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SOUTH EDITION Torrevieja Expo lacked British tourists
Your English Newspaper
Issue 599
08 - 14 april 2011
Helping hand for Japan
Torrevieja’s first ever International Business Expo Fair came to an end last Sunday evening after running for five days p5
The Wordplay ‘open mic’ writing competition
by Jack Troughton
With the upcoming publication of WordPlay’s first annual anthology, the WordPlay Showcase, it has become apparent how successful the group has been at achieving its aim of encouraging writers to write and then ‘getting them read’ p21
Leaving out the logical
You’d think that down-toearth practical arrangements like paying tax would entail a certain amount of logic wouldn’t you? p30
Bitter candy
Find out what Alex has been watching on TV p54
The final whistle The International Cricket Council has become the latest governing body to show that they are completely out of touch with their own sport. p62
Martha pulls into Torrevieja town centre
Martha makes it to Torrevieja to meet the mayor
By Julie Day ARRIVING IN the centre of Torrevieja at precisely midday on Wednesday, Steve Moore, his crew of three, and Martha the fire engine, were welcomed by the mayor of Torrevieja, Pedro Hernández Mateo, several town hall councillors, members of the ex-pat and Spanish press, plus a large crowd of predominantly British well-wishers, supporters and members of the British Association of Retired Firemen. Read the full story on page 3.
GENEROUS EXPATS wanting to extend the hand of international friendship and help Japan recover from the devastation of last month’s earthquake and Tsunami can donate to a special appeal fund. Costa Blanca businesswoman Jennifer Cunningham has organised a bank account in the name of the Japan Earthquake Appeal (see page 10) to collect donations and arranged to transfer them through Currencies Direct to the Japanese Red Cross. Jennifer, who owns Jennifer Cunningham Insurances SL, has family in Tokyo where her son Mark runs a chain of bars called the Hobgoblin Pubs. The death toll from the March 11 disaster is expected to top 25,000 people and has left the country facing its worst crisis since the Second World War. The ‘quake measured 8.9 on the Richter Scale – Japan’s worst since records began and the fifth largest seismic shock recorded anywhere in the world – and struck off the coast of the country, north of Tokyo with Miyagi and Sendai closest to the epicentre. DESTROY The resulting wall of water rushed in land at speeds of up to 800 kilometres per hour – as
fast as a modern jet – destroying everything in its path and sweeping away homes, shops, cars, even ships. The disaster also triggered a nuclear alert and an evacuation around Fukushima as water-cooled power plants threatened to meltdown and the international community, including Spain, has monitored a resulting increase in background nuclear levels, although below those considered a danger to health. The Japanese take pride in their dignity and honour and Jennifer told RTN they always took full responsibility for their actions and were “extremely stoical.” She added: “What will happen is they will rebuild and rebuild as fast as they possibly can but it is a vast area that has been affected.” Jennifer said her son had arrived in London just as disaster struck in the Pacific and had been “distraught” until he knew his wife and children were safe – Mark has since returned to Tokyo and said life was slowly getting back to normal. DISASTER And she said unlike natural disasters in more isolated and poorer parts of the world there was no need of food, water and blankets. Continued on page 10