Olive Press Newspaper - Issue 156

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‘SPAIN’S BEST NEWSPAPER IN ENGLISH’ - The Rough 1 theGuide olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

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Please get me home! Father makes heartbreaking death-bed plea to help get him back to see his family in the UK EXCLUSIVE By Frances Leate kidney – he is unable to fly. Now a close friend has made an urgent appeal to Olive Press readers to help find someone who can drive him back to Nottingham where his children Kamal, 20 and Malik, 11, live. Friend Eric Skilton, 69,

said: “I asked him what I could do for him and this was his last wish. “It’s all there is left to do. Of course I would like there to be a miracle and see him get better but that’s not going to happen and so failing that his very last wish is to spend his last days as happy as he can be with his children in Britain.” Skilton is helping him sell

HAPPIER TIMES: Rahmoun with his family his shop’s stock and his family is now in the process of getting him an emergen-

‘Wedding Runner’ husband in Irish fraud investigation

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THE husband of a Marbella wedding planner who vanished with thousands of euros in deposits has been arrested in Ireland. Howard Danker, married to Sue Danker of Spanish Dream Weddings, has been brought in for questioning

after a fraud probe by garda officers. It is believed detectives began investigating Danker’s property assets after he fled Marbella with his wife in September last year. The couple left overnight owing tens of thousands of euros for dozens of weddings that they

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March 7 - March 20, 2013

Szekely in crisis

A DAD-of-two with just weeks to live is appealing for help to get back to the UK to spend his last days with his children. Omar Rahmoun, 54, has been given ‘between six days and six months to live’ after being diagnosed with an advanced form of cancer. The expat - who has been running a computer shop in Zujar, near Granada, for nine years - needs someone to drive him home. Due to his critical condition – he has a tumour in both lungs and cancer in both his pancreas, intentines and

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failed to organize. One hotel manager revealed this week that he had ‘at least three’ weddings due to take place last year at his hotel. The Olive Press reported (above) that to Page

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cy travel document, as his passport has expired. Omar, who uses oxygen for 20 hours a day because his lungs have failed, finds it difficult to talk and gets easily out of breath. “We are hoping that an Olive Press reader might know someone travelling back towards the Nottingham area. “There must be someone out there kind enough to take him.” If anyone can help please contact Mr Skilton on 958 063 074 or email: email@ ericskilton.com

RAID ROW

WATERGATE: Barcenas claims PP broke in WAR has broken out between the PP party and its former treasurer after he accused bosses of orchestrating a Watergate-style break-in at his office. Police are now investigating the alleged burglary at Luis Barcenas’s office within the government’s PP party HQ. The man embroiled in the national scandal, involving a €38 million offshore slush fund, claims that two computers and personal documents were stolen in the raid.

Dismissal

He has since accused a lawyer to PP secretary general Dolores de Cospedal, of ordering the theft. Along with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, she is accused of taking illegal backhanders in cash from the fund based in Switzerland. The PP, however insists Barcenas (top), who made the payments, has not had an office in the building since stepping down as treasurer in 2010. Barcenas is also suing the Turn to page 5


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the olive press - March 7 - March 20, 2013

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Bad luck for ‘lucky’ Wilson A CONVICTED expat murderer who gunned down an Brit in Mijas Costa has been denied an appeal. Eric ‘Lucky’ Wilson, 29, was sentenced to 23 years for gunning down expat Dan Smith in cold blood in 2011. Police later found an arsenal of weapons at his home in Coin and discovered two packages of explosives; three hand grenades, two detonators and 180 rounds of ammunition.

GUNNED DOWN: Dan Smith shot in cold blood The Irishman hoped to escape an additional five and a half year sentence for possession of the weapons by claiming they were not his. He insisted they were found in a storage shed by his house, which other people had access to, rather than in his own home. However, the Supreme Court found there to be no evidence of other people using the shed, and some of the material was found inside the property. The Olive Press broke the exclusive story about how he had shot Smith in the head after he stood up for a girl in a pub who Wilson was pestering.

Expat busted with €170,000 in cash

A BRITISH national has been stopped at Malaga airport on suspicion of money laundering. The man arrived from Lisbon and used items of clothing and other objects in an attempt to disguise €170,000 hidden in his suitcase. Airport officials called the Guardia Civil when the man was unable to prove how he had acquired such a large amount of cash.

CRIME NEWS

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Solar scam?

Energy investment ‘scheme’ strikes again

A BRITISH man is taking legal action after losing €25,000 investment in a solar venture managed by a serial bankrupt. George Oliver, 70, from Kent, called in police after investing €25,000 in a solar energy scheme through Marbella-based firm Finance Energy. He was sold 25 bonds worth €1,000 each by a salesman of the company. He was promised an annual return of 9.5%, signing the contract while holidaying in Fuengirola in May 2011. However, alarm bells started to ring when his first payment did not arrive a year later. “I knew I should have a payment coming but it just never came,” said Oliver. “I had gone to a lot of trouble to check this company out, I even saw them advertising on big billboards across the south of Spain.” The Olive Press first reported on the Elviria-based company in April last year after brothers Malcom, 66, and Ken Nall, 68, lost €6,000 under similar circumstances. Unable to track the salesman who sold him the bonds, Oliver went straight to company director Michael James Rimell. “I called Rimell, explained the situation and then the line just went dead,” he explained. “He rang back later saying all I can tell you is you’ve lost your money and you will have to speak to my lawyer.” Oliver alleges that Rimell’s lawyer later informed him the company had gone bust and Rimell was bankrupt.

EXCLUSIVE By Mason Jones Rimell had previously been the owner of a British company, called Design and Build Systems Limited that went into insolvent liquidation in 2010. The lawyer added there was no proof that he had actually paid either Rimell or the company at all. “It was an outrage. Rimell clearly did not declare my payments and has clearly taken my money!” said Oliver, who has now denounced Rimell to Spanish police, alleging fraud. An initial court hearing took place last month in Fuengirola. Oliver now hopes more victims of the scheme will come forward to strengthen his case. The Olive Press was unable to contact Michael Rimell, and the company website www.fin-energy.com is no longer in use.

Wedding planner snared From Page 1

couples were left high and dry on the day of their wedding, in October, when Dankerpocketed funds for suppliers. Last month, 31-year-old groom Keith Comerford told the Olive Press he is still owed money by Danker and called for more victims to come forward. It can also be revealed that Danker is the brother-in-law of Ireland’s Justice Minister Alan Shatter.


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Giant creature – two metres in length – could be a danger to families who regularly visit inland lake

POLICE have been called in after a ‘giant reptile’ was spotted beside a lake near La Cala de Mijas. The Guardia Civil’s nature protection arm Seprona is investigating the sighting of what is believed to be a crocodile living in the lake, just inland from the coast. It comes after Mario Calven-

NEWS

The Hunt is on for the La Cala Croc! By Rebecca Maguire te, a gardener from Marbella came across the beast in a clearing, dozing in the sun. Sitting beside the lake, which sits on the border of Mijas, Marbella and Ojen, it came as a massive shock.

“I know what I saw, it wasn’t an iguana. It was two metres long, with a big snout and small eyes on top of its head,” he explained. The sound of his moped woke up the relaxed reptile, which slid off slowly into the water. Unfortunately the gardener didn’t get any snaps of the

THERE’S ONLY ONE DIRECTION FIVE of the most popular boys in pop are coming to Spain this summer to whip hoards of fans into a frenzy. British lads Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry and Louis – better known as One Direction – will create a buzz hardly not seen since The Beatles when they play two shows, in Barcelona on May 22 and Madrid on May 24. The band, who started out on ITV’s the X Factor are now one of the biggest acts in the world having recently cracked America and sold 14 million singles and 8 million albums. It won’t be the first time One Direction have been on Spanish soil, the Olive Press recently reported how expat masseuse, Michelle Honeker, refused to give them all a massage when they visited the Pangea nightclub in Puerto Banus, claiming they ON TOUR: Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry & Louis at the Brits looked ‘too young’. THE King’s son-in-law has tried desperately to distance the Royal Family from the fraud accusations made against him. Inaki Urdangain is accused of siphoning cash from the Noos Foundation, a nonprofit sports organisation,

Trouble at the Palace to offshore bank accounts with business partner Diego Torres. Urdangarin, who denies any wrong-doing, released a

the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

statement this week insisting: “The king’s household neither opined on, advised, authorised or backed my activities.” The case sparked further outrage when it was revealed his wife, Princess Cristina, served as a board member for the organisation. Urdangarin is the only key figure in the family not to have visited King Carlos during his recent hospital spell, while his biography on the official royal website has been removed.

Out of action for good? THE future of King Juan Carlos’ reign is looking more uncertain than ever after undergoing an operation for a slipped disc. The 75-year-old monarch is reportedly unable to attend duties for two to six months. The news comes after Catalan socialist leader Pere Navarro called for the King’s abdication in favour of Prince Felipe. The King has been under considerable pressure over recent months over allegations that he helped his son-in-law, Iñaki Urdangarin, cover-up a fraud and money laundering scam.

croc. “I didn’t want to hang around,” he admitted. The area’s labyrinth of streams and lakes is perfect for fishing... or it used to be. “People came here to fish until a year ago,” recounted Calvente. “In fact we have been noticing that the fish were disappearing. I don’t think it’s a co-incidence...”. He believes it could be a crocodile that’s been abandoned or a circus escapee that has retired in La Cala.

Hard Knock Life A BROADWAY classic is heading to the Costa del Sol this month. A new production of Annie will see Fuengirola residents singing along to numbers such as Tomorrow and It’s the Hard Knock Life. Broadway tradition also dictates Sandy, the stray dog befriended by Annie, should always be played by a real abandoned dog and this production is no different. Thankfully, the pooch playing Sandy in Fuengirola has now been adopted by a member of the cast. The production will be held at the Salon Varietes Theatre from March 16 to March 24, for more information call 952 474 542

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KEEPING MUM... Shakira stays slim after giving birth SPANISH-based singer Shakira is the latest celebrity to rile new mums by appearing looking radiant and slim just weeks after giving birth. Attending a gallery opening in Barcelona, the singer showed no signs of the sleep deprivation and exhaustion many new parents find they are suffering after welcoming a new baby into their lives. The 36-year-old Colombian singer gave birth to son, Milan, just five weeks ago but was photographed at the gallery opening in Barcelona looking slimmer than ever wearing tight jeans and a low-cut top. The stunning songstress is in a longterm relationship with Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique. The singer even took their new arrival to watch the 26-year-old footballer play for Barcelona... and he even scored the winning goal.


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NEWS

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Gangnam-style carnival

PRIMARY and secondary school pupils at Swans donned fancy dress costumes for Carnival day. Primary students were treated to a special carnival lunch while the secondary school had a ‘Gangnam Style’ musical finale from Year 9.

VICTORY!

AN elderly couple involved in a long-running battle with their bank after a home insurance cock-up have received a payout thanks to the Olive Press. It comes after we reported how pensioners Terry and Doreen Barker, both in their 70s, were devastated to discover they were not covered by their insurer, Caser, after being burgled in May 2011. Despite being persuaded to switch to the company by their bank Unicaja in 2009, the direct debit scheme had not been set up properly. Now the bank has agreed it made a mistake and coughed

Insurance stitch up couple get payout from their bank after Olive Press story

up just over €5,000 to compensate them for the loss of jewellery, possessions and damage to their home. The bank had initially insisted that the Barkers should have been checking the direct debits had been paid. Mr Barker said: “The bank finally agreed to meet with us and said they would pay us half the money. “The manager said he had seen the article in the Olive

Press and that he wanted to put things right. “However, we really felt this wasn’t enough especially considering we have had to pay out about €1,500 for a solicitor to deal with our case. “Following another meeting we have now reached a much more satisfactory settlement. “I would like to thank the Olive Press for all the help they have given us.”


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NEWS

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Taking another dive A TOWN councillor who resigned over a raunchy sex tape is returning to the limelight. Olvido Hormigos, the former PSOE councillor, who appeared in the infamous clip, is now reported to have signed a €30,000 contract to appear on reality show Mira Quien Salta. Similar to British show Splash, the show puts celebrities against each other in a high-diving competition. Last year Hormigos’ home-made clip went viral on social networking sites after it was allegedly leaked by a 27-year-old footballer. The mother-of-two also accused the PP-ruled Los Yebenes Town Hall of spreading the video, claiming she saw it in an email from the mayor’s office.

EXPAT BOY SEX ABUSE SCANDAL EXCLUSIVE: Social services investigate 12-year-old after four victims come forward

A PROBE has been launched after a 12-year-old expat was accused of a shocking string of sex attacks in Andalucia. Social services are investigating how the English boy was allegedly able to rape and sexually assault four fellow pupils from his school in the Guadalhorce Valley. The incidents involve the rape of a boy, aged 11, and another boy, aged 8, both also English expats. Two girls, both aged 5, are also believed to have been sexually assaulted. The father of one of the girls involved, who cannot be

Boy sets teacher’s hair on fire A 16-YEAR-OLD student has been arrested after setting fire to his teacher’s hair. The incident happened at the Vicente Aleixandre school in Barbate. The boy, who already has a criminal record for attempted assault, used a lighter to start the fire. The teacher was initially unaware of the flames which were put out by other students. The boy is now in the custody of his parents after being released.

By Frances Leate named for legal reasons, has come forward after local police refused to investigate. Speaking to the Olive Press, he said: “It is only now, months after the incidents that social services are investigating. “All the parents involved have been unhappy about this boy continuing to attend the same school but school bosses insist they are powerless to do anything about it. “The local police refused to take a statement and record it, the Guardia Civil did record it but gave us the impression that they could not be bothered and I have lost count of the amount of lawyers I have contacted and none of them want to know.” The well-spoken father, from the south of England, has been fighting to get counselling and help for all

the children, including the 12-year-old perpetrator. He said: “Our main concern has been to get help for these children, including the boy who has been engaging in this very worrying behaviour. “The whole episode has been devastating for all the families involved and I understand it is a very sensitive and unpleasant case but it shouldn’t be simply brushed under the carpet. “We need the help and support of the Spanish authorities to tackle this in the best possible way.” Because the boy who committed the assaults is under 14, Spanish police have no powers to take action. However the father is worried by ignoring such incidents it was risking the safety and well-being of other children. Social services are now speaking with all the families involved to see what action, if any, should be taken.

All out war at the PP From Page 1

party for unfair dismissal, claiming he was fired the same day El Pais published ledgers which imply PP members received bonuses from the slush-fund. According to the lawsuit, Barcenas claims he was paid €21,300 per month to advise the party after stepping down as treasurer in 2010. Barcenas filed the lawsuit the same day he appeared before the High Court to explain the €38 million he allegedly held in Swiss bank accounts. Judge Pablo Ruz is currently investigating the documents to determine whether illegal donations were made to the party between 1990 and 2008.

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FEATURE

the olive press - March 7 - March 20, 2013

OPINION Our duty to report EVERY now and then a story comes along that few journalists relish writing. The story of sexual abuse at a Malaga school featured in this issue was one of them. But while the shocking story may make for unpleasant reading, it is important that these incidents are bought to the attention of the public. They definitely should not be brushed under the carpet like many people would like. The sooner these things are bought out into the open the sooner all the children involved can be given the help they need. The devastated father of one of the young victims has every right to be angry and has spoken out after being ignored by the authorities including the police and teachers at his child’s school. Indeed, he felt he had no other option but to contact the Olive Press in the hope that these saddening incidents can be bought to light before something even more horrific happens.

Under attack It was a sad day when Andalucia’s oldest expat radio station Coastline FM was taken off air this week after receiving an order from the Junta. Despite being in a crisis the Spanish authorities are continuing to make it difficult for expat stations by refusing to renew their licences and it would be awful if they were not allowed to return. It is unknown how soon the station will be able to serve its community again and we wish it the best of luck for getting back on air. In an age where the power of the radio continues to grow, we are happy to announce we will be supporting another successful station, Talk Radio Europe, as they host Cudeca’s charity telethon on Friday. Listen in and get bidding!

Karma? Sue and Howard Danker disappeared from the Costa del Sol last year after leaving dozens of couples without their nuptials. As reported in the Olive Press, the former Marbella couple probably thought they would get away with it when they left for Ireland, their pockets full of cash. After all, Howard Danker’s brother is the Irish Justice Minister. However, it seems that their chequered past has caught up with them, after he was arrested in connection with a property fraud. While, so far, his arrest does not appear to be linked to his wife’s defunct wedding business, it does go to show there is only so much you can get away with. Karma does have a way of catching up with you!

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The original and only English-language investigative newspaper in Andalucía

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Tel: 951166060 (admin) or 951127006 (editorial) A campaigning, community newspaper, the Olive Press represents the huge expatriate community in southern Spain - 186,000 copies distributed monthly (120,000 digitally) with an estimated readership, including the website, of more than 500,000 people a month. Luke Stewart Media S.L - CIF: B91664029 Urb Cayetano Arroyo, Buzon 13, Arriate 29350 Malaga Printed by Corporación de Medios de Andalucía S.A. Editor: Jon Clarke jon@theolivepress.es Reporters: Frances Leate frances@theolivepress.es Mason Jones mason@theolivepress.es Kathryn Richardson kathryn@theolivepress.es

Distribution: 951 166 060 Admin/advertising sales: Pauline Olivera admin@theolivepress.es SALES TEAM: West Costa del Sol Jane Jewson 673 958 858 Axarquia Charlie Bamber 661 452 180 Cadiz Elizabeth Gould 683 337 342 Ronda/San Pedro/Marbella Jon Clarke 691 831 399

In a heart-warming feature on Cudeca’s cancer hospice, Kathryn Richardson explains why anyone living in Andalucia must make a bid for one of the prizes at the Cudeca Telethon sponsored by the Olive Press this Friday

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ITTING in the comfortable reception area at Cudeca’s headquarters in Benalmadena feels more like a hotel than a hospice with its brightly-coloured walls and a charming little courtyard garden which exudes an overbearing sense of peace and tranquility. But I was suddenly struck by the reality that for most patients this will be the place where they say their final farewells and take their very last breaths. This is all brought home talking to retired nursing director Susan Hannam, 66, as we sit in a quiet corner of a space dedicated as a chapel, with stained glass windows and flowers on a table. In a softly spoken Yorkshire burr, she begins to tell me her story of her two decades working at the sharp end of palliative care on the Costa del Sol. I was immediately lost for words. Skipton-raised Susan, who trained as a nurse in Leeds, had got involved in the

We are looking at the whole situation that the patient and family are going through hospice via her neighbour Joan Hunt, 84, whose husband Fred died of cancer in the 1970s. No longer able to look after Fred, Joan was helped by the Red Cross Hospital, in Malaga, but was devastated she could not look after him at home. So with the flower money from his funeral, Joan bought curtains and bed spreads to donate to the Hospice Movement and started fundraising to start a charity of her own. By 1992 Cudeca, an acronym for Cuidados del Cancer or in English ‘Cancer Care’, was officially registered and Joan’s dream to help other terminally ill

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The ladies who made a difference

patients die at home began. By 1995 they had raised enough money to start building on a plot donated by Benalmadena Town Hall and since opening in 2000, they are the only hospice in Spain, providing palliative care for the terminally ill, either at home or in their inpatients centre. Susan, who still volunteers with Cudeca, was astonished at how fast the hospice grew, particularly after the Spanish Health Service recognised how important the movement was. “When somebody is going through a terminal illness the doctors only see the illness but we are looking at the whole situation that the patient and family are going through and make them as comfortable as possible,” explains the mother-of-two, who has two grandchildren. Suffering is something that we cannot get rid of but we can make it easier.” The team provides everything from counselling to specialist treatment and focuses on the patients and their families as a whole. “Cancer was a taboo subject when we first started but now people are more open because one in every

Did you know....? 1. Cudeca has arranged for patients to get married to their partners in their final days. 2. If every patient’s family donated €10 a month, Cudeca would not need to fundraise. 3. Cudeca has seen over 7500 patients since opening in 1992. 4. 85% of inpatients are Spanish. 5. Many of Cudeca’s volunteers are retired with one lady still helping in her 90s! 6. There is no word for ‘hospice’ in Spanish.

three people have been touched by it,” Susan added. The charity has four home care teams who support at least 170 patients at a time and a helpline that is open 365 days a year. And with the huge network of support and care provided by Cudeca, it’s easy to forget the cost of running it. Susan explains: “People do not realise that we have a budget of €3million a year and that we need to raise that. “We are in a bad year this year because we have a deficit and it is the community that have supported us and we really need them to carry on supporting.” Around 30% of Cudeca’s income comes from the 12 shops they operate with the help of 640 volunteers.


FEATURE

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LIFETIME´S WORK: Joan Hunt with Antonio Banderas and (right) at the inauguration in the 1990s They also have annual events such as the walkathon in May and a ‘Light a Light’ night at Christmas when bereaved families can return to the hospice and light a candle in remembrance of their loved ones. But the talk of the Costa del Sol at the moment is the charity’s forthcoming annual Telethon this Friday. The Olive Press is once again exclusive sponsor for the event which will be hosted by Talk Radio Europe in San Pedro

and is offering charity lots which listeners can bid on. With everything from rounds of golf with football stars to luxury weekend breaks, it is hoped that the day will raise at least €25,000. This is the magic number needed to pay for one auxiliary nurse in their inpatients department as well as to help support their home care teams. Susan, who has lived in Benalmadena for 40 years, could not stress more how

TELETHON LOTS With 99 lots on the list so far here’s some of our favourites: Two tickets to the X Factor Tour 2014 worth €150. Classes for ten months in a group at Bi Lingua worth €865. Easter Cream Tea with chocolate and cheese worth €35. A full body massage with essential oils worth €60. A children’s birthday party in Marbella

at Galaxia Play Centre worth €350. Golf for four at Los Barrancos de la Zagaleta including buggy and drinks worth €500. An exclusive lesson in how to be a radio presenter including an hour on air with Talk Radio Europe worth €500. And, last but not least, win a 3-month classified advertising campaign for your business worth €343 in the Olive Press.

important the Telethon is and how the event brings in vital funds every year. “I am really praying it will be a good day,” she continues. Her ultimate dream would be to open a children’s hospice too. “We get people as young as 17 coming here but we don’t really take the younger children and if we had more money we would love to do a lot more for them,” she adds. It’s clear Susan’s passion for the project will never end. She herself suffered from breast cancer ten years ago, while both her mother and mother-in-law died from it. “You never think it’s going to touch you, that you are going to need the care of a hospice and it’s only afterwards that you realise.” So to make a difference why not get involved in the Telethon? – you never know when you might need Cudeca. For more information and a full list of lots visit www.tretelethon.com To donate lots to the the telethon or for more information about Cudeca call Laura Haggis on 952 564 910, email pr@ cudeca.org or visit www.cudeca.org.

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8 News IN BRIEF

Squat hope ANTI-eviction group Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca, are searching Malaga city for uninhabited buildings owned by banks or public administrations for homeless families to live in.

No crime A Malaga prosecutor found no evidence of criminal liability connected to the death of a six-year-old boy when he was run over by one of the floats during the city’s Three Kings procession in January.

Gang busted Police have made 36 arrests and seized assets valued at €15 million in connection with a prostitute ring operating across Andalucia.

NEWS

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Ryanair ‘rip-off’ Pensioners believe company uses delaying tactics to make punters give up claims AN ELDERLY expat couple are warning other travellers not to bother using insurance through Ryanair. Britons John and Ann Miles, both in their sixties, claim they were ripped off after being forced to cancel a flight to England due to John’s severe back pain. Despite contacting the airline 12 days before they were due to fly Ryanair still pocketed the majority of the 197 euro booking, which included insurance. John had been forced to cancel their UK trip after he received nine injections between December 29 2012 and January 25 2013 and was told to claim on the insurance. However, after sending several letters to the airline, the couple, who live in Alicante, were told the company could

EXCLUSIVE by Kathryn Richardson not accept their signed medical documents. They were told they would have to fill in and pay for the company’s own claim form and after three months of wrangling could only claim €70. The Miles have now dropped the claim due to financial reasons and slammed the third party company UK General Insurance for ‘delaying tactics’. They have now called in the insurance ombudsman in the UK to investigate. “It was not worth following up any further,” John said. “Taking out insurance is meant to give you peace of mind but since booking with Ryanair I have had nothing but stress which my doctor has also had to treat me for,” he added.


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NEWS

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NEWS

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Pawsome Tale

The amazing story of Eva the unwanted hunter dog, a death sentence and a 2000km round trip ending in Scandanavia By Rebecca Lipcsei IT has all the makings of a Hollywood film – a goodie, a baddie, a hero and a loveable mutt to boot – and even the almost unbelievable happy ending. After her Spanish owner, a hunter, no longer wanted her, Eva, the six-year old Breton Spaniel hunting dog was taken to a vet to be put down. However, the Algeciras vet felt unable to administer the lethal dose and took the dog up to the local municipal pound in nearby Los Barrios. And from there, rescue charity Spanish Stray Dogs found the unwanted dog a home abroad. However, while waiting for the paperwork to be completed, Eva went to stay at a temporary foster home in Estepona, but after a few days ran off during a walk. And despite searches and a €300 reward, posters going up and even a Facebook campaign she completely vanished. That was until several months later when in January, Eva’s original owner, the hunter, received a phone call from a dog pound in Don Benito, near Badajoz, some 180km away. Somehow she had made it there and been traced through her microchip. After he got in touch with the vet to find out what had happened she was once again returned to the Estepona foster home and from there finally got on a flight to her adopted family in Scandinavia.

LUCKY: Eva with shelter volunteer “Eva is an incredible dog,” said Susan Gill, 52, a shelter volunteer. “She has had the most amazing journey - sentenced to death but it seems as though she had other ideas!”


NEWS

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the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

The faces in my village!

News IN BRIEF

IT is certainly one of the more ambitious art projects of recent years. And now visitors to Hotel Molino del Santo, in Benaojan, near Ronda, can enjoy the wonderful collection of paintings from one expat’s village. In total, Christine Ellingham has pained no less than 42 locals from her village of Benaojan. Here, hotel owner Pauline Elkin poses by her portrait. The detailed pieces of art in watercolour and acrylic are on display until March 31.

Plastic fines MOTORISTS must now pay their road fines by debit or credit card, losing the 30% discount they normally received by paying in cash.

Benefit pair jailed Left out in the cold for six months

SIX months on from the devastating fires that ripped through Malaga, hundreds of victims are still seeking permission to rebuild their lives. The victims of the Phoenix Campaign have been left out in the cold, after the Junta banned homeowners from starting even essential repair work on their fire damaged properties. Under draconian planning rules, it has insisted they need to get full planning permission, which victims fear could take years. And despite support from the Mijas mayor, the ombudsman and the British embassy, the Junta has so far refused to budge. It has also failed to respond to them in the required six month period. To get in touch with members of the group to offer support email: victimasdelincendio@hotmail.com

AN expat couple have been sent to prison after being caught claiming benefits for a dead relative. Britons Michael Higgs and Nancy Rutter stole over €45,000 after claiming Higgs’ father, who died in 2005, was still alive. The pair, who lived in Malaga, continued to receive the dead man’s pension and benefits for eight years until they were finally caught. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) only discovered the fraud after matching the death with Spanish records. Both were found guilty of

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Costa couple snared after claiming dead father’s benefits for eight years

fraud in London and ordered to pay the money back. Higgs also received an 18-month sentence while Rutter was given two concurrent sentences of 30 and 18 months. The news comes as UK and Spanish authorities agreed to share information in order to catch benefit fraudsters out. The arrangement is part of a clamp-down on expatriates who cheat the system

by deliberately failing to report the death of a family member. A spokesman for the DWP said a criminal record could be avoided by keeping them informed of any change in personal circumstances. For more information, or to report a fraudster, visit www.dwp.gov.uk/benefitthieves-spain or call the benefit fraud hotline in Spain on 900 554 440. Also contact newsdesk@ theolivepress.es

Ticket slash Malaga’s Thyssen museum has slashed its prices by nearly half from €6 to €3.5 in order to attract more visitors.

Smart drivers Cab drivers in Benalmadena have been ordered to ‘suitup’ for work and now have to wear long trousers, closed-toe shoes and a shirt or polo shirt.

Car fund A judge has authorised the sale of four of Juan Antonio Roca’s Mercedes cars to cover his court costs in the corruption case at Marbella town hall.


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GREEN NEWS

AN expat-designed carbon neutral house has been chosen as one of Spain’s most innovative projects. Casa Kanta Reya designed by Kathrin Geissler is the first housing project selected as a finalist at the Genera environmental trade fair in Madrid. The German architect was praised for using natural sources of energy such as biomass, solar, thermal and wind. The home, nestled into rolling hills near Alicante, also captures its own water and recycles its own waste. It has been given the highest energy rating Type A. She said: “By submerging itself into the landscape, it not only allows its residents to disconnect from life’s stresses, it means the environmentally friendly home has the highest energy rating possible “Great for the environment, and economical for its owners.” For more information visit www.estudio030.com

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Going underground

NATURAL LIVING: Carbon neutral house

Hard shoulder Building for a green future

SHELVED: No motorway through valley By Kathryn Richardson A CONTROVERSIAL motorway plan has been shelved. The toll motorway that would have carved its way through the protected Serrania de Ronda from the coast has been scrapped. The route was deemed impractical after a report found the environmental and economic disadvantages outweighed any benefits. The plans were first proposed in 2007 by the Junta, despite widespread opposition. The Olive Press was one of the first to question the motorway’s necessity at a press conference with the Minister of Public Works Concepción Gutiérrez in Ronda. We joined local pressure groups, who argued it was a waste of money, unnecessary and would be damaging to the environment. The road would have carved through virgin woodland in the stunning Genal Valley and disrupted the small rural community there. After six years the protesters have won their battle. “The link road would have a severe environmental impact on the flora, fauna,

Plans for motorway between San Pedro and Ronda have been shelved landscape and protected areas,” said a spokesman for Ecologistas en Accion. Finally it was ruled that the new route would not be economically viable with the current levels of traffic. However, the decision to shelve the plans means the existing road from Ronda to San Pedro will continue to be the most dangerous in the Malaga Province.

AN ingenious company has been set up by expats to produce furniture made out of recycled wood. The Ronda-based company Almacen 5 can offer all range of custom designed beds, tables and chairs. “But we can pretty much create anything you want from headboards to bookcases,” explained Dutch owner Marieke Vaandrager. The wood, which comes from 100% reclaimed stock, is finished in hand-painted white, grey or beige ‘limewash’ and the ageing of the wood creates its unique colour and character. “We get the wood from lots of places and includes scaffolding planks and boxes,” adds the motherof-two who has lived in Ronda with husband Alfons for a decade. “Even better we think it’s very affordable, particularly compared with other manufacturers here in Spain.” The company is currently fitting out bars and restaurants and has become increasingly busy since launching in the new year. There is a 10% discount for first time customers. Visit www.almacen5.es for more info.


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THE OLIVE PRESS IS NOW DISTRIBUTING 3,500 COPIES ON THE ROCK Here are the main places stocking the Olive Press in Gibraltar: • Café Fresco • O’Reileys • Ibex Insurance • Morrisons • Elliot Hotel • Sacarellos • ICC Shopping Centre • Cafe Solo • Café Rojo • Colourworks • Rolex • Caleta Hotel • Ibex Insurance • Eroski city (Waitrose) • Gala Casion • King’s Bastion

He missed the Battle of Trafalgar to battle a yellow fever in Gibraltar.. now surgeon’s medals are up for auction

GIBRALTAR NEWS

Auction fever

Migrant tragedy

TWO people including a Moroccan rescuer have died after a dinghy carrying illegal immigrants capsized in the Strait of

EXCLUSIVE By Frances Leate A STRING of rare medals awarded to Lord Nelson’s surgeon after he helped to combat an outbreak of yellow fever in Gibraltar are up for auction in London. The medals, belonging to Horatio Nelson’s personal surgeon, Sir George Magrath, will be offered at Bonhams sale of Coins and Medals on March 27. Expected to sell for € 9,000 to €12,000, the medals were awarded for Magrath’s work as Inspector of Hospitals and Fleets for the Royal Navy. Ironically Magrath had earlier spent three years in the West Indies, where he contracted yellow fever, which led to the loss of vision in his left eye. In spite of this handicap, he was promoted to Royal

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Gibraltar. Two others remain missing after the incident. A maritime rescue spokesman said: “Spanish rescuers located three of the five migrants who were on board the dinghy, one of whom had died. “The two survivors were A NEW law, passed on January 1, suffering from which limits the number of cigasevere hyporettes people can bring out of Gibralthermia and tar, is being challenged. were taken to The law, introduced by the SpanTarifa.” ish Government, and designed to Attempts by Afcrackdown on tobacco trafficking, ricans to reach states that residents of La Linea and the Spanish the nearby Campo de Gibraltar area coast on makeare only able to bring 80 cigarettes shift boats and out of the country every calendar illegally enter month. Europe happen However, if you are living in anothfrequently and er part of the Costa del Sol you can have increased bring out 200. in the past few The ASCTEG union, that represents months. Last workers in Gib, is now challenging October, at the law, claiming the rules are unleast 16 illegal constitutional and discriminatory migrants were against locals. The union has called found dead tryon the Andalucia ombudsman, Jose ing to reach Chamizo to take up the issue. Spain from Morocco.

Cig law is ‘unconstitutional’, claims union

Navy surgeon and after four months recuperation, he joined H.M.S. Adamant. In 1804 there was an outbreak of yellow fever in Gibraltar, killing almost 6,000 people. Nelson left Magrath in charge of the Naval Hospital to try and limit the spread of the deadly disease and sailed off to his date with destiny, at Trafalgar. Magrath described missing

out on the nearby Battle of Trafalgar as ‘mortifying’. In his diary he wrote: “When superseded and cut off from re-joining my Patron, Lord Nelson, by which I lost not only my situation (which as Flag-Surgeon was due by right of service) but had the additional mortification of not sharing in the glory of the Battle of Trafalgar, which would have infallibly led to promotion.”


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NERJA Town Hall is calling for a change in legislation after over 180,000 of renovation funding was withheld by the Junta. The money was promised to the town for renovating its emblematic Aguila aqueduct near Maro nearly two years ago. 8pictured right) However the Junta claims it cannot release the funds until other nearby towns have finished various other individual projects. The aqueduct was built in the 19th century to carry water to the now-derelict San Joaquin sugar factory. It still carries water for irrigation purposes.

AXARQUIA NEWS

Money over the bridge

COSTLY: Repaired, but not repaid

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Coastline FM forced off air by Junta EXPATS in the Axarquia are horrified after finding out the oldest English language radio station on the Costa del Sol has been taken off air. Bosses at Coastline FM announced last week that the Junta had ordered them to leave their frequency 97.6 or face a fine of at least €101,000. The station’s David Wilcocks confirmed the shut-down but insisted it was only temporary. He said: “We’re sorry about having to take the temporary step. However, it’s not the end of Coastline. “We’d like to thank our loyal advertisers and listeners for their patience during this time.” Coastline FM is one of more than 100 stations to received the order, with many other

expat stations around Spain feeling the heat. “The company which operates Coastline FM is fully legal but the Junta continues to refuse to issue any new broadcasting licences, a position which it has maintained for a decade,” added a Coastline FM spokesman. The station, which opened in 1989, will continue online at www.coastline.fm Torrox holidaymaker and artist, Maggie Riordan, 57, said she was alarmed by the news. “I’m going to miss Coastline and hope it comes back on air again as soon as possible,” she said. “I have many friends in their early 60s who live here and are not computer savvy so will be lost without their radio, and soon, their telly as well. Thank goodness for free English newspapers.”

DOWN AND OUT DONKEYS Donkeys’ star status won’t save them from eviction

A POPULAR donkey sanctuary is being forced to move due to strict new regulations. Organisers now fear for its future after being told that the centre - which is Nerja’s top tourist attraction according to Trip Advisor - is too near the town, at just 150 metres away. Under new rules any equine rescue centre must be at least 500 metres from a town.

Co-operation

Sanctuary organisers are now being forced to look for suitable land, but as president Harriet Horne explains it’s expected to be a long process and has come at a difficult time. “Visitor numbers are usually lower at this time of year and with the cost of feed and IVA increasing, things are difficult, “she told the Olive Press. “So it is not the best time.” She added that the animals could only move in once a

By Rebecca Maguire new site had been approved by the town hall. “But we’re hoping once the move is complete we’ll finally be able to co-exist in co-operation with the town hall.” The centre, which is open all year and free to the public, relies entirely on donations. Organisers now hope to

raise necessary funds via a new website www.nerjadonkeysanctuary.com. Various fundraising nights have been organized starting this month with a quiz night at The Boathouse Bar, in Nerja on March 6. For more information on the sanctuary contact Judith Buchanan on judithmbuchanan@gmail. com or telephone 618467575


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POTTED POINTERS ANDALUCIA RESERVOIR LEVELS This week: 83.70% full Same week last year: 76.84% Same week in 2003: 60.57% AIRPORTS Gibraltar 00350 22073026 Granada-Jaen 958 245 200 Jerez - 956 150 000 Malaga - 952 048 844* *For English press 9 Sevilla - 954 449 000 EMERGENCIES Police 091 Guardia Civil 062 Medical service 061 Fire 080 EURO EXCHANGE RATES 1 euro is worth 1.3 American Dollars 0.6 British Pounds 1.34 Canadian Dollars 7.46 Danish Kroner 10.08 H Kong Dollars 7.44 Norwegian Kroner 1.62 Singapore Dollars

LETTERS

From Heaven or Hell? FOLLOWING a series of reports in the UK press about the Marconfort Beach Club Hotel, in Torremolinos, and how more than a thousand guests had been paid millions in compensation after getting food poisoning during their stay in 2007, we sent one of our reporters along to find out if the hotel really was ‘the worst in Spain’. The candid feature caused quite a stir with a number of our readers…. Dear Olive Press, I have just read your reporters article about the Marconfort Beach Club Hotel in Torremolinos (Inside Faulty Towers, issue 155, p6-7) and I do not think your reporter stayed at the same hotel we did. We were sat in reception and heard no noise from the show bar. The food was plentiful and well presented, with plenty of choice. We didn’t see any queues or pushing in the restaurant, the door of the restaurant was not manned by security guards but a maitre d’.

The bedrooms were quite large enough and in fact our son’s room had two beds in it. The car park is small, but there was loads of parking only 100 metres away on the beachfront. This article seems to have been written by looking up bad comments on TripAdvisor. We stayed last week, when the hotel was full and found lots of return guests and generally very happy guests. This is not the unbiased reporting we expect from the Olive Press, and maybe an up to date photograph may have convinced me your reporter actually stayed at the Beach Club.....but probably not. This kind of reporting can damage a hotels reputation, maybe your reporter would be better off working for the gutter press, e.g. The Sun.

over the world, both for business and pleasure, and I stayed at this hotel at the beginning of February. I thought your reporter was unjust in her comments; yes the car park is small but there is loads of parking through the back gate on the prom, and it’s free. The hotel cannot be blamed for the behaviour of ‘Brits Abroad’ but I am sure the Glasgow hens would be delighted to know the scathing way your reporter referred to them. The rooms are clean, well maintained and most have a side sea view. Obviously your reporter is used to the Empire Suite at Claridges with Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen.

Jan Stroud, sent by email

RE Your report on YouTube TV, you clearly got a bit carried away with love for Jamie Oliver - to “pucker” is to purse the lips as for a kiss, whereas his catchphrased ‘pukka’ is of Hindi/Urdu origin, meaning ‘real’ or ‘genuine’.

Dear Olive Press, I have just read an article in your newspaper concerning ‘faulty towers’. I have never read such a pompous load of tripe in my life. I have stayed in hotels all

PUKKA PERFECT Dear Olive Press,

Peter Courtney, Comares

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It is a well run, family, allinclusive hotel, that offers good value for money and your reporter sounded most disappointed to find returning guests and an overall satisfaction among guests. Maybe this reporter would be better with the “Marbella set” of pompous ex-pats who believe knocking Spain is amusing. This is Torremolinos not Paris. I’m glad so many people return to this hotel, as I shall and I hope your article is used, as I have used it, to wrap up fish guts.

Yours Jms for spooky promotions. ED : Ouch! Well, we can assure readers we did stay at the hotel for two nights and all photographs used in the article were ones taken during the stay. There were many things about the hotel we liked and all the guests we met were very friendly. Our writer just wrote about her personal experience and we are glad to hear about some more positive experiences. It clearly has some loyal followers. We are sure it will continue to attract many guests new and old despite the food poisoning incidents and our recent article.

CROSSMOT 3

Across 7 Man (6) * 8 Balancín (6) * 9 Gris (4) * 10 Ahogando (8) * 11 Andando (7) * 13 Vestido (5) * 15 Herida (5) * 17 Crop (7) * 20 Moliendo (8) * 21 Cinta (4) * 22 Prism (6) * 23 Líder (6). Down 1 Strap (6) * 2 Obedecer (4) * 3 Lectura (7) * 4 These (5) * 5 Northern (3, 5) * 6 Pinturas (6) * 12 Bondad (8) * 14 Aproximadamente (7) * 16 Worker (6) * 18 Saltó (6) * 19 Cigarro (5) * 21 Brings (4).

MAKE SURE YOU ARE SWITCHED ON! Dear Olive Press, Many thanks for running our story where Endesa has been charging our community for the WRONG meter. (Homeowners demand refund after paying thousands for neighbour’s pool for a decade, Issue 155, p8.) Your readers should check to see if the meter number on the bill matches the number on the meter. We were in Endesa’s Nerja office and the customer ahead of us had the same problem and had taken his lawyer with him to sort the matter out. It is quite clear that Endesa do NOT CARE who pays the bill as long as it gets the money. Chris Wood, Nerja

BLEEDING EXPATS DRY? Dear Olive Press, John Attenborough is obviously angry (letters page issue 155) - the plus valia figure he quotes is amazing as this is a percentage of the increase in the land value since the previous sale. Have they found oil under his land? However his comments about bleeding expats dry are off piste. The requirement to complete the new form 720 is not targetted at expats but at tax cheats living in Spain, Spanish, English, German or whatever. It is burdensome in a typically Spanish bureaucratic way but its objective is clear. Those who have hidden assets and income from the tax authorities may be uncovered or risk substantial fines. Some time ago an amnesty was offered to such people to bring in some extra tax but has been deemed not very succesful. For those of us who try to abide by the law, we have no sympathy for those that don’t. We benefit from the health service, the roads, etc. I suspect other national tax authorities may follow the Spanish example ....in Greece! Andrew Jones, Almeria

PLE WR ASE ITE

Letters should be posted to Urb. Cayetano Arroyo, Buzon 13, Arriate 29350, Malaga or emailed to letters@theolivepress.es The writer’s name and address should be provided. Published opinions are not necessarily those of the Editor.


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Cuban legends Buena Vista Social Club set for Marbella show

Havana good time

the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

New Picasso! STAFF restoring one of Picasso’s oldest works have discovered an even earlier portrait hidden on its backing card. Workers at Barcelona’s Picasso Museum removed the cardboard behind Portrait of the Artists Mother to find a charcoal drawing of a man with a pipe. And incredibly it is thought that it was painted even be-

fore the other 1896 painting, which he did at 15. “If it were the other way round, he would have destroyed the pastel drawing at the time of producing it,” said head of restoration Reyes Jimenez. She continued: “His level of knowledge was greater than we thought it was.” In 1970 Picasso donated 921 of his earliest works to the museum.

All aboard Macca’s fame school LEGENDARY Cuban band, The Buena Vista Social Club are set to wow the crowds at Marbella’s Starlight Festival. The Cubana heroes will play their very own brand of son, montuno, danzon and the popular cha cha cha music during their set on August 5. The festival, which takes place from July 23 to August 24, will also feature Spanish stars such as Julio Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz, and Paco de Lucia. There will be 14 concerts in total as well as a host of fashion shows, art exhibitions and food stalls at the popular event. The festival, which is now in its second year, will include the Starlight Gala, hosted by Hollywood actor and on/off Malaga resident, Antonio Banderas and his wife Melanie Griffiths. Angeles Munoz, mayor of Marbella, said

the event will bea huge boost for the economy in Marbella, attracting people from all over the world and creating many temporary jobs. The Buena Vista Social Club, named after a popular members club in Havana frequented by musicians in the 1940s and 50s, have sold out in many of the venues they have played in recent years, including the Olympia in Paris, the Royal Albert Hall in London and the Liceo in Barcelona. The performance will come 16 years after the band released their first studio album in 1997. The band will be accompanied by special guests Omara Portuondo and Eliades Ochoa. For tickets and more information visit: www.starlitefestival.com.

LIVERPOOL’S celebrated ‘Fame School’, co-founded by Sir Paul McCartney (right), has launched in Spain. The college, which is modelled on The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) has opened in Sitges, near Barcelona. The Institute of the Arts Barcelona (IAB) will offer training in various disciplines at foundation, degree and post-graduate levels and the first set of students are due to enrol this September. The school includes a 200-seat theatre, dance and acting studios, video production facilities, recording studios,

learning resource facility and a café and social area. Included in the college’s curriculum will be courses in acting, arts entrepreneurship, dance, film production, musical theatre, popular music and stage management. The original academy was formed out of Sir Paul’s old school in 1995.

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what’s on

F

uengirola

Salon Varietes, March 11, The Andalusian International Artists Group will hold a lecture titled ‘David Hockney: Art as Biography’ hosted by Dr Peter Webb. For more information see: www.aia-artgroup. com

G

ranada

Teatro Pablo Neruda, March 18, The Magee Wind Ensemble & Senior Jazz Band from Vancouver, Canada will be performing a free concert at 8pm. Concerts also to be held in Sevilla and Barcelona. For more information contact: tours@wens.nl

M

ijas

The Danish Club, March 12, Vincent Van Gogh: A Personal Journey Through The Places He Painted, A lecture on the places that inspired the artist through Holland and France. For more information call: 952 590 550


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la cultura www.theolivepress.es

GLIDE: Jon Clarke (below) with Lawrence Williamson and friend takes a ride to Zahara lake, near Grazalema

Ride of you talk radio europe

Jon Clarke heads off on an exhilarating mountain ride with a new motorbike company

I

T was later described to me as ‘the biggest ‘sh** eating grin’ they had ever seen. And I can certainly not remember any experience as exhilarating as racing up into the Grazalema natural park on a monster 650cc Suzuki V-Strom motorbike. Not having riden for over a decade I was a bit rusty and needed some encouragement, which duly arrived from my escorts Lawrence Williamson and friends. A bit nervous for the first ten minutes, as the trafficfree windy roads gave way

to soaring mountains with spectacular views I really felt as free as a bird.

When we finally arrived in the pretty hillside town of Zahara de la Sierra and the excellent res-

Wrong Place Wrong Time A BRITISH man has written a tome about his ‘crazy’ life living in Spain. David Perlmutter’s book, Wrong Place Wrong Time, describes how he travelled to Spain for sun and adventure in the early nineties. However, he became homeless after losing his job and ended up getting investigated for manslaughter when he was accused of starting a fire which led to a death. He insists he had actually saved a woman from a burning hotel fire after hearing screams. While in there he admits to picking up bank cards, which he later used. He claims he was picked up by police after being found at the scene drunk and with the stolen cards. Speaking about the book, he said: “There are moments in the story that I’m not proud of but also there are some that I am.”

taur and I ha


a

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ur life

rant Al Lago for lunch, I was on cloud nine Even better, the enthusiast Torquay, using the proverbial d yes, quite literally could not stop grinning. has a charming four bed- `Plastic Maggot` (CX500) as ad been invited to try out a new business room home, where he can his work horse. that has recently been set up put up groups or couples for As for his tours here in Spain, by motorbike enthusiast Wil- the weekend, providing three he currently has four bikes liamson, 46. meals a day if necessary. available to clients. “One of The former gardener from Williamson started riding which has been lowered for Hastings relocated to Spain to bikes at the age of 17 ini- the shorter rider and I can ‘follow his dream’ of running tially on a Honda CB125T, make minor adjustments to a motorbike business before before moving on to CB250 gear lever, brake pedal Christmas. and handlebars etc, to Fed up with the British suit you, on the first day of weather and ‘increasing’ We plan the routes so that your visit,” he explains. levels of traffic on the UK With full insurance, he is roads, he swapped his life we see an amazing series also able to rent out bikes for one in the Serrania de via his sister company Ronda, where he has in- of roads with various stops Ronda Motorcycle Hire. vested in half a dozen SuIt should be a big year along the way zuki bikes on which he orahead and he is now planganises his tours. ning weekend breaks to The tours, which can last watch the MotoGP and for a day, half day or a week- and a 400 Super Dreams. A World Superbike races at end, have been carefully Yamaha XJ550 and Suzuki Jerez. designed to take in some of GSX750, followed before the Spain’s best scenery. ‘Kawasaki phase’ set in. Visit www.moto-tours“We have planned them so So enthused was he with espana.com we see an amazing series of bikes he eventually got a for more info. roads, with various stops along job as motorbike courier in the way,” explains Williamson. Tunbridge Wells and later

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www.theolivepress.es The Olive Press’

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OP

Spanish students will get opportunity to gain American degree at new college opening in Marbella

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the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013 23 monthly youth and education section

treme

Ticket to Looking at the The States! Labyrinth

A BRAND new university is to open on the Costa del Sol. The American College of Marbella will be offering the popular ‘2+2’ University Transfer Program The accredited college will allow Spanish students to study American SAT tests, English language and TEFL courses for the first two years before completing their university degree in the US. In total, the college opening in September, can enable students

PUPILS at Aloha International College have won the first Costa del Sol Interschool Quiz. The competition, sponsored by i-Answer and the Da Bruno restaurant, saw 140 pupils from seven

by Kathryn Richardson to earn up to 60 credits (approximately two years of university study). “You have a lot of kids who have been moving around a lot and they don’t know what they want to study,” said founder Melissa Butler. “We offer them the opportunity to

Aloha victory schools take part. Pupils were aged 11 to 12 years. Benalmadena International College came first in the individual category.

do the first two years here and give them the time to work out what they want to do.” The college on the Carretera de Istan will have seven classrooms and will cater for both Spanish and international students. The school year will be split across two, 14-week semesters, at a fee of €12,000 a year. An intensive eight-week English programme is also available. Butler, whose father runs a similar college in Dubai, said she had already received quite a lot of applicants. She added: “I am very excited. It’s hard work but I take it very seriously because you are talking about students’ futures.” For more information visit www. acmarbella.es or call 682 602 639

Students to study famous expat writer

PUPILS in Alhaurin el Grande are to learn about the famous British expat Gerald Brenan. Year three pupils are to study the

INFLUENTIAL: Brenan wrote key books on Spain

writer who lived in the town for nearly two decades. Brenan, who wrote famous books The Spanish Labyrinth about the civil war and South from Granada, spent much of his life in Spain and donated all his works to The Gerald Brenan Foundation, in Alhaurin, in 1984. The students will study his work as well as 5,000 books from his personal library. He died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 92. A street is named after him in the town and a blue plaque sits on his house off the road to Malaga in an area called La Chichara.


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the olive press - March 7 - March 20, 2013

Fancy a movie? If you want to head to the cinema this weekend, but your Spanish is not up to scratch, check out the VO/ VOSE films (Original Version) available in your area Hansel & Gretel Gran Cinema Marbella 18:00 (weekdays) Cinesur Mirimar, Fuengirola 16:15, 18:15, 20:15 (weekdays) Plaza Mayor, Malaga 20.30 (daily) Beautiful Creatures Cinesur Mirimar, Fuengirola 16:30, 19:00 (daily) Plaza Mayor, Malaga 18.15, 20:45 (daily) King Bastion leisure centre, Gibraltar 18:00 (daily) Wreck it Ralph (top) King Bastion leisure centre, Gibraltar 15:30 (weekends) Aladdin King Bastion leisure centre, Gibraltar 16:00 (weekends)

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Xtreme

Longer than a Lenny Cohen song Headmistress Sian Kirkham explains the long list of events going on at BSM this month

A

S usual it’s all hands on deck this month at British School of Marbella (BSM) with a list of upcoming events longer than a Leonard Cohen song. Coming hot on the heels of Pancake Day, Valentines Day and Chinese New Year celebrations, we have World Literacy Day, World Numeracy Day and World Science Day. Calls for a Snack Day from some corners of the staff room fell on deaf ears as they were clearly taking the biscuit. Designed to get the pupils excited about the three core subjects, teachers have been covertly preparing a mind boggling array of activities under the cover of darkness for the special days. What exactly will be happening on each day is a closely guarded secret however I can let you know that one experiment will involve a bottle of lemonade and carefully placed mints in the playground! For Mothers Day children have been creating works of art as well as rather delicious ‘Milkshakes for Mummies’. And then there is the

By headmistress Sian Kirkham annual Talent Show and although it’s been reported that Simon Cowell has yet again turned down the opportunity to be a judge, several parents have stepped up at the last minute to replace him. Staff are also set to surprise pupils and families with a special performance that promises to ‘raise a few eyebrows’. Right, some of the pupils at work and play.

Peak practice A GROUP of 16 intrepid climbers including teachers, parents and students from Swans International School took on the challenge to climb Torrecilla, the highest peak in Malaga. The peak, which stands higher than Snowden in Wales at 1,919m above sea level, is a difficult eight hour round trip.

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Top Dollar Happy for Holland Jobless army www.theolivepress.es

ONE of the UK’s leading stores Holland and Barrett has opened in Gibraltar. The retailer of vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements and sports nutrition has opened in Main Street. With over 80 years experience in the health supplement industry and more than 500 stores the company offers an unparalleled range of the highest quality natural health products. Contact +350 200 49504 for more info.

Protests in Madrid as dole figures top five million in February and could rise again

Yes, Costa women know how to socialise A GROUP of women on the Costa del Sol have won ‘Best Social Club’ in the Telegraph’s Best of British Awards 2012. Costa Women, a social and networking community for women living in Spain, beat off fierce competition from 40 different groups worldwide. “It’s wonderful to see how supportive the community are of Costa Women and being part of the group,” said founder Ali Meehan. (pictured right)

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THE number of people out of work in Spain has risen to more than five million for the first time. The government confirmed the alarming figure for last month and said there was no quick fix, with the economy expected to slump even further this year. It said joblessness now affected 5.04 million people, up some 59,000 from the levels recorded in January.

Introducing our new fortnightly business section with tips 21onMarch how6, to the olive press - February 2013 25 23 save AND make money

By Frances Leate The ministry said many companies across the southern European nation continued to lay off staff because of unfavourable business prospects. The fourth-largest economy in Europe saw the biggest loss of jobs in the service sector, followed by layoffs in industry and agriculture. BUSINESSES could have a new reason to employ young people after the government proposed plans to pay part of their wage. The Junta wants to create a new job pool for university and professional training graduates and agrees to pay €400 of their salary if they are hired. The incentive is part of the government’s €167.5million youth employment plan which has already been approved.

ANGER: Unemployed youth make their feelings heard

Mariano Rajoy’s Conservative government has put in place strict spending cuts and tax rises aimed

€400 incentive to get youth employment It applies to qualified people up to the age of 35. The Junta’s €500million employment package hopes to create 42,000 new jobs this year. Spain’s youth unemployment rate is currently at a record high of 55%, the second highest in Europe following Greece.

at saving €150 billion between 2012 and 2014. The cuts have not proven to be able to kick-start the economy which is expected to contract by 0.5% this year, to be followed by an expansion of 1.2 percent in 2014.

Alarming

The alarming new figures came as thousands took to the streets in Madrid to protest the government’s strict austerity measures. A total of 45 people were arrested during the mostly peaceful protests. Police uncovered four fire bombs in a backpack abandoned on a street.


Top Dollar

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Advertorial

DESPITE the UK government insisting it has countless millions in state benefits available for those in need of extra income, it does little to help people actually claim it. The complex benefits system and the confusing nature of forms frequently puts a lot of people off making a claim. Ignorance of what one’s entitlement might be, added to the worry that claiming one benefit may lead to a cut in other income can further deter would-be claimants. Certain benefits are, indeed, related to income and savings but others such as Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) - which relate to mobility and personal care

Benefits bonanza

You can now claim UK sickness/disability benefits in Spain, writes Kim Clark problems - are not means-tested and non-taxable. They can also act as a gateway to further benefits or increase in benefits such as Income Support and Pension Credit. The rules concerning entitlement for those living in Spain used to be complicated and depended, in part, on where you were habitually resident. However, rule changes now mean that claiming benefits is much easier.

At a time when so much emphasis seems to be placed on benefit fraud, it may be comforting for people to know that perfectly legal and legitimate claims may be made while living overseas. Kim Clark spent seven years working with welfare rights in London before moving to Andalucia six years ago. Contact him on 663 297568 or visit www.ukbenefitsinspain.com

World’s largest private equity fund takes a punt on Spain

Road to Riches, by Richard Alexander

Your Will - Biggest cheque you’ll ever write! HAVE you ever stopped to think about the biggest assets you have ever owned? Without a doubt, property will be the largest for most people, closely followed by a pension fund... but when it comes to the biggest cheque ever written then it is usually your will that wins the prize. But people treat property and wills very differently. When you purchase prop-

erty, you will have engaged a lawyer to deal with the legalities for you; and not simply relied on the word of the vendor and simply written him a cheque. As daft as it seems, that is almost exactly the gamble you are taking if you don’t have a valid will prepared. Even worse, not only are you giving up control over what happens after your death, you are almost certainly mak-

ing a huge gift to the tax authorities, which could have been reduced or avoided altogether with a bit of planning. If you are an expat in Spain, with property and other assets, then your estate will be assessable in Spain for inheritance and gift tax on your death. If as well as being resident in Spain, you are still considered to be domiciled in the UK, then HMRC will have an

Richard Alexander Financial Planning Limited is an appointed representative of L J Financial Planning Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK. Contact him at Richard@ra-fp.com

Thumbs up from markets

interest as well. The good news is that there is a dual tax agreement between the two countries and therefore allowance will normally be made for any tax paid in the other country. But even so, leaving things to chance is a dangerous policy. It is also worth noting that the approach is different in each country. In the UK for example, inheritance tax is calculated by reference to the estate of the deceased person with some elements being covered by the nil rate band and any excess being taxable at 40%. In Spain however, it is the circumstances of the beneficiaries and not the estate which will determine how much tax is payable. There are other differences too – transfers between spouses for example are exempt in the UK, but not in Spain. However, for the matrimonial home, if the surviving spouse remains in the property, there are large discounts on the level of tax payable so it is often not as draconian as it might seem at first. With the Spanish authorities requiring residents to complete a declaration of all overseas assets by the end of April 2013, this is concentrating the thoughts of many expats on their worldwide assets. The Spanish are concerned to tax you on any income arising or gains being made on a year by year basis but rest assured, they will also be interested in collecting inheritance tax when you die. Writing wills and considering estate planning can be emotive subjects, but approached sensibly, some simple steps taken now can save a lot of grief for your beneficiaries let alone the tax. And one thing for certain – following your death you won’t be around to ask you what you intended!

THE world’s largest private equity fund reckons Spain is on the road to recovery. Blackstone, which manages a €12 billion global buyout fund, claims Spain’s economy will strengthen over the year. Now a new director is set to focus solely on buy outs within eurozone crisisstricken nations, particularly in Spain. “Blackstone sees great op-

portunity in Spain,” said global head of private equity, Joe Baratta. “We have faith that Spain’s leaders are taking actions to put the economy on a sounder footing, and we believe in the long-term potential of that economy,” he added. Blackstone is also looking to buy property assets from Spanish lenders currently under pressure to increase capital.

Confident cross-border payments Currencies Direct has a ‘refer-afriend’ deal for new customers, explains Peter Loveday (left) CURRENCIES Direct is the only foreign exchange company to have a national deal with a Spanish bank, La Caixa. “It is this partnership that gives our clients unique access to one of the largest and most secure banks in Spain,” explains Andalucia-based director Peter Loveday. “Our customers can set up a La Caixa account wherever they are with over 5,500 branches across the country. “There are no fees levied on incoming funds which represents significant savings on every payment. Add to this, same day payments between Spain and the UK; a no commission policy on depositing bankers’ drafts and online banking in English and you can see why our clients are thrilled.” It is no surprise then that customer satisfaction is very high at the company. The company’s long history in Spain coupled with a reputation for excellent customer service and large savings on the exchange rate have given it a loyal client base across the whole Iberian peninsula. Now as a thank you to their clients the company has launched a ‘refer-a-friend’ campaign where clients recommend the services of Currencies Direct will be rewarded with an Amazon voucher for €25* when their friend or relative makes a trade. Currencies Direct has four offices in Spain from Moraira on the Costa Blanca to Marbella. Pop in at any time to find out more about how to save money every time you transfer money. *Terms and conditions apply please visit http://www.currenciesdirect.com/refer/spaines1/ for more information.


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the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

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Top Dollar

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the olive press - March 7 - March 20, 2013

AFTER operating in Spain for 20 years Wincham Consultants has opened an office on the Costa del Sol. The office in Marbella will supplement the offices already opened in Alicante and the UK and will be run by consultants Mark Bailey and David Rogers. Explained Bailey, who has worked in financial services for 25 years: “Having lived in Spain for many years we are very aware of the amount of people who have purchased properties in Spain without fully understanding the implications of Spanish inheritance tax (IHT). “When purchasing property in Spain owners are often urged to set up a Spanish will in the belief this will shield their beneficiaries from Spanish IHT. “This is unfortunately untrue, a Spanish will does not remove tax and can often complicate matters as it

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Wincham open Marbella Office Advertorial

may conflict with an earlier will prepared. “Our experience shows that in the majority of cases people are not being given the complete picture from the outset and, as such, their families are being subjected to potentially onerous taxes that could be avoided. “We offer a comprehensive service covering UK and Spanish legal and taxation matters. We look forward to meeting clients here in Marbella and offering a suitable, effective solution to individual IHT problems.” His colleague David Rogers,

Unravelling the Russian myths

A BUSINESS club is hosting a talk about marketing to Russian customers on the Costa del Sol. The Dutch group ‘Ellas’ will hold the seminar, called ‘The Modern Russian Customer: Myths and Facts’, on March 12, featuring presentations from a number of local Russian businesswomen. Everyone welcome For more information contact Femke Utrecht, at info@ellas-spanje.com

Mark Bailey

David Rogers

adds over 20 years’ experience in senior management and has obtained the ‘Award in Financial Planning’ (AWF) from the Chartered Insurance Institute. Wincham clients invest their property into their own UK Company (which Wincham can supply) of which they will be the director and shareholder ensuring they remain in control of the asset while eradicating Spanish IHT. All clients are covered by 20 years title deed insurance including demolition order, fraud, compulsory purchase and additional areas to a maximum of €360,000

compensation. There are many taxation benefits when investing a property into your own UK Limited Company; also the ownership of the company can be structured to suit beneficiaries’ needs in a way that is not possible under Spanish law. To know more about the Wincham solution, receive your ‘complimentary’ Spanish Inheritance Tax illustration or meet us at any of our three offices. Please visit www.winchamiht. com. Alternatively contact us on +44 (0)1260 299 700 (UK) or 0034 965 830 991 (Spain).


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AGONY ANT

YOUR LEGAL PROBLEMS ADDRESSED

Our furry friends and the law Antonio Flores explains that no community can insist that you cannot have a pet in rented accomodation ings contradict the higher law of the land. Article 18.2 of the Spanish Constitution establishes the rights of one’s home. And the European Convention on Human Rights insists in its article 8 that everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence, and that there shall be no interference by a public authority. Ultimately it is protecting the rights and freedoms of all. The lack of a law governing

this has meant that Spanish case law has had to fill the legislative gap and, save for a few exceptions, considers that a general ban on pets, in a community of owners, is illegal. It is, according to the Madrid Appeal Court, against logic and common sense to uphold a restriction that entails unjust intrusion over private ownership. So while the courts protect neighbours against dangerous, annoying, noisy or filthy pets (and owners can be fined and banned from living in their properties if they don’t obey the rules), they refuse to back Q. How long do we have to pay inheritance taxes after death? animal-hating, dogphobia militants or A. The period the law gives to pay inheritance taxes is six months from death. similar strange indiIt is possible, however, to apply for a further six-month period that is to be apviduals regardless of plied within the first five months from death. what a community of owners insists.

ALTHOUGH there are a staggering 100,000 or so laws in Spain, two thirds of which are regional, not one of them gives a clear answer to a question that gets asked time and time again: can a community of owners ban people from having pets? The answer is ‘yes, but no’. Yes, because there is nothing stopping the majority vote on agreeing to take away the right of property owners from having a Siamese cat, a Chihuahua or a hamster in their own home, and ‘no’ because these rul-

Ask Ant

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Top Salud

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White Van Baby A WOMAN from Nerja had an express delivery when she gave birth in a van that didn’t quite make it to the maternity unit in time. Carolina Lorena Acosta alerted her husband that her baby was due and with understandable panic he sped off to Axarquia Hospital in his van while his wife went into labour. The scene was a dramatic one but ended happily when the infant was delivered by midwives in the hospital’s car park. They managed to unwrap the umbilical cord from around the baby’s neck and ensured a safe delivery. Little Carlos weighed 3.5 kilogrammes and his parents are looking forward to the day they can tell him the story of how he came into the world.

the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

NURSING SHORTAGE RISKING LIVES A LACK of nurses is posing a serious risk to the health of patients in Malaga, claims the Union of Nursing (Satse). The leading health union has carried out a review of all the hospitals in Malaga and come back with some shocking statistics. Figures reveal that in the

Help for expats A CAMPAIGN to educate British citizens in Spain about how to use their UK-issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) has been launched. The EHIC Campaign aims to raise awareness among the estimated 300,000 British citizens living in the Valencia region as well as healthcare staff. The 15 month campaign, funded by the European Union, is being run by the UK Department of Health alongside health chiefs in Valencia. Launching the campaign in Alicante, David Pennington, head of the Department of Health’s international healthcare team, said: “Many British citizens living in Spain are confused about how to access state healthcare and many use their EHIC cards when they should be accessing healthcare in another way. “This campaign explains who can use a UKissued EHIC and what it’s for. The UK EHIC card should only be used to access essential treatment during the course of a temporary stay in Spain. It does not provide access to all state treatment but for those in Spain on a temporary stay, it is the correct way to access state healthcare. “It also tells people about other ways to access state healthcare in Spain, depending on their circumstances.” However British citizens who live mainly in Spain should change the way they are registered, because for them the is not the correct form of health cover. For more information on the use of EHICs visit: www.healthcareinspain.eu.

FOR BRITS ABROAD USING HEALTH INSURANCE CARDS

For a full list of the 18 public talks taking place as part of the campaign, visit: www. healthcareinspain.eu.

A severe shortage of nurses and beds is having a detrimental effect on healthcare in Malaga say leading union bosses.

Malaga province there are only around 247 nurses for every 100,000 patients, half the number available in the rest of Spain. In Spain as a whole there

are 488 nurses to every 100,000 residents, still significantly fewer than the rest of the EU which has an average of 797 for every 100,000 in habi-

tants. Satse also claim there are currently more than 60 patients waiting for beds in the Malaga province and patients with tubercu-

Protesters fight healthcare cuts THOUSANDS of healthcare workers dressed in white lab coats lined the streets of 16 cities across Spain to protest over plans to partially privatize public healthcare. Several thousand protesters, many chanting, banging drums, and blowing whistles, converged on Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles after marching from 27 hospitals in the region. Similar protests were also held in Murcia, Barcelona, Cuenca,Toledo and Zaragoza. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government has cut €7 billion from healthcare spending amid an austerity drive to slash €150 billion from the country’s budget by 2014.

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losis (a highly contagious disease) are being kept in the same units as uninfected patients due to a lack of beds and space in hospitals. Hospital bosses have denied the claims but admit they do have a shortage of resources involving staff. It is thought that an extra 1,000 beds are needed in all the hospitals in Malaga to meet the current demand.

Disabled

Satse is also concerned because an emergency operation on a cancer patient had to be postponed earlier this month at the Nursing Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Malaga because there was no nursing staff to oversee the operation. It also says the recent lack of recruitment drives to employ nurses has led to remaining staff members feeling ‘disabled and exhausted’. The union is now in talks with its members over taking possible strike action.


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Complementary Salud!

MOTHER TELLS OF TOURETTE TORMENT

W

HEN Pilar De Monserrat’s three-yearold son began using swear words he had never even heard at home, she knew there was something wrong. Marco’s abusive language, often directed at his mum, was always followed by the youngster feeling remorse and sadness at his behaviour and it was clear this was something he could not control or stop. She said: “It was so upsetting and I knew immediately it was not normal. “He would feel so bad afterwards and say how sorry he was but I told him off because I didn’t realise he couldn’t help it.” Concerned Pilar took Marco to see several psychologists but was told he was simply ‘naughty’ and even that it was because he had not been educated properly. It wasn’t until he visited a private psychologist in Madrid at the age of seven years that Marco was finally diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, a condition that affects the brain and nervous system and causes involuntary sounds and movements (known as tics).

EXCLUSIVE by Frances Leate

Pilar, from San Pedro, said: “I was devastated for him. I immediately got as much information as I could from the internet and discovered the condition not only caused these verbal and physical outbursts but that it causes depression, low self-esteem and obsessive behaviour. “He is such a lovely boy and very intelligent but this condition makes life very hard for him.” She added: “Some children are never even diagnosed because so many health professionals don’t know about it and this also means that people are ignorant to it. “The worse thing is when we are out and he has an attack, people are shocked by his outbursts and I hear them say the mother should be disciplining him, but there is no point in doing that.” Thanks to regular visits to a psychologist and medication, Marco is coping well with his condition but sometimes suppresses his tics and verbal outbursts in school, which leaves him exhausted and agitated when he gets home.

Here’s to long life!

SPAIN is officially the healthiest country in Europe. According to a 20-year study by medical journal the Lancet, the Spanish live longer than any other Europeans. Ranking top out of 18 countries, Spanish residents have an average life expectancy of 81.4 years - two years longer than people living in Britain. They can also expect to enjoy up to 70.9 years of good health, compared with only 68.6 years of healthy life for the average Brit. The UK was left lagging behind in 12th place behind Greece, Ireland and Germany. A combination of factors has been attributed to the results including healthy eating, attitudes to drinking and a warmer climate.

A mum, who now hopes to help others, has described her heartache after discovering her son has Tourette’s Syndrome Shortly after the diagnosis the family contacted the Cordoba-based support group, ASTTA (Asociacion Sindrome de Tourette y Trastornos Asociados) and set up a branch in Malaga which meets every month. There are around 30 families involved in the Malaga group

and the De Monserrat family is hoping to hear from anyone else who thinks they or a family member may have the condition. For more information and for details about their March meeting call 617 383 655 or email: chelomasmontorio@ telefonica.net.


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ARE YOU GLYCEMIC?

Dr Raymond Pratts on the Glycemic Index and how it can seriously affect your health?

FOR many years we have learned that carbohydrates fall into two major categories: simple (including sugar, honey and maple syrup) and complex (including whole grains, starchy vegetables and legumes). We have been encouraged to eat plenty of the complex and only moderate amounts of the simple carbohydrates. However, increasing evidence indicates that distinguishing which carbohydrates are good for you is more complicated than this simple rule suggests.What is also important when differentiating between various types of carbohydrates is how rapidly a particular carbohydrate will get metabolized into sugar and impact blood sugar (glucose) levels. Sugars are the body’s source of energy for most activities. The blood sugar (glucose) that is delivered to the cells throughout our bodies via our bloodstream is partly derived from the carbohydrates in the foods that we eat. A food with a low glycemic index (GI) typically raises blood sugar levels only moderately, while a food with a high GI may cause blood sugar levels to increase more than desired. When we look at the GI figures associated with various carbohydrates, we find that some of the foods traditionally classified as complex carbohydrates - such as peeled, boiled potatoes - can increase our blood sugar levels more rapidly than some of the simple carbohydrates like table sugar! Because GI values can help us predict the functional effects in our bodies of the carbohydrates we eat, the GI has become an important tool for helping us select the right foods to help stabilize our blood sugar levels.

What Is Glycemic Index? The Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical scale used to indicate how fast and how high a particular food can raise our blood glucose (blood sugar) level. A food with a low GI will typically prompt a moderate rise in blood glucose, while a food with a high GI may cause our blood glucose level to increase above the optimal level. An awareness of foods’ Glycemic Index can help you control your blood sugar levels, and by doing so,

muscle and liver stores of glucose are full, but we still have extra glucose floating around in our blood, then insulin can help our body store this excess sugar as fat.

Too Much Insulin Can Cause Problems may help you prevent heart disease, improve cholesterol levels, prevent insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes, prevent certain cancers, and achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

High Carbohydrate Foods Can Raise Blood Glucose Levels High carbohydrate foods, even wholesome foods that are high in carbohydrates such as satisfying whole grain breads, delicious fruits, starchy vegetables, and legumes, can have an affect on blood glucose.

Carbohydrate-rich foods include: • Starches, which are found in foods such as • Grains (foods made from wheat, barley, rice, etc.) • Legumes, (split peas, lentils and dry beans such as pinto, kidney, black, etc.) • Starchy vegetables (potatoes, winter squash, yams, etc.) • Sugars, such as those naturally found in fruits and dairy products as well as packaged sweeteners, and sugars added in processing. • Fibre-the indigestible portion of carbohydrates. However, even though fiber is considered a carbohydrate, since it is not digested (except sometimes very late in the digestive process by bacteria in the large intestine), does not directly raise blood glucose levels. The presence of glucose in the bloodstream usually triggers the production of insulin, a hormone that helps glucose get into cells where it can be used for energy. Once our immediate energy needs have been met, extra glucose still remaining in the bloodstream can be stored in our muscles and liver for later use. If our

Since insulin helps glucose get into cells where energy is made, insulin is vital to fueling the body. However, too much insulin secretion over long periods of time can cause problems. Research shows that prolonged exposure to elevated levels of insulin can cause: • high blood pressure • increased appetite • obesity • risk of developing or exacerbating type 2 diabetes The presence of these symptoms also raises a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and prostate or breast cancer. While a single, high-GI meal might not cause significant health problems for our body, frequent consumption of high glycemic load meals can result in perpetually high insulin levels. When insulin levels stay high, our endocrine system can start out on a rollercoaster ride in which the body tries to adjust to its perpetually high insulin level with changes in other hormone levels that can leave us both tired, hungry, and on a course toward increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. By contrast, many or all of these unfavorable hormonal shifts become less likely when a meal with low glycemic is eaten. Since low glycemic meals take longer to digest and absorb, and nutrients are released gradually, blood sugar levels tend to remain more stable and insulin levels tend to rise in a nonrisky fashion. As an added benefit, a low glycemic way of eating is associated with lower levels of LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. An optimal glycemic load diet would keep the glycemic load under 50 and be made up of 40% low glycemic index/glycemic load carbohydrates, 30% lowfat protein, and 30% fat.

For more information visit www.simplecarehealthplan.com

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COLUMNS

the olive press - March 7 - March 20, 2013

SPAIN ground to a halt once again last week. But this time the reason wasn’t the result of political protest, strike action or another public holiday. The reason was Real Madrid and Barcelona meeting for four times in it seems as many days. And once again there were acres of TV time and newsprint devoted to every aspect of the matches. It’s always struck me as slightly comical that as a Spanish football supporter you are either Real Madrid or Barcelona. When I lived in a small village just outside Antequera, there

Footie frenzy were Real Madrid bars and Barcelona bars full of fervent fans, even though the majority of villagers had been no further north in Spain than Cordoba.

On one occasion I wandered into the Real Madrid bar to watch the match and was viewed with suspicion. It was only when Messi took a Sergio Ramos boot to the nether regions, and I winced with the pain, that I was warmly welcomed by one and all. But I’m still mystified about while people support either team, as your average Real Madrid fan looks down his nose at anyone who isn’t from the wealthy Salamanca area of the city (and I won’t even start about their murky history as Franco’s team) and Barcelona want to break away from Spain altogether...

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Football the new religion I already upset the majority of the faithful in my last column when I suggested that - owing to the fact that Pope Benedict was leaving his post on February 28, Dia de Andalucia - we should plump for an Andaluz pope. And then in the week of his departure, another uncanny coincidence came up. Beleagured Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez announced that he was quitting the team at the end of the season. Which got me thinking. Did Benedict leave his post as head of the Roman Catholic Church in order to take up the more challenging role as Chelsea manager? After all, Roman Abromovich (who was spotted in Marbella last month) already has more money than God. I know, I know. I’m going to burn in the eternal flame for that last remark....

TO THE LETTER

In the last installment of our Deirdre & Me serialisation, Michael O’Reilly talks about scoldings and quiz nights

Smaller the better I’ve been looking after a (rather beautiful ex-model friend’s) small dog while she’s been away. Yes I am that shallow. Now I’ve always been a cat person, due to the fact that you can leave them to their own devices and apart from the occasional half dissected rodent in the garden, they tend to be low maintenance. One of the things that I have noticed though is that small dogs seem to rule supreme in Spain. Everywhere you go there are pint sized canines strutting around as if they own the

place, even up in the campo, as I was the other week. Which brings me to another thought. Everywhere I looked in the campo, with its wide open spaces, there were small dogs aplenty, but nothing bigger than a beagle. Go to any apartment block on the coast, however, and you’ll spot all manner of Alsatians, Dobermans, Pit Bulls and the odd Rhodesian ridgeback howling forlornly from the balcony. Is there some law of dog ownership that states the smaller the apartment that larger the dog has to be?

DEIRDRE scolded me because I misspelled her name when I filled in the form to renew her gym membership. “They’re not going to stop you from exercising just because your card reads ‘Deidre’!” I said. “But you should have been more careful!” she insisted. “One letter makes a difference!” A little later, Pedro from the cafe next door proposed that we organise a quiz night to raise funds for families in our town that have been hard hit by the economic crisis. He appointed me quiz-master (on the dubious premise that since I run a bookshop I should be good at General Knowledge). Deirdre enlisted Beate from Bremen and Alec from Belfast for her team, along with Mr and Mrs Powers from the Casa del Jet Set. Pedro recruited his sister-in-law Manola, and the Major (who, I was pretty sure, would hoover up points in History and Sport), as well as Pedro’s daughter Luisa and Alvaro, her current squeeze. Other teams were brought by Jorge, our computer guy and yoga teacher (whose contingent all wore pony tails, including the lone female); the husband-and-wife poets Phyllis and Norman; and the brother-and-sister poets Norberto and Carmen.We had fourteen teams of five. First prize consisted of bottles of whisky donated by Pedro for the winning team. For second prize Manola provided five coupons, each to be exchanged for a candle-litdinner-for-two at her cafe in Almunecar. I had thought the Major might be susceptible to taking the whole thing too seriously, but he spent the evening basking in the warm glow of Manola’s

Tales from a bookshop affection and I’m not sure he even noticed what the final score was. Jorge is a wellread ex-dot-com-tycoon and struck me as being potentially ultra-competitive. As it turned out, the pony-tails knew absolutely nothing about sport – which cost them a prize – but they didn’t seem to mind. The worst culprit in the overzealous, ultra-competitive department was Deirdre, who initiated several noisy protests over the quiz-master’s ‘excessively strict’ approach to the definition of correct answers. I was obliged to back down on a number of rulings in the face of popular indignation stirred up by my better half. In the final round, with Deirdre’s team and Norberto and Carmen’s tied, the destination of five bottles of single malt rested on who could provide me with Don Quixote’s real name. On their answer sheet the Deirdre crew had written with a flourish, “Alfonso Quijano.” Norberto’s outfit, more commendably meticulous and less four sheets to the wind, had supplied the correct answer, “Alonso Quijano”. “Alonso without the ‘f’!” I announced (perhaps with a tiny hint of self-satisfaction). Deirdre’s team did win dinner at Manola’s in Almunecar though. “When are we going?” I asked my soul-mate when the evening had come to a close. “We?” she replied with icy disdain. “Let’s do another quiz next month,” Pedro said. “I’d like to,” I told him, “but I’m not sure it’s good for relationships.” To read more by Michael O’Reilly visit www.myspanishinterlude.com


U J p the

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Herb specialist Sue Rodgers gives her best remedies for a soothing sleep

Counting sheep

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F you find yourself dreading going to bed knowing a long sleepless night awaits, then look no further than the many herbal remedies available. Herbs encourage a healthy sleep that leaves you fresh and alert in the morning and what’s more you don’t need a prescription for them! There are a number of herbs that can be used to create a calming and relaxing effect. One of my favourites ways is to put a small handful of lemon verbena leaves in a mug, infuse with boiling water and drink at bedtime for a mildly sedative effect. If you are a persistent insomniac and well organised, then a teaspoon of crushed valerian root soaked in cold water for 12-24 hours will also have a soothing and soporific effect.

A number of essential oils can be used in the bath, although NEVER use oils directly into the water, always use oils with a buffer, such as a tablespoon of milk. The most well known oil to aid sleep is of course lavender, however chamomile and orange blossom are also good and smell wonderful. Put a tablespoon of dried chamomile and lavender in a muslin bag and let the bath water run to benefit from their soothing vapours. The FDA in America considers chamomile safe for the treatment of insomnia as the herb has no known side effects. The German government has also

HE KNOWS HIS ONIONS! by Peter Langdale

Horsing around

I HAVE just finished listening to the news, and once again we are still being bombarded with reports and information on beef contaminated with horse meat. That got me thinking about beef - as in sirloin, and horse - as in horseradish. One thing we do not have available at Garden La Palma are horseradish plants or roots. Therefore, readers, drop me a line and let us see if there is a demand for fresh horseradish or alternatively anyone who does have some roots, let me know. Last week we had a visit from some of the members of The Andalucian Garden Group and pleased we were to have them. I think they were intrigued to see some of our production facilities and learn a little about our business. This visit was a follow up from a talk I gave to them a couple of weeks ago on the very topical ‘How safe is our food?’ Should any other clubs wish to visit us please get in touch. Now, back to basics and with the hope that by the time you read this the present cold spell will be over and the garden will be calling. Nearly everything will be at, or at least near to bud burst and so our feeding programmes can begin. For those of you who prefer the old, faithful, slow release feeds we have available fish, blood and bone fertiliser. For all the green lawn addicts now is a good time to scarify, spike and top dress. Where your veg garden is frost free you can think about planting tomatoes,peppers, aubergines and courgettes. Just the right ingredients for a nice home produced ratatouille. Until next time, bye for now.

approved valerian, hops and lemon balm for the relief of sleep problems. Passionflower – not the garden ornamental flower but taken as a tincture in water will also gently induce sleep. The tincture is readily available from health food shops and online. Lettuce, though not strictly a herb, has a strong sedative effect and was called ‘sleepwort’ by the Anglo– Saxons. The milky white latex in the stems was also know as ‘lettuce opium’! So try a lettuce soup for dinner; or if you don’t mind foliage in your bath a few leaves in a warm bath is also good and particularly effective for soothing fractious babies.

sue@selfsufficiency4u. com

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FOOD & DRINK www.theolivepress.es with DINING SECRETS of ANDALUCIA.com

T has been a remarkable story of guts and determination that has seen a little-known shack-like restaurant in rural Cadiz turn into one of Andalucia’s most highly rated eateries. Now top of Trip Advisor for the whole of the province, all the hard work is being rewarded in a wonderful new book Comida & la Vida about Patria restaurant. The colourful coffee table book, filled with over 50 recipes and stunning photos, is a fabulous trawl through the very best of Andalucian cuisine. Written by Thomas and Ase Donso, it tells how the couple managed to set up the successful restaurant over the last seven years. And, best of all, their success has come using almost 100% local ingredients when in season. “From the very beginning we were thrilled and inspired by the sheer quality of ingredients in our local markets,” explains
chef Tomas.

A wonderful new book tells the story about how a small, little known restaurant in an obscure corner of Cadiz became one of Andalucia’s mustvisit eateries. Over the next few issues the Olive Press will be serialising the book Comida & la Vida about Patria and its owners Ase and Thomas (below) “The joy of cooking is all about what’s in season,” he continues. “There is no need to import anything from far away.” It is why the Danish couple only have a small menu a la carte. “It is all about being able to adjust, change and create, according

Duck satay with coconut cream, pumpkin and tomato compote and dried tomato (serves 4) Duck satay: 1 duck breast 8 wooden skewers 1 teaspoon pinchitos spice mix 100ml Japanese ponzu sauce 2 garlic cloves 1 slice day-old white bread olive oil Coconut cream: 1 can coconut milk 1 lime 1 tablespoon sugar 2g agar-agar 1 tablespoon good virgin olive oil (e.g. Masia el Altet) Dried tomatoes: 1 tomato olive oil ½ teaspoon red (pimentd’Espelette)

chili

pepper

powder

Pumpkin and tomato compote: 300g pumpkin 1 tomato 1 tablespoon honey Tabasco 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 tablespoon good virgin olive oil (e.g. Masia el Altet) 1 spring onion

a little water or coconut milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dried tomatoes: Cut the tomato into boats and remove the seeds. Now slice the tomatoes into thin slices and place them on baking paper covering the inside of a roasting pan. Drizzle a little olive oil over it and sprinkle the salt, pepper and chilli powder on top. Dry the tomatoes in the oven for 3 hours on 60 degrees.

Duck satay: Slice the buck breast into thin slices, lengthways, and put 2 slices or so on each skewer so that you have 2 skewers per serving. Whisk the pinchitos spice mix and ponzu sauce together. Marinate the duck in the sauce for at least 2 hours. Finely grate the dry bread using a grater and fry in olive oil with the garlic. Grill the duck skewers on a griddle and turn in the bread crumbs.

Pumpkin and tomato compote: Peel, deseed and cube the pumpkin. Steam in lightly salted water under a lid. Take the pumpkin out of the water when tender but not soft. Boil the brine with the tomato (cut into cubes with skin and seeds removed) until it reduces to 1/3. Add honey, Tabasco, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, until the compote is sweet and sour and a little spicy. Add the virgin olive oil at the end.

Coconut cream: Bring the coconut milk, grated zest and juice of the lime, sugar and agar-agar to the boil while stirring. Keep it at boiling point while whisking continuously. Pour the mixture into a container. Once cooled to below 35 degrees, blend with the virgin olive oil until the cream becomes completely smooth and has the consistency of blancmange. If it’s too thick, add

To serve: Spray or spread the coconut cream along the inside edge of a deep plate. Spoon the compote into the middle and garnish with the dried tomatoes and finely sliced spring onion. Place the skewers into the compote so they slope upwards. This is a delicious starter or tapas dish.


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Todo por la Patria! to what our suppliers can provide locally. Be it wild asparagus or rabbit, or bulls’ heart tomatoes or artichokes.” The book will also chart what it has been like moving to a foreign coun-

try and raising children and working here,” explains Ase. Here the Olive Press presents a trio of recipes from the book, with more to come over the next few issues.

Cold avocado soup with fried Norwegian lobster salad (serves 4) Soup: 2 avocados 3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 1 lime 1 garlic clove 2 drops good quality sesame oil 100ml water or cold vegetable stock 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 spring onion 2 limes 2 tablespoons toasted pine kernels ½ tablespoon good virgin olive oil (e.g. Masia el Altet) 6 sprigs coriander

Soup: Blend the avocado, yoghurt, lime juice and zest, grated garlic clove, water, sesSalad: A couple of handfuls fresh, crispy mixed ame oil and olive oil in a blender until smooth, and season with salt and peplettuce per. Divide the cold soup into 4 deep 20 Norwegian lobster plates. olive oil 2 garlic cloves (unpeeled) Accompaniments: 12 ripe cherry tomatoes

Mix the lettuce leaves together, having rinsed and patted them dry. Deshell and devein the lobster without removing the heads. Fry in oil with 2 unpeeled garlic cloves. Halve the tomatoes, finely slice the spring onion and slice the limes into boats. To serve: Spread the tomatoes, spring onion, lime, pine kernels and prawns over the soup and lettuces. Drizzle with virgin olive oil and sprinkle torn coriander on top. This ideal summer dish also tastes great with prawns and scallops.

the olive press - February 21- March 6, 2013

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Andalucia tries hard with a little help from Marbella THE young rugby players of Andalucia under-18s have been crowned champions of Spain for the second year in a row. The team travelled to Madrid to defend their national title against a ‘very strong and well organised’ Cataluna team. In an incredibly close start, the teams finished the first half 8-8 with a try from Marbella star Jack Davies. The second half saw Andalucia open up the game with tries from fellow Marbella players Facundo Munilla, Christian King and Pablo Miejimolle to finish up 2720. “This was an important match for Marbella rugby club as 12 of the starting 15 players are from the club. “It again shows the depth of talent produced by Marbella each year,” said Marbella Rugby Club director David King.

New university

The unsinkable exhibition

IT has become one of the most visited travelling exhibitions in Andalucian history. Currently docked on Sevilla’s River Guadalquivir, it showcases over 200 items recovered from the Titanic, a century ago and recreates some of its rooms. Over 40,000 people have flocked to see it in Sevilla since it arrived here in October alone, with more than 1.5m visitors on its European tour to date. It is on until April 7

Operation Helmet

Police swoop in on pensioner’s home to find over 4,000 priceless artefacts

A HOBBY that usually leads to a few old coins and rusty nails has landed one Spanish pensioner in prison. 60-year-old Ricardo G, a retired truffle collector from Aragon, has become the unlikely mastermind behind a massive black market sale of plundered Spanish treasure. As part of ‘Operation Helmet’, police raided the pensioner’s home to discover over 4,000 historical artefacts following a tip-off from a German museum. Armed with just a metal detector, he is believed to have spent the last 20 years selling arrowheads, swords, breastplates, brooches and pieces of helmet found in

PRICELESS: The amazing array of artefacts

the fields around his home. Many of them came from the Roman and later Vandal era. Alarm bells first rang in 2008 after the Romisch Germanisches Zentral Museum, in Munich, claimed some of their exhibition pieces had left Spain illegally. Prosecutors seized the exhibits and asked Spanish authorities to reclaim them within three months. Eventually the Guardia Civil launched ‘Operation Helmet’, finally tracing the pieces back to the Aragon region of northern Spain. Ricardo G has now been released and is awaiting trial for theft.

Can someone call in the tooth fairy?

MARBELLA will have its first prvate university after a Swiss holding company has agreed to invest €2.2million.

Sky high FINAL WORDS

A MARBELLA florist has reached the finals of Spain’s top floristry competition. Virginia Gonzalez Fernandez, 28, came seventh in the national Copa de Espana de Arte Floral. “It has been an incredible experience to take part in,” said Virginia.

Telefonica UK has sold its residential business for £180million to Sky Broadband which is set to take over its 500,000 clients by the end of April.

Beer goggles Young people from the Dolphin’s Youth Club in Gibraltar tested out some ‘beer goggles’ and learnt about the dangers of drinking as part of an alcohol awareness session.

Free fuel Unemployed people who can prove they have children, a mortgage and are looking for work can now get free diesel at a filling station on Mollina.

A MILK tooth discovered in Andalucia has been declared the earliest known human remain ever found in Western Europe. The infant’s tooth was unearthed in a cave in Orce and is believed to be 1.4 million years old. Heralding from either Homo erectus or Homo habilis it correlates with another discovery in the cave. In 1983, Catalan archaeologist Josep Gibert visited the cave and found a skull fragment belonging to what he dubbed the ‘Orce Man’. Although Gibert’s 1.3 million dating was strongly contested at the time, some scientists believe the new discovery could be a direct ancestor of the Orce Man. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without the explicit permission of the publisher. While efforts are made to ensure the authenticity of advertisements and articles appearing in The Olive Press, the publisher does not accept any responsibility for claims made, nor do contributors’ opinions necessarily represent his own. Copyright Luke Stewart Media S.L 2013


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