SHARP DROP

AROUND fourteen thousand cruise passengers are expected to arrive at the Almeria City Port this year, a 45 per cent drop from the 25,608 seen last year.

BAD TREND

THERE were 8,063 unemployed people in El Ejido last month, almost 600 more than in December 2011 and up from 2,740 in December 2007.

LESS JAMS

A NEW roundabout to improve traffic flow has been built in Tabernas between Avenida Ricardo Fabrega and Avenida Europa costing €39,000.

UP-AND-COMERS

TWO eleven-year-old boys from the Ciudad de Adra swimming club have qualified for the Andalucia Swimming Championships to be held in Sevilla on March 16 and 17.

EARLY PASSION

AROUND twenty five children aged 4 to 5 participated in the ‘BB’ (‘Baby’) category of the Adra Football Tournament, organised by the Almeria Football Federation.

MORE TIME

EL EJIDO Council is asking the Andalucian Government for help towards pushing back the September 2014 start for paying back almost €116 million owed to suppliers.

UUNLUCKY WOMAN

BLUE balloons were released into the sky at Parque la Cuesta in Adra as a tribute for the 25-year-old local woman who recently died from a disease at Hospital de Poniente.

OVERCHARGED

SIX HUNDRED enquiries and 339 files were processed at the Municipal Consumer’s Information Office (OMIC) in Adra last year, mainly on telephone, water and electricity bills.

NAUGHTY ONE

‘GOLFITO,’ the Adra dog which went missing after escaping from his temporary shelter home has been found safe and sound the town’s San Nicolas beach.

GOOD CAUSE

EL EJIDO Rhythmic Gymnastics Club will hold a charitable event at the town’s Teatro Auditorio on February 2 to raise funds for a seven-year-old Vicar girl suffering from a rare disease.

MORE SHRINKS

THE old Andalucian Employment Service (SAE) premises in Huercal-Overa will be the site for a future Mental Health Unit serving the north part of Almeria province.

WATCHFULL EYES

A ONE HUNDRED-strong force including 50 firemen, Guardia Civil and police officers safeguarded Almeria City’s Torregarcia Hermitage local pilgrimage (‘romeria’).

FOREIGN VISIT

THREE European volunteers will take part in upcoming Purchena’s cultural, social and youth activities as part of the ‘BienvenidoSVE al Sur / WelcomEVS to the South’ project funded by the EU.

LATE PAYER

THE outstanding payments from last year owed to the 500-strong Almeria province public defenders workforce by the Andalucian Government will be fulfilled in several instalments until April.

NO POINT SALES

FORTY TWO people have been charged with 32 theft offences – mainly involving clothes and food – by Guardia Civil at Vicar’s Viapark shopping centre since the start of the sales period.

BETTER CARE

ALMERIA CITY’S Torrecardenas Hospital has signed a collaboration agreement with the Mastectomised Almeria Women Association (AMAMA) to improve breast cancer patients’ medical attention.

MORE OPTIONS

ROQUETAS DE MAR’S Izquierda Unida Party proposed at the council that residents have their say on municipal investments for building council-owned buildings and public spaces.

IMAGE CHANGE

PAVEMENT restoration and asphalting and road-levelling works have started in Calle Gran Capital in Roquetas de Mar’s Aguadulce district.

SLIGHT BOOST

THE University of Almeria has climbed three positions to 43rd best Spanish university out of a total of 71, according to the Shanghai World University Rankings (ARWU).

Blood suckers

A BLOOD donation campaign using the slogan `Politicians suck our blood, we donate it´ was organised in Malaga by police, Guardia Civil and fire brigade trade unions.

Xmas gift

MORE than 8,000 temporary work contracts will be signed during Christmas in Malaga province and 35,000 in Andalucia, a study by Randstad recruitment agency said.

Fun park

A TOURIST area costing €300,000 in Estepona’s Los Pedregales park, featuring camping, mini-market, paintball area, toilets and hiking routes is being planned.

New office

THE agreement for the new foreigners office in Marbella’s La Patera area will be signed “in the forthcoming weeks,” Mayor Angeles Muñoz said.

Cash boost

UP to €47 million will be invested in 2013 by Malaga city hall, out of which €6 million will be used on the AVE railway works, the Tabacalera building and the Port promenade.

Local food

REGIONAL gastronomy will be promoted through the Sabor a Malaga campaign and trade show on December 6-9, both organised by the Malaga government.

In the red

A PLEA to delay payments of the €800,000 annual royalty has been made by the company managing Malaga’s Muelle Uno Port promenade, reportedly in the red.

Evicted

A PENSIONER from Rincon de la Victoria was evicted while out for a walk. He had been paying the rent, but the property’s owner had not paid the mortgage.

Gas drilling

PLANS by energy company Repsol to drill a natural gas well offshore - between Fuengirola and Mijas – are to go ahead despite Ministry of Industry reservations.

Crime down

CRIMES and offences decreased by 11 per cent this year in Estepona, following 2010’s 10 per cent drop, town hall said.

Bridal show
MORE than 40 companies exhibited in the 3,000 square metre surface DeBoda 2012 wedding trade show, held in Torremolinos’ Palacio de Congresos.

All clear

DEBRIS cleaning and sand recovery measures are being stepped up at Benalmadena’s Santa Ana and Las Gaviotas beaches, following last weekend’s storms.

Open up

A TOTAL of 635 official licenses for opening a business were issued by Fuengirola town hall up to October 31. That is a 25 per cent increaseon last year.

Eviction stopped

AROUND 300 members of local association PAH stopped police from evicting a disabled woman from her home in Malaga’s Palma-Palmilla area.

Civic duty

A MARBELLA town hall campaign will target schools and residents associations with advice about anti-vandalism measures.

Sell kiosks

THE €200,000 kiosks that the city hall installed in Malaga to collect citizens’ opinions are considered “useless” by the local IU party “and they should be sold.”

Ham raffle

AN Iberian ham leg worth €140 will be raffled in Ronda to raise funds to help a local man who lost his press kiosk after a vandal attack.

Plans threat

THE Junta de Analucia may be sued by Benahavis council if it turns down the town’s new construction regulations, officially known as the PGOU.

Flights cancelled

A TOTAL of 21 out of 129 flights were cancelled at Malaga Airport during the November 14 national strike.

Building cost

MAINTENANCE expenses of Malaga´s town planning building have doubled to €800,000 a year after it was split into five separate offices, the city´s works council said.

Centre plans

A €1.4 million investment will be made by the Andalucian Government to enlarge Antequera’s Reina Sofia Hospital by 5,900 additional square metres.

Clean up

THE Malaga City Hall would save €12 million a year if the public cleaning company Limasa was made fully public, the local IU party said.

Bills down

BETWEEN 20 and 40 per cent will be saved on energy bills once the street lighting in Marbella is overhauled, the town hall said.

Staying put

SOLAR panel manufacturer Isofoton, headquartered in Malaga, is not planning to leave the city and will invest on international exports, CEO Angel Serrano said.

Killing remand

A ROMANIAN man, aged 27 was remanded in custody for allegedly stabbing his 30-year-old transgender partner to death. The victim was found in their shared flat in Matias Saez de Tejada, Fuengirola. She died from severe knife injures to her chest. Friends, neighbours, relatives, politicians and representatives of gay, lesbian and transgender associations had a moment of silence for the victim. The killing was labelled a ‘gender violence attack’ by the Andalucian Women Institute.

Facing jail

A MAN faces jail and a €2,460 compensation bill after breaking into the room of a 14-year-old girl in Malaga. He was allegedly found in his underwear by the girls’ father at midnight. He is accused by the prosecutor of entering with no justifiable cause.

Orgy death

A SIXTY-YEAR-OLD foreign man was found dead in an apartment in Marbella’s Nueva Andalucia area. He had allegedly participated in a sexual threesome with a Brazilian prostitute. She reported the death to the police. Police are looking for the second man involved, who allegedly fled the scene having taken the dead man´s mobile phone and other personal items.

Dope’s Bonnie & Clyde

A MARRIED couple was sentenced to jail for selling drugs from their home in Fuengirola. The Spanish woman was given three-and-a-half years. Her Venezuelan husband has been sentenced to three years. Both were also fined €1,500.
The drug dealers had been selling cocaine and heroine since June 2010, the court found. A police raid in September the same year, found drugs worth €1,200

10 km car chase

A GANG of four Spaniards and a Polish man was arrested after a 10 kilometre car chase. They were spotted in Marbella and drove away before they were caught in Calahonda. They are a suspected of specialising in safe breaking.

Russian victim

TWO men aged 19 and 20 were held by the police in Ronda for allegedly snatching a Russian tourist’s bag.

Party’s over

AN illegal party with more than 150 people was raided by police in Estepona. The party was being held in the basement of a large warehouse on the industrial estate with neither official license nor the required emergency exits or health measures. More than 20 people aged under 16 were identified. Officers reported 12 cases of drug possession. Police investigations revealed more than 350 people had been invited to the party through social networks.

Broke businessman

A MAN aged 37 was held by Police in Malaga’s Calle Martinez Maldonado as he allegedly tried to rob a bank. But officers were told by the ‘hostages’ that the man never used any violence, since his intentions were not to steal but to be caught and sent to prison. He admitted to business and personal troubles and that he was in a desperate position.

€1m job

JEWELLERY worth €1 million was stolen by three armed men at El Corte Ingles shopping centre in Puerto Banus. Investigations were ongoing at time of going to press.

Gun shot

A MAN was taken to the Carlos Haya hospital after being found in Calle Carreteria with a gun shot to his chest.

Knife injured

A 47-year-old man was held by the police in Malaga’s Barriada de la Luz area for allegedly injuring another man in the arm with a knife during a fight.

Hot point

A DRUG den in Dos Hermanas, Malaga, was raided by National Police, who arrested four suspects and seized 1.3 kg of hashish and 60 grammes of cocaine.

Water trick

A WOMAN was arrested in Ronda as a suspect in three robberies. In each case she would ask for a glass of water and then steal handbags.

Baby blues

A BABY was taken into care by Malaga police when they spotted him with his 22-year-old Bulgarian mother as she practiced prostitution .

Life on the edge

ALMOST 515,000 Balearic residents are now classified a living in a precarious position, which represents 46 per cent of the islands’ population. Anyone earning less than 12,000 Euros gross is classified as living on the edge.

In jail

FOUR men have been jailed for six years for the armed burglary of an architect’s home. One of the men had worked there as a labourer and told the others of the owner’s wealth. Two men are still wanted in connection with the crime.

Showtime

THERE was a packed house to see Rafael Nadal conduct the Balearic Symphony Orchestra at Manacor’s new 700 seat auditorium. The tennis star donated €150,000 towards the cost of the futuristic venue.

Dog hung

A PREGNANT pit bull has been found hanging from a well in Son Rapinya. An animal rights group has offered a €500 reward for help in the investigation, which is being carried out by the Guardia Civil.

Troops back

THE last ten Balearic soldiers in Afghanistan returned home to a hero’s welcome at Palma airport. They had taken part in a seven-month tour of duty along with 35 comrades, who returned home last month.

Saying sorry

BALEARIC Education Minister Rafael Bosch has apologised for the ‘image’ he gave during his taxpayer-funded jaunts to the island of Cabrera. He said the trips have been ‘misinterpreted’ and claimed he had no idea he would be eating lobster washed down with Champagne.

Drugs trial

A COUPLE from Mallorca will go on trial in Australia in the New Year. They were arrested, along with two other Spaniards, on a sailboat laden with 300kg of cocaine at the port of Bundaberg.

Chinese fair

THE Balearics have been included in a new central government strategy to attract Chinese tourists. The island way of life was launched at the Shanghai tourism fair.

Bike park

PALMA City Council has been urged by opposition groups to provide more bicycle parking areas in municipal car parks.

Grassed out

A MAN and a woman have been arrested for dealing marijuana in Son Gotleu after police were tipped off that many youths were seen hanging around outside a house, which is near a school. During the raid, they found 25 buds ready to sell and €850.

Pension win

UP TO 500 retired health workers who lost pension credits last month will not now lose out after the Balearic government reversed its definition. The pensioners had staged sit-ins at the Health Ministry in protest at their treatment.

Health cuts

THE Balearic health minister has said a further €48 million will have to be saved. That figure is approximately what it costs to run Manacor hospital per year.

Bomber tests

A STUDENT accused of plotting a massacre at the Universitat de les Illes Balears has been undergoing psychiatric evaluations. Police found 140kg of explosive material and a diary detailing his plans at the home of so-called ‘Unabomber’ Juan Manuel Morales, aged 20.

Arts cuts

TWO cultural organisations have been merged by the Balearic government as part of a cost-cutting measure. The school of dance and the musical conservatory will now be one body. Three other arts bodies have been abolished altogether.

Noise control

BAR owners in Sa Gerreria have accused Palma City Council of abuse of power in singling them out for breaking noise pollution rules. They claim measures forcing them to close early are ‘unfair and discriminatory’.

Red tape row

CALVIÀ Council has rejected claims by builders that it is taking too long to award construction licences due to ‘bureaucratic bungling’. The council said that it was working with great agility to speed things up in the winter months.

Bog standard

THE football pitch at Son Ferrer is so bad that it is giving Calvià a ‘bad image’, a Socialist councillor has claimed. He said that more than 140 players from local teams face difficulties such as loose cables and appalling locker rooms.

More nature

AN INTERNAL report from two years ago advised the Balearic government to expand the Cabrera national park in order to protect coral and sea life. The report was kept secret for reasons unknown but was discovered by an environmental NGO.

Smuggler cleared

A DOCTOR who was accused of smuggling two artworks through Palma airport has been absolved seven years after he was charged. Dr. Pau Ramis did not declare the works, which he bought in Switzerland for €226,264, and was accused of defrauding the State of €15,838 in IVA.

Burglar jailed

A MOROCCAN man has been jailed for a year after pleading guilty to stealing a home entertainment set, a watch and a computer from a home in Marratxí.

Cheeky calendar

A CHARITY hopes to raise €40,000 from the sale of 2,000 calendars featuring nude images of Local Police from Llucmajor. Funds from the €20 calendars will go to the Associació d’Ajuda a l’Acompanyant del Malalt de Balears, which represents those who look after the sick.

Tough rules

ADOPTING an animal from the Son Reus refuge has become stricter, with prospective masters now obliged to agree that the pet will be a companion and won’t be used for experiments or fighting. They must also provide proper shelter and exercise the animal.

Bottle fine

A MAN has been jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of smashing a bottle on the head of his ex-wife’s cousin, whom he attacked in a nightclub. The assailant has been ordered to pay €2,000 damages to the victim and his wife, who was with him during the attack.

Chemist cash

THE Balearic government has promised to pay pharmacies all monies owed after they threatened to charge patients the full, unsubsidised amount. Pharmacists claim they have not been paid since July.

Banished

A GUARDIA Civil officer who is alleged to have abused his girlfriend has been banished from Mallorca by a judge. After the woman made an initial complaint, he was given a barring order but when he harassed her by phone, the judge decided to expel him.

Tarted up

HOTELIERS are set to spend more than €20 million renovating hotels in Calvià in the coming months. The council said it had granted 24 building licences for the work.

Culture war

ASSOCIATIONS of visual artists and cultural administrators have called on the Education and Culture Minister Rafael Bosch, Palma Culture Councillor Fernando Gilet and Council of Mallorca Culture Vice-president Joan Rotger to resign because their policies are a ‘constant humiliation’ to the arts.

Quids in

BANCA March has had profits of €36 million for the first three months of the year. The Mallorcan bank also posted growth of 26 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Knife trial

A MAN is to be tried for stabbing another man in the heart during a fight at a nightclub in Sa Coma. The victim survived after surgery following the attack in August of 2007.

Country life gets a boost

PLANS to restore woodland and protest countryside in Parcent have received regional government approval.

Help for needy

THE Caritas Food Bank in Denia has received 32,000 kilos of provisions for the needy from individuals and supermarkets.

Smelly denial

SMELLS reaching Campello town centre are not from the Les Canyades refuse treatment plant, according to the local council.

Sweet dreams

SEVENTEEN years after being set up, Alicante General Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Unit has been officially designated a Sleep Centre.

Calendar prize

CALPE schoolchildren are competing for a €100 prize to design next year’s Green Calendar for the local branch of the United Nation´s Agenda 21.

Whisky remedy really takes off 

AN SAS pilot used three bottles of whisky to de-ice his aircraft’s wings before taking off from Alicante’s El Altet airport and flying to Norway.

Business foot-up

TWELVE Alicante shoe manufacturers visited the Kieven footwear trade fair in Ukraine, with changing consumer habits turning it into a potentially lucrative market, said Alicante Chamber of Commerce.

Cashing in

REGIONAL president Alberto Fabra has defended the Valencian Community’s huge deficit, with the . big-spending prompting the Ford expansion and the arrival of Ikea, he claimed.

Police to rescue

SAN JUAN’s Local Police have attended 37 female victims of domestic violence this year, with the aggressor arrested immediately afterwards in 25 per cent of cases.

Past uncovered

EIGHTEENTH century human remains of epidemic victims covered in quicklime before burial in a communal pit have been found in excavations in Calle Navas, Alicante city, experts said.

Pay-back time

FIREMEN who broke windows in Alicante’s Diputacion building in protest at spending cuts have been told they must pay for the damage.

Layoffs avoided

VALENCIAN airline Air Nostrum is cutting wages and leasing out its aircraft following losses of €77 million, but will not be dismissing staff.

Healthy sign

HALF a million people in the Valencian Community have now received anti-flu vaccinations, with just six flu cases detected for every 100,000 inhabits so far this winter.

Fewer people

THE Valencia region’s population will fall 3.5 per cent to 174,787 in 2022, the INE statistics institute has predicted .

Hiker rescued

A 43-YEAR-OLD mountain walker who broke her ankle near Confrides in inland Alicante was rescued by firemen and taken to Marina Baja hospital, Villajoyosa.

Art treasure

THE Persephone Sarcophagus, dating from the 3th century AD and found off the Santa Pola coast, can now be viewed at Marq - Alicante’s Archaeological Museum.

Women held

TWO women have been arrested in San Vicente del Raspeig for falsely claiming their handbags, mobiole phones and other items had been stolen.

Island hope

The CEOE, Spain’s CBI, wants Tabarca island off the Alicante coast to be exempt from Coastline Laws, a concession already made for Formentera.

Bag snatch

ALICANTE city councillor Elena Martin had her handbag seized in a late night snatch, and when later handed to police, cash and her mobile phone were missing.

Deadly halt plea

SAN JUAN families are calling for an urgent halt to plans to build a crematorium in Santa Faz. Granting permission after the licence was previously rejected is “a leg-pull,” they said.

Taking a peep

GERMAN engineers visited train sheds and workshops at Campello and made the Tram journey between Alicante and Benidorm to gain knowledge of FGV’s rolling stock and operations.

Power shocker

JAVEA town hall has an outstanding €450,000 power bill, but has raised local taxes in a move that lacks “solidarity,” according to the PP opposition party.

Naughty parents

PARENTS have been fined €2,000 in Alicante for allowing four children to repeatedly miss school, with a prison sentence if they do not pay the fine.

Wild-food tips

THE town hall and the museum in inland Relleu is offering a course on identifying the different types of mushroom that grow wild locally.

Police blamed

INADEQUATE police coordination has led to a crime increase in Benidorm’s Rincon de Loix area, the SUP police union claims.

Promises, promises

PUBLIC WORKS minister Ana Pastor reiterated that the AVE high speed train will reach Alicante in 2013. And a straight-through Mediterranean line route was another priority, she added.

Take a punt

MORE than €400 million worth of Christmas lottery tickets have been sent to the Valencian Community from the Spanish Mint in Madrid.

New look

THE former Bar Mediterraneo in Denia’s Calle Marques de Campo, a listed building, is to be converted into a cafeteria and two-storey hotel.

Weeks late

THE first batch of Spanish pensioners on Imserso state subsidised holidays arrived in Benidorm, weeks later than usual and in reduced numbers compared with previous years.

Yucca peril

JAVEA plants and trees are threatened by the snout-nosed weevil (picudo negro). It has been detected in Los Balcones district and could prove lethal to agaves and yuccas.

Hospital magic for children

CHILDREN in hospital in Elche were entertained by magicians as part of an initiative to make children happier while in hospital.

Fire probe

CCTV footage is being reviewed as investigators probe a fire that damaged the interior and broke windows at the BBVA bank in Puente Nuevo, Orihuela.

Window treat

GUARDAMAR has launched a Christmas window dressing competition for retailers, with a €200 prize for best lighting, originality, innovation and product.

Slimming down for children 

MORE THAN 40 Almoradí children are taking part in a healthy eating and fitness programme, with parents receiving nutritional guidelines to help youngsters lose weight.

Toddler group

A MOTHER and toddler group is being formed in urbanisation La Marina, with details from the urbanisations office in Calle Madrid.

Young in step

YOUNG ballerinas from Ilidanç Classic joined Dance Conservatory of Murcia professional dancers for the play ‘Piqué y sus amigos audicionan’ at the Grand Theatre in Elche.

Free tennis

RESIDENTS in urbanisation La Marina are being offered free tennis lessons. More information: Call at the Urbanisation Office or phone 966 443 002.

Bank facelift

THE facade of Alicante´s Bank of Spain in La Rambla that was opened in 1947 is to receive a €28,000 clean-up.

President poll

COUNCILLOR Pepa Ferrandohas, Antonio Rodriguez-Barbéra and Rafael Almagro plan to stand in elections for President of the Partido Popular (PP) in Orihuela.

Top entrepreneurs

ENTREPRENUERS in the Vega Baja were honoured at The Young Entrepreneurs Association of the Province of Alicante (JOVEMPA) annual awards ceremony in Orihuela.

A newer look

THE new Municipal Conservatory of Music and Dance and the expansion of the Casa de Cultura has been officially opened in Catral, with the plaza additionally remodelled and updated.

Best retailer

MUEBLES VIUDA has been named Retailer of the Year 2012 in Torrevieja after displaying continued commitment to innovate and adapt to changes in commercial distribution.

Bank facelift

THE facade of Alicante´s Bank of Spain in La Rambla that was opened in 1947 is to receive a €28,000 clean-up.

Plan protest

ENVIRONMENTAL group Ecologists in Action has objected to plans to build an electrical sub-station adjoining the Avenida de las Naciones roundabout in Playa de San Juan, Alicante.

Bridal fair

SEVENTY FIVE exhibitors took part in the Firanovias Bridal Fair at the IFA exhibition centre in Alicante.

Mayor complaint

PSOE has filed a complaint with the ombudsman about the lack of transparency of the government team in Elche and alleged mismanagement by the Mayor.

Cancer walk

The association of women living with breast cancer is hosting the VIII charity race/walk on Sunday, November 25, at 10.30am, at the Paseo de la Estación, Elche.

Music comp

ELCHE´S Youth and Culture departments are working with the University to host a music competition for youngsters from across the province.

Palm weevil

THEGabriel Miró park in Orihuela was closed for fumigation after the red palm weevil was found infecting a tree.

More power

A NEW power station has been inaugurated in Callosa del Segura. The infrastructure has cost three million euros and guarantees service for 100 years.

St Cecilia recital

TORREVIEJA’S Musical Union has hosted a musical poetry recital in honour of St. Cecilia.

Nerja yes to parking bid

NERJA Council has awarded a tender to build an underground car park in Burriana to a consortium that bid €2.5 million. The 200 place car park should take 18 months to build.

Need a lift

THE mayor of Nerja has called on the regional government to install a lift at the town’s health centre, which suffers from chronic access problems as a result of unfinished building work.

Catastrophe

COUNCILLORS in both Almáchar and El Borge have voted to ask the central government to grant them state aid as areas afflicted by natural catastrophe. They have also asked the Provincial Council and regional government for help.

Lamb plan

ROAST suckling lamb from Canillas de Aceituno could be on the menu in EU countries after proving a hit in the rest of Spain. A local business has secured distributors in Holland, Belgium and Denmark for the ready-to-eat dish.

Green lesson

SCHOOLCHILDREN in a Vélez-Málaga primary school have received a crash course in recycling from the provincial environmental delegate so that they know the difference between blue, green and yellow containers.

Given funds

LOCAL associations and NGOs in Vélez-Málaga will receive €57,000 in council grants. The town hall will allocate €15,000 to the non-governmental organisations and the remainder to the collectives.

Cave saved

WORK to protect 30,000-year-old cave paintings at the Cueva del Tesoro in Rincón de la Victoria will be finished by the summer. A further €75,000 has been allocated to fight fungus in the cave, the mayor said.

Lights out

AT LEAST €74,000 of electricity will be saved by Vélez-Málaga Council following a decision to use less street lighting. Parks and council buildings will have less lighting and the Christmas lights will also be more frugal.

Police quiz

OPPOSITION groups in Torrox want an investigation into what they claim are illegal police contracts that have led to the existence of a ‘parallel force’ in the Proteccion Local control.

Tourist plan

THE association of local municipalities is setting up a body to coordinate quality control for tourism related industries in Axarquia.

Landfill seal

A LANDFILL site near Sayalonga is to be sealed, while mountain sides facing roads are to be vaulted to prevent rock slides. The Provincial Council has put the plans to tender and has a budget of €580,000.

Road repair

THE Provincial Council has allocated €1.2 million for improvements to a three kilometre stretch of road from Rincón de la Victoria to Macharaviaya.

Xmas gift

MORE than 8,000 temporary work contracts will be signed during Christmas in Malaga province and 35,000 in Andalucia, a study by Randstad recruitment agency said.

Cash boost

UP to €47 million will be invested in 2013 by Malaga city hall, out of which €6 million will be used on the AVE railway works, the Tabacalera building and the Port promenade.

Local food

REGIONAL gastronomy will be promoted through the Sabor a Malaga campaign and trade show on December 6-9, both organised by the Malaga government.

In the red

A PLEA to delay payments of the €800,000 annual royalty has been made by the company managing Malaga’s Muelle Uno Port promenade, reportedly in the red.

Building cost

MAINTENANCE expenses of Malaga´s town planning building have doubled to €800,000 a year after it was split into five separate offices, the city´s works council said.

Clean up

THE Malaga City Hall would save €12 million a year if the public cleaning company Limasa was made fully public, the local IU party said.

Staying put

SOLAR panel manufacturer Isofoton, headquartered in Malaga, is not planning to leave the city and will invest on international exports, CEO Angel Serrano said.

Sell kiosks

THE €200,000 kiosks that the city hall installed in Malaga to collect citizens’ opinions are considered “useless” by the local IU party “and they should be sold.”

Eviction stopped
AROUND 300 members of local association PAH stopped police from evicting a disabled woman from her home in Malaga’s Palma-Palmilla area.

Old town plan

ALMERIA city council has allocated €550,000 - with 70 per cent of funding from the EU - for renewal of the old town to encourage businesses to locate in the area.

Trial begins

A MAN has gone on trial for stabbing to death a suspected drug dealer during a row over prices. He is also alleged to have started a fire to conceal the crime, unaware that a woman was hiding in the home. She suffered injuries but survived. 

No to bars

TWO planned beach bars at El Ejido have been cancelled by the council, though seven already built will remain.

Greenpeace plea

GREENPEACE has called for an end to oil and gas drilling in the Sea of Alboran between Adra in Almeria and Mijas in Malaga. It claims that dolphins, turtles and fish would suffer as a result of the ‘chronic pollution’.

Police pose

A MAN who posed as a Guardia Civil officer to approach a woman, showed her fake ID and demand to search her handbag, was arrested in Roquetas de Mar later at the scene of a car crash.

Doggone it!

LOCAL POLICE in El Ejido are planning three-month courses for dogs and their masters with lessons on local by laws and how they can help train animals to respect them.

Legionnaire dies

A SPANISH legion NCO died after suffering head wounds during an artillery group training drill at a military compound in Viator. Juan José Maldonado Méndez, 48, a father of three, had been in the army for 30 years.

Flood damage

THE council at Huércal-Overa has written to the Andalucian government to demand repairs on the A-327, which was badly damaged by rain in September.

Thrown out

A JUDGE has thrown out the case against two councillors accused of public disorder at a Roquetas de Mar shopping centre during last week’s General Strike.

Pitch perfect

A NEW €200,000 artificial football pitch is to be laid at the Las Viñas stadium in Vera as maintenance of the old grass pitch cost €55,000 a year.

New hotel

PLANS for a five-star hotel at the corner of Avenida Arquitecto Julián Laguna and Avenida de Almerimar have beenpassed by El Ejido Council.

Bus arrest

POLICE arrested a 52-year-old as he attempted to flee El Ejido by bus after allegedly putting a 48-year-old woman through a three-hour sex assualt ordeal.

Two arrested

TWO Moroccan men were arrested by Huércal-Overa police after being found with large quantities of copper allegedly stolen from electricity wires.

Costa sell

COSTA DE ALMERIA Tourist Board officials visited three cities in Portugal and Galicia to promote the region as a tourist destination

Cook chance

TEN unemployed people in Turre are to be trained as cooks over a ten month period as part of a job creation drive funded by the provincial council.

Ex-mayor trial

THE former mayor of Zurgena has gone on trial for handing out a building licence on land that was not designated for development. Andalucian nationalist Cándido Trabalón is currently the public works councillor in the town.

Delta fix

THE national Agriculture Ministry has allocated €2 million for the clean up of the Andarax River delta in Almeria capital, with plans to link the promenade with a landscaped area.

Water wait

THE mayor of Huércal-Overa says the town still has no way to treat water after the floods of September 28 destroyed the local wastewater treatment plant. He said various reports have been carried out but none have been implemented.

Green light

THE Provincial Council has given the green light for public works worth more than €1.2 million. The biggest single cost will be €240,000 in Balanegra.

Home help

CATHOLIC Cáritas charity is running a campaign to help the homeless. The ‘Nobody Without A Home’ project aims to remind society that the homeless have human dignity.

Father stabbed

A FATHER was stabbed as he entered his home with his wife and young daughter. Two suspected burglars fled empty handed from the Almeria property.

Cash help

ALMERIA receives €236,289 from the Junta de Andalucia in grants for immigrants, which works out at €9 per migrant.

TV thefts

A MOROCCAN man was arrested after police in Huércal-Overa stopped him in his car and found two large flat-screen TVs and tools used to break into buildings.

Past times

HISTORIC archives from Almeria are to be digitalised over the coming five months at a cost of nearly €30,000.

Flood festival

A FESTIVAL will be held in Pulpí early next month to show solidarity with the victims of the recent floods. The town’s fiestas were postponed because of the rains.

Easy riders

THE Almanzora valley was the destination for 110 bikers on Harley Davidsons. The bikers, from Murcia, stayed at Olula del Río and made visits to Las Menas de Serón, Bacares and the ham-drying facilities at Checa

Lotto luck

A LOTTERY salesman in Roquetas de Mar sold ten ONCE coupons worth €35,000 each. The lotto man has only been in the job a year.

Market move

THE street market in Almeria is being moved to make way for a children’s park. From the first weekend of December the market will be located next to the Maestro Padilla Auditorium.

Value added

THE value of plant and flower sales by Almeria’s 350 horticultural businesses has increased 11 per cent to €11.6 million despite a six per cent drop in sales.

On track

FIFTEEN rural tracks badly damaged during September rain have been repaired by Adra Council. Tracks at La Habana, El Pardo, Caballo Blanco, Toril, Fuente Ahijado and La Alquería are now open.

Training call

THE director of a Spanish-German chamber of commerce has said that despite the crisis, Almeria has not increased the number of workers it is sending to Germany. Mike Mösh said there was a ‘serious lack of trained professionals in the province’.

Crime solved

PROCEEDS from a burglary have been recovered after the Guardia Civil detained four men that they had spotted driving suspiciously in Canjáyar.

Unified plan

A UNIFIED firefighting command will cover 42 municipalities from the Nacimiento, Andarax, la Alpujarra, Filabres-Alhamilla and Níjar regions in an attempt to improve efficiency.

Green Xmas

CHRISTMAS decorations in Vélez-Blanco have been made out of recycled plastic and cans by a local organisation

Bids in

MORE than 25 companies have tendered for work on the planned ‘City of Children’ in Almeria, which will be built on the site of the street market. The 20 month project is expected to cost €4.75 million. The massive park will have play areas and activities for children.

Right priority

SOCIAL services in El Ejido will have a budget of €4.4 million next year. The council said priority would be given to dependents, the disabled and the elderly.

Snack boost

THE Andalucian government held a workshop in Adra to help farmers market their produce. Among the products looked at were tasty raf tomatoes and the concept of peppers as snacks.

River dispute

CAÑADA DE CAÑEPLA will host an event to celebrate a disputed decision taken 35 years ago to declare it the source of the River Guadalquivir. Since the 13th century, it had been thought to start life in another province.

HQ graffiti

THE Almeria headquarters of the UPyD party has been targeted by vandals who daubed graffiti saying “fascists” and “scabs”. They also painted an anarchist symbol on the window. A party spokesman called the attack “undemocratic and intolerant”.

Gamble fines

A CLAMPDOWN on illegal gambling in bars, clubs and cafés has seen 25 Almerian establishments charged in the past two years. They face fines of between €600 and €30,000.

Grocer robbed

GUN-WIELDING thieves held up a grocery store in Almeria. Two criminals wearing motorbike helmets approached the owner as she was closing for the day and demanded money. They escaped with €100.

Sex attack

WITNESSES rushed to the help of a woman who was being dragged off the street in an alleged sex crime. As her attackers fled the scene in El Ejido they knocked over the victim, who needed hospital treatment. Three men have been arrested.

A bad idea

GUARDIA CIVIL who thwarted an attempted theft at an agricultural suppliers’ yard found a van loaded with stolen equipment. A man was arrested in Nijar the next day when he went to report the van as stolen.

Court swap
THE Supreme Court and other main state courts may be moved from Moscow to St Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin said, pending a final decision.

Car tax
THE national transportation tax, increasing an average 600 roubles (€15) for car owners in 2013, has been criticised by Civic Platform party leader Mikhail Prokhorov.

Air danger
A PILOT was found guilty of breaking air safety rules when making an emergency landing in stormy weather at the Blagoveshchensk airport in the Amur region.

US poll
FORTY-EIGHT per cent of 1,600 surveyed Russians would have voted for Barack Obama and four per cent to Mitt Romney, a state agency survey said.

Pirate bill
BUSINESSES trading or distributing counterfeit goods may be fined up to 30,000 roubles (€742), if a new law is passed by the government.

Van attack
A MAN driving an office supplies van in Moscow city centre was attacked in broad daylight by two unidentified men who smashed the car’s windows with a gun.

No tweets
THE @Russia Twitter account has never been used and it remains unknown if it belongs to the government, a study by Burson-Marsteller public relations firm noted.

Killer´s plea

NORWAY – Mass killer Anders Breivik, convicted of murdering 77 people last year, complained that his prison conditions violate his human rights, his lawyer said.

Learn the language

SWEDEN – All new foreign citizens in Sweden should speak Swedish, a survey of 4,600 people by the National Statistics Agency found.

Xmas moan

DENMARK – A housing complex in Kokkedal with a moslem-majority board decided not to pay the christmas tree costs, raising criticism by Konservative party members.

Child abuse

SWEDEN – More than 150 children, most of them foreign-born, have been victims of human trafficking in Sweden, a report by the Stockholm County Administrative Board said.

Salmon’s up

NORWAY – Salmon exports to Britain were boosted by lower prices as volume rose 30.5 per cent in 2012’s third quarter, the Norwegian Seafood Council said.

Cold cases

DENMARK - Three murder investigations from the late 1980s may be reopened by the Copenhagen Police after reviewing evidence using new forensic technology.

Sex delay

SWEDEN – A train near Mörrum had to stop as a car was parked close to the tracks. Although the driver expected a suicidal person, he found a couple having sex.

Switched off

A MORNING power cut switched off most of Munich. Some areas regained power within 15 minutes, while others had to wait up to an hour, local press said.

Egged on

PROTESTERS pelted Germany's consul in Thessaloniki (Greece) with eggs and coffee leading to riot police intervention.

No relief

A MAN in a wheelchair was refused use of the toilet in Düsseldorf city hall as he was told by the guard that "disabled persons pose a safety risk," according to Bild.

Nazis rise

EAST Germans empathising with extreme right-wing policies grew from 10.5 to 15.8 per cent since 2010, a report by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation said.

Sick note

EMPLOYEES in Germany can be asked to produce a doctor’s note from the first day they call in sick, a state labour court ruled.

Fake attack

THE Mayor of Rickenbach was fined €18,000 for fraud as he faked a Molotov cocktail attack on his own office.

Death wish

A 38-year-old woman in Fresing, near Munich, survived a car crash suicide attempt right after she had suffocated three of her four children to death.

Lock change

LOCKS have been changed at the Tower of London, home to the Crown Jewels, after a thief was spotted stealing a set of keys from a sentry post. The Beefeaters, who famously guard the tower, reportedly did not give chase as rules prevent them leaving their posts.

Sign off

CONFUSING signs cluttering the British countryside will be banned under new plans. The Government is to issue new guidance to local councils and highway officials.

Old trick

A SCHOOLBOY who used sophisticated prosthetics to disguise himself as a pensioner while carrying out a violent armed robbery has been jailed. Brandishing two handguns and dressed up as an old man, sixteen-year-old Miles Alura and his two teenaged accomplices were caught following a raid on a Kent jewellers.

No access

MORE THAN seven million adults in Britain have never used the internet according to the Office for National Statistics. That is 15 per cent of the population

Top word

THE TERM 'omnishambles' – coined by a political satire TV series – has been crowned by Oxford University as 2012's word of the year. The term, defined as “a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations,” topped a list of words which academics say reflect the past 12 months in the UK.

Signal loss

HOMES that lose their television signal thanks to interference from the 4G mobile network will receive up to £10,000 (€12,400) each to be reconnected. It is thought that around 950,000 homes will suffer interference ranging from image distortion to the total loss of some channels as superfast broadband is rolled out.

Slipped in

ENGLAND’S tour match against Haryana was halted briefly in Ahmedabad after a group of monkeys appeared on the field, leaving the tourists amused.