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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

EEKEND

WORLD

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PROPERTY

Daesh

REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett

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WEEKEND WORLD - 1

MPs voted 397 to 223 to extend action in the House of Commons after a ten hour debate on the subject

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RITISH bombers made their first strikes on Islamic State in Syria on Thursday, hitting oil fields that Prime Minister David Cameron says are being used to fund attacks on the West. Tornado bombers took off from the RAF Akrotiri air base in Cyprus just hours after British lawmakers voted 397-223 to support Cameron’s plan for air strikes, a Reuters witness said. They returned to base safely several hours later.

Prime Minister David Cameron leaves Downing Street

Continued on page 2

A Royal Air Force Tornado lands at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, December 2

HOMES

MOTORS

A KING’S WELCOME CELEBRATING the passing of new law, which grants citizenship to Jews who were expelled during the Spanish Inquisition, King Felipe VI addressed representatives from within the Jewish community and political leaders at Madrid’s Royal Palace, saying “I want to tell you that you’re back home, that you have returned home forever – We have missed you!”

The Sephardic ancestry law, which came into effect on October 1, comes more than five centuries after Jews who failed to convert to Catholicism were expelled from Spain by the then monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand in

1492. The exact number of Jews who were expelled from Spain is the subject of much controversy but there are an estimated 3.5 million Jews with Spanish ancestry around the world.

Justice Minister Rafael Catala said that since the law was passed there have been nearly 600 citizenship applications and 10,000 information requests. In October, Spain also granted citizenship to 4,302 people whose Jewish ancestors fled after being told in 1492 to convert to Catholicism or go into exile ahead of the Spanish Inquisition that saw many Jews burned at the stake.

REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

BUILDING

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

2 - WEEKEND WORLD

NEWS

MURDER Supreme Court finds Pistorius guilty of murder

PARALYMPIAN Oscar Pistorius’ conviction for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has been scaled up to murder from culpable homicide by South Africa’s top appeals court.

“Blade Runner” Pistorius could now be sent back to jail for at least 15 years for shooting Steenkamp dead on Valentine’s Day 2013. The athlete is expected to be sentenced for the new murder conviction by a lower court at a date still to be determined.

Last year a judge gave Pistorius a five-year jail sentence for “culpable homicide” of Steenkamp, but prosecutors argued that he should be convicted of murder for firing four shots through a locked toilet door in a case that attracted interest around the world and continues to fascinate and divide South Africa.

Pistorius left jail on parole in October and is meant to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest. “This is a human tragedy of Shakespearean proportions,” Judge Eric Leach said as he started reading the ruling.

State prosecutors who lodged the appeal say Pistorius intended to kill Steenkamp and that she fled to a toilet during a row. Pistorius denies deliberately killing Steenkamp, saying he mistook her for an intruder at his home.

At the original trial in September last year, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled that the state had failed to prove intent or “dolus eventualis”, a legal concept that centres on a person being held responsible for the foreseeable consequences of their actions.

Dolus eventualis refers to whether a person foresees the possibility that his or her action will cause death but carries on regardless. “In these circumstances, the accused must have foreseen and, therefore, did foresee that whoever was behind the toilet door might die but reconciled himself to that even occurring and gambled with that person’s life,” said Judge Leach.

“The identity of his victim is irrelevant to his guilt.”

Continued from front cover

The four bombers used laser-guided bombs to attack six targets in the Omar oil fields in eastern Syria controlled by the Islamist militant group which British officials call Daesh, using an Arabic acronym that the group rejects. “That strikes a very real blow at the oil and the revenue on which the Daesh terrorists depend,” Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC. “There are plenty more of these targets throughout eastern, northern Syria which we hope to be striking in the next few days and weeks,” Fallon said. He said Britain was sending eight more warplanes to Cyprus to join the missions. There was no immediate information about casualties.

The British contribution still forms only a tiny part of U.S.-led “Operation Inherent Resolve”, which has been bombing Islamic State targets in both Iraq and Syria for more than a year with hundreds of aircraft. Previously, the small British contingent participated in strikes on Iraq but not Syria.

But although the British vote adds little additional military capability to the coalition, it has had outsized political and diplomatic significance since last month’s attacks in Paris, as Europe’s other leading military power wrestled with a decision to join France in expanding its military action.

After 15 years in which hundreds of British troops died serving as the main battlefield ally of the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, many in Britain are wary of more war in the Middle East.

The decision to extend bombing to Syria di-

REUTERS - By Zandi Shabalala

ian civil war could not be resolved by military action alone, but that the strikes would “degrade” Islamic State, a militant Islamist group which has declared a caliphate in large parts of Iraq and Syria.

“It is in Syria where they pump and sell the oil that does so much to help finance its evil acts,” Cameron told parliament on Wednesday ahead of the vote.

STEPPING BACK FROM THE WORLD

REUTERS/Neil Hall

Anti-war protesters demonstrate against proposals to bomb Syria outside the Houses of Parliament in London

vided the opposition Labour Party, opposed by its leader Jeremy Corbyn but supported by its foreign affairs spokesman Hilary Benn in a passionate speech in parliament.

Russia is also bombing Syria outside the U.S.-led coalition. Moscow supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States and its allies oppose him.

Cameron said the more than 4-year-old Syr-

Cameron has been criticised for stepping back from the world since he took the top job in 2010, particularly after he lost a 2013 vote in parliament on military action against Assad’s government. The vote on Thursday for military action gives him a chance to restore some of Britain’s global clout.

The news of the vote was met by howls of disgust by dozens of anti-war protesters demonstrating outside parliament.

But the Nov. 13 attacks on Paris that killed 130 people and were claimed by Islamic State have stiffened the resolve of many lawmakers. Just under a third of Labour members of parliament defied leftwing leader Corbyn to vote for military action.

“We must now confront this evil. It is now time for us to do our bit in Syria,” Benn said in his impassioned speech, which drew applause from lawmakers across the House of Commons.

REUTERS - By Michele Kambas and William James

Prince Harry shares personal photographs

Prince Harry looks over the body of a female rhino, killed alongside her 2-year-old calf by poachers in Kruger National Park, South Africa

PRINCE Harry has shared his personal account on the plight of endangered black rhinos as he visited the Kruger National Park in South Africa this week.

The images show the 31-yearold prince looking visible upset as he witnesses first-hand the effects of poaching as the bodies of a female rhino and young calf are found slaughtered.

Kensington Palace say Prince Harry’s photographs and videos highlighted the “urgent challenges faced by people on the ground working to protect Africa’s most endangered aniIn a moving image Prince Harry lies across a mals”. sedated Elephant

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 3

NEWS

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VEN if the world celebrates a Paris climate deal on December 11, the process will still have to be regarded as failure. Let me explain why.

The basic reason is that the unequal distribution of carbon emissions is not even on its agenda.

The historical responsibility of the West is not on the table, nor is a method of national carbon accounting that looks at how the emissions a country consumes rather than produces. Instead, what is on the table are expanded and new mechanisms that will allow the rich, Western countries to outsource their emission cuts so they can paint themselves green.

When the figures are in, 2015 is likely to be the warmest year on record and we’ve just reached 1°C temperature rise since the industrial revolution, halfway to the 2°C widely agreed to be the upper safe limit of global warming. It’s the fastest surface temperature increase in the world’s known geological history. We are now entering “uncharted territory”.

The dangers of global warming have been known – even to oil company executives – since at least the early 1980s. Yet, despite 25 years of UN-led climate talks, the world is burning more fossil fuels than ever. This is not simply the fault of big emerging economies such as China, India or Brazil.

Instead, what we are dealing with is the fundamental failure of neoliberal capitalism, the world’s dominant economic system, to confront its hunger for exponential growth that is only made possible by the unique energy density of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

Why the Paris climate talks are Sombre doomed to failure, moment like all the others

at the G20

Author Steffen Böhm - Professor in Management and Sustainability, and Director, Essex Sustainability Institute, University of Essex

HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY A glance at global history reveals how closely energy is linked to economic growth. The Netherlands was the first country to get a taste for exponential industrial growth back in the 16th and 17th centuries – and the Dutch empire was built on the availability of cheap domestic peat as well as timber from Norwegian and Baltic forests.

One reason the British took over the Netherlands’ imperial leadership was its vast reserves of cheap coal, which started to be burned at the end of the 18th century, exponentially growing in the 19th century. Then came oil and gas, which helped make America the imperial master from the early 20th century onwards.

So there are more than 300 years of massive fossil fuel burning by the so-called West to account for. And while this historical responsibility still played a significant role at Kyoto in 1997 – resulting in emissions cuts that were only legally binding for industrialised countries – it has gradually been pushed into the background.

Now in Paris it seems almost forgotten. But the fact that about 80% of historical carbon emissions have to be attributed to the developed countries cannot simply be wished away.

The rapid rise of emissions, particularly in China and India, is often cited as reason for why these rapidly industrialising countries now also have to curb their emissions. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t. Both countries clearly have their own imperial ambitions, which they hope to achieve by stimulating massive industrial expansion.

But let’s bear in mind that India’s carbon

emissions per capita are still 10 times lower than those of the US. And China’s rapidly rising emissions are to a great extent driven by export-driven industries, producing consumer goods for the West.

CREATIVE CARBON ACCOUNTING In fact if a consumption-based approach to carbon accounting is taken, the UK’s national carbon emissions would be twice as high as officially reported. This is also true for most Western European countries and the United States, which have experienced increasing rates of deindustrialisation over the past two decades with not only jobs but also carbon emissions being offshored to developing countries. In return the West is receiving cheap consumer goods without recognising the responsibility for the embedded carbon emissions that come with them. A clear form

of carbon colonialism.

Of course, some of the exponential growth in carbon emissions by India and China is also due to increases in home-grown consumption. China apparently now has the largest middle class in the world. However, if we take a consumption-based view, then even China’s emissions per capitawill not reach the US’s current rate for a long time – and India’s lag further behind.

Yet rich countries continue to be eager to outsource their responsibilities.

Carbon offsetting will see an unprecedented growth in the coming years. Countries such as Norway and Switzerland will continue to strike bilateral deals with poor nations desperate for cash. Emissions trading systems (ETS) will allow maximum flexibility for companies to offset their emissions.

These are all mechanisms designed to cement the status quo. The EU ETS has not

made a significant impact on the trading bloc’s carbon emissions since its inception in 2005, allowing Shell’s chief executive, Ben Van Beurden, to insist even in 2015 that: “The reality of demand growth is such that fossil fuels will be needed for decades to come.”

Nothing significant has changed since Rio 1992 or Kyoto 1997. Paris 2015 will be no different. The talking will continue until we realise climate change is a failure of a system, which – on the back of fossil fuel – is geared towards exponential economic growth.

Nobody who sits at the negotiation table in Paris has the mandate nor inclination to ask fundamental, systemic questions of the logic of the dominant economic system and the way we consume the resources of this planet.

This article was originally published on The Conversation

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

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UK NEWS

Ex Model urges MP to ban underfed and underage models in fashion

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X model Rosie Nelson is urging MPs to consider tougher rules for the fashion industry, describing catwalks full of models with advanced eating disorders, some surviving solely on popcorn.

Nelson, whose Change.org petition which calls for new laws for health standards in the fashion industry has attracted more than 110,000 signatures, told the all-party parliamentary group on body image that she had constantly been urged to lose weight, with one agency saying she needed to be “down to the bone”.

Nelson, 23, told the MPs she had been turned away

by British agencies for not being thin enough. “I went back after I lost weight, and I was told I had to lose more. I couldn’t physically have lost more weight at that time”.

Modelling agencies were defiant that the use of underfed models was not in practise John Horner, managing director of Models 1, which discovered the models Twiggy and Yasmin Le Bon, said he rarely encountered models who made themselves unwell from extreme diet and exercise regime.

Worldwide different laws have been passed

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to try and tackle the issue. Spain already bars models with a body-mass index (BMI) below 18 from taking part in Madrid fashion shows, and models on Italian catwalks must show health certificates under a self-regulation code. The World Health Organisation guidelines state that an adult with a BMI below 18 is considered malnourished, and 17 severely malnourished. The average model has a BMI of 16.

Thou SHALT commit adultery: Rare Sinners bible comes up for auction

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T is one of 10 remaining copies the rare Sinners Bible which contains a printing blunder urging readers to commit adultery, was auctioned last month at Bonhams London selling for £31,250.

Is adultery a sin? Well in 1631 it all depended upon which Holy Bible you were reading because one edition of the great book included an unfortunate error within its Ten Commandments and instead insisted that for the seventh commandment “Thou shalt commit adultery” omitting “not” Unfortunately it took a year to spot the mistake and by this time over 1,000 copies of the Bible had been printed. When King Charles 1 was informed he furiously ordered that all the bibles be burned but luckily a few managed to escape. It is often wondered whether Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, the royal printers, made a genuine error or if it

was a mischievous act of sabotage by rival printer Bonham Norton. Certainly the error caused Barker a great deal of misfortune, King Charles 1 fined him £300.00 for the error which in today’s money would be £30,000 and revoked his printing licence to make matters worse in 1635 he was imprisoned for racking up huge debts and died as a prisoner behind bars.

Today only nine copies of this controversial bible exist.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 5

UK NEWS

Britain pledges £178 billion investment in defence kit

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AVID Cameron has announced a £178 billion investment in defence equipment and support over the next decade as part of his governments five-year defence and security plan as published within the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review, a document setting out how it plans to fund military operations. A, £12 billion uplift in funding has been focused on investments that will help to ensure the UK can respond to diverse threats in an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world. These will include: AIRCRAFT Nine new Boeing P8 maritime patrol aircraft for maritime surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare will increase further the protection of our nuclear deterrent and our new aircraft carriers. These roles require an aircraft that can carry torpedoes, as well as being fitted with a broad range of sensors, including radar and sonobuoys, which are operated from the rear of the cabin by a team of specialists. These aircraft will also provide maritime search and rescue and surveillance capabilities over land.

SUBMARINES All four of the submarines that make up the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent are to be replaced – even though the cost which was £31bn has now spiralled by a further £6bn.

TYPHOON The funding will be extending the life of the multirole Typhoon for a further 10 extra years through to 2040, meaning we will be able to create 2 additional squadrons.

This will give a total of 7 frontline squadrons, consisting of around 12 aircraft per squadron. It will also invest in their ground attack capability and fit them with a new active electronically scanned array radar to ensure they can continue to operate in hostile environments in the future.

STRIKE BRIGADES 2 new ‘strike brigades’ will be created by 2025 to be deployed rapidly, able to self-deploy thousands of kilometres, and with a much lower logistic footprint. They will use the new Ajax family

The Prime Minister has announced a £178 billion investment in defence equipment and support over the next decade

Two Typhoons of 6 Squadron

(previously known as Scout) range of vehicles, comprising 6 variants and almost 600 armoured vehicles.

INTELLIGENCE Security and intelligence agencies have also been promised additional support including £2.5 billion and 1,900 additional staff.

Writing in the foreword to the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Prime Minister says: “Our national security depends on our economic security, and vice versa. So the first step in our National Security Strategy is to ensure our economy is, and remains, strong.

Over the last 5 years we have taken the difficult decisions needed to bring down our deficit and restore our economy to strength.

In 2010, the total black hole in the defence budget alone was bigger than the entire defence budget in that year. Now it is back in balance. By sticking to our long-term economic plan, Britain has become the fastest growing major advanced economy in the

A Trident missile armed Vanguard class ballistic missile submarine leaving its base in the Firth of Clyde

world for the last 2 years. Our renewed economic security means we can afford to invest further in our national security. This is vital at a time when the threats to our country are growing. From the rise of ISIL and greater instability in the Middle East, to the crisis in Ukraine, the threat of cyber-attacks and the risk of pandemics, the world is more dangerous and uncertain today than 5 years ago.

Doctors suspend mass walkout until January after talks DOCTORS in Britain’s state-funded health service announced on the eve of a planned mass walkout they would suspend it until January after “conciliatory talks” with the government over new pay and conditions.

The strike had been due to start on Tuesday, involving doctors in training, or junior doctors, who represent just over half of all doctors in the National Health Service. It would have hit nonemergency care and led to the cancellations of many operations. “Following conciliatory talks... we have agreed to suspend industrial action in England, which was due to begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow,” the BMA, the union which held the ballot on strike action, said in a statement on its website. “The government has also agreed not to proceed unilaterally with the introduction of a new contract.”

INVEST So while every government must choose how to spend the money it has available, every penny of which is hard-earned by taxpayers, this government has taken a clear decision to invest in our security and safeguard our prosperity. As a result, the United Kingdom is the only major country in the world today which is simultaneously going to meet the NATO target of spending 2% of our GDP on defence and the UN target of spending 0.7% of our GNI on development, while also increasing investment in our security and intelligence agencies and in counter-terrorism.

Our armed forces, our police and our security and intelligence agencies put their lives on the line every day. Their service is an inspiration to us all and they are the pride of our nation. Through this National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review we will back them and use our hard-earned economic strength to support our armed forces, and to give those in our police and our security and intelligence agencies who fight terrorism the resources they need to help keep our country safe.”

The government’s pledge within the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review shows that they are determined to safe guard the UK and properly equip the military and security services to counter state-based threats, terrorism, cyber and other technologies seems in the face of the growing threat of terrorism.

Ninety-eight percent of more than 37,000 junior doctors had voted to take part in industrial action, including strikes, in protest against the new employment contract proposed by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (above).

The BMA and doctors have criticised the new contract, which changes the way they are paid for anti-social hours, saying it does not provide proper safeguards against doctors working dangerously long hours.

The government says the new contract is part of measures to ensure patients get the “same quality of care across the week”. Doctors’ strikes are rare in Britain. The last time they took industrial action was in 2012 over NHS pensions, but care was only slightly disrupted.

The last major walkout was in 1975 over non-payment for work done outside the standard 40-hour working week. A new contract was agreed the next year.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

6 - WEEKEND WORLD

UK NEWS

Back from the dead IF you were to mention whale watching, not too many people will think of London’s River Thames but as the old saying goes “nature finds a way” and today London’s main estuary is seeing a return or whales, seals and dolphins.

Granted the river still looks murky and pretty unpleasant but appearances can be deceptive over half a century ago, the river was declared “biologically extinct” — meaning, it was so polluted nothing could live in it. Damage to London’s sewage system caused by World War II, expanding industrial effluent, and rising water temperatures in the first half of the twentieth century choked the river to death. By 1949, there was a 26-mile (42km) oxygen-free, borderline-dead stretch of the river, writes marine ecologist Martin J. Attrill in his book A Rehabilitated Estuarine Ecosystem, but now after decades of trying to improve the water system, fish have returned and this in turn has attracted the larger marine animals encouraged by the new food supply.

With more than 2,700 marine mammals sighted since 2005, its recovery seems to be coming along swimmingly.

Controversial HS2 line to open six years early as funding soars The HS2 route which was originally due to open in 2033 is now expected to open six years earlier following the chancellor’s announcement during his Spending Review although the funding for the project had gone up £5.1 billion to £55.7bn!

The high speed rail link connecting Crewe to Birmingham will open six years ahead of schedule in 2027, Chancellor George Osborne confirmed. Set to considerably slash journey times and increase capacity across the busy railways, this new route has long been billed as a significant catalyst for driving growth and rebalancing regional economies across the country.

Once Phase 2a has opened in 2027, the reduced journey times delivered by HS2 phases 1 and 2a will be: - Crewe to London will be cut by 35 minutes - Manchester to London will be cut by 40 minutes - Glasgow to London will save 48 minutes Once complete, HS2 will mean journey times fall by an hour from London to Manchester, by 53 minutes from London to Glasgow and by 65 minutes from Birmingham Curzon Street to Leeds.

A start date has not yet been revealed for the HS2 building work - but it is expected to be brought forward in the light of this announcement.

Fathers’ rights protesters scale roof of Buckingham Palace

TWO men involved in the Fathers For Justice group scaled the roof of a building in Buckingham Palace grounds last weekend in yet another protest calling for more rights for fathers. The activists remained on the roof for several hours before climbing down and surrendering to police.

The men climbed onto the roof of the Queens Gallery, a public art gallery in Buckingham Palace grounds that has a separate entrance from the residence itself. The activists claimed to have breached security by creating a distraction and climbing a ladder, according to the group.

The Queen and Prince Philip were not at the palace.

More than half of Britons want to leave the EU A survey of 2,000 conducted by the ORB pollsters for the Independent Newspaper has shown that 52% of British voters want to leave the European Union following the attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

The survey showed that support for leaving was highest among those aged over 55 and lowest among those aged 18-24. Scotland and Wales voted higher for staying within the union while the south west of England was the most Eurosceptic. Many attribute

the rise to the growing fears that Europe is unable to protect its borders.

The United Kingdom is the second largest economy within the Union and one of the most powerful militarily so leaving the European Union it would have a devastating effect on the bloc. Earlier this month, British Prime Minister David Cameron launched his attempt to reform the 28-member bloc ahead of a referendum on whether Britain should remain an EU member.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 7

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UK NEWS

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

8 - WEEKEND WORLD

GENERAL NEWS

BYPaul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford

T

WELVE years ago, George W Bush gave his “Mission Accomplished” speech from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, confident that the Saddam Hussein regime had been consigned to the dustbin of history, the Taliban regime had been terminated, al-Qaeda was dispersed, if not destroyed, and the desperately needed New American Century was back on track.

That’s what he thought. Instead, over the following decade, hundreds of thousands died in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. In the past two years, the latest manifestation of al-Qaeda’s terrorist ideology, Islamic State, has grown apace to affect millions of people across north-east Syria and north-west Iraq, even in the face of an intensive air campaign against them. The US air war, Operation Inherent resolve, has – according to the latest figures from the US Department of Defence – involved more than 8,125 airstrikes and has hit more than 16,000 targets. An estimated 20,000 IS supporters have been killed, yet the number of fighters that IS can deploy – between 20,000 and 30,000 – is unchanged.

Moreover, the assessment of US intelligence agencies last year that 15,000 people from 80 countries had joined IS and other extreme groups has been raised to 30,000 from 100 countries.

War is good for IS. It relentlessly portrays itself as the defender of Islam under attack from crusader forces as it creates a rigid and determined caliphate, a pernicious world view hated by the overwhelming majority of Muslims – yet appealing to a tiny minority

WE MUST PREPARE FOR A 30-YEAR WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST that is still worth proselytising.

Until last spring, IS concentrated primarily on developing and protecting its proto-caliphate. But it has now taken a leaf out of the old al-Qaeda book and extended its operations overseas.

This has taken two forms – developing connections with like-minded groups: whether in Libya, Nigeria, the Caucasus, Afghanistan or within the Middle East – and fostering direct attacks on the “crusaders”, whether it’s the tourists killed at the Bardo Museum and the Sousse resort in Tunisia or, more recently, on the Russian Metrojet, and during the horrific attacks in Paris.

As IS no doubt hoped, France has reacted with renewed air strikes in Syria, and across the West there is talk of an expanded air war and even the use of ground troops. This will be music to the ears of the IS leadership.

Some of them will be killed but what does that matter when they are part of a divine plan? Moreover, if their acolytes can carry out more attacks then there is a real chance of rampant Islamophobia evolving rapidly in France and elsewhere, with all the recruitment potential that it provides.

A F/A-18 Super Hornet taking off from USS Carl Vinson before carrying out strikes on ISIL targets in Syria

George Bush aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier were he announced “ Mission Accomplished”

What should the West do?

If we follow the logic of IS wanting war and suggest quietly that it might not be a good idea, then the inevitable response is: “What should we do?”. It is not enough to say, for example, that we should not have invaded Iraq in the first place, true though that is.

There are, though, some clear steps that can be taken to start the multi-year process of curbing IS. An early priority is putting far greater emphasis on ending the Syrian civil war, the necessary precursor to constraining IS in Syria. There are some small signs of progress here with the two recent meetings in Vienna involving all the proxies to the war including Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia. But the process must be accelerated and, however difficult, Assad and key militia leaders must somehow be engaged. It is the most difficult of all the tasks and will require the best skills of highly competent conflict resolution specialists.

Close behind that in importance will be a huge and immediate effort to aid the 3m or more refugees from Syria and Iraq, principally in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, many of them facing an appalling winter while the UNHCR and other agencies struggle to provide support. The core motive must be humanitarian – but if help is not provided, these camps also will provide a remarkable recruiting ground for IS. A third element is to work as hard as possible to encourage the Abadi government in

Baghdad to reach out to the Sunni minority, especially in those many parts of Iraq where persistent neglect of that minority is helping maintain support for IS. Finally, there is the issue of the expansion of IS, not least in Libya. The need to support UN attempts to bring stability to that country is urgent yet seriously lacking at present.

In this context, perhaps the most urgent need for any state seriously interested in preventing the further growth of extreme Islamist movements is to foster a change in the repressive policies of the Sisi government in Egypt. With more than 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood supporters killed and well over 10,000 imprisoned, many under sentence of death, this is the one country that is ripe for Islamist expansionism.

None of these measures provides anything like a full answer to the many challenges of IS but they collectively point us in a different direction. We have recently entered the 15th year of what used to be called the “War on Terror” – and that war is about to intensify with little thought about the long-term effects or the reasons for past failures. If we do not take a new direction then we should prepare for a 30-year war.

Article originally published on The Conversation.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 9

GENERAL NEWS

Outdated abortion laws NORTHERN Ireland’s near blanket ban on abortion breaches human rights legislation, a High Court judge in Belfast has said. After months of deliberation, Judge Mark Horner agreed that women and girls should be able to access legal terminations in cases of rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormalities.

Unlike other parts of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to Northern Ireland where abortions are illegal except in very limited circumstances where the life or mental health of the mother is in danger and those found to be performing an illegal termination could face up to life in jail.

Northern Ireland’s abortion policy is governed by the 1861 Offences Against The Person Act. In 2013 the New York Times reported that more than 800 women and girls from Northern Ireland travelled to hospitals in Britain for abortions. Amnesty International, which lauded the high court’s ruling, said in a statement: “Northern Ireland’s laws on abortion date back to the nineteenth century and carry the harshest criminal penalties in Europe.”

Northern Ireland’s Attorney General John Larkin has said he will challenge the ruling.

Maggie Thatcher voted most influential woman of the past 200 years

S

HE was Britain’s first and remains the only female prime minster Margret Thatcher has been voted ‘the most influential woman of the past 200 years’ in a survey conducted by The Scottish Widows.

Scottish Widows, collaborating with historian and author Suzannah Lipscomb, marked its 200-year anniversary by trying to identify which women were seen as having the greatest impact on society over the last two centuries. An online survey of 2,004 UK adults polled between 2nd October – 5th October voted that the most influential women was Margaret Thatcher who received 28% of the total votes.

The top ten also featured four non-British names with Mother Teresa at number six with 13% votes African American activist Rosa Parks in ninth place with popular talk show host Oprah Winfrey in 10th position.

The Top 10 Most Influential Women 1. Margaret Thatcher (28 per cent) 2. Marie Curie (24 per cent) 3. Queen Elizabeth II (18 per cent) 4. Diana, Princess of Wales (17 per cent) 5. Emmeline Pankhurst (16 per cent) 6. Mother Teresa (13 per cent) 7. Florence Nightingale (12 per cent) 8. Queen Victoria (8 per cent) 9. Rosa Parks (7 per cent) 10. Oprah Winfrey (6 per cent) The poll also ranked women from different fields. Body Shop founder Anita Roddick was named the most influential businesswoman, author Jane Austen topped the creative arts list, Amelia Earhart was named the most influential sportswoman, and actress Judi Dench was deemed the most influential performing artist.

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

10 - WEEKEND WORLD

LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS

Human skulls found buried in popular Barcelona beach Eight skulls, thought to be human, have been found along with other bones in shallow waters off a popular beach in Spain. The half-buried bones were discovered by a snorkelers off Els Palangrers beach, north of Barcelona.

A Catalonia regional police spokeswoman said a local snorkeler had discovered the bones Sunday and notified police. The officer said police are investigating the identity of the bones, how old they are and how they came to be there. She said the bones are clean and have no body tissue attached.

Cádiz Police discover the corpse of a women who died over five years ago ACCORDING to police sources, the deceased, a nurse by profession, and identified only as Pilar M. was discovered by builders who were working on the facade of the building she resided in when they observed through the window on the second floor a skeleton figure lying on the bed in the bedroom and alerted the police.

The body was noted to be in an advanced state of decomposition by a group of specialists of the Scientific Police.

Further investigation into the death will be carried out.

HELP SPECSAVERS TO HELP CHARITY THIS CHRISTMAS THROUGHOUT December, Specsavers Opticas in Marbella and Fuengirola are taking part in a Christmas charity appeals to collect food and glasses for those in need in the local area.

Business Development Manager, José Ángel MoralTajadura tells us “Supporting charitable causes this Christmas is important to us with many families on the Costa del Sol feeling the effects of the recession. Our stores are passionate about their chosen charities and are all doing their bit to encourage donations.”

FOOD BANK Donations of non-perishable food would be greatly appreciated at Specsavers Opticas in Fuengirola where they are collecting on behalf of the Costa del Sol’s Food Bank Bancosol. Bancosol collects food and distributes it to those in need via well known charities and their Christmas campaign aims that no one is hungry this Christmas.

Specsavers in Marbella is taking part in the Lions Club International’s glasses collection drive to collect glasses for people in Marbella who need access to glasses to make a living and succeed at school, but do not have the financial means to buy them.

Old glasses can be dropped off in store throughout December and are then prepared for individuals in Marbella who desperately need them.

To find your nearest Specsavers store and get involved with their charity collections visit www. specsavers.es

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 11

LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS

Sean Connery’s wife charged with Spanish €5.5 million property tax fraud

S

EAN Connery’s wife Micheline Roquebrune has been charged with taking part in an alleged plot to defraud the Spanish treasury of millions of euros in property taxes which if found guilty could result in a fine of up to £16m and a prison sentence of up to two and a half years.

Prosecutors claim that Ms Roquebrune, 86, conspired with lawyers and local businessmen to hide profits from the sale of her and Sean Connery’s Marbella home Casa Malibu in 1999 for €6.4 million and the fact that the house was subsequently demolished with more than 70 flats constructed in its place even though permission was only granted for 5. The flats later sold for an estimated €53 million.

The prosecution states that they have clear evidence that Ms Roquebrune was connected to a Spanish company called By the Sea, which defrauded the Spanish treasury of nearly €5.5m. Among those accused as part of the case– Julian Munoz, the former mayor, and Marbella’s ex-town planning chief Juan Antonio Roca – are already serving prison sentences for their involvement in a separate corruption conviction, Operation Malaya.

Sean Connery was initially investigated but charges were dropped after investigating magistrate Alfredo Mondeja chose to shelve his probe into Sean Connery after receiving a 56-page affidavit from him denying any wrongdoing.

A date is yet to be set for the hearing in Malaga.

Former mayor of Marbella, Julian Munoz and Juan Antonio Roca, Marbella’s ex-town planning chief

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

12 - WEEKEND WORLD

LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS

SEARCH IS STEPPED UP

POLICE investigating the disappearance of Lisa Brown, the Scottish mother of one who has been missing for almost a month are keen to know of the whereabouts of her British boyfriend Simon Corner.

Guardia Civil previously spoke to Corner a keen boater in the days following Lisa’s disappearance, after he was tracked to the port of Sotogrande where he was found repairing his vessel with friends.

Port workers have now been told by investigators to call them immediately if they see any sign of Simon Corner, who is originally from Liverpool, but his sudden disappearance will now only add to a already heightened concern for the safety of Ms Brown, originally from Alexandria, Dumbartonshire.

DOGS Searches were undertaken last week involving a helicopter, sniffer dogs and expert divers to comb a river and woodland near her home but none provided any further clues as to her whereabouts. A Guardia Civil spokesman, when asked about Simon Corner said: ‘Our investigation into Lisa Brown’s disappearance remains open and all avenues are being explored.” ‘I cannot say anything else at the moment.’ Inspector William Gomez of the Royal Gibraltar Police, brought in to assist due to Lisa’s close ties to Gibraltar, is quoted as saying: ‘We don’t know his present whereabouts.’He was last seen on or around the date of Lisa’s alleged disappearance.’

Anyone with information is urged to contact either the Guardia Civil or Royal Gibraltar Police Force.

If someone tells you it’s in the post – don’t expect it any time soon!

T

O say it’s in the post in most European countries would make you feel assured the package would arrive safe and sound, however here in Spain that is not the case. The postal service or Correos as it is known is quite frankly a laughing stock but to add fuel to the fire this week two cases involving postmen who have deliberately not delivered the post can only make matters worse.

The first case involves a Marbella postman who has recently been charged for negligence after he was caught trying to burn over 3000 letters – letters he had failed to deliver over a period of six months.

It is not known if this was the full stash of post he failed to deliver or if he had in fact destroyed more before he was captured. When questioned in court the postman who cannot be named could not give a sufficient explanation as to why he had failed to do his job. If the postman is found guilty of negligence he could face up to 4 years in jail.

In a second case a postman from Valencia has been arrested after police became suspicious following a tip off that an expostman had over a period of 10 years between 2004– 2014, stolen post. When examining the evidence police discovered a hoard of over 3200 items of post ranging from driving licences, electricity bills and personal letters

The national police tweeted the activities highlighting that the individual had “Robbed over 3200 letters”

RETURN TO SAD HILL NEXT year sees the 50th anniversary of the The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, one of the world’s best-known westerns and the film that turned Clint Eastwood into a major star. One scene in the film where Clint Eastwood tersely stared down his companions in a final showdown and one of the most famous movie scenes in the world, was shot in Burgos in northern Spain on the set of the fictitious Sad Hill cemetery.

Measuring 300 metres in diameter and featuring more than 5,000 grave markers, the cemetery was specially built for the famous denouement of the film by several hundred Spanish soldiers. Now overgrown with weeds and shrubs, the set of the cemetery in the province of Burgos, 140 miles north of Madrid, was abandoned after its stint as a backdrop in the film.

However the Sad Hill Cultural Association is dedicated to restoring the glory of the cemetery in preparation for next year’s 50th anniversary of the film. Since October, members of the association across northern Spain have been spending their weekends

at Sad Hill, shovels and hoes in hand, pulling out weeds and uncovering stones in a bid to make the cemetery appear just as it did 50 years ago.

The project is funded by donations, including through a crowd funding campaign that offers fans the chance to sponsor a grave marker in the cemetery. The initiative is one of many being planned by local associations in Burgos to mark next year’s 50th anniversary of Sergio Leone’s film.

Along with the planned talks, short film competitions and conferences exploring the genre, those behind the Sad Hill Cultural Association have bigger plans for the cemetery once the restoration is complete – they want the 85-year-old Eastwood to visit the site of his famous shootout.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 13

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

14 - WEEKEND WORLD

LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS

V

IVIENNE DAY, 70, from Basildon in Essex claimed housing benefit, council tax benefit, Disability Living Allowance and Pension Credit for eight years - yet failed to let her UK benefit office know she was actually living in Mazarrón, Murcia.

In total she falsely claimed over £41,000. But thanks to close working between the Department for Work and Pensions - which has a team of investigators based here in Spain - and the Spanish authorities, the truth surrounding her country of residence has been exposed and justice served.

Not only did she fail to notify the DWP that she had moved abroad but she also hid from officials her ownership of a Spanish property and savings of £127,000.

FAILURE Investigators say one of the most common forms of benefit fraud among expats is failure to update their benefit office on changes of circumstance, such as moving abroad. They warn that such changes, if not reported, will in due course be detected and pursued.

Day was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to repay within three months the full £41,000 she falsely claimed, plus £4,098 costs, or face a nine month stint in prison.

Local councillor Stuart Sullivan said, ‘This is a remarkable case both in the scale of fraud and the fact it went on for eight years. Basildon Council takes these cases very seriously and,

y r r e M hristmfroams C

‘REPAY OR GO TO JAIL’, BRITISH BENEFIT FRAUDSTER TOLD Suspended prison sentence for expat who failed to update benefits office as this case highlights, we will vigorously pursue those who commit these crimes and seek a full refund of money claimed as well as court costs. I hope the severity of the sentence will act as a deterrent to others.’

If you receive a UK benefit you must let your UK benefit office know if you travel or move abroad. If you don’t, you could be committing benefit fraud. You can find out more about what changes you need to tell the DWP about at www.gov.uk/report-benefitschange-circumstances .

If you suspect someone of committing benefit fraud in Spain, call the Benefit Fraud Hotline on 900 55 444 0. Calls are free and confidential. Or you can report a benefit thief online at www.gov.uk/report-benefitfraud. You can help make sure that benefits go to those that need them most.

Failing to notify a change of circumstance is among the most common form of benefit fraud.

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 15

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A blanket of smog covers Beijing W

ORLD leaders are gathered in Paris attending the Climate Change Conference and across the world Beijing has issued an ‘orange alert’ the second highest of four dangers as extremely dangerous levels of smog envelop the city. Officials have instructed all residents especially its young and elderly to stay indoors as levels of fine pollution particles (PM 2.5) in the air becomes 17 times the level considered safe by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Air pollution has been a constant cause of worry in China, only earlier this year the environment ministry announced that only eight out of the country’s 74

AIRASIA CRASH CAUSED BY COMPUTER FAILURE

A year after flight QZ8501 AirAsia crashed killing all 162 people onboard, investigators have revealed that the cause was a combination of system malfunctions and human error

T

HE final report compiled following a 12-month long investigation into the tragedy shows that the initial problem was a cracked soldered joint on part of the aircraft’s computer system which resulted in an electrical interruption that caused computer-generated warnings of a rudder malfunction.

According to the report, the problem occurred four times during the ill-fated flight and had happened 23 times in the year leading up to the December 28, 2014. After the fourth time during the flight, the pilots flipped the circuit breakers on part of the plane’s control panel in an attempt to reset the system. The reset turned off both the plane’s autopilot and auto-thrust system and pilots didn’t turn them back on, leaving them to manually fly the plane with a degraded system.

The faulty rudder controls put the plane into a steep bank while pilots flew higher, and investigators said the crew was unable to react appropriately causing the plane to roll and eventually crash. Poor communication and lack of crew coordination was also reported Flight QZ8501 had taken off from Surabaya, Indonesia on the 28th December bound for Singapore crashed into the Java sea less than halfway into the two-hour flight.

biggest cities had passed the government’s basic air quality standards – the problem is that China depends heavily on smog producing coal powered industries.

On average the air pollution in China kills 4,000 people a day, according to a study earlier this year by Berkeley Earth, an independent research group funded largely by educational grants, which cited coal-burning as the likely principal cause.

According to a study by Peking University and Greenpeace more than a quarter million people living in China’s biggest cities could have their lives cut short because of the high levels of air pollution.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

16 - WEEKEND WORLD

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SPACE DEBRIS FOUND ON SCILLY BEACH DEBRIS from the Ill-fated SpaceX Falcon 9 unmanned rocket which exploded shortly after take-off which was carrying 4,000 pounds of supplies and equipment to the International Space Station in June earlier this year has been discovered just of the coast of England near the Isles of Scilly.

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 17

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Brazil’s worst environmental disaster in history fails to attract much media coverage

Hamburg says ‘NO’ to hosting 2024 Olympic Games

The atrocities of Paris are still fresh in everyone’s minds but with our world leaders now decamped in Paris for the Climate Change Conference it seems that attentions have shifted away from world security and ISIS to another form of danger - pollution, but this is too little too late for Brazil’s ‘Sweet River’

T

An aerial view of the Rio Doce at an area where the river joins the sea on the coast of Espirito Santo in Regencia Village. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes.

O

N November 5 a mining dam in the mineral-rich province of Minas Gerais failed, releasing 62 million cubic metres of toxic sludge into the Rio Doce, enough to fill 25,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.

The mudslide’s immediate effects were deadly, it washed away the historic town of Bento Rodrigues, killing 15 people and left thousands homeless and without shelter.

The Rio Doce one of Brazil’s most important rivers, previously providing water to over

250,000 and the fish stock along the 500 kilometre stretch of the river has been wiped out due to contamination – The UN has declared it a Brazilian Fukushima with the river now declared dead.

The mine owned by Anglo-Australian BHP Billeton in partnership with Brazil’s Vale now faces a massively expensive clear up operation.

The Brazilian government has already announced that it will sue both companies for a combined $US5.2bn. What caused the

dam to burst is still unclear BHP and Vale state that the dam’s walls were structurally sound.

Official investigations are now under way with a concerted efforts now focused on stopping the contamination spreading, 9km of barriers and sea fences have been installed to try to protect wildlife from the flow of mud and stop the mud entering the sea which could trigger marine pollution and possibly even damage the Abrolhos coral reefs.

HE German city of Hamburg has voted against hosting the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games after 51.6% of residents felt money earmarked for the event could be better used within the country.

Opponents of the bid had argued that hosting the 33rd Olympic Games would cost the city too much in public funds with an estimated amount of €11.2bn required. Hamburg’s city authorities had promised €1.2bn for the event, but the lion’s share would have been contributed by the national government.

Germany has not hosted the Olympics since the 1972 games in Munich and this referendum accounts for the seventh failed bid for Germany to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

This was the second Olympic bid turned down in Germany within two years, after locals also vetoed a Munich bid for the 2022 Winter Games in November 2013.

In July, the city of Boston decided to withdraw from the race to be host for 2024 amid a lack of public support. The remaining cities vying for the chance to stage the 2024 Games include Budapest, Paris, Los Angeles and Rome.

The winning city will be selected in September 2017.

Issue 10 November 05 - 18, 2015

18 - WEEKEND WORLD

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TRAVELLING IN STYLE

T

HE morning commute is never a nice one, and whether you’re travelling in London, Paris or New York one things remains the same, the grey concrete world that is the metro. But in Russia things are a little different here the subterranean world is decorated with works of art, majestic chandeliers and regal mouldings.

Canadian photographer David Burdeny was given access to this underground network and his images were showcased at the Jennifer Kostuik gallery in Vancouver, titled Russia: A Bright Future.

The Moscow Metro, which opened in 1935, was designed to be a showpiece for Soviet propaganda. The opulent architectural designs were intended to signify a bright future for the empire, this is reflected in the design principles of “svet” (light) and “sveltloe budushchee”(bright future).

When the stations were initially constructed, as many as 750,000 workers took part in the large-scale project, which was deployed under the Soviet slogan “the whole country is building the Metro.”

As gorgeous as his photos are, Burdeny says that to really experience the magnitude of the stations you have to visit them yourself simply because the scale of them is hard to portray.

Riding the metro in Moscow isn’t just a quick way to get around a city it’s like a trip back in time to a time of the Tzars

Novocherkasskaya Station

Chornaya Station

Avtovo Station

Komsomolskaya Station

Atvovo Station

Zuckerberg vows to donate 99% of his Facebook shares MARK Zuckerberg, the co-founder and chief executive of Facebook has announced that during the lifetime of his and his wife he will donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares to charitable causes which today is worth more than $45 billion The pledge was made in an open letter to their new-born daughter Max, Mr. Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, 30, said they were forming a new organization, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, to manage the money.

As of yet the couple have not detailed how the money will be spent and the pace at which the money will be given out.

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WEEKEND WORLD - 19

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20 - WEEKEND WORLD

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 21

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Why is Belgium linked to terrorists?

ACCORDING to Belgian blogger and terrorist tracker Pieter Van Ostaeyen, “The maximum number of Belgians who at one point were active in Syria or Iraq has climbed to 516,” he said in his blog last month, which is by far the largest per capita contribution of any European country. At least 112 of those are affiliated with ISIS.

So why is Belgium becoming a hotbed for terrorist?

The biggest problem is Belgium is a small country largely divided into two fractions Dutch and French-speaking these two groups are concentrated in different areas.

The 6.5 million Dutch speakers live in northern Flanders, and the 4.5 million French speakers live in the southern Wallonia and the capital Brussels.

The rivalry between these two groups is intense and politicians have given both of them a fair amount of political autonomy to appease the situations and keep the country together but this has created bureaucratic chaos within the country’s justice and security organisations. And because neither side trusts each other the integration of a 650,000 strong Muslim population has failed miserably.

The other significant issue is that security services across the country are divided up into police corps spread over many of the districts and boroughs; In one area there are 19 different municipalities and six policing zones covering a population of just one million, in comparison, New York has five boroughs and one police force that looks after 8.4 million people, so sharing security information in this setting is not only complicated but near on impossible.

This lack of security only adds to Belgium’s appeal for terrorists as part of the Schengen area it is strategically located between France, Germany and the UK meaning it has open borders which makes it extremely easy for terrorists to enter and leave the country quickly, quietly and undetected.

Following the Paris attacks, Brussel’s has been placed at its highest threat level as members of Belgium’s anti-terrorism organisation OCAD search for suspects, 5 have been apprehended and it is understood that OCAD (Orgaan voor Coördinatie en Analyse van de Dreiging) who has a “consolidated

Belgium, a small nation wedged in-between Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, and France, renowned for its chocolate and beer has once again been thrust into the spotlight following the atrocities of Paris because of its links to Jihadists.

list” of more than 800 people who are on the radar of the Belgian intelligence services in relation to foreign terrorist fighters of these 5 suspects apprehended 3 were on the list.

So if Belgium’s intelligence services know who to apprehend

than surely divisions should be set aside and the movement of information made easier so that it can be filtered down to its internal security services and maybe just maybe the country will be able to eradicate its breeding ground of terror.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

22 - WEEKEND WORLD

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 23

FOCUS ON SOTOGRANDE

British businessman convicted of manslaughter will not face jail British businessman Devinder Kainth who killed alleged German paedophile Sandro Rottman after catching him taking photographs of his young children will not go to jail despite being found guilty of manslaughter

E

STATE agent Devinder Kainth, 39, also known as Victor Kanlith, admitted the manslaughter of Sandro Rottman by punching him at a restaurant in Sotogrande and was given a six-month jail sentence.

Kainth, who was eating at the resort’s Spinnaker Restaurant (pictured above) in February of this year with his partner and their three children, discovered the 43-year-old German socialite had taken pictures on his iPad of his young daughter without permission. An argument ensued, leading to Kainth punching the German several times in the head, causing him to die at the scene.

The judge Raquel Gomez Sancho who sentenced Kainth said, “they were punches which would not normally have caused a person’s death” and that Mr Rottman’s alcohol-related health problems, which included severe liver cirrhosis, had contributed to his death. In addition, the judge agreed that the emotional stress of finding his images on Mr Rottman’s iPad would be taken into consideration.

Local photographer Camilla Sykes once had a lucrative job as a Financial Analyst for an investment bank in South America but left to pursue her dream career as a photographer and artist and was subsequently accepted into the Slade School of Fine Art, UCL where she completed a 4 year degree in fine art.

With a degree in Hispanic studies also under her belt, Camilla now lives and works in Sotogrande but often travels to the UK, Argentina and Chile for her work as a polo photographer.

Camilla has released a photographic book

featuring her work. The book contains over 100 artistic images of polo horses on and off the field, giving an insight into their lives in Sotogrande and action from the high goal games in the summer. Perfect as a Christmas present for any polo or horse lover, the title is available in two formats either a small paperback or a larger hard back coffee-table size book, both of which are available from www. camillasykes.com.

25% of all proceeds go to Los Caballos Luna, a charity that is involved in the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of mistreated horses.

In Spain it is customary for judges to suspend prison sentences of less than two years for a first-time offence. Therefore, apart from the time Kainth was briefly held on remand in the Botafuegos prison in Algeciras, it is unlikely he will serve any jail time unless he commits further offences in the next two years, in which case the custodial sentence will be applied.

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY After the incident police revealed that Sandro Rottman was facing trial for being in possession of child pornography, which officers had found on the German’s laptop whilst investigating an alleged burglary at his house last year.

Rottman was a well-known character in the Sotogrande area and once helped organise a visit by Katie Price and her then husband Alex Reid to the resort to promote her polo clothing range in 2009.

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

24 - WEEKEND WORLD

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 25

SOTOGRANDE COSTA

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very interesting modernist villa with a Moorish twist.

This fabulous family villa situated in the heart of the A zone in Sotogrande Costa, is accessed through a domed entrance porch into a large entrance patio with covered gallery and fountain. On the ground floor the accommodation comprises of a spacious living open plan to a large dinning room and a great family kitchen. There is a cloak room and an en suite double bedroom, and a large staff bedroom and shower room off the kitchen. Upstairs the gallery landing leads to 3 en-suite double bedrooms including the master suite with a dressing room and all have and their own private balconies. The beautiful mature gardens filled with cork oaks and palms is shaded and cool in summer an bright and sunny in winter. Oil fired radiators throughout, a heated swimming with cover and a double garage.

Modernist Moorish Villa

Plot: 1.799 m2 | Built: 556m² | Terrace: 172m² Bedrooms: 5 | Bathrooms: 5 Price: e1.195.000 | Ref: HSS3-1121

RIBERA DEL OBISPO

A

A fabulous luxury duplex penthouse with marvellous southeasterly views to the Sotogrande Marina and the sea. The accommodation comprises on the first floor of an entrance hall, guest toilet, a fully fitted kitchen with a laundry room, a living/dining room with access to the main terrace and the master bedroom en suite with dressing room and a private terrace. On the second floor there are 2 further double bedroom suites with private terraces. It includes 1 parking space, 1 storeroom, hot/cold air conditioning, underfloor heating, double glazing and alarm system.

Marina views

Built: 196m² | Terrace: 68m² Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 3 Price: e795.000 | Ref: OBI-1464 Holmes Property Sales, S.L. Tel: +34 956 79 53 40 Galerias Paniagua | Local 21 | Avenida Paniagua s/n | 11310 Sotogrande | San Roque | Cádiz | España email: info@holmesotogrande.com

www.holmesotogrande.com

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The Festive Season in Sotogrande

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IGHTS brighten Sotogrande, reminding its residents and visitors that Christmas has arrived. Sotogrande will be a spectacle of colours and magic this festive season with a huge Christmas tree covered with thousands of sparkling lights. Sotogrande has plenty of activities planned for the whole family, especially the little ones, to enjoy a memorable Christmas. Don’t miss out on the fun, with Christmas decoration workshops, Santa Claus´ house, the arrival by boat of the 3 Wise Men and many more surprises such as a glistening ice rink and the newly renovated La Reserva Club House which will become a social hub for all. Come and join in the Sotogrande Christmas spirit.

Sotogrande’s holiday season will officially launch on Thursday, 3rd December at 7pm in La Marina when the dazzling

Christmas lights are turned on. There will be a spectacular light display as we ignite 4,500 lights, one light for each residence, on a huge Christmas tree. Santa Claus will open the doors to his house and the Sotogrande International School choir will spread the Christmas cheer throughout the evening.

Christmas is a time for families and children. Sharing the Christmas spirit with our loved ones is important at this time of year. To help spread the Christmas cheer, we have planned several activities for the whole family. The exciting arrival of La Reserva’s ice skating rink will work the family magic. You will be able to pop on your skates and glide across the ice or snuggle up with a warming mug of Gluhwein. Perfect for all the family. Or, for the creative amongst us, the Osvaldo Lobalzo Art Gallery will be hosting several Christmas deco-

LIVE MUSIC

SPORTS

KIDS WORKSHOPS

SEASONAL MARKET

ICE SKATING

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Dec. 24 Flamenco Christmas Carols & Champagne KE

DECEMBER 2015 Dec. 3

Christmas Eve dinner ALMENARA HOTEL (GAIA). 7

The Big Lighting Huge Tree Lighting with 4,500 bulbs Sotogrande International School Chorus Opening of Santa’s House LA MARINA. 7

pm.

Sotogrande International School Chorus SOTOGRANDE CHURCH.

Dec. 12

19.00h.

pm

Dec. 26 Afternoon Tea with Christmas Band ALMENARA HOTEL 5.30 pm.

1 pm.

Dec. 31

Flamenco Christmas Carols & Champagne KE

New Year’s Eve Dinner

Ice Rink Live Music

HOTEL ALMENARA. 8.15

pm

New Year’s Eve

LA RESERVA

SANTA MARÍA POLO CLUB

Dec. 1 - 15 Charity Action · The Shoes Box Appeal

New Year’s Eve

FUNDAMENTALS

TROCADERO SOTOGRANDE

Dec. 18 Live Christmas Music LA QUINTA TAPAS

JANUARY 2016

Dec. 19 Christmas Golf Tournament LA RESERVA

Jan. 1

Santa Claus Greeting Kids

OSVALDO LOBALZO ART GALLERY. 5

Jan. 5

Workshop: “Creating Dreams”

WWW.SOTOGRANDE.COM/XMAS

pm.

3 Wise Men Visit LA MARINA

pm to 8 pm

# XMASOTOGRANDE

Puppet Workshop OSVALDO LOBALZO ART GALLERY. 11

am

OSVALDO LOBALZO ART GALLERY. 5

“Painting with daddy” Exposition OSVALDO LOBALZO ART GALLERY

Jan. 3

Santa Claus Greeting Kids LA MARINA. 5

Jan. 2

pm.

Christmas Charity Race PUERTO SOTOGRANDE. 11.30

New Year’s Brunch LA RESERVA

pm to 8 pm

Workshop: “Creating Dreams” Dec. 20

CHRISTMAS BOX Our community also helps less fortunate families have a magical Christmas. The Kindred Project, Sotogrande International School’s student-led not for profit, is running a development initiative with the local NGO Hogar Betania. This initiative, the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal, is dedicated to supporting socially excluded people by giving them the necessary means and tools to normalize their lives and enjoy a more joyous Christmas.

Dec. 27 Farewell 2015 Golf Tournament

La Reserva Opening

LA MARINA. 5

A Christmas golf tournament and a Farewell 2015 tournament will follow the club house opening on 19th and 27th December respectively. For the more athletic there will be a Christmas Charity Race on the 19th December, leaving from Trocadero.

Various family events are planned for Christmas day and evening as well as plenty of options to see the New Year in.

And we kick off 2016 with the arrival of the 3 Wise Men by boat and the New Year polo matches, starting on the 8th January.

LA RESERVA

Christmas Market SOTOGRANDE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.

Dec. 15

Christmas dinner with Piano Concert ALMENARA HOTEL (GAIA). 7

OSVALDO LOBALZO ART GALLERY. 5

Dec. 11

LA RESERVA

pm.

Workshop: “Getting ready for Christmas”

pm

Dec. 25 Christmas Lunch & Activities

ration workshops. Children will make their own handcrafted decorations to help decorate Santa’s tree and their own!

The Christmas Fair on 12th December at the Sotogrande International School is another event not to be missed. You will find Christmas stalls, scrumptious festive treats and many more child friendly activities to help raise the Christmas cheer.

The fun doesn’t stop there.

La Reserva Golf Club has recently undergone significant renovations and has been transformed into a beautiful anchor and social hub for La Reserva guests and residents. It will reopen in December, with live entertainment, a new restaurant and ice skating.

pm.

Jan. 8 - 10 Christmas Polo Match & Activities SANTA Mª POLO CLUB - PUENTE DE HIERRO

To get involved with the Christmas Shoe Box Appeal, simply fill up a shoe box with Christmas gifts for children. Then, wrap up the box, separately to the lid and mark it with a sticker specifying “Boy” or “Girl” and the age range (baby, 1-3 years old, 3-5 years old, 5-7 years old, 7-9 years old and 9-11 years old).

Convenient collection points have been set up at the Sotogrande International School, Fundamentals Nursery, La Marina and La Reserva where you can leave your box filled with Christmas gifts including things like non-perishable food items, clothing and toys. Boxes will be delivered to Hogar Betania ready for Christmas!

For more information on any of these magical moments and more, see our events calendar at www.sotogrande.com/xmasotogrande or on the flyers that will be distributed in several locations throughout Sotogrande. Make sure you keep the calendar somewhere accessible so you don’t miss out on any of the fun!

Make your Christmas that much more joyous, come with your family and share in the fun at Sotogrande.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

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WORLD

focuses on

GIBRALTAR

We are looking for a sponsor for the Gibraltar section INTERESTED? Then call 0034 951 127 200

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FOCUS ON GIBRALTAR

T

HE Gibraltar Upper Rock Nature Reserve has undergone a dramatic transformation during the past four years of this administration. There has been an unprecedented investment in both the tourist sites and the Upper Rock, to turn what was largely a neglected and underfunded part of Gibraltar, into the star attraction of a much improved overall tourist product.

The increase in visitors to the Upper Rock since 2012 is a result of the massive capital expenditure invested in improvements and the infrastructural enhancements that have been carried out.

The concerted inter-ministerial drive to ‘rescue’ the Upper Rock from oblivion has provided safer, user-friendly, universallyaccessible services and innovative amenities to the general public. This reflects the Government’s political commitment to prioritise tourism as one of the main sources of revenue of Gibraltar’s economy. Both the Gibraltar Tourist Board and the Ministry for the Environment have set up a close working partnership to achieve these common objectives.

Notable among these is the recently constructed east side pedestrian track linking Europa Point with the Nature Reserve, and a spectacular proposal for a new suspension bridge at Royal Anglian Way. Formerly derelict areas of historical interest

THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN Gibraltar Upper Rock Nature Reserve transformed into ‘jewel in the crown’ of Gibraltar’s tourist product, says Sacramento will also be reopened to the general public and key heritage sites restored.

MAINTENANCE But before any of these improvements could be accomplished, a colossal cleaning operation was carried out, which included the clearance of abandoned areas such as Genoese Battery and Royal Anglian Way. This effort was combined with the implementation of efficient, continuous maintenance programmes backed by anti-litter measures to counter vandalism. CCTV cameras were also deployed across all tourist sites within the Upper Rock.

Gibraltar’s ‘forgotten’ country walks and pathways have been upgraded and properly demarcated, for instance, at Devil’s Gap Battery, the trail will be renovated and a footpath connection to Queen’s Road made available, together with an all-round enhancement of safety and accessibility features.

The potential for clearly branded, themed pedestrian trails and routes has been developed catering for different interests and fitness levels. Up to four different walks have been identified, focussing on historic-military content, the more vigorous thrill seeker, the nature lover, and the Apes Den. Additionally, signage, graphic styles, guide

maps and interpretation centres are being redesigned to improve efficiency and create a standardised aesthetic. The improvements will be extended to the balustrades, seating and the provision of better lighting.

New recreational facilities will also be delivered at the Upper Rock, together with picnic and rest areas for tourists. In keeping with technological advances, a nature reserve application for smartphones will also be launched.

The expansion of the Nature Reserve to include new areas such as Europa Foreshore, the Mount and the Northern Defences has resulted in significant ecological improvements.

The hugely successful Barbary Partridge and Wild Rabbit re-population programmes are going from strength to strength as well as the High Maquis clearance programme, which is improving the biodiversity of the reserve for the benefit of all.

100 TON GUN

O’HARA’S BATTERY

At the 100 Ton Gun, the Gibraltar Tourist Board has carried out works to provide new railings in compliance with Health and Safety standards, an accessibility ramp so that visitors can gain a much better view of the gun itself – in the past they only had access to the exhibition – and beautification of external areas. A fire alarm and LED lighting system has also been installed.

At O’Hara’s Battery the gun emplacement and exhibition area have been refurbished and new features have been introduced to enliven the material on display. This includes interactive information panels, a film documentary and mannequins.

THE GREAT SIEGE TUNNELS

The viewing platform at Jew’s Gate has also been resurfaced and new toilet facilities provided.

New mannequins in historical costume, and existing restored ones, have been located at all the gun embrasures of The Great Siege Tunnels – also known as The Galleries – adding a realistic feel to the site. The figures complement the information panels and props that were put in place in 2014. The section of The Galleries known as the Holy Land Tunnel has been reopened and its viewing platform subjected to much needed structural works, thus affording impressive vistas of the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. It also allows visitors to traverse the insides of the Rock from end to end. There is also a display of a World War Two soldier in a trench.

APES DEN At the Apes Den, numerous zones for feeding and effective separation of the animals from contact with the public will be introduced, together with new toilets for the public.

1

JEW’S GATE

2

WW II TUNNELS The World War II Tunnels have benefitted from new exhibits depicting soldiers in their sleeping quarters, the Nissen Huts and storage facilities.

As part of the refurbishment, new accessible toilets for disabled persons have been constructed.

Improved facilities for staff have also been provided.

1 - Empty Tunnel before Nissen Hut construction 2 - Nissen Hut under construction 3 - Completed Nissen Hut

3

NORTHERN DEFENCES The first two phases of the Northern Defences project have been completed and work on the next stage continues at King’s and Queen’s Gallery. The Defences are an impressive network of military fortifications carved into the Rock by Royal Artificer Corps, in late 18th century.

Popularly known as “the jungle”, the area neglected for decades has now been transformed with many of its historical and heritage features restored. Tons of debris and vegetation were cleared, revealing for the first time a thousand years of military history ranging from medieval fortifications to WWII installations which can now be safely explored. The Government, in association with the Heritage Trust, has provided a series of guided tours of these Defences. They will be an important tourism and leisure asset once the works are complete.

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FOCUS ON GIBRALTAR

ST. MICHAEL’S CAVE In Upper St Michael’s Cave railings have been replaced with modern stainless steel balustrades to achieve a contemporary look. The steps have also been fitted with lights and a new, spectacular 30 minute light and sound show, which runs on a loop all day, enhances the dramatic geological features and striking views of the caverns’ interior.

To complement this, an instructive commentary narrating some of the more salient aspects of the cave’s history provides visitors with valuable information. The installation of a lift will also make the site accessible for wheelchair users.

CITY UNDER SIEGE The City Under Siege exhibition has undergone an overall refurbishment of the site, which includes new picnic area. Mannequins, signs and new sound and light installations enhance the experience, which incorporates a ten minute film documentary.

Before

After

ST. GEORGE’S HALL Before and after

Before

After

Minister for Tourism, the Hon Samantha Sacramento (pictured above), expressed satisfaction at the extensive refurbishments carried out at the Upper Rock, highlighting the Government’s conviction that Tourism was a key industry for the development of the local economy.

Minister Sacramento said: “It is my responsibility to ensure that Gibraltar is transformed into an internationally recognised, truly first class tourist destination. The spectacular beautification of the Rock’s natural assets in a thoughtful, environmentally friendly manner has greatly assisted us in our endeavour to provide a truly memorable experience for visitors. It has also given us the confidence to successfully market and promote Gibraltar at travel trade fairs throughout the world, to proudly show off our excellent tourist product and to attract more and more business for our expanding tourist and cruise industry every year.”

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FOCUS ON GIBRALTAR

SOS - An exhibition

by Marcos Moreno T

HE JM Memorial Foundation is hosting an exhibition of works by well known photographer Marcos Moreno that will run until 11th December at The Gustavo Bacarisas Gallery in Gibraltar. ‘SOS’ charters the trials and tribulations of the Sub-Saharan immigrants attempting to cross over into Europe.

Marcos Moreno, was born in La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain, and he collaborates with various photographic agencies around the world including AFP (Agence France Presse), Getty Images, AP (Associated Press), Info Gibraltar (HM Government of Gibraltar) and El País in Spain.

His work has been published all over the world by mayor news agencies which include The New York Times, Le Figaro, The Times, International Herald Tribune, El Mundo, The Washington Post, Le Temps, BBC, The Guardian, Der Standard, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, India Times, Kuwait Times, Saudi Gazette, RTVE and the Independent, among many others.

He is the recipient of various awards includ-

bring this huge humanitarian disaster to the forefront with consistency, sensitivity and of course, a well established photographic talent, place him amongst the top ranks of professionals in the field of photojournalism.

ISSUES

ing the Mingote International Photojournalist Award and the Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad del Estado national journalist award.

Marcos is well known around the world for his work documenting the African migrant crisis. His personal involvement and drive, to

‘Committed to social justice, and driven to denounce and also reward efforts addressing specific issues, The JM Memorial Foundation thought it important to showcase his work’, said Trustee Mark Montovio.

‘Marcos is aware that his photographs have the potential to move people and is motivated to share his vision with others. He has walked straight into the lion’s den and for me it was an honour to have accompanied him on his latest trip to update his portfolio.’

The exhibition will be open to the public from 10:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday and entrance is free. Schools will have an opportunity to visit and this is most relevant for senior schools covering ‘A’ level Spanish as this is an important module in the syllabus.

For further information contact: Mark Montovio on mount@gibraltar.gi

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 31 be over £150), they’ll set up a Direct Debit for you. It can be weekly, monthly, quarter ly or yearly. Leaving you free to sit back and enjoy the view

FOCUS ON GIBRALTAR

SUPREME COURT SENTENCING FOR DRUG OFFENCES SPANISH National Jose Maria Guitierrez Tomillero and French National Elias Bougdira have today been sentenced to 8 years imprisonment at the Supreme Court.

The two persons were arrested by Officers of HM Customs when they were apprehended on board a RHIB that was carrying 1.5 tons of cannabis resin on the 25th July of this year.

The seizure came about as a result of a high profile operation conducted by uniformed officers of the newly formed Enforcement and Marine Units of HM Customs.

The drugs, with a street value of over £5 million and the RHIB have been forfeited by the Court.

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SPA - Weekend world 1/4 page - v1.indd 1

Children’s Christmas Fun Day Members of the Gibraltar Youth Service will be hosting a festive Children’s Christmas Fun Day at the Youth Centre on Line Wall Road on Sunday 13th December from 2-5pm.

The Fun Day is part of a life-skills project that is entirely youth-led, with the purpose of giving young people the responsibility and experience of organising and running an event. The money raised will be put towards a Youth Service cultural and educational trip to Amsterdam.

Children and families can expect a fun filled afternoon with games, a Christmas-themed puppet show, a Santa appearance, a photo booth and much more!

Entrance will be £3 per child, which includes Christmas photo booth images. The entrance fee is payable at the door so no advance tickets are required.

For further information contact Sarah Wadsworth on 200 41948 or email youthcentre@ gibtelecom.net.

For any general information about the Gibraltar Youth Service please contact Mark Zammit, Principal Youth Officer on gibyouth@gibtelecom.net, call 20078637, or visit www.youth.gi.

05/06/2015 10:44

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VO Cinema Showings

a wide selection of cakes and sweet treats.

A fun day out for all the family with great activities for the kids and mulled wine for the adults!

Please check with the cinema for any last minute time changes.

Cine Teatro Goya

Carrer de Av. Julio Iglesias s/n, Marbella 951 196 665 / 951 196 666 Sicario (15)

18.15

Spectre 007 (12A)

18.30, 19.45, 21.45 He Named Me Malala (12A) 22.30 The Last Witch Hunter (12A) 18.00 Hotel Transylvania 2 (PG) 17.40 The Martian (12A)

19.45

C.C. Miramar

Fuengirola Tel: 952 198 605

Sicario (18) 15.50, 18.15 Spectre 007 (12A)

16.30, 19.30, 22.30 He Named Me Malala (12A) 16.15 Hotel Transylvania 2 (PG)

16.20, 16.20 The Martian (12A)

16.00

Black Mass (15)

17.00

SPONSORED BY CITY FM MALAGA

Broadcasting from Nerja to beyond Calahonda on 106.2FM and from Elviria to Gibraltar via 106.8FM

Made any plans for December? The Weekend World has rounded up a list of some of the best events in Spain, from a festival celebrating Peppa Pig to a candelit carol concert in Sotogrande n Peppa Pig Festival Marbella, 12th -13th December, Palacio de Congreso, Marbella Christmas will come early for young Peppa Pig fans in the area as Peppa and her friends come to Marbella.

The Peppa Pig Festival is a day full of games, songs and fun activities for all the family and will include appearances from 10 different characters from the show.

The festival is structured like a real Peppa Pig theme park, including a set of themed personalised interactive areas where parents can take part with their kids and get closer to the characters.

There are three photo call areas for a free photo with visitors and a main stage that will be the setting for dance routines and musical shows.

The will be two daily sessions that can be attended running from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm in the morning and 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm in the afternoon.

n Convent Sweets Fair, 5th – 8th December, Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones, Torremolinos The Feria del Dulce de Convento (a fair of sweets and pastries made in convents) is one of the largest displays of pastries and confectionery to take place in Andalusia, if not in the whole of Spain. This ninth edition will be held in the Torremolinos Conference Centre. The event is intended to bring the pastry-making tradition of the Andalusian enclosed convents to the attention of the general public, a tradition that in many cases has also been passed on in secular fashion.

Among the delights to be tasted, there are borrachuelos, mostachones, yemas de San Leandro, corazones del Obispo, huesos de chocolate, alfajores, sultanas, membrillos, trufas, roscos and encomiendas. Although the Christmas period is approaching, there are products from all seasons.

Tickets are limited and can be bought from El Cortes Ingles. For more information please visit www.elcorteingles.es n Belen de La Mosca, 6th December – 6th January, La Mosca, Malaga Belen is the name given to Spanish nativity scenes, common during the festive period, one of the most spectacular examples of which can be seen in La Mosca a small Spanish village in the east of Malaga Province.

It started in 1991 as a small shoe-box

The money collected through the sale of the pastries and confectionery will go towards supporting the religious orders and helping to maintain the participating convents and monasteries. Fair opening times are 12.00 – 20.00 daily. n Carols by Candlelight, 11th December, Iglesia Nuestra Senoras De La Merca, Sotogrande The Christmas Story told in Carols and Readings with La Camerata Sotogrande and the choirs of Sotogrande International School. Come and sing your favourite Carols. Mulled wine and mince pies afterwards - from 19.30. n Christmas in Malaga Excursion, 10th December, Manilva - Malaga

sized nativity scene but now covers over 30 square meters and takes three months to create, with every figure made and dressed by hand. The Belen is open from 10.00 – 13.30 in the morning and 16.00 – 22.00 in the afternoons and evenings. n Christmas Artisan Market, 13th December, El Campanario Golf & Country House, San Pedro With Christmas only a couple of weeks away surprise your loved ones this year with unique hand-made gifts, ethnic and silver jewellery designs, natural cosmetics, clothes and Christmas decorations.

We also have some delicious food stalls including various cheeses, hams, organic olive oils, savoury and sweet conserves and

The Manilva Foreign residence association, have organised a trip to Malaga on the 10th of December to enjoy the capital and visit the Pompidou Museum.

An excellent experience for art lovers with a seasonal twist as you will be able to enjoy the Christmas spirit in Malaga with their magnificent Christmas light and decoration display.

The price per person which includes transport and entrance to the museum is 19€. Departure times are 11.30 from Manilva, 11.45 from Castillo and 12.00 from Sabinillas with the bus leaving Malaga at 21.30.

For more information please call 952 893 548 or visit the Foreign residents office at the Castle in Castillo, Manilva.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 33

SPONSORED BY CITY FM MALAGA Broadcasting from Nerja to beyond Calahonda on 106.2FM and from Elviria to Gibraltar via 106.8FM

T

Great skiing and more - despite a lack of snow! sis) and Sierra Nevada willow (Salix hastata subsp sierrae - nevadae). Apart from strolling, there are also several panoramic viewpoints with benches in them where you can sit and enjoy stunning views.

HE ski seasons in Sierra Nevada normally begins in earnest at the end of November but an unexpectedly mild November has severely affected some great early snowfall leaving the mountain somewhat sparse. However some excellent snow production work means that the limited 2kms of skiing available are in top condition and more than enough for anyone initiating their skiing or snowboarding as well as anyone advancing with their basic turns on green slopes. If you were planning a getaway in the coming weeks we look at some other activities the area has to offer that will remain unaffected until the snow arrives.

MIRLO BLANCO RECREATIONAL PARK Magic carpet, slides, bouncy castles, Ski Bikes ... all at 2,100 meters? Yes, there is ... and it’s in Sierra Nevada. Mirlo Blanco is designed for you to enjoy the resort without skis.

The park is open from Monday to Sunday from 10.00 to 17.30 and entry costs 17.50€ and can be booked in advance from www.sierranevada.es

GEOCACHING

TREKKING The high Sierra Nevada provides wonderful opportunities for mountain trekking of the highest quality. There are many short day and multi day routes in the range, especially in the northern Sierras. The northern Sierra Nevada also provides year round high, wild and remote trekking. These 3 and 4 day treks

make use of unmanned refuges with optional wild camps. For those who like remote, quiet, dramatic mountain scenery, rough tracks and are willing to put up with basic shelter and facilities for a few nights. You can plan your routes yourself using websites such as www.treksierranevada.com where printable guides are provided or go for a guided hike with companies such as Spanish Highs - www.spanishhighs.co.uk

RUSSIAN SLEIGH A modern twist on a roller coaster in the snow with a 550 m. descent, banked curves, bumps and straights; carriages are similar to a bob sleigh and the speed can be controlled up to maximum of 40Km/h tickets cost 5€ and can be bought in advance from www. sierranevada.es

BOTANICAL GARDENS Hoya Pedraza Botanical Garden is a fine tree-covered garden-park with a network of streets where you can enjoy a nice stroll with family or friends at 1.900 m over sea level. Located between El Dornajo Visitors Center and Pradollano Ski Resort it is home to both native Andalusian and global flora, with unique species in danger of extinction like the real chamomile (Artemisia granaten-

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices.

Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

In its simplest form, a cache always contains a logbook or logsheet for you to log your find.

Larger caches may contain a logbook and any number of items. These items turn the adventure into a true treasure hunt. You never know what the cache owner or visitors to the cache may have left for you to enjoy. For more information and coordinates for caches in the Sierra Nevada region please visit www. geocachingspain.es

SHOPPING Whatever your shopping preference, you’ll find an outlet for it in the Sierra Nevada ski resort. Ski equipment, souvenirs, clothing...

You can spend hours browsing through numerous stores in this area. While there is a good range of shops, if you are looking for something different such as designer or bespoke suits, high street fashion etc., you can always go down in to the city of Granada which is only a short drive down the mountains where you can enjoy all the regular delights of a thriving Spanish city.

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EEKEND

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focuses on

KIDS Family fun and education

Focus on Kids is sponsored by

& +34 693 745 454 www.happydayscostadelsol.com

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

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WEEKEND WORLD - 35

DREAMTOYS Top twelve for 2015 announced STAR WARS and Thunderbirds toys are destined to be some of the ‘must have’ toys this Christmas as they make it into the top twelve list of DreamToys 2015. Decided by a panel of leading toy retailers in the UK, including Argos, Boots, Selfridges, Smyths Toys, The Entertainer, TK Maxx and Toys R US , The Toy Retailers Association’s DreamToys list is the most accurate and independent predictive list available, and provides consumers with expert insight into what will be the most popular CITY DEEP SEA EXPLORATION VESSEL - LEGO COMPANY

toys this Christmas.

“2015 is going to be a vintage year for toys. Strong entertainment brands like Frozen, Thunderbirds and Star Wars are appearing alongside creative brands like Little Live Pets and classic evergreens such as Lego, ever more stimulating playsets for under 5’s such as Toot-Toot or Paw Patrol and family games like Pie Face. While the blockbuster licenses may steal the headlines, it is exciting to see innovation through-

out the list with manufactures successfully combining this with traditional play in, for example, the IDO3D craft set, and Shopkins has become the new craze of the year, embracing all that is good about toys,” commented Gary Grant, Chair of the DreamToys committee.

From the 63 toys in the DreamToys list, the panel selected 12 Top Toys that they believe will be dominating the wish lists this Christmas, they are (in alphabetical order):

DISNEY FROZEN SING-A-LONG ELSA JAKKS PACIFIC

IDO3D DELUXE 3D DESIGN STUDIO FLAIR LEISURE PRODUCTS

LITTLE LIVE PETS CLEVERKEET CHARACTER OPTIONS

PAW PATROL PAW PATROLLER SPIN MASTER TOYS

SHOPKINS FOOD FAIR – SCOOPS ICE CREAM TRUCK - FLAIR LEISURE PRODUCTS

STAR WARS BLADEBUILDER JEDI MASTER LIGHTSABER - HASBRO

STAR WARS KYLO REN’S COMMAND SHUTTLE - LEGO COMPANY

STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS MILLENNIUM FALCON - HASBRO

STAR WARS BLADEBUILDER JEDI MASTER LIGHTSABER - HASBRO

TOOT - TOOT FRIENDS BUSY SOUNDS DISCOVERY HOME - VTECH ELECTRONICS

PIE FACE - HASBRO

FOCUS ON KIDS

36 - WEEKEND WORLD

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

CLUBS & AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Under 8’s: From 3 years old we will focus on building confidence through team play, structured games and encouraging success. The 3 - 6 year olds train every Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 11am and Wednesday from 5pm - 6pm. Your first time is FREE. Under 14s: In this age group we encourage and develop children’s enthusiasm for the game. Stretching their minds and knowledge. The 7 - 14 year olds train every Saturday and Sunday from 11am - 1pm and Wednesday from 5pm - 7pm. First time is FREE. www.atletico-allstars.com

Funtastic Gymnastics Introduces and develops boys and girls aged 4 plus in the physical activity of Artistic Gymnastics in a fun, varied and progressive environment. Following the British Gymnastics Education program, we teach children specific gymnastics moves using balance beams, springboards, vaults, bars and floor mats whilst encouraging the development of physical, social, emotional and life skills. www.marbellagymnasticsclub.com

The Multisports Club The Multisports Club offers sports activities for both children and adults based in Aloha Gardens in Nueva Andalucia, Mar-



bella. They also offer a popular kids camp that runs during weekends and school holidays all year long. Offering a wide range of sports and fitness activities to suit both children and adults, including tennis, padel, aerobics, Zumba, and personal training, circuit training and even skateboarding! www.themultisportsclub.com

Duck n Dive Swim School Offers fun progressive lessons following STA (Swimming Teachers Association) Badge Scheme to motivate students of all ages and levels.

Offering courses in Cancelada, Marbella, Coin, Fuengirola and Calahonda Duck n Dive Swim School is the largest swim school on the Costa del Sol and is a place where babies, children and even adults can learn how to swim with the proper technique with confidence in a safe, secure and caring environment. Classes are taught by qualified instructors who speak English, Danish and Spanish in clean pools at various urbanizations throughout the Costa del Sol or private lessons can be arranged in your own pool at home or in your community. www.swimminglessonsmijascosta.com STAGECOACH SPAIN & GIBRALTAR Stagecoach Theatre Arts opened in Spain and Gibraltar in 1999 and today caters for almost 200 students. Stagecoach is a parttime theatre school and runs classes in the three major disciplines of the performing Arts – Drama, Dance and Singing – at

three different locations on the coast – Fuengirola, Marbella and Gibraltar. Children are welcome from ages 4 to 18 years of all abilities and the school loves to bring out the best in every child through the wonderful world of drama, dancing and singing. www.stagecoach.es

MARBELLA STAGE SCHOOL Marbella Stage School is a fun English stage school in Marbella that accepts all ages and levels and offers courses in dance, singing and musical theater. Located at the Qi sports centre in Vasari Puerto Banus, some courses are also taught at local schools - Alboran, EIC and Swans.

The school focuses on providing every child a chance to dance, sing and act in a fun, safe, stimulating environment.

Classes in ballet, tap, modern, jazz, hip-hop, singing and drama for children ages 3 - 18 are taught by experienced and qualified instructors. www.marbellastageschool.com

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After-school & weekend activities help kids develop social skills, improve academic performance, and help them build strong supportive relationships with adults other than their parents. Kids benefit especially from the social skills development and improved academic skills, this leads to improved conflict management and better school attendance. From dance schools to football clubs, the Costa del Sol has plenty of after school clubs & classes so to help you find the class your child needs we have categorized these groups into four different areas of sport, which we will feature over the coming months.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 37

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

38 - WEEKEND WORLD

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MONEY MATTERS

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WEEKEND WORLD - 39

40 - WEEKEND WORLD be over £150), they’ll set up a Direct Debit for you. It can be weekly, monthly, quarter ly or yearly. Leaving you free to sit back and enjoy the view

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 41

Spanish unemployment figure drops 27.071

United Kingdom - Financial Markets

NOVEMBER witnessed its best month on record as the number of individuals who have officially registered as unemployed dropped by 27.071, the number of those signing up within the social security system grew by just 1,620.

The Labor ministry announced that unemployment decreased across all sectors, and within 10 regions, Most notaMost Active Stocks bly in Andalusia (-17.900), followed by Valencia (-9.807) and Name Last Prev.

High Low Chg. % Vol. Madrid (4678). But at the same time, unemployment rose in s Lloyds Banking 74.7500 74.7100 75.1000 74.6750 +0.05% 79.09M seven others, Including Galicia and the Balearic and Canary t Glencore 93.9500 94.4800 96.5500 91.1500 -0.56% 33.77M Islands. t Vodafone Group PLC 222.3000 222.0000 223.5000 221.3750 +0.14% 22.54M t Barclays 235.0000 233.5000 236.2000 233.7000 +0.64% 21.25M s BP 384.7000 384.5500 386.0000 380.3000 +0.04% 16.88M t Tesco 167.9000 167.6000 168.8500 166.5750 +0.18% 8.65M t BT Group 494.000 492.250 498.200 489.900 +0.36% 8.08M t HSBC Holdings 541.600 539.000 541.900 538.700 +0.48% 7.45M SPAIN’S economy grew for the ninth consecutive quarter. t Bhp Billiton 818.70 812.70 828.10 804.80 +0.74% 6.82M Growth slowed slightly in the third quarter of 2015 to 0.8 s Anglo American 399.25 406.30 408.35 391.55 -1.74% 6.79M percent compared with 1.0 percent in the previous three months, according to the country’s National Statistics Institute. The country is faring better than its European neighTop Gainers Top Losers bours, though its growth remains slower than that of Romania, Slovakia or Poland. Spain’s economic recovery has been Name Last Chg. Chg. % Name Last Chg. Chg. % fuelled mainly by domestic demand, particularly by a rise in s Royal Dutch Shell 1,695.50 +51.50 +3.13% t Meggitt 373.80 -13.20 -3.41% household spending which is surprising given that unems Shire 4,753.00 +117.00 +2.52% t Weir Group 1,131.00 -26.00 -2.25% ployment remains sky high, registering more than 21%. s GlaxoSmithKline 1,382.500 +31.500 +2.33% t Standard Chartered 546.500 -10.200 -1.83% Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (left) who has led the country out of five years of recession has made economic recovery s Merlin Entertainmen. 423.30 +8.30 +2.00% t Anglo American 400.15 -6.15 -1.51% one of the mainstays of his campaign for re-election in polls s Royal Dutch Shell 1,695.0 +34.5 +2.08% t Burberry Group 1,238.500 -8.500 -0.68% on December 20, but many Spaniards still claim they are not seeing the benefits of the recovery and opponents of Rajoy’s conservative Popular Party say many of the jobs created are precarious or badly paid.

Spain’s economy continues to grow

Spain - Financial Markets

The CEO of Deutsche Bank Spain to be charged with fraud A JUDGE has ordered that the CEO of Deutsche Bank, Spain, Antonio Rodríguez Pina, is to be called to answer against alMost Active Stocks legations of fraud committed by the bank.

Name Last Prev.

High Low Chg. % Vol. A lawsuit against the company was filed in January by Jet Santander 5.136 5.171 5.208 5.104 -0.67% 19.66M sus Gomez Brown, a retired 74-year-old claims who claimed t Bankia 1.207 1.207 1.225 1.204 -0.08% 15.26M he had been cheated by the bank in 2008 by selling some bonds, called “autocancelables notes” which the company t BBVA 7.692 7.857 7.868 7.666 -2.10% 14.27M t B. Sabadell 1.756 1.780 1.800 1.753 -1.35% 9.90M knew that in reality they were ruinous to the client but extremely profitable for Deutsche Bank. The client invested t Arcel. Mittal 4.288 4.605 4.597 4.123 -6.88% 9.29M two million euros but within one year had lost half of it s Telefonica 11.620 11.585 11.658 11.515 +0.30% 6.69M Deutsche Bank has already been convicted several times in s Caixabank 3.553 3.530 3.568 3.505 +0.65% 5.87M civil proceedings from the sale of these products according t Banco Popular 3.355 3.439 3.465 3.351 -2.44% 4.73M to estimates of the Association of Users of Banking (Ausbanc). t Repsol 12.215 12.275 12.295 12.035 -0.49% 4.70M s Iberdrola 6.637 6.607 6.663 6.601 +0.45% 4.47M

Figures correct at 02.12.2015

Top Gainers Name s Inditex s Amadeus s Grifols s Indra A s Endesa

Top Losers Last 34.730 38.940 45.625 9.667 19.800

Chg. +0.765 +0.860 +0.750 +0.141 +0.250

Chg. % +2.25% +2.26% +1.67% +1.48% +1.28%

Name t Arcel. Mittal t Banco Popular t Obr.H.Lain t Sacyr t BBVA

Last 4.300 3.354 6.333 2.339 7.690

Chg. -0.305 -0.085 -0.156 -0.051 -0.167

Chg. % -6.62% -2.47% -2.40% -2.15% -2.13%

Euro exchange rates 1.44 0.71 1.41 6.77

Australian Dollars British Pounds Canadian Dollars Chinese Yuan

7.46 8.19 130.38 1.59

Danish Krone Hong Kong Dollar Japanese Yen New Zealand Dollar

9.13 9.20 3.88 1.06

Norwegian Krone Swedish Krona UAE Dirham US Dollars

Emperador to buy Spanish Beam Suntory brandy business

BEAM Suntory, the third largest premium spirits worldwide is to sell its Spanish brandy and sherry business to Emperador, the Philippines-based brandy group for €275m.The sale agreement includes the iconic brands Founder, Harveys, Terry and Tres Cepas plus the production facilities in Jerez and Tomelloso. This acquistion will give Emperador, which is the world’s biggest-selling brandy by sales volume, a key market outside the Philippines, where it currently dominates the brandy market.

42 - WEEKEND WORLD

FOCUS ON MONEY MATTERS

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Nick Horne from Kensington Financial EXCLUSIVELY writes for the Weekend World Newspaper…

A

CCORDING to the charity Age Concern, nearly a quarter of adults have overlooked at least one pension and the BBC October 2013 Consumer Knowledge and Learning website quoted a figure of ‘three billion pounds sitting around in unclaimed pensions, in more than a million accounts.

We began this service as a separate undertaking from our usual retirement income guidance as we have found the UK Government Pension Tracing Service often fails when UK pension providers have been taken over by another company or merged into a larger corporation, which has been extremely common over recent years.

Quite often in these instances, the pension scheme virtually disappears and it takes considerable delving and patience to locate it.

They can be company pension schemes, personal pensions or any one of several other types of retirement scheme.

THE SERVICE IS COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE THERE IS NO OBLIGATION ON ANYONE’S PART TO ENTER INTO ANY BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT WITH US, WHATSOEVER, AT ANY TIME The first stage is simply an exercise to establish whether there are moneys in existence

IMPORTANT NOTICE

FOR ALL BRITISH EXPATS... or anyone who believes they may have ‘lost’ or ‘frozen’ pension benefits in the UK and once the result is known it’s then completely in the hands of the person to decide whether they would like any recommendations from us. It’s as simple and as straightforward as that.

We’ve traced hundreds of thousands of pounds of people’s money, locked away in retirement schemes that they had with previous employers or frozen, doing little or nothing, in personal schemes that they had in their UK days.

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If you would like either further information or to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet up (daytimes or evenings, weekdays or weekends), please email or telephone us …

Telephone: +34 952 904 196 or email: info@kensingtonfinancialsolutions.org

VW, BANKS AGREE TERMS OF 20 BILLION EURO BRIDGE LOAN

VOLKSWAGEN has reached an agreement with banks on the terms of a planned 20 billion-euro (£14 billion) bridge loan to help it shoulder the costs of its emissions scandal, three people familiar with the matter said.

Europe’s largest automaker is under pressure to shore up its finances as it faces multi-billion-euro costs of regulatory fines, lawsuits and refits of about 11 million diesel vehicles.

Thirteen banks are offering credit portions of either 1.5 billion euros or 2.5 billion euros each, or a total of 29 billion euros, two of the people told Reuters, declining to be named because the matter is confidential. A spokesman for Wolfsburg, Germany-based VW declined comment.

Volkswagen has set aside 6.7 billion euros

for the initial costs of the diesel emissions scandal and has said it expects additional expenses of at least 2 billion euros for falsifying certification of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Analysts have said securing funding from banks in the wake of the scandals, which have wiped billions off the group’s market value, would help signal investors that the VW remains a robust borrower.

Standard & Poor’s on Tuesday downgraded VW’s credit rating to ‘BBB+’ from ‘A-’, the latest demotion of the carmaker’s credit worthiness following similar moves by peers Fitch and Moody’s.

Reuters - Reporting by Arno Schuetze; Additional reporting

by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Maria Sheahan)

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Abengoa Spain’s largest energy firm files for insolvency

T

HE Seville based renewable energy and engineering company which employs nearly 24,000 people worldwide has filed for creditor protection as part of its insolvency proceedings after talks with potential investor Spanish industrial group Gonvarri broke down. Abengoa had sought a possible €350 million capital injection. The company carried a massive debt of €8.9billion.

In accordance with Spanish insolvency laws, the company has entered into pre-insolvency proceedings, giving it up to four months to reach an agreement with creditors to avoid a full-blown insolvency process and a potential bankruptcy. If this fails Abengoa could become Spain’s largest bankruptcy

on record eclipsing the fall of real estate giant Martinsa-Fadesa who went bankrupt owing €7billion euros. As news of the proceeding broke, shares plummeted and creditors now face the unpleasant choice of selling at a loss or waiting for a negotiation at eventual liquidation talks.

Meanwhile, Spanish Industry Minister José Manuel Soria said that he hoped Abengoa would be able to save itself, but noted that it is a private company. “The government is closely following all steps being taken, but the case affects a company from the private sector, since the government is not in the position of the National Industry Institute, in which the state could inject capital into this and that company,” said Soria in an interview with state broadcaster TVE.

Survey reveals European banks are sitting on €1trillion of bad debt According to a detailed analysis of 105 banks across 21 countries in the European Union a survey conducted by the European Banking Authority (EBA), has revealed that European banks are sitting on €1 trillion in bad debt which amounts to the GDP of Spain The €1tn (£706bn) of so-called non-performing loans amount to almost 6% of the total loans and advances of Europe’s banks and 10% when lending to other financial institutions are excluded. The equivalent figure for the US banking industry is around 3%.

WEEKEND WORLD - 43

Málaga - Granada - Jaén - Madrid

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FOCUS ON MONEY MATTERS

44 - WEEKEND WORLD

T

HE central government said it would unlock 3 billion euros (2.10 billion pound) in extra cash for Catalonia - a sizeable chunk of 7.9 billion euros in special funds being distributed among 15 of the country’s autonomous regions.

But it is attaching stricter conditions to the money going to Catalonia than anywhere else.

Treasury Minister Cristobal Montoro (pictured right) demanded monthly budget updates from Barcelona and a pledge that the funds would only be used to keep public services ticking over.

“These conditions guarantee that not a single euro will be used (to finance) separatist whims,” he told a news conference following a weekly cabinet meeting, adding the funds would only be released bit by bit.

The government’s stricter line with financ-

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Spain tightens funding terms for Catalonia amid secession push The Spanish government has said it would tighten funding conditions for Catalonia as the northeastern region’s parliament looks to press ahead with an independence campaign ing for the region also comes after ratings agency Fitch last week downgraded Catalonia in response to the parliamentary resolution.

TENSION Funding rows have long been a source of tension between the central government and Catalonia, and the independence movement, in a region with its own language and culture, swelled during a recent recession.

Catalonia produces about a fifth of Spain’s

economic output, though it has been largely dependent on cheap financing from the state since the downturn complicated its access to markets.

It has taken nearly 53 billion euros from various government schemes since 2012, far more than any other region.

Analysts generally believe Catalonia is still unlikely to break away, and may end up negotiating more autonomy instead.

(Reuters - Reporting by Rodrigo de Miguel; Writing by Sarah White; editing by John Stonestreet)

FRENCH JOBLESS RATE ABOVE EURO ZONE’S FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2007

F

RANCE’S unemployment rate is now above the euro zone average for the first time since 2007, according to Eurostat data, offering a stark reminder of the Socialist government’s struggle to turn a shaky recovery into jobs. The French unemployment rate stood at 10.8 percent in October, the third consecutive month at that level and up

“We need more job creations than other countries to bring down unemployment, but we create fewer jobs than elsewhere, that’s the main factor” Denis Ferrand, economist at COE-Rexecode

from 10.7 percent in July, while the jobless rate in the wider euro area dropped 0.1 point to 10.7 percent in October, Eurostat data published on Tuesday showed. That was the first time since November 2007 that the euro zone’s second-biggest economy fared worse than the average of 19 countries sharing the euro, the data showed.

France was also one of only four European Union countries where the unemployment rate has increased in the past year, while it fell in 24 member states. Countries more affected by the 2011/2012 sovereign debt crisis, such as Spain and Italy, still have higher unemployment rates, but the gap with France is shrinking, with some economists blaming timid labour market reforms in France.

French President Francois Hollande has said he would not run for a second term in 2017 presidential elections if he does not get unemployment falling convincingly lower.

SCHEMES The French economy has been gradually gaining momentum, but it has yet to feed through significantly into the labour market despite a range of state-funded schemes to get people into work.

Government ministers have argued that France’s dynamic demographics explains the difficulty in bringing down unemployment: it has the highest fertility rate in Europe and some 800,000 young people arrive on the job market every year, more than the number of retirements. But economists say this fails to explain why the pace of job creations in France lags behind that in the euro zone.

“The demographics explanation doesn’t add up over the recent period,” Denis Ferrand, an economist at COE-Rexecode, said. “Yes, we need more job creations than other countries to bring down unemployment, but we create fewer jobs than elsewhere, that’s the main factor,” he said.

Reuters

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 45

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BROWN GLACÉ PARTY celebrated at Casino Marbella

Paradise Slot Club gives € 46,650 in Jackpot in November

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ROWN Glacé was the original idea for a special Paradise Slot Club party. More than 50 guests enjoyed great party on November 19 with a lot of sweets. Cava, triple points, surprise gifts and big prizes for a very special event. After the party the JackPot Paradise Room gave a JackPot. Brown Glacé was the brainchild of Marlene&Co who gave special touches when preparing a full table with wonderful cakes made specially for the Paradise Slot Club members.

The players received the Extra Bonus just for using their card. All the members who came to the party wearing “Brown Glacé” theme received a surprise gift. More than 50 guests enjoyed the warm evening filled with prizes.

After the party, the Keno Party machines gave €11.715 in a great Jackpot. Most of the 85 machines of the Paradise Slot Room have multiple games. The new Metronia, the funny Money Maker or the traditional Keno Party are some of the most popular machines as all of them give a prize option. A total of 39 machines offer the possibility of winning the jackpot. In November they gave €46.650 in Jackpots.

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48 - WEEKEND WORLD

FOCUS ON HEALTH & BEAUTY

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Be prepared for emergency dental care over the holidays WE know that an emergency dental situation can occur at any time and with the Christmas season nearly upon us there could be nothing worse than spending time with loved ones whilst suffering from toothache, because you may require a root canal treatment, dental extraction or have lost a filling or crown, but here at Dentist – Sotogrande we can help.

Over the festive period our dedicated team will be on hand to help with any dental emergencies located in the quiet area of Paniagua in Sotogrande, our clinic is equipped with the latest, state of the art equipment necessary to provide a fully comprehensive, highest quality service in dental health and cosmetic dentistry.

We believe that by using only the best equipment can we provide the best service and that is what our clients deserve our attention whatever time of the year it is

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015 THE 1st December marked World AIDS Day, a U.N. declared annual event to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. The event is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. The first World AIDS Day was held in 1988.

Over 34 million people are living with HIV globally despite the virus only being identified in 1984, more than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history. Today, scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. Despite this, each year thousands of people are diagnosed with the deadly disease.

World AIDS Day is an important event because it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.

FOCUS ON HEALTH & BEAUTY

WEEKEND WORLD - 49

World AIDS Day Honoured around the world

50 - WEEKEND WORLD

W

EEKEND

WORLD

focuses on

FOOD & FINE DINING

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

FOCUS FOCUSON ONFOOD FOOD&&FINE FINEDINING DINING

WEEKEND WORLD - 51

COOKING UP MEMORIES with AGUSTÍN ROMÁN

ADVERTORIAL

The Casino Marbella offers those with exquisite palates, an elaborate and delicious cuisine made from carefully selected seasonal produce highlighting the most essential flavours in Mediterranean gastronomy accompanied by an exclusive selection of wines and cavas.

Casino Marbella is definitely the place for anyone who wants to enter a world of taste coupled with exceptional gaming.

Our Christmas Menús Option 1 - 29€

Option 2 - 36€

Option 3 - 45€

Salad of contrasts with a crisp langoustine brochette Cod tempura with “Vizcaina” sauce and tomatoes Roast shoulder of Málaga goat cooked in its own juices Chocolate and orange brownie with cappuccino ice cream Christmas Sweets

Salad of contrasts with a crisp langoustine brochette Pumpkin cream Monkfish salmon fillets on black olives and sweet paprika cream souce Roast shoulder of Málaga goat cooked in its own juices Almond crisp with a cold soup and pineapple sorbet Christmas Sweets

Foie gras micuit served with Apple compote, ginger and “torrefacto” coffe Asparagus Vichussoise with cured yolk and bacon bits.

Hake served with Green beans and Romesco sauce Grilled beef fillet wih vegetables and bernaise sauce Homemade flan with a vanilla mousse and marinated strawberries Christmas Sweets

All 3 options include wine, water and a glass of cava

VAT included

Don’t forget to book your table! Phone: 952 81 40 00 Opening hours: From 9pm until 3am Visit www.casinomarbella.com Please note that it is necessary to bring your National Identification Card (DNI), Passport or Driver’s Licence to enter the Casino

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING

WEEKEND WORLD - 53

The black gold of the culinary world I

F you ask anyone to name a gourmet food the first words from their lips would be caviar. Known as one of the mos expensive foods in the world caviar is lightly salted roe or fish eggs. There are four main types, the Beluga, Ossetra, Sterlet & Sevruga however for the connoisseur amongst us there is also a fifth the luxurious Almas.

ALMAS CAVIAR is, undeniably, the most luxurious and exclusive food known to mankind - This unique kind of caviar is priced as high as $12,000/lb. and is considered the jewel of the crown in the caviar world. This extremely rare caviar is originated from specimens more than 100 years old. As the sturgeon gets older, their eggs take on a more elegant, smooth, aromatic and spongier texture. Almas, which in Russian means “diamond”, is stunning white in colour making the dish look like fancy, beautiful gems. This fish is only found in limited areas of the Caspian Sea.

Beluga has traditionally been thought of in certain circles as the most expensive caviar simply because Almas is so difficult to find and because the beluga sturgeon only produces eggs every three or four years, and only after the fish has reached 15 years of age. These delicate fish eggs are defined by their black-grey colour and the buttery, rich flavour. There are less than a hundred Beluga sturgeon fish caught each year OSETRA CAVIAR is known for its dominant flavour and the size of the fish it belong to – The Osetra Sturgeon fish can get as big as 400 Lbs. each! Medium in size and ranging between grey and brown in colour, the Osetra or Ossetra has a nutty and somewhat fruity flavour than Beluga’s unique taste.

STERLET CAVIARS are small and have a golden hue.

This variety is also very rare and was once exclusively served for Iranian Shahs, Austrian Emperors and Russian Tsars. As a fish Sterlets in Russia, are held in high esteem on account of its excellent flesh.

Last but not least is the SEVRUGA CAVIAR it is regarded as the lowest quality in the real caviar hierarchy due its small size. The roe of the Sevruga is dark black to very light grey colour. It is more abundant and the least expensive. It also has somewhat the same taste as Beluga a bit buttery but saltier and with a more distinct intense flavour.

DID YOU KNOW? • Caviar is audible! Specialty caviar experts examine the sounds of the eggs in order to determine its freshness and quality levels.

• Caviar is known as a natural anti-depressant and used to be prescribed as one. I think when you have money for caviar every day, you automatically become less depressed • There’s plenty of fish in the sea but the only fish eggs that are considered caviar come from the sturgeon fish, which has 26 different varieties. The older the caviar the more expensive, because the flavours are richer and the colour is brighter. Cheaper caviar will have darker colours, smaller eggs and mild aromas.

HOW TO EAT THIS DELICACY? Caviar will often be served with a buttery toast, rich cracker or the known pairing – Bellini crepes that looks and taste similar to delicate small pancakes. If you order caviar in a restaurant in East-Europe, expect to get a plate of caviar over steamed potatoes. In Russia, some places will serve caviar rolled inside Bellini crepes.

What drink to pair Caviar with?

You can’t go wrong with the classic combination of Champagne and caviar, but if you’re not a fan of the bubbly, you can always substitute it with a good bottle of chardonnay.

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FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

A GROWN UP CHOCOLATE When it’s cold outside and you need a pick me up there’s nothing better than a duvet hugging mug of hot chocolate. Gone are the days when just a simple mug of Horlicks would suffice, because today hot chocolate has grown up. Here are 6 ways to pimp your hot chocolate this winter THE PERFECT CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE Add a spoonful of Nutella to take your hot chocolate to a whole new level – With its mix of rich chocolate and hazelnut the combination is simply heavenly.

MARSHMALLOW HEAVEN A great one for kids and a classic. Pack your hot chocolate with white and pink balls and you’ll soon be in a gooey heaven.

THE POSH ETONIAN Simply add strawberries, cream and crushed meringue to your hot chocolate, to be part of this exclusive club .

THE TERRY Add segments of Terry’s Chocolate Orange straight into your hot chocolate and watch it melt creating a tangy chocolate explosion that will just burst in your mouth.

SPICE IT UP Cayenne pepper does to hot chocolate what carrot does to cake, it makes it awesome! For that Christmassy taste add a touch of cinnamon.

FREE

SWEET OR SOUR? This is the new kid on the block. Combine toffee and vanilla syrups with sweetened whipped cream, caramel sauce and a blend of sugar and sea salt. Hot Chocolate will never be the same again!

THE BEST PIZZAS ON THE COAST!

Get our

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Trattoria Italiana

Centro Commercial Elviria, Local 25, Next to Super Sol. Elviria Telephone for reservations and take away: 952 832 009 Open daily: 12:00 - 00:00, Tuesday:Closed

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING

WEEKEND WORLD - 55

Experience fantastic taste and stimulating refreshment with all senses Let your spirit free.

Invigorate your senses

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FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

RANCHO GRILL A classic but refined steakhouse with a modern culinary twist and Belgian style dishes.

Famous for chateaubriand served on a small table charcoal grill allowing you to prepare your own meat just how you like it.

The exquisite and exclusive wines on our list have been personally selected from Spanish and French vineyards. Bold and rich, they pair perfectly with our prime steaks.

Our romantic terrace is the perfect setting to be wined, dined and dazzled .

Don’t forget our Tiffany Room available for private parties and celebrations.

Urbanización Carib Playa, 11, Exit Las Chapas, Marbella 29604 E: alfonso@banusgrill.com - T: +34 952 831 922 www.grillelrancho.com Advanced booking required.

E M A G IN V R E S , AL E M A G N I R A P PRE

R O M

Y

GRILL DEL PUERTO Famous port side steak restaurant where you can enjoy the fantastic views while having the best possible dining experience.

The restaurant specializes in chateaubriand served on a small charcoal table grill so you can prepare your own meat just as you like it. It offers an enticing menu in an elegant setting.

Our restaurant embraces key elements such as excellent home made food, fresh ingredients every day, an exquisite wine list, a friendly, professional, multilingual service and relaxing feel good music. Tiny details that turn “good” into “exquisite”.

That’s why our frontline port restaurant is considered the dining venue par excellence.

First Line, Puerto Banus, Marbella 29660 E: sefer@banusgrill.com - T: +34 952 811 686 - www.grilldelpuerto.com Advanced booking required.

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING

Unlike whiskey or tequila, vodka can be distilled from pretty much anything you only have to look at the growing number of versions available within your local supermarket. In addition to the standard distillation of potato and wheat bases, vodka can also be made from rice, fruit and even milk. Here we list some of the most unusual:

WEEKEND WORLD - 57

VODKA - an

unusual choice

RICE

HONEYCOMB

APPLES

Ao Vodka is a premium vodka distilled from Japanese rice and fittingly takes its name from the Japanese word for blue, or shades of green found in nature. Landscapes of rice paddies are poetically called ao for their mingling of blue and green. Made from 100% Japanese rice and water sourced from the island of Kyushu, Ao Vodka aspires to bring back the often-overlooked luxury of nuance, and therefore should be sipped neat, with a simple, Japanese-inspired garnish.

Family-owned, Still The One, microdistillery makes this exquisite vodka from pure honey, not potatoes or grains. Why honey? Well, vodka is only as good as what goes into it.

Honey is expensive, hard to work with and difficult to ferment, but the time and care it takes to make spirits out of honey pays off in its flavor and complexity.

Comb Vodka honey is made by bees that gather nectar from orange blossoms. The use of high quality honey contributes a unique character and creates a perfectly balanced spirit.

Not to be confused with apple flavoured vodka this vodka is produced from 100% Hudson Valley apples grown just miles from the Tuthilltown distillery. After the apples are pressed and the cider is fermented, each batch is distilled two times in order to retain the essence of the apples that were its source. No flavours are added. Wonderful chilled or in martinis and cocktails featuring apple cider.

Ao Vodka

Comb Vodka

QUINOA

FAIR Quinoa Vodka FAIR is the world’s first and unique Fair Trade Certified spirits brand.

The company respects about 200 rules to make sure that they pay the farmers at a fair price. It enables them to cover their production costs, live from farming, educate their children and build schools.

Fair Quinoa vodka’s great taste comes from specially selected quinoa and a proprietary production process that is the result of a two-year joint research project between French distillers and Andean farmers.

With Quinoa sourced from the Andean mountains. The Altiplano plateau is over 3000m above sea level where the quinoa grows in fertile volcanic soil.

Quinoa has long been considered a super food because of its nutritional content ...first by the Incas over 5000 years ago and now by consumers all over the world. As an added benefit, quinoa is gluten free.

Indigenius Apple Vodka

MILK

Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka Situated on England’s West Dorset coast Black Cow produce the world’s only Pure Milk Vodka™ made entirely from the milk of grass grazed cows and nothing else. Fresh whole milk makes exceptionally smooth vodka with a unique creamy character.

Pure Milk Vodka is the invention of West Dorset dairy farmer Jason Barber. His inspiration came from a desire to diversify the produce from his 250 strong dairy herd and his deep personal interest.

The milk is separated into curds and whey. The curds are used to make cheese, the whey is fermented into a beer using a special yeast that converts the milk sugar into alcohol. This milk beer is then distilled and treated to a secret blending process. The vodka is then triple filtered and finished, before being hand bottled.

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EEKEND

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TRAVEL

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

I

MAGINE falling asleep under an iridescent curtain of colour dancing across the night sky. The northern lights are one of the most surreal natural phenomena on Earth.

Over the years the Northern Lights have been called many names: The Ancient Greeks referred to them as “blood rain”; the Germans called them “heaven light” and the Eskimo name was “sky dwellers”.

Seen most commonly in Finland, the early inhabitants used to believe that the purple, red, yellow, orange, green and blue lights that sometimes flickered in the sky were caused by a giant fox swishing its tail across the snow-clad crests of the Arctic hills.

The Northern Lights are caused because huge magnetic storms on the Sun’s surface send waves of charged particles into the Earth’s atmosphere via solar wind, these highly energised solar particles are then pulled in by the Earth’s magnetic field, entering the Earth’s atmosphere at the magnetic poles of the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

Collisions occurring between the charged solar particles and gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere excite the gaseous particles, causing them to light up and produce a spectacular light show.

Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The most common auroral colour, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth. Rare, all-red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, at heights of up to 200 miles. Nitrogen produces blue or purplish-red aurora.

To witness this magical show there can be no better place on Earth than Finland and the Kakslauttanen Hotel and Igloo Village.

The Hotel Kakslauttanen is located close to the winter resort of Saariselka in the heart of Finnish Lapland among stunning Arctic scenery in the vicinity of Urho Kekkonen National Park and it is here where the famous glass igloos can be found.

Each glass igloo is fitted with thermal glass walls and ceilings that insulate the interior to keep it warm and cozy at night.

The glass also contains a frost preventative, maintaining crystal clear panoramic views even when temperatures outside drop to -22 degrees Fahrenheit providing an amazing opportunity to glimpse the northern lights from the comfort and warmth of your bed.

For more information visit: www.kakslauttanen.fi

FOCUS ON TRAVEL

WEEKEND WORLD - 59

ROMANCING THE STARS

FOCUS ON CELEBRITIES

60 - WEEKEND WORLD

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

Closer to you

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• Multi pet discounts, get 25% off!

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weekendworld@ibexinsure.com C.C. Benavista, Local 3 Ctra. de Cádiz Km167 29688 Estepona

Ibex Insurance Services Ltd 2015. Ibex Insurance Services Ltd, 68 Irish Town, Gibraltar. Registered no. 77247.

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission FSC 006 43B

Motor

Home

Marine

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Holiday Apartment

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Community

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

PET CORNER

Feline friendly furniture FOR millions of pet owners out there, it’s time to stop the selfishness with regards to your furniture. Your furniture should be designed for everyone, not just the humans in your house. That’s the theory behind these cat friendly tables.

Hammock table The cool new Hammock Table from designer Koichi Futatsumata keeps your cat off the top and comfortably underneath. This unique feline-friendly coffee table features a low slung natural wicker rattan shelf that is attached underneath the glass table top.

The hammock could be used to hold magazines, books, decorations, coasters and more, but it looks much more stylish with a napping cat on it.

Cat Friendly Planter Table This beautiful planter table is a project created by Emily Wettstein. The table is made from reclaimed walnut and steel with a removable interactive planter that can hold a variety of plants and special greenery for cats.

CATable The charming CATable was created by Ruan Hao from LYCS, an architecture firm based in Hangzhou and Hong Kong. Especially designed for cats to explore and sleep in, the project follows a worldwide trend: that of sharing your home with pets. The table features crannies and passageways, where your furry cat friend can happily roam stealthily.

WEEKEND WORLD - 61

WE INVITE READERS’ COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ON DOGS AND CATS. PLEASE SEND THEM TO: info@simplymedia-group.com

SNIFFER RATS THROUGHOUT the world, places that have been involved in war and/or civil strife often have large minefields that still need clearing.

In 2013, it was estimated that there was a global average of around nine mine-related deaths every day. The situation is especially dire in Africa.

Typically, clearing a minefield involves men in body armor walking in very precise lines with metal detectors. Anything (from a rusty nail to an old ammo cartridge) that sets the detectors off must be investigated before moving on.

A new method of bomb detection using rats, however, is flipping this process on its head.

A Belgian NGO called APOPO has developed a way to train African pouched rats (named for the storage pouch in their cheeks) to sniff out bombs quickly and safely. They used this rat because it has an incredibly fine-tuned sense of smell and a long lifespan (8-9 years) to yield returns on the nine months of training they undergo.

They’re called HeroRats, and not one has died in the line of duty since the program started in 1997.

The average mine requires 5 kg (roughly 11 pounds) of weight to trigger an explosion, but even the biggest of these rats are only around 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds).

Since they’re trained to sniff out explosives exclusively, they aren’t distracted by other metal objects the way human minesweepers are.

The heroic bomb-sniffing rats of Africa that are helping save thousands

They can effectively search 200 square meters in less than 20 minutes. A team of humans would need around 25 hours to do the same job.

Since they’re in the African sun a lot, the HeroRats get sunscreen to keep them cancer free. If a rat does get cancer, it receives full

medical treatment. The rats are “paid” in avocados, peanuts, bananas and other yummy, healthy treats. After about 4-5 years on the job (or whenever they lose interest in working), they’re allowed to retire.

Retirement consists of eating all the tasty fruit their little hero hearts desire.

Boarding kennels & cattery Fully Licensed Sanitary Approved Large secure runs Purpose-built secure play area Established for over 20 years 5 minutes from Fuengirola

679 786 669 - Alan - 952 464 947

www.eurodog.es - email info@eurodog.es

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

62 - WEEKEND WORLD

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SUDOKU Sudoku is one of the most popular puzzle games of all time. The goal of Sudoku is to fill a 9×9 grid with numbers so that each row, column and 3×3 section contain all of the digits between 1 and 9. As a logic puzzle, Sudoku is also an excellent brain game. If you play Sudoku regluarly, you will soon start to see improvements in your concentration and overall brain power.

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ACROSS 1 Gray wolf 5 Actress __ Moorehead 10 Late Arthur of tennis 14 Family restaurant 15 Baggy 16 Hoodlum 17 Soil 18 Agreeing 20 Layer of turf 21 Prepare to be photographed 22 Sty cries 23 Overdo the role 25 Holliday or Severinsen 26 Mom or dad 28 Hershey’s __; chocolate bits 31 Becalm, as someone’s fear 32 Stove 34 Prefix for night or wife

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Work hard Vatican leaders Nimble Emilio, to Martin Fill with joy Free-for-all Bug’s antenna Beauty parlors __ double take; look twice 46 Linger 47 Undress 50 Enormous 51 Colony insect 54 Sickening 57 Mind 58 Additionally 59 Explorer __ de León 60 __ jacket; bulletproof vest 61 Secluded valley 62 T erminated 63 Celebration

Solution to puzzle from issue 11

DOWN 1 Pot covers 2 Midwest state 3 Marginally; verging on 4 Make a choice 5 Author Louisa May __ 6 As silly as a __ 7 Zilch 8 Suffix for poet or host 9 Observe 10 Upper rooms 11 Part of the leg 12 Good-looking guy 13 __ Benedict; fancy breakfast 19 Lasso’s end 21 Small horse 24 Repast 25 Uses a shovel 26 Nixon & Sajak 27 Reserved 28 Patella’s place

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WORD SEARCH 29 Qualified to take a job 30 Fire engine’s blaring device 32 Lion’s cry 33 Likely 35 Prepares Easter eggs 37 Tearful request 38 Peddle 40 Run and wed 41 Man or boy 43 Light bulb inventor 44 Drooped 46 Ignoramus 47 Obstacle 48 Like a skyscraper 49 Trick 50 Female deer 52 Orderly 53 Tricycle rider 55 Orang or chimp 56 2000 pounds 57 Slightly cuckoo

Find and circle all of the Christmas Tree words that are hidden in the grid.

The remaining 53 letters spell a secret message.

T S T N E S E R P D N L L A M S G T O P P E R P I N E W I H R E D R O T E V I T S E F C O G R E R N E F R E S F C U T E O D H A T A A E D D N A T S I G T R G T T A I L N O S N A O F R H A A N S S W V R I E S N N M A G A R T I F I C I A L S E A O L E G N A E K C H R Y G S A T M S I I N O I T A R B E L E C H T S R E T T T R D T M A A N S S C I S T A L A A S R E R G A R E E R N E P O F D R E T L C C I H R L U G K I R I E E O Y R Y E C F E G P U I N T U L E E C D I N M S T L Solution to puzzle from issue 11 N P A I U O C T R N E A K N B A S E D O I T R N E A T R D I S E E G E N S C E N T C R B M T A R N Y R ANGEL ARTIFICIAL BRANCHES CANDY CANES CELEBRATION DECEMBER DECORATE

DECORATIONS FESTIVE FRESH CUT GARLAND GIFTS GREEN LARGE

LIGHTS NEEDLES ORNAMENTS PINE PRESENTS PURCHASE REAL SCENT

SETTING UP SKIRT SMALL SPRUCE STAND STAR TAKING DOWN

TINSEL TOPPER TRADITION TREE FARM TREE LOT TRUNK WATER YEARLY

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 63

W EIRD W ORLD

BRAZIL

Officials for the Rio 2016 Olympics & Paralympics - Summer Games in Brazil are getting tough on scrotum-squeezing, with the International Paralympic Committee is reviewing guidelines against ‘boosting’, which has been banned for more than a decade, ahead of

next year’s Rio Games.

Paralympic athletes have been risking their lives to gain an athletic advantage of up to 10 per cent using the bizarre practice.

Wheelchair-bound athletes with spinal cord injuries can flush their bodies with adrenaline

CODEWORD Codewords are like crossword puzzles - but have no clues! Instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number! To start you off, we reveal the codes for two or three letters.

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through sitting on their scrotums or clamping off catheters to fill their bladders then tapping upon them. This tricks the brain into triggering ‘autonomic dysreflexia’ - allowing them to achieve more power and greater oxygen uptake during races.

However it also results in elevated heart rates and extremely high blood pressure, potentially leading to strokes and even death.

ghetti Monster wear a colander on her head in her driver’s license photo after she cited her religious beliefs.

Lowell resident Lindsay Miller said that she “absolutely loves the history and the story” of Pastafarians, whose website says has existed in secrecy for hundreds of years and entered the mainstream in 2005.

CHINA

A car owner in Kunming, southwest China, has taken matters in to his own hands against a vandal who damaged his car after the police investigation failed. When the man, known only as Wang arrived to set up his stall one morning last month, he found that his car’s window had been smashed during the night.

A surveillance video later obtained by the police showed a man getting out of a silver car and repeatedly striking Wang’s windows with a long umbrella. The incident took place at around 5.30 that morning.

Wang claims to know the man; he says it’s

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Miller says wearing the spaghetti strainer allows her to express her beliefs, like other religions are allowed to do.

A spokesman for the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles says policy does not permit head coverings or hats on license photos, but exceptions are made for religious reasons.

Lawyer Patty DeJuneas calls Pastafarianism a “secular religion that uses parody to make its point.”

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someone he had an argument with just days before the incident took place. But the accused person denied everything, and there was no way for the police to prove that he was the man in the video. After a month of investigations, the culprit still hadn’t been apprehended so Wang came up with an unusual way to punish the vandal who dared smash his car window – he actually set up an elaborate shrine around his car and asked the gods of the underworld to curse him. He told local media that he has parked his car in the same spot near where he runs his barbecue stall for over a decade. It is not known if the shrine has had any effect as yet.

wriggling - wiggling - rigging - wigging riling - wiling - wiring - wring - girl - grig - grin - ring - wing Solution to CODEWORD from issue 10

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Solution to SUDOKU puzzles from issue 11

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

64 - WEEKEND WORLD

W CLASSIFIEDS...

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BUILDERS EXPERIENCED JOINER no job too big or small, kitchens, bathrooms, doors and floors. For a free quote please call Sean on 692 182 753 PROMAS BUILDING, a professional team of builders with over 10 years experience in Spain who carry out any reforms from complete houses and extensions to smaller home improvements, swimming pools, kitchens, bathrooms, patios and more. www.promasbuilding.com Call Andy on 699582569 FREE CONSULTATION UNTIL 30.08.2015! Estomar91 offers a bespoke construction service, with the architect, design and planning team working closely with a client on each individual project. www.etomar91.com +34 952 816 686 SUNRISE PROJECTS General builders Extension, reforms, insurance work 13 years in Spain Call Fran; 695528692 RENOVATIONS large or small; including bathrooms, kitchens, building work, replacement windows and doors.

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General reforms, extensions, pools, damp specialist. We improve on any competing quote. Any size job. Call 610502623 MJ LANCLEY LTD Design and build your lifestyle. Genuine references available on request. Also Plastering, rendering and drylining. Call 00350 20064323 www.mjlancleyltd.com

BUSINESS SERVICES ACCOUNTANTS. English and Spanish Accountants for all accounting/ bookkeeping jobs. Tax and company formation. Professional, reliable, confidential. Tel: 952440773 BUSINESS 1st have 2 Breakfast Networking groups on the CDS. Mijas Costa & Estepona.

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CASA TASHAM is a bespoke Interior Design company offering a personalised service and great rental packages from 8,500 euros. All furniture is purchased directly from major suppliers so we can offer a full service at very competitive prices.

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DRY CLEANERS

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DECORATORS NO NEED TO PAINT, we won’t just paint your property we’ll PROTECT it with longlasting, waterproof and breathable wall coating! Looks like normal paint, but last 10 times longer! Flexible so no cracking, peeling or flaking! www.noneedtopaint. com - info@noneedtopaint.com 640 519 482 or 952 594 425

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As publishers we produce high-end, top quality publications. The business is well established catering to a high net worth clientele but further investment is required to take the business to an international level The Potential is vast - Serious people need only apply call 666 827 925 or email business.invest2015@gmail.com CURRENCIES DIRECT Get bankbeating exchange rates and fee-free transfers. Call 952 906 581 www.currenciesdirect.com

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English and Spanish spoken. Free health class. Exit 170 o_ A7. C.C. Guadalmina, San Pedro de Alcantara 952 880 398 info@marbellachiropractic.com SKIN Specialist - NHS Registered. Treats all kinds of skin problems. Consultation 70 euros. Dr. Eva Fuengirola / Calahonda 664747267 www.dermadelsol.com PROFESSIONAL Sports massage.

15 year’s experience. 1 hour: 40E, 1.5 hours: 55E. Elviria. Wendy 952852330/ 634310821 Mobile Services +10E ITEC diploma courses in holistic massage, sport massage, reflexology, aromatherapy, SPA and beauty therapy.

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951311216 www.naturaclass.net AFFORDABLE private health Insurance linked to Bupa. For quotation call 952383127 / 670217272 /649072417 TRAFALGAR Traditional Gentleman’s Grooming. Centro Commercial, Supercor, Sotomarket. Call 956 695 371

HOUSE & HOME CARPET WORLD For all of your carpet, wood, laminate and vinyl flooring needs.

Stockists of Stainfree family friendly carpets, protection against all food and drink stains with a free lifetime guarantee. Call 952 789 277 www.estaponacarpetworld.com BANG & OLUFSEN MARBELLA Home automation and entertainment systems.

Puerto Banus, Main Entrance. Call +34 952 817 250 www.beolink.com THE YORKSHIRE LINEN CO. Bedding sets, bed linen and soft furnishings available throughout spain. Call 951 197 577 www.yorkshirelinen.es BEDS & MORE Bed bases and mattresses, bedroom furniture, rugs and artwork. Call 952 667 095 www.bedsandmore.es

Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015 OVERSEAS SUPERMARKETS All your favourite brands. Puerto Banus, Sotogrande and Fuengirola. Call 065 734 000 www.overseas.es DM INTERIORS More than just a decoration shop. Bespoke curtain makers blinds and soft furnishings. Centro Comercial Marisol, Local Bajo, 11310 Sotogrande, Cádiz. Call 956 79 53 81www. dminteriors.es CASASOLA Your local furniture and interior design store that has more than 45 years of experience in both interior design and furniture sales throughout Malaga and the Costa del Sol. Call 952 77 27 58 & 952 77 27 62 www.mueblescasasola.com

LOCKSMITHS SECURITY of Spain. 24 hour locksmiths.

30 years’ experience. www.securityofspain. com Call Daren. 636770865 / 952660233.

LOCKSMITH 24/7 Emergency/ Appointment. Doors opened without damage, locks changed, patio doors, windows secured. Call Paul 657466803

MOBILITY Scooters, electric wheelchairs, wheelchairs, for sale or rent, new batteries supplied and fitted. 609581139 www. mobilityscootersdirectspain.com

MORTGAGES KENSINGTON FINANCIAL SOLUTINS Working with only licenced and regulated brokers offering the best rates +34 952 880 844 info@ kensingtonfinancialsolutions.org

MOTORS TYRES-2-U.COM the Coasts ONLY to your door mobile tyre fitting store. Puncture repairs, callouts , new tyres. 7 days a week. +34 676186499 www.tyres-2-u.com Malaga to Gibraltar CALLING AUDI OWNERS! Need an Audi Specialist to keep your Vorsprung Durch Technik in the shape it left the factory? Bright Sky Cars, Audi Specialist.

Sales & Service 14 years Audi experience. www.facebook.com/brightskycars BRITISH mechanic workshop. Repair, service & ITV to all makes of cars, van and SUV’s Call Steve 951 914 025 / 605 407 369 Nº1 CARS for all your luxury car needs.

Services & Repairs, Painting, ITV, Diagnostic & testing All makes models, cars, motorbikes Poligono Industrial La Ermita, 45 Calle Uranio, 29600 Marbella Call 952 926 544 / 952 898 603 Mobile : 675 530 409 www.no1carsmarbella.com

WEEKEND WORLD - 65

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CASA RIO VISTA Outstanding unique property for sale in BENAOJÁN, ANDALUCIA. Information from T S LEISURE & PROPERTY Trevor Savage, Property Analyst & Consultant, www.propertyanalyst. co.uk, Mobile: 07743 769135

GRILL DEL PUERTO Famous port side steak restaurant where you can enjoy the fantastic views while having the best possible dining experience. First Line, Puerto Banus, Marbella 29660. Call 952 811 686 www.grilldelpuerto.com

PETS

REMOVALS & STORAGE

TRATTORIA ITALIANA. The best pizzas on the coast. Contro Commercial Elviria, Local 25, Next to SuperSol, Elviria. Open daily: 12:00-00.00 Closed Tuesday. Call 952 832 009

STEFANIES Kennels and Cattery Estepona. Est. 1986. Excellent facilities.

Viewing welcome. 952790943 www. stefanieskennels.com TERRAVET Veterinary Clinic, complete veterinary service, emergencies, housecalls, dog and cat grooming. San Pedro Alcantara.

Tel: 951500175. Emergencies: 663363626. www.terravet.es Sotogrande Veterinary Clinic Over 10 year’s experience. Team of veterinarians, veterinary assistants and groomers united by a common goal: to provide the best care to improve the quality of life and the health of your pet. www.veterinariosotogrande. com / 910 327 715 / 685 849 370

PROPERTY OBSIDO ESTATES Finding a real estate agent you can trust is incredibly imporant. List your property with us.

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BRITANNIA Southern. Worldwide container shipping. Proven track record.

Customs formalities & advice. Quality packing materials sold. 952470707 www.southern.es 679786669 WWW.SPAINUKSPAIN.COM Vehicle leaving Spain 9th-19th-29th, returning 10th-20th-30th. Prices from 90 pounds per m3. Cars 525. Bikes 325. Dogs 395. Cats 295 including vet checks/ travel with your pets. Various vehicles cater for your needs.

952596213, 665150227 STORAGE MARBELLA Dry warehousing storage space available short or long term excellent rates. Collection and delivery can be arranged call 952 816 582 or email move@freinternational.com We buy all furniture, electrical items, cds, dvds, vinyl records.

Full House, Store and Garage Clearance. Fast efficent service.

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RESTAURANTS & BARS THE SOLUTION LAB, ELVIRIA Friendly locals bar with sports channels, live music and extensive drinks and cocktail menu. CC Pino Golf de Don Carlos, Local 18, Elviria. Call 952 83 43 39 www.allthesolutions.com TROCADERO ARENA Restaurant, beach club, lounge on Rio Real Beach. Call 952 86 55 79 www.trocaderoarena.com TANINO! A happening place, somewhere to really live the moment! Ctra de Cadiz km 168, Urbanization Benamara. Call 952 883 259 www.tanin.es CASINO MARBELLA Slot machines, table games & poker tournaments in a palm-fringed casino with a restaurant & bar. Hotel H10 Andalucía Plaza, s/n, 29660 Marbella, Málaga, Málaga, Spain Call: +34 952 81 40 00 www.casinomarbella.com RANCHO GRILL A classic but refined steakhouse with a modern culinary twist and Belgian style dishes. Urbanización Carib Playa, 11, Exit Las Chapas, Marbella 29604 Call 952 831 922 www.grillelrancho. com

SPICE VILLAGE Fine Indian Cuisine.

“To share a relaxed meal with friends or colleagues is one of life’s little pleaseures” Urb. Guadalmansa, Edificio Salinas, Local 6 CN340 km 163-164 Estepona. Call 951 278 286 D-WINE Wine shop and restaurant.

Centro Comercial Azalea, CN340 km 173, Edificio A, Nueva Andalucia, 29660, Marbella, Málaga Office - 34 951 339 309 Restaurant - 952 814 446 www.d-wine.es

SWIMMING POOLS POOL Covers and Rollers: Quality covers at competitive prices. 20 years’ experience all areas covered. www. envirocarespain.com / info@ envirocarespain.com 952663141/ 670409759 PERFECT POOLS: Maintenance/ repairs, professional and reliable service. All areas covered from 70 euros p/m. www. perfectpools.com / info@perfectpools. es call 650348785

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VAN/CAR HIRE SELF DRIVE VAN HIRE – half day rates, daily rates and weekend special rates. Car hire also, daily, weekly, long term & rent to own. Contact AutoOasis – 952623297, info@arrowcars.es www.autooasiseurope.com CAR hire. Long & short term. No petrol extras 607 334 610 LUXURY CAR HIRE FOR LONG AND SHORT TERM Tel: 952 904 196 / 666 827 925 TOP MARQUES Car Rental. Bentley, Range Rover, Mercedes, BMW, Audi Call 952 9O4 196 • 666 827 925

PLEASE MENTION THE WEEKEND WORLD WHEN CONTACTING BUSINESSES

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W BUSINESS CARDS ESTEPONA

Permananet make up training in Spain

EURODOG, Storage & Sales Motorhomes - Caravans Boats - Cars & Vans. Delivery and collection available. Short or long term.

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Issue 12 December 03-16, 2015

WEEKEND WORLD - 69 Barclays Premier League Table P Team P W D L F A GD Pts 1 Man City 14 9 2 3 30 14 16 29 2 Leicester 14 8 5 1 29 21 8 29 3 Man Utd 14 8 4 2 20 10 10 28 4 Arsenal 14 8 3 3 24 12 12 27 5 Tottenham 14 6 7 1 24 11 13 25 6 Liverpool 14 6 5 3 18 15 3 23 7 Crystal Palace 14 7 1 6 19 14 5 22 8 West Ham 14 6 4 4 25 21 4 22 9 Everton 14 5 6 3 27 19 8 21 10 Southampton 14 5 5 4 20 17 3 20 11 Watford 14 5 4 5 15 16 -1 19 12 Stoke 14 5 4 5 11 14 -3 19 13 West Brom 14 5 3 6 13 18 -5 18 14 Chelsea 14 4 3 7 17 23 -6 15 15 Swansea 14 3 5 6 14 19 -5 14 16 Norwich 14 3 4 7 17 25 -8 13 17 Sunderland 14 3 3 8 16 26 -10 12 18 Bournemouth 14 2 4 8 17 30 -13 10 19 Newcastle 14 2 4 8 14 30 -16 10 20 Aston Villa 14 1 2 11 12 27 -15 5

SPORT NEWS sponsored by RED CLOUD SPORTS BAR

“Absolutely thrilled” Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville is the new boss of Valencia - his first managerial post.

VAN GAAL DETERMINED TO GET HIS MAN MANCHESTER United are prepared to enter into a ‘big-money battle’ with Arsenal and Chelsea for Borussia Dortmund striker PierreEmerick Aubameyang after Val Gaal declares he will pay what-ever it takes to secure the 26-year old player.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a France-born Gabon international has this season netted 22 goals in just 18 games for Dortmund - including 17 in 14 league matches. Apparently, Aubameyang’s current deal, signed in the summer, doesn’t expire until 2020, but Van Gaal will test Dortmund’s resolve as early as January with a reported £42 million priceoffer.

Sky Bet Championship Table

Former Manchester United player Gary Neville poses for photographers on the red carpet at the world premiere of “Ronaldo” at Leicester Square in London. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

said he is looking forward to taking over.

“I am proud to have received a great opportunity with Valencia,” he told the website.

“It is a massive club with prestige which I remember well from my time as a player.

“I am looking forward to starting to work with a group of talented footballers. It is an exciting challenge.”

Reuters/Tim Hanlon

QPR in talks with Hasselbaink over manager role QPR are speaking to Burton boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink about their vacant managerial position in the hope of signing him as their permanent replacement for Chris Ramsey. Currently interim boss Neil Warnock is in charge but the R’s hope to have a replacement in place by the weekend. Burton chairman Ben Robinson has already said he won’t stand in Hasselbaink’s way if a bigger club want to sign him.

Hasselbaink a 43- year-old was a Netherlands international forward during his playing career and represented Leeds, Chelsea and Middlesbrough among others.

He has since made a promising start to life as a manager, taking charge of Royal Antwerp in Belgium before leading Burton to the League Two title last season.

Footballer given one-year ban for slapping female referee with his penis AN Andulcian footballer has been hit with a one-year ban after trying to hit an assistant referee with his man-hood during a game. The player, from the Andalusian First Division felt aggrieved about a decision and, in the 80th minute of his match between Granada-based Celtic de Pulianas and Gabia CF on November 15, took out his manhood and attempted to slap the assistant referee with it.

The Competition Committee of the Andalusian Football Association (RFAF) has fined the player €468 euros suspended him for one year it described the player’s actions as “performing a public act of common knowledge which was completely undignified and disrespectful to the assistant referee and the crowd present at the game.”

To make matters worse for the player he was immediately sacked by his club.

P Team P W D L F A GD Pts 1 Brighton 18 10 8 0 24 14 10 38 2 Middlesbr. 18 11 3 4 27 12 15 36 3 Derby 18 10 6 2 26 11 15 36 4 Hull 18 10 5 3 27 11 16 35 5 Burnley 18 9 7 2 26 17 9 34 6 Birmingham 18 8 4 6 25 20 5 28 7 Ipswich 18 7 7 4 28 25 3 28 8 Sheff Wed 18 7 7 4 25 22 3 28 9 Reading 18 7 6 5 26 21 5 27 10 Cardiff 18 6 8 4 19 16 3 26 11 Brentford 18 7 4 7 24 25 -1 25 12 QPR 18 6 5 7 23 25 -2 23 13 Fulham 18 5 7 6 31 30 1 22 14 Blackburn 18 4 9 5 19 18 1 21 15 Wolves 18 5 6 7 22 23 -1 21 16 Nottm Forest 18 5 5 8 16 19 -3 20 17 Leeds 18 4 7 7 16 21 -5 19 18 Preston 18 3 9 6 13 16 -3 18 19 MK Dons 18 4 4 10 15 24 -9 16 20 Bristol City 18 3 7 8 18 30 -12 16 21 Charlton 18 4 4 10 15 29 -14 16 22 Huddersfield 18 3 6 9 17 28 -11 15 23 Rotherham 18 4 3 11 21 33 -12 15 24 Bolton 18 1 9 8 12 25 -13 12

Spanish BBVA La Liga Table P Team P W D L F A GD Pts 1 Barcelona 13 11 0 2 33 12 21 33 2 Atl Madrid 13 9 2 2 18 6 12 29 3 Real Madrid 13 8 3 2 28 11 17 27 4 Celta de Vigo 13 7 3 3 24 21 3 24 5 Dep. .Coruña 13 5 6 2 20 13 7 21 6 Villarreal 13 6 3 4 16 14 2 21 7 Ath Bilbao 13 6 2 5 21 16 5 20 8 Eibar 13 5 5 3 17 14 3 20 9 Valencia 13 5 4 4 17 10 7 19 10 Sevilla 13 5 3 5 18 18 0 18 11 Real Betis 13 5 3 5 12 17 -5 18 12 Espanyol 13 5 1 7 14 24 -10 16 13 Getafe 13 4 2 7 14 19 -5 14 14 Rayo Vallecano 13 4 2 7 14 23 -9 14 15 Real Sociedad 13 3 3 7 14 18 -4 12 16 Sp. de Gijón 13 3 3 7 12 20 -8 12 17 Granada CF 13 2 5 6 15 22 -7 11 18 Málaga 13 2 4 7 7 13 -6 10 19 Las Palmas 13 2 4 7 10 19 -9 10 20 Levante 13 2 4 7 10 24 -14 10

All results as at 02.12.2015

FORMER England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville is the new boss of Valencia -- his first managerial post.

Neville, who is also part of Roy Hodgson’s England coaching team, was named first-team coach at the Mestalla -- where his brother, Phil, is a coach -- for the rest of the season in a surprise announcement by the club on Wednesday.

“Valencia Football Club has reached an agreement with England coach Gary Neville to be the coach of the first team until June 30, 2016,” the club said.

Nuno Espirito Santo stepped down ‘by mutual consent’ after Sunday’s 1-0 La Liga defeat at Sevilla left the ambitious Singapore-owned club languishing in mid-table.

Neville has worked as a media pundit and been a member of England manager Roy Hodgson’s coaching staff since retiring as a player in 2011.

He will take over the running of the Valencia first team next Sunday ahead of their Champions League game against Olympique Lyon a week today.

“We are delighted to have been able to bring in Gary so quickly,” said Valencia president Lay Hoon Chan on the club website.

“He is somebody who has technical experience as part of the England national team and a brilliant career as a player for Manchester United and England.”

Neville, whose brother, Phil, worked as a coach under Nuno,

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SPORT NEWS sponsored by RED CLOUD SPORTS BAR

SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR The shortlist for the BBC sports personality of the year 2015 have been released and after a fantastic year of sport The BBC has revealed this year’s Sports Personality of the Year shortlist will recognise 12 sporting greats rather than the usual 10

Max Whitlock

250/1

The first British man ever to win a World Gymnastics Championship gold medal, Max Whitlock claimed the pommel horse crown in Scotland in October. The face of Gymnastics Max is gaining popularity let’s hope we see more of him and not just on Strictly Come Dancing!

Lizzie Armitstead

100 / 1

One of two cyclists on the shortlist, Lizzie Armistead secured her first world road title in Virginia this September. She is already regarded as one of Great Britain’s better medal hopes for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Lucy Bronze

200/1

She became the nation’s sweetheart thanks to her starring role in the England Ladies Football team providing two of the outstanding moments of the tournament, scoring what proved to be the winning goal against Norway in a dramatic last 16 match before repeating that feat in the quarter-final with Canada. England were sadly knocked out in the final four in heart-breaking fashion against Japan but rallied to defeat Germany 1-0 in the match for third place.

Adam Peaty

100/ 1

Adam Peaty returned from Russia as the first British swimmer to win three gold medals at a single world championship event he broke the championship record in the 100m breaststroke—twice—at the World Aquatic Championships in Russia on his way to winning titles in the 50m, 100m and 4x100m mixed relay.

Kevin Sinfield

100/1

Leeds Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield bowed out of rugby league in style, winning the Super League for the seventh time with a win over Wigan.

His sport has been under-represented in previous years, only Jonny Wilkinson has received recognition so this should mobilise rugby league fans to vote

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SPORT NEWS sponsored by RED CLOUD SPORTS BAR Greg Rutherford

80/1

Long jumper Greg Rutherford’s gold medal in Beijing means he holds Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles simultaneously and joins an exclusive club of only five British athletes to have done so, after Daley Thompson, Linford Christie, Sally Gunnell and Jonathan Edward Greg seemed overwhelmed by his shortlisting and tweeted early this month “I’ll be honest, I assumed only my mum would vote for me.

Chris Froome

33/1

This year, 30-year-old Chris Froome won his second Tour de France with Team Sky. Sadly unlike Mark Cavendish, Chris Hoy & Bradley Wiggins the public haven’t really warmed to Froome which may ruin his chances.

Mo Farah

Lewis Hamilton

Tyson Fur

Mo Farah seems to always be a runner up at this event and sadly the furore surrounding his coach Alberto Salazar and accusations of doping may put voters off. Having said that this year Mo has repeated his gold medal double at the World Championships in Beijing to win an unprecedented “triple double” of 5,000m and 10,000m titles and for good measure, he also broke the European half-marathon and world indoor two-mile records in 2015

Last year’s champion and arguable one of Britain’s most dominant sportsman. Having won 3 world titles Hamilton is a force to be reckoned with - However his playboy lifestyle may put voters off.

Fury is the name on everyone’s lips after he caused an upset beating Wladimir Klitschko last week to be named world heavyweight champion.

33/1

10/1

5/1

Andy Murray

7/4

Jessica Ennis-Hill

6/4 Andy Murray can do no wrong at the moment after helping Great Britain secure its first win in 79years in the Davis Cup. Although this year he has not won any grand slams the public have warmed to him as year on year he continues to break records placing British tennis firmly on the map

The bookies favourite heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill has had a truly amazing year. Following the birth of her first child she returned to the sport within months and secured the World Championships in August. Ennis-Hill looks set to walk away with the title as she is a favourite with the bookmakers and fans

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SPORT NEWS sponsored by RED CLOUD SPORTS BAR

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Has Tiger thrown in the towel?

T

HE former world No 1’s future doesn’t look very good following his third back operation in October. The star who underwent a microdiscectomy” operation on his spine has admitted he has no idea when he will return to the sport with many now concluding that the star will announce his retirement.

During a press conference in the Bahamas where Woods was hosting a charity event the 14-time major winner detailed how he had yet to begin rehab and could not yet bend over or even kick a football around with his children. Summing up his career Woods said “Pretty much everything beyond this will be gravy,” he said. “I’ve had a pretty good career. For my 20 years out here, I think I’ve achieved a lot. If that’s all it entails, I’ve had a pretty good run.”

Woods who turns 40 at the end of the month who missed the cut at three of the four majors this year and played in only 11 events remains on 79 PGA Tour victories. He has been named as one of United States captain Davis Love III’s assistants for the 2016 Ryder Cup, but said he still hopes to make the team.

Malaga owner Al Thani moves to end institutional woes MALAGA’S Qatari owner is hoping to put the struggling La Liga club back on a stable footing after firing his director general over what auditors said was “a series of damaging and unauthorised actions”.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Thani, a member of the Qatar royal family who bought the south-coast team in 2010, has appointed a panel of auditors to look into the club’s institutional problems and director general Vicente Casado was sacked on their recommendation.

Pedro Gonzalez Segura, who is heading the group of consultants hired by Al Thani to sort out the club’s problems, told a news conference that Casado’s actions had caused “serious damage”. Among his alleged transgressions, Casado is al-

leged to have presided over salary increases for some board members which Gonzalez Segura said were “disproportionate” and “unauthorised”.

Casado had also approved the sale last year of the economic rights of players including Samu Castillejo, Ignacio Camacho and Sergi Darderto a company domiciled in Panama that Al Thani did not know about or authorise, Gonzalez Segura added. The price charged was “much less than the market value” and the transactions did not comply with FIFA transfer rules, he said.

Malaga’s next outing is a King’s Cup last 32, first leg at second-division Mirandes on Thursday followed by a trip to Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday.

Reuters