RTN Newspaper – Costa del Sol 10 - 16 November 2017 Issue 028

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Issue 28

10th - 16th November 2017

Reporting The News

National treasure

Inside this week...

police demand equal pay P4

celeb sightings

P18 Photo credit: Wikimedia

NATURAL WONDER: The Sierra de las Nieves

by Jimmy Grayling THE Sierra de las Nieves is likely to be declared a National Park after an 84-year wait.

It comes after Spain’s Secretary of State for the Environment, Maria Garcia, addressed the issue in a Madrid press conference.

The official said the Spanish Government “is convinced” that the area deserves to become a National Park due to its outstanding biodiversity, and that she intends a draft law to “reach the courts by the middle of next year.”

She went on to express regret that the issue “dates back to 1934,” the year that Ronda Council first applied to elevate the park to a Natural Site of National Interest, a process that was shelved due to the outbreak of civil war in 1936.

But the final decision cannot be made un-

til the Junta de Andalucia regional authority and Spanish National Parks body finish a technical report that they are working on together, although a “basic agreement” is already in place.

The Sierra de las Nieves forms part of the Serrania de Ronda mountain range and its heart lies just over an hour’s drive inland from the Costa del Sol. Named after the snow which often covers the upper slopes in winter, its highest peak is the 1,919-metre La Torrecilla, while several rivers, including the Rio Verde which feeds the La Concepcion dam at Istan, rise in the park.

The largely unspoiled 993-square-kilometre area was declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1995 and is home to an enormous diversity of wildlife including a number of endangered plant and animal species.

all that glitters is not gold

by

Michael P26 Walsh

2

Council debt down

British Ambassador and Remembrance Sunday

by Pippa Harris FUENGIROLA COUNCIL has reduced its debt by 75 per cent to €10.1 million.

The amount has gone down considerably from the €42 million owed at the end of 2014. The town’s Mayor, Ana Mula, has said the council’s economic policies were responsible for the achievement, claiming they were “above all transparent.”

She added, “I have a plan which is reflected in our yearly budgets and how we manage them. The approach is paying off.” Mayor Mula explained, “thanks to good economic management we even have the opportunity of running a surplus,” which allowed the council to pay off some of its loans.

The news comes after Fuengirola Council was forced in September to use €1.8 million from a contingency fund to cover a fine for delays in paying for works to the Elola Sports Centre.

A court in Malaga passed the judgment after the council delayed paying the €6.5 million bill for the project, which took place

PLAN: Council states their plan is paying off as they have reduced debts between 2005 and 2008.

Opposition parties have criticised the governing team for using funds for other projects to pay the fine, although the council says it is “absolutely normal.”

The contingency fund, which was put aside to support families, is said to be running at a surplus, with a source saying, “we have made sure the money will not be needed for its original purpose and all the aid for our residents will be covered.”

Opposition party Ciudadanos said the situation was “disastrous and catastrophic,” while the governing team said the party had shown “no interest” in the issue in the council session.

Meanwhile Mijas Council has been passing its financial luck on to residents with a series of tax breaks expected to come into force next year. Payments on property tax (IBI), capital gains tax and car tax will all be reduced under the scheme after the council announced it was running a surplus.

Administrative payments for forms and other council services will also be lowered and the council said it will continue to take suggestions from residents on what they would like the surplus spent on.

A spokesman for the council confirmed any tax breaks and additional spending were being carried out in a fiscally “responsible” manner.

SIMON MANLEY, the British Ambassador to Spain will be attending and reading a lesson at the Service of Remembrance at St George’s Anglican Church in Madrid.

He will be will be joined by diplomatic colleagues from across the Commonwealth and EU and other countries, as well as serving members of UK armed forces based here in Spain, as part of NATO operations or bilaterally.

In addition, a number of British consular teams will be attending Remembrance Day events a c r o s s Spain.

3

Lawyers condemn court delays

by Jemima Roberts LAWYERS from the Malaga Bar Association have written to the General Council of the Judiciary (CGDJ) asking for changes to the way floor clause mortgage claims are handled.

The group says the use of of just one specially-appointed court to deal with these claims as led to significant delays, hindering justice and leaving claimants with years to wait before their case will be heard.

The Malaga Bar Assocation says the plan, which was put in place to expedite these claims, has failed and site the 2,100 cases lodged since June 1 as evidence the court is overburdened. It also warns having one central court in Malaga limits justice to those living in remote areas of the province.

In May, the group warned of delays before the court even opened.

According to one judge, Jose Maria Paez,”unless more resources are allocated, it will be very difficult to process this number of demands without incurring big delays.” A second specialist court to deal with these claims is planned for Malaga but no date has yet been announced.

Jose Maria Paez believes at least another four may be necessary to

OVERBURDENED: Lawyers request changes to how Floor Cause Mortgage claims are dealt with deal with the weight of cases.

Belen Rincon, a lawyer specialising in bank claims, also explained more claimants than expected were forced to take their cases to court after banks have been reluctant to pay out.

He claimed as a result, “it is estimated that the limit of cases that can be treated by a standard court a year is 1,700 or 1,800; after that it collapses.”

Floor clause claims have featured heavily in the news in recent months

after several court rulings have allowed anyone who paid unexpectedly high amounts of interest on their mortgage to claim the money back.

After a European Court of Justice ruling last December, people who believe they were sold a floor clause mortgage have been able to claim the money back.

Lawyers, prosecutors and judges had voted unanimously against forcing one court to deal with so many claims. It now seems their concerns

were well-founded as the court has since received twice the expected annual amount in just two months.

Last week, Spain’s Supreme Court ruled people who have already renegotiated their mortgages with their banks can still reclaim their money in court.

The decision means anyone whose bank has agreed to lower their interest repayments can still reclaim excess interest payments made in previous years.

4

Police demand equal pay

by Jemima Roberts AROUND 3,000 police officers have gathered in Malaga to demand equal pay with their regional counterparts.

The protest took place in Plaza de la Constitucion, with officers waving banners saying, “it’s now or never.” They claim the issue came to a head after police from all over Spain were drafted in to help out with the constitutional crisis in Catalonia, highlighting the disparity in pay between officers from different areas. One officer said, “the wage discrimination was there before, it is an old issue, but from that day it went from being a police problem to one for all

of society. That’s why it’s now or never. We will never have such social backing again.”

They claim police in the Guardia Civil are paid €1,350 a month, while their equivalents in Catalonia are paid around €2,000 on average a month. In addition, offices are claiming they are subject to overcrowding and “terrible” hygiene and food.

The Guardia Civil are not the only public workers with a grievance over pay and conditions with members of Malaga’s fire force have been striking since early this year.

The council has said it is prepared to negotiate with the fire men to redraft a document regu-

lating fire workers’ conditions, dating from 1959. The document will see issues including training, shifts and fire stations renegotiated.

The strike had been ongoing in the province for nine months, leading to a potential criminal case for 60 firefighters who ignored calls to attend five blazes in one day.

The Malaga prosecutor’s office has referred the matter to a judge who will now decide whether the workers are guilty of abandoning their office, a matter punishable by up to two years’ suspension from work and fines.

According to reports, on June 27 five fires broke out simultane-

ously around the province.

Sixty-one firemen were all called and asked to come to work but only one turned up. Twelve said they could not because of child care or doctor’s appointments, three said they were out of the area, one refused to go, two were on leave and the other 42 did not pick up their phones or return the call.

In the end, Provincial firefight-

ers and Infoca workers were left to tackle the blazes in La Corta, Campanillas, Asperones, Monte Dorado and Atabal.

See our editorial on Page 28

6

€68,000 accident hotspot

by Pippa Harris

unemployment

in Malaga

BENALMADENA COUNCIL has spent tens of thousands of Euros on a roundabout which caused several accidents.

MALAGA has seen a 3.1 percent rise in unemployment figures in the month of October, according to data released by the Ministry of Employment.

According to reports, the reason for the rise may be to the gradual completion of summer contracts in the Services sector which has led to 4,682 new job seekers.

Despite these figures, unemployment in Malaga stands at 153,764 people, a decrease of 8% compared to the figures of 2016 at this time of year.

At national level, the total number of unemployed reached the end of October the figure of 3,467,026 unemployed , reportedly the lowest level in the last eight years.

The structure, which cost €68,000, has been fenced off since a councillor rolled her car on it on August 8.

After considering removing the structure entirely, the Council has announced it will now modify its design, “to avoid having to return a subsidy granted by the Provincial Council for its construction,” according to Councillor for Urbanisation, Oscar Ramundo.

Plans now include narrowing the road leading up to the roundabout as well as installing traffic lights.

The Avenida Antonio Machado roundabout was partially fenced-off following an outcry from residents after a series of accidents including one which left a motorist with a leg injury.

Locals demanded it was demolished but the council voted unanimously to keep the roundabout and simply chage its layout after it emerged demolishing would mean returning funding for the project to the Provincial Council.

Oscar Ramundo, Councillor for Urban Planning, said the site “has not been put to use because it suffers from some design flaws that were noticed once the work was finished,” confirming it will be modified, “to avoid having to

October rise for

ROUND AND ROUND: Council goes in circles whilst deciding on future of accident black spot return the subsidy granted by the Provincial Council for its construction”.

The news came after Councillor Beatriz Olmedo wounded a motorist after making an illegal manoeuvre on the roundabout, changing lanes from one heading towards Fuengirola to one to Torremolinos.

Political party, Cuidadanos, demanded the roundabout be demolished following several accidents, however the party do not have rep-

resentation in the council anymore after three of their councillors were expelled, leaving the governing parties free to push through the vote to modify the site unanimously.

Initial plans included restricting cars and taxis at the entrance to the roundabout, however this was discounted after councillors decided the area running from the Sunset Beach hotel to Torremolinos was so busy the move would cause large jams.

7

Holy smoke!

by Richard Johnson OFFICERS from the Guardia Civil have seized more than 5,550 boxes of illegal tobacco at Malaga Airport.

The agents intercepted the tobacco, which was made by two different brands, across two raids on October 12 and 30, finding the haul amongst the luggage of three people preparing to fly to London.

As the luggage was being loaded onto the plane, a suitcase opened and large amounts of tobacco were found inside. Officers tracked down the suitcase’s owner, ascertaining he had checked in two other pieces of luggage and finding two other people had checked in with him. In total, they found nine bags belonging to the passengers who were all headed to Stanstead Airport in the UK. Around ₏10,000 of tobacco was found,

weighing around 148 kilos in total across 2,960 packages. The British nationals were all charged with smuggling and were forced to hand over the tobacco to customs at Malaga Airport.

Two further passengers were intercepted on October 30 carrying 5,560 boxes of tobacco headed for Rome. Officers investigated them for smuggling and seized the tobacco.

The illegal sale of tobacco has long been a problem on the Costa del Sol with organisers forced to crack down at this year’s Malaga feria.

The council this year installed an authorised tobacconist to reduce the problem.

The retailer, located in the Real de la Feria, attracted large crowds of smokers, although some illegal street vendors continued to trade, according to media reports.

Head of Security at Malaga Council, Ma-

SEIZED: 5,550 boxes found rio Cortes, said although not many police officers were brought in to deal with the problem, more measures were put in place

to stop the sale of illegal tobacco this year, leading to 200 packets of cigarettes being confiscated.

8

Police catch armed robbers

Man allegedly blackmailed to commit armed robbery

by Jemima Roberts NATIONAL POLICE officers have arrested two people in Fuengirola for two armed robberies in pharmacies.

Another man, aged 21, has also been arrested for blackmailing one of the robbers to commit the crime in exchange for settling a €300 debt.

The alleged robbers are accused of stealing €2,940 from the pharmacies and police searches of their three homes also revealed a further €27,000 in cash, nearly half a kilo in marijuana and several mobile phones.

The first man was found after a pharmacist complained of being robbed for €700 and officers found the culprit lived near to the shop.

Another robbery took place on October 30 in another pharmacy in Fuengirola, this time involving two men who made off with €2,200.

Police soon arrested the man they had already been investigating for the first robbery as well as a 17-year-old they believe was involved in the second.

RTN last week revealed three violent burglaries had taken place on the Costa del Sol within less than 24 hours.

The string of assaults, which police have not said are related, began when one of the men now in custody held up a pharmacy at gunpoint on Calle Infantes in Huelin. The assailant allegedly wore a ski mask before hitting an employee and threatening him for money.

The next day at 8.40am a man wearing a balaclava and motorcycle helmet robbed a branch of Unicaja in Calle La Hoz, just 50 metres from the pharmacy. The man apparently pulled out a gun and told staff to give him money before a woman ran out into the street and raised the alarm.

The man escaped before police arrived. According to one publication, a witness explained a bank employee was injured in one hand.

Minutes later at 9am an assailant wearing a motorcycle helmet and wielding an axe held up a Unicaja in Benamargosa.

At the time of the robbery only the bank’s two staff members were in the building. The man threatened the staff and made off with around €18,000 in cash, some of which fell onto the street as he made his escape. Passers-by apparently returned money they had found on the street to the bank.

10

Twenty years for cop killer

Some of the healthy looking marijuana plants discovered

Guardia Civil officers find drug plantations in four separate areas of Malaga Province

by Staff Reporter IT has been a high old time for the Guardia Civil in Malaga Province as they have arrested 47 people and discovered more than 4,000 marijuana plants in a series of raids.

23 people were arrested in Alhaurin el Grande with the discovery of 1,672 plants and 20 kilos of buds following several months of investigation.

Then, following reports from local residents of a strong smell of marijuana from

supposedly uninhabited properties, 16 people in the areas of Alora, Pizarra and Ardales were arrested with the seizure of 347 plants and 23 kilos of buds.

Moving on to Coin, officers, working with the Local Police found an indoor plantation in a warehouse which led to the arrest of a further five individuals, the confiscation of 630 plants and the dismantling of equipment needed to force grow the marijuana plants.

During this action, the officers discovered that the alleged crooks had

connected the warehouse illegally to the local grid and were stealing the electricity needed to grow the plants.

Finally, officers from Ronda working on a separate investigation arrested two Dutchmen and one Briton who were cultivating 1,364 plants in Colmenar-Estación de Gaucín.

Also found on this property were 2.6 kilos of buds as well equipment used in the packaging and sale of marijuana and a vehicle which they were believed to have used to transport drugs.

AN EX-CONVICT has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing his former friend with a machete.

The 64-year-old murderer was on trial for stabbing a 74-old-former National Police Chief Inspector 16 times with a machete. The prosecution sought 18 years’ jail time for murder and two years for weapons offences.

The accused, who did not deny the allegation, “surprised” his victim at his home in Torremolinos before killing him. The suspect waited on the doorstep next to his victim’s body before telling police officers, “he did not keep my secret.” It is not known what secret the man is referring to.

Police said the suspect killed the deceased, who was believed to have been his friend, in a “repeated and surprise” stabbing to the man’s head, neck, thorax, abdomen and back with a machete. After the attack, the man told a passer-by to call the police and sat waiting for them before telling them what he had done.

When asked by police why

he was carrying the machete, which was 25 centimetres long and four centimetres wide with a saw blade on the back and a pointed end, the man supposedly said he always had it on him.

Witnesses said they saw the man “loitering” outside the victim’s house on Calle Boscon before stabbing him. One driver honked his horn at the attacker several times to get his attention before giving up and calling the police. Prosecutors claimed the suspect went to his former friend’s house “with the evident purpose of causing him death.”

Prosecutors accepted the accused suffered from bipolar disorder but maintained he was aware of his actions on the day of the murder.

CCTV footage allegedly shows the accused trying to remove the machete from his victim’s body, sustaining a cut to a finger on his right hand which required surgery.

The man has now been ordered to pay €100,000 in compensation to his victim’s daughter in addition to his jail time.

11

London calling

by Staff Reporter BRITISH AIRWAYS has brought back flights connecting Malaga Airport to London Heathrow.

The new route will see a total of eight flights between the two airports each week - four outbound and four return - and the first passengers to make the journey were given a special commemorative cake to mark the occasion.

The connection could prove to be essential for the region’s tourism industry as Heathrow is a key hub for making international connections, so could help to attract more Asian and American tourists to the region.

Aena, the company that manages Span-

FIREFIGHTERS HAVE rescued two people from a blaze on Malaga’s Calle Jacinto Benavente.

Neither victim required hospital treatment but one was treated at the scene for mild smoke poisoning while the other was treated for anxiety.

The fire started at 1.50am on the first floor of a building. Firefighters evacuated the occupants and dealt with the blaze which caused considerable damage to the roof.

According to fire services, hundreds of book and videotapes in

ish airports and air navigation, announced that the flights will strengthen the Malaga’s connection to London which already holds the crown as the airport’s most popular destination.

The winter season for airlines officially began when the clocks went back and it is common for companies to launch new routes during this time.

New routes from Malaga to other European capitals have also been introduced announced. Ryanair announced two new flights per week to Prague in the Czech Republic while Scandinavian Airlines now flies to Helsinki, Finland once a week, with more flights to be scheduled during the Christmas period.

SKY HIGH: A British airways flight lands in London Heathrow

Two saved in house fire the home fuelled the fire, leading to extensive damage.

Despite the cooler temperatures, the Costa del Sol is still suffering from a series of house fires. Last month an 87-year-old man died after his home caught fire in Torremolinos.

Two others were affected by the blaze, with one 77-year-old woman remaining in a serious condition in hospital suffering from burns and

smoke inhalation.

Firefighters attended the fire after several neighbours raised the alarm at around 9am. Finding the apartment’s doorway blocked, the rescue workers were forced to smash a window to gain entry.

Inside they found a 77-year-old woman lying on the floor conscious and moved her to an ambulance. Searching the property’s rooms, firemen found the breath-

ing but unconscious 87-year-old man lying in bed. Paramedics performed CPR before transferring the man to the Carlos Haya Hospital where he later died.

One Local Police officer was also received medical attention after suffering from smoke inhalation and dizziness when National and Local police went to the property to cordon off the area. The 43year-old officer was helping work-

ers when he began to feel it, according to media reports.

Firefighters told one publication the blaze originated from one of the property’s rooms although they are still uncertain what caused the fire. According to the firemen involved, although the flames were small, the cloud of smoke “was very wide and dense.”

Police are now investigating the cause of the fire.

Nine firefighters carried out the rescue operation, using two vehicles and a long-length ladder to extinguish the fire.

12

Jail time for girlfriend beater

by Richard Johnson A MAN has been sentenced to two years in prison for pushing his ex-girlfriend out of a moving car in Torremolinos, breaking one of her legs.

The woman underwent two surgeries after the incident and still has limited movement in one ankle, it emerged.

The pair had been going out for three months in 2013 before breaking up. Remaining friendly, they went on a night out with the girls’ friends to a nightclub in Torremolinos. At around 4am the man said he was leaving and asked her to come with him. The victim claimed she refused and said he sent her a Whatsapp message saying he had left.

When she came to leave the club an hour later, however, the girl explained he was waiting outside and offered her a lift, which she accepted.

Once inside the car, the man told his ex-girlfriend he was not taking her home and allegedly became more aggressive. The girl tried to text her friends but the boy apparently threw her phone out of the window. At that point, the girl opened the car door to get out and the man pushed her out of the door while the car was still moving.

Pedestrians helped the girl, calling

Ex-girlfriend was pushed from moving car

the police who took her to a health centre. A court in Malaga said the girl’s testimony was “coherent and fully in keeping” with the facts. The judge added there was no “special animosity,” on the part of the victim and that her story was corroborated by statement from two of her friends.

The accused claimed he did not have

a relationship with the girl but said they were instead “friendly.” He denied attacking the girl and said he was “surprised” when he received her message saying she was going to report him.

The judge sided with the girl in court, sentencing the man to two years in prison and imposing a restraining order on him.

More staff needed

STAFF at Malaga Airport are demanding more air traffic controllers due to an increase in flights.

The union has asked for around 20 more employees after an increase in air traffic has caused a “complicated situation.”

The request was made at a Union of Air Traffic Controllers (USCA) event in the Melia hotel, Torremolinos, where representatives claimed its existing work force was ageing and also having to deal with more flights, leading to their service falling below “the expected quality.”

Raul Delgado, their representative, said “at least a 25 per cent” increase in staff was necessary, bringing the number of controllers to 95 to meet the new demand.

He added, “with the current number of staff at the Malaga control tower we cannot meet the airport’s plans to open a second runway up to 16 hours a day next summer.”

The news comes after air traffic control were forced to step in at Malaga Airport in August after a British father and his son allegedly dazzled pilots with laser pointers.

If found guilty, the men, aged 41 and 15, could be handed fines of between

€30,000 and €600,000 for breaching the Citizen Security Law, according to the Provincial Commissary.

The accused were identified by an off-duty National Police officer who was staying at the same hotel, the Don Pablo de Torremolinos.

The policeman allegedly saw two people on a sixthfloor terrace pointing lasers “indiscriminately” in the air and at three planes, as well as vehicles driving in the area at around 11pm.

The National Police officer called 091, telling his colleagues about the incident.

A patrol car was sent to the hotel, where staff helped the police locate the room of the accused, which officers then searched, finding small, green laser pointers.

Police confiscated the pens and took statements from the two, who apparently accepted their guilt, according to media reports.

At the same time as the incident, several pilots alerted Malaga Airport’s air traffic control tower they had been dazzled by lasers, saying they believed they came from the Bajondillo area, where the hotel is. It is not believed anyone was injured in the incident.

14

Have your Say!

Residents rally round worker RESIDENTS in La Cala de Mijas have written to the council in support of a laid-off sports club worker, Miriam Borneo.

Ms Borneo, who worked at the Mijas Sports Club, won a court case claiming Mijas Council was wrong not to offer full employment rights to several of the club’s workers, however the council now plans to appeal this decision. The group of residents has called on

the council to drop its appeal, arguing it would only impinge on Ms Borneo’s rights further.

Francisco Sepulveda, president of the La Cala Residents’ Association, said, “we believe the most just, reasonable and humane thing to do is that the council team abide by this ruling and do not appeal.” He added he had contacted the town’s Mayor, Juan Carlos Maldonado.

He added, “we ask for a gesture of

A popular post this week

Ronda”

which has generated over 80 reactions with over 60 likes and over 160 post clicks.

BANCO SANTANDER plans to lay off more than 1,500 employees due to the integration of Banco Popular, which it acquired in June after EU authorities ordered its rescue, the Comisiones Obreras union said on Wednesday.

Santander, which took on more than 11,000 employees from Banco Popular, is expected to cut staff at both lenders’ corporate centres to lower costs, its chief executive Jose Antonio Alvarez said in October.

Comisiones Obreras wants the bank to find jobs for 575 of the employees at the company’s other units.

When Santander acquired Banco Popular, it said it expected restructuring costs of around €1.3 billion related to the deal.

In its third-quarter results last month, Santander took a €300 million hit due to one-off restructuring costs but said it was not expecting further charges

Colin Rowe “A beautiful place ,yes!

However that bridge has a very dark episode in Spain´s history. During the Spanish civil war prisoners were thrown from it to their deaths.”

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“ Use the money to clean up Benidorm, repair the pavements and get rid of the thieving pea men ”

performing overtime work he had been paid for.

A spokeswoman for the council, Ana Mata, made the announcement about the case which came to light almost a year ago. She explained the investigations into mayor Rodrigo Romero and the former head of a fire station had now been dropped, after it was found no criminal wrong doing had taken place.

Laid off

is “A bridge too far in

rtnnewspaper.com

kindness, humility and good feeling from the council, giving this young mother the job stability that has been recognised by the courts.”

The council has so far refused the request, however, instead employing three new people.

The case comes after a court in Fuengirola dealt with another high-profile labour dispute.

A judge dropped a case in September against a firefighter accused of not

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this year.

Much like its competitors, Banco Santander is struggling to lift earnings from loans in Spain as interest rates hover at historic lows, while increasing competition consumes margins.

As a result, Spanish banks have been cutting costs, including through branch closures, since the 2012 financial crisis which ate into earnings and pushed some into state bailouts.

Their profits have since recovered, but Spain still has the highest number of branches per person of any country in the European Union, according to recent data from the Bank of Spain.

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15

Fright night HALLOWEEN celebration ended on a sour note in Alhaurin de la Torre after the police received numerous reports of vandalism from locals.

As well as smashing eggs and leaving graffiti on various public spaces, the culprits burned two public waste bins and broke the windows of several cars. The local sports centre was also damaged during the disorder.

Salvador Herrera, the local Councillor for Citizen Security claimed that this type of criminal behaviour had never oc-

curred in the town before this year’s Halloween festivities.

“Children think they won’t get caught when they’re wearing their masks and things got out of hand,” he told local media sources. “The council has taken note and will evaluate ways to prevent this from happening during upcoming events.”

Police have yet to make any arrests and no one was reportedly harmed during the criminal activities, but Herrera claimed that the vandalism was “widespread” across the city.

Council infighting

by Richard Johnson TORREMOLINOS’ PARTIDO POPULAR (PP) party is in turmoil after an internal rift between its former mayor and other members.

Pedro Fernandez Montes has been accused of a “boycott” by provincial deputy Ramon del Cid, causing the party to suspend its monthly meeting. The party has now not held a meeting since September after apparent tensions over who will stand for mayor in the 2019 election, with some backing Fernandez Montes and other supporting Margarita del Cid. The infighting comes after it was last week revealed two councillors in Benaldamdena were being investigated over allegations they had taken bribes.

The Podemos party is investigating its own councillors, Enrique Garcia and Juan Ramon, over concerns they took bribes from the governing council team while in opposition.

It has been claimed the politicians took the sums in exchange for backing council policies between June 2015 and May 2016. The commission explained it believes “very serious infractions” could have occurred.

Garcia and Ramon last year eventually entered into coalition with councillors expelled from party Ciudadanos and the PSOE party, giving Mayor Victor Navas an outright majority. If the two

RIFT: Tensions rise between party members councillors are now expelled from their party the coalition could come unstuck, however.

The investigation is considering whether Garcia signed “a pact with the PSOE and always doing whatever the mayor wanted,” as well as “having refused to oppose,” the mayor.

The three councillors who were expelled from the Ciudadanos party have since joined new group, Contigo.

Bernardo Jimenez, Oscar Ramundo and Beatriz Olmedo, were removed from their original party after coming to an agreement with left-leaning PSOE, “signing a covert pact.” They have now joined the new party, which is an offshoot of Contigo SomosDemocracia (CSD).

According to media reports, the three

have already held their first few meetings as Contgio and begun promoting the party on social media.

The group say their policies will be centrist and are gearing up for the next municipal elections in two years’ time with the aim of taking votes from Ciudadanos. They are also preparing to hold their first national conference in Granada in October.

Since being expelled, the councillors have held council roles in urban planning, personnel and mobility, while Bernardo Jimenez is Contigo’s new spokesman.

Ciudadanos are now left without any representatives in the council despite winning 10 per cent of the vote at the last election.

16

News from around Europe NETHERLANDS

Not improving ACCORDING TO The Global Gender Gap Report 2017, researched and published by the World Economic Forum, the gender gap in the Netherlands is not improving; in fact, it is worsening. The Netherlands dropped 16 places in this year’s annual report.

I spy THE NETHERLANDS will hold a referendum on legislation giving law enforcement authorities farreaching surveillance powers. Activists, politicians and media groups want to overturn the ‘tapping law’ passed in July which

allows agencies to gather data covertly from large groups of people at once.

Power hungry MICROSOFT recently signed a power purchase agreement with energy company Vattenfall to purchase all the electricity produced from a new 180megawatt wind farm being built in the Netherlands.

The farm will be located in the Wieringermeer polder, next to Microsoft’s data centre operations.

Closing down THE NETHERLANDS’ new government has announced plans to close

SCANDINAVIA all coal power plants by 2030. Closures will include three of the most efficient plants made in 2015, which should help the country achieve its goal of a 49 per cent reduction in emissions.

Bottom of the pile MC SLOTERVAART in Amsterdam-Nieuw-West is at the very bottom of newspaper AD’s Top 100 hospital ranking for 2017. The hospital dropped 36 places compared to last year’s 64th place on the list and scored poorly when it came to pain control, malnutrition and delirium.

FRANCE Going under?

AUDITORS for Lanvin, France’s oldest fashion house, have filed a warning with a commercial court in Paris over financial troubles. The company’s provisional forecast for the year shows sales will fall 30 per cent in 2017 after

a 23 per cent drop last year.

Strike against Scrooges PARIS MOTORWAYS were brought to a standstill by an army of workers after the city’s main Christmas market was banned for being too tacky. An-

Stockholm blaze injures two TWO people were injured due to smoke inhalation and taken to hospital after a fire broke out in central Stockholm on Tuesday morning.

Four others were evacuated from a building in the prestigious Stureplan district. Police cordoned off the area for three hours.

Wrap up warm!

ACCORDING to a weather forecaster’s prediction for the long-term, the biggest cities in Sweden are about to face their coldest winter for five years. It could get colder than usual in the south and larger areas are likely to be covered in snow.

Paradise becomes hell for some THE ‘Paradise Papers’ scandal has also reached Sweden as their tax authorities are investigating after a huge international leak exposed

gry stallholders blocked main roads with their lorries and vans after councillors said the market on the Champs-Elysees was too “mediocre” in quality.

Dads need time too MORE THAN 58,000 people in

France have signed a petition demanding men receive more paternity leave following the birth of a child. The petition has asked that the current 11 days leave awarded to new fathers should be extended to four weeks and made obligatory.

some of the world’s top businesses and global figures who have stored their wealth in offshore funds and tax havens.

Scarf promotion for needy OSLO is witnessing the annual event that sees lots of sculptures around the city sporting orange scarves. The Church City Mission promote caring and inclusiveness while approaching winter and Christmas season. The scarves are left on the sculptures for those who need them.

Critical car shooting A 20-year-old man shot in the Tingbjerg area of Copenhagen has been left in a critical condition. An overturned car was found at the scene of the shooting and police say the wounded person was sitting in the vehicle between Åkandevej and Ruten.

Never ending THE PARIS PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE opened an investigation on Monday of death threats against the satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo, over a cartoon of the Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan, who faces rape allegations.

17

GERMANY Oh...what a beauty!

POLICE in the city of Karlsruhe were alerted by a worried resident after finding what he believed was a World War II bomb in his garden. Instead, what the 81-year-old man had stumbled across was...a very large courgette measuring 16 inches long.

Angela still Nº1 DESPITE all her recent problems, German Chancellor Angela Merkel still remains the most powerful woman in the world. For the seventh year in a row, she has topped the Forbes List for the top 100... beating Theresa May into second place.

Not so dark favourite FERRERO, the Italian firm that makes the famous chocolate and hazelnut spread Nutella, has admitted to a German

consumer group that the formula has been adjusted. The Hamburg Consumer Protection Centre noticed that the product was lighter than previously.

Refugee incidents fall ATTACKS on the homes of refugees in Germany have dropped sharply since the height of the crisis. A total of 226 have been recorded in 2017 so far, of which 213 are believed to have been caused by right-wing extremists.

Jobless staying stable GERMANY’S Federal Labour Agency has announced that unemployment in the country has stayed at historic lows during October, with a seasonallyadjusted figure of 5.6 per cent it’s the lowest level since the country’s reunification in 1990 at 2.4 million people.

FINLAND No war, war...just exercise NORWAY’S President Sauli Niinistö distanced himself from comments made by his Minister of Defence that his country is about to organise their largest military exercise since the conclusion of the Cold War. He

RUSSIA ‘Extremists’ arrested AT LEAST 260 people were arrested while protesting against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow recently. The protesters are believed to be linked to nationalist politician Vyacheslav Maltsev’s Artillery Preparation movement. It has been declared extremist and is banned in Russia.

Coming of age RUSSIA’S ELITE descended on London for their annual debutante ball last weekend. Held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, the Russian Debutante Ball, whose patron Princess Olga Andreevna Romanoff is a descendant of the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, is now in its fifth year.

Hannibal Lecter ANATOLIY EZHKOV - the Russian ‘Hannibal Lecter’ – was arrested for leaving a date horrifically disfigured after biting off her ears, nose

Finns would oppose joining NATO. The figures were released as US Defence Secretary James Mattis arrived in Helsinki for meetings aimed at bringing NATO and the EU closer in defence cooperation.

‘McUnique’ burger on sale stated that the ‘possible exer- McDONALD’S is rolling out its new ‘McVegan’ cise’ was nothing other than burger in Finland, but it’s only available in one location...Tampere. Local vegans have shown normal manoeuvres. their delight that they’ve been given a veganfriendly option, and proud that it’s the only It’s a NO to NATO AN OPINION Poll in Finnish place in the world to offer it. newspaper Helsingin Sanomat showed that 59 per cent of Family grassers

and fingertips. The 45-year-old plied his victim with alcohol before beating her up, tying her up with a cord and sinking his teeth into her flesh.

“I lived on Mars” A RUSSIAN who has baffled scientists since birth has claimed he lived on Mars before being reborn on Earth. 20-year-old Boriska Kipriyanovich’s parents claim that he was able to speak months after he was born and would often discuss subjects they had never taught him.

Close call A RUSSIAN zookeeper is recovering in hospital after being mauled by a tiger. The zoo, in Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave on the Baltic, said that safety rules had been broken and the zookeeper and the tiger should not have been in the enclosure together.

ALMOST 75 per cent of those that responded to a traffic survey in the country said they wouldn’t hesitate in reporting a drunk driving relative to police. Of the 1,000 people polled, 9 out of 10 said they would also report a stranger if they saw them drunk behind a wheel.

No more dads FATHER’S DAY in Finland this Sunday – November 12 – will instead be celebrated as a ‘relative’s day’ at the Yliskylä and Kulosaari day care centres in Helsinki. Centre organisers say the move is intended to spare fatherless children from feeling of exclusion.

18

High end travel agents flock to Marbella

Celeb sightings

Photo credit Puente Romano Hotel Chef Dani Garcia

by Richard Johnson EVERY year, the Chairman of exclusive travel network Virtuoso hosts a meeting of the top 200 luxury travel agents from around the world.

Travel experts from around the world travelled to Marbella ready to immerse themselves in a week of discovery so that they can then sell the chosen destination to their high end clientele.

Accommodated in two of the top Marbella Hotels, Puente Romano and Marbella Club, the agents were escorted around the Costa del Sol with a choice of golfing activities, visits to Granada, Malaga and Ronda as well as local excursions to Puerto Banus and all that Marbella has to offer.

They also had the opportunity to eat at one of top chef Dani Garcia’s restaurants and a lucky few were able to attend a special gourmet cookery

demonstration.

As a farewell and thanks to the 200 guests, many of whom represented the American luxury travel market, the Plaza in the Puente Romano was made over into a Virtuoso themed area with special flower decorations, muted lighting, fine food and gentle music.

It is hoped by all involved that this visit by some of the most influential travel agents in the world will see an influx of wealthy tourists in 2018.

RONAN KEATING has been spotted cuddling up to wife Storm at a fundraising event in Marbella. The former Boyzone and You say it best star was in town attending the Global Gift Golf Tournament, Dinner and Concert with his stunning Australian wife. The pair appeared to be enjoying some couple time, leaving their six-month-old son Cooper at home.

Meanwhile, everyone’s favourite Spanish hunk, Antonio Banderas, has been snapped taking a break from filming his latest TV series in Malaga.

The 57-year-old Hollywood legend was rocking a skinhead for his latest role in Sky Atlantic’s Genius.

Banderas appeared to be rehearsing scenes as he held up a fuchsia cape and chatted to real-life matadors in the city’s bullring.

19

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Thanks to the Andura Abroad No Need To Paint system, repetitive house painting is a thing of the past, as this specialist exterior wall coating lasts up to 10 times longer than any ordinary paint.

The system has been in place since 1979 and has been on the Costa Blanca in Spain for 25 years, transforming the exterior appearance of thousands of homes.

Andura wall coatings offer numerous benefits over standard exterior paints. The coating is made from a flexible resin allowing it to expand and contract with the building, preventing cracks and blisters. It is 10 times thicker than paint offering an unrivalled coverage and resists strong sunlight and UV rays. The coating creates an impenetrable barrier which prevents any water getting into the fabric of the building, but also allows internal moisture to escape. It prevents mould and fungus and also acts as an insulator to the building. As well as vastly improving the appearance of your property it also adds value.

The coating comes in a standard range of 12 colours and the professional team will offer the best service possible working on your home until it is completed. The service begins with the walls being cleaned to remove dirt and loose paint and surface imperfections are carefully treated. Doors and windows are masked up and plants and lawns are fully protected by tarpaulins before the primer and coating is applied.

Andura Abroad No Need To Paint is so confident of the long lasting finish you will obtain, they offer a 15 year guarantee and an insurance backed guarantee is available.

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20

Rock Chick finds her Voice in Spain

by Michael Cano FOR more than 20 years, singer and actor Tina Hall who admits to being 45 has been living in and loving Spain and now she’s appearing before millions in La Voz (The Voice) Spain.

She’s no stranger to TV as she spent seven years appearing on Channel 5 soap Family Affairs much of the time commuting from her home in the Costa del Sol to record her part as Claire Toomey where she met and worked with up and coming actor Idris Elba who she still keeps in touch with.

From there, she was the lead in the film Julie and the Cadillacs all about a 1960s struggling pop band and it was in that film that she caught up with Billy Boyd who worked with her as a drummer before gaining the role of the Hobbit Pippin in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Tina has family living in Spain and spent many happy holidays here before deciding that she simply had to move over for good.

“I find it a magical place and I certainly have a spiritual connection with the mountains, the sea, the spirit and the lovely people” she explained in a conversation with RTN. Having moved to Spain, she knew that she had to learn Spanish and set about that with a vengeance, being so successful that she soon found herself auditioning for and winning parts in Spanish TV dramas.

Always happy to be involved in singing, after settling in Alhaurin el Grande, she took regular lessons from her mentor, music producer and music teacher José Seron from the academy, studio and shop Musica y Musicos also in Alhaurin and Tina says it is thanks to him that her musical talents have continued to flourish.

She was persuaded to enter the Spanish TV show La Voz and having been chosen to sing on the programme, she was chosen by singer Malu, following her audition piece of the Guns n’ Roses hit Sweet Child O’ Mine.

Malu is the niece of one of Tina’s all-time great heroes the late flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia and has proven to be very helpful in

supporting and coaching Tina who says that “you are never too old to learn.”

In fact, she has had tremendous support from fellow competitors, technical staff on the programme, friends and fans and has not been criticised in any way for being a foreigner taking part in a Spanish competition.

She has already competed in her battle against other singers but is duty bound not to reveal the results of the show where she and male singer Sander performed the U2 number Where the streets have no name which will be broadcast on the Telecinco Channel this weekend.

Whilst talking about the battle, she didn’t seem too downhearted, so perhaps that was a hint as to the result.

If you have seen Tina’s performance and want more or would like to hear her for the first time, she still plays regularly at Valparaiso Restaurant on the road to Mijas Pueblo every Wednesday, Club la Costa every Saturday and will be at Olivia’s in La Cala de Mijas on Thursday November 23.

Some would let success on the TV draw then away from their regular spots but Tina says “I love music as it makes me feel alive.

The Voice is a great platform to get to a wider audience but it doesn’t matter where I perform, I just want to be up there singing.”

Although known for her rock performances, Tina is in the process of writing and recording her first album which is full of blues and country songs and she hopes that the exposure on The Voice will allow her to sell a few extra cds and downloads.

The charming Tina also found time to answer a few questions; What is your greatest fear?

I believe there are only 2 things to choose from "Love" or "Fear" - I choose Love.

What is your favourite food?

Minstrels haha Who would you invite for a meal dead, alive or fictional?

Stevie Ray Vaughan-so he could teach me some cool guitar licks

What’s top of your bucket list?

To perform in Nashville

What is your secret pleasure?

Movies in bed with my girl "Crackita"(she's a Springer Spaniel)

What do you like about yourself most?

My positive energy Who would play you in the film of your life?

Me or my dog Crackita LOL

Which is your favourite band?

Fleetwood Mac Where do you find the energy to keep going?

My beautiful Mummy Sylvia Rhodes What song would you like played at your funeral?

Disco Inferno If you could go back in time when would it be to?

Consuming The Rat Pack in Las Vegas days

Tina Hall appearing on The Voice

What would you change about your life?

Nothing (only regret the things you haven't done) What do you like most about Spain?

The people What do you miss from the UK? My Mum What is your secret ambition?

To be the first female to play the part of 007!

22

Christmas is coming WE ALL have different ideas as to what constitutes the first signs that Christmas is on the way, although the seemingly unrelenting high temperatures being experienced at the moment may well see some wishing their lives away for the cooler times around that time of the year.

I’ve only been in Spain full time for a handful of years – since 2009 – and Christmas on the Costa Blanca takes some getting used to with neighbours and friends planning big events on the beach in glorious sunshine for most of the time. In my final years in the UK, I knew I was count- i n g down to the festive season when the X-Factor auditions and the announcement of partners for St r i c t l y Come

Dancing were announced. Now, it’s the annual announcement of the El Gordo (The Big One) Christmas Lottery tickets going on sale!

Even though it’s not drawn until December 22 every year (a Friday for 2017), the world famous state lottery tickets always go on sale in July. The aim of making them available so soon is to encourage holidaymakers to buy one of the décimo, or 10th of a ticket which are sold at a set price of €20 per ticket. This is the price charged in the official lottery offices but you may see some in other venues for €22 or €23. Usually, these tickets have been purchased by a club or fund raising society and they are allowed to add an extra couple of euro.

Why put them up for sale so early?

The official line is to “encourage tourists to take a piece

of Spanish luck home with them.” Also, it will help cash flow for year-round residents who would otherwise decide not to buy an El Gordo ticket in December as the usual extra Christmas expenditure means €20 is harder to find.

Many local people form syndicates and pay in so much a week to buy the tickets from different parts of Spain, and I can remember delighted customers in my local asking me to get a couple of El Gordo tickets for them when I announced I was off to Barcelona for a weekend!

The 2017 draw will see 170 million tenths of a ticket put on sale – five million more than last year – of numbers ranging from 00000 to 99999. The total value of prize money available will be €2,380,000,000 and €70,000,000 more than in 2016.

However, because a full ticket costs €200, most people only buy a décimo,

or tenth of a ticket at €20, meaning the first prize equates to €400,000.

Second prize is €1.25m for a full ticket or €125,000 for a tenth, whilst for third place; the pot comes to €500,000 for a ticket or €50,000 for a tenth. There is a selection of fourth or fifth prizes too and if your ticket is picked out among the hundreds of individual numbers drawn, that tenth is worth €200.

Remember, if you don’t see the fivefigure number you want hanging up in the lottery offices, ask the person behind the counter if yours is available and they can print one out especially for you.

The traditional singing of the lottery numbers on December 22 by children of the San Ildefonso School in Madrid is, for many, and probably me too after my eight years the real start of Christmas.

24

“They” and “we” verb forms Basic Spanish for everyday needs by

Jane Cronin

We took a big step in our last lesson, because we found out how to form sentences in the third person singular, that is “he” or “she” forms, and found that this really wasn’t too painful! So we have “tiene” (he/she has), “vive” (he/she lives) “habla” (he/she speaks) and so on.

I can now tell you something else equally painless which I think will also have you jumping for joy. There is a tremendously simple way of making these same sentences refer to “they”. All you have to do is add one letter, this time the letter “n” to the singular form. So therefore we now have “tienen” (they have) “viven” (they live) “hablan” (they speak). As English speakers we naturally tend to think that an “s” should be involved in a plural, but with verbs, this is not the case.

We have actually dealt with four, out of the six, verb forms in the present tense. We haven’t explained all the whys and wherefores in a lot of detail, but we have made some big strides as far as getting the general gist is concerned. I find that many people at this stage are particularly keen to find out how to say “we”. Now this is slightly less straightforward in that we can’t always build it directly on to what we already know. On the other hand, it is what a lot of people need, so I’ve decided

to take an overall look at it.

We refer to “we” as “first person plural”, in other words “we” really means more than one “I”. (I wouldn’t think about this too deeply if I were you, just accept it!)

Now let’s look at the actual word that translates “we”, in other words the plural of yo. This word is nosotros. It is a bit of a mouthful I’m afraid, so I do apologise on behalf of the Spanish language, but it isn’t actually difficult to pronounce or anything.

But that is not all! Nosotros has a feminine form which is nosotras.

We use nosotros when the “we” are all male or male and female mixed, whereas we use nosotras only when all the members of “we” are female. This means that men never use the word nosotras (just think about that one) and if you are heterosexual couple talking about yourselves you also will always use nosotros. So would all male gay couples – I’m not sure why I’m going down this road – let’s get back to the Spanish.

Something else we can rely on (and let’s face it, you can’t rely on much in this world) is that in the present tense all “we” verb forms end in “-mos” Time for some examples which will hopefully put us all out of our misery.

We have – We want – We live – We can - We prefer - We go - We speak - We are -

tenemos queremos vivimos podemos preferimos vamos hablamos somos (who, what) estamos (how, where)

I know that these are just a few examples, but they give us a clue of the thousand more that exist, so I hope they are enough to be going on with.

So finally, just to get this back into focus and in the unlikely event that I might have confused you – how does this fit in with the word nosotros?

Nosotros and nosotras are what we call personal subject pronouns and behave in exactly the same way as yo, tú, él and ella (I, you, he and she), that is, they are basically optional. They are used to be emphatic or express a contrast, but otherwise are not essential to a sentence.

However, they are very useful words for language learners because on the spur of the moment you might remember the correct verb form, but you can always make sure they know who you mean by pointing to yourself and your companion and saying nosotros “we”!

Nosotros We are - estamos We live - vivimos We have - tenemos We can - podemos We prefer - preferimos

We want - queremos Nosotras

26

All that glitters is not gold

by

Michael Walsh

keyboardcosmetics@ gmail.com

Would anyone be inspired to write books, compose music, or paint pictures if there was no one to enjoy them? Yes, I think they would. It is my belief that each of us is given a gift although many go through life without discovering their unknown ability; a great pity.

The talent to create something from nothing is a fountain of inspiration that simply cannot be turned off. It is a compulsion and with or without an audience, or hope of profit, we turn our abilities into realities.

Many people don’t believe in magic. Yet, I gaze at a blank sheet of paper. And then, by using my pen I turn it into something that enriches others more than a bank

The opinions published in Mike´s weekly column are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or newspaper sponsors.

note can, I think of that as magic.

My taste is poetry, admittedly the poor man of the arts. Most people will agree that they didn’t abandon good music, art or poetry, these adornments abandoned them. I do think that verse, like music and pictures, has been debased by changes in fashion.

Following inspiration rather than fashion my pen scratches beyond the midnight hour. Did I become rich as a consequence? Yes, I did actually; I became so rich that the materially wealthy envied me and others like me.

My poem brought a wealth of sorts to those for whom coinage has no value. It brought me a wealth that money cannot buy.

ALZHEIMER’S

I think I just fell over, son, I really can’t be sure; Perhaps I just lay down awhile, I think I’m the floor.

I wish that I was younger, Less tired and bemused, Why is do I fall over, son, And why am I confused?

I think I’m close to home, son, The steeple is nearby, I’m just not sure what church it is, It’s like this when you die?

If I were only young again, And once again like you, I lived a life as full as yours, But, son, how those years flew.

I think I saw your mum today, You told me she was dead, But she helped to find my jacket, And her lips were blazing red; Perhaps you are mistaken, Or did my hearing fail, It’s hard to make much sense of things, When nearing end of trail.

I think I’m close to quitting, son, My God, the years have flown, Look at you, I shake my head, To see how much you’ve grown.

You look a lot as I once did, So I shall never die, I live in you, my dearest son, And you’re the reason why.

No cause for alarm by

Colin Bird The opinions published in Colin’s weekly column are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or newspaper sponsors.

It’s happened. Something the script writers of Emmerdale will be able to empathise with: I have finally and comprehensively lost the plot.

My ‘office’, aka the landing at the top of the stairs, is close to our bedroom, and I had just logged in to my computer when the alarm on my bedside clock suddenly started a nerve grating bleep bleep bleeeeeep.

An alarm kicking off at 2.30 in the afternoon is ever so slightly puzzling, but even more puzzling, was the fact that I have never set or used the alarm on this bedside timepiece.

I tend to have a reliable internal clock that alerts me in plenty of time if we have to be at Alicante airport at half past stupid in the morning several hours too early most of the time, but hey it works.

But if I’m honest, I do not use this particular alarm mostly because the tiny lettering on the controls is so

faint that not even with the aid of binoculars can I decipher the instructions, which includes how to turn the thing off.

I switched all the switches and knobbed all the knobs.

I banged the top and turned

it upside down, but nothing I did silenced that infernal bleeping sound that was reminiscent of finger nails being dragged across a blackboard.

Then ker-ching! All I had to do was unplug it

from the wall and problem solved right?

Nope. The bleeping continued unabated. It must have a battery backup I thought, but having located the battery compartment and extracted the single

AAA, the damn thing still continued its caterwauling.

Was this some sort of unholy revenge for daring to write about black magic the week before? It simply defied the laws of physics.

So I did the logical thing; I went downstairs and made a pot of tea in the hope that after half an hour it would have exhausted itself into silence. But no such luck.

Then just as I was considering drowning the damn thing in the toilet, I put the contraption to my ear and only then did I realise that in fact the alarm was not from my clock at all, but the small travel one that my wife had been messing around with earlier, and was sitting on her bedside table opposite.

I’m much calmer now and the Princess says that the nice white van with the pretty coloured stripes down the side will be arriving shortly.

Sarcasm is so unattractive.

28

A world without wires? Dream on... by

Barry Duke The opinions published in barry’s weekly column are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or newspaper sponsors.

The trouble began when my friend Ricardo used Facebook to ask whether anyone had a DVD player to spare.

I swivelled my office chair around to gaze at the enormous wall unit – 4 metres across – that occupies a sizeable part of our lounge. Somewhere, within its many nooks and crannies, I knew I had “plumbed in” a DVD player that became redundant when I bought a far better one that sits under the base of our TV. But where was it? Ten minutes later I found it buried beneath a collection of books and DVDs in a cubbyhole, and I tried to slide it out. It wouldn’t budge.

Exploring the area behind it with my fingers, I realised that four cables were making it immovable.

What were the cables attached to?

I hadn’t the foggiest notion. The only way to find out was to move the entire unit away from the wall – no mean feat as it weighs a ton and I was alone in the apartment at the time.

Common sense told me to wait for my husband Marcus’ return from a night on the tiles. But impatience – a characteristic of mine – insisted that I should attempt to shift it on my own.

This was at one o’clock in the morning.

By 1.15 am I had shifted it enough to expose a veritable bolognaise of wires and cables plugged into at least three

TIED UP: Barry tackles the wires extensions leads and four adapters. I could see that three of the cables of the old player led to the TV, but could not, for the life of me, see where the power cable led to.

The only thing to do, I decided, was to start yanking out all the power plugs I could lay my hands on.

Naturally, it was the very last plug I pulled that allowed me to slide the old DVD player out.

By the time I’d got all the wires un-

tangled and plugged back in, it was 2.30 am and I was not in the best of moods.

The following day I messaged Ricardo to tell him that he could have the thing.

“Oh thanks,” he replied, “but someone’s already given me one.”

You’d think that that by now someone would have come up with a way of combining yards of separate wires into a single cable. But no. If you’re not connected via Bluetooth or Wifi, you’re

stuck with connections that go all the way back to the invention of electricity.

Ten years ago, in a bid to be free of at least one cable, I bought an early generation wireless printer, and spent hours trying to get it to "speak" to my iMac. I kept getting a “cannot find printer” message. Exasperated to the point of madness, I pointed the screen at the printer and screamed “There it is, you &%@£* moron!”

To my astonishment, a “found printer” message then popped up on my screen, so I typed an exceedingly rude limerick and hit the print button. Nothing happened.

I then bashed out a string of swear words that would make a fishwife turn crimson, and hit the print button again.

And again nothing happened. I gave up and went to bed seething.

The following morning I bumped into my next-door neighbour who was biting her lip and looking anxious. “I think I’ve got a poltergeist,” she said. I lifted a quizzical eyebrow.

“At around 2 am,” she explained, “I heard a noise and when I checked I saw that new my printer had come to life and spewed out a string of the filthiest words I’d ever read.”

“That’s weird,” I replied, adding, “Oh, is that the time? I’ve got a bus to catch.”

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Your chance to get in at the start Amazing value Single and Double villas available in New 'Over 50s Retirement Village' in Murcia A Well Deserved Retirement An exclusive and secure complex with 24 hour security, designed with the rest of your life in mind. Set in the vicinity of Ramonete, and close to the historic town of Llorca, the retirement village will have stunning views and tranquil surroundings being between mountain ranges and close to the sea. The village is designed for those who, although independent now, appreciate the different stages of life yet to come, and wish to grow old in the caring environment of a small community.

At the hub of the village will be a Community Residence incorporating a number of buildings including a cafe, restaurant, hairdressers, indoor gym, craft shop, library, geriatric nurse and therapy rooms, and 24/7 assistance. There will be a swimming pool (covered in winter and open to the air in summer), vegetable gardens, an observatory to the sea, and activities such as walking, hiking, and golf will be available.

In short, this is a fantastic opportunity to plan for the future for a stress free and enjoyable older age.

For more details email contact@homes24seven.property or telephone (0044 7506606091) or office 0208 2141106.

30

Friday 10th November - Thursday 16th November

Pick of the Day

FRIDAY 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am

12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm

9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:25pm

Breakfast Women at War Homes Under the Hammer Getting the Builders in Fugitives Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Impossible Escape to the Country Money for Nothing Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Sounds Like Friday Night EastEnders Porridge Have I Got News for You Tracey Breaks the News BBC News BBC London News

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:45pm

3:45pm 4:15pm

5:15pm

6:15pm

7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 12:05am

The Hairy Builder Women at War Getting the Builders in Gardeners’ World Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live On the Waterfront Permission Impossible: Britain’s Planners Family Finders Operation Stonehenge: What Lies Beneath Hebrides: Islands on the Edge Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Strictly - It Takes Two Meet the Lords Mastermind Only Connect Extreme Wives with Kate Humble QI Newsnight Snowfall

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm

11:15pm 11:50pm 12:05am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson’s Real Deal Tenable Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale International Football Live ITV News ITV News London International Football Highlights

7:45am 8:35am

10:05am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me My Kitchen Rules Countdown A Place in the Sun Coast v Country Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Unreported World Food Unwrapped Travel Man Gogglebox The Last Leg First Dates

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm

1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm

6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 12:05am

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:05pm 12:00am 12:30am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay Special: Big Family Bust-Up 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours NCIS The March Sisters at Christmas 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show The World’s Greatest Bridges Eight Days That Made Rome Conspiracy Babel: The Real Stairway to Heaven

Modern Family Monkey Life It’s Me or the Dog (UK) Send in the Dog The Dog Whisperer The Dog Whisperer Zoo Tales Zoo Tales Modern Family Modern Family NCIS Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Modern Family Sing: Ultimate a Capella Aloto Us Road Trip The Simpsons The Simpsons

Saturday 7:00am 10:15am 11:45am 1:05pm 1:35pm 2:00pm 2:15pm

3:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm

6:35pm 6:45pm 6:55pm 7:45pm 9:10pm 10:00pm

11:40pm 12:00am 12:30am

Breakfast Saturday Kitchen Live Lord Mayor’s Show Football Focus Bargain Hunt BBC News Rugby League World Cup Highlights Rugby Union Escape to the Country Len Goodman’s Partners in Rhyme BBC News BBC London News Pointless Strictly Come Dancing Casualty Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance 2017 BBC News Mrs. Brown’s Boys The NFL Show

Sunday

7:00am 10:00am 11:20am

1:30pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:05pm 5:20pm 5:55pm 6:55pm 7:10pm 7:20pm 8:20pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 11:30pm

12:30am

Breakfast The Andrew Marr Show Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph Women at War BBC News Flog It! War Horse Songs of Praise Blue Planet II BBC News BBC London News Countryfile Strictly Come Dancing Blue Planet II Howards End BBC News BBC London News Alan Shearer: Football, Dementia and Me? The Women’s Football Show

7:00am

7:45am

8:30am

9:00am 9:30am

10:00am 12:00pm

1:00pm 1:30pm 2:30pm 3:30pm 4:15pm 4:45pm 5:45pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:40pm 12:25am

Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman Animal Park Summer Special Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature Deadly 60 Show Me What You’re Made of Saturday Mash-Up! Rick Stein’s Long Weekends Nigella: At My Table Italy Unpacked Wild Brazil Flog It! Mastermind Cycling Rugby Union Rugby Union Dad’s Army Effie Gray QI XL Private Peaceful

7:00am 10:25am 10:30am

12:30pm

12:55pm 1:25pm 1:30pm 3:20pm 3:50pm 5:40pm 6:25pm 6:55pm

7:25pm 7:30pm 7:45pm 8:10pm 9:10pm 10:40pm 11:40pm 11:50pm

12:55am

Childrens TV ITV News Saturday Morning with James Martin Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape The Harbour ITV News The X Factor Thunderbirds are Go Midsomer Murders Catchphrase The Cruise Paul O’Grady: For The Love of Dogs ITV News London ITV News You’ve Been Framed!

Ninja Warrior UK The X Factor The Jonathan Ross Show ITV News World Cup Qualifier Playoff Highlights Run, Fat Boy, Run

7:00am

8:15am 8:40am 9:05am 9:30am 9:55am 10:20am 10:50am 11:15am 11:45am 12:15pm 12:45pm 1:20pm 1:50pm 2:25pm 2:55pm 3:25pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 10:00pm 12:30am

Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Frasier The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me Come Dine with Me A Place in the Sun A Place in the Sun Best Laid Plans Grand Designs Channel 4 News Volatile Earth Formula 1 Terminator Genisys G.I. Joe: Retaliation

7:00am 11:35am 11:40am 12:40pm

1:40pm 3:25pm 5:05pm 6:05pm 6:10pm 7:10pm

8:10pm 8:15pm

8:50pm 9:45pm 10:40pm 10:45pm 12:30am

Childrens TV Access The Gadget Show Santa Makes You Laugh Out Loud Operation Christmas All I Want for Christmas Christmas Song 5 News Christmas Song The Nine Lives of Christmas 5 News The Nine Lives of Christmas NCIS: New Orleans NCIS: New Orleans 5 News Weekend Live Boxing Football on 5

7:00am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:20pm 3:45pm

6:30pm 7:00pm 8:05pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Wild Things Modern Family Modern Family Supergirl The Flash Soccer A.M. A League of Their Own Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Gillette Scoeer Saturday Modern Family Sing: Ultimate a Capella The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own Living the Dream Bounty Hunters The Russell Howard Hour A League of Their Own

7:05am 7:50am 8:35am

9:35am

10:30am

2:00pm 3:00pm 5:30pm 7:00pm

8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Coast A to Z of TV Gardening Great British Garden Revival Countryfile Autumn Special Rugby League World Cup Rugby Union Tennis Cycling Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph Big Life Fix Robot Wars Louis Theroux Snowfall Mock the Week Rugby League World Cup Highlights

7:00am 10:25am 10:30am 12:25pm 1:25pm 1:35pm 2:55pm 5:00pm

6:00pm 7:00pm 7:10pm 7:30pm

8:30pm 10:00pm

11:30pm 11:45pm

12:45am

Childrens TV ITV News Columbo Tipping Point ITV News The X Factor Midsomer Murders Prince Harry and Meghan: Truly, Madly, Deeply Sheridan ITV News London ITV News The Chase: Celebrity Special The X Factor Elton John: The Nation’s Favourite Song ITV News Unbelievable Moments Caught on Camera Play to the Whistle

7:00am 8:15am 8:40am 9:05am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 1:30pm 1:55pm 2:25pm 2:55pm 3:20pm 3:50pm 4:20pm 4:50pm 5:15pm 5:45pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm 11:30pm 1:45am

Kevin Can Wait Frasier Frasier The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Sunday Brunch The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Men in Black Channel 4 News Britain’s Forgotten Army The Queen’s Favourite Animals Big Ben Formula 1 1: Life on the Limit

7:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:05pm 1:50pm 3:30pm

5:20pm 6:25pm 6:30pm 7:10pm 8:10pm 8:15pm 9:00pm

9:55pm 10:00pm 11:55pm 1:50am

Childrens TV Football on 5 5 News Special Let it Snow On Strike for Christmas Just in Time for Christmas Northpole 5 News Northpole Deck the Halls 5 News Deck the Halls Anglo-Welsh Cup Rugby 5 News Weekend London Before They Were Stars Lip Sync Battle UK

7:00am 8:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am 1:00am

The Hour of Power Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons WWE Raw Supergirl The Flash Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Egg Drop Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Inhumans Strike Back The Force: North East Ross Kemp Ross Kemp

International Football Live, 8.30pm, ITV1

Royal British Legion Festival of Rememberance 2017, 10pm, BBC1

xxx

Elton John: The Nation's Favourite Song, 10pm, ITV1

this weeks weatherinbrief FRI Nov 10

19º 9ºC /

Partly sunny

sat Nov 11

20º 10ºC /

Full day of sunshine

sun Nov 12

23º 12ºC /

Sunny and pleasant

mon Nov 13

22º 12ºC /

Plenty of sunshine

tue Nov 14

17º 10ºC /

Sunny and cooler

wed Nov 15

16º 10ºC /

Mostly sunny

thu Nov 16

16º 11ºC /

Partly sunny

31

Pick of the Day

monday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am

12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

12:30am

Breakfast The Housing Enforcers Homes Under the Hammer Getting the Builders in Fugitives Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Impossible Escape to the Country Royal Recipes Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Panorama EastEnders Children in Need Rocks the 80s BBC News BBC London News Have I Got a Bit More News for You The Graham Norton Show

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am

10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm

3:00pm 5:45pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

11:30pm 12:15am

The Hairy Builder Women at War Getting the Builders in The Big Family Cooking Showdown Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Permission Impossible: Britain’s Planners Tennis Talking Comedy Street Auction Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip University Challenge Nigella: At My Table The Boy with the Topknot Newsnight Exodus: Our Journey Continues

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

12:40am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson’s Real Deal Tenable Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street The Harbour Coronation Street Gone to Pot ITV News and Weather ITV News London The Murder of Becky Watts: Police Tapes The Jonathan Ross Show

7:45am 8:10am 8:35am

9:00am

9:30am

10:00am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 12:05am

King of Queens King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me My Kitchen Rules Countdown A Place in the Sun Coast v Country Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Dispatches Tricks of the Restaurant Trade 999: What’s Your Emergency First Dates Naked Attraction

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm

1:10pm 1:15pm 2:10pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:20pm 4:20pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

11:00pm

12:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

5 News Lunchtime The Gadget Show Access Home and Away Neighbours NCIS: New Orleans A Christmas Star 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight MotoGP All New Traffic Cops Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys Secrets of the Tube: Going Underground Kickboxer

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am

9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Monkey Life Monkey Life Zoo Tales Zoo Tales David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters Send in the Dog The Dog Whisperer The Dog Whisperer Conquest of the Skies Modern Family Modern Family NCIS Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Supergirl A League of Their Own Bounty Hunters Sick Note The Simpsons

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm

3:00pm 5:45pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

The Hairy Builder The Housing Enforcers Getting the Builders in Great British Menu Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Permission Impossible: Britain’s Planners Tennis Talking Comedy Street Auction Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico Motherland Newsnight NFL

7:00am

Good Morning Britain

10:15am

The Wright Stuff

10:25am

The Jeremy Kyle Show

12:15pm

Can’t Pay?

11:30am

This Morning

We’ll Take it Away!

1:30pm

Loose Women

1:10pm

5 News Lunchtime

2:30pm

ITV Lunchtime News

1:15pm

The Hotel Inspector

2:55pm

ITV News London

2:15pm

Home and Away

3:00pm

Dickinson’s Real Deal

2:45pm

Neighbours

4:00pm

Tenable

3:15pm

NCIS: New Orleans

5:00pm

Tipping Point

4:10pm

Naughty or Nice

6:00pm

The Chase

6:00pm

5 News

7:00pm

ITV News London

6:30pm

Neighbours

7:30pm

ITV Evening News

7:00pm

Home and Away

8:00pm

Emmerdale

7:30pm

5 News Tonight

8:30pm

International

8:00pm

All New Traffic Cops

Football Live

9:00pm

Jo Brand’s

Cats and Kittens

11:15pm

ITV News

10:00pm

Ben Fogle:

11:45pm

ITV News London

New Lives in the Wild

12:00am

World Cup Qualifier

11:00pm

When Magic Goes

Playoff Highlights

King of Queens King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me My Kitchen Rules Countdown A Place in the Sun Coast v Country Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds Grand Designs Gogglebox 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown

Childrens TV

Lorraine

7:45am 8:10am 8:35am

9:00am

9:30am

10:00am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

7:00am

9:30am

Horribly Wrong

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am

9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:00am 12:30am

Monkey Life Monkey Life Zoo Tales Zoo Tales David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters Send in the Dog The Dog Whisperer The Dog Whisperer Conquest of the Skies Modern Family Modern Family NCIS Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Flash Strike Back Sick Note The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own

Nigella: At My Table, 9.30pm, BBC2

TUESDAY 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am

12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Breakfast The Housing Enforcers Homes Under the Hammer Getting the Builders in Fugitives Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Impossible Escape to the Country Royal Recipes Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Holby City The A Word BBC News BBC London News Saying Goodbye Life and Death Row

Strike Back, 10pm, Sky 1

32

Pick of the Day

WEDNESDAY 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am

12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Breakfast The Housing Enforcers Homes Under the Hammer Getting the Builders in Fugitives Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Impossible Escape to the Country Royal Recipes Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show DIY SOS The Apprentice BBC News BBC London News A Question of Sport Junior Doctors

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 2:00pm

3:00pm 5:45pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm 11:00pm

11:30pm 12:15am

The Hairy Builder The Housing Enforcers Getting the Builders in Nigella: At My Table Caught Red Handed Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Permission Impossible: Britain’s Planners Tennis Frankie Howerd Street Auction Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals Peaky Blinders The Apprentice: You’re Fired!

Newsnight Ireland with Simon Reeve

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:15am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson’s Real Deal Tenable Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape Coronation Street Gone to Pot ITV News and Weather ITV News London On Assignment Britain’s Busiest Airport - Heathrow

7:45am 8:10am 8:35am

9:00am

10:00am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm

12:35am

King of Queens King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me My Kitchen Rules Countdown A Place in the Sun Coast v Country Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of the Zoo Lifers Behind Bars Man Down Greg Davies: The Back of My Mum’s Head 999: What’s Your Emergency?

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm

1:10pm 1:15pm 2:05pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm

12:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Access Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Christmas Confessions 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight 100% Hotter GPs: Behind Closed Doors Big Family Values: More Kids Than Cash Left for Dead: The Moors Murderers Murder on the Internet

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am

9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm

10:00pm 11:00pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Monkey Life Monkey Life Zoo Tales Zoo Tales David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters Send in the Dog The Dog Whisperer The Dog Whisperer Conquest of the Skies Modern Family Modern Family NCIS Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Inhumans Bounty Hunters The Simpsons The Simpsons

thursday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am

12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Breakfast The Housing Enforcers Homes Under the Hammer Getting the Builders in Fugitives Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Impossible Escape to the Country Royal Recipes Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Room 101 EastEnders Love, Lies and Records BBC News BBC London News Question Time This Week

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am

10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm

3:00pm 5:45pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am

The Hairy Builder The Housing Enforcers Getting the Builders in Council House Crackdown Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Permission Impossible: Britain’s Planners Tennis Talking Comedy Street Auction Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals Exodus: Our Journey Continues Match of the Day Newsnight Ireland with Simon Reeve

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm

9:00pm 9:30pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:10am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Dickinson’s Real Deal Tenable Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Acid Attacks: How Scared Should We Be? Tonight Emmerdale Paul O’Grady: For The Love of Dogs Serial Killer with Piers Morgan ITV News and Weather ITV News London The Late Debate Parking Wars

7:45am 8:10am 8:35am

9:00am

9:30am

10:00am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 12:05am

King of Queens King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Hotel Hell Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me My Kitchen Rules Countdown A Place in the Sun Coast v Country Four in a Bed Steph and Dom’s One Star to Five Star The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Ugly House to Lovely House with George Clarke Tru An American Dream British Workers Wanted Gogglebox

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm

1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm

9:00pm

10:00pm

11:35pm

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Angels and Ornaments 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight UK’s Strongest Man 2017 Bargain Loving Brits in Blackpool The King’s Cross Fire: Six Hours That Shocked Britain The Murder of Tia Sharpe: My Daughter

7:00am 7:30am 8:30am 9:00am

9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am

12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Monkey Life Zoo Tales Zoo Tales David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters Send in the Dog The Dog Whisperer Duck Quacks Don’t Echo David Attenborough’s Natural History History Museum Alive Modern Family Modern Family NCIS Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Arrow Living the Dream The Russell Howard Hour The Simpsons

He who dares, wins!

From Del Boy to Granville, Pop Larkin to Frost, David Jason takes us behind the scenes and under the skins of some of the nation’s best loved characters.

Born the son of a Billingsgate market porter at the height of the Second World War, David Jason spent his early life dodging bombs and bullies, both with impish good timing.

Giving up on an unloved career as an electrician, he turned his attention to acting and soon, through a natural talent for making people laugh, found himself working with the

leading lights of British comedy in the 1960s and '70s.

Among others, David worked alongside Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Bob Monkhouse and, of course, Ronnie Barker. Barker would become a mentor to David, leading to hugely successful stints in Porridge and Open All Hours.

It wasn’t until 1981, kitted out with a sheepskin jacket, a flat cap, and a clapped-out Reliant Regal, that David found the part that would capture the nation’s hearts: the beloved Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter in Only Fools and Horses.

Sponsored by Bookworld Puerto Banus info@bookworldpuertobanus.com

www@bookworldpuertobanus.com | 952 816 084

The Secret Life of the Zoo, 9pm, Channel 4

UK's Strongest Man 2017, 8pm, Channel 5

33

Life

Sala Group gives away an amazing 250,000€

The prestigious hospitality company Sala Group is giving away a quarter of a million Euros to their loyal customers as a special pre-Christmas treat!

This unprecedented giveaway was created to thank the local community for all their support as La Sala enters its 8th year of being the only social and dining venue on the coast with live music 365 days a year!

This November, Sala Group will be relaunching their Rewards loyalty card and as a special surprise every one of the 13,000 Rewards members that trade in their old card for their new card will instantly receive a 20€ bonus in points totaling over 250,000 euros.

This 20€ can be spent in any of the Sala Group venues including the famed La Sala Banus, La Sala By The Sea, OAK Garden and Grill, Mahiki Beach, and as an additional bonus La Sala Chigwell in Essex.

The previous card was only accepted in certain venues, however this new and improved card can be used at ALL venues where you can collect points and spend them at the venue of your choosing.

For the first time ever you will be

able to accumulate your spend. The equivalent of 10% of your bill will be allocated in points for the equivalent amount and added directly onto the card enabling you to save up for future spend.

Why not use your points during this festive season and celebrate your Christmas party at La Sala, or save your points and treat yourself to a spa day at La Sala by the Sea. To keep track of your current points you will be able to check your total online at www.SalaRewards.com.

The cards can be picked up at La Sala Puerto Banus starting from 1st November so either trade in your old card to receive your 20€ bonus, or for those who are not current members, just pick up a card today and start collecting your points!

The Heights at La Resina Golf The Sala Rewards card is sponsored by the new luxury villa development - The Heights at La Resina Golf, which is a luxury estate of 11 unique private villas in a secured gated golf and country club. Each villa enjoys uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean whilst situated front line on the La Resina Golf Course that is located in the heart of the Golden Triangle.

Starting from 1,275,000€ the villas have been meticulously designed to adapt to today’s lifestyle, combining the latest home domotics, a

For more information please contact :

www.theheightsatlaresinagolf.com tene@salagroupholdings.com www.salagroupholdings.com

lift throughout all floors, a wine cellar, direct pool access from the bedrooms, 24-hour security, solarium as well as six exclusive entertainment areas for your modern-day convenience.

34

whats on

Heal your heart A touch of cabaret

The Grunts: Playing Malaga in December CORK-BASED band The Grunts are returning to the Costa del Sol this December to present their new album, Heal your Heart.

The band, who are playing in Malaga on December 7 and 8, explained they released their new record, “in response to the relentless destruction and cruelty of mankind in recent events across the world and closer to home.” They said, “when life turns on you and you are squashed into the ground by slow, endless, formless, unrelenting blackness, you fight back.”

Together for over 10 years, core members of the band, Liam O Shea, songwriter and guitarist, and James Spillane, drummer, maintained their influences from early 80s and 90s bands including Echo and the Bunnymen and the Pixies, creating their own brand of raw energy fuelled indie rock.

Bringing in new blood more recently with the addition of Eugene D’Arcy on vocals and Jay Fowley on bass has given the The Grunts “a new impetus adding a more subtle melodic flavour.

The result is a fusion of alt rock, new wave and punk.”

According to the band, “driven by the uptempo rhythm section, accented with shimmering guitars,

‘Heal Your Heart’ is The Grunts most mainstream single yet and with sharp production from Kevin Power and mastered by Fergal Davis, it’s sure to drag anyone from their stupor.” Magic Hour Video have also filmed a music video for the up and coming single.

B-side track ‘Shake Babylon’ was forged “in the dark heart of the city of London, on the anvil and fires of corruption and parasitic capitalism,” according to the band. Melding Asian infused music with a Velvet Underground style, ‘Shake Babylon’ “unfolds an eerie soundscape beyond the flesh and bones of reality.”

To date The Grunts have released seven Ep’s and two albums including the acclaimed Reflections in my Mirror Shade and Cult Before Country with the track ‘Cult Before Country’ featuring on the global release of Orion / Maurice Carroll’s production ‘Dead along the Way’.

The band is now playing at The Hall in Malaga on Thurday, December 7 and at ZZ Bar, Malaga, on Friday December 8, the date of their new album release. For more information and ticket sale, visit their Facebook page, Grunts 777, or their Twitter feed @TheGrunts.

Hamming it up HAM CUTTERS from across Spain will join forces in Alhaurin de la Torre to try and break the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people carving ham at the same time, and the most amount of sliced in one go.

The spectacle, organised by the Alhaurin de la Torre town hall, will see more than three hundred professional ham cutters slice around 900km in total.

The first record attempt will begin at midday on Sunday November 12, where each cutter will have two minutes to cut

four slices each with a width between 0.5mm and 1.5mm.

After officials have verified that the record has been broken, there will be musical performances, a raffle to raise more money for charity and an equestrian show.

At the end of the day, the ham cutters will try to break the second attempt, where around 900 kilos of the Spanish delicacy will be cut in total.

Guests will have the chance to buy a slice of the action by paying €5 for two plates of ham.

Any ham not consumed during the event will be donated to local social centres.

The proceeds from the event will go towards the AHUCE Foundation which raises money for people with ‘brittle bone disease’, a condition that causes bones to fracture easily.

MASTER SLICER: Ham cutters from across Spain will join together to break two world records.

FULL OF CLASS: The ‘A Touch of Class’ singers put on an evening of entertainment for a good cause.

THE amateur entertainment group ‘A Touch of Class’ will be performing all the classics in their ‘A Touch of Cabaret’ concert at the Casa de Cultura in Fuengirola.

Expect lively entertainment, stylish outfits and even a bowler hat or two.

The group regularly put on shows for charity in venues across the Costa del Sol, are known for their creative and original performances.

They have previously performed in the Jane Austen Festival in Arroyo del Miel and the Calahonda Autumn Fair, as well as putting on many of their own shows throughout the year.

The one-off performance will be held on Thursday November 16, with the show scheduled to begin at 7pm.

Tickets are €10 and all proceeds from this concert will be in aid of Lux Mundi, a non-profit Christian organisation based in Torre del Mar and Fuengirola.

For info and tickets, you can ring Touch of Class on 952026811, or email: touchofclasstickects@gmail.com.

You can also get tickets from Lux Mundi by ringing 952474840, emailing: luxmundi@gmail.com or you can visit the website: www.lux-mundi.org.

35

food & drink

Ho Ho Ho! Festive Fun

By Steven Saunders FMCGB I’ve just looked at the calendar and realised the date…

Christmas is only weeks away!

I love Christmas. I love the way that families get together, the log fires, huge nerdy jumpers and the smell of roast Turkey, Christmas punch or mulled wine and especially Christmas pudding.

I prepared my Christmas fruit mix about a year ago allowing the fruit to be soaking in alcohol for all that time which makes it truly special and this week is the week that I mix it ready for puddings to be served at my Little Geranium in La Cala de Mijas.

If you’ve not yet made your Christmas pudding then this is the week to make it and whether or not you have the fruits marinating for a year in alcohol it will still be a zillion times better than any shop bought pudding, also cheaper and it’s so easy to make!

So this is the week!! Don’t wait any longer, use this recipe, no other and you’ll love me forever when you taste it!

Originally this was a recipe of my great great grandmother who was French and died in the early 1900´s, she loved the English Christmas pud and over the years I have adapted it very carefully to make sure its originality is still in place but it has evolved very slightly!

In 1989 Margaret Thatcher called my Christmas pudding better than Delia Smiths! I wasn’t sure whether or not that was a compliment but I smiled and said Yes Prime Minister…

Thank you.

My Great Great Grand Mother´s Christmas pudding from the 1800´s Makes enough for about eight people You will need two 1.5 litre ceramic pudding bowls. You’ll also need some greaseproof paper, foil and kitchen string.

Pudding ingredients: 175g of plain flour 250g fresh white breadcrumbs 250g suet (vegetable suet is preferred) 175g each of raisins and sultanas (washed) 100g of candied peel 2 oranges zest and juice 175g of dried cranberries 175g dried figs chopped 100 g of dried apricots chopped

The delicious Christmas pudding – get cooking 100g of glace cherries 100g of ginger in syrup chopped small (but also use some of the syrup.. say 2 tablespoons) 2 large Cox-type apple peeled, cored and chopped fairly small 300g soft dark brown sugar Generous teaspoon of mixed spice Pinch of salt A full wineglass of cognac (or a liqueur such as Cointreau) 6 eggs, beaten lightly Cooking and mixing instructions Soak the sultanas, raisins, figs, peel, apricots, cherries, in the brandy and the ginger syrup for a few days giving it a stir now and then.

After a few days mix the ginger, apples, orange juice and zest and the eggs, suet, sugar and the breadcrumbs and then the flour and mixed spice in a separate bowl.

Use a large mixing bowl. Simply mix all the fruit and everything else together. Stir very thoroughly –

Grease two pudding basins and divide the mix between them.

If you like, you can add a 5p coin, wrapped tightly in greaseproof paper. Pack the mixture firmly into the pudding bowl or bowls, but don’t fill right to the top - leave about 5mm space Cover the puddings with greaseproof paper. If using ceramic bowls, put on a lid of foil and tie a string handle around the top of the bowl so that you can lift it in and out of the pan. Put the pudding/s in a saucepan of boiling water, to come 2/3 of the way up the sides of the bowl. Turn down the heat, put a lid on the saucepan and simmer for about three hours.

Check that the water levels are ok– not too low (won’t cook properly) and not too high The puddings are cooked when they are nicely dark. Store in a cool dark cupboard until Christmas, then replace the foil and steam for about three hours gently. Flame with brandy to finish and dust with icing sugar and serve with brandy cream or brandy butter. www.thelittlegeranium.com

Spanish-Style chicken and sausage Ingredients

1 (8oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced, 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped, 2 cubes chicken stock, 1 2/3 cups hot water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 cup frozen green peas, 1 1/2 cups instant rice, 2 medium tomatoes, diced

Method 1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in sausage, and brown well, for about 5 minutes. Remove, and drain fat. Stir chicken, onion, and green pepper into skillet, and cook 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir chicken stock cubes into hot water to

dissolve. Stir in salt, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour into frying pan.

3. Stir peas into frying pan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and tomatoes; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.

Preparation time – 30 minutes. Cooking time – 25 minutes.

36

Puzzles Code Breaker

You will need some help if you are going to get just what it is that you want or need right now. With compromise not on the agenda you will rely on others to make your next move; though it will be a step in the right direction.

Planet Venus can be a source of power for you this week with an action with Saturn in sextile midweek!

Word Pyramid

4

Keep a beady eye on expenditure this week. It seems as if you have a reason, a plan and a purpose for recent extravagances, but you are forward planning. Clearing the decks will free you up to take a break next month, and then Mercury will retrograde and it will not be the best of times for you to splash that hard earned cash.

WORD fit

Using just logic, can you make all the words fit correctly into the grid?

Mercury enables dialogue, and this is very much not the time to be silent; even if you are angry and feeling that people are ganging up on you. You are in line for a magical week, but you do need to smooth things over and listen to what others have to say. They are being objective, and they can see something that you can’t!

Once more a closer inspection of your partnership is more pertinent than ever, and more necessary than it ever was.

Though there have been some hey days the routine is the same old and nothing has changed for the better. You need to go with the flow and reward yourself or choose to stay as stuck as you are, so activate all you can.

C

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 19 represents C and 25 represents B. Now using your knowledge of the English language work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Look within to prioritise on your domestic affairs right now. You are experiencing strong emotions and will benefit from the blessings of the hearth and home. Use this quiet period to devise new projects to be enabled when the planets are more in your favour; because that is exactly when they will work best for you. Enjoy planning ahead!

Both Saturn and Uranus have gifts for you, but are waiting for the right moment to come along. You live by the rules you have made for yourself but above all, keep an open mind and play for time before you deliver your verdict on something you are undecided about. The tides are turning now for just what it is you value the best of all.

R

There is 1x9 letter word and 183 others! Make as many 3 or more letter words as you can using any letter combination just once and you must use the central letter in every word!

Mars lingers, and the energy from this residence doesn’t often empower you, so make some hay while the Sun shines! Mars brings change coupled with drive, motivation and that boost of energy that you need right now.

Pluto supports the Full Moon in Taurus, lighting the eighth house of the outgoing of money. Check out bills!

Venus brings out the very best in Mars, but they will shortly go their own ways. There will be chances and opportunities out there if you can act promptly, and be sure of yourself. Be discerning, but it is important for you to be your true self in any eventuality. Happiness comes when all you have done recently for others brings results.

A

H

Word Wheel

The Full Moon should bring sensitivity, emotion and a touch of romantic gesture into the equation. Eliminate doubt and be open minded and non judgmental, even though you know that someone seems to be making mistakes you could very well help with. New information may cause you to change plans, which could be a blessing.

A window of opportunity is open for you, but it would seem not to be a top priority at the moment. Other choices may be the easy way around to getting what it is you want, but future planning is in the frame and here you have a limited time to grasp something that could pan out for you. Keep your heart open and check out the innermost you!

E

Start at a letter and spell out a 10-letter word by moving to adjacent letters. Each letter will be used at least once, but no letter will be used twice in a row.

The Sun homes in on partnership issues, dealing with the solar seventh house. This is a time in which you need to take a walk in another person’s shoes; better understanding why there appear to be gaps forming in even recent relationships. Focus on reconciliation, and know, above all, the true source of love is understanding.

Social aspects feature this week, and these could be great news for you; as you balance family and career together with home projects. Your inner strengths are bolstered by absorbing much tension. The Full Moon in Taurus is a great time to relax away the tensions of the past weeks, together with the support from Pluto to boot!

S

5 letter words AISLE CARGO CRIME ENSUE EQUAL HELLO IGLOO NOISE SCENE STEEL VINYL YOUTH

6 letter words ASHORE HARASS LIKELY ORIOLE STEREO TACTIC TANDEM USEFUL

7 letter words ABSENCE AMNESTY ELEMENT FAILURE ICEBERG ITALICS OBELISK TEACHER

WORD FIT

Mystical Postbag Kenny, this will be a very different Christmas because there just isn't much money around for all the traditional tree, trimmings and presents. Is it wrong for me to ask for what I need to make the family happy?

Clare P. Hi Clare! You can bring home the true meaning of Christmas without having to splash out or denting the budget. If you give gifts, make them yourself, as a gift of your time is a gift of love. People will love the individuality of their gift.

Make cards or send

email cards. Recycle cards and make tree decorations rather than buy new ones. Blend cinnamon and orange oils together to fragrance your home. These tips maybe more dash then cash, but if you need cash in your pocket, no, it isn't wrong to ask for what you deserve for you and your family.

Love and happiness are the best gifts, however, anyone ever gave anybody!

For Birthday Celebrants Decisions and changes abound with the support and backing of the Universe right now. Be sure to see what you feel is behind an unexpected request, and you too can be a part of the magic now punctuating the Cosmos.

More Puzzles

Cryptic

ACROSS 1 Used on watch? (6,4) 7 Rain in ruin? (8) 8 Press for a golf club (4) 9 In Crete emeralds abound (4) 10 Emphatically less than 0.5? (3,4) 12 Collier’s broom found in warship? (11) 14 French currency is for animal loving saint (7) 16 A speculator, by the way, gets silver (4) 19 One orchestra, too (4) 20 Where lawyers drink? (2,3,3) 21 Formed bed in earth and wintered there? (10) DOWN 1 Small bird has to dash (5) 2 Worry about sailors recruiting in times past (7) 3 Cattle without water (4) 4 Hospital permitted to be consecrated (8) 5 Beastly noise made by broken hinge (5) 6 A hat for the cricketer (6) 11 Set a time apart for judge (8) 12 Just me to depend on? (6) 13 What you must be if you want to see a busy doctor (7) 15 The name of a woman I complain about (5) 17 Fine - a thousand pounds (5) 18 Crazy about shock (4)

Word Ladder

Can you by changing 1 letter at a time, get from the first word to the last word in the given number of moves?

MOTOR

1 2 3 4 5 RACER Soduku

Quick

Futoshiki

The purpose of the game is to discover the digits hidden inside the board’s cells; each cell is filled with a digit between 1 and 6. On each row and column each digit appears exactly once; therefore, when revealed, the digits of the board form a so-called Latin square. The board may also contain some inequalities between the board cells; these inequalities must be respected and can be used as clues in order to discover the remaining hidden digits. ie > is greater than and < is less than.

37

Fill the grid so every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9

Quiz 1 On a standard English QWERTY keyboard the % (percent) sign is above the number: 2; 5; 7; or 0?

2 What is a pullover, a New US state, a UK channel island and knitted fabric first produced there?

3 What once world-leading social networking website was bought by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation for $580m in 2005, and sold to Specific Media Group and Justin Timberlake for $35m in 2011?

4 Pranayama refers generally to what aspect of yoga: Praying; Breathing; Singing; or Pyjamas/Pajamas?

5 Rolls Royce famously makes (What?) for the aircraft industry: Fuselages; Engines; Electronics; or Leather seats?

6 The English-Greek prefix ‘peri’ means: Up/over; Round/about; Vision; or Hidden?

7 Which country occupying 47% of South America has states including Amazonas, Sao Paulo, Bahia and Para?

8 A ‘short corner’ or ‘penalty corner’ features in: Ice hockey; Field hockey; Australian Rules Football; or Table tennis?

9 An anaesthetist (US anesthesiologist) is a type of: Atomic scientist; Astronomer; Medical doctor; or Sheet metal-worker?

10 Swedish amateur jockey Helena Stahl controversially did what to her horse after it was put down due to injury in 2015: Stuffed/mounted it; Sent its ashes to Mars; Made jewellery from its bones; or Ate it?

ACROSS 1 Marionettes (7) 5 Canal boat (5) 8 Short-legged breed of dog (5) 9 Embarrassing mistake (7) 10 Uncertain (2,5) 11 Unclean, soiled (5) 12 Language of Israel (6) 14 Beginning (6) 18 Secret agents (5) 20 Blackberry bush (7) 22 Frenzied (7) 23 Ethical (5) 24 Assisted (5) 25 Calmed with drugs (7)

DOWN 1 Rather hungry (7) 2 Trimmed, peeled (5) 3 Gourmet (7) 4 Wooden shoes (6) 5 Wide (5) 6 Comments (7) 7 Before the expected time (5) 13 Bandit (7) 15 Without weapons (7) 16 Increased threefold (7) 17 Counting-frame (6) 18 Capital of Bulgaria (5) 19 Located (5) 21 Split asunder (5)

Last Weeks Solutions on page 43

38

health

Beauty Tips

Three common winter beauty problems, solved!

Puffy and tired eyes Winter can also be harmful to the eyes, especially in the thin layer of skin just under the eyes. To help relieve dark, puffy and tired eyes, you can use natural eye cream. You also need to drink plenty of water and exercise regularly to boost blood circulation to brighten your eyes.

Damaged locks Hair can suffer from dullness, breakage and flaky and dry scalp in the winter.

Don’t shampoo your hair every day but do not miss using conditioner daily. This will allow natural oil to moisturise your hair. Also, let your hair dry naturally and do not go outside while your hair is wet.

Brush your hair just enough not to make it thin and fragile.

Chapped lips Make sure you always keep your lips hydrated with water. People will often lick their lips to hydrate them, which is actually a bad idea as it just makes the lips drier. Saliva contains amylase and maltase - digestive enzymes that can make the lips thin, making them susceptible to dry air and eventually leaving them dry and chapped.

Use lip balm or petroleum jelly to prevent this happening.

Do it yourself – nourishing hand cream

Ingredients • 1/4 cup coconut oil • 1/8 cup shea butter • 1/8 cup cocoa butter • 1 tbsp aloe vera juice • 1 tbsp liquid oil of choice (like sweet almond, jojoba, etc.)

• 5-10 drops essential oils (optional)

Method 1. Heat the shea butter, coconut oil, and cocoa butter over low heat until melted.

2. Remove from heat.

3. Add the aloe vera juice, liquid oil and essential oils and stir to combine well.

4. Store in container of your choice.

Sarcoma - the unknown cancer

AFTER A summer of healthy eating and exercise, Janice was on the road to better health when she noticed a small lump in her lower left abdomen. She assumed it was scar tissue from a past surgery, but decided to see her doctor six months later after it had grown to the size of a baseball. Shortly after undergoing surgery to remove what her doctors thought was a hernia, Janice found out she had cancer.

Specifically, it was a malignant solitary fibrous tumour, a form of soft tissue sarcoma. Janice was 39-years-old when she was diagnosed.

“I had never heard of sarcoma before that day,” said Janice. “The word ‘cancer’ never came up as a possibility in any of my initial conversations with my doctors until I received the diagnosis. I was completely blindsided.”

Sarcoma remains an unknown cancer to many. In fact, it is often known as “the

forgotten cancer.”

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is among the most distinct and complex types of cancer.

It has more than 50 histological subtypes that arise from connective tissues of the body, including muscle, tendons, fat, lymph vessels, blood vessels, nerves and tissue around joints. The tumours form most often in the arms, legs, chest or abdomen, though they can be found anywhere in the body.

Sarcoma is considered a rare disease; it comprises approximately 1 per cent of all adult cancers diagnosed.

Given the rarity and complexity of this cancer, diagnosis can be especially challenging.

Due to her specific subtype of sarcoma, Janice’s doctors recommended radiation.

After seven weeks of treatment and months of recovery, Janice has been in remission since May 2015.

How to get more REM sleep What is REM sleep?

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) is a stage of sleep where your brain is very active and prone to dreaming. During REM sleep, your eyes actually make rapid movements. The amount of REM sleep you get may depend upon age and other factors, with infants spending 50 per cent of time in REM and adults spending closer to 20 per cent/ Increased REM sleep has been shown to improve your memory recall and your overall mental abilities. You may also experience vivid dreams when you are in REM stage of your sleep cycle and may want to prolong your dreams at night.

How do I get more REM sleep?

1. Maintain a regular sleep schedule.

Create a sleep schedule where you wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, even on weekends or days off. Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but on average, you should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep.

Having a regular sleep schedule will allow you to experience REM sleep more often, as you will cycle between the stages of sleep several times throughout the night during a full seven to nine-hour sleep.

Some people think getting just one less hour of sleep won’t affect their daily functioning

Midlife crisis or THE MALE midlife crisis is often made fun of, but for many men it is a distressing experience.

A midlife crisis can happen when men think they've reached life's halfway stage and feel time is running out. It's not a medical condition but people going through a midlife crisis can experience anxiety and depression.

The age at which people experience a midlife crisis can vary. It can typically occur anywhere between the age of 35 and 50.

Dr Derek Milne, a clinical psychologist, says: "If I was giving advice on how to cope, I'd suggest telling your GP you're feeling depressed, because depression makes up a significant portion of the midlife crisis."

Depression can be triggered by a major life change, such as divorce, separation, long-term illness, bereavement or job loss. Sometimes there appears to be no obvious reason.

Symptoms of depression can include: low mood

lasting two weeks or more, not getting any enjoyment out of life, feeling hopeless, feeling tired or lacking energy not being able to concentrate on everyday things like reading the paper or watching television, sleeping more than usual or being unable to sleep When they reach their late 40s to early 50s, some men experience loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, mood swings and other physical or emotional symptoms.

Is there such a thing as a

39

health

Ask the Optician What is the connection between diabetes and eye sight?

Judy Borland, Store Director from Specsavers Opticas Fuengirola There are 422 million diabetes sufferers worldwide and this number is increasing fast.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common cause of blindness and partial sight, so we wanted to deal with this important issue. or that they can make up for lack of sleep on the weekend or a day off, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

Any changes or shifts in your regular sleep schedule will only have a negative effect on your sleeping habits and could lead to less deep sleep or REM sleep.

2. Turn off all electronics and distractions a few hours before bed. Shut off your television, smartphone, tablet, and computer or, even better, keep all electronics out of your bedroom completely. The type of light these screens emit can stimulate your brain, suppress the production of melatonin

(which encourages REM sleep), and interfere with your body’s internal clock.

3. Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. Use heavy curtains or shades to block the light from windows. Cover any electronic displays, like TVs or computers so the light does not glow in the room. You can also use a sleep mask to cover your eyes and create a dark space that will help you sleep. If you have difficulty sleeping due to loud noises outside your window or a loud sleep partner, consider investing in good earplugs, or a noise machine.

4. Don’t consume caffeine or alcohol four to six hours before your bedtime. About

half the caffeine you consume at 7.00pm is still in your body at 11.00pm. Alcohol also prevents deep sleep and REM sleep. It will keep you in the lighter stages of sleep, causing you to possibly wake up easily and have a harder time falling back asleep.

5. Try to go to bed sleep 30 minutes earlier than usual. Your REM sleep stages are longer in the morning, so try to prolong your REM sleep by adding an extra 30 minutes of sleep. Adjust your bedtime so you go to sleep 30 minutes earlier than usual and then maintain this adjustment in your sleep schedule by doing this every night.

male menopause 'male menopause'?

The ‘male menopause’ is an unhelpful term sometimes used in the media to explain some of the above symptoms.

This label is misleading because it suggests the symptoms are the result of a sudden drop in testosterone in middle

age, similar to what occurs in the female menopause.

This isn't true. Although testosterone levels fall as men age, the decline is steady – less than 2% a year from around the age of 30-40 – and this is unlikely to cause any problems in itself.

Q. How can diabetes affect my eyes?

A. Diabetes affects the small blood vessels and capillaries of the body. The walls of these vessels can develop small bulges (microaneurysms) and become ‘leaky’. Diabetic changes can occur in the blood vessels at the back of the eye, when diabetes results in these changes, it is referred to as diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes can also have other ocular pathological effects including cataracts and retinal detachments. Severe changes, if left untreated, can result in blindness.

Q. How can these changes be identified?

A. A symptom of diabetic retinopathy developing is blurry vision which can often come and go throughout the day, if you experience this issue get an eye test right away. Haemorrhages (blood leaking out of the vessels) and leaking fluid (oedema) can sometimes be detected by an eye examination.

Q. How can I reduce my risk of suffering vision loss?

A. Control your diabetes well to minimise the risks.

Q. Can the damage be treated?

A. The sooner the problem is identified, the easier it can be treated, however even if it has progressed often the affected vessels can be cauterised by laser to reduce the damage.

To book an eye test or find your nearest store visit specsavers.es

40

home & garden

How to Repot Plants Step 1: Water Plant

Step 8: Water Plant

Lightly water your plant to help the root ball and soil slide more easily out of the pot.

Remove your plant from the pot by carefully turning it on its side, then support the main stem in one hand and use the other hand to gently pull the pot away.

Water your newly potted plant well until the water runs out the bottom. I like to sit the plant in the sink or bathtub and give it a good drink, making sure the soil gets evenly moist while the excess water drains away. This is also a good time to spritz or wipe down the foliage to remove dust and potting soil.

Step 3: Prune Roots

Step 9: Settling

Step 2: Remove Plant

When moving your plant to a larger pot, begin by inspecting the roots and soil. If the soil is in good shape, try to disturb it as little as possible. If it’s rotten or moldy, shake away some of the excess. If the roots are tightly coiled, use your fingers or a sharp knife to loosen or gently slice them so they can spread out, trimming away any really long ends. Cut away any rotten or dead roots. When repotting in the same pot, shake off the excess soil, then use scissors to prune back up to 25% of the roots. This will help rejuvenate your plant while keeping it small enough to stay in the same pot.

Step 4: Clean Pot

Clean the pot with hot soapy water to get rid of disease causing microorganisms and insect larvae. Pat dry.

Step 5: Add Soil

Make a small mound of soil in the pot for your plant to sit on. Measure the height and make sure the top of the root ball is at least 1/2″ below the rim of the pot, so that it won’t overflow when you water it.

Sometimes after watering, it’s necessary to add a little more soil to fill in low spots in the pot.

Step 10: Trim Plant

Cut off any dead or broken stems and leaves. If needed, lightly prune your plant to encourage branching.

Step 6: Position Plant

Place the plant in the pot and settle it on the soil. Look at it from all sides to make sure it’s centred and sitting up straight.

Step 7: Fill Pot

Add potting soil around the plant in layers, pressing it down with your fingers until firm. Don’t bury your plant deeper than it was before!

Refinish a dining room table Update a dining room table easily with this material list and step-by-step instructions for refinishing a wooden table.

It only takes half a day to complete this project.

Materials: Stain Polyurethane 100, 150 and 220-grit sandpaper Stain brushes Rags Tack cloth Orbital or belt sander (optional) Router (optional) Steps: 1. Sand the entire table removing all stain from edges and legs. If using an orbital or belt sander, be careful not to gouge the surface. Do most of the initial sanding and varnish removal with the 100-grit sandpaper, then step up to 150-grit and do a final pass with 220-grit to smooth out the grain for the new finish.

2. Carefully remove all sanding dust with a tack cloth.

3. Apply stain with a brush, following the wood's natural grain.

Apply stain liberally, allow it to soak in for a few minutes then wipe off excess. Tip: The longer

stain sits before wiping, the darker the final colour will be.

4. Apply at least two coats of stain.

Depending on the desired colour depth and richness, apply more coats. Lightly sand with 220-grit paper and clean with tack cloth between coats. Note: Staining the wood causes the wood fibres to swell as they soak up the stain. The reason for sanding between coats is to knock down the swollen fibres to maintain a smooth surface.

5. After the final coat of stain has thoroughly dried, apply polyurethane according to the manufacturers' instructions. Apply at least four coats, since dining room tables get a lot of use. Allow the final coat of polyurethane to dry for at least 24 hours before using the table.

Clean your microwave with ease

If you haven’t cleaned your microwave in a while, then you might notice a buildup of gunk. And if it’s been sitting in there for a while, then the bits of food may have hardened to the point of making it almost impossible to remove. Thankfully, steam-cleaning the inside of the appliance with a vinegar-water solution will remedy the mess without much effort. Here’s what you need to do.

First, gather your materials:

Microwave-safe bowl Toothpick or stir stick Vinegar Water Sponge

Instructions: 1. Pour equal parts vinegar and water into the bowl.

Measure based on how long you plan to steam your microwave for. Using half a

cup of each liquid is good enough, but if it’s in need of a deeper clean, then use one cup vinegar and one cup water.

2. Insert a toothpick or another small wooden object into the vinegar-water solution. This is a cautionary step that not everyone has to take, but it minimises the chances of explosions.

3. Bubbles will form on the toothpick or wooden implement, letting it boil without exploding. Bubbles can’t form on really smooth surfaces, which causes it to boil into an explosion when the bowl is suddenly moved.

Most plates and bowls

aren’t completely smooth, so you don’t usually have to worry about this.

4. Heat the bowl for five to 10 minutes, depending on how dirty the microwave is.

When the time is up, leave it in for a minute or two to let it steam it up more.

5. After letting it sit for a bit, take the bowl out with oven mitts, because it’s going to be very hot. Then, take a sponge and dip it into the hot vinegar-water mixture and scrub down your microwave. Most likely you won’t need a sponge, and the gunk will come off easily with a few swipes of the rag or paper towel.

41

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motoring

Tim Saunders Motoring journalist www.testdrives.biz

Is the V60 big enough for a family car?

“I DELIVERED one of these the other day and the chap didn’t want to drive it,” says the delivery driver.

“Oh,” I reply, a little perplexed, admiring the finish of this particular model. “Couldn’t he drive?” I ask.

“He just sat and listened to the stereo.”

“Really? Was he all there?” I question.

“He worked for one of the hi-fi magazines and he was testing the £3,000 sound system, an added extra in the top of the range model. I stayed with him on his driveway for 40 minutes and he really cranked up the volume.”

“I better pay a bit more attention to stereos from now on then,” I replied.

My first impression is that this V60 stands taller than the standard model thanks to its raised height. The fact that it is an all wheel drive model not only makes it super safe on the roads but it also means that it is at home in the countryside.

What better place to test this out than a trek down the motorway to the market town of Andover.

Traditionally Volvos have been associated with manufacturing standard road going cars that are supremely safe. I can

see why they have ventured into the all wheel drive market though; Sweden in winter is undoubtedly a treacherous place to drive. What really appeals about a four wheel drive Volvo is that it is extra safe because all wheels are talking to each other so to speak. This is a permanent thing so there’s no need to faff about engaging it.

The six-speed automatic gearbox coupled to the responsive 2.4-litre diesel engine makes for a car that is thoroughly enjoyable to drive. This does not feel like an estate car but much more of a sports car. If a little extra oomph is required then sports gear can be selected at a push of the gear stick.

That boot though is not as large as it needs to be for the Saunders family. You see little Heidi does like to take all sorts of luggage with her on an excursion, so much so that we have to remove the retracting parcel shelf to make space, which isn’t ideal. If everything is to be stored below the parcel shelf there really isn’t much space to play with. The raised ride height and the spare tyre eat into the available room.

Aside from this the black all leather interior is hard wearing and comfortable. It is pleasing to see an electric tilt/slide glass sunroof as well as air conditioning and all round electric windows. Power folding wing mirrors are always a distinct

advantage for roadside parking. Being a Volvo it is fitted with intelligent cruise control that reads the traffic ahead and reacts accordingly in terms of speed by automatically braking or accelerating.

When reversing the wing mirrors automatically drop so that the driver can clearly see the sides of the road behind.

There is a useful reversing camera that appears in the centre console. However, this system is not infallible and the driver needs to be extremely alert, especially when reversing on my driveway. Why? Because as you can see in the video there is a brick pillar on the left hand side which can be easily forgotten about, making it an accident waiting to happen.

To my surprise there are no warning beeps reminding me of this obstacle and the driver could miss it if they’re not looking at the camera carefully.

If the wing mirrors did not automatically drop when reversing this issue could be lvo V60, overcome. Perhaps Model Tested: Vo D, D4, 6 there is a way to Cross Country AW override this setting el speed Auto, Dies but I have not 70 Price From: €43,8 discovered it. cs se 8.6 : /h 0-100km Overall, I do like this /h Km 4 Volvo and feel quite Top speed: 20 CV 0 at home behind the Engine power: 19 00km wheel. The children Economy: 5.7 l/1 like it too and that’s 9 g/km CO2 Emissions: 14 important for a family vehicle.

Facts at a glance

New Honda models described as a ‘true adventure’

HONDA’S AFRICA TWIN platform grows today with the announcement of the 2018 CRF1000L2 Africa Twin Adventure Sports, which was introduced alongside an updated standard 2018 CRF1000L Africa Twin at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan. Following a European release early next year, both models will be available in the U.S. in summer of 2018.

Suggested retail price for the Adventure Sports model is approximately €2,200 higher than that of the current Africa Twin.

Displayed previously in concept form, and developed as a powerful extension of the “True Adventure” mantra that drives the Africa Twin platform, the new Adventure Sports version features

increased suspension travel, added ground clearance, enhanced creature comforts, and a larger fuel tank for extended range. Both the Adventure Sports and the standard Africa Twin feature a long list of

updates to the engine, electronics, and rider interface, while continuing to offer an ideal balance of

power and light weight.

“The Africa Twin’s success on showroom floors and in comparison tests is evidence of the platform’s profound capabilities, but the Adventure Sports model expands the possibilities by making it possible to ride further and more comfortably,” said Lee Edmunds,

American Honda’s Manager of Motorcycle Marketing Communications.

“We’ve enjoyed seeing our customers put their own interpretations on the Africa Twin’s ‘True Adventure’ ethos, and with the increased capabilities of the new Adventure Sports, as well as those of the updated standard Africa Twin, we expect that spirit will be applied in new and exciting ways.”

46

motoring

47

sport

Ghosts and ghouls at Miraflores!

A former player, Tony Matthews is now the world’s most prolific author of football books with 150 published since 1975. He has also been a PE teacher, policeman, radio correspondent and is now a quiz-organiser and fund–raiser, for various charities.

Bowls winners (From L to R): Tom, Carol (organiser) and Sheila In FA Cup first round ties last weekend there were excellent wins for non-League clubs AFC Hereford, Boreham Wood, Maidstone and Oxford City.

See more photos on our website HALLOWEEN SAW many strange figures and apparitions at Miraflores with prizes on offer for the best turned out and a day of fun bowling with a cauldron of stew for lunch between the bowling sessions! Carol asked all the participants to park their brooms outside sensibly beforehand to avoid potential conflicts with neighbours!

A great time was had by all with some fantastic outfits on display the dressing up prize was won by John Barnes (what a surprise he makes Danny La Rue’s wardrobe look bare!) and just for the record the bowling prizes were won by Tom Cordner and Sheila McGurk.

The largest open bowls competition on the coast the Miraflores Open starts on Saturday 11th November at 10.00 a.m. with the Open Fours. The Mixed Triples start Sunday and the Mixed Pairs on Monday. A record entry

has been received which means a full day’s bowling every day of the competition, which is great news especially for spectators. We are delighted to have 2 major sponsors in place, namely Ibex Insurance and Currencies Direct both of whom will have representatives on site to answer questions about their companies to both players and spectators.

Spectators are welcome at all times and we have a fully stocked bar with food available to satisfy everybody’s needs. Sunday 19th November which is finals day will feature all 3 finals and is normally a very popular event for spectators, especially the post final presentations and scorecard draw with prizes from local businesses for all entrants who are present, don’t miss it!! This year we will also have a guest of honour at the presentations, Nuria Rodriguez who is the Sports Councillor for Mijas.

Credit: @SergioRamos/Twitter

Marseille have suspended ex-Manchester United player Patrice Evra who was redcard for ‘kicking’ a supporter of his own club in the head before a 1-0 Champions League defeat by Vitoria Guimaraes. In the same competition there were wins for Tottenham (3-1 v. Real Madrid), Liverpool (3-0 v Maribor), Manchester City (4-2 v. Napoli) and Manchester United (2-0 v. Benfica) but Chelsea lost (3-0 to Roma) while Celtic are out (beaten 2-1 by Bayern Munich). In the Europa League, Arsenal drew 0-0 with Red Star Belgrade but Everton were eliminated 3-0 by Lyon.

Manchester City, 3-1 winners over Arsenal, lead the PL by eights points from Manchester United, 1-0 losers at Chelsea (4th). Spurs (3rd) defeated Crystal Palace (bottom) and Liverpool (5th) whipped West Ham 4-1. Wolves remain top of the Championship and Celtic (4-0 winners at St Johnstone) are now unbeaten in 63 domestic matches, breaking a 100 year-old British record. And Lionel Messi’s 600th game for Barcelona ended in a 2-1 win over Sevilla.

England manager Gareth Southgate has three uncapped players in his squad for friendlies against Germany (Friday) and Brazil (next Tuesday). They are Joey Gomez, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. He’s also recalled Ashley Young. And Northern Ireland met Switzerland (Thursday) and the Republic of Ireland visit Denmark (Saturday) in WC qualifying play-offs.

In their second Rugby League WC group games, New Zealand (with 14 tries) crushed Scotland 74-6, England beat Lebanon 29-10, Australia whipped France 52-6, Ireland lost 14-6 to Papua New Guinea and Wales were blitzed 72-6 by Fiji.

It’s Scotland-Samoa (Saturday) and England-France and Ireland-Wales (Sunday).

And three Scotland players, deemed to be drunk, were not allowed to board the plane to the next venue (Cairns). Elsewhere, New Zealand beat the Barbarians 31-22 in a Union international at Twickenham.

On Sunday, Marc Marquez ‘will’ be crowned 2017 MotoGP champion in Valencia while F1 racing continues in Brazilian which will see Felipe Massa’s last drive on his home track before retiring. Meanwhile, Ferrari President Sergio Marchionne says that the team could quit F1 if they fail to agree on the directions implied by new owners Liberty Media.

Is Aidan O’Brien the greatest horse-race trainer ever? Last week he saddled his record-breaking 27th Group One winner of 2017 when Mendelssohn won the Juvenile Turf Trophy at California’s Breeder’s Cup meeting.

Spain face Costa Rica at Malaga’s La Rosaleda

SPAIN will host Costa Rica at Malaga’s La Rosaleda stadium this weekend in the first of two international friendlies.

La Roja will play in front of a sell-out crowd this Saturday after it was confirmed taht tickets for the 30,000 seaterstadium had sold out on Thursday.

The team’s preparations have been somewhat disrupted in recent

days after a large amount of controversy surrounding the team’s new kit.

Adidas officially released images of the kit that the team will wear at next year’s World Cup on twitter but faced backlash over the design.

Many claimed that a coloured stripe down the front of the shirt bared a close resemblance to the flag of the Second Spanish Republic, leading the

RFEF to cancel the official presentation of the kit.

La Roja come into the game having not conceded a goal since June and are unbeaten since they were dumped out of the Euros by Italy in 2016 After facing Costa Rica, Spain head to Russia on Tuesday to take on the hosts of next year’s World Cup before returning to the players return to their club sides.

In tennis, unseeded Serbian Filip Krajinovic lost to American Jack Sock in the Paris Masters final and Martin Del Potro has failed to qualify for the end-ofseason WTA finals in London.

Despite Alastair Cook’s second-ball duck, England’s cricketers began their Ashes Tour with a two-day ‘warm-up’ draw with a WACA XI in Perth. The first Test starts on 23 November. Meanwhile, England’s women are also in Ashes action down under.

Former Olympic sprinter Frankie Fredericks has been charged with money laundering and corruption by French authorities… GB golfer Justin Rose won backto-back tournaments by claiming the Turkish Airlines Open … and congratulations to Houston Astros on their first-ever baseball series win.