brand recognition and to promote the Hogueras.
False information A PROSTHETIC from privatised Denia hospital costs 139 per cent more than one from state-run Gandia hospital and 108 per cent more than Villajoyosa.
Beetle drive THE tomicus beetle has attacked 500 pines in the Sierra Helada national park but is under control, the regional authorities maintained. Owners of land on the Benidorm side of the park must deal with their trees themselves.
THE Es Garrover Foundation in Inca celebrated their 10th anniversary with a party in the cultural centre, Fàbrica Ramis of Inca last week. The foundation works for the social and employment integration of people with mental health problems.
Men arrested THE Guardia Civil arrested four men suspected of robberies in Magaluf and Palma Nova. It is believed they might also be the perpetrators of other crimes under investigation. The same men were arrested for similar offences earlier this year.
Santa Claus in Inca ONCE again Inca enjoyed the special visit of Papá Noel last weekend with hundreds of children lining the streets in the centre of the town. The children were then able to deliver their letters to Santa in the main square.
Former prior accused FORMER prior of Lluc monastery, Antoni Vallespir, has been accused of sexual abuse, supposed to have occurred in 2012. His lawyer, Jaime Campaner, requested that the accused not be judged socially before the investigation is completed.
NEWS
Rural theft reduced THE Sub delegate of the Malaga Government, Miguel Briones, said that there has been a 37.2 per cent decrease in criminal offences in rural areas of the province in the last two years.
Torrox breakwater THE Ferrara Beach, in Torrox-Costa, will finally stop suffering the predation from the rough weather that comes in from the east. For more than three decades storms have often left this strip of the Axarquia beach practically without sand. Now, Construcciones Tejera SA of Almeria has been given the goahead to construct a semi-submerged breakwater in the eastern zone of the beach.
For more local news from our five other regions see www.euroweeklynews.com
Rooftop drama A MAN was injured on December 19 when he fell through the roof of an industrial warehouse in Marbella. The man had climbed onto the roof in an Elviria industrial estate to retrieve a ball, Emergency Services reported.
Local shops BENALMADENA’S Commerce councillor Ana Scherman announced last week that the town would be running a campaign to encourage Christmas shopping in local commercial areas. “The campaign, which includes posters and radio advertising, will promote the advantage of the wide range of shops in the area and easy parking,” she said.
Estepona fire TWO people needed treatment after inhaling smoke at a fire in a home in Estepona on December 19. The fire broke out at about 5pm in a first floor flat on Calle Terraza.
Fuengirola accessibility
THE Miras family, led by Antonio, 93, once again set up a large Nativity Scene in the Patio de Luces of Almeria Provincial Government and is open until January 5. The figures are made by hand.
THE works of improving the accessibility in the Sol y Sol Pasaje de Fuengirola, in the area of the Plaza de la Hispanidad, have concluded, according to the local councillor of Works and Infrastructures, Jose Sanchez, after carrying out an assessment visit.
Christmas market
Rat control
THERE was a great response to the Christmas Market held in Gador to raise funds for the Spanish Association Against Cancer. It has been held in the town for the past 20 years.
BENALMADENA Health councillor Alicia Laddaga has been on an inspection visit to the Fidelio animal refuge, which as reported by EWN last week had been suffering from an invasion of rats coming from the bullring, and found that the problem had indeed been solved.
Nativity scene
Golf school A STATE Golf School is due to open in El Toyo in February, according to the councillor for Tourism and Sport, Francisco Javier Fernandez.
EWN top for all the news from Spain.
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E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
www.euroweeklynews.com
GERMAN
Airline profits SWEDEN: Airline SAS has reported a return to profitability sending its shares flying on the Stockholm stock exchange. SAS said net profit was 956 million kroner (€102 million) in the 12 months to October.
Top searches SWEDEN: Google has revealed what Swedish people searched for the most during 2015, with everything from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ to the ‘worst pizza in history’ making the top 10. Murdered teenager Lisa Holm was the most searched-for person.
Crisis stabilising SWEDEN: The Prime Minsiter has said he believes the refugee crisis in Sweden is stabilising and that he has high hopes that those granted asylum will have the “best opportunity” to start a new life.
No white Christmas WARMEST December in 70 years A WHITE Christmas is highly unlikely in the UK this year as weather forecasters are predicting the warmest December in 70 years caused by bands of tropical air from the Atlantic coming in from the south west.
Stripping ninja A MAN claiming disability living allowance saying he struggles to get out of bed, has been caught out by investigators who discovered he was working as a dancer called ‘the stripping ninja’ at parties across the UK.
Shopping savings A WOMAN from Leicestershire has got herself £574 (€790) worth of Christmas goods for less than £5 thanks to saving up coupons, supermarket points and money-back promotions throughout the year.
BRITISH PRESS
Hover board concerns
Many millionaires
Bath time
DENMARK has been named the world’s fourth best country to live in after leaping six places in the UN’s annual human development report. Denmark is only beaten by Norway, Australia and Switzerland.
Best country NORWAY has been ranked the world’s best country to live in for the 12th year in a row by the UN development programme.
THE birth rate in Germany has risen to a quartercentury high. It was apparent in August that a mini baby boom was under way, when the government released figures showing that 715,000 babies were born in 2014, 33,000 more than in 2013.
Military fight
THE UK now has over 600,000 property millionaires, with property valued at £1 million or more rising by 14 per cent.
DENMARK is on track to reduce carbon emissions by 40 per cent by 2020 according to new statistics, putting its new right-wing government on track to hit the national target it recently abandoned.
Fourth best
Birth rate
SONNENFINSTERNIS, or solar eclipse, was the most searched term on Google in Germany this year ahead of ‘plane crash’around the time of the Germanwings tragedy and ‘Paris’ after November’s terror attacks.
TRADING Standards said 15,000 of the 17,000 hover boards examined since October 15 had been seized. It comes as leading UK retailers such as Argos and Amazon.co.uk are recalling products following cases of them catching fire and for having a non-compliant UK plug.
On track
DENMARK: A Danish comedian who posted a photo of himself naked in the bath with his two year-old daughter, has hit back at criticism saying “a father in the bath with his daughter is not paedophilia.”
PRESS
Google search
credit 360b / Shutterstock.com
PRESS
1000 Words / Shutterstock.com)
EUROPEAN PRESS SCANDINAVIAN
NEWS
THE German military has joined attacks on Daesh for the first time, after the German government voted to take part in the international military campaign against the radical jihadist group.
Rabbit breeder A 10-YEAR-OLD Bavarian boy has been crowned Europe’s Youth Rabbit Breeding Champion. Breeding rabbits is in the family; his father was youth champion and his grandfather has won a range of titles.
Top team AMSTERDAM: Planning to ban from the city next year as they are seen as a nuisance.
Beer bikes tourist attractions A PETITION was signed by 6,500 people earlier this year AMSTERDAM is planning to ban the ‘beer bike’ tourist attraction from the city next year. The beer bikes are mobile bars mainly pedalled by tourists and widely seen as a nuisance by locals. A petition against the beer bikes earlier this year was signed by 6,500 people.
Not Dutch ALMOST half of the Moroccans and Turks living in the Netherlands said they do not feel Dutch and youngsters in par-
DUTCH PRESS ticular feel alienated, according to a new report.
Caring supermarket STAFF in two branches of supermarket chain Albert Heijn in The Hague are
taking part in a project to ‘keep an eye’ on elderly clients and if they appear lonely will ask them if they would like a chat with a care volunteer in the store.
Sports champ WORLD champion sprinter Dafne Schippers, 23, has been named as Dutch sportswoman of the year, the first athlete to take the title since1992. She won the 200 metres gold medal in the world championships in Beijing this year.
FIGURES show Borussia Dortmund draw bigger crowds than any other football team in the world. In the 2014/15 season, despite finishing in seventh in the league, Dortmund had an average of crowd of 80,410 at its matches.
Cash grab POLICE are searching for a gang who used a rocket launcher to rob a truck transporting money in Dortmund. They reportedly blocked the truck on the road and used an angle grinder to open the truck’s back door and steal the money inside.
NEWS
24 - 30 December 2015/ Costa Blanca South
www.euroweeklynews.com
Awards for the top canines CERTIFICATES and trophies were presented at the end of the obedience and agility courses
39
NEWS EXTRA
School aims MORE than 250 school children from four schools in Pilar de la Horadada participated in the first phase of school games, which were organised by the Sports Council with the aim of encouraging children to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
By Gemma Quinn THE Campoverde Canine Club has its latest results from the end of the Obedience and Agility courses, with the winners being presented with their certificates and trophies at the Polideportivo Sports Ground in Pinar de Campoverde. The Campoverde Canine Club was formed in July 2000 and since then many owners have benefited from expert tuition by a UK Home Office approved instructor, and are now proud of the way they are able to control their best friends. Prior to the presentation a ‘Fun Day’ was held where 31 handlers and dogs competed in various events and games. ‘Character of the Year’ award went to Lucy Lou handled by Carole Cooke. The winner of the ‘Basic Class’ with a very high score of 109 out of a possible 110 marks was Charlotte Coe and her GSD Kiarra, with the result showing how much effort was put into the training. In second place was Pat Frewin and her little dog Tito. Pat is held in high regard for her training ability and there are high hopes for Tito in the future classes. Just missing out on the trophies with credible performances were Carole, Hugh, Morag and Sheila, the marks were so close between the top six dogs. The higher class was won by Carol Johnson and her Spanish Water Dog Lolita. The highly com-
EWN
Bottle money THE Elche Children’s Home have said thank you to Dave and Denise from Casa La Ventura for their donation of €918 which was collected in a big glass bottle filled over the past year by them and their customers.
TOP CANINES: Club hosts fun day and presentations from obedience course. mendable score of 132.6 marks out of 140 by Lolita was only possible because of the handling by Carol. The final trophy, the ‘Fred Moeken Memorial Trophy’, awarded each year to the dog which has made the most progress, was won by Charlotte Coe
and her best friend Kiarra in recognition for all the effort put in to their training. New courses will start on January 9. For more information email Roy at campoverdecanineclub@out look.com.
Golf donation THE San Miguel Golf Society has made a donation of numerous items of toiletries which will go to the Elche Children’s Home.
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NEWS
RUSSIAN P RESS
Shopping for souvenirs DURING meetings in Moscow
JOHN KERRY: Met with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. US Secretary of State John Kerry went shopping for souvenirs on December 15 during meetings in Moscow to meet with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. They discussed a wide range of important issues, including the Syrian crisis and the current situation in Ukraine.
Trump fan RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has commended Donald Trump for wanting to strengthen relations with Moscow and described him as the “absolute front-runner in the presidential race.” However, with the same breath, Putin said he was ready to work with whoever becomes the next US president.
Olympic dope probe THE World Anti-Doping Agency has arranged to pay a visit to Russia on January 10 for a meeting with the Russian Olympic Committee after all top executives of the Russian Anti-Dop-
Trade deals CHINA and Russia signed more than 30 trade deals - including one regarding Russian oil giant Rosneft and China Petrochemical Corpthat - covering the financial, energy, high-tech and manufacturing sectors, following a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Beijing on Thursday, December 17.
ing Agency resigned in light of accusations of covering up doping by Russia’s leading athletes last week.
Investing in high streets RUSSIAN company Sistema Capital Partners, the real estate private equity platform launched earlier this month, has led a consortium acquisition of a portfolio of German high street retail properties for a total of €125 million.
“Cancerous NATO” A SPEAKER of lower house of Russia’s parliament Sergei Naryshkin wants the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to dissolve, calling it “a cancerous tumour for the whole European continent,” while meeting with members of the Serbian parliament. NATO could be dissolved in several stages, Naryshkin explained.
FINANCE
Costa Blanca South
24 - 30 December 2015
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UK unemployment rate still dropping THE number of people out of work fell to 5.2 per cent By John Smith IN figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) it was shown that the UK unemployment rate fell to 5.2 per cent in the three months to October. This was the lowest jobless rate since the three-
is the number of job vacancies in the UK jobs market at the end of October 2015, and is the highest level recorded since in 2001.
OFFICE: Company headquarters in Madrid.
Coca-Cola workers turn back clock By John Smith WORKERS in the Coca-Cola factory in Fuenlabrada Madrid will work to rule on December 21 and 28 in support of their demands. According to a union spokesman, Juan Carlos Asenjo, they will work manually as they did 50 years ago with no use of machinery. As the Coca-Cola compa-
month period to January 2006, and compared to 6 per cent unemployment just one year ago. There were 31.3 million people in work, 505,000 more than a year ago, and the number of people out of work fell by 110,000 to 1.71 million between August and October.
It’s a great day for film making in this country and it clearly shows the force is with us,’ said George Osborne on the day of its premier about the fact that the latest Star Wars movie was filmed in Britain.
Photo Credit Luis Garcia Wikimedia
Quote of the Week
747,000
ny targets its Christmas advertising at the ‘good old days’, this appears to be a most appropriate if somewhat ironic action by the workers. There have been a number of disputes with workers at this plant over the years, and also with the Madrid Council which refused to allow the company to film a commercial.
BUSINESS EXTRA
Fake toys and games WITH the publication of a list by the EU of the member states which see the greatest number of sales of counterfeit toys and games, Spain is near the top, beaten only by Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary and Romania. According to the report, the purchase of these fakes costs Spanish industry nearly €170 million a year.
App from La Caixa LA CAIXA BANK has launched a new app allowing payment via a mobile phone, similar to those available in the UK. Apart from making payments, it will be possible for customers to check their accounts and to view their balances.
Opera singer tax evasion charges DUE to her illness, Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballe was allowed to attend a hearing concerning tax evasion via video from her home, and without any press attendance at the court. She accepted that she had avoided paying over
41
€40 million is the amount in bank accounts which have laid dormant in Switzerland since 1955, and if not claimed within the next 12 months it will revert to the State.
STAT OF WEEK
business & legal
EWN
€500,000 of tax in 2010 by registering her domicile as Andorra, even though she was living in Barcelona and was fined €240,000. She was also sentenced to six months in jail, which will effectively act as a suspended sentence.
The figures released also detail the number of foreigners working in the UK, and the number of EU citizens working increased by 324,000 to 2.02 million, whereas workers who were neither EU nationals or Britons were stable at 1.2 million.
IBEX 35
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Boy predicts bankruptcy PEPE BALTA, a secondary school student from Barcelona had to produce an economic project for his school in 2014, and chose Abengoa as the company to review. In his 18-page paper on the company, he apparently pointed out major problems with the company’s financial position and wrote “If it does not act soon, there is a strong risk Abengoa will go into bankruptcy.”
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LONDON - FTSE 100
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
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PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) COMPANY Anglo American 285.98 7.33 Associated British Foods 3,291.50 -35.50 Admiral Group 1,645.50 -9.50 Aberdeen Asset Management 289.70 2.40 Ashtead Group 1,104.50 -5.50 Antofagasta 420.25 3.95 ARM Holdings 1,032.00 13.00 Aviva 507.50 3.50 AstraZeneca 4,411.50 40.00 BAE Systems 494.15 1.65 Babcock International Group 980.75 4.25 Barclays 218.75 1.15 British American Tobacco 3,689.50 23.00 Barratt Developments 608.50 4.50 BG Group 919.20 11.20 Berkeley Group Holdings 3,591.00 37.00 British Land Co 792.00 9.00 BHP Billiton 724.40 7.20 Bunzl 1,850.00 9.00 BP 340.68 1.38 Burberry Group 1,201.00 13.00 BT Group 459.55 1.25 Coca-Cola HBC 1,501.00 1.00 Carnival 3,695.00 47.00 Centrica 212.10 0.10 Compass Group 1,141.50 9.50 Capita Group (The) 1,185.50 2.50 CRH 1,922.00 14.00 Dixons Carphone 480.20 3.10 DCC 5,532.50 32.50 Diageo 1,818.00 10.50 Direct Line Insurance Group 405.00 0.20 Experian 1,163.50 -2.50 easyJet 1,706.50 20.50 Fresnillo 663.25 4.25 GKN 295.85 -0.35 Glencore 83.32 2.46 GlaxoSmithKline 1,337.00 3.00 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 2,203.00 11.00 Hargreaves Lansdown 1,473.00 6.00 Hammerson 600.00 5.50 HSBC Holdings 530.95 1.75 International Consolidated Air 588.75 0.25 InterContinental Hotels Group 2,553.50 30.50 3i Group 469.95 3.25 Imperial Tobacco Group 3,486.75 23.75 Intu Properties 315.80 1.70 Inmarsat 1,108.00 1.00 Intertek Group 2,714.50 -0.50 ITV 274.40 10.60
% CHG. NET VOL 2.63 3,906.22 -1.07 26,339.00 -0.57 4,619.24 0.84 3,807.37 -0.50 5,587.12 0.95 4,104.12 1.28 14,343.47 0.69 20,390.57 0.92 55,240.09 0.34 15,582.70 0.44 4,923.48 0.53 36,498.90 0.63 68,350.32 0.75 6,012.53 1.23 31,009.92 1.04 4,856.80 1.15 7,991.94 1.00 15,147.78 0.49 6,168.77 0.41 62,040.46 1.09 5,284.62 0.27 38,211.21 0.07 5,465.90 1.29 7,885.28 0.05 10,546.01 0.84 18,796.14 0.21 7,856.25 0.73 15,670.41 0.65 5,493.62 0.59 4,852.00 0.58 45,449.44 0.05 6,072.00 -0.21 11,525.06 1.22 6,696.93 0.64 4,856.13 -0.12 4,881.54 3.04 11,794.40 0.22 64,915.21 0.50 4,359.45 0.41 6,958.25 0.93 4,662.73 0.33 103,263.93 0.04 12,001.48 1.21 5,957.24 0.70 4,538.48 0.69 33,144.06 0.54 4,155.92 0.09 4,981.29 -0.02 4,380.97 4.02 10,619.03
COMPANY PRICE(P) CHANGE(P) Johnson Matthey 2,645.50 26.50 Kingfisher 326.85 2.85 Land Securities Group 1,181.00 10.00 Legal & General Group 263.15 1.35 Lloyds Banking Group ORD 71.77 0.73 London Stock Exchange Grp 2,710.00 12.00 Merlin Entertainments 440.65 -0.85 Marks & Spencer Group 452.45 1.05 Mondi 1,338.00 14.00 National Grid 920.10 5.70 Next 7,255.00 -20.00 Old Mutual 174.40 2.60 Provident Financial 3,285.00 45.00 Prudential 1,497.25 8.25 Persimmon 1,961.00 16.00 Pearson 754.50 6.00 Reckitt Benckiser Group 6,150.00 22.00 Royal Bank of Scotland Group 295.80 1.80 Royal Dutch Shell 1,458.75 -4.75 Royal Dutch Shell 1,466.00 -3.00 Reed Elsevier 1,167.00 8.00 Rio Tinto 1,885.00 22.50 Royal Mail 443.40 0.40 Rolls-Royce Group 574.00 -2.50 Randgold Resources 4,045.00 14.00 RSA Insurance Group 428.55 0.45 SABMiller 4,057.00 8.50 Sainsbury (J) 256.45 1.25 Schroders 2,929.50 19.50 Sage Group (The) 590.75 0.75 Shire 4,403.50 -16.50 Sky 1,088.50 8.50 Standard Life 377.40 3.00 Smiths Group 930.50 6.50 Smith & Nephew 1,160.50 -11.50 Sports Direct International 568.50 -1.50 SSE 1,486.00 1.00 Standard Chartered 554.75 3.15 St James's Place 978.25 4.75 Severn Trent 2,130.00 -1.00 Travis Perkins 1,938.00 11.00 Tesco 145.50 2.05 TUI AG 1,224.00 12.00 Taylor Wimpey 197.05 1.45 Unilever 2,839.25 18.25 United Utilities Group 918.50 4.00 Vodafone Group 212.18 0.88 Wolseley 3,668.00 17.00 WORLDPAY GROUP PLC ORD 3P297.85 -0.15 WPP Group 1,521.50 11.50 Whitbread 4,411.00 20.00
% CHG. 1.01 0.88 0.85 0.52 1.03 0.44 -0.19 0.23 1.06 0.62 -0.27 1.51 1.39 0.55 0.82 0.80 0.36 0.61 -0.32 -0.20 0.69 1.21 0.09 -0.43 0.35 0.11 0.21 0.49 0.67 0.13 -0.37 0.79 0.80 0.70 -0.98 -0.26 0.07 0.57 0.49 -0.05 0.57 1.43 0.99 0.74 0.65 0.44 0.42 0.47 -0.05 0.76 0.46
NET VOL 5,366.80 7,553.38 9,257.26 15,557.70 50,703.90 9,369.63 4,475.69 7,440.26 6,428.73 34,209.67 11,121.55 8,463.14 4,761.30 38,281.98 5,962.24 6,139.86 43,769.65 18,922.00 56,997.25 35,849.63 13,024.11 26,200.30 4,430.00 10,599.50 3,754.06 4,352.74 65,439.18 4,902.20 6,577.25 6,356.65 26,151.01 18,565.39 7,372.63 3,647.74 10,482.27 3,411.25 14,747.03 14,043.50 5,087.50 5,068.78 4,794.99 11,671.81 7,109.63 6,363.77 36,206.39 6,235.87 56,021.34 9,494.68 N/A 19,709.04 7,980.17
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US dollar ..................................................................1.08546 Japan yen..................................................................131.787 Switzerland franc.................................................1.07979 Denmark kroner.....................................................7.46110 Norway kroner......................................................9.52742
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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 VOLUME 146.92 -1.93 -1.30% 5.7M 67.87 -1.70 -2.44% 17.9M 106.03 -2.95 -2.71% 96.5M 139.58 -5.98 -4.11% 10.0M 65.11 +0.21 +0.32% 13.5M 89.81 -0.73 -0.81% 20.2M 26.27 -0.45 -1.68% 36.7M 42.50 -0.99 -2.28% 24.6M 107.72 -4.29 -3.83% 28.4M 63.40 -1.83 -2.81% 14.3M 77.28 -0.68 -0.87% 28.8M 30.28 -0.27 -0.88% 83.1M 175.49 -7.12 -3.90% 6.7M 130.29 -1.06 -0.81% 9.8M 134.90 -1.85 -1.35% 10.0M 33.87 -1.04 -2.99% 41.3M 101.95 -1.69 -1.63% 15.0M 64.40 -1.88 -2.84% 23.8M 116.66 -0.84 -0.71% 11.2M 51.64 -1.02 -1.94% 21.1M 54.13 -1.57 -2.82% 84.7M 128.52 -1.70 -1.31% 6.9M 31.99 -0.34 -1.05% 66.6M 78.13 -2.16 -2.69% 21.3M 110.13 -3.14 -2.77% 5.1M 92.34 -1.53 -1.63% 8.7M 115.82 -3.40 -2.85% 7.6M 45.56 -0.54 -1.17% 31.6M 76.32 -2.37 -3.01% 16.3M 58.85 -0.13 -0.22% 16.3M
NASDAQ C LOSING P RICES D ECEMBER 21
COMPANY
PRICE
CHANGE NET / %
Most Advanced $ 10.36 $ 13.50 $ 3.64 $5 $ 7.45 $ 10 $ 3.14 $ 8.66 $ 12.20 $ 5.60 $ 15.20
2.01 ▲ 24.07% 2.50 ▲ 22.73% 0.65 ▲ 21.74% 0.74 ▲ 17.37% 1.03 ▲ 16.04% 1.34 ▲ 15.47% 0.39 ▲ 14.18% 1.04 ▲ 13.65% 1.43 ▲ 13.28% 0.63 ▲ 12.68% 1.70 ▲ 12.59%
$ 7.21 $ 4.42 $ 4.05 $ 8.62 $ 15.42 $ 13.73 $ 30.38 $ 81.96 $ 3.15 $ 68.4268 $ 22.66
2.22 ▼ 23.54% 1.11 ▼ 20.07% 0.53 ▼ 11.57% 0.97 ▼ 10.11% 1.704 ▼ 9.95% 1.51 ▼ 9.91% 3.28 ▼ 9.74% 8.64 ▼ 9.54% 0.30 ▼ 8.70% 6.2212 ▼ 8.33% 2.02 ▼ 8.18%
Vanguard Natural Resources LLC ReWalk Robotics Ltd Nexvet Biopharma plc Empire Resorts, Inc. Daily 2X VIX ST ETN Velocityshares Golar LNG Partners LP Kopin Corporation InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. TerraForm Global, Inc. Providence and Worcester Railroad Company
Most Declined Mirna Therapeutics, Inc. Acacia Research Corporation Hovnanian Enterprises Inc Etsy, Inc. CIM Commercial Trust Corporation YRC Worldwide, Inc. GLOBAL BLOOD THERAPEUTICS, INC. Core-Mark Holding Company, Inc. Zions Bancorporation 3X Inverse Silver ETN Velocityshares Werner Enterprises, Inc.
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www.euroweeklynews.com
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
Great results for fishing industry Photo Credit Mark Yuill Shutterstock
By Steve Walsh AT the annual EU Fisheries and Agricultural Council meeting in Brussels, which has just finished, British fishermen received some very good news about quota increases according to Fisheries Minister George Eustice, who called the latest agreement a ‘great result’. The actual quota increases were: The English Channel: Plaice 100 per cent. The North Sea: Cod 15 per cent and haddock 47 per cent. The Celtic Sea: Hake 20 per cent. The Western Channel: Sole 15 per cent. A number of quotas remained the same and there were cuts of 55 per cent in Irish Sea sole and 9 per cent in Bristol Channel plaice, but with the increases and the number of days UK fishermen can be at sea remaining the same as for 2015, the industry was generally pleased with the results. Mr Eustice said: “I entered these discussions with the firm belief that
BRITISH FISHERMEN: Received some very good news about quota increases at an EU meeting in Brussels.
any decisions need to support a profitable fishing industry, sustainable fish stocks and a healthy marine environment, and the significant quota increases we’ve achieved for iconic species like North Sea cod demonstrates the success of this approach. “We still have more to do to reach maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for all quota species by 2020, and to deliver the full discard ban by 2019, but already fishermen are benefitting from the action we’ve taken in recent years to recover stocks. “By fighting for the fishing industry, and making a clear case for the need for more sustainable fishing, we have got a good deal and shown we can get what we need in Europe.”
Amazon allocated plot in Barcelona for € 30 million
THE companies that own Domino’s Pizza in Australia and the UK have agreed to set up a joint venture operation to buy Germany’s biggest pizza chain. Joey’s Pizza has 212 stores across Germany with annual sales of €143 million, and the country is the world’s fourthbiggest pizza market with the purchase worth around €78 million. The joint venture will be two-thirds owned by the Australian company, with the remainder owned by the UK Domino’s Pizza Group, which already operates in Germany. Profit margins on pizzas are known to be very high as they are simply cooked dough with relatively inexpensive toppings, so as long as the market remains firm, this should generate significant income for the companies involved.
THE Catalan Land Institute (Incasol) announced that it has allocated a 150,808 m2 plot of land known as Mas Blau II, to Amazon for which it will charge €30 million. “The land is located a few minutes from the El Prat airport in one of the most important economic
Photo Credit Steve Jurvetson flickr
Domino’s aim to dominate
This acknowledges our commitment to the Catalan and Spanish economies.
and industrial areas of Barcelona,” said a statement. Amazon will be allowed to build up to three storeys high. The statement continued: “The main permitted use is logistics, along with the ‘complementary’ offices, shops and restaurants.” In response Amazon said in a carefully-worded statement: “We are
JEFF BEZOS: The founder of Amazon.
pleased that Incasol has awarded Amazon with a plot in El Prat de Llobregat to keep expanding our European Fulfilment Network, and acknowledges our long-term commitment with the Catalan and Spanish economies through continued investment and job creation. Legal due diligence is currently ongoing and thus we cannot comment any further at the moment.” In the meantime, Amazon UK has warned all customers about possible exploding hoverboards. In an email, the firm told buyers of these hot Christmas sellers that if they have purchased hover boards with ‘noncompliant UK plugs’, that they should dispose of them safely and they will receive a refund. This has been prompted after Trading Standards seized 15,000 unsafe boards being brought into the UK, many of which had faulty cables, chargers or plugs that could catch fire or explode.
FINANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL
www.euroweeklynews.com
24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
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US chemical giants Dow and DuPont in merger agreement THE rush of American companies to take others over or to merge continues apace. The latest announcement comes from the two US chemical behemoths Dow Chemical and DuPont, with the merged company expected to be called DowDuPont worth an estimated $130 billion (â‚Ź119 billion). It appears that as both companies are worth roughly the same amount of money and this will be a share deal, there are significant tax advantages for each company and their investors. As this type of deal is almost unheard of it will attract a great deal of interest from fiscal authorities as well as tax advisers. Assuming the merger is allowed, it is planned that the new company will be owned equally by existing shareholders in the two companies. Three new companies will then be created within two years of the merger, and these new companies should be con-
Credit RevalationDirect Wikimedia
By John Smith
sidered as being tax free entities. Shareholders are hoping to save $3 billion (â‚Ź2.75 billion) per annum. In addition, DuPont has announced that it plans to cut about 10 per cent of its staff. Some cynics have commented on the fact that as the US tries to climb out of its financial crisis, US conglomerates appear to be doing all that they can to avoid paying taxes, which are the backbone of any economy.
Both companies are worth roughly the same amount and this will be a share deal.
DUPONT: Headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware.
With both companies having reasonable sized operations in Spain, it will also be interesting to see if their merger has any knock-on effect on the Spanish economy, especially if jobs are to be lost or head offices merged.
OPINION & COMMENT
www.euroweeklynews.com
24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
EWN
Enoch Powell was never a racist credito Allan warren on Wikimedia commons
MERELY a realist, he was of course absolutely correct LEAPY LEE SAYS IT
OTHERS THINK IT “WHOLE areas, towns and parts of towns across England will be occupied by sections of the immigrant and immigrant descendant’s population. It is like watching a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre. “They will find their wives unable to obtain hospital beds in childbirth. Their children unable to obtain school places. Their homes and neighbourhoods changed beyond recognition. Their plans and prospects for the future defeated for reasons they cannot comprehend; and in pursuance of a decision by default on which they were never consulted, they will find themselves made strangers in their own country,” - Enoch Powell, 1965. This highly intelligent politician was subsequently hounded out of mainstream politics by his peers, who scoffed his vision and warnings of the future. Under accusations
ENOCH POWELL: Intelligent politician who was hounded out of mainstream politics. of racism, he was soon banished to a lonely position in Northern Ireland. There, out of sight and hearing, his brilliant mind was wasted in the mire of violence and political strife that was engulfing
Ireland at that time. I personally remember him utterly destroying David Frost in a TV interview. At one point Frost asked him why he was against black people. Powell’s answer was that he had never discriminated
against someone because of their colour and challenged Frost to cite one occasion when he had actually done so. A blustering Frost couldn’t come up with one example. The fact of the matter was that Powell was never a racist, merely a realist. He was of course absolutely correct and we are now experiencing most of the situations he warned of all those years ago. The words of a Don McLean song come to mind. ‘They did not listen, they’re not listening still, perhaps they never will.’ In fairness, they do finally seem to be listening. Unfortunately they’re about 40 years too late. I’ve been called a few things in my time but the missive I received this week just about took the whole tin. This ‘gentleman’ referred to me as follows. Uneducated. Purile. Lickspittle. Forelock tugger. Knee bender. Quisling. Halfwit. Moron. Wow! Sticks and stones Señor. Sticks and stones! Keep the faith Love Leapy Leapylee2002@gmail.com
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10:00am David Suchet: In the Footsteps of St Paul 11:00am On Angel Wings 11:30am The Santa Clause 1:00pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:10pm BBC London News 2:20pm Snow Chick: A Penguin's Tale 3:20pm A Christmas Carol 4:50pm Finding Nemo 6:20pm Harry Hill in Professor Branestawm Returns 7:20pm BBC News 7:30pm BBC London News 7:40pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:10pm Pointless Celebrities Christmas Special 9:00pm Would I Lie to You at Christmas 9:30pm EastEnders 10:05pm Peter Kay: 20 Years of Funny 11:05pm Walliams and Friends 11:45pm Not Going Out 12:30am BBC News 12:45am Midnight Mass From St George's Cathedral, Southwark
7:20am Homes Under the Hammer 8:20am Home Comforts at Christmas 9:05am This Wild Life 9:35am Great British Menu 10:05am Bedknobs and Broomsticks 12:00pm The Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure 1:00pm Natural World 2:00pm Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit 3:45pm Perry and Croft: Made in Britain 4:15pm Snow Wolf Family and Me 5:15pm Snow Wolf Family and Me 6:15pm Carols from King's 7:30pm To the Manor Born 8:00pm Dad's Army 8:30pm University Challenge 9:00pm MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00pm The Great History Quiz: The Tudors 11:00pm The Scandalous Lady W 12:30am Dial M for Murder 2:10am Simply Nigella
7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas 11:25am Pick Me! 12:25pm Back to the Future Part II 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:45pm Small Soldiers 4:50pm National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 6:40pm All Star Mr and Mrs 7:45pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 9:00pm Coronation Street 9:30pm The Abba Christmas Party 10:45pm Through the Keyhole 11:45pm ITV News 12:00am Christmas Carols on ITV 1:00am Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure 2:40am Murder, She Wrote 3:30am The Jeremy Kyle Show USA 4:15am ITV Nightscreen Text-based information service.
7:00am The Hot Desk 7:10am 1000 Heartbeats for Text Santa 8:00am Emmerdale 8:30am Coronation Street 9:00am Keep it in the Family Christmas Special 10:00am Santa Baby 11:55am Beethoven's Christmas Adventure 1:45pm Emmerdale 2:15pm Coronation Street 2:45pm Merry Christmas Mr Bean 3:20pm You've Been Framed! 4:20pm All Star Family Fortunes 5:20pm Catchphrase 6:25pm The Polar Express 8:25pm The Nightmare Before Christmas 10:00pm Casino Royale 12:55am Celebrity Juice 1:55am Through the Keyhole 3:00am Release the Hounds 3:55am Release the Hounds 4:45am The Office Xmas Party 5:30am Educating Joey Essex
8:00pm Merry Madagascar 8:20pm Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 9:40pm Kung Fu Panda 2 11:00pm EastEnders 11:35pm Him and Her 12:05am Family Guy 12:30am Family Guy 12:50am Family Guy 1:10am Family Guy 1:35am Family Guy 1:55am American Dad! 2:20am American Dad! 2:40am Bad Education 3:10am Murder in Successville 3:40am Murder in Successville
9:00pm All Aboard! The Sleigh Ride 11:00pm Top of the Pops 12:00am Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? 12:45am Britain's Most Dangerous Songs: Listen to the Banned 1:45am Top of the Pops 2:45am Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
7:00am Judge Judy 7:20am The Royal 8:10am Goodnight Mister Tom 10:15am Inspector Morse 12:35pm Foyle's War 2:40pm Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 4:45pm Agatha Christie's Marple 6:50pm Mamma Mia! 9:00pm Lewis 11:00pm Endeavour Crime drama series about the young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. 1:00am Agatha Christie's Marple 3:00am The Secret of My Succe$s Comedy about an affable young man from the country who travels to New York. 4:50am Rising Damp Classic sitcom about a miserly landlord. 5:15am Wycliffe Drama series about a Cornish police detective.
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7:15am Small Animal Hospital 8:00am The Big Bang Theory 8:20am The Big Bang Theory 8:40am The Snowman 9:05am Father Christmas 9:35am The Simpsons 10:10am Animals United 11:55am Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who 1:30pm Stuart Little 3:10pm Channel 4 News 3:15pm It's a Wonderful Life 5:55pm The Snowman 6:25pm The Snowman and the Snowdog 7:00pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Jamie's Night Before Christmas 9:00pm My Crazy Christmas Lights 10:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats 11:00pm Rude Tube 12:00am Gogglebox 1:00am The Inbetweeners 1:35am The Inbetweeners 2:05am The Inbetweeners 2:30am The Inbetweeners 3:00am Man Down 3:30am Man Down 3:55am Man Down 4:25am Embarrassing Bodies 5:20am Benchmark
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Tommy Cooper The Professionals Minder Alias Smith and Jones American comedy drama series about two likeable outlaws. British Superbike Championship Review Show James Whitham reviews the MCE British Superbike Championship of 2015. The Professionals Action-packed drama series about two criminalintelligence agents. Everything or Nothing: The Untold Stories of 007 Nevada Smith The Green Berets The Chase: Christmas Special Fifth Gear A Dangerous Man Rambo III The Interpreter
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THURSDAY TV
Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Milkshake! Bop Box Peppa Pig Wanda and the Alien Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat The Mr. Men Show The Real Face of Santa Claus Gone with the Wind The Dam Busters Scrooge Christmas Makes You Laugh Out Loud Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special Christmas with the Double Acts Morecambe and Wise Live! 1973
7:00am How I Met Your Mother 7:20am Ivor the Invisible 7:50am Charmed 8:40am Charmed 9:30am Hollyoaks 10:00am Lost and Found 10:35am The Bear 11:10am How I Met Your Mother 11:40am How I Met Your Mother 12:05pm Charmed 1:00pm Charmed 2:00pm How I Met Your Mother 2:30pm How I Met Your Mother 3:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm How I Met Your Mother 6:30pm How I Met Your Mother 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm The Big Bang Theory 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Taken 11:50pm The Big Bang Theory 12:20am The Big Bang Theory 12:50am Rude Tube
8:00am WWE SmackDown! 9:00am Premier League 9:30am Premier League 100 Club 10:00am Football Gold 10:30am Premier League 11:00am Football Gold 12:00pm Premier League 100 Club 12:30pm Premier League 1:00pm Football Gold 1:30pm Premier League 100 Club 2:00pm Football Gold 3:00pm Premier League 3:30pm Premier League 100 Club 4:00pm Premier League 4:30pm Premier League 100 Club 5:00pm Premier League 5:30pm Premier League 100 Club 6:00pm Football Gold 6:15pm Football Gold 6:30pm Barclays Premier League World 7:00pm Premier League 7:30pm Football Gold 8:00pm NFL 12:00am NFL: Dwight Freeney Interview 12:25am NFL Highlights 1:25am NFL Hard Knocks
Wild Wild West Die Hard Die Hard 2 Cloverfield Jupiter Ascending The Terminator Cloverfield Jupiter Ascending The Terminator Die Hard Die Hard 2
8:35am The Marine 4: Moving Target 10:15am Chappie 12:20pm Cinderella 2:10pm The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water 3:45pm Dino Time 5:15pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 7:00pm Cinderella 9:00pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 11:00pm Chappie 1:15am The Marine 4: Moving Target 3:00am Bad Asses on the Bayou Two ageing vigilantes team up and head to Louisiana to track down a kidnapped friend. 4:30am Avengers: Age of Ultron Special 5:00am Dino Time Three kids travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.
7:00am Sporting Rivalries 7:30am Sporting Rivalries 8:00am Gary Newbon Interviews Carl Lewis 9:00am Time of Our Lives 10:00am Sporting Greats 12:00pm Time of Our Lives 1:00pm Sporting Rivalries 1:30pm Sporting Rivalries 2:00pm Time of Our Lives 3:00pm Dream Team Programming 2015 3:30pm Dream Team Programming 2015 4:00pm Dream Team Programming 2015 4:30pm Dream Team Programming 2015 6:00pm WWE Raw 8:00pm Premier League 8:30pm Premier League 100 Club 9:00pm Premier League 9:30pm Premier League 100 Club 10:00pm Premier League 10:30pm Premier League 100 Club 11:00pm La Liga Show 2015 11:30pm Barclays Premier League World 12:00am Football Gold
7:00am Revenge of the Pink Panther 8:50am Three Amigos! 10:45am Horrible Bosses 2 12:45pm Trainwreck Sky Movies Special 1:00pm Superbad 3:05pm The Best Man Holiday 5:10pm Trading Places 7:10pm Father of the Bride 9:00pm Horrible Bosses 2 11:00pm Superbad 1:00am South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut 2:35am Trading Places 4:35am Grudge Match
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Breakfast Shrek the Halls The Clangers Danger Mouse Christmas Day Service Live From Bath Abbey The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted BBC News at One Top of the Pops The Queen's Christmas Broadcast 2015 Brave BBC News Stick Man Doctor Who Strictly Come Dancing Call the Midwife EastEnders Mrs. Brown's Boys Michael Mcintyre's Big Christmas Show BBC News Love Came Down at Christmas
7:00am The Road to El Dorado 8:20am Natural World 9:20am Herbie Rides Again 10:45am The Cat in the Hat 12:00pm Carols from King's 1:15pm Climbed Every Mountain - The Story Behind The Sound of Music 2:15pm The Good Life 2:45pm Frankenweenie 4:05pm Tim Rice - A Life in Song 5:35pm Romeo and Juliet 7:20pm The Queen's Christmas Broadcast 2015 7:30pm World's Sneakiest Animals 8:30pm Dad's Army 9:00pm The Two Ronnies Christmas Show 9:50pm Darcey's Ballet Heroes 10:50pm QI 11:20pm We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story 12:20am Gambit 1:40am The Trouble with Harry
Sooty Oddbods Dino Dan Horrid Henry Chowder Almost Naked Animals Weekend at Christmas Santa Claus Happy Feet Text Santa ITV Lunchtime News HM the Queen Cameraman to the Queen Countrywise Winter Wonderland Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs ITV Evening News You've Been Framed! Emmerdale Coronation Street Downton Abbey Our Cilla ITV News Dr. No
7:00am Christmas Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:25am Emmerdale 8:25am Coronation Street 8:55am Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas 9:55am You've Been Framed! 11:15am Catchphrase 12:15pm Merry Christmas Mr Bean 12:50pm Mr. Bean 1:25pm Emmerdale 2:25pm Coronation Street 3:00pm The Polar Express 4:55pm E.T. The ExtraTerrestrial 7:15pm The Lost World: Jurassic Park 9:45pm Quantum of Solace 11:55pm The Bourne Supremacy 2:05am Celebrity Juice 3:00am Release the Hounds 3:55am Tricked 4:45am Educating Joey Essex 5:35am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records
8:00pm The Gruffalo's Child 8:30pm Toy Story 9:45pm How to Train Your Dragon 11:15pm Live at the Apollo 12:00am EastEnders 1:00am American Dad! 1:25am American Dad! 1:45am Family Guy 2:10am Family Guy 2:30am Family Guy 2:55am Family Guy 3:15am Uncle 3:45am Uncle 4:15am Uncle 4:45am Sunny D
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8:00pm The Quizeum Christmas Special 8:30pm Carlos Acosta's Carmen: The Farewell Performance 9:45pm The Titfield Thunderbolt 11:05pm Top of the Pops 1:00am Detectorists Christmas Special
7:00am Movies Now 7:10am George and Mildred 7:35am Carry on Don't Lose Your Head 9:30am Carry on Cruising 11:20am Carry on at Your Convenience 1:15pm Carry on Loving 3:05pm Carry on Cowboy 5:05pm Carry on Jack 7:00pm Carry on Screaming 9:00pm Carry on Camping 10:50pm Carry on Cleo 12:45am The Baby and the Battleship 2:40am Rising Damp 3:10am George and Mildred 3:40am George and Mildred A special Christmas episode from 1979. 4:05am ITV3 Nightscreen Text-based information service. 4:15am Emmerdale Omnibus Ashley tells Laurel everything. David arranges a drop-off for Val's ring.
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Prep and Landing Prep and Landing The Bear A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Toy Story Toons Father Christmas The Snowman The Snowman and the Snowdog The Muppet Christmas Carol Channel 4 News Alternative Christmas Message Scrooged Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Gogglesprogs Alan Carr: Chatty Man 8 Out of 10 Cats Very British Problems at Christmas Ferris Bueller's Day Off
7:15am The Big Match Revisited 8:05am The Professionals 9:10am Minder 10:15am Alias Smith and Jones 11:20am Goodwood Cars of the Future - Road 12:25pm Goodwood Cars of the Future 1:25pm Tim Vine's Punslinger 2:50pm Every Which Way But Loose 5:10pm Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment 6:55pm The Great Outdoors 8:45pm Cannonball Run II 11:00pm National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 1:05am The Big Lebowski 3:20am Goodwood Festival of Speed 4:10am ITV4 Nightscreen 4:20am Minder 5:10am Minder Comedy drama series about the shady dealings of a loveable rogue.
8:45am Thomas and Friends 8:55am Noddy in Toyland 9:10am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:20am Peppa Pig 9:35am Paw Patrol 10:00am Bananas in Pajamas 10:15am Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:25am The Mr. Men Show 10:35am Toby's Travelling Circus 10:50am Andre Rieu's Christmas Spectacular 11:50am Scrooge 2:05pm Seven Brides for Seven Brothers 4:10pm The Wizard of Oz 6:10pm Michael Buble's Christmas 2015 7:05pm Britain's Favourite Christmas Songs 9:50pm Chas and Dave's Xmas Knees-Up 10:40pm Britain's Favourite Abba Songs 12:05am Sinatra at 100 - An All-Star Grammy Concert 2:25am ABBA: Live in Concert
8:50am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 10:45am The Maze Runner 12:45pm Guardians of the Galaxy 3:00pm Lucy 4:45pm The Maze Runner 6:45pm Guardians of the Galaxy 9:00pm The Matrix 11:20pm Lucy 1:00am The Equalizer
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Doctor Dolittle The Simpsons Movie Bad Neighbours The 40 Year Old Virgin Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason The Goonies The Simpsons Movie Bad Neighbours The 40 Year Old Virgin Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
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Rude(Ish) Tube Suburgatory The Mindy Project The Mindy Project Melissa and Joey Melissa and Joey Baby Daddy Baby Daddy Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Prep and Landing Prep and Landing Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Secret Life of Children at Christmas Frozen at Christmas The Snowman The Snowman and the Snowdog The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners
7:00am Dino Time 8:30am Cinderella 10:30am Exodus: Gods and Kings 1:15pm Big Hero 6 3:00pm Frozen Fever 3:15pm Cinderella 5:15pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 7:00pm Frozen Fever 7:15pm Big Hero 6 9:00pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 11:35pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 1:20am The Marine 4: Moving Target 3:05am Bad Asses on the Bayou Two ageing vigilantes team up and head to Louisiana to track down a kidnapped friend. 4:35am Avengers: Age of Ultron Special 5:05am Dino Time
FRIDAY TV
10:00am La Liga Goles y Goles y Goles 11:00am Soccer AM Christmas Special 12:00pm Ronaldo Special 12:30pm Barcelona's Strikeforce Special 1:00pm Best of Gillette Soccer Saturday 2:30pm Ronaldo Special 3:00pm Barcelona's Strikeforce Special 3:30pm La Liga Goles y Goles y Goles 4:30pm Sky Sports Originals - Cantona: Return of the King 5:00pm Soccer AM Christmas Special 6:00pm Sky Sports Originals - Cantona: Return of the King 7:00pm Ronaldo Special 7:30pm Barcelona's Strikeforce Special 8:00pm La Liga Goles y Goles y Goles 9:00pm Soccer AM Christmas Special 10:00pm Christmas Cricket Special 11:00pm Cricket
9:00am Ashes Zone: Aussie Legends 9:30am 200th Test: Behind the Scenes 10:00am Ashes Regained: Cook's Redemption 12:00pm Shane Warne: Living the Dream 1:30pm Ashes Zone: Aussie Legends 2:00pm Sky Sports Originals 3:00pm Ashes Zone: Aussie Legends 3:30pm 200th Test: Behind the Scenes 4:00pm Ashes Regained: Cook's Redemption 6:00pm Shane Warne: Living the Dream 7:30pm Ashes Zone: Aussie Legends 8:00pm Ashes Regained: Cook's Redemption 10:00pm 200th Test: Behind the Scenes 10:30pm Pace Like Fire: The West Indies 11:00pm Shane Warne: Living the Dream 12:30am Cricket
OPINION & COMMENT
LETTERS
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24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
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YOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE - YOUR OPINION
Letters for Your Say should be emailed to yoursay@euroweeklynews.com or make your comments straight on our website: www.euroweeklynews.com
Personal experience leads to a different conclusion I REPLY to a recently published letter from Ron, ‘Ungodly ways’. First of all the commandment is‘Thou shalt do no murder, thou shall not kill in his name,’ is nonsense. Jesus Christ died rather than call on ‘Twelve Legions of Angels’ or “If my kingdom was of this world my disciples would fight, but my kingdom is not of this world.” Pre-Darwin, it was only natural to try to explain our existence. Although his theory is seriously flawed, he leaves us with life as a random and temporary burst between aeons of nothingness. Personal experience leads me to a different conclusion. D R Griffiths, Orihuela Costa, Alicante
Photographs for possible publication should be sent by email with a full caption to: photonews@euroweeklynews.com
Overflowing with bottle-tops
Good and bad in every nation
Ban the hawkers! AS a newcomer to Spain, I would like to pass comment on the roaming hawkers who enter the restaurants to try and sell their merchandise. It is frustrating, to say the least, to try and enjoy a meal, whilst the hawkers continually interrupt the tables. I have seen them work as a team, warning all the other streetsellers in advance of approaching police officers and then giving the all-clear once the threat has passed. They actually laugh at them once they have gone! I have also witnessed some Germans having a meal being called racists because they bought nothing from a hawker. The goods being sold are of an inferior quality and some of them are plain junk. If this practice could be halted, on a continuous basis and restaurant owners prevented their entry, we, as paying guests, would stay longer and enjoy the experience, thus spending more. By the way, we are enjoying Spain, immensely!!! Michael Agliotti, Torrox Costa
people before formulating policies, not making bad and unpopular decisions and later conning the electorate into voting for them ‘or else’. Geoff Brooks, Via website
AS a good, caring, and charitable member of the community here on the Costa del Sol, when I was told that the collecting of bottle-tops and ring-pulls from cans would raise money for charity, I started in earnest. Pretty soon all my friends and family (thinking it was a wonderful idea) began giving me all the ring-pulls and bottle-tops they could find. Well! That was a while ago, and now my house is full to the brim with shiny can rings and multi-coloured plastic. I have thousands of them and no idea how to give them to charity. The breeding collection is bursting out of the doors. Can somebody please tell me who to call for collection? Anne Lee, Coin, Malaga
Science has lost its way
Burning waste peril
GOOD article, Nora. S c ie n ce to d a y s e e ms to ha ve lost its way because no-one can come out and say it IS so. Everything is listed as ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘possibly’ and the like. Scientists today never take the time to be absolutely sure of their test results. And if it isn’t pure lies, it’s conjecture. Roy Peters, Via website
RE: Floods and droughts to hit Spain The first easy action to be taken in the Comunidad Valenciana, Costa Blanca, is STOP burning waste in the open air! Why not make compost or recycle the green waste instead of burning it, polluting the atmosphere with toxic gases and poisoning all the inhabitants and millions of tourists? They even burn next to hospi-
tals, schools, etc... they are, like many others, not aware of the toxic gases produced by these burnings. Berger Micheline, Via website
Tactical voting THE establishment encouraging tactical voting in order to cling on to power at any cost will not keep them in their ‘bubble’ forever, either in France or the UK. They must start to listen to the
WITH reference to Leapy Lee’s writings, before we all get carried away with Islamophobia, let us consider the recent comments of a British soldier who lost his leg during a roadside bomb explosion near Basra. He says on FaceBook and reported by the BBC….. “Yes a Muslim blew me up and I lost a leg. “A Muslim man lost his arm that day, wearing a British uniform. “A Muslim medic was in the helicopter that took me from the field. “A Muslim surgeon performed the surgery that saved my life. “A Muslim nurse was part of the team that helped me on my return to UK. “A Muslim taxi driver gave me a free ride, when I went for my first beer with my dad, after I came home.” Also read Muhammed Ali’s comments condemning so-called Islamic jihadists. There are good and bad in every nation and religion. The bad ones will lose eventually, they always do, history has proven this. Leo, Via website
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52
E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
7:00am Breakfast 11:00am Saturday Kitchen 12:30pm Home Comforts at Christmas 1:15pm BBC News 1:25pm Football Focus 2:00pm Comic Relief 2015: Thanks a Billion! 3:00pm Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out 3:25pm A Grand Night in: The Story of Aardman 4:25pm Puss in Boots 5:45pm The Croods 7:10pm The Farmer's Llamas 7:40pm BBC News 7:50pm BBC London News 8:00pm Dickensian 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Still Open All Hours 9:30pm Dickensian 10:00pm And Then There Were None 11:00pm BBC News 11:20pm The National Lottery Live
9:00am The Aquabats! Super Show! 9:30am Thunderbirds are Go 10:00am The Tom and Jerry Show 10:15am The Tom and Jerry Show 10:25am Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas 11:25am You've Been Framed! 11:55am Back to the Future Part III 2:05pm ITV News and Weather 2:20pm Jurassic Park 4:40pm Midsomer Murders 6:40pm ITV News and Weather 7:00pm The Nation's Favourite Disney Song 8:00pm Surprise Surprise 9:00pm Peter and Wendy 11:05pm The Jonathan Ross Show 12:10am ITV News and Weather
7:50am 8:35am 10:05am 11:35am 12:35pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:30pm 6:30pm 7:20pm 8:20pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 2:00am 4:05am 5:40am
12:55pm 2:40pm 4:45pm 5:50pm 6:55pm 7:25pm 7:40pm 9:30pm 12:20am 2:35am 3:15am 4:10am 4:45am 5:20am
Flog It! Tom Thumb Hotel for Dogs Ten Pieces II G-Force Natural World Attenborough's Paradise Birds Bedtime Stories Final Score Don't Panic! The Dad's Army Story We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story Dad's Army Top Gear A Gert Lush Christmas Abz on the Christmas Farm Backchat Looks Back Kinky Boots Marnie Imagine... This is BBC Two Highlights of programmes on BBC Two.
Space Jam Happy Feet Emmerdale Coronation Street You've Been Framed! Minion Madness Shorts Despicable Me Skyfall The Bourne Ultimatum Unseen Celebrity Juice Tit Bits Release the Hounds Reality Bites Viral Tap The Almost Impossible Gameshow Action-packed game show with hilarious commentary from Irish comedy duo The Rubberbandits.
8:00pm 9:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 12:45am 1:05am 1:30am 1:50am 2:10am 2:30am 3:00am 3:30am
Doctor Who Toy Story 2 Live at the Apollo EastEnders Russell Howard's Good News Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Family Guy Uncle Uncle Uncle
10:00pm Natural World 10:50pm Dancing Cranes of Sweden 11:00pm Big Hits: TOTP 1964 to 1975 12:30am A Very British Map: The Ordnance Survey Story 1:30am John Denver: Country Boy
7:35am 9:45am 11:35am 1:35pm 3:20pm 5:15pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 10:30pm 12:35am 2:50am
4:40am
5:35am
Santa Claus Carry on Jack Carry on Cowboy On the Buses Mutiny on the Buses Holiday on the Buses Housewife 49 The Nation's Favourite Elvis Song Agatha Christie's Marple Inspector Morse Inspector Morse Another investigation for Colin Dexter's laconic detective. Wycliffe Detective drama series. Where the Heart is Drama series following the lives of community nurses in a small Yorkshire town.
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7:15am Ramona and Beezus 9:00am The Morning Line 10:00am The Big Bang Theory 10:30am The Big Bang Theory 11:00am The Big Bang Theory 11:25am The Simpsons 11:55am The Simpsons 12:25pm Fantastic Mr. Fox 2:10pm Channel 4 Racing 4:30pm Home Alone 3 6:25pm Channel 4 News 6:35pm The Secret Life of Children at Christmas 7:30pm Britain's Favourite Children's Book 9:00pm Inside Lego at Christmas 10:00pm Big Fat Quiz of the Year 12:05am Rude Tube 1:10am Alan Carr 3:05am Rude Tube 4:00am Hollyoaks Omnibus When Reenie receives an unexpected letter she is forced to face secrets from the past.
7:10am 7:55am 8:45am 9:45am 10:45am 11:50am 12:15pm 12:45pm 1:10pm 1:35pm
2:40pm
5:20pm
8:10pm 10:00pm 12:00am
Ax Men Ax Men Ax Men The Professionals Bundesliga Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Fifth Gear Tiff Needell and Vicki B. Henderson present the motor magazine show. Ice Cold in Alex Classic British war movie. The Green Berets A guts-and-glory salute to US troops in the Vietnam War. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Beetlejuice The Boat That Rocked
8:10am 8:15am 8:25am 8:40am 8:50am 9:05am 9:25am 9:45am 9:55am 10:10am 12:10pm
1:10pm 4:15pm 6:05pm 8:05pm 9:05pm 10:00pm 11:30pm
Milkshake Monkey Make Way for Noddy Paw Patrol Little Princess Pip Ahoy! Blaze and the Monster Machines Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Wanda and the Alien Toby's Travelling Circus The Saturday Show The Dog Rescuers Christmas Special with Alan Davies The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe Diana One Chance Christmas Makes You Laugh Out Loud Chas and Dave's Xmas Knees-Up Football League Tonight Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments
7:00am Batman Begins 9:30am Captain America: The Winter Soldier 11:45am Spider-Man 2:00pm Spider-Man 2 4:15pm Spider-Man 3 6:45pm Spider-Man 9:00pm Spider-Man 2 11:15pm Spider-Man 3 1:40am Edge of Tomorrow 3:50am Batman Begins
12:10pm Arthur 2: On the Rocks 2:05pm Calendar Girls 3:55pm The Full Monty 5:30pm Johnny English 7:00pm Four Weddings and a Funeral 9:00pm Calendar Girls 11:00pm Ali G Indahouse 12:35am Borat
7:00am Made in Chelsea 8:00am Olive, the Other Reindeer 8:45am Famous Fred 9:20am Ivor the Invisible 9:55am Father Christmas 10:30am Prep and Landing 10:55am Prep and Landing 11:25am Frozen at Christmas 12:30pm Animals United 2:20pm Rude(Ish) Tube Shorts 2:30pm The Big Bang Theory 3:00pm The Big Bang Theory 3:30pm The Big Bang Theory 4:00pm The Big Bang Theory 4:30pm The Big Bang Theory 5:00pm The Big Bang Theory 5:30pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:30pm The Snowman 7:05pm The Snowman and the Snowdog 7:35pm The Twilight Saga: Eclipse 10:00pm The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 12:20am Gogglebox
8:45am Cinderella Lavish, live-action retelling of the classic fairytale. Fantasy drama. 10:40am Big Hero 6 A robotics prodigy helps form a superhero team to combat a masked villain. 12:25pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 3:00pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 5:30pm Big Hero 6 7:15pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 9:00pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 11:25pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 2:00am I Origins 3:55am The Marine 4: Moving Target
SATURDAY TV
7:00am 7:15am 7:30am 7:45am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 1:30pm 4:00pm 6:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:30am 2:00am 3:30am 4:00am
Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Premier League Barclays Premier League Review Game Changers Barclays Premier League Review The Fantasy Football Club Soccer A.M. Jamie Vardy- Record Breaker Football Fight Night Review of 2015 Football Jamie Vardy- Record Breaker Fight Night Review of 2015 SNF: Match Choice SNF: Match Choice SNF: Match Choice Sky Sports Boxing Gold 2013 Sky Sports Boxing Gold 2013
7:00am Cricket 8:00am Cricket's Greatest 8:30am Cricket 5:00pm Cricket 6:00pm Cricket's Greatest 6:30pm Cricket's Greatest 7:00pm World Darts Championship 11:00pm Cricket Specials A look back on five decades of the very best in fast bowling. 11:30pm Cricket Specials 12:00am Cricket Specials A look back on five decades of the very best in fast bowling. 12:30am Cricket
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E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
7:00am 8:40am 10:15am 11:35am 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:15pm 2:50pm 5:05pm 7:05pm 7:20pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:15pm
11:25pm 12:00am
1:00am 2:35am 2:40am
7:25am 7:35am 8:00am 8:10am 8:25am 8:35am 9:00am 9:25am 10:25am 10:55am 11:40am 2:30pm 2:45pm 4:35pm 6:30pm 6:45pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am
Breakfast Match of the Day Flushed Away Megamind Bargain Hunt BBC News Songs of Praise Mary Poppins Oz: The Great and Powerful BBC News BBC London News Countryfile Dickensian Still Open All Hours Dickensian And Then There Were None BBC News BBC London News The latest news, sport and weather from London. Catherine Tate's Nan Miranda Hart - My What I Call Live Show Ghost Town Weather for the Week Ahead BBC News
7:20am Big Dreams Small Spaces 8:20am Countryfile 9:15am A Man for All Seasons 11:15am Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 12:45pm The Hairy Bikers and Lorraine Pascale 1:45pm A Culture Show Special 2:45pm The Cockleshell Heroes 4:20pm The Heroes of Telemark 6:25pm Porridge 7:10pm Deep Impact 9:00pm Dragons' Den 10:00pm Gorilla Family and Me 11:00pm U2 - iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE - Live In Paris 1:15am Telstar: The Joe Meek Story 3:10am Countryfile 4:05am Holby City 5:05am Cue the Queen: Celebrating the Christmas Speech
Pat and Stan Dino Dan Share a Story Sooty Super 4 Mr. Bean The Aquabats! Super Show! Weekend at Christmas Countrywise Celebrity Squares Superman ITV News and Weather Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Midsomer Murders ITV News London ITV News and Weather You've Been Framed! Jekyll and Hyde Jekyll and Hyde Harry Price: Ghost Hunter ITV News and Weather Through the Keyhole Rugby Highlights
7:00am Alesha Dixon: The Hot Desk 7:10am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records 7:30am Emmerdale Omnibus 10:45am Coronation Street Omnibus 1:50pm Catchphrase 2:50pm You've Been Framed! 3:50pm Beethoven 5:35pm The Lost World: Jurassic Park 8:05pm Uncle Buck 10:00pm Bridget Jones's Diary 12:00am Scary Movie 5 1:45am Release the Hounds 2:45am Pampered Pooches: Hollywood 3:35am The Almost Impossible Gameshow 4:25am Animal Practice 4:50am The Cube 5:40am Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records
8:00pm First Flight 8:10pm Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit 9:30pm Kung Fu Panda 10:50pm Great Movie Mistakes 11:00pm Family Guy 11:25pm Family Guy 11:45pm American Dad! 12:10am American Dad! 12:30am Family Guy 12:55am Family Guy 1:15am Family Guy 1:35am Russell Howard's Good News
9:00pm Westminster Abbey 10:00pm Gypsy: Live From the Savoy Theatre 12:20am ABBA at the BBC 1:20am Agnetha: Abba and After 2:20am When Albums Ruled the World 3:50am Westminster Abbey 4:50am This is BBC Four
7:00am 7:25am 8:05am 8:35am 10:40am 12:25pm 2:15pm 4:10pm 6:25pm 7:25pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 10:40pm 11:45pm
1:20am 4:00am 4:15am
In Loving Memory Fresh Fields Rising Damp Agatha Christie's Marple On the Buses Blue Murder at St. Trinian's The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's Santa Claus Rosemary and Thyme Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs The One and Only Cilla Cilla's Surprise Surprise Unseen It'll be Alright on the Night Corrie: The Road to Coronation Street Chaplin ITV3 Nightscreen Emmerdale Omnibus
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7:05am 8:40am 10:20am 1:20pm 1:45pm 2:10pm 4:35pm 6:55pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:10pm 12:10am 2:05am 2:35am 3:00am 3:25am 3:55am
5:35am
7:00am 7:05am 7:30am 8:15am 9:05am 10:05am 11:05am 12:05pm 12:35pm 1:00pm 3:05pm 5:25pm 7:10pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 1:10am 3:00am
4:45am
5:10am
SUNDAY TV
Flicka 2 Paws Sunday Brunch The Simpsons The Simpsons Channel 4 Racing Hugo Channel 4 News Celebrity Fifteen to One Million Pound Motors Walking the Himalayas Homeland 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown The Inbetweeners 2 The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners The Inbetweeners That Touch of Mink Cary Grant and Doris Day star in Delbert Mann's delightful, frothy comedyromance. Benchmark
8:40am Little Princess 8:55am Pip Ahoy! 9:10am Blaze and the Monster Machines 9:40am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:55am Wanda and the Alien 10:10am Toby's Travelling Circus 10:25am Jelly Jamm 10:35am LazyTown 11:00am The Mr. Men Show 11:15am Football League Tonight 12:45pm Cromwell 3:25pm The Searchers 5:45pm Escape to Victory 8:00pm World's Strongest Man 2015 8:55pm 5 News Weekend 9:00pm On Benefits: Cashing in for Christmas 10:00pm Most Shocking Celebrity Moments 2015 12:55am Autopsy: The Last Hours of Robin Williams 1:55am Super Casino 4:10am A Primary School Nativity
7:00am Olive, the Other Reindeer 7:50am Little Wolf's Book of Badness 8:20am Famous Fred 8:50am Ivor the Invisible 9:20am Father Christmas 9:55am The Snowman 10:30am The Snowman and the Snowdog 11:00am Hollyoaks Omnibus 1:30pm Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules 3:35pm The Big Bang Theory 4:00pm The Big Bang Theory 4:30pm The Big Bang Theory 5:00pm The Big Bang Theory 5:30pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:30pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:30pm The Big Bang Theory 9:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 12:20am Tattoo Fixers 1:25am Rude Tube
7:00am SNF: Match Choice 8:30am SNF: Match Choice 10:00am The Sunday Supplement 11:30am Goals on Sunday 1:30pm Premier League 2:00pm Premier League 2:30pm Football 5:15pm Football 8:00pm World Darts Championship 12:00am Football League Goals 1:00am Goals on Sunday 2:00am The Sunday Supplement 3:30am Football Gold 3:45am Football Gold 4:00am Football Gold 4:15am Football Gold 4:30am Football Gold 4:45am Football Gold 5:00am Premier League 5:30am Premier League Series profiling some of the greatest players to grace the Barclays Premier League.
Football's Greatest Tommy Cooper Ax Men Ax Men Fifth Gear Shed and Buried Shed and Buried Storage Wars New York Storage Wars New York The 'Burbs Every Which Way But Loose The Great Outdoors Police Academy 6: City Under Siege Legacy! The 2015 Rugby World Cup Rugby Highlights Dirty Harry Coogan's Bluff British Touring Car Championship 2015 Review Tommy Cooper Comedy and magic from comedian Tommy Coope The Professionals
8:50am Babylon A.D. 10:30am Transformers: Age of Extinction 1:15pm Jupiter Ascending 3:30pm Taken 3 5:30pm Babylon A.D. 7:15pm Transformers: Age of Extinction 10:00pm Jupiter Ascending 12:15am Taken 3 2:15am The Equalizer
7:00am Avengers: Age of Ultron Special 7:30am Big Hero 6 9:15am Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 11:00am Exodus: Gods and Kings 1:45pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 4:15pm Big Hero 6 A robotics prodigy helps form a superhero team to combat a masked villain. 6:00pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 8:45pm Frozen Fever 9:00pm Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers reassemble in order to take down terrifying new enemy Ultron. 11:30pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 1:15am I Origins
7:00am Cricket Day two of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG. 8:00am Cricket's Greatest 8:30am Cricket 5:00pm Cricket 5:30pm Cricket's Greatest 6:00pm Cricket's Greatest 6:30pm NFL A game from the NFL. 10:00pm NFL A game from the NFL. 2:00am NFL The Pittsburgh Steelers head to the Baltimore Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium. 5:30am Football Gold A chance to relive some classic matches from English football's top flight. 5:45am Football Gold
7:10am The Monster Squad 8:40am Crocodile Dundee 10:25am The Grand Budapest Hotel 12:10pm 27 Dresses 2:05pm The Waterboy 3:40pm Crocodile Dundee 5:25pm Crocodile Dundee II 7:20pm Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles 9:00pm The Grand Budapest Hotel 10:45pm Let's be Cops 12:35am Road Trip: Beer Pong 2:15am Stir Crazy 4:10am Kenny
56
E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
10:00am Bee Movie 11:20am Old Jack's Boat: Storm in a Teacup 12:00pm Bolt 1:30pm Bargain Hunt 2:10pm BBC News at One 2:25pm BBC London News 2:30pm Father Brown 3:20pm Cool Runnings 4:55pm The Gruffalo 5:25pm Madagascar 6:45pm Pointless 7:30pm BBC News at Six 7:45pm BBC London News 8:00pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:30pm Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Miranda 10:05pm And Then There Were None 11:05pm BBC News 11:20pm BBC London News 11:30pm Match of the Day 1:00am Lewis Hamilton: Making History - F1 2015 Review 2:00am Weather for the Week Ahead
7:15am Homes Under the Hammer 8:15am Escape to the Continent 8:45am This Wild Life 9:15am This Wild Life 9:45am Ivanhoe 11:30am The Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure 12:30pm The Great Pottery Throw Down 1:30pm Les Dawson Talking Comedy 2:00pm The Bear Family and Me 3:00pm Coast 4:00pm Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 5:00pm Flog It! 5:30pm Final Score 6:30pm The Clare Balding Show 7:00pm What Women Want 9:00pm University Challenge 9:30pm Only Connect 10:00pm Behind the Candelabra 11:50pm Two Doors Down 12:50am Dragons' Den 1:50am The Apprentice 3:50am Doctor Who
9:00am The Tom and Jerry Show 9:25am Almost Naked Animals 9:55am Horrid Henry 10:25am Dickinson's Real Deal 11:30am Judge Rinder 12:30pm Who's Doing the Dishes? 1:30pm Catchphrase 2:15pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:30pm Our Cilla 3:30pm Surprise Surprise 4:30pm Midsomer Murders 6:30pm Hedgehog Hotel 7:25pm ITV News London 7:45pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Countrywise 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm John Bishop's Gorilla Adventure 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:15pm The Holiday 1:45am Jackpot247 4:00am The Jeremy Kyle Show
7:00am 7:10am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am
11:00am 1:10pm 3:00pm 4:45pm
5:45pm 6:45pm 10:00pm 12:55am 2:00am 3:00am 3:50am 4:25am 4:50am
5:40am
The Hot Desk Emmerdale Coronation Street Britain's Got More Talent The Almost Impossible Gameshow Arthur and the Great Adventure Beethoven's 2nd The Flintstones The Nation's Favourite Disney Song Catchphrase The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Casino Royale Celebrity Juice Release the Hounds Release the Hounds Reality Bites Animal Practice The Almost Impossible Gameshow Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records
8:00pm The Borrowers 9:30pm Kung Fu Panda 2 10:50pm Great Movie Mistakes 11:00pm EastEnders 11:30pm Bad Education 12:00am American Dad! 12:25am American Dad! 12:45am Family Guy 1:10am Family Guy 1:30am Killer Magic 2:00am Killer Magic 2:30am Killer Magic 3:00am Killer Magic 3:30am Killer Magic 4:00am Killer Magic
8:00pm Doctor Who 8:30pm Doctor Who 9:00pm Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2015: How to Survive in Space 10:00pm Michael Palin's Quest for Artemisia 11:00pm Sammy Davis Jr: The Kid in the Middle 12:00am Papillon
7:00am George and Mildred 7:25am Wycliffe 8:20am Heidi 10:30am Heidi 12:35pm Inspector Morse 2:40pm Sparkling Cyanide 4:40pm Forever Young Romantic drama. 6:40pm Inspector Morse 9:00pm Foyle's War 11:00pm Endeavour Crime drama series about the young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. 1:00am Agatha Christie's Marple 3:05am Inspector Morse 4:55am A Touch of Frost Frost has to try and put an end to a series of brutal attacks on senior citizens on his patch.
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7:10am Small Animal Hospital 7:50am See Spot Run 9:35am The Big Bang Theory 10:05am The Big Bang Theory 10:35am The Big Bang Theory 11:05am Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer 12:50pm The Simpsons 1:15pm The Simpsons 1:45pm The Simpsons 2:15pm Marmaduke 3:55pm Stuart Little 2 5:25pm Mirror Mirror 7:30pm Channel 4 News 7:35pm Hollyoaks 8:05pm A Frozen Christmas 9:00pm The World's Most Expensive Food 10:00pm Gogglebox 11:35pm Tattoo Fixers The Tattoo Fixers return to revamp more embarrassing, offensive and awful body art. 12:40am David Blaine 1:50am The Omen 3:45am The China Syndrome 5:45am Benchmark
8:55am Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 9:10am Peppa Pig 9:25am Paw Patrol 9:45am Bananas in Pajamas 9:55am Milkshake! Bop Box 10:00am Toot the Tiny Tugboat 10:10am Toby's Travelling Circus 10:20am Wanda and the Alien 10:35am The Mr. Men Show 10:50am World's Strongest Man 2015 11:50am An American in Paris 2:00pm Anchors Aweigh 4:55pm High Society 7:00pm Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild 7:55pm World's Strongest Man 2015 8:50pm 5 News 9:00pm Building the Ice Hotel 10:00pm The Frank Sinatra Story 11:00pm Sinatra Live in New York 12:00am Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back
7:00am Goals of the 90s 7:10am The Big Match Revisited 7:55am Tommy Cooper 8:25am The Professionals 9:25am Minder 10:35am Storage Wars Texas 11:00am Storage Wars 11:30am Storage Wars Texas 12:00pm Storage Wars 12:30pm Storage Wars Texas 12:55pm Storage Wars 1:25pm Storage Wars Texas 1:50pm Storage Wars 2:20pm Storage Wars Texas 2:50pm Storage Wars 3:15pm The Land That Time Forgot 5:10pm Spartacus 9:00pm Cannonball Run II 11:10pm Death Wish 5: The Face of Death 1:05am Rugby Highlights 2:10am Rumble in the Bronx 3:55am Ax Men 4:45am Nitro Circus 5:05am ITV4 Nightscreen 5:20am The Cycle Show
7:00am Into the Storm 8:35am Twister 10:30am Mission: Impossible III 12:40pm The Matrix 3:00pm The Terminator 5:00pm Predator 7:00pm Predator 2 9:00pm The Matrix 11:30pm The Terminator 1:30am Mission: Impossible III
7:35am Romy and Michele's High School Reunion 9:10am Patch Adams 11:10am The Interview 1:15pm Little Miss Sunshine 3:05pm Shanghai Noon 5:00pm Shanghai Knights 6:55pm Pretty Woman 9:00pm The Interview 11:05pm Bad Santa 12:50am City Slickers 2:50am Sex Ed 4:30am The Love Guru
7:00am 7:25am 7:45am 8:30am 9:30am 10:35am 11:00am 11:35am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 12:30am 1:00am 3:05am
Rude(Ish) Tube Rude(Ish) Tube Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Rude(Ish) Tube Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Toy Story of Terror The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Made in Chelsea Scream Queens The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Rude Tube Made in Chelsea
7:00am Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 8:45am Big Hero 6 10:30am Exodus: Gods and Kings 1:05pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 3:30pm Big Hero 6 5:15pm Cinderella 7:15pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 9:00pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 11:35pm Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers reassemble in order to take down terrifying new enemy Ultron. 2:00am I Origins 3:55am The Marine 4: Moving Target 5:30am Dino Time Three kids travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.
MONDAY TV
7:00am Goals on Sunday 8:00am Football Gold 8:15am Football Gold 8:30am Football Gold 8:45am Football Gold 9:00am Goals on Sunday 10:00am Football Gold 10:15am Football Gold 10:30am Football Gold 10:45am Football Gold 11:00am Premier League 11:30am Premier League 12:00pm Premier League 12:30pm Goals on Sunday 1:30pm Football 4:00pm Gillette Soccer Special 6:00pm FL72 8:30pm World Darts Championship 12:30am Football Gold 12:45am Football Gold 1:00am NFL 2:00am NFL 5:30am NFL A profile of New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin.
7:00am Cricket 8:00am Cricket Day three of the first Test between South Africa and England at Kingsmead in Durban. 5:00pm Cricket 6:00pm Cricket 7:00pm Cricket 8:00pm Cricket 9:00pm Cricket 10:00pm Cricket 11:00pm Cricket's Greatest Series profiling some of the greatest cricketers of all time. 11:30pm Cricket Day three of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG. 12:30am Cricket Day four of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG.
58
E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
7:00am 8:30am 10:00am 11:20am 1:00pm 1:45pm 2:00pm 2:10pm 3:00pm 5:00pm 5:25pm
Breakfast Match of the Day Shark Tale Cars 2 Bargain Hunt BBC News at One BBC London News Father Brown National Treasure The Gruffalo's Child Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News Celebrity Mastermind EastEnders Holby City David Beckham: For the Love of the Game BBC News BBC London News Peter Kay's Car Share Mrs. Brown's Boys Boomers Comedy series following the ups and downs of three retired couples. Weather for the Week Ahead
7:15am Homes Under the Hammer 8:15am Escape to the Continent 8:45am This Wild Life 9:15am An Island Parish: Falklands 9:45am Show Boat 11:30am The Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure 12:30pm The Great Pottery Throw Down 1:30pm Peter Sellers Talking Comedy 2:00pm The Bear Family and Me 3:00pm Coast 4:00pm Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 5:00pm Flog It! 5:55pm Natural World 6:55pm Finding Neverland 8:30pm University Challenge 9:00pm Gareth Malone's Great Choir Reunion 10:00pm Stephen Fry: A Life on Screen 11:00pm QI 11:30pm Albert Nobbs 1:15am Race to Super Bowl 50 2:05am Top Gear
Dino Dan Dino Dan Sooty Super 4 Good Morning Britain Lorraine Dickinson's Real Deal Who's Doing the Dishes? Pick Me! ITV Lunchtime News Evan Almighty Midsomer Murders The Queen ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale The Amazing SpiderMan ITV News American Pie Jackpot247 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA Jeremy Kyle presents the explosive US version of his popular talk show. ITV Nightscreen Text-based information service.
7:00am 7:10am 7:55am 8:25am 9:20am
6:45pm 7:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:15pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:10am 12:40am
1:10am
7:00am 7:15am 7:25am 7:40am 8:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 12:30pm 1:30pm 1:45pm 3:30pm 5:30pm 7:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:10pm 11:25pm 1:05am 4:00am
4:40am
10:25am
11:25am 1:20pm 1:55pm 2:20pm 2:55pm 4:00pm 5:05pm 6:10pm 7:10pm 8:15pm 10:00pm 12:55am 2:00am 2:55am 3:45am 4:20am 4:45am
The Hot Desk The Cube Emmerdale Coronation Street Britain's Got More Talent The Almost Impossible Gameshow The Little Vampire Emmerdale Coronation Street Coronation Street The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show Catchphrase You've Been Framed! Liar Liar The Shawshank Redemption Celebrity Juice Pampered Pooches: Hollywood Release the Hounds Viral Tap Animal Practice The Almost Impossible Gameshow
8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 12:25am 12:45am 1:05am 1:30am 1:50am 2:20am 2:50am 3:15am 3:45am 4:15am 4:45am
Top Gear Don't Tell the Bride Don't Tell the Bride EastEnders Russell Howard's Good News Family Guy Family Guy American Dad! Family Guy Family Guy Top Coppers Top Coppers Top Coppers Top Coppers Top Coppers Top Coppers Sunny D
9:00pm Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2015: How to Survive in Space 10:00pm Roy Orbison: One of the Lonely Ones 11:00pm Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night 12:00am The Richest Songs in the World
7:00am 7:25am 7:45am 8:50am 10:55am 12:55pm 2:55pm 4:50pm 6:40pm 9:00pm 11:00pm
1:00am
3:00am
4:50am
On the Buses Judge Judy Wycliffe Inspector Morse Sparkling Cyanide Hidden Treasure Carry on at Your Convenience Carry on Camping Inspector Morse Foyle's War Endeavour Crime drama series about the young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. Lewis Feature-length drama following on from the Inspector Morse series. Inspector Morse Drama series featuring Colin Dexter's laconic detective. A Touch of Frost This police drama series focuses on Detective Inspector Frost and his Superintendent Harry Mullett.
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7:05am Small Animal Hospital 7:45am Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts 9:15am The Big Bang Theory 9:45am The Big Bang Theory 10:10am The Big Bang Theory 10:40am The Simpsons 11:10am The Simpsons 11:40am Captain Ron 1:40pm New in Town 3:30pm Coraline 5:35pm Gulliver's Travels 7:10pm Channel 4 News 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Inside Lego at Christmas 9:00pm The Supervet at Christmas 10:00pm 8 Out of 10 Cats 11:00pm Big Fat Quiz of the Year 1:05am Kingdom of Heaven 3:30am Peep Show 3:55am Peep Show 4:25am Peep Show 4:50am Gadget Man 5:15am Benchmark
7:00am The Big Match Revisited 7:50am Tommy Cooper 8:15am The Professionals 9:15am Minder 10:25am Alias Smith and Jones 11:30am Silverstone Classic 2015 12:30pm Goodwood Revival 1:30pm The Professionals 2:35pm Gunsmoke 4:15pm Death of a Gunfighter 6:10pm The Rawhide Years 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm The Chase: Celebrity Special 10:00pm Waterworld 12:40am A Dangerous Man 2:35am The Fog 4:10am Minder Drama series about the shady dealings of a pair of loveable rogues. 5:05am ITV4 Nightscreen 5:20am The Cycle Show
8:10am 8:25am 8:35am 8:50am 9:05am 9:15am 9:25am 9:35am 9:50am 10:05am 11:05am 12:35pm 1:30pm 3:15pm 5:40pm 7:10pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:45pm 2:15am 4:10am 5:00am 5:25am 5:45am
Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Peppa Pig Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat World's Strongest Man 2015 Football League Tonight Ice Road Truckers Carry on Nurse The Dam Busters What the Dambusters Did Next Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild World's Strongest Man 2015 Snowtrapped Flowers in the Attic Erin Brockovich Super Casino Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Michaela's Wild Challenge Divine Designs House Doctor
12:15pm The Top Ten Show 2015 12:30pm Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 3:00pm 3.10 to Yuma 5:10pm The Goonies 7:10pm The Patriot 10:00pm Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 12:30am Die Hard
6:00am Monkey Business 7:40am Planes, Trains and Automobiles 9:25am The Good Dinosaur: Special 9:55am Lovesick 11:30am The Other Woman 1:30pm Night at the Museum 3:25pm Me, Myself and Irene 5:25pm Daddy Day Care 7:00pm Blended 9:00pm The Other Woman 10:50pm There's Something About Mary 12:50am Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny
7:00am 7:20am 7:45am 8:35am 9:35am 10:05am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:50pm 12:25am 12:50am 1:55am
Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Rude(Ish) Tube Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Lost and Found Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Tattoo Fixers Tripped The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Gogglebox Gogglebox
7:00am Cinderella Lavish, live-action retelling of the classic fairytale. 8:50am Avengers: Age of Ultron 11:15am Big Hero 6 1:00pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 3:35pm Cinderella 5:30pm Big Hero 6 7:15pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 9:00pm Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers reassemble in order to take down terrifying new enemy Ultron. 11:25pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 2:00am I Origins 3:55am The Marine 4: Moving Target 5:30am Dino Time Three kids travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.
TUESDAY TV
7:00am 7:15am 7:30am 7:45am 8:00am 9:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 12:00am
12:30am
1:00am 1:30am 2:00am 3:00am 3:30am
Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Football Gold Soccer A.M. - The Best Bits Big Bash League Pace Like Fire Adam Gilchrist Masterclass SPFL Round Up World Darts Championship Premier League SPFL Round Up Fantasy Football Club Highlights Football League Goals Football Football League Goals Sky Sports Originals: The Sir Alex Ferguson Interview Sky Sports Originals - Cantona: Return of the King Football's Greatest II Football's Greatest II Football League Goals Football's Greatest II Football's Greatest II
7:00am Cricket 8:00am Cricket 5:00pm Cricket Day four of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG. 6:00pm Cricket Day four of the first Test between South Africa and England at Kingsmead in Durban. 7:00pm Cricket 8:00pm World Darts Championship The evening session on day eleven of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace. 12:00am Sporting Greats A look back on the career of boxing legend Sugar Ray Robinson. 12:30am Cricket Day five of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG.
OPINION & COMMENT
24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
www.euroweeklynews.com
EWN
59
Stromare
Spare a thought for the events of December 20, 1973 Cassandra Nash A weekly look - and not entirely impartial reaction to the Spanish political scene
AS Spain digests its Christmas Eve dinner and politicians digest the election results, spare a thought for December 20, 1973. That was when the car of Spain’s Prime Minister Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco was blown up in Calle Claudio Coello in Madrid. He was returning home after Mass as he did each morning in his official car, a black Dodge, and his unvarying routine made him an easy target. The attack was carried out by ETA’s five-strong Txikia commando and took more than a year to set up. The choice of Carrero Blanco
SANTOÑA (CANTABRIA): The monument to Carrero Blanco in his birthplace.
was an obvious one, he had been a close adviser to Franco since 1941, when he came to the dictator’s notice after writing a report advising against entering the Second World War on the side of the fascist Axis. The admiral was made a minister in 1951, became vice-prime minister in 1967. He was named prime minister six months before his assassination. The aging dictator, who boasted that all loose ends were ‘tied up and well tied up,’ trusted that on his death Carrero Blanco would ensure that the Movimiento, Spain’s only political organisation, survived after Prince Juan Carlos was proclaimed King. So what was in Franco’s mind when he began his Christmas speech that year with the phrase: ‘No hay mal que por bien no venga?’ Using the equivalent of
‘It’s an ill wind that blows no good’ generated inevitable conspiracy theories. How could the ETA commando spend a year in Madrid setting up the plot to kill Carrero Blanco without detection? Why did Henry Kissinger, the US Secretary of State, visit Madrid two days previously? Better still, Carlos Arias Navarro, the former Interior minister who replaced Carrero Blanco as prime minister, was nominally in charge of providing him with protection, and should have uncovered the plot, it was suggested. Two years later, Franco was dead and Arias Navarro would be in office for only a few months more. He was replaced by Adolfo Suarez who, together with Juan Carlos I, steered Spain to democracy. But that’s another story.
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E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
7:00am Breakfast 10:00am The Princess and the Frog 11:30am Chicken Run 12:50pm Bargain Hunt 1:50pm BBC News at One 2:05pm BBC London News 2:10pm Father Brown 3:00pm National Treasure: Book of Secrets 4:55pm Room on the Broom 5:20pm Monsters, Inc. 6:45pm Pointless 7:30pm BBC News at Six 7:45pm BBC London News 8:00pm Celebrity Mastermind 8:30pm A Question of Sport 9:00pm Antiques Roadshow 10:00pm Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough 11:00pm BBC News at Ten 11:15pm BBC London News 11:25pm Catherine Tate's Nan 11:55pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 12:35am Comic Relief 2015: Thanks a Billion! 1:35am Weather for the Week Ahead
7:20am Homes Under the Hammer 8:20am This Wild Life 8:50am Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip 9:20am Waterloo 11:30am The Hairy Bikers' Northern Exposure 12:30pm The Great Pottery Throw Down 1:30pm The Two Ronnies Talking Comedy 2:00pm The Bear Family and Me 3:00pm Coast 4:00pm Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth 5:00pm Flog It! 5:50pm Natural World 6:50pm Alice in Wonderland 8:30pm University Challenge 9:00pm Top Gear 10:00pm Charlie Brooker's End of Year Review 2015 11:00pm A Gert Lush Christmas 12:00am Mock the Week 12:30am Backchat Looks Back 1:15am The Shipping News 3:00am Behind the Candelabra
7:00am 7:25am 7:40am 8:00am
7:00am 7:10am 7:35am 8:25am 8:50am
9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 12:30pm 1:30pm
3:20pm 3:35pm 5:30pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:15pm 1:10am
Dino Dan Sooty Super 4 Good Morning Britain Lorraine Dickinson's Real Deal Judge Rinder Who's Doing the Dishes? Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ITV Lunchtime News Midsomer Murders Dinosaur Britain Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Big Star's Little Star It'll be Alright on the Night ITV News at Ten and Weather American Pie 2 Jackpot247
9:50am
10:55am 12:50pm 1:50pm 2:20pm 3:25pm 4:35pm 5:40pm 6:45pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 1:45am 2:45am 3:40am
The Hot Desk You've Been Framed! The Cube Emmerdale Britain's Got More Talent The Almost Impossible Gameshow Horrid Henry: The Movie You've Been Framed! Emmerdale The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show The Jeremy Kyle Show Catchphrase The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Luke Kempner's Impression of 2015 Celebrity Juice Scary Movie 5 Luke Kempner's Impression of 2015 Release the Hounds Viral Tap
8:00pm Top Gear 9:00pm Toy Story 10:15pm Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 12:05am Family Guy 12:25am Family Guy 12:50am American Dad! 1:10am American Dad! 1:30am Russell Howard's Good News 2:00am Him and Her 2:30am Him and Her 3:00am Him and Her 3:30am Him and Her 4:00am Him and Her 4:30am Him and Her
8:30pm Tomorrow's World 9:00pm Royal Institution Christmas Lectures 2015: How to Survive in Space 10:00pm The Real Star of Bethlehem: A Sky at Night Christmas Special 11:00pm Vertigo
7:00am Movies Now 7:10am Swallows and Amazons 8:50am Rising Damp 9:25am A Christmas Carol 10:55am Carry on Loving 12:50pm Agatha Christie's Marple 2:55pm Carry on Cleo 4:50pm Carry on Cruising 6:40pm Inspector Morse 9:00pm Doc Martin The peace of Portwenn is disturbed when a hoard of twitchers descend on the village. 11:00pm Endeavour Crime drama series about the young Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. 1:00am Chaplin 3:45am A Christmas Carol A modern take on Charles Dickens's classic novel.
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7:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 7:25am Small Animal Hospital 8:10am The Love Bug 10:15am The Big Bang Theory 11:10am The Simpsons 11:40am The Phantom 1:40pm Chalet Girl 3:35pm Freaky Friday 5:35pm Sunshine on Leith 7:20pm Channel 4 News 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Gogglesprogs 9:00pm What Britain Bought in 2015 10:00pm 24 Hours in A and E 11:00pm The Millionaire Party Planner 12:05am Fast Five 2:30am Rude Tube 3:25am Friday Night Dinner 4:20am Friday Night Dinner The family are distraught when Grandma gets engaged to Mr Morris, her horrible 85-year-old boyfriend. 4:50am Gadget Man
7:00am The Big Match Revisited 7:50am Tommy Cooper 8:15am The Professionals 9:15am Minder 10:20am Alias Smith and Jones 11:25am Everything or Nothing: The Untold Stories of 007 1:25pm Destry 3:20pm The Far Country 5:20pm Nevada Smith 8:00pm Pawn Stars 8:30pm Pawn Stars 9:00pm Fifth Gear 10:00pm Magnum Force 12:30am Public Enemies 3:15am Beetlejuice 4:50am ITV4 Nightscreen 4:55am Tommy Cooper Comedy and magic from legendary Tommy Cooper. 5:20am Ax Men Series following the work of North American lumberjacks as they risk their lives to cut timber.
8:05am 8:20am 8:30am 8:45am 9:00am 9:15am 9:35am 9:50am 10:00am 10:15am 10:25am 11:25am 1:10pm 2:55pm 5:05pm 7:10pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:50pm 2:10am 4:10am 5:00am 5:25am
Little Princess Bob the Builder Thomas and Friends Noddy in Toyland Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom Peppa Pig Paw Patrol Bananas in Pajamas Toot the Tiny Tugboat Wanda and the Alien World's Strongest Man 2015 Carry on Constable Carry on Spying Annie Get Your Gun Calamity Jane Loch Lomond: A Year in the Wild World's Strongest Man 2015 Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Snow Big Driver Needful Things Super Casino On Benefits: Cashing in for Christmas Michaela's Wild Challenge Divine Designs
11:30am Clash of the Titans 1:30pm Babylon A.D. 3:15pm The Top Ten Show 2015 3:30pm 300: Rise of an Empire 5:30pm Clash of the Titans 7:30pm Noah 10:00pm Babylon A.D. 11:45pm 300: Rise of an Empire 1:45am Anaconda
10:35am 12:20pm 2:10pm 4:00pm 5:40pm
7:20pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 12:45am
Boat Trip Last Vegas Never Been Kissed Balls of Fury Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Austin Powers in Goldmember Last Vegas Sex Tape Boat Trip
7:00am 7:20am 7:45am 8:35am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am
WEDNESDAY TV
Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Charmed Charmed Hollyoaks Rude(Ish) Tube Bad(Ish) Robots Troy Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Charmed Charmed How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Johnny English Reborn Supernatural Supernatural
7:00am Football League Goals 8:00am Game Changers 8:30am Fantasy Football Club Highlights 9:00am Big Bash League 12:30pm Pace Like Fire 1:00pm Adam Gilchrist Masterclass 1:30pm Fantasy Football Club Highlights 2:00pm Football League Goals 3:00pm Football Gold 3:15pm Football Gold 3:25pm Fantasy Football Club Highlights 3:55pm Football 6:00pm Premier League 6:30pm Pl 100: Robbie Fowler 7:00pm Premier League 7:30pm Pl 100: Steven Gerrard 8:00pm Football 11:15pm Football 11:30pm Football Gold 11:45pm Premier League 12:15am Football Gold 12:30am Premier League 100 Club 1:00am Ford Football Special
7:00am Frozen Fever 7:15am Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 9:00am Dino Time 10:30am Exodus: Gods and Kings 1:05pm Frozen Fever 1:20pm Avengers: Age of Ultron 3:45pm Big Hero 6 5:30pm Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 7:15pm Big Hero 6 9:00pm Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers reassemble in order to take down terrifying new enemy Ultron. 11:30pm Exodus: Gods and Kings 2:05am I Origins 3:55am The Marine 4: Moving Target 5:30am Dino Time
7:00am Cricket Day five of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG. 8:00am Cricket Day five of the first Test between South Africa and England at Kingsmead, Durban. 5:00pm Cricket Day five of the second Test between Australia and West Indies at the MCG. 6:00pm Football Rayo Vallecano meet Atletico Madrid in La Liga at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas. 8:25pm Football A match from Spain's La Liga. 10:30pm Barcelona's Strike Force 11:00pm ODI Cricket
12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 11:05pm 12:00am
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www.euroweeklynews.com
OPINION & COMMENT
Grim reality as Snow White’s seven ‘dwarfs’ are given the heigh-ho... PANTO bosses in Leicester are replacing them with ‘friends’ 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
“ONCE upon a time in the middle of winter, when the flakes of snow were falling like feathers from the sky, a queen sat at a window sewing . . .” Thus begins the tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Unless you live in Leicester, where this year the pantomime is Snow White. Just Snow White. A Christmas panto where she’ll have ‘friends’, possibly seven, but definitely no dwarfs. ‘Dwarf,’ a spokesman for the venue explained to a local paper, ‘is not a term that people feel comfortable with.’ Hmm. So, politically-correct panto bosses have given Snow White’s seven ‘dwarfs’ the heigh-ho... by replacing them with ‘friends’. This is the result
LONELY: No dwarfs for Snow White in Leicester this year. of daft, left-wing political correctness, and the people of Leicester have every right to feel short changed. Is no one going to stand up for all those in society who are vertically challenged? And what about the Christmas concert, when children were ordered to change the traditional lyrics of the Christmas song about the little donkey said to have carried the pregnant Mary
to Bethlehem because they were ‘too religious’. Instead of ‘Little donkey, carry Mary’, the youngsters were told to sing ‘carry Lucy’ for fear of offending non-Christians. Next, we’ll have the race for the first Church of England vicar to tell some tiny toddlers Santa doesn’t exist, and the first local council to erect in the town square an edgy ‘seasonal, inclu-
brand it a ‘winter concert’, which will not feature any religious songs. He’s also, reportedly, not allowing two mothers to teach Christmas carols to the children during lunch breaks. This in Italy, a primarily Roman Catholic country! Ah, with all this PAISAN HOMHUAN / Shutterstock.com talk of political correctness, it’s already beginning to feel like Christmas. And a sure sign that Santa’s sive, celebratory installation’ instead of already having his sleigh valeted at baby Jesus in his crib. Kwik Fit. Happy Christmas! All this amid news that an Italian Nora Johnson’s thrillers ‘Landscape headmaster has banned Christmas conof Lies’, ‘Retribution’, ‘Soul Stealer’, certs and carols in his school near Mi‘The De Clerambault Code’ lan in the name of multiculturalism. He (www.nora-johnson.com) available triggered protests from parents and from Amazon in paperback/eBook media flak by opting to postpone the (€0.89;£0.79) and iBookstore. All annual Christmas concert for primary profits to Cudeca charity. school pupils until January, and re-
TIME OUT
24 - 30 December 2015/ Costa Blanca South
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Famous quote
This week
MADDOCKS’ VIEW ON LIFE
‘
The term ‘serious actor’ is kind of an oxymoron, isn’t it? Like ‘Republican party’ or ‘airplane food.’ Johnny Depp
in history 1 - 1st Christmas, according to calendar-maker Dionysus Exiguus 352 - 1st definite date Christmas was celebrated on Dec 25th 640 - John IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope 1066 - Duke William of Normandy (‘William the Conqueror’) crowned king of England 1170 - Assassination inside Canterbury Cathedral of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury 1492 - Christopher Columbus’ flagship the Santa María runs aground and sinks on Hispaniola 1568 - Uprising of Moriscos in Granada 1741 - Astronomer Anders Celsius introduces Centigrade temperature scale 1758 - Return of Halley’s comet 1st sighted by Johann Georg Palitzsch 1777 - Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, is discovered by James Cook 1818 - Christmas carol ‘Silent Night’ composed by Franz Xaver Gruber is first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria 1893 - Henry Ford completes his first useful petrol fuelled engine 1914 - Legendary ‘Christmas Truce’ takes place on the battlefields of WWI between British and German troops. Instead of fighting, soldiers exchange gifts and play football. 1922 - BBC broadcasts first British radio play ‘The Truth about Father Christmas’ 1927 - Stalin’s faction wins All-Union Congress in USSR, Trotsky expelled 1963 - Walt Disney’s ‘The Sword in the Stone’ is released 1966 - Jimi Hendrix writes ‘Purple Haze’ backstage at the Upper Cut Club 1968 - Frank Sinatra 1st records ‘My Way’ with lyrics were written by Paul Anka 1975 - Eldrick Tont ‘Tiger’ Woods, was born in Cypress, California.
Women’s wit
‘
If I make a fool of myself, who cares? I’m not frightened by anyone’s perception of me. Angelina Jolie
World of English
‘
If lawyers are disbarred, and clergymen defrocked, does it not follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged and drycleaners depressed?
“ MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL - AND YOU THERE - ALL ALONE! “
Costa Blanca
weather
Kakuro
for next 7 days
TODAY
Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.
TOMORROW
JAVEA
DENIA JAVEA
DENIA
CALPE CALPE ALTEA ALTEA BENIDORM BENIDORM
ALICANTE
ALICANTE
TORREVIEJA
TORREVIEJA
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION ORIHUELA
ORIHUELA
Fri Sat Sun -
Benidorm
CLOUDY MAX 18C, MIN 10C MAX MIN
18 9 S 18 11 Cl 17 9 C
Mon - 18 9 Cl Tues - 19 10 S Wed - 18 11 S
CLEAR MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
19 10 S 19 10 Cl 19 9 C
MAX 19C, MIN 11C Mon - 19 11 S Tues - 19 11 S Wed - 18 11 S
Fri Sat Sun -
16 8 C 16 8 S 17 9 C S Sun,
19 9 C 19 10 Cl 17 10 Cl
MAX MIN
Mon - 19 9 C Tues - 19 12 Cl Wed - 19 9 C
Madrid
CLOUDY MAX 17C, MIN 9C MAX MIN
MAX MIN
Mon - 16 9 C Tues - 16 9 C Wed - 17 10 Cl Cl Clear,
TODAY:
Fog,
18 11 S 18 10 C 18 10 C
TODAY:
CLOUDY MAX 19C, MIN 7C MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
19 8 C 18 7 Cl 18 7 C
CLOUDY MAX 15C, MIN 2C
16 2 S 15 4 C 14 3 C C Cloudy,
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Mon - 14 4 C Tues - 15 5 C Wed - 15 4 C
MAX MIN
Mon - 19 9 C Tues - 18 8 C Wed - 19 8 C
Sh Showers,
CLOUDY MAX 20C, MIN 7C MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
20 8 S 19 9 C 19 7 C Sn Snow,
UK NATIONAL LOTTERY
UK THUNDERBALL
IRISH LOTTO
Saturday December 19
Saturday December 19
Saturday December 19
EURO MILLIONS
LA PRIMITIVA
EL GORDO DE LA PRIMITIVA
MAX MIN
Mon - 18 11 C Tues - 19 11 Cl Wed - 18 11 C
Murcia
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Fri Sat Sun -
Mallorca
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
CLEAR MAX 18C, MIN 9C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Mon - 18 11 S Tues - 19 12 S Wed - 18 12 S
CLEAR MAX 19C, MIN 9C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
Barcelona TODAY:
18 11 S 17 12 C 18 11 C
Bilbao
Almeria TODAY:
MAX MIN
Fri Sat Sun -
Malaga
CLOUDY MAX 18C, MIN 11C
TODAY:
MAX MIN
MAX MIN
Mon - 20 7 S Tues - 21 8 S Wed - 21 9 S Th Thunder
LOTTERY
Alicante TODAY:
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13
14
4
3
14
Friday December 18
6
9 27
46
10
48
50
20
Saturday December 19
Sunday December 20
7
8
4
15
16
23
34
35
31
22 22
38
26
45
46
48
16
29
13
BONUS BALL
THUNDERBALL
BONUS BALL
42
9
16
LUCKY STARS
5
6
24
REINTEGRO
42
0
REINTEGRO
7
E W N 24 - 30 December 2015/ Costa Blanca South
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Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, and Distributed by Paramount Pictures. Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, and Alec Baldwin. This time: Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt) finds himself on the run from the CIA as his team takes on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organisation as highly skilled as they are committed to destroying the IMF.
Javier Arenas, December 28, Politician. Javier Arenas is a Spanish politician who has held a senior position in the PP for many years under both Prime Ministers and is a past president of the party.
58
Barry Chuckle, December 24, Comedian, 71 British comedian who with his brother Paul forms the duo, the Chuckle Brothers whose act is aimed at children but is secretly watched by adults as well. Jorgie Porter, December 25, Actress, 28 Originally known as an actress in Hollyoaks, Jorgina Alexandra Porter has become a celebrity at large appearing in a number of TV reality shows, culminating in I’m a Celebrity in 2015. She said after that she ‘fancied’ former dragon contestant Duncan Bannatyne. Martin Cooper, December 26, Inventor, 87 Entrepreneur and inventor known for his work with the Motorola Company in the USA. He is credited with inventing the first mobile phone in the 1970s. Salman Khan, December 27, Actor, 50 Indian film actor, producer and television personality who has had huge success with a string of Bollywood hits. He is said to be one of the most popular and commercially successful actors of Hindi cinema. Ted Danson, December 29, Actor, 68 Best known for his role as bartender, Sam Malone on the television show, Cheers, he has had other starring roles in TV and film over a long career. Jeff Lynne, December 30, Musician, 68 Singer with the Move and founder of Electric Light Orchestra as well as member of the Traveling Wilburys alongside Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty.
Funagram
Just Joking
Unscramble the name of a famous film often shown on TV at Christmas time (four words): ALLOW UNDER FIFTIES
Two cannibals are eating dinner and one says to the other, “I hate my mother-in-law.” The other replies, “Well, just eat your noodles, then.”
Unscramble the name of a single that was a UK number one at Christmas time (three words): IT MENTIONED WALES FUNAGRAM SOLUTION: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, MISTLETOE AND WINE
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Hexagram
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 (DANCER) and one letter in four other cells are given as clues.
ATTEST BANTER CAMERA CHEERY CHEESE DANCER (10) DISTAL EARTHY EFFORT ELDEST
GAMBOL HEATER PANDER RETINA RETURN SCURRY SERENE VORTEX YEARLY
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 1 Creaky 2 Chalet 3 Strain 4 Shrift 5 Letter 6 Careen 7 Closer 8 Events 9 Hollow 10 Centre 11 Quaver 12 Billet 13 Astute 14 Lingua 15 Russet 16 Sulfur 17 Beaten 18 Strict 19 Chaste
PISCES (February 20 - March 20) One thing is certain, when you come through this week’s restless planetary antics, you won’t be totally the same Piscean who walked in. ARIES (March 21 - April 20) Education, media, creative and social connections are given star merit. The solar eclipse in your own sign bursts with vitality and success, more so for an array of bold moves, replacements and makeovers covering your personal affairs. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) Stand by for a week of whoosh and whirl. More importantly, try to avoid getting tongue-tied or dogmatic on Tuesday and Friday. Promising potentials appear, especially if you spruce up your competitive streak. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Throughout this fortunate week,
CAPRICORN
(December 22 - January 20)
Hard-working, enterprising and selfsacrificing are just some of the words that describe your zodiac sign. It will be these qualities that count. Friday will boost your powers of persuasion, but you won’t have too much to complain about if you follow this lucky trend into next week’s encouraging tide. whatever else you decide, refuse to discard your hopes and wishes. As a Gemini, you like to have two strings to your bow of life, which gives you an alternative option, especially if the going gets tough.
EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREA
12-Star Quiz TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS All the questions or answers contain an ‘item’ mentioned in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas 1. Rosie was a 1968 UK top 10 hit single for which English busker/one-man band? 2. What name is often applied to politicians who advocate peaceful or conciliatory policies, especially in foreign affairs? 3. In which allegorical and dystopian novella, first published in 1945, are the hens among the first to rebel against a large Berkshire boar named Napoleon? 4. Which British sitcom, originally broadcast on BBC One from 1989 to 1998, then revived on ITV in 2014, starred Pauline Quirke, Linda Robson and Lesley Joseph? 5. Endemic to Colombia, the gold-ringed tanager is a species of what? 6. Which British 1978 adventure film about a group of mercenaries in Africa, starred Richard Burton as Colonel Allen Faulkner, Roger Moore as Lieutenant Shawn Fynn, Richard Harris as Captain Rafer Janders and Hardy Krüger as Lieutenant Pieter Coetzee? 7. With which sport would you principally associate the Sydney Swans? 8. According to the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence, where was the maid and what was she doing? 9. Which group of ladies were ‘in the mood for dancing’ in 1980? 10. What colour are the benches (seats) in the UK House of Lords? 11. What was the name of Doctor Who’s travelling companion played by actress Billy Piper? 12. Which famous actress used ‘thespian words’ to tell a group of street drummers to be quiet while still dressed in her stage costume as Queen Elizabeth II outside the Gielgud Theatre in London in May 2013? Not a lot of people know that… every year since 1984, a group of economists at PNC Wealth Management have figured out how much it would cost to actually buy all the things on the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ list.
YOUR STARS AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) Eager Mars meets affluent Jupiter and enriches your financial forecast. It might show a foretaste of money to come, or on-stream benefits. If you intend to make alterations to your personal and home interests, you'll cope with both offbeat and upbeat activities.
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VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Even if the opposite to what you want happens, it could prove useful. One clue to this week’s planetary crossword puzzle is ‘What word could also mean success?’ Check it out, and make it work for you. LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) The solar eclipse in your opposite sign of Aries intensifies your willpower. Before you say ‘go,’ find out where you stand. It might pay you to leave things be for a little longer to see if things begin to change.
CANCER (June 22 - July 23) A vivid star pattern portends a frantic personal and social diary. Ensure that any tight planning is carefully handled, especially if you hope to fit in everything you would like to say. Don’t allow Monday or Wednesday’s tensions to spoil opportunities for settling something important.
SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) The planets mobilise your streak of Scorpio daring, but don't stretch your limits. Your most effective weapon against personal and work-related pitfalls is your ability to be objective. Your desire to make specific situations and conversations work needs to be combined with your faith that they will work. Even if a different approach is required, try it and see.
LEO (July 24 - August 23) Pave the way for any ambitious schemes you may have, rather than actually starting them. With your ruler the Sun eclipsing your kindred fire sign, determined Aries, you are now more likely to get the support and affection you need from the powers that be or someone who thinks the world of you. Loosen up on Tuesday and Thursday.
SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) The main gist of the solar eclipse in fiery Aries and the link between plucky Mars and your ruler friendly Jupiter will stir surprises. Whether you create the right atmosphere all round depends on how you interpret other people’s views. Stick to crisp, simple but sensitively tuned answers, then no one can accuse you of not trying.
1. DON PARTRIDGE, 2. DOVES, 3. ANIMAL FARM, 4. BIRDS OF A FEATHER, 5. BIRD, 6. THE WILD GEESE, 7. AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL, 8. IN THE GARDEN HANGING OUT THE CLOTHES, 9. NOLAN SISTERS/THE NOLANS, 10. RED, 11. ROSE TYLER, 12. Dame HELEN MIRREN
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Nonagram How many English words of four letters or more can you make from the nine letters in our Nonagram puzzle? Each letter may be used only once (unless the letter appears twice). Each word MUST CONTAIN THE CENTRE LETTER (in this case H) and there must be AT LEAST ONE NINE LETTER WORD. Plurals, vulgarities or proper nouns are not allowed.
TARGET: Average: 8 Good: 10 Very good: 14 Excellent: 18
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION dirt doty moot mort omit riot root rort tidy tiro tori torr trim trio trod troy tyro dirty droit motor rooty rotor toroid torrid DORMITORY
25 Adele BUCKING the trend of downloading music, released on 20 November 2015, 25 hit the ground running at number one in more than 20 markets and broke firstweek sales records in many countries, including the United Kingdom and United States. In the US, the album sold 3.38 million copies in its first week of release, Nielsen SoundScan have said that 25 is the biggest seller since they began tracking point-of-sale music purchases in 1991.
AK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE
Crossword
Enjoy filling in the following puzzles and check the answers in next week’s edition
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LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
CRYPTIC
Quick
Cryptic
Across: 1 Silver, 4 Pagans, 9 Haste, 10 Amnesia, 11 Mischief, 12 Bait, 14 Serene, 16 Deters, 19 Rash, 20 Atheists, 23 Grimace, 24 Agree, 25 Yields, 26 Detest.
Across 1 Something chewed, filled with brilliant yellow sauce (7) 5 Brad’s worried about poets (5) 8 Euphoria apparent when a family member loses his head (7) 9 Boy gets the French serving spoon (5) 10 Wash thoroughly inside disc rubber (5) 11 A gentle style getting stylish (7) 12 Cedar’s nuts are divine (6) 14 Get the hang of being a teacher (6) 17 A very old bounder, old fruit! (7) 19 Saint gets everything to come to a standstill (5) 22 Many young men have nothing inside them (5) 23 Report about art near building (7) 24 American money, it’s said, has a nice smell (5) 25 Wine cartels are corrupt (7)
Down: 1 Schemes, 2 Lists, 3 Elephant, 5 Arno, 6 Assuage, 7 Scant, 8 Hades, 13 Serenade, 15 Respite, 17 Suspect, 18 Steel, 19 Rugby, 21 Serve, 22 Rand.
QUICK Across:
Down 1 Mating game? (5) 2 There’s a step, but you’ll have to look hard by the sound of it (5) 3 Being friendly, I blame a manager (7) 4 One may waltz about in European river (6) 5 Beautiful French girl is involved in libel legislation (5) 6 Brilliant at drain moving (7)
Code Breaker
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7 Guard rank surrounding lieutenant (7) 12 Small charts for the horses (7) 13 Capone is in work producing a hymn (7) 15 European nation curtailing an American test (7) 16 Tooth can return for an alcoholic drink (6) 18 Possession as fixed (5) 20 Come to a vigil (5) 21 Fifty seek mixed vegetables (5)
Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 11 represents F and 25 represents T, so fill in F every time the figure 11 appears and T every time the figure 25 appears. Now, using your knowledge of the English language, work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.
Across 7 Ceremonial procession (6) 8 Concepts (6) 9 In this place (4) 10 Action of bringing something into existence (8) 11 Very small distance or space (7) 13 Deal with (5) 15 Beam (5) 17 Arrives at (7) 20 Arrange systematically (8) 21 Precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals (4) 23 Coned shaped utensil (6) 24 Moves on ice in a gliding fashion (6)
Down 1 Cook with dry heat (4) 2 Ships of the desert (6) 3 Round stone fruits with juicy yellow flesh (7) 4 Acknowledged as a supposition (5) 5 More substantial (6) 6 Citrus drink (8) 12 Funny (8) 14 Let go free (7) 16 Gains knowledge or skills (6) 18 Nonchalant (6) 19 Written accounts of money owed (5) 22 Domesticated bovine animals as a group (4)
1 Hose, 3 Dreadful, 9 Shrinks, 10 Heals, 11 Improvements, 13 Accent, 15 Rescue, 17 Nevertheless, 20 Alike, 21 Betting, 22 Entitled, 23 Asks. Down: 1 Hospital, 2 Scrap, 4 Rested, 5 Achievements, 6 Frantic, 7 Last, 8 Announcement, 12 Messages, 14 Chemist, 16 Stable, 18 Exits, 19 Make.
ENGLISHSPANISH Across:
English - Spanish The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.
1 Shops, 3 Fresa, 7 Rosada, 9 Agua, 10 Calabacin, 13 Aula, 14 Anchoa, 16 Abrir, 17 Adios. Down: 1 Sure, 2 Pea, 4 English, 5 Abad, 6 Cambiar, 8 Smaller, 11 Paja, 12 Ears, 15 Cod.
CODE BREAKER
Across 1 Trineo (4) 2 Manger (7) 6 Abeto (3) 7 Bread (3) 8 Vixen (5) 9 Flor de pascua (10) 13 Regalo (4) 14 Nuevo (3)
Down 1 Dormir (5) 2 Premios (6) 3 Espíritu (6) 4 Berry (4) 5 Temprano (5) 6 Diversión (3) 10 Gold (3) 11 Duende (3) 12 Hostería (3)
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Star Wars: The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary
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WHETHER you’re doing that last minute shopping, trimming the tree, or heading out to a Christmas party, you’re bound to be bopping along to the perfect soundtrack that will get you in the festive spirit. But which ones are the best? There’s so many to choose from. When it comes to deciding what’s going to have you rocking around the Christmas tree at, ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, it’s the oldies that are the goodies.
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey The super-sexy Mariah Carey, with a vocal range so high it’s a good chance she can converse with bats, wrote and produced this song herself, and released it just in time for Christmas 1994. It was an instant hit and has since become what Rolling Stone calls ‘Holiday Standard.’ It has since reportedly earned more than €45 million in royalties. 3. Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl Quite possibly one of the best Christmas songs ever made! Yes, Shane MacGowan is totally out of tune, and yes he looks like he just fell out of bed in 1987, with an empty bottle of supermarket cider, but it works! It kind of reminds you of granddad getting a bit tipsy after crimble dinner and trying to sing. If a Christmas pudding could sing, this is what it would sound like. 4. Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt The sexiest Christmas song ever written. Eartha Kitt purrs more than sings in this 1953 yuletide hit including the classic line: ‘been an awful good girl’ with an eyebrow raised. Now a firm festive favourite, the song is about a high priced
App of the Week Facebook for Windows Phone Even though not actually made by Facebook, the official Facebook app for Windows Phone is finally out of beta. If you were using the beta app before this release, that app will keep getting updates, but this new ‘official’ release will be more stable. To be honest, this app still isn’t perfect it’s missing simple things like the ability to reply to a specific comment in a thread.
Play on Words
1. White Christmas by Bing Crosby First performed on Christmas Day, 1941 White Christmas was written by Irving Berlin while reminiscing about an oldfashioned Christmas setting. the Guinness book of Records states that the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 100 million copies worldwide.
Sudoku
KNIGHTXMAS
TIM
WHITE CHRISTMAS: Best-selling single of all time. fantasy Christmas list to Santa. 5. Winter Wonderland by Doris Day The 1964 version by Doris Day is the firm winner for many; however, others see it as a little sweet, whereas Perry Como’s version is more robust. This song conjures the Christmas of all our dreams, one of snowflakes falling gently on our eyelids, curling up in front of crackling log fires and romance. 6. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole You can practically smell the roasting chestnuts before the intro ends. This Christmas Song is smoother than ironed silk and more than deserves its place among the best Christmas songs of all time. Written in 1945 by Mel Torme, it’s regarded by BMI as the most-performed Christmas song ever. 7. Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade Personally, this one and Wizzard’s hit sum up Christmas memories perfectly. In 1973, Top of the Pops was at its height, the whole family for dinner and not a
worry in the world. But I guess that’s just a generation thing, however! As Noddy tells us, ‘it’s Chriiisssstmaaaaas.’ 8. Driving Home For Christmas by Chris Rea If you’ve ever lived half a country away from your family and have packed up the car with presents to head home for Christmas through the snow, the ice and the M25, you must appreciate at least the spirit of this 1986 song. 9. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms Chances are this 1957 stalwart either makes you think of Lethal Weapon or Mean Girls. Either way, it’s an ear worm. The song’s title and some of its lyrics are a parody of the old Christmas standards… Long may they reign! 10. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizzard Definitely a must on anybody’s list, this 1973 blockbuster has to be one of the best Christmas songs of all time. The crazy Roy Wood and his loony costume were the epitome of a fun-filled Christmas holiday, and probably always will be.
Boggled How many English words can you find in the Boggled grid, according to the following rules? The letters must be adjoining in a ‘chain’. They can be adjacent horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Words must contain at least four letters and may include singular and plural or other derived forms. No letter may be used more than once within a single word, unless it appears twice. No vulgarities or proper nouns are permitted.
TARGET: Average: 27 Good: 35 Very good: 51 Excellent: 62
SCORING: 4 letters: 1 point • 5 letters: 2 points 6 letters: 3 points • 7 letters: 4 points 8 or more letters: 11 points
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION sixth sift sifts dish fish fist fists foist foists fiat stem stir staid stair stamen test tent tents sent oats titan tans tang tame tames tamest nest nests naifs name aids aria arias atria attest ants ante amen astir mesh maid maids mats matte mans manse mane manes mange mast gnat gnats gent gents gems gums raid ratio trait traits trio sitar said sans sane sanest sang same smug star strait fats fang fair fame fames fast fume
Word Ladder WARM
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
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.
Christmas songs
EURO WEEKLY’S SPACE FOR YOU TO TAKE A BREAK, BE INFORMED AND ENJOY A CHALLENGE
Answers:Tiny Tim, The night before Christmas.
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HOME BACK
Move from the start word (WARM) to the end word (HOME) in the same number of steps as there are rungs on the Word Ladder. You must only change one letter at a time.
WARM WORM WORE WOVE (TORE) HOVE (TOME) HOME
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OPINION & COMMENT
www.euroweeklynews.com
24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
EWN
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Advertising feature
Kim Clark’s Benefits Consultancy offer all the information you need UP-TO-DATE and reliable, they can tell you exactly what is out there for you IT’S that time of year again when people are returning, or have returned to Spain to escape the cold and damp that starts to envelop the UK around now. For many, the sunnier climates in the Mediterranean provide some welcome relief from the aches, pains and mobility problems exacerbated by northern European winters. Many living with illness and disability accept the fact that because they may be getting on in years, then inevitably getting around and managing their personal care issues becomes more difficult. That is not to say, however, that they may not be entitled to disability benefits. Some people may not have even heard of the benefits that they may be entitled to, and others may have heard of what is out there but do not understand the rules of entitlement, so have dismissed the idea of making a claim. In addition, there are those who are not receiving their correct entitlement due to being wrongly refused an award, or because their con-
dition has worsened and they do not realise that they should be on a higher rate. Despite the UK government’s loud proclama-
Even slight increases in income greatly improved the quality of life of claimants tions of having countless millions of pounds in state benefits available for those in need, it often does little to ensure people get the help they need to receive their correct entitlement. I continue to receive calls from confused and disgruntled people, who when making contact with the DWP are still being told that because they live in Spain they cannot make a claim for Attendance Allowance. Others are under the illusion that any claim
may affect their retirement pension or that they must have spent two of the last three years in the UK. I even received a call from a lady whose neighbour had told her that because she owned rather than rented her property here, then she would not be entitled to anything. Following a CJEU ruling in July 2011, firsttime claims for Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Carer’s Allowance can be made by people living outside the UK in another EEA member state. The two out of three years rule no longer applies, as long as you can show genuine and sufficient link to the UK. Broadly speaking this means that you or a family member need to be in receipt of a contributions-based payment from the UK. It is also important to emphasise that Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are non-means tested thereby meaning any award will not affect your pension. The welfare benefits system is complex and
at times confusing, but misinformation put about by those who do not fully understand it, will unfortunately mean people missing out on that extra income which proves so invaluable. Prior to moving to Almeria I spent seven years working for welfare rights organisations in London, where authorities maximised the income of, primarily, the elderly and the disabled. I saw at close hand how even slight increases in income greatly improved the quality of life of claimants. For many living in Spain that additional money would not only be welcome, but may even the difference between staying here in the sun and returning to the UK. For up-to-date, in-depth and reliable information on what is out there for you, a family member, or a friend please give us a call. Kim Clark Benefits Consultancy Tel: 950 169 729 Mob: 663 297 568 www.ukbenefitsinspain.com
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E W N 24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
Why on earth are toll roads odd amounts? Mike Senker
In my opinion Views of a Grumpy Old Man I DECIDED to go to Gibraltar to watch the snooker of which I’m a great fan. I set off on my journey and as I got on to the road down to the delightful A7, which used to be the N340, I remembered someone once said to me it was the most dangerous road in Europe. My reply was: “How? It’s a pretty straight road! The raving lunatics that use it are the danger.” The lorry drivers that sit up your rear end because you are not going as fast as they want. Plus the morons that pull out of the slip roads at 20 kilometres an hour. This is the road which used to have a speed limit of 120. That got changed to 80, for some reason to do with making people save fuel and lives. They did this by putting new stickers of the 80 speed limit on the existing road signs and then, pretty quickly, changed them back! In some areas they couldn’t peel the new stickers off so then had to put new ones, all very confusing and a waste of money!
Anyway, I’m going on my merry way and then in front of me is the sight that is the bane of most driver’s lives here, the four abreast cyclists! They are all lycraed up as if they are on the Tour de France but, seriously, why four abreast? I do my normal cursing and sit behind them for two miles until I can get past. I finally get on the main road and decide to go on the toll road. I love that road. It’s like having your own personal highway and the reason it’s always empty is because most of the time the toll charge is ridiculously high, and you never know how much it’s going to be from one week to the next. Of course, I make the mistake of going through the wrong bit. The bit that you have to put the exact coins in and, of course I don’t have the exact amount. So the €3.10 toll now costs me €4! For someone like me that is a shopaholic money waster, paying 90 cents more is like being robbed at gunpoint!! Why on earth is it an odd amount? Why can’t it be €3 or €4? If anyone knows, please let me know at mikesenker@gmail.com. Actually, let me know what makes you grumpy and we can compare notes! In the meantime I’m going to try and have an ungrumpy Christmas and, if I don’t, you’ll be hearing all about it!
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OPINION & COMMENT
LEGALLY SPEAKING
Alcohol and drugs tests out in force AS part of a new series, we answer some common driving questions, kindly provided by members of the Guardia Civil based in Torrevieja, Costa Blanca, who set up the N332 website and Facebook page to help break down barriers.
BEST ADVICE: Zero consumption before getting behind the wheel. ALCOHOL and drugs tests out in force this week Throughout this week in the run up to Christmas, there will be a focus on one of the main contributors to road traffic incidents, alcohol and drugs. The Guardia Civil will be out in force with plans to conduct at least 25,000 alcohol and drugs tests each day. The main goal is to detect and deal with habitual offenders, who get behind the wheel on a regular basis whilst having consumed alcohol or drugs. The latest figures extracted from the most recent data available suggests that there may be around 12,000 drivers who meet this continually dangerous criteria. So far this year, more than 84,000 drivers have tested positive, risking not only their
own but the lives of many innocent victims, who all too often leave the scene of the carnage facing a life dealing with serious injuries and, on numerous occasions, leaving the friends and families of loved ones having to deal with their death. According to the annual report of the National Institute of Toxicology, 39.09 per cent of deceased drivers displayed the presence of alcohol or drugs in their blood. The figure rises to 40 per cent when pedestrians are analysed. Even the smallest amount of alcohol or drugs can affect driving ability and so, despite Spain having considerably lower maximum limits than countries such as the UK, the best advice is always zero consumption before getting behind the wheel.
For more news and articles visit www.n332.es or search N332 on Facebook.
Can they lock fire doors? I LIVE in an apartment complex of more than 200 units on nine floors. There are eight entrances with elevators and stairwells to the roof and underground parking areas. There are no notices of an evacuation plan and by order of the President, all fire doors to the roof and to parking areas are permanently locked. If you want something changed in your Community, put the issue on the formal Agenda for the AGM, discuss it, and vote on it. In the case of locked fire exits, we find a con-
An exit to the pool area is also locked after 11pm to prevent use of the pool by holidaymakers. This leaves only one exit door for 27 or 36 apartments. Our Administrators have raised my safety concerns with the President but he is adamant the fire exits are locked at all times. Is there an alternative course of action? L.T. (Costa Blanca)
David Searl You and the Law in Spain
flict between safety and security.
A locked exit is useless in an emergency but too many doors can allow access to unwanted persons. You may find that local building regulations require the doors to be open.
Send your questions for David Searl through lawyers Ubeda-Retana & Associates in Fuengirola at Ask@lawtaxspain.com, or call 952 667 090.
24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
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The magic of the Thursford Christmas Spectacular
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OUR VIEW
THE ambience is pure enchantment and it simply has to be experienced first-hand Colin Bird A weekly look Each week, Colin brings his slightly off-thewall view of the world to the pages of EWN in his own irreverent style.
EVEN under a leaden sky on a December day, the vast flatness of the Norfolk countryside is inescapable. Someone once wrote that the Norfolk dialect was a language encapsulated in its landscape, with long vowels and wide horizons, summing up the county and its people. Norfolk is familiar to us during the summer months, with its endless skies and fantastic light so beloved by painters, who are as numerous as the wild fowl in the coastal wetlands. But what could possibly entice someone here on such a bleak winter’s day? Seven miles beyond Fakenham and almost without warn-
YEARLY EVENT: It is perhaps Christmas’ best kept secret. ing to the unwary, we turn into a country lane, indicating Thursford village. With barely room for two vehicles to pass and with no street lighting, this surely is heading into the back of beyond. The only clue to the uniniti-
ated that something interesting lies ahead, is the procession of car tail lights and a discernible glow in the sky. Then after a bare half mile we enter a massive floodlit car park where fluorescently clad stewards are busily directing
the flow of cars and coaches. Enter the magical world of the Thursford Christmas Spectacular. To most people, the name Thursford will elicit looks of incomprehension, and yet during November and De-
cember almost 130,000 regularly attend this event with many returning year after year. It is perhaps Christmas’ best kept secret and yet paradoxically, the biggest and most spectacular of all Christmas shows. It would take more space than I have available to adequately describe this spectacle. The ambience is pure enchantment and it simply has to be experienced first-hand. Not all the content is necessarily pure Yuletide, but the genius of John Cushing, Thursford’s producer and director, is to tie the whole package together with a festive ribbon and deliver a wonderfully balanced and awesome Christmas feast of a show. Everyone should witness this Christmas masterpiece once before they die. Do it soon, you are not looking well!
The letter ‘i’ inspires confidence THERE is a sudden torrent of companies using the letter to name their products
WE have all become used to the iProducts produced and marketed by Apple and indeed, they have spread all over the world so there is probably no country except perhaps North Korea where residents can’t buy at least one of their ubiquitous products. What is interesting is the number of companies who are adopting the ‘i’ as part of their business name. You can now find iStorage, iFurnishing and just the other day, the iFilmmaker festival in Marbella. What does the ‘i’ stand for? There are a number of theories, one of which goes back to the launch of the iMac in 1998, when Steve Jobs explained: “iMac comes from the marriage of the excitement of the Internet with the simplicity of Macintosh. Even though this is a full-blooded Macintosh, we are targeting this for the number one use that consumers tell us they want a
Credit John Karakatsanis flickr
By John Smith
APPLE: The new iPhone 6 plus.
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Credit Elliott Brown flickr
OPINION & COMMENT
ENERGY: Solar panels.
Mixed messages SOMETIMES life can be quite confusing and the actions of politicians and major companies throughout the world seem to add to that. No sooner has Britain confirmed its agreement to the Climate Change Compact in Paris, than the government has drastically cut subsidies to homeowners who wish to install solar panels in an effort to reduce pollution. The power producers certainly appeared to have plenty of economic strength, when they persuaded the Spanish Government to introduce new taxes on those using solar power, as they were worried about reduced profits. Moving on and despite the glut of crude oil on the market and its undeniable effect on the climate, the British Parliament has just voted to allow fracking for shale gas 1,200m below national parks and other protected sites. Fracking is not totally safe as enormous amounts of water are used, and the water is contaminated by the layers of earth it is pumped through as well as the fracking chemicals. Brazil has banned WhatsApp as it allows poorer people to make free calls without having to sign up for expensive contracts. It is surely coincidental that the current President of the Chamber of Deputies has been identified as a lobbyist for the telecommunications industry. In the USA, companies are almost fighting to merge so they can avoid tax, or at least delay paying it whilst paid lobbyists in Washington appear to be accepted as part of the political landscape.
computer for, which is to get on the Internet, simply and fast. And that is what this product is targeted for. “The letter ‘i’ also means some other things to us. We are a personal computer company, and although this product is born to network, it also is a beautiful stand-alone product. We are targeting it also for education. They want to buy these. And it is perfect for most of the things they do in instruction. It is perfect for finding tremendous sources of information over the Internet. And we hope as you see the product it will inspire us all to make even better products in the future.” The ‘i’ continued to be used and a freelance copywriter Vinnie Chieco is credited with coming up with the word iPod, based on his viewing of the film 2001: A Space Odyssey which contained a reference to a pod. When the lawyers at Apple went to register the name, they discovered that another company, also involved with the internet owned it but was prepared to sell it Now we on. want to Now it is clear that the simple addition hear your views. of an ‘i’ in front of any products seems to inspire confidence and recogniYOUR PAPER - YOUR VOICE tion in a customer’s mind although - YOUR OPINION perhaps we will see a time when the www.euroweeklynews.com letter ‘i’ itself becomes protected.
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HEALTH BEAUTY
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PRESSURE: For some people the anticipation of festive fun leads to stress and anxiety.
How to survive Christmas USEFUL tips on how to avoid stress over the festive season CHRISTMAS is just around the corner and whilst for many it is the most wonderful time of the year, for others, the anticipation of festive fun leads to stress and anxiety. A study from the American Psychological Association showed that 38 per cent of people said the holidays increase their stress levels, with another 26 per cent feeling sad or lonely. But experts say there is a way to reduce your stress levels and survive the festive season.
Lower expectations: Not just in what you hope Santa will leave under the tree, but also in how you spend your time. Don’t feel pressured to attend every party or gathering and see every single family member, and don’t feel pressured to create the perfect Christmas Day. Be mindful Many expats here in Spain may be spending the holidays without family which can trigger depression. So be mindful of the people you spend your time with, and be aware of why they
might be a little sad. If you are on your own, why not invite friends or neighbours round that may be in the same situation, or try volunteering at a local charity or shelter. Keep to budget Financial worries can lead to stress and anxiety, and there is the temptation to overspend at Christmas on gifts or extra food. Be realistic about what you really need and try making gifts which can not only keep children entertained, but will mean much more to the people they give them to.
PAINKILLER manufacturers have been accused of misleading consumers by selling pills that claim to tackle different ailments, but actually all have the same active ingredients. The case was brought to public attention when the maker of Nurofen was ordered by an Australian court to stop selling pills that claim to help certain ailments but are chemically identical. Many brands use similar tactics, all being paracetamol or ibuprofen based, but then being marketed to target certain pain such as back or joint pain or migraines. Which? magazine said research showed many products had the same active ingredients ‘despite vastly different marketing, packaging and pricing.’ The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is now investigating whether a Nurofen Express advert was misleading as it implied the product directly targets head muscles. There are three types of painkillers available to buy over the counter. Ibuprofen is one of the most common painkillers and is the
CREDIT: Dinendra Haria / Shutterstock.com
Manufacturers under fire for misleading public
NUROFEN EXPRESS: Adverts under investigation. active ingredient in Nurofen. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) and works well when the pain is accompanied by inflammation. Paracetamol is more commonly used to treat ailments such as headache and toothache, and it can also help bring down a temperature. Aspirin has a similar anti-inflammatory effect to ibuprofen, but is not as effective as a painkiller. It also carried a risk of side-effects such as stomach bleeding, but it is often recommended to have a low dose of aspirin to prevent blood clots and help reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.
HEALTH & BEAUTY
Ask The Doctor
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Arthritis issues
FitFoxy
AS the cold weather is on its way, which often seems to worsen arthritis issues, we decided to ask the doctor about that this week. What is arthritis and when does it usually appear? Arthritis is the term we give to inflammation of the joints. Not all joint pain has to be arthritis; in fact, most joint pain is due to other causes which are not really arthritis. The reasons it can appear are varied and it can be caused by many things ranging from autoimmune inflammatory conditions, systemic illnesses to trauma, etc, therefore the moment it appears depends on the type of arthritis. Joint pain can be influenced by weather changes, diet, exercise and other factors meaning it can worsen in the winter. What are the most common symptoms? Arthritis causes joint pain along with swelling in the joints and surrounding areas which can lead to redness, increased temperature, stiffness and is also sometimes related to fevers and a general feeling of being unwell. It can affect any
joint in the body. How is it diagnosed? Diagnosis is initially reached by examining the patient’s medical history and listening to a specialist. This is followed by blood tests, x-rays of the affected joint and sometimes analysis of liquid from within the joint although this depends on the area and whether it is safe to draw off liquid. Are there any good treatments? The usual treatment involves resting of the joint and use of anti-inflammatory medications to reduce the pain. Sometimes the joint can be injected with medication and in severe cases surgery is an option. What about diet? Diet is important for almost all ailments. In this case it is of importance especially for those who suffer secondary arthritis due to gout. These patients should avoid products high in uric acid such as red meat, seafood and alcohol. Is exercise helpful? Exercise should be avoided while the pain is at its worst but added gradually to daily life as swelling reduces.
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It’s Christmas…Time to get off the treadmill and relax a while Looking Good, Staying Trim
SPECIALIST: Doctor Luis Perez Belmonte.
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WHEREVER you may be and whatever you are planning to do this Christmas, be sure to allow yourself a little indulgence. If you have been taking care of yourself throughout 2015 and putting your body through its paces whether it be long-distance running, gym workouts or high intensity exercise classes, etc, it’s time to STOP and TAKE A DEEP BREATH… Now give yourself permission to physically and mentally unwind, en-
Functional foods SPANISH researchers claim to have developed a way of incorporating vitamin C into sausage. A gro Te c h re s e a rc he rs from the Centro Empresarial de la Rioja have developed a micro-encapsulation technique, which allows to introduce supplemental vita min C in ra w c ure d sausage, and they believe it ope ns the door to ge tting more vitamin rich foods. Encapsulation techniques allow active ingredients that provide health benefits to be introduced to the food, w hic h ma ke s func tiona l foods.
joy your family and friends and take a little time out without feeling any guilt. There are a lot more elements to fitness than just the physical aesthetic aspect, and in order to have a healthy balance in our lives, we need to attempt to nurture all of them. In order to build and maintain a healthy body, you need to maintain a healthy mindset. If you are a creature of habit as I am, this can sometimes be difficult, as quite often you will have formulated a rigid routine into your normal daily life. Generally I train five days a week and take weekends off. My diet is clean during the week and I don’t drink any alcohol unless it is the weekend or a special occasion arises. Alas, this is all going to
change in the next week or so as I am quite partial to the odd tot of Baileys, box of chocolate liqueurs, mince pies, Christmas pudding and brandy cream... should I go on? I am also fully aware that I’m likely to be around two kilos heavier by the time we hit New Year, but that’s fine by me; otherwise, what would my New Year challenge be? Your body will thank you for the rest and recuperation and you will be charged up to start 2016 with a full tank of enthusiasm, I assure you. And if you do not believe me... Well I’ll be here to inspire you back into shape in 2016, so watch this space! And have a great Christmas FitFoxy XX
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Three kings will be parading into town across the region SWEETS and treats will be thrown to those lining the streets in anticipation of their visit By Gemma Quinn DON’T forget on January 5 most towns and cities across the region will host their Three Kings Parade when the three wise men will be throwing sweets and treats to those lining the streets in anticipation of their visit. Zenia Boulevard in La Zenia usually host a parade for the Orihuela Costa with Torrevieja and Guardamar also offering some of the area’s biggest and popular events for the young and old alike to enjoy, but few have yet to confirm their times and routes. San Fulgencio has announced their plans and on January 5, parents can take a present for their child to the Cardenal Belluga Theatre between 11am and 2pm, where they will later be distributed to the children after the traditional Procession of the Kings, which starts at 7pm. Pilar de la Horadada’s Three Kings Parade has been confirmed as starting at 5pm departing from the Parque 30 de Julio.
THREE KINGS: Parades throughout the region on January 5.
S
OCIAL CENE
Solidarity culture in Murcia A SERIES of events are being held at the Auditorio Victor Villegas in Murcia, along with an art exhibition, until January 15. The events and exhibition are being held to help raise funds for cancer treatment and research, under the title of ‘Murcia pinta mucho contra el cancer.’ The exhibition hosts 61 artworks from over 50 painters and can be visited at the Auditorium every day except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Some are on sale for less than €100. There are also live performances in the auditorium on December 26, 27, 29 and December 2, 7 and 15 consisting of music and poetry. Works on sale can be viewed at www.seronoserfestival.es.
SOCIAL SCENE
Fifty smiles on show ‘FIFTY SMILES’ is a new exhibition opened in Orihuela. Councillor for Culture, Begoña Cuartero, presented the exhibition of local artist Alfonso Ortuño showing 50 original cartoons that have previously never been exposed. Ortuño said the exhibition “seeks to add humour and I hope people will have a good time and laugh with them as they are based on funny and surprising situations.” The artist has had his work published in newspapers and other publications from the 1970s until 2000. Fifty Smiles will remain on display until January 17 at the Sala Museo San Juan de Dios, Orihuela.
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SOCIAL SCENE
One box, one happy Christmas for children SCHOOL pupils bring cheer to children in need with personalised boxes By Gemma Quinn EVERY year, El Limonar International School, San Miguel de la Salinas, organises a collection of food items in aid of Reach Out Torrevieja. This year, the school has gone one step further by launching the initiative ‘One Box, One Happy Christmas’ thanks to the idea of pupil Jessica Drewett. Every pupil and member of staff has collaborated to fill 99 personalised boxes, one for each of the children looked after by the Reach Out charity. Representatives of Reach Out arrived at the school to gratefully receive the boxes which will be distributed to the children in the care of families with little or no income.
FOOD PURCHASED: Money raised during the year
Golfers support local families in need
PUPIL INITIATIVE: Pupil Jessica Drewett loads up the donations with Mr McFadden.
THE La Siesta Golf Society, based at Campoamor, has presented food to the value of €2,300 to the Caritas Charity for distribution to needy families in the Pilar de la Horadada area. The money has been raised during the preceding year by the members of the Society with raffles and other fundraising events. The food was purchased from Pilar Cash and Carry who generously gave the Golf Society 10 per cent more food on top of what they paid for to help with the cause. The group of golfers hope to raise even more money for next year ’s chosen charity which will be the Torrevieja Charity Reach Out.
SOCIAL SCENE
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Alicante gets in on the spirit of Christmas MARKET is open until January 6 as well as the chance to go ice skating By Gemma Quinn ALICANTE’S Christmas Market in Avenida de Federico Soto remains open until January 6, 2016 and is open everyday except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. There are a range of stalls open from 10am-3pm and 5-11pm, with nativity figurines the main attraction. If you want to see the nativity scene for yourself, the Municipal Belen is in Plaza de Calvo until January 6. The Casa de Santa Claus in the la Ereta park just below the Castle is open today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday). Today (Wednesday) it is open 12-8pm and tomorrow (Thursday) from 10am2pm.
TOBOGGAN RUN: Open in the centre of Alicante until January 6. The ice skating rink and the toboggan run are in Plaza de la Montañeta, both
are open until January 6. The Plaza del Ayuntamiento is the place to be
this New Year’s Eve. There will be partying on December 31 from 11.15pm-3am.
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Food donation by Masons in Rojales ON Tuesday December 15 members of the Caledonia Lodge number 68 made a donation of approximately €1,000 worth of food to the Social Services department of Rojales Town Hall. The money was raised by Lodge members and will be distributed to needy families in time for Christmas. The money was presented by Worshipful Brother David Turner, Master of the Lodge.
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Buying property at auction ADVANTAGES include full transparency and a binding contract By Matthew Elliott PROPERTY auctions are considered somewhat unusual, typically being out of the limelight, but attract a legion of devoted buyers and sellers across the world. Auctions normally see unique homes, or properties requiring restoration put before the hammer, although repossessed homes and those needing a quick sale are often to be found. Advantages of buying or selling at auction include a binding contract the second the hammer strikes, completion of the whole process often within a month, full transparency, and the use of a minimum reserve price to protect the seller.
AUCTIONS: Hammer strikes.
Photo by billionphotos, shutterstock
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We have to recognise traditions MANY nationalities are buying their homes in Spain, it’s important to acknowledge the different customs John Graham The property expert
CHRISTMAS! It’s time to celebrate and let’s be honest nobody does it better than the Spanish. It’s a Catholic country with many cultural and religious traditions and Christmas in Spain is a wonderful experience of religious tradition and modern celebrations. In addition to the religious celebrations in Spain this Christmas, we can also enjoy other traditional celebrations such as the Dutch Sinterklaus who arrived on December 5, and we all know that Santa Claus will arrive on December 25. You probably have a decorated Christmas tree in your home in Spain, and we have to thank Ger-
CHRISTMAS: Nobody does it better than the Spanish. many for introducing the ‘Christbaun’ in the 16th century. If you are from the UK you need to thank Queen Victoria for introducing the custom of having a Christmas tree in your home. As you hang up your Christmas stocking, spare a thought for the patron saint of children St
Nicholas, a Greek, who started the tradition. Don’t forget Boxing Day, a great sporting day, you can thank the UK for this tradition but Spain does not yet have Boxing Day on the Christmas calendar. Let’s not forget the Christmas turkey, made immortal by
Scrooge’s gift to the Cratchit family in Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’. What’s all this got to do with owning a property in Spain, I hear you say, well if you work in the property industry I think it’s important to recognise that people from all over northern Europe, and from around the world have different customs and traditions, and they are buying their permanent home or holiday home here in Spain. So although property buyers are all different and originate from different countries, they do have one very important point in common, their dream to own a home in Spain. The number of non-Spanish buyers is growing, especially over the past two years and official figures show an almost continuous monthly increase in property sales on the Costas and Balearics. I have received many Christmas
cards and electronic cards from my customers who have decided to buy a property in Spain in 2016, and it’s my job is to find exactly what they are looking for. My customers are a mix of nationalities and they are all looking for completely different types of properties in completely different locations in Spain. So 2016 should be another year of record-breaking property sales on the Costas and the Balearics. Buyers with different customs and traditions are looking forward to buying their dream home in Spain, and enjoy celebrating Christmas in Spain next year. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. If you want to sell your property or are looking to buy a property in 2016 please contact me. John Graham. Fellow of The Architecture & Surveyors Institute. International Property Expert Gk.ipad@me.com
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PROPERTY
Rental revolution to hit UK Knowing the sweet spot
NEXT year is set to see Build to Rent developments really kick off in the UK, as the American inspired concept targets the lucrative British market following success in Germany and the Netherlands. Industry experts suggest that the move could herald a transformation of the British rental sector into a more servicebased industry, which will improve living standards and offer greater transparency. Nine million people currently rent homes in the UK, and the vast majority do so through the traditional paradigm of privately held rental properties. Build to Rent, on the other hand, would see large purpose-built developments managed by specialist companies and rented out to private tenants. A key selling point for these companies will be the poor maintenance standards typically offered by individual landlords, with rights and responsibilities often shrouded in mystery and the source of much discontent. Build to Rent properties would include a clear mandate of responsibilities and services offered which should, experts suggest, be of major value to tenants. Investment in Build to Rent schemes is big business in the US, attracting over $110 billion (€101 billion) last year alone. In Germany, €340 million was invested in the first quarter of 2015, while the Netherlands has seen a 189 per cent increase year on year in the sector. Around €41 billion of institutional investment is thought to be earmarked for the industry in the UK, and all signs indicate a rental revolution in the coming years.
GIVEN that the time is right for investment in Spanish property, the next question would be, what type will be the most profitable? Real estate investment in Spain at the moment is sweet. Shops, homes, offices and garages, any of the areas on the market offer yields above the majority of the financial products offered by banks. In fact, the figures can double in comparison with, in the worst case, government bonds to 10 years, according to the latest report published by idealista. The retail unit seems to be sweeter than most according to the survey, offering a gross
Photo by B137, wikipedia
SECTOR will become more service-based
return of 7.5 per cent. And office blocks or space provide a yield of 6.8 per cent, while garages have been stabilised at 4.6 per cent. With regards and in contrast with housing, buy to rent properties return gross profit figures of 3.6 per cent. However, although these profits would seem to be very attractive, they are generalised figures and do not take into account regional variations or taxation criteria. When investing in Spanish property, it is essential to know the ‘in’s and out’s’ of taxation issues so as not to have any surprises at a later date.
Spain an attractive property investment
BUILD TO RENT: Experts say developments will really kick off in the UK.
ACCORDING to the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm CBRE, Spain was the sixth most attractive destination in the world for real estate investors in the first half of 2015, securing €8.5 billion of investment. The news places Spain in excellent company, behind only the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and Japan.
Real estate investment in Spain was 144 per cent more than that in Italy, and double that of The Netherlands. Spain has now jumped 10 places on the reputable list, having occupied 16th place in 2013, and, with experts predicting Europe will retain its high investment rate, Spain can look forward to 2016.
Important information for property buyers WITH the Spanish property market at its healthiest levels in almost a decade, many Brits are considering buying a home in the sun, whether to rent out or for personal use. If you are thinking about a property investment, make sure you do your homework and have all your taxes in order. There are some important questions to consider and some additional information you might not have anticipated.
Remember, even if you are a non-resident, you will automatically become liable for a variety of taxes related to your property. When you consult with your lawyer or accountant, be sure to consider the following. Will you be a Spanish resident? If you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain, or your spouse or children live in Spain, or your business is based in
Spain, you may well be considered a resident for tax purposes. As a non-resident you will be liable for the following taxes: Non-resident income tax (rate varies on value of property, whether you rent, and your country of residence). IBI tax (known as the SUMA tax in Spain, this is a local levy comparable to council tax in the UK). Finally, rubbish collection tax.
There are a variety of other taxes which may or may not be applicable and depend on your financial situation. Make sure you ask for advice on the Wealth Tax, Special Tax for Real Estate, and La Complementaria (property transfer). Remember the onus is on you to have everything in order and penalties for non-compliance can be severe, just as they would be in the UK.
PROPERTY
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Top tips for buying a home abroad By Matthew Elliott BUYING a home in the sun is a dream come true for many Brits, especially at this time of year when the nights are long, the wind is biting, and the rain never seems to let up. But before rushing into a decision and snapping up what seems like a terrific bargain, consider the following advice. Find a good estate agent. Yes estate agents rarely feature in dreams but a reputable local agent can make all the difference, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the lay of the land. Check with locals, lawyers and architects in the area for recommendations, and always get a second opinion. Set a realistic budget. Expect hidden costs and additional taxes and fees, including fees just to find out what fees you’ll pay. Non-residents may also be expected to stump
up a larger deposit than anticipated. Find a good lawyer. Recruiting a lawyer you can trust will go a long way towards your peace of mind. British consulates will typically provide a list of approved lawyers, but make sure you’re clued up on the processes regardless, two minds are better than one. Check the property. Seems a very simple point but people buying abroad are often swamped with time constraints and immediately blown away by the typical space and beauty homes abroad can offer. Make sure you know as much as you would were you buying a property at home. This also means researching the building companies behind the home or development through references, and advice to ensure the value won’t decrease due to future legal troubles.
Photo by remi mboku, wikipedia
BEFORE snapping up a terrific bargain, there are certain things to consider
PROPERTY ABROAD: Buying a home in the sun is a dream come true for many people.
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Looking after plants over Christmas MANY people are busy with festive preparations, but don’t forget the plants need care too Dick Handscombe
Gardening Corner By Spain’s best known expatriate gardening author living in Spain for 25 years.
AT this time of year many expats are busy with the preparations and enjoyment of two weeks of Spanishstyle festivities stretching from Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), to Los Reyes (The Three Kings), with the Año Nuevo (The New Year) in the middle, but at the same time there are three sets of plants that need some care. Firstly, those plants in window boxes or pots to cheer up the front of the house. Typically these are poinsettias, cyclamens, mini roses, mini Christmas trees, crotons, kalenchoes, azaleas, chrysanthemums, pansies and violas. Many of these will have been grown in hot houses and until a few days before delivery to garden centres were used to almost continuous tray or drip feeding. So plant all of these in a moisture retaining compost mix and water them once or twice a week to keep the compost damp, especially if they are placed where they will receive sun for most of the day. If you have a box of the very useful TerraCottem water retaining soil/compost improvement gel make use of it.
TIPS: On how to care for your house and garden plants.
Secondly, do visit the greenhouse and/or cold frame every few days as these can get warm on sunny days and cuttings and seedlings can irreversibly dry out. Also sprinkle around a few ecological snail pellets because snails do look for winter shelter, and just one snail can cause havoc eating the
leaves of favourite cuttings for its Christmas lunch. Thirdly, emergent seedlings in the vegetable garden may still have shallow roots so don’t let these dry out. Fourthly, newly purchased house plants, especially flowering ones, will need watching and timely watering. These will often have been used
to a hot house with a high humidity but although living spaces in the house will be warm from log stoves or central heating the air will be dry with little humidity. So check the dampness of compost every two days and if it is starting to dry out give the plant a watering and also spray the leaves with a fine jet
water sprayer. ‘Amaryllis enjoy sunny windowsills’ ‘Hyacinths enjoy cool rather than hot conditions’ Christmas gifts may be any of the plants listed earlier plus bulbs. These are best placed on a regularly used covered terrace and if brought inside, restrict the hours in a hot room. Lastly, if tender potted plants have been kept on open or covered terraces, or around the front porch for a Christmas effect, do now give them protection from the possibility of freezing winds and heavy frost during January, February and early March. ‘My annual temporary winter plastic greenhouse’ I line a metal gazebo with a large sheet of plastic hoisted up over an old plastic table top, and tied back with lengths of wood to create a secure temporary green house for around 50 plants. In fact the cold house gets quite warm, so the door is opened up once a week and if things are drying out the inside is lightly hosed with a fine jet of water. Happy year end best wishes to all our readers and do keep all those plants alive. © Dick Handscombe www.gardenspain.com December 2015.
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PLANT: Basil is made up of 20 odd seedlings, which make it look full and vibrant.
Saving your basil WILTING supermarket basil on the windowsill is one of life’s great consistencies, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Few realise that a pot of basil is not one plant but actually a tight gathering of around 20 odd seedlings, which makes it look full and vibrant. Ultimately, however, the seedlings will start to fight one another for space and nutrients, soon leaving them all wilting in an
apt metaphor for the human race. To solve this puzzle, take out the clump of plants and divide into four, weed out the weakest seedlings and keep just five strong ones per clump. Plant each of the four clumps in their own individual pot with a soil-based potting mix. Generously dowse them in water, and leave them in a prime spot in the sunlight and reap the rewards later.
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Magic mushrooms GROW your own, the results are certainly worth it Photo by "Leif k brooks, Wikipedia Portobello mushrooms".
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Photo by castielli, wikipedia
REAL energy savings are possible thanks to solar power, and it has never been easier to use solar energy and have it installed in your property to start making those savings. Well established on the Costa Blanca, Solar Sky offers a range of solar and wind electricity systems to provide clean, renewable energy straight to your home in Spain. Remote Power Series systems are designed and priced to make the benefits of home-generated power easy and cost effective to implement, utilising state-ofthe-art system components and are installed exclusively by Solar Sky’s network of certified installation technicians. Solar-powered systems are ideal for use alongside utility supplies to reduce your bill, or for remote homes that cannot be connected to the mains power network. Solar systems can make home generated power easy and cost effective, whilst helping reduce your carbon footprint. Pre-packaged systems come in three
By Matthew Elliott NO, not the hallucinogenic variety, but you really can work magic in the kitchen by growing your very own mushrooms, and adding a nutrient packed, fat-free addition to your culinary repertoire and gardening skills. Distinct from the plant kingdom, mushrooms grow from spores, not seeds, and don’t require sunlight to thrive. In fact it’s quite the opposite, mushrooms grow best in dark, cool and moist conditions, with some species preferring humidity too. The best locations in the home are in the basement or even underneath the kitchen sink, while for those seeking a challenge, many species can be grown outside on the underside of a log. If you are growing inside, you can buy pre-packaged mushroom kits that come with a growing medium and spawn, this is a good way to kick out your mushroom ad-
MUSHROOMS: Grow from spores, not seeds. venture before moving onto growing without a kit, and entering the kaleidoscopic world of substrates and sawdust. There are many varieties of mushroom you can grow, with each adding a different international flair to your cuisine. An added bonus is that, unlike picking them
wild, you can be sure you haven’t accidently plucked a poisonous one. Popular and easy to grow mushrooms include Enoki, Portobello, Oyster, Shiitake, Maitake, and steadfast button mushrooms. Each will require a different growing process, but the results are certainly worth it.
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PETS PAGE www.euroweeklynews.com
Your dog and new baby CHANGES in your pet’s routine should be introduced before your child arrives
David THE Dogman MAKAI: Posing with dog walking charges, his family is travelling the world together.
The advantages of pet-sitting families in your home To find a pet-sitter go to www.HousesitMatch.com or call Lamia on +44 (0)1865 521508
WHEN choosing a pet-sitter it goes without saying that you need to look for experience, and someone who has an affection and will cherish your animals. But does it have to be just one pet-sitter? Have you considered hosting a pet-friendly family who have experience pet-sitting? There are advantages. Originally from Canada, Makai and his parents started travelling the world about nine months ago. Both parents have portable careers and decided to pack up and find a way to make an extended adventure as a family. The way they make this affordable is they house-sit and pet-sit as they go from place to place. Makai loves the pets, he is good with animals and both he and his parents now have near-
ly a year’s solid experiences of caring for all kinds of domesticated pets from dogs, cats and rabbits to hens and donkeys. For most of the day time hours they manage his schooling online and the break times are spent with the animals. The routine is a regular structure to their day, and they flex according to the pet owners’ requests regarding the pet-specific requirements. Their favourite house-sitting assignment to date was to care for two small dogs on the Costa Almeria in Spain. They had two adorable dogs to care for and were only a five minute walk from the beach during May and June. What an ideal introduction to life in Spain. House-sitting can be a win win for both homeowner and house-sitter.
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
GRADUALLY introduce changes in your dog’s routine as soon as you know a baby is on the way. If a dog does not connect the changes with the baby’s arrival, it has less reason to be jealous. Here are a few changes to introduce. 1. Your dog should not be the centre of attention at all times, and should not sit on your lap, (if at all) only when invited by you. 2. Get your dog used to being away from you, sometimes in another room, or an indoor kennel, never in the nursery. 3. Take a refresher course at a training school, and think about practice walks with the pram, it can be trickier than it sounds! 4. Check with your vet about canine hygiene and worming. When your baby is born your dog may be left for hours while you are in hospital, or upset by the excitement if you are at home. Arrange for someone the dog knows to look after and walk them. It is an old wives’ tale that letting your
CHANGES: If introduced early mean your dog has less reason to be jealous. dog drink breast milk or play with dirty nappies will help your dog and baby to become friends, but sending home a blanket that the baby has slept on may help your dog to get used to the baby’s scent. When you come home let someone else hold your baby while you greet your dog, introduce them later when he is calm. Do not try to keep your dog and baby completely apart, you won’t be able to keep it up! Teach them both to interact calmly and gently, no licking by the dog or grabbing by the child. Never ever leave dogs alone with babies or young children. Shut your dog out of the room or pop the baby in a secure playpen. This applies every time you use the bathroom, answer the door or phone, or have a meal.
It is not a matter of ‘trust’. Toddlers can accidentally injure or alarm dogs (eg by falling on them) and startled dogs may react impulsively, lashing out or biting. Your dog may have to wait in the queue for love but they still need you. Always having the baby nearby when giving him attention encourages your dog to accept having the baby around. The most tolerant dog needs peace and quiet sometimes, a place it can escape to without being followed (eg the bed). Allow the child to go there at other times to prevent it becoming an exclusive area which he feels entitled to defend. When your baby starts to crawl and walk teach your dog to step back out of their way in doorways and on stairs.
A Yorkshire terrier is Britain’s oldest dog at 117 years old AT 117 dog years Jack the Yorkshire Terrier from Hartlepool has roared into the record books as the oldest dog in Britain, and the eighth oldest canine across the whole world. Celebrating his 26th birthday (in human years) on December 16, Jack is still in fine form, despite suffering from arthritis, and is still a cheeky chappy according to owner Ray Bunn. Now some of you may be wondering how 26 human years adds up
Celebrating his 26th birthday (in human years) this month, Jack is still a cheeky chappy according to his owner.
to Jack’s epic 117, after all isn’t the ratio seven to one? Actually this peculiar rule of thumb is far from accurate because
dogs age quicker than humans in their early days, and slower in their later years. Smaller breeds also tend t o l i v e l o n g e r t h a n t h e i r l a rg e r cousins. To give you an idea of what this means, smaller dogs like Jack will be 15 in dog years in their first human year, about 26 in their fifth human year, and 56 in their 10th. O l d J a c k , h o w e v e r, i s o ff t h e charts, which usually stop at around 16 human years. So congratulations Jackie boy. Long may you rove.
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CAVITY WALL INSULATION INSULATE YOUR HOME and save on your energy bills. Keep your home warm in winter, cooler in the summer. Approx 90% of properties built in the last 40 years have cavity walls that are ideal to insulate. We also do floors & ceilings. To arrange a survey and no obligation quote call 626 997 748. www.ecocon fort.es (243780)
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BUILDING SERVICES J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas. Tel: 650 363 159 (225782)
BUSINESS OPP. LOTTERY Get paid weekly with no winning numbers. Find out how. www. winthelotteryweekly.com (235566)
CARS WANTED
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life – damaging everything that is important to you. Englishspeaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: *648 169 045* or Costa Blanca South: *625 912 078* or Costa Calida *679 385 105*. All calls are treated in the strictest confidence. AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aacostablanca.org (93323) ROUNDABOUT CHARITY SHOP. We are now into summer and very soon we will be feeling the heat! It is time therefore for another visit to the shop where you might find a bargain or two. Choose from the clothing selection, jewellery, household goods, books or bric a brac. There is usually something there for everyone —- but not always. Charitable donations have recently been made to The Alzheimers Centre, Cancer Research and The Amigos Ambulance Service. We still need your help with donations etc. Please keep them coming in! We are situated on Avenida Del Furs close to the Fountain Roundabout and immediate left by Don Colchon bed shop. (93325) THE ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION, Torrevieja Branch, meet at 17.00 on the first Wednesday of each month at the Restaurante El Paraiso, Urb. Jardin del Mar 3 (behind Carrefour), Torrevieja. Contact Mike Wright, Chairman 966 722 895 or Margaret Forshaw, Secretary 966 921 996. (95455)
BUY & SELL
HELP Vega Baja. We help people of all ages with all sorts of problems, particularly at times of crisis and emergencies. Offices based in San Miguel at Calle Lope de Vega 46 (Tel 966 723 733), Torrevieja at Rambla Juan Mateo Garcia 4 (Tel 965 704 282). La Marina Helpdesk Calle Madrid 5 (Tel: 673 109 096). Our offices are open Monday to Friday 10am -1.30pm and the Helpdesk at La Marina is open every Friday 10 am - 1.30 pm. We are online at www.helpve gabaja.com or email office@helpvegabaja.com Remember we also have a 24 hour Emergency help-line on 966 723 733 (95456) THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Orihuela Costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier. The branch meets at Olympia restaurant, Mil Palmeras on 3rd Thursday of each month at 19.00 - 19.30pm. More info can be found on branch website www.orihuelacostarbl .co.uk. (95457) THE BAKER FOUNDATION for SPIRITUAL AWARENESS. 16 Nicolas De Bussi Ave, Playa Flamenca. Sunday Service every week 11am to 12 noon, everyone welcome. For further details please phone/fax 966 760 665 (95458) THE PHILIP SCOTT LODGE No 10671 of the RAOB meets every Friday in the Bar Catorce, Benijofar. Please call the secretary, Colin Bird on 693 287 614 for further information. (95459) CHARITY BOOK STALL PEGO THURSDAY MARKET. Selection of over 500 books, all proceeds given to the elderly/disabled of Pego and local Animal Rescue. More stock always required please contact Chrissie 965 977 228/617 647 395 (95460) THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, La Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on 966 495 188 (95461) ROYAL MARINES ASSOCIATION (Costa Blanca). The aim of the Association is to bring together not just ex Royal Marines, but ex Service personnel with an affinity to the Royal Marines. We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at Casa Ventura, San Luis Urbanisation, at 6.30pm. For further details Hon Sec 965 724 652 www.euroweeklynews.com
CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: 693 275 779 (95462) PILAR CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH, Calle Canalejas, 3. Pilar de la Horadada. Sunday Service at 11am & Thursday at 5pm for Prayer and Praise and Worship. Home groups meet during the week. All welcome from any church background or none. For further information, contact PilarChristian.Community Church@gmail.com / 966 849 448 / 966 848 806. Reg No: 2009-SG/A (95463) TORREVIEJA Christian Fellowship (TCF) is an English speaking lively church located at Avenida de las Valencianas 68, Torrevieja 03183. Residents and holidaymakers are welcome to attend our services with communion and ‘kids church’ each Sunday at 10.30am. We have a Fellowship Meeting (Bible Study) each Wednesday at 6.00pm. For further information see our website www.tcfSpain.org or tel 966 700 391. (95464) THE AIRCREW ASSOCIATION COSTA BLANCA BRANCH. Former & serving aircrews of the UK or Allied Armed Forces are welcome to join this convivial & friendly organisation, now in its 21st year. www.aca costablanca.org or call the Secretary on: 966 495 042 (95465) THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION JAVEA BRANCH meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month @ Scallops Rest on the Arenal at 11.00am. Everyone is welcome to attend as a visitor and join the branch if they wish. Anyone needing any help or advice on welfare, or any information regarding the branch can contact either Sheila on 965 791 270 or Roger on 965 790 123 (95472) TORREVIEJA STROKE SUPPORT GROUP meets each Friday 2.45pm to 5pm in The Annex, (behind Age Concern Centre), Calle Paganini, Urb. La Siesta. Our aim is to support stroke survivors and their carers by a range of facilities from speech therapy, rehabilitation exercise, group discussion etc. For info: Louie 966 718 964 or 965 071 920, email: strokesupportgroup@ hotmail.com Donations and
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further voluntary helpers are needed and guest speakers with relevant knowledge or experience are very welcome. (95473) THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Gran Alacant & La Marina Branch meets 1st Monday of every month (except July and August) at Bar Sioux , Avda Escandinavia GA at 7pm for 7.30pm prompt. For further info contact Brian, Branch Secretary on 639 917 971 / email secretarybr3606@gmail .com (95474) CAMPELLO CONTRA CANCER in conjunction with AECC Association Español Contra Cancer has opened a charity shop at C/Virgen de los Desamparados No 13 (next door to Mas y mas) El Campello. The shop is open Mon-Fri 10 - 2pm and is run by unpaid volunteers and all monies raised goes to the AECC. We urgently need donations of clothes, books, large and small furniture etc, and we will arrange collection of large items. We need volunteers to help out in the shop and also clothes rails, shelves etc. for display. Please support your local Cancer charity and if you wish to obtain literature or simply talk to someone. Please stop by at the shop. Contact Mina or Trisha. Tel 650 071 278 or 610 921 413 e-mail aecc_campello@hotmail.com (95475) International Christian Assembly Calle Pilar de Horadada 5, Torrevieja Evangelical non-denominational Sunday services 11am Children’s church 11am House groups in Torrevieja, Los Balcones, San Javier Ladies meeting Thursdays 11am. Pastor, Rafael Restrepo All nationalities welcome 966 799 273 / 660 127 276. (95476)
CHIMNEY SWEEP PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP. Family Business established over 60 years. 660 478 881 (236418)
DAMP www.dryzone-espana.com - We are the longest established Damp Proofing company in Spain. We can cure Rising Damp, leaking Flat Roof or Terrace problems quickly & safely. We can make your Underbuild Dry. Villa Paint Due! We can protect your villa & stop PENETRATING DAMP with a Protective Coating. Call us for a survey now; Tel: 634 322 672 (237179)
ELECTRICIAN MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (233062)
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FREEMASONRY Are you aware that Freemasonry is thriving on the Costa Blanca? There are various lodges meeting up throughout the Valencia region. If you already are a Mason or simply wish to know more about Freemasonry in Spain please contact Harry Palmer Membership Committee Tel: 966 712 326 or email: palmers.quesa da@yahoo.co.uk (95477)
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24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
PET TRANSPORT
PROPERTY FOR RENT
THE DOG MOVER. Licensed transporters. Two handlers, so never alone. 651 581 067 / 0044 (0) 7875 947230. www.thedog mover.com (228731)
SOS <http://www.sosin suranceinspain.com> Insurance in Spain. Best prices available. CALL US FIRST for all your insurance needs, including best deals on Funeral plans. Buildings and contents cover from just 82 euros per year and cars from 120 euros. Tel 966 787 123 / 622 275 561 / 686 116 297 / email info@sosinsur anceinspain.com (238734)
INTERNET GET YOUR business noticed online! Make sure that expats in Spain can find your product, service, restaurant, bar or shop. Contact Spain’s newest and brightest online directory TODAY. Call 952 561 245 or email serena@euroweek lynews.com for more details.
METAL WORK www.eriksmetalwork.com HOME SECURITY WE COME TO YOU. Costa Calida. stan@eriksmetalwork.com 636 050 008. (231100)
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)
WANTED WANTED Cars, vans, caravans, 4 X 4’s British Spanish 600 781 873 ibuyany car@hotmail.com (239455)
MUSIC TUITION PIANO, Keyboard, Organ, Qualified Teacher. Please call 606 984 535 (238468)
PERGOLA COVERS TAILOR made, durable canvas, sails, umbrella, spa and BBQ covers. Mazarron based, and at Procomobel Market, Guardamar Saturday mornings. 667 879 399 kruger canopies@yahoo.co.uk
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MOBILE HOMES WE BUY, Sell, Store, Remove all types of Mobile Homes. We pay CASH and cover all of Spain. More details call Suzi Caley 616 250 727 / 951 063 059 or email suzicaley@ gmail.com (237117)
MOTORING PET-COURIERS.COM – If you love your pet try us first – we are the best. Door to door service throughout Europe. Specialised vehicles – bespoke service. Full legal service including documentation if required. For further information call or e-mail us: Tel: (0034) 651 033 670 or (0034) 637 066 227. Email: info@pet-couriers.com or www.pet-couriers.com (231443)
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P.E.P.A. VOLUNTEERS & FOSTER HOMES URGENTLY NEEDED. By fostering an abandoned dog, or spending a few hours each week on our telephone helpline, you could help save the lives of many animals. Please call: 650 304 746. For more information browse our website: www.pepaspain.com EURO WEEKLY NEWS CLASSIFAX AGENT (95708) GATAMI ORGANISATION, to help kittens and cats, looking for good homes, also spaying wild cats in the community. Kittens require adoption, fully vaccinated, de-wormed, defleed. We also need volunteers to help Car boot sale in Polop on Sundays Tel Anna: 966 806 976 / 654 729 977 (95709)
PLUMBING MR FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434 (233062)
POOLS POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltechspain.com (243962)
UK-SPAIN-IRELAND. Removals with the personal touch. Pets carried with care 965 696 750 / 0044 (0) 7447 918 589 e-mail chrisy ounge73979@aol.com (237517)
QUALIFIED SEAMSTRESS 40 years experience, turn-ups to tailoring patterns taken from your favourite cloths, reasonable prices. Torrevieja, Sandra: 966 799 188 / 680 486 336 (228946)
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PET CHARITIES
SPAMA GANDIA SHELTER. Dog and cat rescue registered charity, La Safor area. 500 animals awaiting re-homing. Shelter open 7 days a week 12noon - 2.00pm & 3.30pm 7.00pm. (Spanish speaking staff) or phone Gail 962 896 118. Visit our website for directions. www.spama.org and view our new blog at www.spama-safor.blog.com.es PLEASE HELP US TO HELP THEM (95707)
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SEWING
PET TRAVEL UK Family pet transporters Spain/UK. Travel with your pets for free. All air conditioned vehicles (no vans) www.pettraveluk.co.uk. Removals also arranged in other vehicles. Tel UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537 (237026)
EASYHORSE CARE RESCUE CENTRE We aim to rescue HORSES. If you would like to DONATE please call 965 967 033 or sales@easyhorsecare .net www.easyhorsecare.net or call Sue 652 021 980 (95706)
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PROPERTY TO LET HEADLINES, Los Montesinos have a Nail & Beauty room for rent. Call Adrian 966 721 175. (232669)
REMOVALS/STORAGE UK - SPAIN - Anywhere Europe! Masses of experience. New clean vehicles. Insured with Royal Sun Alliance. Genuinely CARING service. FULL and part moves. ONLINE QUOTES!! www.bmceuropean.com UK 08456 443 784 / ES 634 344 787 FIND US ON FACEBOOK! (239719)
FIELD SALES positions available. Must have own transport, English and Spanish preferred, but not essential, must have local knowledge of the area and be smart and presentable. Applications by email with full CV should be sent to recruitment@euroweek lynews.com.
SPANISH MOVES Small removals and deliveries. Spain/UK Budget prices. Last minute jobs undertaken. www.spanishmoves.net. Pet transport also arranged in our air conditioned pet/people carriers. Telephone UK 0800 612 4922 or Spain 960130537 (237026)
DUE TO RECORD SALES Vista Casas have the following vacancies in our busy Villamartin Plaza Office, SALES TEAM – English & French speaking essential, Spanish & other languages a bonus, Property sales experience required & good knowledge of local area, Computer literate, Basic salary plus competitive commissions, AFTER SALES – Verbal & written English & Spanish essential, French & other languages a bonus, Good customer service skills, Excellent communication & administration skills, Computer literate, Previous experience in either estate agents or lawyers office preferred. If you want to join an expanding, professional company please contact Mark by email mark@vistacasas .com or mobile 603 107 696.Confidentiality assured to all applicants. (237563)
MAN AND VAN UK - Spain. 2 vans travelling twice a month, Murcia - North / South UK. Storage in Spain. Tel 610 846 260 or 0044 751 918 6355 email van.man@hotmail.co.uk (237750)
REMOVALS/STORAGE
BEAUTICIAN required at Head to Toe Salon, La Zenia. Fully qualified and experienced. Call 966 773 216. (232671)
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DO YOU CARE? If so, why not join our team of carers who work in the UK. Earn from £952 - £1,456 for 2 weeks. Good written/spoken English, British or EU Passport required. Contact Sandra on 658 965 204 or email s.field@consultusca re.com (235854)
SOLAR LOWEST PRICES IN SPAIN. www.solarmegas tore.es (236769)
SPAS / JACUZZIS
PERSON required to work in an office in Torrevieja with lots of experience. Perfect written and spoken English & Spanish necessary. Tel 691 510 958. (237612)
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SITUATIONS VACANT
SWIMMING POOLS WOODEN POOLS LIMITE D . Manufacturers & installers of wooden above ground pools. Take the plunge with one of the above ground pools. Best of all “No Planning Permission Required” Tel: 634 322 672. Phone or email for a FREE COLOUR BROCHURE & PRICE LIST NOW. www.woodenpo ols.limited info@woodenpo ols.limited (237179)
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JACUZZI, SPAS, HOT TUBS WANTED. Working or not 650 722 905 (237573)
www.chicosorihuela.com. Guys, transvestites, complacent, feisty. We are eager and hot. DARE!!! 616 804 411 (233059)
TELECOMS FED UP PAYING TOO MUCH FOR YOUR MOBILE PHONE CALLS? THEN CONTACT TELITEC TODAY. CALLS TO SPAIN 7C PER MINUTE INCLUDING MOBILES. CALLS TO UK 5.3C PER MINUTE. NO MONTHLY FEES, NO CONTRACT. WWW.TELITEC.COM TEL: 902 889 070 (0)
TILING PLUMBER/CERAMIC WALL & FLOOR TILER. 30 years’ experience. No job too small, free quote. Tel Shane on 645 664 298 / 965 075 190 (237242free)
WANTED Quad Bike and Jet Ski. Call 650 722 905 (237575) RECORDS & CDs WANTED. Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues. Top cash paid. Henry 630 665 363 (237222)
XXX RELAXATION Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the advertisements in this section offensive.
EXPERIENCE a great 1 hour massage with Veronica. Qualified. Call 679 292 678 for appointment. (232559) SPANISH lady - classic. Playa Flamenca, private house, 35 years, attractive. All erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie. From €40. Ana 865 646 437 (232687) ALMORADI - 2 sexy hot blonde bombshells waiting for you with many kisses. 645 323 546/604 104 757 (232645) BENIDORM 2 sexy pretty affectionate girls, massage, kisses, hotel/private apartment. Tel 671 431 214 (232564)
TRANSLATOR I CAN TRANSLATE in Dutch, Spanish, English, French & German. Translation of official documents, accompany to Spanish speaking businesses, doctors, etc. Contact Gregory 602 240 301. (243773)
NAUGHTY sexy Bi Lady, discreet, out calls only. Orihuela Costa. Email lush.lips99@yahoo.co.uk (239338) ASHLEY 30, English mixed race S/American, tall, busty and stunning, near the hospital. 665 883 576 (232691)
WANTED
SENSUAL RELAXING MASSAGE 25mins professional relaxing massage followed by 25mins sensual body2body. Julia 647 234 622 Torrevieja (241766)
SOPHIE. Escort, sexy, slim, elegant, naughty lady, home or hotel. 693 357 526 (237649)
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BEAUTIFUL Dutch girl, 36, slim, blonde hair, big breasts, all fantasies. Campoamor, 676 067 381 (232657)
MOTORING www.euroweeklynews.com
Motoring shorts
Top Gear may have new rival ITV have come into the fray of motoring shows with the announcement that they are about to launch a show to rival Top Gear. The Drive, as it will be called, will see celebrities lined up against one another on the track, where they will compete against the clock to become the top driver. The winners will then fight it out to be the series champ in a grand finale. One of the stars who has signed for the new show is former model and TV presenter Melinda Messenger. She told The Daily Star she wasn’t always the best driver: “On my first driving lesson I almost took a slip road to the motorway by mistake, which resulted in lots of shouting. The instructor asked me to swap seats.” A source said: “Think Top Gear’s ‘Star in a reasonably priced car’, and that’s Drive. But ours is more like stars in a very expensive car.”
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That Zonda, really! It’s like a lion in orange dungarees. Kind of fierce, but ridiculous all at the same time.
Some might say...
Saying goodbye to a legend
CAR: An iconic offroader.
ONE of the most recognised vehicles By Steve Walsh A ONE-OF-A-KIND Land Rover Defender sold for a record £400,000 (€549,224) at a prestigious charity auction at Bonhams, from which all proceeds are being donated to Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners. This is thought to be the most valuable production Land Rover ever to be sold at auction. As the world bids a fond farewell to the classic Land Rover Defender, fans of the
iconic offroader are clicking like mad to see a new film celebrating one of the world’s most recognisable vehicles. The film was commissioned to celebrate the global automotive icon and to promote the charity auction of the Defender 2,000,000, which took place at Bonhams headquarters in London on December 16, where it sold for £400,000 (€549,224). The film is called ‘From production to auction, the Defender 2,000,000 journey’, and marks the event as Land Rover ambassadors and well-known
fans of Defender visited the Solihull production line to help build the Defender 2,000,000. Funds from the sale of this vehicle will be going to Land Rover supported charities, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Born Free Foundation. FOND FAREWELL: To the Land Rover Defender.
You can see the film by following this link: http://www.landrover.com/above-and-beyond/celebrate-defender/2-million-vehicles.html
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MOTORING
Advertising feature
Book your quality car hire from Alicante and Murcia airport FLAMENCA CARS has over a decade of experience in the industry FLAMENCA CARS is a family business, specialising in quality car hire services from Alicante and Murcia airports. Established since 2004, they have over a decade of knowledge and experience in the industry. They have an extensive fleet of quality vehicles from small and medium economical hatchbacks to large family cars along with seven and nine seater vehicles. Booking your car hire with Flamenca Cars could not be easier and can be done quickly and conveniently online from your pc, tablet or smart phone. Simply visit www.flamencacars.com and enter your chosen location for pick up, along with the date and time, and the same for drop off.
Then simply select your choice of vehicle size. Once the booking is made reservations can be accessed online and amendments made as required, with customers praising the company’s flexible yet simple system. Flamenca Cars offers excellent value for money with winter car hire available from just €90 per week, and they promise the price they quote is the price you pay. There are no added or hidden extras, no large holding deposits, no fuel surcharge (receive full and return full) no airport queues, no extra insurance charges, no extra child or booster seat charges and no extra driver insurance premiums. You will be greeted by a member of staff at arrivals and swiftly shown
you leave the airport in your hire car within 10 minutes from meeting their representative at arrivals. Recognising the region’s numerous golf courses are a top attraction for visitors, Flamenca Cars proudly arrange golf tours including transfers to and from the airport of your choice, seven night’s accommodation, three rounds of golf included in the package price, plus transfers to and from the courses. Do you simply need an airport transfer to your holiday home or accommodation? No problem, Flamenca Cars can offer a quick and efficient service. FLAMENCA CARS: A quick and quality service. to your car just a minute away. Your paperwork is all completed prior to
your arrival and only a signature is required. Flamenca Cars aim to have
Flamenca Cars Tel: 661 086 403 Visit: www.flamencacars.com
‘One careful lady owner’ RARE 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona found in barn KEEPING the illusive ‘barn find’ romance alive, a real gem has been found in Alabama, USA, and is now expected to generate a small fortune at auction in January.
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She doesn’t look much after nearly a half century in an old barn, but nevertheless, there are great expectations for the old girl. The valuation price of the car is estimated at between $150,000 and $180,000 (more than €150,000). The reason for the high cost is that there were only about 500 of these monsters produced, of which only a small minority have been kept running. The car is a Dodge Charger Daytona, the special version which was produced in 196869. As the name suggests, the car was designed to have a
great career on American racetracks, but despite the streamlined design and the huge wing, it failed to beat Ford in the end, who took the NASCAR title both years. It still has the original Dodge 440 Magnum V8 engine, and according to the clock, it had only done about 33,000 kilometres before it was stored and forgotten about in the mid-1970s. According to the auction house Mecum, the car was originally bought by a local judge in Alabama, who gave it to his wife. One careful lady owner eh! Don’t you just love those ‘barn find’ stories?
SPORT
24 - 30 December 2015 / Costa Blanca South
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Café Uno Golf Society EXPECTATIONS FULFILLED: Players enjoyed perfect conditions.
T.M.G.S. at La Manga THE south course is surely one of the best in Spain CHRISTMAS is just around the corner but you wouldn’t have believed it as they made the hour or so journey south to play the La Manga South course. With a mid-morning tee time, they were greeted with perfect playing conditions, no wind and temperatures in the mid-20s. For some it was their first visit and their expectations were more than fulfilled. There has been a lot of publicity lately about a more local course being voted ‘best in Spain’ and yes it is good, but those who rated it couldn’t have played La Manga South course. It was presented in immaculate condition with impeccable surroundings. Twenty-one points seemed to be around the average score with only four
players breaking 30 points and, yes, you will have guessed by now that the reason for this was these perfect surfaces. Dutchman Ger Nicolasen is a quiet, unassuming man, usually the ones to keep an eye on, and played in the last group with a few of his mates. News had filtered across the course that he had made a ‘two’ on the par three fifth and unlike a few weeks ago it was unlikely that there would be any more, so Ger claimed the €26 in the pot. He also claimed the NTP on the same hole, Joe Dean took the bottle of Rioja on the par three second and 17th, while Mick Kennedy was nearest on the 12th. Ger managed to pull off the hat-trick by wining our gold category with 33
points, in second place was Ian Brown on 31, and Brian Fenty in third on 30. There were quite a few silvery category players on 21 points but Alex Alm had the lowest handicap to take third place. In second place with 25 points, was the all singing, all dancing Pearl Sabine, who is off to Benidorm this week to stand in for Sticky Vicky over the Christmas holidays. That leaves first place, and that went to the very consistent Mick Kennedy with 31 points. December 23 saw them back to one of their favourites, Villamartin, for their Christmas competition followed by a traditional lunch in the clubhouse. Follow them via; www.tmgs.org Facebook/TMGSGOLF or send them a tweet @TMGSGOLF.
ON THURSDAY December 17, it was 28 members and guests from the Café Uno Golf Society that played the last game before Christmas at Alenda Golf Course. If you didn’t know it was December, you could easily have been mistaken into thinking that it was September, for the weather was as gorgeous as a hot autumn day. The course was in its usual superb condition and the greens were like playing on a snooker table, quick and smooth. This being the last game before Christmas, they arranged for a Christmas dinner for when they returned to Café Uno for the presentations. There were the usual Gold and Silver categories, but also a prize for everyone who played. The food and the prizes were well received by all. Winners of the two categories were as follows: Gold Category: 1st, G Benson - 35 points 2nd, D Stewart - 33 points Best Front 9, J Stewart - 15 points Best Back 9, A Douglas - 20 points Nearest the Pin in 2 - D Stewart Silver Category: 1st, N Padmore - 32 points 2nd, J Pedersen - 32 points Best Front 9, P Whitham - 15 points Best Back 9, G Butterworth - 16 points Nearest the Pin - D Titchen Nearest the Pin in 2 - B Tarr Winner of the 2s competition - J Pedersen
David Gregson wins Eurogolf December Stableford ON Thursday December 17, Eurogolf played their monthly Stableford off the plates at La Marquesa. It was a perfect day for golf, sunny and no wind but unfortunately this didn’t reflect in the scores! Bronze Division: 1st Jan Shorley 33, 2nd Phyllis 32, 3rd Clare DayGretton 31 Silver Division: 1st Ken Brett 32, 2nd Tony Stanley 30, 3rd Gordon Bourne 27 Gold Division: 1st David Gregson 36, 2nd Ian Pegg 31 c/b, 3rd John Barraclough 31 Best Front 9 Mike Gillett 15. Best Back 9 Sue Gillett 18. Nearest The Pins: 5th Alan Venables, 11th Terry O’Reagan, 15th Ian Pegg, 17th Mark Bailey
Mary Sandersen receiving the Chuck Martinez trophy.
This week’s divisional winners. TUESDAY’S TOFFS On Tuesday December 15, Toffs played their normal Stableford off the blocks and the results were:
Gold Division: 1st Bob Buckeridge 36, 2nd Keith Wright 32, 3rd Dave Curtis 32 Silver Division:
1st Gordon Bourne 31, 2nd Hedy Pahelig 31, 3rd Morag Turner 30 Bronze Division: 1st Clare Daye-Gretton 36,
2nd Sue Pegg 34, 3rd Cindi Green 30 Best Front 9 Marylyn Eckersall 17. Best Back 9 Colin Hobden 18 NTPs: 5th Jan Shorley, 11th Keith Wright, 15th
D Stratford (g), 17th Dave Curtis. If you would like to play with Eurogolf and Toffs on Tuesdays and Thursdays at La Marquesa, please visit the website: www.eurogolfquesada.co.uk.
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Dylan Hartley will captain England in the 2016 Six Nations tournament. He was dropped from the World Cup after being banned for a head-butt.
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Jingle balls all the way... A BEAUTIFUL day greeted the 39 members and guest taking part in SMGS’s Jingle Balls team (of four players) and individual Christmas Stableford competition at Las Ramblas. Whilst some made an attempt to wear at least something Christmas related, two standout performances went the whole hog, with Barry Roehrig
and Robin Eastman just forgetting their reindeer and sleigh. Las Ramblas proved its usual difficult self for many, with only Karen Simpson making it look tame, with 23 members scoring less than 30. As at Las Colinas the previous week, the greens proved fast and tricky. This was not helped by many holes, particularly on
the back nine, being what is becoming an increasing, it seems, bone of contention, crowned. But not to sour the Christmas spirit, most players seemed to enjoy the format and the camaraderie generated by one of their rare team games. Team scores were based on two players’ individual scores to count on holes with Stroke Index 1-6, 3 on SI holes 7 to 12, and all four on those with SI 13 to 18. Ten teams participated. Results, in reverse order, were the following: 3rd (105 points): Humphrey Willerby, Richard Wale, Ron Stenhouse and Keith Stevenson. 2nd (108 points): John Osborne, Dave Stewart, Karen
Simpson and Norman McBride. 1st (110 points): Mike Frankish, Alan Gilbert, Brian Butler and Les Wilton. Prize-winning: Best individual scores were, in reverse order: 4th Mike Jordan (35 on CB), 3rd Theo Boelhouwer (35 on CB), 2nd Brian Staines (35 on CB), and 1st, with another battering of her San Miguel handicap, as well as the rest of the field, Karen Simpson with 42 points. Keep up to date with all SMGS matters by logging on to their website: www.smgs.org or call: 966 731 033 to find out more about the society and its weekly golf get-togethers.
Karen Simpson bettered her handicap.