RTN Newspaper - Costa Blanca South 10 - 16 November 2017 Issue 942

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Issue 942

10th - 16th November 2017

Reporting The News

Costa Blanca on show in London Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

by Glenn Scott

VIVA TORREVIEJA: Fanny Serrano flying the local flag among other local municipalities

DURING THE early part of this week, the Costa Blanca Tourism Board of Alicante has been exhibiting at the World Travel Market Fair in London.

Representatives from many of the local municipalities were there, including Torrevieja and Orihuela, helping the Alicante province fly the flag for some of the more popular tourist destinations.

Torrevieja Councillor Fanny Serrano travelled to represent the municipality and said that she had attended a number of meetings with professionals during the fair that had showed a great deal of interest in what Torrevieja had to offer. The organisers of the fair put their

own website at the disposal of interested parties to upload their own promotional material and to establish a network of contacts. She said that while nothing connected directly with Torrevieja was distributed to visitors to the stand, many face-to-face chats took place by the team.

Before the fair got underway, Serrano said: “Torrevieja will show its capacity as a city of services that also offers tourism opportunities 365 days a year thanks to its sun, its beaches, its nature reserves and those that wish to take part in a variety of water sports.

We will be looking to exploit more possibilities to make Torrevieja a destination for the sports tourist and well as being close to eight golf courses.�

Inside this week...

Attempted arsonist hands himself in P5

you had jsut one job P12

all that glitters is not gold

by

Michael P25 Walsh

2

Dual carriageway will not be completed ‘until 2020’ CENTRAL GOVERNMENT in Madrid have announced that the longawaited work to turn the N-332 as it bypasses Torrevieja into a dual carriageway will not be finished until mid 2020.

The planned total investment for the project is €40m and the announcement for the tender process for the design phase was placed in the Official State Gazette (BOE) this week. Once the design has been approved – which is expected in 18 months time - and assuming everything goes to plan thereafter, the most optimistic calculations suggest the project will be completed during the first half of 2020.

In addition to the money set aside for the works, the Ministry of Development has budgeted €986,000 for the designing and drafting of the route which is significantly higher than the amount previously

MORE DELAYS: N-332 work to be completed in around three years

Photo credit: Google Maps

by Ray Chadwick

considered by the Valencian government at €200,000.

Work on the dual carriageway of the N-332 as it passes through Torrevieja has been pending for more than a decade.

Sections were opened from Pilar de la Horadada to Torrevieja and then from Torrevieja to Guardamar

but couldn’t extend the building in Torrevieja due to issues at the time connected with the land. This section has since become notorious as a bottleneck with the build up of heavy traffic on the single lanes that can often see an average of 50,000 vehicles using the stretch between the CV-905 and CV-95.

Future of shipyard guaranteed with submarine project DIRECTOR of the Navantia shipyard in Cartagena has announced that following a complete restructuring of the S-80 submarine programme.

Agustín Álvarez said that after a thorough redesign of the S-80 craft and a thorough transformation of the shipyard, the future of the project can be guaranteed.

This is especially good news as the Spanish Navy faces a number of new challenges as it enters the world of submarine research, development and construction.

He is particularly proud that such work has been placed in the hands of only a handful of countries in the world and for Spain to be included would’ve been unthinkable a few years ago.

Navantina accounts for more than 10 per cent of employment in the industrial sector in the region, and apart from continuing to work in the S-80 three other projects will follow soon.

Council approves new road markings A TOTAL of €14,000 has been invested by the municipality of Pilar de la Horadada to renew pedestrian zones and repaint the road markings. Most of the work will take place in the areas closest to schools and in the Los Villenas part of town. Infrastructure Councillor José Francisco Albaladejo said that the

works are expected to take between six to eight weeks and will also include a number of new road signs.

“There were some areas that had suffered poor deterioration which it was becoming necessary to renew, especially road markings at junctions which will go toward improved safety and security.”

Easier to ‘Muv’ around town MUVING motorbikes have moved to Murcia.

Renting an electric motorbike easily and quickly to move around any point in the city is now possible thanks to the company establishing itself in the municipality. Users need to download a mobile app to find the nearest location of the bikes and reserve them. The cost of hiring the Muving bikes is €0.18 per minute and is charged to the user’s credit card.

Forty of the distinctive yellow bikes will join the existing bicycle rental system, expanding the range of vehicles available to the citizens.

Earth moves again...three times RESIDENTS across parts of the Vega Baja were slightly shaken, if not stirred, on Tuesday evening after three minor earthquakes hit the area in the space of less than two hours. The first two tremors happened one after the other in a two minute period just after 8pm with the epicentres in La Marquesa-Los Mon-

tesinos and registering 1.6 and 0.9 on the Richter scale. Then, at 9.47pm the earth trembled again with a 2.3 magnitude which jolted residents of Torrevieja, San Miguel de Salinas, Ciudad Quesada and Orihuela Costa. This time the epicentre was between Los Balcones and the N-332 close to the Torrevieja Hospital.

3

Mayor in face-to-face meeting with locals

by Lynn Whittaker EMILIO BASCUÑANA, the mayor of Orihuela has taken the opportunity to meet up face-to-face with members of the Campoamor Residents Association (CRA), so they could discuss some of the issues facing them and get explanations as to what the council has done so far.

Accompanying him on his trip were Councillor Luisa Boné, and the district representatives of Campoamor and La Zenia / Cabo Roig; Raúl Fernández and Pepe Galiano respectively.

Both Bascuñana and Boné said they have continually asked the authorities in the Valencian Government to do something about the plague of pine tree beetles that always affecting much of the woodland areas in Campoamor.

The CRA put across their own priorities that they believed need to be completed before next year’s summer season that included regular cleaning of the streets, clearing of the ravines and more pest controls

against insects and cockroaches.

A number of projects were announced that are planned to start almost immediately, including a wooden access to the Playa Barranco Rubio.

This has been approved and €60,000 has been budgeted for the work.

Other projects at the planning and design stage include road and pavement maintenance and improvements leading to Playa La Glea, Avenida de las Adelfas, Miguel de Unamuno, Calle Lope de Vega and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. The promenade along the La Glea will be replaced to complement the lookout point that was installed last year; the handrails will be replaced and the Concha Espina basketball court will be renovated.

The mayor concluded the meeting that he believed had gone well due to the content of the discussions, and reminded them that the most efficient way for locals to get their demands across was by taking them into the municipal registry at the town hall for onward transmission to the appropriate departments.

Photo credit Twitter

Airport extends their wings ALICANTE-ELCHE Airport has unveiled seven new routes for this winter season,

taking the total they serve to 86 destinations. The latest additions will be Tenerife North (Canary Islands), Milan (Italy), Lisbon (Portugal), Billund (Denmark), Kaunas (Lithuania), Nantes (France) and Reykjavik (Iceland). In addition to Tenerife North

listed above, connections within Spain over winter are Barcelona, Bilbao, Ibiza, Gran Canaria, Madrid, Asturias, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago and Tenerife South.

DISCUSSIONS: Emilio Bascuñana outlined future plans

Summer jumps into winter overnight RESIDENTS and tourists across both Murcia and Alicante said a fond farewell to summer at the start of this week when a cold plunge spread across the area.

The municipality of Rojales recorded the second lowest temperature in Alicante when 9ºC was registered during a 24 hour period when the average temperatures dropped 5ºC. For many, it was a shock to the system after experiencing an extension to the summer throughout October.

4

Eleven years for baby killer

Councillors to help jobless cleaners

ALBATERA City Council is looking at a feasibility study of the municipality taking over the cleaning services in public buildings after the previous private contract came to an end on November 1. However, the 35 workers went on strike this week as they hadn’t

been paid by the company – Liasur - for two months as they had been declared bankrupt. In the mean time Mayor Rosario Ballester has proposed that to help the cleaning staff through temporary difficulties, councillors will donate this month’s salary to help them.

Three hospitalised after mystery crash

TORREVIEJA TRAGEDY: Baby killed by mother

by Ray Chadwick A WOMAN has been sent to prison for 11 years for killing her baby.

In the end to what has been a tragic case from start to finish, the mother slit the throat of her baby that was just 11 months old at the time.

The baby had been born with the condition known as hydrocephalus – its head was much larger than normal – and the original plan was to operate to relieve the pressure on his brain. However, the mother had little faith in traditional medical practices and discharged her child from the hospital in Zürich, Switzerland and fled the country to Tor-

saw the woman in a local supermarket after seeing images of her on the TV news, and after reporting the sighting to the Guardia Civil she was arrested and the baby taken to Torrevieja Hospital.

It was then that the tragedy unfolded. The mother, even though she was under the supervision of Guardia Civil officers at the time, took the baby into the washing area saying she was going to give it a bath. She then produced an 18 inch bladed knife and proceeded to cut the baby’s throat in three places. It died shortly after from a loss of blood despite valiant attempts by hospital medical staff; the mother survived a suicide attempt with the same knife.

revieja just before Christmas in 2013.

The mother explained that she’d always opted for natural medicine and in fact had blamed her baby’s condition on some of the medication she was taking during her pregnancy...and at the time didn’t know she was expecting a child.

When the baby was born and diagnosed with hydrocephalus, tests and subsequent surgery were recommended but rather than take the advice of doctors, walked out of the hospital with her baby.

Police in Switzerland issued an arrest warrant for the woman and secured an order to have the child taken into care, but she’d already arrived in Spain. Then, in January 2014 a resident of Torrevieja

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THREE people have been injured in a car crash that happened between Rojales and Almoradí. The incident happened in the early hours of the morning after the car left the road and crashed for reasons that have yet to be established. The three people – aged 31, 32 and 36 – were all taken to the Vega Baja Hospital by the SAMU paramedics to receive treatment for their injuries ranging from multiple contusions, shock and cuts to the face.

Woman windsurfer found safe and well

A HELICOPTER and a search and rescue team were deployed from Cartagena to find a woman that had been reported seen getting into difficulties in the Mar Menor. The woman went off on her windsurfer on Sunday afternoon between El Carmolí and Per-

diguera and the alarm was raised just before 6pm by someone on the beach at Punta Brava who spotted someone falling off their board. It took more than two hours to find the woman, discovered on the beach of Perdiguera Island and in good health.

5

Attempted arsonist hands himself in to Guardia Civil

by Steve Collins

NEAR MISS: Man had already dowsed ground floor with petrol

River vandal arrested A MAN has been arrested after throwing himself into the River Segura after escaping from the police. The events unfolded after local police in Murcia tried to stop the man following alleged damage he’d caused at an establishment located in Barrio del Carmen. He then fled from the officers and was so desperate not to be handcuffed that he jumped into the nearby river where he was caught by police shortly afterwards.

A MAN has been arrested in Dolores after attempting to burn down a house that contained three young children at the time.

According the sources, the man doused the ground floor of the building with petrol although fled before he had chance to set light to the house when he realised the alarm had been raised by other family members

Grateful for some sweet help

in the property at the time.

Three children were on the top floor when the incident took place on Monday afternoon in a house in the centre of Dolores.

Local police and members of the Guardia Civil were quickly on the scene where they were able to comfort the family before beginning a search for the alleged perpetrator.

Officers reported that the children were found to be “very nervous but

otherwise in good physical condition” and they ensured that the property was fully ventilated to clear the house of the fumes caused by the amount of fuel sprayed around.

The man was searched for throughout the night but he eventually handed himself in of his own free will first thing on Tuesday morning at the local Guardia Civil barracks and immediately placed under arrest.

A WOMAN from Murcia owes her life to a police officer who came to her aid after choking on a sweet. The resident of Beniaján was enjoying the sweet while walking down the street on Monday morning when all of a sudden it lodged in her throat.

Thankfully, one of those passing by at the time was a local police officer who rushed to her aid and immediately performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre to dislodge the offending object.

6

School demolition wait is over AFTER 40 years, the municipality of Rojales has bid ‘adios’ to the old school building.

Demolition has begun of the school that locals have been waiting for almost 10 years to see since it first became beset with problems and deficiencies to the building. Much of the work is taking place

during the afternoons and early evenings to reduce the inconvenience and noise to both students and teachers who are located in new facilities just a few metres away, even though those premises weren’t fully finished for the start of the new term.

Work is expected to be completely finished in April 2018.

Pirate football broadcasters shown red card

by Glenn Scott SEVEN people have been arrested for alleged illegal broadcasting of football matches.

The operation carried out by officers of the National Police detained the men across Spain but include arrests in Alicante, Gandia and Xátiva.

The others were in Madrid, Albacete and Antequera, Malaga.

They were found to be offering football matches either via direct downloading methods or streaming via P2P distribution websites which allowed more people to get illegal access to the

material.

Investigations into the suspected operations began back in 2016 following a complaint made by legal representatives of the La Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional against a number of different websites. They were accused of providing ‘indiscriminate’ services in return for illegal payment for public access to football matches for which La Liga holds exclusive broadcasting rights. Legally, these fixtures can only be viewed by official subscribers.

Initial investigations discovered a total of 13 different web pages being used to offer the illegal viewing which

were full of lists displaying links to the different matches available.

To try to make the location of the illegal broadcasters harder to find, the websites were hosted on servers located in France, Spain, the United States and Canada and police estimate that the group could have made at least €1,400,000 from the operation that included advertising revenue from the websites.

Apart from the seven people arrested, access to seven web domains were found and the three bank accounts to which the proceeds of the illegal operation were kept have been blocked.

FINAL WHISTLE: Illegal internet broadcasters caught.

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7

Council help for struggling youth THE DEPARTMENT for Youth in the city of Elche, in collaboration with the European Social Fund, has launched a project aimed at encouraging young people under the age of 29 suffering hard times back into the world of work.

The training course will consist of 500 hours of study followed by 60 hours ‘on the job’ experience and will cost the council €58,400. The project was presented

by Youth Councillor Tere Maciá who explained that the plan will begin on December 1 and will take on 16 people aged between 16 and 29.

Those on the course had already begun their studies in trade and commerce but had to drop out after they or their families got into financial difficulties or through other means of social exclusion.

Hospital offers the ‘nuclear option’ ONE of the hospitals in the Alicante province is the only one in the area offering state of the art ‘nuclear medicine technology’. Offered by the Nuclear Medicine Service at the Vinalopó Hospital, it has since 2011 been using the PET-CT with PET-TAC technology which is the most effective test known to detect cancer. The test discovers where any cancerous tumours are and to know their size, and also enables the specialists to track any subsequent oncology treatment accurately.

The main advantage of nuclear medicine in the fields of diagnosis and treatment of cancer is its high sensitivity to detect changes in the functioning of the body’s organs long before there is a structural alteration that is detected by conventional imaging techniques.

Double murderer is jailed

by Ray Chadwick A MAN has been sentenced to a total of 35 years in prison for committing a double murder. He killed a cyclist and a pedestrian in two

separate locations - Totana and Mazarrón - at the end of April 2015 and both in stolen cars. During the trial at which the jury found him guilty of two murders, it transpired that he didn’t know his victims

that he just selected at random.

The first was of French nationality and the second, three days later, was a woman from Ecuador mown down while walking along. He was arrested shortly after the second

incident.

The judge sentenced the Moroccan man to 17 years six months in prison for each of the two murders and of vehicle theft, alongside a fine of €3,240.

8

by Glenn Scott DURING a 24-hour period, officers from the Guardia Civil in Murcia carried out a further number of checks on HGV drivers to see if they were driving under the influence of drugs.

For this latest exercise, they stopped 235 drivers of which 19 of them tested positively for narcotics made up of 12 for cannabis, 6 for cocaine and the remaining one for a combination of the two substances.

At the beginning of November a similar campaign was aimed at professional HGV and other drivers which delivered positive tests record on 12 people both drink and drug driving; one of them being a bus driver.

Last month, five members from the same family were killed on the motorway near to Sangonera la Seca after an accident caused by a lorry driver who was on cocaine, despite the fact that he said he was distracted at the time of the tragedy. Tests showed otherwise.

Apart from the positive drugs testing during the recent campaign, that included one driver in charge of a 40 ton articulated lorry full of gas bottles, the Guardia Civil also recorded almost 50 other road traffic violations that included driving for longer than the permitted hours.

Current road safety regulations allow for a fine of €1,000 and a loss of six points on the driving licence for being found guilty of driving under the influence of drugs.

Veteran car crash A BRITISH woman aged 93 was involved in an accident in Torrevieja on Monday as she attempted to park her car. Witnesses to the incident on Calle Vicente Blasco Ibáñez said that as she lost control of her vehicle after she bumped into two parked cars either side of the space she wanted to get into. It appears her car spun out of control, smashing into a number of bollards before mounting the pavement and ending up crashing into the front door of a house. Nobody was injured in the incident and local police said the woman was just ‘very upset’ at what happened.

European School collaboration in fake goods project

Photo credit DGT (Spanish Traffic Department)

Even more HGV drivers fail drugs tests

POSITIVE: One of the drivers tested in charge of dangerous materials

IN response to a report from the European Union (EU), the European School in Alicante has a launched an awareness-raising plan aimed at school children and other young people to bring to their attention the problems on buying counterfeit goods.

The study by the EU discovered that 27 per cent of young

people aged between 15 and 24 admitted to knowing accessing pirated content.

The project, ‘Intellectual Property in Education’ has been launched in collaboration with the Alicante-based school and will involve more than 1,000 children aged between 4 and 18 from 28 countries.

9

Disabled condemn lack of travel options PEOPLE with disabilities have criticised a system that means that if they wish to travel by bus from Alicante to other cities across Spain, they must notify the bus company two days beforehand.

COCEMFE – the organisation that represents disabled people – also lament the number of buses adapted for the use of their members and also the shortage of suitable taxis for use at the weekends or on fiesta days.

Sports track closed due to safety fears AN outbreak of the red palm weevil has meant the closing of the athletic track in the Palmeral de Orihuela. The city council took the decision to shut the facility due to the danger of some of the palm trees collapsing and injuring athletes while they are waiting to be felled.

A similar outbreak of the red palm weevil last year destroyed 25 trees in the area.

Cheers!

THE Zamora group – based in Cartagena – has expanded its ownership from 51 to 100 per cent of the Italian company Villa Massa, famous for the production of the popular Limoncello liquer.

In a statement, the owners of the company that include other such well-known Spanish brands of Licor 43 and Zoco, have highlighted the importance of this decision stating it’s the first time they have taken full control of a foreign company.

Zamora -founded in Cartagena in 1945 – is present in more than 80 countries throughout the world with factories in Spain, Italy and the Dominican Republic.

Extra police patrols in city centre A DEDICATED brigade made up of 24 members of the national police will patrol the streets of Alicante every day to help the citizens’ deal with the most common crimes. They will be on patrol from 7am to 10pm and be more visible to locals in the commercial areas – backed

up by six police vehicles – and in and around schools to prevent drug trafficking and possible cases of bullying.

The police began their uniformed patrols in Calle San Francisco and appeared in a number of business premises.

10

Have your Say!

Fake jewellery worth millions intercepted

A popular post this week

is “A bridge too far in

Ronda”

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

Colin Rowe “A beautiful place ,yes!

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

Another post “Royal

Decree amends Spanish MOT (ITV) rules” has been shared

over 19 times and reached over 7,000 people with over 1,000 post clicks

@RTNNewspaper

Our most liked posts from this week

Guardia Civil in Alicante introduce agent Floki A bridge too far in Ronda

Royal Decree amends Spanish MOT rules

Deadly tree disease continues to spread RTN Recipes: Spanish Omelette, Paella, Spanish Flan

In Total 10,775 People reached 5,110 Post engagements

rtnnewspaper.com Major subsidy to encourage more British tourists

Carole Tully

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

COUNTERFEIT: Haul worth millions found in Alicante

by Lynn Whittaker A JOINT operation between the Guardia Civil and the Tax Agency have found 20,000 pieces of alleged counterfeit jewellery in the port of Alicante.

It was found in a shipment arriving from China, with a final destination of Algeria, and police estimate the sale of the illegal merchandise would run into a few million euro as many of the examples found were well-known top of the range brands.

The shipment originally

arrived at the Alicante-Elche Airport back in June of this year and consisted of 31 packages from China. It was then transferred by customs to temporary storage facilities in the Alicante port area before onward transportation by sea to Algeria.

Suspicions were first aroused by authorities as the amount of time being taken to complete the usual formalities was taking longer than usual. Customs security officers then inspected the shipment and initially discovered

boxes that were completely legitimate. However, hidden underneath were numerous bags and packages containing thousands of pieces of apparently fake jewellery made by some of the most prestigious names in the world.

A full assessment has yet to be determined due to large number of items involved, but with some of them purporting to be diamond bracelets made by Cartier which can reach up to €10,000 on the market each, this has been a significant find.

Waste savings for businesses only THE local council of Rafal wants to reduce by 15 per cent the charges for rubbish collection and treatment...but only to businesses and local industry; ordinary households will not be affected by the decision.

The justification for this proposal is that when the charges were last revised upwards, a distinction was made between industrial and home use for the first time and those that generated the most waste should pay more.

Announcing Black Friday... and Saturday TORREVIEJA’S departm� ment of commerce and business has launched a campaign to promote the upcoming Black Friday.

Over the past few years, the municipality has joined many others across Spain and across the world in adopting what was a tram ditional American event that encourages shops and stores to sell things at much reduced prices ahead of the Christmas season. For the USA, it’s always held the day after the Thursday Thanksgiving holiday.

Torrevieja Councillor Manuel Osuna, said: “We are aware that we can’t compete against the agm gressive advertising camm paigns of the big brands, but what we have done is to make a dedicated webm site available for Torreviem

ja business people to use.

This will be promoted throughout a campaign both on social media and the other usual outlets.”

The website will contain all the shops in Torrevieja that will have special ‘Black Friday’ offers that will be held on Friday November 24 and Saturday Novemm ber 25. Those wishing to advertise on the web page can elect whether to be part of it from the beginm ning of the campaign or just from November 22.

Any business interested can register by sending an e-mail to comercio@torrem vieja.eu with an accompam nying photo of the product or trade, a sign or logo, location, and type of busim ness. Further information can be obtained by calling 96 507 4310.

11

Unspeakable animal cruelty uncovered

by Steve Collins

GRIZZLY DISCOVERY: Investigation into malnourished dogs leads to recovery of further remains

Mosquitoes proved they ‘itch’ a lift ALICANTE has been shown to be number four on a list of exporters throughout Spain...but it’s not a welcome export. Coming in behind Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, Alicante is among the main exporters of Tiger mosquitoes as they accidentally transport them around in and on cars. A team of scientists from the Pompeu

Fabra University (UPF) has proven that a car is the most obvious means by which this type of mosquito can travel so far and wide as an adult one can only fly a few hundred metres. Experts had studied data from 770 vehicles stopped at random at police checkpoints and from MOT stations in Barcelona.

LOCAL POLICE in Elche have had to intervene in a case of alleged animal abuse on a farm in Daimés.

Residents alerted the authorities and when they arrived found two dogs - a German Shepherd and a Labrador - showing signs of severe malnutrition which backed up the complaints made by the locals. The police immediately tried to contact the owners of the farm and requested they return there as soon as possible. In the meantime, authorities took the dogs to the municipal vet to give them a thorough examination and treat them as required.

Once the owners arrived to join the police officers, they made a detailed inspection of the farmhouse where they found two other small dogs. Both were dead and in a poor

state of decomposition found in a space full of excrement which gave off an appalling smell. According to the owners, they had requested that the dogs be removed after they’d died but since they couldn’t afford the costs they left them to rot. The vet inspecting the current conditions immediately ordered the removal of the remains.

Animal authorities were quick to praise the concern shown and the eventual alerting of the police by the local people that in their opinion undoubtedly saved the lives of the two malnourished dogs found alive.

This is the second reported case of animal abuse in the space of just a few days. Local police were called to try to find the person responsible for leaving sausages around the streets of Los Arenales that contained nails.

Two dogs had to undergo life saving emergency surgery.

Council looks for European boost

THE MAYOR of Almoradí, María Gómez, is looking for a series of investments to achieve the aims of a more sustainable, accessible and inclusive municipality and are working on such a project.

She has recently held a meeting with the director general of European Funds of the Valencian Government during which a proposal was discussed for Almoradí to receive an injection of €6,000,000.

12

by Steve Collins RESIDENTS of Torrevieja and drivers passing through the area had to look twice as they approached one of the junctions in the municipality.

Smiles, which turned to laughter for many, and embarrassment to the council happened as a result of a major road marking failure at the point where Calle Terremoto meets Calle La Loma. During a repainting of the large STOP sign, the order became SOTP instead.

The council said that they were quickly made aware of what had happened and the lettering had been restored to the correct order within a couple of days.

It’s not yet been disclosed where the finger has been pointed to, although it’s either the company contracted to carry out the markings or one of the municipal employees. Whoever it is, they have become famous locally, nationally and across the world as it has become one of the most photographed places in Torrevieja.

Photo credit Twitter @OcioDM

You had jsut one job

ORDER: SOTP sign goes viral and makes Torrevieja famous

Olive oil production fears for coming season COMMUNITY work cooperatives across Spain have predicted that the annual olive harvest for 2017/18 will result in 1,096,900 tons of olive oil.

Overall, this

sees a 14.7 per cent reduction in the previous year’s production, but in the case of the Murcia region it’s an increase of 10,000 tons.

The situation was highlighted during the annual meeting this week by the President of the Olive Oil sector, Rafael Sánchez de Puerta, held in Mengíbar in Jaén, when it was announced that the

estimates for production may be assessed depending on the weather conditions over the coming weeks.

“We are facing the new season starting in a climate of extreme concern due to a combination of a scarcity of rain and the high temperatures suffered by all the main olive producing regions”, said the President.

13

Changing room thief nets over €900

Multi-municipality construction training schemes SIX municipalities across the Vega Baja have combined forces to host a number of training courses aimed at those unemployed in the construction industry. Albatera, Almoradí, Callosa, Orihuela, Redován and Rojales are taking part in the initiative launched by CONVEGA (Consortium for Economic

by Ray Chadwick GUARDIA CIVIL officers have arrested a 29-year-old Spanish man for allegedly stealing money from lockers in a sports centre changing room in Elche.

The man, although a resident of Madrid, was on holiday in Guardamar del Segura and carried out a total of five robberies which netted him more than €900. He was a member of the sports centre who used the facilities on an ad hoc basis and somehow managed to get hold of duplicate copies of the keys used by customers to remove cash that they’d left inside for safety.

The investigation was launched back in August by the Guardia Civil in Santa Pola after a number of similar robberies were carried out throughout the summer which coincided with an influx of visitors to the activity centre. Many users decided to keep all of their valuables with them once it was realised that is was becoming less secure using the lockers, although it was only cash being stolen and not personal effects.

The man was eventually detained after he tried to remove other keys from office that he was planning on

Development of the Vega Baja) that will see eight free sessions to more than 100 people to make them aware of improving their qualifications in the construction sector and to make it more professional.

Such qualifications include learning to drive and handle forklifts and standards in plumbing.

Rubbish arsonist caught SECURE: Locker room robber used copied keys to access cash copying for future crimes.

At the moment, only five crimes have been reported but it’s believed to be many more as some didn’t wish to file a complaint while others are foreign

tourists and couldn’t be traced. Investigations are also continuing to see if the arrested man has carried out similar crimes in Guardamar using the same modus operandi.

LOCAL POLICE in Elche have arrested a man suspected of setting fire to at least 40 rubbish containers in the Carrús area of the city over the past month. It’s understood that he has a history of such crimes. Police had been looking for the culprit over a number of weeks and after a surveillance operation in the neighbourhood where a majority of the fires happened they discovered his identity and made an arrest. The man admitted his part in the arson attacks which have caused around €60,000 worth of damage.

24 feb - 2 march 2017

Municipal pool to reopen... very soon AFTER being closed for almost a year due to a number of leaks and various other deficiencies to the building, Torrevieja’s municipal swimming pool is expected to open within days.

According to Councillor Víctor Ferrández, there should be an imminent announcement as to the official reopening day once the pool has been completely refilled and all the required health and safety tests have been carried out.

They started to refill the pool last Friday afternoon and is taking longer than normal so all the locations where leaks were discovered could be checked and double checked. The water heating system was also thoroughly examined.

Once the pool is full, the levels of the chemicals will also be checked and then subject to approval of the health authorities. After everything has been authorised, a formal opening date can be announced.

Councillor Ferrández said the before the pool is open for customers again, it’s important to check each step of the process so the municipality can once again offer a quality of service with no associated problems.

Podemos praise pet park

LOCAL political party Podemos have officially thanked the council of Callosa de Segura for the opening of a park in the municipality for the enjoyment of dogs. They first proposed the idea of a dedicated canine area more than a year ago and a delighted that their wishes have now come true. A spokesperson said: “This initiative is being received very well and we’re aware that people are coming from other areas to make use of the park and enjoy being with their pets in such a larghe and safe location.”

Photo credit Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

by Steve Collins

15

Jubilee pilgrimage for more than 300

BIG SPLASH: Locals will soon be back in the swim

OVER 325 people took part in a pilgrimage from Santo Domingo de Orihuela to Caravaca de la Cruz over last weekend. This special Jubilee Year was celebrated by the large turnout of people cycling, running or simply walking to the shrine of the Sanctuary of Vera Cruz.

After arriving in Caravaca de la Cruz where they received a brief blessing, the pilgrims enjoyed a fraternal meal and then listened attentively to a homily hosted by conductor José María Fernández-Corredor Soriano and to performances by the young school choir.

16

Firefighters get the bird... and a dog

Party time again at Car Broker Spain!!

Yes on the 18th of November from 11am onwards ....

CAR BROKER SPAIN are celebrating their third anniversary.

In our first three years we’ve enjoyed nice success and made lovely friends along the way. As a result we would like to invite our clients and friends to celebrate with us!!!

Everyone is welcome to enjoy traditional Paella and

a selection of gourmet tapas all supplied by Bar & Restaurant Sonia in Benijofar.

Chilled draught beer and a selection of Riojas and Cavas will also be served.

Put it in your diary .....18th of November from 11am CAR BROKER SPAIN Avenida Federico Garcia Lorca 85b, Benijofar, 03178 Alicante.

SAVING THE DAY: Firefighters rescue animals

by Ray Chadwick FIREFIGHTERS were called to the rescue of two different animals trapped in different parts of the Alicante province on the same day.

First of all, around midday on Saturday, they were called to rescue a medium-sized dog that was trapped in a narrow, small section of pipe next to the IES Las Fuentes school on the outskirts of Villena. It appears the dog fell through a hole in the drain and unable

to get out walked along some 25 metres. Passers-by heard the dog barking to attract attention and the alarm was raised. Firefighters used a special harness to bring the dog out that had been trapped about five feet down. The dog was a little shaken but otherwise in good condition and was taken to the Villena local police where they attempted to locate the owner.

Later on in the afternoon, a pigeon was seen getting its leg entangled with a high-voltage power cable in

Torrellano, just outside of Alicante.

Three fire engines arrived equipped with a ladder and their own specialist equipment for saving animals.

Firefighters contacted electricity company Iberdrola to check that the wiring was in good condition and safe to carry out the pigeon’s rescue.

As with the trapped dog earlier in the day, the bird was in good condition and was taken in by a local resident to look after before handing it over to authorities in Elche.

See our editorial on Page 22

18

Enjoy the scenery and keep fit too ORIHUELA Town Hall has announced a number of routes they’ve designed to encourage people to get to know both their local area.

Under the banner of ‘Orihuela en ruta’, the initiative is to promote both a healthy lifestyle and getting locals to exercise more.

Around five or six routes have are being planned, as announced by Councillor Víctor Valverde, and they can be formally put into operation once the municipality has had them approved by the Spanish Mountaineering Federation. They can then get on with arranging for printed information in a number of languages to reflect the diversity of the local population and erect signposts around the routes.

The first of the walks to be organised will take place on Sunday November 19 and consist of a 24 kilometre trek lasting for an estimated 4 ½ hours.

It leaves the Ociopia Commercial Centre in Orihuela at 8am and will do a full circle taking in Molins, the Azarbe Mayor, Hurchillo, Arneva, Las Norias, Desamparados, the Azud de Los Huertos, the Molino de la Ciudad before coming back to the starting point.

Councillor Miguel Ángel Fernández said: “Knowing about our countryside and farmland is vital to appreciate it and look after it as it should be.”

Anyone wishing to take part in the walk should e-mail orihuelaenruta@orihuela.es including name, surname, age, sex, and DNI / Passport Nº.

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THE 75th anniversary of the death of local poet Miguel Hernández appears not to have garnered the amount of interest that was hoped for. The Mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana, has apparently sent out a number of letters to local and national dignitaries inviting them to be involved in the series of celebrations but none have taken up the offers. Even Google rejected the idea of a ‘doodle’ on their home page to recognise the special year.

AENA plans to land at Corvera AENA, the company that manages the public airports in Spain has finally decided to be involved with the Corvera Airport, and has taken them 15 years to do so.

They have continued to

invest Murcia-San Javier Airport during that time but will now be in charge of managing the new airport that has been closed for five years and is expected to be operating again within a year.

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Calle Cabo Ortegal (Lomas de Cabo Roig); Calle Limonero (Montezenia); Calle Plutón (La Florida); Calle Escorpio (La Florida); Calle Baikal (Lagosol-Sector F-2); Calle del Rocío and Calle Colón (La Zenia).

Once the contract has been awarded, the works should be completed after a period of four months.

Anniversary of a poet...and nobody wants to know it

HEALTHY: Miguel Ángel Fernández says that it’s vital for locals to discover more about their countryside areas

car of the week 9,750€

ORIHUELA City Council has begun the contracting process to spend almost €300,000 in improving a number of public areas located along the Orihuela Costa. Re-asphalting and renovating childrens playgrounds and other park areas will be concentrated on Calle Apatito (Villapiedra); Calle Cabo Turiñan and

Photo credit Ayuntamiento de Orihuela

by Lynn Whittaker

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20

News from around Europe NETHERLANDS

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

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

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

Power hungry MICROSOFT recently signed a power purchase agreement with energy company Vattenfall to purchase all the electricity produced from a new 180-megawatt wind farm being built in the Netherlands. The farm will be located in the Wieringermeer polder, next to Microsoft’s data centre operations.

Closing down THE NETHERLANDS’ new government has an-

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

‘Extremists’ arrested AT LEAST 260 people were arrested while protesting against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow recently. The protesters are believed to be linked to nationalist politician Vyacheslav Maltsev’s Artillery Preparation movement.

It has been declared extremist and is banned in Russia.

Bottom of the pile MC SLOTERVAART in Amsterdam-Nieuw-West is at the very bottom of newspaper AD’s Top 100 hospital ranking for 2017.

The hospital dropped 36 places compared to last year’s 64th place on the list and scored poorly when it came to pain control, malnutrition and delirium.

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

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

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

Wrap up warm!

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

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

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

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

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

Angela still Nº1 DESPITE all her recent problems, German Chancellor Angela Merkel still remains the most powerful woman in the world.

For the seventh year in a row, she has topped the

Forbes List for the top 100...beating Theresa May into second place.

Not so dark favourite FERRERO, the Italian firm that makes the famous chocolate and hazelnut spread Nutella, has admitted to a German consumer group that the formula has been adjusted. The Hamburg Consumer Protection Centre noticed that the product was lighter than previously.

Refugee incidents fall ATTACKS on the homes of refugees in Germany have

Hannibal Lecter ANATOLIY EZHKOV - the Russian ‘Hannibal Lecter’ – was arrested for leaving a date horrifically disfigured after biting off her ears, nose and fingertips. The 45-year-old plied his

victim with alcohol before beating her up, tying her up with a cord and sinking his teeth into her flesh.

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

Close call A RUSSIAN zookeeper is recovering in hospital after being mauled by a tiger.

The zoo, in Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave on the Baltic, said that safety rules had been broken and the zookeeper and the tiger should not have been in the enclosure together.

FINLAND No war, war...just exercise NORWAY’S President Sauli Niinistö distanced himself from comments made by his Minister of Defence that his country is about to organise their largest military exercise since the conclusion of the Cold War. He stated that the ‘possible exercise’ was nothing other than normal manoeuvres.

It’s a NO to NATO AN OPINION Poll in Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat showed that 59 per cent of Finns would oppose joining NATO. The figures were released as US Defence Secretary James

GERMANY Oh...what a beauty!

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

RUSSIA

dropped sharply since the height of the crisis. A total of 226 have been recorded in 2017 so far, of which 213 are believed to have been caused by right-wing extremists.

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

Mattis arrived in Helsinki for meetings aimed at bringing NATO and the EU closer in defence cooperation.

‘McUnique’ burger on sale McDONALD’S is rolling out its new ‘McVegan’ burger in Finland, but it’s only available in one location...Tampere. Local vegans have shown their delight that they’ve been given a veganfriendly option, and proud that it’s the only place in the world to offer it.

Family grassers ALMOST 75 per cent of those that responded to a

traffic survey in the country said they wouldn’t hesitate in reporting a drunk driving relative to police.

Of the 1,000 people polled, 9 out of 10 said they would also report a stranger if they saw them drunk behind a wheel.

No more dads FATHER’S DAY in Finland this Sunday – November 12 – will instead be celebrated as a ‘relative’s day’ at the Yliskylä and Kulosaari day care centres in Helsinki.

Centre organisers say the move is intended to spare fatherless children from feeling of exclusion.

FRANCE Going under?

AUDITORS for Lanvin, France’s oldest fashion house, have filed a warning with a commercial court in Paris over financial troubles. The company’s provisional forecast for the year shows sales will fall 30 per cent in 2017 after a 23 per cent drop last year.

Strike against Scrooges PARIS MOTORWAYS were brought to a standstill by an army of workers after the city’s main Christmas market was banned for being too tacky. Angry stallholders blocked main roads with their lorries and vans after councillors said the market on the ChampsElysees was too “mediocre” in quality.

Dads need time too MORE THAN 58,000 people in France have signed a petition demanding men receive more paternity

leave following the birth of a child.

The petition has asked that the current 11 days leave awarded to new fathers should be extended to four weeks and made obligatory.

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

Barbaric FRENCH HUNTERS with hounds have sparked widespread outrage after chasing a stag into someone’s front garden in a residential area on the outskirts of the forest of Compiegne - northeast of Paris - before finishing off the exhausted animal while police looked on.

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22

A world without wires? Dream on... by

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

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

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

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

What were the cables attached to?

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

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

By 1.15 am I had shifted it enough to expose a veritable bolognaise of

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

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

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

By the time I’d got all the wires untangled and plugged back in, it was 2.30 am and I was not in the best of moods.

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

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

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

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

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

To my astonishment, a “found printer” message then popped up on my screen, so I typed an exceedingly rude limerick and hit the print button.

Nothing happened.

I then bashed out a string of swear words that would make a fishwife turn crimson, and hit the print button again. And again nothing happened. I gave up and went to bed seething.

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

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

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

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24

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

Jane Cronin

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

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

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

to take an overall look at it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We want - queremos Nosotras

25

by

Michael Walsh

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

All that glitters is not gold Would anyone be inspired to write books, compose music, or paint pictures if there was no one to enjoy them? Yes, I think they would. It is my belief that each of us is given a gift although many go through life without discovering their unknown ability; a great pity.

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

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

note can, I think of that as magic.

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

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

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

ALZHEIMER’S

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26

No cause for alarm by

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

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

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

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

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

But if I’m honest, I do not use this particular alarm mostly because the tiny lettering on the controls is so faint that not even with the aid of binoculars can I decipher the instructions, which includes how to turn the thing off.

I switched all the switches and knobbed all the knobs. I banged the top and turned it upside down, but nothing I did silenced that infernal bleeping sound that was reminiscent of finger nails being dragged across a blackboard.

Then ker-ching! All I had to do was unplug it from the wall and problem solved right?

Nope. The bleeping continued unabated. It must

have a battery backup I thought, but having located the battery compartment and extracted the single AAA, the damn thing still continued its caterwauling.

Was this some sort of unholy revenge for daring to write about black magic the week before?

It simply defied the laws of physics.

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

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

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

Sarcasm is so unattractive.

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

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

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

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

Why put them up for sale so early?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27

Advertising feature

Welcome to Porto Venere

with Vivalia Travel

Porto Venere is a town and commune located on the Ligurian coast of Italy in the province of La Spezia. It comprises of three villages of Fezzano, Le Grazie and Porto Venere, and the three islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto. In 1997 Porto Venere and the villages of Cinque Terre were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Main sights • The Gothic Church of St. Peter, consecrated in 1198. It was built over a pre-existing 5th century Palaeo-Christian church, which had a rectangular plan and semicircular apse. The new part, from the 13th century, is marked externally by white and black stripes.

• The Romanesque church of St. Lawrence, erected in 1098 by the Genoese.

It probably occupies the site of ancient temple dedicated to Jupiter. The church was damaged by a fire in 1340 and by the Aragonese attack in 1494, and was further restored in 1582.

• The Doria Castle with the walls around the historic center.

• The Grotta dell’Arpaia (now collapsed), known as Byron’s Grotto, from which the English poet Byron swam across the gulf of La Spezia to San Terenzo to visit Shelley in Lerici, in 1822.

• The medieval nucleus of Le Grazie is set around the 14th-century Church of Our Lady of the Graces; nearby is a medieval convent, which once belonged to the Olivetans, and the remains of the 1st century BCE Roman villa of Varignano. Finds from

recent excavations at the villa are held in the Antiquarium della Villa Romana del Varignano in Porto Venere.

• In Fezzano the medieval alleyways are noteworthy, along with the church of St. John the Baptist (1740) and the recently restored Villa Cattaneo.

Regional Natural Park The Regional Natural Park in Portovenere offers a unique landscape with its high coasts, caves and vegetation that permeates the atmosphere in any season with the changing shades of color. An element that blends and harmonizes every detail is the sea, sometimes calm and clear, so as to reflect like a mirror enchanted multicolored rocks and seagulls, sometimes rough and almost angry. To crown the Park archipelago with three islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto, defying the blue sea in a swirl of aromas and looks towards the infinite. But the park is not only Nature, History dwells here since prehistoric times with the Cave of the Doves, until the recent past in which Guglielmo Marconi experimented in front of the village his innovative studies.

You will have the opportunity to visit this amazing place as this is one of the ports of call of our cruise leaving Barcelona October 13th 2018 for a week. You will be also visiting Ajaccio in Corsica, Piombino and Portofino in Italy. Also Port Mahon in Menorca. Enjoy this cruise for only 679€ port tax, all inclusive drink package and transport included!!

For more information on this cruise or any other trips please call 965 716 615 or visit www.vivaliatravel.com.

Alternatively email info@vivaliatravel.com

29

legal

Pellicer & Heredia - Making it possible How long in business?

Ignacio Pellicer & Pedro Heredia, are partners of the Law Firm, Pellicer & Heredia. The whole project started in 2007 just before the credit crunch. Both of them came from different Law Firms specializing in International Law.

What do you believe is your secret to success?

We offer true, honest, and independent advice for international clients with a personalized service.

We offer legal and fiscal advice to English speaking individuals (resident and non-residents in Spain) and companies.

What tips would you give to anyone thinking of starting up a business in Spain today?

Ignacio always says “Do what you´re passionate about, push as hard as you can. However expect unforeseen circumstances, be realistic and don´t expect big returns straight away.”

Have you learned a lot from the recession?

Of course, the recession has put everyone´s feet back on the ground. We have to adapt every day to existing circumstances and the current market.

everything will depend on the negotiations. That is down to the politicians. However the reasons to stay in Spain remain the same…. including the sunshine, quality and cost of living. We hope and expect more positivity for the remainder of the year and for the foreseeable future.

What for the future?

We remain dedicated to providing the ex-pat community in Spain with up to date information in changes in the law that affects them and committed to providing the best service as international lawyers and barristers.

Now we are seeing the end of Has the recession made you stronger as a company? the recession, have you got any plans of expansion for Definitely, you either adapt to the changing market your company for the future? or disappear. We need to adapt every day to the We always thought about expansion when we first started. When we opened our first office in Hondon, Pedro said that it was just a starting point. Ignacio however thought that he was being optimistic, because of the credit crunch, but we always believed in our work and providing customer satisfaction.

We cover from Denia (Alicante) to Mojacar (Almería) and even provide services throughout Spain. Customer satisfaction is our goal. We are International lawyers providing a personalized, local service -in your language.

market; we always need to be one step ahead. There was volatility for the short term, but believe there will be stability in the long run.

Now with Brexit what do you think might happen in the future?

We believe there could be a period of uncertainty and

IN HOUSE UK QUALIFIED LAWYER

JAVEA OFFICE OPENING SOON Avda. del Pla 125, L.7, Javea (next to Specsavers)

Ciudad Quesada • Hondon de las Nieves • Alicante • Petrer • Moraira Javea & Denia

T. 965 480 737

info@pellicerheredia.com watch our videos at www.pellicerheredia.com

PEACE OF MIND INDEPENDENT INTERNATIONAL LAWYERS

30 Friday 10th November - Thursday 16th November

Pick of the Day

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

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

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

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

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

3:45pm 4:15pm

5:15pm

6:15pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

7:45am 8:35am

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

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

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

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

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

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

10:00pm

11:00pm 12:05am

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday

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

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

12:30am

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

7:00am

7:45am

8:30am

9:00am 9:30am

10:00am 12:00pm

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

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

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

12:30pm

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

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

12:55am

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

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

7:00am

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

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

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

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

8:10pm 8:15pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

9:35am

10:30am

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

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

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

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

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

8:30pm 10:00pm

11:30pm 11:45pm

12:45am

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

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

9:00pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

International Football Live, 8.30pm, ITV1

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

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

this weeks weatherinbrief FRI Nov 10

18º 9ºC /

Partly sunny

sat Nov 11

20º 10ºC /

Full day of sunshine

sun Nov 12

23º 12ºC /

Mostly sunny and nice

mon Nov 13

18º 9ºC /

Sun and some cloud

tue Nov 14

19º 9ºC /

Partly sunny

wed Nov 15

14º 5ºC /

Cloudy and a little rain

thu Nov 16

14º 8ºC /

Partly sunny

31

Pick of the Day

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

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

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

12:30am

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

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

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

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

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

11:30pm 12:15am

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

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

12:40am

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

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

9:00am

9:30am

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

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

10:00pm

11:00pm 12:05am

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

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

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

11:00pm

12:05am

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9:00pm

10:00pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

9:00am

9:30am

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

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

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

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

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

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

10:00pm

11:00pm

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

5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours NCIS: New Orleans Naughty or Nice 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight All New Traffic Cops Jo Brand’s Cats and Kittens Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild When Magic Goes Horribly Wrong

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

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

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

Nigella: At My Table, 9.30pm, BBC2

tuesday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am

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

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

Strike Back, 10pm, Sky 1

32

24 feb - 2 march 2017

Pick of the Day

WEDNESDAY 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am The Housing Enforcers 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Getting the Builders in 12:45pm Fugitives 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Impossible 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 DIY SOS 10:00pm The Apprentice 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm A Question of Sport 12:15am Junior Doctors

7:00am The Hairy Builder 7:30am The Housing Enforcers 8:15am Getting the Builders in 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 Permission Impossible:

Britain’s Planners 3:00pm Tennis 5:45pm Frankie Howerd 6:15pm Street Auction 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 12:15am Ireland with

Simon Reeve

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 Dickinson’s Real Deal 4:00pm Tenable 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 Gone to Pot 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:40pm On Assignment 12:15am Britain’s Busiest Airport

- Heathrow

7:20am King of Queens 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay’s Hotel Hell 12:00pm Undercover Boss USA 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm My Kitchen Rules 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm A Place in the Sun 5:00pm Coast v Country 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Steph and Dom’s

One Star to Five Star 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm The Secret Life of the Zoo 10:00pm Lifers Behind Bars 11:00pm Man Down 11:30pm Greg Davies: The Back

of My Mum’s Head

7:00am Childrens TV 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm The Hotel Inspector 2:05pm Access 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm Christmas Confessions 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm 100% Hotter 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Big Family Values:

More Kids Than Cash 11:00pm Left for Dead:

The Moors Murderers 12:05am Murder on the Internet

7:00am Monkey Life 8:00am Zoo Tales 9:00am David Attenborough’s

Micro Monsters 9:30am Send in the Dog 10:00am The Dog Whisperer 10:30am The Dog Whisperer 11:00am Conquest of the Skies 12:00pm Modern Family 12:30pm Modern Family 1:00pm NCIS 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 7:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm DC’s Legends of Tomorrow 10:00pm Inhumans 11:00pm Bounty Hunters 11:45pm The Simpsons 12:15am The Simpsons

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 Dickinson’s Real Deal 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Acid Attacks: How Scared

Should We Be? Tonight 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm Paul O’Grady:

For The Love of Dogs 10:00pm Serial Killer with Piers Morgan 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:40pm The Late Debate

7:20am King of Queens 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 10:00am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay’s Hotel Hell 12:00pm Undercover Boss USA 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Come Dine with Me 2:05pm My Kitchen Rules 3:10pm Countdown 4:00pm A Place in the Sun 5:00pm Coast v Country 6:00pm Four in a Bed 6:30pm Steph and Dom’s

One Star to Five Star 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Ugly House to Lovely

House with George Clarke 10:00pm Tru An American Dream 11:00pm British Workers Wanted 12:05am Gogglebox

7:00am Childrens TV 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!

1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm The Hotel Inspector 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm Angels and Ornaments 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm UK’s Strongest Man 2017 9:00pm Bargain Loving Brits

in Blackpool 10:00pm The King’s Cross Fire: Six

Hours That Shocked Britain 11:35pm The Murder of Tia Sharpe:

My Daughter

7:00am Monkey Life 7:30am Zoo Tales 9:00am David Attenborough’s

Micro Monsters 9:30am Send in the Dog 10:00am The Dog Whisperer 10:30am Duck Quacks Don’t Echo 11:00am David Attenborough’s

Natural History History

Museum Alive 12:00pm Modern Family 1:00pm NCIS 2:00pm Hawaii Five-0 4:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 5:00pm Stargate SG-1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Arrow 10:00pm Living the Dream 11:00pm The Russell Howard Hour 12:00am The Simpsons

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

thursday 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am The Housing Enforcers 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Getting the Builders in 12:45pm Fugitives 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Impossible 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 Room 101 9:30pm EastEnders 10:00pm Love, Lies and Records 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News

7:00am The Hairy Builder 7:30am The Housing Enforcers 8:15am Getting the Builders in 9:00am Council House Crackdown 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Permission Impossible:

Britain’s Planners 3:00pm Tennis 5:45pm Talking Comedy 6:15pm Street Auction 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Strictly - It Takes Two 8:00pm Celebrity Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm MasterChef:

The Professionals 10:00pm Exodus:

Our Journey Continues 11:00pm Match of the Day 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Ireland with Simon Reeve

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

Glass is Back Samuel L. Jackson showed up in a purple metallic trench coat in front of shuttered Allentown State Hospital on the Pennsylvania set of M. Night Shyamalan’s 2019 sequel Glass on Tuesday.

It is the first time the 68-year-old Oscar

nominee has been seen promoting his role as comic book art gallery owner-turned-arch villain Elijah Price aka Mr. Glass.

Elijah’s hair has greyed since audiences last saw him in the 2000 superhero origin flick Unbreakable, which ended with his brittle-boned character hospitalized after orchestrating three acts of terrorism.

34

advertising feature

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These signals are then sent to the brain, which subsequently decodes the incoming messages and makes sense of them. When we have normal hearing, our brain routinely filters out the background noise and other non-important information to allow us to focus on speech and other important signals.

However, this process can be a more problematic for someone with hearing loss. Due to the damage to the tiny hair cells in the ear, people with hearing loss have a harder time distinguishing speech when they are in a noisy environment and more often, they will also find loud noise uncomfortable.

Nowadays, hearing aid advancement

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35

health

Midlife crisis or male menopause

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

Janice was 39-years-old when she was diagnosed.

“I had never heard of

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

I was completely blindsided.”

Sarcoma remains an unknown cancer to many.

In fact, it is often known as “the forgotten cancer.”

Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) is among the most distinct and complex types of cancer. It has more than 50 histological subtypes that arise from connective tissues of the body, including muscle, tendons, fat, lymph vessels, blood vessels, nerves and tissue around

joints. The tumours form most often in the arms, legs, chest or abdomen, though they can be found anywhere in the body.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Depression can be triggered by a major life change, such as divorce, separation, long-term illness, bereavement or job loss. Sometimes there appears to be no obvious reason. Symptoms of depression can include: low mood lasting two weeks or more, not getting any enjoyment out of life, feeling hopeless, feeling tired or lacking energy, not being able to concentrate on everyday things like reading the paper or watching television, sleeping more than usual or being unable to sleep When they reach their late 40s

to early 50s, some men experience loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, mood swings and other physical or emotional symptoms.

Is there such a thing as a 'male menopause'?

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

This label is misleading because it suggests the symptoms are the result of a sudden drop in testosterone in middle age, similar to what occurs in the female menopause. This isn't true. Although testosterone levels fall as men age, the decline is steady – less than 2% a year from around the age of 30-40 – and this is unlikely to cause any problems in itself.

36

Puzzles Code Breaker

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

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

Word Pyramid

4

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

WORD fit

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

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

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

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

C

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

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

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

R

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

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

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

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

A

H

Word Wheel

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

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

E

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

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

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

S

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

6 letter words ASHORE HARASS LIKELY ORIOLE STEREO TACTIC TANDEM USEFUL

7 letter words ABSENCE AMNESTY ELEMENT FAILURE ICEBERG ITALICS OBELISK TEACHER

WORD FIT

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

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

Make cards or send

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

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

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

More Puzzles

Cryptic

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

Soduku

Quick

Futoshiki

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

37

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last Weeks Solutions on page 42

38

24 feb - 2 march 2017

whats on

It’s a two-wheel and four-wheel spectacular

OVER the course of three days November 17, 18, and 19 - the IFA Exhibition Centre, close to Alicante-Elche Airport will be hosting the 41st FIRAUTO Automobile Fair combined with the 27th EXPOCAR, featuring a selection of secondhand cars. If that wasn’t enough to excite fans of the motorised vehicles, the

SOBRE2RUEDAS Motorcyle Fair is their too.

It promises to be the biggest showcase of new and used vehicles in the Alicante province featuring a wide selection of models to suit all tastes and budgets...some at incredible prices.

As well as cars on show, there will be everything else connected with the world

of motoring on display such as financing, insurance companies and accessories.

APPLUS ITV will also be there so that visitors can get a vehicle check during their visit.

Entry to the fair is €8 (€6 for senior citizens and youth card holders; or with the special discount voucher available for download on

Shopping and more ASSOCIATION of Merchants of Orihuela (ACMO), in collaboration with the City Council has organised an ‘Outlet Fair’ from today (Friday) until Sunday.

Hosted along the Glorieta Gabriel Miró, 17 shops and establishments based in Orihuela will take their goods and services out onto the street and among the people over this weekend, and promising to bring some ‘very interesting prices’ at the same time.

Commerce Councillor Miguel Ángel Fernández announced that the stalls will include, among others, footwear, clothing, lingerie, children’s fashions and home decor. “The shop owners almost demand us to continue holding this fair every year that has been held since 2014”, he said.

Additionally, this year’s Outlet Fair will coincide with the Gin and Tonic Tapas Route held over the same weekend in Orihuela, and as such the organisers hope that more members of the public will flock into the municipality.

The President of ACMO, Trinitario Belmar, was pleased to note that the number of businesses taking part this year has increased from the 15 last year to 17. He also said that there would be some significant discounts available that may exceed 50 per cent in some cases.

The Outlet Fair will be open from 10am to 2pm and again from 5pm until closing, and apart from the stalls will also have workshops to keep the children amused and occupied as well as a visit from some of their favourite animated characters.

Double header at Chatters

THE NOVEMBER Chatters Meeting, on Wednesday 15, will feature two different guest speakers. At 11am Nilam will be telling her story, explaining how to enjoy healthy curries at home, and demonstrating how to make traditional Indian Flat Bread – Chapatti. That will be followed at 12 noon by a representative of the N332 group of police officers who will be separating fact from fiction and explaining how to enjoy living

and travelling safely and legally in Spain. Both speakers will be happy to answer questions.

Because of the double bill and the consequent constraints on time there will be no quiz on this occasion. The usual complimentary refreshments will be available at 10.15am. The venue for the ‘double header’ is the Las Claras centre, between Calle Irene and Calle Helena in Los Narejos. Chatters is free and open to all. They meet on the

third Wednesday of every month.

However, because of the Chatters Christmas Lunch, there will not be a meeting in December. Why not go along to the Las Claras Centre, meet old friends and perhaps make some new ones?

Chatters is sponsored by HAH (Help At Home) - Mar Menor.

Full details of everything we do is available on their Facebook page: HAH (Help at Home) - Mar Menor, and web page: www.helpathome.es

the website). Accompanied children under the age of 12 get in for free.

Hours of the fair are 1030am to 9pm every day. For more details and to download a discounted ticket, log on to www.feriaalicante.com or on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ firautoexpocar

Reach Out Christmas Fair ONCE again, it’s almost the time of the year for the Reach Out Charity Christmas Fair. As usual, the venue is the Marina Bar, Calle de las Rosas in Torrevieja and will be held on Saturday November 18...doors open at 2pm.

Everyone is welcome to go along and enjoy a fun-filled afternoon for all the family featuring stalls full of Christmas gifts, decorations and many others. You can take part in the Tombola and a raffle and enjoy some songs courtesy of The Rascals, not forgetting a visit from the man himself...dear old Santa Claus... especially for the children and the young at heart. There’ll also be some traditional festive food available for the hungry.

So, date in the diary, Saturday November 18 for this years’ Reach Out Christmas Fair and your chance to support this very worthwhile charity.

24 feb - 2 march 2017

39

food & drink

Spanish-Style chicken and sausage

Ingredients

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

Method

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in sausage, and brown well, for about 5 minutes.

Remove, and drain fat. Stir chicken, onion, and green pepper into skillet,

and cook 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir chicken stock cubes into hot water to dissolve. Stir in salt, thyme, and garlic powder. Pour into frying pan.

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

Preparation time – 15 minutes. Cooking time – 15 minutes.

Method

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, 2 cups olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion, diced, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 clove garlic, finely chopped, 1 red chilli, minced, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 (14oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1. Combine potatoes, 2 cups olive oil, and 3 teaspoons salt in a large cold frying pan. Heat on low and cook until potatoes are softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Increase heat to high and fry until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion with 1 teaspoon salt in the hot oil until onion has softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add garlic, chilli, and smoked paprika; simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and return to a simmer.

Transfer tomato mixture to a blender, cover, and puree until tomato sauce is smooth.

3. Serve patatas bravas with tomato puree and mayonnaise for dipping.

Huevos Endiablados (Devilled Eggs)

Ingredients

Preparation time – 15 minutes.

Cooking time – 25 minutes.

Method

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

6 eggs, 1 (4oz) can tuna packed in oil, drained, 2 tablespoons diced red onion, 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise,

Patatas Bravas

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for garnish, 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water, and peel. Allow to cool completely, about 20 minutes.

2. Slice each egg in half lengthwise, remove yolks and place them in a bowl. Set the whites aside on a serving platter. Mash yolks together with tuna, red onion, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, garlic, smoked paprika, and salt until smooth and combined. Fill each egg white half with about a tablespoon of filling. Garnish with smoked paprika.

40

home & garden

How to Repot Plants Step 1: Water Plant

Step 8: Water Plant

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

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

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

Step 3: Prune Roots

Step 9: Settling

Step 2: Remove Plant

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

Step 4: Clean Pot

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

Step 5: Add Soil

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

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

Step 10: Trim Plant

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

Step 6: Position Plant

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

Step 7: Fill Pot

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

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

It only takes half a day to complete this project.

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

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

3. Apply stain with a brush, following the wood's natural grain. Apply stain liberally, allow it to soak in for a few minutes then wipe off excess. Tip: The longer stain sits before wiping, the darker the final colour will be.

4. Apply at least two coats of stain.

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

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

41

builders

architect 251843

structural

254863

surveys

Mark Paddon BSc Hons. MCIOB. CAAT.

Property buyer’s surveys and expert defects diagnosis

962 807 247 653 733 066 www.surveyorscostablanca.com electrical repairs

ALARMS ALARMS & CCTV: All types, quality systems, very reasonable, guaranteed. Tel: 966 797 370 / 662 243 099 bathrooms

Bathroom Conversions Costa Blanca, contact 698 320 434 (260101) 254841

locksmith

Security UNION

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motoring

J & J PAINTERS. Inside outside - clean - fast - low cost. Torrevieja - Orihuela Costa and surrounding areas.

Tel: 650 363 159 ALL types of construction services, reforms, reconstruction: kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, tiling, floors, plasterboard, bricklaying, plumbing & facades. Reasonable Prices.

Torrevieja & surrounding areas. Call 672 929 913 any time CARAVANS FOR SALE WE BUY, sell & transport all makes of static caravans 630 055 418 Elsyd7@hotmail.com CHARITIES/CHURCHES LA SIESTA EVANGELICAL CHURCH on Urbanisation La Siesta, Torrevieja is a friendly, English speaking Church. We hold services each Sunday and everyone is welcome.

Our 11.00 am Services are held every 2nd and 4th Sunday in the month (and 11.00 am on the 5th Sunday, if this applies.) On the 1st and 3rd Sunday’s our Services are at 9.30 am. Our choir sings at our 11.00 am Services and there is also a Sunday

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We welcome residents, visitors and children.

For more information see our website www. lasiestaevangelicalchurch.org or telephone Pastor Keith on 666 180 108.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IS ALCOHOL COSTING YOU MORE THAN MONEY? Drinking to excess not only affects your health it can spill over into every other aspect of your life – damaging everything that is important to you. Englishspeaking AA meetings are held throughout the Costa Blanca from Valencia City to Murcia. Anyone wishing to attend a meeting or discuss a possible drinking problem contact Costa Blanca North: *648 169 045* or Costa Blanca South: *625 912 078* or Costa Calida *679 385 105*. All calls are treated in the strictest confidence.

AA in German: 645 456 075; Spanish: 679 212 535; Flemish: 635 047 053; and Scandinavian: 659 779 222. www.aa-costablanca.org (93323) Alcoholics anonymous Our meetings currently are held on Wednesday evenings in Cañada de Gallego, near Mazarrón. From next week (w/c 3rd September) they will be moving to Thursday evenings. So the first Thursday meeting will be on 7th September at 5.30pm.

Meetings are one hour. Your readers (visitors or others who think they may have a problem with alcohol) can obtain details by calling our helpline on 646 290 420.

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We still need your help with donations etc. Please keep them coming in! We are situated on Avenida Del Furs close to the Fountain Roundabout and immediate left by Don Colchon bed shop.

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Orihuela Costa - covering from Punta Prima to San Javier.

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THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, La Fustera. For more info: contact Frank Bentley on 966 495 188 CANCER SUPPORT GROUP (MABS) MURCIA/MAR MENOR Help and support is just a phone call away, Avda Rio Nalón, Tel: Sylvia 633 306 035 TORREVIEJA Christian Fellowship (TCF) is an English speaking lively church located at Avenida de las Valencianas 68, Torrevieja 03183. Residents and holidaymakers are welcome to attend our services with communion and ‘kids church’ each Sunday at 10.30am. We have a Fellowship Meeting (Bible Study) each Wednesday at 6.00pm. For further information see our website www.tcf-Spain.org or tel 966 700 391.

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42 METALWORK

PLUMBING

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Word Pyramid PREFERENCE

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43

259519

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Muffin

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Punk

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He had been dumped so spent the first night screaming thus drawing the attention of an animal lover. He is very playful and affectionate and loves to have behind his ears scratched, he is also very talkative. Punk has lost part of his sight. He also has feline leukemia.

D.O.B APRIL 20 2014 APPROX

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44

motoring

Tim Saunders Motoring journalist www.testdrives.biz

Is the V60 big enough for a family car?

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

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

“He just sat and listened to the stereo.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If the wing mirrors did not automatically drop when reversing this issue could be lvo V60, overcome. Perhaps Model Tested: Vo D, D4, 6 there is a way to Cross Country AW override this setting el speed Auto, Dies but I have not 70 3,8 €4 Price From: discovered it. cs se 0-100km/h: 8.6 Overall, I do like this /h Volvo and feel quite Top speed: 204 Km 0 CV at home behind the Engine power: 19 km 00 wheel. The children l/1 Economy: 5.7 like it too and that’s g/km 9 14 CO2 Emissions: important for a family vehicle.

2015 FIAT 500 1.2 LOUNGE air-con, CD/radio with USB & Aux plug-in, city steering, 65,000kms. Like New with Sport interior 8,995€ 2015 MITSUBISHI SPACESTAR 1.0 Bluedrive with cd radio 5-door Aircon finished in arctic white perfect holiday home Car 8,500€ 2015 TOYOTA YARIS 1.0i VVTi CONNECT plus 42,000 KMS full of extras including USB plug in like new and very economical 8,995€ 2015 OPEL ASTRA 1.4i TURBO AUTOMATIC front and rear park assist auto pack lovely blue metallic in new condition 26,000kms SOLD 2014 CITROEN DS4 STYLE PLUS 1.6i with Park assist, Auto lights/wipers Climate Cruise ONLY 3000kms. NEW PRICE 23.449€ 15,995€ SOLD 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0 TDI SW AUTOMATIC DSG Monza red with Full Service history just had Cam belt change lovely drive 2013 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 2.0 AUTOMATIC in Cherry red paintwork 28,000kms like new condition A/C 6 CD 10,500€ 2011 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO 4.8 Twin Turbo full Porsche options Service history 63,000kms 8-speed Automatic.

59,995€ 2010 NISSAN QASHQAI TEKNA 1.5DCi 110bhp 6-speed gearbox unmarked gunmetal paintwork 104,000KMS easy to get into 9,995€ 2008 OPEL ZAFIRA 1.9CDTi ENJOY 120BHP 6-speed gearbox 102,000kms in silver metallic 7-SEATS economical family Car SOLD 9,995€ 2006 SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5 WRX TYPE UK 270 lots of new parts with new engine rebuild superb 4x4 limited edition PRODRIVE Car 2005 OPEL MERIVA 1.7 Cdti with only 84,000 KMS lovely condition this would make a perfect holiday home car cheap to run SOLD 2003 FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE finished in Gleaming black coach work. Very clean motorcar ready for summer 10,995€ 1999 FORD MUSTANG 3.8L V6 AUTOMATIC 35th anniversary edition, Crystal white paint work with special 19” alloys 7,995€ 1997 CHEVROLET CAMERO 3.8 V6 finished in arctic white paintwork with 18”alloys Targa top !!

6,500€ 1994 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STi ACROPOLIS edition, no 20 of 100 hand-built cars, 68,000miles.

Was14,995€ 12,995€

Facts at a glance

45

motoring

New Honda models described as a ‘true adventure’ HONDA’S AFRICA TWIN platform grows today with the announcement of the 2018 CRF1000L2 Africa Twin Adventure Sports, which was introduced alongside an updated standard 2018 CRF1000L Africa Twin at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan.

Following a European release early next year, both models will be available in the U.S. in summer of 2018.

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

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

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

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

power and light weight.

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

American Honda’s Manager of Motorcycle Marketing Communications.

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

46

sport San Javier Golf Society THIS week’s report from the San Javier Golf Society features the latest Individual Stableford Qualifier which took place on Monday at the Altorreal Golf Course.

It was a chilly, breezy but nevertheless bright start to an enjoyable day’s golf which attracted 28 members and guests and made the trip to Altorreal. The course wasn’t quite up to its normal impeccable condition and thus no-one managed to play below their handicap.

Winners on the day were: Division 1: 1st – Steve Higgins (33 points), 2nd – Barry Beale (31), 3rd – Paul Newman (31) 4th – Frank Murphy (30.

Division 2: 1st – Steph Brooke (32), 2nd – Steve Barlow (31), 3rd – Dave Farrington (28) 4th – Shaun Devine (27).

Nearest the pins were won by Steve Higgins, Paul Newman, Les Whall and Ian Lawley, and the gross 2 (for €50) wasn’t won and so will carry over the next game.

That will be the annual Captain’s Charity Day and is in aid of HAH Mar Menor which is Paul Hamlin’s choice for this year. It take the form of a Medalford competition at La Serena and teeing off at 9.12am on Wednesday November 22. Full details will shortly be e-mailed to all members; and the payday will be on Saturday November 18 in the bar of the La Serena Clubhouse between 11am and 12noon.

For further information on the society, to play as a guest, or to join as a member, please phone Barry Beale on 649 245 889 or look at the website at www.sanjaviergolfsociety.co.uk and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sanjaviergolfsociety

Steve wins again

THE START: Good conditions meant a pleasant day‘s sailing

A great da

COMING to the end of the autumn 2017 Season, SAMM racers can look back on a mixture of days with either not enough or too much wind. At last, like last week, another day of good conditions, brilliant sunshine and a flat Mar Menor.

To be ready for the forecasted wind shift and strength drop at midday a triangular course was set but, it never came and was NW gusting from 8 up to 14 knots all day, which called for alertness and quick reactions from all boat crews. This they all did well so nobody capsizing

or any other incidents.

Seven boats started the morning race with Lavanter bringing up the rear. Her skipper Robert is very experienced but, for his crew Martin, a new member, it was the first time on a boat in 40 years. Tug and Jack on Shoestring Tres soon took the lead which they held to finish in 32 minutes, chased all the way by Julian on the Topaz in because of the continued high wind.

For the afternoon race the wind was unchanged, so a course alteration was made by

Face fault! Sporting superstar not recognised RAFAEL NADAL was awkwardly confronted by a security guard at the Paris Masters who bizarrely had no idea who the world No 1 was.

The 31-year-old, and one of the most recognisable faces in world sport - was filmed walking through the facilities in the French capital on his way to train, greeting people on his way.

However, as he approached the courts he was confronted by a security guard who bizarrely had no idea who the 16time Grand Slam champion was.

“Hello sir, have you got your pass?” he asked, blocking the world No 1’s route into the training facilities.

Rafael Nadal was allowed past when he told the security guard his name Nadal replied: “I don’t have it with me.” And when asked who he was by the guard, he replied “Rafael Nadal” and was instantly allowed access to the courts.

The Spaniard was later forced to pull out of the Paris Masters with a knee injury and is now a doubt for the ATP World Finals in London.

And Nadal’s doctor Angel Ruiz Cotorro has suggested this week he may not be available for the end-of-season

WHO ARE YOU?: Rafael Nadal asked for pass by security guard

tournament.

“You always have to be optimistic, but also realistic,” Cotorro said. “You have to see where we are at the end of the year after an extraordinary season.”

“As everyone knows, to be No 1 you have to win many

games, and that cluster of matches can be a problem at any moment.

“If the tendon is holding the loads in a progressive way, you will be in a position to play, if you cannot stand it, it is a risk that is not worth running.”

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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.

In FA Cup first round ties last weekend there were excellent wins for non-League clubs AFC Hereford, Boreham Wood, Maidstone and Oxford City.

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

y’s racing extending the windward leg, hopefully to give a longer race. Seven boats again started with all through within 20 seconds, an excellent start, probably the best for some time; John Down, on his Quba, being the first over, with the fleet in hot pursuit. The first leg just off the wind, the second leg a downwind run and the third leg a long beat on the up wind leg. The course change resulting in the desired effect as the fastest boat took 49 minutes to finish.

At the end of the first lap of the four laps the Laser of Tug and Jack had taken the lead

followed by the Topaz, Shoestring Uno, Quba, Sirocco, Lavanter and the Sea Hopper. This was the same order until the last lap when Lavanter eventually overtook Julian sailing singlehanded on Sirocco.

Morning race: Shoestring Uno, Diane/ Tim. Shoestring Tres, Tug/Jack, plus 35 seconds.

Topaz Duo, Julian, plus 24 seconds.

Afternoon race: Topaz Duo, Julian.

Shoestring Tres, Tug/Jack, plus 12 seconds.

Quba, John, plus 39 seconds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Messi hopes to avoid Spain in World Cup group WHETHER it’s because he lives in the country, plays for one of the biggest clubs in the country or because he’s made some lifelong friends, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has expressed his hopes that his native Argentina avoid Spain in the group stages of the 2018 World Cup finals.

“I wouldn’t like to be drawn against Spain, who are one of the rivals we could get in the draw,” Messi told Argentine broadcaster.

“For all that they stand for, for all that they have, and I’d rather avoid them. They’d be a very difficult rival.”

Spain, who won the World Cup for the first time in 2010, will be in the pot of second seeds with England, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay when the draw for next year’s tournament takes place in host city Moscow on Friday December 1.

Italy – four-time winners of the World Cup – who are faced with a playoff match against Sweden

will also go into the same pot should they actually qualify.

The top eight seeds are made up of the top seven countries that lead the FIFA rankings, plus the host nation Russia. They are Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland and France.

Lionel Messi, who played in the Argentina side when they lost the last 2014 World Cup Final to Germany rated Brazil, Germany, France and Spain among his favourites to win the title.

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

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