RTN Newspaper - Costa Blanca North 5 - 11 January 2018 Issue 950 by Euro Weekly News Media S.A.

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Issue 950

5th - 11th January

Reporting The News Photo credit Javea Ayuntamiento

Welcome to the world

Inside this week...

THE MARINA ALTA’S first baby of 2018 was born at Denia Hospital at 1.12am on New Year’s Day. Little Marc weighs 3.5 kilograms and was born by natural birth to mother Maria Teresa Llopis Vidal. Maria went into labour on New Year’s Eve but Marc kept her and her husband waiting. Both Maria and her husband were born on the Marina Alta and they now live in Murla.

hero honoured

P2 IT’S AMAZING WHAT YOU FIND: The bunker when it was discovered in March 2016

Please will EU help us? by Rose Holmes Javea Council will ask for European funds to restore the air raid shelter in the port. The bunker dates back to 1938 and was discovered in March 2016 after masses of undergrowth were cut back from the Caleta del Port bay near La Grava beach. It was instantly-recognisable as an air raid shelter used by Javea’s people during Nazi Germany’s and Fascist Ita-

ly’s air-strikes. The bunker stretches 30 square metres, divided into two galleries. The outer gallery of approximately 12 square metres, would be renovated to accommodate public visits. The inner gallery is more deteriorated. The council wants to restore it and turn it into a museum, creating an audio-visual to illustrate the terror of the Civil War. The shelter is the only public vestige of the Civil War that still stands in Javea as

the bunkers on the Muntanyar were demolished in their entirety in the 1980s. The council will request aid from the initiative launched by the Generalitat Valenciana last November, for the protection and/ or recovery of Valencian cultural heritage backed by the ERDF Operational Programme 2014-2020 for Valencian Community. The total budget for Valencia's Operational Programme is €1.14 billion, of which the EU has contributed €568 million.

how did that get there?

P10

twins take to the stage

P14

Access for all VILLAJOYOSA Council has completed works to the footpath up to La Madalleta, making the last 170 metres accessible for wheelchair users and parents with prams. The remains of the house have been cleaned, as have those of the Iberian sanctuary. DID YOU KNOW? The Iberian sanctuary is dedicated to the Goddess Mars and was built between 375 and 350 BC.

Skateboard hero Ignacio to be honoured at new memorial centre by Tahnee Wright IGNACIO ECHEVERRIA, the 39-year-old Spanish lawyer killed in last year’s terror attack in London will be the subject of an exhibit at the Memorial Center for Victims of Terrorism that is set to open in the Basque Country later this year. Echeverria worked for HSBC and was a keen skateboarder. On the night of June 3, he was on his way home having been skateboarding with friends when he stumbled across the terror attack at Borough Market. As he saw the terrorists stabbing a defenceless woman, Echeverria ran to her aid and attempted to fight them off with his skateboard when he was killed. The memorial will showcase the

skateboard he used against the terrorists before he was fatally stabbed. Echeverria’s parents donated the skateboard to the Foundation of Victims of Terror because “it is a positive thing to spread this example to children and young people, explaining that it is worth being good even if you die because of it,” they told the Foundation of Victims of Terror magazine. Echeverria was one of eight people who were killed in the terrorist attack. The woman he tried to protect was also among the dead. He was posthumously awarded Spain’s highest honour for civilians, the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit and thousands of people attended a vigil in Madrid where skateboards were held in the air in his memory.

SKATEBOARD HERO: Ignacio Echeverria

Expat community thanked by friends of British Caz FRIENDS of Caroline ‘Caz’ Williams, who went ‘missing’ for a month before being found in the Hospital Clinico de Valencia, have praised local charities and a care agency. MABS Cancer Support Group, HELP of Denia Marina Alta and the 3C Care and Nursing Agency have all assisted since Caz, 66, was found within 12 hours of an online campaign being posted by RTN sister publication the Euro Weekly News. It came after a social worker at the Hospital Clinico called 3C, based in Calpe, to ask if they knew anyone connected to

Caz as they had been unable to find anyone themselves. As luck would have it, staff at the agency had seen the EWN article on Facebook and contacted her friends before supplying two carers over the Christmas period. Caz suffers from several medical conditions including leukaemia collapsed in Moraira at the end of November and was taken to Marina Salud in Denia before being moved to La Fe Hospital in Valencia. She was later moved to the Hospital Clinico.

24 feb - 2 march 2017 Photo credit Facebook

THANK YOU: Olaya’s parents expressed their greatest thanks to Maria on the beach at Punta de l'Arenal

Cancer activist helps little Olaya by Rose Holmes Maria Ferrer Miralles, the Javea resident and cancer activist who collected more than 200,000 demanding mammograms for younger woman is also focused on helping Olaya, the little girl from Javea who was born with brittle bone disease. Maria donated half of the funds raised from her Christmas raffle to 17-month old Olaya’s parents, Laura and Ismael. The other half was donated to the women on the cancer ward at Denia

Hospital. Brittle bone disease is a disorder that results in fragile bones that break easily. The disease is often referred to as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), which means ‘imperfectly formed bone.’ OI can sometimes be life-threatening if it occurs in babies either before or shortly after birth. When Olaya was first born, doctors did not detect that the little girl suffered from OI but her mother immediately recognised that something was not right.

Olaya suffered at least seven fractures, two of them during gestation and one during childbirth. She was diagnosed with OI soon afterwards at Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe in Valencia. Olaya stood up in September of last year and her mother spoke of her joy as the little girl took small steps as she held onto her. She said: “I told the doctors, who insisted that I relax, but my daughter’s illness has taught me to enjoy every moment.”

24 feb - 2 march 2017

Population drops by 100 each week

New for 2018 JAVEA’S SOLER BLASCO MUSEUM will display a special toga that was worn by one of the municipality’s last ‘maceros’. The piece belonged to Jose Torres Cheli (also known as Pepe Segarra), an official who walked before the dignitary on ceremonial occasions, carrying a mace that represented the digni-

REIAL SENYERA: The Valencian flag

by Fabio Delucci A report commissioned by the National Institute of Statistics (INE) has revealed there are fewer and fewer inhabitants in the Valencian Community. The Valencian Community consists of three provinces - Castellon, Valencia and Alicante. Figures released recently estimate the number of people living in the re-

gion to have dropped by 3,000 in the first half of 2017 – approximately 100 less each week. In the 1970s, the Valencian Community had just over three million inhabitants. This rose to over four million during the Spanish ‘baby boom’ at the start of the millennium. After a wave of immigration, there were over five million inhabitants in the

Valencian Community in 2011 – 2012. Figures have continued on a path of descent since then and are now at 4.9 million. 12 autonomous communities in Spain lost inhabitants last year, the most being in Castilla and Leon. The number of people living in the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Catalonia, Madrid, Murcia and Navarra increased.

tary's authority. Known in Valencian culture as a ‘gramalla’, the toga is crafted from red damask material and was loaned to the museum by Jose’s children. The museum is open Tuesday – Friday 10.00am – 1.00pm and 5.00pm – 8.00pm and on Saturdays and Sundays 10.00am – 1.00pm.

Street named after local hero A STREET in Callosa d’en Sarria will be named after a resident who gifted land to the council so it could drill for water in the drought. Salvador Solbes Benimeli, known as ‘Dolcainer’ gave the Pozos de Sacos plot to the council free of charge in the late 1970s. He also gave the Community of Irrigators of Callosa d’en Sarria the use and management of water extracted from the drilling, ensuring that it never depended on a single entity, but that a consensus was always necessary. The council announced that it will pay tribute to Dolcainer, naming a street after him in the coming weeks.

5 Photo credit Javea Ayuntamiento

Della released back into the wild by Rose Holmes

STAR OF THE SHOW: Members of the public also attended Della’s release

Pool saves €20k in energy BENISSA COUNCIL recently announced that energy savings at the municipal indoor pool amounted to more than €20,000 in 2017. The implementation of energy saving measures has meant that the pool’s bill is 16 per cent less than it was in 2016. The halogen lighting system was replaced for an LED system and the heating and air-conditioning is now fuelled by pellets instead of electricity and gas. The council said there is still room for improvement and is studying measures measure to further reduce energy consumption in 2018.

‘Della’ the turtle - who was rescued in Javea last summer - was released back into the wild in the Granadella earlier this week. Della (short for Granadella) was found by a group of young people as they sailed about two miles off the Cabo de la Nao last August. She was caught in plastic and fishing line and was taken in by vets from the l'Oceanografic in Valencia, where she has been recovering for the past five months.

Rockers’ final farewell tour

Della has had to have one of her find amputated, but vets say this will not impact her chance of survival in the wild. Several boats from Club Nautico de Javea took to the water on Tuesday to celebrate her release back into the wild. Fernando, one of the young people who found Della and Jose, one of the Seprona agents who rescued her took part, together with Javea Mayor Jose Chulvi, councillor Doris Courcelles and Pepa Gisbert and other members of staff from Seprona.

ARGENTINE-SPANISH rock band Tequila’s surviving members Ariel Rot, Alejo Stivel and Felipe Lipe will get together some 40 years after the group was first formed for a final farewell tour, stopping at Javea’s MontgoRock Festival in May. Based in Madrid and active between 1975 and 1983, Tequila “changed the conception of Spanish rock in the times of the transition” and many fans thought they’d never see the members play together again. Tickets are already on sale for the festival which takes places May 11 – May 12 and are available via www.montgorock.es/. Javea residents can enjoy a discount of €5 when purchasing tickets via the municipal tourist office.

6 Photo credit Facebook

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THE HAPPY COUPLE: Hector and Ruben together with Jose Luis Gaya

Man proposes to partner at charity event with football star by Tahnee Wright Spanish professional footballer Jose Luis Gaya was at the Portal de la Marina shopping centre in Ondara last week as he took on the challenge of taking 500 photos with his fans in just two hours in return for a charitable donation. Gaya - who was born and raised in Pedreguer and now plays as a left back for Valencia CF and the Spain under21 team - managed to com-

plete the challenge and the shopping centre donated €1,500 to ADIMA (Association of Disabled Persons on the Marina Alta). The event also marked a very special occasion for lovers Hector and Ruben… Hector had taken his nephew to the shopping centre to have his photo taken with the football star when, to his surprise, the speaker of the event greeted him personally and asked him to look carefully at the big screen.

Lemons are the latest crop hit by drought in Alicante Street evacuated due to fire on Christmas day Children´s ward welcomes Santa at Torrevieja Hospital

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On the big screen played a video with images of Hector’s home, friends and family, narrated by his partner Ruben. The video ended with Bruno Mars’ ‘I think I want to marry you’ as Ruben appeared on stage with a ring (which Gaya had been looking after) and asked Hector for his hand in marriage. Hector’s answer was of course, yes! Congratulations, Hector and Ruben.

JAVEA’S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, directed by Pilar Zamora, expresses its greatest thanks to all of 2017’s blood donors at the municipal Centro de Trasfusiones. In total, 729 people gave blood last year – more than the estimated 680. The fifth ‘blood donation marathon’ in August was a resounding success. The event, arranged by la comision de

Fifth outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa confirmed on the Costa Blanca

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Benitachell resident Monica Garcia Bolufer turned 100 on Tuesday and became the third centenarian of the municipality. Benitachell Council said: “We would like to congratulate one of the oldest neighbours of the municipality Monica Garcia Bolufer, who turned 100 on January 2. She becomes the third centenarian of Benitachell behind Maria Colomer who turned 100 on July 29, 2017 and Pepa Garcia Buigues, who will turn 101 on February 5, 2018.” Benitachell Mayor Josep Femenia visited Monica on the morning of her birthday together with councillors Manolo Segarra and Nathalie Coning and presented her with a stunning bouquet of flowers to mark the occasion.

Photo credit Benitachell Ayuntamiento

A right bloody lot

Jellyfish arrive out of season on Costa Blanca

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Happy birthday, Monica

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fiestas del Loreto in honour of Dionis Henarejos saw a total of 132 people give blood. Zamora says she hopes for even better results this year. Public thanks were also given to Mercedes Bisquert who recently passed away. A Javea resident, Mercedes worked at the Centro de Trasfusiones for many years and was loved by all of its patients.

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24 feb - 2 march 2017

Another super hotel will be built on Calpe beach by Rose Holmes A NEW €35 million four-star hotel will be built in Calpe on La Fossa beach. AR Hotels & Resorts’ new hotel will be split across two 30-floor towers and will boast 606 rooms, 14 of which will be suites. There will be 14 convention rooms with capacity for 2,500 delegates, together with a wellness centre of more than 2,000 square meters and pool and garden areas of more than 7,000 square metres. The hotel will take three years to build, during which time AR Hotels & Resorts has said the project will create jobs for more than 2,000 people. Once the hotel is built, the company has said it will employ more than 1,000 people. AR Hotels & Resorts manages 5 hotels and 17 apartment complexes, with more than 6,000 rooms. The company has won awards such as the World Travel Awards and World Luxury Hotel Awards. Many international cycling teams spend the winter at AR Hotels & Resorts’ Diamante Beach Spa Hotel in Calpe to train for the Tour de France in July.

Chip pan fire

THE NEW YEAR started with a bang in Benidorm when a chip pan caught fire at a home in the city centre. Firefighters were called to a house at the top of Calle Tomas Ortuno shortly before 5.00pm on New Year’s Day. The fire destroyed the kitchen, leaving it completely black. The smoke also affected the dining room. The fire was quickly extinguished with three fire engines and the local and national police and Red Cross were on hand. Four residents were evacuated from the house, all of them managing to avoid injury.

Cadastre changes

HERE’S ONE I MADE EARLIER: What the hotel is planned to look like Photo credit AR Hotels & Resorts

THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS reviewed Cadastre values in 11 Marina Alta municipalities last week. The Cadastre value of a property in Spain is an important estimate of its capital value. The Cadastre is unlike the Land Registry – which records legal ownership of the property – in that it is used to calculate the volume and amount of Real Estate Tax (IBI) due on each property. Cadastre values will increase in Denia,

Els Poblets, El Verger, l'Atzuvia, Orba, Senija and Teulada and decrease in Murla, Pedreguer, Vall d'Alcala and Vall de Laguar. The updates could have a direct effect on residents should the Real Estate Tax (IBI) be amended. If you feel that the Cadastre value of your property or the property you are interested in buying is inaccurate, then you can appeal, but only at the time of revaluation.

Four firework incidents in one night by Tahnee Wright

STICK TO SPARKLERS: One neighbour is being investigated for negligence over a rogue rocket

Better not waste my time A Denia resident has been ordered to pay a €250 fine for wasting police time. The man is alleged to have made “constant calls to the local police headquarters” and "seriously disrupted the normal functioning of public services” as he blocked the lines and demanded to speak to the chief constable.

The resident is alleged to have repeatedly said: “I am the next mayor of Denia. The chief constable must call me on my mobile. It is an urgent matter.” The agents who answered the man’s calls say he did not communicate “any reason” for making the calls.

New parking spaces

The custom of celebrating the New Year with fireworks caused more than one scare on the Marina Alta this year. Almost as soon as the clock struck midnight, police and civil protection officers from Javea attended a fire in a garden in Balcon al Mar. The fire had been started by a rocket which had been set off by a neighbour. The neighbour is being investigated for negligence.

Next, it was on to another fire in Moraira – again, caused by fireworks. Meanwhile, another fire started in Javea in the La Plana area of the Montgo Natural Park. Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire quickly, but the culprits were nowhere to be seen. Police are investigating whether the fire was started on purpose, or whether it was caused accidentally by fireworks. In Denia, there was another fire, started by a rocket.

CALPE Council recently presented eight new bicycle parking spaces outside the Ayuntamiento on Avenida de Ifac. The spaces were created as part of the council’s Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). Mayor Cesar Sanchez said more are planned around the town to encourage the use of bicycles over cars. At the end of November, the council presented three electric bicycles and five electric cars that will be used by council staff to promote the SEAP. In addition to the four recharging points already in operation in the town, three new ones were unveiled – one on avenida Europa, another on Ejercitos Espanoles and another outside the Ayuntamiento.

Photo credit Guardia Civil

Bus collision kills motorist

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN: The car would have quite literally flown off the highway

Investigation continues to find driver of abandoned car by Fabio Delucci An area off the N-332 between Benissa and Teulada was declared a crime scene on Christmas Day when police found an abandoned car. The car was left about seven metres off the highway, half buried in the

dense vegetation near the La Pedrera industrial estate. Police believe that the car would have quite literally flown off the N-332 as there was no evidence of braking on the road, nor had any damage been done to the vegetation. Officers believe that the driver did

a runner to avoid testing positive for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Neither at the time – around 10.30am on Christmas morning – nor since, has anyone reported the accident. The investigation continues.

A 41-YEAR-OLD motorist died on the N-332 in Benidorm when his motorbike collided with a bus. The cause of the accident that occurred at kilometre 146 last Saturday night has not yet been confirmed. According to the Information and Emergency Coordination Center (CICU), the man died almost instantaneously in the collision.

Fontilles helps 300,000 people worldwide FONTILLES, a leading non-profit association in the fight against leprosy and other diseases linked to poverty, will develop 24 health cooperation projects in 11 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Fontilles was founded in 1902 by lawyer Don Joaquin Ballester and Jesuit priest Father Carlos Ferris, in order to offer an improved quality of life and treatment to a greater number of leprosy patients in the Alicante and Valencia region. A hospital, the Fontilles Colony Sanatorium – Sant Francesc de Borja, was opened in 1909, with the

aim of hosting leprosy patients from all over Spain and performing a triple function of medical treatment, research and teaching. It was declared of Public Utility in 1966. Since then, adjusting to new needs in the fight against leprosy has been a first priority but Fontilles has also been supporting or running an increasing number of international projects and became a Member of the International Federation of Leprosy Control (ILEP) 1969. The 24 health cooperation projects will benefit around 300,000 people.

Notorious drug dealer banged up by Rose Holmes

EVIDENCE: Nearly seven kilograms of cocaine were seized

Police arrested a notorious drug dealer in Javea this week and seized nearly seven kilograms of cocaine from his house. The 29-year-old Spaniard was first stopped by officers acting suspiciously just off the Arenal. He was searched on the spot and police found he was carrying 25 grams of coke, enveloped in ‘wraps’ ready for sale.

Officers then raided his house where they found a further 697 kilograms of cocaine, distributed in doses of one gram and 0.5 grams, materials for distribution (scales, bags and wire) and €200 in cash. He was sent straight to prison where he will remain in custody awaiting trial. Police say the dealer was a ‘heavyweight’ on the Marina Alta and his arrest and ultimate imprisonment will seriously affect the trade of narcotics across the region.

Only child of dictator Franco passes away aged 91 THE ONLY CHILD of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, Maria del Carmen Franco y Polo, passed away last Friday at her home in Madrid. She was 91 and had been suffering from cancer. Born in Oviedo, Spain on September 18, 1926, Carmen as she was known,

was the only daughter of Franco and his wife Maria del Carmen Polo. As honorary chairman of the National Francisco Franco Foundation and Duchess of Franco, she played a role in protecting her father’s legacy following his death in 1975. In April 1950, Carmen married Cristo-

bal Martínez-Bordiu, a heart surgeon from Villaverde, with whom she had seven children. Martinez-Bordiu died in 1998. During her last months, Carmen was surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In a heartfelt message on Instagram,

her grandson Alfonso de Borbon announced “God has taken Man (her nickname) (RIP) but she has not gone: she will be forever in my heart.” He added “You will always be my super-granny, my second mother, one of my pillars and my example to follow.”

12 Photo credit Calpe Ayuntamiento

TAKE A BOW: Prestigious Spanish conductor Josep Vicent

Star quality sees in 2018 by Tahnee Wright Calpe saw in 2018 in style as more than 2,000 people gathered on the Plaza Mayor for the New Year’s Eve concert. Expectations were exceeded as the council had planned for 1,500 guests at the concert led by prestigious Spanish conductor Josep Vicent. Vicent is the artistic director and principal conductor at The World Orchestra and Artistic and General Director at ADDA Auditorium in Valencia.

He has rapidly built a reputation as an outstanding artistic personality. His highly energetic, personal and accurate versions of all-time classics to modern repertoire have enabled him to conduct top international ensembles. Vicent is a regular guest conductor with orchestras such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic, London Symphony, Belgium National Orchestra and many others. He was artistic director at Xenakis Festival and The Amsterdam Percussion Group. Vicent has also been chief

conductor and artistic director with Balearic Symphony Orchestra. He was born in Valencia and studied at the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Alicante and the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. Vicent invited local musicians from Altea, Benidorm, Callosa d’en Sarria, Calpe, Orba, Teulada and Villajoyosa to participate in the New Year’s Eve concert which will be broadcast for all of Spain to see tomorrow Saturday January 6 on Trece TV at 10.00am.

Let’s dance

THE ‘JIVE FUN JAVEA’ jive club has moved to Javea Quo Vadis on Calle Cannes. Jive dancing is a fast and very spirited Latin dance, made popular in the 1940s by young Americans who adopted the movements to fit with the emerging sounds of rock and roll. While there are many more complex movements in jive, some of which incorporate spinning or flipping the female dance partner, the basic movement is a well-controlled, 6-count foot pattern that is actually easy to practice and eventually master. Jive Fun Javea meets every Monday from 8.00pm – 11.00pm – entrance is only €2 per person to cover the cost of the space hire. For more info, get in touch with organiser Anja Neubauer - anyanbr@gmail.com or search ‘Jive Fun Javea’ on Facebook.

Deputy mayor publicly proposes The ever-popular Sant Silvestre fun run in El Verger ended with a marriage proposal last weekend as the municipality’s Deputy Mayor Ximo Coll got down on one knee. Coll himself had walked the route with his partner Carolina Vives, a councillor in Els Poblets. As he stood on the podium and presented awards to the fastest participants, he called Vives up. Confused as they had walked

the route and she wasn’t expecting an award, she got up on the podium and Coll presented her with an envelope. Vives opened it to find a note inside asking for her hand in marriage and he dropped down on one knee and held out an engagement ring. The audience erupted with cries of "viva los novios" as she excitedly accepted and the young couple embraced.

SPOTLIGHT ON MORAIRA

Twin piano duo takes to the Teulada stage by Rose Holmes THE AUDITORI TEULADA MORAIRA will play host to American piano duo the Naughton twins on Thursday March 8. Highly recommended by Concerts Costa Blanca, identical twins Christina and Michelle Naughton trained at the Curtis Institute of Music and at the Juilliard School. They earned bachelor's degrees in solo piano performance in 2011 at Curtis, where they both received the Festorazzi Prize and master's degrees from Juilliard in 2013. Pianist Joseph Kalichstein taught the sisters at Juilliard and said, "When they play together, they seem to have one mind and one body - it's extraordinary - like one person with two hands playing." The Naughton twins' talent for playing the piano appeared early. Christina first soloed with an orchestra at age 9; Michelle followed at 10. But it didn't occur to them to perform together until the sisters were in high school and invited to play as a duo at the dedication of a concert piano. "We said, 'Sure, we'll give it a try,' " Michelle told the American press. "We didn't really expect anything. "We worked on it, we performed, and something magical happened. We looked

New business venture? Teulada-Moraira Council has put out to tender the contract for the bar-cafeteria at the community social centre. Situated on the Plaza de la Constitucion, the bar-cafeteria is offered on a four-year lease for €12,000 up front and a further €250 per month, including the cost of electricity, waste and water. Anyone, Spanish or foreign can apply to take over the contract – the deadline is next Wednesday January 10.

Driving employment ON TOUR: Christina and Michelle Naughton at each other and said, 'I love this.' And we never looked back." Tickets cost €17 and are available online via https://www.instanticket.es/ recintos/ and from the box office – open

Wednesday - Saturday: 11.00am – 1.00pm and 6.00pm – 8.00pm. For more information, get in touch with Willy Hardee - 639 371 625 or email willyhardee@gmail.com.

Thanks to the help of EMCORD and EMCORP, Teulada-Moraira Council has recently employed five people to work in its maintenance department. The EMCORD programme concentrates on helping people who have been unemployed for over a year back into the workplace. Through the EMCORD programme, a maintenance worker has been employed for seven months. The EMCORP programme concentrates on the employment of those over the age of 30. Through the EMCORP programme, the municipality has employed two foresters and two painters for six months.

News from around Europe RUSSIA

NETHERLANDS Moving with the times According to a recent analysis, crowdfunding, crowd financing, and crowd investing in the Netherlands showed strong growth of 31 per cent last year. A total of €223 million euros was raised through Dutch crowd initiatives in 2017, which financed over 5,300 separate projects. Body of missing student found A body found in the water of the Noordersingel in Leeuwarden on New Year’s Day is that of 18-year-old student Remon Bruinsma. Missing

for a month, Bruinsma was last seen leaving a pub in the city’s Nieuwestad district at 2.00am on December 1 after a night out. The investigation continues. Man kills himself and his son A 46-year-old man killed himself and his four-year-old son by jumping in front of a train last Saturday night in Haarle, Overijssel province. Some 200 people kill themselves by jumping in front of trains in the Netherlands every year. Golden tickets A small frisian villagecalled

Eastermar won the top prize in the Postcode Lottery’s New Year draw. Just two addresses in the village with the postcode 9261 XC take part in the lottery and they will share the €26.95 million winnings. Population now 17.2m The official population of the Netherlands rose 100,000 last year to reach 17.2 million. In total, some 233,000 ‘foreigners’ – including refugees – moved to the Netherlands while 151,000 left, increasing the population by 82,000. In addition, 19,000 more babies were born than people died.

FRANCE Trouble shows no sign of settling France saw an increase in arrests on New Year’s Eve as well as an increase in the number of cars torched by vandals, a ritual among revellers. The number of vehicles set alight climbed from 935 a year ago to 1,031, while arrests rose from 456 to 510, the interior ministry said on Monday. Trafficking ring bust Indian Police have broken up an alleged human trafficking ring which transported young boys to France on the pretext of sending them on rugby tours. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested three men after they allegedly tricked the families of 25 children into sending them to France for what they said was a rugby camp. Terrorists arrested A 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were arrested in France last week for planning to commit terror attacks.

The man was planning to attack soldiers, while the woman planned to strike in the French provinces. Both have been charged with criminal conspiracy in connection to a terrorist enterprise. We will sue A french activist group says it has filed a complaint against Apple over revelations that the tech giant remotely slowed the performance of older iPhone models. French law since 2015 has made planned obsolescence - deliberately reducing the useful life of products - a crime. No lighty French power grid company Enedis on Monday said some 65,000 homes were without power in France’s western regions of Brittany, Pays-de-la-Loire and Nouvelle-Aquitaine due to winter storm Carmen. The storm hit France’s Atlantic coast on Monday as national weather service Meteo-France warned of gusts of winds up of to 150 kilometres per hour.

ICELAND Scouting for thieves TWO pallets of fireworks were stolen from the scout group Skjöldungar in Reykjavík. Every year, scouts sell fireworks to fund their rescue missions. The companies are not-for-profit and rely on public donations. The stolen fireworks account for 20 per cent of what was planned to be sold. Black, white or skinny NESPRESSO opened its first store in Iceland – in the Kringlan shopping mall - with grand fanfare. It’s been a global coffee brand for over 30 years and sells its system of

machines and capsules worldwide and is one of the main brands of the coffee capsule concept. Staff Christmas benefits COMPANIES in Iceland have continued to the tradition of giving their staff a Christmas present as a bonus. Among them are bank employees of Íslandsbanki, Landsbanki and Arion banki who each received a Garmin watch and a 50,000 ISK gift voucher. More state funded artists FOUR new artists have been added to the list of those who receive

Set free Russian blockchain expert Pavel Lerner was freed by his abductors in Ukraine last Friday. Mr Lerner, 40, a leading analyst at cryptocurrency company Exmo, was kidnapped on Boxing Day while leaving his office in Kiev’s Obolon district. According to Ukrainian media reports, Mr Lerner was “thrown out on a motorway” by his abductors. Predominantly political A russian court has sentenced UKbased financier Bill Browder - a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin - to nine years’ jail in absentia. Interpol has rejected repeated requests from Russian prosecutors to help them arrest Mr Browder - it says the case against him is “predominantly political in nature”. Back in touch Russian scientists restored communications with a satellite days after they lost contact with it. Angosat-1 was launched on Boxing Day and just

hours later, Russian ground control staff said they were no longer receiving data from it. It comes soon after Russia revealed “programming errors” led to the loss of another multi-million-euro satellite. Fake news In the week between Christmas and New Year, more than 50 sites in 30 Russian cities, including five airports and some government offices were evacuated following bomb threats that later proved to be fake. Giving up Nikolai Philipchenko, an officer of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), has withdrawn his appeal against a Lithuanian court’s decision to sentence him to ten years in prison for spying. Lithuanian law-enforcement bodies say Philipchenko sought to recruit officers from Lithuania’s VIP Protection Department to bug President Dalia Grybauskaite at her home and office.

SCANDINAVIA New Year blast A NUMBER of apartments in Helsingborg, Sweden were evacuated after an explosion in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police were called to the scene and said one person was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The blast happened in a communal area of the building. Bloody bubbly blunder A MAN has been placed into an induced coma after a champagne bottle exploded between his legs on New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen as he attempted to open it. He

was injured when a shard of the shattered glass cut through an artery in his leg. Asylum families free THE POLICY of keeping families at the Trandum facility after their application for asylum in Norway has been rejected and has come to an end. The change in procedure has started following a decision by the civil ombudsman that the detention centre is unsuitable for children. Christmas fall mystery A MAN in Norway was found on Christmas Eve, over 24 hours after he’d

fallen 10 metres while out walking. The 24-year-old was reported missing at around 6pm on December 23 after the man’s sister was contact by a mutual friend who was concerned that he was late for a meeting. Icy job figures LOCAL areas with the highest rates of unemployment in Finland are in Lapland and North Karelia. Lapland has a rate of 18.8 per cent, followed by Lieksa, Enontekiö, Juuka, and Tohmajärvi. The regions with the highest rates are North Karelia with 14.5 per cent, ahead of South-Eastern Finland.

GERMANY state-funded grants for their work. They are Guðrún Helgadóttir, Gunnar Þórðarson, Kristín Jóhannesdóttir, and Þorgerður Ingólfsdóttir and make up a total list of 25 beneficiaries that get an “honorary artist salary”. Waves in the sky RARE and unusual cloud formations, shown as “wave clouds” in Icelandic were spotted over Reykjavík by local residents. Formed by strong winds, it’s similar to what happens when waves form in the ocean, and there are two masses with different densities moving at different speeds.

Firework blast tragedy NEW YEAR celebrations in Germany left two people dead, a child injured and five people requiring amputations due to accidents with fireworks. A 35-year-old man and a 19-year-old died when fireworks – believed to be the ‘Polish rocket’ which contains more explosive than normal - went off in their faces. Inflation slowing down INFLATION in Germany slowed slightly in December but was still ahead of forecasts made by the European Central Bank for the second month in a row. Consumer prices in the country rose by 1.7 per cent year-on-year according to figures from Destatis. Ben and Emma are top kiddies FOR THE seventh year in a row, Ben is still the most popular name for boys, with Emma taking over the top spot for

girls...replacing Mia that lead the list in 2016. Jonas, Leon and Paul were next behind Ben while Sophie was next to Emma. Twitter “insults” reported A FAR-RIGHT German MP was being investigated by police over alleged inflammatory comments she made on her Twitter account on New Year’s Eve, connected with the appeasement of Muslims. Her account was temporarily suspended but she was later posting again on the site. Car and jail breakers FOUR people were being sought by police after breaking out of Berlin’s Plötzensee prison. They were all part of a car workshop group who carved out a hole in the wall and then slipped under a barbed wire fence after reporting for the class as normal.

Back where it all began Last Friday, La Nucia’s Auditori de la Mediterrania played host to Spanish artist Natasha Dubalia as she presented her first poetry book. Natasha, who was born and raised in La Nucia and moved to the UK five years ago, walked the audience through the thought process behind ‘Palm trees and rain’. Palm trees and rain is a collection of thoughts, poetry and prose, where each of the chapters conveys an emotion – Summer is goosebumps Autumn is falling in love Winter is pain and Spring is growing Natasha described the book as an “explosion of vulnerability”, combining verbal and non-verbal expression. The verbal through writing, with poems accompanied by illustrations

Photo credit La Nucia Ayuntamiento

by Fabio Delucci

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Natasha Dubalia opened the floor to questions by Celia Lloret and the non-verbal through contemporary dance. At the end of each chapter there is a QR code, which when scanned will take the reader directly to a dance video, where Natasha reflects "what

sometimes the words are not able to convey; that important element that is the corporal expression when communicating. " Palm trees and rain is written in English and is available on Amazon.

Church helps needy families The congregation of the Anglican Church in Albir collected grocery items for the Alfaz Food Bank in the run up to Christmas. The staff at the Voluntariado Social de L´Alfas del Pi helped Elaine and Hazel unload the car last week and expressed their greatest thanks. Elaine said: “There are many needy families in the local area and we are very pleased, as a church, to be able to help.“ A service of Holy Communion is held in Albir every Sunday at 9.45am, services are held in the Norwegian Seaman’s Church in Carer Mart near the Rober Palas

Hotel. A service of Holy Communion is held on Thursdays at 11.00am at the Forum Mare Nostrum in Alfaz del Pi; the second Thursday of the month is a healing service and the final Thursday of the month is preceded at 10.00am - 10.50am by an open discussion ‘Faith, Questions and Doubts’. For more information about the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplaincy (the Church of England in Spain) check out - www.costablancaanglicanchaplaincy.org or get in touch with Local Church Warden Elaine Mitchell – 966 864 962/ 636 164 467.

Coach trip to Elche and Xixona FINESTRAT’S Concejalia de Residentes de Otras Nacionalidades (Council of Residents of Other Nationalities) has organised a trip to Elche and Xixona on Monday February 12. The trip includes a visit to the Huerto del Palmeral (Orchard of Palm Trees) - the greatest concentration of palm trees in all of Europe… According to estimations, there are between 200,000 and 300,000! The group will also visit Elche’s historical centre and

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monuments such as the Palacio de Altamira and the Basilica de Santa Maria. After lunch, the group will visit Xixona and the Turron 1880 y El Lobo museum. The trip costs €35 per person and includes transport (by coach), a tour guide, lunch and entrance to the museum. To book in person go to the R.O.N department at the Ayuntamiento or to the administration office in La Cala. To book by phone, call 647 370 999.

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La Fe on top for Traumatology

SAY CHEESE: Gary and Ray presenting the toys to Red Cross

No rest for Giving4Giving by Tahnee Wright The Christmas period was busier than ever for Giving4Giving, who pledged €1,500 worth of toys for Red Cross and €2,000 worth of vouchers for the EMAUS children. In total, the local charity organisation

donated €6,500 to worthwhile causes throughout December and Founder Gary Burr expressed his greatest thanks “to all the loyal volunteers and the public for shopping with Giving4giving who make all this possible.” Giving4Giving has now raised over €92,000 for local charities and those

who need it most - hosting numerous fund-raising events whilst also running 3 charity shops - one in La Nucia and two in Altea - along with a charity auction house in La Nucia. For more information or to get involved, get in touch with Gary on 603 137 697.

The La Fe hospital in Valencia is among the top three hospitals in Spain in the specialty of Traumatology, according to the Index of Excellence Hospital (IEH) 2017. See below the list of the top three hospitals in each of the ten specialties. Oncology: Vall d’Hebron (Barcelona); Jimenez Diaz Foundation (Madrid); and Gregorio Maranon (Madrid). Cardiology: San Carlos Clinic (Madrid); Vall d’Hebron; and San Pau (Barcelona). Gynaecology: Clinic Barcelona; Jimenez Diaz Foundation; and La Paz (Madrid). Neurology: San Carlos Clinic; Quironsalud Madrid; and Teknon Medical Center (Barcelona). Psychiatry: Gregorio Maranon; Virgen del Rocio (Seville); and Jimenez Diaz Foundation. Traumatology: Chiron Dexeus (Barcelona); La Paz; and La Fe (Valencia). Paediatrics: Nino Jesus (Madrid); La Paz; and Vall d’Hebron. Rheumatology: La Paz; Gregorio Maranon; and Clinic Barcelona. Pulmonology: Clinic Barcelona; Jimenez Diaz Foundation; and La Paz. Dermatology: La Paz; Ramon y Cajal (Madrid); and Clinic Barcelona.

Javea Bridge Club

Anyone interested in learning to play the fascinating game of Bridge? Javea Bridge Club are planning a beginners course starting on January 15 at 11am. The lessons will be in English and Spanish. For further information contact 966 472 158 (English) or 966 468 314 (Spanish) or email president.javeabridgeclub@gmail .com

Christmas in Almuñécar for U3A Marina Baixa by Staff Reporter On Saturday 23 December, 53 members of U3A Marina Baixa left Albir looking forward to a Christmas away from home. After two hours they stopped for breakfast before continuing on to their next stop, Granada. The group had free time there to explore and have lunch and late afternoon they continued to their hotel in Almuñécar which would be their base for the next 5 days. All the rooms comprised suites with 2 or 3 bedrooms and the high standard of décor had a definite Moorish influence. The hotel was surrounded by magnificent gardens and plantations of Chirimoya. The town of Almuñécar has medieval steep winding streets that lead to the Plaza de Constitución, where the Town Hall stands, and onto the highest old quarter called Barrio San Miguel and onto the Moorish castle. Christmas Eve, after a morning exploring the town and lunch in the hotel the members left for Malaga to see the light show – a 300m domed walkway full of lights which, at 6.30pm, were switched on to provide a light show accompanied by music. Christmas Day was spent in Almuñéca enjoying the sunshine and visiting the old town. Many celebrated with their friends in various apartments ending the day with a

ALL ABOARD: Members enjoy Christmas in Almuñécar buffet meal in the hotel restaurant together with a slice of Christmas cake made by the Association Secretary. Boxing Day, members visited the Alpujarras mountain range and some of the “White Villages”. The first village was Lanjaron, famous for its mineral water, and then a stop for coffee overlooking Orgiva where the author Chris Stewart who wrote “Driving over Lemons” still lives on his farm. Next stop was Pampeneira. The village hugs the steep slopes of a lush river gorge, the Barranco de Poqueira. Pampaneira,

at an altitude of just over 1,000m, is almost on the snow line with outstanding views. Along the winding route were many shops making and selling rugs, etc and a small chocolate factory enabling members to partake of free samples and purchase some souvenirs. The final stop was at Trevélez for lunch and then a scenic route back to the hotel. On Wednesday, after breakfast, the coach left to visit Almeria, Andalucia’s most eastern capital. The town, steeped in history, lies at the foot of a mountain range which

is crowned by the magnificent Alcazaba, an Arab fortress second in size to the Alhambra. The town boasts a Tourist Train, Cathedral, Civil War Shelters to name but a few of the attractions to be found, but time marched on and the coach left for Puero Lumbreras for lunch. A well travelled and weary group returned to Albir after spending a very memorable 5-day Christmas break. Special thanks to Rob and Liz Parker who planned and organised the trip and to Mario of Premier Coaches for a safe and comfortable journey.

Shelter dogs receive blessing APASA will open its shelter in Javea to the public for a fiesta on Saturday January 20, as the dogs are blessed by the priest. From 1.00pm, guests can browse the range of stalls and food and drink will be available from the bar. APASA was founded in 1999 by a

group of various nationalities, Spanish, English, German and Swiss, with the aim of rescuing those animals that were evidently abandoned, ill-treated or lost. Initially there were just a dozen dogs, now there are over 250, needing full time staff. APASA relies greatly on volunteers, working in the shelter, walking dogs and

at its many fund-raising events. All proceeds raised at the blessing will directly fund the goal of making the lives of the dogs better and providing essential care for them. For more information, get in touch with Sue on 965 741 668 / 606 588 197.

Basic Spanish for everyday needs by

Jane Cronin

Introduction to present perfect tense Today we are going to start looking at a new thing to do with verbs. So far we have linked some sentences in a simple way to talk about our intentions, needs and obligations, keeping our verbs in their simple infinitive form (for example “hablar”). Then we looked at changing each verb into a gerund or “-ing” form (for example “hablando”) and using this to talk about things happening at the present moment. In both cases the main verb itself only has one form, which makes it much simpler to deal with. We are now going to do a similar thing, this time enabling us to talk about past events. We are going to turn the verb into what we call a past participle. Before we do that though, we need to know what a past participle is in English! For example, let’s take the verb “to speak”. In English we can work out the changes by saying: “Today I speak”, “Yesterday I spoke”, “Recently, I have spo-

ken”. This gives us three forms of the verb “to speak”, namely, “speak, spoke, spoken”. “Spoken” is our past participle, and we combine it with the word “have” or “has” in English to talk about the recent past. “I have spoken to the lawyer and he says that …”. Unfortunately some English speakers use this form wrongly in their own language. You hear people say “I have spoke”, using the past tense instead of the past participle. Another difficulty for us is that sometimes the past tense and the past participle are the same in English. For example: “Today I buy”, “Yesterday I bought”, “Recently I have bought”. So “bought” is both the past tense and the past participle of the verb “to buy”. This is also true (in English – don’t worry we’ll get onto the Spanish before this article is over!) of our regular verbs which end in “-ed”. “Today I wash, yesterday I washed, recently I have washed”.

Sometimes people ask me: “How you do say washed in Spanish?” or “How do you say bought in Spanish?” To answer this I have to ask for more information about the situation to work out which form they’re looking for. They sometimes look at me strangely, as if I can’t answer the question or something! Well, there’s plenty more to say about all of this, but just so you are not left entirely in the dark, here is how we form a past participle in Spanish. In most cases we take the –ar off the infinitives of –ar verbs and change it to –ado. Therefore “spoken” is “hablado”. We take the –er or –ir endings off those verbs and change them to –ido. Therefore “drunk” as is “I have drunk” is “bebido” and “slept” (as in “I have slept”) is “dormido”. I say in most cases because there are one or two irregular ones. There’s also a great deal more to say about this subject as a whole, but at least we’ve made a start!

past participle hablado Today I buy hablar bebido past tense verbs

Yesterday I spoke

dormido

The day I met my first ligger by

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

Once upon a time a demented woman who ruled a faraway land convinced her subjects that greed was good, that trade unions were bad and that an unbridled market economy and privatisation would benefit all. Many – as easily played for imbeciles then as those who voted almost 40 years on for Brexit – fell hook, line and sinker for the Iron Lady’s garbage and gave the crackpot capitalist two more terms to wage war on social cohesion and make the well-off far richer than they already were. The result was the unleashing of a short-lived era of conspicuous consumption. Obscene amounts of cash were lavished on extravagant events hosted by stockbrokers, bankers and wealthy individuals in hotels and restaurants across the country. These attracted battalions of liggers – individuals who attend parties, openings, and social gatherings solely intent on obtaining free food and drink. Some even came equipped with Tupperware tubs and outsize bags into which they would shamelessly tip whole trays of comestibles. (A Benidorm couple recently gained a measure of notoriety when they gatecrashed a private birthday party and made off with an entire cheese board!) Others – like Joe, the first ligger I’d ever come across – were far classier. We met back in the 1980s at a Conservative Party fundraiser in London hotel. Guest speaker was soon-to-jailed –for-perjury Lord Jeffrey Archer, and I’d been sent by a local newspaper to report on the function. The evening got off to a surreal start when I arrived in full biker’s leathers (I had my tuxedo and accoutrements in a pannier.) “Oh,” said the concierge “you must be delivering the gear for the party.” Clocking my puzzled expression, he held a nostril shut, made a snorting sound and winked. Just then the pukka drug courier arrived and I

legged it to the gents, where I quickly transformed myself from Hell’s Angel into a dapper dinner-jacketed gent. As I entered the function room, a suave, elegantly-dressed individual oiled his way to my side, and asked whether I was an official guest. When I said yes he giggled somewhat drunkenly and confessed that he wasn’t. I invited him to explain, and he said that, being jobless and broke he’d hit on a method of eating and drinking free seven days a week. “All you need,” Joe confided, “is a good suit. And a business card. Then you trawl the hotels and restaurants for top-notch functions and stroll in as though you own the place.” I stored this information for future use in the event of finding myself out of work and penniless as millions did during the ghastly Thatcher era. Two weeks later I met Joe again at a function at the Café Royal in London. Once more he was impeccably dressed, but much drunker than he was when we first met. Then it all went horribly wrong when a pianist, tinkling away at the keyboard, started playing a Cole Porter number. Joe drew a barstool up to the piano, and began to bellow the words of “Let’s Do It”. Then he slipped off the stool and fell to the floor. At that point the organisers realised that he wasn’t the journalist he claimed to be. His ligging came to an ignominious end when he was escorted off the premises and told never to show his face there again. What reminded me of Joe was a delightful festive season luncheon I attended at Restaurante Ongo Etorri in Benidorm a week or so ago. Eighteen of us gathered for the occasion, and, as one might expect, most

opted for turkey. What no one expected was that TWO giant birds would be presented to 14 diners, and four legs of lamb to the rest. As we wrapped up a mountain of leftovers to take home for our loved ones – our dogs – I thought that Joe would have been in his element if he had had the opportunity to share in what was a truly fabulous five-course meal.

Fighting loneliness JAVEA SOCIAL SERVICES has launched a community project to fight against loneliness and social isolation of the elderly. The council has signed an agreement with Barcelona Social Services to copy the ‘Radars’ project. Radars is structured through the

creation of a neighbourhood network made up of ‘radars’: neighbours, businesses, associations, clubs and resident communities. The radars will work to identify loneliness and social isolation of Javea’s elderly residents, so that they can seek community resources.

Loneliness and social isolation are important health risks in the elderly according to a study of WHO (World Health Organisation). Reduced social contact, being alone, isolation and feelings of loneliness are associated with reduced quality of life.

Councillor Pepa Gisbert said, "we hope that people will act with humanity and solidarity,” and expressed her greatest thanks to the Valencian Government for its support – in the last two years it has more than doubled Javea’s social services budget.

The comfort of our illusions by

Michael Walsh

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

George Orwell

I often look back and consider the insanity of endless wars. Then I realise that by being in denial we simply prefer the comfort of our illusions to the truth. There are many people who actually like war. Winston Churchill’s hand must have trembled when in 1916 he penned his letter to Lord Asquith’s daughter. “I love this war. I know it’s smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment and yet, I can’t help it, I enjoy every second of it.”

The many anti-war movements have only their consciences in their arsenals. In the last 10 years alone US arms manufacturers placed $6 trillion in their loot, shoot and scoot coffers. It is hardly an even playing field is it. As long as media can convince us of a threat then the arms industries and their shareholder’s, many of whom are politicians, are assured of vast profits from arms paid for from the taxpayers’ purse. A pity they don’t pay for their own wars; it would make a difference. “A people who keep electing corrupt politicians are not victims, they are accomplices,” said journalist George Orwell. Mainstream news editor Finian Cunningham comes straight to the point: “War is a profitable business: It seems that the US has placed it at the heart of its economy. This is why US politicians and military officials

On his own, number one son A FATHER has been arrested in Arrecife (Lanzarote) for leaving his eight-year-old son locked in his car to go to a bingo hall. The accused, 33, is said to have an existing criminal record and was caught after residents near where the car was parked heard a child inside crying and calling for help. They rang the National Police hotline, 091, who rushed to the scene and managed to open the car. The little boy said his father had 'gone to bingo ages ago' and that he, the child, was 'very scared'. Whilst some of the officers looked after the boy, others went to find his father in the bingo hall, which was barely 100 metres away. The child and youth prosecution service has been alerted, and the child is now with his mother. It is thought the father was released with charges following his arrest.

have claimed that Russia poses a threat to their nation and its allies. Washington’s only enemy is peace.” Stephen Donovan was laconic; “The US has as much interest in peace as does a condom maker in abstinence.” The truth sank in for U.S. General Smedley Butler: “War is a racket. It is conducted for the benefit of a very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes.” These pundits and others are right: companies under the direction of US Vice-President, Dick Cheney, made $39 billion from the Iraq war alone. Vampires of war have always infested parliaments and still do so. “Senators who voted to attack Syria received 83 per cent more campaign money from military contractors than lawmakers voting no.” The situation is the same in Britain where the British parliament in effect voted for perpetual war. Again George Orwell: “War against a foreign country only happens when the moneyed class think they are going to profit from it.” The remarkable writer’s only

failing was a passage in his novel, 1984: “If there is hope, Winston, it lies in the proles,” the proletariat being us.

S o r r y George, we the people are as helpless as we ever were. This is why we prefer the comforts of our illusions.

Winston Churchill

Popular prescription medication reduced in price PRICES paid for a total of 1,253 prescription drugs have been reduced since January 1. Thanks to the measure, patients will save €89.6 million a year. In addition, a further 327 medicines dispensed by hospitals will also reduce their prices. According to the General Council of the Official College of Pharmacists, approximately 80% of the drugs are all different brand names of 10 active ingredients. These include Salbutamol, popularly used to treat asthma. The tetracyclic antidepressant Mirtazapine, a version which creates a calming and appetiteenhancing effect and is used to treat anxiety, is on the list as well as the antibiotic Azithromycin, Chondroitin Sulfate – often sold as Glucosamine – used to ease the effects of arthritis, and the contraceptive Ethinylestradiol, also known as Levonorgestrel. Two medications for arterial hypertension – CandesartanHydrochlorothiazide, also known as used for treating water retention in patients with congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis or

CHEAPER: Patients benefit if they need to keep taking the tablets kidney disorders, and Olmesartan Medoxomil, for treating high blood pressure, will go down in price. The immune system suppressant Methotrexate, used for cancer, ectopic pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases; Latanoprost, often sold as Xalatan,

used to treat glaucoma; and Insulin Glargine, to treat diabetes, are the final three on the list. Any of the drugs on the list already in stock will be sold at the new lower prices and pharmacies will have to absorb the cost difference.

IGNACIO PELLICER MOLLĂ & PEDRO HEREDIA ORTIZ

LAWYERS

legal Mortgages and clauses Q A What is a mortgage abusive clause? How do I know if my mortgage has one? The Supreme Court has acknowledged that in the past there has been an unfair imbalance between lender and borrower. There have been more than 10 abusive mortgage clauses recognized and any one of these could be written in your mortgage. In order for us to assist you, please let us see a copy of your mortgage deeds and any facturas that were paid at the time of purchasing the property (to include notary fees, land registry fees). We will then be able to review your particular scenario and let you know if you have any of the mortgage floor clauses. The next step would be for us to make a claim on your behalf, to have your money returned to you. PELLICER & HEREDIA Lawyers have a department specializing in the mortgage floor clauses. For more information contact us today.

If you have any further questions about this or any other legal matter, please do not hesitate to contact us; we have a team of experts standing by to assist you in any way we can. Call 965 480 737 or email info@pellicerheredia.com Videos at www.pellicerheredia.com

money

BBVA leads the way for online banking BBVA has reached an important milestone in its continued drive towards technology focused banking, with a key digital tipping point reached in Spain. In October the bank in Spain passed the 50 per cent mark in terms of the percentage of its Spanish customer base now engaging with the bank online. In fact, across its wider business, six of BBVA’s 11 core countries have now passed this tipping point, with the USA, Turkey, Argentina, Chile and Venezuela also past the 50 per cent mark. In Spain specifically, the use of digital channels to access banking services has grown by more than 17 per cent in the last 12-months alone. Meanwhile the figures for customers accessing by mobile has also soared - rising by 30 per cent in the last year. BBVA’s Head of Business Development in Spain, Peio Belausteguigoitia said: “The adoption of digital banking services and digital channels in Spain continues to grow quickly and is an example of the changing patterns with which people use technology now to manage their lives and achieve their goals. “At BBVA we are totally focused on building the absolute

best digital banking platforms anywhere in the world and the awards we are now seeing coupled with the ever-increasing usage from our customers shows we are on the right path and that we have the expertise needed to deliver.”

Catalonia crisis has cost €1 billion

SPAIN’s economy minister believes the Catalan independence movement has cost the country €1 billion since October. Luis de Guindos told Spanish radio that slowdown in the Catalan economy since the unauthorised independence referendum on October 1 has caused the damage. The minister said growth in the relatively affluent region had slowed from 0.9 per cent to 0.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2017. "Catalonia used to have growth above that of Spain, it was one of the drivers of the Spanish economy," Mr de Guindos said, adding that the region had now become a “burden”. He blamed the previous regional government for generating "enormous uncertainty, concern and a loss of confidence”. Catalonia accounts for around 20 per cent of Spain’s GDP and warnings about economic damage were a major part of its campaign against Catalan separatist parties in the December 21 regional election. According to reports, 3,100 companies have moved their headquarters out of the region as a result of the ongoing crisis.

Friday 5th - Thursday 11th January

Pick of the Day

FRIDAY 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 11:00pm 11:25pm 11:35pm 12:25am

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer Wanted Down Under Close Calls: On Camera Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Father Brown I Escaped to the Country The Farmers’ Country Showdown Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News Celebrity Mastermind Match of the Day Live BBC News BBC London News Graham Norton’s Good Guest Guide Enterprice

7:00am 7:30am 8:15am 9:00am 10:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:10pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 5:15pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:05am

Flog it! Trade Secrets The Farmers’ Country Showdown Antiques Road Trip MasterChef: The Professionals BBC Newsroom Live Westminster in Review Coast The Triple Cross Dolphins: Spy in the Pod Dolphins: Spy in the Pod Planet Earth II Antiques Road Trip Eggheads Great British Railway Journeys Natural World Mastermind Christmas University Challenge 2017 Rome Unpacked QI Newsnight Deep Water

7:00am 9:30am 10:25am 11:30am 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:55pm 3:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 9:30pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:40pm 12:40am

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Midsomer Murders Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Coronation Street River Monsters Coronation Street The Big Soap Quiz: Coronation Street v Emmerdale ITV News and Weather ITV News London Guess the Star Take Me Out

7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 8:35am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 2:05pm 3:10pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:10am

3rd Rock from the Sun 3rd Rock from the Sun 3rd Rock from the Sun Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Sun, Sea and Selling Houses Channel 4 News Couples Come Dine with Me Posh Pawn Countdown The Secret Life of the Zoo A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast The Beatles The Bourne Legacy

7:00am 10:40am 12:15pm 12:45pm 1:40pm 1:45pm 2:35pm 4:20pm 6:00pm 6:35pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 12:05am

Childrens TV Igor Animals Make You Laugh Out Loud GPs: Behind Closed Doors 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Family Secrets Deadly Paradise 5 News Barging Loving Celebs 5 News Tonight Greatest Celebrity Wind-Ups Ever! Costa Del Celebrity Celebrity Big Brother Will and Grace Celebrity Big Brother Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side

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

Funniest Moments David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters David Attenborough’s Micro Monsters Dogs: An Amazing Animal Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family NCIS: Los Angeles Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Modern Family Modern Family The Simpsons Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Modern Family Delicious A League of Their Own The Best of the Late, Late Show

The Pets Factor Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch The Dengineers Deadly Top 10 World’s Sneakiest Animals Homes Under the Hammer Pets: Wild at Heart Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure Back to the Land with Kate Humble Rome Unpacked The Letter Natural World Trust Me, I’m a Doctor Tom Kerridge’s Lose Weight for Good Hugh’s Wild West A House Through Time Dad’s Army Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs Feud: Bette and Joan Feud: Bette and Joan Live at the Apollo

7:00am

Childrens TV

10:25am

ITV News

10:30am

Saturday Morning

with James Martin

12:30pm

The Hungry Sailors

1:30pm

ITV News

1:40pm

Endeavour

3:40pm

The Greatest TV

Moments of All Time

5:35pm

ITV News London

5:45pm

ITV News

5:55pm

The Chase:

Celebrity Special

7:00pm

Catchphrase

8:00pm

Take Me Out

9:00pm

The Voice UK

10:35pm

ITV News

10:50pm

Spectre

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

Triathlon Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Frasier The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Big Bang Theory The Simpsons The Simpsons Sun, Sea and Selling Houses Darts A Place in the Sun Channel 4 News Spying on the Royals Princess Diana’s ‘Wicked’ Stepmother The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 The Transporter

7:00am 11:10am 11:40am 12:40pm 3:30pm 4:30pm 4:35pm 5:55pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:45am

Childrens TV Dogs Make You Laugh Out Loud Christmas Cruising with Jane McDonald West Side Story The Hundred-Foot Journey 5 News The Hundred-Foot Journey 5 News Weekend Playful Pups Make You Laugh Out Loud The Wonderful World of Puppies Greatest Celebrity Wind-Ups Ever! Blind Date Celebrity Big Brother Worst Celebrity Pop Songs Ever Lip Sync Battle UK

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 6:15pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 12:25am

Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Soccer A.M. Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Gillette Soccer Saturday Gillette Soccer Saturday Gillette Soccer Saturday Harry Hill’s Tea Time The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons A League of Their Own Air Force One A League of Their Own

The Beatles, 10pm, Channel 4

Saturday 7:00am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:15pm 1:45pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 6:10pm 6:40pm 6:50pm 7:00pm 7:40pm 8:25pm 9:30pm 10:20pm 10:35pm 11:30pm 1:05am

Breakfast Saturday Kitchen Live Mary Berry Everyday BBC News Football Focus Match of the Day Live Money for Nothing Final Score Celebrity Mastermind BBC News BBC London News And They’re Off... for Sport Relief Pointless Wedding Day Winners Casualty BBC News Hard Sun Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights The NFL Show

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

Dancing on ice ITV 7.00pm

Sunday 7:00am 8:30am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 2:00pm 2:15pm 2:40pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:05pm 7:05pm 7:20pm 7:30pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:20pm 11:30pm 12:30am

Breakfast Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights The Andrew Marr Show The Big Questions Homes Under the Hammer Bargain Hunt BBC News Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out Match of the Day Live Escape to the Country Songs of Praise Antiques Roadshow BBC News BBC London News Countryfile Still Open All Hours Attenborough and the Sea Dragon McMafia BBC News BBC London News Match of the Day: FA Cup Highlights The Women’s Football Show

The Voice UK, 9pm, ITV1

7:20am 8:20am 9:05am 9:35am 10:05am 11:00am 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 1:40pm 2:40pm 3:10pm 3:50pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:25am

Coast The Instant Gardener Gardeners’ World Greatest Gardens Countryfile Saturday Kitchen Best Bites Raymond Blanc: How to Cook Well Food and Drink The A to Z of TV Cooking Natural World Money for Nothing Talking Pictures Ladies in Lavender Flog It! Ski Sunday The Real T rex with Chris Packham Robot Wars Special Dragons’ Den Michael Palin: A Life on Screen And Now for Something Completely Different Strictly Ballroom

7:00am 10:25am 10:30am 10:55am 12:30pm 1:30pm 1:40pm 2:40pm 3:45pm 4:45pm 5:00pm 5:10pm 7:00pm 9:00pm 11:00pm 11:10pm 1:35am

Childrens TV ITV News River Monsters The Voice UK Tipping Point ITV News A Right Royal Quiz The Big Soap Quiz: Coronation Street v Emmerdale Catchphrase ITV News London ITV News Happy Feet Two Dancing on Ice Vera ITV News Captain Phillips Great Art

7:15am 7:40am 8:05am 8:30am 8:55am 9:25am 10:00am 10:30am 1:30pm 6:30pm 7:45pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 1:10am

King of Queens King of Queens King of Queens Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Sunday Brunch Darts The Great Festive Bake Off Channel 4 News The World’s Wildest Weather The Biggest Little Railway in the World SAS: Who Dares Wins The Sweeney Moonrise Kingdom

7:00am

Childrens TV

11:20am

Pets Make You

Laugh Out Loud

11:40am

Groundhog Day

1:40pm

Practical Magic

3:40pm

Will and Grace

4:10pm

Blind Date

5:15pm

The Love Punch

7:00pm

The Two Ronnies

9:00pm

Aviva Premiership

Rugby Highlights

9:55pm

5 News Weekend

10:00pm

Celebrity Big Brother

11:00pm

Hot Pursuit

12:00am

5 News

12:05am

Hot Pursuit

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

The Hour of Power Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons WWE Raw NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS: Los Angeles NCIS: Los Angeles Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family Modern Family The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons MacGyver Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles The Blacklist

Pick of the Day

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

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer Wanted Down Under Close Calls: On Camera Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Father Brown I Escaped to the Country The Farmers’ Country Showdown Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show An Inside Out Special EastEnders Panorama Silent Witness BBC News BBC London News Have I Got Old News for You Miriam’s Big American Adventure

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

Flog it! Trade Secrets The Farmers’ Country Showdown Antiques Road Trip Antiques Roadshow Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Coast Brazil with Michael Palin Himalaya with Michael Palin The Great British Winter Planet Earth II Flog It! Eggheads Great British Railway Journeys Match of the Day Kate Humble: Off the Beaten Track Only Connect University Challenge Surgeons Insert Name Here Newsnight Robot Wars Special

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson’s Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Best Walks with a View with Julia Bradbury 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Next of Kin 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:40pm Piers Morgan’s Life Stories 12:40am Killer Women with Piers Morgan

7:20am 7:40am 8:05am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:05am

3rd Rock from the Sun 3rd Rock from the Sun Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Sun, Sea and Selling Houses Channel 4 News Darts Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News How to Lose Weight Well The Undateables First Dates Hotel Derry Girls

7:00am

Childrens TV

10:15am

The Wright Stuff

12:15pm

GPs:

Behind Closed Doors

1:10pm

5 News Lunchtime

1:15pm

The Hotel Inspector

2:15pm

Home and Away

2:45pm

Neighbours

3:15pm

NCIS

4:15pm

Killer Mom

6:00pm

5 News

6:30pm

Neighbours

7:00pm

Home and Away

7:30pm

5 News Tonight

8:00pm

Car Crash TV

9:00pm

Police Interceptors

10:00pm

Celebrity Big Brother

11:00pm

Not So Sweet Sixteen

12:05am

Celebrity Big Brother’s

Bit on the Side

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

Futurama Futurama Monkey Life Monkey Life Meerkat Manor Meerkat Manor Road Wars Stargate Atlantis MacGyver NCIS: Los Angeles Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons The Simpsons Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Attenborough Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol The Force: North East

The Blacklist, 10pm, Sky1

Tuesday 7:00am 10:15am 11:00am 12:00pm 12:45pm 1:15pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:00pm 4:45pm 5:30pm 6:15pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 8:30pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 11:30pm 11:45pm 12:25am

Breakfast Rip Off Britain Homes Under the Hammer Wanted Down Under Close Calls: On Camera Bargain Hunt BBC News BBC London News Doctors Father Brown I Escaped to the Country The Farmers’ Country Showdown Antiques Road Trip Pointless BBC News BBC London News The One Show EastEnders Holby City Silent Witness BBC News BBC London News Canvey: The Promised Island An Inside Out Special

Silent Witness, 10pm, BBC1

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

Flog it! Trade Secrets The Farmers’ Country Showdown Antiques Road Trip Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Victoria Derbyshire BBC Newsroom Live The Daily Politics Coast Brazil with Michael Palin Himalaya with Michael Palin The Great British Winter Planet Earth II Flog It! Eggheads Great British Railway Journeys Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico Inside the Factory House of Saud: A Family at War Inside No 9 Newsnight NFL

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

Good Morning Britain Lorraine The Jeremy Kyle Show This Morning Loose Women ITV Lunchtime News ITV News London Judge Rinder Dickinson’s Real Deal Tipping Point The Chase ITV News London ITV Evening News Emmerdale Save Money: Good Food The Martin Lewis Money Show Live School for Stammerers ITV News and Weather ITV News London Girlfriends

7:10am 7:20am 7:45am 8:10am 8:35am 9:00am 9:35am 10:05am 10:35am 11:05am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:05pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:00pm 12:00am

Kirstie’s Fill Your House for Free 3rd Rock from the Sun 3rd Rock from the Sun Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Frasier Frasier Frasier Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA Sun, Sea and Selling Houses Channel 4 News Darts Come Dine with Me The Simpsons Hollyoaks Channel 4 News The Secret Life of the Zoo 24 Hours in A and E Working Class White Men Naked Attraction

7:00am 10:15am 12:15pm 1:10pm 1:15pm 2:15pm 2:45pm 3:15pm 4:15pm 6:00pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 10:00pm 11:35pm 12:35am

Childrens TV The Wright Stuff GPs: Behind Closed Doors 5 News Lunchtime The Hotel Inspector Home and Away Neighbours NCIS Eyewitness 5 News Neighbours Home and Away 5 News Tonight Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Titchmarsh Diet Secrets and How to Lose Weight Celebrity Big Brother One Night with My Ex Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side

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

Futurama Futurama Monkey Life Monkey Life Meerkat Manor Meerkat Manor Road Wars Stargate Atlantis MacGyver NCIS: Los Angeles Hawaii Five-0 Hawaii Five-0 NCIS: Los Angeles Stargate SG-1 The Simpsons The Simpsons Futurama The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons Harry Hill The Blacklist Trollied A League of Their Own The Force: North East

Pick of the Day

WEDNESDAY 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Rip Off Britain 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Close Calls: On Camera 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Father Brown 4:00pm I Escaped to the Country 4:45pm The Farmers’ Country Showdown 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 9:00pm The Truth About Looking Good 10:00pm Miriam’s Big American Adventure 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm A Question of Sport 12:15am And They’re Off... for Sport Relief

7:00am Flog it! Trade Secrets 7:30am The Farmers’ Country Showdown 8:15am Antiques Road Trip 9:00am Fern Britton Meets... 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 12:30pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Coast 2:15pm Brazil with Michael Palin 3:15pm Himalaya with Michael Palin 4:15pm The Great British Winter 5:15pm Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico 9:00pm Tom Kerridge’s Lose Weight for Good 9:30pm Trust Me, I’m a Doctor 10:00pm Fighting for Air 11:00pm Mock the Week 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Inside the Factory

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson’s Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:25pm Party Political Broadcast by the Conservative Party 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Coronation Street 9:00pm Britain’s Brightest Family 9:30pm Coronation Street 10:00pm Girlfriends 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:40pm Britain’s Busiest Airport - Heathrow 12:40am Holiday Horrors: Caught on Camera

7:10am Jamie’s Comfort Food 7:20am 3rd Rock from the Sun 7:45am 3rd Rock from the Sun 8:10am Everybody Loves Raymond 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:05am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:35am Frasier 10:05am Frasier 10:35am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00pm Sun, Sea and Selling Houses 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Darts 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm Kirstie and Phil’s Love it or List it 10:00pm Kiri 11:00pm 999: What’s Your Emergency? 12:05am 24 Hours in A and E

7:00am Childrens TV 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm The Hotel Inspector 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm The Wrong Babysitter 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Starting Up, Starting Over 9:00pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:05pm Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side 11:50pm Football on 5 1:10am Police Interceptors

7:00am Futurama 7:30am Futurama 8:00am Monkey Life 8:30am Monkey Life 9:00am Meerkat Manor 9:30am Meerkat Manor 10:00am Road Wars 11:00am Stargate Atlantis 12:00pm MacGyver 1:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 2:00pm Hawaii Five-0 3:00pm Hawaii Five-0 4:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 5:00pm Stargate SG-1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm The Simpsons 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm A League of Their Own 10:00pm A League of Their Own 11:00pm Russell Howard’s Hour 12:00am The Force: North East

7:00am Good Morning Britain 9:30am Lorraine 10:25am The Jeremy Kyle Show 11:30am This Morning 1:30pm Loose Women 2:30pm ITV Lunchtime News 2:55pm ITV News London 3:00pm Judge Rinder 4:00pm Dickinson’s Real Deal 5:00pm Tipping Point 6:00pm The Chase 7:00pm ITV News London 7:30pm ITV Evening News 8:00pm Emmerdale 8:30pm Divorce Wars 9:00pm Emmerdale 9:30pm The Cruise 10:00pm Transformation Street 11:00pm ITV News and Weather 11:30pm ITV News London 11:45pm Great Art 12:45am Joanna Lumley’s Postcards

7:20am 3rd Rock from the Sun 7:45am 3rd Rock from the Sun 8:10am Everybody Loves Raymond 8:35am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:00am Everybody Loves Raymond 9:30am Frasier 10:05am Frasier 10:35am Frasier 11:05am Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA 12:00pm Sun, Sea and Selling Houses 1:00pm Channel 4 News 1:05pm Darts 6:00pm Come Dine with Me 7:00pm The Simpsons 7:30pm Hollyoaks 8:00pm Channel 4 News 9:00pm George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces 10:00pm Hunted 11:00pm Derry Girls 11:35pm The Undateables 12:35am Working Class White Men

7:00am Childrens TV 10:15am The Wright Stuff 12:15pm GPs: Behind Closed Doors 1:10pm 5 News Lunchtime 1:15pm The Hotel Inspector 2:15pm Home and Away 2:45pm Neighbours 3:15pm NCIS 4:15pm Dear Diary, I Died 6:00pm 5 News 6:30pm Neighbours 7:00pm Home and Away 7:30pm 5 News Tonight 8:00pm Baby Ballroom 9:00pm Big Family Values: More Kids Than Cash 10:00pm Celebrity Big Brother 11:00pm Celebrity 100% Hotter! 12:05am Celebrity Big Brother’s Bit on the Side

7:00am Futurama 7:30am Futurama 8:00am Monkey Life 8:30am Monkey Life 9:00am Meerkat Manor 9:30am Meerkat Manor 10:00am Road Wars 11:00am Stargate Atlantis 12:00pm MacGyver 1:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 2:00pm Hawaii Five-0 3:00pm Hawaii Five-0 4:00pm NCIS: Los Angeles 5:00pm Stargate SG-1 6:00pm The Simpsons 6:30pm The Simpsons 7:00pm Futurama 7:30pm The Simpsons 8:00pm The Simpsons 8:30pm The Simpsons 9:00pm Duck Quacks Don’t Echo 10:00pm A League of Their Own 11:00pm Delicious 12:00am The Force: North East

Tom Kerridge's Lose Weight For Good, 9pm, BBC2

thursday 7:00am Breakfast 10:15am Rip Off Britain 11:00am Homes Under the Hammer 12:00pm Wanted Down Under 12:45pm Close Calls: On Camera 1:15pm Bargain Hunt 2:00pm BBC News 2:30pm BBC London News 2:45pm Doctors 3:15pm Father Brown 4:00pm I Escaped to the Country 4:45pm The Farmers’ Country Showdown 5:30pm Antiques Road Trip 6:15pm Pointless 7:00pm BBC News 7:30pm BBC London News 8:00pm The One Show 8:30pm EastEnders 9:00pm Big Cats 10:00pm Death in Paradise 11:00pm BBC News 11:30pm BBC London News 11:45pm Question Time 12:45am This Week

7:30am The Farmers’ Country Showdown 8:15am Antiques Road Trip 9:00am MasterChef: The Professionals 10:00am Victoria Derbyshire 12:00pm BBC Newsroom Live 1:00pm The Daily Politics 2:00pm Coast 2:15pm Brazil with Michael Palin 3:15pm Himalaya with Michael Palin 4:15pm The Great British Winter 5:15pm Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough 6:15pm Flog It! 7:00pm Eggheads 7:30pm Great British Railway Journeys 8:00pm Rick Stein’s Road to Mexico 9:00pm Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure 10:00pm A House Through Time 11:00pm Live at the Apollo 11:30pm Newsnight 12:15am Michael Palin: A Life on Screen

Big Cats, 9pm, BBC1

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Puzzles Code Breaker

You are very unsure what part you have to play in a situation that could be veering out of control. In hindsight you would never have got involved in the first place; but since you are then you have to see things through. Make sure that your own true feelings are known by those who are relying on your discretion.

Word Pyramid

This is a great time for planning some short term projects as you are finally getting your act together. Your creativity nurtures others who will, in turn, be influenced and inspired by your achievements. The Uranus direct brings timbre to your every success, so let it all happen, it’s finally the start of something both new and exciting. The Venus conjunction with Pluto brings you a blessing in disguise. It seems that something has to go wrong to let you know your options right now. Sometimes it is how you put things right that really show you best where you are and what you are standing up for. All will be well, love will triumph over conflict! Mars sextiles Pluto and this is the strength that you need to make that final push. Your recent decision was a risk that you took, and this week you will be very relieved to see what an impact it has made. At the start of a New Year know that all this could be just a drop in the ocean compared with what good is about to come. As the Sun sextiles Mars, you may think that this is a same old start to yet another year. Sure this January things will drag, but this week is the time to sow the seed, and out there in the future you will reap reward. Don’t stay silent when you know things have to be said. Mars inspires and protects all aspects of love. Transparency is the only way. You cannot live a lie and why should you? This week is thwart with changes to schedules and petty irritating matters of little concern. You may feel as if you are being tested, but all will be revealed to you soon. Everything is building you the strongest defence if you just let things lie. Be patient. The Mercury trine with Uranus sees you finally spilling the beans. You have been keeping yourself to yourself and for absolutely no reason. What has to be said, has to be said and this week just see what a difference reveal makes to your situation. Let those who support you do their job, they know the truth! Accept that you are ascending in your inert spiritual wisdom. This is working with your inner self to channel energies into a new way of operating. Far from being change for changes sake, this is a way to see your talents respected and your beliefs accepted as you have to move on up and take on what now comes your way!

O I

Word Wheel There is 1x9 letter word and 117 others! Make as many 3 or more letter words as you can using any letter combination just once and you must use the central letter in every word!

Someone has been there in the corner of your eye, sending you a message of love; so have fun getting together and let things happen. The current silence gets you nowhere. You are starting off a new year as you wish it to continue, and this year is a time for your inner you to shine through and bring you all that your heart desires!

Listen to your heart and you cannot go wrong. Saturn will keep you grounded and balanced right now in work or in domestic duties. You enjoy your routines but let things happen this week as a welcome change to the daily tasks occupies your time, and opens you up to do what it is you really want to do right now.

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

Let others take centre stage this week as the Moon resides in Scorpio and you have a hidden agenda to follow. Give into the whims of others, if you have to, but know that some kind of reward is coming your way very soon. Seeing something from another distant angle brings you to your senses, yes, you were right all along!

Take time away from domestic issues, but do not bury your head in the sand because it takes two to tango! You are impetuous and wanting to bring about changes, but do you really know what this is really about? You should know what you do, but do you? Compromise is not an option, nor is it an excuse.

Each number in the Code Breaker grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. In this week’s puzzle, 19 represents C and 20 represents M. Now using your knowledge of the English language work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you discover the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and the control grid.

Kenny’s Postbag Why are horoscopes always different in every paper? Surely they should all be the same? Marcus K.

WORD fit

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

Well, Marcus, it would be very boring if we all thought alike. Within the constancy and consistency of the Cosmos, an astrologer picks up on aspects and works within their own concepts to predict, as indeed I do. Because our Science is governed by astrological bodies and their transits, so we can, and do, each of us, home into aspects we wish to focus on. My weekly casting is my interpretation of events that are poignant to my readers each and every week. Many newspapers now select horoscopes issued by computers. The RTN brings you, weekly, a live casting especially for the Costa Blanca, and that makes such a difference! www.kennycorris.net kennycorris@hotmail.com

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

For Birthday Celebrants See the New Year in context of where you were and now where you are. The journey for you can be complex, but

you like it that way; and you can accept challenge with

open arms. Reward seems long overdue, but don't give up on a good year!

3 LETTERS CBS IRE KIN LEA LEE MBA OER ORE PER TEL TTY YET 4 LETTERS AGEE AKIN ANNE CAMP DEAR FLAM ICON

IDLE LAIR MAST MELT METE NOEL OLAV OPEN OSLO PEER RISE SEAN SERA THIS TOOT TORN YALE 5 LETTERS ADORE AGATE ALOHA

ARENT BEEBE CLOMP EERIE INAPT METER MINOR PERIL QUAKE REPEL SARAN SLEEP SPIKY TENSE UNTIL 6 LETTERS ARISEN AUNTIE CLEVER FUNNEL MUTTER

NOTION QUIVER VENEER 7 LETTERS CANTEEN CONSIGN EMANATE EMINENT GROMMET LACERTA LATERAL LEANDER MELANIN MEMENTO NANETTE ONETIME VARIATE VENISON

More Puzzles

Cryptic

ACROSS 1 Part of mouth that’s hit by very angry person (4) 3 It discharges a spray or emits a fluid (8) 9 Play outside church with old Greek coin (7) 10 Drink containing very soft fruit (5) 11 City said to be pink (5) 12 Restless ladies went on a voyage (6) 14 Little bird and I got little nuts (4-6,3) 17 Sue is a funny person from down under (6) 19 Where snooker player may put chalk when expected (2,3) 22 Jack goes in car to find Scandinavian inlet (5) 23 Tavern drink, we hear, for one with access to confidential information (7) 24 Hedger’s response upset nosy dean (3,0,3,2) 25 Crazy about eastern drink made from honey (4) DOWN 1 Detectives I upset with regulation about mockery (8) 2 Network’s first to plug old tune that’s being broadcast (2,3) 4 Serbian trains working for this railway? (5-8) 5 This writer’s turning up twice outside a US city (5) 6 Wise eccentric in panties (7) 7 Bambi, for example, turning up in tall grass (4) 8 Talk about the French holiday accommodation (6) 13 The elder sort of English king (8) 15 Nerve cells that could make nose run (7) 16 As a self-centred person, I get so wound up (6) 18 Country star accepting Russian agreement (5) 20 Chandler, oddly, holds good sponge (5) 21 Dubious moment when leader disappears (4)

Word Ladder

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

plated 1 2 3 4 5

dinner Soduku

Quick

Futoshiki

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

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

Quiz 1 The drink Tequila is made from: Sugar-cane; Aloe vera; Blue Agave; or Cactus? 2 Which one of these is not a record-player speed? 33; 45; 78; or 96? 3 Saponification produces: Rubber; Soap; Tomato ketchup; or Human babies? 4 The Latin terms ‘(summa/magna) cum laude’ refer to levels of distinction for: Academic degrees; N American driving licences; Champagne quality; or Cheese curing certification? 5 Which one of the following does not apply to stingray creatures: Edible; Venomous; Fish; or Tree-climbing? 6 The Cockney rhyming slang ‘Bread’, meaning money, is fully ‘Bread and...’ what? 7 De La Rue is a famous international maker of: Cigars; Pens; Saddles; or Banknotes? 8 Letter, Legal, Executive, Ledger/Tabloid are N American: Lawyer grades; Paper sizes; Postal delivery classes; or Official shades of black inks? 9 Nacreous means: Hot; Dull; Pearlescent; or Smelly? 10 The US-originating term ‘prom’ (school dance) is an informal abbreviation of: Promotion; Promenade; Promise; or Promiscuous?

ACROSS 1 Inquisitive (7) 5 Hebrew prophet and lawgiver (5) 8 Alloy of copper and zinc (5) 9 Violent whirling windstorm (7) 10 Green salad plant (7) 11 Vegetables associated with Wales (5) 12 Slice of bacon (6) 14 Noisy disturbance (6) 18 Truck (5) 20 Feather or ribbon on military headwear (7) 22 Married (anag.) (7) 23 Gentleman’s gentleman (5) 24 Measureless chasm (5) 25 Long-lasting (7)

DOWN 1 Mender of shoes (7) 2 Cook in an oven (5) 3 Unclear (7) 4 Sofa (6) 5 Wall painting (5) 6 Drastic reorganisation 5-2) 7 Footwear (5) 13 Rough cider (7) 15 Expose (7) 16 Emblem of royalty (7) 17 Afraid (6) 18 Long-necked woolly animal (5) 19 World War I battle (5) 21 Extemporise (2-3)

Last Weeks Solutions on page 45

whats on

West End star on Javea stage Javea Players are proud to announce their next production: ‘Are There More of You?’ - a one-woman comedy drama written and performed by professional actress Alison Skilbeck, famous for her West End role in The Phantom of The Opera and numerous film and tv appearances including ‘The Archers’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’, ‘Miss Marple’ and ‘Doctor Who’. Alison plots the lives of the four characters she creates, with a wonderfully expressive face and numerous changes in tone, inflection and accent, as the audience meet women at a turning point in their lives. There’s a divorced diplomat’s wife, an Italian café owner serving egg and chips by day and Verdi by night, a spiritual healer who’s rather lost her way, angry that a client has betrayed her and finally a power-dressing executive who may have success at work, but goes home lonely at night, often drunk. It is acutely observed and richly funny and the audience is drawn into the action as Alison skilfully portrays these

seemingly unconnected women, who all live in SW11. This theatrical tour de force is perfect in a small theatre and afterwards Alison will chat with the audience and answer questions. “Brilliantly observed, richly comic characters, all played in painful perfection” - Alan Ayckbourn. BOOK NOW – ‘Are There More of You?’ will be performed from Monday January 22 – Saturday January 27 at 8.00pm each evening at Javea Players’ Studio Theatre. Tickets cost €12 and can be purchased via www.javeplayers.com. For more information or assistance, get in touch – 620 412 384 / boxoffice@javeplayers. com. La Cocina Javea will open specially to offer a pre-theatre dinner from 6.00pm each night. Two-course menu for 16€ or three-course menu for 19€, both with ½ bottle of wine per person. Check out www.lacocinajavea.com and call 965 795 140 to book.

THE PROTAGONIST x 4: Alison Skilbeck

How do you solve your own murder? Imagine being trapped inside your own mind, you can’t move any part of your body, you can see but only every now and then; and then that’s only blurry images. The only thing that is working properly is your hearing and you are forced to listen while others decide whether you have a future or not. Everyone believes Alex is in a coma, unlikely to ever wake up. As his family debate withdrawing life support, and his friends talk about how his girlfriend Bea needs to move on, he can only listen. But Alex soon begins to suspect that the accident that put him here wasn’t really an accident. Even worse, the perpetrator is still out there and Alex is not the only one in danger. As he goes over a series of clues from his past, Alex must use his remaining senses to solve the mystery of who tried to kill him, and try to protect those he loves, before they decide to let him go. A stunning edge-of-your-seat debut novel with an unforgettable narrator.

Sponsored by Bookworld Puerto Banus info@bookworldpuertobanus.com

www@bookworldpuertobanus.com | 952 816 084

Photo credit Lara Platman

Come now sing with me MONTGO CHORALE invites anyone and everyone who loves to sing to ‘come and sing’ with them at their open evening next Monday January 8. The open evening will run from 6.45pm to 8.45pm at the Social Centre in Teulada, the idea being to give potential members a chance to experience the fun of singing with a mixed group of voices. Montgo Chorale has members from a range of nationalities and ages who come together under the baton of Musical Director Jan Dewland. They rehearse and perform a range of choral works in among other places, the beautiful church in Pedreguer and Loreto in Javea Port. Since its founding 11 years ago, the choir has, through its many acclaimed concerts, raised considerable funds for local charities such as Caritas and the Convent Day Centre in Javea which cares for the elderly and Alzheimer´s sufferers. Their next concert, in which of course newly recruited members would participate, will be performed on Sunday April 29 in the church in Pedreguer, sharing the stage with The Hogarth Singers from London, on their first visit to Spain. The programme includes the perennial favourite, Handel’s Zadok ‘The Priest’ and the wonderfully uplifting ‘Te Deum’ by the master of classical joie de vivre, Franz Joseph Haydn. If you have ever considered singing for the sheer pleasure of it then Montgo Chorale encourages you along next Monday to join in the fun. At the end of the session there will be wine and nibbles so that new members can meet existing choir members. For any further information and/ or directions to the Social Centre, get in touch with Jan Dewland - dewlandjan@hotmail.com.

Alfaz Spiritual Foundation events Alfaz Spiritual Foundation opens its doors to all on January 11 at 6.30pm. The service is held at the Forum Mare Nostrum, Alfaz del Pi. They hold an open circle on Tuesdays at 6.15pm where you are encouraged to explore and practice your spiritual gifts within a safe and non-judgmental environment.Informational workshops are held the first and third Thursday of the month. You can find more information of these events by visiting the website events page www.alfazspiritualfoundation.com Service Mediums January Thurs 11/1/18 Helen Grady Thurs 18/1/18 Phil Griggs (new UK medium) Thurs 25/1/18 Jim McArthur Febuary Thurs 01/2/18 Thurs 08/2/18 Thurs 15/2/18 Thurs 22/2/18

David Darnborough Pauline Kernick Sammy Fitzsimmonds Kenny Corris

food & drink

Spanish roast lamb Preparation time – 10 minutes Cooking time – 120 minutes

nts I n g rceklidngi eLamb

1/2 su g of lamb) (or large le , ly 9-11 lbs te a im x ro p ap elted 6 oz lard, m d), oil if desire e v li o te tu d, (substi toes, peele ta o p 0 1 to 8 salt to taste

Method

1. In a small saucepan, heat the lard until it melts. If you prefer, use a small bowl and heat in microwave oven. 2. Heat oven to 400ºF. 3. Rinse the lamb and pat dry. Trim off excess fat and discard. 4. Place lamb in the roasting pan or another oven-proof dish. (Traditionally,

the Spanish use large, open clay dishes). Rub the lamb with salt and baste with the melted lard. 5. Place in oven to roast. Occasionally baste with large and turn until lamb is golden brown on the outside and meat is tender. 6. Peel 8-10 small potatoes and cut in half. Place in the roasting pan around

Mantecados

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups butter or lard, 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar 4 large egg yolks, 2 shots of anise, 1 lemon peel (grated), 2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon), 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 7 1/4 cups plain white flour, 1/2 tsp. baking soda. 1 large egg white (beaten for glaze)

Method

the lamb. Baste with lard when you baste the lamb. 7. The amount of time that the lamb spends in the oven will depend on how thick the piece(s) of meat are. A good rule of thumb for a bone-in leg of lamb at 400ºF is to allow about 30 minutes roasting time per pound of lamb.

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. 2. In a very large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the butter or lard with the oil. Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Add the egg yolks, anise, lemon peel, lemon juice and cinnamon and mix together. 3. Add flour one cup at a time to the mixture, and then add baking soda. Be sure to mix well. The dough should be very smooth and soft. 4. Using a teaspoon, scoop out a dollop of dough. Form balls about the size of walnuts using your hands. If the dough is too sticky to roll into balls, mix in additional flour (from 1/4 to 1/2 cup). 5. Place balls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly press down on each ball to flatten slightly. Brush the beaten egg white on the top of each cookie. Bake cookies until they begin to turn light brown on the bottom edges, about 15 to 20 minutes. 6. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet, as they are very delicate. Preparation Time – 20 minutes. Cooking time – 20 minutes

community news Ever fancied a ride on a Harley? SITTING PRETTY: Members at the Christmas Gala Lunch

Better together - Christmas in Nerja The U3As of Vall del Pop and Denia joined forces for an unforgettable Christmas. U3A Vall del Pop member and Publicity Officer Peter Sockett writes: “The Nerja Christmas trip over five days at the Aparthotel Marinas de Nerja, which was attended by members from the Vall de Pop and Denia U3A associations, was superbly organised and managed by Sandra Welham with a helping hand as necessary from husband Bob, U3A Vall del Pop President. “The hotel, situated on the beach, comprised apartment style accommodation, being very comfortable and spacious with a surprisingly good buffet for breakfast and evening meals inclusive of a choice of wines.

“The epicurean highlight being the Christmas Gala Lunch, leaving no palate unsatisfied and an appetite fully satiated. However, for those stalwart trenchermen eager for more, then an evening meal was available. There were some takers! “Carols on the Beach on Christmas Eve was a great success helped along by some members of the Vall del Pop Singers, putting us all in a festive spirit. “Organised visits to the spectacularly scenic village of Frigiliana and the Caves of Nerja were included with ample free time to explore the surrounding locality or just chill out on a sun lounger by the beach. “On Boxing Day, a fantastic trip to see the lights in Malaga was arranged. No one

should miss this sound and light experience! On our journey back, a festive quiz was organised which proved entertaining with first prize taken by the Denia President. “The coach driver, Pepe, deserves a special mention not only for his considerate driving but for being ever cheerful and helpful. If a similar trip is organised for next Christmas, book early!” For further information check out the U3A Vall del Pop website http://u3avalldelpop.com. The U3A is all about enjoyment and learning and this is particularly evident in the U3AVall del Pop group, whose members generally meet on the first Thursday of each month at the Polivalent Centre in Murla.

FREE SPIRITS HD is an English-speaking Harley Davidson enthusiast group of over 50 members based across the Marina Alta. The group’s have chosen to support Cancer Care Javea this year and hope to raise as much as possible for the charity. If you’ve ever fancied a ride on a Harley, their new ‘Ride In Style’ initiative might be just up your street. In return for a donation to Cancer Care Javea, you can join in the fun... The group can arrange to escort you to that special event or perhaps you’d like to treat a loved one to a ride out for a day: * Weddings * Group ride-ins * Birthday celebrations For more information get in touch with Charity Ride Co-ordinator, Simon Brooks via the website – www.freespiritshd.com. Free Spirits HD is always ready to welcome new members, for more information get in touch with Director Barry Haylor - 629 728 375 / freespiritshd@gmail.com.

health Doctor claims man flu really does exist DESPITE the age-old claims men exaggerate the severity of their colds, researchers showed they are more likely to be admitted to hospital or die from flu-related symptoms than women. Kyle Sue, an assistant professor in family medicine from the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, set out to determine whether men really experience worse symptoms than women and why that might be. He found that for many acute respiratory diseases, men are also more susceptible to complications and more likely to die, according to the study now published in the British Medical Journal. Some evidence also finds men suffering more from viral respiratory illness than women - because they have a less robust immune system. Dr Sue said: "The concept of man flu, as commonly defined, is potentially unjust. "Men may not be exaggerating symptoms but have weaker immune responses to viral respiratory viruses, leading to greater morbidity and

DIY Mint Lip Scrub

This homemade lip scrub will have your lips feeling soft and without the chemicals or the designer price tag.

WEAKER SEX: Canadian professor justifies the common male condition mortality than seen in women," he continued. "The Oxford dictionary defines it as 'a cold or similar minor ailment as experienced by a man who is regarded as exaggerating the severity of the symptoms'. "Since about half of the world's population is male, deeming male viral respiratory symptoms as 'exaggerated' without rigorous scientific evidence, could have important implications for men, including insufficient provision of care." Men's weaker immune system could

allow them to invest their energy in other biological processes, such as growth, secondary sex characteristics, and reproduction. Prof Sue added: "Lying on the couch, not getting out of bed, or receiving assistance with activities of daily living could also be evolutionary behaviours that protect against predators. "Perhaps now is the time for male friendly spaces, equipped with enormous televisions and reclining chairs, to be set up where men can recover from the debilitating effects of man flu in safety and comfort."

Ingredients • 1/4 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon honey • 1 teaspoon olive oil • 1 drop peppermint oil Directions Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until they resemble a coarse paste. Store in a glass jar or lidded container. To apply, hold a warm flannel over lips for 3-5 minutes to soften. Slather with minty scrub and let sit for 5 minutes. Wash off with a warm flannel and apply usual lip balm. Lips will be tingly, fresh and plump.

health

Media use proven to increase childhood obesity CHILDREN’S waistlines have been expanding with the amount of time they spend with televisions, computers, smartphones and tablets, European doctors say. In the past 25 years, obesity rates have climbed rapidly among European children and teens, according to a consensus statement from the European Academy of Pediatrics and the European Childhood Obesity Group published in Acta Paediatrica. Roughly one in five kids and teens in Europe are overweight or obese, according to a 2017 World Health Organization study, the authors note.

Today: • 97 per cent of European households have a TV in their home • 72 per cent have a computer • 68 per cent have internet access and • 91 per cent have mobile phones This has spurred a surge in screen time, contributing to inadequate sleep, worse eating habits and less exercise - all of which can make it easy for children to become overweight, the statement authors argue. “Mass media has been shown to have a broad effect on children’s health and can affect them physiologically and have an impact on their socio-cultural functioning and psychological wellbeing,” said senior author of the statement, Dr. Adamos Hadjipanayis. “There is evidence of a strong link between obesity levels across European countries and childhood media exposure,” Hadjipanayis added. Parents are part of the problem, Hadjipanayis and colleagues argue. Even as children’s screen time rises,

parents demonstrate little awareness about what their kids do online or how much time they spend with tablets, smartphones and computers, the statement emphasises. Food advertising is another problem, because it can convince kids to crave and demand more junk food and make them less likely to eat their fruits and veggies, the statement also notes. Kids also tend to consume a large portion of their daily calories while watching TV, when ads may influence their food choices. The fix is more vigilance, the authors argue. “When their TV time goes down, so does their (weight),” said Dr. David Hill. “Food advertising seems to drive this relationship, as opposed to decreased activity. Sleep is also a major concern,” Hill added. “Screen media before bedtime interfere with sleep quality and duration, and poor sleep contributes to obesity.” Common sense should prevail, said Dr. Jennifer Emond. “Limit media time each day, no media in the bedroom and ensure the media children are exposed to is high quality,” Emond said. “Regarding social media, parents should have access to their children’s social media sites and monitor their

children’s interaction with social media - that has benefits beyond promoting a healthy weight.”

How can Botox make you look younger? Botulinum treatment (or Botox as it is better known) offers ways of reducing deep facial wrinkles without the need for surgery. This anti-aging treatment is simple, effective and low-risk, resulting in growing popularity in the cosmetics industry. When we are young, our skin springs back to its initial position after facial expression. But by time, as we age, our skin loses its volume and our collagen and elastin stores naturally deplete. As a result of that, we notice fine lines, wrinkles and sagging of our skin. Many facial wrinkles occur when we use our muscles to form facial expressions. The wrinkles formed during these expressions are called dynamic wrinkles. For example, when we smile our eye wrinkles become prominent, and when we frown the vertical lines between our eyebrows become noticeable. When properly used, Botox treatment has minimal risk. It is injected into specific muscles responsible for causing wrinkles. Only tiny amounts are used, and spread of the toxin from the site of injection is very limited. The effect of Botox lasts for different lengths of time in different people, but normally for 3-6 months. Regarding to the Spanish law, only an experienced Doctor can perform Botox injections. The procedure will usually take less than half an hour, including consultation and injection. No anaesthetic is required and apart from the risk of a little bruise, you can return to work immediately. At Derma Clinic Spain we are well experienced with the Botox treatment, and you are welcome for a free consultation to discuss your aesthetic treatments.

Derma Clinic Spain are located at Camino del Pincho 2, 1, 03580, L´Alfaz del Pi, Alicante. For more information call 674 255 579 or email info@dermaclinicspain.com. Alternatively see their Facebook page facebook.com/DermaClinicSpain

Winter beauty care cautions

• Avoid any skin care product containing alcohol and sodium lauryl sulphate, which can dehydrate skin. • Take warm showers. Hot showers may feel good, but they melt away protective skin lipids. • Opt for a warm mug of herbal tea. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages

dehydrate your skin. • After an excursion in the frigid outdoors, avoid rushing to sit in front of a roaring fire. Temperature extremes stress skin. • Apply moisturizer at least 30 minutes to an hour before heading outdoors. Moisturizers containing a lot of water can freeze on skin.

home & garden

Don’t neglect your decking Your decking has worked hard all summer. RTN have the tips you need to prepare your decking for winter, ensuring its beauty and function for years to come. Tip #1: Loose nails that are exposed above the decking’s surface create hazards, especially for children and pets. If you have wooden decking, drag the back of a rake across the boards to find any protruding nail heads. Hammer them down, or replace them with galvanized screws that are approximately ½-inch longer than the original nails. Decking made of other materials should not experience a loosening of nails. However, if you desire a smooth surface that is completely free of any type of fasteners, consider a wood-alternative material for the ultimate clean and worryfree appearance. Tip #2: Scuffs and abrasions accumulated during the summer from furniture or foot traffic are easily acquired and can mar the beauty of your decking’s surface. To keep wood decking looking good as new, it’s important to wash, stain and seal it in advance of the arrival of warm weather, as the process can take several weeks and may require the use of heavy equipment such as a power washer.

ays ristmas Holid h C r fo d e s lo C 7-1-2018 24-12-2017 to

Tip #3: BBQ sauce is delicious, but not when the leftovers from a summer cookout are coating your decking. In fact, oil and grease stains can be downright unappetising, especially if they’re set-in. For wooden decking, try to scrub the stain with a household de-greasing agent as soon as it occurs. Use an automotive degreaser or a carburetor cleaner, and rinse immediately with hot water. For composite decking, food and drink spills wash off easily with just soap and water. Tip #4: Mould and mildew can grow on any exterior surface – especially on decking where water is allowed to stand or to puddle under potted plants. Sweeping away pools of water and periodically cleaning the decking surface creates a first line of defence against mould and mildew. These actions prevent the creation of an environment that promotes the growth of fungus. In addition, wooden decking need to be sealed twice a year to protect against other types of moisture damage, such as rotting planks, which can make it unsafe for kids and pets.

pets

Nervousness in cats

When taken home as a pet, a cat or kitten may be quiet and wary for the first few days, or even weeks, whilst getting used to you and the new environment. However, some cats remain fearful despite a gentle welcome and time to settle in. This can cause their owners great anxiety because they feel that the cat is not happy. The cat may run and hide as soon as someone comes to the house, if there is a sudden noise, or from common everyday sounds such as the television. A nervous or frightened cat needs a quiet and understanding household. If it is a busy and noisy one, the owners will probably see little of the cat until the children have gone to bed and the adults have settled down quietly in front of the TV. Causes of nervousness in cats: • Genetics – as with people, some cats seem to be more nervous than others • Bad experiences – the cat may previously have had a frightening experience and survival mechanisms make the animal generally fearful in anticipation of it happening again • Lack of experience at a crucial time in development – kittens that meet people and other animals and are exposed to the general hubbub of life by the time

Jillie Que enie JILLIE & QUEENIE - Urgent home required for these 1 year old sisters. Both lovely cats that have been sterilised. ARC is trying to rehome them on behalf of someone else. Also, many other dogs, cats & kittens needing homes. Food and donations also urgently needed and can be left at ARC’s charity shop on Carrer Valencia 1, Jalon between 10 am & 1.30 pm Monday to Saturday.

they are eight weeks old will take almost anything in their stride. This is the making of a confident cat. If the cat has missed out on these early experiences, life with humans can be difficult to cope with. Hence, knowing a cat’s background can make a difference in determining whether you can help or not. However, for many owners this is impossible as they have no idea what happened before they took the cat on. They have to try to tackle the problem, but it is not something that can be solved overnight, if at all. It takes patience and time. Consider a cat that hides under the bed at the slightest noise or activity within the house. The cat has moved away from what is seen as a life-threatening situation, and feels a flood of relief. This feeling is strong and reinforces “flight” behaviour – after all, the cat thinks that doing this is a life-saving act. Owners must be able to offer something more rewarding than the feeling of safety the cat gets by following their instincts – this can be difficult. The cat must learn that there is nothing threatening in the situation that they are running from. It can be useful to obtain an indoor crate or kittening pen for the cat’s re-education. Place it in the corner of the room and cover with a blanket

Sta cey

Betsy

so that the cat can see out of the front but as the sides remain covered the cat feels somewhat protected. Place the cat in the pen during a quiet period initially, so that the cat can get used to it and relax. The cat will probably like the feeling of protection the pen provides. Feed your cat favourite treats in the pen and provide a litter tray. Let the cat view all normal household goings-on from this safe haven and gradually add more “action”. When the cat seems relaxed, ask a friend to visit. Normally the cat would run away when the doorbell rings, but now the cat has to watch and listen, albeit from the safety of the pen. Ask your guest to feed the cat through the cage with a special tit-bit and talk soothingly. You can then graduate to having the cat in the room without the pen and inviting visitors in. As the cat learns that everything is not a threat, they also discover that the rewards of staying around are indeed worth overcoming the fear. Never lose your temper or become impatient with your cat – this will just reinforce the cat’s previous fears. Remember, cats feel safe in high places, therefore when you progress to letting the cat out of the pen, provide a high perch for your cat to sit on safely.

Here´s Stacey, a lovely little girl, she is fully grown, quite a small dog. She has just been spayed. Stacey is approximately 2 years old, she is easy to walk, good with other dogs and older children. She is neutered, vaccinated, tested free from Mediterranean diseases, easy to handle, affectionate what´s not to like !

DOG FOUND IN JALON. On 31st December this dog was found in a very poor state with sores and wounds on her face and body. Her nails are overgrown and she appears very neglected. After being seen by Bernia Vets she is currently in the care of ARC. If you recognise her please contact Jayne at Jalon Valley ARC

Wanda

WANDA A female German Shepherd in need of a loving home. She is seven years old. Microchipped and has a full pet passport.

Cherry eye in dogs What is cherry eye? CHERRY EYE is a common condition inherited in certain breeds of dogs and, in rare cases, it can arise in cats. Unlike humans, they have three eyelids rather than two – and the problem is caused when the tear gland in the third eyelid becomes swollen and red, covering part of the eye. There’s no real evidence to suggest that it is uncomfortable, but the glands are crucial to maintaining optimum eye health, so it’s important that problems are treated promptly. What are the symptoms of cherry eye? When the gland in the third eyelid swells, it creates a small pink bulge which covers part of the eye. It protrudes from the corner of the eye nearest the nose. Cherry eye in dogs Surgery is normally required to treat cherry eye Although unsightly, cherry eye doesn’t normally cause any discomfort to dogs or cats unless it is left untreated and complications occur. What causes cherry eye and is my pet likely to get it? Dogs who suffer from cherry eye normally have a genetic predisposition to the condition, and symptoms will normally arise in pets under the age of two. Breeds in which cherry eye is commonly found are English bulldogs, lhasa apsos, cavalier king charles spaniels, shih tzus, West Highland white terriers, pugs, bloodhounds and Boston terriers. Cats who suffer from the condition will also normally show symptoms under the age of two. There have also been instances where owners have reported cherry eye developing suddenly when their pet becomes overexcited, shocked or scared. How is cherry eye treated? It’s sometimes said that cherry eye can be resolved by carefully massaging the affected eye to reposition the prolapsed gland. Occasionally, the gland will correct itself on its own or will do so after a course of medication and steroids. But surgery is normally required. Historically, vets removed the prolapsed gland, but this has since been found to result in dry eye and even blindness. The only way to resolve the condition is to surgically replace the affected gland back in its proper location. There are several different techniques but, unfortunately, this isn’t always a long-term solution and recurrence is common. Dogs which have the condition should not be bred. Can cherry eye reoccur? A high number of dogs successfully treated for cherry eye see the condition return. If this happens, the same procedures and treatment can be repeated.

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motoring ´Unprecedented demand´

Volkswagen UK has halted sales of their hybrid Golf GTE following huge demand and a backlog of orders. The latest electric hybrid version of VW´s ever popular hatchback has been removed from sale because of a large and growing waiting list following ´unprecedented demand´ and a huge production backlog. The success of this plug-in hybrid with it´s traditional petrol engine and electric motor seems to have caught Volkswagen by surprise. The move is to prevent the waiting list from growing beyond several

months which the auto maker feels would be unacceptable. This follows previous attempts by VW to meet the initial high demand by adding a second shift at it´s production facility to double output to 70 cars a day, up to 2,100 a month. Other hybrid models offered by VW, such as the Passat GTE and other traditional Golf models are unaffected. A Volkswagen spokesman stated: “Due to bottlenecks in production and in order to not impose

unreasonable waiting times on our customers for new car orders, temporarily the Golf GTE cannot be ordered. We will inform you as soon as this model is available to order again.” Questions remain over the production bottle necks beyond the high demand as it´s reported only 7,500 Golf GTE cars were sold across Europe in 2017. A sales volume many expect one the world´s largest vehicle manufacturers to be able to meet. The Golf GTE has a 1.4l TSI petrol engine and a 75kW electric motor with a 6 speed gearbox. With a range of 50km in all-electric mode and a total combined range of 880km. Acceleration 0-80 km/h in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 222km/h and a combined cycle fuel consumption of 1.8-1.6 l/100km.

sport

I’m out

Javi Signes recently announced his resignation as coach of Denia’s ‘Juvenil A’ team. The team play in the National League – the second best division in the youth category and Signes departure couldn’t come at a worse time. The club have only just started to improve after a poor start to the season and the resignation of another coach (Guijarro). Javi Signes has cited personal reasons for his departure and he will be replaced by David Mallol.

FESTIVE SEASON RECAP Manchester City’s record-breaking 18-match winning run came to an end on New Year’s Eve when they drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace. Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola’s side still entered 2018 with a 12 point lead over neighbours United (recent 2-0 winners at Everton) at the top of the PL. Arsene Wenger’s record 811th Premiership game in charge of Arsenal ended in a 1-1 draw at West Brom, but the long-standing French boss wasn’t at all happy with referee Mike Dean’s decision to award Albion a late penalty. What about the blatant spot-kick not given against the Baggies earlier in the season at The Emirates, Mr. Grumpy?

ADIOS: Javi Signes on the pitch Photo credit Denia Ayuntamiento

Referee hospitalised by youth player A local football referee was left hospitalised after a youth player hit him, leaving him unconscious. The referee was rushed to Denia Hospital from El Verger where the municipality’s youth team were playing at home to Beniopa’s

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

youth team. The offending player, from the El Verger team, has been banned from playing football and will face a fine. The referee’s injuries will be assessed and that, plus the time taken to recover, will determine the value of the fine.

In-form Spurs are still winning (thanks to Mr Kane who’s certainly been ‘able’ of late); so too are Chelsea and Liverpool, the latter’s success coming at Burnley in New Year’s Day, courtesy of a dramatic late goal from Ragmar Klaven. Meanwhile, Reds’ boss Jürgen Klopp has signed Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for a world record fee for a defender of £75m. In-form Wolves are racing away from the pack in the Championship (they beat Bristol City over the festive season); Wigan Atrhletic and Shrewsbury Town are still first and second in FL1, while Luton Town lead FL2, despite a heavy ‘festive season’ 4-0 defeat at Port Vale. And in Scotland, the old firm derby ended Celtic 0 Rangers 0. And with football’s transfer window now open, we can expect plenty of activity between clubs over the next few days with several Premiership players moving to pastures new… with perhaps Coutinho, Sanchez and Walcott, among them! An expected 300+ deals will take place during this month. Alastair Cook scored a majestic 244 not out in England’s first innings total of 491 in the drawn fourth Test with Australia in Melbourne. In fact, only the rain prevented Joe Root’s team from gaining a consolation win. Cook’s knock, by the way, was the biggest by an overseas player in Australia. In Rugby Union, Exeter Chiefs started 2018 ten points clear at the top of the AVIVA Premiership… Ulster stormed back from 17 points to nil down to beat Munster 24-17 in the Pro-12 League… the impressive 6-4 favourite Might Bite won the Boxing Day King George VI Steeplechase at Kempton Park…. GB tennis star Johanna Konta started the year by beating Madison Keys in the first round of the Brisbane Open… and Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, playing in his last competition before retirement, was beaten 7-2 by debutant outsider Rob Cross in the PDC darts final. FA CUP 3rd ROUND WEEKEND There are 32 FA Cup third round ties coming up, starting on Friday with the Liverpool v Everton clash at Anfield and twelve-time winners Manchester United against Derby County at Old Trafford. On Sunday, holders Arsenal, 13-time winners and 29-time semi-finalists, visit Nottingham Forest, Wimbledon play Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, West Ham United travel to Shrewsbury Town and Leeds United travel 216 miles to South Wales to oppose Newport County. In between times, Saturday’s 25 games feature Norwich City against Chelsea, Fulham v Southampton, Newcastle United v Luton Town, favourites Manchester City v Burnley; Bournemouth v Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers v Huddersfield Town, Jamie Vardy’s old club Fleetwood Town v Leicester City, Coventry City v Stoke; Wolves v Swansea City; Watford v Bristol City; Exeter City v West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough v Sunderland, Aston Villa v Peterborough United, Birmingham City v Burton Albion, Cardiff City v Mansfield Town, Blackburn Rovers v Hull City, Brentford v Notts County, Carlisle United v Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster Rovers v Rochdale, Ipswich Town v Sheffield United, Millwall v Barnsley, QPR v MK Dons, Stevenage v Reading, Wycombe Wanderers v Preston North End and Yeovil Town v Bradford City. The last third round tie is Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace on Monday. CUP FACT FILE * The last final to be decided on penalties saw Liverpool beat West Ham United 3-1 in 2006. * Arsenal have won three of the last four FA Cup finals, retaining the trophy in 2015. * The losers of the last 12 finals have all been different clubs! * The last Cup final to end goalless was the Arsenal-Manchester United encounter in 2005. * Fifteen of the 18 finals played since 2000 have involved a London club. * The last non-London showdown was Wigan Athletic’s 1-0 win over Manchester

City in 2013. * The biggest win in a final has been 6-0 by Bury over Derby County in 1903. * The biggest win since WW2 is 4-0 – achieved twice by Manchester United v Brighton in the 1983 replay and against Chelsea in 1994 and by Arsenal over Aston Villa in 2015. * The final has gone into extra-time five times in the last 13 years – and Manchester United have been involved in three of them. * So far a total of 43 different clubs have won the FA Cup since 1872 – the Wanderers were the first.

There’ll be a shock result – there always is in the third round!