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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
EUROPE AT ITS HIGHEST TERROR LEVEL IN TEN YEARS The head of Europol Rob Wainwright (pictured) has said there is a growing threat of a spectacular terror attack in Europe as hundreds of European ISIS fighters return home after radicalisation.
MOTORS GIBRALTAR
Brexit risks leaving Gibraltar at the mercy of Spain Page 27
WHAT’S ON
Events happening in your area throughout March Page 40
MONEY MATTERS Keep abreast of what’s happening in the financial world Page 45
S
PEAKING from the organisation’s headquarters in The Hague, Mr Wainwright a former M15 officer, said the challenges facing Europe following last November’s Paris attacks* which exposed huge failings in Europe’s ability to coordinate and share intelligence on known terror suspects means “I think it is likely that we will have another attack” he said. “We are working, of course, around the clock to prevent that from happening but this is a very, very serious threat. It’s certainly the highest terrorist threat we have faced for over 10 years “. The unprecedented migrant and refugee crisis which last year saw some 1.8 million people enter into Europe has placed a huge security burden on Europe, not least because of the increase in people-smuggling gangs who last year netted up to €6million euros from
trafficking migrants to Europe. According to shared European intelligence Mr Wainwrights said “we believe there are at least 5,000 individuals that have been radicalised by ISIS, who will be or have returned home.”
*The attackers in Paris were French and Belgium nationals radicalised in Europe and then trained in Syria.
HEALTH & BEAUTY Focusing on Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Page 50
FOOD & FINE DINING
Championing the Cherimoya and a drop of the black stuff Page 53
PUZZLES & TEASERS SPORTS
Page 60
A round-up of the upcoming Cheltenham Festival Page 66
MUM ARRESTED FOR LOCKING SON IN HIS ROOM A MOTHER in the city of Huelva has been charged with child abuse and neglect after police were called by concerned neighbours after pleas for help were heard coming from her balcony. Upon entry to the apartment police discovered a seven-year old boy crying inconsolably “locked with chains”. Following the mothers arrest police subsequently found that
the boy, who was dirty and hungry when discovered, was often left in this manner when there was no school because the mother was unable to afford childcare and could be left for upto 12 hours at a time. The young boy has now been placed with local child services and the mother has had a restraining order imposed on her banning her from going within 200 metres of the child.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
2 - WEEKEND WORLD
NEWS
FORMER FIRST LADY NANCY REAGAN DIES
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HE was a former Hollywood actress who was fiercely protective of husband Ronald Reagan throughout his eight years in the White House, an assassination attempt and the de-habilitating illness Alzheimer’s disease. Nancy Reagan was one of the most influential first ladies in U.S. history and on Sunday 6th March she sadly passed away at age 94. The cause of death was congestive heart failure, said a spokeswoman for the Reagan presidential library. Reagan who was affectionately called “Mommy” by Ronald is once again with the man she loved,” her stepson Michael Reagan wrote on Twitter. Ronald died in 2004 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s, the progressive brain disorder that destroys memory. Former first lady Barbara Bush said she and her husband, former President George H. W. Bush, who was vice president under Reagan, took comfort in knowing Nancy Reagan would be reunited with her husband, the late president.
funeral service, with details to be released shortly. She will be remembered by most for her “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign and after leaving the White House she created the Nancy Reagan Foundation to continue her anti-drug campaign. The organization helped develop the Nancy Reagan Afterschool Program in 1994 aimed at drug prevention and life skills for youth. When her husband developed Alzheimer’s disease, she then became an advocate for
discovering a cure. Diminutive and publicly soft-spoken, Nancy Reagan had a strong will, high-tone tastes and clout with her husband made her a controversial figure during his presidency. She was born Anne Frances Robbins into a crumbling marriage in New York on July 6, 1921. Her car-salesman father deserted the family soon after, and her mother, actress Edith Luckett Robbins, resumed her show business career two years later. In 1929, her mother married Loyal Davis, a
Actor Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, gaze at one another across a table in 1952.
SUPPORTING
CANDIDATES CONVEY SYMPATHIES Republican candidates for the 2016 presidential nomination, from businessman Donald Trump to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, also conveyed their sympathies. The ghost of Ronald Reagan, who remains deeply popular among Republican voters, has hovered over the campaign as in previous years, with party candidates vying to claim the mantle of Reagan’s legacy. A Republican debate in September took place at the Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, California, with an Air Force One jet providing a memorable backdrop. Nancy Reagan will be buried next to her husband at that library. The public would have a chance to pay their respects prior to the
Simply Media Group is one of the largest English media advertising and publication groups here is Spain. We aim to always give you original editorials and news from not just here in Spain but from around the world. As members of the British Press Association and EFE we aim to ensure that all our news is current, factual and more importantly interesting to you the reader. Deposito Legal Nº: MA 298-2013
“My life really began when I married my husband” Editor in Chief: Mr Stan Israel Production Manager: Ms Lisa Brown Design & Layout: Jackie McAngus Graphics: Paul Scotton Distribution John McAngus Business Development Kurt Nybroe-Nielsen Accounts Rachael Jones
neurosurgeon. Nancy came to adore him, even taking his name, and the doctor was believed to have had considerable influence on his eventual son-in-law’s shift from Democrat to Republican years later. After graduation from elite Smith College, she worked as a nurse’s aide, then began a stage career in New York. Starting in 1949, she had an eight-year career in films including one - “Hellcats of the Navy” (1957) - costarring with Ronald Reagan.
Journalists Annabel Milnes-Smith Dawn Gudgin Jose Gonzales Sales Maria Teresa Alves Prieto Dan Coffee Stan Israel Nic Day Contributors Reuters Conversation
She often took supporting roles but had starring roles like one in the 1953 B-movie “Donovan’s Brain” about a scientist who kept the brain of a dead millionaire alive in a tank. Ronald Reagan divorced another actress, Jane Wyman, in 1948. They had a daughter, Maureen, and adopted a son, Michael. At the time, Ronald Reagan headed the Screen Actors Guild. Davis was stunned when an industry newspaper published a list of communist sympathizers and her name was included (it turned out to be a reference to another actress of the same name). She sought out her future husband for assistance. During the early years of the Cold War, Hollywood blacklisted - refused to employ - numerous people accused of holding communist views, ruining many careers and lives. Ronald and Nancy Reagan got married in 1952 and had two children together - Patti Davis, an actress, and Ron Jr., who pursued careers in ballet and television. She is also survived by her brother, Richard, according to the Reagan presidential library.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 3
NEWS
Britain faces ‘golden opportunity’ outside EU, says London mayor London’s influential mayor has denied personal ambition was behind his decision to campaign for Britain to leave the European Union and said it was a “golden opportunity” for the country to forge its own trade deals with the world.
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ORIS Johnson, whose backing for a so-called ‘Brexit’ has angered Prime Minister David Cameron and highlighted the deep splits within his Conservatives over Europe, said he believed the risky option was to remain inside the 28-nation bloc when Britons vote in a June 23 referendum. His comments came as German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Brexit would lead to years of tortuous negotiations and create insecurity that would be “poison” to the British, European and global economies. No country has previously quit the EU, and a British departure would deprive the bloc of its number two economy and leading financial centre. Cameron says leaving would be a risky “leap in the dark”. But Johnson said it would be a “huge weight lifted from British business” and he did not believe banks’ “threats” to relocate from London if it happened. “For the last few years I have said clearly if we didn’t get reform we should be prepared to walk away. I think we now have a golden opportunity to shrug off a regulatory legislative burden that is profoundly undemocratic,” he said.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY “We have got a once in a lifetime opportunity, which will not come again, to strike a new series of relationships, free trade deals with the growth economies around the world, whilst maintaining ... our free trade advantages with the European Union.” Cameron has said he will not run again at the next election due in 2020, and many believe Johnson took the gamble that campaigning for ‘Out’ would boost his chances of succeeding him. Twice elected to run London, he is among the country’s most popular politicians and seen as one of the Eurosceptic camp’s chief assets. Asked if he expected to be the next prime minister, he responded: “Certainly not.” As both sides accuse each other of scaremongering in an increasingly acrimonious debate, another leading ‘Out’ campaigner, Justice Secretary Michael Gove, told the Sunday Times that the EU’s treatment of Greece in its debt crisis had fuelled the rise of far-right “Hitler worshippers” across the bloc. In the same paper, Johnson said the EU made it harder for Britain to carry out surveillance on terrorists. He criticised as “scandalous” reports that the head of the British Chambers of Commerce, which represents thousands of businesses, had been suspended for backing Brexit.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
4 - WEEKEND WORLD
NEWS
EU courts outlines plan to save open borders E
UROPEAN Union officials voiced guarded optimism that Turkey was starting to cooperate to stem the flow of migrants to Europe, as Brussels outlined a timetable for restoring open borders across the continent by the end of the year. European Council President Donald Tusk, who chaired an emergency EU summit with Turkey at the beginning of the week, said after talks in Ankara he saw first signs that EU states were overcoming their differences to tackle the year-old crisis. He also said Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had told him Turkey was ready to take back all migrants apprehended in Turkish waters. The EU is demanding that Ankara crack down on people smuggling and take back all illegal migrants from its shores who did not qualify for asylum in the 28-nation EU. Even Syrians “apprehended” in Turkish waters, including by NATO patrols, would be put back ashore in Turkey. “For the first time since the beginning of the migration crisis, I can see a European consensus emerging,” Tusk said in a summit invitation letter to leaders. “It is a consensus around a comprehensive strategy that, if loyally implemented, can help stem the flows and tackle the crisis.”
The European Commission has proposed plans to restore the Schengen Zone by the end of the year
FIRST TURKISH PAYOUT The EU is trying to close its porous external borders and change the calculus of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond, offering them help if they stay put. While Tusk was holding talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the European Commission announced the first payouts from a 3 billion-euro (£2.3 billion) fund to help Ankara keep some 2.5 million Syrian refugees on Turkish soil. It also said Turkey was making progress towards achieving eagerly sought visa liberalisation for its citizens in the EU. EU envoy to Turkey Hansjorg Haber told reporters in Istanbul that 400 million euros had been disbursed on humanitarian aid and schooling for migrants. After three months of mounting frustration in Europe since leaders signed a migration accord with Turkey, it was unclear what had moved Ankara to the point that an immediate reduction in flows seemed on the cards. One EU official said Turkish leaders, busy with other priorities affecting their own national security, appeared to finally understand that Europeans might withdraw their various offers if numbers did not fall quickly. Meeting in Paris, the leaders of Germany and France agreed that refugees fleeing war in Syria should stay in the region and said their common objective was to put Europe’s frayed Schengen passport-free travel agreement back into operation. “Our efforts are not done yet,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told a joint news conference
with President Francois Hollande. “I understand that Turkey also expects Europe to deliver.” Merkel pressed for Monday’s summit with Davutoglu in an effort to demonstrate results before three regional elections in Germany on March 13 in which her conservatives face losses to the anti-migration Alternative for Germany party.
STAMPEDE Tusk said the summit would confirm the EU had closed the so-called Western Balkans route from Greece to northern Europe, which has been the main entry point for migrants. “The number of illegal entries from Turkey to Greece remains far too high,” he said after his talks with Davutoglu. Some 30,000 migrants are bottled up in Greece and more are arriving at a rate of 2,000 to 3,000 a day despite still wintry seas. “We both believe that we can reduce the flow through the large-scale and rapid return from Greece of all migrants not in need of international protection,” Tusk said. On a visit to Athens, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara was seeing a significant decrease in the number of refugees arriving at its borders, due to its changing visa regime. In Brussels, the Commission presented a step-by-step plan to implement agreed or already-proposed measures - including a new EU border and coastguard - to curb the influx after more than a million people ar-
rived in an uncontrolled stampede in 2015. “We cannot have free movement internally if we cannot manage our external borders effectively,” Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told a news conference. Eight countries in the 26-nation Schengen zone have put temporary, emergency border controls in place to control the flow of migrants, putting in jeopardy one of Europe’s most prized achievements. In a pre-summit report to EU leaders, the Commission estimated that a complete collapse of passport-free travel in the Schengen zone could cost the European economy up to 18 billion euros (£14 billion) a year. Much of the cost would fall on cross-border commuters, transport and tourism. But investment bank JPMorgan Chase said the short-term impact of more probable selective border controls was likely to be “small in business cycle terms”. More than 1.2 million people submitted asylum requests in the EU last year, including 363,000 Syrians and 178,000 Afghans, the EU statistics agency Eurostat said. Some 442,000 applications were submitted in Germany, the top destination for refugees and migrants, followed by 174,000 in Hungary, which has erected barbed-wire fences and used security forces to keep people out, and 156,000 in Sweden. Sweden, long regarded as the most generous EU state towards refugees, said it would scrap payments of daily allowances to migrants whose asylum applications had been rejected, in its latest attempt to curtail the
European Council President Donald Tusk,
influx. Fewer than one fifth of Germans believe the EU will agree on a common approach to the refugee crisis, according to a poll published by the daily Die Welt, and some 48 percent want Berlin to improve protection of Germany’s national borders. A clear majority — 56 percent — said Germany should cut its EU contributions if Monday’s refugee summit fails. While Brussels and Berlin are pushing for a European response to the crisis, more and more EU states are sceptical it could work and are resorting to unilateral steps. “The Commission would never announce that Schengen is over,” said one Brusselsbased diplomat from an EU country. “That would be a major political blow to them, the first real setback in the whole process of European integration. It would be like the pope announcing there is no God.”
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 5
FREE
NEWS
Australian government commits to gay marriage vote this year if it wins election
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The Australian government has said it will hold a public vote on same-sex marriage later this year if it wins re-election.
T
HE decision comes after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (above) brushed aside criticism from staunchly conservative elements of his Coalition government to attend Sydney’s annual gay Mardi Gras parade. Attorney-General George Brandis said legislation would be pushed through parliament before the end of the year if the government voted in favour of approving gay marriage. “We will be going to the election promising a plebiscite before the end of the year,” Brandis told Sky News. “I believe that marriage is one of the fundamental institutions of society and I think it’s important the fundamental institutions of society reflect the fundamental values of society,” he added. “Treating gay people equally is, I think, one of the fundamental values of modern, Australian society.” Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, have already amended
their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions. Turnbull, considered a moderate in his Liberal Party-led conservative Coalition government, has long attended Sydney’s world-famous Mardi Gras as it falls within his electorate. However, his appearance at last weeks lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride parade through the city’s inner streets was the first for a sitting prime minister. “I’m very proud to be the first PM to attend,” Turnbull tweeted, along with a photograph of himself and wife Lucy at the event. The federal opposition has put pressure on the government to move quicker on samesex marriage, pledging to skip a plebiscite and introduce a bill to parliament within 100 days if it wins the federal election. Turnbull’s government remains ahead in the polls for the election, which are likely to be held between September and November this year, although the gap has narrowed in recent weeks. Political wrangling has also left open the option of an election being held in July.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
6 - WEEKEND WORLD
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 7
NEWS
UK government says EU exit could lead to decade of uncertainty
P
RIME Minister David Cameron, who earlier this month agreed a deal with other EU leaders to reform Britain’s relationship with the bloc, is campaigning for an ‘In’ vote in a referendum on UK membership to be held on June 23 although a number of his own ministers back a British exit. In a document setting out the process of withdrawing from the EU, the government said leaving the bloc was unprecedented
A British exit from the European Union could lead to 10 years or more of damaging uncertainty while a new relationship with both the bloc and other countries is negotiated, the British government said and unpredictable. “It would take up to decade or more to negotiate firstly our exit from the EU, secondly our future arrangements
with the EU, and thirdly our trade deals with countries outside of the EU, on any terms that would be acceptable to the UK,” the
EVIDENCE One of those, Chris Grayling, leader of parliament’s lower house, said a post-Brexit deal with the EU would be done relatively quickly as it was in EU countries’ financial interests to continue trading with Britain. “What possible evidence is there that it will take us 10 years to sort out trading arrangements?” he told the BBC. “We buy far more from them than they buy from us, the jobs at risk if we do not rapidly move to a new trading arrangement are in Bavaria, and in France and in Italy and in Spain... It will be quick enough to ensure there isn’t a hiatus in trading because they will lose financially if there is.”
EURO ZONE JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT AT LOWEST RATE SINCE AUG 2011 THE EU statistics agency Eurostat reported on Tuesday that the jobless rate in January was 10.3 percent, from 10.4 percent in December 2015. The average expectation in a Reuters poll of 44 economists was for an unchanged reading, with forecasts ranging from 10.2 to 10.5 percent.
published document said. “This would be a long period of uncertainty, which would have consequences for UK businesses, trade and inward investment.” While the official government position is to back ‘In’, several of Cameron’s top team of ministers and London Mayor Boris Johnson are campaigning for a so-called Brexit and have accused the government of scaremongering.
Euro zone unemployment, a lagging economic indicator, peaked at 12.1 percent in the first half of 2013. Eurostat estimated that 16.647 million people were unemployed in the euro area in January and 21.789 million in the EU’s 28 members.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
8 - WEEKEND WORLD
NEWS
Renamed Facebook page builds on highly popular ‘Brits living in Spain’
How you can register to vote ahead of the EU Referendum 1. A referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union will be held on 23 June.
Office for Northern Ireland, at www.eoni.org.uk. You can choose to vote by proxy or in person, but not by post.
2. If you were on the electoral roll in the UK within the last 15 years, then you can register as an overseas voter and have your say. #yourvotematters.
6. Do register now, don’t wait until the last minute and miss the deadline. Thousands of expatriates are already doing signing up. If you wait, you may miss your chance to have your say.
3. If you last lived in England, Scotland or Wales, go to www. gov.uk/register-to-vote and fill in your data. All you need is your National Insurance number, passport details and date of birth. (Even if you don’t have an NI number, you can still register).
7. Just as in the UK, you need to register annually. So if you registered as an overseas voter for last year’s General Election, you still need to renew ahead of the EU referendum.
4. Choose how you want to vote – by post, proxy, or even in person if you will be in Britain on polling day. If you choose to vote by post, ballot forms will be despatched about one month ahead, giving you time to receive, complete and return your vote. SINCE its launch two years ago, the British Embassy’s ‘Brits living in Spain’ Facebook page has become a very popular and lively forum for unbiased information and debate on many important aspects of life in Spain. Now renamed ‘Brits in Spain’, the page better reflects its followers, who include the many who live here as well as some who visit. Topics include how to register to vote in the EU referendum, where to get an EHIC, tips on learning Spanish and navigating Spanish officialdom, places to visit and news from the Embassy, amongst many others.
5. If you were last registered to vote in Northern Ireland, download an overseas voter application form from the Electoral
“I feel more knowledgeable about living in Spain through following the Facebook feed.” “When you hear rumours about laws changing, you can always count on this page to confirm them, or receive correct information.” “I use it for friends or family who are coming here.” “It points me in the direction of useful things, which I then pin to my save list to access whenever I need to.” “I follow the page mainly for the photos and info on places to visit.” “I find your articles very interesting.” Mr Montague adds: “If you want to benefit from independent advice and others’ experiences, then do follow us. Simply search for ‘Brits in Spain’ on Facebook and ‘like’ our page.” ‘Brits in Spain’ is a sister channel to the Embassy’s ‘UKinSpain’ Facebook channel, which focuses on institutional and political information and publishes in Spanish. Britons who are Twitter fans and want to keep up with the latest news from the Consular network can also follow @ BritsliveSpain, as well as the comments and thoughts of the British Ambassador on @SimonManleyFCO.
9. Use Facebook and Twitter to pass the message on that #yourvotematters. 10. Go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote - make sure you can have your say.
UK Expats #YourVoteMatters
WHY THE CHANGE IN NAME? Simon Montague, Director of Communications at the Embassy, explains: “We are really pleased that so many people are ‘liking’ our Facebook page and actively using it to discover and share valuable information. “Three quarters of our 18,300 followers are in Spain, but a quarter are in the UK. So as well as acting as a popular forum for full-time residents, we also want to extend a welcome to the many thousands of Brits who have a second home here, and those who visit year after year on holiday.” In a recent Embassy survey of British residents, 72% who followed the Embassy’s Facebook page said it helped them integrate into life in Spain. Here are some of their reasons for ‘liking’ it:
8. Out of 283,000 Britons officially resident in Spain, just 11,000 were registered to vote in last year’s UK General Election. Many British expats could miss out on their say in the EU referendum, so tell your friends to register too.
Apply by post
At the 2015 General Election almost 106,000 people registered as overseas electors - the highest
number ever!
Register sooner rather than later.
Apply online
If you aren’t registered
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O
verseas
UK nationals who have been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years can register as overseas electors, to be able to vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections, UK-wide referendums, and European Parliamentary elections.
D
eclare
You have to sign an annual declaration once you are registered to renew your registration every year. So if you were registered to vote for the 2015 General Election you will have to renew your registration with your local Electoral Registration Officer in the UK or register again.
R
egister
V
ote
You will need to know your National Insurance number and date of birth, and have your passport to hand if you have one. If you don’t have a National Insurance number you can still register, but you may have to supply more information to show who you are.
You can choose how you wish to vote. You can vote by post, by proxy (voting by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf), or even in person at your polling station.
www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 9
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
10 - WEEKEND WORLD
UK NEWS
Is Britain safer in or out of the European Union? This one’s a no brainer Ever since the Islamic State assault on Paris in November 2015, Brexit campaigners have sought to draw a link between Britain’s partnership with Europe, and the vulnerability of its cities to similar attacks. In the days after the atrocities, prominent Leave proponent Richard Tice took direct aim at In campaigners when he said: “never again should they say the United Kingdom is safer in the European Union.” By Christopher J. Fuller Richard Tice
U
NTIL Britain takes back control of its borders, argues UKIP’s Nigel Farage, it cannot be “isolated” from the threat posed by Islamic extremists. The use of the word “isolated” should not be overlooked – it holds a special place in history, and reveals the fantasy in the thinking of those advocating the UK’s exit. The belief that, in an ever-more interconnected world, Britain’s geography could somehow allow its government to pull up the drawbridge, as if Britain is some sort of impenetrable fortress, is simplistic and oldfashioned. It’s a mind-set reminiscent of American isolationism before Pearl Harbor. People felt assured their great oceans and friendly neighbours would keep them safe. When the Japanese attacked, the US had to adjust its conceptions of national security, and what it takes to achieve it. US strategists decided to push America’s interests and assets out into the world to interdict future attacks from afar. Britain’s own history of European isolationism in the first half of the 20th century also failed to provide security. Efforts to play a balancing role between France and Germany from offshore failed twice to prevent the emergence of a major rival on the continent. Britain was unwilling to station troops in Europe, or at least rapidly deploy sufficient forces in an emergency. This led to German
calculations that decisive military force either could not, or would not, arrive in time to prevent aggressive expansion. All this demonstrated that what happens in Europe is close enough to affect even an isolated UK.
THE MODERN TERROR THREAT Modern terrorism is a transnational threat. Empowered by the tools of globalisation, a terrorist based in a foreign safe haven can direct attacks on the UK without getting anywhere near British territory, radicalising the country’s own citizens through online propaganda and manipulation. It was, according to David Cameron, just such a threat which led to the British government to authorise the targeted killing of a British citizen by drone strike near Raqqa, Syria in August 2015. What’s more, those who target the UK do not do so on account of its EU membership. Its historic role in the world and what the US secretary of defence, Ash Carter, recently dubbed its ongoing “outsized role on the global stage” are far more relevant. The dismantling of the Ottoman Empire and Britain’s imperial meddling in the Middle East; its role in creating Israel; Tony Blair’s unwavering support for the War on Terror, and close ties to what are seen as apostate Arab regimes all make the UK a prime target for
Islamic extremists. The illusion that in some way the UK can escape its history by retreating behind the cliffs of Dover is naïve.
THE ‘EUROPEANISATION’ OF BRITISH COUNTERTERRORISM As a primary target of Islamic extremism, Britain benefits significantly from its counter-terrorism partnerships across the EU. It drew upon decades of experience in combating terrorism to play a key role in formulating the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy, introduced in November 2005. Based upon the British government’s own counter-terrorism strategy, the joint approach ensures EU counter-terrorism efforts align with the UK’s wider foreign policy agenda. That includes an explicit focus on what Britain judges as the root causes of instability and radicalisation. The UK couldn’t hope to have such an influence over the counter-terrorism priorities of other European countries from outside the EU. The EU also organises joint counter-terrorism exercises and studies between specialist police forces. Then there is the EU9 group, jointly founded by the UK and others. This brings together the interior ministers of the European countries most affected by the flow of foreign fighters And of course, being part of the EU means the UK can implement
the European arrest warrant to detain terror suspects while also enabling easier extradition and deportation. The “Europeanisation” of UK counter-terrorism has pushed the frontiers of British security well beyond its own borders. It buys time and space for security services in the fight against terrorism. Britain’s significant contribution certainly benefits its continental partners, but being able to exploit the EU’s partnerships also enables it to confront terrorism on multiple fronts. It can use fellow members’ resources to neutralise threats before they fully materialise. Terrorist groups are adept at searching out and exploiting weaknesses in the security architecture of states, establishing safe havens from which they can recruit, plot and strike. By operating in concert with its European neighbours, Britain is able to help firm up its allies’ defences. Common standards of security across the EU make it easier to disrupt plots that could ultimately be aimed at the UK. Today’s global threats transcend traditional 20th-century notions of borders and nationality. The multilateral partnerships of the EU as opposed to the outdated small island isolationism of Brexit campaigners, offers the best security for the UK in this context. This article was originally published on The Conversation.
©Photograph: Ernest H. Brooks II, « Blue in Profile », Edition Fifty Fathoms 2008
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 11
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
12 - WEEKEND WORLD
LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS
T
HE secret recordings in Madrid’s Majadahonda municipality controlled by the People’s Party (PP) culminated in a High Court investigation into allegations the party’s top brass had a slush fund bankrolled by friendly businesses. Four senior former PP politicians are among 40 suspects awaiting trial. Since the beginning of the so-called Gurtel investigation in 2007, there have been a string of other graft inquiries into the PP, with the latest ones implicating the party’s leadership in Madrid and Valencia this month. Penas said he knew Gurtel - investigators’ code name for the case - would be big when he made the audio recordings, but had never imagined it might reach the upper echelons of the conservative party. “I didn’t know how deep the corruption would go,” Penas, who left the party after the scandal erupted, said in an interview in the community centre he now runs. “From Gurtel came everything.”
Corruption scandals could foil Spanish PM Rajoy’s bid to retain power
PUBLIC ANGER The PP denies any senior party officials were involved in any cases of alleged corruption, including Gurtel. It says only a tiny number of its politicians are corrupt, and that it is tackling the problem. But the political cost has nevertheless been high for the party and its leader, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Public anger at the PP was a factor in its failure to win a parliamentary majority in a December election. Since then, its attempts to form a governing coalition have floundered, snubbed by rivals who say they will not work with a party tainted by corruption scandals. Should no other party succeed in forming a coalition, as most political analysts expect, another election will be held this year. While the PP is still expected to win the most votes, opinion polls suggest it will again fail to gain a majority. According to a poll last week in right-wing newspaper El Mundo, the centre-right party would actually lose votes and parliamentary seats, with many of those surveyed blaming corruption and Rajoy’s inability to cobble together a coalition. Acknowledging the damage, PP lawmaker Andrea Levy said earlier this month the corruption allegations “shamed and embarrassed” the party’s members and voters. “The people that have done these things should neither represent the PP nor should they be politicians,” said the 31-year-old, one of the party’s newest and youngest faces. “They should be expelled from politics,” she told a Spanish radio station.
MADRID CHIEF QUITS Fernando Jimenez, a political scientist at the University of Murcia and contributor to an annual EU anti-corruption report, said worse could be yet to come for the party. “Most likely new cases of corruption will continue to erupt,” he said. “I don’t think the PP’s vote has bottomed out, it could fall quite a lot more.” He said the party was losing support due to perceptions among voters that it was shielding those implicated in scandals, something denied by the party’s leadership. “The PP is a family and when one member suffers the party shelters and hides them,”
When Jose Luis Penas (pictured above) recorded fellow councillors allegedly taking bribes from businessmen a decade ago, it marked the start of a series of corruption scandals that have engulfed Spain’s ruling party and could thwart its chances of retaining power. he said. “But this strategy was born in an era when corruption was not a great concern for people.” Times have changed. Corruption is now Spaniards’ second biggest worry behind unemployment. When Rajoy assumed office in December 2011, just 6 percent of people said corruption was a major concern, in a survey by official pollster the Sociological Research Centre (CIS). Over the last year the figure has reached as high as 60 percent. Transparency International said in its annual report in January that Spain had suffered one of the sharpest declines in public perceptions of corruption in the world, having slipped from 30th on its index in 2012 to 36th. The 40 suspects awaiting trial over the Gurtel case include three former PP treasurers and a former health minister, as well as local party officials and businessmen. All the suspects, and the party, have denied wrongdoing. Earlier this month the PP’s Madrid head Esperanza Aguirre resigned after police raided her headquarters and investigated some of her employees, including senior staff, for
Sanchez called into the question the integrity of Rajoy himself during an election debate. “If you win, the cost to democracy is enormous because the prime minister must be a decent person and you are not,” he said. After failing to form a coalition, Rajoy in January passed the baton to Sanchez, who has until March to form a government that receives the backing of parliament. If he too fails, other parties will have a further two months to form a government, before a new election will be called. Some of the PP’s younger generation of politicians say the party is fighting graft in its ranks to regain the public’s trust. Not far from Majadahonda, in the wellheeled Madrid suburb of Boadilla del Monte, PP Mayor Antonio Gonzalez Terol - who took over in 2011 after two predecessors resigned following investigations into their finances as part of the Gurtel probe - said his first action was to kick out the existing PP municipal team and cancel all contracts with firms accused of wrongdoing. “We became the active pursuers of those people that had slipped a hand into the public purse,” the 37-year-old said.
bribery and money laundering in an unrelated case. Aguirre and the party denied any wrongdoing, but she said she quit as a “gesture” of political responsibility. Almost simultaneously a similar scandal erupted at the party’s Valencia offices, with police launching an investigation into alleged money laundering there, and saying senior officials could be involved. The PP denied any wrongdoing.
COALITION SNUBS Liberal party Ciudadanos, which has won popular support by campaigning against graft, has distanced itself from any alliance with the PP. It has said Rajoy is not the right man to lead Spain’s next government and the fight against corruption. “Right now, Mariano Rajoy cannot lead a project to regenerate Spain’s politics and institutions, he has had four years to put an end to corruption and he failed,” Ciudadanos’ representative for Madrid, Ignacio Aguado, said. The main opposition Socialists have ruled out allying with the PP in a coalition over the corruption allegations. Its leader Pedro
Antonio Gonzalez Terol
Others in the PP said the branding of the party as corrupt was unwarranted given Rajoy had passed legislation to tackle the problem such as bringing in new penalties. “We consider (corrupt) only a tiny number of all the politicians in the PP,” the party’s head of international relations, Jose Ramon Garcia-Hernandez, said. “There are corrupt people but there are not corrupt systems.” Back in Majadahonda, however, Penas said the PP’s woes were structural and would not be resolved by rooting out a few bad apples. “They have changed some of the party’s faces but its nucleus remains the same.”
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
Eventos Almenara PerioĚ dico Gib.indd 2
WEEKEND WORLD - 13
24/2/16 16:25
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
14 - WEEKEND WORLD
LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS
Spain’s Socialists fail to form government new talks to start The leader of Spain’s Socialists has failed to win the confidence of parliament to become prime minister, opening a new round of talks between parties who now have just two months to break a 10-week deadlock and avoid a fresh election.
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N a first for Spain, Pedro Sanchez (right) lost his second investiture vote, securing the support of only 131 members of the 350-strong assembly for his proposed coalition, which sets the country on course for its second election in six months. Spain’s parties have been in fruitless negotiations to form a government since a December vote when Spaniards weary of austerity and corruption deserted the two traditional parties to vote for newcomers. But the talks, which have often boiled over into vitriolic attacks that have highlighted tensions between Spain’s political left and right, are now set to continue at a time when the Spanish economy is staging an uneven recovery. As on Wednesday when Sanchez lost a first vote, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative People’s Party (PP), anti-austerity upstart Podemos and five smaller parties voted against Sanchez, scuppering his pact with business-friendly Ciudadanos. A small party from the Canary Islands also voted for Sanchez. Until the last minute the Socialist leader tried to woo Podemos into joining his “government of change” but the party’s leader Pablo Iglesias, a pony-tailed former university lecturer, held out for an alliance solely between leftist parties. “I will continue working to achieve the majority this country needs,” Sanchez told reporters after the vote. “Pablo Iglesias has betrayed his party’s voters and he is responsible for Rajoy remaining as prime minister.” Iglesias before the vote compared his dispute with the Socialists to a quarrel between lovers and said Sanchez should embrace the other “monstrous” leftist parties which would be needed to reach the parliamentary majority of 176 seats. A coalition between the Socialists and Podemos would have to depend on former communists Izquierda Unida and four regional parties from the Basque Country and Catalonia, all of which voted against Sanchez on Friday. “I again offer you my hand Mr. Sanchez, and after tonight we will be able to get to work,” Iglesias, who came third in the December general election, told a restless parliament where speakers were repeatedly interrupted by jeers and whistles.
CLOSER TO NEW ELECTIONS Sanchez’s failure, the first time a candidate had lost both confidence votes since Spain returned to democracy in the mid-1970s, sets the clock ticking on a two-month window for parties to form an alternative majority before May 2. On that date parliament would be dissolved and Spaniards would have to return to the ballot box, most likely on June 26. Analysts say such an outcome is looking increasingly certain. Although businesses and investors have so far remained calm about the deadlock, new elections would raise the risk that Spain’s economic growth, one of the highest rates in the EU, might be impaired by lost months of political leadership. Rajoy had branded the Socialist-Ciudadanos coalition a “farce” and a threat to the national interest, which sought to undo reforms his government brought in over the past four years. “He has wasted all our time, he generated false expectations and he has defrauded us,” he told parliament before the vote. Rajoy had moved aside last month to allow Sanchez’s bid after he also failed to win support. But he said he would now make renewed efforts to form a grand coalition of centre-left and centre-right parties under him as prime minister. Lluis Orriols, a political science lecturer at the University Carlos III of Madrid, says it is unlikely Rajoy would be able to win over other parties since both the PP and the Socialists would not budge their red lines. “We are closer to new elections than to an agreement.”
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 15
GENERAL LOCAL AND NEWS REST OF SPAIN NEWS
MARBELLA LOSES ITS ‘LUXURY’TAG IT was an event that promised to showcase “Marbella” to the world, an event that tried to recapture the glamour and sophistication of its hey days when it was the playground of the rich & famous frequented by royals and a-list stars. The Marbella Luxury Weekend had all the ingredients to be a success, hosted in the prestigious location of Puerto Banus with luxurious multi-national brands within the fashion and motor industry all vying to get a piece of the action one would have thought it would be the “must attend” event of the year. Sadly it appears not. Last week after running for five years, Marbella City Council announced there will be no event in 2016. The reason? - a lack of interest from potential sponsors. Simply put, no one would commit to putting money into making this event work. The Councillor of Tourism, Miguel Luna (PSOE), said in a statement “We are not going to put citizen’s money into an event at the expense of a week of luxury which has no advertising revenue for the city,” other sources at Marbella City Council said they had received “little interest from sponsors for providing financial support for the
event”, and “therefore it would oblige public officials to increase their contribution “to amounts that would not offset the media coverage.” Initially the Luxury Weekend events resulted in excellent economic results for the town but sadly over the past few years, sponsors have disappeared, demanded more for less
and Marbella City Council has been left to pay for an event that whilst attracting numerous people to the town only really benefitted a select few. Marbella City Council promises to continue to promote Marbella as a luxury brand but is looking at alternative routes such as the recent Fitur tourism fair in Madrid.
Drowning in a sea of rubbish THE first day of the indefinite strikes hit the city last Tuesday and within four days some In scenes reminiscent to that of the 1978 “ winter 1,222 tonnes of rubbish lay stacked along of discontent” in the UK the streets of Malaga the streets. The reason behind the strikes is in part a continue to flow with refuse and rubbish following disagreement over annual leave entitlement continued strikes between Malaga Town Hall and Limsa employees who receive five weeks Limsa the waste collection company holiday per year believe they should be allowed to take four week’s off in the summer with the remaining week during the year. However Malaga City Council believe the annual holidays should be split with employees taking two weeks between June and September and the remaining weeks throughout the rest of the year. With the population increasing during the summer months in Malaga is seems preposterous for the workforce to take four weeks off during the cities most busiest period. An on-going dispute over a productivity bonus is also causing a delay in reaching an agreement. Limsa employees are demanding an additional €427 euros on top of their salary but Malaga City Council who are happy to pay a bonus want to defer the bonus until 2017 but will increase it to €1,119 This is not the first time Limsa employees have called strike action in 2013 a four-day strike took place which resulted in over 1,600 tons of uncollected waste accumulating along the streets of Malaga. The mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, said at a press conference that he was “open to dialogue” but that it was up to Limasa employees to make the first move. Malaga City Council has 49% of the shares of Limasa, while 51% are private shareholders (FCC and Urbaser Sando)
Spain’s best-selling newspaper, hints may end print edition
SPAIN’S best-selling newspaper, El Pais, may end its print edition and become primarily an online outlet, its editor-in-chief said in a statement last week – following a global trend among national newspapers that are under pressure from the Internet. The daily, which gained a reputation as the newspaper of democratic Spain after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, has reported a steady decline in readership since the country’s economic crisis erupted in 2008.
DIGITAL The possibility of one of the world’s most influential Hispanic newspapers stopping the presses comes after Britain’s Independent disappeared from newsstands in March, when its owner took the newspaper online only. “The step from paper to digital is just one part and is not even the biggest of the many steps that newspapers will have to take until we find our true space in the future,” Antonio Cano, the El Pais editor-in-chief, told staff in an open letter. Cano assured the staff El Pais was committed to publishing a print edition “for as long as possible,” but he also said it would be working to build a digital medium that could better respond to the demands of readers. “We can already assume that the habit of buying a newspaper at a news stand is now the thing of a minority,” Cano said. “The majority of people, in particular youngsters, look for their information on a range of different devices and they consume it in a different way.” Like many other Spanish newspapers, El Pais, founded in 1976, ran into debt troubles when advertising revenues plummeted during the economic crisis. El Pais’s circulation has steadily fallen, shrinking by 15 percent last year to around 220,000 copies. However, its online business has been growing, with unique online users rising 15.3 percent last year to a monthly average of 13.5 million.
16 - WEEKEND WORLD
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS
BASQUE MILITANT SEPARATIST RELEASED FROM SPANISH JAIL THE former leader of the banned Basque separatist party Batasuna, political wing of armed militants ETA, left prison last week after serving a sixand-a-half year sentence for trying to re-start the illegal party after it had been shut down. Arnaldo Otegi, a key figure in the separatist movement of the north-eastern Spanish region, walked smiling from the prison gates where a crowd of supporters gathered waving the Basque regional flag and shouting “Independence”. Batasuna was banned and shut down in 2003 for links to ETA. In October 2009, Otegi was arrested for attempting to set up the part again. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, later reduced to six and a half years. While Otegi has served his sentence, ETA has been
severely weakened by the arrests of hundreds of its members and seizures of its weapons during government crack downs in both Spain and neighboring France. ETA, which the Spanish government says has killed more than 800 people, aims to establish an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southern France. It called a unilateral ceasefire in 2011 and pledged to turn in its weapons.
FORBIDDEN Otegi, formerly Batasuna’s chief spokesman, is forbidden from holding any public role until 2021 by a court ruling but he holds an internal role at nationalist party Sortu, according to El Pais newspaper. The Basque region, home to around 2 million people and a strong contributor to Spain’s economy given its heavy industry focused on manufacturing, holds local elections this year. Leftist newcomer Podemos made strong inroads in the region in a December general election, overtaking left-wing nationalist parties to take the biggest chunk of the vote in the Basque Country.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 17
LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS
K
ING Felipe’s 50-year-old sister, the first member of the royal family to stand in the dock, said she believed her husband Inaki Urdangarin was also innocent, in a case that has tapped into public anger over high-level corruption. Cristina answered questions from her own lawyer for half an hour, refusing to answer those from a legal team representing the ‘Clean Hands’ anti-corruption organisation which filed charges against the couple. Prosecutors are looking into whether a charity Urdangarin ran, the Noos Foundation, embezzled millions of euros in public funds.
Princess Cristina testified at her tax fraud trial that she had no knowledge of financial matters and her husband handled all their accounts. They are also examining whether some of Noos’ money was transferred to a company co-owned by the princess and Urdangarin, Aizoon, and used to pay for family expenses. Dressed simply in a black jacket and white blouse, a sombre Cristina told the televised
trial she had no role in the couple’s company, adding she simply signed papers when asked to without questioning how it was managed. “My husband took care of all the financial dealings of the family and I would try and work out the family’s timetable,”
Spanish Royals knew my business, princess’s husband tells court THE husband of Spain’s Princess Cristina said in court that the royal family was fully aware of the business deals of his not-for-profit organisation, the subject of an investigation that has landed him and his wife in court on charges of tax fraud. Allegations that Inaki Urdangarin embezzled millions of euros in public funds through his charity the Noos Foundation have snared King Felipe’s sister, along with 16 others, in the trial that has tapped into popular disgust against corruption. The former Olympic handball player told the court: “I never would do anything without consulting (Carlos) Garcia Revenga, for example, so that he would be up to date with everything that we were doing,” referring to a former royal secretary. Urdangarin and Cristina, the first Spanish royal to stand in the dock, have denied any
wrongdoing. The trial, a major embarrassment for Spain’s royal family, started in a court on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca in January. Urdangarin is accused of nine crimes including fraud and tax evasion with a combined possible jail sentence of 19-and-a-half years. Cristina is charged with two counts of being an accessory to tax fraud, which carry a combined sentence of up to eight years. The Spanish legal system is under pressure to get tough on corruption after a string of graft cases involving the establishment from the main political parties to businessmen. Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s own People’s Party (PP) has been engulfed by scandals that could thwart its chances of retaining power, following the arrest of several of the party’s leadership in Madrid and Valencia.
Fromer King Juan Carlos with his son-in-law Inaki Urdangarin
Spain’s Princess Cristina arrives at court with her husband Inaki Urdangarin to attend trial in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, March 2. REUTERS/Enrique Calvo
Cristina said, adding that she fully trusted Urdangarin. She told the courthouse in the Mediterranean island of Mallorca that she had no knowledge of financial or tax matters in general. The couple, who have four children, deny any wrongdoing in the case. Urdangarin, a former Olympic handball player, is accused of nine crimes including fraud and tax evasion and could face up to 19 and half years in jail if found guilty.
ACCESSORY Cristina is charged with two counts of being an accessory to tax fraud and could face up to eight years in prison. The couple have said Aizoon was set up to channel Urdangarin’s earnings and that the company also had income from real estate holdings, denying any knowledge that it might have been used as a shell company. Earlier in the trial Urdangarin conceded that personal expenses had been billed to Aizoon. Among the bills shown in court was one for a safari trip that cost more than 15,000 euros (£11,590), along with wine bills for more than 1,000 euros. There was also a coaching course for Cristina worth more than 6,000 euros. “I was not aware of committing any fiscal crime or of any wrongdoing because I have always been advised and my advisers always told me that I was doing the right thing,” Urdangarin said. He also defended his wife, saying: “With four small children, we tried not to talk about work matters.” The princess is now not due to reappear in court until the end of the trial. Other witness testimonies and interventions are expected to run until June.
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Spanish princess tells fraud trial her husband handled all expenses
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
18 - WEEKEND WORLD
LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS
Fugitives arrested in Spanish resort
SPANISH AL QAEDA COMMANDER KILLED BY FRENCH FORCES IN MALI
SPANISH police have arrested two fugitives from Russia and Belarus in the Mediterranean resort town of Marbella wanted by Russian authorities for multi-million-euro fraud. Russia had requested the extradition of a 62-year-old Russian man who had fled with 6.5 million euros (5.01 million pound) after his construction firm failed to complete a government contract in the Sochi area. Police said the man, who they did not name, had funnelled leftover cash from the contract through “fictional companies.” He was arrested in early February, the statement said. In a separate case in Marbella, an increasingly popular destination for holidaying Russians, police arrested a 51-year-old Belarussian man wanted by Russian police on suspicion of defrauding a housing company of just over 600,000 euros ($649,860).
FRENCH forces have killed a Spaniard working as an al Qaeda commander in northern Mali during a military operation against the group, a Spanish intelligence firm and security sources said. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), a group that emerged from Algeria’s civil war, has stepped up a regional insurgency in West Africa, claiming two hotel attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso’s capitals since November that killed at least 50 people. U.S. Africa Command calls it the world’s “most enduring” extremist group and a U.S. commander warned last month it could strengthen further. “The death of (Abu al-Nur al-Andalusi) happened during an attack by French forces on a meeting of al Qaeda members in northern Mali,” AICS, a Spain-based intelligence company said in a statement released last week, citing local sources. The firm’s CEO Salvador Burguet described al-Nur as a 35-year-old from Melilla, an au-
“Information is not knowledge.The only source of knowledge is experience”
tonomous Spanish enclave in North Africa. For at least the past year he has been leading a Katiba, or brigade, made up of around 25 fighters in the desert area north of Timbuktu, Burguet said. Two other security officials in Mali confirmed al-Nur’s death, adding two French operations were made in the Gao and Timbuktu regions earlier this week. It was not clear how many other militants were killed. Spain’s Foreign Ministry said they did not have information on the case and French defence officials declined to comment. Al-Nur has been involved in a number of at-
tacks against the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country, known as MINUSMA. An AQIM video in September showed a smiling al-Nur, wearing sun-glasses, encouraging others to join militants in Mali in Spanish, according to a video released by the SITE global intelligence agency. He then boards a truck with a group of fighters to ambush a U.N. vehicle and begins firing bullets into an apparently lifeless pile of bodies. The U.N. said at least six Burkinabe soldiers were killed in that attack. Separately, MINUSMA said six peacekeepers were wounded on Tuesday when their vehicle hit a landmine in northern Mali. French forces intervened in northern Mali in 2013 to drive out Islamic militants from urban centres but scattered bands of fighters remain in desert areas. France is the largest Western power involved in fighting insurgents in the arid Sahel region, with around 3,500 troops based there.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 19
LOCAL AND REST OF SPAIN NEWS
Is begging big business? RECENT articles in the British press have shown the growing trend in begging across the streets of the UK. No longer reserved for those who are in desperate need of food, housing and compassion. Today it seems begging is the new entrepreneurial way or is it? Here in Spain after years of tough economic conditions we have witnessed a rise in the number of dispossessed on the streets and seeing forlorn, hunched-up figures sitting in doorways late at night is quite a common site. Even going for your weekly shop can muster a feeling of guilt as people hang around the trolley section pulling at your heartstrings begging for help for “ el nino” as you collect your one-euro trolley fee but is this just a ploy or is there darker forces at play? It has long been known that organized crime gangs from Eastern Europe control most of the beggars we see today, vans are often witnessed dropping off scores of people early in the morning outside busy sites such as railway stations, supermarkets and well known tourist spots only to be seen returning at the end of the day. So is begging big business or just modern slavery? Trapped in a loop of perpetual poverty most beggars are often brought to
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Spain from their homeland with a promise of work only to be forced to live in appalling conditions and sent out to work to pay for their board and keep whilst the “boss” sits back and reaps the rewards. So the next time an individual asks you for your trolley euro don’t dismiss them, no-one would willingly beg given half the chance and whilst you and me have one, these unfortunate people trapped in a cycle of poverty do not.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
20 - WEEKEND WORLD
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
SWEDEN ANNOUNCES PITTER- PATTER OF TINY FEET
SWEDEN’S Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel have announced the arrival of a healthy baby boy the couple’s second child who will be named Oscar Carl Olof. The prince, to be known as the Duke of Skane, was born at Karolinska University Hospital in the Swedish capital on Wednesday 2nd March weighing a healthy 8 pounds. His father, Prince Daniel, who attended the birth, said that neither parent had known the gender of the child but during the birth he was hands-on even
cutting the umbilical cord. Following the 1980 act, which changed Sweden’s constitution to allow the eldest heir to inherit the throne, regardless of gender Prince Oscar will now be third in line to the throne after his mother and elder sister, Princess Estelle. The Royal Family is also awaiting the arrival of Prince Carl Philip and his wife Princess Sofia’s first arrival who is expected mid April.
“Defence is more crucial that ever” France and Britain have agreed to a 2 billion euro (1.49 billion pound) project to build a drone, as the two allies firmed up military ties amid conflicts in Syria and Libya. PRESIDENT Francois Hollande and Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured below) met in northern France as part of a biannual summit commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in which 600,000 British and French soldiers died. The two leaders also sought to show their unity on the Syria crisis before a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday. Paris and London want to apply pressure on Moscow to stop supporting advances by the Syrian government on Westernbacked rebels that they say will be key players in any peace deal. Cameron and Hollande announced plans for what they said was a new multi-use unmanned aircraft that would be ready for technical checks in 2020 and operational a decade later. “This will be the most advanced of it kind in Europe,” Cameron told a joint news conference, saying the project would create significant numbers of jobs in both countries. Each side will contribute equally to the Future Combat Air System project, based on a 120-million-pound joint feasibility study agreed in 2014, official said. Britain’s BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, along with Dassault Aviation, Safran and Thales of France, are taking part, they added. France and Britain, both permanent veto-wielding members of the United Nations Security Council, are engaged in air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.
French President Francois Hollande (left) shakes hands with Prime Minister David Cameron as they arrive to attend a Franco-British summit in Amiens, northern France. Reuters/Philippe Wojazer
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 21
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
22 - WEEKEND WORLD
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Oscar Pistorius right to appeal rejected South Africa’s highest court rejects athletes last-ditch attempt to appeal his murder conviction of Reeva Steenkamp
S
OUTH Africa’s Constitutional Court has rejected Olympian Oscar Pistorius’ right to appeal against his conviction for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The last ditch attempt for the athlete follows the change of plea made by the Supreme Court of Appeal who in December changed the 29-year-old’s conviction to murder following the state prosecutors appeal against the athlete’s prior conviction of culpable homicide in the Pretoria High Court. South African authorities had challenged Pistorius’ appeal on the grounds that the Supreme Court of Appeal had correctly found Pistorius guilty. “We can confirm that Oscar Pistorius’ leave to appeal has been denied,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said The athlete, nicknamed “Blade Runner” because of the prosthetic legs he uses to race, had filed papers to appeal against his conviction at the Constitution-
al Court, the country’s highest court, on January 11. Anneliese Burgess, the Pistorius’ family spokeswoman, said she the news was “unexpected” but after consulting with the family would issue a statement. Tania Koehn, the lawyer for the Steenkamp family, told local TV news channel eNCA that they felt that: “The law must take its course.” Pistorius who shot and killed Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013, has spent the last few months under house arrest at his uncle’s home in Pretoria while awaiting his appeal. He was released from prison after serving less than a year on the initial charge of manslaughter Pistorius now faces a minimum 15-year jail sentence for the murder of his girlfriend. It is likely that a date for Pistorius’ sentencing will be set for April 18, when he was initially due to appear in court to give an update on his appeal at the constitutional court.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 23
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
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EBRIS found off the African coast rekindled hope for many, prompting relatives to demand investigators go back over mistakes made early on. Some 120,000 sq km (46,300 sq mi) of the sea floor is being scoured at an estimated cost of about A$170 million (£87.27 million). But no trace of the missing Boeing 777 has been found except for a wing part, known as a flaperon, which surfaced on Reunion Island off Madagascar last July. Australia said in August that initial drift models of where debris from the jet might first wash up had incorrectly identified Indonesia as the most likely location. A meeting set for June between Australia, Malaysia, and China will determine whether to extend the search. But families are calling for the search to continue after the discovery last week of a white, metre-long chunk of metal suspected to be from MH370 off the coast of Mozambique. Just as they prepare to mark the two-year anniversary of the jet’s disappearance, the relatives are asking for efforts to focus on the southeast African coast. Voice370, a support group for MH370 next-of-kin, said last week in a statement that the claims of funds drying up was “unacceptable” as a reason for ending the investigation, which they say could benefit the broader industry and increase safety.
BACK TO DRAWING BOARD Last Sunday, scores of family and friends of those on board the plane gathered at a mall in Kuala Lumpur in a memorial seeking to “re-investigate, re-evaluate, re-start” the search. Accompanied by poignant musical and dance performances, the next-of-kin made an impassioned plea for search efforts to continue until the plane is found. “They can stop the search, but where do we stop the feeling of loss? We want them to try, if possible, to continue searching for MH370,” said Jacquita Gonzales, the wife of MH370 in-flight supervisor Patrick Gomes. MH370 vanished from radar screens shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, and investigators believe it was
‘STOP WORKING SO HARD!’ Italian unions tell new museum chief ITALIAN unions have lambasted the new museum chief of the world-famous Royal Palace of Caserta for working too hard, prompting Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to ride to his defence. Renzi’s government appointed Mauro Felicori five months ago to revive the fortunes of the spectacular, 1,200-room Baroque palace of the Bourbon kings, which like many of the country’s artistic and cultural treasures was suffering from decades of neglect and mismanagement. Local unions however sent a letter to the culture minister, Felicori’s boss, complaining that he works late into the evening without the rest of the personnel being informed. “Such behaviour puts the whole structure at risk,” said the letter, published in Corriere della Sera daily last weekend. In a post on his Facebook page, Renzi said the accusation levelled at Felicori, a 63-year old expert in the management of cultural sites, was ridiculous. “The unions complaining about Felicori, who was chosen by the government after an international selection process, should realise that the tide has turned. The fun’s over,” Renzi said. Visitors to the Caserta palace, a Unesco World Heritage site often referred to as Italy’s own Versailles, increased 70% in February from a year earlier, with revenues up 105% he added. “The director is simply doing his job. And we all stand by him, without fear.” The national leader of Italy’s biggest labour group CGIL, Susanna Camusso, distanced herself from the complaints against Felicori. “Mistakes must be acknowledged and those unions are wrong,” Camusso tweeted.
Two years on, MH370 families say search for missing jet must continue The families of passengers lost aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say the two-year search for the missing aircraft must go on beyond a June deadline, as new hope emerged last week of resolving the aviation mystery. flown thousands of miles off course before eventually crashing into the ocean off Australia. A 584-page interim report into the disappearance of the Boeing 777-200ER released on the first anniversary provided details on how radars tracked the plane going off course and issues concerning the battery of the flight data recorder’s underwater locator beacon. However, it did not identify a definitive cause for the disappearance, adding there was nothing suspicious in the financial, medical or personal histories of pilots or crew.
Fossilized lizard, 99 million years old, is a clue to ‘lost ecosystem’ A FOSSILIZED lizard found in Southeast Asia preserved in amber has been confirmed to date back some 99 million years, Florida scientists have determined, making it the oldest specimen of its kind and a “missing link” for reptile researchers. The lizard is some 75 million years older than the previous record holder, according to researchers at the Florida Museum
Various lizard specimens preserved in ancient amber found in what is now Myanmar in South-east Asia. The record- setting relic was first found decades ago along with other well-preserved reptile fossils, but it was not until recently that scientists were able to analyse the finds. PHOTO: REUTERS
of Natural History, who announced the finding this week. It was found decades ago in a mine along with other ancient, well-preserved reptile fossils, but the U.S. scientists were able to analyse the finds only recently. “It was incredibly exciting to see these animals for the first time,” Edward Stanley, a member of the research team, said on Saturday. “It was exciting and startling, actually, how well they were preserved.” Scientists believe the chameleon-like creature was an infant when it was trapped in a gush of sticky resin while darting through a tropical forest in what is now Myanmar, in Southeast Asia. The creature’s entire body, including its eyes and colourful scales, is unusually well-preserved, Stanley said. The other reptiles trapped in the amber, including a gecko and an arctic lizard, were also largely intact. Small reptiles have delicate bodies and typically deteriorate quickly, he said. Being encased in solid amber helped to lock the specimen together. Stanley and other researchers used high-resolution digital X-ray technology to examine the creatures and estimate the age of the amber without breaking it. The discovery will help researchers learn more about the “lost ecosystem, the lost world” to which the creatures belonged, Stanley said, and it may help researchers learn more about the creatures’ modern relatives. “It’s kind of a missing link,” Stanley said.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
THE WORLD’S SMALLEST BIBLE USING TOMORROW’S TECHNOLOGY N ANOTECHNOLOGY has been at the forefront of technology revolutionizing the world of science, medicine and industry, and now it seems to be adding religion & fashion to its growing list of accomplishments. Ami Bentov, a combat video journalist who has witnessed the terror of wars has come up with the idea to mass-produce silicon chips, which contain the entire Bible to sell as fashion items in the shape of religious jewellery, lapel pins and necklaces.
In 2015 Jerusalem Nano Bible received a nomination by the Guinness Book of Records for “the smallest bible in the world” because the bible’s text can only be read with an electron microscope, which uses a beam of electrons to magnify objects a thousand fold.
An unadorned Nano Bible in a box costs $25; lapel pins, $40; and necklaces, including crosses and Stars of David with embedded Nano Bibles, from $90 to $150. For more information visit www.jerusalemnanobible. com
WAFER THIN Bentov, the founder of the Jerusalem Nano Bible, who has partnered with TowerJazz, a semiconductor company, has created pin-sized nano versions of the Old and New Testaments “as a way to generate positivity in the world” The Nano Bibles, which are wafer thin at just 5 by 5 millimetres, contain all 24 books of the Hebrew Old Testament and the entire New Testament, written in Greek. An English-language version is currently under development.
SpaceX launches communications satellite but botches sea landing
A
SPACEX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida and thrust a communications satellite into orbit last week, but the launch vehicle’s reusable main-stage booster was destroyed when it failed to land itself on an ocean platform, the company said. It marked the fourth botched at-sea return landing attempt for Elon Musk’s privately owned Space Exploration Technologies, though a Falcon mainstage rocket did achieve a successful ground-based touchdown after soaring back to Earth from a less demanding launch in December. The latest try occurred after four SpaceX launch delays stretching back to Feb. 24. The 23-story-tall Falcon 9 bolted off its seaside launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as scheduled. A half-hour later it completed the chief goal of its mission, putting the Boeing-built satellite, owned by Luxembourg-based SES SA, into orbit more than 25,000 miles (40,600 km) above Earth. On its way up, the rocket’s first-stage booster separated as planned turned around and headed towards a platform floating about 400 miles (645 km) off Florida’s east coast. The rocket found its target, but its velocity proved too great to allow for a safe landing on the drone barge. “The rocket landed hard,” Musk, the founder and chief executive officer
of SpaceX, said in a Twitter message more than an hour after blast-off. “Didn’t expect this one to work ... but next flight has a good chance.” The ability to safely and reliably return the rocket’s main stage to a landing pad at sea has been a key hurdle in Musk’s quest to develop a relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicle. The rocket flying on Friday faced a particularly challenging mission to deliver the 12,613-pound (5,721 kg) satellite into an orbit more than 100 times higher than where the International Space Station flies. The speed required to achieve that feat meant the rocket was going too fast to even attempt a ground landing. SpaceX came close to nailing an ocean touchdown in January after blasting off from California to deliver a climate-monitoring satellite into orbit. The returning main-stage rocket settled itself on a platform in the Pacific Ocean, but a stabilizing landing leg failed to latch, causing the booster to keel over and explode. SpaceX’s next mission, a cargo-delivery run to the space station for NASA, is targeted for launch in late March or early April. The launch firm has contracts worth more than $10 billion from commercial companies, NASA and other agencies.
RAP WARS!
Atlanta rapper shot dead outside recording studio
AN up and coming Atlanta rapper Bankroll Fresh, whose real name was Trentavious White, was shot dead outside a recording studio last week sparking speculation of a new hip hop war. White, 28, was shot just after 11 p.m. outside Street Execs Studios in North Atlanta and died on-route to the Hughes Spalding hospital. The hip-hop artist an associate of wellknown Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz, who signed Bankroll Fresh to his independent record label in 2015, is best known for his song “Hot Boy” from a 2014 mix-tape “Life of a Hotboy”. Atlanta NBC affiliates 11Alive News reported that 50 shell casings were found on the ground at the scene of the shooting. The shooting is the fourth involving a recording studio in the Atlanta area in the last two years.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 25
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
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ARTH Hour, spearheaded by environmental solutions-provider World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), is a global celebration where people switch off their lights for one hour to show their commitment to the future of the planet and stand in solidarity with climate action. It is the world’s largest grassroots movement for the planet with a record-breaking 172 countries and territories taking part in Earth Hour 2015, and about 10,400 participating landmarks. More than just an impactful visual call-out, the lights-off campaign has also incited onthe-ground projects for the planet. In 2016, Earth Hour plans to strengthen grassroots efforts to change climate change, including driving a petition for 100 percent renewable energy in Spain, protecting forests and biodiversity in Africa and helping devise a comprehensive solution to Southeast Asia’s persistent haze crisis by working with governments, businesses, and civil society simultaneously on peat land protection and sustainable palm oil. This year marks Earth Hour’s 10th spectacular lights out event – below we look what makes the event. What is Earth Hour? Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet, and is organised by WWF. Engaging a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues, Earth Hour
THE FUTURE STARTS TODAY As the world stands at a climate crossroads, it is powerful yet humbling to think that our actions today will decide what tomorrow will look like for generations to come, and that’s why at 8.30pm on 19 March, hundreds of millions of people all across the world will be switching off their lights to show they care about protecting our amazing planet. was famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then it has grown to engage more than 7000 cities and towns worldwide, and the one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the now larger movement. When does Earth Hour take place? Earth Hour 2016 will be held on Saturday 19 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone. The event is held worldwide towards the end of March annually, encouraging individuals, communities households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.
What does Earth Hour aim to achieve? Earth Hour aims to encourage an interconnected global community to share the opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world. What does Earth Hour ask people to do? The first thing anyone can do to get involved is to turn off their lights on Saturday. But there is much, much more. Our full ambition is for people to take action beyond the hour. Whether it’s supporting a crowdfunding or crowdsourcing campaign or getting involved in Earth Hour campaigns in their own country, or starting the movement in their
own community. The vision is always to do more, so make the light switch the beginning of your journey. How long has Earth Hour been going for? The first Earth Hour event was on March 31 2007. WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders to show their support for climate change action. More than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour in the first Earth Hour event. Earth Hour 2016 will mark the tenth year of the campaign! What exactly has Earth Hour achieved? • WWF Uganda started the world’s first Earth Hour Forest • More than 250,000 Russians voiced support for better protection of their country’s seas and forests • Argentina used its 2013 Earth Hour campaign to help pass a Senate bill for a 3.4 million hectare Marine Protected Area in the country • Thousands of wood-saving stoves were distributed to families in Madagascar • Solar-powered lights were installed in three villages without electricity in India • In Paraguay, WWF used the Earth Hour platform to build public support to gain an extension of the logging moratorium, helping to reduce deforestation • Education programs for schools were launched in Thailand and Taiwan • Hundreds of thousands of LED lights were installed by girl scouts in the USA • More than 2123 mitigation actions submitted by Earth Hour City Challenge 2014 participating cities But this is just the start, there are so many more Earth Hour stories out there we’re still discovering.
wwf.org.uk/earthhour | #EarthHourUK
Why is Earth Hour the event held in late March? The second-to-last and last weekend of March is around the time of the Spring and Autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively, which allows for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, thereby ensuring the greatest visual impact for a global ‘lights out’ event. Earth Hour 2016 will be held on Saturday 19 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
26 - WEEKEND WORLD
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WEEKEND WORLD - 27
EEKEND focuses on SOTOGRANDE & GIBRALTAR WORLD
Brexit risks leaving Gibraltar at the mercy of Spain I N an address to Year 12 students from Bayside and Westside Schools, the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia has said that there was a risk that exit from the European Union would leave Gibraltar politically exposed and at the mercy of Spain. Dr Garcia made these comments following a presenta-
tion made by students who had attended a visit to the EU institutions in Brussels last year organised by the Gibraltar in Europe Group. The Deputy Chief Minister, who is also the Minister for European Affairs, recalled the positive impact of his first visit to Brussels with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo some
twenty years ago, as young people who had just finished their studies, and he explained how this spurred on the policy, now in Government, of encouraging other young people to go there as well. Dr Garcia said that the next group of students, who are due to visit Brussels in Sep-
GIBRALTAR RESPONDS TO ‘ANTI GIBRALTAR’ PROPAGANDA GIBRALTAR Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, has sent a letter to the European Commission to reject the “ignorant propaganda” presented by a Spanish member of the European Parliament after the MEP once again tried to discredit Gibraltar by stating that Gibraltar “facilitates tax evasion and financial crime”. In the letter to the Commission the government of Gibraltar stated: “This is the second time that this same Spanish MEP raises anti-Gibraltar propaganda in Brussels in a manner which has nothing to do with reality and everything to do with giving the wrong impression about our country to the European Union”.
tember, will do so after the Referendum of 23rd June has taken place. This will determine whether the United Kingdom and Gibraltar will remain in the EU or will leave. “This means that when the next group goes to Brussels we will either continue in the European Union under the terms negotiated by the Prime Minister or we will be negotiating our exit. It is as stark as that,” he said.
DIFFICULTIES
Dr Garcia also addressed the lengths Gibraltar undertakes to ensure it works within the parameters of the law pointing out that Gibraltar has international exchange of information agreements with over 80 countries including Spain and had received a glowing review from the OECD on its record on exchange of information and transparency. He said “All EU measures on financial supervision and regulation, exchange of information on direct taxation and the fight against money laundering are in force in Gibraltar and the European Commission has recognised Gibraltar’s full compliance with EU obligations in all these areas.”
Dr Garcia explained the difficulties that could arise at the border if Gibraltar were outside the EU and he stressed the importance of the Single Market for businesses in Gibraltar. There were other positive gains for Gibraltar like EU Funding over many years, the EU format identity card which served as a travel document and the EU health card which allowed access to healthcare in other parts of Europe when travelling there. The Deputy Chief Minister explained that the position of the Government, and indeed of the Parliament of Gibraltar and of all the political parties in Gibraltar, is that our future lies inside the European Union.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 29
FOCUS ON SOTOGRANDE & GIBRALTAR
DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE FOR £100 MILLION ‘EUROCITY’ PROJECT PLAS for the new £100 million Eurocity project which if granted will consist of residential and shopping complex were deferred in a meeting held last week. The meeting held at the John Mackintosh Hall was attended by the Development & Planning Commission’s (DPC), Town Planner, Paul Origo, Minister John Cortes and the Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Garcia. The proposed Eurocity project which promises to be an ecofriendly development will provide over 400 new homes, a health spa, gym and pool, offices, cafes and restaurants, plus 560 parking spaces, 70 of them which will be made available to the public, and 300 motorcycle bays. Designed in the shape of four lozenge-shaped towers the development designed by Jonathan Manser promises to provide cost-effective accommodation for those working in Gibraltar. Controversy has surrounded the project since its announcement specifically the issue concerning height. The RAF has imposed a height restriction across Gibraltar at 50 meter high however developers for the project hope to overrule this with their project which stands at 70 metres-tall. Further objections have also been raised concerning surrounding traffic congestion in the area, which the Environmental Safety Group, say would be inevitable given the increase in vehicles using the road, as well as the loss of sunlight and privacy to surrounding low level estates. Following the objections raised the DPC decided to defer the proposal until their next meeting to be held on 22nd March.
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independence and tax status. With a population of 32,000, Gibraltar has the characteristics of ‘city’ and ‘resort’ but is defined more so by its international services sector and centres of commerce and its own unique characteristics of history, culture, and continued development. Today property prices stand around 30% above that of 2009 a stark contrast to that of neighbouring Spain, where prices still remain 28% below with the market being dominated by two nationalities: those from the UK, and those from Gibraltar. Government owned rented properties made up 39% of all properties, catering to mid to low income households with several thousand new properties planned for release in the coming years.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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FOCUS ON SOTOGRANDE & GIBRALTAR
ASSESORIA & LEGAL SERVICES
Spanish warship in ‘provocative’ Gibraltar incursion
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THE Spanish warship Infanta Elena (pictured above) who entered British Territorial Waters off Gibraltar last week did not have her weapons covered and undertook dangerous manoeuvres according to The Foreign Office who described the incursion as a “provocative” act. According to a spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) “We have protested this incursion directly to the Spanish authorities, on both diplomatic and military channels” it said. This latest action by Spain could constitute a breach of the UN Convention on the Law of
the Sea and the British Government has sent an official protest to the Spanish Government on that basis. “Although incursions by Spanish State vessels are a violation of sovereignty, they are not a threat to it and do not weaken or undermine the international legal basis for UK sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters,” the FCO spokesperson added. “We have made clear that the dangerous behaviour was unacceptable and that the weapons being uncovered could be perceived as provocative. We have asked for an explanation.
Gibraltar’s first Marine Conservation Zone takes shape The Department of the Environment and Climate Change has recently used specially designed buoys to demarcate Gibraltar’s first no fishing and anchoring zone in the area known as Seven Sisters. The initiative forms part of the wider marine conservation programme being carried out by the Department following publication of the Marine Protection Regulations in 2014. Seven Sisters is found within the Rosia Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) which is renowned for its marine diversity. EU protected reefs and species such as the Mediterranean ribbed limpet and the large noble pen shell, as well as a vast array of corals, gorgonians, seabirds and other locally protected marine species, are all found in this unique marine site. This MCZ also hosts several artificial reefs that were laid during the 1980’s by GONHS Marine Section. The Department of the Environment and Climate Change will be monitoring the ecology of this recently protected zone and its positive contribution towards the surrounding environment.
EMERGENCY DISEMBARKATION
The Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA) coordinated the emergency disembarkation of a sick crew member of a ship anchored in the bay over the weekend. After being alerted by the master of the ship THORCO GALAXY that one of its sailors was suffering from a suspected heart attack, the GPA team activated its response plan, in conjunction with the paramedics from the GHA Ambulance Service. A private port operator launch from Neptune Marine was in the vicinity at the time, and was instructed to render immediate assistance, thereby shortening even further the response time. The casualty was landed ashore and transferred to hospital by paramedics. The crew member is now recovering and will be repatriated as soon as his medical condition is stabilised. Minister for the Port, the Honourable Paul Balban, praised the ‘on watch’ team for ‘once again highlighting the close relationship between the GPA, GHA and port operators and their ability to react swiftly to emergency medical situations in our busy waters’.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 31
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32 - WEEKEND WORLD
HYGIENE-
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016 ADVERTORIAL
Put a sparkle in your smile! There is a common misconception that dental care is limited purely to the care and treatment of our teeth. Most of us forget out our gums which are the solid foundation needed to achieve and maintain excellent oral health and a beautiful smile. We all know are teeth are precious, and the thought of losing them can be quite distressing but as we age our gums recede and the everyday wear and tear can start to take a toll and it’s not unlikely that a significant number of people will experience sore or bleeding gums due to over brushing or ill care. Whilst this is common if symptoms such as these persist then it could be evidence of something a little more severe and if the first signs of gum irritation and inflammation are ignored and left untreated, it can, in some extreme cases, lead to tooth loss. Here at, DENTIST – SOTOGRANDE many clients often ask ‘How can I stop this?’ and the answer is simple – oral hygiene. Take care to brush, floss and use mouthwash. At the first sign of swollen red gums and blood, it is recommended that you visit your dentist. They can begin treatment for minor gum abrasions, however for the treatment and prevention of further infection, periodontal care is required. Although very common, many patients wonder ‘What is Periodontist?. Periodontist is one of the three main types of gum disease, the others of which are gingivitis and the more severe version of the latter - acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), at DENTIST – SOTOGRANDE we specialise in periodontal (gum) problems, treating gum inflammation, infection and the build-up of plaque and tartar. The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal issues is a specialist subject, and you can be confident in the excellent services provided by our highly skilled team. Delivering quality periodontal care to patients, treating the onset of gum disease before it further develops, is our main priority. In general, treatment is quick and easy we provide a cleaning regime and use cutting edge laser periodontal therapy to remove the plaque and calculus pockets from around the teeth whilst smoothing the gum tissue to make brushing teeth easier and more effective. In extreme cases we offer aesthetic periodontal treatment whereby cosmetic dentistry is used to reconstruct damaged gums, prior to the insertion of dental implants. DENTIST – SOTOGRANDE helps you ensure long term gum and teeth health.
www.dentistsotogrande.com
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 33
FOCUS ON SOTOGRANDE & GIBRALTAR
MARGALLO WAITING TO POUNCE IF GIBRALTAR LEAVES THE EU THE Caretaker Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Maria Margallo has this morning told Radio Nacional de España that in the event of a vote for the UK to leave the EU he would then raise the question of Gibraltar on the very next day. The comments made by the Caretaker Minister will take nobody by surprise and are perfectly consistent with the manner and form which has characterised Mr Margallo’s tenure at the Palacio de Santa Cruz.
CLOSURE They are also perfectly consistent with the analysis contained the UK Report which last week highlighted the possibility that Spain could take advantage of Brexit in order to close the frontier. It will be recalled that in 2013 Mr Margallo floated the idea of a frontier toll in order to charge motorists driving into Gibral-
tar. This was not proceeded with after the European Commission let it be known that such a toll would be contrary to European Union law. The declared intent of the Caretaker Foreign Minister of Spain to bring the question of Gibraltar to the fore in the event of the UK and Gibraltar leaving the EU confirms the analysis that has already been made. It is safer and more secure for Gibraltar to remain in the EU in order to deny Mr Margallo the opbe over £150), they’ll set up portunity to pounce on us. a Direct Debit for you. It can be weekly, monthly, quarterThe Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC, said: “This ly or yearly. Leaving you free is exactly the type of attitude that we have come to expect to sit back and enjoy the view from Snr Margallo and it no doubt pervades so many others of his mindset. It usefully sets out the danger that those who Today’s rates look good, choose Brexit potentially create for Gibraltar if there is also butayou don’t need to transfer Partido Popular government in Spain in the future. This isyour as money for – say – three months? No problem. A Forvivid an illustration as possible of that”. ward Contract is the currency
Government to introduce DNA fingerprinting for dogs HM Government of Gibraltar is preparing legislation that will require DNA fingerprinting of dogs. This is one of several wide-ranging changes to laws relating to the keeping of pets, and builds on the widely-welcomed recent introduction of compulsory microchipping of dogs. Minister for the Environment, the Hon Dr John Cortes, has been meeting regularly with stakeholders including pet owners, the Gibraltar veterinary clinic, the RGP and the Environment Agency to discuss matters relating to pets, including the issue of dog fouling. In relation to this, the Environment Agency has been working in schools to increase awareness of the dangers, and has been conducting joint patrols with the RGP in dog fouling hot-spots. CCTV cameras have also been deployed. These measures have resulted in less dog fouling in areas where there are such patrols or cameras – but irresponsible pet owners then just move elsewhere.
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
world’s version of “buy now, pay later”. Just place a small deposit to fix today’s exchange rate and it’s yours for up to a
Repatriating funds Let’s face it. We know Spain is fantastic - there’s a reason why you invested and moved there in the first place all those years ago. However, home will always be home, and we can’t blame you for wanting to go back. Selling your property overseas, moving back to your home country and repatriating your funds doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Banks
Marbella for €324,999 on 19
Today’s rates look good, but you don’t need to transfer your money for – say – three months? No problem. A For ward Contract is the currency world’s version of “buy now,
or make a payment to another beneficiary. Many customers use online transfer systems like this for smaller transactions but prefer to speak directly to a person when making larger transfers. With Currencies Direct it’s up to you.
The euro was trading at 0.84p. They were recommended to they could achieve in sterling. The sale went through in midApril. The euro had devalued to 0.82, but they still received £272,999 instead of £266,499. This put an extra £6,500 in the
try to get a chunk of your hardearned money with hidden fees and unfair exchange rates. This is hardly a secret. Instead, when you are planning a move back, it is recommended to use the expertise of a currency exchange company like Currencies Direct. Not only will they provide you with the guidance you need to understand all the process, but they can save you up to 5% on
Currencies Direct also has a unique agreement with CaixaBank in Spain, so they’re able to open a free CaixaBank account exclusively for all their customers, which allows them to have immediate transfers from Spain to UK with no transfer fees. This can save you thousands!
Peace of mind When looking for an exchange provider, you want to get the best rates and great service. You want someone to talk to you, to understand what’s important to you and what you want to achieve. But most importantly, you want to make sure your funds are in safe hands. After all, it’s your money we’re talking about. Currencies Direct have been around since 1996, so they have credibility and longevity. Both of these are fundamental when choosing the right currency exchange provider company.
Regular overseas payments? Don’t let the banks take a bite
Make sure you look for a company that’s established, with a good credit score and is authorised by the FCA for the provision of payment services like Currencies Direct. This basically means the FCA heavily
Every time you transfer money overseas with your bank you’ll lose money in hidden fees and a poor exchange rate. Use our regular transfer service and you’ll be making great currency savings! Other measures, such as posters designed by children and flagging up dog excrement, have also been carried out. Unfortunately, as successful prosecutions are only possible if a dog owner is caught with the dog ‘in the act’, irresponsible owners know they can get away with it if they are not directly seen or caught on camera. By introducing DNA fingerprinting it will be possible to identify the registered owner of the dog even a while after the event. Legislation is being revised to make the registered owner liable to prosecution and/or fine. It is expected that the new procedures will be effective within the next few months. Minister for the Environment, the Hon Dr Cortes, said: “We have been working hard over the past couple of years to tackle the problem of dog fouling with some, but limited success. The cost of DNA fingerprinting has now drastically reduced and we are now able to introduce a system where offending dog owners will know they just cannot get away with this irresponsible and anti-social behaviour”.
Give us a call on +34 952 906 581 to find out more. Let’s talk currency
Ignacio Ortega
Paul Ellis
Johanna Gabrielsson
Melanie Radforrd
Jill Gregory
James Barrett
Alex Barrett
Regional Sales Manager
Business Development Manager
Business Development Executive
Business Development Executive
Client Account Executive
Client Account Executive
Client Account Executive
Spain – Marbella
Spain – Fuengirola
Get in touch
Plaza de las Orquídeas C/ Orquídea, Local 6, Nueva Andalucia Marbella, 29660
Avenida de Londres 1ª Local 6, Urb La Marina San Fulgencio Alicante, 03177
T +34 952 906 581 E costadelsol@currenciesdirect.com W currenciesdirect.com
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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Fantastic area
ISLA DEL PEZ BARBERO
L
arge duplex located in one of the best areas of Sotogrande Marina, near all amenities. The house consits of five bedrooms, four bathrooms entrance hall, cloakroom, a fully fitted kitchen, spacious living/dining room leading to the an spacious covered terrace. As extras, it offers 4 private parkings in the basement of the buiding and air conditioning hot and cold. Communal areas are gardens and an outdoor pool.
Built: 358m² | Terrace: 32m² Bedrooms: 5 | Bathrooms: 4 Price: e748.000 | Ref: BAR-1533
RIBERA DEL RIO
L
uxury first floor apartment with fabulous southerly views over the Guadiaro River and with the majestic siluets of Gibraltar and Africa in the distance. The accommodation comprises of an entrance hall, guest toilet, living/dining room with chimney and access to the terrace with a plunge pool, fully fitted kitchen, 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Other features include: marble floors, double glazing, hot/cold air conditioning, 1 double parking space and 1 storeroom in the communal underground garage.
Fabulous views
Built: 219m² | Terrace: 155m² Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 4 Price: e1090.000 | Ref: RIO-1390 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
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 35
Prestigious development
VALGRANDE
A
n unfurnished duplex penthouse apartment located in the prestigious development of Valgrande, set in really beautiful and recent award winning communal gardens. The apartment offers very spacious accommodation, comprising of a living/dining room with fireplace and access to a large terrace, a fitted kitchen with terrace, 2 double bedrooms with bathroom and a guest toilet. On the first floor are 2 further bedroom suites each opening a terrace. The apartment includes 2 parking spaces in the communal garage, use of the communal pool and on completion of Phase 2 the indoor pool, spa and the practice pitch and putt hole.
Built: 300m² | Terrace: 158m² Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 4 Price: e850.000 | Ref: VAL-927
VALGRANDE
A
ground floor apartment in the desirable development of Valgrande which boasts 24 hours security, 3 outdoor pools, a spa with adjoining pitch and putt hole and a tennis court all set in beautiful and well maintained landscaped gardens. The accommodation offers an entrance hall, guest cloakroom, large living/dining room leading to covered terraced, a well fitted kitchen with adjoining laundry room and service patio and 3 double en-suite bedrooms. There is underfloor heating, hot/cold air conditioning, 2 parking spaces and a storeroom in the communal garage.
Desirable development
Built: 201m² | Terrace: 95m² Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 3 Price: e595.000 | Ref: VAL-1396 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
36 - WEEKEND WORLD
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
BEDDING • PILLOWS • TOWELS • CURTAINS & LOTS MORE!
EVERYTHING TO FURNISH YOUR HOME Calle Juan de Mena 18, Poligono Industrial, Estepona EXIT KM 153 FROM A7 E: info@esteponafurniture.com T: 952 798277
Mention WW16 t o receive discoun t
www.esteponafurniture.com OPENING HOURS: Weekdays open all day from 9.30am to 7pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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WEEKEND WORLD - 37
EEKEND focuses on HOMES WORLD
RAW CONCRETE A SOLID HIT THE latest trend in interior styling, the raw and industrial nature of concrete is the perfect addition to any modern space. We have seen many homeowners choosing to apply polished concrete as their main floor surface, why stop there? Concrete is no longer just used for supporting structures, it has now moved into the area of homewares.
Concrete is a versatile material – depending on the composition of the concrete mixture, different colours and textures can be achieved. From dark to light; rough to smooth; even a marble effect; there is a finish to suit any space. Concrete can also be painted to add a pop of colour – metallic paints are a definite favourite. Concrete homewares are the perfect way to add a new element of texture in your home. There are a range of products available in concrete including stools, pendant lights, clocks, planters, bowls and more. For green thumbs, potting your planters with succulents is a quick and easy way to bring the outside in. Concrete vessels and bowls are a quick way to implement concrete in your home. Use in the bathroom to hold makeup brushes and toiletries or in the kitchen to hold utensils or just as a general catch all in any room. For a bolder look, concrete stools are a statement piece to complement any kitchen bench. The love affair for everything concrete has begun and Harrison & Co is leading the way. Harrison & Co (www.harrisonandco.com.au) brings together a selection of products for the home allowing a customer to purchase various on trend items from the one site, delivered straight to your door within days. Whether for the living room or your child’s room there’s a little bit of something for the style conscious.
Shiny, white and bright. Perfect for sitting around the coffee table with friends, these elegant stools are a must-have beautiful addition for any home. Hand-made in Australia, each unique stool has been finished in a crisp, white concrete that will surely brighten up the room. The legs have been crafted from recycled wood and then dipped into metallic silver paint; an attractive final touch of art
Style up your lounge room. Handmade in Australia, these delightful concrete side tables will add plenty of personality to your living space! Mrs Tri’s feet have been dipped in gold to accentuate her beautiful legs and the concrete has been ground back to showcase her signature riverstone markings. Slight variations in colour and texture may occur in Mrs Tri’s body, giving each and every piece her very own character.
A stunning contemporary and modern piece perfect for any living room center piece or a fruit bowl for the kitchen or dining room. Sealed concrete with gold inner rim
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
38 - WEEKEND WORLD
FOCUS ON HOMES
Play the Game of Thrones in one of a kind table
HISTORY is a wonderful reminder of bygone years and throughout history it has been at tables that relationships were built, strategies devised and most of all dinner with friends and enemies celebrated an Empire’s take centuries to build, and those who rise after taking a fall find their true strength and it is at great tables that an Empire is created. The Empire dining table by Boca Do Lobo symbolizes generations of gatherings and decisions, both in times of celebration or tension. Its cracks reflect tough times, revealing a gold interior in a manifesto towards power.
OPENING HOURS: Weekdays open all day from 9.30am to 7pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm
THE PERFECT CARPET
We have a large selection of carpets to suit all tastes, needs and budgets
FITTED CARPETS, WOOD, LAMINATE & VINYL FLOORING ESTEPONA FURNITURE & CARPETS Calle Juan de Mena 18, Poligono Industrial, Estepona EXIT KM 153 FROM A7
E: richard@esteponacarpetworld.com
T: 952 798 277 www.esteponacarpetworld.com
100´ S AT E OF RUG XCEL S IN LENT STO PRIC CK ES
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 39
Office Phone 00350 20064323 • info@mjlancleyltd.com
www.mjlancleyltd.com
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
40 - WEEKEND WORLD
VO Cinema Showings 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
SPONSORED BY CITY FM MALAGA
Broadcasting from Nerja to beyond Calahonda on 106.2FM and from Elviria to Gibraltar via 106.8FM
Spotlight 20.00 The Revenant 19.30 Deadpool 18.00, 22.30 Zootropolis 17.45
C.C. Miramar Fuengirola Tel: 952 198 605
Deadpool 16.30, 19.00 Brooklyn 16.15 Zootroplois 17.05
n Jesus Christ Superstar, 11-20th March, Salon Varieties, Fuengirola SALVA presents the West End smash hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Production directed by Peter Mitchell - Choreographer Peter Height - Musical director Sylvia Griffiths. Starring Ricky Lavazza as “Jesus” & Johnny G as “Judas”. Shows nightly at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm. n St Patrick’s Day, 19-20th March Puerto Deportivo de Marbella According to Guinness, it’s officially the happiest day of the year and we don’t disagree! Fun filled and action packed, this year’s festival promises to be even bigger and better than ever before. This is the 4th Festival with more entertainment, more local businesses and even more craic. n Fes Dance Marbella 2016, 13th March, Palacio de Congresos, Marbella Fes Dance Marbella is back for the second
time on the Costa del Sol. It’s an exhibition festival where participating groups showcase their choreographies and watch those of other attending groups. They all share their talent and knowledge with the sole purpose of entertaining others. All dance styles are welcome at Fes Dance Marbella. Visitors can enjoy exhibitions of street dance, jazz dance, hip hop, waacking-vogue, oriental dance, b-boying, Latin, strip dance, house dance, ballet, salsa, afro dance, capoeira, freestyle, acrobatic dance, locking, contemporary, krump, flamenco, sevillanas, fit kid, commercial dance, regional dances, reggaeton, hype, sexy style, funk, break dance, c-walk, bachata and zumba. n Holy Week, Semana Santa, 20th-28th March, throughout Andalucia Holy Week is an event that literally transforms towns and cities across the region. Processions of elaborately deco-
rated floats with Jesus and Mary statues, groups of pointy-hood wearing Nazarenos (penitents), and shrill brass bands, walk slowly through the streets, from their parish church to the cathedral and back. It is an amazing experience if you want to imbibe some deeply-held traditions that have less to do with religion than with social groupings and rituals. If you want major pageantry and rich, bejewelled Virgins, Malaga or Seville are the cities to head for. But you don’t have to be in a big city to get the Semana Santa vibe - villages and towns of every size have their own celebrations, and each province offers its own variation on the Holy Week.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 41
SPONSORED BY CITY FM MALAGA Broadcasting from Nerja to beyond Calahonda on 106.2FM and from Elviria to Gibraltar via 106.8FM
SANTA MARÍA POLO CLUB PREPARES FOR THE 2016 SPRING SEASON From the 18 th of March till the 26 th of June 2016, 3 months to enjoy the best polo AFTER last weekend’s European Polo Tour to be held on 11,12 and 13 March, Santa María Polo Club gets the “bocha” rolling for the Spring Season. This time will count on more than 3 months of intense polo with a total of 12 tournaments offering a lot of activity to enjoy the outdoors. There is no time for rest when living the sport that marks Sotogrande’s and the Campo de Gibraltar’s identity and no destination that offers such a singular offer of leisure combined with sport. The season will consist of Medium Goal and Low Goal Tournaments. These tournaments will reunite not only national but international teams who do not intend to hesitate to indulge in the area’s warm climate. Easter Polo, which commences on the 18 th of March, will be one of the highlights of the season’s calendar with the beginning of the XXXVII José Ignacio Domecq Memorial Tournament, a polo classic that identifies the Easter holidays in Sotogrande and that will finish with the grand final on Sunday the 27th of March. 35 Editions of this tournament have been played in the memory of one of the best polo players in Spain, José Ignacio Domecq, also known for being a renowned Andalusian winemaker. In parallel with this tournament various low goal tournaments will also be played. Easter will center its activities on the famous Los Pinos fields, where one can find the principal pavilion that will host the Spring Polo Shopping for yet another year. A selection of shops will take advantage of the arrival of a large number of visitors who are on holiday to display their products. Along-
SANTA MARIA POLO CLUB SPRING SEASON TOURNAMENTS 2016 H MEDIUM GOAL. side all of this the Los Pinos Pavilion will provide a restaurant service where guests will be able to come together and enjoy the polo and club facilities whilst indulging in a tasty meal or morning or afternoon snack. Santa María Polo club has a strong commitment to the medium handicap with the objective of consolidating this season amongst the leading tournaments of the international calendar with the advantage of being able to offer a climate and superb facilities that are incomparable to teams and fans across Europe. Every weekend (except during May) Santa María offers Polo matches with teams and players coming from different countries and cities. While enjoying the game, the club bars allow you to enjoy a nice lunch.
H LOW GOAL
MARCH: • XXXVII José Ignacio Domecq Memorial. • Easter Low Goal Tournament
Hcp 8. Los Pinos fields Hcp 0 - 4 Los Pinos fields
APRIL:
• XIV Memorial Conde Guaqui • International Day Tournament • XII Jerez Cup
Hcp 8 Los Pinos fields April 1-3 Hcp. 10-12 Los Pinos fields April – 8-10 Hcp 2 - 5 Río Sotogrande fields April 29, 30 May 1
H H HH H
MAY:
• IV La Quinta Tournament
Hcp 2 - 5 Río Sotogrande
May 27-29
H
June 10-12 June 17-19 & 24-26 June 17-19 & 24-26
HH H H
JUNE: • XVII Andrés Parladé Memorial Hcp 2 - 5 Río Sotogrande • Santa Maria Foundation Open Hcp 10 – 12 Los Pinos Fields • XIII Conde de la Maza Memorial Hcp 2 - 5 Río Sotogrande www.santamariapoloclub.com @SantaMariaPoloC #PoloSotogrande
March 18-27
HH
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
ADVERTORIAL
42 - WEEKEND WORLD
CASINO MARBELLA HOSTS INNOVATIVE BLACKJACK TOURNAMENTS 1
T grips.
HE Black Jack tables of Casino Marbella are a bustle of excitement as ‘tournament fever’
Throughout the month of March Casino Marbella will be hosting several exciting competition offering players the chance to win large prizes. Since its inauguration last January, the Black Jack tournament has attracted a huge following with a full capacity at each and every game.
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With an entry price of 40 € and the possibility to make 2 repurchases per participant, the prize pot usually exceeds 1,000 €. Held every Tuesday from 8pm In addition to the Black Jack Tournament Casino Marbella offer American Roulette with minimum 2,50€, 5€ and 10€; Poker Without Discarding, Black Jack and Midi Punto Banco, are the perfect teaser for all types of players. Caption 1: Rosa Tous, 1st tournament champion Black Jack Casino Marbella. Caption 2: Raul Torrisco, tournament director, presents the check to one of the winners. Caption 3: 1st tournament Black Jack Casino Marbella.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
d on y be om o t fr M a d j n 8F r Ne M a 06. 1 m F ro 06.2 via f ng n 1 ltar i t o a s ca nda ibr d oa ho o G Br ala ia t C vir El
WEEKEND WORLD - 43
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
44 - WEEKEND WORLD
Kensington FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS
For all your financial needs Kensington Financial Solutions are agents for one of the finest, regulated, licensed and authorised brokers in Spain. As one of only five brokers in the whole of Spain to have been chosen by banks such as Banco Santander for a preferred working relationship and are able to offer; special conditions, preferential rates and fast decisions. Our mortgage products include:
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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FOCUS ON HOMES
EEKEND
WORLD
focuses on
MONEY MATTERS
Money Matters is sponsored by
Kensington FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS
& 952 880 844 www.kensingtonfinancialsolutions.org
WEEKEND WORLD - 45
46 - WEEKEND WORLD
FOCUS ON MONEY MATTERS
Weak domestic market keeps Spanish builder FCC in the red SPAIN’S surviving building groups are still recovering from a property market crash eight years ago that sent thousands of developers to the wall, and even an economic rebound is yet to deliver a marked turnaround in the sector. FCC has now been in the red for four years but said its losses had narrowed sharply to 46 million euros ($50 mln) in 2015, from 724 million euros a year earlier. Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a net profit of 7.7 million euros. Sales and core profit, however, were broadly in line with forecasts, with revenues up 2.2 percent to 6.5 billion euros, and the company’s shares
SPANISH telecoms group Telefonica <TEF. MC> expects to increase revenue by more than 4 percent in 2016, stabilise its profit margin and pay its dividend fully in cash after completion of the sale of its British unit O2, the company said on Friday. Revenue rose 8.7 percent last year to 47.2 billion euros ($52.2 billion), helped by German and Latin American operations and improvement in its domestic market, though core profit fell by a bigger than expected 17.2 percent to 11.41 billion euros, hit by one-off charges. Excluding 3.5 billion euros of restructuring charges, core profit would have increased by 3.6 percent, Telefonica said.
Spanish building and services group FCC, partly owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, posted another annual loss on Monday after a prolonged slump in construction, though its expanding overseas business helped revenues rise. rose nearly 1 percent to 6.37 euros after the results. The company, in the midst of a 710 millioneuro cash call expected to be finalised this week, said its domestic business would re-
TELEFONICA SEES REVENUE GROWTH Having spent the past four years reorganising around fewer but stronger businesses and cutting its debt, Telefonica is still facing the legacy of a deep economic crisis in Spain. The company booked a 2.9 billion euro charge in the final quarter of 2015 to fund its staff-cutting plan. It also had 256 million euros in charges related to the restructuring of operations in Latin America, Germany, Spain and others, made other accounting adjustments worth 23 million euros and set aside 325 million euros to finance its foundation. Debt remains a concern but was stable at 49.9 billion euros at Dec. 31, compared with 49.7 billion euros at the end of December.
main sluggish in 2016, with revenues from construction expected to fall 10 percent. FCC’s sales in Spain fell 3.7 percent in 2015, but overseas sales rose 5.4 percent. Firms like FCC, Ferrovial and ACS, which are highly dependent on public tenders, are also on tenterhooks as Spain is yet to form a government after an inconclusive election in December.
EARNINGS GROW FCC makes just under half of its money overseas, and Finance Director Victor Pastor told a conference call that earnings at its environmental and water management businesses would grow this year, helping it to further improve results. The cash-call could pave the way for Carlos Slim to launch a full takeover bid for FCC, if his stake rises to over 30 percent from 27.43 percent now. Under Spanish law that would trigger a mandatory offer. It is unlikely that Slim will gain full ownership, as his bid, expected at 7 euros, would not necessarily be attractive for many investors who had bought their shares at a higher price. However, increasing his stake will add to Slim’s influence at the firm, and he would subsequently be able to keep building up his holding without being constrained by takeover rules.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
SPAIN’S CAIXABANK IN PLANS TO ACQUIRE DOS SANTOS STAKE IN BPI
SPAIN’S Caixabank SA (CABK.MC) is in plans to acquire Angolan investor Isabel dos Santos stake in Portugal’s Banco BPI SA (BBPI. LS), Bloomberg reported Caixabank, Caixabank which is in talks with Dos Santos for her roughly 21 percent stake, may reach an agreement over the coming days, the multimedia news agency said, citing sources. A hold on this stake would give the Spanish bank, which is already a top shareholder in BPI with a 44.1 percent stake, a chance to make an offer for all of BPI. Isabel Dos Santos, the daughter of Angola’s long-serving president, is BPI’s second-largest shareholder who last year fended off a takeover bid for BPI by Caixabank. However, no final decision has been made and talks between Caixabank and the Angolan investor could still fall apart, Bloomberg added. BPI has been looking to spin-off its African assets, a move that was opposed by Dos Santos, which also received a rejection from its shareholders last month. The proposal failed to garner the required two-thirds of the votes at the meeting, where the largest shareholder, Caixabank, was unable to use its full 44.1 percent voting stake due to a statutory cap on voting rights of 20 percent. BPI’s board said last month it will call a new shareholder meeting to vote on eliminating the voting rights cap, although a previous attempt to scrap the cap last year failed. Caixabank declined to comment. Portugal’s BPI SA could not be reached immediately for comment outside regular business hours.
FOCUS ON MONEY MATTERS
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
Spending by foreign tourists increases
United Kingdom - Financial Markets
Most Active Stocks
Spending by international tourists reached 3.712 million euros in January, up 3.6% compared to that of 2015, according to the Egatur survey released by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The increase in growth is partly down to a fall in all-inclusive packages being offered by hotels. Nearly all European tourists recorded higher than normal Last Prev. High Low Chg. % Vol. 71.1100 70.6300 71.4000 69.9600 +0.68% 51.05M figures with tourists from the United Kingdom registering €618 million euros, 7.3% more than the previous year and 146.1500 139.7500 148.7500 140.4750 +4.58% 38.45M accounting for 16.7% of total expenditure. 218.5500 217.6500 219.3500 217.1500 +0.41% 14.14M Tourists from the Nordic countries spent approx. €491 mil171.1000 172.0000 173.0500 168.4000 -0.52% 13.91M lion up 4.1% followed by tourists from Germany, spending 457.200 448.800 458.000 451.800 +1.87% 11.64M €462 million. Tourists from France were in fourth place with 180.90 212.70 210.00 178.60 -14.95% 11.10M €278 million spent.
Name s Lloyds Banking s Glencore s Vodafone Group PLC t Barclays s HSBC Holdings t G4S t BP 353.9500 354.2000 356.1500 350.6500 -0.07% 10.96M s Centrica 228.90 225.00 229.40 225.00 +1.73% 8.71M s BT Group 465.000 463.450 467.300 461.500 +0.33% 7.79M t Morrison Supermarket 200.84 202.50 203.50 199.80 -0.74% 7.36M
Top Gainers Name s Glencore s Prudential s ICAG SA s SSE s Schroders
WEEKEND WORLD - 47
Top Losers Last 145.9500 1,379.50 545.50 1,467.00 2,693.00
Chg. +6.2000 +53.00 +12.50 +32.00 +54.00
Chg. % +4.44% +4.00% +2.35% +2.23% +2.05%
Name t G4S t Burberry Group t Ashtead Group t Randgold Resources t Fresnillo
Last 181.00 1,383.500 831.58 6,170.00 902.00
Chg. -31.70 -78.500 -29.50 -125.00 -15.00
Chg. % -14.90% -5.37% -3.42% -1.99% -1.64%
Spain - Financial Markets
Counterfeit Seizures The Department of Customs and Excise has reported that during 2015 it intercepted almost 2.6 million counterfeit products during 2,504 operations which equated to a value of over €129.9 million euros. Of the haul more than 603,000 products were counterfeit electronic equipment and components (23% of the total) which had a street value of over €6.7 million euros. There were also nearly 395,000 sunglasses (15.3% of total seizures), which had a value of €59 million euros along with 349,000 pieces of clothing and accessories (13.6%); 263,500 items of perfume, cosmetics and personal hygiene; 165,600 toys and electronic games, 78,300 watches and 18,200 bags. Almost 77% of all the products seized came from Asia with 17% from across Europe.
Every Lidl helps! Lidl the discount German supermarket is Spain’s best supermarket chain to work for offering the highest minimum wage with a fixed hourly rate of €8.50 resulting in a gross Most Active Stocks salary of €15,257.00 per year. This new salary framework rep Name Last Prev. High Low Chg. % Vol. resents an increase of up to 13% compared to its previous t Santander 4.184 4.143 4.208 4.131 +0.99% 24.28M minimum fixed salary, which was set at 7.50 euros per hour. s Bankia 0.819 0.810 0.821 0.802 +1.11% 9.08M Workers will be expected to work a 40 –hour week or a maxs Caixabank 2.680 2.636 2.700 2.616 +1.67% 9.03M imum of 1,795 hours annually, spread over a maximum of 5 s Telefonica 9.931 9.804 9.989 9.827 +1.30% 8.59M working days a week. The new labour reforms introduced by the company will s Banco Popular 2.323 2.286 2.347 2.263 +1.62% 7.94M run from 2016 – 2020 with a review thereafter have been aps B. Sabadell 1.538 1.521 1.542 1.508 +1.12% 7.90M plauded by the UGT (The Unión General de Trabajadores), s BBVA 6.127 6.096 6.170 6.064 +0.51% 7.46M General Union of Workers. s Iberdrola 5.956 5.820 5.967 5.838 +2.34% 5.33M t Sacyr 1.821 1.845 1.876 1.764 -1.30% 4.55M s Mapfre 1.970 1.937 1.974 1.932 +1.70% 4.07M
Figures correct at 09.03.2016
Top Gainers Name s Inditex s Int.Airl.Grp s Endesa s Iberdrola s Tecnicas Reunidas
Top Losers Last 30.462 7.052 16.863 5.955 26.395
Chg. +1.052 +0.200 +0.463 +0.135 +0.480
Chg. % +3.58% +2.92% +2.82% +2.32% +1.85%
Name t Acerinox t Obr.H.Lain t DIA t Sacyr t Arcel. Mittal
Last 9.846 5.621 4.738 1.822 4.255
Chg. -0.299 -0.135 -0.095 -0.023 -0.042
Chg. % -2.95% -2.35% -1.97% -1.25% -0.98%
Euro exchange rates 1.46 0.77 1.47 7.14
Australian Dollars British Pounds Canadian Dollars Chinese Yuan
7.46 8.51 123.18 1.62
Danish Krone Hong Kong Dollar Japanese Yen New Zealand Dollar
9.38 9.30 4.03 1.10
Norwegian Krone Swedish Krona UAE Dirham US Dollars
BBVA looks to the future
Spanish banking giant BBVA has acquired Holvi, a Finnish financial technology start-up that specializes in providing online banking and financial planning services for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The move is yet another clear indication that BBVA has set its sights on the future by investing in young innovative companies. Last year, BBVA took a 29.5% stake in U.K.-based mobile-only bank Atom, and the year before that it bought the U.S. banking service Simple BBVA said that it’s looking to “expand its portfolio of digital businesses to complement the Group’s overall transformation process”.
FOCUS ON MONEY MATTERS
48 - WEEKEND WORLD
Bank of England will offer more liquidity during EU referendum THE Bank of England took its first concrete step to keep markets running smoothly when Britain votes on whether to remain a member of the European Union, saying on Monday it would offer extra funds to banks as the vote nears. The central bank will hold three additional indexed longterm repo (ILTR) operations in the weeks around the June 23 referendum. The operations will provide six-month finance to banks, building societies and brokers in return for collateral and interest. “The Bank will continue to monitor market conditions carefully and keep its operations under review,” the central bank said. Sterling has weakened since the start of the year, which currency strategists say is partly because Britain may vote to leave the EU, and demand has grown for insurance against currency volatility. The BoE also prepared to hold extra ILTRs if Scotland voted for independence in 2014, though it did not make the preparations public until after the event. Governor Mark Carney last month said the BoE was making contingency plans for the EU referendum, but gave no details and said the central bank’s working assumption was that the status quo continues. The BoE introduced ILTRs in 2010 to help avoid a repeat of the liquidity shortages that occurred during the 2007-08 financial crisis. The operations normally take place once a month and typically attract little demand. The BoE altered the ILTRs in 2014 so they vary in size to meet demand, rather than offering fixed amounts, and allow banks to offer lower-quality collateral if they pay a higher interest rate.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
Spain’s Abengoa replaces chairman to help restructuring deal
DEBT-LADEN Spanish energy firm Abengoa has appointed a new chairman to try to distance the firm’s management from its main shareholder and facilitate a debt restructuring deal with creditors. The Seville-based energy firm is racing to reach an agreement with its banks and bondholders by March 28, when it would risk a full-blown insolvency process after piling up debts of almost 9.4 billion euros ($10.2 billion). Antonio Fornieles Melero will become executive chairman to replace Jose Abascal, the company said in a statement to Spain’s stock exchange regulator. Abascal had been appointed only in November and was seen as a front man for Abengoa’s top shareholder and former chairman Felipe Benjumea. Two sources with knowledge of the matter said the move had been prompted by the lenders as a prerequisite for talks on a potential debt deal and a new cash injection to move forward. “It was a big stumbling block. It’s a big step towards a deal. Now the two sides will be able to discuss controversial issues
Closer to you
such as the (debt) haircut and what the shareholders are left with,” said one of the sources on condition of anonymity. Shares in Abengoa, which have plunged 97 percent since their September 2014 peak, rose sharply on the announcement. They were up 8 percent at 0.147 euros at 0900 GMT.
AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION Abengoa started out 70 years ago as a business to design and make electricity meters and now operates solar power plants and has renewable energy projects spanning four continents. But its aggressive expansion into the clean energy business since 2007 has been fuelled by taking on huge debts, which brought the company to its knees this year when its lenders refused to extend credit lines. It said in a statement last week its gross corporate debt at the end of 2015 totalled 9.395 billion euros, up from 8.903 billion euros at the end of September and 18.2 times its operating income. It had a net loss of 1.2 billion euros in 2015.
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 49
Argentina eyes return to market with planned $11.68 billion debt sale
legal and accounting solutions
Argentina plans to return to international credit markets in April with three bonds sales totalling $11.68 billion (£8.2 billion) under U.S. law if Congress swiftly approves a debt deal for holdout creditors, top finance ministry officials told Congress on Friday.
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INANCE Minister Alfonso Prat-Gay said the bonds, which will be used to finance the pay-outs to investors holding unpaid debt stemming from the country’s 2002 default, would carry maturities of five, ten and thirty years. Prat-Gay and his deputy, Luis Caputo presented a package of debt agreements brokered with creditors, including a $4.65 billion cash payout to the main holdouts suing in a Manhattan court led by billionaire Paul Singer. Argentina has now reached provisional settlements with about 85% of bondholders and says negotiations continue with the rest. “If the deal extends to all holdout investors, the bond issue will be for $11.684 billion. That’s what we need to close this chapter definitively,” Prat-Gay said.
14-YEAR DEBT The debate in Congress is the first major political test of President Mauricio Macri’s ability to garner cross-party support for his economic reform package, the success of which hinges on ending the festering 14-year debt battle. Legislators will also be asked to repeal two laws blocking settlement of the debt case.
Macri’s government is confident it can corral the votes needed to win approval even though the opposition holds a majority in the Senate and Macri holds only the largest minority in the lower chamber. Caputo told legislators the bonds would carry an interest rate of about 7.5%. While debt brokers see healthy appetite for Argentine debt after its prolonged absence from global debt markets, the gloomy global context may weigh. Argentina has been a financial markets pariah since its record default on $100 billion in 2002 but progress is being made, according to court-appointed mediator Daniel Pollack. He said that agreements in principle had been struck with 10 additional bondholders involving settlements totalling $6.7 million. The deals are subject to Congress lifting the two laws and that the court lift injunctions on bond payments that have been in place for the last several years. “The court has done so, conditionally, but a few parties have appealed that order,” Pollack said in a statement. “It is the hope of all concerned that the appeals will be expedited so that there can be clarity as to the finality of the order.”
DAYLIGHT ROBBERY Annual banks charge commissions ADICAE the ombudsman of Association of banks has made a formal complaint to the Bank of Spain for the practise of unfair and disproportionate bank charges applied. According to a study undertaken by the association it is estimated that the average bankers is charged €393 per year in charges an 80% increase compared to that of 2014. In a document released last week, the association details that whilst banks promise to offer reduced charges they are in-fact add-
ing service charges to clients bank accounts which over an annual period increases the costs, specifically within the: maintenance of debit card / credit cards, overdraft facilities and account maintenance, the latter doubling from 60 to 120 euros . In addition they also noted that Bankia, Ibercaja, CaixaBank, Popular and BBVA charge between 3.5 and 4 euros “for simply making a payment to a third party from within your own branch.
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50 - WEEKEND WORLD
W
FOCUS ON HEALTH & BEAUTY
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
EEKEND focuses on HEALTH & BEAUTY WORLD
Walking 10 marathons in 10 days this March? That’s unbelievable Jeff INTREPID television presenter and frequent visitors to Spain Jeff Stelling will embark on an epic charity walk in March to help tame prostate cancer. Teaming up with leading men’s health organisation Prostate Cancer UK, the long-standing Soccer Saturday host will complete 10 walking marathons in 10 days, from boyhood club Hartlepool United to Wembley between March 21-30. Clocking in at more than 250 miles, Jeff’s Men United March - menunitedmarch.org - will see the 60-year-old check in on 31 football clubs and he will be joined every step of the way by close friend, and Hartlepool United Chief Executive, Russ Green. Setting off from Victoria Park, home of the League Two club, the duo will head south to Wembley Stadium. En route, he will be joined by famous friends and colleagues and people affected by prostate cancer while Carlsberg have signed up as a supporting sponsor. On Monday, March 28th staff from the household beer and beverage business will join him on the route from Northampton to Milton Keynes, raising vital funds in the fight against prostate cancer in the process. He launched the Men United March live on Soccer Saturday, at the end of a first person piece on the fortunes of his beloved Hartlepool, the first time he has ever filed a report for the show. Jeff said: “I deal in statistics – but the ones we are
dealing with here are shocking. One man dies every hour from this disease, that’s six in the course of Soccer Saturday every week. One in eight men will get prostate cancer, and for black men the odds are even worse at one in four. “Prostate cancer is not discerning. It doesn’t just hit the bad guys; it’s the good guys as well. I’ve got friends such as Sky Sports rugby league colleagues Bill Arthur and Eddie Hemmings who I have known longer than I care to remember. Both are great guys who have been affected by prostate cancer and I’ll
be meeting more men like them along the way. “That’s why I’ve signed up for this challenge. I’ve run marathons and climbed Kilimanjaro. There were also some nice fundraising opportunities to go and walk on the Great Wall of China or maybe go to Peru, but they sounded too much like jollies to me. I wanted to do something where people could see I was feeling the pain on behalf of a fantastic cause. “Within the next ten years Prostate Cancer UK believes they will find the answers to make this disease something men and their loved ones no longer fear. I’ve met the scientists who pledge to do this and I can see how dedicated they are. But do to this we need to raise vital funds – and I need everyone to support me and all the men affected by prostate cancer by visiting menunitedmarch.org and pledging their support.” Prostate Cancer UK is the Official Charity Partner of The Football League and 25 clubs are represented along the route, through the heartlands of England. Stelling will also stop off at five Premier League clubs as well as Non-League side St Albans City before an emotional finale along Wembley Way on March 30th. To support Jeff, and find out more about his challenge, visit menunitedmarch.org.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
FOCUS ON HEALTH & BEAUTY
MEN DESERVE BETTER – IT’S THAT SIMPLE March is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Organised by Prostate Cancer UK, and during this special month it aims to raise awareness of prostate cancer, as well as raise money so the charity can provide even better support to both sufferers and their families. PROSTATE cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and it is thought that in the UK around 36,000 are diagnosed with this terrible disease each year, last year here in Spain 18,574 cases were diagnosed
WHAT IS THE PROSTATE? Only men have a prostate gland. The prostate is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra – the tube men urinate and ejaculate through. Its main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm Prostate cancer can develop when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way.
SYMPTOMS Prostate cancer that’s contained inside the prostate (called localised prostate cancer or early prostate cancer) doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. But some men might have some urinary problems. These can be mild and happen over many years and may be a sign of a benign prostate problem, rather than prostate cancer. Changes to look out for include: • needing to urinate more often than usual, including at night – for example if you often need to go again after two hours • difficulty starting to urinate • straining or taking a long time to finish urinating • a weak flow when you urinate • a feeling that you’re not emptying your bladder fully • needing to rush to the toilet – sometimes leaking before you get there • dribbling urine after you finish. Less common symptoms include: • pain when urinating • pain when ejaculating • blood in your urine or semen* • problems getting or keeping an erection – this isn’t a common symptom of a prostate problem and is more often linked to other health conditions such as diabetes or heart problems. *Blood in your urine or semen can be caused by other health problems. Talk to your doctor if you see any blood in your urine or semen. For some men the first symptoms of prostate cancer might be new pain in the back, hips or pelvis. This can be caused by cancer that’s spread to the bones (advanced prostate cancer). These symptoms are often caused by other problems such as general aches or arthritis. But it’s still a good idea to get them checked out by your GP.
RISK FACTORS • some men have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer than others • age: Prostate cancer mainly affects men over the age of 50 and risk increases with age. 9 out of 10 prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men aged 60 and over • family history: Men are 2.5 times more likely to develop prostate cancer if their father or brother has had it • ethnicity: 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer – double the overall risk faced by all men (1 in 8).
WEEKEND WORLD - 51
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
ADVERTORIAL
52 - WEEKEND WORLD
EXPERIENCED HANDS AND A COMPLEX TECHNIQUE ARE NEEDED FOR AESTHETIC WORK WITHIN THE MOUTH CROOKE & LAGUNA - the professional staff at this dental clinic are specialists in all types of dental implants and treatments aimed to make smiles last many years or recover their former splendour Nowadays we are living in the dental implant era and nobody thinks twice about replacing lost teeth. The task, judging by the amount of offers on the market, can seem a simple one yet in many cases this isn’t so. Bad diagnosis and/or incorrect planning of treatments can result in disastrous results. The techniques used, the surgeon’s hands and having a reliable dental technician are key to a successful result. All this becomes particularly important when work is being done on front teeth as they are the most visible ones in a smile. A failure in this area results in complicated tissue Winnerstechniques of the firsthaving stage of regeneration to be employed to try and return the mouth to as similar as possible a state as Slot before teeth were lost and this is often an impossible mission. the Paradise Club League,
showing prizes. Another thingtheir to bear in mind is that when work is to be done on front teeth the smile as a whole must be evaluated and decisions made on whether additional plastic surgery to the gums, porcelain veneers or whitening treatments will be needed. Every area of orthodontics should be bought in to create a vision of the smile as a whole. Here we present a case that came to us of a badly fitted central incisor implant. It had been placed too high up, resulting in destruction of the bone and gum and a pink ceramic piece was used, something inadmissible in a young woman’s smile. The implant had to be removed, work done to regenerate bone and gum before a new implant was put in place and complemented with porcelain veneers on adjacent teeth. The second case is that of a patient who had had various composite veneers fitted but had failed to achieve the results she was looking for. The teeth and lips were noticeably out of harmony so we proposed increasing the size of the dental pieces and marking the curve of her smile. Composites were replaced with porcelain veneers to give a more natural look and a shine to the smile, achieving an unbeatable look.
Case 1 after treatment: implant correction
Case 1 before treatment: implant correction
Case 1 before treatment: implant correction
Dr Rosa Gomez Laguna and Dr Eduardo Crooke Glez de Aguilar, Crooke & Laguna dental clinic directors
Case 2 before treatment: composite veneers
Case 2 after treatment: composite veneers
Experts in Full Rehabilitation Case 1 after treatment: composite veneers
Case 2 before treatment: composite veneers
Case 2 after treatment: composite veneers
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Marbella 951 500 100 Malaga 952 22 91 92 Benalmadena 952 96 11 98 Churriana 952 43 51 67
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
W
WEEKEND WORLD - 53
EEKEND focuses on FOOD & FINE DINING WORLD
SEASONAL FOODS:
Winter, Spring Summer or Autumn - within each issue we will look at what fruits and vegetables are in season
“Cherimoya, the most delicious fruit known to man...” Mark Twain
T
HIS warty green fruit may look more like a hand grenade then a tropical fruit, but looks can be deceiving, for within its rough pre-historic exterior hides a heart that’s pure custard (in fact, one common nickname for the fruit is the custard apple.) The cherimoya pronounced chair-uh-MOY-yuh is regarded as the king of fruit, a reference to times gone by when this
ancient Incan fruit was reserved only for royalty. It has a fragrant, ivory, custard-like flesh, which has a taste combination of banana, pineapple and the strawberry. There are many varieties of this ancient fruit, differing in the smoothness of skin, size, number of seeds, and depressions in the skin. Perhaps the most popular is the White variety, which has fewer seeds, a firmer texture, and sweet
and juicy taste. The Booth variety tends to ripen a little later than others (late March) and carries a strong papaya flavour. The Pierce variety is considered one of the tastiest, due to its extra-creamy texture and peachy taste, while the Selma variety is characterized by distinctive red-flesh and hints of raspberry flavour.
Cherimoya Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Cherimoya with Chile Lime Shrimp
Coconut Ricotta Pancakes with Tropical Fruit Salsa
1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 tbsp light brown sugar (packed) 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 2 tsps canola oil 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 lb medium shrimp (30 to 35 per lb. peeled, cooked) 1/4 papaya (firm-ripe Hawaiian, peeled and cut into 1 /4-in. dice) 1/2 cherimoya (ripe, *, peeled, seeds left in, and cut into 1-in. chunks) 1 tsp cilantro leaves (chopped)
1 cherimoya (custard apple, peeled, seeded and cut into segments, or mango, peeled, seeded and cubed) 1/2 honeydew melon (peeled, seeded and cubed) 1/2 papaya (peeled, seeded and cubed) 1/3 cup mint leaves 2 tbsps lime juice 2 tbsps brown sugar 2 tsps ginger (grated) Toasted coconut and yogurt to serve 3/4 cup flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp granulated sugar 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1 egg 2 tsps vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract) 2 tbsps butter (melted)
2 cherimoya (peeled, seeded and cubed) 1/2 cup pineapple juice 15 ozs mandarin oranges (drained) 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes 1 cup mini marshmallows 1 cup vanilla yogurt (or Greek yogurt) An exotic variation on the traditional Ambrosia or Five Cup Salad--using Cherimoya in place of pineapple makes this fruit salad extra special for your holiday table. Toss cherimoya cubes with pineapple juice in a large bowl. Sit for 5 minutes. Drain juice (drink it!) and add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl. Mix gently until combined. Chill for 30 minutes.
Combine juices, sugar, chile, oil, and salt in a small saucepan and boil over high heat, stirring often, until golden brown and reduced to 1/3 cup, 5 minutes. Divide shrimp and fruit between 2 plates. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with cilantro. As you eat the cherimoya, pick out the seeds.
For the salsa, combine fruit in a medium bowl. Place mint, lime juice, brown sugar and ginger in a mortar and pestle and pound to form a paste. Spoon over fruit, tossing to combine. For the pancakes, sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Whisk coconut milk, ricotta, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir into dry ingredients until combined. Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Brush with a little melted butter. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into pan. Cook for 3-4 mins until bubbles form and break on top. Turn and cook for 1 min, until golden. Remove from pan. Keep warm while cooking remaining pancakes. Serve pancakes topped with fruit salsa, toasted coconut and a dollop of yogurt.
Recipes supplied courtesy of www.yummly.com
54 - WEEKEND WORLD
FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
El Corte Inglés introduces award winning Ecuadorian chocolate to its stores EL Corte Inglés now stocks award-winning Pacari chocolates in its stores according to a report published by Expansion.com It noted that the Spanish retailer introduced the chocolates at the beginning of the year to just 40 outlets, but Santiago Peralta, the founder of Pacari, says he hopes to see the products available in up to 300 El Corte Inglés stores by the end of the year. Peralta said sales have been positive so far, commenting, “The Spanish consumer knows how to appreciate the quality of food and is willing to pay for it.” “We are optimistic about this market,” he added. Founded in 2002, Pacari is a family run business that uses high quality cocoa grown in Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. Its products have won more than 100 awards, including three Silver Medals at the World Finals of the International Chocolate Awards 2015. Pacari chocolates are sold in more than 37 countries around the world, including Switzerland, France, Italy, Japan, China and the US.
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“Sheikh rattle n roll” Sheikh is the super freindly owner. A nice guy. His food is freshly cooked. I LUURVE my indian food and my meal was excellent. We’ve had takeaways and they’re excellent too.
NO two people in the country will agree on the exact recipe of a favourite dish. Recipes are handed down from generation to generation, verbally in the kitchen and are closely guarded secrets in most cases, but all agree, a dish is well cooked when the spices blend into the well cooked meat. The spices should not have disparate flavour, or taste raw. No one spice should over-power the other and be so intrusive as to completely hide the true taste of the vegetable or meat dish being cooked. It should help maintain and enhance the character of the dish, give it colour and fragrance and leave you wanting more!. Spice Village situated on the New Golden Mile, prides itself on offering the most exotic and delicious dishes from India in a warm relaxed atmosphere. Our food is freshly made to order, so whether you prefer mild dishes such as Chicken Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala or a fiery Vindaloo or Phal dish we can ensure you’ll find the right curry to suit tantalise your taste buds.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING
WEEKEND WORLD - 55
Hot new food trend:
TURMERIC SYNONYMOUS for adding the bright yellow colour to American mustard turmeric is seeing something of a revival. Hailed as this years wonder spice thanks in part to its numerous health benefits most notable a natural pain reliever and antioxidant. Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter fla-
vour and most of us will surely have used it in marinades for meat or for vegetables, however I’m sure there are not many who can attest to have added it to their tea!
TURMERIC TEA
BE SMOOTHIE SMART
If your suffering with joint pain then this is the ideal cuppa for you. Turmeric tea is a popular beverage throughout Asia and is known by some as “liquid gold.” Because of its highly anti-inflammatory properties. This rich creamy and lightly sweet beverage is something you’re sure to enjoy!
In reality you can add a dash or two of turmeric to any smoothie without any noticeable difference in taste. This superfood smoothie is the “crème de la crème” of smoothies with its mix of banana for potassium, mango for vitamin A and flavonoids, coconut milk which promotes healthy skin, ginger which is believed to help with everything, chia seeds to help digestion and turmeric.
There can surely be no better way to use Turmerics cancer-fighting properties than with a piece of cake!
Ingredients
85 g /1 cup rolled oats, use gluten free if intolerant
Ingredients 1 cup coconut milk 1 cup water 1 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp honey 1 tsp Turmeric (powder or grated root) In a small saucepan, bring water to boil. Add turmeric and ginger, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in milk and strain tea into a cup. Add sweetener to taste.
Here we look at some ways of adding the natural healer to your daily diet:
1 cup hemp or coconut milk
TURMERIC & BLUEBERRY BREAKFAST MUFFINS WITH GRANOLA TOPPING
Ingredients 100 g / 1 cup walnuts
1 banana
90 g / 2/3 cup buckwheat flour + 2 tbsp arrowroot (or potato starch)
1/2 cup frozen mango or pineapple chunks (I tried mango)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (can use 1 whole teaspoon if you prefer)
1 tbsp turmeric (use a little less if you are not used to the flavor)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon maca (optional)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp freshly ground cardamom ½ tsp sea salt a pinch black pepper 160 ml / 2/3 cup buttermilk or plant yogurt 80 ml / 1/3 cup olive oil or butter 2 ripe bananas, mashed 5 fresh dates, mashed 3 large eggs (or 3 tbsp chia seeds mixed with 9 tbsp water) A large handful blueberries, frozen or fresh Granola topping 1/3 cup rolled oats 2 tbsp olive oil/coconut oil 1 tbsp runny honey
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or grease the pan with oil or butter. Add walnuts and rolled oats to a food processor or blender (or mortle) and mix quickly into a coarse flour. Transfer to a large mixing bowl together with the rest of the dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, oil, bananas and dates to the food processor or blender and mix until smooth, then transfer to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Crack the eggs in a separate bowl and beat them for about a minute before adding them as well. Use a spatula to carefully fold everything until combined. Divide the batter into the muffin tins, drop a bunch of blueberries on top of each muffin and gently push them down a bit. Mix together the granola crumble in a small bowl and add it on top of the muffins. Bake for about 18-20 minutes. Best enjoyed still warm from the oven.
56 - WEEKEND WORLD
FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
Pairing Partners
A cheese board is a complete minefield where wine is concerned and there is no real sure fire winner when pairing wine with cheese but in general white wines generally fare better than Reds. A rich full-bodied Chardonnay will go perfectly with more types of cheeses than any other wine. To help make youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wine-cheese pairing easier try dividing cheese into four major categories:
BLOOMY: Creamy, decadent cheeses, with a soft rind Chardonnays match perfectly with creamy cheese such as Camembert, Brie or other soft, surface ripened cheeses. Anything from a steely Burgundian Chablis to an un-oaked or moderately oaked style works. Think New Zealand, Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley or Carneros. The more subtle flavours of Chardonnay allow the flavours of the cheese to shine and the acidity in the wine cuts through the creamy richness. Champagne, Prosecco or any good quality New World sparkling wine are other great options with Creamy cheese.
HARD: Stiff cheeses, which are often sharp and/or salty. They can also be aged. The best wines to pair with stiff cheeses are hearty reds. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Tempranillo and Sangiovese are but a few of the red wines that pair well with aged Gouda and Cheddar, aged Manchego or Pecorino and other similar cow, goat or sheep milk cheeses. For younger, lighter and more fruity firm or semi-firm cheese I would either go back to serving a white wine or a very light red such as an old world Pinot Noir, Schiava from Alto Adige, or Beaujolais.
BLUE: Pungent, often salty cheeses, with a blue tinge Riesling and Viogniers should be paired with strong, floral and spicy aromas of blue pungent cheeses. The fruitiness of the wine balances the strong flavours perfectly. Port also pairs well with blue cheese because it is sweet and fortified. The sweetness provides a perfect foil for the tangy saltiness of blue cheese. As an alternative to Port, try blue veined cheeses with other sweet wines such as Sauternes, Tokaji, Icewine as well as any German or Austrian late harvest wine.
FRESH: Soft, often spreadable cheeses that can be tangy or mild. They are not usually aged Sauvignon Blanc is a match made in heaven for soft spreadable cheeses. It is no coincidence that the Loire Valley, home to Sancerre and Pouilly FumĂŠ is also home to some of the most delicious goat cheeses you can find. Here the acidity and upfront fruity and grassy flavors of the Sauvignon Blanc are the perfect foil for the sourness and dryness of goat cheese. Chenin Blanc, dry Riesling or Semillon are other good alternatives to Sauvignon Blanc with goat cheese.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING
WEEKEND WORLD - 57
58 - WEEKEND WORLD
FOCUS ON FOOD & FINE DINING
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
Sláinte! Guinness helps to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day around the world On March 17th over 13 million glasses of Guinness will be enjoyed around the world as revellers celebrate the heritage and culture of Ireland by marking St. Patrick’s Day. FROM Dublin to Dubai, London to Lima, and Moscow to Monserrat, St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated by over 70 million people across six continents - and Guinness will be at the heart of the festivities. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations range from parades through capital cities to the ‘greening’ of iconic landmarks and sights. Every year the Chicago River in the USA is dyed green a process that take 5hours to reconstruct, it’s even been celebrated in space - twice. In 2011, the International Space Station hosted a St. Paddy’s Day celebration with Irish-American astronaut Catherine Coleman playing a hundred-year-old flute and a tin whistle while floating weightlessly in space and in 2013, astronaut Chris Hadfield celebrated St Patrick’s Day by photographing Ireland from space while singing Danny Boy. Back down on earth, St. Patrick’s Day parades will take place throughout the world –as thousands of people march the streets Irish and non-Irish folk alike to mark the anniversary of the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland Guinness was first brewed in Ireland in 1759 and fast became the nation’s favourite drink. Now, the brewery in St. James’s Gate, Dublin brews 4.5 million hectolitres of Guinness every year. And with 8,744 years left on the lease, at the current production rate, that is enough to brew over 9 trillion pints - which is a lot of St. Patrick’s Days! Here are ten things you never knew about the Black Stuff:
• Over 13 million glasses of Guinness are enjoyed around the world on St. Patrick’s Day • It takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, and there are six steps in this process • There are roughly 300,000,000 bubbles in each pint of Guinness • Almost 8 million glasses of Guinness are enjoyed every day around the world • Guinness is now brewed in 49 countries and exported to over 150 countries • Guinness is actually quite low-cal, with only 198kcal per pint • A vegan misconception – Guinness uses a small amount of isinglass as a clarification agent, Isinglass comes from the bladders of Beluga sturgeon and other fish • The most Guinness is sold in Great Britain, followed by Ireland, Nigeria, United State of America, Indonesia and Cameroon • The product historically known as ‘the black stuff’ is actually ruby red in colour • One glass contains 330ml, so on March 17th, 4.29m litres or 7.5m pints will be consumed in one day. That’s almost twice the amount of Guinness guzzled on an average day.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
ADVERTORIAL
WEEKEND WORLD - 59
THE PARADISE SLOT CLUB LEAGUE KICKS OFF WITH COMPLETE SUCCESS W
ITH two stages already held, the new Slot Club Paradise League has become the perfect incentive for members to score points and win prices. The first stage of the new Paradise Slot Club League held in January, exceeded capacity with 53 participants with more than €1,000 in prizes were distributed among the top four players. On that occasion the Keno Party Bingo game was used, where the player has to choose up to 10 numbers in each game. Two full rounds of play classified sixteen semifinalists, of which only the top eight went to
the final. All participants took prizes but the four finalists vied for the largest prizes and the champion managed to gain €600 as first prize. Second place winner received €300; the third €200 and the fourth, a prize of €100. The second stage held in February provided equally as much fun with the Funny Money Maker machine providing the evening’s entertainment. The third stage was held last night and the results willf eature in the next edition of the WEEKEND WORLD. Winners of the second stage of the League Paradise Slot Club, showing their prize.
Winners of the first stage of the League Paradise Slot Club, showing their prize.
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TODAY’S YOUR LUCKY DAY... COME AND TRY YOUR LUCK Present this ticket for FREE entry to the Casino and a FREE gift! It is necessary to bring your National Identification Card (DNI), Passport or Driver’s Licence to enter the Casino Code: WW16
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
60 - WEEKEND WORLD
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Solution to puzzle from issue 15
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39 “Arsenic and Old __” 40 Sri Lankan export 41 Luster 42 __ to my ears; welcome news 43 Exciting adventure 45 Points of interest on a tour 46 Big __; Whopper rival 47 Execute, in the Old West 48 Messy person 51 Helper 56 Scuttle chunks 57 Cheers 58 Spanish artist 60 Longing 61 Actor Willem 62 Notice 63 Dull sound 64 Shadowboxes 65 Garden tool
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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 Scrubbing pad 4 Walked the floor 9 As blind as __ 13 Floored 15 Make amends 16 Singer Jerry __ 17 Close by 18 Obeys 19 Biblical garden 20 Suffering from insomnia 22 __ egg; money saved up 23 Bench piece 24 Huge bird from Australia 26 Crystals 29 Makes right 34 Goes upward 35 Schemes 36 Eminem’s music 37 “Woe is me!” 38 __ up; supports from beneath
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DOWN 1 __ Diego, CA 2 Has debts 3 Make airtight 4 Plains of South America 5 Lopsided 6 “Cup or __?”; Baskin-Robbins patron’s choice 7 Make __ meet; eke out a living 8 Dinner courses 9 Broad street 10 Commanded 11 Frothy drinks 12 Portable shelter 14 Frocks 21 Lawn trees 25 Sra. or Mme. 26 Babble 27 Angers 28 Father of Esau and Jacob 29 Shut
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30 Fumbler’s word 31 Car accident 32 Understood, though not said 33 Eyeglasses, for short 35 Nudge 38 Posters 39 Suitcases 41 4.0, for a brainy student: abbr. 42 Make coins 44 Walked slowly 45 Talks back 47 __-miss; haphazard 48 “Get lost!” 49 Scotland’s __ Lomond 50 Hawaiian island 52 Daytime serial 53 Couch 54 Have a snack 55 Office error 59 Certain vote
Solution to puzzle from issue 15
Secret message: SINGLE LENS REFLEX CAMERA
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WORD SEARCH Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid pertaining to St Patrick’s Day. The remaining 34 letters spell a secret message.
S A S S E N N I U G E V E N I S P I Y A D I L O H N T Y Y P A E P O C T H I S T O R Y R A R P K G O T I L S O D A B R E A D A A I R H A S C O K L H T N E E T N E V E S T U C I V N V H D E R S O I D E I O M E I C E U A X O N A I T L N B E E L C H E R A N R I E S E K B F S G T H T A L S H R A F S C F E U F A I R P R A E E C T M I I E F E D T C I G I A L B S E R M B T S G H I C S N N A D A R E R D H T Y A O R R T R N I F I M A E P I C E B L E O I D E L C I T N T V E K A B Y H S A S E E L N R I A I R L R A D E S N B H N B O A L O O O T L C A S H A M R O C K U D C N R N Y Y Y BEER BELFAST BISHOP CABBAGE CELEBRATION CELTIC CROSS CHRISTIAN CLOVER
CORK CORNED BEEF DANCING DUBLIN EVENTS FEAST DAY FESTIVAL GREEN
GUINNESS HERITAGE HISTORY HOLIDAY HOLY DAY IRELAND IRISH LEPRECHAUN
LIMERICK MARCH MISSIONARY MUSIC PARADE PATRON SAINT POTATOES SEVENTEENTH
SHAMROCK SNAKES SODA BREAD TRADITION YEARLY
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 61
W EIRD W ORLD
AUSTRALIA
tion then turn right when the traffic lights turn green. Although the spectacle raised laughs from bystanders and the 30-second video has gone viral, police said there were real dangers involved. “Police are concerned for the safety of those
A group of men have been issued with a warning by police in Perth, after being caught on camera riding motorised picnic tables through a busy intersection. Film footage showed the nine men sitting at two tables mounted on wheels, pull up at a busy junc-
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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7 21 3 13 24 11
24 24 11 2 13 12 7 5 5 7 20 23
26 17 22 7 15 2 7
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WORD BLOCK From the 9-letter grid, find words of 4 letters or more. Words must contain the middle letter, and there is at least one nine-letter word. Target: 51 words
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CHINA
Moon jellyfish have the ability to age backwards - just like the Brad Pitt character Benjamin Button. The discovery made by a student at China’s Xiamen University called Jinru He, who raised a baby male moon jellyfish that he picked up from the ocean. When it died, he put the corpse into a new tank, and noticed a polyp appear on the specimen three months later. Most jellyfish start life as buds off polyps on ocean floor or a coral reef, but the creation of a polyp in this way had never been seen before. It was later discovered that injured adult jellyfish move to the bottom of the ocean floor, where they can transform back into their infant state and grow again. Lets see how long before the cosmetic industry jumps on this and offers jellyfish moisturizers!
a statistician claims. The social network has around 1.5bn users around the world, but by 2098 the number of dead users could outnumber the living. This is due to plateauing numbers of new users, and Facebook’s policy of not automatically deleting the profiles of the dead. The prediction was made by statistician Hachem Sadikki, from the University of Massachusetts. Close to one million Facebook users are expected to die this year alone - up from 385,000 in 2010 when Facebook had a much smaller user base. Facebook’s current policy means that when a user dies, their page is automatically turned into a memorial. The only way to delete the page is to have someone login using their password and delete it. Given that most people do not share their password at all, it is unlikely that most people will be able to close the account of a dead loved one. The problem can often be upsetting - with some dead people still appear as having birthdays in users’ news feeds and alerts. Facebook has started to ask people to appoint a ‘Legacy Contact’ before they die. The contact has the power to write one last post after a person’s death, as well as updating their cover and profile photo.
Solution to Wordblock puzzzle from issue 15 skyjacked - skyjack - decays - yacked yakked - cakey - decay - dykes - skyed yacks - ayes - caky - cays - days - dyes - dyke - easy - eyas - jays - keys - syce - yack - yaks - yeas Solution to CODEWORD from issue 15 22 25 12 3 2 11 25 5 10
4 2 3 11 26
I N F L U E N Z A J U L E P
6 10 25 2 15 2 11 22
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riding on the tables with no protective clothing, especially when on roads alongside motor vehicles,” a spokesman for Western Australian Police Spokesman said. The owner and builder of the six-seater tables said they could reach up to 30mph, but were still “pretty safe” and handled “like a go-cart”. The unnamed man said he and his friends only drove onto the busy road to reach a petrol station and fill their tables. He said two police officers approached the group while they were there. “Both drivers were sober, the police asked us to push them back across the road to the beach. We complied with all requests by police on Sunday,” he added. It is not clear how the tables were steered but they were fitted with a motor and what appeared to be a brake lever. The motorised picnic table are the latest in what appears to be an Australian craze for attaching motors to bizarre objects. In January, a man was fined £700 for riding an unlicensed beer cooler along a footpath in Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.
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A Viennese man felt the long arm of the law after offending “public decency” within earshot of a nearby police officer. The man who after enjoying a kebab let out a loud burp was fined €70 (£54) for “public decency with a loud belch next to a police officer”. Despite its tough stance on loud burps, the Austrian capital was recently named the best city in the world to live in.
USA
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F I B R R
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H A O N S E 22 13 11
23 18 2 22 21
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I C E S Q U I D S E P A L 13 6 17 11 2
C M 17 E U
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N I A A P L 11 10 24 3 11 23 23
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E A R L E S S K N U C K L E
Facebook could become the world’s biggest virtual graveyard by the end of the century,
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Y U C C A C O N D E M N E D
Solution to SUDOKU puzzles from issue 15
A C T
Y N M
S A H
6 4 7 2 3 9 8 5 1
4 3 5 7 1 8 6 2 9
8 9 5 4 1 6 2 3 7
6 7 1 9 2 4 8 3 5
1 2 3 5 7 8 9 4 6
8 9 2 3 5 6 4 1 7
4 3 8 6 2 5 1 7 9
1 6 3 8 9 7 5 4 2
7 5 6 8 9 1 3 2 4
9 2 4 1 3 5 7 8 6
2 1 9 3 4 7 6 8 5
5 8 7 6 4 2 1 9 3
9 8 2 1 5 4 7 6 3
7 5 9 4 8 3 2 6 1
3 7 4 9 6 2 5 1 8
2 1 8 5 6 9 3 7 4
5 6 1 7 8 3 4 9 2
3 4 6 2 7 1 9 5 8
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
62 - WEEKEND WORLD
W CLASSIFIEDS... FOR ALL OUR LOCAL BUSINESS NEEDS CONTACT OUR SALES TEAM: 951 127 200 INFO@SIMPLYMEDIA-GROUP.COM n 50 cents per word n If placed in a black & white box - additional € 20.00 + IVA n If placed in a colour box (colour) - an additional € 30.00 + IVA
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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
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
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 Providing QUALITY CARS at BARGAIN prices SINCE 2009 Save time, money and stress! Call our sales department now on 952 794 102 info@bargaincars.es
PETS 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
WEEKEND WORLD - 63 HOLMES SOTOGRANDE Sotogrande’s longest established real estate agent offering an extensive range of luxury property for sale including villas, apartments, townhouses, plots, berths and marina properties. Call 956 79 53 40 www.holmesotogrande.com FASTIGHETSBYRAN Sweden’s leading estate agent in Spain. Marbella 951 191 000 and Estepona 952 807 777 www.fastighetsbyran.se/overseas ARKITECTS ARK offers a complete and quality service to the client, covering all professional aspects in the field of building and town planning. Call 956 793 166 & 670 342 347 www.ark-architects.com
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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 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 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
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Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
PET CORNER Why do cats go to the one person in the room who doesn’t like cats? When a cat enters a room full of people who are staring at him, he becomes very uncomfortable. Then he notices that one person is totally ignoring him - the person who dislikes cats for whatever reason. The cat goes to that person to seek a safe haven from those who are fawning over him or intimidating him.
WEEKEND WORLD - 65
WE INVITE READERS’ COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ON DOGS AND CATS. PLEASE SEND THEM TO: info@simplymedia-group.com
WHY DO CATS?...
Why do cats rub against your leg? When a cat rubs his head or the side of his chin against you, the furniture, or any object, he is actually depositing his scent on them as part of territorial marking. He uses his glands on his forehead and around his mouth and chin. These glands produce chemicals called pheromones, which he transfers by rubbing against objects. Cats can tell how long ago a scent was left and how much attention they need to pay to the warning.
What does it mean when my cat exposes its stomach? A rare form of greeting, the ultimate compliment that a cat can pay to a human. This body language shows how much he cares for you and how comfortable he is around you. Totally exposing the stomach reveals how secure he feels, because the stomach area
Why do cats rub against your leg? is the most vulnerable body part of the cat. He can be asking for a caress, inviting you to play with him, or may want the stomach area stroked. If he sleeps on his back this way, his trust in you is in the stratosphere.
Why does my cat knead? That loud purring followed by the sharpening of claws on some soft spot of your body
INTRODUCING THE TRAVEL CAT BAG
EVER tried to get a cat into a travel basket? This is not something cats or their owners enjoy, usually it means drama! Studio Snorhaar have created a carrier that appeals to both. The result: a travel cat bag that gives every cat a trustable feeling. THE DESIGN: By creating a travel bag with many peepholes, the cat retains control of its surroundings in a subtle way without being visible. The travel bag can be transformed into a sleeping basket, so the cat immediately gets a comfortable bond with the bag. It becomes a trustable place for the cat and this makes him feel calm. Furthermore, the cat’s smell will stay in the bag which is essential for familiar feelings with his surroundings. Each design is carefully tested in the lab and by our test panel. STYLE: With a minimalistic and raw look, the cat bag gives the owner a useful product that fits in to many fashion looks and home interiors. VARIATION: The cat bag can be transformed into many different shapes. This way you can customize the bag to the style of the interior. It is nice to look at something new once in a while. Also, changing the shape of the bag is a great way to surprise and challenge your cat as well. The cat will be curious about the new shape and this will keep him busy for a while. The deisgns are made from natural materials: vegetable tanned leather and 100% wool felt. Cats like natural materials which are uneven. The use of soft fabrics creates a feeling of safety and security for the cat. Visit www.snorhaar.com for further details
Why does my cat knead? is called milk-treading. When you relax and sit quietly, you’re giving your cat the same signal he got from his mother when he was a kitten - which his mother was ready to let him suckle. A nursing kitten instinctively uses his paws to draw out the milk, gently pushing on his mother’s stomach to increase the milk flow. When older cats behave this way, it’s a good sign that they’re happy, content, and
probably recalling their kittenhood.
Why do cats get stuck in trees? Their claws are constructed for climbing up. When they attempt to climb down headfirst (and normally this is what they will try to do first), it’s impossible for them because the claws are curved the wrong way. Eventually, a cat will figure out how to go down the correct way - shimmying down backward so that the claws will cling to the bark of the tree.
What is that noise my cat makes when it sees a bird (or squirrel, etc.)? The odd behavior that resembles teethchattering is usually produced when a cat sees something he wants but can’t get to it. Though his mouth is slightly open (the lips pulled back and the jaw opening and closing rapidly), it’s not a form of communication. The noise made is a combination of lip-smacking and teeth-chattering as he gets more excited. He may emit small bleating noises like a baby goat. So far, none of this is believed to have any function.
If cats are so smart, why are they so hard to train? Actually, cats aren’t that tough to train; they just refuse to perform for a pat on the head. They’re indifferent to the process and learn tricks only because they want to. Because they’re not renowned for their obedience, we think they’re defiant. However, if there’s something in it for them, they are quick to learn. Cats learn by association. You can’t bribe them with sweets because their taste buds don’t have any sweet receptors (as meat eaters they don’t need them). They can’t tell the difference between a sugar solution and plain water. As with all animals, coaxing them includes much love, patience, consistency, authority, repetition, and reward... but never punishment. Dogs are trainable because they are born to follow leaders; cats, on the other hand, take care of themselves.
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
66 - WEEKEND WORLD
UFC 196 UPSET IT was one of the craziest fights of the year, with one of the biggest upsets (after Ronda Rousey and Holly Holms knockout). Madman Conor McGregor v the calculating Nate Diaz and only one man came out on top — and it wasn’t the one everyone expected! Featherweight champion, Conor McGregor who jumped two weights adding 25lbs to his physic looked pumped, impressive and downright dangerous as he entered the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Notoriously outspoken he was the bookies favourite but on Saturday night it was the calculating Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher Nate Diaz who stole the show, silencing Mcgregor within two rounds. Many argued the leap up in weight for McGregor was a risk and they were right but what is even more surprising is that Diaz was never supposed to be there in the first place. McGregor’s initial goal was to challenge UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and make history by becoming the only UFC fighter to ever hold two concurrent titles. Once dos Anjos dropped out with a broken foot, a mad scramble ensued to find a replacement. While the Irishman will now likely return back to 145 and defend his UFC featherweight title, the title picture at both lightweight and welterweight is wide open who is brave enough to step up and take a shot?
Alonso and Hamilton hit out at ‘broken F1’
L
EWIS Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, two drivers with five world titles between them, have portrayed Formula One as a ‘broken’ sport burdened with over-complicated rules and uncertainty of where it was heading. Hamilton, who could win a third successive title with Mercedes this season and the fourth of his career, was asked during preseason testing whether he felt the sport was broken, lacking direction or healthy. “I would probably say the first two,” he told a news conference. “I don’t want to say too much about it, but I do agree with the first two.” With the opening race of the 2016 championship in Australia little more than a week away, the sport has yet to decide what format qualifying will be this season and when any new version might be introduced. A change was announced last week but commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said the necessary software could not be ready in time for Melbourne. Team managers then agreed a further change, with a knock-out system for the first two phases but reverting to the old format for the last one. That has yet to be accepted by the governing FIA, however. “It was fine, it was okay. Why confuse people more,” Hamilton said of the proposed qualifying switch to an elimination format. There is also uncertainty over future rules, with an attempt to reach agreement for 2017 -- when cars are supposed to be faster, more aggressive and harder to handle -- kicked down the road for further discussion.
‘HALO’ PROTECTION Much of the talk at the Circuit de Catalunya has been about a proposed new ‘halo’ cockpit head protection device being trialled on Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari. Hamilton made his views clear on Instagram: “Please no! This is the worst looking mod (modification) in Formula One history,” he said.
“I appreciate the quest for safety but this is Formula One and the way it is now is perfectly fine,” added the 31-year-old Briton. Alonso, a double world champion who endured a nightmare season with McLaren last year, told reporters separately that he felt ‘sad’ for the sport and the direction it had taken with the qualifying change. “It’s sad. I am sad,” said the Spaniard. “I am sad for the sport... it doesn’t look right from outside when in one week we change the qualifying format three times,” he added. “If I was... from another sport, I would look at Formula One a bit surprised. I don’t think it’s right... too many changes, and the complexity of the rules, also for the spectators, is quite high.” Alonso said his friends wanted to watch big battles, fast cars, big tyres, plenty of noise and clear rules. Instead they were baffled by the complexities of the hybrid energy storage systems and a baffling range of tyre choices and compounds. “Things like that... it’s normal they switch off the television,” he said.
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EEKEND focuses on SPORT WORLD
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 67 Barclays Premier League Table
Leicester pass another big test with flying colours LEICESTER City’s unlikely Premier League title challenge took another major upturn with a gritty 1-0 win at Watford last week as their closest challengers cancelled each other out. Riyad Mahrez (pictured left) conjured a fine goal to see off Watford and send Leicester five points clear at the top after second-placed Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, who are third, drew 2-2 at White Hart Lane. “It was an important win, a big battle,” City manager Claudio Ranieri told the BBC. “Now there will be battles for everybody not just for us. “It was a tough match. We created four or five chances, they created two or three. We are so happy now.” With nine games remaining, bookmakers cut the odds on Leicester winning their first top-flight crown to 11-10.”The title is not ours. We have to fight a lot, step by step and keep our feet on the ground. At the end we can see what happens,” Ranieri said. Algerian Mahrez scored his 15th league goal of the season following a sweet strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 56th minute before being substituted. Leicester next host Newcastle United on March 14 before a trip to Crystal Palace. “We know every team can win or lose so it has to be slowly, slowly,” Ranieri said. “The desire is so high now and we have a great opportunity.”
McCLAREN ON THE BRINK AS NEWCASTLE FACE DROP NEWCASTLE United manager Steve McClaren made no excuses for his team’s flat display in a 3-1 home defeat by Bournemouth that has now left the team staring Premier League relegation in the face. Newcastle remain second from bottom after winning only six games this season and the pressure on the former England coach is mounting. “I’m very disappointed. That was definitely a poor performance and ‘going down’ material,” McClaren said after the match. “We have got to find the fighters in the team and the performance today did not epitomise that. We cannot play like that and hope to stay up.” Newcastle fell behind to Steven Taylor’s first-half own goal
and the St James’ Park crowd, who have not celebrated a major trophy since 1969, turned on McClaren at halftime. “We are fortunate we’ve got 10 games left and that’s enough,” McClaren said. “It’s a four-team league now and we play everyone around us.” Newcastle have 24 points, eight ahead of bottom club Aston Villa, level with Norwich City and one behind north-east rivals Sunderland. McClaren, assistant manager to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before taking charge of Middlesbrough and the England team from 2006-07, still remains defiant. “I can’t see any positives but we have to stick together as a staff and as a team and fight,” he said.
P Team P W D L F A GD Pts 1 Leicester 29 17 9 3 52 31 21 60 2 Tottenham 29 15 10 4 51 24 27 55 3 Arsenal 29 15 7 7 46 30 16 52 4 Man City 28 15 5 8 52 31 21 50 5 West Ham 29 13 10 6 45 33 12 49 6 Man Utd 29 13 8 8 37 27 10 47 7 Liverpool 28 12 8 8 43 37 6 44 8 Stoke 29 12 7 10 31 34 -3 43 9 Southampton 29 11 8 10 36 29 7 41 10 Chelsea 29 10 10 9 43 39 4 40 11 West Brom 29 10 9 10 30 36 -6 39 12 Everton 28 9 11 8 51 39 12 38 13 Watford 29 10 7 12 29 30 -1 37 14 Bournemouth 29 9 8 12 35 45 -10 35 15 Crystal Palace 29 9 6 14 32 39 -7 33 16 Swansea 29 8 9 12 28 37 -9 33 17 Sunderland 29 6 7 16 35 54 -19 25 18 Norwich 29 6 6 17 31 54 -23 24 19 Newcastle 28 6 6 16 28 53 -25 24 20 Aston Villa 29 3 7 19 22 55 -33 16
Sky Bet Championship Table P Team P W D L F A GD Pts 1 Burnley 36 20 11 5 57 29 28 71 2 Middlesbr. 35 20 7 8 47 21 26 67 3 Brighton 36 17 14 5 49 34 15 65 4 Hull 34 19 7 8 48 20 28 64 5 Derby 36 16 12 8 47 32 15 60 6 Sheff Wed 36 14 14 8 50 36 14 56 7 Cardiff 36 14 13 9 47 40 7 55 8 Ipswich 35 15 10 10 44 42 2 55 9 Birmingham 35 15 9 11 40 34 6 54 10 Preston 36 12 13 11 33 33 0 49 11 QPR 36 11 14 11 43 42 1 47 12 Wolves 36 12 10 14 45 50 -5 46 13 Nottm Forest 35 11 12 12 33 31 2 45 14 Reading 35 11 11 13 41 41 0 44 15 Leeds 35 10 14 11 34 40 -6 44 16 Blackburn 35 10 13 12 35 32 3 43 17 Brentford 35 12 7 16 48 55 -7 43 18 Huddersfield 36 11 9 16 47 49 -2 42 19 Fulham 36 8 13 15 55 61 -6 37 20 Bristol City 36 9 10 17 32 57 -25 37 21 MK Dons 36 9 9 18 30 48 -18 36 22 Rotherham 36 10 5 21 40 59 -19 35 23 Charlton 36 6 11 19 32 66 -34 29 24 Bolton 36 4 14 18 35 60 -25 26
Spanish BBVA La Liga Table P Team P W D L F A GD Pts 1 Barcelona 28 23 3 2 78 22 56 72 2 Atl Madrid 28 20 4 4 42 12 30 64 3 Real Madrid 28 18 6 4 81 27 54 60 4 Villarreal 28 15 8 5 33 19 14 53 5 Sevilla 28 12 9 7 39 29 10 45 6 Ath Bilbao 28 13 5 10 44 36 8 44 7 Celta de Vigo 28 12 6 10 40 51 -11 42 8 Eibar 28 10 6 12 40 40 0 36 9 Real Sociedad 28 9 8 11 37 39 -2 35 10 Real Betis 28 8 10 10 26 36 -10 34 11 Valencia 28 8 10 10 33 33 0 34 12 Málaga 28 8 9 11 27 28 -1 33 13 Dep. Coruña 28 6 15 7 37 39 -2 33 14 Espanyol 28 9 4 15 28 54 -26 31 15 Las Palmas 28 8 6 14 30 40 -10 30 16 Getafe 28 7 6 15 27 45 -18 27 17 Rayo Vallecano 28 6 8 14 38 60 -22 26 18 Granada CF 28 7 5 16 29 53 -24 26 19 Sp. de Gijón 28 6 6 16 30 50 -20 24 20 Levante 28 5 6 17 26 52 -26 21
All results as at 09.03.2016
SPORT NEWS
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
68 - WEEKEND WORLD
SPORT NEWS
CHELTENHAM 2016
A
PRESTIGIOUS event that today derives substantially from its historical pedigree, the first festival was a two-day affair held in 1902 with the only cancelled event being in 2001 courtesy of the foot and mouth crisis. Throughout the 4 days of the Cheltenham Festival 28 races are held the most hotly contested of the entire racing calendar, with around 500 horses competing for a prize fund of over £3.4 million.
having a strong Irish winning connection. Next is the Cross Country Chase, which has proved to be one of the most difficult races to predict throughout the history of the festival. The Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle race where only amateur jockeys are allowed to compete, and at three miles one furlong long it can often be a tough ride. Events on the final day are rounded up with the Champion Bumper which is a flat race run over two miles under National Hunt rules.
RACES: DAY 1: Tuesday On the first day 7 races are held. The festival is kicked off with the Supreme Novice Hurdle. Next the Arkle Challenge Trophy is held which is named after one of the festivals most famous competitors. It is run over two miles of the Cheltenham Racecourse and competitors need speed and good jumping. The festival Handicap Chase is then followed by the feature race held on this day is the Stan James Champion Hurdle challenge, which is greatly favoured with the Cheltenham betting markets. This year defending champion Faugheen will not be running but his trainer Willie Mullins looks to have saddled two other exciting houses The David Nicholson Mares Hurdle, followed by National Hunt Handicap Chase is held shortly after which is run over three miles
Tuesday 15th March kicks of the start of the Cheltenham festival a four-day event that encapsulates everything that is great about jump racing - The climax of the National Hunt season and therefore all competitors need stamina.. The final race of the day is the Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle. Horses to watch: ANNIE POWER IDENTITY THIEF
Champion Hurdle Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle DAY 2: Wednesday (Ladies Day) 7 more races are held on the second day. The first race is the Neptune Novices Hurdle,
which at two miles and five furlongs long taxes its competitors for their stamina. Next is the Sun Alliance Handicap Chase which due to its length (three miles) is a favourite with experienced racers. The Betway Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase is one of the highlights of the whole festival and sees Un De Sceaux take on Sprinter Sacre and last year’s winner, Dodging Bullets. The Coral Cup a relatively new race to the festival but has already established itself as
Rio Ticket sales under spotlight at six month mark With six months to go until the start of the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, the first in Latin America, organisers are hoping a major publicity push will ease concerns about the slow pace of ticket sales.
R
IO 2016 organisers disclosed last month that just 10% of the three million Paralympic tickets had been sold so far in Brazil raising fears that an expected record global cumulative television audience of more than four billion will see empty seats at venues when the event starts on Sept. 7 in Rio’s Maracana stadium. “It’s true that ticket sales, if you compare them with how they went in London (2012) for both the Olympics and Paralympics, are way behind,” said International Paralympic Committee (IPC) president Philip Craven in an interview. “But I think you really do have to look at the different culture of how Brazilians and the people in Rio look to main events. They don’t look to buying their tickets one year out as happened in London.” London 2012 sold a record 2.76 million Paralympic tickets, with a global cumulative television audience of 3.8 billion. Craven recognised there were concerns but said the six months milestone was the perfect time to really engage the local population. “There are two million tickets that cost 10 reais ($2.66),” he said. “And we believe that the Cariocas (Rio locals) are not aware of this. “We have to differentiate between the price of Olympic tickets and Paralympic tickets and really sell the fact that the Paralympic Games are the people’s games.” Brazil has been struggling with political turmoil and corrup-
tion scandals, an economic downturn and the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which have all hampered preparations for the Games awarded to Rio in 2009.
POLITICAL SCANDAL Official data released last week showed that the economy contracted sharply in 2015 as businesses slashed investment plans and laid off more than 1.5 million workers in what could become Brazil’s deepest recession on record. Craven was confident, however, that the Paralympics would build on the success of London, with more broadcasters signed up than ever before and Brazilian athletes among the top contenders. “The Brazilian team has been getting stronger and stronger. And Paralympic sport has been on TV in Brazil now since the Games in Athens in 2004,” he said. “The Brazilians know about Paralympic sport, they know about their great champions Daniel Dias (winner of 10 swimming gold medals, four silvers and a bronze) and also Andre Brasil (a seventimes swimming gold medallist). “This is something that definitely they are going to take to. We are going to have great Games,” said Craven. The Paralympics will be televised live in 120 countries and in the United States for the first time with NBC. Craven said he would be in the United States all next week to help promote the Games.
Horses to watch: SPECIAL TIARA Champion Chase SPRINTER SACRE Champion Chase DAY 3: Thursday The first race of the day is the Jewson Novices Handicap Chase. This is one of the pinnacle races of the season for handicapped racers. Next is the Pertemps Final Hurdle which is an excellent race for progressing competitors. The predominant event of Thursday is the Ryanair Chase. It is arguably the most hotly anticipated race of the festival, being a gruelling ordeal requiring serious stamina on the part of the competitors. Next is the Festival Plate Chase, which is a race mainly for experienced competitors. The penultimate race of the day is the Kim Muir Challenge Cup one of the most difficult races to predict in the entire festival. The final race is the Mares Novice Hurdle, which is a new race again becoming favoured by the Irish. Horses to watch: THISTLECRACK VILLAGE VIC
World Hurdle Ryanair Chase
Day 4: Friday The final day of the festival is arguable the biggest The meeting gets underway with the Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle which is undoubtedly the most notable event of the festival for the betting world. There are a great deal of competitors involved and the race is widely coined a cavalry charge. The Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle follows all this excitement, which is a race previously held at Sandown Park. Undoubtedly the top feature of the entire meeting is the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This race is a real challenge to its competitors at three miles two furlongs long and you can expect all eyes to be glued on the racecourse for the duration. Taking the task of following the Gold Cup is the Cheltenham Festival Foxhunter Chase, which is in its own right a key event for the hunter chase crew, with a strong competition existing between Irish and UK based trainers. The penultimate race of the festival is the Grand Annual Chase, which is reserved solely for horses five years and over. Novices often do well in this event. There is a final betting stampede with the Country Handicap Hurdle, although it is one of the most difficult races to back. Events are truly brought to an end in spectacular style with this race. Horse to Watch: VAUTOUR CUE CARD
Gold cup Gold Cup
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
SPORT NEWS
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WEEKEND WORLD - 69
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
70 - WEEKEND WORLD
SPORT NEWS
WOODS SAYS HE’S FEELING BETTER, BUT NO TIMETABLE FOR RETURN Former world number one Tiger Woods, side-lined from competition since August, has said he is feeling “a lot better” as he continues his recovery from back surgeries but has no timetable for his return to the PGA Tour. LAST week, the 14-times major champion posted a video of himself swinging a golf club in an effort to shoot down recent reports that suggested he had endured setbacks during his rehabilitation process. “As I announced last week, I am starting to feel a lot better,” Woods said on his website. “I have been chipping and putting at home, and recently started hitting nine-irons. That’s been so nice. The big thing right now is trying to get stronger and more flexible. Sitting out as long as I did, some weakening occurred, and I have a lot of work ahead of me.” Woods, who has slipped in recent years due to injuries and mastering of a new swing,
thought he was back to form after tying for 10th at the Wyndham Championship in August, following a dismal season in which he missed three cuts in the majors. But three weeks later he had a second microdiscectomy surgery to alleviate pressure on a disc in his lower back, before needing another procedure on Oct. 28 on the same area due to discomfort. Woods, who made just 11 starts on the PGA Tour last season and only seven the season before, had his first back surgery in early 2014. “While there is no timetable on my return to competitive golf, I want to play this game at the highest level again,” said the 40-year-old, the world number one for a record total of 683 weeks who is now stunningly ranked 446th “but in order to do that, I have to get healthy.” Speaking at a news conference in Montgomery, Texas where he has designed his first golf course in the United States, Woods said his biggest frustration was not knowing when he would return to competition. “All those are unknowns,” he said at Bluejack National outside Houston. “The only thing I do know is that I am progressing, I am getting better, I am getting stronger. I just have to take it day by day. “From where I was (healthwise) in December, it has changed dramatically. I just need to keep that momentum going. Eventually it’s getting (back) to the elite level and competing out here with the guys. That’s going to take some work.”
11-YEAR-OLD BEATS TIGER WITH A HOLE IN ONE Promoting his new course at Montgomery, Texas, Tiger played an inaugural round with some kids with one 11-year-old Taylor Crozier, stepping up and mastering a hole-inone on the very the first tee. Former world number one Woods, who has been off the PGA Tour took the defeat in good grace, tweeting a video of Crozier’s shot, saying: “First hole at The Playgrounds at Bluejack National.”
Sharapova fails drug test Continued from back cover Sharapova said her family doctor had been giving her Mildronate, which is also called meldonium, for 10 years after she frequently became sick, had irregular EKG results, a magnesium deficiency and a family history of diabetes. “It is very important for you to understand that for 10 years this medicine was not on WADA’s banned list and I had been legally taking the medicine. But on January the first, the rules have changed and Meldonium became a prohibited substance.” WADA declined to comment until ITF issues a final decision. Meldonium is used to treat chest pain and heart attacks among other conditions, but some researchers have linked it to increased athletic performance and endurance. It is listed by WADA among its prohibited metabolic modulators, along with insulin, and some researchers say it can also help recovery. It is not approved in the United States but is available in Russia, Latvia and other countries in that region.
SPOSNSORSHIP DEALS LAY IN TATTERS Sharapova, one of the most popular figures in global sports, has long been a favourite with her sponsors. According to Forbes, Sharapova earned $29.5 million in 2015, mostly from endorsements so the news that she has failed a drug test has come as somewhat of a shook to her sponsors. As soon as the news was released Nike, the world’s largest sportswear maker, said it was “saddened and surprised” by the news and released a statement saying it was putting ties on hold with the player. “We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues,” it said. Shortly after Swiss watches brand TAG Heuer released a statement stating it was dropping its sponsorship of Maria Sharapova, “Maria Sharapova was under contract with TAG Heuer until December 31, 2015. We had been in talks to extend our collaboration. In view of the current situation, the Swiss watch brand has suspended negotiations and has decided not to renew the contract.” Sharapova, who has struggled with a series of injuries in recent years, has not competed since she lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January. Renowned for her never-say-die approach, a gritty baseline game and high-decibel shrieking, Sharapova at 17 became the first Russian woman to win Wimbledon when she beat Serena Williams 6-1 6-4 in the 2004 final. That victory also made her the third-youngest Wimbledon champion, behind only Lottie Dod and Hingis, and the fourthyoungest grand slam winner in the open era after Hingis, Monica Seles and Tracy Austin.
Issue 13 Dec 17 - Jan 13, 2016
WEEKEND WORLD - 71
SPORT NEWS
Laureus World Sports Awards nominees announced T HE Laureus World Sports Awards, which celebrate the outstanding achievements of sportsmen and sportswomen around the world, will return to Europe in 2016 with the Awards to be hosted in Germany for the first time, in Berlin on April 18. Since its inception in 2000, the annual Awards Ceremony celebrates the most remarkable men and women from the world of sport along with the greatest achievements fans have admired throughout the year. The Awards Ceremony consists of 7 categories with the potential for additional discretionary Awards given. Each winner receives the Laureus Statuette, crafted by Cartier, with its representation of the striving human form against an engraved representation of the continents. Though the Laureus World Sports Awards brings a high profile focus onto the very best of professional sport, it is also those at the
grassroots that benefit. Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards go to support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. These projects have already helped improve the lives of millions of young people through the use of sport. Edwin Moses, double Olympic gold medallist and Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “I am delighted that the 2016 Laureus Awards is to be staged in Berlin. Our Foundation has been very active in spreading the Sport for Good message since 2001 and it’s exciting to be bringing the Awards to Germany for the first time. Everyone there has a real passion for sport and I know this will be an occasion to remember.” Nominees include three-time winner Usain Bolt, tennis No.1 Novak Djokovic, triple Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi. and golf’s world No.1 Jordan Spieth.
Justin Gatlin finally breaks Usain Bolt 100m World Record… with a bit of help! WHEN Usain Bolt broke his own record for the 100m in 2009 setting a time of 9.58 seconds many said it would take someone very special to break it and with Rio just a few months away Justin Gatlin has done just that. Gatlin, who finished second to Bolt in both the 100m and 200m World Athletics Championships in Beijing last year decided he needed an edge and with the help of Kasupe! TV a Japanese television show he has finally succeeded in beating his long-term rivals record. The 34-year-old sprinter enabled by several insane fans, one placed at the start line and four others along the track was practically blown down the track helping him achieve a record of 9.45 seconds. The fans provided a ridiculously helpful tailwind of 20 miles per hour. Obviously this result can’t be counted as an official time, but with Rio just around the corner it looks like psychological warfare has commenced.
Justin Gatlin Breaks Usain Bolt 100m World Record With Japanese help (Unofficially) 100% japan
Lewis Hamilton
Lionel Messi
Usain Bolt
Novak Djokovic
Jordan Spieth
Issue 16 March 10 - 23, 2016
72 - WEEKEND WORLD
SPORT NEWS
A DARK DAY FOR MARIA
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WORLD
Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova SHOCKS THE WORLD following an announcement that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open due to a substance she was taking for health issues
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HE 28-year-old five-time grand slam champion and the highest paid woman in sports, is the seventh athlete in a matter of month to test positive for meldonium, which is used to treat diabetes and low magnesium, which controversially was only banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as of Jan. 1.”I’ve made a huge mistake. I let my fans down and I let the sport down,” said Sharapova, a teenage tennis prodigy who became the third-youngest Wimbledon champion. “I take full responsibility for it. I know that with this I face consequences and I don’t want to end my career this way. I really hope that I will be given another chance to play this game,” former world number one Sharapova told a news conference in a downtown Los Angeles hotel. The ITF’s anti-doping program calls for a fouryear suspension for a positive test, but that ban can be reduced in various circumstances, such as for first-time offences or if the player shows no significant fault or negligence. If a player bears no fault or negligence, there is no suspension. Continued on page 70