RTN Newspaper - Costa Blanca South 27 April - 3 May 2018 Issue 966

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COSTA BLANCA SOUTH

by Darren Parmenter JOSE MANUEL DOLON, the mayor of Torrevieja, has announced that he’s in negotiations about the future of the iconic ‘Pascual Flores’ ship in the municipality’s harbour.

The historic three-masted schooner is famous for being one of a number of ships featured in the 1970’s BBC TV series The Onedin Line, and the mayor is discussing its fate with the NAO Foundation; a charity specialising in promoting and displaying historic ships.

The ‘Pascual Flores’ was the last ever sailing ship built on the beach in Torrevieja - in 1917 - and at a cost of €4 million underwent a full restoration 10 years ago.

However, in spite of the renovation project the ship has been moored ever since in the harbour and has deteriorated.

Issue 966

Captain Onedin would be proud

Beach repairs underway GUARDAMAR DEL SEGURA Town Hall is using over 3,000 cubic metres of sand to regenerate the municipality’s beaches.

The announcement was made by Councillor Ana Martinez who stated that two locations on Avenida Ingeniero Codorniu that runs alongside

Playa Babilonia have already seen the beaches replenished with sand that has been taken from a nearby dune.

Approximately 600m3 of the sand has been tipped into a large hole caused by last winter’s storms which also destroyed part of the road.

TOURING: Plans for the Pascual Flores to act as world ambassador.

According to Spanish media, Dolon made the announcement during a visit to the NAO Victoria which is also a significant name in maritime history.

Victoria was a Spanish carrack and the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the world. She was part of a Spanish expedition commanded by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan which began on August 10, 1519 with five ships. However, Victoria was the only ship to complete the voyage, returning on September 6, 1522.

During the tour, the mayor said that the intention of the City Council is to come to an agreement with the NAO Victoria Foundation to ensure a similar future for the ‘Pascual Flores’ that would see it leave its current base for most of the year, touring the world and promoting Torrevieja.

It is estimated that the repairs to make the ship seaworthy again would cost in the region of €500,000.

INSIDE THIS WEEK ...

THE KING OF SPAIN’S HERE...

P3 HUMBLING AND STUNNING IN EQUAL MEASURE

P20 FROM BLACK & WHITE TO COLOUR

P28

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27th April - 3rd May

This week’s mayor is... Fourth time

by Glenn Scott THE confusion and uncertainty of the local council of San Fulgencio (that covers Urbanisation La Marina) has taken another sur prising turn this week with the unexpected resignation of APSFU opposition councillor Mariano Marti.

He has formally renounced his position as councillor on the eve of the future of Mayor Carlos Ramirez being discussed at a plenary council meeting that will see the Photo credit: Google Maps mayor leave his position after being sentenced to eight and half years disqualification CONFUSION: San Fulgencio Town Hall prepared for changes... or are they? from holding public office.

Marti himself hasn’t takMayor Carlos R amirez return to head the council been authorised by the en his opposition seat in the cur rently leads a gover nwith the only PP councillor provincial leadership. The council chamber as he is also ment of himself, the five exManual Gomez Rebagliato plan of the ex-PP councillors barred from public office for PP councillors expelled from taking the reins as mayor and is alleged to be installing the eight years. However, bethe party, and a councillor potentially governing as a young UP yD councillor as cause he hadn’t resigned, his from UPyD. However, when minority. mayor. place couldn’t be taken by Ramirez is finally obliged to According to reports in the A fur ther outcome is a the next person on the APSrelinquish his role shortly, Spanish media, Rebagliato ‘rainbow’ coalition, but opFU list... believed to be the decision taken by Mariadmitted that he is in negoposition party PIPN (with British national Mark Lewis ano Marti could be decisive. tiations with the five PP detwo councillors) has already who was once famously In a scenario that would fectors and the UPyD counstated that it will not be part mayor for one day a decade cause a headache for even cillor to form a majority of any coalition with only a or so ago in a previous adHercule Poirot to solve, the administration, but it’s unyear to go to the next municministration.

Partido Popular (PP) would derstood that this hasn’t ipal elections.

unlucky for serial robber FOR the fourth time, officers of the Guardia Civil have arrested a young man from stealing from homes in Santa Pola.

The 22-year-old is believed to be behind 18 burglaries from private homes, one in a business premises and two other crimes of theft.

The investigation into the crimes began just over a month ago when it was established that the modus operandi was exceptionally similar and well-known to the Guardia.

All the houses robbed had their front doors smashed in and all were in quite a small area, suggesting the culprit was a loc a l p e r s o n . I t ’s u n d e r s t o o d t h a t h e w o u l d rob one house, leave it for a few hours, and then target another one close by.

Recognising the pattern of crime, the Guardia Civil went to arrest the man that had already been detained three times previously in a five-month period; the last of which was at the end of February. Despite the repeated arrests, he continued to commit similar crimes after his release.

In connection with this case, another 67year-old man is being investigated for receiving some of the stolen goods.

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‘Project Compass’ fights loneliness

KING FELIPE VI: From the UN to Vega Baja.

KING FELIPE VI of Spain could be visiting the Vega Baja next month for the first time.

According to reports in the Spanish media, His Majesty has been invited to attend the 14th National Conference of Communities of Irrigators which is due to be held at the International Auditorium in Torrevieja between May 14 and 18.

It is understood that the organisers of this farming organisation want King Felipe to close the event which is expected to be welcoming over 1,500 delegates and will include Ximo Puig, the president of the Valencian

The King of Spain’s here... government.

Reports suggest that Spain’s Royal Household has said he will attend but, as is an accepted part of the King’s routine, it will not be 100 per cent official until at least three or four days beforehand.

Part of the programme is for the King to take part in a special meal in Orihuela for

the conference guests.

With Orihuela being the capital of the Vega Baja region it includes some of the largest and major farms in the country, and it will enable the city to also have a prominent role in the royal visit.

The five-day conference will look at the principal concerns of the local farm-

Five ‘arson’ attacks in 60 minGUARDIA CIVIL based in C a l l o s a d e S e g u ra h ave identified a suspect allegedly behind a series of arson attacks which took place in the municipality d u r ing t h e s p a ce o f on e hour.

All the fires broke out in a radius of 900 metres and were attended to by the Orihuela and Almoradi fire brigade.

T h e f i r s t o f t h e f i re s w a s re p o r te d i n a r u ra l spot close to the CV-900 and because of the strong winds around at the time it spread quickly.

According to witnesses, a m a n w a s s p o t te d o n a bicycle in the vicinity of the fires and the Local Police and the Guardia Civil were able to identify who i t w a s b e fo re a r re s t i n g him.

E ve n t h o u g h t h e s u s pect was carrying a lighter

when he was detained, there is no proof that he

was directly linked with the arson attacks.

ing community and will involve municipalities such as Guardamar, Rojales, Algorfa, Benijofar, Los Montesinos, Almoradi, Torrevieja, San Miguel and Orihuela.

BENIDORM City Council is launching an initiative to prevent an increasing number of its elderly people from suffering from loneliness and general social exclusion.

The city isn’t purely a tourist hotspot and has close to 70,000 full-time residents of all ages. Official figures show that Benidorm has 4,967 registered people over the age of 75, of which 2,591 are alone and 2,376 live as a couple.

Many of these people have not chosen to live such solitary lives, and at the same time are not aware of all the resources and help available from the local social services who can alleviate their situations. These include home help schemes and day centres.

Set up with the aim of giving a greater visibility to what’s on offer, ‘Project Compass’ is about to point the way and will detect and treat situations of loneliness which are prevalent among the resident population.

Councillor Angel Llorca explained to the Spanish media that the scheme will use a network of volunteers and organisations - this will include chemists and medical professionals - who will monitor and report cases to enable early interventions and prevent those suffering loneliness needing to be moved into residential homes or into hospital.

To raise the profile of the project, the Department of Social Welfare plans to conduct awareness days involving local health centres, chemists, neighbourhood associations, Red Cross and charities.

Villajoyosa hospital will also participate.

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27th April - 3rd May

PADER probespossible ‘data protection’ breach FOR the first time ever, the residents of Rojales are paying for their rubbish collection via a separately issued

SUMA bill. Up until now, a percentage of their water bills went to pay for the ‘basura’ which is a common practice

among many local municipalities.

However, the local PADER political party are asking for answers to how the SUMA were able to get people’s personal details - such as bank accounts - if they were only previously held by the water company.

The new payment system

has apparently already resulted in several errors with people who are exempt being charged. PADER believes that the legislation on data protection has been breached and asks for clarification.

PADER spokesperson Desiderio Araez said that there are dozens of local people registering complaints about the

collection system. “They are concerned that they have had the rubbish collection fee taken from their bank accounts without giving their formal authorisation to do so.

“As a rule, SUMA would send any new charges to the individual first who then decides how they ’re going to pay the bill, either at the

Photo credit: Google Images

CONFIRMED: Rojales Town Hall has been assured that disputed information transfer is legal.

bank, by cash or by direct debit.”

In this case, it appears that SUMA has sent the receipt directly to the banks as they were supplied with all the relevant data which included individual account details.

PADER believes that the PSOE-governed Rojales Council had asked for bank details from the water company to be passed directly on to SUMA. In the opinion of PADER , this contradicts a previous agreement which only gave the council such authorisation.

In reply, and according to reports in the Spanish media, Councillor for Finance Nahum Mendez said that after PADER raised the issue at the last plenary council meeting, “we spoke to SUMA and they assured us that this passing of information is legal.” He went on to state that “I doubt SUMA and the water company would take this risk of transferring such data if it were against the law.”

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A MAN’S body that is believed to have been dead for a number of days has been found in Santa Pola by firefighters in his home.

He was discovered after the alarm was raised by friends of the deceased after he hadn’t been seen for a short while.

The man believed to be around 80 years old and originally from the Basque Country with no family in the area, was found after the fire service broke into the house through a window.

A post-mortem examination will now need to be carried out to establish the cause of death.

New face WITH Alicante City Council now controlled by the Partido Popular party, Spain’s president Mariano Rajoy plans to visit the city on May 5 for a ‘multitudinous’ rally in support of the new mayor, Luis Barcala.

We arrange

Photo credit: Dalbera Wikimedia

Friends’ concern leads to body find

by Darren Parmenter AN alleged paedophile has been arrested in Bilbao by the Guardia Civil in connection with offences carried out in Torrevieja.

T he man is believed to have offered amounts of money and drugs to a number of children in exchange for sending him photo graphs and v i d e o s o f a s e x u a l n at u re v i a t h e WhatsApp message system.

According to reports in the Spanish media, the man met his victims when he was on holiday in Torrevieja.

The operation - KAIO 75 - was set up late in August last year following a complaint made by the mother of a 15-year-old child who said that an adult had requested her son send photographs for money.

Enquiries discovered that the man behind the alleged crimes was a 42year-old who had met several children during last summer. He began his ‘friendship’ with them by giving them money in exchange for cleaning his car and thus built up a seemingly normal relationship with them.

Confidences and trust gained, the man than tricked the children into believing that he was an important person in Bilbao and began to offer them even more money, high-end mobile phones, the chance of employment... and drugs, and this continued once he’d returned there from his summer break.

PICS FOR CASH: Bilbao was the location of the alleged paedophile’s arrest.

Man arrested for WhatsApp sex offences The investigations also brought to light that the same man is suspected of committing other crimes related to t h e t h e f t o f g o u r m e t p ro d u c t s from a market in which he previous-

ly worked. French Champagne, virg i n o l i v e o i l a n d w i n e w e re h i s favoured products, which he stole with the help of another man to sell them on.

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27th April - 3rd May

DANGER: Portuguese man-of-war make a rare visit to the Costa’s beaches.

Jellyfish invasion closes beach

by Darren Parmenter VISITORS to beaches up and down the Costa Blanca have been greeted by a larger than expected number of jellyfish for this time of the year.

The plague of the poisonous Portuguese man-of-war species has reached the Alicante Province after being brought on the current from their usual breeding areas in Cadiz and Huelva. In recent weeks, lifeguards in Benidorm have removed 14 from their beaches and returned them to the sea.

From Torrevieja to Guardamar and from Alicante to San Juan the invasion was noticed by people on the beach and in the water. Such was the danger to San Juan beach that the authorities raised the red flag on Sunday to warn bathers.

Known as one of the most dangerous of sea creatures, the Portuguese man-of-war

has a ver y painful bite and contains 10 times more venom than a normal jellyfish.

Victims can suffer from fever, paralysis; vomiting and the bites can leave nasty scars.

A biologist at the Institute of Coastal Ecology, Juan Guillén, said that the Portuguese man-of- war are rare in the Mediterranean and as it has its habitat in the warm waters of all the world’s oceans, it is more usual to see it in the Atlantic.

He said that usual practice requires the raising of the red flag raised until they disappear from the area.

Speaking to Spanish media, Guillen went on to say “we know that they are appearing in Calpe, Benidorm and San Juan at the moment and I am sure if we will also see them very soon in other zones. They come from the area of Huelva and Cadiz where the authorities have already closed a number of beaches.”

Farm shooting fugitive arrested ALICANTE police have caught and detained a fugitive wanted for attempting to shoot three people eight years ago.

The 35-year-old Algerian citizen had been on the run for more than three years after fleeing from justice following a shooting incident between alleged drug traffickers on a farm in Cartagena. His days of freedom are now over...

The detained man had a number of arrest warrants in his name as allegedly being behind three crimes of attempted homicide, one for the possession of weapons and a further crime of robbery with violence and intimidation.

The events relate back to an incident on a farm in Cartagena in 2010, and according to reports in the Spanish media the Guardia Civil arrested four people at the time for their involvement in the robbery and subsequent shootings that injured three people. It’s one of those original four that has now been caught.

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New women’s centre to open Alicante Province, following on from those already operating in Alicante and Denia.

The centres, open 24 hours-a-day, are a free public service which are there to attend to victims of gender violence and other forms of harassment and abuse.

Jail term for Brit bar killer BE NJA MIN DA CO S TA is potentially facing up to 13 years in a Spanish pr ison after killing man in a bar located in the popular Villamartin Plaza over two years ago.

The 30-year-old British national was found guilty of stabbing to death Scott Wa r i n g b a c k i n Ja n u a r y 2016 in T he Hub bar ; the p u b ’s o w n e r, Simon Williams, 42, has also been found guilty of attempting to cover up the killing and h e w i l l d i s co ve r h i s f ate over the coming days.

He i s h o p i n g to e s c a p e prison with a suspended sentence.

B o t h m e n w e re fo u n d guilty by a nine-member jur y at the end of a four-day trial that took place at the Alicante Provincial Court in Elche.

W h e n t h e k i l l i n g to o k place, Scott was 40 years o l d a n d h a d a to d d l e r Anais - who was aged three.

According to witness repor ts at the time, for mer A r my m a n S co t t b l e d to d e at h w i t h i n m i n u te s o f the attack by Da Costa. It is understood that he probably used a pint glass or a m u g w h i c h c u t t h ro u g h both his jugular vein and carotid artery.

A s fo r t h e a cco m p l i ce Williams, he tr ied to dis-

Photo credit: Google Maps

SOMETIME ‘in the near future,’ Torrevieja will have its own dedicated centre for women. The facility is planned to have a staff of 16 which will include social workers, legal advisers and psychologists.

This latest addition will see the third such centre of its type in the

GUILTY: The Hub in Villamartin where the fatal stabbing took place in 2016. rupt the subsequent police investigation by sweeping up all the broken glass after t h e f at a l at t a c k a n d i n fo r m e d t h e m t h at t h e whole event had in fact take n p l a ce o u t s i d e t h e premises.

Da C o s t a w a s fo u n d guilty of the crime of homicide, which if the case had been tried in the UK wo uld ’ ve b e en c l a ss e d a s murder.

Spanish law dictates that homicide is a ‘wilful killing.’

Three fingers to the fire brigade!

FIREFIGHTERS based in Torrevieja were called out to release a little boy’s hand that became trapped in a ball machine in nearby La Mata.

Spanish media reported that apparently the child had put his money in one of the popular machines in the expectation of getting a ball out. When it didn’t fall into the metal tray below the boy put three fingers up inside the dispenser to retrieve the ball where they became stuck.

With great care, the members of the fire brigade had to break the glass in order to free the boy’s hand which wasn’t injured in any way... just the boy understandably being scared during his ordeal.

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HAVE YOUR SAY

A popular post on Facebook reaching 2,252 with 40 reactions ‘More than 1,000 pigs drown at farm in Spain after river burst its banks.’

Lifeguards praised in pool work A 25-YEAR-OLD man who attends one of the special education centres in Torrevieja had to be resuscitated by lifeguards after suffering from an epileptic fit in the municipal indoor swimming pool.

According to reports in the Spanish media, the man was submerged under the water before his rescue.

Councillor Victor Ferrandez congratulated all those involved in the incident for their quick work in saving the man.

June Reddan Why on earth did they not open the gates at least they could stand a chance?

Elisabeth Knight Hope that SAPRONA use the new animal abuse law and prosecute them, but I won’t hold my breath.

Spain set to defy EU homeopathy rules

by Ray Chadwick SPAIN’S Ministry of Health is leading a crackdown on the homeopathic products on the market.

The action comes following continuous complaints from a number of medical associations and specialists about the effect these are having on patients. Therefore, a decision was taken at this week’s meeting of health authorities in the country where the Murcia Region was represented by the Health Minister Manuel Villegas.

Thus, it was agreed that homeopathic products that do not meet the basic safety criteria will be withdrawn from the market. In addition, those who do not have any therapeutic action will have to specify that fact on its labelling. It is reported that many of the homeopathic products on sale do not have sufficient health guarantees.

HOMEOPATHIC PRODUCTS: Do not have sufficient health guarantees.

During the meeting, it was stressed that the group wasn’t dismissing the validity and effectiveness of homeopathy.

It was simply addressing the many concerns and bringing in tighter regulations at the behest of the EU who now requires that they are referred to as medicines.

However, on this matter a significant number of the

@RTNNewspaper Most liked posts from this week • PILOTS’ STRIKE: 246 flights cancelled in Spain • Balcony fall injured five-year-old child in southern Spain • Jellyfish invasion closes Costa Blanca beach • Valli Seasons tour update • Summer strike threat by air traffic controllers in Spain In Total 20,825 people reached 6,571 reactions

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News & Views from the North & South Costa Blanca & Costa de Sol

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autonomous regions represented at the conference have asked the Health Ministry to fight the EU measures as ‘they do not cure’ as medicines are supposed to do.

The argument was supported by the Minister of Health for Castilla-La Mancha, Jesus Fernandez, who said that “we disagree with the fact that homeopathy is classed as medicinal.”

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NATIONAL

Try some new grub

LEGISLATION: EU laws now permit insects, such as grasshoppers to be part of a diet.

Carrefour says insect snacks are environmentally friendly, because breeding the species and turning them into food involves a process which reduces greenhouse gases by 99 per cent compared with

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‘Hotel alone’ while parents go drinking Photo credit: MaxPixel

SHOPPERS filling their weekly trolleys with food and drink in Carrefour supermarkets in Spain h ave b e e n te m p te d to t r y s o m e thing a little different.

Thanks to recent European Union leg islation, Car refour has been the first in Spain to jump on the bandwagon to sell food containing... insects. These inc l u d e c r i s p s , ce re a l s a n d e n e r g y bars.

According to the United Nat i o n s Fo o d a n d A g r i c u l t u r e O r g a n i s a t i o n ( FA O ) , o v e r t w o b i l lion people worldwide already eat insects as part of their normal diet and consider them ‘the food of the future’.

T h e FA O s a y s t h e y a r e r i c h i n protein, vitamins B1, B2 and B3, a s o u rce o f O m e ga 3 a n d O m e ga 6, all essenti al amino acids , and other vital minerals such as iron.

Carrefour have included a numb e r o f d i f fe re n t i n s e c t s i n t h e i r new lines, all of which are considered edible by the new EU legislation, such as grasshoppers, dragonf lies, giant water bugs, silkworm and super worm lar vae, and ants , par ticularly weaver or green ants.

Crickets are also on the list, a n d t h e s e h ave b e e n e ate n f r i e d for d e c a d e s i n C a m b o d i a , w h e re they are a popular cinema snack , in the same way that people in the western world eat popcorn.

27th April - 3rd May

other manufacturing methods.

Prices at Carrefour in Spain range from around €4.50 for cereals and €2 for snack bars, with t h e m o s t e x p e n s i v e i te m s b e i n g around €7.

A BRITISH couple have been arrested in Palma de Mallorca after apparently leaving their children on their own for two days in the hotel while they went off drinking, The hotel where the couple were staying hasn’t been named, but security staff notified the authorities when the plight of the young children was brought to their attention.

Reports in the Spanish media suggest that the family arrived at the hotel two days before the arrest took place, with the adults said to be ‘constantly drunk’, as they went out all day and night, leaving the children behind.

However, the arrested couple were more than aware that leaving children of such an age unsupervised in the hotel was illegal and so allegedly asked another British couple - complete strangers to them - to keep an eye on the children while they went on a series of pub crawls in and around Palma.

When they returned - very drunk - the woman is said to have then physically attacked the other couple in public in the hotel, without any known reason or provocation, which needed members of security to intervene and call the police.

The parents were immediately arrested and the children taken into care and looked after by the National Police Women’s and Family Unit (UFAM) which is in charge of taking care of children who have been mistreated or abandoned.

The mother has been released and taken the children back to the UK, but news of the father is still awaited.

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27th April - 3rd May

Bonnie urgently needs a pacemaker please help!

BONNIE: The bouncing Bullie needs your help.

IN March 2018, Bonnie, a beautiful English Bull Terrier, arrived from Gran Canaria at a local rescue centre for Pitbulls and Bull Terrier breeds.

Sadly, it soon became apparent that Bonnie’s heart stops every few seconds for a few seconds and an ECG revealed that she needs a pacemaker.

The veterinary specialist for this operation is in Gran Canaria, so she will have to be flown back there for the operation and then brought back to mainland Spain for recovery.

She was brought to the mainland because Bull breeds are viewed as dangerous in Gran Canaria and are often just sent to a killing station, which is why Hannah’s Rescue Hounds and the PPP Kennels specialise in

bringing these breeds to the mainland.

Hannah’s vet and the specialist are flying with her at their own cost, and will stay with her for four days so the pacemaker can settle and so they can be on hand after both flights.

They need €4,000, and this is just for the pacemaker and holster, not for her recovery period.

So far, Hannah and her team have raised a total of €2,000, but the operation needs to be done as soon as possible.

This is a high-risk operation, but as Bonnie is still young and acts like a normal, playful Bullie, Hannah feels she deserves this chance of a new life! Paypal donations: han nahsrescuehounds@gmail.com.

Mosque plans to go public PILAR DE LA HORADADA Council wants to open a mosque in the municipality and rent it out to members

of the Muslim population.

At this stage it is only an idea and the government team will be putting the plans out to the public to get a consensus then take the project to the next stage.

They want to open this place of worship as way to avoid the division that already allegedly exists in the area that sees almost 4,000 Muslims living in Pilar de la Horadada.

The new Von Trapp family?

A MUSICAL family from Orihuela has entered the Guinness Book of Records by being the biggest ever group of musicians from one family to perform together.

An incredible 35 members of the Alfonso family made up of brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, and grandchildren played in the Castellon bullring last weekend.

They also broke another family record on the day by being the largest ‘non-blood’ family to perform together with 15 members which included the grandfather, his four children, their spouses and their seven children.

27th April - 3rd May

Marihuana factory found Photo credit: Policia Nacional

FLOWERING: The latest of a series of major marihuana discoveries.

NATIONAL POLICE officers have dismantled a crop of 1,400 marihuana plants in Alicante. Three people were arrested; two men aged 33 and 41 and a 26-year-old Spanish woman.

The investigation got underway around three months ago when police received a tipoff about the possible existence of a marihuana plantation inside a building in

Alicante City.

They discovered that it was on a large plot of land containing a house and a warehouse as an annex, and once identified and located they broke down the door and discovered the marihuana in ‘an advanced stage of growth’ and in flower.

As well as finding the 1,000 plus plants, all the usual equipment needed to maintain the crop was in the building which

was also fraudulently connected to the electricity supply.

A total of 81 halogen lights were confiscated, 52 electric transformers, four air-conditioning units, and 69 fans amongst other items.

As for the narcotics, National Police found 37 kilos of processed marihuana, two kilos of resin, 150 grams of marihuana seeds, and 35 grams of speed.

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Costa Blanca moving up the charts Photo credit: Phillip Capper Wikimedia

by Darren Parmenter DESPITE fears that more tourists are returning to Turkey and Tunisia after a number of years of security issues, the Costa Blanca is still able to attract high numbers of visitors.

In fact , and following the latest figures released by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), the area unseated Mallorca from its third place in Spain. The Costa Blanca is now only behind the Costa del Sol and the Costa Brava and relegated the popular B alear ic island into fourth.

The data comes in spite of the continual uncertainty of British tourism

POPULARITY: Costa Blanca now attracts more tourists than Mallorca.

in the after m ath of the Brexit vote and with the re cover y of the likes of Egypt, Turkey and Tunisia that is now offer ing - in some resorts - holidays at 40 per cent cheaper than those in the A licante Province.

T he statistics went on to show that of all the tourists who visited the Valenci an Community during 2017, the Alicante Province accounted for 70 per cent of the market and spent a total of €3.3 billion.

This was 7.6 per cent of the total tourist spend in Spain during the same 12 month period which was €44.2 billion. It has been calculated that the average foreign tour ist to Spain spent €826 per tr ip... €101 per day.

British drugs baron in court BACK in 2013 when he was arrested at his home in Calpe, Brian Charrington was one of Britain’s most wanted criminals. Five years later, his trial is underway in an Alicante court with eight others accused of a number of drugs offences.

Known by police as ‘The Coke King’ - but nothing to do with the soft drink - Charrington, aged 62, was one of 13 people detained in both Spain and Venezuela, and at the time he was one of the 10 criminals most investigated by European police and leader of an international drug-trafficking organisation.

When arrested, officers seized 220 kilos of cocaine from an apartment in Albir, close to Benidorm, and also impounded property and bank accounts worth more than €5 million. Images of his arrest have often been featured as part of the BBC TV series that looked at cooperation between the UK and Spanish police.

The organisation used a group of drug mules to fly cocaine into Spain using commercial flights from Venezuela, and one was intercepted at Madrid-Barajas airport carrying five kilos of cocaine in eight packages distributed across specially adapted underwear.

Reports in the UK-based newspapers at the time also stated that the arrests led to curtailing a further plot to smuggle tons of cocaine into Europe via ‘an armada of yachts.’

Charrington used to operate throughout the northeast of England during the 1980’s.

He rose to fame as a major drug baron in 1992, when a raid at his Middlesbrough home unearthed almost €2.3 million in cash, which was all allegedly linked to drug dealing. While arrested in 1992, he was never formally charged, due to alleged irregularities in police procedures.

27th April - 3rd May

17

RTN Feature

by Jennifer Cunningham

WHAT interesting times we live in and I could add, quite scary times. I shudder when I think that the free world’s peace is controlled by a very volatile and frightening man.

Is it acceptable to threaten another country’s leader via Twitter? What about the old-fashioned way of diplomatic channels and ambassadors, in private?

Still, I am an old-fashioned gal who wouldn’t dream of going on Facebook to discuss my private life and to see the office of the US president using social media in this way when there is a conflict, disagreement, or just lashing out, I find appalling.

I am now going to drop a bit of a bombshell. Do you realise that when you get your Residencia accepted by the Spanish authorities, it is a European document which states you live in Spain. However, to be a full legal resident in Spain, you must be a fiscal resident. This means you must be registered by the Spanish tax office and submit yearly tax returns in Spain.

This does not mean you necessarily have to pay tax in Spain, but you must do

Unique house policies a yearly tax return, which is a legal requirement. This costs very little and protects you from a fine. If you are autonomos or working on contract, you are a fiscal resident.

I feel, with Brexit on the horizon, it would be very wise to get your paperwork in order, because obviously there are checks being carried out on behalf of the governments in both Spain and the UK already.

IBI, basura and road tax are a totally separate issue, as they are in the UK. Would you consider council tax, rubbish collection and car tax in Britain as your tax return? Of course not!

Staying on the subject of legality and as part of Expat Services, when talking to my chosen financial advisor, he reminded me of a very good piece of sound advice. Although the company you are dealing with may be authorised to sell financial investments, did you realise that the advisor offering advice also has to be fully registered and regulated?

Unless they are, they are not allowed to work in the UK at any time or offer advice in any other country, so take care and select your advisor very carefully, because it could spell trouble with a capital T. If you are in any doubt on either of these two issues or wish to do a tax return, which is due in June, you can always organise an

appointment with one of my associates (the first consultation is free), telephone 966 461 690 or visit www.expatservices spain.net.

I am very excited about my new advertisements which are just starting to appear in the newspapers. I hope you agree with me that they are very ‘relaxing’. There are eight different advertisements informing you of the services we offer, one of which is a unique house insurance for your largest asset.

It is a very good policy and as far as I am concerned, knowing my way around the market as I do, it is the best. It might however, not be the cheapest but the extent of the cover is exceptional. Liability, water loss and especially accidental damage on both the contents and the building, are unique. A big percentage of the claims which come through my office are the result of accidental damage.

With regard to contents cover, my sales consultants will advise you to take out a realistic sum and you would be amazed when you think about how much you spend on furnishing your home, clothes, personal items and valuables.

Be very careful when it comes to expensive jewellery, paintings, watches and collections. For example, it you have rings

and watches, you will need a full risk policy, not just insurance cover when they are locked in a safe. Also, do not be persuaded to underinsure, because when it comes to total loss, you will find yourself in trouble with the insurance company.

Never forgetting outbuildings, solar panels, pools and garden furniture, the list is endless. When you take all of this into consideration, you should expect to pay a realistic premium to reflect the cover. If it seems too cheap, whilst at the same time being assured it covers everything, I suggest you look very closely before committing.

Liberty Seguros has specially designed policies for second homes, and for those properties which are rented or uninhabited for a certain length of time.

When you are renting your property legally, long-term, special landlord insurance is a necessity and includes cover for non-payment of rent and Liberty also have policies for tenants to cover their own contents and liability. Protect yourself and your home in the best possible way.

For more information or a quotation, please contact one of my consultants or visit my website www.jennifercunning ham.net.

27th April - 3rd May Photo credit: Robin Corps Flickr

MEASURES: Childhood obesity reaching worrying levels in Murcia Region.

Push for healthier children

by Darren Parmenter LATEST figures on child obesity have revealed that 24 per cent of children under the age of five in the Murcia Region are overweight.

The data is contained in a document produced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which also states that 1.2 per cent suffers from moderate or severe levels of malnutrition. For children aged between

five and 14, it’s estimated that there are as many as 29 per cent overweight or obese.

The Murcian Health Service (SMS) is implementing new systems of nutritional control to prevent cases of children becoming overweight or obese, and to step in quicker should an early diagnosis be made.

During 2017, the SMS paediatric nursing teams saw 233,256 children under 14years-old, made up of 120,248 boys and 113,008 girls.

On presenting the figures, Murcia regional Health Minister Manuel Villegas stressed that “we want healthy children and young people, and that is why we put measures in place to help families to keep them that way.”

These measures, which are incorporated into the Child and Adolescent Care Programme (PANA), are part of a number of health initiatives promoted by the Ministry of Health.

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19

When the wind blows... it blows!

FOLLOWING some of the strongest winds experienced across the Costa Blanca for a number of years, parks and schools were forced to close in Elche and Santa Pola.

Between 6am and 12 noon on Tuesday, gusts of more than 100kph were registered in some parts of Elche where fire brigades responded to 51 call-outs.

In Santa Pola, the roof of the local sports centre has been badly damaged and fire services were still attending at least 30 separate incidents well into the afternoon.

Some of the strongest gusts were felt in Elche where a number of the famous palm trees were blown over in addition to antennas, awnings and high garden walls.

In the next city, the official State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) measured 78kph at AlicanteElche Airport.

Across the Alicante

Province as a whole, 104 calls were made to the emergency services as a result of varying damage caused by the storm. In addition to those in Elche, there were seven incidents in both Santa Pola and the Vega Baja, with the rest distributed throughout the province.

Two schools in Elche El Palmeral and La Galiabefore - were closed due to the risk of falling trees and masonry.

Despite the strong winds and dangerous conditions temperatures have remained high, with Alicante and Elche reaching 23ºC and minimum daytime levels not falling below 20ºC in many places.

However, many local people are wondering when they will be experiencing settled weather conditions again, stating that the past month has been the worst in their living memories considering the time of the year.

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27th April - 3rd May

RTN Life EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

by Darren Parmenter THERE are only a small number of people who have the uncanny ability to turn their hands to anything and make a complete and total success of it.

One half of a talented married couple, Jim Barry, born and bred in Dublin always had talent for drawing from an early age and so it was no surprise when he ended up studying architecture. This naturally led into a career... in music!

For 40 years, Jim was lead singer with Irish group The Memories. “We had a recent get together with all the band members from across the years,” said Jim. “There were 33 others there... and me,” he chortled.

Jim enjoyed a long career performing with the group and working with Gene Pitney, Johnny Logan and Gilbert O’Sullivan - among others - and at one stage in their career had a young man as their agent. You may have heard of Louis Walsh?

Jim retired to La Mata in Spain just over 14 years ago and went back to his artistic roots, this time performing in front of an easel and canvas rather than on a stage.

And over those years has produced some stunning work with a completely unique style, considering and to quote Jim himself,

THIN LIZZY: By Jim Barry.

(Inset) Jim and Jan.

Making memories on canvas “the only brush I’d ever picked up prior to coming to Spain was a broom!”

Whereas wife Jan, a talented artist in her own right, prefers country scenes as a base for her artwork Jim’s style is more sky, sunlight

EXCLUSIVE

taken from all angles so that when I look at the blank canvas I have that person ‘in front’ of me all the time,” he said.

It started off as a hobby and painting for pleasure, but many of Jim and Jan’s

paintings are now sold to an ever-growing and appreciative audience, and their work has been exhibited locally in Torrevieja and internationally... the most recent of those being in Norway.

Humbling and stunning in equal measure Photo credit: RTN

A DREAM and a vision became a reality as the MABS Cancer Support Foundation proudly unveiled the fruits of three months of hard work... and many more in the planning.

More than 50 people were specially invited to watch the official opening ceremony of the new respite home located in the middle of Camposol on the road from Mazarron.

They were made up of people who had given so much of their time to make the project a reality, with the lunchtime event combining the formal cutting of the purple ribbon by British Consul Sarah-Jane Morris and a ‘thank you’ to the volunteers.

MABS Vice-President Beverley Thompson made a very emotional speech which left everyone with a tear in their eye, and as she said to the RTN, “to get the formal permission to be able to turn this house in-

and subtle use of dark tones.

The RTN asked him whether he plans his final masterpiece. “I always begin with the end product in my mind’s eye. When I paint famous people, I spend ages looking at photographs

EMOTIONAL: Beverley Thompson making a tearful speech of thanks. to the much-needed respite care home was the best Christmas present I could have.”

Beverley first noticed that the house was up for sale some time during last year, and was deter-

mined that this would make the perfect location for the dream.

MABS President Jacquie Phillips

Over the past couple of years, Jim has moved from his trademark style of what can be described as having a Dickens theme into unique portraits of some of the world’s greatest pop and rock icons.

also told of her pride in the amount of support given by so many people over the 14 weeks from acquiring the property until this extra special day.

Before declaring the new centre officially open, British Consul Sarah-Jane Morris said that “projects such as this always seem to bring out the very best of British. It is very humbling to learn of the dedication of so many people which has resulted in this stunning achievement.”

The MABS Respite Centre features two bedrooms and two wet rooms, a kitchen, a nurse’s room and a sitting room complete with TV that allows the carers and the patient’s families to also have some time together during what for many will be a difficult time.

So much of what is seen in the refurbished house has been donated by some very generous local Spanish suppliers encouraged to take part in the project by an equally enthusiastic and generous builder.

22

27th April - 3rd May

Out of the mouths of babes and cats Credit: Angela N flickr

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

RECENTLY I overheard a gentleman mouthing off in the cafe, about stray and feral cats and how they should be treated as vermin.

Had it not been for the fact that I am a pacifist, I would have taken him to task and given him a good slapping.

Well alright, he was six foot six, built like Stonehenge and had muscles on his earwax, and that I admit helped keep my temper in check.

Woody and I were watching the News at Ten last night (Woody is one of our two rescued felines) and a segment on the Brexit negotiations seemed to catch his close attention.

“These are complex matters”, pontificated the self-important Monsieur Barnier, prompting a nod of agreement from David Davis, his grinning face resembling an overripe Cheddar cheese.

At which point Woody turned to me with a puzzled look and asked:

CATS: Are more perspicacious than many humans.

“What’s complex about it? Why can’t you all just, you know, trade together freely?”

He didn’t actually say that, but if he could have, he would. Woody is a clever cat.

You may be wondering what this has to do with strays and vermin, but I’ll get to it.

And Woody was absolutely right.

When you get right down to it the only thing stopping everyone in Europe, and the world for that matter, trading happily together and getting along swimmingly, is us.

The so-called complex world in which we live has only been made that way by our own inability to co-ex-

ist peacefully and contentedly, and the underlying reason for that is the insidious presence of vested interests.

And those vested interests, when distilled right down to their very basic elements, are religion, money and the pursuit of power.

“I read in one of your magazines”, Woody went on to tell me: “It has been calculated that if the world’s resources were pooled together, there would be no hunger, no drought, no energy shortages and almost certainly no disease.”

Woody is also an avid reader.

We live alongside natural disasters such as earthquakes, flooding and tornados, but nothing that nature throws at us compares with the savagery and selfish brutality born out of greed, that we Homo sapiens have inflicted on Mother Earth and each other.

Life could be so very simple and fear-free if we just took the time to look around and fully appreciate the bountiful world that we inhabit.

And if I see Kong from the cafe again, I will point out to him in my best manly voice, that the most malevolent vermin on planet Earth is humankind - not furry liddle puddy cats.

24

27th April - 3rd May

money Gibraltar financial expert honoured Credit: HM Government of Gibraltar

PHILL BREAR, Gibraltar’s retiring head of gambling was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gambling Compliance Awards, which was held at the Sheraton Grand hotel in central London.

His years of regulatory service to the sector and the excellence of his work in a changing and challenging sector is what set him apart from his competitors for the award.

The presentation was made at a packed gala event hosted

by Gambling Compliance and attended by gaming firms, professional advisors and service providers to the sector.

Gibraltar firms were also successful in other awards made including Playtech and Kindred.

Mr and Mrs Brear and his successor Andrew Lyman and Mrs Lyman were hosted by Peter Montegriffo and Peter Isola in a joint Hassans/Isolas table.

Minister Isola commented, “this is recognition from an in-

RECOGNITION: Presentation of the award. dependent body, of what we all in Gibraltar already know;

Mr Brear has been an outstanding contributor to our

success as a gaming jurisdiction, and more widely has been a key driver to the online gaming model as it has evolved and developed these past 10 years.

“Regulators like Phill are an unusual breed; expert in this area, frank and open in his deliberations and pragmatic and proportionate in his approach.

“This with his integrity, has contributed hugely to the respect he enjoys, not just in the sector or its professionals, but with the ministers and chief ministers he has served since his appointment.

“We are fortunate to have him continue to work with us, despite his retirement, to support his successor and the jurisdiction.”

Britain may be excluded from Galileo AN unexpected development of Brexit may see Britain having to spend an unbudgeted £5 billion (€5.5 billion) to develop its own satellite navigation system away from Europe’s Galileo.

The UK has already pumped £1.2 billion (€1.3 billion) into the development of the EU rival to the US GPS system, but it has now been told that it is likely to be excluded from future use of the system.

Business Secretary Greg Clark is reportedly taking legal advice as to whether the country can either reclaim the money already spent or preferably continue to be part of the ‘club’ as it is considered to be an important component of security within Europe.

It is suggested by Brussels that if Britain is no longer part of the European Union, then it may not be trusted with secret information about the makeup and future use of the satellite and this has come as blow to the UK armed forces as well as it was expected that they would be able to take advantage of the system.

At the moment, the American system only allows US Forces access to certain programmes within the system and without secure and trustworthy satellite navigation the British armed forces will be pushing for the creation of a UK satellite launch.

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27th April - 3rd May

Mosque plans to go public PILAR DE LA HORADADA Council wants to open a mosque in the municipality and rent it out to members of the Muslim population. At this stage it is only an idea and the government team will be putting the plans out to the public to get a consensus and take the project to the next stage.

They want to open this place of worship as a way to avoid the division that already allegedly exists in the area that sees almost 4,000 Muslims living in Pilar de la Horadada.

The new Von Trapp family?

A MUSICAL family from Orihuela has entered the Guinness Book of Records by being the biggest ever group of musicians from one family to perform together.

An incredible 35 members of the Alfonso family made up of brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, and grandchildren played in the Castellon bullring last weekend.

They also broke another family record on the day by being the largest ‘non-blood’ family to perform together with 15 members that included the grandfather, his four children, their spouses and their seven children.

27

A walk and a run for the AFA Glenn Scott FOR the fifth time, a solidarity walk and race is being held for the AFA Alzheimer’s Association in Torrevieja.

This year’s takes place on Sunday and it’s hoped that more than 200 people will be taking part.

The event was announced by Lidia Navarro and Trudy Paez from the AFA centre in Torrevieja, alongside Councillor Carmen Morate, and its purpose is to raise more funds to help with the day-to-day running of this vital local entity.

Navarro explained that the walk will be over four kilometres and the two races over four and eight kilometres. The events will begin at 10am and those taking part can get their official numbers from 8.30am. Both the start and finishing lines will be placed in front of the Torrevieja Casino.

The director of the AFA took the opportunity to thank all the different businesses for their generosity in sponsoring the event that without such support it wouldn’t be possible

Photo credit: Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja

SOLIDARITY: Carmen Morate (centre) joins representatives of the AFA at the formal launch of Sunday’s event.

to stage.

It’s still not too late to register to take part via website at www.afator revieja.es , on social media or even on the day itself before it starts.

Carmen Morate also encouraged as many local people as possible to

come along and be part of the day.

“Rather than spend Sunday morning visiting your neighbours, come and walk (or run) that little bit further and in doing so you’ll be benefiting your own health alongside helping others,” she said.

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27th April - 3rd May

RTN Life EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

by Darren Parmenter YOU would need to be a certain age to remember the Black and White Minstrels.

Not only were they not-tobe-missed Saturday night TV, they also had a long-running stage show at the prestigious Victoria Palace Theatre in London.

One of the dancing troupe who made up the stage version was Jan Cave Barry, who for the past 14 years has made her home in La Mata, Torrevieja with her husband of 47 years, Jim. Jan has had entertainment and music in her blood since a very early age, as her father was a percussionist... but no ordinary one. He ended up as Principal of Percussion for the Philharmonia Orchestra and a regular performer with the London Symphony Orchestra.

As Jan told the RTN, “I have been dancing since I was three and my parents encouraged me to make a career in the theatre,” and so

From black & white to colour TOGETHER: Jan and Jim.

WORK OF ART: One of Jan’s landscapes.

Jan joined the Arts Educational School (AES) in London at the age of 11 where she was in illustrious company... although at that time she wasn’t to know it.

Among her class were ac-

tors Jane Seymour and Nigel Havers, and when it came to being taught ballet to tap to jazz to modern, who better to have as teachers than Ben Stevenson and Dame Beryl Grey.

During her time at the AES, Jan gained a role in pantomime and worked with Tommy Trinder and Bruce Forsyth. “Bruce was a lovely man,” said Jan. “He was very generous... an absolute joy.”

Much to the consternation of the AES, Jan left aged 17 to join the ‘Black and Whites’ and after a time touring with the company around the UK, became resident at the Victoria Palace doing the

Five years, €5,000 LOS AMIGOS, locally known as Sam’s Bar, has been a supporter of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal since Sam took over the bar.

She selected the Royal British Legion as her favoured charity and vowed to raise €5,000 in five years. Originally a favourite h a u n t o f t h e L a M a r i n a b r a n c h , S a m ’s B a r hosted many of their functions and collected for the Poppy Appeal in the process.

After La Marina branch joined with the Gran Alacant branch, Sam continued to collect in the ‘Poppy Boxes’ and by her fifth anniversary in February, she had collected t h e m a g n i f i c e n t s u m o f € 5 , 6 11 , i n c l u d i n g more than €1,500 in the last year alone.

To m a r k t h i s s u p e r b a c h i e v e m e n t , t h e Gran Alacant and La Marina Branch Chairman Robin Hargrave, obtained a certificate from the Royal British Legion to present to Sam’s Bar/Los Amigos.

D u r i n g a b r a n c h l u n c h o u t i n g a t S a m ’s , Robin duly presented the certificate to Sam in the company of the branch members.

The Gran Alacant and La Marina branch of the Royal British Legion meet on the first Monday of the month at 6pm in La Taberna, next to Monte Y Mar Restaurant & Bowls Club, Plaza Mayor, and (Masa Square) Gran Alacant.

There is no need to be ex-service to become a member.

Further details are available by contacting granalacant.secretary@rbl.community or calling 966 695 423 or 639 917 971.

two-shows-a-day, six-daysa-week routine.

After leaving the Minstrels Jan continued her dance career with a mixture of stage and TV work that saw her alongside Norman Wisdom, Barry Humphries, Diana Dors and Michael Palin.

In 1970, she ended up working at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin and when she brushed past a man on the stairs didn’t realise that he would be the person who would share her life for the next 48 years.

She married Jim Barry already an established singer/songwriter in Ireland and continued with her dancing and subsequent career as a choreographer and teacher, somehow finding time to have and raise five children, all of whom have followed their parents to have singing and dancing careers.

“My parents always knew when Jim was home from touring,” said Jan with more than a twinkle in her eye.

Jan and Jim retired to Spain in 2004, but it’s hardly been a retirement. Jan began to write children’s novels and has also appeared to move seamlessly into the world of painting, which now takes up most of her time in the same way as it does her equally talented husband.

“I can’t stand the quiet when I paint,” said Jan, which is probably not a surprise when you consider her background. “I’m happy when I have a TV series or a good film on... but not music.

“My favourite style of painting to do? It has to be woods and water and if I can combine the two, all the better. It’s a challenge,” beamed Jan. There is no doubt that many people would have found a dance career, being an author and a painter, AND raising five children a challenge too... but in her case it’s been a remarkable achievement.

27th April - 3rd May

by Barry Duke

THE books I read and the movies I saw as a kid gave me the impression that Spaniards, indeed all Latinos, were hot-headed and fierytempered. Frequent visits to Spain later convinced me that nothing could be further from reality.

I got into a conversation about the Spanish temperament when a visitor to Benidorm questioned me about my decision to settle here eight years ago. He wanted to know how I managed to adapt to life among ‘foreigners’.

“Most of them are OK,” I replied, “but I prefer living alongside the Spanish.” I was parroting something I’d said to others who asked the same question. Usually, the penny drops immediately, but at other times I’ve had to explain that “YOU will be the foreigner (extranjero), and it’s your choice whether you integrate or live in an expatriate bubble of ignorance as far too many choose to do.”

His next question was “so, what do you like about the Spanish?” I replied it was their calmness, and pointed out that since moving here I have only seen only one street

29

Keep calm dear, you’re in Spain fight. It was between two old geezers in their 80s and it was sparked by dog poo.

When one failed to bag up his dog’s excrement on a seafront walkway, the other, strolling behind, scooped it up with a paper napkin, seized the pooch’s owner, and ground the mess into one of his hands. All hell broke loose. The poodle looked on with mild amusement.

I can cite numerous instances of Spanish tranquillity that would profoundly irritate Brits or Americans, but my favourite was the example set by Santiago Carrillo, leader of Spain’s Communist Party, almost 40 years ago.

On February 23, 1981, around 200 Guardia Civil, in a failed plot to overthrow the government, burst into the Spanish parliament brandishing sub-machine guns. They fired bullets into the ceiling and ordered MPs to lie on the ground.

Carrillo refused; he remained seat-

ed and calmly lit a cigarette.

Carrillo died in 2012 aged 97, suggesting that seven decades of chain-smoking, combined with a determination to always keep cool, might well be the answer to a long and productive life. He attributed his iron constitution to the advice given him in Moscow in 1936 to take an aspirin every day.

The Englishman grilling me then asked whether there was anything in the Spanish make up that ever got up my nose. “Sure, several things but mainly the fact that sometimes their tranquillity is enough to make me hurl a brick through a stained-glass window.”

Case in question: on a hot July day last year, sweating like a sinner in church, I boarded a crowded bus. I was in a desperate hurry to get to my bank before it shut. As I was the last passenger to board, I assumed that we would set off immediately.

No. One other person at the bus

KEEP COOL: Santiago Carrillo. stop shouted to the driver to wait until he’d finished the cigarette he’d just lit. The driver said “vale, tranquillo”, turned on a football broadcast and waited ‘til the fellow had finished his fag.

In any other country, passengers in a sauna on wheels would have gone ballistic and pelted the driver with anything that came to hand, but no one batted an eyelid.

That said, I was hugely thankful a few weeks later for this ‘tranquillidad.’ I spotted a bus a few hundred yards up the road and sprinted to try and board it before it made off (it

was the last one of the evening and I was anxious to get home to walk the dogs.)

To my relief, the driver, with the longest dreadlocks I’d ever seen outside of Brixton, was standing in the street, nonchalantly dragging on a spliff.

“Tranquillo,” he said, flashing me a brilliantly white smile, then, when we boarded, he asked what music I would like him to play.

All I could think of was the Stereophonic’s 2009 number ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. He’d never heard of it, so instead I was treated to 15 minutes of Bob Marley.

Torrevieja U3A take a four-day trip to the north MEMBERS and friends of the Torrevieja U3A recently drove up to Altea for a four-day break where they stayed at the Cap Negret Hotel.

It was obvious that everybody had a great time, walking, talking and taking in the beautiful scenery of nearby Altea as well as Calpe and Benidorm. The full board hotel hospitality and a few days of long awaited sunshine improved the time spent there.

The Torrevieja U3A walking group leaders, together

with a few other members, recently undertook a recce for a couple of possible group walks. One was up to the Orihuela Cross and the official walk for this will be taking place tomorrow (Saturday).

The other advance trip was up and along the ridge at Torremendo, with the official date for this walk still to be decided The views on both these walks were terrific and with a good pair of boots and a brave heart, members will be

Small business request REPRESENTATIVES of the small business trade association COVACO are demanding tighter controls against the larger stores that are allegedly breaking the recently introduced Sunday trading laws in the Valencian Community.

They will also begin to monitor the proliferation of bazaars and convenience stores which open seven-days-a-week as they are unhappy that many of these businesses are taking advantage of certain loopholes in the new legislation.

COVACO also considers that many supermarket chains are abusing the rules on convenience stores that officially prohibit them from opening.

able to enjoy some of the best scenery in the area.

If anyone would like to apply to take part in these types of walks, then visit the website at www.torrevie jau3a.org for further details.

People can also apply to join the U3A on the website to o. M e m b e r s h i p a p p l i c at i o n i s a ve r y s i m p l e process and costs only €5 per year... a bargain price to pay for access to such a wide variety of organised activities.

Cuba’s official appreciation THE Cuban Ambassador to Spain, Gustavo Machin, paid Torrevieja a visit to recognise the work done by the municipality over a number of years in promoting the Habaneras festivals.

The ambassador was keen to highlight ‘the depth of friendship between Cuba and Spain’ as he spoke of the way Torrevieja in particular kept the music of the Habaneras culture through the annual International Contest.

Ambassador Machin presented the city with a diploma signed by the Cuban Minister for Culture to show its appreciation.

FRIDAY 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Heir Hunters 12:45pm The Housing Enforcers 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News at One 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm 800 Words 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Flipping Profit 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News at Six 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Sounds Like Friday Night 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm The Button 10:00pm Have I Got News for You 10:30pm Home from Home 11:00pm BBC News at Ten

5:20am This is BBC Two 7:00am Flog it! Trade Secrets 7:30am Heir Hunters 8:15am Rip Off Britain 9:00am Great Continental Railway Journeys 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 11:00am Snooker 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Snooker 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Britain in Bloom 8:00pm Antiques Road Trip 9:00pm Gardeners' World 10:00pm The City and the City 11:00pm Episodes 11:30pm Newsnight 12:05am Front Row Late 12:35am World Championship Snooker Highlights 1:25am World Championship Snooker - Extra 3:25am Panorama 3:55am Civilisations

9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:25pm Party Election Broadcast 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Love Your Garden 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Lethal Weapon 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:45pm The Keith and Paddy Picture Show 12:15am Through the Keyhole

11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm

9:00am Absolute Genius: Monster Builds 9:30am Beyond Bionic 10:00am Robot Wars 11:00am Snooker 1:00pm Wanted Down Under 1:45pm Flipping Profit 2:30pm Britain's Biggest War Ship 3:30pm Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge 4:30pm Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge 5:30pm Snooker 6:30pm Britain in Bloom 7:00pm Antiques Road Trip 8:00pm Snooker 9:00pm The Forest 9:30pm Dad's Army 10:00pm Civilisations on Your Doorstep 11:00pm Performance Live: Akala Presents 'the Ruins of Empires'

8:45am 9:00am 9:25am 9:30am 10:25am

Adventure Time Thunderbirds are Go ITV News Zoe Ball on Saturday Saturday Morning with James Martin Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang ITV Lunchtime News ITV Racing: Live from Sandown Tipping Point The Chase ITV Evening News Regional News and Weather Ninja Warrior UK Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule Britain's Got Talent The Keith and Paddy Picture Show ITV News Overboard

7:00am Rude(Ish) Tube 7:30am Rude(Ish) Tube 7:55am Couples Come Dine with Me 8:55am Couples Come Dine with Me 10:00am Made in Chelsea 11:00am Don't Tell the Bride Ireland 12:00pm The Goldbergs 12:30pm The Goldbergs 2:00pm The Goldbergs 2:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 3:00pm Young Sheldon 3:30pm The Big Bang Theory 4:00pm The Big Bang Theory 5:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm The Big Bang Theory 9:00pm Snow White and the Huntsman 11:30pm The Inbetweeners 12:00am The Inbetweeners 12:30am The Inbetweeners

7:35am Gardeners' World More handy horticultural tips from the gardening experts.

8:35am Countryfile 9:30am The Beechgrove Garden 10:00am Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 11:00am Snooker 12:00pm Triathlon World Series: Bermuda 1:15pm MOTD2 Extra 2:00pm Snooker 7:00pm Super Fast Falcon 8:00pm Snooker 9:00pm Britain's Biggest War Ship 10:00pm My Year with the Tribe 11:00pm Famalam 11:20pm Josh Widdicombe

11:00am Peston on Sunday 12:00pm Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury 12:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 12:40pm Britain's Got Talent 1:55pm Britain's Got More Talent 2:55pm Britain's Brightest Family 3:25pm Ninja Warrior UK 4:30pm Paul O'grady: For the Love of Dogs 5:00pm The Real Camilla: Hrh the Duchess of Cornwall 6:00pm The Chase: Celebrity Special 7:00pm Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule 7:30pm ITV Evening News 7:45pm Regional News and Weather

9:30am Made in Chelsea 10:35am Couples Come Dine with Me 11:35am Couples Come Dine with Me 12:35pm Animals United 2:30pm The Goldbergs 3:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 3:30pm The Big Bang Theory 4:00pm The Big Bang Theory 4:30pm The Big Bang Theory 5:00pm The Big Bang Theory 5:30pm The Big Bang Theory 6:00pm The Big Bang Theory 6:30pm The Big Bang Theory 7:00pm Young Sheldon 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters 10:00pm Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 11:00pm The Inbetweeners 11:35pm The Inbetweeners

3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm

2 Broke Girls 2 Broke Girls Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Extreme Cake Makers The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Red 2

6:30am

The Great Wall: Special 7:00am Lou 7:15am Rampage: Special 7:45am Palm Swings 9:30am Rough Night 11:25am The Dark Tower 1:15pm Girls Trip 3:20pm The Wizard - An American Wrestler 5:30pm Gifted 7:20pm The Dark Tower Adaptation of Stephen King's fantasy saga about a mysterious gunslinger locked in an ages-old battle with sinister sorcerer the Man in Black.

9:00pm Girls Trip 11:10pm Rough Night 1:00am Palm Swings 2:55am Broken Vows 4:40am Sky

12:45pm SPFL Greatest Games 1:00pm La Liga Show 1:30pm EFL Matters 2:00pm La Liga Icons 2:15pm La Liga Icons 2:30pm La Liga Icons 2:45pm La Liga Icons 3:00pm La Liga Show 3:30pm EFL Matters 4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:15pm Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 5:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm La Liga Preview 7:00pm SPFL Matters 7:30pm EFL Matters 8:00pm Football 11:15pm SPFL Matters

6:35am House Doctor 7:00am Milkshake!

10:55am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:30am The Gadget Show 12:30pm Police Interceptors 1:30pm Police Interceptors 2:25pm Police Interceptors 3:30pm Live Premiership Rugby 6:15pm World's Scariest Animal Attacks 7:00pm World's Deadliest Weather 8:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

9:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm Football on 5 11:00pm Football on 5 11:30pm Criminals Caught on Camera 12:25am Fergie v Wenger: The Feud

4:40am Sky 6:30am Moana: Special 7:00am The Wizard - An American Wrestler 9:10am Gifted 11:00am Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 12:45pm Top Ten Show, the 2018 1:00pm Girls Trip 3:15pm The Dark Tower 5:05pm The Wizard - An American Wrestler 7:15pm Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 9:00pm Girls Trip 11:10pm The Dark Tower 12:50am Rough Night 2:40am Palm Swings 4:35am Sheikh Jackson

7:00am Football 10:15am Scottish Cup Greatest Games 10:30am SPFL Matters 11:00am Soccer A.M. 12:30pm SPFL Matters 1:00pm Football 3:30pm Gillette Soccer Saturday 4:15pm Gillette Soccer Saturday 6:15pm Football 8:40pm Football 10:45pm EFL Goals: Championship 11:15pm The Best La Liga Goals 2016/17 12:15am La Liga Icons 12:30am La Liga Icons 12:45am La Liga Icons 1:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 1:15am Football 3:40am EFL Greatest Games 4:00am Football Years

10:40am Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 11:15am Football on 5 The Championship.

12:10pm Football on 5 Goal Rush.

12:45pm FIA Formula E Highlights 1:50pm Police Interceptors 2:50pm Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 4:35pm Zookeeper 6:25pm Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 8:00pm Biggest Dog in the World 9:00pm Before They Were Stars 9:55pm 5 News 10:00pm Greatest TV Talent Show Moments 1:00am Greatest Ever Celebrity Wind Ups

6:30am The Great Wall: Special 7:00am Gifted 9:00am The Wizard - An American Wrestler 11:10am Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 12:45pm Girls Trip 2:50pm Rough Night Things get badly out of hand when five college friends reunite for a wild bachelorette weekend.

4:35pm The Dark Tower 6:15pm Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 7:50pm Girls Trip 10:00pm Brawl in Cell Block 99 12:25am The Dark Tower 2:15am Rough Night

9:00am La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 9:15am La Liga Greatest Games 9:30am EFL Goals: Championship 10:00am EFL Goals: League One and League Two 10:30am Sunday Supplement 12:00pm SPFL Greatest Games 12:15pm SPFL Greatest Games 12:30pm Football 3:15pm The Best La Liga Goals 2016/17 4:10pm Football 6:15pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:25pm Football 8:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:40pm Football 10:45pm Football 12:00am Football

9:05am 9:20am 9:35am 9:55am 10:05am 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

Paw Patrol Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Mofy The Wright Stuff Paddington Station 24/7 5 News Lunchtime GPs: Behind Closed Doors Home and Away Neighbours NCIS The Nightmare Nanny 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight The Gadget Show Britain's Great Cathedrals, with Tony Robinson Portillo's Hidden History of Britain

SATURDAY 11:00am Saturday Kitchen Live 12:30pm Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure 1:00pm Football Focus 2:00pm BBC News 2:10pm Weather 2:15pm Snooker 5:30pm Final Score 6:20pm A Question of Sport 6:50pm Celebrity Mastermind 7:20pm Ready or Not 7:50pm BBC News 8:00pm Regional News 8:05pm Weather 8:10pm Pointless 9:00pm Who Dares Wins 9:40pm Casualty 10:30pm Mrs. Brown's Boys 11:00pm BBC News 11:15pm Weather 11:20pm Match of the Day 12:45am The Button

12:20pm 2:20pm 2:30pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:15pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:15pm 10:45pm 11:05pm

SUNDAY 2:00pm BBC News 2:10pm Weather for the Week Ahead 2:15pm Bargain Hunt 3:00pm The Truth About Obesity 4:00pm Britain's Fat Fight with Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall 5:00pm Points of View 5:15pm Songs of Praise 5:50pm Pointless 6:35pm BBC News 6:50pm Regional News 6:55pm Weather 7:00pm The Big Painting Challenge 8:00pm Countryfile 9:00pm Antiques Roadshow 10:00pm The Woman in White

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

MONDAY 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm A1: Britain's Longest Road 12:45pm The Housing Enforcers 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm 800 Words 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Flipping Profit 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm Civilisations Stories 9:00pm EastEnders 9:30pm Panorama 10:00pm The Woman in White 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News

5:10am 7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:05am 3:05am 4:00am

This is BBC Two Flog It! Heir Hunters Rip Off Britain Hugh's Wild West Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Week in Parliament The Daily Politics Snooker Eggheads Britain in Bloom Snooker Only Connect Coast Lives Secret Agent Selection : Ww2 QI Newsnight World Championship Snooker Highlights World Championship Snooker - Extra Countryfile MasterChef

10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm Regional News and Weather 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Regional News and Weather 7:25pm Party Election Broadcast 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Give it a Year 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm The Royal Wives of Windsor 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather 11:30pm Regional News and Weather

Flog It! Neighbourhood Blues The Super League Show Sea Cities Victoria Derbyshire Snooker The Daily Politics Snooker Eggheads Britain in Bloom Snooker Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge Hospital Cunk on Britain Newsnight World Championship Snooker Highlights World Championship Snooker - Extra

10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm Regional News and Weather 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Tenable 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm Regional News and Weather 7:20pm Party Election Broadcast 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Devon and Cornwall Cops 9:00pm This Time Next Year 10:00pm The Royal Wives of Windsor 11:00pm ITV News at Ten and Weather

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

New Girl 2 Broke Girls Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Extreme Cake Makers The Big Bang Theory Young Sheldon Made in Chelsea Don't Tell the Bride Ireland The Big Bang Theory

9:05am 9:20am 9:35am 9:55am 10:05am 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

Paw Patrol Floogals Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Mofy The Wright Stuff Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

5 News Lunchtime The Gadget Show Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Deadly Dance Mom 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights Police Interceptors Paddington Station 24/7 Britain's Cocaine Epidemic Gangland

7:00am

The Wizard - An American Wrestler 9:10am Top Ten Show, the 2018 9:30am Rough Night 11:30am Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 1:15pm Where's the Money 3:00pm Girls Trip 5:15pm Broken Vows 7:00pm Top Ten Show, the 2018 7:15pm Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 9:00pm Girls Trip 11:10pm Where's the Money become the first African-American member of an allwhite fraternity.

12:40am Brawl in Cell Block 99 2:55am Palm Swings 4:40am Rough Night

10:30am La Liga Greatest Games 10:45am La Liga Greatest Games 11:00am Football 1:05pm Football 3:10pm Football 5:15pm La Liga Icons 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 5:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm La Liga Highlights: Barcelona 7:15pm La Liga Highlights: Real Madrid 7:30pm Football's Greatest 8:00pm Soccer A.M. 8:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 8:40pm La Liga Icons 8:55pm Info not available 11:00pm SPFL Round Up 2017/18

Digby Dragon Rusty Rivets Mofy The Wright Stuff Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

5 News Lunchtime GPs: Behind Closed Doors Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Running for Her Life 5 News at 5 Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight World Rally Championship 2018 The Yorkshire Vet British Airways Missing: Flight Mh370 - Inside the Situation Room

4:40am Rough Night 6:30am Ready Player One: Special 7:00am Palm Swings 8:50am The Wizard - An American Wrestler 11:00am Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 12:35pm Happy Birthday, Toby Simpson 2:10pm Girls Trip 4:20pm Where's the Money 5:50pm Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 7:30pm Happy Birthday, Toby Simpson 9:00pm Girls Trip 11:10pm Brawl in Cell Block 99 1:30am Where's the Money

2:00pm 2:15pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 4:30pm

TUESDAY 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm A1: Britain's Longest Road 12:45pm The Housing Enforcers 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm Regional News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm 800 Words 4:00pm Escape to the Country 4:45pm Flipping Profit 5:30pm Flog It! 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm Regional News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Holby City 10:00pm The Split 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm Regional News

7:00am 7:30am 8:10am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 1:00pm 2:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:05am

11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 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 9:30pm

2 Broke Girls Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother New Girl New Girl Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Extreme Cake Makers The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory

9:35am 9:55am 10:05am 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

5:00pm 5:30pm 5:45pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:15pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:30pm

La Liga Icons La Liga Icons Revista de la Liga Eredivisie Football's Greatest Football's Greatest Teams Scottish Cup Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games La Liga Greatest Games Revista de la Liga Eredivisie MLS Round Up Show SPFL Round Up 2017/18 SPFL Greatest Games Football Years Revista de la Liga Eredivisie Revista de la Liga

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

32

27th April - 3rd May

WEDNESDAY 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm

11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 11:45pm 12:15am

Flipping Profit Flog It! Pointless BBC News Regional News The One Show Watchdog Live Britain's Fat Fight with Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall BBC News Regional News Weather A Question of Sport Ambulance

2:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:10am 12:15am 1:05am 3:05am 3:35am 4:35am

Snooker Eggheads Britain in Bloom Snooker Top of the Shop with Tom Kerridge Love in the Countryside Detectorists Newsnight Weather Snooker Snooker See Hear MasterChef Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago

6:00pm 7:00pm

Snooker Eggheads Britain in Bloom Snooker World's Most Extraordinary Homes Syria: The World's War Match of the Day Newsnight World Championship Snooker Highlights Secret Agent Selection: WW2 Josh Widdicombe

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

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

The Chase Regional News and Weather ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street Info not available Coronation Street Benidorm ITV News at Ten and Weather Regional News and Weather UEFA Champions League Highlights Play to the Whistle

3:30pm

How I Met Your Mother 4:00pm New Girl 4:30pm New Girl 5:00pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 5:30pm Brooklyn Nine-Nine 6:00pm The Goldbergs 6:30pm The Goldbergs 7:00pm The Big Bang Theory 7:30pm The Big Bang Theory 8:00pm Hollyoaks 8:30pm Extreme Cake Makers 9:00pm The Goldbergs 9:30pm The Big Bang Theory 10:00pm Timeless 11:00pm Naked Attraction

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

5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Police Interceptors GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Rich House, Poor House 11:00pm Billionaire Babies: 24 Carat Kids 12:05am Named and Shamed 1:05am Celeb Trolls: We're Coming to Get You 2:00am Super Casino 4:10am GPs: Behind Closed Doors

4:30am 6:30am

Sky The Great Wall: Special 7:00am Growing Up Smith 9:00am Ready Player One: Special 9:30am Rough Night 11:30am Broken Vows 1:15pm The Dark Tower 3:05pm The Wizard - An American Wrestler 5:15pm Gifted 7:10pm Rough Night 9:00pm The Dark Tower 10:45pm Sheikh Jackson 12:30am Broken Vows 2:15am Sky

Scottish Cup Greatest Games 5:30pm La Liga Greatest Games 5:45pm La Liga Greatest Games 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Revista de la Liga 7:30pm La Liga World 8:00pm Magical Messi 9:00pm Revista de la Liga 9:30pm La Liga World 10:00pm Eredivisie 11:00pm The Debate - Live 12:00am La Liga Icons

3:15pm 4:15pm

7:00am Happy Birthday, Toby Simpson 8:35am Where's the Money 10:15am Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 12:00pm Girls Trip 2:10pm Austin Found 4:10pm Happy Birthday, Toby Simpson 5:45pm Where's the Money 7:20pm Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 9:00pm Girls Trip 11:10pm Austin Found 1:10am Brawl in Cell Block 99

4:00pm Football's Greatest 4:30pm Football's Greatest Teams 5:00pm Championship Season Reviews 6:00pm Football Years 6:30pm Football Countdowns 7:00pm Championship Season Reviews 8:00pm EFL Matters 8:30pm EFL Greatest Games 9:00pm Football's Greatest 10:00pm Championship Season Reviews 11:00pm The Debate - Live 12:00am La Liga Show

5:15pm

THURSDAY 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

Flipping Profit Flog It! Pointless BBC News at Six BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Britain's Best Home Cook Ambulance BBC News at Ten BBC London News Question Time Election 2018

2:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:15am 1:05am 2:05am

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

The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Tonight Emmerdale Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs Prince Harry's Story: Four Royal Weddings ITV News at Ten and Weather ITV News London UEFA Europa League Highlights

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm 11:35pm 12:10am

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Brooklyn Nine-Nine The Goldbergs The Goldbergs The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory Hollyoaks Extreme Cake Makers The Big Bang Theory Young Sheldon Brooklyn Nine-Nine Let's Get Physical The Inbetweeners The Windsors The Big Bang Theory

NCIS Murder, She Baked: A Deadly Recipe 6:00pm 5 News at 5 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door 9:00pm Bad Tenants, Rogue Landlords 10:00pm Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!

11:00pm Undercover: Nailing the Fraudsters

this week weather FRI

SAT

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

THU

April 27

April 28

April 29

April 30

May 1

May 2

May 3

22º/13ºC 22º/11ºC 21º/11ºC 17º/9ºC 19º/12ºC 20º/12ºC 20º/10ºC Rain

Partly sunny

Partly sunny

Cloudy and a little rain

Partly sunny

Cloudy and Cloudy and a little rain a little rain

The schedules for the television programme pages are provided by an external company: we regret that any changes or errors are not the responsibility of RTN.

34

27th April - 3rd May

Puzzles Code Breaker Kenny Corris I For Readings, Consultations and Castings email: kennycorris@hotmailcom / www.kennycorris.net Mobile: 686 361 594 / Tel: 965 878 424

Play on Words

Answers: One good turn. A large (big) overdraft.

Mars squares Kora and there may be a small glitch in some advanced plan you have in mind. Be prepared for minor changes and enlist back up, forewarned is forearmed. Just lately you have taken things on that expand your consciousness and this has shown you what you are capable of, and given you a well/deserved lease of life.

Word Wheel The goal of a word wheel puzzle is to create as many words possible with the letters in the word wheel. You can only use each letter once and every word must have the letter in the centre of the wheel.

Can you find the 9 letter word?

Saturn’s influence on Venus this week serves to delay temporarily actions from your heart. You are a loving and caring person, but you are not about to be abused in any way too.

Those who truly love you would never ever think of treating you in any shabby way. See beyond a request because here there is more than meets the eye.

Clearly somebody has their wires crossed right now, and you have to utterly assure them of your absolute good intentions. After the Mercury trine with Ceres there comes a time to open all channels of communication and whilst you are at it, ensure that the message goes out loud and clear… you are not to be messed with!

A time for contemplation and regeneration. Rather than a customary domicile within your protective shell take time to see what’s really going on right now, and what part you could play in the subsequent positive action that ensues.

Moon magic will open your heart this week, and do not find yourself saying no, when yes suits much better.

Your planetary leader takes on both Saturn, bringer of wisdom, and Ceres, governess of time. Spend your time wisely this week as things become clearer now, and this clarity brings you an opening, that you are waiting patiently for, but now have to expedite. Don’t wait for things to happen, go out there and make sure that they do!

Accept that whilst you have been hurt by recent actions, that now comes the time to set the record straight and to enlighten those who seem to want to judge you right now.

As an Earth sign you have both feet firmly on the ground, but the time has come to put your cards on the table and to selectively take on that which you can.

Libra is the sign of partnerships and you need somebody by your side this week. Secretly you need to let go and just do something you are seeking advice about. Look to your opposing sign of Aries to see that you need to take a page out of the book to achieve that which you very well could.

End the struggle and put yourself first.

Mars has recently actioned Pluto and this has brought something forward in your agenda. Pluto’s dogged determination and the frenetic energy of Mars gives you the power you need to succeed on a new and exciting venture.

Don’t dream it, be it! Open the door to the new and forget the past, you are free and enabled and ready, at last!

The Sun in Taurus aspects a tightening of the belt where money is concerned this week. The strain on finances is never more obvious than now, especially since unexpected financial outlays have seen savings dwindle. Mercury begins the month of May in a positive and inspiring way, so take an advantage whenever you can.

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 21 represents N and 22 represents J, so fill in N every time the figure 21 appears and J every time the figure 22 appears. 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.

Kenny’s Postbag Kenny, I am wondering when you are next coming to the Torrevieja area? I had a reading with you in San Miguel de Salinas a few years ago. It would be lovely to see you again!

Miranda D. Miranda, why don’t you organise some readings with me with your neighbours, family and friends? That’s the best way of getting your reading even quicker. I can travel, but to do this just for one reading makes the cost prohibitive. Call me for any further details. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kenny Corris

With Mercury in a square position there comes a warning regarding aspects of your professional life, and communication, especially with close friends and family. You may seem to have to work harder than ever, but your positive energies will inspire and others will end up thanking you for your positive and inspiring input.

Don't forget to email or message me with your Postbag Questions!. Check out my new website: www.kennycorris.net

Every cloud has a silver lining and whatever you are doing right now it is having a significantly learning influence on decisions and assisting you in taking the right actions. Those who keep close to you right now truly do have your very best interest at heart. Saturn trines with the Sun to bring about those changes deep within you.

For Birthday Celebrants

Be assertive and boost that self/confidence. You are who you are and you are loved because of your honesty and simplicity. Your openness and creativity are themselves a true inspiration to others. Mercury starts May with a calm energy entering your career and communication centres bringing opportunities too good to miss.

Take the time to clear away negative aspects this Astrological year and bring in the positive with a clear call for the abundance you both need and deserve. Ask for nothing and nothing is just what you get! Rewards may be slow in coming but they are out there!

The 9 letter word is:

Kakuro Fill all the empty squares using the numbers 1 to 9, so that the sum of each horizontal block equals the ‘clue’ on its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the clue on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once.

27th April - 3rd May

35

More Puzzles Cryptic

Across 1 Element from uncommon planet (4,5) 8 Crude oil’s in store (4) 9 A cat and a lion wandering in Spain (9) 10 Cancel Royal Engineer’s ding-dong (6) 13 Harridan’s dead crafty (6) 15 Outer form, of course (5) 16 A healer from an insecure relationship (5) 17 Grant given to a section of a hospital (5) 18 Film award for first one seen crying about refugees (5) 21 Celebrity new owner has changed (6) 22 Formal and avant-garde art seen in school (6) 25 True novel about an unpaid worker (9) 26 Cocktail after meal in wood (4) 27 Drink to the crashing of Beetle car (9)

English - Spanish

Futoshiki

Down 2 Conscious of a town in Herts (5) 3 Venezuela teacher demonstrates lift (5) 4 Some take a poll on who is God (6) 5 Dehydration results from a scruffy T-shirt (6) 6 Raids pier by mistake, as it’s in poor shape (9) 7 Amassed a crowd outside Germany (7) 11 Repeated and rewritten in real pen (9) 12 A royal dispute for a missile (5) 14 Listen to team leader with compassion (5) 16 Greek city in the Adriatic or in Thessaly (7) 19 Doze off while ozone’s dispersed (6) 20 Take for granted cook amuses (6) 23 Change old German sovereign (5) 24 Charlie and Henry eat shark (5)

Fill in the squares so that each digit from 1 to 6 occurs exactly once in each row and column. Greater-than and less-than signs indicate the relationship of the two adjacent squares. There is only one solution, and you can find it without guessing.

The clues are mixed, some clues are in Spanish and some are in English.

Across 2 Chairs (6) 5 Supper (4) 6 Well (for water) (4) 7 Wall (interior) (5) 10 Palabras (5) 13 Thing (object) (4) 14 Side (of person) (4) 15 Slice (6)

Down 1 Silk (4) 2 Venta (4) 3 To rain (6) 4 Piedras (6) 7 Lápiz (6) 8 Pasa (6) 9 Rocío (3) 11 Pan (for cooking) (4) 12 Doubt (4)

Quick

Across 1 Young swan (6) 4 Tedious (6) 9 Covetousness (7) 10 Blemish (5) 11 Share of something (5) 12 Objectives (7) 13 Rigorous (6) 15 Periodic count of the population (6) 18 Bring to an end (7) 20 Clean with hard rubbing (5) 22 Distinctive, typically pleasant smell: (5) 23 Easily agitated (7) 24 Israeli currency (6) 25 Comes to an end (6) Down 1 Talons (5) 2 Glassworker (7) 3 Expel from a country (5) 5 Watch closely (7) 6 Empty, void (5) 7 First book of the Bible (7) 8 God or goddess (5) 13 Distinguish oneself (7) 14 Assemble in proper sequence (7) 16 Grave (7) 17 Deceive by a mock action (5) 19 Range (5) 20 Rise suddenly (5) 21 Groundwork (5)

Sudoku

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

36

27th April - 3rd May

Foreign aid an international swindle by Michael Walsh

Credit: US Navy

keyboardcosmetics@gmail.com AMIDST savage cuts in Britain’s social services South African President Cyril Ramaphosa returns from his visit to London having trousered £50 million in foreign aid.

South Africa recently passed laws that allow the state seizure of legally held white-owned assets.

No wonder people, who should be paying an interest in politics, avoid the topic even whilst their pockets are plundered; they are bewildered by what is done in their name.

Perception is that foreign aid is an act of charity towards nations less fortunate than our own.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Foreign aid is the elite’s use of taxpayers’ money to enrich themselves; it is a money laundering

FOREIGN AID: Can be a double-edged sword. swindle legitimised by the perpetrators.

The reason Africans are poorer today than they were in 1960 is because fictional aid is a bribe, an inducement, blackmail. It is the imposition of dependence, an accessory to looting a country’s natural assets.

The countries most hooked on providing foreign aid just happen to be running the biggest debts in

the history of mankind. The United States tops the list yet its national debt for the first time has topped $21 trillion.

Why is the world’s most indebted war-economy nation with eyewatering unemployment, poverty, suicides, collapsing infrastructure, civil unrest, disastrous health and education services, etc seemingly the most generous giver?

Britain is drastically cutting welfare, pensions, education, social services. It is a country where merely to step into the streets reveals grinding poverty and misery, social deprivation, inequality, yet the UK is responsible for £1 in every £8 spent in global ‘aid’.

This year the UK increases its already bloated foreign aid budget by £14 billion. If that worries

you then best not to remember that six-seventh’s of the aid iceberg are unseen.

Other clues to look for include overseas development, debt relief, military aid, economic development assistance, disaster assistance relief and suchlike.

What most people believe to be charity is investment by the elite with the obligation to return investment in manufacturing and corporate services in which they hold substantial shares. It also secures access to natural resources in which the elite have an interest.

Foreign aid greases the palms of arms-buying oligarchs and opens doors to natural resources in which the elite invest. In effect, politicians use your money to invest in lucrative ventures including the arms trade.

This is why 77.7 per cent of parliamentarians are millionaires, many are multi-millionaires in a country where only 0.07 per cent of the population have assets exceeding £1 million.

Duplicitous parliamentarians occasionally protest but then like pigs to the trough they do whatever is necessary to enrich themselves by perpetuating poverty.

Mike Walsh’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers advertisers or sponsors.

27th April - 3rd May Basic Spanish for everyday needs

by Jane Cronin

I SEEM to have found a new mission in life. Only a few years ago everyone wanted to know how to buy fruit and veg in the market, how to order food and drink and how to identify cuts of meat. I was pretty good at the first two, never so good at the dead animal thing, but I managed to make a living out of going over and over basic phrases to help people ‘get by’ in Spanish.

In recent years there has been a dramatic change in my working life on many fronts, but one of them is to do with the type of Spanish language people are now wishing to learn.

Most of the people I come into contact with have managed to get by in Spain for a year or two and are now

37

Introduction to present keen to move forward and understand the language in more depth.

I put this change partly down to the shortage of new English-speaking people moving to Spain at present, but mostly because the ones who have been here for some time seem to have got themselves into a huge muddle about grammar. So now I spend most of my time trying to sort them out, and getting the message across that Spanish grammar isn’t as difficult as it looks - it’s just different!

In view of this, we’re now going to look at one of the most basic aspects of Spanish grammar which is the verb in the ‘present simple’ tense. In English this simply means saying things like ‘I go, you go, he goes, we go, they go’ and so on, for every verb you can think of.

We m a i n l y u s e t h i s t e n s e t o t a l k about things that are habitual or part of our daily routine (I get up at 7am, I

start work at 9am etc). We also use it to describe general truths about the world. (The sun rises in the east; the world is round, my mother lives in Wales). In Spanish it has one or two more uses, but all I’m concerned about for now is that we all know what we’re talking about.

Now if you look at our English example again (I go, you go, he goes, we go, they go) you will notice that we make no changes to the word ‘go’ at all, apart from ‘he goes’ and ‘she goes’. To communicate the information about ‘who goes’ we have to place the person word, in front - ‘I, you, he, she, we and they’. In grammar these person words are called ‘personal subject pronouns’, although you don’t need to know that to use them.

Now the Spanish language does all this rather differently, because that word ‘go’, and every other verb as well, changes in form depending on

‘who’ is performing the action. Also, because of this change of form, it is not that important to place a person word in front. The form of the verb itself gives us the information about ‘who’ by the way it has changed.

L e t ’s l o o k a t a n e x a m p l e w e a l l (hopefully) recognise, so that you know what I mean. ‘Tengo’ - most of us know by now means ‘I have’ and ‘tienes’ means ‘you have’ in the familiar form. If we wanted to be more complete we would say ‘yo tengo’ (I have) and ‘tú tienes’ (you have) as ‘yo’ means ‘I’ and ‘tú’ is the familiar word for ‘you’.

However, because the words ‘tengo’ and ‘tienes’ are completely different from each other and recognisable, the Spanish do not usually bother adding the person words as well, unless they want to be particularly emphatic.

This is basically why English-speaking people find Spanish verbs so difficult: it is because they function in a fundamentally different way from English.

My mission over the next few weeks then is to explain how they do work and hopefully dispel some of those clouds of confusion that have accumulated over the years!

38

27th April - 3rd May

health ONE in five Spaniards suffer some type of chronic pain, but 45 per cent of them do not go to a doctor to help alleviate their condition.

That’s according to the Spanish Society of Pain (SED), on the occasion of World Day of Pain.

According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), chronic pain is a sensory or emotionally unpleasant experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that when it becomes a chronic disease, its treatment is a ‘human right.’

One of the main problems is that when not treated effectively it can cause depression, social withdrawal, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, and can even increase cardiovascular risk.

In addition, pain is the most common cause of absenteeism in Spain, and more money should be spent on dealing with it.

Joint pain is the most common type of ailment, and osteoarthritis is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the elderly population.

The SED said there is often no cure but there are therapies that can improve the quality of life.

They call for more training about pain for medical professionals.

Pain won’t go away but can be eased JOINT PAIN: The most common cause of absenteeism in Spaniards.

Painkillers could affect your nurturing THOSE addicted to painkillers may not find babies cute. While this may not seem a big deal, doctors claim this is a dangerous sign of how drugs can manipulate the brain.

The human tendency to find babies cute stems from our drive to nurture and protect, but a study by the University of Pennsylvania (USA) found that babies do not trigger any emotional reaction in addicts.

The researchers said that opioids prescribed for pain are some of the most common medications in the world, but they appear to change the brain’s response to baby cuteness, which may change the motivation to care for others and could mean a more serious cognitive imbalance.

Addiction to opioids, both illicit drugs such as heroin and pain treatments, affects over four million people in the USA. Their use is often associated with reduced responses to natural rewards, as well as abnormal social behaviour, but could also affect basic human instincts, according to the study.

IVF found to cut birth defects risk for older mothers A STUDY has found that women aged 40 or over are less likely to have babies with birth defects if they conceive by IVF. Older women have a higher risk of babies with conditions such as Down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy, but a study’s findings suggest that IVF children born to older women have less than half the risk of birth abnormalities than those conceived naturally.

The study looked at births in south Australia from 1986 to 2002 and found birth defects in 3.6 per cent of babies born to women aged 40-plus using IVF. This compared with 5.7 per cent for all naturally conceived births.

The researchers said this implies a previously ‘undescribed protective mechanism’ but could only speculate as to why.

The findings cannot be attributed to the use of donor eggs from younger women as this was excluded from the study.

IVF: Fewer birth defects for older mothers conceiving in this way.

40

27th April - 3rd May

home & garden

L AV E N D E R i s a m u s t for every Mediterranean garden design to be complete.

It is a native plant to the region and the naturally occurring species are perfectly adapted to the alkaline soils, summer sun and periods of low rainfall.

This is a great plus for one of the most pleasantly fragrant small shrubs with natural oils which are very soothing and relaxing due to the aroma emitted from the whole plant.

The bluish to violetcoloured flowers are a rarer shade of colour for flowers and they are

prominently displayed on long stems extending out from the plant for all to see.

If you grow your own it is very easy to take cuttings and tie a bunch to hang in the house to make the home more fragrant.

Yo u c a n e v e n d r y some bunches briefly in the oven for potpourri and have the benefit of lavender scent permeating the whole house before setting out the jars of potpourri to maintain its presence.

There is a huge range of different varieties of lavender to choose from with the hardiest gener-

ally being the more original species, but the newer selected and developed varieties provide a much broader range of colours and forms.

The Spanish lavend e r, L a v a n d u l a s t o e chas, is a favourite in the ornamental garden for its wonderful scent but the English lavender (Lavandula angustifolias and hybrids) is best for the culinary herb garden.

They love to be in the sun and become scraggly in areas of too much shade where the bushes do not thicken up enough to have dense flowering.

Photo Caption; Cora Mueller Shutterstock

Lavender has so many uses in garden and home FRAGRANT: Lavender has a multitude of uses.

To grow lavender, the natural soils being alkaline in Spain are ideal and just a few handfuls of compost mixed into the surrounding soil may be needed to ensure good drainage, some water retention and nutrients.

Lavender do not like wet feet and too many nutrients promotes growth but fewer flowers. More lavender are killed off by overwater-

ing than dryness as they prefer a dry environment and too much water encourages fungal problems.

To k e e p t h e p l a n t strong, pruning off the spent flower heads is necessary if you haven’t already harvested them for use elsewhere. Usually this is done in autumn all at once as the plants flower uniformly and finish flowering at the

Sweeten up your garden with sugar cane BRIGHT sunny spots in the Mediterranean garden are often a challenge to find plants hardy enough to tolerate

the intense heat and sun and yet be strong enough to resist the cold winter months with shorter day length.

An interesting alternative to the more common species for these zones, which requires minimal maintenance and provides a wonderful food source is sugar cane, Saccharum officinarum.

Sugar cane has been grown commercially in Spain, especially along the Mediterranean coast, for hundreds of years but production declined when it was found to be more economical to grow in the New World after Christopher Columbus took plants there

to grow on the tropical islands off Central America.

For the home gardener it is a great alternative to bamboo as it is less invasive and gives the option of extracting the wonderful sugar cane juice.

The sugar cane plant grows and looks similar to bamboo as it is of a grass family of plants, Poaceae, with stalks of cane growing up to four metres high with a width of five centimetres.

It has wonderful flow-

ering tassels at the top of the canes which are often called arrows due to the flowers form appearing as an arrowhead.

The tassels wave in the wind giving a gentle relaxing rhythm reminiscent of the waves in the sea.

The strap-like leaves are long, a very distinct shade of green and rustle in the wind. The canes can be used like bamboo for making supports in the garden or other structures.

same time so you can wait for the last ones to finish.

If you wish to reduce the size of the plant it is best left until spring, when the plant starts to reshoot, to ensure a quick recovery from the pruning. Normally you should only cut about one third to a half of the plant each season.

If you want to grow them in containers. choose a compact variety. Use a well drained potting mix with at least 10 per cent sand or fine gravel added.

If growing them alone in a container, make the container a minimal size larger than the root ball as excessive pot space invites fungus to move in.

Make sure the container is placed where there is sunlight and if using a drip tray elevate the pot or container a little in the tray so that it does not sit in the excess water.

Lavender provides the ideal atmosphere for relaxing, diddling around and enjoying the Mediterranean garden.

42

27th April - 3rd May

ARCHITECTS

BATHROOMS BATHROOMS CONVERSIONS COSTA BLANCA, CONTACT 698 320 434.

(258561)

CHIMNEY SWEEP PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP. Family business established over 60 years. 660 478 881

BALLROOM CLASSES La Bamba’s - Ballroom Modern/Latin/Argentine Tango/ Sequence Dancing El Paraiso Restaurant, Urb. Jardin del Mar III, 1a, Torrevieja, (near McDonalds & Carrefour). Friday Evenings - starting 4th May 2018 SOCIAL DANCE 8pm 10.30pm. Wednesday Mornings - starting 9th May 2018 New Beginners Class (new beginners welcome every Wednesday) 11am 12pm Intermediate Class 12pm - 13.00pm. Contact Andrea + 34 616 478 157 (278422)

ELECTRICIAN MR. FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434.

(260205)

INSURANCE

BENEFICIAL INSURANCE SERVICES. Car, Home, Business, Travel, Life, Funeral, all insurances available.

Policies in English. BEST rates, covers & service. Immediate quotes. Tel 961 129 215 / 622 275 561, (whatsapp) info@beneficialinsur anceinspain.com or visit www.beneficialinsurancein spain.com for online quote.

UK MOT. All legal and on line. Arrangements made for collection and delivery £400.

Email carsinspain@hotmail.com Tel. 0044 7553367285 (246860)

PLUMBING

POOLS

MR. FIXIT. For all your electrical, plumbing, general & appliance & boiler repairs. No call out charge. 698 320 434.

(257948)

LOCKSMITHS

INTERNET GET YOUR business noticed online! Make sure that expats in Spain can find your product, service, restaurant, bar or shop. Contact Spain’s newest and brightest online directory TODAY. Call 951 386 161 or e-mail mark.w@euroweeklynews. com for more details.

POOL MAINTENANCE Repairs, Spares and Leak Testing. Call 965 725 565 / 676 945 360 www.pooltech spain.com (259394)

REMOVALS/STORAGE

LOCKSMITH

MOTORING

COLUMNIST

MOTORING WE ARE currently the market leader in our country in the sale of firect car, motorbike, home and company fleet insurance. Since we started out in 1995, our philosophy has always been to offer an excellent service with the best prices in the market. For the most competitive quotes in English, call Linea Directa on 902 123 309 (200726).

SPANISH COURSES

MAN AND VAN UK Spain. 2 vans travelling twice a month, Murcia – North / South UK. Storage in Spain Tel 610 846 260 or 0044 751 918 6355 email van.man@hotmail.co.uk (250809)

POOLS

UK-SPAIN-IRELAND. Removals with the personal touch. Pets carried with care 965 696 750 / 0044 (0) 7447 918 589 e-mail chrisy ounge73979@aol.com (255093)

WANTED DIESEL car LHD and motorhome right or LHD wanted. Cash waiting Tel 650 722 905 (255027)

43

27th April - 3rd May PETS

XXX RELAX

REMOVALS & STORAGE

Please note that in Spain there is NO legislation banning adverts in this section. Neither regional nor national governments are able to pass such a law due to rules governing freedom of publication and printing.

Readers of a sensitive disposition may find some of the advertisements in this section offensive.

CASA ANGELA TORREVIEJA. Luxury Private Chalet, parking. Drinks invitation.

Feeling alone? Just want some company? Exotic girls from South America. Call us, come and enjoy! Also Escort Service. Full discretion.

Street: Avenida Asociacion Vistimas del Terrorismo. 609 573 468/ 639 832 118 (257534) SPANISH lady – classic.

Playa Flamenca, private house, 35 years, attractive.

All erotic services, massage, sexy lingerie. From â‚Ź40. Ana 657 603 495 (276980)

SITUATIONS VACANT

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Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Puzzle answers Wordwheel aa ae am an ar at ma na pa ta ama amp ana ane

Cryptic

ant ape apt ara are arm art ate att ear eat era eta mae

Codebreaker man map mar mat nae nam nap pam pan par pat pea ram ran

rap rat tae tam tan tap tar tat tea amen anta ante aper area

atap atma earn etna maar mana mane mara mare mart mate matt mean meat

meta name napa nape neap near neat nema pane pant para pare part pate

Quick

pean pear peat pram prat ramp rant rape rapt rate ream reap tame tamp

tapa tape tara tare tarn tarp tart tate team tear teat tepa tram trap

aetat ament anear antae antra antre apart apnea apter arame arena arepa armet arpen

atman attar manat manta marae mater matte meant menta namer paean parae paten pater

peart praam prate ramen ramet ratan reata reman remap tamer taper tatar tater tetra

tramp trapt treat arpent enrapt entrap mantra marten matter natter parent partan patent patera

patten patter preman ramate rattan ratten tampan tamper tantra tapeta tarpan tartan trapan trepan

Kakuro

Word Ladder FAKE FARE FORE FORK CORK COOK

Sudoku

English-Spanish

Futoshiki

44

27th April - 3rd May

motoring BMW Motorsport continued the development of its new BMW iFE 18 Formula E model with a test at the Calafat circuit in Cataluña.

The race car is equipped with a drivetrain exclusive to BMW, and will compete in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in 2019 in the first series for fully-electric racing cars.

Bruno Spengler was behind the wheel of the iFE 18 at the 3.2-kilometre circuit, and the 2012 DTM champion completed a comprehensive testing programme.

BMW’s first 100 per cent electric car made its world debut in a testing session at its driving academy in Maisach, near Munich recently.

After months of collaboration between production engineers and racing developers, the results are now being seen.

The engine is 50 per cent lighter and 66 per cent more compact than the BMW i3, and the car’s test at Calafat went smoothly.

Driver Bruce Spengler said: “In a project as new as this one, the initial tests are primarily about Credit: BMW Group gaining experience.

“For me,

BMW iFE 18 electrifies the competition as a driver, it is very special to be involved here from the word go and working on the development of a new car is a unique task.”

The 2019 season of Formula E will see BMW join Jaguar Land Rover, MercedesBenz, Nissan, Mahindra, and Porsche AG on the starting grid.

BLACK BEAUTY: The slick yet angled design gives the car a Batmobile look.

27th April - 3rd May

45

motoring KEEN to highlight the custom-made potential of its XSR900 cafe racer, Yamaha is sponsoring a series of ‘yard-built’ motorbikes that take design in new directions.

As part of this, UK company and well-known brand Auto Fabrica is really thinking ahead with its new limited edition Type 11 futuristic racer.

The avant-garde design catches the eye without sacrificing the original power.

Inspired by the shapes and lines of the 50’s and 60’s, the Auto Fabrica team hand-beat the metal for the distinctive forward-canted front bullet shape.

Co-founders Bujar and Gaz Muharremi worked with long-time friend and designer Toby Mellor to develop the exciting prototype.

As the machine is designed for the track, it does not h a v e t o s u ff e r t h e restrictions and practicalities of an every-

Yamaha goes back to the future with its Type 11 motorbike WHEEL PROGRESS: The Yamaha Type 11 has a futuristic and dazzling design.

Credit: Yamaha

day model.

It boasts carbon wheels, specialist brake discs, a hand-made exhaust and an aluminium body.

With 3D printing for component parts becoming an ever-increasing part of engineering, it is perhaps no surprise that the XSR900 features a range of 3D component parts.

Antoin Clemot, product manager of Yamaha Motor Europe, commented: “Witnessing the evolution of this project has been something very special for us.

“Based on an excellent founding vision for a motorcycle, we have achieved an incredible creation that reflects everything the Yamaha Yard Built company believes in.”

Yamaha Motor Europe and Auto Fabrica held a publicity event to introduce the Type 11 at Iris Studios in London last weekend, and the first batches for customers will be delivered this autumn.

Credit: Bonham’s auction hou se

46

27th April - 3rd May

motoring

€2.5 million for a real royal Roadster A VINTAGE BMW that was once owned by King Constantine II of Greece, who is Prince William’s Godfather, is set to sell for a world record €2.5 million.

The white convertible 507 Roadster was acquired by the Greek monarch in 1959, and was one of the most stylish cars of the period.

With just 252 ever produced, the classic car was popular with celebrities including Elvis Presley, Fred Astaire and John Surtees.

If this model sells for its estimated value, it will smash the current record for most expensive roadster by more than €1 million.

Boasting a gleaming white body with chrome trim, a dark leather interior and a classic wooden steering wheel, the V8 engine allows it to reach speeds of 120 mph.

The car was sold by King Constantine in 1961, but has been with its current owner for around 30 years.

It will go under the hammer at Bonham’s Monaco Auctions’ sale on May 11, and the auction house is con-

fident that its link with both British and Greek royalty will boost its value.

Constantine was a keen athlete in his youth and even won a rowing gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, before becoming the last King of Greece and reigning between 1963 and 1974.

A spokesman for Bonham’s said: “Celebrity or Royal provenance always increases interest in a car, and often indicates that it has been well looked after.

“This is a very popular car and they rarely come to public auction, so we are expecting lots of enquiries as the sale approaches.”

ROYALLY ROADWORTHY: The immaculate classic is expected to break records at auction.

Cars that make you paws for thought Credit: Flickr, Ian Bolton

DOGS can be as much a part of a family as children and as they come in all shapes and sizes, it’s worth picking a car that’s right for everyone.

There are five key areas to consider for pet owners: space, suspension, safety, interior and functionality.

Dogs can get travel-sick so it is important to choose a car that rides comfortably and smoothly, and to ensure that the area around the animal is well ventilated.

Other features to be aware of are anchor points in the boot, child locks to stop Rex doing a runner,

PET FRIENDLY: The Land Rover Discovery.

and potentially even installing a dog guard.

Beige upholstery is likely to get dirty with paws, while a tip for getting rid of dog odours is to leave a small bowl of baking soda or charcoal inside the car overnight.

If your pet is on the small side, it is also worth picking a vehicle that does not have a high load lip in the boot, so that they can leap out with ease.

Here are a few good options to think about if you’re a dog owner: Dacia Logan MCV (from €9,700) Don’t let the price of this Dacia model fool you, the

load area and boot room of this budget option rivals that of a car three or four times the price, with 573 litres of space.

Although the overall equipment is fairly basic and the black and grey plastics are not to everyone’s taste, the easy to clean interior makes this an excellent choice for dog owners on a tight budget.

Ford S-Max (from €30,200) This seven-seat MPV is one of Ford’s biggest vehicles on the market, and is perfect for small and large dogs alike.

The back seats can be folded down providing even

more space, and this people carrier handles both motorway journeys and rural country roads with ease.

Skoda Superb Estate (€26,469) This model from the ever-reliable Skoda offers 660-litre capacity and your back can rest easy as the low-loading sill allows your dog to skip into the back with little effort.

There is also the bonus of a four-wheel drive for rural explorers and adventure seekers.

Land Rover Discovery (€52,910) The bulky Land Rover Discovery is obviously a dream for larger pets, and the five fold-down seats give way to a 2,406-litre capacity (with 258 litres of space if all seven seats are in use).

A split tailgate feature makes it easy for your dog to hop on-board and there are a range of accessories eg partitions and boot liners to help keep your car clean from muddy paws.

Sweet success for Porsche’s bee PORSCHE Leipzig is confirming its commitment to nature conservation by establishing a further 25 bee colonies to its buzzing off-road site.

The 132 hectare nature area will be doubling its honey bee population in the process, to around three million.

Chairman of the executive board at Porsche Leipzig, Gerd Rupp, said: “After successfully establishing the first colonies last year, this addition is yet more evidence of our commitment to preserving the animal and plant world.

“This year’s honey harvest will be available from the shop in our customer centre this summer, and will be called, ‘Turbienchen’.”

A harvest of about 1,000 kilograms is expected, and last year’s 400 kilogram bonanza sold out in just a few days.

Bee populations in Germany have been at risk for decades and due to their importance for biodiversity, they are now protected in German law.

Given the lack of suitable habitats for these creatures, the natural areas at Porsche Leipzig provide the ideal living environment for bees throughout the year.

Porsche has been active in Leipzig for the past 18 years and established a sustainable grazing vision from the very beginning.

Specially created ponds, wetlands and pasture areas provide a natural habitat for numerous animal and plant species.

Alongside various types of flora and the bees, the grazing paddocks are home to countless species of birds, frogs, hares and bats as well as 25 wild horses.