RTN Newspaper – Costa del Sol 24 - 30 November 2017 Issue 030

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24th-30th November 2017

Reporting The News

€140m luxury shopping spree

Inside this week...

girl power

Photo credit: McArthurGlen

P4 taxi strike next week

P7

political animals

GOLD STANDARD: The new centre promises high-end brands at bargain prices.

by Staff Reporter THE FIRST outlet-style shopping centre dedicated to luxury brands in southern Spain is to open on the Costa del Sol. It comes as British real estate developer McArthurGlen revealed it is to sink €140 million into the project at the Plaza Mayor complex near Malaga Airport.

The development, to be built alongside the existing centre, currently named McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Malaga, is forecast to create 1,000 jobs and open before Christmas 2018, according to development director Jose Luis Arenas.

The first phase of the project is underway and will

house 100 stores in a 17,500 square-metre space, while a second phase will see 70 more shops added and push the centre beyond 30,000 square metres.

Retail units will be occupied by high-end brands offering products at bargain prices with discounts of 3070 per cent.

Mr Arenas said that Plaza Mayor had been chosen due to its location close to Malaga capital and the airport, which sees 10 million tourists per year visit the area, plus its excellent road and rail connections.

He added that the development will be “a reference for the whole of southern Spain.”

P15

2

Clothing for the vulnerable and needy

New park

by Jemima Roberts A CHARITY has given away almost 30,000 kilos of food and clothing to needy families in Malaga.

Around 350 families, totalling more than 1,700 people, have benefitted from 29,800 kilos of food, 1,600 pieces of clothing and 75 pairs of shoes.

More than 120 volunteers are used to hand out the donations and the INPAVI in Malaga will donate the goods tomorrow on Camino de la Corta from 9.30am to 2pm and 4.30pm until the end of the day.

In September Mijas Council launched a food delivery service for those on low incomes.

The initiative, aimed at those aged over 65, will begin on Monday September 25. The Councillor for Social Services, Mari Carmen Carmona, announced her department is once again launching the project for the second consecutive year, benefitting 20 users for six months.

She explained, “our main objective is to cover the basic needs of all grandparents who live in difficult situations,” adding, “many seniors are ashamed to ask for these grants.” She emphasised, “this is an initiative where the ano-

Covering basic needs for those in a difficult position

nymity of the applicants remains.”

From September 25, interested parties will be able to register their application in the department of Social Services.

The initiative consists of bringing lunch to the homes of twenty users over 65 with limited financial resources. Councillor Carmona ex-

plained, “we are talking about a catering service bringing a lunch prepared Monday to Saturday to each of these households. A Sunday meal will be delivered the day before to each of the beneficiaries.”

The meals consist of cold food that complies with sanitary regulations which is then heated up by its recipient.

FUENGIROLA COUNCIL has announced the creation of a new park.

Works have now begun on the area, which include plan to install a 25-metre zip line for children aged 4 to 12 years’ old, a playground, sports ground, and rest areas.

Maria Jesus Pascual, Councillor for Green Spaces, explained the park will occupy 1,400 square metres and will be completed in February. She added jacarandas had been “removed from Avenida Clemente Diaz for its remodelling and transplanted here; there are 23. In addition, we positioned them as a corridor.”

She explained, “the

council tries to provide spaces like this in all neighbourhoods whenever we can. We will create the area even though it is quite difficult because there is a water deposit and a certain slope which makes the works more complicated.”

She concluded, “the cost of the park if we had outsourced the work would have been around €100,000,” but she explained the staff from the Department for Green Spaces had instead taken on the challenge, alongside workers from an employment scheme promoted by the Junta de Andalucia, bringing the total to around 12 staff.

3

Debt down

by Richard Johnson BENALMADENA COUNCIL has reduced its debt to €87 million in two years.

Mayor Victor Navas explained the figure had hovered around €123 million when he took office but his team had now restored “solvency and credibility.”

He added the council had overcome “an indebtedness that hovered around 127 per cent, well above the minimum of 110 per cent required by the State,” explaining he hoped it would be around 40 per cent at the end of the political term. His opposition, however, has criticised “a reduction” in basic services, including maintenance of parks and gardens and cleaning.

Benalmadena is not the only council to benefit from improved finances this year.

Fuengirola and Mijas councils have both also reduced debt, with Fuengirola’s town hall now reaching out to residents for ideas for its 2018 budget.

Road sense The Mayor of Manilva has

held a meeting with the delegate of Andalusia in Malaga to discuss

the opening of a pedestrian road connecting Manilva and Sabinillas, one of the most ambitious projects for the council.

Locals will be able to decide on a special project with funding of up to €1 million. The initiative, put forward by Mayor Ana Mula, is aimed at allowing residents greater control over how council money is spent.

An online suggestion submission app has been created and all ideas will be analysed for their viability. Mayor Mula explained, “like I always say; My best team is the residents themselves. And in that sense, we have put in place different tools that have allowed us to work as a team with the people of Fuengirola so that they can also send us their requests, their concerns, their complaints, ... and in short, that they participate as a team to improve our city.”

The news comes after Fuengirola Council last week announced it 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

Rio Guadiaro

Izquierda Unida political party has announced that its parliamentary groups in the Congress of Deputies and in the Parliament of Andalucia will try to demand a solution for the continuing problems with the Rio Guadiaro.

Debt has been reduced over two years 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.

Word up THE public library in Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmadena, is to celebrate Spanish poet Gloria Fuertes with a series of events running until December 20, including readings, live music and workshops for children.

4

Girl power

by Pippa Harris MALAGA COUNCIL is handing out awards to three women who have fought against domestic abuse.

The event marked International Day Against Gender Violence which takes place this Sunday and honoured individuals and bodies who are helping to highlight and reduce the issue.

Anabel Padial, a former victim of domestic abuse, has won the “female fighter” award for founding the Association of Women Survivors of Gender Violence. The Provincial Federation of Women “Agora” has been awarded the “commitment of an association” award for celebrating 25 years of existence, while SUR journalist Ana Perez-Bryan has been awarded the “highlighting gender violence” award.

Ms Padial explained of her organisa-

tion, “we call them ‘my girls’ because we are mothers to make them see the light at the end of the tunnel and that we can live in freedom.” Josefa Sierra, president of Agora, commented, “we dedicate the award to women who are no longer with us and their families, who have to learn to live without them.”

Ana Perez-Bryan read out some of her stories highlighting domestic abuse cases, explaining it is “a fight each and every one must make from the trenches,” adding, “we will win this battle because we are more, we are together, we are better and we are not afraid.”

Earlier this month, the Malaga Provincial Council announced it was clamping down on gender violence. The initiative, which is being publicised on three radio stations, aims “to overcome inequality between men and women,

one of the biggest outstanding issues in our democracy.”

Elias Bendodo, President of the Provincial Council, said 27.4 per cent of young people see domestic abuse as “normal,” a figure which he explained was “very alarming.”

Malaga is not the only city taking steps to deal with the issue. In October, Marbella Council put together a programme of activities to honour International Day Against Domestic Abuse.

Isabel Cintado, Councillor for Social Rights, explained the council would organise workshops throughout primary schools in Marbella and San Pedro Alcantara teaching about gender violence. She added sex education workshops would also be put on for secondary school students as well as a poster competition designed to promote equality.

Don’t suffer in silence

6 Photo credit British Embassy Madrid

Not fare

THE Association of Costa del Sol Hoteliers has demanded that Torremolinos Council reduce the tax burden on hotels in the town, after residential properties were granted a 25 per cent discount on IBI fees for 2018.

Big brother Pictures of the crowded Brexit event at the University of Elche

ALHAURIN DE LA TORRE’S mayor announced he would launch an investigation into residents who criticised police responses during this year’s Halloween celebrations, after disgruntled citizens took to social media to complain that vandalism reports were being ignored.

British Ambassador talks about Brexit Phase two

by Staff Reporter

SIMON MANLEY, British Ambassador to Spain, visited Alicante to speak at an event about the progress of Brexit negotiations and the future relationship between the UK and Spain.

The meeting which was organised in conjunction with the British citizens in Spain group Brexpats (originally founded in Mijas) and the Diputacion de Alicante was held at the University of Elche.

The main topic discussed was the subject of citizens’ rights and how that is one of the top priorities for the British Government in the negotiations with the EU. Members of the Brexpats group had a chance to ask questions to Ambas-

sador Manley and Consul Sarah-Jane Morris.

HMA’s agenda in Alicante also included visits to King’s College in Alicante and King’s Infant School in Elche, both British schools; a visit to Babcock MSC, the British company that provides of aerial emergency services and aircraft maintenance in Mutxamel, and a meeting with local authorities in Calpe town hall.

Talking about the importance of citizen rights which applies to all British passport holders in Spain, Simon Manley said: “Good progress has already been made in the negotiations and we are within touching distance of a deal in citizen’s rights.

“My team of consular staff and I have been speaking face to face with British citizens across

Spain, including Alicante, to ensure that the concerns they raise around healthcare, pensions and residency rights are understood by the UK negotiating team and reflected in their discussions with our EU partners about our departure from the EU. “I would like to recommend that people living in the Alicante region and elsewhere to follow our social media channels for updates on progress in the negotiation, including our Brits in Spain Facebook page, and to sign up for alerts from the gov.uk page to ensure you are getting accurate information.”

Advice for UK citizens living in the EU can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ advice-for-british-nationals-travelling-andliving-in-europe

The second phase of rehabilitation of the old Carazony El Hoyo School in Coin has begun with the installation of a lift and the removal of architectural barriers at a budgeted cost of €62,000.

Pest problem BENELMADENA has begun its Autumn and Winter pest control campaign. The campaign which aims to reduce the population of rodents in the area had been delayed by unusual weather conditions and will end in February.

7

Taxi strike to hit next week

by Jemima Roberts MALAGA cab drivers plan to strike for 24 hours on Wednesday, November 29.

Fedetaxi, Spain’s main taxi union, called the strike over the increase in private hire vehicles from companies including Uber and Cabify, accusing them of “unfair competition and piracy.”

Police in Malaga last month unearthed 118 illegal taxies. The 53 “pirate” cabs and 65 rental cars using a driver all lacked a licence to carry passengers. Local Police officers foiled 44 of the “pirate” taxi drivers as they entered Malaga Airport, eight were found near the city’s bus station and one was located in the Alameda de Capuchinos.

Agents at Malaga Airport have carried out 120 vehicle check stops this year, checking a total of 2,035 vehicles and finding 173 which did not carry the correct licence.

A further taxi strike in Malaga in August turned ugly, leading to 10 arrests for coercion, property damage and assault. The five-day strike over private hire vehicles caused travel chaos in the city at one of the busiest times of the year. Taxi drivers refused to work at Malaga Airport, instead sitting in their vehicles to protest the success of private taxi firm Cabify. Holidaymakers were forced to seek alternatives means of transport to their hotels and rental homes, leaving some stranded late at night when their flights arrived after buses stopped running.

The strike came to an end after the Junta de Andalucia agreed a series of temporary proposals to control numbers. Union leaders explained they want the ratio of private hire cabs to taxis to reach 1:30, a figure the Junta described as “impossible.”

Five of those arrested during the strike were held over their alleged role in attacking Eduardo Martin, president of the VTC (private hire licence) association, who claimed he was attacked by taxi drivers at Malaga Airport where he was giving a television interview about the strike. According to media reports, one of the five is considered to be Strike the main instigator of the attack, set for while the other four are suspected November to have joined in.

29

8

Politicians blast detention centre

New measures asked for by local councillor

by Richard Johnson A COUNCILLOR has urged the central government to make other arrangements for illegal immigrants.

Mercedes Montero is asking the government to open a new, permanent prison for those who illegally reach Spain’s shores by boat after it was claimed Archidona’s Local Police headquarters are being used to hold around 500 immigrants.

The councillor explained she had spoken to the Secretary of State for Security and, “he has assured me that they will be held for a maximum of 40 days and that another jail will be opened in January as promised.”

The immigrants, who arrived at the shores of Murcia before being transferred to Malaga, have received healthcare, personal hygiene kits and the services of an interpreter. Around 2,000 food rations have been put aside for the inmate as well as bottled water.

In August it was announced The Malaga Bar Associationwas meeting to discuss rising immigration levels.

The group has appointed a panel of experts

to analyse the situation and “make proposals to the relevant administrations, as the situation is increasingly worrying,” according to one lawyer, Francisco Javier Lara.

Mr Lara said the association will “from now on work to coordinate” with other towns which also attract immigrants, including Cadiz, Almeria and Granada. He explained he was also looking in to liaising with bodies in Italy and Morocco to create “a kind of congress of the Mediterranean” and address “this phenomenon, how the situation is and what it takes the means and legislation to make a proposal to administrations, including Europe.”

Since July, the Malaga Bar Association has put emphasis on helping foreigners who arrive in Spain by boat, since many of them claim asylum. Around 300 lawyers have now received training in immigration law to deal with the influx of cases.

Mr Javier Lara has now written to the Junta de Andalucia demanding the premises be improved after the infestation and highlighting the problems posed by transferring detainees between three courts located in different buildings on Avenida Palma de Mallorca.

Puppy dies after ‘being dropped’ A YOUNG dog had been put down after allegedly been thrown in the air by its owner in Malaga.

Police are now investigating one man and searching for another after the five-month-old German Shepherd pup was put down by an animal shelter after being handed in.

The incident began in October on Calle Granada when pedestrians intervened after allegedly seeing two street

performers throw the dog in the air, allowing it to drop to the ground.

They confronted the pair, one of whom is said to have become aggressive.

A business-owner intervened, breaking up the ensuing scuffle and the dog’s owner ran away.

Two pedestrians were treated in hospital after allegedly being assaulted, while an 18-year-old German street performer is being investigated for animal cruelty.

The dog was taken in by an animal refuge to be checked over. Sources explained the dog did not show any signs of abuse but had an existing problem with one of its paws which prevented its leg developing correctly. The animal was not chipped and its owners could not be located.

The shelter said it did not think the animal was appropriate for adoption and subsequently put it down.

10

Convicted animal abusers asks to avoid jail

Mother arrested for chaining son up

by Jemima Roberts CARMEN MARIN, the disgraced president of Parque Animal has asked for her prison sentence to be suspended due to psychiatric problems.

A judge will now decide whether Ms Marin’s claims of depression, anxiety and health problems are enough to see her avoid jail after she was sentenced to almost four years for animal cruelty and fraud.

Ms Marin had been given five days to voluntarily present herself to prison, however her lawyers have now presented evidence of their client’s psychological issues, as well as her fibromyalgia, cataract and neurological disorder. Although they recognise none of these “represent an imminent risk to life.” Ms Marin’s defence instead claims her issues are “incompatible with prison life.”

Parque Animal was run from 1998 to 2010 by the accused, until she was convicted after Guardia Civil officers found the bodies of dozens of animals in rubbish bins and freezers. At her trial, the judge found Marin had made a “lucrative” business out of the charity, which benefitted from zero tax, and carried out “culling sessions” on a “massive and unjustified” scale. Marin also faced further charges of using the

Trying to avoid Lady Justice

charity’s money to fund luxury travel, restaurant trips and cars.

At her latest trial, the judge said he believed Parque Animal paid out €104,382 to department stores, using the funds to reform and decorate her daughter’s beauty centre. Marin was also accused of using public funds to pay for a lift in one of her buildings, supermarket purchases and car rental, after receiving tens of thousands of Euros from the council.

Over the summer, the troubled charity’s future became unclear after a tender to find new managers for the sanctuary failed to attract any offers.

The council will now reopen the application process, with the building’s cur-

rent managers, Animal Home, continuing to take in animals in the meantime.

Torremolinos’ Environment Department had offered up to €67,000 to the successful applicant for taking over the shelter. Three companies were invited to take part in the tender, which would see the successful firm collect, transport and shelter the town’s lost and abandoned animals, but not one chose to submit an application. The Council is now said to be considering upping its offer to attract more companies.

Animal Home have managed the site since the investigation concluded in 2012, although the property continues to be owned by Parque Animal after it was given a 50-year lease in 1998.

A WOMAN was detained in Malaga for allegedly chaining her 12-year-old child to an armchair.

The mother has now been released pending charges of coercion after a judge believed her explanation she was trying to stop her son running away.

The boy called the police after his mother apparently left him with food, water, games, TV and a mobile phone without credit and tied to a chair by his ankle. Officers attended the property and were let in by the mother.

They released the boy and arrested the woman before questioning her. The

mother told officers the boy kept running away, including on the day before when he had not been found until dawn. She maintained she was desperate and felt unable to control his behaviour, adding he had even run away from a child protection centre.

The woman later told a judge she had been forced to ask family to help find the boy when he had disappeared the day before. They eventually discovered him hanging out with a group of older people after searching all day and night. She said she had chained him up to stop him running off again.

11

Banged up abroad

by Richard Johnson

Smuggling across the border

Rental rage INVESTIGATORS have held a man in Sevilla on suspicion of advertising at least 28 fake rental properties on the Costa del Sol, after launching a probe when a disgruntled holidaymaker called to say he had been ripped off in Fuengirola.

A SPANISH man has been detained in France for smuggling one tonne of cannabis from Malaga.

The 35-year-old is being held after his truck was searched by officers in Montmarault near Lyon. Police say he was stopped due to collaboration between the Spanish and French authorities.

Drugs busts are continuing across the Costa del Sol with a man arrested in Malaga earlier this month for importing 65 kilos of cocaine.

The man has been handed over to a court in Algeciras and police have not ruled out further arrests after they discovered the drugs at Algeciras port.

Officers from the Tax Agency and Guardia Civil seized the narcotics after becoming suspicious of a shipment. Using a non-intrusive scanner, officers discovered the cocaine had

been hidden in eight small metal cylinders covered in lead.

The scanner showed officers the shipment’s contents did not match their description and they began to examine the objects. Looking into the cylinders, they found pills which, when tested, where found to be cocaine.

Police tracked the shipment back to a company on an industrial estate in Malaga and discovered the property did not seem to be used for commercial operations.

In October, police began investigating another company in Malaga after finding 1,109 kilos of cocaine hidden in cargo containers.

The drugs, which have now been seized, were discovered concealed among an order of plasterboard panels being shipped from Colombia to the Malaga-based construction company.

The tax office, National Police, German customs office and Spanish branch of

Bunking off REPRESENTATIVES of the San Roque Education department and the Local Police are visiting the top classes in primary schools to explain the problems of absenteeism which appears to increase when children move to secondary schools.

the American Drug Enforcement Administration began working together in August thanks to a tip off about an international crime organisation.

Their investigations led them to the construction company, whose headquarters are in Seville, and the discovery of the shipment.

In August, the leader of Estonia’s largest drug trafficking gang in Russia was arrested in Mijas following a joint operation between Spanish and Estonian police.

Three members of the criminal network, named Kemerovo, which operated out of Estonia, were also arrested in Tallinn, under operation Fulcrum-Carinatus.

Police believe the man arrested in Mijas moved to Spain to avoid falling victim to assassination in the wake of increasing gang violence in Estonia, as well as to establish a power base there for drug trafficking, among other crimes, as well as to launder money.

Gold rush

PROPERTY developer Ayco Grupo Inmobilario is to invest €6.3 million into building 144 new homes on a plot in Calahonda, Mijas, after striking a deal with the town council and paying €2.5 million up front.

12

Fire hazard

Protests as dog poisonings go on

by Jemima Roberts

MALAGA COUNCIL has been called on to improve safety conditions in its fire station.

A body responsible for checking work conditions has discovered “proven deficiencies in occupational risk prevention” at the Martiricos fire park.

It is the second time the organisation has written to the council to complain about standards at the site although the building is due for a €3.2 million facelift in December.

It is now demanding officials be consulted in any matters relating to health and safety as well as the psychological health of fire workers. The body also criticised the council for electrical risks in the station, including unprotected cables and boxes, dampness in the ceiling and bedroom, lack of anti-slip tape on the stairs.

A €3,242,065 project will see equipment at the Paseo de Martiricos station upgraded and improved from December 1 onwards.

The works, which are expected to take around 24 months, will be carries out in six stages and will include improvements to the building’s structure and design.

The building covers a total of 5,448.86 square metres, including 2.955,48 square meters on the ground floor, 433.97 square meters of mezzanine and 2,059.41 meters squares on the top floor.

Further improvements will include work to the firefighters’ sleeping and

Fire station needs to improve safety conditions

rest area, as well as the creation of a new emergency staircase.

The news comes following a series of firefighter strikes in Malaga, with the city council now agreeing to new work conditions. The council has said it is prepared to negotiate with the fire men to redraft a document regulating 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 simultaneously around the province. Sixty-one firemen were all called and asked to come to work but only one turned up.

AROUND 50 residents have gathered in San Pedro to demand the council puts an end to the spate of pet poisonings.

Opposition politicians and several animal organisations have also joined the protest after locals from Marbella and San Pedro became outraged after dogs and cats were killed by poison.

The problem has grown over the year with more than 10 dogs dying in Marbella in one a week in September.

One dog was killed after eating poison in a playground in La Campana, forcing police to close the park. The play area on Avenida Miguel de Cervantes is used by residents with and without pets, as well as children.

A resident, Francisco Montijano, told a publication, “in addition to animals, it could affect some of the children who play there every day.” Other neighbours told media outlets the poison comes in a “barely perceptible” liquid form, and have speculated the poison may have been left in three locations.

Police have collected samples of the liquid but residents remain concerned, telling one publication, “we are afraid to take our dogs out and have to walk them with our eyes peeled to stop them from going into the

undergrowth and eating something which could kill them.” Mr Montijano added, “we are checking the area on a daily basis to make our walks safe we but are frightened someone will start spreading the poison further afield.”

In July it was revealed The Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection Service (Seprona) was investigating the appearance of pesticides disguised as dog treats around Torremolinos.

The officers warned the crime, which was reported by residents, carries a fine of up to €300,000 and up to two years in prison. Police also warned dog and cat owners the poison, which has been strategically placed in areas frequented by animals, could be lethal and also poses a threat to children.

Two of the pesticides used, aldicarb and carbofuran, are banned by the European Union due to the danger they pose to public health, according to the Ministry for the Environment, while Torremolinos Council warned the colourful chemical which comes in a powder form could look like candy to children.

The authorities recommend anyone finding a poisoned animal to not touch it and instead call the police or Seprona and ask for the area to be cleaned in case of further poison.

Park planned

MAYOR of Mijas, Juan Carlos Maldonado, has announced plans for a 350,000 square metre park in Las Lagunas.

The project, which is set to begin next year, could reportedly have a budget between €10 and €15 million.

14

Have your Say!

Woman banned after driving wrong direction on motorway

All stars

MARBELLA’S restaurants will keep their five Michelin stars in 2018, with Restaurante Dani García having again been awarded two stars and El Lago, Skina and Messina each receiving one at the 2017 Michelin gala in Tenerife.

Faster fibre

A popular post this week

AVATEL TELECOM has advised the San Roque that having received the necessary permits, it will start to install optical fibre for faster broadband throughout the municipality from January.

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Driver almost double the drink-drive limit and on medication

by Pippa Harris A DRUNK-DRIVER has been banned from driving for a year and four months after driving the wrong way on the AP7.

The woman, who must also now pay a €1,200 fine, was found to be almost double the drink-driving limit when was spotted driving dangerously at around 4am.

When police were finally able to stop the driver, she allegedly smelt of alcohol, was talkative and unsteady on her feet. Officers believe the woman reacted badly to the mixture of alcohol and a medication she had been taking, affecting her ability to drive.

In August, a bus driver was sanctioned after testing positive to alcohol and narcotics, endangering the lives of his 60 passengers.

The man, who police say they could not arrest because “because there were not sufficient symptoms for the commission of crime,” instead now faces an administrative penalty.

The driver’s passengers in Benalmadena were delayed after their driver was stopped and removed by the Guardia Civil following a routine drugs check.

The vehicle was travelling from Hinojosa del Duque in Cordoba to Benalmadena when police boarded the

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bus and tested its driver for alcohol and narcotics, with the man testing positive for marijuana use.

After the driver was removed by police, the bus and its passengers were stuck until around 11am when another driver, who tested negative for drink and drugs, could take over.

Police roadside checks have recently been stepped up on journeys with coastal destinations in an effort to ensure drivers are complying with the law and reduce accidents. A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil’s traffic department explained, “The dangerousness of accidents involving vehicles that transport people as it is the case that concerns us, as well as the social alarm generated by such accidents, advise to prioritize control over this type of transport.”

In August it was also revealed almost half of drivers in Malaga stopped on suspicion of drug driving test positive for having narcotics in their system, according to figures released by the Spanish Government.

Minister for the Interior, Juan Ignacio Zoido, has said the Government is now considering a series of measures to combat the rising problem. He explained one option being explored is referring drivers who commit two or more drink or drug offences in under two years to health professionals to determine whether they have an addiction problem before they regain their licence.

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First prize

THE writer Fernando Iwasaki has received a prize of €6,000 after winning the IX José María González Ruiz essay competition in Malaga for his work The Raw Words.

Supermarket

FUENGIROLA’S Christmas Market begins today (Friday) with an opening ceremony due to be held in Plaza de la Constitucion from 5pm, and the festive event will continue daily until December 17.

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15

Political animals

by Richard Johnson TORREMOLINOS’ precarious political situation has been rocked again after a divisive councillor was promoted.

Margarita Del Cid, general secretary of the Partido Popular (PP) in the town, has now been named the PP’s head of Tourist Municipalities in Andalucia. The position is designed to support the areas most linked to tourism and in turn create wealth and jobs.

Ms Del Cid has been the subject of controversy in recent weeks after a rift in the Torremolinos PP which has seen some members supporting her 2019 mayoral candidacy and others backing former mayor, Pedro Fernandez Montes.

The party’s provincial deputy, Ramon Del Cid, accused Fernandez Montes of a “boycott” of the party which has led the PP to abandon its monthly meetings since September.

The infighting comes after it was last week revealed two coun-

cillors 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 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

Torremolinos has been shaken again after shock promotion

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 Somos Democracia (CSD).

According to media reports, the three have already held their first few meetings as Contgio and begun promoting the party on social media.

16

Further fire strikes squatters’ hideout

by Richard Johnson A BUILDING in Malaga has suffered its seventh fire in recent weeks.

The site on Avenida Juan XXIII was attended by fire fighters after a mattress apparently caught fire in the afternoon.

The flames have now been extinguished and no one has been reported injured.

Malaga City Council is now waiting for a court to decide whether they can remove squatters from an empty building.

Commercial Court Number One is due to make a decision over whether the council can brick up the building’s entrances or take up any other measures which would see its squatters removed. The court will also consider whether the building, a housing block on Avenida Juan XXII, could be bought by a third party who would reform it.

Following a series of fires at the property, Local Police have been forced to visit the site around 25 times this year, identifying those squatting in it.

The building’s current most recent occupiers were evicted after a latest fire on Sunday. Residents claim the spot has become a target for thieves since a construction company which owned the building declared bankruptcy. Up to one hundred people have squatted in the building since then, including some families and children. Despite police efforts to evict the occupiers, many have returned.

In October it was revealed police have now learned the identities of squatters living in a building in Las Lagunas’ Calle Clavel.

Officers from the Local Police and Guardia Civil visited the building to identify the 15 people living there, as well as to

tighten security and carry out a cleaning operation.

The Mayor, Juan Carlos Maldonado, visited the site accompanied by the councillors for Industry and Cleaning, Andres Ruiz and Jos Carlos Martin to inspect the building.

The issue of squatters affects many municipalities in Spain and “is a problem for councils that are limited when it comes to taking action. On several occasions this has led to areas becoming run down or unsafe,” according to Mijas Council.

In Mijas, the council has already dealt with another squat in the Solaris Building which ended in the squatters being evicted.

Prison for internet fraudsters

FIVE PEOPLE have been arrested in Seville for scamming holiday-makers online.

The group allegedly conned their victims out of around €7,000 by promising holiday rentals in properties in Malaga, Cadiz and Huelva. The accused are said to have used an internet shopping site to get in contact with holiday-makers before charging them €200 for a bogus reservation.

A total of 28 complaints were made against the group, according to one publication, 21 of whom were from Seville.

Last month, another internet scam tricked 190 people, including 20 unemployed people in Malaga.

An advert promising fake grape harvesting jobs in France was posted on website Milanuncios, asking prospective applicants for €85 towards the cost of coming to France to take up a job helping with the wine harvest. In return the job description offered over €4,000

worth of work to employees.

Police now say this was a “massive scam.”

On investigating, National Police found the man had posted 26 job adverts on the website, leaving around 20 out of pocket in Malaga province, and also another 170 in other areas of Spain including Madrid, Murcia and Valencia.

The alleged perpetrator, Juan Antonio P, aged 40, previously lived in Antequera and was arrested in Tenerife.

The adverts were posted on Milanuncios between late May and early June.

Allegedly Juan Antonio P exchanged telephone numbers with interested parties, giving them details of the work and eventually asking for €85 to cover the cost of their transport to and from France. When potential employees went to the bus station to catch the supposed coach to France, however, they found no transport had been arranged and the man’s phone turned off.

17

Water at last

by Pippa Harris RESIDENTS in Miraflores del Palo can finally use their taps again foam-free.

Around 750 families can now drink and cook with the water after several containers of industrial-strength detergent were thrown into the local well leaving residents with foam pouring from their faucets. The authorities have now made final checks and ascertained no traces of the liquid are left in the water.

It was reported last week residents in Miraflores del Palo were hoping their supply would be reinstated by the end of the week after workers allegedly poured detergent into a well.

Pilar Gutierrez, manager of the Miraflores del Palo conservation entity, said the community’s deposito was being emptied and refilled with drinking water before water could be restored. She confirmed, “we will not supply it until we are totally certain it is not harmful.”

National Police started investigating after receiving reports from concerned residents and soon established three people had thrown the liquid down a well after cleaning a storage room in the Calle Pintor Enrique Florido building.

Police believe the incident was unintentional and explained the product was nontoxic and had a PH of zero, although it does have a strong smell. Officers were able to find the alleged culprits quickly after eight empty containers of sodium sulphate were found in the trash near to the well. Police took fingerprints from the containers, allowing them to identify the workers. The chemical, which is used for foam parties, is the base detergent in many household products including shampoo and toothpaste.

Felix Benitez, president of the Miraflores del Palo Urban Conservation Collaboration Entity, said he began receiving calls from confused residents at around 10.30pm. He explained, “several residents told us they were having problems with the water in

Bee happy THIS Sunday, the town of Coin is promoting the world of bee keeping and honey in its regular agri-food market with special tastings of honey, pastries and all things bee orientated which is sponsored by a range of Andalucian agencies.

Safe again

their homes which had a strong smell and contained a lot of foam.” He added the organisation soon put their “hands to work to try to find out what happened.”

On investigating, Benitez discovered, “a lot of foam in the water, which also gave off a strong smell.” He said he believed the mistake had been made because “they have

Xmas lights

THE Torremolinos Christmas lights will be switched on in the Plaza Costa del Sol at 8pm on Tuesday December 5 and visitors will enjoy a performance by the flamenco group Casa Pestiño.

recently changed the pipes which move the water which is pumped around and there are some small openings around them. We think that is where the spill occurred.”

Officers from the Local Police went door to door telling residents not to use their tap water before officials then turned off the water supply.

18

Two major sportsmen support The Heights

by Staff Reporter TOTTENHAM HOSTSPUR and England midfielder Harry Winks and former golf champion Michael Campbell have become official ambassadors for the new luxury villa project The Heights at La Resina Golf.

The Heights is a new luxury development of 11 unique private villas in a secured gated golf and country club estate in Estepona.

Tottenham’s latest young prodigy loves spending time in Marbella, which is what sparked his interest in The Heights and therefore not only has he became an ambassador but he is also a shareholder in the development.

The second celebrity ambassador for this unique project is the New Zealand

former professional golfer Michael Campbell, who after retiring decided to move with his family to Marbella.

He is best known for having won the 2005 U.S. Open and the richest prize in golf, the £1,000,000 HSBC World Match Play Championship, in the same year.

With a total of 15 professional wins worldwide he has played on the US PGA tour, on the European Tour and on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Each of the villas enjoy uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean whilst situated front line on the 4th, 5th and 9th holes of the La Resina Golf Course.

Located in the heart of the Golden Triangle, La Resina is only a few minutes’ drive from the white washed old town of Estepona, the stunning old town of Marbella and the luxurious port of Puerto Banus.

LEFT: Harry Winks RIGHT: Michael Campbell

Christmas shopping

SHOPPING has just got a little easier this Christmas thanks to a new scheme in Fuengirola.

The town’s council has launched a campaign to support local businesses, entitled “this Christmas, your purchases in Fuengirola,” encouraging people to pop out to their local shop to buy gifts this year.

Ricardo Von Wichmann, Councillor for Commerce, explained, “we are hoping to

promote responsible consumption this Christmas, which is achieved by making purchases at local shops, therefore supporting entrepreneurs and the self-employed in Fuengirola. He added, “with the festivities just around the corner and the traditional gift lists and requests, it is more than likely that we think about shopping” The councillor explained 95 per cent of Spain’s companies were small and medium-

sized enterprises, making up 75 per cent of the country’s jobs. Von Wichmann said it was important to “support the commercial fabric of the town, which is struggling for business every day.”

He concluded the council was helping local shops by putting on a Christmas window display competition, as well as Christmas market and a publicity campaign encouraging people to shop locally.

20

The way I see it… by

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

PART ONE… The image in the mirror is familiar, however less than before, the eyes seem a little strange, pinched, pained and less bright.

To explain, I have been diagnosed with (MCI) mild cognitive impairment this affects one in five people over the aged of 65, and as I will be 78 in three months-time I’m no exception to this devastating rule.

Ten percent of MCI suffers go onto developing dementia or alzheimer’s, there is no way of knowing who will, or who won’t, it’s a toss of the coin.

The consultant I have been seeing since earlier this year, has been guiding me through the process of trying to ward off my symptoms, which are obviously very short- term memory, anger, short temper, and now disorientation, feeling giddy and unsteadiness, I’ve had several falls, the last time I fell two weeks ago, I dislocated my jaw.

After two brain scans the last one at the University College hospital nuclear medicine department in London, added to the dementia and alzheimer’s diagnosis, my doctor now believes I have Lewy Bodies Disease which can be an extension of some of the Dementia, and has similar symptoms to Parkinson’s disease, hence my falling and unsteadiness.

Amongst all the drugs that I’m on, my consultant has given me a further one to add to the collection, this I must say has helped my condition slightly, although my sleep only lasts a few hours a night, for two or three hours. I’m plagued by nightmares, when I wake up I’m relieved.

Occasionally the medication has seemed to help, some days my speech is quicker and my search for the words is slightly easier, before my speech was very la-

boured.

I now attend a mental health clinic once a week, as I am not allowed to drive again since the DVLA asked me to return my licence to them. I’m picked up by an ambulance (thanks to the brilliant NHS) and taken with other people that have the same problem as myself to the clinic.

So, what will the outcome be? The consultant cannot tell me in the short term, in the long term with the diagnosis that I have, it probably does not look good.

I am not feeling sorry for myself I’ve had a wonderful life, travelling the world, and meeting people in the top echelons of governments, leaders of countries, and the occasional royals. The people I feel sorry for are my nearest and dearest, my saintly wife who has to put up with my rages, my wandering around during the night, and my falling over, my children are magnificent in their support and my three grandchildren are the loveliest and adoring people that anybody could wish for.

This love and attention from my family will drive me

on, as I will continue to fight off the ill effects that some days manifests itself to its fullest. Maybe soon another drug will arrive, as unsung heroes of research laboratories are constantly trying to find new cures. I have agreed to any research programmes that would need me.

22

A nation without spires keyboardcosmetics@ gmail.com

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

cynically complicit. History is repeating itself in Britain.

While the first built Russian churches were built to accommodate 200 - 300 people the decision has since been made to build churches for no fewer than 500 people.

The largest Russian Orthodox Church so far has just been built in the southeast of the capital. The balconies, lower church and internal design of the church will be completed by the end of 2018. The church, built in the classical style, will honour the Meeting of The Lord. It is 49 meters high, will fit in 1,000 people and have 13 cupolas (domes).

Fazl Mosque, London

Christ the Savior Cathedral, Moscow

Meanwhile, the face of Britain is changing beyond all recognition. In Britain is now situated over 3,000 mosques, 130 Muslim Sharia Courts of Law and over 50 Muslim Sharia Councils. The mayors of London, Birmingham (Britain’s second largest city), Leeds, Blackburn, Sheffield, Oxford, Luton, Oldham and Rochdale are now Muslims. But none dare call it treason.

No time for friends

by

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

The British are rightly labelled the most generous nation on earth when giving to worthy causes.

The top one thousand charities in the UK have combined annual receipts in excess of a staggering 19 billion pounds which is made up of donations, purchases, and legacy income.

The range covers a whole spectrum of causes and these charities include everything from animal and environmental organisations to disease research and the arts.

But even this amount is dwarfed by the estimated 37 billion raised in total through the 160 thousand charities registered in the UK. We are all familiar with the well established ones such as Cancer Research UK, Help For Heroes, Oxfam, The Salvation Army, RSPCA and a host of other household names, but amongst them there are thousands of less well known organisations dealing with localised issue and no less vital for that.

Where there is a need of help and aid for deserving cases, we Brits it seems, are always ready to put our hands in our pockets and long may that be the case.

A practice that seems to be on the increase at this time of year as we ease into the Christmas season, is to be told by friends and relatives that from now on they will not be sending cards, but will instead, donate to charity.

One of our great pleasures at Christmas time is receiving cards from our friends and acquaintances, the majority of whom live in the UK and many far flung locations, and often it is

CHRISTMAS CARDS: Is this now a thing of the past? the only time of the year when we have specific contact. We receive similar pleasure from sending cards and always include a well chosen line or two summarising our year; the whole point being that we preserve and perpetuate our link with people who have played a sometimes small, but important part in our past lives. The cost of mailing cards is a factor as are personal reasons for donating to a particular cause, but often the only reason for discontinuing the practice I suspect, is because of its time

consuming nature and the hours spent in writing those few lines.

But isn’t that the point?

By putting aside the time and taking the trouble to remember our friends, we are illustrating that they are still very much in our thoughts and appreciate their attachment.

Charity is important at whatever time of year, but to risk losing that one link with friends and acquaintances in order to save time and energy, is a false and sad economy.

Sadiq Khan: London’s First Muslim Mayor

by

Michael Walsh

As Britain turns its back on Christianity Russia is building new churches at an extraordinary rate. In Moscow alone it is expected that 200 new churches will soon bring Christians and God closer together.

Meanwhile, in Britain many churches have been razed to the ground. Thousands have been de-consecrated before being turned into bars, apartments, stores and wholesalers, even mosques. A void awaits a people destined for spiritual bankruptcy.

According to the UK Census, between 2001 and 2011 the number of Christians born in Britain fell at the rate of 10,000 each week. A continued rate of decline at the present level means British born Christians will reduce to zero by 2067. The Church of England, Britain’s traditional and all powerful spiritual faith will disappear as early as 2033.

In 2010, the head of the Russian Church, Patriarch Kirill, stated that Moscow needs at least 200 more churches to accommodate the growing number of believers in the city, and to compensate for the tens of thousands of churches destroyed during the Soviet occupation.

Funded exclusively by donations, its far-reaching goal is to make sure that all believers have churches ‘within walking distances’, especially those, who live far from the centre of Moscow, in the newer areas of the ever-expanding city.

Prior to the American-backed seizure of Imperial Russia in 1917 – 1922 there were throughout Russia listed 54,174 Christian churches. In addition there were 25,593 chapels, 1,025 monasteries, military churches and cemetery chapels. By 1987 only 6,893 churches and 15 monasteries remained.

During the martyrdom of the Russian Orthodox faith Western clergy remained silent and media was

23

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24

Whoops, the balcony’s gone to pot! by

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

A while back I wrote an article for the Freethinker – a 136-year-old atheist magazine I have edited for almost 20 years – about the attitude of church leaders in America towards the legalisation of cannabis.

Some supported legalisation, others were dead against it. In Massachusetts, the Catholic Church spent $850,000 on an anti-pot crusade. The cash, which could have been spent on something worthwhile – like feeding the poor – went down the drain, because, in December, 2016, Massachusetts wisely made the possession and cultivation of marijuana legal for adults.

And so began the process of establishing a regulated, multi-million dollar marijuana industry.

Today, it is legal in seven US states for adults to use cannabis as a recreational drug, and 16 states allow it to be used solely for medical purposes.

When I wrote my piece, I pointed out how easy it was to obtain cannabis seeds and identified a Dutch company, Sensi Seeds, as being one of the world’s top suppliers. To my astonishment, a week later, I received an email from the company, thanking me for the mention.

To show their gratitude, they offered me a complimentary selection of seeds. Not knowing what the legal situation was in Spain, I decided to make some inquiries before I took up the offer. Naturally, the last thing I wanted to do was break the law.

One website informed me that “Spain has become one of the most cannabis-liberal parts of Europe for its relaxed attitude towards marijuana. It is a decentralised country, meaning that the laws vary from place to place, and any region can go about setting up its own marijuana laws. It is one of the most comfortable places to consume cannabis, and in certain circumstances, even grow.”

Another informed me that “since Spanish drug laws cannot reach into homes and other privatelyowned spaces, the reach of the state’s drug policy is

limited to public space.

“The beauty of growing one’s own cannabis at home is that it completely eliminates the need to incur the infraction of buying and carrying it out in the street, where they can bust you. By virtue of this, there is no law being broken, since what one does at home is not the state’s concern.

“However, it must be noted that a ‘bad neighbour’ can still report you and, if busted, then it is up to you to prove that it is for personal use only.”

So I said yes to Sensi Seeds, but only germinated three of the dozen seeds they sent me because – believe me – this was just an experiment to satisfy my own curiosity.

At this point I should point out that I have always supported cannabis legalisation because it’s a proven fact that dope is far less dangerous than alcohol.

But I stopped using it about 20 years ago because of a growing workload. I had three jobs – one involving a lot of driving – and I felt that pot would impair my ability to properly focus on any of them.

Well, the plants flourished on our sundrenched balcony to such a n extent that, when they reached maturity, they’d grown into bushes four foot high and began to exude such an intoxicating aroma that our entire apartment was filled with the smell. What’s more, I became convinced that the increasing sluggishness of our two dogs – and their uncharacteristic demand for munchies

– was due the fact that they were stoned.

At this point I panicked. Although we live on the 31st floor, I feared the smell might upset our neighbours. So, at 4 am one morning I sadly bagged up the plants and disposed of them in a dumpster outside our apartment block.

I sincerely hope that the bin men put them to good use. Today, the greenery on our balcony is provided by two enormous dragon trees and a yucca plant.

Ironically, all were retrieved from a dumpster.

26

News from around Europe NETHERLANDS

Record-breaker FOR THE SECOND day in a row, the record for the busiest morning rush hour of the year was broken on Dutch roads. At the peak of rush hour at 8.30am on Tuesday, there were 894 kilometres of traffic jams on Dutch highways and provincial roads, five kilometres longer than on Monday.

On the rise EXISTING home prices in the Netherlands increased by 8.2 percent in October, compared to the same month last year - the biggest increase since early in 2002.A total of 20,143 existing homes were

sold in October - more than in October 2016, but less than in September 2017.

Stop right now THE DUTCH TAX AUTHORITY still hasn’t stopped welfare payments to any suspected Dutch jihadists who joined the war in Syria, despite a law making this possible being implemented in October, the Dutch press reports.

Why? A 21-YEAR-OLD man from Rotterdam was arrested on suspicion of murdering an elderly woman in a Puttershoek nursing home and attempting to murder two oth-

ers. According to the Public Prosecutor, he killed the elderly woman by administering insulin without medical necessity.

Civilian action THE POLICE arrested a total of 148 suspects in a so-called ‘civilian action’ in Amsterdam’s Red Light District last weekend. 72 arrests were drug related. 15 people were arrested for begging and 18 for disrupting public order.

Two muggers and two pickpockets were arrested and another man for carrying pepper spray.

FRANCE No praying in Paris FRANCE will stop Muslims from praying in Paris’ multiethnic Clichy-la-Garenne, following skirmishes between worshippers and authorities. Tensions have grown in recent weeks, with residents protesting streetprayers. ”They will not have prayers on the street, we will prevent street praying,” Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told Questions Politics.

Even more expensive THE PRICE of foie gras is set to rocket in France once again this Christmas as the ravaged industry continues

to suffer the effects of avian flu. Franceinfo estimates that 180 grams of foie gras will jump €4 in comparison to last year’s prices.

Economic improvement FRENCH shoppers plan on average to spend more on online sales this Christmas compared to a year ago, the country’s Commerce Federation (Fevad) said on Tuesday, marking the latest sign of a gradual improvement in the economy.

What was he thinking?

A TOP OFFICIAL in France’s Socialist Party is facing a le-

gal inquiry after he tweeted an image with anti-Semitic overtones against President Emmanuel Macron, sources close to the inquiry told the French press on Monday.

Another smoking ban A FRENCH POLITICIAN has put forward the idea of banning smoking in films. Senator Nadine Grelet-Certenais has accused film-makers of advertising for the tobacco industries and has reignited the debate about whether smoking should appear on the big screen.

ICELAND Eruption fears A NEW caldera, measuring a diameter of one kilometre has been formed in this last week in Öræfajökull glacier located in Vatnajökull, Iceland’s largest glacier, and spotted via satellite images. According to the Iceland Met Office this shows increased seismic activity and a strong smell of sulphur has been noticed.

Well, it is Iceland...

THE HEAD of the A&E department at the National University Hospital in Iceland says that an unusual amount of accidents have occurred due to people falling on ice.

Jón Magnús Kristjánsson thinks that people are not realising that paths and sidewalks are icy already.

New Year destination BRITISH tourists are apparently very interested in visiting North Iceland. British travel agency Super Break has organised chartered

flights between Britain and Akureyri with 75 percent of seats booked. This means that around 2,500 Brits will be going to Akureyri in the New Year.

Bless you for visiting HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA, the most iconic building in Reykjavík, has seen its income from entry fees to its tower increase eightfold in the past six years, according to Fréttablaðið.

Last year, the income from the church tower increased by 77 million ISK and totalled 238 million.

Nobody will get the goat THIS Christmas, two security guards will protect the IKEA Christmas goat that undergoes its traditional annual burning that is as seasonal as the return of winter itself. It will be protected 24 hours a day with guards on foot and in cars.

RUSSIA

Nothing to do with us RUSSIA’S national nuclear operator has denied that any of its sites were the source of the cloud of radioactive pollution that spread over Europe. French nuclear safety officials detected the cloud in September and blamed it a possible “accident” at a site in Russia or Kazakhstan.

Death threats A RUSSIAN schoolboy has received online abuse and death threats after suggesting that many German troops who invaded the USSR in World War Two were themselves victims of the conflict. Pro-Kremlin social media users accused him of attempting to whitewash Nazi Germany’s crimes.

Cyber schemers CYBER CRIMINALS based in Russia are stealing Britons’ air miles and reward points and using them to buy luxury fivestar holidays at a huge discount. The situa-

tion is so worrying that one American bank has banned buying flights in Russia using its reward scheme.

From A to B THE 8,000-TONNE Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov and her supporting tanker were returning from the eastern Mediterranean late last week. As they sailed off eastern Scotland, 5,000 tonne Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset was ordered to shadow and escort the vessels from the Moray Firth off Inverness up to the Norwegian coast.

Backing off SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR ASSAD was asked to come to Russia to get him to agree to potential peace initiatives drafted

by Russia, Iran and Turkey as Russia prepares to scale down its military presence in the country’s 6-year war, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

SCANDINAVIA What was that!

A STRONG flash of light which may have been caused by a small meteor was seen over Norway’s northern Finnmark County.

After several people reported the incident to police, experts have said that they believe the object may have been a fireball.

China’s gifts DENMARK’S Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen dug the first hole on the new panda enclosure to be built at Copenhagen Zoo two accommodate the two new arrivals from China next year, as a mark of the good relationship between the two countries.

Elk reprieved from the kill A WHITE ELK that became a global celebrity this year is no longer at risk of being put down. The elk went viral this August after it

was caught on camera by a local councillor.

However, the decision to shoot the elk has now been revoked.

Crossing closed THE FINNISH Safety Investigation Authority has called for the immediate closure of the level crossing that was the scene of a deadly collision between a passenger train and an off-road military lorry in Raasepori, Southern Finland, at the end of October.

Dogs for health SWEDISH scientists have found that owning a dog can lower a person’s risk of mortality. They examined data relating to Swedes aged between 40 and 80, who in 2001 (when registration of dog ownership was first made obligatory) had no history of cardiovascular disease.

GERMANY Bar feels fine A BAR in Hamburg called ‘Yoko Mono’ can no longer keep its name, following a court decision. After 19 years of being open John Lennon’s widow took action this summer to sue the bar from using her name without permission.

What a turn-up!

IN 1997 a man now 76-years-old reported his car as missing to the police in Frankfurt.

Last week, city authorities reported that it had been found.

The vehicle was found in the garage of a building which was due to be demolished.

World-wide admiration GERMANY has reclaimed its title as the most admired country in the world, in light of a substantial drop in global perception of America. France claimed silver by climb-

ing to second place and the UK took bronze while remaining stable in third place in a survey by Anholt-GFK Roper.

Not so smart GERMANY’S telecoms regulator has banned the sale of “smart watches” used by parents to check on their children, saying the devices violated strict surveillance laws.

It urged parents to destroy the watches, which are widely available and target children between the ages of 5 to 12.

Reading record OVER 173,000 people in Germany celebrated National Read Aloud Day, setting a new record for the nationwide event aimed at getting children excited about reading and promoting lifelong reading skills. The event was organised by the Foundation for Reading and the Die Zeit newspaper.

27

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So for more information or to arrange a free on site survey and assessment, contact the team today.

No Need To Paint

Calle Cristo del Mar 29 Javea Port, Calle de la Goleta 6. Denia Grupo San Roque Los Dolores, Callosa de Segura Alhaurin Business Centre, Avda Constitucion 11 Alhaurin el Grande, 29120 Malaga Tel: 659 692 540 Visit: www.noneedtopaint.com Email: contact@noneedtopaint.com

28

Advertising feature

A bilingual lawyer who understands expatriates and Spanish law

ANTONIO FLORES founded the Marbella based lawyers Lawbird 15 years ago and his practice works predominantly for English speaking clients.

He was educated in the English system and is totally bilingual as are the majority of the company staff which includes a brother who is a partner in the firm and his sister who is an expert in immigration matters.

Antonio qualified as a lawyer in Madrid and therefore is registered to practice in Spain but because of his unusual understanding and command of English, he has become a popular choice for English speaking clients who need to receive legal advice in Spain.

The company specialises in litigation work particularly with regards to claims against banks where individuals lost their deposits which were lodged with builders and developers who may have gone into liquidation.

Unless the money was placed in a protected account, the banks have been declared liable to refund the lost deposits and although they tend to try to fight any

claims, in the long term, Antonio expects to be able to win the majority of cases for his clients although patience will be necessary.

Another area of interest for the company is the large number of mis-sold equity relief mortgages and 12 of his clients have recently recovered â‚Ź6 million from a British company.

It is alleged that a number of European companies wrongly advised many British and Irish nationals that they would save inheritance tax by taking a mortgage and then interest rates shot up and in some cases properties were claimed by the lenders, so Lawbird has been active in fighting foreclosures.

Overall, the company offers a complete legal service to expatriates and can assist in any legal matter including obtaining NIE and Social Security numbers as well as setting up companies and dealing with house sales.

Antonio Flores enjoys his work and understands the frustrations that some expats suffer with the slower way in which the Spanish system can work but with a

Founder and Director of Lawbird Antonio Flores

foot in both camps, this qualified lawyer with two children and a love of cycling is able to navigate the sometimes difficult waters between the two mind sets.

With an office in the heart of Marbella, and an easy to navigate website, it is easy to learn more about the services offered by visiting www.lawbird.com.

this weeks weatherinbrief FRI Nov 24

22º 11ºC /

sat Nov 25

22º 12ºC /

Sunny and pleasant

Periods of cloud and sun

sun Nov 26

20º 11ºC

mon Nov 27

18º 11ºC

/

16º 8ºC

/

Periods of cloud and sun

tue Nov 28

15º 6ºC

/

Clouds and sunshine

wed Nov 29

13º 8ºC

/

Cloudy and a little rain

thu Nov 30 /

Sunshine and patchy clouds

Mostly cloudy and a little rain

Friday 24th November - Thursday 30th 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 11:35pm

Breakfast Claimed and Shamed Homes Under the Hammer The Housing Enforcers The Sheriffs are Coming Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Armchair Detectives Escape to the Country Royal Recipes Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Sounds Like Friday Night EastEnders Still Open All Hours Have I Got News for You Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 2016 BBC News BBC London News The Graham Norton Show

An Island Parish Claimed and Shamed Royal Recipes Natural World Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Rugby League World Cup Semi-Final Highlights Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip Going Back Giving Back WPC 56 Oxford Street Revealed Wartime Farm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Strictly - It Takes Two Match of the Day Live 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 9:00pm

9:30pm 10:00pm

11:30pm 12:00am 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 Australian Wilderness with Ray Mears Coronation Street I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

ITV News ITV News London Tonight at the London Palladium

7:15am 7:40am 8:05am 8:30am

9:55am 11:35am 12:05pm

1:00pm 1:05pm

1:55pm 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 King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Formula 1 Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Channel 4 News Couples Come Dine with Me Formula 1 A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Coast v Country Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast Gogglebox The Last Leg First Dates

7:00am 10:15am 12:25pm 2:10pm 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 Christmas Child 5 News Lunchtime Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Christmas Hero 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show The World’s Greatest Bridges Eight Days That Made Rome The Garden of Eden: Revealed Area 51

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

Monkey Life Monkey Life Animal 999 Animal 999 Send in the Dog The Dog Whisperer Monkey Life Monkey Life Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Modern Family Karl Pilkington A League of Their Own The Simpsons

Modern Family, 9.30pm, Sky 1

5:30am

8:30am

9:00am 9:30am

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

1:30pm

2:00pm 2:20pm 3:10pm 5:15pm 5:45pm 8:30pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:20pm 12:05am 12:35am

Rugby League World Cup Semi-Final Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature Deadly 60 Show Me What You’re Made of: UK Saturday Mash-Up! Natural World Tom Kerridge’s Best Ever Dishes Raymond Blanc: How to Cook Well Coast Talking Pictures Daddy Long Legs Britain Afloat Rugby Union Rugby Union Dad’s Army Joe Orton Laid Bare QI XL Insert Name Here Albert Nobbs

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

12:25pm

12:50pm 1:00pm 2:30pm

5:00pm 5:25pm 5:55pm 6:55pm 7:20pm 7:25pm 7:35pm 8:30pm 10:10pm

11:10pm 11:30pm

Childrens TV ITV News Saturday Morning with James Martin Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape ITV News The X Factor ITV Racing: Live from Haydock Thunderbirds are Go The Harbour The Chase You’ve Been Framed!

ITV News London ITV News Ninja Warrior UK The X Factor I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

ITV News Rambo: First Blood Part II

7:05am

7:30am

7:55am 8:20am 8:45am 9:10am 9:35am 10:00am 10:25am 10:55am 12:25pm 12:55pm 3:45pm

4:45pm

5:30pm 6:30pm 7:25pm 7:45pm 10:00pm 12:05am

Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Formula 1 F1 Meets... Niki Lauda Formula 1 World’s Most Expensive Cars A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Best Laid Plans Grand Designs Channel 4 News The Day After Tomorrow Ex Machina Lone Survivor

7:00am 11:30am 12:25pm

12:55pm 2:40pm 4:25pm 5:25pm 5:30pm 6:15pm

7:15pm 7:20pm

8:00pm

9:00pm

9:55pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:25am

Childrens TV The Gadget Show Pets Make You Laugh Out Loud A Christmas Reunion Santa Who? Angels in the Snow 5 News Angels in the Snow Love You Like Christmas 5 News Love You Like Christmas Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

5 News Weekend Football on 5 Football on 5 NCIS: New Orleans NCIS: New Orleans

7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 6:15pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 12:35am

Wild Things Ashley Banjo Supergirl The Flash Soccer A.M. Justice League: Special Modern Family Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Gillette Soccer Saturday Gillette Soccer Saturday Gillette Soccer Saturday Modern Family Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own Living the Dream Bounty Hunters The Russell Howard Hour Ross Kemp

Michael Mcintyre's Big Show, 9.10pm, BBC1

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

9:35am 10:30am

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

7:45pm

9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:40pm

Coast A to Z of TV Gardening Monty Don’s Secret History of the British Garden Countryfile Saturday Kitchen Best Bites Food and Drink My Life on a Plate MOTD2 Extra Rugby Union Natural World Demolition Escape to the Country Flog It! Turkey with Simon Reeve Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Robot Wars Expedition Volcano Snowfall John Carter

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

11:00am 12:00pm

12:30pm 1:30pm 1:45pm 3:20pm 5:10pm 7:05pm 7:15pm 7:30pm

8:30pm 10:00pm

11:30pm 11:45pm 12:45am

Childrens TV ITV News Australian Wilderness with Ray Mears Peston on Sunday Save Money: Good Food Tipping Point ITV News The X Factor Midsomer Murders Les Dawson Forever ITV News London ITV News The Chase Celebrity Special The X Factor I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

ITV News Peston on Sunday Road Rage Britain: Caught on Camera

6:40am 8:55am 9:25am 10:00am 1:00pm

1:35pm 4:10pm

5:35pm 6:35pm 7:05pm 9:00pm

10:00pm

11:00pm 1:10am

The Parent Trap Frasier Frasier Sunday Brunch Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Live Build Up Formula 1 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Live Reaction Speed with Guy Martin Channel 4 News Men in Black 3 Coastal Railways with Julie Walters Guy Martin v the Robot Car RoboCop Good Kill

7:00am 11:20am 12:10pm 12:40pm 2:20pm 4:10pm

5:10pm 5:15pm

5:55pm

6:55pm 7:00pm

8:55pm 9:00pm

10:00pm 11:00pm 11:05pm 12:35am

Childrens TV Football on 5 Football on 5 Chilly Christmas Winter Wedding A Christmas to Remember 5 News A Christmas to Remember Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 5 News Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 5 News Weekend Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights Fury 5 News Fury Flight of the Phoenix

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

The Hour of Power Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons WWE Raw Supergirl The Flash Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Inhumans Strike Back The Force Manchester Ross Kemp

Fury, 10pm, Channel 5

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

2:45pm

3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm

7:00pm 7:55pm 10:00pm

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

Saturday 7:00am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:15pm 3:00pm 5:30pm 6:15pm

6:45pm 6:55pm 7:00pm 7:50pm 9:10pm

10:10pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 12:45am

Breakfast Saturday Kitchen Live Nigella: At My Table Football Focus BBC News Rugby League Rugby Union Final Score Len Goodman’s Partners in Rhyme BBC News BBC London News Pointless Strictly Come Dancing Michael Mcintyre’s Big Show Casualty BBC News Match of the Day The NFL Show

Sunday 7:00am 8:30am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:15pm 3:15pm

4:15pm 4:55pm

5:55pm 6:55pm 7:10pm 7:20pm 8:20pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 11:30pm 12:30am

Breakfast Match of the Day The Andrew Marr Show Fern Britton Meets...

Sunday Politics Bargain Hunt BBC News Elizabeth and Philip Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets Songs of Praise Alan Shearer: Football, Dementia and Me? Blue Planet II BBC News BBC London News Countryfile Strictly Come Dancing Blue Planet II Howards End BBC News BBC London News Match of the Day 2 Ronny Chieng: International Student

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 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm

12:30am

Breakfast Claimed and Shamed Homes Under the Hammer The Housing Enforcers The Sheriffs are Coming Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Armchair Detectives Escape to the Country Royal Recipes Flog It! Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show Panorama EastEnders Would I Lie to You? New Tricks BBC News BBC London News Have I Got a Bit More News for You Michael Mcintyre’s Big Show

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

3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm

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

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

An Island Parish Claimed and Shamed Royal Recipes Women at War Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics The Link Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip Going Back Giving Back The Indian Doctor Oxford Street Revealed Wartime Farm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Celebrity Antiques Road Trip University Challenge Nigella: At My Table Employable Me Insert Name Here Newsnight Blitz

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

12:45am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Dickinson’s Real Deal Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street The Martin Lewis Money Show Coronation Street I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

ITV News and Weather ITV News London Killer Women with Piers Morgan Life Inside Jail: Hell on Earth

7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 8:35am

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 King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas Countdown Lost and Found A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Paul Hollywood Supershoppers 999: What’s Your Emergency?

First Dates Don’t Tell the Bride

7:00am 10:15am 12:35pm

1:30pm 2:25pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:45pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

11:00pm

12:05am 1:05am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff GPs: Behind Closed Doors The Gadget Show 5 News Lunchtime Neighbours Christmas Mail A Perfect Christmas 5 News Neighbours 5 News Tonight Weather Terror Sinkholes Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys Secrets of the Tube: Going Underground Inside the Mega Twister Aircrash: The Miracle of Flight 32

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 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 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 12:05am 12:35am

Monkey Life Monkey Life Monkey Life Monkey Life Animal 999 Animal 999 The Dog Whisperer Monkey Life Monkey Life Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles 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 The Simpsons

Motherland, 11pm, 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 Claimed and Shamed Homes Under the Hammer The Housing Enforcers The Sheriffs are Coming Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Armchair Detectives 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 Drugsland Life and Death Row

Paul Hollywood, 9pm, Channel 4

7:00am

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

3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:15pm 6:15pm

7:00pm 7:30pm 7:55pm 10:00pm

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

An Island Parish: Falklands Claimed and Shamed Royal Recipes Great British Menu Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics The Link Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip Going Back Giving Back The Indian Doctor Oxford Street Revealed Wartime Farm Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Eggheads Strictly - It Takes Two Match of the Day Live MasterChef: The Professionals Motherland Newsnight NFL

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

10:00pm

11:05pm 11:35pm 11:45pm 12:20am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Dickinson’s Real Deal Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Save Money: Good Food How to Spend it Well at Christmas with Phillip Schofield I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!

ITV News and Weather ITV News London On Assignment Lethal Weapon

7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 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 9:00pm

10:00pm 11:00pm

12:05am 1:10am

King of Queens King of Queens King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Undercover Boss USA Channel 4 News Come Dine with Me Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas Countdown Lost and Found A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Four in a Bed Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of 5 Year Olds Grand Designs The Robot Will See You Now Gogglebox The Great Songwriters

7:00am

Childrens TV

10:15am

The Wright Stuff

12:35pm

40 Below and

Falling at Christmas

2:25pm

5 News Lunchtime

2:30pm

Neighbours

3:00pm

The Christmas Switch

4:40pm

Snowmance

6:30pm

5 News

7:00pm

Neighbours

7:30pm

5 News Tonight

8:00pm

Yorkshire:

A Year in the Wild

9:00pm

Jo Brand’s

Cats and Kittens

10:00pm

Ben Fogle:

New Lives in the Wild

11:00pm

The 90s: Most Shocking

Celebrity Moments

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

Monkey Life Monkey Life Monkey Life Monkey Life Animal 999 Animal 999 The Dog Whisperer Monkey Life Monkey Life Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles 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

32

Pick of the Day

WEDNESDAY 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Claimed and Shamed 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm The Housing Enforcers 12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Royal Recipes 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm Mary Berry’s

Country House Secrets 10:00pm The Apprentice 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm Match of the Day 1:25am Junior Doctors

7:00am An Island Parish: Falklands 7:30am Claimed and Shamed 8:15am Royal Recipes 9:00am Nigella: At My Table 9:30am Caught Red Handed 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 12:30pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Link 2:45pm Terry and Mason’s

Great Food Trip 3:15pm Going Back Giving Back 4:00pm The Indian Doctor 4:45pm Oxford Street Revealed 5:15pm Wartime Farm 6:15pm Put Your Money Where

Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef:

The Professionals 10:00pm Peaky Blinders 11:00pm The Apprentice: You’re Fired!

11:30pm Newsnight

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson’s Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Gino’s Italian Coastal Escape 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm I’m a Celebrity,

Get Me Out of Here!

11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:45pm Britain’s Busiest Airport Heathrow 12:45am Play to the Whistle

7:20am King of Queens 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 10:35am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay’s Kitchen

Nightmares USA 12:00pm Undercover Boss USA 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Kirstie’s Handmade

Christmas 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Lost and Found 5:00pm A Place in the Sun:

Winter Sun 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm The Secret Life of the Zoo 10:00pm The Channel 11:00pm Man Down 11:35pm How to Build a Robot 12:40am 999: What’s Your Emergency?

7:00am Childrens TV 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:45pm A Bride for Christmas 2:25pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:30pm Neighbours 3:00pm Last Chance Holiday 4:40pm My Christmas Love 6:30pm 5 News 7:00pm Neighbours 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Traffic Cops Special 9:00pm GPs:

Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Wallis:

The Queen That Never Was 12:00am Mobo Awards 2017

7:00am Monkey Life 9:00am Animal 999 9:30am Animal 999 10:00am The Dog Whisperer 11:00am Monkey Life 11:30am Monkey Life 12:00pm Modern Family 12:30pm Modern Family 1:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 2:00pm Hawaii Five-0 3:00pm Hawaii Five-0 4:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 5:00pm Stargate SG-1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 10:00pm Inhumans 11:00pm Bounty Hunters 11:40pm The Simpsons 12:10am The Simpsons 12:35am A League of Their Own

Britain's Busiest Airport - Heathrow, 11.45pm, ITV1

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson’s Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Elderly Theft: Robbing the

Relatives - Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm Paul O’Grady:

For The Love of Dogs 10:00pm I’m a Celebrity,

Get Me Out of Here!

11:30pm ITV News 12:00am ITV News London 12:15am Car Crash Britain

Caught on Camera

7:20am King of Queens 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:05am Frasier 10:35am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay’s Kitchen

Nightmares USA 12:00pm Undercover Boss USA 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm Lost and Found 5:00pm A Place in the Sun:

Winter Sun 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Great Canal Journeys 10:00pm Trump: An American Dream 11:00pm The Sex Robots are Coming 12:05am Naked Attraction

7:00am Childrens TV 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:45pm Christmas Mix 2:25pm 5 News Lunchtime 2:30pm Neighbours 3:00pm Finding Mrs Claus 4:45pm The Christmas Angel 6:30pm 5 News 7:00pm Neighbours 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm UK’s Strongest Man 2017 9:00pm Bargain Loving Brits

in Blackpool 10:00pm Seventh Son 11:00pm 5 News 11:05pm Seventh Son 12:15am Sinkholes

7:00am Monkey Life 9:00am Animal 999 9:30am Animal 999 10:00am The Dog Whisperer 11:00am Monkey Life 11:30am Monkey Life 12:00pm Modern Family 12:30pm Modern Family 1:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 2:00pm Hawaii Five-0 3:00pm Hawaii Five-0 4:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 5:00pm Stargate SG-1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Arrow 10:00pm Living the Dream 11:00pm The Russell Howard Hour 12:00am The Simpsons

Seventh Son, 10pm, Channel 5

thursday 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Claimed and Shamed 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm The Housing Enforcers 12:45pm The Sheriffs are Coming 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Armchair Detectives 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Royal Recipes 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm DIY SOS The Big Build 10:00pm Love, Lies and Records 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm Question Time 12:45am This Week

7:00am An Island Parish: Falklands 7:30am Claimed and Shamed 8:15am Royal Recipes 9:00am DIY SOS 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm The Link 2:45pm Terry and Mason’s

Great Food Trip 3:15pm Going Back Giving Back 4:00pm The Indian Doctor 4:45pm The Indian Doctor 5:30pm Oxford Street Revealed 6:15pm Put Your Money Where

Your Mouth Is 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef:

The Professionals 10:00pm Blitz 11:00pm Live at the Apollo 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Expedition Volcano

Eric Knowles a master of antiques THE MUCH respected Eric Knowles will once again be travelling to Fuengirola to advise visitors to the Over 50s show as to the value or otherwise of their antiques.

Always looking cheerful on TV, this ‘lad from Lancashire’ became interested in antiques at an early age and was encouraged by his parents who bought and sold the odd item.

It was in 1976 that he joined Bonham’s auctioneers in London as a porter in the ceramics department and he has happy memories of his time there and the fact that he was treated well even though he didn’t have a ‘cut glass accent’.

He was determined to progress in his chosen field and soaked up information from colleagues as well as being a regular visitor to the nearby Victoria and Albert Museum (and its free lectures) which was just down the road from the auction house.

Knowledge is power and as he gained more, so became a head of department after just five years and then a director of the company four years later in 1985 where he remained until 2009 when he left to extend his broadcasting, lecturing and writing interests.

As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he has become a much respected authority on European and Oriental ceramics from the seventeenth to the twentieth century.

He also has a particularly interest and knowledge of the glass of the nineteenth and twentieth century, most notably he French master Rene Laliqueand he has written numerous books on Victoriana, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Royal memorabilia.

Eric Knowles with highly collectable Moorcroft pottery

He is in demand as a lecturer across Britain, Canada and the USAas well as beinginvolved with several charities.

Eric’s TV and radio CV is formidable. He has appeared on Crimewatch, Antique Master, The Great Antiques Hunt, Going for a song, Period Property, Restoration Man and Put your money where your mouth is but he will forever be associated with The Antiques Roadshow where he made his first appeared in 1981.

The 50s Show takes place on Saturday December 2 and

Sunday December 3 at the IPV Palace and Spa Hotel in Fuengirola newt to the Sohail Castle with opening times of 11am to 5pm each day.

Apart from Eric there will be a range of experts offering advice and assistance on a whole array of different matters as well as some great entertainment from Mr Maph and Simone as well as other local musical talent.

Admission is free but you are advised to register first at http://seniortimes.ie/

33

Life Marbella Awards 2017 THE WINNERS of the Marbella Awards 2017 were revealed during a starstudded awards gala on Saturday November 18th at the Puente Romano.

The awards, voted for by the public, were hosted by Hollywood actor Dolph Lundgren who flew in from filming Aquaman alongside Nicole Kidman in Australia.

Among the winners were Olivia’s La Cala for Best Restaurant, Babilonia for Best Bar, Mirage for Best Nightclub and Puente Romano scooped Best Hotel and Best Spa for Six Senses.

The Best Fine Dining Award went to Marbella Club Le Grill for the second year in a row and Nikki Beach held on to their title as Best Beach Club for the third year in a row.

Best Fashion went to local designer Caroline Azzi and Best Hair/Beauty went to Bliss, while Panorama scooped Best Estate Agent, M13 Best Gym, Valderrama Best Golf Course and Best Art Gallery went to Timeless.

The awards, organised by Marbella Rocks Magazine, consisted of 15 categories with a Winner and Highly Commended in each category.

There were over 200 guests in attendance and top acts including Nathaniel ‘Tmar’ Harding and the 5 piece rock/pop band Jetstream. The

Dolph presents the best bar award.

voting for the awards opened in March 2017 via a secure voting channel on www.rocksmag.com where the public were able to select the best of the

best in 15 categories with 7 shortlisted in each category. Voters came out in the tens of thousands to choose their winners.

Charity helps detect Breast and Prostate Cancer FLASHBACK: ONCE again, there will be an Balloon Artisan Christmas Fayre at Release last El Oceano Hotel in La Cala year

de Mijas in support of the Positively Pink charity.

Stalls which cost €20 for local businesses will be open from 10am in the Veranda Restaurant on Saturday December 2 and there are still a few available should anyone be interested in taking part.

All proceeds from this and the subsequent Balloon Release which takes place at 1pm will help to fund the exceptional work undertaken by the charity to detect Breast Cancer.

The cost of a balloon (kindly sponsored by The Balloon Man in Spain) is €5

and the charity will include a message of remembrance or support for each balloon purchased on the Positively Pink web page.

Balloons can be purchased in advance at the El Oceano Reception, JJs Bar in Riviera and Dempseys Irish Bar at Dona Lola.

Both pink for Breast Cancer and blue for Prostate Cancer balloons will be released from the hotel grounds.

For more information or to reserve one of the few stands still available please call Jan on 616 507 629 and make sure that you take advantage of the opportunity to buy some great Christmas gifts by visiting El Oceano on December 2.

34

whats on

Christmas Classical Concerts THE Choir and Orchestra Collegium Musicum Costa Del Sol under the direction of Annemarie Philipps invites all music lovers to their annual Christmas Concerts They are presenting a special Christmas programme which includes Handel’s Harp Concerto, music by Fauré, Telemann, Humperdinck and Britten and various international Christmas carols.

The first event takes place at 7pm on Sunday December 17 at the Hotel IPV Palace and Spa Beatriznext to the Sohail Castle in Fuengirola (on the A7 km. 206).

Tickets costing €10, €8 for over 60s and free for under 16s are available from the hotel, via info@colmus.org or call 952 775 492 / 696 620 872.

Following the concert there will be by an optional tapas and drinks party which will cost €15 per person where guests can mingle with the musicians.

The next concert will be held in Marbella on Monday December 18 with free admission and starts at 8.30pm in the familiar and charming venue of the Iglesia de la Encarnación in the Old Town.

Please join us for our annual charity walk on Sunday the 26th November 2017. Leaving Biddy Mulligan´s in La Cala at 10.30am sharp. Walking along the boardwalk to Dona Lola and back to La Cala (no beach walking) 10 Euros per person (hounds & pooches free)!

All Proceeds to Rescued Paws Spain animal charity.

If you would like to join us for a fun walk along the boardwalk with our furry friends please contact: Tracey McLeod 0034 607602130 Or Kay Millington 0034 622547227

Flashback: A scene from a previous recital

Charlotte Nyborg who is a special guest studied Harp & Piano at the Royal Danish Conservatoire in Copenhagen.

After graduating she played with the Danish Radio Orchestra for a year before joining the Göteborg Theatre and from 1985 to 2010 she was the Harp Soloist at the State Theatre of

Saarbrücken, Germany where she also taught at the University.

Latterly Charlotte has worked in the USA,

teaching at the Arizona State University and she has given solo recitals in many different countries, including Brazil, China and Japan.

Jeffreys Tale Tell Tale

by Jeffrey Archer NEARLY 10 years after his last volume of short stories was published, Jeffrey Archer returns with his eagerly awaited collection of short stories, Tell Tale, giving us a fascinating, exciting and sometimes poignant insight into the people he has met, the stories he has come across and the countries he has visited during the past ten years.

Find out what happens to the hapless young detective from Naples who travels to an Italian hillside town to find out `Who Killed the Mayor?’ and the pretentious schoolboy in `The Road to Damascus’, whose discovery of the origins of his father’s wealth changes his life in the most profound way.

Revel in the stories of the woman who dares to challenge the men at her Ivy League university during the 1930s in `A Gentleman and a Scholar’, and another young woman who thumbs a lift and gets more than she bargained for in `A Wasted Hour’.

These wonderfully engaging and always refreshingly original tales prove not only why Archer has been compared to Dahl and Maugham, but why he was described by The Times as `probably the greatest storyteller of our age’.

Jeffrey Archer is one of the most successful novelists in the world, having sold over 250 million books; books he claims he writes solely with a felt tip pen. In a life as eventful as the pages of any novel, he has produced monumental bestsellers from Kane and Abel to Paths of Glory.

Sponsored by Bookworld Puerto Banus

info@bookworldpuertobanus.com

www@bookworldpuertobanus.com | 952 816 084

35

food & drink

Classic but brilliant….

Beef Wellington THERE has always been a lot of controversy over where the name beef wellington actually comes from. One assumes that it came from the 1st Duke of Wellington a great man and the UK´s prime minister in 1828 but some say it was a dish served in Wellington in New Zealand for a civic reception in that era.

Either way it is one of the most wonderful dishes to eat and very easy to prepare and cook.

In 2004 I took over at Brocket Hall in Welwyn Garden City near St Albans, London. Brocket Hall was the home of the eccentric Lord Brocket who some will remember for his time on I’m a celebrity get me out of here!...Others may remember the burying of his Ferrari collection! Either way Brocket Hall is steeped in history.

Way before Lord Brocket, Lord Melbourne became the UK prime minister in 1835 following on from Robert Peel and the Duke of Wellington and Brocket Hall was his designated home. We still have Melbourne lodge on site at Brocket. I re call that we had Beef Wellington on the menu in 2004 and I referenced it sure that it was a dish created for The Duke of Wellington in or around 1828 at Brocket Hall.

Either way it has the elegancy of a Royal dish not least because I have cooked it for various members of The Royal Family who were always delighted with the perfect results.

At The Little Geranium in La Cala De Mijas we always have Beef Wellington on our tasting menu. There is only one real Wellington, the one I cooked at Brocket Hall and its here it is for you to try for your self. If you need further help or want to comment on anything please feel free to email me on steven@thelittlegeranium.com

Recipe serves 4

• 4 x 200g of high quality beef fillets • Olive oil, for frying

• 500g mixture of wild mushrooms, cleaned • 3 cloves garlic peeled • 1 small onion peeled and chopped • 1 tablespoon of thick cream • 500g pre made puff pastry (made with butter) • 8 slices of Parma ham • 1 dessert spoon of Dijon (or English) mustard • 2 egg yolks, beaten with ½ teaspoon of fresh saffron and a pinch of Maldon salt • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Wrap each piece of beef tightly in a triple layer of cling film to set a cylindrical shape, and then chill overnight.

2. Remove the cling film, season the beef then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over but rare/blue. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.

3. Roughly chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the onion and garlic and some seasoning.

Continue to cook on a high heat for about 5 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated. Remove the mushrooms from the pan, leave to cool and then blend in a food processor until fine and then add the cream to bind it together. This is called a duxelle. Check seasoning before using.

4. Cut the pastry into 4 x 20 cm long x 10cm wide and roll out slightly to 2mm thick.

5. Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 2 slices of Parma ham on it, overlapping them slightly, to create a square.

6. Place the beeffillets on top of the ham. Spread the mustard evenly on the 4 beef fillets and then the duxelle evenly on top of each piece of the beef. Using the cling film, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the cling film to get a nice, evenly thick cylinder. Repeat this

Summer braised chicken with tomatoes

A simple light casserole with cannellini beans, basil and green chilli served with gluten-free Parmesan cornmeal

Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 3 banana shallot, finely sliced 4 chicken legs 300ml gluten-free chicken stock 2 large garlic clove, peeled but left whole a few lemon thyme sprigs 400g cherry tomatoes 3 plum tomatoes, quartered 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1 green chilli, finely sliced 175g quick-cook fine polenta 85g finely grated Parmesan knob of butter small bunch basil, leaves picked and torn, to serve Method 1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole dish over a

medium heat. Throw in the shallots and soften, then remove and set aside. Season the chicken, turn up the heat and add to the pan with the remaining oil, browning all over. Return the shallots to the dish, pour over the stock and add the garlic, thyme, tomatoes, beans and chilli.

Bring to the boil, cover and put in the oven for 30 mins or until the chicken is cooked

through. Remove the lid and cook for 10 mins more to reduce the sauce.

2. Meanwhile, pour the polenta into 700ml boiling water while whisking. Cook for 2 mins (or according to pack instructions). Season generously, remove from the heat and stir through the Parmesan and butter. Serve the polenta with the chicken on top, scattered with basil.

step with the other beef fillets, and then chill for at least 30 minutes.

7. Remove the cling film from the beef and wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with cling film and chill again for at least 30 minutes or until required.

8. When you are ready to cook the beef wellingtons, score the pastry lightly then bake at 250°C/Gas 7 for 8 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve each wellington with a red wine sauce which you should serve separately and garnish simply with fresh asparagus and maybe some baby vegetables.

Steven Saunders FMCGB The Little Geranium La Cala De Mijas www.thelittlegeranium.com

Welsh top the British obsession for coffee CAFFEINE loving Britons consume 1,460 cups of coffee a year on average (that’s 93,440 cups in an adult lifetime), according to new research.

Researchers took an in-depth look into the hot beverage habits of the nation and discovered £676 is the average amount Brits now spend each year on coffee from shops and cafes – that amounts to £43,264 over a lifetime.

According to the poll, Brits now drink an average of four cups a day – with the latte the most popular coffee of choice (41 per cent said it was their favourite).

And according to the data, people from Cardiff are the biggest fans of the black stuff - with folk from the Welsh capital downing a staggering 1,825 cups a year, more than any other City in the U.K. The poll shows a staggering 61 per cent prefer drinking coffee to tea, with a separate report by retail research consultancy Allegra, revealing there are now 22,845 coffee shops in the UK, a six percent increase year on year

– with 2.3 billion coffees a year being bought and consumed out of home.

The first coffee shop, The Angel, was opened in Oxford in 1652, with the second opening in London in the same year.

Cappuccino came second to latte in terms of the nation’s favourite, with 38 per cent, followed by Americano (26 per cent) and Mocha (16 per cent).

Asked why people switched from tea to coffee, 46 percent said they needed the caffeine boost they get from coffee to wake up in the morning and 39 percent said they needed it as a pick me up during the day.

However, the majority - 65 per cent - said they simply preferred the taste to tea, and 65 per cent of health-conscious Brits say going out for coffee to catch up with friends has now replaced heading out for a boozy night.

36

Puzzles Code Breaker

With your innermost energies charged and your natural instincts open, intuition tells you that something is just not right; although you cannot put your finger on it. The Mars opposition to Kora has sent things out of kilter, and it is sure that you have to get your priorities right in this time of recuperation, before any damage is done.

Word Pyramid

6

Things often come in two’s for you and right now is no exception. Having to make choices that make everyone happy may not be possible, however this time around you have to think of yourself, for a change. The Cosmos seems to be testing your reserve right now, but if you will just believe in what you deserve it could be yours!

WORD fit

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

Mystical Postbag DIARY Kenny will be giving readings at the forthcoming Alfaz Spiritual Foundation's Dickensian Christmas Fair on December 2nd at: Bar Estacion in

Worry not about balancing the books right now, even though there have been some unexpected emergency purchases of late. Finance is under the microscope but you know how to budget and can turn things around if you have to. Saturn is in action with Mercury and now you are free to let the magic happen!

Mars transits your sign all month, bringing up partnership issues of an intimate nature. You are able to interpret your own special and very psychic inner energies into reality, and love is the key! Be very unafraid to ask for what it is you need right now, as you should be free to explore what it is that you really want and deserve to have.

H

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 8 represents J and 12 represents V. 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.

Don’t do anything that you may regret this week. Though your bark can be worse than your bite just remember that you can lash out and then you hurt yourself more than anyone else. Mars opposes Kora and Venus faces Kora, and they say that all is fair in love and war. Make peace because your inner self really does need it!

New goals for your future are in place now Sagittarius swings into action and not before time, either! Those dreams could be much closer to reality if you are prepared to go the extra mile right now. Take a risk! Mercury connects with Uranus bringing exciting news. This paves the way for chance meetings and new friends.

P

There is 1x8 letter word and 34 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!

Peace and harmony, at all costs, is your greatest desire. Your insecurities serve to delay what could be and standing back or waiting for something to happen could be a recipe for disaster right now. You have a deep inner desire to make others happy, but what about you? Venus brushes up to Uranus this week, so do not wait.... go for it!

The interesting thing is that whilst you appear to be so well controlled and strong, all you really desire is the approval of others. This week is all about love and fulfilment, so start by approving of yourself; and let a very wily Saturn do a good job on your behalf. It is time to open your heart and to love the inner you, it all helps!

E

O

Word Wheel

Don’t get mad, but get even! True you have to fight your corner sometime. Things haven’t exactly been easy as of late; and minor irritating problems certainly haven’t helped either.

This week Mercury conjuncts Saturn and they act as a double whammy bringing resolve and getting out a clear message you are not to be messed with!

Uranus, planetary leader of your opposing sign of Aquarius, trines with Mercury; and it is clear you are waiting to receive news before planning your next step. As someone who is governed from the heart it is hard for you to have to keep things back right now, but know your time is coming; and soon you must strike while the iron is hot!

G

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.

Just ignore what others are saying right now. They may think their misguided solutions are what you need to hear, and this is because they don’t know the real truth of the matter! Mercury trines with Uranus midweek and though this will put the cat amongst the pigeons, it will send them off track freeing you to do what you have to

The coast is clear, and you are free to go! This is an ideal time to take that break away that you have been planning in your mind, but which now really has to happen. Not only would you benefit from the change of air, but so too could you look back and see things from a distance. Mercury trines with Kora to facilitate action!

D

Alfaz. This is an afternoon and evening event with all the fun of the fair. With Santa's Grotto for 3 LETTERS CBS IRE KIN LEA LEE MBA OER ORE PER TEL TTY YET 4 LETTERS AGEE AKIN ANNE

CAMP DEAR FLAM ICON IDLE LAIR MAST MELT METE NOEL OLAV OPEN OSLO PEER RISE SEAN SERA THIS

TOOT TORN YALE 5 LETTERS ADORE AGATE ALOHA ARENT BEEBE CLOMP EERIE INAPT METER MINOR PERIL QUAKE REPEL

SARAN SLEEP SPIKY TENSE UNTIL 6 LETTERS ARISEN AUNTIE CLEVER FUNNEL MUTTER NOTION QUIVER VENEER 7 LETTERS CANTEEN

CONSIGN EMANATE EMINENT GROMMET LACERTA LATERAL LEANDER MELANIN MEMENTO NANETTE ONETIME VARIATE VENISON

the children, there will be a chance to buy

enjoy a glass, or two, of mulled wine. With roasted chestnuts and a barbeque and a Festive Choir, this promises to be a fun filled evening for all the family.

Pre bookings for appointments with Kenny are available at: kennycorris@ hotmail.com or text to: 686 361 594.

Looking forward to meeting you!

that extra special Christmas gift and

For Birthday Celebrants Above all, eliminate fear and home in on what it is you

really need. Showing your strength now will ensure that

the Zodiac respects you and supports you this astro-

logical year, all along the way. Be unafraid, and be true to yourself!

More Puzzles

Cryptic

ACROSS 1 Taking new hanky out? There’s gratitude! (5,3) 6 European Monetary Union gets the bird (3) 9 Sea in which canoe collapsed? (5) 10 Reg hops about finding burrowing rodents (7) 11 Cured fish, apparently very filling (7) 13 It turns backwards and forwards (5) 14 Rodney wanders over there (6) 15 Sweet that’s doubly good in France (6) 18 Darkness is an odd thing (5) 20 Name of girl from a strange nation (7) 21 Taking issue about press operator (7) 22 Drag one’s feet in a cubicle? (5) 23 Fellow turning to move his head? (3) 24 A printer turning turtle (8) DOWN 2 One who’d change for dance (7) 3 Religious woman not affected by revolution (3) 4 Preparation for guy or Tibetan leader - food made from curdled milk (6) 5 Top giving me support (9) 6 Standing up before empty court? (5) 7 Incompetent psychiatrist entered, not getting less? (12) 8 No boy demands new version of Dickens novel (6,3,3) 12 Handling medicine (9) 16 Language translated by Belgian (7) 17 Leatherworker finding old coin (6) 19 Blush when injured by animal’s horns? (5) 22 Watering place in cyberspace? (3)

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?

BLACK 1 2 3 4 5 6

WHITE 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 The web ‘error’ code 404 means: Insufficient memory; Not found; Password

required; or Broken mouse?

2 A famous sports car named after Argentina’s hot dusty North wind, is the: Corvette; Porsche; Zonda; or SLK? 3 A ship/plane’s side-to-side turning movement is called: Yaw; Mye; Hur; or Thair?

4 On a QWERTY keyboard the backslash (\) shares the key with the: Colon; Asterisk; Hash; or Vertical bar?

5 What metal has the lowest boiling point?

6 What is half of three-eighths?

7 What regal name is capital of Seychelles, and British Columbia (Canada), and is an Australian state?

8 What area unit is an American football field, equal to 4840 sq yds, originally that a farmer and ox could plough in a day?

9 Horology is the study of: Light; Time; Coincidence; or Fear?

10 The still-used ancient unit of weight equating roughly to 0.065 gms or 65 milligrams is a: Seed; Petal; Grain; or Drip?

ACROSS

DOWN

1 Without risk (6)

1 Brief period of rain

4 Afternoon snooze

(6)

(6)

2 Adroitness (7)

8 Come clean (3,2)

3 Pass into disuse (5)

9 Eye make-up (7)

5 Jiffy (7)

10 Oriental (7)

6 Skin of the head (5)

11 iPod manufacturer

7 Flabbergasted (6)

(5)

9 Collection of wild

12 Vigorous (9)

animals (9)

17 Proverb (5)

13 Everlasting (7)

19 Cattle thief (7)

14 Vocation (7)

21 Huge (7)

15 Rudiments (6)

22 Assumed name (5)

16 Rubbed out (6)

23 Rider’s seat (6)

18 Media (anag.) (5)

24 Implored (6)

20 Digging tool (5)

Last Weeks Solutions on page 43

38

health

Energy zappers

Not sure what’s causing your fatigue?

Here are some common energy zappers that may be to blame – and tips on how to overcome them.

Being a couch potato Sitting in one position for long periods of time can sap your energy, even if you’re watching the TV or using the computer. Your body equates the stillness with going to sleep.

Solution: stretch often, get up and walk around away from your desk or sofa.

Frequent breaks will keep your body alert.

Poor posture wastes energy A lot of your energy goes on keeping you upright. Bad posture – such as hunching forwards and slumping in your seat – puts your spine out of alignment. The more out of balance your spine is, the more your muscles have to work to compensate.

Solution: whether you're moving, sitting or standing still, try to make sure that your head is lined up over your body – not sticking out in front of it.

Aim for your ears to be directly over your shoulders. Read about common posture mistakes and how to fix them.

Crash dieting makes you tired While it will boost your energy to lose excess weight, going on a crash diet isn’t helpful. Very low-calorie diets, especially ones that give you less than 850 calories a day, will make you feel even more tired and can damage your health in other ways.

Solution: lose weight by eating healthily, cutting out junk and sugary foods, and reducing your portion size.

Aim to lose no more than 2lbs a week.

Cabin fever It’s all too easy to become homebound, especially if you have a

young child, you work from home or you’ve been driven indoors by the cold days and long, dark nights of winter.

However, lack of light and fresh air is a key cause of tiredness.

Solution: get out for a 10-minute walk at least once during the day, or when you're most tired. Even if it’s cloudy, you’ll be exposed to more natural light than inside and you’ll feel more alert.

If you simply can't get out the door, a few minutes in a room filled with natural light may also help.

Sugary breakfast cereals Sugary breakfasts, such as processed cereals, pastries, muffins and toast with sugary spreads, will give you a quick surge of energy as your blood sugar peaks. But your sugar levels will slump just as quickly a couple of hours later.

The result? You crash as you run out of energy.

Solution: to get a steady release of energy all morning long, eat a breakfast that’s based on unrefined starch. For example, home-made porridge with semi-skimmed milk and a little honey, wholemeal cereal with fruit sliced over it, or an egg with wholewheat or granary toast. Try to choose breakfast cereals that are wholegrain and low in salt and sugar.

Constant worrying drains energy If you’re fretting about something all day long, your heart rate and blood pressure rise, and your muscles tighten, leading to fatigue and aches.

Solution: set some time aside to concentrate on your worries. Try to think of positive solutions, then put the worries out of your mind. Schedule that dental appointment for first thing in the morning, so you don't spend all day fretting about it.

Exercising too much Regular exercise is good for you, but working out intensively every day may not be good for your energy levels, especially if you’re a beginner or trying to get back in shape.

Solution: take a day off between strenuous bouts of exercise. Beware of leaving more than two or three days between sessions, or you might fall out of the habit.

Winter days increase fatigue The shorter days of winter disrupt your sleep/waking cycle, leading to fatigue. Less sunlight in winter also means your brain produces more of a hormone called melatonin, which makes you sleepy. Solution: Get outdoors into natural daylight as much as possible, do some exercise every day and eat the right foods for energy, such as fruit and veg.

Dry body brushing – why, how and when…

Why? Just a couple of minutes body brushing a day before a bath or shower will promote your lymph, helping your body metabolise toxins more efficiently, discouraging fluid retention and cellulite (the two are related to each other), and softening and toning your skin. The benefits are immediate and lasting.

How? It’s so simple - just swift strokes, up your body towards your heart. So, from feet (you should do your soles if you have time) to knees, a few short strokes behind your knees where there is a density of lymph, then up over your thighs to your hips and over buttocks. On your arms, start on your hands and brush up to your elbows, then up over upper arms to shoulders. A few gentle strokes under your arms is a bonus too - again because this area is concentrated with lymph.

When?

It couldn’t be easier: turn on your morning shower, grab your brush and do a few brisk strokes over your legs and arms while the water heats up - it takes two minutes or less! Do it in the shower if it’s quicker - you can brush wet or dry skin. But the main thing to remember is not to scrub your skin with the brush: maintain steady, long, swift strokes of the bristles.

Organic papaya mask Remove dead skin and revitalise your face with an organic papaya mask.

Many exfoliants contain abrasive ingredients that scratch your skin which can damage your skin and speed aging. Instead, it’s better to use an enzymatic exfoliant. Papaya contains the natural enzyme papain and pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps naturally exfoliate the skin, leaving it smooth and soft.

Greener (unripe) papayas have higher amounts of papain, so opt for these to get the best exfoliation. If you have sensitive skin, use ripe papayas because they’re less likely to trigger an inflammatory reaction.

Scoop out a ¼ cup raw papaya flesh, mash or blend with 1 tablespoon fresh pineapple until smooth. Apply to your dry face and leave on for 5 to 15 minutes. Then rinse with cool water. If you have sensitive skin, do a patch test on your arm before applying to face.

The alpha hydroxy acids and the enzymes in this recipe dissolve dry, dead skin. You only need to do this once or twice per week.

39

health

Ask the Optician Can Cancer Affect the Eyes?

Amrik Sappal, Store Director from Specsavers Opticas Fuengirola Yes it can, although it is rare. There are two main types of cancer which can be found inside the eye, Primary Intraocular Cancer which starts inside the eyeball and Metastic Cancer, which starts somewhere else in the body and then spreads to the eye.

Breathing exercise for stress

This calming breathing technique for stress, anxiety and panic takes just a few minutes and can be done anywhere.

You will get the most benefit if you do it regularly, as part of your daily routine.

You can do it standing up, sitting in a chair that supports your back, or lying on a bed or yoga mat on the floor.

Make yourself as comfortable as you can. If you can, loosen any clothes that restrict your breathing.

If you're lying down, place your arms a little bit away from your sides, with the palms up. Let your legs be straight, or bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor.

If you're sitting, place your arms on the chair arms.

If you’re sitting or standing, place both feet flat on the ground.

Whatever position you're in, place your feet roughly hip-width apart.

• Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly as is comfortable,

without forcing it.

• Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

• Breathe in gently and regularly.

Some people find it helpful to count steadily from one to five. You may not be able to reach five at first.

• Then, without pausing or holding your breath, let it flow out gently, counting from one to five again, if you find this helpful.

• Keep doing this for three to five minutes.

“I beat testicular cancer” THANKS to early diagnosis and successful treatment, footballer Neil Harris beat testicular cancer and was back playing for Millwall FC within months. This is his story...

“It was in June 2001. I'd just completed a great season with Millwall. We'd won the old second division championship and I'd finished as top scorer with 28 goals. There was speculation that I might be moving to a Premiership club and everything was fantastic. Then one day I was watching television with my hands resting in my shorts, as blokes tend to do. And as I felt my testicles, I thought, 'This doesn't feel right.' One was bigger than the other.

“The next morning I rang the club doctor and he told me to come straight in. He then sent me to hospital to have an ultrasound test. I got dressed and a doctor gave me the diagnosis. I had testicular cancer.

"A million things went through my mind in a split second. My first question was, 'Will

I live?' and the second was, 'Will I be able to play football again?' At that stage, the doctor couldn't give a definitive answer. I just kept asking myself: 'I'm a fit and healthy person, so how could this happen to me?' I was quickly taken for a CT scan to see if the cancer had spread further around my body, and then I had chest X-rays to check my lungs.

Fortunately, the cancer hadn't spread.

"I had an operation, which was quite straightforward, and afterwards I felt OK. Following the operation, I was lucky enough to have radiotherapy rather than chemotherapy, so I didn't lose my hair.

"If you think anything might be wrong, just go to see your GP. That's what they're there for. I understand that some men don't want to go to a doctor for any reason, let alone such a serious one that involves their private parts. But this is your life we're talking about. It takes a bigger man to go and speak to his doctor than it does to pretend nothing is wrong. So just go."

What are the symptoms of eye cancer?

Unfortunately, this is a disease which often comes with little or no symptoms, which makes it difficult to spot. Some of the symptoms of eye cancer can include; loss of vision, seeing flashing lights, a dark spot on the iris which gradually grows, a visible lump on your eyelid and pain in and around the eye.

How can eye cancer be diagnosed?

In many cases, eye cancer can be spotted during a routine eye test. For example, Andrew Beckett went to Specsavers in Mallorca for an eye test after noticing blurry vision. During the sight test the optician immediately suspected that there was a problem and advised him to go straight to casualty. Tests revealed cancer of the eye and he was quickly admitted to hospital for an operation to remove the cancer before it spread and Mr Beckett is now fully recovered.

There are Specsavers Opticas stores in Marbella and Fuengirola. If your eyes are sore or your vision is blurry, go to your nearest store for a comprehensive eye test www.specsavers.es

40

home & garden

Planning next summer’s garden already ANOTHER SUMMER in Spain has come to an end, and perhaps you’re wishing you’d spent a little more time outside in the garden... but not happy with your space?

Now is the time to plan for next year...

With just a few simple improvements, you can make even the smallest outdoor space feel comfortable and welcoming to you and your guests.

That old cement patio or walkway in your backyard may be unsightly and uninviting, but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can make that space much more appealing by replacing it with a raised wooden deck. Easy to build and affordable as well, a raised wooden deck makes the entire area more inviting without taking up any additional space.

Your current outdoor space may have only a single light or it may have no light at all, making it

impossible to use at night. To make the space more welcoming, add string lights or uplighting to your outdoor area. These lights are available in a wide array of styles to match your personality and they take up very little space, allowing you to create the perfect atmosphere you’re looking for.

If finding the right furniture to fit your space has been difficult, consider making your own instead.

Building a customised bench is easier than you think and it allows you to build your furniture to meet the design requirements of your space. You can even add built-in storage to your bench or furniture design for more space-saving solutions.

When space is at a premium, you need to utilise every inch. To do this, segment your outdoor space into defined zones such as cooking, relaxing and eating areas. You can then further define these zones

by adding the perfect finishing touches to each like a barbecue enclosure for your cooking area

and a pergola over your dining table. Each of these DIY projects is a worthy addition to your outdoor

3 reasons why gardening is the therapy for you IT’S TIME to whip out your gardening gloves because not only are digging and weeding great exercise, a good stint of gardening boosts mental health, too.

Recent research carried out by Harvard University found that people living in an area rich in vegetation have improved physical and mental health.

Professor Tim Lang, Centre for Food Policy at City University London, says it’s widely recognised that regular contact with plants, animals and the natural environment can improve our physical health and mental wellbeing.

1. Soil is an antidepressant Soil has been found to have similar effects on the brain as antidepressants to lift mood. A study by the University of Bristol and colleagues at University College London looked at how mice exposed to ‘friendly’ bacteria normally found in soil, altered their behaviour in a similar way to that produced by an antidepressant.

When the team looked closely at the brains of mice, they

found treatment with the bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae activated a group of neurons that produce the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates mood. Gardeners inhale the bacteria and have physical contact with it. The natural effects of the soil bacteria can be felt for up to three weeks, if the experiments with rats are any indication.

2. It boosts brain health Gardening exercises your mind as well as your body. It utilises several our brain functions and includes learning, problem solving and sensory awareness, keeping our minds active.

Several studies have shown the benefits of therapeutic gardens for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The charity Thrive uses gardening to help people with a range of mental health problems, including soldiers experiencing post-traumatic stress. Its recent research with early-onset dementia patients showed that, over a year, participants’ memory and concentration remained unchanged, but that mood and sociability improved.

3. It incorporates mindfulness You might feel too busy for mindfulness, but research shows it can have a huge impact on your stress levels, helping to stave off anxiety, slash depression risk, boost productivity and ease insomnia.

Hilda Burke, psychotherapist, says that gardening is an activity that seems to help a lot of people get into a ‘flow’ state. This means that you don’t notice the time passing, aren’t simultaneously thinking over other things, making plans or rehashing the past. As such it helps people both to switch off to other stuff and switch on to the present moment. In other words, to be more mindful.

space and will make it the area you can’t wait to enjoy every time you step outside.

Fruit or vegetable?

We’ve ‘bean’ wrong MILLIONS OF families in the United States of America would’ve celebrated Thanksgiving Day yesterday (Thursday) and accompanying the traditional turkey among the trimmings would be a substantial amount of green beans.

The humble green bean has always been – no pun intended – considered by gardeners and farmers across the world as a vegetable...but no longer.

And the blame for this must be laid firmly at the steps of the US Supreme Court According to the Edible Academy at the New York Botanical garden, green beans are actually considered ‘dried fruit’ unless, that is, they come from cans.

Toby Adams, the director of the Edible Academy, explained, “Fruits are structures that contain seeds, and a green bean is, basically, a pod that

has seeds inside of it.”

However, while the food is technically a fruit - as well as a legume - it’s still considered a vegetable by many.

That’s because the Supreme Court got involved in a case about tomatoes in 1893, after importers wanted it officially classified as fruit so they could avoid the 10 per cent import tax imposed on vegetables.

The court essentially ruled that tomatoes and beans, including green beans, are used in dinner recipes and therefore constitute a vegetable, while fruits are typically used as a dessert.

So, until there is a good green bean pie for dessert, the pod and seed dry fruit will still be called a vegetable.

41

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motoring

BMW breaks the two million sales mark FOR the first time ever at this point in the year, the BMW Group has delivered more than two million vehicles to customers around the world.

A total of 2,008,849 vehicles have been sold in the first ten months of 2017, an increase of 3.4 per cent on the same period last year. October sales of 197,601 (+0.8 per cent) achieved the same high level as last year, despite the current changeover of the significant BMW X3 model, the new version of which is arriving in dealerships during November.

“Our sales results for the first ten months of the year confirm the broad range and appeal of our model line-up,” commented Dr Ian Robertson, BMW AG Management Board Member for Sales and Brand BMW. “Despite significant model changeovers and headwinds in some of our biggest markets, we have delivered over two million vehicles to customers in the first ten months of the year.

Vehicles as wide-ranging as the BMW X1, the BMW 5 Series, 7 Series and the BMW i3, to name just a few, have all contributed to that growth,” he continued.

The BMW Group’s unrivalled range of nine electrified vehicles boosted their sales by a

ON THE RISE: World-wide sales up 3.4 per cent

total of 63.7 per cent in the first ten months of 2017, with a total of 78,096 delivered to customers. Independent research confirms the BMW Group’s leading position when it comes to combined sales of battery and plug-in hybrid electrified vehicles worldwide,

with the company well ahead in Germany and Europe as a whole. In October, BMW i and iPerformance vehicles made up around 8 per cent of total BMW sales in the USA, France, the UK and the Netherlands, with electrified sales in Scandinavia accounting for over 30

per cent of total BMW deliveries. October sales of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles totalled 9,405, an increase of 60.3 per cent on the same month last year.

The BMW i3 increased sales in the month by 20.3 per cent (2,851).

Automobile fair earns millions for exhibitors ATTENDANCE AT the combined vehicle fair held at the IFA Exhibition Centre in Alicante was so high that exhibitors reported taking €30,000,000 in sales...much more than ever expected.

The 41st holding of FIRAUTO, 27th EXPOCAR and the 9th SOBRE2RUEDAS that specialise in new, used cars and motorcycles respectively was held over three days last weekend and was branded a great success all-round.

The exhibition was dedicated to bringing new motors to the attention of the visitors and reporting on developments in the world of automobiles of all sizes, shapes, styles and prices.

This combination event has become the most supported since records of attendance began with more than 33,000 visitors over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The numbers were 8,000 up compared to the equivalent fair in May and the success is entirely attributed to the fact that the entire venue was used, an extra 120 exhibitors, and an increased variety of vehicles on display.

During the weekend, the sale of vehicles was relentless. In total, around 2,500 vehicles were sold which accounted for more than €30,000,000 in sales...much higher than the previous exhibitions.

Both exhibitors and visitors expressed their 100 per cent satisfaction with the fair and have already expressed their interest in taking part again and visiting again next year.

SUCCESSFUL: Visitor numbers and takings beat all expectations

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sport 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.

A-Line winners Paul Hackett and Bhim Ruia with the event organisers.

A bridge to success MARBELLA ONCE again played host to an International Bridge Tournament at the H10 Andalucia Plaza Hotel in Puerto Banus.

Almost 100 pairs and more than 15 nationalities took part in the annual competition, which is now in its fourth year.

The youngest contestant, 12-year-old Marley Cedrone, even travelled from the USA with his grandparents.

The tournament was sponsored by Linea Directa, Euroeconomics, Dim Sum Club, Bistroman, Sushiman, Benahavis Hills Country Club and Unicom.

Winners were Paul Hackett and partner Bhim Ruia in the A-Line competition, while Bermodus Kristinsson and Ingvaldur Gustafsson bagged the B-line title.

Duchess “very saddened” at tennis star’s death THE tennis world is coming to terms with the untimely death of Jana Novotna who lost her long battle with cancer at the age of 49.

Novotna, a former world number one in doubles and number two in singles, passed away peacefully on Sunday surrounded by her family, the WTA announced.

A statement read: “It is with deep sadness that the WTA announces the passing on Sunday, November 19, of Jana Novotna, the former WTA World No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles champion. After a long battle with cancer, Jana died peacefully, surrounded by her family in her native Czech Republic, aged 49.”

She captured the hearts of fans when she burst into tears after losing to German great Steffi Graf in 1993 and was consoled by the Duchess of Kent.

Novotna started crying when presented with the loser’s trophy before the Duchess of Kent put a comforting arm around her and gave her a shoulder to shed her tears on during emotional scenes on Centre Court.

Novotna said the Duchess had told her “she would do it” when she went to collect her trophy. Despite losing to Martina Hingis in 1997, she finally won Wimbledon a year later. In doing so, she became the oldest first-time Grand Slam singles winner in the Open era at 29 years and nine months.

On hearing the news, the Duchess of

EMBRACED: Duchess of Kent gives Jana Novotna a shoulder to cry on Kent said: “Jana Novotna was a brave, courageous sweet lady with a wonderful sense of humour. I am very saddened by the news of her death and all my feelings are with her family. Wimbledon will not be the same without her.”

Novotna, a runner-up to Monica Seles at the 1991 Australian Open, also won four Wimbledon doubles titles with compatriot Helena Sukova in 1989 and 1990, with Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in 1995 and with Hingis in 1998.

Wearing her distinctive headband, she won doubles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments — triumphing 12 times in the women’s doubles and on a further four occasions in the mixed event.

Round-Up • Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill could take over Scotland; Chris Coleman has left Wales for Sunderland with Ryan Giggs set to replace him as national team boss and WBA have sacked boss Tony Pulis.

• Manchester City (2-0 winners at Leicester) lead the PL by eight points (34-26) from neighbours United (4-1 victors over Newcastle). Spurs (4th) lost 2-0 at Arsenal (6th); Liverpool (5th) beat Southampton 3-0; WBA (two wins in 21) crashed 4-0 at home to Chelsea (3rd) and West Ham (David Moyes’ first game in charge) lost 2-0 at Watford. Championship leaders Wolves won 2-0 at Reading; Shrewsbury and Notts County head Leagues 1 and 2; SPL pacesetters Celtic are now unbeaten in 64 domestic matches after beating Ross County 2-0 and Barcelona lie 10 points clear in La Liga following the 0-0 Madrid derby draw.

• Gareth Southgate handed debuts to five players in England’s recent 0-0 friendly draws with Germany and Brazil.

• Gregor Dimitrov won the end-of-season ATP tennis final (collecting £1.9m) and Andy Murray has ditched his coach Ivan Lendl again!

• Tommy Fleetwood is Europe’s number one golfer after beating Justin Rose in the ‘Race to Dubai’ title. Spain’s Jon Rahm won the season’s last Tour Championship.

• Jessica Breach’s six tries as England’s women blitzed Canada 79-5 in the first of three Rugby Union Tests.

• Andrew Thornton has joined the elite band of NH jockeys (including Sir A.P. McCoy) to ride 1,000 winners and compete in 10,000 races.

Sad news The 1998 Wimbledon women’s singles champion, Jana Novotna, has died from cancer, aged 49.

Diary of events: • In cricket, the first Australia-England Ashes Test is underway at the Gabba in Brisbane while England’s women must win their last game to share their Ashes series with the Aussies.

• The 2017 F1 season ends on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.

• Rugby League’s World Cup semi-finals - Australia v. Fiji and England v. Tonga take place tomorrow. The final is on 2 December.

• Also tomorrow there are ‘Union’ internationals featuring England (30-6 winners over Australia last Saturday – their 12th successive win at Twickenham) v. Samoa, Ireland-Argentina, Scotland-Australia and Wales-New Zealand.

• In tonight’s Aviva PL, it’s Newcastle-Gloucester followed tomorrow by Bath- Harlequins, Leicester-Worcester and Sale-Northampton.

• This weekend we have the world squash and weightlifting championships, Davis Cup tennis and golf’s Hong Kong Open, plus Burnley-Arsenal, Huddersfield-Manchester City, Liverpool-Chelsea, Manchester United-Brighton and Tottenham-WBA in football’s PL; Sheffield United-Birmingham and Wolves-Bolton in the Championship; Celtic-Partick in the SPL and Real Madrid-Malaga and Valencia-Barcelona in Spain.

• On Tuesday, it was Apoel-Real Madrid, Dortmund-Tottenham, Manchester CityFeyenoord and Sevilla-Liverpool in the Champions League, followed on Wednesday

by Basel-Manchester United, Juventus-Barcelona, PSG-Celtic and Qarabag-Chelsea.

And last night Koln-Arsenal and Everton-Atalanta played in the Europa League.

Footy Facts • Australia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and South Korea will join the big boys in the hat when the draw for the 2018 World Cup group stage takes place in Russia next Wednesday. Italy, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will not figure, having been eliminated last week!

• Keith Burkinshaw is the only Englishman alive (out of 14) to have managed a team to victory in a major European competition – Tottenham Hotspur, 1984 UEFA Cup.