The weekender issue 6 marina baixa (benidorm)

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Friday 21st July www.Weekender.News

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MURDER SUSPECTS ARRESTED IN RAIDS

Your car hire around the world!

By Jack Troughton

POLICE swooped in Spain and the UK to arrest four men alleged to be linked to the brutal gangland murder of British man Francis Brennan.

The coordinated raids hit a gang said to be responsible for the abduction and killing of the victim from Liverpool.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

COSTA BLANCA MURDER ARRESTS

By Jack Troughton The 25-year-old´s trussed up and tortured body was washed up on a beach at La Zenia in March 2014. Wrapped in an industrial-sized bin bag bound with duct tape, he had suffered a severe head wound.

Brennan, from Anfield and a lifelong Everton supporter, was snatched from the streets of Javea weeks earlier on January 24th by three men posing as police officers when he was stopped in a friend’s car – he had fled to Spain to avoid a court sentencing for an assault charge the previous October.

It is believed his killing was “a settling of scores” and he owed a debt to a drug trafficking and money laundering gang.

The men arrested in the third stage of ‘Operation Brennan’ are said to be involved with the underworld organisation.

In a joint operation by British police and the Guardia Civil, two men were arrested in Liverpool and two in Javea last Friday for money laundering offences.

No further details were released about the suspects.

However, five homes – two in Liverpool - were searched. Officers seized cash, jewellery, 60kg of drugs and piles of papers.

In Spain three properties were raided;

Body found 3 years ago

kidnap and murder plot, he was linked to drug trafficking and money laundering.

Originally from Romford, Monk was

Raid in Liverpool

police taking away €30,000 and £40,000 in cash, further jewels, and two vehicles.

As part of the operation, police have also blocked bank accounts and property said to be worth €2 million linked to the gang.

And a spokesman for the Guardia Civil said: “The operation carried out over the last three years following a joint operation has culminated in the dismantling of a criminal organization operating in the United Kingdom and the Spanish Levante, which is dedicated to money laundering from criminal activities and responsible for the kidnapping and murder in 2014 in Javea of a British citizen.”

He said the co-operation between the Spanish and British security forces was “fundamental” and involved officers

from both bodies working in teams based in the two countries.

The first arrest in connection with Brennan’s murder was made in December 2014. Paul Scott, 33, was described as the “alleged mastermind” of the killing.

Jailed for 14 years in January 2015 for conspiracy to import 44kg of cocaine, he was arrested at a private airfield in Norfolk after flying into Britain aboard a light aircraft from Holland and carrying a fake Belgian passport.

And in April 2015, 54-year-old Paul Graham Monk was arrested at a Javea villa. Again alleged to be part of the

o n c e one of the 10 most wanted men in Britain, and has Francis Brennan since been jailed for 18 years for his part in smuggling £31 million of cocaine into the UK. At the four bedroom home, police discovered €125,000 in cash hidden in a plant pot, a replica pistol complete with silencers, and documents which led to detective continuing with ‘Operation Brennan’.

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

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THE BBC treated viewers to a four-minute Everyone got a little hot under the collar post-Wimbledon teaser after the men’s singles attempting to be the first to break the news on final on Sunday and unveiled the new and 13th how much the stars earn. On live television, well Doctor Who, bookies’ favourite Jodie Whittaker.

Good Morning Britain, my old mate Piers Morgan jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire by The 35-year-old is the first woman to win breaking the BBC embargo on the story as well the role; the big question is; will she be paid the as claiming a scoop – he later tweeted how he same by Auntie as Peter Capaldi – said to have earns, presum ably a worldwide total and if true, pocketed between £200,000 and £250,000 as a staggering £22.5 million. the 12th Doctor Who. Publishing the stars ´ salaries may or may The Beeb´s annual report was published not upset licence fee payers in the UK, it will on Wednesday and triggered a storm over the certainly put inflationary pressures on the gap between men and women’s earnings; the wage bill. The phones of agents and managers corporation immediately said it was working will be ringin g off the hook as their stable of to close the gap. Overall, it showed 25 men on clients deman d to know why so and so is paid the talent list receive more than £250,000, more than they are. compared to just nine men.

Back to the future; the new Doctor Who It also named the top earning stars: Chris makes her first proper appearance when she Evans makes between £2.2 and £2.25, while the lands the Tardis in a Christmas Special. Jodie highest paid female was Claudia Winkleman, Whittaker has asked fans not to be “scared” (of who earned between £450,000 and £500,000 her gende r). The whole point is to be ready to in 2016-17. leap behind the sofa at the first appearance of a creepy Cyberman.

The Weekender firmly believes in equal pay. The celebs presumably have agents and managers who negotiate a pay packet – Jack Troughton what about something a little more ordinary, Editor - The Weekender researchers or technicians for example? How do their wage slips compare?

The Weekender (Registered Trademark Pending) Editor-In-Cheif Marco Baiardo - Y1153737-W. Deposito Legal - A375-2017. C/Castellion 5 Benidorm, 03500. The Weekender Newspaper, its publishers, members of staff and its agents do not accept responsibility for claims by advertisers nor can it be held responsible for any errors in advertisements which are reproduced from poor

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Scandal hit banker found dead

By Simon Russell

By Simon Russell

THE former boss of Caja Madrid has been found dead on his property near Cordoba in what is a suspected suicide. Miguel Blesa had been sentenced to six years in jail for his role in the Black Cards scandal. Blesa, aged 69, was allowed to stay out of jail while his case went to appeal.

The scandal involved several officials using the

banks cash to fund their own luxurious lifestyles in the bank which has now closed down. If his death does prove to be suicide it will prove a great shock to his friends and family who had no indications that he was thinking of taking his own life.

He was with a friend having breakfast on 19 July and said he needed to get something from his car.

Seconds later there was a gunshot and Blesa’s body

By Simon Russell

was found in his garage with a bullet in the chest

fired from his own hunting rifle.

Spaniard wins Wimbledon

By Simon Russell WITH all the talk this year of a possible home winner at Wimbledon, it was a Spanish player who surprised many to win this year’s championship.

24 year old Garbine Muguruza from Caracas defeated favourite Venus Williams; someone the victorious Muguruza admitted in her post match victory speech has always been her role model.

She is only the second Spanish wom-

HEAT-WAVE BREAKS SPANISH RECORDS

an to win the title, with her current coach Conchita Martinez being the other. However Garbine was in the final two years ago – when she was defeated by Venus’ sister Serena.

Less of a surprise for most was the men’s final with veteran Swiss player Rodger Federer winning his 8th Wimbledon and his 19th Grand Slam title, both records.

There was some consolation for British fans with Andy Murray’s broth-

er Jamie winning the mixed doubles with Martina Hingis while Jordanne Whiley won the wheelchair doubles.

THE Andalucian city of Cordoba registered Spain’s highest ever official temperature on July 13, a sweltering 46.9°C in the shade.

This was recorded at the city’s airport and passed the previous high of 46.6°C back in 1994, also in Cordoba. There have been unofficial readings that surpass these figures, possibly as high as 47.3°C but this now looks set to stand as the new official high mark.

The area around Cordoba has been on red alert for heat for a while with much of the rest of Andalucia on an orange alert along with parts of Valencia, although things have cooled down slightly over the last few days.

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Bus Fire Chaos

By Simon Russell A bus carrying 19 people suddenly caught fire while on its route to Alicante airport.

The driver initially tried to put out the fire himself, but had to call the emergency services as it got out of control. The bus was then evacuated while three fire crews attended the scene and put the flames out.

Understandably the authorities are keen to find out what started the blaze and if there is a chance similar vehicles may be at risk. Thankfully none of the people on the bus at the time of the fire were hurt although one person suffered an anxiety attack. The round-

about at Alicante University and the A-70 motorway, where the incident occurred,

experienced severe delays during the morning rush hour while the bus was made safe.

Game pirateers arrested

By Simon Russell POLICE have raided three “laboratories� that were being used to pirate video games.

These were located in Alicante and Valencia as well as Seville in Andalucia. They also seized 1,000 Micro SD cards and adapters, 1,150 neutralising devices (that allow pirated games to bypass consoles inbuilt protection)

and various terminals and game packs.

The police started the operation after receiving an official complaint from a legitimate games manufacturer concerning the marketing of what they believed to be forged games.

Three individuals have been arrested and

charged with crimes of theft of intellectual property.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Horse meat scandal hits Spain

By Simon Russell THE Dutchman believed to be the ringleader behind a major breach of food standards has been residing in Calpe for several years where it is believed he secretly ran the operation.

The issues first came to light in 2013 when Irish authorities traced horsemeat in what was supposed to be beef-burgers as well as traces of an anti-inflammatory drug called phenylbutazone.

Investigations pointed to the involvement of a Dutch national whose whereabouts were unknown at that time.

Last summer SEPRONA, the Guardia Civil’s environmental protection service, noticed unusual patterns in the Spanish horsemeat market.

An operation they set up led them to find that horses that would not normally be classed as fit for consumption were being slaughtered for their meat, and the

criminal gang were fooling the authorities by forging documents and modifying microchips. The animals were originally from Spain or Portugal and the processed meat was being sent to Belgium, a major exporter of horsemeat.

This 2016 operation led them back to the Dutchman who had originally evaded the authorities in 2013 and who had been living in Calpe which has a high Dutch population. In total 65 people were arrested in Spain and charged with animal abuse, money laundering, and document forgery, perverting the course of justice and being members of an organised crime gang.

The suspected Dutch ringleader was found in Belgium and arrested while operations were also carried out in France, Romania, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. The Guardia Civil operations were based in Alicante and Leon

(Castile and Leon) and helped throughout

by Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency. Early samples from locations such as the slaughterhouses involved indicate that the majority of the tainted meat was sold outside of Spain.

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Assaulted for Nazi tattoo

By Jack Troughton

By Simon Russell

A 29-year-old man was arrested for assaulting an older man after throwing glass bottles at him.

The assault happened in Valencia city centre in the early hours where the accused had been drinking outside. He noticed the 54-year-old and asked him why he had an 88 tattoo, known commonly as a

pro-Nazi symbol but not prohibited.

The older man was confronted and although the assailant’s friends tried to get him to leave he threw bottles resulting in hospitalisation for the 54-year-old with head wounds.

The 88 symbol represents HH for Heil Hitler, H being the eighth letter of the alphabet.

TWO trains on a Madrid theme park rollercoaster ride collided on Sunday afternoon injuring 33 people.

Emergency services said those hurt were taken to hospital for evaluation, the injuries mostly bruising and shock.

Police have launched an investigation at the Parque de Atracciones. The collision

Microsoft meeting

By Jack Troughton

Theme park crash

By Jack Troughton

7

took place on the Tren de la Mina – the Mine train – when one carriage failed to stop after completing its journey around the attraction.

Spanish newspaper El Pais reported the trains can travel at up to 55km/h.

The theme park in the capital’s largest green space Casa de Campo opened in 1969 and its website claims the family ride is the first in Spain to incorporate virtual reality glasses.

A deputy from the A l i c a n t e Provincial Council met with John Frank, Vice President of Microsoft Europe, to discuss how the province could benefit from new technologies.

Adrian Ballester met Mr Frank in Brussels where he is participating in discussions about the European Commission funding for the region.

He took the opportunity to meet the tech giant VP and

they discussed where new technologies could help with energy efficiency, the economy, social development and the environment.

Many of the tools could be used to boost existing projects and universities, big business and business parks could all stand to benefit as well as the state.

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Sting in the tail

By Simon Russell A number of Mediterranean beaches are reporting high numbers of jellyfish currently and advice regarding the creatures has been re-iterated. Obviously avoidance is better than cure, but if you are unlucky enough to be stung you shouldn’t treat the sting with fresh water.

If any tentacles are remaining, remove them with tweezers or a plastic card but avoid rubbing the

area. You should seek medical help if you or the patient are suffering from nausea, headaches or joint pain but in almost all cases the effects will be minor.

Most beaches will have flags in place if there are large numbers of jellyfish in the water, often preventing bathing altogether while they disperse. Often these will be in English as well as Spanish but if they are only in Spanish the word for jellyfish is medusa.

Girl allegedly raped at Benicassim

By Simon Russell THE Guardia Civil are looking into an allegation from a 21-year-old British woman that she was raped at the Benicassim music festival in Castellon province at the weekend.

She said that the assault happened on Torreon Beach at Benicassim, a spot where many festival goers go to rest during the events or even sleep

off the night. However as the assault happened outside of the festival grounds, the organisers are saying that they are in no way responsible, despite expressing their sympathy.

The young woman said she was attacked by a man she believed to be Spanish in the early hours of 15 July, a Saturday. She was treated in hospital for injuries she received and is still talking to the authorities.

Sniffing out drugs

By Simon Russell A sniffer dog located a kilo of hashish in a suitcase on a bus at Alicante’s bus station.

The dog was on a random patrol with its handler when it detected a substance on a 44 year old Spanish man. He admitted to having some hashish for personal use, but when the police insisted on searching his suitcase they found the larger haul.

This consisted of hundreds of small amounts of hashish wrapped in cling-film and clearly

ready for sale and distribution. The man was arrested on charges of possessing drugs and crimes against public health.

The bus was stopping in Alicante en-route from Malaga to its final destination of Barcelona.

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Jack talks

By Jack Troughton BREXIT Secretary David Davis rubbed his hands together and urged both corners in the negotiations over the UK’s departure from the European Union to “get down to business”.

He was in Brussels – briefly – at the start of Round Two of the talks and was pictured (all smiles) with the EU’s champion, chief negotiator Michel Barnier.

Certainly no corner is throwing in the towel. Our man in Brussels declared his priority was to “lift the uncertainty” over the rights of EU citizens living in the UK; and that means things should be made clear to us UK expats over here on the Continent. The 27 members of the heavyweight bloc are boxing clever and calling for substantial progress.

Another week and as the teams put on the gloves once again, Britain’s man praised the good start of the process and said it was time to get to the “substance of the matter; Mr Barnier spoke of delving into the “heart of the matter”.

Feeling left out again are the people at ringside. Manager Theresa May can talk up her opening gambit all she wants but it has received a lukewarm reception in the initial sparring and expats on both sides of the ditch are hardly offering a stand up ovation.

And this fairground boxing can be a little puzzling; possibly to do with the rules of the game.

No holding, scratching,

or (back) biting. Tony Blair popped up during the interval to claim EU leaders might compromise and leave the way open for the UK to stay by making reforms...another ex-PM tried that and fell to a sucker punch.

Mr Blair believes in a second chance to make friends, a kiss and make up; saying Britain needed the majority of EU workers were “people we want” and asked where was the £350 million a week promised by the Leave campaign for the NHS. Answer: vanished up the chimney with other smoke and hot air.

Labour quickly responded.

This time the gloves were off. Jeremy Corbyn said the former leader was entitled to his opinion. Frank Field – a pro-Brexit man – said Mr Blair was “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

Across the party divide, Conservative MEP David Campbell Bannerman made a barbed reference to Mr Blair’s decision to go hand in hand with the USA and enter a much more brutal combat zone, war with Iraq.

He said the assertion Britain could yet find a way to stay within a reformed EU was a “dodgy claim, as opposed to a dodgy dossier.”

He pointed out the troubled history of promised reform.

“We’ve heard all this before.

David Cameron was given such assurances and in the end the EU did nothing for him...if they do nothing for Cameron, they’re not going to do anything for Blair, I’m afraid.”

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Couple kidnapped during night out Jack Russell Troughton ByBy Simon A young Scottish couple have alleged that they were drugged and kidnapped while on holiday in Benidorm recently.

Lucie and Scott Armstrong were drinking in a bar on Bendidorm’s “strip” area popular with British tourists. The next thing they both remember is waking up, stripped to their underwear with cuts and bruises, a long distance away from the villa where they were staying with their two children and Scott’s mother. They were able to make their way back to their villa although they had also been dumped separately; both had been robbed of cash and other possession including clothes.

The couple believe they were drugged, probably with a “date rape” type substance which had been slipped into their drinks by whoever perpetrated the crime. Both experienced complete blackouts from

when they were in the bar until they woke up several hours later and are convinced that spiked drinks are the only explanation.

The incident has been reported to Spanish police who are awaiting the results of a toxicology test. The Foreign Office has also confirmed that they have been contacted and are helping where required.

Earlier this year another British tourist, Liz Dowling from Renfrewshire, alleged that she was also drugged before being beaten and robbed although the police were unable to conclusively identify the substance used.

By SImon Russell

By Simon Russell

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

FLIP FLOPPED Primark recalls cancer causing flip flops It has come to ou r attent ion that the footwear produ ct detailed above does not meet the Primark usual hig h standard s for che mical compliance.

We have found lev els of a restric ted sub stance in the product in excess of the 1.0 mg /kg requirement .

By Simon Russell

BUDGET fashion retailer Primark has recalled a range of flip flops as they have been shown to contain a material that can cause cancer.

The chemical chrysene is listed as having carcinogenic properties and affects a brand of flip flop sold in its stores in the UK between January and June this year.

Primark have said that although the levels found

would not endanger the wearer, they are withdrawing the product as a precaution.

Chrysene irritates the skin and has led to reported cases of skin, lung and liver cancer. Irish retailer Primark has a number of stores in Spain, including the Valencian Community, but they have not announced any similar recall for Spanish consumers.

Product Recall Statement from www.help.primark.com

With the safety of our customers and respec t for the environment at the forefront of ou r mind s we have taken the dec isio n to recall thi s product and are the refore inviting you to return thi s item for a full refund.

The product was our stores from the 20 17 to the 2nd

on sale in 4th January June 20 17.

If you have purchased thi s product then please return it to any Primark store wh ere you will be offered a full refun d. You will not be required to provide proof of purchase.

Drowning figures still rising

By Simon Russell

THERE were four deaths recorded at pools and beaches across the Valencian Community on just one day this week, Monday 17 July.

A seventy year old man drowned on Valencia’s Malvarrosa beach after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest. Another man also had a heart attack on Torrevieja’s Playa del Cura and died at the scene while a third male, aged 76, succumbed to heart failure on the beach at Sueca.

The fourth death was a 77 year old man who was dragged unconscious from a

swimming pool in Javea and never recovered, although the cause of his death is unknown at this time.

The latest victims bring the total of people dying in pools or on beaches this year in the Valencian Community to 31, a huge leap on the eight people who perished in the same period last year. 19 of these were in Alicante, with 10 in Valencia and two in Castellon province.

Across Spain there have been 246 deaths, with Andalucia heading the unenviable list with 45 deaths, nearly 20% of the total.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Out & About

Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

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Six Places Must People

Castillo de Santa Barbara in Alicante

Castillo de San Fernando in Alicante

MUBAG – Museo de Bellas Artes Gravina

On top of the Benacantil mountain visitors will find a giant fort. Wherever people are in Alicante, they can see the Santa Barbara Casle 166 metres above the cityscape. This fortification has been a prime target for conquest throughout history.

Despite constant attacks and destruction, the fort managed to survive the toughest battles, much to the delight of all tourists and history seekers.

The easiest way to get to the fort is to either take the train to Alicante and get off in the harbour, or park your car in the large underground parking garage in the harbour. www.castillodesantabarbara.com

Castillo de San Fernando has been overshadowed by its sister, Castillo de Santa Bárbara Santa. Fernando is considerably more dilapidated and overgrown, but there are beautiful views from here, and visitors get the sights almost to themselves because the castle is less well known.

It is a peaceful and deserted place right in Alicante city and its lion statues that look directly down at the harbour.

Castillo de San Fernando is on a cliff a few hundred metres north of the Plaza de Luceros, and you can easily go up there on your own. Recommended! www.castillosanfernando.org

Museo de Bellas Artes Gravina is located in Alicante city, just north of Plaza Puerto del Mar. It is an art museum housed in a well-preserved Gravina Palace, which was once the private residence of the Count of Lumiares and built around 1700.

A classic art museum, the old mansion is home to more than 500 works of art. They date from the Middle Ages up to the 1920s, and the collection includes work by several of Spain’s most renowned artists.

Open Tuesday – Saturday. From 10.00 to 20.00.

Sunday. 10.00 to 14.00. Monday closed. www.mubag.org

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

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Out & About

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e Must Visit In Alicante

MARQ - Museo Arqueologico Provincial The Museo Arqueológico Provincial is an impressive archaeological museum, which is about 500 metres north of the centre of Alicante.

There are a total of 81,000 small and large objects to see, which collectively represent the area’s history from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. This vast collection has been painstakingly recovered from across the region by archaeologists and it is well worth a visit to cast an eye over the fascinating history housed in a beautiful building Phone: +34 965 149 000 Internet: http://www.marqalicante.com/

Catedral San Nicolás de Bari in Alicante Alicante’s main religious building is Catedral San Nicolás de Bari, which was built between 1616 and 1662. It is located in the old town of El Barrio, in a place where an Arab mosque previously stood.

The footprint is shaped like a Latin cross, and six small side chapels help complete the wonderful architecture. Overhead there is a concave ceiling capped with a beautiful blue dome.

Phone: +34 965 212 662.

Internet: concatedralalicante.com

Promenade Explanada de España in Alicante In the center of Alicante, no one can fail to find the city’s lovely promenade “Explanada d’Espanya.”

Here vistors walk on a pattern of 6.6 million blue, red and cream colored tiles.

Strolling along the promenade, pedestrians will find restaurants, playgrounds, musicians and countless stalls selling handicrafts, art and souvenirs - and nearby visitors can dip their toes in the Mediterranean Sea. Opposite the promenaded, there is the Puerto Viejo with hundreds of boats of all sizes, and with the outside terraces of restaurants and bars, there is always an enjoyable athmosphere. www.alicanteturismo.com

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Just the ticket

By Edward Graham

PICTURES from one of Callosa d’en Sarria’s most important cultural events is to feature on five and a half million lottery tickets across Spain when they go on sale next week.

The lottery; run by the ONCE charitable foundation, is showing images of the Danses de Sant Jaume that are held in the town

every July on the tickets.

The dances themselves are over the weekend of the 21 to 23 July this year - a tradition dating back to 1819.

They are a portrayal of traditional Valencian dance and coincide with the feast of San Jaume, although originally it was regarded as a pagan festival.

Childs play in Benidorm

By Simon Russell

ONE of the world’s largest collections of Playmobil figurines and scenery is currently on display in Benidorm’s Hotel Cimbel.

There are more than 8,000 figures in the collection, put together by Adolfo Cervera and scenes include 19th century London, Arabian

Nights and the Roman Empire.

The display takes up over 100 square meters and has already been on display in Madrid, Valencia and Murcia.

Mr Cervera has been collecting the toys for more than thirty years

and his exhibition aims to be as realistic and authentic as possible, he stated.

Hole lot of trouble

By Simon Russell

A man had to be rescued after falling into a five metre deep ditch in La Cala Villajoyosa.

The rescue required specialist equipment due to the depth of the hole and when he was extracted he was transferred to hospital

as a precautionary measure, although he had no obvious signs of external injury.

The ditch was part of some excavation work being done on Avenida del Mariners, although how the man came to fall in is unknown at this stage.

Binge ban

By Simon Russell

THE Valencian town of Cullera is introducing steps to prevent people being served alcohol that are clearly already the worse for wear.

The town council have said that they are trying to crack down on the problems of binge drinking in the popular resort, a particular problem among the many young Spanish who go there on holiday. Those establishments taking part have sent staff on training courses

to make them aware of signs of intoxication and also how to tell if someone has been taking drugs. It also stressed the importance of not selling alcohol to minors and to not be afraid to ask someone to leave the premises who is drunk.

Councillor Francesca Ortiz said the town was trying to change the mind-set of people who are just going out to get drunk, and also pointed out how often alcohol features in cases of gender abuse and other acts of violence.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

Out & About

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Free bus to free concert!

By Simon Russell THE Youth Councillor for Pilar de la Horadada, Arantxa Martinez, has announced details of the “Luna de Augusto” music festival starting on 14 August at 10pm.

Headliners will be Beauty

Brain with other DJ’s including LalyM and Kevin Edwards also on the bill. There will be a focus on ensuring the event is drug free and special bracelets will need to be worn by minors so that they cannot be served alcohol on the site.

The free festival will be held in the city fairground and there will also be a free bus service picking up at Mil Palmeras, Torre de la Horadada and Campoverde Pinar. The bus is for youngsters only and will have private security on board.

Bullfights in Benidorm MANY people who associate Benidorm with sun, sea and sangria would be surprised to know not only that is has its own bullring, but that watching bullfighting is still a major pastime for many in the city or on holiday. While many British (or Spanish) can think of nothing they would rather do less than attend a bullfight they are still a popular day out for others and the latest event starts on 21 July.

There is a slight Benidorm-style twist to some of the shows with the matadors dressing in authentic Roman gladiator garb and similar outfits to try and create a different spectacle.

Tickets are 12 euros for general admisison, 7 euros for children under 14 years and free for children under 6 who come accompanied by adults. Tickets can be purchased at Plaza de la

Hispanidad kiosk and at the ticket office on Friday the 21st.

There will also be a show on 11 August; visit www.benidorm.org for more details.

Animals provided for BENIDORM’S Town Council have given a grant of €40,000 to the Sociedad Protectora de Plantes and Animales, an animal protection association that operates in the city and elsewhere in the Marina Baixa.

The association have been in operation since 1971 and do a lot

of work with issues such as collecting stray animals and housing them where possible.

The grant recognises both the efforts they make and formalises the approach to animal related issues whereby the association will continue with its efforts in Benidorm.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Out & About

Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

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Coffee Time

By Simon Russell STARBUCK’S, the enormous international coffee chain, has announced it will be opening a third outlet in Alicante city. This one is to be located on La Rambla making it the most central of the cities stores with the other two being located on Paseo de Soto (in the Corte Ingles) and Calle Pintor Aparicio.

There are now over 17,000 Starbuck’s in 50 countries

although the only other outlets in Alicante province are in Torrevieja and at the airport.

The new store joins Kentucky Fried Chicken, Lizarran and 100 Montaditos as the fourth restaurant chain on La Rambla which until recently had none.

Starbuck’s have said before that they aim to position their stores where there is a large percentage of visitors from the UK.

New site in Alicante for Starbucks new store

The robots are coming

By Simon Russell L’ALFAS del Pi has commenced its summer robotics course for youngsters and the response has been so popular that they have already confirmed there will be another course in October.

Staged in the Occupational Training Centre and run by the Department of Education, the course has 18 children attending ranging in age from six to fourteen, all learning how to build their own robot.

The amount of applications far exceeded the places

available, bringing about the need for the second course later in the year.

As well as the fun aspect of the course it is hoped that it will foster an early interest in science, engineering and programming, the three main skills required to build a robot.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

The Bay Leaf Thali Menu for 2 Food | Drink | Leisure | Events

Out & About

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It was time to visit the wellknown Bay Leaf again; the restaurant that everyone is talking about in Albir.

This time I made a point of exploring the many tastes available with the Thali menu a set meal for two priced at â‚Ź29.50, including ice cream or coffee.

This culinary adventure started

with a mixed starter of Onion Bhaji and Vegetable Pakora served with a salad garnish and presented with a 3 sauce selection - with the mint sauce displayed as a bay leaf to give that added touch of artistic class.

The main meal consists of eight individual dishes to share, served with a Nan bread and Pilau Rice; a perfect combination to enjoy at lunch time or dinner. The platter was served with the food delicately displayed individual bowls, a treat for the eyes.

They were: homemade tomato chutney; Mixed Raita, a smooth cooling yogurt with tomato cucumber and secret blend of

spices; Taka Dal, spicy lentils with a good balance of herbs; Brinjal Bhaji, an aubergine curry; a mixed vegetable special curry; Chicken Tikka Masala, creamy and tender tandoori chicken pieces in a thick tomato and cream sauce; Nepali Lamb Curry, a medium spiced tender soft lamb with a surprising tangy finish; Goan King Prawn Curry, sweet tasting with coconut milk and a hint of mustard seed.

Head chef Sekhar Kharel and Tandoori Chef Gaurav Puri are proud of their success and welcome their new and existing customers to enjoy the best Indian and Nepali cuisine in town.

Meet with the friendly staff headed by the experienced and welcoming Sumit Sharma, and the regular diners to enjoy the experience of the Bay Leaf.

Not forgetting the variety and quality of the drinks menu as it is a major part of my own eating out experience to enjoy a cool beer or a quality glass of wine.

The Bay Leaf serves frozen

glasses with Estrella Damm on tap, the wine selection allows a choice of local and regional quality wines and jugs of Sangria are the most popular choices to enjoy and accompany your chosen meal.

Opening hours are 12.30 to 16.00, and 18.00 to 23.30 every day.

Calle Ruperto Chapi, 9 Albir To contact the Bay Leaf for reservations call +34 865 671 139.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Property

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Barcelona property prices surge 22pc in a year and leave the rest of Spain behind That’s even higher than Madrid’s posh Salamanca district, where prices rose 10.9% to 3,925 /m2, all according to data from Tinsa, based on its own valuations.

By Mark Stücklin Spanish Property Insight House prices are rising by double digits in several Spanish cities, but Barcelona is in its own league when it comes to house price inflation, reveals the latest report from Tinsa – Spain’s leading appraisal company.

Over twelve months to the end of June, residential property prices in the Catalan capital rose by 21.7%, followed a distant second by Alicante (+12.9%), Madrid (10.8%), and Vigo (10.2%). Provincial capital house prices changes are indicated in the following map. Helping to illustrate the widening chasm between Spain’s two speed property markets, house prices continue to fall in Castellón, the capital of the eponymous province home to the Valencian

Community’s Costa del Azahar (-12.6%), Toledo (-9.4%) and León (-5.6%).

The hottest district in Barcelona’s hot market was the Ciutat Vella Old Town, home to the Gothic Quarter and the Born, where house prices have risen 35.7% in the last 12 months.

Another notable increase was clocked up in the uptown district of Sarria-Sant Gervasi (+11.6), where the average price of property in terms of Euro per square metre has now broken through the 4,200 €/m2 barrier.

A r e Barcelona house prices now in bubble territory, or heading that way? I’ll tackle that question in a separate article.

The next map shows house price changes by province, yearon-year in the second quarter.

Once again, Barcelona p r ov i n c e delivered the biggest increase (+11.9%) followed by Madrid (+9%).

Surprisingly, perhaps, house prices fell a fraction in Alicante province (-0.7%), home to the Costa Blanca, and in the Balearics (-0.3%), where prices have been rising strongly for years. Looking at house price evolution by autonomous region (next map), Catalonia was at the top

of the ranking (11.3%), followed

by Madrid (+9%), no doubt driven by the city figures in both cases. This map suggests a trend of rising prices in most regions with a coast, whilst prices in the interior continue to fall, with the exception of Madrid.

Tinsa also reveal that the average time it take to sell a property in Spain (time on market) now stands at 9.5 months, falling to 3.4 months in Madrid, and 3.6 months in Barcelona.

Full Source & The Weekender Recomends www.spanishpropertyinsight.com

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Property & Finance

Have you had your Pension letter yet?

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What does this mean for expats living in Spain?

By Tracy Storer Senior Partner Chorus Financial

Have you had the letter yet?

On January 1st, 2017, the UK and Spain, along with all other EU countries, and many others Worldwide, agreed to a system of financial information sharing in an unprecedented global crackdown on tax evasion. 1000s of Expats in Spain have already received letters from their UK banks, pension providers and investment institutions informing them about this.

There are two main areas of concern. The first is for those who live in Spain for more than 183 days a year but have not correctly registered as a Spanish resident – you should apply for the official documentation as soon as possible to ensure you are paying your taxes correctly.

The second relates to the Spanish ‘Modelo 720’ which is a legal requirement to declare overseas assets worth more than €50,000 or GBP equivalent, to the Spanish tax authorities each Spring. Failure to make this declaration currently results in a minimum fine of €10,000 per asset group and up to 150% of unpaid taxes.

The Automatic Exchange of Information will ensure that the Spanish

tax authorities receive this information whether you have made the declaration or not, but if they find out before you complete the Modelo 720, then the fines will apply. It is important to understand that financial arrangements set-up for UK residents, including ISAs, Premium Bonds, UK Investment Bonds and others, are not Spanish compliant. They are not designed for Spanish residents, can create complex accounting requirements and will not generally offer any tax benefits here in Spain.

like The Prudential and Old Mutual Wealth, which are, subject to suitability, available to Spanish residents through Chorus Financial. These products are not reportable under

There are equivalent products available for Spanish residents created by well-known institutions

Now, more than ever, is the time to ensure that the financial advice you receive is suitable, with

solutions designed for your life here in Spain.

Please call me today on 693 107 044, or email t.storer@chorusfinancial. es to arrange a free, no obligation consultation, anywhere on the Costa Blanca.

Tracy Storer is Senior Partner at Chorus Financial and has been advising expats in Spain on their financial planning and investments since 2011.

Chorus Financial is a trading style of Tourbillon Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar), Licence Number FSC1118B and registered with the UK FCA as an EEA Authorised firm, reference 539348.

Modelo 720 and offer tax efficient growth in a similar manner to their equivalent UK products.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

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Property

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Dream of home in the sun melts

By Jack Troughton

THE weak pound and uncertainty over Brexit has triggered a slump in British demand for a holiday home in Spain.

Buyers looking to invest in a Mediterranean retreat of their own in the sun have been driven away and sales are down by a third when set against figures before the

historic ‘leave’ vote.

Before the historic vote in June last year, a €300,000 Spanish villa would have cost a UK buyer in the region of £229,000; now it would set them back around £254,000.

A report by Spain’s Association of Land and Commercial Registrars last week revealed British demand

for second homes was down nearly 30% on last year’s prereferendum levels.

Attracted by the sunshine and sea, about 300,000 British people have officially made their home in Spain – the true figure is more like 800,000 - with more than 600,000 owning second holiday homes, the majority on the Costas.

The global crisis and Spain’s property bubble bursting caused the sales of homes to Brits to tumble. However, from 2012 to June last year, sales began rising by 20% a year.

Now the downward slide has started again; the report shows UK buyers for the first quarter of 2017 numbered 2,000, down from 2,800 12 months earlier.

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Refresh

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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GARDENING ON THE

COSTA BLANCA

The Basics – yes, everyone hates having to start back at the beginning but this is about saving you time and money!

We live in a mediterranean climate area.

Note the use of the small ’m’. If you read the last article, you will know that there are several areas of the world, including part of Chile, California, south-west Australia, parts of South Africa, which share a similar climate named after the area in which we are privileged to live - the Mediterranean basin (with a capital ‘M’).

The mediterranean climate is usually characterised by rainy, mild winters and dry, warm to hot summers.

Within the areas covered by that general

description, there are obviously individual variations – for example, the soil in most of our Mediterranean region is alkaline and thin while that in Chile is acidic. This is the point at which the “saving you time and money” comes in! Obviously, if you try to garden in a way which is contrary to the conditions in which we live and to buy plants which are unsuitable for those conditions, then you are going to waste time and money!

Well known plants which prefer acid conditions include Camellia, Azalea and summer flowering Heather but, despite this, they are available every year in the local nurseries (viveros). Most of these establishments are basically plant retailers who buy in their stock from growers from as far away as Holland and Germany.

There they are grown under cover by experts in virtually ideal conditions – imagine what a shock they get when they are suddenly

plunged into Costa Blanca conditions! They can of course be grown here but are they worth the care and attention needed when there are so many wonderful and more amenable plants available?

Basically, everything comes down to how much money you are prepared to pay out to get the garden that you want! Yes, you can import soil - not from local sources mind you as that will be just as alkaline as the soil you already have – and provide adequate water. Over time, mains water will turn your imported soil alkaline so you will have to take action about that and, if your plants have grown well, they will start to put roots down into the original, alkaline, soil of your garden taking you back to square one!

The alternative is to try to co-operate with the local conditions to create your dream garden by using plants which thrive here and plant them in ways which make the best use of local resources. The next article will expand upon that theme.

We are a friendly group who enjoy gardening and gardens.

Our meetings are normally held on the 1st Wednesday in each month from October to June in Meeting Room (Aula) 1 on the 1st floor of La Senieta in Moraira next to the free car park used for the Market on Fridays.

Meetings commence at 2:30 pm and finish at about 4:30pm Visitors including holiday makers are always welcome – admission is by a donation of 3€ per person.

Our attempts at a regular meeting date are sometimes interrupted by Fiestas etc and it is for this reason that our next meeting is on Wednesday, 11th October at 2.30 in La Senieta.

Contact Numbers:- Chairman Joan Birch 697320169 / Secretary Joy Lally 966498681 or typing in Costa Blanca Gardeners will get you to the Website.

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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Aloe Vera Nature’s Portable First Aid Kit

The Aloe is a succulent (Liliaciae Sub species aloinae), a member of the lily and onion family, also related to garlic and asparagus, of which there are more than three hundred varieties but of which only a few had medicinal properties. It is generally accepted that the most potent is Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller.

The Aloe Vera plant grows abundantly in this area of Spain. It is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal, and is well known by herbalists.

It’s common sense really, if aloe vera gel wasn’t

antibacterial every little tear or scrape of the plant would result in the entire thing being eaten up by bacteria. Aloe needs to be antibacterial simply to survive in the wild or its moist, nutrient rich gel would provide a perfect breeding ground for invading bacteria.

Aloe vera became so widely grown as a medicinal plant in ancient times that its exact region of origin is a mystery. This species is of considerable economic importance and extracts are included in all manner of pharmaceutical preparations for the skin, treatment of burns and for ingestion. It is important to use the correct species of Aloe for medicinal preparations, as some species e.g. Aloe venenosa are poisonous.

Toxic reactions by sensitive individuals to Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) have been reported, despite its widespread, mainly safe use.

Aloe (especially aloe vera) has many uses & benefits. It… - Helps heal minor burns, cuts & rashes - Helps alleviate the pain of sunburn while speeding healing - Works as a skin moisturizer - Has anti-inflammatory properties Most people use aloe simply by cutting off a piece of leaf and squeezing the liquid onto their skin. This works, but it wastes the inner gel, which is the most potent part of the plant. To use the gel, you’ll need to “fillet” the leaves rather than merely squeezing them.

The filleting process also reaps much more aloe gel/

juice. When properly prepared and refrigerated, this final product can last a year or more!

First, a little terminology. Starting from the outside of the leaf and working inwards, we have the “rind”, the “sap”, the “mucilage” and lastly, the central core of “gel”, also known as the “gel fillet”.

For home uses, the rind is only good for composting.

The yellow sap (also called “aloin” or latex) should be avoided when possible. It’s used as an ingredient in laxatives, and can cause diarrhea and other problems if taken internally. The mucilage and gel are the most important parts of the plant for home medicinal use.

Aloe should be processed within a couple of hours of harvest so as to prevent oxidation.

There are many online guides and videos helping you grow your own Aloe plant and its variety of uses.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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Essential Dog Bowl Buying Tips A dog bowl is necessary for giving food or water to your dog. Available in various forms, and designs, dog bowls must be selected after careful consideration, but finding the right dog bowl is easier than you may have thought.

Whether you have brought a new puppy home, or have a dog for many years, dog bowls are necessary to give food or water to your pooch. Just like with any other dog item, you should stop to consider a few important fac-

tors before you buy dog bowls for your precious pet.

Dog bowls are really convenient and offer your dog the means to get nourished and quench his thirst. Imagine, if you dog didn’t get water to drink when he was thirsty, he’d probably get very sick due to dehydration. But now all you need to do is fill the dog bowl with fresh water, every morning and evening, and let you precious pooch quench his thirst whenever he wants! Dog bowls are also a necessity because they ensure that your dog is trained to eat, drink, and urinate outside the house.

Dog urine could be problem is the pet is not house trained properly.

Since there are dog bowls for all dog breeds, the bowl size is a crucial consideration depending on the needs and requirements of your dog. Most pet owners opt for dog bowls that have a water bowl on one side and food bowl on the other. But don’t limit your choices,

because there are some really exciting choices for dog bowls in the market!

From stainless steel to plastic to glass, dog bowls need to easy to clean, rough and tough, and should defeat bacteria from growing.

Small dogs require small dog bowls, while larger dogs require larger dog bowls because they require more food and water.

Dog Bowls - Here’s What You Need To Look For: 1. Easy to clean 2. Spill proof 3. Durable 4. Easy to maintain 5. Dishwasher safe 6. Perfectly sized for your breed 7. Safe to use

DOG BOWLS - TOP TIP!

One of the best types of dog bowls is those that are made of stainless steel and have a rubber bottom with tapered sides. While these bowls are heavy, the rubber bottom ensures that your dog is unable to push his bowl and spill its contents on the floor. The tapered sides have been designed to prevent tipping.

And best of all, stainless steel used to makes these dog bowls is not just du-

rable, but easy to clean, dishwasher safe, and can’t be chewed, broken or tampered with. Remember to buy a dog bowl that is large enough to contain at least enough water to last a day depending on the size of your canine friend.

Dog Bowls - Top Shopping Tips

If your dog doesn’t drink enough water, dog urine may become a problem. An attractive, yet functional dog bowl will not just invite the dog to consume water, but also offer him comfort while drinking water. Here’s what you need to look for: * Durable and indestructible dog bowls that can’t be broken, chewed, or thrashed around. Must avoid - light weight plastic, glass, and pottery dog bowls. * Consider buying bowl holders that prevent the dog bowls from sliding, overturning, or skidding on the ground or floor.

Tip: A dog drinks about 25 ml of water per pound/day or less than an ounce/pound. A 15 pound dog would require a dog bowl that can hold around 15 ounces of water.

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 Family | Garden | Health | Home | Style | Wellbeing

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Read Online Weekender.News

Sunbathing while Pregnant There have not been any conclusive studies that prove that tanning beds are harmful to a baby during pregnancy. The UV light from the sun (or a tanning bed for that matter) don’t come in direct contact with the baby. However, the extreme heat of the sun could, in theory, be harmful to the baby or you, particularly in the last trimester.

The second issue to be concerned with is that your skin can be very sensitive and more susceptible to burn during pregnancy. For this reason, you might consider limiting your exposure to the sun, to avoid burns. Along this line, exposure to the sun might make you more prone to Chloasma, the dark splotches that can appear on the face during pregnancy.

During pregnancy you should be keenly aware of the risk of hydration. If you are tanning in the sun be sure to drink plenty of water, use of sun-

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screen with SPF 30 or more, and wear a hat. If you feel light headed, nauseated or tired, go inside.

Finally, you should consult with your physician before attempting to tan, whether it is in a tanning bed or in the sun. Your physician may be able to identify concerns that are specific to your case, and make a recommendation one way or another.

Source: www.amazingpregnancy.com

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Relax

Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles | TV

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Whats ON TV

Goldfinger (1964)

James Bond is assigned to investigate a notorious German gold smuggler and discovers his quarry has ambitions much greater than first suspected. Pursuing the criminal mastermind around the world, Bond uncovers the villain’s audacious scheme to destroy the global economy with a daring attack on Fort Knox. Spy adventure, starring Sean Connery, Gert Frobe and Honor Blackman

ITV4 8:00pm Fri 21

Big Brother

Season 18 Episode 47 of 54

The Big Brother: Live Eviction Emma Willis hosts the latest eviction, revealing which of this week’s nominees the public have voted out, then chatting to them about their time on the show, who they think voted for them and why they feel it was their time to go.

Channel 5 11:00pm Fri 21 Jul

Golf: The Open

Day Two Eilidh Barbour present highlights of the second day of the prestigious event, which takes place at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport. Today’s play will have seen the competitors attempting to make the cut and qualify for the weekend’s rounds, and avoid the fate that befell several key players at last year’s event.

BBC2 9:00pm Fri 21 Jul

Live Pre-Season Football

Arsenal v Chelsea Arsenal v Chelsea (Kick-off 12.40pm). Coverage of the friendly match at Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, China, where the Premier League teams continue preparations for the new season.

Live Pre-Season Football ITV 13:25pm Sat 22 Jul

Pitch Battle

Season 1 Episode 6 of 6

The grand final of the singing contest arrives, as Mel Giedroyc assembles the six most successful entrants for their final performances. As ever, Gareth Malone and Kelis are tasked with assessing each group’s skills, and for this last round, they are joined on the panel by Deke Sharon.

BBC1 20:25pm Sat 22 Jul

Shrek the Third (2007)

The bad-tempered ogre finds himself in the unwelcome position of being next in line for the throne. Preferring to stay at home in the swamps, he sets out on a quest to find the rightful heir - a rebellious teenager named Artie - and persuade him to face up to his responsibilities as the future king.

BBC1 17:50pm Sat 22 Jul

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FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 TV | Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles

Relax

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V This Week

All T i Show mes n Ar e Span ish

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Game of Thrones

A sceptical 18th-century detective is sent to a small hamlet supposedly terrorised by a demonic headless horseman who decapitates his victims.

The investigator refuses to believe in the supernatural, convinced a human killer is behind the murders - but the legend proves to be all too true.

Tim Burton’s gothic horror, starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson and Christopher Walken

Stormborn - New series Stormborn Daenerys receives an unexpected visitor, Jon faces a revolt, and Tyrion plans the conquest of Westeros

Season 3 Episode 6 of 9

Film4 2:05am Sun 23 Jul

Ross Kemp: Extreme World

Season 6 Episode 3 of 6

Manila - The actor heads to the Philippines, where he meets those affected by the killing of thousands of suspects in President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drug

Sky 1 10:00pm Sun 23 Jul

Taskmaster

Season 2 Episode 5 of 5

There’s Strength in Arches Richard Osman does something appalling with a shopping trolley, before the series champion is crowned

Dave 12:00pm Sun 23 Jul

Season 7 Episode 2 of 7

Sky Atlantic 3:00am Mon 24 Jul Sky Atlantic 22:00PM Mon 24 Jul

Inside the Factory Season 3 Episode 2 of 6

Leslie Pasta Gregg Wallace is at the world’s largest dried pasta factory in Italy where they produce 150,000 kilometres of spaghetti each day.

Meanwhile, Cherry Healey is discovering why the best pasta is made with durum wheat, and Ruth Goodman discovers that the product arrived in Britain much earlier than many would imagine

BBC2 London 21:00pm Tue 25 Jul

The Hangover (2009) Season 1 Episode 6 of 6

Three men on a stag weekend in Las Vegas wake up after a night of heavy drinking and find they have not only misplaced the groom, but somehow gained a tiger and a baby. Unable to remember the details of the night before, they set about piecing the clues together in the hope of finding their missing friend. Comedy, starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis

ITV2 11:05pm Tue 25 Jul

30

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Relax

Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles | TV

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QUICK CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

Down

Across

Down

1 Herb for guru (4)

1. Nuisance (4) 3. Put together (8) 9. Thick sweet substance (7) 10. Items of jewellery (5) 11. Wireless (5) 12. Chillier (6) 14. In addition (2,4) 16. Northernmost American state (6) 19. Fit for eating (6) 21. Proverb (5) 24. Imitating (5) 25. Late (7) 26. Age of majority (8) 27. Spoken (4)

1. Boy who never grew up (5,3) 2. Riding horse (5) 4. Horrible smell (6) 5. Join up (5) 6. Sausages (7) 7. Comfort (4) 8. Educational establishment (6) 13. Goodbye (8) 15. Marriage (7) 17. Foliage (6) 18. Previously (6) 20. Intolerant person (5) 22. Viper (5) 23. Female horse (4)

3 Time soon alters feelings (8)

1 Painting with rollers, perhaps? (8) 2 Studio assistant beginning to eat beef (5) 4 Capital that’s crazy and free (6) 5 Not a lonely part for a hooker? (5) 6 Watch, say (7) 7 Work hard to produce singer’s first record (4) 8 It’s held up by little dog (6) 13 Kept near tide that’s turning (8) 15 Policeman takes heroin in helicopter (7) 17 Changing one’s residence may be poignant (6) 18 Scales from crocodile’s front legs? (6) 20 Ground near the centre (5) 22 Prone to deceit? (5) 23 Second best bar (4)

Sudoku

Easy

9 Flavour I discern in a new starter for dinner (7) 10 Girl with nothing but a rope (5) 11 Container found in Manchester (5) 12 Pass over wild region (6) 14 Old Briton reportedly selected (6) 16 A politician before current unit (6) 19 Be successful with peg that’s left behind (2,4) 21 House badly located in Virginia (5) 24 Drunkard in Mozart opera (5) 25 Refer to one in French resort (7) 26 Buy tea bag outside (8) 27 Old silver found by Miliband (4)

Medium

Hard

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017 TV | Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles

31

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The Weakest Link Doct-Her Who!

By Spencer Williams

Classic BBC quiz show The Weakest Link could be coming back to our screens later on this year.

The Sun Newspaper reports that Anne Robinson will be returning for a celebrity special in aid of Children in Need, with a possibility for it to come back permanently next year as a primetime Saturday night series.

It’s said

that the Saturday night series will be hosted by celebrities instead of the Queen of Mean.

A BBC spokesperson reports: “Plans for this year’s exciting BBC Children in Need programming will be announced in due course.”

Anne confirmed that there had been talks over a revival for The Weakest Link. “I’ve been chatting to the BBC Controller of Entertainment, who has had the idea of reviving the show,” she explained.

“Who knows? I’m a bit on the old side for television and I can’t bake cakes. But I’m quite good at marinating my tongue in acid.”

ARIES (March 21st-April 20th)

ARIES

This week promises big changes. Jockeying for position or applying too many rules perhaps isn’t the best route to take and could result in unintended consequences. Not every ship has sailed if you feel like you’re the only one left behind enjoying the single life. Money or property issues will eat into your time constructively.

LIBRA (Sept 24th-Oct 23rd)

LIBRA

SCORPIO (Oct 24th-Nov 22nd)

TAURUS (April 21st-May 21st)

TAURUS

You’re the one running the show this week, being what’s known as the brains of the outfit. You’re clever enough to dodge flack might be coming your way from certain envious quarters, let’s call them. Spending time with family or people that you regard as family is like an electric blanket for your soul.

A cracker of a week for you all told.

SCORPIO

GEMINI

SAGITTARIUS

CANCER

The sun in Cancer for most of the week, your opposite sign, is always guaranteed to pep up your love life and make you more outgoing and sociable. It cranks up the temperature in your world making the climate generally warmer and more affectionate.

CAPRICORN

LEO (July 24th-August 23rd)

LEO

Subtlety works best if you encounter any snags this week. You’re also in contemplative mood. Solitude is appealing but you shouldn’t hive yourself off, take life too seriously, or develop any kind of complex. Your energy begins to return and you feel ready to take on the world and his wife at the weekend.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21st-Feb 19th)

AQUARIUS

VIRGO (August 24th-Sept 23rd)

VIRGO

Your social prospects improve this week because something magnetic about you.

People won’t exactly fall at your feet but you do have an edge to you that’s hard not to be admiring of, and a charm that even a heart as hard as an avocado stone would be moved by.

You see life through a Vaseline lens because warts-and-all reality you’d rather leave to the next person thank you very much.

Your perceptive powers knock the competition into a cocked hat this week. Bear in mind that if you want to bury your feelings, it won’t be easy to throw others off the scent. You could hear of a windfall, or get an opportunity to make some money by going into partnership with someone.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22nd-Jan 20th)

CANCER (June 22nd-July 23rd)

The the quiet life might start to appeal this week. You can talk your way in as well as out of problems, so perhaps it would be best to think before you speak. With the sun still in your sign, it’s also around this time that life becomes a lot more sociable. Plenty of fun is to be recommended and remember, misery likes company!

You wear the week very well because, as far as other people are concerned, you have the answers that are eluding them. But then you don’t feel the need to blab what you know all round the houses either. Your instincts are pin sharp, so if you’re out to impress in a personal or professional sense, like at a job interview for instance, you’ll make a big splash.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23rd-Dec 21st)

GEMINI (May 22nd-June 21st)

Confident, centred and ready to take complete charge of your life is an apt description of you because you aren’t short on self-belief or a bit of gumption. If you learn to trust your own judgement and don’t listen to too many opinions, then you won’t make as many wasteful moves.

The sun at the top of your chart gives you rather a tidy advantage at work this week, although your life’s an open book, so you’re an easier target for emotional manipulators in your personal life. Although others are listening to you and have your best interests at heart, social plans could falter because of your single-mindedness.

Work-related issues zoom into view and there’s plenty of goodwill flowing in your direction in this area. It’s just the right time for putting plans into action that you’ve been considering but were reluctant to do anything about. But don’t overlook the details. Relationships take up most of your time at the weekend, and you might meet someone who reminds you of another friend or family member.

PISCES (Feb 20th-March 20th)

PISCES

It’s smart to question yourself this week even though other people think that the sun shines out of your trousers. Doors open for you and these generally favourable trends thrust you into a vantage point. Then, at the weekend, the stars conspire to inspire you putting your creativity into practice. It’s no use endlessly talking about adding another string to your bow and doing diddlysquat about it.

By Jack Troughton JODIE Whittaker has been handed the keys to the Tardis to become the BBC’s 13th Time Lord; the first woman to get the role.

The thrilled 35-year-old Huddersfieldborn star, who was a late favourite to become the Doctor, said it was “incredible” to get the iconic part.

She was ‘unveiled’ during a four-minute video on Sunday after the men’s singles final at Wimbledon and will make her debut in a Christmas special, ‘regenerating’ from the current doctor Peter Capaldi.

Jodie starred in the

Broadchurch franchise and will find a familiar face on set as the thriller’s creator Chris Chibnall is also joining Doctor Who behind the scenes – David Tennant was also a co-star in Broadchurch and was the 10th doctor.

She said: “I’m beyond excited to begin this epic journey - with Chris and with every Whovian on this planet.

“It’s more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can’t wait.”

“It feels completely overwhelming, as a feminist, as a woman, as an actor, as a human, as someone who wants to continually push themselves and challenge themselves, and not be boxed in by what you’re told you can and can’t be.”

And she told fans not to be “scared” by her gender. “Because this is a really exciting time, and Doctor Who represents everything that’s exciting about change. The fans have lived through so many changes, and this is only a new, different one, not a fearful one.”

Casting a woman in the role has sparked controversy amongst fans and social media came alive with the debate.

Relax

Chat | Travel | Celebrity | Puzzles

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Relax

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CODE CRACKER

Scribble Pad

Find the 9 letter word and as many other words as you can!

SCORE

BRILLIANT < 70 EXCELLENT< 55 GOOD < 25 FOR KIDS < 15

A B W E O D K RN Puzzle Solutions

QUICK CROSSWORD

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

CODE CRACKER

Find the 9 letter word! warden (6) warned (6) wonder (6) worked (6) bedwork (7) broaden (7) browned (7) beadwork (8) breakdown (9)

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Lakes reign as world heritage site

By Jack Troughton

THE Lake District National Park has become a Unesco Wold Heritage site, join ing an exclusive club whose members include the Grand Canyon and the Taj Mahal.

The Cumbrian landscape attracts 18 mill ion people a year and it was one of 33 cand idates up for membership before a Unesco com mittee meeting in Poland.

Committee members praised the area ’s beauty, its farming, and the inspiration it had provided to artists and writers over centurie s.

Delegates heard the 885 square miles (2,2 92 sq km) of the Lakes had been trying to obtain the Unesco status since 1986 – while here on the Costa Blanca, Benidorm continues with its quest to win the honour.

put together the bid, described the decision as “momentous”.

“A great many people have come together to make this happen and we believe the decision will have long and lasting benefits for the spectacular Lake District landscape, the visitors we welcome every year and for the people who call the National Park their home,” he added.

Steve Ratcliffe, director of sustainable development at the Lake District National Park, said the application had been a “long time There are more than 1,000 World Heritag e in the making” and he was “incredi bly sites around the world. Italy has the mos t, 53; proud” of the landscape which has been Spain has 46, including the Alhambra Palace shaped by nature, farming and industry. and the city of Toledo. The UK and its over seas Harriet Fraser, a writer and patron of territories have 31.

Friends of the Lake District, said: “It’s The Lake District is home to England ´s the most beautiful district but it has highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and a the very deep culture which is largely hill country’s largest natural lake, Winderm ere. farming but also conservation.”

Visitors spend £1.2 billion a year and prov ide Other Unesco sites in the UK some 18,000 jobs. include Stonehenge, Durham Castle Lord Clark of Windermere, chairman of the and Cathedral, and the city of Bath .

Lake District National Park Partnership which

Britain

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

G N I O G T S U J !

Y H ON E !

T N I P K C I U Q FOR A ien d Ga ret h tol d his gir lfr ing joy Ha nn ah tha t he wa s en pu b re Ac a pin t at the Gr ee n - lit tle in Po rth cawl , Wa les ad ing he s wa he ow did sh e kn ! za Ibi to ay lid ho s on a lad

POLITICAL HARMONY

By Edward Graham

THE leader of Scotland ’s Labour Party Kezia Dugdale is in a relations hip with political opponen t Jenny Gilruth, a Scottish National Party MSP. Ms Dugdale has been dating Ms Gilruth, MSP for Mid Fife and Glenroth es, for around four months after splitting up with her former partner of nine years.

In a joint statemen t, Ms Dugdale and Ms Gilruth asked for their privacy to be respecte d and said they did not consider their new relations hip to be “news”. .The statemen t said: “We don’t consider this to be ‘news’ - but we apprecia te others might and we want to go about our daily lives normally.

“We would like to thank our friends, family and colleagu es for their kindness over the past few months and for their love and support.

“We’d politely ask that our privacy is respecte d because while we are both politicia ns, we are also human beings - in a new relations hip, which we cherish.”

Scotland ’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has sent her congratu lations to the couple; tweeting : “So love really does conquer all.”

A close friend of the pair said they were happy together and made a great couple.

“They share much in common , but like so many couples they differ over their politics which is somethin g they will always agree to disagree on.”

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Local Lookout

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Parcels in Paterna

By SImon Russell AMAZON looks set to open a huge logistics centre in Paterna (Valencia), possibly as soon as the end of the summer. There has been good deal of secrecy around the on-line retailer’s plans, both from Amazon and Paterna Town Hall.

However it is understood that a plot of land in Paterna has been purchased and barring any last minute hitches work is ready to begin any day now.

When completed the centre will be used for storage and distributions of retail goods, the second largest such operation in Spain. The move is expected to create several hundred much needed local jobs but asked

BENISSA is holding training courses over the summer on the subject of co-education, sexual

about things such as an official opening ceremony, once again all

parties involved were keeping things close to their chests.

equality and gender identity over the summer. The courses are promoted

by AU Alicante and are aimed at educators, students and families.

The objective is to provide a

forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences to provide the educational community with up to date views on social change and equality in all forms.

Reducing water use

By Simon Russell AS part of its “Drop

by Drop” water saving campaign Benitachell is giving out flow reduction devices to households that

request them. The devices achieve significant water savings by reducing flow from taps and are already fitted in 132 of the town’s buildings. They result in an estimated 50%

Club & Charity News

By Jack Troughton A successful ‘Concert at the Cave’ enabled the Costa Blanca Male Voice Choir very to make donations to two good causes - local single-parent support organisation Guardian Angels and the Proteccion Civil Benidoleig.

Presentation of the cheques took place at a fitting location, the Cueva de las Calaveres in Benidoleig and members of the Proteccion Civil were there to receive a cheque for €500 from the choir’s stage manager Phillip Day. “Their hard work in transporting and setting up over 200 chairs and their excellent traffic and people-management skills on the night helped so much

Battle soundtrack

By Jack Troughton

Equality in action

By Simon Russell

Club & Charity News

reduction in domestic water bills, and are being used in the majority of municipal buildings.

The Town Hall has also produced a leaflet on water saving tips such

as placing a filled water bottle in your cistern.

The flow devices can be obtained from the Tourist Office by residents who will just need to provide a recent water bill.

Cavemen help charity with the success of this concert,” said Phillip.

Treasurer of Guardian Angels, Ann Lawrenson, collect a cheque for €500 from the choir’s VicePresident Vernon Pearce, who said: “Guardian Angels does sterling work supporting single parents in this area and most of their members are ex-pats who moved here but found themselves, after breakup of their partnerships, without the financial and emotional support they would expect to receive in the UK.” The choir is now taking a break for the summer. It will

begin weekly rehearsals again in September at Bar Mediterraneo in Teulada from 5:45 - 8pm every Tuesday evening and welcomes new members. You can find out more about the choir on their website www. c o s t a b l a n c a m a l ev o i c e c h o i r. wikidot.com or call Mike Evans on 965 744 577.

THE voices of the English Choir provided a tuneful backing to the finale of the annual Moors and Christian Festival in Moraira and the traditional battle on the beach.

The choir sang from the ramparts of Moraira Castle as the historic re-enactment took place on the sand; marking the reconquest by the Christians and the expulsion of the Moors from Spain.

Taking part in the festival for the fourth year, it marked the end of a busy season for the English Choir, set to begin rehearsing for another busy year after a well-earned summer break.

The singers play a very full part in the ‘fiesta’; opening with a concert in the village’s parish church. A varied programme included parts of ‘Joseph and His amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ and Karl Jenkins’ ‘Adiemus’ accompanied by flute and drums. It also featured Abba favourites, some Spanish traditional songs, and ended with a Les Miserable’s.

And the choir’s President Sue Elles the group was “delighted and honoured” to be invited to again take part in such an important event.

On its return, the choir will stage a concert in aid of the Anglican Chaplaincy, entertain the Alzheimer’s Day centre members; hold a November show called ‘A Little Light Music’, Christmas concerts and a December ‘sing-along’.

For more information about future events or to join the choir, call Judith on 96 648 0195 or 634 348 915, or visit www.facebook.com/ englishchoirteulada.

Dangerous diving A youth had to be rescued by coastguards after fracturing his shoulder when diving in a prohibited area near Javea.

The incident happened at Cala Tango earlier this week which, despite clear warning signs banning diving into the water, attracts a number of young people who do precisely that.

In this instance a boat and motorcycle unit attended the scene and the young man was transferred to an ambulance which had been unable to get close to the scene.

Local police have warned of the dangers of ignoring the ban where, as well as injuries from hitting rocks in the water, there is the risk of landslides.

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Local Lookout

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Tracking the little ones

By Simon Russell

AFTER some recent bad publicity concerning its image as a resort primarily for stag and hen parties, Benidorm has issued a timely reminder that it is still very much a family resort by unveiling a new technology for safeguarding children on its beaches. The first city in Spain to use the technology, this is an application that allows parents to ensure that their kids don’t stray too far away on the busy Benidorm beaches.

Parents are issued with a device for themselves and another that they place on their children’s wrist which they set a range on. If the little ones wander outside the set range then an alarm goes off to alert the parents who can then bring their

children back before they go too far. The alarm, called “Drop”, is being piloted throughout this summer and Councillor for Beaches, Lorenzo Martinez, said that this showed “our commitment to both new technologies and safety on the beaches.” The device is currently set to work in the busy area around the Beach Library but it is hoped to be rolled out further soon as well as to other beaches.

Red light locals

By Simon Russell THREE pubs in Benidorm’s well known Rincon de Loix area have been closed on suspicion of running prostitution operations.

The premises, on Calles Murcia and Mallorca as well as Avenida Mediterraneo were

raided by ten National Police officers at around midnight on the 15 July.

They inspected the pubs for around four hours and took the decision to close them down while they investigated further, although no-one has been arrested at this time.

Fire corpse mystery

A corpse was found in a burnt out building in Valencia, although it is so badly burnt that the police are unable to even confirm the sex for certain at this stage. However they have reason to believe it is a woman who lived there and are opening a two part investigation into the cause of the fire and the person’s death.

The fire was in a house on Calle

Marques de Zenete and an autopsy is due to be carried out on the victim.

The police have also said that they are planning to look into several more establishments and further closures cannot be ruled out.

The Rincon is regarded as the British area of Benidorm and is particularly popular with stag and hen parties.

New classes for toddlers BENIDORM’S Department of Education will be adapting two classrooms to make them suitable for two year old preschoolers.

The classes are at the Vascos Nunez de Balboa and Aitana schools and will be ready in time for the new school year in September.

This has been done on request to meet the need in the Foites

area of the city and is costing €70,000.

The plans also include the adaption of the children’s play area including rubberising of the surface, painting and safety fencing.



By Simon Russell

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Motoring

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Ford Fiesta 2017

The latest Ford Fiesta takes everything that has given its predecessors so much success – practicality, sensible pricing and great handling – and adds in extra comfort, refinement and technology. It’s easily one of the best small hatchbacks on the market.

Perfectly set up for British roads, the Fiesta irons out rough roads and potholes plus is surprisingly quiet on the motorway. Yet it still has excellent, communicative steering and a light gear

change. That means it’s great to drive on a B road and makes light work of corners.

It’s not just good to drive though – it’s full of useful technology. Even even the basic Style model comes with lane keep assistance and a speed limiter. That’s about all it does come with though – but go for the still well-priced Zetec model and you’ll get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with alloy wheels and a Quickclear heated windscreen.

Three and fivedoor versions are available with the latter providing better rear space for passengers, with reasonable leg and headroom.

The boot as a good side and shape, though there is a sizeable load lip to lift heavy items over and the rear

seats don’t fold flat – so for bulky objects like flat packs it could be better.

Even the entry-level 1.1-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine is surprisingly quiet and powerful enough for town, but we’d recommend one of the 1.0-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engines, with 100PS, 125PS or 140PS, since they provide excellent performance and refinement. There’s also a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel, for long distance drivers.

With a huge range of trim levels, a good selection of engines, great driving dynamics and the latest safety technology, the Ford Fiesta does everything a small hatchback needs to do – and does it well.

It’s also well-priced and well-made, so expect to see it at the top of the sales charts for a few more years to come.

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ALFAZ FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE NEW LEAGUE The excitement is building up for the new A.F.F.L. with the 1st round of Premier League fixtures just a few weeks away.

All our Fantasy League Managers on the Costa Blanca will be desperate to start building their new Fantasy Football teams ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

The 24th Alfaz Fantasy Football League starts on the 12th August and all you have to do to enter is select a team in a 4-3-3 formation from our official Players List who score points based on their performances in the Premier League & F.A.Cup throughout the 2017-18 Season.

time of the kick off of the opening game of the Season.

As usual, the Fantasy League is great value at only 20 euros a team which works out at 50 cents a week, easily the best Football Competition in the area.

Don’t forget the A.F.F.L. is open to all ages & genders.

We have a Junior League and a Ladies Section as well as our Golden Boot League, F.A.Cup League and our very popular K.O.Cup Competition. Last Season we had 6 different winners.

You can also create your own Mini-League for Family,

H STARTS 12T AUGUST

Your team must cost a minimum of 45 Million and not exceed 50 million.

Don’t forget it is important to get your team in A.S.A.P. to help with the administration. So please help by making sure you enter the right code for each Player.If one of your Players becomes seriously injured or shipped out of the Premier League before the start of the Season you can amend your team right up to the

Friends or Work Mates which is a perfect way to build up rivalry and banter throughout the Season plus a few side bets I’m sure. I must stress you must have at least 10 teams to form your own Mini-League.

The 24th A.F.F.L. will be bigger & better than ever with the Brochure & Players List being available this Weekend and they can be collected from the following Bars, in Benidorm; The Drop Inn, Queen Vic, Juke Box, Foley’s Bar, Friends and the Union Jack. In Alfaz; Bar Code and The Crown & Amigos. In Albir; Caspers, Wyndhams, Colours, Quick Save Supermarket, Dubliner, Arlequin, Brew Rock and The Local. In Moraira you can obtain from Bariloche.

The closing date for entry is 4 pm on Saturday 12th August when I will be at The Local in Albir to accept any last minute forms.

If any budding Manager has difficulty getting the forms please contact me on 696075632 or email me on: ericmalpus@gmail.com We will continue to keep you informed of the progress of the Fantasy League through these pages each week and also on our website which is www.alfazffl. com or you can find us on Facebook to add any comments as the Season unfolds.

A big thank you to all our sponsors who play a big part in making the A.F.F.L. the success it has earned over the last 23 years.

Award presentation for this years winners

The BAR CODE in Alfaz del Pi, hosted the Presentations of the AFFL earlier this month, a good afternoon was had by all. Just a small rest before the 24th Season kicks off again on 12-13 August. Follow us here in The Weekender as the season progresses.

Thanks to everyone who competed in the League & hope everyone enjoys another season and good luck with your selections.

1)Brothers Anthony & Brad who won some pocket money after coming 2nd in the Junior League 2) Lee, winner of the GOLDEN BOOT LEAGUE & his team WALKDEN TOWN sponsored by Leonard Knowles Constructions.

3) Dave , Winners of the TEAM K.O.CUP with his team THE HATTERS 4) Jaqueline collecting the Trophy of the MARK CARTER LADIES SECTION for JULIE & her team THE GERS. 5) Eric Malpas, getting into the frame with his team CITY SLICKERS winning the F.A. CUP League.

6) The CHAMPION , WAYNE, manager of his aptly named team, GONNAWINITTHISYEAR.

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Spanish football chief’s own goal

THE President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Ángel María Villar, his son Gorka Villar and other senior RFEF officials were arrested this week in a new corruption scandal.

A series of raids on offices and the arrests were part of an ongoing investigation into the top levels of the sport in Spain and sparked fresh and unwanted headlines.

The operation is probing alleged financial mismanagement by the federation president and his son and began more than 12 months ago.

The investigation is being carried out under the supervision of Spanish High Court Judge Santiago Pedraz.

Possible crimes committed are said to include corruption,

embezzlement, improper management and possible asset stripping.

Authorities believe Ángel María Villar may have used federation funds to pay off regional soccer chiefs in a bid to maintain power at the top of the powerful federation.

Villar was returned to office for a new four-year term in May, the eighth occasion on which he has had his contract renewed.

He has now been in the top job at the RFEF for 29 years. If he serves out his current term – which he has said will be his last – that will extend out to 32 years of a tenure marked by close relationships with the top brass of world soccer’s top body FIFA, itself an organization marked by a wave of corruption scandals.

Angel Maria Villar spent a year as UEFA’s acting president following Michel Platini’s suspension

UNITED IN BOMB CITY PLAYERS FROM Manchester United and rivals Manchester City ran out last night (Thursday) out with worker bee emblems on their shirts to honour the victims of the May 22nd bombing.

The derby was the first time the two clubs have faced each other since the terror attack at the Manchester arena when 22 people died and scores were injured following a concert by Ariana Grande.

And after the game the shirts were auctioned off, with proceeds going to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund; the charity has already raised more than £12 million.

The match is being staged in Houston in the United States, the first Manchester derby to take place outside the UK and the unity and strength of the city was being celebrated as much as football.

Since the attack, the bee has become a symbol of solidarity in the city following the attack; hundreds of people have since been tattooed with the colourful insect.

City chief executive Ferran Soriano said: “The worker bee symbolises everything that makes Manchester such a special city and our players

will wear it on their shirts with immense pride, as a demonstration of solidarity with the Manchester community.”

Ed Woodward, executive chairman of United, said the city of Manchester had shown “great strength and unity” since the attack and shown the world “how special this city really is”.

He added: “Having the worker bee on our shirts... shows the community spirit of our city and football club.”

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Sport

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Tennis Match Fixing Under Investigation Tennis authorities have taken no action despite repeated warnings that a network of players on the professional circuit are suspected of matchfixing, an investigation by two media organisations has revealed.

BuzzFeed News and the BBC have revealed details of their investigation as the first grand slam tournament of the year, the Australian Open, is set to begin at Melbourne Park.

The findings of the joint investigation included: A US Open champion and doubles winners at Wimbledon were among a core group of 16 players who had repeatedly been reported for losing games when highly suspicious bets have been placed against them; One top-50 ranked player competing in the Australian Open is suspected of repeatedly fixing his first set;

Players were being targeted in hotel rooms at major tournaments and offered $US50,000 ($73,100) or more per fix by corrupt gamblers; Gambling syndicates in Russia and Italy have made hundreds of thousands of dollars placing highly suspicious bets on scores of matches — including at Wimbledon and the French Open; The eight players were said to be among 16 implicated who have ranked in the world’s top 50 players during the past decade, none of whom has faced any sanctions.

According to the reports, a confidential dossier produced for the tennis authorities in 2008 found 28 players had performed in a manner warranting further inquiry, but the matter had not been followed up.

The names of more than 70 players appear on nine leaked lists of suspected

fixers who have been flagged to world tennis authorities over the past decade without being sanctioned.

ATP president Chris Kermode told a press conference in Melbourne that there was no truth to suggestions that tennis authorities were not taking match-fixing seriously or failing to investigate allegations.

“The Tennis Integrity Unit and the tennis authorities absolutely reject any suggestion that evidence of

match fixing has been suppressed for they reason or isn’t being thoroughly investigated,” he said.

“While the BBC and BuzzFeed reports mainly refer to events from about 10 years ago, we will investigate any new information and we always do.”

Kermode had earlier told the BBC that while match-fixing did occur in tennis, he believed it was at an “incredibly small level”.

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Sport

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Halo confirmed for F1 2018 FIA, the governing body from the sport, has mandated the inclusion of ‘Halo’ protection system for the driver cockpit starting 2018. The decision to include the Halo device was taken at the FIA meeting at Geneva where all F1 teams were present for the first time.

After sporadic testing, the F1 Strategy Group says the cockpit-style “halo” will be mandatory for season 2018. Designed to protect drivers from flying debris, the slim carbon structure was chosen ahead of the aerodynamic windshield tested by Sebastian Vettel last week.

The decision to introduce frontal protection for drivers was reached in 2016, but it’s taken more than 12 months for the Strategy Group to decide on what that protection should look like. An aerodynamic windshield was put to the test alongside the halo, but the distortion it caused made Sebastian Vettel “a little bit dizzy” – and if there’s one thing you don’t want while piloting a hybrid monster, it’s dizziness.

Both the halo and windshield are a response to incidents where debris, other cars or track maintenance equipment have caused serious head injuries. The death of Jules Bianchi is the most prominent recent example, but the list of near misses dates back to the Hungary Grand Prix in 2009, when Felipe Massa was struck in the head by a flying spring.

Although it will look similar to the hoop you see above, the halo design is likely to change slightly before the start of the 2018 season. The F1 Strategy Group simply says “with the support of the teams, certain features of its design will be further enhanced.”

So it makes the sport safer, and doesn’t make drivers dizzy.

You’d think drivers and teams would be on board, right? Well, it turns out not

everyone is a fan. Lewis Hamilton used an Instagram post to label the halo “the worst looking mod in Formula 1 history,”

while the majority of drivers asked about the proposed safety device were against its introduction.

Chris Froome tightens grip on yellow Primoz Roglic won stage 17 of the Tour de France to Serre-Chevalier as Chris Froome finished third to tighten his grip on the yellow jersey.

Slovenian Roglic led by 90 seconds at the top of the Galibier and the former junior world ski jump champion showed no fear on the long fast descent to the finish to win by 73 seconds.

Rigoberto Uran finished second to take six vital bonus seconds in the close battle

for yellow, with Froome taking four for this third place by pipping Romain Bardet to the line.

Three-time Tour winner Froome now leads by 27 seconds, with Colombian Uran and Frenchman Bardet tied for second place. Fabio Aru, who was 2nd in the general classification, finished well behind the yellow jersey group to drop to 10th.

He is all-but-out of the race for the Yellow Jersey. The Green Jersey leader, who had

won five stages on this year’s tour, tumbled during the first climb of the stage.

Kittel tried to soldier on but eventually had to call it quits.

It means that Michael Matthews is the favourite to win the Green Jersey.

General Classification: 1. Chris Froome 73h 27’ 26’’ 2. Rigoberto Uran + 00’ 27’’ 3. Romain Bardet + 00’ 27’’

Green Jersey: 1. Michael Matthews 364 2. Andre Greipel 204 3. Alexander Kristoff 158 King of the Mountain: 1. Warren Barguil 129 2. Primoz Roglic 80 3. Thomas de Gendt 61 Remaining stages -21st 22nd, 23rd July

Golf

RBC Canadian Open Jul 27-30 Porsche European Open 27th July - Sunday 30th July Sky Sports

RUGBY LEAGUE Friday 21st July 2017 Hull Fc v Huddersfield Giants Leigh Centurions v Salford Red Devils Wigan Warriors v Leeds Saturday 22nd July 2017 Catalans Dragons v CAstleford Tigers Sunday 23rd July 2017 Wakefield Trinity v St.Helens

FORMULA ONE July 30th Hungarian Grand Prix --Summer Break-August 27th Belgian GP

DARTS World Matchplay 2017 July 20nd-30th

48

FRIDAY 21ST JULY 2017

Weekender Sport

OUTRAGE AT (£65) PAY-PER-VIEW

In America, cable networks Showtime and HBO are preparing to charge a record $99.95 (£65) to show the fight on pay-per-view.

The fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was the most expensive boxing match in UK pay-per-view history at a record £24.95 – £10 more than Mayweather vs British brawler

Ricky Hatton. However Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko was only £19.95, making it clear that it is Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather who is driving up the cost!

Both boxers are keen not to discuss their purses but McGregor is expected to net around £58m to rival Money’s £77m.

British fans are yet to find out what they will have to fork out for the tasty showdown, but social media has been packed with people in outrage about the price costing viewers in the USA, however reports suggest that it will match the Mayweather vs Pacquio fight at £24.95 or just a small increase to £29.95.